SB Nation - Jeremy Pargo

Back on the grind

SFBE.NF — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:13:29 -0000

Three things I never expected (or bothered to come to expect) happened to me on this blissful Thanksgiving weekend: I solidified my brand loyalty to United Airlines after receiving two vouchers valued at over $600 for future flights; had brunch next to former Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey (which triggered a recollection of his insanely cheesy yet hilarious televised fishing and ski events featuring 90s d-list celebrities); and sat at the Marriott-LAX bar just two stools away from NBA referees Bill Kennedy, Mark Ayotte, and Rodney Mott as they caught up on NFL highlights while chuckling about "doing" the Lakers game against the dreadful New Jersey Nets.

One thing I didn't do, though, was learn how to prevent a run-on sentence.

Admittedly college basketball was not a real priority over the past seven days, as we had to rely on the tickers and newspapers to stay informed while bronzing, bathing and studying. Currently working to return to homeostasis, and continue to figure out who's chic now that Feast Week has concluded, here are a few bullets that got us thinking:

Is Duke the best team in the ACC? I keep looking for a rule that prevents teams with more than seven white players from being a viable Final Four contender, but so far have not found it. Jon Scheyer may just be capable enough to concurrently score and run the point.
Is Gonzaga the best non-BCS team in the country? Apologizes to Butler, but the Zags have been more impressive (and visible) in the early going here. They win the Maui, which had one of the more interesting fields in recent memory, and have four players averaging double figures. The losses of Austin Daye, Josh Heytvelt and Jeremy Pargo may not be as detrimental as we initially thought. Conversely, Butler lost two games in the 76 Classic (to Minnesota and Clemson) and had to sneak by a UCLA team that just plain isn't fooling anyone this season.
Is Purdue ready to live up to all this hype? They prevailed over Tennessee in what's arguably the best game of the season to this point. The remainder of their non-conference schedule is fairly smooth sailing leading up to Big 10 play.
Am I allowed to anoint Washington State's Klay Thompson as the "Best Player You're Not Watching"? The sophomore leads an undefeated Cougars team and has scored no less than 20 points in all six of their games. And who says we are victim's of that East Coast bias?

Apologizes to Portland, Florida, Alabama, Cincinnati, Northwestern's John Shurna, and Marquette's Lazar Hayward, but I need to go kick this jetlag.

Preview: Colorado Buffaloes Take On the Gonzaga Bulldogs In the Maui Invitational

irish1611 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:17:49 -0000

3-0, 0-0
NR (AP)
NR (Coaches Poll)

November 23rd, 2009
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Where: Lahaina Civic Center
1:00 pm MT
TV: ESPN2
Live Stats: ESPN.com
Line: Gonzaga -10.5
Gonzaga Blog: Slipper Still Fits

2-1, 0-0
NR (AP)
NR (Coaches Poll)

The always prestigious preseason tournament, the Maui Invitational, kicks off tomorrow with the Colorado Buffaloes taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs, a top five program in terms of wins over the past decade. Gonzaga has won 9 consecutive regular-season conference titles and has reached the NCAA tournament in nine consecutive years as well, something only nine schools have done over that time period. Now recruiting with the best of them in college basketball, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are a true perennial power, not just a nice story.

preview after the jump...

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 2 - 1 in the early season with home wins against Mississippi Valley State and IPFW. The one loss was on the road to the #2 ranked Michigan State Spartans 75 - 71 in a game which they led until three minutes remaining. If you watched the game, you will have noticed three things. The Bulldogs are very talented, are playing a different style of basketball more conducive to the physical style of play they will see at tourney time and you may have needed a roster to see who all of the new players were. Amazingly, Gonzaga stuck with Michigan State after losing five seniors off of last year's team - F Ira Brown, F Austin Daye, G Micah Downs, F Josh Heytvelt, G Jeremy Pargo. Austin Daye was a first round draft pick in the 2009 draft while Downs, Heytvelt and Pargo were starters along with Daye for much of the year and all four were in the top five of the team in scoring. This off a team that went to the sweet sixteen a year ago. Because the Bulldogs were such an experienced team in 2009, Gonzaga has four upperclassmen and twelve underclassmen including nine freshmen. Five freshmen play and make solid contributions for this team. But don't expect much of a drop off from the Bulldogs as you can already tell, they have enough of a talented nucleus to be a contender, just ask Michigan State.

The two top returning players from a year ago is Colorado high school product, G Matt Bouldin and G Steven Gray. Matt Bouldin, a front runner for the West Coast Conference player of the year, leads the team in scoring this year with 17.3 points per game. The biggest difference between last year's team and this year's team is the early front court play from sophomore Robert Sacre (7'0"), freshman Elias Harris (6'7"), freshman Kelly Olynyk (7'0") and senior Will Foster (7'4"). Robert Sacre, hurt last year, has averaged 16.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg. His presence is a big improvement inside from a year ago when even Bulldog fans would admit that players like Heytvelt and Daye became too perimeter oriented. Sacre and Harris have truly solidified the post position on this team. If you are fortunate enough to watch the game tomorrow, you have to check out Elias Harris, a freshman from Germany who sort of flew under the radar in the recruiting circles but has Gonzaga fans salivating. A silky smooth player in the mold of Amare Stoudemire, he has come in and averaged 14.3 points per with seven rebounds.

