How will our defense look?

[bent20]

A lot of discussion in the other thread about where our points will come from, but the best Sycamore teams have always been about defense. I can see this incoming team possibly being better defensively, but as always a lot of that depends on how our post players and younger guys perform.

Doesn't always matter though because sometimes we have guys who are capable of playing sound defense, but don't. So what does everyone think about how good we'll be defensively this year? If the Valley improves, as expected, we're going to have to be able to hold the better offenses in check.

 

[jturner38]

I've heard that between Bennett and Scott, Scott is actually the better defender.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

I was told by one of the coaches, after asking him about the PG position for this season, that "...we'll be better defensively at PG..."

Take that for what it's worth...

 

[GuardShock]

I look at the PGs around the MVC and we will definitely be FASTER and play better man to man defense against them. We did get shorter but I definitely feel like our defense is going to pick up this year. Smith is faster than Manny. D brown is equal or better than Dawon. Bennett and Scott should be better than JO. I really think our defense will be better this year than in years past. Also remember that Kitch was really coming into his own defensively at the end of the season.

 

[jturner38]

I agree but defense to me was never our biggest problem. Scoring was...at least when conference play started.

 

[treeman]

Also remember that Kitch was really coming into his own defensively at the end of the season.

+1
The last 7 games or so Kitch did a fantastic job of blocking, altering, and clogging up the lane.

 

[Southgrad07]

Im not too worried about our team defensively. Turnovers are the thing to watch for me. Lots of new faces doing the majority of the ball handling. There is also usually an adjustment period for guys like Smith who haven't been the focal point in the offensive scheme before. If we figure out how to run our offense effectively, we should be in decent shape.

 

[Daveinth]

I look at the PGs around the MVC and we will definitely be FASTER and play better man to man defense against them. We did get shorter but I definitely feel like our defense is going to pick up this year. Smith is faster than Manny. D brown is equal or better than Dawon. Bennett and Scott should be better than JO. I really think our defense will be better this year than in years past. Also remember that Kitch was really coming into his own defensively at the end of the season.

You honestly believe that those two will be better at defending than the person who sits 4th all time on the schools all time steals list? Will they be faster? Probably . Will they be better I will believe that when I see it .

 

[GuardShock]

Jake was a fantastic player and read passing lanes AMAZINGLY but I thought he was an average man to man defense. Not a liability by any means but definitely not a lock down defender. Bennett seems more athletic and I know nothing about Scott

 

[bent20]

Jake was a fantastic player and read passing lanes AMAZINGLY but I thought he was an average man to man defense. Not a liability by any means but definitely not a lock down defender. Bennett seems more athletic and I know nothing about Scott

You're right. We should be a faster team on the perimeter. That doesn't always translate to better defense, but it can. I think Kitchell learning how to play defense without getting into quick foul trouble could also be a big improvement.