Fadeaway Friday: Utah Jazz rookies developing with the Salt Lake City Stars

Joel Bolomboy, Marcus Paige, and Tyrone Wallace, the three rookies for the Utah Jazz, are all currently playing for the Salt Lake City Stars, the D-League affiliate of the Utah Jazz organization. Here is  an update on how all three players are developing and what their outlook is at the moment.

Joel Bolomboy: Joel Bolomboy is a 6'9", 235 pound power forward out of Weber State up in Ogden, Utah. Bolomboy averaged 17.1 points and 12.6 rebounds per game in his senior season at Weber State and is the only Jazz rookie to actually get minutes in the NBA, playing in 8 games for the Utah Jazz, averaging 0.9 points and 1.0 rebounds per game.

In the D-League with the Salt Lake City Stars, Joel Bolomboy has been averaging 15 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1 block per game. He's been putting up respectable numbers and has really been thriving in the pick and roll, getting easy buckets inside due to his length and explosive athleticism. His teammates are finding him inside and he is taking full advantage.

As far as his outlook is concerned, it's hard to see Joel Bolomboy getting very many minutes with the Utah Jazz this season due to the presence of Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, and Trey Lyles. But, with Derrick Favors battling some knee issues, it is possible that Joel Bolomboy sees some more action this season. He's a talented big that can provide some energy off the bench and provide some relief to some of the Utah Jazz big men. In the meantime, look for Joel Bolomboy to continue to benefit from playing in the D-League. He's definitely a guy who could undergo a transformation playing for the Salt Lake City Stars.

Marcus Paige: Marcus Paige is a 6'1", 175 pound point guard out of North Carolina, who played four years in a Tar Heel uniform. Through 11 D-League games, Paige has been averaging 11.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. His season high is 24 points against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers back on December 5.

Marcus Paige has been shooting the rock well for the Stars, coming off screens and popping off threes with his quick left-handed release. He's been shooting 33.3% from 3-point range, which could definitely be better, but isn't bad, either. When given daylight, he has proven himself to be very effective from beyond the arc.

In regards to his outlook, the Utah Jazz have a ton of guards, so it stands to reason that he won't see any minutes with the Utah Jazz this season. But, if he does well in the D-League, he should expect to get another training camp invite and perhaps make another guard in the organization expendable like Raul Neto.

Tyrone Wallace: Tyrone Wallace is a 6'5", 205 pound point guard out of Cal. I got to know Tyrone Wallace well during his senior season at Cal since I cover the team for Rivals.com over at GoldenBearReport.com. Tyrone Wallace has a ton of talent due to his size, ability to score around the rim, and versatility. Tyrone Wallace is a guard who can do a little bit of everything. He can defend, rebound, and facilitate in addition to scoring, so he's very much a multi-dimensional guard.

Through four games with the Salt Lake City Stars, Tyrone Wallace has averaged 18.25 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game on 24-50 (48%) shooting from the field,  2-9 (22.2%) shooting from 3-point range, and 23-29 (79.3%) shooting from the foul line.

What's most encouraging from these numbers is his foul shooting. Tyrone Wallace struggled with his foul shooting during his time at Cal (61.3%) and I know for a fact that NBA scouts were hesitant to draft him as a result. They liked everything about his game, but they were unsure about his foul shooting and ability to shoot the ball in general.

With his foul shooting improving dramatically from last season, Tyrone Wallace's stock is going up considerably. The plan is for him to spend the entire season with the Salt Lake City Stars as a draft and stash kinda guy. But, should he continue to shoot well from the foul line like he is, he'll certainly get a training camp spot with the Jazz next season and figure to likely get a few minutes with the Utah Jazz in the NBA. The Utah Jazz still have a lot of depth at guard, so it's way too early to project him as a rotation player for them next season, but if he can find his way onto the training camp roster and make the team, he'll put himself in a position where cracking the rotation is possible.

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Note: If you love the Utah Jazz, check out my Utah Jazz blog utahjazz406.blogspot.com. This article also appears on there. Click here to view it. 

