By and large, we do seem to be looking to score a little earlier than in past years. This seems more like a successful offense.
By and large, we do seem to be looking to score a little earlier than in past years. This seems more like a successful offense.
As was mentioned above, I think that it works much better this year due to a combination of our personnel and our standard offense. We have the personnel to utilize a spread offense, with driving lanes and the option to kick the ball out for the open 3. The "Stall ball" offense does exactly this; if anything, it exaggerates it as we draw the defenders into the corners and then penetrate. Nelson has done a great job of finishing for the most part (he was great yesterday) and we've got the shooters to punish them if they all collapse on the drive. Scheyer has also done a nice job getting to the rim at times, as has Smith etc. All we're really doing is running some time off before implementing a variant of our normal offense.
As has been mentioned here, stallball works when you have players who can create and are also threats from the outside. Smith, Nelson, Henderson, Scheyer and Singler are almost impossible to guard in the spread given that they all are very good slashers and decent shooters. The other key to the spread is hitting pressure free throws. Nelson is getting much better at the end of games. Everyone else can hit them- but they need to stay focused- particularly Henderson. But with those 5 guys at the end of games- Duke is very tough to defend.
I love reading posters proclaim how much they trust Nelson driving in end-game situations. Not long ago, Markie had a questionable handle and couldn't hit a free throw.
I cringe a bit whenever Markie gets the ball. But I have faith in Coach K. 800 wins and 17 - 1 this year, he might know what he is doing!!
I didn't get to watch this game, but it sounds like we have Bobby Hurley running stallball again. This, of course, is a very pleasant development.
I hate the "prevent defense" in football because all it does is prevent victory for the team that employs it.
I hate the outright stall ball in basketball because it kills your momentum and gives the other team a chance to rest on defense. Bury them while the burying is good I say. But in the last two games, we've gone to it out of necessity because of SERIOUS foul trouble, and as y'all have pointed out, it worked beautifully, leading to victories. Even I was glad we went to it with ~10 minutes left. Having the players who can execute it makes a world of difference.
But I still hate it.
Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
9F 9F 9F
https://ecogreen.greentechaffiliate.com
As a literary (and inside) tribute, why not combine things. 4 Corners in famous in basketball lore (although linked to the hated Heels). Our Way, Our Court, Our Town. Our Town? The name of the town in OUR TOWN is none other than ... Grover's Corners.
Okay, it's a stretch. But it is still my recommendation - Stall Ball is "Grovers Corners."
Forgive me, I'm an English major.
I really liked stall ball last night, but I remind myself that partly it was because we grabbed some long offensive rebounds out of the stall that traditionally we don't get. If MD had snagged those boards, those would have simply been ineffective possessions and the result could have changed.