Hoops Roundup: Howland's Program Remains Stuck In Neutral
by Nestor on Apr 27, 2010 5:00 AM PDT
in Basketball
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PrintBen Howland officially introduced his new assistant - Phil Mathews - to Southern California traditional media yesterday. From all accounts he sounds like an encouraging hire. However, the news around the program is not all that great. Apparently Mathews will be the only change in Howland's staff, which needed lot more shakeup given the issues we have discussed in detail in recent weeks.
Moreover, to date Howland has not been able to generate any kind of positive momentum around his sagging basketball program. They have not been able to sign anyone this spring to boost a depleted roster down to 9 scholarship players (counting 3 incoming recruits). More importantly UCLA is off to a very rough start for the class of 2011.
Let's start with the introduction of Phil Mathews. Here is the official release:
"Phil is a welcome and outstanding addition to our coaching staff," Howland said. "He has been a successful recruiter at every level. He has great relationships and has built an outstanding network of friends not only throughout southern California but the entire country."
Mathews holds a wealth of knowledge after serving as a former college head coach at both the Division I and junior college levels. During his career, Mathews recorded nearly 500 wins as a head coach.
Mathews returned to the Division I level in 2006-07 as an assistant coach on Sadler's first staff at Nebraska. It was Mathews' first time at the NCAA's highest level since serving as head coach at San Francisco for nine years from 1995 to 2004.
"I'm excited about coming home," Mathews said. "When the opportunity presented itself to come home, it was a no-brainer for me. I have extensive contacts here in Southern California and on the West coast. Ben doesn't need help coaching, my job is to get him players to coach, so that's what I'm looking forward to doing."
You can read rest of the release here, which is pretty much the same bio we read last week. Howland talked about the recruiting relationships Mathews brings in as an experienced assistant:
"One of the things, Phil's being modest. He has great relationships. He's been in coaching for 20 years; it's really big for us to have someone with those ties to the community. Those relationships, those contacts, having that network. He's going to help in so many ways.
"Phil actually has a son who's a pretty good player. He's been out able to watch his sons play at those AAU events and we can't go to that as coaches. That's been good - he's been able to see his son play against some other good players. The rule for the coaches to not be able to go out during April during AAU events has been a poorly thought-out rule. It really hurts a lot of D-1 programs, and the players in recruiting - they're not allowed to get that exposure."
That seems encouraging. It was also interesting for Howland to note that he wasn't done with recruiting - this season - yet as he noted adding more players was "in the works." Still the news coming out of the UCLA hoops world hasn't been very encouraging at all.
To recap Bruins have missed on all of their major recruiting targets this Fall. That wasn't surprising (to those who were following the recruiting of Ray McCallum and Trey Ziegler closely) but what was not comforting was to see Howland and his staff still put on a full court press after Fool's Gold Ray McCallum.
Now it is unclear what kind of contingency plans Howland has drawn up for this spring. Deonte Burton is off to Nevada. That happened after his aunt publicly berated Howland/UCLA on various message boards and his staff for not showing him enough attention. She later apologized and edited her postings. Nevada point guard John Loyd doesn't even have a UCLA offer on the table while he is now being pursued by programs such as Michigan State and Florida.
Reports are out that Howland is going after Matt Carlino, a 6-2, 165 SG/PG from class of 2011 who had originally committed to Indiana. Howland might be trying to recruit him to enroll a year early but it is not clear whether that is going to work out or if he is someone who can contribute next season (looking at his profile gives me nightmares of Terry Crispin). There is also French forward Remi Barry, but his situation is kind of unclear as well. So no one really knows exactly what the heck is going on with recruiting.
Meanwhile, recruiting for class of 2011 is off to a rough start. Angel Chol, the 4 star center (Scout.com's number 32 prospect) from San Diego eliminated UCLA from his list less than a week ago (Bruins didn't even make his top-5). Gary Bell, the 4 star SG from Kent, Washington just announced for Gonzaga (over UCLA and few other schools). Bell was supposed to be a major target for the Bruins. This is not good.
While the recruiting momentum seems to be fizzling (no one has any idea what is "in the works" for Bruins) Howland indicated that he is not shaking up the staff any more. We sure hope Mathews can provide an immediate boost to Howland's program, which now has been misfiring for months both on and off the court.
Elsewhere news came out about Bobo heading to Baylor Bears. It also looks like Mike Moser is following Chace Stanback to UNLV:
"(Chace) kind of had the same thing (at UCLA) before I did - we weren't playing, it was real tough not getting an opportunity. A lot of things were predetermined when we got there and it just didn't work out," Moser said. "It wasn't all a bad experience. I met a lot of good people. It's a good school, but in the end it just didn't work out."
"Predetermined" sure is an interesting word choice and I will save any extended comment on a certain "shooting" forward from this past season. Moser's comment about the upcoming year (which he will have to sit out due to transfer rule) is even more curious:
"It's always tough not to be able to play, but I'll have a chance to put on some more weight, get bigger and stronger, tighten up my skills and just become a better player," Moser said of the year that lies ahead.
Wonder why it would have been difficult for Howland or someone from his staff to tell the kid he could have done the exact same thing in Westwood, and be ready to contribute as an upperclassman either in his junior or senior season. Something is not right with this picture and it doesn't make anyone look all that great.
So to sum it up UCLA has a new assistant who seems to have a very encouraging recruiting background. That is the only piece of good news we have received in weeks and it doesn't seem to be all that much given there is no other staff shakeup in store and no momentum on the recruiting trail. Howland and his staff have a long way to go fix the current mess around our basketball program. Despite some "activity" this off-season, right now Howland's program seems to be stuck in neutral. Not encouraging at all.
Guess the good news (for season ticket holders/Den members-students) is (if the current situation remains intact with no discernible changes in Howland's program) there will be shorter lines at concession stands and restrooms next season at Pauley.
GO BRUINS.
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It looks like our best hope is that the nucleus is there for a watchable team.
All the pieces have to work for next year to restart the program. Zeke Jones will have to be at least a serviceable point guard. TH, ML, and RN will have to improve. JA will have to either advance much faster than can be predicted, or provide a contribution from the bench after being passed over. Either BL or JS2 will have to become a starter. TL will have to come in and play like a veteran, a la TH. Stover will need to provide some depth. The whole team will have to play hard without egos. CBH will have to motivate his players, without creating a backlash. Sometimes it seems all the pieces will come together. Other times it seems like a longshot. If the team is successful, and morale is high, it will spill over into recruiting. That’s the best way to climb out of the doldrums.
Yeah, it is all going to work out perfectly
There will be on injuries because injuries never happen in a Howland managed program. We are just going to be fine with just 9 (1 of them banged up – Lane and 1 of them mentally impaired in terms of basketball IQ – Anderson) guys on scholarships with perhaps just two guys – Honeycutt and Lee – who have shown ability to play defense.
We need another guard\athlete now
There is a nucleus for a team next year but without a PG we are screwed. Maybe Jones is the answer but it is scary to rest our season on him. if we don’t get another PG, we do need an athlete who can play good M2M defense.
Nestor is also right on injuries. CBH teams get hit hard on that front. Last year we started five people at Center.
IMO, at a minimum, we still need another PG or athletic guard who can play M2M well to be in a spot where we are not worried about an instant replay of this last season.
I would add
that not having at least 10 healthy scholarship players at any moment severely hampers the ability to have competitive practices and getting game ready.
Are there any other JUCO guys on the radar for next year? I’d be loath to give out too many 4 year scholarships to below-par players who aren’t ready to contribute next year, but if we’re looking to add a body or two to the mix I’d just as soon give a scholarship to someone who will be gone in 2 years but is physically ready to be a competitor.
by britishbruin on Apr 27, 2010 7:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Agree on practice
Agree on needing AT LEAST ten good, healthy practice players. You’re also right that at this late point in the recruiting period, there aren’t many high level players left that would we should spend a 4 year ride on. If we can’t get JC players that can contribute next year, perhaps there are high level transfers we can look at. They’ll have to sit on the bench next year, but will be able to compete in practice.
If those options fail, let’s hope Alex Schremph is good enough in practice to help our team improve. Maybe we can lure additional quality walk-ons with the promise that they can get a scholarship for at least next year.
by truebluebruin on Apr 27, 2010 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
The Other scholarships are important
Losing Moser hurt if for nothing else practice purposes. JC may be the route to go for one of the spots. Remi Barry is intriguing as well.
MM and Stanback were different but Burton is Troubling
CBH has shown an ability to make great athletes into great basketball players (DC and RW). Burton seemed to be possibly in that mold (a good/very good athlete but not necessarily ready at the PAC 10 level basketball player) and it is disappointing we did not get him, especially if we do not get another guard.
Stanback was on a loaded team were he did not deserve minutes. We were after a championship and Stanback was quite frankly not good enough to be in the top 8 players. His becoming a starter at UNLV shows he would have a key player last season for UCLA and that is disappointing. However, I would not want CBH to find minutes and hurt that championship run season just in case we were in dire straights two years later.
MM was on a terrible team that was not going anywhere. After we lost the second $UC game, the season’s goal of a winning record was toast. At that point, if there was a chance MM was going to be a player his junior/senior year then he should have seen minutes. Either way he is a mistake. If MM becomes the next Stanback CBH blew it by not giving him some minutes when this year was over. Or if MM is not a player for UNLV by even his senior year, CBH made a mistake in recruiting him. The latter mistake is more forgivable but still troubling.
Im glad someone is seeing what is truly happening
The other interesting thing from the news conference is Howland saying that Daniels wasn’t asked to leave but decided on his own to go to Gonzaga. I don’t think I believe that, but if it is true, that makes Howlands staff changes only by necessity.
This program is in a world of trouble. Recruiting is not going to get easier next year unless we suddenly get elite again in terms of wins (not going to happen). Next year Ben has to sell kids on the idea of playing in rotating arenas without a home while Pauley gets a band aid fix.
Tough times for the program. I don’t see them getting any better. I’ve been pretty consistent in my prediction that Ben will get the team back to being Pac 10 contenders on a regular basis, but I doubt he will ever get us back to consistently being in the top 10 and consistent pac 10 champs. That opportunity has been lost.
by silverlakebruin on Apr 27, 2010 6:48 AM PDT reply actions
Interesting times for sure
I still think there is a way out of this if we having a decent season next year. Lots of IFs here as we discussed. But if guys actually work to develop physically and mentally this season (including Smith, Anderson and Lee) and we can pick up at least 2 more serviceable players in next couple of weeks, we could potentially put together a decent season in the range of 20-24 wins. If that happens and we pick up recruiting momentum (and convince at least Honeycutt to stay) we can make a wire-to-wire top-10 season kind of run in 2011-12.
If the above scenario doesn’t transpire and we are left with a mediocre season in which we barely scrape into the tourney and follow it up with a subpar season will not be acceptable outcomes.
Hard to reconcile this post with your response to mine.
“Yeah, it is all going to work out perfectly. There will be on injuries because injuries never happen in a Howland managed program. We are just going to be fine with just 9 (1 of them banged up – Lane and 1 of them mentally impaired in terms of basketball IQ – Anderson) guys on scholarships with perhaps just two guys – Honeycutt and Lee – who have shown ability to play defense.”
We essentially agree, including our doubts that everything will fall right. Do you really think two more decent players makes that big of a difference.
by 75NatChamps on Apr 27, 2010 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Two players can make a big difference
As British Bruin says, 10 or 11 scholarships is important just for practice. No offense to the Spencer Soos of the world but playing against them does not prepare one for a Cal game.
As Nestor says, we have been bit hard by injuries every year of CBH reign. The odds are our 9th and 10th men will see some meaningful minutes in the PAC 10. BL last year was an example. At the start of the year, he was not in any likely rotation. At the end, barring his ankle troubles, he would have started and did for a few games.
2 decent players would be desirable
2 great players would be optimal, but don’t appear on the horizon. TH, RN, ML, JA, ZJ, BL, JS2, TL, AStover and AShremp will make up our main roster for practices. (I have no idea about Arnett, Soo or DeMarcus for practice purposes.) It would be very nice to have 2 more, and it is really important for player development to have to compete for playing time, and to account for inevitable injuries, but we may be forced to play the hand we have.
Depressing
start to my morning. :( I hope the staff can figure out a way to get he magic back in our program.
"The entire world that bleeds blue and gold ... they have been dying for this." - Coach Rick Neuheisel
If you think we are worried about the future...
Here is a link to some info about a truly great kid who played with my son in obscurity last year. I believe he could be the next “diamond in the rough”. He has amazing upside, loves to play defense and is very intelligent. However, he is very concerned about so many of the players leaving Westwood recently. UCLA has not shown the kind of interest that the Northwest schools have shown…it is still early, but this kid is already thinking about it:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZS-nUo5WL0rZGZ3cWpqcHpfMjhjMzgzY2t3cw&hl=en&pli=1
Don’t worry, I don’t talk to him about UCLA, but my brainwashed son is constantly on him about the Bruins…
Phil Mathews for Donny Daniels ...
seems like an upgrade.
But it also seems like we swapped our best assistant for a better assistant, while retaining the services of the two weakest links in the chain.
This might seem nuts, but I would almost rather have a staff of Daniels, Simon and Land than Mathews, Garson and Duncan.
Don’t misunderstand — I like the Mathews hire. I just don’t think it’s enough.
Murky future
The team will be improved next year which is to be expected. The question is how much? We need at least another body so CBH can run a practice with scholarship players on both squads. Our options for 2010 left were:
John Loyd: Announcing between Northwestern and GW
Emerson Murray: Cal bound; poached this from another site and tried to confirm it somewhere but couldn’t so don’t know if it’s accurate: http://twitter.com/crownmagazine
Carlino: I don’t think we can expect much (guy is only 165 on a 6’2 frame and he is trying to graduate early so he loses a year of development) from him if he comes but we need a body/depth.
I’m hoping Barry can come but as you pointed out, there are issues. The Bell and Chol news is not encouraging since they were 2 of our prime targets for the 2011 class. We’ll see if the transfer rumors come to fruition and if they are impact players. Going to be an interesting couple of years……
Yeah saw the note on Murray and the Twitter post
But haven’t seen any other confirmation. Carlino story is odd. The kid transferred to a high school into Indiana so that he can go to Indiana and now he has opened his recruitment.
Perhaps Chol was never coming to UCLA but losing Bell this early in the process is very troubling. Perhaps we got on him to late … which goes back to building relationships with recruits early on.
So that loops back to the concern about Mathews being the only change agent in this staff. It is definitely very murky around UCLA hoops and last few weeks haven’t been uplifting.
The news of Lee/Honeycutt not testing the NBA waters was encouraging in that we didn’t take any steps back. However, we haven’t taken any tangible steps forward.
It's been really quiet out there re: recruiting...
…I don’t know why. There re still many talented players uncommitted, and it’s not clear where we are putting our attentions. I don’t see many players discussing UCLA when asked where they are being recruited, as we have in years past (coupled with some of the athletes mentioned who have crossed UCLA off their list). To me, that seems rather ominous. If we aren’t being chatted up by the talent out there as somewhere they may go, and may want to go, then the program is in worse shape than I thought…
Sigh...
I don’t have any good feelings about our hoops program. None at all. I don’t even look forward to next season. Ben Ball is pretty lame with the wrong players…if it can even be called Ben Ball.
I see nothing exciting happening for the next 2-3 years. We just might be a football school for a while.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Well, to soon to become depressed yet
Last season’s over, gone, albeit etched forever in the painful memory of the Pauley fans. Let’s withhold judgement for this fall. I know telltales are everywhere, but he is who he is. We’ll cope with it when we come to it.
Does it make sense
to assume the team won’t do very well due to lack of personnel to play effective Ben Ball, the recent transfer issues, state of Howland’s coaching staff, etc. but then also say that we have problems because we’ll most likely lose players such as ML or TH early to the draft?
I guess my question is, if the team’s performance doesn’t markedly improve aren’t our (absolutely justified based on recent departures) fears of losing key players early somewhat overstated? Just kind of seems like worrying about losing TH or ML to the NBA next year would imply that we should have a decent season. Which is in contrast with the current view of many that the cup WAS half empty but then the transfers freaking spilled it on their way out, so now the hope cup (cousin of the passion bucket) is empty.
I feel like the pessismists are having it both ways. I just don’t believe we can both suck and get our key underclassmen drafted. I don’t see how it’s so tough to look forward to watching ML, TH, and RN again. I’m optimistic about the potential of that nucleus.
