October 31, 2001
Teammate Jason Kidd shined in his Nets’ debut as he nearly had a triple-double. He had 14 points, ten rebounds and nine assists.
Pacers small forward Jalen Rose scored 43 points in the loss as he made 18 of 27 shots from the field.
Los Angeles center Shaquille
O’Neal made ten of 23 shots from the field and nine of 16 from the line as
he finished with 29 points and 18 rebounds in the Lakers’ 98-87 win over
Portland. He added five assists and five blocked shots
Teammate Kobe Bryant also had 29 points in the Lakers’ win. He finished with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Milwaukee guard Ray Allen made eleven of 21 shots and all six free throws as he finished with 32 points in the Bucks 119-112 overtime win over Utah.
Teammate Glenn Robinson was also eleven of 21 from the field in a 28-point effort.
Dallas guard Michael Finley made 14 of 28 shots as he scored 34 points in the Mavericks’ 94-87 win over Detroit.
Ohio State basketball player Doylan Robinson will sit out his senior season to concentrate on academics. Robinson was academically ineligible for the first quarter this year and would not have been able to play until January. He sat out the 1998-99 season as a non-qualifier after being Division I Player of the Year for Akron (OH) Butchel. Robinson played in 31 games and averaged 1.6 points per game as a sophomore. He was injured in a car accident Dec. 3, 2000, and appeared in only nine games as a junior, averaging 1.1 points per game. The Buckeyes finished 20-11 last season and were 11-5 in Big Ten play, third in the conference. Ohio State has made it to the NCAA tournament the past three seasons. They return eight of their top nine scorers, losing just center Ken Johnson.
October 30, 2001
Junior shooting guard Shane Schilling will not return to the Gophers men's basketball team and will transfer to another school
He started 31 games last season and averaged 8.4 points per game, but was suspended indefinitely Saturday by Gophers coach Dan Monson for undisclosed violations of team rules. The loss of Schilling leaves the Gophers with only nine scholarship players and weakens an already suspect backcourt. Kevin Burleson, Kerwin Fleming, Travarus Bennett, Steve Esselink and Maurice Hargrow will be candidates for playing time at shooting guard. Burleson started ten games last season at point guard and averaged 6.3 points per game. Fleming had one start and scored 6.8 points per contest. Bennett had seven starts and averaged 4.5 points per game. Esselink transferred from Augustana, where he averaged 6.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 1999-2000 as a freshman. He sat out last season and shined this summer during the Howard Pulley Summer League. Esselink is presently a walk-on, but he may receive a scholarship with Schilling gone. Hargrow averaged 24.7 points and 13.5 rebounds per game as a senior at St. Paul (MN) Highland Park. It was expected that he would be redshirted, but that could change now.
The Gophers finished 17-10 last season and were 5-9 in Big Ten play. Minnesota start the 2000-01 season 15-4, but faltered down the stretch as starting forwards Mike Bauer and John Blair-Bickerstaff. The Gophers have received two verbal commitments so far from 6-10 center Aliou Kane of Dyke (VA) Blue Ridge School and 6-7 forward Stanley Gaines from Providence (IL) St. Mel's. Minnesota has three Division I transfers sitting out the season as walk-ons. They are Ben Johnson from Northwestern, Matt Smriga of Kent State and Brent Lawson from St. Francis (PA). All three are Minnesota natives, who decided to transfer closer to home. Johnson started all 30 games season for the Wildcats and averaged 10.7 points per game. However, since he transferred from another Big Ten school, he can’t receive a scholarship.
The Gophers open the season November 17th at home against Mercer.
October 27, 2001
The 21st edition of Blue
Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook is hot off the presses and available now
through its new publisher, Brassey¹s Inc. Fans of the 384-page
"Bible" of college basketball, which features profiles on every
Division I team, can order the book by calling 800-775-2518, or by going
to Brassey¹s website, Brasseysinc.com. The book will also be available
in bookstores around the country, including Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million,
Walden¹s and Borders.
Blue Ribbon is a
must-read for the true basketball fan with the most in-depth coverage in the
coverage. I have written for Blue Ribbon for many years and I rely on it
throughout the season. I have every back issue and enjoy looking back at the
college basketball’s past and history. I strongly recommend that you pick up a
copy of Blue Ribbon today
6-6 shooting guard Luke Anderson of Eagan (MN) High has decided to go to a school closer to home as he will sit out the season at Minnesota State Mankato (my alma mater) after signing with Montana State last fall. Anderson had verbally committed to Minnesota before his senior season, but signed with Montana State after it became apparent that the hometown Gophers wanted him to walk-on his first season. He played at the Nike All-American camp in 2000 and played with the Howard Pulley Panthers. His older brother, John, played at Division III Augsburg. Anderson is an excellent outside shooter and is a better athlete than given credit for. He’ll sit out the season and be eligible next season. The Mavericks previously added three Division I transfers.
5-10 guard Jevin
Budde played in just five games at Creighton and averaged 1.8 points and
0.6 rebounds per game this season. He
redshirted the 1999-2000 season. Budde is a native of Bettendorf, Iowa, who was
named a first-team all-state selection in his senior season and led his team to
three straight state tournament appearances, including a third-place finish
during his junior campaign. Recently named Maverick head coach Matt
Margenthaler recruited Budde as an assistant coach at South Dakota State.
6-10 center Chris Johnson averaged 1.8 points and
1.4 rebounds per game this season for Eastern Washington. His numbers dropped
from 4.3 points and 3.8 caroms per game in 1999-2000 as a redshirt freshman
when he started seven contests.
University team for the past two seasons. In his time with the Eagles,
Johnson, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native, appeared in 53 games , averaging
3.1 ppg and 2.6 rpg. A 1998 graduate of Thomas Doherty High School, Johnson was
a honorable mention all-area selection as a junior and played in the Southern
Colorado All-Star game.
