2010-11 Player Previews: Consistency is key for Demetri Goodson
by Zach Bell on Oct 26, 2010 7:01 AM PDT
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PrintDemetri Goodson's sophomore season was expected to be an up and down affair. Taking over for Jeremy Pargo on a team that was losing basically half the roster to graduation/NBA Draft was an extremely tall order for the point guard from Spring, Texas. While most fans carried a special place in their heart's for Meech after he sank a running layup as time wound down to send the Zags into the Sweet Sixteen, few really knew the type of guard he was. When the 2009-10 season began, hopes were sky high for Meech. His defensive reputation was already established and many were very excited to see what he could bring offensively.
Needless to say, and there is little reason to belabor his productivity last season, but things did not go exactly as planned for Meech last season. For a majority of the year, he was a pedestrian on offense. Most of the time, it was his sole responsibility to bring the ball up the court, break any pressure, and hand the ball off to Matt Bouldin to start the offense. It was clear that the staff didn't have a whole lot of confidence in him to run the point and that clearly took it's toll on Meech who really did not show much confidence as an offensive threat. Drives into the lane often resulted in turnovers or misguided attempts, and things did have a tendency to snowball pretty quickly on the second year guard.
Regardless of how bad the stats looked for Meech, I never thought he deserved half the blame he was shouldered with. And, as we look to next season, I truly do expect to see a different player...in a much different role.
continue reading more after the jump....
Like I said in the opening, Meech's struggles last year are VERY well documented to the point where I feel every thread eventually winds up in a point guard discussion. With that being said, I'd rather not go through a game by game breakdown of everything Demetri.
For all intents and purposes, last year Demetri was asked to break the press, bring the ball up, and get out of the way. Virtually every set play on offense began with Meech sending a quick pass to Matt or Steven and then bailing out of the play. For this reason, I am so hesitant to call his position on the court last year that of a "point guard". This season, however, Demetri is going to be relied on as a key distributor. For as much as I like Steven and think he can be a better offensive threat than a Matt Bouldin, he doesn't come close to having Matt's innate sense of passing and finding the open man. Because of this, I expect most of the offense to start with Meech.
With all of Gonzaga's talent on the offensive side and with what could be an incredible front court, Demetri's job might not be too hard most of the time. The one thing Gonzaga boasts a ton of are players that love to run the court. Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk, Sam Dower, and even Rob Sacre are players that all do better when their is a little pace to the offense and things are moving quickly rather than idling in a set offense. With Meech's quickness and physical ability, running this type of offense should be fairly simple but he will have to make some marked improvements. Last season, too many times he drove aimlessly only to leave his feet and realize he had no options around him. He never appeared to be on the same page as the rest of his teammates and that simply can't happen this season. I truly hope the staff has ran thousands of drills where Meech drives the lane and is forced to get that repetition down so he can understand where his teammate are at all times.
While I believe that Meech's biggest stride must be made in the assist/turnover ratio; there is also a need for improvement as an outside shooter. If you are looking for Meech to become one of Gonzaga's best three point shooters, you obviously haven't seen a GU game in the past two seasons. What is important, however, is that he does establish an outside game in as much that he is able to hit the wide open outside shot. Not only will this do worlds for his ability to be a versatile scorer, but it will spread the floor out and give the talented frontcourt more room to work. I still do believe that a majority of Meech's points will come in transition and in the paint, but a semi-consistent jump shot is something he will need to stay on the court.
There is no doubting that most Gonzaga fans will have Meech under a big microscope. With junior college guard Marquise Carter now in the fold, many believe he is the answer. Personally, I can't wait to see what Meech brings to the table. Like last season, it will not be a bed of roses but his defensive intensity and overall hustle plays make him fun to watch. If he can play with more control on offense and develop confidence in his outside jumper, there truly will be no ceiling for Meech.
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We will see?
I got blasted on a recent fan post defending meech. I guess we will have to wait and see what he brings to the table this season? My predictions again is he will have a solid season simply because he has too! We don’t have many other options? If our predictions of sweet 16’s,E8, or even further are to come true, Meech will have to play a huge role. If he doesn’t we will be a 7-10 seed this season. I’m sure Meech spent many hours this off season working on his jumper, spreading the floor, both his offensive weeknesses. He is talented enough to overcome those areas. I could see him playing a Ronald Nored role (Butler) this season. I don’t think he’s going to shoot 3’s like Dikau, or post up like Pargo, but he’s much better on the defensive end than those guys could ever dream of. Every year (young) players have to step up and perform in newer roles, why can’t Meech?
blasted?
that means we all love ya maaaan! get thicker skin like me. gaz-blastic
The season, It’s almost on us!!! GOOOOOOO ZAAAAGS!!~
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
Keep in mind
He’s was a sophomore, which is pretty young. He’s never going to be elite, but I think that he’ll surprise a lot of people this season—especially with the talent around him.
Meech
Good to see you sticking up for Meech! He is a hustler, plays with intensity, and is usually the quickest guy on the floor. Given a chance, I think he will be a major contributor.
Hit them 3s like in HS Meetch!!~
Leon Rice liked what he saw…“He looked like T.J. Ford [the NBA point guard] that night,” Rice said, remembering the first time he saw Goodson. “He was getting to the rim, making great decisions. We ended up watching him probably 25 times.”
As a senior at Klein Collins, TX Meetch ave. 16.7 ppg and 7.7 assists per game, I had always thought the points were mostly off of layups but check this: He also shot 38% from the 3 and 51% from the field.
That is a far cry from the dismal 18% from he shoot from the 3 at Gonzaga last year, but…I think it clearly shows he CAN shoot.
It is on the coaches to get him back to the percentage he has shown he can shoot and teach him to improve on it, IMO. If this can happen, it could be be a lot more fun at the point than many think.
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
correction: "That is a far cry from the dismal 18% he shot from the 3 at Gonzaga last year"
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
Hoping for the surprise.
I love Meech’s heart, and I am sure he’s had a great work ethic over the offseason, so I am rooting for him. I hope that Few will make the tough decision down the road IF Meech hasn’t made the improvements he needed to make.
by BW2020 on Oct 26, 2010 8:37 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
The biggest change needed isn't shooting...
It’s learning how to control the tempo. Many times last year Meech would use his blazing speed to push the ball and get caught in 1 on 2 or 1 on 3 situations. He would either force a shot or have to pull up and wait to start the offense. My hope is that Meech goes about 80% on most breaks allowing 2 on 1 or 3 on 2 situations to develop. From here he can kick it out to Gray for a 3 or flip it to a trailing Harris. His assist numbers will increase if he learns how to use his speed with a purpose.
by DKZagBlazer on Oct 26, 2010 9:37 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
He will finally get to be PG
This will be the first year that Meech will be able to play as the true PG. The jury is out on his ability to create for his teammates. I love his heart and passion and his speed is a huge asset…when he plays under control.
As I have said many times, I think he makes the jump we have hoped for. I also believe this team will suit him better as our number one option last year was Bouldin….. That was a fairly slow white guy with a very high basketball IQ. Meech did not mesh well with how we played last year…it hurt him and in turn he hurt his team…
I can see a much more up-tempo offense this year and I think this will suit him, HOWEVER…and they are big howevers…
He MUST get to the line more, and hit his FT when he does. (This means doing what he does very well, at times, attacking the rim)
He MUST create for his team
He MUST hit open shots (not 3’s)
He MUST take care of the ball.
The fact is the Zags don’t need a ton of point production from him. They have Harris and Gray, Sacre and to a lesser extent, Olynk, Arop, Dower who all can score points…not to mention Carter…What they need from Meech is consistency, just as the article states.
I think he will get 20 mins a game and Carter will get the other…great thing about that is how if changes the composition of the team on offense….and I see that as an advantage.
Great article!
by mattydog73 on Oct 26, 2010 10:44 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Yup
I agree that he was put in a difficult position last season and should be a lot more comfortable this year, I expect him to really impress a lot of people.
As for playing with “a fairly slow white guy with a very high basketball IQ”, wtf did being white have to do with anything? It’s 2010. Come on now.
It is a statement of fact.
He is, as a matter of fact white.
I realize what year it is and in 2011 he will still be white.
Do not presume to lecture me and keep your PC notions to yourself.
agree w/ CLT_Zagsfan
That is a very strange comment to make. I wish you would refrain from any more like that. Lets just go with players and skip the color thing? Why bring that up?
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
mhm...
Yes because calling a guy who is white…white is SO derogatory!
“Lets just go with players and skip the color thing? Why bring that up?”
Why don’t you ask Adam Morrison that question?
But in an effort to cater to your delicate sensabilities….
Meech was on a team that featured a slow guard with a high basketball IQ. This was not condusive to his style of play. Happy?
It’s not derogatory, it’s simply irrelevant. You used it as an adjective to describe his style of play, which is to say you equated his race with his ability to some degree. Ergo, racist. Not white supremacist or anything like that, but still racist.
As for Adam Morrison, it is and was people like you who focused on the fact that he was white.
Also, using the term “PC” makes you sound like a 90’s d-bag. Just saying.
by CLT_ZagsFan on Oct 27, 2010 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Wow
Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill with this whole race thing.
Matty’s point makes sense. Meech+Matt in the backcourt (let’s say both have Green skin) didn’t exactly rip it up. Meech is a push, push, push guy where as Matt was a deliberate player.
Meech will be a different player this season and will probably be asked to do a lot of different things. The lineup out there this season seems to fit the run and gun feel more than last year.
Regardless, chill out with the race crap. It’s obvious Matty’s point lacked malice.
