Judgment Day AM Notes

G/F Bryce Taylor rattled off seven straight points during the first scrimmage of the day. He may have solidified a spot for himself in demonstrating the one thing lacking from his game: consistency. He swooshed a couple three’s, and when defenders closed out on him, he drove baseline and dunked convincingly with two hands.

The torrid pace of the scrimmages really helps to showcase the athleticism of these players. Taylor, F James Gist and PF Joey Dorsey get off the ground with such quickness that help defense can’t get over in time to contest their dunks.

(Dorsey, #28, climbing the ladder once...)

Dorsey is positively the most electric player out there. While many other players soar into the air for the strong but plain two-handed dunk, Dorsey takes pride in abusing the rim. His dunk of the day was a double-pump that he threw down behind his head. The guy leaves nothing to be desired.

(JD swatting our boy, #10 Eric Maynor)

But frankly, Dorsey's showmanship might work against him at times, causing coaches and scouts to overlook his fundamentally solid post moves. He nabbed one from the Big Fundamental (Tim Duncan) today when he faced the basket off the low block, stepped through and spun PF Jon Brockman to clear space for an easy reverse lay-in.

PG Sherron Collins is officially the fastest person on the floor. For everyone who played Sega Genesis, Collins actually looks like Sonic the Hedgehog when he takes off in transition. His legs are a total blur underneath his stocky frame, and once he gets going, he shoots up the floor.

Our support of PG Eric Maynor’s campaign to make the team has probably reached the point where it’s foolish to even try to look impartial. He wowed the crowd a couple of times last night with accurate bullet-passes to cutters in the lane. However, it’s implausible to say that he could beat out PG Drew Neitzel, PG Mario Chalmers or PG Scottie Reynolds for a job at the point. Neitzel might be the sneakiest passer of them all. He lies through his body language, squaring up to a teammate on the wing only to throw a bounce pass to someone cutting on the baseline.

While SG Chris Lofton continues to be a disappointment, SF Tasmin Mitchell and SG Josh Carter made late pushes for their cause. They passed well with C Roy Hibbert around the basket and both played smartly when guarded by either slower, bigger opponents or by the smaller and quicker guys. Mitchell went after PF Maarty Leunen on consecutive trips down the floor, knocking down a J and then shimmying with his back to the basket before throwing in a baby hook.

(Mitchell, #12, hits a fadeaway from the corner over Oregon's Maarty Leunen #37)

Josh Carter’s really smooth stroke begs comparison to the former LA Laker, Jamal Wilkes. In addition to having wonky release points, both guys can unpredictably score a deluge of points. A four-time NBA Champion, Wilkes was known as someone who could catch fire and drop 30 on a given night. Likewise, Carter sunk eight 3’s against Nebraska earlier this year as part of a 26-point game. Cornhusker coach Doc Sadler said after, “How the heck do you let Josh Carter get eight 3’s? That’s ridiculous!”

This is likely the last time all the attendees will be on the floor together. We’re not sure whether the roster is going to 16 or 12, but if you’re looking for predictions, here are 14 guys who we think will survive to tomorrow:

Roy Hibbert, Drew Neitzel, Mario Chalmers, Scottie Reynolds, Wayne Ellington, Derrick Low, Josh Carter, Tasmin Mitchell, Bryce Taylor, Shan Foster, Brandon Costner, Joey Dorsey, D.J. White, Eric Devendorf

Special thanks to Haverford’s own Dorothy Labe for these great action shots.

The Learning Curve: Day Two AM

With a teacher like Jay Wright, the Haverford ethos of learning is prevalent throughout the Gooding Arena. And frankly, it seems as important as any cross-over or spin move. During one component of the streamlined practice, which runs like a Cadillac, Wright stopped play to preach the virtues of the 4-out, 1-in zone offense. He jumped all over big man C Roy Hibbert for not flashing to the block aggressively enough. After a couple of possessions back-and-forth in this five-on-five drill, Hibbert was knocked to the floor under his team’s basket. Wright was right there, goading the 7-footer on to get back up and run the floor. And when Hibb came streaking down the middle, Wright was about ten feet behind him, matching stride for stride. You couldn’t help but smile.

For many of the players, adjusting to Wright’s zone offense is definitely something that takes time and focus. “I’m just used to a different system and I’m trying to adjust to his system right now,” said Hibbert. “So I just want to make a quick adjustment – as quick as possible without him getting on me again. I’m happy that he’s getting on me, it’s good that he doesn’t ignore me,” he added. While the offense remains fairly simple, it still isn’t the norm in the NCAA. Most teams lack the overall size and quickness to run a zone defense, instead choosing to play man-to-man defense to increase pressure on the ball and also to get out on the fast break.

