Phase VIII -- 2009-10

[Jumbo]

Well, dear DBR friends, we've come to this. For the first time since I started this little adventure (OK, this is like the third year -- whatever), we've come to Phase VIII. (The Final Frontier?) And that recognition left me a little nostalgic, so I went back and read Phase 0, posted right before Countdown to Craziness, and Phase I, which launched the day of the season-opener. What an amazing ride it's been since then.

But it's not over. Not by a longshot. We're all thrilled to be in the Final Four, but there's still work to be done. So with that in mind, here are the questions I'll be pondering as Duke heads to Indy for the Final Four and the Final Phase of the 2009-10 season. As I've been doing throughout the tournament, I've tried to make sure these are not game-specific topics.

1) Can Duke stay healthy?
The guys have endured a host of bumps and bruises. Mason Plumlee's wrist injury was scary at the start and probably affected the course of his season. Then there was Singler's wrist. Scheyer's back. Thomas' knee. (As an aside, was the LT knee injury actually a blessing? Recall that Zoubek wasn't starting before that, and he supposedly got the nod in case Lance couldn't go against Maryland, so Duke would have veteran leadership at the back of its defense. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.) But the guys have persevered. Everyone is playing. Let's hope they can get through two more games with strong, healthy bodies.

2) How will Duke handle the big stage?
This is as experienced a team as you'll find in college basketball these days. Duke has great players and great leaders. That said, the Final Four is a different setting for everyone. You could tell just how excited and relieved the guys were to make it to Indy. They know the job isn't done, but will they lose just a bit of the mental edge that has fueled them all year? I spoke very early in the season about this team developing a collective ego, and K has since emphasized that in public and it has shown through in key spots. Just look at how much more confident guys like Nolan Smith, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are individually, and even more how the team truly seems to function as a unit that is greater than the sum of its parts. But will said collective ego only be strengthened by the wins in Houston, or will the spotlight and anxiety of the Final Four chip away at it? This, I suppose, is why Coach K is Coach K.

3) What can a week off do for Duke?
The perfect counterpoint to the second question, of course, is that Duke will have been off for quite a long time -- long enough to celebrate, refocus, build hunger and prepare. But here's the other thing -- Duke can still get better. I think I said this in one of the past two phases, but every extra week this team gets to practice -- especially in the case of the Plumlees and Dawkins -- is a good thing. Sure enough, we saw Andre step in and hit two big shots against Baylor. Now he gets a full week of practice with that confidence inside. The Plumlees made some mistakes, but also made some big plays in the Purdue and Baylor games. Now they get to learn even more, and you never know when one of them might step up. In Phase 0, I mentioned that this group had more upside than any in several years. I believe there is still more that hasn't been tapped, but could manifest itself through another good week together on the practice floor.

4) How will Duke adjust to different defensive approaches?
Duke faced two extremely different defenses in Houston. Purdue played man with small, quick, physical guys. Baylor played a 2-3 zone with tons of length and athleticism. Duke managed to adjust in both games, even if those adjustments were either slow to develop or inconsistent. And Duke will likely see more different approaches as it hopes to advance in Indy. The extra preparation time should help, but what happens if a particular approach proves perfectly suited to stopping Duke's conventional offense? Is there a counter-measure that could work? A small lineup? More straight post-ups? Different placement of the perimeter players? Or does Duke just have to fight harder to do what it does best? I'm particularly interested to see how the perimeter players fight through defenders who might be quicker, stronger AND longer, and what they can do to get open and keep the offense flowing.

5) How will Duke handle bigs who can spread the floor?
We got a sense of this in the last two games. Purdue played small, and while Thomas did a nice job of handling Purdue's guards, JaJuan Johnson was able to thrive away from the basket when guarded by Zoubek. The Plumlee brothers continued to make mistakes both on the ball and in hep schemes. Baylor's active, athletic bigs were even more problematic. When they weren't isolating Udoh they were slipping screens and making hard cuts to the basket. Duke's defense is not about one-on-one matchups, and a huge part of that involves Thomas and Zoubek being able to direct action from the baseline and making sure they are in proper help position. Smaller, quicker, perimeter-oriented bigs can throw that system off kilter, not just by exploiting a matchup advantage but by placing our bigs in positions where they can't help, are out of position to rebound effectively on the defensive boards or are forced to foul. It will be interesting to see how K compensates to maintain the integrity of Duke's overall man-to-man scheme; I think it might serve Duke well to not solely play the Plumlees together, but to have one of them in the game with one of the Thomas/Zoubek combo, to maintain better defensive balance.

6) Does Jon Scheyer have one extra gear left -- one final trick up his sleeve?
The kid is a winner. We know that. And in the midst of as dreadful a slump as I've seen from such an outstanding player, he rallied in the second half of the Purdue game on pure will, finding his way to the basket. I believe that led directly to the return of his three-point stroke against Baylor. And it just fits. There's just something about this kid -- the state title in high school, the 21 points in 75 seconds -- that makes you think that he can rise to the occasion in a special way. Now he's playing close to home as a senior, and I just get the sense that he is ready to put on an incredible display of basketball. At least, I hope so.

7) How will the games be officiated?
I brought this up at the beginning of the tournament, but it's worth repeating. In NCAA games, you just never know how the whistle will go. There are three key areas of officiating from Duke's perspective. One is Brian Zoubek. Simply put, I think refs who are familiar with him have realized that the fact that he's huge doesn't mean that he's fouling. I'm not sure unfamiliar refs are able to see through his awkwardness, though. The second is opponents' perimeter D. If refs allow teams to clutch and grab cutters -- like Purdue did -- that really hurts Duke's flow with the three perimeter guys. And the third is rebounding -- Duke's work on the offensive boards is such a key factor in its success, and the guys need the freedom to go after the ball. Watch how the refs call these plays early.

8) Can Duke prevent live-ball turnovers?
If not for live-ball turnovers, Purdue and Baylor wouldn't have had so many first-half runouts and those games wouldn't have been nearly as close. In games that figure to be tight, the fact that Duke generally maximizes possessions through offensive rebounding and taking care of the ball becomes critical. On the other hand, Duke doesn't generate a ton of easy baskets. So to allow teams to get easy baskets off runouts caused by steals could swing a game. Hopefully, Duke got those problems out of its system in the first halves of the games in Houston. Because the team must take care of the ball.

9) Is Singler's wrist bad again, or did he just have an off shooting night against Baylor?
This easily could have gone in the first question, but I thought it deserved its own discussion. That photo of his hand/wrist was scary, but hopefully it didn't mean anything. Clearly, Singler needs to be as close to full strength as possible, and Duke doesn't just need him to knock down jumpers; he has to be able to attack the rim to finish and/or get to the foul line.

10) Are there any surprises in store?
I've asked this before, but it feels particularly appropriate now. Weird things tend to happen in a Final Four. Will an unexpected player step up with a scoring burst? Will someone get increased playing time because someone else is in foul trouble and grab a few big rebounds? Will K suddenly throw a zone at the other team for a couple of possessions? Will someone play the role of Marty Clark and knock down clutch free throws off the bench? Or will something we can't even imagine transpire -- hopefully to give Duke an edge? I guess that's why we watch.

There are obviously so many other factors that will decide these games, but I feel that's a pretty comprehensive list of critical questions. This team has a wonderful opportunity in front of it -- time to seize the moment. Go Duke!

[airowe]

9) Is Singler's wrist bad again, or did he just have an off shooting night against Baylor?
This easily could have gone in the first question, but I thought it deserved its own discussion. That photo of his hand/wrist was scary, but hopefully it didn't mean anything. Clearly, Singler needs to be as close to full strength as possible, and Duke doesn't just need him to knock down jumpers; he has to be able to attack the rim to finish and/or get to the foul line.


FWIW, I've been told by a respected poster on this board that the discoloration was caused by a tight tape job, so while the wrist is obviously bothering Kyle (thus the taping) it will not be an issue moving forward.

ETA: Thanks for your posts thus far this season, Jumbo.

A level head you keep around here...

[Richard Berg]

Although I'll regret it in the morning, I'm glad I stayed up late enough to read this. Great stuff.

#4 and #5 deserve more specifics, given that our opponents are well known. Maybe not in this thread. Is it time for "How we beat XXXX" yet?

10) My personal wish list:
* 17 footers from Miles and Lance = money in the bank every time a defender dares help away from them.
* Dawkins pulls a Dunleavy from behind the arc.
* A spin move from Mason that starts 8' out instead of at the top of the key.
* As many baby hooks as Big Z cares to take. (I trust his shot selection now.)
* NCAA statisticians finally start giving Zoubek his due credit in the steals column.
* Coach K goes "orange" on a few random possessions vs Butler, just to mess with their heads.
* After an all-night pep talk from Jordan Davidson's brother, K agrees to insert him into the starting lineup. After leaping 5 feet to win the opening tip he bullies his way into the paint, Barkley-style, and banks one home. Jordan spends subsequent trips downcourt relentlessly calling for the ball, posting up his man, and before long breaking Danny Ferry's single game scoring record.

[CDu]

#5 is especially pertinent in Saturday's game, as basically all of WVU's regular bigs are more than willing to step out away from the basket. In fact, that's probably the strength of their games. Jones and Smith will pick and pop and pick and slip to the basket. It will be interesting to see how Zoubek handles that. And Ebanks likes to slash the baseline and dive in for rebound putbacks.

If I had to guess, I'd say Thomas will get Jones and Zoubek will get Smith to start. That leaves Singler on Ebanks and Scheyer on Butler. All of those matchups are really interesting.

I realize that this is not a Duke vs WVU thread, but #5 really lends itself to discussing these matchups.

[Delaware]

I like the list.

I think in order my "concerns" if you can call them that are:

#8) Live ball turnovers and transition defense... I think this is our one potential flaw. We don't turn it over that much, but when we do, we need to get back in transition. If we can make these games half court affairs, I like our chances at the end.

#7) Foul trouble for Z and Lance... you said it, if the call Z for the way he lumbers vs. the actual end result, we are in trouble because the extra possessions at end of games from OR's is key to pulling out a nail biter.

#9) Kyle's wrist... hope it is strong for the weekend.

[superdave]

Live ball TO's - WV's slower pace suggests they do not get many run-outs. Has anyone watched neough of them to comment? We do a good job of protecting the ball, but occasionally relax too much on perimeter passes and throw a wounded duck. Perhaps a few back door plays would keep the D honest.

A week off - I think this will be huge for Duke. Coach K will have plenty of time to scount, prepare and implement the offense to deal with WV's man or 1-3-1. This was evident vs. Baylor as our big men shined (shone?) in the middle of the zone early on. Baylor eventually adjusted but our preparation was evident.

Perimeter Offense - We started slow vs. Purdue's D, especially on the perimeter. They roughed us up but could not keep it going for 40 minutes. Can WV play that tough for a full 40? How do we respond? I'd love to see Singler have 2-3 plays early where he turns into an animal and scares WV !

Bench contributions - Andre's 2 3-balls were huge for us. I said last week that it would be nice to get a first half bucket from each of our bench guys plus LT just to keep defenses honest. Same holds true this weekend. Even the semblance of balanced offense will help the Big 3 get better looks and give them a little more space.

Rebounding - This game appears like it will be won on the boards. WV is really good because of their athleticism and their spread. MSU and Butler might not have the size and depth to hang on the boards with either Duke or WV.

[cato]

Is it time for "How we beat XXXX" yet?


I think that mojo is dead. If anything, it would be time for a "Can [Butler]/[Michigan State] beat Duke?" thread.

[CDu]

Live ball TO's - WV's slower pace suggests they do not get many run-outs. Has anyone watched neough of them to comment? We do a good job of protecting the ball, but occasionally relax too much on perimeter passes and throw a wounded duck. Perhaps a few back door plays would keep the D honest.

WVU's defense doesn't really force turnovers. They're big and physical, but not that quick. They're one of the worst in terms of forcing live ball turnovers in the country. They don't do anything particularly well defensively, but aside from not forcing turnovers they do pretty much everything else okay defensively.

What they do well is rebound, specifically on the offensive glass. They're mediocre defensively on the glass. Both teams should have an edge on the offensive boards. And they're more than willing to invert their offense with Butler posting and Jones/Smith standing on the perimeter. They're also more than willing to slip screens and send cutters to the basket, which is something we'll need to be wary of.

[Jumbo]

I think that mojo is dead. If anything, it would be time for a "Can [Butler]/[Michigan State] beat Duke?" thread.

Yeah, I made a decision not to go there this season. I forget who started those 9 years ago, but clearly my taking over the thread-starting didn't lead to good results. The pre-game/in-game thread is more than good enough to discuss game-specific stuff, and I hope this thread works for big-picture issues.

