So far in Pac-12 play, the Arizona Wildcats havenβt gone deep in their bench but theyβve always managed to pluck at least one guy out for a significant contribution.
Maybe thatβs the model coach Sean Miller follows the rest of the season.
βWeβre looking at that, no question,β Miller said Monday at his weekly news conference. βWe donβt have everything figured out there. We have different guys stepping up on different nights, which is good.
βI 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.β
So instead of going nine or 10 players deep consistently, the Wildcats could play just six or seven β with one or two reserve guys plugged in to help depending on the matchups or how the game plays out.
Miller said itβs 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.
βThose are things weβre really looking for from that group,β Miller said. βCould we give maybe one or two of those guys more of an opportunity and maybe less of an opportunity elsewhere? Thatβs on the table right now. Weβre trying to be the best we can be β whatβs going to allow our team to grow and be the most ready this week, thatβs what weβre gonna do.β
The one reserve who hasnβt been able to help much lately in UAβs Pac-12 games has been freshman guard Alex Barcello, whose confidence appeared to drop after returning from an ankle injury suffered in early December.
βHeβs healthy,β Miller said. βHeβs working hard. I think Alex has a bright future. Itβs just right now he hasnβt played well and itβs no longer December, so there are tough decisions. We have to put our team in the best light.
βBut he has a great attitude, heβs working really hard in practice. He can get called on at any time (if thereβs) foul trouble and injuries, and heβs working hard every day to get better. His time will come.β
At the same time, Barcelloβs 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 didnβt play in either game.
βAllonzoβs just more experienced, heβs bigger, he scores and plays with confidence,β Miller said. βWeβve 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.β
Overall, Arizonaβs bench has averaged only 10 points a game, but Miller said heβs not concerned.
βWe believe in every one of them,β Miller said. βWe have a lot of very talented young players that as they continue to grow, develop, get more experience, theyβre gonna develop into some excellent basketball players.
βItβs about improving as the year goes on and contributing. You donβt have to score points off the bench to contribute. You can make meaningful plays, hustle plays.
βKeanu 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 wasnβt 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.β
Rim shots
β’ 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.
βThey 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,β Miller said. βIt seems like theyβre playing their best now. Theyβre confident.β
β’ Stanford freshman guard Daejon Davis was named the Pac-12βs Player of the Week after averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Cardinalβs road sweep. Davis signed with Washington but escaped his letter-of-intent after UA associate head coach Lorenzo Romar was fired as the Huskiesβ head coach.
β’ Miller said he was βexcitedβ to welcome new UA football coach Kevin Sumlin and his family to Tucson. βHeβs an excellent football coach,β Miller said. βI know he has an exciting style and Iβm excited for our football players. Itβs something Iβm sure theyβre really excited about when you consider the success that heβs had as a coach coming from the SEC and some of the players heβs coached as well.β