TicketsI stopped by practice this afternoon to watch how things have been progressing over the past couple of weeks, and there is some good and some bad to share, as well as something I learned that shocked me, and may shock you as well.
First, the good: The team is working awfully hard to implement the system the coaches are putting in place. Everything keys off of the mental readiness and physical aggressiveness of the players, and for the most part, they are responding well. "The thing that I'm really pleased about is when I'm putting new things in, new drills, new plays, new sets, I feel like I have everybody's attention," Elliott said. "Everybody's focused on what it is I'm saying, they're trying to do things the right way whether or not they're on the court ... they all seem to be in tune to exactly what I'm trying to do." Especially in the physical arena, the players are going very hard from the time the play or drill starts through the whistle. They seem to listen well, and be open to the coaches' instruction.
And the thing that shocked me? At least for the last couple of years, the team did not have a practice squad of young men for the team to go against in practice. I couldn't believe it when head coach Jamelle Elliott told me the previous regime hadn't brought in some tough, physical men to play against the team. The way I see it, this single factor in and of itself is going to have a tremendous impact when the Bearcats take to the court during the season. The guys give a great effort, too. They make things as hard as possible during practice, so the team is ready on game day. "We feel like more than likely we're not going to be playing or competing against guys in the games [that are] quicker, faster, can jump, as athletic," Elliott said. "If we can be successful against them, that's just going to make our team better."
And the bad: The team is still playing pretty raw basketball. There are some issues with ball control and missed layups, in particular. Elliott has been very upset especially by the amount of uncontested layups with no defense the players are missing during practice. Turnovers are also an issue at this point, whether it be poor ball control or ill-advised passes. "One of the things I've been harping on a lot is making sure we get a shot at the basket every single possession, and when we turn the ball over, we walk, we do different things like that that are unforced, then that's one less shot at the basket that we're getting," Elliott said. Playing in the Big East conference, UC will be competing against a lot of athletes who will make them pay for their mistakes. It's that simple. If the players shoot themselves in the foot, then there are a lot of games this team simply will not be able to win this year, period. The caliber of teams they will go up against regularly is simply too high to allow much room for error.
That being said, this is why they practice. There is still a lot of time before the season starts for the team to continue to build chemistry and improve in these negative areas. Stay tuned as we gear up for the start of the season on November 15 against the Furman Paladins!
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