I'll wait until after Sunday's game to offer my observations on most of the players. Today-I'll comment on a lack of coaching. Cal had the height to dominate inside but nobody screened their opposition off of the boards, yielding 21 offensive rebounds to a short team (only one player taller than 6-1). The Bears had no discernable offense. They brought out one or two high posts in every half court possession but worked little off of that...Due to the lack of guards and outside shooting, SJS was able to shutdown Cal to 10.3 points per quarter after the opening stanza. The Spartans were faster than the Bears and superior defensively. Entry passes into the Cal post players were routinely fumbled away. The post needs to come meet the pass instead of staying back 'n wait. The San Jose State senior post, Tyra Whitehead, stole the ball a half of a dozen times.
I thought that Cal might lose but the team looked worse than I could have ever imagined. I have no idea why Charmin Smith did not play Michelle Onyiah or Sela Heide until the second quarter nor why both received less than 8 minutes each for the game. Michelle and Sela both acquitted themselves well considering the short stints of PT that they were given in each half. The only players that displayed passion on the court were Michelle, Leilani, Evelien & Dalayah. Fatou Samb is 6-4 yet she could not get a clean shot off against shorter opposition. The majority of the time that she got a rebound or an entry pass-she mishandled the ball. Fatou kept bringing the ball down to her waist, losing any height advantage that she had. She seemed too slow to take her defender off of the dribble. She also sagged way off of Spartan star center, Tyra Whitehead, who continued to shoot her jumper. SJS had 13 steals, blocked 5 shots and tied Cal in rebounding w/ 46. The difference in the game was turnovers: Bears 23, Spartans 8.
2020.11.25 Cal vs. San Jose State Final Box (PDF) - University of California Golden Bears Athletics (calbears.com)
If the fans were told that they were going to witness four top 100 national recruits, I bet that they could not identify that talent (except for Dalayah Daniels) on the court. The coaching staff set the team up for failure with their game plan (?) and personnel substitution pattern.
I thought that Cal might lose but the team looked worse than I could have ever imagined. I have no idea why Charmin Smith did not play Michelle Onyiah or Sela Heide until the second quarter nor why both received less than 8 minutes each for the game. Michelle and Sela both acquitted themselves well considering the short stints of PT that they were given in each half. The only players that displayed passion on the court were Michelle, Leilani, Evelien & Dalayah. Fatou Samb is 6-4 yet she could not get a clean shot off against shorter opposition. The majority of the time that she got a rebound or an entry pass-she mishandled the ball. Fatou kept bringing the ball down to her waist, losing any height advantage that she had. She seemed too slow to take her defender off of the dribble. She also sagged way off of Spartan star center, Tyra Whitehead, who continued to shoot her jumper. SJS had 13 steals, blocked 5 shots and tied Cal in rebounding w/ 46. The difference in the game was turnovers: Bears 23, Spartans 8.
2020.11.25 Cal vs. San Jose State Final Box (PDF) - University of California Golden Bears Athletics (calbears.com)
If the fans were told that they were going to witness four top 100 national recruits, I bet that they could not identify that talent (except for Dalayah Daniels) on the court. The coaching staff set the team up for failure with their game plan (?) and personnel substitution pattern.