6-4 forward Jermaine Brown played two seasons at Bradley. Brown, a native of Bellwood, Ill., averaged 3.1 points and 1.5 rebounds, while shooting 50.0% from the field in 17 games in the 1999-2000 season. He is the younger brother of ten-year NBA veteran Randy Brown, a member of three World Championship teams with the Chicago Bulls and currently with the Boston Celtics.
October 26, 2001
Beaumont Ozen (TX) High defeated Lanier (San Antonio) 58-42 to claim the 4A state title and finish the season 35-0. College Basketball News’ number two junior Kendrick Perkins, a 6-11 center, shined at this summer’s adidas ABCD camp. He will face a talented big man in 7-2 Shagari Alleyne of New York (NY) Rice. Rice was just 13-11 last season, but they return their entire starting five. 6-0 point Jason Wingate is an excellent floor general.
Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy is the defending USA Today national champion after finishing 33-0 last season. They lost their three top players, but are still loaded with College Basketball News’ number two senior Carmelo Anthony, who committed to Syracuse and #10 Sani Ibrahim, who is considering the NBA draft. They also have #42 6-2 point guard Chadd Moore, who committed to Cincinnati, #75 6-1 point guard Justin Gray, who committed to Wake Forest, 6-7 small forward Antywane Robinson, (Temple), Ian Johnson (Davidson), 6-3 Eric Wilkins (Miami of Florida) and 6-5 Richard Joyce (Wake Forest). The Warriors will face Concord (CA) De La Salle. De La Salle finished 27-5 last season and
won its third straight CIF North Coast Division and fourth straight Bay Valley Athletic League titles.
NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION BRACKET
Wednesday December 26th
St. Patrick’s (NJ) vs. Midwest City (OK) 7:00 p.m.
Thursday December 27th
Westchester (CA) vs. Louisville Male (KY) 2:30 p.m.
Beaumont Ozen (TX) vs. Rice (NY) 7:00 p.m.
Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy vs. DeLaSalle (CA) 8:30 p.m.
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION BRACKET
Thursday December 27th
Westbury Christian vs. Texas City 11:30 a.m.
Cypress Springs vs. Aldine Nimitz 1:00 p.m.
Heritage Christian vs. Clements 4:00 p.m.
Eisenhower vs. Westfield 5:30 p.m.
The three future Kentucky Wildcat players are scheduled to play in Lexington in December. 6-5 shooting guard Antwain Barbour of Wabash Valley (IL) CC, 5-9 point guard Brandon Stockton from Glasgow (KY) High and 6-9 power forward Bernard Cote of St. Lambert (Ontario) Champlain will participate in the inaugural Adolph Rupp Classic on December 14-15 at Lexington Catholic. Barbour is considered among the top two JC players in the country. He shined at the U.S. Trails this summer. Stockton is the early favorite for Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky and is College Basketball News’ #68 senior.
The schedule:
Friday, Dec. 14
Lexington Catholic (KY) vs. Schenectady (NY) 6 p.m.
DeMatha Catholic (Md) vs. Scott County (KY) 7:30 p.m.
Wabash Valley College (IL) vs. St. Catharine College (KY) 9:15 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 15
Schenectady (NY) vs. Scott County (KY), 4 p.m.
Madison Central (KY) vs. Glasgow (KY), 5:30 p.m.
Lexington Catholic (KY) vs. DeMatha Catholic (MD), 7 p.m.
Champlain St. Lambert (Canada) vs. Pleasure Ridge Park (KY),
8:30 p.m.
Sophomore guard
Travis Hanour has decided to leave the program immediately due to personal
reasons. Hanour, a 6-6, 188-pound guard from Laguna Beach, California, averaged
3.1 points and 1.4 rebounds, while shooting .339 from the floor in 20 games
last season. Hanour was the team’s third leading returning scorer for the
Wildcats. Arizona now returns just four players from last year’s 28-8
team that advanced to the NCAA Championship game. They welcome back just one
starter, Jason Gardner.
Arizona opens the 2001-02 season against Maryland on November 8 at the Coaches
vs. Cancer IKON Classic in New York, N.Y. The game will be televised by
ESPN2.
The National
Basketball Development League (NBDL) has invited 163 players to the Central
Training Camp at the Suwanee Sports Academy in Suwanee, Georgia to compete for
one of 88 roster spots with the league's eight teams. The camp will be held
from Friday, October 26, through Saturday, November 3rd. Players who have been
signed by the league will be attend four days of practice and tryouts (Oct.
27-30), which will be followed by the NBDL's Inaugural Central Training Camp
Draft on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Each team's 12 draft selections will be announced
on Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Sports Academy. Teams of 16 (12 draft selections and
four allocation players) will then practice for two days (Nov. 1-2) before
coaches must cut rosters down to 11 players for individual team training camps
beginning Nov. 6. On Nov. 3 the league will conduct a Supplemental Draft, which
will include "last cuts" from NBA training camps. Players selected in
this draft will join team training camps on Nov. 6 to compete for final roster
spots. NBDL teams will open individual training camps in their respective
cities on Tuesday, Nov. 6, and must submit their final 11-player roster
requests to the NBDL Office by 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 14. Final rosters will consist
of at least one "allocation player" and two "first-year
professional players." The National Basketball Development League will tip
off its inaugural season on Nov. 16, 2001.
The Fayetteville
Patriots (NC), North Charleston Lowgators (SC), Huntsville Flight
(AL), Mobile Revelers (AL), Roanoke Dazzle (VA), Columbus
Riverdragons (GA), Greenville Groove (SC), and Asheville Altitude
(NC) will compete in a 56-game regular season schedule that runs from
mid-November through March, followed by playoffs. A total of 24 games will be
broadcast nationally on ESPN2 and ESPN, and 19 games will be broadcast
regionally on FOX Sports Net South.
The following is a
look at the 163 players who are invited to the Central Training Camp.
|
# |
PLAYER |
HT |
POS |
SCHOOL |
|
109 |
Kareem Abdul Jabbar Jr. |
6-6 |
SF |
Western Kentucky '99 |
|
143 |
Chris Andersen |
6-10 |
PF |
Blinn CC '99 |
|
110 |
Harold Arceneaux |
6-6 |
SF |
Weber State '00 |
|
9 |
Tezale Archie |
6-1 |
PG |
Pepperdine '00 |
|
144 |
Jeff Aubrey |
6-10 |
C |
Cornell '99 |
|
145 |
Victor Avila |
6-10 |
PF |
Oklahoma '00 |
|
146 |
Chris Bacon |
6-10 |
SF |
Nicholls State '01 |
|
42 |
Alan Barksdale |
6-3 |
SG |
UALR ' 01 |
|
57 |
Tyrone Barksdale |
6-1 |
PG |
IUPUI '98 |
|
43 |
Le'Andrew Bass |
6-3 |
PG |
UAB '01 |
|
91 |
J.B. Bickerstaff |
6-5 |
SG |
Minnesota '01 |
|
183 |
C.J. Black |
6-8 |
PF |
Tennessee '00 |
|
76 |
Anthony Blakes |
6-4 |
SG |
Wyoming '00 |
|
123 |
Jeff Boese |
6-7 |
SF |
Mesa State '01 |
|
111 |
Keith Booth |
6-6 |
SF |
Maryland '97 |
|
44 |
Juan Bragg |
6-3 |
PG |
Oklahoma City University '00 |
|
92 |
Geoff Brower |
6-5 |
SG |
Lander University 00 |
|
32 |
Lavell Brown |
6-2 |
PG |
Cal-State Bakersfield '99 |
|
33 |
Tierre Brown |
6-2 |
SG |
McNeese State '01 |
|
34 |
Terik Brown |
6-2 |
PG |
Oregon '99 |
|
124 |
Joe Brown |
6-7 |
SG |
Coppin State '01 |
|
157 |
Sah-u-rah Brown |
6-11 |
C |
Lehigh '01 |
|
200 |
Kris Bruton |
6-7 |
SF |
Benedict College '94 |
|
158 |
Michael Canady |
6-11 |
C |
Morgan State '01 |
|
112 |
Chris Carrawell |
6-6 |
SF |
Duke '00 |
|
77 |
Brett Carey |
6-4 |
SG |
UNC-Asheville '01 |
|
184 |
Don Carlisle |
6-8 |
SF |
IUPUI '01 |
|
93 |
Ian Chadwick |
6-5 |
SG |
Wofford '01 |
|
94 |
Michael Chadwick |
6-5 |
SG |
Georgia ' 00 |
|
172 |
Kip Christianson |
7-1 |
C |
St. Johns (MN) '97 |
|
125 |
Tony Christie |
6-7 |
SF |
Clemson '99 |
|
133 |
Luther Clay |
6-9 |
PF |
Rhode Island '00 |
|
35 |
Merl Code |
6-2 |
PG |
Clemson '98 |
|
95 |
Eric Coley |
6-5 |
SG |
Tulsa '00 |
|
45 |
Jaraan Cornell |
6-3 |
SG |
Purdue '00 |
|
159 |
Ben Coupet |
6-11 |
C |
Bradley '97 |
|
160 |
Walter Craft |
6-11 |
C |
Detroit '01 |
|
126 |
Chris Crosby |
6-7 |
SF |
Washington State '00 |
|
46 |
Edwin Daniels |
6-3 |
PG |
TCU '01 |
|
168 |
Yinka Dare |
7-0 |
C |
George Washington '94 |
|
56 |
Larry Davis |
6-3 |
SG |
South Carolina '97 |
|
169 |
Deng D'Awol |
7-0 |
C |
Wayland Baptist University '01 |
|
36 |
Harold Deane |
6-2 |
PG |
Virginia '97 |
|
148 |
Tate Decker |
6-10 |
F |
Oklahoma City University '01 |
|
170 |
Pate Diene |
7-0 |
C |
Texas A&M Corpus Christi '01 |
|
113 |
Eugene Edgerson |
6-6 |
PF |
Arizona '01 |
|
127 |
Raphael Edwards |
6-7 |
SF |
East Carolina '98 |
|
173 |
Neil Edwards |
7-1 |
C |
York College '00 |
|
96 |
Tyrone Ellis |
6-5 |
SG |
Southern Nazarene '01 |
|
152 |
Cheikh Fall |
6-10 |
C |
Long Island University '01 |
|
54 |
Daymeon Fishback |
6-5 |
SF |
Auburn '99 |
|
53 |
Joel Fleming |
6-2 |
PG |
Western Carolina '98 |
|
97 |
Keith Friel |
6-5 |
SG |
Virginia ' 01 |
|
37 |
George "Gee" Gervin Jr. |
6-2 |
SG |
Houston '00 |
|
185 |
Ceedric Goodwyn |
6-8 |
SF |
Colorado State '00 |
|
114 |
Antonio Grant |
6-6 |
SF |
South Carolina '01 |
|
79 |
Brian Green |
6-4 |
SG |
Nevada '01 |
|
98 |
Kenny Gregory |
6-5 |
SG |
Kansas '01 |
|
10 |
Allen Griffin |
6-1 |
PG |
Syracuse '01 |
|
47 |
James Griffin |
6-3 |
SG |
Alabama '95 |
|
80 |
Artie Griffin |
6-4 |
PG |
College of Charleston '01 |
|
115 |
Rob Griffin |
6-6 |
SF |
Iowa '01 |
|
128 |
Lonnie Harrell |
6-7 |
PG |
Northeastern '96 |
|
8 |
Tony Harris |
6-0 |
PG |
Tennessee '01 |
|
48 |
Steve Hart |
6-3 |
SG |
Indiana State '98 |
|
149 |
Charles Hathaway |
6-10 |
C |
Tennessee '01 |
|
186 |
Isaac Hawkins |
6-8 |
SF |
Pittsburgh '01 |
|
116 |
Curtis Haywood |
6-6 |
SF |
Oklahoma City University '99 |
|
99 |
Johnny Hemsley |
6-5 |
SG |
Miami '00 |
|
100 |
Erik Herring |
6-5 |
SG |
George Mason '01 |
|
4 |
Derrick Hines |
5-11 |
PG |
Elizabeth City State '00 |
|
187 |
Derek Hood |
6-8 |
PF |
Arkansas '99 |
|
101 |
Fred House |
6-5 |
SG |
Southern Idaho '01 |
|
188 |
DeeAndre Hulett |
6-8 |
SF |
College of Sequoias '00 |
|
81 |
Jimmie Hunter |
6-4 |
PG |
Life University '00 |
|
161 |
Shaun Igo |
6-11 |
PF |
Rice '99 |
|
82 |
Antonio Jackson |
6-4 |
SG |
Mississippi State '01 |
|
83 |
Cornelius Jackson |
6-4 |
PG |
Marshall '01 |
|
189 |
John Jackson |
6-8 |
PF |
Mississippi '98 |
|
117 |
Nate James |
6-6 |
SG |
Duke '01 |
|
134 |
Alvin Jefferson |
6-9 |
PF |
Auburn '97 |
|
129 |
Reggie Jessie |
6-7 |
SF |
St. Johns '01 |
|
174 |
Darryl Johns |
7-1 |
C |
Chicago State '01 |
|
130 |
Nate Johnson |
6-7 |
SF |
Louisville '00 |
|
135 |
Edward Johnson |
6-9 |
PF |
Utah '93 |
|
150 |
Lorenzo Johnson |
6-10 |
PF |
Colorado State '98 |
|
84 |
Brian Jones |
6-4 |
PG |
Santa Clara '01 |
|
102 |
Anthony Jones |
6-5 |
SG |
Ohio University '01 |
|
190 |
Anthony Jones |
6-8 |
SF |
Chicago State '01 |
|
103 |
Mark Karcher |
6-5 |
SG |
Temple '00 |
|
136 |
Ron Kelley |
6-9 |
PF |
NC State '01 |
|
85 |
Mike King |
6-4 |
SG |
GWU '01 |
|
38 |
Tim Kisner |
6-2 |
PG |
Central Michigan '01 |
|
191 |
Maurice Linton |
6-8 |
SF |
Wisconsin '01 |
|
131 |
Rahim Lockhart |
6-8 |
PF |
Mississippi '01 |
|
86 |
Shenard Long |
6-4 |
SG |
Georgia State '01 |
|
49 |
Terrance Martin |
6-3 |
SG |
Alabama '01 |
|
87 |
Sergio McClain |
6-4 |
SG |
Illinois '01 |
|
118 |
Jason McCutcheon |
6-6 |
SF |
Nicholls State '99 |
|
201 |
Cedric McGinnis |
6-8 |
PF |
Georgia Southern '99 |
|
5 |
Terrell McIntyre |
5-11 |
PG |
Clemson '99 |
|
39 |
B.J. McKie |
6-2 |
PG |
South Carolina '99 |
|
192 |
Kevin Melson |
6-8 |
SF |
Wright State '01 |
|
104 |
Jeff Meyers |
6-5 |
SG |
Drexel '97 |
|
193 |
Jamario Moon |
6-8 |
SF |
Meridian CC '00 |
|
199 |
Rodney Morning |
6-10 |
C |
Fayetteville State '01 |
|
176 |
Gabe Muoneke |
6-7 |
PF |
Texas '00 |
|
6 |
Calvin Murphy Jr. |
5-11 |
PG |
Houston '01 |
|
151 |
Mohamed Niang |
6-10 |
C |
Delaware '99 |
|
105 |
Max Owens |
6-5 |
SG |
North Carolina '01 |
|
12 |
Chris Palmer |
6-3 |
SG |
Howard '98 |
|
1 |
Tyson Patterson |
5-10 |
PG |
Appalachian State '00 |
|
2 |
Rashad Phillips |
5-10 |
PG |
Detroit '01 |
|
106 |
Marshall Phillips |
6-5 |
SF |
Appalachian State '00 |
|
153 |
Johhny Phillips |
6-10 |
PF |
Texas Tech '01 |
|
55 |
Derrick Pickens |
6-3 |
SG |
West Alabama '98 |
|
171 |
Kareem Poole |
7-0 |
C |
Tyler (TX) JC '99 |
|
177 |
Reed Rawlings |
6-7 |
SF |
Samford '00 |
|
154 |
J.B. Reafsynder |
6-10 |
C |
Syracuse '96 |
|
11 |
Leland Redmond |
6-1 |
PG |
Texas Southern '99 |
|
178 |
George Reese |
6-7 |
SF |
Ohio State '00 |
|
162 |
Osiris Ricardo |
6-11 |
C |
Missouri Southern State College '00 |
|
155 |
JaJa Richards |
6-10 |
PF |
Loyola University '96 |
|
137 |
Albert Richardson |
6-9 |
PF |
Kentucky Wesleyan '99 |
|
28 |
Tryrian Ridges |
6-1 |
PG |
Union University '00 |
|
163 |
Craig Rodgers |
6-11 |
C |
Toledo '01 |
|
40 |
Troy Rolle |
6-2 |
SG |
Utah State '00 |
|
29 |
Rasul Salahuddin |
6-1 |
SG |
Long Beach State '96 |
|
198 |
Eric Schraeder |
6-9 |
SF |
St. Mary's (CA) '99 |
|
164 |
Lee Scruggs |
6-11 |
F |
Georgetown '01 |
|
175 |
Terry Sellers |
7-2 |
C |
Iona '01 |
|
165 |
Nick Sheppard |
6-11 |
C |
Pepperdine '00 |
|
194 |
Clayton Shields |
6-8 |
SF |
New Mexico '98 |
|
119 |
Jason Singleton |
6-6 |
SG |
Ohio State '99 |
|
181 |
Jason Skaer |
6-7 |
SF |
Rice '99 |
|
30 |
Edward Smith |
6-1 |
PG |
Arizona Western JC '96 |
|
41 |
Saul Smith |
6-2 |
PG |
Kentucky '01 |
|
120 |
Cedric Smith |
6-6 |
SF |
South Florida '01 |
|
107 |
Stephen Starks |
6-5 |
SG |
Drexel '01 |
|
195 |
Greg Stempin |
6-8 |
SF |
Toledo '01 |
|
138 |
Greg Stolt |
6-9 |
SF |
Florida '99 |
|
7 |
Tevis Stukes |
5-11 |
SG |
Baylor '00 |
|
31 |
Deaundra Tanner |
6-1 |
PG |
Oregon State '01 |
|
88 |
Corey Tarrant |
6-4 |
SG |
Eastern Michigan '00 |
|
139 |
Jermaine Tate |
6-9 |
PF |
Cincinnati '00 |
|
182 |
Carl Thomas |
6-7 |
SF |
College of Charleston '99 |
|
140 |
Rahmeen Underwood |
6-9 |
PF |
Texas Southern '01 |
|
50 |
Jeremy Veal |
6-3 |
PG |
Arizona State '98 |
|
156 |
Rineo Vlijter |
6-10 |
C |
St. Ambrose '01 |
|
51 |
Jaquay Walls |
6-3 |
PG |
Colorado '00 |
|
89 |
Brian Wardle |
6-4 |
SG |
Marquette '01 |
|
90 |
Fred Warrick |
6-4 |
SG |
Coppin State '99 |
|
108 |
Donald Watts |
6-5 |
SG |
Washington '99 |
|
121 |
Sedric Webber |
6-6 |
SF |
College of Charleston '99 |
|
142 |
Joe White |
6-9 |
PF |
Texas A&M '99 |
|
52 |
Tess Whitlock |
6-3 |
PG |
Hawaii '97 |
|
141 |
Tom Wideman |
6-9 |
PF |
Clemson '98 |
|
3 |
Mike Wilks |
5-10 |
PG |
Rice '01 |
|
122 |
Marcus Williams |
6-6 |
SG |
Campbellsville University '01 |
|
196 |
Tony Williams |
6-8 |
SF |
Louisville '00 |
