#end goal is still team wcc

[landinrris]

I’ve been pretty grumpy about how McLaren have handled team orders, but I will give them credit for today. Listened to Piastri’s radio and on the last lap, they asked him to back up a second to make sure that Lando got 4th after the five second penalty instead of getting jumped by Oscar in the race. He did so right away, no questions asked and said no problem when they thanked him. I’m suspecting that’s the kind of team orders we see till the end of the year.

Yes, I saw this on the transcripts on Multiviewer while I was watching. Tom asked Oscar to drop a second as soon as the penalty came through. I'm not surprised Oscar followed orders considering he's never been one to disobey them. Both of the drivers listen to what they're told. Andrea has said before they're allowed to question the orders, though this one was probably black and white enough (plus with previous intra-team discussions) that there was nothing to debate.

This seems like a pretty common order that they've both been subject to in the past (Daniel as well), it's just that then it was usually "If you can't pick up the pace, let your teammate by" or "Hold station." Pretty normal stuff

If I'm remembering correctly, there was a time in 2022 as well when Lando was having PU issues towards the end and Daniel was told to stay behind and not challenge him. Slightly different, but same color of order imo. They are all team players at the end of the day

[lousycapy]

Btw I know the team orders ended up not mattering that much because they both went off later in the wet anyways, so sorry about ranting about it in this post, but I needed to get it out there because I hate team orders in general with a burning passion 😅

I’m actually curious how people feel about team orders. For me they’re like, one of the worst things to ever grace F1 because they are ultimately anti-racing. As much as a team can want to secure their positions, the driver wants to secure the highest position he can and since it’s an individual sport for the big prize, the wdc, I think individual priority should always override team priority.

At the end of the day, the goal of the wdc is to determine the best driver over the whole season, not the one who could amass the most points during the first half in order to cruise to the title with 1st driver priority in the other half. If their teammate is performing better than them on a given weekend then that’s on them for not doing as well, it should never go down to stopping someone from earning a position or giving away a well-earned position.

As for “safety” team orders, as we saw this weekend, I believe they’re also pretty useless. Especially in McLaren’s case, because it’s not like they don’t know their drivers. They’ve had them for 2 years. I can’t even remember a single time they didn’t race cleanly, not even sure it ever happened. As long as they know what’s happening around them, so that two haas are in front at delta x and a redbull at delta x, they should be allowed to do what they want in their best interest. The lapped cars will get out of the way either way. They might be hungry to pass/defend but they’re not stupid, if they think something is too risky they won’t go all in. And the excuse of “going off the racing line to go w2w being too risky because of the wet” is null when we saw Oscar overtake Lewis by doing so.

Idk, in my opinion every decision that benefits the driver in front at the expense of the driver behind is shameful. An embarrassment to the sport, a disrespect to what racing is about.

The only time I can see them being somewhat acceptable is when one of the drivers’ race is already done, so like Checo in Abu Dhabi 2021 or swapping the faster driver to the front to attack other drivers and swapping back if he doesn’t succeed. And to be fair even those are awful because you’re still giving someone something they haven’t earned, but at least they’re not antithetical to teammate rivalries.

Urgh, I just wish the team aspect didn’t play such a big role in a championship designed for individuality. Maybe attributing prize money for wdc positions instead of the wcc would actually do some good to the sport. Because we’re in a weird place right now where despite the wdc being the ultimate goal of a formula 1 season, it’s the wcc that attributes money. It would force teams to take the best drivers in. And instead of simply prioritizing one driver they’d have to be careful with both because both’s positions would bring money in.

[bearterritory]

Cal's Golden Goal Beats #22 Pepperdine

Bears Ride Waves Into Second Round

MALIBU, Calif.– Exactly 10 years and one day after its last NCAA Championship win, the California women's soccer team got back into the postseason win column Saturday defeating No. 22 Pepperdine 2-1 in double overtime at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. The Golden Bears' golden goal came off the heel of senior center back Courtney Boone in the 106th minute.   Cal's 16th NCAA Championship evoked a bit of déjà vu as the Bears' last road victory in this tournament came in 2012 on the very same field against the Waves.

The match remained scoreless until the 33rd minute when Cal got on the board with a perfectly executed goal. Graduate student Julia Leontini dribbled up the right touchline and served a beautiful cross deep into the penalty area. Senior Karlie Lema drew the attention of the Waves back line and senior Alexis Wright was right on time cutting into the box to meet the cross and fired a shot with her first touch into the lower left corner of the net.

It was the fifth goal of the season and the second in as many matches for Wright, who gave the Bears a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. Cal entered the day with an 8-1-1 record when scoring first and a 5-1-1 record when leading at the break.   The seventh-seeded Waves, who led the WCC in scoring this season to earn a share of the conference title, refused to go quietly scoring the equalizer in the 59th minute. It was Peyton Leonard who found the net for Pepperdine scoring on a header via a well-placed corner kick from Tabitha LaParl.   The final 31 minutes of regulation were intense and physical but despite seven shots in the half for Cal and five for Pepperdine, neither team could find the go-ahead goal. The match headed to the first overtime period where the Waves took the only shot, a great scoring chance that was saved at point-blank range by Cal goalkeeper Teagan Wy.   After 100 minutes on the pitch the two teams were still locked at 1-1 and headed to the second overtime period. The Waves put two shots on goal, but Wy made both saves to keep the Bears' season alive.   In the 106th minute the Bears earned a corner kick on the right side of the field and Leontini stepped to the corner arc. With her left foot the midfielder sent a ball into the middle of the 8-yard box for Boone, who whiffed on a header attempt and began to fall to the ground. The ball quickly bounced off junior Alex Klos and caught the sole of Boone's right boot as she scorpion-kicked in the golden goal.

It was Boone's third goal of the year and her second straight match with a dramatic, walk-off game winner. Leontini picked up her second assist of the day giving her a team-leading seven on the season and Klos earned her fifth assist of the season.   The Bears outshot the Waves 15-10 placing five on frame. Wy ended the day with five saves in her first postseason win.   Cal will now head to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the second-seeded and fifth-ranked Razorbacks Friday at Razorback Field. The start time has yet to be determined.

[petit-papillion]

As a follow-up to some previous discussions regarding whether Charles was on board with Lewis coming to Ferarri or not:

I firmly believe Fred is at Ferrari because Charles wanted him there. And I think (again, all my opinion) Fred was asked to not only turn things around for Ferrari, but to build a team around Charles. Ferrari wants that dream of their homegrown, immensely likeable driver becoming their next WDC. Think Monza 2019 to the power of 100.

