PacHoops: On Spencer....

[allbuffs]

by Adam Butler
www.PacHoops.com

This isn’t a test. It’s not delivered to see just what the Buffs are made of or whether or not Josh Scott and Askia Booker can shoulder a further load. Those were tests against the likes of Tennessee-Martin and Arkansas State. This, yesterday’s news of Spencer Dinwiddie’s confirmed ACL tear, is ****. No two ways about it and it’s caused upset the country-wide. Many understand, respect, and – above all – appreciate the talent that is Spencer Dinwiddie.

But this isn’t a test because you don’t study for this. You can’t. There’s no TA prep class for the sudden and jarring loss of the 38[SUP]th[/SUP] best ORtg in the country. An 18.4 usage rate and the steady hand at the helm of a top-20 team is, in short, a factor. This is not a test.

But this is adversity. It presents a challenge to the remaining group. From the student manager to Tad Boyle. The Buffaloes have been dealt a cold dish of deal-with-it and now they’ll need to adjust.
And we can get to that in a moment. Discuss the multitude of ways and options that Colorado can work to recreate Spencer’s value because replacing him won’t happen. Right now, however, I’m inclined to take one further moment to think about why this sucks. We miss out on so much. As fans we have our opinions and feelings and attachments. We become emotionally invested but it’s often for just a few hours a week. Not our most intimate commitments. This was it for Spencer. I won’t soon suggest that I know the kid but I know what being a college athlete entails and I know that basketball was quite central to his every day. That went away for him and that bums me out.

But if you know me or follow my blog or any of the things I generally have to say about these things, it boils down to the response. On a daily basis we all experience success and failure, highs and lows. That stuff happens (see the above). But the true measure of character is how you respond to these moments – whether they’re good or bad. This injury is defining to Colorado’s season but it is not determining. At least it doesn’t have to be. This was going to be the year Spencer led the Buffaloes to places they’d never been before. Perhaps now it’s the season the Buffaloes rallied around their fallen lead to go places they’ve never been. You see what I’m getting at? How will the Buffaloes respond?

Their immediate reaction was great. They came out of the half and continued at the Huskies. They built on their lead with Spencer in the locker room before a flurry of Husky threes broke their spirit. You watched it, I watched and they played it. I blame no one except whomever taught CJ Wilcox a jumper. Bravo because that’s a masterpiece.

Back to Colorado. Interestingly it seems a similar point will come up each time we talk. Colorado will pull off an emotional and exhilarating win to go and let themselves down against an inferior opponent a day later. We’ve seen that pattern with Tad’s teams, haven’t we? Well here it is. Their greatest challenge yet. Emotions will run high and trust deep. Patience, understanding, and camaraderie will become the ethos of the black and gold. It has to be.

The Colorado Buffaloes aren’t being tested with their latest roster shakeup. They simply have a new challenge.

How will they respond?

 

[allbuffs]

FYI - Apologies for the timing on this it was received prior to the Fletcher news....

 

[pachoops]

Yeah. Filed this hog in the AM. Piling on but doesn't change the narrative.

 

[Buffalo Brad]

Yeah. Filed this hog in the AM. Piling on but doesn't change the narrative.

Great piece though and thanks for putting it out there. Nice job

 

[jgisland]

Yeah. Filed this hog in the AM. Piling on but doesn't change the narrative.

Good stuff - and something that hasn't gotten a ton of mentioning, it'll be interesting to see what Tad employs for in-game strategies to pull out some W's.

 

[Darth Snow]

Good stuff - and something that hasn't gotten a ton of mentioning, it'll be interesting to see what Tad employs for in-game strategies to pull out some W's.

We are going to see some incredibly ugly basketball. #tadball on roids

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

Good stuff - and something that hasn't gotten a ton of mentioning, it'll be interesting to see what Tad employs for in-game strategies to pull out some W's.

It's made me ponder a couple of things:

1. Does Tad ignore his hatred of zone defenses in favor of keeping his starters a bit more fresh? Would also allow him to shorten the bench, if so desired.

2. Who picks up the on-court leadership role? Not talking about leadership thru point guard duties, but more in terms of quietly correcting the young guns when needed, vocally encouraging other players, etc.

 

[jgisland]

It's made me ponder a couple of things:

1. Does Tad ignore his hatred of zone defenses in favor of keeping his starters a bit more fresh? Would also allow him to shorten the bench, if so desired.

2. Who picks up the on-court leadership role? Not talking about leadership thru point guard duties, but more in terms of quietly correcting the young guns when needed, vocally encouraging other players, etc.

1. I don't think anything is off the table - the bench was already pretty short, so we may actually see a deeper bench but see a 2nd unit of sorts playing a lot more pressure defense (we actually saw this in the first half against UW - the 2nd unit was playing great pressure D).

2. Ski, Ski, Ski and Ski - by all accounts he's the alpha dog on this team, the locker room guy. So he just needs to make sure he's leading by a good example

 

[SECOBuffsFan]

It's made me ponder a couple of things:

1. Does Tad ignore his hatred of zone defenses in favor of keeping his starters a bit more fresh? Would also allow him to shorten the bench, if so desired.

2. Who picks up the on-court leadership role? Not talking about leadership thru point guard duties, but more in terms of quietly correcting the young guns when needed, vocally encouraging other players, etc.

1. I don't think the zone will become any more of a tactic than it already has....he is a man guy and they usually don't vary from that often.

2. Ski...he is the ONE leader now where before there were two

 

[pachoops]

I think a lot of eyes fall to Askia now but, quite honestly, the kid can't take anymore shots. I don't even mean that he needs to curb his number of shots I'm just saying there aren't any more for him to take. Key is for him to become more efficient with all those shots. A tall order but also an order of the collective. A more deliberate offense will dictate better shots. And if it all falls apart at least we know he can still get bad shots up.

Josh Scott really can't play any more efficiently than he already has and already creates much of his own offense (45% assisted at the rim seems pretty low).

Ultimately (and someone said it above) this will need to become some good old fashioned Tad-ball which ain't ugly but it grinds it's way to victories.

 

[jwhite17]

I think a lot of eyes fall to Askia now but, quite honestly, the kid can't take anymore shots. I don't even mean that he needs to curb his number of shots I'm just saying there aren't any more for him to take. Key is for him to become more efficient with all those shots. A tall order but also an order of the collective. A more deliberate offense will dictate better shots. And if it all falls apart at least we know he can still get bad shots up.

Josh Scott really can't play any more efficiently than he already has and already creates much of his own offense (45% assisted at the rim seems pretty low).

Ultimately (and someone said it above) this will need to become some good old fashioned Tad-ball which ain't ugly but it grinds it's way to victories.

Unfortunately, I can see Ski pressing even more and taking more shots. He is the biggest enigma on the team. How can one be so good at home one week and shoot 2-21 (0-9 and 0 points in Washington!) on the road the next? I hope we can get the good Ski to show up at home this week. He really needs to keep driving to the rack and getting fouls called to help our team generate offense without Dinwiddie.

The key to me is the Hopkins/Talton combo. Neither guy can replace Dinwiddie individaully, but together, I believe they can at least compensate for him, at least that is what I'm hoping for.

I really don't want to see Stalzer play any more minutes. He is not a Pac 12 level guy, sorry but that's the truth.


Also, Scott/XJ really need to take over.