|
166 |
Le'Shell "Lee" Wilson |
6-11 |
C |
Arkansas '97 |
|
197 |
Dewitt Youngblood III |
6-8 |
PF |
Old Dominion '00 |
|
167 |
Keil Zepernick |
6-11 |
PF |
Barton College '99 |
October 25, 2001
IUPUI Fort Wayne will play a strong Division I schedule this season as the Mastadons play Michigan State, Michigan, Colorado State, San Diego State and Long Beach State. They are like Gardner-Webb and Savannah State as they are Division I counter, but will have no RPI ranking. Last year, they faced a Division II schedule and finished 7-23. Third year head coach Doug Noll has moved the team from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) to Division I. The Mastadons have had just four to five scholarships, while the other conference members such as Division II powerhouse Kentucky Wesleyan’s ten. They will move from ten to eleven scholarships to 13 full rides. The Mastadons are pursuing joining a conference such as the Horizon (formerly the Midwestern Collegiate) or Mid-Continent. The Midwestern Collegiate finished eleventh among conferences in RPI and the Mid-Continent was 21st. The Horizon is closer geographically, while the Mid-Continent is more spread out with teams like Southern Utah, Oral Roberts and Missouri-Kansas City.
The Mastadons return their top six scorers and have just two seniors on their team. 6-5 senior Nick Wise led the team with 18.2 points per game and 6-0 junior Brad Noll, the coaches’ son, scored 14.6 points per contest. They have two former Division I transfer who will play this season. 6-8 sophomore John Watkins transferred from Wright State, while Fort Wayne native Terry Collins will be eligible second semester after leaving Appalachian State, where he did not play as a freshman. 6-8 David Simon is sitting out the season after transferring from Loyola (IL), where he played volleyball.
They will play just two games at the Memorial Coliseum, home of the Mid-Continent Tournament, as the building is undergoing a 40 million dollar renovation
The Mastadons are hoping that playing in the state’s second biggest city and the addition scholarships will help their recruiting. They had received a verbal commitment from 6-6 Jonathan Hunter of Gaston (IN) Wes-Del. Hunter averaged 20 points and ten rebounds per game for the small Indiana school that has just 300 students. Unfortunately, Hunter was killed in an automobile accident on September 29th. Noll got word of the tragedy the following day, ironically on his birthday. Hunter was an honor student who worked church camps. He had a 42-inch vertical and had just been on campus the previous week. Hunter was a popular kid in the community and his funeral drew more than 1,000 visitors. He is survived by parents, Stephen and Kimberly, and two brothers and a sister. In memory of Hunter and IUPUI Fort Wayne, he will remain on my list of commitments.
7-4 redshirt freshman Matt Slaninka has decided to transfer from Maryland to a smaller school to get more playing time. Slaninka missed the Terps' first preseason scrimmage on last Saturday, claiming he was ill and skipped the team's next two practices. His departure leaves Maryland with a twelve-man roster. The Terps have received verbal commitments from 6-4 shooting Chris McCray of Capitol Heights (MD) Fairmont, 6-6 small forward Nik Caner-Medley of Portland (ME) Deering,
6-2 point guard John Gilchrist from Salem (VA) High and 6-8 power forward Travis Garrison of Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic and could use Slaninka’s scholarship to sign a fifth player, but they may be leaning toward holding the scholarship for the next year.
Slaninka was a four-year letterwinner at Dematha and was a team co-captain who helped lead DeMatha to a consensus No. 9 national ranking while coming off the bench as a senior. His father, Rick, played offensive tackle with the Maryland football team from 1968-70.
October 24, 2001
FIELD FINALIZED FOR TIMBERWOLVES QUADRUPLE
HEADER
The Minnesota Timberwolves
have scheduled a prep afternoon doubleheader the past several years before
their own NBA contest. However, they are going to out-do themselves as they are
planning a high school tripleheader with three of the top Minnesota teams
facing three out-state squads as they finalized the field.
