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Top 5 Questions Heading Into the 2015 Basketball Season

Shereen Rayan
Shereen Rayan

Zona Zealots

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) celebrates with the bench the 68-60 victory against Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

As we gear up for Arizona Wildcats football, we seem to have a lot of questions about next season’s 2015 basketball team. Maybe we can answer a few of them for you.

We have had an eventful post season as Arizona Wildcats and “A Players Program” basketball fans. First we said goodbye to four of our starters, and painfully, we said goodbye to one player at a time.

Next we followed those four great players through the NBA Combine, interviews and tryouts, and finally the grueling NBA Draft.

Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors moved through the playoffs into the finals and became NBA Champions.

Then came the race horse which Wildcats fans adopted as a Wildcat and cheered him on for the Triple crown. Ezra Amacher coined their team “A Horses Program” for American Pharoah, and the racehorse and his Arizona Wildcat Trainer Bob Baffert won the Triple Crown, the first team to win since 1978.

Onto our first question…starting with No. 5.

Next: 5. Will Kaleb Tarczewski rise to the occassion and be the center/forward we all know he can be?

5. Will Kaleb Tarczewski rise to the occasion and be the center/forward we all know he can be or we expect him to be?

March 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) is introduced before the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference tournament against the Oregon Ducks at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Wildcats defeated the Ducks 80-52. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kaleb Tarczewski had a pretty good season in 2015 and helped his team to get to the Elite Eight, win the Pac-12 Tournament, and the Pac-12 regular season title.  The consensus from most sports writers and fans is that a lot more was expected of Kaleb than he delivered.

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I would argue that Zews is a victim of referees especially the Pac-12 referee’s. There is just something about how he moves, how he plays, the way he backs up to the basket that sets off the referee’s to call an inordinate amount of fouls. He almost always looked completely bewildered when fouls were called as we all were, what the heck did he do? The travelling calls just killed the Wildcats..I didn’t see the traveling, looked textbook, but the refs in most games called him on it.

Maybe he just suffers from being one of a few seven footers in the NCAA, so there is maybe an assumption that he fouls more, like most big men.

It became painfully obvious during the NCAA tournament and mostly in the Sweet Sixteen game against Xavier where Kaleb scored a double-double or 12 points and 12 rebounds. In that game, both Kaleb and Matt Stainbrook committed four fouls, but it wasn’t the fouls which were the issue for me, it was when the calls were made.

Mar 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) dunks to score a basket against Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) during the first half in the finals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

According to the referees, the 6’10” 263 pound center Stainbrook hadn’t fouled anyone until 6:18 was left in the game. It was after that first foul that three more fouls were called on him very quickly which was odd.

In contrast, for Kaleb, his first foul was called eight minutes into the game and racked up four fouls with 16+ minutes left in the game. It makes it hard to keep Kaleb in the game when he has numerous early fouls. That results in less confidence and difficulty getting a rhythm going along with hindering his ability to be affective.

I think this is why sometimes Kaleb plays a little timid, but it is misunderstood. He wants to be on the floor so badly, he is afraid to be called for fouls early in the game.  Hopefully the coaches will help him figure out why this happens to him more than most and it will be fixed this season.

We were all happy that Zews decided to stay in school and be the first scholarship basketball player to earn an Eller Business degree. He will also have a chance to have a “Frank Kaminsky” type season. After all Frank took his time over four years to make his mark, and he admits staying is school was the best thing for his career.

This is Kalebs “now or never” season and he is working hard this summer by participating in the Nike Basketball Academy. Miles Simon recently met up with Kaleb who is donning a jersey with his Arizona Wildcats number 35.

According to the Nike Website, the academy is “Comprised of some of the best high school athletes and select college basketball players..The Academy will be a tailor-made experience for guards, wings and bigs all under one roof..will allow the best players in the country (both high school and college) to compete against the best competition while receiving guidance from Nike Basketball’s biggest stars; LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis to name a few.”

I feel pretty positive about Kaleb’s chances to learn and grow into the NBA Center we know he can become, if he can improve his technique and avoid the referee’s whistle early in games as much as possible.

Next: 4. Who will take over as Floor General for T.J. McConnell?

4. Who will take over as Floor General for T.J. McConnell?

Mar 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller (right) high-fives guard Gabe York (1) against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half in the finals of the west regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

It was a huge loss in most fans opinions when we witnessed our Senior Point Guard T.J. McConnell kiss the court goodbye during the last game of the season at McKale, power his team through Xavier to reach the Elite Eight, and continue the streak of wins at home.

But who will fill his giant shoes this season? Here are some options:

Last Years Point Guards off the bench:

New this year:

Gabe York is playing this summer in the Nike Real Run college and high school summer league to hone in on his skills. Tonight he’s playing against future UCLA and USC players and the game is close from what I am seeing on Twitter. Sounds like he’s representing Arizona well.

I think the starting position for Point Guard is Gabe Yorks to lose.  He has the experience, he played better last season, had a key play (rebounded his own missed free-throw and put it back for two points), knocking out the Utah Utes from a chance at the Pac-12 Title. Who could forget?

