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  • Derek Willis with "outstanding" game against Arkansas

    by
    Darrell KSR
    Published on 01-07-2017 11:02 PM
    1 Comment Comments
    By LARRY VAUGHT



    Not only did Derek Willis hit his first shot Saturday, he hit his first five Saturday night against Arkansas.

    For a player who had been struggling with his shot and confidence, there could not have been a better way to start a game — especially when UK’s leading scorer, Malik Monk, was struggling to score. Willis finished with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, and five rebounds in the 97-71 win.

    “I feel like all shooters kind of go through a slump of some sort. That’s just where I was trying to play better defense and rebound and focus on that while I came out of it,” said Willis.

    “Tonight, I felt comfortable shooting. I’ve been doing different things, getting in the gym, getting more shots up, trying not to fall back, I guess. At least that’s what I’ve been told, leaning back a lot.”

    Willis said he spent time with assistant coaches Kenny Payne and Joel Justus working on his shot and getting into more of a routine each time he would catch the ball and shoot.

    “I feel I kind of fell out of that where I was so focused on defense and rebounding and trying to add that to be a more complete player,” Willis said. “This was a good game to have. For the past games, I feel like I did good stuff and rebounded well.

    “So I was happy with myself on that aspect, but it was really frustrating where I would be open and I was bricking shots. It was really getting on my nerves. I just got in the gym a little bit more and I came through today. So I’m pretty happy with that.”

    Arkansas coach Mike Anderson was not as happy. He had seen Willis have the same type game against his team last season.

    “The guy that keeps haunting us. Last year he haunted us at Bud Walton Arena, and tonight he haunted us as well. He’s one of those stretch guys – and it just seems like I go and watch games and he don’t shoot it like that – but when the Razorbacks show up, he lights it up,” Anderson said.

    Calipari liked the shooting, but he was happier with other things.

    “I thought Derek Willis was outstanding, getting better defensively, getting better rebounding the ball,” Calipari said.

    With the way Calipari had been harping on Willis, the Kentucky senior had tried to focus on defense and rebounding. While Willis thought he was getting better on both, he knew his offense slipped. He also knew Kentucky needed him to make shots.

    “I was working a lot harder than I ever have before on defense and so I think it could have been a little bit of a conditioning thing where my legs weren’t really used to it and affected my shot and I reverted back to old habits. I think it’s just a thing of just being in the gym more and being more comfortable and all that,” he said.
    1. Categories:
    2. Basketball
    Comments 13 Comments
    1. badrose's Avatar
      badrose - 01-08-2017, 01:10 PM
      Thank you for this, Larry. More than anyone I want to see this kid succeed. Everything being equal he's more than paid his dues.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack - 01-08-2017, 01:17 PM
      Willis has been getting time this year so it's on him, his shooting has been bad all season.
    1. badrose's Avatar
      badrose - 01-08-2017, 01:30 PM
      His stats so far this year

      http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...9/derek-willis
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 01-08-2017, 01:39 PM
      When Briscoe went 3-3 the other night from the arc, and raised his 3-point shooting to 41% for the season, and when Willis had a good game last night, and raised his stats to "good" stats (see below), it ought to point out something that few people (me included) consider enough.

      Statistically, the sample size is still too small for most players at this point in the season--particularly when you have a Willis, who platoons and plays maybe 1/2 a game, and a Briscoe, who plays all the time, but does not shoot many 3-pointers.

      So you can't really say "Joe is a bad shooter," you can only say, "Joe hasn't shown that he can hit the shot so far in limited sampling."

      Briscoe went from (29%?) or so from 3-point range to 41% with just 3 shots.

      Willis went from a disappointing season, to this, with just one game:

      Willis
      49.4% FG
      34.7% from 3
      76.9% FT
      7.5 PPG
      4.5 RPG

      I'd like to see better than 35% from 3-point range, but if he had done that all year, few would have had major concerns with him. He has 2 good games in the next 4, and his stats will turn into very good ones. (IF, IF, IF, of course).
    1. Darryl's Avatar
      Darryl - 01-08-2017, 01:45 PM
      Willis plays like that the rest of the year we are near unbeatable

      Darryl
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 01-08-2017, 01:53 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Darryl View Post
      Willis plays like that the rest of the year we are near unbeatable

      Darryl
      Conversely, we are very beatable (relatively speaking--or at least, very vulnerable) if he doesn't.

      During one possession last night in the 2nd half, the ball went to Fox at the top of the key for an open 3-pointer. He declined to take the shot. He swung it to Briscoe for an open shot on the wing. He declined to take the shot. (I may have those two reversed, now that I think of it). Then the ball went to Hawkins close to the corner. He declined to take the shot.

      I mentioned it on the Game thread at the time, and that each of them properly turned down the shot because it wasn't perfect, although open. Monk would have taken the shot, and made it. So would Mulder and Willis, I think. I don't like having 3 perimeter players that turn down that shot each time, although I didn't blame them for making that decision.
    1. badrose's Avatar
      badrose - 01-08-2017, 01:54 PM
      For me cause of the fluctuation is that it seems he's always been on a shorter leash than the "one-and-done" players who get to play through their mistakes and maintain higher PPG and MPG avgs. It's the sort of thing that can get inside a player's head and affect his confidence.
    1. DanISSELisdaman's Avatar
      DanISSELisdaman - 01-08-2017, 02:23 PM
      I agree, I think this is exactly happened!
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN - 01-08-2017, 02:40 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by badrose View Post
      For me cause of the fluctuation is that it seems he's always been on a shorter leash than the "one-and-done" players who get to play through their mistakes and maintain higher PPG and MPG avgs. It's the sort of thing that can get inside a player's head and affect his confidence.
      This. So very very this. It's been my argument for 2 years and I still think it's right.

      Not every player works with every style of coaching. Willis has had a short leash and Cal has tried to use that to push him, but I wonder how he'd have done if he'd been able to play through mistakes a little more.

      He's shown flashes of a player with another level up from where he plays, but we've only ever seen flashes. Some of that is on him not staying focused and going hard at that level, but Cal also hasn't ever been able to bring it out of him and I wonder if maybe treating him more like the star players may have done it. It may not have, but I'd like for him to have tried for a few tuneup games and see.
    1. ETWNAPPEL's Avatar
      ETWNAPPEL - 01-08-2017, 02:44 PM
      There's almost no greater factor to a shooters success then confidence. Willis lost his when benched. Wish Cal would work on Willis' the way he seems to others. Like it's been said, keep him successful and the team is unstoppable
    1. Padukacat's Avatar
      Padukacat - 01-08-2017, 02:48 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      When Briscoe went 3-3 the other night from the arc, and raised his 3-point shooting to 41% for the season, and when Willis had a good game last night, and raised his stats to "good" stats (see below), it ought to point out something that few people (me included) consider enough.

      Statistically, the sample size is still too small for most players at this point in the season--particularly when you have a Willis, who platoons and plays maybe 1/2 a game, and a Briscoe, who plays all the time, but does not shoot many 3-pointers.

      So you can't really say "Joe is a bad shooter," you can only say, "Joe hasn't shown that he can hit the shot so far in limited sampling."

      Briscoe went from (29%?) or so from 3-point range to 41% with just 3 shots.

      Willis went from a disappointing season, to this, with just one game:

      Willis
      49.4% FG
      34.7% from 3
      76.9% FT
      7.5 PPG
      4.5 RPG

      I'd like to see better than 35% from 3-point range, but if he had done that all year, few would have had major concerns with him. He has 2 good games in the next 4, and his stats will turn into very good ones. (IF, IF, IF, of course).
      This is a great post right here! Must read.
    1. kingcat's Avatar
      kingcat - 01-08-2017, 03:01 PM
      That's where the coaches have an advantage over us armchair pundits. They know if the stats are reflective of what happens in practice every day.

      Coach has stated that Briscoe and all the guards have been shooting great in practice. not so much Willis as even he admits the attention to defense and rebounding had affected his shot adversely

      So in truth, it's only our sample size that can't be trusted this early.
    1. ShoesSwayedBlue's Avatar
      ShoesSwayedBlue - 01-09-2017, 10:09 AM
      I know it's not zero sum and that Cal has to push for perfection, but if the choice is between Willis playing more and the Cats giving up three more points a game versus making our half court offense 20% more effective I know where my vote goes.

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