AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 21
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Attacking the basket
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thanks for the responses to Tech needing more muscle in the middle.
Tech’s offense is designed differently than North Carolina’s, but when you consider that UNC center Tyler Hansbrough is averaging 9.7 free throw attempts per game and Tech center Ra’Sean Dickey is averaging 3.25 (in ACC play), it’s not hard to see that there’s a difference in the way these teams — particularly these players — are attacking the basket.
You have to take a lot of shots to get fouled a lot, and Hansbrough does. Rightfully so; he’s very good. But I find it hard to believe anyone could argue that Tech needs to get more shots off by its big men. In 12 ACC games, Dickey’s attempted 63 field goals (5.3 per game), and Jeremis Smith 65 (5.4). That’s less combined than Hansbrough by himself, and kind of hard to believe.
Hansbrough averages 13.0 shots per game (a lot more when you look at the times he’s fouled and the FG attempt doesn’t count).
North Carolina attempts 25.6 free throws per ACC game, Tech 20.2 (despite a paltry four attempts at Duke Sunday). Some other numbers are a little surprising. Duke attempts 18 free throws per game, Clemson 15.9.
Not saying Dickey needs to shoot 13 times a game, but he does lead Tech starters with a 61.9 percent mark from the field in ACC games. Smith is at 53.8 Only reserve Alade Aminu is better than these two, at 65.0 Shouldn’t the big guys shoot more?
On to tonight’s game against Wake. Tech needs to do a better job defending Wake center Kyle Visser, who killed the Jackets last month at their place. In the first half in particular, he was just whipping Tech defenders into position, and when he shot, rarely did hands even go up. He must have had three, maybe four dunks.
Wake’s other threat is that point guard, Ishmael Smith. He’s as fast as any player I’ve seen this year, faster than Ty Lawson. Not a great shooter or anything, but ridiculously fast with a bizarre habit of looking all over the place rather than at his target or defender. Watch his head tonight. Strange.