[JStuart]

This may not be the best place to ask this question, -feel free to move it, Jumbo- but I don't think I've seen anyone evaluate WVa before and after Truck's fracture, i.e., the implications of using their back-up point guard. Sure, I saw them beat UK, but how does it apply to how they match up against our defense/offense?
Please point me to the appropriate thread if I've missed it; Thanks!

[-jk]

This may not be the best place to ask this question, -feel free to move it, Jumbo- but I don't think I've seen anyone evaluate WVa before and after Truck's fracture, i.e., the implications of using their back-up point guard. Sure, I saw them beat UK, but how does it apply to how they match up against our defense/offense?
Please point me to the appropriate thread if I've missed it; Thanks!

Truck is listed as "doubtful" Channeling their inner Tar Heel, he'll start and score a career high.

-jk

[CDu]

This may not be the best place to ask this question, -feel free to move it, Jumbo- but I don't think I've seen anyone evaluate WVa before and after Truck's fracture, i.e., the implications of using their back-up point guard. Sure, I saw them beat UK, but how does it apply to how they match up against our defense/offense?
Please point me to the appropriate thread if I've missed it; Thanks!

Before the injury, WVU had two PG: Bryant and Mazzulla. After the injury, they likely have only Mazzulla. Mazzulla is a very capable replacement. In fact, there are a lot of similarities. Neither are good shooters (though Bryant is a better shooter than Mazzulla, as Mazzulla has been recovering from a shoulder injury). Both are stout, strong guards who like to attack off the dribble (mainly because that's the only way they score). They don't lose too much with Mazzulla replacing Bryant.

Where they DO lose out in the Bryant injury is that they have literally no backup PG to rely upon. They might play Mitchell (a SG) at the point in limited minutes. Otherwise, they'll give the ball to Butler and go with a team of all 6'7"-6'9" players.

How does it factor into our defensive strategy? Well, it depends. When Mazzulla is on the floor, there's little change. When he's off the floor, WVU will go REALLY big in the backcourt. That will hurt their ballhandling, but may help their rebounding and potentially their defense.

[MChambers]

Before the injury, WVU had two PG: Bryant and Mazzulla. After the injury, they likely have only Mazzulla. Mazzulla is a very capable replacement. In fact, there are a lot of similarities. Neither are good shooters (though Bryant is a better shooter than Mazzulla, as Mazzulla has been recovering from a shoulder injury). Both are stout, strong guards who like to attack off the dribble (mainly because that's the only way they score). They don't lose too much with Mazzulla replacing Bryant.

Where they DO lose out in the Bryant injury is that they have literally no backup PG to rely upon. They might play Mitchell (a SG) at the point in limited minutes. Otherwise, they'll give the ball to Butler and go with a team of all 6'7"-6'9" players.

How does it factor into our defensive strategy? Well, it depends. When Mazzulla is on the floor, there's little change. When he's off the floor, WVU will go REALLY big in the backcourt. That will hurt their ballhandling, but may help their rebounding and potentially their defense.

Just want to note that Mazzulla has had a tendency to foul a lot this year, as we saw Saturday. So it's likely that WV will have to play quite a bit without a point guard in the game.

[CDu]

Just want to note that Mazzulla has had a tendency to foul a lot this year, as we saw Saturday. So it's likely that WV will have to play quite a bit without a point guard in the game.

Good point. He's had at least 3 fouls in 16 of his 36 games, and 4 fouls or more in 11. And this is despite the fact that he's played less than 20 minutes in 26 of his 36 games. So foul trouble for Mazzulla is a definite concern.

[Kedsy]

When he's off the floor, WVU will go REALLY big in the backcourt. That will hurt their ballhandling, but may help their rebounding and potentially their defense.

Do you think we might try to counter in those situations with a one-guard lineup of our own (e.g., Jon, Kyle, Lance, Mason, Miles)? Or should we try to make them adapt to us?

[Matches]

Do you think we might try to counter in those situations with a one-guard lineup of our own (e.g., Jon, Kyle, Lance, Mason, Miles)? Or should we try to make them adapt to us?

I really don't expect to see Singler, Scheyer, or Smith come out of the game at all unless they're injured or in foul trouble. Maybe Andre gets a minute or two here or there, but we got where we are with the Big 3 - I think K will dance with the girl he brung, so to speak.

[MChambers]

Do you think we might try to counter in those situations with a one-guard lineup of our own (e.g., Jon, Kyle, Lance, Mason, Miles)? Or should we try to make them adapt to us?

Our two primary guards are two of our best three players. Let them try to cover Nolan with someone who is 6'7" (if Mazzulla is out and Bryant can't play).

[CDu]

Do you think we might try to counter in those situations with a one-guard lineup of our own (e.g., Jon, Kyle, Lance, Mason, Miles)? Or should we try to make them adapt to us?

I think we'd stay with Smith, for two reasons. First, I don't think we'd want to give up our advantage offensively, which is what would happen by replacing Smith with Plumlee. Second, I think Smith can probably defend Flowers/Mitchell/Pepper.

We've never been a team that likes to change our style to match up with an opponent. I don't think we'd deviate from that if WVU goes big. Especially because I'm not sure that going big is actually an advantage for WVU.

The advantage that WVU has is that their bigs can spread the floor and their "smalls" can score inside.

[airowe]

Do you think we might try to counter in those situations with a one-guard lineup of our own (e.g., Jon, Kyle, Lance, Mason, Miles)? Or should we try to make them adapt to us?

We'd be silly not to press the daylights out of them.

[CDu]

I really don't expect to see Singler, Scheyer, or Smith come out of the game at all unless they're injured or in foul trouble. Maybe Andre gets a minute or two here or there, but we got where we are with the Big 3 - I think K will dance with the girl he brung, so to speak.

Exactly. I expect 38+ minutes each from the big 3, barring injury or foul trouble. They've gotten us this far, and they're our best bet to keep us moving regardless of matchup.

[superdave]

So we could press WV and also attack Mazzula because he is foul prone. Any chance we drop back into a zone for a few possessions to throw them off?

On offense, will WV's perimeter D be able to switch screens or fight over them to keep our Big 3 off balance? Can we put Kyle in the post ? And finally, can Zoubek screen successfully against these guys?

Lots of questions come to mind. I'm worried about their aggressive physical D on the perimeter throwing our offense off a lot.

[CDu]

So we could press WV and also attack Mazzula because he is foul prone. Any chance we drop back into a zone for a few possessions to throw them off?

