manleyzoo
2nd String
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 732
- Like
- 1,292
The weather in San Jose this time of year is just about perfect, 60s maybe low 70s, sunny, breezy, blue sky--that's all well and good but it can bring on Spring fever, especially for those not used to such things in late March. I worried that our boys would be too busy watching all the flowers bloom and giving in to other obvious distractions if you get my drift, but they clearly were ready to play, just not ready to make anything actually go through the hoop.
That made it all the more important that the zone was nearly impenetrable. Right from the opening tip, Cal couldn't get a shot off for long stretches of the game. I'm not talking about scoring, I mean not being able to find a shot. It was easy to see that they hadn't seen anything like it before. They had two short bursts of offense in each half (the last one could have won them the game if we'd continued to implode) but that was it. We were faster, quicker, longer, more athletic and better at every position and should have won by at least 20. Still, survive and advance.
Secondly, I have been very critical of MCW all season long, complaining long and loud to anyone in earshot (and some beyond listening range) that he was too Donte-ish, too much of a "look at me" player, despite his cache of assists, a kid in need of maturing who thinks he's better than he is and, therefore, takes on more than merits his skills, with the team suffering as a result.
I can tell you from my perch at center court in San Jose, he was, irrespective of his statistically average game, by far the best player on the court in both games--not just our game but both games. He took the ball wherever he wanted and, most importantly, was able to jam it down Cal's throat seemingly anytime he wanted to or we needed him to. Had any one of our guys been able to throw it in the ocean, MCW easily would have had 15 assists. All season long I've been waiting for him to take what the defense gives him instead of forcing things he can't do (like shoot a jump shot) and tonight he finally did so. On defense, he gave the Cal guards fits all night long--and, no matter what anyone says, that charge at midcourt late in the game was, while risky, a thing of beauty. As for his free throws, putting his legs into it wouldn't hurt, no matter how skinny they are.
I'm not yet willing to say I've been wrong about him, but if he's capable of this type of game, it's easy to see how he's gone after this year, and rightfully so.
After we failed miserably to put the game away by halftime (it should have been a 15 pt lead at the least, maybe 20) JB's strategy for the guards (and anyone else with the ball) to take it to the hoop changed the game. He must have gotten tired of us not being able to shoot it and the end result was to put Cal on their heels and us at the line. If only we had made a few the game would have been over at the 10 minute mark. The game then took on the feel of one clearly inferior team (Cal) hanging around, hanging around, and hanging around, until lightening strikes, a few wild threes go down, and presto, they're right there.
And, just as they did in the first half, Cal, at the 7 minute mark, started to play much better, actually much faster, giving everyone in the house the feeling that they could close fast and maybe steal the game. We couldn't handle their big gawk all game long, and he really was who got them back in it. In the first half, JB was vehemently unhappy with RC and Baye, but they both played much better in the second half. Still, had Cal gone inside out the whole game, rather than side to side, they might have been able to pull it off. Then again, for 25 - 30 minutes they could barely get a shot off--the zone was that good for that long--so maybe not.
JB's strategy to methodically squeeze the life out of Cal and the crowd made the game painful to watch in some spots. I kept wanting to see a faster-paced game--we have the better athletes, we're better at every position, so what's the problem. Perhaps JB feared a quicker game would allow the crowd into it more, or we would get tired, who knows? The crowd, while pro-Cal, wasn't overwhelmingly so--maybe 70-30. We had at least 20 maybe 30 percent of the upper deck and maybe more of that downstairs--actually, three or four LGO cheers drowned out the Cal rooters.
With Cooney obviously not ready for this level of competition, Brandon had to iron-bladder it for 40 minutes, which I think may have had something to do with his rather stiff performance. Had he hit even one or two of the open 10 footers he had all night long, it would have been an easier game for us.
A few other things...Oregon is very good, three quick guards the measure of Louisville's and a roster full of terrific athletes. They took control of the game at the 10 minute mark of the first half and dominated from then on. They will give Louisville a handful for sure. That they were seeded 12 says more about the committee than it does them.
