Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Fox: If Ogbeide is Punishing People

Leave him alone!

Do not insist on taking him out at the three-minute mark!

Ogbeide started and does a nice job.  In the first three minutes, Ogbeide showed some hustle and kept the ball alive, corralling one or two rebounds.  More importantly, by being strong around the basket, Derek drew two fouls on their guys, including one on their big man, Ogbunu.

Predictably, just past the three-minute mark, Fox yanked Ogbeide.  When Fox brought in Kessler, Florida laid off Houston, and bracketed Maten with Kessler's man, in effect double-teaming Yante.  Maten jockeyed for position, but with the two guys so close by, he couldn't get the ball in scoring position.

Now, not only does UGA not have Ogbeide's contributions, Yante has to work twice as hard.

After five or six minutes on the bench, Fox brings Ogbeide back in at the 10:56 mark.  Derek grabs two rebounds and quickly scores off the pick and roll.  On the next play, Ogbeide hits a jumper.  To reward Derek for his efforts, Fox immediately pulls him.

Not surprisingly, Georgia went cold.

UGA doesn't score again until Fox inserts Ogbeide again.  Ogbeide's presence allows Maten to play more on the perimeter, and Yante hits a three.  Ogbeide then posts up and hits a jump hook.

Georgia ends the half up six points.  But in a key game, when Florida's shooting is cold, Fox did not use his players effectively so that we could be up 10 or 15.

Ogbeide starts the second half.  Runs a pick and roll with J.J. Frazier.  Derek catches the pass cleanly, makes a nifty move to avoid the charge and scores with a jump hook.  Fox yanks him again, right at the three-minute mark.

By this time, I'm pulling my hair out.

Florida makes a run and takes the lead, eventually winning the game by four.  Derek Ogbeide finished the game shooting 4 of 5 from the floor and grabbing 6 rebounds.  He could have done so much more with more time and a chance to take the ball at Florida when he was hot.

Please, Fox.  Stop the crazy substitution patterns.  I know you want to have some depth, and guys have to play to get better.  At the same time, if you just use the players you have in a less rigid manner, Georgia might win two or three more games.  Could be the difference in going to the Tournament or staying home.  Could be the difference in continuing as Georgia's coach or going away.

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