Fatality by Richards/Diallo

PikeCat15

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2016
704
2,515
91
Let me preface this by saying I still wholeheartedly believe this team can make a run. I’m hoping that yesterday was just a bump that Cal can use as motivation for the final run.

However, I also wholeheartedly believe that when/if this team loses in the NCAA tournament, it will be due to the stubbornness of starting Diallo and Richards. Anyone notice we seem to start super slow in most games? We’re down 5-10 points before we know it and then he puts PJ and Vanderbilt in.

Diallo and Richards are good kids. I agree with Cal there. But is he really gonna let us have the final fatal mistakes from those two cost us an NCAA game and end the season prematurely?

Forgive me, but those two give us absolutely nothing on the court.
 

Kats23

All-American
Nov 21, 2007
8,683
5,913
63
Cal’s stubbornness is a curse and a blessing. In most cases, his stubbornness works but when it fails and when it comes in the tournament, it’s highlighted. If he continues to stick with these 2 in the starting rotation I’m afraid you’re right it may cost this team a W and best case a lot of what if’s. I think a bad shooting night could easily send this team home or Vanderbilt/PJ get in foul trouble and he has no choice.
 

WildMoon

Heisman
Apr 7, 2009
78,693
11,120
0
I kind of disagree.

It really doesn't matter who starts.

They got 23 minutes and 19 minutes. But that's only because Vanderbilt and PJ had 4 fouls each by end of the game.

Especially Richards time would have been drastically lower had Vando and PJ's foul has been lower.

Basically, those two would be getting bench minutes at best.

However, if we REALLY want to go deep. Richards needs to wake up. We need to be able to have some interior presence. But, hey...if they stay like this we will have solid returning core next year and finally we might have strong interior presence that we been missing for past 3 years.
 

uk78_rivals88018

All-American
Feb 6, 2003
12,401
8,783
0
I think you leached my TItle post a month ago "Death by Diallo." I think it is safe to conclude by now there will be no change.....unfortunately.
 
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kyjeff1

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
51,278
72,046
113
I kind of disagree.

It really doesn't matter who starts.

They got 23 minutes and 19 minutes. But that's only because Vanderbilt and PJ had 4 fouls each by end of the game.

Especially Richards time would have been drastically lower had Vando and PJ's foul has been lower.

Basically, those two would be getting bench minutes at best.

However, if we REALLY want to go deep. Richards needs to wake up. We need to be able to have some interior presence. But, hey...if they stay like this we will have solid returning core next year and finally we might have strong interior presence that we been missing for past 3 years.
I think the OP is talking about more than just yesterdays game. He's talking about the season as a whole.
Starting those two guys usually puts us an a hole or at least keeps us from putting the other team into a hole.
Remember the 11-0 run Arkansas went on to start the game?
Do that in the tournament against Virginia, Purdue, Michigan State, UNC or Duke (an many others) and we're done.
 

PikeCat15

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2016
704
2,515
91
I think you leached my TItle post a month ago "Death by Diallo." I think it is safe to conclude by now there will be no change.....unfortunately.

Didn’t mean to steal your thunder, but completely agree. It may have been said around here before, but it frustrates the hell out of me that they get legitimate minutes
 

JStaff21

Heisman
Sep 8, 2012
12,735
58,188
0
 
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MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,402
85,762
113
When we were little kids we'd play this game: We'd tackle some poor guy and then everyone would climb on. At the end someone, usually a big fat kid, would waddle up and jump on top.

We called it 'Piling On.' We were vicious little jerks. I'm glad I outgrew that.
 
Last edited:

Rockford

Heisman
Jun 28, 2001
23,745
51,294
83
Nick Richards past 10 games....
11.6 minutes
9 FG 6-10 FT 30 rebounds 4 Blocks 3.4 ppg 3.0 rebounds

Diallo past 10 games
.(gulp)
14.2 minutes pg 16 FG (1.6 pg) 6-18 threes 9-15 FT 15 boards

FG 32% 3FG 33% FT 60%

4.7 points per game 1.5 Rebounds per game

Holy 5 star first round draft choice, Batman.

Combine with Richards and SKJ and 3 of our top 8 are not contributing.

Puts a lot of pressure on the other 5 guys.
 

kybassfan

Heisman
Jul 1, 2005
20,032
16,368
113
Let’s just play with no subs. Nobody is gonna get in foul trouble. Nobody will get hurt. No body ever gets tired. It’s that simple right. Cal is an idiot trying to get ready for something that’ll never happen.

Y’all ever get sand in your eyes? Hard to breath with your head in the sand like this too.
 
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BourbonBalz

All-American
Mar 5, 2005
11,430
9,235
0
We get off to slow starts with those two in the starting lineup. Then we struggle to make up the ground we’ve lost. Coming from behind requires lots of energy, both emotional and physical. Diallo and Richards have trouble scoring, making us much easier for opposing teams to guard. Both have to play some minutes to give others players a break and when foul trouble sneaks up, but neither should start. It’s pretty obvious.
 

Big John Stud

All-American
Jan 14, 2003
23,281
8,876
0
Nick Richards past 10 games....
11.6 minutes
9 FG 6-10 FT 30 rebounds 4 Blocks 3.4 ppg 3.0 rebounds

Diallo past 10 games
.(gulp)
14.2 minutes pg 16 FG (1.6 pg) 6-18 threes 9-15 FT 15 boards

FG 32% 3FG 33% FT 60%

4.7 points per game 1.5 Rebounds per game

Holy 5 star first round draft choice, Batman.

