• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

PF/C Kosta Koufos (CSKA Moscow)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
If the Bucks want to be successful and make a little run, KK needs to start playing like a 7 footer. If I were Matta, I wouldn't let him take 20 footers @ practice. Make him develop his inside game and force him to become a better back to the basket player. He shows brief moments of emotion and intensity down low but is sparratic. It's unfair to compare the guy to Oden b/c their games are different, but when you're 7' tall, you should dominate the boards more than he has this year.

:oh::io:
 
Upvote 0
I don't agree that taking outside Js and having an inside game are mutually exclusive. Kosta actually started to play with some sack in the second half last night, blocking shots and fighting for boards. That needs to continue if the Buckeyes want to contend for the conference title.
 
Upvote 0
Help me out here guys (stinking money hungry Time Warner, unyielding B10 Network, and seemingly inept Direct TV installers) I have been unable to see a lot of the recent games, not sure why, but in the second half against MSU and in spurts in the Tenn game it seemed like KK was really beginning to assert himself.

Last night it sounded like he was playing aggressively as well, Keels (on 1460WBNS) claims he growled on one of his blocks.

I agree he needs to limit his time spent 20' from the bucket, unless it is in the flow of the game, or used to allow other players take advantage of mismatches in the paint. Either way though, it is starting to look/sound like the light may have come on a bit.
 
Upvote 0
I think he is making progress. He has started to be more aggresive in his play and has learned to protect the ball when he gets a rebound if traffic. Earlier on he was getting stripped all the time.
He is learning to be intense at ths level. I think in high school he wasn't challenged in a few areas and he has to learn all over, so to speak.
He still does have some trouble blocking and rebounding but he is ata least improving.
 
Upvote 0
It has nothing to do with him playing inside out and needing to be exclusively playing like a 7 footer...Can you imagine if someone told Dirk that for the Mavs...

The thing is that KK needs to get to where he feels more comfortable...He stepped inside the 3 point line and knocked down the 18 footer with ease, he has soft touch around the hoop and 18 and in...It isn't that he can't knock down the 3 it is just that he is more effective inside the 3 point line...

One other observation that I have made is KK really lets his offensive game effect his overall game...Once he made a couple baskets, then he was really agreessive on defense and that was when he made the block and screamed with emotion...

I think the guys really fed off the crowd last night...KK was really trying to get he crowd into it and then he fed off the that...
 
Upvote 0
I think that this was one of Kosta's best games this season. He was a lot more aggressive and seemed to communicate with his teammates a lot better. He really seemed to want to play last night and I think if he keeps improving as he did last night compared to the Illinois game he might be gone after this season.

On another note, I do not think that he and Matta see eye to eye. There was about 6+ minutes left in the game last night when he picked up his 3rd foul for defensive blocking. He went out to the corner and did not slide close enough to the baseline. Anyhow, right after the foul he saw someone, either Twig or Hunter, coming off of the bench to replace him you could see him shout "No" towards the bench but the substitute came in anyhow. I felt bad for him because I knew he really wanted to stay in and continue to contribute as he had been doing all night long.

I have no problems with his outside shooting as long as he also rebounds and plays solid defense which I think he did last night.
 
Upvote 0
Against Minney I felt KK was very physical and agressive from the start.....he initiated contact and I was glad to see him actually fight for position and rebounds.....I thought it was a step in the right direction.......lets see what happens tonight on the road.
 
Upvote 0
true, but id like to see a higher level of competitive composure, higher levels of sustained effort and more consistency. reality is its the thick of the b10 schedule, these guys should be getting that every trip down the floor needs to be played at a certain intensity, we are seeing this level from time to time, it needs to be there everytime.
 
Upvote 0
OSUBasketballJunkie;1078263; said:
Against Minney I felt KK was very physical and agressive from the start.....he initiated contact and I was glad to see him actually fight for position and rebounds.....I thought it was a step in the right direction.......lets see what happens tonight on the road.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. I thought the very same thing. Let's hope it carries forward.
 
Upvote 0
true, but id like to see a higher level of competitive composure, higher levels of sustained effort and more consistency. reality is its the thick of the b10 schedule, these guys should be getting that every trip down the floor needs to be played at a certain intensity, we are seeing this level from time to time, it needs to be there everytime.
Click to expand...

I 100% agree that we are seeing it in spots.....it needs to be every trip down the court.....I hope he can find that level of intensity and increase it tonight on the road......be aggressive and do not react to them, make them adjust to you.
 
Upvote 0
jimotis4heisman;1078281; said:
true, but id like to see a higher level of competitive composure, higher levels of sustained effort and more consistency. reality is its the thick of the b10 schedule, these guys should be getting that every trip down the floor needs to be played at a certain intensity, we are seeing this level from time to time, it needs to be there everytime.
Click to expand...

I really think a lot of this from KK has do with his offense...If he offense is flowing well, he is much more assertive on the defensive end and rebounding and blocking shots, and just showing more energy...

That is why you see it in spurts because everyone knows you can't be on your game offensively all the time...He needs to let that go and just play with a lot of attitude all the time...

Still would like to see him take his game inside the 3 point line 90% of the time...he does a good job against slower big men at pointing the ball on the floor and going around them...He is also money from 15 and in...
 
Upvote 0
It was nice to finally see KK show some toughness today and reject White a couple times. I wish he would have committed some hard fouls on DJ so White would have known he was in a game. Also, Kosta really needs to become more aggressive on the boards and get out to the corners more quickly on defense to defend against a three. I think this might be the reason Matta takes him out periodically. He does not anticipate quickly enough and a guy gets an open three-pointer from the corner.

I am glad that I think I am finally seeing the guy that I thought we were going to get when the season first began. I just hope he continues to show his aggressiveness. He is extremely skilled for a 7'.
 
Upvote 0
Koufos should get the ball more. I think that's part of the problem with him is that he's a guy that can create, but the point guards and wing players don't always get him the ball in spots where he is looking for the ball. When they finally do get it to him the clock's running down and he is moved from his original positions to a position and a point in the shot clock in which his opportunity to create is limited.

I heard he was seen working on his shot recently. It looks like it's payed off.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top