NCAA Championship Game - Calling Shabi

[Reel Deal]

Shab, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the end of the game and Calipari's decisions (or lack thereof).

[PShabi]

Let me know what decisions you're talking about exactly. If you mean, putting Kansas at the line when they did, down 3, I don't mind that at all.

When you're down, you want to extend the game, imo. They could've played lockdown D, and Kansas could've scored anyway (ala D Rose's miracle bank-in earlier in the game). That would've made it a 5 point game with < 15 seconds to play. Instead, they foul early, he makes them both and they're down 5 with 45 seconds to play.

I would've done the same thing there.

Let me know what other criticisms you (or others) have and I'll respond specifically. However, I will say this:

Calipari went 38-2 this year. He's been to the Elite 8 or better 3 years running now. He's built his program to the status of Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc. His players couldn't hit water from the boat down the stretch in the 4th or in OT. Furthermore, if they take care of business and make free throws, they win going away.

As a coach, you put the kids in the position to make plays. If they don't make them, what can you do? If they just make FTs, then their is no way anyone criticizes Cal.

[redbank09]

if they simpily make free throws to finish of tenn and kansas which they should have easily done, they would have went 40-0 this year. i dont think there was anything wrong with coaching, they just need some freaking free throw practice

[PShabi]

Now that I've had some time to think about it and reflect on the game a little, I do have a criticism of Calipari, but not on game management issues down the stretch.

He went away from his philosophy in this game. His style of offense has been pretty well publicized this year (if you're really interested google: Grant Wahl Dribble Drive Motion for an SI.com article about it). In a nutshell: It's about spreading the floor for athletes to have 1 on 1 opportunities to the rim. It's about fast-paced play, frequent substitions, drive and kick 3s. This was all ABSENT from this game. They were walking the ball up after makes when they usually push it. They never set ball screens for Rose this season, they opened up the floor for him to penentrate and score/dish. You heard Billy Packer talking about it during the broadcast.

You win 38 games playing a certain way. You get to the championship game losing one game playing that same way, and then you change it????

There's a saying amongst coaches and it's "Dance with the one that brung ya."

[Reel Deal]

Sorry, I didn't ask that very well... what I'm most interested in is your opinion on what went down at the end of regulation. He's getting hammered for not calling timeout just before KU's final possession when they hit the 3 to send it to OT, to remind his players that they should foul and put KU on the line shooting 2. He's also getting crap for not calling a TO after that 3 when there was 2.1 seconds left and they could have tried to set up some kind of play (long inbounds down the court) as opposed to the despiration half-coirter they took. That's what I was curious about.

[PShabi]

There will always be second guessers.

You always here announcers talking about "fouling and putting them to the line for 2," but you RARELY EVER see a coach use that strategy. I personally don't like it. I would've played that situation the same. He misses that shot and you say, "good defense." He hits a fadeaway 3 with a hand in his face and you (not YOU, RD) second guess the coach. Meh.

I don't like fouling there because:

a) You give them a chance to add points with the clock stopped. If there's enough time left, they can still foul you and get another possesion out of it. How much time was left? Is it feasible that they could've went to the line, knocked down 2. Then you have to inbound. There have been some CLASSIC situations where players have stolen inbound passes late in the game under the hoop. Or you inbound and get fouled. Miss 1 or both and they come down and hit a game winner at the buzzer.

2) Kid may commit a flagrant/intentional foul. We talk about fouling in end of game situations with my team at the high school level. Hell, we even practice situations where it is needed to simulate game situations. You'd be amazed at how many differnt ways kids can fuck that situation up.

I say play defense (which they did) and make them make a tough, contested shot to beat you. That's basically the premise of man to man defense on every possesion. I tell my kids, work hard, don't let them get to the basket (doesn't apply here), and make them shoot a contested jumpshot. If they knock those down, then they're probably gonna beat us!

As far as the 2nd suggestion, I don't mind not calling a TO. Again, I practice time/score situations at my practices with my kids A LOT. Up 2 with :45 to go. Down 5 with 2 min, etc. If I do it, I'm sure Memphis does. I had a very fast guard and we knew that if it came down to several seconds left and the other team scored, I wanted it in to him ASAP and just fly to the other end. He can get there from baseline to baseline in < 4 secs. I told him don't worry about a timeout, if I want one, I'll call it while he's on the fly.
D. Rose is pretty damn athletic. I'd get it to him and see what happens. Remember, while Calipari is in a timeout setting up an offense, there's a pretty good coach on the other side setting up a defense.

On a tangent: Coaching in some ways is like the different levels of thinking in poker. What is he doing over in that timeout? What does he think I'm doing? What does he think, I think he's doing? etc.

Sorry for the ramble!!!!