What has been an uneven and very confusing season for the Hurricanes took more bizarre turns this past week.
The Hurricanes blew a huge lead at home last Saturday and lost to Wake Forest, quite possibly the worst team in the ACC. Following this game it appeared the Canes season had finally unraveled and that a last place finish in the ACC could be in store.
Then shockingly, the Canes traveled to the Comcast Center and shocked perennial powerhouse Maryland on its home floor. In the game, big man Jimmy Graham broke his hand becoming the 4th Canes frontcourt player to go down with a serious injury. Yet the Canes somehow beat probably the best team they have faced all year and did it shorthanded on the road. This is the same team that lost at home to Binghamton!
The Canes inconsistency is at the same time easy explain, but difficult to comprehend. When the guards play well they win, and when the guards turn the ball over they lose. Despite the continuing loss of frontcourt players, we are a backcourt driven team which plays good defense in the open floor. But why do Anthony Harris, Jack McClinton and Denis Clemente either light it up or shoot blanks and turn the ball over all game long?
My explanation is that the backcourt trio is confidence driven, which isn’t a good thing. If they hit their shots, they feel good, if they miss their early shots they keep shooting rather than trying to create offense in other ways. McClinton’s foolish shot taking and bad ball handling cost the Canes the Wake Forest game, yet he came out playing the same exact way against Maryland.
Why does Frank Haith permit such sloppy, uneven play, and why does Coach Haith allow our guards to keep shooting even when slumping?
My theory is that with Anthony King out for the season, Ray Hicks failing to gain position posting up on offense and our other frontcourt players either injured or inexperienced, Haith knows he is going to live or die by the guard play. We don’t have a post presence that can take pressure off the guards with King gone, even though Dwayne Collins is a good rebounder and is capable of scoring off of put backs after missed shots.
:NEWS & NOTES:
– James Dews has been getting more minutes lately but he too is a perimeter oriented player who likes to take jump shots.
– Keaton Copeland, the local walk on from Broward County is now a starter. Expect Copeland to fill many of the minutes that are available due to Graham’s injury. Also Fabio Nass and Lawrence Gilbert will be called upon to play inside for the Canes.
– The injuries will force the Canes to go small probably for the rest of the year. While half court defense will be a problem for the Canes, going small gives the Canes a potential quickness advantage and could allow the Canes to employ a full court press.
– The Canes host Duke at the Bank United Center at 5:30 ET Sunday. The game will be broadcast nationally on Fox Sports Net as part of the Sunday Night Hoops Package. Get out there and represent!
.:The Great Kartik:.
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