What happened to Fitzgerald?

[DenverSooner]

He had a great first half and then it seemed like he hardly played (or was not noticeable) in the second half?

Where was Pledger tonight?

WW has mono but OU only plays 4 guards in elevation?

 

[MNsooner]

I wonder if Capel has a minutes cap on those two.

 

[DenverSooner]

I wonder if Capel has a minutes cap on those two.

What is a minutes cap? Do coaches do that? It seems ridiculous to me but I could never coach a basketball team.

 

[MNsooner]

Well as a punishment he set a cap on how many minutes he will give those two and so despite Fitz playing well he may still be in the dog house. I should say that I am being speculative here so no one gets confused

 

[stevent11]

Fitzgerald shoulda played alot more than he did, especially in the 2nd half. Although Tiny, didn't score, I thought he really played hard.

 

[Sooner Quick]

WW didn't have mono. I'm not sure how that came out because he said himself it was just a virus as he has had mono before and this wasn't nearly as bad. He said he felt like he could have played against OSU but they left him at home for precautionary reasons. Had he had mono he would have been in Norman tonight still.

 

[El Jefe]

I absolutely loved Fitz's game in the first half. If he can fine-tune that mid-range game I think it'll do wonders for the team next year. Where he was in the second half I have no idea.

 

[OUhoops11]

Fitzgerald was getting dominated while he was on defense. Just wasn't fast enough to keep up with CU's 4. This is why he was not playing in the second half.

 

[Sooner23]

Fitzgerald was getting dominated while he was on defense. Just wasn't fast enough to keep up with CU's 4. This is why he was not playing in the second half.

This. He looked like D'Juan Blair on the offensive end, but defensively he looked like a matador. He also wasn't rebounding at all. He had 1 in 22 minutes.

 

[thebigabd]

He had a great first half and then it seemed like he hardly played (or was not noticeable) in the second half?

Because he was getting abused by Marcus Relphorde.... Marcus is more of a small forward but he is 6'7'' 225 and a guy like Fitz can't guard him. He had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. If Fitz stayed on him the whole game he would have had 20, 15, and 10, lol...

"When he stopped getting the ball, we had to get him out of there because he was having a tough time guarding Relphorde on the defensive end. It was a tough matchup for him because (Marcus) Relphorde is really more of a perimeter, a wing player. We really didn't have anyone to guard him tonight. He is perfect for their system because he is big and strong enough, and tough enough where he can guard a four (power forward), but he is a difficult matchup at times for fours."
-Jeff Capel

 

[freeze15]

I agree Sooner23. At times he shows a lot of promise on the offensive end, but I am not sure I have ever seen anyone worse on D. The guy he is guarding takes two steps b/4 he ever makes a lateral movement & by then his guy is past him. That is why we can't keep him on the floor long. I am not sure if he is just that slow w/ his lateral movement, or if it is a total lack of instensity on the D end.

 

[buttermaker1]

He was cited for a shopping violation at Dillards enough said.

 

[Sooner23]

I agree Sooner23. At times he shows a lot of promise on the offensive end, but I am not sure I have ever seen anyone worse on D. The guy he is guarding takes two steps b/4 he ever makes a lateral movement & by then his guy is past him. That is why we can't keep him on the floor long. I am not sure if he is just that slow w/ his lateral movement, or if it is a total lack of instensity on the D end.

I don't think it's intensity. He seems to try hard. I think it's what you said earlier in your post that he is laterally challenged quickness-wise. He'd be better off guarding the opponents' center rather than their PF. He had no chance against Relphorde, which I guess is something you could say should've been realized by the coaches a lot earlier in the game and been adjusted. Unfortunately, our other big (Tiny) is better off guarding the other teams' center rather than 4, and therein lies one of the problems with this team defensively.

 

[luckyc1423]

I feel capel takes guys out and forgets about players on the bench...only way to explain the crazy group of players that he puts in

 

[outest]

That's a stupid move to take Fitz out and not play him at all. If you see his defensive problem, take him out and point to him what he needs to do. How he can be better? Not just take him out and sit him on the bench the whole night. Also adjust your defense to help cover the weakness like help side defense, etc. If I am a player, I am frustated as well.

 

[OUhoops11]

That's a stupid move to take Fitz out and not play him at all. If you see his defensive problem, take him out and point to him what he needs to do. How he can be better? Not just take him out and sit him on the bench the whole night. Also adjust your defense to help cover the weakness like help side defense, etc. If I am a player, I am frustated as well.

How can you teach a player to get faster?