TIME AND POSSESSION

We talk about it all the time.

Know the score. Know the time.

Last night Michigan State played Northwestern. Spartans point guard Cassisus Winston turned the ball over. Head coach Tom Izzo took him out of the game. Note, it’s not the first time this has happened in 2016.

What did the coaching staff tell Winston?

“Just time and possession,” Winston said of Izzo’s message, “and I should be smarter not to make those kind of decisions in that time. … I gotta be smarter, because the ball’s going to be in my hands.”

Izzo put the freshman back in the game.

Nothing wrong with taking a player out after a mistake and telling him what they did wrong.

Call it a “teaching moment.”

STARTER OR SUB?

Everyone makes a big deal out of starting. Some dislike coming off the bench. Here’s Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo on the subject.

“Starting is overrated. The most important part of the game is the end. It’s how much you play and how good you play.”

ALFRED HORFORD

You make the right play, you make the game easy. We have a chance if we keep playing the right way.

COMPETE

Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls:

“We have competitors; fierce ones at that. Guys are fighting. Guys come out every night and hustle”

GEORGE KARL… ON CARMELO

The former coach has written a memoir.

“He really lit my fuse with his low demand of himself on defense. He had no commitment to the hard, dirty work of stopping the other guy. My ideal — probably every coach’s ideal — is when your best player is also your leader. But since Carmelo only played hard on one side of the ball, he made it plain he couldn’t lead the Nuggets, even though he said he wanted to. Coaching him meant working around his defense and compensating for his attitude.”

MICHAEL JORDAN

“Back it up with performance and hard work. Talking means nothing.”

SCOUTING 101

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2016

Took to the road last night to scout an upcoming opponent.

One of our players, Caleb Hoekstra also made the trip.

Packed gym, competitive game.

It was fun and very informative.

You get a totally different perspective when you’re sitting in the stands as opposed to watching the team on film.

The guys have been showing up in the AM to get their work in.

So proud of the work the East Lansing Trojans have put in.

Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

STAN VAN GUNDY

On his team after three straight blowout losses…

“You gotta play a lot harder. That’s always the starting point. You gotta play a lot harder. Until you do that, nothing else matters. No matter what we would do or anything else, if we played at the same pace, energy level, intensity level as we played last night, nothing will be better. That’s where it starts. Run up and down the floor. Run. Get down in a stance. Play hard. That’s where it all starts, and that’s where it always starts.”

MARCUS MORRIS

Do you want to be a winning team or do you want to continue to get embarrassed? Are you going to play for the next man beside you or are you going to play for yourself? If you have a guy wide open, he has to get the ball.  It makes the game funner. That’s just how it is. Of course some dudes are going to get more shots than other dudes. That’s how the game goes. Guys are not going to respond well when they don’t get the ball when they’re open. That’s just basketball. That’s just the right way. The Spurs, Golden State, Cleveland, the top tier teams play the right way. You never win if you don’t play the right way.

WEST SIDE

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Despite lots of snow. Cold temps, second game of a back-to-back, and playing in front of a hyped crowd (on the road) the East Lansing Trojans handled their business.

Led by Brandon Johns, the Trojans beat Ottawa Hills 71-48.

Johns, the 6’8″ junior forward scored 25 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 5 shots. Johns also showed the west side of the state why he is considered one of the best players in the State of Michigan with his ball handling and outside shooting. Johns knocked down four three-pointers in the game,  two coming from downtown Grand Rapids.

Senior guard Deandre Robinson chipped in with 10 points and junior forward Noah Schon added 9.

Special thanks go out to the folks at Ottawa Hills for putting on a fine show. Everything was perfect, topped off by the pizza provided from Papa John’s.

Our bus driver Bob was aces too. Rolling along I-96 he was in total control.

The Trojans return to action January 6 when they will host Sexton at 6:00 PM.

Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com