This is something I’d love @umhoops to cover sometime: why don’t college teams punish presses more frequently with passing and attacking? It’s often 1-2 safe passes, get the ball to a ball handler, then set an offense even though we burn 8 s getting there. Especially with the use of the 1-2-2 soft press it shortens your possessions. In my mind we created 3 on 2 opportunities when we passed, but then we reset the offense.
I ask bc I know in high school (much smaller and slower athletes) a press is an invitation to push numbers if your passing is successful.
Bryn Forbes’ senior season mirrored what he did in the Horizon league. In fact, his numbers were better that year that at Cleveland State. I wouldn’t expect Alstork to come in and be a star, but implying that he can’t be an impact player just because he is coming from a mid-major is pretty off base IMO.
Agreed. You’d be pretty crazy to think he wouldn’t have an impact. Does he come in and start and score 15 a game? No, but he’d be in the 8-9 man rotation which means you’d have an impact.
Forbes was a completely different player than Alstark, playing a different role than you’re imagining. A catch and shoot guy like Forbes, playing with a superior college playmaker like Valentine, gets the same looks as he did at a lower competition level. Alstark was a creator at Wright State, being pushed as a creator at the Michigan level. The step up in competition level seems to matter more there.
In addition, it took Forbes two years at MSU to get back to his Horizon League level. Alstark doesn’t have two years.
Don’t get me wrong–I’d be happy to have Alstark. I just don’t think he’s likely to be as productive (maybe not close to that) at Michigan as he was at Wright State.
Same with Duncan Robinson. He’s obviously not an offensive focal point like he was at Williams, but the shooting translated just like one would expect.
So what type of players was he able to create shots for at Wright St.? Could he drive and kick to shooters like Duncan and Poole? Could he pick and pop with a guy like Wagner? Alstork would likely have better numbers as a creator for Michigan against Penn St. than he did as a creator for Wright St. against Penn St. Having capable scorers to be able to create for makes a pretty big difference in how efficient a creator is.
Also, I never said he would be as productive at Michigan as he was at Wright St. I wouldn’t expect him to score 19ppg. I’m saying that it’s silly to dismiss him because him as a potential impact player because he played in the Horizon League.
Yes he doesn’t have to avg 20. I still think though end of clock scenario he’s the go to creator out of maar, Mathews, or himself. His skill set would be useful.
I would be happy with James Daniel from Howard, so for me it isn’t just that Alstork is coming from a low-major conference — it’s more about his game and concerns about how it translates at a PowerConference level.
My main point with Alstork, is the inverse to your statement — just because Alstork was productive at a low-major level doesn’t mean he will be able to be similarly productive at a PowerConference level.
Yes there are instances of players from low-major or mid-major programs moving up to the PowerConference ranks and being successful. But there are elements that helped those players make the jump — Duncan Robinson is a 6-8 shooter with NBA-plus 3-pt range; no matter what level he’s playing if you don’t extend out to him, he can hit 3s. Others have extreme quickness. Some were Europeans/Australians who didn’t get recruited overseas. Others are players who learned to be extremely efficient during their first 3/4 years in college.
With Alstork I see a guy who is a better athlete than most of his competition in the Horizon League and that’s why he’s productive (w/o being efficient). But I don’t think he’ll be a better athlete than most of his competition in the B1G… so what’s his niche that allows him to produce if he comes to Michigan?
See I don’t see him blowing by guys with crazy speed. To me he’s just so skilled and has an array of moves. That’s why and how he gets open. I think that will translate.
Beilein’s comment on Poole was that down the road he might be able to play point. With Brooks and DeJulius coming in, though, un likely to happen. OTOH, if we don’t get hung up on position, I could see Poole utilizing high ball screen and rolls the way Nik did. Good enough handle, defenders would be forced to go over screens, and Poole passes very well.
Yeah, even if the labeled PG is the guy bringing the ball down the floor/initiating the offense, whichever guys are best at running the PNR will have the offense running through them; like you said, Nik and Caris showed us that.
JB specifically mentioned MAAR as a guy who can guard PGs, but can’t create like a PG.
It’s true that Beilein’s offense was designed to be ran ‘without a point guard’, but he’s also had some great point guards who excelled in the system. End of the day, I think the most important thing is finding some guys who can create in the PNR game this year and run the offense.