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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga takeaways: Zags put on show in NBA game and against Portland Pilots

Word traveled fast when four former Gonzaga Bulldogs were pictured sharing an NBA court at the same time Saturday.

Washington, with Rui Hachimura and rookie Corey Kispert, and Memphis, with Brandon Clarke and Killian Tillie, tipped off at the Grizzlies’ FedEx Forum at 5 p.m. PST.

Gonzaga’s 104-72 blowout over Portland tipped shortly after 6 p.m, but head coach Mark Few received a text message before the Zags took the McCarthey Athletic Center floor alerting him to the GU reunion in Memphis.

“Actually the GM (general manager) sent me a picture,” Few said. “I was actually able to see that before our game. Pretty cool. I saved it, good stuff.”

More on the NBA Zags, GU’s 3-point splurge against the Pilots and dealing with the chippy nature of Saturday’s game in our latest Gonzaga takeaways.

Picture perfect

Photos of former Zags with NBA experience adorn the walls outside of the team locker room. The school might have to find a special place to display a snapshot of the four Zags posing together following the Grizzlies’ 115-95 win. Tillie posted the picture with the caption: “Zags4life.”

The four were teammates on the 2019 Zags. They were all on the 2018 roster as well when Clarke was sitting out under NCAA transfer rules after transferring from San Jose State.

Seven players – Tillie, Clarke, Kispert, Hachimura, Johnathan Williams, Zach Norvell Jr. and Joel Ayayi – on the 2018 roster have played in the NBA.

“This place is just so unbelievable with how connected (former Gonzaga players are), even the ones that don’t play together,” said Few, sounding like a proud parent with 10 Zags currently on NBA rosters. “When (rookie Jalen) Suggs and Domas (Sabonis) play, they go out to dinner together and they were never even close in classes. Zach (Collins) does a great job of connecting everybody.

“It’s really neat, heartwarming. When you do have some time when you’re not watching college basketball, it’s great to flip on a TV and usually you can watch one of your guys.”

Clarke had 10 points and six boards in Saturday’s win. Tillie added two 3-pointers and six points for the Grizzlies, who have the third best record in the NBA at 35-17. Kispert had five points and five rebounds for Washington (23-26). Hachimura finished with four points and two assists.

In one Zag-centric sequence, Hachimura retrieved Kispert’s errant 3 and fed Deni Avdija, whose shot was rejected by Clarke. The ball went to Kispert in the corner, but his 3-ball was swatted into the seats by Tillie.

Few hadn’t seen video of that play but said, “I’m sure my kids will keep me up to date when I get home. That’s good, Tillie’s the old one of the bunch. He needs to show the young guys how it’s done.”

Easy as 1-2-3

Portland basically dared Gonzaga to shoot 3-pointers, and the Zags complied 41 times. Eighteen found the bottom of the net.

The Pilots’ strategy would have seemed more reasonable six weeks ago when GU was at 32.9% accuracy from deep. The Zags have hit 44.2% in six conference games, elevating their season percentage to 37.8 and ranking No. 23 nationally.

“We had a new team, guys in a lot of different roles, catching the ball in spots maybe they haven’t been catching it in,” said senior guard Andrew Nembhard, who has drilled four 3s in three of the last nine contests. “It’s getting used to playing together, playing our offense, so now we all feel more comfortable and shots are going to fall.”

Few said the stats “eventually kind of even out.” He added that having multiple 3-point threats – eight hit 3s vs. Portland and eight combined for 12 3s in Thursday’s rout over Loyola Marymount – benefits the offense in several ways.

“It should open the floor, even though tonight it didn’t,” Few said. “But most games it opens the floor, which then allows Drew (Timme) more room in the post on our rolls out of our ball-screen action. They picked their poison and chose not to guard us.

“The guys did a great job. It started with Andrew shooting the first couple when they went under on the ball screen. We took the right ones for the most part.”

Testy at times

There was plenty of chatter on the court and plenty of fouls, several of the hard variety with two technicals and one intentional. The teams combined for 45 fouls, 24 on the Zags, matching their season high (Duke).

Portland’s bench was whistled for a first-half technical. Gonzaga junior Anton Watson was called for a technical after being fouled in the paint in the second half. It was his first technical since getting one on a dunk as a Gonzaga Prep Bullpup.

“That’s the one time we were going to play Portland (this season) so I think they wanted to bring all they have,” Watson said. “But most games it shouldn’t be chippy like that.”

The Zags had 28 paint points, but they spent plenty of time at the free-throw line (18 of 24) and won the rebounding battle by 10.

“As we continue to go throughout the season teams are going to try to be more physical, the athletic teams are going to try to get physical with us,” Nembhard said. “We have the type of team that’s good at battling that, a lot of guys that can take physicality and deliver hits as well.”