So Charles needs a teammate who will be able to help him get there, and it was clear that was not going to be Carlos. Different driving styles and setups, different comfort levels (when Carlos felt comfortable, the car did not perform well. When Charles felt comfortable, Carlos struggled to keep up.), and different attitudes (for Charles the team result always comes first, Carlos often wants to best his teammate).

I'm not sure who else Fred may have had his eye on to replace Carlos, but with John Elkann pursuing Lewis, I'm sure both Fred and Charles were in the know. And to have Lewis at Ferrari, I mean, come on! Look at the excitement it's created this week. It's a massive move by Ferrari to have two star drivers.

And yes, we know Lewis is (was?) hungry for that elusive 8 wdc, but he also dreamed of driving for Ferrari since he was a kid. So to be able to make that dream come true at the end of his career no doubt means the world to him.

Thinking about what this means for future (potential) championships: I think Ferrari has more to gain from Charles becoming the next WDC than Lewis getting his 8th. Yes, it would be another notch in Lewis's more-than-impressive belt, but it would mean so much more if it was their FDA-graduate, pseudo-Italian, lovable talent. Now they would have 2 WDCs to boast of. The boost in confidence it would give Charles would be huge. And his reputation at Ferrari would be cemented in history.

This doesn't mean I see Lewis as a number 2 driver. Absolutely not. More as equal partners with the common goal to lead Ferrari back to WCC, and eventually WDC. Ferrari will need two solid title contenders to steal enough points from alien-level Max.

Which also reminds me about how this move has put so much pressure on both Mercedes and Red Bull who now find themselves up against a team with a power duo of drivers. Red Bull only having 1 strong driver who's been single-handedly carrying their championships, and Merc is in an even bigger bind having lost their star driver. I'm sure George will be excited to be out of Lewis's shadow, but I think he still had a lot to learn from him. I guess he can still do so this year, but it won't be the same.

I firmly believe that, long term, Ferrari will be betting on Charles to lead the team, with Lewis having an important role as Ferrari's ambassador after he retires. Short term, they need two drivers who are on the same page with car development, driving capabilities, and team focus. I think that is exactly what they will have with Charles and Lewis.

[im-probably-crying-rn-ngl]

With all respect to a fellow Merc fan, underperforming expectations and stated goals has only been on brand for them the past 2 years, after being the most dominant F1 team of all time. I don’t know how quickly they can course correct, but they’re among the best funded and best equipped of all teams, and they’re an engine manufacturer! McLaren just renewed their engine contract with Merc so how bad are they really? (Also 2nd in the WCC last year)

hello to a fellow merc fan! that post was a little jokey joke, what can i say i was in a silly goofy mood, and i do think they have a lot going for them like you said, p2 in the wcc wasn't easy at all given the competition, since ferrari actually won a race.

but...it's also the partial truth. they have made a bad habit of hyping the car up these past two years esp 2023. thinking they could challenge red bull and max for the championship even. but it ended up in a way that they were confused about how the car behaved after a race weekend??? lewis has talked about how much of a franken-car the w14 was and how difficult it was to get in that sweet spot. this problem is frankly unique to mercedes 😭😭.

the hype tho umm for example toto went from stating such high expectations for 2023 to calling it "a terrible car" in the media. which is bad for morale among the fans, the 1000 merc employees and not to mention the drivers. the higher ups of the team need to maintain expectations for the good of everybody imo.

most importantly in recent years they have had problems not only with the car but the pitstops and strategy which from ferrari (i truly empathise) we can learn are just as important as the actual car.

regarding the w15. they have all the funding, equipment and talent in the world and their engine is still top notch. im rooting for them, hand on heart, but i will wait till the actual race to say anything about their championship prospects next year. because this time they have to not only worry about red bull and ferrari but mclaren (who do have very nice videos but also the strategy, the pitstops and now prob even the car) because they will be ready this time.

sorry for the long reply but i always wanted to explain that merc may not be as bad as i joke but may not *currently* be as good as i hope.

[slow-button-off]

Ferrari has a lot of long term plans but nobody to stay long term to fulfill them. I get it’s their go to excuses but they’ve been working for « next year car » for a bit too long now.

Their goals are never clear they seem to settle for what is happening. Whereas Wolff and Horner seem to have a more aggressive approach at least in public.

From WCC we quickly got to 2nd.

We could all see Binotto being all WCC first and top management starting to say that WDC with Charles was their priority. Like they clearly were changing goals every other weekends. From giving orders to Charles in 2019 we got confusing communication from everyone. Like they don’t know what to do with the car or with the drivers. There is almost 2 teams fighting each other inside ferrari. And they are both loosing. They want to be recognized for their cars ok. But if you don’t have someone to win with it … a lesser car seem better anyway.

From 2nd in both championships this year we almost finished 3rd. I am still not over the tyre mess in quali they were lucky to have talented drivers and no reliability issues that week end. And they could all thank mercedes for making a not so good car this year + strategies mistakes on their own too.

Ferrari are supposed to have all this success and power but seem very passive for a brand that’s so political.

Binotto is nos faultless it was never his job to be TP but they agreed to put him there so that also show they don’t have any other candidate since 2019. And if he really saw things coming last year and asked for advisors - Todt or anyone else - they should have said yes. They had nothing to loose knowing they were trying to get Binotto to leave anyway. It could have been a better selling point for the future TP. And also take some pressure away from Binotto.

Maybe they should also change the communication dpt they are not that great either right now.

Ferrari is really weird. They are longing for the Schumi/ Todt year but won't give anyone the time.

Idk. Maybe the new guy will be able to communicate with the upper management better that's my only hope rn.

The goals of the season clearly had to have been set with the upper management being aware of the goals. How do they change their mind without telling the rest of the team?

Communication overall is a huge problem.

We'll get to see the Ferrari Elkann wants to have now I guess because that'll be the first TP he properly gets to pick.

