Snake
12-22-2007, 09:02 AM
Downey faces zone issues
USC guard prepares for zone defense after tough loss to Baylor
By SETH EMERSON - semerson@thestate.com (semerson@thestate.com)
Back when Devan Downey transfered to South Carolina, his former Cincinnati coach Andy Kennedy — who himself had moved on to SEC rival Mississippi — wished Downey good luck, then added: “Expect a lot of zone.”
That was half-good natured, half-warning. More than a month before Downey plays his old coach, facing the zone defense has become a huge issue.
In Wednesday’s stunning home loss to Baylor, which rallied from a 20-point deficit, the Gamecocks’ offense went cold once its opponent switched to a zone. The switch pretty much shut down Downey, the team’s leading scorer, so more opponents are likely to follow suit, starting today with College of Charleston.
“A lot of SEC teams are going to play us with a zone,” Downey said. “Because I think if a team plays us man-to-man, we can compete with anybody in the country.”
Baylor followed that strategy, dealing the Gamecocks (5-5) their toughest loss of the season. USC coach Dave Odom said Friday that getting through the day after the loss was one of the more difficult day he has had in coaching.
He was also asked whether he felt any of the ramped-up criticism from fans and media following the loss. Odom claimed to have shielded himself from reading or hearing it, but added that he was not surprised.
“I fully expect that,” he said. “I don’t know that I missed any shots the other night. I don’t know that I missed any defensive assignments. But I do know it’s my responsibility and I willingly take it.”
Today begins a four-game stretch, all at home, in which South Carolina faces what should be weaker opponents. It might be useful for them to show USC a lot of zone, especially if the Baylor tape is making the rounds of the SEC, so the Gamecocks can work against it.
South Carolina seems susceptible to such a defense for two reasons:
— Its freshman post players, Mike Holmes and Sam Muldrow, have yet to reach the point where they can score regularly off set plays.
— Downey’s best offensive skill is breaking down the man-to-man defense with his dribble, then either scoring or passing out to a teammate on the 3-point line.
The Baylor game exposed both parts. Downey scored 13 points before the switch, and only five against the zone. Muldrow had 12 points against the man-to-man, and none afterward, as he and Holmes sat most of the second half.
Fixing the situation will involve both the guards and forwards, according to players.
Downey said he has urged the other guards — especially fellow starters Zam Fredrick II and Brandis Raley-Ross — to follow Downey’s lead and penetrate with the ball.
“If I’m the only one looking to penetrate the zone, we’re not going to have any success,” Downey said. “But those guys are capable, and I know the next time we see zone they’re going to step up and do it.”
Fredrick seemed to agree. But he also pointed to the low-post players, who have struggled to finish chances around the basket.
“There were a couple of plays against Baylor where we missed a chippy or someone fumbled a pass once we did break down the zone,” Fredrick said. “So we’ve just got to finish.”
Odom thinks the issue may not be the zone at all. He pointed out that in the victory against Providence two weeks ago, USC faltered when the Friars switched to man-to-man.
“Maybe it’s more of the switch that causes the problem than what they’re switching to,” he said.
http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/264675.html
USC guard prepares for zone defense after tough loss to Baylor
By SETH EMERSON - semerson@thestate.com (semerson@thestate.com)
Back when Devan Downey transfered to South Carolina, his former Cincinnati coach Andy Kennedy — who himself had moved on to SEC rival Mississippi — wished Downey good luck, then added: “Expect a lot of zone.”
That was half-good natured, half-warning. More than a month before Downey plays his old coach, facing the zone defense has become a huge issue.
In Wednesday’s stunning home loss to Baylor, which rallied from a 20-point deficit, the Gamecocks’ offense went cold once its opponent switched to a zone. The switch pretty much shut down Downey, the team’s leading scorer, so more opponents are likely to follow suit, starting today with College of Charleston.
“A lot of SEC teams are going to play us with a zone,” Downey said. “Because I think if a team plays us man-to-man, we can compete with anybody in the country.”
Baylor followed that strategy, dealing the Gamecocks (5-5) their toughest loss of the season. USC coach Dave Odom said Friday that getting through the day after the loss was one of the more difficult day he has had in coaching.
He was also asked whether he felt any of the ramped-up criticism from fans and media following the loss. Odom claimed to have shielded himself from reading or hearing it, but added that he was not surprised.
“I fully expect that,” he said. “I don’t know that I missed any shots the other night. I don’t know that I missed any defensive assignments. But I do know it’s my responsibility and I willingly take it.”
Today begins a four-game stretch, all at home, in which South Carolina faces what should be weaker opponents. It might be useful for them to show USC a lot of zone, especially if the Baylor tape is making the rounds of the SEC, so the Gamecocks can work against it.
South Carolina seems susceptible to such a defense for two reasons:
— Its freshman post players, Mike Holmes and Sam Muldrow, have yet to reach the point where they can score regularly off set plays.
— Downey’s best offensive skill is breaking down the man-to-man defense with his dribble, then either scoring or passing out to a teammate on the 3-point line.
The Baylor game exposed both parts. Downey scored 13 points before the switch, and only five against the zone. Muldrow had 12 points against the man-to-man, and none afterward, as he and Holmes sat most of the second half.
Fixing the situation will involve both the guards and forwards, according to players.
Downey said he has urged the other guards — especially fellow starters Zam Fredrick II and Brandis Raley-Ross — to follow Downey’s lead and penetrate with the ball.
“If I’m the only one looking to penetrate the zone, we’re not going to have any success,” Downey said. “But those guys are capable, and I know the next time we see zone they’re going to step up and do it.”
Fredrick seemed to agree. But he also pointed to the low-post players, who have struggled to finish chances around the basket.
“There were a couple of plays against Baylor where we missed a chippy or someone fumbled a pass once we did break down the zone,” Fredrick said. “So we’ve just got to finish.”
Odom thinks the issue may not be the zone at all. He pointed out that in the victory against Providence two weeks ago, USC faltered when the Friars switched to man-to-man.
“Maybe it’s more of the switch that causes the problem than what they’re switching to,” he said.
http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/264675.html