McGowens
- Thread starter gary2
- Start date
In fairness- they haven’t really been ‘smashed’ too often this season— but they are just so far away from competing with the likes of UVA right now. Hopefully in 3 years that starts to change.
Did anyone notice that the box score, at least the ESPN version and the version on the Virginia web site, is wrong? McGowens didn't go 0-2 from the field as those box scores suggest. He went 1-3 from the field. He made a three. Gary even commented on it in the game thread. It looks like the ESPN and Virginia web site box scores credited that three to Chukwuka, and that's clearly wrong.
Maybe smashed was a bit harsh but some of the games weren’t as close as the score.
And I certainly didn’t expect a thing today. It wouldn’t have shocked me if it was even worse.
He's one of the few options we have to go to as a scorer. I think that's Gary's point. Clearly Trey is struggling and he's not even looking to score anymore. I think Gary wants him to shoot his way out of it. It's likely worth a try because no one else is making shots either.
Of course I noticed that too. It was wrong from the time Trey hit his three and was credited to Kene. I actually went back to that spot in the game to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.
Joe, this isn't math class. The kids got to shoot. The less he shoots, the more pressure and premium he will put on every shot he takes, he will never break out of this. He's got to shoot. I am not talking about putting up Allen Iverson like volume of shots, but I would feel much better if he was 3 for 10 rather than 1 for 3.
Keep shooting young fella. Learn a pull up in the offseason.
3-10 doesn't help him get out of his slump and it doesn't help the team win games (not that it would have made any difference today). As I said the other day, what gets someone out of a slump is shooting shots in the flow of the offense that they feel good about shooting. Shooting a bunch of shots that you don't think you are going to make does nothing but make the slump last longer, because guys don't make shots like that.
If he gets the ball in rhythm 10 times and he feels good about the shot 10 times then he ought to be taking 10 shots, whether they go in or not. But if he only feels good about shooting the ball 3 times then all shooting the ball 10 times does is get him 7 shots that he is most likely going to miss. And I can't understand why anyone would think that's a good idea.
They actually changed the numbers in the box score a couple times during the game. For instance at one point late in the first half they had Johnson with 4 turnovers, but then a few minutes later they "only" had him with 3. I wonder if the people doing the game stats were having trouble figuring out who some of the Pitt players were.
FWIW, the official box score does have McGowens as 1-3 and does not have Chukwuka shooting any threes, so eventually someone noticed that it was wrong.
McGowens getting to the line 0 times is more disconcerting than him taking 3 shots.
The real problem is that there is no real flow to the offense.
There doesn’t appear to be any real structure to it most games
That's all well and good Joe, but he's hesitant to shoot even when he has a shot. He's also lost his aggressiveness attacking the basket.
Toney hit some shots today, but his shooting numbers have been bad in ACC play.
N'dir is 0-19 from the 3 point line the last 6 games and 4-31 last 10 games.
JWF does what he can, but he's hot and cold.
X is 15 - 54 from the field last 5 games.
Unfortunately, we have many options who can miss. Trey needs to get more aggressive.
On this team,You can't have one of your best players, playing the minutes he does and shooting 5 shots or less. Anyone who thinks that is OK is ( I'm sorry) crazy. That situation gives you no chance to win even against the bottom of the league. Any coach not taking steps to correct this is guilty of coaching malfeasance.
I have asked Craig Meyer of the PG to, if he gets the opportunity, ask Coach Capel if he has spoken to McGowens about his lack of shooting.
What did you think of my comment about Johnson on the play I mentioned?
Need a presence of some sort in the middle who can pass or turn and make shots to create flow. VaTech and Clemson are crystal clear examples. Another option is for guard penetration and that gets this team nowhere. Nothing new with what I added here. But there really never was any flow this entire season even when the young guards were going nuts over opponents. Need a seasoned presence in the middle.
He can't drive into zones...even X is having trouble with that. We need shooters....and Trey might be one of them. Getting his confidence back will be a hard task for the staff. The kid can play....just lost right now.....just a puppy.
And, obviously, we don't at this stage. Bennett's a great coach,,,,HOFer, probably.
On that score....there sure has been plenty of great coaches in the ACC. I'd say only Izzo & Beilein will make the HOF from the Big!0.
Anyone who has ever payed the game knows what you're talking about
regarding shooting " in the flow of the offense." I agree with this, however as
as been pointed out already, our offense basically has no "flow" to it. I've
been watching him pass up open J's, but being open doesn't automatically
put you in the "flow" that you're mentioning. That feeling or sense that a
shooter has when he's confidentally shooting and hitting his J's is obviously
not there for McGowens. It's kinda like having the yips in golf. Presently I
think that's the bigger problem for him. Hate to say it, but the best thing
for him is for the season to end, and for him to go to work on his game
and shot, and for him to build his confidence back.
You want him to ask for a leave of absence? Mental health reasons to restore his confidence?
Ridiculous! Grow a pair! Just shoot the damn ball!
He probably thinks he's hurting the team. And he'd be right. But this season is basically over....start his "rehab" now. Nothing to lose.
Why the sarcasm Gary? Was just giving an opinion on the season ending might
be a good thing for him. His confidence is gone IMO. As for "growing a pair".....
that isn't going to fix is game at this point.
That's exactly right. But guys who are hesitant to shoot the ball and don't really want to shoot the ball don't shoot the ball well when they do shoot it. That's why he needs to find a comfort zone of sorts and take shots when he's ready and comfortable to shoot. The last thing he needs to do right now is to force up 10 shots that he doesn't really want to take and that he isn't comfortable taking and going 1-10. That just digs the hole deeper and makes it harder to get out of.
I think that taking the ball at three defenders almost always ends poorly, and that we do that far too often. That play was just one example of that.
I sorry , was not entirely directed at you. I am really surprised at the number of people believing it is better not to shoot ( which I view as giving up), than to preserve. Not shooting is admitting defeat. You do that, it becomes a part of who you are. You will carry that around for while. Carry it around long enough, it defines you.
Seriously - on this team, how can you have your second or third best player playing about 30 minutes and taking only three shots? That is more self defeating than missing 7 of 10 shots.
I have more confidence in Trey than some here. I predict Trey will have a big game before the season ends.
Relax a little and take a deep breath. He’s a true freshman. Who reclassified. He could still be playing high school ball.
We’ve seen plenty of guys here who looked like they’d never get it early on only to improve and become very good players. And leaders. Count me among those who think Trey will be another.
Defenders go under screens and also camp under basket against Trey. And of course he faces more zone now. He needs a jumper, yes, and also a floater. In time I don't see why he wont be able to develop those, he should be a four year starter.
First of all, it's as if you can't distinguish between what might be best for the individual with what is best for the team.
Secondly, you continue to assume that if he just fires up a whole bunch of shots that obviously somewhere along the line he's going to start making them and all will be right with the world. You don't even consider the far more likely scenario that right now all shooting a lot more means is missing a lot more, and missing a lot more doesn't just keep things the way that they are, it makes things worse. Right now his confidence is obviously low. I would think that the last thing anyone would want is to completely destroy his confidence, and yet you continue to argue for something that makes that a very real possibility.
Did you ever have a bad stretch at your job or profession? Maybe you made a mistake, gave some bad advice or whatever. If you did, was you inclination to withdrawal, become less assertive than usual, ask for time off, something like that? I doubt it.
One gets stronger overcoming adversity, not shrinking from it.
What is best for this particular kid, will be best for the team. You think your approach is best, I think mine is. I guess we agree to disagree.
Last edited:
