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The College Basketball Post
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by allen3xis,
- Start date
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ehhh, he only has 41...I'll do it myself
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Originally Posted by lnMyMind
That's true...everyone is close. Last year there was a definite division between Pat, Roy, Ty, Jon, and everyone else on and off the floor.My dude Sapp and Vernon clowned the hell out of them for gettin it in with some white chicks off campus instead of hanging out at a black party on campus one night....LOL. Some dudes feelings were hurt that night.
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Originally Posted by yungmatt
ehhh, he only has 41...I'll do it myself
Shut up Matt
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Xavier Henry is now delaying his decision until the spring signing period. Michael Snaer may do the same.
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The school's athletics website is always a good place to get 'em...
Here's Duke's: http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&KEY=&SPID=1845&SPSID=22726http://www.goduke.com/Spo...SPID=1845&SPSID=22726
Mcdowell fouled out at 5:21 in 2nd
http://
Boxscore: Duke 95, Lenoir-Rhyne 42
Courtesy: Duke Sports Information
Release: 11/05/2008
[h3]Official Basketball Box Score[/h3]
Code:Official Basketball Box ScoreLenoir-Rhyne vs Duke11/05/08 7:05 pm at Cameron Indoor Stadium--------------------------------------------------------------------------------VISITORS: Lenoir-Rhyne TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN23 D.J. Blackmon....... f 3-11 0-1 1-2 3 2 5 1 7 1 0 0 0 2942 Elliott Mcdowell.... f 4-6 0-1 0-1 1 1 2 5 8 1 2 0 0 1632 Donte Watson........ c 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 0 2 5 2 2 1 0 0 1422 Josh Rudder......... g 3-8 1-3 3-3 0 3 3 2 10 2 5 0 2 2924 Ryan Crawford....... g 0-2 0-0 1-2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1503 Ja'Wan Davis........ 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1311 Jon Hathcock........ 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 312 A.J. Brown.......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 314 Marcus Hodges....... 0-3 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 2 0 1 1 0 0 2115 Nathaniel Shaw...... 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 420 Jonathan Cook....... 0-3 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1521 Bobby Connelly...... 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 530 Jeff Thomas......... 4-8 0-0 1-1 0 1 1 2 9 0 3 0 1 1733 J.P. Haumann........ 0-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 544 Julius Powell....... 2-10 1-3 0-2 1 2 3 0 5 0 2 0 1 11 TEAM................ 1 1 Totals.............. 17-61 2-13 6-11 8 15 23 22 42 10 20 0 5 200TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 11-27 40.7% 2nd Half: 6-34 17.6% Game: 27.9% DEADB3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-6 33.3% 2nd Half: 0-7 0.0% Game: 15.4% REBSF Throw % 1st Half: 5-9 55.6% 2nd Half: 1-2 50.0% Game: 54.5% 2,1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------HOME TEAM: Duke TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN12 Kyle Singler........ f 9-11 2-3 2-2 4 4 8 1 22 3 1 0 3 2315 Gerald Henderson.... f 1-4 0-0 4-4 2 4 6 1 6 4 3 0 0 2121 Miles Plumlee....... f 1-1 0-0 1-2 1 2 3 2 3 0 0 1 0 1102 Nolan Smith......... g 7-10 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 2 14 3 3 0 0 1930 Jon Scheyer......... g 4-7 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 1 9 3 2 0 3 2003 Greg Paulus......... 0-2 0-1 4-5 0 3 3 1 4 1 1 0 0 1805 Martynas Pocius..... 2-4 1-3 0-0 0 2 2 2 5 2 1 0 0 1613 Olek Czyz........... 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 714 David McClure....... 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 3 2 0 0 0 3 1020 Elliot Williams..... 3-8 0-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 6 1 1 0 2 1642 Lance Thomas........ 1-1 0-0 4-4 0 4 4 2 6 0 2 1 1 1651 Steve Johnson....... 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 455 Brian Zoubek........ 6-8 0-0 3-4 1 7 8 2 15 2 1 0 0 19 TEAM................ 4 4 Totals.............. 36-60 4-17 19-23 9 38 47 17 95 19 16 2 12 200TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 17-31 54.8% 2nd Half: 19-29 65.5% Game: 60.0% DEADB3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-8 12.5% 2nd Half: 3-9 33.3% Game: 23.5% REBSF Throw % 1st Half: 16-18 88.9% 2nd Half: 3-5 60.0% Game: 82.6% 3,1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Officials: William Humes, Dwayne Gladden, Mark SchnurTechnical fouls: Lenoir-Rhyne-None. Duke-None.Attendance: 9314Score by Periods 1st 2nd TotalLenoir-Rhyne.................. 29 13 - 42Duke.......................... 51 44 - 95LRU - Watson fouled out at 9:16 in 2nd
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KU looks to Collins for points, leadership
Thursday, November 6, 2008 | PrintEntry
Posted by Andy Katz
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Impressions from a snapshot day with defending national champ Kansas:
• The players swear that junior guard Sherron Collins is the team's go-to guy.That's obvious when watching them practice. But Collins does get banged up quite a bit. During one practice last week he had plenty of issues and washobbling around. He may take a pounding this season because he has to be on the court so much.
"There are few guards in the country that have histalent," said Kansas sophomore forward Cole Aldrich. "I saw it in open gymswith his crossover with how quickly he gets his shots up." Collins had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April. He said he's fine now. He has astocky build, so it will be interesting to see how his knee holds up with him as the focus of the offense.
[+] http://sports.espn.go.com...3685790&story=2867580','Popup','width=440,height=750,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;">Enlarge
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AP Photo/Jeff Jacobsen
Markieff Morris makes up one half of Kansas' freshmen twin duo. He and his brother, Marcus, are expected to contribute for the Jayhawks this season.
"There's no question, if we need buckets, that Sherron Collins is the go-to guy," said KU freshman Tyshawn Taylor. "He's just so aggressive with the ball. He's hungry to score andmake us better. He's helping us younger point guards." • KU coach Bill Self is going to be on this team early and often. Self needs this squad to betough given its demanding schedule. Self doesn't hide his opinions about his players. What was most satisfying to him during the Jayhawks' nationaltitle run was how far they came from being "soft" as freshmen.
"When we got those guys, they were soft," Self said of his recent recruiting classes, including Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur,Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun and Russell Robinson. "All coaches think they're soft when they get them."
But when the national title game got tocrunch time, when the Jayhawks were down nine with 2:12 remaining, Self said, "You could see how their body language never changed. They never gave up,frustration never set in, and that's what coaches are trying to protect." • Kansas is tentatively looking at a home-and-home with UCLA next season. •In October, Kansas hired former Missouri State coach Barry Hinson, a former Self assistant. Hinson technically can't coach since his title is to be thedirector of external relations. But Hinson will have a role with this squad. He will be an influential member of Self's inner circle throughout the courseof the season. Hinson was successful at Missouri State but fell a bit short of the NCAA tournament on a few occasions (he made the NIT four times). He won 205games in 11 seasons at Missouri State and Oral Roberts. • Aldrich is the first option in the post, but the Jayhawks will need him to be consistent. Hehasn't proved he can score consistently in the post just yet. • Marcus Morris ismore talented than his twin Markieff Morris. But there isn't that much of a disparity. Marcus is a bit more active getting to the bucket. Both will getplenty of run. • Kansas and Memphis are rivals not only on the basketball court. They have clashed on numerous occasions in recruiting, and that is expected tocontinue for years to come, with Self and John Calipari at the two schools, respectively.
"Memphis is going to be a competitor for a lot of people," Self said. "We've probably gone head-to-head on four or five kids. They do areally good job and I think the success of both teams really adds to the rivalry."
• It's really hard to figure out how good this squad is going tobe this season. They have enough talent to push the league's other top teams (Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor). But the big advantage for the Jayhawks is theschedule. They don't have to play any of those schools (or Texas A&M) more than once because of the North-South scheduling breakdown. Kansas gets Texasand A&M at home, but will travel to Baylor and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks also get Oklahoma State at home. Playing Iowa State, Nebraska and Colorado twice (inaddition to Kansas State and a decent Missouri team) should make it much easier for the Jayhawks to stay in contention this season. • Kansas will take itslumps in nonconference games. The schedule is no cakewalk. Playing Pac-10 sleeper Washington in the CBE Classic on Nov. 24 in Kansas City and either Syracuseor Florida on Nov. 25 surely will challenge this squad. Kent State on Dec. 1 will be a test. So, too, will UMass in Kansas City on Dec. 13, Temple on Dec. 20and of course a three-game slate of Tennessee on Jan. 3, Siena on Jan. 6 and at Michigan State on Jan. 10. • I still can't get over this: In a college townlike Lawrence, it was tough to find a place to eat past 9 p.m. on a Thursday night.
Thursday, November 6, 2008 | PrintEntry
Posted by Andy Katz
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Impressions from a snapshot day with defending national champ Kansas:
• The players swear that junior guard Sherron Collins is the team's go-to guy.That's obvious when watching them practice. But Collins does get banged up quite a bit. During one practice last week he had plenty of issues and washobbling around. He may take a pounding this season because he has to be on the court so much.
"There are few guards in the country that have histalent," said Kansas sophomore forward Cole Aldrich. "I saw it in open gymswith his crossover with how quickly he gets his shots up." Collins had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April. He said he's fine now. He has astocky build, so it will be interesting to see how his knee holds up with him as the focus of the offense.
[+] http://sports.espn.go.com...3685790&story=2867580','Popup','width=440,height=750,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;">Enlarge
http://sports.espn.go.com...3685790&story=2867580','Popup','width=440,height=750,scrollbars=no,noresize'); return false;">
AP Photo/Jeff Jacobsen
Markieff Morris makes up one half of Kansas' freshmen twin duo. He and his brother, Marcus, are expected to contribute for the Jayhawks this season.
"There's no question, if we need buckets, that Sherron Collins is the go-to guy," said KU freshman Tyshawn Taylor. "He's just so aggressive with the ball. He's hungry to score andmake us better. He's helping us younger point guards." • KU coach Bill Self is going to be on this team early and often. Self needs this squad to betough given its demanding schedule. Self doesn't hide his opinions about his players. What was most satisfying to him during the Jayhawks' nationaltitle run was how far they came from being "soft" as freshmen.
"When we got those guys, they were soft," Self said of his recent recruiting classes, including Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur,Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun and Russell Robinson. "All coaches think they're soft when they get them."
But when the national title game got tocrunch time, when the Jayhawks were down nine with 2:12 remaining, Self said, "You could see how their body language never changed. They never gave up,frustration never set in, and that's what coaches are trying to protect." • Kansas is tentatively looking at a home-and-home with UCLA next season. •In October, Kansas hired former Missouri State coach Barry Hinson, a former Self assistant. Hinson technically can't coach since his title is to be thedirector of external relations. But Hinson will have a role with this squad. He will be an influential member of Self's inner circle throughout the courseof the season. Hinson was successful at Missouri State but fell a bit short of the NCAA tournament on a few occasions (he made the NIT four times). He won 205games in 11 seasons at Missouri State and Oral Roberts. • Aldrich is the first option in the post, but the Jayhawks will need him to be consistent. Hehasn't proved he can score consistently in the post just yet. • Marcus Morris ismore talented than his twin Markieff Morris. But there isn't that much of a disparity. Marcus is a bit more active getting to the bucket. Both will getplenty of run. • Kansas and Memphis are rivals not only on the basketball court. They have clashed on numerous occasions in recruiting, and that is expected tocontinue for years to come, with Self and John Calipari at the two schools, respectively.
"Memphis is going to be a competitor for a lot of people," Self said. "We've probably gone head-to-head on four or five kids. They do areally good job and I think the success of both teams really adds to the rivalry."
• It's really hard to figure out how good this squad is going tobe this season. They have enough talent to push the league's other top teams (Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor). But the big advantage for the Jayhawks is theschedule. They don't have to play any of those schools (or Texas A&M) more than once because of the North-South scheduling breakdown. Kansas gets Texasand A&M at home, but will travel to Baylor and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks also get Oklahoma State at home. Playing Iowa State, Nebraska and Colorado twice (inaddition to Kansas State and a decent Missouri team) should make it much easier for the Jayhawks to stay in contention this season. • Kansas will take itslumps in nonconference games. The schedule is no cakewalk. Playing Pac-10 sleeper Washington in the CBE Classic on Nov. 24 in Kansas City and either Syracuseor Florida on Nov. 25 surely will challenge this squad. Kent State on Dec. 1 will be a test. So, too, will UMass in Kansas City on Dec. 13, Temple on Dec. 20and of course a three-game slate of Tennessee on Jan. 3, Siena on Jan. 6 and at Michigan State on Jan. 10. • I still can't get over this: In a college townlike Lawrence, it was tough to find a place to eat past 9 p.m. on a Thursday night.
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So we are basically done with the '09 recruiting class until spring time now.
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Originally Posted by yungmatt
ehhh, he only has 41...I'll do it myself
That game actually hurt my soul....
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Actually, the early signing period doesn't start until next Wednesday. A lot of people will commit during that time.
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Parrish
[font=Arial, Helvetica]How talented is North Carolina?[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]So talented that if for some reason it was announced today that Tyler Hansbrough was going to miss the entire season,it would still be reasonable to project the Tar Heels as the ACC champions given the strength of their backcourt and potential of freshmen Ed Davis and TylerZeller. That's a stunning statement, I know, because how many teams could lose their best player (who just so happens to be a National Player of the Year)and still be a Final Four threat?[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]Answer: One.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]It's North Carolina.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]And with that, here's a look at the ACC:[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]1. North Carolina[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Roy Williams has all five starters from a team that spent much of last season ranked No.1, plus a trio of freshmen who were McDonald's All-Americans. By any measuring stick, these Tar Heels are loaded with one of the best point guards (TyLawson), shooting guards (Wayne Ellington) and big men (Hansbrough), which is why they are the unanimous preseason top-ranked team.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: I wrote a few weeks ago that injuries were one of the few things that could derail the TarHeels. Next thing you, Hansbrough was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his leg and sent to the sideline, where Marcus Ginyard was already hanging out andrecovering from a stress fracture in his foot. So that's two starters on the mend, and this is no way to start a national title run.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Assuming Hansbrough is healthy, this team should give Williams his second nationaltitle. Connecticut is good, as is Louisville, Gonzaga and others. But the Tar Heels have (by a large margin) the nation's best combination of talent andexperience, and anything less than a championship will be a disappointment.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]2. Duke[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Four starters return from a 28-win team that played UNC for the ACC title on the final dayof the regular season. That's strong. So while the Blue Devils remain flawed in that there isn't a proven post player on the team, this is stillbasically the roster that won 28 games, and that's a statistic that shouldn't be discounted -- even by those who are stuck on the fact that Duke wasbounced in the second round of the NCAA tournament by West Virginia.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Mike Krzyzewski plans to use Greg Paulus in a reserve role and start Nolan Smith, which isprobably the right decision from a talent/athleticism standpoint. But what about chemistry? Because regardless of what Paulus says publicly, it'simpossible to imagine him not being bothered by this development, and that could be a problem because an unhappy leader can make for an imperfectseason.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Proof that the average fan hates Duke came when I ranked the Blue Devils fourth inthe preseason Top 25 (and one). That garnered more e-mail than anything else. But ifMiles Plumlee can help get Kyle Singler out of the middle -- and Gerald Henderson turns into the star so many think he can be -- it's difficult to imaginethis team not being a serious Final Four threat because, again, this is the same roster (sans DeMarcus Nelson) that kept Duke in the top 10 much of lastseason, and that's what people should remember more so than the way things ended.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]3. Miami[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Four starters are back from a 23-win team that made the second round of the NCAAtournament. The best of the bunch is Jack McClinton, a high-scoring combo guard who has managed to go from an unknown recruit to a Siena standout to a17.7-point-per-game scorer/savior of an ACC program in the matter of one lifetime, which is pretty amazing. And McClinton still has a whole season ahead ofhim.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: How will Miami handle the pressure of being the team many believe can best push UNC andDuke? Last season the Hurricanes didn't have to worry about expectations. But now that they've made the NCAA tournament anything less will be adisappointment.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: A year ago at this time some were openly wondering whether Frank Haith wouldsurvive and if VCU's Anthony Grant would be willing to replace him at the end of the season. In hindsight, that's hilarious. Because now not only isHaith's job safe, but another great season will have Miami trying to fend off suitors who would almost certainly be interested in a man coming offback-to-back NCAA tournaments at a place like Miami.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]4. Wake Forest[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: The star-studded recruiting class Skip Prosser secured before his death has enrolled andgives Dino Gaudio one of the league's best rosters. Al-Farouq Aminu is the star of the group, but Tony Woods and Ty Walker should also helpimmediately.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: The young Demon Deacons -- led by then-freshmen James Johnson and Jeff Teague -- wereactually in position to make the NCAA tournament last season before closing with a 1-5 record in their final six ACC games. Translation: They folded underpressure. So the question is whether that was a lasting characteristic or merely a youthful disaster that a little experience (and upgrade in talent) hassolved?[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: On paper this is a nice team. But can all the young guys mesh? And is Gaudio readyto compete for a Sweet 16 in just his second season? Those are reasonable questions. But again, I like the roster and won't be surprised if Wake Forest isa top 15 team at some point this season.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]5. Virginia Tech[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: A.D. Vassallo is one of four returning starters from a 21-win team. He averaged 16.9points and should post similar numbers this season considering he's surrounded by a familiar cast that understands his abilities.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Deron Washington was equal parts steady and exciting in his four-year career. He averageddouble-figures in points his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and though the Hokies are loaded with experience it's naive to think they won't missWashington on some level.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Seth Greenberg lobbied hard for an NCAA tournament bid last season, but the realityis that he did not deserve one based on a 1-7 record against the top 50 at CollegeRPI.com. That said, the guess here is that Greenberg will get to relax thisSelection Sunday. He won't have to worry about whether he's in, just where he's going and with what seed.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]6. Clemson[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Oliver Purnell is underappreciated nationally, given what he has done. First he won atRadford, then Dayton and now he's doing the same at Clemson, and when a guy wins at three different programs in three different leagues that's usuallya solid sign that he's good. So it was a huge development when Clemson extended Purnell's contract and increased his salary this offseason, given howLSU was lurking, because it now seems the Tigers have a coach in place who will help them compete for NCAA tournament bids for the foreseeablefuture.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: That said, nothing will come easy the year after Clemson lost Cliff Hammonds and JamesMays. Those seniors were two of the five players who averaged double-digits last season, and losing them means K.C. Rivers, Trevor Booker, Terrence Oglesby andDemontez Stitt will each have to raise their games to ensure the Tigers don't slip back into the NIT or CBI.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Tigers don't have the roster to compete with North Carolina or Duke, butanything else is possible. They could go as high as third if things break well because Rivers, Booker, Oglesby and Stitt are four guys who have experiencewinning and know how to navigate the ACC.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]7. Georgia Tech[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Paul Hewitt has enrolled yet another McDonald's All-American, this time in the form ofIman Shumpert. He's a 6-4 guard who will join sophomore Maurice Miller and senior Lewis Clinch to form a nice trio that stacks up well in theACC.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: The frontcourt is the issue. The Yellow Jackets' leading rebounder, Jeremis Smith, isgone, as is as another talent in Ra'Sean Dickey. Remember, Georgia Tech was out-rebounded by 3.3 boards per game last season. If anybody knows how tocorrect that with this roster, I'm sure Hewitt would appreciate a phone call.