This team might also have more depth compared to a year ago, especially with Sacre and Harris now available, which is making the Bulldogs more competitive on the defensive end, something Gonzaga fans have always wanted to see more of. If their past performances are indicative of the future, expect the Bulldogs to really get after the young Buffs on the defensive end.

As for the Colorado Buffaloes, this game will be a pretty big challenge for them. Gonzaga, although they have one loss, will probably be ranked when the polls come out tomorrow because of their impressive performance against MSU. Where the Buffs might have the most trouble is in the post where Sacre, Harris, Olynyk and Foster are all bigger and more talented than the Buffs down low. The tallest person on the Buffs top five is Austin Dufault who stands 6'9". True freshman Shane Harris-Tunks goes 6'11" but has only averaged 8.0 minutes a game. It will be interesting to see how the Buffs try and defend the Bulldogs. You will probably see a lot of zone as my guess is the biggest threat from the Zags is their penetration game and less on the perimeter as Steven Gray is their only bona fide perimeter shooter but he has struggled shooting only 40% from the field and 35% from the three point line. The biggest question for the Buffs the past three years has been its rebounding and that has come into question again this year as they were out-rebounded 31 - 23 by Texas Southern, who the next day went up and lost to University of Northern Colorado. The Buffs shot over 60% in that game to win but unless the Buffs hit the boards hard on Monday against the Zags, it could be a long day. Colorado averages 29 rebounds a game with junior college transfer Marcus Relphorde leading the Buffs with just 4.0 rebounds per game.

Tomorrow's game does have the potential for some great matchups, though. The best in my eyes is Gonzaga star Matt Bouldin against the Buffs' star Cory Higgins. Higgins is once again proving he is one of the best players in the Big 12, averaging 23.3 ppg and shooting an amazing 70%. Bouldin is a very physical guard who uses his strength to create shots. It will be a good battle of strength vs. speed. Another matchup that will be exciting is Buffs' freshman G Alec Burks against G Steven Gray. Gray is the Zags best perimeter threat. Alec Burks is averaging a strong 18.0 points per, a great number for a guy playing for the first time at the collegiate level. If the Buffs can out play the two perimeter players in Bouldin and Gray, they might be able to make things interesting tomorrow. I am very excited to see how Burks plays tomorrow in his first look at strong competition.

I am very worried about the matchups elsewhere on the court. Colorado G Nate Tomlinson will face a very tough and quick guard in sophomore Meech Goodson, who likes to push the pace and play tough defense on the perimeter. Look for more Dwight Thorne, Cory Higgins and Alec Burks to play the point tomorrow as well. One of the reasons the signing of Marcus Relphorde got Buffs' fans excited was his athleticism at 6'8" and his self acclaimed ability to guard four positions on defense. He might have to do that tomorrow and do it very well for the Buffs to have a chance when freshman Elias Harris is in the game. This will be a good barometer for Relphorde and I hope the coaching staff puts Relphorde on him as soon as he steps on the floor and tells him it is his job to make the freshman's life miserable.

As for the post position, your guess is as good as mine as to what the Buffs will plan to do but you can bet Gonzaga goes to the post often tomorrow. If Colorado can get Harris and Sacre in foul trouble, which is what Michigan State did to beat the Zags, CU will have a much better chance tomorrow, that and if they make it a goal to crash the boards.

It should be a fun watch and a great gauge for the young Buffs' team.

Full Maui Invitational Field Overview

Ben Broman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:28:06 -0000

We're just hours (okay, days) away from tipoff in Hawaii, and Maryland actually have a legitimate shot at winning the entire thing. Here's a quick overview of their competition; we'll go more in-depth as each game goes along (minus Chaminade). The bottom half of the bracket seems unusually loaded this year - it'll be a tough championship for whoever escapes the upper half.

First Round

Chaminade Silverswords

Maryland's first round game as the de facto #1 seed in the tourney pits them against hosts and traditional upsetters, Chaminade. Everyone remembers that one time they faced a team from the ACC in this tourney, but they shouldn't prevent much of a problem. They might be the worst team Maryland plays this year.

So Far: No games played

Watch Out For: Joel Smith, last year's leading scorer and disco extraordinaire. His straight-outta-the-70s fro may distract Eric Hayes.

Second Round

Vanderbilt Commodores

The favorite to play Maryland, Vandy could present a big-time problem for the Terps with their established size (skilled big man A.J. Ogilvy) and sweet-shooting freshman guard John Jenkins. This one will be tight, and would give Maryland a chance to test their young bigs against an established center.

So Far: An easy win over Libscomb and a 2-point nailbiter over St. Mary's to get to 2-0

Watch Out For: Jeffery Taylor, an athletic Swede with a penchant for big dunks and grabbing rebounds. Ogilvy and Jenkins have been disappointing in the first two games, and the onus has fallen on Taylor to get the points, which he's done - he leads the Commies (that's what I'm going to call them) with 19.5 points a game.

Cincinnati Bearcats

Two words: Lance. Stephenson. That's what this matchup will be about, even though Cincy has enough surrounding players to cause Maryland some trouble. Hopefully, Stephenson will be so concerned with beating Maryland that he takes the Bearcats out of the game with forced shots. Otherwise, they have the talent to make this interesting.

So Far: A close win over Prairie View A&M and a blowout of Toledo; they're 2-0

Watch Out For: Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates. Stephenson will get the talk, but senior PG Vaughn is the team leader, and super-talented Gates, a face-up four, can hurt opponents when he's focused in.

Third Round

Colorado Buffaloes

Well, Colorado did return four starters from last year, including stud SG Cory Higgins. Unfortunately for them, they're four starters from a team that had 9 wins. Still, more experienced usually means better, though probably not good enough to get all the way to the championship game. The lack of a dominating rebounding presence may hurt them, as it takes away from their ability to exploit Maryland's young bigs.

So Far: Three wins on the year, all showcasing an ability to score a lot of points against lesser opponents

Watch Out For: Dwight Thorne. Higgins is the star of the team and will score the points, but Thorne is the lone senior and a steady presence. He's very good from outside; whoever's manning him up will need to extend their defense.

Gonzaga Bulldogs

If you didn't notice, Gonzaga took Michigan State to the wire a few days ago. These guys are plenty talented, and will probably be Maryland's opponent in the final. That's not a great sign, if you look at recent history: Maryland's played Gonzaga three times since 2000 and lost all three, including two blowouts - one of which came last year. The Zags lose star PG Jeremy Pargo, but return SG Matt Bouldin and consistent inside presence Robert Sacre. Without a doubt, this will be Maryland's toughest matchup.

So Far: Two blowout wins a close loss to the #2 team in the country; 2-1

Watch Out For: Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson. Gray is the #2 man for Gonzaga and another solid outside shooter. Goodson is replacing Pargo, and has been a little turnover prone so far this year. Vasquez should be able to outclass him at point.

Arizona Wildcats

Ah, a game against Sean Miller. Personally, I'd love to lay down the law on Miller for messing with our recruit (Terrell Stoglin), and I'm sure it'll be an interesting game for Stoglin, too. Senior PG Nic Wise is the leader of this team, and one of the few holdovers after the ugly Sean Miller transition. Big man Jamelle Horne is also back, and he's capable of putting up numbers close to double-doubles. Arizona has talent, but I wouldn't bet against Maryland if this is the championship game.

So Far: Two easy wins that might not've been as easy as they should've been

Watch Out For: Solomon Hill. The freshman SF moved over to a area of relative stability (no, really) from his originaly USC commitment late last year. A cerebral wing with everything but a jumper, he's second for the Wildcats in scoring.

Wisconsin Badgers

It's supposed to be a building year for Wisconsin, but they aren't buying it. And really, there's no reason they should: these guys are the BC of college basketball. They simply find ways to always have a solid year and get an NCAA berth, no matter how bad they may seem. This year they have to deal with their star forward and a major starter leaving. They still have two guards back, Trevon Hughes and Jason Bohannon, who will be expected to shoulder a lot of the load. They're a big question mark right now, so I don't feel too comfortable taking a big stance on them one way or the other at the moment.

So Far: Two easy wins - though neither over 20 points - over bad but not terrible opponents.

Watch Out For: Jon Leuer. Bohannon and Hughes are the ones I mentioned, but it's Leuer - a long, lanky PF who would draw Maryland's big men out with his shooting ability - who's led the Baders in scoring and surprised everyone with his development.

Zags Around the Web - Gonzaga to scrimmage Texas on Saturday

Zach B — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:17:57 -0000

Remember this guy? Former Zag Larry Gurganious is now enrolled at UC-Riverside and excelling on the court.

View full size photo »

Preseason scrimmages have become a huge trend recently in college basketball. Mostly every division one program schedules a practice game with another school to see where they are without having to put anything in the win-loss column. A season ago, Gonzaga scrimmaged Texas in Colorado and this year the two schools will be matching up again tomorrow. The game will take place on one of the practice courts inside the Pepsi Center in Denver. Media and fans are not allowed into the venue for the game which is a bummer for us since it would be great to see how the young Bulldogs take on Texas, who is a favorite to make a very deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Longhorns have a fantastic returning core of players led by Damion James and arguably the best freshman in the nation, Avery Bradley. It will be a major test for Gonzaga and it should give them an idea where they are at before the season starts on the 14th with Mississippi Valley State. Here is the rest of the news/links for the day...

Gonzaga transfer Gurganious scores 15 to aid UCR win | Sports | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

Good to see the former Gonzaga Bulldog playing well after he transferred due to personal issues. LG was a great on ball defender and a very electric offensive threat that was really missed last season at GU.

Austin Daye runs with chance | detnews.com | The Detroit News

A very nice article about Austin Daye and his adjustment process in the NBA. He hasn't gotten a whole lot of playing time but he has made a nice contribution to the Pistons.

