Close observers of the Arizona Wildcats basketball team may have seen this already but I feel it’s worth pointing out: Tommy Lloyd is coaching two men’s teams.
Arizona Wildcats: A Scoring Machine
The first team is well known to rabid fans, it’s the starting line-up that most often is selected to open the games: Christian Koloko, Azuolas Tubelis, Benn Mathurin, Dalen Terry, and Kerr Krisa.
These five are a hell-bent for leather (are basketballs still made with leather?) offensive juggernaut that can run up fifteen points on an opponent before the fans in the stands have even had a chance to partake of their first nacho.
But Lloyd has another team in his Cats coaching repertoire. We see it when he feels the need to shut down an opponent’s scoring. Justin Kier comes in for Krisa, Pelle Larsson subs for Azuolas Tubelis, and Oumar Ballo takes Koloko’s place in the low post.
Arizona Wildcats: Shutting The Door
Substituting these players in has a dual benefit for the Cats. First, it gives the three starters a break from their pell-mell sprints to the opponent’s basket, and second, Kier and Larsson increase the overall team speed needed to blunt the opponent’s offense, while Ballo establishes a truly impressive defensive wall under our basket.
Realize here, I am not denigrating the defensive skills of Koloko, Tubelis, and Krisa, as all have proved themselves worthy of their starter status. But by inserting three sets of fresh legs Lloyd can ramp up the intensity of the Cat’s defense immediately.
But wait, we’re not done
Lloyd has one other wrinkle in his bag of tricks that he calls upon on occasion and it can be a truly terrifying prospect for anyone trying to best the Cats. It is when he plays both Ballo and Koloko at the same time. This allows Ballo to stand guard down low while Koloko harries the ball handler at the high post.
An opponent’s point guard faced with the daunting prospect of trying to initiate an offense through Koloko can be forgiven if he struggles to know how to proceed. Koloko’s improved footwork and a wingspan that seems to encompass half the width of the court is truly something to behold, just ask Oregon’s Will Richardson.
Despite being a first-year head coach, Lloyd appears to know exactly what he wants from his charges to exact the maximum efficiency from their efforts. These Wildcat basketball teams are truly fun to watch.