News and Notes: 6/30 06/30/2009
Posted by Brian in News and Notes.Tags: Duke Blue Devils, Kansas Jayhawks, Kelvin Sampson, Kentucky Wildcats, Xavier Henry
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Some quick hitters late on a Tuesday:
- Coach K maintains his commitment to Duke, saying he will not jump to the NBA and coach the Los Angeles Lakers if Phil Jackson retires. Krzyzewski’s flirtation with the NBA and specifically the Lakers over the years has been odd, but it would be a major shock if he coaches anywhere else but in Durham.
- Andy Katz of ESPN.com takes a look at many of next year’s NBA draft prospects.
- Disgraced former Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson’s appeal of penalties levied upon him by the NCAA was rejected today. A little advice for Mr. Sampson: Be happy with your current gig as an NBA assistant and don’t even think about coming back to college. You disgraced a prestigious basketball program which had an ultra-clean reputation for decades. No school in their right mind would ever hire Sampson again, although look what Florida International did with Isiah Thomas.
- Perhaps the biggest news of the day comes to us from Andy Katz. Kansas’ top recruit, Xavier Henry is reportedly wavering on his commitment to Bill Self’s team and may move to John Calipari and Kentucky. In addition, Henry’s older brother C.J., a former minor league baseball player with the New York Yankees organization, could join him in Lexington. As Katz states this could vault Kentucky to the top spot in the preseason polls. It’s been a bizarre few months at Kentucky since Calipari arrived and this potential move would make it all the more crazy.
Report: Lance Stephenson selects Cincinnati 06/30/2009
Posted by Brian in Recruiting.Tags: Cincinnati Bearcats, Lance Stephenson
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The top remaining player in the class of 2009 has reportedly selected a college and the Cincinnati Bearcats are the big winners.
Blogger Adam Zagoria has confirmed, according to sources close to the situation, his original report from Sunday in an article posted this morning on sny.tv that Lincoln High School senior Lance Stephenson has decided to play college basketball in the Big East for Cincinnati. Despite Stephenson’s sexual assault case being adjourned again, this time until July 15, Cincinnati and head coach Mick Cronin are apparently ready to roll the dice on the talented but troubled Stephenson.
According to Zagoria’s report, sources at Cincinnati believe that Stephenson’s legal issues will not result in him doing any jail time even if convicted. Still, the negative PR and baggage associated with not only this court case but Stephenson’s past history in general will undoubtedly bring criticism upon the Cincinnati program. Cronin has a good team returning and Stephenson’s commitment could push the Bearcats up significantly in the Big East standings if Cronin can juggle the Stephenson baggage and promote good chemistry on the team. That is no sure thing as Stephenson has been accused in the past of being a selfish player on the court and a problem in the locker room for his Lincoln High School team. Still, Stephenson is a tremendous talent and Cincinnati now has a chance to make a lot of noise in what will be a down Big East this upcoming season.
Summer News And Notes: 6/29 06/29/2009
Posted by Zach in News and Notes.Tags: Arizona Wildcats, Derrick Williams, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Marquette Golden Eagles, Maurice Acker, USC Trojans
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Some news and notes from around college basketball on a summer Monday…
- While many believed Arizona was going to fall into an Indiana-sized hole following the departure of Lute Olson and most of last year’s squad, new coach Sean Miller has been able to pick up the pieces quite nicely. Star point guard Nic Wise opted to return for another season and Miller has added three players from Scout.com’s top 100: center Kyryl Natyazhko, forward Kevin Parrom and ex-USC commit Solomon Hill. News broke today that another talented USC retread will join Miller in Tucson in 6’7 forward Derrick Williams. With Kyle Fogg and Jamelle Horne already returning to the program, it’s possible their consecutive NCAA tournament streak may not end in 2009-10. USC signee Noel Johnson left this month for Clemson.
- Even though Gonzaga has lost the services of Austin Daye, Josh Heytvelt, Jeremy Pargo and Micah Downs for the upcoming season, Mark Few certainly has not shyed away from playing a top notch non-conference slate. They have contests scheduled against Washington State, Oklahoma State and Wake Forest at home, a trip to the Maui Invitational, a game in Seattle vs. Davidson, trips to Memphis and Michigan State, MSG to face Duke and Chicago to face Illinois. The Illini will return the favor with a game in Seattle next year. The Zags will be led by emerging point guard Demetri Goodson, sharp shooter Stephen Gray, scoring guard Matt Bouldin and a thin frontcourt.
- This news came down last week, but I felt like I’d report it now: Marquette guard Maurice Acker, who was expected to take over the starting job this season with the departure of Dominic James and Jerel McNeal, will bypass his final year of eligibility and graduate in December. The 5’8 guard stepped in when James went down midway through the Big East season and did a formidable job for Buzz Williams. The Golden Eagles will be very young this season with the exception of Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler. They bring in a strong freshman class with the #9 PG Junior Cadougan, Texas SF Erik Williams, Madison native Jeronne Maymon and JC talent Darius Johnson-Odom and Dwight Buycks.
- On Tuesday I’ll provide some NBA Draft grades and some predictions for how former college standouts will do at the pro level. On Wednesday watch for my top 10 recruiting classes for the upcoming season. Brian is working on his preseason top-25 as I type this.
Lance Stephenson May Commit Tuesday 06/28/2009
Posted by Zach in Recruiting.Tags: Cincinnati Bearcats, Lance Stephenson
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The Lance Stephenson saga just keeps getting crazier.
The #1 small forward in the entire 2009 class according to Scout.com still has not committed to a school for this season. Numerous character issues, eligibility questions and a sexual assault trial that will continue tomorrow are just some of the reasons why programs like Kansas, Arizona, Maryland, Memphis and even desperate St. John’s have backed off. Isiah Thomas and Florida International has thrown their hat into the ring as of late, but it appears a new leader has emerged.
According to ZagsBlog, a New York-based college hoops blog, Stephenson could be on the verge of signing his letter of intent with Mick Cronin and the University of Cincinnati as soon as Tuesday. Lance and his family spent the weekend at the school’s campus and played with the team.
“Word is Lance is signing with Cincinnati,” one Big East assistant coach said. “I think he will on Tuesday from what I’m being told.”
If Cronin is willing to take the chance, Stephenson would immediately join a talented backcourt led by Deonta Vaughn, Rashad Bishop and the injury-free Cashmere Wright. We’ll keep you updated if we hear more news.
Leftover Wreckage From Draft Night 06/28/2009
Posted by Zach in NBA Draft.Tags: Brandon Costner, Dar Tucker, Eric Devendorf, Jodie Meeks, Patrick Mills, Paul Harris, Shawn Taggart
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While there were some feel-good moments and worthwhile storylines from the 2009 NBA Draft Thursday night, there are also plenty of college kids deeply regretting their decision to throw their name into the ring. Whether it be at the urging of agents, seriously inflated egos or total delusions, here are some players who rather than star one more year in college and earn their degree, either fell drastically or went completely undrafted on draft night:
- Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris (Syracuse): These two may have been scared away by Jonny Flynn’s early departure, but the return of Devendorf and Harris to a Syracuse team in a down Big East could have certainly made them contenders. Both players have had rocky college careers and probably believed they were worthy of being drafted when neither of them came close.
- Shawn Taggart (Memphis): Instead of being the centerpiece of a team that could contend for another conference title with the addition of Elliot Williams, Taggart keeping his name in the draft pool was a horrid mistake and the only person that didn’t realize this was Shawn Taggart. Way too many holes in his game that he could have cleaned up during a senior campaign at Memphis.
- Dar Tucker (DePaul): I realize that DePaul’s basketball program is god-awful at this point, and Tucker was probably banking on a team giving him a chance purely on his athleticism, but he shot 39% last season. Good luck in Europe.
- Brandon Costner (NC State): This was the worst decision of the entire process. Maybe I’ll eat crow if he sneaks onto a team, but I think we’ve heard the last of this inconsistent forward.
- Patrick Mills (St. Mary’s- #55): Mills was mentioned as one of the top point guards in the upcoming pool midway through his sophomore season, but the broken hand really slowed down his momentum. He really should have returned to St. Mary’s for one full healthy season and tried to help the Gaels to a WCC title.
- Chase Budinger (Arizona- #44): I can’t really blame him for leaving Arizona’s bad situation, but for a guy that was rumored to be a sure-fire lottery pick just two years ago…ouch.
- Jodie Meeks (Kentucky- #41): Not a terrible decision and could star right away for a depleted Bucks team. But he could have won a national title for Kentucky and played for John Calipari.
- Derrick Brown (Xavier- #40): I think he’s going to be a decent NBA player, yet he really could have made millions as a first-round pick next year had he stayed at Xavier.
- DaJuan Summers (Georgetown- #35): Did better than I originally expected but could have been a first round pick next year with some seasoning at Georgetown playing alongside Greg Monroe and Chris Wright.
Elliot Williams Leaving Duke For Memphis 06/27/2009
Posted by Zach in Transfers.Tags: Duke Blue Devils, Elliot Williams, Memphis Tigers
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UPDATE 6/28: Elliot Williams to Memphis is official, according to Memphis native Gary Parrish at CBS Sportsline.
Williams will likely be granted a waiver to play this season for coach Josh Pastner due to his mother battling cancer. He’ll immediately jump into a starting lineup that could include Roburt Sallie, Wesley Witherspoon, Doneal Mack, Pierre Niles-Henderson and 5-star freshman Latavious Williams. They’ll likely challenge Tulsa for the Conference USA title.
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Some shocking news on a Wednesday morning for the debut post on Rise and Fire: Duke standout guard Elliot Williams, who stepped into the starting lineup so formidably in the middle of last season, will leave Durham to be closer to his hometown of Memphis. His leave is not due to Coach K sucking his blood, but instead because of unspecified family medical reasons.
Fox Sports’ Jeff Goodman expects Williams to transfer to Memphis (Memphis is close to Memphis so that makes sense). He’d surely be a welcome addition for new coach Josh Pastner in two seasons.
Williams was inserted into the starting following the Blue Devils 80-74 loss to Boston College. He would help lead Duke to a 10-2 record, an ACC Tournament crown and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Villanova. It was expected that Williams would retain the starting job for the 2009-10 season. With Greg Paulus also departing, it appears Nolan Smith will return as starting point guard with Jon Scheyer manning the 2-spot.
“We fully support him in his efforts to be closer to (his family) during this trying time,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He is a good young man with an opportunity to become an outstanding player. We wish him well as he determines his future. He will always be a part of our program and we will always be in his corner.”
Williams averaged 4.2 PPG and 2.3 RPG last season for Duke.
Zach’s Early Summer Top 25 06/25/2009
Posted by Zach in Rankings.Tags: Butler Bulldogs, Connecticut Huskies, Duke Blue Devils, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, North Carolina Tar Heels, Purdue Boilermakers, Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, Villanova Wildcats, Washington Huskies, West Virginia Mountaineers
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College basketball season is right around the corner.
Okay, not really. With the NBA Draft concluding, the dead summer period for college hoops fans officially begins. While North Carolina hoisting the trophy in Detroit seems like years ago, we’re not even at the conclusion of June yet. The dog days of summer are ahead, yet college basketball will always be on our minds. Check back into Rise and Fire for news updates, previews, articles and the lot until it drops below 50 degrees and the sweet smell of basketball is in the air. Whatever that smells like.
To kick off the site, Brian and I will put together our Early Summer Top 25’s for the upcoming campaign. Now that each on-the-fence player has made their decision whether they’re in/out, we can make a concrete Top 25 knowing who will return to the college basketball hardwood in 2009-10. Look for Brian’s Top 25 at the end of this week. Here is how I see it shaking out:
1. Kansas Jayhawks- While Kentucky could have made a case for this spot had Jodie Meeks opted for a return to school, Kansas is the clear preseason #1 team for 2009-10. This team made incredible strides last season after losing all five starters following the national championship season. Bill Self has the best guard/forward combination in the country in Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich with an explosive freshman wing player, Xavier Henry, immediately entering the starting lineup. Tyshawn Taylor would be the go-to scorer on plenty of formidable teams and both the Morris twins and Arizona transfer Jeff Withey provide bulk up front to compliment Aldrich.
2. Kentucky Wildcats- Think firing Billy Gillispie was the right move? With the genius luring of John Calipari to Lexington, two of the top five incoming freshmen in the country join him- forward DeMarcus Cousins and guard John Wall, an electric floor leader who many say is better than Derrick Rose. Also joining those studded freshmen are center Daniel Orton, guard Eric Bledsoe and forward Jon Hood- three diaper-dandies who would probably be a top-five recruiting class without Cousins or Wall. Throw in double-double machine Patrick Patterson and Calipari is set up to have success right away at Kentucky.
3. Texas Longhorns- Brian and I both agree that Rick Barnes is one of the most underrated coaches in the country and he’s shown his recruiting prowess by luring two of my favorite diaper-dandies in years- explosive guard Avery Bradley and a true scoring forward in Jordan Hamilton. Damion James returning to Austin was quite possibly the most significant pre-draft decision other than Meeks. The role players on Texas can all contribute- Dexter Pittman and Gary Johnson providing bulk and rebounding down low, Dogus Balbay running a steady point guard, Justin Mason and Varez Ward working the wings and incoming Florida transfer Jai Lucas as the secret weapon.
