The 2021-2022 Season Thread

[azgreg]

[U.P. Zona Fan]

This is fantastic!!!

Does anyone know how much tickets usually are?


Always wanted to go to an early season tourney. The week between opening day of deer season and Thanksgiving is perfect.

Would not normally think about going but I've got pancreatic cancer, going through chemo now, having a whipple in June to remove the tumor, should be good to go by then.

If anyone can give advice in how to get tickets to the games, where to stay in Vegas, we'd really appreciate it.

Would hopefully be me, my wife, 8&6 year old boys, 1 year old girl, and a grandma or 2. So nowhere too exciting. My wife, the boys and I would go to the games.

Any advice would be super!!!

Thanks guys!

[UAEebs86]

Oh man U.P. that sucks. Bear Down and kick that cancer's ass.

[Irish27]

Sorry to hear that U.P. As UAEbs86 said, "Bear Down and kick that cancer's ass".

[Alieberman]

Yes. Bear DOWN U.P.

[azcat49]

Absolutely UP, kick some ass! I would think as we get further down the road and they know they will be having fans a website for the event will pop up.

[A1RZONA]

Bear Down U.P.!!! You got this!

[Chicat]

The "Sean Miller only schedules dogshit teams" trope is going to have to take a year off.

[Beachcat97]

So sorry to hear that U.P.

Here's hoping for success with the treatment and surgery -- bear down!

[azgreg]

Bear Down U.P.!

[VegasCatFan]

This is fantastic!!!

Does anyone know how much tickets usually are?


Always wanted to go to an early season tourney. The week between opening day of deer season and Thanksgiving is perfect.

Would not normally think about going but I've got pancreatic cancer, going through chemo now, having a whipple in June to remove the tumor, should be good to go by then.

If anyone can give advice in how to get tickets to the games, where to stay in Vegas, we'd really appreciate it.

Would hopefully be me, my wife, 8&6 year old boys, 1 year old girl, and a grandma or 2. So nowhere too exciting. My wife, the boys and I would go to the games.

Any advice would be super!!!

Thanks guys!

Thoughts and prayers for a healthy and speedy recovery.

Best place to stay would be either Park MGM or New York New York. Both are about a 2-3 minute walk to the main entrance of T-Mobile. Also, Excalibur is about a 10-15 minute walk, although cheaper and a little bit more kid oriented.

I saw something that said tickets went on sale like the first or second week of March I think it was. I'm guessing it's going to be through either Ticketmaster or, more likely AXS. In years past, tickets for these have been pretty expensive so we'll see what it's like next year.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Thank you guys so much!!!!
We really appreciate the thoughts and prayers.

Gotta start checking stuff off the list, this gets me vegas with the wife, early season tournament to see the Cats play, and grand canyon with the kids.

So when you say expensive, are you talking like over 1,000 for the games?

Plane tickets are 243 bucks from escanaba to Vegas.
So that part is great.

Thanks for the info on lodging and where and when to start checking for ticket availability.

If I find out more I'll post it.

Thanks again for letting me be a part of this community.

[IndianaZonaFan]

Bear Down U.P. You got this.

[Chicat]

Thanks again for letting me be a part of this community.

It wouldn’t be much of a community without you, so please do us all a favor and kick cancer’s ass.

[Postmaster]

I don’t know if they still do it, but Bon Voyage travel has done Wildcat packages in the past.
Pretty sure Ryan Hansen is in management there. He has done a lot of radio play by play for Arizona games.
Although Reggie might have taken his place this season.

I have never used their services. Just thought I’d post this info.

Edit: looks like they had a Cal/Stanford package recently.

I think it’s bvtravel.com

[azgreg]

The Cats should rescind their post season ban.

[TheCat]

U.P. my hope and prayers are with you and your family during this stressful time. Get well soon. Pancreatic cancer is a very tough opponent but you have the drive and strength to beat it. My prayer's are with you brother.

[dovecanyoncat]

This is fantastic!!!

Does anyone know how much tickets usually are?


Always wanted to go to an early season tourney. The week between opening day of deer season and Thanksgiving is perfect.

Would not normally think about going but I've got pancreatic cancer, going through chemo now, having a whipple in June to remove the tumor, should be good to go by then.

If anyone can give advice in how to get tickets to the games, where to stay in Vegas, we'd really appreciate it.

Would hopefully be me, my wife, 8&6 year old boys, 1 year old girl, and a grandma or 2. So nowhere too exciting. My wife, the boys and I would go to the games.

Any advice would be super!!!

Thanks guys!