Bear Territory Tuesday: Despite the great recruiting class, Tyrone Wallace is still the leader of Cal

     There is no doubting that the additions of Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb have made Cal a contender for the national championship. My last few blog posts have made that very clear. But what cannot be lost in all of this is that Tyrone Wallace, who announced that he would be returning for his senior season, is still the leader of this Cal team.

     Wallace had a chance to leave for the NBA in this year's draft, but he decided to return for his senior season to complete his degree and lead Cal deep in the NCAA tournament. If Tyrone Wallace had opted to leave for the NBA, Cal would still be a dangerous team, but I'm not sure they would be a threat to win the national championship.

     What makes Cal a threat to win the national championship is the combination of their great recruiting class, depth, and veteran leadership provided by Tyrone Wallace, who averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game in his junior season. It was a bit of an adjustment for Wallace to be the leader last season after he had Justin Cobbs and Richard Solomon to look to, but thankfully senior power forward David Kravish helped to take some of the pressure off as he made the transition.

      Wallace has been well prepared to take on this role and he seems eager to take it on. He knows that when the game is on the line everybody will be looking at him to either take the shot or create a play for somebody else. Such is the job of the point guard, especially when the point guard is a senior.

     Just so I'm clear, I don't mean to imply that he won't have anybody else to help him in crunch time. As projected lottery picks in the 2016 NBA draft, Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb also need to be expected to step up in the clutch as do juniors Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews. But all the same, it needs to be understood that this is Tyrone Wallace's team.

     There's more to leadership than just hitting big shots. Leadership is about coaching up your teammates, giving them encouragement and confidence when things get tough, etc. The only guy on this team who has the authority to do those things is Tyrone Wallace and that is what makes him the leader. He'll have to be the guy who makes sure everybody else understands their job and stays calm when they take on elite teams like Arizona, Utah, and Virginia. Having this kind of leadership will serve Cal well as they try to make history and win the school its first national championship in basketball since 1959.

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

Bear Territory Tuesday: After landing Jaylen Brown, the sky is the limit for Cal basketball

     Jaylen Brown, a 6'7, 220 pound 5-star small forward from the state of Georgia has committed to Cal. He is a top-five recruit in the country and just like Ivan Rabb, he is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Via CalBears.com:  "Brown was named the 2015 Gatorade Georgia Boys Player of the Year, USA Today’s All-USA Georgia Player of the Year, Georgia’s Mr. Basketball and the Class 6A Player of the Year by the Georgia Sports Writers Association, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Class 6A North Player of the Year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class 6A Player of the Year, and the Marietta Daily Journal Class 6A Player of the Year. He was a consensus First Team 6A All-State selection, and a two-time All-Cobb County Player of the Year as a junior and a senior. Brown was also a consensus All-Cobb County First Team pick each of the past two years.   The elite small forward averaged 28 points and 12 rebounds as a senior to lead Wheeler High School to a 30-3 overall record, a No. 6 national ranking in the final USA Today Super 25 poll, and the school’s first Georgia 6A state title since 2009. Like Rabb, Brown sealed his high school’s state title at the free throw line."

     The news of Tyrone Wallace returning for his senior season already made Cal a national championship contender and a consensus Top-25 team. But after landing Jaylen Brown, Cal is now stacked to the point that there is no reason to doubt this team's ability to win a national championship. With three McDonald's All-Americans (Ivan Rabb, Jaylen Brown, and Jabari Bird) on its roster to go along with Tyrone Wallace, Cal will have one of the most talented teams in the country.

     What's scary is that I haven't even yet mentioned Jordan Mathews, Stephen Domingo, Tyson Jolly, Davon Dillard, Sam Singer, Kameron Rooks, or Kingsley Okoroh. I keep wanting to talk about what they are going to bring to the table, but every week Cal keeps on landing another monster recruit. Perhaps next week I'll be able to do a piece on them in more detail, but what I can say about them as a collective whole is that they bring depth to this Cal team and that is what really makes them so scary.

     If you have a couple of NBA lottery picks on your team, you are automatically a national championship contender, but you can still fall short if you don't have enough depth. Cal won't have an issue with depth at all, especially at the shooting guard and small forward positions. Cuonzo Martin will have a wide array of quality options to turn to at all times, which will allow him to make sure the guys he has on the floor are fresh.

