|
Post by huisrealgood on Mar 14, 2008 16:57:40 GMT -5
The picture does more justice to the dunk than the video after watching it.
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on Mar 15, 2008 0:01:09 GMT -5
FINALLY!!!! The Illini finally showed their potential and finished a game vs. a quality team. It's definitely too little too late unless they can pull two more from their hindquarters, but it was nice to get this one. Here are my thoughts on Illinois' 74-67 OT victory over the 16th ranked Boilermakers: 1. Demetri McCamey, Demetri McCamey, Demetri, McCamey, Demetri... well you get the point. He was the man for Illinois tonight stepping up when the Illini needed a go-to guy. 6-6 from behind the arc is incredible and that step-back 3 and the last one to send it to overtime were absolutely clutch. Not only that, but he had some nice drives and some crisp passes that showed his incredible court vision. This kid is going to be a monster for years to come if he keeps his head on straight! 2. Freshman Mike Davis stepped in and played some huge minutes after Randle fouled out (big surprise there ). He gave us exactly what we needed and was another key to victory. His 10 points were as big as they come. That acrobatic put-back in OT was sensational. He has really progressed in the last few weeks. 3. Chris Kramer made Huntington proud tonight. He is such a hard-nosed defender and absolutely reeked havoc on the Illini guards with his quick hands. He got several steals and had several poke away's that gave Illinois fits. His and-1 at the end of regulation was nearly the dagger, but the Illini found a way to fight back. 4. Etwuan Moore is an incredible talent. He is going to be a big factor in the Big Ten for the next few years and, along with Hummel, will lead the Boilermakers to at least one conference crown in the next couple years. He absolutely kills Illinois and has a great shot to go along with a solid all-around game. 5. Purdue needs another big man. Jajuan Johnson and Calasan simply aren't enough. They can't handle a player of Pruitt's size and this may be one reason that keeps this year's Boilermaker squad from making a serious NCAA run. With only a PG and a SG coming in next year it could be a problem next year too if Johnson and Calasan don't improve and bulk up over the summer. 6. Illinois simply has to shoot free throws better. Shooting 40% from the stripe and beating a top 20 team rarely go hand-in-hand and were it not for a 3-point show by McCamey and the Boilermakers going stone-cold from the floor in OT, it would have been their demise once again. 7. Feed Shaun Pruitt the ball!!!! This will be the key tomorrow vs. Minnesota. With Tollackson out Pruitt should own the post. He just has to get touches. 8. Illinois has beaten Minnesota a Big Ten record 19 straight times... here's hoping the streak reaches 20! GO ILLINI! Too bad I won't be able to watch it.
|
|
|
Post by Whac Daddy on Mar 15, 2008 21:31:48 GMT -5
Why is it that when I look at that picture.... I envision Sheckler and McCollum? I didn't see the game, but this is how I imagined it.
|
|
|
Post by Kyle Feller on Mar 16, 2008 0:21:27 GMT -5
Where was your praise for McCamey during the last 4 or 5 games of the year when he was shooting roughly 15% and not getting his amazing averages of 6 ppg? Congrats to Illinois though, you've turned an awful season into a small glimmer of hope.
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on Mar 20, 2008 23:18:54 GMT -5
I am very proud of how the Illini finished their season in the Big Ten Tournament. They worked hard and finished strong even though it looked pretty bleak. Overall it was a disappointing season, but there were some bright spots: McCamey went above and beyond any expectations, Tisdale and Davis looked good at the end of the season and if they put some weight on should be nice pieces next year. The Illini will have to have a big push from Jamar Smith and Alex Legion next year to be in the tournament, but I believe it's possible. Next year could be a defining year for Bruce Weber & Co.
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on Apr 27, 2008 11:09:52 GMT -5
Some good performances from recruits at the King James AAU Tournament this weekend: rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=801904Commits'09 PG DJ RichardsonFor the second straight weekend, D.J. Richardson is playing at a high level.
Richardson has mastered the baseline floater and goes to it often. On three straight possessions, Richardson scored with the floater, hit a mid range shot off the glass and converted a pair of free throws. Late in the second half, he hit a lay-up, nailed a floater and buried a three-pointer. The future Illinois guard has a variety of moves to go to as a scorer. The Warriors have had great success because of his ability to score points in so many ways.'09 2G Brandon PaulTeam NLP is in the Elite Eight because they are a great team anchored by a very good player in Illinois bound Brandon Paul. The 6-foot-3 guard is a slasher supreme and did all of his damage at the rim with some athletic plays.