I just wish that they would finally deal with the actual problems instead of changing TP after TP after TP

[mcgnussen]

Hello! I know you are a kev blog, but I just wanted to ask about your opinion on this whole topic regarding Mick and Haas. I want both, Mick and Kev to do well, I like both kg them and I like their dynamic. However, I don't really like how Haas is handling all of this, also their strategies but that's a whole other topic. What do you think will the future hold for Mick and also maybe Kev. I find it very frustrating to be a fan of both of them, because I see so much shit coming from a) mick fans and micks uncle when it comes to kev or b) those that hate on mick just because, surprise - he's not his dad but his own person. I am not really happy with the situation, like in general, not only Mick but also Kev. I mean, Kev has done a very good job so far but Haas ends up ruining it. I hate how there's such a huge drama right now coming from the german sky press towards Haas.

thank you for your question! and oh boy, here comes a great big rant, so i’ll put it under a read more. then people can also avoid it if they don’t want to know what i have to say. if you are a mick fan who thinks he has not done anything wrong then here’s the warning that you might get triggered but i promise it’s not mick hate. i genuinely want him to do well.

right now, people are going to the extremes and that's the problem. haas has made mistakes and mick has made mistakes. it's not 100% haas' fault because mick has been in good positions but then screwed up. and it's not 100% mick's fault because strategy and bad luck has also been a factor as to why he still has no points. but both bad strategy and shit luck has also affected kevin and he has lost points as well, but he is still doing better than mick (which of course, i mean the man has many years of experience and is known for being very fast, the people who expected mick to beat him right away were delusional). those are the facts.

people really need to stop dragging kevin into this. but i will say some mick fans have been on the defence from the get-go. i remember seeing a post about someone being angry that kevin would demand his previous crew back... and of course, he didn't. that'd be fucked up. i find it really sad that kevin has prioritised being open and honest with mick, and we have seen him being very supportive and the two of them obviously get along really well, and this is the thanks he gets from some fans? and it's essential to highlight the word 'some', i'm very aware most mick fans don't view kevin in that light but those who do really annoy me.

and i will say it again: haas has made mistakes, no doubt about that, they need a new strategist - but mick has also not been good. sorry, there is no getting around that. right now, kevin is just the better driver of the two. he has suffered two dnfs now, the same as mick, but kevin's dnfs have been mechanical issues and mick's dnfs have been due to driver mistakes. it is estimated mick’s two crashes have cost haas over four million dollars, i believe, and kevin has cost them zero (or something so small that it’s not mentioned anywhere). haas is not trying to sabotage one of their cars. they are not in the wdc, there is no secret 'kevin for world champion' plot going on here. their only goal is to finish pretty well in the wcc - and they need both their drivers to score points for that. so no, no one in haas wants mick to do badly. haas wants mick to do well, they want to continue a good relationship with ferrari, and for now, mick is part of that deal. and also they want points? they don’t care if they come from mick or kevin.

i have seen a pattern that mick is not great at getting his first set of tyres to work - and so we see things like the situation today where haas panics and puts him on a different set of tyres too soon. i think mick needs more time to get his tyres to work. which is not great but that's definitely not a dealbreaker, it's just something the team has to keep in mind. but if they let him stay out, some fans would also be angry that haas kept him out on tyres that do not work. so it's a lose-lose for haas. i think everyone needs to calm down and realise it's not all black or white. and i truly get it's difficult seeing your driver not do well, but accusing haas of sabotage is ridiculous. m*zepin did that with mick last season - and it's not a good look. haas makes poor decisions sometimes and it affects both mick and kevin. hopefully, they get it together soon.

guenther is guenther, he says things honestly but he is fair. he has not said something crazy about mick, so people need to take a chill pill. the media needs to stop pressuring him to comment on mick. it's common knowledge in f1 that if your driver isn't doing well, you keep quiet and then really talk them up when they do something alright. today, sky germany pressed him and maybe he said some things that'd might be interpreted negatively. but also what did the reporter expect him to say? "mick is wdc material but we have fucked up every single race for him"? that was never going to happen, was it? because it’s not true and not something any team principal would ever do. he’s also the boss of the mechanics and the general crew, there is not only one interest for him to keep in mind. the media and toxic fans are the ones creating this narrative that haas is shitting on mick and that he’s miserable in the team. haas praised mick for his driving today. there is no proof that mick is miserable in the team or that he is not getting support. i'm sure he has some criticism of their choices regarding strategy and that's definitely fair. but i’d invite everyone to remember this: haas has screwed mick over with poor choices, but mick has also screwed haas over by costing them a lot of money and points. please remember that. it’s fair to be mad at haas, but it’s not like mick is a completely innocent victim. like i said, it’s not black and white.

so to sum up: everyone needs to calm the fuck down and stop with the conspiracy theories, they need to be realistic about how mick is performing right now and allow him time and peace to improve. if he improves, no one would be happier than haas.

and to answer your question about the future. i don’t know what it will hold for kevin and mick. everything in f1 right now is a bonus for kevin who already thought he was done, so i’m not too worried about that. i know many teams respect his talent, so i don’t think he’s completely without chances for another drive, but if he doesn’t get a seat in f1, there are many other seats open to him in the motorsport world. i’m worried about mick, but i don’t think any f1 teams will close their doors on him quite yet. but at the end of the season, he needs to be close to kevin. and when mick gets a chance for points, and haas is not screwing it up for him, he needs to strike and be there. the season is still long, anon, and luckily for mick there is still time.  

[junker-town]

Josh Giddey is the NBA draft pick who almost slipped through the cracks

How Josh Giddey went from being cut by his Australian state team to a potential NBA draft lottery pick.

Josh Giddey knew he was down to his last chance. As he arrived at a multi-day basketball jamboree known as the East Coast Challenge, Giddey was one of 60 youth players competing from the Australian states of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia hoping to be selected for the prestigious state team.

State basketball is the pathway to a brighter future in the game in Australia, but it had alluded Giddey to this point. Three times he had tried out for state-level basketball, and three times he had received an email at the end of the event telling him he’d been cut. Only 16 years old and already realizing he was at a crossroads in his career, Giddey was determined not to let it happen again.

He had the benefit of a recent growth spurt this time around that taken him up to 6’8 as a point guard. The added height only accentuated the gifts that always made him stand out: his passing and playmaking, and perhaps more importantly his ability to think one step ahead of the next defensive adjustment. After shining at the camp, the anxious hours waiting to hear if he was selected turned into a quiet confidence.

“I kept promising myself I wouldn’t get cut, I wouldn’t get cut, and the last opportunity I had to make the state team I didn’t get cut,” Giddey told SB Nation. “I finally got that one email I was waiting for.”

Giddey’s life has been in overdrive ever since. After shining at a subsequent national event, he was offered a scholarship by the NBA Global Academy at the Australian Institute of Sport. Giddey moved across the country to Canberra, where he would spend the next 18 months developing his game and his body while competing against peer-aged competition around the world. The accolades he earned at the academy eventually led Giddey to become the first Australian player to be tabbed for the Next Stars program in the country’s domestic professional league, the NBL.

After one season with the Adelaide 36ers, Giddey is now on his way to the 2021 NBA Draft. The same player who couldn’t separate himself from his peers in Victoria only two years ago is now projected as a likely lottery pick.

Giddey is at once on a meteoric rise and still just scratching the surface. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft and has a case as one of the most accomplished given his production in a pro league against seasoned adults. He is still growing into his body and refining his jump shot while already possessing the type of mental processing gifts that can’t be taught. It has been a wild ride to bring him to the precipice of his NBA dreams, but Giddey isn’t the type to get overwhelmed by the moment.

“It’s just good to see the work paying off,” he said.

Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images

Marty Clarke remembers the first time he identified Giddey as a future prospect to watch during his days as a college assistant coach at WCC power Saint Mary’s. A fellow Australian, Clarke was a former teammate of Josh’s dad, Warrick, who enjoyed a long professional career with the NBL’s Melbourne Tigers and had his No. 6 retired by the club. He saw the traits that could eventually make the young guard the type of player Saint Mary’s would one day want to target, but he knew it was going to be a while before they could do so. Giddey was only 12 years old.

“When I first went to St. Mary’s in 2013, I said coach (Randy) Bennett, there’s a kid I want to put on the board but it will be like seven years before we can get him,” Clarke recalls. “He can really pass with his weak hand. He can pass full court, off the dribble, or from penetration. He was kind of doing a lot of that stuff as a 12-14 year old. Now he’s a 6’8 person who can do that.”

Clarke would eventually get his chance to help develop Giddey in a way neither could have anticipated. When the NBA partnered with the Australian Institute of Sport and Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence in 2017 to launch the NBA Global Academy, Clarke left Saint Mary’s to take a job as its technical director. Clarke was the perfect candidate as someone who previously had experience as a coach at the Australian Institute of Sport, and now had familiarity with American college basketball.

The same place that had produced almost every Australian player to reach the NBA — Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Luc Longley, Aron Baynes, and Patty Mills among them — was now further investing in its connection to the league. Clarke would oversee all aspects of player development and coaching for the 12 high school-aged players who were offered a scholarship to the academy.

“We have a really good blue print,” Clarke said. “The Australian academy has been here for 40 years. This is what this place has always been doing, producing Olympians and future NBA players.”

The NBA launched academies in India, Senegal, Mexico, China over the last 10 years as a year-round development initiative for elite youth prospects. Australia’s Global Academy takes teenagers from around the world. In its partnership with the AIS, players with the Global Academy live in dorms and attend classes while preparing them for life as a professional athlete. Instead of trying to win as many games as possible and compete for championships like a college team, the main goal of the academy is individual development.

The players at the Global Academy go to school and training six days per week with only Sundays off. In a typical week, players will be put through regular full team practices, as well as smaller group sessions that focus on things like connecting the bigs to the smalls by drilling pick-and-rolls and post entries. There’s shooting and skill training every morning before school, as well as weight lifting three times per week, and mindfulness training. Spliced in with all of that is education on nutrition, physiology, and personal learning like financial literacy and social media courses.

“Our goal here is when they leave here, they have lots of options,” Clarke said. “We make sure they’re eligible for universities. We want to make sure every door is open when they leave.”

The Global Academy also plays games against peer-aged teams, and that’s where Giddey continued to raise his profile. Giddey would lead the academy to the championship at the prestigious Torneo Junior Ciutat de L’Hospitalet tournament in Spain and was named MVP of the event. He followed it up with a strong showing at Basketball Without Borders during All-Star Weekend last year in Chicago.

“His development since he got here has been off the charts,” Clarke said. “Because he missed that state-level development, he skipped up to another level and had a lot to learn. He jumped a stage, really.”

Giddey’s time at the academy had given him multiple avenues to explore on what he should do next. That’s when he faced the next flashpoint decision in his burgeoning young career: Was he better off going to college in America or staying home to play in Australia?

Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Giddey had a long list of American college basketball programs who wanted him. He had standing scholarship offers from Arizona, Colorado, Rutgers, St. John’s, and more. After one college visit in particular, Giddey felt like he was ready to commit.

“I was 99 percent set on college,” Giddey said. “I took a visit to Colorado sometime in 2020, when I left there after my two-day visit, I was ready to commit there. I was about to commit there but my parents said just wait to we get home and we’ll talk about it.

“So I went home and we started talking to some people and they started talking about the NBL Next Star pathway. I met with Jeremy Loeliger, who is the CEO of the NBL, and they really sold it to me. The way they take care of their kids, the opportunity you’ll get to play against grown men at such a young age, I thought that was better for me personally than going to college to play against other kids.”

On April 16, 2020, at just 17 years old, Giddey signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL. He had become the first Australian to take advantage of the league’s ‘Next Stars’ program, which was originally intended to lure top American prospects who didn’t want to play college basketball. Former McDonald’s All-Americans Terrance Ferguson and Brian Bowen were two of the first signees of the program, but it was a decision by LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton to sign in Australia that helped convince Giddey it was the best path for him.

“They surprised everyone with how good they were, especially LaMelo,” said Giddey. “It was good to see because it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to be an NBL player and eventually an NBA player. To see those guys come through gave me the confidence to think I could hopefully do something similar.”

Going from youth tournaments against peer-aged competition to playing against grown men was an enormous adjustment. Giddey struggled with it at first. The ambitious passes that defined his time at the youth level were often becoming turnovers in more meaningful games. He was ice cold as a shooter to start the year, hitting just 2-of-20 shots from three-point range over his first seven games. The biggest issue was playing through contact on both ends of the floor.

“I was struggling with the physicality of the league,” Giddey said of the start to his time in the NBL. “You don’t realize how physical the league is until you actually play against guys that are 35 years old and strong, athletic, and quick. It was just a completely different level to junior basketball. I was playing at a fast pace the whole time. I was rushed, I was nervous.”

He points to his second game as his initial breakthrough, when he finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists against South East Melbourne, and was trusted to take the final shot in regulation. Even though he missed, the 36ers would win in overtime, and Giddey started every game the rest of the season.

Giddey was masterful at times as a facilitator, firing passes to open shooters in the corner with either hand and finding unique angles to get the ball to the big man near the basket. Starting center Daniel Johnson had one of the best seasons of his career at age-33 with Giddey at the controls, and fellow teammate (and former Kentucky big man) Isaac Humphries turned into a dependable scorer, as well. Giddey’s three-point shot also started to come around eventually, hitting 36.7 percent of his shots from deep those first 20 attempts.

“The big thing for me early in the year was I was so down on confidence,” Giddey said. “I was so worried if I missed what people were going to say, what scouts were going to think. There was a point where I spoke to one of my teammates and he told me all of this doesn’t matter. Just shoot every shot like you think you’re going to make it. That was when it switched for me.”

Before season’s end, Giddey had run off three triple-doubles over a four-game stretch and had firmly established himself as a first round NBA draft pick. Given his age and the level of competition, Giddey was remarkably productive: he averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a league-leading 7.5 assists per game on 51 percent true shooting.

