SB Nation - Dogus Balbay

Friday Afternoon Big12Hoops.com Link Dump - 12.4.2009

Evan Pfaff — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:15:08 -0000

The goal of the Friday Afternoon Big12Hoops.com Link Dump is to help you ease into the weekend by giving you things to occupy your time at work until the clock strikes 5pm.

All the links available after the Jump

Big 12 North

Colorado Boulder Daily Camera - Hornbuckle turns in highlight dunk

Kansas Lawrence Journal World - Robinson mocked - Free-throw woes prompt nickname

Kansas St Manhattan Mercury - Martin looking for his new guys to buy in

Iowa St GoCyclones.com - Brackins wants to be more aggressive

Missouri Columbia Daily Tribune - MU adjusts to reality as the hunted

Nebraska Lincoln Journal Star - Huskers' Richardson ready when called upon

Big 12 South

Baylor Baylor University Lariat - Saturday contest reunites hall of famers (Lady Bears)

Oklahoma Norman Transcript - Coale, Sooners have choices (Women Sooners)

Oklahoma St Stillwater NewsPress - Viva champs

Texas Austin American-Statesman - Balbay content to come off the bench

Texas A&M AggieSports.com - Walkup enjoying role as starter

Texas Tech The Basketball Blog - Hyperbole, with a dash of truth

Non Big 12 Links

SBNation.com The Name's Chris Johnson; Have You Heard of Him? [NFL]

ESPN.com Golf Section (I think you know why) [Golf]

CBSSports.com Boxing's Greatest Champs and Hall of Famers [Boxing]

The Good Phight Peanuthead II: The Return! Polanco signs with Phillies [MLB]

Rock Chalk Talk - The Mangino Era is Over [Kansas Jayhawk Football]

Fantasy Football Projections - CBSSports.com | ESPN.com [Fantasy Football]

Texas vs. Pittsburgh Gameflow

GhostofBigRoy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:40:38 -0000

Player	+/- (game)	+/- (per minute)
Gary Johnson	+23	+1.04
Dexter Pittman	+20	+1.11
Avery Bradley	+19	+.65
Damion James	+13	+.41
Jordan Hamilton	+12	+1.09
Dogus Balbay	+10	+.36
Alexis Wangmene	+6	+.35
Justin Mason	+5	+.29
J'Covan Brown	+5	+.22
Matt Hill	-6	-3

Previous Gameflows:

UC-Irvine

Western Carolina

Rice

A few thoughts after the jump, as well as the Four Factors, Gameflow, and Player Impact charts...

NCAA Basketball Stats

Barnes substituted much less frequently in this game than he did in the following game against Rice, particularly in the second half. It's hard to say that doing so less frequently resulted in the strong second-half performance, as it most likely had more to do with the team locking defensively and Pittsburgh getting fatigued, leading to easy transition opportunities for Texas.
Strange things happen with an unadjusted +/- rating and Gary Johnson is a perfect example -- looking at his four points and three rebounds, it's hard to say that he had a great game in any traditionally measurable way, except the team played extremely well when he was on the court.
In looking at the Four Factors chart, it's clear that the Longhorns had the biggest advantage in their eFG%, which adjusts for the higher value of three pointers. In looking at the box score, it's easy to see why -- the Longhorns shot over 65% in the second half, while also knocking down four of six from distance, good for 67%. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, shot only 37% in the second half and missed all eight of their three-point attempts.
Besides the strange +/- from Gary Johnson, Dexter Pittman had the strongest game by that metric even though he didn't score during the stretch in the middle of the second half when the Longhorns broke open the close game. Jordan Hamilton scored five points (showing the impact he can have on a game), James had an And 1, and Justin Mason had a layup -- the most important play Pittman made during that stretch was to set a crushing screen to free up Mason for his transition layup.
Though Mason and Balbay did reasonably well when on the court together in the Rice game, they were not good, as the Longhorns were -8 during the stretch at the end of the first half when they were on the court together. In that respect, the loss of Avery Bradley to fouls early in the game really hurt because he had only three negative stretches in the game, each of only one point. Damion James may have been the real culprit though, as he allowed his man to knock down two three pointers, turned the ball over once, and took a bad jumper in that period of time.
Alexis Wangmene had a pretty poor game, turning the ball over twice and fouling out of the game. In fact, he probably had the single worst second in the history of +/- in basketball -- checking into the game and promptly fouling Gary McGhee, who made both free throws, then checking out. Three of Wangemene's fouls resulted in free throws for Pittsburgh, of which they made five of six.
It would be nice to see the adjusted +/- numbers that they use for the NBA, but I don't have the available information to do that. Where are the college basketball sabermetricians?!?

Texas vs. Rice Gameflow (Updated)

GhostofBigRoy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:36:59 -0000

Gameflow from the Texas/Rice game on Sunday. I haven't worked much with Excel, so I wasn't able to use +/- symbols because I couldn't get the program to stop adding and subtracting. If anyone knows how to get that to turn off, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, hopefully it's readable and provides some insights. Also, if anyone has any thoughts on the best way to determine the best five-man groups for the team, that would also be helpful.

Previous Gameflows:

UC-Irvine

Western Carolina

A few thoughts:

In a game that the Longhorns won by 18 points, any player with a negative +/- in the game didn't add much to the team. Throwing out Matt Hill, who ended up with a -2 after one minute, and Shawn Williams, who played two minutes, the three players who come out looking poorly in this metric are Jordan Hamilton at even, Justin Mason at +1, and Gary Johnson at +2. It's difficult to make direct correlations between the play of an individual to the results of the team, but the first two players listed aren't a huge surprise -- Hamilton shot 3-9 from the field and still failed to make entry passes to the big guy down low, while Mason missed both of his field goals and three of his four free-throw attempts. It's a broken record now -- he just doesn't add anything offensively. For Johnson, it's harder to figure, though he did only have one rebound in his 16 minutes and turned the ball over twice.
James (+21), Bradley (+18), and Balbay (+17) all had the best games by this metric. Most surprising of these three is James, who shot poorly from the field, but rebounded well and didn't turn the ball over. For Bradley, it was probably about playing good defense and playing efficiently, as he shot 3-7 from the field, 2-2 from the line and had four assists and no turnovers. Balbay is interesting as well, as he didn't score much and only had one assist, but rebounded extremely well and probably helped the team by pushing the ball in transition and playing good defense.
Despite what is seemingly a bad combination in Balbay and Mason, the two played five different stretches together and finished +4, with only one of those stretches a net negative for the team at -1. Something to keep an eye on, although the fact that neither can shoot and the amount that tangibly affects the spacing on the court probably trumps this data.
The amount of substituting that Rick Barnes does may also affect the data, as the longest that any group was on the floor together was the nearly three minutes that Brown/James/Pittman/Hamilton/Mason were on the court and registered a -5, by far the worst stretch of basketball during the game, when Rice climbed back into it, cutting the lead 12 to seven and then to five when Bradley replaced Mason. Does substituting so frequently hurt the rhythm of the team because the players on the court don't have time to establish a good dynamic and decide where they want to go with the ball? There's certainly accountability, but there may be side effects as well.
It's not surprising in some ways that the group of Brown/Bradley/James/Pittman/Hamilton registered a +4 in the first half, as that's probably the best combination on paper right now for the Longhorns, although that group also registered -2 in their appearance together in the second half, when Hamilton earned himself a spot on the bench for the rest of the game by jacking a step-back three pointer after making a three the previous trip down the court.
Context plays a factor here, as the needless fouling by Rice at the end of the game resulted in a +5 and +4 for the players on the court at the end of the game, despite not having to do anything offensively other than hold onto the ball long enough to get fouled and make free throws, which James and Brown did at a high rate -- 7-8 in the last minute. However, those two groups did also help hold Rice scoreless over the last 4:17 of the game.

[Update]: Here are some other charts from StatSheet for the Rice game. I'll try to post them after every game.

NCAA Basketball Stats

As a note, the last chart has J'Covan Brown's numbers listed as Varez Ward, hopefully they will get that changed.

More Thoughts on Texas' Win Over WCU

Peter Bean — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:47:03 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

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Continuing with thoughts on Texas' 73-41 win over Western Carolina.

REVIEWING THE KEYS

Foul control. [Grade: A] Texas went inside to Pittman on its first two possessions, one resulting in a made basket, the other in a foul by Richie Gordon. By halftime, Gordon had picked up two more fouls, while Big Sexy had drawn just a single foul. Of course, by halftime it was also apparent it wouldn't have mattered much if it had been otherwise, but hey, it's good seeing Dexy play with good body control.
Guard composure. [Grade: C] Texas' guards seemed to maintain a roughly 1:1 ratio of good to bad offensive possessions, finishing the night with 20 turnovers, struggling at times with the length of WCU's guards.
Don't settle. [Grade: B-] Post entry remains an issue for most of the guards, although Rick said in the post-game that the team focused exclusively on defense after the UC-Irvine game, prompting him to say he wasn't surprised by the sloppy offensive showing.

PLAYER NOTES

Damion James [29 mins, 4-9 FG / 2-3 3P / 8-10 FT, 18 PT, 7 REB (2 OR), 2 AST, 3 TO, 1 STL, 1 BLK]

Another very solid night for James, who is back where he should be -- near the rim for most of the game. He's playing strong on the interior and, outside a couple missed lay ups, giving Texas exactly what we need from him. I absolutely love the way we're looking for him on alley-oops. His hands and dribble still present some limitations, but those have greater implications for his future at the next level. If he's hitting 20-foot jumpers as he has been so far early on, he becomes an even more valuable asset than he already is.

Dexter Pittman [17 mins, 4-6 FG / 0-0 3P / 1-4 FT, 9 PT, 6 REB (2 OR), 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 STL, 0 BLK]

This was a tough game for Pittman, through no fault of his own. As mentioned above, the team apparently spent little to no time working on offense leading up to the game, and it showed. Once Texas got a comfortable lead and it became clear the frenetic style wasn't going to provide much for Pittman, Barnes mostly rested him. Fine by me.

J'Covan Brown [21 mins, 3-3 FG / 2-2 3P / 2-2 FT, 10 PT, 3 REB (0 OR), 3 AST, 6 TO, 0 STL, 0 BLK]

My oh my does he have a smooth scorer's stroke. Playing much more calmly last night, he was mostly solid, with two beautiful post feeds that suggest he can be more than a scorer only point. The turnover rate will probably remain high throughout the year, but Texas will live with them if he's adding 3-4 dimes a game to go with the 10-15 points he looks capable of contributing. We're so deep he may not get the chance, but he's capable of filling it up for 25 on a hot night.

Justin Mason [23 mins, 0-1 FG / 0-0 3P / 0-0 FT, 0 PT, 4 REB (0 OR), 1 AST, 2 TO, 0 STL, 0 BLK]

No, that stat line is not pulled from a box score from last year. Mason's defense remains solid, but it's not special. As Hamilton and Bradley bring their games along, it's just going to be impossible to justify 20-25 minutes a game for Mason. He's a great kid and a terrific warrior, but the mostly empty stat lines are more the norm than exception.

Varez Ward [25 mins, 4-6 FG / 0-1 3P / 2-6 FT, 10 PT, 2 REB (1 OR), 0 AST, 1 TO, 3 STL, 0 BLK]

It's nice seeing Ward come into his own on the offensive end of the floor, where he's learning to put his superior toughness and athleticism to use in getting to the rim as a scorer. He can score 10 points a game all year if he starts to hit his free throws. That said, he's still raw and at times seems uncertain running the halfcourt offense. I like what he adds, though, and think he'll continue to progress throughout the year. He's a big asset against some of the longer, athletic teams we'll have to beat to achieve our goals.

Gary Johnson [19 mins, 4-4 FG / 0-0 3P / 2-3 FT, 10 PT, 7 REB (2 OR), 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 STL, 1 BLK]

It was Gary's best game in a while, turning in exactly the kind of performance we need from him -- some aggressive offensive play in the block, strong rebounding, and quality, physical defense. Without any creators last year, Gary struggled trying to get it on his own; it'll come to him this year, and if he stays within himself and ready, he'll get his.

Jordan Hamilton [14 mins, 2-7 FG / 1-5 3P / 0-0 FT, 5 PT, 6 REB (1 OR), 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 STL, 1 BLK]

He's settling offensively right now, but I've seen enough of him with the ball in his hands to see whats ahead for him. Now having seen him for two full games, he's got better handles than I anticipated and while he needs to add upper body strength for his game to get where it's eventually going to go, he can pick up points near the rim right now. He's quick, fluid, and lonnnnnng. I'd love to see him start working his offensive game inside-out, and when he's mismatched against a shorter guard, we can iso for him. Defensively, he's trying, which is good, but you can see he's having to concentrate -- this is more than he's used to.

Dogus Balbay [20 mins 0-3-6 FG / 0-0 3P / 1-2 FT, 1 PT, 4 REB (0 OR), 3 AST, 3 TO, 0 STL, 1 BLK]

The Dogus has sort of become for me what Chris Ogbonnaya once was: an important contributor who most underrate and I love a little too much. I'm fine with that, and his game will prove us both right, at varying times. If he were just a little bit better with being decisive as a creator on offense, he'd be a true force, but as is, he's our best on-ball defender, and an uncanny blur with the ball in his hands. His limitations with being decisive and translating his skills into buckets will keep him from being a guy that demands 30+ minutes a game, but I don't see him getting any less than 20, and he's a critical player for us, especially in the early going while the freshmen get up to speed.

Alexis Wangmene [11 mins, 1-2 FG / 0-0 3P / 2-2 FT, 4 PT, 4 REB (1 OR), 0 AST, 0 TO, 0 STL, 1 BLK]

The theme continues: he's got so much room to improve within this season. The strength and length are exceptional, but he's choppy and uncertain out there right now. He's just getting back into the flow of full-speed, full-contact basketball, and once he fully acclimates, he'll be a terrific 15 minute per game complement to Big Sexy.

Avery Bradley [17 mins, 2-4 FG / 0-1 3P / 0-2 FT, 4 PT, 0 REB (0 OR), 1 AST, 1 TO, 2 STL, 0 BLK]

From the pre-season roundtable: "I've developed quite a habit of scavenging rabidly for online videos of AB and the three things that stood out that elevated my excitement from enthusiastic to out-of-control were: (1) the quality, but even more than that the intensity, of his defense; (2) what Jay Bilas might call Rise-a-bility or Hop-tuitive-ness - an explosiveness in his leaping that allows him to finish 50% more buckets than any mortal his size would; and (3) his competitiveness and eagerness to seek out, and conquer, challenges."

As is true for this team for a whole... we haven't seen anything yet...

Longhorns Roll Past Anteaters in Season Opener

awiggo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:26:21 -0000

More photos » by Harry Cabluck - AP

Rick may have his most complete Texas team yet. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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Game Recap: The #3 Longhorns notched their first victory of the season, 89-42 over UC Irvine at the Drum behind strong performances from seniors Damion James and Dexter Pittman.

Along with James and Pittman, Varez Ward, Justin Mason, and freshman J'Covan Brown completed the starting lineup. Brown started slowly and sloppily at the point guard spot, and Coach Barnes was forced to sit him down after two early turnovers and again after a couple of more. After the game, Rick said this about his freshman point guard, "J'Covan wore us all out before the games. I've never seen a guy as amped up. Ever."

As will be a theme this season, the depth of this team allowed the ‘Horns to quickly find their stride. Dogus Balbay was inserted for Brown and helped the Longhorns turn a 19-18 deficit after the first ten minutes of action into a 42-21 halftime lead.

Balbay played solid on-the-ball defense and helped protect the ball in the halfcourt where James and Pittman could dominate. Both big men finished with 21 points a piece. Most of Dexter's 10-of-11 from the floor came off dunks or lay ins. James had a few buckets of length but most of his scoring came around the basket as well. The smaller Anteaters were simply overmatched in height, strength, and athleticism.

During the back and forth start, I thought Texas struggled to communicate on defense. There was some confusion on how to defend ball screens. Some players were also over running their pursuit on the pass and over committing on shot fakes. The substitution patters of three, four, or even five players at a time help explain the early defensive lapses. However, after that back and forth start, the Longhorn defense played more consistently and more together. Texas contested shots better, didn't allow second chance points or almost anything in the paint, and, for the most part, controlled dribble penetration.

The outcome was: Exciting. Exciting because this was the first game; exciting because I finally got to see the four freshman live and in a college game; and exciting because the potential of this team is clear.

Unlike last year, this year's Longhorns will not have trouble scoring from the perimeter. Jordan Hamilton and Brown can both shoot the ball from deep. They both have good form, which should help produce consistent buckets, and good size, which will allow them to easily shoot over zones.

Unlike last year, foul trouble, even if it's Dex, won't be an issue. The ‘Horns are deeper than any team in the country and can run as many as 14 different players on the court for double digits in minutes every game.

Unlike last year, Barnes does not have to play smaller, three guard lineups. While Texas did start three guards, that was by choice not out of necessity. Hamilton (6-7) and Williams (6-6) will give Texas excellent size from the wing, and I won't be surprised to see James (6-7) play some at the three too when Rick wants to play with an even bigger lineup. Texas has real size at the two guard spots also. Avery Bradley, listed at 6-2, and Brown, listed at 6-1, both played bigger and stronger than their listed heights. The days of playing two sub six foot guards plus Mason at the wing are thankfully over.

The biggest thing I took away from the ‘Horns first game was potential. Right now, they are so much less than the sum of their parts. And right now, they're pretty good. The parts are all there-talent, size, depth, and experience. There is no reason why Barnes shouldn't be able to mold this team into more than the sum of their individually talented parts and national championship favorites by tourney time.

Stats of the Game: 49-30 Texas on the glass. 54-18 Texas points in the paint. If you didn't get a chance to see the game, that is about all you need to know. As expected, Texas was able to dominate the smaller Anteaters in the paint on both ends.

The Offensive MVP was: Damion James. DaMo started his senior campaign in style-21 points (7-of-9 from the floor, 2-of-2 from three, 5-of-6 from the line), 15 boards, two assists, and a steal in just 22 minutes of action. James came back to Texas for a lot of reasons, but the big one was to play himself into a NBA first round selection. So far, so good. He looked confident, in control, and hungry. If he can produce the same smart and solid performances against the Michigan States and North Carolinas of the world, the NBA will be forced to take a second look at DaMo.

The Defensive MVP was: Texas in the second half. I don't have the exact stats but UC Irvine was something like 9-of-18 to start the game. They finished 17-of-62 for just 27% from the floor. Needless to say, the defense was the key to the 47 point victory.

I want to note a few more things, player by player:

Damion James: After the games, DaMo noted that the younger players looked up to him and that he has tried to take them under his wing. He also said that while the freshmen are very talented, that they still have a lot to learn. I can imagine the exact same thing coming out of Rick Barnes' mouth.

During the off season, we've noted that team chemistry is something of a concern and definitely something to watch. While James has not been a loud and vocal leader in his first three seasons, it sounds like he recognizes that now it's his turn. This veteran to freshman leadership, along with the development of a point guard, whoever it ends up being, are the two biggest keys to a Final Four run, in my opinion.

Dexter Pittman: More important than throwing down one-handed slams over guys standing just 6-6, Dex only picked up one foul. The more Pittman can stay on the floor, the better this team can be offensively. I was also impressed with the one post move when he turned over his right shoulder for an easy lay in. In previous seasons, he has almost always turned over his left shoulder to produce the easier right handed jump hook. If he has added the ability to go the other way with his back to the basket, look out.

Avery Bradley: Bradley is going to be so much better than his stats. Texas will be a Dexter and Damion focused team first. Second, it looks like J'Covan and Hamilton won't be afraid to let it fly. Therefore, Bradley would easily be the fifth scoring option among these five and probably still no better than third or fourth with some others on the floor. He will definitely get his-in transition, off dribble drives, and in second chance opportunities-but given the offensive skills of some other ‘Horns, Bradley won't be a 20 point scorer. It doesn't matter though. He is too good. His two late-game mid-range jumpers were things of beauty-in balance, form, and arc. The defense is also already there. Last, from Barnes' comments during the off season, this is a kid who knows he can get better and his ready to work on his weaknesses.

