https://calbears.com/news/2023/9/14/womens-basketball-cal-womens-basketball-adds-travon-bryant-to-coaching-staff.aspx

Travon Bryant has been hired to replace the departed assistant coach, Glover. He stands 6-9 and was a three- year PF for the Missouri Tigers. This guy sounds perfect to develop the Bear's front court players and strengthen their interior defense. He appears to be approximately forty years old. The only question mark is can he interact and coach women properly? Travon also has not been part of the college scene recently. He has experience coaching mostly in the NBA and G League.

This could turnout to be a homerun hire or a one-year stint that doesn't work out. We shall see. GO BEARS!

Cal was a finalist when he was a recruit but he selected Mizzou instead.

http://www.socalhoops.com/prep00/0500/travon0501.htm

Glad that it is a swing-for-the-fences instead of a simple retread move. No sense doing more of the same. Hope that he can make a difference.

I have no idea how good a coach he is ... hoping for the best.

But being a 6-9 power forward in the men's game has a limited application to the women's game. The men's game is played above the rim, and the strength, athleticism and physicality is much, much different -- and thus some, if not many, of the techniques that apply to the men's game do not apply to the women's game, especially near the basket.

Just one aspect: Men finish around the rim more consistently because a) they are closer to the basket when they release the ball, and b) they are strong enough in the upper body to finish through more contact. These factors change the percentages on certain plays and maneuvers, and thus change the most advantageous technique or positioning in the women's game.

I think him having a daughter who wants to play bball is a plus from the female side of coaching women.

wvitbear said:

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I think him having a daughter who wants to play bball is a plus from the female side of coaching women.

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Agreed. It makes him more relatable to the young women he'll be coaching.

Given his NBA background, I'm wondering if Coach Madsen assisted in connecting Coach Bryant with Coach Smith.

ClayK said:

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I have no idea how good a coach he is ... hoping for the best.

But being a 6-9 power forward in the men's game has a limited application to the women's game. The men's game is played above the rim, and the strength, athleticism and physicality is much, much different -- and thus some, if not many, of the techniques that apply to the men's game do not apply to the women's game, especially near the basket.

Just one aspect: Men finish around the rim more consistently because a) they are closer to the basket when they release the ball, and b) they are strong enough in the upper body to finish through more contact. These factors change the percentages on certain plays and maneuvers, and thus change the most advantageous technique or positioning in the women's game.

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Good footwork is good footwork regardless if it is the men's game or the women's game. Same goes for using the body for leverage and positioning. If he improves the use of lower body fundamentals, I'm certain the post players will improve significantly.

Schroeder71 said:

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https://calbears.com/news/2023/9/14/womens-basketball-cal-womens-basketball-adds-travon-bryant-to-coaching-staff.aspx

Travon Bryant has been hired to replace the departed assistant coach, Glover. He stands 6-9 and was a three- year PF for the Missouri Tigers. This guy sounds perfect to develop the Bear's front court players and strengthen their interior defense. He appears to be approximately forty years old. The only question mark is can he interact and coach women properly? Travon also has not been part of the college scene recently. He has experience coaching mostly in the NBA and G League.

This could turnout to be a homerun hire or a one-year stint that doesn't work out. We shall see. GO BEARS!

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So, this answers the question, "will Cal look for a replacement this late in the game?"

ClayK said:

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I have no idea how good a coach he is ... hoping for the best.

But being a 6-9 power forward in the men's game has a limited application to the women's game. The men's game is played above the rim, and the strength, athleticism and physicality is much, much different -- and thus some, if not many, of the techniques that apply to the men's game do not apply to the women's game, especially near the basket.

Just one aspect: Men finish around the rim more consistently because a) they are closer to the basket when they release the ball, and b) they are strong enough in the upper body to finish through more contact. These factors change the percentages on certain plays and maneuvers, and thus change the most advantageous technique or positioning in the women's game.

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If he has had any success anywhere playing basketball (at that size) wouldn't rebounding have been fundamental to his game? I get that women don't rebound "above the rim," but the idea of boxing out/positioning under the basket and the overall mentality about rebounding be something he might just be bringing to the table?

UrsineMaximus said:

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ClayK said:

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I have no idea how good a coach he is ... hoping for the best.

But being a 6-9 power forward in the men's game has a limited application to the women's game. The men's game is played above the rim, and the strength, athleticism and physicality is much, much different -- and thus some, if not many, of the techniques that apply to the men's game do not apply to the women's game, especially near the basket.

Just one aspect: Men finish around the rim more consistently because a) they are closer to the basket when they release the ball, and b) they are strong enough in the upper body to finish through more contact. These factors change the percentages on certain plays and maneuvers, and thus change the most advantageous technique or positioning in the women's game.

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Good footwork is good footwork regardless if it is the men's game or the women's game. Same goes for using the body for leverage and positioning. If he improves the use of lower body fundamentals, I'm certain the post players will improve significantly.

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I missed your post when I added mine, and you said it well, if not better...so, I was a bit redundant, but can we use the word?! R.e.b.o.u.n.d.i.n.g.

I'm sure grad-transfer Ila Lane will welcome his presence at practices as will forwards, Michelle, Claudia and Marta (Suarez).

If you watch the men's game, you see more emphasis on getting the rebound yourself rather than keeping the other guy from getting it -- especially if you can jump.

That said, screening out is not complicated.

My point was simply that just because a coach was successful in the men's game doesn't mean he brings any more to the table than any other coach. That part of the resume is, for me, very overrated.