Martin: ball movement, on-ball defense keys to victory for Gamecocks against FIU
South Carolina’s men’s basketball team is off to a 1-2 start and will face coach Frank Martin’s alma mater, Florida International, Sunday at 1 p.m.
Martin said in Tuesday’s press conference that he has known several FIU players since they were in diapers and that several went to his oldest son’s high school. Those players include the Golden Panthers’ senior point guard Raymond Taylor who Martin calls “Ray-Ray.” Taylor leads the team with six assists per game while averaging just more than 13 points per contest.
FIU’s best player probably senior forward Rakeem Buckles, who played for coach Rick Pitino for three years at Louisville before transferring. Buckles was more of a role player at Louisville, but is now a featured player at FIU, averaging 15.5 points and around nine rebounds per game.
After Rick Pitino’s son, coach Richard Pitino, left the Golden Panthers to coach at Minnesota, Anthony Evans took over this season as FIU’s head coach. College basketball fans might remember Evans leading a 15-seeded Norfolk State team to an improbable upset of a 2-seeded Missouri team in the NCAA tournament two seasons ago.
“I thought hiring Anthony was a homerun for my alma mater,” Martin said. “He’s about winning, he’s about doing things right, so I am extremely proud as an alum with the direction that program’s going. I expect them to be real competitive, and I expect it to be a heck of a game for us. One that will definitely make us better.”
At the press conference, Martin also reflected on this past Sunday’s 71-57 loss at Clemson. He said that youth may have been a factor, but also felt the preparation going into the game was not good enough for his players.
“If you were to pin me down before the game in a little room somewhere and you said ‘you got to give me answers,’ I would have said we’re not winning,” he said.
Martin called the offensive play “pathetic” and mentioned that when the Gamecocks cut the Clemson lead to two points in the second half, South Carolina had five consecutive possessions where only one pass was made. The lack of ball movement made it easier for Clemson to get stops. Martin said the one-pass possessions are only understandable when the Gamecocks are attacking on an open floor, not when the opposing defense is set and ready.
On defense, Martin acknowledged his team has the effort, but some key concepts are not sinking in with the players.
“We’re not very good defensively right now,” he said. “We got guys that are trying, but we’re having major breakdowns and our biggest problem is guarding the basketball. You can practice rotations all you want, but the idea is to never get put on rotation; the idea is for you to guard the basketball so the ball doesn’t get in the paint.”
Senior guard Brenton Williams echoed Martin’s statements and added the team has to improve on keeping their focus throughout the game.
“I think the main problem during the Clemson game was miscommunication more than anything,” Williams said. “Most of the time, we didn’t have all five guys on the same page. Guys have to do a better job of keeping up with the changes that coach is making throughout the game.”
Williams said the mindset with the losses has changed from previous years where the Gamecocks may have dwelt on them. He added that there are still many games left in the season and that the first three games do not make or break it. Williams also said Martin let the team know while watching film that the problems with turnovers or defensive miscommunication are all fixable.
“The environment is definitely different and guys are a lot more positive and they’re not seeing it as a negative thing because it’s so early,” Williams said. “We’re not taking it too hard on ourselves because we know most of the problems we’re having right now are self-inflicted.”