View Full Version : USC In NCAA 53- A real life MP dynasty
So I got this idea from a real life baseball MP league on here and thought it was a really neat concept. JetsIn06 started a thread called Mastering the GUBA-verse An online OOTP Dynasty (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=90131) and I figured what the heck. I can follow suit. It was a good read, so I might as well go for it.
So this is going to be my own musings in an online FBCB2010 league that a lot of FOFC'ERS are actually in. Now sure how much ill be updating this because I am sure you are asking by now won't others be able to tell what you are doing? It’s honestly a pretty laid back friendly league so yes and no, but I’m doing it Just for fun (my job slows way down in the summers and this will give me something to do in the day time). If some of our wiley FOFC vets read this (I will introduce them all here shortly), that’s fine, I just won’t put everything i'm doing out there right away or something like that.
Alas let’s get into this thing.
I was pretty excited when the league started as Murrayyyyy (the commish) developed a league with FBCB that got me interested. You see I had never done a fbcb league before because DC, YoungDrachma or Ron (whatever you know him by here at FOFC) ruined most of my online leagues with his fast sim concept of OOTP on the boards here at FOFC. With fast sim you basically turn out a season within weeks instead of a season in game taking a few months in real life. I got addicted to seeing guys develop and turn into hall of famers and all the discussions and friendships that formed because of it. So MP leagues that weren’t fast sim didn’t appeal to me anymore.
Then along came Murrayyyy with the concept of starting college basketball in 1953 and all the neat things associated with it. Team names were different, Conference Alignments were different, the Logos were weird and cool all at the same time. While the speed isn’t what I would like, its fast enough, and immediately I was hooked.
As a matter of fact the first piece I wrote for the league was a recruiting piece in order to entice people to sign up.
The year was 2015. The college basketball history books have been written. Gone were the days of Wooden and UCLA, the old glory days of Rupp and Kentucky, and the Brillance of Phog Allen in Kansas. Now, you have the one and done’s with Calipari, the game being played above the rim with many teams running and gunning, and what many people see as the decline of fundamental basketball. Is Duke and Coach K the new way to play the game? Is Tom Izzo and Michigan State the model for how coaches should be building their teams? Is John Calipari good for College basketball? On top of those basketball related questions, has the commercialization ruined amateur athletics? I don’t know about all of you, but those questions are enough to make my head spin.
But what if I told you there was a way we could return to a time where the game and its history could be re-written? Want to play as the St. Bonaventure Brown Indians in the Western New York Little Three Conference? Or how about the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association? Or maybe you want to try your luck within the Atlantic Coast Conference (with only 8 teams) as Wake Forest? Have you even heard of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute Tigers? Want to try and make them the powerhouse of the Southeastern Conference? There are plenty of teams and storylines to be had, followed, changed and wrote about.
Just imagine if Wooden and the greatest dynasty college basketball has ever seen didn’t happen. What if there was no early entry to the draft and every player graduated from college? How about if Tobacco Road was never important in the basketball landscape? Other than the Ivy Group, what if there were no academic standards? What if Philly and the Big 5 turned into the basketball Mecca of the world?
Enter Murrayyyyy and his vision for a way to rewrite the college basketball history books using Fast Break College Basketball 2010. All the authentic team names and logos. All the conference alignments as it was back in the day with both team and conference movements that occur as they did back then.
NCAA 53 is an opportunity to take the reins of your favorite college basketball program at a time where the NCAA was just starting to get into its groove. Thanks to a win by the CCNY Beavers who won both the NIT and NCAA tournaments in 1950, the NCAA orchestrated a shift in the basketball landscape the following year. Teams would no longer be eligible to play in both tournaments. The spotlight that had always been shone on the NIT and New York were now going to be shut off. Sunny California and the West were going to have their time to shine. Will this shift happen in NCAA 53? Will you let it?
Come on over and check us out. Plenty of spots available with both inexperienced FBCB players and vets alike. Play around and have some fun in a league where every single recruiting action and every single coaching action has a ripple effect on the college landscape. Come rewrite the history books and change everything you have ever hated about college basketball. Do you have the guts to make New York University Violets the next Duke? Do you have what it takes to become the next John Thompson or Pete Carril?
Come show us what you got!
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NCAA53 (http://nabf.us/html/)
Sign ups here
Nothing found for Forums Show -Coach-Signups (http://www.simnation.net/forums/show...-Coach-Signups)
The second thing that I thought was neat about the league was the fact that when Murrayyyy announced the league on the boards here a lot of guys who were on the beta team for any of Brian's Fast Break series were saying they were interested. I then started to PM some people privately (sorry if I bugged anybody that is reading this now) an invited them to join the league.
For me, playing in a league where some original guys that have helped make the game what it is was, was also a very cool thing. We have about 30 coaches at the moment, with some of the guys having 2 and 3 teams and some sticking to just one.
When I signed up I took USC because there was another human that took California and with the PCC- (The Pacific Coast Conf) only having 9 teams I was hoping that league would fill up first and fast. And that is exactly what occurred.
The FOFC’ERS that have teams are:
murrayyyyy – Arkansas,
radii - North Carolina State, Idaho, Houston
britrock88 - North Carolina, Oregon, Yale
muns - Southern California
vince - Stanford, Dartmouth
dawgfan - Washington
groundhog - UCLA
balldog - Mercy College of Detroit
zinto - Saint Louis
Izulde - Wyoming
Comey - Notre Dame, Uconn, Penn
Bryan Swartz- Michigan,Harvard, Tulane
Mr.Bug- Indiana, Columbia
Korme- Cincinnatti
Old Giants- Rutgers
Sportsfanmas- Municipal University of Wichita
I might be forgetting a few guys here, and if I did someone let me know. I know I am missing some 2nd and 3rd teams and ill update that as I do some more research.
So the 2 things that we all have learned so far are:
1. We learned that with a smaller league the recruiting pool was smaller. We all had to adjust for what we were used to playing in single player which was weird to see.
2. We learned that we all were pretty conservative on who we went after recruiting wise. For perspective, the number 2 recruit Normand Herbert has no offers yet and it’s way too late in the recruiting game to just switch now.
What I learned:
1. Saving money on coaches to help you scout all of California doesn’t help when you have less recruits. First DOAHHH mistake.
2. I also forgot that academics were turned off, so I didn’t scout guys that could potentially become eligible. 2nd dumb DOAHHH mistake.
3. Recruiting in the PCC was going to be as rough as they come.
With Vince II at Stanford, with Dawgfan at Washington, with Groundhog at UCLA, with Radi at Idaho, with Britrock88 at Oregon its just a hell of a group that knows how to play the game and recruit.
Clearly, I am going to have my hands full at USC.
Brian Swartz
05-08-2015, 11:22 PM
Excellent! I have Michigan and don't give a rats behind if you put that in the post, three teams to destroy :P.
Excellent! I have Michigan and don't give a rats behind if you put that in the post, three teams to destroy :P.
I added Michigan to your line. I forgot about Michigan due to the coaching change somehow. And I highly doubt you'll be getting destroyed. Snake in the grass over here :D
Recruiting didn’t staff off the way I hoped. Not a lot of interest in USC, as other more prestigious teams are within the PCC. I knew I was going to be behind the 8 ball, but didn’t realize it would start off the way it did. Part of that problem was the lower of number of teams within our universe, there wasn’t as many kids to recruit from within the universe. That meant the hot bed in Cali was down more than usual and the hidden gems that I was counting on being able to find with the extra money that I didn’t spend on my coaching staff wasn’t going to happen.
My Recruiting budget was 29K which if you know anything about FBCB is a decent amount of change. My Prestige at USC is 51 and that is good for 4th out of the 9 teams within the PCC. UCLA and California were both better than I am Prestige wise, and that’s not good for in state recruiting.
I had 4 offers to hand out this year and I tried to identify the lower ranked guys within the state of California. Ya know just to be on the safe side due to where I fall within the structure of the PCC. I did target a few of the top tier guys just to see if I would like their ratings and if I might have a shot.
The first thing I needed to do was identify some post recruits. Post players are golden in FBCB because they do not get generated in numbers as other positions. This is doubly important in this league because as I mentioned earlier there are less recruits being generated.
Now I am playing catch up here since I decided to start this a bit late and we are further ahead in the game than my first few posts, but ill eventually pick it up.
The first Target that I really wanted was C- Derek Busby. An All-American who could flat out play. He looked to be able to do it all on the offensive side of the ball and he projected to be a major rebounder. He wasn’t all that great playing D, but he was average and I would be able to live with that. However as you can see, look who I ran into right away. The 2 big boys that I have already previously mentioned. I had to drop off him right away as there was no way I was going to be able to compete with California and UCLA. Time to sink that money into someone else.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/Derek%20Busby.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/Derek%20Busby.png.html)
The 2nd target C- Robert Coli. He was undersized at 6’8, but he was a load at 246. He strength was there and I figure with him being ranked 181st in the nation I might have a shot. Wrong again. Stanford had the lead from the very beginning and as you can tell, signed on the dotted line last sim. He wasn’t the typical big man that I would go after, however, he is going to be a force on the defensive side of the boards, and he was average on just about everything else. He wouldn’t have hurt me. But it wasn’t meant to be, and another team in the conf gets a kid that I would have liked to have had.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/Robert%20Coli.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/Robert%20Coli.png.html)
Ok so third target big man wise, and if you are anything like me you are thinking, 3rd time is the charm. One of these big guys has to pan out for us right? Sigh, sadly once again, it just didn’t happen. C-Hal Myers who is 6’10 would have been a nice fit for us. Tall, could board, has the strength and could play some nice post D. However, I was nervous about going into Utah, especially when a Utah school offered him right away and didn’t look back. While we had the same Prestige as Utah State, and play in a better conf, I couldn’t justify going hard and potentially wasting money.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/Hal%20Roberts.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/Hal%20Roberts.png.html)
So after the first 2 recruiting sims I’m in a full blown panic. I don’t have a lot of good young post players so I need to be able to snag at least one. Recruiting for the post was not good at the beginning and finding a solution was not going to be easy.
Vince, Pt. II
05-09-2015, 03:32 PM
I was thinking about doing something like this as well. Maybe I'll just chime in here occasionally :)
I had my eyes on Coil from the get go. Thought I may have been aiming too high, but as you noted it looks like we were all a little conservative.
So as I was not happy about how the bigs were shaping up. The bright spot was 2 guards that we identified from the get go, but just weren’t as important as the bigs. That has now shifted as the guards that were targeted become extremely important as they have the potential to save our class.
SG-Vincent Lincoln- Vincent is a 6’2 shooting Guard who is ranked 98th in the nation and is All state California, and an All American. He committed to us last sim, and we are ecstatic about him coming to USC. As long as our scouts have him rated correctly, he can shoot the J right away, has decent handles, can play some D and is pretty athletic. There is some room from growth, but not a lot. He seems to might be developed already. Either way he should play a role next year.
PG- Allen Stover- Allen is 6’2 PG from Montana, who was selected to the All Montana squad. I do not think his current scouting ratings correct, but if they are real it would be really nice for us. I would like to think we have him wrapped up but Washington right there kind of makes me nervous. I am hoping we are so far ahead that it won’t matter, but you just never know right. He can handle the ball like a student currently, can shoot it from long range, and has the potential to grow into a real shooter. He is a freakish athlete but like I said those scouted ratings might be a bit off. Either way hoping he comes to USC.
So those are the two guards we have identified, and were able to sign 1 out of the 2.
So who were the other 2 guys we ended up targeting since we struck out on the bigs?
C-Vaughn Griffis is the 35th rated recruit out of California. The first sim he was no eligible and once I realized that academic were turned off we jumped on him immediately in hopes nobody else figured that out. Unfortunately for us 2 other schools wanted him the same way. Thankfully, we had the lead and the other schools backed off. He still hasn’t committed and Kansas and West Virginia have now both showed interest this past sim. That doesn’t make me feel good, as they are 2 power house teams. Like Allen Stover, we are hoping that we are so far ahead that them coming up late won’t matter. But goodness if there is a recruit we can’t afford to get swiped on its Griffis. I have no idea who I’d go with post wise if he went somewhere else. He can board, play some good D and has the potential to develop into a low post scorer. He is the gem of the class simply because he is the post and losing him would tank it.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/Vaugn%20Griffis.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/Vaugn%20Griffis.png.html)
SF- Hernando Hernandez- The 60th ranked recruit that is our 2nd All American and All state California kid to commit to us last sim. I also like the fact that he is our First Mr. Basketball. He is 6’6 and 247. He is going to provide us with some versatility at SF with his size. He is a freak athlete with his ratings but is below average to average in just about everything else but shooting. If his shooting comes in anywhere near what it looks like here, he is going to be an issue for most defenders in the PCC for a few years.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/Herando%20Hernandez.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/Herando%20Hernandez.png.html)
We have 2 kids committed and are hoping for 2 more here shortly to round out a class that has good potential. It would be a good first class for USC
I was thinking about doing something like this as well. Maybe I'll just chime in here occasionally :)
I had my eyes on Coil from the get go. Thought I may have been aiming too high, but as you noted it looks like we were all a little conservative.
You should do one as well Vince. Would be interesting to see all the different perspectives on what is going on within the league.
I think Coli will work out nicely for you, and was a nice grab. He should be able to board with the best of em
The rest of the recruiting scene looks really top heavy. My observation after the 3rd recruiting sim.
After analyzing the top 200 recruits this year, it is fairly obvious that there are have and have not’s this year recruiting wise. You have some teams like Kentucky who have a realistic shot at 15 of the top 100 players, and teams like Michigan, Rutgers, Villanova, and St. Joes that have zippo in their top 5 that are ranked in the top 200.
So who has the leg up? Who is going to land this year’s top class? Who has the opportunity to secure the best guys to dominate the NCAA 53 universe in the next 3 years? For that let’s take a look deeper at this year’s top 5 recruiting numbers.
It is obvious to me and frankly anybody else that looks, that this year’s top 3 teams on the recruiting trail are Kentucky, NC State, and Indiana. Which order they will line up in is a tough nut to crack at the moment, but that will eventually shape up in the near future. I have already given you Kentucky’s stats so let’s look at the other 2 teams. NC State has a shot at 12 players in the top 100, and Indiana has a shot at 8 in the top 100. Those are mind boggling numbers folks and I mean just absolutely nutty. To put that in some perspective for you, Notre Dame who is no slouch prestige wise (with their 72 ranking) only has 3 players that they currently have a shot at (in their top 5) but they are all outside of the top 100 ranked recruits. Their first one comes in at #127. Anybody saying holy shit yet??? Recruiting is top heavy this year and those 3 teams will certainly have an amazing chance to take home the first title with their own recruits. Kudos goes to coaches Kyle Kappe, Rob Roberson Jr, and Richard Dixon. Keep up the good work boys.
So who and what else is taking place? Where do the rest of us shake out? It honestly depends on how you look at the rankings. Do you want the totals for the top 200? The top 100, the top 50? By changing each variable, you can change the next 10 schools rankings. So to simplify it we are just gonna go with what I see taking place.
North Carolina, St Johns, Arkansas, Temple, UCLA and California all come in the next tier of teams in that order. Some, however, are stronger than others depending on what you are looking at. St. Johns only has what I call a legitimate shot at 4 recruits right now, but 3 are ranked in the top 50. Arkansas, on the other hand, has a good balance. They have 2 ranked in the top 50 that they have a shot at but 7 others in the top 200. See the difference there? That makes it extremely hard this early to tell who is going to have the better class, but gives you a first look at what potentially might be and how many options coaches and teams have at their disposal.
The next tier of teams as I see it looks like this:
Washington, Tulane, South Carolina, USC, Oregon State, Oregon, Notre Dame and Stanford. Washington takes the cake here simply because they have the highest rated guys of the bunch. Tulane and South Carolina come up 2, and 3 respectively because of depth in the top 200. If they miss on a guy or 2 they have the ability to say screw it and fall back on some other decent players. Their nets are bigger then Washington’s which could potentially vault them not only in front of Washington but into the grouping of teams above them.
The last team I am going to mention here, and it’s because we have a big contention in the Ivy Group is Columbia. Head Coach Aaron Kappe is putting in some work, and I see them as being the top rated Ivey Group team recruiting wise at the moment there. Somehow they have snuck 2 guys in the top 200 where bigger teams that I have already mentioned don’t have a single one. Does that mean they won’t get passed? No, but at the moment they have a heck of a start and are clearly the favorites within that conference at the moment. Aaron might have a leg up in who to scout first, or his top prestige ranking of 54 within that conf might have something to do with it. You tell me. Either way, Columbia looks to be solid on first glance.
Good luck to everybody on the next sim as recruiting will hopefully start to get cleaner. My biggest question so far is who is going to grab all of these recruits that Kentucky, NC State, and Indiana don’t want? Who has to guts to jump in there with some money and say, its ok I’ll be your second tier school, and we are going to clean up because of it. Will it be a computer team like Illinois? How about a Noah controlled UNC? Or maybe just maybe Rutgers, Michigan and company say yep, I got that. We were just saving the best for when everybody fell asleep.
No matter what happens, I am going to be excited to see who does what, and eventually see who lands where. May the recruiting gods ever be in your favor
My recruiting observations after the 4th recruiting sim.
Hey Hey College Basketball fans, we are back with our second installment of looking at the recruiting rankings amongst us human folk.
As with the first article, the haves have stayed in control and are not looking back. Last article I would have predicted a Kentucky, NC State, Indiana battle (in that order) for the best class. In looking at it 2 sims later we start to get a better picture. Rankings wise (remember this has nothing to do with how the actual ratings look),
Indiana has jumped out to the commanding lead as they look to have locked up the numbers 1, 3, 13, and 22nd ranked recruits. That my friends is a bit crazy to me. 3 top 15 players and 4 top 25 players. Have we ever seen that before in the history of “real basketball”? I for one, am actually am excited about it. Remember we are trying to change the history of college basketball, and while Indiana was a power, if they recruit like that, they will leave our universe saying UCLA who!?!?!?!
I have Kentucky coming in second at the moment as they seem to have locked up the 6th, 17th, 18th, and 85th ranked recruits. Not a bad haul at all, and if not for what Indiana seems to be doing we might have spent an entire paragraph on them. I won’t speculate on who has the actual best class yet, but at the moment with their recruit’s rankings I have the pegged squarely second.
Third but not least would be NC State. They seem to have secured the 11th, 12th and 15th rated recruits. Honestly an argument could be made that they could be 2nd, however with Kentucky seemingly having the higher rated top guy at 6, this is why I have State here at 3rd for the moment.
I haven’t named recruits yet because I don’t want to get too personal yet, with some changes that might occur, but for now the top 3 in the league are the haves. It is without question these teams are the major players in college basketball.
Coming in 4th place would be UNC. They seem to have the 4th rated recruit and the 69th rated recruit wrapped up, but are in a recruiting battle with Duke, there in state AI controlled rival for the 61st rated recruit. If they don’t land them, they might drop a few spots going forward, but having the 4th rated guy on any incoming class isn’t exactly a bad thing. I mean can’t we all dream for that?
So with 2 of the top 4 teams recruiting wise coming from the ACC the question on everybody mind is will the ACC start to run the show next year with the influx of top talent?? That is a question only time will tell and final recruit signings will answer.
However what I will say is that the most competitive conference recruiting wise is without a doubt is the PCC.
While I am in that conf, I can assure you that this is where the action is taking place. Every single team has a bead on its targets with the exception of a major major recruiting battle taking place between UCLA and California. Here is what we got so far.
California- In a recruiting battle for the number 29th, 44th, and 125th ranked recruits. They don’t have a single guy locked up yet which could be a bad bad problem. Typically if a team strikes out it is a killer, however looking at Cali's roster, they might be able to miss on one class and still be ok within the conf.
UCLA- In a recruiting battle for the 29th, 44th kids, but seem to have wrapped up the 147th and 179th rated guys. While they are battling California for guys, they seem to have 2 guys locked up which means they won’t strike out. So that is a good thing.
However, the winner of the 29th and 44th battle could very well determine the future of the conf within the state. That is big stakes here folk’s big stakes. I can’t stress that enough and how big that is for any of the PCC teams. Currently I am predicting a sweep for UCLA for both recruits, but we shall see next sim. I think they have just built themselves up a bigger cushion that California can’t recover from if things do go badly.
Oregon- they are in a battle for the 125th rated kid with freaking Portland who is 22 Prestige points behind them. Portland is currently winning the battle. They seem to have lined up the 125th and the 152nd recruit.
Oregon State- They seem to have wrapped up the 45th, the 50th, and the 177th ranked kid. Pretty good for the PCC if you ask me. Nothing Flashy, but clearly have out recruited some bigger dogs out East.
Washington- They seemed to have lined up the 39th and 95th rated recruits. They should have one more offer to hand out which could easily vault them. Let’s be honest, there are plenty of guys out there to go for. The number 2 ranked recruit for god sakes has no offers? I have no idea how the hell that has happened, but a team like U-dub could very well be in a position to make a move for someone like that.
Washington State- is in a recruiting battle for the 108th recruit and is in danger of falling behind big time in the PCC with nobody else in their top 5 being in the top 200. I don’t like what’s going in there. However, we all know hidden gems are bound, and they might have some in the pipeline that we simply don't know about
Biggest surprise of the sim??? Can anybody guess???
If you have guessed IDAHO you need to take over my squad then because you are one lucky son of a gun and I need your recruiting luck. IDAHO who didn’t have squat in the top 200 for the last 2 sims now has somehow become involved in a recruiting battle for recruits 108 and 126 respectively. Hell of a comeback right here people, and that might deserve some attention for recruiter of the year if kids end up going to eat those wonderful potatoes.
USC- has a bead on 4 kids, but I’m not talking about my team. Never will. Just doesn't feel right within an article.
A few other teams that I want to mention.
Arkansas- They seem to have the 21st and 70th ranked recruits locked up. They are in a recruiting battle with the 136th ranked kid with Tulane. Tulane has the lead despite a 16 point difference in Prestige here. Stay tuned for what might occur because Arkansas has a legitimate shot here. Their recruit’s stats also scream we are top 10 so keep a watch on this squad.
Notre Dame- Has a look for the 30th rated kid but is in a battle with Temple, and Temple is in fact winning. They have the 132nd kid pretty much locked up but then are again in a battle with Marquette for the 179th ranked kid and again they are losing. This could obviously make them go up for down, but stay tuned here. The Irish are in flux and that isn't a good thing. Hopefully they have some back ups targeted and ready to go.
Oklahoma City- Are you kidding me here. Where did they come from? They get a new human owner and look out. They are involved in the 33rd ranked recruit which they look to have locked up and the 186 ranked recruit. They are involved in a battle with Washington for the 39th rated recruit which I am currently predicting they lose. However with what they seem to have currently going, all I can say is just damn. They have done a nice job and the new guy seems to know exactly what the heck he is doing.
The last 2 schools which might be in some trouble or might end up in heaven are St. Johns and temple. Boom or bust candidates here guys.
St Johns- are in recruiting battles with the 65th, 34th, and 99th ranked recruits. If they strike out they might be in some major major major trouble here. Not sure how this is going to play out as they are ranked higher than some teams that are above them on these recruit lists, but still aren’t in the top spots. I am certainly concerned for them, but honestly can’t figure out why they are in losing recruiting battles for example to a lower ranked Seton Hall team. I am sure that is quite frustrating.
Temple- Wow, do I like what they have done here. They look to have the 31st and 96th ranked recruits lined up. Nice job there right. But they are in battles with the 30th and 34th ranked recruits. If those recruits change their mind and shift to Temple, holy cow do they have a real shot at being in the top 10. A lot of play coming in here and the next sim has big time implications but upside is the key here.
The last thing to write about is the pesky ivy group. Remember how I wrote about Columbia in the last article and how they are heads and tails above everybody else in the conf? Let’s just say recruiting has taken a turn.
Dartmouth, yes I just said Dartmouth (holy shit right????) somehow has managed to be in contention for the 25th ranked recruit and the 196th ranked recruit. Now there is a lot to happen here, and there is certainly no guarantee, but the simple fact is they are in play for a top 25 recruit. Looking around the Universe bigger named teams don’t have the same results, so this is a huge deal in my humble opinion.
Yale- They are in a battle for the 111th 130th and 196th rated recruits. Like Dartmouth there is a lot in play here, but if you would have asked me if they would have been in play for 3 top 200 recruits I would have told you to pass some of the stuff you were smoking bro. Just no freaking way, but yet here they are. Can’t wait to see the next sim to see where they land.
Columbia- They need to figure this out and figure it out quickly. If other teams in the conf are going to continue to do what they are doing, the times will change real quick on them. How in the word has 2 teams within their conf rated 20 Prestige points lower than them, seemingly out scouted and recruited them?? I would like to continue to hang with them and say they can easily recover, but nothing has shown me that they are right there. Another sim might be telling here.
In the end, nothing is set in stone, but we are starting to get better picture of the nation recruiting wise. The have are still at the top and the rest of us are continuing to fight for the scraps. 1-3 looks solid, however, who ends up being 4-25 is still up in the air. Good luck to all with their pursuit in being that 4th squad!
An early look at the Top 20 teams in the country wrote by The National Basketball Report
The National Basketball Report: Volume I (1953-54)
Volume I, Issue 1
April 1953
The Super Early Top 20
April, 1953
1. Kansas - What isn't there to like about this team? There are blue-chip talents up and down the roster. The combination of C Winfred Hopf and Earle Maldonaldo should dominate opposing big men inside, while Timofei Malakhov can also finish inside very well. Henry McNair has a deadly jump shot, and can pass the basketball like few in the country. They also have several players who can defend well, like forward Alexander Coker and Rudolf Burke. This team will be a favorite to win the national championship and, hence, they are atop the first National Basketball Report poll.
2. North Carolina State - The Wolfpack will be the favorites in the eastern region. They don't score inside as well as the Jeyhawks, but they have Eddie Henry, a burly 6'6 forward whose large frame will give defending players problems trying to get around him. Guards James Durrett and Anton Gonzalez are very capable of scoring from the outside, as their jump shot is as good as there is in the nation. Boyd Walley, a 5'11 guard, will make things go around the court, and make sure his teammates get the best possible shot. On defense, they will be slid inside, with Angelo Parham, who may be the top defensive player in the nation, and Henry Collins. They aren't as tall as other teams, but they are the best in the east.
3. Kansas State - The Jayhawks have company atop the rankings in the Big 7, and in their own state. The Wildcats are very big, with 7'1 Kendrick Stone leading the way. He may be the prohibitive favorite for National Player of the Year, as he blends his solid offensive skills with defensive skills that are revolutionary. It will be very difficult for teams to score inside on K-State, as they may be the best defensive team in the nation. There is, very much, a case to be made for Kansas State as the top team in the nation, just on a defensive standpoint. Offensively, they aren't as solid, but Daniel Shippy and freshman Billy Jacob will supplement Stone on offense, while Chase Mease and Ronny Pierece are very good shooters.
4. Kentucky - These Wildcats may be the best in the south, though they are more flawed than the other three teams. Jerry Young is a very solid offensive center, one who can beat you in the post or by facing the basket. He is also Stone's equal on defense, and may be better at blocking shots, despite being five inches shorter. Six-foot-five Murray Dodd is another player who is capable of beating you in many different ways, and Douglas Porter is a sharpshooter of the highest degree. Where this team will falter is on the defensive end. Young and forward Patrick Kramer are great in the post. But they don't have a single standout guard defender. They are also a team that can be out-rebounded. Kentucky may be the best of the flawed teams; but they are that...flawed.
5. West Virginia - Expect the legend of the Mountaineers to be as big as Paul Bunyan. West Virginia plays in the Southern Conference, where they should beat everyone by thirty points. Depending on how difficult they make their non-conference schedule, this could be a team that stays away from the loss column heading into the postseason. Make no mstake, they are very talented. But they are very segmented. Joseph Lucero and Major Ambrose offer post threats on offense, while Elias France is a solid shooter. They are not a good passing team, and may have difficulty getting into a flow on offense. On defense, Clay Metcalf is an extraordinary defender, no matter who he guards, while Lucero, Ambrose, and Tyson Buggs are solid offensively. The issue here is that WVU will have an identity based on who they put on the floor. They, outside of maybe Ambrose, won't have anyone they can make a two-way threat. So, they will lack somewhere based on personnel. It will not matter in the Southern, and maybe they will grow before the NCAA Tournament. But once there, when they have to face a great team early, they may not be able to adjust for the talent they are playing.
6. Indiana - This may be the best rebounding team in the nation. Twin towers Wade Ingersoll and Brian Cox are among the best defensive and most agile centers in the nation, and Rene Eckstein and Fred Erickson are as good at getting rebounds as you'll find in the country. They are good enough at defending the basketball, which is not quite what you want from a national title contender. This team does have two things: a multitude of players who are competent at scoring inside, and nobody, outside of Rupert Maldonaldo, who is particularly adept at it. The same can be said on the outside, aside from guards Mikolas Mares and Erickson, who may be one of the top-five guards in the country. They have height and the ability to secure the basketball. But stopping it from going into the hoop, and putting it in the hoop, may be difficult for this team.
7. Bradley - The Braves are offensively challenged. Antonia Dabney is one of the best guards in the country, a blend of inside and outside ability, and hands that are seemingly made for handling a basketball. Who helps him on offense, though, is a question. James Brooks (outside) and Graham Nance (inside) are his primary options. But after that, it's anybody's guess. And Dabney is an open fence on defense, so he will need to be protected. Thankfully for the Braves, Deandre Skiles is a fantastic outside defender. Against teams that feature outside play, the Braves may need to utilize three guards, losing something on offense, or limit Dabney's place, which will really lose something on offense. David Williams is quite good on the interior. Where this team is not good is in rebounding. This should cost them a few games, and ultimately, their chance at a national title.
8. California - Few teams, especially those in the west, have a 1-2 punch inside like Rolf Fields and Timmy Mathis. Fields is a beast of a man at 6'11, 260 pounds, while Mathis is good facing the basket and with his back to it. Fellow forward John Beers is great at scoring the ball, stopping it from scoring, and getting rebounds, especially on the offensive end. He is one of the more underrated players in the country. This team, however, is not very good at stopping guards. If the outside can funnel the ball inside, where Beers, Fields, Mathis, and Vicente Crawford are waiting, then they'll be set. But they will be crushed by teams who can shoot the ball well away from the basket. Thankfully for Cal, there are not too many of those teams out west.
9. Washington - One of the "smaller" teams, with nbody over 6'9. But they have a few 6'9 players. They are not as universally talented as the teams above them. But they do have a very good backcourt, lead by Ricky Hoekstra and Charles Purdy. Dean Wexler and Murray Hughes are both talented inside defensively, while sophomore Joshua Lopez, a project, may be the most talented. They will have difficulty scoring the basketball, where outside of Wexler and Hoekstra, they lack anyone who can consistently put the basketball where it needs to go.
10. Iowa - There is a severe disconnect from the top six or seven teams and the second tier of contenders. Iowa is a prime example. They lack severely on offense, where outside of the backcourt of Brian Cleveland, Nestor Rowley, and Regis Deleroeuwe, they will struggle to find a consistent scorer each night. They have several legit defenders, in Rowley, Wilton Gonzalez, and Brooks. David Priddy is, but he is not expected to see the floor too much. Here is a team that has talent, but also severe limits to what it can do. They are not in Indiana's class in the Big Ten, but they are capable of making noise and getting to the regional finals. If you're one of the ten best teams in the nation, you're quite good. Iowa could be. They could also be twentieth. That exemplifies the amount of clutter in this part of the poll.
11. Duquesne - The Independent teams are going to have a rougher go of things, because they have to barge their way in. The Dukes have enough talent to do that, but will they have a strong enough schedule? That's not known. The Dukes have Steven Duque on the inside, and John Garrick on the outside. They are also one of the best passing teams in the country, which makes getting good looks at the basket much easier. Their offense should be able to stay ahead of even good defenses, which should shadow over some glaring holes with shooting ability. On defense, Duque and Charles Lewis lead the interior, while 5'9 Shaun Quinones is the chief on the outside. Duque, in particular, is a top rebounder and defender. Bryce Lipps is a quality all-around defender as well, a rarity for a seven-foot player. The Dukes should win the majority of their games, but they'll need to stay away from a top team for as long as possible in the tournament.
12. Duke - The Blue Devils revolve around their guards. Carey Tong is one of the better scoring guards in the nation, while Tony Gross is a solid perimeter scorer in his own right. Justin Brown and The Commissioner, James Gordon (thanks to his namesake in the Bat-Man comic books) are very smooth with the basketball. They lack much of anything on the inside, though Leandro Fall is a very sturdy defender in the post. Duke will get far on their guard play, but will come up short due to the post.
13. Dayton - Another team that is great with the guard play. Dayton has the quickness and defensive ability that could disrupt many teams' abilities to work an offense. Heck, they may have trouble just getting up the floor. Andrew Coleman, Josh Halpin, and Frank Hollinger are the most accomplished players on the squad, and all play in the backcourt. Denver Logan and Josh Gooden are excellent prospects in the post. But they're just that, prospects. The Flyers can make noise this year, but they need those prospects to grow up quickly.
14. Illinois - Another guard-oriented team. Maybe this is a trend. Derrick Proctor may be the best guard in the Big Ten. Deadly with the shot, excellent at handling the ball, as well as passing it, he is an All-American candidate. Jason Davis and James Suttles help give the Fighting Illini one of the deepest groups at one position in the country. A pair of 6'9 sophomores, James Gladden and Charles Aubin, should patrol the post, along with Matthew Coleman. Gladden is a defensive stud, while Aubin is the offensive player. Overall, they are not a particularly great offensive team, but they are great at rebounding. If they are going to make a move, however, it will be with their backcourt.
15. Louisiana State - They might be the tallest team in the nation. Their frontcourt lines up at 6'8, three guys at 6'10, another at 6'11, and one at 7'0. Their also have big guards, one suitably named Billy Sizemore. The Fighting Tigers, though, belong to All-American candidate Austin Rogers, a devastating force inside. Sizemore is slid with the jump shot, and he is good enough with the ball that defenses won't bother him. Junior William Romans will join him at the guard spot, while William Connor and Robert Holmes should be the primary big men alongside Rogers. They lack severely at the small forward spot, which will hurt them against teams like Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
16. La Salle - This is a top-heavy team, but wow, what a top. Glenn Gray and Jason Delapaz form one of the most formidable backcourts in the nation. Timmy McSwain gives the Explorers a great inside presence, as does Olin Branum. Gray and Andrew Moreno are very disruptive on defense, and will be turned loose on opposing guards. The post defense is not particularly good, outside of true freshman Lou Davies, a redshirt candidate. They lack in frontcourt depth, but their guards, and McSwain, may be enough to see them deep in the postseason.
17. Louisville - They are not overwhelming, by any stretch. However, William Bailey is an absolute star, and a potential All-American. They have enough size and playmakers, and a likely easy enough schedule, to make noise. They severely lack on defense, particularly in the post (Bailey projects as their best post defender, and he is 6'4). So, once they run up against skilled big men, they'll be toast.
18. Holy Cross - This is more of a projection selection than anything. They have a great backcourt, led by Jeffrey Deck, a senior guard, and 6'8 junior forward Robert Ventura. Tony Nations can fill it up in the post, as can redshirt senior Armando Ortiz. The Crusaders are not particularly adept defensively, which wil be their downfall. But they will give a lot of teams fits, especially on offense. That will be enough to get them into the tournament.
19. San Francisco - Offense is not their strong suit. But defense is. Especially down low. Perry Wilson, Frank Cornell, and Jeffrey McManus are all great at patrolling the basket. The Dons are not terribly great at perimenter defense, but they are capable of funneling the ball inside, where the trio of doom are awaiting. On offense, Armando Goodwin is their best option, while Cornell is a decent inside-outside threat. They will be offensively challenged, to say the least. Expect a lot of 50-40 games that involve the Dons.
20. St. John's - The best of New York, the Redmen are led by Brendon Price at the point, and enigmatic Lyle Lyle at shooting guard. Marlin Tate is a solid post presence, on both sides of the ball. Garrett Herrin is the defender that will give guards in the Metro headaches. The Redmen have a lot of freshmen, and if they can find spots in the rotation, this year's team will be a lot better for it. They should win the conference quite easily, and can make some noise in the postseason, if they get some contributions from outside the big guns.
The National Basketball Report was pretty close to nailing the actual game top 25. Someone in the league has a pretty good handle on the Universe. Neat to see
Top 25
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Indiana (71) 0-0 1799 NR Big Ten Conference
2. Kansas State 0-0 1727 NR Big Seven Conference
3. Kansas 0-0 1651 NR Big Seven Conference
4. Kentucky (1) 0-0 1589 NR Southeastern Conference
5. Bradley 0-0 1499 NR Independent
6. North Carolina State 0-0 1425 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
7. Duquesne 0-0 1373 NR Independent
8. West Virginia 0-0 1276 NR Southern Conference
9. California 0-0 1231 NR Pacific Coast Conference
10. Duke 0-0 1155 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
11. Washington 0-0 1081 NR Pacific Coast Conference
12. Louisville 0-0 978 NR Independent 2
13. Illinois 0-0 876 NR Big Ten Conference
14. Mississippi State 0-0 856 NR Southeastern Conference
15. Iowa 0-0 781 NR Big Ten Conference
16. San Francisco 0-0 747 NR West Coast Conference
17. Holy Cross 0-0 615 NR Independent
18. Notre Dame 0-0 515 NR Independent 2
19. La Salle 0-0 468 NR Independent
20. Oregon 0-0 355 NR Pacific Coast Conference
21. Louisiana State 0-0 266 NR Southeastern Conference
22. Purdue 0-0 231 NR Big Ten Conference
23. Saint Louis 0-0 203 NR Missouri Valley Conference
24. North Carolina 0-0 148 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
25. Dayton 0-0 140 NR Independent
Where everybody else falls outside of the top 25
Others recieving votes:
St. John's Redmen 85
Oregon State Beavers 50
Idaho State Bengals 37
South Carolina Gamecocks 37
Saint Joseph's Hawks 25
UCLA Bruins 17
Alabama Polytechnic Institute Tigers 16
Oklahoma A&M Cowboys 15
Alabama Crimson Tide 14
Southern California Trojans 12
Stanford Indians 9
Wake Forest Demon Deacons 9
Seattle Chieftains 8
Connecticut Huskies 7
Saint Mary's Gaels 6
Virginia Cavaliers 6
Yale Bulldogs 6
Santa Clara Broncos 5
Vanderbilt Commodores 5
Seton Hall Pirates 4
Virginia Tech Fighting Gobblers 4
Cincinnati Bearcats 3
Colorado Buffaloes 3
Davidson Wildcats 3
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 3
Loyola U of Los Angeles Lions 3
Richmond Spiders 3
Temple Owls 3
Clemson Tigers 2
Maryland Terrapins 2
Missouri Tigers 2
Pacific Tigers 2
VMI Keydets 2
Florida Gators 1
Michigan State Spartans 1
San Jose State Spartans 1
St. Bonaventure Brown Indians 1
Utah Redskins 1
Washington State Cougars 1
William & Mary Indians 1
The Roster
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Well what can you say here? Not a ton of talent based off of the color system right? Certainly not enough talent to compete in the PCC. We should be able to rebound with the best of them. We also should play some fantastic Post D. Other than that the jury will be out on us this year.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/roster%202.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/roster%202.png.html)
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I made a tough call redshirting 2 guys as im sure you have noticed. Since I do don't believe we can compete in the PCC I chose to get them another year of TC. Combine them with what I am hoping to bring in recruiting wise and 6 decent freshman isn't a bad way to start off next year. So that was my thinking process there. Freddy Nation and JC Quiles should play huge parts for us in the future. I just didn't want to waste them this year even if they could have given us some depth and mins.
As already mentioned with the decision to redshirt 3 freshman (2 that could have played) that is going to leave us a bit short depth wise. Not everybody can play on this roster, and we need to get rid of a few bad apples. So this is the rotation I am going to go with
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/depth%20chart.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/depth%20chart.png.html)
PG- David Haynes is a no brainer. He can dish the ball, has the best jumper on the team, and is a true athlete. 20 quickness and 17 jump. Being 6'2 with those attributes will earn him some mins at the SG and SF spots for us as well. I expect him to lead us in a lot of categories this year.
SG- Matthew Niles- The AI wanted to use him as the 6th man, and I wasn't really feeling its recommendation. Niles can handle the ball, has an ok jumper, and can play some D. I liked him a bit better than Everett here. Plus he is taller at 6'3. He will get mins at all 3 positions like Haynes will.
SF- Hal Mickelson- Not a great guy, but hopefully will be steady for us. Wont score much, and unfortunately will be a turnover machine, but I don't have a lot of options to start with here. He has decent quickness for the position and can jump so he should be able to board for us here which is ok.
PF- Charles McMullan- Has a shot at being the leading rebound in the PCC. 19 and 20 on the boards ratings wise, and has a 12 in jumping. All good stuff. The bad news, will trip over his own feel on the offensive side of the ball. hoping he doesn't turn the ball over as much a Hal, but defensively he should be able to hold his own. Not gonna play him anywhere else at the moment. Just at the PF sp
C- Garry Karl- Our best option in the post. Should be able to board, hold his own offensively, play some good d, and not turn the ball over. All I can ask for here. He will play both PF and C for us.
The bench isn't really even worth talking about. Not great. But will be able to board and play some decent D.
I have 4 guys that are so bad I don't even want them to get on the court. I didn't give them a position, and gave them 1's in case they do somehow get in due to foul trouble. In doing that I am PRAYING that the 3 that are on Scholarship take the hint that I am giving them and transfer the hell out. I need those 3 scholarships to bring in some better guys. Realistically, one of the 3 will prob go, but it would be lovely if they all went.
An 8 man rotation with not a lot of talent. The basketball Gods really need to bless us this year.
So how are we going to be this year?
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As you can tell by the above schedule, we got some cupcakes on the list. I am hoping that we can a little bit above 500 this year. I don't think we will be able to do much in the PCC, so the bet is winning a lot of OOC games. I also figured I would throw Alabama in there in case by some miracle we were halfway decent somehow. With their RPI being 1, that could only help us and ours.
I have no illusion that will occur but Sims can have some whacky years.
The The National Basketball Report, Vol I, Issue 2: The 1953-54 Season Preview came out today folks.
Let me tell you this is an awesome read right here. If anyone is interested in a league that has guys that put time and effort into it, geez this is it. Come on over and grab a team. Just a fantastic read right here.
The 1953-54 Season Preview
In this, the inaugural season of NCAA men's basketball play, the national landscape looks a little loaded. The game is centered in the Midwest, in Appalachia, and along the Pacific Coast Highway. There are, by our count, 37 teams that are absolutely worthy of making it to the prestigious NCAA Tournament. Seventeen bids are already spoken for (by whom is uncertain); only thirteen teams are considered locks. This means that 24 teams, at least, will have a very persuasive case for inclusion. Only fifteen teams can secure bids after those seventeen, one for each conference, get locked down.
In other words, many teams are going to feel disappointed in March.
The first steps towards that disappointment, and the corresponding adulation of succeeding, start now.
Preseason Top 20
1. Kansas State
2. North Carolina State
3. Indiana
4. Kansas
5. West Virginia
6. Duke
7. Bradley
8. Kentucky
9. California
10. Duquesne
11. Washington
12. Illinois
13. Mississippi State
14. Holy Cross
15. Louisville
16. Oklahoma A&M
17. Iowa
18. Notre Dame
19. Seattle
20. La Salle
Atlantic Coast Conference (Conference Rank: 2)
1)NC State 2)Duke 3)South Carolina
Sleeper: North Carolina
Preseason Player of the Year: G Mike Reinhardt, Virginia
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Lane McClary, Duke
Best Backcourt: Duke
Best Frontcourt: NC State
Best Offense: NC State
Best Defense: North Carolina
Best Bench: Duke
Best Scorer: G Boyd Walley, NC State
Best Passer: G James Gordon, Duke
Best Rebounder: F Henry Collins, NC State
Best Defender: G Justin Brown, Duke/C Angelo Parham, NC State
Best Sixth Man: G Justin Brown, Duke
NCAA Teams: NC State, Duke
NIT Teams: North Carolina, South Carolina
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Mike Reinhardt, Virginia, Sr
G: Michael Forney, North Carolina, Sr
F: Edward Henry, NC State, Jr*
F: Henry Collins, NC State, Sr
C: Andrew Caruso, North Carolina, So
Synopsis: This is a top-heavy conference, with two of the best teams in the nation at the helm. NC State and Duke will battle for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, and top-rank supremacy in the polls, all season long. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia may provide bumps in the road for the Wolfpack and Blue Devils, but that will likely be all. Expect those two to be the talk of the conference. North Carolina has some nice players, but they are decidedly on the next tier of teams, as is South Carolina. Virginia could be a formidable opponent if they had anything other than statues in the post.
Big Seven (Conference Rank: 4)
1)Kansas State 2)Kansas 3)Missouri
Sleeper: Colorado
Preseason Player of the Year: G Charles Mease, Kansas State
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Steven Burns, Kansas
Best Backcourt: Kansas State
Best Frontcourt: Kansas
Best Offense: Kansas State
Best Defense: Kansas
Best Bench: Kansas State
Best Scorer: C Wilfried Hopf, Kansas
Best Passer: G Ronald Pierce, Kansas State
Best Rebounder: F Benito Stenson, Kansas
Best Defender: F Isaias Stanley, Colorado
Best Sixth Man: F Daniel Shippy, Kansas State
NCAA Teams: Kansas State, Kansas
NIT Teams: Missouri, Colorado
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Charles Mease, Kansas State, Sr*
G: Spencer Patton, Missouri, Jr*
F: Benito Stenson, Kansas
F: Bradford Rascon, Colorado
C: Wilfried Hopf, Kansas
Synopsis: Most conferences are very heavy at the top. The state of Kansas rules collegiate basketball at the moment, and rightfully so. The Jayhawks and Wildcats have two of the most talented rosters in all of basketball. Either can win the national championship. Kansas State is, for our money, the most superior team in the country; hence, their ranking atop the preseason list. But only five can play at a time, and if you can't beat the five in front of you...well, it's doubtful anyone goes undefeated. Missouri, Colorado, and Iowa State may have their day this season. But they won't have enough of them to really put a dent into what Kansas State and Kansas will do this season: Dominate the conference.
Big Ten (Conference Rank: 3)
1)Indiana 2)Illinois 3)Iowa
Sleeper: Purdue
Preseason Player of the Year: G Fred Erickson, Indiana
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Chet Terrazas, Iowa
Best Backcourt: Iowa
Best Frontcourt: Indiana
Best Offense: Indiana
Best Defense: Indiana
Best Bench: Indiana
Best Scorer: G Brian Cleveland, Iowa
Best Passer: G Marcos Godfrey, Indiana
Best Rebounder: C David Shavers, Michigan State
Best Defender: C Wade Ingersoll, Indiana
Best Sixth Man: C Brian Cox, Indiana
NCAA Teams: Indiana, Iowa, Illinois
NIT Teams: Purdue
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Derrick Proctor, Illinois, Sr
G: Fred Erickson, Indiana, Sr
F: Rene Eckstein, Indiana, Jr
F: Kevin Evans, Purdue, Sr
C: Wade Ingersoll, Indiana, Sr*
Synopsis: It's Indiana, then the rest. The Hoosiers are as good as any team in the country; they take the top spot in the Associated Press poll (though not the NBR one). Illinois and Iowa, as well as Purdue, are capable of beating them on their best day. Ohio State and Michigan State both have talent, incredible fan bases, and should rise as contenders in time. But this year, and probably beyond (judging by Indiana's recruiting chops), the Hoosiers are the kingpin of the Big Ten.
Border (Conference Rank: 12)
1)Texas Tech 2)Arizona 3)Arizona State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: F Tony Starnes, Texas Tech
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Gunther Lindner, Texas Tech
Best Backcourt: Arizona
Best Frontcourt: Texas Tech
Best Offense: Texas Tech
Best Defense: Arizona
Best Bench: Texas Tech
Best Scorer: G Joaquin Cruz, Texas Western
Best Passer: G Eric Bolinger, Hardin-Simmons
Best Rebounder: F Landon Banuelos, Texas Tech
Best Defender: C Edwin Budd, Arizona State
Best Sixth Man: F Charles Frederick, Texas Tech
NCAA Teams: Texas Tech
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: David Chewning, Arizona, Jr
G: Delmer Lacey, Texas Tech, Jr*
F: Tony Starnes, Texas Tech, Jr
F: Edwin Budd, Arizona State, Sr
C: Jerome Mohan, Arizona, Sr*
Synopsis: This is another conference where there is one clear-cut team, at least on the surface. Arizona has a better inside-out combo in Chewning and Mohan, but the Red Raiders are the deeper team, and one more likely to win out in the long run. Arizona State is capable of making some waves in the conference. The other teams will be bumps in the road for those three.
Ivy League (Conference Rank: 16)
1)Columbia 2)Dartmouth 3)Cornell
Sleeper: Brown
Preseason Player of the Year: F David Houchens, Columbia
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Justin Root, Columbia
Best Backcourt: Dartmouth
Best Frontcourt: Columbia
Best Offense: Columbia
Best Defense: Columbia
Best Bench: Columbia
Best Scorer: G Robert French, Princeton
Best Passer: G Albert Ogburn, Penn
Best Rebounder: David Houchens, Columbia
Best Defender: C Erhard Schmuck, Brown
Best Sixth Man: G Justin Root, Columbia
NCAA Teams: Columbia
NIT Teams: Dartmouth
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Burl Abeyta, Cornell, Sr
G: German Vargas, Dartmouth, Sr*
F: David Houchens, Columbia, Sr*
F: Chase Marciano, Dartmouth, Sr*
C: Erhard Schmuck, Brown, Jr
Synopsis: This conference will be on the rise. Mark these words. The Ivy won't stay down long. Columbia stands the best chance, though Dartmouth can give them a run, if everything breaks true for them. Cornell and Brown, if they played exceptional while Columbia played a very substandard way, could spring the upset. Teams like Yale, Harvard, and Penn have some ways to go before they contend.
Metro NY (Conference Rank: 13)
1)St. John's 2)NYU 3)Fordham
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Jerry Grimsley, NYU
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Millard Bullis, Fordham
Best Backcourt: NYU
Best Frontcourt: St. John's
Best Offense: NYU
Best Defense: St. John's
Best Bench: St. John's
Best Scorer: G Jerry Grimsley, NYU
Best Passer: G Garrett Herrin, St. John's
Best Rebounder: F Andrew Redd, St. John's
Best Defender: G Jerry Grimsley, NYU
Best Sixth Man: G Titus Anderton, St. John's
NCAA Teams: St. John's
NIT Teams: NYU
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Garrett Herrin, St. John's, Sr
G: Richard Conner, NYU, Sr
F: Jerry Grimsley, NYU, Sr
F: Andrew Redd, St. John's, Jr
C: Marlin Tate, St. John's, Jr
Synopsis: The Metro will likely be a two-team race, between the Redman and Violets. The guard play between those two teams will be a sight to see, as truly wonderful handlers of the ball, artists of their craft will delight crowds around the City. The rest of the teams will struggle to make in-roads this season. But Fordham has some talent, and can make things uncomfortable for stretches at a time. At their level, though, it is simply the Johnnies and the University.
Mid-American (Conference Rank: 14)
1)Toledo 2)Marshall 3)Western Michigan
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Carl Stearns, Toledo
Preseason Freshman of the Year: C Weston Child, Kent State (7'5)
Best Backcourt: Marshall
Best Frontcourt: Toledo
Best Offense: Western Michigan
Best Defense: Toledo
Best Bench: Toledo
Best Scorer: G Michael Kennedy, Western Michigan
Best Passer: G Carl Stearns, Toledo
Best Rebounder: C Delmer Wells, Toledo
Best Defender: C Gregory Klotz, Ohio
Best Sixth Man: G Taylor Edwards, Toledo
NCAA Teams: Toledo
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Carl Stearns, Toledo, Sr*
G: Roger Frawley, Marshall, Jr
F: Delmer Wells, Toledo, So
F: Jack Hanna, Miami-OH, So*
C: Gregory Klotz, Ohio, Sr*
Synopsis: The MAC lacks for overall talent, the concentration of which resides in Ohio. The Rockets have the league's most complete player in Stearns, the best rebounder in Wells, and the best man off the bench in Edwards. They are, in terms of this conference, the most complete team available. The other teams might spring a victory, but likely, you're looking at a Toledo team that will rip through conference play without a loss. They do have a somewhat ambitious slate, with Texas Tech, Purdue, Marquette, Michigan and Virginia on the docket. So they won't have an overly loaded win-loss record. But they will be loaded with MAC victories.
Missouri Valley (Conference Rank: 7)
1)Oklahoma A&M 2)St. Louis 3)Tulsa
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Tommy Smith, St. Louis
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Matthew O'Bryant, Oklahoma A&M
Best Backcourt: St. Louis
Best Frontcourt: Oklahoma A&M
Best Offense: Oklahoma A&M
Best Defense: St. Louis
Best Bench: Oklahoma A&M
Best Scorer: F Quincy Cates, Oklahoma A&M
Best Passer: G Paul Landry, Tulsa
Best Rebounder: C Freeman Phillips, Oklahoma A&M (best in country)
Best Defender: F Darren Kinsley, Oklahoma A&M
Best Sixth Man: G Freddy Schubert, St. Louis
NCAA Teams: Oklahoma A&M, St. Louis
NIT Teams: Tulsa
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Tommy Smith, St. Louis, Sr*
G: Paul Landry, Tulsa, Sr
F: Darren Kinsley, Oklahoma A&M, Sr*
F: Freeman Phillips, Oklahoma A&M, Sr
C: Refugio Caffey, Tulsa, Sr*
Synposis: Anyone who has to play the Cowboys will have their hands full this season. Louisville will find that out soon enough, as will Duke. The battle for The Sooner State, between the Cowboys and Oklahoma City, will be particularly intriguing. St. Louis is very capable of being a tournament team, though they were the first team out in this particular version (those who are picked as NCAA teams are considered worthy of making the tournament). The Billikens have a solid roster, and thus, any games involving these two should be heated and highly contested. Tulsa is also capable of beating some very good teams, though they are on the next step down from the aforementioned duo. The rest of the conference is fodder for the have half, but the top shelf is so good, they got a deserved conference ranking.
Had to break in down into 2 separate threads it was so big
Mountain State (Conference Rank: 6)
1)Utah 2)Utah State 3)BYU
Sleeper: Wyoming
Preseason Player of the Year: G Luther Riley, Wyoming
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Best Backcourt: Utah State
Best Frontcourt: Wyoming
Best Offense: Utah
Best Defense: BYU
Best Bench: Utah State
Best Scorer: G Luther Riley, Wyoming
Best Passer: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Best Rebounder: C Ramon Morrison, Utah
Best Defender: C Felix Shaughnessy, Utah State
Best Sixth Man: C Waylon Wille, BYU
NCAA Teams: Utah, Utah State
NIT Teams: BYU, Wyoming
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Angel Swinton, BYU, So
G: Robert Peeler, Utah, Fr
F: Luther Riley, Wyoming, Sr
F: Daniel Paine, Wyoming, Jr
C: Kai Kammel, BYU, Sr
Synopsis: Four teams can win this conference. BYU and Wyoming may not have quite the level of talent as what you find in the state of Utah, but they are very good units worthy of the title "contender". The Cougars, in particular, have players with very high potential. If they play to that level, they can beat any team on any given night. Our writers had lively discussions as to who should win this conference, Utah or Utah State. The Redskins got the nod on the basis of their guard, Peeler, and center, Morrison. The combination of those two, the most key positions on the floor, should see them past a team like Utah State, who is somewhat lacking in those spots. Granted, the Aggies have talent equal to that of Utah; it is just in positions that are not as consequential as the one handling the ball, or the one working in the post area. This will be one of the hotbeds of rivalry in the country, however.
Ohio Valley (Conference Rank: 8)
1)Murray State 2)Western Kentucky 3)Morehead State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Tony Chau, Murray State
Preseason Freshman of the Year: C Merv Short, Morehead State
Best Backcourt: Murray State
Best Frontcourt: Murray State
Best Offense: Murray State
Best Defense: Murray State
Best Bench: Murray State
Best Scorer: G Bill Gleeson, Murray State
Best Passer: G Grant Kunkel, Western Kentucky
Best Rebounder: G Alonzo Coleman, Murray State
Best Defender: F Randy Chisholm, Murray State
Best Sixth Man: G Danny Vaughn, Murray State
NCAA Teams: Murray State
NIT Teams: Western Kentucky
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Tony Chau, Murray State, Sr
G: Bill Gleeson, Murray State, Sr*
F: Alonzo Coleman, Murray State, Sr*
F: Guy Berg, Western Kentucky, Jr
C: Trenton Edgerton, Murray State, Jr*
Synopsis: This conference gets their ranking on Murray State and WKU, alone. The games played between these two teams will be discussed for years. The Racers have a team that could contend for the best the conference could offer, even decades from now. The Hilltoppers have excellent guard play and enough size to potentially slow down the Racers. The rest of the conference will be looking up at these two. If they aren't careful, they may put themselves in a position where it takes a long, long time to catch them...if they ever do.
Pacific Coast (Conference Rank: 1)
1)California 2)Washington 3)Oregon State
Sleeper: Oregon
Preseason Player of the Year: G Tommy Guess, UCLA
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Tyron Crandall, Cal
Best Backcourt: Washington
Best Frontcourt: California
Best Offense: UCLA
Best Defense: California
Best Bench: Washington
Best Scorer: G Chris Zimmerman, Washington State
Best Passer: G Tommy Guess, UCLA
Best Rebounder: F Charlie McMullen, Southern Cal
Best Defender: C Murray Hughes, Washington
Best Sixth Man: F Vaughn Bynum, Oregon
NCAA Teams: Oregon, Washington, Oregon State, Oregon
NIT Teams: UCLA, Southern Cal, Stanford
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Tommy Guess, UCLA, Sr*
G: Ricky Hoekstra, Washington, Sr
F: Timothy Mathis, California, Sr
F: Dick Allgood, Oregon State, Sr
C: Kraig Levy, Oregon, Sr
Synopsis: The strength of college basketball, in plurality, lies out west. Several teams are strong in the PCC, from the top dogs, Cal and Washington, down to Stanford and even UCLA. This conference will make the headlines all season long, as the coaches are considered among the top in their profession, ones the players flock to play for. There should be a marquee game every night the conference takes the floor. Sure, the headlines may not come in until the afternoon edition of the paper, but they will be worth the read.
Southeastern (Conference Rank: 5)
1)Kentucky 2)Mississippi State 3)LSU
Sleeper: Tennessee
Preseason Player of the Year: G Murray Dodd, Kentucky
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Ernie Clack, Tennessee
Best Backcourt: Kentucky
Best Frontcourt: LSU
Best Offense: Kentucky
Best Defense: Kentucky
Best Bench: Kentucky
Best Scorer: G Murray Dodd, Kentucky
Best Passer: G Dominick Evans, Alabama Poly
Best Rebounder: F Austin Rogers, LSU/C Jerry Young, Kentucky
Best Defender: C Jerry Young, Kentucky
Best Sixth Man: G Enoch Chong, Mississippi State
NCAA Teams: Kentucky, Mississippi State, LSU
NIT Teams: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Murray Dodd, Kentucky, Jr*
G: Casey Williams, Mississippi State, Jr*
F: Austin Rogers, LSU, Sr
F: Coleman Dixon, Tennessee, Sr*
C: Jerry Young, Kentucky, Sr
Synopsis: There are talented teams spread out throughout the conference, definitely. Several different teams are capable of beating the top teams in this conference, and while Kentucky and Mississippi State are the bigwigs in the SEC, they are, by no means, infallible. Only Tulane could be considered a pushover in the league. That is considerable, and will make the SEC a powerhouse to be reckoned with. The Wildcats and Rebels are capable of beating any team in the country, and Kentucky is a favorite pick to win the national championship.
Southern (Conference Rank: 10)
1)West Virginia 2)George Washington 3)Virginia Tech
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Gerard Williams, WVU
Preseason Freshman of the Year: C Len Weinstein, Virginia Tech
Best Backcourt: Georgetown
Best Frontcourt: West Virginia
Best Offense: West Virginia
Best Defense: West Virginia
Best Bench: West Virginia
Best Scorer: G Charlie Armstead, Virginia Tech
Best Passer: G Charlie Barth, Virginia Tech
Best Rebounder: F Thomas Kean, Richmond
Best Defender: F Clay Metcalf, West Virginia
Best Sixth Man: F Joseph Lucero, West Virginia
NCAA Teams: West VIrginia
NIT Teams: George Washington
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Gerard Williams, West Virginia, Sr
G: Emmanuel Moorer, George Wasighngton, Sr
F: Clay Metcalf, West Virginia, Jr
F: Jack Skipper, William & Mary, Sr*
C: Major Ambrose, West Virginia, Sr
Synopsis: This is West Virginia's roost to rule. Honestly? That's it. George Washington will be a nice team to watch...but this is effectively owned by the Mountaineers. They are one of the best teams in the nation, and it will be a surprise if they are even challenged in this conference.
Southwest (Conference Rank: 9)
1)SMU 2)TCU 3)Baylor
Sleeper: Texas Ag
Preseason Player of the Year: G Blake Hynes, SMU
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Charlie Garay, SMU
Best Backcourt: SMU
Best Frontcourt: Baylor
Best Offense: Texas
Best Defense: SMU
Best Bench: SMU
Best Scorer: G Charlie Garay, SMU
Best Passer: G Art Freeman, SMU
Best Rebounder: C David Shepard, Texas Ag
Best Defender: F Brad Tweedy, TCU
Best Sixth Man: G Art Freeman, SMU
NCAA Teams: SMU
NIT Teams: TCU, Baylor, Texas Ag
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Blake Hynes, SMU, So
G: Mitchell Hargrave, Texas Ag, Jr
F: Brad Tweety, TCU, Sr
F: Brady Diep, SMU, Sr
C: David Shepard, Texas Ag, Sr
Synopsis: One of the more intriguing conferences; they don't have the frontline talent of teams in other conferences, but there are some very intriguing situations developing. The Mustangs could be one of the nation's rising giants, if they recruit right. The kid, Blake Hynes, is the real deal at the guard spot. TCU has some intriguing pieces too. And the Agricultural school has a lot of money, and a lot of untapped potential. They could be the biggest program in the entire region by the end of the decade. This is a conference to stash away a bit, watch for the future.
West Coast (Conference Rank: 11)
1)San Francisco 2)Saint Mary's 3)Santa Clara
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Gary Campell, Saint Mary's
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Steve Ferrari, San Francisco
Best Backcourt: San Francisco
Best Frontcourt: San Francisco
Best Offense: Santa Clara
Best Defense: San Francisco
Best Bench: San Francisco
Best Scorer: G Gary Campbell, Saint Mary's
Best Passer: G Steve Ferrari, San Francisco
Best Rebounder: Cornell/Wilson/Goodwin, San Francisco
Best Defender: C Perry Wilson, San Francisco
Best Sixth Man: C Perry Wilson, San Francisco
NCAA Teams: San Francisco, St. Mary's
NIT Teams: Santa Clara
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Gary Campbell, St. Mary's, Sr
G: Steve Ferrari, San Francisco, Fr
F: Kelvin Hedgepeth, St. Mary's, Sr
F: Frank Cornell, San Francisco, Sr
C: Armando Goodwin, San Francisco, Sr
Synopsis: The teams at the top, San Francisco and St. Mary's, as well as Santa Clara, will be competitive. The rest is mediocre, at best. But the Dons are a top group, and the Gaels and Broncos will give them everything they can handle. The Dons are ranked in the AP (16th), while just missing our poll. The others are not far behind.
WNY3 (Conference Rank: 17)
1)Niagara 2)St. Bonaventure 3)Canisius
Sleeper: No other teams
Preseason Player of the Year: F Kurt Williams, St. Bonaventure
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Curt To, Niagara
Best Backcourt: Niagara
Best Frontcourt: St. Bonaventure
Best Offense: Niagara
Best Defense: St. Bonaventure
Best Bench: Niagara
Best Scorer: F Kurt Williams, St. Bonaventure
Best Passer: G Ben Perez, Niagara
Best Rebounder: F Kurt Williams, St. Bonaventure
Best Defender: F Kurt Williams, St. Bonaventure
Best Sixth Man: G Charlie Gulick, Niagara
NCAA Teams: Niagara
NIT Teams: St. Bonaventure
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Ben Perez, Niagara, So
G: Aubrey Trout, Niagara, Sr*
F: Curt To, Niagara, Fr
F: Kurt Williams, St. Bonaventure, Sr
C: Percy Mandel, St. Bonaventure, So
Synopsis: There are three teams, in western New York state.
Yankee Conference (Conference Rank: 15)
1) Connecticut 2) Rhode Island 3) Vermont
Preseason Player of the Year: G Cody Nottingham, Connecticut
Preseason Freshman of the Year: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
Best Backcourt: Connecticut
Best Frontcourt: Connecticut
Best Offense: Connecticut
Best Defense: Vermont
Best Bench: Connecticut
Best Scorer: G Jim Lee, Rhode Island
Best Passer: G Jim Lee, Rhode Island
Best Rebounder: F Sean Brazil, Massachusetts
Best Defender: F Michael Purser, Vermont
Best Sixth Man: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
NCAA Teams: Connecticut
NIT Teams: Rhode Island
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Cody Nottingham, Connecticut, Sr
G: Jim Lee, Rhode Island, Jr
F: Robert Cleaves, Connecticut, Sr
F: Sean Brazil, Massachusetts, Sr*
C: Charlie Burgess, New Hampshire, Jr
Synopsis: Unless Jim Lee can beat the Huskies by himself, this is Connecticut's conference to lose. This should be an intriguing place to watch basketball in a few years. But right now, there are a lot of teams that are not that competitive. Even the Huskies will not be a part of the continental conversation.
Independents
1) Bradley 2) Duquesne 3) Holy Cross
Preseason Player of the Year:
G Antonia Dabney, Bradley/G William Bailey, Louisville
Preseason Freshman of the Year:
G Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne/G Gregory Wyman, Seattle
Best Backcourt: Louisville/Bradley/Holy Cross
Best Frontcourt: Bradley/Duquesne/Louisville
Best Offense: Holy Cross/Bradley/Duquesne
Best Defense: Bradley/La Salle/Notre Dame
Best Bench: Bradley/Duquesne/Louisville
Best Scorer: G William Bradley, Louisville/F Robert Ventura, Holy Cross
Best Passer: G Gerald Robertson, Oklahoma City/G Andrew Coleman, Dayton
Best Rebounder: F Kenny Stinnett, Louisville/F Steven Duque, Duquesne
Best Defender: G Kurtis Richardson, Bradley/G Andrew Moreno, La Salle
NCAA Teams:
Bradley, Duquesne, Holy Cross, Louisville,
Notre Dame, Idaho State, La Salle, Seattle
NIT Teams:
Dayton, St. John's, Oklahoma City, Siena,
Temple, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
Players To Watch:
G: William Bailey, Louisville, Sr
G: Antonia Dabney, Bradley, Jr
G: Andrew Coleman, Dayton, Sr*
G: Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne, Fr
G: Robin Revell, Idaho State, Jr
G: Gerald Olson, Notre Dame, Sr
G: Gerald Robertson, Oklahoma City, Sr*
G: Coy Wilson, St. Joe's, Sr
F: Robert Ventura, Holy Cross, Jr
F: Steven Duque, Duquesne, Sr*
C: Graham Nance, Bradley, So
C: Timmy McSwain, La Salle, So
C: Justin Priddy, Seattle, Sr*
C: Jimmy Callaway, Temple, So*
C: Xu Feng, Villanova, Jr
Synopsis: There are too many independent teams to really comb this through, but Bradley and Duquesne are the cream of this crop. Louisville doesn't have enough off the bench, and while Holy Cross is a very good offensive team, they do not have much defense. Notre Dame, La Salle, and Dayton have to build more. Idaho State and Seattle are sneaky teams to watch. They are going to fly under the national radar; but make no mistake, they are teams that should not be taken lightly, despite their off-the-radar locales
NCAA Tournament Prediction
1 Indiana NC State 1
8 Columbia Murray State 8
5 La Salle Notre Dame 5
4 Holy Cross Louisville 4
East South
3 Duquesne Kentucky 3
6 St. John's Iowa 6
7 Niagara Connecticut 7
2 Duke West Virginia 2
1 Kansas State Kansas 1
8 Toledo SMU 8
5 Oklahoma A&M Seattle 5
4 Mississippi St Oregon State 4
Midwest West
3 Washington Illinois 3
6 Utah Idaho State 6
7 Texas Tech San Francisco 7
2 Bradley California 2
At the end, the NCAA Tournament is not where the cream just rises to the top. Matchups matter, and therefore, the top seeds are not guaranteed a spot in the national semifinals. Based on the selections made, here is our projection for those final four schools:
East: Duke over Indiana
Midwest: Bradley over Kansas State
South: Kentucky over Louisville
West: Kansas over California
National semifinals:
Bradley over Duke
Kansas over Kentucky
National Championship:
Kansas over Bradley
I probably should have done a conf projection post before the season started, but didn’t, and still might at some point.
The first game against Tennessee Tech, went as planned, sort of. We gave up way to many points in the first half, but were able to manage because we scored ourselves. We out everythinged them and I was happy to see that. Shooting 48% and having only 5 turnovers is a good combination for a win any day of the week.
Figuring how to get these damn box scores to line up is a pain in the ass. hang in there as I work through the kinks
Ok I think that should do it so the box score is now lined up properly for gods sakes.
1st 2nd Total
Tennessee Tech
34 29 63
Southern California
42 35 77
Tennessee Tech
Player Pos MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Frank Hudson C 34 4-10 0-0 0-0 1 7 3 0 2 3 3 8
Maurice Huth PF 31 1-1 0-0 1-2 3 5 1 0 0 1 3 3
James Turner SF 31 3-9 0-0 0-0 2 5 0 0 0 1 4 6
Jorge Sumpter SG 14 7-10 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0 0 2 5 14
Heath Orosco SG 35 5-11 0-0 5-6 0 3 1 0 0 0 5 15
Thomas Morrison PF 14 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 4 2 0 0 1 1 2
Charles Reading PG 29 3-10 0-0 6-6 1 5 3 0 0 1 4 12
Jack Leathers C 3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Clyde Normand SG 9 0-0 0-0 3-5 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 3
Aron Nash SF 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 24-52 0-0 15-19 7 31 12 0 2 10 26 63
.462 .000 .789
Southern California
Player Pos MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Garry Karl C 37 5-9 0-0 1-2 4 14 1 0 5 0 1 11
Charles McMullen PF 32 3-5 0-0 0-2 5 10 1 0 0 0 4 6
Hal Mickelson SF 38 9-20 0-0 4-4 0 2 0 1 2 2 4 22
Matthew Niles SG 36 5-10 0-0 7-8 3 6 3 1 0 1 4 17
David Haynes PG 37 5-9 0-0 9-14 0 3 5 0 0 2 3 19
Everett Bartholomew SG 7 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Richard Furlong C 9 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
David Clausen PF 1 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Mervin Weiss SF 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
Totals 28-58 0-0 21-30 12 36 12 2 8 5 19 77
.483 .000 .700
Hal Mickelson, who at times this season will be our down fall, played a real nice game. 22 points on 9-20 shooting with only 2 turnovers. The man cant dribble, pass, or hold onto the ball so 2 turnovers was a real nice start.
Overall, I was happy with the way the stats came out, and just as happy about our first victory
Final 1st 2nd Total
Southern California
27 25 52
Vanderbilt
25 39 64
Southern California
Player Pos MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Garry Karl C 27 3-6 0-0 0-2 3 7 1 0 1 1 4 6
Charles McMullen PF 20 1-5 0-0 0-1 3 6 1 1 0 0 4 2
Hal Mickelson SF 38 8-14 0-0 1-2 1 7 1 1 2 4 3 17
Matthew Niles SG 37 1-8 0-0 2-3 2 4 0 0 1 3 2 4
David Haynes PG 38 6-12 0-0 3-4 0 4 6 0 0 3 2 15
Everett Bartholomew SG 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Richard Furlong C 21 3-5 0-0 0-0 2 3 1 0 1 2 3 6
David Clausen PF 12 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Mervin Weiss SF 1 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Totals 23-54 0-0 6-12 12 33 11 2 5 14 19 52
.426 .000 .500
Vanderbilt
Player Pos MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Joe Craver C 33 1-9 0-0 4-5 7 14 1 1 0 3 3 6
Ira O'Connell PF 30 5-8 0-0 2-2 4 5 1 0 0 2 2 12
Andreas Zapata SF 32 8-17 0-0 3-4 2 6 1 0 0 0 3 19
Charles Moe PG 17 2-4 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
Joseph Bobbitt PG 19 2-6 0-0 0-0 0 3 2 1 0 4 0 4
Brian Gray PF 12 2-3 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4
David Pina C 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brian Absher SG 31 1-7 0-0 7-8 4 8 0 1 1 0 2 9
Lionel Lavergne SG 11 0-3 0-0 2-2 1 3 2 0 0 0 1 2
Norris Fowler PG 10 2-4 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4
Totals 23-61 0-0 18-21 19 43 7 3 1 10 15 64
.377 .000 .857
Game 2 was just a comedy of errors for us. We hung tough with them in the first half. Heck we had a lead 27-25 going into half. But that’s about as far as we got. Our FOULS KILLED US. We out shot them 42% to 37% and only had 4 more turnovers than they did. We had 14 to their 10. So how did they end up with a 12 point win?
Easy. They went 18-21 from the line while we went 6-12. Both of our starting bigs ended up with 4 fouls on the night and totally they had a whopping 8 points between them. That certainly won’t get the job done, let alone the 16th team ranked in the country.
We didn’t get blown out which I am excited about, however, we showed we can play with a top team in the country. We just need to get our shit together collectively speaking. PF- Charles McMullen can’t play 20 mins and we expect to win. We don’t have depth, so as Vandy just showed. We get in foul trouble we have a greater chance of losing. Hope we can get that correct going forward.
The third and final game from last sim was another fat loss to Butler.
