Coincidence, timing or a little of both?

[justford]

That this team started playing better after Quade transferred?

[Joneslab]

We'll never know probably.

But the one thing that is definite, and it's the most important thing about this team IMO, is that right around the time Quade left Ashton Hagans took the reins as the starting point guard.

His play more than anything has been the catalyst. Anytime your point guard is a freak, and Hagans is a freak, you'll have a chance to win most every college basketball game. Hagans would have probably figured it out if Quade would've stayed, but Cal was trying to figure out how to give Quade minutes, even giving him some at the point. That would've just delayed Hagans' development.

[Lighthouse]

The only thing that matters is how much this team has improved, and it seems like an overnight thing,

[justford]

Just seems like the whole team improved and the guys on the bench are more energetic and into the game more.

[Blue Heaven]

Will took the words out of my mouth. I was fixin' to post his exact response almost verbatim.

I think it's easy to put it on Quade given the changes since his departure. Quade never showed signs of being a team cancer. He always seemed like a good teammate and you never heard any rumblings about him behind closed doors.

[40bill]

I think coincidence, opportunity, effort all play into it. It also seems multiple players are rising up...Washington the past few games, Reid some games, Hagans others. Herro at least once or twice.
a team that truly has multiple ways to beat their opponent is a great thing to see and watch.

[J.Jennings]

Not to throw anyone under the bus but this team is better off without Quade and i think it was a locker room distraction. In the Cal era, guys want minutes from the get go and feel entitled next in line but Quade wasn't that guy and was a backup plan in the recruiting department....

[J.Jennings]

Also will note that the emergence of A. Hagans has made it easier for everyone else in my opinion.... That Duke loss still stings as well as a couple of other close games we could have easily won but i feel really really good about our team again, it's the team we expected from the start. We may take a few more losses, may even lose today but we all know what this team is capable of when it's in tune playing hard and together, can beat anyone in the country, that's all i ask year to year!!!!!!!!!!!

[J.Jennings]

Is it too late for me to get on the PJ Washington bandwagon and apologize? Last year he irked me, seemed like all he wanted to do was mean mug and hulk up. He worked really hard over the summer and is becoming a force..

On a side note, RICHARDS is quietly coming off the bench and doing his thing as well, now that all the expectations have died down and we have accepted him for what he is. He reminds me of WCS, if he comes back next year he will be a force in college...

[Jeff ROCKober]

Is it too late for me to get on the PJ Washington bandwagon and apologize? Last year he irked me, seemed like all he wanted to do was mean mug and hulk up. He worked really hard over the summer and is becoming a force..

On a side note, RICHARDS is quietly coming off the bench and doing his thing as well, now that all the expectations have died down and we have accepted him for what he is. He reminds me of WCS, if he comes back next year he will be a force in college...

I think PJ has frustrated us all. especially last year during Kansas State game at stipe. He has reminded me of Randolph Morris or All Poythree at times with his Hide and Seek acts on the court. I do think he is simply maturing, He has stated that when his dad coached him he would get on him and that motivated him to play better, That motivation needs to come within and I often need to tell myself that these are young kids and some kids mature at different times.

Lets hope Richards is drinking some Magloire juice. mag loire was awful his freshman year ( so was Nazr) and both had very good NBA careers.

[Joneslab]

PJ is a very frustrating player. Defiitely Poythress like, but PJ has way more skill. Which kind of makes him more frustrating in some ways.

That said, I think PJ has been a more dominant player than Poythress ever was. Poythress really only gave us a handful of games in his entire career that he controlled. PJ has given us eight or ten already in his two-year career. Needs more of them if we'll have a shot to win it all.

One thing I've never understood that folks get miffed about PJ at is the flexing thing. To me the flexing thing has always been a positive. It shows that he's into the game. The games where he doesn't flex and mean mug and all that are the games he drifts out of.

[Lighthouse]

I disagree with Will on the PJ Flex thing. I think it was all about himself and now that it's died down, he's thinking more about the team and using his talent to help this team win.

As for Richards, yes he reminds me some of WCS, but is a far better offensive player.

[J.Jennings]

PJ is a very frustrating player. Defiitely Poythress like, but PJ has way more skill. Which kind of makes him more frustrating in some ways.

That said, I think PJ has been a more dominant player than Poythress ever was. Poythress really only gave us a handful of games in his entire career that he controlled. PJ has given us eight or ten already in his two-year career. Needs more of them if we'll have a shot to win it all.

One thing I've never understood that folks get miffed about PJ at is the flexing thing. To me the flexing thing has always been a positive. It shows that he's into the game. The games where he doesn't flex and mean mug and all that are the games he drifts out of.

I don't mind the flexing as long as you back it up, last year he was flexing but was writing a check he couldn't cash...

Not to start a debate, but i actually think Poythrees is well rounded a better player than PJ with more potential but thats' just me. Poythrees post Kentucky is way better at the next level than in college and i think his situation was mental, he just couldn't live up to the expectations and pressure of Kentucky. Seems like once he left Kentucky with a clean slate, he started playing basketball again and has done very well and had some good NBA games..

[Joneslab]

Alex Poythress is absolutely not a better pro than he was a college player. He's had probably a better career than I thought he would, but he's basically just a body at the end of benches. He's like a 3 ppg career scorer who's had a hard time staying out of the G-League.

PJ Washington has an infinitely higher ceiling. Way more skill. He's worked himself into a situation where the top 10 in the draft isn't out of the question.