Keys to Next Season being successfull

Cougar Basketball
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an offseason thread… these are the biggest keys IMO to having a successful season with the current roster makeup

3pt percentage

  • Sasser 33%, Mark 26%, shead 12%- these are the best ball handlers on roster. 3pt percentage HAS to improve. these number next season and/or relying on freshman shooters is recipe for disaster and makes it easy to game plan for us. there has to be improvement, the status quo hurt us

post offense

  • we have had no legitimate post offense in the Sampson era (on a game in game out basis) but next year has the “potential” to change the mold. we have 3 players with breakout potential to be regular post scorers (fabian, reggie and carlton). there’s an expectation for Fabian to have a breakout year but nothing in guaranteed. all 3 have to prove they can be an essential part of an offense on a game in and game out basis

floor spacing

  • Fabian is the only proven floor stretcher among the bigs, mixed with the poor shooting percentages from the guards. For most non-fabian lineups, “on paper” just crowding the post or going zone will be easy solutions to defending us. this could be an issue without improved shooting numbers for both guards and bigs (roberts, carlton, powell, francis have shooting potential they just havent put it on the court yet with regularity, or at all for some)

“point guard” play (ball movement)

  • our offense last season went really poor whenever dejon went to the bench, it would immediately turn to iso ball and the offense would stagnate. While we have a few good passers on roster, we have no one with the track record of running an offense. the question is do we have someone/s who can step up and develop into that role
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Out of all that I say three point percentage is the most important along with chemistry/rotations on the defensive end. I am not as concerned as some with interior scoring but is nice to have.
I know White will be a weapon and draw double teams. Also feel pretty comfortable with Chaney and I can see him demanding some doubles.
Carlton I think will be a factor in the post against some matchups. What I hope to see more than anything from our interior players is off schedule scoring and opportunities for our offense.

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If Powell can add some muscle and mass, he could be a nice scoring threat at the 4

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Was thinking the same thing. He might beat out Roberts at the 4 if he can handle the defense.

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I think Fabian is a lock to start at the 4

Sasser-1
Edwards-2
Mark-3
Fabian-4
Chaney-5

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Yall don’t :sleeping: on Josh Carlton being our starting center next year.

Carlton has more size and probably a better low post game, imo.

But he is a newcomer, so I could see Chaney getting the start at the beginning of the season

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Just so much fun thinking of all the possibilities with the program the Sampson’s have built.
I like Carlton starting but then again also love the defensive fire power coming off the bench with Shead, Moore and.Carlton.

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Lots of keys for another great season…lots of hustle, great defense, unselfish play, finishing at the bucket, hitting our treys, continuing to be dominate on the boards. We have the players to step up and the coach to help make those steps…so just sit back and enjoy the ride…

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It looks to me like we have a problem of too many very talented players to play only 5 spots. The good thing is we can play all or most of them for split minutes and keep them fresh. As for who starts, who sits, who comes in when, and how all those personnel split those 200 minutes that is way too complicated for me. But I am not worried, we have a head coach and staff that knows exactly what to do.

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I agree @red80. That is why I would not be surprised to see us run two teams during a game. I remember when Foster did it and it was so successful, he ditched it when we made NCAA tourney :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:.

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Compared to five years ago, these are wonderful problems. And the crazy thing is…as we progress forward, our problems may get even better!

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You know what. We were pretty successful this year.

I am an expert in my area and I am going to leave Coach to his area.

Post Offense, Spacing, 3-Point…I don’t know anything about those things.

There was a time in my life that I was pretty much an expert on everything but after 58 years next week, I realized that I was wrong.

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Which in the light of how we played during the season, a very strange move that never worked when we made the NCAA tourney.

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I see Chaney beginning the season as our starting center and never relinquishing that role. Others will play in the post too, but Chaney has shown that he is hardnosed player who will do whatever it takes to win.

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Had a good feeling about Carlton in June. Tbh, Shead was the one my expectations were off on. Didn’t see Shead being this good

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Carleton, Roberts and Chaney are all a good mixture for this team…we need all of them regardless of who is starting…

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