Ultimate Rankings Countdown: Top 50 - Mid-Major Madness

34. Gonzaga: Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo and Austin Daye carried Gonzaga to another WCC title and a Sweet 16 berth, the fourth trip to a regional semifinal under Few. Without those three, Gonzaga likely will be unranked in the preseason AP poll for only the second time since 2002-03. Few will learn much about his team in the early months, with games against Michigan State, Washington State, Wake Forest, Duke, Oklahoma and Illinois, plus the Maui Invitational. Gonzaga's record on Jan. 2 might not be pretty, but the Bulldogs almost certainly still will be the favorites for the conference title.

Wizards go with Withers in Round 1 - NBA D-League Draft

Former Gonzaga Bulldog Ira Brown was drafted in the fourth round of the NBA D-League draft by the Austin Toros. Best of luck to Ira who was always a fan favorite thanks to his ability to jump out of the gym. Hopefully he can have a nice career and maybe even work his way up to the NBA.

The Bulletin - Take note: Kennel etiquette

A Gonzaga student writer lays out some of the ground rules for cheering in the Kennel. The students this year will get a rare treat when Wake Forest comes to the Kennel. Hopefully everyone in the stadium abides by rule #1 on that day.

Updated Kraziness in the Kennel Links: Share your thoughts!

Zach B — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:39:25 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Rob Sacre and the rest of the Gonzaga Bulldogs took the court in front of a capacity crowd tonight for Kraziness in the Kennel and by all indications, they did not disappoint. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Browse more photos »

Gonzaga fans got their first shot to check out the new look team this evening as the Bulldogs hosted their annual "Kraziness in the Kennel". EDZ and I were unable to attend for the first time in a number of years but there has already been a bunch of videos and articles written about the event so just figured that we would compile them all here for you so you don't have to go searching around too much.

From what we've heard the youngsters dazzled all night. Manny Arop and Elias Harris scored in double figures, GJ Vilarino looked like, dare I say, a speedier version of Meech, and Kelly and Sam are coming along. Bol Kong was in street clothes as a result of a little ankle injury he sustained in practice. This year's event was not like last year's with all of the hoopla surrounding it. The lack of ESPN involvement probably had a lot to do with it as did Jeremy Pargo's graduation who was kind of the ring leader when it came to past versions of Kraziness. Anyways, here's a collection of tidbits from the event. We'll continue updating the list as things come our way.

List updated Sunday afternoon at 12:15:

Spokesman.com | Blogs | SportsLink | Post Kraziness
Jim Meehan had a nice writeup on the last night scrimmage with some good insight and nice quotes from Mark Few and the squad.

Featured Video | News On Demand | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington
About a minute and a half of extended highlights from last night's scrimmage. Some great glimpses of Elias Harris, Manny Arop, and GJ Vilarino.

KREM.com- Nice Slideshow of all the new Gonzaga faces
See if you can match all the names with the faces!

Featured Video | News On Demand | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington
Mark Few discusses the good and the bad about tonight's scrimmage.

Featured Video | News On Demand | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington
Matt Bouldin talks about his new role as team leader, how the freshman are coming along, and his expectations.

Featured Video | News On Demand | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington
Steven Gray talks about the young team and his new look.

Featured Video | News On Demand | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington
Elias Harris gives a great interview. Talks about his first experience in the Kennel, how he is getting used to American basketball, and what he expects this season.

YouTube - GU's Kraziness in the Kennel introduces this team
GU's Kraziness in the Kennel introduces this team. Video gives a good feel for the environment tonight and a look at a very, very new team to most Gonzaga fans.

Bulldogs Make Public Debut At Kraziness In The Kennel - GONZAGA OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Article about the scrimmage written like it was a real game complete with a PDF boxscore.

I'd recommend checking in with KREM.com throughout the weekend as they seem to have the stranglehold on this video interviews which are always fun. We'll continue updating this post as things come across the wire but please please please feel free to share your thoughts with us and what you took away from Kraziness.

The wild ride of 2009-10 has begun!

Gonzaga Practice News Compilation & Thoughts

Zach B — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:11:41 -0000

As much as we'd like to be in the McCarthey Athletic Center watching every practice before the season started, it is just not possible. If you've noticed the coverage (or lack there of) that Gonzaga has gotten in local press, you can bet that it is because Mark Few and the staff run things very close to the vest. EDZ and I in years past have tried to walk through the MAC using different paths only to be removed from viewing distance before things got physical! The good thing is that everyone, at least in Spokane, that wants to see the new look Gonzaga Bulldogs will be able to this Saturday at Kraziness in the Kennel. For now, we'll keep you going with everything we have learned about the players thus far from various reports.

Matt Bouldin: Matt's the least of our worries right now but will probably be the most of our worries when the season starts. Various reports with the Spokesman Review have shown Matt taking on a new leadership role with this team being that he is the elder statesmen of the bunch. He'll probably be, along with Steven Gray, the guy relied on to take the big shot during games and it'll be interesting to see how he goes about handling that pressure.

