Freedom of the (full-court) press
posted by LW, Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Good column today by Ron Morris, who explores whether the pressing, running philosophies of Oliver Purnell and Darrin Horn end up being more hindrance than help late in the season.
The supposition with this criticism is that players are too worn down by that time, and Purnell doesn't agree with that.
"One of the toughest things you face sometimes is kids reading so much about being tired and worn down, and a lot of times kids are looking for excuses and looking for a path of least resistance," Purnell says. "One of the issues in our country with our youth is bearing down and working hard and being confident."
I don't think you can chalk up Clemson's postseason flameouts the past three seasons -- they have lost five straight first-round games in the NCAA and ACC tournaments, all to double-digit seeds -- to fatigue.
Might it have been an issue? Perhaps. But there were plenty more issues that loomed larger, in my mind.
The fatigue argument doesn't hold water when you consider the following factors:
-- The past two years, Clemson has gotten plenty of rest. Three days of rest between the regular-season finale and the first-round ACC Tournament game. And then a week's worth of rest between the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. You could use the they-were-gassed argument for the 2008 NCAA upset loss to Villanova, having come on the heels of their stirring run to the ACC Tournament final. But not the last two years, unless Purnell was just absolutely killing his team during practice (there's no evidence that he was). And heck, the Tigers didn't press much at all against N.C. State in Greensboro because they couldn't score, and that highlights perhaps the real problem that the press is designed to overshadow: Poor half-court execution.
-- Clemson's second-to-last game of the regular season, a home drubbing of Georgia Tech, featured the Tigers at their energetic and frenetic best. I mean, they absolutely pounced on the Yellow Jackets and suffocated them. And this came two days after a draining win at Florida State.
-- Missouri has done pretty well playing that style the last two years. Fell a few points shy of a Final Four last year. And this year, despite injuries that chipped away at their depth, Mike Anderson's Tigers had plenty of spring in their step last Friday while beating Clemson at its own game.
Back in January, Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News had an interesting take on Purnell's style in an interview with The ACC Sports Journal. DeCourcy is a huge fan of OP and his ability to build programs, but he wonders if Purnell's constant pressure is an obstacle to the Tigers advancing deep into the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s hard, when you play that system as devotedly as they play it. The analogy that I use would be if you’re a championship golfer and you’re in a major tournament and you have a five-stroke lead with three holes to play. Do you still hit the driver? Or do you start hitting that 3-wood and try to rip it down the middle and just play it safe?
“When you play that pressure, and you continue to use it pretty much through the whole game after made baskets and situations that allow for it, you’re creating a pace that brings more possessions to the team that needs the most – which is the team that’s behind.”
It should be noted that, as much ease as Missouri had slicing through Clemson's full-court press last week, just as much damage was inflicted with run-outs off of missed shots.
But DeCourcy's take is interesting, because I think it's fair to wonder if Purnell could use his press more judiciously in a general sense. One of the biggest mistakes of the season, in my mind, was continuing to pressure Wake Forest in the final regular-season game. Ish Smith, the one-man fast break, continued to torch it. And the Deacons won, denying Clemson a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament. It was a huge, huge loss.
The Tigers also do have a habit of squandering big leads. Eighteen points against Villanova two years ago. Fifteen at North Carolina two years ago. Nineteen against Florida State last year. Twenty-three against Illinois this season. Fifteen at Maryland this season. And that nine-point first-half lead against Missouri dissipated really quickly.
You could say the common thread in all those losses was opposing guards who were able to navigate the press. And the chances of facing quick, skilled guards are greater when you reach the NCAA Tournament.
Another major problem for the Tigers: They can't play all their games at Littlejohn Coliseum. There is a major difference in the intensity, energy and determination when this team ventures away from home. I know it's hard for every team to replicate the mental edge and fuel they get from the home crowd, but with Clemson the discrepancy becomes more glaring and more costly because so much of Purnell's system is based on being the more intense and energetic team.
And that has seldom been the case outside of Littlejohn.
Back to Morris' article ... OP is bullish on his style with the following quotes:
"I'm not backing down from that," Purnell says. "I'm not backing down from the need of our kids to learn the value of hard work ... We're sitting here today with six straight appearances in postseason play, four straight 20-win seasons, three straight NCAA appearances -- and only 21 teams in America have done that," Purnell says. "One of the major reasons is our style of play."
Mark Bradley of the AJC says it's probably better for Paul Hewitt to bolt for St. John's.
Even more distressing has been Hewitt’s penchant for seizing every crutch. Tech’s too young. Or it’s overscheduled. Or it has injuries, or academic issues, or players who’ve left early. Or it’s just “snakebit.” This willingness to explain away mediocrity has always seemed bizarre, given that the 2004 Jackets were handed a gold-plated excuse — leading scorer B.J. Elder sprained his ankle in Tech’s third NCAA game and didn’t score another point until the final against UConn — and persevered.
