re: I’m still excited about LSU basketball and Johnny Jones

This team is ONE competent pg away from being a ncaa tourney team. you trade hickey for releford and it's not doubt a cinch tourney team.

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Bama is a good basketball team and plays much better at home.

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Was there. They had 12,000 fans. They were loud all the time. Every time they made a basket they ROARED, every time we missed they ROARED.

Their crowd is a billion times louder than we are at home. That has a huge impact. Really energizes the team. Their players were even playing to the crowd, getting amped up by their encouragement.

That's what home court advantage is all about. Hopefully we'll be even half as noisy on Tuesday as they were.

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when we upset the wildcats.

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Hickey has shown little energy, point guard who doesnt distribute, amd shoots around 33% from field bt refuses to let someone else try a shot at end of a half.

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Coach gives him that task, because he's quick and because he's clutch. Have you forgotten Miss. St games last year? Hero those games, right?

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hickey I rarely get that this year.

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Hickey performs much better when he can push the ball up the court using his speed and quickness and great court vision (because he leaves the "trees" behind). That's his game. He distributes really well to other players that can run n'gun with him.
Remember that from last year and even for Trent, when as a freshman Anthony was starting guard and would ignite the team by pushing? When not doing Trent's awful stagnant offense, that is.

He is doing EXACTLY what coach is telling him to do. Which is "try to get the ball inside to JOB" who is double teamed most of the team - doesn't know how to get out of it - and most of our opposition know exactly what we're running and just clog the lane.

If you pay attention, there are a couple of versions of the same kind of offense. Each run from the left and the right. The left is for Jarrell when he's out there, he's supposed to rotate and get open.

Because of Anthony's height, that is often difficult for him as the forwards are covered by tall guys clogging the lane. And doing a low bounce pass inside is a high risk because JOB (and others) isn't agile enough to get down and grab it. What else is he s'posed to do, but take an outside shot or dish to Stringer/Coleman for the same? If JOB/Jarrell etc. would move out of the paint occasionally and drag their defenders with them it might open up a lane for Shavon, Andre or Anthony to drive through unhindered.

The other aspect overlooked that I keep on repeating in threads is that that he and Andre are constantly picked and double picked by bigger forwards (unlike ours who rarely set a good pick). THEY GET LITTLE HELP, we're lousy at defending/anticipating the picks. Watch a replay of last night's game and see how well Bama screened us (and how many moving picks were not called).

I do think Hickey has less energy but it's more to do with the slow offense that's constantly run, than anything else.

And while I'm still rolling here, I was at the game last night and had the opportunity to observe bench dynamics. Hickey was up talking to CJJ, listening to CJJ while watching the game. He's obviously running the offense as instructed even with the physical disadvantages he has.
And from the bench he would step out and shout instructions to Tim and wave his arms about directing the others on the court. He's involved, he's a cheerleader and loves to ignite play when on the court for the FC press.

Which begs the question why aren't we running the "40 minutes of hell" high octane offense and defense? Maybe we don't have the horses for that, but how about "20 mins of hell - 10 mins per half"

bump for the haters....