(Hibbert, #35 instead of his usual #55, getting ready to shoot a free throw on the Gooding Arena's main court)

With zone D as the prevailing philosophy in the international game, the Trials’ ball handlers haven’t had to demonstrate their ability to handle floor-slapping pressure. (They still manage to show highlight-material behind-the-back dribbles when moving through traffic in transition.) Instead, there is a premium on snappy ball-movement and dialing long-distance. Thus, Coach Wright implored his shooters to seize opportunities by catching and shooting. G Derrick Low did just that, and looked as good as any shooter during today’s first session. During one particular run with Hibbert, SG Chris Lofton, SG/SF Josh Carter and PF Jon Brockman, Low was the beneficiary of good inside-out ball movement for two quick-release jumpers. It seemed that these three guards were the first grouping to grasp Wright’s direction in beating the zone. “He wants to see, if you’re a shooter, to catch and shoot,” said Low about Coach Wright. “It’s kinda hard to do stuff at these Trials, because on one team you have three or four good perimeter shooters. So sometimes you just have to look to get them open and of course take your shot whenever you have one. Obviously don’t pass it up. Smaller adjustments you’ve got to make because you’re playing with a lot of talent here,” added the Hawaiian guard.

(Low, wearing #9 for the blue team, taking the ball to the tin)

As much as Wright infuses his squad with energy, shows them the motions of the offense and even sermonizes on the virtues of moving the ball, there are still aspects of this game for which he cannot prepare his team. Unless he employs David Blaine’s “finger magnets”, Wright won’t be able to teach his team how to dismantle a zone defense – simply because he can’t teach them how to shoot. The field goal woes improved over the course of this morning's practice, but Team USA needs more consistent strokes from its guards. SG/SF Shan Foster had an opportunity to make a very strong case for a spot on the roster after leading all scorers on day one, largely with jump shots. However, his high-arching rain-maker looked run of the mill this morning.

Coach Wright's zone-defeating precepts hinge on knocking down open looks. As long as the players become more comfortable with a spot-up mentality, the system will look a whole lot smoother and shots will start to fall.

Great Expectations

If the now thirty-two hoopsters who will be at tonight’s Pan-Am Trials (5 PM – 7 PM) were all in action on a given night during the ’06-’07 season, you could expect them to combine for over 438 points, 168 rebounds, over 77 assists and a collective shooting percentage of just over 48%. (Two additional point guards, PG Sean Singletary of UVA and PG Dominic James of Marquette are joining the party.) Tennessee Vol’ SG Chris Lofton is the only attendee to contribute more than 20 points per game over the course of the season. Washington PF Jon Brockman is the top rebounder, cleaning the glass at 9.6 boards per game. KU PG Mario Chalmers and Marquette SG Jerel McNeal share the honor as the top thieves, nabbing the rock from the opposition 2.6 times a game. As impressive as these numbers are, none of these four make the cut as being the most statistically significant player at their position among the Pan-Am’sters. Here are five can't-miss prospects based on their performance last year.

Starting from the point, it’s hard to bypass Michigan State’s PG Drew Neitzel’s numbers, and maybe even tougher to overlook his intangibles. Despite losing three key contributors from the ’05-’06 campaign to ’06-’07, Neitzel’s numbers barely wavered. The graduation or departure of C Paul Davis’s 17.5 points per game on 57% shooting, SG Maurice Ager’s 19.3 ppg at 46% and G/F Shannon Brown’s 17.2 ppg at 46% from the field left Neitzel with few options when looking to dish. While his assists dropped from 5.7 per game to 4.3, he shouldered the offensive burden as a scorer. From his 8.5 points per game in ’05-’06 on 41% shooting, Neitzel managed to tack 10 more points onto that average (18.1) while also improving his accuracy to 43%. The southpaw even led his team further into the ‘tourney during his junior season than they had gone the year before with a substantially more talented team. The Spartans fell victim to George Mason’s Cinderella story in the first round of the ’06 tournament. In ’07, they beat Marquette before C Tyler Hansbrough (33 points, 9 rebs) and UNC ran roughshod through them 81-67. Neitzel still put together a gritty performance, dropping 26 points and dishing out 5 assists despite being defended by the ultra-tough PG Ty Lawson.

The shooting guard is by far the most stacked position at the Trials. Ten guys are competing to play the two in Rio. Aggie SG Josh Carter might not be one of the biggest names, but he is a lethal, opportunistic shooter. At 6’7’’ 195 lbs., Carter never struggles to get his jumper off. Playing alongside PG Acie Law IV, Carter’s role as a spot-up shooter led him to 11.8 points per game on a ridiculous 49.2% from the field, and a flat 50% from three. As an oversized guard, he creates mismatches defensively, and takes advantage of his height, grabbing four boards a game. On a squad where shots will be tough to come by, Carter’s accuracy is invaluable.

While it is tempting to select a small forward who stands out defensively, such as SF James Gist, (.9 steals per game, 2.1 blocks per game) NC State’s SF Brandon Costner is too versatile to pass up. At 16.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds, this 6’8’’ 230 lbs. lefty is quick enough to rove the baseline and strong enough to bang bodies in the paint. He’s no defensive slouch, averaging almost a steal and a block per game. Most importantly, BC loves the limelight. He scored 20 on 3-of-6 shooting from downtown against Maryland, lit the Dukies up at Cameron Indoor for 30 and 7 boards, and went toe-to-toe with Tar Heel PF Brandan Wright, going off for 28 and 3 rebounds.

’Bama’s PF Richard Hendrix could earn the label as “statistically significant” simply from his stature. He rings in at 6’8’’ 265 lbs., second in size only to C Roy Hibbert’s 7’2’’ 278 lbs. Hendrix uses his size on the offensive end, but seems to have incredibly quick feet when playing D. In only 27.6 minutes of action per game, Hendrix was a virtual 15-10 guy at 14.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg. Against the Gators C Joakim Noah and PF Al Horford, he shot 7-for-13 for 16 points along with eight boards – four of which were offensive. On the season, Hendrix made the most of his opportunities, converting baskets at a 60.2% rate.

Finally, C Roy Hibbert, the biggest man in the group, is also the choice-cut of the centers. Even though Memphis’s PF/C Joey Dorsey is arguably the most talented defender at the Trials, (1.4 steals per game, 2.2 blocks per game) Hibbert’s 67.1% field goal percentage is unmatched. He has great hands, which are more like paws when opponents attempt shots in the paint. Hibbert’s 2.4 blocks per game is also the top mark at the Trials. He is not as ferocious a rebounder as some of the other big men, largely because he lacks the foot speed to get into great position. However, his size and strength make him a virtually automatic basket when opponents allow him to set up shop deep on the block.

Regardless of position, two other names need mentioning. SG Bryce Taylor, Oregon’s shooting guard, continues to satisfy my desire for efficiency. He leads all guards with an average of 51.7% shooting from the field. Additionally, the VCU PG Eric Maynor is the Trials' top assist-man, coming off of a 6.4 assists per game season. Maynor, you may remember, is the singular reason that the Rams made the NCAA Tournament. In the CAA Championship game against George Mason, Maynor could have made John Elways jealous with his two-minute drill. Down five with exactly two minutes to play (57-52), Maynor stole a pass, hit a lay-up and converted the free throw for a three point-play (57-55). He then picked the pocket of the GMU point guard and scored again (57-57). Maynor then grabbed a rebound off of a missed three-pointer. With under a minute to play, he drove the lane and hit a crazy leaner to put VCU up two (59-57). To seal the victory, the little-man grabbed another board, was intentionally fouled, and then knocked down both free throws. Check it out. But that wasn’t it. In the next game, the 6-11 matchup between VCU and the vaunted Blue Devils, Maynor did it again, hitting a “dagger” with under two-seconds left for the 79-77 win.

T-minus five hours for the Pan-Am Trials to begin. We can forget the stats from here on out save for one important number. Less than 40% of this incredibly talented group will continue to play past Saturday’s final cut.

For another look at who will be in attendance, here’s the list of all 32 names:

Jon Brockman (Washington / Snohomish, Wash.); Brian Butch (Wisconsin / Appleton, Wis.); Josh Carter (Texas A&M / Dallas, Texas); Mario Chalmers (Kansas / Anchorage, Alaska); Sherron Collins (Kansas / Chicago, Ill.); Brandan Costner (North Carolina State / West Orange, N.J.); Eric Devendorf (Syracuse / Bay City, Mich.); Joey Dorsey (Memphis / Baltimore, Md.); Wayne Ellington (North Carolina / Wynnewood, Pa.); Randal Falker (Southern Illinois / St. Louis, Mo.); Shan Foster (Vanderbilt / Kenner, La.); Alonzo Gee (Alabama / Palm Beach, Fla.); James Gist (Maryland / Silver Spring, Md.); Richard Hendrix (Alabama / Athens, Ala.); Roy Hibbert (Georgetown / Adelphi, Md.); Dominic James (Marquette / Richmond, Ind.); Maarty Leunen (Oregon / Redmond, Ore.); Chris Lofton (Tennessee / Maysville, Ky.); Derrick Low (Washington State / Honolulu, Hawaii); Wesley Matthews (Marquette / Madison, Wis.); Eric Maynor (Virginia Commonwealth / Fayetteville, N.C.); Jerel McNeal (Marquette / Chicago, Ill.); Tasmin Mitchell (LSU / Denham Springs, La.); Drew Neitzel (Michigan State / Grand Rapids, Mich.); DeMarcus Nelson (Duke / Elk Grove, Calif.); Ahmad Nivins (Saint Joseph’s / Jersey City, N.J.); Scottie Reynolds (Villanova / Herndon, Va.); Jon Scheyer (Duke / Northbrook, Ill.); Sean Singletary (Virginia / Philadelphia, Pa.); Bryce Taylor (Oregon / Encino, Calif.); Kyle Weaver (Washington State / Beloit, Wis.); D.J. White (Indiana / Tuscaloosa, Ala.)