     The only concern I have for this Cal team is whether or not they'll be able to adjust to being the hunted. For so long, Cal has been the team trying to upset the big name schools like Arizona. I can attest from personal experience at Cal games, that the Arizona game has always been the big game of the year because it's Cal's one chance at playing with the big boys. But now, Cal is going to be in the same national championship discussion with the likes of Arizona, Utah, and Kentucky, and I wonder whether or not this team is mentally ready to have those kind of expectations.

     But in truth, that discussion is for another week. What I want to drive home to all of you this week is that Cal has a team that can win a national championship in 2016. The pieces are all there. They have the leadership of quality upperclassmen, the talent, and the depth to win a national title. The only question is whether or not they will deliver. Go Bears!

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


   

Bear Territory Tuesday: Tyrone Wallace's return makes Cal a contender

     Last week, Cal point guard Tyrone Wallace announced in front of his teammates and certain members of the media that he will return to Cal for his senior season. He said at the press conference that his decision to return for his senior year is fueled by his desire to lead Cal deep into the NCAA Tournament, get his degree, and improve his NBA Draft stock, all of which are good reasons for him to return.

     As for what this means for Cal basketball, this is huge. It will be much easier for Cal to hit the ground running and get off to a good start since they won't be waiting on a guy to evolve into their leader. With Wallace comfortable as the leader, a ton of pressure is taken off of everyone on the team, especially Ivan Rabb, who is already getting hyped as the Messiah of Cal basketball. By having a senior to look to for leadership, Cal will have a much better chance of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament than they would if they were relying on a freshman to lead them. Especially since nobody else on the team has played in the NCAA tournament.

     In addition to Tyrone Wallace's leadership, Cal will benefit from having another really good player on the their roster. Tyrone Wallace is going to get drafted in the NBA in 2016. It's just a matter of where that remains to be seen. He could go as high as the middle of the first round to the middle of the second round. It's really hard to tell at this point where he'll go, but there is no question that he is a legitimate NBA prospect. Cal will certainly benefit from having such a talented player on its roster. Especially a versatile player like Wallace who can play point guard, shooting guard, and even small forward.

     Lastly, Wallace returning helps bring some continuity for Cuonzo Martin who is entering his second season as Cal's head coach. By having Wallace return, Martin will have a guy who already knows his system and can lead in his system. I think if Wallace were gone, Martin would in many ways feel like he was starting from scratch all over again. Wallace brings a feeling of stability to the program by returning and that I think is huge.

     The leadership, talent, and stability that Wallace brings to the Cal basketball program makes Cal a real threat to do some damage in the PAC-12 and NCAA tournament next year. Obviously I will expand much more on this once I do my season preview in the fall, but rest assured that Wallace's return makes Cal a contender for a national championship. I know this team really well and I know what kind of pieces are being brought in. Wallace's return puts in Cal in the national championship discussion. Anybody who says it doesn't simply doesn't know basketball.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord  for NBA and 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 Thursday: Looking ahead to Cal's huge game at Stanford

     Cal will travel to Maples Pavilion on Saturday to take on Stanford in a game that is huge for both teams. Cal enters the game 16-10 overall and 6-7 in the PAC-12 while Stanford enters the game 16-9 overall and 7-6 in the PAC-12. Ironically, after it appeared as though both schools were heading in opposite directions, they now find themselves in almost exactly the same position. For Stanford, a win could vault them to a top-four seed in the PAC-12. For Cal, a win gets them back in the mix to maybe land a top-four seed in the PAC-12 tournament.

     The top four seeds in the PAC-12 tournament get first round byes, an advantage that both Cal and Stanford would love to have. Given that Utah and Arizona are locked into the top-two spots and UCLA likely the #3 spot, it's unlikely that Stanford and Cal both get first round byes in the PAC-12 tournament. That's what makes Saturday's game so huge. Both teams are in desperate need of improving their positioning for the PAC-12 tournament and only one of them can get a bye.

     As far as at-large bids for the NCAA tournament are concerned, Cal and Stanford need this win. In order to have a shot at the big dance, Cal needs to win against Stanford on Saturday, hold serve at home the following week against Oregon and Oregon State, and then get a split on the road against Arizona and Arizona State. In addition, they'll also need a strong showing in the PAC-12 tournament, which is why that #4 seed is huge.

