Connect with us

Arizona

Being concerned about this Arizona men's basketball season makes sense, writing it off as over doesn't

Published

on

Being concerned about this Arizona men's basketball season makes sense, writing it off as over doesn't


Men’s basketball was supposed to save us.

Ranked ninth heading into the season, Tommy Lloyd’s team was going to allow us to move on from a disaster of a football season and enjoy plenty of wins, big-time matchups and hopefully a deep tournament run.

Nine games into the season there have been few wins, no big-time victories and the tournament seems like anything but a guarantee.

The good news for Arizona is that despite its 4-5 non-conference record, one whose latest loss was a game the Wildcats coughed up in Phoenix against UCLA, there is still time to turn things around.

Advertisement

The bad news is that up to now the team has not shown much to make you think it is capable of righting the ship and rolling through the Big 12.

This is where Lloyd comes in. More specifically, this is where his abilities as a coach — to motivate, to tinker, to create — will be shown. Or not.

It’s clear this year’s Cats are lacking in some key areas. Their three-point shooting has been inconsistent at best and there is no true low-post scoring threat. Rim protection is tough to come by and the high-low game that has defined Arizona’s attack is unavailable at the moment.

What the team does have is a dynamic back court, athleticism and enough depth to in theory be able to find a lineup or lineups that work.

It’s on Lloyd and his staff to figure out how to use it.

Advertisement

The coach said as much after Saturday’s loss to the Bruins, especially in light of Mo Krivas’ latest injury troubles.

“Obviously with big Mo not playing we kind of are figuring out on the fly how this team is going to look going forward and trying to tweak some things,” he said. “Maybe see this team has some other strengths. So I just didn’t feel like we had a great, maybe not the players’ fault, but I just didn’t think we have a great understanding of how we wanted to attack and play today, pressure situations. Obviously, we gotta continue to work on that and build that certainty and that identity within the guys now that it looks like Mo is going to be out for a little bit.”

Certainty and identity, two things that every good team needs and both of which are lacking with this group. It is missing toughness, grit and the ability to close out games.

Arizona under Lloyd certainly had an identity the last three seasons. But now? Arizona’s offense is ranked 37th in KenPom. The Wildcats are struggling from the outside and are averaging just 15.4 assists per game, which is tied for 102nd in the country.

Something has not been working.

Advertisement

Known for offense over the last few years, if this season’s team is to reach its potential things will have to look different. For the first time since Lloyd arrived there is no dominant or consistent low-post scoring presence, and further there is no hybrid, Swiss Army Knife-wing like Pelle Larsson who could do anything and everything on the court.

What the team does have though is the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year who, as a fifth-year senior Caleb Love has the kind of experience coaches dream of. It also has a point guard in Jaden Bradley who looks ready to be among the country’s best, a talented freshman in Carter Bryant and a bouncy wing in K.J. Lewis.

There’s also veterans Trey Townsend and Tobe Awaka, each of whom are in their first seasons with the program but have postseason experience. Anthony Dell’Orso has taken a step up in competition but has brought his 3-point shot with him and Henri Veesaar, in this third college season, and should finally be ready for minutes as a 7-footer who can step out to the 3-point line (and is not afraid to let it rip, as was seen against UCLA).

Is this as good a roster as last year’s or any of the two before it? So far the answer is a resounding no, but that comes with a catch.

It’s important to note that while Arizona is certainly not off to the start any of us wanted or expected, things may not be quite as bad as they appear. If you are a believer in analytics, as of Dec. 16th EvanMiya.com has the Cats as the 24th-best team in the country while Haslemetrics.com lists them at 19th.

Advertisement

EvanMiya shows Arizona to have both a top-25 offense and defense, which if that holds for the rest of the season should result in plenty more wins than losses.

Then again, things could go the other direction.

Lloyd said after the UCLA loss that it was important for the team to stick together and not splinter. With plenty of big games ahead and a path to the dance still very much in front of them, that probably won’t be an issue.

What could be a problem is if the coaches and players either can’t figure out how to maximize what they have and are or figure things out too late. A subpar nonconference performance does not end the season, but it does plenty to whittle down the margin for error.