On offense, will WV's perimeter D be able to switch screens or fight over them to keep our Big 3 off balance? Can we put Kyle in the post ? And finally, can Zoubek screen successfully against these guys?

Lots of questions come to mind. I'm worried about their aggressive physical D on the perimeter throwing our offense off a lot.

Their physical defense may be a concern. They'll bump/hold/grab all game if they can. If the officials call fouls, we'll have a big edge with our big three. If they don't, we could be in for a very long, rough game.

[RepoMan]

But will said collective ego only be strengthened by the wins in Houston, or will the spotlight and anxiety of the Final Four chip away at it?

I am willing to bet that the players felt greater anxiety going into the Baylor game than going into the Final Four. The pressure of living up to Final Four expectations mounted. I was sick of hearing about how "long" Duke had been absent from Final Four. Clearly K was sick of it too. But the real pressure fell on the kids. Trying to live up to expectations. Trying to live up to history. Etc.

Now, I bet they play more loose. And, given Coach K and the presence of seniors who are at the end of their careers, I think there is no chance that they will lose edge and focus -- they just won't have destructive pressure.

[NSDukeFan]

We'd be silly not to press the daylights out of them.

I think you're right, if it were about any other Duke team. That is not a strength of this Duke team though, but it may be enough to get some easy points if they don't handle pressure well.

[CDu]

I think you're right, if it were about any other Duke team. That is not a strength of this Duke team though, but it may be enough to get some easy points if they don't handle pressure well.

Yeah, I'm unsure about pressing as well. It definitely isn't a forte of this team. We may see it briefly (and probably only when Mazzulla isn't in there). But WVU isn't terribly turnover-prone in general.

[COYS]

Yeah, I'm unsure about pressing as well. It definitely isn't a forte of this team. We may see it briefly (and probably only when Mazzulla isn't in there). But WVU isn't terribly turnover-prone in general.

I would qualify this statement to say that WVU wasn't turnover prone when Mazzulla (or any other point guard) plays. In the brief stretch against Kentucky after Mazzulla fouled out, they looked absolutely terrible. No doubt Kentucky fans are still sleepless from thinking about all of the "what ifs . . ." if Calipari had gone to a press earlier in the game. I wouldn't mind gambling on a full court press when Mazzulla is on the bench . . . especially if we're willing to mix and match our lineups in the front court a little with Thomas and Miles or Thomas and Mason in at the same time. If it doesn't work after a possession or two, we can abandon it, but it might be a way to steal a few all important easy baskets. Even if it is successful in this situation, though, I don't see us sticking to it for long stretches because with our similar lack of perimeter depth, we probably won't have the energy to spend on a press for too long. Also, we play great half court defense and I definitely want to force WVU to beat us with their half court sets.

[superdave]

I would qualify this statement to say that WVU wasn't turnover prone when Mazzulla (or any other point guard) plays. In the brief stretch against Kentucky after Mazzulla fouled out, they looked absolutely terrible. No doubt Kentucky fans are still sleepless from thinking about all of the "what ifs . . ." if Calipari had gone to a press earlier in the game. I wouldn't mind gambling on a full court press when Mazzulla is on the bench . . . especially if we're willing to mix and match our lineups in the front court a little with Thomas and Miles or Thomas and Mason in at the same time. If it doesn't work after a possession or two, we can abandon it, but it might be a way to steal a few all important easy baskets. Even if it is successful in this situation, though, I don't see us sticking to it for long stretches because with our similar lack of perimeter depth, we probably won't have the energy to spend on a press for too long. Also, we play great half court defense and I definitely want to force WVU to beat us with their half court sets.

I think if their D is disuprting our O a lot, it makes sense to press to confuse their game plan. It could put them on their heels enough to break their defensive rhythm. But it would not be for 8-9 minutes or anything crazy like that. LT and Nolan are our two press guys. They seem ready for anything.

[airowe]

I was responding to Kedsy's question of what we should do if Mazzulla s out. We'd be crazy not to press them the entire time he is out. That's all I'm saying. I don't think we should press the whole game, but Mazzulla has not played very many mpg this year, so even though we don't have much backcourt depth, they have less and what they do have is much less conditooned to play at a high pace.

[Mcluhan]

I'm nervous just reading this thread.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

I'm nervous just reading this thread.

You and me both pal

[Richard Berg]

I was responding to Kedsy's question of what we should do if Mazzulla s out. We'd be crazy not to press them the entire time he is out.
Agreed. The complete & utter breakdown we saw vs Kentucky isn't something their backup ballhandlers can fix in 1 week.

[Bob Green]

3) What can a week off do for Duke?
The perfect counterpoint to the second question, of course, is that Duke will have been off for quite a long time -- long enough to celebrate, refocus, build hunger and prepare. But here's the other thing -- Duke can still get better. I think I said this in one of the past two phases, but every extra week this team gets to practice -- especially in the case of the Plumlees and Dawkins -- is a good thing. Sure enough, we saw Andre step in and hit two big shots against Baylor. Now he gets a full week of practice with that confidence inside. The Plumlees made some mistakes, but also made some big plays in the Purdue and Baylor games. Now they get to learn even more, and you never know when one of them might step up. In Phase 0, I mentioned that this group had more upside than any in several years. I believe there is still more that hasn't been tapped, but could manifest itself through another good week together on the practice floor.

The key characteristic of this Duke team is that they are still improving. We have yet to see them play their best game. With a week to prepare for WVU I expect Duke to be fully prepared to execute a winning game plan. Of course, we cannot forget that Coach Huggins also has a week to prepare for Duke.

I anticipate the Plumlees will be major players in the WVU game due to the mobility of the Mountainers. Zoubek must be focused every second he is on the court to avoid fouls. The same goes for Thomas. We need to take advantage of our experience so the seniors need to be on the court and all four of our big men need to be beasts on the boards.

Scheyer, Singler, and Smith will all play close to 40 minutes unless they are in foul trouble, however, when Dawkins gets a minute or two of playing time here or there he must be ready to knock down shots. Coach K will most likely go with Dawkins late in a close game so he needs to capitalize on any trips to the foul line. He is a freshman so WVU will try and put him on the line in a late game stop the clock/extend the game scenario.

[marinbobbyduhon]

Well, dear DBR friends, we've come to this. For the first time since I started this little adventure (OK, this is like the third year -- whatever), we've come to Phase VIII. (The Final Frontier?) And that recognition left me a little nostalgic, so I went back and read Phase 0, posted right before Countdown to Craziness, and Phase I, which launched the day of the season-opener. What an amazing ride it's been since then.

