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MBBALL Faith Restored!

C

citygriz

Well-known member
Sadly, a longtime passion for Griz basketball was ebbing in the worst way a relationship can—not with a fiery and satisfying “F you!”, but rather a slow slide into disinterest, of just not giving a damn.

Was it other interests, such as the rise of Griz football? Maybe of having a front row seat to the incomparable Steph Curry and the Warriors dynasty?

Or was it Griz basketball itself, those treks to Palo Alto or San Jose or Portland to watch a team suffer predicable scoring droughts in route to blowout losses.

In any event, Saturday was a gray rainy day in San Francisco, by calendar the darkest day of the year. Did I want to drive clear across town to watch the Griz as 16-point dogs suffer another humiliating defeat? Or rather sit in the warmth of my own dumpster to watch the Warriors-Timberwolves game on TV later that afternoon.

But tradition prevailed, and I’m glad it did. This team--and the entire Griz program--was a revelation!

Sure, there were a few scoring droughts, one of more than three minutes in the first half during which we went from up two to down nine—a deficit we were never able to overcome. They hit their treys, we missed. A Dons fan sitting next to me admitted that his team during that stretch was shooting out of their minds.

But the positives were everywhere.

DeCuire has always coached good defense. And against one of the better defensive teams in the country, you would have been hard-pressed to distinguish between the defensive prowess of these two teams.

OMG, the recruiting. This staff has regained its recruiting magic, punching way above their weight. Money was an incredible get, with yet another 4-star recruit, Tyler Thompson, in the wings.

And the portal? This year it giveth far more than it taketh away. Joe Pridgen is a baller and Malik Moore a stud. These are athletes of the caliber of DeCuire’s earliest recruits, Michael Oguine and Ahmaad Rorie.

But the icing on the cake for me is the character of DeCuire and his staff, as reflected in their players. I’ve had brief chats over the years with a few of our players, and they always impress with their intelligence and their demeanor.

If I have any suggestions for this team, it would be to relate a story popular among Warrior fans.

A few years back, when the Warriors had the number two choice in the draft, they brought in Anthony Edwards for a tryout. Afterwards, Kerr reportedly told Edwards in no uncertain terms that he had to step up his game. Move faster. Work harder. Talent isn’t enough in the NBA, he told Edwards.

And Edwards took it to heart. He still recalls that conversation with great affection.

So too with our own Money Williams. This is a young man with phenomenal talent, one of the few Montana players who can get his own shot, maybe among the best ever at Montana.

But while I know he’s playing with a heavy heart, he has to play harder. It was only late in the game, with his powerful almost unstoppable drives to the basket, that we threatened to win this game. Off those drives he either scored, was fouled, or dished.

We needed to see more of that earlier.

Finally a shout out to Brandon Whitney’s family who flew up for the game. Beautiful, classy people.
 
citygriz said:
Sadly, a longtime passion for Griz basketball was ebbing in the worst way a relationship can—not with a fiery and satisfying “F you!”, but rather a slow slide into disinterest, of just not giving a damn.

Was it other interests, such as the rise of Griz football? Maybe of having a front row seat to the incomparable Steph Curry and the Warriors dynasty?

Or was it Griz basketball itself, those treks to Palo Alto or San Jose or Portland to watch a team suffer predicable scoring droughts in route to blowout losses.

In any event, Saturday was a gray rainy day in San Francisco, by calendar the darkest day of the year. Did I want to drive clear across town to watch the Griz as 16-point dogs suffer another humiliating defeat? Or rather sit in the warmth of my own dumpster to watch the Warriors-Timberwolves game on TV later that afternoon.

But tradition prevailed, and I’m glad it did. This team--and the entire Griz program--was a revelation!

Sure, there were a few scoring droughts, one of more than three minutes in the first half during which we went from up two to down nine—a deficit we were never able to overcome. They hit their treys, we missed. A Dons fan sitting next to me admitted that his team during that stretch was shooting out of their minds.

But the positives were everywhere.

DeCuire has always coached good defense. And against one of the better defensive teams in the country, you would have been hard-pressed to distinguish between the defensive prowess of these two teams.

OMG, the recruiting. This staff has regained its recruiting magic, punching way above their weight. Money was an incredible get, with yet another 4-star recruit, Tyler Thompson, in the wings.

And the portal? This year it giveth far more than it taketh away. Joe Pridgen is a baller and Malik Moore a stud. These are athletes of the caliber of DeCuire’s earliest recruits, Michael Oguine and Ahmaad Rorie.

But the icing on the cake for me is the character of DeCuire and his staff, as reflected in their players. I’ve had brief chats over the years with a few of our players, and they always impress with their intelligence and their demeanor.

If I have any suggestions for this team, it would be to relate a story popular among Warrior fans.

A few years back, when the Warriors had the number two choice in the draft, they brought in Anthony Edwards for a tryout. Afterwards, Kerr reportedly told Edwards in no uncertain terms that he had to step up his game. Move faster. Work harder. Talent isn’t enough in the NBA, he told Edwards.

And Edwards took it to heart. He still recalls that conversation with great affection.

So too with our own Money Williams. This is a young man with phenomenal talent, one of the few Montana players who can get his own shot, maybe among the best ever at Montana.

But while I know he’s playing with a heavy heart, he has to play harder. It was only late in the game, with his powerful almost unstoppable drives to the basket, that we threatened to win this game. Off those drives he either scored, was fouled, or dished.

We needed to see more of that earlier.

Finally a shout out to Brandon Whitney’s family who flew up for the game. Beautiful, classy people.
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I only wish that somehow the word would get out to the local Missoulian’s that they will be missing some great basketball if they don’t take in a grizzlies game. I spend my winters out of state but watch all their games on tv. I know Travis and the staff pretty well and you couldn’t find a classier group of guys anywhere. I really think this team could make some waves in the NCAA tournament.
And speaking of Brandon Whitney, I love the young man but he frustrates me at times when he isn’t aggressive on the offensive end. But he gives it his all and coming back for a final year says a lot about his character.
 
Absolutely spot on analysis City. We have possibly one of the most athletic teams we have ever had from top to bottom. Great young men and unbelievably athletic. Agree also that Money has been sleep walking a lot lately, and though understandable, he definitely needs to play harder start to finish. I feel great about this team and am excited for this year.
 
Agree with City's post and the add-ons from all commenting. I DO make it to all the home games and this team is electric. I personally believe this team has a very high ceiling & will get better with every game. Keep in mind they lost a key link in Amari Jedkins, so when (or if... I don't know the extent of his injury) he returns they'll get a a multi-dimensional forward, fierce defender and outstanding rebounder back into the lineup. Otherwise, I personally cannot imagine questioning the occasional "lack of focus" of an 18-year old who lost both parents within a year and who is now the stand-in "father" for his younger siblings. He's tough & I think is realizing how to add depth and versatility to his game... particularly against teams like UNI who double & triple-teamed him. An area that I think might explode is the team's perimeter shooting. The shots have been off, but not by much & I think this is an area where we might see a dramatic uptick in offensive production.

The primary negative to the lack of attendance lies clearly with the promotion and pricing of men's and women's tickets. I've heard dozens of comments from local friends who say they can no longer take their families to hoops games without spending around $100. RE-OPEN the north top level bleachers to general admission pricing (I humbly suggest $5 per ticket or $20 for a family, regardless of family size). I sit in gold-level seating, but keep hearing from those in my section that this will be their last season if pricing does not return to some semblance of affordability. Ok. Rant over. Check this team and the GrizWBB out. There's a lotta good hoops on the near horizon. Go Griz Go GrizWBB.
 
Right on city. I think this team is probably one of the best I’ve seen in years. One thing I wish this team would do would be to push the ball up the court, more than they presently do. I don’t think they have a problem getting tired because of the depth of the team and frequent substitutions. WhenTravis first came to Montana, he mentioned that he would like to play fast basketball and wear other teams out. In my opinion, this is the team that can push the ball. That type of game, Money would be basically unstoppable.
 
grizzlyjournal said:
Agree with City's post and the add-ons from all commenting. I DO make it to all the home games and this team is electric. I personally believe this team has a very high ceiling & will get better with every game. Keep in mind they lost a key link in Amari Jedkins, so when (or if... I don't know the extent of his injury) he returns they'll get a a multi-dimensional forward, fierce defender and outstanding rebounder back into the lineup. Otherwise, I personally cannot imagine questioning the occasional "lack of focus" of an 18-year old who lost both parents within a year and who is now the stand-in "father" for his younger siblings. He's tough & I think is realizing how to add depth and versatility to his game... particularly against teams like UNI who double & triple-teamed him. An area that I think might explode is the team's perimeter shooting. The shots have been off, but not by much & I think this is an area where we might see a dramatic uptick in offensive production.

The primary negative to the lack of attendance lies clearly with the promotion and pricing of men's and women's tickets. I've heard dozens of comments from local friends who say they can no longer take their families to hoops games without spending around $100. RE-OPEN the north top level bleachers to general admission pricing (I humbly suggest $5 per ticket or $20 for a family, regardless of family size). I sit in gold-level seating, but keep hearing from those in my section that this will be their last season if pricing does not return to some semblance of affordability. Ok. Rant over. Check this team and the GrizWBB out. There's a lotta good hoops on the near horizon. Go Griz Go GrizWBB.
Click to expand...
I totally agree on the home attendance. I think it's more in the promotion of it. Honestly, it's still pretty cheap entertainment for me to bring my family for the evening. I hope travis continues with the free beer promo for students. We all know the lack of student attendance goes back to the tragic decision to move the zoo crew behindthe hoops. Need to double down on efforts to bring the students back and get them engaged. . That's where the energy starts for the crowd.
This team is electric, and best of all, everyone from top to bottom looks like they're having FUN hooping again. #GOGRIZ
 
grizzlyjournal said:
Agree with City's post and the add-ons from all commenting. I DO make it to all the home games and this team is electric. I personally believe this team has a very high ceiling & will get better with every game. Keep in mind they lost a key link in Amari Jedkins, so when (or if... I don't know the extent of his injury) he returns they'll get a a multi-dimensional forward, fierce defender and outstanding rebounder back into the lineup. Otherwise, I personally cannot imagine questioning the occasional "lack of focus" of an 18-year old who lost both parents within a year and who is now the stand-in "father" for his younger siblings. He's tough & I think is realizing how to add depth and versatility to his game... particularly against teams like UNI who double & triple-teamed him. An area that I think might explode is the team's perimeter shooting. The shots have been off, but not by much & I think this is an area where we might see a dramatic uptick in offensive production.

The primary negative to the lack of attendance lies clearly with the promotion and pricing of men's and women's tickets. I've heard dozens of comments from local friends who say they can no longer take their families to hoops games without spending around $100. RE-OPEN the north top level bleachers to general admission pricing (I humbly suggest $5 per ticket or $20 for a family, regardless of family size). I sit in gold-level seating, but keep hearing from those in my section that this will be their last season if pricing does not return to some semblance of affordability. Ok. Rant over. Check this team and the GrizWBB out. There's a lotta good hoops on the near horizon. Go Griz Go GrizWBB.
Click to expand...
I've been saying this for years. LOWER the prices for general admission and get people back first. THEN you can slowly raise prices. I have sat courtside for many years but we need young families and their kids to restart the tradition of great Griz basketball home games. I don't understand why someone thinks it is better to leave 2/3 of the seats empty and unused rather than price it according to demand. Economic laws apply universally to every commodity, including entertainment. I think we should tie admin salaries to turnout, and not just football. ;)
 
LivingstonNative said:
Right on city. I think this team is probably one of the best I’ve seen in years. One thing I wish this team would do would be to push the ball up the court, more than they presently do. I don’t think they have a problem getting tired because of the depth of the team and frequent substitutions. WhenTravis first came to Montana, he mentioned that he would like to play fast basketball and wear other teams out. In my opinion, this is the team that can push the ball. That type of game, Money would be basically unstoppable.
Click to expand...
While I do not believe this is the best Montana team I have seen in years, I do believe it is the best I have seen in comparison to the rest of the Big Sky in years. I believe this is the best predictor of successful Big Sky season.
 
I do believe this team has a much higher ceiling than previous years, at least the last two or three years. Maybe that's in comparison to the rest of the league, but I also feel like we are more athletic and aggressive across the board. Hopefully they can hit on all cylinders by tournament time.
 
ok, ci-tay, you've convinced me. i'm in missoula right now, will try to catch a game to see how they look in person for the first time since... geez, '99?
 
I needed to read this. I was really down on this team, but I see what you are saying and hope you are right.
 
The Griz need a break out game on an away game. This could be the weekend that sets the tone for the season. They really need to go 2-0. Both EWU and Idaho are picked in the bottom half of the conference. I think the following weekend they play NCU and NAU at home and a 2-0 start would bode well for their confidence. EWU could be a challenge especially if they get hot from 3 pt.
 
During the modern era of Griz basketball I have witnessed wins non-conference wins at UCLA, Oregon, Pepperdine, Pacific, St. Mary's, Santa Clara and San Jose State. I don't believe any of these wins came during the DeCuire era. I did see a game under DeCuire in Portland where we took down Portland State--though last year's game there was a rout.
 
citygriz said:
During the modern era of Griz basketball I have witnessed wins non-conference wins at UCLA, Oregon, Pepperdine, Pacific, St. Mary's, Santa Clara and San Jose State. I don't believe any of these wins came during the DeCuire era. I did see a game under DeCuire in Portland where we took down Portland State--though last year's game there was a rout.
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Travis beat UW and beat San Jose St twice last year. I’m sure there are other significant wins but I would have to research that.
 
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