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Despite the questions about the frontcourt, this is a team I could see doing betterthan anybody expects. Talent wins basketball games, and there is talent on this roster. So while the Yellow Jackets must be projected behind UNC, Duke, Miami,Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Clemson, I'm stating right now that I won't be shocked if they're the team that makes these projections looksilly.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]8. Maryland[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Greivis Vasquez is back after averaging 17.0 points, 6.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per gameas a sophomore. Sure, he turns it over a bit much (4.4 times per game) and doesn't shoot it all that well (just 30.9 percent from 3-point range). Buthe's still a very good all-around player who can take over games, and he'll be aided by the presence of Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne. Also worthnoting is that freshman Jin Soo Kim has been cleared to compete. He's a 6-8 forward who can really shoot it, but the degree of his impact remainsunclear.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: In different times it seemed like Augustus Gilchrist and Tyree Evans would both be on thisroster. But Gilchrist transferred to South Florida and athletic director Debbie Yow raised concerns about Evans' past legal problems, which precipitatedhis move to Kent State. So yeah, the Maryland campus might be better off without somebody like Evans walking around, but the basketball team could probably usethe talent.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Terrapins have only had a winning ACC record once in the past five seasons, andit's hard to see that improving considering 25 percent of their league games will be played against North Carolina and Duke. That said, Gary Williamsproved two seasons ago he's capable of surprises, turning a 2-5 league mark into a 10-6 record by winning eight of his final nine ACC contests. Sothere's a chance the Terrapins could be better than this, but there's probably still a ceiling given the personnel.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]9. North Carolina State[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner created one of the better tandems in the country twoyears ago when they combined to average 31.2 points and 14.2 rebounds. Then J.J. Hickson enrolled, screwed up the chemistry and McCauley and Costner'scombined numbers sunk to 14.6 points and 8.3 rebounds because their minutes dropped drastically when Sidney Lowe tried to force Hickson into the lineup with noregard to how it would affect the rest of the team. Anyway, I say all that to say this: Now Hickson is gone, and that has to be considered a positive becausethough he was talented he did nothing to make N.C. State a better team in any tangible way.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: I'm on record stating the loss of Hickson might actually help, but it's not likeN.C. State replaced the loss of talent with anything comparable. Consequently, the Wolfpack are at a disadvantage in terms of personnel heading into Lowe'sthird season, and that's not comforting when a large portion of the fan base believes the program should be consistently competing with Duke and NorthCarolina.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The high expectations of last season disappeared quickly, and an optimist mightconclude that Lowe simply works better as the underdog (which he was in his first year). If so, that's good news. Because he'll be an underdog a lotthis season.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]10. Florida State[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Chris Singleton is another in a long line of talented recruits Leonard Hamilton hassecured. The 6-9 wing can shoot it and dunk it (as he showed in FSU's first exhibition), and he'll be a nice compliment to senior Toney Douglas, whoaveraged 15.4 points per game last season.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Hamilton has had trouble winning in this league with experienced players. Now his team ismostly inexperienced because of the losses of Jason Rich and Isaiah Swann, and that doesn't bode well considering the ACC should be really strong at thetop.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Can Hamilton survive seven seasons with no NCAA tournaments? Barring a surprise,we'll find out in March.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]11. Boston College[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Tyrese Rice scored 21.0 points per game last season and provided one of the more memorableefforts by going for 46 points in a loss to North Carolina. That he's back means it's easy to identify BC's top player, even if the second-best andthird-best are a little harder to pinpoint.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: There just isn't a slew of ACC-caliber talent on the roster, particularly in thefrontcourt. With Shamari Spears' transfer to Charlotte, no returning player averaged at least five rebounds per game, and though Vermont transfer JoeTrapani has some folks excited, the truth is that he's better equipped to make shots than grab misses.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Eagles have made the NCAA tournament four of the past five years, but thingswere bad last season and they could get worse. Outside of Rice, the roster is mostly filled with question marks, meaning nights on which Rice goes bananas willprobably be the only nights worth savoring.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]12. Virginia[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Mamadi Diane has gotten better every season in terms of points and rebounding. So it'sfair to expect the senior to improve on the 11.8-point and 4.4-board averages he notched last season when he played 28.8 minutes per contest and shot 41.4percent from 3-point range.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Sean Singletary is gone after averaging 19.8 points last season. There's nobody on theroster who can replace that kind of output, and it doesn't help that one of the Cavaliers' top recruiting targets (McDonald's All-American ElliotWilliams) signed with and will be playing at Duke.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Cavaliers were 5-11 in the ACC last season, and now they're without theirbest player and the league is tougher. That's not a good combination, particularly for a man like Dave Leitao, because it's never safe to be rebuildingin the fourth year of a tenure that has produced only one NCAA tournament appearance to date.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]How talented is North Carolina?[/font]
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| Quick facts |
| Defending regular-season champion: North Carolina |
| Defending tournament champion: North Carolina |
| Top returning scorer: Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), 23.0 ppg |
| Top returning rebounder: Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), 10.4 rpg |
[font=Arial, Helvetica]So talented that if for some reason it was announced today that Tyler Hansbrough was going to miss the entire season,it would still be reasonable to project the Tar Heels as the ACC champions given the strength of their backcourt and potential of freshmen Ed Davis and TylerZeller. That's a stunning statement, I know, because how many teams could lose their best player (who just so happens to be a National Player of the Year)and still be a Final Four threat?[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]Answer: One.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]It's North Carolina.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]And with that, here's a look at the ACC:[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]1. North Carolina[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Roy Williams has all five starters from a team that spent much of last season ranked No.1, plus a trio of freshmen who were McDonald's All-Americans. By any measuring stick, these Tar Heels are loaded with one of the best point guards (TyLawson), shooting guards (Wayne Ellington) and big men (Hansbrough), which is why they are the unanimous preseason top-ranked team.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: I wrote a few weeks ago that injuries were one of the few things that could derail the TarHeels. Next thing you, Hansbrough was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his leg and sent to the sideline, where Marcus Ginyard was already hanging out andrecovering from a stress fracture in his foot. So that's two starters on the mend, and this is no way to start a national title run.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Assuming Hansbrough is healthy, this team should give Williams his second nationaltitle. Connecticut is good, as is Louisville, Gonzaga and others. But the Tar Heels have (by a large margin) the nation's best combination of talent andexperience, and anything less than a championship will be a disappointment.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]2. Duke[/font][/h4]
| Predicted Finish | |
| Team | Postseason |
| 1. North Carolina | NCAA |
| 2. Duke | NCAA |
| 3. Miami | NCAA |
| 4. Wake Forest | NCAA |
| 5. Virginia Tech | NCAA |
| 6. Clemson | NCAA |
| 7. Georgia Tech | NIT/CBI |
| 8. Maryland | NIT/CBI |
| 9. N.C. State | none |
| 10. Florida State | none |
| 11. Boston College | none |
| 12. Virginia | none |
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Four starters return from a 28-win team that played UNC for the ACC title on the final dayof the regular season. That's strong. So while the Blue Devils remain flawed in that there isn't a proven post player on the team, this is stillbasically the roster that won 28 games, and that's a statistic that shouldn't be discounted -- even by those who are stuck on the fact that Duke wasbounced in the second round of the NCAA tournament by West Virginia.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Mike Krzyzewski plans to use Greg Paulus in a reserve role and start Nolan Smith, which isprobably the right decision from a talent/athleticism standpoint. But what about chemistry? Because regardless of what Paulus says publicly, it'simpossible to imagine him not being bothered by this development, and that could be a problem because an unhappy leader can make for an imperfectseason.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Proof that the average fan hates Duke came when I ranked the Blue Devils fourth inthe preseason Top 25 (and one). That garnered more e-mail than anything else. But ifMiles Plumlee can help get Kyle Singler out of the middle -- and Gerald Henderson turns into the star so many think he can be -- it's difficult to imaginethis team not being a serious Final Four threat because, again, this is the same roster (sans DeMarcus Nelson) that kept Duke in the top 10 much of lastseason, and that's what people should remember more so than the way things ended.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]3. Miami[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Four starters are back from a 23-win team that made the second round of the NCAAtournament. The best of the bunch is Jack McClinton, a high-scoring combo guard who has managed to go from an unknown recruit to a Siena standout to a17.7-point-per-game scorer/savior of an ACC program in the matter of one lifetime, which is pretty amazing. And McClinton still has a whole season ahead ofhim.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: How will Miami handle the pressure of being the team many believe can best push UNC andDuke? Last season the Hurricanes didn't have to worry about expectations. But now that they've made the NCAA tournament anything less will be adisappointment.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: A year ago at this time some were openly wondering whether Frank Haith wouldsurvive and if VCU's Anthony Grant would be willing to replace him at the end of the season. In hindsight, that's hilarious. Because now not only isHaith's job safe, but another great season will have Miami trying to fend off suitors who would almost certainly be interested in a man coming offback-to-back NCAA tournaments at a place like Miami.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]4. Wake Forest[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: The star-studded recruiting class Skip Prosser secured before his death has enrolled andgives Dino Gaudio one of the league's best rosters. Al-Farouq Aminu is the star of the group, but Tony Woods and Ty Walker should also helpimmediately.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: The young Demon Deacons -- led by then-freshmen James Johnson and Jeff Teague -- wereactually in position to make the NCAA tournament last season before closing with a 1-5 record in their final six ACC games. Translation: They folded underpressure. So the question is whether that was a lasting characteristic or merely a youthful disaster that a little experience (and upgrade in talent) hassolved?[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: On paper this is a nice team. But can all the young guys mesh? And is Gaudio readyto compete for a Sweet 16 in just his second season? Those are reasonable questions. But again, I like the roster and won't be surprised if Wake Forest isa top 15 team at some point this season.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]5. Virginia Tech[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: A.D. Vassallo is one of four returning starters from a 21-win team. He averaged 16.9points and should post similar numbers this season considering he's surrounded by a familiar cast that understands his abilities.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Deron Washington was equal parts steady and exciting in his four-year career. He averageddouble-figures in points his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and though the Hokies are loaded with experience it's naive to think they won't missWashington on some level.[/font]
What school might that be? Well there are several other ACC teams primed to make a move toward the top. Read more |
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]6. Clemson[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Oliver Purnell is underappreciated nationally, given what he has done. First he won atRadford, then Dayton and now he's doing the same at Clemson, and when a guy wins at three different programs in three different leagues that's usuallya solid sign that he's good. So it was a huge development when Clemson extended Purnell's contract and increased his salary this offseason, given howLSU was lurking, because it now seems the Tigers have a coach in place who will help them compete for NCAA tournament bids for the foreseeablefuture.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: That said, nothing will come easy the year after Clemson lost Cliff Hammonds and JamesMays. Those seniors were two of the five players who averaged double-digits last season, and losing them means K.C. Rivers, Trevor Booker, Terrence Oglesby andDemontez Stitt will each have to raise their games to ensure the Tigers don't slip back into the NIT or CBI.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Tigers don't have the roster to compete with North Carolina or Duke, butanything else is possible. They could go as high as third if things break well because Rivers, Booker, Oglesby and Stitt are four guys who have experiencewinning and know how to navigate the ACC.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]7. Georgia Tech[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Paul Hewitt has enrolled yet another McDonald's All-American, this time in the form ofIman Shumpert. He's a 6-4 guard who will join sophomore Maurice Miller and senior Lewis Clinch to form a nice trio that stacks up well in theACC.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: The frontcourt is the issue. The Yellow Jackets' leading rebounder, Jeremis Smith, isgone, as is as another talent in Ra'Sean Dickey. Remember, Georgia Tech was out-rebounded by 3.3 boards per game last season. If anybody knows how tocorrect that with this roster, I'm sure Hewitt would appreciate a phone call.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Despite the questions about the frontcourt, this is a team I could see doing betterthan anybody expects. Talent wins basketball games, and there is talent on this roster. So while the Yellow Jackets must be projected behind UNC, Duke, Miami,Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Clemson, I'm stating right now that I won't be shocked if they're the team that makes these projections looksilly.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]8. Maryland[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Greivis Vasquez is back after averaging 17.0 points, 6.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per gameas a sophomore. Sure, he turns it over a bit much (4.4 times per game) and doesn't shoot it all that well (just 30.9 percent from 3-point range). Buthe's still a very good all-around player who can take over games, and he'll be aided by the presence of Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne. Also worthnoting is that freshman Jin Soo Kim has been cleared to compete. He's a 6-8 forward who can really shoot it, but the degree of his impact remainsunclear.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: In different times it seemed like Augustus Gilchrist and Tyree Evans would both be on thisroster. But Gilchrist transferred to South Florida and athletic director Debbie Yow raised concerns about Evans' past legal problems, which precipitatedhis move to Kent State. So yeah, the Maryland campus might be better off without somebody like Evans walking around, but the basketball team could probably usethe talent.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Terrapins have only had a winning ACC record once in the past five seasons, andit's hard to see that improving considering 25 percent of their league games will be played against North Carolina and Duke. That said, Gary Williamsproved two seasons ago he's capable of surprises, turning a 2-5 league mark into a 10-6 record by winning eight of his final nine ACC contests. Sothere's a chance the Terrapins could be better than this, but there's probably still a ceiling given the personnel.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]9. North Carolina State[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner created one of the better tandems in the country twoyears ago when they combined to average 31.2 points and 14.2 rebounds. Then J.J. Hickson enrolled, screwed up the chemistry and McCauley and Costner'scombined numbers sunk to 14.6 points and 8.3 rebounds because their minutes dropped drastically when Sidney Lowe tried to force Hickson into the lineup with noregard to how it would affect the rest of the team. Anyway, I say all that to say this: Now Hickson is gone, and that has to be considered a positive becausethough he was talented he did nothing to make N.C. State a better team in any tangible way.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: I'm on record stating the loss of Hickson might actually help, but it's not likeN.C. State replaced the loss of talent with anything comparable. Consequently, the Wolfpack are at a disadvantage in terms of personnel heading into Lowe'sthird season, and that's not comforting when a large portion of the fan base believes the program should be consistently competing with Duke and NorthCarolina.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The high expectations of last season disappeared quickly, and an optimist mightconclude that Lowe simply works better as the underdog (which he was in his first year). If so, that's good news. Because he'll be an underdog a lotthis season.[/font]
| Accolades |
| First team |
| G - Ty Lawson, North Carolina |
| G - Tyrese Rice, Boston College |
| G - Jack McClinton, Miami |
| F - Kyle Singler, Duke |
| F - Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina |
| Second team |
| G - Greivis Vasquez, Maryland |
| G - Wayne Ellington, North Carolina |
| G - Gerald Henderson, Duke |
| F - James Johnson, Wake Forest |
| F - Al-Forouq Aminu, Wake Forest |
| Player of the year Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina |
| Newcomer of the year Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest |
| Breakthrough player Nolan Smith, Duke |
| Coach on the hot seat Leonard Hamilton, Florida State |
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Chris Singleton is another in a long line of talented recruits Leonard Hamilton hassecured. The 6-9 wing can shoot it and dunk it (as he showed in FSU's first exhibition), and he'll be a nice compliment to senior Toney Douglas, whoaveraged 15.4 points per game last season.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Hamilton has had trouble winning in this league with experienced players. Now his team ismostly inexperienced because of the losses of Jason Rich and Isaiah Swann, and that doesn't bode well considering the ACC should be really strong at thetop.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: Can Hamilton survive seven seasons with no NCAA tournaments? Barring a surprise,we'll find out in March.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]11. Boston College[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Tyrese Rice scored 21.0 points per game last season and provided one of the more memorableefforts by going for 46 points in a loss to North Carolina. That he's back means it's easy to identify BC's top player, even if the second-best andthird-best are a little harder to pinpoint.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: There just isn't a slew of ACC-caliber talent on the roster, particularly in thefrontcourt. With Shamari Spears' transfer to Charlotte, no returning player averaged at least five rebounds per game, and though Vermont transfer JoeTrapani has some folks excited, the truth is that he's better equipped to make shots than grab misses.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Eagles have made the NCAA tournament four of the past five years, but thingswere bad last season and they could get worse. Outside of Rice, the roster is mostly filled with question marks, meaning nights on which Rice goes bananas willprobably be the only nights worth savoring.[/font]
[h4][font=Arial, Helvetica]12. Virginia[/font][/h4]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The good: Mamadi Diane has gotten better every season in terms of points and rebounding. So it'sfair to expect the senior to improve on the 11.8-point and 4.4-board averages he notched last season when he played 28.8 minutes per contest and shot 41.4percent from 3-point range.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bad: Sean Singletary is gone after averaging 19.8 points last season. There's nobody on theroster who can replace that kind of output, and it doesn't help that one of the Cavaliers' top recruiting targets (McDonald's All-American ElliotWilliams) signed with and will be playing at Duke.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]The bottom line: The Cavaliers were 5-11 in the ACC last season, and now they're without theirbest player and the league is tougher. That's not a good combination, particularly for a man like Dave Leitao, because it's never safe to be rebuildingin the fourth year of a tenure that has produced only one NCAA tournament appearance to date.[/font]
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**Ater Majok, the 6-10, 220-poundpower forward from the Sudan by way of Australia, is expected to arrive at UConn sometime next week. With Majok and 6-9 Stanley Robinson bothjoining the team second semester, the Big East favorite Huskies will add two potential NBA players. Those two will join a front line that includes 7-3 centerHasheem Thabeet, whom head coachJim Calhoun is touting as a potential National Player of the Year, and 6-7 forward Jeff Adrien.**Former UConnfreshman Nate Miles dropped 50 points in an intrasquad scrimmage the other day at Southern Idaho, according to Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant. MIles was expelled fromUConn after violating a restraining order
Rutgers is officially in the running for St. Anthony star Dominic Cheek.
The 6-foot-5 Cheek will visit Rutgers officially later this month.
"He will visit Rutgers Nov. 21," St. Anthony associate head coach Ben Gamble said Wednesday.
Cheek will also visit Rutgers unofficially Nov. 10 for an exhibition game against Division II Caldwell College.
The NCAA early signing period runs Nov. 12-19, and Gamble said Cheek most likely would not commit during that period.
"There's a small chance he might commit, but he may just wait until during the season," Gamble said.
Kansas, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Memphis and Rutgers are still in the running for Cheek, an All-State wing for the reigning national prep champion Friars, whowent 32-0 and won the New Jersey Tournament of Champions last year.
Cheek has already taken official visits to Kansas and Villanova, andwill visit Pitt this weekend and Memphis Nov. 14. Memphis will also get a visitfrom John Wall, the No. 1 recruit in the nation out of Raleigh(N.C.) Word of God, that weekend.
Kansas assistant Joe Dooley, a Garden State native, and Memphis assistant Orlando Antigua were in jersey City Monday towatch Cheek work out.
Cheek will likely know whether Putnam (Ok.) wing Xavier Henry has chosen Kansas or Memphis relatively soon. If Henry chooses Kansas, it could dissuadeCheek from picking the Jayhawks, enhancing the chances of the other schools.
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If Miami doesn't impress this year. They never will.
Wake will have upset UNC or Duke this year. Tons of potential.
And last year I thought Virgina would be a good out of conference game for us.
Wake will have upset UNC or Duke this year. Tons of potential.
And last year I thought Virgina would be a good out of conference game for us.
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maybe ima hater but ty lawson is not first team material imo..not this yr
and sidenote..sudan needs to put together a national team ASAP..they got waaaay too much talent
and sidenote..sudan needs to put together a national team ASAP..they got waaaay too much talent
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UConn's Thabeet primed for big year
Tanzania native helps give Huskies title chance
By Adam Zagoria / SNY.tv
[img]http://web.sny.tv/images/icons/print.gif[/img]print this page[img]http://web.sny.tv/images/icons/email.gif[/img]email this page
NEW YORK -- One day in April 2006, UConn coach Jim Calhoun gathered his staff around a conference table in the coaches' lockerroom at Gampel Pavilion -- a room known as "the bunker" -- to finalize the incoming recruiting class.
