Dogus Balbay

G

getyourhornsup

25+ Posts
I do not understand how someone so inept at offense as Doj can even get any playing time on such a high level college team. He cannot score, period. When Balbay is one the court it is 4 on 5 when we are on offense. In fact the more I think about it, how is he even on the team. His defense is fine but you cannot win if you can't score.

If I was coach Barnes, I would only play him as a limited substitute. He is not even that good, but I guess he has bled for the program somewhat.

Many will not agree with me but it is quite obvious.

P.S. The basketball team is average and was overrated all along. It is the end of the world!
 
His defense against Collins was awesome tonight. I cannot believe he only played 16 minutes. To me he is the only legitimate option we have at the pg. The ball actually moves when he is running the point.

However, I would never play him with Mason.
 
A coaching friend once told me: If you can't score more than you give up, then you can't play. No matter how good you are on defense.

I know that there are exceptions, but very few, and those guys are surrounded by very good offense players.
 
I love Balbay's defense and his hustle, but he is an offensive liability. Still, I'd rather see Brown run the point and Balbay spell him. Lucas should be at the end of the bench and only get mop-up time.
 
JCB was the ******* man down the stretch. He showed a ton of heart. And some offensive skills. He did not, however, show pg skills.

I think we should go with the line-up that Barnes started in the second half with Balbay at the one and JCB at the two.
 
Brown
Bradley
James
Johnson
Pittman

Balbay, Hamilton, Mason, and Chapman off the bench. Everyone else can transfer
 
Ok Rex. Of course we looked better at the end. Kansas shut it down. Why do you think Self was getting so mad? If we consider every game (not just one), Balbay is our best ballhandler as has been stated. I like J'Covan but he makes a lot of stupid turnovers. He needs to play more and can make some great plays but he also turns it over at a high rate in most games. Balbay doesn't. When Balbay has been driving and dishing has been when we were at our best.

For those of who "know basketball" the answer seems simple to me. Get Pittman invovled when its there. If they are going to double or triple him don't run inside out. Take him out and clear the lane for the guards to do their work and for James and Johnson to cleanup the misses. Worked very well in the second half against Oklahoma State. We had many more open looks when guards where driving in and dishing back out to an OPEN Hamilton.

Flat out they just need to play better as a team. I don't understand all the hate for Balbay though. He isn't a great shooter but he is a great assist to turnover guy on most nights.
 
Brown's not a point guard. He is an out of control two, who shoots every time he get a chance. He had us playing one on five.

Sure he made a few shots. But, he took many out of control runners and basically told James and Brady to stand on the sideline.

And remember he went off when we were down by 15 and we stayed down by 15.

I'd love him as a two if he could learn a bit of control and include his teammates.
 
My problem with Balbay is that you can't get ANY offense going when he's in there b/c you are playing 4 on 5. Pittman is always doubled when he's in the game. With Brown in the game I don't think you can double as easy.

If you are going to play Balbay, Mason and Pittman have to be on the bench and you have to run so that you can get easy baskets and Balbay can use his athleticism and passing skills. In a halfcourt set he isn't a threat at all.
 
Bobby Knight had a very astute comment about Balbay lat night that no one has mentioned.

He said that Balbay has no offensive threat, either from his own shot or from initiating scoring from passing down low from outside. Why? Because Balbay is no threat the defense does not come out to guard him. Thus the passing lanes to the basket are choked off.

Knight was adamant that J Brown would be seeing lots of pg time the rest of the season. In fact Knight said that Brown had to develop as pg for Texas to have ANY chance of making a run in the tournament.
 
He said that Balbay has no offensive threat, either from his own shot or from initiating scoring from passing down low from outside. Why? Because Balbay is no threat the defense does not come out to guard him. Thus the passing lanes to the basket are choked off.
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This is correct. Texas was exposed in the aggie game a while back. Every team has played us the same and we have struggled ever since. They back off balbay and double team james.
 
It doesn't matter at all who is running the point if the other 4 players just stand around and wait for a pass so they can shoot. The only player who moves without the ball to speak of is Bradley. The rest just wait to get theirs. Texas offense has turned into a bunch of selfish AAU crap, except James, Johnson and Bradley play harder than your typical AAU star.

Balbay is a liability if the O doesn't move, so Brown is a better AAU option. But he is very careless with the ball and his passing is sloppy and usually late. Balbay is a much better ball handler than Brown and it ain't close. All that said, if Texas is going to stick with this spectator offense, then start Brown, Bradley, Johnson, James and Pittman b/c at least one player on the floor is not a horrific FT shooter.
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I think it's time to put the Dogus Balbay experiment on the bench. I love his guts and effort, but you cannot run the point if you can't draw someone to guard you at all.

I think Barnes saw in Balbay the potential to get a poor man's TJ Ford. Ford wasn't a great scorer when he came in. He gradually developed his shot over the 2 years he was here. Barnes probably thought Balbay could do the same, but he hasn't. Meanwhile, Barnes fell in love with his defense and has had a hard time taking him off the floor. Same as with Mason.

Time to move both defensive brick layer specialists to the bench. Have them come in situationally, one at a time.

The only hope we have of salvaging this season is to throw the young guards in there and hope they grow up by Tournament time, and learn to play as a team, pass the ball, and play defense... but meanwhile they give us a chance to hold our own at the offensive end.

And even if they don't grow up fast enough to salvage this year, it at least puts us in better shape next year. I don't think any of these guards are ready for the NBA anyway, so we (hopefully) don't have to worry about any of them jumping ship after one year.
 
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