Archive for the ‘College Basketball’ Category

The State of Xavier Basketball

Posted: October 9, 2012 in College Basketball, NCAA
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I was going to write about  the PR nightmare that Xavier University has undergone the past twelve months, and also respond to the letter that Fr. Graham wrote in the Xavier Quarterly Magazine I received last week. However, after writing the entire entry, I realized it was just full of anger and resentment to my Alma Mater and how it has handled these past twelve months. So instead, I have decided to move forward and write about the current crop of Xavier basketball players and what we can expect from them this new school year

However, one point that I would like to make is that in the letter that Fr. Graham wrote, I wish that he would have talked more in depth about the Dez Wells case. I know that that is not possible for him to do so. However, if he would have outlined what rules Dez broke, and the process of what happened, then maybe Xavier as an institution would have earned back my trust. The letter that was written only angered me further, and made me even more confident that the current administration has a long way to go in terms of erasing this PR nightmare of the past year.

Now that that is off my chest, let’s talk about the current state of Xavier basketball. This year is going to be tough. There is just no spin that I can derive from my brain that is going to erase that. Xavier lost all five starting players..three to graduation, one to transferring, and one to being expelled. 

I will miss watching you play Dez

Further complicating the problem is that incoming freshmen Myles Davis and Jalen Reynolds were both deemed ineligible by the NCAA. The Myles Davis case I wrote about in a previous entry. So as you can see, Xavier’s cupboard is pretty bare. Not bare in the sense that there isn’t going to be some talent, but bare in experience on the D-1 level. The returnees include Redford, who is a marginal A-10 player with limited athletic ability, Travis Taylor who is an undersized Power forward and Jeff Robinson who flashes athletic ability but can’t put two good halves together let alone two good games. Dee Davis and Justin Martin also return to the lineup this year. However, Martin has not lived up to his recruiting ranking as of yet, and Dee Davis though he did show some improvement in last year’s NCAA tourney, still has a lot to prove.

The person that I believe everyone is excited about, myself included, is Semaj Christon. The kid seems to be a star in the making, a 6’3 point guard who can handle the ball and make his teammates better. However, we all have to remember that the kid will be a freshman and will go thru some growing pains. Finally, Isiah Philmore, a transfer from Towson that becomes eligible this year will man a power forward position. He played pretty well in the CAA, racking up 15 plus points and 7 boards in the 2010-11 campaign against decent competition. So there is some hope that his game will translate to the A-10 level.

So with all of this, what can Xavier expect? If Dee Davis, Justin Martin and Travis Taylor have improved considerably over the course of the summer; If Philmore is a 10-12 and 5-7 guy; and if Christon is as good as advertised, then I believe that Xavier could win 18-20 games this year. That would be a heckuva accomplishment with this group, and Mack should be given the Coach of the Year award in the A-10. It will be fun to watch these kids grow, but there are going to be a lot of games where we moan and groan and collectively scratch our heads. It is still Xavier basketball though, and I still hope and believe that the future will be bright, as long as the administration can get out of their own way.

Hypocrisy of the NCAA Strikes Again

Posted: September 13, 2012 in College Basketball
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The NCAA might possibly be the worst run organization in the United States, wait no check that, the entire world. So what did the NCAA do now?

Well, to make a long story short, The NCAA has decided that Sam Cassell Jr at Maryland and Myles Davis at Xavier are ineligible to participate on their respective basketball teams this year. Why? Well because the NCAA decided that they did not like the Prep School that Cassell and Davis went to. However, here is the real kicker. The NCAA just now decided they don’t like the Prep School. How about all of the other Div. 1 basketball players that came out of Notre Dame Prep a year ago, they have to be ineligible too right?

Well, as you can tell by the title of this story, that is not correct. Cassell and Davis sat in the same classroom as Angel Nunez (Louisville), Todd Mayo (Marquette), Khem Birch (UNLV) etc etc. yet because those three graduated a year before Cassell and Davis they are still ruled eligible. You see, those classes just became invalidated because Notre Dame Prep is now on the NCAA Watch list.