Those numbers stack up reasonably well to what Ball did in the same league a year earlier as 6’8 playmaking guard at 18 years old. Ball scored more, but slightly less efficiently (47.9 true shooting) while their rebound, assist, and steal numbers were similar. It is worth noting that while Ball was often deemed reckless as a lead decision-maker, Giddey’s turnover rate was significantly highly at 23.7 vs. Ball’s 12.4.

Giddey isn’t as flexible and shifty as a ball handler as LaMelo, but the baseline similarities and statistical profiles in the same league, at the same age will be tempting for teams, especially following Ball’s run to Rookie of the Year after being the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

“To see how (Ball’s) game translated to the NBA, it’s made me feel even better about my decision,” Giddey said.

The appeal of Giddey for NBA teams starts with his intersection of size and passing. Giddey is an impressive facilitator off a live dribble who will fire passes with either hand while on the move. Against a set defense, Giddey is able to make quick decisions with the ball, and loves to zip a two-handed, overhead pass to his big man in the paint. His interior passing is particularly impressive thanks in part to his ability to leverage his length to find creative angles in tight spaces. The big question for his offensive game will be if he can make opposing defenses respect him enough as a scoring threat to fully unlock his playmaking gifts.

There will be serious questions about Giddey’s athleticism and strength, particularly if he has enough standstill burst to beat his man and force the opposing defense into rotation. Even if Giddey can’t put enough pressure on the rim to be a primary creator, he should be custom-made as a ‘connecting’ piece who can be a secondary facilitator and floor spacer as his jump shot comes around. In Clarke’s eyes, it’s Giddey’s overarching feel for the game that will help him overcome the challenges he sees at the next level.

“He’ll often have quiet first quarters or first halves, and then he’ll have monster second halves,” Clarke said. “He can figure things out on the run, and that’s a skill a lot of players don’t have. He can fix things in game.

“It’s not just feel for the game, it’s feel for the opposition and what they’re trying to do to you. A lot of people have feel for the game when the game is mundane and vanilla. He has feel for the game when it’s chaos going on. He can figure things really quickly.”

As the NBA moves into the pre-draft process, Giddey is widely projected to be taken in the lottery. We had Giddey going No. 14 overall to the Golden State Warriors in our mock draft, while ESPN has him going No. 10 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Giddey’s entrance into the league is also an achievement for the academies the NBA invested in around the world. He’ll be the first male athlete to be drafted into the league after being a full-time academy student. Clarke sees Giddey as the type of player the Australian Institute always dreamed about developing.

“He’s kind of the guy we thought of 30 years ago when we started the program,” said Clarke. “Imagine if we had a whole team of 6’8 guys who are multi-dimensional and can pass, dribble, and shoot, defend multiple positions. We’ll stick one big guy in the middle with four guys like that. Josh is kind of exactly that.

“Coaches always ponder what the future is going to be. I think Josh is what we thought about when I first came here 25 years ago.”

If Giddey embodies the dream of what the AIS always hoped to produce, he also came dangerously close to slipping through the cracks. In the course of just over two years, he has gone from a player who couldn’t make it out of his home state to a possible top-10 NBA draft pick. For a player on such a rapid rise, the next question is the most exciting: how much room to Giddey have to grow from here?

[pero-like-meow]

Sooooo....the She Believes tournament was messy. We basically won the first game against GER because of the wind. The 2nd game against FRA was a hot fucking mess that ended in a draw, and the 3rd game against ENG was a fucking own-goal.

Now, I'm not a soccer player, or coach or whatever, butttt I know enough to know that this is not how we should be coming in against these top teams. These wins were messy and I am worried about what the lead up to the World Cup will be.

I don't fault the players. Our bench is so fucking talented at this level. I'll join the chorus of voices angry at Jill.

The fuck are you doing? How are we still experimenting in a World Cup qualifying year? Why are we running players into the ground? Why are there so many injuries?

I'll continue to show up for these women because they deserve that much.

But we need to get it together if we're hoping to pull off a WCC in 2019. These messy wins are not a good look and they're not who we are as a team.

[the-record-newspaper]

Eight Republicans running for three County Commissioner spots in March 3 primary

In the Republican primary for Wilkes County Board of Commissioners, two incumbents and six challengers are going after three available seats.

Commissioner Gary D. Blevins is not running for re-election.

Incumbents Keith Elmore and Eddie Settle will face Ralph Broyhill, Rachel Carr Jarvis, Casey Joe Johnson, Dale Pierce, Miranda Pruitt and William G. Sexton in the March 3 GOP primary.

Two Democrat candidates have filed, but will not be on the ballot until the Nov. 3 general elections.

The Record recently sent questionnaires to the candidates. Their responses are below. Republican candidate Dale Pierce did not respond.

Ralph Broyhill: (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “I feel that there is still issues that need to be resolved that have lingered in the past. The water intake should have been taken care of a long time ago. The loan was interest free but the governing bodies could not get together and the time ran out on the loan and it went away. I think we as commissioners need to be willing to go all out to seek businesses that would fit with out county and possibly engage with pre-existing business offering incentive to create more jobs and be able to pay a competitive wage. We have a great community college that has good skills instructors who have proven themselves that they care for the kits. At the end of the day I want to look back and know that we tried to make Wilkes County a better place for your family and mind.”

What do you feel are your qualifications? “I feel that with my years of experience in working for Wilkes County, I know how it works. I did budgets yearly. I am retired and ready to go to work.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “I want to hit the ground running. I know that at first a lot will be a learning experience.”

Keith Elmore (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “First, I would like to thank the citizens of Wilkes County for their support over the last 16 years. The reason that I am running is I would like to continue building on our success in Wilkes County. We have expanded services while lowering taxes and maintaining a record high fund balance. I bring a unique perspective to being a county commissioner having spent over 40 years in the private sector and having over 15 years government experience and training. My insight would be beneficial in striking a balance between providing government services and being responsible to the taxpayers. If re-elected I would work with the county manager and other commissioners to continue to focus on all facets of government using technology and common sense to reduce cost and increase efficiency.”

