California basketball (preview/overview) 1/4
Keith Edward Casner
Fasil Bekele <dbf...@uclink.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>
>Sean Marks (6'11") red-shirted this year. A player from Australia, Marks
>had a FG AND FT percentage in the 90% range. Admittedly, this might not
>mean much if he were playing in the 5' and under Australlian basketball
>league, but at the very least, the free throw shooting is very encouraging.
>I've not had a chance to see Marks play this year, so it's difficult for
>me to make any comments. But it certainly can't hurt to have as many big
>men as you can to practice against one another.
>
>(Note - I just played with Sean Marks the other day at the gym. It's hard
>to say how much talent he really has, because he was not putting in a
>100% effort. However, he has pretty good hops and isn't a small 6'11". In
>fact, he seems to have good strength, and will hopefully make a positive
>contribution next year)
Yeah, I've played with him at RSF too. But I thought he was from New
Zealand, and I don't think he's six-eleven. He told me himself he's
6-9. But the guy is quite nimble for his size and can handle the rock.
he had a number of vicious moves on the baseline to drive in and slam -
admittedly against a guy who's only 6-3, but it takes athletic ability
even if a munchkin like me was guarding him. I think the guy will be a
contributor down the road, and at the very least, I had my longest
winning streak at the RSF in a long time with him on my squad.
Keith
Fasil Bekele
intended to overview and preview the California Golden Bear basketball
team. These are comments on the future of the University of California
GOLDEN BEARS basketball squad. But first, a little whining and retro-
spect about the past...
It's difficult not to talk about last year's basketball season without
thinking about what might have been. Not many teams in the college
basketball world could have done as well as Cal did this year without
their starting shooting guard (K.J. Roberts - stress fracture, foot)
and their starting power forward (Al Grigsby - knee, hamstring). Combining
that with the losses of a reserve guard (Randy Duck, broken arm) and a
reserve forward (Stevie Johnson - dismissed from the team for being a punk),
and you have a team that was depleted.
This is not to say that the other members of the team didn't step up, but
when you are missing two of your best five players (maybe 3 with Duck) that
is a loss of talent that would make the difference in many games.
Even though it was simple to follow the formula of "Kidd and Murray create!",
it would have been difficult, if not impossible for Cal to have been as
successful as they were if it weren't for some inspired play by others
who were forced to step up the level of their game.
At the same time, it may have been the overuse of that formula that led
to the loss to UWGB in the NCAA's. As a team, even with injuries, California
had a considerable amount of talent on the floor. Whether it was a fluke
or a preview of things to come, players like Monty Buckley, Michael Stewart,
Randy Duck, Anwar McQueen, and even Ryan Jamison contributed in large ways
during some very important games.
In the end, basketball is a team sport, and it confused me greatly why
we did not take advantage of our supreme height advantage in that game by
posting up Jamison or Murray on a consistent basis. In Bozeman's first
year, he showed a willingness to play his reserves liberally. But there
is a large difference between being on the floor and being given the
opportunity to get shots. UWGB outplayed. outhustled, and outsmarted
Cal that day. I have to question Coach B.'s strategy in that game,
but that's beside the point, as anyone can second guess.
Let me make a few points clear.
Jason Kidd and K.J. Roberts as an injury free backcourt would have had an
extremely strong case as being one of the best, if not THE BEST backcourt
duo in the nation. K.J.'s incredible speed, defense, and a great outside
shot made him a powerful contributor to the squad in the games he did
play. And Jason Kidd, was well, Jason Kidd. (***NOTE*** -- better that
Stoudamire and Reeves? Maybe. However, I don't think they would have
put up equivalent numbers on a healthy Cal squad since there would be so
many players who could put up points (Grigsby, Buckley, and Murray).)
Al Grigsby was coming off a MVP Season in the Summer Bay Area Basketball
League (not sure about the actual name of the league, sorry) -- dealing
monstrous offensive and defensive statistics over the course of the season
against quality opposition (admittedly not NBA superstar status, but they
weren't your weak scrub gym-rats, either). As a force on the inside, Al
was SORELY missed this year, as we had no one to assume a true power
forward position. Forced to play Lamond Murray at the PF spot for part
of the season, it's no wonder we got pounded to death on the inside against
Arizona at Cal. (Although it's a tribute to Murray for doing well in a role
not best suited for him)
Stevie Johnson is, well, a punk who garners little respect at the RSF in
Berkeley, let alone in a serious discussion about college hoops. But
we probably could have used him down the stretch. Stevie did hit a
crucial three in that wonderful victory over Duke in the NCAA's last year,
and even though he isn't the most talented player, the experience he
could have lent to the team could have been helpful down the stretch (but
again, I repeat, he was a punk -- I'll have to tell the story of what he
did to friends of his family at some other time).
Certainly Randy Duck breaking his arm and reducing our roster to SEVEN
scholarship players didn't help. Sure, you might only play your best
seven players throughout the game, but it's nice to give your players a
rest, and with the lineup we had pre-injury, we would have had one
of the deeper teams in the nation.
Although as an aside, it's difficult to say how much progress the freshmen
on the team would have made without the extensive playing time they saw
this year because of the injuries. For the future anyway, the injuries were
a good thing.
--- *** THE FUTURE *** ---
Well, enough of what might have been. The above posturing amounts to
little more than excuses for a performance of a Cal team that could
have done better, but really had a fine season. Hats off to Kidd and
Murray, two extremely talented players (maybe the best at their positions
--- at least in the Pac-10 --- this year). I'd like to start a discussion
as to what might be in store for this young, talented Cal team.
Let's go by position.
CENTER:
Michael Stewart (6'10") stepped up as a freshman to lead the Pac-10 in blocked
shots (statistic not available at typing). The future is really bright for
this guy. He has great shot blocking instincts, and should only get better.
He played some PF time alongside Ryan Jamison this year, but his abilities are
probably better suited for the center spot. Michael needs to work on some
of his low-post fundamentals and his free-throw shooting. He already posseses
a nice drop step, and can score near the basket if given the opportunity.
Mike made a LOT of progress this year, and if he could some weight
on his body, he could develop into pro prospect by the time he's a senior.
Again, his shot-blocking instincts are GOOD, and there is nothing about his
game that can't be cured by practice, practice, practice. He actually
has decent post moves, and a couple of big-man camp sessions should help
him along in that department. His free throw shooting is a real weakness,
but again, that would be up to him to practice and improve on it.
I'm looking for Stewart to come up big next year and continue to be a force
for Cal on the inside, particularly on defense.
Sean Marks (6'11") red-shirted this year. A player from Australia, Marks
had a FG AND FT percentage in the 90% range. Admittedly, this might not
mean much if he were playing in the 5' and under Australlian basketball
league, but at the very least, the free throw shooting is very encouraging.
I've not had a chance to see Marks play this year, so it's difficult for
me to make any comments. But it certainly can't hurt to have as many big
men as you can to practice against one another.
(Note - I just played with Sean Marks the other day at the gym. It's hard
to say how much talent he really has, because he was not putting in a
100% effort. However, he has pretty good hops and isn't a small 6'11". In
fact, he seems to have good strength, and will hopefully make a positive
contribution next year)
Ryan Jamison (6'11") will be a senior playing his final season as a Golden
Bear. Although Ryan "Big Daddy" Jamison hasn't become a dominant force,
he's made a great deal of progress since he's been here. When Todd Bozeman
first became the coach here at Cal, Jamison was truly sorry. It seemed his
confidence was shot, and his was the role of the weak link on our team.
Don't get me wrong, Ryan is still weak, but not incurably so (for the most
part, anyway).
