Pac 12 Basketball: Not a Level Practice Field

Under normal circumstances by mid-September, the Cal basketball team would be starting to practice in Haas Pavillion in earnest to prepare for the season which would start in less than two months.

As we all know, these are far from normal circumstances. Head coach Mark Fox’s troops have been practicing, but because of both state and city cornovirus protocols, the doors to the gym are closed. 

It is literally playground basketball. The team is using a tennis court with hoops set up. Adding to the problem is the poor air quality created by the rampaging wildfires, which forced the Bears to cancel several of their practices this week. 

Unfortunately, not all Pac-12 schools are playing by the same rules. The protocols in California and Oregon are more stringent than other states with Pac-12 teams. In an informal survey of the schools, Bear Insider found a wide range of conditions. Some teams are not practicing at all.  Others have virtually full use of the facilities.

We were unable to get information on Oregon and USC. Here is what the other nine schools are doing.

Arizona

The Wildcats started last month with just outdoor conditioning and now do both conditioning and noncontact work inside their Richard Jefferson practice gym. They go in groups of up to four, as per NCAA rules for this time of year, but only one guy to a basket as of now.  They supposedly will try to do more in the next week or two.

Gyms have been alternatively opened and closed in AZ, and it’s attracted lawsuits, etc., but UA has been generally following the guidelines, and now Pima County gyms can reopen with some restrictions, 

Arizona State

Sun Devils are training in small groups in the practice facility and weight room with proper physical distancing, wearing masks, etc. When  the news broke about no OOC games and school starting they cut back just a little, but for the most part they are doing their best and getting in some good workouts.

Colorado 

Athletes have full access to their usual training facilities, with COVID protocols in place (i.e. small group/social distancing, etc) The team is currently utilizing its normally allotted workout time that is available to any basketball team this time of year which is 8 hours per week of workouts, 4 of those which can be on court skill instruction from coaches.

Oregon

Noi information available

Oregon Stae 

The players are doing northing organized now, they  are off until the end of September when school starts. During the summer they worked out eight hours a week. They had access to the practice facility and weight room while following all of the safety protocols.

Stanford

Virtually the same as Cal. Nothing on court inside Maples,  but other training facilities, such as the football concourse outdoors are available

UCLA

The  men’s basketball program has not returned to campus, and is not practicing as a team right now.

USC

No information available

Utah

The entire athletic department has been put on furlough, including all the coaches. 

Washington

The Huskies have access to the practice gym and have been doing weights and sand workouts in different facilities. The weights have been in the concourse and sand workouts have been in the beach volleyball pit. They just completed six weeks of 45 minute a day ‘practices’ and hour-long weights sessions. These were done in two separate pods of players to avoid large groups.

Washington State

The Cougars are doing shooting and ball-handling workouts in the practice gym in small groups. The team is practicing 20 hours a week.