Mid range shooting



  • I agree. After rewatching the game I noticed a lot of Frank’s shots, especially early were really good looks and they just didn’t fall. I remember particularly a couple of nice, under control, floaters that bounced all over the rim before falling out. His stats also weren’t helped by the fact that nobody could make a shot. A point guard has zero assists because there were only 11 shots made the whole game. That is not all his fault.

    This game was a combination of having an awful shooting night against a great defensive team. It certainly wasn’t all them or all us that led to 13% in the second half. A lot of that was just bad luck.

    I felt before the game we were probably 10 points worse than Kentucky, meaning at their place it would be a blow out, at ours it could go either way and at a neutral cite it would be close. The first half that proved to be true. We had some bad luck early, played good defense, but couldn’t score and went into the half down 10 but with some positive momentum.

    I don’t have anything to say about the second half as it was a complete mess and I don’t like to think about it anymore. Why did I force myself to rewatch it. I have a problem.



  • @benshawks08 we all have those same problems!! I sure do.



  • @benshawks08 I was planning to rewatch the game last night, but my wife had deleted it from the DVR.



  • @DanR your wife must like you. that was kind of her 😉



  • @Kong I apologize, I’d like to blame my computer, but more likely it’s my eyes - if you’re so inclined, could you please tell me what your avatar is? I can’t quite make it out. Thank you.



  • @nuleafjhawk

    That is a picture of me climbing here:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Rocks

    (Sorry, not certain how to embed a link or any pictures.)

    The climb is heading up to the South peak on a route called Gunsight (5.4). One of my favorite, though low in grade, climbs due to its exposure. Of particular note though not easly seen in that picture is that another climber unclipped me and crossed my route all while my belay partner was taking the picture. Essentially for a brief moment I was on my own.



  • Great thread, and great post on Frank, drgn! Maybe Frank needed a timed-arrival of a wing or post player to throw a lob assist or pass to? Give the PG some options/targets to pass TO

    Let me start with a quote from preseason Perry Ellis: “I watched a lot of tape of Marcus, as he is also 6’8, 220lbs…”. Well, Perry, you’re a bright kid, but I hope you saw that Marcus Morris was absolutely deadly with the face up, shot fake, and pullup or fadeaway J from 10-15ft/mid post region. And he could hit the 3. Marcus Morris was a matchup nightmare in college. Thats why he went lotto. Banging down low improved for MM, but he was a guy with a shotfake that led to penetration dribble OR a pullup J– that was the impression he left, most noticeably on TRob, who tried to do the same stuff (& also went lotto his jr yr). So, YES: Ellis could definitely improve his midrange game. Sarcasm: yes, its the worst shot, but is a 10-12 ftr the same as a 17ftr? Some guys just have a knack & shooting form to shoot pullup Js.

    Here’s some good reliable midrange/pullup J shooters in KU’s Self-history: Wiggins, Taylor(late), EJ (one of the best at the elbow pullup J), Sherron, Reed, Brady, Marcus, Chalmers, RussRob.

    Other people call the midrange jumper “a lost art”. Let me say maybe UNC relies on it too much, guys shooting that are inconsistent at it, and 2 of UNCs Tourney losses to KU, were a ton of MJ-imitation pullups that missed.

    If guys want to add it to their arsenal…put in the reps & get deadly w/it…like Marcus…



  • I didn’t give myself the option of watching this game again. I’m surprised I made it through the entire game. I wanted to hear the last criticisms and kudos after the game… but when I was done I tossed it off my DVR. It would probably help us all to watch it again because the first time was too emotional and easy to remember things incorrectly. I just don’t think I have the stomach to see it again.



  • @Kong Oh! That’s very cool - I did go to that link and check it out. (and I’m not sure how to link it either, usually some good samaritan will come along and do it for us…)

    It looks very similar to some terrain (not really sure they’re mountains) that my family and I traversed in South Dakota a few years ago. It’s funny - now that you told me what it is, it looks pretty clear to me…



  • @ralster

    Good post… especially your take on midrange. You really nailed it when you talk about putting in the reps. It takes patience to work on these reps because players will practice shooting midrange, get hot and then quit practicing them and go back out to treysville. They have to realize that the more they practice in midrange, the more deadly they will be in a game situation. It is very easy to hit those shots without defense and a crowd with big lights on.

    I remember back in my day… and I’m thinking of a guy I played with who became a real stud offensive player, and his forte was midrange. Other team members would heckle him for working in so many reps at midrange. He definitely got the last laugh as he raised his ppg to probably high 20s.

    Midrange is a mindset. Some guys need to tweak down their egos and be real about the game. No one is saying to abandon the 3-point line, or stop finishing at the rim. I think Kobe made his mark in midrange before mastering the entire offensive end. Jordan did, too.

