Otto’s Rebounding Leading to Early Offense

Otto Porter has an innate ability to rebound the basketball. Back when he collected 35 rebounds in a state title game it could have easily been assumed that it was simply due to the competition level. While that certainly played a part, it’s becoming clear that Otto is going to rebound at a very high level against all opponents.

While someone with a nose for the ball is a much welcome weapon to JTIII’s team, he also has the ability to push the ball leading into early offense opportunities which could provide to be extremely valuable over the course of his career, particularly during conference play where the Georgetown offense can get slowed down at times.

First a sequence from the Louisville game:

Notice how Behanan crashes the boards but completely overruns the rebound, while Otto has himself set up in better position and as soon as hit the rim, he’s already on the move in the correct direction (can’t be drilled or taught, he just has that ability):

Otto has enough awareness to keep his dribble and keep Chris Smith sided towards him before giving it up to Jason. This gives Jason an extra step on Smith and a path to the rim. Jason does not finish the lay up, but this is the play where Hollis cleans up with a put-back dunk:

Onto the next play and here, Otto is rebounding out of the 2-3 zone. With Jabril’s help, Otto again has ideal position and is quickly able to grab the rebound before Kuric has a chance to:

Otto gets it and pushes the ball out. Again, he gives it up to Jason at the correct time. One more dribble and the pass to Jason is likely cut off, if he gives it up to Jason too early then Jason’s path to the rim is cut off too soon. Jason is not able to finish and the shot is blocked out of bounds. Much like the previous play, if that is Jabril or Greg filling the lane the next three years, the play likely gets finished:

Next up is a sequence against Providence that did not lead to a lay-up but by pushing the ball it created a good opportunity and did not allow Providence to get set.

Jabril, Greg and Nate all find their man and box out and Otto crashes to get the board:

Instead of giving up early to Markel who has defenders flanked on both sides, Otto pushes the ball up and out and finds Nate on the baseline:

Nate receiving the ball on the baseline and Otto cutting through creates a chain of events with Providence’s defense. With Batts trailing the play, Council and Henton are forced to run to Nate while Otto brings Coleman along with him on his cut, resulting in three Providence defenders in the paint to one Hoya. Cotton stays with Markel who is his man. This leaves Jabril with nobody within 10 feet of him on top of the perimeter:

Hopefully in another year or two with hard work and III doing what III does, that’s an automatic 3 points for Jabril. Instead, for now, it’s a miss. But with Otto being Otto he doesn’t watch from the corner he heads back to the glass and gets his hands on the ball and Providence knocks it out:

Lastly, a key spot in the KU game. Otto grabs a KU missed layup:

Otto pushes the ball and keeps his dribble long enough to keep Elijiah Johnson on his right hip creating a wide open look for Jason who cuts the lead to 3:

As I felt with Greg’s ability to defend on the perimeter, I think Otto’s ability to defensive rebound and push the ball by himself or on an outlet to his guards can prove to be a tool for III to utilize that he has not had previously.

The Value of Greg Whittington

Before yesterday’s game I made a comment that I’d have to go back through games at some point and see how often Greg Whittington’s length either makes a play or saves a play. I assume it occurs at least two times a game and last night was no exception. Enough can not be said about how different this team looks when being able to put a 6’9 SG on the floor in place of a 6’4 guard who needed to play the 3 spot. Greg is a valuable asset now and will be even more so in the future.

Here’s one example of Greg’s length just being the difference in saving one possession in 40 minutes:

Shot goes up and it’s simple, it’s either going to be Greg’s or Rakeem Buckles, a 6’8 PF.

Greg wins.

Next up:

A dreaded inbounds pass (that’s another subject.) Otto is inbounding, Markel and Jason are in the back court and can’t break free. In comes Greg (would this have been Austin instead last year?)

Greg goes up in traffic, makes the catch and gets fouled. Possession saved.

Next:

Here’s a play where it’s just not Greg being 6’9 with a who knows what winggspan..Greg can play defense, really can play defense.

Kuric gets the ball off of a dribble hand-off from Siva:

Greg quickly closes the gap and works over an attempted screen by Dieng:

Greg cuts Kuric off and due to another FR’s length (Otto) Kuric can’t kick it out to the wing:

Kuric has to kick it out to Russ Smith who Jason has covered for a contested three.

Again working on defense:

Greg is on Kuric again:

Kuric tries work off the ball and can’t shake Greg:

Kuric does cut back and manage to get the ball:

Again, Greg’s closing length and speed prevents an open look and even after a ball-fake and a dribble, he can’t shake Greg:

Kuric has to resort to a dribble hand off with Dieng but in the end it does not matter, Greg sticks with him and contests the shot, which comes up well short.

If you’re wondering, Kuric did not score in the last 5 minutes.

Next play Greg makes is off of a sideline out-of-bounds. Off the pass from Jason, Greg again goes up in traffic and makes the catch:

It’s simple, and easily taken for granted. But is that pass in that spot even an option for Jason if it’s a 6’4 guard there instead of Greg?

Here’s two more plays where Greg’s length simply makes a difference:

Siva works off the dribble and Kuric and Chris Smith are on the left side of the floor. Greg’s length and ability to cover ground essentially takes them both out of the play and Siva goes to the rim where he misses a contested drive and Greg comes in for the board:

Here, Greg is on Chris Smith and Markel cuts off Siva from going to the rim. Siva tries to kick it out to Smith and Greg arms get in the way slapping it out of bounds:

Not much to make of that play, but it does take away a quick three or drive to the rim by Smith and forces Louisville to take it out on the side-line.

Lastly, we see Greg’s ability to switch off from Chris Smith to Russ Smith seamlessly.

Louisville comes down the floor and Jason quickly tells Greg to switch as Russ Smith begins to work off of a screen to get free:

Here it looks like Greg has finally met his match with quickness and Smith gets some separation:

Yet, here comes Greg:

Phenomenal.

As seen in prior posts, effort alone was going to improve Georgetown’s defense by default. But the addition of athletes with serious length and understanding on the defense end has elevated this team’s ceiling.

I’d say it’s okay to stop worrying about what Greg’s offensive rating is or his three point percentage. Those things will come, as they always do under III. But what Greg currently is and what may continue to evolve into is an asset on the defensive end that III has never had.

Lazy Part 2

Austin starts out on Dom Cheek. (Right corner)

After this, just watch how Cheek rotates out to the top of the key. There are no X and O’s. No scheme, no nothing. Just pure laziness and carelessness. No two ways about it.

Thankfully, Cheek missed and Henry Sims got the board. Again, the gift and curse of Austin Freeman is that he came up huge down the stretch with a jumper, assist and two FT’s late to ice the game.

Some will say Georgetown will have a drop off losing their best offensive players. And while they will have growing pains on that end, I would say there is some optimism for this year. There is simply no possible way they can defend any worse.

I do not mean to bash on Austin; as I go through more footage of last years game..I am bound to find mistakes on the defensive end from all. But this just pure laziness and it is inexcusable effort.

Austin Freeman’s Defense

In pictures..

Austin contests a Preston Knowles jump shot.

It’s a miss and Louisville is able to get the offensive rebound. (Defensive rebounding is a different subject)

Jason Clark went for the rebound and is able to recover to his man (Siva). Austin is…? I’m not sure, but at this point he has lost his man.

Siva drives, and Austin makes a (lazy) swipe at the ball. At this point, Austin has left his man and forces freshman, Nate Lubick, to pick between staying home on his man (Kyle Kuric) or taking away Siva’s passing lane to Knowles. Either way, these are the two best outside shooters on Louisville and only one defender is left for Georgetown on the weak-side.

Nate chooses to go out on Knowles leaving Kuric in the corner. Siva recognizes it and makes the pass to Kuric who promptly squares up and drains it.

Of course, on the next trip down court Austin Freeman makes a jump shot. Thus the gift and the curse of his game.

*NEW SITE* Cuttingdownnets.com

leaving the blog behind.

Cuttingdownnets.com

Rakeem Christmas Adds Two

According to Evan Daniels, the top center in the 2011 class has added two schools to his list.

Rakeem Christmas, an athletic and elite 6’9 shot blocker with a rapidly improving offensive game has added Rutgers and Syracuse to his list of five that includes; Georgetown, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and Florida International.

The connections:

Rutgers- Lead assistant David Cox, formerly of Georgetown.

Syracuse- Current and former AAU teammates in Dion Waiters and Trevor Cooney.

Introducing: Mel Basabe

Mel Basabe, a to-be freshmen at Iowa came along with Fran McCaffery after Coach Mac left Siena.

Basabe, a recent graduate of St. Mark’s where he played alongside talented players such as Nate Lubick, Kaleb Tarczewski and Alex Murphy was an overlooked prospect who not until late in his senior started to gain the attention of Big East and ACC schools.

Now, he has a great chance to crack the starting lineup on a depleted Iowa team and he would be a choice for a dark horse Big 10 Freshmen of the Year candidate.

Reports from Iowa Summer league had Basabe with a debut of 36 points and 9 rebounds followed up with 39 and 13.

Tyrone Johnson Down to 3

New Jersey point guard and Top 100 prospect, Tyrone Johnson has cut his list to three.

The schools include; Georgetown, Villanova and Rutgers. Reached by text, Johnson responded, “Yeah, those my final three.” Not included, West Virginia, which some reports still had in contention.

Georgetown has been the school on him the longest dating back to his freshmen year.

Rutgers, the area school recently hired former Georgetown assistant that has helped the local school stay in the hunt.

And Villanova yet again is in the running for a top tri state area guard.

A decision is expected in the next few weeks.

http://www.prepforce.com/videos/211/tyrone-johnson-highlights-from-nike-eybl.html

Tony Mitchell: Go To Class

Missouri’s prized recruit, swing man, Tony Mitchell has yet to graduate and now faces even more scrutiny.

The most recent report..

Mitchell’s record shows 52 days with at least one unexcused absence — roughly one-third of the school year.

From the beginning of school for the next seven months, Mitchell missed 102 classes due to unexcused absences, many of them coming immediately after his basketball season ended the second week of March.

Yet Mitchell continued to play for Pinkston, and — up until a few weeks ago — News 8 has confirmed Principal Norma Villegas was working with Mitchell in preparation for graduation.

Chris Paul Skills Camp : Attendees

According to Jeff Goodman the 15 guards (and a couple wings) who will be in attendance this weekend for the Chris Paul camp are:

Kevin Anderson, Richmond
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
Seth Curry, Duke
Corey Fisher, Villanova
C.J. Harris, Wake Forest
Dorenzo Hudson, Virginia Tech
Antonio “Scoop” Jardine, Syracuse
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State
Durand Scott, Miami
Kyle Singler, Duke
Nolan Smith, Duke
Ari Stewart, Wake Forest
Isiah Thomas, Washington
Brandon Triche, Syracuse
Kemba Walker, UConn
Chris Wright, Georgetown