Lance Ware

nickhorvathsuxazz

All-American
Jul 21, 2015
5,777
8,938
0
I like Ware, and think he'll continue to get better as he matures, but, he kind of set the tone on our free-throw shooting with those first 2 bricks he threw up. After the first one banked off the board w/out touching the rim you could see in his eyes that he was scared to death at the line. You could tell he wasn't thinking "I'll knock these down" but rather "Let it be close enough that it doesn't embarrass me"
 

Yardeth

Heisman
Jan 2, 2007
13,505
17,787
67
I see him getting better each game and he does mix it up in the middle. He is getting a lot of experience and will continue to get time during the SEC season. I see him helping a lot next year, and we have to play with what we have on the team.
 

ukwazoo

All-Conference
Sep 8, 2001
11,317
3,991
0
He only averages 7 mins a game. Need more time than that to improve
 
Jan 3, 2003
145,534
15,709
0
I think he has played well the past couple of times out. Last 3 games, 28min, 11reb, 1 st, 2 blk, 4 pts.
Just accept he is not a threat on offense, but he gives us decent defense, rebounding, and toughness.
I think he is as good or maybe better than a number of past backup C's (Orton, Vargas, Humphries).
He is a role player, and it's ok to have a few of those.

But yeah, he needs to spend every waking moment shooting FTs.

On the season, his per-30-min stats are 8.2 pts, 8.7 reb, 2.7 blk. Those aren't bad (scoring could be higher)
For reference, WCS as a FR was 10.6, 7.9, 2.6 and as a Soph was 8.6, 7.7, 3.6, and even as a Jr was 10.3, 7.4, 2.0
 
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FanofUK

All-Conference
Feb 7, 2006
904
1,546
0
I just do not understand how a 5 star basketball player (this is what you do and have always done) cannot make 1 out of 4 free throws. Like, you should be in there shooting till your fingers bleed.
 

mhroe1984

Heisman
Dec 16, 2007
14,060
10,627
0
Look I don't want to dump on the kid but it's scary that he is our backup center.With Oscar out we are doomed and I don't understand why Cal didn't get a better option.He's weak and overwhemed and his free throw shooting reminds me of Andre Riddick.

Seems like a good kid and plays hard, but he has no skills whatsoever.
 
Mar 13, 2004
14,745
12,925
0
I think he has played well the past couple of times out. Last 3 games, 28min, 11reb, 1 st, 2 blk, 4 pts.
Just accept he is not a threat on offense, but he gives us decent defense, rebounding, and toughness.
I think he is as good or maybe better than a number of past backup C's (Orton, Vargas, Humphries).
He is a role player, and it's ok to have a few of those.

But yeah, he needs to spend every waking moment shooting FTs.
Yeah, dude plays hard and is not at all bad on the defensive end. Totally solid reserve center on defense. But my god he's one of the worst imaginable on the offensive end. If he's touching the ball on anything other than an uncontested dunk he's likely going to put up a horrible shot or turn it over.
 

Thunder Mash

All-American
Apr 28, 2019
4,121
6,877
113
IMO, he's too short to provide much of a shot blocking threat around the rim, but he's too big and slow to guard anyone he switches onto. No offensive threat, and he fouls a lot.

If he makes it to senior year, hopefully he adds some sort of move to his offensive repertoire. I think he can be good in time. Right now, he's a major paint clogger.
 

TopCatCal

Heisman
Dec 10, 2012
5,483
21,435
0
Look I don't want to dump on the kid but it's scary that he is our backup center.With Oscar out we are doomed and I don't understand why Cal didn't get a better option.He's weak and overwhemed and his free throw shooting reminds me of Andre Riddick.
Our bigs besides Oscar last night in the 2nd half. Brooks, Ware, Collins & Toppin I believe scored something like 2 or 3 points. And Calipari turned Kofi Cockburn down.
 
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willyclyde

All-American
Feb 25, 2007
5,917
8,898
0
He certainly should never be on the floor with two other bigs, yet he is for most of his minutes.
 

calismyhero

All-Conference
Jan 16, 2010
3,796
4,130
0
The kid plays with effort and heart every second he’s on the floor. I’ll never knock that. His free throw shooting isn’t as bad as he showed last night. We never know what these opposing fans taunt our guys with. And that place is one of the worst. Free throws are the easiest shot in the game. Gather yourself, take a couple of deep breaths, focus on the basket, dribble 3 times, shoot the ball. You don’t aim a basketball. You simply use your wrist. In my lifetime, I’ve shot a million free throws, you have to find your spot. The moment you look in the crowd or over at the opposing bench, means you have to start the process over again. He made some nice plays, he had some guards throwing him the ball in some bad situations, but he works. He can be on my team any time he wants.
 

Trinity45

All-American
Oct 26, 2005
3,378
5,247
113
Look I don't want to dump on the kid but it's scary that he is our backup center.With Oscar out we are doomed and I don't understand why Cal didn't get a better option.He's weak and overwhemed and his free throw shooting reminds me of Andre Riddick.
I like the kid but that free throw shooting has to improve, unfortunately we have a coach who doesn't spend time on Free Throws.
 
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W_Heisenberg

All-Conference
Aug 2, 2013
2,435
1,075
0
Cal tried to get backups they just went elsewhere - five star players don't want to be a backup.

I think the staff felt Collins would be a little further along but he's a year away from contributing.

Also it wasn't just Oscar's foul trouble that killed us - our starting PG was out most of the game and TyTy was hurt the last 10 game minutes.
 

K_TIME

Heisman
Jan 2, 2003
18,415
25,753
113
He plays pretty good defense and rebounds pretty well, but he brings pretty much nothing on the offensive end. He does give good effort, but that only gets you so far.
Yeah....this is how I see it.

- I think he's the best backup to Oscar on the team...Collins isn't ready to play defense and rebound. Ware is not bad at defense, he knows rotations, how to guard a high pick and roll, etc... Collins just is an easy basket right now when he's involved in live ball screens and his length hasn't translate yet to block shots and defensive presence.

The problem iwht Ware is on the other end of court. He's pretty useless in all phases offensively. No post up game, no face up game and no dribbling ability. And then the FT fiasco further diminishes him.

We can't scream at Cal for not having any experience as their is a role for a guy like Ware....but Ware has apparently put in zilch time in shooting. To me, Lance Ware is a replica of Sheray Thomas early on....maybe he'll develop some face up shooting as a Jr/Sr.
 

Jacket4

Senior
Sep 18, 2008
499
586
0
Ware is fine, he is a kid who clearly has benefitted from being the tallest kid on the court from a young age. Now he is learning how to actually play ball and it will take time. Crazy we may have to wait for a sophomore to reach his potential haha.
One thing about ware, he is going to give it his all with the minutes given. He is a good back up center someone who is not ready for extended minutes yet. Not every 5star is the same
 

StubbornPenny

All-American
Nov 2, 2009
10,562
9,892
0
Guys, Lance suffers from Basketball Amensia. He goes to bed every night and completely forgets what basketball even is. When he wakes up each morning, he has to completely relearn the entire concept before the game that day. Considering all that, he does pretty good!
 

Runnin'Ramel

Heisman
Jan 19, 2005
35,667
13,527
113
He's an energy guy who should play limited minutes. It is what it is. So, to rely on him as a back-up big man when Oscar has 2 fouls is just terrifying. Cal dropped the ball filling out the roster behind Oscar.
 

bbnkat02

Heisman
Nov 14, 2017
47,700
71,064
113
Seems like a good kid and plays hard, but he has no skills whatsoever.
We said the same about Richards. A lot. Turned out t9 be a solid player for us. Just took time. Maybe that’s Ware.
 

jof2

Senior
Dec 31, 2002
815
791
93
He should never be thrown the ball in a position where he has to drive around someone to get a bucket. Last night TyTy gave him the ball like that in B2B possessions. In Traffic. UGH.
He should not be posting up. He should shoot layups, dunks and free throws.
 
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Jul 11, 2007
27,222
34,299
0
He should not be posting up. He should shoot layups, dunks and free throws.
That's the thing. Both of those instances were either transition or down-slides from high post to low post. TyTy should have reversed the ball in both cases. Learn from the film and move on.
 
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UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
I just want the dude to fix that hair. He's worn it 10 different ways, each one worse than the last.

Yeah, I know. I'm petty.
I know it seems silly and petty ….and may make us seem like old fogies… but I do know what you’re talking about. WTF is up with the new weird hairstyle every week?

Today’s young men are oddly obsessed with their hair.
 
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notFromhere

Heisman
Sep 7, 2016
22,797
67,776
113
Look I don't want to dump on the kid but

Uh huh

it's scary that he is our backup center.With Oscar out we are doomed and I don't understand why Cal didn't get a better option.He's weak and overwhemed and his free throw shooting reminds me of Andre Riddick.

Seems like you meant to dump on Lance Ware and little else