Zouperman!

[Kimist]

While one game does not make a season, it was very refreshing to see Zoubek come alive today. I remember looking at the scoreboard and noting a double-double in progress. (Actually, I was even hopeful for a two-digit blocked shot tally )

I thought perhaps I was having flashbacks to the Fred Lind game against unc...yes, I was there!

Good luck to the Z-man!

k

[weezie]

We were at the WaDuke after the game, enjoying a few beverages, when Father Zoub strolled in, accepted our congrats and then, the son himself appeared, very humble, very appreciative.
Pretty cool.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

Holy Zoubeard! That was a nasty performance.

There is only one lesson to draw from this game:

Mandatory beards for the entire team. Make it so.

[devildeac]

To resurrect a phrase: "The monster's out of the cage."

[greybeard]

Terrific game but still much more in the tank. I thought that Z did a wonderful job early creating catches on the move and finishing. His first score, when the guy shaded him to the side to get a hand in front from the middle, Z did a terrific job of letting the guy with the ball know where to deliver it, high to his left hand, and caught it on the way to laying it in.

I thought that there were at least another 10-15 points off of such potential catches left out there the first half.

The team came out committed to creating an inside game and was better at it then I have seen in some time. But it seems that they go away from it too easily, that it is still the step sister to the outside game of the so-called Big Three. Z was complicitous in that instead of looking for potential catching lanes, and there was a ton of space inside the first half, he too quickly went to set a screen. Let me add here that he played the screen game, which was very clearly constructed and timed by the way (props to the coaches, really novel and effective) and thus left a lot of easy points on the court.

The second half Md committed a man to drop down to help if Z seemed to have position, but there still were opportunities that he never even gave a glance to see if they were there.

I think that this is a coaching choice and a bad one. The commitment to an inside game needs to persist beyond the first 5 minutes, and Z needs to be encouraged to look for lanes or angles where he can catch and go.

BTW, I loved that dribble move and conventional hook. I think that that can be there all day. I would like to see the Plumlees go to that conventional hook instead of the two-footed jump hook which has much less touch or oppotion to it, and is no good when, as happens, they get pushed out a step. With a conventional hook, when that happens the backboard is available and sweeping up against the board with a little more force will still score the ball, where the jump hook works only on a no backboard, smaller margin for error.

That said, Zoubek was dominant on both ends, and I thought everyone played great.

[sivartrenrag]

I loved the end of the game when you could tell Zoubek could barely get down the floor because he was so exhausted. What an incredible performance and he obviously gave it his all. And what a game to do it in!

Go Zoubek, Go Duke!

[Zeke]

Not just Z but all of the bigs have a bad habit of setting moving screens. I think a violation could be called on almost all screens they set. I can remember one called on Z and another on Miles today. Moving screens are something usually corrected in highschool or JV ball. Does anybody have any insight (Jumbo?) as to why?
Not to take away anything from Z's game today - it was awesome - but moving screens are something that can be a stopper in a close game.

[CameronBornAndBred]

So a big deal was made about yesterday being Zoub's first start of the season, which I'm sure is true since so many reported it. However...I could swear he started the second half against the holes (which is why I was thinking he actually started the game). I had some good beverages Wednesday night..but not so much that I was seeing things. Does anyone else know if he did indeed start the second at the Dean Dome? If he didn't, then Miles got yanked with less than a minute ticked off the clock.

[MChambers]

So a big deal was made about yesterday being Zoub's first start of the season, which I'm sure is true since so many reported it. However...I could swear he started the second half against the holes (which is why I was thinking he actually started the game). I had some good beverages Wednesday night..but not so much that I was seeing things. Does anyone else know if he did indeed start the second at the Dean Dome? If he didn't, then Miles got yanked with less than a minute ticked off the clock.

I'm sure he started the second half of that game.

[Kedsy]

So a big deal was made about yesterday being Zoub's first start of the season, which I'm sure is true since so many reported it. However...I could swear he started the second half against the holes (which is why I was thinking he actually started the game). I had some good beverages Wednesday night..but not so much that I was seeing things. Does anyone else know if he did indeed start the second at the Dean Dome? If he didn't, then Miles got yanked with less than a minute ticked off the clock.

Z definitely started the second half of the UNC game. He did not start the first half of that game, however.

[Kedsy]

The second half Md committed a man to drop down to help if Z seemed to have position, but there still were opportunities that he never even gave a glance to see if they were there.

I think that this is a coaching choice and a bad one. The commitment to an inside game needs to persist beyond the first 5 minutes, and Z needs to be encouraged to look for lanes or angles where he can catch and go.

I know this is a hazardous endeavor, but I'm going to disagree with Greybeard a little. Once the other team is double-teaming Brian Zoubek, the battle is won and our offense is golden. If two guys are watching the Big Z, it means (a) none of the big three can be doubled; and (b) the 5th offensive player has nobody on him at all, and Lance, Mason, Andre, and Ryan are all pretty good at converting when completely uncovered. If the opponent stops doubling Z because they're getting killed everywhere else, we can re-commit to pushing it inside.

Having said that, I really like pounding the post early, if there's any chance it would convince the other team to double-team our big man.

