Choose your cuts now!!!

#31
We really need to think about cutting Scho or Newton and adding a guard that can shoot. They combined for 0-7 and 2 points. We just need someone who can provide some sort of offense off the bench.

As some have mentioned, DeForge would be nice. She's streaky, but atleast, when she's on she can hit shots, and when she's not, just bench her.
 
#32
We really need to think about cutting Scho or Newton and adding a guard that can shoot. They combined for 0-7 and 2 points. We just need someone who can provide some sort of offense off the bench.

As some have mentioned, DeForge would be nice. She's streaky, but atleast, when she's on she can hit shots, and when she's not, just bench her.
Absolutely 100% agree. I liked Scholanda's defense, not necessarily lockdown, but very active. On the other hand, Chelsea looked a step slow on defense and didn't give the Storm guards much trouble...don't even get me started on her "offense" :rolleyes:. We NEED offense from our SG, even though Ticha looked very offensive minded, out of necessity most of the time. Anna DeForge...come on down!
 
#33
We really need to think about cutting Scho or Newton and adding a guard that can shoot. They combined for 0-7 and 2 points. We just need someone who can provide some sort of offense off the bench.
We had one. She happened to be a rookie though and therefore was cut. Anna DeForge would be an upgrade....because she's not a "rookie"
 

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#34
We had one. She happened to be a rookie though and therefore was cut. Anna DeForge would be an upgrade....because she's not a "rookie"

Yep!! Like I said previously, we need to find some offense. We got 2 pts from the sg position. Kara had only 5 pts, and Nicole only 8. That will not get it done. Some of the defense showed improvement, but that's worthless without our being able to put the round ball through the basket.

They need an offensive scheme that will get Kara and Nicole open.
 
#35
We have a "two" guard, she is recovering off of the bench and played exclusively at the point guard. I do agree that offensively Robinson and Newton were very active defensively (particularly Newton). But Lawson and Ticha were on the floor together a total of what 30 seconds. That is not going to get it done.

What I would like to see is once Lawson gets fit, that she starts at the "two" and Maiga Ba would be her sole backup at the "two". Her offensive game has improved tremendously.
 
#36
There were some strange combinations this afternoon. Notably the one that closed out the game. I hope the substitution made towards the end of the game NEVER happens again purposely. They got better nowhere with that one. With a capital NO and WHERE and sprinkle in a couple of these !!!!! for good measure.
 
#37
Kingsgurl and I had the pleasure of attending yesterday's opener, courtesy of the Kings. The game was most entertaining, despite the outcome.

My biggest comment is that I feel that our offensive set is awful. How many times did we see the ballhandler alone on one side of the court as her teammates are all making screens and cuts a mile away on the weak side and no one ever getting free? Then someone finally runs out to the top to receive the ball, shot clock winding down, and a terrible shot ensues. Storm just clogged things up, and that was the end of our offense. Throughout most of the game, especially in the first half, our scoring mostly had nothing to do with the set, as either we got 2nd chance points or someone just decided to drive on their defender.

Also, and it's been said before here, this "strategy" of bringing in sub after sub in waves every 3 minutes or so does not lend itself well to a player's or a team's getting a rhythm. It's nice to play all 11, but it is really disruptive to team chemistry. Bird, LJ, and Wright played more minutes than any of our players...and with good reason...and result. LJ would have played more, had it not been for her foul woes.

I saw no effort to get certain Monarchs' players going. Very few open looks for Kara or Nicole, in part because of the Storm D. Brunson could be the best big player in the game yesterday, but she did not get enough opportunities to showcase what she could really do. I would like to have seen more touches by our bigs in the box, too, especially with LJ in foul trouble. We did that a little bit, but not enough. Most bigs' touches were at the top of the key.

All in all, with no reliable scoring threats and a terrible offensive set, this will not be the year for the M's unless something changes soon.

OTOH, the SAC defense was excellent. Very fun to watch. Very intense. The only thing I hated to see was our losing LJ off the high screens which cost us a few times. All in all, though, our defense is so good, it will keep us in games like yesterday's when we could not hit the broad side of a barn with our field goal shooting.
 
#39
We have a "two" guard, she is recovering off of the bench and played exclusively at the point guard. I do agree that offensively Robinson and Newton were very active defensively (particularly Newton). But Lawson and Ticha were on the floor together a total of what 30 seconds. That is not going to get it done.

What I would like to see is once Lawson gets fit, that she starts at the "two" and Maiga Ba would be her sole backup at the "two". Her offensive game has improved tremendously.
So if we have Maiga as the "sole" back-up on the "2" spot, why the hell would we keep two other "twos" who pretty much bring the same thing on the table? If this was the plan, who would back up Nicole at the 3?

If this was the case, then who is Ticha's back up at the PG spot?

With the line up the way it is, Kara IS the back up at the PG spot. and when this happens, we have a "2" or rather "2"s that don't have reliable offense.

Last year Lawson was fit and started at the two. We had the same problems: No reliable back up to score.

I know it's early on in the season and I don't want to be down on our Ms but teams have moved on and we are getting left behind. It's no coincidence that our score was 2nd to the lowest yesterday on opening night. The talent and offense level has improved dramatically in the last few years. No matter how good our defense is, if we can't outscore them we lose.

We need to let go one of our "two" to get someone who can score or at least create their own shot.
 
#40
Well today will be the test.

Everything people are saying I have said for awhile and people have been thinking it for even longer. Even if they haven't said it.

I realize that we have injuries at Key positions. Well actually we are not injured as much as we are out of shape in Key positions. And it compounds the fact that we are over-matched at the 2. Even if Kara were 100% she is not one of the better Athletes at the 2, and the 2 position in this league has become EXTREMELY Athletic and explosive over the last 3 years.
And in Looking at the schedule, we are not in a position to "Play ourselves into shape".
We have 2 backs to backs fly home and play a home game then turn around and have a very long 13 day road trip. Which under the best of circumstances may get have them at .500.
Now we can wait til that road trip is over to take action. See where we are then. Maybe we will gel right.
For me it is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when we should bring someone esle in.
Personally I think we should bring someone in ASAP, but at the latest before that roadtrip begins. Teams usually "gel" build continuity on their first major road trip.
That leaves us a week, and 3 more games to see where and how we can improve.
 
#43
Yesterday was the test and they got their grades back and they know where they failed. Today is another test to see how much they can improve on what they did right defensively. All 11 players played yesterday, so they aren't like other teams waiting to get players back. The two starters not 100% are just simply going to have to play their way into functionality.

The personal layup line they let Wright have all second half was because they were playing weird combinations of people and the defense is not yet worked out because people haven't been playing together. That issue does not get better bringing in another piece to integrate. Yesterday was a game they should have won, even with Brunson and Lawson at less than 100%. The break they'll have when they get back from Sea should help them speed up the process, but until they get their defense figured out and stop turning the ball over (and get their defense worked out so they aren't blowing the good defense they are playing by giving up 2-3 offensive boards in a possession and aren't giving up a point or 2 for each of their turnovers). I said this in another thread, this team will not beat third graders from Natomas Elementary let alone a team with one of the best players in the world on it giving up a point for every turnover and if they are committing more than 15 turnovers a game. Period, I don't care who is on the Monarchs roster.