Point guard play/Clock management

“I looked up at the clock and said, ‘I better get a shot off.’”

I will continue my journey talking about point guard play and how essential it is to winning in basketball. A point guard's decision making in the crucial moments of a game can be the difference maker. Clock management is part of the point guard's job description. Watching the Los Angeles Clippers game last with the score tied at 91 made with 13.9 seconds to go into the game Chris Paul's clock management instincts automatically kick in. It seemed Paul looked at the clock more than once, but I think the last time he looked at the game clock was at the .14 second of the video as he finds a way to get pass Memphis Grizzley's Tony Allen. This is why every team from youth, high school, college and the pro ranks need a "true point guard."

.14 seconds on video Chris Paul looks up at the clock & perhaps earlier also

The best college hoops photo's of the 2012-2103 season

I think this was awesome on behalf of CBS Sports to mesh all the photo's from the college hoops season together. CBS Sportswriter Matt Norlander stated a computer failure for the February photo's, but here are the rest of the college hoops season's best photo's:

Click here >>November

Click here>>December

Click here>>January

Click here>>March & April

Some things I've learned from this season

Brand New Day - Sting

During this March Madness I learned so many things about the different teams. I read so many stories about each team. I read and learned other team's solutions on what they did to keep winning in the this national tournament. As bad as I feel/felt about the Florida Gulf Coast loss, I still went back and did my own research on this team's success and why they dunked so many times on us. It started in practice.

I learned that FGCU Coach Andy Enfield tells his team to throw the ball to the basket instead of lob the ball the ball to a player's hands. I guess it's easier to do this when you're in transition. FGCU didn't have many posts player's or any for that matter. I would still my guards especially with a post player or players to do the same, but also give the bigs some no look bounces and tell them to go to work.

I learned that the our wings on both sides of the court, after a rebound, need to sprint down the court as the point guard pushes the ball and looks up and passes to one of the wings for quick baskets. I also learned from watching two of the Washington D.C.'s area's best from the legendary school and Coach Morgan Wooten, DeMatha High School's Keith Bogans and Joe Forte, where both were McDonald's High School All Americans in the same season.

The Hoyas can still run their offense when needed. I learned from listening to Michigan Final Four Coach Belein that Louisville Coach Pitino changes defenses rapidly something I should've already known from watching the Hoyas beat them every season.

I learned our guards need to FIRST look into the post and pass the ball in there to their big people. Trust your bigs, encourage your big's when they get the ball to go to work. The Hoyas need lots more bounce passes inside to the post. No look bounce passes as well. Step right, or step left and whichever side your big is on get him the ball, no excuses. Guards should attack at will even if the Hoyas are running their offense. This has to be the point guard/guard's mentality each and everytime out. Great player's will find a way. Communication is the key.

To be successful during the season and in tournament time. PLAY EVERYONE or MOST. 

I learned: "Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think". ~ Tim Ferriss

I learned: "Some defeats are only installments to victory" - Jacob A. Riis

I learned: "There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience." - Archibald McLeish

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey"

Hoyas Banner Year

My Ravens got knocked around for a few years in the playoffs to get to the Superbowl, people were saying will your team ever get over the hump? My answer back was sure, one day. This day February 3 came with a Superbowl win so:

For our Hoyas!

I learned: "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." - John Wooden

The Big East Conference's Louisville Cardinals close the season and conference out in grand style

ONE SHINING MOMENT! Click here

 First off, congratulations to the 2013 Big East Tourney and National Champion Louisville Cardinals for the amazing run and victory!

"This is the toughest team I've ever coached," said Louisville's Coach Rick Pitino after his team had won the 2013 Men's National Championship Tournament last night in Atlanta's Georgia Dome with over 75,000 fans. A fan for March Madness record breaking night.

Yes, Louisville was the number one seed in the tourney and proved every minute of it. They were riding a 15 game winning streak. It seem after losing three games in a row Pitino and his crew knew they had work to do. Before the game both Final Four coaches answered questions about the game.

Runner up Coach Belein was asked how would he respond to Pitino's adjustments, his response, "you can't (elbow bump to Pitino), Pitino is always making adjustments the whole game, you just have to go with the flow of the game with this team. This is what makes them so great." Pitino was receptive, thankful, and respectful towards Belein. 

I was on Twitter tweeting the game for most of the first half, but was locked out for almost the whole second half of the game from loading too many tweets. But it was cool I went on Facebook and comment more about the game. I'll try to gather all my tweets from the big game, put them here on my blog for everyone to see my comments on the game. I don't think I want to see them, it was fun seeing the Big East go out with a bang and prove ALL the people that were saying the Big Ten is the best conference this season. Wrong it was still the Big East. The Big East Rules and Ruled!  

I wrote in my last blog and even tweeted and facebooked before this game, this game would be a game of runs, it would be like a track meet on the basketball court, it would be a slugest like the Ali/Frazier fight, and it was. It was more. It was EVERYTHING you could imagine this time of the season. March Madness! Early in the first half I said, this was one of the greatest tournament first halves I've EVER seen, and I been watching these game's since early childhood.

That's a long time. Louisville's Peyton Siva had a lot to prove especiall after Michigan's point guard Trey Burke has gotten all the awards. Peyton proved who was the better point guard this March madness night.

All the odds were against him. He overcame. I think Peyton is perhaps the fastest point guard in the college game. He guided his team full throttle. Although, Wolverine's Burke got two fouls midway through the the first half he sat for the rest of the half, but I think knowingly as a coach I would of detected Louisville was going to make a run before the half. They did, and Trey Burke was on the bench biting his fingernails in a Lebronish way.

Luke Luke Hancock...Luke Skywalker ...he reminds of a superstar. A Star Wars superstar. He was a winner too. He after all was playing for his ailing dad. A former George Mason University star, after his his former coach Jim Larranga left for the Miami job Luke asked his coach, "can I come with you?" Coach Larranga said, "I don't think so." Luke called his former coach up again, and told him he wanted to transfer. Coach Larranga asked where to Luke? Luke said, "Louisville or Michigan." LOL...Louisville it was!             

The unlikeliest Most Outstanding Player in Final Four history Louisville's Luke Hancock ...click here

Luke Hancock playing for his ailing dad ...this is before the game...click here

Luke Hancock the Final Four Most Valuable Player wins with ailing father watching...click here

There are so many stories from March Madness from start to finish. It really leaves me in awe of this 68 team tournament ever single year and it's truly historical and amazing!

LUKE SKYWALKER

The funniest part of the game for me? I'm still laughing my face off. The end of the game coaches go to shake hands and BOOM BOOM loud fireworks go off inside of the Atlanta Georgia Dome. The fireworks seemed extra loud and boy ole boy you should of seen Coach Pitino almost literally jump out of his suit! Haha and that way he tried to play if off by rubbing his hand backwords over his doo and scaredly and shockingly congratulating the opposing coaches hands. Oh, by the way I'm still laughing so hard at this one. I bet ya the ole legendary, newly 2013 National Champion, Hall of Famer thought it was an attack of some sort, and I know that was not one shining moment. LOL...check the video out! hahahaha...

After it's all said and done you'll see the love and respect of the game

So long Big East, it was real for 33 years, I always love you and never forget!!!

As for my Georgetown Hoyas!

The Road Ends Here...

What can I say, one more day of March Madness, well actually two. On the women's side Lousiville, and Connecticut will bump heads in the finals of the Final Four tomorrow in New Orleans. On the men's side, "The Road Ends Here." A moment the college hoops junkies can't wait for. The final moment. Every season I look forward to seeing this in the ending of the final college basketball game. "One Shining Moment!"

Michigan vs. Louisville

Big Ten vs. Big East

Two great point guards leading their teams

Trey Burke vs. Peyton Siva 

I can imagine this game like a track meet on the basketball court. The first half will go very fast. The second half a little slower, but not much. I also think this game will come down to foul shooting and making free throws for both teams. Will Mitch McGary have another great performance tonight (double double)? Will both Peyton Siva and Trey Burke have better games than their last semifinal game. Will Michigan be able to handle Louisville's press?

Will Michigan throw the press back on Louisville, and if so, will Louisville be able to hande it. Who will come out of the gates first and not look back. As one would imagine this game will probably be a slugfest as one would imagine.

I would expect it. Big Ten vs. Big East. It's gets no better than this because these were the two power conferences this season. Two great coaches both legends in their own ways. I call them the masterminds of the game of college hoops. Their philosophies, caring and ability to to understand the younger generation and to teach and mentor them.

These are the good coaches and they deserve and earn the right to be here in the final game. I think deep inside both coaches Pitino and Belein are just as excited as their players. I would be too it's a life dream to be in the madness to play in the Final Four, wow, it's like you're a little kid all over again because it'll be "One Shining Moment" for Michigan or Louisville. Who's your pick? Mine, Louisville, I have to represent my conference. Go Cardinals!

The call it the "dream" so, one can only imagine.

Point guard direction's during March Madness is key

I've talk about it many many times. Point guard play, and how it's so "critical" and "valuable" especially during tournament play. Without having a true point guard is like having spaghetti without the meatballs and the sauce. A point guard is what makes the team go. The meatballs and sauce is what makes the spaghetti taste good (make's it go lol). I guess I can put it in those terms where everyone understands what I'm talking about how "critical" point guard play is.

As we can see this year's March Madness tourney is no different from any other year as far as point guard play, and how it dictates how far your team will survive and advance. The leadership, being an extension of the coach on the court, getting teammates the ball (unselfish), good decision making, controlling the tempo of a game, clock management (always aware), communication/point communication.

The point guard should also know who's in foul trouble for their opponents, and when to go at them to get them in severe foul trouble. The point guard duties are tremendous and comes with a big responsibility. Another words the point guard should be well rounded on all these things and being able to handle pressure by welcoming it and taking it as a challenge. I do find "natural" point guards have these traits, and this makes their job a lot easier.

As we can see we're here in Final Four land, and we can see what got these four teams here. Steady point guard play.  Here are some links I have on point guard play and even a couple of my own links as well please click below:

Point guard play critical to surviving and advancing

Burke, MCW create rare elite point guard matchup

Here are some other articles I've read during March Madness, I love the stories:

Trey Burke is the most important player in the Final Four

Michigan's Trey Burke to battle fellow potential lottery pick Michael Carter-Williams

NCAA Tournament Talk: Final Four

3 keys for Michigan to crack Syracuse's nasty 2-3 zone

We break down the Syracuse 2-3 zone

Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse), Trey Burke (Michigan), Peyton Siva (Louisville) and Malcolm Armstead (Wichita) are the leaders of their respective team's here in the Final Four.


I guess you could say I'll be cheering for the Wolverines to beat Syracuse! haha Go Blue!