Article by Bill Bradley

[EarleHornet]

Most of you probably won't like reading this article.

http://sacstatesports.com/2012/02/26/this-season-was-building-block-for-future-hornets-mens-basketball/#more-3319" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

Pretty spot on analysis. Once the kids finally started listening to coach, they started executed and winning. Garrity is an absolute stud! What a needle in the haystack he is. This team has the potential to make a good run next year IF they stay healthy and LISTEN to coach.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

.....and stay in school. The turnover in the program is startling. There needs to be more vetting before a scholly is offered. Maybe Katz should do what Campbell does for tennis, recruit Europeans who want to be here and will take advantage of the opportunity offered them.

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

.....and stay in school. The turnover in the program is startling. There needs to be more vetting before a scholly is offered. Maybe Katz should do what Campbell does for tennis, recruit Europeans who want to be here and will take advantage of the opportunity offered them.

I think there is a lot of vetting done. But the fact is in recruiting a coach can only get such limited amounts of time in person around a kid. Sure they can do background phone calls, etc, but you really don't get to know someone until you are around them constantly face to face. And with us not getting a shot at any real blue-chippers, we get a lot of leftovers or hope to find one's who fall through the cracks: Garrity, etc.

 

[SDHornet]

Interesting article by Bradley. There is a lot I agree and disagree with.

Throw out Katz’s first three seasons as Hornets coach; 2011-12 should be considered his first season as Hornets coach. That’s because the just concluded 10-victory season will be known as the real baseline for Katz’s teams.

This is just ridiculous and insulting. I agree this his first season shouldn’t be held against him (he was hired late into the recruiting season and just found bodies to fill out a roster in his first class) but to say his 2nd and 3rd year shouldn’t be held against him is absurd. This season is very comparable to Katz’ second year. In his second year (2009-10), the Hornets won 9 games (2 of them non-D1) and had some key returning players going into season 3 (2010-11). This season is very comparable in that the Hornets won 10 games (2 of them non-D1) and will return more key players for next season. I use his second season as the baseline, why season 4 should be considered the baseline and the previous 2 seasons shouldn’t be considered is just inaccurate. The only glaring difference between season 2 and 4 are BSC wins (2 vs 5).

All of those factors show the Hornets now understand Katz’s system. They get what he’s trying to teach. And his demanding style is producing more results than Jenkins, who seemed to subscribe to the Guy Lewis School of basketball – throw the ball on the court and watch the kids play pickup games during practice.

I agree Jenkins had no real strategy or coaching acumen when it came to X’s and O’s, but his style produced more results than Katz’ over a comparable time frame. Here is the side by side comparison of the two results of the coaching styles:
Jenkins: ’00-’08 Record: 80-147 (37-81 BSC)

• • 2000-01: 5-22 (2-14)
  • 2001-02: 9-19 (3-11)
  • 2002-03: 12-17 (5-9)* BSC Tournament Win
  • 2003-04: 13-15 (7-7)* BSC Tournament Appearance
  • 2004-05: 12-16 (8-6)* BSC Tournament Appearance
  • 2005-06: 15-15 (5-9)* BSC Tournament Win
  • 2006-07: 10-19 (5-11)
  • 2007-08: 4-24 (4-14)

Katz: ’08-Pres Record: 28-87 (13-49 BSC)

• • 2008-09: 2-27 (1-15)
  • 2009-10: 9-21 (3-13)
  • 2010-11: 7-21 (4-10)
  • 2011-12: 10-18 (5-11)

Jenkins had the Hornets in the BSC Tournament 2 times in his first 4 years, and one of those appearances featured a BSC Tournament win. Conversely in Katz’ 3rd and 4th year the Hornets started BSC play with a stellar 0-8 run, meaning they were almost out of it half way through conference play.

In case you don’t remember, Sac State basketball had hit rock bottom when Jenkins was let go after a 4-24 season. His teams were undisciplined, his rotations were unpredictable and his recruiting was unproductive. The cupboard was so bare that Katz had to fill a 2008-09 roster with junior-college transfers just to win two games.

This whole statement is filled with fail. I’d consider Katz’ first season rock bottom (2-27) for this program but again I don’t hold that against him, after all one of those wins was against the farm extension. While Bradley was at the Sac Bee ignoring Hornet athletics, he is obviously unaware of the talent Jenkins recruited to this program and the excitement on campus that resulted from it. Pugh, Bausley, Freeman, Harris, Leath…the list of exciting and talented players is long and distinguished. The excitement these guys generated was so high that it resulted in a student approved on-campus events center that unfortunately never found funding. The Nest was constantly filled and loud, both of which rarely occur under Katz' brand of hoops.

