Editorial – Bill McCulloch
Having spent the last four days at the PAC-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas, I witnessed different facets of this year’s Arizona Wildcats.
The Colorado game the Buffaloes who generally have a bone to pick with Arizona, hung tough into the second half until McKinley Wright went down with a leg injury. This was the beginning of the end of any hope to knock off the Cats.
Deandre Ayton, had a non productive game stat-wise, even fouling out, but just his presence on the court changes the variables for opposing teams.
The fact that the other players picked up their efforts to offset Ayton’s quiet night shows that they finally may be getting the hint that one player does not a National Championship make.
In the semi-finals, the Cats once again started out slow as it usually does against UCLA. The Bruins set the tempo in the initial stanza and led at the half.
As if it was a blueprint of the season, Arizona came out the second half with an 180° turnaround. The Cat now somewhat took control, but they couldn’t bury the Bruins and the game ended in a tie in regulation.
Overtime saw something that has never been seen before in this series. Zona clamped down hard on defense and actually held UCLA scoreless the entire overtime period and won going away to secure a berth in the title game.
With an aire of overconfidence, the Wildcats had maybe one of the worst halves of the season against the Trojans of USC.
Poor play, turnovers, air balls suspect defense all played a part as the Cats were extremely fortunate to only trial by three at the half.
Expectedly with Coach Miller making exceptional halftime adjustments, Arizona returned to form in the second half as Deandre Ayton and Rawle Alkins shouldered the load and ran the Cats to a PAC-12 Title and full steam ahead going into the Dance.
Arizona received a fourth seed in the South Region, surprising to most that they were shipped out of the West Region to Boise, Idaho to face the University of Buffalo.
Now the Pros and Cons of the Cats chances of going deep into the Tournament or even winning the National Championship.
PROS:
1) Talent, Talent and more Talent. 2) The “Us against Everyone” attitude. 3) Ayton seems to be peaking at the right time. 4) Miller and Romar have been there before and know what it takes. 5) Parker Jackson-Cartwright playing the best ball of his career. 6) Dušan Ristíc asserting himself down low and showing leadership. 7) The ability to overwhelm the opposition with smothering defense.
CONS:
1) Not playing two halves at top intensity 2) Playing down to their competition. 3) Lack of team play, case in point; Trier has a wide open Alkins on the left wing on a two on one fast break against UCLA and takes the shot while he’s covered. Even with free throws, he only makes one of two. 4) Trier’s shot selection throwing up two air balls also against the Bruins. 5) Not staying focused. This team has the ability to blow anyone in the country out. Unfortunately, it could lose to far less talented teams for the reasons above. 6) Lapses is defensive intensity that caused Miller to pull Trier and Alkins for their matador defensive effort.
With no clear cut favorite to win the Natty, it appears to be a crap shoot heading into next weekend.
Will the Cats find themselves within and go on a serious run, or will egos and lack of defensive effort send them packing early?
The new season begins Tuesday with the play-in games in Dayton and then to the first and second rounds later into the weekend.
Hold on, this could be very good, or heartbreaking. Time will tell.
