Early season observation

[Seattleapp]

I am very optimistic for the team and I am excited to follow them. I can see what kerns is trying to implement and it’s going to take some time to get the guys to buy in. It’s going to be defense and fundamentals that win for us. I know that’s obvious, but if you watched last night, we had a chance to cut it to one possession or tie it late when Forrest came down on two straight possessions and decided he was going to win it himself. The first possession he got bailed out with a foul call, then promptly missed the free throw. The next possession he dribbled into a crowd of people, fell down and turned the ball over, they hit a 3 and that was all she wrote.

I know I sound like a broken record, but we don’t have the talent to make up for guys who gotta “get theirs”. Forrest was 3-12 with two rebound and ZERO assists. That is a terrible stat line for a guard and will ultimately be the difference in a number of wins and losses throughout the season unless he starts playing within the team. I know it’s early, but good teams with inferior talent learn to play to their strengths. Not hey I’m trae young and I’m going to shoot 25 times a game. We already suffered through that with shabazz. I’m not trying to down Forrest, but I’ve started really focusing on his shot selection compared to the other guys and he is the one player who seems to want to imitate the nba. The bigger issue is for a player that talented, he can’t not hit shots and also not rebound or dish out assists.

As always just throwing some observations, not attempting to demean the team

[NavyApp]

I am very optimistic for the team and I am excited to follow them. I can see what kerns is trying to implement and it’s going to take some time to get the guys to buy in. It’s going to be defense and fundamentals that win for us. I know that’s obvious, but if you watched last night, we had a chance to cut it to one possession or tie it late when Forrest came down on two straight possessions and decided he was going to win it himself. The first possession he got bailed out with a foul call, then promptly missed the free throw. The next possession he dribbled into a crowd of people, fell down and turned the ball over, they hit a 3 and that was all she wrote.

I know I sound like a broken record, but we don’t have the talent to make up for guys who gotta “get theirs”. Forrest was 3-12 with two rebound and ZERO assists. That is a terrible stat line for a guard and will ultimately be the difference in a number of wins and losses throughout the season unless he starts playing within the team. I know it’s early, but good teams with inferior talent learn to play to their strengths. Not hey I’m trae young and I’m going to shoot 25 times a game. We already suffered through that with shabazz. I’m not trying to down Forrest, but I’ve started really focusing on his shot selection compared to the other guys and he is the one player who seems to want to imitate the nba. The bigger issue is for a player that talented, he can’t not hit shots and also not rebound or dish out assists.

As always just throwing some observations, not attempting to demean the team

Some of what you're saying I agree with, some of it not so much. 12 shots from your best offensive player is not obtuse. If you watch him on the defensive end he is absolutely getting after it(something no one including him did under Fox). I still maintain that the increased focus on defense is taking some adjusting to the offense. Most of his shots are "heavy" which makes me think he is over compensating for his legs being more tired than previous years. Practice and games are so different, are guys are in great shape but playing at game speed with that amount of defensive effort takes a toll. I truly believe that by the time we hit conference play the free throws will become more consistent and Forrest will get back to his normal shooting percentages. Love what Kerns is doing but let's not forget what this team was last year and what those same guys are trying to overcome. Seems like all the returning guys have bought in 100% including Forrest, just look at how he has changed his body. Johnson is so much more aggressive on the offensive end which I love. Oh and Mr. Williams is the Energizer Bunny this year, he has a whole other gear now! Love the Heart these young men play with, the wins will come.

[appfan22]

I am very optimistic for the team and I am excited to follow them. I can see what kerns is trying to implement and it’s going to take some time to get the guys to buy in. It’s going to be defense and fundamentals that win for us. I know that’s obvious, but if you watched last night, we had a chance to cut it to one possession or tie it late when Forrest came down on two straight possessions and decided he was going to win it himself. The first possession he got bailed out with a foul call, then promptly missed the free throw. The next possession he dribbled into a crowd of people, fell down and turned the ball over, they hit a 3 and that was all she wrote.

I know I sound like a broken record, but we don’t have the talent to make up for guys who gotta “get theirs”. Forrest was 3-12 with two rebound and ZERO assists. That is a terrible stat line for a guard and will ultimately be the difference in a number of wins and losses throughout the season unless he starts playing within the team. I know it’s early, but good teams with inferior talent learn to play to their strengths. Not hey I’m trae young and I’m going to shoot 25 times a game. We already suffered through that with shabazz. I’m not trying to down Forrest, but I’ve started really focusing on his shot selection compared to the other guys and he is the one player who seems to want to imitate the nba. The bigger issue is for a player that talented, he can’t not hit shots and also not rebound or dish out assists.

As always just throwing some observations, not attempting to demean the team

Some of what you're saying I agree with, some of it not so much. 12 shots from your best offensive player is not obtuse. If you watch him on the defensive end he is absolutely getting after it(something no one including him did under Fox). I still maintain that the increased focus on defense is taking some adjusting to the offense. Most of his shots are "heavy" which makes me think he is over compensating for his legs being more tired than previous years. Practice and games are so different, are guys are in great shape but playing at game speed with that amount of defensive effort takes a toll. I truly believe that by the time we hit conference play the free throws will become more consistent and Forrest will get back to his normal shooting percentages. Love what Kerns is doing but let's not forget what this team was last year and what those same guys are trying to overcome. Seems like all the returning guys have bought in 100% including Forrest, just look at how he has changed his body. Johnson is so much more aggressive on the offensive end which I love. Oh and Mr. Williams is the Energizer Bunny this year, he has a whole other gear now! Love the Heart these young men play with, the wins will come.

Agreed. Forrest is a pure scorer and we don’t want him doubting his ability to put the ball in the bucket. As a coach, you have to give him the green light when he crosses half-court. He just needs to ease up the throttle a bit and let the game come to him rather than forcing it. The past few games have showed him that he doesn’t need to score 20 a game with 19 shots for us to be in it at the end. He’s also a great rebounder for his size.

O’Showen has clearly benefited the most from the new scheme. I love seeing the smallest guy on the court fill it up!

[hapapp]

I want a scorer to score and Forrest can do that but he has to play a much more disciplined game. Watching the game you can just read his body language and know when he is going to try to do it himself. He sometimes plays out of control, like last night when the TO was converted into an opposition three. It is a fine edged sword because he is the best at picking up fouls when driving to the basket.

He is our most aggressive offensive talent but I wish he were more consistent. I know we will hail him when he scores 30 but then scratch our heads when he is in the funk he is right now. He's got to let come to him, not try and force it. And 12 shots is not an inordinate amount for a scorer but it hurts when he only makes three of them.

I will say this, win or lose, this team is worth watching because of their effort. It is very refreshing to see them get after it on the defensive side of the ball.

[Appstate88]

Keep it going Coach Kerns. Proud of the overall team hustle and defensive play....#Takethestairs

[ericsaid]

Keep it going Coach Kerns. Proud of the overall team hustle and defensive play....#Takethestairs

What does it take for a Mid-major basketball coach to be hired on a bigger deal they might take?

[hotrod2001]

Keep it going Coach Kerns. Proud of the overall team hustle and defensive play....#Takethestairs

What does it take for a Mid-major basketball coach to be hired on a bigger deal they might take?

Taking a low seed into the NCAA Tourney and make it into the Sweet 16 or Elite 8
(See Florida Gulf Coast)

[The Rock]

Kobe Bryant missed more shots than anyone in basketball history. But he also hit a hell of a lot. Not saying we should be ball hogs, but historically we have only had a couple of really good scorers at a time and yo7 rely on them to get your points to make up for the less capable on offense. Hopefully with success and the right coach we can get more balanced scoring team and not have to rely on that