After 23 years and 20+ surgeries I can tell you the most important thing of the body lies between your ears and in your heart regardless of any tumor's location. Hold high your love, your family, and let your spirit take on the next steps because you have shit to do and people to do it with. As important as chemo is, the tickets are just as important. Go forth. Go. Go. and Bear the Fuck Down!

[U.P. Zona Fan]

You guys are the best!! Thank you for all the support!!!

[EastCoastCat]

U.P. - Hope you "Derrick Williams thunder dunk against Duke" this thing. Best wishes and prayers.

[UAEebs86]

U.P.,

BigSkyCatinMT has been battling pancreatic cancer over 5 years. We have a whole thread he started: viewtopic.php?p=116355

He hasn't visited since June - hope he is doing OK. I found this when my best friend had thyroid cancer and kicked it - may you do the same:

[aznavcat]

It sounds like you're in good spirits and fighting cancer like a warrior U.P. Prayers to you and your family for healing and strength.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Prayers for BigSkyCat!

That's a long time to fight that beast!

We are in good spirits, feel fortunate it was caught before it spread, and blessed to be tolerating treatment so well. So many have it so rough.

[Olsondogg]

Fuck cancer. Bear the fuck down on it, UP

[Chicat]

This is a topic of discussion in the 2020-2021 thread, so figured I'd move it over here. As I see it, here is our roster for next year:

James Akinjo - Sr Guard
Jermarl Baker - RSSr Guard
Jordan Brown - RSJr Forward
Christian Koloko - Jr Center
Bennedict Mathurin - Soph Guard
Dalen Terry - Soph Forward
Tibet Gorener - Soph Forward
Azuolas Tubelis - Soph Forward
Tautvilas Tubelis - Soph Forward
Kerr Kriisa - Soph Guard
Daniel Batcho - RSFr Forward
KJ Simpson - Fr Guard
Shane Dezonie - Fr Guard
Shane Nowell - Fr Guard

So we are one over the scholarship limit. Unfortunately I feel like the most likely scenario is that the Tubelis brothers will bid us a fond farewell, which would open a schollie for one of the transfers we are looking at.

But if by some miracle Azuolas decides to stick it out one more season, and maybe his brother gives up basketball or something, or if Batcho or Gorener decide to transfer or go play professionally at home, I think this is no doubt a top-15 squad to start out the season next year.

Here is where we ranked this year in the PAC:

#2 in Points
#2 in ORtg
#1 in 3pt%
#1 in FT and FTA
#2 in RB and ORB
#1 in Assists
#2 in Blocks

With a year under their belts and hopefully a full offseason with conditioning and practices, I know the defense will get better and we should most certainly be in the conversation for preseason favorite in the conference.

[DrWildcat]

Choo mentioned in the other thread he didn't think Baker would be back, that would free up the scholarship we currently need. If Baker had been a more consistent player that would be a huge loss, but since he really hasn't been, I feel a little indifferent about it at the moment.

[Merkin]

Why would Baker leave?

Always seemed real supporting of the players while on the bench. Thinks he will lose his starting position to Brown/Kriisa?

Tibet Gorener I can see leaving.

[Jefe]

Baker would be a huge loss and completely unexpected. What makes the most sense is Azuolas being swayed by scouts which opens up 2 schollies. I need another year of him almost as bad as I wanted another year with Lauri

[TucsonClip]

I dont see room for Baker, unless he accepts a smaller role.

While I defended him last year against those who through he sucked, he certainly wasnt as good as people remember this year.

Akinjo should be one lock in the back court and I am starting Kerr over Baker all day. Benn, if he comes back, slots in at the three. You then have three freshman coming in at the 1-3, Terry backs up the 3 and plays some 4, and that is without even considering if Brown Jr. comes back.

Back to Baker, lets not forget that his "big year" this season, consisted of him shooting 34.3% from three and a grotesque eFG% of 50.0%. The encouraging thing is that his 2P% jumped from 38.9% to 48.1% this year.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I dont see room for Baker, unless he accepts a smaller role.

While I defended him last year against those who through he sucked, he certainly wasnt as good as people remember this year.

Akinjo should be one lock in the back court and I am starting Kerr over Baker all day. Benn, if he comes back, slots in at the three. You then have three freshman coming in at the 1-3, Terry backs up the 3 and plays some 4, and that is without even considering if Brown Jr. comes back.

Back to Baker, lets not forget that his "big year" this season, consisted of him shooting 34.3% from three and a grotesque eFG% of 50.0%. The encouraging thing is that his 2P% jumped from 38.9% to 48.1% this year.

Kerr missed over half the season and was better right away. Baker's a meh defender and just really inconsistent.

I'd bet my house Akinjo and Kriisa start. If Mathurin and Tubelis return, that's your 3-4 and then Koloko at the 5. If Terrell Brown returns, he get the small guard minutes, Terry gets the wing minutes off the bench and Jordan gets the big guy minutes.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thank you guys so much!!!!
We really appreciate the thoughts and prayers.

Gotta start checking stuff off the list, this gets me vegas with the wife, early season tournament to see the Cats play, and grand canyon with the kids.

So when you say expensive, are you talking like over 1,000 for the games?

Plane tickets are 243 bucks from escanaba to Vegas.
So that part is great.

Thanks for the info on lodging and where and when to start checking for ticket availability.

If I find out more I'll post it.

Thanks again for letting me be a part of this community.

Best wishes man. Stay strong.

[gronk4heisman]

The key to our 21-22 defense is finding someone who can play perimeter defense. Whether it be Ben, Dalen, Kerr, Jemarl or one of the freshman. If we do not find that we will not be going far and whoever steps up in that category will get all the minutes he wants. I would include Terrell in that list as he showed he had an inability to stop a drive all season, but I think as a 5th year senior if he were to come back he is what he is.

[azgreg]

[U.P. Zona Fan]

50 bucks for package tickets, that sounds doable.

Thanks a ton Greg!

[Merkin]

Might have to check that out. Thanksgiving isn't until the 25th.

Direct link for tickets available 3/15.

https://www.axs.com/events/397883/roman ... main+event

[IndianaZonaFan]

Looks like we have reached out to 4 transfers so far. All 6’6” or 6’7”. We could speculate who might leave based on that, but I’m more curious about if we’re going hard after these guys, and who we would prefer.

J. Battle 6-7 G. Wash Wing Junior
A. Toney 6-6 Pitt Wing Senior
AJ Bramah 6-7 R. Morris Wing Senior
K. Rice 6-7 Citadel Wing Senior

My immediate thought is the Pitt kid due to playing in ACC and being productive, where we don’t know how these other guys would produce in a P5 setting.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Looks like we have reached out to 4 transfers so far. All 6’6” or 6’7”. We could speculate who might leave based on that, but I’m more curious about if we’re going hard after these guys, and who we would prefer.

J. Battle 6-7 G. Wash Wing Junior
A. Toney 6-6 Pitt Wing Senior
AJ Bramah 6-7 R. Morris Wing Senior
K. Rice 6-7 Citadel Wing Senior

My immediate thought is the Pitt kid due to playing in ACC and being productive, where we don’t know how these other guys would produce in a P5 setting.

I want Bramah. He's not really a wing so much as a smaller PF, which is something we don't have on the roster. He had 10.3 rpg last year, which blows away anyone else.

His downside is he's not a 3 point threat, but he has been very efficient inside the arc. His game around the rim reminds me of DWill, and he's a very good athlete.

The caveat is it's hard to tell on D for all these guys and I'd like a defender.

[zonagrad]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

My eyes like Bramah, but also, he had a 26.9 PER, 17.5 rebound % and .399 ft rate. Those are all very good for his position.

In hindsight, you could see Dylan's limitations from his year in Asheville. He took .639% of his shots as 3's and converted only .405% of his 2 point attempts. His 17.1 to% was also fairly high for a guy who basically made his living on catch and shoot.

Dylan was a decent defender and shooter for us. His problem was that was basically it. He was a bad finisher and ballhandler. You can see the same in his Asheville time. I hoped he'd grow, but he really didn't.

[gronk4heisman]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

Dylan Smith shot 36% in a weak conference, his advanced metrics show he was more or less the same player at Arizona as he was at UNCA, and his senior year was actually his best year overall, when he stopped trying to create on his own. Bramah is obviously a different player but his advanced metrics are much better then Dylan Smith. What I want if we take a transfer, and I am sure this is what Miller is looking for, is a lengthy guy who can play the 3 and a small ball 4 and guard the perimeter at a high level. That unfortunately is very hard to tell by stat sheets which is all I have to go by.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

Dylan Smith shot 36% in a weak conference, his advanced metrics show he was more or less the same player at Arizona as he was at UNCA, and his senior year was actually his best year overall, when he stopped trying to create on his own. Bramah is obviously a different player but his advanced metrics are much better then Dylan Smith. What I want if we take a transfer, and I am sure this is what Miller is looking for, is a lengthy guy who can play the 3 and a small ball 4 and guard the perimeter at a high level. That unfortunately is very hard to tell by stat sheets which is all I have to go by.

https://youtu.be/76nsEIROds8

It's a highlight tape, but I liked a lot of what I saw in Bramah on that. You can see he has good agility and leaping ability and finishes well around the rim. He looks aggressive on the glass, which is corroborated by his stats.