He got to the basket any time he wanted to. Paul's first step to the basket has been tough to defend and his confidence is growing by the game. He put in 26 points on Indiana Elite in the first round of the tournament.'10 2G Crandell HeadNursing an injury, Crandall Head spent most of the second half on the bench as his Mac Irvin Fire team beat the Atlanta Celtics. The game before against Team STAT, he showed why Illinois locked him up early with a couple of big time athletic plays. He's a freaky athlete that has a couple of wow moments up his sleeve for every game he plays in. Prospects2011 F Mike ShawTwo of the best players in the class of 2011 put on a heck of a show in pool play as Mike Shaw and his Mac Irvin Fire and Austin Rivers of Team STAT met each other at center game late in a back-and-forth game on Saturday morning.
Both players had great individual moments in the contest but it was Shaw's open court steal on Rivers, a usual security guard with the ball, that led to a transition dunk that swung the momentum to the Fire and eventually the win.
Shaw, a 6-foot-7 combo forward, doesn't play like a freshman and has no problems of wearing the mantle of being one of the top players in his class. His versatility and inside-out capabilities will serve him well during his high school career. Shaw has all the makings of an elite level player in 2011 and doesn't appear to be slowing down.
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on Apr 28, 2008 15:12:49 GMT -5
The Illini are now able to focus on the 2011 class. After seeing him excel at the King James AAU Tournament this weekend the Illini offered Whitney Young wing Sam Thompson. He is currently the #3 ranked player in the state of Illinois in 2011 behind Mike Shaw and Wayne Blacksheer. Thompson is the third '11 player to garner an offer from the Illini. The other two are Shaw and PG Donivine Stewart. www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/samthompsonui.html
|
|
|
Post by Kyle Feller on Apr 28, 2008 15:15:27 GMT -5
I think it's fun that all of the future college players from the state of Indiana skipped AAU tournaments to workout at the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Top 100 Workout.
I guess if the best competition is playing in your driveway....why go to the park?
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on Apr 28, 2008 23:45:01 GMT -5
I think it's fun that all of the future college players from the state of Indiana skipped AAU tournaments to workout at the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Top 100 Workout. I guess if the best competition is playing in your driveway....why go to the park? Back to the title of the thread. 2 of the top performers from the King James are Illini commits Paul & Richardson: illinois.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=802461
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on May 5, 2008 10:44:55 GMT -5
Good story on Illini commit Tyler Griffey. It looks as though Indiana players aren't the only one's cutting down on AAU play. www.pjstar.com/stories/050408/ILL_BGH8MAJN.077.phpBy concentrating on the Adidas Nations program - a series of weekend development camps where improving skills and fundamentals comes before competition - the suburban St. Louis forward from Lafayette High School took a different approach in preparing for college.
"It's physically impossible to do all the trips I planned,'' he said. "I put together a calendar. I would have been home two weekends the whole summer. We made the Adidas Nations a priority. It's a good experience. I get a lot of coaching there. The workouts are really beneficial.
"I've done AAU since I was a seventh-grader. I've been to all the major tournaments at least twice. The biggest need for my game right now is in the weight room or the gym working on my skills. I know where I'm going to college. I don't have to impress anybody. (Illinois coach Bruce Weber) knows what I'm doing and how hard I'm working.''
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on May 5, 2008 10:49:13 GMT -5
BTW... the future of the Big Ten looks brighter each day.
Last week Wisconsin got a commit from Evan Anderson a 2010 big man currently ranked #5 in the nation in his class. That commit gives the Big Ten 5 commits in the current Rivals top 10 for 2010. Illinois has two solid top 25 players in Richmond and Head, Wisconsin has two as well, Ohio State has 3.
As for some of the other schools, Northwestern picked up big man Kyle Rowley today who will reclassify and be in the incoming '08 class. Minnesota picked up stud Royce White a couple weeks back and will probably land '08 guard Verdell Jones today. It's important for the lower tier Big Ten teams to excell as well. The competition will definitely be tougher in the Big Ten in the next 3-5 years.
|
|
|
Post by Kyle Feller on May 5, 2008 11:03:13 GMT -5
I didn't realize that Rowley committed to Northwestern! He was coming on big
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on May 5, 2008 12:49:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by huisrealgood on May 6, 2008 23:41:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Kyle Feller on May 7, 2008 8:43:43 GMT -5
Well they have to do something while not winning basketball games..........maybe they studied too hard!
|
|