It was a classic Big Sky title game, with both teams looking to be in control at different times. In the end, it was Eastern Washington making a stunning comeback in the final five minutes to beat Montana and take home the Big Sky title.
Early on, Eastern Washington looked like the team with more energy, and they got off to a nice start, building an early 14-7 lead. They had some missed chances early, but were active defensively, and really attacking the basket, especially going right at Martin Breunig (trying to get him in foul trouble). However, Montana weathered the storm, and took a 30-29 lead into the half.
In the second half, it was the Mike Weisner show, as he had a career high 18 points. He hit big shots throughout the second half, and at times found himself guarding Tyler Harvey, and doing a good job. He was really outstanding. Martin Breunig was also really great all game long. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and did a nice job defensively as well. If Montana had help on to win, he would be the one getting all the accolades, and rightfully so. He was outstanding.
At the 6:18 mark, Montana hit a basket to go up 59-48, and the crowd was going nuts. It was then that Eastern Washington went into a full-court press, which seemed to fluster Montana. The score was 61-52 at around the four minute mark. Then, Drew Brandon got a bucket, and Montana was called for a five second call after the couldn't get the ball in. After the TV timeout, Tyler Harvey hit a three, and suddenly it was a four point game and Montana was reeling. All told, EWU went on a 21-4 run to close the game out, save for the garbage time bucket by the Grizzlies with a second left.
Tyler Harvey, the nation's leading scorer, was at his best down the stretch. At the six minute mark, he had just ten points, and didn't seem to have any openings (many kudos have to go to Mario Dunn of Montana, who was sensational defensively). He had eight points down the stretch, including an and-1 on a 15 footer from the baseline, which gave EWU a four point lead with 43 seconds left, and the Grizzlies were never able to get any closer.
Montana has had trouble closing out opponents this year - Against both Sac State and Idaho, they had win probabilities of 97%+ in the final three minutes. I mentioned this in one of my previews coming into the tournament, and it turned out to be the Achilles heel for the Grizzlies. That's a tough way to lose.
Two other EWU players should be noted in a recap about the game. One is Bogdan Bliznyuk, as the freshman was outstanding, finishing with 13 points and 5 rebounds. At times, he was the only Eagle capable of getting buckets, and he kept the game close early in the second half. His future is very bright, obviously. The other guy is Drew Brandon, who finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds. His shooting has been unsteady this year, but it was on point in this game. One other Montana player to note is Jordan Gregory, who was getting to the basket all night. What a Big Sky tournament he had.
From an NCAA tournament standpoint, Eastern Washington had the best resume in the Big Sky conference, which should hopefully push them up a few lines when the brackets are announced. It has been a wildly successful season for the Eagles, who capture their second Big Sky championship, and could be even better next season.
What a classic.
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Showing posts with label Drew Brandon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drew Brandon. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Friday, January 9, 2015
Eastern Washington @ Idaho on Saturday Will Be Fun
In case you aren't aware, what could be the most entertaining game of the Big Sky season will be going down on Saturday night in Moscow, as Eastern Washington will travel to take on Idaho. Both teams are 2-0, but it will be a fun game even more so because both teams have been great offensively, and both play at a fast, fun to watch pace.
Eastern Washington has scored 1.11 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 22nd in the nation, and first in the Big Sky. Idaho has scored 1.07 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 55th in the country and second in the Big Sky.
Idaho games average 69.8 possessions per game, the 27th fastest pace in the country. EWU is not far behind at 68.3 possessions per game, 59th in the nation.
In short, this game's over/under would probably have to be at around the 170 mark before you would think about taking the under. KenPom projects an 86-83 EWU win, which, as you might guess, is a lot of points.
One key to the game could be the health of Drew Brandon, who played only seven minutes last week and has been battling back spasms all year. Idaho has their own excellent PG in senior Mike Scott, so the Eagles really need Brandon's distribution and rebounding ability.
The other key will be how they should the ball from outside... both teams can fill it up from deep, with EWU especially relying on the long ball. The Vandals will need to guard Tyler Harvey closely basically as soon as he crosses midcourt. On the other side, Connor Hill has been on fire the last few weeks for Idaho.
The game is at 8:05 on Saturday, and should be a great one. Besides, what else is there to do on a Saturday night?
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Eastern Washington has scored 1.11 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 22nd in the nation, and first in the Big Sky. Idaho has scored 1.07 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 55th in the country and second in the Big Sky.
Idaho games average 69.8 possessions per game, the 27th fastest pace in the country. EWU is not far behind at 68.3 possessions per game, 59th in the nation.
In short, this game's over/under would probably have to be at around the 170 mark before you would think about taking the under. KenPom projects an 86-83 EWU win, which, as you might guess, is a lot of points.
One key to the game could be the health of Drew Brandon, who played only seven minutes last week and has been battling back spasms all year. Idaho has their own excellent PG in senior Mike Scott, so the Eagles really need Brandon's distribution and rebounding ability.
The other key will be how they should the ball from outside... both teams can fill it up from deep, with EWU especially relying on the long ball. The Vandals will need to guard Tyler Harvey closely basically as soon as he crosses midcourt. On the other side, Connor Hill has been on fire the last few weeks for Idaho.
The game is at 8:05 on Saturday, and should be a great one. Besides, what else is there to do on a Saturday night?
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Monday, January 5, 2015
Notes From Saturday's Big Sky Action
I was out of town at a wedding on Saturday, so I didn't get to watch the games firsthand. However, after reading about the games and checking out the box scores, here are some observations or things you might have missed:
- It wasn't pretty again, but Eastern Washington survived for the 65-57 win over Idaho State, as the Eagles had one of their worst offensive games of the year. Tyler Harvey is human (16 points), but the frontcourt picked up the slack, with Venky Jois (16 and 8), Bogdan Bliznyuk (17 and 7), and Felix Van Hofe (9 points and 4 assists) plating well. The freshman Bliznyuk has made important contributions in two straight games for the Eagles. ISU did a nice job of slowing down the pace, as it was played well under EWU's season average number of possessions per game. However, they just weren't able to hit enough shots.
- EWU's PG Drew Brandon played just seven minutes, leaving early due to back spasms. He's been battling the back issues all year, which has possibly contributed to a poor start shooting the ball, and this is something to watch. EWU needs him as healthy as possible, or else the Big Sky race could look completely different.
- Idaho moved to 2-0 with an 86-84 home win over Weber State, as they got a bucket from Mike Scott with less than five seconds to play to win it. He also hit a 3/4 shot to end the first half, and he finished with 14 points and 5 assists. The other star for the Vandals was sophomore Sekou Wiggs, who turned in his best game of the year. He had 22 points, but he did it by shooting 7/9 from the floor and 8/10 from the stripe (he is fantastic at getting to the line). Idaho is second in the Big Sky in offensive efficiency, and the over/under for their battle with EWU on Saturday could be about 180 points. That should be fun.
- Weber State, meanwhile, is 0-2, but that could be the toughest roadtrip in the conference, and they were in both games. Jeremy Senglin had 22 points to go with 6 assists and just one turnover, which is big for them. The last two games they have had good scoring efforts, which is important for them after the struggled a bit to create shots early in the year. They will be fine.
- Montana took care of business at home, beating North Dakota 74-63. Not really too many surprises in this game, as UND didn't have the interior presence to slow down Martin Breunig, who had 23 points. Though holding UND to 0.97 PPP is not as impressive as what they did in the opener against Northern Colorado, it is the second straight solid defensive performance for the Grizzlies.
- As noted yesterday, Northern Arizona only played seven guys, but they still went on the road and beat Portland State, 73-60. All five Lumberjacks starters were in double figures, led by 18 from Ako Kaluna. Kris Yanku also was big, with 13 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, a good sign for someone that may be their most important player.
- There was a lot of optimism for PSU this year, especially after their opening win at USC, but they have looked like a mess lately. They allowed 1.24 PPP to NAU, which is a concern because the Jacks had struggled to score at many times this year. According to KenPom numbers, they aren't just the eighth best team in the Big Sky so far, they're closer to the bottom than they are even to seventh. Collectively, they have enough talent to be a top six team, but I wouldn't be shocked to see a bit of a freefall from them over the next three weeks.
- Sacramento State followed up their opening offensive explosion against NAU by just getting whatever they wanted against Southern Utah. They scored 1.48 PPP, and if you're not familiar with how that rates, just know that it is spectacular. They had 25 assists versus three turnovers, which is impressive no matter how you slice it. Last week I said Dylan Garrity had become more of a shooting specialist than he had been in past years - so he followed that statement up by dishing out nine assists. This is the Hornets team we expected to see.
- SUU was offensively abysmal defensively (and they have been very bad on that end), but positive offensive signs continued to emerge. They shot the ball well from the field, and took good care of the ball. Four guys were in double figures for them. They are 0-2, but they will be a tough out more often than not.
- Lastly, Northern Colorado went on the road and took care of business with a 62-54 road win over Montana State. It's way too early to call anything a must win or anything along those lines, but you have to feel like there would have been some panic in Greeley if they had lost that game. MSU wasn't able to hit from the outside, making just 6/22 from downtown, and only going 6/13 from the stripe.
The Bears were terrors on the offense glass, led by six offensive rebounds from Tim Huskisson. Their offense has slowed down from the potential it showed early in the year, but every team in the conference will take a road win however they get it. With two home games followed by a trip to North Dakota on the docket, the Bears have a real chance to be 4-1 by the time we hit late January.
- Now that we have 12 teams in the Big Sky, I have to say I love the nights where there are six games going, and all of the teams are in action. It doesn't get much better than that!
Anything else you have noticed so far this year?
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- It wasn't pretty again, but Eastern Washington survived for the 65-57 win over Idaho State, as the Eagles had one of their worst offensive games of the year. Tyler Harvey is human (16 points), but the frontcourt picked up the slack, with Venky Jois (16 and 8), Bogdan Bliznyuk (17 and 7), and Felix Van Hofe (9 points and 4 assists) plating well. The freshman Bliznyuk has made important contributions in two straight games for the Eagles. ISU did a nice job of slowing down the pace, as it was played well under EWU's season average number of possessions per game. However, they just weren't able to hit enough shots.
- EWU's PG Drew Brandon played just seven minutes, leaving early due to back spasms. He's been battling the back issues all year, which has possibly contributed to a poor start shooting the ball, and this is something to watch. EWU needs him as healthy as possible, or else the Big Sky race could look completely different.
- Idaho moved to 2-0 with an 86-84 home win over Weber State, as they got a bucket from Mike Scott with less than five seconds to play to win it. He also hit a 3/4 shot to end the first half, and he finished with 14 points and 5 assists. The other star for the Vandals was sophomore Sekou Wiggs, who turned in his best game of the year. He had 22 points, but he did it by shooting 7/9 from the floor and 8/10 from the stripe (he is fantastic at getting to the line). Idaho is second in the Big Sky in offensive efficiency, and the over/under for their battle with EWU on Saturday could be about 180 points. That should be fun.
- Weber State, meanwhile, is 0-2, but that could be the toughest roadtrip in the conference, and they were in both games. Jeremy Senglin had 22 points to go with 6 assists and just one turnover, which is big for them. The last two games they have had good scoring efforts, which is important for them after the struggled a bit to create shots early in the year. They will be fine.
- Montana took care of business at home, beating North Dakota 74-63. Not really too many surprises in this game, as UND didn't have the interior presence to slow down Martin Breunig, who had 23 points. Though holding UND to 0.97 PPP is not as impressive as what they did in the opener against Northern Colorado, it is the second straight solid defensive performance for the Grizzlies.
- As noted yesterday, Northern Arizona only played seven guys, but they still went on the road and beat Portland State, 73-60. All five Lumberjacks starters were in double figures, led by 18 from Ako Kaluna. Kris Yanku also was big, with 13 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, a good sign for someone that may be their most important player.
- There was a lot of optimism for PSU this year, especially after their opening win at USC, but they have looked like a mess lately. They allowed 1.24 PPP to NAU, which is a concern because the Jacks had struggled to score at many times this year. According to KenPom numbers, they aren't just the eighth best team in the Big Sky so far, they're closer to the bottom than they are even to seventh. Collectively, they have enough talent to be a top six team, but I wouldn't be shocked to see a bit of a freefall from them over the next three weeks.
