2018-2019 Arizona Basketball

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:31 pm

Fwiw Brandon Williams is already wearing the gold jersey in practice.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:33 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:Fwiw Brandon Williams is already wearing the gold jersey in practice.

Wonderful news. If Williams and Jeter emerge as our best players, we're in a good spot this season. Jeter, as a reminder, previously held the gold jersey.

PS any and all practice notes are appreciated because again, I've got a burnin yearnin for Arizona basketball.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:54 pm

YoDeFoe wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:Fwiw Brandon Williams is already wearing the gold jersey in practice.
Wonderful news. If Williams and Jeter emerge as our best players, we're in a good spot this season. Jeter, as a reminder, previously held the gold jersey.

PS any and all practice notes are appreciated because again, I've got a burnin yearnin for Arizona basketball.

^^ preach! I feel like that Dave Chappelle gif...ya'll got any more of those....practice notes

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Oct 23, 2018 4:22 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:Fwiw Brandon Williams is already wearing the gold jersey in practice.

It's nice saying that about a PG. It hasn't happened much since TJ.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 2:26 pm

42. Arizona

Taking a gamble here and predicting Arizona to have its worst season since 2011-12, when the Wildcats won 23 games and went to the NIT. Every starter from last year is gone. Now the team will be led by Dylan Smith, formerly of UNC Asheville; Brandon Randolph, who might be more pro prospect than big-time college player; and sophomore wing Emmanuel Akot, a work in progress. Former Duke forward Chase Jeter is eligible this season. Freshman Brandon Williams could emerge as an indispensable talent

at the bolded, Norlander clearly not up to date. Though I agree about the 2011-2012 season, i think it'll be pretty similar record, missing the tournament

The Randolph part I think will be ultimately, and unfortunately, turn out to be true

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 2:50 pm

Maybe Dylan will run out of the tunnel at some point. That is likely to be the extent he leads us this year. Red/Blue was a bad day for him.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:04 pm

i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:14 pm

97cats wrote:i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

agreed. never forget sidiki johnson's performance. that being said, certainly didn't see much tangible improvement in the RB game when compared to smith's performance last year. hope either he can step up his game some (and the RB game was an aberration), or he gets left out of the rotation for barcello/devonaire.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:34 pm

97cats wrote:i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

Totally agree.

Signed,
Sidiki Johnson and Beau Muhlbach

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:37 pm

YoDeFoe wrote:
EVCat wrote:
azcat49 wrote:While I think we will be a really good defensive team I still wonder if we will shoot it well enough.
My biggest concern as well. If we get some people hitting from deep consistently, we will be a factor this year. But I don't see where that kind of consistency is going to come from, and while it was just the first scrimmage, open look after open look was missed in Red/Blue.
On paper we have Williams, Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Luther, Doutrive, and Smith who can all shoot the three. I'd bet five of the seven finish above 35% and two or three finish 38% or above.

I would agree...on paper, you are absolutely right

But someone has to make those shots in the game. And the Red/Blue was just a fish-in-a-barrel open shot blip that shouldn't be overstated, but also, if compared to a regular season, was a lot less pressure defensively (both in facing a split roster and just in general).

Akot is said to be a perimeter shooter, but his shot has never looked pure. That's no big deal if it goes in, obviously, but his mechanics don't look like a player ready to bust out as a sniper. He made a very respectable 37.5%, but in 24 total shots. It'd be great if he was a threat. His drive looked like he has his dribble lower, so that should provide him space..

Dylan Smith is as streaky as a player can be. He shot 33% last year, but with some 3-3's and 4-4's and 3-4's mixed in with 0-crooked numbers. He is a hot hand at times, but his passing and tendency to make amazingly frustrating plays might just limit his time in this guard heavy lineup. And even if he played 40, he has to shoot better than 33% to be, again, someone who changes our make up.

Alex Barcello...I really want him to succeed for personal and fan reasons, but we cannot throw him into the "reasons we will be an excellent shooting team" mix based on anything but the dreaded "best shooter I have ever seen in practice" tag. He has to actually make them at this level

Brandon Randolph is clearly the best possible breakout here of the returners. Yet he did shoot 32% last year while shooting primarily against zones.

Brandon Williams certainly comes in with the ability, but so have other Freshmen, and the speed of the game can affect them.

Doutrive? I'm not expecting real minutes from him this year.

Luther? Here is someone who has proven it, having never shot below 40% in a full season (he dipped under last year in an injury-shortened season) albeit with very little overall volume. Luther's attempts per game have averaged from .5 to 1 attempts per game.

Coleman? He shot better at Samford (37%) than Alabama (appx. 26% over 2 seasons). He took a lot of them. They just didn't go in until Samford.

I hope they all are bombing 50%+ this year. But I am saying I don't know that we can say, going in, that 3-point shooting is a strength of this team, or who is going to be consistent. Certainly the Brandon's are the best chance. Luther will keep defenses honest with his ability. In a perfect world, Akot continues to shoot at the same percentage or thereabouts with a higher attempt rate, Smith and/or Barcello become lightning off the bench with the ability to check in cold and hit shots (though it is still not Barcello's specialty), and we roll.

I just don't see the clear sniper of the bunch. Maybe we just do it collectively...

TucsonClip · Post by **TucsonClip** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:24 pm

97cats wrote:i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

Agreed and is a great reminder. Use it to see what guys have worked on, and what some of the new guys look like on the floor. Thats about as much as you are going to get out of it.

TucsonClip · Post by **TucsonClip** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:25 pm

NYCat wrote:

42. Arizona

Taking a gamble here and predicting Arizona to have its worst season since 2011-12, when the Wildcats won 23 games and went to the NIT. Every starter from last year is gone. Now the team will be led by Dylan Smith, formerly of UNC Asheville; Brandon Randolph, who might be more pro prospect than big-time college player; and sophomore wing Emmanuel Akot, a work in progress. Former Duke forward Chase Jeter is eligible this season. Freshman Brandon Williams could emerge as an indispensable talent
at the bolded, Norlander clearly not up to date. Though I agree about the 2011-2012 season, i think it'll be pretty similar record, missing the tournament

The Randolph part I think will be ultimately, and unfortunately, turn out to be true

Typing as someone who believes in Smith a bit more than most; this is freaking hilarious.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:30 pm

97cats wrote:i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

I think you're a very smart guy, but I won't reserve on Dylan Smith. He's been in our program for 3 years, we have all of last year and Red/Blue to use and what I saw in Red/Blue was pretty much what I thought after last year.

Coleman is more of an unknown quantity, so while I was not blown away, I'll reserve more judgment. Doutrive impressed me, but I'm not penciling him in quite yet under Sidiki's precedent. I don't feel constrained like that with Smith.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:59 pm

Smith made some timely passes in the Red Blue - including the kick to the flaring Luther for the winning three pointer. I'm not going to judge three point shooting from a single exhibition game, so it's possible he's improved there as well. But given his 33% shooting on 100 attempts from deep last season, I won't hold my breath.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Thu Oct 25, 2018 2:43 pm

Coleman again says Brandon Williams will be one of the best scorers in Arizona history. Here are the best scoring guards in Arizona history, with their "best season" points per game and splits:

I still don't know if Coleman is being a bro and hyping up the young man to fill him with confidence or if we're in for a freshman guard campaign like we haven't seen since Jerryd Bayless.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:32 am

Y'all see the media of Williams and Coleman? Pretty good interviews.

Coleman says playing scrimmage with him and Williams is unfair to the other Wildcat team because they're just running off screens and whipping passes and hitting open dudes for easy lay-ups.

Coleman says the above about Williams being an all time scorer, which again is nuts.

Williams is built to go to war. Look at this shit - look at where his body connects to his shoulder, from where the white stripe hits his side up to his fingers. Dude's core is thick, his lats and delts are stacked. It's crazy on a freshman guard. I mean this kid is ready.

"We may not have the best players, but we play together as one" Coleman says. Goddamn, I'll take it.

prh · Post by **prh** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:49 am

I am so excited for this year. More excited than I have been for any team since TJ was around. And that's the biggest clue as to why as well.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:53 am

YoDeFoe wrote:Y'all see the media of Williams and Coleman? Pretty good interviews.

