Cal Poly Basketball in Review – Kuba Niziol

Kuba Niziol – Junior – 6’7”, 210 lbs

Kuba Niziol’s best two games may have been during Cal Poly’s best two-game stretch of the season. By Owen Main

By the Numbers:

30 Games

18.2 Minutes per game

7.2 Points per game

2.3 Rebounds per game

.53 Assists per game

36.3.% Field Goals

34.5% 3 Pointers

81.4 % Free Throws

Kuba Niziol is a player who came into 2017-18 looking more physically ready to compete at the Division I college level. The lanky, sharpshooting forward from Poland had put on some muscle and looked primed to make a big contribution. During Cal Poly’s best two-game stretch — wins at Santa Clara and vs. College of Charleston in Alaska — Kuba played two of his best games. Against College of Charleston — the Mustangs’ best non-conference win — the junior went 5-5 from downtown en route to 15 points. 

After shooting under 30 percent from three-point range as a sophomore, Niziol was much closer to his true talent level as a 34 percent shooter from downtown. But if three-point shooting is his only dimension, Niziol isn’t tapping into what he can be. Somewhat like our last subject, Marcellus Garrick, Niziol has a lot more potential to be more of a versatile playmaker instead of only a spot-up shooter. 

While his percentage wasn’t great, Niziol isn’t as far away as it seems from being a much more consistent and deadly shooter. He always just seems super relaxed when he releases his shots. 

In the first half of conference play, Kuba missed a game at UC Irvine and sat out all but the final two minutes at CSUN. Coach Joe Callero pointed to a minor injury he picked up during that week. Niziol scored in double digits in three conference games. In Cal Poly’s final game of the season, a frustrating blowout first-round loss to UCSB, Niziol was ejected after committing a flagrant foul under the basket. It seemed like a microcosm of the way the Mustangs’ season ended.

** Story Break** 

I was at the Cal Poly Rec Center sometime probably in like July or August. There were a few Cal Poly basketball players running in a pick-up game. When Niziol and Donovan Fields had to shoot to be the last guy, they went pretty quickly to three-pointers. Nobody was missing. They each made like 20 threes in a row while battling each other. It got to the point where the other 9 guys waiting to play started to run around and shoot on the other hoop to stay loose. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that at a pick-up game. I don’t even remember who missed first, I just remember everyone else saying “finally” and shaking their heads when one of them missed.

Looking forward

Niziol is one of the Cal Poly players whose basketball skills seem tantalizing. In some games and in some situations, Niziol was one of the most dynamic and dangerous players on the floor. At other times, he seemed frustrated by his threes not falling. When he’s got his all-around game working, Niziol has the potential to be a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor on a good team. 

Six would-be seniors on the 2018-19 team have left in past years. Niziol, Garrick, and Donovan Fields are slated to be seniors next year. They’ll all have a chance to break the Mustangs out of the 7th place rut they’ve been in. 

With his length, Kuba has a high ceiling. He is more athletic than you think and his ability to defend multiple positions and rebound could easily improve in a kind of important, understated way year-to-year. Being a 10-12 point, 5 rebound guy while playing good defense and improving his all around game is totally within reach for Niziol in 2018-19. 

*Ed note: Over the next few weeks, we’ll be recapping the season of every Cal Poly player who played in 2017-18.