     As for Stanford, a loss against Cal would be very bad. Stanford has had the win at Texas as sort of a "signature win" to have in their back pocket, but now that Texas is unranked, that win suddenly doesn't mean as much. In addition, their win over UConn doesn't amount to much since UConn is also unranked and just 14-10 overall. Despite having a stronger start to their season, Stanford appears to be just as much in need of quality wins as Cal.

   
     What helps Cal is that they got the split in the Rocky Mountains by beating Colorado, whereas Stanford got swept by both Colorado and Utah. Cal is coming into this game having won five of their last six games, whereas Stanford is coming into the game having lost four of their last five. Cal definitely has found its groove as of late whereas Stanford appears to have lost theirs.

     A big factor in the polarizing directions that both teams have taken is that Cal sophomore shooting guard Jabari Bird is now healthy after suffering a stress reaction in his foot and Stanford freshman forward Reid Travis is just recovering from a stress reaction in his leg. Bird is finding his groove, scoring 21 points against Utah and 16 points against UCLA, whereas Travis has been held scoreless in the last two games. Both players are important to their respective teams and it has shown in recent games.

     If Cal wants to beat Stanford on Saturday, there are four things they need to do: Get point guard Tyrone Wallace into a groove, get solid production off the bench, keep Stanford off the glass, and slow down Stanford senior point guard Chasson Randle.

     Tyrone Wallace is the heart and soul of this Cal team. He does everything for them. He scores, dishes assists, rebounds, and plays good defense. If he doesn't have a big game, there is no way Cal can win. In addition, if Cal wants to get other players going like Jabari Bird and Jordan Mathews on the wing as well as David Kravish in the post, they need to have Tyrone Wallace attacking the basket and making plays.

     Cal also needs solid production off the bench. When guys like Brandon Chauca, Dwight Tarwater, and Sam Singer get into a rhythm, Cal suddenly has a really scary eight man rotation. When those guys aren't on their game, Cal really struggles since they start asking a lot from their starting five.

     Keeping Stanford off the glass will be huge. Reid Travis who I mentioned is a banger inside as is  Stanford center Stefan Nastic. Cal has had problems defending inside, so it will be huge for them to grab as many rebounds as they can, limiting the opportunities for those guys to get buckets inside.

     Last but certainly not least, Cal has to make sure Chasson Randle doesn't have a big game. In a press conference regarding Saturday's game, Cal head coach Cuonzo Martin said about Chasson Randle: "He hits big shots. We need to limit his touches, play him aggressive, and fight through those ball screens."  Martin recognizes that keeping Randle quiet is key and they have to especially lock down on him in crunch time.

     As for what Stanford needs to do to win this game, they need to make sure Cal doesn't succeed at doing the things I said they need to do. If Stanford can keep Tyrone Wallace quiet, limit Cal's bench production, dominate on the glass, and have Chasson Randle steal the show, they'll win the game. It's that simple.

     As far as what my prediction is, I think Cal is going to win. I'm not just saying that because I'm a Cal graduate and a passionate fan. I'm saying that because of the recent trends I've seen from both teams over the last five games. Cal has their swagger back and has a ton of confidence coming into this game. The same cannot be said for Stanford, who is limping into this game.

     While it is true that Stanford will be extra motivated to defend their home floor, I do believe that Cal has just as much motivation given that they lost to Stanford at home earlier this year. Cal wants to get some revenge and if anything hurt Stanford's NCAA tournament resume. The motivation is there for both teams to win, and so I'm going with Cal because they come into this game with more momentum and confidence. Go Bears!

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

Bear Territory Thursday: After losing to Stanford, where does Cal go from here?

                                          (Credit: hiphopandpolitics.com. Click here for source) 

     On Wednesday night, Cal lost to Stanford by the score of 69-59. The loss was made all the more painful due to the fact that Cal had a solid 31-26 halftime lead. In the end, the game came down to Stanford knocking down shots and Cal missing shots. I guess in a way every game comes down to that. After all, the goal is to score more points than the other team. But upon looking at the box score, that really was the tale of the tape.