What do you feel are your qualifications? “I’ve lived most of my life in Wilkes County, married 32 years to Mary Beaver Elmore (retired educator). We have one daughter who lives in Raleigh and received her bachelor’s degree from N.C. State. She is a project manager with Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. I graduated from East Wilkes High in 1971, studied electronics at Forsyth Tech and received an associates degree in business from Wilkes Community College.  Before running for office, I worked over 30 years in Technology and Human Resources with Lowe’s Companies, Lovette Company, ConAgra Foods and Pilgrims Pride Poultry Company. I presently manage over 30 employees at Foothills Auto Spa in Wilkesboro and serve as a Wilkes County Commissioner. Over the past 18 years I have had the opportunity to serve on many boards: Wilkes County Commissioner (15 years), DSS Board (over 18 years), serving as WCC Trustee and liaison, Smokey Mountain Mental Health Board (Vaya), Wilkes EDC Board, WTA Board, Tax Equalization Board, Wilkes County Health Board, BROC Board, Animal Control Board, Senior Citizen Board, served on NCACC Executive Board (3 years), High Country Counsel of Government Work Force Development Board and CEO of the Consortium Board. In the past I served locally on the Roaring River Volunteer Fire Department Board and was a member of the Roaring River Ruritan Club. We are a Christian family, Mary and Jessica are members of The Lutheran Church of Atonement and I am a member of Arbor Grove Baptist Church.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? My immediate plan is to work with Wilkes economic development Corp. and establish a pad ready site for Business use.

Rachel Carr Jarvis (Republican)

Why are you seeking office?  “As a wife, mother, minister, farmer and taxpayer, I know we have opportunities to improve the quality of life for all residents. We must address the hard issues such as unemployment; accountability for where our tax dollars are being allocated. Activities for our youth and families have decreased in our county. So working to bring family friendly entertainment and businesses is a necessity for Wilkes. Working on the infrastructure of this county is also essential. Instead of waiting on businesses to come to Wilkes, we must be proactive in seeking them out, while also supporting the growth of small businesses and farmers.”

What do you feel are your qualifications? “My degree in Human Services Technology focuses on prevention as well as the remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of those you serve. Working and volunteering for different organizations through the years has given me insights to the many issues that we are facing. The ability to work on a team, leadership, problem solving and adaptability, communicating with the public, and love for this county are things I bring to the table.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “The trash on the roadsides is an issue that comes up often in meetings and with individuals. One of my first priorities would be to get the mess cleaned up and to see how to maintain it going into the future.”

Casey Joe Johnson (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “‘And of some have compassion, making a difference.’ This Bible verse found in Jude 22 is how I have tried and how I want to live my life. I am running for Wilkes County Commissioner because I want to make a difference and serve the people of Wilkes County. If elected I will work hard to strengthen our schools by providing them the resources they need to be successful and support our families by promoting clean, fun, and quality entertainment and collaborate with the departments of county government to sustain our resources. I believe if we can do these things, we can supply jobs in Wilkes again.” 

What do you feel are your qualifications? “One of my qualifications is the excitement and passion I have for Wilkes County. I recently had the opportunity to listen to Dan Forest speak at a meeting in Wilkesboro. Mr. Forest said that Wilkes County is a hub of potential. This excited me even more! Wilkes County has so much potential and it would be my job as a commissioner to pursue these opportunities. Also, as a teacher I have had many opportunities over the past six years to work with students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I feel that these experiences have enabled me even more to see the needs we have in Wilkes County. I will do my best to work hard for the people of Wilkes, to pray and seek for wisdom, and continue to make Wilkes a great place to live.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “My first goal if elected is to collaborate with the Board of Education and determine the needs Wilkes County Schools have. It is our job as elected leaders to ensure that our young people have the resources they need to be successful. I would also like to create a High School Job Fair where our Public Schools, Christian Schools, and Home Schooled Students can learn of current jobs/careers in Wilkes County and what skills would be necessary to obtain these jobs. Another goal is to work with the Wilkes EDC and push for family recreation options in Wilkes like we once had. Also, as a commissioner I would help find the most cost efficient and effective means of getting the new water intake to supply water to our county.”

Miranda Pruitt (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “Being a Wilkes County resident my entire life I have a deep appreciation for our home we have here. The beauty of our land and the wholesomeness of our people are the defining factors that I love about my home here. However as time has passed we have lost the once lustrous economic base we once had. We have watched industry leave with no replacement in sight. We need growth because without it we are continuing to retrogress, and we are loosing the young people who will make up our County’s future. Growth economically and financially will be my main focus.” 

What do you feel are your qualifications? “I am the owner of LaBelle Salon & Day Spa in North Wilkesboro and have been for six years now. As a business owner you learn to work with a set budget to help funds be allocated to the most appropriate designated places. I understand the needs as a citizen of our county who personally faces some of the economic challenges we have in Wilkes with the loss of jobs. Close family members of mine have been effected recently in negative ways with job loss and I want to help make a difference.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “If elected I plan to immediately consult with the Economic Growth Commission and try to help in conjunction with them plan goals to help reverse the growth situation we are currently facing.”

Eddie Dean Settle (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “I am seeking reelection as a Wilkes County Commissioner because I love the county in which I was born and raised, and would like to continue serving and being a voice for the citizens of Wilkes.  As an incumbent, my record proves I can get things accomplished. During my terms we have never raised, but have actually lowered taxes, while funding all the needs of the county. We have managed to raise our per student funding significantly.  We, current Commissioner Board, are in the process of opening EMS Sub Stations in the outer lying areas of the county to achieve a 10 minute response time to calls. The Commissioners also recently passed a Fire Department Substation Assistance Program.  Financially, Wilkes is one of the strongest in the state, maintaining a 38-40 percent fund balance.  During my next term, I plan to focus on Economic Development and make it a priority for Wilkes County’s growth and improvement.”

What do you feel are your qualifications? “From the private sector, I have owned and operated a small business and made payroll.  I understand economics and management and working with people.  I have been involved in my community in various capacities. I am the Founder of the East Wilkes Youth Football Organization and coached from 1994-2018.  Presently, I serve as a Board Member on the Blue Ridge Youth Football Board. I am a Board Member of the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital Foundation. I am a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and have served on various committees within the church. I am involved and care about my church and community.  I am an active Ordained Deacon, a member of the Brotherhood, and presently serve on the Finance Committee of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. I was first elected as Wilkes County Commissioner in 2012 and still proudly serve in that capacity. I have learned valuable information and have a greater understanding and knowledge of what is involved in the decisions that impact our county.  I have also connected with numerous businesses and people in and out of Wilkes County, especially in agriculture, which has helped to place Wilkes as 5th in the sate in total Agriculture. During my terms in office as Commissioner, I have served on various committees including: North Carolina Agriculture Steering Committee - Chairman 2014- present, North Carolina Cattleman’s Association – Member, Wilkes County Republican Party – Vice Chairman four years 2008-2012, Fire Department Commissioner, Economic Development, Social Services, Library Board, Airport Board.”