Will Foster: It feels like we have been saying the same thing throughout Will's career but it remains a mystery whether or not he'll be able to play quality minutes this season. Obviously you can't coach the type of size that Will brings to the table and his impact on the defensive side is impressive. However, with a team as young as this, Will can't continue to be as inept offensively as he has been throughout his career and expect to have a major role on this team. It's going to be very, very interesting to see when/if Coach Few trots will on the court against Michigan State.

Steven Gray: Rumors and tidbits we have heard about Steven Gray is all revolving around his leadership this season. Gonzaga fans know that Steven's demeanor on the court is best described as stoic and reserved and Coach Few has been quoted as saying that he is hoping to force Steven into a more active leadership role. Obviously a lot can be read into this but I don't think any Gonzaga fans expect to see Steven become more demonstrative on the court. As long as he leads by example and shows some consistency this season, that's all the leadership we'll need.

Rob Sacre: Rob has garnered probably the highest amount of praise in this short stint of practice and press coverage. He benefited from his first completely healthy summer and fall and Coach Few has been raving about him saying that if he stays healthy, he's bound to have a "great" season. EDZ and I are split on our expectations of Rob but no one can doubt that he is going to have to be darn near excellent for Gonzaga to get back to the tournament.

Meech Goodson: For taking over Jeremy Pargo's position for so many years, there hasn't been much discussion about Goodson and his progression from his freshman to sophomore year. Personally, I view this as a good thing because it means that his play has been steady and smooth which is exactly what is required from a Mark Few point guard. EDZ and I are not split whatsoever on what we expect from Goodson. Expectations are high for Meech after his heroics last season and I think he'll answer the call.

find out more about the new guys after the jump...

Andy Poling: Andy really benefited from his redshirt season a year ago. He was healthy for the entire year, he had his gluten allergy in line and was able to put weight on and more importantly, keep it on. The more and more I think about it, it appears that the staff is planning on using Andy off the bench as a slow down, fundamental type guy. Coach Leon Rice recently told the Spokesman that Andy is just a very smart player that always seems to be involved when good things happen and I think he'll provide a nice change of pace to this very athletic and hectic team.

Grant Gibbs: Grant has been practicing while dealing with a tweaked back so far in the fall. He has received little press other than discussions of his injury issues but I noted in a fanpost that Grant is going to be a solid back up probably at the shooting guard spot. Bouldin and Gray probably won't leave the game much but Grant should be able to provide a nice edge to this team with his brand of physical play. He's got great size and feel for the game.

Elias Harris: Elias appears to be taking Gonzaga U by storm. Andy Katz and the Spokesman Review both noted that he has been the most impressive youngster thus far in practice and that is thanks to his work with the German national team. Before arriving at Gonzaga, Elias was playing against some of the top competition from around the globe so playing college ball in America might be a culture shock but once he gets on the court, the game should really slow down for him. As we have kind of hinted at all summer long, it appears that the starting power forward job is his to lose.

Bol Kong: Once again complete rumor from the great sources of message board and Facebook but it appears that Bol was recently injured in practice. We are 100% sure on what happened so we won't speculate but it was an ankle injury that doesn't appear to be season-threatening or anything of that nature. In the same Andy Katz blurb that praised Elias Harris, he told Gonzaga fans to cool it on the hype of Bol saying that he will be a player down the line but it will take some time. An odd comment, but it is probably true that most Gonzaga fans have insane expectations on Bol. Going from not playing organized basketball for a year to running a Mark Few structured offense will take time.

Mangisto Arop: Manny's publicity has been cautioned with the reports that he has been wearing a protective boot on his foot outside of practice. Gonzaga's history with stress-related fractures is well documented and I think it is a wise move to put him in a boot considering all the basketball he has been playing over the past summer. Coach Leon Rice said that Manny is practicing at full-capacity so that is great news. He also commented that the great thing about Manny is that his best basketball is played when the pressure is on in game situations. Sounds like exactly what this team needs.

Sam Dower: Sam is currently my biggest question mark on the team because I am not sure if he will play this season and in what capacity. I feel like depending on where you look, people project that Sam will be a key contributor but then when you see some of the coaches comments about Sam's best basketball being down the line and how he and Kelly have been on again off again, you never know. The more I read from the Spokesman and other sources, I can imagine a scenario where Sam contributed quite a bit this season. Behind Elias it seems like he has been the more impressive youngster and maybe the most surprising. When Sam signed at Gonzaga he was still very raw and slender but from all indications, he has bulked up considerably.

GJ Vilarino: Much like Demetri Goodson, GJ's overall press has been limited. I think that he will step in nicely and fill the backup role at point guard and give Gonzaga some continuity at the position. Both Meech and GJ have an extra gear that should make the players on the court feel more comfortable no matter who is on the court. If Grant or even Matt was forced to play point this year, you have to think that the inexperience of the bigs would show because it would be hard to adjust from Meech's quickness and Matt/Grant's more restrained style of basketball.

Kelly Olynyk: Kelly is another guy that hasn't gotten a whole lot of press except when the coaches say that his best basketball is probably a few years down the line. I have swung and missed before when trying to analyze coachspeak but I feel like a redshirt season is coming down the pipe for Kelly Olynyk. Obviously this is based on Rob's health, Elias' progression, and whether or not they feel Will Foster can eat up minutes but I think many would agree that the best option for KO would be a year to add strength.

Player Previews: This is Matt Bouldin's Team

Zach B — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:29:21 -0000

Matt Bouldin has definitely developed into a fan favorite at Gonzaga but does he have what it takes to become "great"?

View full size photo »

Ahhh...it feels good to be back on a computer! I'd like to apologize to our readers for the past week's activity (or lack there of). I have literally just gotten home from Dallas after a week of traveling around the vast state of Texas and EDZ just kicked off his new job so it made for the perfect storm for all of you! This is the first time since last Tuesday that I've sat in front of a computer and now that I'm back, I might as well blog about something. The good news is that it was a pretty quiet week as far as Gonzaga basketball is concerned. That will all change quickly here as practice begins on Friday...that's right folks, college basketball is right around the corner. With that being said, let's get right to it...

For the past few years, many players have come through the Gonzaga basketball program and have made tremendous impacts. This is particularly true when you think about last season's graduating class. Jeremy Pargo, Micah Downs, and Josh Heytvelt all have their own individual legacy that will live on in Spokane, Washington. While those players were all excellent in their own way, there is one player that now has the opportunity to benefit from their departure and build his own personal legacy and can perhaps have the word "great" attached to his name when it is all said and done. That player is senior guard Matt Bouldin. Bouldin, who has been an instrumental component of this Gonzaga program since his arrival in 2006, will have to deal with the pressure of being the go-to man this season and while he has been looked upon as a leader the past few years, he has never had to be THE guy.

While I think most Gonzaga fans would agree that Bouldin can fill that role, there is no doubt that he must avoid and grow out of some of the pitfalls that have plagued him for the past three years. With that being said, he's on the Wooden Player of the Year watch list for a reason and he is going to be a player that the whole nation has their eyes on this season.

Like we've been saying all summer, leadership is going to be huge this season. Not that it hasn't been important the past few seasons, but it is particularly important this year because their is a wealth of youth on this team and only two seniors. While both seniors have been at Gonzaga for all four years, it is pretty safe to say that a majority of the on-court leadership will have to come from Matt Bouldin. Will Foster has been a nice role guy for Gonzaga but has struggled to get on the court. Bouldin on the other hand, has played about 32 minutes per game the last two years and has always been reliable to eat up quality minutes. He has rarely been dinged up and typically plays with a high level of energy. It will be very interesting to watch the way Matt handles leading this team. The past three years, we have seen him take on a more laid back on-court demeanor but he has always been a calming force under pressure. I think that kind of attitude will really go a long way with this young team. There is no doubt that guys like Manny Arop, Bol Kong, Elias Harris, and the rest of the class have tons of talent but they can't understand the pressure that comes with playing in East Lansing against a very good Michigan State team. That is where Matt will come in and he'll be able to put this team on his back emotionally, the question is if he can do it with his play on the court.

There are a number of games that you know Matt is going to play well in. He has historically been fantastic during the West Coast Conference slate. He is obviously going to play well against the cupcakes on the schedule as well. The key for Matt, and it has been something we have stressed for a long time, is that he must be more consistent in the big games for the Bulldogs. As good as he has been the past three years, Matt has caused Gonzaga fans plenty of frustration during that time. The main reason for this frustration is because of his inconsistent play during those five or six important games on the nonconference schedule. This did improve a bit last season as Matt put Gonzaga on his back in both Tennessee games, and played well against Oklahoma St., Arizona, and Indiana but there were those few games where he completely disappeared. His play against Memphis has never been good. The last two seasons against Memphis, Matt has had identical stat lines: 2-9 from the floor with six points. Whether it is the freakishly athletic ability of Memphis or just their talent in the past, it has always been a tough match up. But last season he was also bad against Maryland, Connecticut, and Utah to the point where many Gonzaga fans thought Steven Gray and Micah Downs should be starting over Matt. This inconsistent play has always been a point of contention with fans of Matt and the program and it really raise a lot of question marks about what to expect from him now that the pressure is on.

His abilities as a basketball player really can't be questioned and he has been a favorite of many Gonzaga fans since he came to Spokane as a freshman. One of the best performances I have ever seen from a Gonzaga freshman was Matt's against a top-10 University of Washington team. He scored 21 points that night against the Huskies and ended the year playing about 28 minutes a game which is huge for a freshman in Mark Few's program. Now that we are nearly four years removed from that game, Matt's role in his final season as a Bulldog is to be a consistent force every game. He doesn't have to be Adam Morrison and score 30 points and shoot the ball 20 times but he does have to linger around the 15 point mark all season or else it might become a long season. The key for him to be consistent is for the offense to run though him early in the game. If he can hit a few backdoor screens for easy buckets and rattle in some mid-range jumpers, Matt can score 20-plus points. If he doesn't get out of the gate fast, especially in big games, he tends to struggle mightily. The good thing as far as this team is concerned is that the offense kind of has to run through him as a majority of last season's offense graduated in May. Mark Few has to find ways to get him going early and I think that he will realize that pretty quickly. Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson will provide him some help in the backcourt but make no mistake, Matt's going to take this team as far as his play can.

Player Previews: How will Meech Goodson Transition into a Starter?

everydayezag — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:20:58 -0000

Demetri Goodson will step into the role vacated by the graduation of Jeremy Pargo.

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Whether or not you are a Jeremy Pargo fan, there is no denying the fact that Gonzaga fans have been spoiled by stability at the PG position over the past three years. Jeremy started every game from his sophomore year until he graduated in May, which means that for the past 101 games, Jeremy Pargo has been the starting point guard for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. However, when the team begins practice in the middle of October, Demetri Goodson will presumably be the starting PG, and will have the opportunity to put his stamp on the great tradition of Gonzaga point guards.

Although Meech only played 13.4 minutes per game, he established himself on the national scene with his buzzer-beater against WKU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. While this was the first glimpse of Meech that many people around the country had seen, many Gonzaga fans already knew just how special the freshman point guard from Texas was. One of the most important aspects of the production that Meech brought during his minutes was the fact that the team didn't seem to struggle or miss a beat when Jeremy was in foul trouble or taking a breather. The key for Meech for this upcoming season is for him to turn the spark he brought to the court for 13 minutes a game last season, and develop that into a steady and productive 25-30 minutes per game this season.

Despite limited, and at times inconsistent minutes last season, Meech was typically very productive whenever he was given the opportunity on the court. For the season, Meech averaged 3.8 points and 1.6 assists. Even more impressive for the freshman point guard was the fact that he had a pretty solid 1.59 assist/turnover ratio. What has me even more excited about the potential of Meech as a starter is the great production he had against USF, when he was given the opportunity to play 25 minutes. In what was a very close game, Meech scored 13 points and dished out two assists, while making both three pointers he attempted. This impressive finish to the season continued at the WCC tournament, where Goodson showed some of the great potential he has in the future as the Gonzaga point guard. In 18 minutes against Santa Clara, Goodson scored four points, but also dished out a career high five assists. He followed up this performance with 11 points and three assists against St. Mary's.

Even with the quickness and point guard savvy that Meech displayed as a freshman, there is still a ton of questions that he needs to answer. The obvious area that needs to be addressed is shooting from the perimeter. Last season, Meech shot only 25% from behind the arc. I don't think he will ever be a 40-45% shooter from deep, but he must improve that percentage and show some consistency with his jumper. For Meech to use his blazing quickness and great ball-handling effectively, he must keep his defender honest on the perimeter. If the defense knows that Meech won't take the open shot, then they can sag off of him on the perimeter, which will negate his ability to get in the paint to score and hit his open teammates off the bounce.

The other thing that this team needs to see from Meech is the ability to run a team. Coming off the bench last year, Meech was expected to provide a spark and push the tempo for about 13 minutes per game. However, as a starter, Meech must prove that he can get the offense started in a half-court setting, while also making better decisions pushing the ball on the break. Also, as strange as it may sound, Meech needs to change his mentality a little bit on the court. There were so many times last season where Meech would drive into the paint and just get nailed by an opposing post player. I understand that Meech has the football bloodlines and mentality, but in order for him to stay healthy all season, he can't put his body in such tough situation as often as he did last season.

Despite some of the worries about his perimeter shooting, there is nothing that stops me from believing that Meech will have a smooth transition into his role as the starting point guard. Meech has natural point guard instincts and does an incredible job of keeping his head up while on the break, both of which allow for him to find open teammates and put them in position to score. Even more exciting with Meech is the potential that he has to be a shut down defender. No matter how great the recent list of guards has been at Gonzaga, it has been about ten years (1999 elite eight team?) since this program has had a true shutdown defender at the point. Meech has the quickness, the toughness, and the gritty mentality to dominate the opposing point guard on a nightly basis. In fact, I don't think Kalin Lucas and the Michigan St. Spartans have any idea just how tough things will be with Meech pressuring him for 30 minutes.

It would be unreasonable to expect that the transition from Pargo to Goodson will be 100% smooth. However, Meech will have so much scoring talent and athleticism around him, he won't have to take this team and put it on his back. As long as Meech can find his teammates and put them in position to score, while at the same team keep the defense honest on the perimeter, this team won't miss a beat with him in the lineup. It will be strange not seeing Jeremy Pargo starting for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, but something tells me that we better get used to seeing Meech Goodson in the starting five.

Player Previews: For Grant Gibbs, Health is Step One

Zach B — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:33 -0000

Grant Gibbs has battled injuries for the past two years. Now that he is back at full strength, what should Gonzaga fans expect of him?

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When Grant Gibbs committed to Gonzaga before his senior year of high school, he was one of the most praised point guards in the entire nation. Having narrowed his list down to Gonzaga, Iowa, Iowa State, and Wisconsin, Grant decided against the Big Ten and went to a place where he felt like he "fit". We are now two years removed from that decision and Grant's basketball career has not exactly traveled the smoothest path. In January of 2008, Grant suffered a broken wrist and a deep cut above his eye after being undercut while going up for a dunk. The injury failed to heal properly so Gibbs had to have two operations on the wrist before it was healed. Upon his arrival at Gonzaga last summer, he was as healthy as he had been in months and anxious to get back on the court. On November 10th, less than three weeks before Old Spice Classic, Gibbs fell victim to a torn labrum in his shoulder and was forced to get surgery.

