Charles Fischer Administrator No. 1 Share Posted February 11, 2023 Is it too late for the Mens team? It sure seems to me that we are seeing the team we should have watched in late November, but could not due to injuries. When jelled, this could be a very good team, and we are seeing the components mesh together now. Great to see Will Richardson at off-guard, score in double-figures, but also be able to drive and dish assists. Keeshawn Barthelemy at shooting guard and Jermaine Couisnard at point guard have changed everything in the backcourt, and of course seeing N'Faly Dante blow-up is great fun. Kel'el Ware is finally beginning to contribute as we know he could, and Nate Bittle has grown into an important part of the team and thus I think this group still have 30% upside left. Do you? Will we have enough opportunities to see it? 2 3 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave23 No. 2 Share Posted February 11, 2023 Things are looking up! It was great to see the team work against USC. I think as this team starts pounding the ball inside, to one of the three 7 footers, they are going to be more consistent. Early in the year they relied too much on perimeter play and three-point shots without moving the ball. The guards are getting more open three-point looks and clear driving lanes due to defenses having to collapse on the bigs. This is how basketball should be played, not individual flash and dance. It's February for ducks basketball, pretty much every year the team starts to look really good. If they have a nice run to end the season with a good showing in the PAC tournament they should be in the big dance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 3 Share Posted February 11, 2023 I agree; get it inside and let the bigs score (higher FG percentage) or get fouls. Or they kick it out to open shooters.... And please don't play Soares much... 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDuck No. 4 Share Posted February 11, 2023 It's the women I'm concerned with... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangGreen2 No. 5 Share Posted February 11, 2023 The Ducks played well against SC, but were a little fortunate that Josh Morgan was out with an injury . . . he averages 2.5 blocks per game (for comparison, each of Oregon's bigs average less than 1.5 per game). So without SC's best interior defender in there, Dante and Ware could feast . . . and they did (even the Duck guards could consistently take it to the rack). To me, the key was holding the Trojans to just 60 points. If the defense can be more consistent (Altman's best teams often were holding teams to about 55 points per game by season's end), this team could be very good; but that is almost all about effort and staying connected/playing hard for one another. They have yet to show that kind of effort game in and game out. I liked what I saw from Ware in his few minutes Thursday . . . he did a lot of good things in the brief time he was in. If he keeps that up, he should be on the floor a little more. And Bittle is playing well too . . . it's a great "problem" for Altman to have 3 solid bigs that he can go to, and he could play a lineup with two of them on the floor at the same time (although that can backfire against teams with fast, cagey guards). I think both Ware and Bittle can become true "stretch 4s or 5s" because they can both hit 3s with some consistency . . . I don't think Dante is much of an outside shooting threat, but so far, that hasn't mattered; he is such a good finisher around the basket! How the Ducks do against the Bruins tonight will tell us a lot about how the remainder of the season is likely to go . . . it will be a pretty big test for them. Hopefully Dana and Co. will have them ready. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudslide No. 6 Share Posted February 12, 2023 Yes, Morgan being out for USC perhaps made us look better at inside drives than we would normally. Dante is playing hero for the team. He's doing spectacularly this season. And it was good to see Richardson cut down on his foolish turnovers and score some points. Soares...uh. And WHAT happened to Guerrier? He seems a little lost this year. Has he been injured? Still, the team is rounding into better shape....and is healthier than it has been all season. I agree with Charles. There still is room for improvement on this team. Let's see if they show it tonight. Hope so. GO DUCKS! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckdude No. 7 Share Posted February 15, 2023 After the UCLA game.......specifically, the second half, I'd have to say, "No"......they haven't turned the corner. They returned to their "Mr. Hyde" version, once again. ref Richardson delivered his now you-can-depend-on-it-when-we-least-need-it patented inexplicable disappearing act, once again. (Sigh.........) Must be maddening for Altman......Richardson just refuses to be coached out of his malaise. If it's not in his personality to be a Leader, then.......you really can't blame him. He's just not suited for the role, and no coaching can undo that situation. Maybe temporarily, but not in the long run. And.....that's what's playing out. Good Luck to him. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan2785 No. 8 Share Posted February 16, 2023 I think we can say for sure now, that unless they go on a magical run through the Pac-12 Tournament, this team is never "getting there". Another bad loss that really is inexcusable for a team desperately trying to remain in the bubble picture. It's the same story as always, bad shooting, Richardson going AWOL, and Dante doing everything he could to win and not getting the help he deserves, it's damn shame the best center Oregon has had for the past 30 years is getting essentially no help from his guards. Really hope Altman can rebound next year with different players, he's going to need it with Dante leaving. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 9 Share Posted February 16, 2023 That loss last night was absolutely disgusting. All the talent, all those experienced players being beaten by some Husky hacks? 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeotechDuck No. 10 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) Altman just missed the past two years recruiting guards and this team is severely limited offensively. You can't put all the blame on Richardson when Barth, Rigsby, and Soares go 3 for 21 from the floor. Don't get me wrong, as I am not defending Richardson's play, but I understand what he was trying to do last night. He was getting the ball to his teammates at the soft spots in the zone and getting good looks for them. However, as a 5th year PG, you cannot site back and allow your teammates to just shoot you out of the game with the entire season on the line. At some point, you have to get more aggressive and take control of the game. On top of that, it is not like Oregon's guards are good shooters and just had a night off. This has been going on all season. I see a lot of people on social media calling for Richardson to be benched. Which one of these guards are you giving his minutes to? Rigsby shoots 39% from the floor and 27% from three Soares shoots 37% from the floor and 25% from three Williams has 14 total baskets in 131 minutes of playing time and shoots 0% from three Barthelemy is a little better at 41% from the floor and 35% from three, but is a liability on defense The fact is that Richardson and Cousinard are the only guards on the roster that have the ability to score the ball with some consistency while playing decent defense. If you are Altman, there is no option to bench them. Soares is incredibly limited on the offensive end, but is getting minutes because of his defense, his hustle and ability to actually make some FTs. It's not like you could run Soares out there with Rigsby and Williams and have any success in a 1/2 court offense. Edited February 16, 2023 by GeotechDuck 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan2785 No. 11 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) I've been saying this the whole year, Richardson has had basically no help from his fellow guards, Couisnard is the only one that has had a pulse offensively, and even then it's been hit and miss. All that said, Richardson should be having a better year, he becomes extremely passive for long stretches, and doesn't really lead the team. Altman needs to get some shooters in here, guys that can knock down open shots, we don't have one sniper on this team, it is amazing Dante has had the season he has with no shooters to open up the floor. Richardson as well is decent at driving to the rim, but no one respects any of our shooters. We have to do better in our evaluation of guards/wings, we've basically struck out the last two years in finding impact wings. Thought I would also add this, Charles I really do appreciate you trying to remain optimistic, you've tried to look at things in a glass half full kind of way, and sometimes I struggle to see that, so as much as I sort of roll my eyes when I see these types of posts, I think it's important to have them! Edited February 16, 2023 by spartan2785 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
