Bubblicious

The Pac-12 Tournament Special

Quick note: I know the last four games in the Pac-12 were last Saturday, but I’m going to focus on the Pac-12 tournament for the blog this week. The tournament is usually where the best players shine, and shine they did.

Player of the Week

[player: Isaac Hamilton] – UCLA

The sophomore guard was the first player in 10 years to score more than 35 points for the Bruins in their win against USC. Hamilton was unconscious for the entire game. The guard scored 36 points on 17 shots, hitting seven threes and even dishing four assists. He didn’t have a great season, but this game showed the type of talent he possesses when he’s on. UCLA could not pull off the win against Arizona Friday night without Kevon Looney, leaving their tournament hopes up in the air. Norman Powell and Brandon Ashley were both tremendous in that contest with 21 and 24 points respectively. The 30-3 Wildcats face Oregon tonight for the Conference Tournament championship.

Who’s Hot

[player: Joseph Young] – Oregon

The Pac-12 player of the year remained hot and has propelled Oregon into one of the top three teams in the Pac-12. His game winning three knocked out Utah and set up a match up with Arizona in the tourney championship game. I will talk about the Ducks performance later in the post, but Young was too much fun to watch to ignore. The senior started slow against Colorado but seemed to flip a switch in the second half. Young was all over the court, dishing the ball, creating turnovers and nailing jumpers. The guard had 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals against the Buffaloes. He followed that up with 25 points, 4 boards and 3 assists against Utah. It cannot be overstated how Young makes something happen every time the Ducks need a play.

[player: Josh Scott] – Colorado

The Buffaloes finally seemed to get a healthy Scott back onto the court and he did not disappoint. The junior forward injured his back in what was supposed to be his breakout season. Scott missed five weeks and really ruined any chance Colorado had at the NCAA tournament. The forward showed why so many people loved his talent against Oregon State. Needing only eight shots to get to 16 points, Scott also grabbed 14 rebounds. The Buffaloes ran into the Ducks the next day, but still played them close. A visibly tired Scott managed to score 16 points but also had a well rounded stat line. The junior chipped in seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in a losing effort. Both games this week make you wonder what could have been for the Buffaloes if only Scott did not get hurt. Let’s hope that Scott returns for his senior year healthy and ready to dominate.

Who’s Cold

The Huskies

Man, what a tough year for the squad from Washington. To start, [player:Robert Upshaw], their rim protector and best center, was dismissed from the team. The Huskies were actually ranked in the top 25 in the beginning of the year, they were supposed to be really good! I love [player:Nigel Williams-Goss] but he really didn’t succeed at elevating his teammates play or finding a three point shot. Washington never found a rhythm in Pac-12 play and ended their season with a lost to Stanford. The real question mark for the team has to be Williams-Goss. The sophomore guard could have easily left the Huskies last year but now, it actually seems like a tougher decision. The sophomore never developed a three point shot and doesn’t have high end athleticism, but there isn’t a real reason to go back to Washington either. Coach Lorenzo Romar might be in trouble next year, the cupboard seems like it can get pretty bare.

Top 5 Things that caught my eye

Most people binge drink on spring break, I was busy binge watching college basketball. Here are my top  five things I noticed on the second day of the Pac-12 Tournament.

1. Arizona’s defense is on an NBA level

Having one of the best starting lineups in the nation certainly helps the Wildcats defense, but coach Sean Miller deserves some credit for getting the entire team to play defense every single play. Arizona plays defense as one. Nobody plays for themselves. Everyone rotates and closes down gaps in a blink of an eye. [player: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson] was playing with a particular fervor against the Golden Bears and is the engine that makes the Wildcat train move. I knew Arizona had a great defense, but Thursday showed just how good they can really be.

2. [player: Tyrone Wallace] is going to make an NBA team very happy

The Golden Bears may have lost against Arizona but Wallace really showed me something. No matter how many of the guards shots wouldn’t go in, Wallace would not quit. I cannot stress how hard it is to drive when you are literally the only person on your team that can create his own shot. Wallace is the only person on California that can create his own shot. The first half was close because both [player:Jabari Bird] and [player: Jordan Mathews] were hitting their threes, but the second half was a completely different story. Wallace was the only one making anything happen on offense and was still able to get to the rim against one of the best defenses on the nation. Wallace’s vision was also impressive too. Whichever NBA team drafts Wallace will not be disappointed.

3. UCLA is still incredibly frustrating

To start, I hope [player: Kevon Looney] gets better, he’s an awesome talent and will be drafted in the first round. However, UCLA is playing for their lives Friday night with or without Looney. The Bruin’s game against USC demonstrated how good they can actually be. Hamilton was unconscious from the field and the team was actually playing defense! The Bruins performance the entire year has been uneven. These games against USC just frustrate me more. Why can’t the Bruins always play like this!? I’m really hoping for a great game Friday night, the Pac-12 deserves to get four teams into the NCAA tournament.

4. Once the Ducks get rolling. . .

Oregon is almost impossible to stop once their shots start falling. You can probably say this about many other teams in the nation, but none can amaze you quite like Oregon. The Ducks basically play without a center and run you to death. This can be problematic if your guards are small and don’t like to rebound, but every single one of the Duck’s guards play like forwards. Young was great Thursday night, but [player: Elgin Cook] really showed me something! Cook was always in the paint trying to get rebounds. Even when Cook didn’t get a board he was providing an annoyance for the Buffaloes. Not only were the Ducks able to score inside, they sent ferocious double teams and turned turnovers into buckets. I really love watching Oregon play, a bunch of undersized athletes just taking it to the big man. Lets hope they have a great showing the rest of the tournament.

5. [player: Delon Wright] continues to amaze me

If it wasn’t for Utah’s past two weeks Wright would have been my player of the week. The man can do everything. Wright is unbelievable on the defensive end, hounding the ball handler and even defending the rim. Not only were Wright’s three point shots going in Thursday night, but everyone else on the team was also getting involved. [player: Jordan Loveridge] hit a couple of huge threes, while [player: Jakob Poeltl] was flashing some offensive moves. My favorite part of Wright’s night were his assists. The senior guard got into the lane and dished it to the open man, wether he was in the paint or on the three point line. Stanford was so focused on stopping Wright (which they couldn’t even do) they would send three people his way just to stop him from driving. Wright can do whatever his team asks of him. Wether it be as a game manager, a defensive stopper, or even a scorer, the senior guard will make his next team happy.