Chat Recap: OSU basketball beat writer John Helsley
NCAA Tourney: Pay the man
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the Oklahoman’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center. Today’s games feature Kansas against Northern Iowa and Kansas State against BYU. It’s a snowy day in OKC but for NBA fans, there are plenty of reasons to head downtown.
Here’s a closer look at the NBA prospects (and their NBA projections according to ESPN.com) playing at the Ford Center today:
Kansas
C Cole Aldrich: Considered by many analysts as KU’s top NBA prospect, Aldrich is an athletic big man who could help several NBA teams right now. He’s a shot blocker who has a decent jump shot as well. ESPN.com projects him as a Top 10 pick.
G Xavier Henry: The former Putnam City standout entered college with a NBA body and has performed at a high level since a midseason slump. Scouts like his range, body control and ability to finish around the basket. He’s projected as a late lottery pick but he could really help himself with a strong March as the Jayhawks make a run towards a title.
G Sherron Collins: The senior point guard makes the Jayhawks go. Scouts like his strength, explosiveness and speed. Collins is projected as a late first round pick largely because of his lack of height. Collins is the type of player who will just have to prove people wrong for passing on him because he’s done all he can do on the collegiate level. I imagine he’ll be like a Tony Parker or Ty Lawson in terms of a late first rounder who falls due to lack of height but makes a big impact on the next level.
G Tyshawn Taylor and F Marcus Morris are also NBA prospects but neither project to be first round picks if they declare this year.
Northern Iowa
None
Kansas State
F Wally Judge: Has exceptional potential with his length and athleticism. Nonetheless, Judge projects as a second round selection. He’ll be a beast as sophomore at K-State.
G Jacob Pullen: Pullen is a quick, strong guard but he projects as a second rounder.
F Jamar Samuels: Another Wildcat with a lot of potential thanks to his length and versatility. The sophomore from Washington, D.C. projects as a second rounder.
BYU
G Jimmer Fredette: ESPN’s sleeper prospect in the region, Fredette scored 37 points in the first round. He’s nifty around the basket and can shoot the ball. He’s also excellent off the dribble. Scouts are concerned about his quickness and ability to defend but a good NCAA Tournament would go a long way to helping him move up in scouts eyes. Jimmer is projected to be a second round selection.
NCAA Tourney: Kansas looks to set the pace
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the Oklahoman’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center. Therefore in this blog I will be blogging on the Kansas Jayhawks.
With KU facing Northern Iowa in the second round, the potential gauntlet also known as the road to the Final Four for the Jayhawks begins. UNI was ranked among the Top 25 in the nation for several weeks this season and is one of the nation’s top defensive squads.
UNI has an exceptional ability to control the tempo of a game and force teams to play their slow-it-down deliberate style. The Panthers hold opponents to 54.6 points per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the field.
But Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor wants his team to worry less about UNI and more about themselves.
“We’re going to play our game,” Taylor said. ”I think if we do that, we’ll be fine.”
“They’re one of the best defensive teams in the nation,” KU freshman Xavier Henry said. ”They can shoot the three-point ball real well. We have to come out and defend, run the ball and try to speed up the tempo.”
NCAA Game Day: Sizing Up OSU-Georgia Tech
By John Helsley
MILWAUKEE – Here in the nation’s Dairyland, those analyzing tonight’s Midwest Regional matchup between OSU and Georgia Tech are focused on one aspect: size.
Or the Cowboys’ lack of it.
Is it key? Yes… and no.
The Cowboys have faced long and athletic frontlines before — and slayed the giants.
Cole Aldrich, Marcus Morris and Co. with Kansas. Luis Colon and all his lanky legions at Kansas State. Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh and Anthony Jones and Josh Lomers. And others.
Are those combinations as talented as Tech’s duo of Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal? Potentially, no, with both projected as first-round NBA draft picks.
But the boys from the Big 12 are far more accomplished than the Yellow Jackets’ pair, who hardly dominated as Tech went just 7-9 in a down ACC. Favors and Lawal haven’t consistently put their potential in place.
“We’re not the biggest team in the world,” said Cowboys coach Travis Ford. “But our guys have figured out how to compete. We’ve played against some big teams. Kansas was big and Texas was big and Baylor’s big. You go down the line, there’s some big teams in the Big 12.
“And our guys, at times, they’ve figured it out. And at times we haven’t. But we understand going into these situations that we’ve got to be overachievers, that we’re going to have to make up for some lack of height and some different things at some point. And we understand that.”
Understand this: Georgia Tech faces matchup issues as well, with the pressure on to chase OSU’s shooters on the perimeter. And one of those big men will have to join in the chase.
That’s a mismatch, too, for a Tech team that has at times struggled to defend the 3-point line against a team with James Anderson, Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page that has gunned down better big teams already.
“Obviously, that’s crucial,” said Jackets coach Paul Hewitt. “Because they’re a great 3-point shooting team, one of the better 3-point shooting teams we’ve seen all year. When we’ve struggled, we’ve really allowed people to get going from 3.”
This is a far better matchup than Sunday’s possible showdown with Ohio State, which also starts four guards, but has big athletic guards who will contest shots and pressure the Cowboys to work hard with screens and cuts to create open shots.
Tonight, as it’s been much of the year, it’s not about any OSU weakness inside, but one of the Cowboys’ strengths: the 3-point shot.
If they’re on, they’re through to Round 2.
Prediction: Cowboys 75, Yellow Jackets 67
Chat with John Helsley at 11 a.m.