Final 1st 2nd Total
Butler
24 27 51
Southern California
24 19 43
Butler
Playee MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
John Pardo 36 3-8 0-0 2-3 2 7 2 1 2 3 0 8
Mitchell Torres 35 1-4 0-0 4-6 1 10 0 1 0 3 3 6
Jan Butters SF 38 4-8 0-0 3-4 1 8 1 0 0 2 4 11
Daniel Chavarria 36 5-14 0-0 3-5 1 4 2 1 0 1 2 13
Dominique Owens 33 2-6 0-0 5-6 1 4 3 1 1 2 2 9
David Dillon 11 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 2
Hector Lameran SF 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Kim Gates C 9 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2
Totals 17-43 0-0 17-24 6 35 10 5 3 13 13 51
.395 .000 .708
Southern California
Player Pos MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Garry Karl C 37 4-11 0-0 0-0 0 10 2 0 1 0 2 8
Charles McMullen PF 36 2-7 0-0 0-0 5 14 1 2 0 0 4 4
Hal Mickelson SF 33 4-13 0-0 1-2 2 5 1 1 1 4 4 9
Matthew Niles SG 32 3-3 0-0 2-2 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 8
David Haynes PG 30 1-9 0-0 4-4 0 3 6 1 0 4 4 6
Everett Bartholomew SG 20 3-9 0-0 0-0 2 2 1 1 0 3 3 6
Richard Furlong C 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mervin Weiss PG 3 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Michael Womack PG 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 18-55 0-0 7-8 9 34 12 5 2 11 22 43
.327 .000 .875
And another game where I just shake my head at. We are tied at halftime at 24, then we land in major foul trouble this game with 3 guys having 4 fouls and Matthew Niles actually fouling out. For the 2nd straight game in row the other team killed us on the free throw line going 17-24 as we go 7-8.
Shooting 32% this game did not help, but this fouling business is getting a tad bit irritating. We have no bench. I have it so the game really only plays 7 guys, so 4 guys getting into foul trouble is killer. We ended up playing Marvin Weiss and Michael Womack (both guys I want to transfer the hell out of USC) because we needed more bodies. 11 turnovers on the game isn’t bad but we need to get it together defensively without fouling.
If we don’t I fear this is going to be a very long year at USC
The National Basketball Report released another issue today. Just more good stuff here
The National Basketball Report: November 19, 1953
Our newsletter is published approximately once every two weeks. Since we are accumulating stories from writers all over the nation, and teams do not play every day, it takes time to acquire stories worthy enough of our subscribers. This is a collection of the best few stories from our newsletter.
Top 20, November 19, 1953
1. North Carolina State (4-0, #2 LW)
2. Indiana (4-0, 3)
3. Kansas (2-0, 4)
4. Kansas State (2-1, 1)
5. Kentucky (3-0, 8)
6. Duquesne (2-0, 10)
7. Duke (2-1, 6)
8. Holy Cross (2-0, 14)
9. West Virginia (1-1, 5)
10. Bradley (1-1, 7)
11. California (3-1, 9)
12. Seattle (3-0, 19)
13. Washington (2-1, 8)
14. North Carolina (2-0, NR)
15. Illinois (3-1, 12)
16. La Salle (1-0, 20)
17. Louisville (2-1, 15)
18. Temple (4-0, NR)
19. Idaho State (1-0, NR)
20. Vanderbilt (5-0, NR)
Dropped Out: #13 Mississippi State, #16 Oklahoma A&M, #17 Iowa, #18 Notre Dame
The Opening Tip: Duquesne Knocks Off Kansas State
The past several days have been thrilling across the nation, with many marquee matchups. None, perhaps, made a bigger impression than the Dukes' 63-62 victory against the top team in the NBR poll. The game had no lead bigger than five, many ties, and a moment where only those mentally tough can survive.
With twenty-eight seconds left, Shaun Quinones was fouled by Bill Jacob. The score was 61-60, Dukes, and Quinones would be shooting two free throws. Jacob did not mean to foul, but he succeeded it not allowing the basket. Quinones would have to earn his points.
"We instructed our kids to foul if (Duquesne) had an easy look at the basket," said Kansas State head coach, Domingo Jones, arguably the finest lead man in the country. Surely, he had a stout strategy. They also fouled the right man. Quinones, a proficient free throw shooter, only played five minutes in the game, and shot the ball three times. He had two points as he went to the free throw line. The Naismith Memorial championship was riding on his ability to knock down these free throws.
"I was not worried," said Quinones. "I felt fine, and ready to make them."
Quinones stepped up, the crowd in Kansas City in full on rapture. This was not a neutral crowd. He shot the first one, and calmly sank it. The second went through without hitting anything but the netting.
Quinones had quieted the crowd.
"He went into a pressure situation," said Duquesne coach Jean Weber, "and he did his job. That's all we ask our players to do. Rely on the process, and the product will show."
The Wildcats connected on their final shot, but too much time had run off the clock.
Chauncey Hinkley was the star for the Dukes, scoring 18 on 9-15 shooting. He also procured ten rebounds. The backcourt tandem of the Wildcats, Ron Pierce and Charlie Mease, comybined for 31 points on 14-24 shooting, nine rebounds, and six assists.
But, on this day, it was the little-used, five-foot, nine-inch junior guard from Duquesne, who proved to be the meal ticket.
On any given day, your number could be called. Quinones had his called. He rose to the challenge.
Around the Nation
- Temple has gotten off to an impressive 4-0 start, and the reason for it can be summed up in one word: Defense. They gave up an average of just 55.8 points in their first four games; that can be attributed to a few pasties and their poor offenses, but the last team they played is Mississippi State. The Rebels are no pushover, and the Owls beat them, 66-57. The Philadelphia unit has some teams capable of giving them a game coming up: Syracuse and Georgetown come to mind. But until a true test comes in the form of Holy Cross, the Owls could be one of those teams whose early success puts them ahead in the eyes of the nation.
- Kentucky were the decided King of the Bluegrass, though one team was not impressed.
"We should have beaten them," said Louisville star guard William Bailey, after Kentucky beat the Cardinals, 78-66.
Nevermind that the Wildcats held a 42-24 halftime advantage, one that ballooned up to twenty before Louisville showed any signs of life.
"They shot lucky," Bailey said.
The game's atmosphere could best be described as "strained", with several altercations involving the teams, as well as their fans (both sides deny it, but rumors are that police officers had to separate fans on five separate occasions, leading to three people being arrested). Jerry Young, the top star for Kentucky, was thrown to the ground while shooting a layup. Doctors tended to Young, while Kentucky's bench tended to Louisville.
Truth be told, the Wildcats were not the patron saint of clean play and sportsmanship, either. Patrick Kramer, who came in for Young, bloodied guard Chris Jack's lip as a shot went up. Jack retaliated with a swift elbow to the back of the head. Both players, and benches, were warned after that. It is amazing nobody was ejected.
Needless to say, this has the makings of quite the rivalry in the Bluegrass state. Both are talented, and could see each other down the road. In the NBR Season Preview, we pegged Kentucky as advancing to the national semifinals at the expense of these very Cardinals.
In a way, we do hope they see each other again. We just hope the game is played more like a two-half contest, not one that goes fifteen rounds.
- An instant classic, if one were to exist, played out in the Tournament of Champions. The event, which brings the four teams from the year before who fought for the national championship, lived up to its billing (last year's teams played for the now defunct NBAA, the National Basketball Amateur Association). This inaugural final brought us two contenders for the title this year, Kansas and West Virginia. And they played four years of the most intense basketball any fan will ever see.
With 3:42 left, WVU big man Major Ambrose slam dunked a missed shot by Gerald Williams, bringing the Mountaineers to within three, 66-63. On the ensuring play, Russian import Timofei Malakhov had his dunk attempt blocked, with total grace, by Joe Jenkins. The Moutaineers came down, and got a shot for Ambrose. His attempt rolled off the rim, secured by Benito Stenson. Kansas came back down quickly, but Ambrose blocked Wilfried Hopf's shot. Jenkins gained the shot.
Williams had his layup blocked by Hopf on the other end, which was corralled by Ambrose. Ambrose passed to Elias France, who missed from the corner. Ambrose gained THAT rebound, eventually the ball swing into Harland Crone's hands. Delbert Davis made, perhaps, the play of the game in somehow forcing a jump ball, which gave the ball to Kansas.
Travis Eisele picked up a steal on the following Kansas possession, leading to a 2-on-1 break for WVU. Eisele missed the contested layup, and Clay Metcalf missed the chance at a putback. That was WVU's best chance at getting down to a one-possession game. Instead, they came up empty; Hopf got the rebound.
Joe Lucero blocked Hopf's shot on the other end (that's three blocks late in the game for WVU), giving WVU the ball, down three, with fifty-five seconds left. Metcalf and Wiliams each had chances on the Mountaineers' next possession, but both missed.
"We simply could not get a basket when time called for it," said Mountaineer coach John O'Connor after the game. "If I could go back in time, maybe I would have called for another play. Maybe, if I could."
By the time the Mountaineers got the ball back, after commiting fouls to put Henry McNair at the line, they were out of time. Williams' basket as time wound down was merely irony to the wound.
Hopf was named the Player of the Game for his 16 point, 7 rebound, 4 block night. A handful of Mountaineers scored, but only Ambrose scored in double figures (12). But make no mistake; both teams are for real, and opponents will have to bring their top-shelf effort if they wish to compete with either.
- Of the various injuries to hit teams over the last week, none may be as devastating to a team as Robin Revell's injury could be to Idaho State. His shoulder dislocation will likely set him out until the end of this calendar year.
Revell's injury, suffered ten minutes into the Bengals' 47-31 win over Arizona, could seriously hamper their efforts to get into the NCAA Tournament. Only seven or eight independent teams will get into the tournament, and the Bengals are in that second tier of teams that are capable of getting in, but will have to impress the tournament committee to do so. The Bengals don't have the depth of other teams; they do have impressive players who can step in (notably David Calvert, who came in for Revell), but losing someone as good as Revell puts a strain on that depth.
There's also the matter of their schedule over the time he will miss. The Bengals have games against Holy Cross, Saint Mary's, Columbia, and Oregon at home, and gaves at St. Louis, at Texas AG, at BYU, and at Wyoming. The Oregon and Wyoming games are after he is supposed to return, but he will likely be playing his way back into game fitness then.
If the Bengals lose a few of those games, that will severely hamper their resume of sorts for inclusion into the March party. Their back half of the schedule is not nearly as daunting (only games against Oregon State and Oklahoma City prove difficult, on the surface); but still, they can afford only three or four losses to get in.
In short, for the team who is tucked far, far away from the national scene, losing a player of Revell's stature is probably the worst thing that can happen. Here is hoping the Bengals can weather the storm.
- A tip of the hat to two teams who have looked quite impressive to start the season. Both Northwestern and Vanderbilt found their way into the national polls, the latter of which would up in our own poll. Northwestern won the inaugural MSG Holiday Festival, which wasn't near any official holiday, but brought some tough teams, like St. John's, Texas and BYU. The Wildcats beat Harvard, BYU, Texas, and the Cougars, en route to the championship. They also went to Niagara and beat one of the more underrated teams in the country, 84-74. The Wildcats are using tough defense to do so (55.6 PPG allowed). Chances are they will be undefeated by the time they face Notre Dame early in the new year. If that's the case, they could be a top-fifteen team by then.
Vanderbilt got into our poll with three very impressive wins, against Utah, Southern Cal, and Illinois in the championship of the preseason NIT, winning a tournament that included those teams, as well as Bradley, Notre Dame, and George Washington. In an interesting schedule twist, the Commodores will travel to Illinois coming up. They also have games against Western Kentucky, at SMU, Michigan State, and Louisville, before their SEC schedule. Their schedule is more difficult, but behind 7'2 mountain Joe Craver (15.6 points, 11.0 rebounds), they have proven worthy of the challenge so far.
Mark Your Calendars - Here are some upcoming games taht should get your attention.
11.21
St. Joe's (1-0) at Duquesne (2-0)
Louisville (2-1) at North Carolina (2-0)
Indiana (4-0) at BYU (2-1)
11.22
Duke (2-1) at Utah State (1-1)
11.23
Kentucky (3-0) at Bradley (1-1)
Holy Cross (2-0) at Idaho State (1-0)
11.26
Vanderbilt (5-0) at Illinois (3-1) (the rematch)
11.28-29: Dawkins Invitational (Connecticut, Notre Dame, Penn)
murrayyyyy
06-18-2015, 06:32 PM
So how are we going to be this year?
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad83/muns13/schedule.png (http://s924.photobucket.com/user/muns13/media/schedule.png.html)
As you can tell by the above schedule, we got some cupcakes on the list. I am hoping that we can a little bit above 500 this year. I don't think we will be able to do much in the PCC, so the bet is winning a lot of OOC games. I also figured I would throw Alabama in there in case by some miracle we were halfway decent somehow. With their RPI being 1, that could only help us and ours.
I have no illusion that will occur but Sims can have some whacky years.
I didn't see a response here but the rpi you are looking at during this stage is alphabetical order:D
So time to get this started back up. The Girlfriend had a death in the family that put me traveling, and then vacation, yada yada yada....
So back to it.
Last season for USC was simply ok. We finished up 16-13 and went 7-9 in the brutal PCC. We didn't make any tournaments, but I wasn't expecting to. We had seniors that were good at rebounding, but not much else. We redshirted all of our good freshman, in hopes that we would be able to compete for this season, and we hoped we could land a good freshman class to start us off on the correct foot.
Washington, Cal, Stanford all made the NCAA tourney with Oregon State making the NIT. For those counting at home that is 4 out of the 9 teams making it to post-season play which makes us a pretty damn strong conference. For that reason, our budgets went up this year, and I hope that is a trend that keeps on going.
Recruiting wise last year was good, but I missed out on a Stellar class. Earlier on in the thread I was pretty hyped about a kid we lead on C-Vaughn Griffis. Griffis snubbed us for San Fran, which would have vaulted us from the game ranking our freshman the 21st ranked class to a potential top 10 class.
This is how Vaugn looks now for San Fran
PLAYER DETAILS
#30 C Vaughn Griffis - San Francisco - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-8
Weight: 254
High School: Roosevelt High School
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 10 6 6 2 8 5 6 11 17 6 7 11 4 17 10 16
1953: 9 6 6 2 8 5 6 9 16 6 6 10 4 15 10 11
Potential: B C D F C D D B A C C B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 5
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 12 0 15.6 4.0 0.8 3.4 0.4 0.4 1.00 0.2 0.3 1.3
Career 12 0 15.6 4.0 0.8 3.4 0.4 0.4 1.00 0.2 0.3 1.3
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 1.7 3.9 .426 0.7 1.3 .533 0.0 0.0 .000 1.02 6.50
Career 1.7 3.9 .426 0.7 1.3 .533 0.0 0.0 .000 1.02 6.50
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 12 0 187 48 10 41 5 5 2 4 16
Career 12 0 187 48 10 41 5 5 2 4 16
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 20 47 8 15 0 0 78
Career 20 47 8 15 0 0 78
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 12 3 7 2 1 1 2 4 8 4 7 0 0
Career 12 3 7 2 1 1 2 4 8 4 7 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 High School: Rated **** and #35 overall by the FBCB scouting service
What makes that snubbing even worse is I needed to land a big man last year, and I didn't. So this year, I literally have 2 big guys on the roster. That's not exactly going to get it done in the PCC which makes recruiting for this year even bigger.
These are the guys I did end up landing
PLAYER DETAILS
#15 SF Hernando Hernandez - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-6
Weight: 249
High School: Bullard High School
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 19 10 9 8 2 7 9 8 5 7 9 14 12 10 6
1953: 5 18 9 9 7 2 6 9 7 5 7 9 14 10 10 2
Potential: C A B C C F D C C D C C
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 6
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 9 9 31.7 13.0 2.2 6.0 1.7 3.8 0.44 0.7 0.4 2.7
Career 9 9 31.7 13.0 2.2 6.0 1.7 3.8 0.44 0.7 0.4 2.7
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 5.7 12.6 .451 1.7 2.4 .682 0.0 0.0 .000 1.04 3.00
Career 5.7 12.6 .451 1.7 2.4 .682 0.0 0.0 .000 1.04 3.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 9 9 285 117 20 54 15 34 6 4 24
Career 9 9 285 117 20 54 15 34 6 4 24
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 51 113 15 22 0 0 27
Career 51 113 15 22 0 0 27
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 16 5 10 3 3 1 6 8 18 4 6 0 0
Career 16 5 10 3 3 1 6 8 18 4 6 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 High School: Rated **** and #60 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1953 High School: All-State (California)
1953 High School: Mr. Basketball (California)
1953 High School: All-American
PLAYER DETAILS
#13 PG Allen Storer - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-2
Weight: 179
High School: Powder River County Dist High School
Hometown: Broadus, MT
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 7 9 10 15 15 7 6 4 6 6 8 4 19 7 16 18
1953: 7 8 9 13 13 7 6 4 5 6 7 4 19 6 16 15
Potential: D C C A A C D D D D C D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 5
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 9 0 7.2 2.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 1.00 0.2 0.0 0.6
Career 9 0 7.2 2.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 1.00 0.2 0.0 0.6
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 0.9 1.9 .471 0.4 0.7 .667 0.0 0.0 .000 1.18 -0.44
Career 0.9 1.9 .471 0.4 0.7 .667 0.0 0.0 .000 1.18 -0.44
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 9 0 65 20 2 4 2 2 2 0 5
Career 9 0 65 20 2 4 2 2 2 0 5
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 8 17 4 6 0 0 -4
Career 8 17 4 6 0 0 -4
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 4 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 6 0 0
Career 4 1 2 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 6 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 High School: Rated **** and #78 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1953 High School: All-State (Montana)
1953 High School: Mr. Basketball (Montana)
PLAYER DETAILS
#30 SG Vincent Lincoln - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-2
Weight: 189
High School: Century High School
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 5 17 11 7 9 2 15 2 6 12 8 8 17 9 13 14
1953: 5 15 10 7 9 2 14 2 5 10 7 7 17 8 13 7
Potential: D A B D B F A F D A C C
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Redshirting
Academics: 14
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 High School: Rated **** and #98 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1953 High School: All-State (California)
1953 High School: All-American
PLAYER DETAILS
#0 SG Ronald Mitchum - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 192
High School: Mount Miguel High School
Hometown: Spring Valley, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 12 5 13 12 4 7 6 6 7 7 9 3 17 13 12 15
1953: 10 5 12 11 4 6 6 6 7 7 8 3 17 13 12 14
Potential: B D B B D C D C C C C F
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Redshirting
Academics: 8
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 High School: Rated *** and #162 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
We ended up redshirting Lincoln and Mitchum because I have enough guards and SF's at the moment.
I need to land 2 Big men recruiting this year though, because as I have already noted, 2 big guys on the roster isn't going to get it done at all. That was a huge miss for us last year.
One of the things that I do like about the above class is that they can score and they are bigger, as we had none of that on the roster before. SF-Hernando Hernandez and SG-Vincent Lincoln will be able to do that. Hernandez hasn't disappointed yet this year so that is a good sign.
So Fast Forward to this year. Our roster isn't stellar. We have more depth guard wise, but only have 2 forwards.
We scheduled lighter and didn't end up going into any in season tournaments, ( I needed wins) and are hoping to possibly make the NIT this year. It's a lofty goal, but I know I am a few big men away from making a tourney run. Maybe the NIT isn't going to happen realistically, but I can hope and pray.
This is how the roster looks for the season
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Offense
Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Ins Jps Fts 3ps Hnd Pas Reb Qkn Str Jmp
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Haynes SG 6-2 199 Sr* 6 14 18 16 10 15 2 20 10 17
Mervin Weiss SF 6-0 192 Sr 7 13 8 10 5 10 8 14 11 17
Everett Bartholomew SG 6-0 195 Sr 8 8 8 19 12 10 10 17 8 13
Marvin Grasso PF 6-6 213 Jr* 7 4 8 0 12 2 8 9 18 10
Michael Womack SG 6-1 200 Jr* 4 3 9 7 15 10 2 16 9 20
David Clausen C 6-8 223 Jr 6 7 9 0 6 7 18 5 17 7
Matthew Niles PG 6-3 205 Jr 5 11 14 15 16 9 7 17 10 10
Orval Tarter SF 6-5 236 So* 5 3 7 8 16 8 2 11 15 15
J.C. Quiles PF 6-8 253 Fr* 10 6 10 0 9 7 16 11 15 8
Benito Lightfoot SF 6-7 218 Fr* 9 8 12 6 6 2 9 11 14 11
Freddie Nation SG 6-4 218 Fr* 6 13 9 9 7 17 10 14 10 13
Vincent Lincoln SG 6-2 189 Fr 5 17 11 7 9 2 15 17 9 13
Ronald Mitchum SG 6-3 192 Fr 12 5 13 12 4 7 6 17 13 12
Hernando Hernandez SF 6-6 249 Fr 6 19 10 9 8 2 7 14 12 10
Allen Storer PG 6-2 179 Fr 7 9 10 15 15 7 6 19 7 16
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Defense
Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Psd Prd Stl Blk Reb Qkn Str Jmp Sta
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Haynes SG 6-2 199 Sr* 3 14 17 6 13 20 10 17 13
Mervin Weiss SF 6-0 192 Sr 9 8 14 8 8 14 11 17 15
Everett Bartholomew SG 6-0 195 Sr 10 11 11 7 5 17 8 13 18
Marvin Grasso PF 6-6 213 Jr* 13 7 8 6 7 9 18 10 8
Michael Womack SG 6-1 200 Jr* 5 6 3 8 8 16 9 20 15
David Clausen C 6-8 223 Jr 20 12 8 13 13 5 17 7 17
Matthew Niles PG 6-3 205 Jr 9 14 8 9 3 17 10 10 13
Orval Tarter SF 6-5 236 So* 11 8 7 9 6 11 15 15 7
J.C. Quiles PF 6-8 253 Fr* 7 10 6 8 13 11 15 8 15
Benito Lightfoot SF 6-7 218 Fr* 2 11 7 6 7 11 14 11 12
Freddie Nation SG 6-4 218 Fr* 7 11 11 7 5 14 10 13 16
Vincent Lincoln SG 6-2 189 Fr 6 12 8 8 2 17 9 13 14
Ronald Mitchum SG 6-3 192 Fr 7 7 9 3 6 17 13 12 15
Hernando Hernandez SF 6-6 249 Fr 8 5 7 9 9 14 12 10 6
Allen Storer PG 6-2 179 Fr 6 6 8 4 4 19 7 16 18
Our Team Schedule this year looks like this. We have already had some bad losses, and good win. Our 2 big men cant handle the load we are asking them to handle, and if you get us in foul trouble in the post we are going to lose, and that's exactly what occurred in some of those loses. The PCC schedule is going to be brutal again, so this NIT goal is going down the drain every single sim.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Schedule
Date Opponent Record RPI Result Score Record
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11/14/54 at San Jose State 2-5 147 W 57-56 1-0
11/18/54 New Hampshire 2-6 56 W 61-53 2-0
11/22/54 Seattle 5-6 22 L 68-59 2-1
11/26/54 at Denver 2-6 75 L 55-47 2-2
11/30/54 at Saint Mary's 5-3 53 W 61-51 3-2
12/06/54 at Gonzaga 4-5 102 L 59-50 3-3
12/10/54 Colorado A&M 1-6 164 W 58-47 4-3
12/18/54 at Utah 5-4 10 L 67-62 4-4
12/24/54 Arizona State 2-7 141 W 54-29 5-4
12/28/54 Davidson 6-7 89
01/02/55 at Arizona 5-3 9
01/05/55 at #13 Idaho State 9-1 60
01/09/55 Cornell 3-4 74
01/13/55 at Oregon 6-3 72
01/15/55 Oregon State 5-5 116
01/20/55 Idaho 5-5 150
01/22/55 at UCLA 1-8 129
01/27/55 at #17 Washington 8-2 38
01/29/55 #12 California 7-2 31
02/03/55 Washington State 3-5 103
02/05/55 at Stanford 6-3 70
02/12/55 Oregon 6-3 72
02/17/55 at Oregon State 5-5 116
02/19/55 at Idaho 5-5 150
02/24/55 UCLA 1-8 129
02/26/55 #17 Washington 8-2 38
Standings this year look like this
1954 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#17 Washington Huskies 0 0 .000 8 2 .800 38 69
Oregon Webfoots 0 0 .000 6 3 .667 72 43
Oregon State Beavers 0 0 .000 5 5 .500 116 53
Idaho Vandals 0 0 .000 5 5 .500 150 32
Washington State Cougars 0 0 .000 3 5 .375 103 41
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#12 California Golden Bears 0 0 .000 7 2 .778 31 69
Stanford Indians 0 0 .000 6 3 .667 70 49
Southern California Trojans 0 0 .000 5 4 .556 143 51
UCLA Bruins 0 0 .000 1 8 .111 129 59
The battle between Washington and Cal should be fun to watch, but I like Washington to take the conf. They have too much D and take care of the ball.
We have the 4th lowest Prestige in the conf, so We need to start getting to the 20 win category quickly, or we are going to have trouble getting recruits to take us seriously, especially with Cal right down the road, and UCLA still being above us. Makes me nervous.....
The National Basketball Report: Volume 2, Issue 1 (May 1954)
The Too Early Twenty & NCAA Projection
Before we begin, and you'll read about our projection later, we wanted to look back at last year's Too Early Twenty. Kansas was atop our first-ever ranking; they went on to win the tournament, of course. Generally, the teams we ranked in the top ten stayed in the top ten all season. The only team who did not live up to that early proclamation was Iowa, who was ranked tenth, and stayed in the second ten all year. Only LSU (which later fell out in our preseason ranking, pased up by Mississippi State), La Salle, and San Francisco did not make the tournament.
So, if you're on this list, you might be in good shape.
1. Kansas State. They return more talent than anyone in the nation, and more frontcourt depth than anyone. Kendrick Stone and Erich Walton were two of the top defensive big men in the country last year, and they both return. Billy Jacob is arguably the best sophomore player around, and Danny Shippy and Jack Shankle are both top contributors. The onle thing they lack is a true point guard, but Jacob should fit that bill. All in all, nine players who played at least 26 games return, five of whom played at least 12 minutes a game. They should rampage through their schedule.
2. Indiana. The Hoosiers return three key players from last year, led by guard Marcos Godfrey (7.5 ppg, 7.0 apg) and forward Rene Eckstein (9.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg). But the biggest player on this team has yet to see any time on the court. Enoch Horn, a junior college arrival, may already be the best player in the country before he ever steps foot on campus. The 6'1 guard will step right into the starting lineup, a blend of scoring, passing, rebounding and defense nobody else possesses. They have true talent everywhere, depth far more than anyone in the Big Ten. They might very well go undefeated again...and this time, finish the job.
3. Kansas. The nation's top returning player is Timofei Malahkov. He, along with Henry McNair, form the best returning backcourt in the nation. Chris Seay and Delbert Davis also return, as does fellow guard Steven Burns. They have a truly astounding backcourt. But who they put near the basket is another story. Earle Maldonaldo and Rudolf Burke are foregone conclusions; Maldonaldo registered 15 games, while Burke did not get off the bench. Behind them, it's a mystery. This will, ultimately, be Kansas' downfall. But they should press and should force a lot of turnovers, and they do have a loaded, absolutely loaded, backcourt. That will serve them well, as they head for a defense of their championship.
4. Bradley. The 1b to Malakhov's 1a for Nation's Top Player is Antonia Dabney. He returns, along with his 15.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. Kurtis Richardson and Graham Nance, a seven-foot center, return to flank him, as do four players who played in at least 19 games. The Braves also bring in a bevy of redshirted players, led by William Burns, a six-foot guard. Dionisio Vega, a top-25 freshman, also enters the mix. The Braves will definitely have a lot of talent, and plenty of depth, to have a better year than last, when they lost to the eventual champions in the Round of Sixteen.
5. Kentucky. Murray Dodd and John Nagy return from last year's national semifinalist. They are the headliners, and Dodd could be in the running for a National Player of the Year nomination. This is an undersized unit, with Dallas Kovacs the only returning letterman in the frontcourt. They do bring in one of the best freshman classes in the nation, boasting the #6 recruit, 6'11 Scott Moncada, #17 Curt Davis (PF), #18 Stephan Williford (SG), and #68 Abel Williams (C). This team won't be as good as last year's group, but if their underclassmen can round into form, they'll be one tick below. That would be good enough to push for a spot among the nation's final four teams.
6. West Virginia. Elias France and Clay Metcalf return, along with Joe Jenkins. That gives the Mountaineers three starters back, to go along with five others who played every game last year. John Hildebrand was the team's sixth man, so stepping into the point guard role should be easy for him. They don't have as much coming in as one would think, but Harland Crowe, Armand Bellows and Joe Lucero all should have expanded roles. Demarcus Woods is a talented player who sat out last year, and will see time at both guard spots, along with small forward. WVU has plenty to get through the Southern Conference, and should be right there at the end.
7. NC State. The Wolfpack will get pushback from Duke in the ACC, but they are still the most talented, and perhaps experienced, team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Reigning ACC Player of the Year, C Angelo Parham (6.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.9 bpg) returns, along with forward Eddie Henry and guard Boyd Walley. John Rossi was a valued reserve last year, and will see more time at the power forward spot. And Anton Gonzlaex and Garry Sarmiento are ready to step up in expanded backcourt roles. Add in extremely talented freshmen, like forward Lou Bergeron, and guards John Clawson and Chris Davis, and you have the recipe for another winner in Raleigh.
8. Duke. The Blue Devils return three starters, all frontcourt guys. Leandro Fall is one of the more underrated players in the country, while Lane McClary and Jonathan Fleenor are two of the more talented forwards in the ACC. The team will need James Gordon to become the caretaker of the offense, as they are severely lacking in immediate guard depth. Heralded freshmen Dewayne Jackson, Elisha Oakley and Stefan Jordan are not ready for the big stage. They will all be thrust to the wolves out of necessity, so they will have to figure it out as they go along. If they do, Duke can be a major contender. If not, then this is where the true contenders separate.
9. California. Teddy Layne and Manny Barnard return one of the top backcourts in the nation. They also welcome mystery recruit, Tony Eyre, who shunned every team until the very end, before seemingly reluctantly choosing Cal. Franklin Amaro also returns for the Bears, as do three rotation guys. The Bears lack any talented frontcourt help; the only realistic power guy son the roster are C Craig Kruger and forward Frances Howell. The Bears are going to have major issues against bigger teams, and won't get past teams like Duke, NC State, or either Kansas team without shooting the lights out. They are decidedly on the second tier, but they are good enough to get far.
10. Duquesne. The Dukes, who marched to the NCAA title game a year ago, return John Garrick (12.0 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 spg) and Chauncey Hinkley, who averaged 12.6 points in his 19 games. The super soph is ready to take over the leadership duties of the team, and he won't have to do it alone. Garrick, along with John Granger, head up a solid backcourt. The rest of the roster, though...well, it's very top-heavy. It will necessitate the development of forwards Chris McKeehan, Brent Dampier and Chris Green, along with centers Richard Manion and Mark Fernandez, if they are to achieve what they did last year.
11. Washington. Dean Wexler returns from injury to lead the team in the post, and Danny Fenton looks to build on an impressive freshman season. They return only two other players who had even remotely significant time, and Joshua Lopez was Wexler's backup. The Huskies are a small team, having nobody over 6'9 (Burt Lingle is 6'11, but he is redshirting this season). They managed last year with Wexler, but they'll need, at least, Frank Calhoun (6'9, 260) to step up.
12. Oklahoma A&M. Three starters return for the Cowboys, led by guards Joe Lee and Erwin Plunkett. Damian Ceasar started twenty games last year, missing time with injury. They do have a lot of potential across the roster, and solid size if freshman Tim Bullard becomes something this year. It's more likely he redshirts. The Cowboys have a lot of questions, but have quite a few answers already.
13. Illinois. It is possible they'll move up the list, as they have plenty of talent. They have starters returning from each part of the floor, which is important. And Jason Davis is ready to become a star at the point guard spot. They have depth that needs to grow, but it's likely they will. The Fighting Illini may have overachieved a year ago, but this year, they'll sneak up on nobody. Nor will they have to.
14. Seattle. The Chieftains return three starters, the most important of which is point guard Donald Southard. Southard is one of the top guards in the country, averaging 13.1 points and 4.4 assists a year ago. His stewardship is of utmost importance, as the Chieftains have to replace their center, without a true replacement to do so. Thomas Vanover, a redshirt sophomore, will get the first chance to do so. David Harder, a redshirt freshman, and the heralded Jesus Jones, will be important additions at the forward spots. The Chieftain also have George Schutz returning at the power spot, and Alvin Webber, Southard's backcourt mate a year ago, returning. This is another team who is stacked to the tops in the backcourt, but has a lot of frontcourt issues.
15. Mississppi State. Casey Williams is the nation's leading returning scorer, and will likely be the game's first to notch one thousand points in his career. The Maroons have him and Albert Hardeman, who put up nearly twelve points a year ago, returning. Add in Isiah Vadnais, and you have three solid starters. After that, and guard Everette Anderson, the pickings get rough. There is no good center, and, for that matter, no real good small forward selection. Williams will likely play the three most of the team, as the Maroons will employ three-guard lineups. This team is good enough to get to the NCAA Tournament, but maybe not good enough to win a game, once there.
16. Holy Cross. Robert Ventura is on the short list of best returning players in the nation. The forward averaged 16.2 points and 4.5 rebounds a game a year ago. Expect both figures to go up for the Crusaders, who reached the NIT Championship last year. The team also has Charles Schaub returning at center, and Ian Binder, who started part of the games a year ago. Jerry Seiber and Woodrow Byington offer depth at the guard spots. After that, it's a list of who's that. Nobody else, other than guard Robert Phillips, logged a single game for the Crusaders a year ago. Forward Chuck Tillery is the most promising of the bunch, along with C Carl Moeller and guard Carl Kelley. But if the boys cannot become men quickly, it will be another NIT run for this team, which would be of immense disappointment to supporters of the team, and of Ventura.
17. Saint Louis. This it the projection pick. The Billikens return two starters, and their leading returning scorer is Freddy Schubert, who averaged 9.0 points in less than 23 minutes off the bench. He started just two of his thirty-two games. They have nobody who averaged more than 25 minutes a game last year. But they have talent in the system, many players with potential who, if they pan out, will lead the program to big things. The question is, can they? Burt Ney and Charlie Ortiz, the two holdovers from last year, are solid but unspectacular players. What they need are guys like guard Michael Laguna (4.5 points in 11.8 minutes per game last year), and freshmen players Jody Spring and Jeremy Galan, to step up earlier than expected. It is believed that they can; hence, this ranking. If they don't, it will be a wasted year in Missouri, and one where OkA&M distances itself in the conference.
18. Notre Dame. Got burned here last year, as we picked Notre Dame and they busted because of a schedule too tough to bear. They have that same difficult schedule again, with games against West Virginia (two, actually), Pitt, Cincinnati, Duke, Kansas State, NYU, Holy Cross, Louisville, Idaho State, Kansas, Duquesne and LaSalle. They also only return two starters. But they do have talent, a lot of young talent, and an impressive freshman class coming in. James Adam, Winston Mathews, and Guy Jeter form a solid enough nucleus, and Donnie Dawson is good enough to start as a true freshman. There is ample size and good enough defense up and down the lineup, and enough home games, to give the Irish the benefit of the doubt.
19. Idaho State. The Bengals couldn't overcome Robin Revell's injury, which lasted twelve games at the start of the year. But the tough times that came from that may end up to their gain. They return four starters, as well as Revell's replacement during that time, David Calvert. The pair will form the Bengal backcourt, meaning they essentially have all five starters back. Add in two very capable reserve players in C Warren Marx and forward Errol Redwine, and the Bengals have a far better outlook than a first-round NIT appearance. They don't have much of a bench, but if one or two guys can round into form, they should be okay.
20. St. John's. Marlin Tate returns at center for the Redmen, as does forward Andrew Redd. They also have six others who logged at least 22 games, and impressive underclassmen ready to contribute, like forward Kelvin Denton, and guards Andrew Davis and Columbus Herrera. Titus Anderson, a reserve last year, is the likely new star guard in New York, and he's only a junior. He should provide a steady hand as the Redmen transition from last year's star, Garrett Herrin.
A Note About The NCAA Projection
In last year's Too Early NCAA Projection, we successfully predicted 22 of the 32 teams who participated in the NCAA Tournament. We were correct on the seeding in thirteen of those, and off by one seed, up or down, on another four. We badly missed on Notre Dame, Purdue, BYU, Oregon, and LSU, but narrowly missed on Arizona, La Salle, SMU and San Francisco. All in all, not a bad first try.
That said, we strive to be better.
1 NC State Indiana 1
8 Columbia Vermont 8
5 St. John's St. Louis 5
4 Holy Cross Mississippi State 4
East South
3 Duquesne Duke 3
6 Georgia Tech La Salle 6
7 Niagara Murray State 7
2 Kansas Kentucky 2
1 Kansas State Bradley 1
8 Toledo Texas Tech 8
5 Notre Dame Idaho State 5
4 Illinois Seattle 4
Midwest West
3 Washington Oklahoma A&M 3
6 Oregon State San Francisco 6
7 Arkansas Utah State 7
2 West Virginia California 2
Just in case anybody needs a refresher, the National Basketball report is done by someone in the league (its not me) and gives articles about whatever is going on league wise. They are always good reads.
The National Basketball Report: 1954-55 Season Preview
Last year, we successfully predicted the national champion in our first issue. We ended up recanting on that, but we did it. This year, we hope to do it again. Without further ado...here is the 1954-55 Season In Preview.
Preseason Top Twenty
1. Kansas State
2. Indiana
3. Kansas
4. Bradley
5. Kentucky
6. NC State
7. West Virginia
8. North Carolina
9. California
10. Duquesne
11. Dayton
12. Duke
13. Illinois
14. Holy Cross
15. La Salle
16. Oregon State
17. Mississippi State
18. Washington
19. St. Louis
20. Iowa
National Preseason All-American Team
G: Antonia Dabney, Bradley
G: Enoch Horn, Indiana
F: Robert Ventura, Holy Cross
F: Murray Dodd, Kentucky
C: Kendrick Stone, Kansas State
G: Timofei Malakhov, Kansas
G: John Garrick, Duquesne
F: Clay Metcalf, West Virginia
F: Eddie Henry, NC State
C: Joe Craver, Vanderbilt
Newcomer Team
G: Enoch Horn, Indiana
G: Eddy Jarrell, Arkansas
F: Dennis Sawicki, North Carolina
F: Arthur Brodie, Oregon State
C: Rudolph Burke, Kansas
Atlantic Coast Conference (Conference Rank: )
1) NC State 2) North Carolina 3) Duke
Sleeper: Maryland
Preseason Player of the Year: C Angelo Parham, NC State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Dennis Sawicki, North Carolina
Rising: Maryland
Falling: Wake Forest
Best Backcourt: Duke
Best Frontcourt: NC State
Best Offense: North Carolina
Best Defense: Duke
Best Bench: Duke
Best Scorer: G George Dawkins, Maryland
Best Passer: G James Gordon, Duke
Best Rebounder: C Angelo Parham, NC State
Best Defender: C Angelo Parham, NC State
Best Sixth Man: G Archie Means, North Carolina
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: F Eddie Henry, NC State
NCAA Teams: NC State, North Carolina, Duke
NIT Teams: Maryland, Clemson
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Boyd Walley, NC State (Sr)
G: George Dawkins, Maryland (Jr)
F: Eddie Henry, NC State (Sr*)
F: Jonathan Fleenor, Duke (So)
C: Angelo Parham, NC State (Sr)
Synopsis: The conference should play out like it did last year, with NC State, Duke, and North Carolina ruling the roost. This year, NC State should be able to see their way to the conference title. They have the most depth, the returning Conference Player of the Year (Parham) and the best guard in the conference in Boyd Walley. North Carolina should take a step up this year, while Duke may slide a bit. Maryland and Clemson are two teams to watch; the former has leading scorer George Dawkins back for his junior year, and loads of talent around him. Clemson has an excellent backcourt, though battling under the basket will be tough. South Carolina had their best chance last year; they will be hard-pressed to keep up. Wake Forest and Virginia are now afterthoughts.
Big Seven (Conference Rank: )
1) Kansas State 2) Kansas 3) Missouri
Sleeper: Colorado
Preseason Player of the Year: G Timofei Malakhov, Kansas
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Rudolph Burke, Kansas
Rising: Missouri
Falling: Colorado
Best Backcourt: Kansas
Best Frontcourt: Kansas State
Best Offense: Kansas
Best Defense: Kansas State
Best Bench: Kansas State
Best Scorer: G Delbert Davis, Kansas
Best Passer: G Henry McNair, Kansas
Best Rebounder: C Erich Walton, Kansas State
Best Defender: C Kendrick Stone, Kansas State/Henry McNair, Kansas
Best Sixth Man: G Delbert Davis, Kansas
Best Professional Prospect: Timofei Malakhov, Kansas
NCAA Teams: Kansas State, Kansas
NIT Teams: Missouri
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Henry McNair, Kansas (Sr*)
G: Timofei Malakhov, Kansas (Sr*)
F: Chris Seay, Kansas (Jr*)
F: Erich Walton, Kansas State (So)
C: Kenrick Stone, Kansas State (Sr*)
Synopsis: The Wildcats and Jayhawks will be at it again. Kansas State is the deepest, most talented team in the nation. But you can only play five at a time. The backcourt of Kansas is why they are ranked #1 by the Associated Press. But the choice of McNair over Billy Jacob is more a coinflip than anything. Both teams are Final Four worthy. Missouri may make noise early, like last year. And, like last year, they will be considered frauds. Colorado, in turn, will not be as good as last year. The rest is fodder.
Big Ten (Conference Rank: )
1) Indiana 2) Illinois 3) Iowa
Sleeper: Northwestern
Preseason Player of the Year: G Enoch Horn, Indiana
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Enoch Horn, Indiana
Rising: Purdue
Falling: Wisconsin
Best Backcourt: Indiana
Best Frontcourt: Iowa
Best Offense: Indiana
Best Defense: Indiana
Best Bench: Indiana
Best Scorer: G Enoch Horn, Indiana
Best Passer: G Marcos Godfrey, Indiana
Best Rebounder: C David Shavers, Michigan State
Best Defender: F Lincoln Brooks, Iowa
Best Sixth Man: G Heath Williams, Indiana
Best Professional Prospect: G Joel Williams, Purdue
NCAA Teams: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa
NIT Teams: Purdue, Northwestern
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Enoch Horn, Indiana (Jr)
G: Regis Deleroeuwe, Iowa (Sr)
F: Mikolas Mares, Indiana (Sr*)
F: Rene Eckstein, Indiana (Sr)
C: Lincoln Brooks, Iowa (Sr)
Synopsis: Indiana rules all, again. Horn is a generational player, it appears. He may win national awards, if all goes right. And the Hoosiers get two more years out of him than anyone else does; that is consolation for him coming in as a junior. Illinois won't sneak up on anybody again, but they won't need to. They are a top-twelve team across the nation. Iowa will be good behind Deleroeuwe and Brooks, but may not be as good as last year. Northwestern lost their chance at glory, and will be hard-pressed to get close to the NCAA Tournament again for some time. Michigan State and Purdue are up-and-comers, and while they may not contend this year, they will in the future.
Border (Conference Rank: )
1) Texas Tech 2) Arizona 3) Arizona State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Delmer Lacey, Texas Tech
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Silvio Flores, Texas Western
Rising: Arizona
Falling: Arizona State
Best Backcourt: Arizona
Best Frontcourt: Texas Tech
Best Offense: Texas Tech
Best Defense: Arizona (really, nobody)
Best Bench: Texas Tech
Best Scorer: G Trent Rueta, Texas Tech
Best Passer: G Robert Osterman, Arizona State
Best Rebounder: F Landon Banuelos, Texas Tech
Best Defender: F Irving Frances, Hardin-Simmons
Best Sixth Man: G Robert Osterman, Arizona
Best Professional Prospect: F Tony Starnes, Texas Tech
NCAA Teams: Texas Tech
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Delmer Lacey, Texas Tech
G: David Chewing, Arizona
F: Trent Rueda, Texas Tech
F: Silvio Flores, Texas Western
C: David Starnes, Texas Tech
Synopsis: Not a strong conference, but, like last year, it is top heavy. Texas Tech and Arizona are the top of the conference, though neither will make a dent on the national radar.
Was too long so I had to break it down into 2 posts
Ivy Group (Conference Rank: )
1) Columbia 2) Yale 3) Brown
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Lauren Evans, Columbia
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Don Simmers, Princeton
Rising: Yale
Falling: Dartmouth
Best Backcourt: Columbia
Best Frontcourt: Columbia
Best Offense: Columbia
Best Defense: Brown
Best Bench: Columbia
Best Scorer: G Robert French, Princeton
Best Passer: G Albert Ogburn, Penn
Best Rebounder: C Cliff Householder, Columbia
Best Defender: C Erhard Schmuck, Brown
Best Sixth Man: G Justin Root, Columbia
Best Professional Prospect: C Erhard Schmuck, Brown
NCAA Teams: Columbia
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Lauren Evans, Columbia (Sr*)
G: Robert French, Princeton (Jr)
F: Chris Telles, Columbia (Jr*)
F: Lowell Long, Yale (Jr*)
C: Erhard Schmuck, Brown (Sr)
Synopsis: This is Columbia's conference once more. The national quarterfinalist isn't as strong as last year's outfit, but nobody in the Ivy is. How fitting is it, by the way, that the best professional prospect in this conference is named Schmuck?
Metro (Conference Rank: )
1) St. John's 2) NYU 3) Fordham
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: C Marlin Tate, St. John's
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Dennis Shelby, St. John's
Rising: Fordham
Falling: Manhattan
Best Backcourt: St. John's
Best Frontcourt: St. John's
Best Offense: St. John's
Best Defense: St. John's
Best Bench: St. John's
Best Scorer: G Ambrose Hamilton, St. John's
Best Passer: G Titus Anderson, St. John's
Best Rebounder: F Charles Schock, NYU
Best Defender: C Marlin Tate, St. John's
Best Sixth Man: G Dennis Shelby, St. John's
Best Professional Prospect: F Charles Schock, NYU
NCAA Teams: St. John's
NIT Teams: NYU
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Titus Anderson, St. John's (Jr*)
G: Ambrose Hamilton, St. John's (Sr)
F: Charles Schock, NYU (Sr*)
F: Andrew Redd, St. John's (Sr)
C: Marlin Tate, St. John's (Sr)
Synopsis: St. John's has more than enough coming back to defend their conference title, while everyone else in the conference takes a step back. In NYU's case, it is more of a leap than a step. The Redmen probably will not be the regional force they were a year ago, when they were a threat in the East. But they will still be the kings of their conference, and have probably distanced themselves from the rest of the pack.
Mid-American (Conference Rank: )
1) Toledo 2) Western Michigan 3) Kent State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: F Delmer Wells, Toledo
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Irvin Sullivan, Bowling Green
Rising: Western Michigan
Falling: Miami-OH
Best Backcourt: Toledo
Best Frontcourt: Toldeo
Best Offense: Toledo
Best Defense: Miami-OH
Best Bench: Toledo
Best Scorer: C Irvin Sullivan, Bowling Green
Best Passer: G John Seavey, Western Michigan
Best Rebounder: F Delmer Wells, Toledo
Best Defender: C Jack Hanna, Miami-OH
Best Sixth Man: G Douglas Toler, Toledo
Best Professional Prospect: F Bill Miley, Toledo
NCAA Teams: Toledo
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Floyd Sneed, Toledo (Jr)
G: John Seavey, Western Michigan (Sr)
F: Delmer Wells, Toledo (Jr)
F: Jack Hanna, Miami-OH (Jr*)
C: Steve Sanderlin, Toledo (Sr)
Synopsis: Toledo sputtered early last year, allowing Miami-OH to gain an early advantage. The Rockets came back to win the conference. The difference between this year and last is, Toledo should run away with the thing. There are some wonderful outside shooters in this conference, and a severe lack of defense. That should make for an entertaining, wide open brand of basketball. In the end, the cream rises to the top. And that is Toledo, which should be in prime position to do it next year, too.
Missouri Valley (Conference Rank: )
1) St. Louis 2) Oklahoma A&M 3) Houston
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Freddy Schubert, St. Louis
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Stefan Witcher, Oklahoma A&M
Rising: Houston
Falling: Tulsa
Best Backcourt: Oklahoma A&M
Best Frontcourt: St. Louis
Best Offense: Oklahoma A&M
Best Defense: St. Louis
Best Bench: St. Louis
Best Scorer: G Erwin Plunkett, Oklahoma A&M
Best Passer: G Peter Anderson, Tulsa
Best Rebounder: C Damian Caesar, Oklahoma A&M
Best Defender: G Matthew O'Bryant, Oklahoma A&M
Best Sixth Man: G Stefan WItcher, Oklahoma A&<
Best Professional Prospect: G Peter Anderson, Tulsa
NCAA Teams: St. Louis, Oklahoma A&M
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Freddy Schubert, St. Louis
G: Peter Anderson, Tulsa
F: Erwin Plunkett, Oklahoma A&M
F: Charle Ortiz, St. Louis
C: Damian Caesar, Oklahoma A&M
Synopsis: Two team conference for the second year in a row. The Billikens should have a firmer grasp on the championship than a year ago, when the Cowboys overcame early injuries to take it away from them. Both teams are capable of making the NCAA Tournament, though it would not be surprising if only one gets in. The rest of the conference, like so many teams in this region, are merely appetizers for the main course: games that pit the Billikens against the Cowboys.
Mountain State Athletic (Conference Rank: )
1) Utah 2) Utah State 3) BYU
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Bradley Darby, Wyoming
Rising: New Mexico
Falling: Wyoming
Best Backcourt: Utah
Best Frontcourt: Utah State
Best Offense: New Mexico
Best Defense: Wyoming
Best Bench: Utah
Best Scorer: G Benjamin Doolittle, Utah State
Best Passer: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Best Rebounder: C Kirk Fritz, Utah State
Best Defender: G John Sergent, New Mexico
Best Sixth Man: G Fritz Owens, Utah
Best Professional Prospect: F Daniel Paine, Wyoming
NCAA Teams: Utah
NIT Teams: Utah State
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Robert Peeler, Utah (So)
G: Benjamin Doolittle, Utah State (So)
F: Daniel Paine, Wyoming (Sr)
F: Les Osborn, BYU (Sr)
C: Kirk Fritz, Utah State (Sr)
Synopsis: Utah is the most complete team, though they are not terribly deep. Nobody in the conference is; there are, however, snippets of talent throughout the conference. It would not be a shock to see either Utah State or BYU win the conference, though Utah's ability to go inside and out should see them through. It bodes well that the conference's top two players, arguably, are sophomores.
Ohio Valley (Conference Rank: )
1) Murray State 2) Western Kentucky 3) Morehead State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: F Guy Berg, Western Kentucky
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Nickolas Parker, Tennessee Tech
Rising: Tennessee Tech
Falling: Eastern Kentucky
Best Backcourt: Murray State
Best Frontcourt: Western Kentucky
Best Offense: Murray State
Best Defense: Murray State
Best Bench: Western Kentucky
Best Scorer: G Danny Vaughn, Murray State
Best Passer: G Chris Cornejo, Murray State
Best Rebounder: C Joe Lopez, Murray State
Best Defender: F Randy Chisholm, Murray State
Best Sixth Man: F Victor Phillips, Western Kentucky
Best Professional Prospect: C Trenton Edgerton, Murray State
NCAA Teams: Murray State
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Danny Vaughn, Murray State (Jr*)
G: Chad McMillin, Western Kentucky (Jr)
F: Guy Berg, Western Kentucky (Sr)
F: Trenton Edgerton, Murray State (Sr*)
C: Nickolas Parker, Tennessee Tech (Fr)
Synopsis: The conference isn't as cut-and-dry as one would think. Western Kentucky has talent. They just don't have the top-shelf talent of the Racers. But if they catch them in the head-to-head, the Hilltoppers can get there. McMillin and Berg are good enough to lead them to victory. But Vaughn and Edgerton should have the edge...er...ton. Regardless, despite the lack of overall talent, there is enough standouts here to make this a fun conference to watch.
Pacific Coast (Conference Rank: )
1) California 2) Oregon State 3) Washington
Sleeper: Southern California
Preseason Player of the Year: G Manny Barnard, Cal
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Arthur Brodie, Oregon State
Rising: Southern California
Falling: Washington
Best Backcourt: California
Best Frontcourt: Washington
Best Offense: Washington State
Best Defense: Washington
Best Bench: California
Best Scorer: F Tyler Williamson, UCLA
Best Passer: G Teddy Layne, California
Best Rebounder: F Joshua Lopez, Washington
Best Defender: F Franklin Amaro, California
Best Sixth Man: G Tyron Crandall, California
Best Professional Prospect: G Manny Barnard, California
NCAA Teams: California, Oregon State, Washington, Southern California
NIT Teams: Stanford, Washington State, UCLA
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Manny Barnard, California (Sr*)
G: Danny Fenton, Washington (So)
F: Tyler Williamson, UCLA (Jr)
F: Dean Wexler, Washington (Sr)
C: Mark Salazar, Oregon State (Sr*)
Synopsis: The conference doesn't have a standout team like the other conferences, but it is deeper than any other in the land. Just about every team in the conference has at least one or two top-shelf players. There will be plenty of personal accolades to be won in the conference, and, if it weren't for the conference being on the west coast, they would be national stars. As it is, they will dazzle and define a legend for themselves. The teams in the East should take notice.
Southeastern (Conference Rank: )
1) Kentucky 2) Mississippi State 3) Vanderbilt
Sleeper: Georgia Tech
Preseason Player of the Year: C Joe Craver, Vanderbilt
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Eusebio Williams, Tulane
Rising: Tennessee
Falling: Alabama
Best Backcourt: Mississippi State
Best Frontcourt: Kentucky
Best Offense: Kentucky
Best Defense: Vanderbilt
Best Bench: Kentucky
Best Scorer: F Murray Dodd, Kentucky
Best Passer: G William Romans, LSU
Best Rebounder: C Joe Craver, Vanderbilt
Best Defender: G Daryl Jablonski, Vanderbilt/F David Cohen, Kentucky
Best Sixth Man: G Elroy Worsham, Kentucky
Best Professional Prospect: F Murray Dodd, Kentucky
NCAA Teams: Kentucky, Mississippi State
NIT Teams: Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: William Romans, LSU (Sr)
G: Casey Williams, Mississippi State (Sr*)
F: Murray Dodd, Kentucky (Sr*)
F: David Cohen, Kentucky (Sr)
C: Joe Craver, Vanderbilt (Sr*)
Synopsis: The SEC is brimming with talent, most of it eminating out of Lexington. Dodd and Cohen form one of the most prestigous forward duos in the country, while guard John Nagy barely missed recognition here. Craver is an absolute mountain of a man, and he will be awesome to watch this year, as pro scouts all show up to see what he can do. One wonders if a school can do what Georgia Tech did last year, which is make noise late in the season. Several teams have the talent, but need to put it together. One of those teams? Georgia Tech.
Southern (Conference Rank: )
1) West Virginia 2) Virginia Tech 3) George Washington
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: F Clay Metcalf, West Virginia
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Demarcus Woods, West Virginia
Rising: Davidson
Falling: Richmond
Best Backcourt: West Virginia
Best Frontcourt: West Virginia
Best Offense: West Virginia
Best Defense: West Virginia
Best Bench: West Virginia
Best Scorer: G Charles Armstead, Virginia Tech
Best Passer: G John Hildebrand, West Virginia
Best Rebounder: F Joe Jenkins, West Virginia
Best Defender: F Clay Metcalf, West Virginia
Best Sixth Man: F Harland Crowe, West Virginia
Best Professional Prospect: F Clay Metcalf, West Virginia
NCAA Teams: West Virginia
NIT Teams: Virginia Tech
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: John Hildebrand, West Virginia (So)
G: Charles Armstead, Virginia Tech (Sr)
F: Clay Metcalf, West Virginia (Sr)
F: Travis Eisele, West Virginia (Sr)
C: Joe Jekins, West Virginia (Sr*)
Synopsis: It's likely now or never for the Mountaineers, who have a senior-laden squad with loads of experience from last year. Hildebrand, the conductor of the offense, is the key; he is merely a sophomore, and while he has a lot of experience running this offense, a lot of teams are going to dare him to shoot the ball. Virginia Tech can surprise people. They have talent, especially in the post. And Armstead can score with anyone. George Washington is predicated on potential; the rest of the conference are merely fall guys for these three.
Southwestern (Conference Rank: )
1) Arkansas 2) Baylor 3) Southern Methodist
Sleeper: Texas
Preseason Player of the Year: G Eddy Jarrell, Arkansas
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Eddy Jarrell, Arkansas
Rising: Texas
Falling: Texas Christian
Best Backcourt: Arkansas
Best Frontcourt: Baylor
Best Offense: Arkansas
Best Defense: Baylor
Best Bench: Arkansas
Best Scorer: G Bennett Dougherty, Arkansas
Best Passer: G Arthur Freeman, SMU
Best Rebounder: F Paris Patton, Baylor
Best Defender: F Paris Patton, Baylor
Best Sixth Man: G Seth Wessels, Arkansas
Best Professional Prospect: C John Puryear, Baylor
NCAA Teams: Arkansas
NIT Teams: Baylor
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Eddy Jarrell, Arkansas (Jr)
G: Charlie Garay, SMU (So)
F: Bennett Dougherty, Arkansas (Fr*)
F: Paris Patton, Baylor (Sr)
C: John Puryear, Baylor (Sr)
Synopsis: The Razorbacks are rejuvenated by the arrivals of Jarrell and Dougherty, who should immediately lead this team. Baylor is solid, led by Puryear and Patton, and will give Arkansas fits. But they don't have the guard play, or enough scoring, to take the conference. SMU has Garay and some interesting options, and the Texas Technical School, as well as Texas, will be in the mix. This conference could go five different ways. We just think all roads lead to Arkansas.
West Coast (Conference Rank: )
1) San Francisco 2) Santa Clara 3) Saint Mary's
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Warren Tandy, San Francisco
Rising: Santa Clara
Falling: San Jose State
Best Backcourt: San Francisco
Best Frontcourt: Saint Mary's
Best Offense: Santa Clara
Best Defense: San Francisco
Best Bench: San Francisco
Best Scorer: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
Best Passer: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
Best Rebounder: C Perry Wilson, San Francisco
Best Defender: C Perry Wilson, SF/G Vernon West, Santa Clara
Best Sixth Man: G Daniel Petit, Santa Clara
Best Professional Prospect: G Ethan Marino, Saint Mary's
NCAA Teams: San Francisco
NIT Teams: Santa Clara
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco (So)
G: Gus Thorn, Santa Clara (Jr*)
F: Ethan Marino, Saint Mary's (Sr)
F: Octavio Thibault, San Jose State (Sr*)
C: Perry Wilson, San Francisco (Sr)
Synopsis: The Dons should accomplish this year what they failed to do last. Sure, it helps that everyone in the conference took a step back. And sure, it helps that they have the best offensive player (Ferrari) and best defensive player (Wilson) in the conference. But the experience of failing last year has made them hungry. They should have been dominant last year, and knew it, and used that knowledge to underachieve. This year, that will not happen. The Dons will get to the tournament, and may even win a game or two.
Western NY (Conference Rank: )
1) NIagara 2) St. Bonaventure 3) Canisius
Sleeper: n/a
Preseason Player of the Year: G Ben Perez, Niagara
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Grady Waters, Canisius
Rising: n/a
Falling: n/a
Best Backcourt: Niagara
Best Frontcourt: St. Bonaventure
Best Offense: Niagara
Best Defense: St. Bonaventure
Best Bench: Niagara
Best Scorer: G Ben Perez, NIagara
Best Passer: G Ben Perez, Niagara
Best Rebounder: F Jonathan Begin, Niagara
Best Defender: G Bruce Stacey, St. Bonaventure
Best Sixth Man: F Larry Lewis, St. Bonaventure
Best Professional Prospect: F Marty Luu, St. Bonaventure
NCAA Teams: Niagara
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Ben Perez, Niagara (Jr)
G: John Johnson, St. Bonaventure (So)
F: Curt To, Niagara (So)
F: Marty Luu, St. Bonaventure (Sr)
C: Percy Mandel, St. Bonaventure (Jr)
Synopsis: This conference still has three teams.
Yankee (Conference Rank: )
1) Connecticut 2) Vermont 3) Rhode Island
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Isaias Lollar, Vermont
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Isaias Lollar, Vermont
Rising: Rhode Island
Falling: Massachusetts
Best Backcourt: Connecticut
Best Frontcourt: Connecticut
Best Offense: Vermont
Best Defense: Connecticut
Best Bench: Connecticut
Best Scorer: G Isaias Lollar, Vermont
Best Passer: G Elroy Arnold, Connecticut
Best Rebounder: C Johnny Ferrell, Connecticut
Best Defender: C Charlie Burgess, New Hampshire
Best Sixth Man: G Gary Garfield, Connecticut
Best Professional Prospect: G Jim Lee, Rhode Island
NCAA Teams: Connecticut
NIT Teams: Vermont
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Elroy Arnold, Connecticut (Sr)
G: Jim Lee, Rhode Island (Sr)
F: Isaias Arnold, Vermont (Jr)
F: Charlie Burgess, New Hampshire (Sr)
C: David Boutwell, Maine (Sr)
Synopsis: Not a good conference, probably the worst "full" conference in the country. Connecticut is much more susceptible to losing this conference than a year ago. They still have the guards, but the bigs are weak. Vermont has Lollar, a junior college add-on who is a wizard at scoring, but yawns on defense. Jim Lee was helpless at Rhode Island last year. The Rams may have gotten him more help, which is important. Lee is a special talent in this conference, and fans of it should revel in watching him during his last go-round
Independent
1) Bradley 2) Duquesne 3) Dayton
Sleeper: Idaho State
Preseason Player of the Year: G Antonia Dabney, Bradley
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Cam Perry, La Salle
Rising: Notre Dame
Falling: Siena
Best Backcourt: Bradley, St. Joe's, Duquesne
Best Frontcourt: Dayton, Bradley, Notre Dame
Best Offense: Bradley, Syracuse, Duquesne
Best Defense: Bradley, Idaho State, La Salle
Best Bench: Bradley, Dayton, Notre Dame
Best Scorer: G Antonia Dabney, Bradley; F Robert Ventura, Holy Cross; G Tony Rollins, OK City
Best Passer: G Robin Revell, Idaho State; G John Granger, Duquesne; G Andy Cosme, St. Joe's
Best Rebounder: F Chris Gaytan, Pitt; C Brady Poe, Siena; C Nolan Scala, Dayton
Best Defender: G Andrew Moreno, La Salle; C Leon Tibrighien, Notre Dame
Best Sixth Man: G Shaun Quinones, Duquesne
Best Professional Prospect: G Antonia Dabney, Bradley
NCAA Teams: Bradley, Dayton, Duquesne, Holy Cross, La Salle, Notre Dame, Idaho State, Seattle
NIT Teams: St. Joe's, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Oklahoma City, Miami
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Antonia Dabney, Bradley (Sr)
G: John Garrick, Duquesne (Sr)
F: Robert Ventura, Holy Cross (Sr)
F: Otokar Schultz, Louisville (Sr)
C: Timmy McSwain, La Salle (Jr)
Synopsis: There are too many good teams to really go around. Bradley is a national title favorite. Dayton and Duquesne can be. La Salle is more on the periphery, while Notre Dame should bounce back from a year ago. Idaho State, if they can stay healthy, should register on people's radar this season. Pittsburgh will be good again, but did they schedule well enough? Miami has talent, but are they this year's Pitt?
NCAA Tournament Picks
As with last year, we will make our tournament selections, based off our own bracket projection.
1 Bradley Indiana 1
8 Columbia Murray State 8
5 Holy Cross Mississippi St 5
4 La Salle Duke 4
East South
3 Duquesne North Carolina 3
6 St. John's Iowa 6
7 Niagara Arkansas 7
2 NC State Kentucky 2
1 Kansas State Kansas 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 St. Louis Idaho State 5
4 Washington Oregon State 4
Midwest West
3 Dayton Illinois 3
6 Notre Dame Utah 6
7 Connecticut San Francisco 7
2 West Virginia California 2
East: NC State over La Salle
South: Indiana over Kentucky
Midwest: Kansas State over Dayton
West: Kansas over Illinois
National Semifinals
Kansas State over NC State
Indiana over Kansas
National Championship
Kansas State over Indiana
The National Basketball Report: December 13, 1954
NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (8-1, LW 2)
2. West Virginia (11-1, 7)
3. Kansas (8-1, 3)
4. Bradley (7-1, 4)
5. NC State (7-2, 6)
6. Kentucky (6-1, 5)
7. Kansas State (6-2, 1)
8. North Carolina (6-1, 8)
9. Dayton (6-1, 11)
10. Holy Cross (8-0, 14)
11. Washington (7-1, 18)
12. Louisville (7-1, NR)
13. Duquesne (8-2, 10)
14. Iowa (4-0, 20)
15. Mississippi State (5-1, 17)
16. Miami (8-0, NR)
17. San Francisco (8-1, NR)
18. California (4-2, 9)
19. Illinois (3-2, 13)
20. Idaho State (5-1, NR)
Dropped Out: Duke (12), La Salle (15), Oregon State (16), St. Louis (19)
We are about a third of the way through the season for most teams, which makes for kind of an unfair assessment. Do you believe the starts of the teams, whether good or bad? In many cases, whether it be AP #1 Indiana, or 0-8 Bucknell, yes, you do. But what about where the lines are muddled? What about the teams that flew under the radar? What about those who had expectations, only to see their train stall out of the station?
This, readers, is akin to the stock market. Do you buy stock in teams, or are you getting rid of your parcel? This piece looks at a few of those teams, and will help you decide.
Buy: Maryland. The Terrapins own wins over Washington, Columbia, and Villanova. Their losses, to West Virginia and at La Salle, are no reason for concern. The Terrapins have a bonafide star in guard George Dawkins, and talent up and down their lineup. They do need more production out of their frontcourt, but their backcourt stacks up against anybody. They are not on NC State's level, or UNC's, in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But they are a good bet to replace Duke as the conference's third-best team. That would get them into the NCAA Tournament.
Sell: Duke. The Blue Devils are not as good as last year's outfit. Simple as that. They do have quality losses, even though one was a total blowout (Kansas by 39). The Cincinnati loss is debatable. And they own a win against St. Joe's. They have the talent, but could they beat Maryland in the ACC? There is a pessimistic view about that. Scoring seems to be difficult for the Blue Devils, as they are 51st in the country at it. They turn it over a lot (160th) and allow points on the other end quite a bit (117th). There just doesn't seem to be a lot of answers for a team with so many questions right now.
Buy: Seattle. Yes, they are 3-5. Look more closely, though. They lost to Washington, a top-ten team, but five. They lost to Kansas by four, then had to go to Columbia, a quality team, where they lost by one. They lost to Cal and Miami. Fine. Then they crushed Notre Dame, and own a win over Southern Cal. Outside of Kentucky and Oregon State, they don't have a quality game until a trip to Oregon in February. They should be ranked by then. This team, despite their record, has outscored their opponents on average. And freshman forward Jesus Jones should be the talk of the region. They could be this year's Idaho State, but there is too much evidence that illustrates they should turn this around quickly.
Sell: Miami. Their win over NYU, another team you should sell, is their only against a team with a winning record. They get St. Mary's soon, who is a 4-2 pretender, before a date with struggling Duke. The truth here is, while the Hurricanes have talent, their #12 ranking is the most inflated in the country. And this is a team that cannot afford too many losses. They're going to have to beat quality teams like Mississippi State, Duke, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech to give themselves a shot at the NCAA Tournament. They also have games against Niagara and Syracuse. If they lose more than three games, we're not sure how anyone could consider them a quality NCAA team. They are this year's Pittsburgh.
Buy: Oklahoma A&M. The Cowboys opened with games against Indiana and NC State. The Virginia Tech loss was a fluke. Granted, they cannot afford many losses going forward, but the only games they truly have coming up are Duke, Oklahoma City, and Villanova. They should win all of those games. By the time they get into conference play, they should be one of the hottest teams in the nation.
Sell: Texas. They haven't played anybody, and lost to 2-8 Furman. There is nothing that instills faith, or belief, that Texas is nothing more than a product of the Lone Star media machine. How they are ranked by the Associated Press defies logic. Arkansas is the class of the Southwestern Conference.
Buy: Columbia. They beat Illinois before falling to a hot Maryland team. And they have dusted everyone since, with the exception of a loss to LSU, which is no reason to fret. The Lions are making the most of their national quarterfinal appearance last year, and are showing signs of getting that far again. Their defense is solid, and they keep teams off the glass. They also shoot free throws well (tenth in the country), something not many teams do.
Sell: NYU. They have one reasonable win, in the opener against Oklahoma City. Their losses, to San Francisco and Miami, are fine. But they haven't played anyone, and won't for some time. North Carolina should dust them in a few weeks, as should Connecticut, Villanova, St. Joe's, and Notre Dame. The Violets are a far cry from last year's team, and we still think St. John's is the team to beat in the Metro, despite their 1-4 start.
Buy: Robert Ventura, Holy Cross. He is the nation's leading scorer, at 23.1 points per game, despite averaging less minutes than the two behind him, Kentucky's Murray Dodd, and Kansas' Timofei Malakhov. Ventura also set the NCAA record for points in a game, with 44 in a 96-77 win over a very quality Utah team. His line from the game is amazing. He shot 14-16 from the field, and 16-17 from the line. He is a model of efficient basketball. Although he was already on the national landscape before this, he has arrived as a full-fledged star. He will get a big test against Indiana tomorrow. Even if he doesn't have his best game against the Hoosiers, Ventura, who is six-foot-eight, stands to be the clear top pick in next season's NBA draft.
Sell: Lincoln Brooks, Iowa. The center is playing well, averaging 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. But he has not made the leap in ability that many thought he would. He is shooting much worse from the field this season, at 46%, down from 52%. Of course, this is a small sample size, just 24 shots. But he has taken some ill-advised shots, including ones from a distance where he looks uncomfortable. It is understandable that the senior wants to set a tone for his team, but that is not his role. Eventually, it may hurt the Hawkeyes.
Recruiting Interview with the National Recruiting Bureau
Recently, we sat down to speak with the fellows at the National Recruiting Bureau, an agency that looks more in-depth at the other season or college basketball, the one of securing players for the future.
Q: What is the biggest story you see in this year's recruiting period?
A: The biggest story that I see occurring is not with recruits at the moment, but what coaches are actually doing. With so many top recruits looking at and declaring that they want to play for Kansas, Kansas State, Indiana, NC State, and Kentucky, who are going to take the gambles by waiting and potentially passing up lower rated recruits within their own backyards, to swoop in on the top talent at the end? Cal nabbed PG-Tony Eyre last year doing it, will other coaches follow suit? If this becomes the norm, how will this affect teams that normally wouldn't be able to get top to mid-level talent? Will they then be able to jump up and steal the players that would normally be looking to go to the teams that are in the holding pattern? This domino affect could have a potential huge ripple on the College Basketball landscape, and I for one cannot wait to watch it play out. As the readers all know, all it takes is one recruit for the hopes and dreams of a school to shift from their debate team, to the squad running the hardwood.
Q: Which schools, not among the ones you listed, stand the best chance of nabbing some of these elite players? What is your initial impression of the class itself?
A: In terms of who might have the best shot at landing the elite players other than those top schools, its hard to tell at the moment. I see a lot of talent coming out of the West, so I would expect one of those schools to be able to be up there. California, Washington and UCLA come to mind. The West has so many teams that its hard to say which one is going to come out on top. I also see a lot of talent in the South East this year. I would expect North Carolina to mop that up and then the other Carolina schools should do well if they play their cards correctly. I wouldn't count out Alabama Poly Tech or Vanderbilt down there either. The class itself is guard heavy. There are only 3 real Elite Forwards/Centers this year in my opinion, and two of them are 7'0. The other is the number 1 recruit in the land in Chris Arenas. 6'7 and 6'8 are on the smaller side to be playing those spots. So while they might have the attributes or skills to play down low, when they go up against taller guys who might have similar attributes and skill sets they are going to lose the battles. Its hard for me to call those smaller type guys elite. I also need to mention that there are 5 foreign guys ranked as a four or five star recruits. Foreign guys don't always understand the lingo coaches throw at them all the time, so they are wildcards. If someone comes at them with a whacky recruiting pitch watch out, they can go any which way the wind blows. If a team such as Arkansas, or Oregon State lands a kid like that, especially, over any of the big boys that will vault them up the recruiting rankings for sure. Keep and eye on 2 guys that have received little interest so far in 6'10 Johannes Adleman and PG- Dez Phillips. Phillips ranked 6th in the nation could be a game changer that surprisingly nobody really has taken a look at. That's where wild card teams can come into play and why its so hard to get a read on what could take place.
Q: Why do you think nobody has looked at Phillips yet? Is there a trend where some kids, even as talented as he, fall through the cracks?
A: I think the reason nobody has really looked at Phillips yet is because he was ranked so high and coaches didn't want to spend more money recruiting him (because he is foreign) only to find he likes the big boy schools. Coaches can spend less money and end up with more bang for their buck by staying home. I don't think this is a trend, and I don't think he will fall through the cracks. Coaches need to just feel comfortable spending money and it seems coaches are still being stingy on what they have.
Q: Which of the so-called elites has the most to lose this year? Which will have the toughest path to a successful recruiting class?
A: The Elite school that clearly has the most to lose this year is Kansas. With Malakhov, Davis & McNair all graduating this year, they need to be able to bring in high level talent to replace them. Kansas has high expectations all the time, and if recruiting doesn't go the way that it should, the basketball power could find itself in an unfamiliar place in a year or 2.
As far as who has the toughest path on the recruiting trail this year, that is hard to answer. I think the Elite schools have their pick of recruits, even if they might battle at first for a few. There are enough top 25 guys to go after for their secondary recruits to keep them all happy. I then think it goes to which region is the toughest and that is clearly the West. With over half of the PCC being mid level prestige schools, and with the addition of San Francisco, Seattle and other smaller schools with more Prestige the West is a total crap shoot. Until somebody emerges as the big dogs out there I don’t see that trend changing anytime soon. They will just continue to battle each other as best they can and hope their school comes out on top of the recruiting pile. So anybody that’s in the West has the toughest challenge recruiting wise this year, and quite possibly the next decade.
Q: So, if you could rank the top three schools in the west, in terms of recruiting power, who are they?
A: I would say the top three schools in the West in terms of recruiting power are California, San Francisco and then Washington. I give the nod to California because they are the big school in the state of California and that’s where most of the big time kids learn towards. Why look elsewhere when they play in one of the hardest conferences in the nation and your family can see just about every game they want to? It also doesn’t hurt that they have been the most successful in the PCC since the inception of college basketball. San Francisco would be second even though they play in a lower rated West Coast conference. They run the WCC and have a shot at making tournaments because they all they do is win as well. They would be the 2nd school in the State that the top kids look at. Washington would then come in third. Washington’s reach will only continue to grow with runs like they had last year, but they come in third simply because there are other 2 schools in Cali that kids look to that are comparable to them at the moment. If we are being honest, the distance from California hurts. Why a state away go when you can go right down the road and your family can watch all the home games and away games in the state? How this potentially changes in the next few years will be interesting. Will San Francisco over take California? Will another PCC school rise up and replace California? Will Washington be able to go farther than anybody tournament time and be the favorite school of choice? The West is hard to tell and the recruiting battles to come should be a lot of fun to watch.
Q: Do you think San Francisco can, or will, overtake Cal?
A: I do not think they will. However, if anybody is going to do it now, they would be the team that I would say would have the best chance. With the other PCC teams scratching for any type of berth in any tournament they can get to, San Fran should be able to soar to the National Tourney year in and year out which should then give them more exposure to the recruits. They would be able to look at a kid and say would you rather play in the PCC or would your rather play in the National tourney each year with a shot at a title. You can easily see where they could go. I think Rob Roberson over at Cal has enough at his disposal to prevent that from happening, but time will tell on that one.
Q: Is there any player you think schools will regret not recruiting, when it is all said and done?
A: I think everybody here is looking for a top recruit to be the answer. Yes, there are a few top recruits that might show up on this list that seem to be getting passed over by everybody. The first one would be the #12 recruit Charles Pugsley who’s only offer comes from Pacific. Yes, Pacific. Honestly, even if his ratings are graded out terrible for some coaches, he is rated 12th for a reason right? There is no way the 12th rated recruit should end up at Pacific, but hey time will tell on that one.
The real guy that I want to talk about is the 170th rated recruit Andrej Sedlacek. Andrej is a 6’7 Shooting guard with average stats. However, at 6’7 I think every team that has passed up on him has made huge mistake. St. Joeseph’s is the team that looks to have him wrapped up and boy do we think he is going to be a gem. With his long frame he should be able to play both the SF and the SG spots obviously, however if he grades out and has any athletic ability at all, he has a chance to be a huge match up problem. He should be able to get in the lane and shot over people, bowl over people, and has the length to help jump over people. Don’t get me started on the problems he could create on the defensive end. 6’7 will shut down a lot of the guys rated a lot higher than he is. We are very much looking forward to seeing how he comes in rated as that is the recruit we have targeted as being the guy that everyone should have had and didn’t.
The NCAA Tournament Projection
1 Bradley West Virginia 1
8 Connecticut W. Kentucky 8
5 St. Joe's Miami 5
4 Duquesne Iowa 4
East South
3 North Carolina Louisville 3
6 Illinois Arkansas 6
7 Niagara Marshall 7
2 NC State Kentucky 2
1 Indiana Kansas 1
8 Columbia Arizona 8
5 California San Francisco 5
4 Oklahoma A&M Mississippi St 4
Midwest West
3 Dayton Holy Cross 3
6 Oregon Idaho State 6
7 NYU Utah 7
2 Kansas State Washington 2
So that should catch up us on current events. In case anybody was wondering. None of the human teams won the NCAA or NIT tourneys last year. Kansas beat Duquesne for the first title.
Bug- Had a hell of a run with Columbia last year which I needed to note. Ended up losing in the elite 8. Not bad for an Ivy group team. They once again seem to be going in the same direction this year at 10-3
Vince- Also had a nice run with Stanford which I wouldn't have guessed. They made the NCAA going 19-12. They look to be right on the same path this year at 6-3.
Both were real nice stories last season
On the recruiting front, the recruits this year are being stubborn. Not a ton of signings like we would be hoping.
I have 3 schollys to give out this year. I started on 3, then switched two. I wasn't feeling comfortable on where we were headed and I couldn't drag out a recruiting battle on big guys, only to have them sign with someone else leaving me in the lurch. That simply cant happen, as I need big men in a bad bad way.
We did end up signing one which I am excited about. Meet the newest member of the Trojan class.
RECRUIT DETAILS
#14 C Dante Douglas
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Height: 6-10
Weight: 227
High School: Coolidge High School
Hometown: Coolidge, AZ
GPA: 2.57
Test Score: 990
Rating: ****
Attributes:
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Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
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Current: 12 3 7 3 9 4 13 7 7 4 10 12 6 14 8 12
Potential: C C A F C C A B C F C C
Season Stats:
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PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
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16.0 3.4 7.7 0.9 1.7 0.55 0.9 2.5 3.3
Shooting Averages:
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FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
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6.1 10.4 .589 3.8 5.5 .697 0.0 0.2 .000
Recruiting Notes:
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Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #53 Overall, #11 C, West Region #12 Overall, West Region #2 C
High School Awards: All-State, Mr. Basketball (Arizona), All American
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, UCLA
I am pretty excited about Dante. Another All-American (our 3rd total so far in our first 2 seasons) and at 6'10 he will help with our forward issue, and also are height issue. I would love to be able to redshirt him, but I don't see that being able to happen. I cant do another year of 2 forwards on the roster. i also like the fact that he can rebound on the offensive side. In a year I think we are going to be a hell of an offensive rebounding team, which should really aid us.
I lead on my other 2 guys, but decided not to post them until they are signed. Not trying to screw or jinx myself
Young Drachma
07-16-2015, 04:45 PM
Neat stuff!
Vince, Pt. II
07-17-2015, 01:05 PM
Some looks at Stanford and Dartmouth from the NCAA 53 league I recently posted:
Stanford
6-6, 49 Prestige
12 games into the season, Sophomore C Andreas Fontes has been a bit of a disappointment - for a guy who was projected to go in the 2nd round of the draft before the season started, his 7.5 points per game are much lower than we anticipated from the 7'0" 270 pound bruiser. He is averaging over 7 rebounds per contest, which is good, but we were hoping his inside presence on offense would open things up for Granados and Winner at mid range and from the outside. Speaking of, Senior SG Aldo Granados has been everything we hoped he would be. Leading the team and the PCC in points per game at 17.5 (and 13th in the nation), he also gives us 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game, filling the stat sheet nicely. Junior PG Mark Bingham has been an excellent distributor as well, leading the PCC in assists (6th in the nation) and contributing a solid 8.9 points per game as our third leading scorer. Unfortunately, despite our prodigious talent on the front lines, our depth is practically nonexistent. Walk-on Major Clarke (who is somehow listed as a PG despite being 7 feet tall...I find this humorous) is getting more minutes than some more established players like Mariano Falcone, who is such a liability on the defensive end that he hasn't seen fit to get on the floor at all this season (which is weird because he's actually #8 on my depth chart...several people below him are logging more minutes than him). Looking at individual stats and team stats, it's hard to be too disappointed with the team. We're +5.0 in point differential, and our players seem to be playing well - outside of the fact that there are only a handful of teams in the nation who foul more than we do. Unfortunately, we're 6-6 and have losses to such standout teams as Tennessee (6-5, 42 Prestige), Santa Clara (5-7, 45 Prestige), Wyoming (3-8, 44 Prestige) and San Jose State (6-5, 37 Prestige). Not only that - every single one of those losses was at home. This team has talent, but I'm afraid we already have too many borderline losses to hope for a repeat NCAA tournament appearance unless we have a miraculous conference run...and in the PCC, that's a very tall order.
Recruiting has been...interesting. We found that the #100 recruit in the nation liked us off the bat and we jumped on him. PG Chris Mohler was All-State in Arizona, and he looks to be a fantastic defender with a great shot, a decent handle, and very little ability to create his own shot. The major drawback? He's 5'8". Our scouts grade him out as quite athletic (18 Quickness, 14 Jump), but it remains to be seen if his height will preclude his apparent talent. We've also already netted the #133 recruit, SF Stan Dyer out of Australia. Our scouts peg him as a terrific rebounder with a fantastic outside shot and the potential to grow into a plus defender. I should probably point out at this point that our scouts are completely awful. With one scholarship left, we are pretty much scrambling at this point. We tried to aim high and went after the #33 recruit in the nation early on - PG Elroy Stamper. Despite the fact that he was the #7 PG and that four different PG's rated higher than him had Kansas State as their #1 on their list early on...Kansas State picked him as well. And we can't compete with that. So since the second or third month of recruiting, we've been bouncing this offer from recruit to recruit, not having much success at all anywhere we went. And in the west, this is the sort of thing I have to deal with (thanks to dawgfan for compiling the list):
Team (Overall Ranking of Committed Recruits Thus Far)
---
San Francisco (#11, #49, #99)
Oregon State (#14, #69)
Cal (#15, #21, #63)
USC (#29, #53, #92)
Colorado (#31, #37, #51)
Washington (#41, #44)
UCLA (#73, #86)
Stanford (#100)
I guess the moral of the story is to aim higher? But I'm already aiming way higher than I did last season, and it's been...difficult.
---
Dartmouth
4-7, 33 Prestige
Strangely enough, Dartmouth is one of the few teams in the nation that fouls more than Stanford does. Freshman SF Sonny Freeman has been wonderful, with 17.2 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds...but he's averaging literally over 4 fouls per game. He has fouled out of 4 of our 11 games, and has had less than 4 fouls in only one of them. I'd imagine it's his lack of defensive skill combined with his high rebounding numbers and good raw talent scores. I'm not really sure what I can do about that, but I wish there was something. Fellow front court freshman Charles Smith has been pretty fantastic as well, with 12.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. He's a little foul happy as well, though not quite on Freeman's level (3.2 per game). Tony Buford and David Bratcher have been slightly disappointing - I was hoping Bratcher could be a sort of Mark Bingham light for Dartmouth, but he's turning the ball over much more than his Handling stat would seem to indicate, and he's similarly disappointing on the assist front despite a halfway decent passing score. Buford has been our 6th man, and while he hasn't been completely disappointing, I was hoping for a little better defensive effort from him.
On the recruiting front, we've already sewn up the #134 (C David Omara), #201 (SF Christopher Morehead) and #204 (SG David McMullin) recruits and we have one scholarship outstanding at this point. Sure enough, our scouts like the #204 guy best at this point and absolutely hate Omara despite his much higher recruit ranking. I'm actually disappointed in him a little as well, because I failed to realize that he's only 6'7" - and after our C recruit from last year (6'9" Charles Smith who is our starting PF this year)...that leaves us with very little size moving forward. When you consider that our only players over 6'9" are graduating this season...I wonder how well small ball is going to play in the Ivy, especially without a three point line...and I also wonder how I'm going to find playing time for three solid PF's in Smith, Dutries (another recruit from last year who is redshirting this year) and now Omara. I guess that's a good problem to have...
Some looks at Stanford and Dartmouth from the NCAA 53 league I recently posted:
Stanford
6-6, 49 Prestige
12 games into the season, Sophomore C Andreas Fontes has been a bit of a disappointment - for a guy who was projected to go in the 2nd round of the draft before the season started, his 7.5 points per game are much lower than we anticipated from the 7'0" 270 pound bruiser. He is averaging over 7 rebounds per contest, which is good, but we were hoping his inside presence on offense would open things up for Granados and Winner at mid range and from the outside. Speaking of, Senior SG Aldo Granados has been everything we hoped he would be. Leading the team and the PCC in points per game at 17.5 (and 13th in the nation), he also gives us 5.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game, filling the stat sheet nicely. Junior PG Mark Bingham has been an excellent distributor as well, leading the PCC in assists (6th in the nation) and contributing a solid 8.9 points per game as our third leading scorer. Unfortunately, despite our prodigious talent on the front lines, our depth is practically nonexistent. Walk-on Major Clarke (who is somehow listed as a PG despite being 7 feet tall...I find this humorous) is getting more minutes than some more established players like Mariano Falcone, who is such a liability on the defensive end that he hasn't seen fit to get on the floor at all this season (which is weird because he's actually #8 on my depth chart...several people below him are logging more minutes than him). Looking at individual stats and team stats, it's hard to be too disappointed with the team. We're +5.0 in point differential, and our players seem to be playing well - outside of the fact that there are only a handful of teams in the nation who foul more than we do. Unfortunately, we're 6-6 and have losses to such standout teams as Tennessee (6-5, 42 Prestige), Santa Clara (5-7, 45 Prestige), Wyoming (3-8, 44 Prestige) and San Jose State (6-5, 37 Prestige). Not only that - every single one of those losses was at home. This team has talent, but I'm afraid we already have too many borderline losses to hope for a repeat NCAA tournament appearance unless we have a miraculous conference run...and in the PCC, that's a very tall order.
Recruiting has been...interesting. We found that the #100 recruit in the nation liked us off the bat and we jumped on him. PG Chris Mohler was All-State in Arizona, and he looks to be a fantastic defender with a great shot, a decent handle, and very little ability to create his own shot. The major drawback? He's 5'8". Our scouts grade him out as quite athletic (18 Quickness, 14 Jump), but it remains to be seen if his height will preclude his apparent talent. We've also already netted the #133 recruit, SF Stan Dyer out of Australia. Our scouts peg him as a terrific rebounder with a fantastic outside shot and the potential to grow into a plus defender. I should probably point out at this point that our scouts are completely awful. With one scholarship left, we are pretty much scrambling at this point. We tried to aim high and went after the #33 recruit in the nation early on - PG Elroy Stamper. Despite the fact that he was the #7 PG and that four different PG's rated higher than him had Kansas State as their #1 on their list early on...Kansas State picked him as well. And we can't compete with that. So since the second or third month of recruiting, we've been bouncing this offer from recruit to recruit, not having much success at all anywhere we went. And in the west, this is the sort of thing I have to deal with (thanks to dawgfan for compiling the list):
Team (Overall Ranking of Committed Recruits Thus Far)
---
San Francisco (#11, #49, #99)
Oregon State (#14, #69)
Cal (#15, #21, #63)
USC (#29, #53, #92)
Colorado (#31, #37, #51)
Washington (#41, #44)
UCLA (#73, #86)
Stanford (#100)
I guess the moral of the story is to aim higher? But I'm already aiming way higher than I did last season, and it's been...difficult.
---
Dartmouth
4-7, 33 Prestige
Strangely enough, Dartmouth is one of the few teams in the nation that fouls more than Stanford does. Freshman SF Sonny Freeman has been wonderful, with 17.2 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds...but he's averaging literally over 4 fouls per game. He has fouled out of 4 of our 11 games, and has had less than 4 fouls in only one of them. I'd imagine it's his lack of defensive skill combined with his high rebounding numbers and good raw talent scores. I'm not really sure what I can do about that, but I wish there was something. Fellow front court freshman Charles Smith has been pretty fantastic as well, with 12.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. He's a little foul happy as well, though not quite on Freeman's level (3.2 per game). Tony Buford and David Bratcher have been slightly disappointing - I was hoping Bratcher could be a sort of Mark Bingham light for Dartmouth, but he's turning the ball over much more than his Handling stat would seem to indicate, and he's similarly disappointing on the assist front despite a halfway decent passing score. Buford has been our 6th man, and while he hasn't been completely disappointing, I was hoping for a little better defensive effort from him.
On the recruiting front, we've already sewn up the #134 (C David Omara), #201 (SF Christopher Morehead) and #204 (SG David McMullin) recruits and we have one scholarship outstanding at this point. Sure enough, our scouts like the #204 guy best at this point and absolutely hate Omara despite his much higher recruit ranking. I'm actually disappointed in him a little as well, because I failed to realize that he's only 6'7" - and after our C recruit from last year (6'9" Charles Smith who is our starting PF this year)...that leaves us with very little size moving forward. When you consider that our only players over 6'9" are graduating this season...I wonder how well small ball is going to play in the Ivy, especially without a three point line...and I also wonder how I'm going to find playing time for three solid PF's in Smith, Dutries (another recruit from last year who is redshirting this year) and now Omara. I guess that's a good problem to have...
Nice read Vince. Feel free to post more or chime in whenever you want here. It was a nice break from my crappy writing style :p
So yesterday's sim had some good news bad news in it.
The bad news.....
We go 0-2 which drops us to an even 6-6 on the year. The Arizona loss was brutal. They whopped up on us to the tune of 65-38. Once again (it has been a reoccurring theme to the year) the way to take us apart is to get our 2 big men in foul trouble. In that game both ended the game with 4 fouls a piece and Center David Clausen only played 17 mins. He averages 33.
Our 2nd loss was to Idaho State who is ranked 21st in the country right now. We played a good game with the exception of putting the ball in the hoop. We basically led in every category except field goals. We shot 38% to their 55%. If we shot normally i'm confident we would have beaten a 2nd top 25 team this year. But should of doesn't count here, and nobody cares.
I am going to make a lineup change for Sunday's sim. Senior Everett Bartholomew has played himself right out of the lineup for me. He has played terrible this year, and if he is going to shoot 31% and end up with a plus/minus rating of -2.33, that's enough to get me to play one of my freshman. The jackass.
Freshman Alan Storer and Freddie Nation will get a bump in mins and split Bartholomew's 18 mins a game.
The GOOD NEWS.
We signed our last 2 remaining recruits.
RECRUIT DETAILS
#3 PF Michael Fanning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-9
Weight: 202
High School: Atascadero High School
Hometown: Atascadero, CA
GPA: 2.64
Test Score: 1060
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 8 11 15 0 9 2 16 4 10 7 8 10 9 15 8 8
Potential: D C B F B F A A C D B C
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.7 4.0 11.0 1.0 2.4 0.43 2.3 1.5 2.8
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.6 12.8 .596 2.5 4.3 .588 0.0 0.0 .000
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #92 Overall, #16 PF, West Region #17 Overall, West Region #2 PF
High School Awards: None
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, California, UCLA, Saint Mary's, Kansas State
Michael will team nicely with Dante and should give us depth next year. As I have already hammered home, having 2 post players on the roster sucks, and next year we will have 4. I can work with that. The other beautiful thing about Michael is his 16 rating on the offensive boards. Dante has 13. On the current roster David Clausen has 18 and JC Quiles has 16. All 4 big men should have A's on potential there and should help us get more possessions in the PCC.
Our 2nd signing is
RECRUIT DETAILS
#54 SG Edmund Nelson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 192
High School: Redlands Senior High School
Hometown: Redlands, CA
GPA: 2.38
Test Score: 1040
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 12 9 14 11 7 4 9 8 8 6 8 0 17 11 17 15
Potential: A C B B D F B C D C D F
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.1 2.8 6.2 3.1 3.4 0.93 0.7 0.1 4.2
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.9 18.6 .531 2.5 4.8 .526 0.9 3.1 .295
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #29 Overall, #8 SG, West Region #8 Overall, West Region #2 SG
High School Awards: None
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, California, North Carolina State, Duquesne
Edmund is another taller guard and he has some athletic prowless to him. He will red-shirt, as I have enough guards for next year, but being ranked 29th, and having the attributes grade out they way they did, I had to make room for him.
It feels good being done recruiting wise, but 2 decent classes wont get it done in the PCC.
Cal has a real nice coming in this year, UCLA should fix its scoring issues with the class they have wrapped up, Washington is steady as they come and the rest of the PCC has some good coming in as well.
I still say Washington State is going to play giant killer here in a season or 2. I love JUCO Don Russel they pulled in. This conference is just crazy. The lower prestige teams are pulling in guys that can play. They might not have the rankings that Vince and Dawgfan pointed out earlier in this thread, but don't let that fool you. I cannot wait to see the landscape when every single guy on the roster was recruited by us.
That's when the real fun will start
murrayyyyy
07-17-2015, 08:26 PM
It feels good being done recruiting wise, but 2 decent classes wont get it done in the PCC.
Cal has a real nice coming in this year, UCLA should fix its scoring issues with the class they have wrapped up, Washington is steady as they come and the rest of the PCC has some good coming in as well.
I still say Washington State is going to play giant killer here in a season or 2. I love JUCO Don Russel they pulled in. This conference is just crazy. The lower prestige teams are pulling in guys that can play. They might not have the rankings that Vince and Dawgfan pointed out earlier in this thread, but don't let that fool you. I cannot wait to see the landscape when every single guy on the roster was recruited by us.
That's when the real fun will start
Enjoy it while you can because in 4.5 seasons... four of us are out of here!
Brian Swartz
07-17-2015, 09:00 PM
That's nothing -- Tulane can't wait to get out of the SEC and that won't happen for 12 years :)
murrayyyyy
07-17-2015, 09:31 PM
That's nothing -- Tulane can't wait to get out of the SEC and that won't happen for 12 years :)
I get 1 season of not having to schedule 30 non conference games before Oregon St. bolts. I really don't enjoy filling out the schedule for St. Joseph's every year. I think I ran out of east coast teams this year trying to do it. I don't want to imagine doing it on the west coast (Unless I schedule every Big5/AAWU team.
Enjoy it while you can because in 4.5 seasons... four of us are out of here!
Uggggg I keep forgetting about that. That is actually going to really hurt the rest of us staying behind in the conference budget wise. I will be interested to see if it hurts you guys leaving budget wise as well. I am of course assuming that both you and Oregon will be contenders with the rest of us and the strength of the PCC will take a massive hit. Heck Idaho if they haven't been rebuilt yet will take a massive hit.
I am not looking forward to that at all. How many years to you guys come back? Is it like 10ish, and then the big 5 conf schedule, do we all just play each other twice and the rest are OOC games?
That's nothing -- Tulane can't wait to get out of the SEC and that won't happen for 12 years :)
I don't know Brian. If you keep pulling classes like you did last year with Tulane, you aren't going to be very far off from being at the top of the SEC and changing the college landscape from the beginning.
I get 1 season of not having to schedule 30 non conference games before Oregon St. bolts. I really don't enjoy filling out the schedule for St. Joseph's every year. I think I ran out of east coast teams this year trying to do it. I don't want to imagine doing it on the west coast (Unless I schedule every Big5/AAWU team.
One of the things on the list is to ask for is a way to try to figure out how to get the AI to pick games for you. I believe DDCB has this, but trying to keep the products without having the same kind of things is always a fun challenge
murrayyyyy
07-18-2015, 11:40 AM
Uggggg I keep forgetting about that. That is actually going to really hurt the rest of us staying behind in the conference budget wise. I will be interested to see if it hurts you guys leaving budget wise as well. I am of course assuming that both you and Oregon will be contenders with the rest of us and the strength of the PCC will take a massive hit. Heck Idaho if they haven't been rebuilt yet will take a massive hit.
I am not looking forward to that at all. How many years to you guys come back? Is it like 10ish, and then the big 5 conf schedule, do we all just play each other twice and the rest are OOC games?
Not bad as Oregon St leaves for 5 years. I think you guys will be okay prestige wise as it's 5 good teams staying and no door mats.
Oregon State Beavers Index | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com (http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/oregon-state/)
murrayyyyy
07-18-2015, 11:42 AM
One of the things on the list is to ask for is a way to try to figure out how to get the AI to pick games for you. I believe DDCB has this, but trying to keep the products without having the same kind of things is always a fun challenge
It's more about me trying to stay within my 1950's parameter and staying in the northeast. If I allowed myself to schedule outside of that area or if we had 400 teams to schedule instead of 170ish it would be a lot easier.
Brian Swartz
07-18-2015, 01:44 PM
. If you keep pulling classes like you did last year with Tulane, you aren't going to be very far off from being at the top of the SEC and changing the college landscape from the beginning.
Thanks, but I'm not as optimistic, for a couple of reasons. First, Tulane has 31 prestige :P. Takes quite a while to move that up. Last year's class was really good but the team still sucks this year due to no frontcourt, next one I expect to be almost as good and help that out a little but it's a long way from that to competing with Kentucky and the bevy of 'mid-major' quality schools in the conference. Four teams in the low-mid 40s are(next-worst) to us and I'll be surprised if we surpass last year's single-digit wins mark. The talent comes with a price too: it's the one coach I have who is recruiting/scouting heavy, which means he's not great at doing all that much with the players once they come.
I'm still very pleased(and surprised) at how the recruiting is going there, but I have no illusions about contending for the SEC during my time in the conference :).
Brian Swartz
07-18-2015, 02:29 PM
Question here for the FBCB experts: this is more of a trying to understand the game thing. Two players at Tulane this year:
SF Ricky Schultz(Jr.) -- JuCo transfer, actually runs the point and I funnel him the ball a lot. Shooting 52% on 67 attempts despite having average shooting ratings or just above average and very poor isolation ability(F).
SF/SG Kelly Doughty(Fr.) -- Very similar shooting ratings and much better isolation skills of average(C). Also more athletic(quickness/jumping). Shooting 32% on 68 attempts :(.
My question here is does anybody have any clue as to why? My only guess right now are some hidden 'take-bad-shots' rating or matchup issues(i.e. Schultz has better size compared to players at his position) but it wouldn't seem it would make that much of a difference. Fatigue shouldn't be an issue since, while Doughty is only average in that, he's coming off the bench as the sixth man and only playing 18.6 mpg.
Mr. Doughty is basically really annoying me right now :).
Vince, Pt. II
07-19-2015, 02:40 AM
I have very little experience with the game so far (this league is literally my only experience), but...
I think the disparity is mostly due to sample size. If I had to pin it on actual reasons:
-Age/experience. I have no idea if this is coded into the game at all, but a Junior who transferred from a JuCo should be more polished/prepared (ratings or not).
-Schultz is playing nearly twice as many minutes as Doughty. So not only is Doughty jacking up shots more often, he's probably playing with less talented players on the court around him, and being forced to do more with less.
britrock88
07-19-2015, 11:41 AM
Brian, I'd say sample size.
I'll also toss out there that I am considering moving my Oregon coach to the Big Ten once the PCC breaks up.
dawgfan
07-19-2015, 08:31 PM
I hadn't really thought about the impact of the breakup of the PCC on conference prestige, but it's going to be interesting to watch. Once the breakup happens following the '58/'59 season it will just be Cal, UW, Stanford, USC & UCLA for the next 4 seasons in the new AAWU. All five should be good to really good in terms of prestige (I'm guessing Cal & UW in the 70's and the rest above 60), but I don't know how that will calculate - hopefully it will be enough to keep the conference at 5 (the highest prestige level).
Looks like WSU returns for the '63/'64 season and Oregon and Oregon State return for the '64/'65 season to form what will soon be renamed the Pac-8. How much will they suffer for being independents for that long?
murrayyyyy
07-19-2015, 10:14 PM
I hadn't really thought about the impact of the breakup of the PCC on conference prestige, but it's going to be interesting to watch. Once the breakup happens following the '58/'59 season it will just be Cal, UW, Stanford, USC & UCLA for the next 4 seasons in the new AAWU. All five should be good to really good in terms of prestige (I'm guessing Cal & UW in the 70's and the rest above 60), but I don't know how that will calculate - hopefully it will be enough to keep the conference at 5 (the highest prestige level).
Looks like WSU returns for the '63/'64 season and Oregon and Oregon State return for the '64/'65 season to form what will soon be renamed the Pac-8. How much will they suffer for being independents for that long?
I would rather be indy with my recruits compared to having my roster unbalanced like with st. Joe. Cupcakes with talent might be the best option to increase the prestige.
Vince, Pt. II
07-19-2015, 10:27 PM
Also, I will be FLOORED if I can get Stanford's prestige up to 60 by then. We're 49 now and looking at a down year before we even get into the conference schedule. The huge prestige bump from last season was absolutely necessary, but I'm unfamiliar with how quickly it can drop again.
The National Basketball Report: December 25, 1954
Due to the offices being closed for the holiday season, we have just the polls and bracket projection for this edition. Our sincerest apologies. We will have more in our next issue.
The NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (11-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (8-1, 3)
3. Kentucky (7-1, 6)
4. Kansas State (10-2, 7)
5. West Virginia (11-2, 2)
6. Bradley (11-2, 4)
7. North Carolina (8-1, 8)
8. Holy Cross (12-1, 10)
9. Louisville (11-1, 12)
10. Duquesne (9-2, 13)
11. Dayton (8-3, 9)
12. NC State (8-4, 5)
13. Washington (8-2, 11)
14. San Francisco (11-1, 17)
15. California (7-2, 18)
16. St. Joseph's (10-2, NR)
17. Idaho State (9-1, 20)
18. Iowa (6-1, 14)
19. Mississippi State (8-2, 15)
20. Illinois (7-2, 19)
Dropped Out: Miami (16)
NCAA Projection
1 Kansas Kentucky 1
8 Columbia W. Kentucky 8
5 Oregon St Miami (Fla) 5
4 St. Joseph's Iowa 4
East South
3 Duquesne Louisville 3
6 Illinois Arkansas 6
7 Connecticut St. John's 7
2 North Carolina West Virginia 2
1 Indiana Kansas State 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 California San Francisco 5
4 Miss State Washington 4
Midwest West
3 Dayton NC State 3
6 Oklahoma A&M Idaho State 6
7 Utah Niagara 7
2 Bradley Holy Cross 2
The National Basketball Report, January 6, 1955
(Editor's Note: Our apologies for barebones writing the past couple of issues. A bout of influenza has ravaged our offices for the past two weeks, rendering our writing staff useless. This is still an ongoing battle, unfortunately. Once the epidemic ends, we should return with full issues. Of course, this also means we are accepting writers.)
NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (14-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (11-1, 2)
3. Kansas State (12-2, 4)
4. West Virginia (14-2, 5)
5. Bradley (14-2, 6)
6. North Carolina (11-2, 7)
7. Kentucky (9-2, 3)
8. Duquesne (11-3, 10)
9. Holy Cross (13-3, 8)
10. Louisville (13-2, 9)
11. NC State (10-5, 12)
12. San Francisco (13-2, 14)
13. Dayton (10-4, 11)
14. Washington (9-3, 13)
15. St. Joseph's (13-3, 16)
16. Illinois (9-2, 20)
17. California (8-3, 15)
18. Idaho State (12-3, 17)
19. Maryland (12-3, NR)
20. Columbia (11-3, NR)
Dropped Out: Iowa (18), Mississippi State (19)
Is Columbia for real?
The Lions are 11-3, and for their work, show up in our rankings. It is the first time an Ivy team has reached the poll. The Lions are 2-2 against the top 50, and 9-1 against everyone else. They are 6-0 against the teams ranked 51-100.
Good wins: Illinois, Seattle. Navy
Good losses: Maryland, LSU
Bad losses: Army (will likely prove to be a bad loss)
The win against Illinois opened eyes. They followed that with an 81-78 loss to a Maryland team that is 12-3 that beat Washington and just drubbed Dayton. Their schedule has served them quite well; they have played tough teams and stood well aginst them. Nobody else in the conference can boast that.
Looking at the team stats, there isn't anything tremendou that jumps out. However, given the level of competition, it is rather amazing that they are among the top three in the conference in many stats, and in the top 35 nationally in several key categories (offensive and defensive ppg, assists for and against, field goal % for and against). They are efficient at scoring, and at stopping you from scoring.
One would think that Rudy Creekmore and Lauren Evans would be the stars of the team. They would be partially right to think that. Creemore is averaging 10.5 points, 3.6 assists, and 4.4 assists per game, along with over a steal. Evans is 9.1/3.9/6.1. But redshirt junior Chris Telles is handling the bulk of the scoring load, at 16.9 a game. Center Cliff Householder is putting up near-double-double numbers (9.3 points, 11.0 rebounds). Nine players are averaging almost fifteen minutes a game. That will likely shorten up as conference play nears, but the depth of this team is another thing nobody in the Ivy Group can match.
However, this is not about whether or not they can defend their Ivy title. All odds are on them to do so, and it will take a sizable upset to dethrone them. The question here is, can they contend on a national level? They've already proven they can, of course, though that was against two teams who, while very good, are not likely contenders for the national championship. They are out of their league against Indiana, Kansas and Kansas State, as well as Bradley. But what about Kentucky, or West Virginia? What if they draw them, like last year, when they marched to the national quarters and almost took out the Wildcats?
The Lions have to hope for such a draw. They will likely draw no higher than a six-seed, because by the time it comes for the brackets to be drawn, what most will remember is what they did in conference, not at the beginning of the season. They are a smart team, one who makes the extra pass, and forces you to play out of your game. They lack for athletic talent overall, but make up for it in chemistry and knowledge of the game.
So, in the end, this question was absurd. Columbia is for real. We do not give handouts in the polls. Sometimes, teams need to be appreciated more by fans. This is one of those times.
NCAA Bracket Projection
1 Kansas West Virginia 1
8 Niagara W. Kentucky 8
5 Maryland Mississippi St. 5
4 St. Joseph's Illinois 4
East South
3 Holy Cross Louisville 3
6 Columbia Michigan State 6
7 Connecticut Arkansas 7
2 North Carolina Kentucky 2
1 Indiana Kansas State 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 California Idaho State 5
4 Dayton Washington 4
Midwest West
3 NC State San Francisco 3
6 Iowa Oregon State 6
7 Utah NYU 7
2 Bradley Duquesne 2
So that last 2 sims USC has been steady eddy really. We end up going 4-3. That's not going to get us to the promised land, but it's not going to set us back either.
We logged victories over Cornell, Oregon State, Idaho and UCLA
We lost to Oregon, #11 Washington, and #18 California.
We stand at 10-9 and 3-3 in the PCC. I'm disappointed in our overall win total. I was counting/ hoping on us being 12-7 at this point, but planned on us being 3-3 in the conf so far. I guess if I am being totally honest, I am just damn happy we are actually winning games. In all my years playing this game, I have never tried to play with just 2 real post players on a roster, and was praying it wasn't a total disaster. It hasn't been, so I should be grateful for whatever we end up with.
Over the past 2 sims the only 2 games that surprised me were the Oregon and Oregon State games. I would have guessed a win over Oregon and Loss to Oregon State, but we decided to reverse that. That should help us in the event that we pull some miracles off as Oregon State is the better team.
As you can see below, that game featured both SG- David Haynes and SF- Hernando Hernandez going off. That, coupled with out bigs not getting in foul trouble has been the times that we have upset someone this season. It also helped that Oregon State got in foul trouble early and had a hard time dealing with those foul issues.
Southern California 61, Oregon State 53
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Oregon State (10-6, 1-1):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Mark Salazar C 34 1-7 2-4 3 5 1 2 4
Ronald Sayer PF 32 1-3 3-6 0 7 2 4 5
Ted Walk SF 16 1-3 0-0 0 1 2 4 2
Gordon Miskin SG 15 6-12 1-2 1 2 0 4 13
Fabio Pastor PG 30 3-6 4-4 0 0 2 0 10
Clarence Edwards SG 14 0-1 0-0 0 2 1 5 0
Arthur Brodie SG 27 5-12 5-6 2 7 0 2 15
Andrew Hecht C 9 0-3 0-0 2 3 0 0 0
Milford Chouinard SF 17 0-4 2-2 1 3 0 3 2
Jesse Lee PF 5 1-1 0-0 2 3 0 0 2
Turnovers: 9 (R.Sayer 2, G.Miskin 2, F.Pastor 2,
A.Brodie 1, M.Chouinard 2)
Blocked Shots: 4 (R.Sayer 2, T.Walk 1, J.Lee 1)
Steals: 4 (T.Walk 1, C.Edwards 1, A.Brodie 1,
M.Chouinard 1)
3P FGs: 0-0
Southern California (8-7, 1-1):
Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
David Clausen C 36 0-2 2-4 1 1 2 3 2
J.C. Quiles PF 25 1-2 2-3 2 6 2 4 4
H. Hernandez SF 29 5-10 4-5 1 8 1 4 14
David Haynes SG 35 7-13 10-10 0 8 2 4 24
Matthew Niles PG 36 4-9 1-2 2 4 0 2 9
Allen Storer PG 14 0-4 0-1 2 4 1 0 0
Freddie Nation SF 6 2-2 2-2 0 0 1 0 6
Benito Lightfoot PF 17 1-5 0-0 1 5 3 2 2
Marvin Grasso PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0
Turnovers: 12 (D.Clausen 3, J.Quiles 1, H.Hernandez 4,
D.Haynes 2, M.Niles 1, A.Storer 1)
Blocked Shots: 2 (D.Clausen 1, H.Hernandez 1)
Steals: 5 (D.Haynes 2, M.Niles 2, B.Lightfoot 1)
3P FGs: 0-0
Player of Game: SG David Haynes (USC)
I have made another change in the lineup. Previously, I was playing 6-6 Junior Marvin Grasso as the back up at the Center and PF spots, and have demoted him in favor of freshman 6-7 Benito Lightfoot. Benito walked on at the SF spot, and I figured what the heck, he cant do any worse down low than what Grasso was doing. He has responded well and I am happy to say that he has played better than expected down there. Here's to hoping that can continue.
If you want a laugh just take a look at what im working with over here.
PLAYER DETAILS
#25 PF Benito Lightfoot - Southern California - Freshman
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Height: 6-7
Weight: 218
High School: Wendell High School
Hometown: Wendell, ID
Attributes:
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Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
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Current: 9 8 12 6 6 2 9 7 2 11 7 6 11 14 11 12
1953: 8 7 11 5 6 2 9 7 2 10 7 6 11 13 11 9
1952: 8 7 10 5 6 2 8 7 2 10 6 6 11 12 10 0
Potential: B C B D D F B D F C C D
Health: Good
Scholarship: No
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 8
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 16 0 7.1 1.9 0.1 1.7 0.4 0.3 1.20 0.3 0.2 1.1
Career 16 0 7.1 1.9 0.1 1.7 0.4 0.3 1.20 0.3 0.2 1.1
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 0.9 1.8 .500 0.2 0.2 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.11 -0.50
Career 0.9 1.8 .500 0.2 0.2 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.11 -0.50
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 16 0 114 31 2 27 6 5 5 3 17
Career 16 0 114 31 2 27 6 5 5 3 17
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 14 28 3 3 0 0 -8
Career 14 28 3 3 0 0 -8
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 10 1 5 3 1 1 2 5 6 2 2 0 0
Career 10 1 5 3 1 1 2 5 6 2 2 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No awards.
The PCC Standings at the moment.
1954 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
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#11 Washington Huskies 5 0 1.000 16 3 .842 17 69
Oregon State Beavers 5 1 .833 14 6 .700 36 53
Idaho Vandals 2 3 .400 8 10 .444 151 32
Oregon Webfoots 2 4 .333 9 9 .500 87 43
Washington State Cougars 1 4 .200 6 11 .353 115 41
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#18 California Golden Bears 3 2 .600 12 6 .667 16 69
UCLA Bruins 3 2 .600 6 12 .333 112 59
Southern California Trojans 3 3 .500 10 9 .526 42 51
Stanford Indians 0 5 .000 7 12 .368 149 49
I said on our ncaa 53 forum that I thought Washington would take the conf and it looks like that is going to be the case. About the only thing that I have predicted that looks like it is going right this year.
Cal for whatever reason isn't playing up to expectations. It's not time to panic there, but 3-2 isn't where they should be in the conf. Oregon State pulled off a giant upset there.
I feel bad for Stanford. Last years shocking invitee to the big dance for whatever reason hasn't gotten it going this year dispite having some talent on that roster.
UCLA had a terrible, and I mean terrible start. They started the year 0-5 and looks like they might have gotten it together winning 3 out of their last 4. However, they got a tough break and Junior Tyler Williamson is out for the next 23 days. Hopefully, they can weather the storm so their prestige doesn't take a huge hit.
Oregon State is the surprise of the conf so far. I thought they would be good, but I didn't expect them to be this good. If they didn't lose 4 in a row in the beginning of the year, who knows where they might be at the moment. They are on a roll winning 9 out of their last 10. Will be interesting to see how they navigate Washington tomorrow. That is going to be a huge huge game.
We have a shot at getting 3 teams into the big dance this year. I hope we can pull off that feat again like last season. 3 teams in a 32 team field is pretty good with the setup we have.
I would rather be indy with my recruits compared to having my roster unbalanced like with st. Joe. Cupcakes with talent might be the best option to increase the prestige.
The only thing here that I kick around and debate back and forth is that playing cupcakes hurts your guys development in training camp the next year. Ok I take that back, it doesn't hurt them per se, like they don't regress, but playing stiffer competition helps the players grow more attribute wise in TC.
So its one of those things for me to think about if I have some guys I really want to develop. I might want to throw in some decent teams even though that might result in some huge losses in order for me to get more development. Balancing development and Prestige is another fun mini game within the game :)
Another great read by the NBR
The National Basketball Report: January 18, 1955
The NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (15-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (13-1, 2)
3. Kansas State (13-2, 3)
4. West Virginia (17-2, 4)
5. Bradley (18-2, 5)
6. North Carolina (13-2, 6)
7. Kentucky (11-3, 7)
8. Duquesne (15-3, 8)
9. Holy Cross (16-4, 9)
10. NC State (13-5, 11)
11. Louisville (16-3, 10)
12. Washington (13-3, 14)
13. San Francisco (14-3, 12)
14. Dayton (13-4, 13)
15. Illinois (11-3, 16)
16. St. Joseph's (15-4, 15)
17. Maryland (14-4, 19)
18. Columbia (13-3, 20)
19. Michigan State (13-2, NR)
20. Iowa (10-3, NR)
Dropped Out: California (17), Idaho State (18)
For this issue, as our staff recovers, we decided to stay on the homefront, and field questions from our readers. Here are five we selected. If you would like to send us a question, you may do so. Send all inquires to:
National Basketball Report
315 W. 63rd Street
New York, NY 10023
1) Has the PCC non-conference scheduling cost them bids in the tournament? 5 of the 9 teams have 6 losses already and you would think they will cannibalize each other in conference play.
It most definitely has cost them bids. Oregon State lost four in a row, at St. Mary's and Utah, and at home to Arizona and BYU. Any four of those teams can be in the tournament. And any four of those teams can be in the NIT, or left out altogether (this one is highly doubtful). Why would the Beavers go down that path? It is okay to think long-term, and that you have to ascend above certain programs in your region. But 1) that won't happen today, and likely not tomorrow, and 2) what happens if it backfires? The Beavers have enough quality recruiting chops that it probably won't hurt them overall...but it did hurt them this year. If they had scheduled, say, Arizona State, San Jose State, Texas Western and Baylor, they would be a top-fifteen team right now. Instead, they put way too much pressure on themselves, and fight an uphill climb to grab what may be, at best, two spots in the tournament.
Right now, California is hanging by a thread. Only Washington is firmly in the tournament. Teams like the Beavers, Oregon, Southern Cal and Stanford took a major step back with this sign of solidarity to make the PCC the standard bearer in the west. They already were the standard. Outside of San Francisco and Seattle, nobody stands a chance of competing with them for the long-term. Besides, how do you make a deal with your enemy? This reeks of Russia dealing with Germany in World War II. Sooner or later, you're going to turn on one another. It is a tenuous situation that resulted in the worst possible outcome. The PCC is worse for it.
2) Can the Big 10 be a five bid conference? Northwestern high RPI and Wisconsin is ranked.
No. Firmly, no. This question was posed before the polls were posted; Wisconsin has since fallen out of the polls. Northwestern wasn't good enough to make the tournament at 23-9 last year. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana are all better than last year's outfits. How do the Wildcats expect to make it this season? They'd have to finish in the top three. That won't happen. Wisconsin has lost four of their last five, and will likely lose 5-7 games in conference play. If I were on the committee, a ten-loss Wisconsin team stands no chance against a six-loss Maryland team, seven-loss Notre Dame team, or even an eight-loss Duke team.
It stands to reason that Michigan State is in a precarious spot, too, viewed as a team who gained their record against weak competition. The stats support this; they are ninth in the nation in scoring offense, and first nationally in offensive rebounding. Yet, they are 107th nationally in scoring defense. The rest of their stats are not particularly solid. They are the best rebounding team in the nation, but Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Purdue will challenge that.
They will get a test tomorrow, when a hot Fighting Irish team comes to town. In the eyes of this writer, at least, the Spartans are due for a fall. Whether or not another team supplants them in the conference is anybody's guess. Most likely, if MSU falls out of the tournament picture, an independent team will take their place (that scene is loaded this year...upwards of 11-12 teams all state solid cases for inclusion).
3) How real is Louisville with their only 2 losses being to #1 Indiana and #2 Kansas and are they the best team from the state of Kentucky? Can you compare Murray Dodd and Okotar Schultz?
The Cardinals have since lost to Georgia Tech, which is no bad loss.Truth is, though, they have not really played much competition. They have wins against Alabama, La Salle, GW and Lehigh. The rest of their wins are against also-rans and never-will-bes.
Looking at the losses, the one at Kansas was close, 80-77. That put the Cardinals on the map. The one, at Indiana, was a typical 83-57 demolishing, one Indiana has handed out to nearly every team this season.
The truth is, Louisville looks more like Michigan State than Bradley. They are excellent in offense; their 76.1 points per game is fourth in the country. They are solid in assists (sixth nationally) and steals (second). They shoot the ball well, eight in the country. They are efficient. They are also excellent at letting the ball go in, at 115th in scoring defense. They are excellent at forcing turnovers (seventh nationally), but that's about it.
Right now, we'd say they're on the third tier of teams.
Top Tier: Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Bradley
Second Tier: Kentucky, West Virginia, Duquesne
Third Tier: North Carolina, Louisville, NC State, Holy Cross
One could make the argument that Kentucky is far superior. But, the Wildcats are a carbon copy of Louisville...just better at it. The Wildcats are second in points per game, 123rd in points against. They are pretty solid at everything on offense, perhaps the most efficient offense not based out of Bloomington. They are also good at forcing turnovers, and blocking shots. Obviously, we feel Kentucky is better than Louisville. To a man, they are better. And they have proven it against stiffer competition. But, on any given day...
Dodd vs Schulz: For starters, there's size. Schulz, the seven-foot Czech Bloc, weighs in and nearly three-hundred pounds. He is an impressive blend of post scoring and rebounding power. He is averaging 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds a game. He has also become a better passer, averaging over two assists a game. He is not a great jumper, meaning he doesn't block shots well. But he is amazingly strong, and can run the entire game.
4) Can NC State afford any more injuries with 5 losses already?
Losses, yes. Injuries, no. Even as the bulk of their injuries heal, the Wolfpack are not playing for their tournament lives. They are, however, playing for seeding. Their resume is impeccable, and if you review the losses they suffered, four are to top-20 teams (Dayton, Bradley, Kansas State, Iowa). They have also beaten many quality teams; Holy Cross, Duquesne, Iowa, Oklahoma A&M and La Salle all come quickly to mind. So, they are secure in their inclusion, even if they lose a few in the brutal ACC. But this team needs to gel, needs to gain chemistry, as the season goes on. They have a bit of an identity, but they have to figure out exactly what they are, and who they can lean on, come March. So, the injuries need to stop.
However, it does demand stating: most teams in the nation cannot handle one lost key component, and definitely not two. NC State has done quite well, despite missing three key players.
5) Is the Big 7 the conference that will give us our 1954 champion?
This is obviously inconclusive at this point. The one thing that seems certain: both Kansas and Kansas State will receive number-one seeds. That guarantees nothing, of course. There are potential injuries, and the national landscape is much deeper than last year. Any one of the top teams is capable of losing to any one of the top fifty teams in the country.
Of course, this all comes down to draw. If these teams can avoid West Virginia in their region, or Bradley, we like their chances to get to the national semifinals. After that, it's anybody's guess. But we think they have a better chance to win than anyone else outside of Indiana, who are the overall favorites to us. But these two are the obvious threats to that prediction.
Plus One) Who is the biggest favorite to win their conference?
Let's take that one step further, and rank the conferences from dominance to anybody's guess.
1. Southern - West Virginia is all over this. Nobody is anywhere close to them in the conference.
2. Ivy - Columbia should waltz to their second straight league championship.
3. West Coast - Last year, we thought this would be San Francisco. This year, it will be the Dons.
4. WNY3 - As much of a farce as this conference, Niagara is the class of it.
5. Big Ten - There are several solid teams, but Indiana is that good.
6. Border - Texas Tech will make for a good foil, but this belongs to Arizona.
7. Missouri Valley - This is where things get murky. Two teams are at the forefront of this conference: Oklahoma A&M and Saint. Louis. Who wins it between these two is anybody's guess. We like the Cowboys as a prohibitive favorite, but the Billikens winnning would not be a surprise.
8. Yankee - Connecticut should win this. Unless nobody wins it. That is a distinct possibility.
9. Metro - Originally, St. John's was the heavy favorite to win the conference. They stumbled out of the gate, and NYU has overachieved. Eventually, the Redmen should take this over. But the Violets cannot be discounted. At least, not yet.
10. Southwest - Texas has the gaudy 15-1 record, and the place in the AP poll. But Arkansas is the class of this conference. Texas Christian could prove to be a worthy foe. These three will be the class of the conference, though Texas is, far and away, the biggest paper champion in the country.
12. Mountain State - We have thought Utah all along, and still do. But Brigham Young and Utah State are going to prove worthy of a fight for the crown.
12. Big 7 - Only two teams matter here. Both reside in Kansas, and both have equal stake on the championship. At least, they do until January 22nd, when the Wildcats visit Lawrence.
13. SEC - Kentucky likely has a firm grip on the championship. But a handful of teams--Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Georgia Tech--are capable of beating the Wildcats.
14. Ohio Valley - Mediocrity abounds like the Yankee, but there, only one or two teams are capable of rising above. Here, this is anybody's championship for the taking. The likely candidates are Morehead State, Murray State, and Western Kentucky.
15. Mid-American - The same applies here, but there is more quality. Several teams are capable of winning the championship. The notable candidates are Toledo, Miami-OH, Marshall, and Western Michigan...probably in that order.
16. Pacific Coast - This conference is lined with as much talent as question marks. In the end, it probably boils down to Washington against California...except, Oregon State and Oregon stand in their way. As does Southern Cal. Idaho has a .500 record, something nobody expected. Stanford was invisible last year, until they would up in the NCAA Tournament. The conference has taken a step back, in terms of current talent. In a couple of seasons, this will probably be the epicenter of collegiate basketball. Fans out west have a treat, and a mystery to fans in the east.
17. ACC - North Carolina State was expected to take the title last year. Explain that to Duke. This year, the conference is far tougher; North Carolina has the look of a champion, and while Duke has fallen on some hard times recently, they are every bit as good as anyone else, on paper. The Wolfpack has had to overcome injuries and a top-shelf schedule. Maryland looks great, and has the best scorer in the conference (George Dawkins). Clemson and Wake Forest look better this year. South Carolina and Virginia both have winning records after non-conference play. This is a deep, talented, difficult conference to win.
NCAA Projections
1 Kansas Kansas State 1
8 Niagara Murray State 8
5 Maryland Mississippi St 5
4 St. Joseph's Illinois 4
East South
3 Holy Cross Louisville 3
6 Columbia Michigan State 6
7 Connecticut Arkansas 7
2 Bradley Kentucky 2
1 Indiana West Virginia 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 Idaho State California 5
4 Dayton San Francisco 4
Midwest West
3 NC State Washington 3
6 Oklahoma A&M Oklahoma A&M 6
7 Utah NYU 7
2 North Carolina Duquesne 2
dawgfan
07-22-2015, 05:44 PM
The only thing here that I kick around and debate back and forth is that playing cupcakes hurts your guys development in training camp the next year. Ok I take that back, it doesn't hurt them per se, like they don't regress, but playing stiffer competition helps the players grow more attribute wise in TC.
So its one of those things for me to think about if I have some guys I really want to develop. I might want to throw in some decent teams even though that might result in some huge losses in order for me to get more development. Balancing development and Prestige is another fun mini game within the game :)
I've been trying to keep my Washington schedule reasonable with my "winnable" games with teams that are still in the 40-60 range in terms of prestige - I don't want more than 1-2 cupcakes. And I'm probably going to ramp up my "challenge" games. I figure the PCC schedule does a nice job of giving us an upper-tier SOS, but I probably need to bump it a bit more.
With my two new teams, I decided to lean more towards easy wins vs. some tough games to improve development. My strategy is to build prestige first and (hopefully) get some facilities and coaching ability boosts, and then start throwing in a few "challenge" games to boost SOS. It's less of an issue with Michigan State as the Big Ten sched gives us some tough games with Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Northwestern (and I expect the human-controlled Ohio State and Michigan to rise in the next few seasons), but with Brown I think in a couple seasons I'll need to start adding some tough games and expect the losses, but hope for some benefit in training the next off-season. It's actually not that easy - I tried scheduling a good team for Brown this year and they declined. Sometimes high prestige teams don't want to play low prestige teams and risk dragging their RPI down.
If I can build up Brown enough to start contending for the Ivy League title in the next 4-5 seasons I figure I can beef up the OOC.
dawgfan
07-22-2015, 05:51 PM
I said on our ncaa 53 forum that I thought Washington would take the conf and it looks like that is going to be the case. About the only thing that I have predicted that looks like it is going right this year.
I'm happy to have the 0.5 game lead (and a win over Cal on the road in our pocket), but this thing is a long way from being decided. This is a tough conference and I doubt the champ escapes with less than 3 PCC losses. I could see 12-4 winning the conference.
That said, as long as Wexler and Fenton stay healthy (finds the nearest piece of wood to knock on), I do think we have a pretty good shot. Gotta see how we do on the road vs. Oregon State tomorrow. If we win all three in the sim tomorrow our odds will go up significantly.
USC goes 1-1 in the latest sim. We beat Washington State like we should have, and then quite literally forget how to play any defense against Vince and Stanford.
Stanford just embarrassed us, by beating us 64-53. I am and work so I cant pull up the box score, but just take my word for it. We had 16 turnovers, 23 fouls, shot 41% and ohhh by the way put Stanford on the line for 30 free throws. They made 20!!!! 2 guys fouled out and 2 ended up for 4.
Benito Lightfoot- the guy a few posts up I just started to play who isn't all that great, played 20 mins in this game.
lol just a comedy of a game that Stanford made us play. Kudos to you Vince.
Next up is Oregon, Oregon State and Idaho. I need 2 out of the 3 to be in contention for the NIT. Our RPI sits at 46 right now. Beating Oregon State again would be huge, but doing that again is pretty much slim to none, but we can hope.
Washington beat Oregon State so they are in the drivers seat for the PCC crown and is 2 games up at the moment. They still have CAL and Oregon State again, so its not a given, but their cushion is nice to have.
I would love to be able to say we are good or even decent, but USC simply isn't. We are so crazy inconsistent it sucks. We beat Oregon State (their only other loss is to Washington) but then lose to Oregon and Stanford who have combined 3 wins in the conference, and 2 of those wins are against US! FOR GODS SAKES that is utterly frustrating!!!!!!!
dawgfan
07-24-2015, 12:26 PM
I'm definitely feeling better about UW's chances to take the conference after knocking off Oregon State on the road. Our wins over them and Cal were both on the road, so hopefully we can also handle them at home.
Still, there's plenty of talent in this conference and I'm not at all going to be surprised if the Huskies take some upset losses the rest of the way. All it takes is some untimely injuries...
I'm just hoping we can enter the NCAA Tournament in good health unlike last season. With Wexler and Fenton leading the way, I think we can win at least a couple games in the Big Dance.
Vince, Pt. II
07-26-2015, 01:50 AM
Yeah, losing to Stanford this year is not something to be proud of. Not really sure why, but we are a steaming hot mess right now. Hopefully I can cash in on this last recruit and salvage something good out of this year, but eesh has it been a rough go so far.
The National Basketball Report: January 30, 1955
Where We Answer More Mail
NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (18-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (17-1, 2)
3. West Virginia (21-2, 4)
4. Kansas State (15-3, 3)
5. Bradley (20-2, 5)
6. North Carolina (17-2, 6)
7. Kentucky (13-4, 7)
8. Duquesne (19-3, 8)
9. NC State (16-5, 10)
10. Louisville (18-3, 11)
11. Holy Cross (17-6, 9)
12. Washington (16-3, 12)
13. Dayton (18-4, 14)
14. San Francisco (16-4, 13)
15. Michigan State (16-2, 19)
16. Iowa (14-3, 20)
17. St. Joseph's (17-5, 16)
18. Illinois (12-4, 15)
19. Maryland (16-6, 17)
20. Columbia (15-4, 18)
Dropped Out: None
More Questions From Fans
We were so enthralled with the questions you sent us before, we decided to keep going. To be fair, it saves us a lot on travel and hotels.
1) In your last article you stated “In a couple of seasons, this (the Pacific Coast Conference) will probably be the epicenter of collegiate basketball. Fans out west have a treat, and a mystery to fans in the east”. On a normal day I would have agreed with you, however, do you think the ACC could become the center rather than the PCC? The ACC has more of an established top core of teams than the PCC and with some recruit signings the ACC has from its lower rated members, I am starting to wonder if the PCC might become number 2?
Looking at the epicenters of basketball, and whether or not they are rising, falling, or staying the course:
1) The state of Kansas. Steady as she goes. The Jayhawks and Wildcats will be at the forefront of the national scene for a long time to come. The Jayhawks, our pick to win it all (preseason) last year, almost went under-the-radar to win the title. Kansas State will have their best chance a year from now, but have a great shot this year. They're going to keep getting stronger. This is THE true epicenter of hoops in America. If you want to be the king, you have to put him down. To do that, you need to travel to Lawrence and Manhattan.
2) Atlantic Coast: Falling. Slightly. A lot hinges on Duke. One has to figure that NC State and North Carolina are going to be very good. Maryland is probably peaking now, because of George Dawkins and that backcourt. Wake Forest is good but not lasting. Clemson could be a good program, but that will take time. The same goes for Virginia. A lot of this conference's staying power relies on Duke. So, really...
2) The state of North Carolina: Steady, ever-so-slightly shaky.
3) Atlantic Coast: Falling. Slightly.
4) Pacific Coast: Rising. Considerably. The potential, the rivalry, the camraderie, and the stories...they are all here, waiting to be put into place. Washington and Cal are established; Southern Cal and UCLA are on their way. Oregon State is a credible threat at all times, and Stanford already has reached the NCAA Tournament. The conference has everything but timezone on its side.
5) Bloomington, Indiana: Steady. They are but just one team. But the Indiana Hoosiers are THE single greatest threat to any recruit, and to any victory, in the nation. And they are going nowhere quickly.
6) Philadelphia. Rising: Out of the Big 5, only Penn has a long road to contendership. St. Joseph's, La Salle, and Temple are already there. Villanova is right at the cusp. It is doubtful, given the competition among the schools, that one of them will ascend above the others. But, if one should, they're going to be really, really good.
7) The state of Kentucky: Falling a bit. Kentucky and Louisville are two of the top programs in the nation, and project to stay there for some time. But the SEC will likely bring Kentucky down a little bit, and Louisville, while a feared program, has some work to do before they become an elite one. They have overachieved this year, at least in our eyes. It is believed they will take a step or two back coming up.
2) Who do you think is the most under-rated team in the land that needs to more pub? I would ask about over-rated but I gather you believe that to be Texas.
The most underrated teams, or underpublicized teams, in no particular order:
Temple: The Owls came first and foremost in our minds. They get nearly no ink, despite being one of the best defensive teams in the nation (15th in OPPG). Part of this is schedule, as they haven't played the most difficult slate in the nation. But they do own wins against Utah, Duke, La Salle, and Georgia Tech. They'll get a challenge soon, with trips to Holy Cross and Duquesne on the upcoming docket.
Bradley: How is a top-five team underrated? They may be more underpublicized, but they deserve a lot more attention. They are beating teams by an average of 20.9 points a game. That is fourth in the nation. They are 2-0 against the bottom of the nation...18-2 against the top 100 teams. They don't duck anyone. They force more turnovers than all but one team in the nation (19.8/g). They have the best turnover margin in the country. They are in the top ten in field goal percentage. And they have the nation's top player in Antonia Dabney. He gets next to no publicity, but he not only plays great, he makes his teammates great. The Braves are on the shortlist of teams who are capable of winning a national championship in our view, along with Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia. Right now, that's it. That's the list.
Utah: Really, really like the Redskins. They have a crackerjack backcourt, led by sophomore Robert Peeler. They aren't as strong as many teams, especially in the frontcourt...but they play well together, play tough teams, and are going to be a headache for one of the higher seeds in the NCAA Tournament, provided they get there. The Mountain State Athletic Conference is difficult this year (and one of the better stories not getting told), with BYU and Utah State forming a fantastic triumvirate atop the conference.
Others to see: Rutgers, Villanova, Clemson, Georgia Tech, BYU, Virginia Tech
And three overrated teams, not including Texas.
Notre Dame: They do less with more than anyone else in the nation. They have top-fifteen talent, but the chemistry of oil and water. Yes, losing two stout point guards, starting Winston Matthews and superfrosh Elvis Cox, haven't helped their depth. But did it really matter when they were healthy? They play an unappealing brand of basketball. uninspired and unworthy of being considered among the who's who in collegiate hoops. Maybe they are finding what Alabama is finding out: That there is room for only one marquee athletic program on campus, and that is football.
NYU: We get their record. We just are not buying it. The win against St. Joseph's was maybe the Violets believing they could win. But that was the first team with a winning record they have beaten all season long. The first. They beat a one-win Muhlenberg team by seven...at home. All they have managed to do is beat teams worse than they are, lose to ones better, and schedule a lot more of the former. It would not be shocking to see them not win the conference. While we have them in the tournament at this time, we still favor St. John's to get the bid out of the Metro. The conference won't get two.
Mississippi State: For a team with this talent, with one of the top guards in the country (Casey Williams), how are they this poor? They lost to Tennessee at home, at Oklahoma City, to Toledo at home...to Murray State at home! VIrtually all season long, we penciled them in as the second-best team in the SEC, and an automatic NCAA contender. Nevermore. Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech are above the Maroons, in our eyes.
Others who cause skepticism: Maryland, Illinois, Oklahoma City, Seattle, Miami (Fl), George Washington
3) North Carolina St @ North Carolina on the 5th. Winner may get the ACC. Who ya got?
The key stat is NC State's 5-0 road record, against a 14-1 mark at home for the Tar Heels. North Carolina has only played two games away from home. They are quite comfortable in their own confines, especially offensively. But they are not the strongest defensive team, and this is where things can haunt them. The Wolfpack stops scoring, at least reasonably. They are also fully healthy for the first time since the beginning of the season, and have looked impressive at full strength. They just traveled to Maryland and demolished them, 83-65. In fact, they haven't had a close game since defeating Holy Cross 81-78, back on December 30th.
The Tar Heels also demolished Maryland, and also own a win over Duke. But the level of competition the Tar Heels have faced isn't as daunting as NC State. Despite their experience, and talent, and being at home, something leads us away from taking the Tar Heels.
PICK: Anton Gonzalez leads a balanced scoring attack, while Angelo Parham leads a solid defensive effort. The Wolfpack reclaims supremacy in the ACC.
NC STATE 67, UNC 63
4) Indiana @ Michigan St on the 5th. Winner probably gets Big10. Who ya got?
We still believe Michigan State is ever the pretender. They proved something in beating, perhaps, the Pretender King, Notre Dame (a crown of thorns they wear gracefully, but also for such a length of time, one wonders if it could ever be removed). The Spartans are very good offensively, even if that comes against teams who would not give the Spartans much of a fight.
However, two things:
1) Joey Barnes, the Spartans' leading scorer and best all-around player, is out for the next three weeks with a head bruise. And the team is still trying to acclimate itself without Tim Earl, their former starting power forward. He ripped up his knee, and will be out for the better part of this calendar year.
2) Indiana.
The Hoosiers would defeat the Spartans by fifteen with an all-hands-on-deck Spartan squad. That they are missing their two most important players, and the Hoosiers playing incredible defense, and finally finding chemistry with Enoch Horn on offense. What's coming is education for the Spartans. They would be wise to learn.
PICK: A well-balanced effort by Horn, Rene Eckstein, and Mikolas Mares, and a suffocating defensive effort against a team that will struggle to find someone to make shots consistently. It doesn't matter that this is in East Lansing. The Hoosiers will put on a clinic.
INDIANA 78, Michigan State 55
5) Washington @ Oregon St on the 3rd for the driver's seat in the PCC. Who ya got?
The Huskies dodged a bullet with Dean Wexler, who suffered a minor injury, but didn't miss any time. He is one of just a handful of players averaging a double-double this year, and without him, the Huskies would be toast.
That said, it will still be difficult for the Huskies to beat the unheralded Beavers. Despite Oregon State's rather lackluster record against top teams (1-5 vs Top 50), and their mostly cupcake slate (8-1 against the bottom 100), they are very stout defensively. Their 52.4 OPPG is third nationally. They are not the best rebounding team, though, nor are they adept at putting it in the basket themselves. Only one player, guard Gordon Miskin, averages more than ten points a game (13.8). Mark Salazar is the only other who puts up more than eight a game. That leads to diverse scoring by the Beavers, but don't let that fool you. Sometimes, that means they struggle to find the hot hand.
However, a lot of Oregon State's struggles came in their four-game losing streak, which they played some quality teams. This is not a basement outfit. So, this game will depend on whether or not Oregon State's commitment to playing closer to the basket on offense, and slowing the game down against the Huskies, will be effective. If the game is more up-tempo, the game swings the Huskies way.
Additionally, Salazar has to beat Wexler. The battle between these two skilled big men will be a joy to see for those who get to see it.
PICK: Since losing to USC, the Beavers have looked excellent in beating quality opponents, especially Cal and in-state rival Oregon. Likewise, the Huskies have looked rather dominant at times, and continue to climb into the national consciousness (it is difficult to do, being away from media hubs). If the Huskies win this game, they get a two-game cushion (really three, since the tiebreaker), a massive space between them and the rest of the PCC.
They won't. Oregon State, with its new philosophy, will be a bit too much of a headache at home. That said, it would not shock if Oregon State wins this, then loses at UCLA a week later.
OREGON STATE 61, Washington 59
6) San Francisco @ St Mary's on the 5th in the WCC. Who ya got?
The Dons remember last year. It is quite vivid in their memories.
San Francisco was dominant to start the year. They were a tournament team, easily. Then, conference play came, and the Dons stunk up the joint. They thought they would walk over everyone. They finished fourth in the WCC, and had to settle for the NIT.
This year, they are out to settle things. And, so far, they are.
They are 18th in the nation in point differential, beating teams by an average of 10.5 points a game. They are excellent at scoring (19th), and preventing scoring (36th), and disrupting offensive (4th in steals, 17th in blocks, 9th in turnovers). And they are 14-4 against the top 100...2-0 against the bottom portion of the nation. They are playing top teams. The only thing they aren't great at is rebounding.
Fortunately for them, St. Mary's isn't good at it, either...though they are best in-conference. The Gaels have a solid record, but a lot of that is against bottomfeeders. They do own wins at Cal and at Washington, which is definitely nothing to thumb ones nose at. They are not adept at passing the ball, though. They average just fourteen assists a game, good for 48th in the nation. They prefer to try and isolate; this plays well into San Fran's hands. They also rely on a true freshman at the point, Rubin Witcher. He has played well, averaging 11.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. But he'll be matched up against the cream of the conference, likely WCC POTY Stephen Ferrari (11.5 points, 5.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds). If Witcher cannot slow down Ferrari, the Gaels have no chance.
PICK: Witcher can't.
SAN FRANCISCO 67, St. Mary's 58
7) So much on February 5th...is there anything else to look forward to?
Well, let's see:
South Carolina at Maryland: The Terrapins are sliding, while the Gamecocks will likely have lost four in a row heading into the game. This is a chance for Maryland to right its ship, so to speak.
Clemson at Duke. Duke has been lackluster this year, but has shown glimpses of getting back to what they once were. Clemson is flying under-the-rader. Will Duke continue their trek back up, or will Clemson arrive on the nation stage?
Vandy at Mississippi State: Major implications in this game in the SEC. This is, essentially, an elimination game from NCAA consideration. Neither can afford to lose. Tensions will be highest here.
Arkansas at TCU: Trap game for the Razorbacks, who will look for cushion in the Southwest.
Texas at Baylor: Upset alert. We don't buy Texas in the slightest. While the Bears have underachieved thus far, they are quite capable of beating Texas.
NYU at Notre Dame: A team making believers out of skeptics against a team making skeptics out of believers. Which Irish team will show up?
Illinois at Purdue: This Illinois team has not been as good as advertised, and Purdue is ready to pick one of these teams off. If you want to take an upset flyer, perhaps you'd be best to take it here.
That's a snippet of things on the 5th. Seems like a pretty hectic day across the nation.
The Under-The-Radar Gang: The National Recruiting Bureau Special Report
The people at the National Recruiting Bureau wanted to name a few players who haven't made a name for themselves in recruiting, but may be underrated at their ranking. Without further ado...
1. SG- Dennis Allen- This Louisville Commit is fascinating to me. As a general rule of thumb,
I do not recruit any guards below 6'0, unless I am at a very low prestige school where I have to take anybody I can get. However, Allen is extremely intriguing. He is ranked a 3 star recruit and at 154 overall, and as I already mentioned short as he is listed at 5'11. When you look at his stats though the interest meter goes through the roof. His is 3rd out of all the recruits in assists at 9.5 a game. He is 5th in scoring at 29.6 per game. He is 55th in steals at 3.1 per game, and is in the top 100 for lowest turn overs per game at 1.7. He shoots it at a 53% clip and if you look at his bombs, they are at 42%. If his attributes come in at anything his stats seem to be hinting or in his case screaming at, Louisville might have one of the biggest steals of the recruiting period.
2. Matthew Cordoba- This 6'2 Harvard signee is a 1 star recruit ranked 460. What is intriguing is that he shoots the ball at a 61% clip making 9.5 shots out of every 15.5 attempts. Clearly, his 61% isnt for a lack of shooting. He also boards well averaging 6.4 total per game with 1.5 of them being on the offensive side. Are his stats due to athletic ability, or does this kid have the attributes to match the stats? Either way, Harvard might have found a gem that they can be celebrating come roll over roster time.
3. Garth Mercado- Interesting development here. Garth is our 2nd Louisville commit within this article. At 6'7 this 3 star 179th ranked recruit has a body and the stats to back it up. He only averages 10.6 points per game but shoots it at 53%. There is potential for growth there. What jumps off the stat sheet however, is the fact that he averages 14 boards of which 2.7 of those are on the offensive side of the ball. Not imprssed yet. he also averages 2.4 steals a game. He can clearly play both ends of the floor stats wise. So with 2 guys on the list I wonder if Louisville goes hunting by stats? That could only mean Coach Barrett might have a heck of a class, or go down burning by playing statistics roulette.
4. Renato Medina- This 6'6 232 pound beast of a SF ended up in the middle no where at the Municipal University of Witchia. He is ranked 112 (on the high side of the list) but is still only a 3 star kid. Did the big boys miss an opportunity here? He averages 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds (2.8 on the offensive side of the ball) and shoots it at a 50% clip. If his ratings come in at the stats suggest they should, this kid could easily be playing 28 mins a game next year in the middle of nowhere USA. Coach Mike Schaplowsky must have an ace up his sleve to land this kid.
5. Michael Rowles- This gigantic man has his sights set on the ivy group and eating the Quakers of Penn out of house and home. His 6'11 301lb frame is a 2 star recruit ranked 296. He averages 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.5 blocks and ohhh by the way shots it at 61%. How did this stat sheet stuffer end up at Penn? What, nobody likes BIG BIG men that he ends up at PENN??? All joking aside, with big guys always at a premium Coach Dawkins might have somehow snuck the Giant passed the entire NCAA field. Tell the people how you did it coach!
6. Kenneth Courtney- Coach Vanderhoff is beginning to get a reputation at Tulane for being able to recruit his butt off, so this signing has caught my attention. Kenneth is 6'9 and at 221 weighs about as much as most Small Forwards. He is ranked at 389 and is a 1 star recruit. Noting special yet right? However, stats wise this kid puts in work on the boards. Is 2nd in all recruits for rebounds at 15.7 a game, and 3.7 of those are on the offensive side. Clearly, the kid has hustle and guts. An ya know has no problem digging into you on the defensive side of the floor. At 2.9 blocks a game, this 1 star recruit might be bannging eveybody Tulane goes at next season. Does Vanderhoff know something the rest of us dont? Looking forward to seeing how this kid grades out, and proving that Vanderhoff is a genious that hasnt gotten much pub for his recruiting prowless.
7. Michale Olvera- Coach Reed Ammons is under the radar producing a class that nobody even realizes yet. Along with 170th rated recruit Andrej Sedlacek, St. Joe's has 2 guys that everybody else might be crying they should have seen it coming. Olvera is our first 7'0er to make the list and this guy based off the stats is a strong strong man. He averages 18.6 points on a WHOPPING 65% shooting, has no issues on the boards grabbing 12 per game and gives people his indifference for their shooting, with 3.9 blocks per game. He is a 3 star kid ranked 178. How does this guy get by some schools in the New York/ Jersey area for goodness sakes? Mark my words, St. Joes is coming people.
8. Richie Vaden- Another ivy group bound recruit. Richie is ranked 254 and is a 2 star recruit from Hew Hampshire, Is actually their Mr. Basketball. Brown just might have a gem on its hands. He averages 17.5 points, 8.3 boards, 1.4 steals, and 3.9 blocks. At 6'10 putting the ball in the hoop isnt a problem for him as he shoots it at a 68% clip. I'm loving the amount of guys on this list heading to the Ivy. Looking forward to seeing this Vaden/Rowles match up play out over the next 4 years. Howard Stone just needs to keep fidning potential guy like this to catch up on the class he missed last season. Vaden should go along way to help if those stats pan out for him.
9. Charles Strouse- Speaking of Coach Stone and Brown, Mr. Strouse is the 2nd Brown recruit on the list. At 6'4 this kids stats are pretty damn impressive for a 1 star kid ranked 604. He averages 20.2 points, 7.2 boards of which 2.1 are on the offensive side, 6.1 assists and shoots 47%. He might be the best overall guard nobody has heard of this year with those stats. While he doesnt offer much in terms of steals at 6'4 all Charles has to do is be in range, and let his length take over from there. Kudos Coach stone, if your stats sheet guys play out..... I'll just knock on that wood for you.
10. Chris Marsh- This Rutgers bound Recruit is a 1 star kid ranked at 463. His stats however, do not suggest he plays at the 1 star level. Another guy that boards from the guard position at 8 a game, but also seems to have good handles for a SG. he averages 3.4 assists per game for an assist/turnover ratio of 1.29. And yes he plays some defense at 2.8 steals per game. Dont put him on the free throw line either, as his 79% is top notch. He only averages 13.8 per game but this all stater from Mississippi doesnt mess around and is committed on getting Coach Browne to the NCAA. Let's hope his attributes come into fruition so that the plan happens for them sooner rather than later.
The NBR NCAA Tournament Projection
1 Kansas State West Virginia 1
8 Connecticut W. Kentucky 8
5 Iowa Maryland 5
4 St. Joseph's Michigan State 4
East South
3 NC State Louisville 3
6 Columbia Temple 6
7 Niagara Arkansas 7
2 Bradley North Carolina 2
1 Indiana Kansas 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 California Illinois 5
4 Dayton San Francisco 4
Midwest West
3 Holy Cross Washington 3
6 Oklahoma A&M La Salle 6
7 NYU Utah 7
2 Kentucky Duquesne 2
Well folks there goes are shot at any type of tournament play with that sim. We needed to win 2 out of 3 to keep our NIT hopes alive and kicking. I thought that was going to be hard, especially since we played Oregon State for the 2nd time (beat them the first) and they clearly are a good time.
So what do we decide to do. We flipped it. We go 1-2 with loses to Oregon (again), Idaho (just a bad loss here) and then we beat Oregon State. So really all we did was potentially hurt the conf, as our looses on the Oregon State resume do not exactly look good.
I would rather 3 PCC teams make the tourney vs. us getting 1 more win.
Oregon State still has a shot though. They play both Cal and Washington again, and who knows what a few wins there might do for them.
Here is what they look like
OREGON STATE BEAVERS TEAM INFO
Current Performance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Prestige: 53 Record Vs 1-50: 4-5 Poll Rank: NR
Season Record: 17-8 Record Vs 51-100: 3-3 RPI Rank: #37
Conference Record: 8-3 Record Vs 101-200: 10-0
Home Record: 6-5 Record Vs 200+: 0-0
Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points 58.7 6 112 Points 53.0 1 5 Points 5.7 3 38
O.Reb 9.3 7 116 O.Reb 10.4 8 92 O.Reb -1.1 7 111
D.Reb 25.5 2 21 D.Reb 23.3 4 74 D.Reb 2.2 1 23
Rebounds 34.8 4 61 Rebounds 33.7 4 76 Rebounds 1.1 4 67
Assists 12.7 5 88 Assists 11.8 1 15 Assists 0.9 5 49
Steals 5.9 4 48 Steals 5.7 8 113 Steals 0.2 5 63
Blocks 6.1 1 9 Blocks 3.0 3 56 Blocks 3.1 1 4
Turnovers 13.6 5 94 Turnovers 14.4 3 44 Turnovers -0.7 4 62
Fouls 16.5 1 10 Fouls 18.2 4 118 Fouls -1.8 2 25
FG% .436 7 113 FG% .392 1 1 FG% .043 1 16
FT% .703 2 45 FT% .688 5 115 FT% .015 3 60
3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1
PPS 1.14 2 86 PPS 0.98 1 2 PPS .159 1 9
Adj. FG% .436 7 113 Adj. FG% .392 1 1 Adj. FG% .043 1 16
As you can see the lowest bubble team currently in has a record of 5-2 against the top 50. Oregon State needs a few more top quality wins for a shot
OVERALL BUBBLE WATCH
Team Record RPI vs. 1-50 vs. 51-100 vs. 101-200 vs. 200+ SOS Projected
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
California 18-6 .606 (13) 6-4 4-2 8-0 0-0 18 Lock
Dayton 22-6 .536 (50) 6-4 4-2 12-0 0-0 118 Lock
Duke 16-9 .641 (5) 7-8 7-1 2-0 0-0 3 In
Idaho State 21-6 .556 (34) 6-4 5-2 10-0 0-0 104 In
Illinois 16-6 .536 (49) 5-4 6-2 5-0 0-0 98 In
Brigham Young 18-7 .597 (17) 7-6 2-1 9-0 0-0 31 In
Cincinnati 19-10 .582 (22) 8-5 6-4 5-1 0-0 28 In
Pittsburgh 21-6 .547 (38) 5-2 5-2 11-2 0-0 123 In
Miami 19-7 .558 (31) 4-2 9-5 6-0 0-0 79 Out
Michigan State 18-6 .562 (30) 4-4 8-2 6-0 0-0 92 Out
Louisville 21-7 .599 (15) 3-7 8-0 10-0 0-0 48 Out
Georgetown 18-7 .574 (25) 5-3 4-3 9-1 0-0 71 Out
Holy Cross 19-9 .636 (6) 5-8 4-0 10-1 0-0 6 Out
Saint Joseph's 22-6 .545 (42) 3-4 5-2 14-0 0-0 124 Out
Seattle 20-7 .538 (46) 2-6 8-1 10-0 0-0 109 Out
PCC looks like this
1954 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#9 Washington Huskies 10 1 .909 21 4 .840 18 69
Oregon State Beavers 8 3 .727 17 8 .680 37 53
Oregon Webfoots 4 7 .364 11 13 .458 83 43
Idaho Vandals 3 7 .300 9 14 .391 156 32
Washington State Cougars 3 8 .273 8 15 .348 106 41
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#13 California Golden Bears 9 2 .818 18 6 .750 13 69
Southern California Trojans 5 6 .455 12 12 .500 54 51
UCLA Bruins 4 7 .364 7 17 .292 110 59
Stanford Indians 3 8 .273 10 15 .400 138 49
Our schedule looks like this for the remainder of the year
UCLA
Washington
@Cal
@Washington State
Stanford
With the way we seem to be playing i'm guessing we are going to lose 3 out of those 5. Realistically, we should lose the Cal and Washington games, but figure the Washington State game is the 3rd we will lose because we suck on the road.
This roll over cant get here fast enough so I can get another 3 recruits in here to keep this roster growing with some talent.
murrayyyyy
07-26-2015, 09:05 AM
I love how the game sends me an email at St Joseph's telling me we are in every week and then I look at bubble watch and we are out.
I love how the game sends me an email at St Joseph's telling me we are in every week and then I look at bubble watch and we are out.
Have you or anyone else seen this in single player? This was my first experience seeing that here, and I wonder if there is something with controlling a few teams and things are getting mixed up in game. That's just where my first reaction goes.
murrayyyyy
07-26-2015, 02:29 PM
Have you or anyone else seen this in single player? This was my first experience seeing that here, and I wonder if there is something with controlling a few teams and things are getting mixed up in game. That's just where my first reaction goes.
My guess was we play in a 32 team tournament and the game is probably is looking at it from a 64 team perspective.
Brian Swartz
07-26-2015, 03:16 PM
I'm firmly in 'is it 1955 yet?' mode with all three teams in last place. The future prognosis looks good at Tulane and is at least mixed in Michigan/Harvard, both of whom have had their recruiting issues either this year or last. Realistically though it's probably another year to 1956 before I see any significant improvement. At least with the Crimson, I've equaled last year's nine victories even if the Ivy results have been underwhelming.
dawgfan
07-26-2015, 05:49 PM
My guess was we play in a 32 team tournament and the game is probably is looking at it from a 64 team perspective.
That sounds likely. I also got a couple of "IN" e-mails for Michigan State this past sim but the Bubble Watch has them as the 2nd team out.
With the latest sim USC has officially given up on the season.
We went 1-3 with loses to UCLA, Washington, and Cal. Our lone victory was against Washington State.
Our last game of the year will be against Stanford, and with our stellar record of 3-8 in our last 11, we aren't exactly hopeful for that game either.
That puts us at 13-15 and 6-9 in the PCC. Just a terrible year. But that being said, if we would have started out playing like that, I wouldn't have had as much hope. Darn Freshmen showed glimpses, but that and with no Forwards, doomed us.
The PCC looks like this. Washington and Cal will both get into the NCAA tourney, and Oregon State looks like its heading to the NIT. I don't see Oregon going anywhere, so 3 teams in tourneys this year was a bad showing and the NBR might have got it right when they said our OOC schedule hurt the PCC.
1954 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#10 Washington Huskies 12 2 .857 24 5 .828 16 69
Oregon State Beavers 9 6 .600 18 11 .621 40 53
Oregon Webfoots 7 7 .500 15 13 .536 83 43
Idaho Vandals 5 9 .357 11 16 .407 141 32
Washington State Cougars 3 11 .214 8 18 .308 127 41
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#11 California Golden Bears 12 2 .857 21 6 .778 12 69
UCLA Bruins 6 8 .429 9 18 .333 111 59
Southern California Trojans 6 9 .400 13 15 .464 58 51
Stanford Indians 4 10 .286 11 17 .393 129 49
The National Basketball Report, February 23, 1955
NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (24-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (22-1, 2)
3. West Virginia (27-2, 3)
4. Kansas State (20-3, 4)
5. Bradley (26-2, 5)
6. North Carolina State (22-5, 6)
7. Kentucky (20-4, 7)
8. North Carolina (21-4, 8)
9. Duquesne (23-5, 9)
10. Washington (21-4, 10)
11. San Francisco (21-4, 13)
12. La Salle (22-6, 15)
13. Iowa (18-5, 16)
14. Louisville (21-7, 11)
15. Dayton (22-6, 12)
16. Holy Cross (19-9, 14)
17. Idaho State (21-6, 19)
18. Oklahoma A&M (19-5, 20)
19. Temple (20-5, 18)
20. California (18-6, NR)
Dropped Out: Illinois (17)
With the NCAA and NIT Tournaments looming, a lot of teams are jockeying for few spots. And, with teams attempting to pad their resumes for inclusion in the former, there is a lot of misinformation floating about. We decided to try to sift through some of the claims, and decipher whether they are facts...or merely fiction.
Fact or Fiction: The best team on the west coast is the San Francisco Dons.
Fiction, though it's hard to say that. Truth is, the west is down this year. The entire PCC is not as good as last year. The top teams, Washington and Cal, are not nearly as good as last year's offerings. While they will be better next year, this is about right now. The WCC is also nowhere near as good...not that it was great last year; it was severely helped by San Francisco's downfall. The Dons are helped by the WCC's downturn for this season.
This does not take away from the notion that San Francisco is a really good team. They are. Stephen Ferrari and Perry Wilson are one of the best in-out combos in the nation. And they are very, very good defensively. But three of the teams in the WCC are offensively ranked 82nd and below.
Additionally, of their four losses, two were to Washington and Cal...the others were to Pittsburgh and Northwestern, both at home. They have beaten Dayton, NYU, and BYU. But the latter two aren't going to be in the tournament, and Dayton is fading fast.
The rankings in the West, from where we sit, and we believe this is reflected in the NCAA projection...
1. Washington
2. San Francisco
3. California
4. Oregon State
5. Utah
Fact or Fiction: The Columbia Lions will win the Ivy Group.
Fact. Columbia is a game and a half up on Cornell, and a game up in the loss column. The Big Red cannot afford another conference loss, or they may be playing for nothing by the time the Lions come calling on March 7. They also have Yale and Dartmouth at home leading up to that game. It should be a razor thin margin for Cornell leading up to potentially biggest matchup in the league this year. They have been a top team all year...two losses to heated rivals in conference have not caused us to think otherwise.
Fact or Fiction: The national title will either end up in the state of Kansas or North Carolina.
This is a nearly impossible question to answer. We picked Kansas State over Indiana in the title game, but have had Indiana atop every poll but the first one. Kansas State has been in the top five all season long, too, but they have shown cracks. Of course, this also depends on the road each team has to take to get a chance at the title. It's beginning to look more and more likely that these teams will have to go through the likes of Bradley, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Duquesne, Washington, San Francisco, and Louisville just to get to the national semifinal. The road in the regional semifinal and final is so hard...
...but, truth be told, we like Indiana better right now. Fiction, but we reserve the right to reverse course.
Fact or Fiction: North Carolina State will end up with a #1 seed.
Fact. We now believe NC State will secure a top seed at the expense of West Virginia. That thought is crazy, given that the Mountaineers have beaten Bradley and remain the only team who has beaten Indiana this season. But they haven't really played anyone in quite a while, and NC State's run through the ACC has been amazing (though it wouldn't be a surprise if they lost at Chapel Hill on March 5th). What NC State has shown they are capable of, when healthy, is worth a top seed. There are five legitimate top seeds...unfortunately, one has to be a #2. West Virginia will get shipped East, as of now. Of course, that is assuming Kansas State beats Kansas in the rematch.
Fact or Fiction: Both Kansas and Kansas State will end up with #1 seeds.
Fact...for now. If Kansas State avoids any more losses, they'll beat Kansas, and take the #1 in the West. If they lose to Kansas again, they'll likely slide to a #2, presumably also in the West. A lot, obviously, hinges in the balance of that matchup.
Fact or Fiction: Indiana and Kansas will both suffer at least one more loss.
Fiction: Indiana should run its slate, with the biggest hurdle March 9th at Champaign. They do have Michigan State again, who will be looking to avenge a 95-50 loss at home (they won't), and a trip to Wisconsin, who will make their return tilt tougher (the first was an 86-52 laugher). This is the only matchup between Indiana and Illinois this season, though, and the Fightin Illini have something to prove. That will be difficult.
Kansas, meanwhile, will fall in Manhattan on March 9.
Fact or Fiction: St. Joseph's will end up in the NCAA Tournament.
Fiction. There is a lot of speculation, and many conflicting reports, regarding the Hawks' standing. They are 22-6, ranked 18th in the AP poll, but only 42nd in coveted RPI. They have games at St. John's (soon-to-be Metro champion...we told you so) and at Lehigh (17-8). They are competing with Temple, Idaho State, Michigan State, California, Georgetown, BYU, and Louisville for one of the final spots. And they appear to be behind them. They also won't get much of a chance to pad their resume, though beating St. John's will hold a bit of weight.
Expect St. Joseph's to be a #1 seed in the NIT. Unless many dominos fall, they won't be attending the ball.
Fact or Fiction: Arizona will make the NIT.
Fact: Absolute fact. Texas Tech has to lose two games in-conference, one of them to Arizona, for the Wildcats to have any shot. And they don't have a resume good enough, despite a RPI of 26, to get to the ball. So, Arizona will likely be a #2 seed out West in the NIT, behind Oregon State. The Wildcats were the darlings of the early season, but if you cannot sustain the thoughts of voters' minds, you will fade. Ask St. Joe's how that feels. Or Miami.
Fact or Fiction: A #4 or lower seed will make the National Semifinals.
Fact. Some team will surprise, in part because the Independents are deep, and will be scattered throughout the bracket. A team like Iowa, or Illinois, or Cal, will end up with a 4-5-6 seed and surprise a couple of teams. The biggest chance for this is a six-seed, someone like an Idaho State, Temple or Iowa, where they don't have to go through one of the top seeds, and will likely avoid Kentucky, West Virginia or Bradley (probably going through UNC or Duquesne). The nation is very, very top heavy...but right underneath the heavens, there lies a chance to climb.
Fact or Fiction: Independents will get more at large bids than conferences.
Fact. Independents will grab at least eight bids. Bradley, Duquesne, Dayton, Holy Cross, La Salle, and Idaho State are likely locks. Louisville is probably in, despite their late slide. Temple is a likely lock as well. St. Joseph's, despite what we just said about them, still stands a chance, as does Georgetown.
Out of the conferences, North Carolina, Kansas State, Iowa and Illinois will get at-large bids, for sure. So will Cal. Duke might get in, giving the conferences six teams. Michigan State needs to close strong, likely beating Indiana, to have a chance.
The interesting cases are with Brigham Young, NYU, St. Louis, Oregon State, at St. Mary's.
BYU: Good record (18-7), great RPI (17th), 7-6 against the top fifty...and not out of the MSAC race just yet. They may just get in by winning the conference, but if not, they are the best shot to get an at-large. Destination: NCAA
NYU: Good record (18-9), have faded badly in the Metro, sitting two games back of St. John's. Their RPI (62nd) and strength of schedule (136th) is nowhere near good enough to get them in. Destination: NIT
St. Louis: Good record (17-8), bad RPI (81st) and SOS (147th). Nope. Destination: NIT
Oregon State: Tougher test...good record (17-8), okay RPI (37th), bad SOS (80th). They've won at Idaho State and at Cal, but have lost at Washington, against BYU, and Arizona. In the end, they have to sweep Cal and win at Washington to get back into the conversation. Chances are, they are a top-seed in the NIT. Destination: NIT
St. Mary's: 17-7 record, great RPI (28th), iffy SOS (67th). They are just 2-4 against the top fifty teams in the country. They have won at Washington, but don't have any other marquee win on their resume. Destination: NIT
Unless things drastically change by our next issue, our NCAA field is likely set. Of course, there are conference tournaments....
Fact or Fiction: Enoch Horn will win National Player of the Year.
This is a call-back to our preview, when we said Horn would be a transcendent player, one who the likes of college basketball would not see again for a generation.
Hold that thought.
Horn got off to a slow start, then got injured...not enough to sideline him, but enough to hamper him. The scoring has been there, though it has had to pick up steam as the season has gone on. He is not a selfish player, though, and has found his assists going up as the season has gone on. He also takes very good care of the ball (just one turnover a game).
Right now, there are a few players ahead of him for this honor.
1. Timofei Malakhov, Kansas. He is likely for this award. Averaging 19.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.8 steals a game for the Jayhawks. The Cold Warrior, as he has come to be called, has dazzled fans and given scouts pause as to who the #1 professional prospect in the country is.
2. Murray Dodd, Kentucky. Averaging 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.6 steals. His game is not as complete at Malakhov's, as he is more of a scorer and less of a defender.
3. Otokar Schulz, Louisville. The seven-footer is averaging 18.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists for the Cardinals. The Czech Wall has proven himself quite well as the centerpiece of a program, and deserves the recognition.
Then, Horn.
So, fiction. Next year, though...we still believe all of the propaganda and promotion that precedes him. And we believe next year will be very, very special...not that this year hasn't been. It's just that, next year, he will be top man in college basketball, bar none.
Fact or Fiction: Arkansas will win the Southwest.
Fact. We never believed anyone other than Arkansas would win it. Texas has always been a sheep in wolf's clothing, even when the AP was parading them around as a top-tier team. Arkansas is one-dimensional, but what a dimension it is. That backcourt of Kerry Groves and Eddy Jarrell is one of the best in the nation. And they'll both be back next season. Fans of Texas, SMU or Baylor won't be pleased, but fans of good basketball will.
Arkansas holds a one-game lead on SMU and their own crackerjack backcourt of sophomore Charlie Garay and redshirt junior Blake Hynes. The Mustangs still have to go to Baylor and Colorado, then close the year with Texas Ag and Arkansas on the road. Add in Texas and TCU, and the Mustangs have a difficult slate to clear. They likely won't get through it undefeated...and their in-conference loss is to Arkansas. So that's as good as a two-game lead for the Razorbacks.
In other words...this conference is Arkansas' to lose.
They also lost it last year.
NCAA Projection
1 Kansas State NC State 1
8 Connecticut Morehead State 8
5 Holy Cross Temple 5
4 La Salle Oklahoma A&M 4
East South
3 Duquesne Louisville 3
6 Columbia Duke 6
7 Niagara Arkansas 7
2 Bradley West Virginia 2
1 Indiana Kansas 1
8 Toledo Texas Tech 8
5 Idaho State California 5
4 Dayton Iowa 4
Midwest West
3 San Francisco Washington 3
6 Illinois Utah 6
7 Brigham Young St. John's 7
2 UNC Kentucky 2
Will be interesting to see who takes home Freshman of the year in the PCC.
I think its between UCLA's Jean Beckner and our very own Hernando Hernandez.
PLAYER DETAILS
#54 SG Jean Beckner - UCLA - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-5
Weight: 188
High School: Temecula Valley High School
Hometown: Temecula, CA
Attributes:
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Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
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Current: 8 14 12 7 8 5 5 4 5 10 11 5 17 9 19 20
1953: 7 13 11 6 7 5 5 4 5 10 9 4 16 8 19 17
Potential: C B C D C D D F D C B D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 12
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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1954 27 24 31.9 11.4 1.0 3.2 2.6 3.3 0.81 1.1 0.1 2.9
Career 27 24 31.9 11.4 1.0 3.2 2.6 3.3 0.81 1.1 0.1 2.9
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 4.4 9.2 .474 2.7 3.7 .727 0.0 0.0 .000 1.24 -3.63
Career 4.4 9.2 .474 2.7 3.7 .727 0.0 0.0 .000 1.24 -3.63
Stat Totals:
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Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
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1954 27 24 860 308 27 86 71 88 31 3 78
Career 27 24 860 308 27 86 71 88 31 3 78
Shooting Totals
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Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 118 249 72 99 0 0 -98
Career 118 249 72 99 0 0 -98
Career Highs:
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Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 24 3 7 7 4 1 8 9 14 7 13 0 0
Career 24 3 7 7 4 1 8 9 14 7 13 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 4
1953 High School: Rated *** and #147 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
PLAYER DETAILS
#15 SF Hernando Hernandez - Southern California - Freshman
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Height: 6-6
Weight: 249
High School: Bullard High School
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Attributes:
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Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 19 10 9 8 2 7 9 8 5 7 9 14 12 10 6
1953: 5 18 9 9 7 2 6 9 7 5 7 9 14 10 10 2
Potential: C A B C C F D C C D C C
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 6
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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1954 28 28 32.1 11.9 1.8 5.8 1.7 3.6 0.46 0.6 0.2 2.8
Career 28 28 32.1 11.9 1.8 5.8 1.7 3.6 0.46 0.6 0.2 2.8
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 5.1 12.2 .416 1.8 2.9 .625 0.0 0.0 .000 0.98 -1.61
Career 5.1 12.2 .416 1.8 2.9 .625 0.0 0.0 .000 0.98 -1.61
Stat Totals:
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Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 28 28 900 334 51 161 47 102 16 6 78
Career 28 28 900 334 51 161 47 102 16 6 78
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 142 341 50 80 0 0 -45
Career 142 341 50 80 0 0 -45
Career Highs:
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Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 21 5 10 4 3 1 9 9 18 5 6 0 0
Career 21 5 10 4 3 1 9 9 18 5 6 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 1
1953 High School: Rated **** and #60 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1953 High School: All-State (California)
1953 High School: Mr. Basketball (California)
1953 High School: All-American
Hernando scores and rebounds more, and Jean takes care of the ball and plays more D.
Obviously, I want my boy to win, but its encouraging to see him leading the PCC freshman in scouring.
Another freshman for us J.C. Quiles leads the freshman in rebounding as well. So maybe our future looks decent. Just need to get rid of these terrible first few seasons.
The National Basketball Report: March 7, 1955
NBR Top Twenty
1. Indiana (28-1, LW 1)
2. Kansas (25-2, 2)
3. West Virginia (24-3, 3)
4. Kansas State (24-3, 4)
5. Bradley (27-2, 5)
6. NC State (24-6, 6)
7. Kentucky (23-4, 7)
8. North Carolina (25-4, 8)
9. Duquesne (24-5, 9)
10. San Francisco (24-4, 11)
11. Washington (24-5, 10)
12. Louisville (22-7, 14)
13. California (21-6, 20)
14. La Salle (22-7, 12)
15. Dayton (22-6, 15)
16. Idaho State (23-6, 17)
17. Temple (22-6, 19)
18. Illinois (20-6, NR)
19. St. Joseph's (23-6, NR)
20. Columbia (22-5, NR)
Dropped Out: Iowa (13), Holy Cross (16), Oklahoma A&M (18)
The next page is here for the contender,
who are followed by the spotlight.
The end is near for the pretender,
who are swallowed up by the night.
The 1954-55 season has reached its apex. The NCAA and NIT bids will be handed out within the next week. With that in mind, we thought we would give you a short primer as to what news still has to be decided before then.
NCAA: Two open bids
By our count, there are 24 "locks" for the NCAA Tournament...the seventeen that recent auto-bids by their conferences, as well as, in order of conference, North Carolina, Kansas State, California, Bradley, Duquesne, La Salle, and Dayton. Those that are "likely" to make the tournament include Duke, Illinois, Iowa, Holy Cross, Idaho State, and Temple. There are people inside the tournament committee who believe Holy Cross is out, but we don't believe it.
That leaves two bids open.
For those two bids, there are but a few contenders. Those who declare themselves as inside the industry claim that Michigan State and Louisville have the pace on those two spots. We tend to disagree with the former. We think Louisville will get in, but along with St. Joseph's. They have the wins, and while they don't have the strength of schedule that other teams do (118th), they are battle-tested enough that they deserve inclusion. Michigan State played virtually all losing teams leading up to Big Ten play, and then played even-ball in a down year for the conference. Miami has a bit of the stats, but they haven't beaten a single ranked team this season.
As you'll see in our final projection, Louisville and St. Joseph are the final teams into the ball.
You should also know, St. Joseph's game against Lehigh (20-8), in Bethlehem, is a play-in game for the Hawks. If they lose, everything we just said is invalid.
NCAA: The Battle For The Top (Seed)
There are six teams worthy of being #1 seeds in this year's tournament. Bradley, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, NC State, and West Virginia are all stout teams, all credible contenders for the top spot in each region. Unfortunately, only four get a nod. Even more unfortunate, two of those top seeds will get whoever doesn't get selected in their bracket.
From where we sit, it is positive that Indiana, Kansas, and Kansas State will get top seeds. They have done more than enough to warrant it. That leaves one spot for three teams.
Bradley: 27-2 overall; #5 RPI. 9-2 vs top fifty, 13-0 vs 51-100. Losses to West Virginia and at St. Joseph. Wins at NC State, at Dayton, at Holy Cross, against Vanderbilt, , and St. Louis. Boast one of the game's best players in Antonia Dabney, and one of the game's most pleasing offenses. The only downside may be not enough games versus top competition.
NC State: 24-6 going into the ACC Tournament. 13-1 in ACC, arguably the best conference in the nation this year. Also had wins against holy Cross, West Virginia, Duquesne, La Salle, at Illinois. Only conference loss was in finale against North Carolina. Heavy favorite to win ACC Tournament. The only downside was a three-game losing streak, including a game to St. Bonaventure. But three key players were hurt.
West Virginia: 32-2, won Southern Conference. Losses to NC State and Georgia Tech. Wins against Bradley, Indiana, at Pitt, vs Holy Cross, and at Notre Dame. Boast one of the game's best rosters, as well as a crackerjack defense.
If North Carolina State wins the ACC Tournament (more on that in a second), they'll get the top seed in the South. No doubt on that. If they don't, it probably opens the door for West Virginia. Bradley may be relegated to a #2 seed, regardless of the outcome in the ACC. They will probably be placed in the East bracket, where Kansas State is the likely top seed. What a reward.
The Stories Yet Told
There are several conferences that do not have a set outcome yet.
ACC: NC State, North Carolina, and likely Duke are in. But the ACC Tournament has not been decided. Not only could another team steal a bid, but they could steal Duke's bid.
Big 7: The race between Kansas and Kansas State, tied after beating each other in the regular season, is still strong. Kansas has games at 5-22 Oklahoma and at 15-12 Colorado. Kansas State has to travel to 12-17 Iowa State, and go to 17-11 Missouri.
Big Ten: The race already settled (Indiana is your champion), but the race for the at-large bids are still on. Illinois and Iowa are likely settled, though they could greatly better their resumes by beating the Hoosiers, who come calling to end the year. Michigan State has Ohio State and Illinois to finish the year. They need both wins to get in. Additionally, if Illinois loses to Indiana, the game against the Spartans could be a play-in game for a bid. Loser falls to the NIT.
Border: Decided; Texas Tech (20-7) is in.
Ivy: Things get interesting here. Columbia (22-5) holds a one-game edge on Cornell (15-12), and have to travel to Big Red, before finishing at Harvard. Obviously, if they win that game, they win the league outright. Frankly, we're not sure what happens if Cornell wins, though. The Lions won the first matchup, 68-64. For a team with the pedigree of the Lions, a loss, and potential loss of a bid, would be devastating. The Ivy is not prestigious enough, ironically, to get a second team into the ball. If Columbia loses out, they're heading to the NIT.
Metro: St. John's is in...as we predicted all season.
MAC: If Bowling Green (10-17) wins out, and Toledo (15-12) loses both of their games, the Falcons will steal the MAC bid on the final day of the regular season.
Missouri Valley: Tulsa (13-15) is currently 8-1 in the conference, a game ahead of St. Louis (20-8) and a game and a half ahead of Oklahoma A&M (19-7), which choked away the lead last week. However, the Cowboys can still take the title. If they beat Tulsa at home, and then beat Houston, we believe they'll still get the league title, and NCAA bid. They probably won't get in if Tulsa wins the bid, however. Saint Louis is NIT-bound, we believe.
Mountain State: Utah (19-7) is your likely champion. Though, if they drop their final two, including one to Utah State (17-10)...things get interesting. That said, expect to see the Redskins in the NCAA Tournament, while the Aggies and BYU (18-9) head to the NIT.
Ohio Valley: Morehead State (18-13) is in.
Pacific Coast: Cal (21-6) has tied Washington (24-5) for the conference lead, with two games to go. Washington will still probably take the conference title, but for seeding (both are headed to the NCAA), that will make things interesting. Oregon State is NIT-bound; so is Oregon if they can find one more win.
SEC: Kentucky (23-4) is your champ, and likely #2 seed in the NCAA. Georgia, MIssissippi State, Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech are all playing for the NIT.
Southern: West Virginia (32-2) is in.
Southwest: Arkansas (22-5) beats TCU (14-13), they're your SWC champion. If they don't, but beat SMU (15-13), they're your SWC champion. If they don't do either of those, well, it depends on others. The Mustangs still have a chance at the NCAA or NIT bids, but they need wins and others to lose. Texas (22-6) is NIT-bound, as everyone knew all along. Except the Associated Press, we mean.
WCC: San Francisco (24-4) is in.
WNY3: Niagara (20-8) wins against Canisius, they're in. If they don't, and St. Bonaventure (14-14) wins, they're in and the Purple Eagles are NIT-bound.
Yankee: Connecticut (18-10) is in a very precarious position. They are up one game on New Hampshire (11-16) and Vermont (13-14) with two to play. They need to win against Massachusetts (12-16), then travel to Vermont, to secure the conference title. They're also without three starters, including likely Yankee Player of the Year, Jessie Calvert. If they lose, they're headed to the NIT. This will be a very interesting time in the Yankee, for sure.
These are just a few of the things we'll be watching this week. We believe any fan of college basketball should feel like it's Christmas in March.
Final NCAA Projection, 1954-55 Season
1 Kansas State NC State 1
8 Connecticut Morehead State 8
5 Temple Iowa 5
4 La Salle Louisville 4
East South
3 Duquesne Dayton 3
6 Columbia Duke 6
7 Niagara Arkansas 7
2 Bradley West Virginia 2
1 Indiana Kansas 1
8 Toledo Texas Tech 8
5 Holy Cross Illinois 5
4 California Idaho State 4
Midwest West
3 San Francisco Washington 3
6 St. Joseph Oklahoma A&M 6
7 Utah St. John's 7
2 North Carolina Kentucky 2
Vince, Pt. II
07-31-2015, 02:38 AM
1954-55 Wrap Up: The Stanford Indian Post-Mortem
Prestige: 49
Record: 13-17
Conference Record: 6-10
RPI: 123
vs. Top 50: 1-7
vs. 51-100: 4-6
vs. 101-200: 8-4
Points per Game: 61.9
Points allowed per Game: 61.1
Season MVP: SG Aldo Granados (Sr.) - 17.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks
1954 Recap
After a brilliant inaugural season, the Stanford Indians took a huge step back in season two, going from an unlikely NCAA tournament berth to a three way tie for last place in the PCC South. Turns out, a three way tie for last place in the PCC South is also a three way tie for second place (USC, UCLA and Stanford all ended the year 6-10 in conference play)...but yeah, still not all that great. The season started off well enough, with a 6-2 open...unfortunately the season would go on to prove that those 8 teams would be a combined 80-157 on the year. From there, things went completely south. A 2-point loss @ Arizona on December 10th started a skid of epic proportions, and the team would wake up on February 2nd a woeful 7-13, having gone 1-11 in December and January (the only win against a woeful Pacific squad that would finish the year 6-23), including 6 straight conference losses to open PCC play. A win over USC on February 5th got us on the board in the PCC for the first time, but we would immediately embarrass ourselves against 9-19 Washington State with a 20 point loss in the next game. Somehow, the 20 point loss must have invigorated the team, as we would close the year 5-3 with two of those losses coming to #11 Washington and #9 Cal, and both by single digits (ignore the 65-35 loss to Oregon in there, because...well, because I said so). Hard to say 'what might have been' with a 13-17 (6-10) record, but there were an awful lot of close games in that record. Going to take that as the silver lining for this season.
Senior SG Aldo Granados was everything for the Indians, and is a contender for PCC player of the year as the PCC points leader (6th in the nation) who was no slouch at rebounding (13th in the conference) and defense (6th in the conference in steals). Unfortunately, he was largely a volume scorer as other teams realized that there wasn't much offense behind him. SF Dino Winner was inconsistent at best as a second option, but much more efficient. Granados was a weak .396 from the floor, while Winner shot .537. Try as we may, we couldn't find a way for anyone else to step forward and be that solid second option. There were high hopes for young Sophomore C Andreas Fontes, but while his rebounding was impressive (7.1 per game, good for 7th in the PCC), his 7.4 points and lackluster defense (0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks out of a 7-footer with a 14/A rating in Post Defense) were certainly not impressive. Hopefully next year he can show some improvement, because this year he was the fourth scoring option behind Granados, Winner and Bingham. Speaking of Bingham (that's Junior PG Mark Bingham), he had a solid, if unspectacular year. 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists (versus only 1.8 turnovers) and 1.3 steals on .444 shooting. His defense is a little too aggressive (3.1 fouls per game), but we like that enthusiasm. He'll be the most veteran player on the team next year, and will have a LOT of youth to work with.
The bench...was almost undoubtedly the downfall of Stanford this season. Only seven players averaged more than 5 minutes per game, and the two main bench players (SF Leif Paredes and 7'0" PG Major Clarke) were hardly impact players, averaging 5.0 and 2.6 points per game respectively. Next season will see more talent on the bench, and hopefully a reduced workload for the starters.
Young Guns Report:
The 1954 season saw the first ever NCAA53 recruits hit the floor. Stanford's 1953 Recruiting class didn't see much action, however; #181 ranked C Robert Coil and # 355 ranked SF Erik Plant both took a redshirt this season, as they figured to be the 9th player at best if they were to play this season. Turns out, they might have been useful had they been playing. That left #249 C Annibal Jeanlouis and walk-on centers Thomas Willaims (6'10") and Major Clarke (7'0"). Jeanlouis held down the starting PF position all season long, and did ok for a young man surrounded by pretty decent talent. In 28 minutes per contest, Annibal averaged 5.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. Impressively, and despite a lackluster Handling skill, he turned the ball over less than every other starter. Clarke laughably clocked the most minutes this season at the PG slot, where he was marginally effective. Less than half a turnover per game, nearly an assist per game, and all of this in less than 15 minutes per. Willaims only clocked 5 minutes per game, but was somewhat impressive in the time he had, shooting 56% from the floor and absolutely choking at the free throw line despite a decent rating there.
Happy Trails Report:
Graduating this season are PCC Player of the Year Candidate SG Aldo Granados, second leading scorer SF Dino Winner and warm body SF Mitchell Neill. Neill logged all of 39 minutes all season, so he will not be missed. However, Granados and Winner were quite possibly the two best players on the floor this season. Which means 1955 could be a LOOOONG year. Granados will retire with 1,002 career points for Stanford, which will be the school record for at least a few years until we can get some players with multiple seasons under their belts.
New Faces Report:
Stanford's recruiting class is quite a bit more prestigious this season, as we weren't afraid to throw the weight of our conference's reputation around while recruiting. The jewel of this year's class is Four Star Frenchman Romain Dehalle. The #40 overall recruit, the PF clocks in at 6'6" and our scouts like him an awful lot. His jumper could use some work, and he'll turn the ball over a fair amount...but he's already adept at creating his own shot, should be a monster on the boards and definitely has a nose for blocking shots. He's a little undersized for the front court at 6'6", but his athleticism should help a whole hell of a lot. Right behind Dehalle is PG Chris Mohler, the #100 recruit in the nation and an All-State basketball player from Arizona. He is amazingly quick, already a ballhawk on defense, and projects to eventually be a plus shooter from the field. The only knock on Mohler is his size: at 5'8" some of the cheerleaders are taller than he is. Tremendously physically gifted, we're hoping he can find a way to make it work. Our third and final scholarship has been committed to by #133 prospect SF Stan Dyer out of Australia. A bit more of a project, Dyer appears to have a lot of room to grow on the defensive side of the ball. He also projects to be a decent shooter from range eventually, though he has a lot of work to do there as well. He DOES seem to be a stellar free throw shooter, so he's got that going for him. Between Plant, Paredes and Webb next season, Dyer will more than likely redshirt his freshman year, simply because we don't have a spot for him. All in all, this was a much stronger recruiting class than in 1953 (at least on paper), and that is a huge sigh of relief after the disastrous season on the court the Indian faithful had to endure in 1954.
1955 Preview:
C Andreas Fontes (Jr)
PF Robert Coil (Fr*)
SF Erik Plant (Fr*)
SG Romain Dehalle (Fr)
PG Mark Bingham (Sr)
6th Anibal Jeanlouis (So)
7th Leif Paredes (Jr)
8th Chris Mohler (Fr)
In '55, Stanford looks to be a little deeper than they were last season, but they also don't appear to have the top end talent they did with Granados and Winner on the floor. The team looks to be a LOT bigger; PG Bingham will be the shortest player on the court at 6'4", and Dehalle will be manning the 2 guard spot at 6'6". Plant is 6'9", Coil is 6'8" and Fontes a towering 7'0". That's an average height of 6'7.8"! Hopefully we'll be able to parlay that size into a nice advantage for ourselves. Cal will still be the class of the PCC South, but USC and UCLA look to continue to be at Stanford's level in terms of talent on the floor, so anything goes in the PCC next year. If Fontes takes a step forward offensively (his stats/ratings say this isn't a crazy hope), Dehalle is as good as advertised, and '54 redshirts Coil and Plant aren't awful, the team could be an underdog to watch. Unfortunately, all those if's, but's and maybe's could very easily make Stanford all hat and no cattle come 1955.
Vince, Pt. II
07-31-2015, 02:32 PM
1954-55 Wrap Up: The Dartmouth Indian Post-Mortem
Prestige: 33
Record: 11-19
Conference Record: 6-8
RPI: 151
vs. Top 50: 0-4
vs. 51-100: 3-6
vs. 101-200: 8-9
Points per Game: 61.8
Points allowed per Game: 65.4
Season MVP: SF Sonny Freeman (Fr.) - 15.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks
1954 Recap
Dartmouth was all over the place this year. The season opened with an absolute demolition of Drake in the MSG Holiday Festival, followed by close losses to #20 St. Joseph's (4 points) and Syracuse (8 points). Freshmen frontcourt duo Charles Smith and Sonny Freeman immediately made their presence known, averaging 17.3 and 17.0 points per game in the tournament, giving Indian fans a lot of hope for what could be a fantastic Ivy League season. Unfortunately, inconsistency was the theme of the whole year. Outside of a signature (and inexplicable) victory over Columbia, Dartmouth did not beat a single team with a winning record all year. There were, of course, plenty of close losses to quality teams (St. Joseph's, St. John's, Cornell twice), but there were also inexplicable losses to cellar dwellers like Hardin-Simmons (3-26), Brooklyn (4-25) and Maine (9-19). The culprit? Defense. Dartmouth was near the bottom of the entire NCAA in points, rebounds and fouls against. Despite leading the Ivy in steals and being third in blocks, they simply gave their opponents too many opportunities. What is heartening is that they were getting the steals and blocks - as the very young team matures, hopefully the egregious fouls (we're looking at you, Sonny Freeman) and turnovers will lessen, and the steals and blocks will mean more. On the plus side, Freeman and Smith are not at all afraid to bang around under the basket, and helped Dartmouth draw the 3rd most fouls in the entire nation.
When it comes to individual performances, look no further than freshman SF Sonny Freeman. Despite being only the #222 ranked recruit in the nation last year, he lit up the Ivy League in his freshman year, coming in 3rd in scoring, 5th in rebounding, 10th in steals and 9th in blocks. Even more impressive is his efficiency - he managed all of this on .454 shooting. He should easily win Ivy League freshman of the year, and has a pretty legitimate argument for player of the year as well (though in all honesty we expect Columbia SF Chris Telles to pull down that honor). With all that being said, Freeman is a fouling machine and turns the ball over with some regularity - something we can attribute to his youth, but hopefully will be cleaned up as he grows. One has to wonder how disappointed Yale is to watch Freeman - they seemed to have the upper hand in recruiting him, being tops on their list early in the season despite interest from Dartmouth...until he flipped Yale for us in August. Freeman isn't the only reason for optimism for the Indians, as fellow frontcourt freshman PF Charles Smith had a stellar introductory year as well. Ranked #540 in the US coming out of high school, Dartmouth got him on the call list early, and started courting him in earnest in July. Largely overlooked early in the year, by September he was garnering a lot of interest, most notably from Cornell. Early investment was key, however, and he ended up coming to Dartmouth. If not for Freeman, he might easily have been the Freshman of the Year in the Ivy League. His 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game were good for 6th, 8th and 8th in the conference respectively. Like Freeman, he turns the ball over and fouls a little excessively (though not as bad on either count as Freeman), but we'll hopefully attribute this to his youth. The biggest disappointment of the season for the Indians was without a doubt Junior PG David Bratcher. Despite solid ratings across the board, he struggled both offensively and defensively, turning the ball over nearly twice per game and only managing 2.5 assists per contest despite having both Freeman and Smith to distribute to. Not only that, he managed a meager 6.7 points per game on .328 shooting - simply unacceptable numbers. He'll have to show some pretty big improvement in the offseason; the only reason Bratcher didn't lose his job this year was the lack of an alternative.
The bench was, like Stanford, a weakness. Unlike Stanford's two-deep bench, Dartmouth went three deep, and had two other guys with decent minutes. Unfortunately, the talent just simply isn't there. In 1955 Dartmouth will have four new recruits and will also get the services of 1954 redshirt Marin Dutries, so hopefully will not have to lean on the starters as much.
Young Guns Report:
There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said about Dartmouth's impressive youth. The 'other two' recruits from the 1953 class, #196 PF Marin Dutries out of Canada and #307 SG Rodrick McFall out of North Carolina, show equal signs of promise. Dutries is a defense first big who will be a tremendous add to a team starved for defense this year. He redshirted in 1954 and has shown some impressive development thus far. At 6'8", he's a bit undersized, but will probably be the starting center come the fall. McFall actually played more minutes than anyone on the team in 1954, manning the starting SG slot all season long. He had a solid, if unspectacular, year that would garner a lot more attention had he not been overshadowed by the stellar performances of his fellow freshmen. 7.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals on .455 shooting as a freshman is a line to be proud of. We had two walk-on freshmen as well - SF Ike McMullen was a mediocre contributor off the bench, and PG Kenny Hansen actually looks like he has some talent...not realizing Bratcher was going to be so awful, we let him redshirt in 1954, so he'll look to take the floor in 1955 and challenge Bratcher for that starting slot.
Happy Trails Report:
After watching fan favorite German Vargas ride off into the sunset with fellow All-League 1st Teamers Neal Vanderpool and David Molloy last season, this year Dartmouth fans get to watch...no one of real note leave. Starting center Andres Theodore was quietly underrated all season despite being the only player on the team to post a positive +/- for the season. Other than Theodore, graduating seniors Hickman, Keefe and Fletcher played a combined 225 minutes all season long, with the bulk of that going to SF Charles Hickman. None will be missed.
New Faces Report:
Like Stanford, Dartmouth aimed a little higher on the recruiting trail this season. Despite garnering recruits 196, 222, 307 and 540 last year, this year we look to bring in #'s 134, 201, 204 and a player-to-be-named-later (who looks to be ranked lower than the rest of the recruits). #134 is C David Omara out of Florida. He's undersized for C at 6'7", but weighs in at a robust 248 and is strong as hell. Our scouts...well, they actually kind of hate him. But what do our scouts know?!!? He projects to be a defense-first big with a decent mid-range jumper. #201 is 6'6" SF Christopher Morehead. Mr. Basketball from Maine, Morehead was a nice snag to steal him from Harvard who led on him all the way until October. Perseverance paid off, and now he wears the Dartmouth green! He looks to be a solid all-around player eventually, who is slightly more polished on the defensive end at this point (could you tell there was a theme to recruiting this season?). The #204 recruit is SG David McMullin, who played high school ball against current freshman Rodrick McFall. Also, we may be looking into changing from the Indians to the Irish, considering our roster next year (McMullen, McMullin, McFall and McLaughlin). David is another all-rounder who projects to have a dangerous outside shot once all is said and done. There's still one scholarship to fill, and we have a pretty good idea who it will be...but we'll wait until it's a lock to mention him here. One player to keep an eye on - we went after SF Douglas Russell hard for a lot of the year, and he was simply not moved by our overtures. He signed with Brooklyn, and we'll definitely be keeping an eye on him. We'll more than likely play him next season, as we definitely want revenge for the loss to them this season.
1955 Preview:
C Marin Dutries (Fr*)
PF Charles Smith (So)
SF Sonny Freeman (So)
SG Rodrick McFall (So)
PG David Bratcher (Sr)
6th Tony Buford (Sr*)
7th Kenny Hansen (Fr*)
8th David Omara (Fr)
9th Christopher Morehead (Fr)
10th David McMullin (Fr)
Returning four starters in 1955, Dartmouth looks primed to be a whole hell of a lot better than they were in 1954. Dutries looks to be an outright upgrade over Theodore. Smith, Freeman and McFall are all going to have an extra season of development, and Bratcher will have Buford and Hansen breathing down his neck if he doesn't clean up his act. There's a good chance one or more of the recruits (likely Morehead) gets a redshirt, if only because we have much more depth (and sort of a logjam in the frontcourt). The unfortunate thing is that we have lost any semblance of size. Our biggest player next season will be 6'9" 215 pound Charles Smith...who plays like a stud, but not exactly an interior-dominating behemoth. The talent will have increased significantly, so hopefully that can offset the size discrepancy we're likely to face a lot of the time.
As for the rest of the Ivy, Columbia looks to be taking a huge step back in terms of talent on the floor. They lose their #2 and #3 scorers in Creekmore and Evans, and their first two players off the bench in Jackson and Davidson. They've got some decent young talent, but not a lot of it has seen much action, and it frankly doesn't look like they will be a team of the same caliber next season. Cornell loses two starters and their sixth man, but only Reams was a true impact player. Jones, Garrett and Martin will be back with some more development. They could be trouble again next season. Brown is in...trouble. They lose Schmuck and Long, so they better hope Lindstrom is as good as advertised. Harvard is losing any semblance of talent they may have had on the roster to begin with outside of Unknow. Then we get to the interesting teams: Penn, Princeton and Yale. Between the three of them they're only graduating one or two seniors who were impact players, and each of them has a young cadre of players who are already getting important minutes. With a few recruiting bumps, any of these teams could kick up to the top tier of the Ivy. 1955 should be an interesting year for our little brainiacs.
murrayyyyy
07-31-2015, 03:52 PM
[B]
You should also know, St. Joseph's game against Lehigh (20-8), in Bethlehem, is a play-in game for the Hawks. If they lose, everything we just said is invalid.
Best way to describe how we played.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Missing_barnstar.jpg
And as expected, USC takes a loss to Stanford 68-61 in the last game of the year for us.
Not much to celebrate this year with the exception of what we hope to be another good recruiting class.
This is how we looked
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS TEAM INFO
Current Performance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Prestige: 51 Record Vs 1-50: 4-8 Poll Rank: NR
Season Record: 13-16 Record Vs 51-100: 2-3 RPI Rank: #69
Conference Record: 6-10 Record Vs 101-200: 7-5
Home Record: 8-6 Record Vs 200+: 0-0
Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points 55.4 8 145 Points 57.8 2 28 Points -2.3 6 98
O.Reb 10.7 4 66 O.Reb 8.5 1 17 O.Reb 2.2 4 40
D.Reb 21.3 8 151 D.Reb 20.0 1 4 D.Reb 1.4 3 43
Rebounds 32.1 7 121 Rebounds 28.5 1 5 Rebounds 3.6 3 37
Assists 12.0 8 114 Assists 12.6 2 41 Assists -0.6 6 88
Steals 5.4 5 59 Steals 6.0 8 140 Steals -0.6 7 97
Blocks 2.5 6 104 Blocks 2.4 1 12 Blocks 0.0 4 71
Turnovers 15.2 9 153 Turnovers 12.6 7 107 Turnovers 2.6 8 142
Fouls 17.4 5 27 Fouls 16.4 8 168 Fouls 1.0 7 121
FG% .447 5 74 FG% .461 7 131 FG% -.014 7 111
FT% .703 2 41 FT% .692 6 131 FT% .011 6 66
3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1
PPS 1.09 8 148 PPS 1.17 7 102 PPS -.077 6 128
Adj. FG% .447 5 74 Adj. FG% .461 7 131 Adj. FG% -.014 7 111
When you are ranked at the very bottom of the conference in just about every statistical category, well I guess you could say that I am happy that we won 13 games.
We finished up in a three way tie with Stanford, and UCLA at 6-10 in PCC Play.
1954 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#11 Washington Huskies 13 3 .813 25 6 .806 18 69
Oregon State Beavers 10 6 .625 19 11 .633 42 53
Oregon Webfoots 8 8 .500 16 14 .533 66 43
Idaho Vandals 5 11 .313 11 18 .379 143 32
Washington State Cougars 4 12 .250 9 19 .321 127 41
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#9 California Golden Bears 14 2 .875 23 6 .793 12 69
Stanford Indians 6 10 .375 13 17 .433 123 49
UCLA Bruins 6 10 .375 9 20 .310 107 59
Southern California Trojans 6 10 .375 13 16 .448 69 51
The three teams that are going to tournaments are Washington and Cal, both to the NCAA and then Oregon State to the NIT.
Oregon State is going to start to become a concern of mine. They are at a Prestige of 53 and I cannot afford them to be hopping right up the Prestige chain and we sit in our on suckitude. Next year is going to be a big year for us in terms of trying to get some wins and I am not sure we are going to be able to do it. We are so stinking young. We might start all Freshman and Sophmores next year.
Bright spot, we will have 4 guys in the post, plus Benito Lightfoot got some experience down there if we need a 5th guy. Hopefully that will help solve some of our issues. Time will tell on that one though.
Looking forward to seeing how Cal and Washington do in the NCAA bracket.
Cal the 3rd seed draws a dangerous Illinois squad. Not sure how that one will go.
Washington (4 seed) drew Dayton the 5th seed. If Wexler and Fenton show up, I like them to win.
Either way I would like some wins so we can keep our money as that is crucial to me bringing in decent classes at the moment.
Radii
08-02-2015, 09:38 AM
Washington (4 seed) drew Dayton the 5th seed. If Wexler and Fenton show up, I like them to win.
Making the second round will be good for them, don't think they get any more than that :D
I did the best I could recruiting for my Idaho squad this year and have put them on complete auto pilot since. I'm not really happy with my recruiting this year, we'll see if we start getting some small incremental improvements when my redshirts from this year start playing. Its going to be so insanely difficult to rise up in this conference with everyone in it.
Vince, Pt. II
08-02-2015, 10:12 AM
And as expected, USC takes a loss to Stanford 68-61 in the last game of the year for us.
I don't know if that was such a given this season.
Brian Swartz
08-02-2015, 11:24 AM
Its going to be so insanely difficult to rise up in this conference with everyone in it.
I can feel your pain there. Even with a somewhat kinder prestige situation Harvard is looking at a lot of struggles in the Ivy.
Brian Swartz
08-02-2015, 11:25 AM
Crimson Focus: 1954 Review
Final Record: 11-18(4-10), 144 RPI, last place
Team Leaders:
Points: Small(12.3), Black(8.6), Unknow(8.3)
Rebounds: Black(6.2), Winner(5.8), Cave(5.8)
Assists: Unknow(2.7), Small(1.9), Black/Osborne(1.8)
Steals + Blocks: Unknow(1.3), Small/Winner/Cave(0.8)
Harvard was a hard-working team this year that was just a little bit overmatched. They rebounded well by committee, but didn't shoot it well enough, especially from the free-throw line, didn't defend well enough, and gave up way too many freebies at that end themselves. They pushed the tempo a bit more than the others in the cerebral Ivy; at just under 70 possessions a game, they were 35th in the nation in terms of pace. Overall, the offense ranked 5th in the Ivy and 77th in the nation; defensively they were 6th and 132nd. That's definitely the end where they need the most work.
Graduates
Four players depart this year, two starters and two reserves, contributors all. It'll be a significantly different group taking the hardwood next year.
G Charles Small -- 12.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 2.8 topg, 43% fg, 67% ft
Small was a volume shooter, and not a particularly efficient one, but he was the best offensive threat the Crimson had these past couple of years. This was both the fault of a limited offense forcing him to take too many shots, and also the fact that he wasn't the type of guy to put the work in on his shot which really could have become a more accurate weapon. He was also a plus defender, and that will really be something that is missed next year.
G Ronald Osborne -- 18.2 mpg, 6.1 ppg, 41% fg, 75% ft
Osborne was the top backcourt reserve the past couple of seasons, improving considerably at running the offense to post a positive assist-to-turnover ratio this year. A good shooter and athlete but a disaster defensively.
F William Black -- 8.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 44% fg, 62% ft
The team's best rebounder and a solid complementary option, Black rarely turned the ball over and was as good as anyone on the team at getting his own shot when necessary. He was also the best perimeter defender the Crimson had. With himself and Small graduating, any semblance on defense on the outside may well be flying away with them.
F Arthur Black -- 8.9 mpg, 2.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 49% fg, 74% ft
Black saw his first significant time as a minor bench contributor in his finalk season. He was an accurate shooter and another guy who guarded well on the perimeter.
1955 Outlook
The hope is that Don Unknow(8.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 44% fg) continues his progression as he heads into his junior season. Even though he was a very good rebounder this year that's actually the area we expect him to continue to grow the most in, along with hopefully becoming a bit more accurate shooting the ball. Alongside him in the backcourt will probably be incoming freshman Matthew Cordoba, who combines very good isolation skills with passable ball skills and defense and has the athleticism to contribute right away according to the early reports.
The frontcourt will probably determine how much Harvard does. They should be deeper than before but nobody that's really particularly good and the talent level in the Ivy is increasing all the time. Sophomore Bobby Cunningham(15.4 mpg, 5 ppg, 47% fg) probably gets the swingman spot, and the interior pairing of Kenneth Winner and Shane Cave would be the presumptive starters inside. However, it's likely that one of them will be displaced by another sophomore, Bennett Anderson, who has shown himself to be the best interior defender on the team despite being limited in size(6-7, 206). Both Anderson and Cunningham should get at least somewhat better, while the senior pairing has basically already peaked. Then there are big men So. Marvin Maroney and redshirt freshman William Ingram, neither of whom saw the court in their first year.
Harvard should still have plenty of rebounding to go around, but how much will they be able to put with it? There are high hopes for not only Cordoba but also guard Lawerence Bailey of Georgia, and if New York forward Clay Davis ever finally commits he could do someething eventually perhaps. Both Bailey and Davis need seasoning though, and not much is expected of them next year. The Crimson are probably treading water here, doing little more than replacing what they are losing if that. In the increasingly competitive Ivy Group, that probably means another last-place finish. It does appear that there is more talent coming in this year than last, and if they can continue that trend, a more competitive future may well be possible. It's likely to be a long and bumpy road however.
Brian Swartz
08-02-2015, 11:26 AM
With a couple years in the books, there's enough history to start looking at my 'other' programs now that they have some history built up with the players. This here is a look at the Tulane Green Wave, who ... uh ... have a cool nickname. At least I think so. They haven't got much else. While head coach Hal Vanderhoff has been mentioned multiple times for his surprising recruiting success in no less a periodical than the prestigious National Basketball Report, his record currently stands at 13-47 with a .217 winning percentage after two years on the job. This year they were 5-24, 2-12 in the SEC, with a 162 RPI. That means the computers think there were only seven teams in the entire country who were worse.
1954 Team Leaders
Points: Eusebio Williams(12.8), Michael Brooks(10.7), Ricky Schulz(8.0)
Rebounds: Daniel Bolin(6.4), Ricky Schulz(5.1), William Tyler(4.5)
Assists: Ricky Schulz(3.3), Eusebio Williams(2.0), Michael Brooks(1.5)
Steals + Blocks: Randal Markus/Michael Brooks(1.3), Ricky Schulz(1.2)
When you consider that top scorer Eusebio Williams and versatile Ricky Schulz were part of his first recruiting class, it certainly looks like Vanderhoff has been bringing in some better talent. It just hasn't been nearly good enough yet. Michael Brooks is a nice player he inherited and he still has a couple years to go as well. Tulane will be seeing a lot more of almost everyone listed above, which bodes well for the next couple of years being at least better than the disaster this season was.
Problem #1 for the bottom three teams in the SEC(Alabama, Tennessee, and Tulane) was that in this conference, if you don't rebound, you don't have much of a chance. And Tulane didn't rebound. At all. They were dead last on both ends in that category, and 165th overall. I mean it doesn't get much more pathetic than that. They bested only LSU in initial defense(46.3% fg allowed), didn't get nearly enough of the times they did miss, and then topped it all off by sending their opponents to the line an SEC-worst 23.9 times a game. Add it all up and it's by far the worst defense in the conference(99.6 efficiency) and tied for 158th nationally.
Offensively, despite a horrid 166th in offensive rebounding, they were not nearly so bad. They did shoot a solid 45+% from the field(3rd in the SEC, 56th overall) and were subpar but not horrible in the turnover department.
Graduating Players
Four leave, but a couple of them were dead weight.
C William Tyler -- 5.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 43% fg, 61% ft
Tyler is the lone departing starter, an early-season lineup change due to his ability to block shots and play a vague semblance of post defense. Since none of the other options could rebound anyway, it didn't hurt to have a bit of resistance in there.
G Phillip Patel -- 9.5 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 1.3 apg, 51% fg.
Demoted from being a starter his junior year with the arrival of Williams and Schultz, Patel was the best passer on the team and possibly should have seen more time in his final season. He couldn't spell defense though, and with the players that are incoming I can't imagine he'll be too difficult to replace.
G Colin Hadfield was reduced as well, from super sub to a garbage-time role, while G David Phipps was actually elevated from glorified cheerleader to garbage-time sub.
1955 Outlook
If you look at the returning talent around the SEC, without factoring in the new recruits, Tulane is still at the bottom. LSU probably is in about the same boat with at least three good players gone, Florida looks a little better, but most of the conference is still in another stratosphere. But about half of the dead weight on the roster is departing and being replaced by what appear to be much better players. The Green Wave are getting better; the question is, will it be enough to matter? Quite possibly that won't happen for at least another year. Queried about the rebounding struggles, Coach Vanderhoff stated simply that he will be looking to get the best out of every player, not trying to make them into something they are not. On the one hand this is a sensible approach; on the other, if they don't hit the glass a lot harder next year and a third straight 20-loss compaign results, the fans are not likely to be amused no matter what the experts say of his recruiting.
JC transfer Charles Garrett is expected to be an impact player just like Schultz was this year, though admittedly he isn't ranked as highly by the publications. He's a good athlete though not particularly strong with excellent one-on-one skills and a good jumper, but when it comes to defense or handling the ball ... yikes. Most likely he'll be offense off the bench along with sophomore Kelly Doughty(21.1 mpg, 7.7 ppg, 38% fg). The starters will probably be senior Ricky Schulz(8.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 50% fg), sophomore Eusebio Williams(12.8 ppg, 0.7 spg, 45% fg, 81% ft), and junior Michael Brooks(10.7 ppg, 52% fg) running the same three-guard attack that they did this year. That part of the team worked fine.
The lone quality rebounder -- that's worded intentionally, I didn't mean to say merely 'best' -- is back in senior Daniel Bolin(7.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 45% fg). In his third year as a starter, he'll be hoping for some help on the inside. The most likely source is another senior, Randal Markus(21.6 mpg, 3.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 43% fg) who can defend and block shots a bit but was basically a poor man's version of the departed William Tyler and lost the starting job early in the year. The hope is he'll learn from the experience.
There is more help on the way. While there are no players that jump out as the guys every school wanted, lightning-quick G Leslie Schroeder of Texas was coveted by Houston and he's coming to Tulane which will keep the backcourt loaded after Schultz graduates. F Xavier McHale is expected to bring long-range shooting, rebounding, and general defensive disruption, while C Kenneth Courtney(6-9, 221) may be a beanpole and he's never going to score much, but he's strong as an ox and looks to have the ability to become an elite rebounder and eventually a quality defender. All of them look like they'll need some time before they can contribute, but rebounding help looks like it's on the way ... at some point.
Brian Swartz
08-02-2015, 11:31 AM
'Victors' the current Michigan Wolverines certainly are not. This is a football school, enamored with the rose-colored vision of the past in memory of Fielding H. Yost's 'point-a-minute' gridiron greats, and Tom Harmon's many talents in winning the Heisman trophy a decade and a half ago central among them. On the hardwood, it's been another story. Since his arrival two years ago, Paul Maloney has seen the Wolverines struggle to maintain mediocrity in the Big Ten. And at Michigan, that simply will not do. Michigan expects champions.
It's got to be one step at a time here though. Beating Purdue, Wisconsin, and Northwestern consistently comes first. Right now Michigan is not only not a champion, but the Sporting News considers them the worst basketball program in the conference, well behind even that farmer school from East Lansing and the school that shall not be mentioned south of the border. After a 15-14 season was at least respectable in '53, the Wolverines suffered injuries to their best two players and despite a solid finish recorded a 12-17(5-9) mark this last year. The RPI was kinder, ranking them 68th in the nation, but there is still much work to be done.
Team Leaders
Points: Jarvis Sarabia(15.2), Daniel Criner(10.6), Brian Whisler(9.4)
Rebounds: Homer McDonald(6.6), Daniel Criner(6.4), Jeff Sandlin(5.4)
Assists: Brian Whisler(3.9), Gayle Tovar(3.0), Jarvis Sarabia(1.9)
Steals + Blocks: Jeff Sandlin(1.9), Daniel Criner(1.7), Homer McDonald(1.3)
The biggest problem this year was injuries that kept Sarabia and Criner, unquestionably the team's best two players, out for over a month each. By the time they were back Michigan had lost the first seven games of the Big Ten schedule and their season was dead. They won four of six to end the year to avoid a last-place finish and hopefully minimize any further damage to the school's reputation, but it was still a disappointing year. All teams have injury problems from time to time, and just as much of an issue is that Michigan, while possessing decent depth, didn't have enough to survive the loss of their stars.
In the nuts and bolts of it, the Wolverines were a middle-of-the-pack offensive team but dead last in the Big Ten on defense. Only Purdue gave up more than their 47.1% shooting allowed, and nobody in the conference was close to putting their opponents on the line as much as the 23.2 times per game they averaged; only the Boilermakers managed more than 20! So really it comes down to discipline, particularly with the seniors out.
Graduating Players
There's a lot of talent walking out the door -- it doesn't figure to get any easier for Coach Maloney.
G Jarvis Sarabia -- 15.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 45% fg.
All those who say a short guard(5-9) can't be a premier scorer in college basketball, Sarabia would invite to take a look at his career. Combining quickness, a fast and accurate mid-range game, and fantastic handles, he was the Michigan offense the last couple of years, the cog that made everything else work by the pressure he put on the defense.
F Daniel Criner -- 10.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.6 bpg, 49% fg, 79% fg
There isn't much that Criner didn't do at least fairly well. Another undersized guy, but you can't argue with the results. Only Wisconsin's Chris Leon rebounded better at 6-4 or shorter in the conference. Playmaking wasn't really his thing, but everything else pretty much was and he was an excellent perimeter defender.
G Gayle Tovar -- 20.7 mpg, 6.8 ppg, 3.0 apg, 45% fg, 70% ft
Tovar started nine games with Sarabia out and was the playmaking engine of the second unit the rest of the year after seeing the court rarely prior to his final season. He never made the most of his physical abilities, didn't defend much and wasn't much of an individual offensive threat, but his passing made a considerable impact this year.
F Henry Parker -- Not much to say, two years as a garbage-time player.
1955 Outlook
Maloney's initial class was savaged as a failure but this was not entirely a fair analysis. One of the players(James Beane) made significant contributions this year and while none of them could significantly improve on a turnstile in their defensive prowess, they do have other contributions to make and the goal was just to get talent on the roster. In one out of two, he succeeded.
Junior Brian Whisler(9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 0.7 spg, 52% fg) showed this year that he'll be a fixture in the backcourt. He's as important as any of the returning starters and a serviceable effort on defense is expected to get better the next couple of years. The other guard is a question mark though. Local All-Stater William Harrison's lack of scoring potential scared away a lot of potential suitors but as a defender and distributor Michigan really likes him. That's down the road though, he isn't expected to be ready from prime-time right away and neither is the much less heralded Chris Strobel. Redshirt sophomore James Hunnicutt(14.8 mpg, 4.3 ppg, 39% fg) will probably get the call and he handles the ball well enough and can shoot it from deep and rebound, though defense is quite suspect.
The frontcourt is in better shape with junior Homer McDonald(8.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.9 spg, 45% fg) and senior Jeff Sandlin(5.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 47% fg) both providing physical play inside. There really isn't a serviceable swingman though and newcomer Emile Patel doesn't fit the bill, nor does sophomore James Beane(18.7 mpg, 8.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 41% fg) whose strength is attacking the basket inside. Hunnicutt is the best option there although undersized, but they'll need early contributions from one of the young guards if that's going to happen. Either way, there is going to be a hole in the lineup somewhere unless something unexpected develops.
The biggest news, both literally and figuratively, came when Ervin Session(7-0, 284) decided to come from Georgia to play for Michigan. He relies more on size than athletic ability, but projects as an elite interior scorer and shotblocker with very good hands for a big man and enough skill on the defensive end not to be a liability. It all depends on how much work he puts in, but Maloney views Session as a legitimate program-changer, the literal centerpiece around which he plans to build the Wolverines into a program that the powers of the conference can no longer safely ignore.
Looking around the conference right now before the freshmen come in, Michigan probably has more coming back than Minnesota or Wisconsin but they are still expected to struggle against the rest of the Big Ten. That picture will gradually change though if they pull in another class or two like this one. They'll pretty much lose only Sandlin after next year, so if Maloney plays his cards right, they could start making a bit of noise in a couple seasons.
dawgfan
08-02-2015, 07:01 PM
I did the best I could recruiting for my Idaho squad this year and have put them on complete auto pilot since. I'm not really happy with my recruiting this year, we'll see if we start getting some small incremental improvements when my redshirts from this year start playing. Its going to be so insanely difficult to rise up in this conference with everyone in it.
Well, I think Idaho only gets four more seasons in the PCC until it implodes and Cal, Washington, Stanford, USC & UCLA form the AAWU (which evolves into the Pac-12). Idaho has to go independent for four seasons which I would guess will cut into your recruiting budget, and then they help form the Big Sky.
Well, I think Idaho only gets four more seasons in the PCC until it implodes and Cal, Washington, Stanford, USC & UCLA form the AAWU (which evolves into the Pac-12). Idaho has to go independent for four seasons which I would guess will cut into your recruiting budget, and then they help form the Big Sky.
4 more years is good enough to get decent to good depending on classes, especially if its Radi, but you make a good point that I think we all keep forgetting about.
I am interested in seeing what some guys do once some shake-ups happen in the conferences. It will be interesting to see who decides to keep coaches where. I think Britrock is already on record somewhere saying once Oregon leaves he is switching his coach to the Big 10.
We need a few more new guys to come in so we can fill up all the big conferences. I think we are pretty close now, but need some more.
I don't know if that was such a given this season.
lol, well I only had 2 post players so...... :D
I think its safe to say we both sucked this year
I can feel your pain there. Even with a somewhat kinder prestige situation Harvard is looking at a lot of struggles in the Ivy.
I think that's what makes this league so fun. Although, I will say I think we are all trying not to step on each others toes at the moment. Meaning once we are on recruits where someone else is we drop off and find a new one.
I think I have only had one time so far in 2 seasons in the PCC where Oregon State stayed on a kid that I lead with to try and mess with me and then after a sim bounced off.
Once we have our rosters filled with guys we recruited I wonder if we will start to see more recruiting battles taking place early on.
Radii
08-03-2015, 09:24 AM
4 more years is good enough to get decent to good depending on classes, especially if its Radii
I have very little experience in bringing up a bad team in this version. Though I do have a lot of experience recruiting in general so maybe once I get a better feel for how to do it on a crappy team I'll figure it out, we'll see.
I am interested in seeing what some guys do once some shake-ups happen in the conferences.
I actually didn't look ahead at all when I chose my teams. I suspect I'll always keep NC State and try to win titles, I'll probably keep Houston, Idaho I may ditch in favor of another conference full of human opponents, since I imagine Idaho and Houston may end up being very similar circumstances in different parts of the country after the shakeup.
murrayyyyy
08-03-2015, 10:45 AM
I think I have only had one time so far in 2 seasons in the PCC where Oregon State stayed on a kid that I lead with to try and mess with me and then after a sim bounced off.
What did you expect me to do with all that money after the CPU hired me crap coaches? :devil:
murrayyyyy
08-03-2015, 11:04 AM
I am interested in seeing what some guys do once some shake-ups happen in the conferences. It will be interesting to see who decides to keep coaches where. I think Britrock is already on record somewhere saying once Oregon leaves he is switching his coach to the Big 10.
Can't wait for that rough Mid-Atlantic schedule to come up for St. Joseph's. LaSalle 3 times a year!
dawgfan
08-03-2015, 01:08 PM
4 more years is good enough to get decent to good depending on classes, especially if its Radi, but you make a good point that I think we all keep forgetting about.
I am interested in seeing what some guys do once some shake-ups happen in the conferences. It will be interesting to see who decides to keep coaches where. I think Britrock is already on record somewhere saying once Oregon leaves he is switching his coach to the Big 10.
We need a few more new guys to come in so we can fill up all the big conferences. I think we are pretty close now, but need some more.
I think Radii will be able to boost Idaho a fair amount to where they will do pretty well as an independent, but I don't know how much of a hit his recruiting budget will take and how the (probable) lesser conference prestige will affect his recruiting. Once Idaho helps form the Big Sky I'm sure he'd be able to dominate that league and see if he could build them up as a Mid-Major contender, but that may not be as interesting an option for him.
If britrock does indeed abandon Oregon when they go independent we'll need someone to take them over once they're invited into the AAWU. Unfortunately it will take a while until Arizona and ASU are invited in. Either one of those teams would be an interesting one to run - Arizona is already in a pretty good position in the BIAA, and a human coach running that team could likely have them winning that conference regularly (and then later the WAC) and set them up to be in a good spot in terms of prestige once 1978 finally rolls around.
dawgfan
08-03-2015, 01:10 PM
I suspect I'll always keep NC State and try to win titles, I'll probably keep Houston, Idaho I may ditch in favor of another conference full of human opponents, since I imagine Idaho and Houston may end up being very similar circumstances in different parts of the country after the shakeup.
The Big Ten is starting to fill up - with Vince taking Purdue it leaves Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Northwestern available. This should be a really good league in coming seasons.
Brian Swartz
08-03-2015, 10:50 PM
I agree. Illinois and Iowa are pretty good teams right now so even if we gang up on them they'll still be quality for a while. That really only leaves the other two to potentially beat up on.
dawgfan
08-03-2015, 11:15 PM
I agree. Illinois and Iowa are pretty good teams right now so even if we gang up on them they'll still be quality for a while. That really only leaves the other two to potentially beat up on.
Yep, and they should stay pretty good for quite a few more seasons. Illinois is getting the #3, #36 & #58 recruits in this class; Iowa has the #13, #20 & #60 recruits.
Wisconsin and Northwestern are probably going to fade soon if human coaches don't grab them.
The Big Ten was thisclose to getting 4 teams in the Big Dance, but my Spartans suffered too many close losses in-conference (shakes fist at Michigan) and were the first ones out in the selection process.
Vince, Pt. II
08-04-2015, 01:32 AM
Yeah, I'm looking forward to being in the Big 10. I don't know what I'm going to do in the mid 60's when UCSB shows up though - I'm going to want to coach them, but I can already tell I'm way too invested in Stanford or Dartmouth to give either of them up. So I'll probably just watch UCSB from afar...I don't think it would be as fun to coach in a conference with no human owners though, so maybe it's for the best. I don't see a lot of people jumping on the opportunity to coach in the Big West :)
And I have no idea what you guys mean about backing off recruits because someone else is on them. I've had a very good time prying recruits away from people already :devil:
The National Basketball Report: March 18, 1954
The NCAA Preview Issue
(Ed Note: Due to a technical glitch...specifically, the cord that powers our typewriters fell to its mortal coil), this piece is somewhat truncated, due to time constraints. There were more than two observations regarding this tournament. It is possible that we will get back to those observations and send out an edited piece. We hope you understand. Our typewriters should be fixed come Wednesday.)
The NCAA National Championship Tournament Rankings
As we did last year, we ranked every NCAA team, from 32 down to 1. You'll notice some things about this tournament that will stick out throughout our rankings. What everyone should know is this:
We are in for some amazing games. Just expect the cream to rise to the top this season.
And so, the ball begins.
The NCAA and NIT tournaments were announced; thirty-two teams in each tournament will attempt to attain championships, and the prestige that comes with it, for their schools. Last year, we rated each of the thirty-two teams in the NCAA Tournament. We will do that again this season, along with ten observations about the pairings, as well as the tournament itself. They will be filtered in throughout the ranking.
32. Morehead State
Why They Will Win: Because they're in, and they earned their way here.
Why They Won't Win: Because there's another team in the tournament. Actually, thirty-one of them. And NC State is the first team they have to play. Doesn't look good.
31. Toledo
Why They Will Win: Guard Floyd Sneed and forward Delmer Wells are exceptional players, capable of shooting outrageous numbers.
Why They Won't Win: Kansas.
30. St. John's
Why They Will Win: Talented core, from guard Titus Anderson, to center Marlin Tate. Flew under the radar this season. Great, though youthful, bench.
Why They Won't: Indiana has lost one regular-season game in the past two years.
29. Connecticut
Why They Will Win: Excellent backcourt, much better than people think.
Why They Won't: They're young, injured, and, oh, Bradley.
Observation #1: It will be very difficult to find upsets in the tournament.
This was true last year, but even moreso this year. The tournament, something everyone knew going in, is very top-heavy. The teams, from the fourth-seed down, will have severe difficulty moving throughout the tournament. The top teams in the tournament are a combined 111-11. NC State owns six of those losses, three coming when three key guys were hurt, and three others to other top teams. Kansas State and West Virginia, who went a combined 58-5 this year, are two-seeds, and could have been #1 seeds. Nobody would have argued against it.
28. Texas Tech
Why They Will Win: They are up from 32nd a year ago. That is an improvement. Delmer Lacey and Tony Starnes and an excellent inside-out combination.
Why They Won't: San Francisco, and, if somehow not, every other team but Toledo in the Midwest.
27. Niagara
Why They Will Win: Ben Perez and Curt To are quietly one of the best guard combos in the country. They are capable of beating anybody by themselves.
Why They Won't: West Virginia is one of the three-deepest teams in the nation. Niagara cannot contend with the waves of players the Mountaineers can throw at them.
26. Columbia
Why They Will Win: They will not be fazed or surprised by the level of intensity in this competition. They reached the round of eight a year ago, nearly defeating Kentucky to get to the national semifinal.
Why They Won't: North Carolina did the same, and have a much better roster. Should the Lions get by the Tar Heels, Kentucky/Arkansas await, as does (likely) Bradley. This is, arguably, the most difficult grouping in the tournament.
25. Oklahoma A&M
Why They Will Win: The Cowboys sputtered at the end, but with Erwin Plunkett, Joe Lee and Stefan Witcher, they have a truly crackerjack backcourt, one capable of leading them to a title. Add in Damian Ceasar at center, and a second-team at guard that is better than most teams' first-teams, and you have a team capable of beating anyone...
Why They Won't: ...except Kansas State is staring at them in the first round. And they were just slighted for a top-seed. Oh, and Indiana's here, too.
Observation #2: Why are Kansas State and Indiana in the same region?
They are two of the top three teams in the nation, in our estimation. Yes, West Virginia, NC State, and Bradley have arguments for inclusion. All season, however, it has been Indiana-Kansas-Kansas State, in some order. How did this happen? Yes, we're irritated that these two are on a collision course for the regional final. They were our pick for the NCAA Championship, a very realistic matchup that would have stood the test of time as one of the greatest.
Instead, it will have to be one of the greatest regional finals ever, provided both reach it. And one will not make the national semifinal, where both belong, as a result. This should upset John Everyfan, and the NCAA Tournament Bureau should be ashamed of their result.
24. Miami (Florida).
Why They Will Win: They have a veteran, large backcourt led by Manny Schmidt and Augustin Decourouble. Billy Simmons, a big 6'4 guard, is one of the best nobody knows.
Why They Won't: The Hurricanes were included in the tournament, and quite easily...they reached as a fifth-seed. We still would have taken Holy Cross or St. Joseph over them, but that's our opinion (and sod off on your East Coast preference nonsense...Miami is also on the East Coast. They are a rubbish choice in this tournament). If they do get Idaho State, a proposition we do not believe, they will be smited by the Hoosiers.
23. Arkansas
Why They Will Win: Their backcourt is sublime. Eddy Jarrell and Kerry Groves are the real deal.
Why They Won't: Their bench, their frontcourt, and Kentucky. Though not necessarily in that order.
22. Temple
Why They Will Win: They are battle-tested, having played top fifty teams fourteen times, winning eight. They have a top-ten defense, don't turn the ball over, force teams into bad shots (second in the nation in blocks; seventh in oFG%).
Why They Won't: Forward Mark Roberts is out with an injury. They are in the East, which makes for a very difficult path. While they prevent teams from scoring, they are only somewhat proficient at doing so themselves (64.1 PPG, 54th).
21. La Salle
Why They Will Win: The Twin Towers, 6'10 McSwain and 6'10 Davies, are a start. Freshman Cam Perry and senior Andy Moreno forming a top-flight backcourt is another reason. Their bench, while not as talented as others, is young has has the potential to play above the beyond expectations. They are effective on both offense and defense.
Why They Won't: Nothing they do truly sticks out. They are one of those teams who, in close games, just had it go their way. They feel as though they could easily be 15-14 as they are 22-7. They could get by Louisville, but how will the Explorers navigate past Kansas? If they do, somehow, they could be the team who crashes the national semifinals.
20. Cincinnati
Why They Will Win: Iowa seems way overseeded. That is a very winnable game for the Bearcats, who were the last team in the field. If they win that game, well...why couldn't they continue on?
Why They Won't: Because they're the last at-large in the field, with ten losses, who averaged under sixty points a game because of dreadfuly poor shooting, are not a particularly good rebounding team, who would have to face, in all likelihood, San Francisco if they won. And the Dons would pummel them.
19. California
Why They Will Win: This is very low for a three-seed, we understand. Junior point man Teddy Layne leads a balanced attack that has depth.
Why They Won't: Manny Barnard, their senior star, is out for the tournament. That turns the story to Tony Eyre, the freshman who couldn't decide where he wanted to go. The spotlight is on you, sir. You better step up and replace Banard, or Illinois will trounce the Golden Bears. Nevermind Kansas State.
18. Duquesne
Why They Will Win: Veteran roster that made it to the regional finals last year. Granger, Hinkley and Garrick make up a backcourt worthy of anyone's top lists. Mark Fernandez is a capable post player. They have a superior bench capable of supplanting first team players with equal quality. They have one of the nation's very best, most efficient offenses (8th in scoring, 2nd in shooting percentage).
Why They Won't: This is in part due to them being 18th in offensive rebounds, thanks to playing a schedule that will never be confused with a top-flight team. They played five teams who are in the NCAA, and lost to four of them. They are battle-tested in the same way zeppelins were safety-tested. Also, their defense will not serve them well against West Virginia, if one were to assume they get by Utah. We wouldn't assume that. Nor should you.
17. Dayton
Why They Will Win: Great offense, wonderful rebounding team that is one of the best in the nation. Solid veteran core that has been here before. As good a starting group as you can find, with a sparkplug in freshman Chris Duron leading a good bench group.
Why They Won't: They don't play good defense, don't shoot the ball overly well. If they don't rebound, they don't win. Very bad free-throw shooting outfit. While they have experience (beating NC State and Louisville), they don't have any other marquee win that makes one think they are capable of making a solid run.
16. Illinois
Why They Will Win: Second-best defense in the country. Force bad shots, and don't allow teams to rebound against them. They are an efficient offense, despite the lack of points. Haven't lost much despite losing Charlie Aubin to injury. Superb backcourt of Plaza, Flickinger and Davis, while Gladden has been crackerjack in the post.
Why They Won't: While they haven't lost much with Aubin out, they did lose major size. Only two players over 6'7 are in the rotation now. While they can win a game, perhaps, that way (Cal is not big, either), the notion that they would get past Kendrick Stone and Kansas State is an absurd folly.
15. Idaho State
Why They Will Win: Another team with a supreme defense that forces bad shots and doesn't let teams go and get the rebound. They don't score much, but they shorten the game and shoot extremely efficiently. Good foul-shooting team. Robin Revell, who was injured during a critical stretch last year, shows why he is one of the best players in the nation, scoring 13.5 points, registering 5.7 assists, and nabbing 4.1 rebounds a game. Their starting five is capable of beating nearly anyone...
Why They Won't: ...but Indiana doesn't fall into that category. The Bengals don't have the bench capable of giving Indiana fits. But let's say they put everything into beating Indiana, drain themselves and do it. Kansas State (in all likelihood) awaits.
14. Louisville
Why They Can Win: Unlike many other teams, the Cardinals punish teams with the Czech Bloc, Otokar Schulz, and 6'10 forward Emmitt Brenneman. Point guard Chris Jack is just as talented as anyone in the nation, and the triad they form makes for very difficult matchups for teams. The result is a prolific offense (sixth in the country) that is also efficient (9th).
Why They Won't: It also creates a defense that is 147th in the country, and a oddly poor rebounding team, at least in letting others get the ball (123rd in opposing rebounds, somehow getting outrebounded on the season). They also appear to be a team of two halves of the season. They beat La Salle and gave Kansas all they could handle early on...but struggled late in the season, before beating La Salle again. Beating a team three times in one season is difficult, and while we think they'll do it (they get La Salle in the first round), Kansas is a different beast than before, too.
13. Washington
Why They Can Win: Good offense, great rebounding team, can be suffocating on defense. Played in a very tough conference. Dean Wexler (13.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and Danny Fenton (13.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg) form a fantastic in-out combination. The Huskies are capable of playing with anyone.
Why They Won't: They are good enough defensively, but have a hard time getting stops when the heat is turned up. They are a dreadful free throw shooting team (142nd in the nation), and not all that efficient on offense. If they get rolling, then fine...but if a team can stop them (and Dayton can, and NC State most definitely can), that leads to problems for the Huskies.
12. Utah
Why They Can Win: Hugo Lubin and Robert Peeler. And they have that surprise factor. They are known without being known. Plus, as evidenced last year, a team or two are going to surprise. Utah is our pick to do that.
Why They Can't: West Virginia is an awful matchup for the Redskins, who can punish them inside. The Redskins are not a proficient rebounding team, which is fine against Duquesne, but against West Virginia, it simply will not do.
11. Duke
Why They Can Win: They already hit rock bottom. They know what their floor is. Nobody in their bracket will intimidate them. They can also play any type of game anyone wants to play. Slow it down or speed it up, Duke can do it. Their starting five is as good as any team playing, and Lane McCrary, Leandro Fall and Jonathan Fleenor are among the game's best at their respective positions.
Why They Can't: They still have yet to prove they can beat a team with their merit in the tournament. Temple can beat them in the first round. And Bradley is the cream of the crop. They also lost three times to North Carolina, in games that emcompassed the kind of styles available in the college basketball game. Gordon is a little banged up, and their bench has not totally met expectations so far this season. Why start now?
10. Iowa
Why They Can Win: Favorable matchup, first and foremost. Cincinnati is not an overwhelming first-round team. Neither is San Francisco. They could, conceivably, get to the regional final without playing their best. Beyond that, while they aren't particularly adept at anything, the only thing they are not good at is keeping teams off the boards for stretches at a time. Outside of that, they are pretty stout at it all. They are exceptional (our apologies) at forcing bad shots (12th in oFG%). They have plenty of players who have played in marquee games, led by guard Regis Delerouewe and the more-pronouncable Lincoln Brooks.
Why They Can't: Because, while they are not particularly awful at anything, they do have a hard time putting together a complete effort. They did lose by eight to Indiana midway through the season...but they also lost to Illinois, 50-31, at home. The Hawkeyes are capable of playing solid basketball, or of not showing up entirely. They've faced Kansas before, losing 69-67...but can they find that extra effort to push them over the top, should they even get to that game?
9. North Carolina
Why They Can Win: Solid, composed team from top to bottom. One of the most prolific scoring and rebounding teams in basketball. They prefer the uptempo game, and it shows. They pass extremely well, finding the open man for the easy shot. That means an efficient offense, where not a lot of shots are wasted. Center Andrew Caruso is one of the best scoring post players in the country (14.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.4 apg). Realistically, all five of their starters are capable of having a hot hand with the shooting touch, which makes them more difficult to guard. Dennis Sawicki, the super frosh, is capable of putting them on his back. Not many players in the tournament are capable of that.
Why They Won't: They don't defend well at all (126th in oPPG), which is part byproduct of their offense, but they also just prefer to play on the offensive side of the ball. Teams shoot 45% against them. Against Kentucky, or even Arkansas, and definitely Bradley, that kind of game is deadly. This might be the worst region North Carolina could be in for its brand of basketball. Even Columbia is no pushover in this regard.
8. San Francisco
Why They Can Win: Top offense (20th) and defense (12th), the latter of which is truly suffocating against the shot. They do nearly everything well, honestly. There is only one leak, which is the rebounds (47th for, 76th against). Stephen Ferrari and Perry Wilson form the best inside-out combo outside of the power elite.
Why They Can't: Against tournament teams, they went 1-4 (beat Dayton). They play in a conference that, while stacked with the nation's middle...are stacked with the nation's middle. That will hurt the Dons, who could get upset in the second round. The last game that meant anything on a national stage to the Dons was on January 9th. It was against Cal. They lost. They could use that culture of winning they have established and march to the national semis...or lose sight of the stage and lose in the first round. Nobody is quite sure.
7. Kentucky
Why They Can Win: They've been here before. Despite their lower seed, they have a favorable run to the national semis. Murray Dodd may be the nation's best scorer. Dallas Kovacs has become one of the country's most formidable centers (8.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.0 bpg). They are second in the nation in scoring, and first in free throw percentage. If you let them get going...and a lot of teams in their region will...they will be able to outscore you.
Why They Won't: They're built in the mold of North Carolina. All offense. Dodd is an open gate on defense. They don't keep teams off the boards. While they played against solid teams early, that faded late with the downturn of the SEC as the season wore on. They may feel they have unfinished business, but so does Bradley. And the Wildcats are not as committed to defense as the Braves. Sh
6. North Carolina State
Why They Can Win: They are an excellent team on both sides of the ball, and have been unstoppable since they got healthy. Yes, losing Anton Gonzalez hurts, but they are stacked at the guard spots, and should be able to get through that before he returns. They are a confident team, one who just sprinted though and pummeled the best conference in the country...
Why They Can't: ...and yet, we have them outside of the national semifinals. Frankly, it has a lot more to do with West Virginia, and less to do with the Wolfpack. We simply feel that NC State got an unfavorable draw with the Mountaineers in their region.
5. Indiana
Why They Can Win: They have been the best team in the nation all season. They have the best offense in the country, and it's not really even close. They played a solid schedule, and walked through it with only one scratch. They have maybe the game's best overall player in Enoch Horn, who has shaken off an early season injury, and is now ready to prove worthy of that claim. He isn't alone, though...Mikolas Mares and Marcos Godfrey are fantastic ballplayers at the guard spots, and Rupert Maldonaldo is as solid a center as possible. Rene Eckstein hasn't even been mentioned yet, and he is one of the finest players in the nation. They own one of the top defenses, the best passing offense, and are the third-best rebounding team in the nation. They are also the only team to make over half their shots from the field. There is not a flaw in this team.
Why They Can't: This is the greatest travesty in the tournament's short history. They get, yes, potentially, Kansas State in the regional final. Any other team, in our view, and they would coast to the national semifinals. But Kansas State...we took the Wildcats over the Hoosiers in our title game, and neither team has really given us a reason to switch that. It is a crying shame, because the Hoosiers should be #2 on this list, easy.
4. Bradley
Why They Can Win: They have a roster, led by National POTY candidate Antonia Dabney and seven-footer Graham Nance, that overwhelms teams. They are top-seven offensively and defensively. They, like Indiana, have no real weakness. They also have a very favorable path to the national semifinals, in that neither North Carolina or Kentucky matches up well with the Braves.
Why They Can't: Right now, they'd match up with Kansas, who bested them in a regional final last year. Kansas is still better, and still a bad matchup for the Braves.
3. West Virginia
Why They Can Win: Depth, depth, depth. And frontline talent. Don't forget that. Joe Jekins, Clay Metcalf, Elias France, and John Hildebrand are The Four Riders for a reason. And the players they can bring in, waves of terror for other teams. They are top-eight in offense and defense, and the second-best rebounding team in the nation. They are among the elite of the elite. We think they are simply the best team not in Kansas.
Why They Can't: They can. But a potential matchup with Kansas State boils down to experience, and the Jayhawks have been this far before. That should see them through. Honestly, a West Virginia/Kansas State matchup could go either way. The Mountaineers have beaten Indiana, the only ones to do so this season. They also beat Bradley. Nobody intimidates the Mountaineers.
2. Kansas
Why They Can Win: The defending champions returned a lot from that prolific team, led by The Cold Warrior, Timofei Malakhov. They do everything but shoot free throws well (which could very well be their downfall). They also played the most difficult schedule in the nation, going 18-2 against the nation's top fifty teams. Delbert Davis, Chris Seay, and Earle Maldonado provide a worthy supporting cast for Malakhov, while Henry McNair is Malakhov's equal at the point. This group has already done it once.
Why They Can't: Because the team from Manhattan is ready to win the war.
1. Kansas State
Why They Can Win: We picked them to win in the preseason, and we're stubborn. It worked last year. This team is the most talented in the nation, bar none. There really is no distinguishing the first team from the third. That said, Billy Jacob, Tommy Fritts, Erich Walton and Kendrick Stone are as good as it gets at their respective spots. Jacob, in particular, is ready to break out as a national star. The Wildcats are the nation's best defense (and it isn't even close), and they do it with incredible chemistry, teamwork, and flat out out-work other teams. They are also amazingly efficient on offense, especially for a team that expends so much energy on defense. If we can't have K-State/Indiana in the final, we'd love for K-State/Indiana in the regional final, K-State/WVU in the semis, and The Civil War for it all. Last year, Kansas got the best of the Wildcats. This year, it's the Wildcats' turn.
Why They Can't: Thirty-one other teams are ready to pick them off if they blink. Also, did you read the last two sentences in that last paragraph? That is one tough gauntlet. If the Wildcats can pull that off, they are most definitely a worthy champion.
NBR NCAA Picks
West
Indiana over St. John's
Idaho State over Miami
Illinois over California
Kansas State over Oklahoma A&M
Indiana over Idaho State
Kansas State over California
Kansas State over Indiana
Midwest
Kansas over Toledo
Louisville over La Salle
Iowa over Cincinnati
San Francisco over Texas Tech
Kansas over Louisville
San Francisco over Iowa
Kansas over San Francisco
South
NC State over Morehead State
Washington over Dayton
Utah over Duquesne
West Virginia over Niagara
NC State over Washington
West Virginia over Utah
West Virginia over NC State
East
Bradley over Connecticut
Duke over Temple
Kentucky over Arkansas
North Carolina over Columbia
Bradley over Duke
Kentucky over North Carolina
Bradley over Kentucky
National Semifinals
Kansas over Bradley
Kansas State over West Virginia
National Championship Game
Kansas State 78, Kansas 77 (OT)
The National Basketball Report: March 22, 1955
The Shortest Recap In History...
On one hand, we're a little depressed by seeing only one real upset. At that, Cincinnati's defeat of Iowa didn't feel like one.
On the other hand...these are your regional semifinal matchups:
Bradley vs Temple
North Carolina vs Kentucky
NC State vs Dayton
West Virginia vs Duquesne
Kansas vs La Salle
San Francisco vs Cincinnati
Indiana vs Idaho State
Kansas State vs California
How can you be upset at that?
There were plenty of blowouts by the kingpins. But there were a few close games worth noting.
Idaho State 59, Miami 57 (OT): Idaho State couldn't get off a shot to end OT, but they were able to barely outlast the game Hurricanes in the first round. We do admit, Miami (22-8) impressed against the Bengals. Manny Schmidt scored 15 with 8 rebounds, as well as a pair blocks, to lead Miami.
The difference, though, was Idaho State's backcourt.
Robin Revell shot somewhat poorly (5-11), but scored 15 with six boards and three assists. David Calvert scored nine points, but generated eight assists. Together, the two had just one turnover. So, 24 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 turnovers. That's pretty phenomenal.
Duquesne needed overtime to fend off Utah (our pick for the upset special), 74-72. In that game, Duquesne needed to stop Utah on their final possession, which they did, causing the Redskins to pass and pass and pass, until Robert Peeler finally threw up an ill-advised shot at the buzzer. They also had to withstand the Redskins' final possession in regulation, which saw Gene Theisen's shot roll around the rim for what seemed like eternity, before falling off the right side.
For the rest, it was steady as they go. The top seeds won their games easily. North Carolina needed a little extra to down Columbia, but that was not a surprise. Kentucky flattened Arkansas, which was mildly surprising; most figured that the Razorbacks would score more. Duke and Temple nearly fought to a draw. Duke led 22-16 at the half, but Temple forced 21 turnovers, and came from behind to beat the Blue Devils, 54-50.
In the South, Dayton beating Washington was only a mild upset. West Virginia overcame a sluggish start to upend Niagara, 61-47. La Salle was efficient to take down Louisville in the Midwest, shooting nearly 50% and going 22-30 from the line. Freshman Cam Perry arrived, scoring 21 points with six rebounds, all offensive, to lead that attack. Cincinnati held Iowa to 40% shooting and just nine free throws, as the Bearcats took out the Hawkeyes, 61-53. Regis Deleroeuwe scored 21, but had no other help on offense. And San Francisco had four score double-figures, and held Texas Tech to 35% shooting, as the Dons rolled 74-57.
Out West, Indiana raced out to a 40-14 halftime lead against St. John's, en route to a 71-39 win. Enoch Horn scored 27. Kansas State floored Oklahoma A&M, 70-54, while Cal upended Illinois, 68-58.
And that sets the stage for the regional semifinals.
So, that begs the question...is this the year of the favorite? Are there any upsets to be found in this round? The answer to that is...well, not likely, no.
In the West, Indiana and Kansas State are on a collision course. Idaho State and California are mere fodder for both. La Salle needs a near-perfect game from Timmy McSwain and Cam Perry to get past Kansas in the Midwest, and even then, they will likely fall short. Cincinnati could get past San Francisco, but it's not a likely prospect. Maybe the Bearcats are the destinic team of this year, though. So, watch that one.
Dayton could give NC State a run for its money in the South, but the Wolfpack looks like a totally different animal since they got healthy. And West Virginia, in our view, has far too much for the Dukes, and should get through to the Southern final. Bradley has too much of everything for Temple. The North Carolina/Kentucky game is, far and away, the most even matchup in this round of the bracket. That could go either way, though we believe Kentucky's experience, and offense, will see them through to the regional final.
Well over the past 2 sims I have been disappointed and am getting concerned about where USC is going to stand in the near future not only in the PCC but in the West in general.
1. Washington lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament and took a loss by the score of 80-72.
2. Cal on the other hand beats Illinois 68-58, but then loses by 3 to Kansas State 78-75.
3. San Francisco freaking beats Texas Tech, then beats Cincy, and now plays 4 seed LaSalle who beat #1 seed Kansas.
So why am I disappointed and concerned?
1. Washington losing sucks for 2 reasons. One, I like Kirk, we go back a long time, and there isn't a better guy around playing in the league. Second, USC needs Washington to overtake Cal within our league prestige wise, so that our recruiting gets easier in the State of California. I can handle Washington coming down and taking top kids from California. I cannot have another Cali school sitting on top of the throne in Cali (where my recruiting base is) and then have Washington coming down in and grabbing kids. That simply won’t work for us. If I am going to be able to jump over top some of our other teams in the PCC, Washington needs to overtake Cal. At the moment that just isn't happening. Not only has Cal shared the regular season title within the PCC, but they are going further in the NCAA tourney. Their Prestige is going to get more of a bump and my recruiting just got harder.
2. While that BS is going on within the PCC- the little KNAT that is San Francisco just won’t GO AWAY. So not only did they swipe my recruit 2 seasons ago ( Center-Vaughn Griffis) who by the way would have solved my little freaking post issue this year (can you tell I am still a little hot about this) but these little bastards have a legit shot at making the final 4, which once again give them a huge prestige bump. So, I am going to have to compete against another top team from a different conference who can swipe recruits hard all because they got a sweet draw in the NCAA tournament. Not good at all for USC, nor the rest of my conference mates for that matter. I don’t even want to think about the number of recruits that are going to start out liking them now.
The State of the PCC compared to us.
So Washington and California I have already wrote about. That leaves the rest. Both are good and don’t look to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Oregon State- Their Freshman class was no joke last year, and honestly might be the only school that can say they had a better recruiting class that USC last year. Walk, Brodie, Pastor, and Toomer are all kids that can play and will be dangerous going forward. They have made the NIT 2 years in a row and should see some prestige bumps. Looking forward to seeing how they deal with losing Salazar and Sayer in the post. Am not sad to see either of them go. They get the edge over us going forward.
Oregon- Floyd Root and Colin Dunleavy are good guys to have but they need more. I feel ok about where I am in comparison to where they are.
Idaho- Had a hell of a class for being Idaho last year. I mean they beat us in conf play this year. However, Patterson can’t be there forever (being a rising senior), and it doesn’t look like they will be able to compete with USC in the future (they just need more). I feel good about where we are in comparison to them.
Washington State- This is the squad that nobody even knows is coming. But I’m telling everybody they are. Perkins, Barham, Visser and Barbieri are a hell of a freshman class. They certainly make me nervous with the class but they need another one to keep up. They are right there though and the rest of us need to take notice.
Stanford- They didn’t have a great class last year, but they weren’t terrible either. They should be able to provide spot mins, as long as they bring in some better guys. I feel ok with where we are with respect to them at the moment. We shall see who they sign this year to see if that assessment changes.
UCLA- They finished up 9-20 this year. Not good. If they didn’t land JUCO Tyler Williamson last year, can you imagine where they might have ended up without him? I love Jean Beckner, and he might be the Freshman of the year in the PCC. Busby will be around another 3 years in the post, and while Hoffman isn’t as good as the other 2, he will be a decent pg in the future. I think they are on par with us, but I give us the edge as we have more freshman than they do.
This conf is going to be bad ass in a few years, I just hope USC is around the top of it rather than at the bottom like we are at the moment. This next class can’t get here soon enough
Yep, and they should stay pretty good for quite a few more seasons. Illinois is getting the #3, #36 & #58 recruits in this class; Iowa has the #13, #20 & #60 recruits.
Wisconsin and Northwestern are probably going to fade soon if human coaches don't grab them.
The Big Ten was thisclose to getting 4 teams in the Big Dance, but my Spartans suffered too many close losses in-conference (shakes fist at Michigan) and were the first ones out in the selection process.
I thought about taking a big 10 team over, but I wanted to try and fill up the ACC (took wake) and then I took Texas because I want to see if I can build them up to be something earlier on compared to what they did history wise.
I'm with Vince though, it would be hard switching because of the investment to the teams already. We need some more guys to join
britrock88
08-07-2015, 09:42 AM
Grumble grumble at the free throw discrepancy in UNC-Kentucky. But tossing that aside, congrats and good luck to Rob.
Vince, Pt. II
08-07-2015, 11:19 AM
I thought about taking a big 10 team over, but I wanted to try and fill up the ACC (took wake) and then I took Texas because I want to see if I can build them up to be something earlier on compared to what they did history wise.
I'm with Vince though, it would be hard switching because of the investment to the teams already. We need some more guys to join
Yeah, my original thought was ACC, but I don't want to compete with myself for recruits with Dartmouth.
Ha. Ha ha. As if that would have been a problem :)
dawgfan
08-07-2015, 04:05 PM
1. Washington losing sucks for 2 reasons. One, I like Kirk, we go back a long time, and there isn't a better guy around playing in the league. Second, USC needs Washington to overtake Cal within our league prestige wise, so that our recruiting gets easier in the State of California. I can handle Washington coming down and taking top kids from California. I cannot have another Cali school sitting on top of the throne in Cali (where my recruiting base is) and then have Washington coming down in and grabbing kids. That simply won’t work for us. If I am going to be able to jump over top some of our other teams in the PCC, Washington needs to overtake Cal. At the moment that just isn't happening. Not only has Cal shared the regular season title within the PCC, but they are going further in the NCAA tourney. Their Prestige is going to get more of a bump and my recruiting just got harder.
Thanks muns. Definitely a bummer - we had a great shot at taking the PCC this year but faded down the stretch (shakes fist at britrock and Oregon), and then another one and done in the tournament. I don't know how much was bad luck and how much was me not setting an ideal gameplan, but it hurts either way - Dean Wexler was a helluva post player, and while I've got good players returning, he's tough to replace.
I'm anxious to see how my recruits look. I think these guys will be a step up from last season's class, but I still need to do better on the recruiting trail to surpass Cal and hold off all the other rising teams in this conference. Losing local kid Dale Frank to Cal really stung - I thought he was mine after I overtook them in a recruiting sim, but Rob must not have given him a full recruiting push because they jumped back ahead of us in the next sim and I gave up. We really need 4 and 5 star kids from Washington to stay in-state and play for the Huskies. I didn't really feel like I had room for a JC transfer (would have made my roster too unbalanced between classes) so I passed on Marc Cundiff, but that was probably a mistake, and of course he too is headed to Cal.
San Fran is going to remain tough. If they were a computer team I'd feel confident of them fading, but being human-controlled I think they're going to stay strong. Our edge is the PCC being higher prestige.
britrock88
08-08-2015, 10:44 AM
Sorry 'bout that. :)
dawgfan
08-08-2015, 01:36 PM
Sorry 'bout that. :)
It's all good. Are you still planning on ditching Oregon when the PCC implodes?
dawgfan
08-08-2015, 06:10 PM
Mush - A Husky Report
1954 Review:
It was a good season for Washington. It was also a season of disappointment. The Huskies once again finished 13-3 in the PCC, won 25 games and garnered an invitation to the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately they also finished 2nd in the conference again and were bounced in the 1st round of the Big Dance again. The Huskies claimed nice wins over San Francisco, Cal, Arizona, Seattle (twice) and Oregon State. But losses to Oregon, Maryland and St. Johns proved they were not one of the elite teams of 1954. With a recent poll ranking of 11th and an RPI rank of 22nd, the Huskies should again get a prestige bump, probably to around 72 or so. But another season falling short of AD expectations means that much longer until needed coaching improvements and facilities upgrades arrive.
Team Leaders:
Points: C Dean Wexler (Sr) - 13.8, SG Daniel Fenton (So) - 12.9, SG Italo Malocco (Fr) - 9.2
Rebounds: C Dean Wexler (Sr) - 10.3, PF Joshua Lopez (Jr) - 8.3, SF Gisbert Bittes (RS-So) - 4.4
Assists: PG Ellis Murphy (Jr) - 5.8, SG Daniel Fenton (So) - 2.8, C Dean Wexler (Sr) - 1.8
Blocks: C Dean Wexler (Sr) - 2.0
Steals: SG Italo Malocco (Fr) - 1.3
Washington's biggest issue in 1954 was being good, but not quite good enough. They were 2nd in the conference in offensive and defensive efficiency, but weren't good enough in either category nationally to be a true top-10 type of team. The defense could have used another shot-blocker in the middle and/or more guys capable of getting steals. On offense there was plenty of good passing and ball-handling, but not enough isolation or jump shooting ability to fully take advantage. One clear area of strength was in defensive rebounding where they ranked 10th nationally in efficiency. More offensive rebounding would have helped with the offense numbers though.
Graduating players:
C Dean Wexler: 13.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 blks
Wexler is an excellent post player and has been a key player these past two seasons for UW. An excellent defender, good rebounder, strong inside on offense and with the strength to bang with anyone down low, he'll be very hard to replace. A touch short at 6'8", not terribly quick and lacking much of a shooting touch, he might not be a top-level NBA prospect, but he's still likely to be drafted. His season should earn him All-Conference honors and a shot at PCC PotY and All-American consideration.
C/PF Scott Campbell: 1.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.6 blks
Washington has been fortunate to have a nice collection of bigs the last two years; on many other teams Campbell would have been a starter or significant contributor. With the Huskies he was typically the 4th post player on the depth, but he provided solid play with no glaring weaknesses. He wasn't the strongest player offensively (though he had great FG% his two seasons) but could hold his own on the boards and on defense. We'll miss the quality depth he provided.
SF Brad Knuth: 1.6 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.4 stl
Knuth provided decent depth at the 3. He had strong passing and ball-handling skills and was not bad offensively and on the boards. But his perimeter defense was not great and his athleticism was a bit lacking to keep up with the high level wings out there.
Recruiting Class:
#11 WASHINGTON HUSKIES Recruiting
Name Pos Ovl Reg Pos RPos AA AS MBB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grégoire Dupretz C 44 5 10 1 No No No
Manuel Parenteau SG 111 25 18 4 No Yes No
Marquis Gray PG 41 10 9 4 Yes Yes Yes
I like this class quite a bit and feel it’s a step up from my 1954 class. But I’m not sure it’s good enough to get the Huskies to the top of the PCC. Losing Dale Frank to the Bears was a bitter blow – we need to be able to land the 4 & 5 star local kids. And while I didn’t want to pursue any JC players so as to keep my classes balanced, I have a feeling I’ll regret not recruiting Marc Cundiff (also committed to Cal).
Dupretz is the key to the class. He looks like a potential difference-maker down low, featuring sufficient height, superior athleticism and very good potential on offense, as a rebounder and as a defender. We’re uncertain what to expect as his scouted current abilities and future potential show some significant variability and our scouts are not to be trusted. But we’re optimistic he’ll be a long-term answer at the 4 or 5 spot.
Gray is a really nice get for us as a future star at PG. I love his 9.6 assists to 1.9 turnovers, and he projects as potentially a pretty good shooter. He’s got enough athleticism and projects as an above-average defender – if so, he has a good chance at winning the PG job in 1956 and being a 4-year starter.
Parenteau was the final piece, a kid that qualified at the last possible moment. He looks like he’ll be a terrific shooter and scorer for us down the road. The main question is if his defense develops as projected (color me skeptical). Worst-case he’d be a terrific scorer off the bench.
We should have the luxury of redshirting all three, but we’ll have a better idea when they get to campus and we can properly assess their abilities.
I expect this class to rank ~20th, possibly a bit higher.
1955 Preview:
Losing Wexler changes the complexion of this team. While C Francis Calhoun is a good-looking young post, he's not quite ready to provide the same impact as Wexler, at least not next year. He's a bit bigger and a little more athletic, and he should end up being very strong defensively and on the glass (particularly the offensive glass), but his offensive skills are different as he relies more on his jump shot. Next to him on the front line with be Sr. Joshua Lopez in his 2nd year as a starter. Lopez is undersized at 6'7" and not a big shot-blocker or a primary option on offense, but he's an elite defender and rebounder and that's his niche. Backing them up with be RS-Fr Burt Lingle. Lingle has good size at 6'11" and is pretty strong, but he's destined to be a career back-up as he's just OK on offense and defense and is a below-average rebounder.
Out on the wing, RS-Jr Gisbert Wittes returns for his 2nd season as a starter. The German import is a good fit at the 3 as he has just enough quickness to hold his own against the smaller guys and enough strength to bang with the bigger ones. His defense is good with a chance to be great, he’s a decent passer and ball-handler, his offense is developing and he’s not a terrible rebounder. Right now he’s a glue-guy, but by 1956 he could be a significant piece. Pressing him for playing time will be So Italo Malacco, the only 1954 recruit that didn’t redshirt. He’s more of a SG with good quickness and hops, pretty good perimeter defense and elite potential as a ball-hawk, but he’s got enough strength to not be completely embarrassed at the 3. His hands are decent and he’s got enough potential offensively to be a focus, and he was our 3rd leading scorer despite coming off the bench. An interesting option at the 3 is a walk-on, Damien Elliot. He’s a big kid at 6’9” and strong, but he’s got really good perimeter defense skills and is a very good jumper. He’s not as quick as you’d like at the 3, but his height, rebounding and inside offense could make him a match-up problem for other teams. He’s got enough post-defense skills that he’ll also back-up the 4 & 5 spots.
The leader of the team now will clearly be Jr Daniel Fenton going into his 3rd year as a starter. Fenton is a terrific all-around player with a skill set that allows him to play 1-3. He’ll likely start at the 2, but he provides us a lot of flexibility and should be our leading offensive player. He’s already on the NBA radar with 2 years to go, and could be looking at All-American honors over his last 2 seasons. Next to him this year at the point was Ellis Murphy, and the Sr. is a strong candidate to start again in 1955. He has terrific passing skills, but is a little weak (relatively speaking) as a ball-handler and not quite as quick as I’d like, though he’s an able defender. If longer shots counted for more he’d be a pretty good offensive player, but in the current rules he needs to improve his mid-range shot and ability to penetrate.
Backing up the back-court, there’s Sr. Daniel Ruth, an all-around guard. He’s not quite skilled enough with the ball to start at the PG and needs to improve on defense, but his offensive game isn’t bad. RS-Fr Wayne Toro will enter the mix after a redshirt year. He has great quickness, is a pretty good shooter and has the passing and hands to contend as a starter at PG down the road; his major weakness is his defense though, and that will be an area where he needs to improve. Also coming off of a redshirt is the final member of the 1954 class, SG Jose Park. Unheralded out of high school, he’s very athletic and has very good potential as a scorer. He doesn’t rebound at all though, and like Toro, he’ll need to improve his defense if he wants to start down the road. For now though he could provide some nice scoring punch off the bench.
How this team fares will depend a lot on how they develop in the off-season. I wouldn’t be surprised at a modest step-back – I think the talent level around the PCC is rising, and I’m not sure the returning players can improve enough to make up for the graduation of Wexler. I’m still projecting them to contend for an NCAA berth, but winning the PCC is unlikely with what Cal is returning and bringing in.
Brian Swartz
08-08-2015, 08:02 PM
Good stuff! Interesting view from the other end of the spectrum.
murrayyyyy
08-08-2015, 08:59 PM
Oregon State- Their Freshman class was no joke last year, and honestly might be the only school that can say they had a better recruiting class that USC last year. Walk, Brodie, Pastor, and Toomer are all kids that can play and will be dangerous going forward. They have made the NIT 2 years in a row and should see some prestige bumps. Looking forward to seeing how they deal with losing Salazar and Sayer in the post. Am not sad to see either of them go. They get the edge over us going forward.
Nothing to see here, just keep moving. We will be gone as soon as we level out our roster. I have a feeling this coach will never be able to use his talent properly.
dawgfan
08-09-2015, 01:35 AM
This is Sparta! - The Michigan State Report
1954 Review:
We weren’t really sure what to expect after taking over Michigan State. The roster appeared to have some talent, but a 10-19 (3-11 in conference) record in 1953 suggested some major holes, and indeed, the PG situation wasn’t ideal and there wasn’t a lot of quality depth in the backcourt. So we were pleased with the season, finishing at 23-10 (7-7 in conference) and a jump from 102nd in RPI to 31st. We came oh so close to making the NCAA Tournament and meeting our AD’s expectations in our first season, but we had to settle for the NIT where we picked up a couple of wins before falling to Rutgers. Considering the number of key injuries – starting PG Ronald Choe was lost for the season in game 2 and had to take a redshirt; starting PF Timothy Earl was lost for the season after 13 games and our best player, SG Joseph Barnes, missed 10 games during the Big Ten schedule – I’m pretty happy with how the season turned out. I would expect a nice bump to our prestige, possibly up to 59.
Team Leaders:
Points: SG Joseph Barnes (Sr) - 15.8, SF Cyril Clancy (RS-Fr) - 13.6, SG Thomas Diaz (Sr) - 13.1
Rebounds: C David Shavers (Jr) - 10.4, PF Timothy Earl (Jr) – 7.2, SF Cyril Clancy (RS-Fr) – 6.1
Assists: SG Joseph Barnes (Sr) – 4.1, PG Richie McGuire (RS-Sr) - 2.8, SG Thomas Diaz (Sr) – 2.1
Blocks: C David Shavers (Jr) – 1.8
Steals: SF Cyril Clancy (RS-Fr) - 1.2
This was a team that played off the mix of quality depth up front paired with a terrific all-around player in SG Joseph Barnes and surprising offense from backup SG Thomas Diaz. This allowed the Spartans to absorb the loss of PG Ronald Choe for the season and a general lack of strong PG play as Barnes himself frequently directed the offense. MSU played well on the offensive end, finishing 2nd to Indiana in the Big Ten in offensive efficiency, but fell to 4th in defensive efficiency as the injuries to Choe and Earl were felt here. Rebounding was generally a strength as they finished 3rd in the conference in rebounding percentage, and they were 4th in turnover percentage. In all, I think they did a good job of maximizing their strengths.
Graduating players:
SG Joseph Barnes: 15.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.1 apg
Barnes was the clear-cut MVP of the team and by far our best player. A very good shooter and with enough skill to play the PG if necessary, he also played respectable defense and wasn’t terrible on the glass. His quickness was an asset and he had enough strength, height and post defense to hold his own at the 3. He should be a shoe-in for All-Conference honors and should get some All-American consideration. While he appears to be a fringe-y NBA prospect, he’s a terrific college player and will be very tough to replace.
SG Thomas Diaz: 13.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 steals
Diaz was not a guy whose attributes jumped off the page at you, but when given playing time he proved himself an effective volume shooter and scorer, playing better than his offensive skills suggested. He possessed decent athleticism which was certainly part of his success. Offense was where he shined; his defense was just OK and he wasn’t a passer at all, though he was OK as a ball-handler. He provided the luxury of an excellent bench scorer and held his own in the starting lineup when Barnes went down.
PG Richie McGuire: 6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.8 apg
Thrust into the starting lineup when Choe went down for the year, McGuire did what he could. A touch slow for PG and not much of a defender, he also provided some needed passing skills to the starting lineup. That was about it though, as his shooting was strictly limited to long-range and he couldn’t rebound. The +/- numbers suggest he should have stayed on the bench, but there weren’t a lot of options otherwise.
C Frank Poe: 1.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.2 blocks
With a number of pretty good post players on the roster, Poe was usually the 3rd big off the bench. He wasn’t a bad player – he had some inside scoring skills and wasn’t terrible defensively, but he didn’t have ideal strength and was below-average as a rebounder. He was your basic deep reserve, a guy that wouldn’t have been a dumpster fire had he been pressed into major minutes, but not a guy you wanted to count on either.
Recruiting Class:
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS Recruiting
Name Pos Ovl Reg Pos RPos AA AS MBB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don Colletti C 59 14 13 3 No Yes Yes
Homer Wilson SF 55 15 9 3 No Yes No
Douglas Gibson PG 110 28 28 8 No No No
Brent Burchell PG 35 9 8 1 No Yes Yes
I’m pretty happy with this class – it appears at a glance to be one that fills some needs at PG, provides some quality depth at SF and adds in a potential impact C.
Colletti was perhaps a bit of a luxury for this class – MSU returns four pretty good post players, and recruiting a big-man wasn’t a requirement for this class. But Colletti was a local kid with interest in the Spartans, and he was simply too good to pass up. He’s got the size you like at 6’11”, 244 lbs and projects as a very good defender and shot-blocker and a strong rebounder. While his scouting report pins him as just OK on the offensive end, his stats suggest he may be a bit better than that.
Wilson is an interesting prospect. While he may be a bit overrated at #55 overall, he does have the potential to be a plus player offensively with above-average passing skills for a wing. With some focused conditioning I think his athleticism will really stand out and make him an ideal SF, but I’m concerned his defensive skills will be lacking.
Gibson should turn out to be the key recruit from this class, a JC kid that could step right in and fill our need at PG. I like his hands and passing, and he’s a very good shooter that should help make defenses pay for sagging inside. He also projects as somewhat above-average as a defender.
Burchell was the last to commit and long-term he’s also a key recruit, giving us a PG to take over when Gibson graduates. He appears to have excellent handles and passing skills and projects as an above-average defender. He’ll need to hit the gym hard to improve his quickness, but he’s got some good hops. His shooting percentages in H.S. were poor, but his offense projects to be respectable, especially from long-range.
We should be able to redshirt Colletti and Burchell; Gibson is in contention to start when he arrives, but we’ll see what he actually looks like when gets here. Wilson could stand to redshirt, but he might be needed to give us a true backup SF.
I could see this class ranking around 15th, possibly a bit higher.
1955 Preview:
There’s no getting around the loss of Barnes (and to a lesser extent Diaz). Barnes was the guy that held everything together with his talent on the offensive end, his passing ability and his defense (he was the best of our perimeter defenders). There’s nobody on the roster that can do what he did, so the nature of the team is going to have to change quite a bit.
That’s not to say all is lost for MSU in 1955 – far from it. They have quality and quantity in the front court, and that will become the focus of the team. At C, David Shavers returns for his Sr season and will be arguably our best player. He’s an elite rebounder, a very good defensive player and, with a good PG feeding the post, could turn out to be an OK scoring option down low. Next to him will be fellow Sr Timothy Earl. His return after missing the final 20 games of the season will be important. While he’s a bit on the short side at 6’7”, he has very good strength, is a terrific post defender and a pretty good rebounder (particularly on the offensive glass). He also should be our best option offensively in the post, and together with his proficiency on the offensive glass he may become a double-digit scorer for us. Backing them up are a couple of promising younger guys; Jr Chris Hendren got some starting experience when Earl went down and he did fairly well. He’s got some offensive skill down low and he’s a decent rebounder and post defender. His athleticism is a touch above average for the position, though he could stand to get a little stronger. RS-So Ronald Suter will also vie for time – he’s got more size at 6’10” but also needs to get stronger. He could emerge in the coming seasons as a real strong inside scorer and he’s got great potential on the offensive glass. We’ll be looking for him to improve his defense and his defensive rebounding, but with those two around we have quality depth.
A young player that emerged was Cyril Clancy. The RS-So will enter his 2nd season as a starter and does so as one of the key players we’ll be counting on to pick up the slack with Barnes gone. He’s a bigger player at the SF spot but has terrific athleticism – he’s quick, strong and has pretty good hops. He can defend the perimeter and down low and has really quick hands in the passing lane for grabbing steals. He’s raw offensively, relying on his inside game and size but he’s our leading returning scorer and #3 rebounder. He could play some at the 4 if needed, but we’re deep there and he gives us a match-up edge against most teams at the 3. His backup was Stephen Clarkson who will be a RS-Jr. He’s not highly rated, but he’s got some potential offensively if he can continue to develop and get a little quicker. He’s OK defensively, but not much of a rebounder or passer. Coming off a redshirt is RS-Fr Tony Hinman; he’s no star, but with some development he could work himself into being a useful player down the road. He’s not terrible anywhere, nor does he have any trait that really stands out.
Getting Ronald Choe back will be nice – while he’s just average as a ball-handler and passer, that qualifies him among returning players to be the PG. The redshirt he got will give him a chance to develop a bit more, and while he’s not much of a shooter, he’s very quick, a good jumper and a plus defender. He’ll either start at the 1 or provide quality backup minutes there. The starter at the SG spot could very well be a RS-Fr in Claude Younts. He’s got nice size for a wing at 6’6” and can jump out of the gym. He needs to get quicker and work on his jumper – right now he’s probably a below-average player on offense. His defense looks good and he could end up down the road as an excellent perimeter stopper. Beyond these two we’ll have to count on walk-on Tomas Vazquez to provide some back-up minutes, and with his defense that’s not ideal. It’s highly likely one (or more) of the incoming recruits will have to play this season to bolster the backcourt.
The loss of Barnes and Diaz leaves a major hole in terms of scoring and the team is front-court heavy. Team passing should improve and rebounding should become and even bigger strength, and I’d anticipate team defense improving as well. But injuries in the backcourt would be tough to overcome. I hesitate to predict improvement overall, but I think there’s enough talent for 1955 that this team should contend again for the NIT.
Heck ya. All good reads right there
The National Basketball Report, Vol 2, Issue 12: Thou Shall Not Repeat
The National Basketball Report: March 26, 1955
Where we find out things are as we thought, but not quite...
The King is dead. Long live the King.
The King is dead.
Long live the new King.
The La Salle Explorers made sure there would be no total defense of the NCAA crown this season, by knocking off the Kansas Jayhawks, 81-72. In this undoubted upset, it was not the final score that was shocking. Rather, it was the manner by which it was achieved.
The game, high-scoring from the start, saw La Salle turn a 12-8 lead at the 15:00 mark into a 33-19 lead at the 10:00 mark. The score was 48-28 at the half.
"(La Salle) could not miss," said Timofei Malakhov, who scored 22 points, with seven rebounds and six assists, in his final collegiate game. "For once, we could not keep up with an offense. It was humbling."
"We got into a rhythm, and we know what can happen when we do," said La Salle post star Timmy McSwain, who led La Salle with 20 points and eight rebounds. "We thought we could beat them. It doesn't matter what kind of trophies they have...if you don't think you can beat the person across from you, why get your shoes on?"
The Explorers (24-7) shot an outstanding 56% from the field, and an additional 25-36 from the line. Kansas (28-3) made several attempts to get back into the game. However, it seemed as though each time they would get back to within six or seven, the Explorers had an answer, whether a McSwain basket inside, or a jump shot from guard Andrew Moreno (15 points, 5-7 shooting), or a well-placed pass by William Perrotta (six points, seven assists).
That they did it without potential National Freshman of the Year, Cam Perry, is even more amazing.
Henry McNair had 15 points and 10 assists in a supporting role for Malakhov, but they got little help elsewhere. Earle Maldonaldo was 4-13 from the field, while Chris Seay had just six points on 3-8 shooting. They also committed 25 team fouls, and were out-rebounded 38-31.
"Getting outrebounded seems difficult for us, with our size," said Kansas coach Dave Keene afterwards. "You have to hand a lot of it to that other locker room. That McSwain is as good as they could.
"I will tell you, we got outhustled by that Philly team tonight. That should never happen to a Kansas team. It happened tonight."
The Explorers, now the tournament's surprise entrant into the regional finals. However, in an effort to, perhaps, pat ourselves on the back, we offer this, stated in our NCAA Preview issue:
21. La Salle
Why They Will Win: The Twin Towers, 6'10 McSwain and 6'10 Davies, are a start. Freshman Cam Perry and senior Andy Moreno forming a top-flight backcourt is another reason. Their bench, while not as talented as others, is young has has the potential to play above the beyond expectations. They are effective on both offense and defense.
Why They Won't: Nothing they do truly sticks out. They are one of those teams who, in close games, just had it go their way. They feel as though they could easily be 15-14 as they are 22-7. They could get by Louisville, but how will the Explorers navigate past Kansas? If they do, somehow, they could be the team who crashes the national semifinals.
The party-crashers will get San Francisco (28-4) in the Midwest final. They blitzed Cincinnati in the second half, forcing the Bearcats (20-11) into 41% shooting from the field, as well as 28 turnovers. Perry Wilson had 16 points.
The big story in this game, though, was the loss of super sophomore guard Stephen Ferrari. He was hit early in the game, hurting his back. He is bed-ridden, likely to miss the rest of the postseason.
"Sure, (losing Ferrari) hurts," said Dons head coach William Mays. "Losing anybody hurts. But go ask La Salle if they rolled over (when they lost Perry). There is still a locker room of young men that came here to be their best, and that's what we're going to be."
Ernie Paiz scored 16 for the Bearcats, who got further than most thought they would. That includes this publication.
In an early view of that game, it is hard to go against La Salle, given that Ferrari is out. The Explorers are far more skilled at the guard position than the Bearcats, and the Dons will have far more difficulty getting to the national semifinals without their young star. There is a chance, of course...San Francisco plays exceptional defense. But McSwain is the best big man they have played this year, and he will put an incredible strain on Wilson. If La Salle can make the San Fran Big Man work hard on the defensive end (where he excels), it will stunt their offense.
Meanwhile, it was as expected (as we expected) everywhere else. North Carolina State and West Virginia rolled to victories in the South, setting up a matchup of two of the nation's top overall teams. The Wolfpack, though, suffered a major setback. They lost backup shooting guard, Garry Sarmiento, for the rest of the postseason. This is devastating because, well, they don't have another shooting guard on the roster. Sure, junior Brady Rogers got the start in NC State's 72-62 win over Dayton (23-7), and he played fantastic, scoring 22 and registering 10 rebounds. But he is, by all accounts, a lead guard first (though he didn't register an assist). It will be up to Boyd Walley, Eddie Henry, and Angelo Parham to see the Wolfpack (29-6) through to national semifinals.
That will be difficult against the Mountaineers, even though NC State has excelled through several key injuries throughout the season. West Virginia (34-2) simply took Duquesne (25-6) behind the woodshed. They led 43-20 at the half, and held the Dukes to 41% shooting, 20 turnovers, and caused thirty fouls in the 85-56 win. Even with porous foul shooting--the two teams combined to shoot 23-43 from the not-so-charitable stripe), the Mountaineers were every bit king of this hill. Elias France scored 22, while Joe Jenkins scored 11 and nabbed 11 rebounds. They also held Duquesne's storied backcourt of Granger-Hinkley-Garrick to 22 points, on 11-30 shooting. For Granger and Garrick, it was a deflating way to end their illustrious careers, after getting to the title game a year ago. However, they were quick to praise their opponent.
"That is as tough a team as we have ever faced," said Granger. "They are quality, all the way."
In the end, even with a full side, we found difficulty in picking NC State past the Mountaineers. That feeling only strengthens with the short bench. We believe West Virginia may run away with this one, and not look back. The problem for NC State is that West Virginia thrives in both the fast and slow game. Trying to shorten the game does nothing for the Wolfpack, because the Mountaineers are so good defensively. It will take an absolute crackerjack effort by the Wolfpack to get this done.
The East, meanwhile, also went as expected. We said Bradley would out-ugly Temple, and they did just that. And we said Kentucky's experience, and offense, would see them through. Despite North Carolina taking a whopping eighty-one shots, they fell, 76-70 to the Wildcats. Murray Dodd scored 20 for Kentucky (26-5), while David Cohen scored 13 and took 16 rebounds. Kentucky gained their edge from the free throw line, where they shot 22-29. North Carolina was 8-12, which caused some grumbling out of their locker room after the game. But the proof is in the puddling. The Tar Heels played like their hair was on fire, throwing up wild shots at times. They played aggressively, especially late when they tried to get back into it. But Kentucky was too fluid on offense.
Bradley will provide a challenge Kentucky has not seen for some time, one with a well-rounded roster that can dictate the game from a defensive standpoint. This is one game in which the tempo is key. It does not favor the Bluegrassians. Bradley has been the best team to generate no conversation all season, and that is a shame. They can beat the Wildcats with their B- game, in our view, because they are that good on defense. We would expect Antonia Dabney and company to perform better, of course.
This brings us to the West, where a bittersweet result was almost sullied by two upstarts. Idaho State made Indiana work throughout, but the Hoosiers, and Enoch Horn, were eventually too much for the Bengals to handle. Indiana won in a deceivingly-close 81-77 game. The Hoosiers (32-1) led by double-digits for most of the game, before Idaho State (24-7) closed late.
That brings us to Horn. The much-discussed junior college product started slow this season, but is closing at breakneck speed. He scored 32 and registered 11 rebounds to pace Indiana. Make no mistake: This is his team now. It was always going to be, but now, it unquestionably is.
Idaho State, who probably would have been here last year had it not been for an injury to star guard Robin Revell, got 17 and eight assists from their guard. David Calvert (18-7-4) will be very difficult to replace next season, and Bengals fans have no reason to hold their head in shame. This team will be held in the annals as arguably the best team Idaho State sees for quite some time.
Indiana will get Kansas State in the regional final. This outcome was in doubt, namely, because of California. The Pacific Coast champions used a late first-half run to grab a 43-35 lead at the break. And, when Kansas State started to assert themselves in the second half, the Bears did not hibernate. Unfortunately for Cal fans, the Bears simply could not grab the lead back in the final fifteen minutes. Kansas State held it like a carrot on a string, pulling away a bit more when the Bears would get too close.
The final score, 78-75, almost seems too big.
David Gunter's 23, on 10-14 shooting, paced the Wildcats (28-3), while Kendrick Stone offered 14 and 11 rebounds. For Cal, we said that Tony Eyre would be called upon to pick up some of the scoring slack, in the wake of Manny Barnard's injury. Eyre more than answered that call, leading the way with a career-high 22. Unfortunately, he also registered four turnovers, including a couple key ones late that sealed things for Kansas State.
We said this before, and we'll say it again. It is without reason that Indiana and Kansas State shall meet here. It is an absurd result, a most unfortunate circumstance. While assumptions cannot be made, the game of college basketball would have been helped considerably by these two playing on a national stage. As it is, while the other contenders will be as worthy, it is the fans on the West Coast who will get the greatest treasure in this next round. These were, in our view, the two best teams in the country at the start of the year, and we felt that way going into the tournament. We still like Kansas State, because we're stubborn.
The truth is, neither team should be viewed as anything less than title-worthy if they lose here, and we are all better for seeing these two teams get to play each other.
We just wish it were in two games...not tomorrow.
Our final predictions:
West: Kansas State over Indiana
Midwest: La Salle over San Francisco
South: West Virginia over NC State
East: Bradley over Kentucky
(Bradley vs La Salle, WVU vs K-State in the national semifinals)
Wow, this sim was brutal, and I mean brutal.
Top dog Indiana goes down with a loss by 1 to Kansas State.
The jag offs in San Francisco won again, which gets them to the final 4. Ya know just to piss me off.
West Virginia beats NC State, and Bradley beats Kentucky.
All 3 of our top human teams goes down. I didn't see that one coming at all.
I don't see San Fran making the final so there is that to hang my hat on I guess. That would also mean for the 2nd straight year no human team won the title.
Old Giants has Rutgers in the NIT title game. Kudos to you OG.
Radii
08-09-2015, 01:28 PM
My loss to WVU wasn't a surprise, though shooting 31% from the field was pretty disappointing. The fact that all three of us lost, very, very surprising.
britrock88
08-09-2015, 01:41 PM
It's all good. Are you still planning on ditching Oregon when the PCC implodes?
It's a good question. My initial statement to that effect was in reaction to the fact that I'd be kicked out (so to speak) of a conference full of human coaches, which I like. OTOH, I like the idea of plying a trade as an Indy and trying to earn a berth in the NCAAs. I'm likely to end up doing whatever gives me the greatest opportunity to compete with peers (in a friendly way :) ) and try something novel. So I guess I'm not out the door already?
It's a good question. My initial statement to that effect was in reaction to the fact that I'd be kicked out (so to speak) of a conference full of human coaches, which I like. OTOH, I like the idea of plying a trade as an Indy and trying to earn a berth in the NCAAs. I'm likely to end up doing whatever gives me the greatest opportunity to compete with peers (in a friendly way :) ) and try something novel. So I guess I'm not out the door already?
Ya....... 53 is a blessing and a curse in that respect. You love the aspect of rewriting history, however establishing rivals, and then breaking that up kinda sucks.
Where does Oregon go? Do they become Indy? I'm guessing you will stay with them if they are even close to being what you want, because of the time spent, but I can't blame you if you do leave.
dawgfan
08-10-2015, 04:04 PM
Ya....... 53 is a blessing and a curse in that respect. You love the aspect of rewriting history, however establishing rivals, and then breaking that up kinda sucks.
Where does Oregon go? Do they become Indy? I'm guessing you will stay with them if they are even close to being what you want, because of the time spent, but I can't blame you if you do leave.
They go independent for five seasons before getting invited to join the AAWU to bring it up to 8 teams. A few years after that the conference formally changes their name to the Pac-8.
The National Basketball Report: March 31, 1955
The Game, and three other worthy contenders for the crown
For those of us who were fortunate enough to be in Pauley Pavilion, where Indiana and Kansas State battled in a game never to be forgotten, have a sense of history.
Save your ticket stub. Save your game program.
You will want them when you tell the story of how you were there for The Game.
It was fitting that the matchup between the Hoosiers and Wildcats came down to the game's final shot. It was befitting that it showed both teams showing their might: Kansas State using their depth and star power to throttle Indiana's offense at times, as they branched out to early domination. And Indiana, with their unrivaled determination, not only fighting their way back into the game, but taking a lead in the game's final minute.
And that play.
The Play.
Kansas State and Indiana fought to a near-draw in the West regional final Sunday at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The Wildcats, after watching Indiana take a one-point lead with :32 left, scored on the game's final play to win the game, and advance to the national semifinals against West Virginia.
For Kansas State, it is a chance to get to the national championship, which eluded them a year ago. For Indiana, it is another year that ends in questions.
The Wildcats took an early lead in a see-saw battle for the game's first half. Then, behind offensive rebounding and Indiana's foul trouble, the Wildcats seized control. The score, 41-28 at the half, did not feel as such. The two teams played with grace and intensity befitting a matchup of mega powers.
"We felt as though it were a two-point lead, if that," said Kansas State coach Domingo Jones, about his team's odd, precariously substantial margin at the half. "We definitely felt like we played as the better team, but not by much. We knew Indiana would never just roll over."
Kansas State used another run early in the second half to stretch the lead to fifteen, at 47-32. It was then that the Hoosiers, and Enoch Horn, began to wake up.
Horn hit a jumper, then had another, to cut the lead to 47-36. After a Jack Shankle miss, Horn scored from the right side. That made it a nine-point game, and sent the Hoosier faithful into rapture.
The two teams then traded baskets, making it 49-40. Rene Eckstein drew a foul by Erich Walton, sinking two free throws to make it 49-42. Kansas State called timeout.
That didn't stop Indiana.
After Kansas State scored out of the timeout, Indiana kept chipping away. Eventually, it got to within two, 53-51. The Wildcats then did what they do very well: clamp down on defense. Several possessions went, for both teams, without a score.
Kansas State then got a turnover by Tommy Fritts, who scored to make it 56-51. But Indiana came back and scored. Like California on Friday, they simply would not go away.
"There would never be any quit in our squad," said Horn through tears after the game.
Kansas State stretched the game back to seven on the strength of their press and trapping defense. Indiana made another run, and got the lead back to two, at 62-60. But they still could not manage to even the score.
"There is pride in denying a level," said Jones. "We tell our team that. If the other team has an opportunity to square even, deny them with everything you have."
The Wildcats kept the lead around 3-5 for a few more minutes, before Heath Williams' stole Shankle's pass. He found Earle Maldonaldo break free, and hit him for a basket. That brought it to one, 67-66.
Still, Indiana could not break through.
Kansas State responded by drawing a foul on Williams. David Gunter sank both, making it 69-66 with 3:19 left. One minute later, Horn's jumper made it 69-68.
Shankle then threw it out of bounds. On the ensuing possession, Eckstein sank a jumper.
Indiana came all the way back. With two minutes left, it was 70-69, Indiana.
Pauley Pavilion shook. A 2.1 registered on the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquakes.
"I have never, in all my years, seen any place that was that loud," said Jones. "You could feel the place rumble."
Kansas State went through their offense, a series of passing and cutting that befuddles teams often. Indiana is no ordinary team. They faced Kansas State to use all of their shot clock. With two seconds left, Kendrick Stone managed to break free on a screen. He got the ball, shot it, and sank it.
Seventy-one, seventy. Kansas State.
Horn shot on the other end. Miss. Fritts got the rebound, and tossed it quickly to Stone. Rene Eckstein, behind Stone, was able to sneak in and force a jump ball. The arrow favored Kansas State, but the message was clear.
Do not expect the next minute to proceed easily.
Sure enough, Indiana forced a bad ass, and a turnover, with forty-four seconds. The next Indiana possession will surely spark debate throughout the years to come. Do you shoot quickly, and hope to get two possessions if need be, or do you hold the ball, and try to shorten the game?
"No question, you shoot early," said Jones. "They had to. If they missed, and we get the lead to three, they're playing for multiple possessions."
With thirty-two seconds, Mikolas Mares took that shot.
He sank it.
72-71, Indiana.
Kansas State, curiously enough, did not call time. They had one left. But they ran their offense. They have the chemistry, and the experience, that one was not necessary. They ran several passes, as the clock rang down to the final seconds.
Finally, Fritts broke free, on Stone's screen. Walton found him on a curl cut.
Fritts took one dribble towards the basket, and shot it over Maldonaldo.
The clock struck zero. Some will tell you Fritts was too late, that he didn't get the shot off in time. Some will tell you the ball was already headed to the hoop. This will be a debate that will replay only in the memories of those who saw it, and those memories will be clouded with bias.
The ball rattled around the basket for eternity.
Time stood still.
Then, it fell through, into Maldonaldo's hands.
The crowd stormed the court. All of them. Nobody was quite sure who won at first. So, everyone took off. After the referees conferred, they made their judgment.
The basket was good.
Kansas State was heading back for unfinished business.
And Indiana was left holding the ball, wondering if they were handed a raw deal.
"You can't say that," said Indiana coach Kyle Kappe after the game. "All of those young men played their hearts out. One team had to win, one had to lose. In all honesty, it is fitting that it came down to the very end, and that there can be this discussion.
"We fought, and we put ourselves in a position to win. We've been 64-3 the last two seasons, and lost to the national champion a year ago. That team over there...they are definitely quality enough to raise the trophy."
Stone was named Player of the Game for Kansas State (29-3), for his 15-point, eight-round effort. Fritts scored fourteen, and added seven rebounds. Shankle, playing the point in absence of potential All-American sophomore Billy Jacob, scored 12, while David Gunter added ten points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Horn scored 24 for Indiana (32-2), while Godfrey added ten points and ten assists.
Kansas State may have won this game on the glass. They outrebounded the Hoosiers, 41-28.
"I have every confidence we will be back," said Kappe. "We have enough talent in the system, and we play well together. I think we'll return."
For Kansas State, whose run ended in the national semifinals to Duquesne a year ago, they now set their sights on another behemoth. West Virginia won the South region, defeating top seed North Carolina State, 51-43. The Wolfpack were playing short-handed, with forwards Anton Gonzlaez and Garry Sarmiento limited or out with injuries. But make no mistake, West Virginia was the better outfit.
"This was a very ugly, tense game," said NC State coach Richard Dixon afterward. "West Virginia is capable of winning the ugly contest, and they showed it today."
The Mountaineers (35-2) held the Wolfpack (29-7) to 30% shooting, and forced 17 turnovers. They controlled the rebounding, 45-38, and had 18 assists to NC State's ten.
Elias France was named Player of the Game, with 15 points, four assists, and three rebounds. John Hildebrand and Harland Crowe added ten points; Travis Eisele offered no points, but registered twelve rebounds.
For NC State, the hobbled Gonzlaez scored fifteen to lead the way. Boyd Walley scored ten, but Eddie Henry was thrown for a 2-15 shooting night. He grabbed thirteen rebounds and registered eight assists, but managed only four points.
Joining Kansas State and West Virginia as titans of the basketball industry is Bradley. The Braves, ranked in the top five all season, outpaced Kentucky, 77-74, to win the East regional. They did so in the usual Bradley way: efficient offense, draw fouls, and get turnovers.
The Wildcats, though, made it tough, and wouldn't allow the Braves to run awy with it. A two-point lead at the half, Kentucky would answer every Bradley run by the last one. In fact, the Wildcats had a one-point lead with seven minutes left.
However, Bradley turned up the defense, and Kentucky went cold. Before Kentucky could find baskets again, it was too late.
"That is one heck of a team over there," said Kentucky coach Ron Robertson Jr. "Those kids played a complete game. So did we, and they beat us. They are every bit a lion in this game."
The lion among lions is Antonia Dabney, a favorite to be the top overall pick in the professional draft in June. Dabney led all scorers with 21 points, and generated five rebounds. Robert Bohannan added sixteen off the bench to help the Braves (30-2).
David Cohen had 17 with 12 rebounds for Kentucky, who finishes their year at 26-6. Dallas Kovacs, turning into a star at center, had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Braves will play San Francisco, who ended La Salle's season, 57-45, to win the Midwest. Warren Tandy won Player of the Game despite scoring just six points and dishing four assists. It was his four steals, and harrassment of Andrew Moreno on defense, that won him the award.
"He makes opposing players very uncomfortable," said San Francisco coach William Mays. "He is a very skilled defender, and it showed today. We don't win if he does not impose his will on their guards."
Tandy will need every bit of that defense in the semifinals. Dabney awaits him.
However, he was not alone in that defensive effort, which forced La Salle to 31% shooting and ten turnovers. Perry Wilson didn't score, focusing his efforts on Explorers' star Timmy McSwain. It worked: he registered nineteen rebounds, and held McSwain to seven points (2-6 shooting) and seven rebounds.
"I knew right away, we had to stop him if we were going to have a chance," said Wilson after the game. "I was not going to let him beat me."
Wilson and Tandy set the tone on defense for the Dons (29-4). On offense, Scotty Suber and reserve Darin Armstrong scored twelve apiece.
William Perrotta was the only double-digit scorer for La Salle (24-8). He had ten.
The national semifinals are now set:
Kansas State (29-3) vs West Virginia (35-2)
Bradley (30-2) vs San Francisco (29-4)
Our predictions are clear:
Kansas State over West Virginia, in another classic. We can't stray from our preseason pick.
Bradley over San Francisco. The Braves are too much balance for the Dons.
For my sanity, San Fran got blown out by the Bradley Braves 88-43. They still end the season with a final 4 visit. Irritating to no end.
In the National Title game Bradley beat Kansas State 59-43 for their first title, and the AI's 2nd in a row.
The National Awards looked like this
1954 OVERALL AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Player of the Year:
SR SG Timofei Malakhov Kansas 19.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.8 APG 2.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR PF Curt Davis Kentucky 7.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.6 APG 0.7 SPG, 2.3 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Kyle Kappe Indiana 32 - 2 (14 - 0)
All-league 1st Team:
C SR Otokar Schulz Louisville 18.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG
PF SR Angelo Parham North Carolina State 8.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 3.8 BPG
SF SR Edward Henry North Carolina State 12.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG SR Timofei Malakhov Kansas 19.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG
PG JR Theodore Layne California 16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SR Joe Craver Vanderbilt 15.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
PF SR Rene Eckstein Indiana 6.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 3.9 BPG
SF SR Robert Ventura Holy Cross 18.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG
SG SR John Garrick Duquesne 12.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
PG JR Marcos Godfrey Indiana 10.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 7.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-league 3rd Team:
C SR Dean Wexler Washington 13.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
PF SR Les Osburn Brigham Young 15.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.5 BPG
SF SO Jessie Calvert Connecticut 14.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG JR Enoch Horn Indiana 17.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.0 BPG
PG SR Robin Revell Idaho State 13.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR Nickolas Parker Tennessee Tech 13.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.2 BPG
PF FR Curt Davis Kentucky 7.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.3 BPG
SF FR Sonny Freeman Dartmouth 15.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG
SG FR Trevor Decarlo Oklahoma City 12.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG FR Rubin Wilcher Saint Mary's 10.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
A couple of PCC boys make this list which was nice to see.
The PCC Awards
1954 PCC AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Player of the Year:
JR PG Theodore Layne California 16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.0 APG 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR SG Jean Beckner UCLA 11.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Rob Roberson California 24 - 7 (14 - 2)
All-league 1st Team:
C SR Dean Wexler Washington 13.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
PF SR Ronald Sayer Oregon State 6.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG
SF SO Tyron Crandall California 10.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG
SG SR Aldo Granados Stanford 17.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG
PG JR Theodore Layne California 16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SR Stewart Fraser Idaho 6.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.3 BPG
PF JR Joshua Lopez Washington 6.4 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.5 BPG
SF SR Tyrell Phipps Oregon 16.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
SG SR Manuel Barnard California 11.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG
PG JR Dwayne Jackson Oregon 13.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR Derek Busby UCLA 4.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG
PF FR J.C. Quiles Southern California 7.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG
SF FR Ted Walk Oregon State 6.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG
SG FR Jean Beckner UCLA 11.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG FR Fabio Pastor Oregon State 6.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
J.C. Quiles making the freshman team was nice. He will certainly help us going forward. I have no real complaints except my boy Hernando Hernandez being left off the Freshman team. Having Ted Walk replace him was shocking. The stats are below. Hernando is the top one. Somebody better be motivated next season.
G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
1954 29 29 32.3 12.0 1.8 5.8 1.8 3.7 0.49 0.6 0.2 2.8
1954 32 32 26.2 6.3 1.4 5.5 1.9 2.4 0.77 0.8 0.1 2.8
Some nice talent leaving the league, but as you can see, California has some coming right back, which puts them once again in the drivers side for the PCC crown next season.
Radii
08-11-2015, 06:45 PM
I'm gonna miss Angelo Parham and his almost 4 blocks per game.
All we do is sit back and hope our recruits come in just as advertised.
Overall I like our class. Could have been better, but we cant compete with California and Washington just yet. Still surprised we haven't bumped heads with UCLA on the recruiting trail yet. I'm sure that is bound to happen sooner rather than later though.
We needed posts and got them, and the cherry on top is a scorer that can sit next year and get better. Our talent level should be vastly improving as we haven't had much talent going out the door the past 2 years.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Recruiting
Name Pos Ovl Reg Pos RPos AA AS MBB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edmund Nelson SG 29 8 8 2 No No No
Dante Douglas C 53 12 11 2 Yes Yes Yes
Michael Fanning PF 92 17 16 2 No No No
Name Pos Ht Wt Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk To
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edmund Nelson SG 6-3 192 23.1 6.2 3.1 0.7 0.1 3.4
Dante Douglas C 6-10 227 16.0 7.7 0.9 0.9 2.5 1.7
Michael Fanning PF 6-9 202 17.7 11.0 1.0 2.3 1.5 2.4
We do graduate one guy I will miss. David could do a little bit of everything, and had to. We had no scoring, no rebounding, and no "D". I am counting on guys that red-shirted this year to pick up that slack, and of course my freshman that played this year. I think its do-able, but time will tell there. I wont lie though, we will miss David next season.
PLAYER DETAILS
#45 SG David Haynes - Southern California - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-2
Weight: 199
High School: Hollywood Senior High School
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 14 18 16 10 15 2 13 3 14 17 6 20 10 17 13
1953: 6 13 18 14 10 15 2 12 3 12 15 5 20 10 17 11
1952: 5 12 18 13 10 15 2 11 3 11 15 5 20 9 17 9
Potential: D B B A F B F B F B B D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 17
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 29 29 34.9 12.8 0.5 3.7 4.8 4.1 1.17 1.7 0.1 2.7
1954 29 29 32.3 12.0 0.3 4.2 4.2 3.8 1.10 1.6 0.3 2.5
Career 58 58 33.6 12.4 0.4 4.0 4.5 3.9 1.10 1.6 0.2 2.6
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 4.3 10.0 .436 4.1 5.0 .814 0.0 0.0 .000 1.28 1.14
1954 4.8 10.6 .456 2.3 2.7 .848 0.0 0.0 .000 1.13 -1.03
Career 4.6 10.3 .446 3.2 3.9 .826 0.0 0.0 .000 1.20 0.05
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 29 29 1012 370 14 108 138 118 48 2 79
1954 29 29 937 347 9 122 122 111 46 8 72
Career 58 58 1949 717 23 230 260 229 94 10 151
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 126 289 118 145 0 0 33
1954 140 307 67 79 0 0 -30
Career 266 596 185 224 0 0 3
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 24 2 8 8 6 2 8 12 24 10 10 0 0
Career 27 2 8 10 6 2 9 12 24 16 18 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 15
I'm gonna miss Angelo Parham and his almost 4 blocks per game.
LOL you should sir, you certainly should! Didn't you say you thought he will go down as one of your all time favorite players ever to be in any of your games?
I just looked. He was only 6'7. If that guy was bigger his blocks would have been even higher. That's something to think about right there.
dawgfan
08-12-2015, 12:01 AM
The Bear Essentials - A Brown Report
1954 Review:
New coach Howard Stone was under no illusions that he was taking over a conference contender and a team that would make the post-season. Expectations were more modest - play .500 ball (or better) in the Ivy League and in the soft out of conference schedule and shoot for 17 wins and a small bump in prestige. After a decent start that saw them sitting at 11-10 overall and 4-2 in the Ivy, things fell apart for the Bears as they went 1-8 the rest of the way to finish 12-18 (5-9) and next to last in the conference. While the roster certainly was lacking in many areas and with almost no quality depth, it also boasted two pretty good players in C Erhard Schmuck and SG/SF Dirk Long and the thought was they could provide enough solid play to make the season a modest success. It was not to be however - a serious lack of ball-handling and passing skills team-wide (no players were higher than 11 in ball-handling or 8 in passing) crippled the offense that already lacked much in the way of players that could create their own shots. Now they lose their two best players to graduation and face a drop in prestige while their conference rivals appear to be improving.
Team Leaders:
Points: SG Dirk Long (Sr) - 14.4, C Erhard Schmuck (Sr) - 9.8, PG James Marshall (Jr) - 8.0
Rebounds: C Erhard Schmuck (Sr) - 8.3, PF Mark Coons (So) - 5.2, SF Philip Smith (Sr) - 5.2
Assists: SG Dirk Long (Sr) - 2.2, PG James Marshall (Jr) - 2.0, SF Philip Smith (Sr) - 1.6
Blocks: C Erhard Schmuck (Sr) - 1.2
Steals: SG Dirk Long (Sr) - 1.1
As you can see most of the production on this team came from seniors - Long & Schmuck were the guys carrying the team, and they just didn't have enough quality help around them to meet expectations. As mentioned the offense really struggled - they were 4th in the Ivy in Offensive Efficiency, but it was a small gap between #4 and #8 while the gap from #4 to #3 was large. They were a little better on defense, ranking 3rd in the conference. But mediocre rebounding - especially on defense gave opponents too many opportunities, as did turnovers (5th in TO% in the conference). Smith was inserted into the lineup mid-season to improve rebounding (which he did), but it wasn't enough to improve team fortunes - in fact, it may have been a mistake as the Bears went 6-12 with him as a starter compared to 6-6 with him coming off the bench.
Graduating Players:
C Erhard Schmuck: 9.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.2 blocks
Schmuck was easily our most talented player, a good sized (6'9") post with the skill to start on most teams in the country. He was extremely strong, very good on defense and had good post moves and a decent jumper. His rebounding was average and he wasn't a great athlete, but he was our biggest match-up advantage. He struggled with his offense this past season, shooting just 41.6% but I have to think that was a reflection of the poor team-wide passing and the Bears having only one other decent option on offense. He'll be sorely missed.
SG Dirk Long: 14.4 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.1 steals
Long was 1A to Schmuck's 1, the only other player on the roster that would have a hope of seeing playing time on a decent team. A very good athlete who could jump out of the gym, he was a decent shooter and the only other guy on the team we could turn to for points. He was a below-average passer and rebounder, and while he was OK defending the passing lanes his perimeter defense was below-par. But he was far ahead of anyone else on the roster, and he too will be tough to replace next season.
SF Philip Smith: 5.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.6 apg
Smith is your typical depth player at the Ivy level, and at first glance we didn't give him much of a look. But he was a returning starter, and as the season progressed and our rebounding became an issue, we gave him another look and gave him a shot. A rugged wing at 6'5", 236 lbs and with decent enough athleticism for the position, he gave us an upgrade on the boards, had an OK jumper and was another guy that could grab a steal here and there. His defense wasn't that good and his passing was poor, but that was typical on this roster. This is a player we should be able to replace with little problem if our recruiting is on track.
C Jeremiah Butler: 1.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.1 blocks
Butler was a player on this team. Now he's not. This is a good thing.
Recruiting Class:
BROWN BEARS Recruiting
Name Pos Ovl Reg Pos RPos AA AS MBB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Richie Vaden C 254 48 53 10 No Yes Yes
Charles Strouse SG 604 112 120 25 No No No
Tian Lin SG 227 15 45 3 No No No
Brown is still trying to fill one final spot in the class and is in rather dire need of a PG - unfortunately all the players we've targeted this season have ended up committing to higher prestige teams, so we're scraping the barrel at this point hoping against hope to find a hidden gem. That said, I'm cautiously optimistic about the guys I have already and am almost certain they will represent a talent upgrade to the roster.
Vaden is likely the key guy so far, a 2-star post player ranked 254th. He's got nice length at 6'10" and appears to be a really good athlete for the position with decent strength and a lot more quickness and hops than your average post player. It's obviously a crapshoot whether his true ratings will match our scouting report, but I think he'll end up being an above-average Ivy league C on defense (and potentially a very good shot-blocker), a decent enough player on offense and an average rebounder.
Strouse is a guy that has the stats you like, but as a 1-star recruit ranked #604 overall you have to take those stats with a bit of skepticism. Still, he should improve the team passing, provide a nice scoring option as a wing, hopefully not embarrass himself defensively and appears to be another well above-average athlete (for the Ivy League at least). I'm intrigued to see how he turns out.
Lin is a guy I recruited off of stats and ranking - as a foreign player I simply didn't have the budget to scout him as that money had to go into recruiting him. So I really have no idea what to expect. The hope (obviously) is that the numbers are somewhat validated by his actual ability, as he looks like a pretty good offensive player that can shoot and get to the line and should be a decent ball-handler given his low TO rate. He doesn't foul much and he appears to be at least halfway decent at generating steals. He does not appear to be much of a rebounder though.
I don't have a great feel yet for how this class will compare to the rest of the conference, but I get the sense that, while it will represent a talent upgrade to the roster, it's not among the top classes in the Ivy. But it's a start.
1955 Preview:
I could try to sugar-coat things, but the reality is I think Brown is headed for a really tough season. This conference has a lot of savvy coaches that have done a great job of finding talent despite the academic restrictions on recruiting, and Brown is behind the 8-ball. Redshirting our classes appears to be the only way to get this program on solid-footing long-term, and that means no matter how good (or not) the 1955 recruiting class is, they won't provide any help next season.
The one beacon of optimism resides around the 1954 recruiting class - all three redshirted, and Brown was fortunate that the previous staff was able to land a pretty good post player in Willard Lindstrom. Like the departing Schmuck he's very strong but not much of an athlete otherwise, but projects as an above-average post defender. Better yet he appears to possess a wealth of post moves, which is good because he can't shoot a lick. He's not bad with the ball in his hands (at the very least he won't be a turnover black hole). His biggest weakness is he's not much of a rebounder, so we'll be counting on him to make up for that elsewhere. Also from that class is Roland Orcutt, a smallish (6'7", 216 lb) PF. He'll need to get stronger, but he's got the potential to be a very good defender down low and provide some decent high-post passing. He's nothing special offensively, but should end up an OK option as an upper-classman. Like Lindstrom he's a below-average rebounder, though he's got some potential on the offensive glass. Returning starter Mark Coons will be a Jr, and he will compete with Orcutt to start at PF and provide Lindstrom some backup at C. He's very strong, a decent (and improving) post defender and pretty good on the offensive glass (but terrible boxing out at the other end). He's mostly a threat on put-backs, but he's got a decent jumper.
Albert Rathbone will be a Sr, and he started off the year as a starter in a 3-guard lineup before getting replaced by Smith. He's much more of a 2 than a 3, but he's got enough strength to not be overwhelmed as a SF, though his post defense is poor. He's OK guarding the perimeter and he can connect from long range, but his jumper isn't that great nor is he much for creating his own shot or passing the ball, and he's a below-par rebounder (a troubling trend for this team). He'll get pushed by the final member of the 1954 class, Gaspard Deffresnes. He's a similar player - more of a 2 than a 3, but he'll play some SF out of necessity. He's an elite jumper, has decent potential as a perimeter defender and should be a pretty good ball-hawk. He shares a similar offensive profile to Rathbone, but he does project as at least an average passer. Like most on this roster, he's not a rebounder - at all.
James Marshall is the other returning starter, and the Sr. will again be counted on to man the PG spot. He's ultra-quick and OK defensively, but he needs to improve his passing. He's not terrible on the offensive end possessing an OK jumper, but really relies on his quicks and jumping ability to get himself looks at the basket. Cortez Ralph will also be a Sr and will compete with Marshall for the PG job and will certainly get plenty of playing time in the backcourt. He's not the athlete that Marshall is, but he's the best perimeter defender on the team and is a slightly better passer, but also a nearly complete void on the offensive end other than from long range.
And that's basically it - six players that aren't bottom of the barrel walk-on quality. The rest of the roster isn't worth discussing. Best-case scenario the team stays healthy, we get some good fortune in our training results and we can find a style of play that suits the team, but the reality is this is likely a season where we take some serious lumps. There's just not enough star talent or quality depth and major holes in terms of team rebounding and passing to overcome. This is a long-term project to get Brown in a position to contend for the Ivy League title, and we hope our AD exercises some patience.
murrayyyyy
08-12-2015, 08:32 AM
Having Ted Walk replace him was shocking. The stats are below. Hernando is the top one. Somebody better be motivated next season.
G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
1954 29 29 32.3 12.0 1.8 5.8 1.8 3.7 0.49 0.6 0.2 2.8
1954 32 32 26.2 6.3 1.4 5.5 1.9 2.4 0.77 0.8 0.1 2.8
Ted Walk has that swag... wait, it's 1956. He is a really super keen guy. I'd say the difference was Walk having a higher PPS (1.15 v .99) and a big difference in +/- (+89 v -51). Dem intangibles.
Or maybe the #177th recruit is really better than the #60 recruit. I dunno, just sayin' :cool:
Ted Walk has that swag... wait, it's 1956. He is a really super keen guy. I'd say the difference was Walk having a higher PPS (1.15 v .99) and a big difference in +/- (+89 v -51). Dem intangibles.
Or maybe the #177th recruit is really better than the #60 recruit. I dunno, just sayin' :cool:
lol, Walk is good, and actually might be better, but team stats shouldn't be used for individual awards and that's what the + - stat is. I cant help it that you had a better team and better players :)
I'm sure that's what did it though.
murrayyyyy
08-12-2015, 01:29 PM
lol, Walk is good, and actually might be better, but team stats shouldn't be used for individual awards and that's what the + - stat is. I cant help it that you had a better team and better players :)
I'm sure that's what did it though.
He's not better. I was shocked to see 2 guys make the FR team considering we don't do a lot offensively.
dawgfan
08-14-2015, 11:41 AM
Washington:
Well, the game rated our 3-man class #22 in the country. That's not bad, but considering how well the PCC is recruiting, I'll need to step it up another notch. Here's how they turned out:
PLAYER DETAILS
#23 C Grégoire Dupretz - Washington - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-9
Weight: 224
High School:
Hometown: Toulouse, France
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 7 9 9 2 5 8 8 10 7 2 9 11 9 18 6 17
Potential: C C C F D C C A C F C B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 20
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #44 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
PLAYER DETAILS
#53 SG Manuel Parenteau - Washington - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-0
Weight: 184
High School: Tumwater High School
Hometown: Tumwater, WA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 12 10 18 5 8 6 6 5 5 5 5 17 8 19 9
Potential: D B C A D C C C D C D D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 3
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated *** and #111 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Washington)
PLAYER DETAILS
#25 PG Marquis Gray - Washington - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-2
Weight: 198
High School: Brighton High School
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 5 9 9 10 10 11 9 5 8 7 6 5 19 7 10 7
Potential: D B C B C A C C C C C D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 6
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #41 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Utah)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (Utah)
1954 High School: All-American
I'm really happy with Gray - he's got a chance to be a 4-year starter for us. Dupretz didn't turn out quite as good as hoped, but he'll likely start for us down the road after some development. Parenteau I'm pretty happy with - while he's not as good at creating his own shot as I expected from his FTA and his scouting report, he has decent potential on defense, as a rebounder and with the ball. He'll need some development time, but we can afford that.
Washington jumped another 5 in prestige to land at 74. Our Lead Scout improved and our Recruiting Coordinator (Maurice Powell) got hired away to be the Head Coach at Western Michigan. He's a good coach - he should improve that program, and at age 26 he's got a great career ahead of him. We've got plenty of budget so we should be able to replace him with an equal or better recruiter. We are considering upgrading our Lead Scout too, although he's becoming a bargain for his salary and age.
Michigan State:
With 4 players signed and 3 of them top-100, the Spartans landed a class rated 10th overall. The bad news is Indiana, Illinois and Iowa had even higher rated classes (the Big Ten is quickly turning into a heck of a conference). Here's how they look:
PLAYER DETAILS
#43 C Don Colletti - Michigan State - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-11
Weight: 244
High School: Lowell Senior High School
Hometown: Lowell, MI
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 7 3 7 0 9 6 6 13 13 5 2 13 4 17 7 9
Potential: C F C F C C D B A D F A
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 13
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #59 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Michigan)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (Michigan)
PLAYER DETAILS
#51 SF Homer Wilson - Michigan State - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-4
Weight: 208
High School: Gallatin High School
Hometown: Gallatin, TN
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 8 6 9 8 9 7 11 7 6 5 8 14 9 14 5
Potential: C B D C B C C A D C D B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 9
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #55 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Tennessee)
PLAYER DETAILS
#23 PG Douglas Gibson - Michigan State - Junior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 197
High School: Upper Arlington High School
Hometown: Upper Arlington, OH
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 5 16 9 14 12 13 6 3 4 13 9 3 17 6 14 14
Potential: D B D B C B D F D B C F
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 20
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated *** and #110 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
PLAYER DETAILS
#31 PG Brent Burchell - Michigan State - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 5-10
Weight: 161
High School: Hamden High School
Hometown: Hamden, CT
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 11 7 8 14 14 10 3 6 5 10 9 4 16 7 15 17
Potential: C D D B A C F D D B B D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 9
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #35 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Connecticut)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (Connecticut)
The most important recruit is Gibson, the JC PG. He's an immediate upgrade at PG and will start for the next two seasons. We're also pretty happy with Burchell as our long-term PG. Colletti is not as good as we hoped; while he projects as a terrific defensive post, his rebounding is just OK and his offense a little below average, though he'll provide above-average passing from the high post. Wilson is intriguing - he'll get to develop the next three seasons while Cyril Clancy holds down the SF spot, and by that point Wilson could be a really good wing.
MSU gains 4 in prestige to 59, still well behind the big three of Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. No changes in our coaching staff in ability, and all three have been retained. Our recruiting budget has risen to $22,335, and with only 2 spots to fill we're hopeful we can land a couple more impact players in the 1956 class.
Brown:
It's all a matter of context with Ivy League teams; a 4-man recruiting class ranked 88th is nothing to write home about in general, but it does place the Bears 4th in the Ivy between Columbia at 45th and Cornell at 164th. Here's how they turned out:
PLAYER DETAILS
#45 C Richie Vaden - Brown - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-10
Weight: 201
High School: Stevens High School
Hometown: Claremont, NH
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 9 4 9 0 2 3 7 6 6 6 8 14 9 17 9 11
Potential: C F C F F F C C C C C A
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 19
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated ** and #254 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (New Hampshire)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (New Hampshire)
PLAYER DETAILS
#43 SG Tian Lin - Brown - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 178
High School:
Hometown: Yong'An, China
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 7 9 10 14 9 6 2 3 7 5 8 5 17 9 20 14
Potential: C C C A C C F F D D C D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 14
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated ** and #227 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
PLAYER DETAILS
#15 SG Charles Strouse - Brown - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-4
Weight: 183
High School: Frederick Douglass Academy
Hometown: New York, NY
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 8 8 7 8 6 10 6 7 5 6 2 5 17 8 19 19
Potential: D C D C D C D C D D F D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 17
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated * and #604 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
PLAYER DETAILS
#0 PG Elroy Schuman - Brown - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-4
Weight: 183
High School: Maple Lake High School
Hometown: Maple Lake, MN
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 5 8 7 7 11 10 7 2 7 5 4 5 17 5 12 11
Potential: D C C C C B C F C D F D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 14
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated * and #492 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Minnesota)
We gambled on a couple guys and it paid off. Lin we took on faith, and he comes in as our best recruit. His athleticism and offense should combine to make him a pretty good scoring option and he improves our passing and ball-handling. His weakness comes on defense and in rebounding, but we have to expect some flaws recruiting at this level. Schuman is as good as we could have hoped for given we were down to the bitter end in trying to land a PG; a 1-star ranked #492 overall, we took a flier on him without having scouted him and he's actually useful. He'll be our best passer, should be OK offensively and will end up pretty quick. Like Lin he's not much of a defender which is too bad, but beggars can't be choosers. Vaden gives us another decent young post to pair with Willard Lindstrom. He's got athletic potential, could be a very good defensive player and at least decent on the boards and as an inside scorer. He'll be a turnover machine though. Lastly, our other 1-star Strouse isn't as promising as Schuman, but his athleticism gives him a chance to be a useful player down the road if he develops.
A tough season resulted in a loss of 4 from our prestige to drop us down to 25, 2nd worst in the Ivy League. This drops our recruiting budget to just $10,581 - with 4 spots open, we may have to punt on one and focus on getting 2-3 guys given our shoestring budget.
Brian Swartz
08-15-2015, 01:34 AM
You did incredibly well this year with recruiting at Michigan State. I have to say, as the coach of Michigan, I'm a little disgusted because the two teams that I want to beat are of course the Spartans and Buckeyes. Those are also the two teams that are recruiting amazingly well beyond their station and appear to be priming themselves to pull the Big 10 up to the elite of conferences in the nation. The lay of the land changes every year, but the way it's going right now I can see getting the Wolverines semi-competitive in the conference, rising above a few teams in the cellar, but getting beat by the both of you to keep me from making the top half.
I might have to try to hate Spartans and Buckeyes even more, if that's even possible :P.
With all the Big 10 talk, I thought putting up my Michigan write-up on our recruits might be useful:
While I place a limited amount of value in the official recruiting rankings, they do show a picture of a Big 10 sharply on the rise with four out of the Top 10 classes coming from the conference. Overall the league breaks down with Indiana still very much at the top, Illinois and Iowa as the main challengers in the second tier, and Michigan State breaking away from the pack at the bottom. That leaves six scrambling for competitiveness, of which Michigan is still considered last with 46 prestige. The rising tide is indeed lifting all boats though. The numbers for the first two years show the improvement in recruiting:
In 1953 the classes ranged all the way through 155th, with only two top 10 classes and two well outside the Top 100(both Michigan schools). The median was 55th, average 57th. There were 6 5-star recruits, 4 4-star, and 10 3-star. In '54, nobody ranked worse than 90th, unfortunately that means the Wolverines are last according to the Sporting News tally(I'll get into the accuracy of that in a bit). The median was 32nd and the average 35th. Once again there were 6 5-star players, but 10 4-star and 10 3-star. In other words, the conference brought in a lot more 'very good' talent.
Last year the Big 10 had 3 teams in the Dance, but that could easily become 5-6 on a regular basis soon if this continues.
Recruiting Analysis
Michigan is disappointed overall; having the worst class this year and the second-worst last year in the conference is not a sign of good things. That is partly a PR concern though. Maloney begs to differ, just as he did last year with Beane, that this group is actually that bad. The official rankings sometimes(often? even usually??) do not tell all of the story. Minnesota is a good example, as they trumpeted 4-star F John Pelton, a solid player but somebody that seems to be highly undeserving of being ranked that highly. Overall, Michigan feels they did a little better than the Gophers: similar quality but four players instead of two and Minny is a scholarship short now along with having one of their newcomers a JC transfer. C James Gooch will help them now but in the longer run Michigan would prefer the players they brought in when aggregate contributions are considered. We also think we'll be better off than Northwestern and Purdue, and pretty competitive with Wisconsin in terms of the new talents. That would still put Michigan in about a 6th-place tie in the conference with this class, so obviously the Wolverines are not in any way satisfied with that and we definitely need to do better, but still we take exception to the narrative out there that the publications are pushing about our new players.
Here's how they look as individuals:
G William Harrison -- Offensive limitations were overlooked in terms of his potential as a defender and distributor. Unfortunately the distributor part looks like it will only be decent at best. Harrison will eventually be a very fine perimeter defender, but there is a bit of buyer's remorse here. His surprising ability to defend in the post as well may lead to him eventually getting the call as an undersized(6-3) small forward.
G Chris Strobel -- A better passer than Harrison but limited defensively. A decent shooter, which goodness knows this team needs, but he'll score only on spot-up attempts. Hopefully he'll not be needed to be more than a backup. A solid player, but that means not good enough in this conference. Another guy who we scouted as better than he is.
F Emile Patel -- Patel was expected to be the weak point of this class. Raw and yet already a pretty good athlete, he can score and defend inside but is only 6-4. Looks like he'll be an 'energy sub' kind of player.
C Ervin Sessions -- Much like Harrison, Session is good but we expected more based on what we saw of him in HS. You can't teach 7-0, 284 lbs., so that's one advantage. As of now, there are three seven-footers in the conference. Alvaro Iglesias at Indiana is the better player for sure, but not competing with the Hoosiers isn't news. Session is strong as an ox but doesn't move well at all -- hopefully there will be at least some improvement there. Should become a very good inside scorer and shot-blocker, with decent defense but won't rebound as well as you would expect for someone of his size. He won't need to do much this year unless Sandlin gets hurt, but after he graduates next year we need him to step up as the man in the middle.
Underclassmen Talent
Looking at the next few years, it's a tough battle for the Wolverines no matter how you slice it. Michigan fans can be assured though that this program is in fact in the battle. The real winners right now are the hated Ohio State Buckeyes, who have amassed a fabulous array of young talent, the first of which will begin to hit the court this season. In a couple of years, they could well be giving the 'Triple-I' a run for their money on the court. After that though, Michigan is right now in the middle tier along with Purdue and Michigan State -- but if the Spartans keep recruiting like they did this past season, they'll be up there with the best of the conference as well. Wisconsin's about a step behind, with Northwestern and Minnesota rounding out the bottom of the league in terms of future talent. The Gophers are a team to watch this year on the recruiting trail. They will be replacing five seniors, some very good players among them. They'll have a solid group to watch this season, but they really need to bring in some top talent if they want to avoid sinking in '56 and beyond.
PCC Prestige rankings since the beginning file.
As you can see we have some notable jumps in 2 years time and everybody has gone up. That's what a strong conference can and will do for you. We sit at 54 which puts us right smack in the middle of the pack. We need a big jump this year as that lead UCLA and Cali has cannot stay that way.
California 64 69 76
Oregon 42 43 49
Washington 65 69 74
UCLA 60 59 60
Washington State 42 41 43
Southern California 51 51 54
Oregon State 50 53 58
Idaho 30 32 37
Stanford 42 49 51
PCC Game Recruiting Rankings
1954 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. California PCC SF Dale Frank ***** 2 1 0 0 0
15. Oregon State PCC PG Gerald Kutz ***** 1 1 1 0 0
21. Southern California PCC SG Edmund Nelson **** 0 3 0 0 0
22. Washington PCC PG Marquis Gray **** 0 2 1 0 0
24. Stanford PCC PF Romain Dehalle **** 0 1 2 0 0
27. UCLA PCC C Daniel Nock **** 0 2 1 0 0
47. Idaho PCC PG Charles Witten **** 0 1 0 1 2
66. Oregon PCC C Joshua Sherman *** 0 0 1 1 2
84. Washington State PCC PF Scott Ribich *** 0 0 1 2 0
Don't let those ratings fool you. Yes we had a decent class, but I think some other teams brought in stronger classes than we did this year.
This is how I would rate the PCC in terms of recruiting rankings this year. Total is the points I gave based on my own methods of ranking the recruits, and ATH is athletic ability.
Total Ath
CAL 187 47.66
Washington 176.66 48.66
Stanford 174.33 47
Oregon State 173.66 39.66
USC 173.66 46.66
Washington State 171.33 44.33
UCLA 166.66 38
Idaho 165.75 42.75
Oregon 142.5 33.25
As you can see there are some decent differences between the to. I've been saying this for the past 2 years. Washington state is going to be a problem sooner rather than later. They brought in a good JUCO which the game doesn't give enough credit for. But when you add up all the attributes, they are right there in the mix.
Our Recruits
Dante comes is as expected and will get major playing time in the post this year. We have a grand total of 4 posts now, but I am thinking about redshirting our other Freshman post to help balance out the roster.
PLAYER DETAILS
#14 C Dante Douglas - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-10
Weight: 227
High School: Coolidge High School
Hometown: Coolidge, AZ
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 10 5 8 3 10 4 13 6 8 4 6 12 6 14 5 12
Potential: B D C F B D A C C F C B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 10
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #53 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Arizona)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (Arizona)
1954 High School: All-American
Michael is our other Post in this class. Not as seasoned as Dante, but wll eventually play a good bit. he is the one I am thinking about redshirting and taking a gamble with 3 posts this year to balance out the roster.
PLAYER DETAILS
#3 PF Michael Fanning - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-9
Weight: 202
High School: Atascadero High School
Hometown: Atascadero, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 8 9 12 0 9 4 14 7 7 4 8 7 6 15 8 11
Potential: C C B F C D A C C D B B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Redshirting
Academics: 10
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #92 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
Our last piece is going to get redshirted and he was our best guy from this class.
Edmund will eventually be able to score a bunch for us, but I like his height and his athletic ability. Being able to redshirt him due to a bunch of guards on the roster will eventually pay off for us.
PLAYER DETAILS
#54 SG Edmund Nelson - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 192
High School: Redlands Senior High School
Hometown: Redlands, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 12 8 10 11 4 5 10 8 8 6 5 2 18 11 18 16
Potential: A C C B D D B C C C D F
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Redshirting
Academics: 7
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #29 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
Our biggest addition this offseason however isn't a recruit. Coach Aceves coming over from Arizona to be our Coaching Assistant is huge for us. Having a 20-20 guy will help our pups develop and help us win some games this year.
I hope to have him around for a few years. Him being 69 though, Im not sure how much gas will be left in the tank.
COACH DETAILS
Richard Aceves - Coaching Assistant - Southern California
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age: 69
High School: San Juan High School
Hometown: Citrus Heights, CA
Alma Mater: Minnesota
Current Level: 7
Career Record: 35 - 25
Salary: $200,000
Recruiting: 5
Scouting: 5
Offense: 20
Defense: 20
Coaching History:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Team Position W L CW CL Postseason
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 Arizona Head Coach 19 12 8 4 Loss in NIT Round 2
1953 Arizona Head Coach 16 13 9 3 No Postseason
Awards & Achievements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No awards won.
Job Movement:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Move
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 Hired by Southern California (Assistant Coach)
1953 Hired by Arizona (Head Coach)
murrayyyyy
08-16-2015, 10:01 AM
200k for a coach? My total budget at St Joe's is only 325k.
200k for a coach? My total budget at St Joe's is only 325k.
And here I was thinking I got a steal since Radi paid 260K for his.
Honestly though, I know I am taking a huge gamble here. I take around a 20K hit in my recruiting budget, but I am hoping I can continue to recruit the way I have the past 2 years without it.... I know easier said than done right.
I think this is a good year for me to take the gamble though. All of my guys that play with be FR or SO sans 2 seniors and the young guys have been good classes in general. So if this coach sticks around for 2 years, those training camps should be worth it to me. If he doesn't stick around, and retires after this year, I might have lost out. It will be hard to replace a 20-20 coach without throwing around Radi money.
Radii
08-16-2015, 12:11 PM
And here I was thinking I got a steal since Radi paid 260K for his.
I've never paid that much for a coach before, I went a bit insane based on the issues I had last season in hiring. That said, $200-$230k isn't unusual for me at all. Of course, I place zero value in scouting so I'm also min/maxing a good bit here. I'll hire a $30k scout to be able to splurge on assistant/recruiter as needed.
You've still got $23k/mo recruiting budget, which is just about perfect I think. $25k+ always feels like a waste to me.
Brian Swartz
08-16-2015, 12:14 PM
I have to say I really don't understand why people don't place value in scouting in this game. Maybe it's different with the top recruits at a powerhouse program, but you can have 1-stars with the potential to be a good starter at a lower-tier school, or have the potential to do absolutely nothing.
Scouting is the only way you know which is which. I think it's huge.
Radii
08-16-2015, 12:34 PM
Most of my experience does come at top schools. Not NC State level of dominant recruiting, which is just silly right now, though other teams will catch up quickly in this league and there will be a lot more of us competing for the top recruits soon other than just Kentucky/Indiana/NC State or whatever... anyway. So maybe that does make a difference. Getting the "wrong" guy in the #80-#150 range isn't so bad as getting the wrong guy when you're really trying to find a diamond in the rough.
That said, the other thing for me is trusting my ability to read the scouting information and stats and make an educated guess that works out often enough for me. Some of this for me is a fallback to the old version of the game, where it was a little more obvious and I absolutely had it 100% down to a science. Its not as easy in this version, but I still find myself tending towards paying twice as much for a good recruiter and having basically no scouting instead of paying for an ok recruiter and ok scout and trusting myself to piece together what information is there to make the best guess on who to go after - combined with figuring out who I have a realistic chance of landing, which often trumps everything else anyway.
I'm not exactly shooting up the charts with Idaho or Houston right now, so I may well consider changing strategies at the lower schools later on if I need to.
dawgfan
08-16-2015, 01:49 PM
Our biggest addition this offseason however isn't a recruit. Coach Aceves coming over from Arizona to be our Coaching Assistant is huge for us. Having a 20-20 guy will help our pups develop and help us win some games this year.
...and muns throws down the gauntlet in the PCC. Here I was thinking I was doing pretty well with my 13/18 guy. I'm hopeful he's just one more season away from seeing a bump in his ratings which would make him more of a coaching bargain, but I'm probably saving too much money for my recruiting budget and should bump up my payroll.
It'll be interesting to see who Roberson decides to hire at Cal. If he's not careful, he's going to lose Burrus soon.
For fun, here's the coaching attributes and training facility totals for the PCC:
Cal:
HC: 17 13
AC:
Facilities: 15
Idaho:
HC: 9 20
AC: 6 16
Facilities: 6
Oregon:
HC: 20 9
AC: 11 20
Facilities: 11
Oregon State:
HC: 20 9
AC: 3 9
Facilities: 13
USC:
HC: 11 11
AC: 20 20
Facilities: 11
Stanford:
HC: 19 11
AC: 5 10
Facilities: 9
UCLA:
HC: 9 17
AC: 19 10
Facilities: 12
Washington:
HC: 17 17
AC: 13 18
Facilities: 14
WSU:
HC: 17 12
AC: 18 3
Facilities: 9
Pending what Cal does with their opening, I figure I'm probably still getting the most development bump, but there's also schedule to consider. My SoS last season wasn't as good as I'd hoped and I know some teams (like USC) had tougher schedules that should result in some bonus training points.
If my guy Bray doesn't get a bump in his ratings next off-season I'll have to seriously consider looking to upgrade there.
murrayyyyy
08-16-2015, 02:07 PM
...and muns throws down the gauntlet in the PCC. Here I was thinking I was doing pretty well with my 13/18 guy. I'm hopeful he's just one more season away from seeing a bump in his ratings which would make him more of a coaching bargain, but I'm probably saving too much money for my recruiting budget and should bump up my payroll.
It'll be interesting to see who Roberson decides to hire at Cal. If he's not careful, he's going to lose Burrus soon.
For fun, here's the coaching attributes and training facility totals for the PCC:
Cal:
HC: 17 13
AC:
Facilities: 15
Idaho:
HC: 9 20
AC: 6 16
Facilities: 6
Oregon:
HC: 20 9
AC: 11 20
Facilities: 11
Oregon State:
HC: 20 9
AC: 3 9
Facilities: 13
USC:
HC: 11 11
AC: 20 20
Facilities: 11
Stanford:
HC: 19 11
AC: 5 10
Facilities: 9
UCLA:
HC: 9 17
AC: 19 10
Facilities: 12
Washington:
HC: 17 17
AC: 13 18
Facilities: 14
WSU:
HC: 17 12
AC: 18 3
Facilities: 9
Pending what Cal does with their opening, I figure I'm probably still getting the most development bump, but there's also schedule to consider. My SoS last season wasn't as good as I'd hoped and I know some teams (like USC) had tougher schedules that should result in some bonus training points.
If my guy Bray doesn't get a bump in his ratings next off-season I'll have to seriously consider looking to upgrade there.
I think this shows part of the strategy of the coaching assistant. I've always thought they were more valuable to me in the recruiting part since I can use him on the cheap in recruiting with regard to international recruits. The way you guys are acting about it I guess someone's getting moved to scout and we gonna spend some of this cash on the off/def side of the ball.
dawgfan
08-16-2015, 02:59 PM
I might be wrong, but I think the coaching assistant also factors in game results a bit too. That plus the effect on training results makes them a priority for me. So I generally go hardest after coaching assistants and recruiting coordinators.
...and muns throws down the gauntlet in the PCC. Here I was thinking I was doing pretty well with my 13/18 guy. I'm hopeful he's just one more season away from seeing a bump in his ratings which would make him more of a coaching bargain, but I'm probably saving too much money for my recruiting budget and should bump up my payroll.
It'll be interesting to see who Roberson decides to hire at Cal. If he's not careful, he's going to lose Burrus soon.
For fun, here's the coaching attributes and training facility totals for the PCC:
Cal:
HC: 17 13
AC:
Facilities: 15
Idaho:
HC: 9 20
AC: 6 16
Facilities: 6
Oregon:
HC: 20 9
AC: 11 20
Facilities: 11
Oregon State:
HC: 20 9
AC: 3 9
Facilities: 13
USC:
HC: 11 11
AC: 20 20
Facilities: 11
Stanford:
HC: 19 11
AC: 5 10
Facilities: 9
UCLA:
HC: 9 17
AC: 19 10
Facilities: 12
Washington:
HC: 17 17
AC: 13 18
Facilities: 14
WSU:
HC: 17 12
AC: 18 3
Facilities: 9
Pending what Cal does with their opening, I figure I'm probably still getting the most development bump, but there's also schedule to consider. My SoS last season wasn't as good as I'd hoped and I know some teams (like USC) had tougher schedules that should result in some bonus training points.
If my guy Bray doesn't get a bump in his ratings next off-season I'll have to seriously consider looking to upgrade there.
Thanks for posting that. It was neat to see all the teams and coaches side by side
I think this shows part of the strategy of the coaching assistant. I've always thought they were more valuable to me in the recruiting part since I can use him on the cheap in recruiting with regard to international recruits. The way you guys are acting about it I guess someone's getting moved to scout and we gonna spend some of this cash on the off/def side of the ball.
I think you hit the nail on the head. We all play differently, and each of us has different strategy and thoughts about things. Its fun to see who values what and how it affects a conf.
I have to say I really don't understand why people don't place value in scouting in this game. Maybe it's different with the top recruits at a powerhouse program, but you can have 1-stars with the potential to be a good starter at a lower-tier school, or have the potential to do absolutely nothing.
Scouting is the only way you know which is which. I think it's huge.
I think what you said is very true, and it depends on the program and person.
I wanted as much recruiting cash as possible out west because there are a lot of different teams, and I wanted fall back guys scouted if my top guys weren't there. I think (and its a big I think) I have a handle on recruiting out west and since I think that, I am comfortable trying to address the OFF/DEF coach with the way the budget is for USC
Other guys (Radi clearly being one of them) have a feel for what they look for and are comfortable trying to land them based off stats and rankings and don't want to spend money on a scouting coordinator. I think Radi is playing it perfectly, as at the moment he can basically get any guy he wants recruiting wise, and it makes sense to try to develop his guys the most he can.
I personally like scouting for both big programs and small programs, but that's juts me. I try to have a balance because I get paranoid about my recruits coming in the way I think they should.
I might be wrong, but I think the coaching assistant also factors in game results a bit too. That plus the effect on training results makes them a priority for me. So I generally go hardest after coaching assistants and recruiting coordinators.
You aren't wrong, they do :)
Vince, Pt. II
08-17-2015, 12:51 AM
I expected to struggle a lot more in recruiting, mostly based on my prestige being so far below the upper echelon of the PCC; as such, I definitely paid as little as possible for my staff. Since conference prestige pretty much nullified my supposed discrepancy, I intended to rectify that this offseason...then I forgot to export for round one of hiring. We'll see who I can snag in round two, but there's not much out there that I'm really excited about anymore.
Groundhog
08-17-2015, 01:20 AM
I don't generally place a lot of emphasis on scouting either. It's handy for some attributes (per/post D), but for just about everything else I feel like I have a good handle on what their ratings should end up around based on their stats and their ranking. If a guy is a 'B' potential in one area, I live with the fact that he might be a 'C', and so forth.
Brian Swartz
08-17-2015, 03:32 AM
Thanks for the comments everyone. I guess for me I always try to play these games realistically, moreso as I get older(I'm much less of a metagamer than I used to be). In that vein, chance that a top school offers a scholarship to a player without a scouting trip playing a significant role in the evaluation: basically near zero. Therefore it's near zero for me.
I hope that rankings and stats aren't that determinative in the game, but if they are, that's my loss in the competitive sense I guess :). One of the reasons I love this league is that I feel minimal pressure to be supercompetitive.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I guess for me I always try to play these games realistically, moreso as I get older(I'm much less of a metagamer than I used to be). In that vein, chance that a top school offers a scholarship to a player without a scouting trip playing a significant role in the evaluation: basically near zero. Therefore it's near zero for me.
I hope that rankings and stats aren't that determinative in the game, but if they are, that's my loss in the competitive sense I guess :). One of the reasons I love this league is that I feel minimal pressure to be supercompetitive.
This is the way I look at it Brian, which I think makes it fun because there is strategy to it. Some guys offer blindly (AI does too) to get a jump on recruits without scouting, however, if you scout and don't offer, one of your other guys might not have an offer and might actually be better than the guy that got offered already.
On the other hand if the guy offers and the scout doesn't come back exactly what it should be, the other guy needs to make a choice. Does he drop off that recruit and basically have no shot at him again (which means he just wasted time and money) or does he keep on a kid and accept his flaws. Either way you make out in that deal. A prime example of this occurred last year with the Number 12 recruit in the nation Charles Pugsley (he didn't sign with anyone btw). His ratings weren't were they should have been and nobody really wanted him.
So ranking and stats don't always tell the entire story. Sometimes they do, but other times they don't. Groundhog said it earlier when he said he lives with a guy that should have been a B but is a C. It's about what you can accept and what you cant accept. I think you and I are similar in that respect. I can't accept that, so I scout, and rarely offer without seeing what my scout thinks of the guy.
As far as realistically goes, I have friends who are head coaches (D-2) that trust scouting service reports (they pay for them) and will offer quickly based on that report (because they want to say they offered first), and then they go see the kid in person later. There isn't a doubt in my mind that some smaller D-1's do that to get jumps as well. So if that helps :)
I'm personally having a blast in the league due to how much activity there seems to be, and because of who all is in it. I want to be good, but its not the end all be all to see Vince and Stanford, or Kirk in Washington beat up on me. I'm having fun losing all the same and being able to read your reports and everybody elses. I think we have a good thing going.
Radii
08-17-2015, 11:17 AM
Oh, I evaluate everyone, absolutely. I occasionally make offers during the 1st recruiting stage when I'm also evaluating everyone, but I consider it to be a fairly huge risk to do so. If you drop a scholarship on someone, they're done with you. So if you offer a guy w/o scouting, and he scouts out to be decent, but other guys scout better, you've got a really tough call to make. Go after the better guy and risk losing out on both, or settle for the one you chose to jump on. Ick.
So I do scout everyone, I just prioritize recruiting coordinator (get higher rated guys more easily) and coaching assitant (better development and whatever on court improvement that gives) over scouting. In real world terms, consider me an arrogant jerk of a coach who doesn't trust my scout and goes over his head all the time based on my own gut feeling about the player :)
I do rather frequently choose to recruit a guy in the 40-70 range over a top 10 or top 20 guy based on scouting + stats + the ratings/abilities I prioritize for my players. Its definitely not all blind, I just do it knowing that my scout has a wider margin for error and I make adjustments for that.
dawgfan
08-17-2015, 12:42 PM
Yeah, I agree - it's not that I don't scout players or don't value scouting. But given that even with 20/A+ scouting ability you still have some margin for error in scouting reports, I put a higher priority when it comes to coaching payroll and head coach attributes on recruiting and offense/defense. I can get a decent sense of a player's ability in the offensive categories, passing, steals and shot blocking via their stats. Where the scouting really helps is defense and athletic ability.
Groundhog
08-17-2015, 06:00 PM
I do rather frequently choose to recruit a guy in the 40-70 range over a top 10 or top 20 guy based on scouting + stats + the ratings/abilities I prioritize for my players. Its definitely not all blind, I just do it knowing that my scout has a wider margin for error and I make adjustments for that.
This is just a hunch, but it seems to me that the rankings rate athletic ability too high - at least compared with the difference it seems to make on the court. I tend to find that a lot of the guys in that 5-25 range end up being athletic but not as multi-dimensional as the guys you get in the bottom half of the top 100. It makes a big difference if you have early declarations enabled too, because a lot of these guys end up sticking around until their junior or senior years.
Radii
08-23-2015, 11:41 AM
Going back to the scouting discussion... NC State scouted more than a couple top 25 prospects in this class to have orange or yellow potential. I'm going to save my scouting info and revisit next season when actual ratings are revealed.
I did try to hire a slightly better scout. I had a 30k guy with a scouting rating of 2, I offered some scouts with ratings of like 7-8 for 40-50k, but didn't get any of them and ended up with a 40k scout rated 3 heh.
Brian Swartz
08-24-2015, 02:51 AM
I am placing less and less value in the 'color guide' as time passes. It's still useful as a general guideline, but I've been finding that the devil is in the details -- I've seen 'red' players better at their position than 'yellow' players, at least in my opinion, based on what things they were actually good at.
Vince, Pt. II
08-24-2015, 12:22 PM
I agree, though the color guideline is a good quick reference. You're not going to see many Orange future potential guys who you're excited about their future, even in a league like the Ivy.
I've got scouting info from all my recruiting classes so far (both years for Stanford and Dartmouth...most years with WAY too much money at Stanford), let me see what kind of info I can pull on them now that they're in the league. My scouts are 9 and 8, and I've had them all three season so far. I don't track coach ratings (I should, just lazy), so I can't say they've always been there.
Vince, Pt. II
08-24-2015, 12:23 PM
Speaking of tracking these things - is there an easy way to search for a player?
Radii
08-24-2015, 12:37 PM
I am placing less and less value in the 'color guide' as time passes.
Yeah when making actual decisions I have ratings I care about for each position (probably similar to everyone else, maybe with slightly different priorities on some guys, I dunno), but, in this case, a top 25 recruit scouting with orange potential is downright strange. So I'm curious if my scout is so bad that the result is essentially random, or if the guys I'm scouting as the worst ones are going to end up as the weaker of the top rated recruits and my scout is just exaggerating things to some weird extreme.
Brian Swartz
08-24-2015, 12:43 PM
In my case, a Top 25 recruit is kind of like Bigfoot: might as well not exist :). I get excited about Top 250 recruits. The landscape looks a bit different in that way.
Radii
08-24-2015, 12:45 PM
Speaking of tracking these things - is there an easy way to search for a player?
Probably the easiest way is to export player ratings (tools->text reports->Player Ratings Report) and to search through the CSV output file. In a single player league, or if you're the commish/have the commish password, you can use the "Edit Current League" option within Tools and get an alphabetized player list that way.
Radii
08-24-2015, 12:46 PM
In my case, a Top 25 recruit is kind of like Bigfoot: might as well not exist :). I get excited about Top 250 recruits. The landscape looks a bit different in that way.
I had a guy ranked something like #115 overall with Very High interest in Idaho and got pretty excited about that. I had to drop him after the first sim, he loves everyone apparently, not just me, and I can't compete. :D
Vince, Pt. II
08-24-2015, 12:55 PM
Probably the easiest way is to export player ratings (tools->text reports->Player Ratings Report) and to search through the CSV output file. In a single player league, or if you're the commish/have the commish password, you can use the "Edit Current League" option within Tools and get an alphabetized player list that way.
So if I'm not the Commish, this is going to be hunt-and-peck? Oof. That might be difficult. I should really brush up on my programming skills and just crank out something that scans the HTML so I can at least find which teams the guys I've tracked are on.
britrock88
08-24-2015, 01:15 PM
Speaking of tracking these things - is there an easy way to search for a player?
Simplest thing to do is to add them to your watch list during their recruitment. Then you can access their player cards from submenus on the head coach page.
Vince, Pt. II
08-24-2015, 01:21 PM
So THAT'S where the damned Watch List is. That is good to know.
murrayyyyy
08-24-2015, 01:22 PM
Simplest thing to do is to add them to your watch list during their recruitment. Then you can access their player cards from submenus on the head coach page.
What this guy said... It probably why I get 50 emails on guys training notes after the camp sim.
britrock88
08-24-2015, 01:31 PM
I actually add to my watch lists everyone that I offer a scholarship to (or want to but don't have the numbers to do.) I should be culling information and making some good insights by now, but I haven't made the time to do it.
Vince, Pt. II
08-24-2015, 01:38 PM
Yeah, I've been manually going to their pages and removing them from my watch list every year. Being able to click 'next' on each one is huge for that now. I add all my potential recruits to my watch list, it's how I sort them. With the huge recruiting budgets I've had for Stanford the past few seasons, I have way more people I'm keeping tabs on than my 20 person call list. So the watch list has been invaluable.
Radii
08-24-2015, 01:44 PM
Had no idea you could see your watch list on the head coach page, very neat.
britrock88
08-24-2015, 03:38 PM
Yeah, I've been manually going to their pages and removing them from my watch list every year. Being able to click 'next' on each one is huge for that now. I add all my potential recruits to my watch list, it's how I sort them. With the huge recruiting budgets I've had for Stanford the past few seasons, I have way more people I'm keeping tabs on than my 20 person call list. So the watch list has been invaluable.
What I find to be the easiest way to keep track of anyone that you've scouted or have on your call list is the "Contacted" option from the players drop-down in the recruiting screen.
Its time I dusted this stuff off again and give some updates, as we are well into the season.
The standings so far in the PCC
1955 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#6 Washington Huskies 0 0 .000 8 1 .889 40 74
Oregon Webfoots 0 0 .000 4 2 .667 8 49
Oregon State Beavers 0 0 .000 4 4 .500 50 58
Idaho Vandals 0 0 .000 4 4 .500 116 37
Washington State Cougars 0 0 .000 2 3 .400 103 43
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southern California Trojans 0 0 .000 6 2 .750 152 54
#5 California Golden Bears 0 0 .000 5 1 .833 47 76
#23 UCLA Bruins 0 0 .000 4 1 .800 36 60
Stanford Indians 0 0 .000 3 3 .500 11 51
Washington and Cal are huge favorites once again in the conf and are showing it.
I like Cal to win it this year as Washington doesn't have the depth Cal does.
Oregon State is an interesting case this year. They have the talent, but they might be one of the streakiest teams in the country this year. They will go as far as Super Senior Gordon Miskin takes them (see below). If he gets hot they can compete with anybody. If he is average or subpar in a game Oregon State is going to be in some trouble. Will be fun to see how they do this year
PLAYER DETAILS
#2 SG Gordon Miskin - Oregon State - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-2
Weight: 207
High School:
Hometown: Brisbane, Australia
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 11 12 19 20 14 6 7 10 9 15 10 5 19 8 13 14
1954: 10 11 17 19 12 5 7 9 8 13 9 5 19 8 13 13
1953: 9 10 16 18 11 5 6 8 8 12 8 4 19 8 13 12
1952: 8 10 16 17 11 4 6 8 7 11 8 4 19 7 13 12
Potential: C C A A B D C C C B C D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 10
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 31 31 28.8 11.0 1.2 3.6 2.0 1.9 1.03 1.0 0.0 2.9
1954 32 32 29.8 15.3 1.1 4.7 1.9 2.2 0.87 1.0 0.1 2.9
1955 8 8 31.6 18.8 1.5 4.6 2.3 3.0 0.75 1.4 0.1 2.6
Career 71 71 29.6 13.8 1.2 4.2 2.0 2.1 0.75 1.0 0.1 2.9
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 4.1 11.3 .362 2.8 3.5 .789 0.0 0.0 .000 0.97 3.00
1954 5.8 13.3 .432 3.8 4.4 .857 0.0 0.0 .000 1.15 3.13
1955 7.1 16.0 .445 4.5 5.0 .900 0.0 0.0 .000 1.17 3.25
Career 5.2 12.7 .407 3.4 4.1 .837 0.0 0.0 .000 1.08 3.08
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 31 31 892 340 38 113 61 59 31 1 89
1954 32 32 955 488 36 149 60 69 31 3 93
1955 8 8 253 150 12 37 18 24 11 1 21
Career 71 71 2100 978 86 299 139 152 73 5 203
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 127 351 86 109 0 0 93
1954 184 426 120 140 0 0 100
1955 57 128 36 40 0 0 26
Career 368 905 242 289 0 0 219
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 24 3 7 5 3 1 7 9 20 10 12 0 0
Career 28 4 10 5 4 1 7 12 21 12 14 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 11
As far as me and USC goes, I am beyond bummed. I thought we might have the talent to make the tourney this year. If not def the NIT. This was going to be the year we make some kind of jump and then my best post player David Clausen goes down 15 mins into the first game with a Torn Ligament. This might not have been huge if I didn't decide to Red shirt Freshman PF- Michael Fanning, but I did. I tried to get by skimpy and got burned. So we wait 34 more days till Clausen gets back (and we will wait all 34 days, none of this playing at 88% crap). He will miss the first Conf game against Washington, but will be back for the 2nd against Stanford.
PLAYER DETAILS
#12 C David Clausen - Southern California - Senior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-8
Weight: 224
High School: Alvarez High School
Hometown: Salinas, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 8 10 0 6 8 19 15 20 13 9 15 5 17 7 19
1954: 6 7 9 0 6 7 18 13 20 12 8 13 5 17 7 17
1953: 6 7 9 0 5 7 16 12 18 12 8 12 5 17 7 16
1952: 6 7 9 0 5 7 16 12 17 12 7 11 5 16 6 13
Potential: D D C F D D A B A B C B
Health: Out 34 Days: Torn Ligament
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 18
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 28 5 16.0 2.8 1.2 3.0 0.8 0.7 1.15 0.4 0.4 1.0
1954 29 29 33.6 6.9 2.9 7.8 0.9 2.0 0.47 0.7 1.3 2.6
1955 1 1 15.0 6.0 2.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 2.0 0.0
Career 58 35 24.8 4.9 2.1 5.4 0.9 1.3 0.00 0.5 0.9 1.8
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 1.2 2.8 .442 0.3 0.9 .360 0.0 0.0 .000 1.00 0.21
1954 2.7 5.3 .510 1.5 2.2 .688 0.0 0.0 .000 1.31 -1.69
1955 2.0 4.0 .500 2.0 2.0 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.50 16.00
Career 2.0 4.0 .487 0.9 1.6 .604 0.0 0.0 .000 1.21 -0.47
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 28 5 447 77 34 85 23 20 10 11 29
1954 29 29 975 200 84 227 27 58 21 37 75
1955 1 1 15 6 2 4 0 0 0 2 0
Career 58 35 1437 283 120 316 50 78 31 50 104
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1953 34 77 9 25 0 0 6
1954 78 153 44 64 0 0 -49
1955 2 4 2 2 0 0 16
Career 114 234 55 91 0 0 -27
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 6 2 4 0 0 2 0 2 4 2 2 0 0
Career 16 9 16 3 3 4 4 7 13 6 7 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 6
In the end I should be thankful he is coming back at all, but this sure was a blow to the high hopes of the season
Hope isn't totally lost however.
Freddie Nation, is quickly becoming my favorite player on this team. He can do a little bit of everything and guides us from the PG spot. I have been pleased with C-Dante Douglas coming right in as a freshman and starting for Clausen, but he needs another year before he becomes big time.
Overall, we have depth at every other spot with the exception of the post. I like how we look, and the future looks ok. Just need to get over this injury hump.
PLAYER DETAILS
#51 PG Freddie Nation - Southern California - Sophomore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-4
Weight: 219
High School: Pathway High School
Hometown: Lynwood, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 6 14 10 9 7 18 10 5 7 12 12 7 14 10 13 18
1954: 6 13 9 9 7 17 10 5 7 11 11 7 14 10 13 16
1953: 5 12 9 8 6 16 10 5 7 10 10 7 13 9 13 14
1952: 5 11 8 8 6 14 9 5 7 9 9 7 13 9 13 9
Potential: D B C C C A C D C B B D
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 16
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 24 0 6.4 1.9 0.4 1.0 1.4 1.0 1.48 0.3 0.1 0.5
1955 8 8 34.4 9.9 1.8 3.6 5.9 3.0 1.96 1.1 0.5 2.1
Career 32 8 13.4 3.9 0.8 1.6 2.5 1.5 1.96 0.5 0.2 0.9
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 0.8 1.5 .543 0.3 0.5 .615 0.0 0.0 .000 1.31 0.50
1955 4.1 8.1 .508 1.6 2.6 .619 0.0 0.0 .000 1.22 5.50
Career 1.6 3.1 .520 0.7 1.1 .618 0.0 0.0 .000 1.25 1.75
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 24 0 153 46 10 23 34 23 7 3 12
1955 8 8 275 79 14 29 47 24 9 4 17
Career 32 8 428 125 24 52 81 47 16 7 29
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 19 35 8 13 0 0 12
1955 33 65 13 21 0 0 44
Career 52 100 21 34 0 0 56
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 13 3 7 9 4 1 5 5 10 5 5 0 0
Career 13 3 7 9 4 1 6 5 10 5 5 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 2
PLAYER DETAILS
#14 C Dante Douglas - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-10
Weight: 239
High School: Coolidge High School
Hometown: Coolidge, AZ
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 11 5 8 3 11 4 15 7 9 4 7 14 6 15 6 14
1954: 10 5 8 3 10 4 13 6 8 4 6 12 6 14 5 12
Potential: B D C F B D A C C F C B
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 10
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 8 7 31.8 6.8 3.8 7.1 1.4 1.3 1.10 0.9 0.6 3.4
Career 8 7 31.8 6.8 3.8 7.1 1.4 1.3 1.10 0.9 0.6 3.4
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 2.5 5.5 .455 1.8 2.8 .636 0.0 0.0 .000 1.23 2.38
Career 2.5 5.5 .455 1.8 2.8 .636 0.0 0.0 .000 1.23 2.38
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 8 7 254 54 30 57 11 10 7 5 27
Career 8 7 254 54 30 57 11 10 7 5 27
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 20 44 14 22 0 0 19
Career 20 44 14 22 0 0 19
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 11 7 13 4 2 2 3 4 8 7 9 0 0
Career 11 7 13 4 2 2 3 4 8 7 9 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Player of the Game: 1
1954 High School: Rated **** and #53 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
1954 High School: All-State (Arizona)
1954 High School: Mr. Basketball (Arizona)
1954 High School: All-American
Our RPI is terrible because of who I scheduled. Hopefully, some of those wins against those teams jumps up 1 slot above to help us out. honestly, it might have been a mistake, however now with the injury to Clausen it works out for us. We need the wins, vs. the competition. We would be getting destroyed by half decent teams with his injury. Our rebounds and FG% are good, but we need to foul less and hold onto the ball more.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS TEAM INFO
Current Performance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Prestige: 54 Record Vs 1-50: 0-0 Poll Rank: NR
Season Record: 6-2 Record Vs 51-100: 3-1 RPI Rank: #152
Conference Record: 0-0 Record Vs 101-200: 3-1
Home Record: 1-1 Record Vs 200+: 0-0
Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points 60.6 7 93 Points 55.0 3 16 Points 5.6 4 40
O.Reb 13.8 1 18 O.Reb 11.9 8 123 O.Reb 1.9 5 45
D.Reb 21.8 8 136 D.Reb 18.6 1 4 D.Reb 3.1 2 19
Rebounds 35.5 3 53 Rebounds 30.5 4 18 Rebounds 5.0 3 27
Assists 14.4 6 56 Assists 10.8 1 7 Assists 3.6 3 18
Steals 5.0 6 87 Steals 5.3 8 76 Steals -0.3 7 82
Blocks 2.6 6 103 Blocks 1.4 1 2 Blocks 1.3 3 38
Turnovers 12.9 4 60 Turnovers 12.6 8 110 Turnovers 0.3 7 89
Fouls 17.3 5 33 Fouls 18.4 6 105 Fouls -1.1 4 54
FG% .470 3 35 FG% .424 3 36 FG% .046 2 28
FT% .623 8 147 FT% .634 3 32 FT% -.011 6 95
3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1 3P% .000 1 1
PPS 1.16 5 74 PPS 1.07 3 30 PPS .092 2 38
Adj. FG% .470 3 35 Adj. FG% .424 3 36 Adj. FG% .046 2 28
Recruiting wise for us has been good. We keep landing guys that will fit in with what I eventually want to be able to do. How that will stack up against CAL, Washington, and Oregon State (who are all out recruiting me) only time will tell. I honestly like our chances though, and I explain that in a bit.
We landed 3 guys this year. 2 posts and a guard.
First up is Center- Darrel Slone. I love that he is 6'10. He will be able to score at will in the post, and will develop into a nice shot blocker for us. He will give me 2 guy's that will be 6'10 on the roster. There are only 4 guys in this conf 6'10 or above and 2 of them are Juniors this season. Both of mine next season will be sophmore's and freshman. I like where that is heading.
RECRUIT DETAILS
#55 C Darrel Slone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-10
Weight: 236
High School: Sunray High School
Hometown: Sunray, TX
GPA: 2.87
Test Score: 1250
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 15 7 12 3 5 3 5 8 9 9 0 10 4 13 3 6
Potential: A C A F D D F C C C F A
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.1 1.7 8.6 0.5 2.3 0.22 0.4 2.4 3.3
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.9 11.0 .627 3.2 4.9 .660 0.1 0.4 .125
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #77 Overall, #12 C, Midwest Region #35 Overall, Midwest Region #7 C
High School Awards: None
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, Kansas, UCLA, Illinois
Next up is PF- Michael Ruth
Michael is smaller than I would like to put in the post. However, I quickly realized that the talent level in this years class was down. I needed another post due to my lack of depth (AGAIN) so I needed to jump on him. He can't play a lick of offense, but he can crab some boards and play some nasty defense down low. I doubt he develops into a starter, but I can see him playing some quality mins for us off the bench, and if that's the case, this defensive demon is exactly what I want.
RECRUIT DETAILS
#23 PF Michael Ruth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-8
Weight: 235
High School: Exeter High School
Hometown: Exeter, CA
GPA: 2.42
Test Score: 1140
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 5 6 13 6 3 3 14 10 11 5 13 12 7 16 8 9
Potential: D D B D D D A C C C A A
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.5 3.9 10.3 1.3 2.4 0.53 2.2 1.7 3.3
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.2 11.3 .551 2.0 2.9 .702 0.1 1.1 .095
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #64 Overall, #20 PF, West Region #10 Overall, West Region #5 PF
High School Awards: None
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, San Francisco, Washington, Oregon State, Saint
Joseph's
murrayyyyy
09-07-2015, 09:34 AM
Oregon State is an interesting case this year. They have the talent, but they might be one of the streakiest teams in the country this year. They will go as far as Super Senior Gordon Miskin takes them (see below). If he gets hot they can compete with anybody. If he is average or subpar in a game Oregon State is going to be in some trouble. Will be fun to see how they do this year
I got too cute with the offense this year. Going to try the CPU suggestion now to see how that works out but our lack of bigs is hurting the Beavers this season.If there would have been a conference tournament I think we would have had a shot but Brodie's rupture achilles from the NIT last year cost this team the season. He should be back for the Seattle/Portland games right before conference play. When he comes back we are going full 23 ft jumpers .
The 3rd guy we landed and are extremely grateful for is SG-Sanford Crabb.
I love some of my guys names on this team. (Benito Lightfoot, Freddie Nation, Hernando Hernandez and now Mr. Crabb) I am gonna go for the All Name team here shortly.
But back to Sanford. I was hoping Washington wouldn't jump on him. He was a gamble for me. He wasn't qualified right away, and I thought that Washington would rather play it safe and go after some higher quality talent. My gut was right, however, I didn't realize the higher quality that Washinton was going after was top 10 talent. God help me there, but that is another story for another time.
Sanford is another All-American coming to USC that can play some ball. He is going to be another Freddie Nation (who I love) that can do a little bit of everything, and is athletic to boot. What I like about him is that he is another bigger guard to the roster. At 6'3 he will be the smallest guy that I start at guard. The smallest guard on the roster will be 6'2, and the biggest guard will be 6'4. Hopefully, by having the biggest team in the PCC and one that will be able to compete athletically, ill be able to combat some of the better talent coming in to the CAL's and Washinton's. If it doesn't at least we have some cool names to watch out on the court.
RECRUIT DETAILS
#11 SG Sanford Crabb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 171
High School: Rainier Senior High School
Hometown: Rainier, WA
GPA: 2.30
Test Score: 990
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 9 6 9 13 6 12 7 8 7 7 14 7 17 8 16 10
Potential: C C C A A B D D C D B D
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.0 3.2 9.7 6.8 1.7 4.12 5.3 0.2 2.1
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.6 21.2 .500 2.9 4.7 .624 2.9 6.6 .432
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #51 Overall, #7 SG, West Region #8 Overall, West Region #2 SG
High School Awards: All-State, Mr. Basketball (Washington), All American
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, Washington, San Francisco, Seattle
Vince, Pt. II
09-07-2015, 09:43 AM
I am floored Crabb got qualified. I was watching him with all three of my teams...those high school stats were out of control. My scout didn't like him as much as expected, but he should be pretty great for you.
The sneaky team this year is UCLA. I say sneaky because they haven't played to anybody's expectations the past 2 years.
Senior Tyler Williamson has been a huge disappointment, however seems to have gotten it going of late. His stats are below
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
1955 5 5 30.6 17.4 0.8 4.6 3.2 3.4 0.94 1.0 0.0 3.2
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
1955 6.4 13.8 .464 4.6 6.0 .767 0.0 0.0 .000 1.26 9.00
Juco transfer Mark Lorenzo has come in and helped stabilize an offense needing some help, and actually replaced PCC Freshman of the year Jean Becker in the starting line up. So that's saying something about him.
PLAYER DETAILS
#44 SG Mark Lorenzo - UCLA - Junior
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-5
Weight: 194
High School: Pomona Senior High School
Hometown: Pomona, CA
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 7 17 13 11 14 4 10 8 12 11 5 3 15 10 14 6
1954: 6 17 13 11 14 4 10 8 12 11 5 3 15 9 14 2
Potential: D A C C B F C C C C D F
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Active Roster
Academics: 16
Stat Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 5 5 29.0 11.4 1.2 3.2 1.2 1.8 0.67 0.2 0.0 2.4
Career 5 5 29.0 11.4 1.2 3.2 1.2 1.8 0.67 0.2 0.0 2.4
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 4.6 9.6 .479 2.2 3.2 .688 0.0 0.0 .000 1.19 4.60
Career 4.6 9.6 .479 2.2 3.2 .688 0.0 0.0 .000 1.19 4.60
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 5 5 145 57 6 16 6 9 1 0 12
Career 5 5 145 57 6 16 6 9 1 0 12
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 23 48 11 16 0 0 23
Career 23 48 11 16 0 0 23
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 18 2 6 3 1 0 3 7 15 4 6 0 0
Career 18 2 6 3 1 0 3 7 15 4 6 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1954 High School: Rated **** and #86 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
And don't forget they still have Center Derick Busby who doesn't put up gaudy numbers but just comes with his lunch pail everyday and puts in work. He isn't sexy, but the former All-American and 44th ranked player in the nation boards and is a force on the Defensive side of the ball. He is averaging a steal and 2.6 blocks a game in the paint.
If they can keep up what they are doing, and with the guys that have, they might just be the team that makes it into the tourney this year as the 3rd PCC team. They have #13 Arizona State next, so that game will be telling on where the Bruins season might be heading.
I am floored Crabb got qualified. I was watching him with all three of my teams...those high school stats were out of control. My scout didn't like him as much as expected, but he should be pretty great for you.
It was a huge gamble for me. I didn't like where I stood recruiting wise and if he didn't qualify I had no idea where I would have gone. You had a lot of the guards liking you more than I did. Heck, Alvarez didn't even want to give USC a look. I was kinda in no mans land this year with USC
I am hoping Crabb and Nelson should be a nice combo for me in 2 years (in theory anyways).
I got too cute with the offense this year. Going to try the CPU suggestion now to see how that works out but our lack of bigs is hurting the Beavers this season.If there would have been a conference tournament I think we would have had a shot but Brodie's rupture achilles from the NIT last year cost this team the season. He should be back for the Seattle/Portland games right before conference play. When he comes back we are going full 23 ft jumpers .
With Brodie, you guys are certainly a different team. That was a killer.
And if anybody is Curious about what I meant about Washington and their recruiting class this year.
They land the #2, #9 (Both All-Americans) and #29 kids in the nation....... Seems like the Kentucky, NC State, Kansas and Kansas State thing with recruits is going dwindling a bit. Washington has just announced "Hello, move the heck over, cause we are going to be at this party from now on".
Not a good look for USC nor the rest of the PCC
Vince, Pt. II
09-07-2015, 11:48 AM
Kansas just swooped on top-30 recruit Timothy McHugh and took him away from Stanford, so Kansas is still a thing. And annoying.
dawgfan
09-07-2015, 01:24 PM
I am floored Crabb got qualified. I was watching him with all three of my teams...those high school stats were out of control. My scout didn't like him as much as expected, but he should be pretty great for you.
Yeah, he was far enough away with his test score I was highly skeptical he'd qualify. I loved his numbers, scouted him and put him on my call sheet at the outset figuring I'd monitor him in the unlikely case he managed to qualify. When he did the very next month I was shocked.
I don't know how much you can trust my scout, but the silver lining for me in not getting him is that his defense looks like a real weakness (same reason I bailed on the other in-state stud Steverson). Obviously the steals are terrific, but he appears to be a rather poor perimeter defender otherwise:
RECRUIT DETAILS
#11 SG Sanford Crabb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-3
Weight: 171
High School: Rainier Senior High School
Hometown: Rainier, WA
GPA: 2.30
Test Score: 990
Rating: ****
Attributes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current: 10 10 8 12 6 10 8 8 7 5 11 3 15 8 20 8
Potential: C C C C D A D B C F B F
Season Stats:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.0 3.2 9.7 6.8 1.7 4.12 5.3 0.2 2.1
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.6 21.2 .500 2.9 4.7 .624 2.9 6.6 .432
Recruiting Notes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualified: Yes
Committed to Southern California
Rankings: #51 Overall, #7 SG, West Region #8 Overall, West Region #2 SG
High School Awards: All-State, Mr. Basketball (Washington), All American
Top 5 Schools: *Southern California, Washington, San Francisco, Seattle
Defense aside, I think my scouting report is short-changing his offense and passing. I suspect he's going to make me look bad in future seasons by pouring in a ton of points on the Huskies...
dawgfan
09-07-2015, 01:27 PM
Kansas just swooped on top-30 recruit Timothy McHugh and took him away from Stanford, so Kansas is still a thing. And annoying.
Heh, I saw that. I'm glad I stuck with Scurry for MSU and didn't try to land McHugh.
Kansas is still very much a thing. They're right there with Indiana for the top class - #1, #5, #20 & #29 vs. #3, #14, #15 & #21.
dawgfan
09-07-2015, 01:32 PM
And if anybody is Curious about what I meant about Washington and their recruiting class this year.
They land the #2, #9 (Both All-Americans) and #29 kids in the nation....... Seems like the Kentucky, NC State, Kansas and Kansas State thing with recruits is going dwindling a bit. Washington has just announced "Hello, move the heck over, cause we are going to be at this party from now on".
Not a good look for USC nor the rest of the PCC
Moving up in prestige is certainly helping. I'm also getting more aggressive with my recruiting. I needed to land a top class like this because my first two classes were not measuring up to the rest of the conference. You, Cal and Oregon State were all recruiting higher rated classes, so this one is a small step toward trying to catch up.
I'm really hoping my guys can break through this season and advance past the first round in the NCAA Tourney, and hopefully that would be enough to get my coaches some improvements and prompt our AD to upgrade our training facilities.
murrayyyyy
09-07-2015, 01:52 PM
I'm really hoping my guys can break through this season and advance past the first round in the NCAA Tourney, and hopefully that would be enough to get my coaches some improvements and prompt our AD to upgrade our training facilities.
Your classes weren't that far off. Also if Oregon St. doesn't have a top 20 class this year there is nothing to worry about the following year as we have 0 juniors right now and will not have a scholarship to offer anyone in next season's recruiting.
Radii
09-07-2015, 02:55 PM
And if anybody is Curious about what I meant about Washington and their recruiting class this year.
They land the #2, #9 (Both All-Americans) and #29 kids in the nation....... Seems like the Kentucky, NC State, Kansas and Kansas State thing with recruits is going dwindling a bit. Washington has just announced "Hello, move the heck over, cause we are going to be at this party from now on".
Not a good look for USC nor the rest of the PCC
Yeah, with the top teams initially all being midwest/southeast (including indiana plus the four you mentioned), the first team or two from the west coast to put themselves in a position to land top 20 recruits from the west is going to quickly join that top tier.
murrayyyyy
09-24-2015, 08:36 AM
And if anybody is Curious about what I meant about Washington and their recruiting class this year.
They land the #2, #9 (Both All-Americans) and #29 kids in the nation....... Seems like the Kentucky, NC State, Kansas and Kansas State thing with recruits is going dwindling a bit. Washington has just announced "Hello, move the heck over, cause we are going to be at this party from now on".
Not a good look for USC nor the rest of the PCC
We didn't finish at Washington level but I'm feeling like Oregon State will end up with a top 10 class this year.
OREGON STATE BEAVERS General
Player # Pos Yr Ht Wt Sch Acd Status Hometown
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Hecht 50 C So* 6-11 268 Yes 2 OK Northglenn, CO
Jesse Lee 0 PF Sr 6-7 242 Yes 8 OK Riddle, OR
Sherwood Buller 12 PF So* 6-6 218 Yes 12 OK Wilsonville, OR
Rohan Martin 43 PF Fr 6-8 221 Yes 16 OK Ivanhoe, Australia
Arthur Brodie 3 SF So* 6-3 214 Yes 2 OK Brewster, WA
Ted Walk 41 SF So 6-6 193 Yes 18 OK Oregon City, OR
James Houck 5 SF Fr 6-5 211 Yes 5 Redshirt Sutherlin, OR
Clarence Edwards 4 SG Sr* 6-1 185 Yes 17 OK San Diego, CA
Gordon Miskin 2 SG Sr 6-2 207 Yes 10 Injured Brisbane, Australia
Fabio Pastor 10 PG So 6-1 205 Yes 2 OK Manacor, Spain
Gerald Rickard 1 PG Fr* 6-2 198 Yes 9 OK Lynden, WA
Hank Toomer 21 PG Fr* 5-9 174 Yes 7 OK Visalia, CA
Gerald Kutz 55 PG Fr 5-9 166 Yes 9 Redshirt Amity, OR
OREGON STATE BEAVERS Recruiting
Name Pos Ht Wt Rating Interest State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darnell Dagostino #61 C 6-7 220 **** Committed California
Adam Jackson #79 C 6-10 210 **** Committed Georgia
Nathanael Smith #23 PG 5-11 155 ***** Committed Texas
Dagostino is a JUCO that will start right away and with the depth at PG Smith will take a redshirt. Biggest question next season is who will play SG. It seems like Kutz (#14 recruit last year) will start at SG with Pastor still running the point.
Vince, Pt. II
09-24-2015, 11:19 AM
I'm expecting Purdue to be top ten as well, if not top five.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS Recruiting
Name Pos Ht Wt Rating Interest State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arnulfo Stokes (8) PG 6-3 204 ***** Committed Kansas
Emanuel Ferri (16) PF 6-9 249 ***** Committed Texas
Earl Noriega (27) SG 6-3 179 **** Committed Georgia
All three are likely to be starters from day one, though there's a chance Noriega redshirts - I've got three guys I like at SG, and while none have the ceiling of Noriega, at least two of them will probably be better than Noriega upon his arrival.
Vince, Pt. II
09-24-2015, 11:36 AM
Not sure how the class will be ranked since there's only two of them, but I'm pretty pleased with Stanford's class as well:
STANFORD INDIANS Recruiting
Name Pos Ht Wt Rating Interest State
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carrol Mathewson (39)PG 6-1 192 **** Committed Texas
Elian Alvarez (43)PG 6-0 199 **** Committed Arizona
With stud PG Bingham graduating and freshman recruit Mohler disappointing (4.6 points on .391 shooting in 15 minutes per game as our 8th man off the bench) we definitely needed a Point Guard. Other freshman backcourt recruit Stan Dyer has been impressive as our starting 2-guard all year, with 9.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and a .464 shooting percentage...but he's also the only other guard on the roster worth a damn after Bingham leaves. So we needed two guards out of this class. Alvarez, with his insane offensive numbers (11/A, 14/A, 13/A, 9/B per our scout) will probably start at SG over Dyer (who should make a tremendous 6th man), while Mathewson will man the point with his better passing (12/A). Mathewson struggles creating his own shot, but has phenomenal range (10/B jumpers and 16/A three pointers), and between the two incoming guards and standout redshirt freshman Erik Plant (averaging 13.7 points on .514 shooting), we should be able to keep up with any team in the nation on offense. Unfortunately, we're going to have a glaring need at Center in next year's recruiting, as behind Andreas Fontes (a senior next year) we have very little in the way of talent that can hang in the PCC. I'll probably try to see if I can find a JuCo transfer worth his salt while also recruiting a younger guy at the same time.
Vince, Pt. II
09-24-2015, 11:39 AM
Dartmouth's class...let's not talk about Dartmouth's class. I've still got two of three scholarship offers outstanding and it's March in-game. That should tell you all you need to know.
I'll probably post my recruiting journal here in long format at the end of the season.
Brian Swartz
09-24-2015, 04:19 PM
I put slightly less stock in the 'game ranking' for recruiting classes with each passing year. At this point I think it's useful as a rough guideline but not a whole lot more.
Anyway, I'll jump in here and summarize my recruiting for the year, which is done. Seems like a long time ago now, but I messed up the export for the critical second recruiting sim, and paid a price for it esp. with Harvard.
Harvard
** SG Domenic McDonald -- Terrified Vince was going to steal him again. He was nice enough not to but that's ok, UConn did it for him. Second year in a row Harvard loses out on a talented local that loved us from day one. Ahh the joys of being at the bottom of a crappy conference with a 'teacher' style coach(i.e., more Xs and Os than recruiting in the ratings).
** C Randall Reynolds(#298) -- Had a battle with Brown which we needed to win and did. Grades out terrible but our scout sucks and he's an All-Stater from UConn. G Douglas Larson was the same last year and came in Red/Yellow. I'd take that and smile. Fills a need for size.
That was the only one of the initial batch we hung on to. After that it was a scouting expedition, and after dragging the bottom of the local tributaries we came up with ...
* SG Teddy Krieger(#667) -- Scouts as a warm body but All-State in Virginia with impressive stats for someone rated so low. Hoping for a diamond in the rough but we had to have a shooting guard in this class with only one coming back.
* C Damon Jones(#526) -- Only one of the players that my scout thinks is worth a darn, which of course means he'll be a disaster. In all seriousness, scouts as a potential elite rebounder with far better handles than a one-star center has any right to have. Serviceable on defense and no range on offense, but strong and beggars can't be choosers.
Both big men are 6-8 and strong, quality size for our program. One scholarship is rolling over to the next year to give us two to shoot for. Harvard loses little the next couple of years yet, so the team is going to get better. None of these players will be stars but there's a decent chance all three of them are quality subs by the end of their careers. With the way things have gone, the only way this program is going to get a 'game-changer' is finding a one or two-star player that everyone else has ignored. In the first two years, 13 3-star players entered the Ivy. With this year included, Harvard has now brought in 2 2-stars and 10 1-stars, not a single 3 or higher. We're still going to after the 3-stars of opportunity; from a role-play standpoint if nothing else, I can't justify saying 'yep, that kid loves us, lives 50 miles away, great student, perfect attitude, but we're not going to try because I know he'll end up going somewhere else anyway.' Having said that, Coach Sorensen is very well aware that he just can't compete with even the other coaches in the Ivy for these players when Harvard is #1 and they get max effort from the first sim onwards. The Crimson program will be built with depth, balance, and getting the most out of cast-offs or never-wanted, or it won't be built at all.
Tulane
Hal Vanderhoff is my lone 'recruiting hero' coach. Tries to grab one JC a year, doesn't really have a system, just tries to plug and play with whomever he gets. Worked first year, not so much the second year, worked again this year and the results on the court have started to come around as well so the next few years should be fun.
This year's haul:
*** F Roland Phillips(#141) -- Good spot-up shooter and defender, a complementary piece rather than a star. Rated higher than we graded him so we'll see, but was still by far the best swingman option. Jumped on him a bit late and was surprised not to have any competition that I recall.
*** F Kirby Saylor(#155, JC) -- No range on offense and a little slow afoot but can do just about everything else. Handle the ball, defend in the paint, rebound, score inside, block the occasional shot, should be an impact post player. And oh my, how this team needs post players. Perimeter talent they have. So this is just what the doctor ordered it seems.
*** G Leonel Coffee(#216) -- Might be the best player in this class. Mr. Versatility. Needs to work on his body and midrange jumper, but looks like a guy who will be adequate or better at literally everything a guard needs to do on the court, and should be ready to contribute as a freshman. Tulane has a lot of 'specialist' players, having players like Saylor and Coffee that are more versatile should really help shore up weaknesses. I hope.
* C Trevor Sellers(#687) -- A lot lower in the rankings, Sellers is a project who couldn't score if his life depended on it right now. Appears to have elite potential in defensive rebounding and defensive positioning, and with plenty of perimeter scorers that's just what the doctor ordered. Very raw, esp. athletically, so he's a prime redshirt candidate.
Tulane gets a step closer to SEC competitiveness here. Not sure if we're quite there yet with losing the one decent passer on the team to graduation this offseason, but I think it's coming -- just a matter of when.
Michigan
Twas an easy year with only one recruit:
*** G Chris Pleasant (#100) -- First Top 100 recruit(barely), and it probably doesn't really count as he's the only 3-star on that list. Physically ready and lightning-quick, we grade him as a potential star and prepared to contribute right away; I noticed reports from others that are not quite as high on him so we will see what happens. We liked Scurry like everyone else but no way were we going to pry him away from the Spartans. There was a player from the Plains that I thought about who might have been better, but Pleasant is home-grown and was a virtual gimme. Bird in the hand, so to speak. A versatile player with potential turnover issues the only drawback, but it shouldn't be a severe weakness. Pleasant's the kind of player whose greatest strength is the lack of such a weakness, passing and defense look to the be the top aspects of his game but mostly he can do a little of everything.
Overall: Less than thrilled with Harvard but it shouldn't be a disaster which I guess I should be thankful for. Next year I need to try and find good talent with only two spots to fill. Tulane and Michigan both did well I think. I don't shoot for the moon like some of the other schools, and I think Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, etc. are consistently outrecruiting me in the Big Ten, so we'll see how that plays out in the long term.
dawgfan
10-04-2015, 05:48 PM
1955 Washington Huskies Review:
Heading into the season we figured on a small step back. Instead, the Huskies won their first PCC title by going 15-1 and finished the regular season 30-2 to earn a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament where they advanced beyond the first round for the first time in three seasons. That was as far as this surprising season would go however – injuries and a scrappy Vanderbilt team ended Washington’s hopes of getting back to the Final Four. Still, this season has to go down as a success. Sweeps of St. John’s, Cal, Oregon, wins over Seattle U & Idaho State and winning the Pre-Season NIT were among the highlights as the Huskies finish 31-3 and ranked 5th in the country.
Team Leaders:
Points: SG Daniel Fenton (Jr) - 13.5, SG/SF Italo Malocco (So) – 11.4, PG Ellis Murphy (Sr) - 9.9
Rebounds: PF Joshua Lopez (Sr) – 11.0, C Francis Calhoun (RS-So) - 7.3, SF Gisbert Bittes (RS-Jr) - 4.6
Assists: PG Ellis Murphy (Sr) – 6.7, SG Daniel Fenton (Jr) – 4.4, SG/SF Italo Malocco (So) - 1.7
Blocks: C Francis Calhoun (RS-So) – 0.7
Steals: SG/SF Italo Malocco (So) - 1.8
This was a relatively balanced team. Fenton led the way in scoring with help from 6th man Malocco, and was also the #2 assist man on the team. Murphy was among the national leaders in assists, finishing 6th in the country. Lopez likewise ranked 6th in the country in rebounding. Washington was among the leaders in several team categories, ranking 9th in pace of play, 7th in offensive efficiency, 6th in defensive efficiency, 12th in effective FG%, 7th in rebounding %, 5th in lowest TO % and 18th in steal %.
Graduating players:
PF Joshua Lopez: 8.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 0.7 blks
Despite being a somewhat undersized post, Lopez was very effective. An elite rebounder and post defender, he had sufficient strength and good athleticism to hold up as a PF, and had the perimeter defense skills to not get burned by stretch-4’s. He possessed sufficient post skills to take advantage of his offensive rebound opportunities and get some easy points, though he wasn’t otherwise a significant scoring option. One of his most under-rated traits was his ability to avoid fouls. A two-year starter, he was a 2nd-team All PCC pick in 1954 and he’ll be up for similar honors this season.
PG Ellis Murphy: 9.9 ppg, 6.7 apg, 1.0 steals
Murphy developed into an excellent PG for us and was a key part of our offensive efficiency and defensive effectiveness. While his ball-handling was average, he was an elite passer and he elevated the Husky offense with his court vision. He was a good perimeter defender, though not much of a ball-hawk. He possessed a good jumper, particularly from deep and ended up one of our better offensive options. He had average quickness for the position, but was a plus jumper and had the stamina for Washington’s up-tempo attack. He’s a strong candidate for all-conference honors.
PG Daniel Ruth: 2.9 ppg, 0.4 apg, 0.3 steals
Ruth didn’t have the passing or ball-handling skills to contend for a starting PG job and wasn’t quite good enough as a defender or shooter to start at the SG, but he provided nice depth in the backcourt at both spots. Washington was well-stocked at guard which limited his minutes this past season, but he could have started at many programs across the country.
PF Ernest Chong: 0.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.5 apg
Chong was the kind of scrappy walk-on every program could use. He possessed decent defensive skills, was a better than average rebounder and had some post moves. He also was a terrific high-post passer. What he lacked was size – at just 6’5”, he could get overwhelmed by the bigger posts around the conference.
Recruiting Class:
#5 WASHINGTON HUSKIES Recruiting
Name Pos Ovl Reg Pos RPos AA AS MBB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monroe Willman PF 9 1 2 1 Yes Yes Yes
Jess Johnson SF 2 1 1 1 Yes Yes Yes
Woodrow Shelley SG 29 4 5 1 No No No
This is an exciting class for Washington – not just because of the talent of the incoming players, but the fact that the Huskies were able to pull as many highly-rated kids as they did. It’s an encouraging sign that we’ll be able to bring in the kind of talent that will allow us to stay near the top of the PCC and continue to contend for NCAA Tournament berths.
Willman is an interesting recruit. He’s an undersized post at 6’7”, 208 lbs, but he brings a lot of skill to the table. He’s already got sufficient strength to hold up down low and should improve with development; he also appears to have good quickness, and his defensive potential suggests he could be average to above-average both defending the post and the perimeter, so he’s got the ability to play both forward spots. He projects as an elite rebounder, an above-average passer and appears to have advanced post moves on the offensive end. Washington was able to fend off Cal for his signature.
Johnson is the highest-rated recruit we’ve signed yet. He’s another versatile forward prospect at 6’8”, 212 lbs. His athleticism is less developed than Willman, but he’s got the combination of quickness, strength and jumping ability that should allow him to play both the 3 and the 4. He appears to have adequate defensive skills across the board including plus ball-hawking ability. He’s an average to above-average ball-handler and passer. On the offensive end he’s got some ability to create his own shot and a decent jumper (and very good from deep). Washington beat out Cincinnati to land him.
Shelley was the highest-rated and most impressive of a trio of in-state recruits this season and we targeted him right off the bat. A terrific scorer and shooter (24.9 ppg, 60.7% FG), he shows excellent potential as a penetrator and jump shooter and has elite athleticism. He also shows very good potential as a perimeter defender and should develop into a plus passer. While the Huskies have loaded up on a lot of talented wings, it’s quite possible that he could redshirt and then end up as a 4-year starter at SG after Fenton graduates.
Washington has sufficient quality depth that we can likely afford to redshirt all three players, but there’s a chance Willman or Johnson is good enough right off the bat to work their way into significant minutes in the front court.
I would guess this class will rank in the top-5.
1956 Preview:
Washington loses two significant pieces with the graduation of Lopez and Murphy. Lopez brought outstanding rebounding ability while Murphy was a fantastic passer, and both were terrific defensive players. Both will be difficult to replace.
C Francis Calhoun returns for his RS-Jr season and his 2nd year as a starter. He brings a lot of talent to the table and will be a key player. He’s got good size at 6’9”, 262 lbs, good strength and above-average hops for a post. He’s already a good defender down low with elite potential and can also hold his own on the perimeter. He’s a terrific offensive rebounder and improving on the defensive glass – with Lopez gone he’ll be counted on to step up this aspect of his game. On the offensive end he can stretch a defense with a good jumper. Burt Lingle saw his first action this season coming off his redshirt year and acquitted himself nicely. At 6’11”, 248 lbs he’s the biggest player on the roster and among our strongest. While his post defense and rebounding is just average, his height appears to give him a bit of an edge. His offensive game is still developing, but he’s got the potential to be a decent option. Joining the mix off his redshirt year is Gregoire Depretz. He’s got more potential as a rebounder and could be a bit better defensively, particularly as a shot-blocker. He’s got similar offensive potential but is a bit more advanced and he’s got better passing skills. He’s got decent size at 6’9”, 224 lbs, good strength and nice athleticism. He’s probably got the edge at this point to start alongside Calhoun.
Out on the wing, RS-Sr Gisbert Wittes returns for his 3rd season as a starter. He brings a solid all-around mix of skills to the SF job; he’s got enough quickness to not be embarrassed by faster wings and plenty of strength to bang down in the post with the bigger 3’s. He’s a very good defender both in the post and on the perimeter, has some ball-hawking skills and is an adequate rebounder. On the offensive end he’s improving and does a decent job of creating his own shot and an OK jumper, and he’s also pretty good with the ball in his hands. RS-So Jose Park saw his first action this past season and showed off his offensive skills, finishing 3rd on the team in points per minute. He’s already the most well-rounded offensive threat on the team with an ability to get to the hoop and a pretty good jump shot. He’s reasonably quick and strong for a wing and can jump out of the gym. Where he needs to improve is on the defensive end, and he’s basically a non-factor on the boards. Damien Elliott (RS-Jr) is an intriguing walk-on that has the size and strength to play both post positions, but has the perimeter defensive skills to also see some time at the 3. He’ll get some opportunities at the 4 & 5 but needs to improve his post defense. He’s got the jump shot to stretch opposing bigs and is an adequate rebounder.
This will be Sr Daniel Fenton’s team. He’ll enter his 4th season as a starter and remains the most talented player on the roster with a certain NBA future. He’s a very well-rounded player with very few weaknesses. A very athletic player with surprising strength for a guard, he’s an equally adept defender up high or down low and can generate some steals. He’s got the ball-handling and passing skills to be a very good PG (and that will likely be his pro position), but he’s also our best shooter (by far) and an improving ability to get to the basket. Fenton is a terrific all-around player with a skill set that allows him to play 1-3. He’ll likely start at the 2, but he provides us a lot of flexibility and should be our leading offensive player. A good bet to start alongside him will be Marquis Gray, a very talented PG coming off his redshirt season. He’s ultra-quick and has elite passing potential. His defense is improving but needs to continue to get better. He’s got a developing jumper that should become a weapon in another season or two. Another option will be to slide Fenton over to PG and move super-sub Italo Malocco (Jr) into the starting lineup at SG. Malocco was our 2nd leading scorer and best ball-hawk. He’s a very good defender with plus athleticism and has seen some time at the 3, though his post defense isn’t very good. He’s a decent passer, and while his offensive skills aren’t eye-popping, his quickness, jumping ability and strength make him a real threat as a scorer. Another strong scoring option could be Manuel Parenteau, the final member of the 1955 class coming off his redshirt. He’s got a very good jumper already and combines terrific quickness with elite hops which should help him find open looks. He projects as an adequate rebounder and passer. He’s got some work to do on the defensive end, but if he develops as expected he should end up at least an average perimeter defender. The crowded backcourt also boasts another PG candidate in RS-So Wayne Toro. He’s a good ball-handler and a fair passer with exceptional quickness. He’s got a very good jumper as well (particularly from long-range). Like Parenteau and Parks, he needs to continue developing his defense; as of right now he’s below-par which will limit his minutes.
The Huskies are likely to take a bit of a step back. The 1955 team was particularly good defensively and on the boards – both of these areas will take a hit with the graduation of Lopez and Murphy, and team passing will take a small step back as well. That might be counteracted by improving shooting and post skills, so the offense might not decline. The Huskies should generate more steals and blocked shots and should be more athletic. They boast quite a bit of backcourt depth, but injuries in the front court could be trouble. I would expect that Washington should again be a strong contender in the PCC, though the conference is improving rapidly and I expect a tough race for the NCAA auto-bid. This is a team that should win 20+ and earn another NCAA bid even if they miss out on being PCC champs.
This year was rough as I had speaking engagements on other college campus this past month, so I wasn't as able to keep up with this. Memorizing speeches takes a while for me to do as I hate using note cards.
So lets try to play catch up as the season as ended.
USC finished the season with their best record to date at 17-13 and 8-8 in the brutal PCC. We made the NIT for our first post season berth ever, but lost in the first round game to a scrappy Sienna team.
Washington basically ran the tables this past year and had a hell of a season taking home the PCC crown and advancing into the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney this year.
CAL had another Cal like season and also made the tourney however just wasn't the usual Cal squad.
Oregon got hosed, and I mean just mind blowingingly screwed for the NCAA tourney this year. I remember looking at the numbers and wondering how they got jobbed so bad. They should have been the third team into the NCAA this past year.
Other than those teams and Idaho the rest of us did ok for various different reasons.
This conf overall brought in some more talent recruiting wise and this is the year I believe that we start to see the fruits of all of our hard working staffs comes to bear with our own recruits being juniors on all our squads.
Recruiting looks like this ranked by FBB.
1955 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Washington PCC SF Jess Johnson ***** 2 1 0 0 0
8. California PCC PF Willie Legault ***** 1 1 2 0 0
10. Oregon State PCC PG Nathanael Smith ***** 1 2 0 0 0
18. Southern California PCC SG Sanford Crabb **** 0 3 0 0 0
24. UCLA PCC SG Rusty Jardine **** 0 2 1 0 0
29. Stanford PCC PG Carrol Mathewson **** 0 2 0 0 0
38. Oregon PCC PG Joshua Azure *** 0 0 3 0 0
49. Idaho PCC PG John Wagoner **** 0 1 2 0 0
85. Washington State PCC PF Prince Brown *** 0 0 2 0 0
Washington take a huge jump forward in what they brought in. All 3 guys are going to be studs and its going to be hard for the rest of us to keep up with that. Just speaking for my own USC squad, I have no idea how we are going to be able to come close to putting the same type of talent on the floor unless we are able to recruit better, and without us winning soon, we aren't going to be able to do it.
Cal- I'm not impressed with Cal's class at all. They don't have the 2nd best class in the PCC no matter what the game says. If Cal didn't get the gift of a walk on Charles Puglsey 2 years ago, they would be in some major trouble post wise this year and next. Should be real interesting to see if they start to decline as the rest of the conf might be catching up talent wise with them.
Oregon State- This is the team that I believe will make a major move this year, and they brought in a nice class. I think hands down the 2nd best in the conf. Nathanial smith should be a nice PG for them even though I personally hate that he is under 6'0. I don't think it will be an issue for him though if all he does is be the passing PG he could easily be.
USC- We had an ok class. but I have already talked about my guys earlier on in this thread. 2 post players in this class should help stabilize my roster next year. Both will redshirt, and the prize for my class was Sanford Crabb who will do a little bit of everything, not not as well as I would have hoped.
UCLA-Not a huge fan of their class either, but Jardine is an interesting guy to keep a watch on. He will be able to shoot it with anybody in the conf. Grayson will be a solid option at PG for them.
Stanford- I love Elian Alvarez and he is the prize of their class. He will eventually be able to do it all for them and is a guy this conf will be hearing about for the next 4 years. Mathewson will be another shooter, and will be able to handle the ball for them. He projects to be another good guard in the conf and one that should help standford win some games.
Oregon- Bradly Lippert. Hell of a Juco find. Other than him, blahhh
Idaho- John Wagoner was a huge get for them. While he wont be able to do it all in the PCC on this squad, he would have easily been a starter for anyone else in the conf in a year or 2. Huge huge get here.
Washington State- I have no idea why they were last. Odell Groth here honestly might be the 2nd or 3rd best projected post player in the entire PCC class. That alone should have them last in the PCC recruiting standings. I keep talking about State and how they are a team up and coming. They brought in another nice solid class for them. They just need to prove it on the court
Player Records
All Time PCC Stats holders
Record Player Team Date Record
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points Theodore Layne California 1955 1362
Off. Rebounds Robert Hutton UCLA 1956 253
Rebounds Joshua Lopez Washington 1955 764
Assists Theodore Layne California 1955 505
Steals Theodore Layne California 1955 210
Blocks Mark Salazar Oregon State 1954 172
Turnovers David Haynes Southern California 1954 229
FGM Theodore Layne California 1955 576
FGA Gordon Miskin Oregon State 1955 1227
FTM Gordon Miskin Oregon State 1955 321
FTA Gordon Miskin Oregon State 1955 384
3PM 0 0
3PA 0 0
All time Universe Record Stat holders
Player Records
Record Player Team Date Record
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Points George Dawkins Maryland 1955 1727
Off. Rebounds Jerry Simonson Georgia 1955 348
Rebounds Fidel Lopez Saint Joseph's 1955 968
Assists Marcos Godfrey Indiana 1955 734
Steals Theodore Layne California 1955 210
Blocks Jason McKnight Navy 1955 293
Turnovers Dirk Adams Ohio State 1955 371
FGM George Dawkins Maryland 1955 716
FGA George Dawkins Maryland 1955 1500
FTM Andrew Caruso North Carolina 1955 386
FTA Timmy McSwain La Salle 1955 526
3PM 0 0
3PA 0 0
Stats Leaders
# Team Wins Losses Pct Conference Champs Conference Tourney Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Indiana 95 4 .960 3 0
2 West Virginia 93 17 .845 3 3
3 Kansas State 91 9 .910 2 0
4 Kansas 90 9 .909 1 0
5 Kentucky 88 13 .871 3 1
6 North Carolina State 85 21 .802 1 1
7 Bradley 83 13 .865 1 0
8 Washington 81 15 .844 1 0
9 San Francisco 77 23 .770 1 0
10 Rutgers 75 24 .758 0 0
11 California 73 20 .785 2 0
12 Duquesne 73 21 .777 0 0
13 Dayton 73 22 .768 0 0
14 Saint Joseph's 73 22 .768 0 0
15 Pittsburgh 73 25 .745 0 0
16 Columbia 72 21 .774 3 0
17 Saint Louis 72 21 .774 0 0
18 North Carolina 72 27 .727 0 0
19 Temple 71 22 .763 0 0
20 La Salle 69 28 .711 0 0
21 Illinois 68 24 .739 0 0
22 Arkansas 68 28 .708 1 0
23 Seattle 67 27 .713 0 0
24 Vanderbilt 67 33 .670 0 0
25 Clemson 66 35 .653 1 1
26 Louisville 65 26 .714 0 0
27 Duke 65 32 .670 1 1
28 Iowa 64 27 .703 0 0
29 Utah 64 27 .703 3 0
30 Idaho State 64 31 .674 0 0
31 Siena 63 31 .670 0 0
32 Saint Mary's 62 30 .674 1 0
33 Mississippi State 62 36 .633 0 0
34 Niagara 59 32 .648 3 0
35 Holy Cross 59 35 .628 0 0
36 Connecticut 59 36 .621 3 1
37 Oklahoma A&M 58 30 .659 2 0
38 New York University 58 33 .637 0 0
39 Georgia Tech 58 34 .630 0 0
# Team Wins Losses Pct Conference Champs Conference Tourney Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Arizona State 57 32 .640 1 0
41 St. John's 57 32 .640 3 0
42 Cincinnati 56 34 .622 0 0
43 Miami 56 34 .622 0 0
44 Texas 55 35 .611 0 0
45 Baylor 54 35 .607 0 0
46 Murray State 54 39 .581 0 0
47 Oregon State 54 39 .581 0 0
48 Syracuse 54 39 .581 0 0
49 Villanova 54 40 .574 0 0
50 TX Technological Colle 53 36 .596 2 0
51 Toledo 53 39 .576 3 0
52 George Washington 53 43 .552 0 0
53 Boston College 52 42 .553 0 0
54 Notre Dame 51 35 .593 0 0
55 Oregon 51 38 .573 0 0
56 Seton Hall 51 38 .573 0 0
57 Brigham Young 51 39 .567 0 0
58 Georgetown 51 39 .567 0 0
59 Southern Methodist 51 39 .567 1 0
60 Colorado 51 40 .560 0 0
61 Texas Christian 51 40 .560 1 0
62 South Carolina 51 44 .537 0 0
63 Dartmouth 50 40 .556 0 0
64 San Jose State 50 41 .549 1 0
65 Alabama Polytechnic Insti 50 42 .543 0 0
66 Michigan State 50 43 .538 0 0
67 Maryland 50 46 .521 0 0
68 Arizona 49 41 .544 0 0
69 Virginia Tech 49 49 .500 0 0
70 Purdue 48 41 .539 0 0
71 Stanford 48 43 .527 0 0
72 Northwestern 48 45 .516 0 0
73 Alabama 47 41 .534 0 0
74 Oklahoma City 47 41 .534 0 0
75 Georgia 47 43 .522 0 0
76 Ohio State 47 43 .522 0 0
77 Western Kentucky 47 45 .511 1 1
78 Southern California 46 42 .523 0 0
79 Morehead State 46 47 .495 2 1
# Team Wins Losses Pct Conference Champs Conference Tourney Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
80 Utah St Agricultural C 45 42 .517 0 0
81 Agricultural and Mechanic 45 43 .511 0 0
82 Navy 45 44 .506 0 0
83 Michigan 44 43 .506 0 0
84 Miami-Ohio 44 44 .500 0 0
85 Missouri 44 45 .494 0 0
86 Wyoming 44 46 .489 0 0
87 Wake Forest 44 47 .484 0 0
88 Lehigh 43 45 .489 0 0
89 Gonzaga 42 47 .472 0 0
90 Marquette 42 47 .472 0 0
91 Louisiana State 42 48 .467 0 0
92 Princeton 41 45 .477 0 0
93 St. Bonaventure 41 45 .477 0 0
94 Santa Clara 41 46 .471 0 0
95 UCLA 41 46 .471 0 0
96 Massachusetts 41 50 .451 0 0
97 Iona 40 48 .455 0 0
98 Penn State 39 48 .448 0 0
99 Florida 39 49 .443 0 0
100 Tulsa 39 49 .443 0 0
101 Xavier 39 50 .438 0 0
102 Richmond 39 51 .433 0 0
103 Texas Western 39 51 .433 0 0
104 VMI 39 51 .433 0 0
105 Mississippi 38 50 .432 0 0
106 New Hampshire 38 50 .432 0 0
107 Creighton 37 50 .425 0 0
108 Cornell 37 51 .420 0 0
109 Houston 37 53 .411 0 0
110 Minnesota 36 51 .414 0 0
111 Western Michigan 36 51 .414 0 0
112 Pennsylvania 35 50 .412 0 0
113 Butler 35 53 .398 0 0
114 Wisconsin 35 54 .393 0 0
115 Yale 35 56 .385 0 0
116 Kent State 34 53 .391 0 0
117 Drake 34 54 .386 0 0
118 Davidson 34 60 .362 0 0
119 Vermont 33 54 .379 0 0
# Team Wins Losses Pct Conference Champs Conference Tourney Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
120 William & Mary 33 58 .363 0 0
121 Harvard 32 56 .364 0 0
122 Virginia 32 57 .360 0 0
123 Washington State 31 54 .365 0 0
124 New Mexico A&M 31 55 .360 0 0
125 Brown 31 56 .356 0 0
126 Fordham 30 56 .349 0 0
127 Iowa State 30 58 .341 0 0
128 Colorado A&M 29 58 .333 0 0
129 Marshall 29 58 .333 0 0
130 Canisius 29 59 .330 0 0
131 Nebraska 28 59 .322 0 0
132 Tennessee 28 61 .315 0 0
133 Eastern Kentucky State 28 62 .311 0 0
134 Tulane 28 62 .311 0 0
135 Denver 27 60 .310 0 0
136 Loyola-IL 27 60 .310 0 0
137 Loyola U of Los Angeles 27 60 .310 0 0
138 St. Francis-NY 27 60 .310 0 0
139 Middle Tennessee 27 61 .307 0 0
140 Idaho 26 60 .302 0 0
141 U of Maine at Or 26 61 .299 0 0
142 Manhattan 26 61 .299 0 0
143 Montana 26 61 .299 0 0
144 Memphis State 25 37 .403 0 0
145 Lafayette 25 61 .291 0 0
146 Rice 25 61 .291 0 0
147 Ohio 25 62 .287 0 0
148 West Texas State 25 63 .284 0 0
149 Bowling Green State 24 63 .276 0 0
150 Portland 24 64 .273 0 0
151 Citadel 24 65 .270 0 0
152 Municipal U of W 24 65 .270 0 0
153 Army 23 64 .264 0 0
154 Loyola-LA 23 64 .264 0 0
155 New Mexico 23 64 .264 0 0
156 Tennessee Tech 23 64 .264 0 0
157 Bucknell 22 65 .253 0 0
158 Colgate 22 65 .253 0 0
159 Saint Francis-PA 22 65 .253 0 0
# Team Wins Losses Pct Conference Champs Conference Tourney Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
160 Mercy Col of Detroit 21 66 .241 0 0
161 Rhode Island 21 68 .236 0 0
162 City Col of New York 20 67 .230 0 0
163 DePaul 20 67 .230 0 0
164 Oklahoma 19 68 .218 0 0
165 Pacific 19 68 .218 0 0
166 Furman 19 70 .213 0 0
167 Muhlenberg 17 70 .195 0 0
168 Brooklyn 13 74 .149 0 0
169 Hardin-Simmons 12 74 .140 0 0
170 Pepperdine 8 22 .267 0 0
171 Florida State 0 0 .000 0 0
I cant complain much about the awards this year and a huge congrats on Kirk being the coach of the year. Am not going to be disappointed by all these guys graduating, notably the conf player of the year Layne.
1955 PCC AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Player of the Year:
SR PG Theodore Layne California 15.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.3 APG 2.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR SF Erik Plant Stanford 13.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 APG 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Kirk DeGrasse Washington 31 - 3 (15 - 1)
All-league 1st Team:
C JR Kenneth Foster Oregon 9.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.9 BPG
PF SR Joshua Lopez Washington 8.4 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.7 BPG
SF SO Colin Dunleavy Oregon 10.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
SG JR Daniel Fenton Washington 13.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG
PG SR Theodore Layne California 15.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SO Andrew Hecht Oregon State 6.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.0 BPG
PF SR Forest Nail Washington State 7.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.7 BPG
SF JR Gisbert Bittes Washington 9.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG JR Tyron Crandall California 13.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG
PG SR Mark Bingham Stanford 11.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR Dante Douglas Southern California 4.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
PF FR Rohan Martin Oregon State 6.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG
SF FR Erik Plant Stanford 13.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG FR Stan Dyer Stanford 9.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PG FR Wayne Toro Washington 3.5 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
USC's biggest thing that occurred this offseason was our star assistant coach did not decide to retire, and we will get his development for at least another year. Very happy about that. Our guys will benefit from getting his development during TC this year.
COACH DETAILS
Richard Aceves - Coaching Assistant - Southern California
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age: 70
High School: San Juan High School
Hometown: Citrus Heights, CA
Alma Mater: Minnesota
Current Level: 7
Career Record: 35 - 25
Salary: $200,000
Recruiting: 5
Scouting: 5
Offense: 20
Defense: 20
Coaching History:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Team Position W L CW CL Postseason
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 Southern California Assistant 17 13 8 8 Loss in NIT Round 1
1954 Arizona Head Coach 19 12 8 4 Loss in NIT Round 2
1953 Arizona Head Coach 16 13 9 3 No Postseason
Awards & Achievements:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Award
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No awards won.
Job Movement:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season Move
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1955 Hired by Southern California (Assistant Coach)
1953 Hired by Arizona (Head Coach)
Vince, Pt. II
10-10-2015, 10:12 AM
You only have to wait three more seasons for Dyer and Plant to graduate!
I do think this is the year where the ACC takes over as the best conf. They have more top heavy than the PCC, but I think they have better players. I don't think the BIG is there yet, although if Vince keeps doing what the hell he is doing over there that might change some things real quick.
I would rate it
1. ACC
2. PCC
3. BIG
4. Big 7
Conference List
Name Div Teams Games Prestige Tourney Teams Tourney Berth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlantic Coast Conference 1 8 14 5 8 Yes
Big Seven Conference 1 7 12 5 0 Yes
Big Ten Conference 1 10 14 5 0 Yes
Pacific Coast Conference 2 9 16 5 0 Yes
Independent 3 1 7 0 4 0 No
West Coast Conference 1 7 12 4 0 Yes
Southeastern Conference 1 12 14 3 0 Yes
Southwest Conference 1 7 12 3 0 Yes
Western NY Little 3 Conference 1 3 4 3 0 Yes
Independent 1 17 0 2 0 No
Independent 2 1 19 0 2 0 No
Missouri Valley Conference 1 8 14 2 0 Yes
Mountain State Athletic Conference 1 8 14 2 0 Yes
Southern Conference 1 9 14 2 8 Yes
Border Intercollegiate Athletic Ass 1 6 10 1 0 Yes
Ivy Group 1 8 14 1 0 Yes
Metro New York Conference 1 7 6 1 0 Yes
Mid-American Conference 1 7 12 1 0 Yes
Ohio Valley Conference 1 6 10 1 0 Yes
Yankee Conference 1 6 10 1 0 Yes
Another players I like in the BIG is Michigan's James Beane. Love the name, and love the underdog status as a kid that was ranked 324. If he had any jumpshot he might be putting up 25 a game.
Vince, Pt. II
10-12-2015, 12:24 AM
I do think this is the year where the ACC takes over as the best conf. They have more top heavy than the PCC, but I think they have better players. I don't think the BIG is there yet, although if Vince keeps doing what the hell he is doing over there that might change some things real quick.
I would rate it
1. ACC
2. PCC
3. BIG
4. Big 7
Aw shucks, you're going to make me blush!
We'll see if I can keep it up. Might have been a blind squirrel/nut kind of thing. I just happened to hit on players that all the big boys chose not to.
The National Basketball Report
The Too Early Top Twenty
Filed: June 17, 1956
The beginning of this Too Early Top Twenty will have a familiar feel to it. But, dear reader, please make no mistake.
This is the year we begin to see wholesale change across the nation.
There are new teams across the landscape, ready to step up and show what they're worth. There are new stars, ready to claim their spot in the sky. There are teams moving up and down the ranks, and while the top of the ladder is the same old story, look down a few rungs.
It should also be noted, this is our toughest column to write, because there is so much ambiguity with potential. Many teams have potential, but nobody knows how it will play out. Things become slightly more clear after training camps end, and we get more reports from our staff, who seems to be repaired after flu and back season.
1. Kansas State: After three national semifinal appearances, and a loss in the championship game, a fourth semifinal appearance, on its own, would be a disappointment. This group of seniors--Billy Jacob, David Gunter, Tommy Fritts, and Erich Walton (and redshirt senior Greg Cole)--were the pick to win the championship in each of the last two seasons. They are the favorite once more, at least at this point in the season. No team has more expectations, more pressure, on them than the Wildcats. There may be no more pressure on any one player than sophomore forward Alec Larkin, who must replace Matthew Collins. Neither is there as much pressure on any senior than there is on Billy Jacob, the boy wonder who was the face of this Four Horsemen. If he is to cement his legacy in triumph, then he must lead his men to the ultimate victory. If he is to cement his legacy as a man who could not lead his horse to water, let this season end as the last three have: with unfulfilled goals.
2. North Carolina State: They sandbagged their program a year to let the kids--the four freshman of a year ago--get acclimated to this environment. Now, centers Chris Arenas and Elliott Weintraub are ready to contribute to America's biggest team. There are questions, of course: can Clayton Wheeler and Billy Munoz work themselves into the rotation seamlessly at guard, where NC State has a giant hole past point guard Chris Davis? Can they find adequate scoring at the guard spot? Do they have enough depth in the backcourt? For many teams, the backcourt is a strength. Not so at State, where they have a deep, yet somewhat unbalanced, roster. That said, they are nearly as talented as Kansas State, at least at this stage. We believe the Wolfpack will develop into the behemoth many thought they'd become, and do so this season.
3. Kansas: The defending champions lose Chris Seay, Earle Maldonaldo, and Rudolf Burke. But Arlon Rahn, the 7'1, 275-pound giant of a man, is only a sophomore. Luis Horne and Steven Burns return as one of the finest backcourts in the country, Irwin Lear is the next great guard in a growing lineage of great guards in Lawrence. And Loren Brown, David Acklin, Timmy McHugh, and fellow 7'1 center, freshman Dalton Martine, form more than an adequate support cast. It would not be shocking to see Kansas at the end again.
4. Kentucky: Curt Davis reminds many of Jerry Young, which is as favorable a comparison as one in Lexington can receive. He is a bit of a do-everything player, excellent defensively, efficient (mostly) on offense. Sophomore Scott Moncada is ready to take over for Dallas Kovacs at center. Lenny Snell is one of the top returning point guards in the nation. This team is fourth because of their potential. They can fall down this list...but they are the lead of the second tier of contenders, as of now.
5. Bradley: The Braves have reloaded behind four outstanding guards and 6'10 senior center James Calvo. They have the potential to be one of the best two-way teams in the country, with outstanding post defense and an offense that is equally diverse between the post and outside, takes care of the ball, and a defense that could be among the best in the nation. They need some of their younger pieces to come together--namely redshirt freshman Phil Overton and Jamal Steverson--but they have enough talent to win the MVC running away, and enough ability to make a serious national title run.
6. Duke: The Blue Devils are back after a rough year last season, where they were usurped by Clemson and North Carolina the ACC. Clemson has fallen completely apart, and while UNC will be very good, they don't have as much top-line talent as their archrival. Jonathan Fleenor and Lane McClary are as good a one-two punch as there is in the country. There are many younger players ready to help the two senior stars, including juniors Edison Reichard, Stefan Jordan, Elisha Oakley and Dewayne Jackson; sophomore Ray Griffin, and the curiously named Joesph Finger. That is not a mistake on our part. Redshirt freshman center Grant Wood looks like the real issue, while guard Charlie Rodriguez needs more seasoning. This team can win the conference, and more.
7. Indiana: The Hoosiers are the weakest they have been in the last four seasons, but that is relative. Two regular season losses would be evidence for this being their weakest team. The Hoosiers still have more talent than most, but the gap in the Big Ten is closing. And with Enoch Horn, Rupert Maldonaldo, and Marcos Godfrey gone, this team has a lot of questions...especially at guard, where they return just two players with any experience. Sure, Des Phillips and Ike Winfrey have a lot of talent; however, can they live up to the expectations of guards gone by? Godfrey was the best point guard in the nation last year. Horn, while not living up to expectations during his time in Bloomington, had an impossible task in trying to do so. The Hoosiers couldn't get it done when they had the best roster outside of Manhattan (Kansas) and are coming what is on the shortlist of biggest upsets in athletic history. For the first time, there are major questions to answers for the Hoosiers.
8. Dayton: This could look brilliant next year, or like total lunacy. Denver Logan, the 6'11, 270-pound wall, is back at center. He makes fellow center Jonathan Maus, at 6'9, 225, look like Eddie Haskell. If redhsirt senior guard Charlie Gomez rounds into form, and redshirt sophomore guard Chris Duron can take the next step after an injury wiped out most of last season, AND the bevy of talent that needs to grow (such as juniors Dwight Sweet, Angel Paquette and Gregory Lewis, and freshman Gary McCormick and Rickey Peterkin), this team can be every bit a leader in March. The qualifiers necessary for the Flyers to take off seems too many to overcome, but Dayton has that opportunity.
9. Southern California: It is definitely a little obtuse, selecting the Trojans as the current kingpin of the West Coast. This is like the Dayton pick; the Trojans have a stockpile of talent, but whether they can capitalize on that talent remains to be seen. JC Quiles and Allen Storer, the elder statesmen as juniors, have experience but not production you would expect of top players. So, this entire roster needs to take a step forward. As of now, though, no team in the PCC has more talent, and we do believe this is the year the Trojans take the next step. They have this kind of ceiling.
10. Oregon State: Reach here, but we'd rather be ahead of the curve on the Beavers than late on their bandwagon. Four starters return from last year's team, and Arthur Brodie is ready to star along with Fabio Pastor. Keep an eye on point guard Gerald Kutz; the redshirt freshman was the #14 overall recruit two years ago, and is an expert at passing and handling the ball. He's also a good defender, one who should be a hawk on the basketball, when held by the opposition. They'll have the depth and the talent. Whether or not it comes together in the shifting Pacific, well...it is there for the taking.
11. Arkansas: The Razorbacks are the best team unknown to most of the country, mostly because there are not many national media outlets in the state. But the Razorbacks, behind Seth Wessels, Kerry Groves, Bennett Dougherty, Will Bingham and Scott Garza, have a veteran group that has won before. We expect this team, with sophomore Mac Burroughs and junior John Berry, to make the lead to contender this season. The Southwest is one of the most difficult conferences to navigate in the country, and Arkansas should throttle it this season.
12. Iowa: The Hawkeyes are loaded with talent that is ready to grow. They have a veteran team--three starters return and five players have at least 56 games in the system. If players like forward Spencer Diamond, guard Joe Padgett, and forwards Brian Garrido and Columbus Dotson, are able to contribute to the rotation in a positive way, then the Hawkeyes are a major threat in a Big Ten dominated by Indiana. Guards Chet Terrazas and Tony Gargile, both seniors, lead the way...but if this team is really going to fly, then Diamond, guard Alvin Staley, and freshman center Tony Sipe, are going to begin to soar.
13. Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish finally broke through last year, though once they did, they fell with a thud. However, this year may be the year the Irish take a bigger step. They have incredible potential up and down the roster, and all players are nearing their potential. They also have three senior leaders in SG Guy Jeter, SF John Weekley, and 7' center, Dennis Sherwood. They also have several juniors, led by guards Elvis Cox and Angel Elbert, ready to take the next step up. They lack major size, but they should be a defensive terror.
14. North Carolina: Three starters return, led by forward Dennis Sawicki and guard Archie Means, return. Overall, nine players that have at least thirty games of regular duty are back, making the Tar Heels one of the most veteran teams out there. The team also adds redshirt freshman center Chris Stoner, the #5 overall recruit two years ago. Add in guards Johnnie Northern and Keven Walters, and forwards Darrel Brown and Emmanuel Shotwell, and this UNC team can contend for honors in the ACC.
15. California: We feel like, at this point, these teams have highlights, but also severe flaws. The backcourt of Tony Eyre and Tyron Crandall should be a crackerjack tandem, even if neither is a quality distributor. So, who plays the role of the lead guard? Both will tell you they should, and both may get a good look at filling the role. However, they lack playing depth at this position, and a lot of experience just about everyone. Rene Storm, Craig Kruger and Dale Frank would be complimentary pieces on most other teams; on the Bears. they'll likely be asked to start. There are many, however, who are excited by Marc Cundiff possibly stepping into the starting lineup. This isn't really because of his contributions last year, but the glimpses of brilliance he did demonstrate last year. He has an ability to get very hot with the outside shot, and is very quick.
16. La Salle: The Explorers return four starters from last year; of course, the one they lost, Timmy McSwain, was the key cog in last year's squad. Cam Perry and Lou Davies, along with Robert Woodcock, will be the nexus of this squad. That is a triumvirate worthy of lofty consideration. The Explorers will need returning forwards Donovan Cowles and Garth Russell to make good on their lofty potential. Contributors Xia Ding, Kenny Smith, and Charlie Dowdell will also give this squad a more formidable
17. Duquesne: The Dukes bring back three starters, including three-year starter, Chauncey Hinkley. PG Rod Williams and C Chris McKeehan will be the two that rise if Duquesne is also to rise. The Dukes are descending in national prestige, and if they are to sustain their place at the big table for the next wave of recruits, they will need to win this year. They should have enough off the bench, including Al Samson, James O'Grady, and Brent Dampier, to do just that.
18. St. John's: The Redmen can go six-deep immediately, and Kelvin Denton can become the star in the Metro, the King of New York. If Melvin Murray, Elvis Woods and David Bates can grow, the Johnnies become way more dangerous. That said, expect a 24-6 team by the time the NCAA hits. Nobody in the Metro can stand with them.
19. Michigan State: The Spartans return two starters, and three who have starting experience. Forward Cyril Clancy is the top returning player...but point guard Brent Burchell is the talk of East Lansing. The redshirt freshman was the top player in practice all last year, and should cause the offense to be much bette. He is also solid on defense, and is in excellent condition. The Connecticut-based guard should take the conference by storm. Add in incumbent Douglas Gibson, and power forward Chris Hendren, and you have a solid foursome leading this group. With all of their potential rising up, they could very well supplant Illinois in the top tier of the Big Ten.
20. Southern Methodist: The defending SWC champion Mustangs bring back three-year star, Charlie Garay, who may be the best player in the conference this year, and one of the most underappreciated players in the country. He has one of the best jump shots in the country, is a willing and more-than-able passer, and a very difficult defender. The rest will have to come together...but Art Freeman and Don Adam form a fantastic duo at point guard, C John Sanchez is an improving rebounder, and several players are able to round into top form. We said Arkansas should throttle the Southwest...well, if plans come together for Methodist, they won't have it that easy.
NBR Analytics
NBR offers college basketball fanatics across the fruited plain our warmest greetings and salutations as we announce the newest addition to our humble publication. The National Basketball Report Analytics Desk, or NBR Analytics for short, will present the findings of what is affectionately known in-house as the 'nerdery'. While the other reports detailing thoughts on each season will continue as they have been, the 'glorified accountants' at NBR Analytics will retire to the nerdery with their slide rules, focusing primarily on the impact of various changes in the sport on a bit longer scale. Whenever possible, we concern ourselves with analyzing data in unique, and hopefully the reports derived by these calculations will be of use to the reading public.
Shifting Sands: The 1956 Landscape
One need look no further than the unpleasantness experienced by the Hoosiers last year in the Dance to see that college basketball in this day and age is a decidedly unpredictable sport in many ways. To the discerning eye however, there are still patterns both general and specific that can be discovered and appraised. For NBR Analytics, this is the first business of a new season: assessing what has changed, and what it may mean for schools, coaches, players, and their fans across the nation.
Conference Realignments
Only one conference changed it's makeup, with the MVC adding Drake from the Independent ranks as it's 8th member. On the surface, this moves certainly appears likely to drag the conference down rather than improve it, the opposite of the leap forward that happened when Bradley joined last year. Bulldogs HC Joseph Steed, is his fourth year, is widely considered to be out of his depth and more suited to an assistant role as a scout or defensive-oriented practice assistant. Two on his staff are better recruiters than he is, and a 34-54 career record with declining wins each season is not particularly impressive.
The total number of independent programs stayed steady with Florida State entering the fray for a total of 171 schools fielding an entrant into the major college basketball competition.
Coaching Carousel
The single biggest piece of news this offseason is undoubtedly the stunning announcement that 35-year-old Scott Hanson has left Bradley to take on the vacancy at Memphis State. Try as we might, we can make no sense of this shocking maneuever. Bradley is clearly the dominant power in the MVC and just a year removed from a 1954 national championship, having made the Sweet 16 the other two years Hanson was at the helm there. He compiled an 83-13 record at a program that is considered to be among the top handful in the nation, and leaves for a virtually unknown independent program that sported a fine year last season in it's second in the competition, 20-13 with an NIT berth ... but Bradley they are not. I mean, was he bored? We may never know, but there just doesn't seem to be any rationale that we can see. For the Tigers, this is obviously a coup of seismic proportions.
Bradley went with a proven commodity, Tommie Teran. Teran has guided Seattle to three straight 20-win seasons, including an NCAA appearance last year. He is expected to give the Braves a focus more on the offensive end as opposed to Hanson's slightly defensive style and has a good eye for talent, but there are questions about his ability to recruit at the highest levels. Newcomers Florida State pulled off a major steal as well, luring La Salle's Elias Serrano away to take on a much more difficult rebuilding project. Serrano won 22 or more each year with the Explorers, and made it to the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 the last couple of years. He's considered an elite recruiter and excellent gameplanner, especially on offense. As with Hanson, we are scratching our heads here.
Elsewhere, George Jenkins leaves Morehead State to take over at Cincinatti, where he earned a reputation as a fine Xs and Os guy in earning back-to-back NCAA berths. We must question the Bearcats here though for bringing on a guy who hasn't proven he can recruit consistently to a program desperately in need of new talent on the court. The strange journey of Scott Dobbins continues as well. Unceremoniously and infamously fired by the Kansas Jayhawks after winning the national title in 1953, he spent the last couple of years as an assistant with Kentucky before getting another shot as a head coach now with Georgetown. No question he's got the ability to succeed, and it's a great move for the Hoyas. They were more or less forced to it with La Salle snagging their previous coach Royal Delgado after Serrano left ... no question to us that the Explorers got the short end of the stick as both of the other coaches are far superior both in resume and skills.
And so it goes. It would seem the biggest upshot here is that there are some Independent programs looking at brighter futures: Memphis State, Florida State, and Georgetown could be primed for some good years down the road if their newly acquired leaders stick around.
Conference Rankings
Herein are presented the results of our latest polling, showing which conferences are regarded as being the most prestigious at the dawn of a new year. For now our purpose here is to simply present the numbers without comment. We will take a closer look at each conference in reverse order from 'worst to first' throughout the off-season months.
1. Big 7(65.6)
2. ACC(64.6)
3. Big Ten(63.9)
4. PCC(59.4)
5. SEC(52.4)
6. WYN3(48.0)
7. MVC(47.4)
8. SWC(46.1)
9. MSAC(39.5)
10. WCC(39.4)
11. Southern(35.0)
12. MAC(30.9)
13. Ivy Group(30.8)
14. Metro NY(30.4)
15. Ohio Valley(30.0)
16. Yankee(29.2)
17. BIAA(27.8)
Top Quintile School Rankings
What programs have earned the respect of their peers and fans? Have a look at the top quintile, i.e. the top 20%, of the nation's contenders. We would remind the reader that this has nothing to do with how good the teams are this year or will be a few years from now, it is a measure only of their reputation at this point in time.
1(t). Kansas(100)
1(t). Kansas State(100)
3. Kentucky(96)
4. Indiana(94)
5. North Carolina State(91)
6. Bradley(90)
7. West Virginia(89)
8. Illinois(85)
9. Iowa(84)
10. North Carolina(82)
11. San Francisco(81)
12(t). California(80)
12(t). Washington(80)
14. Duquesne(76)
15. La Salle(75)
16. Dayton(74)
17. Duke(72)
18. Utah(70)
19(t). Cincinatti(68)
19(t). Temple(68)
21(t). St. John's(67)
21(t). Saint Louis(67)
23. Oklahoma A&M(66)
24(t). Louisville(64)
24(t). Seattle(64)
24(t). Columbia(64)
27(t). Clemson(63)
27(t). Southern Methodist(63)
27(t). Saint Mary's(63)
30(t). Holy Cross(62)
30(t). Oregon State(62)
30(t). Mississippi State(62)
30(t). Vanderbilt(62)
34. Toledo(61)
New Blood: Re-Assessing the Incoming 1956 Recruits
We find ourselves compelled to take issue with the 'official' recruiting rankings, which seems somewhat odd to us in their methodology. They seem to place too much emphasis on the number of recruits, as if a horde of warm bodies could somehow make up for a lack of talent, largely a demonstrably untrue assessment. Even more importantly, they seem to be based on rankings and star ratings from the scouting services which are a year old. Such things are extremely valuable for their time, a time which has now passed. It is always best to base conclusions on the best information available, and we've learned much about these players in the past year.
Therefore with little further ado we present NBR's own recruiting rankings. These are based on a 9-point scale, and for us the relevant factor is the average quality of recruits coming in to a given program. Certainly it's harder to deal with a larger class, but that is a consideration for each coach to consider; we do not find it useful to reward or punish them for imbalanced classes from year to year. We grade here only on what they did with the scholarships available to them for this season. A modest penalty is included for every unfilled scholarship, and a modest bonus for those recruits ready to contribute immediately.
We find the star rating system to be useful, and will appropriate it for the purposes here.
5-Star Classes
These are quite rare, and encompass those schools with a rating at 8.0 or above in our system. This indicates that they managed to pull in blue-chip prospects across the board. Even the best programs in the country should be pleased to be mentioned here. This season, out of 171 there are but two in this section, an indicator of the difficulty of the achievement.
1. Indiana(8.63)
2. Kansas(8.0)
The Jayhawks were listed first in the official rankings; here already we have our first disagreement, though Kansas obviously has a fine group of new players to be proud of. Indiana's haul is simply amazing though, all players with very high ceilings and pretty well-developed already. It's a near-perfect set of youngsters to reload with.
4-Star
Most programs that are, or aspire to be, national powers will find themselves here with a mix of good and great players. Duds are rare if any are to be found at all among their new recruits. Those classes in the 5.0 to 7.99 range are included.
3(t). Purdue(7.17)
3(t). Washington(7.17)
5. Stanford(6.75)
6. North Carolina State(6.5)
7. Ohio State(6.25)
8(t). Kansas State(5.83)
8(t). Duquesne(5.83)
10. Southern California(5.67)
11(t). Oregon State(5.5)
11(t). UCLA(5.5)
13. California(5.25)
14. Arkansas(5.13)
15. Louisiana State(5.0)
3 Stars
Fewer than 10% of the schools in the country have yet been accounted for. In this next category we list those in the 4.0-4.99 range, consistently classes with good players but generally few if any truly top-shelf talents. Only the very elite programs which believe themselves perennial national contenders would be disappointed to be named here.
16. Bradley(4.88)
17(t). Illinois(4.67)
17(t). Alabama(4.67)
19(t). Iowa State(4.5)
19(t). Michigan(4.5)
19(t). Villanova(4.5)
19(t). Colorado A&M(4.5)
19(t). Southern Methodist(4.5)
24. Temple(4.38)
25(t). Iowa(4.33)
25(t). Northwestern(4.33)
25(t). Penn State(4.33)
28(t). Duke(4.25)
28(t). Virginia(4.25)
28(t). Colorado(4.25)
28(t). Michigan State(4.25)
28(t). Wisconsin(4.25)
33(t). North Carolina(4.17)
33(t). St. John's(4.17)
33(t). Oklahoma A&M(4.17)
33(t). Mississippi State(4.17)
37(t). Arizona(4.0)
37(t). Brown(4.0)
37(t). Washington State(4.0)
2 Stars
Another level down we find those in the 2.0-3.99 bracket. At this tier we would expect to find a good number of schools playing in the smaller conferences. A mix of good and only marginally talented players are found here. By far, this is where the lion's share of programs find themselves.
40. Agricultural & Mechanic(3.8)
41. Saint Joseph's(3.75)
42. Oregon(3.67)
43(t). Davidson(3.63)
43(t). West Virginia(3.63)
45(t). Municipal University of Wichita(3.5)
45(t). Murray State(3.5)
45(t). Santa Clara(3.5)
48. Columbia(3.4)
49. Wake Forest(3.38)
50(t). Notre Dame(3.33)
50(t). Nebraska(3.33)
50(t). Tennessee Tech(3.33)
50(t). Georgia(3.33)
50(t). Kentucky(3.33)
55. Connecticut(3.17)
56. Lehigh(3.13)
57. Texas(3.1)
58(t). Bucknell(3.0)
58(t). Colgate(3.0)
58(t). Loyola-IL(3.0)
58(t). Rutgers(3.0)
58(t). Siena(3.0)
58(t). Western Kentucky(3.0)
58(t). Florida(3.0)
58(t). Georgia Tech(3.0)
58(t). Tennessee(3.0)
58(t). VMI(3.0)
58(t). Virginia Tech(3.0)
58(t). Baylor(3.0)
58(t). San Francisco(3.0)
71. South Carolina(2.9)
72. Tulane(2.88)
73(t). Seattle(2.83)
73(t). Drake(2.83)
73(t). Idaho(2.83)
73(t). Loyola U of Los Angeles(2.83)
77. West Texas State(2.8)
78. Utah State Agricultural College(2.75)
79. Dayton(2.7)
80(t). Arizona State(2.67)
80(t). Memphis State(2.67)
80(t). Dartmouth(2.67)
80(t). Eastern Kentucky State(2.67)
84. Pittsburgh(2.63)
85. Vanderbilt(2.6)
86(t). New Mexico A&M(2.5)
86(t). Navy(2.5)
86(t). Pennsylvania(2.5)
86(t). Manhattan(2.5)
86(t). Western Michigan(2.5)
86(t). Houston(2.5)
86(t). Utah(2.5)
86(t). Vermont(2.5)
94. Middle Tennessee(2.4)
95(t). Idaho State(2.33)
95(t). Miami(2.33)
95(t). Muhlenburg(2.33)
95(t). Brooklyn(2.33)
95(t). Miami-Ohio(2.33)
95(t). Morehead State(2.33)
95(t). Citadel(2.33)
95(t). Yale(2.33)
95(t). St. Bonaventure(2.33)
104(t). Gonzaga(2.25)
104(t). Brigham Young(2.25)
104(t). Texas Christian(2.25)
104(t). Pacific(2.25)
104(t). Rhode Island(2.25)
109(t). Saint Francis-PA(2.2)
109(t). Marshall(2.2)
109(t). Alabama Polytechnic Institute(2.2)
112. San Jose State(2.13)
113(t). Saint Louis(2.0)
113(t). Oklahoma(2.0)
113(t). Loyola-LA(2.0)
113(t). Seton Hall(2.0)
113(t). Xavier(2.0)
113(t). Princeton(2.0)
113(t). New York University(2.0)
113(t). St. Francis-NY(2.0)
113(t). Bowling Green State(2.0)
113(t). Ohio(2.0)
113(t). Denver(2.0)
113(t). Mississippi(2.0)
113(t). George Washington(2.0)
113(t). Rice(2.0)
113(t). Saint Mary's(2.0)
113(t). Niagara(2.0)
113(t). University of Maine at Or(2.0)
1 Star
We are now near the bottom, but have not quite reached it. Even schools struggling in the weakest conferences in the nation and low-ranking independents will be at least somewhat disappointed to not rank higher than this; and yet there are some surprisingly well-regarded programs here. Here are found those in the 1.0-1.99 range.
130. Hardin-Simmons(1.8)
131(t). Lafayette(1.75)
131(t). Canisius(1.75)
133. Portland(1.7)
134(t). Tulsa(1.63)
134(t). Cincinatti(1.63)
136. Pepperdine(1.62)
137(t). Army(1.6)
137(t). La Salle(1.6)
139(t). Butler(1.5)
139(t). Creighton(1.5)
139(t). DePaul(1.5)
139(t). Toledo(1.5)
139(t). Furman(1.5)
139(t). New Hampshire(1.5)
145. Holy Cross(1.4)
146. William & Mary(1.33)
147(t). Missouri(1.0)
147(t). Georgetown(1.0)
147(t). Iona(1.0)
147(t). Marquette(1.0)
147(t). Oklahoma City(1.0)
147(t). Texas Technological College(1.0)
147(t). City College of New York(1.0)
147(t). Fordham(1.0)
147(t). Kent State(1.0)
147(t). New Mexico(1.0)
147(t). Wyoming(1.0)
147(t). Harvard(1.0)
147(t). Massachusetts(1.0)
Zero Stars
One might ask why we don't use a 1-6 instead of a 0-5 star system. The reason for this is that the bottom tier is generally not worthy of any credit at all. We mean this literally; most are here not because they didn't recruit well, but because they didn't recruit period, forcing their team to make do with extra walk-ons and not bringing in any new scholarship talent at all.
160. Boston College(0.75)
161(t). Maryland(0.67)
162(t). Louisville(0.67)
163(t). Minnesota(0.6)
163(t). Texas Western(0.6)
165. Clemson(0.5)
166. Florida State(0.46)
167. Montana(0.4)
168. Mercy College of Detroit(0.38)
169. Cornell(0.25)
170. Syracuse(0.17)
171. Richmond(0.0)
It is striking that even the Seminoles, who are relying soley on walk-ons in their first year of competition, managed to not be last in this rundown. It's hard not to go up from here.
Gazing Into the Crystal Ball
Armed with the latest figures on the new recruits, we can now begin to look at the next few years with more intelligent guestimates.
Top Quintile Talent Rankings
These are the same as those for reputation, except that here we are focused on the schools best positioned with talent to succeed over the next few seasons. The quality of underclassmen is what is in view here.
1(t). North Carolina State(6.91)
1(t). Indiana(6.91)
3. Kansas(6.6)
4. Kansas State(6.25)
5. North Carolina(5.82)
6. Duke(5.8)
7. Duquesne(5.1)
8. Southern California(5.08)
9. Illinois(5.0)
10. Oregon State(4.92)
11. San Francisco(4.8)
12. UCLA(4.75)
13. Kentucky(4.67)
14. California(4.6)
15(t). Iowa(4.4)
15(t). Bradley(4.4)
17. Washington(4.36)
18(t). Iowa State(4.25)
18(t). Saint Joseph's(4.25)
20. Stanford(4.07)
21(t). Colorado(4.0)
21(t). Temple(4.0)
21(t). Arkansas(4.0)
24. Ohio State(3.91)
25. Villanova(3.71)
26. Virginia(3.7)
27(t). Michigan State(3.67)
27(t). Purdue(3.67)
29(t). Notre Dame(3.6)
29(t). Seattle(3.6)
31. La Salle(3.55)
32. Southern Methodist(3.5)
33. Wake Forest(3.44)
34. Mississippi State(3.4)
BTW, I didn't write any of that.
That was done by our news section and by the NBR Analytics guy
Top 25 in game rankings
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Kansas State (72) 0-0 1800 2 Big Seven Conference
2. North Carolina State 0-0 1713 7 Atlantic Coast Conference
3. Kansas 0-0 1668 4 Big Seven Conference
4. Indiana 0-0 1570 1 Big Ten Conference
5. Kentucky 0-0 1522 3 Southeastern Conference
6. North Carolina 0-0 1422 10 Atlantic Coast Conference
7. Washington 0-0 1345 5 Pacific Coast Conference
8. California 0-0 1260 11 Pacific Coast Conference
9. Bradley 0-0 1233 6 Missouri Valley Conference
10. Duke 0-0 1208 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
11. Iowa 0-0 1017 15 Big Ten Conference
12. Arkansas 0-0 979 NR Southwest Conference
13. West Virginia 0-0 935 8 Southern Conference
14. La Salle 0-0 847 21 Independent
15. Oregon State 0-0 775 NR Pacific Coast Conference
16. San Francisco 0-0 727 16 West Coast Conference
17. Duquesne 0-0 665 NR Independent
18. Saint Louis 0-0 574 20 Missouri Valley Conference
19. Dayton 0-0 498 24 Independent
20. Villanova 0-0 432 NR Independent 3
21. Notre Dame 0-0 329 23 Independent 2
22. Seattle 0-0 285 19 Independent 2
23. Southern Methodist 0-0 217 NR Southwest Conference
24. Southern California 0-0 171 NR Pacific Coast Conference
25. UCLA 0-0 61 NR Pacific Coast Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
Maryland 0-0 43 Atlantic Coast Conference
Illinois 0-0 14 Big Ten Conference
Wake Forest 0-0 13 Atlantic Coast Conference
Clemson 0-0 9 Atlantic Coast Conference
Temple 0-0 8 Independent 3
Alabama Polytechnic Insti 0-0 7 Southeastern Conference
South Carolina 0-0 7 Atlantic Coast Conference
Virginia 0-0 6 Atlantic Coast Conference
Alabama 0-0 5 Southeastern Conference
Stanford 0-0 5 Pacific Coast Conference
Holy Cross 0-0 4 Independent
Mississippi State 0-0 4 Southeastern Conference
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint Mary's 0-0 4 West Coast Conference
Michigan State 0-0 3 Big Ten Conference
San Jose State 0-0 3 West Coast Conference
Syracuse 0-0 3 Independent 3
Vanderbilt 0-0 3 Southeastern Conference
Georgia Tech 0-0 2 Southeastern Conference
Santa Clara 0-0 2 West Coast Conference
Davidson 0-0 1 Southern Conference
Oklahoma A&M 0-0 1 Missouri Valley Conference
Right off the bat this year the PCC is awfully though.
Washington is ranked 7th
Cal is ranked 8th
Oregon State is 15th
We are 24th
UCLA is 25th
and if that's note enough for ya Stanford comes in as receiving other votes.
Not sure how I feel about being ranked 24th this early. We really haven't proven ourselves and when we have been given the opportunity we have crapped the bed... However we do have some potential, we just need to live up to it this year.
1955 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
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1. Kansas Big 7 PG Irwin Lear ***** 3 1 0 0 0
2. Indiana Big Ten PG Sheldon Moultrie ***** 4 0 0 0 0
3. Washington PCC SF Jess Johnson ***** 2 1 0 0 0
4. Kansas State Big 7 C Chris Lang ***** 3 0 0 0 0
5. Purdue Big Ten PG Arnulfo Stokes ***** 2 1 0 0 0
6. Illinois Big Ten SG Louis Shelton ***** 2 1 0 0 0
7. North Carolina ACC SF Brian Fulton ***** 1 2 0 0 0
8. California PCC PF Willie Legault ***** 1 1 2 0 0
9. Virginia ACC PF Herbert Russell ***** 1 1 2 0 0
10. Oregon State PCC PG Nathanael Smith ***** 1 2 0 0 0
11. North Carolina State ACC SF Brian Kwon ***** 2 0 0 0 0
12. Bradley MVC PG Max Cruse **** 0 3 1 0 0
13. Duquesne INDY1 PG Al Samson **** 0 3 0 0 0
14. Temple INDY3 PF Bernard Bozarth **** 0 3 1 0 0
15. Mississippi State SEC PF Dennis Ramos **** 0 3 0 0 0
16. West Virginia Southern PG Jared Bazan **** 0 3 1 0 0
17. Arkansas SWC PG Maynard Guzman **** 0 2 2 0 0
18. Southern California PCC SG Sanford Crabb **** 0 3 0 0 0
19. Kentucky SEC SF John Fell **** 0 3 0 0 0
20. Villanova INDY3 SF Arden Summer **** 0 3 0 0 0
21. Wake Forest ACC PG Joshua Mullins **** 0 2 1 0 1
22. Vanderbilt SEC PF Armand Silver **** 0 1 3 0 1
23. Iowa Big Ten PF Columbus Dotson **** 0 2 1 0 0
24. UCLA PCC SG Rusty Jardine **** 0 2 1 0 0
25. Southern Methodist SWC C Arthur Bard **** 0 2 1 0 0
26. Duke ACC SF Erich Chumley ***** 1 1 0 0 0
27. Northwestern Big Ten SF Randal Williams **** 0 2 1 0 0
28. Columbia Ivy Group PF Mario Poe **** 0 2 1 0 0
29. Stanford PCC PG Carrol Mathewson **** 0 2 0 0 0
30. Cincinnati INDY1 PF Charles Merrill **** 0 1 1 0 0
31. Pittsburgh INDY2 SG Jeff Hickman *** 0 0 3 1 0
32. Michigan State Big Ten C Milo Lingo **** 0 1 1 0 0
33. Dayton INDY1 PF Angel Paquette **** 0 1 1 2 0
34. San Francisco WCC SF Anton Steverson **** 0 2 0 0 0
35. Ohio State Big Ten SG James Holzer **** 0 2 0 0 0
36. Alabama SEC C Archie Pifer **** 0 1 1 0 0
37. Saint Louis MVC PG Johnnie Scarberry **** 0 1 1 1 0
38. Oregon PCC PG Joshua Azure *** 0 0 3 0 0
39. La Salle INDY1 SF Danilo Grimsley **** 0 1 2 0 0
1955 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
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3. Washington PCC SF Jess Johnson ***** 2 1 0 0 0
8. California PCC PF Willie Legault ***** 1 1 2 0 0
10. Oregon State PCC PG Nathanael Smith ***** 1 2 0 0 0
18. Southern California PCC SG Sanford Crabb **** 0 3 0 0 0
24. UCLA PCC SG Rusty Jardine **** 0 2 1 0 0
29. Stanford PCC PG Carrol Mathewson **** 0 2 0 0 0
38. Oregon PCC PG Joshua Azure *** 0 0 3 0 0
49. Idaho PCC PG John Wagoner **** 0 1 2 0 0
85. Washington State PCC PF Prince Brown *** 0 0 2 0 0
As you can also see our Conf got after it recruiting wise. 3 out of the top 10 recruiting classes call their homes in the PCC.
We held our own at number 18, and had 5 teams being in the top 25. That is pretty damn good for us.
Jess Johnson at Washington is going to be a monster next year as a freshman (he is redshirting this year).
I don't have anybody that can compete on his level, which means we gotta put some work in this year. We need 20 wins, some luck, and a run into the NCAA tourney this year. An NIT run would be a disappointment this year. I have always said this would be the year USC would be able to hold its own, and I hope that we can do just that.
I liked my recruiting class. I don't have any world beaters like Washington got, but they are solid guys. I especially like a post player that I feel is under rated.
PLAYER DETAILS
#55 C Darrel Slone - Southern California - Freshman
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Height: 6-10
Weight: 244
High School: Sunray High School
Hometown: Sunray, TX
Attributes:
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Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA
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Current: 17 9 14 2 5 3 5 9 10 7 2 14 5 15 6 9
1955: 15 9 13 2 5 3 5 8 9 7 2 12 4 13 5 5
Potential: A C B F D F D C C C F A
Health: Good
Scholarship: Yes
Status: Redshirting
Academics: 16
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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Career 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 A/T 0.0 0.0 0.0
Shooting Averages:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 0.00
Stat Totals:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shooting Totals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career Highs:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awards & Acheivements:
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Season Award
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1955 High School: Rated **** and #77 overall by the FBCB scouting service.
At 6'10 he is already one of the taller players in the league, and with a 17 rating of inside already, he is going to create some major problems in the post for a few years on the offensive side of the ball. When you look at the PCC in general, there aren't really any dominant big men left. Next year there will be 4 guys that will be able to hang with him, and ill take that. I think the PCC is weak in the post (me included) but that just means we should be in contention.
Our Roster looks like this
#24 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Offense
Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Ins Jps Fts 3ps Hnd Pas Reb Qkn Str Jmp
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Dante Douglas C 6-10 242 So 13 6 9 4 12 5 18 6 16 6
J.C. Quiles PF 6-8 256 Jr* 14 7 10 0 12 8 19 11 16 8
Edmund Nelson SG 6-4 205 Fr* 15 9 11 13 5 6 13 18 12 18
Allen Storer PG 6-2 182 Jr 8 11 11 18 19 8 7 19 7 16
Freddie Nation PG 6-4 219 Jr* 6 15 10 10 9 20 11 14 11 14
Hernando Hernandez SF 6-6 249 Jr 7 20 12 10 9 2 8 15 14 10
Vincent Lincoln SG 6-2 190 So* 5 18 13 8 11 3 16 18 9 13
Michael Fanning PF 6-10 208 Fr* 10 10 13 0 10 4 17 6 17 9
Ronald Mitchum SG 6-3 205 So* 14 6 14 13 5 8 6 17 14 12
Orval Tarter SF 6-5 238 Sr* 6 4 7 9 17 9 3 11 17 16
Benito Lightfoot PF 6-7 218 Jr* 11 8 13 6 7 3 11 12 15 11
Darrel Slone C 6-10 244 Fr 17 9 14 2 5 3 5 5 15 6
Michael Ruth PF 6-8 235 Fr 5 7 14 8 5 6 14 8 18 9
Sanford Crabb SG 6-3 176 Fr 10 9 10 14 8 12 9 15 9 19
#24 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS Defense
Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Psd Prd Stl Blk Reb Qkn Str Jmp Sta
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Dante Douglas C 6-10 242 So 10 4 7 16 8 6 16 6 15
J.C. Quiles PF 6-8 256 Jr* 8 11 6 11 18 11 16 8 18
Edmund Nelson SG 6-4 205 Fr* 9 6 5 2 10 18 12 18 20
Allen Storer PG 6-2 182 Jr 6 7 9 5 5 19 7 16 20
Freddie Nation PG 6-4 219 Jr* 7 14 14 8 6 14 11 14 19
Hernando Hernandez SF 6-6 249 Jr 8 6 9 10 12 15 14 10 9
Vincent Lincoln SG 6-2 190 So* 6 14 8 8 2 18 9 13 18
Michael Fanning PF 6-10 208 Fr* 9 5 9 10 9 6 17 9 15
Ronald Mitchum SG 6-3 205 So* 8 8 10 3 7 17 14 12 16
Orval Tarter SF 6-5 238 Sr* 12 8 7 9 6 11 17 16 11
Benito Lightfoot PF 6-7 218 Jr* 2 11 7 7 8 12 15 11 17
Darrel Slone C 6-10 244 Fr 10 7 2 14 9 5 15 6 9
Michael Ruth PF 6-8 235 Fr 9 7 14 14 10 8 18 9 13
Sanford Crabb SG 6-3 176 Fr 7 5 13 3 9 15 9 19 12
We are a little bit weak on D and rebounding on the defensive side. However, we should be able to put the ball in the hoop and I am hoping one of the best teams in the country on the offensive side of the glass. My 2 starting post guys on the glass are at 18 and 19, which I am hoping create all kinds of problems. Our guards aren't slacking in that area either.
I am taking another risk, and only have 3 posts on the roster that will play. My 4th again this year is redshirting. Next season will be my first with having 4 posts available as far as depth goes. We aren't there yet, but we are getting there.
This year marks the debut of 6'4 guard Edmond Nelson. Not sure where he is gonna play yet. We have a log jam at guards, so still deciding on the 2 or 3, but that is a good problem to have. We haven't had the amount of depth we will have this year. We could go 9 deep and be ok with it, but hoping we can stick with 7 and have some fun with that.
Vince, Pt. II
10-26-2015, 11:23 PM
I'm hoping Fontes can step up and actually be the shut down post that he's supposed to have been for three years now. Unfortunately, he's never had support from the PF slot, and this year won't be much different. Plant is all about the offensive side of the ball.
dawgfan
10-26-2015, 11:47 PM
Jess Johnson at Washington is going to be a monster next year as a freshman (he is redshirting this year).
I have a serious man-crush on Johnson. Even if it wasn't my policy to try to redshirt all my freshmen, he would have needed it because of his terrible stamina rating, but by next season he should be a beast, and I can't wait to see what he looks like as a senior. I got very, very lucky that the big boys in recruiting (Kansas, K State, Kentucky, Indiana, NC State, etc) all passed him over during the first couple of months and I was able to lock him in.
dawgfan
10-26-2015, 11:48 PM
1956 Prospectus:
Washington hit a couple of milestones last season as they claimed their first PCC title and advanced beyond the 1st round of the NCAA under Coach DeGrasse, as well as notching 31 wins. Expectations are high in Seattle, but with some key losses in Joshua Lopez and Ellis Murphy, it may be difficult to repeat that success. Still, this is a talented roster with a lot of positives, including a very talented Senior in Daniel Fenton to lead the way. While this team differs some from the 1955 version, there's a lot to like, and another PCC title is certainly possible. Here's the projected starting lineup as the Huskies look to defend their Pre-Season NIT Tournament Championship when they face off against Toledo:
C: Francis Calhoun (Jr*)
PF: Gregoire Dupretz (Fr*)
SF: Gisbert Bittes (Sr*)
SG: Italo Malocco (Jr)
PG: Daniel Fenton (Sr)
Key reserves: PG Marquis Gray (Fr*), SG/SF Manuel Parenteau (Fr*), PG Wayne Toro (So*), SG Jose Park (So*), C/PF Burt Lingle (So*)
Strengths: Very good team passing and ball-handling; strong outside shooters; above-average rebounders; good defensive skills, particularly along the perimeter; very deep in the backcourt; excellent overall athleticism
Weaknesses: Lacking a low-post offensive threat; no true shot-blocking enforcer down low; lacks quality depth in the post
Summary: Washington won't be quite the defensive giants they were last season with Lopez lost to graduation, but while they will take step back in post defense, they should be even better defenders on the perimeter and be among the top teams in the country in steals and forcing turnovers. They will also take a step back in rebounding with Lopez gone, though Calhoun made big strides in training to help mitigate that loss.
The big news is the move of Fenton to PG. He's always had the skill-set for the role, but with other highly capable 1's on the roster Washington had the luxury of playing him at the 2. Now he gets to run the show, and we're expecting big things. Super-sub Malocco jumps into the starting lineup thanks to his defense, ball-hawking and surprising offensive production. There's tremendous depth in the backcourt with highly-touted RS-Fr Gray and RS-So Toro providing quality options at PG, and RS-Fr Parenteau joining RS-So Park as 6th man scoring options at the wing. Bittes enters his Senior season as a well-rounded "glue guy" at the SF spot. A big question mark will be depth in the post. RS-Fr Dupretz enters the starting lineup while Lingle will again be the primary backup; injuries here could be a huge problem for the Huskies.
Conclusion: The Huskies will be hard-pressed to match last season's success in the win column; the PCC continues to get better and there are at least 5 legit contenders for the conference crown this season - going 15-1 in conference play is extremely unlikely. Still, there are a lot of things to like about how this roster lines up - between plus rebounding and excellent ball-hawking, the Huskies should typically finish with a big edge in possessions, and there's enough shooting talent and passing ability to think that the offense will again be among the more efficient in the country. As long as the interior defense holds up and the post players stay healthy, this team should earn their 4th straight NCAA bid and be right in the thick of the PCC conference race.
The National Basketball Report: 1956-57 Season Preview
As we said a few months ago, the times are changing.
New programs are rising up against the old guard, those that have stood their ground for the last four seasons. The hotbed of basketball is heading west, then further west. The PCC owns our own title of top conference this year, with the ACC trailing not far behind.
You'll also notice a change in our own preview. With the increasing presence of statistics and the analytical element, we introduced the NBR Analytics Bureau in our Too Early issue. They have been a brilliant presence here at the Agency, giving depth and reason, as well as push-back, to what we see with our eyes, and feel with our instinct. To say that they add to our reports is like saying freshly fallen snow adds to Christmas dawn.
It is a universal believe, and needs no more words.
You will find the Analytics Report at the conclusion of each conference preview.
We all hope you enjoy.
Preseason Top Twenty
1. Kansas State
2. North Carolina State
3. Kansas
4. Kentucky
5. Duquesne
6. North Carolina
7. Indiana
8. Washington
9. Bradley
10. Duke
11. Arkansas
12. California
13. Iowa
14. West Virginia
15. Seattle
16. Southern Cal
17. Dayton
18. San Francisco
19. Villanova
20. Notre Dame
National Player of the Year: G John Hildebrand, West Virginia
National Newcomer of the Year: C Mario Poe, Columbia
Preseason All-America Team
G: John Hildebrand, West Virginia (Sr)
G: Billy Jacob, Kansas State (Sr)
F: Dennis Sawicki, North Carolina (Jr)
F: Curt Davis, Kentucky (Jr)
C: Arlon Rahn, Kansas (So)
G: Danny Fenton, Washington (Sr)
G: Elijah Davis, Clemson (Sr)
F: Arthur Brodie, Oregon State (Jr*)
F: Richard Bulger, Bradley (Sr*)
C: Nickolas Parker, Tennessee Tech (Jr)
Atlantic Coast Conference (Conference Rank: 2)
1) North Carolina State 2) North Carolina 3) Duke
Sleeper: Maryland
Preseason Player of the Year: F Dennis Sawicki, North Carolina
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Chris Stoner, North Carolina
Rising: Virginia
Falling: Clemson
Best Backcourt: North Carolina
Best Frontcourt: North Carolina State
Best Offense: Duke
Best Defense: North Carolina
Best Bench: North Carolina State
Best Scorer: G Elijah Davis, Clemson
Best Passer: G Archie Means, North Carolina
Best Rebounder: C John Rossi, North Carolina State
Best Defender: C John Rossi, North Carolina
Best Sixth Man: G Ray Griffin, Duke
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: F Howard Clower, Maryland
NCAA Teams: North Carolina State, North Carolina, Duke
NIT Teams: Maryland, Virginia
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Elijah Davis, Clemson (Sr)
G: Lane McClary, Duke (Sr)
F: Dennis Sawicki, North Carolina (Jr)
F: Louis Bergeron, North Carolina State (So*)
C: John Rossi, North Carolina State (Sr*)
Synopsis: With the fall of Clemson, order is seemingly restored to the ACC. North Carolina State purposely sacrificed last year for this season, and they look the part of a national championship contender. North Carolina and Duke will not let them off easily, of course. Either would make a worthy champion, both of the conference, and of the nation. Virginia and Maryland should provide suitable resistance to Tobacco Road, but in the end, it comes down to the dynamic duo of Duke, the veterans of North Carolina, or the long-term vision of the Wolfpack.
Analytics
Reputation: 2nd(64.6)
Talent: 1st(4.15)
Recruiting: 6th(2.90)
No conference can claim to be in a better position than the ACC, but it's a precarious one. It's a top-heavy league, but one with an impressive power structure. There are six programs that are really head-and-shoulders above the rest going forward and three of them are here. N.C. State is the head of the snake but North Carolina and Duke appear neck-and-neck as major national powers behind them. Virginia, Wake Forest, and South Carolina provide a solid middle as well. Unfortunately, Clemson has fallen off a cliff and Maryland seems to be following them over the edge as well. This was also not a good year for the ACC in recruiting, to put it mildly; our assessment is that everyone except Virginia took a step backwards to one degree or another. Nobody will want any part of the Big 3 here for the next few seasons, but if things don't turn around they won't be able to hold their current status as probably the top conference in the nation.
Big 7 Conference (Conference Rank: 3)
1) Kansas State 2) Kansas 3) Colorado
Sleeper: Nebraska
Preseason Player of the Year: G Billy Jacob, Kansas State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Irwin Lear, Kansas
Rising: Nebraska
Falling: Missouri
Best Backcourt: Kansas State
Best Frontcourt: Kansas
Best Offense: Kansas State
Best Defense: Kansas State
Best Bench: Kansas State
Best Scorer: G Billy Jacob, Kansas state
Best Passer: G Steven Burns, Kansas
Best Rebounder: F Chris Spratt, Iowa State
Best Defender: F Tommy Fritts, Kansas State
Best Sixth Man: G Normand Herbert, Kansas State
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G David Gunter, Kansas State
NCAA Teams: Kansas State, Kansas
NIT Teams: Colorado
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Billy Jacob, Kansas State (Sr)
G: David Gunter, Kansas State (Sr)
F: Tommy Fritts, Kansas State (Sr)
F: Erich Walton, Kansas State (Sr)
C: Arlon Rahn, Kansas (So)
Synopsis: In the Too Early piece, we discussed the ticking clock on Kansas State's legacy. They have reached the National Semifinals three straight seasons, and have nothing to show for it. Rather, the national title in two of those three years have gone to the Jayhawks, who seem to be able to expert brilliantly in March. The two are star-crossed once again, as the last of that incredible group that arrived in Manhattan four years ago play out the final act of their collegiate careers. Standing in their way is the Automarahn, the 7'1, 282 immovable object standing in the heart of Lawrence. Of course, there is plenty around Arlon Rahn...but he is the symbol of what Kansas State must go through (first), as they try to write a happy ending to the story of the last four years. Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa State all have redeeming qualities that should endear themselves to those who select the NIT. But this, as it has been, is a two-horse race. It is, much like the last three years, one built for distance, not as a sprint.
Analytics
Reputation: 1st(65.6)
Talent: 4th(3.52)
Recruiting: 2nd(5.03)
One of the Kansas superpowers has played in the national title game for the past three years, with the Jayhawks winning both of theirs while the Wildcats lost to Bradley in the middle of that. It's no wonder that popular opinion has the Big 7 as the best around with those kind of results. Colorado and Iowa State provide a very solid second tier, but we are far less impressed with Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The Tigers in particular have all the appearance of a ship sinking, and doing so pretty quickly. We think Kansas has gained the upper hand over their in-state rivals, and figures to edge them out as the top program not just here but anywhere. The weakness of the bottom three schools though will eventually rob the Big 7 of some of it's luster if it continues.
Big Ten Conference (Conference Rank: 4)
1) Indiana 2) Iowa 3) Michigan State
Sleeper: Illinois
Preseason Player of the Year: F Cyril Clancy, Michigan State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Columbus Dotson, Iowa
Rising: Ohio State
Falling: Northwestern
Best Backcourt: Iowa
Best Frontcourt: Indiana
Best Offense: Indiana
Best Defense: Indiana
Best Bench: Indiana
Best Scorer: G Des Phillips, Indiana
Best Passer: G Chet Terrazas, Iowa
Best Rebounder: F Merv Erickson, Indiana
Best Defender: C Octavio Broussard, Indiana
Best Sixth Man: G Paul Williams, Iowa
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: C Octavio Broussard, Indiana
NCAA Teams: Indiana, Iowa
NIT Teams: Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Des Phillips, Indiana (So)
G: Chet Terrazas, Iowa (Sr)
F: Cyril Clancy, Michigan State (Sr)
F: Joshua Stripling, Northwestern (So)
C: Octavio Broussard, Indiana (Sr)
Synopsis: The Hoosiers are very vulnerable. only one-and-a-half starters return (Erickson started 14 games in his career). Iowa is coming on strong, and while nobody else in the conference is a terrible threat to take the title, Indiana has to feel as insecure as possible about repeating for the fourth time. Iowa, behind their stellar backcourt, will pressure Indiana's young guards. Michigan State has a solid starting group, though their bench lends itself to question. Illinois has regressed, but they have enough talent to beat anyone, anytime. The rest of the Big Ten have major holes, but there is more talent in the league than there ever has. Watch Ohio State closely; they have a lot of youth, a wealth of potential, and have the feel of a sleeping giant.
Analytics
Reputation: 3rd(63.9)
Talent: 3rd(3.64)
Recruiting: 3rd(4.75)
The Big Ten is definitely an elite conference, but it is not quite as good as it thinks it is or as public opinion thinks it is, at least not yet. There's no question that Indiana has as bright a future as any program in the country. Iowa and Illinois are an over-rated second tier though: they have only one NCAA win in the last three years between them, and while they are still better than the rest of the conference, the gap between them and the Hoosiers is much greater than commonly thought. Gradually rising to catch them is Ohio State, followed closely by Michigan State and Purdue. Michigan is sort of in no-man's land by themselves, not as good as that trio but well ahead of Northwestern and Wisconsin. Minnesota has collapsed; few schools in the country have less talent than the Gophers and we expect them to be a doormat for at least a while.
While Illinois and Iowa are an exception, most of the conference was strengthened in the recruiting haul this year. As a whole, the Big Ten was not far behind the Big 7 and PCC, and far ahead of everyone else in terms of incoming prospects. This is the continuation of a trend the last few years that has seen increasing numbers of highly regarded players joining the league, and there's no question the conference is getting better. In the next few years, the overall product should match it's outsized reputation.
Border Conference (Conference Rank: 16)
1) Arizona 2) Texas Western 3) Arizona State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Silvio Flores, Texas Western
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Len Smith, Arizona
Rising: Texas Western
Falling: Arizona State
Best Backcourt: Texas Western
Best Frontcourt: Arizona
Best Offense: Arizona
Best Defense: Arizona State
Best Bench: Texas Western
Best Scorer: G Elden Trull, Arizona State
Best Passer: G Robert Williams, Texas Western
Best Rebounder: F Roland Dabney, Texas Western
Best Defender: G Hayden Murray, Arizona State
Best Sixth Man: G Hayden Murray, Arizona State
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Elden Trull, Arizona State
NCAA Teams: Arizona State
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Silvio Flores, Texas Western (Jr)
G: Elden Trull, Arizona State (Sr*)
F: Roland Dabney, Texas Western (Sr)
F: Jonathan Moeller, Arizona (So)
C: Kris Jensen, Arizona State (Sr)
Synopsis: The conference has fallen over the past two seasons, but the top three--Arizona State, Texas Western, and Arizona--remain large within the league parameters. The Miners can steal this behind their backcourt...but the Sun Devils, with their stout defense, should be able to run away with things.
Analytics
Reputation: 18th(27.8)
Talent: 15th(1.87)
Recruiting: 13th(2.14)
The BIAA is definitely in the lowest tier of conferences, but it is somewhat under-rated. When you are thought of as dead last, there is nowhere to go but up. Arizona is the best-positioned going forward, with Arizona State looking ready to surpass distintegrating Texas Western in the runner-up position. However, this is a conference that is very competitive, and nobody is very good -- for the most part it's looking like a year-to-year scramble with no clear hierarchy behind Arizona's small advantage at the top. There isn't a school here that I would mention as definitely being in the top half nationwide. It was a pretty good recruiting year, and it's possible the BIAA may drag itself somewhat up the chain as the years progress.
Ivy Group (Conference Rank: 8)
1) Columbia 2) Dartmouth 3) Princeton
Sleeper: Pennsylvania
Preseason Player of the Year: F Sonny Freeman, Dartmouth
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: C Mario Poe, Columbia
Rising: Brown
Falling: Harvard
Best Backcourt: Princeton
Best Frontcourt: Columbia
Best Offense: Dartmouth
Best Defense: Pennsylvania
Best Bench: Columbia
Best Scorer: F Sonny Freeman, Dartmouth
Best Passer: G Stephen Martin, Cornell
Best Rebounder: C Marvin Maroney, Harvard
Best Defender: C Havel Richter, Yale
Best Sixth Man: G Marquis Theriot, Yale
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G James Paradis, Yale
NCAA Teams: Columbia
NIT Teams: Dartmouth
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: James Paradis, Yale (Sr)
G: Justin Root, Columbia (Sr)
F: Sonny Freeman, Dartmouth (Jr)
F: Charlie Smith, Dartmouth (Jr)
C: Mario Poe, Columbia (Fr)
Synopsis: The gap between Columbia and the rest of the Ivy is closing. The Lions, which enjoyed ranked status last year, could again this season. The cause of this result would be Mario Poe dominating the Group. The freshman is quite capable of that. The Indians, with their talented forwards in Freeman and Smith, along with Roddy McFall at the point, will be a severe threat to the Lions' sustainted dominance. We wrote that last year, and truth be told, the Indians nearly knocked off the Lions. Princeton will be a tough out, while Penn will use this season to prepare for the next two, when they could somehow be the kings of the conference. The Ivy is one of the most heated, highly-contested conferences in the nation. This year will be no different.
Analytics
Reputation: 14th(30.8)
Talent: T-11th(2.05)
Recruiting: 8th(2.48)
It's hard to have stringent admission standards like the Ivy schools do and not have a bit of an arrogant chip on your shoulder, but they don't really seem to try to resist the tendency much. Collectively they are among the best of the bottom of the barrel, which is fairly impressive given the conference's requirements for prospective students. Three-time defending champion Columbia is the unquestioned king of the hill, and they will probably stay there but it is no longer a sure thing. They have a massive advantadge in financial resources, but we actually like Dartmouth's collection of players a little bitter over th next few years and Brown's every bit as well with Penn not far behind. That quartet appears to be the new power structure. Princeton appears to be in chaos with their third coach in as many years, with Yale close behind them, Harvard just unable to attract much real talent and Cornell having decided they basically don't care about anything anymore at the bottom. Even with that, it appears that the Ivy will likely continue to improve, at least somewhat, overall in the coming years. There are a number of effective coaches here. Whether they can do enough to escape their spot among college basketball's also-rans is uncertain though.
Metro Conference (Conference Rank: 15)
1) St. John's 2) St. John's JVs 3) NYU
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: C Dennis Shelby, St. John's
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Melvin Murray, St. John's
Rising: CCNY
Falling: Fordham
Best Backcourt: St. John's
Best Frontcourt: St. John's
Best Offense: St. John's
Best Defense: St. John's
Best Bench: St. John's
Best Scorer: G Justin Drummond, NYU
Best Passer: G Andres Peden, CCNY
Best Rebounder: F Kelvin Denton, St. John's
Best Defender: F Kelvin Denton, St. John's
Best Sixth Man: F Kelvin Denton, St. John's
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: F Veniamin Alexeev, St. John's
NCAA Teams: St. John's
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Justin Drummond, NYU (Jr)
G: Andres Peden, CCYU (Jr)
F: Kelvin Denton, St. John's (Jr*)
F: Veniamin Alexeev, St. John's (Sr)
C: Dennis Shelby, St. John's (Jr*)
Synopsis: It's the Johnnies, then their backups, then everyone else. The City has various parts around it that are appealing, and City games are always fun to watch for the rivalry. But there is no debate here. The Johnnies are 17-1 in conference play since its formation, and will be 23-1 at the end of this year. They're also young...we don't expect them to contend nationally, but they have enough games with national issue that, with the right teaching from those games, they can be on the radar next season.
Analytics
Reputation: 15th(30.4)
Talent: 18th(1.83)
Recruiting: 14th(2.14)
This here is as bad as it gets in the sport today. St. John's has a solid team, though not quite as good as you'd expect. The rest of the Metro flat-out stinks. NYU is considered a credible number two, which they are minus the term 'credible', as they are barely better than the rest of the drek here. It is not a conference without potential to improve; there is a lot of homegrown talent in New York, but right now most of it is poached by others. Brooklyn and Manhattan appear to be getting a little better, but the coaching is pretty awful on balance in the league and until that changes, no major improvements are anticipated.
Mid-American Conference (Conference Rank: 12)
1) Toledo 2) Kent State 3) Marshall
Sleeper: Miami-Ohio
Preseason Player of the Year: F Mike Gehring, Kent State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Marco Goldman, Western Michigan
Rising: Bowling Green
Falling: Miami-Ohio
Best Backcourt: Toledo
Best Frontcourt: Toledo
Best Offense: Toledo
Best Defense: Toledo
Best Bench: Toledo
Best Scorer: G Darnell Carrington, Kent State
Best Passer: G Don Larson, Western Michigan
Best Rebounder: F Mike Gehring, Toledo
Best Defender: F Gordon Barron, Toledo
Best Sixth Man: G Brian Schmaranzer, Toledo
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: F Mike Gehring, Kent State
NCAA Teams: Toledo
NIT Teams: Kent State
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Timmy Torre, Toledo (Jr)
G: MIchael Ashe, Marshall (Sr)
F: Mike Gehring, Kent State (Sr)
F: Gordon Barron, Toledo (Sr*)
C: Irvin Sullivan, Bowling Green (Jr)
Synopsis: Toledo could go oh-fer this season, and it is doubtful anyone would hold it against them. All they did is deliver the greatest upset in sports history, knocking off Indiana in the first round of the NCAA last season. Most of that group is gone, but a few remain. Add in the fact that the majority of the MAC is young, and the Rockets should be able to get back to the NCAA Tournament once again.
Analytics
Reputation: 13th(30.9)
Talent: 13th(2.01)
Recruiting: 16th(2.00)
The Mid-American's chance to be something other than an afterthought has long rested with standard-bearers Toledo. Unfortunately, the Rockets haven't brought in any significant talent lately, and in another year or two they may not be much better than the rest here. Last year's upset of Indiana and eventually run to the Elite Eight got them a lot of deserved attention, but it won't last unless they massively upgrade their recruiting effectiveness. Behind them, it's a highly competitive mess of barely-competent programs, with the exception of Ohio who is a couple steps behind the rest.
Missouri Valley Conference (Conference Rank: 6)
1) Bradley 2) Saint Louis 3) Oklahoma A&M
Sleeper: Wichita Municipal
Preseason Player of the Year: G Michael Laguna, Saint Louis
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G James Gomez, Wichita Municipal
Rising: Wichita Municipal
Falling: Houston
Best Backcourt: Saint Louis
Best Frontcourt: Bradley
Best Offense: Bradley
Best Defense: Bradley
Best Bench: Bradley
Best Scorer: G Dionisio Vega, Bradley
Best Passer: G Jody Spring, Saint Louis
Best Rebounder: F Felix Holzer, Bradley
Best Defender: F Richard Bulger, Bradley
Best Sixth Man: G Max Cruse, Bradley
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: C James Calvo, Bradley
NCAA Teams: Bradley, Saint Louis
NIT Teams: Oklahoma A&M
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Dionisio Vega, Bradley (Jr)
G: Michael Laguna, Saint Louis (Sr)
F: Richard Bulger, Bradley (Sr*)
F: Loyd Gardiner, Detroit Mercy (Jr)
C: James Calvo, Bradley (Sr*)
Synopsis: We thought Bradley would drop off after entering a conference, but they have made the transition from independent seamlessly. This year's team is decidedly on the second tier of national contenders; however, they are on the list of national contenders. Vega, Calvo and Bulger led an excellent, well-rounded team. Max Cruse is the next star at Bradley, and he should start to take off as the season continues. The Billikens have the offense, but their defense will be their ultimate shortcoming. Laguna is a star who needs to begin proving he can make it at the next level. The Cowboys need their overhyped backcourt of Witcher and O'Bryant to begin producing if they are going to be taken seriously. The rest of the conference is filler.
Analytics
Reputation: 7th(47.4)
Talent: 7th(2.59)
Recruiting: 9th(2.32)
It seems everything is changing in the MVC these days. After having Bradley, one of the top programs in the nation, join a couple years back, now Drake expands the conference to eight this year. After Bradley, Oklahoma A&M and Saint Louis are strong programs as well, but the former is rising a bit while the Billikens are crashing hard. Tulsa stinks and is getting worse, despite their middling reputation as well, and Detroit Mercy is doing nothing whatsoever at all. Houston is on the rise and could well soon be the #3 team in the MVC, with Municipal University of Wichita and Drake also looking to improve. Nobody around here is standing pat, it seems the whole conference is in an upheaval, either rising or falling. A new status quo seems unlikely to be found anytime soon.
Mountan State Athletic Conference (Conference Rank: 11)
1) Utah State 2) Utah 3) Wyoming
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Rudy Grimmett, Colorado A&M
Rising: Utah State
Falling: Brigham Young
Best Backcourt: Utah State
Best Frontcourt: Utah State
Best Offense: Utah State
Best Defense: Utah
Best Bench: Utah State
Best Scorer: G Benjamin Doolittle, Utah State
Best Passer: G Robert Peeler, Utah
Best Rebounder: F Benjamin Whetstone, Denver
Best Defender: C Edmundo Price, Brigham Young
Best Sixth Man: F Demarcus Michaud, Utah State
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Francis Upshaw, Utah State
NCAA Teams: Utah State
NIT Teams: Utah
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Robert Peeler, Utah (Sr)
G: Francis Upshaw, Utah State (Sr*)
F: Steven Salcedo, Utah State (Sr*)
F: Brian Warren, Wyoming (Jr*)
C: Joshua Bernal, Colorado A&M (Jr)
Synopsis: The Aggies have control of a conference currently going through a rough stretch. The Mountain State should be better than this, honestly. BYU is a team filled with pride and prestige; they are capable of much more than their current output. The Utes are the same; they have wasted Robert Peeler's considerable talent, and the draw he could have had as a player. Now, instead of getting top-notch talent, the Utes will wonder what could have been. The Aggies are the power of the conference now. With Upshaw, Doolittle, and the depth of their frontcourt, they are not as good as the teams of the past in the MSAC. But they should represent the conference well enough.
Analytics
Reputation: 10th(39.5)
Talent: 18th(1.64)
Recruiting: 18th(1.82)
The MSAC gives the Independents a run for their money as the most overrated. The common consensus is that there are four quality programs here: Utah, Utah State, BYU, and Wyoming. The consensus is wrong. There is exactly one, and it's Utah State. The other three are shells, shadows of what they should be. Things are so bad that even the cellar is over-rated here: Denver, New Mexico, and Montana are among the least talented teams in the nation, belying a vague veneer of competence. Colorado A&M actually managed to snag a decent player this year, and they've won more games each of the past three years than the year before. They have yet to post a winning record and are top-heavy with juniors and seniors though, so we are far from convinced. Utah State's Weston Kingsley, a defensive genius with no particular weakness as a coach, looks positioned to rule this league by default. But that won't be enough: the MSAC is a sinking ship, seemingly destined to fall into the abyss of the nation's also-rans bit by bit each year.
Ohio Valley Conference (Conference Rank: 13)
1) Western Kentucky 2) Murray State 3) Middle Tennessee State
Sleeper: Morehead State
Preseason Player of the Year: C Nickolas Parker, Tennessee Tech
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Kris Ladner, Eastern Kentucky
Rising: Western Kentucky
Falling: Murray State
Best Backcourt: Western Kentucky
Best Frontcourt: Tennessee Tech
Best Offense: Murray State
Best Defense: Tennessee Tech
Best Bench: Murray State
Best Scorer: Sandy Raymond, Eastern Kentucky
Best Passer: G Ben Guidry, Murray State
Best Rebounder: C Joe Lopez, Murray State
Best Defender: C Jerrell Moore, Western Kentucky
Best Sixth Man: G Boris Jeffrey, Murray State
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: C Brian Jacob, Murray State
NCAA Teams: Western Kentucky
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Kris Ladner, Eastern Kentucky (Jr)
G: Brooks Schulman, Murray State (Jr)
F: George Houtson, Morehead State (Jr)
F: Brian Jacob, Murray State (Sr)
C: Nickolas Parker, Tennessee Tech (Jr)
Synopsis: In hindsight, this is the conference pick we will get wrong, with all certainty. We are taking the Hilltoppers as a hunch pick. The conference is so tight, any of five teams can win it (sorry, Eastern Kentucky). This is the most heated conference in the nation, and arguably, the most fun to watch. It is also nearly impossible to predict. There isn't a wealth of talent in the conference, but there is more than you'd think. There is no shortage of rivalry, though.
Analytics
Reputation: 16th(30.0)
Talent: 14th(1.91)
Recruiting: 7th(2.82)
Few people spend much time thinking about the OVC. There rarely seems a reason to. That will change if they keep bringing in players like they did this year. Several teams took a step forward, and none regressed. That's not enough to drag them out of the muck, but a couple more years like it will certainly move things in that direction. Western Kentucky, Murray STate, and Morehead State are the established powers here, but it's Tennessee Tech that looks primed to challenge WKU in the upcoming years. Morehead State has been the champion the last couple of years, but they seem to be just treading water and that's not likely to be good enough around these parts. Eastern Kentucky State brings up the rear, and despite prize JC transfer Kristofer Ladner they still have work to do to catch the others.
Pacific Coast Conference (Conference Rank: 1)
1) Washington 2) California 3) Southern California
Sleeper: UCLA
Preseason Player of the Year: G Danny Fenton, Washington
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F/C Willie Legault, California
Rising: Oregon State
Falling: Stanford
Best Backcourt: Washington
Best Frontcourt: California
Best Offense: California
Best Defense: Washington
Best Bench: California
Best Scorer: F Arthur Brodie, Oregon State
Best Passer: G Danny Fenton, Washington
Best Rebounder: F Robert Hutton, UCLA/F JC Quiles, USC
Best Defender: F Gisbert Bittes, Washington
Best Sixth Man: F Marc Cundiff, California
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Danny Fenton, Washington
NCAA Teams: Washington, Cal, Southern Cal, UCLA
NIT Teams: Oregon State, Oregon
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Danny Fenton, Washington (Sr)
G: Tony Eyre, California (Jr)
F: Arthur Brodie, Oregon State (Jr*)
F: Gisbert Bittes, Washington (Sr*)
C: Ken Foster, Oregon (Sr*)
Synopsis: The PCC made good on our speculation two seasons ago, when we said the conference would be the deepest, most talented in the nation. They are definitely there this year. Originally, we liked Oregon State to win this conference. Now, they rank fifth or sixth to us. That's how deep things are here. In the end, Washington and Cal should be able to hold on for one more season. The kids at Southern Cal and Oregon State haven't grown up as quickly as their respective coaching staffs would like. As a result, the old guard should be able to hold...for one more year. UCLA and Oregon are interesting teams, though defensive flaws (especially in UCLA's case) should limit their ability to disrupt the PCC hierarchy.
Analytics
Reputation: 4th(59.4)
Talent: 2nd(4.03)
Recruiting: 1st(5.13)
The PCC is quickly building a tradition of excellence. They had the best composite collection of new players come in this year, and only the ACC boasts a better overall collection of players. Another year like this one and that will no longer be true either. It is not a conference without issues though. They lag behind the Big 3 leagues in the public mind, and a big reason for that is there is no clear alpha, no obvious standard-bearer. There is great depth in the PCC but a top champion to capture the imagination has not yet emerged. We see Southern California edging out Oregon State over the next few years, with UCLA and California very close behind. Washington had a fabulous haul this year and another like it would put them back in that conversation as well. Stanford seems pretty alone in the middle of the pack, and even they are still quite good but it's a tough neighborhood. Washington State is next, and then it's a ways further to Oregon and Idaho bringing up the rear. Only those last two could rightly be said to be subpar, and even at that they aren't that horribly off. Many insiders think it's only a matter of time until the critical mass here leads to the PCC becoming recognized as the nation's premier conference, but the more well-established powers in the Big 7, Big Ten, and ACC will not give up their supremacy easily.
Southeastern Conference (Conference Rank: 5)
1) Kentucky 2) Alabama 3) Mississippi State
Sleeper: Tulane
Preseason Player of the Year: F Curt Davis, Kentucky
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Nelson Gonzales, Louisiana State
Rising: Tulane
Falling: Georgia Tech
Best Backcourt: Mississippi State
Best Frontcourt: Kentucky
Best Offense: Alabama
Best Defense: Kentucky
Best Bench: Kentucky
Best Scorer: G Lenny Snell, Kentucky
Best Passer: G Douglas Lapierre, Mississippi State
Best Rebounder: F Elisha Rice, Florida
Best Defender: F James Williams, Kentucky
Best Sixth Man: G Lenny Snell, Kentucky
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Joshua Merwin, LSU
NCAA Teams: Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi State
NIT Teams: Tulane, Georgia Tech
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Douglas Lapierre, Mississippi State (Jr)
G: Ernie Clark, Tennessee (Sr)
F: Charlie Johnson, Vanderbilt (Jr)
F: Curt Davis, Kentucky (Jr)
C: Scott Moncada, Kentucky (So*)
Synopsis: Kentucky is head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. After that, it is a toss-up. We like Alabama, but it could be any one of three or four teams. We are most interested in Tulane and Georgia Tech. The former is rising, though how far depends on where their vaunted backcourt takes them. Eusebio Williams arrived on campus with much fanfare, but it can easily be argued that he has not made good on the potential. Georgia Tech has played better than anyone expected the past two years. With a depleted roster, how will the Yellow Jackets respond?
Analytics
Reputation: 5th(52.4)
Talent: 5th(3.03)
Recruiting: 5th(3.20)
The SEC is well-known for being Kentucky and then everybody else. This is still very much the case, but the Wildcats have not brought in talent appropriate to their status the last couple of seasons. Their spot atop the conference is not in jeopardy, but the status as one of the very best programs in the country could very well be.
The mass of teams below them forms probably the most competitive conference in the nation. They are not among the elite, but neither are they a middle-of-the-pack league, essentially in no-man's land with no real peers at this point. Ask us who will emerge from that pack and you'll get an atlas. Kentucky as mentioned is above it; Tennessee and Mississippi are sliding below it. The other nine, believe it or not, are all in play. It's easy to ignore Tulane but we actually have them 4th in the conference on talent, though they lack the bankroll in support of it so who knows where they end up. LSU and Alabama brought in the best talent this year, but both were underwhelming in previous years. Probably the favorite is Mississippi State, both the most prestigious by a small margin and they've consistently had solid players to work with. But the Georgia schools, Vandy, Florida, Alabama Poly -- they all will have their say. Trust us -- if you like drama, if you like a conference race where there are surprises every week and every game matters, the SEC is going to be the best game in town probably throughout the rest of the 50s.
Southern Conference (Conference Rank: 9)
1) West Virginia 2) George Washington 3) Virginia Tech
Sleeper: Davidson
Preseason Player of the Year: G John Hildebrand, West Virginia
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Will Gendron, George Washington
Rising: Davidson
Falling: Richmond
Best Backcourt: West Virginia
Best Frontcourt: George Washington
Best Offense: West Virginia
Best Defense: West Virginia
Best Bench: West Virginia
Best Scorer: G James Warnock, Furman
Best Passer: G John Hildebrand, West Virginia
Best Rebounder: C Billy Williams, Davidson
Best Defender: F Len Weinstein, Virginia Tech
Best Sixth Man: G Andrew Batson, George Washington
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G John Hildebrand, West Virginia
NCAA Teams: West Virginia, George Washington
NIT Teams: Virginia Tech
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: John Hildebrand, West Virginia (Sr)
G: Charlie Arroyo, George Washington (Sr*)
F: Demarcus Woods, West Virginia (Sr*)
F: Billy Williams, Davidson (Sr)
C: Len Weinstein, Virginia Tech (Sr)
Synopsis: We really wanted to take the Colonials over West Virginia. Their talent, overall, stacks up very well against the Mountaineers. But GW is not a defensive-minded team in the slightest. They will be very hard-pressed to take out the Mountaineers, especially with Hildebrand and Woods back. Hildebrand may be the best point guard in the nation (we believe he is, but leave things opened up for discussion), and Woods has gotten increasingly better every season. West Virginia and Davidson will be intriguing to watch...the Hokies, in particular, can make a run at the NCAA. The Mountaineers, however, are our pick. They've earned it, after two national semifinals and a championship appearance.
Analytics
Reputation: 12th(35.0)
Talent: 10th(2.09)
Recruiting: 12th(2.17)
The Southern Conference occupies a position somewhat above the bottom half-dozen or so conferences, but it's unclear if they will retain it. There are some schools doing a solid job at building respectability, while others are totally stinking it up. West Virginia is off course the headliner, especially after reaching the title game last year. We don't see them reaching those heights again soon, but certainly they should be a fixture in the tournament. Surprisingly, their best competition around these parts might be Davidson. David Horton's offense-focused Wildcats have been assembling a surprisingly robust collection of talent that should have them rising to clear second-place contenders. The more established programs at GW and VT have been less impressive, while Richmond, Furman, and William & Mary are looking fairly disastrous lately.
Southwestern Conference (Conference Rank: 7)
1) Arkansas 2) Southern Methodist 3) Texas Christian
Sleeper: Texas
Preseason Player of the Year: G Charlie Garay, Southern Methodist
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Will Bingham, Arkansas
Rising: TCU
Falling: Texas
Best Backcourt: SMU
Best Frontcourt: Arkansas
Best Offense: Arkansas
Best Defense: Texas Christian
Best Bench: Arkansas
Best Scorer: G Bennett Dougherty, Arkansas
Best Passer: G Charlie Garay, SMU
Best Rebounder: C Hank Kingery, SMU
Best Defender: G Bennett Dougherty, Arkansas
Best Sixth Man: G Seth Wessels, Arkansas
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Charlie Garay, SMU
NCAA Teams: Arkansas, SMU
NIT Teams: Texas Christian, Texas
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Bennett Dougherty, Arkansas (Jr*)
G: Charlie Garay, SMU (Sr)
F: Will Bingham, Arkansas (Jr)
F: Jose Pritchett, TCU (Sr)
C: Hank Kingery, SMU (So)
Synopsis: Arkansas has a crackerjack outfit, one capable of making a prolonged run in the NCAA Tournament. The Southwest has been a hidden treasure, like the Ohio Valley. Unlike the OVC, the SWC has a boatload of talent. Garay is one of the finest players in the country, as is Dougherty. Kerry Groves would be a top guard on many teams in the nation. We haven't even mentioned Don Seawright, the senior guard at TCU. He is a fantastic, wel-rounded player. There is a lot to love in the Southwest. In the end, Arkansas should earn their praise as the best little program in the nation. (They won't be so little for long.)
Analytics
Reputation: 8th(46.1)
Talent: 6th(2.70)
Recruiting: 4th(3.56)
If the events of the last year become a trend, don't sleep on the SWC. Arkansas looks primed to wrest control of the conference from SMU, who unseated them last year. We're hardly the only ones to have noticed, as they are ranked 12th in the pre-season. Texas is looking solid as well, Baylor seems to be on the rebound a bit, and Agricultural & Mechanic had a good group of five additions this past year. Rice is really the only school that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. This is a solid league, and the way the top pair are going it is likely to only get better.
West Coast Conference (Conference Rank: 10)
1) San Francisco 2) Saint Mary's 3) San Jose State
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Ronnie Veasey, San Francisco
Rising: Santa Clara
Falling: San Jose State
Best Backcourt: San Francisco
Best Frontcourt: San Francisco
Best Offense: San Francisco
Best Defense: San Francisco
Best Bench: San Francisco
Best Scorer: G David Buckner, Loyola U
Best Passer: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
Best Rebounder: C Marvin Rau, Saint Mary's
Best Defender: C Drew Olson, San Jose State
Best Sixth Man: G Warren Tandy, San Francisco
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco
NCAA Teams: San Francisco
NIT Teams: Saint Mary's
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Stephen Ferrari, San Francisco (Sr)
G: David Buckner, Loyola U (Jr)
F: Eric Waldron, San Jose State (Jr)
F: Ronnie Veasey, San Francisco (Fr*)
C: Vaughn Griffis, San Francisco (Jr)
Synopsis: The Dons are the kings of the West Coast Conference, and could easily fit into the Pacific Coast if they wanted to make a change (not that we're suggesting anything...). Stephen Ferrari has been an absolute delight to watch for the past three years. We know he will continue his career, rather well, we might add, at the next level. But there is a joy in watching him perform here that will be lost in the pro ranks. If you have an opportunity to see the Dons play this year, do so. You will not be limited to just Ferrari, but a host of fantastic players. We won't go out on a limb and say the Dons are national semifinal worthy, like two years ago. But if things break their way, they could be on par with Washington as the best in the west.
Analytics
Reputation: 11th(39.4)
Talent: 8th(2.39)
Recruiting: 10th(2.25)
This is San Francisco's domain, but the Dons appear to be on the decline a bit. They still have plenty of talent to be scary for a year or two, but may be regressing to the level of a merely regional power. Saint Mary's is in much rose shape, a real paper tiger. San Francisco will rule this conference for the forseeable future, as decent is the most complimentary thing that can be said of anybody else in the WCC. It's far too lofty a descriptor for Pacific, San Jose State, or newcomers Pepperdine who are still figuring things out. Santa Clara looks like the best of the rest, but there remains much work to do there. Overall, the level of play here is not great, but not terrible either.
West New York 3 Conference (Conference Rank: 17)
1) Niagara 2) St. Bonaventure 3) Canisius
Sleeper: None
Preseason Player of the Year: G Curt To, Niagara
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Dan Judge, Niagara
Rising: n/a
Falling: n/a
Best Backcourt: Niagara
Best Frontcourt: Niagara
Best Offense: Niagara
Best Defense: Niagara
Best Bench: Niagara
Best Scorer: G Monroe Serrato, Niagara
Best Passer: G Curt To, Niagara
Best Rebounder: F Robert Lombard, Niagara
Best Defender: F Larry Lewis, St. Bonaventure
Best Sixth Man: G Matthew Ashton, Niagara
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Curt To, Niagara
NCAA Teams: Niagara
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Curt To, Niagara (Sr)
G: John Johnson, St. Bonaventure (Sr)
G: Monroe Serrato, Niagara (Sr)
F: Robert Lombard, Niagara (Sr*)
C: Grady Waters, Canisius (Jr)
Synopsis: The final chapter in this four-year run of Perez and To comes to an end, as Curtis graduates at the end of this year. It has been a very successful run for this pairing, with 43 wins in the last two years, and a NCAA win last year. That will likely not be the case this year, even with a couple of players as talented as Monroe Serrato and Robert Lombard flanking To. They should easily win the four-game playoff for a NCAA berth again (with all due respect, how does this guarantee a NCAA berth?), and should get a seven or eight-seed in the tournament field. That's about all they are good for, but it's definitely more than good enough for this small school.
Analytics
Reputation: 6th(48.0)
Talent: 12th(2.05)
Recruiting: 17th(2.00)
This trio is the picture of resting on your laurels. None of them are living up to their billing lately, most notably with Niagara with St. Bonaventure at least holding their ground to become the best here. On the whole, these schools are as overrated as the Independents, perhaps more so. It seems that most players want to play in the larger conferences, and if that continues the New York trio is in serious trouble.
Yankee Conference (Conference Rank: 14)
1) Connecticut 2) Massachusetts 3) Rhode Island
Sleeper: Vermont
Preseason Player of the Year: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: G Joaquin Goodwin, Maine
Rising: Vermont
Falling: New Hampshire
Best Backcourt: Connecticut
Best Frontcourt: Connecticut
Best Offense: Connecticut
Best Defense: Rhode Island
Best Bench: Connecticut
Best Scorer: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
Best Passer: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
Best Rebounder: F Henry Powell, New Hampshire
Best Defender: F John Buzzell, Vermont
Best Sixth Man: G Gary Garfield, Connecticut
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Jessie Calvert, Connecticut
NCAA Teams: Connecticut
NIT Teams: None
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Jessie Calvert, Connecticut (Sr)
G: Harry Germany, Vermont (Sr)
F: Joe McInerney, Connecticut (Jr*)
F: Brien Taylor, Connecticut (Sr)
C: Josiah Douglas, Maine (Jr)
Synopsis: With the rest of the conference searching for answers, the Huskies march on, and the distance between them and the rest of the conference gets a little wider. Calvert, who burst onto the scene with a surprise All-American nod two years ago, is now a senior. He has a solid #2 in McInerney, and a very capable backcourt to rule the Yankee roost. UMass is a far cry from what they could be, and the rest of the conference is hoping for an off-night by the Huskies. They can get them...UConn has not gone through any season without at least two in-conference losses. New England travel can wear on teams in the winter. Regardless, the Huskies should see their way to another first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.
Analytics
Reputation: 17th(29.2)
Talent: 17th(1.81)
Recruiting: 11th(2.25)
The Yankee Conference is another with one dominant team in Connecticut and everyone else chasing. In this case the chasers are abysmal without exception, and UConn is dominant only by comparison. Vermont and Rhode Island seem the best chances for a legitimate challenger riht now, with New Hampshire and UMass definitely at the bottom of the pile. The Huskies themselves are looking to build a future in which their influence extends further on a regional scale, bringing in a full half-dozen bodies this offseason. On the whole the Yankee is getting better, but it would be hard not to given it's present status as one of the nation's laughingstocks.
Independents (Conference Rank: -)
1) Duquesne 2) Dayton 3) La Salle
Sleeper: Seattle, Villanova
Preseason Player of the Year: G Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: F Arden Summer, Villanova
Rising: Villanova, Marquette, Oklahoma City
Falling: Louisville, Holy Cross, Temple
Best Backcourt: Duquesne, Notre Dame, Seattle
Best Frontcourt: Seattle, Dayton, La Salle
Best Offense: Notre Dame, Duquesne, Villanova
Best Defense: Seattle, Dayton, La Salle
Best Bench: Duquesne, Cincinnati, Villanova
Best Scorer: G Trent Rueda, Texas Tech; G Gregory Wyman, Seattle; G William Amador, DePaul
Best Passer: G Andrew Cosme, St. Joseph's; G Hubert Cox, Temple
Best Rebounder: C Brady Poe, Siena; C Denver Logan, Dayton
Best Defender: G Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne; F Joe Gard, Miami; F David Harder, Seattle
Best Sixth Man: G Elvis Cox, Notre Dame; F Brent Dampier, Duquesne
Best (Current) Professional Prospect: G Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne
NCAA Teams: Duquesne, Dayton, La Salle, Seattle, Villanova, Notre Dame,
NIT Teams: Temple, Holy Cross, Cincinnati, Oklahoma City, Marquette, St. Joseph's
Preseason All-Conference Team
G: Chauncey Hinkley, Duquesne (Sr)
G: Guy Jeter, Notre Dame (Sr)
F: Charles Tillery, Holy Cross (Jr*)
F: Jesus Jones, Seattle (Jr)
C: Denver Logan, Dayton (Sr)
Synopsis: A few teams, notably Seattle, Villanova, and Marquette, are attempting to disrupt the old guard of Duquesne, Dayton, and the like. Like with other conferences, this probably won't give way...this year. But Villanova is getting better, Marquette is young, Seattle is a rising giant in the West, and Notre Dame is consistently hawking underrated talent. While Duquesne is the king of the Indies, with Dayton a close second, there is a very close line between the top, and the second tier. By this time next year, it is likely that the line of the elite will grow to include these teams. For now, Seattle appears to be extremely dangerous. Watch them...they are hidden by the giants of Washington, San Francisco, and the rest...but they should not be overlooked for too long.
Analytics
Reputation: 9th(45.2)
Talent: 9th(2.34)
Recruiting: 15th(2.13)
Making generalized statements about the Independents as a whole is a risky thing: it's too large and diverse a group of schools for any such assessment to be entirely accurate. Fully a quarter of the nation's programs are to be found here. On balance though it is unquestionably the most overrated collection of teams at the present time. Many of those regarded as established powers are crashing, while few if any of the less-regarded teams are on the rise to any significant degree. Boston College, Cincinatti, Syracuse, Louisville, and Texas Tech are just a few of the more extreme examples of programs that are in very serious danger of a sharp decline. The Independents may have a very respectable reputation on the whole right now, but we don't see that lasting very long if current trends persist.
One notable exception is Duquesne, who in our evaluation is 8th both in overall talent level and this year's incoming recruits. Saint Joseph's, Temple, Villanova, Seattle, and Notre Dame are probably those with the best future behind them, but among the Independents Duquesne is in a class by themselves right now. Unfortunately, when it comes to offensive execution coach Ronald Polson is, well ... lacking is the nice way to say it. They should do ok defensively, but they need a more complete leader to consistently compete with the best in the nation. Still, last year's NIT visit should be an outlier, and we'd expect to see them winning an NCAA game or even two most seasons.
Our NCAA Picks: As always, we project the NCAA Tournament. We are making our selections based off of this model. Naturally, things change over the course of the season. However, this is our first actual projection of the season, along with our pick for the 1956-57 champion. If memory serves, we are one-for-three thus far.
Preseason Pick (Actual winner in parenthesis)
1953: Kansas over Bradley (Kansas over Duquesne)
1954: Kansas State over Indiana (Bradley over Kansas State)
1955: Kansas State over Indiana (Kansas over West Virginia)
Have we learned our lesson? Well, for starters, we put Kansas State and Indiana in the same region. So...maybe.
1 NC State Kentucky 1
8 Niagara W. Kentucky 8
5 Villanova Notre Dame 5
4 Seattle West Virginia 4
East South
3 Duke Arkansas 3
6 Saint Louis Alabama 6
7 St. John's Columbia 7
2 Duquesne North Carolina 2
1 Kansas State Kansas 1
8 Toledo Arizona 8
5 Dayton Southern Cal 5
4 California San Francisco 4
Midwest West
3 Bradley Iowa 3
6 La Salle SMU 6
7 Utah State Connecticut 7
2 Indiana Washington 2
East
Seattle over NC State; Duquesne over Duke
Seattle over Duquesne
South
Kentucky over West Virginia; Arkansas over North Carolina
Kentucky over Arkansas
Midwest
Kansas State over Dayton; Bradley over Indiana
Kansas State over Bradley
West
Kansas over Southern Cal; Washington over SMU
Kansas over SMU
National Semifinal
Kansas State over Seattle
Kentucky over Kansas
National Championship: Kansas State over Kentucky
The third time's the charm.
I have a serious man-crush on Johnson. Even if it wasn't my policy to try to redshirt all my freshmen, he would have needed it because of his terrible stamina rating, but by next season he should be a beast, and I can't wait to see what he looks like as a senior. I got very, very lucky that the big boys in recruiting (Kansas, K State, Kentucky, Indiana, NC State, etc) all passed him over during the first couple of months and I was able to lock him in.
I have a man crush as well :)
britrock88
10-29-2015, 09:57 AM
Man. This is such a great league. I need to remember to make time to do more than export every other week. :(
The National Basketball Report
November 23, 1956
Top Twenty
1. Kentucky (3-0, LW 4)
2. North Carolina (3-0, 6)
3. Seattle (5-0, 15)
4. Washington (5-0, 8)
5. North Carolina St (3-1, 2)
6. Duquesne (4-1, 5)
7. Kansas State (1-1, 1)
8. Indiana (3-1, 7)
9. Bradley (1-1, 9)
10. Dayton (2-0, 17)
11. Kansas (1-2, 3)
12. California (0-0, 12)
13. Iowa (0-0, 13)
14. Duke (1-1, 10)
15. Arkansas (3-1, 11)
16. West Virginia (1-1, 14)
17. San Francisco (3-1, 18)
18. Holy Cross (1-0, NR)
19. Oregon (3-0, NR)
20. Colorado (2-0, NR)
Dropped Out: Southern Cal (16), Villanova (19), Notre Dame
1 NC State Kentucky 1
8 Connecticut W. Kentucky 8
5 Holy Cross Duke 5
4 West Virginia Arkansas 4
East South
3 Duquesne Dayton 3
6 St. Joseph Georgia Tech 6
7 Niagara St. John 7
2 Indiana North Carolina 2
1 Kansas State Washington 1
8 Toledo Arizona State 8
5 California La Salle 5
4 Iowa San Francisco 4
Midwest West
3 Bradley Seattle 3
6 Colorado Oregon 6
7 Utah State Columbia 7
2 Seattle Kansas 2
AP Poll (AP stands for Absolutely Preposterous)
Pity the poor Associated Press voting machine. They have an unenviable task.
The poll, which is in mid-flux (ours is being created mid-week, rather than on a Monday), may look like a traffic jam with all lanes shut down. Where in the world do they go with this? The entire landscape has cannibalised itself. Let's try to sort out our own ranking:
Kentucky went through Kansas and Kansas State, and didn't have the let down against Bowling Green State. They are worthy of the top ranking. Meanwhile, Kansas getting knocked out of the AP poll is the biggest overreaction possible, in our view. More on that to come shortly.
North Carolina is 3-0, and while they didn't play anybody, they didn't lose and were already ranked high to begin the season. Fine.
Seattle is 5-0, beating Duquesne in the process. They didn't beat anyone of conseqeunce, but they held opponents to 43.8 points per game. Duquesne scored just 36. Holy cow.
Washington is also 5-0, beating Michigan and ranked San Francisco handedly in the process. In fact, they are winning by 18.4 points per game.
Those four are set where they are, with hard-earned places among the poll.
And then...
North Carolina State, currently atop the AP poll, will not be next week. They lost to Bradley, 82-59, at home, in a game where they were never, ever competitive. Bradley led by twenty at the break, controlled the rebounds, and went 20-21 at the stripe.
Duquesne went 4-1, beat Villanova and crushed Indiana, before being flat against Seattle. The following win against Columbia (1-3) means very little right now. By the way, Indiana comes calling on December 1st in a scheduled game (the first go-round was in the semifinals of the Chuck Taylor All-Star Classic). That game will come with much intrigue.
Kansas State fell to Kentucky, but beat West Virginia, in the Tournament of Champions. That shouldn't totally warrant such a fall, but Duquesne had an impressive start, and the win over West Virginia may not be as impressive as one would think.
Indiana went 3-1, but were run off the floor by the Dukes. Bradley blew out NC State, but lost to San Francisco, who lost to Washington by thirteen. Dayton won both of their games, proving their rank. Kansas fell to Kentucky and West Virginia, which necessitated a fall...the way things shook out, a fall is more than justified. But...out of the poll?
(Patience...)
Cal and Iowa haven't played yet, and therefore, stayed put. Duke fell to Ohio State, which is somehow ranked in the AP poll. We do not feel the Buckeyes, despite a good win here, are worthy of that just yet. More on that shortly. Arkansas fell to Georgia Tech, but rebounded well heading into their matchup against Kansas State in Manhattan. West Virginia split the Tournament of Champions, falling two spots.
San Fran lost to Washington, but played well otherwise, and moved up a spot. Holy Cross, Oregon and Colorado all earned their way into the poll, while Southern Cal, Villanova and Notre Dame earned their way out.
This is a tangled web, as teams are realizing that having a good schedule enhances their reputation in the eyes of the Tournament Selection Committee. In this case, though, it may make them go blind, especially when many marquee games are on the upcoming schedule. Here is a quick glimpse:
11.23.56
Seattle at California
Indiana at Toledo (we really cannot wait for that)
11.24.56
Arkansas at Kansas State
11.25.56
Saint Joe at San Francisco
11.26.56
Kentucky at Louisville
11.27.56
West Virginia at Ohio State
Illinois at NC State
Michigan at Maryland
Southern Cal at Arizona State
11.29.56
Notre Dame at George Washington
Kentucky at Clemson
12.1.56
Indiana at Duquesne
Seattle at Southern Cal
NC State at Kansas
12.2.56
Duquesne at Stanford
12.3.56
Georgia Tech at San Francisco
Notre Dame at Penn State
Michigan at Maryland
12.4.56
Duquesne at Temple
Holy Cross at Duke
That is only the next week and a half (covering our publishing cycle). The nation's elite are choosing to rise to a challenge, rather than become scheduling seperatists. The fans win, while the committee gets more information (and a much bigger web to try and sift through). We believe this is here to stay, too. Schools obviously notice the atmosphere, the interest, and the bottom line.
Reader Q: What is the deal with Kansas not being ranked?
You will find Kansas ranked 11th in our poll. They are not ranked at all in the Associated Press Top 25, which is absolutely ludicrous. You're going to take a team that goes 0-2 in the Tournament of Champions, which is a replay of last year's National Semifinals, one ranked in the top five to begin the year, one that is also DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION, and bounce them after one week?
Did their team defect to Oklahoma? Were they swept away in some Dust Bowl mishap we were unaware of? Did they all flunk their courses? (Of course not! Academics, ha!).
With all due respect to those who vote for the AP...did someone slip you a mickey? You think this team, trying to replace three starters and find its identity, but still with more talent than anyone not in their own state, to fall completely out of your ranking, held by a tribunal that suddenly lacks common sense, let alone credibility? Is this what you wish to portray, that a team who lost to the #3 team in the land (our current #1) and the #25 team (who also lost to the #3 team, and you felt the need to drop them twelve spots), should fall completely out of the poll? With all due respect to the starts of Oklahoma A&M and Colorado, you're mad to believe that Kansas should receive less votes than either of those teams, let alone a Syracuse team that overcome the insurmountable odds in beating Pacific and New Mexico.
You're as bad as the NCAA putting Indiana and Kansas State into the same region two years in a row.
Screw your heads on right, or reliquinsh your power to someone who will use it with a wiser demeanor.
We have an even better suggestion, one for the reader:
Ignore their poll. Ours doesn't overreact.
Preseason Tournament Update
Chuck Taylor: Seattle ran the gauntlet, beating Idaho, Virginia, Denver, and Duquesne in the final. The Dukes, even in the loss, were the talk of the tournament for their 70-48 thrashing of Indiana. The Hoosiers are in transition, and are having difficulty finding someone who can take the lead on the scoring. Right now, Octavio Broussard is leading the team with 15.8 ppg. He has a career average of just five points a game. In the final, Seattle hed Duquesne to 15-59 from the field.
Heart of Texas: Oregon ripped through Brown, Tulane, and Alabama Poly to win the Heart of Texas and the giant horseshoe trophy. Tulane went 2-1 in the tournament, but had an overall good showing. They beat Brown and Arizona in the tournament. Losing to Oregon, who is a NCAA-caliber team, is nothing to get upset at.
King of the Bluegrass: Everyone expected a Duke-Louisville final, and were surprised to see the Buckeyes of Ohio State upend Duke, 67-64. Louisville was caught off-guard, and were crushed by the Buckeyes, 81-51, in the final. The Cardinals have fallen from grace over the past couple of seasons, and appears to be far, far away from the power we saw three years ago. Ohio State, meanwhile, may be arriving earlier than expected. We said in the national preview that the Buckeyes were a sleeping giant.
This begs the question: Have they woken up already? Let's look at their wins:
vs Duke, 67-64: Solid win, but also in a season opener in which neither team knows truly what to expect. More upsets happen on opening night than any other. Ohio State got incredibly hot in the second half, and Duke turned the ball over repeatedly. The Blue Devils led 35-20 at the half...remember that.
vs Louisville, 81-51: Do not think the Cardinals are what they used to be. They're not. They also shot horribly (31%) and committed 31 fouls, while also turning Ohio State over only half as much as they did (eight for OSU, sixteen for Louisville). It was only a twelve-point lead at the half (46-34), before Louisville went dreadfully cold and fouled like crazy in the second half. Also, Timothy Schutz shot 2-12, and Shaun Wilmoth 1-8. This was a decided victory, but wed pin this more on Louisville's struggling to find an identity and Ohio State riding the Duke win for confidence.
at Pacific, 58-44: You have to play who is in front of you, but make no mistake...Pacific is bad. But they still outshot the Buckeyes, percentage-wise (46%-44%). The issue was turnovers: Pacific had twenty, to just eight for the Buckeyes.
at Pepperdine, 69-51: Pepperdine, never known for their scoring, shot 31% from the field. Ohio State is good at making teams feel uncomfortable, sure. But Pacific and Pepperdine? They are not a barometer of how good Ohio State is.
The Buckeyes were outrebounded in three of their four games. We expect a better barometer of Ohio State's ceiling to be found when West Virginia comes calling on the 27th. After that, there isn't a solid loss to be found on the Buckeyes schedule until Big Ten play. The AD in Columbus scheduled this perfectly...cupcakes all along the way, get some confidence, and then hope for the best in the Big Ten.
Of course, that makes for a double-edged sword. The Buckeyes cannot afford any losses, outside of one against the Mountaineers, on the out-of-conference slate. And they have to beat everyone but Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan State in-conference. They can split with Michigan and Illinois...but if they are NCAA-worthy, a top-four finish is a must.
In short: We don't think the Buckeyes have arrived. But they forced our hand with analysis of their start. So, they've achieved that much...however much our analysis is worth.
MSG Holiday Festival: The Thanksgiving tradition saw North Carolina rip through the field, beating upset-minded Citadel, 73-47, in the championship. The Citadel beat Vanderbilt (67-53) and PCC heavyweight Oregon State (63-60) to get there. UNC glided through Tulsa (81-52) and outlasted Rutgers (72-68) to arrive at the title tilt. Oregon State recovered from the Citadel defeat to upend Rutgers in the third-place game.
Naismith Invitational: This was, essentially, a Big 5 mini-tournament. Three Philadelphia teams--St. Joe, Penn, and Temple--suited up, along with Wichita Municipal. The semifinal saw St. Joe whip Wichita, 88-74, while Penn surprised Temple, 86-79. St. Joe took that into mind, and promptly dispatched the Ivy Grouper, 76-53, in the final. Temple crushed Wichita, 78-65. In the end, it was a lackluster tournament.
Preseason NIT: The tournament had several top-flight outfits, including Bradley San Francisco, Southern Cal, Notre Dame, Southern Methodist, and Mississippi State. In the end, it was PCC kingpin, Washington, that settled matters against the unlikeliest of challengers. Day 1 saw Washington prevent Toledo from another monumental upset, while Miss State crushed Temple. Southern Methodist surprised Notre Dame, 76-62, while South Carolina beat Utah. The Dons beat Bradley, 71-65, in the game of the day. Southern Cal took out St. Francis-NY, 61-50. New Hampshire upended Colgate, while Michigan outlasted VMI.
Day 2 saw Washington roll past Michigan, while San Francisco did the same to South Carolina. New Hampshire surprised Miss State, 57-53, while Southern Methodist shocked Southern Cal, 94-71. In the semis, Washington upended San Fran, 75-62, while New Hampshire shocked everyone by taking out SMU, 58-55.
In the final, Washington cruised to an 80-47 victory.
Tournament of Champions: Kentucky emerged victorious in this go-round of last year's national semifinal participants. They beat Kansas, 80-77, and Kansas State, 71-57. West Virginia fell to Kansas State, 78-69, but upended Kansas, 75-65, in the third-place game. Kentucky looked sluggish against Kansas, giving away an eleven-point halftime lead and a fourteen-point second-half lead, before preserving the victory at the end.
What was most surprising about Kentucky's wins was Curt Davis' disappearing act during them. He scored just four points and grabbed six rebounds in only thirteen minutes during Kansas, suffering an injury late in the first half. He was replaced by top pro prospect Carson White (if only every team could have that luxury), and did not return. White started the Kansas State game, though Davis ended up playing 28 minutes. He got just eight points and ten rebounds in that (with five blocks, of course). Kentucky will need Davis, its best player, for these games. White is a solid player, of course, but Davis is the heart and soul of the Wildcats.
Warner Bros. Classic: North Carolina State rolled through BYU, Stanford, and Idaho State, to take the title. They looked every bit the champion many think they can be (until they got blasted by Bradley earlier this week, of course). Arkansas fell to Georgia Tech in the first game, but beat Yale and BYU to recover. Many, including us, were hoping for a Wolfpack-Razorback matchup. Alas, it was not to be.
Reader Q: Which one of the preseason tournament champions will go the furthest towards a championship? This excludes the Tournament of Champions.
Here is the list, from best chance, to worst, at an NCAA title, along with their ceiling:
1. NC State: With all due respect to Washington, we still believe NC State will have the best chance of a NCAA championship. We don't believe in the Husky frontcourt all that much, and there is too much muck to go through out west. NC State has UNC and Duke to get through, and a host of independent powers, sure...but they have a straight track to the top seed in the East. That would bring with it, most likely, the weakest second-seed. Right now, if Washington got the #1 in the West, Kansas would draw the #2. Or Seattle. San Francisco would draw the third seed. Want to go through that region? Regardless, the Wolfpack has the talent, and enough experience, to make the deepest run.
2. Washington: The Huskies do look pretty good so far, don't they? Even though we find their path tougher than most, they would still be the top seed in the West right now...that's worth a lot more than the #2 seed.
3. North Carolina: Loaded with talent, and likely to stay close to home in the South. Would mean they'd go through Kentucky, okay. And if they were to win the ACC, they'd likely take the top seed in the East. Everything we said about NC State applies to the Tar Heels.
4. Seattle: We love their defense, but their offense...they will run into teams that will challenge them to score. The question here is...can they? And is Jesus Jones ready to lead? Gregory Wyman can only do so much.
5. St. Joseph: This is where things bog down. We think St. Joseph has a better chance than the rest to simply make the NCAA, which makes them a better bet to win it than either Oregon or Ohio State. But we don't particularly love what St. Joe's has done so far. They've played Wichita Municipal, Penn, and Cornell. That isn't exactly the Trifecta of Doom.
6. Oregon: They have a lot of talent. But can they win with a freshman point guard (Jonathan Azure) in the PCC? They are not the deepest of teams, and they are one more built for the future. Only 7'0 center Ken Foster is a senior that contributes. They start three juniors and a freshman, and their entire rotation is underclassmen. We really like them next year (assuming they find more height that can contribute). But this year, in the toughest conference in the country? No thank you.
7. Ohio State: Hopefully this puts our feelings on Ohio State's start in the clearest of images.
Recruiting Buzz
Much of the talk around the recruiting circuit was about San Francisco's early haul, receiving pledges from the #3 recruit nationally, guard Steven Williams, as well as power forward Clayton Browder, who is ranked eleventh.
Williams, a 6'1, 190-pound guard from Mt. Eden High School, averaged 28.4 points and 3.8 rebounds last season. He is a deadly scorer from all over the floor. There are whispers that his defense leaves something to be desired, and that he is best when he is running the offense. San Francisco won't have that problem, with Stephen Ferrari leaving after this season.
The Dons beat out Southern Cal for Williams' services.
More remarkable, perhaps, is their pickup of Browder. The 6'9, 250-pounder from San Diego averaged 13.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals last year for Mira Mesa High. He should fit in with Vaughn Griffis and Ronnie Veasey next year, forming one of the top frontcourts in the nation.
The Dons beat out Kansas, Kansas State, North Carolina and California for his services. This is surprising, to say the least. You can say that the Powers of Oz were focused on others, but rumor has it both offered him. And he chose the Bay.
Combine that with San Francisco's start, and it's entirely possible nobody in the country, outside of Washington and Seattle, had a more productive past couple of weeks than the Dons.
Meanwhile, there was big news that the #1 overall recruit, forward Joe Keck of Georgia, is not eligible to participate with the NCAA next season. He will go to the junior college circuit, and will hopefully be eligible in two seasons. This is an astonishing blow for both Iowa and Southern Cal, each of whom he was heavily considering.
The #2 overall recruit, 6'10 Lowell Lynch out of Virginia, is also ineligible. Indiana had offered him, and he was considering Purdue and Southern Cal on his short list.
It needs to be said that Southern Cal is in on many of these players, and seems to have their reaches all over the West Coast.
The MAC's Awful, No Good, Very Bad So-Far Season
The Mid-American Conference wants a win.
So far, the rest of the nation refuses to oblige.
The MAC is a rather unceremonious 0-8, with two teams abstaining from playing, on grounds that whatever the rest of the MAC has, it may be contagious.
Toledo (0-1): Lost to Washington, 76-53. Fine.
First possible win: Hmmm.
11.23: vs Indiana: No
11.26: vs Marquette. Maybe.
12.04: at Kansas. Fat chance.
12.08: at Texas. Possible, but unlikely.
12.10: at Syracuse. Potentially disappointing.
12.13: at NC State. Keep moving.
12.17: at Xavier. Yes, probably.
12:20: vs Detroit Mercy. This one, for sure.
So, Toledo could start the year 0-8.
Ohio (0-2): Fell at Saint Mary's, 71-49, and at Wisconsin, 58-50.
Possible 1st win: Saturday vs VMI (0-1) at home.
Bowling Green State (0-2): Lost against Richmond, 83-73, and at Kentucky, 83-53.
First possible win: Hold on...
12.1: at Bradley. Next.
12.10: at Rutgers. Doubtful, but maybe.
12.15: vs West Virginia. Would be a whopper of an upset...
12.19: at Michigan State. We don't think so.
12.21: vs Colorado. There is potential here, but we find it unlikely.
12.26: at Wake Forest: No.
12.29: at Loyola-IL. This is most likely.
BG could start the year at 0-8, just like Toledo.
Kent State (0-1): Lost to Southern Cal, 69-57.
First possible win: at Canisius, on 11.25. If not then, then definitely either at VMI (12.07) or at home vs Vermont (12.15).
Marshall (0-0) First game is at Loyola-Illinois on 11.25. They should win that. If not then, then 11.27 at Saint Francis.
Miami-Ohio: Also abstained from performing. They play Harvard today. They should win that. If not then, then Wichita Municipal on 11.25.
Western Michigan (0-2): Lost at Michigan (83-62) and at Michigan State (70-58).
First possible win: 11.27 vs Idaho. After that, it could be a long time.
12.03: vs Wisconsin.
12.06: vs Saint Louis
12.11: vs Murray State. This one has win potential all over it.
12.14: at Villanova. This one does not.
12.17: at Ohio State. Neither does this.
12.20: at Marquette. We doubt this.
12.27: vs Tennessee Tech. Nickolas Parker...can anyone stop him?
1.2.57: at Drake. High possibility here.
1.8.57: at Loyola-Illinois. Probably.
How do you feel if you're Loyola-Illinois? The school appears to be the gateway to winning in the MAC.
Question to our readers: Who do you think will be the last time to get a win this season? Please write correspondence to the address below:
National Basketball Report
315 W. 63rd Street
New York, NY 10023
Care of:
[email protected]
Man. This is such a great league. I need to remember to make time to do more than export every other week. :(
I'm still surprised we don't have more guys wanting to join this. The amount of writing alone in the preseason is more than other leagues (not just FBB OR FBCB leagues) have in total. Really just is a fun league to be apart of
collegesportsfanms
10-29-2015, 10:40 AM
muns, I just read your most recent write-up. Good stuff! One of these days when I get time I'll read the whole thing. With college basketball starting, I can't wait to get back to my teams in this, as well as get going on my FBCB Interactive Player Dynasty and FBCB Interactive Coaches Dynasty again. I believe you signed up for a coach in the Coaches Dynasty, can't remember. Keep up the good work, NCAA53 is a blast and I can't wait to get back in town and get back to my teams.
Radii
10-29-2015, 01:46 PM
Man. This is such a great league. I need to remember to make time to do more than export every other week. :(
Yes, UNC/NC State needs to be the top rivalry for the next 40+ seasons :D
Balldog
10-29-2015, 06:53 PM
I need to get back into this league
I lost track when we were relocating but now that we are settled in
I need to get back into this league
I lost track when we were relocating but now that we are settled in
Yes come on back Balldog. We can use another vet around the place. Was also hoping you could pick up another team in a power conf to go along with Detroit Mercy :)
muns, I just read your most recent write-up. Good stuff! One of these days when I get time I'll read the whole thing. With college basketball starting, I can't wait to get back to my teams in this, as well as get going on my FBCB Interactive Player Dynasty and FBCB Interactive Coaches Dynasty again. I believe you signed up for a coach in the Coaches Dynasty, can't remember. Keep up the good work, NCAA53 is a blast and I can't wait to get back in town and get back to my teams.
I cant take credit for those write ups. Those are the guys writing for the NBR. I contribute from time to time, but none of that stuff is mine. They are doing a hell of a job, and why this league is as fun as it is
Yes, UNC/NC State needs to be the top rivalry for the next 40+ seasons :D
I hope to poke through with a 3rd in that rivalry in a good 4 seasons
USC starts the year with a victory, however the injury bug bit us square in the ass again.
We need to hire a new trainer, do some sort of praying before games, some smoke rituals... something for goodness gracious.
Our most prized recruit in USC history Freshman SG- Edmond Nelson went down 11 mins into the first game with a scratched eye. We lose him for the next 2 weeks, which really irks me as I need to figure out how good or bad this teams is
In his 11 mins his stats were 3-4 for 6 points, a rebound an assist and a turnover. Not a bad first game before the injury.
We then go on to lose against a tough Southern Methodist team 94-71. Just an ugly ugly game as we couldn't shoot or guard for shit.
We win the next 2 games, and then lose to another decent team in Arizona State. We had 2 starters foul out in this one couldn't really compete as our depth couldn't keep us afloat here.
Next game, Nelson comes back and its against Top 25 Seattle who was ranked 20th and we beat them 56-48. If Freddie Nation could not turn the ball over 12 times we would have blown them the hell out, but hey a win is a win am I right, especially a top 25 win.
So we sit at 4-2 at the moment looking ok. Still some major things to figure out, and I still cant yet until we get healthy.
SG- Vincent Lincoln went down in the Seattle game with a Fractured Hip so we will miss him for a few weeks. That is important because I was going to insert him into the starting lineup as do not like the way Allen Storer is playing.
But 4-2 is an ok start for a team that has scheduled tough competition this year.
Just wish the injuries will go away sooner rather than later
Radii
10-30-2015, 06:27 PM
I hope to poke through with a 3rd in that rivalry in a good 4 seasons
A strong Big 4 would be awesome as well :D
How things look so far this year
1956 Pacific Coast Conference Standings
NORTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#2 Washington Huskies 0 0 .000 7 0 1.000 12 80
#18 Oregon State Beavers 0 0 .000 5 1 .833 134 62
Idaho Vandals 0 0 .000 4 1 .800 80 40
#22 Oregon Webfoots 0 0 .000 3 0 1.000 10 56
Washington State Cougars 0 0 .000 2 2 .500 45 45
SOUTH CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southern California Trojans 0 0 .000 4 2 .667 39 57
Stanford Indians 0 0 .000 4 3 .571 91 55
#9 California Golden Bears 0 0 .000 2 1 .667 92 80
#12 UCLA Bruins 0 0 .000 2 0 1.000 146 60
I forgot to do a conf preview. Too late to do one now, however, I will say that I think Washington takes home the PCC crown this year. I think Oregon State and Oregon battle for number 2 in the North, and Oregon might play spoiler this year. They have one hell of an athletic team and could beat anybody on a good day.
In the South, I do think this is the year for the Trojans. Cal is just so weak in the post, it will be a shame on my part if they are able to keep up. They have better guards than we do, but the difference in the post is greater than the guard play.
On that note, if UCLA's post have a couple of good games I think they have a shot at beating CAL as well.
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