Bear Down Wildcats

Of course he is already one of the best players on the team. He was raised in Europe where they actually teach basketball as opposed to America where the game is bastardized by the AAU and the NBA Draft rules.

If Miller recruits more players like him, his average offensive coaching skills won't be so evident.

GET STEPEHEN ZIMMERMAN

He's not coming here genius.
Pay attention to 97cats.

UAEebs86 wrote:He's not coming here genius.
Pay attention to 97cats.

Honestly I don't pay attention to recruit at all until signing day. Is that true?

Yep, 0 chance. I even stopped following his mom's tweets, although they were interesting.

What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

You're better at life than me, so you should know that.

Merkin wrote:Yep, 0 chance. I even stopped following his mom's tweets, although they were interesting.

Fuck.

The guy seriously has "IT"

INB4 He is averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds two years from now.

But seriously that sucks.

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

I think it was his poor pick and roll defense. He didn't hedge nor step over in the lane

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

He missed a hedge off a ball screen for Alford, and apparently the result was him sitting the entire second half after that.

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

CSM just said that keeping deuce in the game would've been too big of an ask of him as a player, esp with looney going on a scoring run.

*scratches head*

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

Zeus the five star, NBA lottery pick wasn't having any of it.

Katzenfreund wrote:

dirtbags wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

CSM just said that keeping deuce in the game would've been too big of an ask of him as a player, esp with looney going on a scoring run.

*scratches head*

Yeah, we saw how that worked out. If Miller wants to make a Final Four in his lifetime, he better gets rid of his Mao-Tse-dong-like in-game dogmatism and rigidity. Stupid decisions like this would have cost us the game against better teams.

Miller knows way more than me...

but doesn't stop me from scratching my head and saying...damn would have loved to have seen Ristic way more second half. I mean how much better is it for our team to actually having a legit 7 footer we can throw the ball in to time and time again. Puts a lot of pressure on the other team. I'm not saying don't put Tarc in for the D. that's important. just saying to not play Ristic the second half at all????? Don't get it. I mean we want to make the Final Four no?????

Miller said that the way Looney was scoring in the second half made playing Dusan on him very unfavorable for Dusan, they put RHJ on him and kept Zeus in the game. That's his answer.

Did we lose?

Yeah, that's his answer but it still makes no sense. RHJ can't guard Looney with Ristic in for Zeus? The whole point is why he didn't give more minutes to the one guy (aside from York) who was actually putting the ball in the basket when everyone else was having trouble merely dribbling, passing, and catching, nevermind missing the broadside over and over again. The refs had a greater hand in stopping Looney.

It's OK to say Miller had a bad night, too. It happens. Seemed baffled by Alford's changing defenses. Bench guys came to play. Doesn't seem unreasonable to say they deserved a few more minutes when the starters were, by and large, terrible.

Pop McKale wrote:Yeah, that's his answer but it still makes no sense. RHJ can't guard Looney with Ristic in for Zeus? The whole point is why he didn't give more minutes to the one guy (aside from York) who was actually putting the ball in the basket when everyone else was having trouble merely dribbling, passing, and catching, nevermind missing the broadside over and over again. The refs had a greater hand in stopping Looney.

It's OK to say Miller had a bad night, too. It happens. Seemed baffled by Alford's changing defenses. Bench guys came to play. Doesn't seem unreasonable to say they deserved a few more minutes when the starters were, by and large, terrible.

I was like you once friend-o. But words like that are not taken too kindly around these parts.

Post game, with a lot about Ristic. I don't buy it either, but what can he say?

Ristic's earned more time. Tired of trying to light a fire under Zeus' butt. Got to ride the hot hand off your bench, unless Miller can't handle letting any of his starters know this late in the season that their jobs are not safe.

Even Calipari would have given Ristic more minutes by now. Quit coddling egos here.

Outstanding play by D R. Hats off. Miller answered my q why D didn't play more.

HiCat wrote:Outstanding play by D R. Hats off. Miller answered my q why D didn't play more.

He answered the question but I still don't agree with his decision to not play DR in the second half.

If I were dusan I would be wondering what I need to do to get more playing time.

Who is Stepehan Zimmerman and where in Europe is he from?

Katzenfreund wrote:

dirtbags wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:What is the reason he was benched the whole half?

CSM just said that keeping deuce in the game would've been too big of an ask of him as a player, esp with looney going on a scoring run.

*scratches head*

Yeah, we saw how that worked out. If Miller wants to make a Final Four in his lifetime, he better gets rid of his Mao-Tse-dong-like in-game dogmatism and rigidity. Stupid decisions like this would have cost us the game against better teams.

I've been saying this for the better part of three season and catch flack for not "root root rooting" for the home team.

Miller is a slave to KenPom and "the system"

catgrad97 wrote:Ristic's earned more time. Tired of trying to light a fire under Zeus' butt. Got to ride the hot hand off your bench, unless Miller can't handle letting any of his starters know this late in the season that their jobs are not safe.

Even Calipari would have given Ristic more minutes by now. Quit coddling egos here.

Agreed...otherwise we risk a transfer from Dus and a growing chorus of what Miller ball really means in recruiting circles.

We have athleticism and talent only second to UK and yet Miller makes the team play the offense of a system more typical of mid-major ball.

Love what Miller brings on Defense, but I wish he would be more flexible with this offensive schemes. We have the horses...turn them loose.

At least he's benching SJ when he starts playing boneheaded AAU allstarz ball, so thats saying something.

Chicat wrote:Who is Stepehan Zimmerman and where in Europe is he from?

He's a mostly likely one-and-done player who could apparently solve all of Arizona's offensive deficiencies single-handedly.

Head scratching for sure!

Katzenfreund wrote:Miller's 'answer'...

Sean Miller wrote:The reason I didn’t play Dusan more in the second half -- and you can call me crazy – but when Kevon Looney went on his (eight) points in three minute run. The way (Looney) was scoring against our defense it wouldn’t have put Dusan in a favorable position of what we would have had to ask him to do.

So because of that we kept Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) on Looney, kept Kaleb (Tarczewski) in the game more, and that took away from some extra opportunity that maybe we could have played Dusan with.

So, Looney and UCLA went on an 8-0 and 17-0 run, respectively, and that's why Tarczewski was the better choice over Ristić... mmkay. That's self-contradictory nonsense but no logic explanation. At least Miller is OK with the 'crazy' label from now on.

What he didn't say, probably because he didn't want to throw him under the bus, was that Ashley couldn't guard Looney and in order to put Rondae on Looney he needed Zeus as a space eater on defense to guard the rim and hedge effectively which Dusan cannot do as well yet.

Ristic had a good game and I love that he's gonna be a big part of the future. But people on this board are way too reactionary. Which is nothing new and will never change. Miller's paid to teach these kids how to be men, to handle their personalities, to guide them through a season....hopefully building to something great. He's not paid to act like a hindsight-dissecting keyboard warrior who knows dick about basketball. Or else we could hire Rocky Racoon or some other troll to make the decisions and save some cash up front.

pokinmik wrote:Ristic had a good game and I love that he's gonna be a big part of the future. But people on this board are way too reactionary. Which is nothing new and will never change. Miller's paid to teach these kids how to be men, to handle their personalities, to guide them through a season....hopefully building to something great. He's not paid to act like a hindsight-dissecting keyboard warrior who knows dick about basketball. Or else we could hire Rocky Racoon or some other troll to make the decisions and save some cash up front.

+1

This and your other post are spot on.

pokinmik wrote:Ristic had a good game and I love that he's gonna be a big part of the future. But people on this board are way too reactionary. Which is nothing new and will never change. Miller's paid to teach these kids how to be men, to handle their personalities, to guide them through a season....hopefully building to something great. He's not paid to act like a hindsight-dissecting keyboard warrior who knows dick about basketball. Or else we could hire Rocky Racoon or some other troll to make the decisions and save some cash up front.

He's actually paid to win games and sell tickets. That other stuff is extra.

Katzenfreund wrote:...a big clumsy piece of meat...

Hey, I resemble that remark!

ASUHATER! wrote:

pokinmik wrote:Ristic had a good game and I love that he's gonna be a big part of the future. But people on this board are way too reactionary. Which is nothing new and will never change. Miller's paid to teach these kids how to be men, to handle their personalities, to guide them through a season....hopefully building to something great. He's not paid to act like a hindsight-dissecting keyboard warrior who knows dick about basketball. Or else we could hire Rocky Racoon or some other troll to make the decisions and save some cash up front.

He's actually paid to win games and sell tickets. That other stuff is extra.

That's included in 'guiding thru the season'. I forgot to mention talking to press, skipping alumni gatherings, and a bunch of other shit too but thanks for the input.

Katzenfreund wrote:

PieceOfMeat wrote:

Katzenfreund wrote:...a big clumsy piece of meat...

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I actually thought twice before typing that. But it was time to tell the world the truth about you, sorry POM.

Oh, it's ok, the world has seen my clumsiness far before you've pointed it out.

Katzenfreund wrote:

Chicat wrote:

Katzenfreund wrote:Miller's 'answer'...

Sean Miller wrote:The reason I didn’t play Dusan more in the second half -- and you can call me crazy – but when Kevon Looney went on his (eight) points in three minute run. The way (Looney) was scoring against our defense it wouldn’t have put Dusan in a favorable position of what we would have had to ask him to do.

So because of that we kept Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) on Looney, kept Kaleb (Tarczewski) in the game more, and that took away from some extra opportunity that maybe we could have played Dusan with.

So, Looney and UCLA went on an 8-0 and 17-0 run, respectively, and that's why Tarczewski was the better choice over Ristić... mmkay. That's self-contradictory nonsense but no logic explanation. At least Miller is OK with the 'crazy' label from now on.

What he didn't say, probably because he didn't want to throw him under the bus, was that Ashley couldn't guard Looney and in order to put Rondae on Looney he needed Zeus as a space eater on defense to guard the rim and hedge effectively which Dusan cannot do as well yet.

Ashley played like doo-doo again and Miller avoided calling him out, that's correct. However, when a shitty opponent goes on a 17-0 scoring run while the best player rides the pine, the coach made the wrong decision. There's no way around that and Miller should have owned up to it. Tarczewski might be a 'space eater' but there's more to basketball post play than just being a big clumsy piece of meat on the defensive end of the paint.

Bingo.

I think Millers Freudian reaction to Ristic not playing in the 2nd half during the post game interview was quite telling.......I think he realized he screwed up.

The excuse that Ristic wasn't playing because of Looney doesn't hold water. Looney did quite well with Tarc in the game. After one gives up a 17-0 (or whatever it was) run you would think one might realize that defense wasn't the biggest issue. Hell, if Ristic gave up 3 pointers to Looney every single possession but managed to score a few points at the other end we would have still been better off.

I have to wonder if Miller is playing psychological games with Tarc trying to get him amped up before the tournament. It will be interesting to see how many minutes Dusan gets against Colorado on Thursday.

One things for sure, we are going to see a lot of 2-3 zones over the next several weeks.

Either:

1. Zeus' ego needs to be coddled and Miller didn't want to let that out
or
2. Miller had a KO moment and forgot Ristic was on his team

The Looney argument was just tossing something out there and it's not sticking.

Merkin wrote:Either:

1. Zeus' ego needs to be coddled and Miller didn't want to let that out
or
2. Miller had a KO moment and forgot Ristic was on his team

The Looney argument was just tossing something out there and it's not sticking.

I think Chi's argument that it was actually about Ashley but Miller didn't want to throw him under the bus has some merit.

LOL at calling Ristic our "best player". There are two ends of the court gentlemen and Ristic is not TJ McConnell.

Merkin wrote:Either:

1. Zeus' ego needs to be coddled and Miller didn't want to let that out
or
2. Miller had a KO moment and forgot Ristic was on his team

The Looney argument was just tossing something out there and it's not sticking.

If only life and basketball were truly this simple (read: simplistic).

Ok, lets say Miller screwed up. He didn't play Ristic, and he should have.

Shame on him for a double digit win on the worst offensive night for his starters in the history of ever.

Katzenfreund wrote:Pulling an outstanding Ristić for the slightest lapse, only to allow our subpar junior center to gain confidence for the 20th time in a row at the expense of a possible loss, might just shatter the freshman's confidence in return. That way Miller could end up with a mediocre Stone Hands and a frustrated, insecure Dusan at the same time.

aka, angelo chol syndrome.


to be fair, there were a few times where it looked like DR had no idea where he was supposed to be in an offensive play. but the guy has great instincts and seems to put himself in the right place to open gaps and help us score down low.

anyone know if Dusan knows / plays the 4 at all during practice?

Chicat wrote:LOL at calling Ristic our "best player". There are two ends of the court gentlemen and Ristic is not TJ McConnell.

Merkin wrote:Either:

1. Zeus' ego needs to be coddled and Miller didn't want to let that out
or
2. Miller had a KO moment and forgot Ristic was on his team

The Looney argument was just tossing something out there and it's not sticking.

If only life and basketball were truly this simple (read: simplistic).

TJ got torched - Bryce put up 22 points on just 13 shots against 1 turnover. He's not the one you want to point to as having a good game defensively. He was basically the only guy who had a bad defensive game, including our usually defensively weak bench players.

legallykenny wrote:

Chicat wrote:LOL at calling Ristic our "best player". There are two ends of the court gentlemen and Ristic is not TJ McConnell.

Merkin wrote:Either:

1. Zeus' ego needs to be coddled and Miller didn't want to let that out
or
2. Miller had a KO moment and forgot Ristic was on his team

The Looney argument was just tossing something out there and it's not sticking.

If only life and basketball were truly this simple (read: simplistic).

TJ got torched - Bryce put up 22 points on just 13 shots against 1 turnover. He's not the one you want to point to as having a good game defensively. He was basically the only guy who had a bad defensive game, including our usually defensively weak bench players.

He was off and on last night. There were stretches when he was completely blanketing Alford.

Off the top of my head there was the completely open three he drained because someone screwed up the switch and that baseline jumper where TJ played great D and Alford hit what was a tough shot. He also scored two on Pitts. Take away his five free throws and now you're at 10 points. That's not "torched". Especially since there were two possessions in the middle of the second half when Alford didn't even get the chance to touch the ball.

If Miller is insisting on Playing Zeus and we are saying BA can't defend, why not put Ristic in for BA once in a while. He has some outside game. And the defense apparently would not lose much. Who is better offensively, BA or Ristic?

But what do I know.

I think it's fair to say that no one (coaches included), except Ristic, had a very good game yesterday.

Our starters shot 9 of 36 against our biggest rival.

It doesn't matter that this isn't a typical ranked UCLA team, they always seem to play us tough, and we stank yesterday.

And yet we won by 10.

Move on people.

Will Ristic ever be able to play defense well enough to play sustained minutes in the future on a Sean Miller coached team? Didn't Bejarano depart because he just could not defend up to Miller's standards?

It seems there are several possibilities why Miller did not play Ristic more in the second half:

• Miller did not think Risctic could defend Looney.
  Miller was afraid of ruining Tarc's confidence.
  Miller forgot that Ristic was playing well.

psiclist23 wrote:If Miller is insisting on Playing Zeus and we are saying BA can't defend, why not put Ristic in for BA once in a while. He has some outside game. And the defense apparently would not lose much. Who is better offensively, BA or Ristic?

But what do I know.

If you play a front line of Zeus, Ristic, and RHJ and ask Rondae to check the hottest hand who happens to be a stretch 4, who ends up on the perimeter guarding the small forward?

az91 wrote:Will Ristic ever be able to play defense well enough to play sustained minutes in the future on a Sean Miller coached team? Didn't Bejarano depart because he just could not defend up to Miller's standards?

Ristic is already visibly better at defense than he was early in the season. If he can really work the agility drills in the offseason and can hedge out on guards effectively then he's just the type of center Miller needs for his system. Too bad he didn't grow up playing soccer. He might already be there.

az91 wrote:It seems there are several possibilities why Miller did not play Ristic more in the second half:

• Miller did not think Risctic could defend Looney.
  Miller was afraid of ruining Tarc's confidence.
  Miller forgot that Ristic was playing well.

Only one of those really makes sense.