More than once I have typed on these pages that the key to building a winning basketball program is simply hiring the “right” coach. This right coach needs to do three things.
1 – Have a system. There is more than one way to win basketball games. Slow it down, speed it up, focus on offense, focus on defense…whatever you choose, make sure you have a clear system.
2 – Recruit to this system. Just acquiring talent doesn’s usually translate to consistently winning, you need the right guys who fit what
you are trying to run.
3- Teach this system. You’ve picked it, you have the right guys, but now you have to develop them to succeed in your system. Can you effectively communicate what you are tying to accomplish and develop players to execute this at a high level?
Easy right?
Part of the problem with some of the recent head coaches hired to lead the program is that they never had a defined system. Those making the hire didn’t understand the need to have this in place.
As it turns out, it appears as though Mark Coyle got it right with Niko Medved. Very quickly, we see that this team is playing with a system, especially on offense. They are running an offense where guys are frequently moving with a purpose, they work together to get the defense out of position and they understand what a good shot is. They are getting easy baskets at times just from working together. They have been getting better throughout the season as they are sharing the ball in a way that actually leads to baskets at an incredible rate.
Medved has a system. This system is more apparent on the offensive end, but he clearly has a system. With the limited time and resources he had to begin his tenure, he was able to recruit guys from the portal that fit this system. And clearly, he is teaching it effectively. This group is getting it.
Frankly, the biggest thing holding back this team is a lack of talent. Not to disparage the current roster or any specific player, but this is not unusual for a team that finished 15-17 last year, lost their All-Big Ten player to graduation and the vast majority of the rest of their roster. But if we’re being honest, this is not a roster that is talented enough make the NCAA Tournament (will gladly eat my hat if I’m wrong).
Finding Cade Tyson is a perfect example of identifying the right player that fits what you do; he’s been taught what he’s expected to do and he executes at a high level. He just fits so well into what we are doing. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson came with Medved from Colorado State, so there was already familiarity between both parties. And Isaac Asuma IS a good fit for what Medved wants to do. He seems to be adjusting still, but he will thrive.
And the current roster has been hit with injuries to three guys who are solid, Big Ten role players. BJ Omot is the Cal transfer who would be a key wing off the bench, has been sidelined with an injury for the second year in a row. Robert Vaihola and Chansey Willis Jr both looked strong as starters, but both have been injured and lost for the remainder of the season.
The next step in the rebuild is to bring in more talent. Next year, they will add three talented freshmen, all of whom are also players expected to be ideal fits for what Medved runs. But to take another step forward, to be a real threat to make the NCAA Tournament, talent needs to be upgraded. Losing Tyson is going to be a significant blow, but the thing to watch will be if Medved can find another transfer addition (or two, or three) who can make an immediate impact.
Upgrades in talent have to come, but so far the results have been very promising.
