Always on the lookout for answers, the Black and Gold Truth went to the mountain to talk with Tom Kensler of the Denver Post to get the skinny on Colorado basketball.BGT: This is being looked at as a lost season by many fans, Tom, even if Ricardo Patton (pictured) and his players aren't doing so. What can the coach and the Buffs still accomplish in this unusual year?
Kensler: The key is the freshman development. It would be good for them if they would also win a couple (of games). We all know, in college athletics, confidence is a big part of it all. Not as important as talent but confidence is right behind.
BGT: Are you seeing frustration or emotional fatigue on behalf of this team?
Kensler: I see a little bit of frustration but I think it's about not winning, not the lame-duck thing with Ricardo or anxiety over who will be the coach next year.
BGT: What is your perception of Patton -- how has the resignation announcement affected him this season and do you see any differences in his approach to coaching or interacting with the players?
Kensler: I think he's a little bit more relaxed and let's face it, the pressure's off a little bit but not totally off as he's trying to impress a future employer.
BGT: A big complaint we have heard this season from fans is Patton's excessive substitution pattern, which also appears to have no rhyme or reason to it. Is that because he doesn't feel comfortable with any group or any individual he puts out there or is it something else?
Kensler: He really hasn't found a combination that he can live with -- this team has not developed a personality as it's not big enough to pound inside and it hasn't shown it can shoot well enough from the outside. I think the thing Ricardo believes is, especially for home games at 5,300 feet, that one thing the team can do is try to substitute often and try to wear out the other team.
BGT: Which players are developing the most in your eye?
Kensler: A player who's really made a big leap is Jeremy Williams. He looked really tentative throughout November and December and had not shown flashes of his potential. The last few weeks, he's really been assertive on rebounds, driving the lane and just going up for a shot.
BGT: Speculate on who you think, amongst the freshman, is going to become the best player?
Kensler: I think Xavier Silas has a chance but Xavier tries to do too much out there. Being the son of a former NBA player (James), you can just tell he expects a lot of himself and that he feels people expect a lot of him and sometimes he just gets ahead of himself.
When he settles down and let's the game come to him and doesn't force things, I think he has the chance to be a very good player. He has the long-range shot and the ability to drive.
BGT: Kevin Durant -- you've seen him play, bust on the Buffs even -- does he remind you of another player you've ever seen, either at the collegiate or professional level?
Kensler: He's got Carmelo Anthony-type of ability so I think he could become the next Carmelo Anthony. Kevin's a special player. Enjoy him this year because next year he'll be at the next level.
BGT: Greg Oden at Ohio State -- are you surprised how much he's doing almost being one-handed due to his wrist injury?
Kensler: What he has done this year is pretty amazing. He has some offensive moves that he just is not able to do without his right hand -- a fallaway jump shot, a jump hook -- he's pretty much limited to dunks and layups now but he's still putting up tremendous numbers. Where he's really affected the game, though, is the defensive end.
BGT: At the end of the regular season, who is the best team in the Big 12?
Kensler: I think its' still Kansas but there are more good teams than most of us thought when we went to media day. I think Oklahoma State is very good. I think Texas is way better than people thought but Kansas has too much talent and too much depth to not win the league title.
BGT: Is any Big-12 team capable of going to the Final Four or the championship game?
Kensler: Kansas is probably the only one. Their seventh and eighth guys can score 20 points. No one else in the Big 12 can say that.
BGT: You're Ohio-born and a graduate of The Ohio State University so Tom, project the Buckeyes for us.
Kensler: I think it would be a stretch to say they could make the Final Four. They're playing a lot of freshman, don't have a lot up front and depend a lot on their outside shooting. I have a feeling teams will be able to take away Oden a little bit.
Around the Big 12
No. 10 Texas A & M clobbered Iowa State, 73-49, by being typically oppressive on defense, holding the visiting Cyclones to a sickly 31-percent shooting. Such an effort allowed the Aggies to roll even though they could only connect on 41 percent of their shots. Who knew defense could be so valuable a team-trait?
Joseph Jones led four players in double figures for Texas A & M with 21 points.
BGT: Billy Gillispie is turning College Station into more of a basketball school than a football one. Oh, fans still desire football to be king but right now it's the black sheep of the family, the child you had high hopes for but just has other plans for their life.
The athletic department should be like CU's Mike Bohn and start organizing a coaching search pronto as Gillispie ain't goin' to be around much longer, know what I'm talkin' 'bout? And he will be difficult to replace when he jets out of that one-horse town for a fat payday -- and make no mistake about it, he's leaving soon, but to his credit (listening Nick Saban?), upon his departure he will leave the program more attractive than it ever was, which will draw those hot, young coaches who think they can use Texas A & M like coaches used to use Tulsa -- an intership for greater heights.
No. 22 Texas won at Texas Tech, 76-64, a difficult place to play, behind Kevin Durant's other-worldly 37 points and 23 rebounds. Not even Red Raiders' coach Bob Knight could really be all that angry at his team in defeat. Who really could cover Durant? If I were a player, I'd look at Knight and say "you try covering him. Think you can hold him under 60? Let me wear your sweater and watch."
BGT: Durant has to be talked about right now, in only his freshman season, in any discussion of the Big 12's all-time best player. He is simply too good for the college game. Sadly, he won't be around long as UT doesn't pay enough to keep him in Austin. Not even an Oklahoma-like Rhett Bomar job will do. The prettier girl is all over him, luring him to the NBA draft. It's going to be difficult to say no those sexy advances. He's only human, after all.
Kansas State is getting hot and looks to be developing into an NCAA tournament lock with yet another victory, 80-73, in Manhattan over Missouri.
David Hoskins and Cartier Martin doubled up to score a combined 47 points to offset Stephon Hannah's 27 points.
BGT: The Wildcats aren't beating North Carolina, Wisconsion, Kansas or Texas A & M, but they are winning -- six-straight victories. Bob Huggins is having a powerful impact on that program in year 1, without his usual cupboard of aggressive, top-shelf talent and academic incorrigibles.
Look for the Wildcats to take some hits down the road, maybe even beginning Saturday against Texas, but to end up playing in March. One question for Cats' fans -- who dat' gonna guard Durant?
Coaching styles
Much is being made recently of the race and coaching styles of Indianapolis' Tony Dungy and Chicago's Lovie Smith, also thought of as two gentlemen. All this took me down another road of thought, as much does. Dan Hawkins is an easy target for some, maybe because he isn't deposed coach Gary Barnett or maybe because he just went 2-10. But here's a little reading to go with the necessary patience for the CU football coach.
Rockies
SI.com's Bryan Smith recently did a feature on his top 75 prospects for the major leagues and within that list were six Colorado Rockies' talents. General manager Dan O'Dowd has not won in Denver and is highly questioned but under his guidance the organization has stacked the farm system, which will be key in this franchise's future.
Names Smith mentioned on his list were: shorstop Troy Tulowitzki, pitchers Franklin Morales and Jason Hirsch, outfielders Dexter Fowler and Ian Stewart and catcher Chris Iannetta.
Letters
A shout out to those connected or hey, just those with research skills. George writes looking for a little help.
Hi, a real c.u. fan. Do you have photo of Colt Brennan in Colorado uniforn? Will pay!
If you can hook up a brother, send a line this direction -- thebgtruth@yahoo.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment