Shooting, mechanics and touch

[avabob1]

Some if us were really disappointed the first time we saw Acquaah shoot. Agree his mechanics were bad. Then we see Skaggs totally light up teams from 3. From my vantage, not the greatest mechanics either. Flat trajectory, weird rotation off his hand. I think it is about touch and feel. You can teach mechanics, but without touch you get Marcus Capers and Pollard. Conversely some great shooters over the years had unorthodox releases. I think way back and Pete Maravich had a release not unlike Skaggs. Totally different type of player, but similar shooting style.

It is a rarity when you get great mechanics and great touch ( Klay, Fontaine, Eddie Hill )

Coming full circle, Acquaahs mechanics won't kill his shooting if he has touch, which I think he does watching him in warmups against KSU, and against UCLA.

 

[jourdand]

I agree. You don’t see as many varieties of shooting styles as the old days, I personally think it’s because players now learn to shoot and continue developing their shots in camps/clinics not on the play ground/ driveway. Touch is touch some have it some don’t just like a “feel for the game” some have it some don’t.

 

[ElComanche]

This is what i have been saying all along. Aside from shooting, with Milan it has been confidence. Perhaps he can start to impose his will on the team ?. Flynn has not done so at this point. I played point guard and the bigger players always knew that i was going to yell at them if they were being out muscled and out hustled. They responded as they knew that they needed to play harder.Someone has to play that role on this team.If the players respect that guy they will respond and start playing more aggressively and tougher. If they do not,they will be pushed around and out rebounded.

 

[jourdand]

Motivation can be important but I would like to think at this level motivation would come mostly from inside. Some players are simply better than others, we still have a talent gap especially with a starter out.

 

[OrangeGravy]

Reggie Miller had an ugly release. The guys you don't want have bad mechanics and no touch. That is death. They can't be helped. You can improve their mechanics but it won't translate into much production.

 

[ElComanche]

Motivation is simply not always there every game.. At any level of basketball, and i have played against college players and a few pro players , motivation is not always there. The cougs have the talent to play against most teams. But they need to play with more fire and toughness.. They lost to a couple of teams this year, who had less talented players.Franks at times just does not go all out with toughness and desire. That is why you said that he had a quiet 20 pt ,8 rb night.Motivation does not make a player dive for loose balls,and stand up to a player or team who is pushing them all over the court. Pollard and are the only ones who gives 100 percent effort every night.Some players are self motivated and others need someone to light a fire under them. A player like John Stockton was not the most physically gifted player,but he was a tough little bastard who did not take s..t from anyone.I was not a fan of his but i admired his fire and toughness and his coming to play every night attitude.I did not like Jerry Sloan but one better take a hard helmet and lunch with you if you were going to battle against him.These are pro players but you have these types of players at every level of basketball. The cougs need to become tougher.