Sometimes when you are coaching you get caught with a set of players on the floor that is not ideal. I have said that I like the combination of Brown and Curtis, together, but you can't have Cone/Brown/Curtis/Celestine/Newell together at one time (in the second half during a critical stretch of the game). I am really rooting for Celestine and Newell to find their rhythm, but let's face it: they are good with the catch and shoot from deep, but struggle to create their own shot on the dribble drive (though I think Newell had one successful drive in this game). Not saying that wrecked the game, but seemed to be a coaching mistake that contributed.
IIRC, it appeared that the ducks did a better job with closing out on the shooters/contesting the 3's in the 2nd half. Whereas, Cal continues to have issues on identifying/closing out on the shooters (Couisnard) and the 3's started to fall for the ducks just before the end of the 1st half & continued in the 2nd half. Cal was lucky in the Buffs game when Da Silva had a wide open 3 & missed...the 1 person who should have been covered.
Definitely need to work on the D next year, pretty much in all facets. Daws is great offensively, but a big that can defend the rim is a must for the squad in year 2. He’s really struggled to guard anyone so far.
Yikes…3-29. It’s hard to imagine. So really, it’s all about re-building the program, basically from the ground up.
Though the squad sometimes struggles to close, we’ve been competitive in every game, save for U of A and Ole Miss, who are a combined 27-5. I have the utmost confidence in Mark Madsen and this staff to get us there.
One thing I’m hoping to see the last 2 months of the season: continued meaningful minutes for Devin Curtis and further development from Rodney Brown. Curtis has legit size, and the steady, albeit limited minutes this early in his career will pay dividends. Brown looked overmatched when I saw him in SJC around Thanksgiving, but the lightbulb has definitely come on!
More than anything, the team is watchable, and very easy to root for. For the first time in years, I am generally excited to watch the development of the program.
Your sentences distill such an energetic thrilling game into illuminated understanding. Thank you for this clear analysis. It dispells my sadness that the intense, fabulous skills of our team had a disappointing end. Your upbeat predictions fill me with increasing hope and building excitement that an amazing & gloriously victorious finish to this rebuilding season is definitely possible. Final Four: we are coming !
It is as inspiring at it is rare to have such input and feedback from the spouse of a head coach. This team is special. The turnover stat is huge. And we have a coaching tandem at the top that reminds me of my most influential coach and his wife, Mike and Pam Greenfield, who got the most they could from us at Southern Cal’s Burbank High School in the 1970s. Pam would frequently pull me aside to tell me what she thought I was doing well which, as the 11th guy on a 10-man team, meant a great deal to me.
Good thoughts. This one felt like the shooting gods shut the rim and that was it. Some shots looked a bit flat so maybe fatigue was an issue? I dunno. But I am glad someone with actual basketball knowledge had the same takeaway I had.
I'd say we're now a good team with a bad record. We've been improving throughout the year. Most importantly, we've been getting better about turnovers. These types of losses suck, but the "moral victories" aren't just attaboys but real signs of progress.
Honestly? The fact that I'm upset over losses because we were actually competitive and had hope is a great first step back.
Sometimes when you are coaching you get caught with a set of players on the floor that is not ideal. I have said that I like the combination of Brown and Curtis, together, but you can't have Cone/Brown/Curtis/Celestine/Newell together at one time (in the second half during a critical stretch of the game). I am really rooting for Celestine and Newell to find their rhythm, but let's face it: they are good with the catch and shoot from deep, but struggle to create their own shot on the dribble drive (though I think Newell had one successful drive in this game). Not saying that wrecked the game, but seemed to be a coaching mistake that contributed.
IIRC, it appeared that the ducks did a better job with closing out on the shooters/contesting the 3's in the 2nd half. Whereas, Cal continues to have issues on identifying/closing out on the shooters (Couisnard) and the 3's started to fall for the ducks just before the end of the 1st half & continued in the 2nd half. Cal was lucky in the Buffs game when Da Silva had a wide open 3 & missed...the 1 person who should have been covered.
I thought it was switches, but it's coming off the double teams in the post where we are getting lit up from three.
Definitely need to work on the D next year, pretty much in all facets. Daws is great offensively, but a big that can defend the rim is a must for the squad in year 2. He’s really struggled to guard anyone so far.
Wow! Thanks for telling me!! Rarer still!!
Yikes…3-29. It’s hard to imagine. So really, it’s all about re-building the program, basically from the ground up.
Though the squad sometimes struggles to close, we’ve been competitive in every game, save for U of A and Ole Miss, who are a combined 27-5. I have the utmost confidence in Mark Madsen and this staff to get us there.
One thing I’m hoping to see the last 2 months of the season: continued meaningful minutes for Devin Curtis and further development from Rodney Brown. Curtis has legit size, and the steady, albeit limited minutes this early in his career will pay dividends. Brown looked overmatched when I saw him in SJC around Thanksgiving, but the lightbulb has definitely come on!
More than anything, the team is watchable, and very easy to root for. For the first time in years, I am generally excited to watch the development of the program.
I'm pretty happy to see a competent and well-coached Cal men's basketball team; been a while.
Your sentences distill such an energetic thrilling game into illuminated understanding. Thank you for this clear analysis. It dispells my sadness that the intense, fabulous skills of our team had a disappointing end. Your upbeat predictions fill me with increasing hope and building excitement that an amazing & gloriously victorious finish to this rebuilding season is definitely possible. Final Four: we are coming !
It is as inspiring at it is rare to have such input and feedback from the spouse of a head coach. This team is special. The turnover stat is huge. And we have a coaching tandem at the top that reminds me of my most influential coach and his wife, Mike and Pam Greenfield, who got the most they could from us at Southern Cal’s Burbank High School in the 1970s. Pam would frequently pull me aside to tell me what she thought I was doing well which, as the 11th guy on a 10-man team, meant a great deal to me.
ummm, that is his momma!!
As I said, even more rare! Thanks for correcting me!
Good thoughts. This one felt like the shooting gods shut the rim and that was it. Some shots looked a bit flat so maybe fatigue was an issue? I dunno. But I am glad someone with actual basketball knowledge had the same takeaway I had.
I'd say we're now a good team with a bad record. We've been improving throughout the year. Most importantly, we've been getting better about turnovers. These types of losses suck, but the "moral victories" aren't just attaboys but real signs of progress.