Look, Notre Dame Prep might be one of those basketball factories, and could be shut down eventually. That is fine. I am all for the NCAA stepping in and getting rid of these so called “basketball factory” schools.  However, the problem I have is that the same rules do not apply for different people. If Cassell and Davis are not eligible to play, then why is everyone else?? Just because they left the school a year earlier? They all took the same classes, why should it matter when they graduated?

The other f’d up thing is not only was Davis deemed not eligible to play, he can’t practice with the team, nor can he receive aid (scholarship) from Xavier this year. So now Myles’ dad had to step in and take a 30k loan out so his son could attend his freshman year. The NCAA took a bad situation, and made it worse. Why should a kid suffer because adults at the school screwed up? All the NCAA ever says is that they want to do everything right to help the student athlete. Yet, here they are screwing with two more kids, who went to the wrong school at the wrong time. Nothing more.

 However, why should I expect anything different from an organization that came up with the BCS Idea?

XU VS UC Is It Really A Contest Post Brawl?

Posted: May 15, 2012 in College Basketball
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The answer simply is no. The beatdown 76-53 this year was just another validation of that fact. It is also straight validation that on a day when Xavier’s conference got infinitely better with VCU joining the A-10, UC players got into a fight with a bouncer at a Cincinnati night club. Oh sorry I mean “allegedly” got into a fight with a bouncer at a club called PLAY. “Allegedly,” UC basketball players got into a fight with the bouncer because they couldn’t handle being moved to a different part of the VIP section.

You see, UC basketball players thought they were above everything, just as they always do, and figured they could just take over a part of the VIP section that was already being used. When the bouncer came up to them and told them to please move, of course the players started running their mouths and thus the fight ensued. Hmmmm, that is so weird that UC players would cause something like this to escalate. I mean they are such good boys, and didn’t they learn something from the fight at the end of that 76-53 beatdown? They would never run their mouths right? They must have just been defending themselves.

 I remember the troll errr dwarf, I mean Mick Cronin manipulate the media in Cincinnati into believing that he was appalled at his players’ actions back in December. Yeah right and I am a 7’0 guy with David Beckham looks. Anywho, let’s be honest for a second here. Mick didn’t give a rat’s ass that his players got into a fight at the end of the game this past season. The only thing that he was worried about, was how long his players were going to have to be suspended. The reason I am so confident in saying that, is because if he actually cared, he would have changed some of these players’ attitudes. Obviously, he didn’t and so they didn’t. It is the same old sorry UC….only this time there is no Huggins.

Yes Xavier had a public relations nightmare post fight. However, Tu learned something. How do I know? Read the interview from ESPN about a month after the fight. It clearly showed a man who was in pain. A man in pain because he felt guilty, yes, but also because he realized that his actions and his contributions to what occurred were wrong. Lyons on the other hand, didn’t seem to learn anything? How do I know? Well, Xavier turned him loose after he had said he would be back. Xavier didn’t want him back. Xavier’s actions spoke louder than UC’s words. Now some of you might say that the reason Lyons left was because he wanted to be a point guard, and Xavier wasn’t going to allow that with Semaj Christon and Dee Davis already in the fold. Do you really believe that Xavier wouldn’t have accomadated a fifth year senior who is extremely talented if that was the only issue? Come on…if you believe that…I have a lake in the middle of the desert to sell you.

 

 

Should I Care?

Posted: April 2, 2012 in College Basketball
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So earlier today, I came across this article from ugh…ESPN http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2012/story/_/id/7762117/2012-final-four-kentucky-wildcats-versus-kansas-jayhawks-great-game

After reading it, I realized just how much I disagreed with the author of this article, Dana O’Neil. However, I wondered if I was alone on this island, or if many others feel the same way I do. If you are too lazy to read the article, basically the premise is this. Having two “blue bloods” play for the National Championship is great for the game of College Basketball, and this is what everyone wants. To that end, I just shrug my shoulders and say eh?

Personally, I like the David vs Goliath mantra more than any other scenario. I am not much for the David vs David or Goliath vs Goliath matchup. So, if Kentucky or Kansas wins tonght and raises another banner, am I really supposed to care? I was much more excited about the recent Final Fours when the VCU’s, George Masons, and Butlers of the world matched up with the big dogs. Isn’t that what is so great about March Madness anyways? The small schools getting the chance against the Duke,UNC, Kentucky and UCLA’s of the world? However, why should I really care what the talking heads at ESPN have to say anyways? I’m shocked they even mention the game since there is no team from New York or Boston in it.

What say you?

The Rivalry: Cards vs Cats

Posted: March 30, 2012 in College Basketball
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And so it begins..in less than 24 hours Kentucky and Louisville will tip off in Nawlins’. It is unbelievable the amount of people that I saw in Louisville proudly display their school colors today. The entire city was draped in Red and Blue. One thing is for certain…this city and this state loves their basketball.

Earlier this week I mentioned how Louisville and Kentucky fans were actually  being civil on Facebook and around town. Well since then, there have been fights at dialysis centers, mayors  jawwing at each other, and posts much like this one on twitter:  “UofL Fans wear UofL gear because they went there.  UK fans wear UK gear because they went to Wal-Mart.”   Wow!!! Anyways, here are three things that Louisville and UK need to do in order to win.

Louisville is up First:

1.) Slow the Game Down: Well Duh! Sorry Louisville Fans but there is only one team that could possibly run with UK and its UNC. Since they are not here, Louisville needs to play its game. Now that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t press. You can still press and slow the game down. I know that sounds crazy but hear me out. By pressing, Louisville can make it difficult for Kentucky to get into their set which should mean shots taken longer in the shot clock. That means fewer possessions for UK and probably less points. Louisville needs this game in the 60s or 70s to win.

2.) Can’t Afford to Get Into Foul Trouble: Another well duh!  However, this is especially the case for Siva, Behannan and Dieng. Last game, Behannan was in foul trouble all game and only played 15 minutes. That is one reason why Kidd Gilchrist absolutely went to town on the Cards last game. With Dieng it is obvious..the cards need him in the game against Davis, and Siva is needed to run the offense. Without him running the point, the Cards look like a very average team.

3.) Shoot 40% or higher: This is tough against Kentucky because they are an amazing defensive team, especially with the roadblock that is Davis in the middle. This is another reason why Louisville needs to slow the game down. Louisville has to work the shot clock, and get good looks at the basket out of their offense. They cannot continually throw up shots 5 seconds into the shot clock (I’m looking at you Russ), and hope to get an offensive rebound. Kentucky is the best team in the land when it comes to the transition game, and Louisville needs to slow that down as much they can in order to win.

Here comes Kentucky:

1.) Don’t Beat Themselves: Let’s be honest here folks, even you Cards Fans. Kentucky is the most talented team in the country. They shouldn’t lose, that is why they are the favorite. Davis is going to go number one, and Kidd-Gilchrist may go number two in the NBA Draft. That doesn’t even include Miller, Teague, Lamb and Jones who all will be drafted sooner rather than later. Don’t turn the ball over, don’t throw up ill-advised shots, and don’t get overly emotional about this game. That is all UK needs to do. With that said…..

2.) Don’t Succumb to Louisville’s Press: Don’t turn the ball over, that is all. If they can get the transition game going against Louisville’s press right from the beginning of the posession, great. If it isn’t there, don’t force it. Kentucky may have to win ugly, which they can do. However, they are young, and we have all seen before what can happen to young teams in the final four. Most wilt under the pressure.

3.) No Foul Trouble For Davis: Kentucky is a different team without Davis on the floor. He is an imposing force, and if he is not in the middle for a long length of time, Louisville can exploit that. He is such an intimidating figure that most teams are scared to go at him. Louisville won’t be, and from the get go I expect them to try to get Davis in foul trouble. He has to play smart in order to not get into trouble.

Well there you go..the three keys for each team. My Prediction? If Cal wasn’t coaching Kentucky, I would pick them. I am just not sold on him as a big game coach. While at Memphis he was continually told that not working on free throws in practice would bite him because the team was horrible at it. Cal ignored it, and what happened? It bit him against KU. This kind of scenario seems to happen year after year…so until he proves otherwise, I don’t have faith in him winning the big one.

Cards 70-65….

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