But it's not over. Not by a longshot. We're all thrilled to be in the Final Four, but there's still work to be done. So with that in mind, here are the questions I'll be pondering as Duke heads to Indy for the Final Four and the Final Phase of the 2009-10 season. As I've been doing throughout the tournament, I've tried to make sure these are not game-specific topics.

1) Can Duke stay healthy?
The guys have endured a host of bumps and bruises. Mason Plumlee's wrist injury was scary at the start and probably affected the course of his season. Then there was Singler's wrist. Scheyer's back. Thomas' knee. (As an aside, was the LT knee injury actually a blessing? Recall that Zoubek wasn't starting before that, and he supposedly got the nod in case Lance couldn't go against Maryland, so Duke would have veteran leadership at the back of its defense. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.) But the guys have persevered. Everyone is playing. Let's hope they can get through two more games with strong, healthy bodies.

2) How will Duke handle the big stage?
This is as experienced a team as you'll find in college basketball these days. Duke has great players and great leaders. That said, the Final Four is a different setting for everyone. You could tell just how excited and relieved the guys were to make it to Indy. They know the job isn't done, but will they lose just a bit of the mental edge that has fueled them all year? I spoke very early in the season about this team developing a collective ego, and K has since emphasized that in public and it has shown through in key spots. Just look at how much more confident guys like Nolan Smith, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are individually, and even more how the team truly seems to function as a unit that is greater than the sum of its parts. But will said collective ego only be strengthened by the wins in Houston, or will the spotlight and anxiety of the Final Four chip away at it? This, I suppose, is why Coach K is Coach K.

3) What can a week off do for Duke?
The perfect counterpoint to the second question, of course, is that Duke will have been off for quite a long time -- long enough to celebrate, refocus, build hunger and prepare. But here's the other thing -- Duke can still get better. I think I said this in one of the past two phases, but every extra week this team gets to practice -- especially in the case of the Plumlees and Dawkins -- is a good thing. Sure enough, we saw Andre step in and hit two big shots against Baylor. Now he gets a full week of practice with that confidence inside. The Plumlees made some mistakes, but also made some big plays in the Purdue and Baylor games. Now they get to learn even more, and you never know when one of them might step up. In Phase 0, I mentioned that this group had more upside than any in several years. I believe there is still more that hasn't been tapped, but could manifest itself through another good week together on the practice floor.

4) How will Duke adjust to different defensive approaches?
Duke faced two extremely different defenses in Houston. Purdue played man with small, quick, physical guys. Baylor played a 2-3 zone with tons of length and athleticism. Duke managed to adjust in both games, even if those adjustments were either slow to develop or inconsistent. And Duke will likely see more different approaches as it hopes to advance in Indy. The extra preparation time should help, but what happens if a particular approach proves perfectly suited to stopping Duke's conventional offense? Is there a counter-measure that could work? A small lineup? More straight post-ups? Different placement of the perimeter players? Or does Duke just have to fight harder to do what it does best? I'm particularly interested to see how the perimeter players fight through defenders who might be quicker, stronger AND longer, and what they can do to get open and keep the offense flowing.

5) How will Duke handle bigs who can spread the floor?
We got a sense of this in the last two games. Purdue played small, and while Thomas did a nice job of handling Purdue's guards, JaJuan Johnson was able to thrive away from the basket when guarded by Zoubek. The Plumlee brothers continued to make mistakes both on the ball and in hep schemes. Baylor's active, athletic bigs were even more problematic. When they weren't isolating Udoh they were slipping screens and making hard cuts to the basket. Duke's defense is not about one-on-one matchups, and a huge part of that involves Thomas and Zoubek being able to direct action from the baseline and making sure they are in proper help position. Smaller, quicker, perimeter-oriented bigs can throw that system off kilter, not just by exploiting a matchup advantage but by placing our bigs in positions where they can't help, are out of position to rebound effectively on the defensive boards or are forced to foul. It will be interesting to see how K compensates to maintain the integrity of Duke's overall man-to-man scheme; I think it might serve Duke well to not solely play the Plumlees together, but to have one of them in the game with one of the Thomas/Zoubek combo, to maintain better defensive balance.

6) Does Jon Scheyer have one extra gear left -- one final trick up his sleeve?
The kid is a winner. We know that. And in the midst of as dreadful a slump as I've seen from such an outstanding player, he rallied in the second half of the Purdue game on pure will, finding his way to the basket. I believe that led directly to the return of his three-point stroke against Baylor. And it just fits. There's just something about this kid -- the state title in high school, the 21 points in 75 seconds -- that makes you think that he can rise to the occasion in a special way. Now he's playing close to home as a senior, and I just get the sense that he is ready to put on an incredible display of basketball. At least, I hope so.

7) How will the games be officiated?
I brought this up at the beginning of the tournament, but it's worth repeating. In NCAA games, you just never know how the whistle will go. There are three key areas of officiating from Duke's perspective. One is Brian Zoubek. Simply put, I think refs who are familiar with him have realized that the fact that he's huge doesn't mean that he's fouling. I'm not sure unfamiliar refs are able to see through his awkwardness, though. The second is opponents' perimeter D. If refs allow teams to clutch and grab cutters -- like Purdue did -- that really hurts Duke's flow with the three perimeter guys. And the third is rebounding -- Duke's work on the offensive boards is such a key factor in its success, and the guys need the freedom to go after the ball. Watch how the refs call these plays early.

8) Can Duke prevent live-ball turnovers?
If not for live-ball turnovers, Purdue and Baylor wouldn't have had so many first-half runouts and those games wouldn't have been nearly as close. In games that figure to be tight, the fact that Duke generally maximizes possessions through offensive rebounding and taking care of the ball becomes critical. On the other hand, Duke doesn't generate a ton of easy baskets. So to allow teams to get easy baskets off runouts caused by steals could swing a game. Hopefully, Duke got those problems out of its system in the first halves of the games in Houston. Because the team must take care of the ball.

9) Is Singler's wrist bad again, or did he just have an off shooting night against Baylor?
This easily could have gone in the first question, but I thought it deserved its own discussion. That photo of his hand/wrist was scary, but hopefully it didn't mean anything. Clearly, Singler needs to be as close to full strength as possible, and Duke doesn't just need him to knock down jumpers; he has to be able to attack the rim to finish and/or get to the foul line.