    And while we are talking about midrange… our most needed midrange shot is only worth 1-point but can and will lose us several games this year if we don’t become proficient: FREE THROWS! We missed 12 against Kentucky, and several of those were the front end of a 1-and-1. There’s about half the points in making up that deficit!



  • @nuleafjhawk

    And another link on that particular route with some nice pictures.

    http://senecarocks.wordpress.com/tag/gunsight-to-south-peak/

    I have climbed Devils Tower out that way. As well as done some climbing in Yosemite. Mostly an East Coast climber though, climbing at Seneca in WV and the Gunks in NY. Sadly I have not been able to climb a great deal lately.

    I shall return to it though. Just need to get back in to shape.

    More than you ever wanted to know. I know.



  • @drgnslayr

    Amen on the free throws.

    But to be fair, Kentucky’s free throw defense is superb! 😉



  • @Kong

    You’ve got more balls than a bucket on a driving range!



  • @Kong not more than I ever wanted to know. Hang around a while - you will find out “amazing” things about all of us - lol. From our favorite music to gardening tips to serious things like losing beloved pets and friends and family members.

    This really is a special forum (at least to me) and I really want to apologize sincerely for not being very welcoming to you at first. I’m usually a pretty nice guy. That’s what I keep telling myself…



  • @nuleafjhawk funny, and very sarcastic!! We like you that way!!



  • @benshawks08 any of you guys that tortured yourselves re watching game see graham fall? I didn’t notice the first time.



  • @KUinLA

    " I thought Frank was actually one of the bright spots for KU. "

    You and I must have watched different games.



  • @JayHawkFanToo I think YOU and I were watching the same game though.

    Until I turned to watch " Buying Alaska ". Lol.



  • @nuleafjhawk

    "Until I turned to watch " Buying Alaska “. Lol.”

    Seriously? My wife doesn’t want me to watch that show because she’s afraid I might try to uproot the fam and move north!



  • @drgnslayr If Buying Alaska was a drinking game for every time they said “Now THIS is Alaska!,” you’d be dead at the end of the show. I’m a sucker for HGTV, but that show is stupid.



  • @DanR I have a serious case of stupid goin on. I’m hooked on Alaska. TV shows, anyway.

    Buying Alaska.

    Living Alaska.

    Alaska: The Last Frontier

    There’s about 20 more that I don’t watch. Only because there’s not enough time in the day. Oddly enough, I’ve never seen “North to Alaska”.

    It’s not my fault - Mario Chalmers started it.



  • "But…"but…“but…But” Lotsa “buts” in Bill Self’s comments today. Maybe he is working up to issuing one of those football style GAME PLANS: something about BUTTS.



  • quote from Jesse

    Stat of the day: KU scored only 12 second-half points against Kentucky. During the entire 2013-14 season, only four teams scored 12 points or fewer in a second half (Louisiana-Monroe, Campbell, San Jose State, New Hampshire).

    Now that’s rarified air.



  • @dylans Like the rarified air in my house last night, after ham & beans.



  • @KUinLA

    “Bill Self has never cultivated the mid-range shot as part of his game plan. I first noticed this during the 08 season, when it seemed the whole offense was 3 pointers and alley-oops.”

    I am curious, what do you think the percentage/distribution of 2-point and 3 point shots should be? 50-50? 70-30? 90-10?



  • @nuleafjhawk Let me tell you, I spent over 5 years at Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, and it was the best time of my 20 year career. My original assignment was for 2.5 years and stayed an extra 3. Not much we didn’t do and see while there. Alaska Airlines used to run a commercial showing Alaska from the air. No music, no voice, no sound until the end. Then a voice said “Alaska…everything else looks like Kansas.”



  • @brooksmd I’ve always been a fanatic fisherman. I used to hunt and probably would again, especially for self-defense or food. I like everything I see about Alaska. The scenery is unparalleled. I would definitely live there -

    during the two months of good weather they have each year!! And the TV shows never talk about the bird sized mosquitos. Wonder why?



  • @nuleafjhawk Even in the interior we had at least 4 good months of summer. And you’re right about the skeeters. Huge! When out fishing during the summer always wore a net over the head and used lots of repellant. There are also little gnat like critters we called “no-see-ums” that attack also. The people who hated it up there were the one’s who stayed indoors during the winters. We never let cold stop us. My ex worked in Fairbanks which was a 26 mile drive one way and never missed a day of work. During the winter put studded snow tires on all four corners of her VW bug, couple of sandbags in the front, turn on the gas heater and off she went. Even at -65. We had trail bikes for summer and snow machines for winter. Miss it. That’s why like you I watch alot of the Alaska shows.



  • @brooksmd If I remember correctly, you’re in Looziana now ? Wow, talk about some major culture shock. It sounds like you’re quite the outdoorsman. I guess if I lived there, I’d probably do the same. Get out there in the snow and have some fun!


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