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Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 01-31-2023, 10:10 PM:
 
This is going to come off as negative, but I’m just really trying to have a discussion.

Here is my question. Is this the Oscar that Huggins saw at West Virginia and questioned his work ethic and desire?

Oscar just seems a little lethargic to me this year. A perfect example was the play the Wheeler got injured on. That was not even a good screen, just really poor defense by Oscar as he had no clue where the ball was or his guy.

It also seems like he worries more about show boating this year as compared to last year.

I know Cal mentioned he was not in the gym like he was last year. Anyway this version of Oscar is still good, but no where close to last years version in my opinion.
 
Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 01-31-2023, 10:43 PM:
 
You are correct, Trey. I just posted in the game thread that he needs some bench time.

He has become more of a whiner, less of a beast. He is lazy on BOTH ends of the floor on too many possessions. We can't ride this version of Tshiewbe anywhere.

Would love to see him get that fire back.
 
Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 01-31-2023, 10:50 PM:
 
Oscar couldn't defend me. He's pathetic on the pick and Roll
 
Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 02-01-2023, 07:21 AM:
 
He's just really bad defensively, and wasn't really good defensively last year except for rebounding Teams are exposing him and any smart game plan will involve screening him and making him switch. Love him, and we need him, but he is a liability in man to man. Here's an idea though; how about play a little zone to cover that up at certain points.
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 02-01-2023, 11:14 AM:
 
Don't believe we'll ever see a zone. Cal don't know how to use one. Oscar is definitely not his last years self. Our slow down game with Wheeler on the floor is not going to help us get up in the seed standings. Another message for Cal is to start and keep Reeves on the floor as much as you can. He is your ticket to the NCAA Tourney, not Oscar.
 
Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 02-01-2023, 12:07 PM:
 
I thought Wheeler did ok, not great, but ok. With Wallace out and having a very inexperienced point guard running the offense, we may have lost that game. I sure wish Wheeler was 6’5”. Maybe he will grow.

I Agee that Reeves needs to be on the floor as much as possible. I could care less if he starts or not.

Oscar is not playing with the intensity of the past but I thank the good Lord every game we have him. I shudder to think where we would be without him.

I like C J a lot but the poor guy couldn’t throw it in the ocean if he was in a row boat. Watched him several times while he was at Iowa and thought he was an elite 3 point shooter then. However, he is much better defensively than I would have thought, takes it to the basket fairly well and does other things well. Keep shooting C J, they will start to fall.

Not sure why Collins got limited time (maybe none) in the 2nd half after playing well in the first half. The many mystery’s of Coach Cal.

That’s my uninformed opinion, which I feel you all value greatly.

[ 02-01-2023, 12:49 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 02-01-2023, 01:05 PM:
 
To no end! [Big Grin] I think the reason Cal favors only certain players is he thinks he can only trust certain players to play without screwing it all up. We have none of that type players. They all make mistakes, just some make them more frequently.
 
Posted by rlt4uk (Member # 3194) on 02-01-2023, 06:41 PM:
 
I firmly believe that Livingston and Collins both should play a lot more. They've earned it and I think they will both transfer and be ultra successful wherever they go.
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 02-01-2023, 10:07 PM:
 
That's the two I think will leave and Thierro could be with them too. If Cal wants to recruit all these top players he should use them. Of course they weren't the guys he wanted at the beginning of recruiting. Just what was left for him after the ones he wanted went somewhere else.

[ 02-01-2023, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 02-05-2023, 12:47 PM:
 
I love Oscar and hope his future is brighter than I am thinking but................... For a center he can't jump, and I think most of us realize it. Most of the time he is fairly slow and determined. His basketball IQ is good. However, his returning to UK proves a point. He said he returned to win a championship that he missed last year. Partly true. But in reality he can read between the lines and knew he would not be at the top of the draft and hoped by returning he could get better. So far that hasn't happened. Teams have found out how to beat him. You need a tall man who can jump higher than Oscar, is mobile, and can shoot either inside or out. We have witnessed two or three times this season where that has been done. The draft will be his next obstacle. UK most likely will lose at least one game in the SEC Tourney and if they get to the round of 8 in the NCAA Tourney they will be lucky. The only way for him to help his draft status is to have great tourney games and do better than what I just predicted for UK. My thoughts are that there will be no green room for him in the draft. Those who have been heavy on Cal's coaching can understand why Cal was able to steal him from WVA. Good luck for him and UK as we march towards March Madness, but I just don't see it happening for UK this season. Hope they prove me wrong. [Confused]

[ 02-05-2023, 12:50 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]
 
Posted by ukman (Member # 3032) on 02-07-2023, 11:23 PM:
 
Tonight we saw that Oscar should be losing minutes to Collins. He outplayed Oscar in the first half and then our wonderful coach doesn't even play him in the 2nd. Oscar is a very average player right now. Terrible on defense, can't score against longer players, not a good passer, and lately just a decent rebounder. I love him, but Collins needs to be getting more time. Especially in tonight's game. Cals just a bad coach to not see that, or forget about him.
 
Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 02-08-2023, 12:29 AM:
 
I'd say Collins will be our center next year if he stays, but Bradshaw may be as good or better than Collins. I just don't believe all these kids will return.
 


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