Why no Big Z?
- Thread starter Boyd94
- Start date
doesnt play defense according to Cal
He would only play in front of Bradshaw and we can't have that. Despite having more talent, size, potential, impact and fluidity, he's going to ride the bench because of promises made to other players. The Cal way
More proof cal is the worst coach in all of division 1 basketball and his substitution patterns/rotations make 0 sense whatsoever. I looked up and saw Burks in the game when it mattered most and the dude hasn’t played in 5+ games. All while you have three 5* big men on the bench lol. Cal has no clue what to do with the roster and it’s really showing. God forbid we ever play a game with a fully healthy roster, we might get 38 different lineups!!
Coaching malfeasance!!!! He didn’t do anything great in the first half nor anything bad. His man got a long rebound on him but Z had his position but the ball bounced back at 12-15 feet over him. Not sure if he makes any difference at all in the 2nd half or not but definitely would like to have seen him get at least a minimum of 5 minutes in place of Mitchell. The bigger picture, aside from last nights game, is Z needs minutes to adjust to the game. You can’t play a guy 5 minutes here, a few minutes there, and expect him to just flourish. 19 minutes over last 3 games when should have been 35 at a bare minimum. He’s not going to adjust by watching. He’s been doing that since October.
Cal seems to see things about six weeks after the slack jawed holler bennies.
I'm still convinced the best lineup is...
Edited to add this...
- DJ/Shep/Reeves/Mitchell/Z
- Three of the four of DJ/Shep/Reeves/Rob have to be on the court at all times.
- Bradshaw and Ugo backup Mitchell and Z.
- Bradshaw and Ugo can't play together.
- If Bradshaw or Ugo can't or don't perform, then Adou or Edwards get stretch four mins.
- Adou and/or Edwards can't play the four while Mitchell plays the five.
- Adou and/or Edwards should only play the three if there are EXTREME circumstances (fouls, injuries).
Edited to add this...
- If Adou or Edwards is forced into action at the 3 then Z and Tre must be on the court with them.
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Z cannot rebound. Like at all. With him and can't jump Tre as our bigs, we will never get a board ever.
He had more than twice as many as Thiero and Bradshaw combined in 6 minutes.
Disagree. Tre averages 8/game and Z averages nearly 3 in 8 mins. Small sample, but they both rebound fine enough.
That's why Cal pulled him last night, twice he had a guy boxed out and didn't even make an attempt to go for the ball.
Did Cal say this? Assumed he pulled him because he had played 6 mins and was ready for a sub.
Z played 5:38 and had 2 rebs
Adou played 15:17 and had 2 rebs
Bradshaw played 9:03 and had 0 rebs
Even if you want Ugo playing starter mins (huge mistake, IMO), he and Tre can't play the entire game.
I agree that Z and Bradshaw should have subbed in for Tre because his legs were obviously shot and he was exhausted. I mean go look at the play, Z has someone boxed out and the ball comes right to him and he makes no effort at all to get it and it goes right to UF. Cal didn't play him a minute after. It was early first half, don't remember the exact time.
Soooo, at the end of a 5:38 stint...in one singular play he boxed a guy out and didn't go get a rebound? I'll believe you, save me the effort of looking for it. That's the reason...1)Cal pulled him? 2)You don't think he can rebound? Nevermind the numbers, that one singular play tells the whole story? That's an interesting take.
Best option at what? He's a lesser offensive Oscar that can block shots. I'm completely fine with him being the 15-20 min backup guy. If he's playing 33 mins a game, this team won't be very good.
Best option at the 5. Big Z is horrible defensively. AB just fouls and gets cooked all game.
That’s one of many Cal faults. He punishes a player for one mistake if it’s not one of his Freshmen 5* recruits, even if the guy has attributes that can help the team. He then “forgets” about them the rest of the game.
If I live old enough, I will celebrate when the snake oil salesman leaves.
In the brief time that Z played, his movement and court awareness were nothing like his debut, to me. He stood under the basket, without posting up or positioning himself like a 5 that wants the ball inside.
All of this is grossly unfair to Z- the guy needs at least 10 to 15 minutes going forward. Bradshaw needs another year IMO- the development of Z, and teaching our guards how to position their bodies on man to man defense is the key to how far we will go.
Cal has to break a players confidence. He can’t allow Big Z to ride that wave of excitement he had in his first game. Plus Big Z has become a fan favorite. That’s why Cal won’t play him.
Yes, this guy with more bb skills than any Big on this team. But. HE gets put on a short leash. Some here are bb morons.
Sorry, must have got my threads mixed up or calipari has fully driven me insane. Probably latter.
Ugo should have stayed in. Tre should have went out, as he was absolutely horrid on offense and defense. Ivisic is more than skilled enough to man the 4, and get more minutes. You simply cannot play Tre for 40-45 minutes when he was playing as bad as he did last night.
We all were hoping Z was the missing Unicorn that we needed to win it all. Or, at least I was hoping he was the one.
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