Bear Territory Tuesday: How did former Cal basketball players do at NBA Summer League?

     With NBA Summer League now over, I thought that it would be fun to do a blog post about how former Cal basketball players did over these past couple of weeks in the NBA's summer proving grounds. You might be surprised to know that Cal had five former players playing in the 2015 NBA Summer League, two of which were on the same team. 

David Kravish (Golden State Warriors): The encouraging part about David Kravish's summer league performance is that he got better with each game he played. During his first game against the Cavaliers, he had 0 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in six minutes of action. In his second game against the Kings, he played just two minutes, but he scored 2 points. In his third game against the Knicks, he played eight minutes and scored 4 points while also grabbing 5 rebounds. In his fourth and final game against the Pelicans, he had 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 blocks in 18 minutes of action. 

     NBA Summer  League is all about showcasing your skills and getting better. It's not about where you start, it's about where you finish. David Kravish didn't have the best start to NBA Summer League, but he had a very solid and encouraging finish. I definitely expect David Kravish to get an invite to an NBA training camp this fall. He certainly deserves it based on his improvement with the Warriors. 

Richard Solomon (Oklahoma City Thunder): Richard Solomon had a decent NBA Summer League performance with the Thunder. He played 14.7 minutes per game and averaged 6.0 points and 3.7 rebounds. The good part about his performance is that he was consistent. He didn't have a breakout game, but he didn't have a game where he didn't make an impact, either. Every game, he got right around his averages, and that is a good thing because in order to succeed in the pros you need to be consistent night in and night out. 

     The fact that he got a good chunk of minutes each game is also encouraging. He's in the Oklahoma City Thunder organization as a member of their D-League team, the Oklahoma City Blue. It definitely appears as though the Thunder are keeping an eye on him and seeing how he develops. This means odds are very good he'll join the team in training camp and also be in the mix to get a 10-day contract should they need an extra body during the regular season.

     However, it is also clear that he still has a lot of growing to do. He didn't block a single shot in his three games and he shot an abysmal 28.6% from the foul line. If he wants the Thunder to give him a 10 day contract next season and escape the D-League, he'll have to improve his defense and also knock down his foul shots. He definitely has the size to play in the NBA at 6'11, 230 lbs, but what appears to be holding him back is his lack of offensive polish and defensive abilities. 

Justin Cobbs (Charlotte Hornets): Justin Cobbs didn't have the NBA Summer League performance he would have hoped for. He averaged a decent amount of minutes per game (13.3), but he didn't do much with the minutes he was given. He shot 14.3% from the field and averaged only 1.3 points per game. The only thing about his game that was a plus was his facilitating. He averaged 2.0 assists per game and demonstrated some potential to run an offense. But so long as he is unable to create his own shot in the NBA, he'll be forced to play overseas. 

     It should be noted that he had a very good season with the Fraport Skyliners last year in Germany, averaging 14.4 points and 4.4 assists per game. He has signed a deal with IBB of the Turkish Basketball League, which is a very respectable league overseas. Justin Cobbs appears to be on the right track to have a promising career overseas and someday be an effective Euroleague player. But as for his NBA potential, it isn't looking too good at the moment. 

Jorge Gutierrez (Milwaukee Bucks): Jorge Gutierrez had the best NBA Summer League of all the former Cal basketball players from a statistical standpoint. He averaged 6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game with a +10.67 efficiency rating. He definitely appears on track to be back with the Bucks' active roster this season. Their head coach Jason Kidd (another Cal Bear) likes him a lot and when given the chance to play, he has been productive. It definitely appears as though Jorge Gutierrez has found a home in Milwaukee. 

     

Jerome Randle (Milwaukee Bucks): Jerome Randle is the third former Cal point guard who played in NBA Summer League this year and he certainly made the most of his opportunity, averaging 8.2 points and 3.6 assists per game. The Bucks also gave him plenty of minutes (21.0 minutes per game).  At the moment, he is under contract with Eskisehir Basket in Turkey, but judging by how he played in NBA Summer League, odds look promising for the 28 year old that either the Bucks or some other NBA team will want to give him a look in training camp. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news and Cal basketball updates 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Breaking down the NBA potential of Cal power forward David Kravish

     With the NBA Draft happening a week from Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to break down the NBA potential of Cal power forward David Kravish this week. Before I dive into his strengths and weaknesses, I will first give you his season averages from his senior season: 11.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, .4 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers per game. He shot 47.8% from the field, 28.6% from three-point range, and 72.6% from the foul line. His overall efficiency via the NBA's efficiency formula was +13.9090, which is ok, but not great.

     Strengths: David Kravish is an intriguing NBA prospect because of his size, length, and ability to play well on both ends of the floor. At 6'10, 240 lbs, while also sporting a solid wingspan that measured 7'0 in his freshman year, David Kravish has a solid NBA build. He definitely has the size and length to handle NBA bigs.

     As for his offensive abilities, during his time at Cal he showed nice touch around the basket, scoring a lot of his points on jump hooks. He also developed a nice fade away jump shot and used his length to shoot the ball over taller defenders. Unlike his former teammate Richard Solomon, who currently plays for the Oklahoma City Blue of the D-League, Kravish is a finesse player in the paint, using the glass and crafty moves to score as opposed to muscling his way in for a thunderous slam.

      During his time at Cal, he added more and more weapons to his repertoire and became a very skilled big man with the capability to knock down an open three on occasion as well as a mid-range jump shot. He also became a solid free throw shooter, shooting 72.6% from the foul line this past season, making opponents pay for fouling him inside. Kravish's offensive versatility makes him a legitimate NBA prospect.

     In addition to having an array of moves and touch on the block, David Kravish runs the floor very well in transition and is good at finishing plays on the fast break due to his length and mobility. He is very capable of catching lobs in transition when given the space and has also proven capable of playing in a more uptempo offense.

     On the defensive end, David Kravish is an intriguing prospect because of his shot blocking ability as well as his ability to grab rebounds. He is the number one shot blocker in the history of Cal with 219 blocks, while averaging 2.1 blocks per game in his junior season and 1.5 blocks per game in his senior season. As for his rebounding numbers this past season, he averaged 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 defensive rebounds per game.

     His rebounding numbers are decent, but his shot blocking numbers are outstanding. If there is anything that makes him stand out from other power forwards in this draft, it is his shot blocking ability. To give you a sense of how his shot blocking stacks up, here are some shot blocking numbers from some first round prospects: Louisville power forward Montrezl Harrell averaged 1.2 blocks per game, Arkansas power forward Bobby Portis averaged 1.4 blocks per game, UCLA power forward Kevon Looney averaged .9 blocks per game, and Wisconsin 7'1 center Frank Kaminsky averaged 1.5 blocks per game. Judging by the those numbers, it is clear that David Kravish is a very good shot blocker in comparison to other players in this draft.

     What you might be wondering is why his shot blocking numbers dropped from his junior season to his senior season. In my opinion, it had to do with him being forced to play away from the basket a lot more due to the system and needs of the team, as opposed to it being a sign of regression. David Kravish exhibited the same knack for blocking shots that he did during his junior season. Don't let the numbers fool you into thinking otherwise.

     Weaknesses: Probably the biggest weakness for David Kravish is his lack of strength or at least his lack of willingness to use his strength. Compared to other NBA power forward prospects in this draft, his height, weight, and length are actually on par or better. He definitely isn't undersized or too light. But for whatever reason, almost to a fault, he has the tendency to make a finesse move inside as opposed to using his strength.

     In essence, he shied away from contact a lot and didn't get to the foul line. His field goal percentage of 47.8% wasn't very good and I think it largely had to do with him trying to avoid contact in the paint by taking tougher shots. If he had more of a willingness to finish through contact and go up stronger, his field goal percentage would have been better and he would have grabbed more offensive rebounds.

     During his career at Cal, he averaged only 1.6 free throw attempts per game and only improved slightly to 1.9 free throw attempts per game in his senior season. If he wants to have success in the NBA, he'll have to do a much better job of getting to the line and finishing through contact. Especially since he is actually a pretty solid foul shooter.

     In addition to not being willing to finish through contact, David Kravish wasn't the most consistent player this past season. In the Pac-12 opener against Washington, he had a very solid game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. In that game, he looked like a legitimate first round talent, dominating inside and scoring in a wide variety of ways. The same can be said of his game on the road against Stanford, in which he had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 block; his game in New York against Texas in which he had 19 points and 5 rebounds; and his game against Washington State in the Pac-12 tournament in which he had 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

     But amid those gems, he also had some poor performances. At home against Eastern Washington, he had 3 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block;  on the road against Washington State, he had 4 points and 1 rebound; on the road against USC, he had 8 points and 7 rebounds; and on the road against Utah, he had 4 points and 4 rebounds.

     It's hard to explain the inconsistency, but there is one interesting commonality I noticed in these eight games. In the four sample games in which he played really well, he averaged only 2.5 fouls per game. In the four sample games in which he really struggled, he averaged 4.25 fouls per game. What does this mean? It means he has had an issue with getting into foul trouble. During his senior season, he averaged 3.2 fouls per game and 4.3 fouls per 40 minutes. In his junior season, he averaged 2.7 fouls per game and 3.3 fouls per 40 minutes.

     While he does a good job of blocking shots, he hasn't done a very good job of staying out of foul trouble, which has clearly affected his performance. When he stays out of foul trouble, his play has ranged from solid to very good. When he gets into foul trouble, his play has ranged from ok to very poor. While it is true for all basketball players that the fewer fouls they commit, the better they play, this seems to be especially true for David Kravish.

     A key question to answer is why does he have an issue with getting into foul trouble? I think it has to do with him sometimes gambling on defense to block a shot and also not always being tough down on the block. It's clear from his offensive numbers that he shies away from contact, so it stands to reason that the same can be said for him on defense. A lot of those fouls were fouls that he could erase with more toughness and discipline down on the block.

     Lastly, it's not clear how much upside David Kravish has. While I would say he has certainly improved over his four years at Cal, he didn't have a breakout season during his senior year like he would have hoped. With Richard Solomon gone, David Kravish had a real chance to shine and put up some big numbers, but he wasn't able to do so with regularity. It's hard to say how much better he will get, which could scare some teams away from picking him up.

Overall conclusion: David Kravish is an interesting prospect because of the combination of skills and abilities that he has. He has good size, length, and mobility for an NBA big, good offensive skills, and a knack for blocking shots as well as grabbing rebounds on defense. If he is able to toughen up inside and learn to handle some contact in the paint, he could become a solid role player in the NBA. The tools and pieces are definitely there.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA and Cal basketball news 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Pac-12 tournament ends in a fitting way for Cal

     The California Men's Basketball team did not accomplish their lofty goal of winning the Pac-12 tournament last week. As a matter of fact, they didn't even come close. After blowing the doors off of Washington State 84-59 in their opening round game, Cal fell back to earth the next day against the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats, losing 73-51.

     While the result wasn't a happy one for Cal fans, it was a fitting result to end the season for Cal, who despite showing flashes of brilliance, never was able to fully get their act together all season. The fact that Cal looked dominant one day and inferior the next day pretty much sums up the entire season for Cal. They either looked really good or really bad.

     Now, in the game against Arizona, I thought Cal actually did a lot of things well. They played hard and physical, and they didn't let Arizona destroy them like they did the last time they faced each other in Tucson. Jabari Bird himself said after the game: "We went out there, competed, played hard. We didn't give up like we did the last game." The fact that Cal played hard, competed, and didn't just roll over and die was certainly a nice thing to see, but all the same, it was still a 20+ point loss and a reminder that this program has a long ways to go before they can actually compete for a national championship.

     Probably the best part of the Bears' trip to Vegas was watching David Kravish go out on a high note. Yeah, he struggled against Arizona, but against Washington State he was dominant, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. To see him end his collegiate career with a dominant performance like that was certainly heart-warming knowing how hard he has worked and what he has meant to the program. Cal fans should definitely remember this trip to Vegas for his dominant performance over Washington State.

     Going back to my point about this being a fitting end for Cal, head coach Cuonzo Martin has to find ways to get Cal to play more consistently next season. There was certainly enough talent on this roster to make the NCAA tournament, but what did Cal in was their inability to consistently play at a high level. If Cal played every game like they did against Washington State and even Arizona, they would have made the field of 68. Instead, Cal struggled to consistently bring the same level of intensity and passion to the floor every night, and that is why the best they could do was go to the CBI, an invitation that Cuonzo Martin declined.

     As for what I'll be blogging about on "Bear Territory Tuesday" during the off-season, I don't entirely know, but rest assured that I'll keep this segment chugging along as a staple of my blog during the off-season and for years to come. There are some exciting things that I can turn my attention to like recruiting, the NBA draft, and even how some other Cal Bears are doing now that they are pros. I'll find things to talk about during the off-season, but I just haven't mapped out what it is exactly that I'll be talking about each week. But that's part of the fun. I'm in just as much suspense as you are. As a matter of fact, 45 minutes ago, I didn't even know what exactly I was going to write about this week. A lot of things just come at the spur of the moment.

      I've had a great time blogging about Cal hoops on here and I am even more excited to see how things go during the off-season as I continue to build "Bear Territory Tuesday". And yes, you may have noticed that sometimes it's Tuesdays and Thursdays. But if there is one thing I can tell you for sure, it's going to be on Tuesdays from now on. The main reason is that it fits better with the flow of the basketball season. Cal plays games typically on Wednesdays or Thursdays and either Saturdays or Sundays, sometimes Fridays.

     Anyways, rarely is there a Tuesday game and Tuesday is a nice time of the week to recap what happened in the past week.  So I guess while there is a lot of mystery of as to what I'll blog about on "Bear Territory Tuesday" going forward, it's nice to know that it will firmly be on Tuesdays. I guess that's a start! Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Five things Cal must do to be successful in Vegas

     The Pac-12 tournament starts on Wednesday and it all starts with #8 seeded Cal squaring off against #9 seeded Washington State at 12:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks. Both Cal and Washington State come in with 7-11 records in the conference while also splitting the season series. In addition, the winner of this game will face #1 Arizona in the quarterfinals. There is no way of getting around it. While the road to winning the Pac-12 tournament is tough, I still believe that Cal has a shot to make some magic happen in Las Vegas provided they do five things.

     #1. Cal needs to get quality production from their "core four". If Cal is going to have any shot of winning the Pac-12 tournament this week, they have to get quality production from Tyrone Wallace, Jordan Mathews, Jabari Bird, and David Kravish. They need to get all four of those guys clicking and on the same page. The best barometer for this will be whether or not all four guys are scoring in double figures. If they are, then things are probably going pretty well. If they aren't, then odds are good Cal is heading back to Berkeley empty handed.

     Let me give you an example of what would be a good game for Cal's "core four": Tyrone Wallace has 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jabari Bird has 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Jordan Mathews has 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. David Kravish has 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. What makes this a good game, is that all four players are producing and in the flow of the game. Everybody is relying on each other and doesn't have the pressure of having to take over the game.

     On the flip side, here is an example of what would not be a good game: Tyrone Wallace has 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Jabari Bird has 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal. Jordan Mathews has 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. David Kravish has 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The problem with this type of box score is there is no balance among all four players. In this instance, Tyrone Wallace is carrying the load and nobody else is really giving him any help.

     Too often, this has been the problem for Cal. They get one of their "core four" players to have a big night and nobody else steps up. When this happens, Cal more often than not loses or at least finds themselves on the verge of losing. Cal could maybe beat Washington State playing like this, but against Arizona and everybody else, they have to get the kind of balance displayed in the first example.

     #2. Cal needs to hit their free throws. A high school basketball coach once told me: "The two most important shots in basketball are layups and free throws." That quote has always stuck with me because it's true. If Cal is going to go far in Vegas, they have to hit their foul shots. Cal has no problem getting to the foul line (especially Tyrone Wallace), but they have a hard time converting their foul shots. Cal needs to target a free throw percentage of at least 70% this week.

     #3. Cal needs to get some help off the bench. Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, Jordan Mathews, and David Kravish may be the guys who have to do all the heavy lifting, but they need to get some help from their bench. Sam Singer is the most likely guy to produce off the bench, but Dwight Tarwater, Christian Behrens, and Brandon Chauca also need to be productive. If the bench for Cal is able to knock down some shots, things will be a lot easier for the starting lineup to do their job. If on the other hand, the bench is ineffective, then Cal will need an above average performance from their starters to compensate.

     #4.  Cal needs to keep teams off the glass. Cal likes to go small a lot, which can work against certain teams in certain scenarios, but they risk giving up a lot of rebounds when they do. If they are going to be successful this week, they have to find ways to win the battle on the glass or at least make it very close. This is why I think 7'1 freshman Kingsley Okoroh has to be a difference maker. He doesn't have to score to make an impact. If he is able to block some shots and grab some boards, he could prove to be invaluable. In addition, David Kravish, Christian Behrens, and Dwight Tarwater will have to really clean up the glass whenever a shot is missed.

     #5. Cal needs to play at a fast tempo. Cal plays best when they are running up and down the floor at a fast pace since they have a lot of guys who love to play in the fast break. Sam Singer, Tyrone Wallace, Jordan Mathews, and Jabari Bird are all fantastic fast break players. If they can get out on the fast break a lot, things should be going well. If on the other hand, they find themselves in the half court, there could be trouble. If Cal is going to be successful at getting out on the fast break, they're going to have to get a lot of rebounds off the defensive glass.

    ---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news

Bear Territory Tuesday: Cal has to get everybody on the same page

     Cal lost their second meeting with Stanford on Saturday by the score of 72-61, giving Stanford a 2-0 sweep of the season series. Stanford as a result improves to 17-9 overall and 8-6 in the Pac-12 while Cal falls to 16-11 overall and 6-8 in the Pac-12. Cal needs to rebound quickly from Saturday's loss and get ready for a really tough four game stretch to finish the season.
 
     Cal's remaining schedule goes as follows: Wednesday, February 25 vs. Oregon (10-5) at 8:00 PM PST on ESPNU. Sunday, March 1 vs. Oregon State (8-7) at 12:00 PM PST on Pac-12 Networks. Thursday, March 5 at #7 Arizona (12-2) at 6:00 PM PST on ESPN2. Saturday, March 7 at Arizona State (7-7) at 11:30 AM PST on Pac-12 Networks.

    Cal's remaining schedule is very daunting: All four schools are ahead of Cal in the conference standings, two of the four remaining schools (Oregon and Oregon State) are schools that Cal hasn't yet faced, one of the games (@Arizona) is almost a guaranteed loss, and at a minimum Cal has to win three of their remaining four games.

     Cal is really behind the 8-ball and what's scary is that their present situation looks way better than anything we could have imagined after their hideous 1-6 start in the Pac-12. Cal was on the cusp of complete self-destruction and now they've at least restored a sense of dignity and pride. However, dignity and pride does't get you into the NCAA tournament. Playing good basketball does, and that's what Cal has to do in each and every game they play from here on out.

     The biggest problem for Cal all season has been their inability to get everybody on the same page. David Kravish for example had a career game against Stanford, posting 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Tyrone Wallace only had 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. Cal won't win any of their remaining games if only one or two of their key players play well while the rest of the team goes stupid. Cal really needs all of its players to step up. Especially Tyrone Wallace, David Kravish, Jabari Bird, and Jordan Mathews.

     The bench of course has to step up, too, but as Cuonzo Martin said in his press conference before the Stanford game, role players aren't expected to come off the bench and be your best players. They're on the bench for a reason and so if the team is going to have success, it has to start with the stars and the bench players have to feed off of their success.

     What's frustrating for Cal is that they have the potential to be a very good team and yet they haven't established any sort of consistency: Tyrone Wallace is one of the best point guards in the country, David Kravish is one of the best big men, Jordan Mathews is one of the best shooters, and Jabari Bird has athleticism and talent that makes NBA scouts drool. If all four guys are playing well at the same time, Cal can beat anybody in the country for the exception of maybe Kentucky and Virginia. The issue is that there hasn't been one game all season in which all four guys played well. It's usually just been Tyrone Wallace and he can't at all be expected to carry the team on his shoulders.

     If Cal wants to win three of their remaining four games and give themselves any hope of winning the Pac-12 tournament, they have to get Wallace, Bird, Mathews, and Kravish playing well together. It's that simple. If those four guys can figure out how to gel and all get the most out of each other, Cal could maybe go on another four game winning streak in Las Vegas. If they can't, they will be praying for a home game in the NIT.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

Bear Territory Thursday: Cal has to turnaround its season starting tonight against ASU

     Tonight at 8:00 PM PST, Cal will take on Arizona State in a battle between two teams that are desperately looking for another PAC-12 win. Cal comes into the game 11-7 overall and just 1-4 in the PAC-12. Arizona State comes into the game 9-9 overall and also 1-4 in the PAC-12. For both teams, tonight is obviously huge, but I will focus on why this game is huge for Cal and what they need to do to win.

     There are several reasons why this game is huge for Cal, so let me start with what is most obvious: They are 1-4 in the PAC-12! Cal has to start getting wins in the conference not just to improve their NCAA Tournament resume (which at the moment looks really weak), but also to improve their seeding in the PAC-12 tournament. If Cal wants to have any shot of making the NCAA tournament, they need to have a strong showing in the PAC-12 tournament. If Cal goes into the PAC-12 tournament as a double-digit seed or any seed lower than 8, they'll be in serious trouble and if they lose tonight, a low seed in the PAC-12 tournament will look very likely.

     In addition to PAC-12 seeding, Cal has a more immediate or pressing reason to win tonight's game.  #7 Arizona is coming to town on Saturday. The Arizona Wildcats play Stanford tonight before making their trip up to the East Bay. Win or lose, Arizona will be motivated to avenge the loss they had last year at Berkeley. Cal has a very winnable game tonight against the Sun Devils, so they better take advantage, because there is no telling what beat down Arizona may have in store for Cal.

     I don't mean to be pessimistic about Cal's chances to win on Saturday, but in all truth, I don't expect Cal to repeat what happened last year. Cal needs to get this win tonight because it's a game that they should win. In addition, if Cal wants to beat #7 Arizona on Saturday, they better build some good momentum by beating Arizona State tonight.

     Lastly, Cal needs to win tonight's game because in effect, their season is at a crossroads. If they win both games this week, there could be some hope for them to turn their season around. Next week Cal travels to the state of Washington to face the Huskies and the Cougars. Both schools are very beatable, which means wins this weekend could propel Cal towards a four or five game winning streak.

     If Cal loses both games this weekend, Cal's season will essentially be in the gutter and only a miraculous run to win the PAC-12 tournament will prevent Cal from missing the NCAA tournament. Putting the NCAA tournament aside, if Cal wants to make a deep run in the NIT, they'll want to get wins this week just to improve their seeding for that tournament.

     Getting back to tonight's game, what does Cal need to specifically do to win? The first thing they need to do is make sure Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, and Jordan Mathews get into a groove early. Those guys are the best scorers on the team and it will be essential for Cal to get them off to a good start. In addition, Cal will need to get David Kravish touches inside and get him some easy looks. In Cal's lone win in the PAC-12 against Washington, Kravish had a huge night, scoring 21 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. I think that pretty much says it all in terms of how important he is to the success of this team.

     As for what Arizona State is good at, they have a lot of balance on their team, with four guys ( 6'10 F Eric Jacobsen, 6'6 F Savon Goodman, 6'4 guard Gerry Blakes, and 6'5 guard Shaquille McKissic) scoring in double figures on average every night. Cal will want to keep all four guys under wraps, especially Jacobsen since Cal has had a hard time defending in the paint. If Cal does that and doesn't go stupid offensively, they will win the game.

     In conclusion, tonight's game against Arizona State is huge. Cal needs to win this game to get some sort of momentum going to finish the season strong. Cal has reason to believe that they can turnaround their season, but the turnaround has to start tonight. If Cal doesn't get the win tonight, I see no reason to believe that a turnaround will ever come.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord  

Bear Territory Friday: Cal needs to bounce back this weekend as Pac-12 play begins

                                    (Credit: commons.wikimedia.org)

     Cal concluded their non-conference play last Sunday with a gut-wrenching loss to CSU-Bakersfield by the final score of 55-52. The game essentially ended with Cal shooting guard Jordan Mathews dribbling the ball off of his foot, but it didn't officially end until referees had to determine whether or not to award Cal another possession after what appeared to be a CSU-Bakersfield turnover. After what felt like several minutes, the referees concluded no time was left to give Cal one last chance at a desperation heave, and so the game ended with one last insult to Cal's injury. 

     I felt numb after the game and confused. Cal came into the game with an impressive 10-2 record, only losing to two top ten teams in Texas and Wisconsin. To see them struggle against CSU-Bakersfield was as perplexing as it was alarming. What was alarming was Cal's inability to score the ball early in the game. Jordan Mathews couldn't hit a jump shot or a three to save his life, David Kravish was once again invisible on the court, and Tyrone Wallace was playing too passive, not willing to attack the basket. It was the worst that Cal had played all season and what was weird was that they were playing one of the worst teams in all of college basketball. 

     But now that Cal has had several days to digest that loss, it's time for them to move on and focus on what lies ahead this weekend. On Friday night, Cal gets a visit from #21 ranked Washington and on Sunday afternoon, Washington State comes through. Both games are huge after what happened on Sunday. If Cal wins both games to start Pac-12 play, I wouldn't say the loss to CSU-Bakersfield is forgotten, but the pain from the loss would be greatly numbed. If Cal loses both games, then the loss to CSU-Bakersfield starts to loom large as a point at which Cal's season started to come off the rails. 

   Cal's NCAA tournament hopes could very well hinge on what happens this weekend. A 2-0 start to Pac-12 play won't at all mean that their problems are solved or that they are an NCAA tournament quality team, but it would give them reason to have some hope. Cal started Pac-12 play 5-0 last year and still missed the NCAA tournament and unlike this year's team, they didn't have a stinging loss hanging over their heads. As a matter of fact, Cal's final out of conference game last season was a 90-60 butt-kicking win over Furman which featured a three-point assault from Jeff Powers. The game felt more like a practice game than a real game, which is a far cry from what Sunday's game against CSU-Bakersfield felt like. 

     However, Cal does have reason to feel confident going into this weekend. For one thing, they took care of business against a Syracuse team that was ranked in the Top-25. Secondly, Washington lost to Stony Brook in their last out of conference game, and third, they are playing at home. Cal rarely loses at home, especially in consecutive games. You can be sure that Cal will feel extra motivated to defend their home floor and remind people that Haas Pavilion isn't an easy place to play. 

     In order to capitalize off of these advantages and win both games, Cal will have to do three things. First, they'll have to get into a good rhythm offensively early on. They cannot fall behind early and expect to win. If they find themselves down by 10 points or more at halftime, they will be in serious trouble. 

     

     Secondly, Cal has to get Tyrone Wallace more help. He's been asked to carry the team on his back all season and while his efforts have been nothing short of Herculean, it's clear that the team cannot keep asking him to go to the well and save them. At some point the well runs dry and odds are good it went dry against CSU-Bakersfield. David Kravish and Jordan Mathews have to be the guys who give him the help he needs. 

     Lastly, Cal has to take better care of the ball. I've seen way too many turnovers in their last few games, and it has come back to haunt them. I've seen turnovers come in the form of bad passes, bobbled catches, and bad shots. The team that turns the ball over less usually comes out victorious and I don't expect Cal to be able to be an exception to that rule. 

    Cal has to win both games this weekend. One win isn't enough. Two wins against Washington and Washington State would legitimately be something for them to build upon and use as a springboard for future success. One win on the other hand would indicate that they still have problems and that they aren't making progress towards fixing those problems. The world of college basketball can be vicious and Cal is certainly seeing that right now. Hopefully when faced with the options to sink or swim, Cal swims like the Golden Bears they are named after and feasts upon the salmon. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

     

Bear Territory Thursday: Could Cal be better than last year?

   
     Before the season started, I thought that Cal was going to have a drop off from last season. It wasn't that I didn't believe in the team or didn't have faith, it just had to do with who was no longer on the team.

     Last season, Cal was led by Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon. Cobbs averaged 15.6 points and 5.8 assists per game and Solomon averaged 11.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Both guys were truly the heart and soul of the team even though they had talented players around them like Tyrone Wallace, Jabari Bird, and David Kravish. When Cal needed a basket in crunch time, Justin Cobbs was there to make a play. When Cal needed to make a big stop defensively, Richard Solomon was patrolling the paint ready to grab a rebound.

     With them now playing professionally, I wasn't sure if Cal had anybody who could fill their shoes. But now it looks like Cal does thanks to the emergence of Tyrone Wallace as a superstar. Wallace is averaging 19.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest and in the process is willing to takeover games in crunch time. In addition, David Kravish, Jabari Bird, Sam Singer, and Jordan Mathews are all improved players from last year.

     The combination of Wallace's sensational play, the improvement of players around him, and Cal's fantastic 8-1 start has me thinking that perhaps this year's team is better than last year's team. I know it's early in the season and also that Cal has had some shaky wins, but the wins over Nevada and Wyoming this past week were really solid. Cal certainly seems likely to be 10-1 when #5 Wisconsin comes to town on the 23rd and should Cal stun Wisconsin, there will be absolutely no reason for Cal to not be ranked in the Top 25, which is something that last year's team never accomplished.

     Right now, Tyrone Wallace is doing more than Justin Cobbs was doing last year, and given that basketball is such a star driven sport, that in and of itself is enough of a reason to say that Cal has a better team this year. In addition, the freshmen from last year (Jabari Bird, Sam Singer, Jordan Mathews, and Kameron Rooks) all have a year under their belts, making them more mature and ready to contribute. The only real knock on this year's team is that they don't have as much size up front as last year, but actually, the emergence of freshman center Kingsley Okoroh has surprisingly given this team a more sound presence in the paint than anticipated.

     I know we have a long way to go in the season and that there is still plenty of basketball to be played before the final verdict is in, but right now I believe that Cal has a better basketball team than last season. Don't at all be surprised if instead of making a deep run in the NIT, you see Cal making a deep run in the NCAA tournament. They might actually be that good. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Five things we learned from Cal's exhibition games

Yes, it's "Bear Territory Tuesday", but "Bear Territory Thursday" will be this upcoming Thursday, so nothing is changing with the segment. I put this off until today because Cal's second exhibition game was last Thursday and I wanted to do a recap of sorts for both exhibition games. Anyways, here is a list of five things that I think we learned from Cal's two exhibition games.

1. Brandon Chauca has some issue with the NCAA

Freshman point guard Brandon Chauca has some sort of issue with the NCAA that is keeping him from playing and no, it has nothing to do with academics or benefits. Ryan Gorcey made that part clear in a tweet earlier today.

Martin "still waiting" on NCAA for clearance on Brandon Chauca. Says it's not extra benefits, or academics.
— Ryan Gorcey (@RGBearTerritory) November 11, 2014

2. Sam Singer has improved his shot

Sam Singer is one of the best players that Cuonzo Martin has coming off the bench. He showed improvements with his shot during these two exhibition games, knocking down some threes while looking much more comfortable with his shot.

3. Kingsley Okoroh is raw, but capable of making an impact this season

There is no doubt that freshman 7'1 center Kingsley Okoroh lacks offensive polish, but I liked what I saw from him on the defensive end with his shot blocking and rebounding abilities. He blocked four shots against CSU-San Marcos and he throws really nice outlet passes after he grabs a defensive rebound.

As for his offense, he needs to do a better job positioning himself in the paint and getting higher up in the post. But even there, he seems more comfortable with the ball in his hands than Kameron Rooks did at this same time last year.  

4. Tyrone Wallace is much better as a point guard 

Tyrone Wallace looks so much more comfortable on the floor as a point guard and it really showed during these two exhibitions. When he has the ball in his hands, he really is able to do a lot of cool things in terms of creating for others as well as slashing to the rim and finishing. It was hard for him to play shooting guard last year alongside Justin Cobbs for the vast bulk of his playing minutes. Expect him to thrive this year as the team's primary ball handler.

5. Cuonzo Martin still isn't sure who to play alongside David Kravish in the post 

As of right now, Christian Behrens is the starting power forward and David Kravish is the starting center. However, Behrens didn't get a large chunk of minutes in comparison to other guys who can also play alongside Kravish. Kingsley Okoroh and Dwight Tarwater also got a fair amount of minutes. I still think Kingsley Okoroh is the best guy to start right now.  He's the only true center on the team who is healthy, and David Kravish is a natural power forward.

 If Christian Behrens is able to log in a lot of minutes at power forward, that would be different. But if it's going to be musical chairs in the post with Kravish as the only consistent post presence, I think Cuonzo Martin might as well start Kingsley Okoroh and really develop him over the course of the season. Plus, as I mentioned above, Kingsley is already a very solid defender and rebounder, so it isn't like he's a liability on the court.


---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Bear Territory Thursday: Is Cal getting overlooked?

                                          (credit: basketball.wikia.com)

     Going into this season, the main teams people have their eyes on in the PAC-12 are Utah, Stanford, UCLA, and Arizona. There is a great season preview of the PAC-12 by Dan Hanner of Real GM that goes into more detail about why these teams are expected to be good. In his preview of Cal,  Hanner concludes that Cal "can sneak into the tournament", implying that a trip to the tournament is the best they can hope to do and that odds are not in their favor to do so.
     Hanner's core thesis that supports his conclusion is:

"With Ty Wallace and David Kravish Back, and with Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews likely to make the sophomore leap and become dominant players, California's core four players are very strong. But the rest of the roster is filled with a bunch of recruits with fairly low potential."

 The first part I agree with, but the second part I disagree with. I agree that Tyrone Wallace, David Kravish, Jabari Bird, and Jordan Mathews make a fantastic core four. I disagree that the rest of the roster is weak.
     First of all, Cal has really nice depth at point guard. Freshman point guard Brandon Chauca is actually very talented judging by the tape I watched of him. He has a very nice shot, good ball handling skills, and the potential to be a fantastic play maker.
     As for sophomore point guard Sam Singer, he too is an underrated player. He wasn't much of a scoring threat last season, but he showed tremendous capability when it came to handling the ball, making plays for others, and playing good defense. If he improved his shot over the summer, which I'm sure he did, he will be a difference maker in Cuonzo Martin's rotation.
     This depth at point guard is huge because it gives Cuonzo Martin a lot more options and flexibility with his rotations. Even though I expect Tyrone Wallace to be the starting point guard, Wallace has the size to play shooting guard at 6'5. By having other viable options at point guard, Martin can use Wallace at the shooting guard position to give Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews some relief. It also allows Martin the chance to experiment with Jabari Bird at the power forward position, which could give certain teams serious matchup problems.

                                                       

                             
                                            (Credit: www.Eurohopes.com) 
     As for up front, freshman center Kingsley Okoroh is raw, but stands tall at 7'1. He should be able to provide a sound post presence for the Golden Bears and keep them from feeling like small ball is their only option. If he can earn a lot of minutes, David Kravish will be able to play his more natural position of power forward and thus be much more effective inside. Plus, Roger Moute a Bidias could be due for a breakout year of sorts. I don't know where his ceiling is, but I think he is really going to surprise people and prove effective as a viable power forward option in "small ball" packages.
    While it's true that I like Cal's bench much better than Hanner does, what really makes me optimistic for Cal is Jabari Bird. He really came into his own in the NIT last season, and I think he was only showing us a glimpse of what is in store for him. I don't think he was hyped as an NBA first round draft pick for nothing. What we saw from him in the NIT is what everybody was waiting for all season.
     Now that he has a year under his belt and is being asked to step up, I expect him to deliver the goods and become one of the best players in the country. If Bird can play like a first round pick, Cal by default will be a team that has a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. All you need to be dangerous in the NCAA tournament is a couple of players who are willing to step up in crunch time.  David Kravish will be one of those players and I'm confident that Jabari Bird will be the other.
     To answer the question in the title of my article "Is Cal getting overlooked?", I think the answer is yes. The potential to make a run in the NCAA tournament is definitely there when you have a potential lottery pick on your hands, three other players who are likely to play in the NBA, and quality role players.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

Bear Territory Thursday: Will Cal go with small ball?

                                          (credit: bigstory.ap.org) 
     
     One of the more interesting things to speculate about the Cal Men's Basketball team is what type of lineups their head coach Cuonzo Martin will go with, especially on the front line. The most experienced front court players on this Cal team are David Kravish (6'10), Christian Behrens (6'8), and Roger Moute a Bidias (6'6), none of which are true centers. The only true centers on this Cal team are freshman Kingsley Okoroh (7'1) and sophomore center Kameron Rooks (7'0), who is redshirting the season due to a torn ACL.
 
     With Rooks not playing this season and Okoroh only a freshman, odds look very high that Cal will roll with a lot of small lineups this season. With Kravish being the only guy outside of Okoroh who is capable of playing center, what type of lineups should Cal fans expect to see?
   
     First of all, lets get the backcourt situation figured out. Tyrone Wallace, who played a lot of shooting guard last season is expected to start at point guard. As for the shooting guard position, I assume that Jordan Mathews will be the starter with Jabari Bird sliding over to the small forward position. Cuonzo Martin might go with some other looks, but I expect those three guys to be starting at those positions.
   
     With positions 1-3 established, we can now look at the front court. What makes the most sense from a practical standpoint is to start Kingsley Okoroh at center and David Kravish at power forward. If this is how things go, Christian Behrens can come off the bench to play power forward and center, and Roger Moute a Bidias can come off the bench to play a mix of small forward and power forward.
   
     However, as I implied above, with Okoroh being a freshman, Cuonzo Martin may not want to throw him to the wolves and start him. He may prefer him to come off the bench. In that case, that means David Kravish has no choice but to start at center and either Christian Behrens or Roger Moute a Bidias starts at power forward. Either way, if Kingsley comes off the bench, Cal will be playing small ball by default.  May I add that in this lineup, Jabari Bird would be playing out of his position as he is more of a natural shooting guard. The only position where Cal would have a size advantage is point guard since Tyrone Wallace stands at 6'5.
   
     There are some other possible lineups which might have to be used as well. One such possibility would be Sam Singer at point guard, Jordan Mathews at shooting guard, Tyrone Wallace at small forward, Jabari Bird at power forward, and David Kravish at center. This kind of lineup is not likely to be used much, but it could be used in spurts. Cal is a team with not a lot of size and a lot of athleticism at the wing, which is the formula for small ball: Athletic wings + small frontcourt = small ball.

     This is not to say that David Kravish cannot play big inside. He can. He blocks a lot of shots and is very active in the paint. His offensive polish inside and defensive abilities allow him to play center just fine. It's the other guys who make this lineup small.

     With that being the case, it's all the more important that David Kravish plays big inside. With Kingsley Okoroh still looking relatively raw, odds are good that Kravish will be the only legitimate threat in the post. He'll have his work cut out for him this season and he'll have to play even bigger than last season. Especially with Richard Solomon gone.

     In conclusion, Cal will struggle to dominate people in the paint. Only David Kravish can reasonably be expected to be a force in the paint. But with him likely playing a lot of center against 7-footers, it's going to be all the more important that the players playing positions 1-3 really step it up and help space the floor.

     If Tyrone Wallace is able to penetrate and attack the rim like he does, if Jordan Mathews is knocking down threes, and if Jabari Bird is capable of scoring both inside and out, then Cal's small ball lineups could thrive. If they don't do their jobs effectively, then David Kravish will likely have to put up with a lot of double teams and guys who are bigger than him at the center position.

     ---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 
   

Bear Territory Thursday: 2014-15 Cal Men's Basketball Preview

                                         (credit: www.cougcenter.com)

With the college basketball season starting in six weeks, it's time for me to start my coverage of the Cal Men's Basketball team on here in my new segment "Bear Territory Thursday". Once a week I'll be doing a blog post on the California Golden Bears since I currently go to the school and I really got into the team last season. I got season tickets last year, missing only one game (the Fresno State game), and I got my season tickets again this year. Having followed the team really closely last year while also tweeting about them, I feel like I have ample knowledge about the team to start covering them more in-depth this season.

I hope that this segment will provide Cal fans a fun place to stay updated on the team and non-Cal fans a window into the college game. Now that I've set up an introduction to this new segment, let me dive into my season preview for the 2014-15 California Golden Bears.