As of now there are four top-25 teams left on Arizona’s schedule, with another three who received votes in the latest AP Poll. That group makes up 10 of the 20 Big 12 conference games, and while the rankings are sure to change over the next handful of weeks the fact is despite how it may feel, the season is far from over and opportunity to make this a good one still very much exists.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Arizona

Arizona Adaptive Golf Open Showcases Ability

Published

on

Arizona Adaptive Golf Open Showcases Ability


Golf Is For Everyone

Unseasonably windy and chilly weather didn’t deter the nearly 60 golfers competing at Papago Golf Course in the inaugural Arizona Adaptive Open Championship, created and run by the Arizona Golf Association (AZ GOLF) and presented by PING. AZ GOLF, under the leadership of Executive Director Catherine (Cat) Carmignani, made history as the first west coast association to run an adaptive golf championship.

The three-day event began with a golf clinic for local attendees with disabilities and was followed by the two-round, 36-hole championship, crowning overall men’s and women’s champions, plus winners in 15 individual adaptive golf categories.

Advertisement

Adaptive golf is exactly what the name implies – adapting and modifying rules or equipment for people with disabilities, based upon the person’s impairment. Classifications – G1 to G15 – include limb, amputee, neurological, multiple, seated, short stature, vision and intellectual impairments. The classification system enables golfers to compete on a level playing field against their peers.

The Arizona tournament was a year in the making and required full commitment from AZ GOLF. Staff traveled across the country visiting different adaptive events to better understand logistics and the operations behind the scenes.

Said Carmignani, who assumed her post halfway through the planning process, “Thankfully, there are a lot of national golf associations and organizations that specialize in this. So there are already trainings in place, there are already best practices in place, and an understanding of how somebody would be appropriately categorized based on their impairment. Our staff absorbed everything they possibly could and we’ve used the resources that were already in place.”

It’s Different Out Here

One of the most striking aspects of the tournament was the diversity of the field in age, impairment, skill level, gender and experience. The true spirit of adaptive golf – camaraderie and friendship, with a healthy dose of competitive fire – was on full display at Papago.

Advertisement

For example, seated on a hillside overlooking the 18th green, 23-year old short stature golfer Ricky Reilly enthusiastically cheered on his rival Albert Bowker, even as he putted out to earn the victory over Ricky. The two became friends at the 2024 USGA Adaptive Open and were the only golfers competing in their category in Phoenix.

“I’m super pumped for him,” said the Syracuse native about his buddy. “Albert’s a great guy and an even better golfer.”

The adaptive golf community is a tight knit one, and competitors genuinely celebrate each other’s successes.

Explained Carmignani, “Their impairment doesn’t define them. They’re here to play really well. This is a championship event, so I think they’re looking for some hardware at the end of the day.”

Said Men’s Overall winner Ford Martin, “Everybody’s so nice to each other, so encouraging, and the people out here are inspiring for sure. That’s part of the fun of doing these events.”

Advertisement

His one-under, a seven-stroke victory over Kody Conover was his first tournament win and fourth adaptive tournament. The Nashville native competed in the G8, neurogenic category based on bilateral neurogenic club feet that completely restrict movement in his fused feet and ankles.

A former lacrosse player and undergrad coach at Vanderbilt (TN), Martin noted that his primary issue is balance, especially on uneven lies, so he focuses on tempo and finish.

Women’s Overall champion Cassie Sengul, who plays golf at Drew University (NJ), competes in G8 due to cerebral palsy. Her 10-stroke victory over University of Arizona’s (U of A) Amanda Cunha was her second in a matter of weeks, following a win at the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s (GAP) inaugural Adaptive Open.

Advertisement

Like Ford, she struggles with rotation, balance and keeping posture in her stance. Without a coach, she admitted she’s trying to perfect her own swing and “figure it all out alone.”

“I’m probably doing stuff I shouldn’t be doing, but it works,” laughed the two-time winner.