Hopkins, Litchfield and Minneapolis Patrick Henry are the three local squads that are scheduled for the January 26th event at the Target Center before the Timberwolves-Atlanta Hawks contest. Hopkins will be led by three outstanding juniors. College Basketball News’ #14 junior Kris Humphries leads the Royals, but Darren Clarke and Dan Coleman are among the top juniors in the state. Clarke played for the Howard Pulley 16 and under team this summer and started for the royals as a sophomore. Coleman is the nephew of former Minnesota and Maryland big man, Ben Coleman, who played five seasons in the NBA. He is transferring from Minneapolis Southwest.
Litchfield was the 2000 Minnesota Class AA champion after finishing 30-0 and was 24-4 last season before losing to Annadale in the Section 5AA District 20 title 53-49. The Dragons are led 6-6 junior John Carlson, who was named second team Minnesota Associated Press All-State. He averaged 14.5 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 1.2 steals per game and shot 57 percent from the field and 70 percent at the foul line. They must replace leading scorer Mike Patten, who averaged 18.8 points per game last year. The 5-10 point guard will play at Division II powerhouse North Dakota State. However, the Dragons should be one of the top teams in the state as they started one junior (now senior) and three sophomores (now juniors) last year.
Last season, Oak Hill Academy gave Minnesota Class AAAA state champion Osseo their only loss and Duluth East, led by McDonald’s All-American defeated Potomac (VA).
The NBA season starts next Tuesday and many of the league’s top stars are showing that they are ready for a big year. The following is a look at the leaders in assists and steals during the preseason.
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAMES |
ASSISTS |
AVERAGE |
|
Marbury |
Phoenix |
4 |
34 |
8.5 |
|
Payton |
Seattle |
5 |
42 |
8.4 |
|
Claxton |
Philadelphia |
5 |
40 |
8.0 |
|
Miller |
Cleveland |
5 |
39 |
7.8 |
|
Van Exel |
Denver |
4 |
29 |
7.3 |
|
A. Williams |
Toronto |
5 |
36 |
7.2 |
|
Francis |
Houston |
5 |
35 |
7.0 |
|
Davis |
Charlotte |
6 |
41 |
6.8 |
|
Stockton |
Utah |
5 |
34 |
6.8 |
|
Nash |
Dallas |
6 |
40 |
6.7 |
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAMES |
BLOCKS |
AVERAGE |
|
Mourning |
Miami |
4 |
14 |
3.5 |
|
LaFrentz |
Denver |
5 |
17 |
3.4 |
|
Mutombo |
Philadelphia |
3 |
10 |
3.3 |
|
B. Wallace |
Detroit |
6 |
17 |
2.8 |
|
Kirilenko |
Utah |
5 |
12 |
2.4 |
|
MacCulloch |
New Jersey |
5 |
12 |
2.4 |
|
Ostertag |
Utah |
5 |
12 |
2.4 |
|
Chandler |
Chicago |
5 |
11 |
2.2 |
|
Garnett |
Minnesota |
5 |
11 |
2.2 |
|
Olajuwon |
Toronto |
5 |
11 |
2.2 |
|
Woods |
Minnesota |
5 |
11 |
2.2 |
October 23, 2001
The NBA season starts next Tuesday and many of the league’s top stars are showing that they are ready for a big year. The following is a look at the top scorers and rebounders during the preseason.
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAMES |
POINTS |
AVERAGE |
|
Stackhouse |
Detroit |
6 |
140 |
23.3 |
|
Bryant |
L.A. Lakers |
5 |
114 |
22.8 |
|
Jordan |
Washington |
4 |
91 |
22.8 |
|
Allen |
Milwaukee |
5 |
111 |
22.2 |
|
Carter |
Toronto |
5 |
111 |
22.2 |
|
Francis |
Houston |
5 |
110 |
22.0 |
|
Pierce |
Boston |
5 |
129 |
25.8 |
|
Stojaokic |
Sacramento |
5 |
103 |
20.6 |
|
Walker |
Boston |
6 |
121 |
20.2 |
|
Garnett |
Minnesota |
5 |
99 |
19.8 |
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAMES |
REBOUNDS |
AVERAGE |
|
Garnett |
Minnesota |
5 |
55 |
11.0 |
|
Wright |
Memphis |
5 |
54 |
10.8 |
|
Fortson |
Golden State |
5 |
49 |
9.8 |
|
B. Wallace |
Detroit |
6 |
54 |
9.0 |
|
Doleac |
Cleveland |
5 |
44 |
8.8 |
|
Walker |
Boston |
6 |
50 |
8.3 |
|
Pierce |
Boston |
6 |
48 |
8.0 |
|
Abdur-Rahim |
Atlanta |
5 |
39 |
7.8 |
|
Duncan |
San Antonio |
5 |
39 |
7.8 |
|
Hill |
Orlando |
5 |
39 |
7.8 |
Wake Forest redshirt freshman center Dshamal Schoetz will
sit out the 2001-02 season after tearing the anterior cruciate and
medial collateral ligaments in his right knee. The seven footer injured the
knee during last Friday’s practice session at
the Kenneth D. Miller Center. He’ll have surgery November 2nd and
the expected recovery time is nine to twelve months.
Schotz, a native of Cottbus, Germany, redshirted last season and came to Wake
Forest after playing two seasons on the high school level at High Point
Wesleyan Academy. Wake Forest was 19-11 last season and was lost to Butler in
the NCAA tournament first round. The Demon Deacons return three starters and
welcome first year head coach Skip Prosser. Prosser replaced Dave Odom, who is
now the head coach at South Carolina. Prosser led Xavier to a 21-8 mark last
season and an appearance in the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Notre Dame
in the first round.
