I am going to try to start a new analysis of our closely contested basketball games. I don't have a particular score differential in mind for what will make a game "closely contested," but I will do this in games in which I feel like we were in the game with a chance to win down the stretch.
These analyses will always start at the under four minute media timeout and go to the end of the game. I will give my thoughts on each possession during that time, focusing on what worked or didn't work from an ASU perspective.
Significant positive plays will be bolded. Significant bad plays will be italicized.
I'll start with our recent game against CU.
We come out of the under 4 minute media timeout with 3:49 to play, tied at 72, with Josh Scott on the line for a free throw as part of a traditional three point play.
3:49 - Scott makes the FT, ASU 72 CU 73
3:49 - after some passing around the perimeter, Savon Goodman sets a screen off right at the top of the key, Holder drives with his left hand dribble and beats the defender, dribbling all the way to the baseline on the left side of the key. He faces the basket, is confronted by two defenders, reverse pivots and right hand dribbles toward the top of the key, then curls into the paint. He passes to Goodman, who is along the baseline in the key just to the right of the basket, after Goodman's man comes to help once Holder dribbles into the lane. Goodman passes along the baseline to Jacobsen, who misses his first short attempt, gets his own rebound, and puts it back up and in while getting fouled. ASU 74, CU 73 (Wesley Gordon fouls out)
3:20 - Jacobsen at the line. Jacobsen misses the FT, but there is a lane violation. Jacobsen misses the next FT.
3:18 - CU rebounds.
3:14 - After crossing half court, CU calls timeout.
2:52 - After not much gong on offensively, McKissic almost gets a steal but CU ball. 7 seconds left on the clock.
2:52 - Booker drives the middle of the lane on Holder, does a nice spin move, and floats it in. no real breakdown by the Sun Devil defense, just a nice play by Booker (although we would have ideally found a way to keep the ball out of his hands in that situation). ASU 74, CU 75
2:45 - Holder passes the ball to McKissic, who receives it just outside the left elbow at the top of the lane, he drives right down the lane, getting to the basket but missing a fairly wild shot (does not hit the rim). He gets his own rebound and passes to Bo Barnes in the right corner, who pulls the trigger quickly on a corner 3 against an okay close out by the CU defender. Barnes misses.
2:24 - CU pushes in transition and has numbers after rebounding the Barnes miss, but Barnes hustles back and pokes the ball from behind, sending it out of bounds on the baseline.
2:18 - CU inbounds the ball, dribbles into the middle but loses it. Josh Scott grabs the ball on the baseline and is able to call timeout before falling out of bounds. 20 seconds on the shot clock.
2:08 - CU inbounds from the baseline, just to the right of the basket. Thomas, guarded by Goodman, starts out at the three point line just in front of his bench. Goodman is between him and the ball, in good defensive position. Once the inbounder is given the ball, Thomas takes three steps in and positions his body like he is going to set a screen, Goodman is between Thomas and the inbounder, but not also between Thomas and the basket. After take the three steps toward the lane, Thomas pauses like he's going to set a screen, then sprints toward the basket, leaving Goodman caught off guard and trailing. Thomas receives an easy bounce pass under the basket and makes an easy layup. ASU 74, CU 77.
2:01 - ASU inbounds. Once across half court, they call timeout. 30 seconds on the shot clock. Gilling checks in.
1:56 - Holder passes to McKissic in the corner on the left side, who immediately makes a good post pass into Jacobsen. Jacobsen turns over his right shoulder and muscles up a shot from the left block over Josh Scott. He makes it. ASU 76, CU 77
1:42 - The ball is passed to Josh Scott in the middle of the floor, four feet behind the FT line. ASU does a good job covering cuts and curls, leaving Scott with no real passing options but with three of his teammates to the right side of the basket outside the 3pm line and the remaining teammate outside the 3pt line to the left of the basket, FT line extended. Holder is denying this player the ball, so the middle left of the lane has no help defense . Jacobsen swipes at the ball with his left hand, moving his position slightly toward Scott's right side and taking him out of a good defensive position. Scott takes advantage of Jacobsen's gamble and the lack of help defense on the left side of the floor, driving left with a left hand dribble, reverse pivots over his right foot toward the middle of the lane and is fouled by Jacobsen while shooting a 4' shot. Scott misses the shot attempt, but will get two FTs. (Jacobsen fouls out)
1:20 - Scott misses both FTs.
