NFL
By: Kevin Lucas
The Arizona Wildcats are back exactly where the college basketball game needs them, at the top, with some of the best recruits/prospects in the world. After nearly two decades as an assistant coach next to Mark Few, Tommy Lloyd was more than ready to take that leap of faith, as he was surprisingly named the newest head coach at the University of Arizona in the Spring of 2021 after they fired Sean Miller. Fast-forward to present time and the Wildcats are arguably the best team in the country on both ends of the floor with their non-stop flow offense and relentless defensive intensity. Left with a ton of talent, Lloyd has maximized this roster as they are one of a few teams that are firmly in contention to cut down the nets in New Orleans at the end of the season.
The most undervalued aspect of this team is their trio of 7-footers between Christian Koloko, Azuolas Tubelis, and Oumar Ballo because of their ability to play alongside one another in a game that heavily favors guard play. Koloko and Ballo are more of traditional centers where they can anchor a defense, post-up, and knockdown mid-range shots while Tubelis is the key to this team’s engine due to the fact that he can play like an old-school center yet possesses the craftiness and vision of a point guard. Altogether this trio makes up one of, if not, the best frontcourt in all of college hoops making the game easier for themselves and especially their teammates. Right beside those big men located on the wing is one of the best players in the world, recently named Pac-12 Player of the Year, and straight from Montreal is Bennedict Mathurin. At 6’6 210lbs Mathurin has taken a tremendous leap from his freshman year to his sophomore season and will be a lottery pick in this year’s draft because quite honestly there is no real flaw to his game. Averaging 17.3 ppg and shooting 46% from the field doesn’t even come close to telling the full story of Mathurin’s game. When you watch him play you notice how he never forces shots, plays within the offense, clamps down on defense, and has next-level athleticism. The poise and maturity of his game is going to earn him plenty of money throughout his career wherever he ends up.
The point guard duo of Kerr Kriisa and Justin Kier is yet another interesting dynamic of this Zona squad because both guards are tough as nails. Kriisa as the starter of this team sets the table for his teammates, is a ballhawk on defense, and is not afraid at all to call his own number letting his shot fly from Steph Curry range. Kier on the other hand is a sixth-year senior who has been through the ringer of college basketball playing in any type of game you can imagine. Coming off of the bench Kier is a solid and steady point guard who does a little bit of everything and is one of the leaders of this team on and off the court. Arguably the most important player on this team is the ultimate glue guy and Phoenix’s own Dalen Terry. Need to slow down the other team’s best player? Call Dalen Terry. Both of Arizona’s point guards in foul trouble? Call Dalen Terry. Tommy Lloyd can literally ask Dalen Terry to do anything on the court and he’s going to come through for his coach and team. The only thing on his mind is winning and that’s exactly the type of player that helps you win games this time of year.
Even without Kerr Kriisa for their past couple of games, the Cats still managed to win the Pac-12 Conference Tournament Championship outlasting a tough UCLA squad to do so. The 2021-22 Arizona Wildcats 100% have championship DNA and have a real chance to put the cherry on top of Tommy Lloyd’s first season as the head coach down in Tuscon.