10) Are there any surprises in store?
I've asked this before, but it feels particularly appropriate now. Weird things tend to happen in a Final Four. Will an unexpected player step up with a scoring burst? Will someone get increased playing time because someone else is in foul trouble and grab a few big rebounds? Will K suddenly throw a zone at the other team for a couple of possessions? Will someone play the role of Marty Clark and knock down clutch free throws off the bench? Or will something we can't even imagine transpire -- hopefully to give Duke an edge? I guess that's why we watch.

There are obviously so many other factors that will decide these games, but I feel that's a pretty comprehensive list of critical questions. This team has a wonderful opportunity in front of it -- time to seize the moment. Go Duke!

Jumbo,

Do you have any insights into the Championship game that you would like to share with us? I think the semifinal game answered a lot of your questions, but I would guess that facing Butler in the Finals may present a few other issues given that the crowd will be predominantly pro Butler.

[dukeimac]

Two issues I see are:
1. Will Duke be over confident?
2. Will the anti-Duke crowd affect them?

For the first time in a while Duke is a heavy favorite in this game. Wether they blow them out or just get by them, no one with good college basketball sense has Duke loosing this one. I think Coach K will have them grounded. Multiple games this year Duke has not played well in the first half and Coach had them ready for the second half.

If they can focus on this game as a UNC or Maryland away game they should be able to feed off of the anti-Duke crowd. I tell all my friends the more hatred for Duke that I hear the better, sweeter it makes things. I hope they have that perspective. Every year I hear the anti-Duke talk and I just smile. When asked, I state they only talk about the team that they fear the most. Over the years, even when Duke bows out early in the tourney, they talk and talk about Duke. They talk about them because they are soooo relieved they will not have to face Duke or that they are worried they will have to face them. They rely on the statement that Duke gets all the calls because they have no real excuse for losing to Duke, it can't be because Duke is better. That would be admitting a weakness.

Howard v Zo = Zo is taller and Howard is prone to fouls
Hayward v Lance = Hay is not physical and likes to shoot the outside shoot and Lance / Mason can guard him out there

Mack v Singler = Mack must stay on the floor this game and Singlers size will be an issue
Veasley v Scheyer = Scheyer's size might be an issue for Veasley
Nored v Smith = sophomore v experience, Nored has not seen this type of matchup

Bench v Bench = Duke gets a lot more out of their bench; size of Dukes bench v Butler. They come with a 6'9" guy and 2 - 6 footers. Once they go to their bench Duke should crush them. Plus Dukes bigs are more athletic than Butler's bigs. Haywood will have his match with Lance and Mason. Howard will not be able to match Zo's size or Miles athletics.

Butler must be able to score with Duke to keep it close and have a chance to win or this will be over early.

[superdave]

Well, we're here.

We're healthy. We can play vs. zone or tough man. We found our shooting stroke and saw the Big 3 all "on" at the same time for possibly the first time this year against a tough opponent. We are taking care of the ball.

We pressed a little vs. WV but not likely tonight. We'll play man and try to use our size advantage on both ends.

I think K keeps them focused. These Duke players are veterans now. Butler is still young in many ways.

[fidel]

I don't want this to be over.

[roywhite]

Phase 9?

Party

Celebrate

Give thanks to players and coaches

[Neals384]

With apologies to Jumbo, here are the keys to

Phase IX, The Celebration

1) Will everyone stay healthy? Will Kyle recover from that last second half-court tackle? Will everyone avoid injury during the wild celebrations that will continue for weeks?

2) Will Nolan and Andre ride on Zoub's shoulders during the parade? Or will they take turns?

3) Will Jon, Lance & Zoubs graduate, or will they be kicked out of finals for giggling uncontrolably at odd moments?

4) Will Kyle design a poster even cooler than his 17-0 "our house" poster?

5) Will Lance's face return to normal, or will that giant smile be a permanent feature?

6) Will Miles and Mason be able to return home to Indiana after having vanquished the local favorites?

7) Will President Obama welcome the Blue Devils to the White House, or is he a typical Heels fan?

8) Will Coach K still say Nyet to the Nets?

9) Will anyone ever forget this fabulous team, this marvelous season?

10) Will there be enough room in the trophy case for

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY #4?

[dball]

With apologies to Jumbo, here are the keys to

Phase IX, The Celebration


10) Will there be enough room in the trophy case for

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY #4?

Like jello, alway room for more :)

[NSDukeFan]

With apologies to Jumbo, here are the keys to

Phase IX, The Celebration

1) Will everyone stay healthy? Will Kyle recover from that last second half-court tackle? Will everyone avoid injury during the wild celebrations that will continue for weeks?

2) Will Nolan and Andre ride on Zoub's shoulders during the parade? Or will they take turns?

3) Will Jon, Lance & Zoubs graduate, or will they be kicked out of finals for giggling uncontrolably at odd moments?

4) Will Kyle design a poster even cooler than his 17-0 "our house" poster?

5) Will Lance's face return to normal, or will that giant smile be a permanent feature?

6) Will Miles and Mason be able to return home to Indiana after having vanquished the local favorites?

7) Will President Obama welcome the Blue Devils to the White House, or is he a typical Heels fan?

8) Will Coach K still say Nyet to the Nets?

9) Will anyone ever forget this fabulous team, this marvelous season?

10) Will there be enough room in the trophy case for

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY #4?

Of course, #1 is always a key and always #1.
2. I wonder if the whole team will ride on Zoubs shoulders?
9. I am pretty sure this will be a no, this is an unforgettable team that went through a remarkable journey.

[superdave]

Jumbo
Any interest in giving us a post mortem on the on the court aspects of the season!?

I think the biggest two factors were the team defense coming together to be a given every night and Brian Zoubek/Lance Thomas figuring out how to contribute to the offense without scoring a lot.

After Georgetown, our defense was money in the bank. Our bench really developed into solid defenders the final 10 weeks as well. In the two FF games, we did manage to lose track of frontcourt players who drifted to shoot 3 pointers though. That was the worst of our defensive problems.

After moving to the starting lineup, BZ had double figure rebounds in 9 of 16 games.

I do recell trying to argue in these Phase threads that we'd be a better team if Nolan was our alpha dog rather than Kyle. At the end of the day, I think we had three Alphas. Each guy carried us for stretches of individual games, typically based on exploitation of matchups, and each guy had similar scoring stats for the year.

We had some aspects of the team that never developed though. We rarely scored transition buckets. We only had 3-4 true feed-the-post plays per game. And to the chagrin of many, we didnt have nearly enough alley oops to the Plums.

Over the course of the season, we realized who we were and maxed out our strengths while avoiding many of our weaknesses. We specifically improved on offensive rebounding, help D, transition D and use of the high post.

What a great year!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Jumbo
Any interest in giving us a post mortem on the on the court aspects of the season!?

And to the chagrin of many, we didnt have nearly enough alley oops to the Plums.

What a great year!
Yes, yes! A post mortem, make that post celebration evaluation from Jumbo! No post mortem - we never died! :D:cool:

If the Plumlee's had made more of them, we would have thrown more of them. Something to look forward to next season, I'm sure! :cool:

Indeed! What a great year! :D

[weezie]

This whole season keeps taking on a more golden glow with every passing hour since Monday night.
Such an great story line from start to finish, sprinkled with all the hatred and derision, the insults, the incredible luck of having no one injured enough to hamper their play, it just grows more impressive as it becomes history.
Coach K, the captain of our ship, steering this wonderful team to that dream of taking it all.
I wondered if this would be the first season in a long time that Duke had not ended up at #1 at some point....but this is the best ol'darned point to end up at #1 peoples!!!

[Jumbo]

Jumbo
Any interest in giving us a post mortem on the on the court aspects of the season!?

I have an idea for how I'd like to do that, but it will come in a different thread. I'll post the recap of this phase, for the sake of tradition, shortly.

[Jumbo]

Well, it's time to look back on the last phase of the season. And I can't imagine being able to do so more fondly.

1) Can Duke stay healthy?
Yup! Through not just this phase, but 40 games, my #1 key managed to come through, with just a couple of hiccups. I think a lot of credit goes to an incredibly tough group of guys, who played through stuff that might have cost other players a few games here and there. We saw so many examples of how injuries can destroy seasons or even a single game, and we should all be thankful that in the biggest game of the year, our guys were able to play every minute Coach K needed from them.

2) How will Duke handle the big stage?
The team handled it extremely well. There were no nerves against West Virginia; that was a vintage performance. And I thought the team had some issues against Butler, but those were more a result of execution and strategy than anxiety.

3) What can a week off do for Duke?
The team -- as it has all year -- got better again. It just didn't happen in quite the way I expected. The Plumees played well against West Virginia, but no one took some major step forward. Instead, the group -- especially the veterans -- just became that much more comfortable together. And it manifested itself in even better play on the court.

4) How will Duke adjust to different defensive approaches?
Duke couldn't have done a better job against West Virginia's approach. And we barely saw any 1-3-1 from the Mountaineers in a game where Duke was clicking on all offensive cylinders, so that was telling. Duke had some trouble with Butler's physicality and the clutching and grabbing of the guards, but if the refs aren't going to call that, it's tough for anyone to adjust. Just ask the previous five teams that lost to the Bulldogs. Overall, with the exception of not running a greater variety of sets against Butler, I was really pleased with how Duke looked to take advantage of mismatches and beat different defenses.

5) How will Duke handle bigs who can spread the floor?
We never did find an answer to this. West Virginia attacked Zoubek in the way that I expected, and its non-shooters -- like Wellington Smith -- knocked down threes. Then we got treated to the Avery Jukes experience against Butler. But guess what? It didn't matter.

6) Does Jon Scheyer have one extra gear left -- one final trick up his sleeve?
I thought he was fantastic in the Final Four, especially against West Virginia, and easily could have been MOP (although I can't argue against Singler, who was brilliant). I have to admit that I had this feeling that he'd blow up for 30 points in one game, but while he didn't do that, he was Jon Scheyer. And as we've all learned over the years, that's more than good enough. I'll take his stats in the Final Four -- 19.0 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 tpg, .480 FG%, .429 3FG%, .800 FT% -- any day of the week. And on that stage? As I said, Scheyer easily could have been named MOP.

7) How will the games be officiated?
The West Virginia game was really inconsistent. There were only 9 fouls in the first half, and then both teams got whistled for a ton of calls early in the second half, and combined for 19 after the break. And my biggest fear -- how Zoubek would be called -- was also inconsistent. Sometimes he was allowed to play and be big; other times he got called for stuff just for, what seemed like, being taller than everyone. The Butler game was not called well at all, and again featured some issues with Zoubek and my other big concern -- a team being able to clutch and grab with strong, quick perimeter defenders. Throw in the pushing off that Hayward got away with on the boards compared to the fact that any time he drove, he got sent to the line, and it was pretty impressive that Duke stayed as poised as it did.

8) Can Duke prevent live-ball turnovers?
This was HUGE. Against West Virginia, Duke only had six turnovers and only one of those was an actual steal. That prevented any run-outs. Butler got a few more fast breaks than I expected and turned Duke over more times -- 12 -- but only gave up four steals. Big-time job of keeping the game played the way Duke wanted.

9) Is Singler's wrist bad again, or did he just have an off shooting night against Baylor?
I'd say after 20 ppg on 51.7% shooting and 54.5% 3-point shooting shows his wrist was just fine.

10) Are there any surprises in store?
Other than the fact that the Three S's all brought their A-Game on the same night (against West Virginia), there as nothing that happened in the Final Four that could be considered a major surprise. And that includes -- I'm proud to say -- winning the National Championship!

Phase VIII complete, mission accomplished. Way to go, Duke!

[NSDukeFan]

Well, it's time to look back on the last phase of the season. And I can't imagine being able to do so more fondly.

1) Can Duke stay healthy?
Yup! Through not just this phase, but 40 games, my #1 key managed to come through, with just a couple of hiccups. I think a lot of credit goes to an incredibly tough group of guys, who played through stuff that might have cost other players a few games here and there. We saw so many examples of how injuries can destroy seasons or even a single game, and we should all be thankful that in the biggest game of the year, our guys were able to play every minute Coach K needed from them.

2) How will Duke handle the big stage?
The team handled it extremely well. There were no nerves against West Virginia; that was a vintage performance. And I thought the team had some issues against Butler, but those were more a result of execution and strategy than anxiety.

3) What can a week off do for Duke?
The team -- as it has all year -- got better again. It just didn't happen in quite the way I expected. The Plumees played well against West Virginia, but no one took some major step forward. Instead, the group -- especially the veterans -- just became that much more comfortable together. And it manifested itself in even better play on the court.

