SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 10:35 AM - Post#359165
In response to palestra38
I always think you have something of a coaching advantage as an underdog. You could see that last night. Villanova is going to do what they do in a game like that, at least initially. Steve gets to come up with wrinkles to start that they need to react to. That’s an oversimplification of course, because Villanova did have a Penn-specific game plan. They obviously wanted to make Clark work for every inch of the court. The wonderful thing about the last two games is that teams have to pick their poison. Perkins or Slajchert. So far, nobody has figured out how to cover both.
|
TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 10:38 AM - Post#359166
In response to palestra38
Aside back at you---I strongly disagree that the sportswriters of the '70s-'90s weren't better. They actually trained and worked at their jobs and were writers as well as journalists. Granted there was one very bad guy mixed in with them (although he too really could write), but the difference between those who grew up with the game, learned from experienced sportswriters covering high school sports at first and actually knowing what they were writing about is stark. Of course, the fact that papers are only willing to pay minimum wage has a lot to do with it. But just compare the VU Sports article with the Inquirer article--the VU Sports guy actually knows what he is writing about.
For every Pete Gammons, who was consistently good, there were seemingly a few others who might have been good for 5 years and then mailed it in for the next 40 (looking at you, Dick Young). Just look at the differences in baseball award and HOF voting after the reforms that elevated online sports reporters to the same status as the print ones.
The Villanova article in SB Nation makes my point. Or instead read CoBL. They are quality.
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32849
Reg: 11-21-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 11:08 AM - Post#359168
In response to SomeGuy
I don't think we'll ever know what was wrong with Clark for much of last season, although I think there was a leg injury that he tried to play through. But he appears to be back to Superman rather than Clark Kent.
|
AsiaSunset
Postdoc
Posts: 4361
Reg: 11-21-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 11:08 AM - Post#359169
In response to TheLine
One thing that seems obvious to me is that Clark Slachert has really improved his handle. Between Clark, Tyler, Cam and George I think our ability to handle pressure defenses looks better than it did for recent Penn teams.
|
andybech
Freshman
Posts: 82
Reg: 02-15-20
|
11-14-23 11:15 AM - Post#359170
In response to AsiaSunset
So if Villanova beats St. Joe's do we finish 3rd in the pod because the rankings are based on some sort of power rating?
In the St. Joe's game the announcers alluded to the 3-way 1-1 tie but kind of glossed over the outcome and how unfair it might be.
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32849
Reg: 11-21-04
|
11-14-23 11:24 AM - Post#359171
In response to andybech
Yes. Ties are broken by ranking. So we need to root for Joe's, not that the seed in the bogus "tournament" really matters.
|
jeromelh
Junior
Posts: 215
Age: 81
Reg: 03-30-17
|
11-14-23 11:25 AM - Post#359172
In response to AsiaSunset
A couple of points. I saw last year's Penn team and I felt that it was too Dingle-centric. His teammates seemed to be looking for him all of the time. I saw him as one dimensional. While I was wrong to call him as a defensive liability, I saw him as a great scorer, but nothing more. I think Perkins is going to be an overall better player before he graduates. The team's movement and coordination are so much better than last year (in my opinion). If Penn keeps improving, they can be a threat to claim the Ivy title.
This week's performance by Penn, Princeton and Yale shows that any ranked FBS team who plays one of these 3 teams and takes them lightly, does so at its own peril.
|
Tiger69
Postdoc
Posts: 2816
Reg: 11-23-04
|
villanova
11-14-23 12:06 PM - Post#359178
In response to penn nation
Nice win. Few things give me greater satisfaction than beating Penn in bball. But, having once been in tho old V field house among a truly obnoxious crowd, this is one of them.
Edited by Tiger69 on 11-14-23 12:09 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32849
Reg: 11-21-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 12:36 PM - Post#359182
In response to Tiger69
Jensen's last column is up---covering that Palestra battle. For those debating the merits of having professional sports journalists, compare it with the earlier article on the game.
https://www.inquirer.com/college-sports/villan ova/...
|
91Quake
PhD Student
Posts: 1126
Reg: 11-22-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 02:47 PM - Post#359186
In response to palestra38
His FT shooting is really weak, sad, anything but a superhero Clark Kent. Very strange but my impression is he is front rimming most of those misses.
