The Future of Alabama Basketball and Anthony Grant

[RTR91]

I liked CAG, wanted him to do well....but after reviewing the recruits he's gotten, who has turned out to be as good as his recruiting ranking? Beyond TR -- who? It's been disappointment after disappointment.....

That goes to player development over recruiting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CajunCrimson]

That goes to player development over recruiting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I disagree. Shooters are shooters, regardless of development. We just have missed on some of our selections. There are too many teams that bring freshmen in and they excel. Our freshmen for the most part never do. That is less about development, and more about misjudging talent.

Right now our PG is our best shooter, and our SG is our best rebounder. Our center doesn't dunk. Our Power Forward doesn't rebound well and can't go to his right.

Those are fundamental skills they are lacking from junior high....they should have already had these skills when arriving on campus.

 

[BamaMoon]

It's hard to "develop" a shooter. Not saying they are born, but if a person doesn't naturally have good mechanics it is so hard for them to learn the proper motion and do it with the right rythm to equal being a great shooter.

IMO, TR is the only "pure" shooter we have on the team right now. He's got his right elbow under the ball and he has excellent follow through at the end of his shot like he's reaching into the cookie jar. That is what allows a person to shoot and score consistently...pure fundamentals.

Did anybody see the shooting clinic Jerry West recently did??? Started shooting little 10-15 footers with one hand (like good shooter use to warm up) and he didn't miss for several minutes.

We've got athletes, but we don't have shooters. We run an offense better suited for shooters, but with our current crop of athletes we'd be better suited for a "run and gun" type offensive philosophy.

Think about Obasahon and Randolph on the fast break with TR having the option of pull up and shoot or pass off to them!!! But we would rather run the clock down to 5 seconds and someone, who is not a good shooter, force one up.

 

[Rama Jama]

I disagree. Shooters are shooters, regardless of development. We just have missed on some of our selections. There are too many teams that bring freshmen in and they excel. Our freshmen for the most part never do. That is less about development, and more about misjudging talent.

Right now our PG is our best shooter, and our SG is our best rebounder. Our center doesn't dunk. Our Power Forward doesn't rebound well and can't go to his right.

Those are fundamental skills they are lacking from junior high....they should have already had these skills when arriving on campus.

Shooting is a skill most kids learn in their backyard growing up, but like any skill you can get better at it by being taught the proper fundamentals and repetition. TR was awful when he got here, but has improved with practice. We all talk about shooting, but rebounding is the real issue right now. (BTW pay no attention to the official stats for rebounding from our home games. Someone is padding those statistics big time. At the UT game they had us only 2 behind the Vols and that wasn't even close) We used to have guys who could clean up misses and now we almost never get garbage baskets around the goal. You are right, our bigs are not agressive towards the basket. They are way to soft IMHO. We just do not have an on the court leader as well. Think of the guys from the past who were leaders who regularly got on the other players for not putting forth enough effort. Ron Steele, Andrew Steele, Pettway, ETC.

I know we have some talent coming in from the 2 transfers and the signees next year so next year is now or never.

 

[Jref]

It's hard to have a consistent (or creative) offense without shooters, which goes to recruiting. Think of how many games we would have won over the past three years with just one or two more outside baskets per half.

I love the way CAG coaches the defense, but he has very limited concept of how to adjust his offense to our players' abilities.

 

[AlexD]

As far as not having a shooter I think that falls on Grant and recruiting because none of the guys were known as great shooters in high school. Same as not having a strong big man.

To me everything just boils down to Grant not doing his job well enough or not adapting and even the defense is not great this year.

As far as everyone saying one more year I think that is just a losing mindset to have now and that's always what had been said under Grant. If we don't win the same people keep coming up with excuses why and say next year. Sometimes you need action now instead of waiting 3 years to long like with CMG.

 

[BAMA1979]

Sigh... after several years, I'm exactly where I was at the end of CMG's tenure - hoping that the losing gets so bad the administration has to take action. For whatever reason, lack of talent or stubbornness to adapt offensively or AAU relationships, CAG is extracting every ounce of energy that UA has when it comes to basketball. At this point, if the admin decides to keep him, they're going to run the very real risk of alienating the truest of their fans - not just those of us who are partially interested in the off time from football. Bama basketball, in order to succeed, has GOT to find a way to bring the "bandwagon fans" on board permanently... and it's not going to happen in Grant's tenure. IF they act prior to next season, we may lose some players/recruits, but at least they won't lose all support for the program. Unfortunately, in order to have this happen, I think we have to lose badly - something I hate to have to pull for, but something that seems to be the only way to create change.

Bingo

 

[Alasippi]

i disagree. Shooters are shooters, regardless of development. We just have missed on some of our selections. There are too many teams that bring freshmen in and they excel. Our freshmen for the most part never do. That is less about development, and more about misjudging talent.

Right now our pg is our best shooter, and our sg is our best rebounder. Our center doesn't dunk. Our power forward doesn't rebound well and can't go to his right.