And if Hewitt didn't like Bradley daring to suggest that Georgia Tech has underachieved since its 2004 Final Four trip, he's probably not going to like this line:
Paul Hewitt wasn’t Chan Gailey, but Paul Hewitt has become Chan Gailey.
This story says Hewitt has already met with the St. John's AD.
North Carolina is headed back to the Final Four ... well, sort of.
And Virginia Tech is almost there.
Tom Sorensen of The Charlotte Observer says Dave Odom isn't a good fit at UNC Charlotte.
Kudos to the Clemson men's tennis team, who's making its 100th season memorable.
The team’s 15-1 start is the second-best in school history, topped only by the 1969 squad that finished 16-0, and is No. 33 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association Division I rankings.
“I’m really proud of this young team,” McCuen said. “It has been a lot of fun.”
Bart Wright laments that the Confederate Flag issue will keep the emerging city of Greenville from playing host to the NCAA Tournament, even if (or when) it expands to 96 teams.
“Our location is ideal,” said Bi-Lo Center general manager Roger Newton. “From Knoxville, Greensboro, Charlotte, Atlanta, we’re centrally located, an easy drive and people love spending time and money in Greenville.
“I am told the NCAA loved being here, but we have this flag issue to deal with,” he said. “In today’s numbers, we’re talking about an economic impact of something in excess of $5 million over a weekend, but if you think in statewide terms over, say, 10 years, the (NCAA sanctioned) events we could attract would be many times that, the jobs would be counted in the thousands. We’re shut out because of the flag issue.”
And later...
People on both sides of the flag issue have their points to make, but as long as the controversy persists, the heated rhetoric will continue to damage the state and its people – on both sides of the issue.
This is where the state needs someone to stand up and begin to wrestle this issue until it submits and goes away. It is a difficult issue, and no suggestion is being offered here that it will make it go away over night.
But it needs to go away, if not for reasons of common sense, for millions of visitor dollars that would pour into the state and the thousands of jobs that can be created.
Whose purpose is served by chasing away millions of dollars and all those jobs?
A less controversial topic: Clemson's defensive players to watch this spring.
And Florida State's defense is now playing a lot more -- gasp! -- zone.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Good column today by Ron Morris, who explores whether the pressing, running philosophies of Oliver Purnell and Darrin Horn end up being more hindrance than help late in the season.
The supposition with this criticism is that players are too worn down by that time, and Purnell doesn't agree with that.
"One of the toughest things you face sometimes is kids reading so much about being tired and worn down, and a lot of times kids are looking for excuses and looking for a path of least resistance," Purnell says. "One of the issues in our country with our youth is bearing down and working hard and being confident."
I don't think you can chalk up Clemson's postseason flameouts the past three seasons -- they have lost five straight first-round games in the NCAA and ACC tournaments, all to double-digit seeds -- to fatigue.
Might it have been an issue? Perhaps. But there were plenty more issues that loomed larger, in my mind.
The fatigue argument doesn't hold water when you consider the following factors:
-- The past two years, Clemson has gotten plenty of rest. Three days of rest between the regular-season finale and the first-round ACC Tournament game. And then a week's worth of rest between the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. You could use the they-were-gassed argument for the 2008 NCAA upset loss to Villanova, having come on the heels of their stirring run to the ACC Tournament final. But not the last two years, unless Purnell was just absolutely killing his team during practice (there's no evidence that he was). And heck, the Tigers didn't press much at all against N.C. State in Greensboro because they couldn't score, and that highlights perhaps the real problem that the press is designed to overshadow: Poor half-court execution.
-- Clemson's second-to-last game of the regular season, a home drubbing of Georgia Tech, featured the Tigers at their energetic and frenetic best. I mean, they absolutely pounced on the Yellow Jackets and suffocated them. And this came two days after a draining win at Florida State.
-- Missouri has done pretty well playing that style the last two years. Fell a few points shy of a Final Four last year. And this year, despite injuries that chipped away at their depth, Mike Anderson's Tigers had plenty of spring in their step last Friday while beating Clemson at its own game.
Back in January, Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News had an interesting take on Purnell's style in an interview with The ACC Sports Journal. DeCourcy is a huge fan of OP and his ability to build programs, but he wonders if Purnell's constant pressure is an obstacle to the Tigers advancing deep into the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s hard, when you play that system as devotedly as they play it. The analogy that I use would be if you’re a championship golfer and you’re in a major tournament and you have a five-stroke lead with three holes to play. Do you still hit the driver? Or do you start hitting that 3-wood and try to rip it down the middle and just play it safe?
“When you play that pressure, and you continue to use it pretty much through the whole game after made baskets and situations that allow for it, you’re creating a pace that brings more possessions to the team that needs the most – which is the team that’s behind.”