I also seem to remember Katz inheriting a couple of Jenkins carry-overs who had solid Hornet careers and solid contributions for both coaches (Leath & Eller) so the cupboard wasn’t complete bare as Bradley mistakenly claims. A little research into the program history and performance would have been worth the time before spouting off such inaccuracies about the previous regime.

Katz said his recruiting priorities include two post players to replace senior Josh McCarver and departed Walter Jackson. and wants two “slasher/scorers” to fill the four scholarships he has open. He would enjoy it if one of those scorers was a point guard because he wants to get Garrity more rest. Plus, the Hornets should have a healthy Joe Estrada back for his senior season after playing most of this season with a severe foot injury.

Next season hinges on a solid recruit class this off season. There are some good players returning next season but I wouldn’t expect a big difference in results next season if Katz fails on the recruiting trail. Defense needs to be addressed, the Hornets are just giving up too much here and we saw that when Jackson left the team. As Bradley pointed out, depth at center will be needed as well. I’ll go into more detail when I release my hoops season recap in the coming weeks.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

I sure wish I had a pacifier for four years in my job to get my numbers up and showing improvement.

Until the program is run like a business and not a welfare, state-run, no accountability mentality, we will always suffer as Hornets fans.

I guess I should come to the conclusion that the program will never be run like a business and I should just give up now. When the taxpayers are paying 90+% of the funding, substandard runs rampant.

 

[The Green Hornet]

With the players we have returning, Katz needs to get them to at least .500, both in conference and overall. If he can't, then we should start looking around for someone else, but I don't think the A.D will becuz of the contract. Next season we have the addition of North Dakota and Southern Utah, so that makes 20 conference games. I've heard that the post season tournament will include the first seven teams only and the tourney will be held all at one site (whoever wins the conference hosts it). That probably means only the conference champ gets a first round bye and #2 will have to play #7 in the first round. The Big Sky's getting tougher, so we need to get a lot better!

 

[lleath]

Being a past Sac St. player, now alumnus, and an overall Hornet athletics supporter. I would love for the team to get a chance to play in a better arena, whether on campus, Power Balance, or the new one in which is planned to be built downtown. I just feel that it would be able to help the program in so many different ways and I am just waiting for the program to be a contender for the Big Sky Championship every year. I feel Katz knows what he is doing and knows what it takes; we just have to be patient and do our part as Hornet supporters. Even though I am done playing here I still feel as if I should do anything in my power to help get the program where it needs to be. Whether if that means helping out in practices and off season workouts, help targeting recruits, whatever it takes.........I just want to see our program be where I know it could be and that's contending for league titles as well as berths to the NCAA tourney...........

Sincerely,

A fellow alumnus & past player

 

[SDHornet]

Welcome to the board Leath, great first post. :thumb:

 

[The Green Hornet]

Loren, it's good to hear that you are still around here and supporting the team. We have an enormous problem to overcome tho even if we get to the top of the conference. If we stay at the Nest, we'll never be able to grow the kind of support a program needs to be viable and legitimate.

What if we had a game on the line like Montana and Weber St did on Tuesday, for the conference championship? More than 7,100 fans showed up for that game in Missoula! We can't even "dream" of getting a crowd like that here cuz everyone knows there's no room, but for 1,400. A lot of basketball fans that might of wanted to attend such a game, wouldn't even bother here cuz they know they couldn't get in. That automatically is a damper on our program and what a shame that would be to waste an excellent opportunity to showcase the program and gain more support. Heck, 2,500 fans showed up when we played at Idaho St the other night. Sac St wouldn't know what to do with that many fans!

This program could certainly be a lot better in more ways than one, but I think the players and coaches are trying their best; now the administration needs to make a concerted effort to allow us to grow and be successful by getting us into a much nicer and larger facility - and soon - so we can get more fan support.

 

[lleath]

Hey I agree with you 110% I really do think the program needs an arena hands down. Also speaking from a students perspective, it needs to be on campus as well. The student section at the games now that we do have are really the underclassmen mostly freshmen and transportation is usually a problem. I know my freshman year i stayed in the dorms and did not have a car yet and neither did a lot of my fellow freshmen so it was easy to attend football and basketball games when you can just walk across the street. I feel honestly the parking lot across the street from the football stadium would be perfect for a 6,000 seat arena, that way if only 2,500 people show up it would not look as bad. We still have to remember what school we are at and 6,000 seats are way more than enough for us and we would be able to get some big time mid-majors in the building. We can bring in the likes of St.Marys, Nevada, BYU, Gonzaga,Creighton etc. and those would be games that people would come out to see and we actually have a shot to get a win. If the basketball team can just get the same amount of fans as the avg. football game which is about idk 45000 that would give a great home court advantage. Just like Montana & Webber have & trust me even though i had couple of good games in those places it is tough to play there and that helps them win those close games & we need that here.