Cal Poly’s Callero ready to let his team run with Rebels

No longer is Joe Callero a control freak, so to speak. The Cal Poly coach has a reputation for wanting to control each possession and pump the breaks on the pace of each basketball game.

Fast forward to this season. The team from San Luis Obispo is not going to play in SLO motion anymore. Callero believes he finally has enough horses, and his plan is for the Mustangs to run right from the starting gate.

"Right now, I think our best chance to be successful, short term and long term, is to pick up the pace a little bit and run a little bit," he said. "We've got to get up and down the court. I'm not too proud to change."

Opposing coaches will need to see it to believe it, but Callero said he's not bluffing.

UNLV hosts Cal Poly at 7 p.m. Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center. When asked about his game plan for opening night, Callero did not hold back. He said he knows the Rebels want to run, and he's not afraid to play along.

"Instead of trying to run a press break, we'll run a press attack," Callero said. "I think if you play too close to the vest and too conservative, it's hard to score. We'll try to pick up the pace this year and try to create some opportunities for easier baskets. We are trying to create some spurt-ability. If we were to go away from that just because we're playing UNLV, I think we lose our identity.

"I don't think it's going to be 52-51, and I don't think it's going to be 89-87, either. We'll see what we can do."

When the teams met on the same floor in November 2011, the Rebels rolled to a 75-52 win. But Cal Poly is probably not going to be a pushover this time. Callero said this is the most talented team he's had in seven years at the school. His top five scorers return from last season, and seven players remain from his 2014 NCAA Tournament team.

He's not kidding when he says Cal Poly is "not a joke team."

After playing UNLV, the Mustangs travel to Los Angeles for a Sunday game against UCLA. Callero also scheduled road games at Saint Mary's, Southern California and Texas A&M in December.

"That's probably my favorite part about this team is I feel like we can go into a venue like (the Thomas & Mack) and watch the fireworks blow up and all of that and not be intimidated," Callero said. "We've been through it. We believe we can play with the best. It's just hard to do that on a regular basis.

"For us to pull the upset, we've got to play our 'A' game and keep UNLV down at 'C' level. But we're capable of an 'A' game. We're capable and we're confident, but you've got to do it on the floor."

Callero is confident partly because of Joel Awich, a 6-foot-7-inch senior forward who defends in the low post and displays a variety of offensive skills.

"NBA scouts have asked about him. He's certainly not a draft-pick guy," Callero said. "But when he's aggressive, he can play with anybody nationally."

Brian Bennett, a 6-9, 280-pound senior, was voted All-Big West Conference second team last season. But Bennett is slowly recovering from knee and ankle injuries and will come off the bench Friday. Callero said David Nwaba and Ridge Shipley are experienced and talented guards who can attack the Rebels' full-court pressure that coach Dave Rice is plotting to use.

"UNLV presents a little different issue for us because the length of their full-court press is something we don't see in the Big West," Callero said.

After watching film of the Rebels, Callero said he saw a team with "no weaknesses" and a talented 7-foot freshman, Stephen Zimmerman Jr., who concerns him.

"Zimmerman is an NBA player. I don't know if it's one-and-done or two years," Callero said. "He's going to present huge problems because he can play that style up and down, and he can make others around him that much better."

Callero is changing with the times in college basketball. The 30-second shot clock implemented this season will mean faster games with more possessions. In August, he took his team to France for three exhibitions played by international rules with a 24-second shot clock, an experience that should help the formerly methodical Mustangs adapt.

"We're still not real comfortable playing fast," he said.

It could be said Callero has been the Bo Ryan of the Big West, and it would be a fair comparison. Last season, Cal Poly averaged 8.8 turnovers per game, second fewest in the nation to Wisconsin.

Although he's ready to speed things up, Callero constantly preaches ball security and smart shot selection, so he's not letting his players run wild and crazy.

"Don't turn the ball over," Callero said. "I was a little 5-9 point guard for a little Division II team, and that's the only reason I got to play."

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247