So far in Pac-12 play, the Arizona Wildcats haven’t gone deep in their bench but they’ve always managed to pluck at least one guy out for a significant contribution.
Maybe that’s the model coach Sean Miller follows the rest of the season.
“We’re looking at that, no question,” Miller said Monday at his weekly news conference. “We don’t have everything figured out there. We have different guys stepping up on different nights, which is good.
“I go back to the Arizona State game when Dylan Smith in the first half buried three 3-point shots and that was much needed. And Keanu (Pinder), with his effort against Oregon, those are two examples right there. There have been a lot of good contributions.”
So instead of going nine or 10 players deep consistently, the Wildcats could play just six or seven — with one or two reserve guys plugged in to help depending on the matchups or how the game plays out.
Miller said it’s not always about scoring as much with his reserves as much as bringing energy or maybe a defensive spark here or there, using a shot-block attempt by Brandon Randolph as an example.
“Those are things we’re really looking for from that group,” Miller said. “Could we give maybe one or two of those guys more of an opportunity and maybe less of an opportunity elsewhere? That’s on the table right now. We’re trying to be the best we can be — what’s going to allow our team to grow and be the most ready this week, that’s what we’re gonna do.”
The one reserve who hasn’t been able to help much lately in UA’s Pac-12 games has been freshman guard Alex Barcello, whose confidence appeared to drop after returning from an ankle injury suffered in early December.
“He’s healthy,” Miller said. “He’s working hard. I think Alex has a bright future. It’s just right now he hasn’t played well and it’s no longer December, so there are tough decisions. We have to put our team in the best light.
“But he has a great attitude, he’s working really hard in practice. He can get called on at any time (if there’s) foul trouble and injuries, and he’s working hard every day to get better. His time will come.”
At the same time, Barcello’s play has been impacted by two factors he has no control over: Rawle Alkins re-entered the UA lineup in early December just as Barcello hurt his ankle, and Allonzo Trier has basically taken over the backup point guard duties, shifting over from shooting guard whenever Parker Jackson-Cartwright takes a rest.
Trier played 34 minutes against Oregon State and 38 vs. Oregon, while Barcello didn’t play in either game.
“Allonzo’s just more experienced, he’s bigger, he scores and plays with confidence,” Miller said. “We’ve always had three players able to play at point guard and Allonzo, when we shift him from two to one, we have a different look.”
Overall, Arizona’s bench has averaged only 10 points a game, but Miller said he’s not concerned.
“We believe in every one of them,” Miller said. “We have a lot of very talented young players that as they continue to grow, develop, get more experience, they’re gonna develop into some excellent basketball players.
“It’s about improving as the year goes on and contributing. You don’t have to score points off the bench to contribute. You can make meaningful plays, hustle plays.
“Keanu Pinder is a great example. A couple of his defensive plays in that (Oregon) game ignited our offense and in some ways changed the game in our favor. It wasn’t about him scoring a bunch of points, and the more we have that mentality we can get a spark from them in a lot of different ways and not just scoring.”
Rim shots
• After sweeping Washington State and Washington, Stanford enters the week tied with Arizona atop the Pac-12 at 4-1. The Cardinal, which will host UA on Saturday, went 6-7 in nonconference play while shaking off several injuries.
“They have a lot of experience, maybe the most returning experience in our conference, and they also battled through a lot of injuries in the preseason,” Miller said. “It seems like they’re playing their best now. They’re confident.”
• Stanford freshman guard Daejon Davis was named the Pac-12’s Player of the Week after averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Cardinal’s road sweep. Davis signed with Washington but escaped his letter-of-intent after UA associate head coach Lorenzo Romar was fired as the Huskies’ head coach.
• Miller said he was “excited” to welcome new UA football coach Kevin Sumlin and his family to Tucson. “He’s an excellent football coach,” Miller said. “I know he has an exciting style and I’m excited for our football players. It’s something I’m sure they’re really excited about when you consider the success that he’s had as a coach coming from the SEC and some of the players he’s coached as well.”