Two final notes...Pat Riley (yes that Pat Riley) was in the house for the first game. Took a seat in the third row and entertained visitors. Must be nice. And, Oregon's cheerleaders again put on quite a show, distancing themselves from the competition and not looking back. I expected Cal's band to crush ours based on their performance on Thursday but our brass section acquitted themselves quite nicely I must say.
That made it all the more important that the zone was nearly impenetrable. Right from the opening tip, Cal couldn't get a shot off for long stretches of the game. I'm not talking about scoring, I mean not being able to find a shot. It was easy to see that they hadn't seen anything like it before. They had two short bursts of offense in each half (the last one could have won them the game if we'd continued to implode) but that was it. We were faster, quicker, longer, more athletic and better at every position and should have won by at least 20. Still, survive and advance.
Secondly, I have been very critical of MCW all season long, complaining long and loud to anyone in earshot (and some beyond listening range) that he was too Donte-ish, too much of a "look at me" player, despite his cache of assists, a kid in need of maturing who thinks he's better than he is and, therefore, takes on more than merits his skills, with the team suffering as a result.
I can tell you from my perch at center court in San Jose, he was, irrespective of his statistically average game, by far the best player on the court in both games--not just our game but both games. He took the ball wherever he wanted and, most importantly, was able to jam it down Cal's throat seemingly anytime he wanted to or we needed him to. Had any one of our guys been able to throw it in the ocean, MCW easily would have had 15 assists. All season long I've been waiting for him to take what the defense gives him instead of forcing things he can't do (like shoot a jump shot) and tonight he finally did so. On defense, he gave the Cal guards fits all night long--and, no matter what anyone says, that charge at midcourt late in the game was, while risky, a thing of beauty. As for his free throws, putting his legs into it wouldn't hurt, no matter how skinny they are.
I'm not yet willing to say I've been wrong about him, but if he's capable of this type of game, it's easy to see how he's gone after this year, and rightfully so.
After we failed miserably to put the game away by halftime (it should have been a 15 pt lead at the least, maybe 20) JB's strategy for the guards (and anyone else with the ball) to take it to the hoop changed the game. He must have gotten tired of us not being able to shoot it and the end result was to put Cal on their heels and us at the line. If only we had made a few the game would have been over at the 10 minute mark. The game then took on the feel of one clearly inferior team (Cal) hanging around, hanging around, and hanging around, until lightening strikes, a few wild threes go down, and presto, they're right there.
And, just as they did in the first half, Cal, at the 7 minute mark, started to play much better, actually much faster, giving everyone in the house the feeling that they could close fast and maybe steal the game. We couldn't handle their big gawk all game long, and he really was who got them back in it. In the first half, JB was vehemently unhappy with RC and Baye, but they both played much better in the second half. Still, had Cal gone inside out the whole game, rather than side to side, they might have been able to pull it off. Then again, for 25 - 30 minutes they could barely get a shot off--the zone was that good for that long--so maybe not.
JB's strategy to methodically squeeze the life out of Cal and the crowd made the game painful to watch in some spots. I kept wanting to see a faster-paced game--we have the better athletes, we're better at every position, so what's the problem. Perhaps JB feared a quicker game would allow the crowd into it more, or we would get tired, who knows? The crowd, while pro-Cal, wasn't overwhelmingly so--maybe 70-30. We had at least 20 maybe 30 percent of the upper deck and maybe more of that downstairs--actually, three or four LGO cheers drowned out the Cal rooters.
With Cooney obviously not ready for this level of competition, Brandon had to iron-bladder it for 40 minutes, which I think may have had something to do with his rather stiff performance. Had he hit even one or two of the open 10 footers he had all night long, it would have been an easier game for us.
A few other things...Oregon is very good, three quick guards the measure of Louisville's and a roster full of terrific athletes. They took control of the game at the 10 minute mark of the first half and dominated from then on. They will give Louisville a handful for sure. That they were seeded 12 says more about the committee than it does them.
Two final notes...Pat Riley (yes that Pat Riley) was in the house for the first game. Took a seat in the third row and entertained visitors. Must be nice. And, Oregon's cheerleaders again put on quite a show, distancing themselves from the competition and not looking back. I expected Cal's band to crush ours based on their performance on Thursday but our brass section acquitted themselves quite nicely I must say.
