Allen Crabbe:
MPG PPG FG% 3FG% FT% APG RPG BPG SPG
32.5 11.96 42.5 38.1 80.6 1.9 5.46 0.42 0.83
Full stats here:
Offense: He already looks like he might be one of the purest shooters ever to wear the Cal uniform. Physically, he reminds me a little bit of Monty Buckley with his lanky frame and long arms. Heralded names such as Ryan Drew, Joe Shipp, or Ryan Forehan-Kelly come to mind in terms of overall accuracy, but he's shooting as well as those guys did as seniors during his first year. As far as clutch scoring - he might be in a league of his own. Looking at notable true frosh from previous years, he's working his way into the same tier as Ryan Anderson and might even knock on Shareef's door. If he doesn't win Pac-10 FOY, there's something really wrong. Right now, the only question is on which All Pac-10 team he'll be placed. Looking only at conference play, you could make a serious argument for the 1st team. Early in the year, he was just a spot-up shooter. It's somewhat amazing how quickly he's adapted to how defenses want to play him with the ability to pump-fake and pull-up off the dribble or to take it on the move and shoot a soft runner. Some guys play their whole career without ever developing a mid-range game. To show such polish and skill as a 1st-year player is truly remarkable. If you had to quibble, he rarely takes it all the way to the rim. But as he gains strength and learns to read defenses, you can see that he has all the tools to be a complete and multi-dimensional threat on offense.
Defense: He took his lumps early, no question. Guys were able to take advantage of his slight frame to run him off screens, and were able to catch him out of position on rotations. His inexperience was evident in the triple-overtime game against 'Zona where he was a split second late to close out on a 3-point shooter while nursing a 3-pt lead. Or, in the ucla game where he wasn't able to foul Malcom Lee. But he's steadily improved with his court awareness and positioning. It's no small matter to average almost 5.5 rebounds per game from the wing. He's got a good nose for the ball and uses his length with good timing on both ends.
Overall: I respect the fact that he's unselfish and wants to play within the flow of the offense. But, I absolutely love the fact that he's starting to demand the ball in crunch-time. Besides the sweet stroke, there's something special about a guy who seems to play his best when the game's on the line. He's already one of the best players on the team and I get the sense that he's just scratching the surface of his potential. I've always wondered what Monty would have done with talent like Ryan Anderson, Leon Powe, or Ayinde Ubake. Buckle up, Cal fans. I think we're going to remember this young man.
PPG
FG%
3PG%
Rebounds Per Game
Nigel Carter
MPG PPG FG% 3FG% FT% APG RPG BPG SPG
8.591 1.591 30.6 42.1 33.3 0.18 1.0 0.04 0.09
Full stats here:
Offense: There are reports that Lord Nigel strokes it pretty well in practice. Early in the year, he had a break-out game where he nailed several shots from deep. But non-conference play and the gauntlet of the Pac-10 are two different animals entirely. Whether from nerves, stiffer competition, or simply from lack of opportunity, his production has fallen off considerably. To his credit, even in limited minutes he stays within himself and rarely forces anything that could be considered a poor shot.
Defense: He always struck me as more of an effort and hustle guy on defense. With more experience under Monty than the freshmen, he certainly ought to have a better foundation of fundamentals and assignments. It seemed early on like he held his own well enough. But with the onset of conference play and Pac-10 caliber athletes, he's been overmatched more often than not in his limited minutes.
Overall: Great team guy with the type of attitude you like to see. You can count on him to be ready to play hard and play smart. Although he's not a microwave or a stopper, you know what you're going to get.
Jeff Powers
MPG PPG FG% 3FG% FT% APG RPG BPG SPG
11.714 6.143 41.9 42.1 56.2 0.43 1.43 0.0 0.0
Full stats here:
Offense: It's clear that he knows how to shoot the ball. Even more importantly, he carries himself with the clear belief that he's a shooter. It's been a limited sample size so far, but he's also shown an ability to move without the ball and take it to the rim off the curl. Not so adept shooting it on the bounce as a runner or pull-up, yet. But for a freshman, he shows a lot of poise. I'll forgive the forced shots or heat checks because I like seeing confidence in a young player. At his height and with his shooting touch, he offers an intriguing option off the bench. In fact, under certain circumstances, I could see him at the 3 with Crabbe sliding to the 2 in order to spread the floor. He's exactly the type of guy Monty has been known to develop into a productive player. He hasn't shot as well since Crabbe's return, probably because he's pressing - it looks like he feels like he has to make something happen in his limited minutes instead of letting the game come to him.
Defense: Again, it's been a limited sample size. But like many young players, this area is definitely a work in progress. He actually held his own against WSU. Both Klay Thompson and Faisel Aden shot low percentages, and Thompson was well below his season average. However, the 'sc game was a decided rough patch. Now that Crabbe is back, Monty has shown no hesitation in giving him the quick hook after mental errors. How well and how quickly he learns his defensive assignments will likely play a large part in dictating his future minutes.
Overall: It's not often that you get excited over a walk-on transfer, but this could be found gold. How often do you come across 6'8 players who can shoot it from deep like a guard? I suppose the jury is still out on whether he can bring consistent offense and sufficient defense. But, I like what I see so far. I was impressed that he didn't hang his head after his early struggles against 'sc and bounced back with a solid 2nd half.
Group Summary: It's not too surprising that Allen Crabbe was leading the league in minutes played. Although it would be nice to get him some rest, how can you justify keeping him off the floor? As a decidedly mixed blessing, Crabbe's injury did allow us to see that Powers can bring something to the table. Between Rossi's injury and Franklin's unexpected transfer, this position has been precariously thin all year. But, if these unique circumstances helped contribute to Crabbe's quantum leap, I'd do that trade again in a heartbeat. As an aggregate, this position is average at best, and could even be considered a weakness. With the Crabbe Factor, this is arguably the most productive position on the team. Throw all the stats and numbers out the window; I know who I'd want to have the ball with the game on the line.
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