The necessary time to fully heal a torn labrum is six months. While Grant was definitely a candidate to redshirt last season, that six months of recovery time took him away from a very key part of his college development. The goal of a redshirt season is to add strength to ones frame and get better on the court by practicing with the team. As we look towards the 2009-10 season, Grant might be the most overlooked player on the roster because of his injury problems. Whether this is fair or not is up to debate but it sounds like Grant is as healthy as he has ever been. He was able to get limited work in with the team in March and has been working out hard since then to get himself back to old form. Like the Gonzaga team he is a part of this season, Grant is not one of those guys who will be getting a whole lot of hype before the year starts but we think that Gonzaga fans will be pleasantly surprised by the contribution he makes this season.

continue reading more about Grant after the jump...

When we talked to Coach Leon Rice and Coach Giacoletti, we made sure to ask them about the redshirt players from a year ago. Both Gibbs and fellow redshirt Andy Poling have dealt with serious issues during their high school careers that have hampered their time on the court. Both coaches alluded to the fact that they were disappointed that Grant was unable to truly fulfill his redshirt because of the injury. Looking at the official roster for this season, it lists him as 6'4'', 204 pounds. What this means is that he has added around 15 pounds in the past two years which is a pretty tremendous accomplishment considering the severity of the injuries he has incurred. What he missed out on last year, however, was the chance to understand division one basketball by practicing with two of the best guards in the nation in Jeremy Pargo and Matt Bouldin. Playing against those two day in day out would have been huge because they are not only two of the most talented guards, but also two of the most physically imposing guards. With Jeremy Pargo's departure, some of that practice competition has been lost but Matt's still there, Steven Gray is no slouch, and Demetri Goodson and GJ Vilarino will test his quicks everyday.

While people may tend to forget about Grant with the arrival of the much heralded 2009 class, it is quite important to remember just how good of a player Grant was before Gonzaga. When he was injured during his senior season, Gibbs was one of the best point guards in the country. He was among the top-15 rated point guards in the country by Rivals and Scout.com. He averaged 15 points, five assists, and five rebounds during his junior year of high school and really made his statement to the nation during his AAU tenure. This how Rivals.com's head scout Jerry Meyer broke down Gibbs' abilities:

Blessed with length for his point guard position and an astute basketball IQ, Gibbs made a splash on the travel circuit during the spring. He shoots the ball well and has deceptive quickness, but it is his court vision as a passer that makes him a special player. Improving his strength and lateral quickness will be important for his future success on the next level.

There is no doubt that this kid is a player and reading that breakdown, it's easy to see the comparisons that Gibbs drew to Matt Bouldin. Bouldin impressed Gonzaga fans right away with his court vision and passing ability. They also both possess outstanding size for the guard position and are true combo guards. Even though Grant has been injury plagued for the past two years, he has now been healthy for about six months. There is no way that a kid of his size and abilities does not make a sizable impact this season.

The question now is that with Bouldin, Gray, Goodson, Gibbs, Arop, and Vilarino all battling for time on the floor, how does Grant fit in to this equation. This may surprise some people but I believe that Grant will be the first guard off the bench in Mark Few's rotation. Grant has been praised for the way he plays the game and I think that will go a long way this season. He competes with a mean streak and has no problem with getting physical on the court, as evidenced by his injuries. Like Andy Poling, who I also expect to make major a major impact this season, Grant has an understanding of a Mark Few offense. He's been around these guys and is ready to compete. GJ Vilarino may have a quicker first step and Mangisto Arop may be a better overall athlete but I think Matt Bouldin has proved that a heady guard with the ability to get to the rack can flourish in this offense. Also like Bouldin, Grant is a pure combo guard. He can bring the ball up and he has the size to play the off guard which will give him a leg up against guys like Vilarino and Arop who will be battling for minutes as well.

Like I said in the title, the key for Grant Gibbs is to stay healthy and with over a month until the season starts, nothing is guaranteed. The hype for the 2009 recruiting class is huge but there aren't many players that we are looking forward to seeing more than Grant Gibbs.

Jeremy Pargo Signs with Israeli Pro Team

Zach B — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:08:44 -0000

It has come across the wire that former Gonzaga point guard Jeremy Pargo has signed on with Gilboa Galil, an Israeli professional team. Jeremy had worked played his summer ball for the Magic and Pistons and was quite impressive with the Pistons but he has decided to take his game overseas. Gilboa has struggled in recent years but hopefully the addition of Jeremy can boost the team.

Pargo joins fellow former Zag Micah Downs overseas. Micah recently signed with a Croatian professional team. Josh Heytvelt is the only remaining unsigned player from the 2009 senior class. Many thought that Downs, Heytvelt, and Pargo could all find a home on an NBA team but a few years overseas could prep them for what hopefully ends up as successful careers in the NBA.