mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes

[turbo95sir]

the last two games have been UGLY with a capital U. after getting manhandled by Nova earlier in the week they had a chance to make a statement and get some good seeding for the NCAA. instead they forgot how to shoot and handle the basketball and got blown away from a friars team that they hand manhandled in two previous games this year.

i just don't get it. they were one of the hottest teams in the big east until the nova game. and they played that game without branch and obekpa. they looked like a HS JV team out there playing on the playground. tenative and sloppy all game. they might be on the bubble again if other bubble teams run deep into their conference tournaments.

 

[brayde0515]

Typical Lavin team in a big game. If they make the tourney they will be one and done. I love the Johnny's but it's just getting old watching these players the last 4 years. They still play like freshman.

 

[Tskibell]

Yes there were mistakes. In my humble opinion there was too much tentativeness -instead of the reckless abandon of the team a short time ago. At times they seemed to play to avoid making a mistake rather than pushing the ball causing the opponent to err. There was not one fast break basket.

During warmups there was a seriousness on most of the seniors' faces and they seemed to play tight. But playing like freshmen? No! Playing like young people - absolutely. These are students not professionals.

This is an entertaining team that I will remember for a long time and I have followed St, Johns since the Mullen years. So let's cut the negativity and support them - to the team: play hard, play smart but, most importantly,have fun in your next game or hopefully games . Win or lose it has been a season we will remember. Your goal was to make the NCAA's and you've made it. Thanks for the memories,

Lets give Providence some due. With exception of the occasional Chris Dunn wild pass they played very well and when they fell behind 7-0 Chris Dunn took the team on his back.

Lastly, it is tough to play well when you miss 9 of your first 10 three pointers and every layup attempt is blocked by a Providence team that is simply much taller than St. Johns.

Tonight should be an interesting game : Providence versus Villanova and we will see how good Villanova actually is.

 

[brayde0515]

You are clueless ! Lavin is a good recruiter but gets out coached in big games. These seniors play like freshman. Make bone head mistakes and are just careless. These 4 year players (top 5) recruiting class has not developed to there potential. If this team makes the tournament which they prob will, they Will be one and done. They shoot poor from the outside, average from foul line , make to many stupid mistakes and foul to often. In the tourney if you are poor/average at the stuff I just mentioned you will get beat. I've been saying it since Dunlap left us, we need a x/O's coach or assistant to help Lavin. His style of offense , force turnovers into points simply doesn't work esp against average/good teams. It may work against NJIT but not against the nova's, butlers and georgtowns of the world. The facts don't lie.

 

[turbo95sir]

agreed, i hate to keep harping on this, but it's on the coach. lavin is a great recruiter (although he hasn't been recently) and that's about it. exactly on point about when coach dunlap left. they lost their strategic head and no one has been able to replace him. rico hines is more for recruiting than x's and o's. and it's apparent. the calls coach lavin makes are head scratching at best. his inopportune timeouts. his lack of education and motivation to the players. his ability to control his players.

the lack of progression of these players is very apparent. they should not have gotten blown out by 35 vs. nova and certainly not dominated by providence. if they had such match up issues, then why did they sweep the friars the first two times they met? same players. your point is invalid. it's all mental. they played sloppy, took bad shots and were not aggressive. the one thing with this team is the lack of senior leadership and tough mentality it takes to survive in the NCAA tournament. they have not shown that they can handle adversity well all year. if they get down, then they are out. no coming back. they wilt like a dead plant in winter.

5 seniors on this team and no one is stepping up when needed!

 

[largepockets]

At least they didn't disgrace the Red & White school colors ,since they were wearing colors unidentifiable to college fans.
Their disguises couldn't hide the poor performance of a team not even trying.

 

[brayde0515]

Thank you turbo

 

[brayde0515]

The big east was not the typical big east this year. Nova was the only team that was "good". We have had the same players for 4years, seniors, have played the rigers of the big east and has the experience. they only can be as good as #5 in the big east. C'mon , it's just unacceptable. Georgetown isn't the normal g-town, butler isn't the same butler team that made noise in the tourney in the past, providence isn't that good. We lost to seton hall , DePaul,a average butler team twice and creighton!!! How can a teAm with all this experience be fifth best in a conference average team and lose to those teams. It's a complete joke and I pray Lavin doesn't get a contract extension and we can move on from this mess. Next year and years to come are gonna be UGLY

 

[turbo95sir]

i just hope they still make the big dance! gotta turn this thing around FAST!

 

[brayde0515]

Agree. I think we will be anywhere from 10-13 seed. Losing in first round of big east tourney the way we did, didn't help us.

 

[Tskibell]

Clueless???

 

[turbo95sir]

and now obekpa suspended?!?! UGH!!!!

 

[brayde0515]

Typical crap with a Lavin team, These players are a absolute joke. How can you possibly violate team rules and let your team/program down the day the team finds out if we make the dance. Immature/irresponsible players!!! We have a very tough match up with the Aztecs. We better be lights out, mistake free and BOX out for rebounds or we will get blown out. Obekpa is such a ass

 

[djhorse85]

Brayde0515 says "Nova was the only team that was "good". We have had the same players for 4years, seniors, have played the rigers of the big east and has the experience. they only can be as good as #5 in the big east. C'mon , it's just unacceptable".

I believe this statement to be spot on. The red storm have underachieved both on and off the court. Lavin is the CEO of this basketball program; and just like any other CEO your career with that company will be at risk if you under achieve and do not reach certain goals presented before you. If you take a head coaching job at St. Johns you have to know that red storm fans expect lot more from this program than fifth in the conference combined with a LACK of off the court discipline and academic performance..

 

[brayde0515]

Well said djhorse!