What are your immediate plans in office if re-elected? “To work toward getting pad ready sights for economic development.  We are all aware of the need for economic growth in Wilkes.  Over the years we have had jobs leave Wilkes County for various reasons, yet we are slow recuperating from our losses.  This is an issue that desperately needs s focus. Discussing and considering options for the North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Continue to support building EMS substations in outer lying areas of the county, for a goal of 10 minute emergency response time. Supporting our schools and sheriff’s department with necessary funding, while keeping taxes down and maintaining a reasonable fund balance.”

William G. Sexton (Republican)

Why are you seeking office? “I am a Christian. I serve as a Deacon, and Chairman of Deacons at my church; Victory Baptist Church. It is my desire to help my fellow man, and improve his quality of life, as it should be the desire of all Christians. I have been and remain an active Fireman/First Responder with 44 years of service at Mountain View Fire Department. I also serve as President of the Board of Directors, at Mountain View Fire Department. I am retired (2008) from UPS, after 30 years of employment. I worked as a Paramedic with Wilkes County EMS from 2008-2014. I maintain my Paramedic certification with the State of North Carolina, and continue to work, as needed, with EMS, and teach Medical Responder/EMT Continuing Education through Wilkes Community  College. I also work, part time, for Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.”

What do you feel are your qualifications?  “My life has been, for the most part, dedicated to serving my community and county. I want to continue to service my county, as a Commissioner. I feel that I possess the wisdom and experience needed for leadership. My service, on various boards, including working with and managing budgets, along with the fiscal responsibility involved, has provided me with that experience. As I mentioned, I have been President of the Board of Directors for 13 years at Mountain View Fire Department. During that time, we have operated within our means, as we continue to grow and improve. My intention is to bring these same principals and skills to the office of County Commissioner. I am cognizant of the fact that we are spending the money that you all work hard for, and must spend it wisely, while continuing to improve the quality of life for Wilkes County citizens.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “As many of you know, the economic status of Wilkes County has recently fallen from a Tier 2 to a Tier 1 designation. If elected, I will work to bring us back to an acceptable rating. My intention, if elected, is to hit the ground running, to work at an aggressive pace, addressing the problem of economic depression, job creation, and recruitment of business, both industrial and small business. Improvement of infrastructure, that lures new businesses and making our county a more desirable place to be, is very important to me. I understand, that recruiting more restaurants and recreational amenities, will provide our young families with more options, so that they don’t have to travel out of the county for these things. I also plan to work to continue to improve our schools, and keep our educational system, state of the art. Lastly, I am determined to bring pressure to bear on DOT to clean the trash from our highways. We have a beautiful county to be proud of. Thank you for your continued support in my campaign.”

Chalma W. Hunt (Democrat)

Why are you seeking office? “I am seeking the office of County Commissioner to bring a fresh, diverse voice to the Board.  I believe Wilkes County is a wonderful place to live, but we are currently challenged by a lack of employment opportunities with attractive salaries, fun and safe extracurricular options for our teens and young adults, viable public transportation options, services and activities for seniors, and a broader variety of retail and shopping venues.  Improvements in these areas would not only serve the needs of our current residents and boost our economy but has the potential to attract new residents to Wilkes County.”

What do you feel are your qualifications? “I bring over 20 years of progressive experience in Human Resources, in support of federal government contracts.  This has allowed me the opportunity to serve and collaborate with individuals from various backgrounds and education and professional levels. I’ve worked with teams to successfully plan, organize and develop strategies, to write winning proposals, to implement processes and procedures, and to improve overall services.”

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “My immediate plan will be to work diligently with the Board on any current proposals on the table.  Thereafter, my goal is to work to prioritize issues/concerns of Wilkes County citizens and assist in addressing those concerns. Though not always easily achieved, it should be our goal to achieve resolutions that are a win/win.  We are best served when we recognize, and accept, that views and beliefs may be different.  However, we can only be truly successful when we are willing to listen and consider perspectives different than our own.”

David Watkins (Democrat)

Why are you seeking office? “I think the current administration has forgotten what it means to serve.  I have seen things remain pretty much the same.  No work has been done to help small business and the current commissioners have done nothing to help bring new businesses to the county.  The county is lacking is the areas of employment, transportation, and infrastructure.”

What do you feel are your qualifications?  “I am a people person.  My 20-plus years in the Marine Corps means I can adjust to any situation.  I am very versatile.  Improvise, adapt, and overcome is what we do best in the Corps.  My tenure in the Corps also means I know my way around large and small budgets.  That along with my experience as a Project Manager and my education with Lean Six Sigma, coupled with fresh ideas; I am sure we can turn the economy and attitude of this county around.”     

What are your immediate plans in office if elected? “My immediate plans would be to work with the Wilkes ENC to search out an entity that would like to make Wilkes County their home and provide some new industry for the county.  I would also like to tackle the homeless situation in the county.”  

[flauntpage]

FSU at Gonzaga Odds: Line, Prediction, Betting Analysis

High-powered No. 1 seed Gonzaga used its prolific offense to rip through Fairleigh Dickinson and Baylor last weekend by a combined 50-point margin and, in the process, earned its fifth-consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. Awaiting them on Thursday night in Anaheim will be No. 4 seed Florida State, which just so happens to be the same team that ended the Bulldogs’ season in this very same round a season ago.

Spicy.

Gonzaga comes into this matchup with the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense (88.6 points per game), No. 1 field goal percentage (53.2%), and top two-point shooting percentage (66.2%), all while limiting opponents to a 38.7% field goal percentage. There’s a reason Gonzaga outscores its opponents by nearly 23.8 points per game. That, and, well, they play in the WCC. Sorry. The truth hurts.

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That slight aside, there’s no doubt Mark Few’s squad is one of the best all-around teams in the country and looks poised to advance to both the Elite Eight and beyond. The Bulldogs are an experienced and talented team, one that is also getting terrific play from forward Brandon Clarke. The junior transfer leads the country with a nearly 70% field goal percentage and is coming off a monstrous performance against Baylor in which he dropped 36 points, but the Gonzaga attack by no means is a one-man show. Rui Hachimura, Zach Norvell Jr., and Josh Perkins provide the Bulldogs with terrific scoring depth and balance.

Still, if there is a team in this tournament that feels they can stop Gonzaga, it’s probably the Seminoles. Florida State has faced plenty of tough competition having played loaded ACC schedule and its hallmark length and athleticism often causes headaches for opponents–even ones that are seemingly equipped to deal with it. The Seminoles are allowing only 67 points per game and opponents are shooting only 40.7% from the floor and 45.5% on two-point attempts, good for the nation’s 31st and 23rd   lowest opponent shooting percentages, respectively. Florida State is also among the best rebounding teams in the country and will provide a physical test rarely encountered by the Bulldogs during the regular season.