     Cal out-rebounded Stanford 41-34. Cal had 11 assists to Stanford's 6 assists, and the turnover department was essentially even, Stanford totaling 8 turnovers to Cal's 9 turnovers. However, when it came to shooting the ball, Stanford shot 25-52 (48.1%) from the field and Cal shot 22-62 (35.5%).

     What's so alarming about that isn't just the percentages. It's the fact that Cal took more shots and made fewer. If Cal shot 28-65 from the field (43%), that would still not be good, but at least they would have been rewarded for taking more shots. Cal was instead punished for taking more shots, and Stanford was rewarded for taking fewer shots and being more efficient with each shot they took. In every sport, efficiency wins games, and Stanford won because they were the more efficient team.

     This same efficiency can be seen in how both team's respective stars shot the ball. Stanford's star senior guard Chasson Randle shot 8-14 (57.1%) from the field and scored 25 points. Cal's star junior guard Tyrone Wallace shot 6-22 (27.3%) from the field and scored 14 points. The fact that Chasson Randle was able to be so efficient allowed other guys like Anthony Brown and Stefan Nastic to get going, whereas Wallace's inefficiency didn't allow him to get other guys going. He was so concerned about finding his groove that he never found it and in the process wasn't able to get other guys involved in the game.

     After this game, it's clear that Stanford and Cal are heading in opposite directions. Stanford is turning into a legitimate threat to not only reach the NCAA tournament, but also go to the Elite 8 and possibly Final Four. I'm very impressed with how they are playing and I wouldn't be shocked if they made it that far in the NCAA tournament. Cal on the other hand is not only on the path to miss the NCAA tournament, they are also on the path to getting a low seed in the NIT.

     The question for Cal after this loss is "Where do they go from here?" This game had "bounce-back" written all over it. Jabari Bird was able to log in more minutes and actually be a factor unlike the UCLA game, and all in all, the team appeared to have more to play for than their rivals across the bay. Stanford came into the game 3-1 in the PAC-12 while also having a win on the road against a Texas team who at the time was ranked #9 in the nation.

     Cal on the other hand came into the game with a 1-3 record in the PAC-12, coming off humiliating losses @USC and @UCLA. The fact that Cal wasn't able to get the win against Stanford indicates that the whole season is in serious jeopardy and that the wheels are really starting to come off if they haven't already.

     I guess in answer to the question "Where do they go from here?", Cal has to lick their wounds, rest up, and get ready for Arizona State next Thursday and then #10 Arizona on the following Saturday. The fact that Cal has more than a week to get ready for both games while also playing both games at home is a huge blessing for this team. If Cal were to embark on a two game road trip to the Valley of the Sun after this loss, I don't know if it would even make sense for Cal to make the trip.

     Fortunately, they can take a couple of days off, get their feet under them, and try to play off of the energy of the home crowd at Haas Pavilion. They need to take advantage of this eight-day layoff to hit the reset button and approach Thursday's tilt against Arizona State as a fresh start to the season. The best way to move on from tough losses is to convince yourself that it's a new day and forget about the past. If Cal can do that and in the process have Jabari Bird back up to speed, there is a chance they can turn things around.

     Cal started the PAC-12 strong last season and ended weak, falling apart after the huge win over #1 Arizona at home. It would certainly be ironic if Cal ended up finishing the PAC-12 season strong with a win over Arizona at home being the catalyst to a late season surge as opposed to it preceding a late season collapse.

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

Bear Territory Tuesday: We learned nothing from Cal's loss to Wisconsin

     Cal had its biggest game of the season on Monday night when the #6 ranked Wisconsin Badgers came to Haas Pavilion. I arrived at Haas Pavilion 5 minutes into the game partly due to getting held up at the Bart Station. My ticket did not have enough money on it to allow me through the turnstiles and so I had to make the necessary payments to get through. After running back and forth across the downtown Berkeley Bart station to get a new ticket, which I later threw away thinking it was the other ticket, I eventually left the station and arrived at Haas Pavilion.
   
     When I finally got to my seat, I found myself in an environment that I hadn't experienced at Haas Pavilion since the game against #1 ranked Arizona last year. The building was absolutely electric and buzzing. Without even knowing who Cal was playing, you could sense that it was a game with something much more on the line than the other games played this season.
   
     Cal started off really slow and struggled to find their groove early on in the game. Only Tyrone Wallace appeared to be comfortable under the bright lights from the very beginning. Wisconsin simply outplayed Cal in the first half. They dominated in the paint, they got good looks from beyond the arc, etc. The play that capped it all off was a play at the very end of the first half in which Wisconsin executed a beautiful backdoor play, with one Wisconsin player hitting a cutting teammate for an And-1 opportunity. It was at that moment that I realized we were not in Kansas anymore. Wisconsin was at a whole other level, taking Cal completely by surprise while in the process taking a 32-20 lead into the half.

     The second half was much better for Cal. Jordan Mathews finally woke up and gave Tyrone Wallace some much needed help, hitting some jump shots and getting to the lane for some baskets inside. Unfortunately for Cal, the hole they dug themselves into during the first half was too much for them to overcome, but to their credit they didn't go down without a fight. Rather than letting Wisconsin win by 20 or 30 points, Cal played Wisconsin to a 36-36 tie in the second half, losing only by 12 points by the final score of 68-56. Tyrone Wallace finished the game with 17 points and 7 rebounds and Nigel Hayes led Wisconsin with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

     If you are a Cal fan reading this, you probably have your own conclusions about what this loss means for Cal and what we should take away from this loss. I will share with you what my main conclusion is and you are free to agree or disagree. My conclusion is that we really didn't learn anything about Cal.  You are probably asking yourself upon reading this "Why am I reading a blog post that says we didn't learn anything? That's why I'm reading this blog post!" This is a fair question to ask, so let me explain what I mean by this.

     Going into this game there were a ton of questions about where Cal fits in the big picture of college basketball. Are they a Top 25 team? Are they an NCAA tournament caliber team? Are they as good as their record or is their record inflated due to a string of easy opponents? None of those questions were answered after Monday night's loss. I repeat none of them!

     In terms of whether or not Cal is a Top 25 team, we still don't know. A lot of teams in the Top 25 would go down to Wisconsin by 12-16 points and we would still consider those teams worthy to be in the Top 25. Wisconsin is more than a Top 25 team. They are a serious threat to win the National Championship. They backed up their #6 ranking as I think most of us thought they would. Losing to a team that is ranked as high as Wisconsin is nothing to be ashamed of. Especially when you play them as close as Cal did.

     In addition, Cal was without their sophomore starting shooting guard Jabari Bird, who is currently dealing with a stress fracture in his left foot. With him being out, it really wasn't realistic to expect Cal to win the game. Would Cal have defeated Wisconsin with Jabari Bird healthy? Probably not, but it is certainly conceivable given the fact that Cal only lost by 12 points. Therefore, it really isn't fair to judge this loss too harshly.

     Are they a legitimate NCAA tournament caliber team? I think they have what it takes to get to the tournament, but let's keep in mind that Cal knocked off #1 ranked Arizona last year and still failed to reach the NCAA tournament. That fact alone teaches us that one game against a national title contender win or lose doesn't determine your NCAA tournament status.

     I suppose had they gotten crushed by 40 points that would have been a bad thing, but nobody expected that. The betting line on the game was Wisconsin by 10 points and the game more or less went just as the guys down in Vegas thought it would go. The win over Syracuse told us that Cal has a very good team that should be able to compete in the PAC-12 and make a push for the NCAA tournament. Nothing from the loss to Wisconsin should change that belief.

     In terms of are they as good as their record indicates (10-2), once again we don't know. They've played a lot of close games against some mid-major schools like Montana, Princeton, and Wyoming, but to their credit Cal won those games. We can't knock them for almost losing when they exhibited a lot of toughness and determination to get those wins. There's a lot more good to take away from those close wins then there is bad.

     In conclusion, we learned nothing from Cal's loss to Wisconsin. One could say we learned that Tyrone Wallace can step up his game against big time competition, but that really shouldn't have come as a surprise judging by how he played against Princeton, Syracuse, and Nevada. One could also say we learned that David Kravish is in a funk and that Cal needs him to be successful, but this we already knew going into the game. He hasn't played particularly well all year and this game was just another data point on that map.

     Lastly, one could also say we learned that Cal needs Jabari Bird healthy, but this is stating the obvious. Every team needs their McDonald's All-American healthy to compete against top ten teams except for maybe Kentucky since they are stacked beyond belief. What will really teach us about Cal is how they play during PAC-12 play and how they play once Jabari Bird returns.

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

Bear Territory Friday: What is Tyrone Wallace's NBA potential?

                                         (Credit: George Nikitin-Associated Press. Click here for link)

     Cal junior point guard Tyrone Wallace is off to a sensational start this season, averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists going into Friday night's contest against Eastern Washington, a game which Cal won by the score of 78-67. Because my blog is an NBA blog which features Cal basketball every week, I thought it would be good to synthesize Cal basketball with the NBA and give my thoughts on what Tyrone Wallace's NBA potential is.

     When looking at a player's NBA potential there are several things to consider, but I will list a few of the key essentials: #1. You want to consider the player's size for his position. #2. You want to consider the player's skills as they pertain to his position. #3. You want to evaluate the player's defensive abilities. #4. You want to evaluate the player's ability to create his own shot. #5. You want to evaluate the player's overall athletic ability. When looking at these five essentials, I think that Tyrone Wallace has the potential to be a really good NBA player, likely landing in the middle to late first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

     Right out of the gate, Tyrone Wallace has great size for his position: 6'5 and 200 lbs. He's a long lanky kid who can use his length to score in the post over taller defenders. For a shooting guard, he's average size, but for a point guard, he's considered big in the NBA, and that is a huge plus for his draft stock and NBA potential.

     When looking at his skills for his position, he's got a lot of great tools to work with if you are an NBA team. He handles the ball really well, gets in the lane to attack the basket, finishes well around the rim, and he has a great IQ. In addition, he rebounds extraordinarily well for a guy of his size and also can facilitate and distribute the ball. His weaknesses are foul shooting and three-point shooting, though his three-point shooting has improved a lot. His free throw percentage hovers around 50% which is abysmal for a point guard. If he wants to succeed as an NBA point guard he will have to shoot better from the foul line, especially since getting into the lane is his major strength.

     As for the defensive side of the ball, he's very good, getting 1.4 steals per game. He holds his own defensively against smaller and quicker guards laterally while also bothering them with his length. A player's ability to play defense in the NBA is huge in terms of determining his draft stock and long-term potential. If a player can't defend, that's a huge mark against a player and fortunately for Wallace his defense is a plus in terms of his NBA potential.

     As for creating his own shot, Tyrone Wallace is fantastic. He plays well in the pick and roll as well as in isolation, giving him the ability to create his own shot from anywhere on the floor. If he wants to pull up for a three, he can do it; if he wants to slash to the basket for a layup, he can do it. A player with this kind of versatility is a hot commodity in the NBA. Last season, he was much more dependent on slashing to the basket to score, but this year he is getting more comfortable with his three-point shot, which I think is really key to his rising draft stock.

     As for athletic ability, he definitely has all the tools of an NBA athlete. He has the size, the quickness, and the leaping ability. When he steps on the floor in college, he is clearly one of the best athletes on the court. He stands out like all NBA prospects do.

     Now what does this all mean for his NBA potential as a whole? Long-term, I think he could be a solid starting point guard in the NBA producing 14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals per game. Because of that long-term potential, I think he likely lands in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. I could see him going as high as #15 in the 2015 NBA Draft if he keeps on improving like he is. NBADraft.net has him going #27 at the moment in their current mock draft for 2015, but if he keeps on improving, there's no reason why he couldn't be a top 15 pick. Especially in a weak draft.

     Ironically, there was chatter of him being this high of a pick when he was a freshman, but that talk cooled when it was clear he needed some development. But now, two years later, he is emerging into one of college basketball's brightest stars and a premiere star in the PAC-12. If you hear Tyrone Wallace's name called early on in the 2015 NBA Draft, don't be surprised. He has the tools to be very effective in the NBA.

---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 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 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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