Mark Few, Gonzaga Bulldogs (photo by Ed Stein)
After four games, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are 3-1. If they are going to win a National Championship, this is the year. I jotted down a few thoughts I had about the team. Some are positive; others are not.
When things get out of hand, the Gonzaga Bulldogs can rely on Anton Watson to hold the team together. Our Teresa Powe calls him the “Quiet Enforcer.” That’s a good nickname because he both keeps opponents in check as well as staying cool for his teammates.
As hard as it is to believe, Drew Timme is an even better player than he was last year. That’s saying a lot because, depending on who was doing the ratings, Timme had a good case to be the 2021-22 College Basketball Payer of the Year.
It’s plain to see that he worked hard this summer after opting out of the NBA Draft. Both his rebound positioning and defense are vastly improved.
I also love the way he runs the floor. Timme isn’t afraid to bring the ball up the court, nor does he shirk getting back on defense.
Center Ben Gregg only plays less than five minutes a game. When he’s on the court, Gregg gives everything he has to the Zags. That’s the definition of a team player.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs average 17.5 turnovers per game. They even had 13 against North Florida. For comparison, last year, they averaged 11.6, and in 2020-21, it was 12.0.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say this isn’t a Mark Few-coached team. Few is a detail-oriented coach, and this is a detail that will end up as their undoing. It’s hard to see the Zags play so sloppy at times.
There is a reason why Julian Strawther withdrew from the draft. He’s inconsistent and too often plays out of control, which in the big picture, lessens the good things he does on the court.
If Strawther wants to play at the next level, he must even out his game. As it stands now, Strawther has NBA talent but is not an NBA player.
Following great point guards like Jalen Suggs and Andrew Nembhard is a tough spot to drop someone into. Nolan Hickman is growing into the job but isn’t the guy right now.
He doesn’t facilitate the Gonzaga Bulldogs offense. Which in turn causes it to a) stall or b) overdepend on Timme.
Getting back to Timme, he should be the focal point of the offense. But every offensive set doesn’t have to go through him. Working the ball around the perimeter more would help.
Zags fans have gotten spoiled with transfers in recent years. Players such as Admon Gilder, Rasir Bolton, and Nembhard have all been big contributors after coming to Spokane.
So far, the Gonzaga Bulldogs’ two big transfers this year, Efton Reid (LSU) and Malachi Smith (Tennessee-Chattanooga) haven’t had the same impact as their predecessors.
Not everyone adjusts to a new system at the same rate. But I’d hoped the duo would be more reliable.
If the Gonzaga Bulldogs have a sixth man, it’s Hunter Sallis. He’s a future star but hasn’t been the boost he should be. The good news is his defensive efficiency is up over last season. But Gonzaga needs him to be more consistent shooting from the floor.
It isn’t just him. Somebody else has to step up and be the spark on at least one end of the floor.
One of the problems the Gonzaga Bulldogs have with turnovers is in transition. Too many times, Gonzaga loses the ball as they try to rush it up the court.
They can be sloppy, and it costs them scoring opportunities. It would be nice if one of the guards could settle the team down in these situations. Nembhard was really good at that.
One Achilles heel the Gonzaga Bulldogs have is playing against physical and defensively intense teams. Last year this deficiency reared its head in the tournament against Arkansas.
The exhibition game against Tennessee was a tipoff that not much changed. The Vols got on the ball fast and collapsed down low, were physical on the boards.
Texas, a very defensively intense team came at the Zags very similarly. Meanwhile, Kentucky played a finesse game which Gonzaga handled quite well.
The writing was on the wall when there was little interest in Rasir Bolton at the Combine. The NBA doesn’t think much of him, despite shooting 46% from behind the arc last season.
If his goal is going pro, coming back to school won’t do it. He should have gone to play in Europe. However, if his goal is to win a championship, GU is the place.
I thought Dominick Harris was back after his injury woes from last year. He’s too talented to have played a total of 10 minutes in two games this year.
Zags have one of the best home advantages in college basketball. The Gonzaga fans are absolutely awesome. There is nothing like it.
What thoughts do you have about the Gonzaga Bulldogs so far?