There's a junior highlight film that has him making a few faceup J's from 17. His stroke looks fine, but he just wasn't a shooter. Defense is pretty well an unknown quantity.

The highlight tape linked above, at least his agility and finishing down low for a 6'7 guy really does remind me of Derrick Williams.

[Postmaster]

Of our current group, I like Baker based on his height.
I really felt like Akinjo, Krissa and brown had issues caused by size.

I’m speaking of defense.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Of our current group, I like Baker based on his height.
I really felt like Akinjo, Krissa and brown had issues caused by size.

I’m speaking of defense.

You'd think Baker would be better than he is, but I've never been blown away by him on D. I'd rank our guards like this on D.

1. Kriisa
2. Akinjo
3. Brown
4. Baker

I'm hopeful Simpson and Nowell will help a bit.

[ChooChooCat]

Well with it looking like Miller gets his one last shot, expect more changes to the roster than you'd previously expected.

[IndianaZonaFan]

Well with it looking like Miller gets his one last shot, expect more changes to the roster than you'd previously expected.

Are you saying Robbins is really going to ride with this one year remaining bullshit? He’s going to destroy the program...for years to come.

[ChooChooCat]

Well with it looking like Miller gets his one last shot, expect more changes to the roster than you'd previously expected.

Are you saying Robbins is really going to ride with this one year remaining bullshit? He’s going to destroy the program...for years to come.

Nah, I think an extension will get done.

[ChooChooCat]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

My eyes like Bramah, but also, he had a 26.9 PER, 17.5 rebound % and .399 ft rate. Those are all very good for his position.

In hindsight, you could see Dylan's limitations from his year in Asheville. He took .639% of his shots as 3's and converted only .405% of his 2 point attempts. His 17.1 to% was also fairly high for a guy who basically made his living on catch and shoot.

Dylan was a decent defender and shooter for us. His problem was that was basically it. He was a bad finisher and ballhandler. You can see the same in his Asheville time. I hoped he'd grow, but he really didn't.

I wouldn't bet on Bramah. Arizona is going to be looking for a stretch 4 man. That ain't Bramah.

[IndianaZonaFan]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

My eyes like Bramah, but also, he had a 26.9 PER, 17.5 rebound % and .399 ft rate. Those are all very good for his position.

In hindsight, you could see Dylan's limitations from his year in Asheville. He took .639% of his shots as 3's and converted only .405% of his 2 point attempts. His 17.1 to% was also fairly high for a guy who basically made his living on catch and shoot.

Dylan was a decent defender and shooter for us. His problem was that was basically it. He was a bad finisher and ballhandler. You can see the same in his Asheville time. I hoped he'd grow, but he really didn't.

I wouldn't bet on Bramah. Arizona is going to be looking for a stretch 4 man. That ain't Bramah.

Damn, so are we losing Tubelis? Or getting depth?

[ChooChooCat]

Transfers are hard to evaluate based on their stat line. Especially those from smaller conferences. You really need to pass the eye test to see how their game will translate against tougher competition.
Dylan Smith looked like a decent transfer on paper. Against weak opponents he flourished, just like he did at Asheville. But against tougher competition he struggled mightily and was always our weakest link.

My eyes like Bramah, but also, he had a 26.9 PER, 17.5 rebound % and .399 ft rate. Those are all very good for his position.

In hindsight, you could see Dylan's limitations from his year in Asheville. He took .639% of his shots as 3's and converted only .405% of his 2 point attempts. His 17.1 to% was also fairly high for a guy who basically made his living on catch and shoot.

Dylan was a decent defender and shooter for us. His problem was that was basically it. He was a bad finisher and ballhandler. You can see the same in his Asheville time. I hoped he'd grow, but he really didn't.

I wouldn't bet on Bramah. Arizona is going to be looking for a stretch 4 man. That ain't Bramah.

Damn, so are we losing Tubelis? Or getting depth?

Nah, I'd expect Tubelis back. Other post players on the roster though TBD.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well with it looking like Miller gets his one last shot, expect more changes to the roster than you'd previously expected.

I don't know what this means, but I deeply hope we get a core of Koloko, Jordan, Tubelis, Mathurin, Terry, Kriisa and Akinjo.

I'm very much into those guys. Beyond that, I am much more flexible.