Lets discuss Benny Parker

[royalfan]

First of all, I love and admire what he has done here.  We don't make the tourney last year without him. 

 

As for this season, does he belong playing so much?  That is what I am wondering.  It seems our defensive scheme is a shade more packed in.  It is resulting in him not being quite the menace he was last year IMO.  Maybe I am reading a little too much into it but that seems to be the case. And I am not faulting the scheme, it just may not play to Parker's strengths quite as much. 

 

Also he is a true point guard type.  Limited combo guard abilty etc.  It seems Petteway is the one handling the ball most often.  If that is the case then we need otpions that are catch and shoot willing shot takers out there IMO.  That may mean let Fuller figure it out.  Or let Tai figure it out.  Or let Smith figure it out.  But it needs to be somene that is willing to take the three.  I think we can hide the defensive flaws in the new scheme.  If we are going to use Parker then we need to use last years defensive scheme that allows him to excel.  Otherwise he is not allowed to play to his strengths. 

 

And perhaps him coming in limited mintues to create havoc is a role he excels at.

 

Thoughts?

[HuskerBB]

I do think Benny was more effective and disruptive last year coming off the bench.   To me that issue in how his "role" is defined is more of the difference than the defensive system.   But either way I do think you have a point.  Problem is Tarrin was not ready to be in the starting lineup (not sure he is yet, but it closer) and Tai has just continued to struggle.  So I think Miles just feels like Benny is the player that earned the starting spot and the resulting minutes.

[ajb5856]

There were many this fall before the season predicting that Tarin Smith would eventually start over Benny. I think that time has come. We've seen TSmiths role grow a bit as he's become more comfortable. Nothing against Benny, he just might be better suited for that spark off the bench role. With what I saw last night, I'm fine with Benny and TSmith at least sharing the role. In the last several minutes last night we saw Miles go back to the experienced guys and I think it hurt us. TSmith gives us another scoring threat, he's someone who can create. It's time for Miles to turn TSmith loose and just deal with any growing pains that may happen.

[Huskerpapa]

I love Benny's motor, but if we can get him down to 20 minutes a game, he will be fresher to do the things he does well.  Perhaps we will see Benny and TSmith starting to get equal minutes?

[ajb5856]

I love Benny's motor, but if we can get him down to 20 minutes a game, he will be fresher to do the things he does well. Perhaps we will see Benny and TSmith starting to get equal minutes?

I'm hoping so. When TSmith was getting time in the 2nd half he was just as disruptive on defense as Benny was, plus you get an offensive threat with Tarin.

[Silverbacked1]

All good thoughts,

If Benny is still getting 30+ min. a game at the end of the season he will be like 5 foot and weight about a buck twenty.

[FredsSlacks]

I'm wondering if benny and rivers should be on the floor together since neither is a threat to create their own shot.

[Norm Peterson]

I'm wondering if benny and rivers should be on the floor together since neither is a threat to create their own shot.

Unfortunately, that's true.  Good point.  Not only that but they seem afraid to take a shot even when they're open.

[Creighton Fan]

I think with the grind it out style Miles wants, Benny is perfect. He is a royal pain in the ass to play against cuz He always all up in your business. I wish he could or would score more, but he perfect on the defensive end. Real problem is dat none of the bench guys be much better scorers neither.

[hhcmatt]

But it needs to be somene that is willing to take the three.

 

Dude is shooting 40% from 3, easily the best on the team in limited numbers.

He had one game where he shot three 3s. The rest have been 1 or 2.

 

I think we could handle 4-5 three point attempts from Benny where he rhythm catches and shoots...especially after penetration from TP/SS.  Could potentially be 6 points per night (on 5 shots) and help to unclog the lane. 

[hhctony]

We've reduced our offense, it seems to me, to a 3-man game with Pitch, TP and Shields and then the other two guys just stand on the other side of the floor. At least is seemed like that last night. Maybe I am missing something there.

[hhctony]

 

But it needs to be somene that is willing to take the three.

 

Dude is shooting 40% from 3, easily the best on the team in limited numbers.

He had one game where he shot three 3s. The rest have been 1 or 2.

 

I think we could handle 4-5 three point attempts from Benny where he rhythm catches and shoots...especially after penetration from TP/SS.  Could potentially be 6 points per night (on 5 shots) and help to unclog the lane. 

 

 

1000% agree with this.

[kldm64]

I think with the grind it out style Miles wants, Benny is perfect. He is a royal pain in the ass to play against cuz He always all up in your business. I wish he could or would score more, but he perfect on the defensive end. Real problem is dat none of the bench guys be much better scorers neither.

 

I don't think Miles wants to play a "grind it out" style but more he is forced to this year.

[hhcmatt]

 

I think with the grind it out style Miles wants, Benny is perfect. He is a royal pain in the ass to play against cuz He always all up in your business. I wish he could or would score more, but he perfect on the defensive end. Real problem is dat none of the bench guys be much better scorers neither.

 

I don't think Miles wants to play a "grind it out" style but more his is forced to this year.

 

 

We started slowing it down when Moses went down. If we're only comfortable playing 7 guys we aren't going to run.

[Norm Peterson]

That shot that Fuller took last night from the corner (the one where the replay showed he was fouled on the follow-through -- hey, they would have called it against us) yeah, he missed it, but that was a shot Benny won't take. (Nor will Tai.)  We need a guy willing to take that shot. 

 

Benny will only attempt a 3 if there's no one standing between him and the basket.  How many shot opportunities will he get where there's no one within 20 feet of him?

 

Benny missed his only 3 last night.  He was 0-2 against Indiana.  He was 1-3 against Ohio; 1-1 against Loyola; 1-1 against Hawaii; and 0-1 against Cinci.

 

So, in the last 6 games going back to our last home non-conference game, he's 2-8 from beyond the arc.  That's only 25%.

 

In the first 8 games of the season, he was 6-12 shooting beyond the arc.

 

His shooting percentage is going down but that's almost irrelevant because he takes so few threes as it is.  It's not that he can't shoot; it's that he won't shoot.  He passes up open opportunities to catch and shoot in rhythm and I can't understand why.  We absolutely need a guy willing to take (and hopefully able to make) those shots.

 

Otherwise, the driving lanes will seem somewhat crowded.

[royalfan]

While Fuller is not going to be mistaken for a good defensive player, he did do a reasonable job of knowing how much room to give whoever it was he was checking last night.  I think he has a shot to play average defense by playing smart defense if he gets more minutes to learn that craft.  It does help that Iowa is not overly athletic though. 

[hskr4life]

I think we will see more Fuller in the next two games.  How much he plays when Moses and Leslee come back is probably dependent on how he does in these next two.  He will NOT take many minutes from Benny though.  I think it would be great if he could give us 5-10 for the rest of the season.

 

Benny is Benny, and he does what he does.  He is a scrappy player who will give you the occasional score.  What I find difficult with Benny is that he is being looked at as someone who NEEDS to score.  Going into this season I thought he would be great because we were not going to need that scoring ability.  We had Petteway and Pitchford, and Shields.  Rivers could usually give you a good few off of offensive rebounds.  Fuller was going to come in and be a shooter, and T Smith was a slasher that could give you some points if needed.  We were not going to NEED Benny to score to win this year, and that was going to play into the Role Benny was going to have.

 

Now with the entire team struggling to put the ball in the basket, Benny is forced to take more shots, do more on the offensive end, which completely plays away from and out of his style of play.  This causes Benny to look like a threat to the team when he is out on the floor, when he is trying to be something that just does not fit his style of play.  

 

Benny will be Benny, and I can live with what he gives us.  He was not built to be a scoring PG, and honestly, should not have to be with the players we have on the team this year.

