The Sports Brewery

An ID: Who are you without one?

Posted on 23. Feb, 2010 at 7:47 am by 3D in NCAA Basketball, Oregon Ducks Basketball, PAC-10 Basketball

A suggestion to the players and Ernie Kent for the remainder of this year, going into next season, or for the next coach: find your IDENTITY!

It is something that every great team has, and most mediocre teams strive for.  It is a difficult process to obtain an identity, but step one has been completed: finding players who contain the skills to create a great team.  Let me reiterate that – most of the players on the Oregon Ducks basketball team HAVE an attribute or two that CAN contribute to a great team.  They have a playmaking point guard (Armstead), a deadly assassin (Porter), two low post threats (Dunnigan and Jacob), and a host of guys (Singler, Wilson, Humphrey, Longmire, Williams) who either add athleticism, rebounding, defense, or just plain ole depth to the roster. 

Ok, now for step two: the coach to put them in the right place.  Up front, it appears this is locked up and done.  Long time coach (13th season), runs a squeaky clean program (knock on wood), and has had successful teams with…..you guessed it, an identity.  Teams that boasted 4 starters, sometimes 5, who were threats from the outside.  Teams with a point guard who loved, and were good at pushing the ball up the court.  Teams with other guys who understood that to push the ball up the floor they needed to get their asses down to the offensive end so they could get in scoring position.  Remember the days, even those when they couldn’t make the NIT, when the other team did everything in their power to slow the game down and not let Oregon dictate tempo?  That use to happen, but hasn’t for a couple years.  If Kent wants his team to jack up out of rhthym 3′s, then they need to make the shots.  But they don’t.  33% this year and 36 last year as a team, preceded by consecutive 39% seasons.  And if Kent wants his team to fast break, don’t have multiple guys hanging out in the backcourt looking for the outlet pass to bring the ball up the floor.  Sometimes Porter and Armstead act as if they’re in a rat ball game, loitering in the backcourt with their hands out hoping to bring the ball up the floor.  And if Kent DOESN’T want his team to do this nonsense, DON’T LET THEM!!!!  For the love of GOD, tell them to stop!!!

And step 3: consistency.  Oh boy, this is even harrier than the last step, but an obvious one to point out.  A couple times this year, Dunnigan has taken a game over inside (at the Washington schools ring a bell?).  Sometimes Porter has caught fire, and sometimes Jacob has been fed underneath.  Humphrey has, at times, made athletic plays.  Sometimes Singler plays the ‘heady’ game we expect him to.  And sometimes Armstead gives his little shake and bake move and creates in the lane.  Unfortunately, MOST of the time they run around like chickens with their head’s cut off. 

We’ve heard the ‘this is a young team’ excuse.  But tell that to the plethera of other schools who’ve adapted to the new college basketball - one in which talent wins out.  The most frustrating part is that this team has great talent and the pieces to win now, especially in such a bad league.  We knew who the bad teams of Oregon yesteryear were, but do we know who this team is?

Tags: Identity issues, Oregon Ducks basketball