calumnus said:
SFCityBear said:
calumnus said:
HoopDreams said:
HearstMining said:
KoreAmBear said:
calumnus said:
SFCityBear said:
calumnus said:
philbert said:
best available scorer, independent of class or position.
Yeah, this, though in a nod to Big C the most likely available will be a volume 3 point shooting 2 guard.
Volume is good, but Foreman and Betley were high volume three point shooters, and there were too many times when they missed those threes. I'd opt for players with a little less volume, but who could make those threes. Celestine is average to good, and Alajiki is very good. Neither is high volume, so they need to shoot more. I am hoping Askew will revert to the three point success he had in high school.
I am much more concerned about our scoring near the basket, with the departure of Kelly. To make the perimeter offense work, you need an inside threat, and vice versa. Right now, we have Lars (who is still learning the basics of post offense), Kuany (who is not an inside player or inside threat), and Okafor (whose offense is completely unknown to me). You can't have enough three-point shooters to compensate for so little scoring inside. Even though I expect Lars to take a big step this year, post offense is the biggest weakness in the lineup this season, IMO, and I'd use that scholarship for a big, even a transfer, who can put the ball in the basket. Wishful thinking at best.
I agree, I am all about offensive efficiency. I thought Foreman and Betley especially took way too many shots. I just meant that the most likely available high scorer is a volume shooter, much like Betley or even Shepherd (All the great shooters/scorers are accounted for.
I do think that the lineup of Lars, Kuany, Alajiki, Celestine, Askew would allow us to play "4 out" with only one defender on Lars. If they respect our shooting and defend out to the 3 point line it would open up lanes for driving, passing to Lars for dunks if his man tries to provide help. I'm sure there are days where we would look horrible, but other days when shots are falling and we are making great passes on back door cuts….
And what other option do we have?
Hope we can find a big that can score with his back to the basket. Hard to find skilled bigs like that period, much less this late in the grad transfer portal. I hope Okafor is turnkey (in the way that say David Kravish was) or else we got no post up game besides Lars (who is not a really a viable post up guy). I think Celestine is talented enough to play they way Harper Kamp played on the high block.
My hope for Celestine was that he'd be a Patrick Christopher or Theo type of player. Sort of a Swiss army-knife guy who could do many things. He may be that now, but it's only small blade, nail-file, tweezers, and toothpick. I'm hoping he adds a large blade, saw, scissors, and of course, beer-bottle opener for next season.
I think his shooting can get there, but he needs to develop a right hand and some better handles
Yeah, a bit like Knezevic, impressed the fans initially until opponents caught on that he is left handed.
I've seen Celestine, and I've seen Knesevic , and believe me, Knesevic is no Celestine. Niki was lucky to hit the backboard with his shot. Celestine far better shot, better finisher, and far better passer. Much bigger upside as well. Justice Sueing had no right hand either, and he seemed to do OK without one.
BTW, have you seen that Niki is now Director of Basketball Operations at UC Santa Barbara? Was he instrumental in talking Kelly into changing schools?
I didn't see that Knezevic was on staff there. Amazing how many Cal alums are on in coaching or sports management all over the country.
And I said "a bit like" Knezevic which means not identical to Knezevic. I was referring only to the initial advantage of a south paw. You are right, Knezevic couldn't shoot, his only move was driving to the basket, so when opponents started overplaying his left, he had nothing. Braun starting him at shooting guard alongside Randle made zero sense, especially given that roster, and is the main reason we finished second to last. Celestine at least has his shot.
Sueing can drive with his right and can dunk with his right, but usually crosses over to go up with his left for the layup. That, and an improved 3 point shot (maybe be more open looks), plus his rebounding and assists, has made him a glue guy at Ohio State when healthy and is considered their best player going into this season:
https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2022/05/09/ohio-state-2022-23-basketball-roster-full-picture/9652809002/
Sueing has played multiple positions at Ohio State, including having ball handling responsibility, which is remarkable for a 6'7" 215 lb player.
My apologies. I always get in trouble when I am critical of a Cal player on these forums. There are always those fans who love that player. I guess you saw something I missed, or else my memory is shot. I admit I did not see every moment Sueing played for Cal, but I never saw him drive with his right hand, ever, and I certainly never saw him dunk a ball with his right hand. In the lane, he used his left hand to shoot, no matter the type of shot. It was not to say his right hand was weak, as it was not a turnover when he used it, but what I distinctly remember was him taking one or two dribbles to the right, and then crossing over to his left, driving to the basket or to the left side of it for a floater or short jumper. I thought to myself that this was a habit that other coaches will see and take advantage of. It should be easy to steal the ball if Sueing was going to switch hands every time he dribbled one or two dribbles to the right and then crossed over.
I had a good friend, Marty, who played for Pete Newell at USF. They had a big game coming up with Kentucky. Newell kept a detailed card file on every good player in the country, and Kentucky had an All-American guard, who used to bring the ball up the floor, who, when he crossed the half-court line, would take two dribbles and switch hands. At practice before the game, Newell directed Marty to impersonate the All-American, and when he passed the half court line, take two dribbles and switch hands. After a while, Cal's guards began to cheat a bit and overplay Marty to one side, and soon they began to steal the ball from Marty every time he switched hands, and they would drive to the other end of the court for a layup.
Now my friend Marty was a very aggressive, competitive player, and he hated having the ball stolen from him time after time. He got mad. So on the next try, Marty dribbled across the half court line, feinted switching hands, but kept the ball in his right hand, and blew by his guard for an easy layup. Newell blew his top, and screamed at Marty to never do that again, or he would be dismissed from the team. In the actual game, the USF guards stole the ball from that Kentucky All-American guard, over and over again, and USF won the game easily.
If Sueing is effectively using his right now, more power to him, and continued success to him. I'm just guessing, but he must be getting good coaching at Ohio State, unlike the coaching he was likely receiving at Cal.
SFCityBear
