PG Jeremie Simmons (official thread)

[crazybuckfan40]

I don't see any reason not to give PJ minutes...But I am not the coach...

 

[LitlBuck]

Dispatch

Ohio State men's basketball: Simmons quiets concerns at point
Guard shows signs of growing into role
Saturday, January 17, 2009 3:10 AM
By Bob Baptist

The night before the Ohio State men's basketball team played Indiana this week, Buckeyes coach Thad Matta was asked on his radio show how he planned to remedy the lack of a point guard in his program.

"We're pounding the streets and seeing what we can come up with," Matta replied.

It's unlikely Jeremie Simmons was listening. But you might have thought he was after he had career highs of 12 points and eight assists against the Hoosiers on Tuesday.

"At every level, coming from a lower level and going to the next level, it's all about getting comfortable and knowing your position," Simmons said yesterday. "I think once I get a better feel, I'll be able to relax more out there.

"I've been doing good lately, though."

Continued

From same article

Simmons' coach at Mott, Steve Schmidt, has seen most of Ohio State's games and said he can't believe the number of Simmons' shots that have rimmed out. He almost guaranteed that is about to change.

"Two things need to happen, and one is happening now," Schmidt said. "He's becoming more comfortable with the system and he's not going to play as tentative. I've talked to coach Matta, and he said, 'I need him to be more aggressive.' I told Jeremie, 'Be more aggressive. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.'

"The second thing is, once Jeremie has that breakout game with his shot, where he makes five or six, he'll have his confidence, and that's all he needs. Once he has that, it's over.

"I truly believe that Ohio State fans have not seen the best of his ability yet. They've seen spurts, but they've not seen it consistently. I'm just waiting to see that breakout game."

 

[Jake]

It's unlikely Jeremie Simmons was listening. But you might have thought he was after he had career highs of 12 points and eight assists against the Hoosiers on Tuesday.

If he can give us that consistently, we'll definitely win some ball games.

 

[DZ83CK]

I'm afraid Simmons won't have any "breakout" games against good teams this season ... he needs to get a quicker release on his shot. He seemed to rush his shots, especially the 2s, earlier this season & against good defenses. He said he's worked on getting a quicker release, but I'm not sure he's going to get it much better this season - perhaps he'll be improved in this area next season. His field goal percentage is pretty low, largely because he basically isn't making anything inside of the arc within the halfcourt offense.

I do believe Simmons has potential to help more this season by driving the ball towards the basket - we haven't seen a lot of that, but he showed flashes against WVU of what he could do. This team really needs a PG that makes plays inside the arc, and Simmons could become that.

I didn't see him making much different passes in the IU game compared to what he'd done before, so that 8 assists probably is going to be his season-high. Again, he needs to work more on doing things inside the arc - adding the drive & dish or drive & kick to what he does is a necessity.

 

[MaxBuck]

I'm afraid ...

 

[PtownBuckeye]

I thought he looked pretty good inside the arc today with the pair of floaters he made...I think he'll probably have a breakout game this season, he has a good looking stroke, and I'm sure his teammates don't call him A.O for nothing..

 

[DZ83CK]

Yes, he seemed to do more of the stuff he was doing against WVU in the second half there in the first half at UM. I would've liked to have seen what he could do with more minutes but the foul situation didn't really allow that.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Yup Simmons definely looks more at ease now , making some good passes and some shots.

 

[LitlBuck]

I'm afraid Simmons won't have any "breakout" games against good teams this season -.

I would like to know in your opinion what you would call a "breakout" game for Simmons. I mean combined points and assists. He had a pretty nice game against Indiana and Michigan (if it were not for fouls). I can live with his game all season long especially for a guy who has not played PG as his natural position until this season.

 

[DZ83CK]

I would like to know in your opinion what you would call a "breakout" game for Simmons. I mean combined points and assists. He had a pretty nice game against Indiana and Michigan (if it were not for fouls). I can live with his game all season long especially for a guy who has not played PG as his natural position until this season.

Well, a breakout game for him in my mind is one where he'd score 20+ points. This is a guy who averaged 21 ppg last season ... for him to never get more than 13 this season despite averaging 21 last season suggests there is potential for more from him.

The 8 assists against Indiana would suggest it's his breakout game from a passing standpoint, but until he makes several of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and drive & kick out) in a game he can't actually be considered to have "broken out" in that area. I don't consider "drive & lob" to be a prototypical PG pass along the lines of the drive & dish or drive & kick, but it's nice that Simmons can make that pass. The assists Simmons has made in the area of the paint (even on fastbreaks) all seem to be of the lob variety - I can't remember him driving and dishing to Mullens or Lauderdale with a bounce pass or chest pass or even a flip. I also don't remember him performing any drive & kicks. I didn't re-watch the IU game to scrutinize how he got 8 assists, but I think it was kind of a fluke that he got 8 assists - it seems to me that was a lot more "OSU had a great 3-point shooting game with the ordinary passing around the arc" than "Simmons really played like a PG". So there isn't really any certain number of assists for Simmons to have a breakout game there, and it's not totally fair to put a number on that because assists depend on someone else making a basket. When I see him execute five or more of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and/or drive & kick) in a game - even if the shot is missed - then I'll say it was a breakout game in that area.

 

[DaytonBuck]

Well, a breakout game for him in my mind is one where he'd score 20+ points. This is a guy who averaged 21 ppg last season ... for him to never get more than 13 this season despite averaging 21 last season suggests there is potential for more from him.

The 8 assists against Indiana would suggest it's his breakout game from a passing standpoint, but until he makes several of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and drive & kick out) in a game he can't actually be considered to have "broken out" in that area. I don't consider "drive & lob" to be a prototypical PG pass along the lines of the drive & dish or drive & kick, but it's nice that Simmons can make that pass. The assists Simmons has made in the area of the paint (even on fastbreaks) all seem to be of the lob variety - I can't remember him driving and dishing to Mullens or Lauderdale with a bounce pass or chest pass or even a flip. I also don't remember him performing any drive & kicks. I didn't re-watch the IU game to scrutinize how he got 8 assists, but I think it was kind of a fluke that he got 8 assists - it seems to me that was a lot more "OSU had a great 3-point shooting game with the ordinary passing around the arc" than "Simmons really played like a PG". So there isn't really any certain number of assists for Simmons to have a breakout game there, and it's not totally fair to put a number on that because assists depend on someone else making a basket. When I see him execute five or more of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and/or drive & kick) in a game - even if the shot is missed - then I'll say it was a breakout game in that area.

He averaged 21ppg last year but remember JUCO ball often times is little more than a slightly more organized version of and and 1 game. Scores in the 80-90's aren't uncommon there and defense isn't often times lacking.

 

[LitlBuck]

Well, a breakout game for him in my mind is one where he'd score 20+ points. This is a guy who averaged 21 ppg last season ... for him to never get more than 13 this season despite averaging 21 last season suggests there is potential for more from him.

The 8 assists against Indiana would suggest it's his breakout game from a passing standpoint, but until he makes several of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and drive & kick out) in a game he can't actually be considered to have "broken out" in that area. I don't consider "drive & lob" to be a prototypical PG pass along the lines of the drive & dish or drive & kick, but it's nice that Simmons can make that pass. The assists Simmons has made in the area of the paint (even on fastbreaks) all seem to be of the lob variety - I can't remember him driving and dishing to Mullens or Lauderdale with a bounce pass or chest pass or even a flip. I also don't remember him performing any drive & kicks. I didn't re-watch the IU game to scrutinize how he got 8 assists, but I think it was kind of a fluke that he got 8 assists - it seems to me that was a lot more "OSU had a great 3-point shooting game with the ordinary passing around the arc" than "Simmons really played like a PG". So there isn't really any certain number of assists for Simmons to have a breakout game there, and it's not totally fair to put a number on that because assists depend on someone else making a basket. When I see him execute five or more of the prototypical PG passes (drive & dish and/or drive & kick) in a game - even if the shot is missed - then I'll say it was a breakout game in that area.

See Dayton's response above regarding the points. He is now playing against Big 10 teams. Quite a difference. How many PG's in the Big 10 average more than 15 points per game

Regarding is assists. I said that his natural position was not the PG so the penetrating and dishing is not natural to him close this team is more of a three-point shooting team then a penetrating and dish team. I am satisfied with his play. Let's blame everything on him.

 

[DZ83CK]

I'm not blaming anything on him ... don't see where that's coming from. I was explaining what I thought a breakout game from him would be, which was what you asked for. Obviously, Simmons' coach from JC feels that Jeremie hasn't had a breakout game, and I trust his opinion in that regard. I'm sure his JC coach (and myself) are aware that there's a difference between JC and the Big Ten. The "points" the two of you are making in trying to point out the difference between the two are insulting. Come on. His coach says we haven't seen him play to the best of his ability or a breakout game from him. That's enough for me to beleive that there's more there. I believe Simmons can develop into more of a PG (and thereby learn to make the prototypical PG passes) because there are outstanding coaches at OSU that are helping him make the transition from SG to PG. If you don't think so, fine.

 

[DaytonBuck]

I'm not blaming anything on him ... don't see where that's coming from. I was explaining what I thought a breakout game from him would be, which was what you asked for. Obviously, Simmons' coach from JC feels that Jeremie hasn't had a breakout game, and I trust his opinion in that regard. I'm sure his JC coach (and myself) are aware that there's a difference between JC and the Big Ten. The "points" the two of you are making in trying to point out the difference between the two are insulting. Come on. His coach says we haven't seen him play to the best of his ability or a breakout game from him. That's enough for me to beleive that there's more there. I believe Simmons can develop into more of a PG (and thereby learn to make the prototypical PG passes) because there are outstanding coaches at OSU that are helping him make the transition from SG to PG. If you don't think so, fine.

I'm sure he hasn't had a break out game yet. You can't teach PG passing. That's a gift from god. Vision and awareness aren't coach able skills. I think he's adjusting to division one basketball. Not everyone is Steve Francis.

Look at Mott where he came from. They're a fine JC program but other than Simmons they're putting out mid-major talent. Kevin Tiggs down at East Tennessee State is probably the best player they've put out and he was the DII Juco player of the year.

 

[LitlBuck]

I'm not blaming anything on him ... don't see where that's coming from. I was explaining what I thought a breakout game from him would be, which was what you asked for. Obviously, Simmons' coach from JC feels that Jeremie hasn't had a breakout game, and I trust his opinion in that regard. I'm sure his JC coach (and myself) are aware that there's a difference between JC and the Big Ten. The "points" the two of you are making in trying to point out the difference between the two are insulting. Come on. His coach says we haven't seen him play to the best of his ability or a breakout game from him. That's enough for me to beleive that there's more there. I believe Simmons can develop into more of a PG (and thereby learn to make the prototypical PG passes) because there are outstanding coaches at OSU that are helping him make the transition from SG to PG. If you don't think so, fine.

I never said he would not develop into a pretty good PG so I have no idea where you are getting that from. In addition, I have posted in several places that I think too much blame is being put on Simmons regarding turnovers just because he is a point guard. You are the one who brought up the fact that you were waiting for one of his "breakout" games. I guess I would like to know how much you expect from him.

All the coach said that was the was surprised that Simmons was missing so many shots from outside and thought that would come around. I think we saw the same thing from Diebler last year. I don't care where you came from it takes some time to adjust to Big 10 play.