UConn had lost five players the previous June to the NBA Draft, including Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams and Josh Boone, and the Huskiesneeded a large infusion of talent for the coming year. They had already received commitments from several players, including Stanley Robinson, Jerome Dyson,Doug Wiggins and New York's Curtis Kelly.
So Calhoun and his staff discussed a variety of other potential recruits until the conversation finally turned to Hasheem Thabeet, araw 7-foot-3 product of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, with a penchant for shot-blocking.
"I think he has a chance to be special," said UConn assistant Andre LaFleur, who had recently been in Houston recruitingwhen Thabeet notched 15 blocks in an AAU game at the Kingwood Classic.
Calhoun looked at then-associate head coach Tom Moore and said, "Tom, what do you think?"
"I don't know," Moore said. "He blocked about 15 shots, but it seemed like he could've blockedmore."
Moore looked at LaFleur and the two men broke out into a collective laugh.
"Did I just say that?" Moore asked. "Yeah, get him. He just blocked 15 shots, and I'm thinking he could'veblocked more?"
Two and half years later, LaFleur recalls that instant as the turning point for the UConn staff.
"That's when we decided he was a priority recruit. That's when decided to go all out to get him," LaFleur said in aphone interview.
A week or so later, Thabeet played well against highly regarded recruit Blake Griffin, now a member of The Associated Press PreseasonAll-American team. Upon seeing that, LaFleur returned to Storrs and made a mock prediction to the UConn staff, "Mark my words, Hasheem Thabeet will be theNo. 1 pick in the NBA Draft one day."
Lafleur's colleagues laughed at his prediction, but these days LaFleur is looking like Nostradamus.
Potential player of the year: Calhoun believes his team can win the national championship because it features a7-foot-3, 265-pound weapon that nobody else has.
After deciding not to enter the NBA Draft last spring, Thabeet returned for his junior year at UConn and is now the primary reasonthe Huskies are ranked No. 2 in both The Associated Press and ESPN coaches' polls.
"In 37 years, I've never had anybody like Hasheem," Calhoun said at Big East Media Day. "If he leads us to a FinalFour, he's capable of blocking nine shots, getting 20 rebounds and getting 20 points."
Calhoun said Thabeet could compete with North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough for National Player of the Year honors, and that wasbefore Hansbrough was sidelined indefinitely with a stress reaction in his right shin.
"In my opinion [he] has a chance to have a greater impact on the game," Calhoun said of Thabeet. "Tyler Hansbrough isthe best scoring big guy in the country and he'll have his 3,000 points, but it will come down to what guy can take his team [thefurthest]."
Not bad for a guy who grew up playing soccer in Tanzania.
A long journey to America: Thabeet was 6-6 by the time he was 13, and reached the seven-foot mark when he was16.
As a young man dreaming of a better life in the U.S., he watched plenty of NBA basketball.
"I saw a lot of games," he said. "I used to watch Penny Hardaway. I watched Jordan till he retired. I used to watchbasketball a lot back then."
He watched basketball in his homeland, too, but was too timid to join in the games. Finally, one day after a coach gave him sneakers,Thabeet tried the game. The result?
He sank a free throw and then dunked the ball.
When he wasn't watching basketball, Thabeet would sit in Internet cafes in Dar Es Salaam and read up on American colleges. He hadlearned English in school and also speaks Swahili and a little French.
"That's what I used to do," he said. "Google something and just send e-mail to the basketball staff. I sent somany. Some of them I get a response, some of them I don't.
"I never thought one day I would play for a big school like UConn."
A turning point in his life came when he played at an event in Kenya.
"I was playing a tournament in Kenya and somebody saw me playing out there and they said, 'You got a chance to playbasketball,'" Thabeet said.
Thabeet didn't believe what the man, Oliver Noah, a European businessman with American contacts, told him, but Noah pressedon.
"Why don't you come over, get a scholarship, get a free education?" he asked.
Thabeet didn't trust Noah at first, so he gave him his mother's phone number.
Noah contacted a couple schools and, after securing the necessary I-20 form that enables foreign students to enroll at Americanschools, Thabeet ended up at Stoneridge Prep in Simi Valley, Calif. His father had died when Thabeet was 13, so he left his mother, brother and sister behind.His brother, Akbar, is now in the U.S., and his mother and sister remain in Tanzania.
After arriving at Stoneridge in early 2005, Thabeet said he found it odd that he was living with a coach and not in adorm.
Thabeet asked Noah to get him out of there and he ended up at Picayune (Miss.) Memorial High School in March 2005.It remains unclearwhy Thabeet went to that school, but he only lasted a couple of months before transferring to Cypress Christian School in Houston, where he averaged 16 points,10 rebounds and four blocks as a senior.
UConn begins its pursuit: LaFleur had an old friend in Houston named Ken Henry, who was a member of the CyprusChristian Church Thabeet attended. LaFleur and Henry both played professionally in Australia.
"He kept telling me about this 7-foot kid from Tanzania that was going to his church," LaFleur recalled. Henry calledLaFleur "four or five" times before the UConn assistant finally took a recruiting trip to watch Thabeet play for Cypress Christian. At that time,Thabeet wasn't even ranked among the prospects in Houston, and no one knew who he was.
"He was very intriguing," LaFleur said. "He definitely was one of the tallest prospects that I had ever seen and hewas intriguing. He had no idea how to play basketball. He didn't know which side of the court to be on. He played it like he was on the soccer field. Theone thing he did, he blocked a lot of shots. He just kept blocking shots. He had a knack for that.
"I kept going down to the workouts, and every time I went down he got better and got better, significantlybetter."
Thabeet made his first trip to UConn early in 2006, when the Huskies were hosting Louisville in the inaugural ESPN GameDay, andLaFleur recalled that the big man made an immediate impact around campus.
"He walks down the stadium wearing a white velour sweatsuit and he had on some big sunglasses," LaFleur recalled. "Allof the players looked up. Everyone said, 'Who is this guy?' and no one knew who he was. He was huge.
"He was very worldly, very mature, very intriguing," LaFleur said. "He had charisma. He had a lot of class. He prettymuch won everybody over."
Still, it wasn't until after the Kingwood tournament that UConn actually made Thabeet a scholarship offer.
A new life at UConn: Thabeet was aware that the Huskies had lost many players to the NBA, and so he chose to playfor the Huskies.
"When I was coming, Josh Boone, Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, everybody was leaving and going to the NBA and I thought I had a shotto start right away as a freshman," Thabeet recalled.
In his two years in Storrs, his teammates and coaches say he has improved dramatically. Teammate Jeff Adrien recalls the play whenThabeet stepped out to the 3-point line and blocked a 3-point attempt by Notre Dame's Ryan Ayers.
Last season, Thabeet tallied at least three blocks on 26 occasions, and had seven double-doubles. He averaged 10.5 points, 7.9rebounds and 4.5 blocks en route to Big East defensive player of the year honors.
"Every year he's improving 100 percent," Adrien said. "It's unreal, really. This guy's 7-3 and he canmove. He's just so big. You can't really replace a guy like that.
"He's a force in practice. He makes me better, knowing that I'm not going to face anybody in the league likethat."
Thabeet considered jumping to the NBA after last season, but after consulting with numerous people, including NBA players and UConnproducts Gay, Ray Allen and Emeka Okafor, he opted to remain on campus.
"I thought I made a good decision in coming back to UConn," he said. "I got a lot of advice from my family andfriends."
The combination of Thabeet and the 6-7 Adrien down low helped make the Huskies the preseason favorite to win the Big Eastregular-season title.
"As far as who is the favorite, I'm going to say UConn," Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "Thabeet andAdrien, that is an NBA front line. To me they have the best chance in our league to win the national championship."
Still, for all the individual praise he receives, Thabeet, like his fellow African, Hamady N'Diaye of Rutgers, prefers to talkabout team goals and accomplishments.
"We play as a team," Thabeet said. "The whole team can play great defense. It's not me or Jeff Adrien who'sgoing to win the games. We're going to play defense as a team and win some games."
...
I am all in, in regards to his season and career.
Tanzania native helps give Huskies title chance
By Adam Zagoria / SNY.tv
|
| Hasheem Thabeet averaged 4.5 blocks a game last season for UConn, which ranked second in the nation. (AP) |
NEW YORK -- One day in April 2006, UConn coach Jim Calhoun gathered his staff around a conference table in the coaches' lockerroom at Gampel Pavilion -- a room known as "the bunker" -- to finalize the incoming recruiting class.
UConn had lost five players the previous June to the NBA Draft, including Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams and Josh Boone, and the Huskiesneeded a large infusion of talent for the coming year. They had already received commitments from several players, including Stanley Robinson, Jerome Dyson,Doug Wiggins and New York's Curtis Kelly.
So Calhoun and his staff discussed a variety of other potential recruits until the conversation finally turned to Hasheem Thabeet, araw 7-foot-3 product of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, with a penchant for shot-blocking.
"I think he has a chance to be special," said UConn assistant Andre LaFleur, who had recently been in Houston recruitingwhen Thabeet notched 15 blocks in an AAU game at the Kingwood Classic.
Calhoun looked at then-associate head coach Tom Moore and said, "Tom, what do you think?"
"I don't know," Moore said. "He blocked about 15 shots, but it seemed like he could've blockedmore."
Moore looked at LaFleur and the two men broke out into a collective laugh.
"Did I just say that?" Moore asked. "Yeah, get him. He just blocked 15 shots, and I'm thinking he could'veblocked more?"
Two and half years later, LaFleur recalls that instant as the turning point for the UConn staff.
"That's when we decided he was a priority recruit. That's when decided to go all out to get him," LaFleur said in aphone interview.
A week or so later, Thabeet played well against highly regarded recruit Blake Griffin, now a member of The Associated Press PreseasonAll-American team. Upon seeing that, LaFleur returned to Storrs and made a mock prediction to the UConn staff, "Mark my words, Hasheem Thabeet will be theNo. 1 pick in the NBA Draft one day."
Lafleur's colleagues laughed at his prediction, but these days LaFleur is looking like Nostradamus.
Potential player of the year: Calhoun believes his team can win the national championship because it features a7-foot-3, 265-pound weapon that nobody else has.
After deciding not to enter the NBA Draft last spring, Thabeet returned for his junior year at UConn and is now the primary reasonthe Huskies are ranked No. 2 in both The Associated Press and ESPN coaches' polls.
"In 37 years, I've never had anybody like Hasheem," Calhoun said at Big East Media Day. "If he leads us to a FinalFour, he's capable of blocking nine shots, getting 20 rebounds and getting 20 points."
Calhoun said Thabeet could compete with North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough for National Player of the Year honors, and that wasbefore Hansbrough was sidelined indefinitely with a stress reaction in his right shin.
"In my opinion [he] has a chance to have a greater impact on the game," Calhoun said of Thabeet. "Tyler Hansbrough isthe best scoring big guy in the country and he'll have his 3,000 points, but it will come down to what guy can take his team [thefurthest]."
Not bad for a guy who grew up playing soccer in Tanzania.
A long journey to America: Thabeet was 6-6 by the time he was 13, and reached the seven-foot mark when he was16.
As a young man dreaming of a better life in the U.S., he watched plenty of NBA basketball.
"I saw a lot of games," he said. "I used to watch Penny Hardaway. I watched Jordan till he retired. I used to watchbasketball a lot back then."
He watched basketball in his homeland, too, but was too timid to join in the games. Finally, one day after a coach gave him sneakers,Thabeet tried the game. The result?
He sank a free throw and then dunked the ball.
When he wasn't watching basketball, Thabeet would sit in Internet cafes in Dar Es Salaam and read up on American colleges. He hadlearned English in school and also speaks Swahili and a little French.
"That's what I used to do," he said. "Google something and just send e-mail to the basketball staff. I sent somany. Some of them I get a response, some of them I don't.
"I never thought one day I would play for a big school like UConn."
A turning point in his life came when he played at an event in Kenya.
"I was playing a tournament in Kenya and somebody saw me playing out there and they said, 'You got a chance to playbasketball,'" Thabeet said.
Thabeet didn't believe what the man, Oliver Noah, a European businessman with American contacts, told him, but Noah pressedon.
"Why don't you come over, get a scholarship, get a free education?" he asked.
Thabeet didn't trust Noah at first, so he gave him his mother's phone number.
Noah contacted a couple schools and, after securing the necessary I-20 form that enables foreign students to enroll at Americanschools, Thabeet ended up at Stoneridge Prep in Simi Valley, Calif. His father had died when Thabeet was 13, so he left his mother, brother and sister behind.His brother, Akbar, is now in the U.S., and his mother and sister remain in Tanzania.
After arriving at Stoneridge in early 2005, Thabeet said he found it odd that he was living with a coach and not in adorm.
Thabeet asked Noah to get him out of there and he ended up at Picayune (Miss.) Memorial High School in March 2005.It remains unclearwhy Thabeet went to that school, but he only lasted a couple of months before transferring to Cypress Christian School in Houston, where he averaged 16 points,10 rebounds and four blocks as a senior.
UConn begins its pursuit: LaFleur had an old friend in Houston named Ken Henry, who was a member of the CyprusChristian Church Thabeet attended. LaFleur and Henry both played professionally in Australia.
"He kept telling me about this 7-foot kid from Tanzania that was going to his church," LaFleur recalled. Henry calledLaFleur "four or five" times before the UConn assistant finally took a recruiting trip to watch Thabeet play for Cypress Christian. At that time,Thabeet wasn't even ranked among the prospects in Houston, and no one knew who he was.
"He was very intriguing," LaFleur said. "He definitely was one of the tallest prospects that I had ever seen and hewas intriguing. He had no idea how to play basketball. He didn't know which side of the court to be on. He played it like he was on the soccer field. Theone thing he did, he blocked a lot of shots. He just kept blocking shots. He had a knack for that.
"I kept going down to the workouts, and every time I went down he got better and got better, significantlybetter."
Thabeet made his first trip to UConn early in 2006, when the Huskies were hosting Louisville in the inaugural ESPN GameDay, andLaFleur recalled that the big man made an immediate impact around campus.
"He walks down the stadium wearing a white velour sweatsuit and he had on some big sunglasses," LaFleur recalled. "Allof the players looked up. Everyone said, 'Who is this guy?' and no one knew who he was. He was huge.
"He was very worldly, very mature, very intriguing," LaFleur said. "He had charisma. He had a lot of class. He prettymuch won everybody over."
Still, it wasn't until after the Kingwood tournament that UConn actually made Thabeet a scholarship offer.
A new life at UConn: Thabeet was aware that the Huskies had lost many players to the NBA, and so he chose to playfor the Huskies.
"When I was coming, Josh Boone, Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, everybody was leaving and going to the NBA and I thought I had a shotto start right away as a freshman," Thabeet recalled.
In his two years in Storrs, his teammates and coaches say he has improved dramatically. Teammate Jeff Adrien recalls the play whenThabeet stepped out to the 3-point line and blocked a 3-point attempt by Notre Dame's Ryan Ayers.
Last season, Thabeet tallied at least three blocks on 26 occasions, and had seven double-doubles. He averaged 10.5 points, 7.9rebounds and 4.5 blocks en route to Big East defensive player of the year honors.
"Every year he's improving 100 percent," Adrien said. "It's unreal, really. This guy's 7-3 and he canmove. He's just so big. You can't really replace a guy like that.
"He's a force in practice. He makes me better, knowing that I'm not going to face anybody in the league likethat."
Thabeet considered jumping to the NBA after last season, but after consulting with numerous people, including NBA players and UConnproducts Gay, Ray Allen and Emeka Okafor, he opted to remain on campus.
"I thought I made a good decision in coming back to UConn," he said. "I got a lot of advice from my family andfriends."
The combination of Thabeet and the 6-7 Adrien down low helped make the Huskies the preseason favorite to win the Big Eastregular-season title.
"As far as who is the favorite, I'm going to say UConn," Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez said. "Thabeet andAdrien, that is an NBA front line. To me they have the best chance in our league to win the national championship."
Still, for all the individual praise he receives, Thabeet, like his fellow African, Hamady N'Diaye of Rutgers, prefers to talkabout team goals and accomplishments.
"We play as a team," Thabeet said. "The whole team can play great defense. It's not me or Jeff Adrien who'sgoing to win the games. We're going to play defense as a team and win some games."
...
I am all in, in regards to his season and career.
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I swear I was reading thinking the exact same thing.
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Wake beat Duke last year.Originally Posted by SCuse7
If Miami doesn't impress this year. They never will.
Wake will have upset UNC or Duke this year. Tons of potential.
And last year I thought Virgina would be a good out of conference game for us.
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No comment on Lawson. I'll save my hate for another day.
[h4]Jeff Goodman's Top 25[/h4]
1. Sunday, Nov. 9
2. Saturday, Nov. 8
3. Friday, Nov. 7
4. Gonzaga Bulldogs
5. Connecticut Huskies
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. UCLA Bruins
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9. Pittsburgh Panthers
10. Purdue Boilermakers
11. Texas Longhorns
12. Georgetown Hoyas
13. Memphis Tigers
14. Tennessee Volunteers
15. Miami Hurricanes
16. Arizona State Sun Devils
17. Oklahoma Sooners
18. Marquette Golden Eagles
19. Villanova Wildcats
20. UNLV Runnin' Rebels
21. Florida Gators
22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
23. USC Trojans
24. Wisconsin Badgers
25. Syracuse Orange
[h4]Top transfers[/h4]
Since this season's freshman class is subpar compared to the past few years, we figured we'd give you a peek at some of the top transfers who will likely make a significant impact this season.
Two players on the list - Julian Vaughn and Will Harris - are eligible immediately after receiving hardship waivers from the NCAA.
While Vaughn, who transferred from Florida State to Georgetown, won't put up eye-popping numbers, his presence should be key for a Hoyas team that lostbig man Roy Hibbert.
Denis Clemente, Kansas State: The explosive guard played two seasons at Miami before being dismissed from the team. With Michael Beasleyand Bill Walker gone, expect Clemente to make an immediate impact.
Casey Crawford, Colorado: The skilled 6-foot-9 sophomore only lasted one season at Wake Forest, but he'll get a chance to show what hecan do for Jeff Bzdelik and the Buffaloes.
Reginald Delk, Louisville: The 6-foot-4 junior guard is in his first season with the Cardinals after spending his first two years as astarter at Mississippi State. He'll give Rick Pitino added depth on the wing.
Vernon Goodridge, La Salle: Here's another former Mississippi State player. The 6-foot-9 athletic big man didn't play much down forthe Bulldogs in his first two seasons, but he'll get a ton of time for John Giannini and the Explorers.
Anthony Gurley, Massachusetts: The smooth shooting guard left Wake Forest and landed closer to home. He'll form a perimeter trio alongwith Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris that should be tough to stop in the Atlantic 10.
Alex Legion, Illinois: The former Kentucky wing will sit out the first semester but should come in and make an immediate impact - out ofnecessity - for Bruce Weber's team.
Laval Lucas-Perry, Michigan: The Michigan native and combo guard bolted Arizona at the start of all the craziness, and now he'll be amajor piece of John Beilein's efforts in Ann Arbor.
Chris Lutz, Marshall: Don't be surprised if the former Purdue Boilermaker turns out to be one of the best players in Conference USA.Matt Painter and his staff didn't want to lose the 6-foot-3 Lutz, who was the Big Ten's most efficient 3-point shooter as a freshman.
Cyrus McGowan, Miami: If the Hurricanes are to challenge near the top of the ACC, they will need the 6-foot-9 junior, who played two yearsat Arkansas, to give them another big body on the frontline.
Mike Mercer, South Florida: Bulls coach Stan Heath has been singing the praises of the former Georgia guard in the preseason.
Robert Mitchell, Seton Hall: The former Duquesne wing was, at one point, the Dukes' leading scorer. He'll be counted uponimmediately by a team that doesn't have a ton of depth.
Joe Trapani, Boston College: The 6-foot-8 junior was on track to become the top player in the America East, but he left Vermont after oneseason and will now be a valuable piece for Al Skinner as a skilled, face-up power forward.
Julian Vaughn, Georgetown: The ex-Florida State big man got a transfer waiver and is eligible to play immediately because of a familysituation. He'll give the Hoyas depth in the frontcourt.
Tre'von Willis, UNLV: The 6-foot-4 guard could wind up as the Runnin' Rebels starting point guard after transferring fromMemphis.
Ryan Wright, Oklahoma: The Canadian and former UCLA forward should get a chance to play up front alongside Blake Griffin. He's athleticand could be exactly what Jeff Capel's Sooners need.
[h4]10 mid-major transfers[/h4]
Joe Dukes, Georgia State: The former Wake Forest point guard will likely start at Georgia State. He played two years in the ACC and startedsix games.
Stephan Gilling, Long Beach State: The 6-foot-2 junior started 14 games for Colorado State, and Dan Munson will need Gilling to averagemore than the 8.9 points he did in 2006-07 for CSU.
Joe Harden, UC Davis: The 6-foot-7 wing played one season at Notre Dame, and could be the leading scorer for Gary Stewart and UC Davis thisseason.
Will Harris, Albany: The former Virginia forward is eligible immediately for Will Brown's program after receiving a hardship waiver.He'll be a tough matchup in the America East.
Marquez Haynes, UT Arlington: The former Boston College reserve combo guard could end up being Scott Cross' top player this season.He's a big-time athlete who will see time at both guard spots.
Maurice Joseph, Vermont: The one-time Michigan State wing is a big-time scorer and should help the Catamounts finish near the top of theAmerica East.
Phil Nelson, Portland State: The 6-foot-7 sophomore spent one year at Washington before transferring closer to home. Nelson started ninegames in the Pac-10 and could be a force in the Big Sky.
Sean Ogirri, Wyoming: The 6-foot-2 guard only has one year left after spending three at Wichita State, so it's likely he'll come inand make an immediate impact with his ability to shoot the ball.
Adrian Oliver, San Jose State: The 6-foot-4 sophomore started 13 games in his two seasons at Washington, but should move into the startinglineup with the Spartans.
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech: The former LSU big man from the Bahamas will give Kerry Rupp something that few teams in the WAC possess -size and athleticism. Rolle started nine games in the SEC.
[h3]Goodman's Countdown[/h3]
|
| You can probably guess who's No. 1 in Jeff Goodman's Top 25 Countdown. The rest? Check back every day on our college basketball page as Jeff counts 'em down ... or in this case, up. |
1. Sunday, Nov. 9
2. Saturday, Nov. 8
3. Friday, Nov. 7
4. Gonzaga Bulldogs
5. Connecticut Huskies
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. UCLA Bruins
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9. Pittsburgh Panthers
10. Purdue Boilermakers
11. Texas Longhorns
12. Georgetown Hoyas
13. Memphis Tigers
14. Tennessee Volunteers
15. Miami Hurricanes
16. Arizona State Sun Devils
17. Oklahoma Sooners
18. Marquette Golden Eagles
19. Villanova Wildcats
20. UNLV Runnin' Rebels
21. Florida Gators
22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
23. USC Trojans
24. Wisconsin Badgers
25. Syracuse Orange
[h4]Top transfers[/h4]
Since this season's freshman class is subpar compared to the past few years, we figured we'd give you a peek at some of the top transfers who will likely make a significant impact this season.
Two players on the list - Julian Vaughn and Will Harris - are eligible immediately after receiving hardship waivers from the NCAA.
While Vaughn, who transferred from Florida State to Georgetown, won't put up eye-popping numbers, his presence should be key for a Hoyas team that lostbig man Roy Hibbert.
Denis Clemente, Kansas State: The explosive guard played two seasons at Miami before being dismissed from the team. With Michael Beasleyand Bill Walker gone, expect Clemente to make an immediate impact.
Casey Crawford, Colorado: The skilled 6-foot-9 sophomore only lasted one season at Wake Forest, but he'll get a chance to show what hecan do for Jeff Bzdelik and the Buffaloes.
Reginald Delk, Louisville: The 6-foot-4 junior guard is in his first season with the Cardinals after spending his first two years as astarter at Mississippi State. He'll give Rick Pitino added depth on the wing.
Vernon Goodridge, La Salle: Here's another former Mississippi State player. The 6-foot-9 athletic big man didn't play much down forthe Bulldogs in his first two seasons, but he'll get a ton of time for John Giannini and the Explorers.
Anthony Gurley, Massachusetts: The smooth shooting guard left Wake Forest and landed closer to home. He'll form a perimeter trio alongwith Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris that should be tough to stop in the Atlantic 10.
Alex Legion, Illinois: The former Kentucky wing will sit out the first semester but should come in and make an immediate impact - out ofnecessity - for Bruce Weber's team.
Laval Lucas-Perry, Michigan: The Michigan native and combo guard bolted Arizona at the start of all the craziness, and now he'll be amajor piece of John Beilein's efforts in Ann Arbor.
Chris Lutz, Marshall: Don't be surprised if the former Purdue Boilermaker turns out to be one of the best players in Conference USA.Matt Painter and his staff didn't want to lose the 6-foot-3 Lutz, who was the Big Ten's most efficient 3-point shooter as a freshman.
Cyrus McGowan, Miami: If the Hurricanes are to challenge near the top of the ACC, they will need the 6-foot-9 junior, who played two yearsat Arkansas, to give them another big body on the frontline.
Mike Mercer, South Florida: Bulls coach Stan Heath has been singing the praises of the former Georgia guard in the preseason.
Robert Mitchell, Seton Hall: The former Duquesne wing was, at one point, the Dukes' leading scorer. He'll be counted uponimmediately by a team that doesn't have a ton of depth.
Joe Trapani, Boston College: The 6-foot-8 junior was on track to become the top player in the America East, but he left Vermont after oneseason and will now be a valuable piece for Al Skinner as a skilled, face-up power forward.
Julian Vaughn, Georgetown: The ex-Florida State big man got a transfer waiver and is eligible to play immediately because of a familysituation. He'll give the Hoyas depth in the frontcourt.
Tre'von Willis, UNLV: The 6-foot-4 guard could wind up as the Runnin' Rebels starting point guard after transferring fromMemphis.
Ryan Wright, Oklahoma: The Canadian and former UCLA forward should get a chance to play up front alongside Blake Griffin. He's athleticand could be exactly what Jeff Capel's Sooners need.
[h4]10 mid-major transfers[/h4]
Joe Dukes, Georgia State: The former Wake Forest point guard will likely start at Georgia State. He played two years in the ACC and startedsix games.
Stephan Gilling, Long Beach State: The 6-foot-2 junior started 14 games for Colorado State, and Dan Munson will need Gilling to averagemore than the 8.9 points he did in 2006-07 for CSU.
Joe Harden, UC Davis: The 6-foot-7 wing played one season at Notre Dame, and could be the leading scorer for Gary Stewart and UC Davis thisseason.
Will Harris, Albany: The former Virginia forward is eligible immediately for Will Brown's program after receiving a hardship waiver.He'll be a tough matchup in the America East.
Marquez Haynes, UT Arlington: The former Boston College reserve combo guard could end up being Scott Cross' top player this season.He's a big-time athlete who will see time at both guard spots.
Maurice Joseph, Vermont: The one-time Michigan State wing is a big-time scorer and should help the Catamounts finish near the top of theAmerica East.
Phil Nelson, Portland State: The 6-foot-7 sophomore spent one year at Washington before transferring closer to home. Nelson started ninegames in the Pac-10 and could be a force in the Big Sky.
Sean Ogirri, Wyoming: The 6-foot-2 guard only has one year left after spending three at Wichita State, so it's likely he'll come inand make an immediate impact with his ability to shoot the ball.
Adrian Oliver, San Jose State: The 6-foot-4 sophomore started 13 games in his two seasons at Washington, but should move into the startinglineup with the Spartans.
Magnum Rolle, Louisiana Tech: The former LSU big man from the Bahamas will give Kerry Rupp something that few teams in the WAC possess -size and athleticism. Rolle started nine games in the SEC.
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20 Health Concerns
1. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina: There's still plenty of uncertainty with the stress reaction that has put the All-American and theTar Heels' top player on the sidelines. If Hansbrough only misses the Maui Invitational, it's no big deal. However, if this ends up turning into astress fracture, it could put him on the shelf for a while.
2. Levance Fields, Pittsburgh: Missed 12 games with a foot injury last season and had another surgery over the summer. The Panthers staffis being cautious with the senior point guard and for good reason. They need him healthy when it matters. If Fields goes down, the starting spot will fall to afreshman. That's not a pretty thought for Jamie Dixon.
3. A.J. Price, UConn: The Huskies point guard went down with a torn ACL in the first half of the loss to San Diego in the NCAA tournament,but is expected to start the season opener. With a healthy Price and freshman Kemba Walker, UConn can field one of the top backcourts in the country. If Priceisn't healthy, it'd be tough to imagine a scenario where the Huskies could go deep in the postseason.
4. Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga: The 'Zags big man was never the same last season after foot surgery early in the year. If Heytvelt canreturn to the form he displayed as a sophomore when he averaged 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, Gonzaga could finally make thatelusive Final Four appearance.
5. Eric Devendorf, Syracuse: Was leading the Orange in scoring through the first 10 games of the season when he tore his ACL. He'll notonly give Jim Boeheim's club depth and a scorer to take the pressure off Jonny Flynn, but also experience that the Orange lacked last season.
6. Ron Steele, Alabama: It seems like an eternity ago that Steele was considered one of the elite point guards in the country. He'sbeen snake-bitten by injuries to both knees and had to sit out the entire season last year to get back healthy. If Steele comes back near what he was a coupleyears ago, the Crimson Tide could be dangerous with the addition of JaMychal Green and the return of Alonzo Gee.
7. Tasmin Mitchell, LSU: Had a stress fracture in his left shin that cut his season short after just three games. The reports have beenthat he's looked terrific in the preseason and could make Trent Johnson's first season in Baton Rouge much easier than many expected.
8. Dogus Balbay, Texas: The heir apparent to D.J. Augustin sat out the entire year after knee surgery. The word is that the Turkish floorleader will battle with A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason for time running the Longhorns, but Balbay is the best option. He can run the show and make his teammatesbetter.
9. Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina: While Hansbrough's injury is certainly on a different level, Ginyard's presence is critical fora team that isn't exactly known for its defense. Ginyard is clearly the Tar Heels' top defender and he'll likely miss the first month or so with astress fracture in his foot.
10. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky: One of the top big men in the country, Patterson missed the tail end of the regular-season and thepostseason with a stress fracture in his ankle. The Wildcats found a way to win enough games without Patterson, but the bottom line is that he'll be adouble-double machine this season and Kentucky needs him to get back to the Big Dance.
11. Sharaud Curry, Providence: The Friars were without their starting point guard for all but eight minutes last season after Curry was onthe shelf following foot surgery. Curry is back and he'll have a senior-laden team around him -- and a new coach in Keno Davis. If Providence is going tomake a run at the NCAA tournament, they will need Curry.
12. Farnold Degand, N.C. State: The Wolfpack need the speedy floor leader to come back strong from a torn ACL that ended his season inlate-December a year ago. N.C. State went in the tank when he went down and while Degand isn't quite at 100 percent right now, he's still a betteroption that Javi Gonzalez.
13. Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons will need the speedy Smith to recover from the ankle injury that has sidelined him forthe preseason. Smith is the guy who will push the tempo and make sure everyone is happy. He's also a vocal leader for the Deacs.
14. Markel Humphrey, Marshall: The Thundering Herd's top player battled through much of last season with a stress fracture in his heeland now he's out with a stress fracture in his left foot. There's a chance he could be back for the season opener, but coach Donnie Jones needs to becareful with his star player.
15. Andy Rautins, Syracuse: He's the best shooter that the Orange have and he missed all of last season with a knee injury. He'sback and it should open everything up for Flynn and the rest of his teammates.
16. Paul Delaney, UAB: The Blazers' starting point guard tore his ACL four games into the year, but his return -- along with that ofRobert Vaden -- could make Mike Davis' club a tournament team again this season.
17. Korvotney Barber, Auburn: He was leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding when he broke his left hand in the middle of the season.If Jeff Lebo & Co. are to make any noise in the SEC, Barber's health is critical.
18. Bobby Frasor, North Carolina: His impact won't be felt by his statistics, but Frasor will be a much-needed piece to the puzzle ifthe Tar Heels win a national title. He's a leader, a quality defender and can play both backcourt spots.
19. Delvon Roe, Michigan State: The athletic Spartans freshman forward missed his entire senior season in high school after microfracturesurgery on his right knee. Roe had minor surgery on the other knee in August, but appears to be ready to go for Michigan State's season-opener.
20. Adam Gore, Cornell: The Big Red, the unanimous pick to win the Ivy League again this season, lost one of their top players in Gore, whotore his ACL in September. Cornell could get Gore back for the Ivy League slate.
[h4]Long-term losses[/h4]
DeAndre Bell, Georgia Tech: Bell, a leader and the Yellow Jackets top defensive player, is done after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis,a narrowing of the spine.
Cashmere Wright, Cincinnati: The Bearcats freshman tore his ACL in his left knee in the preseason and it's a significant blow to MickCronin's team.
Kenny George, UNC Asheville: The sad news came recently that the 7-foot-8 big man's career is over after an infection in his footresulted in having part of the foot amputated.
1. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina: There's still plenty of uncertainty with the stress reaction that has put the All-American and theTar Heels' top player on the sidelines. If Hansbrough only misses the Maui Invitational, it's no big deal. However, if this ends up turning into astress fracture, it could put him on the shelf for a while.
2. Levance Fields, Pittsburgh: Missed 12 games with a foot injury last season and had another surgery over the summer. The Panthers staffis being cautious with the senior point guard and for good reason. They need him healthy when it matters. If Fields goes down, the starting spot will fall to afreshman. That's not a pretty thought for Jamie Dixon.
3. A.J. Price, UConn: The Huskies point guard went down with a torn ACL in the first half of the loss to San Diego in the NCAA tournament,but is expected to start the season opener. With a healthy Price and freshman Kemba Walker, UConn can field one of the top backcourts in the country. If Priceisn't healthy, it'd be tough to imagine a scenario where the Huskies could go deep in the postseason.
4. Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga: The 'Zags big man was never the same last season after foot surgery early in the year. If Heytvelt canreturn to the form he displayed as a sophomore when he averaged 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, Gonzaga could finally make thatelusive Final Four appearance.
5. Eric Devendorf, Syracuse: Was leading the Orange in scoring through the first 10 games of the season when he tore his ACL. He'll notonly give Jim Boeheim's club depth and a scorer to take the pressure off Jonny Flynn, but also experience that the Orange lacked last season.
6. Ron Steele, Alabama: It seems like an eternity ago that Steele was considered one of the elite point guards in the country. He'sbeen snake-bitten by injuries to both knees and had to sit out the entire season last year to get back healthy. If Steele comes back near what he was a coupleyears ago, the Crimson Tide could be dangerous with the addition of JaMychal Green and the return of Alonzo Gee.
7. Tasmin Mitchell, LSU: Had a stress fracture in his left shin that cut his season short after just three games. The reports have beenthat he's looked terrific in the preseason and could make Trent Johnson's first season in Baton Rouge much easier than many expected.
8. Dogus Balbay, Texas: The heir apparent to D.J. Augustin sat out the entire year after knee surgery. The word is that the Turkish floorleader will battle with A.J. Abrams and Justin Mason for time running the Longhorns, but Balbay is the best option. He can run the show and make his teammatesbetter.
9. Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina: While Hansbrough's injury is certainly on a different level, Ginyard's presence is critical fora team that isn't exactly known for its defense. Ginyard is clearly the Tar Heels' top defender and he'll likely miss the first month or so with astress fracture in his foot.
10. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky: One of the top big men in the country, Patterson missed the tail end of the regular-season and thepostseason with a stress fracture in his ankle. The Wildcats found a way to win enough games without Patterson, but the bottom line is that he'll be adouble-double machine this season and Kentucky needs him to get back to the Big Dance.
11. Sharaud Curry, Providence: The Friars were without their starting point guard for all but eight minutes last season after Curry was onthe shelf following foot surgery. Curry is back and he'll have a senior-laden team around him -- and a new coach in Keno Davis. If Providence is going tomake a run at the NCAA tournament, they will need Curry.
12. Farnold Degand, N.C. State: The Wolfpack need the speedy floor leader to come back strong from a torn ACL that ended his season inlate-December a year ago. N.C. State went in the tank when he went down and while Degand isn't quite at 100 percent right now, he's still a betteroption that Javi Gonzalez.
13. Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons will need the speedy Smith to recover from the ankle injury that has sidelined him forthe preseason. Smith is the guy who will push the tempo and make sure everyone is happy. He's also a vocal leader for the Deacs.
14. Markel Humphrey, Marshall: The Thundering Herd's top player battled through much of last season with a stress fracture in his heeland now he's out with a stress fracture in his left foot. There's a chance he could be back for the season opener, but coach Donnie Jones needs to becareful with his star player.
15. Andy Rautins, Syracuse: He's the best shooter that the Orange have and he missed all of last season with a knee injury. He'sback and it should open everything up for Flynn and the rest of his teammates.
16. Paul Delaney, UAB: The Blazers' starting point guard tore his ACL four games into the year, but his return -- along with that ofRobert Vaden -- could make Mike Davis' club a tournament team again this season.
17. Korvotney Barber, Auburn: He was leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding when he broke his left hand in the middle of the season.If Jeff Lebo & Co. are to make any noise in the SEC, Barber's health is critical.
18. Bobby Frasor, North Carolina: His impact won't be felt by his statistics, but Frasor will be a much-needed piece to the puzzle ifthe Tar Heels win a national title. He's a leader, a quality defender and can play both backcourt spots.
19. Delvon Roe, Michigan State: The athletic Spartans freshman forward missed his entire senior season in high school after microfracturesurgery on his right knee. Roe had minor surgery on the other knee in August, but appears to be ready to go for Michigan State's season-opener.
20. Adam Gore, Cornell: The Big Red, the unanimous pick to win the Ivy League again this season, lost one of their top players in Gore, whotore his ACL in September. Cornell could get Gore back for the Ivy League slate.
[h4]Long-term losses[/h4]
DeAndre Bell, Georgia Tech: Bell, a leader and the Yellow Jackets top defensive player, is done after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis,a narrowing of the spine.
Cashmere Wright, Cincinnati: The Bearcats freshman tore his ACL in his left knee in the preseason and it's a significant blow to MickCronin's team.
Kenny George, UNC Asheville: The sad news came recently that the 7-foot-8 big man's career is over after an infection in his footresulted in having part of the foot amputated.
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allen do u have a $$@%%+@ life? or just sit around and read rivals all day?
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That and finding anyway to continue his vicious slandering of Stephon. And Ty Lawson is a poor man's Raymond Felton. Dude will get burned by McClinton,Rice and a lot of the other good ACC guards.
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I have 2 days of class and I don't work a real job....(all things considered, im doin ok)
So, during the weekdays, this is a product of that.
So, during the weekdays, this is a product of that.
DeadsetAce
Supporter
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allen comes thru with the info
..cant hate
