Zoubek's foot again...

[greybeard]

I'm not saying that Duke's perimeter players aren't faultless. I'm just saying that I think it's disingenuous to suggest that Zoubek was constantly (even regularly) getting fantastic position and getting denied the ball. He may have occasionally gotten good position, but he also had trouble MAINTAINING good position (due to lack of balance/strength/stability).

There are very few players who can identify and execute an immediate entry pass to a guy who can't establish and maintain good position. With Zoubek, if you didn't see him at the EXACT moment he got good position, the moment was gone. What more seasoned post players do is learn to get good post position and MAINTAIN it, allowing teammates time to get them the ball. Zoubek unfortunately hasn't been physically ready to do that yet. That's the main reason why you don't see many successful entry passes to him - not the failure of his teammates.

Hopefully, Zoubek recovers on schedule and is able to gain a summer of good experience and preparation. If he can improve his strength, balance, and stability in the post, then maybe he'll be able to maintain that good position long enough to allow teammates to get him the ball. And maybe he can improve his post moves to provide more spaces on the floor from which he can be an effective post scorer.

It's great if you can get a position and own it against all comers, aka Boozer and Brand. That is not, however, the only option for effective pivot play. The game is on, for clever outside in play, when the pivot sees space, and by looking at him, the outside guy with the ball reads his receiver, before he makes his move. Zoubek is excellent at that part of the game; Duke's littles haven't been. You catch it with space 2-4 feet from the basket, it is over. Someone closes and pushes you, you are in the midst of doing something and it is a foul.

We disagree here CDu. Zoubek came to Duke with skills and seeing the play and moving to space while leaving the defender behind was the best of them. As V used to say when I was saying it about Duke's littles Z's freshman year, feeding the pivot is a lost art. Interestingly enough, the best feeder of the pivot from the perimeter on the Duke team this year was Kyle. Too bad he couldn't be two places at once though Lord knows he tried.

[Devilsfan]

I think we fed the post quite well, especially Scheyer. He made our "bigs" look good on many occasions.

[BD80]

Does this work for you? If not, I can happily find you more examples.

I distinctly apologize for knowing that Zoubek's foot was still hurt and would probably require surgery. Clearly, I should have been releasing information that the coaching staff wasn't making public. Geez.

Sorry Jumbo, that just doesn't cut it. There is a standard for apologies and mea culpas on this board:


Hail to The Jumbo (& 92)
I, Cameron, am a big dumbo, Jumbo.
[Transfer's] average took a big tumble, Jumbo.
Why did I believe my own mumbo-jumbo?
Why did I take your bet? I bumbled, Jumbo!
My avatar, my sig -- both crumbled, Jumbo!
Both serve you. I am now humbled, Jumbo (& 92).

Anything less just doesn't cut it.

Now, if we are talking about whether an apology was merited ...

[greybeard]

I think we fed the post quite well, especially Scheyer. He made our "bigs" look good on many occasions.

Scheyer does everything quite well. However, there is nothing about Scheyer's game that makes the bigs look good. A good outside-in passer respects the abilities of the potential receiver and takes his lead from them. If Scheyer is good at getting it inside in a manner that allows a big to make a play, it is a function of mutual trust and respect, combined with imagination on both their parts. It is called team work.