[Silverbacked1]

I think we will see more Fuller in the next two games.  How much he plays when Moses and Leslee come back is probably dependent on how he does in these next two.  He will NOT take many minutes from Benny though.  I think it would be great if he could give us 5-10 for the rest of the season.

 

Benny is Benny, and he does what he does.  He is a scrappy player who will give you the occasional score.  What I find difficult with Benny is that he is being looked at as someone who NEEDS to score.  Going into this season I thought he would be great because we were not going to need that scoring ability.  We had Petteway and Pitchford, and Shields.  Rivers could usually give you a good few off of offensive rebounds.  Fuller was going to come in and be a shooter, and T Smith was a slasher that could give you some points if needed.  We were not going to NEED Benny to score to win this year, and that was going to play into the Role Benny was going to have.

 

Now with the entire team struggling to put the ball in the basket, Benny is forced to take more shots, do more on the offensive end, which completely plays away from and out of his style of play.  This causes Benny to look like a threat to the team when he is out on the floor, when he is trying to be something that just does not fit his style of play.  

 

Benny will be Benny, and I can live with what he gives us.  He was not built to be a scoring PG, and honestly, should not have to be with the players we have on the team this year.

Excellent post!

[hhctony]

I think we will see more Fuller in the next two games.  How much he plays when Moses and Leslee come back is probably dependent on how he does in these next two.  He will NOT take many minutes from Benny though.  I think it would be great if he could give us 5-10 for the rest of the season.

 

Benny is Benny, and he does what he does.  He is a scrappy player who will give you the occasional score.  What I find difficult with Benny is that he is being looked at as someone who NEEDS to score.  Going into this season I thought he would be great because we were not going to need that scoring ability.  We had Petteway and Pitchford, and Shields.  Rivers could usually give you a good few off of offensive rebounds.  Fuller was going to come in and be a shooter, and T Smith was a slasher that could give you some points if needed.  We were not going to NEED Benny to score to win this year, and that was going to play into the Role Benny was going to have.

 

Now with the entire team struggling to put the ball in the basket, Benny is forced to take more shots, do more on the offensive end, which completely plays away from and out of his style of play.  This causes Benny to look like a threat to the team when he is out on the floor, when he is trying to be something that just does not fit his style of play.  

 

Benny will be Benny, and I can live with what he gives us.  He was not built to be a scoring PG, and honestly, should not have to be with the players we have on the team this year.

 

I don't think anyone is asking Benny to score. But, Benny has to be a THREAT to score. Like if you are going to guard him like Indiana and Iowa then's he's got to score 8-10 points. I hope that makes sense. He's allowing other teams to play us 5-on-4 defensively.

[dskurz]

Fuller to me didn't look tentative last game, which resulted in decent defense. If his defense stays like last game, I would imagine minutes will increase.

[hskr4life]

Fuller to me didn't look tentative last game, which resulted in decent defense. If his defense stays like last game, I would imagine minutes will increase.

 

One of the biggest things that encouraged me was how he came in, pump faked, and drove to get a layup.  He played like he was trying to show what he can bring.  Let's see how that develops for him.

[KZRider]

 

But it needs to be somene that is willing to take the three.

 

Dude is shooting 40% from 3, easily the best on the team in limited numbers.

He had one game where he shot three 3s. The rest have been 1 or 2.

 

I think we could handle 4-5 three point attempts from Benny where he rhythm catches and shoots...especially after penetration from TP/SS.  Could potentially be 6 points per night (on 5 shots) and help to unclog the lane. 

 

This plus the fact that other teams seem to be leaving him alone to shoot that 3 unguarded. Agree that hitting just a few per game might make them come out thus making the lane easier for TP or Shavon to drive in.

[nuhusker7]

I think one thing about his three point selection is where the ball is coming from. It seems he is most scared to take the shot when already has the ball and the defender is sagging way off of him. He is much more comfortable shooting directly after a pass. Especially when the pass is coming to him from under the hoop. He has shot it much better when he is able to catch the ball already squared up to the basket as opposed to having to catch and turn and shoot.