Bear Territory Tuesday: Will Jordan Mathews have room to "breakout"?

     One of the more interesting things to think about when it comes to the 2015-16 Cal men's basketball team is how much room there is for all the players to showcase their abilities. Tyrone Wallace is the senior point guard trying to prove he's worthy of a first round pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb both are hoping to be lottery picks in the 2016 NBA draft, Jabari Bird is hoping to prove that he still belongs in the NBA discussion, etc. 

     With all of these players looking to shine while simultaneously having to play together, it stands to reason that somebody is going to have to make a sacrifice or at least not produce as much as they could.    Out of all the players on the team, that "somebody" projects to be Jordan Mathews, a junior shooting guard who averaged 13.6 points per game last season. If it wasn't for the amazing recruiting class that Cal has had, it would stand to reason that Jordan Mathews would take a big step forward and become the next star of the team in the 2015-16 season.

     But with Ivan Rabb and Jaylen Brown coming to Berkeley, that is longer realistic. As a matter of fact, it's not even clear if Jordan Mathews is in the starting lineup depending on how things shake out in the frontcourt. Going back to my opening paragraph, with all of these big name players suiting up for Cal, there are only so many shots and possessions to go around for each player. Tyrone Wallace is still the leader of the team and Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb are the most talented. The unfortunate reality for Jordan Mathews is that he isn't likely to have as a big of a role as he probably anticipated and that could be somewhat disheartening for him. 

     On the flip side, Mathews is still going to be a key part of the team and thanks to this monster recruiting class, he gets a chance to be on a team that gets a lot of national attention. If Mathews has the right attitude, as I'm sure he will, this could all work to his benefit in terms of his NBA draft stock. NBA scouts do value players who have the humility to be role players and in the NBA, a role player is what Jordan Mathews projects to be at best. 

     So, while it's unlikely that Jordan Mathews has a "breakout" season in terms of leading the team in scoring, he still has a great opportunity to showcase his abilities in the 2015-16 season. It's just that he won't be showcasing his abilities in the way that he probably was expecting before the signings of Rabb and Brown.

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


   

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 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: Should Cal feel encouraged by close wins?

     Cal had a really close call on Wednesday night against Montana, winning 78-76 in double overtime. If it wasn't for a timely three by Jordan Mathews and a little bit of luck, Cal would have suffered an embarrassing home loss. The absence of Jabari Bird due to a foot injury didn't help, but even with him resting, Cal still should have defeated Montana by more than 2 points. Cal played sloppy basketball all night against the Grizzlies, turning the ball over at inopportune times while also finding ways to fall behind. But amid all these errors and mistakes, Cal still won the game, and that in and of itself is enough of a reason for Cal to feel encouraged.

     I don't doubt that Cal should feel like they have a lot to improve on after their close call against Montana as well as their single digit win over a mediocre Fresno State team on Sunday. Cal showed that when you don't make your free throws and in the process get careless with the ball, it's going to be hard to win games. If they continue to make those same mistakes, they will struggle once PAC-12 play begins.

     Fortunately, turnovers and foul shots are fixable mistakes. They are more mental errors than they are errors of being outplayed or outmatched. Tyrone Wallace for example repeatedly got to the foul line over these last two games and yet he really struggled to make his free throws. He can change that by practicing his foul shots and being more confident.

     The ability to correct these mistakes as well as the fact that they still found ways to win is why Cal should feel encouraged by these past couple of victories. They know that even when they have bad days and play poorly, they can still find ways to salvage the victory. I think experiencing wins like this will serve Cal well in the long-term provided they fix their mistakes and get better. It's never a bad thing to get tested early in the season. Especially when you still walk away with the win. Cal's next couple of games are Sunday at Nevada and Wednesday at home against Wyoming.

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

Bear Territory Thursday: Cal stuns #23 Syracuse in the Garden

     Thursday night was Cal's first real test of their young season after two cupcake games against Kennesaw State and Alcorn State, both which resulted in easy Cal victories. The opponent was #23 ranked Syracuse and the setting was Madison Square Garden, which for Syracuse is sort of a home away from home. Madison Square Garden was overwhelmingly filled with support for Syracuse, and yet Cal was unfazed by the sea of Orange.
   
     The key to Cal's success was pushing the tempo, knocking down open threes, and moving the ball. The Golden Bears did not have a passive approach to the famous 2-3 zone of Syracuse. They instead attacked it relentlessly and sought for every opportunity to push the ball for easy baskets in transition. By doing just this, Cal was able to set themselves up for some easy looks, knocking down 8-19 shots from 3-point range while also totaling 20 assists.
   
      The most amazing part about this game was that Syracuse never really threatened to win. Once Cal had the 34-22 halftime lead, they pretty much coasted the rest of the way for the victory. Every now and then Syracuse made a play that kept them alive, but never enough to actually get one to think they had a shot at coming back. This I think is largely due to Cal sticking to their game plan and not slowing down or playing conservatively.
   
     As a matter of fact, sometimes Cal pushed the tempo when it actually would have been better to slow things down once the game was well in hand. But all the same, they stuck to their game plan of pushing the tempo, and it paid off handsomely in the end, resulting in a 73-59 victory over the Orangemen. Jordan Mathews ended up being the guy who benefited the most from this high tempo style of play, finishing with 22 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and 8-10 shooting from the foul line.
   

                             (via Cal Bears.com---Courtesy: Mollie McClure/McClure Photography)  
   
     On Friday, Cal will face another tough opponent in Texas who is coming off a win against Iowa. Cal will certainly need to once again bring their "A-game" if they are going to win. But whether or not they win that game, they already can feel really good about what kind of team they have going forward.  Especially since they are only going to get better. Go Bears!

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