Well, again for the record, our current team is not the most talented team ever, IMO. The best was the 1970-71 team. The talent was team MVP Jackie Ridgle (17 pts, 9 rebs), Ansley Truitt (17 pts, 12 rebs), Phil Chenier (17 pts, 6 rebs, 3 assists), Charlie Johnson (14 points, 7 rebs, 4 assists), and John Coughran (10 pts, 8 rebs). Coughran would average 19 points the following year as team captain.
Ridgle was perhaps the best high school player in Arkansas history, averaging 30 points per game, a history which includes Scottie Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, and Derek Fisher.
http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/03/eddie_miles_jackie_ridgle_it_s_time_for_southern_states_to_to_integrate_their_high_school_basketball_record_books_.html
Cal had landed perhaps the two best players in the Bay Area, Ansley Truitt of Wilson, and Phil Chenier of Berkeley. Chenier regulary scored 30 or 40 points in his games. Truitt regularly scored 20 points and got 15 rebounds in high school. In the 1968 Tournament of Champions, Chenier shattered the single game scoring record, scoring 42 points against McClymonds. Wilson defeated Berkeley in the TOC Final, behind Truitt's 21 points and 19 rebounds, while Chenier got 24 points. John Coughran of Piedmont High was another fine local player, and was San Jose Mercury-News Player of the Year in 1969. Charles Johnson was another standout local player at Sequoia High, and also won the CCS long jump title.
Johnson would win two NBA Championships, one as starter, and Chenier would win one. Ridgle and Coughran were drafted and played a year in the NBA. Truitt would play a year in the ABA and play several years in France.
They were the highest scoring Cal team ever, averaging 83.9 points per game, and no other Cal team is even close. They were the highest rebounding Cal team ever, averaging 54.1 rebounds per game. They averaged 16.2 assists per game, 11th all-time among Cal teams.
Still, they underachieved, 16-9 overall and 8-6, tied for 3rd in the PAC8.
It is one of the most difficult tasks for a coach, to get talented players to play together, and to play defense and accomplish something. Such players are used to being the "go-to" guy on their high school teams, and it hard to sacrifice some of one's ego for the sake of team. The '71 Bears never figured it out, and the current coach and team are struggling with it, too.
To be fair, Rabb and Brown are freshmen. On the '71 team, Ridgle and Johnson were seniors, Truitt and Chenier were juniors and Coughran was a sophomore, a much older and more experienced team. One would hope that if Rabb and Brown stick around a year or two more, they will figure things out. But the '71 team never did. The '71 coach, Jim Padgett, had an easier time of it than Martin has: He had a talented player at all five positions. He had a true point guard, a true shooting guard, a true small forward, a true power forward, and a true center. Martin has no true point guard starting, and centers with few skills or experience. When Cal plays a good team, Martin is almost playing 3 against 5, in terms of starting five good players qualified for their position. I hope Martin is a better coach than Padgett was. He will have to be much better, if this team is to be successful this year or next.
Ridgle was perhaps the best high school player in Arkansas history, averaging 30 points per game, a history which includes Scottie Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, and Derek Fisher.
http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/03/eddie_miles_jackie_ridgle_it_s_time_for_southern_states_to_to_integrate_their_high_school_basketball_record_books_.html
Cal had landed perhaps the two best players in the Bay Area, Ansley Truitt of Wilson, and Phil Chenier of Berkeley. Chenier regulary scored 30 or 40 points in his games. Truitt regularly scored 20 points and got 15 rebounds in high school. In the 1968 Tournament of Champions, Chenier shattered the single game scoring record, scoring 42 points against McClymonds. Wilson defeated Berkeley in the TOC Final, behind Truitt's 21 points and 19 rebounds, while Chenier got 24 points. John Coughran of Piedmont High was another fine local player, and was San Jose Mercury-News Player of the Year in 1969. Charles Johnson was another standout local player at Sequoia High, and also won the CCS long jump title.
Johnson would win two NBA Championships, one as starter, and Chenier would win one. Ridgle and Coughran were drafted and played a year in the NBA. Truitt would play a year in the ABA and play several years in France.
They were the highest scoring Cal team ever, averaging 83.9 points per game, and no other Cal team is even close. They were the highest rebounding Cal team ever, averaging 54.1 rebounds per game. They averaged 16.2 assists per game, 11th all-time among Cal teams.
Still, they underachieved, 16-9 overall and 8-6, tied for 3rd in the PAC8.
It is one of the most difficult tasks for a coach, to get talented players to play together, and to play defense and accomplish something. Such players are used to being the "go-to" guy on their high school teams, and it hard to sacrifice some of one's ego for the sake of team. The '71 Bears never figured it out, and the current coach and team are struggling with it, too.
To be fair, Rabb and Brown are freshmen. On the '71 team, Ridgle and Johnson were seniors, Truitt and Chenier were juniors and Coughran was a sophomore, a much older and more experienced team. One would hope that if Rabb and Brown stick around a year or two more, they will figure things out. But the '71 team never did. The '71 coach, Jim Padgett, had an easier time of it than Martin has: He had a talented player at all five positions. He had a true point guard, a true shooting guard, a true small forward, a true power forward, and a true center. Martin has no true point guard starting, and centers with few skills or experience. When Cal plays a good team, Martin is almost playing 3 against 5, in terms of starting five good players qualified for their position. I hope Martin is a better coach than Padgett was. He will have to be much better, if this team is to be successful this year or next.