MBB Music to my ears ... "Brian Gregory: USF will play defense 'or die trying' "

[Triple B]

• Joey Knight, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, May 24, 2017 2:16pm

During our hour-plus chat with Brian Gregory in his office last week, the new Bulls basketball coach still wasn't at liberty to discuss incoming graduate-transfers Terrence Samuel (Penn State), Payton Banks (Penn State) or Stephan Jiggetts (Fairleigh Dickinson).

But the school finally confirmed their signings on Wednesday, formally adding what is believed to be the final touches to the 2017-18 roster.

So now that everyone's on board, what can Bulls fans expect from this overhauled roster? On what will Gregory's inaugural team hang its figurative hat?

Still tough to say. Remember, Gregory spent most of his first two months feverishly trying to piece together a team. How this group jells over time, once he gets it on the floor together, remains to be seen. But Gregory does promise his constituents one thing.

"We're gonna figure out a way to defend and rebound, I can tell you that," Gregory said. "Or at least die trying."

While Gregory sifts through his guard options (prediction: Jiggetts is your opening night point guard), he'll probably build his frontcourt around 7-foot-2, 250-pound Serbian Nikola Scekic and 6-11 USC transfer Malik Martin, who sat out last season after two undistinguished years with the Trojans.

Incoming 6-8 freshman Alexis Yetna also could have an immediate impact, bringing the type of length and grit that Gregory helped harvest during his lengthy tenure as a Tom Izzo assistant at Michigan State.

"I think the offensive side of things will be a process and a progression as guys get a little more comfortable, not only in their roles but how we're playing," Gregory said. "So initially, obviously we have to be really committed on the defensive end and on the glass."

Does that signal a series of low-tempo grudge matches on the Sun Dome floor this winter? Not necessarily, Gregory said, though only one team -- his 2015-16 Georgia Tech squad -- has averaged more than 70 points a game in his 13 seasons as a head coach.

"The teams I've been associated with both as a head coach and an assistant coach, we always ran, but we never were 90, 95, 100 (points per game), because we played defense on the other end," Gregory said.

"So the other teams' possessions are longer. ... So the better you are defensively and rebounding, that obviously is the first phase of playing with pace."

[CousinRicky]

Sounds like last year.  We defended okay but as Coach says above about the offense - it will be a process.  Did not renew this year. I'm hoping there will be a reason to purchase the following year.  Donated the price of the MBB tickets to the men's golf program.  

[Mama_Bull]

Are we looking at another "root canal" defense? LOL

[CousinRicky]

22 minutes ago, Triple B said:

The teams I've been associated with both as a head coach and an assistant coach, we always ran, but we never were 90, 95, 100 (points per game), because we played defense on the other end," Gregory said.

Almost every coach wants to run when they can.  But you can't run until you rebound.  FCOA found that out while he was here.

[charsibb]

I want us to play some HAVOC!!

 

[NewEnglandBull]

1 hour ago, Mama_Bull said:

Are we looking at another "root canal" defense? LOL

I think this is the only way USF can win in the short..and perhaps long term. 

[NewEnglandBull]

52 minutes ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Almost every coach wants to run when they can.  But you can't run until you rebound.  FCOA found that out while he was here.

Almost every coach says this when they are hired as it is what fans want to hear. In reality it is difficult to do relative to recruits that are available. I like the root canal approach and think we can have more success doing this than playing the up tempo approach. 

[Mama_Bull]

6 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

I think this is the only way USF can win in the short..and perhaps long term. 

I agree.

 

[Triple B]

2 hours ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Did not renew this year. I'm hoping there will be a reason to purchase the following year.

What reason did you have for purchasing the last 3 seasons?

[charsibb]

Just now, Triple B said:

What reason did you have for purchasing the last 3 seasons?

Hope?