The California Golden Bears are coming off a season that was filled with lots of highs and lows. The ultimate high point of the season was Justin Cobbs' game winning shot from the corner to down #1 ranked Arizona at the buzzer. I was present at that game and got to rush the court with my fellow students. It was an unbelievable moment and one that will forever go down in history as one of the greatest moments in the history of Cal athletics.

                                         (credit: www.sfgate.com)

The low point of the season was missing the NCAA tournament. Losses to Utah, Stanford, USC, and Colorado down the stretch cost the Golden Bears a spot in the NCAA tournament. After having such a high point with the win over Arizona, it was unfathomable to think that Cal would actually miss the tournament.

However, despite the low of missing the NCAA tournament, Cal got a second wind in the NIT and ended up losing to SMU in a heart breaker. During the NIT, Cal freshman shooting guard Jabari Bird started to show flashes of why he was a McDonald's High School All-American and why many NBA scouts had such keen interest in his talent, scoring 20 points on 3/6 three-point shooting in the game against SMU. It was disappointing to go out on a loss, but it was also encouraging to know that the future of the team appeared to be in good hands.

                                                (credit: rushthecourt.net)

Going into this season, what is probably going to be the biggest challenge is moving on from seniors Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon. Cobbs was one of the best point guards in all of college basketball and Richard Solomon also came into his own as one of the best big men in the country. When Cal needed a basket in crunch time, they always counted on Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon to deliver the goods. Now that those guys are gone, others will have to step up.

                                                    (credit: mercurynews.com)

The good news is that there appears to be other guys ready to fill the void left by Cobbs and Solomon. The guy most ready to fill that void is David Kravish, who plays the power forward position. Kravish is going to be a senior this year and he is coming off his best season in a Golden Bears uniform in which he averaged 11.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. He too was one who the team could count on in crunch time, remaining consistent and steady throughout the season.

If there is anything certain and definitive that I can tell you about the Cal Men's Basketball team, it is that David Kravish will come to play every night. He will score, he will rebound, and he will defend. He will always play a complete game on both ends of the floor.

As for the rest of the team, that really remains to be seen. Jabari Bird, who I've already mentioned has the talent to be really good this year and turn Cal into a legitimate threat to win the Pac-12. If Bird turns into an NBA first round pick, Cal could be scary. However, it's no slam dunk that he becomes that kind of player since he still seems to be a work in progress.

                                                  (credit: usatodaysportsimages.com)

The other two players who legitimately can fill the void left by Cobbs and Solomon are Tyrone Wallace (junior) and Jordan Mathews (sophomore). Wallace is a 6'5 combo guard who played a lot of shooting guard last season, but seems to be more of a natural point guard. His driving, ball handling, and passing abilities are fantastic, but his outside shot comes and goes. While it is was encouraging that his three point percentage improved from 22.4% in his freshman year to 32.1% in his sophomore year, his three point shooting was still a weak spot for him and one that he'll have to continue to improve on if he wants to be effective at the shooting guard position.

 He didn't have the kind of season that everybody hoped he would have in his sophomore year after there were whispers of him being a potential first round pick in the NBA draft. He only averaged 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. More importantly, he wasn't reliable down the stretch when Cal needed him to step up. There were some games when he evaporated and appeared to be invisible as Justin Cobbs, Richard Solomon, and David Kravish carried the load.

With Cobbs and Solomon now gone, Wallace will get a chance to prove that the hype around him is legitimate. If he backs up the hype along with Jabari Bird, Cal will have a really competitive team that will be tough to beat whether they are at home or on the road.

As for Jordan Mathews, who is a natural shooting guard, he too could be really good. His 32 points against Oregon on the road last season raised some eyebrows across the PAC-12 and gave people reason to believe that he could be something special. But like Wallace and Bird we'll have to see if the hype around him is legitimate. If he can come into his own, Cal's new head coach Cuonzo Martin will have four quality pieces to work with. 

As for the rest of the team, there isn't anybody who can be expected to fill the void left by Cobbs and Solomon, but there are guys who can be really nice pieces to go alongside the four guys I just mentioned. Sam Singer is a really solid point guard who passes well, defends well, and doesn't turn the ball over. His assist to turnover ratio last season was above 2.0 which I found to be remarkable for a freshman.

Incoming freshmen Brandon Chauca, a 5'9 point guard, and Kingsley Okoroh, a 7'1 center, will also be players who could make a difference on this Cal team. Chauca was really good at scoring the ball in high school and Okoroh has the potential to be a force in the paint.

Swingman Roger Moute a Bidias and power forward Christian Behrens should also be able to provide quality minutes off the bench as well. Moute a Bidias might be in for a breakout season of sorts, but the lack of minutes he got last year makes it really hard to gauge where his ceiling is.

                                          (credit: sfgate.com)

Last but certainly not least is the departure of head coach Mike Montgomery and the arrival of new head coach Cuonzo Martin, who coached last season at Tennessee. Martin has a good track record and the players at Tennessee from what I've heard really loved him. What helps confirm this to me is that one Cal player I talked to said he loves Coach Martin and that he is excited to play for him.

Also, for what it's worth, I've been hearing from people close to the team that Martin is really making the team work hard and put in the extra time so that they can get a grip on his basketball philosophy. In addition, other Cal players have told me to expect big things this season, implying that they are really buying into Martin's coaching method and philosophy.

To sum this all up, what I will say is that Cal has the potential to be as good as they were last year and possibly better. If Jabari Bird and Tyrone Wallace show why they were hyped to be first round picks in the NBA draft, Cal could make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. If those guys fail to live up to the hype, then Cal will be in a dog fight to make the NCAA tournament. The uncertainty surrounding Bird, Wallace, and Mathews is the biggest question mark going into the season. Until we see how those guys pan out, we won't be able to figure out the ceiling of this Cal team. Go Bears!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

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