- Sacramento State followed up their opening offensive explosion against NAU by just getting whatever they wanted against Southern Utah. They scored 1.48 PPP, and if you're not familiar with how that rates, just know that it is spectacular. They had 25 assists versus three turnovers, which is impressive no matter how you slice it. Last week I said Dylan Garrity had become more of a shooting specialist than he had been in past years - so he followed that statement up by dishing out nine assists. This is the Hornets team we expected to see.
- SUU was offensively abysmal defensively (and they have been very bad on that end), but positive offensive signs continued to emerge. They shot the ball well from the field, and took good care of the ball. Four guys were in double figures for them. They are 0-2, but they will be a tough out more often than not.
- Lastly, Northern Colorado went on the road and took care of business with a 62-54 road win over Montana State. It's way too early to call anything a must win or anything along those lines, but you have to feel like there would have been some panic in Greeley if they had lost that game. MSU wasn't able to hit from the outside, making just 6/22 from downtown, and only going 6/13 from the stripe.
The Bears were terrors on the offense glass, led by six offensive rebounds from Tim Huskisson. Their offense has slowed down from the potential it showed early in the year, but every team in the conference will take a road win however they get it. With two home games followed by a trip to North Dakota on the docket, the Bears have a real chance to be 4-1 by the time we hit late January.
- Now that we have 12 teams in the Big Sky, I have to say I love the nights where there are six games going, and all of the teams are in action. It doesn't get much better than that!
Anything else you have noticed so far this year?
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Monday, November 24, 2014
Eastern Washington Shocks Indiana
For a long while, it seems as though the Big Sky has gotten close to some big wins against very good programs. On Monday night, it got one - as Eastern Washington went into Assembly Hall and beat Indiana 88-86. While Portland State's win over USC was big, it doesn't quite have as much cachet as EWU beating Indiana on the road, one of the blue blood programs of the sport.
The Eagles used a late 9-0 run to get the win, and ended Indiana's 43 game home winning streak against non-conference foes.
"We just never stopped believing," coach Jim Hayford said. "We really don't look at the scoreboard till there's three or four minutes left because that can go up and down and we just play through runs. That didn't happen overnight. These guys have developed a lot of confidence, growing up together the last two, three seasons."
Yesterday I wrote that EWU looked like the best team in the Big Sky so far, and they provided an exclamation point to that. They were 3-12 on the road last season, and are a young team that seems to have grown up very quickly.
While several guys contributing, there were three heroes for the Eagles, and they were exactly the guys you would expect. The leading scorer was Drew Brandon, who had 27 points on 10/16 FG, Always the stat sheet stuffer, the senior PG also had eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. It was a career high for him, and back to back baskets by Brandon started their 9-0 run late.
Tyler Harvey was next in line with 25 points on 9/20 FG, including three treys. His ability to shoot and for the defense to have to account for him at all times opens up lanes for everyone else. One guy that gets more room is big man Venky Jois, who had a great day, finishing with a ridiculous stat line of 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Already one of the best big men in the Big Sky, Jois has taken another step forward as a junior.
Entering this season, Eastern Washington was a team with a ton of talent and offensive potential, but we didn't know if they would make the leap. It's safe to say they have. With Jim Hayford around with a contract extension before the year, a unique ability to recruit and find talent, and a victory that will give it a lot of credibility in the college basketball world, Monday could be the day that Eastern Washington makes the leap and becomes a Big Sky contender with staying power.
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The Eagles used a late 9-0 run to get the win, and ended Indiana's 43 game home winning streak against non-conference foes.
"We just never stopped believing," coach Jim Hayford said. "We really don't look at the scoreboard till there's three or four minutes left because that can go up and down and we just play through runs. That didn't happen overnight. These guys have developed a lot of confidence, growing up together the last two, three seasons."
Yesterday I wrote that EWU looked like the best team in the Big Sky so far, and they provided an exclamation point to that. They were 3-12 on the road last season, and are a young team that seems to have grown up very quickly.
While several guys contributing, there were three heroes for the Eagles, and they were exactly the guys you would expect. The leading scorer was Drew Brandon, who had 27 points on 10/16 FG, Always the stat sheet stuffer, the senior PG also had eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. It was a career high for him, and back to back baskets by Brandon started their 9-0 run late.
Tyler Harvey was next in line with 25 points on 9/20 FG, including three treys. His ability to shoot and for the defense to have to account for him at all times opens up lanes for everyone else. One guy that gets more room is big man Venky Jois, who had a great day, finishing with a ridiculous stat line of 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Already one of the best big men in the Big Sky, Jois has taken another step forward as a junior.
Entering this season, Eastern Washington was a team with a ton of talent and offensive potential, but we didn't know if they would make the leap. It's safe to say they have. With Jim Hayford around with a contract extension before the year, a unique ability to recruit and find talent, and a victory that will give it a lot of credibility in the college basketball world, Monday could be the day that Eastern Washington makes the leap and becomes a Big Sky contender with staying power.
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Friday, November 14, 2014
Eastern Washington Wins the First Game in College Basketball
In the first game of the college basketball season, Eastern Washington got off to a slow start against Texas Southern, trailing 26-18 late in the first half. A quick flurry gave them a 32-30 lead at the break, but it had the look of a close, hard-fought game.
Then the Eagles came out in the second half and broke the game open, leading by as many as 30 points en route to an 86-62 season-opening win.
Eastern Washington turned often to its familiar friend, the three-point shot, draining 15 of them by the end of the game. The leader there was Tyler Harvey, who did not miss a beat from last season, as he hit seven threes in this game, finishing with 21 points. Backcourt mate Drew Brandon had his typical all-around game, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and four steals. The backcourt was in midseason form.
The real difference, however, was the play of Venky Jois in the second half. After a nightmare start, where he was 0/6 from the field with three turnovers in the first half, he finished with 22 points on 11/18 FG, also pitching in seven rebounds and three blocks. Jois was relentless in attacking the hoop, and while that got him into trouble early, TSU had no answers for him late.
It was not all roses for the Eagles… much of their early points came in transition on threes, as they struggled in halfcourt offense, turning it over 10 times in the first 20 minutes and struggling to find good shots. But the negatives were clearly far outweighed by the positives in this game, as they flashed the explosive offense that has many thinking they could win the Big Sky.
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Then the Eagles came out in the second half and broke the game open, leading by as many as 30 points en route to an 86-62 season-opening win.
