51黑料网

By pumping in 25 points on Wednesday against Houston Baptist, Arizona Wildcats sophomore wing Brandon Randolph made it clear he鈥檚 jumped head-first into a completely different role this season.

Randolph averaged just 3.7 points and 11.6 minutes per game last season, a role player on a team that relied heavily on Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins for wing scoring.

鈥淏randon is a great example of an improved player,鈥� UA coach Sean Miller said. 鈥淎 lot of these guys practiced very hard a year ago they were playing against some great talent 鈥� They learned our system and then they followed that up with a very hard-working offseason.鈥�

But as the Wildcats wade into their final two home tuneups before the ultra-competitive Maui Invitational, hosting Cal Poly on Sunday afternoon and UTEP on Wednesday, just about everybody else is still settling into completely different roles.

Not only do the Wildcats have four new players plus newly eligible transfer Chase Jeter but also, because they lost all five starters, all returners are being asked to move up at least a bit. That even includes former walk-on Jake DesJardins, who was given a scholarship and is now serving emergency post player duties.

Junior Dylan Smith is the only returnee so far with a somewhat similar role 鈥� the top guard reserve 鈥� and even he鈥檚 added significant leadership and defensive responsibilities.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a little different,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淐oach Miller is expecting a few more things out of me, guarding the team鈥檚 other best player when I鈥檓 in, and just being more vocal. The leadership aspect is big.鈥�

Smith said fellow returnees Emmanuel Akot, Alex Barcello, Ira Lee and Randolph have all improved considerably, too.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e grown from last year and their roles are bigger so we're gonna need them to do good,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲hat Brandon is doing right now is great for our team and hopefully he鈥檒l continue to do it. Everybody is really contributing. It鈥檚 not that it wasn鈥檛 more of a team last year but it鈥檚 that everybody has a role and more people have bigger roles.鈥�

Here鈥檚 one look at how the Wildcats' individual roles break down, between what they had last season and what they are trying to jump into now:

Last season:聽Backup wing, averaging 11.6 minutes per game, the seventh-most on the roster. He scored in double figures four times, with 17 points in UA鈥檚 loss to Purdue in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

This season:聽Go-to guy and starter at small forward. Randolph played 31 minutes Wednesday and shot 8 for 12 from the field.

Miller said it:聽鈥淏randon Randolph is off to a tremendous start. The 25 points, that鈥檚 something we鈥檙e very happy about. I hope he gets 25 again on Sunday. There鈥檚 always things he can do better鈥� but Brandon is on the right track.鈥�

Last season:聽Played restricted minutes early in his high school senior season while returning from a knee injury, but finished with average of 24.7 points per game at Crespi High School.

This season:聽Do-it-all guy 鈥� the starting shooting guard, backup point guard and key scorer. Averaged 18.5 points over two exhibition games but had just 13 after making only 2 of 11 field goals against Houston Baptist.

Miller said it:聽鈥淏randon didn鈥檛 shoot the ball as well as he鈥檚 capable but he did not let that affects the other aspects of his game. I think he鈥檚 been very effective shooting.鈥�

Last season:聽Led the Southern Conference in assists (210) while averaging 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game for Samford.

This season:聽Heart-and-soul guy 鈥� the starting point guard and team co-captain. Has had 11 assists and seven turnovers collectively in UA鈥檚 two exhibition games and the regular-season opener.

Miller said it:聽鈥淛ustin is a tremendous person, off the court, in the locker room, on a daily basis. I haven鈥檛 been around too many people that I鈥檝e coached that are the same every day like him. He brings a smile to everybody, he鈥檚 just a great, great kid.鈥�

Last season:聽Led Pitt in scoring (12.7) and rebounding (10.1) over 10 early season games before sitting out the rest of the season with a stress reaction in his right foot. He received a medical redshirt waiver, and then decided to spent the additional season at Arizona after Pitt fired coach Kevin Stallings.

This season:聽Similar role, but in a different uniform. Expected to be a top frontcourt scoring threat who can stretch defenses with his 3-point shooting ability. Set a Miller-era UA record by bench-pressing 185 pounds 25 times.

Miller said it:聽鈥淗e鈥檚 been through a lot. He鈥檚 older, he鈥檚 stronger鈥� He can bring some things to the table to help us, strength and experience.鈥�

Last season:聽Sat out the required redshirt season after transferring from Duke, where he was a reserve player averaging 2.1 points and 2.2 rebounds over his two seasons.

This season:聽Co-captain and starting center... and only player on roster above 6-foot-9. Had first career double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) against Houston Baptist.

Miller said it:聽鈥淐hase is a really bright kid, maybe the best student we鈥檝e had. Very cerebral, thinks things through. He鈥檚 very, very mobile and the way he thinks is his strength.鈥�

Last season:聽Reserve forward who averaged 1.8 points and 10.4 minutes while appearing in only 31 of 25 games. After skipping senior season of high school and also battling knee tendinitis, didn鈥檛 become the defender Miller projected he would be in the preseason.

This season:聽Key reserve forward. Probably UA鈥檚 best frontcourt passer and has versatility to help in many areas, but may most often appear at power forward out of necessity. Had seven points and three rebounds against HBU.

Miller said it:聽鈥淚 compare Emmanuel to Solomon (Hill, who played both forward spots from 2009-10 to 2012-13) because they both have great instincts. They鈥檙e like playmakers and yet they鈥檙e not a point guard. Both guys had to improve as shooters. 鈥� His shooting is something he鈥檚 working hard on but he also brings a number of things to our table that will be valuable.鈥�

Last season:聽Reserve who appeared in 27 of 35 games. Did not play in seven late-season and Pac-12 Tournament games after suffering a concussion.

This season: Key聽reserve at center and power forward. Served a one-game suspension against HBU after being charged with super extreme DUI in August.

Miller said it:聽鈥淎lthough he didn鈥檛 play in the season opener 鈥� I wish we had him 鈥� he鈥檚 full-go and the role that he鈥檒l have on Sunday would have been the role that he would have had if he played in the first game.鈥�

Last season:聽Sixth man who started eight games. Averaged 14.6 minutes and 4.3 points while shooting 33.0 percent from 3-point range. He was hitting 3s at a 37.2-percent rate before missing all 11 long-range shots he took between the Pac-12 and NCAA Tournaments.

This season:聽Sixth man with at least more spot starts likely. Offensive role won鈥檛 change, though he now may be the team鈥檚 top perimeter defender.

Miller said it:聽鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of other aspects of the game he can really help us with and he鈥檚 done that. He鈥檚 been in our program for three years. That鈥檚 to his advantage. I also think Dylan wants to win.鈥�

Last season:聽Deep reserve guard. Barcello started last season as a backup point guard to Parker Jackson-Cartwright but rarely played significant minutes in Pac-12 games after suffering an ankle injury in December, with Miller more often sliding over Allonzo Trier to help out at the point.

This season:聽Reserve guard. Barcello is the team鈥檚 third point guard option behind Coleman and Williams, and one of several options on the wing. Miller has called him the team鈥檚 best shooter and, if that holds true, he鈥檒l get plenty of minutes on a team that needs outside shooting to overcome its lack of size.

Miller said it:聽鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 a negative at all that Alex didn鈥檛 play more (last season). We tried to put our best team on the court and it was a combination of talent and experience. But when you鈥檙e on a team like that, even though you don鈥檛 shine in games, you can really thrive in practice and you can grow.鈥�

Last season:聽Named honorable mention all-California by MaxPreps after averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as a senior at Birmingham High School in Lake Balboa.

This season:聽Deep reserve guard. Doutrive has intrigued with his athleticism and confidence, though it鈥檚 unclear if he can crack the regular rotation of a guard-heavy team.

Miller said it:聽鈥淧hysically, he鈥檚 like a young colt. The best is yet to come for him and you can almost see that. What we鈥檙e trying to do right now is get him better on defense and really try to get him to think about what role he can have.鈥�

Last season:聽DesJardins was walk-on practice player. He appeared in three games for a team that had Deandre Ayton, Dusan Ristic, Ira Lee, Keanu Pinder and Akot in the frontcourt.

This season:聽Received a scholarship and will play an emergency frontcourt role if needed because of player absences or foul trouble. Played five minutes against HBU with Lee suspended.

Miller said it:聽鈥淛ake embodies all the elements we want to have as a culture, on and off the court. Somebody who cares a lot about his teammates and winning, who comes to work every day, whether in practice, preparation for the upcoming team, in the weight room, off the court, offseason .. When you鈥檙e a walk-on (doing those things) and you鈥檙e paying your own way, that says even more about the character of Jake.鈥