Nick, 1 lousy minute...ZILCH
Montgomery, 8 minutes ….ZILCH...
That = a loss...
Need I say more?
Montgomery, 8 minutes ….ZILCH...
That = a loss...
Need I say more?
Richards and Montgomery
- Thread starter 55wildcat
- Start date
Pretty bad 4 min for Baker also.
Bench was non existent.
Those 3 should live in the gym in the off season. Good grief. Two 6-11 athletic guys that cannot make any impact on a game?
7 turnovers for Hagan, 5 turnovers for PJ, and numerous missed free throws AGAIN in a NCAA game. Killer.
go watch the beginning of the game again. EJ played well, blocked a shot was a presence around the rim. If anything he should of played 25 minutes. Once Cal decided that Reid was no longer going to be a part of the game plan offensively should of went with EJ and PJ.
Seems he would have use the 2 big men more to guard the rim because our gaurs could not contain Auburn guards
whoever slapped that 5 star rating on Richards and Montgomery should be looking for a new career...
How was Bakers 4 minutes bad? I would loved to have seen him get a shot or two up as no one else could hit, maybe he could have yesterday.
I thought the same. Reid Travis is a beast rebounder but offers zero rim protection. Houston went over him and Auburn went around him. I think EJ could have altered a few of those layups in the second half.
EJ was playing ok but he was getting lost on defense quite a bit. His man was open for good 3 looks several times early but they only managed to hit 1.
And everyone thinks this duo will be productive next season...IMO Richards will leave, transfer or pro ball....my reason...see Marcus Lee or SKJ......and Montgomery never really developed any kind of game over the season, his whole game needs improvement
Harper drove right past him for a layup then next possession hit the 3 with the and 1....so yes bakers minutes were ****
Montgomery, Baker and Richards should have played anyone that knows basketball realizes this. Our players looked gassed we needed the bench. All season long we use the bench but stubborn Cal for some reason ignored the guys. All three guys should have played at least 10 minutes with Montgomery getting 15-20 minutes.
Baker had good defense on the 3, can’t guard it any better than he did, sometimes you have to give another player credit for making a tough shot. As for the foul call, I didn’t see much there to warrant a call being made. Harper fell down and got the call but players fall down all the time without a call being made.
Well said, I wouldn't be surprised to see Richards leave, and maybe he should.
The whole Cal MO seems to be that if a player hasn't shown the kind of skill that will at least throw his name into a serious professional discussion after a year, then that's a bad sign for that player's development at Kentucky
I totally agree!!! And I want to add Hagans to that. How in the world do they rate these guys? I don't pay attention to this anymore when thinking about recruiting. It's obvious that some of these guys are way overrated coming out of high school.
PJ missed some really close in shots as well. 12 turnovers from PG and PF are a recipe for defeat
Both of those players gave up open threes all year, Auburn would have won by 15 had we played them. They would have isolated them and took advantage, they didn’t play because there was nobody they could guard.
Cal needs to recruit by need instead of star rating. Get some guys that can shoot, get a pG that can run a team and drive around his man,get guys that can hit free throws, get players with basketball IQ.
I sometimes think that Cal don't even want guys to return, especially after two years. Want proof, name one the last 5 years.
If you want to see something REALLY funny check this out... Look at #6 and #7 recruits... You will get a kick out of it.. Believe me...https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Basketball/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=highschool
They should've played. We needed their rim protection more than Reid Travis' rebounding.
Strange. I don’t remember that happening in Rupp.
Auburn really struggled w their length in Rupp. We changed our normal substitution patterns which likely had an impact on defensive intensity as well.
W Hagans well documented struggles, Baker should have had more clock w IQ at point in longer stretches.
Where are all these super quick guards that signed with Auburn?
It’s obvious Cal is not a great Coach because he never changes with the times. He is stubborn and this idea that players come before the program sucks.
Richards shoukd have been a 1star. He is Shagsri Alkeynr 2. Guy been here two years, hasn’t improved one bit. Now don’t at me about his footwork, defense blah blah blah, he comes into a game we are instantly 4 on 5 on offense. You can’t throw him the ball, they will either steal it or he will fumble it away. This!! After two years of “developing”? He could stay here for 20 years he’d still suck. Montgomery, he needs playing time. We saw flashes of what he can do when confident. This roster needs an overhaul. We have too many guards, not enough inside scoring presence off the bench at all. This might have been Cal’s worst bench in his time here. And we don’t guard a guard. All year long we got our *** ate up by the small, quick, shooting guard.
Calipari spent the year either telling us how great NR could be or begging him to produce thru the media. EJ never developed. Both need to be where they are taught how to play the low post, that aspect of their game has been ignored at UK.
Couldn't agree more! absolutely spot on. what you see is what you get and if anyone thinks that next year that they are gonna have more drive and determination I have some ocean front property in Arkansas to sell ya real cheap.
Gave up a 4pt play by fouling a 3pt shooter....Cal had an ultra quick hook on Baker
I’ve got a ton more confidence in EJ than Nick. Nick is simply a project still—and EJ would’ve played and contributed more if he’d got more minutes! Cal couldn’t play Nick in a game like this, but in my opinion had either PJ or Reid got in foul trouble, EJ would’ve helped!
I am not sure why he did not play Richards, especially when Pearl made an adjustment and had his guards attack the rim and stop jacking threes right off the bat, Richards is the only true shot blocker he has and he didn't use him.
They are rated on potential and all three of them have/had potential in spades. Montgomery and Richards both are tall and athletic. Those are things you can't teach. Hagans is tall and athletic for a PG and is pretty crafty with his drives. The skills should be able to come in time for those guys, but you cannot really teach the other factors and they have them.
Unfortunately, it is something else that you cannot teach and that sometimes isn't as easily scouted that they are lacking, and that is a feel for the game and some in game intelligence. When in high school they were probably bigger and stronger than most and they didn't have to make these same split second decisions. Now that they have to, this flaw is coming out. The question will be whether or not they can overcome it and begin to get a feel for the game, or if it will always be their flaw.
Got burned on D each time......then fouling that 3? Can't blame this loss on one single thing. There are too many to name. Exciting ride, just didn't show up today.
Many here live and die on star ratings . They hang their hats on the goofy *** star system .
Because Richards is still a project and while he gets an occasional block and a rebound he also gets a corresponding illegal screen or failure to catch an easy entry pass to offset them!! I’m tired of waiting on Nick’s “potential” —and EJ’s basketball acumen and “upside” is so much greater!
I’m excited about EJ (and Ashton, Tyler and Immanuel’s) sophomore season. Having them along side Hurt and/or the Bucknell grad transfer and the other great guard/small forward recruits will no doubt contribute to a much better offensive and defensive team next season!!
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