Eastern Washington turned often to its familiar friend, the three-point shot, draining 15 of them by the end of the game. The leader there was Tyler Harvey, who did not miss a beat from last season, as he hit seven threes in this game, finishing with 21 points. Backcourt mate Drew Brandon had his typical all-around game, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and four steals. The backcourt was in midseason form.
The real difference, however, was the play of Venky Jois in the second half. After a nightmare start, where he was 0/6 from the field with three turnovers in the first half, he finished with 22 points on 11/18 FG, also pitching in seven rebounds and three blocks. Jois was relentless in attacking the hoop, and while that got him into trouble early, TSU had no answers for him late.
It was not all roses for the Eagles… much of their early points came in transition on threes, as they struggled in halfcourt offense, turning it over 10 times in the first 20 minutes and struggling to find good shots. But the negatives were clearly far outweighed by the positives in this game, as they flashed the explosive offense that has many thinking they could win the Big Sky.
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Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Eastern Washington Outlook
It's time to get ready for the Big Sky season again with some overviews of each team this month, and then eventually we'll get into more detailed looks at everything. We'll start with Eastern Washington, led by head coach Jim Hayford who got a contract extension in the offseason.
What They Lost: It looked like they might return everyone, but they did have a couple defections. The biggest was big man Martin Seiferth, who returned to Germany to play pro basketball. Seiferth was a solid rebounder, especially on the offensive glass where he grabbed 11.8% of offensive rebounds, a solid mark. He was also a good shot blocker, ranking in the top 125 nationally in block rate. He was capable on offense of getting putbacks and easy buckets as well. He was an outlier for EWU in that he was a plodder in an offense that wanted to run, but he gave them good production.
Forward Thomas Reuter is also not on the roster, though I am not sure what happened to him. In his two years, Reuter was a guy that could probably be described as a jack of all trades, master of none.
Who Returns: As judged by the minimal losses, EWU returns a lot of guys and a lot of talent, as they've been one of the youngest teams in the Big Sky the past two seasons. The most important among them is Tyler Harvey, who led the conference in scoring last year and is one of the most prolific shooters in the country. Forward Venky Jois didn't quite live up to his great freshman year, but is still an all-conference candidate as a guy that can do it all well - including rebound, block shots, pass the ball, and score inside.
A couple other notables are Parker Kelly and Ognjen Miljkovic. Kelly is still mostly a shooter at this point, but he is a very good one, making 36% of his threes on a lot of attempts, as well as being excellent at the foul line. Miljkovic had an up and down freshman year, but his talent is obvious. Though he needs to be a little more efficient scoring, the tools are there for him to be a big time player. Drew Brandon is a guy I haven't mentioned yet, but he is a nightly triple-double threat.
Newcomers: Their first signee was guard Will Ferris, who could push for time with his shooting ability, though a redshirt year seems possible. Sir Washington was a redshirt last year, and has good athletic ability as a two-guard.
Bogdan Bliznyuk continues the Eagles tradition of talented foreign big men (he is originally from Ukraine, though he appears to have lived in the USA most of his life), following guys like Jois and Miljkovic as versatile frontcourt players that get playing time right away. He can shoot outside as well, and should be a nice contributor.
Another newcomer is forward Kyle Reid, who was a highly rated JUCO forward out of California, averaging 14.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last year. He will join Bilznyuk to help make up for any loss of Seiferth, as the Eagles should have a deep and talented frontcourt.
General Outlook: There is no doubt that the Eagles are one of the most talented teams in the Big Sky, and should lead the conference in scoring. The only problem could be finding minutes for all the talent. Four of their five starters return and will be upperclassmen, they return some experience on the bench, and they have talented newcomers to fill in the gaps. As we'll see as we go through the teams, there will be a lot of bunching at the top, but EWU is a team within that bunch that could legitimately win the Big Sky, or finish fifth. They will be fun this year.
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What They Lost: It looked like they might return everyone, but they did have a couple defections. The biggest was big man Martin Seiferth, who returned to Germany to play pro basketball. Seiferth was a solid rebounder, especially on the offensive glass where he grabbed 11.8% of offensive rebounds, a solid mark. He was also a good shot blocker, ranking in the top 125 nationally in block rate. He was capable on offense of getting putbacks and easy buckets as well. He was an outlier for EWU in that he was a plodder in an offense that wanted to run, but he gave them good production.
Forward Thomas Reuter is also not on the roster, though I am not sure what happened to him. In his two years, Reuter was a guy that could probably be described as a jack of all trades, master of none.
Who Returns: As judged by the minimal losses, EWU returns a lot of guys and a lot of talent, as they've been one of the youngest teams in the Big Sky the past two seasons. The most important among them is Tyler Harvey, who led the conference in scoring last year and is one of the most prolific shooters in the country. Forward Venky Jois didn't quite live up to his great freshman year, but is still an all-conference candidate as a guy that can do it all well - including rebound, block shots, pass the ball, and score inside.
A couple other notables are Parker Kelly and Ognjen Miljkovic. Kelly is still mostly a shooter at this point, but he is a very good one, making 36% of his threes on a lot of attempts, as well as being excellent at the foul line. Miljkovic had an up and down freshman year, but his talent is obvious. Though he needs to be a little more efficient scoring, the tools are there for him to be a big time player. Drew Brandon is a guy I haven't mentioned yet, but he is a nightly triple-double threat.
Newcomers: Their first signee was guard Will Ferris, who could push for time with his shooting ability, though a redshirt year seems possible. Sir Washington was a redshirt last year, and has good athletic ability as a two-guard.
Bogdan Bliznyuk continues the Eagles tradition of talented foreign big men (he is originally from Ukraine, though he appears to have lived in the USA most of his life), following guys like Jois and Miljkovic as versatile frontcourt players that get playing time right away. He can shoot outside as well, and should be a nice contributor.
Another newcomer is forward Kyle Reid, who was a highly rated JUCO forward out of California, averaging 14.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last year. He will join Bilznyuk to help make up for any loss of Seiferth, as the Eagles should have a deep and talented frontcourt.
General Outlook: There is no doubt that the Eagles are one of the most talented teams in the Big Sky, and should lead the conference in scoring. The only problem could be finding minutes for all the talent. Four of their five starters return and will be upperclassmen, they return some experience on the bench, and they have talented newcomers to fill in the gaps. As we'll see as we go through the teams, there will be a lot of bunching at the top, but EWU is a team within that bunch that could legitimately win the Big Sky, or finish fifth. They will be fun this year.
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Monday, December 9, 2013
Drew Brandon and Kareem Jamar - Stat Sheet Stuffers
So far this season, two guys have really stood out for their ability to stuff the box score in a variety of ways.
One of them is a guy that every Big Sky fan is familiar with - Kareem Jamar of Montana. The reigning Big Sky Player of the Year has been even better in his senior season, and is putting up some big numbers.
Jamar is averaging 19.6 PPG (3rd in the Big Sky), 6.4 rebounds (11th), and 5.6 assists per game (2nd). He is shooting 50% from the field, and getting to the free throw line (though that has been his one weakness - 60% shooting on FTs). He is grabbing 20.6% of available defensive rebounds this year, up from 16.3% last season. Lastly, he has a robust 33.8 Assist Rate (which ranks in the top 50 nationally) while taking great care of the ball - a 13.1 Turnover Rate.
Jamar has been an excellent scorer while also being one of the top distributors in the conference, and an excellent rebounder to boot. Montana is off to a slow start, but it is not Jamar's fault in any way.
One guy who has possibly been outdoing him is Drew Brandon for Eastern Washington. Though he struggled a little bit yesterday (along with the rest of EWU), he has been outstanding this season. He is averaging 11.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG (7th in the Big Sky - before yesterday he was averaging eight per game, which was 4th in the conference), 5.9 assists per game (leading the Big Sky), and 1.6 steals per game (top ten in conference).
As a scorer he has been a solid role player, showing an ability to knock down shots when needed. But he has grabbed 8.7% of available offensive rebounds - a solid mark for a big man, a downright ridiculous mark for a PG. His Assist Rate is at 28.8, and he sports about a 2.5:1 assist to turnover ratio. He has been a steadying PG for them, which is exactly what the team needed after last year.
It's always fun to check the box scores of the games these guys are in - Brandon has just missed on a triple double about three times this year, while Jamar has been very close a couple of times. Both guys are playing excellent basketball early on.
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One of them is a guy that every Big Sky fan is familiar with - Kareem Jamar of Montana. The reigning Big Sky Player of the Year has been even better in his senior season, and is putting up some big numbers.
Jamar is averaging 19.6 PPG (3rd in the Big Sky), 6.4 rebounds (11th), and 5.6 assists per game (2nd). He is shooting 50% from the field, and getting to the free throw line (though that has been his one weakness - 60% shooting on FTs). He is grabbing 20.6% of available defensive rebounds this year, up from 16.3% last season. Lastly, he has a robust 33.8 Assist Rate (which ranks in the top 50 nationally) while taking great care of the ball - a 13.1 Turnover Rate.
Jamar has been an excellent scorer while also being one of the top distributors in the conference, and an excellent rebounder to boot. Montana is off to a slow start, but it is not Jamar's fault in any way.
One guy who has possibly been outdoing him is Drew Brandon for Eastern Washington. Though he struggled a little bit yesterday (along with the rest of EWU), he has been outstanding this season. He is averaging 11.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG (7th in the Big Sky - before yesterday he was averaging eight per game, which was 4th in the conference), 5.9 assists per game (leading the Big Sky), and 1.6 steals per game (top ten in conference).
As a scorer he has been a solid role player, showing an ability to knock down shots when needed. But he has grabbed 8.7% of available offensive rebounds - a solid mark for a big man, a downright ridiculous mark for a PG. His Assist Rate is at 28.8, and he sports about a 2.5:1 assist to turnover ratio. He has been a steadying PG for them, which is exactly what the team needed after last year.
It's always fun to check the box scores of the games these guys are in - Brandon has just missed on a triple double about three times this year, while Jamar has been very close a couple of times. Both guys are playing excellent basketball early on.
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Saturday, November 23, 2013
The Rest of Friday Night's Big Sky Action
While I was at the Northern Colorado vs Colorado State game, four other Big Sky games were happening. Let's take a quick rundown at what else happened in the Big Sky on Friday night.
Eastern Washington 80, Boston University 68
If you are not familiar with the Boston program - they are solid. The Terriers are a legit America East contender this year, so for the Eagles to go win by 12 on a neutral court is an impressive feat. There are no shortage of eye-popping numbers for the Eagles:
- As a team, they shot 21-39 on twos, and 10/18 from three-point range. They turned it over 16 times, but that will get corrected. They can score the ball in bunches.
- Drew Brandon's stat line - 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists. He is averaging over ten rebounds per game.. Oh yeah, he is their starting PG!
- Tyler Harvey drained five more threes tonight, giving him 20 makes through four games. He is a budding star in the Big Sky.
- Venky Jois is already a star for EWU, and he had 20 points and eight rebounds. After not making any threes last year, he had one in this game - adding that to his arsenal makes him that much more dangerous.
- Freshman Ognjen Miljkovic had 14 points and 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. It's an embarrassment of riches in terms of young talent for Jim Hayford right now.
EWU should be a scary team for the rest of the Big Sky to think about because they are so talented, but still so young. They are going to keep getting better and better, and they're already pretty darn good.
Montana State 59, Central Michigan 54
Road wins are never easy, and this one has to feel very good for the Bobcats. They clawed their way (no pun intended) to a victory in a defensive battle, winning despire shooting 21/54from the field and turning it over 12 times. They won it with defense, which has been a struggle for them. They also won it thanks to the contributions of Terrell Brown off the bench. Brown had 23 points, hitting from the outside (3/7 3PA) and getting to the line (6/8). They will need those types of performances from different guys this year, as they don't have anyone they can count on to consistently carry the load.
The Bobcats were great on the defensive glass, especially Paul Egwuonwu (11 defensive rebounds). They held Central Michigan to just two offensive rebounds. That is getting things done.
Portland State 67, Loyola 63
The Vikings trailed by 14 points in the second half before coming back for a nice early-season win. They were sparked by 14 second half points each for Dre Winston and Aaron Moore, and another solid defensive effort. Moore finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9/14 from the floor. Winston was 5/7 from the floor and 6/7 from the stripe, scoring a hyper-efficient 16 points.
Last note... I mentioned earlier this week that Tim Douglas was playing it well but turning it over a bit too much. He turned that around quickly, with seven assists to one turnover. Very nice game for him.
San Francisco 75, Montana 74
I'm not sure anyone would have predicted this chain of events - Idaho State goes on the road to beat San Francisco, and days later, the Dons come into Missoula and take down Montana. Basketball is a funny game. While Jordan Gregory did play (and pretty well), the Grizzlies somehow allowed USF to shoot 30/55 from the field, AND grab 14 offensive rebounds. Put another way, the Dons grabbed 45% of available offensive rebounds in this game, which is bad for Montana. Kareem Jamar did everything he could - 25 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals - but it wasn't enough. The Grizzlies offense looks ok right now (1.12 PPP, though ISU had 1.15 against the Dons), but their ceiling remains limited right now until they can get some type of production down low.
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Eastern Washington 80, Boston University 68
If you are not familiar with the Boston program - they are solid. The Terriers are a legit America East contender this year, so for the Eagles to go win by 12 on a neutral court is an impressive feat. There are no shortage of eye-popping numbers for the Eagles:
- As a team, they shot 21-39 on twos, and 10/18 from three-point range. They turned it over 16 times, but that will get corrected. They can score the ball in bunches.
- Drew Brandon's stat line - 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists. He is averaging over ten rebounds per game.. Oh yeah, he is their starting PG!
- Tyler Harvey drained five more threes tonight, giving him 20 makes through four games. He is a budding star in the Big Sky.
- Venky Jois is already a star for EWU, and he had 20 points and eight rebounds. After not making any threes last year, he had one in this game - adding that to his arsenal makes him that much more dangerous.
- Freshman Ognjen Miljkovic had 14 points and 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. It's an embarrassment of riches in terms of young talent for Jim Hayford right now.
EWU should be a scary team for the rest of the Big Sky to think about because they are so talented, but still so young. They are going to keep getting better and better, and they're already pretty darn good.
Montana State 59, Central Michigan 54
Road wins are never easy, and this one has to feel very good for the Bobcats. They clawed their way (no pun intended) to a victory in a defensive battle, winning despire shooting 21/54from the field and turning it over 12 times. They won it with defense, which has been a struggle for them. They also won it thanks to the contributions of Terrell Brown off the bench. Brown had 23 points, hitting from the outside (3/7 3PA) and getting to the line (6/8). They will need those types of performances from different guys this year, as they don't have anyone they can count on to consistently carry the load.
The Bobcats were great on the defensive glass, especially Paul Egwuonwu (11 defensive rebounds). They held Central Michigan to just two offensive rebounds. That is getting things done.
Portland State 67, Loyola 63
The Vikings trailed by 14 points in the second half before coming back for a nice early-season win. They were sparked by 14 second half points each for Dre Winston and Aaron Moore, and another solid defensive effort. Moore finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9/14 from the floor. Winston was 5/7 from the floor and 6/7 from the stripe, scoring a hyper-efficient 16 points.
Last note... I mentioned earlier this week that Tim Douglas was playing it well but turning it over a bit too much. He turned that around quickly, with seven assists to one turnover. Very nice game for him.
San Francisco 75, Montana 74
I'm not sure anyone would have predicted this chain of events - Idaho State goes on the road to beat San Francisco, and days later, the Dons come into Missoula and take down Montana. Basketball is a funny game. While Jordan Gregory did play (and pretty well), the Grizzlies somehow allowed USF to shoot 30/55 from the field, AND grab 14 offensive rebounds. Put another way, the Dons grabbed 45% of available offensive rebounds in this game, which is bad for Montana. Kareem Jamar did everything he could - 25 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals - but it wasn't enough. The Grizzlies offense looks ok right now (1.12 PPP, though ISU had 1.15 against the Dons), but their ceiling remains limited right now until they can get some type of production down low.
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Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Jim Hayford's Quotes on EWU Players
On Eastern Washington's website, one of my favorite things is that on each player's page, there is a quote from head coach Jim Hayford. It's usually a one or two sentence blurb on the player, and can give a good indication of how the coaching staff views them or what their role might be this season. I thought it might be interesting to post those quotes here, along with a few takeaways.
F Ognjen Miljkovic (Fr) - “Ognjen joins us after two years at one of the top high school programs in California at Bishop Montgomery High School. It is the same program from where we recruited Tyler Harvey from. We feel he is the type of player that will fit very well in our system. He is a big man who can shoot the three-point shot, but he has multiple offensive skills. Ognjen had a number of options of schools he could have chosen from, and we are excited he selected Eastern Washington.”
G Tyler Harvey (So) - “Tyler Harvey was the surprise of last year’s team. Now he will come in as a redshirt sophomore with three years of experience in the program and needs to validate the end of his freshman season. Tyler can shoot the ball from outside, he can score off the drive, and he is very respected by all his teammates. He is an outstanding young man that we are building our basketball program on.”
G Daniel Hill (So) - “Daniel Hill gives us depth in the backcourt, and he is an outstanding teammate. We look for Daniel to be a point guard in our system who gives us great shots and is able to lead our team while he is on the floor.”
F Danny Powell (Fr) - “Danny Powell redshirted last year as a freshman in our system. He is extremely talented and is capable of scoring inside and outside, off the dribble, facing the basket and with his back to the basket. I think he will bring us versatility in three positions. We are looking forward to Danny having an outstanding freshman season.”
G Parker Kelly (Jr) - “Parker is a team captain and he has the most experience of all of the players in the program. Both seasons Parker has been able to shoot over 40 percent from three-point-range. He had some very strong games at the conclusion of the conference season where he was scoring over 20 points. We need Parker to rebound more this year, and as his all-around game develops, he should have an outstanding junior year.”
G Sir Washington (Fr) - “Sir is a quality young man and a dynamic player. Sir will fit in well with our other young players to give us a foundation of five-year players in our program. This year he will concentrate on academic success and building physical strength.”
F Martin Seiferth (Jr) - “Martin returns as the leading field goal percentage shooter in the Big Sky, a top shot blocker and a top rebounder. As he is able to do those things consistently, he will prove to be a top big man in the Big Sky Conference. We are looking for Martin to have a consistent season as a frontcourt player for the Eagles.”
F Thomas Reuter (So) - “Thomas gained great experience last year. He had quality playing time as a freshman, and he had some standout games. The key for Thomas this year is to develop consistency. He can shoot the ball from the outside better than he did a year ago, and he will rebound better at his position. He has acclimated to a new country and to the U.S. college game. I expect him to have a much improved sophomore season.”
F Frederick Jorg (So) - “This year we will redshirt Fredrick Jörg. Fred has outstanding potential, and is committed to being the very best he can be. By redshirting him, it adds a year between Martin and him. That will be very helpful to our program, and to Fred his junior and senior years in terms of playing opportunity.”
G Drew Brandon (Jr) - “Drew comes to Eastern as one of the top junior college point guards on the West Coast. He came from a very successful program at Sierra College with an outstanding coach. What impresses us the most is that Drew is a three-dimensional player, meaning he can shoot the ball, he can drive the ball and he can pass the ball. Drew gives us great size at the point guard position.”
F Garrett Moon (Jr) - “Garrett redshirted last year in our program. He gives us great versatility and athleticism off the bench. Garrett is a defensive stopper, and he is a very capable rebounder. Garrett is well-liked by his teammates, and is respected for the hard work he brings every day.”
F Felix Von Hofe (Fr) - “Felix is a great shooter and solid all-around player. He has competed at the highest level for his country and is the most acclaimed international recruit we have signed. He is an excellent student and will be a great addition to our campus community.”
F Venky Jois (So) - “Venky returns as the Big Sky freshman of the year, a top rebounder in the conference, and an overall average of double digit scoring as a freshman. Venky taking the next step as a player is one of the key ingredients for us to take that next step as a team. He is a man of outstanding character. He is a team captain as a sophomore. I expect him to lead us to the next level of success in our program.”
Some thoughts:
- It should jump out at you how young the Eagles are. They have no seniors on the roster and only four juniors. They should be improved from last year, but still expect some growing pains. I expect that we will see them grow a lot as the year goes on, and be seen as a top four team heading into next season, similar to Northern Colorado this year.
- When Daniel Hill arrived, I thought he would be the PG of the future for the Eagles. However, he didn't really separate himself last year when he got the chance, and I suspect Drew Brandon will be the Eagles PG. In Hayford's system, the PG always has the chance to put up big numbers, so look for Brandon to do some nice things this season.
- Last year, Frederick Jorg was raw. He is big and fairly mobile for someone his size, but he needed to improve his skills. Unfortunately, there weren't many extra minutes to go around. That makes the decision to redshirt him a good one.
- There will be some strong shot blockers in the Big Sky this year, with two of the better ones residing in Cheney. Venky Jois (66 blocks) and Martin Seiferth (68 blocks) are both solid. After averaging 12 and 9 last year as a freshman, it will be very interesting to see what Jois can do for an encore.
- With guys like Danny Powell, Felix Von Hofe, and Ognjen Miljkovic, there will be no shortage of guys that can play the three or four spots alongside Jois and Seiferth. None of these guys are household names yet, but they will all make an impact by the team they are done. Any team in the conference would be thrilled with a stable of young, athletic forwards like the Eagles have, not even counting in the fact that all are freshman (Powell with a redshirt).
- I worry about their backcourt depth. Parker Kelly is a nice player, but he might be a little too one-dimensional to be a good starter on a really good team. He is a great shooter, but might be more suited for a role off the bench. That puts a lot of pressure on Tyler Harvey, though if Harvey can continue and build on what he did at the end of last season, he will be a really good player.
Any thoughts on EWU? Where do you peg them this season?
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F Ognjen Miljkovic (Fr) - “Ognjen joins us after two years at one of the top high school programs in California at Bishop Montgomery High School. It is the same program from where we recruited Tyler Harvey from. We feel he is the type of player that will fit very well in our system. He is a big man who can shoot the three-point shot, but he has multiple offensive skills. Ognjen had a number of options of schools he could have chosen from, and we are excited he selected Eastern Washington.”
G Tyler Harvey (So) - “Tyler Harvey was the surprise of last year’s team. Now he will come in as a redshirt sophomore with three years of experience in the program and needs to validate the end of his freshman season. Tyler can shoot the ball from outside, he can score off the drive, and he is very respected by all his teammates. He is an outstanding young man that we are building our basketball program on.”
G Daniel Hill (So) - “Daniel Hill gives us depth in the backcourt, and he is an outstanding teammate. We look for Daniel to be a point guard in our system who gives us great shots and is able to lead our team while he is on the floor.”
F Danny Powell (Fr) - “Danny Powell redshirted last year as a freshman in our system. He is extremely talented and is capable of scoring inside and outside, off the dribble, facing the basket and with his back to the basket. I think he will bring us versatility in three positions. We are looking forward to Danny having an outstanding freshman season.”
G Parker Kelly (Jr) - “Parker is a team captain and he has the most experience of all of the players in the program. Both seasons Parker has been able to shoot over 40 percent from three-point-range. He had some very strong games at the conclusion of the conference season where he was scoring over 20 points. We need Parker to rebound more this year, and as his all-around game develops, he should have an outstanding junior year.”
G Sir Washington (Fr) - “Sir is a quality young man and a dynamic player. Sir will fit in well with our other young players to give us a foundation of five-year players in our program. This year he will concentrate on academic success and building physical strength.”
F Martin Seiferth (Jr) - “Martin returns as the leading field goal percentage shooter in the Big Sky, a top shot blocker and a top rebounder. As he is able to do those things consistently, he will prove to be a top big man in the Big Sky Conference. We are looking for Martin to have a consistent season as a frontcourt player for the Eagles.”
F Thomas Reuter (So) - “Thomas gained great experience last year. He had quality playing time as a freshman, and he had some standout games. The key for Thomas this year is to develop consistency. He can shoot the ball from the outside better than he did a year ago, and he will rebound better at his position. He has acclimated to a new country and to the U.S. college game. I expect him to have a much improved sophomore season.”
F Frederick Jorg (So) - “This year we will redshirt Fredrick Jörg. Fred has outstanding potential, and is committed to being the very best he can be. By redshirting him, it adds a year between Martin and him. That will be very helpful to our program, and to Fred his junior and senior years in terms of playing opportunity.”
G Drew Brandon (Jr) - “Drew comes to Eastern as one of the top junior college point guards on the West Coast. He came from a very successful program at Sierra College with an outstanding coach. What impresses us the most is that Drew is a three-dimensional player, meaning he can shoot the ball, he can drive the ball and he can pass the ball. Drew gives us great size at the point guard position.”
F Garrett Moon (Jr) - “Garrett redshirted last year in our program. He gives us great versatility and athleticism off the bench. Garrett is a defensive stopper, and he is a very capable rebounder. Garrett is well-liked by his teammates, and is respected for the hard work he brings every day.”
F Felix Von Hofe (Fr) - “Felix is a great shooter and solid all-around player. He has competed at the highest level for his country and is the most acclaimed international recruit we have signed. He is an excellent student and will be a great addition to our campus community.”
F Venky Jois (So) - “Venky returns as the Big Sky freshman of the year, a top rebounder in the conference, and an overall average of double digit scoring as a freshman. Venky taking the next step as a player is one of the key ingredients for us to take that next step as a team. He is a man of outstanding character. He is a team captain as a sophomore. I expect him to lead us to the next level of success in our program.”
Some thoughts:
- It should jump out at you how young the Eagles are. They have no seniors on the roster and only four juniors. They should be improved from last year, but still expect some growing pains. I expect that we will see them grow a lot as the year goes on, and be seen as a top four team heading into next season, similar to Northern Colorado this year.
- When Daniel Hill arrived, I thought he would be the PG of the future for the Eagles. However, he didn't really separate himself last year when he got the chance, and I suspect Drew Brandon will be the Eagles PG. In Hayford's system, the PG always has the chance to put up big numbers, so look for Brandon to do some nice things this season.
- Last year, Frederick Jorg was raw. He is big and fairly mobile for someone his size, but he needed to improve his skills. Unfortunately, there weren't many extra minutes to go around. That makes the decision to redshirt him a good one.
- There will be some strong shot blockers in the Big Sky this year, with two of the better ones residing in Cheney. Venky Jois (66 blocks) and Martin Seiferth (68 blocks) are both solid. After averaging 12 and 9 last year as a freshman, it will be very interesting to see what Jois can do for an encore.
- With guys like Danny Powell, Felix Von Hofe, and Ognjen Miljkovic, there will be no shortage of guys that can play the three or four spots alongside Jois and Seiferth. None of these guys are household names yet, but they will all make an impact by the team they are done. Any team in the conference would be thrilled with a stable of young, athletic forwards like the Eagles have, not even counting in the fact that all are freshman (Powell with a redshirt).
- I worry about their backcourt depth. Parker Kelly is a nice player, but he might be a little too one-dimensional to be a good starter on a really good team. He is a great shooter, but might be more suited for a role off the bench. That puts a lot of pressure on Tyler Harvey, though if Harvey can continue and build on what he did at the end of last season, he will be a really good player.
Any thoughts on EWU? Where do you peg them this season?
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Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Eastern Washington Inks Three
I have already written about Sir Washington, but Eastern Washington has signed three more players within the last week.
The first was Australian forward Felix Van Hofe. He played for Australia's U17 National Team, which finished second (to the USA) in the World U17 Championships, so he has experience playing against a high level of competition. Coach Jim Hayford says he is a "great shooter and solid all-around player." He also calls him the most acclaimed international recruit they have signed.
It continues the Australian pipeline for the Eagles, as they already have Venky Jois and Daniel Hill in the program, with Jordan Hickert having just graduated.
Then they signed 6'3'' JUCO guard Drew Brandon, who played for Sierra College in Rocklin, CA. Hayford says he has the ability to shoot the ball, drive the ball, and pass the ball. He had a fairly ridiculous stat line last year - 15.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Obviously, he has talent.
The signing makes sense too when looking at their roster. With the graduation of Kevin Winford and Jeff Forbes, and the transfer of Justin Crogsile midseason, there are depth issues at the PG spot. Daniel Hill showed some flashes as a freshman, but was up and down. Tyler Harvey can play the spot, but he is more natural off the guard. This gives the Eagles another option at the point, which is very important in Hayford's system.
The guy that perhaps the Eagles are most excited about is big man Ognjen Miljkovic (sidenote: EWU is not doing this Big Sky blogger any favors with making their guys' names be easy to spell!). Miljkovic is originally from Serbia, but played the last two years at Bishop Montgomery High School. He is 6'7'' and will be a freshman. He averaged 17 and 9 last year, but is a big man that can hit the three (notice any trends?) and has a versatile offensive game. He reportedly had some other potential options, so it has to feel good to snag him.
When you are rebuilding a small program that has some disadvantages, sometimes you have to think out of the box. That is what Eastern Washington has done the past couple of years, and I think it will pay big dividends. They have put together another very nice class.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
The first was Australian forward Felix Van Hofe. He played for Australia's U17 National Team, which finished second (to the USA) in the World U17 Championships, so he has experience playing against a high level of competition. Coach Jim Hayford says he is a "great shooter and solid all-around player." He also calls him the most acclaimed international recruit they have signed.
It continues the Australian pipeline for the Eagles, as they already have Venky Jois and Daniel Hill in the program, with Jordan Hickert having just graduated.
Then they signed 6'3'' JUCO guard Drew Brandon, who played for Sierra College in Rocklin, CA. Hayford says he has the ability to shoot the ball, drive the ball, and pass the ball. He had a fairly ridiculous stat line last year - 15.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Obviously, he has talent.
The signing makes sense too when looking at their roster. With the graduation of Kevin Winford and Jeff Forbes, and the transfer of Justin Crogsile midseason, there are depth issues at the PG spot. Daniel Hill showed some flashes as a freshman, but was up and down. Tyler Harvey can play the spot, but he is more natural off the guard. This gives the Eagles another option at the point, which is very important in Hayford's system.
The guy that perhaps the Eagles are most excited about is big man Ognjen Miljkovic (sidenote: EWU is not doing this Big Sky blogger any favors with making their guys' names be easy to spell!). Miljkovic is originally from Serbia, but played the last two years at Bishop Montgomery High School. He is 6'7'' and will be a freshman. He averaged 17 and 9 last year, but is a big man that can hit the three (notice any trends?) and has a versatile offensive game. He reportedly had some other potential options, so it has to feel good to snag him.
When you are rebuilding a small program that has some disadvantages, sometimes you have to think out of the box. That is what Eastern Washington has done the past couple of years, and I think it will pay big dividends. They have put together another very nice class.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
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