October 22, 2001
As some of you readers might know, I am a fan of fantasy sports. I have written the fantasy basketball section for the Sporting News’ Pro Basketball Yearbook and for Fantasy Football Weekly, CDM Fantasy Challenge and other fantasy magazines. I am planning on having a fantasy college basketball contest available for readers of College Basketball News. The contest would allow owners to battle against each other as they try to pick the best possible teams made up of players from the ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, Conference USA and SEC. The rules are very simple and you can win a first place prize of $2,500. For a look at how the game would run, click the link. The contest starts in January during conference play, but sign-ups begin today.
|
|
|
Washington State is off to
a surprising 7-0 start and has moved up to number ten in the country. Wide
receiver Mike Bush is one of the key reasons for the Cougars’ #10 spot
in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. He has caught 30 passes for 607 yards (20.7 per
reception) with seven touchdowns. Bush has caught a touchdown pass in the last
five games and has snared two each in the last two contests. They play Oregon,
which lost for the first time this past weekend, on Saturday. Conference rival Teyo
Johnson of Stanford redshirted last season as a quarterback and was moved
to wide receiver in the spring. He has 14 catches for 222 yards and has three
touchdowns. Johnson caught five passes for 95 yards in the Cardinal’s upset win
over #5 Oregon Saturday and he scored on a 28-yeard touchdown pass and added a
two-point conversion. Johnson was valuable frontline player off the bench for a
Cardinal team that was ranked #1 in the country and reached the NCAA West
Regional last season. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.2 rebounds and was named
honorable mention All-Pac 10 freshman.
October 21, 2001
We have looked at the exploits of College Basketball News’ #1 high school player, LeBron James of Akron St. Vincent- St. Mary, on the football field. However, the Irish wide receiver is not the only outstanding two-sport athlete who is playing in shoulder pads this fall. Iowa verbal Jeff Horner of Mason City (IA) High was the MVP of last weekend’s Future Stars/Auto Glass Center “Hoops in the Heartland” Tournament as he led Marin Brothers Blue to the title. The former QB has shined this season at the wide receiver spot. He has caught eleven touchdowns on just 26 catches for 541 yards (20.8 yards per reception). Mason City is 6-2 so far this season after beating Marshalltown 42-13. Horner caught two passes in Friday’s win for 47 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown. their first winning season in twenty years. They are 3-1 in the Iowa Conference and are tied with Newton, just one game behind Valley. They have not qualified for the playoffs since 1985 and just 3-6 last season. Horner is ranked #41 among seniors by College Basketball News, a ranking that might be a bit low. Horner is an outstanding passer, especially on court length passes and has terrific shooting range.
Louisville (KY) Male junior Michael Bush might be the best high school football player in Kentucky. He certainly made a compelling performance Friday as the 6-3, 225-pound All-Stater scored four times, including twice in the final 2:30, as the Bulldogs edged St. Xavier 28-20 before an overflow crowd of 8,000 at Manual Stadium. Bush put Male ahead 21-20 with a one yard run on fourth down with 2:30 left. He scored again on an eight yard run with 1:12 left. He was a Courier-Journal first-team All-State choice at defensive back as a sophomore. He finished with 70 yards on eight carries and three pass receptions for 87 yards, including touchdown strikes of 33 and 36 yards from quarterback Brandon Blackerby. He also had 10 tackles. Male is 8-1 this season and is poised to repeat as state champions in Class 4-A.
TOP FANTASY POINT GUARDS
For NBA fantasy fans who are preparing for their fantasy drafts, I’ve been posting the top players at each position each day over the past five days. Yesterday, we looked at the top small forwards. In this final installment, we will look at the top point guards. Seattle playmaker Gary Payton has voiced his displeasure with the sonic organization, but that has not stopped him from producing on the court. He averaged 23.1 points per game last season, the second highest average in the career and had more than eight assists per contest for the fourth straight season. His rebounding and three-pointers fell off a bit, but he gives an owner help in many categories. Last year’s second and third best point guards in terms of points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks per game (PARBS), Stephon Marbury and Jason Kidd were traded for each other in the offseason. Marbury needs to work on increasing his steals and his offense is likely to drop a bit with the Suns. Kidd led the NBA in assists and finished fourth in steals. His shooting percentage has never wowed fantasy owners, but he has made great strides throughout his carerr in his free throw shooting and he is the best rebounding point guard in the league. Sam Cassell had his second straight strong seasons with the Bucks. However, his three-point shooting has severely dropped off the last few years. He has made 56 “threes” combined the past two seasons, compared to 63 in 1994-95, 73 in 1995-96 and 81 in 1996-97. His 47.4% shooting percentage was the best among the top ten point guards, but his steals totals are a bit subpar. The point guard spot has some young talent with Baron Davis of Charlotte and Mike Bibby, now with Sacramento, who figure to improve on last year’s numbers.
The following is a look at the top fifty-six point guards.
|
TEAM |
NAME |
P |
G |
MIN |
MPG |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
FG% |
FT |
FT% |
3FG |
TRB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
PTS |
PARBS |
AVG |
|
Seattle |
Payton |
PG |
79 |
3244 |
41.1 |
23.1 |
4.6 |
8.1 |
.456 |
271 |
.766 |
102 |
361 |
642 |
127 |
26 |
1823 |
2979 |
37.7 |
|
NJ Nets |
Marbury |
PG |
67 |
2557 |
38.2 |
23.9 |
3.1 |
7.6 |
.441 |
362 |
.790 |
110 |
205 |
506 |
79 |
5 |
1598 |
2393 |
35.7 |
|
Phoenix |
Kidd |
PG |
77 |
3065 |
39.8 |
16.9 |
6.4 |
9.8 |
.411 |
328 |
.814 |
69 |
494 |
753 |
166 |
23 |
1299 |
2735 |
35.5 |
|
Milwaukee |
Cassell |
PG |
76 |
2709 |
35.6 |
18.2 |
3.8 |
7.6 |
.474 |
277 |
.858 |
30 |
290 |
580 |
88 |
8 |
1381 |
2347 |
30.9 |
|
Denver |
Van Exel |
PG |
71 |
2688 |
37.9 |
17.7 |
3.4 |
8.5 |
.414 |
204 |
.819 |
135 |
241 |
600 |
61 |
18 |
1259 |
2179 |
30.7 |
|
Cleveland |
Miller |
PG |
82 |
2848 |
34.7 |
15.8 |
4.4 |
8.0 |
.452 |
375 |
.833 |
17 |
360 |
657 |
119 |
28 |
1296 |
2460 |
30.0 |
|
Minnesota |
Brandon |
PG |
78 |
2821 |
36.2 |
16.0 |
3.8 |
7.5 |
.451 |
195 |
.871 |
33 |
298 |
583 |
161 |
21 |
1250 |
2313 |
29.7 |
|
Orlando |
Armstrong |
PG |
75 |
2767 |
36.9 |
15.9 |
4.6 |
7.0 |
.412 |
220 |
.884 |
143 |
343 |
524 |
135 |
13 |
1189 |
2204 |
29.4 |
|
Vancouver |
Bibby |
PG |
82 |
3190 |
38.9 |
15.9 |
3.7 |
8.4 |
.454 |
143 |
.761 |
108 |
304 |
685 |
107 |
12 |
1301 |
2409 |
29.4 |
|
Charlotte |
Davis |
PG |
82 |
3192 |
38.9 |
13.8 |
5.0 |
7.3 |
.427 |
228 |
.677 |
85 |
408 |
598 |
170 |
36 |
1131 |
2343 |
28.6 |
|
Dallas |
Nash |
PG |
70 |
2387 |
34.1 |
15.6 |
3.2 |
7.3 |
.487 |
231 |
.895 |
89 |
223 |
509 |
72 |
5 |
1092 |
1901 |
27.2 |
|
Miami |
Hardaway |
PG |
77 |
2613 |
33.9 |
14.9 |
2.6 |
6.3 |
.392 |
145 |
.801 |
189 |
204 |
483 |
90 |
6 |
1150 |
1933 |
25.1 |
|
Utah |
Stockton |
PG |
82 |
2397 |
29.2 |
11.5 |
2.8 |
8.7 |
.504 |
227 |
.817 |
61 |
227 |
713 |
132 |
21 |
944 |
2037 |
24.8 |
|
Golden St |
Blaylock |
PG |
69 |
2352 |
34.1 |
11.0 |
3.9 |
6.7 |
.396 |
53 |
.697 |
73 |
272 |
462 |
163 |
20 |
760 |
1677 |
24.3 |
|
Portland |
Stoudamire |
PG |
82 |
2655 |
32.4 |
13.0 |
3.7 |
5.7 |
.434 |
172 |
.831 |
82 |
303 |
468 |
106 |
8 |
1066 |
1951 |
23.8 |
|
Indiana |
Best |
PG |
77 |
2457 |
31.9 |
11.9 |
2.9 |
6.1 |
.440 |
187 |
.827 |
37 |
222 |
473 |
110 |
11 |
918 |
1734 |
22.5 |
|
Philadelphia |
Snow |
PG |
50 |
1740 |
34.8 |
9.8 |
3.3 |
7.4 |
.418 |
122 |
.792 |
5 |
166 |
369 |
77 |
7 |
491 |
1110 |
22.2 |
|
LAClippers |
McInnis |
PG |
81 |
2831 |
35.0 |
12.9 |
2.7 |
5.5 |
.463 |
130 |
.807 |
52 |
220 |
447 |
75 |
7 |
1046 |
1795 |
22.2 |
|
LA Lakers |
Fisher |
PG |
20 |
709 |
35.5 |
11.5 |
3.0 |
4.4 |
.412 |
50 |
.806 |
25 |
59 |
87 |
39 |
2 |
229 |
416 |
20.8 |
|
New York |
Jackson |
PG |
83 |
2588 |
31.2 |
7.6 |
3.7 |
8.0 |
.419 |
73 |
.785 |
70 |
305 |
661 |
84 |
7 |
631 |
1688 |
20.3 |
|
Toronto |
A. Williams |
PG |
82 |
2394 |
29.2 |
9.8 |
2.6 |
5.0 |
.430 |
109 |
.752 |
33 |
212 |
407 |
123 |
26 |
802 |
1570 |
19.1 |
|
Detroit |
Atkins |
PG |
81 |
2363 |
29.2 |
12.0 |
2.1 |
4.1 |
.399 |
90 |
.692 |
121 |
173 |
330 |
67 |
5 |
971 |
1546 |
19.1 |
|
Portland |
Strickland |
PG |
54 |
1371 |
25.4 |
9.2 |
2.6 |
5.6 |
.424 |
130 |
.751 |
4 |
140 |
303 |
53 |
5 |
498 |
999 |
18.5 |
|
Sacramento |
Williams |
PG |
77 |
2290 |
29.7 |
9.4 |
2.4 |
5.4 |
.407 |
60 |
.789 |
98 |
185 |
416 |
94 |
9 |
720 |
1424 |
18.5 |
|
Atlanta |
Knight |
PG |
53 |
1457 |
27.5 |
6.3 |
3.2 |
5.9 |
.375 |
54 |
.818 |
1 |
168 |
311 |
101 |
4 |
333 |
917 |
17.3 |
|
Washington |
Whitney |
PG |
59 |
1532 |
26.0 |
9.5 |
1.8 |
4.2 |
.387 |
101 |
.894 |
93 |
106 |
248 |
55 |
3 |
558 |
970 |
16.4 |
|
Dallas |
Eisley |
PG |
82 |
2426 |
29.6 |
9.0 |
2.4 |
3.6 |
.393 |
104 |
.825 |
107 |
197 |
295 |
99 |
12 |
741 |
1344 |
16.4 |
|
San Antonio |
Daniels |
PG |
79 |
2060 |
26.1 |
9.4 |
2.1 |
3.8 |
.468 |
121 |
.776 |
74 |
163 |
304 |
61 |
14 |
745 |
1287 |
16.3 |
|
Milwaukee |
Hunter |
PG |