This was a game we shouldn’t have lost, but we did, because we got out-coached and out-worked.
The notion that we were better without Ayo is ridiculous. But I think we were better without Ayo and Curbelo on the floor at the same time. Curbelo can’t play off the ball, which meant Ayo had to play off the ball, which isn’t his ideal role. And when Ayo had the ball, Curbelo is useless because he can’t spot up and shoot. I understand wanting to get two of your better creators out there at the same time, but it just didn’t work.
This is interesting and probably valid take. I think you recall the tension when Ayo showed up when Coach Hulka told Trent to stop shooting so much and that Ayo was Da Man.
A lot of discussion on here that they couldn't play well together as they both needed the ball in their hands to score.
AYo had too weak of handle to be a lead guard and to get others involved - and also score himself though. Had his moments, but we were spotty.
Second half of last year, Trent (and Feliz) did qausi PG duties, deferred fully to Ayo as primary scorer, and Ayo played OFF the ball more and he improved his production and efficiency a lot. We started looking pretty good.
We did clear out for him at end of games and do the 1/4 flat thing. He made some plays for sure, but he really wasn't one to create his own shot.
Really nobody on the team had true break down penetrating ability including Ayo as he had limited left hand.
Feliz could get inside and get his own out of pure street instincts at times.
Fast forward to this year and we did have a true PG in Andres now. Crazy little fuck but he knew how to play the position.
But it was kind of the Ayo NBA roadshow the first half of the year.
We were erratic, TO prone all year (including Ayo), and they all played defense sporadically.
AYo had some big games and he shot 15-17 times a game. Tried to do too much at times and still had limited left hand.
A lot of TOs,but a lot of production. We lived with it.
In second half of year he was even more of a do it all lead scoring guard. His assists went up as we did better in transition, and Kofi improved finishing and they got a pretty good PnR thing going at times.
Ayo's passing also improved to give him credit. He developed a crossover out of the blue in January after MD or somebody totally shut him down by forcing him left.
We played better team D which let to more transitions and his assists went up.
But he is not a true PG and has a lot of work to do that at next level. I don't think he has the instincts.
He did not handle the Loyola ball screen defense at all. Fell apart really.
He is not a PG, but he had the ball in his hands all the time anyway. Loyola knew this.
Curbelo knew how to manage the ballhandler ICE thing better, but we did not make the adjustments by the screener, and others to make themselves available quicker to make the defense pay.
Ayo was an extraordinary college player and in the conversation as an all time Illinois great.
He did not quite make the top tier list IMO. His BB IQ and defense was actually not that great.
And he was kind of hard to integrate with others in some ways.
His position in pros is wing off the ball- not a combo.
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