Trends

Gonzaga has been a profitable performer against the spread overall this season going 22-13 ATS and 21-12 ATS as a favorite. The Bulldogs are also 2-0 ATS when favored between 5.5 to 9.5 points. Florida State, meanwhile, is 3-4 overall as an underdog, but a brutal 1-4 straight up when favored by seven points or more.

It’s difficult not to look at the performance of No. 1 seeds in the Sweet 16 and think that Florida State could pull off an upset for the second straight season. When No. 1 seeds are favored in the Sweet 16, such teams are 38-8 SU and 24-21-1 ATS. What’s more, since the 2014 NCAA Tournament, No. 1 seeds that are also favored are an impressive 14-0 SU and 11-2-1 ATS.  But wait? Wouldn’t a No. 1 seed always be favored in the Sweet 16? Nope. In 2014, Michigan State was a short favorite over No. 1 seed Virginia and won outright.

What can we make of the point spread? No. 1 seeds favored by seven points or more in Sweet 16 games are 19-1 straight up and 12-8 ATS since the 2005 tournament. More specifically, when a No. 1 seed is favored by at least seven points over a No. 4 seed in Sweet 16 games, those teams are 7-0 SU and 5-2 ATS. One more thing: Gonzaga 3-0 ATS when favored between 7 to 10.5 points.

Prediction

While Florida State is one of the most underappreciated teams in the nation, Gonzaga is arguably its most complete. Given the dominant performance of No. 1 seeds in the Sweet 16, particularly when generously favored, and the revenge factor at play here, I like the Bulldogs to advance to the Elite Eight and also cover the spread.

The post FSU at Gonzaga Odds: Line, Prediction, Betting Analysis appeared first on Crossing Broad.

FSU at Gonzaga Odds: Line, Prediction, Betting Analysis published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[junker-town]

Nigel Williams-Goss is the biggest reason this Gonzaga team can be different

The Zags have had great point guards, but none of them could do what NWG can do.

Nigel Williams-Goss is the best player on what might prove in the next two weeks to be college basketball’s best team. He should be a megastar, but he’s mounted one of the quietest National Player of the Year campaigns in recent memory. That’s because his Gonzaga Bulldogs play in the WCC and at such a late hour that East Coasters are usually fast asleep while Williams-Goss is on the floor.

Whatever anonymity Williams-Goss has played under will end this weekend. He’ll lead Gonzaga into a Sweet 16 game against Thursday on West Virginia (7:39 p.m. ET, TBS), and he’ll be squarely in a national spotlight. His audience will like what it sees.

Williams-Goss has been superb. In 32 minutes per night, he’s averaged 16.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.7 steals. He’s made 90 percent of his free throws. He’s not an elite shooter from the field, where his effective field goal percentage is a fine but ordinary 55 percent. He’s not a human highlight reel like some of the other elite point men in the field: UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Kentucky’s Malik Monk, and Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr.

Williams-Goss will grind to find efficiency, though. With free throws factored in, his true shooting percentage is an excellent 61 percent. By offensive rating, an overall efficiency measure that factors in playmaking and rebounding, he’s in the top 100 nationally.

He isn’t in the handful of top offensive threats in the sport, but he’s nonetheless an elite scorer who has to face top defenders all the time.

In the past, Gonzaga’s had great guards with serious athletic limitations.

Mark Few has made 18 NCAA tournaments in 18 years leading this program. In all 18, his teams have fallen short. Dumb luck plays a part in a streak like that; some years, you’ll play a bad game at the wrong time, and that’s that. But Gonzaga has always had a structural problem, too, in that it hasn’t had elite, athletic guards.

Gonzaga’s had a lot of great guards, of course. But those guards haven’t been top-level athletes, and when they’ve had to go against the four- and five-star recruits of the world in the tournament, they’ve often been overmatched. Some of them have put up decent scoring games, but the position’s been a frequent disadvantage.

Kevin Pangos was a four-year contributor and WCC player of the year in 2015. It did him no good when he lined up across from Duke’s Tyus Jones in the Elite Eight. Pangos went 2-of-8 and had four points and no assists in 40 minutes on the floor. Jones also played a full 40 minutes and had 15 and six. Pangos wasn’t quick enough to guard him or get away from him, and it was a huge factor in a 66-52 clunker.

Few has developed a bunch of other point guards who have become good or great WCC players. Dan Dickau and Derek Raivio, the WCC’s players of the year in 2002 and 2007 respectively, come to mind. They weren’t top-flight athletes.

The national champion starting lead guards in those years were Maryland’s Juan Dixon and Florida’s Taurean Green. Those were athletes. That’s not a coincidence. (Maryland’s point guard was Steve Blake, but Dixon, like Gonzaga’s guards, drove the offense.)

Williams-Goss doesn’t have the same limitations as his predecessors.

He’s a former McDonald’s All-American with athleticism coming out of his ears. He can beat other athletic point guards off the dribble. He can defend whomever. Williams-Goss is a WCC player of the year whose game wears well against the best athletes, too.

Gonzaga didn’t land him out of high school. Williams-Goss spent his first two collegiate seasons playing for Lorenzo Romar’s Washington, and he was a top scorer both years. He transferred to Gonzaga after the Huskies’ season ended in 2015. He had to sit an NCAA-mandated eligibility year, which he apparently used to make himself a lot better.

Williams-Goss was good at Washington, but he’s miles better now. He had bouts with volume shooting at Washington, but his shooting splits have gotten a lot better with the Zags. Most striking is that 90 percent foul shooting, which had been in the 70s. His three-point shooting, never a great strength, is still just OK.

His turnover rate is a career low. His fouls called per 40 minutes is also a low, while his fouls drawn are a career high. He spends much, much more time at the foul line than he used to, so he can put his marksmanship to use.

My favorite part of Williams-Goss’ game is the way he draws a crowd. He’s a good ball-handler and he’s quick, and he likes to shoot from close to the basket. (He makes 55 percent of his two-point shots and draws a lot of fouls.) The prettiest thing Williams-Goss does is bend defenses into him, then kick out to one of Gonzaga’s shooters.

That highlight came against former team Washington, with future No. 1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz among the players failing to do anything about Williams-Goss.

Williams-Goss is the biggest reason this Gonzaga team can be different.

If he’s not the best player on the floor, he’s up there. He doesn’t get overwhelmed by more talented players like someone with lesser skill might.

Gonzaga has had wonderful WCC players over the years, plus a couple of NBA-caliber bigs and wings. But it hasn’t had a guard like Nigel-Williams Goss.