She is sure to have lots of local support at July’s 54-hole USGA Adaptive Open that takes place in Maryland, less than an hour from her home. And she hopes the partisan crowd will help propel her onto the winner’s podium, improving on her fifth-place overall finish last year.

Advertisement

The elite field at the Arizona Adaptive Open Championship included many golfers who competed in one or more of the three USGA Adaptive Opens, considered the Major championship for disabled golfers.

Last year’s Women’s Overall winner, Bailey Bish (G8 – Neurological) will be on hand to defend her wire-to-wire national title, but had to withdraw from the Arizona tournament prior to finishing the second round.

Amanda Cunha has won the Vision Impairment category in each of the three USGA championships and last year finished fourth overall. The native of Kaneohe, Hawaii, was diagnosed with Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a disease that causes vision loss due to a degeneration of the optic nerve.

She began golfing at the age of five and competed regularly in junior golf leagues and state tournaments, but the visual impairment that began in her junior year of high school made for an uncertain golf future.

Thanks to the University of Arizona’s Adaptive Golf program, and the rise of adaptive golf tournaments, she can still pursue her passion.

Advertisement

“To be able to continue playing with a disability has been the dream of a lifetime, to be honest. It’s given me a chance to meet people while also still being so competitive,” she explained.

With no central vision, Amanda is unable to see bunkers or flags on the greens, only large objects in the background like trees or mountains. Her dad serves as her guide, directing her aim on the fairway and lining up putts. It’s a relationship built on trust and one that was difficult to establish initially.

“There’s been a lot of growth and development,” she said of the past three years working together. “But we’re pretty much almost there where I fully trust.”

Advertisement

Because she can’t golf without him, the U of A subsidizes travel from Hawaii for Amanda’s father so he can be on the bag for her tournaments.

The U of A has been a leader in adaptive sports. The D1 school’s Adaptive Athletics Department has existed for more than 50 years, and launched its Adaptive Golf team in 2019, making it the first collegiate-based adaptive program in the country.

Peter Hughes, director of adaptive athletics at U of A, was on hand at the Arizona Adaptive Open, along with Dennis Schmelzel, coach of the Wildcats adaptive golf team. Dennis is the father of LPGA player and 2024 Solheim Cup team member Sarah Schmelzel, who was also on hand to cheer on the U of A players.

Challenging Logistics

Putting on the first-ever Arizona Adaptive Open Championship presented daunting and unique challenges that most golf tournaments don’t face.

According to Carmignani, “The main thing is finding the right site that can be a good partner to you and understands how important it is to serve this clientele in a different way because they deserve to be served in the most appropriate way possible.”

Course set up is complex because tees must be placed according to impairment category. Yardages must be set, and rules adapted to impairment. For example, can a solo rider on a motorized cart safely get in and out of a bunker? If not, that bunker becomes out of play. And a rule that would apply to a blind golfer would be different than a rule applied to a golfer with another impairment.

Partners in Success

Partnerships were crucial in launching the inaugural Arizona Adaptive Open Championship and making it a sustainable event. Organizers even hope the event will become a qualifier for future USGA Adaptive Opens.

Papago GC, home to the Arizona State University men’s and women’s golf teams, was the perfect golf course partner. General Manager Daryl Crawford is committed to serving the community and sets an example to his peers in the golf course industry. The course holds numerous events targeted to diverse segments of the community, including Ability 360 clinics and the AZ Caddy and Leadership Academy.

Advertisement

The golfers fell in love with the course nestled below the scenic backdrop of Papago Buttes.

Said Ford, “Being at a course like this definitely makes it feel like a like a bigger tournament.”

He added, “And I’m amazed this is Arizona Golf Association’s first Adaptive Open because other than the USGA Adaptive Open, this was the most well put together adaptive tournament I’ve been to in terms of the course, hospitality, volunteers and the organization.”

Ricky echoed those sentiments.

“They did an absolutely amazing job putting this event on. First off, they selected a spectacular course. They put a ton of effort in and the volunteers and course staff were absolutely fabulous. They really didn’t miss anything. And they did a great job of making us feel like we’re the pros.”

