ADVERTISEMENT

Arkansas and Illinois

I feel the same way. Recruiting elite Freshmen is a slippery slope. It seems difficult to have portal veterans and elite Freshmen who play the same position. Seems more like an either/or to me …
You can if the only promise given is that they'll be in a fair competition for playing time with the other guy. No player worth having is going to be scared of competition
 
Cal’s post game was meaningless.

We did not play winning basketball. We’ll be fine.

We did not create enough threes because we did not find people. And, yet, our game plan was to take it to the rim. But, what did we do to start the game? Take threes. You won’t believe him, but that as their game plan going into the game. Take it to the rim,
like they did in the second half.

Remember, this is the guy who said before the season started that he didn’t want Z out there shooting 3’s. Now look at their stats through 6 games. Z is far and away their best perimeter shooter. If it wasn’t for him they would be shooting like 28% as a team. And yet Cal hates it every time he shoots one. He’s a freaking dinosaur. Imagine what Z would be in a real offense. Poor kid got sold a bill of goods by the master. I don’t feel sorry for him though… he should have opened his eyes.
 
Remember, this is the guy who said before the season started that he didn’t want Z out there shooting 3’s. Now look at their stats through 6 games. Z is far and away their best perimeter shooter. If it wasn’t for him they would be shooting like 28% as a team. And yet Cal hates it every time he shoots one. He’s a freaking dinosaur. Imagine what Z would be in a real offense. Poor kid got sold a bill of goods by the master. I don’t feel sorry for him though… he should have opened his eyes.

He would have thrived here. Z can be an excellent passer and can make you pay from the perimeter. Sorry his people did not know enough to advise him that Pope would make him a star. I think Garrison has a 4:1 ratio for assists vs TOs. If BG can become that kind of creator, Z would have been exceptional.
 
He would have thrived here. Z can be an excellent passer and can make you pay from the perimeter. Sorry his people did not know enough to advise him that Pope would make him a star. I think Garrison has a 4:1 ratio for assists vs TOs. If BG can become that kind of creator, Z would have been exceptional.


People kept talking about Z’s shooting in that Georgia game and how everyone was excited about that, and yes that was of course great. But just as exciting to me were the two exceptional passes he had, both no look and one of them behind the back while driving the lane to an open 3 point shooter. It showed exceptional playmaking ability and awareness. He’s being completely wasted in Cals archaic offense.
 
People kept talking about Z’s shooting in that Georgia game and how everyone was excited about that, and yes that was of course great. But just as exciting to me were the two exceptional passes he had, both no look and one of them behind the back while driving the lane to an open 3 point shooter. It showed exceptional playmaking ability and awareness. He’s being completely wasted in Cals archaic offense.

He has really good court vision. With discipline and opportunity, I think he could be an exceptional playmaker from the post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fox2monk
People kept talking about Z’s shooting in that Georgia game and how everyone was excited about that, and yes that was of course great. But just as exciting to me were the two exceptional passes he had, both no look and one of them behind the back while driving the lane to an open 3 point shooter. It showed exceptional playmaking ability and awareness. He’s being completely wasted in Cals archaic offense.

You had former UNC All-Americans John Henson and Tyler Hansbrough literally referring to Z as a “cheat code” after that Georgia game. The whole college basketball world was pissing their pants seeing that we had a secret weapon. Then Cal proceeded to Cal.
 
You had former UNC All-Americans John Henson and Tyler Hansbrough literally referring to Z as a “cheat code” after that Georgia game. The whole college basketball world was pissing their pants seeing that we had a secret weapon. Then Cal proceeded to Cal.
People kept talking about Z’s shooting in that Georgia game and how everyone was excited about that, and yes that was of course great. But just as exciting to me were the two exceptional passes he had, both no look and one of them behind the back while driving the lane to an open 3 point shooter. It showed exceptional playmaking ability and awareness. He’s being completely wasted in Cals archaic offense.
I’m curious what happens to big Z when/if the center from Tennessee gets healthy. He’s the kind of center Cal loves but those Therio drives to the basketball will be less frequent with Aidoo clogging up the middle.
 
Watching this game was like the perfect illustration of why having great 3-pt shooters is so important.

Covered up a myriad of sins and was just a gut shot toward the end of the game when Arkansas was trying to counter with difficult 2-pointers.
The Cal special, let’s force hard 2’s while you drill 3’s in our eye. The comeback will happen!
 
I’m curious what happens to big Z when/if the center from Tennessee gets healthy. He’s the kind of center Cal loves but those Therio drives to the basketball will be less frequent with Aidoo clogging up the middle.
If you happened to listen to Cal's postgame, you don't have to wonder. Cal addressed it.

And guess what? He can't wait to get Aidoo back so that he can play with two big men in the paint. Said so in his presser.

Claimed that is what is holding his offense back. Cal needs two bigs clogging the middle to run his GOOOOO offense and control the shot clock.

Cal is CMS with a basketball when it comes to offense. The game has left him.
 
Last edited:
If you happened to listen to Cal's postgame, you don't have to wonder. Cal addressed it.

And guess what? He can't wait to get Aidoo back so that he can play with two big men in the paint. Said so in his presser.

Claimed that is what is holding his offense back. Cal needs to bigs clogging the middle to run his GOOOOO offense and control the shot clock.

Cal is CMS with a basketball when it comes to offense. The game has left him.
Cal will play Z high and Aidoo low and wait until Cal mentions playing Brazle along with both bigs because Z is such a good shooter.
 


Interesting but zero surprise

I mean, this could be completely made up, but I doubt it. Cal went to Arkansas, lost the best assistant he had, added Brad, and kept the rest of the dead weight. Basically didn't change anything minus losing an offensive guru. Running a dribble drive in 2024 is borderline retarded.
 
I need more Cooper flagg

will ferrell snl GIF
 
Because the better bro is put in positions and plays that work with his style of play. Z in Pope’s system would likely flourish. He’d be in a similar role as Carr.
Yeah I understand you saying this but when it comes down to it Big Z just does some goofy stuff on the court like he tries to make things look more difficult than they should be. Whether that be grabbing a loose ball or trying to tip a ball back in above the rim he will try to make it look like an amazing play and it hurts his performance. I think Carr is a better basketball player because he takes his craft more seriously and has a desire to do the simple things right. I'm not sure big Z does.
 
Z made his bed Coach Pope tried to get him to stay and he rejected us I would rather have his brother
Pope tried to get Z to stay? I hadn't heard that.

It seemed to me like Pope wanted to move everyone out that had anything to do with the old regime. He didn't retain a single coach, or player and even took down the NBA posters in the locker room.

Heck, Orlando Antiqua tried to stay, but Pope said no.

If Pope tried to get Z, I'm very surprised he didn't stay.
 
Pope tried to get Z to stay? I hadn't heard that.

It seemed to me like Pope wanted to move everyone out that had anything to do with the old regime. He didn't retain a single coach, or player and even took down the NBA posters in the locker room.

Heck, Orlando Antiqua tried to stay, but Pope said no.

If Pope tried to get Z, I'm very surprised he didn't stay.
He had a meeting with former players when he first got here mainly z and theiro both chose to follow their whipping boy to Arkansas
 
He had a meeting with former players when he first got here mainly z and theiro both chose to follow their whipping boy to Arkansas
I didn't know about the meemting, or maybe just don't remember it, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was Pope's decision.
Pope has made it very obvious that he only wants guys here that are about the program first. Those kids that followed Cal, most likely did so because he is the nba pied piper.
The best part of it is, Pope's system will help more kids than Cal's, yet Cal is the one that claims to be 'players first'. It's more like 'escorting already NBA bound kids to the green room and taking credit for it first'
 
Yeah I understand you saying this but when it comes down to it Big Z just does some goofy stuff on the court like he tries to make things look more difficult than they should be. Whether that be grabbing a loose ball or trying to tip a ball back in above the rim he will try to make it look like an amazing play and it hurts his performance. I think Carr is a better basketball player because he takes his craft more seriously and has a desire to do the simple things right. I'm not sure big Z does.
I don't think we can really evaluate Z fairly when he has a coach like Cal. Listen to Cal talk. I don't understand half of what he's saying while speaking to the press. Now imagine him trying to teach you basketball.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chroix
People kept talking about Z’s shooting in that Georgia game and how everyone was excited about that, and yes that was of course great. But just as exciting to me were the two exceptional passes he had, both no look and one of them behind the back while driving the lane to an open 3 point shooter. It showed exceptional playmaking ability and awareness. He’s being completely wasted in Cals archaic offense.
What offense does CCC have besides Gooooo and Runnn?
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT