Originally Posted by jack72
We only had five fouls, believe or not, so no bonus. That is the biggest argument of calling a timeout, so you can instruct the players on fouling. Even if we scored, we should have fouled a penetrating dribbler.
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But Coach Grant would probably argue that the correct play is to shoot the ball with less than 3 seconds on the clock, so whether you make or miss the shot, its effectively the last shot in regulation. Even if you make the shot, another 1.5-2.0 seconds goes off the clock, relegating the clock to just 1-2 seconds remaining. You aren't even in the mindset of the opposition getting the ball back because they.....well....they shouldnt if you do what you're supposed to do which is shoot the last shot that can be taken in regulation.
But lets say Darrell does that and swishes a shot with 1.3 seconds left on the clock. Miss State now has to go the length of the court to tie or win.
With just 1.3 (or something similar) seconds left, you're no longer in "fouling" mode anyway. This is not a case where a team has 4-6 seconds, gets to halfcourt, and you hatchet a guy to force another in-bounds which may force them to throw the ball in the backcourt of away from the rim and eat up more time and give you a better chance to defend a poor shot.
With such little time on the clock, Miss State has a catch -- and MAYBE one dribble -- at most. In other words they are gonna chuck it as soon as they get the ball. Last thing you want to do under these circumstances is foul a shooter -- because the likely level of difficulty in any shot they take is going to be very high anyway. You have no time to foul the guy NOT in the act of shooting because hes basically going to shoot as soon as he catches the long in-bounds pass. God forbid we foul a shooter while taking a 35ft circus shot, he makes 3FTs and the Bulldogs win the game by one.
I have no issues with not calling a TO with the ball late. Miss State had no more timeouts themselves. Calling a TO allows them draw up a defeese -- perhaps an in-bound pass denial that causes a turnover. Given how we were throwing the ball away -- and if you remember we threw the ball away on an inbounds pass earlier in the second half -- there's no need to risk that when you already have the ball across halfcourt and have the final shot in the game. Maybe if you have Scoochie on the court you feel like you have more options, but we dont have those options. With this team you need to keep it simple and not create a solution in search of a problem.
If we do what we're supposed to do, neither having a foul to give nor taking a timeout nor giving Miss State a decent look at the last shot of the game even happens. Its not even on the radar.