Coleman says playing scrimmage with him and Williams is unfair to the other Wildcat team because they're just running off screens and whipping passes and hitting open dudes for easy lay-ups.

Coleman says the above about Williams being an all time scorer, which again is nuts.

Williams is built to go to war. Look at this shit - look at where his body connects to his shoulder, from where the white stripe hits his side up to his fingers. Dude's core is thick, his lats and delts are stacked. It's crazy on a freshman guard. I mean this kid is ready.

"We may not have the best players, but we play together as one" Coleman says. Goddamn, I'll take it.

Just hope to hell Williams is back next year. He was grossly underranked due to the knee issue he had.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 12:02 pm

its all about Mannion and Williams together - not separated

Spiff, that remark wasnt just a knee jerk to your comment, all fans including myself look at practice & scrimmage(s) closely and try and use them as some type of barometer because its all we got at this stage...human nature, my man.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 1:13 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:
YoDeFoe wrote:Y'all see the media of Williams and Coleman? Pretty good interviews.

Coleman says playing scrimmage with him and Williams is unfair to the other Wildcat team because they're just running off screens and whipping passes and hitting open dudes for easy lay-ups.

Coleman says the above about Williams being an all time scorer, which again is nuts.

Williams is built to go to war. Look at this shit - look at where his body connects to his shoulder, from where the white stripe hits his side up to his fingers. Dude's core is thick, his lats and delts are stacked. It's crazy on a freshman guard. I mean this kid is ready.

"We may not have the best players, but we play together as one" Coleman says. Goddamn, I'll take it.
Just hope to hell Williams is back next year. He was grossly underranked due to the knee issue he had.

My biggest fear as well. Obviously it's not exactly a big time problem because that would mean he would be awesome this year, but I'm fine with Bwill being slightlyyy worse this year if it means that he stays for next year.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 1:25 pm

97cats wrote:its all about Mannion and Williams together - not separated

Spiff, that remark wasnt just a knee jerk to your comment, all fans including myself look at practice & scrimmage(s) closely and try and use them as some type of barometer because its all we got at this stage...human nature, my man.

It's 100% a fair comment, and I think we've all been guilty at some point.

My only slight beef is that I don't think it's like that with Dylan Smith because he's a 4th year junior and Red/Blue was pretty much what you'd expect after last year. I feel less like I'm jumping to a conclusion with a year of watching a guy be pretty uninspiring and then seeing him be uninspiring during Red/Blue.

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 1:45 pm

97cats wrote:i would caution anyone and everyone who uses and/or is using the Red/Blue game as a barometer one way or another whatsoever - ive laid quiet here since that game and 95% of the folks are basing their judgement(s) off the team, and more importantly the individuals, from that performance alone.

"I won't even watch the film of this, never have, never will(Red/Blue)"

zonagrad · Post by **zonagrad** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 3:56 pm

97cats wrote:its all about Mannion and Williams together - not separated

Spiff, that remark wasnt just a knee jerk to your comment, all fans including myself look at practice & scrimmage(s) closely and try and use them as some type of barometer because its all we got at this stage...human nature, my man.

It will be a good thing if Dylan Smith isn't good enough to get minutes. The guy is not going to make some major leap in ability and production. He is what he is. And if he's getting major minutes for us, we're in trouble.

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 5:33 pm

zonagrad wrote:
97cats wrote:its all about Mannion and Williams together - not separated

Spiff, that remark wasnt just a knee jerk to your comment, all fans including myself look at practice & scrimmage(s) closely and try and use them as some type of barometer because its all we got at this stage...human nature, my man.
It will be a good thing if Dylan Smith isn't good enough to get minutes. The guy is not going to make some major leap in ability and production. He is what he is. And if he's getting major minutes for us, we're in trouble.

I am rooting for Dylan. This may not age well but i believe he will be our best 3 point shooter. I think he averaged 37% during conference play. I am hoping he improves to near 40%. What this team needs from Dylan is consistency on both ends of the floor.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Fri Oct 26, 2018 11:44 pm

Frybry02 wrote:
zonagrad wrote:
It will be a good thing if Dylan Smith isn't good enough to get minutes. The guy is not going to make some major leap in ability and production. He is what he is. And if he's getting major minutes for us, we're in trouble.
I am rooting for Dylan. This may not age well but i believe he will be our best 3 point shooter. I think he averaged 37% during conference play. I am hoping he improves to near 40%. What this team needs from Dylan is consistency on both ends of the floor.

Similar to Spiff: I’ve seen him go 32/100 last year. Similar to 97: it’s Red Blue. Similar to Fry: I’m rooting for the kid, and I did like a couple of his passes. He’s an older player, he’s got fellow Bama-boy Coleman as a stabilizing influence. Maybe he happily surprises us.

But similar to Zona: I recognize that Randolph and Akot and maybe even Doutrive have higher ceilings it seems, so if he’s getting minutes... well I hope he proves a lot of people wrong.

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 5:26 pm

Only about 48 hours left until some live action!!!!

IndianaZonaFan · Post by **IndianaZonaFan** » Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:45 pm

We doing RAP again this year? I don’t ever seem to do well, but it’s still fun. I’m sure it’s a real pain to keep track of though

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:16 am

Frybry02 wrote:Only about 48 hours left until some live action!!!!

Sometimes you get good clues about a team, even from the cupcakes. I remember getting a good feeling about the 2010-11 team when we destroyed cupcakes. When we lost a preseason game in 2011-12 and struggled to blow out a couple of the bad teams last year, the opposite.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:14 pm

1 minute player profiles rolling out...

Ira

Slim

Eman

Dylan

Alex

Jake

Kory Jones

Matt Weyand

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:18 pm

Slim, eh?

I REALLY want to see him realize some of his potential. I was so so on his red/blue performance, although hitting a few J's would probably have made me think it was much better.

He has so much potential. The fact someone else compared Armstrong to Caris LeVert and I said Randolph got me thinking. I don't see the two as very far apart, and LeVert is an NBA starter.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:47 pm

Slim and Eman... I'm super anxious to see how much they've grown. Of the returners they've got the highest ceilings but I'm not at all convinced that they're owning that potential yet.

Like you said Spiff, those two look like NBA players. Hoping they play like it too.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 9:18 am

IT'S GAME DAY

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:02 am

Eff Western New Mexico. Let's kill them.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:17 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:Eff Western New Mexico. Let's kill them.

We should as they are terrible. Picked to finish 10th in their conference. This one should be a boat race but will be fun to watch. They don't rebound well so Chase might get 20 boards

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:21 am

Jeter might or might not play, ankle.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:26 am

I'm just hoping for intense, aggressive D. Defense will be the variable that decides our NCAA tourney future.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:36 am

NYCat wrote:Jeter might or might not play, ankle.

Doubt he plays in either exhibition game.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:37 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
NYCat wrote:Jeter might or might not play, ankle.
Doubt he plays in either exhibition game.

Welp, good game reps for Lee to show something and step up. Unless of course he's suspended for the DUI thing sometime soon.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:42 am

Bummer on Jeter but we need him well for the regular season. Definitely will be a doughnut team tonight but it shouldn't matter

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:57 am

azcat49 wrote:Bummer on Jeter but we need him well for the regular season. Definitely will be a doughnut team tonight but it shouldn't matter

The exhibitions don't count. Jeter's health is key to us, so if we need to sit him, we need to sit him. If he is the difference with Western NM...we have many other issues.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 11:30 am

Jeter being out right now provides a nice benefit: Lee, Luther, and Akot get to work on holding down the post without Jeter - something we need to be prepared for during the season. Good to have in-game experience there early to drive home how real that requirement is for us.

Additionally, out of all our players I'm least concerned about Jeter not knowing his role or not being ready to deliver on it. Let's see what the sophomores and the new guy can contribute.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:40 pm

PHXCATS · Post by **PHXCATS** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 5:54 pm

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:03 pm

did he not deserve to be suspended for a game or two or three or whatever for his offense and breaking of team and University rules?

PHXCATS · Post by **PHXCATS** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 6:08 pm

97cats wrote:did he not deserve to be suspended for a game or two or three or whatever for his offense and breaking of team and University rules?

I think 1 game is far too light

SabinoDrifter · Post by **SabinoDrifter** » Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:32 pm

Not much to take from tonight given the opponent. Crowd was pretty thin and it was amazing to see people taking beers to the court-side seats as players were warming up for the second half.

Randolph looked 100X more confident than last year. Coleman wasn't looking for his shot at all, which might have been by design.

Lee looked good, seems lighter on his feet. Luther has some nice touch on his 3-point shot and rebounded the ball well.

Williams is going to be great, but he had a couple of defensive lapses and Miller had him out of the game immediately. Really smooth looking outside shot.

Smith looked like a much improved defender.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Oct 31, 2018 5:05 am

Williams - Playmaker
Randolph - 3 and D
Akot - Point Forward
Jeter - Defender/Rebounder
Luther - Spread the floor big
Lee - Enforcer
Coleman - Parker
Doutrive - Athlete
Smith - The Overconfident Guy
Barcello - The guy who lacks confidence

These are the roles on this year's team.

billk78 · Post by **billk78** » Wed Oct 31, 2018 6:39 am

ChooChooCat wrote:Williams - Playmaker
Randolph - 3 and D
Akot - Point Forward
Jeter - Defender/Rebounder
Luther - Spread the floor big
Lee - Enforcer
Coleman - Parker
Doutrive - Athlete
Smith - The Overconfident Guy
Barcello - The guy who lacks confidence

These are the roles on this year's team.

Good analysis. I was thinking most of the same things after watching last night's game. I think Coleman will be the forum's new punching bag. He does remind me a lot of Parker. He didn't seem to shoot much (didn't have to either), defense was average, seemed okay moving the ball around but nothing spectacular. Maybe that's all we need from him?

Was very surprised in a good way about the defense of the Brandons. Randolph was all over the defensive end and his length really helps. Looks like he's taken a huge step forward. B-Will was as good as I thought and maybe even better. He's extremely quick to the ball defensively and doesn't take any plays off.

I feel like our backcourt defense will be a lot better this year.

Was disappointed in Barcello. He's another guy I think can make a step forward this year. I didn't see it last night. All I've heard is how he is the best shooter on the team...but that's practice. How can they make it translate to gameday?

It was nice not seeing an all-Iso offense. A lot of ball movement and shots to go around. We don't have the big name stars that we did last year, but that could result in more team work and giving more guys a chance to step up.

I'm a little worried about interior defense. But I'm not going to panic until I see Jeter in there.

Overall a good performance against a team that they shouldve done this to. The biggest positives for me were the play of Randolph and B-Will, especially on defense, the athleticism of Doutrive, sharing of the ball. The negatives: Coleman, Dylan Smith (same as last year), Barcello.

U.P. Zona Fan · Post by **U.P. Zona Fan** » Wed Oct 31, 2018 6:39 am

PHXCATS wrote:
97cats wrote:did he not deserve to be suspended for a game or two or three or whatever for his offense and breaking of team and University rules?
I think 1 game is far too light

I'm in agreement, this is a big deal. For the sake of his future the punishment needs to be adequate.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Oct 31, 2018 7:38 am

ChooChooCat wrote:Williams - Playmaker
Randolph - 3 and D
Akot - Point Forward
Jeter - Defender/Rebounder
Luther - Spread the floor big
Lee - Enforcer
Coleman - Parker
Doutrive - Athlete
Smith - The Overconfident Guy
Barcello - The guy who lacks confidence

These are the roles on this year's team.

I was happy that Randolph, Lee and Akot all look like they've stepped it up. Those are the guys that needed to expand to fill the voids left behind.

Look, it's Western NM, but giving up 44 in a decently paced game is a positive. I know I flog this idea, but D is really the area this team can establish itself in and use as the backbone of a tourney team. Giving up that few points without Jeter is a decent sign, albeit vs a bad team.

Luther is quietly productive. Coleman is quiet. I know it's only red/blue and an exhibition in, but it doesn't seem like Coleman's made any difference. You want a 5th year senior to be a difference maker.

We'll see. Taking care of business vs a bad team is always a good thing, and we handled our business.

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