Hawaii

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Hawaii's Tom Henderson

Jon Teitel — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:12:41 -0700

CHN writer Jon Teitel was able to spend some time with Hawai'i great Tom Henderson, who also played in three NBA Finals and won a title with the Bullets in 1978. Henderson was also a member of the 1972 U.S. National Team that was famously robbed of the gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Jon Teitel: You grew up in the Bronx and played for high school power DeWitt Clinton (alma mater of such NBA legends as Dolph Schayes and Nate Archibald). How big a deal was basketball at your high school?

Tom Henderson: It was a big deal. Ricky Sobers was also good but he did not go to school.

JT: You lost the 1968 PSAL title game to Boys High on a Dale Davis shot in the final seconds and the 1970 PSAL title game to Wingate by one. How frustrating was it to get so close and keep coming up short?

TH: Boys High was the largest school in the city and we were the second-largest. They had a great team but we were up by seven with under four minutes to play. Their baseball team showed up to our game with bats. The refs made a call and someone jumped out of the stands with a knife! We were up by 20 at halftime to Wingate...and then the bottom fell out in the second half. My high school coach was the best coach I ever had. He taught me all the fundamentals and made me appreciate defense.

JT: You started your college career at San Jacinto JC (where you averaged almost 30 points/game and were a two-time All-American) before transferring to Hawai'i. How were you able to be so dominant on the JC level, and why did you decide to go to Hawai'i?

TH: San Jacinto had some great players and I did not want to go to prep school for a year. I gained 25 pounds after three months of three good meals a day! We had great teams but could not get out of the regional in Texas. I looked at Long Beach State but Jerry Tarkanian was too open with the things he did. Hawai'i was great.

JT: In the 1972 Olympics you were the leading scorer for Team USA before the controversial one-point loss to the Soviet Union in the gold medal game. How devastating was that loss, and is that something that haunts you even today?

TH: When you are young you do not understand how politics are involved in basketball. As you get older you realize how these things come into play. I am at peace with it but we did not accept the silver medal because we felt that we were cheated. We had a 50-page protest after they took the ball out three times against us. It was devastating at the time but now I just roll with it. Our average age was 20 but our coach was 70, so we did not even understand a lot of his jokes. We had a hell of a team that mostly ended up being first round picks. We should have ran their asses back to Russia instead of passing the ball back and forth.

JT: In the 1974 NIT you scored a career-high 33 points in a loss to eventual champion Purdue. How were you able to play your best when it mattered the most?

TH: We beat them earlier that season in the Rainbow Classic, but they were a big team. I just took it upon myself to generate some offense but we could not stop them on defense.

JT: In the summer of 1974 you were drafted seventh overall by Atlanta (seven spots ahead of Maurice Lucas). Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

TH: It was a dream come true. You never know how far you can go. I was the first guard picked in the draft.

JT: In 1977 you lead the league with 87 games played (second-most ever by an NBA player) and finished with 598 assista (fourth-most in the NBA, ahead of great guards like Kevin Porter and John Lucas). How exhausted were you by the end of that season, and what is the secret to being a great point guard?

TH: It took me two and a half years to get adjusted to the pace of the NBA after playing only 30 games a year in college, but after that I was very durable and consistent. I was fortunate to not have any serious injuries or operations. The key to playing point guard is to just make the players around you better. I would work with Mitch Kupchak before games and once he got into the game he was ready. I tried to be like a coach on the court, move the ball around to whoever was hot, and keep everyone happy. When you watch an NBA game keep an eye on who wants the ball in the final minute. I wish more coaches would just let their players run.

1978 NBA Finals (with the Washington Bullets)

JT: In Game 3 you stole an inbounds pass from Dennis Johnson with 10 seconds left and scored to cut the Sonics' lead to one before Bob Dandridge missed a shot at the buzzer. How were you able to steal the ball from a Hall of Famer, and did you think Dandridge's shot was going in?

TH: I thought the shot was going in. We knew we were in a dogfight, so we were just hoping it would go seven games.

JT: DJ went 0-for-14 from the field in Game 7 as you won the title with the Bullets. What did it mean to you to win the title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to D.C.?

TH: The Kingdome had a record crowd of about 39,000...but since it holds 80,000 it was not as loud as you would think. We did not have a single bottle of champagne waiting in the locker room because nobody had faith that we would win the game. DJ was talking a lot of noise in the newspaper the day before. We scored in the final five seconds of each quarter and I knew that we were ready. It was great in D.C. because they had never won a title before. I had finally reached the top of my field and gotten over the hump, and to be the starting point guard was very important to me. We went to Sonics guard Freddie Brown's house at 2 AM and made him celebrate because we were friends and had made a pact.

1979 NBA Playoffs (with the Washington Bullets)

JT: In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Dandridge made the game-winning 16-foot jumper with eight seconds left and then Elvin Hayes got his seventh block of the night on a James Silas shot to clinch the series. Where does that rank among the most exciting finishes to a series that you have ever seen?

TH: We were down 3-1 in the series and came all the way back to win the final three games. George Gervin was tough but Silas was a monster. We would just keep hitting Gervin as he ran through picks: by the third quarter he stayed outside and took jump shots. I was a physical player but not a dirty player.

JT: In a rematch of the 1978 Finals the Sonics beat you in five games as DJ redeemed himself by being named Finals MVP. How hard is it to win back-to-back titles, and how frustrating was it to be injured during this series?

TH: I twisted my knee earlier that year so I was just dragging my leg by the time we got to the Finals. The Sonics changed things up when they got Lonnie Shelton, and it was just their turn.

1981 NBA Playoffs (with the Houston Rockets)

JT: Calvin Murphy (the shortest player in the league) scored 42 points in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals to upset the Spurs. How big a deal was it to beat your in-state rival, and was it just one of those scenarios where every shot Murphy put up seemed to go in because he was "in the zone"?

TH: Calvin was in the zone and they could not figure out how to stop him. He was one of the greatest scorers I have ever seen along with Pete Maravich and Rick Mount.

JT: In the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Finals Larry Bird made his famous follow-up shot of his missed jumper by catching the ball in mid-air with his right hand, switching the ball to his left hand and flipping it into the basket. Was that the most unbelievable individual move you have ever seen?

TH: He made a good shot but in the NBA you see people make good shots every year. We should have left Boston up 2-0 instead of tied 1-1. They were worn down from playing Philly in the previous series and I think we might have been able to beat them, but they had a good team with a lot of talent.

JT: This was your third NBA Finals in a four-year span. What is the secret to winning games in the playoffs?

TH: The key is to get a game plan and then stick with it. There might be ten good point guards in the NBA right now. They are a dying breed. Deron Williams is a good point guard but he was a shooting guard in college. You have to control the tempo and dictate the pace of the game.

Henderson is also on Jon's list of the best pro players in WAC history. (editor's note: Hawai'i is now a member of the Big West, and Fresno State and Nevada are now in the Mountain West.)

Fresno State: Ron Anderson (1985)
Hawai'i: Tom Henderson (1975)
Idaho: Gus Johnson (1964)
Louisiana Tech: Karl Malone (1986)
Nevada: Ramon Sessions (2008)
New Mexico State: Sam Lacey (1971)
San Jose State: Darnell Hillman (1972)
Utah State: Nate Williams (1972)

Sunday Recap: Kansas State Controls Title Game Throughout

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:00:06 -0800

The question leading into the title game of the Diamond Head Classic was how would Kansas State deal with Long Beach State guard Casper Ware. But by the end of the game it was obvious that the better question to ask was how the senior would navigate the Wildcats' tough perimeter defense. Thanks in large part to Will Spradling and Martavious Irving the Wildcats harassed Ware in to a 5-for-18 night from the field, and they took control of the game at both ends on their way to a 77-60 win in Honolulu. Rodney McGruder led the way offensively with 28 points and six rebounds, and he was named tournament MVP as a result of his play all weekend.

As a team the 49ers shot just 36.8% from the field and 6-for-19 from beyond the arc, and while they did manage to grab 17 offensive rebounds it wasn't enough to overcome the K-State attack. Ware and Larry Anderson scored 17 points apiece for the 49ers but no other player would score more than eight on the night for them. In addition to McGruder's performance Spradling scored 17 points and Jamar Samuels added 11 to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Kansas State out-rebounded Long Beach State 39-32 and outscored the 49ers 48-38 in the paint, making 54% of their two-point shots.

Long Beach State by comparison made just 39% of their two-point shots, and when adding to that a minus-8 in points from the foul line (20-12; LBSU shot 12-for-21) there's no mystery as to why they were unable to make a comeback. Kansas State led by as many as 18 points in the second half of a game they never trailed, and it's time to start thinking of Frank Martin's club as a serious contender in the Big 12. They've got the bodies up front, with Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, and the perimeter depth is there as well. Baylor, Missouri and Kansas are the names that have received the headlines early, but K-State isn't far behind.

As for Long Beach State, while a win on Sunday would have been another solid boost for a non-conference schedule that is the toughest in America they essentially did what they had to do. In beating Xavier they landed a second win over a Top 15 (at the time) team, and their win over Auburn meant avoiding the possibility of having a "bad loss" take away from their resume. In Big West play they're not going to encounter a team like Kansas State, so while UCSB will once again provided a stiff challenge and Cal Poly's been a surprise the 49ers should be fine. They simply ran into a team that was able to put their stamp on the game early and determine the "rules of engagement" throughout.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Xavier beats Southern Illinois to end their three-game losing streak.
Falling to host Hawaii on Friday was tough enough for the Musketeers, who lost their third straight game for the first time in Chris Mack's tenure as head coach. But the situation would have been nothing compared to what could have been had they left the islands 0-3. Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons combined to score 38 points (Holloway dished out seven assists while Lyons grabbed ten rebounds) as the Musketeers beat Southern Illinois 87-77 in the seventh place game. Dantiel Daniels led four Salukis in double figures with 22 points but SIU shot just 40% from the field. So how did they score 77 points? Xavier couldn't keep them off the glass, as Southern Illinois grabbed 19 offensive rebounds on the afternoon.

But Xavier got to the foul line early and often, making 36 of their 48 attempts to take advantage of a 28-16 foul count. In addition to Lyons forward Andre Walker (13 points, 10 rebounds) recorded the first double-double of his career, and it couldn't have come at a better time for a team in desperate need of a win. Will this result allow Xavier to regain the confidence lost in the aftermath of the Cincinnati game? They get Dezmine Wells back so that will definitely help, and they've got a little time before Atlantic 10 play begins to regain the chemistry. This is not a team anyone will line up to face anytime soon.

2. UTEP makes the plays late to pull away from Auburn for third place.
Many picked Tim Floyd's team, which features nine players in their first season on the floor for the program, to finish in the bottom three of Conference USA. Either C-USA is a much-tougher conference than it's given credit for or people were wrong about the Miners, because in going 2-1 at the Diamond Head Classic that did not look like a team that would finish 10th-12th in the league. John Bohannon played his best game of the tournament in the Miners' 83-76 win over Auburn, finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds, and guard Michael Perez added 18 points and a couple of daggers late to seal the deal.

Five UTEP players reached double figures while Tim Floyd's move to a box-and-1 on Frankie Sullivan took the Auburn star out of the flow of the offense in the second half. Kenny Gabriel stepped up with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists but that wasn't enough to make up for Sullivan scoring seven points on 2-for-5 shooting from the field. UTEP isn't particularly deep as they used just seven players and the inexperience has been documented. But when considering players like Bohannon and Perez, who are getting used to bigger roles, and a transfer in Jacques Streeter who's run a team at this level before (Cal-State Fullerton) maybe they can surprise some folks in Conference USA.

3. Zane Johnson's shooting sparks Hawaii's win over Clemson.
While most visitors to the islands leave with memories they'll never forget, the same may not be said for the Clemson Tigers in terms of their on-court experience. Milton Jennings was suspended for Sunday's fifth-place game against Hawaii due to conduct detrimental to the team for his behavior in a timeout in Friday's win over SIU, but it might not have mattered if he were on the floor Sunday. Zane Johnson made six of his twelve three-point attempts in scoring a game-high 27 points and the Warriors made 16 of 19 free throws in their 75-68 victory.

Vander Joaquim added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Hauns Brereton chipped in with 10 points off the bench. Clemson simple couldn't shoot well enough from inside of the arc, making 18 of 48 shots from two on the afternoon. Gib Arnold's team winning two of three games is a good boost for them as they approach WAC play, where many expect them to slot into the middle of the pack. As for Clemson, they picked up a win but it wasn't pretty. If Jennings and Devin Booker can't provide consistent help for Tanner Smith and Andre Young it could be a long season in the ACC despite the wide-open nature of the league outside of the top two.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State)
28 points and six rebounds in the Wildcats' 77-60 win over Long Beach State.

2. G Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
27 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Warriors' 75-68 win over Clemson.

3. C John Bohannon (UTEP)
20 points (6-9 FG, 8-9 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Miners' 83-76 win over Auburn.

Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team

G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State) - MVP
G Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
G Michael Perez (UTEP)
G Larry Anderson (Long Beach State)
F Jamar Samuels (Kansas State)

Sunday Preview: Long Beach State vs. Kansas State

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:31:49 -0800

Happy Holidays to you all. Before getting into a preview of today's action, here are two stories here and here that you all will enjoy (h/t to Jameson Fleming of CBSSports.com and College Hoops Journal).

The only games being played on Christmas Day are out in Hawaii, with the Diamond Head Classic wrapping up. The title game matches Long Beach State (7-5), who has played one of the toughest schedules in the country to date, and a Kansas State (9-1) team that's been better than some expected. After beating Xavier in the first round the 49ers took care of business against Auburn in a matchup that would have done more harm in a loss than good in a win from a resume standpoint. As for Kansas State, they've beaten both Southern Illinois and UTEP in games they were expected to win, with the latter offering up more of a challenge than many anticipated going into the event.

The question for the Wildcats is how they go about defending Long Beach State point guard Casper Ware (16.7 ppg, 3.8 apg), who runs the show for the 49ers while also being asked to lead the team in scoring. Ware's shooting percentages aren't all that impressive, but that's got more to do with the number of shots Dan Monson has him take in their offense than shot selection. A key factor for the 49ers, both this weekend and in Big West play, will be freshman Michael Caffey. Caffey played very well in their win over Xavier, and his emergence off the bench will both keep Ware fresh and allow the senior to do more work off the ball when paired together with Caffey.

Kansas State has also had a reserve emerge while in Hawaii, as freshman Angel Rodriguez (7.7 ppg, 2.6 apg) has averaged 16.5 points per game in the tournament. Rodriguez made 10 of 16 shots from the field in the two wins, by far his best performance this season. If he can keep this up the freshman will be a nice addition to starters Will Spradling (11.2 ppg, 2.9 apg) and Rodney McGruder (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) not to mention fellow reserve Shane Southwell. Long Beach State overall has more firepower on the perimeter however, with senior Larry Anderson (14.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and junior James Ennis (9.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.8 apg) also being key cogs in their attack.

The battle up front will be interesting to watch, with the Wildcats being the bigger of the two teams. But that doesn't mean that life will be easy for them, as the experienced T.J. Robinson (12.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Eugene Phelps (9.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg) anchoring things for the 49ers. Long Beach State can also bring Edis Dervisevic off the bench, and this is something they may have to do against the K-State attack. Jamar Samuels (12.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg) leads the way for Kansas State while freshman Thomas Gipson (11.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg) has the build of a player far more experienced than he actually is.

There's also junior Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, who has progressed a great deal in his two-plus seasons in Manhattan. He'll be a key figure for the Wildcats going forward into Big 12 play, as they'll encounter some deep frontcourts. Kansas State has been the better rebounding team of the two, and they even average more possessions per game than Long Beach State. The 49ers have to hold their own on the glass in order to win, and given their schedule to date they're more than capable of doing so. Keep an eye on turnover margin as well, with both teams breaking even on assist-to-turnover ratio while forcing at least 16 turnovers per game defensively.

In the other games in Honolulu Xavier looks to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Hawaii against Southern Illinois, and the truth is that Chris Mack's team should win by a good margin. The Salukis have a good player in senior Mamadou Seck, and they have been competitive in their two games on the island, but Chris Lowery's bunch is in for a tough time in the Missouri Valley.

Clemson and host Hawaii play in the fifth-place game, as Tanner Smith stepped up for the Tigers in their win over SIU. Forwards Josten Thomas and Vander Joaquim provide a tough matchup inside however, meaning that it's time for Devin Booker to step up with Milton Jennings suspended. And in the third-place game UTEP, led by Jacques Streeter and the surprising Michael Perez, takes on Auburn in what should be a toss-up.

Top 25 Games
2:00 PM Southern Illinois vs. #14 Xavier (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
4:30 PM Clemson vs. Hawaii (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Auburn vs. UTEP (ESPN2)
9:30 PM Kansas State vs. Long Beach State (ESPN2)

Friday Recap: Wagner Knocks off #15 Pittsburgh

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:52:34 -0800

Plenty of teams have pre-Christmas letdowns, when they allow their minds to wander a bit against teams they're expected to beat. But in a lot of those cases the favored team is able to bounce back and do enough to eventually win the game. But that wasn't the case for #15 Pittsburgh, who turned the ball over 18 times against a team in Wagner that was talented enough to make them pay for those errors. Dan Hurley's Seahawks scored 14 points off of those turnovers and limited Pitt to 2-for-15 shooting in winning 59-54, the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 1978 (Alabama).

Latif Rivers led Wagner with 18 points but the player with just as big of an impact was guard Kenny Ortiz, who scored 12 points and dished out seven assists while also being the main man responsible for defending Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, shot1-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-16 overall in scoring 14 points while turning the ball over four times (one assist). Pittsburgh's turnover count was their highest since losing point guard Tray Woodall to groin and abdominal injuries following a win over Duquesne at the end of November, and when combining that with a clear lack of energy and focus it wasn't hard to see why Pitt lost (in addition to what Wagner did to make it happen).

"They pressured us and we didn't have a turnover in the backcourt, but in the second half we had a lot of turnovers that hard to understand," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon after the game. "We didn't play well and we got what we deserved."

While the offense will be the primary focus of the critiques on the Panthers' play against Wagner, the long-term concern has to be their perimeter defense as Woodall will improve their execution on the other end of the floor. With Ortiz, Rivers and Tyler Murray (12 points), Wagner was able to spread out the Pitt defense and take advantage of the gaps that resulted, leading by as many as 12 in the second half before the Panthers would look to rally for the win. But for every charge that Pittsburgh made the Seahawks, expected to be one of the contenders in the NEC, had an answer. As a result they've given themselves and the Staten Island school an early Christmas present no one expected beforehand.

"This is big for us as individuals and as a team," said Rivers. "When you play a top ranked team and can come into their home court and come out with the win, that's big."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Pierre Jackson makes the big plays late to lead Baylor past West Virginia.
We all know what the big question regarding the Baylor Bears is, and it will likely hover over Scott Drew's squad throughout the season. But the question about whether or not they had the guard play required to be a national title contender received quite the answer from junior Pierre Jackson. Jackson scored a team-high 23 points, including the game-tying three late in regulation, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead Baylor to an 83-81 overtime win over West Virginia in the title game of the Las Vegas Classic. Also big for the Bears was Boston College transfer Brady Heslip, who knocked down five of seven from beyond the arc and scored 19 points.

With Gary Franklin adding eight points in 22 minutes and A.J. Walton finishing with four assists the backcourt played pretty well in the victory. West Virginia had a chance to tie the game at the end of overtime but Jabarie Hinds' shot fell short as time expired. Kevin Jones was outstanding for the Mountaineers as he scored 28 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against one of the best frontcourts in America. Hinds added 18 points and seven assists while Truck Bryant scored 16, and the Mountaineers out-rebounded Baylor 39-36 with 15 offensive rebounds. But with guard play being key late, it was Baylor whose guards stepped up. That's a good sign for the Bears moving forward.

2. Josten Thomas' bucket results in the first three-game skid of the Chris Mack era at Xavier.
Chris Mack's team, which had its starting backcourt of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons on the floor together for the first time since their win over Cincinnati, led by as many as 12 points early in the second half and looked to be a good bet to beat host Hawaii at the Diamond Head Classic. But the offense bogged down in the second half as the Musketeers shot just 40.6% from the field in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Gib Arnold's Warriors took advantage of this to force overtime, and Josten Thomas' basket with eight tenths of a second remaining proved to be the difference in Hawaii's 84-82 win.

The loss makes three straight for Xavier, the first such streak in Mack's tenure at his alma mater. They'll get Dezmine Wells back after the final game of this event but even with the suspensions no one envisioned Xavier dropping their first two games of the event. What's become apparent in the aftermath of the brawl with rival Cincinnati is that the Musketeers lost all momentum gained from such an emphatic victory that moved them to 8-0 at the time. This is a talented team for sure, but they've got some work to do when it comes to regaining their confidence, and there's no better way to start that process than to end their trip to Hawaii with a good showing against Southern Illinois on Sunday.

3. UNLV controls the game from start to finish in whipping California.
Everyone knew how big of a game this was for both California and the Pac-12, with both entities being short on marquee victories. But the best thing that may have come out of their 85-68 loss to #21 UNLV is the fact that this could be their final game of the regular season against a ranked opponent. Cal has played two games against ranked teams and lost by a combined 56 points, and they haven't really been in either game (Missouri in Kansas City being the other). Anthony Marshall was too much for the Golden Bears as he led four Runnin' Rebels in double figures with 22 points and nine rebounds, and UNLV assisted on 22 of their 34 baskets while also out-rebounding a Cal team without the injured Richard Solomon 46-37.

But to be fair even if Solomon were out on the court it likely would not have mattered, as UNLV would take a 46-26 lead into the half. Cal shot just 32% in the first half while UNLV made 54% of their shots and assisted on 14 of their 19 field goals. To their credit Cal fought back to within 13 in the second half, but it was essentially "name your score" time at Thomas & Mack. UNLV had the look of a contender in the Mountain West alongside the likes of New Mexico and San Diego State, handing Cal and the Pac-12 another blemish neither the team nor the conference could afford at this point.

Quick Hitters

1. Angel Rodriguez scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half to help lead Kansas State past UTEP 78-70 in the semis of the Diamond Head Classic. Will Spradling added 11 and Jamar Samuels posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

2. Larry Anderson scored 16 points to lead three players in double figures as Long Beach State beat Auburn 64-43 to advance to Sunday's title game against Kansas State. Dan Monson's team was the better squad throughout and pulled away in the second half with a 16-0 run.

3. Is UCLA starting to figure things out? They capped a five-game stretch leading into Pac-12 play with a 71-63 win over Richmond, moving to 7-5 on the season. Jeremy Anderson accounted for 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists as five Bruins finished in double figures. As guys begin to step up offensively Ben Howland may be able to find more minutes for Anthony Stover, his best frontcourt defender. Stover played just seven minutes on Friday.

4. Pe'Shon Howard made his highly-anticipated season debut for Maryland, playing 32 minutes (seven points, three rebounds) in Maryland's 65-60 win over Radford. With Howard back and big man Alex Len slated to make his debut in Maryland's next game, Mark Turgeon will receive a much-needed boost in the depth department.

5. Bryce Cotton scored 16 second-half points and hit two three-pointers in an 8-0 run that set in motion Providence pulling away to beat in-state rival Rhode Island 80-61. The debut of transfers Andre Malons and Billy Baron provided a spark early for the Rams, but they were unable to sustain the momentum and fell to 1-11. The Friars finish non-conference play 11-2, and snapped an eight-game losing streak for the road team in this series.

6. Russ Smith scored 23 points while also tallying three rebounds, three assists and two steals at Louisville rallied to beat Western Kentucky 70-60 to remain undefeated. One of the best decisions of the off-season in college basketball may have been Rick Pitino's decision to no longer attempt to shoehorn Smith into the point guard position. He's far more effective at the two despite his height, and has had a major impact in the last two wins.

7. John Groce's Ohio Bobcats moved to 11-1 on the season with an 82-66 win over North Carolina A&T. Nick Kellogg and Walter Offutt scored 14 points apiece while Ivo Baltic added 12 for the Bobcats, who have won eight straight games.

8. Keep an eye on Penn in the Ivy League, as they've got one of the best point guards around in senior Zack Rosen. Rosen scored 13 points and dished out 12 assists while Tyler Bernardini knocked down eight three-pointers and scored 30 points for the Quakers, who had all five starters score in double figures as they beat Marist 84-71. Harvard is the clear favorite but look for Jerome Allen's team to put up a good fight.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
28 points, 17 rebounds and two assists in the Mountaineers' 83-81 overtime loss to #7 Baylor in Las Vegas.

2. G/F Alex Young (IUPUI)
27 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the Jaguars' 97-88 win over Valparaiso.

3. G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
26 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals in the Pirates' 80-61 win at Longwood.

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:59:30 -0700

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC: Kris Brewer (Kent State)
The Memphis native spent last season at Brehm Prep in Illinois, and his presence will add to the options that Rob Senderoff can call upon. The Golden Flashes are expected to contend in the MAC this season due to their returnees, but the ability of a player like Brewer will help as well.

MEAC: Dwight Meikle (Hampton)
Meikle was originally expected to attend St. John's but the school released him from his Letter of Intent in April, clearing the way for Hampton to land a player who could be among the best in the MEAC. Meikle's a versatile wing who can both score and attack the glass, something the Pirates will need if they're to win the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Christian Kirk (Missouri State)
Kirk had to sit out his senior season due to Missouri transfer rules, but there's no doubt that Missouri State gets a player who is a serious candidate for Newcomer of the Year honors. As a junior at St. Charles (MO) High, Kirk averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Mountain West: Hugh Greenwood (New Mexico)
Big things are expected from the Australian, who many expect to slide right into the starting role left open by the departed Dairese Gary. Greenwood averaged 17.1 points per game for the Australian U-19 team at the U-19 World Championships this summer in Latvia, and at 6'3", 209 he's got the size needed to play the point with a physicality not seen in many freshmen.

Northeast: Andrew Nicholas (Monmouth)
Nicholas has the ability to step in and play right away in the first season of the King Rice era at Monmouth. Nicholas can play both forward positions and is a versatile offensive player, something the Hawks need given their offensive issues last season (averaged just 60.5 points per game).

Ohio Valley: Nino Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
Getting the Memphis native to commit during the early signing period last season was quite the coup for the Redhawks, who get a 6'8" forward more than capable of contributing immediately. Johnson's physical tools have made him the trendy pick to be the best freshman in the OVC, and it would come as no surprise if he were to make good on the preseason praise.

Pac-12: Josiah Turner (Arizona)
The case could be made that the Sacramento native is the best point guard in the Pac-12 before playing a game in college. He's that skilled, possessing the ability to make plays for himself as well as setting up teammates for quality shots. If Turner performs at the level many expect him to, don't be surprised if the Wildcats win the league.

Patriot: Justin Burrell (Holy Cross)
The Crusaders lost their leading assist man in Andrew Beinert, which could open the door for the 5'8" Burrell. The Virginia native averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a high school senior and spent last year at Fishburne Military School in Virginia.

SEC: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Davis' upside (not going to go into the overused story of his growth spurt during high school) makes him a candidate to be one of the best players in America and not just one of the nation's best freshmen. The power forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the floor, and his play as a senior earned him a McDonald's All-America Game selection.

Southern: Adjehi Baru (College of Charleston)
With returning starter Willis Hall being lost for the season due to a torn ACL it was critical that the Cougars received some good news from the NCAA on Baru. Thursday brought that news, bolstering the frontcourt of a team expected to once again contend for the SoCon title. Baru averaged 19.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia last year.

Southland: Luke Mergerson (Texas State)
With just two starters returning the Bobcats will likely need to call on some of their nine newcomers to contribute this year. One of those players is Mergerson, who played at Duncanville (TX) High School. At 6'8", 240, Mergerson has the size needed to be an impact freshman in the Southland Conference.

SWAC: LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State)
Luther Riley takes over as head coach at Alcorn State with the hope being that he can turn around a program that won just six game over the last two seasons. Luckett will be a key component for the Braves, as he is a slasher who averaged just under 20 points per game as a high school senior. Luckett received offers from BCS programs but chose Alcorn, and the Braves could benefit greatly from his decision.

Summit: Matt Poches (Oakland)
Given the loss of big man Keith Benson, some may not think that Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies can win the Summit League again. But they will be right back in the mix thanks in large part to the number of contributors returning on the perimeter. There lies the problem for a talented player like Poches: when and how often can he get on the floor? But the freshman is athletic enough to help Oakland out if he can earn playing time.

Sun Belt: Mychal Ammons (South Alabama)
Ammons led his Vicksburg (MS) High team to a 6A state title last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. And as Ronnie Arrow looks to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 without four starters from that team, players such as the versatile Ammons will need to step up.

WCC: Gary Bell, Jr. (Gonzaga)
Mark Few put together a very good recruiting class and the Kent, Washington native is the centerpiece of it. Bell was the state's Mr. Basketball last year, and he also played on the same Seattle Rotary Select team as Washington freshman Tony Wroten Jr. Bell's versatility on the wing will help account for the loss of Steven Gray and allow the Zags to once again contend for a WCC title.

WAC: Shaquille Stokes (Hawaii)
It's probably a safe assumption that Stokes doesn't have issues with homesickness given the fact that the New York City native picked the furthest possible location to attend college. Stokes averaged 18.4 points and four assists per game as a senior at Lincoln (NY) High, helping lead the Railsplitters to a 29-3 record last season.

Akron Takes First Step Towards Repeat

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:22:13 -0700

Note: To make sure there is no confusion here is the link to the piece written by Matt Norlander of CBSSports.com on Thursday.

While many teams across the country look to begin the process of building towards an NCAA Tournament berth with trips outside of the country in the summer, not everyone has the same set of circumstances to deal with once the season begins. Such is life for schools in smaller conferences, who may have their NCAA Tournament hopes boil down to one weekend in March. One school on the road who could fall into that category is Akron, and Keith Dambrot's team was a prime example of the importance of the conference tournament.

Just 9-7 in MAC play heading into the tournament, the Zips won four games (two in overtime) to earn the league's automatic bid. Notre Dame ended Akron's season in the second round, but the final month of the season displayed the promise of what Akron could be in 2011-12. Conference tournament MVP Zeke Marshall was one of the players who stepped up in March, and Akron's trip to Canada was the next step in the maturation process for the Zips.

Coach Dambrot's team won all five of their games north of the border, ending the trip with an 80-76 win over Carleton University and outscored their opponents by an average margin of 24.2 points per game. But as it's been noted many times before, trips out of the country are just as much about player and team development as they are win/loss records.

Marshall (8.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg in '10-'11) is a key figure in that growth, and in talking with Coach Dambrot on Friday the junior 7-footer still has work to do. "He didn't play his best basketball, but the biggest thing for him will be to be more consistent offensively and as a whole," said Dambrot. While the Zips won't lack for depth in the frontcourt, it's safe to say that this is a big season for Marshall.

In addition to Marshall in the frontcourt is senior Nikola Cvetinovic, who missed out on the trip to play in the World University Games for his native Serbia. Cvetinovic was a Second Team All-MAC selection last season, and while he may not end up being a MAC Player of the Year possibility he's going to be a key factor for Akron.

"He's going to win a lot of games for us this season," remarked Dambrot on Cvetinovic. "He's a very versatile player who can pass, shoot and defend." Coach Dambrot also mentioned the senior's toughness as a plus.

The other returning starter is senior guard Brett McClanahan, who established career-bests in both points (10.0) and rebounds (3.6) per game last season. One of the better three-point shooters in the MAC, McClanahan will need to continue building towards being a more versatile player in his final campaign. The same goes for Quincy Diggs, who should benefit from having a year at Akron under his belt after transferring in from New Orleans.

"Everyone who's been here a long time has gotten better," said Dambrot about the player development at Akron. "Brett has become a better defender and can play either the two or three, while Quincy can be tough for opposing teams to keep from getting to the rim."

But if there's one returning player to watch for Akron this season, and who needed to assert himself in Canada, that would be sophomore point guard Alex Abreu. While Abreu did start 15 games last season, a lot more will be on his plate with Steve McNees and Darryl Roberts having graduated.

"It was a really important trip for Alex," said Dambrot. "He played a lot of minutes last year but had to lean on McNees at times. Leadership is where he needs to flex his muscles [this year]."

According to Coach Dambrot, Abreu performed well on the trip, finishing up with 15 points and eight assists in the win over Carleton. That's good news for the Zips heading into preseason workouts because in terms of primary ball-handlers Abreu may be the sole option right now.

Newcomers such as Nick Harney, Demetrius Treadwell, Brian Walsh (Xavier transfer) and Chauncey Gilliam (UMBC transfer) also performed well and should get better with more time in the Akron system.

"They lack a little system knowledge but they're all very gifted," noted Dambrot. All four will have ample opportunities to contribute this season, and they'll need to step forward if the Zips are to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.

For Akron, and the rest of the MAC for that matter, there's also the shift in conference tournament seeding. Instead of being seeded by divisions the conference will go to a 1 through 12 format similar to what the SEC decided to do. And in speaking with Coach Dambrot he seems to be in favor of the move.

"We [the MAC] have to do something to change us being a one-bid league," said Dambrot. He also noted that the league needs to make sure that 16 is the optimal number of conference games and not 18 in order to ensure accurate seeding.

What will the move do for Akron's hopes of repeating as conference tournament champion? That remains to be seen, but given the wild nature of the MAC Tournament (annually one of the most entertaining conference tournaments around) the seeding switch places even more emphasis on the regular season. And if their play in Canada were any kind of sign, Akron should be more than ready for all challengers.

Some Other Teams from BCS Non-AQ leagues on the road

- BYU: On-court life without Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery began in Greece for the Cougars, where they're currently 2-0 on their trip. The frontcourt, led by Charles Abouo, Noah Hartsock and wing Brock Zylstra, looks to be the strength of this team. UCLA transfer Matt Carlino, who did not make the trip, is eligible come December.

- Creighton: The Blue Jays are expected to be right there with defending MVC regular season champ Wichita State atop the preseason polls, and they're tuning up with games in the Bahamas. Sophomore forward Doug McDermott also played for Team USA, and the busy summer for him could pay off in the form of an MVC Player of the Year award.

- Fairfield: The Stags are currently in Italy playing, and they won their first game in impressive fashion. First-year head coach Sydney Johnson (from Princeton) has a team led by guard Derek Needham that will be one of the two favorites (along with Iona) to win the MAAC. They also welcome transfers Rakim Sanders (Boston College) and Desmond Wade (Houston).

- Hawaii: Year two of the Gib Arnold era at UH began with a 15-day trip to China and Japan, where they've played five games (with a 6th today). Guard Zane Johnson and big man Vander Joaquim are two of the key players heading into 2011-12, and the Warriors are talented enough to make a move up the WAC standings (they finished 5th last year).

- Murray State: New head coach Steve Prohm got some early work in with his team, and the Racers went 3-0 on their trip to Canada. Ivan Aska and Isaiah Canaan are two of the experienced players who will need to lead the way, and they're still going to be a factor in the OVC.

- Saint Louis: The Billikens have five games in Canada beginning on the 22nd, and the key for them will be that guard Kwamain Mitchell displays improved leadership qualities. If he can, SLU could make a move up the Atlantic 10 standings.

- Stony Brook: Steve Pikiell's Seawolves, who are in Paris after having gone through Dublin and London, were one win away from getting to the NCAA Tournament. And that was without Tommy Brenton, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. He and point guard Bryan Dougher make up one of the better tandems in America East.

- Wichita State: Just like Creighton the Shockers made a trip, heading down to Brazil where they went 3-2 in five games. While they do have to replace J.T. Durley in the frontcourt the Shockers are still a deep team led by senior Toure' Murry.

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats" Series: Hawaii's Riley Wallace

Jon Teitel — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 13:20:37 -0700

In the most recent installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Hawaii head coach Riley Wallace. In twenty seasons on the "big island" Coach Wallace led UH to two WAC titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Jon Teitel: You averaged 10+ points per game during your career at Centenary, and later became assistant coach at your alma mater after recruiting Robert Parish. How good a player were you back in the day, and how did you convince Parish to come there?

Riley Wallace: I was a three-year starter because I could not play as a freshman. I was pretty much a role player. I was a good rebounder and was assigned to guard the best player on the opposing team. It was a good school with small classes. Parish lived a couple of miles from the school. We were playing Long Beach State when Jerry Tarkanian was their coach. Tark went to go watch Parish play at Woodlawn HS when he was almost 7' tall, and he said that we should be fired if we did not keep him in the state of Louisiana!! We had unlimited recruiting visits in those days, so we were out there all the time to watch his games. The key was his mother, who has since passed away. She helped him get through the problems in the South with integration, and wanted him to stay close to home so she could keep an eye on him.

JT: In 1987 you became head coach at Hawaii, where you went 4-25 during your first season, but the following year you had a winning record and made the NIT. Were you worried that you were going to get fired after that first year, and how were you able to turn it around?

RW: They offered me the job, so I came back after being there for six years as an assistant. Reggie Cross played a lot in Europe and Chris Gaines became the all-time leading scorer in school history. I was thinking about Chris the other day, as he recently died at age 42.

JT: In 1994 you had a seven-point win over BYU for the first WAC title in school history, which you called "the greatest moment in my 30 years of coaching". How were you able to win the title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

RW: The WAC Tournament was at the Delta Center, and BYU was our big rival. It was great to see the kids get excited, including the two local guards we had on the floor. Current Pitt coach Jamie Dixon was one of our assistants back then.

JT: You lost to Syracuse in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, then again in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Did you get sick of playing them after awhile, and what makes Jim Boeheim such a great coach?

RW: It is unique in that you can play all year long without facing a zone defense for 40 minutes. They had big guys who we just could not handle. Boeheim is a great coach, and one of the best at coaching the zone. Not many have figured it out, but Jamie has had good success against him at Pitt.

JT: In 1997 you upset #2 Kansas in the Rainbow Classic behind tournament MVP Anthony Carter. How were you able to pull off the upset, and where does Carter rank among the best players you ever coached?

RW: That Kansas game was great; our guys just came to play. Carter has to be in the Top 5. He had the respect of all his teammates because he shared the ball with everyone, and was one of the guys who helped turn the program around. He helped us eventually get an on-campus arena. We were unable to host an NIT game once because another group already had it reserved. We averaged around 10,000 people per game in the old gym.

JT: What are your memories of the 2002 NCAA Tournament (Predrag Savovic scored 26 points in a loss to Xavier)?

RW: We had a nine-point lead at halftime, but did not play well in the second half. If we had got by them, I think we could have beaten Oklahoma in the second round. It was probably one of the toughest losses I ever had.

JT: You were named conference COY three separate times. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

RW: It means that I had good players! I gave all of my staff members a trophy as staff of the year.

JT: You retired from coaching in 2007. Why did you decide to step down, and what have you been doing since then?

RW: I was just tired. The travel to and from Hawaii during the conference season is rough, and after 20 years of trying to recruit it just wears on you. I still have the energy to coach, so if I was at another school where we could take a bus ride or short plane ride to our road games then I might still be coaching. However, it was a great place to live and the fans were great.

JT: Your great-nephew Kendall plays guard for UNLV. How good a player is he, and is the rest of your family very athletic?

RW: Kendall is a good three-point shooter, and Coach Lon Kruger has made him even better. He blew out his knee last year, but should be back this year. The whole family comes in to watch him play, so it is very special.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

RW: I would like to think that I treated people right in the program and did things the right way. I definitely loved what I was doing and loved where I was.

Coach Wallace is also on Jon's list of best coaches in WAC history.

Boise State: Bobby Dye (1983-1995) 213-133, 3 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Fresno State: Boyd "Tiny" Grant (1977-1986) 194-74, 3 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1 NIT title, 3-time conference COY
Hawaii: Riley Wallace (1987-2007) 334-265, 3 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Idaho: Don Monson (1978-1983) 100-41, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 1-time national COY, 2-time conference COY
Louisiana Tech: Andy Russo (1979-1985) 122-55, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title
Nevada: Mark Fox (2004-2009) 123-43, 3 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
New Mexico State: Lou Henson (1966-1975, 1997-2005) 289-152, 7 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
San Jose State: Walter McPherson (1940-1942, 1945-1960) 264-208, 1 NCAA tourney, 3 conference titles
Utah State: Stew Morrill (1998-present) 324-103, 8 NCAA tourney, 7 conference titles, 5-time conference COY, 1-time national COY

Poll: Who Will Win the WAC Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:58:28 -0800

WAC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:52:52 -0800

Nevada has perhaps the league's best player in Luke Babbitt, but a lack of depth should help keep the likes of Utah State and NMSU in the midst of the league race. .

Conference Rank: 11th

10 year average: 11th

Conference Page

All-WAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Jahmar Young	Nevada	So
G	Mac Hopson	Idaho	Sr
G	Roderick Flemings	Hawaii	Sr
G/F	Jared Quayle	Utah State	Sr
F	Luke Babbitt	Nevada	Fr

Player of the Year - Luke Babbitt Freshman of the Year - Greg Smith (Fresno)
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Luke Babbitt High-Major All-Americans Luke Babbitt (1st Team) Mac Hopson (3rd) Roderick Flemings Armon Johnson Jared Quayle Jahmar Young All-Freshman Greg Smith		Points: Jahmar Young 17.9 Rebounds: Wendell McKines 10.0 Assists: Mac Hopson 5.9 Team Points: New Mexico State 76.3

WAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

46	Nevada	WAC	1	NCAA
51	Utah State	WAC	2	NIT
75	New Mexico St	WAC	3	NIT
105	Boise State	WAC	4	CBI/CIT
146	Idaho	WAC	5
169	Fresno State	WAC	6
185	Louisiana Tech	WAC	7
197	San Jose State	WAC	8
255	Hawaii	WAC	9

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WAC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the WAC?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:06:41 -0700