There was a time when it took only about 3-4 football games before most of us transferred our hopes and dreams from the football team to the men's basketball team. In the post-Montgomery era, the basketball team has been a dangerous place to look for redemption, but with a new coaching staff, it is possible that the hoops team may once again ascend toward the top of the Pac-12. For all of you who have found it easy to tune out basketball while you were on the football bandwagon, now may be a time to look ahead to roundball season.
And due to the Pac-12's desire to showcase basketball on the other side of the Pacific, Men's hoops tips off on 11/11 against Harvard in China.
Here is a quick primer on what to expect:
The bottom line is that if we are healthy this year, we will be competitive and may surprise some people.
PG Robert Cartwright appears to be back to his old form, which is key as he is our only true point guard / distributor at this juncture. In addition to ball handling and passing, Cartwright brings energy and an amazing defensive intensity to the party. His perimeter offense was effective the last time we saw it, but any improvement in this area should have a domino effect across his entire game.
We have an excellent collection of big men and any one of them could make a huge leap forward. PF/C Michael Humphrey is NBA material, but hasn't played like he knows it. He should take over some games this year when he realizes what he can do. Think Curtis Borchardt with more athleticism and attitude. C Josh Sharma also had great potential, but it is difficult to tell how much of that will ever get realized. For a guy that big to move as quickly and gracefully has he does is just amazing. I sure hope he added some muscle in the off-season. In contrast to the undeveloped Sharma, PF Reid Travis has already shown glimpses of the skills that made him a McDonald's AA player; he just has to remain healthy, which has proven to be a frustratingly difficult task so far. It would also help if the range on his jumper would not be so Madsenesque.
In addition to Cartwright and his health, there are two other huge wild cards that will have a lot to say about how well the hoops team performs this year. The first is SG Marcus Sheffield, who emerged as an elite scorer and long-range shooter midway through last year's frosh season. Injuries slowed Sheffield toward the end of the year, but if he continues to develop at the rate he did last year, he could be an unstoppable offensive force. The other big wild card is true frosh SF Kodye Pugh who was somewhat of an unknown in HS, but is already attracting the attention of NBA scouts before he has even played one college game. He appears to be an athletic inside-outside threat at 6-8, but it remains to be see how quickly he will be able to make an impact against Pac-12 competition.
Two other players also deserve mention for the intrigue they bring to the coming season. The first is SG Marcus Allen, who has at various times in his career been our top offensive threat and out top defensive player. If Marcus could develop an outside shot and/or learn how to play as a PG (this ship has likely sailed for the senior), he would be one of the best players in the conference. For now he is mostly a one-dimensional slasher on offense, but a great stopper and rebounder on defense. Let's hope he took 500-1000 three pointers every day since the end of last season. The other player whose development could have a dramatic impact on the team is SF Cameron Walker. I list Walker as a SF because he is all of 6-7, but he has shown the ability to play any position except center on offense and also guard a wide range of players on the defensive end. Walker's versatility is as disconcerting as it is impressive in that because he can do so many things well it has been difficult for the staff (last year's staff, who knows about the new staff) to find a clearly defined role for him. If Walker finds a true home on offense and defense, his varied skill set can be a big plus for us in the coming season.
Last but not least are three players who are known quantities and will certainly help the team, but are less likely to make big strides forward this year. The first of these is senior PF/C Grant Verhoeven, a banger and hustler who is exactly the kind of guy you want with you in a foxhole. He showed some flashes of offense last year, but will mainly be called upon for rebounding, defense and intensity (he fouled out of five of his last six games last year.) Next is senior SG/PG Christian Sanders. A heady player with a good looking jumper, Sanders put up 23 points in last year's opener, yet only managed 92 points for the balance of the year. Sanders had the thankless task of running the point last year after Cartwright went down and ended up with 2.6 APG, leading the team. This year he might be our backup PG, he might be a stealth deep threat or he may languish on the bench. This one is tough to call. Almost as tough to call is SG Dorian Pickens, who was recruited primarily as a long-range shooter, but who has continued to surprise with solid all-around play. Pickens scored more points last year than any other returning player and is also our second leading returning rebounder (behind Humphrey). Pickens has a knack for coming up with timely steals and because he rarely jumps out on tape, has to be watched over a longer period to be appreciated (perhaps channeling the ghost of Dan Grunfeld in some respects.) I still don't know what to make of Pickens, but I love his game and know he will be a positive surprise. I am skeptical, however, that the junior has the potential to make a great leap forward.
Finally, a note about the coaches. I do not know the coaches and have no inside information, but everything Haase has said and done to this point has resonated positively. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me, as does Wulbrun, Cohen and Pruitt. I'd like to see more emphasis on player development from this group and if we can start some recruiting momentum with the '18 class, that would definitely make me a happy camper.
And due to the Pac-12's desire to showcase basketball on the other side of the Pacific, Men's hoops tips off on 11/11 against Harvard in China.
Here is a quick primer on what to expect:
The bottom line is that if we are healthy this year, we will be competitive and may surprise some people.
PG Robert Cartwright appears to be back to his old form, which is key as he is our only true point guard / distributor at this juncture. In addition to ball handling and passing, Cartwright brings energy and an amazing defensive intensity to the party. His perimeter offense was effective the last time we saw it, but any improvement in this area should have a domino effect across his entire game.
We have an excellent collection of big men and any one of them could make a huge leap forward. PF/C Michael Humphrey is NBA material, but hasn't played like he knows it. He should take over some games this year when he realizes what he can do. Think Curtis Borchardt with more athleticism and attitude. C Josh Sharma also had great potential, but it is difficult to tell how much of that will ever get realized. For a guy that big to move as quickly and gracefully has he does is just amazing. I sure hope he added some muscle in the off-season. In contrast to the undeveloped Sharma, PF Reid Travis has already shown glimpses of the skills that made him a McDonald's AA player; he just has to remain healthy, which has proven to be a frustratingly difficult task so far. It would also help if the range on his jumper would not be so Madsenesque.
In addition to Cartwright and his health, there are two other huge wild cards that will have a lot to say about how well the hoops team performs this year. The first is SG Marcus Sheffield, who emerged as an elite scorer and long-range shooter midway through last year's frosh season. Injuries slowed Sheffield toward the end of the year, but if he continues to develop at the rate he did last year, he could be an unstoppable offensive force. The other big wild card is true frosh SF Kodye Pugh who was somewhat of an unknown in HS, but is already attracting the attention of NBA scouts before he has even played one college game. He appears to be an athletic inside-outside threat at 6-8, but it remains to be see how quickly he will be able to make an impact against Pac-12 competition.
Two other players also deserve mention for the intrigue they bring to the coming season. The first is SG Marcus Allen, who has at various times in his career been our top offensive threat and out top defensive player. If Marcus could develop an outside shot and/or learn how to play as a PG (this ship has likely sailed for the senior), he would be one of the best players in the conference. For now he is mostly a one-dimensional slasher on offense, but a great stopper and rebounder on defense. Let's hope he took 500-1000 three pointers every day since the end of last season. The other player whose development could have a dramatic impact on the team is SF Cameron Walker. I list Walker as a SF because he is all of 6-7, but he has shown the ability to play any position except center on offense and also guard a wide range of players on the defensive end. Walker's versatility is as disconcerting as it is impressive in that because he can do so many things well it has been difficult for the staff (last year's staff, who knows about the new staff) to find a clearly defined role for him. If Walker finds a true home on offense and defense, his varied skill set can be a big plus for us in the coming season.
Last but not least are three players who are known quantities and will certainly help the team, but are less likely to make big strides forward this year. The first of these is senior PF/C Grant Verhoeven, a banger and hustler who is exactly the kind of guy you want with you in a foxhole. He showed some flashes of offense last year, but will mainly be called upon for rebounding, defense and intensity (he fouled out of five of his last six games last year.) Next is senior SG/PG Christian Sanders. A heady player with a good looking jumper, Sanders put up 23 points in last year's opener, yet only managed 92 points for the balance of the year. Sanders had the thankless task of running the point last year after Cartwright went down and ended up with 2.6 APG, leading the team. This year he might be our backup PG, he might be a stealth deep threat or he may languish on the bench. This one is tough to call. Almost as tough to call is SG Dorian Pickens, who was recruited primarily as a long-range shooter, but who has continued to surprise with solid all-around play. Pickens scored more points last year than any other returning player and is also our second leading returning rebounder (behind Humphrey). Pickens has a knack for coming up with timely steals and because he rarely jumps out on tape, has to be watched over a longer period to be appreciated (perhaps channeling the ghost of Dan Grunfeld in some respects.) I still don't know what to make of Pickens, but I love his game and know he will be a positive surprise. I am skeptical, however, that the junior has the potential to make a great leap forward.
Finally, a note about the coaches. I do not know the coaches and have no inside information, but everything Haase has said and done to this point has resonated positively. He gets the benefit of the doubt from me, as does Wulbrun, Cohen and Pruitt. I'd like to see more emphasis on player development from this group and if we can start some recruiting momentum with the '18 class, that would definitely make me a happy camper.
