This team is not without talent - we have good guards, tons of athleticism, not a lot of shooting and size at each position. I think we should get out and run - when we made our comeback in the second half, it was off turnovers, defections and Askew and Joel pushing the ball up the floor.
Instead, our offense has become a series of dribble hand-offs which ultimately lead into a contested shot, and it looks like the goal is trying to get the ball to Lars in the post. Look, all respect to Lars who has worked himself into a legit Div 1 basketball player - but he's also still a high turnover, low efficiency post - and while he's a pretty good shot blocker and rim defender - he also gives up a lot because we have to play a ton of drop coverage because he doesn't have the foot-speed to show, trap, or obviously switch.
I'm not saying this is an uber talented team - but we have the creativity and athleticism, and maybe not the shooting. We should be playing aggressive defense - our roster is deep - and we should be running. This ball control, limit possessions style of play doesn't fit with the players we have.
Anyone wanna google the last time a D1 team went winless? Might've been the NJIT Highlanders in 07-08, can't confirm. This is going to be an historically bad season for Cal MBB, & in the Fox era, that's saying something. Combine his & Wilcox's conference record for their careers in Berkeley, and that is a lost decade if there ever was one!
Nov 12, 2022·edited Nov 12, 2022Liked by Rick Chen
The bigger issue is that in year 4 of Fox’s time at Cal, with plenty of returning players, a home win over the team picked to finish last in the Big 12 would be considered an “upset.” That’s just such a bummer.
Also tired of Fox throwing his players under the bus, especially when over 15 years of coaching data says he struggles to produce even an average offense. This guy has got to go.
After watching yesterday, though, with Keyontae Johnson in the fold, along with heady SR PG Nowell, the athletic Brooklyn kid Tomlin, and some solid contributors and an OK bench, K State probably isn't finishing last in the B12. That's a pretty good roster.
Kansas State won big last week, admittedly against a no-name school, while we lost to our version of a no-name.
I don't think anyone expected Cal to win. Vegas had Kansas State at -6, and the overwhelming money bet was on K-State. I'd say a win would've been a shock (or upset!)
Respectfully, Bob, Celestine is a solid but unspectacular player, and he's not really a go-to guy. Trust me, I like him as a piece, especially on a better team, but he'll be coming back from a pretty serious injury, so his minutes will likely be limited. He is not saving this roster, and he's not going to be the guy with the ball in his hand when the shot clock hits 7 and it's time to go, which IS the Fox offense.
That person is Devin Askew, as it was Jordan Shepherd last year. Askew is really the only player that is going to give this team a chance to win on a night to night basis. As it is, he's taken nearly 30% of their shots in two games, though that number will likely go down a titch once Clayton gets back, as historically he is a volume shooter, albeit a somewhat inefficient one.
The important area of improvement you can realistically expect from this team is in the turnovers, because they just have to. If they can figure out a way to cut back the turnovers, they'll at least have a shot to win, based on game flow and scheme...but a team that struggles to score the ball behind an inefficient, slow down offense really has little chance to win if they're turning the ball over practically every other possession.
Whoever told these kids that they could actually play D1 basketball should be arrested for child abuse.
This team is not without talent - we have good guards, tons of athleticism, not a lot of shooting and size at each position. I think we should get out and run - when we made our comeback in the second half, it was off turnovers, defections and Askew and Joel pushing the ball up the floor.
Instead, our offense has become a series of dribble hand-offs which ultimately lead into a contested shot, and it looks like the goal is trying to get the ball to Lars in the post. Look, all respect to Lars who has worked himself into a legit Div 1 basketball player - but he's also still a high turnover, low efficiency post - and while he's a pretty good shot blocker and rim defender - he also gives up a lot because we have to play a ton of drop coverage because he doesn't have the foot-speed to show, trap, or obviously switch.
I'm not saying this is an uber talented team - but we have the creativity and athleticism, and maybe not the shooting. We should be playing aggressive defense - our roster is deep - and we should be running. This ball control, limit possessions style of play doesn't fit with the players we have.
Talent? If the players had any D1 talent that would at least shower it once in a while. They belong in D3.
I'm pretty sure they shower all the time.
Shaka Smart would get this team to the Bubble, at the least.
The lack of shooting would make it a tough road - but you can do something with depth and athleticism.
Yeah, that's my thinking. Those Marquette teams don't shoot it incredibly well, but they get easy buckets in transition...that helps.
Anyone wanna google the last time a D1 team went winless? Might've been the NJIT Highlanders in 07-08, can't confirm. This is going to be an historically bad season for Cal MBB, & in the Fox era, that's saying something. Combine his & Wilcox's conference record for their careers in Berkeley, and that is a lost decade if there ever was one!
Thanks Rick…tough to watch….and write.
"Cal Men's Basketball Fails to Upset Kansas State" - there weren't any expectations that the Bears would, were there?
The bigger issue is that in year 4 of Fox’s time at Cal, with plenty of returning players, a home win over the team picked to finish last in the Big 12 would be considered an “upset.” That’s just such a bummer.
Also tired of Fox throwing his players under the bus, especially when over 15 years of coaching data says he struggles to produce even an average offense. This guy has got to go.
Bingo
After watching yesterday, though, with Keyontae Johnson in the fold, along with heady SR PG Nowell, the athletic Brooklyn kid Tomlin, and some solid contributors and an OK bench, K State probably isn't finishing last in the B12. That's a pretty good roster.
Kansas State won big last week, admittedly against a no-name school, while we lost to our version of a no-name.
I don't think anyone expected Cal to win. Vegas had Kansas State at -6, and the overwhelming money bet was on K-State. I'd say a win would've been a shock (or upset!)
Right.
And that’s the problem.
Fire Knowlton.
We're missing DeJuan Clayton (hurt), Jarred Hyder (always hurt), Obinna Anwanyu (hurt? benched?) and Jalen Celestine (surgery).
Respectfully, Bob, Celestine is a solid but unspectacular player, and he's not really a go-to guy. Trust me, I like him as a piece, especially on a better team, but he'll be coming back from a pretty serious injury, so his minutes will likely be limited. He is not saving this roster, and he's not going to be the guy with the ball in his hand when the shot clock hits 7 and it's time to go, which IS the Fox offense.
That person is Devin Askew, as it was Jordan Shepherd last year. Askew is really the only player that is going to give this team a chance to win on a night to night basis. As it is, he's taken nearly 30% of their shots in two games, though that number will likely go down a titch once Clayton gets back, as historically he is a volume shooter, albeit a somewhat inefficient one.
The important area of improvement you can realistically expect from this team is in the turnovers, because they just have to. If they can figure out a way to cut back the turnovers, they'll at least have a shot to win, based on game flow and scheme...but a team that struggles to score the ball behind an inefficient, slow down offense really has little chance to win if they're turning the ball over practically every other possession.
And Sam absolutely needs to play better.