Preseason Discussion

Five topics to consider heading into regular season 

After playing two games this preseason, there's a lot to discuss in regards to this season's Santa Cruz Warriors team.  Here are five topics of discussion before the team hits the court opening night this Friday against the Austin Toros.

Early Offensive Struggles

The Warriors have trouble finding a rhythm on offense early in both preseason games.  In each game they shot 36 and 35.7 percent to end the first quarter.  They found the answer late in the second quarter in both games, but sooner or later the early struggles will make things difficult for this team and they won't be able to climb out of every hole. 

Rebounding Success

Despite being outsized both games, the Warriors found a way to crash the boards and hustle for loose balls.  They won the rebound battle against Bakersfield Sunday 51-49 while coming up short against Reno 40-45.  The Warriors did give up 23 second-chance points to Bakersfield, giving up 20 offensive rebounds to the Jam.

NBA call-up Dewayne Dedmon accounted for over 25 percent of those rebounds, (27 in two games with Santa Cruz).  The question is, how will the Warriors find a way to fill the void at center with their tallest player leaving the club to join the team out of Oakland? 

Kevin Kotzur is Legitimate

At first glance, he doesn't look like your typical basketball player.  But after watching him play Sunday night, it's clear Kevin Kotzur, aka The Big Fundamental, is a no-nonsense basketball player who is able to contribute on a nightly basis.  Shooting 90 percent from the field (9 of 10), Kotzur owned Bakersfield on the low post position with spin-moves and hook shots.  He's not a flashy basketball player, but he's a left-handed workhorse that will create problems for any team the Warriors face. 

Free-Throw Shooting Needs Work

The Warriors have shot just over 75 percent from the charity stripe in both contests.  A number that can use some improvement, especially in tight ballgames where a point or two can make the difference between a victory and a loss.  Cameron Jones put his free-throw ability to the test Sunday night, sinking two critical shots late in the game to seal it for Santa Cruz.

Assistance Required

The Warriors struggled with their transition defense early on against Bakersfield Sunday night.  They missed assignments and rotated slowly early on in the game, allowing Bakersfield to jump out to an early lead.  The Warriors found their rhythm eventually and with several stops on defense finished the first half with a 17-4 run after tightening up on defense and not overplaying the perimeter which led to easy buckets inside for the Jam. 

It's another sign of a sluggish start for the team, which could come down to chemistry, but more importantly, the team only began training camp just 11 days ago.  There is a lot for a team to accomplish in a short amount of time, and it shows as the Warriors had 12 steals compared to four for Reno last Thursday.

Training camp cuts should be announced in the next day or so, and we'll have a better picture of the team coach Hill has put together.  The Warriors open up against the Austin Toros Friday at 7:30 p.m..