What We Learned: SFA's offense still a struggle, Jacks fall in Abilene
Sometimes the former wins more than the latter - and this season for Stephen F. Austin basketball, for coaches, players, fans, and yes, me, that has been the case through two-and-a-half months. The good news? The Southland Conference season is still young.
I took a full day before writing my thoughts on SFA's latest loss, this at the hands of a mediocre ACU team on Saturday afternoon. I've always said I'm a fan first - and there's no doubt about that - but the price of beat reporting for a team is also making sure that my judgement doesn't overly reflect my emotional investment.
So, a day late and with a clear mind, here are my takeaways from the debacle in Abilene:
Offense could come around tomorrow. Or next year -
This is what we know: when run correctly, the hi-lo offense as a scheme is not defendable. Someone is always open if the right decisions are made concisely and passes are made with relative precision.
This is also what we know: the Lumberjacks, thus far, have not figured out how to consistently do any of the above things.
When it isn't one thing, it's another. Turnovers, poor shooting, passive offense. Generally two of those three things show up in any given game and that combination typically is the catalyst for defeat.
I get the feeling, and I know the coaching staff does as well, that at any moment it could suddenly click. It has taken longer than anyone hoped it would but it is far from too late in a wide-open SLC. My belief in this team remains grounded in the fact that I will probably always be expecting that "a-hah" moment in the next game, until it finally arrives.
It's why I will probably keep picking SFA to win, more than not. They're further away than I imagined a month ago. Closer than I think most people seem to think now.
Outside shooting needs to improve (but there was one good sign) -
How much have the Lumberjacks missed Meech Floyd and Jared Johnson when trying to break zone defenses this year? The combination of both guards last season and the sharp-shooting from behind the arc made it difficult for teams to clog the lanes.
Isaiah Traylor was supposed to be that guy this season. As a freshman at East Central Community College, Traylor shot a ridiculous 46% on three-point attempts. Entering Saturday's contest with ACU, he had only made 2 of his 15 attempts this season for SFA.
It wasn't enough, ultimately, but Traylor's 4 of 8 line from behind the arc on Saturday was a big positive sign for a team that desperately needs a reliable outside scoring threat.
You can bet that until the offense really starts clicking, teams are going to continue throwing zones at SFA. Ivan Canete has had his moments, but as hot as he can get, he'll go equally cold sometimes at the most inopportune times. Traylor could be the missing link.
Assuming Keller is not a good X and Os coach because he's known for recruiting is misguided -
It's the natural reaction when things aren't going well. We assume there's a coaching problem. Reading and hearing all the buyer's remorse from fans right now on the new coaching staff in William R. Johnson Coliseum makes me sad inside. This is one time where I think their narrative is absolutely false.
Did Rick Carlisle, one of basketball's finest, suddenly forget how to coach this season because his Dallas Mavericks are sitting in the basement of the NBA's Western Conference? Of course not.
When in doubt, a coach's peers are generally their best critic. Keller is known for his recruiting abilities because it's a measurable trait. We see the commitments from top athletes he's bagged in his coaching stops all over the nation. Proficiency in basketball theory, the X and Os of scheme, that's far harder to quantify.
And yet, coaches know it in each other. I've had conversations over the past year with those familiar with Keller's work. In every case, they said they believed he was among the most underrated X and Os coaches in the country. One individual I talked to on a recent road trip told me it might be his biggest strength, actually.
Now, is there a rookie head coach learning curve just like there is for young players? I'm sure there is. I'm not here to say this staff has been perfect or hasn't made mistakes. Criticism and disagreement from fans is fine. That's what fans do, and should do.
But to assume that Keller cannot coach on the court because his reputation is that of a recruiting ace is incorrect. I'm seeing that all over from frustrated fans, and it is, no question, fundamentally wrong.
The team is taking things one game at a time. We should too -
We've all heard the "confidence" word thrown around a lot when discussing this team. There is a big lack of it right now, and it might be the single biggest intangible holding back progress. "We're not talking about winning a championship right now," head coach Kyle Keller told me on Friday. "That's too much pressure for these guys. We're just focused on the next game."
A couple months ago, during a discussion among team members here at The Sawmill, I made my prediction that this team would finish the SLC season at 16-2. Unless they run the table, I was wrong.
I thought this team would have the offensive system figured out by this point. I was wrong. I know we all want to see the wins right now, but something bigger than right now is being built. This is a program gearing up for a long-haul of success and I remain confident it will reach that point, at some point.
Not as soon as we hoped, perhaps. And yet, the never-quit mantra of this team has shown up even in losses. Fans, we should adopt it too.
I would encourage the SFA-faithful to do this: wake up tomorrow and forget about Abilene. It's time to focus on supporting the "defeat Texas A&M-CC this Wednesday" effort.
That means showing up at William R. Johnson Coliseum as if this team is 15-0. Because on that one night, 1-0 is all that matters.