Varez Ward: If Barnes wants his point guard to pass the ball and play lock down defense, then Ward may be the man. Varez has the size, athleticism, and vision to be a true pass-first, shoot second floor general.

J'Covan Brown: J'Covan is raw, talented, and emotional. Unfortunately for him, he was too hyped for this game and it showed during the first half. Fortunately for us, it was his first game in over a year, after sitting out all of last season, and his upside is huge. If Barnes wants his point guard to score and stretch the defense with his perimeter jumper, then Brown is his man. From everything I saw though, J'Covan is more of a shoot-first, pass-second point.

Dogus Balbay: Dogus is third head of the ‘Horns point guard machine (with a fourth, Jai Lucas coming in December). Balbay played really well this afternoon. Six assists to no turnovers in 19 minutes from your point guard is every coach's dream. That said, I am not as big a fan of Dogus as are many of you. His offensive limitations make me hope that Barnes uses Balbay as more of spark off the bench than 25+ minute contributor.

Justin Mason: Mase has started for the better part of his three seasons at Texas and removing him from the starting lineup won't be easy. He still can do the little things-rebound, play solid d, and push the basketball in transition. However, I can't see how he ends up averaging more than 15 minutes per game once the freshmen become more comfortable.

Jordan Hamilton: Does Jordan have a nickname? He needs one. Hamilton looked smooth, long, and ready to score. Jordan may not have the defensive mindset that Barnes would like yet, but you can already see how important he'll be to the ‘Horns success.

Shawn Williams: I guess Shawn won't be redshirting this year. Williams played a productive (6 boards), yet sloppy 13 minutes against UC Irvine. His size will give Texas a much needed third rebounder and his ability shoot the three ball should open up driving lanes on the other end.

Alexis Wangmene: Wingman, I've missed you. With scorers at nearly every position, Lexi is the perfect bruising big man to bring off the bench. He showed strong hands and a willingness to fight for boards in his eight minutes of action. I expect his playing time to directly correlate to Dexter's foul trouble and stamina.

Gary Johnson: Like Dogus, I am not as in love with Gary as most Longhorn hoops' fans but recognize that he can be important role player on this team. GJ is always going to bring the energy. I just wish he was two inches taller and had a higher basketball IQ. Hopefully, Gary realizes that he is going to be the third, fourth, or even fifth scoring option during most of his minutes this season. Rebound, pass the ball from the post, and make your free throws and I'll love ya. I promise.

Matt Hill: Hill is a big body with limited athleticism. Gary and Wingman will likely be the first two off the bench as bigs, so I can't see Matt getting much playing time.

Clint Chapman: Clint wasn't in uniform. I couldn't see him from my seat either. I have no idea. Anyone?

Box Score

NEXT GAME: Home vs. Western Carolina - Wednesday 11/18 8 pm ESPNU

Five Questions For... Texas basketball

Evan Pfaff — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:15:17 -0000

In a recurring piece leading up to the start of the basketball season, we will examine the top 5 questions surrounding each Big 12 basketball team.

Today, the top 5 questions for the Texas Longhorn.

1) Who will play the majority of the year, the Dexter Pittman who dominated the end of last season or the Dexter Pittman who was essentially non-existent for the first half?

2) Is freshman Avery Bradley as good as advertised?

3) Can the team get back to its first Final Four since 2003?

4) Did Damion James make the right move in returning for his senior season?

5) Between Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas and J'Covan Brown, who will win the battle for starting PG spot?

Check back tomorrow when we will ask Five Question For... Oklahoma State basketball.

Also check out Five Questions For...
Big 12 North: Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Nebraska
Big 12 South: Oklahoma

Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops

Poll

What is the most pressing question for UT this year?

Evening Brewsky is Short and Sweet

GhostofBigRoy — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:44:14 -0000

Sooners lead slightly for Franklin. Expected to announce his decision some time in the next two weeks, Marshall linebacker Aaron Franklin hasn't revealed much about his current thoughts, but does say that he feels more comfortable with the Oklahoma Sooners at present, the result of a longer length of time getting to know the coaching staff. He also says that he does not plan on making another trip to Austin, making it more difficult for the Longhorns to close that gap. At this point, it's safe to say that the decision will come down to Oklahoma and Texas, with the Sooners holding the slight edge because of his comfort level in Norman.

New 2009 baseball commit. As the 2010 Texas baseball roster stood after losing to LSU in the College World Series back in June, sophomore-to-be Jordan Etier was the main candidate to replace departed senior Travis Tucker at second base. With the recent addition of Concord De La Salle High School's Noah Perio, Etier has some competition. A middle infielder with plus athleticism, Perio is a lefty with a line-drive swing that projects to increase in power as he gains strength -- he did, however, manage to hit six home runs as a senior, along with his .422 batting average. Perhaps more impressively, he only struck out eight times on the season, while demonstrating his ability in the clutch by recording four walk-off hits. A slot receiver and defensive back for his school's football team, Perio used his athleticism to steal 23 bases as a senior and once stole second, third, and home over the course of four pitches.

Lamb latest to surface on 2010 radar. As the July evaluation period winds down and the Longhorns hone in on their final few 2010 targets, Northcross, GA's 6-4 combo guard Jeremy Lamb now registers as more than a blip on the Texas radar -- he now has a Longhorn offer. Like the other fresh 2010 names (James Johnson, Michael Cobbins, and Keith Davis), Lamb's impressive play on the summer circuit after only two years of high school basketball has drawn the notice of top coaches across the country. At only 170 pounds, Lamb is extremely thin at this point, but has an excellent mid-range game (a la Avery Bradley) and can knock down the three-pointer consistently, along with the quickness to get where he wants to go on the court. His ESPN page lists only Georgia State and UNC-Greensboro as the schools Lamb is currently considering, so expect the Longhorns to jump near the top of the list as Lamb begins to re-evaluate his options after his recent strong performances, with UConn and Kentucky other top programs that have recently offered the Georgia native.

From the Land of Miscellany. Jake Matthews committed to Texas A&M ($). No surprise there. The big surprise, though, is just how strong this Aggie recruiting class is becoming. Mike Sherman may be buying himself some time...Word out of the early pick-up basketball games is that Matt Hill is playing with increased mobility now that his foot problems are completely behind him and may be a factor in the deep frontcourt rotation this year...Dogus Balbay now has the cast off of his broken left hand...Darius White probably won't make a decision until NSD...Barking Carnival has 7-on-7 news from last week's scrimmage against Texas State.

Afternoon Brewsky Finally Finds Some Material

GhostofBigRoy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:31:22 -0000

It's Friday and it's over 100 degrees again in Austin. So before you head out to the pool to have a couple cold ones, indulge in some actual news during the horrible, terrible, very bad offseason.

Texas 7-on-7 news is a crack-like substance. Scipio Tex has some second-hand information about a recent Longhorn 7-on-7 workout observed from a nearby cheerleading camp. Hey, it's the off-season, so this counts as serious news! Mmm, feel the goodness wash over you. Let's do it bullet-stylie:

Garrett Gilbert has good velocity on his throws and looks like he might have gained some arm strength since his shoulder surgery. I've thought for a while that Gilbert come make the throws he needs to make and a lot of the perception of his lack of arm strength came from his junior season, when, guess what, he played with a torn labrum ever since the early part of the season. It might not be that his arm is that much stronger now, just that he is now able to put what he has on it. Whatever the case, Colt McCoy still isn't lauded for his arm strength, but in the current version of the Texas offense, Gilbert doesn't need to have a Jay Culter-arm, he just needs to be accurate.
Colt McCoy looks better than ever, with "improved" footwork and the accuracy Texas fans now expect from their robo-quarterback. As he will have to do during the season, McCoy was reportedly putting the ball in small spaces against strong and getting stronger secondary play. Based on the reports, any concerns about McCoy not being the leader of the team (they should be just about gone) should be absolutely put to rest.
DJ Grant! Playing football! Now up to a little over 220 pounds, Grant still moves like a receiver (no surprise), but more importantly is able to find holes in coverage, as he will need to do in the Texas offense, along with stretching the seam. The obvious question remains about how well he can block.
Everyone in the secondary looks stronger, but especially Earl Thomas and Aaron Williams, who both appear ready for monster seasons. Based on other reports, Thomas is now the leader of the secondary, instructing other players (like Christian Scott, most likely) on where they need to line up after relying heavily on Blake Gideon last year to do the same for him. More thoughts on that and Aaron Williams at a later point.

Franklin set to make decision before end of summer. The top four of Texas, Oklahoma, A&M, and Baylor remains for the Marshall linebacker, who plans on making a decision ($) before the start of football season, possibly as early as the end of the month. At this point, after traveling extensively as his recruitment picked up during the spring and summer, Franklin says that his family is exhausted and ready for a break. Due to that fatigue, Franklin chose not to attend an A&M camp ($) this week and will not make it back to Baylor, though he says his absence isn't an indication of his eliminating the Aggies or Bears from consideration. As for the Longhorns, Franklin hasn't planned another trip to Austin. Texas still stands a strong chance even without the visit and conventional wisdom holds that the Longhorns and the Sooners lead for his services. Franklin, for his part, claims everyone is currently equal among his top four.

Some Jordan Hamilton news. Simply reading this blog post from Northstar Basketball is enough to make the heart skip a beat: Citing a source close to the situation (don't they all), it claims that Jordan Hamilton is likely not to qualify to play basketball for Texas this fall. While Hamilton is still in the Clearinghouse (along with J'Covan Brown), he is still expected to enroll for the second summer session, which begins July 12th. The aforementioned blog cites the fact that Hamilton wasn't in Austin at the date of post (July 2nd), though there wasn't any particular reason for him to be in town at that point.

Chip Brown says any potential eligibility problems are news to the Longhorns ($) and the likely slow decision revolves around the fact that Hamilton was ineligible last season after a California board ruled that he couldn't play his fourth season of high school basketball, even though he had sat out his freshman year to concentrate on his grades. Another possibility is that since his high school ended late the Clearinghouse simply hasn't had enough time to properly review his situation. Either way, Hamilton should be in Austin and in class on Monday.

In happier news, Hamilton spoke with Houston's 1560 The Game about playing for Texas and even a little bit about Michael Jackson. He comes across as well-spoken and mature during the interview, saying all the right things about his potential role with this team, dabbling in some cliches perhaps, but saying the right thing is encouraging and not necessarily the norm among players his age. Especially heartening was his mention of focusing on getting the ball to Dexter Pittman in the post, a struggle at times last season. With his ability to knock down the outside shot, Hamilton should be able to create the angles to do so, unlike Dogus Balbay and Justin Mason.

And contrary to his reputation in high school and on the AAU circuit, the talented wing says that he's ready and willing to expend some energy on the defensive end. The depth of the team this season will give Rick Barnes the opportunity to enforce an edict of defense first, even with Hamilton. In all fairness, for someone expected to score as much as Hamilton has been for every team he's played on, there isn't always a lot of energy left for defense. Kobe Bryant has to spend most of his energy scoring, leaving little for defense. However, when given the opportunity last summer, Bryant willingly took on the role of defensive stopper that he could never play in LA.

The other interesting comment that Hamilton made was that he often played in the post during his three years of high school ball as the tallest player on the team -- his ability in the post doesn't come up in any evaluations of him, but he must have some semblance of a game on the block. The Longhorns won't need it this season unless it's at times when Pittman is out of the game and Hamilton has a smaller player guarding him, but it might be an interesting facet of his game that he could use if he returns for his sophomore season.

July evaluation period in progress. Since the NCAA ruled to take away the April evaluation period for college coaches, the month of July has become even more important ($). In fact, coaches haven't been able to watch players in game action since the high school season ended. The heads of every program will fly around the country this month to take in camps and AAU tournaments in an effort to scout potential recruits, still in the evaluation stages instead of the final targeting phases. Most schools have offers out to the top 2010 and 2011 guys (Texas has two commits in 2010 and four in 2011), but for late risers, this is the month to prove that they deserve an offer.

One rising player who will receive an evaluation from Texas comes from a school familiar to both Sooners and Longhorns: Amarillo Palo Duro, the alma mater of both Austin Johnson and Justin Mason. Since neither Josh Smith nor Fab Melo have made it to campus, their recruitments seem the longest of longshots at this point and the coaching staff will turn their time and energy to unearthing some other post options in the 2010 class, though there aren't many likely alternatives out there right now.

The coaches will look at Palo Duro's Michael Cobbins, a long, lanky, 6-8 energy guy right now who increased his stock in one of the least controllable ways possible -- just by growing a couple of inches. The added heigh has greatly increased the number of major suitors for his services. Formerly recruited by smaller schools like SMU and New Mexico, Cobbins now has offers from Indiana, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. In fact, Cobbins was so lightly regarded as a younger player that he didn't even have any offers from Texas AAU teams, eventually landing with the New Mexico Force ($).

Though his stock has risen, Cobbins is still a rather raw offensive player. He does possess strong athleticism that allows him to dunk the ball when he catches it around the basket and is an excellent rebounder and wing and interior defender -- he's an extremely versatile defender who may not have the strength to defend pure posts, but can guard threes and fours with equal effectiveness.

Texas has shown more interest recently and an offer could be in the works for Cobbins.

Michael Cobbins Highlights Palo Duro Basketball (via phillibuck)

From the Land of Miscellany. An update for those who are following the latest BCS shenanigans...The state 7-on-7 tournament started on Thursday in College Station and features some Longhorn commits and recruits ($). Among the players there are Graham's Case McCoy, DeSoto's Darius Terrell and Adrian White, Lufkin's Carrington Byndom, Cedar Hill's Aaron Benson, Temple's Lache Seastrunk, Denton Guyer's JW Walsh and many others. I'll review the tournament after it completes, but from pictures of the event, Case McCoy has been working hard in the weight room and doesn't look scrawny any more. Jaxon Shipley, on the other hand, looks like he needs to, though his route runner is said to have been impressive on the first day...BC has some fun with the roster update on MB-TF this week...Warning: you may want to disregard this link. Tim Griffin has Crabtree's catch (you know the one I'm talking about), as the Big 12's second most memorable moment. Check the picture to see how close Curtis Brown got to making a play on that ball...More BC stuff: Thoughts on the Big 12 North, distributing minutes for the basketball team, and the Mack Brown Curse, striking again.

2008-09 Texas Basketball Season Wrap

Peter Bean — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:00:10 -0000

In what may be my last substantial post for the next six weeks, a smattering of thoughts on the loss to Duke, the season's end, and what's ahead.

Apologies this is late coming, but it's damn difficult to type when Elliot Williams is handchecking you like John Stockton on androstenedione. I'm just sayin'.

Even had the game's final 90 seconds been without officiating controversy, the coaches, players, and fans of both teams should have been disgusted with the officials for their choppy, burdensome, and inconsistent work throughout the contest.

The operative word in the preceding, of course, is 'should'... In reality, it's difficult to imagine Coach K, his players, or Duke fans displeased with any ~~scrum~~ game that winds up defined by endless whistles, to be decided by close calls and free throw shooting.

All that said, I'd hardly urge Texas fans to channel their inner Mike Leach in an effort to file this loss in the C's for Conspiracy. The officials ruined the flow of the game and did Texas no favors, but on the list of reasons the 'Horns lost, officiating sits comfortably below a sizable list of factors within their control, including at least the following six:

Damion James' 6 turnovers, including three (literally) inexplicable passes even Matt Stafford would have refrained from attempting.
Dogus Balbay neutering his entire offensive value by tentatively playing to avoid mistakes rather than attacing to create plays.
A total of 9 missed free throws, including 6 in the second half.
The inability of Connor Atchley or Justin Mason to have any positive impact on the game.
Gary Johnson playing with as much self-control and maturity as a three week-old puppy. (Seriously, Todd Wright needs to give him two Xanax prior to every tip.)
The sad ease with which Texas' impotent perimeter shooting, combined with their substandard post-entry strategies, allowed the substantially undersized Blue Devils to limit the impact of Big Sexy.

Safe to say Rick Barnes did not read my game preview, in which I urged Texas (1) to gameplan around limiting Duke's freebie points at the line (concurrently protecting our foul situation), in large part by (2) not trying to pressure Gerald Henderson on ball 22+ feet from the basket. Unfortunately, Barnes went for the perimeter pressure, playing right into Duke's strengths while magnifying Texas' own weaknesses and exposure to fouls. It hurt my basketball soul watching Juston Mason repeatedly try to pressure and contain Henderson at or beyond the three point line, only to be dusted on the dribble time and again -- the end result of each a great look at/near the rim for Henderson or, predictably, free throws.

It was a trifecta of fail: First, in allowing Henderson to fire free as a slasher and playmaker, the strategy helped Duke's only explosive offensive weapon -- who, don't forget, is prone to disappear if not allowed a dribble drive game -- remain an active, engaged focal point of an otherwise pedestrian Duke offense; Second, it paved Henderson's way to higher percentage looks near the basket and at the charity stripe. And third, it led Texas to precisely the foul issues it could least afford. Though I understand what Barnes was hoping to do, the game as it unfolded demonstrated exactly why I thought it was the wrong defensive tactic.

In the end, the final loss was a perfect microcosm of Texas' season story, as the 'Horns managed to encapsulate in one performance each of their various M.O.'s throughout the up-and-down year: They proved themselves perfectly capable of beating a quality team... Though they nearly succeeded on the backs of two standout performances, in the end it wasn't enough to overcome a half dozen forgettable ones... And finally, Texas' own fundamental lapses in execution were fatal in a close game to the final buzzer.

AJ Abrams has had higher scoring games throughout his Texas career, but his all-around excellent play against Duke elevates the performance to or near the top of his greatest games list. As he battled to help keep afloat a stagnant Texas offense not able to get Pittman the ball in post position, each of Abrams' 17 points were hard earned. Elsewhere, on the defensive end his pick pocket of Scheyer at midcourt (one of two steals on the night) was a beautiful, perfectly timed, veteran move. More still, Abrams' 5 rebounds reflected well the effort with which he played for all 40 minutes, while both of his assists were highlight reel, make-you-holler dimes which came at crucial junctures of the game when Texas desperately needed to score. Though we all know that Abrams' poor performances often had the capacity to be especially grating for fans to watch, when all things are considered, there's no question AJ Abrams was a very good, four-year, record-setting player who contributed a lot more to dozens of Longhorns wins than his bad nights did cost the team losses. Maybe best of all, Abrams overcame the unfortunate, self-created string of summer distractions to become a team-oriented leader who made the best of an intensely challenging senior year. Hook 'em.

Ending on a far less satisfying note was the career of Connor Atchley, his final shot in burnt orange -- an uncontested three that missed -- all too fitting a cap for what was a season-long struggle to regain his junior year form. At this point, it'd just be cruel and unfair to speculate what may have gone wrong -- and especially so considering the intensive work Atchley put in as a player, culminating in his surprise development into a critical piece of the '08 Elite Eight team. By all accounts he's a good kid and a ferocious, dedicated worker. And in gratefully saluting Atchley's Texas career by recalling my favorite memory of a play he made, I'm reminded it doesn't seem like all that long ago when he hit that unforgettable three pointer to send Texas to double overtime in Stillwater. Hook 'em.

Though it's tough to get too down on a player who started all 35 games, producing 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game, it really was discouraging that so many of Damion James' complementary skills (dribbling, perimeter shooting, unforced turnovers, shot selection, situational understanding) continued to linger so far behind his core skill set as a rebounder and 12-feet-and-in scorer. Unfortunately, the persistence of those problems seems as much as anything to be related manifestations of James' incredibly poor basketball instincts & on-court intelligence. Ultimately, if he wants to overcome those deficiencies and have a chance at playing in the NBA, he's going to have to continue working harder than everyone else. James hasn't yet announced whether or not he'll return to work on his game as a senior at Texas.

That was a tough way for Big Sexy to end his breakthrough junior season, but if he spends this offseason working on conditioning and polish as hard as he has in previous ones... by the time Texas tips its first game next November he'll have his very own suffix: Dexter Pittman, Preseason First Team All Big 12. And if anyone's paying proper attention, among those receiving All American attention, as well.