[MChambers]

I know this is a hazardous endeavor, but I'm going to disagree with Greybeard a little. Once the other team is double-teaming Brian Zoubek, the battle is won and our offense is golden. If two guys are watching the Big Z, it means (a) none of the big three can be doubled; and (b) the 5th offensive player has nobody on him at all, and Lance, Mason, Andre, and Ryan are all pretty good at converting when completely uncovered. If the opponent stops doubling Z because they're getting killed everywhere else, we can re-commit to pushing it inside.

Having said that, I really like pounding the post early, if there's any chance it would convince the other team to double-team our big man.

But how nice was it to see Zoubs looking to score, from the outset of the game? I even remember one possession late in the first half (I think) where he made a move to the basket and could have thrown it to Andre for a wide-open 3. I was saying "no" and then the ball went in the basket.

[Kedsy]

But how nice was it to see Zoubs looking to score, from the outset of the game? I even remember one possession late in the first half (I think) where he made a move to the basket and could have thrown it to Andre for a wide-open 3. I was saying "no" and then the ball went in the basket.

It was great, I loved it. I'm in no way saying we should look to Z less; I'm just saying that if Z looks good enough in the first few minutes to convince the other team to double-team him, it almost doesn't matter what we do the rest of the game. With our personnel, if our opponent has to double our center, our team will be very hard to stop.

[OldSchool]

Can we give some props to Lance on feeding Z for some of those big baskets he had?

Brian's first basket, for example. Lance has the ball and is being guarded at the 3 point line on the right wing. Brian momentarily seals his man under the basket and Lance IMMEDIATELY, with no hesitation, tosses a perfect pass over both defenders to Brian who catches and keeps the ball high to avoid the help side defender and scores.

I have seen countless times when Brian establishes the same position and the guard with the ball will look him off and pass it back around the perimeter, or wait for Brian to come out and set a high ball screen for him. Kudos to Lance.

On Brian's third basket, Lance has the ball near the elbow and drives his man to the rim, where he attracts the help defender, freeing Brian momentarily. Lance immediately scoops the ball to the open Z who lays it in.

That is what I have been waiting for Kyle to do more of - drive his defender to the rim, force the help to come over and rack up assists by feeding the resulting open big.

And by the way Brian's second basket (which Lance did not assist on) was a classic big man post move executed beautifully - with the ball on the low post and his defender sealed on his hip, Z does one dribble and a drop step into the middle of the lane and goes right up over the defender to score. Very smooth.

[MChambers]

Can we give some props to Lance on feeding Z for some of those big baskets he had?

Brian's first basket, for example. Lance has the ball and is being guarded at the 3 point line on the right wing. Brian momentarily seals his man under the basket and Lance IMMEDIATELY, with no hesitation, tosses a perfect pass over both defenders to Brian who catches and keeps the ball high to avoid the help side defender and scores.

I have seen countless times when Brian establishes the same position and the guard with the ball will look him off and pass it back around the perimeter, or wait for Brian to come out and set a high ball screen for him. Kudos to Lance.

On Brian's third basket, Lance has the ball near the elbow and drives his man to the rim, where he attracts the help defender, freeing Brian momentarily. Lance immediately scoops the ball to the open Z who lays it in.

That is what I have been waiting for Kyle to do more of - drive his defender to the rim, force the help to come over and rack up assists by feeding the resulting open big.

And by the way Brian's second basket (which Lance did not assist on) was a classic big man post move executed beautifully - with the ball on the low post and his defender sealed on his hip, Z does one dribble and a drop step into the middle of the lane and goes right up over the defender to score. Very smooth.

Pretty sure Lance's early free throws came after a pass from Brian. Maybe this is a point of emphasis in practice.

I would think these guys could have continued success scoring down low in the next two games.

[greybeard]

I know this is a hazardous endeavor, but I'm going to disagree with Greybeard a little. Once the other team is double-teaming Brian Zoubek, the battle is won and our offense is golden. If two guys are watching the Big Z, it means (a) none of the big three can be doubled; and (b) the 5th offensive player has nobody on him at all, and Lance, Mason, Andre, and Ryan are all pretty good at converting when completely uncovered. If the opponent stops doubling Z because they're getting killed everywhere else, we can re-commit to pushing it inside.

Having said that, I really like pounding the post early, if there's any chance it would convince the other team to double-team our big man.

I agree completely that once a team has to commit someone to double on Z they are in big trouble. Thought I said that, but, if not, absolutely! I think everyone on the team needs to get comfortable going inside as an option so that in tight games, when people settle on stopping the big three, what is proven will work will be an option because it will have worked a lot more than it has, if you get my drift, so I think we are on the same page all the way around.

[Kedsy]

I agree completely that once a team has to commit someone to double on Z they are in big trouble. Thought I said that, but, if not, absolutely! I think everyone on the team needs to get comfortable going inside as an option so that in tight games, when people settle on stopping the big three, what is proven will work will be an option because it will have worked a lot more than it has, if you get my drift, so I think we are on the same page all the way around.

Then we all finally agree. Drinks are on me.

[Indoor66]

Then we all finally agree. Drinks are on me.

Bookbinder's for lunch.

[Kedsy]

Bookbinder's for lunch.

Nah, that's mostly for tourists. We can do better.

[JEA]

From this morning's article:

Through some kind of communications mix-up, the referees in this game did not call fouls on Brian Zoubek on every Duke defensive possession, meaning the senior could actually attempt shots, run up and down the floor, etc. A 16-17 double-double was the result.