Those are fundamental skills they are lacking from junior high....they should have already had these skills when arriving on campus.

aaaaaa---men!

 

[RTR91]

It's not on RollTide.com yet, but in this week's "Battle Plan," the AD discusses evaluating every program in the athletic department. Any guesses on who he's referencing here?

THROUGH THICK AND THIN

Our Mission is to recruit and develop student athletes to compete at the highest levels in their sport; to educate and prepare those student athletes to compete at the highest levels in life after graduation; and to do both with honor and integrity. I believe that mission is not only that of the Athletics Department, but matches what you as fans desire of our programs.

While we strive for excellence in everything we do, there are also times where thoughtful patience is required. I evaluate every sports team after the season and try to make the best decisions in my power as to what I believe is best for the University over the long run. There are many factors to consider in making that best decision. It is my hope that our fans and supporters will also take that same view. All of our teams need - and I believe deserve - OUR FANS to be there in support, regardless of their record.

I hope that your allegiance and your presence will continue through thick and thin. I have seen firsthand where the passion of loyal fans can lead to negativity, which makes recruiting for the future much more difficult. Such negativity can make a bad situation worse, ironically coming from those who love the University the most.

All of us deal with high expectations - our own and those of others. High expectations are often perceived as pressure by most outside observers, but it is fuel for those of us in athletics as we work daily to achieve our mission. Many times we fail to meet someone’s expectations, particularly in the high profile world of college sports. It can become difficult to remember that the expectations that truly matter are personal, both to the individual and the organization or team they represent.

Having realistic expectations is also very important. Evaluating what realistic expectations are for any program in our midst is a relative proposition. Every team we have is at a different stage of development, so the realistic expectations for one may be higher or lower than another. Each of our teams at Alabama has high expectations. None of us would want it any other way. As an organization, we have high expectations for all facets of our programs.

The expectations of most outside observers are pretty simple and clear: they want our athletics program to compete for championships in every sport while graduating our student-athletes and producing productive people. That's a set of expectations we all embrace at the University of Alabama. Do we always meet those expectations? No. Just as important, do we always meet our own expectations? No. Nonetheless, that's the standard we try to live up to. That's the level of achievement we want - and, yes, expect - to reach in every sport.

Consistency and discipline in approach is crucial to meeting our goals. Self-control in thought and action creates consistency. The attitude we assume when faced with disappointment is truly up to us. That's as true for fans and supporters as it is for student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. The passion that our fans have for our University is what sets Alabama apart from the rest. It is my hope that we can harness that passion and direct it to positive outcomes.

 

[TheAccountant]

It's not on RollTide.com yet, but in this week's "Battle Plan," the AD discusses evaluating every program in the athletic department. Any guesses on who he's referencing here?

Sorry, Bill, the only way many fans have to show their displeasure with the program is not showing up. Also, not being blown out by your two biggest rivals (one of which is the worst team in the league) and having a winning record in your 5th year is not an "unrealistic" expectation.

 

[Rama Jama]

Sorry, Bill, the only way many fans have to show their displeasure with the program is not showing up. Also, not being blown out by your two biggest rivals (one of which is the worst team in the league) and having a winning record in your 5th year is not an "unrealistic" expectation.

I still go because I want to support the kids, but I've missed 4 games this year whcih is more than i've missed in the last 3 years combined. I did give my tix to other people who went though so my seats have had someone in them for every game.

My thoughts are that the PTB( Bill Battle) think he deserves a chance to coach the next recruiting class and the 2 kids sitting out this year. There is a chance that we could be pretty good. I hear good things about Kessens and Tarrant. The new recruits should provide immediate help. Some worry about the loss of TR, I feel we'll be as good or better without him. Hale will have another year experience, Taylor will have a year in the weight room, Randolph and Cooper will be seniors, and Retin will be PG along with Coleman. If we don't make the big tourney next year, I think he is done. I hope they don't allow him to make a NIT appearance and consider it a success.

 

[bamadp]

Well, I'm on the fence with CAG. On one hand we're supposed to have some good talent next year. On the other, five years is a pretty fair shake. We're fundamentally poor, and don't seem to be getting any better. IIRC Randolph, Cooper, Jacobs, and Trevor Lacey were all in the same class. If you look back at their recruiting profiles, outside shooting was supposed to be a strength of Randolph, Cooper, and Lacey. Good hands and rebounding were supposed to be strengths of Jacobs. Three years later Lacey's gone and the others haven't panned out yet. Is it coaching or players, or as I suspect, a combination of both. IMO this class was a tad overrated. Add to that CAG's insistence on running an offense that requires basketball skills which we don't have and thus far he's not been able to teach. We make a lot of fundamental errors. Even TR, and he's a senior. I agree, I think we'll be better next year without TR. At this level you need basketball players that are athletic...not athletes playing hoops. So far CAG has been unable to deliver. Can he next year ? IDK. Thankfully I don't have to make that decision. Whomever is coaching, I'll be pulling for a Bama win. RTR