Advertisement

PING was the official tournament sponsor. Bryan Rourke, master adaptive fitter, was on hand during the clinic to provide conforming equipment for the golfers, fitting them to make sure they were comfortable with the grips and shafts. Like professional golf, there are compliance standards in adaptive golf to ensure no players are getting an advantage.

Phoenix-based Ability 360 provided carts for seated golfers.

And over 80 tournament volunteers gave their time and effort to help make the event a success. All completed online and onsite training prior to the start of the tournament. They learned how to talk about the different impairment categories, how to best communicate with the athletes, and how to be the best supporters possible.

Advertisement

Explained Carmignani, “It’s important to learn how to communicate with that population and recognize that within that population they’re all different too, because you have different impairment categories. So, you can’t treat somebody with an intellectual impairment the same as maybe an amputee. They have different ways of communicating different needs.”

Truly Growing the Game

According to the US Adaptive Golf Alliance 10 percent of persons with some disability now play golf; 22 percent of those with disabilities played golf before incurring their disability but are not playing now; and 35 percent of individuals with disabilities are currently not playing golf, but are interested in learning.

Ford Martin has a message for those who have never even considered adaptive golf.

“Give it a go. Being out here is so much fun. You don’t have to be nervous. Everybody is so welcoming and supportive. So it’s not about what you can’t do. It’s about trying. Failure’s OK. Just keep on trying.”

Concludes Carmignani, “It puts a lot of thing in things in perspective for us. We’re all about access and opportunity. Everyone should be able to enjoy the game of golf, whether you want to be competitive at it, whether you want to have fun recreationally or just make sure it’s part of your lifestyle.”

Advertisement

Adaptive AthleticsGolf



Source link

Continue Reading

Arizona

Preview: Arizona at Texas Tech

Published

on

Preview: Arizona at Texas Tech


Arizona carries a seven-game win streak and 5-0 start in Big 12 conference play into Lubbock to take on Texas Tech.

The Wildcats continued their winning ways on Tuesday with an 81-70 win over Baylor in what was a dominant performance by Arizona until late in the second half.

Texas Tech is off to an 12-4 start to the season and 3-2 start in conference play. The Red Raiders are coming off a 61-57 win at Kansas State last Tuesday.

Here is a preview for Saturday’s contest between Arizona and Texas Tech.

Advertisement

GAME INFO

Who: Arizona (11-5, 5-0) at Texas Tech (12-4, 3-2) (last game won 61-57 at Kansas State)

When: Noon (MST)

Where: United Supermarkets Arena | Lubbock, Texas

TV: ESPN2

Advertisement

Odds: Texas Tech (-4) | O/U: 151

All-time series: Texas Tech leads 28-24



Source link

Continue Reading

Arizona

Arizona men’s basketball at Texas Tech: Game time, odds, streaming info and more

Published

on

Arizona men’s basketball at Texas Tech: Game time, odds, streaming info and more


It’s Game Day!

The Arizona Wildcats are back on the road, where they’ve already won twice in Big 12 play, to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This is their first meeting since 2013 and 53rd overall, with Tech holding a 28-24 advantage though the UA has won the last seven matchups.

Here’s all the info you need to watch, listen to or follow the game online:

Arizona-Texas Tech game time, details:

  • Date: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2024
  • Time: 12 p.m. MT
  • Location: United Supermakets Arena; Lubbock, Texas
  • Line: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Arizona is a 5.5-point underdog and the over/under is 150.5. KenPom.com gives the UA a 36 percent chance of winning.

How can I watch Arizona-Texas Tech?

Arizona-Texas Tech will be shown on ESPN2. Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Sean Farnham (analyst) will be calling the game.

How can I stream Arizona-Texas Tech online?

The stream of Arizona-Texas Tech can be streamed at ESPN.com.

Advertisement

How can I listen to Arizona-Texas Tech on the radio?

You can listen to Arizona-Texas Tech on Wildcats Sports Radio 1290 AM.

How can I follow Arizona-Texas Tech?

By following us on Twitter (X) at @AZDesertSwarm and our editor Brian Pedersen (@realBJP).

Arizona-Texas Tech pregame coverage:





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending