A short prediction theard as of December 6 and insight post on College Basketball real quick.
Best Team: Memphis -Led by outstanding Freshman Derrick Rose and scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts Memphis looks primed for a deep run. They score like UNC and play "D" like UCLA with tons of long athletic players led by hard-nosed, hustle player Joey Dorsey.
Best Player: Michael Beasley -Wow, what a player. A inside-outside force that cleans up the boards and block shots. Will be the #1 pick in the draft.
Biggest Suprise: Texas -Lost one of the best players to ever play college basketball my boy and yours, Mr. Keven Durant (Dareing someone to challenge me on that statement). However, they go to UCLA and beat one of the best teams in college basketball this year. Getting great play from DJ Augustin,A.J. Abrams, and Damion James.
Best Freshman: Micael Beasley -This could change throughout the year with it going between Derrick Rose (my personal favorite), Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, and OJ Mayo.
Final 4 Prediction: UNC-Led by speedy Ty Lawson, scorer Wayne "Weezy" Ellington, and the man i think will end up being National Player of the Year Tyler "Psycho T" Hansbrough.
Memphis- For all the reasons stated above.
UCLA- A veteran team with a outstanding freshman. Got the D to get there but can they get the points to win it?
Washington State- Don't sleep on them because they are on the West Coast. The engine that runs the team is as good as anyones engine, Derrick Low and a smothering team on defense.
Mid-Major to look out for: Butler -Sharpshooting AJ Grave will lead a Butler team that executes their offense better than anyone in all the land. With great shooting and fundamentals on both ends of the floor look for Butler to make a deep run into the NCAA's........Mark it down.
Thats all for now, back for more later.....KYCamp, can we get some NBA banter in the house?
NCAA basketball is back in full effect, and I couldn’t be happier that we no longer have to see, hear, hear about, or discuss Jokim Noah. On a much sadder note, I can’t devote everything I have to talk about Kevin Durant anymore. Moving ahead though, we welcome one of the brightest and deepest freshman classes in recent history. They are a “Fab 5” of sorts, including Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, and Kevin Love. With a year that is hopefully less controversial but just as exciting as college football, lets jump right in...
Best Team:Memphis Tigers Have to agree with Ryan on this one. The Tigers returned all 5 starters and brought in arguably the best freshman in this years class. Their starting frontcourt of Dorsey and Dozier can bang with anyone in the nation, and scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts is among the elite. Add in a 6’4 point guard who combines size, speed, handle, vision, and shot blocking in a way that I’ve never seen before, and you have a solid front runner for the National title. What makes them stand out to me is the depth of the team. With Willie Kemp and Shawn Taggert off the bench , they have unmatched depth with 8 players getting at least 15 minutes each game.
Biggest Sleeper: UCONN Don’t forget about this team even though they play in the very deep Big East. At 6-2, the only blemishes on their record have come at the hands of #2 ranked Memphis and #19 Gonzaga. AJ Price is no longer stealing laptops, and its clearly paying off. Remembering where he came from (Amityville) he is playing the hard nose style of basketball were used to in NY. Take Price and throw in a healthy dose of Jeff Adrien, who is a strong hard player on both offense and defense (13 ppg, 8 rpg) and that is quite a tandem. On top of all that, you have a 7’3 Hasheem Thabeet clogging up the paint and this team is built for a gritty run deep into the tourney.
Best Player: Michael Beasley How can you ignore his numbers. Leads the nation in rebounding with almost 15 per game, while still remaining 5th in the nation in scoring with 26 per game. I recently attended the Jimmy V Classic and got to watch Beasley (along with Mayo and Rose) in person it was clear how much of a presence he is. He is big and long, yet is still fast. He also gets good positioning on the glass which allows him to grab a ton of boards. We could be looking at having back to back freshman who win the Naismith Award after never having it done before. Teaming him with Bill Walker (who is underused but very impressive) could prove deadly down the stretch and into the tourney. Watch out for Kansas State.
Best Freshman: Derrick Rose I know it makes no sense that I have Beasley as the best player but not the best freshman, but I don’t care. My affection for Rose started before he was in the national spotlight, and is rising to unhealthy heights. (He is a serious threat to Durant’s spot in my heart. Should I be worried?) At 6’4, he is nothing that we have seen before. His first step off the dribble is right up there with the likes of UNC’s Ty Lawson. His passing is the best in the nation., and makes passes that some other PG wouldn’t even see. He also has the jumping ability to win dunk contests, and will have no problem finishing on anyone. Picture someone who drives to the lane like Stephon Marbury (when he’s not busy finding God) and finishes like LeBron James. Scary. What is amazing to me is his ability to block shots. Guards are usually not known for their timing on blocks, but when you watch his game he is up there with centers in his ability. While Rose is a fierce competitor, his one fault is being too passive and not looking for his own shot enough. This kid has the heart of the lion, and once he figures out that in clutch situations he needs to enter “the zone,” he will be border-line unstoppable. If its not clear, I’m willing to sacrifice the Knicks 2007-2008 season if it meant Derrick Rose’s new home would be Madison Square Garden. Mere words don’t do his talent justice, so let his play do the talking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtZd2koUMrk
As with everyone on this blog (is cotich even on this blog anymore anyways?) I am very excited to see college basketball back in action.
Best Team: North Carolina -Yes there is certainly a bit of a bias in play here but lets get past that and into my reasoning besides my Carolina Blue blood. Before I go any further I will say that I have a great deal of respect for Memphis and UCLA and I see them as VERY dangerous teams and more than capable of beating Carolina come late March/ early April. Now lets get into the good stuff. As I write this Carolina is currently 8-0 and has won their games by a margin slightly under 21 points. While I will acknowledge that their opponents have not been all that impressive they have still gone into Kentucky and Ohio State and walked out victourious. This has been done without a healthy Ty Lawson for two games and also are schedule that has seen them out of Chapel Hill for six out of the eight games. While Memphis is the sexy pick for best team and certainly deservingly so, I will stick to my heart and pick the Tar Heels. When you have a low post guy like Physco T and perimeter players like Wayne Ellington, and the 6th man of the year Danny Green (who plays with that NY toughness as Corey alluded to) you have to like your chances. Look for steady improvement over the season from Deon Thompson and a more assertive Wayne Ellington along with a tough ACC schedule to have the Tar Heels ready to rock and roll come March. All the while the Tigers will have to battle complacency as they play the East Carolina Pirates and the Rice Owls of the world. Either way it should be interesting to see how this plays out over the winter.
Best Player: Michael Beasley I haven't gotten a chance to see him for an extended period of time but the numbers don't lie. I'd say some more but there really isn't much to say about this, until someone else jumps through the roof you have to give it to him.
Biggest Surprise: UCONN Actually check that the biggest surprise here is me and Corey agreeing on something. UCONN is a talented team and like Corey said is let by the Amittyville Warrior AJ Price.Anytime you have a PG as solid as Price running the floor and a coach who has been through the ups and downs of a rough Big East season you should never look past them. Not to mention their two losses of the year came against ranked opponents by 11 and 3 points respectively. I see UCONN winning the Big East and winding up as a Sweet 16 team.
Best Freshman: Michael Beasley I can attest to Coreys loves affair with Rose so I won't get on him for the pick. Any other year he would be a shoe in but you simply can't ignore the numbers of Beasley. It sure is a shame that he will be gone so quickly and it makes me wonder if it is worth it for NCAA coaches to recruit players who are likely to "one and done".
Final Four UNC-too talented Georgetown-too experienced Memphis-too fast too furious Texas-too..?.don't mess with texas
Side comments: It seems the days of ACC dominance in college basketball are done. After years of unquestioned basketball superiority the NCAA has seen a NFL like parity come into play. My rationality behind this is the improvement in not only West Coast talent but also the Pac 10 and Big 12's ability to keep their players within the region (as those are the two conferences that have seen the biggest rise in level of play). I tried to pick a best conference but it was just impossible, the ACC boasts two top 10 teams (1 and 6) but then isn't seen again until 18. This type of parity will only make March all the more exciting and once again put on a display of what college basketball is all about:unpredictability and Dickie V screaming (and sneaking in comments about his love affair with Duke)
4 comments:
A short prediction theard as of December 6 and insight post on College Basketball real quick.
Best Team: Memphis
-Led by outstanding Freshman Derrick Rose and scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts Memphis looks primed for a deep run. They score like UNC and play "D" like UCLA with tons of long athletic players led by hard-nosed, hustle player Joey Dorsey.
Best Player: Michael Beasley
-Wow, what a player. A inside-outside force that cleans up the boards and block shots. Will be the #1 pick in the draft.
Biggest Suprise: Texas
-Lost one of the best players to ever play college basketball my boy and yours, Mr. Keven Durant (Dareing someone to challenge me on that statement). However, they go to UCLA and beat one of the best teams in college basketball this year. Getting great play from DJ Augustin,A.J. Abrams, and Damion James.
Best Freshman: Micael Beasley
-This could change throughout the year with it going between Derrick Rose (my personal favorite), Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, and OJ Mayo.
Final 4 Prediction:
UNC-Led by speedy Ty Lawson, scorer Wayne "Weezy" Ellington, and the man i think will end up being National Player of the Year Tyler "Psycho T" Hansbrough.
Memphis- For all the reasons stated above.
UCLA- A veteran team with a outstanding freshman. Got the D to get there but can they get the points to win it?
Washington State- Don't sleep on them because they are on the West Coast. The engine that runs the team is as good as anyones engine, Derrick Low and a smothering team on defense.
Mid-Major to look out for: Butler
-Sharpshooting AJ Grave will lead a Butler team that executes their offense better than anyone in all the land. With great shooting and fundamentals on both ends of the floor look for Butler to make a deep run into the NCAA's........Mark it down.
Thats all for now, back for more later.....KYCamp, can we get some NBA banter in the house?
Eidtors note: AJ Graves*
NCAA basketball is back in full effect, and I couldn’t be happier that we no longer have to see, hear, hear about, or discuss Jokim Noah. On a much sadder note, I can’t devote everything I have to talk about Kevin Durant anymore. Moving ahead though, we welcome one of the brightest and deepest freshman classes in recent history. They are a “Fab 5” of sorts, including Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, and Kevin Love. With a year that is hopefully less controversial but just as exciting as college football, lets jump right in...
Best Team:Memphis Tigers
Have to agree with Ryan on this one. The Tigers returned all 5 starters and brought in arguably the best freshman in this years class. Their starting frontcourt of Dorsey and Dozier can bang with anyone in the nation, and scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts is among the elite. Add in a 6’4 point guard who combines size, speed, handle, vision, and shot blocking in a way that I’ve never seen before, and you have a solid front runner for the National title. What makes them stand out to me is the depth of the team. With Willie Kemp and Shawn Taggert off the bench , they have unmatched depth with 8 players getting at least 15 minutes each game.
Biggest Sleeper: UCONN
Don’t forget about this team even though they play in the very deep Big East. At 6-2, the only blemishes on their record have come at the hands of #2 ranked Memphis and #19 Gonzaga. AJ Price is no longer stealing laptops, and its clearly paying off. Remembering where he came from (Amityville) he is playing the hard nose style of basketball were used to in NY. Take Price and throw in a healthy dose of Jeff Adrien, who is a strong hard player on both offense and defense (13 ppg, 8 rpg) and that is quite a tandem. On top of all that, you have a 7’3 Hasheem Thabeet clogging up the paint and this team is built for a gritty run deep into the tourney.
Best Player: Michael Beasley
How can you ignore his numbers. Leads the nation in rebounding with almost 15 per game, while still remaining 5th in the nation in scoring with 26 per game. I recently attended the Jimmy V Classic and got to watch Beasley (along with Mayo and Rose) in person it was clear how much of a presence he is. He is big and long, yet is still fast. He also gets good positioning on the glass which allows him to grab a ton of boards. We could be looking at having back to back freshman who win the Naismith Award after never having it done before. Teaming him with Bill Walker (who is underused but very impressive) could prove deadly down the stretch and into the tourney. Watch out for Kansas State.
Best Freshman: Derrick Rose
I know it makes no sense that I have Beasley as the best player but not the best freshman, but I don’t care. My affection for Rose started before he was in the national spotlight, and is rising to unhealthy heights. (He is a serious threat to Durant’s spot in my heart. Should I be worried?) At 6’4, he is nothing that we have seen before. His first step off the dribble is right up there with the likes of UNC’s Ty Lawson. His passing is the best in the nation., and makes passes that some other PG wouldn’t even see. He also has the jumping ability to win dunk contests, and will have no problem finishing on anyone. Picture someone who drives to the lane like Stephon Marbury (when he’s not busy finding God) and finishes like LeBron James. Scary. What is amazing to me is his ability to block shots. Guards are usually not known for their timing on blocks, but when you watch his game he is up there with centers in his ability. While Rose is a fierce competitor, his one fault is being too passive and not looking for his own shot enough. This kid has the heart of the lion, and once he figures out that in clutch situations he needs to enter “the zone,” he will be border-line unstoppable. If its not clear, I’m willing to sacrifice the Knicks 2007-2008 season if it meant Derrick Rose’s new home would be Madison Square Garden. Mere words don’t do his talent justice, so let his play do the talking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtZd2koUMrk
Final Four Prediction:
UNC
Kansas
Memphis
UCLA
As with everyone on this blog (is cotich even on this blog anymore anyways?) I am very excited to see college basketball back in action.
Best Team: North Carolina
-Yes there is certainly a bit of a bias in play here but lets get past that and into my reasoning besides my Carolina Blue blood. Before I go any further I will say that I have a great deal of respect for Memphis and UCLA and I see them as VERY dangerous teams and more than capable of beating Carolina come late March/ early April.
Now lets get into the good stuff. As I write this Carolina is currently 8-0 and has won their games by a margin slightly under 21 points. While I will acknowledge that their opponents have not been all that impressive they have still gone into Kentucky and Ohio State and walked out victourious. This has been done without a healthy Ty Lawson for two games and also are schedule that has seen them out of Chapel Hill for six out of the eight games. While Memphis is the sexy pick for best team and certainly deservingly so, I will stick to my heart and pick the Tar Heels. When you have a low post guy like Physco T and perimeter players like Wayne Ellington, and the 6th man of the year Danny Green (who plays with that NY toughness as Corey alluded to) you have to like your chances. Look for steady improvement over the season from Deon Thompson and a more assertive Wayne Ellington along with a tough ACC schedule to have the Tar Heels ready to rock and roll come March. All the while the Tigers will have to battle complacency as they play the East Carolina Pirates and the Rice Owls of the world. Either way it should be interesting to see how this plays out over the winter.
Best Player: Michael Beasley
I haven't gotten a chance to see him for an extended period of time but the numbers don't lie. I'd say some more but there really isn't much to say about this, until someone else jumps through the roof you have to give it to him.
Biggest Surprise: UCONN
Actually check that the biggest surprise here is me and Corey agreeing on something. UCONN is a talented team and like Corey said is let by the Amittyville Warrior AJ Price.Anytime you have a PG as solid as Price running the floor and a coach who has been through the ups and downs of a rough Big East season you should never look past them. Not to mention their two losses of the year came against ranked opponents by 11 and 3 points respectively. I see UCONN winning the Big East and winding up as a Sweet 16 team.
Best Freshman: Michael Beasley
I can attest to Coreys loves affair with Rose so I won't get on him for the pick. Any other year he would be a shoe in but you simply can't ignore the numbers of Beasley. It sure is a shame that he will be gone so quickly and it makes me wonder if it is worth it for NCAA coaches to recruit players who are likely to "one and done".
Final Four
UNC-too talented
Georgetown-too experienced
Memphis-too fast too furious
Texas-too..?.don't mess with texas
Side comments:
It seems the days of ACC dominance in college basketball are done. After years of unquestioned basketball superiority the NCAA has seen a NFL like parity come into play. My rationality behind this is the improvement in not only West Coast talent but also the Pac 10 and Big 12's ability to keep their players within the region (as those are the two conferences that have seen the biggest rise in level of play). I tried to pick a best conference but it was just impossible, the ACC boasts two top 10 teams (1 and 6) but then isn't seen again until 18. This type of parity will only make March all the more exciting and once again put on a display of what college basketball is all about:unpredictability and Dickie V screaming (and sneaking in comments about his love affair with Duke)
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