NCAA Tourney: Talkin’ tidbits
By Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
This week I am helping out with the Oklahoman’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center.
Here are some tidbits from talking with the players this week:
–Kansas State’s Wally Judge said the NCAA Tourney run he remembers most is Syracuse’s run to a title with Carmelo Anthony. “He’s the best player in the NBA in my opinion. He can dominate inside and outside.”
–Ohio State combo guard Evan Turner not only has fans among the national media but he’s impressed his peers also.
“He’s the only guy in college I would pay to see,” K-State’s Curtis Kelly said.
Said Northern Iowa’s Anthony James: “He has the size, ability to play 1 through 4, or in our conference 1 through 5, he’s versatile.”
–Kentucky point guard John Wall also has fans among his peers.
“He’s the complete package,” UNLV’s Steve Jones said. “Who wouldn’t want John Wall on their team?”
–We also got into discussions about the top up and coming player in the NBA. And Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook was one of the names mentioned.
“People don’t really know about Russell and what he’s doing,” said UNLV’s Matt Shaw, who had several encounters with Westbrook in summer basketball and camps.. “In high school, he was barely talked about, I’m definitely surprised… to be doing what he’s doing is amazing.”
Shaw attended Fairfax (Calif.) High School.
–Shaw’s teammate Steve Jones brought up another member of the Thunder when I asked who was the toughest player they had played against.
“James Harden,” Jones said. “He brought it. He’s really crafty, he’s quicker than you think.”
NCAA Tourney: LeBron or Kobe?
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the Oklahoman’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center.
I asked several players who they prefer: LeBron or Kobe?
Wally Judge, Kansas State: “LeBron. I’m down for the younger guys.”
Steve Jones, UNLV: “Kobe. He’s proven it over the course of time, LeBron hasn’t proven it yet.”
Matt Shaw, UNLV: “LeBron. Even though I’m from LA. He does so much as a player. He can get a triple double anytime.”
Anthony James, Northern Iowa: “LeBron. Watching him in high school and he’s an better overall player. He can get a triple double.”
Curtis Kelly, Kansas State: “Kobe. LeBron is a better passer, a better athlete. But Kobe’s basketball I.Q. is better.”
NCAA Tourney: Postseason memories
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the Oklahoman’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center.
I asked several players participating this week about their favorite memory of watching postseason basketball.
Wally Judge, Kansas State: “Syracuse-UConn (six overtime game last season). It was the never ending game. It showed just how much talent each team had on their roster.”
Curtis Kelly, Kansas State: “When George Mason beat UConn. I had just committed to UConn and I was shocked. Growing up I had rooted for the underdog.”
Steven Jones, UNLV: “Remember watching and filling out my brackets, the Christian Laettner shot is the first that comes to mind. In high school I would find a way the sneak and watch some games. I’d turn my homework in early or take long bathroom breaks.”
Matt Shaw, UNLV: “Freshman year. We made it to the sweet sixteen, that’s my favorite memory to come in and play in the NCAA tournament.”
Anthony James, Northern Iowa: ”Michael Jordan. I wasn’t even alive but I saw it when I was 5 or 6. It was a big shot on a big stage and it was Michael Jordan.”
NCAA tourney: Lehigh
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center and will be blogging about Lehigh and Kansas this week.
During Wednesday’s press conference I asked Lehigh freshman and Patriot League Player of the Year C.J. McCollum what portion of the game he felt like would be the most important. The start, i.e. making sure the Jayhawks don’t run away from them or the middle to late portion of the game when KU’s depth really begins to show itself.
“We have to start off well and be ready to play from the jump,” McCollum said. “We’re also going to have to close out the game well. It won’t matter if we start off good and end bad or vice versa. We have to play a well-rounded game from the start and finish strong.”
Am I the only one who thinks that sounds like: “We have to play a near perfect game to beat these guys…” ?
And he may be right, KU is deep and talented. Truthfully, they probably have guys who are on the bench and who are redshirting that would start and possibly earn all-conference honors in the Patriot League. That’s not a swipe at the Patriot League, that’s just how talented Kansas is. I’m not so sure those guys couldn’t go to a lower-tier Big 12 team like Colorado or Nebraska and do the same.
But the great thing about the NCAA tournament is the fact it’s a one-game playoff. Lehigh only has to be better than KU one time… if it was a series, there’s no way. One game, anything is possible.
NCAA tourney: Kansas
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
I am helping out with the NCAA Tournament and will be blogging about Kansas and Lehigh this week. Here’s a closer look at two of the Jayhawks key performers:
Sherron Collins and Brady Morningstar are on the cusp of something special. The Kansas guards will become the winningest players in KU’s storied history if the Jayhawks knock off Lehigh on Thursday.
It will be the 130th win in the past four years. That’s the best four-year stretch in the history of the program.
“It feels really good to be a part of that,” Morningstar said. ”The support we get from the fans and everybody around us helps us.”
Said center Cole Aldrich: “Sherron and Brady being the winningest players of all time is really special. Those guys are winners and having those guys in the game is going to help us a lot.”
During their careers, KU is 129-18 (87.8 winning percentage) including four Big 12 regular season titles, two Big 12 postseason titles, two Elite Eights, one Final Four and one NCAA title. KU’s previous best was from 1995-98 when the Jayhawks went 123-17 (87.9 percent).
Both players were also a part of KU’s 1,900th and 2,000th wins.