I can't find the link
But I remember reading on ESPN.com that a scout said ML would be a late first round pick if he declared for the draft based on potential. I wouldn’t be surprised if next year NBA scouts are talking about TH and his potential.
http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/UCLA/post/_/id/1054/malcolm-lee-says-hes-returning-next-year
Not quite the link I was looking for but at least it mentions Chad Ford having Lee as a late first rounder
I'm not sure
I think the pessimists may be right – it’s totally possible that TH blows up next year, we still have a mediocre season, he feels like there is no point coming back and jumps to the NBA.
It’s also possible that he has a promising but not standout year, the new guys come in and play well, we have a good season, and TH and ML come back with a team ready to make a FInal Four run AND to boost their own stock.
I would guess that the first option is currently more likely than the second.
by britishbruin on Apr 27, 2010 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Id be shocked if Honeycutt stays past next year if he is healthy
and that has nothing to do with Ben or the program, but simply on his abilities. I think he can get drafted next year in the late first rounds barring any speed bumps in his development.
by silverlakebruin on Apr 27, 2010 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions
I love TH but
there are some questions he needs to answer for the pro game.
1. Is he tough enough? He is a good rebounder but he is slight of frame and has already missed part of one year due to injury.
2. If he is a projected as a 3 (his likely pro position) can he shoot the three and think more offensively. He has yet to show that.
I think he can but we are getting ahead of ourselves.
TH looks like a good pro prospect right now.
I think he’s definitely on the NBA radar, and will be surprised if he lasts to his junior season. The guy has mad hops, has a good midrange jumpshot, sees the court well and plays hard. Based on the success of the Bruins in the pros, he has to be a desired player. In comparison, ML has a great basketball body, but a much lower basketball IQ.
by 75NatChamps on Apr 27, 2010 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Interesting Point on ML
“ML has a great basketball body, but a much lower basketball IQ”.
That is an interesting point. I am not sure it is a B-ball IQ issue, desire, or both. I also question TH basketball IQ a bit because I think he needs to shoot more and both TH/ML made dumb frustration fouls at points. (TH’s were more costly because they cost him minutes.)
But ML certianly shows signs of NBA physical level talent. TH shows signs of an NBA game and major hops but needs to work on his slight body.
Spot on about ML...
Can’t tell sometimes if it’s desire, or lack of court awareness and lower b-ball IQ- -he just seems lost out there at times, like his head isn’t in it. His shot selection isn’t great, and he doesn’t seem to be in the right place at the right time. It’s too bad we can’t just hit a “reset” button on ML and JA, and start over with them, where they arrive with great expectations. They both need a re-start of some kind.
TH is definitely pro material, though nowhere near the previous players in Westwood in recent times to make the jump early. He would do himself a huge favor by staying and feasting on college courts for two more years. Like Noah, he needs the time to develop so many aspects of his game, and it’s much easier to do that against inferior talent (college is that in comparison to facing Kevin Garnett, et al to “learn the ropes”). He needs to get more physical and put on the muscle. It would be great to have him stay around and develop at UCLA.
In ML's defense
He played much better early on as at two guard, and really worked hard to carry the team as the one. It may be unfair to judge him based on his performance in an unfamiliar position, leading a very young team. He was learning on the fly. I’ll give him a Mulligan and hope he blossoms back at the two (hoping that Zeke can handle the point.)
Emerson Burton
is also off the board as he apparently committed to Cal last weekend. He is a very athletic 6’3" guard from Vancouver with good academics that many Bruin fans were very intrigued by. He didn’t seem to have an offer from us.
The future
Mathews is a good hire but I agree is not enough as we need a whole new staff. Good young coaches are out there but I guess CBH looks for them like he does prospects. I have never seen him at any summer games(club ball) in over 5 seasons. Mathews was always around when he was at USF and I even saw him last year in Vegas at a tourney. This is what it takes-go where the players are playing. There are still some good players unsigned who we should be seeking out. Thye main questions should be #1 can the kid play ball #2 can/will we utilize his skills and #3 can we get him in. I do not care what he looks like on paper-height/weight but how he plays. While I am very worried about next year it is not too late.
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