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Parker Jackson-Cartwright probably will make a run at it, but I still see him coming of the bench. What’s better than having a spark plug driving the basket for a lay-up when no one expects it? A concussion caused Parker to miss a couple of Pac-12 games during the season, but he came back and played hard. Coach Sean Miller seems to pull him back to the bench quickly at times, probably will have a season or two to gain the coaches confidence.

Elliott Pitts will continue to be the shooting guard off the bench as well. I really enjoy Elliott’s passion to play, he seems to want to play more than he gets a chance to, but he is always ready and seems to have no fear.

These returning players have some serious competition. Justin Simon for one, Kadeem Allen for two. Allonzo Trier will probably be a starting shooting guard.

It’s going to be a battle, but I think Gabe York will at least start for a couple of games, or maybe Coach Miller changes it up this year and rotates guards depending on which team they play.

This will be interesting.

Next: 3. Will the gamble on experienced players joining the Wildcats next season be the ingredient needed to help reach the final four?

3. Will the gamble on experienced players joining the Wildcats next season be the ingredient needed to help reach the final four?

Mar 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) is looked at after suffering an injury against Wisconsin Badgers during the second half in the finals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

I actually like the strategy of having more experienced players on the roster this season. The one-and-done freshman are fantastic, but a lot of work for the coaching staff; coaches are helping a boy become a man in one season. It was very obvious watching the molding of Stanley Johnson.

Stanely started as a Kobe Bryant type player; attempting to take the team on his shoulders and deciding not to pass the ball, falling short. His teammates and coaches implored him to keep his composure when opponents trash talked him, holding him back from reacting.

By the end of the season, Johnson was holding Coach Miller back from the referees, physically, you knew right then that the coaches had done their job.

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Arizona added three key experienced players for next season:

Kadeem Allen – 2014 JUCO Player of the Year Transfer who sat on the bench and practiced with the Elite Eight team all last season, so he got a huge taste of what it will be like. Kadeem red-shirted last season.

Ryan Anderson – Experienced Senior transfer from Boston College who is 23 years old and mature. Ryan is 6’9″ and 230 pounds last reported.  He is fully healed from a shoulder injury and was forced to red-shirt last season. He’s ready to play.

Mark Tollefson – Mark was the last announcement made by A Players Program. Mark is a three-point shooter and graduate of the University of San Fransisco. Mark was very happy to be able to come play for Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats.  A 6’9″ Center, Mark will be challenging returners Kaleb Tarczewski and Dusan Ristic.

Wisconsin proved last year that experience can take you just as far or farther than a bunch of wildly talented freshman planning on taking their talents to the NBA post season.

I think the team will do well this year, not sure they will make the Final Four, but believe they have a shot as long as the team is coached by Sean Miller.

Next: 2. Will our four freshman fit well quickly into Coach Sean Miller's system?

2. Will our four freshman fit well quickly into Coach Sean Miller’s system?

Ballislife Photo by Shereen Rayan 05/02/15

Ladies and Gentleman, your freshman Wildcats: Chance Comanche, Justin Simon, Ray Smith and last and definitly not least, Allonzo Trier.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Chance and Justin in person. Sean has a great eye for great young men. Not only are they respectful, they are people you just want to get to know. They are passionate about basketball and they can play!  Both of these players command respect from their teammates, and they deliver.

Allonzo and Ray, I really enjoyed getting to know these two writing their Bio’s for Wildcats fans. Fortunately for us, all of these freshman enjoy social media as much as I do, so we all get to know them before they come to Tucson.

Allonzo is in Greece playing for the USA U19 basketball team along with his future Coach Sean Miller, so he will get a head start fitting in.

The rest, well they all have special stories and I cannot believe that they will not fit in. From the minute each of them committed to Arizona, they haven’t looked back. They rock the gear, they support the recruiting process to bring in more talent, they are already Wildcats and haven’t yet played a stitch of regulation Pac-12 play.

McKale can’t wait to cheer them on and they cannot wait to show Wildcats fans who they are.

This is a no-brainer.

Next: Will Arizona repeat and earn the Pac-12 Championship and Tournament wins?

1. Will Arizona repeat and earn the Pac-12 Championship and Tournament wins?

March 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Arizona Wildcats celebrate with the championship trophy after the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference tournament against the Oregon Ducks at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Wildcats defeated the Ducks 80-52. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

This year may be a little more difficult for the Wildcats to make this happen. UCLA and Cal have picked up some great talent, and the Pac-12 did not lose too many players in the NBA draft. Oregon has a great coach who outperforms expectations, Oregon State made an early run then dropped back off, and Arizona State has a new coach.

I think the answer is hard to come by for this question, ask me again after Pac-12 season play begins.

Beardown Arizona!

Next: Top 5 Stanley Johnson Games at Arizona

Shereen Rayan

Shereen Rayan

Shereen Rayan gets to the heart of the story when it comes to sports and the athletes who play them. She is most interested in the story behind the headlines. Her expertise on the Arizona Wildcats has led to guest contributions on “What’s Bruin,” and “MarkRogersTV”. She also is a staple at the Drew League in Compton and high school athlete showcases such as Pangos and Ballislife. Shereen is the host and producer of In The Front Row a YouTube channel, https://youtube.com/inthefrontrow