Combine with Richards and SKJ and 3 of our top 8 are not contributing.

Puts a lot of pressure on the other 5 guys.
He's not contributing in his 11 minutes a game?
 

Cats_2010

Heisman
Jan 8, 2010
11,846
20,201
103
Cals stubbornness will cost us as it always does, but it isn’t due to him still starting Diallo and Richards. Both of them were out of the game prior to the first TV timeout yesterday. We were tied at 14 apiece with about 13 minutes to go. We dug ourselves a hole because we weren’t defending at all and cal waited until we were down by 22 freaking points to change up defenses (not counting his switch with one minute to go in the first half).

Unless cal overcomes his own coaching inefficiencies I don’t think we will ever win another title under him under the current college basketball landscape. No one I would even replace him with before you go there but he tends to leave a lot to be desired when it comes to pure coaching and making adjustments during the flow of the game. He certainly has the knowledge so that isn’t the issue but the stubbornness is his Achilles heel. He remains that way we will be stuck on 8.
 
Feb 5, 2010
952
786
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Let me preface this by saying I still wholeheartedly believe this team can make a run. I’m hoping that yesterday was just a bump that Cal can use as motivation for the final run.

However, I also wholeheartedly believe that when/if this team loses in the NCAA tournament, it will be due to the stubbornness of starting Diallo and Richards. Anyone notice we seem to start super slow in most games? We’re down 5-10 points before we know it and then he puts PJ and Vanderbilt in.

Diallo and Richards are good kids. I agree with Cal there. But is he really gonna let us have the final fatal mistakes from those two cost us an NCAA game and end the season prematurely?

Forgive me, but those two give us absolutely nothing on the court.

Yes I agree will Cal play favorites or play the 5 BEST guess we will see.....
 
A

anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y

Guest
I think you leached my TItle post a month ago "Death by Diallo." I think it is safe to conclude by now there will be no change.....unfortunately.
Let's hope he doesn't Leach your "enthusiasm robbed" title. That was hard to read.
 

uk78_rivals88018

All-American
Feb 6, 2003
12,401
8,783
0
Let's hope he doesn't Leach your "enthusiasm robbed" title. That was hard to read.
Because of the Title or content? I am interested (not hijacking this post) what exactly anyone disagrees with. Tell me how everyone here thought we didn't have a chance before the Florida game and I will point out all the posts to the contrary.....And, as stated in my first sentence in that post, it doesn't mean I can't wait to watch us next week. Fingers are always crossed but my reality has been grounded.
 
A

anon_9qtxg60vqzy0y

Guest
Because of the Title or content? I am interested (not hijacking this post) what exactly anyone disagrees with. Tell me how everyone here thought we didn't have a chance before the Florida game and I will point out all the posts to the contrary.....And, as stated in my first sentence in that post, it doesn't mean I can't wait to watch us next week. Fingers are always crossed but my reality has been grounded.
Just sounded weak.
 
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LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,125
61,444
113
For the life of me I don't get why either is starting. Well I do, Cal's stubbornness to give certain players minutes. I mean it's obvious at this point.. Richards, Diallo and Shai running the point? That's just not a smart basketball lineup. Green should be starting.. He's our truest PG, he has to be in there. We need Gabriel just for experience, We need Knox for offense, and we need a fire guy either PJ or JV. If you must, throw in RIchards or Diallo.. fine.

But both? The experiment starting Diallo and Richards should have ended a week or two ago, maybe more. But here we are. Struggling to win games because.. ? Draft? Because that's what staff told them when they were recruited?

The irony of this is that they continue to showcase just how they AREN'T ready for the NBA.
 
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SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
30,005
0
My two cents is Diallo tries too hard sometimes (possibly because Cal tells him to go for it) but a bit out of control and not a great basketball IQ. Richards just flat out isn't reliable or even getting better right now. I don't question their heart, just calling it like I see it.
 

Larry Dixon

Redshirt
Nov 19, 2006
6,352
5
0
The biggest disappointment of this team is their defense. This is one if not the worst defensive teams Cal has had at UK.
The teams length and athletic ability is just oozing with potential.
This team just can’t figure it out.
Until they do UK won’t go far in the tourney.
 
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SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
30,005
0
The biggest disappointment of this team is their defense. This is one if not the worst defensive teams Cal has had at UK.
The teams length and athletic ability is just oozing with potential.
This team just can’t figure it out.
Until they do UK won’t go far in the tourney.
Actually, the overall 'team defense' isn't bad. But, we have a couple guys that haven't bought in. I agree, Cal always gets teams to play great defense this time of year, and I thought our length and athleticism was gonna make us scary good. But again, a couple guys refuse to take pride in their defense.
 

turkeywildturkey

All-Conference
Oct 23, 2003
2,647
2,202
0
Let me preface this by saying I still wholeheartedly believe this team can make a run. I’m hoping that yesterday was just a bump that Cal can use as motivation for the final run.

However, I also wholeheartedly believe that when/if this team loses in the NCAA tournament, it will be due to the stubbornness of starting Diallo and Richards. Anyone notice we seem to start super slow in most games? We’re down 5-10 points before we know it and then he puts PJ and Vanderbilt in.

Diallo and Richards are good kids. I agree with Cal there. But is he really gonna let us have the final fatal mistakes from those two cost us an NCAA game and end the season prematurely?

Forgive me, but those two give us absolutely nothing on the court.

The only run this team is going to make is next year. Their basketball IQ is nonexistent.