MMMMM…. Basketball

It has been a pretty good week in college basketball for me. Watching Kentucky run a train on Morehouse was awesome, although I have begun to question Morehouse’s creditbility. Either way it was a pretty sick win, and the Cats looked very improved since their last game versus Transy.
Alex Poythress committed to UK giving them the 2nd best recruiting class from ESPN.COM. Right now our lineup looks pretty good too. We have a great PG in Harrow, a SG in Goodwin, a SF in Poythress, and a C in Cauley. All we need is a PF. And it would be extremely nice to get SHABAZZ! If we do not get any more commitments this will be the first time under Cal that we do not have a #1 class, and the first time we do not have any players in the top 10.
I really doubt we will have many players return. Davis is a top 5, Teague, Gilchrist, Jones and Lamb will probably be in the lottery, and Wiltjer will probably crack the first round. We are going to have a mass exodus and it is good we will have another recruiting class. The ‘cool’ thing about this incoming class is that they aren’t the one and done players we are used to. I doubt any of these players will be first round picks in 2013, and we will probably still be around when they are sophomores. And honestly, I am quite excited about that. We will actually have guys to build around like Jones, Miller and Lamb this year. I could get used to these multiple year players.
This years team just looks nuts. I am so excited about our game against Kansas. You’ve heard it all before, and there is nothing that I can say about this team that will change your opinion of them. BUT. I would like to speculate that this team looks more ready than John Wall’s year. I still remember that Miami-Oh game, and I don’t think we are going to have any close games like that this year against such bad teams. I think Jones will be a more effective Patterson to this team, and Miller and Lamb just provide the experience to transition our freshman in easier. We don’t have as high of a ceiling as Wall’s team did, but this team already plays together better, they don’t take plays off, and they are better suited for the dribble drive.
Wall and Cousins were special talents. Athletically, they are both the best at their position in their class. Rose may be more athletic than Wall. That’s it. Dwight Howard may is the only Center with a better body than Cousins. That’s it. Together, they could’ve been unstoppable. (They were stopped, and I don’t’ want to talk about why.) Our players this year are different. We don’t have any freak athlete like Wall at PG. We have a really good athlete in Teague, but he isn’t the best of his generation like Wall. And Davis is not a Center. Sure, he’ll block shtos. But he doesn’t have the Center body that Cousins has. Ie the weight. Davis is going to be a special player, just not a great Center. Wait until Renardo Sidney plays vs. him. Hes gonna get manhandled.
Cousins was sometimes a liability on defense. He just couldn’t run the floor because he was so out of shape. Davis and Jones can both run the floor, and they are both quick as bunnies. Gilchrist takes every play personally and doesn’t take any time off. This team is going to be an intense team. We are never going to say ‘they just don’t look awake.’ They are going to be in the other teams face all the time. And when they smell blood, they are going to attack.
When Cal came to Kentucky he preached the dribble drvie. And then he realized that we are actually a post up team and switched our offense around. When Brandon Knight was here Cal noticed that Knight was not as quick as Wall, and couldn’t penetrate or hop like Wall either, and ran plays for Knight using picks. This year all of our players are drivers. Teague, Jones, Teague, Lamb, Miller (kind of. He usually stops around the free throw line) Gilchrist. All but WIltjer will be able to take the ball from the arc and drive it in. Dribble fucking Drive. And we are going to fly down the court. We will be the fastest team from hoop to hoop. Especailly since our big man, Davis, still sprints like a gazelle. ALLEY OOP!
SO yeah, Wall’s team had better potential. But I think we are ready today. We are going to be out for blood. Jones is still pissed he wasn’t a top ten pick. Miller wants to prove he isn’t a bitch. Gilchrist wants to win. Davis wants to see his potential. This is gonna be a sick year. I can’t wait until Tuesday when we play Kansas.
Also, it is awesome to see NCSU with such a good recruiting class. Go Gottfried!