calumnus said:
stu said:
Big C said:
I have Stockman down for...
5 ppg
4 rpg
20 mpg
1 bpg
That would have Okoroh winning on all counts, but basically, I see them about even. I would LOVE for Stockman to surprise me with 8 ppg and 6 rpg, playing 25 mpg.
If Stockman/Vanover can shoot from outside that would unclog the middle and improve scoring and offensive rebounding from others.
Agreed. It is how Braun could have / should have used Ryan Anderson.
A 7 footer who can hit a high percentage from three and provide interior defense is actually a much better addition to this team than a Okoroh or Rooks. We need outside threats.
With all due respect to you and Stu, I think wishing or hoping that our new 7-footers, Stockman and Vanover, be able can shoot threes at a high percentage, and that would be a good thing for Cal, is a just a dream.
There are very few players like that in college. Look at the PAC12 last season, our main opponents. The top 10 three-point shooters were all guards. Arizona's center Ayton shot threes at a decent percentage. But he only averaged one three point attempt per game. Villanova just won the NCAA Championship, with at least six very good three point shooters, most of them shooting 40% or better. But all of them were guards, with the exception of 6-9 Spellman.
I don't agree that a 7-footer who shoots threes would be better for this season than an Okoroh or Rooks. We don't have a single big on this team who is a proven rebounder. Right now, I'll predict we could very well finish dead last in the PAC12 in rebounding. And no matter how many three point shooters we have, they can't score if they can't get the ball, and they can't get the ball enough if Cal can't rebound.
As for Braun using Anderson to shoot a lot of threes, maybe he was reluctant to do it, because he had already tried that with Amit Tamir, a good three point-shooting big man. Tamir had better supporting players than Stockman or Vanover probably will have this season, and Tamir's teams were decent but did not fill the Cal trophy case with much.
As for Cal needing outside threats, well, this season Cal needs a lot of threats. We need outside threats, and inside threats. We need players who are a threat to rebound, and players who are a threat to steal the ball. We need players who are a threat to pass the ball effectively. We need a threat at point guard. And we need our coach to become a threat.
Right now we are only threats on paper, in our minds, or in our dreams. Some of these components may turn out to be threats, and this season will be interesting to watch to see if they can develop. Right now, no team is afraid of Cal. No team.
Seven footers shooting threes is a luxury, something that maybe occurs for a couple of teams in a conference in a season at most. Most big players are still growing in college, and don't shoot long very well. Of those bigs who do learn to shoot threes, some develop early, but most develop it later in the NBA, and the NCAA is not the NBA.
My greatest hope is that Vanover and Stockman focus on rebounding and defense, play the middle well enough not to be a detriment to the team, catch balls and not drop them, if they are open, put the short shots in the basket, not throw passes away, and protect the rim and the paint decently. That would be terrific, in my mind, and give the skilled players a chance to perform and maybe make the team a threat.