What to watch for in the Black and Gold Scrimmage

BOULDER — Basketball season is almost upon us.

While real games against real opponents are still a couple of weeks away, Colorado will hit the court on Saturday for a intra-squad scrimmage. The scrimmage is schedule f0r 10:30 a.m. (three hours before the football team kicks off against Arizona) at the CU Events Center. The event is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 9:45 a.m. Masks are required for attendees age 2 and older, regardless of vaccination status.

Here’s what to watch for as fans get their first opportunity to lay eyes on the 2021-22 Buffaloes:

Who scores the points?

This—at least on paper—will be the big question all year.

Colorado will be able to defend. The two returning starters on the roster, Elijah Parquet and Evan Battey, make their living on the defensive side of the ball. Head coach Tad Boyle’s calling card is strong, physical, man-to-man defense and he won’t play anybody who will be a liability on that side of the court.

But in order to win basketball games you have to score points.

So, who will score the points? Look to the forwards.

Sophomore Jabari Walker will be the focal point this season and, if he can stay away from foul trouble, he’s the favorite to lead the team in scoring.

And don’t sleep on Tristan da Silva. The lanky sharpshooter flashed a finesse game as a freshman that could be lethal moving forward. But most of the off-season was likely spent building strength so he can be more physical on the defensive end, but he projects as a lethal scorer… but who knows when he’ll take that step?

What do the point guards provide?

In case you’ve been living under a rock for six months, McKinley Wright IV is gone after four years and his departure opened up 35+ minutes per game at point guard.

Boyle has said he’s implementing a “three-headed monster” approach to the position, with Keeshawn Barthelemy probably starting ahead of true freshmen K.J. Simpson and Julian Hammond.

The primary objective for any point guard is running the offense and setting up the scorers around him, but the Buffs might need more of a scoring punch from the position this season. That’s something Barthelemy could be able to provide.

Last season, Barthlemy shot more threes per minute than anybody on the team except Maddox Daniels. The problem is that he barely made 30% of them.

Barthlelemy is a shooter and he’s going to keep shooting. If the shots fall, that’ll open up driving lanes for himself and create space for his teammates tp work too. Whether Barthelemy can get over the 35% mark from three will be a big question in determining what Colorado is capable of this season.

Fans will get their first look at the three-headed monster taking over the most important position on the court this Saturday. Talents exists but execution will be key.

Is Jabari Walker a show-stopper?

At the very least, Walker will provide shot-blocking, rebounding, rim-running and floor-spacing thanks to his 3-point shot (though expecting him to shoot better than 50% from deep again this year is unreasonable).

Obviously, that’s all a great starting point. But Walker is capable of so much more.

If Walker can stay on the floor—in other words, if he can defend without fouling—the question is whether his production can be scaled across 30+ minutes per game.

At 6-foot-8, with his physical traits and sharp shooting ability, Walker has unlimited potential. This version of the Colorado Buffaloes needs a centerpiece to build its identity around. It’s a match made in heaven… if Walker can produce.

The best thing Buff fans could see on Saturday is a show from Jabari Walker. He’s their best bet at a “superstar” who can carry this team not just the tournament but maybe a couple of rounds deep.

It’s a lot to ask, but he has the tools.