What on Earth are we to make of Varez Ward stepping into the spotlight of a season elimination game? On the downside, it reinforced just how bogged down Texas was trying to run the offense through Balbay with no shooters on the floor. But on the positive side it reinforces one of Varez Ward's greatest strengths as a basketball player, and which I happened to highlight a month ago in the Oklahoma game preview, calling for Ward to be the primary defensive player assigned to Willie Warren:

Instead, I think this is an assignment with WARD, V. painted all over it. He definitely gives up a couple inches and fifteen pounds to Warren, but Ward is like one of those MMA fighters -- as pound-for-pound strong and athletic as they come. More than that, he's absolutely fearless in that way you can't teach a kid. He doesn't mind a physical game/lots of contact, he'll gladly play perimeter D or mix it up in the paint, and he's a full-fledged gamer who -- it's been obvious all season -- seeks out challenges. I want to see him take on this one.

Yup, that still sounds about right to me... For Ward, obviously, but also the point that such a fearless, challenge-seeking mindset is not one easily coached into a player. You either got it or you don't, and though no one should invest in the fool's gold of Ward as the focal point first option of next year's offense, he established himself as a tremendously valuable and versatile asset:

He's a truly top-top-tier athlete.
His on-court instincts are as natural as Damion James' are wholly absent.
He isn't afraid -- of physical play, of a challenge, of pressure, of making a mistake.
Correspondingly, he wants the toughest assignments, the most pressure, etc. Total fearlessness, confidence, and a short memory.
And finally, he's a smooth, natural playmaker. While his too-high 44 turnovers reflect his inexperience, I wish I had a tape of each one so I could point out how many were almost-good ideas that didn't quite work out, but which I appreciated as attempts to make the kinds of plays that you want a player to be able to see developing.

Is it me, or did Dogus Balbay's freshman season mimic the career arc of Connor Athcley? Very little playing time and modest expectations at first, followed by an up-and-down learning/transition period of increased usage, leading to an exciting peak at the three-quarters mark, followed by a truly befuddling letdown at the very end. Weird....

Coincidental oddities aside, Balbay was cruising right along through the end of the regular season before the trouble started in the Big 12 quarterfinals with his five turnovers against the athletic pressure guards of Kansas State. Barnes yanked him and gave Balbay a few earfuls worth of criticism to think about. Though a day later against Baylor Balbay would play well during his 23 minutes of floor time, Barnes still appeared to be keeping him on a short leash, sitting him a full 10:30 minutes during the second half. Whatever the various issues displeasing Barnes, from that point on Balbay's confidence was visibly shaken. He played very tentatively against Minnesota -- like a player trying to avoid mistakes instead of make plays -- then appeared to lose whatever offensive aggressiveness he'd mustered for Duke after missing a point blank lay up.

Though when this season began few were as immediately bullish as I was about about Dogus Balbay, the end of this season made me realize it was possible that at least some of my enthusiasm may have beenparticularized -- tied to what I felt confident Dogus could do for this year's point guard-less squad. But what about next year, when Jai Lucas -- a nominal point guard with a legitimate scoring game -- arrives? It really depends what kinds of improvements Balbay's capable of developing in one offseason, and if you're of the opinion what we saw this year is more or less what Balbay will be next year, it seems like he'd slide into platoon/role player duties, utilized primarily as an on-ball defensive specialist and/or change of look/rest for Lucas.

That may be the most likely outcome, but even if not it's at least as likely as the more optimistic alternative (towards which I lean): I see as attainable substantial growth in Balbay himself, further magnified thanks to the arrival and impact of his new teammates. Whereas this year a dribbling Balbay stared down from the top of the key wondering how to attack a glob of defensive bodies all packed in the paint, next year's reinforcements will render completely unviable a similar defensive strategy. That's good news for Balbay, who has yet to encounter a defender he can't laser by on the dribble. Next year, he'll have more space to do just that, the awaiting gob of defensive bodies replaced by an open rim or a dunking Dexter.

And really, if you extend the preceding thought to its logical conclusion, the good news isn't exclusively Balbay's to enjoy. Varez Ward isn't as lightning fast as Dogus with the ball in his hands (no one is), but he's every bit the same ridiculous athlete with more than enough ability and know-how to get to the rim for a score, foul, or dump off. (It'll take a lot better defender than John Scheyer, that much we know.) And moving beyond Ward, not only should the reach of the good news be a boon to every returning Longhorn, but also -- I think it's fair to say -- Rick Barnes.

Eleven years in, Texas hoops junkies are well aware of what Barnes does and doesn't do well (the strengths far outstripping the weaknesses), the reality being he's not the first coach you'd choose to install a halfcourt offense for the personnel he had on hand this past season. Barnes wants to run (and successfully recruits to be able to execute) a fluid offense based on spacing principles, ball screens, and dribble penetration. Without the right personnel capable of capitalizing on the advantages on which the system depends, it's little more than what Jimmy Dykes in 2007-08 (wrongly) disparaged as "a bunch of random ball screens."

Dykes missed the mark because with the right personnel (several versatile, high-caliber offensive players or, if the point guard is elite enough even just one), the "random ball screen offense" is very much a legitimate, effective, and viable offensive system based on sound principles. Not only that, but I'm tempted to argue that the impact on college hoops of the NBA's recently enacted age-limit rule may soon make dribble drive offensive principles (if they aren't already) comparable to spread offensive principles in college football. And if, as most believe, the NBA soon bumps its age limit up again, the stampede of coaches rushing to incorporate dribble drive offenses will come sooner rather than later. And that's one of the biggest reasons I'm quick to call myopic those who criticize Rick Barnes on these grounds. It's completely backwards -- we should be glad he's been an early adopter.

Looking ahead, in case you'd forgotten about Texas' #2-ranked incoming recruiting class, a few links to get you up to speed:

Big Roy's 'Recruiting Spotlights' on: Jordan Hamilton, Avery Bradley 1, Bradley 2, Shawn Williams, Jai Lucas (transfer from Florida)
Barking Carnival's Trips Right on the incoming class

And finally, a housekeeping note: Same as last year, my law exams fall in the same week as the football annual must go off to the press for printing. And like last year, the reality of the insane volume of work in front of me has politely waited for hoops to end before crashing down on me. But here we are, and something's gotta give if it's all gonna get done, so I don't expect to be writing much around here during this mad sprint to the finish. Dimecoverage will be around Mondays and Thursdays, while Big Roy's going to be the main man bringing daily doses of his always-excellent news and analysis. Last but not least -- by all means, please take things into your own hands. Keep the Fan Posts lively and I'll be on the look out for good stuff to bump over to run down the middle column.

Once again, it was a damn fun season -- thanks to all (okay, most) who chose to spend it here with us. Same time and place next year.

