Sanjay on offense

[NUCat320]

There's this general feeling of resignation from the board with regard to Sanjay on offense: "He plays such lockdown defense, that I don't mind the sacrifices that are made with him on offense."

However, this perspective is based primarily on 'first impression', as he was a black hole his redshirt freshman season. However, since then, he's been a low-usage, high-efficiency offensive player.

Sanjay Lumpkin, eFG by year (year, eFG, rank on team among double-digit minute per game players; Tre Demps eFG for comparison):
2013-14, .289, 6th of 7; .407
2014-15, .595, 2nd of 9; .499
2015-16, .564, 5th of 10; .474

(In 2015, 6-10 were Lindsey, Olah, Falzon, McIntosh, Demps.)

Note that eFG measures just one thing -field goal shooting - and that Sanjay does not keep the ball frequently enough to have his number pulled down by last second heaves. He doesn't turn the ball over, and he was better on the O-boards than Olah.

But sometimes he gets discussed as if he's Chier Ajou or Mike Capocci out there. He's not. (I can't figure out who he *is* - as NU typically hasn't had talented players after about the third guy on the roster.)

Add his *lockdown* defense along with defensive versatility, and he's tremendously valuable and certainly worthy of a top five role. (I suggested a Bruce Bowen-type skill set as his ceiling midway through his freshman year - he's neither that good a shooter or that frequent a shooter, but the comparison still works.)

Anyway, I love that guy. He's among my favorite Cats. His hair plays a part in that evaluation.

Start here:
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/sanjay-lumpkin-1.html

 

[Kelly_32]

Back in the summer I was talking to McIntosh's dad about the potential rotations for this season. I told him that with Law back, the expected improvement from Falzone and the addition of Rap, that Sanjay might be the odd man out.

He just laughed and said, "You know a lot about basketball but that's the dumbest thing you've ever said. People don't realize how good Sanjay is."

He was right.

 

[Medill90]

Coming out of high school he was a decent offensive player and good three point shooter.

At some point early in his NU career he realized what he'd have to do to get major minutes. He's completely subjugated his game to become a defender who can fight in all the weight classes.

He was never going to be shooter, play maker and distributor who would force a BMac or a Law or others to the bench. But there's no way he's not getting major minutes. We'd be crying for Collins' head if Sanjay wasn't on this team.

I am president of the fan club. Membership which comes with a a free shirt is $25.

 

[clarificationcat]

There's this general feeling of resignation from the board with regard to Sanjay on offense: "He plays such lockdown defense, that I don't mind the sacrifices that are made with him on offense."

However, this perspective is based primarily on 'first impression', as he was a black hole his redshirt freshman season. However, since then, he's been a low-usage, high-efficiency offensive player.

Sanjay Lumpkin, eFG by year (year, eFG, rank on team among double-digit minute per game players; Tre Demps eFG for comparison):
2013-14, .289, 6th of 7; .407
2014-15, .595, 2nd of 9; .499
2015-16, .564, 5th of 10; .474

(In 2015, 6-10 were Lindsey, Olah, Falzon, McIntosh, Demps.)

Note that eFG measures just one thing -field goal shooting - and that Sanjay does not keep the ball frequently enough to have his number pulled down by last second heaves. He doesn't turn the ball over, and he was better on the O-boards than Olah.

But sometimes he gets discussed as if he's Chier Ajou or Mike Capocci out there. He's not. (I can't figure out who he *is* - as NU typically hasn't had talented players after about the third guy on the roster.)

Add his *lockdown* defense along with defensive versatility, and he's tremendously valuable and certainly worthy of a top five role. (I suggested a Bruce Bowen-type skill set as his ceiling midway through his freshman year - he's neither that good a shooter or that frequent a shooter, but the comparison still works.)

Anyway, I love that guy. He's among my favorite Cats. His hair plays a part in that evaluation.

Start here: He is exceptionally low-usage so shooting percentage is very misleading. When you are only taking 1 or 2 shots a game, and one of them is a cut to the basket or a fast break layup, you should shoot exceptionally well. Last year, he didn't score a point in 7 conference games. His PER so far is nearly double what it was last year. I think he's a very valuable guy to have on the team (especially in a program historically lacking in toughness and defense) and when he contributes offensively, we tend to win (Virginia Tech, DePaul and Wisconsin last year). So I hope he keeps up the great play and high energy all season.
http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/sanjay-lumpkin-1.html

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

We'd be crying for Collins' head if Sanjay wasn't on this team.

I doubt that. Collins has certainly played a role with Sanjay developing into the type of player he is. I also think Collins is working Ash to be a similar type player...

 

[Sec.112]

You understand Lumpkin's conference eFG% was the bottom three of any regular NU rotation player last year, right?

And the other two players scored 8 ppg more than him on seven times as many attempts.

 

[NUCat320]

You understand Lumpkin's conference eFG% was the bottom three of any regular NU rotation player last year, right?

And the other two players scored 8 ppg more than him on seven times as many attempts.

I don't believe you're correct.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/northwestern/2016.html

2015-16 eFG, as reported by basketball reference:
Skelly 648
Pardon 646
Jvz 618
Taphorn 603
Lumpkin 564
Lindsey 552
Olah 545
Falzon 522
McIntosh 487
Ash 483
Demps 447

 

[Sec.112]

You're missing a key word in my sentence.

 

[NUCat320]

You're missing a key word in my sentence.

I see six guys below him, five if you exclude Ash.


HOW MUCH DOES ODENIGBO WEIGH?

 

[Sec.112]

You are looking at the same site and the same page, but we are not talking about the same set of stats. Look at my original sentence.

 

[NUCat320]

You are looking at the same site and the same page, but we are not talking about the same set of stats. Look at my original sentence.

And the trend holds for his sophomore year! Curses!

I hope he's not a disaster come February.

Basketball reference goes deep.

WAIT HOW MUCH DOES ODENIGBO WEIGH NOW?

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

I see six guys below him, five if you exclude Ash.

CONFERENCE!!!!! Geez...

 

[NUCat320]

CONFERENCE!!!!! Geez...

I heard 265. Is that right?

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

I heard 265. Is that right?

You have a hard time when you're proven wrong, don't you?

 

[JournCat]

You can make almost any argument with statistics, right? Let me argue for the conventional wisdom here that his offensive limitations can hurt us.

The problem with using Sanjay's eFG is his low usage rates, as the OP mentions. KenPom still categorizes him as "nearly invisible" on offense. He's still at 11.8 percent of possessions used this year. Yes, he shot 36 percent from 3 last year, but he took 36 threes total. With a center in Pardon who doesn't shoot jumpers at all, it's tough to play DP and Sanjay together if the threes from the wings aren't falling and we have to generate points inside.

Sanjay is a really valuable player for us. He's a much better fit next to Skelly, a good shooter whose interior passing is as good as I can remember for a Northwestern big man. The way Lumpkin played John Collins, a possible NBA player, in the last 10 minutes was a great sign for this season's prospects. We could close a lot of Big Ten games with that lineup.

 

[NUCat320]

You have a hard time when you're proven wrong, don't you?

(Dude, I got it the fourth time. But I continued my hilarious ODENIGBO joke.)