1:19 - ASU has nothing going on and looks unorganized. Sendek calls timeout with 19 left on the shot clock.
1:04 - ASU inbounds to Holder in the middle of the floor, between the key and center circle. A down screen is set for Barnes, who flashes to the 3pt line on the right side of the floor, FT line extended and receives the pass. His defender closes out well, but Barnes makes a nice post entry pass to Goodman on the right block, defended by Josh Scott. Goodman takes a dribble with his left hand, pivoting over his right shoulder into the lane. He squares and fakes a shot, Scott does not bite on the fake. Goodman then steps under and through to the right, attempting a shot with his right hand over Scott. Scott blocks the shot. CU recovers the blocked shot.
0:47 - ASU fouls. Fletcher hits both shots in the double bonus. ASU 76, CU 79
0:47 - ASU inbounds to Holder. ASU runs a play they run often - Holder passes the ball to Barnes on the right side at the 3pt line, FT line extended. Holder keeps running toward the right corner and gets a handoff back from Barnes. Holder drives with the right hand toward the baseline, While Holder drives, Barnes floats to the middle of the floor, where a screen is set on his man while Barnes runs hard back to the right side of the floor outside the 3pt line. Holder reverses his dribble after driving toward the basket along the right baseline and flips the ball back to Barnes, who is filling behind him. Holder delivers the pass and Barnes takes a deep 3 pt shot floating to his right. He misses. Ball caroms out of bounds to CU. ASU calls timeout.
0:37 - CU inbounds to Booker. Holder fouls him.
0:36 - Booker hits both FTs in the double bonus. ASU 76, CU 81.
0:36 - ASU inbounds and pushes the ball up quickly. Holder drives to the basket from the right side, getting a (ticky tack) fould from Scott.
0:29 - Holder makes the first FT, misses the second. ASU 77, CU 80
0:27 - Goodman is able to grab the rebound at the same time as a CU player. Jump ball, possession ASU.
0:27 - ASU inbounds from under the basket, along the right baseline. Inbound goes directly to Goodman on the right block, he turns left into Scott and gets a foul call.
0:25 - Goodman makes both FTs. ASU 79, CU 81
0:25 - CU inbounds to Booker, ASU doesn't get a foul called despite lots of reaching and smacking. After picking up his dribble, Booker passes to Fletcher who is fouled.
0:17 - Fletcher hits his first FT, misses his second. ASU 79, CU 82
0:17 - WIth the help of McKissic pushing him in the back, Scott overpowers Goodman and gets to the left side of the basket, allowing him to tip in the missed FT. His path is made much easier because Gilling barely moves from his spot along the lane where he set up for the FT, leaving the left side of the basket completely open if Goodman got beat. ASU 79, CU 84
0:17 - ASU inbounds and Holder pushes up the floor quickly, driving to the front of the rim and getting fouled.
0:10 - Holder hits both FTs. ASU 81, CU 84
0:09 - CU inbounds to Talton, who is able to take a couple dribbles before getting fouled.
0:09 - Talton hits the first FT, misses the second. We do not block out the shooter and he is able to disrupt the rebound. The ball is tipped out of bounds, CU ball. Call is reviewed on the monitor and not changed.
0:07 - Ball inbounded to Booker. He's fouled quickly.
0:06 - Booker hits both FTs.
0:06 - ASU inbounds, Holder pushes and misses a 3pt shot. Ball goes out of bounds.
0:01 - CU inbounds, game ends.
Two critical errors on FT block outs, a really bad lapse on an in bounds play under the basket, quick 3pt attempts, and a gamble by Jacobsen were the critical negative plays that couldn't be overcome. The two 3s from Barnes were not good plays, but you can live with one of your best shooters taking shots he has made in the past. But the two FT block out errors and getting caught off guard on the in bounds play (without even a screen being set for the guy that scored) were inexcusable.
This post was edited on 3/4 6:06 AM by BigESunDevil
These analyses will always start at the under four minute media timeout and go to the end of the game. I will give my thoughts on each possession during that time, focusing on what worked or didn't work from an ASU perspective.
Significant positive plays will be bolded. Significant bad plays will be italicized.
I'll start with our recent game against CU.
We come out of the under 4 minute media timeout with 3:49 to play, tied at 72, with Josh Scott on the line for a free throw as part of a traditional three point play.
3:49 - Scott makes the FT, ASU 72 CU 73
3:49 - after some passing around the perimeter, Savon Goodman sets a screen off right at the top of the key, Holder drives with his left hand dribble and beats the defender, dribbling all the way to the baseline on the left side of the key. He faces the basket, is confronted by two defenders, reverse pivots and right hand dribbles toward the top of the key, then curls into the paint. He passes to Goodman, who is along the baseline in the key just to the right of the basket, after Goodman's man comes to help once Holder dribbles into the lane. Goodman passes along the baseline to Jacobsen, who misses his first short attempt, gets his own rebound, and puts it back up and in while getting fouled. ASU 74, CU 73 (Wesley Gordon fouls out)
3:20 - Jacobsen at the line. Jacobsen misses the FT, but there is a lane violation. Jacobsen misses the next FT.
3:18 - CU rebounds.
3:14 - After crossing half court, CU calls timeout.
2:52 - After not much gong on offensively, McKissic almost gets a steal but CU ball. 7 seconds left on the clock.
2:52 - Booker drives the middle of the lane on Holder, does a nice spin move, and floats it in. no real breakdown by the Sun Devil defense, just a nice play by Booker (although we would have ideally found a way to keep the ball out of his hands in that situation). ASU 74, CU 75
2:45 - Holder passes the ball to McKissic, who receives it just outside the left elbow at the top of the lane, he drives right down the lane, getting to the basket but missing a fairly wild shot (does not hit the rim). He gets his own rebound and passes to Bo Barnes in the right corner, who pulls the trigger quickly on a corner 3 against an okay close out by the CU defender. Barnes misses.
2:24 - CU pushes in transition and has numbers after rebounding the Barnes miss, but Barnes hustles back and pokes the ball from behind, sending it out of bounds on the baseline.
2:18 - CU inbounds the ball, dribbles into the middle but loses it. Josh Scott grabs the ball on the baseline and is able to call timeout before falling out of bounds. 20 seconds on the shot clock.
2:08 - CU inbounds from the baseline, just to the right of the basket. Thomas, guarded by Goodman, starts out at the three point line just in front of his bench. Goodman is between him and the ball, in good defensive position. Once the inbounder is given the ball, Thomas takes three steps in and positions his body like he is going to set a screen, Goodman is between Thomas and the inbounder, but not also between Thomas and the basket. After take the three steps toward the lane, Thomas pauses like he's going to set a screen, then sprints toward the basket, leaving Goodman caught off guard and trailing. Thomas receives an easy bounce pass under the basket and makes an easy layup. ASU 74, CU 77.
2:01 - ASU inbounds. Once across half court, they call timeout. 30 seconds on the shot clock. Gilling checks in.
1:56 - Holder passes to McKissic in the corner on the left side, who immediately makes a good post pass into Jacobsen. Jacobsen turns over his right shoulder and muscles up a shot from the left block over Josh Scott. He makes it. ASU 76, CU 77
1:42 - The ball is passed to Josh Scott in the middle of the floor, four feet behind the FT line. ASU does a good job covering cuts and curls, leaving Scott with no real passing options but with three of his teammates to the right side of the basket outside the 3pm line and the remaining teammate outside the 3pt line to the left of the basket, FT line extended. Holder is denying this player the ball, so the middle left of the lane has no help defense . Jacobsen swipes at the ball with his left hand, moving his position slightly toward Scott's right side and taking him out of a good defensive position. Scott takes advantage of Jacobsen's gamble and the lack of help defense on the left side of the floor, driving left with a left hand dribble, reverse pivots over his right foot toward the middle of the lane and is fouled by Jacobsen while shooting a 4' shot. Scott misses the shot attempt, but will get two FTs. (Jacobsen fouls out)
1:20 - Scott misses both FTs.
1:19 - ASU has nothing going on and looks unorganized. Sendek calls timeout with 19 left on the shot clock.
1:04 - ASU inbounds to Holder in the middle of the floor, between the key and center circle. A down screen is set for Barnes, who flashes to the 3pt line on the right side of the floor, FT line extended and receives the pass. His defender closes out well, but Barnes makes a nice post entry pass to Goodman on the right block, defended by Josh Scott. Goodman takes a dribble with his left hand, pivoting over his right shoulder into the lane. He squares and fakes a shot, Scott does not bite on the fake. Goodman then steps under and through to the right, attempting a shot with his right hand over Scott. Scott blocks the shot. CU recovers the blocked shot.
0:47 - ASU fouls. Fletcher hits both shots in the double bonus. ASU 76, CU 79
0:47 - ASU inbounds to Holder. ASU runs a play they run often - Holder passes the ball to Barnes on the right side at the 3pt line, FT line extended. Holder keeps running toward the right corner and gets a handoff back from Barnes. Holder drives with the right hand toward the baseline, While Holder drives, Barnes floats to the middle of the floor, where a screen is set on his man while Barnes runs hard back to the right side of the floor outside the 3pt line. Holder reverses his dribble after driving toward the basket along the right baseline and flips the ball back to Barnes, who is filling behind him. Holder delivers the pass and Barnes takes a deep 3 pt shot floating to his right. He misses. Ball caroms out of bounds to CU. ASU calls timeout.
0:37 - CU inbounds to Booker. Holder fouls him.
0:36 - Booker hits both FTs in the double bonus. ASU 76, CU 81.
0:36 - ASU inbounds and pushes the ball up quickly. Holder drives to the basket from the right side, getting a (ticky tack) fould from Scott.
0:29 - Holder makes the first FT, misses the second. ASU 77, CU 80
0:27 - Goodman is able to grab the rebound at the same time as a CU player. Jump ball, possession ASU.
0:27 - ASU inbounds from under the basket, along the right baseline. Inbound goes directly to Goodman on the right block, he turns left into Scott and gets a foul call.
0:25 - Goodman makes both FTs. ASU 79, CU 81
0:25 - CU inbounds to Booker, ASU doesn't get a foul called despite lots of reaching and smacking. After picking up his dribble, Booker passes to Fletcher who is fouled.
0:17 - Fletcher hits his first FT, misses his second. ASU 79, CU 82
0:17 - WIth the help of McKissic pushing him in the back, Scott overpowers Goodman and gets to the left side of the basket, allowing him to tip in the missed FT. His path is made much easier because Gilling barely moves from his spot along the lane where he set up for the FT, leaving the left side of the basket completely open if Goodman got beat. ASU 79, CU 84
0:17 - ASU inbounds and Holder pushes up the floor quickly, driving to the front of the rim and getting fouled.
0:10 - Holder hits both FTs. ASU 81, CU 84
0:09 - CU inbounds to Talton, who is able to take a couple dribbles before getting fouled.
0:09 - Talton hits the first FT, misses the second. We do not block out the shooter and he is able to disrupt the rebound. The ball is tipped out of bounds, CU ball. Call is reviewed on the monitor and not changed.
0:07 - Ball inbounded to Booker. He's fouled quickly.
0:06 - Booker hits both FTs.
0:06 - ASU inbounds, Holder pushes and misses a 3pt shot. Ball goes out of bounds.
0:01 - CU inbounds, game ends.
Two critical errors on FT block outs, a really bad lapse on an in bounds play under the basket, quick 3pt attempts, and a gamble by Jacobsen were the critical negative plays that couldn't be overcome. The two 3s from Barnes were not good plays, but you can live with one of your best shooters taking shots he has made in the past. But the two FT block out errors and getting caught off guard on the in bounds play (without even a screen being set for the guy that scored) were inexcusable.
This post was edited on 3/4 6:06 AM by BigESunDevil
