In Reply to: If I were Coach Cronin posted by ej on January 16, 2025 at 14:06:25
agree about Dylan - it's our best chance of turning around the backcourt. (It's also what everyone thought would be the case when they assessed this team's chances. Dylan was set back by a summer injury and hasn't found his game but unless he does, we aren't going anywhere. So.
Dailey could play the three and be used flexibly (like Jaquez and Dugalic on the women's team). Kobe could do some at the two most likely. But that is ONLY if Mara and Kyle can handle the five spot.
Trouble is Mick has tried that, again and again, and the results have been bad. Kyle went in in our last couple games and the opponent immediately took advantage of him multiple times and Mick had to pull him out of there to have any chance of staying in the game. Mara went in last game and the opponent immediately started bodying him out of position. It doesn't matter how tall you are if you're pushed 8 feet away from the basket and are standing outside looking in. When he did get looks at rebounds three times against Rutgers he jumped too soon and was back down on the ground when the RB came into the vicinity - he missed out on all three rebounds. In fact, he managed just one rebound for his time in the game and even lost one on a free throw when he had position.
I tooted that horn myself for a while but when I see Cronin trying it, it has been a disaster.
Yes, Tyler's offense would be better if he were playing the 4 instead of the 5 but he at least holds position inside. Now his inability to defend the pick and roll perhaps changes the equation if anyone (by which I actually mean Mara) could do any better. So I agree that Cronin needs to keep on trying the experiment. Keep teaching Bilodeau (and our guards) how to defend the pick and roll and keep giving Mara chances to play at the five.
Cronin has said multiple times he believes only Bilodeau and Mara can play the five right now and he doesn't like playing them together - possibly our best ultimate lineup - because then they tire (or get into foul trouble) at the same time and then he has only Kyle to trot out there. (Leaving unsaid that if he inserts Kyle and the opponent scores easily every time down the court, we haven't a prayer.)
Anyway, if Mara and Kyle are NOT cutting it and he has to play Bilodeau at the five he has little choice but to play Dailey at the four spot to help defend and to fight for rebounds. Now it's becoming clear he needs to play Stefanovic more minutes so if you want to push the Johnson at the two spot lineup then I think that's more likely the way to do it.
But then it all depends on Andrews getting more aggressive and beginning to play better as the lead guard or Mack is the only guard we have aggressive and willing to try to penetrate the opposing defense rather than just moving the ball side to side. (If only he would just learn to pass out of it when it just isn't there on the drive)