October 30, 2016
Coaches Journal - Preseason Practices / Recruiting Updates
The first four weeks into team practices, we are beginning to see quite a bit of the smoke clear. Getting a good sight on what our capabilities and limitations are. For one of the best upsides offensively is our shooting outside the arc. In our weekly scrimmages held at the end of a weekly practice we have shot 48/115 (41.7%) as a group. Very impressed with this and the consistency that we have seen to this point. We have four guys that can light it from 3P range, while a couple of them are streaky. Within these scrimmages as a group we have shot 117/239 (49.0%) overall. This play and what we will find during the season are two completely different animals, but we have shown and can see we have the ability to shoot if we stay within our playbook. Areas for improvement offensively have got to be the turnovers. Too many travel calls and turnovers also allowing too many block shots. Overall as a team we need to improve being able to not only draw the fouls, but also take advantage and make the free throws. Too few opportunities here with very mediocre free throw shooting. Team seems very aware and improving significantly running in Triangle and Motion sets. We will continue to work on high post and utilize that when our opponents dictate the opportunity to do so.
Defensively we have much continued work to power through. Too timid on the boards, and sloppy in the paint giving many fouls and too many opportunities to add points. In the four scrimmages we have created 58 fouls, of these 43 have been by the bigs and most of these in the paint. We have done decent in creating turnovers, whether by steals or forcing the handler. We will continue to play M2M and the 1-2-2 zone as that is what we are most efficient at for the moment. As excited as I am about our ability to create shots and be opportunistic behind the arc, I am as grossly horrified at what we can't stop. In the scrimmages we allowed 128/233 (54.9%) overall and 39/84 (46.4%) from 3P range.
Coaches Grade - Team
C+ = Overall Offense
C = Inside Shooting
B+ = Outside Shooting
D = Free Throw Shooting
C- = Passing and Ball Handling
D = Offensive Rebounding
D- = Overall Defense
D- = Paint
D = Perimeter
C- = Blocking and Stealing
D- = Defensive Rebounding
Players Assessment
Grade A
SF - Caron Francis
Grade B
PG - Gerald Darby
SG - Terry Ware
PF - Antoine Weeks
Grade C
PG - Wendall Brunson
SG - Antonio Harper
SF - Rashad Pearson
PF - Michael Romano
C - Tank Josey
Grade D
PG - Bobby Chouinard
SG - Anthony McDonald
SF - Burkhard Gerstlacher
PF - Ricardo Pelt
C - Kyle Fidler
C - Jay Frist
Current Projected Lineup for the home opener -
PG - Gerald Darby
SG - Terry Ware
SF - Caron Francis
PF - Michael Romano
C - Tank Josey
6th - Wendall Brunson
7th - Antonio Harper
8th - Antoine Weeks
9th - Rashad Pearson
10th - Kyle Fidler
We are very excited about the two commitments that we have received so far in C - Todd Blodgett and SF - Jervis McCoy. We feel like their defensive skillsets will be an immediate impact for us to continue to improve upon next season. We have one scholarship offer left and it has been extended to PG - Lance Hartley. He came on very late for us this fall in the recruiting process but we are extremely excited about his future as a bulldog if he selects Samford. He will bring above average passing and ball handling skills, outstanding defense, and unmatched athleticism and could be our cornerstone for the next few years.
Go Dogs, and Ruff Em
#SamfordStrong #RuffEm
Coach A.C. Read - Samford Bulldogs