Almost gave the game away at the line last night, which could just be a link to our better teams for many years.
|
SRP
Postdoc
Posts: 4915
Reg: 02-04-06
|
11-14-23 04:11 PM - Post#359190
In response to 91Quake
On ESPN last night, I saw that their in-house Basketball Power Index had given Penn a 38% probability of winning the game. I would have thought lower, so perhaps I was guilty of lazy brand-name thinking (I know nothing about Villanova’s team this year).
|
palestra38
Professor
Posts: 32849
Reg: 11-21-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 04:51 PM - Post#359191
In response to 91Quake
Just one bad game at the line. But he was great against St. Joe's---Clark can shoot FTs
|
PennFan10
Postdoc
Posts: 3589
Reg: 02-15-15
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 07:06 PM - Post#359195
In response to 91Quake
His FT shooting is really weak, sad, anything but a superhero Clark Kent. Very strange but my impression is he is front rimming most of those misses.
Almost gave the game away at the line last night, which could just be a link to our better teams for many years.
Clark Slajchert is a career 85% FT shooter. I mean you could at least spend 30 seconds to look it up before posting wrong information. SMH.
|
penn nation
Professor
Posts: 21225
Reg: 12-02-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 07:43 PM - Post#359196
In response to PennFan10
Spinoso is the guy who, if he could ever learn to hit his FTs, could be a tremendous offensive force.
|
91Quake
PhD Student
Posts: 1126
Reg: 11-22-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 07:49 PM - Post#359198
In response to PennFan10
I'm talking about this season. Not his freshman year. Not his sophomore year. Not his junior year. THIS year. Check the numbers then give me your insight.
|
penn nation
Professor
Posts: 21225
Reg: 12-02-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 08:44 PM - Post#359199
In response to 91Quake
Based on 9 total FTs attempted?
When he was over 86% for his first two seasons, over 128 FTs attempted?
I think he'll be just fine.
|
Penndemonium
PhD Student
Posts: 1900
Reg: 11-29-04
|
villanova
11-14-23 08:53 PM - Post#359200
In response to 91Quake
Clark is a player quite unlike any other small guard we've had. He has really good handles and can slip into small spaces easily. He's a complete whirling dervish around the court, darting through defenses and stepping in for offensive rebounds. He can create his own shots, but mostly in the mid-range. He is very good in the mid-range, but a bit streaky - probably b/c the midrange has a higher degree of difficulty. He has a good outside shot, but not a great one, so he is much better getting set up for an open three than creating his own. This year, his defense looks a lot stronger than past years. At the end of the day, he is a very good player but not a clearly dominant championship #1 guard over the last few years. Hopefully this is the year! 
|
TheLine
Professor
Posts: 5597
Age: 60
Reg: 07-07-09
|
11-14-23 09:09 PM - Post#359202
In response to Penndemonium
Unsung player of the game was Eddie Holland.
4-6 from the field, with 2-3 on 3FGs, and 12 pts.
5 rebounds, 3 assists, only 1 TO.
I think he was mostly guarding Burton, who had a quiet night.
|
SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
|
Re: villanova
11-14-23 09:56 PM - Post#359206
In response to 91Quake
My insight is that in small sample sizes you can get weird results. Once in a while an 85% shooter misses a couple in a row. It doesn’t mean he suddenly can’t shoot. He’s taken enough free throws at this point that we know what he is. Which is why we intentionally got him to the line at the end. Everybody knows who our best free throw shooter is.
|
SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6413
Reg: 11-22-04
|
11-14-23 10:02 PM - Post#359207
In response to TheLine
We are getting great play from the 4 position, which almost looks like a new position to me in our offense. Holland and Laz have been amazingly efficient (both shooting over 70% from the field), getting good shots and putting the ball in the basket. And the energy and defense has been great as well. I believe we’re actually getting our highest scoring output per minute from the 4 position so far (masked by the fact that nobody is playing big minutes). Walter has been good there too, though he was exclusively playing the 5 last night.
|