4) How will Duke adjust to different defensive approaches?
Duke couldn't have done a better job against West Virginia's approach. And we barely saw any 1-3-1 from the Mountaineers in a game where Duke was clicking on all offensive cylinders, so that was telling. Duke had some trouble with Butler's physicality and the clutching and grabbing of the guards, but if the refs aren't going to call that, it's tough for anyone to adjust. Just ask the previous five teams that lost to the Bulldogs. Overall, with the exception of not running a greater variety of sets against Butler, I was really pleased with how Duke looked to take advantage of mismatches and beat different defenses.

5) How will Duke handle bigs who can spread the floor?
We never did find an answer to this. West Virginia attacked Zoubek in the way that I expected, and its non-shooters -- like Wellington Smith -- knocked down threes. Then we got treated to the Avery Jukes experience against Butler. But guess what? It didn't matter.

6) Does Jon Scheyer have one extra gear left -- one final trick up his sleeve?
I thought he was fantastic in the Final Four, especially against West Virginia, and easily could have been MOP (although I can't argue against Singler, who was brilliant). I have to admit that I had this feeling that he'd blow up for 30 points in one game, but while he didn't do that, he was Jon Scheyer. And as we've all learned over the years, that's more than good enough. I'll take his stats in the Final Four -- 19.0 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 tpg, .480 FG%, .429 3FG%, .800 FT% -- any day of the week. And on that stage? As I said, Scheyer easily could have been named MOP.

7) How will the games be officiated?
The West Virginia game was really inconsistent. There were only 9 fouls in the first half, and then both teams got whistled for a ton of calls early in the second half, and combined for 19 after the break. And my biggest fear -- how Zoubek would be called -- was also inconsistent. Sometimes he was allowed to play and be big; other times he got called for stuff just for, what seemed like, being taller than everyone. The Butler game was not called well at all, and again featured some issues with Zoubek and my other big concern -- a team being able to clutch and grab with strong, quick perimeter defenders. Throw in the pushing off that Hayward got away with on the boards compared to the fact that any time he drove, he got sent to the line, and it was pretty impressive that Duke stayed as poised as it did.

8) Can Duke prevent live-ball turnovers?
This was HUGE. Against West Virginia, Duke only had six turnovers and only one of those was an actual steal. That prevented any run-outs. Butler got a few more fast breaks than I expected and turned Duke over more times -- 12 -- but only gave up four steals. Big-time job of keeping the game played the way Duke wanted.

9) Is Singler's wrist bad again, or did he just have an off shooting night against Baylor?
I'd say after 20 ppg on 51.7% shooting and 54.5% 3-point shooting shows his wrist was just fine.

10) Are there any surprises in store?
Other than the fact that the Three S's all brought their A-Game on the same night (against West Virginia), there as nothing that happened in the Final Four that could be considered a major surprise. And that includes -- I'm proud to say -- winning the National Championship!

Phase VIII complete, mission accomplished. Way to go, Duke!

Now that is a recap I am sure you were very happy to make. Thanks for all the phase posts during the year.

[Troublemaker]

That's all well and good, Jumbo, but let's get going with Phase VIV or Phase Offseason or Phase -1 or however you want to put it, please.

I think we all would love to hear your thoughts on the draft status of Kyle, Jon, Z, and Lance.

Keep writing :-)

[WiJoe]

Terrific job, Jumbo!

[superdave]

Excellent point about Butler's clutching and grabbing in addition to Hayward playing be a different set of rules. Let's just say I was not a fan of ol' Gordon shooting 8 second half free throws.

This team overcame everything thrown at them! Resiliency and poise!

[superdave]

Paging you X's and O's types:

Coach K altered the offense a little to get Kyle more looks by going to more traditional motion from what I understand. Can anyone describe what we were doing earlier compared to what we did after the changes?

It seems to me that we used fewer pick and rolls out on the perimeter and used more screens and cuts in the foul line area. But did Coach K dial back the read and react aspect? Did we start running more quick hitters?

[Newton_14]

Paging you X's and O's types:

Coach K altered the offense a little to get Kyle more looks by going to more traditional motion from what I understand. Can anyone describe what we were doing earlier compared to what we did after the changes?

It seems to me that we used fewer pick and rolls out on the perimeter and used more screens and cuts in the foul line area. But did Coach K dial back the read and react aspect? Did we start running more quick hitters?

One thing K did is change the screen patterns and also moved the bigs higher up in the lane to set their screens for the cutters higher. This allowed for curls inward towards the basket as well as cuts outward for catches at the 3 point line.

This allowed Kyle to get catches deep in the lane for post up opportunities, as well as catches in the high middle or just off the high middle of the lane on either side for quick hitting mid-range shots or drives from that spot. We saw that twice late in the Butler game. One Kyle swished and the 2nd was the almost airball. But both were great looks.

One of my personal favorite plays was when they were in the double high post set with Mason on the right. Mason would catch and immediately hit Kyle on the opposite low block for a post up against a smaller wing. That play was money almost every time they ran it.

The changes created better spacing, gave Kyle more catches in mid-range and also allowed better space for Nolan and Jon to drive. Fun to watch.

[superdave]

One thing K did is change the screen patterns and also moved the bigs higher up in the lane to set their screens for the cutters higher. This allowed for curls inward towards the basket as well as cuts outward for catches at the 3 point line.

This allowed Kyle to get catches deep in the lane for post up opportunities, as well as catches in the high middle or just off the high middle of the lane on either side for quick hitting mid-range shots or drives from that spot. We saw that twice late in the Butler game. One Kyle swished and the 2nd was the almost airball. But both were great looks.

One of my personal favorite plays was when they were in the double high post set with Mason on the right. Mason would catch and immediately hit Kyle on the opposite low block for a post up against a smaller wing. That play was money almost every time they ran it.

The changes created better spacing, gave Kyle more catches in mid-range and also allowed better space for Nolan and Jon to drive. Fun to watch.

Thanks. I noticed Kyle doing more of the curl thing which is more typical of the flex offense. Also, it did seem like the bigs screened more in the high post area than outside the 3 point line.

How did these changes affect Jon and Nolan? It seems like they got more 3 point looks off drive/kicks, broken plays and offensive rebounds later in the year. But they drove into the lane more than earlier in the year.

I thought Kyle utilized the quick flash into the post, as opposed to the traditional sit-down and seek contact post up. Perhaps that can work for Mason some next year.

Interesting season from an X-O standpoint. I love these phase threads - pure basketball talk!