Gonzaga’s offense improving, rotation tweaks coming? | Zags Insiders Podcast

Gonzaga last week put together its highest scoring back-to-back games since the early portion of its West Coast Conference schedule.

The Zags’ 83-53 rout over Washington State and 94-86 victory over Santa Clara looked like a replay of their wins over the Cougars (86-65) and the Broncos (89-77) roughly a month ago.

Graham Ike continued his scoring surge and teammates pitched in as GU returned to the top spot in the WCC heading into Wednesday’s date with San Francisco at Chase Center.

Former Gonzaga center Richard Fox and yours truly discussed the offensive efficiency and possible tweaks to the starting five/rotation in the latest Zags Insiders Podcast.

Here are a few excerpts, edited for space considerations. The entire podcast can be found at https://youtu.be/xyaA6_jgtzk or https://www.spokesman.com/podcasts/zags-basketball-insiders/.

Offense finds rhythm

Meehan: Ike just took over that first half (vs. SCU). What’s impressive is what happened in the second half. Santa Clara did even more to try to take him away, almost immediate double teams, one where he got it, surveyed for half a second, Tyon Grant-Foster cut right down the middle, the help defender (Elijah) Mahi couldn’t get there and (Allen) Graves couldn’t get back to Foster (after doubling).

Santa Clara has an inside presence but not like Ike. Nobody in the league has that kind of presence inside on the offensive end. When they tried to take him away, it opened up a lot of room for others.

The Zags also can throw it to Grant-Foster, Davis Fogle, Mario Saint-Supery. Foster just took it to the rim. They have the ability to beat you off the bounce. Santa Clara does to some degree, but not the numbers that Gonzaga has to create their own with the aircraft carrier in the middle in Ike.

Best the offense has looked since (Braden Huff’s) injury nine games ago. Sixty-six paint points – that’s almost impossible.

Fox: If you go on the road and shoot 3 of 18 from 3, you have to rebound the ball and protect the ball. They did both of those things really well – plus nine on the glass, only nine turnovers.

Twenty-two assists on 36 baskets. We’ve been talking about that trend going in the wrong direction, it just felt like a lot of one-on-one basketball, a bit disjointed. You didn’t see that (against SCU). It was a really impressive adjustment at halftime. When you have the others – which is how I describe the others (beside Ike) – step up, it makes it very difficult when have a guy as good as Graham. He draws so much attention and energy, you as an other are going to have an opportunity to make plays.

It’s helpful that you have Adam Miller probably having his best game as a Zag. What I liked about his adjustment is he’s not just living on the 3-point line. He’s made a real effort to attack with a cut, with dribble drive and he has that little floater.”

Lineup maneuvers?

Fox: I leave (Braeden) Smith to start. Mario is more talented, he’s more dynamic. Smith has generally been more consistent and stable, which you expect for a more mature, older player. When you have a young guard like Mario, I think you want to put more of your eggs in that basket but not all of them.

I would start Grant-Foster (with Jalen Warley battling a thigh bruise). With how explosive he is and how active he is defensively and around the rim, blocking shots and rebounding, I like that. He puts a lot of foul pressure on teams. He’s just a tough matchup and I think he could play with Ike.

I like the spark that is Warley off the bench. We’re both big fans and can see that Jalen is an impact player even though he’s not a big scorer. But if they don’t do any of those things I think they’re going to be fine.

Meehan: Mario played the whole second half (Saturday). He’s having a nice stretch here. The key with that is, much like with Miller, he’s giving them a little scoring punch, a guy that can beat somebody on his own, come around the ball screen and get things done, hit that 3-ball and they really need that. It’s confounding to score 83 vs. WSU and 94 against Santa Clara (while shooting 6 of 31 on 3s), it just shows how good they are in every other aspect.

Steele (Venters) will probably have to work his way back in, probably have to hit the 3-ball a little more consistently. If Miller plays like that (vs. SCU), if Emmanuel Innocenti plays like that, put it this way: They didn’t give much reason to take them out.

Grant-Foster, Fogle, you’ve got options (at the ‘4’) and just try to get Warley ready for when you have to have him.