Yes, and no. First off if you got your GS at strong in my book you've done your job. Proficient is unpredictable, so I don't think we can lay one iota on the rank and file who has gone to the time, trouble and expense to build their beast. And I think that most of them are taking NT needs into consideration so again that is not where I see fault. Maybe it was just the way the contest played out but Poland had a much more balanced minute distribution. And I think at the end of the half, and end of the game that can seriously influence matters. And when did this get out of hand? The second period.
Also our decision to prep for inside and Poland going motion influenced matters greatly. I am of the school of if your gonna guess in a game where that guess better be right then you are better off not guessing at all. And when the guess is not just a shade wrong but full blown that gives the opponent such an advantage. GDP is in my book a tactic that is best used in situations where there might not be any other way to pull out the game, in spite of some slight built in advantages Poland had last night was not one of those nights.
I am a zone kind of guy, much more towards 3-2 because 2-3 is so susceptible to outside tactics. Last night is a case where a zone might have helped, yes you lose a little on the boards with a 3-2 but drives tend to get challenged by bigs and outside shots by guards so I am of the view that it is better to play more station to station because in m2m mismatches generally are more easily exploited. And 3-2 still gives acceptable defense against inside tactics. As it was though I would envision a night where the defense is sagging back to protect the lane and the opponent just drills outside shots against guys who are out of position to close out on the shooters.
In the end, it could have been won, but probably not. But getting thumped like a watermelon at a memorial day weekend picnic is significantly below average.
Last edited by Coach Lambini at 05/29/2018 14:17:02