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Well, I'm on the fence with CAG. On one hand we're supposed to have some good talent next year. On the other, five years is a pretty fair shake. We're fundamentally poor, and don't seem to be getting any better. IIRC Randolph, Cooper, Jacobs, and Trevor Lacey were all in the same class. If you look back at their recruiting profiles, outside shooting was supposed to be a strength of Randolph, Cooper, and Lacey. Good hands and rebounding were supposed to be strengths of Jacobs. Three years later Lacey's gone and the others haven't panned out yet. Is it coaching or players, or as I suspect, a combination of both. IMO this class was a tad overrated. Add to that CAG's insistence on running an offense that requires basketball skills which we don't have and thus far he's not been able to teach. We make a lot of fundamental errors. Even TR, and he's a senior. I agree, I think we'll be better next year without TR. At this level you need basketball players that are athletic...not athletes playing hoops. So far CAG has been unable to deliver. Can he next year ? IDK. Thankfully I don't have to make that decision. Whomever is coaching, I'll be pulling for a Bama win. RTR

There's a lot of urban legend in there. For a couple of years, I posted HS shooting percentages against current performance. Two of the guys were right here in town and I followed their careers close up. Lacey shot during his career here the same trey % he shot in HS. One game his senior year here, he shot seven and goose-egged. Randolph and Cooper are about the same or a bit less, the last time I looked. The only one who improved his outside shooting over HS was TR, and I understand he did it on his own by spending the summer in a gym, shooting thousands. Lacey and Randolph both made their livings by slashing. Of course they were large compared to their opponents. Point is that they're not improving. I don't believe Grant can coach offense, although he's taken it over to an almost suffocating degree. And the fundamental breakdowns don't help...

 

[BamaMike05]

Maybe CNS can "find" CAG another job like he did for Nuss.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RTR91]

Maybe CNS can "find" CAG another job like he did for Nuss.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I started thinking about CNS's part in CAG's future earlier today since today is NSD. So many of the recruits attend basketball games on their visits. Can the football recruits enjoy the visit if they have to attend a game this year? Surely wouldn't be the highlight of the weekend.

Think Nick Saban likes the players attending a boring basketball game? Wouldn't be surprised to know Saban makes a visit to Battle's office.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JDCrimson]

I started thinking about CNS's part in CAG's future earlier today since today is NSD. So many of the recruits attend basketball games on their visits. Can the football recruits enjoy the visit if they have to attend a game this year? Surely wouldn't be the highlight of the weekend.

Think Nick Saban likes the players attending a boring basketball game? Wouldn't be surprised to know Saban makes a visit to Battle's office.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I haven't heard any instances where recruits were treated to a basketball game this year as has been common in past years. But honestly can you blame them? The whole of the OV is to show them a good time. You can't do that in the current environment where you can't draw 10k fans playing UF ranked 6th in the country. They would be better off taking them to a gymnastics meet for alot of reasons...

Sent from my LG-P930 using Tapatalk

 

[bamaslammer]

I'm no basketball expert, I just follow it and root for the good guys. I do know one thing about the sport though. You're either gifted at it, or you're not. When I was young I was super athletic. I had a great combination of speed, burst and power. I could scoot up the floor, power past people. On defense I was a terror. Though not tall I could out jump much taller guys and get rebounds. I could reject the fire out of you. I had everything except, I couldn't shoot worth a crap. I worked on it, I would get a little better but in the end. I SUUUUUUUCKED.

That is what I see on our basketball team. A bunch of guys who are really athletic but can't shoot worth a crap. I don't think it's fixable. you have to start with guys who have the gift, anyone can get stronger and faster with a little work in the gym. you can't teach shooting.

 

[Crimson1967]

It is that way with every sport. Being a great athlete can carry you only so far, but at a certain level being good at technique takes over.

 

[bamadp]

It is that way with every sport. Being a great athlete can carry you only so far, but at a certain level being good at technique takes over.

Exactly. There's a lot more to being a basketball player than shooting ability, being fast, or jumping ability.At this level you're not going to out "athlete" many teams. Perhaps in high school being "athletic will suffice...but not here. That's our problem, we have more athlete than basketball player...and that's not what you need, especially in a tight game. We've lost several tight games this year by trying to make "athletic" plays when we needed good, smart basketball plays.

 

[imauafan]

I haven't heard any instances where recruits were treated to a basketball game this year as has been common in past years. But honestly can you blame them? The whole of the OV is to show them a good time. You can't do that in the current environment where you can't draw 10k fans playing UF ranked 6th in the country. They would be better off taking them to a gymnastics meet for alot of reasons...

Sent from my LG-P930 using Tapatalk

I had a macro-economics class one summer with 3 gymnasts. Needless to say I attended every class but for some reason I could not concentrate on the lecture and I wound up with a B in the class.