It should be noted that, as much ease as Missouri had slicing through Clemson's full-court press last week, just as much damage was inflicted with run-outs off of missed shots.
But DeCourcy's take is interesting, because I think it's fair to wonder if Purnell could use his press more judiciously in a general sense. One of the biggest mistakes of the season, in my mind, was continuing to pressure Wake Forest in the final regular-season game. Ish Smith, the one-man fast break, continued to torch it. And the Deacons won, denying Clemson a first-round bye in the ACC Tournament. It was a huge, huge loss.
The Tigers also do have a habit of squandering big leads. Eighteen points against Villanova two years ago. Fifteen at North Carolina two years ago. Nineteen against Florida State last year. Twenty-three against Illinois this season. Fifteen at Maryland this season. And that nine-point first-half lead against Missouri dissipated really quickly.
You could say the common thread in all those losses was opposing guards who were able to navigate the press. And the chances of facing quick, skilled guards are greater when you reach the NCAA Tournament.
Another major problem for the Tigers: They can't play all their games at Littlejohn Coliseum. There is a major difference in the intensity, energy and determination when this team ventures away from home. I know it's hard for every team to replicate the mental edge and fuel they get from the home crowd, but with Clemson the discrepancy becomes more glaring and more costly because so much of Purnell's system is based on being the more intense and energetic team.
And that has seldom been the case outside of Littlejohn.
Back to Morris' article ... OP is bullish on his style with the following quotes:
"I'm not backing down from that," Purnell says. "I'm not backing down from the need of our kids to learn the value of hard work ... We're sitting here today with six straight appearances in postseason play, four straight 20-win seasons, three straight NCAA appearances -- and only 21 teams in America have done that," Purnell says. "One of the major reasons is our style of play."
Mark Bradley of the AJC says it's probably better for Paul Hewitt to bolt for St. John's.
Even more distressing has been Hewitt’s penchant for seizing every crutch. Tech’s too young. Or it’s overscheduled. Or it has injuries, or academic issues, or players who’ve left early. Or it’s just “snakebit.” This willingness to explain away mediocrity has always seemed bizarre, given that the 2004 Jackets were handed a gold-plated excuse — leading scorer B.J. Elder sprained his ankle in Tech’s third NCAA game and didn’t score another point until the final against UConn — and persevered.
And if Hewitt didn't like Bradley daring to suggest that Georgia Tech has underachieved since its 2004 Final Four trip, he's probably not going to like this line:
Paul Hewitt wasn’t Chan Gailey, but Paul Hewitt has become Chan Gailey.
This story says Hewitt has already met with the St. John's AD.
North Carolina is headed back to the Final Four ... well, sort of.
And Virginia Tech is almost there.
Tom Sorensen of The Charlotte Observer says Dave Odom isn't a good fit at UNC Charlotte.
Kudos to the Clemson men's tennis team, who's making its 100th season memorable.
The team’s 15-1 start is the second-best in school history, topped only by the 1969 squad that finished 16-0, and is No. 33 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association Division I rankings.
“I’m really proud of this young team,” McCuen said. “It has been a lot of fun.”
Bart Wright laments that the Confederate Flag issue will keep the emerging city of Greenville from playing host to the NCAA Tournament, even if (or when) it expands to 96 teams.
“Our location is ideal,” said Bi-Lo Center general manager Roger Newton. “From Knoxville, Greensboro, Charlotte, Atlanta, we’re centrally located, an easy drive and people love spending time and money in Greenville.
“I am told the NCAA loved being here, but we have this flag issue to deal with,” he said. “In today’s numbers, we’re talking about an economic impact of something in excess of $5 million over a weekend, but if you think in statewide terms over, say, 10 years, the (NCAA sanctioned) events we could attract would be many times that, the jobs would be counted in the thousands. We’re shut out because of the flag issue.”
And later...
People on both sides of the flag issue have their points to make, but as long as the controversy persists, the heated rhetoric will continue to damage the state and its people – on both sides of the issue.
This is where the state needs someone to stand up and begin to wrestle this issue until it submits and goes away. It is a difficult issue, and no suggestion is being offered here that it will make it go away over night.
But it needs to go away, if not for reasons of common sense, for millions of visitor dollars that would pour into the state and the thousands of jobs that can be created.
Whose purpose is served by chasing away millions of dollars and all those jobs?
A less controversial topic: Clemson's defensive players to watch this spring.
And Florida State's defense is now playing a lot more -- gasp! -- zone.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
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Larry Williams. Larry has covered the daily beat at Clemson since 2004. Williams, who worked for the Charleston Post & Courier from 2004-08, joined Tigerillustrated.com in November of 2008. He may be reached by email at ldubya08(at)gmail.com. Replace (at) with @.