4. Michigan State Spartans- Once again Michigan State and Purdue will battle for Big Ten bragging rights, and, just like last summer, I’ll give the Spartans a slight edge. Losing leadership and defense in Goran Suton and Travis Walton will surely sting, but Tom Izzo has assembled enough talent- namely super-quick guard Kalin Lucas- to overcome such adversity. Draymond Green really exploded in March and will be joined up front by sophomore Delvon Roe and embattled forward Raymar Morgan, who can really make an impact if he stays motivated and healthy. Sweet shooters Durrell Summers and Korie Lucious provide serious depth at the guard position.
5. Purdue Boilermakers- They’re not the Baby Boilers anymore. After losing in the Sweet 16 last season, Matt Painter’s familiar squad will look to make the next step and they have the personnel to do so. All five starters have played together for the past two seasons including rugged defender Chris Kramer, emerging forward JaJuan Johnson and all-around weapon Robbie Hummel. Lewis Jackson is emerging as a strong point guard and E’Twaun Moore will be Painter’s go-to scorer. Purdue and Michigan State should have another entertaining race to take home the Big 10 title.
6. Villanova Wildcats- Even though seniors Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson depart, coach Jay Wright has plenty of returning and incoming talent to contend for another Final Four. The backcourt is tremendous with Scottie Reynolds spending his ninth year at Villanova and the two Corey’s- Fisher and Stokes- extending the defense with tremendous shooting ability (hopefully they abstain from making a sitcom). Reggie Redding is an ideal role player for any team with high aspirations. The freshman class is one of the best in the nation with four top-50 players joining Duke transfer Taylor King. Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayans will make immediate impacts off the bench scoring and dishing, while many believe forward Mouphtauo Yarou has the potential to be a special player for coach Wright.
7. North Carolina Tar Heels- Thanks to the defections from Winston-Salem, North Carolina should be the preseason favorite to win the ACC once again. Yes, that’s right, even with the losses of Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson and Green. Tar Heel fans will have to be patient with the maturation process of Larry Drew III at the point guard position while freshman Dexter Strickland provides a nice insurance policy (although he’s more of a scoring 2-guard). Up front will be where the Heels dominate with Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller and lanky freshman John Henson. Thompson could be one the breakout players in the country and many felt like Ed Davis was a lottery pick if he came out after last season.
8. Connecticut Huskies- Losing key pieces like center Hasheem Thabeet, forward Jeff Adrien and point guard A.J. Price will be awfully hard to overcome, but I still see Connecticut as a top-ten overall team in a down Big East season. A healthy Jerome Dyson will team up with sensational sophomore Kemba Walker to form a dynamic backcourt. The frontcourt is also steady with explosive Stanley Robinson and one of my favorite newcomers- freshman Alex Oriakhi, who plays like a poor man’s Thabeet the way he can dominate defensively and on the glass. An eligible Ater Majok would provide a tremendous wild card.
9. Duke Blue Devils- Gerald Henderson’s return and John Wall’s commitment would have certainly made Duke a top-five team. Instead, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer will have to lead the way for Duke if they want to return to a Final Four. Singler will probably win ACC Player of the Year as an elite low-post scorer, mid-range shooter and defender. Nolan Smith will return as starting point guard for Coach K and may have a breakout junior season. The two forward freshmen- Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly- will be asked to contribute immediately, especially with Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek as serious question marks.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers- Alex Ruoff is the only loss of note for Bob Huggins crew who will welcome back point guard Joe Mazzulla from a serious shoulder injury. West Virginia may not be loaded with talented scoring weapons, but you know Huggins’ teams will defend and rebound with the best. Devin Ebanks made tremendous strides in the second half of last season and could average 10+ RPG. Da’Sean Butler will be one of the best scorers in the Big East and I really love Darryl Bryant at point guard. Deniz Kilici is an extremely talented big man.
11. Butler Bulldogs- Coach Brad Stevens will return all five starters from a team that won 26 games led by junior forward Matt Howard and sophomore forward Gordon Hayward. Howard has some of the best post moves in the nation and Hayward can really stroke it from outside. Sophomores Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored is an extremely steady backcourt and Zach Hahn is the shooting weapon off the bench. Andrew Smith is a 6’9 center that will provide depth when Howard needs a breather. Plus, you know Butler will always defend.
12. Tennessee Volunteers- With their abundance of talent, Tennessee should really be higher on this list, but I have serious doubts about their commitment on defense. Tyler Smith returning bolts the Vols about 10-12 spots on this list. He’ll team with Wayne Chism to form a ferocious frontcourt yet again. J.P. Prince is an effective slashing guard and Cameron Tatum has serious range from deep. The wild cards are sophomore Scotty Hopson (will be provide a consistent scoring threat?) and Bobby Maze providing efficiency at the point.
13. Washington Huskies- Lorenzo Romar’s squad will show off the most exciting backcourt in the nation this season with Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy. Thomas has explosive speed and natural scoring/passing ability while Gaddy is an impact freshman with tremendous court vision and a great feel. The loss of Jon Brockman hurts the frontcourt, so it’s up to Darnell Gant or Matthew Bryan-Amaning to step up down low. Quincy Pondexter and Venoy Overton are two useful role players at Romar’s disposal. The Huskies should be the favorites to win the Pac-10 this season with UCLA, Arizona State, Arizona and USC somewhat depleted, quite an impressive turnaround for a program struggling just a few years ago.
14. Michigan Wolverines- The only losses for Michigan (Lee, Grady, Merritt) were role players, meaning the main cogs (Harris, Sims, Lucas-Perry, Novak, Douglass) all return. The Wolverines have a great mix of players to contend for the Big 10 title when you factor in the dynamic slashing and scoring ability of Harris, the inside/outside game of Sims and the shooting of Lucas-Perry. You know Coach Beilein will use that zone effectively as he continues to rebuild the Michigan program.
15. Minnesota Golden Gophers- Much like their Big 10 rivals, Minnesota returns everyone of note from last season including a very talented freshman class led by Rodney Williams, Royce White and Marquette transfer/project Trevor Mbakwe. Al Nolen is the floor leader, Lawrence Westbrook provides defense, Blake Hoffarber is the impact shooter and both Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson continue to make improvements in the low post.
16. California Golden Bears- Mike Montgomery’s squad overachieved last season before sputtering early in the NCAA Tournament. Explosive guard Jerome Randle and his perimeter mates Patrick Christopher and Jamal Boykin will look to change the Golden Bears fates for 09-10.
17. Illinois Fighting Illini- The Illini could struggle early getting used to playing without their two floor leaders Trent Meachem and Chester Frazier. Bruce Weber will have his team improving as the year progresses, led by frontcourt stalwarts Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, two talented forwards who can step out and shoot. Look for Alex Legion to take on a bigger role, as well.
18. Ohio State Buckeyes- Here’s yet another Big 10 team in the top 20. Could they be this year’s Big East? Evan Turner will contend for conference player of the year while Dallas Lauderdale provides shot-blocking and rebounding down low. William Buford should be a double-digit scorer and Jon Diebler has extended range for Thad Matta’s team looking to recover from their devastating loss to…
19. Siena Saints- The loss of Kenny Hasbrouck hurts, but underrated coach Fran McCaffrey has his other four starters returning this season. Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin and Ryan Rossiter all averaged double-digit scoring averages last season and Ronald Moore, who will forever live in Siena lore, returns.
20. Maryland Terrapins- The Terps return seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago, including outstanding guard Greivis Vasquez, who made a late minute decision to return to College Park rather than go to the NBA or Europe. Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes will take on a slightly bigger role this season. It looks like Gary Williams’ job is safe for now.
21. Dayton Flyers- Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson is the best one-two punch in the Atlantic 10 and those two should help a talented Dayton squad upend Xavier at the top.
22. Florida Gators- Kenny Boynton might be their best player right away. Will any of their role players (Walker, Tyus, Parsons, Werner, Shipman) make the leap?
23. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets- This is a make-or-break year for Paul Hewitt. Led by Gani Lawal, Iman Shumpert, Zach Peacock and superstar freshman Derrick Favors, the Yellow Jackets should make it into the NCAA Tournament.
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs- There’s plenty of potential to have an elite frontcourt in Starkville with Renardo Sidney, Jarvis Varnado and 7’2 center John Riek, a transfer from Cincinnati.
25. Oklahoma Sooners- Losing the Griffin twins, Juan Patillo and Austin Johnson stings, but now it’s time for Willie Warren and an impressive freshman class to shine for coach Jeff Capel.
Also considered: Georgetown, Boston College, Tulsa, Florida, South Carolina, BYU, Clemson, Xavier.
