Gonzaga BB 2020/21 season

Shanegotyou11

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It needs a new thread.

Zags open as #1 team.

Also, there are people here in spokane who think that they need to win a title with few to validate few.
 

Natethegreat

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Open the season as the number one team. Incredible where this program is at right now. I watched the scrimmage game and this team really does look loaded. Not as stacked in the frontcourt as years past but Drew Timme looks really smooth and has added a nice mid range shot. Ballo looked raw but also long and athletic. Had a couple blocks while he was in. We also have a 7 footer Pavel Zakharov that could come in and give minutes when needed.
We are LOADED in the backcourt with long athletic guards. Ayayi, Suggs, Harris, can all can score and defend. Harris in particular looked to drive and score more than any Zag guard I can remember and he was good at it as well.
We are loaded at forward with Kispert looking like the leader on this team. Aurlauskas and Anton Watson return from last years team as well. I expect a jump from Watson this year. As he was a true freshman and injured much of last year.

This team is loaded from top to bottom. Most complete team I have seen talent wise. That's not to say it will be the best. Lots of unknowns as far as guard play. Will be fun to watch this team grow this year.
 

Hawkstorian

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This may be the year ---- but with Covid and injuries who knows what will happen.
 
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Shanegotyou11

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Can a mod move my thread here or delete mine.

I made mine 4 days before his but no point in mine being here.
 

Natethegreat

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Shanegotyou11":vbnd4ukx said:
Can a mod move my thread here or delete mine.

I made mine 4 days before his but no point in mine being here.
Oooops, sorry about that. I should have looked. First Game on Thanksgiving and its a good one!
 

Natethegreat

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Big news for the Zags. Andrew Nembhard cleared to play this year. I didn't even realize he was able to apply for this as he transferred this year. Thats another really talented Guard available to this team.
 

getnasty

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I felt like they had a great shot last year with how mediocre college basketball was. We'll see this year but they're talented and deep for sure. Anything less then a final 4 would be dissapointing.
 

Natethegreat

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Zags were really impressive against Kansas. Suggs is an elite level talent but this whole team is just loaded. I belive this team should win it all. Anything less than final four would be a dissapointment.
 

bevellisthedevil

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Natethegreat":pjuapqu5 said:
Zags were really impressive against Kansas. Suggs is an elite level talent but this whole team is just loaded. I belive this team should win it all. Anything less than final four would be a dissapointment.

Pump the brakes a little bit. However, this Gonzaga team looks like they have more talent at all positions then ever before. I have always been able to find a weakness on Gonzaga's teams in the past but I don't see any this year.
 
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Shanegotyou11

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That was as impressive as a opening day win ever. Top 10 win to start the year.

Suggs is a stud.
 

Appyhawk

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I have been looking forward to seeing this game since it was announced...and I completely spaced it off. Arrrgh!

Went about as I suspected it might. Both good teams but Zags with more experience in depth. I agree this could be the best shot at the title Zags have had. Coach Few has it going on!
Also think KU will be a different team later in the year than they are now. Their problem record wise will be surviving an incredibly brutal schedule.
 

Crizilla

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few years ago Zags got title stole from them by the refs, last season it was "covid" that stole it, and this year so far they just confirmed they are still the best team, they've already basically won the title for this season IMO because there was no tournament last year so basically this is just a continuation of last season and they just took down (another) national championship contender plus last year they beat duke on a neutral court thats nothing but championship basketball hands down case over done deal the best ran college basketball program in the country resides in spokane washington nuff said nobody can hide it anymore the media can want blue blood schools to win as much as they want we all know the truth
 

Natethegreat

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Appyhawk":35nme180 said:
I have been looking forward to seeing this game since it was announced...and I completely spaced it off. Arrrgh!

Went about as I suspected it might. Both good teams but Zags with more experience in depth. I agree this could be the best shot at the title Zags have had. Coach Few has it going on!
Also think KU will be a different team later in the year than they are now. Their problem record wise will be surviving an incredibly brutal schedule.
Kansas is more experienced than GU this year (their starters are either seniors or juniors). GU on the other hand have a LOT of new faces and freshmen being integrated into the fold. I was impressed how well they played together on offense. Defense needs work but this team is really talented and really good already. By the end of the year it is GU that I think will be really starting to put things together.

P.S.
Suggs was incredible. May be the best Guard Few has ever had.
 

Natethegreat

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Here are a couple quotes from Bill Self after the game.
“Not the happiest of Thanksgivings so far... Those are the best guards we’ll play all year long.”- Bill Self says of Gonzaga. ( via Brenna Greene twitter feed )

"And they are really good though. Next to that KY team, uh, well, Kentucky's two teams in 12 and whenever the other one was, that made the undefeated run for so long -- I don't know if we have played against a team where the pieces fit better, or, and the talent matched the pieces fit better more so, than what we did today. They are really good."

To put the game in context this was the first game the Jayhawks have allowed 100 or more points in 40 minutes of basketball in 30 years.
According to KenPom, GU's 77.3% 2PT shooting was the worst allowed by a Kansas team in the Bill Self era.

This team has legit talent everywhere.
 

Appyhawk

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Suggs is a serious difference maker. Maybe this year's Dayton style superstar! And the Zags looked every bit the best team in the country to get things started off.

I watched the replay on later last night. Zags were definitely more polished and sure running their sets, and had a significant advantage down low. Despite all that Kansas kept it close all the way to their bad stretch at about 8-9.5 min mark second half when they had chances to retake the lead but failed to get over the hump. Zags took advantage, thanks in no small part to Sugg's performance, and pushed it back out of reach, winning with space.

I'll stick with my assessment of what happens later in the year. Zags historically good outa the gate while Kansas is notorious slower starting. Also think the experience factor includes what was lost in personnel from last year, starting with Azabuicke for Ks. He would definitely have changed the picture for what happened in the paint. McCormick just hasn't had enough PT as the primary big to handle the likes of what the Zags have. When you consider a 12 pt margin, that is only a few more makes from range + makes at the line over the course of the game. Their roster is more than capable of turning that around. I'm betting both these teams are contenders unless the Ks schedule proves too much for them.

Suggs looks like star material! Loved watching him play.
 

Natethegreat

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Zags destroy Auburn. Auburn is a really young team and may not even be a tournament team but maybe they will be by the end of the year. Timme is slicing up anyone that covers him down low but he needs to become a better passer when doubled. I'm dissapointed in what i see from Ballo. He was supposed to be a big time recruit with athleticism and length. I see length but he has a ways to go to compete in the NCAA.
Pavel is not ready either. So if Timme gets in foul trouble I could see that being a weakness for this team. Other than that this team is very deep.
 

Hawkstorian

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Yeah .... Timme is the key to the season. If he can stay healthy and play 35 minutes a night against the big opponents this team may be unstoppable.

If he misses games, the front court is a wreck. Sounds like Few expected Petrusev to come back, not sure why.

Jalen Suggs -- goodness.
 
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