Ryan is earthbound. He has decent lateral motion, but his footwork
needs to improve, and even though he apparently has a decent vertical leap,
it seems to disappear come game-time. He has hands of stone at times, and
has been known to treat the ball as if it were a hot potato, dropping it
at will. And he is especially notorious for having an open 17-footer at the
free-throw line and making a stupid head-fake before passing or taking an
off-balance shot.
The keys for Ryan's success are the following:
1) Improve his vertical. Jamison may actually have a good vertical leap.
He was featured as a walk on to the Cal men's volleyball team as a middle
blocker (they won the National club title I think), and even though he
already has a 6'11" height advantage, his leaping must not be TOO bad.
Regardless of his leaping statistics without the ball, with the ball, Ryan
doesn't have the explosive ability needed to hurt people in the low post.
Because of this, Ryan was pushed out to the free throw line area. In a man
to man defensive set, it keeps one more big man off of the boards for the
opponent, thus diminishing the advantage many teams had in rebounding
ability. Unfortunately, you can only get someone to come out on Jamison
if they respect his shot. That is something else he needs to work on.
2) Develop a mid-range shot. -- I've seen Ryan hit the 17' corner shot.
Many, many, many times. He should take the shot more. Unfortunately, the
way the offense is set, when Ryan is up top, looking for cutters and wing
men, there is no rebounding advantage underneath the boards. If he misses
the shot, it's almost an automatic change in possesion. If Coach B can
derive a scheme to pull Jamison out of the key so he can take such shots,
I believe that he can start putting up better numbers. (It should be noted
that next year, we should have the personnel to make such plays possible.)
3) Continue to improve his passing. -- Ryan is actually a good passer.
Whether or not he's been taking lessons from J. Kidd, I have no idea. All
I know is that Ryan has made some great improvements in his passing game
this year, and he should not let that improvement atrophy by not practicing.
4) Be hungry. -- This is a statement that could be attributed to all
basketball players. If a ball comes off the boards, you need to feel as
if it is yours, and if anyone else takes it from you it means you didn't
want it enough. Come strong, big Daddy, or don't come at all.
--------------------------
That's all for this week. Next week, I'll be posting some data on our
Forwards, both returning and recruited. Featured players will be
Al Grigsby (PF)
Tremaine Fowlkes (PF/SF)
Tony Gonzalez (PF)
Monty Buckley (F/G)
Jerod Ward?
Please post comments if you think this set of articles is relevant.
I'm sure there are many aspects of each player that I've missed, so
feel free to comment. And let me know if you'd like me to continue
with this.
--- Vince Polite -- (- dbf...@uclink.berkeley.edu)
Russ Smith
>Al Grigsby was coming off a MVP Season in the Summer Bay Area Basketball
>League (not sure about the actual name of the league, sorry) -- dealing
>monstrous offensive and defensive statistics over the course of the season
>against quality opposition (admittedly not NBA superstar status, but they
>weren't your weak scrub gym-rats, either). As a force on the inside, Al
Its the Pro Am league in San Francisco, the previous year the MVP was
Jason Kidd. Brian Shaw and Greg Foster played in it that year.
>game that can't be cured by practice, practice, practice. He actually
>has decent post moves, and a couple of big-man camp sessions should help
>him along in that department. His free throw shooting is a real weakness,
>but again, that would be up to him to practice and improve on it.
The one problem with Stewart is a bad set of hands. He seems to
get his hands on the ball alot, but can't haul it in, and that may not
be coachable.
>
>Sean Marks (6'11") red-shirted this year. A player from Australia, Marks
>had a FG AND FT percentage in the 90% range. Admittedly, this might not
>mean much if he were playing in the 5' and under Australlian basketball
>league, but at the very least, the free throw shooting is very encouraging.
Hey now, Marks is a Kiwi from New Zealand. He looks skinny but otherwise
he certainly has the height and Bozeman says he's a good athlete. The one
thing I had heard was his conditioning was nowhere near ready to play
division 1 this year, and redshirting him was planned all along, even before
he got hurt.
Russ Smith
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"I do everything in moderation except for sex."
Robert Parish on his longevity
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