THE DECISION

Please keep in mind in no way am I questioning anyone’s strategy or philosophy on the following study. There are way better coaches than me out there who do what they feel is best for their team. This is just a research study to see what coaches prefer to do in this late game situation.

Last night in high school, college and the NBA we had eight Foul or Defend situations. (If I missed one, please let me know)

Let’s start in the Big Ten with the Michigan State Spartans. This is the third time this season MSU has found themselves with a Foul or Defend.

Tom Izzo, one of the best we have seen the past 20 years decided to defend and it worked…once again. MSU has always been a tough defensive club. Izzo’s decision to “check” worked.

In the “League” the Dallas Mavericks were up three on the Sacramento Kings. Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle decided to defend. Well Isaiah Thomas made them pay with a three pointer off the glass with :09 to play. Some may think that is too much time to foul but…The game went to overtime and Carlisle found himself in the same position, again with :09 to play. What’s he do? Well he relies on his defense. “Flipper” was a very good defender at Virginia. This time Thomas came up short with his three-point attempt.

There were two other men’s college games in which Montana State elected to defend against Northern Colorado and they got the stop. Also Seattle was up three on New Mexico State, decided to defend and BOOM! New Mexico State makes a three to force the extra session.

Here’s something interesting; New Mexico State, who made a three to force a second OT is on defense, up three with :03 decides to defend. Seattle misses a three.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the ladies. (I wish more women’s coaches would contact me with their Foul Or Defend situations). Last night Kentucky had a situation where they defended against Texas A&M. The Wildcats got the stop and in girls high school basketball, St. Clair FOULED! Yes, they tried out the situation that has worked 27 out of 28 times this season against Port Huron and what do you know; it worked!

Numbers:

263 total “Foul Or Defend” situations

Teams that have fouled have won 27 of the 28 games.

235 times a team has defended and 44 have given up a three-point shot. (18% success rate)

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

SUNDAY’S OUTSIDE SHOTS

Bernard King’s Journey to Springfield: King’s college coach Ray Mears had this to say about the freshman from Brooklyn; “He shows me something different every day. Some of the things I’ve never seen anybody do.”

1-Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press talks U of Michigan defense for the upcoming season. “The idea behind spending so much time on defense is simple — we want to get out and run,” Josh Bartelstein wrote. “The only way to run is to get stops on defense. Our defense is going to lead to our offense. If you think about our best wins last year — home against Wisconsin, Purdue on the road and then Michigan State at home — we really got in a stance and locked guys up.”

2-Mike Hutton of the Post-Tribune doesn’t think the high school coach should be a person that works in the building anymore:  I’m not smart enough to figure out the mechanics for separating the basketball and football jobs from the rest of the athletic department but the way I envision it goes something like this: Each school has a director of basketball or football and they implement the system across the district. Directors have a staff and get a percentage of the gate to help fund salaries. They might have to fundraise —or the school might have to hire a fundraiser to help them support the product — similar to the collegiate model.

There are multiple ways to get there —some schools have already found the way by creating jobs that are really coach speak for football coach. The point is, it’s time to start thinking about how to get there and stop believing that coaches are in the game to teach.

3-Detroit Free Press staff on two women basketball players from Michigan State University will be suspended nine games.

4-Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press on Lawrence Frank and his thoughts on his team as they get closer to training camp. The conditioning aspect is important, but just (as important is) the work they’re putting in as far as skill development and playing and being around each other and developing some camaraderie and chemistry and to enjoy each other,” Frank said.

5-Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post on Denver Nuggets trainer Steve Hess and his workout with the players.

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

GETTING BACK ON DEFENSE

Why do most basketball players at all levels run much faster when they are going from defense to offense as opposed to going from offense to defense?

Suzy Merchant, head women’s coach at Michigan State University is doing a fine job in East Lansing. Her Spartans are 20-2 on the year. She had a great quote in the Lansing State Journal

“It’s that February fight. No matter what team’s playing, you like to see people playing for something – that every game matters and that every possession is important.”

‘Scoring the basketball‘ has been a favorite term for many basketball announcers these days. Hey, I wouldn’t expect them to score the football…

Do we really need to know about Richard Hamilton’s problem with head coach John Kuester? I don’t. What’s the big deal? Kuester elects not to play Rip. T-Mac has been playing well and Kuester settled on a rotation. A writer from the Detroit Free Press actually had two stories on this in their paper on Monday.