2008-2009 Longhorns Good But Never Great

awiggo — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:05:01 -0000

The Texas Longhorns are done for the season. But why? My first reaction at the end of last night’s game was the same as many of yours—blame the refs. We got robbed! Duke got all the calls, all the bounces, all the breaks, etc. Upon further reflection, whistles were not the reason that we lost in the second round to Duke. In fact, I thought the Duke loss was a near perfect manifestation of the entire season.

The same questions we had about this team before the season were never answered. The same warts that we saw in conference play appeared again in Greensboro. And the same players basically played the same way in the NCAA tournament that they had all season.

I don’t want this to be an overly negative post and I promise another post with all the positive things this team did over the course of the season. But I think it is important to single out the reasons why this Texas team was good but never great.

No Reliable Point Guard
Sure, Dogus Balbay came on late in the season and showed on many occasions that he could lead the team. But in pressure situations, the lack of true point guard who could pressure a defense with passing and scoring hurt the ‘Horns. How many times this year did you write in the comment section that you missed DJ Augustin? How many times did you and your fellow basketball lovers curiously question where this team would be had Augustin elected to stay another year? I know that I did plenty of times just as I did after TJ Ford left after his sophomore year.

Rick Barnes started the year with AJ Abrams at the point but that experiment was over before the team returned from Maui. Abrams could not create off the dribble for others and is much better in catch-and-shoot situations than firing off the dribble. Then, we put the ball in Justin Mason’s hands. This worked fine, for the most part, and Mason even filled up the stat sheet with five, six, and seven assist games against just a turnover or two for the better part of the middle of the season. But Mason’s defense began to slip and opponents began to figure out that Justin couldn’t hit the backboard, let alone sink a jumper, from more than 15 feet. So, the Mason era ended and Dogus Balbay took over.

Again, Texas fans were struck with instant positive results. Dogus is incredibly quick off the dribble, a remarkable athlete, and a more than capable passer with either hand. Unfortunately, Dogus was not a pass first-shoot second leader like he had been billed since his arrival in Austin. Balbay is a past-first, drive-second, pass-third, shoot-never point guard. As opponents figured out that Balbay had never seen one of his jumpers fall through the hoop, a one man zone became the defense of choice for Big XII opponents down the stretch. Never was this more apparent than at Oklahoma State when Terrel Harris began to double team Dexter Pittman in the post even when his man, Balbay, had the ball at the top of the key.

Our point guard by committee, like our team, was serviceable but never great. It could be argued that a fourth part of this committee was forced to emerge last night as Varez Ward more than earned his playing time with a gutty, attack the basket 16 point performance over and around the slower Duke defenders. I would remiss unless I pointed out that the need for Ward to assume the ball handling duties full-time would not have been needed if it wasn’t for the below average performance by Balbay. Take a look at his line last night: 32 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists and 4 turnovers. It is hard to be a dynamic offensive team when your point guard plays nearly the entire game and fails to record a single assist.

No Perimeter Shooting
Other than AJ, this team can’t shoot from outside the lane. Please don’t point out Damion James’ occasional three-pointer or Gary Johnson’s 16 foot jumper. Fool’s gold, both of them. Last night, Texas shot 3-of-12 from behind the arc. On the season, Texas shot 32.8% from three, good for 234th best in the country (Ken Pomeroy). Of 344 Division I teams, shot ranked 321st in the country in percentage of points scored from behind the arc. Texas got just 19% of all points from deep.

I am not advocating that Texas needed to be a three point shooting team. They did not. Before the season, the strength of this team appeared to be Dexter Pittman, Gary Johnson, Alexis Wangmene, and Damion James scoring in the paint. Texas did, however, need to present at least the threat of an outside shot so that those players wouldn’t be defended with two players before they got the ball and three players after.

Texas has never been a great team at feeding the post. To me, this is a weakness that has been present throughout the Rick Barnes era. This year, though, the problem wasn’t the skill of actually feeding the post as much as it was that there was little to no room to do so. If defenders aren’t worried about getting torched by perimeter jumpers, they naturally sag off the offensive player to both encourage long jump shots and to more easily eliminate driving angles. That is exactly what happened this season as defenses would have paid every Texas perimeter player, except AJ Abrams, to shoot jumps shots.

Shaky Free Throw Shooting
Texas shot 16-of-25 (64%) from the free throw stripe against Duke. Duke shot 21-of-27 (78%) from the free throw stripe against Texas. Also, the Longhorns were just 8-of-14 (57%) in the second half. Imagine how different this game would have been had Texas sank a few more free throws. Imagine how many close games would have gone differently had Texas not shot just 66.8% from the line as a team. Would we have won another conference game, finished alone in fourth in the Big XII, and maybe earned a better seed in the NCAAs? Maybe. We probably would have defeated Duke in their own backyard and been preparing for a rematch with Villanova as I write this. Regardless of how the calls went down the stretch, the team that took advantage of their trips to the line is still in the tournament while the team that left points at the stripe has been eliminated.

No Go-to Scorer
At one point early in the season, I wrote that we didn’t have a go-to scorer like Augustin, Durant, Tucker, or Ford. I questioned where Barnes would go in a final possession with the game on the line—AJ on the baseline or James in the high post or Dexter on the low block or our point guard of the evening off the dribble. I didn’t know then, and I still don’t know now.

Down two last night to Duke, Damion James called for, received, and shot a baseline three pointer that would have given Texas a one point lead with less than a minute to go. It was a good shot, but was it the best shot? Was a James jump shot our go-to-play? Abrams is certainly our most consistent and best shooter but he has been blanketed all of 2009 and cannot create his own shot. Dexter is an offensive force but can’t score unless he is somehow fed the ball. Balbay or Ward off the dribble are options as well. The point is that, unlike in previous seasons with a future NBA lottery pick in burnt orange, Texas lacked a go to player all season long.

Disappearance of Connor Atchley and Justin Mason
Did DJ Augustin really make that big a difference in the games of these two upperclassmen? Last night, Connor played six minutes, failed to score a single point in his final game as a Longhorn, and grabbed just one rebound. Justin Mason wasn’t much better (22 minutes, three points, one rebound, two assists, and two turnovers), and Barnes had so little confidence in him that he chose to leave Balbay in the game after moving Ward to the point, even though Dogus was not a threat to score at all.

Connor was in Austin for five years and has a remarkable junior season, but his regression this season was a big reason for the offensive stagnation, as were Mason’s struggles on both ends of the court.

All in all, this was a good but never great basketball team. The loss of Alexis Wangmene hurt on both ends, the inability to sink perimeter jump shots killed our offensive spacing, and the need to go small with three guards gave back some of our ability to rebound and defend at an elite level. As I wrote last night, I am proud of this team. They were certainly flawed in many areas but fought hard all season long and came within a bounce or two of the Sweet 16.

Future posts will look at the positives from the 2008-09 campaign, Damion James’ NBA decision, and in addition to the incoming freshman and Jai Lucas, what our existing players need to improve on to take this team back to the Final Four.