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by Zach Bell on Oct 27, 2010 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Sorry to belabor the point...
But it’s a popular misconception that racism always involves malice. If I go around telling everyone I know that Asians are the smartest race on earth, that’s still offensive.
Agreed.
It’s not “delicate sensibilities” or “PC notions” to call foul when somebody uses race as an adjective that is necessarily associated with other characteristics. If you mean that Bouldin played a less-athletic more-deliberate style, then say so. Once you put the race part in, it looks like you’re trying to say that white people are smarter and slower while black people are faster and dumber. I don’t think that’s really what you were trying to convey.
apoligy accepted
Much better. :o)
Maybe a lil edginess lurks because the season is almost here? Kinda like when you practice against your teamates but need to play an actual game?
GOOOO ZAGS!!~
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
Room to grow
Last year, we had two players who had played major minutes with success…Gray & Bouldin. We had two more with limited experience (Sacre & Goodson) and then a bunch of newcomers. This may have led to Few keeping a tight leash on Meech thereby not allowing him to take the chances necessary to grow in the offense and gain the confidence needed to properly run the point. This year is different. We have seven guys now besides Meech that we know can step in and play major minutes. Five of those seven already have played major minutes of D-1 ball. I think this factor will allow Meech more freedom to learn how to run the club successfully and gain the confidence he needs.
I really hope all your wishes come true
For my part, I’ll be happy if he can make 80% of his free throws. Anything after that is gravy.
mjc
mjc
by quidveritas on Oct 26, 2010 3:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Remember when Dan Dickau left
We were still in good hands with Blake, but Few discussed how much we would miss Dan’s ability to control the throttle of the team. I think Blake acquired a real feel for it, but something like that takes time. And when you talk about the wide variety of ways a PG can impact his team (whether you call Meetch a PG or not, not trying to beat that horse cadaver), probably common thread is controlling tempo to your teams benefit (offensively or defensively) as commented on above, and winning turnover battle. longest run-on sentence in post?
80%??
I think he was talking about going 80% speed on fast breaks. But Meech Shooting 80 % free throws? come on guys, you need to be a little more realistic, Grey doesn’t even shoot that..
I can shoot 80% and I did
Free throw shooting is a matter of commitment to achieve a certain level of achievement and puttin in the time. Unlike a lot of basketball skills, free throws do not require basketball IQ, athleticism, size, strength, or any other physical attribute.
Practically any 8th grader (male or female) can make a free throw.
The physical act of shooting the free throw is something that can be learned and with practice, one can develop and reproduce the motions needed to make that shot time and time again.
The mental side of things requires a certain degree of concentration and the ability to control your emotions/fatigue so they do not influence your shot. For some this gets to be quite a bug-a-boo as they put way too much pressure on themselves.
But as someone once said, anxiety only happens if you don’t know what you are doing.
Preparation + Practice = Success
mjc
by quidveritas on Oct 27, 2010 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't agree
Not everyone is an equally great shooter. Making free throws in practice is one thing, but being able to do it in front of thousands in the stop and flow of a game is much harder. If only shaq had you as a free throw coach
You don't even need to see the basket
I used to marvel when Dave Leslie would make 40 or 50 free throws in a row in practice – he’d pull this off quite often. (I’d be lucky to make 10 in a row once a month). He’d tell me it was all about getting in a rhythm.
I went to high school with Pat Donovan
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Donovan_%28American_football%29)
Pat suffered from Amblyopia — in essence he was unable to focus his eyes much beyond 10 or 12 feet. To him the backboard looked like a big blur. Just the same, Pat was a stellar High School basketball player and his free throw shooting was never an issue — at least I never heard anyone say anything about it. Pat had a routine at the line and it worked for him.
There are also lots of stories about Michael Jordan who would shoot free throws with minor league baseball players. Jordan would knock down 7 in a row and then turn to the guys and say, I’m going to make this fair, I’ll shoot the last three with my eyes closed — story goes he knocked down the last three with his eyes shut!
I can see where a tall guy like Foster might have some issues because the arc on the ball is less than a shorter guy. If you look at their shot, a lot of times its because they never learned how to properly put rotation on the ball when they shoot it.
Meech doesn’t appear to have those problems and probably won’t any time soon. I think he can do a lot better than his performance last year. 80% is not a pipe dream.
mjc
Coaches see something
We had some pretty good players leave the program in part because they couldn’t beat out Meech for PT. I have to assume the coaches believe that Goodson gives them the best chance to win and they’re the ones who see him every day and whose jobs are on the line.
I count myself among those who were frustrated with his play last year, but his ability is unquestionable. The issue is whether his skill improves to match that ability. I have to trust Few and the staff to help make that happen. Like sso many guys on this team if Mooch can get comfy with his role he can be a key guy.
by Zagfantoo on Oct 27, 2010 5:03 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
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