This edition of Fizz Feedback was supposed to be focusing on a dramatic run to the Final Four or a defeat at the hands of UNC or Ohio State. Either way, there was supposed to be another basketball game (maybe two) this weekend. Alas, following the defeat to Marquette, The Fizz spent the week looking back at why this season left even more ‚Äúunfinished business‚Äù than the last. The feedback poured in via our comments sections beneath all posts and Twitter. So much so, we broke this week’s Fizz Inbox into a two-part series. Not surprisingly, the highest volume of feedback was on the FizzCast immediately following the loss.
“It‚Äôs Boeheim‚Äôs fault for not using 1 of it‚Äôs last 2 timeouts after DJO hit the 3 to go up 3 with 25 seconds remaining and set up a play. Scoop is not a starter or a player that should be handling the ball late in a close game. Scoop is a good player, but His basketball IQ for a PG is way below the average of any other PG in the country. Besides, you would have thought he would have learned from the OT game last week against UCONN not to hoist up a 3.” – OrangeCrush22
“I do agree. what was JB thinking? He has to know that jardine was just goin to chuck it. Most of the time i agree dont call a TO go down and run ur O but with this team and lack of pg you got to call a TO and set somthing up. Awful way to end the season but if MCW or TC cant come in next yr we will have the same problems.” – Carlton
This was baffling at the time, but we found out later why no timeout was taken. Boeheim got the initial set he wanted, a single high ball screen for Scoop (set by Rick). The problem was The Per’fessor didn’t account for what we all realized. Scoop was going to shoot a three. Boeheim said later he expected Scoop to drive and whatever happened off the initial penetration would probably be positive (whether a kickout, a bucket for Scoop, or laying it off to Rick on the roll).
“Bottom line is Scoop is horrible. You guys at the Fizz can sugar coat it all you want. Scoop should NEVER, EVER be a starting PG for any team (in D1) yet alone a team like SU. Unfortunately, we as fans will have to deal with him next year which make next season a repeat of this season.” – Steve Leahy
Weekly “pump the breaks” alert. Look, Scoop isn‚Äôt the greatest point guard ever. I‚Äôve been as critical of him as anyone. He is an awful decision maker in clutch situations, but he is not ‚Äúhorrible‚Äù and 80% of D1 coaches would be thrilled to have him as their starting point guard. He would dominate the American East, the Big Sky, and all those lower conferences. Even in higher mid-majors like the A10, he‚Äôd be amongst the best guards in the league. The problem for Scoop is he plays in the Big East where he‚Äôs at worst serviceable and at best a good starting point guard, but probably best served as a backup on an elite team.
The one thing, however, I love about Scoop is his competitiveness. He makes (ahem) questionable decisions because he wants to win. Sometimes he just doesn’t know how to get the result he wants. This leaves me with at least a sliver of hope that he’ll hit the weights and film hard this summer. He is a 4th-year junior, but this was his first full season as a starter and players can improve. Am I holding my breath? Nope. But don’t count it out completely.
“I find it amusing that a player who is hot for the first five minutes of a game can disappear from the scoring and the flow of the game without a notice from the coaches. It seems Triche is not favored by the Philly contingent and can‚Äôt be the go to guy. Unfortunately with the same cast and little chance to see a different point guard, next year will be more of the same, and dreams of a team that can go far in the NCAA are just that a dream.”- Charles Mango
This season there is no player that frustrated me more than Triche. He has the size, strength, and ability to dominate and very rarely did. He may have always felt second-fiddle to Scoop and only when Jardine would struggle would Triche be assertive. In the first five minutes against Marquette he was dominant. Jump shot was falling, drives were there – the whole repertoire was on display. And then he was gone. Completely gone. Not so coincidentally, so was the lead.
The problem towards the end of the game was Brandon’s injury. The enforcement of the block/charge rules in college basketball is a joke, and the undercut caused Triche a bruised tailbone. We were told courtside it was his decision whether to return. This doesn‚Äôt mean Triche was healthy, because only he knew how much pain he was in and whether he could play at a high level. A bruise isn‚Äôt like a muscle tear or a ligament issue. It‚Äôs all based on feel, and apparently Brandon felt he couldn‚Äôt go. Or did he?
Boeheim said after the game he didn‚Äôt think Triche could go and it was a coach’s decision to keep Jamesville-Dewitt‚Äôs finest on the bench. I have serious doubts about that decision if it was The Per‚Äôfessor’s. If Triche could go, he should‚Äôve played over James Southerland down the stretch. Dion Waiters had earned his playing time, but after his initial makes, Southerland was awful.
(Part II of this week’s Fizz Feedback comes tomorrow)
Posted: Craig Hoffman
This was baffling at the time, but we found out later why no timeout was taken. Boeheim got the initial set he wanted, a single high ball screen for Scoop (set by Rick). The problem was The Per’fessor didn’t account for what we all realized. Scoop was going to shoot a three. Boeheim said later he expected Scoop to drive and whatever happened off the initial penetration would probably be positive (whether a kickout, a bucket for Scoop, or laying it off to Rick on the roll).
Weekly “pump the breaks” alert. Look, Scoop isn‚Äôt the greatest point guard ever. I‚Äôve been as critical of him as anyone. He is an awful decision maker in clutch situations, but he is not ‚Äúhorrible‚Äù and 80% of D1 coaches would be thrilled to have him as their starting point guard. He would dominate the American East, the Big Sky, and all those lower conferences. Even in higher mid-majors like the A10, he‚Äôd be amongst the best guards in the league. The problem for Scoop is he plays in the Big East where he‚Äôs at worst serviceable and at best a good starting point guard, but probably best served as a backup on an elite team.
The one thing, however, I love about Scoop is his competitiveness. He makes (ahem) questionable decisions because he wants to win. Sometimes he just doesn’t know how to get the result he wants. This leaves me with at least a sliver of hope that he’ll hit the weights and film hard this summer. He is a 4th-year junior, but this was his first full season as a starter and players can improve. Am I holding my breath? Nope. But don’t count it out completely.
This season there is no player that frustrated me more than Triche. He has the size, strength, and ability to dominate and very rarely did. He may have always felt second-fiddle to Scoop and only when Jardine would struggle would Triche be assertive. In the first five minutes against Marquette he was dominant. Jump shot was falling, drives were there – the whole repertoire was on display. And then he was gone. Completely gone. Not so coincidentally, so was the lead.
The problem towards the end of the game was Brandon’s injury. The enforcement of the block/charge rules in college basketball is a joke, and the undercut caused Triche a bruised tailbone. We were told courtside it was his decision whether to return. This doesn‚Äôt mean Triche was healthy, because only he knew how much pain he was in and whether he could play at a high level. A bruise isn‚Äôt like a muscle tear or a ligament issue. It‚Äôs all based on feel, and apparently Brandon felt he couldn‚Äôt go. Or did he?
Boeheim said after the game he didn‚Äôt think Triche could go and it was a coach’s decision to keep Jamesville-Dewitt‚Äôs finest on the bench. I have serious doubts about that decision if it was The Per‚Äôfessor’s. If Triche could go, he should‚Äôve played over James Southerland down the stretch. Dion Waiters had earned his playing time, but after his initial makes, Southerland was awful.
(Part II of this week’s Fizz Feedback comes tomorrow)
Posted: Craig Hoffman
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