Inside College Basketball Excerpt

Seth Davis from SI had a chance to catch up with Mark Few recently and asked him several questions:

"Lots of programs -- midmajor, high-major, whatever -- would love to duplicate the model of consistency that Few has built in Spokane. So while the Bulldogs are losing 7-foot senior center Robert Sacre, who was the final pick in the 2012 NBA draft, they will be adding (or should I say, re-adding) Kelly Olynyk, a 7-foot junior center from Canada. Olynyk averaged 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes as a sophomore, but he redshirted last season because of the glut of frontcourt players. "He improved a ton. Really took a big jump," Few told me. "He got a chance to see things from a coaching standpoint. His strength is his face-up game but at the same time you don't want to be a 7-foot guard. He has really bought in."

Ditto for the sophomore backcourt duo of Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell, which logged a combined 58 starts during their freshman seasons. Few said Bell was the team's "unsung guy. Just rock solid all year." And he said that Pangos' gym rattitude is the best he has had since Derek Raivio. "Pangos is in the gym every night until 10 or 11," Few said. "Now he's starting to drag guys with him."

Sacre's departure opens the door for 6-9 redshirt junior Sam Dower to move into the starting lineup, and Few told me he's impressed with his 7-1 freshman from Poland, Przemek Karnowski. That bodes well for Gonzaga's chances to reclaim the West Coast Conference title it failed to win or share for the first time in 11 years. Moreover, 6-7 senior forward Elias Harris impressed the NBA scouts who watched him work out with the collegians at the LeBron James Skills Academy several weeks ago in Las Vegas. Few cracked a smile when I suggested to him that Harris has had an up-and-down career. "The funny thing is, he dunked a bunch of balls early in his career and everybody ran around saying he was an NBA pick. He never believed that," Few said. "He has really developed a lot. Everybody wants him to be an NBA three man. He's more suited to be a four man, but he has improved his perimeter game two hundred percent."

 Always nice to get an update from Coach Few on the development of our returning players, GO ZAGS!

Zags in the Olympics - Ronny Turiaf

Gonzaga basketball was represented well in the opening weekend of the 2012 Olympics as Ronny Turiaf took to the court as the starting Center for the French team. 

France had a tough opening game facing off against the highly touted USA team, headlined by super-stars Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony.   The game was no match for France, as they were blown-out in a 98-71 loss.   Ronny posted a solid performance with 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists in 21 minutes of play.

Next up for Ronny and the France team: Argentina on Tuesday, July 31.

See Ronny's comments on the USA Team here

Great Article on Adam Morrison by Grantland

Here is an excerpt on Adam Morrison from a great new article by Grantland. Great Stuff!

"...On the court with the Clippers, Morrison has reclaimed his alpha role. He's shouting for the ball nearly every time down the floor. He gets jumpers off screens and off the dribble, tip-ins in the paint, and trips to the line. In a game against San Antonio, Morrison hits a shot and prompts guard Cory Joseph to explode. "Somebody guard him!" he screams as the Spurs head back on offense.

After we finish talking outside the locker room, Morrison shakes my hand and starts to walk away. He stops and turns. "Just don't kill me, man," he says. "I've gotten enough of that." He continues to the bus. Lakers coach Mike Brown passes and calls out, "Great game, Adam." Morrison says, "Thanks," and keeps walking."

 Its such a treat to see Adam coming back from the abyss like he is, heres hoping he can carve out a niche as a 6th man type with the Clippers, no reason that he couldn't come in for 20-25 minutes a night and contribute a good chunk of scoring. The only thing stopping Adam right now will be himself, if he wants this, he has it.

Recruit Profile: Andrew Chrabascz

According to AJ Stokes of NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com, Gonzaga is now showing interest in Andrew Chrabascz. Andrew is in the class of 2013 and hails from Ashburnham, MA attending Cushing Academy. He is a 6-7, 240 pound forward who has been getting a lot of attention from teams like Creighton, Davidson, UMass, Temple, Butler, Alabama, and Boston College.

Will Adam Morrison Re-Up on His NBA Dream?

There is a storm brewing. Front office officials throughout the NBA have been watching the resurgence of a former college star. His hair still flowing, his offense still as dangerous as ever. His name is Adam Morrison, or as most of the country refers to him simply as "Bust". The reality IS that Adam still has the talent to play in the NBA, the perception WAS that he could not hang with the superior athletes. He has spent time in the backwaters of europe, he has bounced between teams during this years NBA Summer league. The best news of all is that his dream is still alive, the Los Angeles Clippers have requested him to attend their 2012 training camp. A celtics blog had this to say about Adam the other day:

Jeremy Pargo Traded

Cant say we are surprised, but Jeremy Pargo has been traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Cleveland Cavs. The PG position has been clogged in memphis for a couple years now and Pargo just wouldn't have had the minutes he needed in Memphis to be successful or even consistent.

This will allow Jeremy to come in and compete right away for the backup job behind Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. We fully expect Pargo to make an impact for the Cavs and contribute on a much higher level than last year in Memphis. Good Luck Jeremy on your new opportunity!

Old Spice Classic Dates, Brackets announced

Well folks, looks like we now know where and when we will be playing the Old Spice Classic! The brackets were released at their website today and are as follows:

Clemson and Gonzaga will play on Thursday Nov. 22 (Thanksgiving day) in Orlando with the winner plauying winner of UTEP and Oklahoma on Friday Nov. 23 (Losers will also play losers in consolation brackets). On the other side of the bracket, West Virginia will battle Marist (thanksgiving day), with the winner playing the winner of Vanderbilt and Davidson on Friday Nov. 23. Whoever wins their semifinal will play the winner of GU/Clemson/UTEP/Oklahoma for the championship on Sunday Nov. 25.

Definitely looking forward to thanksgiving day weekend, not only because i get a 4 day weekend, get to eat lots of turkey (turkey sandwiches, YES!) but we will also be privy to some great GU basketball all weekend, what more could a fan ask for?

Slow Period

Hey Everybody,

 We just want to apologize for a lack of content recently, We are working on bringing more to you soon, We Promise! I have been settling into a new job and Gaz is currently enjoying the pleasures of vacation, once we have some free time we will be bringing some new content and helping integrate some of our contributors back into the fold. Please be patient with us as we get through this busy period in our personal lives, remember this is strictly a hobby for us, Thank you for your understanding!

Jeremy Pargo Breaks Ankles at Summer League!

This is pretty awesome stuff. I have watched it over and over and enjoyed it every time, lol! Wow, he totally destroyed those two defenders. Those moves should help him stick in the league for another year.

GO Jeremy!!~

Hello Everyone!
I've been pretty quiet on the website due to the fact that I am the campus correspondent and, well, not currently on campus.  However, I found this video while on ESPN today, and it looks as though Andy Katz and Doug Gottlieb are VERY high on the Zags next year. What do you think of their commentary ? Do you think their expectations are realistic? Comment below.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8160961

Yes, Zagaholic has taken Notice

Update on Seth Berger: http://www.ecbahoops.com/news/32

It would be nice to, you know....kind of keep him under the radar, if you know what I mean, lol.

Winner of Gonzaga Cap is: Gonzagapride

Congratulations,

That was a very interesting opinion you had about the Zags future. Let's hope it all comes true!

You must email your shipping address to me at {sirfurry@hotmail.com}. I will pay for the shipping of your prize to the address provided. You MUST respond within 5 days from today or an alternate winner will be selected {in order of next winning choice}.

Many more giveaways are in the plans at Zagaholic, so stay tuned!!~ Gaz

Robert Sacre - Summer League Update

Robert Sacre is known for having a personality as large as his giant 7 foot frame; he is often seen as the jokester of the Gonzaga family – jesting with officials, playing pranks on his teammates, and being a genuinely happy-go-lucky guy.  But many questioned if he had the talent to be successful in the NBA. 

He quietly passed the first test, getting picked as the 60^th draft pick to the Los Angeles Lakers.  The second test will come in Summer League Play.  Summer League typically gives players a chance to prove their worth against other top rookies, and younger NBA bench players.  If a player performs well, he can hopefully garner a spot in the regular season line-up.

Game 1 (Friday, July 13):

Robert Sacre’s first game in Summer League Play was against Golden State.  He received a substantial amount of playing time with 27 minutes on the floor where he scored 4 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and had a blocked shot.

Chuck Person, the Laker’s Summer League Coach had this to say about Robert, “He did some good things.  He guarded the post well, and he did a good job of getting position.  He needs to rebound a little better, but that will come.  We drafted him because we like his size.  He’s a big guy who’s not afraid to get in there and mix it up.  He’s also a smart player, and in the short time he’s been with us, I’d say he’s ahead of the curve when it comes to learning what it’s all about at this level.”

Game 2 (Saturday, July 14):

Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings, Sacre took heed to his coach’s critique and stepped up his rebounding game.  In 33 minutes of action, Sacre scored 11 points and posted a team-high of 10 rebounds.  

“I’m trying to know my role and figure out what my teammates need me to do.  That’s my main focus.  Everybody’s got to find their niche.  We have to learn to work with one another and fit in together”, said Robert following the loss to Sacramento.

From a fan perspective viewing his second game, I felt Sacre’s size translated well to the NBA.  For the most part, he was the largest body on the floor and he had confidence to use it as he was consistently banging around the paint.  The announcers seemed intrigued by him as well and commented that he seemed to really enjoy pushing others around the court.  He also maintained his endearing demeanor, as every time the camera panned to his face, you could see that slightly devilish ear-to-ear grin.

My biggest criticism of Big Rob has always been his rebounding, or lack of it in most cases.  He was always the biggest player on the court, and he often struggled to grab more than 6 rebounds.  Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised to see this game.  Robert was making it his mission to go after every missed shot and to block out.  If he continues to improve his rebounding, he could be a viable bench player for the LA Lakers this upcoming season.

What do you think of Sacre’s chances in the NBA?  Will he be successful with the Lakers? 

Sacre in Vegas to Support Steven Gray

The girl interviewing Rob butchers his name right out of the gate but big Rob is still as nice as can be, lol. Great that he came up to support his buddy, Steven Gray.

Micah Downs - Summer League Take 3

A great article by the Spokesman Review catching up with Micah Downs as he makes his third straight trip to Summer League Play, this time with the Dallas Mavericks.

Micah previously participated in Summer League with Phoenix in 2010, and Milwaukee in 2011, and after both stints returned to hooping in Europe.

Good luck to Micah Downs, and on a personal note - congratulations to him on the birth of his first son!

Spokesman Review Article: Micah Downs Update

Recruit Profile: Seth Berger

Could Gonzaga land another recruit that seems to have come out of nowhere? Seth Berger is a relative unknown small forward out of Ballard, WA. that is currently turning heads at the Reebok Showdown series in Philadelphia.

Apparently, he has been flying under the radar and currently holds no offers. That will probably be changing next week as he has been the standout player so far at the Reebok Showdown Series.

According to Alex Cline of The RecruitScoop.com, his dream school is Gonzaga. He says that Berger has a game similar to Adam Morrison:

"The major standout from Saturday was a virtual unknown who came into Reebok Breakout Camp and made a name for himself. Berger continued his hot performance with the Emerald City Pioneers as his pull up jumper, ability to get in the lane and size drew a buzz from gym to gym in Philadelphia. At 6-foot-7, the wing prospect had the ability to create his own set shot and tore it up against a solid Showtime All-Stars team. Despite his size and shooting ability, Berger has no offers heading into his senior season. With some interest from Nevada, Washington State, Gonzaga, Florida State and Drake, he will likely land some offers next week. If not, that would be shock. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens if and when Gonzaga offers him a scholarship. As Berger's dream school, he has somewhat of a similar game to former Zag, Adam Morrison. Is the Ballard star about to breakout?"

Today is Friday the 13th, How Have the Zags fared on This Date?

                                                     

Today is Friday the 13th, a day generally thought of as an unlucky one. As such, I wondered how the Gonzaga Bulldogs have fared playing games on this day and it led me to that answer, as well as some other interesting things:

To most people it is all rather silly, but to many it is very real. There were 13 people at The Last Supper, Hotels and Hospitals generally skip the 13th floor, Alfred Hitchcock was born on this day, President Edgar Hoover, and Napoleon were afraid of it, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was afraid to travel on it!

If you are afflicted with the fear of Friday the 13th you are not alone. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina estimates that between 17 and 21 million people in the United States have a diagnosable phobia of Friday the 13th. The illness is more properly known as "friggatriskaidekaphobia." It’s pronounced "fri-gah-tri-sk-eye-de-kah-fo-bia."

The word, a portmanteau, means a person is afraid of Friday the 13th. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13, and friggaphobia is the fear of Friday...If you put them together and you have friggatriskaidekaphobia.

Now, I for one have never been afraid to walk under a ladder, break a glass window, or had any extra fear on this date, but I was curious about whether or not this rather dreary day is something ZAG fans should fear as it relates to our team. In other words, how has Gonzaga fared in games played on this ominous day? You will be surprised at what I found out.

Oddly enough, the Zags have never actually played a game ON a Friday the 13th. But, in their history, they have played exactly 13 games on the 13th! So, how did we do? This is what I learned:


The games-

1/13/2011 Pepperdine 92-75 WIN
2/13/2010 San Diego 82-65 WIN
11/13/2007 Idaho 80-41 WIN
1/13/2007 Santa Clara 77-69 WIN
2/13/2006 Portland 97-83 WIN
1/13/2005 LMU 76-65 WIN
12/13/2003 MIssouri 87-80 WIN (O.T.)
2/13/2003 St. Mary's 73-49 WIN
1/13/2001 St. Mary's 102-48 WIN
1/13/2000 USF 96-73 WIN
12/13/1999 Wa Huskies 77-66 WIN
2/13/1999 San Diego 69-62 WIN
3/13/1999 Stanford 82-74 WIN

We are undefeated on this day. Gonzaga has played 13 games on this date and won all of them.

What does all this mean, exactly? I duhno....but I will say that apparently the 13th is a very, very, lucky day for ZAG Basketball!

GO ZAGS!!~

Austin Daye Video

http://www.usatoday.com/video/austin-daye-orlando-summer-league-2012/1730901747001
Nice to hear what is going on with Austin Daye. He is doing very well at the Orlando Summer Camp. He is trying to showcase his talents enough to impress Detroit into keeping him, and also to attract other teams in case he is traded. Best of luck to him!

Adam Morrison Scores Six Straight Points

Interesting video showing Adam Morrison lighting it up during summer camp for the Brooklyn Nets!

On the Road Again

With the first evaluation period of the summer in full swing, and Gonzaga's coaches scattered to the winds recruiting, I thought readers might like to see this article from ESPN regarding how recruiting road trips have evolved.

Funny mention about not knowing what to do with a bumper that fell off of Coach Few and Leon Rice's loaner vehicle: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8156526/coaches-reflect-how-recruiting-road-trips-changed-years

Gonzaga to be one of the Best in the West next Season?



In this article by College Basketball Talk, the Zags are considered to be one of the top teams coming out of the West.

Elias Harris talks about using his defense to help his offense and feels like the Zags have been overlooked a bit.

See here:  Best in the West

Bleacher Report's Prediction

In this article by Bleacher Report, Robert Sacre is called a "poor mans Pau Gasol." They go on to predict that he will make the club and provide depth to the Laker's front court.

We wish big Rob much success!

Another Update on Adam Morrison

Adam Morrison talks to ESPN about his quest for an NBA comeback and why he feels Europe is not really an option going forward.

We will keep you updated on Adam as he attempts to impress during the NBA's summer league, and hopefully secure a spot with the Brooklyn Nets.

Contest Time Again, Win a Free Zag Cap!

Time for another contest, and with all this hot weather, who couldn't use a cool Gonzaga cap to help keep the heat off!

How to win: Tell us where you see the Gonzaga Men's basketball program in 10 years. Will we have finally won an elusive trip to the Final 4? How about a return to the Elite 8? Will we fall back into obscurity, or will we become the Duke of the West? Dare we even dream of a National Championship? Let's hear your take on what the future holds for Gonzaga.

The prize- a dark blue Zags cap, brand new with tags, retails for $16.99 plus tax:

Shipped to you free of charge -

                                     

Side view:

Once again, there are no right or wrong answers. This is simply for fun and we encourage everyone's opinions. In one weeks time, Josh and I will determine the lucky winner. You will have 5 days to respond with your shipping info. Failure to respond will force us to give your prize to the 2nd place commenter.

Hope everyone is chillin and having a spectacular summer!!~ Gaz

Summer Time!

NBA summer league action for today:

Check out Adam Morrison with the Brooklyn Nets Here! (Still in Progress as of 5:40 est)

Check out Austin Daye with the Detroit Pistons Here! (Finished with 24 Points, 6 Boards, includes a post game interview with Austin!)

We will keep you posted as we find out more about the Zags participating in Summer League action!

Where are they now? A Look at the career of Josh Heytvelt

Few basketball players have the grit, determination, and maturity to not only overcome adversity, but to excel. Josh Heytvelt exhibited these attributes when as a sophomore facing a felony drug charge he stood up in center court and delivered an apology to the entire Kennel Club nation.  That day is one of the most memorable days I ever experienced in K2.  The stands were filled with students crying- both hurt that the excitement of the post season would have to be endured without our best big man, and with admiration for the strength of character it took for him to deliver that apology.  At that moment, I knew I would always respect Josh Heytvelt. 

So, where is he today?

Announcing: Contributor, Brianna Brooks!

We will be welcoming aboard another contributor to Zagaholic effective immediately. She is a former Gonzaga student and current Resident of Louisville, KY (Just like me). She brings an interesting perspective in that she is an alumni, but also living in the College Basketball Mecca she gets a wider perspective. Without further ado, Please welcome aboard:

Brianna Brooks!

Look for her first post soon!

Zags going Under the Radar for Recruits?

 

It has been a very busy off season for the Zags. We have had the transfers of Mathis Keita, Mathis Monninghoff, and Ryan Spangler. There was the landing of Przemek Karnowski, the transfer of Drew Barham from Memphis, the transfer of Gerard Coleman from Providence, and Rob Sacre getting drafted by the LA Lakers. Exciting news indeed for the off season, or what is usually considered the slow time.

And, even though it is all very exciting, I am a bit confused about the other news, the puzzling signings of two relative unknowns, Ryan Edwards and Lucus Meikle. Granted, we had several open scollys to give and we need to fill the roster spots but we know very little about them and they seem to have come out of nowhere. For a GU program presumably still on the rise, I would think it should be easier to draw recruits and negate the need for such recruiting.

However, in this article from NBC Sports they have been called potential "diamonds in the rough." Read here: http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/04/gonzaga-takes-unconventional-route-to-first-two-13-recruits/

I agree with the rough part all right, but diamonds?  Are we really becoming masterful at finding diamonds in the rough? Usually, finding diamonds in the rough involves some luck. I would prefer to be better at recruiting and less lucky.

Until such polishing, and because of the recent slew of transfers and what feels like reaches in recruiting, I will remain a bit unconvinced that the master plan for recruiting at GU is in reality anything but masterful. Time will tell.

Pangos & Bell at BIS Booth for Hoopfest

I was going to be out of town for Hoopfest but I made it a point to squeeze in a few minutes to visit the Battle in Seattle Booth located in Riverfront Park.

We had to park quite a distance from the booth (we parked at the old Flour Mill) and walked in from there. A nice walk across the bridge allowed us to see the white water rapids below us.

At the other side of the park tons of excited people were milling about and it was very festive. Live Hoopfest games were being played on the street facing Riverfront Park. There was the smell of vendor food in the air and shrieking children happily feeding the ducks in the Spokane River that runs through the park.

Summer League Invites

Adam Morrison made a good enough impression at the nets camp back in May that he has been invited to their summer league roster. He also recently worked out with the Memphis Grizzlies. I fully expect him to earn a roster spot as they are definitely looking for veteran minimum contracts to save cap room for Dwight Howard and Deron Williams. The Nets have been considering adding him to the roster since early this year.

Steven Gray just received an offer from the Washington Wizards to play on their summer league team. He recently worked out with Memphis as well. If Steven has a good summer he could potentially make the cut, but it will be an uphill climb as they have a lot of young talented players on their roster.

Its likely Robert Sacre will not receive a contract from the Lakers until after the summer league. He has a great chance to make the roster as they are looking for depth at the center spot behind Andrew Bynum, but obviously nothing is guaranteed until he signs on the dotted line.

We will keep you posted as we learn more about the various NBA roster moves concerning our beloved former Zags!

Who is Ryan Edwards?

In a recent article with Yahoo! Sports his coach, Mark Harkins, provided some insight into Ryan Edwards game:

"When I talked to the coaches who recruited him, what they see in Ryan is that he has incredible feet and incredible hands for someone his size, He has great touch on the ball. He can shoot the high school 3-point shot with a lot of accuracy. Then he has really begun to develop his low-post game. He's a true center with his back-to-the-basket."

 The article goes on to say:

 "Edwards intends to drop another 20 pounds this summer by ramping up his conditioning, improving his diet and spending more time in the weight room. He's hopeful that will pay off when he tries to lead Glacier High to a state title next season and when he arrives at Gonzaga the following summer."

Im sure most everyone has tempered their expectations on Ryan, but if the staffs enthusiasm is any indication of the talent level of this kid, perhaps we got a hidden gem. Yet again it seems the staff will go the extra mile to ensure we continue to find the talent necessary to thrive and make that all important deep run into the tourney.  As always, GO ZAGS!

Recruit Profile: Ryan Edwards

Well this one comes out of left field. According to Jim Meehan of The Spokesman Review, 2013 Center Ryan Edwards of Glacier High in Kalispell, MT has verbally committed to play ball for the Zags. Ryan is a 7 footer with great size (some estimates put him at close to 300 pounds).  He had also received interest from Washington St., Boise St., Montana, and Montana State.