Kevin Love now has 37 straight double-double’s. I still can’t forget Jalen Rose and Stephen A. Smith laughing on draft night at Love’s ability to throw great outlet passes when the two were discussing the former UCLA Bruin.

Speaking of Jalen, his former boss at Michigan Steve Fisher is doing a great job at San Diego State. The former Michigan Wolverines head basketball coach is 23-1 on the year. Fisher was the head coach in Ann Arbor in 1989 when Michigan won the National Championship and later recruited the ‘Fab 5′.

Carmelo Anthony scored 50 points on the Rockets last night but Denver lost the game 108-103. That reminds me from back in the day when Bernard King of the Knicks dropped 60 on the New Jersey Nets at MSG but still lost the game. You hear all this trade talk on a daily basis involving the former Red Hook, Brooklyn native. I have an idea for Melo anad his people; just go to Cleveland and help Dan Gilbert make good on his promise.

Ohio State men’s basketball is 24-0 on the year. Their freshman Jared Sullinger is the best player in the country.

I love the job rookie Landry Fields is doing for the Knicks. The guy was drafted in the second round (39th pick) out of Stanford; he drops 10 points per game and pulls down 7 caroms a contest.  As a senior Fields led the Pac 10 in scoring but wasn’t invited to the pre-draft hype camps. Looking back, I didn’t see him on any lists of top players either. I’m sure he has a scouting report on him from a 2009-10 national basketball magazine that reads, “skilled and crafty but can’t carry a team.” See kids, it doesn’t matter what they say or think about you, get out there and work on your game! By the way, Fields spent four years in college, something you don’t see anymore.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have lost 25 straight games. On Wednesday night they host the Detroit Pistons.

NBA Super 7

1-San Antonio Spurs: 42-8…(Next: TUESDAY at Detroit)

2-Boston Celtics: 38-13…(Next: THURSDAY home vs Lakers)

3-Miami Heat: 37-14…(Next: TUESDAY home vs Pacers)

4-Dallas Mavericks: 36-15…(Next: WEDNESDAY at Sacramento)

5-Chicago Bulls: 34-16…(Next: TUESDAY at Utah)

6-Los Angeles Lakers: 36-16…(Next: THURSDAY at Boston)

7-Oklahoma City Thunder: 33-17…(Next: TUESDAY home vs Grizzlies)

Who Got Next? Atlanta Hawks (33-18), Orlando Magic (32-20), New Orleans Hornets (32-21)

 

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

THE TRIFECTA

My 3 basketball thoughts/observations of the day…

1- Craig Saeger of College Hoops

I’d love to have a shot at being a sideline reporter in college basketball.  I really think I’d do a good job. I’d take the viewer into the huddle, give you some thoughts on what is happening on the court and I would bring a ton of energy.  I’m tired of sideline reporters not doing the job.  But on second thought, my look probably wouldn’t get me an audition. Plus I don’t know anyone in high places, in other words, I don’t have a hook to get me in the door.

2-Women’s Basketball

I attended the Michigan State women’s game on Sunday with my 11 year-old daughter.  We had a fun time.  It was a well-played game.  Their opponent was the Fighting Illini’ of Illinois.  The crowd was solid. Looking up at the rafters in the Breslin Center I see championship banners and retired jersey numbers, men’s numbers that is.  I am surprised that no female basketball player at MSU has their number retired.  Go out and support your local women’s basketball team.

3-The Former Coach

Watching St. John’s and Providence Saturday night on the Big East Network, solid game. Steve Lavin has the Johnnie’s playing well. What was strange was listening to and watching the former coaches of both schools break down the game.  In studio were Norm Roberts and Tim Welsh.  I don’t think I have ever seen that before.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

NOT THE RIGHT WAY

We interrupt our 90 Day Basketball Improvement Plan with this disturbing story I came across this morning during the morning read.

The Starnews Online gives us the lowdown. Seems like an assistant women’s basketball coach, Johnetta Haynes put a player through a humiliating punishment.

Julia Finlay, a junior guard from Hicksville, N.Y., was forced to lie on her back Monday afternoon and log roll nonstop the 94 feet from baseline-to-baseline in Trask Coliseum.

The punishment continued for 30 minutes. Finlay made roughly a dozen trips down the court.

I’m sorry, but this is not acceptable.  I hope the Athletic Director does something about this…

Assistant coach Johnetta Hayes and an unidentified person stood on the northwest corner of the court and observed. Finlay vomited three times during the episode, which occurred while the men’s basketball team was undergoing a full team workout on the court.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore