NOTE: This was written before all of Wednesday's games, which features an impressive Idaho win over Washington State on the road, a tough NAU loss to UTSA in OT, and a Montana loss in double OT to California.
It's been about a week since I've typed up some notes and observations from Big Sky play, so let's go back and take a look at some of the top storylines and things that have happened lately around the Big Sky.
- Jeremy Senglin for Weber State hit his second game-winner in a week, this time hitting a three with 2.4 seconds left to cap a late comeback win over Oral Roberts. Senglin told Brett Hein he thought the Wildcats were down three rather than two, which helps explain the shot selection. Video and quotes can be found here.
The fact that he may not have known the margin changes this storyline a little bit, but the shot and the possession brought up an interesting look at the process versus the outcome in how we should evaluate things. The shot was good because it went in and gave them the win, but the possession itself was not very good. Down two (again, this is complicated if he really thought it was a three point game), the possession was ugly, filled with a bunch of dribbling on the perimeter and then a long three attempt. He was bailed out in a sense by the shot going in, but overall it wasn't a great look.
The Wildcats are now 3-3 with a neutral court win over Nevada and home win against Oral Roberts, but the fact that they are a young team is still clear. The biggest issues seem to be taking care of the ball, and finding someone other than Joel Bolomboy to rebound the ball, but the talent is still evident. Still, while Senglin has struggled a bit adapting to the full-time ball handling role, Bolomboy has shown more assertiveness offensively (with mixed results), and maybe most importantly, Richaud Gittens looks like a star right now. Their future is very bright.
- Eastern Washington continues to win, as they're number 117 in Ken Pomeroy's rankings and top 60 by the RPI. They have gotten absurd efficiency from their guards (Drew Brandon, Tyler Harvey, and Parker Kelly), while Venky Jois appears to have taken a big step forward. Offensively, they have been excellent. I think teams know how much they like to shoot threes, and that has given them good looks inside the arc, where they have been dynamite.
Their next five games are on the road - Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, Sam Houston State, and California. We should find out during this stretch if their ceiling is that of a team that could be a major threat in the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament, or merely as the best team in the Big Sky. Either way, they have established themselves as the early favorites in the Big Sky with their play so far.
- Northern Colorado has been flying under the radar a bit, but they are a good team. While they have again shown some struggles defensively so far, they could be behind only EWU in terms of their offensive prowess. They have been excellent shooting the ball, as well as taking care of it. It could be partly due to the early schedule, but they look deep... only four teams in the country have given more minutes to their bench in DI games. They may not have a star, but they have a lot of good players.
- Sacramento State is 4-1, but I don't know that we've learned much from their games so sfar. One positive development for them is that Nick Hornsby is playing well early on, but that is mostly due to his unsustainable 12/18 FG. They should still be contenders, but there's not much new information on them.
- Kudos deserve to be given to Brian Fish who got the first win of his head coaching career in a 104-81 Montana State win over UT-Arlington. Kudos also to Southern Utah, who snapped a very long road losing streak with this shot from AJ Hess. In case you missed it, here it is again!
AJs 40 ft shot to for first season WIN at the Buzzer 93-92 from Barbara H Hess on Vimeo.
- Martin Breunig has been as good as advertised for Montana, shooting 20/29 on two-point FG against DI opponents, while showing great rebounding ability. Montana has mixed some good performances with puzzling ones, but Breunig still looks like a star.
- On Saturday, Northern Arizona lost a slobber knocker, 40-36, to North Carolina Central. It's not a good loss, but maybe not quite as bad as it sounds. UNCC plays at a snail's pace, and they have been pretty good defensively. At 2-5, the Jacks look like they could be one of the better defensive teams in the conference, but they are struggling a little bit defensively. Still, the 2-5 record basically means nothing, because they've played a very tough slate of opponents so far.
- On the whole, Idaho has been about what we expected - a team that looks like it will score a bunch of points, but not be able to stop anyone on the other end. Their defensive efficiency is #338 in the country... they haven't forced turnovers, and teams are shooting the ball very well against them. Still, there are positives. Mike Scott looks like the breakout senior player for the Vandals, shooting 12/21 from downtown while sporting a cool 26:2 assist to turnover ratio. Perrion Callandret has also started well, and I will have to eat some crow to an Idaho fan who emailed me about him if that continues.
Each week and each game provides some more data points, as the 5-7 games each team has played so far don't give us too much to go on. Things look to be as competitive as they promised to be before the year began. Anything else that you have noticed?
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Showing posts with label Jeremy Senglin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeremy Senglin. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Portland State Upsets USC, Other Weekend Notes
Eastern Washington got the Big Sky started with a win over Texas Southern on Friday morning, but there was just one win over another Division I team for the rest of the weekend.
That said, it was a pretty nice win, as Portland State went on the road and beat Pac-12 USC on Saturday night.
The Vikings led by seven at the half and never looked back, winning 76-68. In a turn from recent years, they won this game with defense. USC scored 0.96 PPP, and the Vikings forced 23 turnovers (while committing just four themselves), scoring 31 points off those turnovers. The Trojans shot the ball well (53% for the day), but were undone by the turnovers.
Forward Tiegbe Bamba was even better than advertised for the Vikings, and showed he will be one of the best newcomers in the conference. He scored 19 points - including shooting 3/3 from downtown - while also grabbing six rebounds and getting four steals. Combined with nice days from Braxton Tucker (16 points) and Bryce White (14), the Vikings have the newcomers up front to shore up what was a big weakness last season.
USC isn't going to be competing for a Pac-12 title, but anytime you go on the road and beat a team like that to open the year, it's encouraging. It's too early to make any definitive statements, but the Vikings appear to be real players in the Big Sky race.
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The favorite in the conference, Weber State, did not have such a great opening act.
The Wildcats led by 18 points at halftime, but remarkably turned that into a 72-61 loss, as they simply couldn't stop the bleeding in the seonc half against Utah State. After outscoring the Aggies 47-29 in the first half, the score was 43-14 in the second half.
Utah State played a 1-3-1 zone, and the Wildcats struggled to solve it. They were just 4/23 from the floor during the second half. Jeremy Senglin led the team with 14 points, but he also had eight turnovers compared to one assist. He is going to be their lead ball handler and needs to be able to make plays for others, but this game showed that is still a work in progress.
After the losses the last couple of years, we knew there would be some growing pains for the Wildcats. One of the potential weaknesses I talked about before the year was when Weber State needed a basket, who would be the guy to step up and get it? In the opener, that answer was: nobody.
It's a young season, but it's a rough way to start for Weber State.
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One other game that caught my eye was Northern Colorado going on the road to take on Wyoming. The Bears lost 78-70, but they were within four at the 3:55 mark, and generally played well on the road. Wyoming has been a solid team the past couple of years, but UNC was right there with them.
Offensively, they had no issues, scoring 1.19 PPP, shooting the ball well, and grabbing offensive rebounds. Newcomer Cam Michael scored 21 points to pace them (hitting five threes), while Cody McDavis scored an efficient 17. Offense was not a problem.
The defense, however, did struggle, as the Cowboys scored 1.32 PPP. They somehow shot 18/24 on two-pointers, and 8/18 from beyond the arc.
The Bears overall had a nice showing, one of the better ones of the weekend in the conference. However, they have to learn to be able to get a stop when they need it, and they still aren't there yet.
Anything else stick out over the weekend?
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That said, it was a pretty nice win, as Portland State went on the road and beat Pac-12 USC on Saturday night.
The Vikings led by seven at the half and never looked back, winning 76-68. In a turn from recent years, they won this game with defense. USC scored 0.96 PPP, and the Vikings forced 23 turnovers (while committing just four themselves), scoring 31 points off those turnovers. The Trojans shot the ball well (53% for the day), but were undone by the turnovers.
Forward Tiegbe Bamba was even better than advertised for the Vikings, and showed he will be one of the best newcomers in the conference. He scored 19 points - including shooting 3/3 from downtown - while also grabbing six rebounds and getting four steals. Combined with nice days from Braxton Tucker (16 points) and Bryce White (14), the Vikings have the newcomers up front to shore up what was a big weakness last season.
USC isn't going to be competing for a Pac-12 title, but anytime you go on the road and beat a team like that to open the year, it's encouraging. It's too early to make any definitive statements, but the Vikings appear to be real players in the Big Sky race.
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The favorite in the conference, Weber State, did not have such a great opening act.
The Wildcats led by 18 points at halftime, but remarkably turned that into a 72-61 loss, as they simply couldn't stop the bleeding in the seonc half against Utah State. After outscoring the Aggies 47-29 in the first half, the score was 43-14 in the second half.
Utah State played a 1-3-1 zone, and the Wildcats struggled to solve it. They were just 4/23 from the floor during the second half. Jeremy Senglin led the team with 14 points, but he also had eight turnovers compared to one assist. He is going to be their lead ball handler and needs to be able to make plays for others, but this game showed that is still a work in progress.
After the losses the last couple of years, we knew there would be some growing pains for the Wildcats. One of the potential weaknesses I talked about before the year was when Weber State needed a basket, who would be the guy to step up and get it? In the opener, that answer was: nobody.
It's a young season, but it's a rough way to start for Weber State.
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One other game that caught my eye was Northern Colorado going on the road to take on Wyoming. The Bears lost 78-70, but they were within four at the 3:55 mark, and generally played well on the road. Wyoming has been a solid team the past couple of years, but UNC was right there with them.
Offensively, they had no issues, scoring 1.19 PPP, shooting the ball well, and grabbing offensive rebounds. Newcomer Cam Michael scored 21 points to pace them (hitting five threes), while Cody McDavis scored an efficient 17. Offense was not a problem.
The defense, however, did struggle, as the Cowboys scored 1.32 PPP. They somehow shot 18/24 on two-pointers, and 8/18 from beyond the arc.
The Bears overall had a nice showing, one of the better ones of the weekend in the conference. However, they have to learn to be able to get a stop when they need it, and they still aren't there yet.
Anything else stick out over the weekend?
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Monday, November 3, 2014
Weber State 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.
What They Lost: After falling just short the past few seasons, Weber State broke through and won the Big Sky last season. However, even though they are the preseason number one, it will be tough to repeat thanks to some big losses. The biggest loss is Davion Berry, who was the conference POY last season. He did it all for the Wildcats as their best scorer and passer. He did a little bit of everything and will be tough to replace. Kyle Tresnak was excellent inside, one of the best back to the basket scorers in the conference. He also improved defensively throughout his career and was a legitimate shot blocker by the end of his career. Also gone is guard Jordan Richardson, who was a nice four year player for them. He was a very good shooter, but could also handle the ball when needed.
They lost Royce Williams to transfer, who had been a guy I liked, but never got a ton of time. Williams was a proficient shooter but didn't do a ton of other things.
Who Returns: Down low, they bring back Joel Bolomboy, one of the best players in the conference. In his first two seasons, all Bolomboy has done is establish himself as one of the best rebounders in the nation, as well as an athletic and versatile defender. If he can improve offensively, he's the best player in the Big Sky and a future pro. James Hajek will be back up front as well, after missing much of last year with injury. He can be a rebounding and shot blocking big man for them. Kyndahl Hill could start at the four, and to me he is one of the more intriguing guys in the Big Sky. An incredible athlete, Hill just needs polish to be a unique weapon for Randy Rahe.
In the backcourt, Jeremy Senglin and Richaud Gittens got plenty of run as freshmen, and should be better served for it. Senglin will be the point guard, with an excellent outside shot (40% from downtown), and a smooth handle. We will see if he has the chops to be an above average distributor, but he will be a very good player no matter. Gittens is one of the more athletic wings in the conference, a slasher who can finish hard. He just needs to take care of the ball a bit better, but he is a dynamic playmaker.
Newcomers: Chris Golden started the last exhibition game at guard, and put up a team high 16 points, hitting two threes. The juco transfer averaged over 20 PPG last year and will hit a bunch of threes. Jaelyn Johnson-Coston is another juco guy that will contribute right away on the wing, and he is a guy that can do a bit of everything. He looks to be their top reserve as of now.
Among freshmen, Hayden Hunter could get the most minutes, and he had four assists versus no turnovers in the exhibition. He should be a nice pass-first guard off the bench for them. Jeremiah Jefferson and Ryan Richardson are both guys with bright futures that could get a lot of minutes at many schools, but we'll see how much they play as freshmen. Both are super athletic and excellent shooters (especially Richardson), but the minutes available could dictate whether at least one of them redshirts. Both have bright futures.
Zach Braxton is a freshman big man with a lot of potential, but again the first year impact will depend on minutes. He averaged 18 and 14 with four blocks per game last year, getting some interest from Mountain West teams. He is ready to play, but could be a redshirt candidate if they feel good about their current frontcourt rotation.
General Outlook: Weber State is again the preseason favorite, but this year, there are a lot more dissenting opinions. They need Senglin and Gittens to be able to create offense for themselves and others, or else they could have trouble getting baskets when they need them. Also, they'll be a young team - Hajek is the only senior, which is amazing for a team ranked preseason number one. They have done a great job recruiting, and they have more young talent and athleticism than anyone in the conference. How quickly those guys assume major roles will determine whether they can be back to back champions.
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What They Lost: After falling just short the past few seasons, Weber State broke through and won the Big Sky last season. However, even though they are the preseason number one, it will be tough to repeat thanks to some big losses. The biggest loss is Davion Berry, who was the conference POY last season. He did it all for the Wildcats as their best scorer and passer. He did a little bit of everything and will be tough to replace. Kyle Tresnak was excellent inside, one of the best back to the basket scorers in the conference. He also improved defensively throughout his career and was a legitimate shot blocker by the end of his career. Also gone is guard Jordan Richardson, who was a nice four year player for them. He was a very good shooter, but could also handle the ball when needed.
They lost Royce Williams to transfer, who had been a guy I liked, but never got a ton of time. Williams was a proficient shooter but didn't do a ton of other things.
Who Returns: Down low, they bring back Joel Bolomboy, one of the best players in the conference. In his first two seasons, all Bolomboy has done is establish himself as one of the best rebounders in the nation, as well as an athletic and versatile defender. If he can improve offensively, he's the best player in the Big Sky and a future pro. James Hajek will be back up front as well, after missing much of last year with injury. He can be a rebounding and shot blocking big man for them. Kyndahl Hill could start at the four, and to me he is one of the more intriguing guys in the Big Sky. An incredible athlete, Hill just needs polish to be a unique weapon for Randy Rahe.
In the backcourt, Jeremy Senglin and Richaud Gittens got plenty of run as freshmen, and should be better served for it. Senglin will be the point guard, with an excellent outside shot (40% from downtown), and a smooth handle. We will see if he has the chops to be an above average distributor, but he will be a very good player no matter. Gittens is one of the more athletic wings in the conference, a slasher who can finish hard. He just needs to take care of the ball a bit better, but he is a dynamic playmaker.
Newcomers: Chris Golden started the last exhibition game at guard, and put up a team high 16 points, hitting two threes. The juco transfer averaged over 20 PPG last year and will hit a bunch of threes. Jaelyn Johnson-Coston is another juco guy that will contribute right away on the wing, and he is a guy that can do a bit of everything. He looks to be their top reserve as of now.
Among freshmen, Hayden Hunter could get the most minutes, and he had four assists versus no turnovers in the exhibition. He should be a nice pass-first guard off the bench for them. Jeremiah Jefferson and Ryan Richardson are both guys with bright futures that could get a lot of minutes at many schools, but we'll see how much they play as freshmen. Both are super athletic and excellent shooters (especially Richardson), but the minutes available could dictate whether at least one of them redshirts. Both have bright futures.
Zach Braxton is a freshman big man with a lot of potential, but again the first year impact will depend on minutes. He averaged 18 and 14 with four blocks per game last year, getting some interest from Mountain West teams. He is ready to play, but could be a redshirt candidate if they feel good about their current frontcourt rotation.
General Outlook: Weber State is again the preseason favorite, but this year, there are a lot more dissenting opinions. They need Senglin and Gittens to be able to create offense for themselves and others, or else they could have trouble getting baskets when they need them. Also, they'll be a young team - Hajek is the only senior, which is amazing for a team ranked preseason number one. They have done a great job recruiting, and they have more young talent and athleticism than anyone in the conference. How quickly those guys assume major roles will determine whether they can be back to back champions.
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Saturday, March 22, 2014
Weber State Battles, But Falls to Arizona
In the end, Weber State was not to be the first 16 seed to topple a one seed, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Wildcats of Weber State battled down to the final buzzer, losing to Arizona 68-59 to end the Big Sky season. We talked about how Arizona is possibly the best defensive team in the country - and that was shown in this game - but Weber State was not intimidated, and even managed to make things interesting down the stretch.
Weber State shot 30% from the floor, and still found a way to make Arizona sweat. They should be proud of their efforts.
Weber State got off to an early 7-0 run, but Arizona moved quickly to take back the lead, going on a 32-13 run the rest of the first half. For long stretches, Weber State was just not able to get enough buckets to stay in the game. However, they just kept attacking. Davion Berry was just 5/20 FG, but he made shots down the stretch, and stayed aggressive going to the hoop, finishing with 10 free throw attempts. It was a nice end to a great two year career in purple for him, as he was clearly not afraid of the big stage.
Another guy that showcased himself was big man Joel Bolomboy, who finished with 16 rebounds, seven of them offensive. As we have said really since he got to Weber State - his offensive game is not polished, but he is an NBA level rebounder and athlete in the frontcourt. Arizona coach Sean Miller said after the game he thought Bolomboy would be an NBA player, and it's hard to disagree.
It was an up and down year for the Big Sky, as evidenced by the 16 seed that Weber State received. However, the Wildcats represented themselves and the Big Sky well, playing a great team very tough, never backing down, and never letting up, even when the Arizona lead grew in the second half. It was a great learning experience for the young guys (Jeremy Senglin was the freshman of the year in the conference, but fellow freshman Richaud Gittens could be an all-conference player very soon), and a great showcase for the program, especially after they came up just short the last couple of seasons.
In the end, perhaps the highest praise came from Miller, who said this after the game:
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Weber State shot 30% from the floor, and still found a way to make Arizona sweat. They should be proud of their efforts.
Weber State got off to an early 7-0 run, but Arizona moved quickly to take back the lead, going on a 32-13 run the rest of the first half. For long stretches, Weber State was just not able to get enough buckets to stay in the game. However, they just kept attacking. Davion Berry was just 5/20 FG, but he made shots down the stretch, and stayed aggressive going to the hoop, finishing with 10 free throw attempts. It was a nice end to a great two year career in purple for him, as he was clearly not afraid of the big stage.
Another guy that showcased himself was big man Joel Bolomboy, who finished with 16 rebounds, seven of them offensive. As we have said really since he got to Weber State - his offensive game is not polished, but he is an NBA level rebounder and athlete in the frontcourt. Arizona coach Sean Miller said after the game he thought Bolomboy would be an NBA player, and it's hard to disagree.
It was an up and down year for the Big Sky, as evidenced by the 16 seed that Weber State received. However, the Wildcats represented themselves and the Big Sky well, playing a great team very tough, never backing down, and never letting up, even when the Arizona lead grew in the second half. It was a great learning experience for the young guys (Jeremy Senglin was the freshman of the year in the conference, but fellow freshman Richaud Gittens could be an all-conference player very soon), and a great showcase for the program, especially after they came up just short the last couple of seasons.
In the end, perhaps the highest praise came from Miller, who said this after the game:
"Weber is one of the best teams we've played all season," Miller said. "We've played some of the great teams in college basketball and I don't care what the name of their conference is or what they say on their shirt."Great game, and an excellent season for a great program.
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Top Freshmen in the Big Sky
Last year, we had a top heavy freshmen class. Guys like Venky Jois, DeWayne Russell, and Joel Bolomboy had huge impacts early. This year, no one is really putting up numbers like those guys were, but there are a ton of solid contributors who will be great players in the future in this conference. I thought about ranking them, but there's not enough separation between guys to really do rankings, because it will change a hundred times between now and the end of the season. Instead, let's take a quick look around the league at some of the freshman and what they do well, to familiarize ourselves with the next cast of Big Sky stars.
- Jeremy Senglin (Weber State) - Senglin has played a lot of minutes as a true freshman in a successful program, and has represented himself well. He has a nice outside shot (36% threes), while also showing an ability to finish and make free throws. He is a solid passer with a 17.9 A Rate, though he needs to improve to become above average as a playmaker. He takes good care of the ball for a freshman. Guys like Jordan Richardson and Davion Berry shoulder a lot of the ballhandling load, but Senglin is the next backcourt star.
- Jordan Wilson (Northern Colorado) - Wilson will be in the discussion for freshman of the year, as he has played a big role on a solid team. He keeps defenses honest with his outside shot, and has become more assertive looking for shots as the year has gone along. He does a nice job taking care of the ball and staying in control, with a 16.1 TO Rate. His quickness allows him to be a good on-ball defender, and he makes life tough for opposing PGs. As he gets more and more comfortable, he should be a star in the conference and one of the most enjoyable players to watch in the Big Sky.
- Mario Dunn (Montana) - Dunn came into the year with big hype, and he hasn't disappointed, taking on bigger and bigger importance for the Grizzlies. He doesn't shoot the ball from the outside much, and will have to work on increasing his range. However, he is a good finisher (54% on twos), and has shown a nice ability to get to the line (although he only shoots 57% on free throws). He also has the potential to be an elite defender at the Big Sky level. The talk before the year was that Montana had found their next star in Dunn, and that is not any less true halfway through the Big Sky season.
- Ognjen Miljkovic (Eastern Washington) - He missed some time at the beginning of conference play, and he was missed by the Eagles. Like other Eagles, he has range to the three-point line, and is an effective shooter for his size/position. He is also a good rebounder, grabbing 16.5% of available defensive rebounds. He is becoming a versatile offensive weapon for the Eagles, and it wouldn't surprise me if he is EWU's second leading scorer next year (after Tyler Harvey).
- Quinton Hooker (North Dakota) - Hooker is not asked to do a lot for North Dakota, but he is a solid contributor with a bright future. He needs to work on his outside shot, but he has made 17/36 from inside the arc. Like other UND players, he has been adept at forcing turnovers, with a 3.2 steal percentage, which is in the top 170 in the nation. He has also shown an ability to be a playmaker, with a solid 22.3% Assist Rate. He is a good rebounder as well for his position. His role will be much bigger next year when all the seniors graduate, and he is getting a lot of valuable experience.
- Kris Yanku (Northern Arizona) - Yanku always seems to be steady and in control, such as when he made the game-winner last Saturday. He is not a great finisher yet (he shoots 37% on his two-point attempts), and will need to get stronger to finish plays at the rim. He turns it over a bit much, but that is a problem for a lot of NAU players. However, Yanku is a playmaker, and I think he could lead the conference in assists at some point in his career. He is also a crafty defender, with a 3.0% steal percentage. He has great moxie for a freshman.
Other solid contributors:
- Richad Gittens (Weber State)
- Kyndahl Hill (Weber State)
- Eric Stuteville (Sacramento State)
- Trey Kennedy (Southern Utah)
- John Marshall (Southern Utah)
- Ako Kaluna (Northern Arizona)
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- Jeremy Senglin (Weber State) - Senglin has played a lot of minutes as a true freshman in a successful program, and has represented himself well. He has a nice outside shot (36% threes), while also showing an ability to finish and make free throws. He is a solid passer with a 17.9 A Rate, though he needs to improve to become above average as a playmaker. He takes good care of the ball for a freshman. Guys like Jordan Richardson and Davion Berry shoulder a lot of the ballhandling load, but Senglin is the next backcourt star.
- Jordan Wilson (Northern Colorado) - Wilson will be in the discussion for freshman of the year, as he has played a big role on a solid team. He keeps defenses honest with his outside shot, and has become more assertive looking for shots as the year has gone along. He does a nice job taking care of the ball and staying in control, with a 16.1 TO Rate. His quickness allows him to be a good on-ball defender, and he makes life tough for opposing PGs. As he gets more and more comfortable, he should be a star in the conference and one of the most enjoyable players to watch in the Big Sky.
- Mario Dunn (Montana) - Dunn came into the year with big hype, and he hasn't disappointed, taking on bigger and bigger importance for the Grizzlies. He doesn't shoot the ball from the outside much, and will have to work on increasing his range. However, he is a good finisher (54% on twos), and has shown a nice ability to get to the line (although he only shoots 57% on free throws). He also has the potential to be an elite defender at the Big Sky level. The talk before the year was that Montana had found their next star in Dunn, and that is not any less true halfway through the Big Sky season.
- Ognjen Miljkovic (Eastern Washington) - He missed some time at the beginning of conference play, and he was missed by the Eagles. Like other Eagles, he has range to the three-point line, and is an effective shooter for his size/position. He is also a good rebounder, grabbing 16.5% of available defensive rebounds. He is becoming a versatile offensive weapon for the Eagles, and it wouldn't surprise me if he is EWU's second leading scorer next year (after Tyler Harvey).
- Quinton Hooker (North Dakota) - Hooker is not asked to do a lot for North Dakota, but he is a solid contributor with a bright future. He needs to work on his outside shot, but he has made 17/36 from inside the arc. Like other UND players, he has been adept at forcing turnovers, with a 3.2 steal percentage, which is in the top 170 in the nation. He has also shown an ability to be a playmaker, with a solid 22.3% Assist Rate. He is a good rebounder as well for his position. His role will be much bigger next year when all the seniors graduate, and he is getting a lot of valuable experience.
- Kris Yanku (Northern Arizona) - Yanku always seems to be steady and in control, such as when he made the game-winner last Saturday. He is not a great finisher yet (he shoots 37% on his two-point attempts), and will need to get stronger to finish plays at the rim. He turns it over a bit much, but that is a problem for a lot of NAU players. However, Yanku is a playmaker, and I think he could lead the conference in assists at some point in his career. He is also a crafty defender, with a 3.0% steal percentage. He has great moxie for a freshman.
Other solid contributors:
- Richad Gittens (Weber State)
- Kyndahl Hill (Weber State)
- Eric Stuteville (Sacramento State)
- Trey Kennedy (Southern Utah)
- John Marshall (Southern Utah)
- Ako Kaluna (Northern Arizona)
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Thursday, January 9, 2014
Northern Colorado Exerts Their Will on Weber State
If Northern Colorado had merely beaten Weber State, it would have been a nice statement for them, given Weber State's recent run in the Big Sky and status as preseason favorite. However, the Bears went beyond that, really taking control almost from the outset and beating the Wildcats in all phases of the game.
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When UNC beat North Dakota, I came away impressed. After this game, it is now clear that at the current moment, the Bears are the best and deepest team in the Big Sky. It all starts with Derrick Barden, who looks like he could be the league MVP to this point. Barden had 21 points and 13 rebounds, while battling Kyle Tresnak and Joel Bolomboy all night in the post. After taking some early shots from the outside, he settled down offensively and was his typical efficient self, shooting 10/15 from the floor.
After Barden, it's a revolving door of guys that make plays when they are called on. Tim Huskisson had another nice night with 12 points, Tevin Svihovec had 15 efficient points off the bench (he is the sixth man of the year in the Big Sky), and Tate Unruh had 10. On this night, even a guy like Cody McDavis stepped up and gave them 16 really solid minutes, grabbing four rebounds, finishing a nice post move, and playing solid defense in the post. Everything that Coach BJ Hill did worked.
On Weber State's side, well, mama said there'd be days like this. It just wasn't their night. Early on, they forcefed the ball to Bolomoby and Tresnak, and had some success. Those guys had 14 of the team's 15 points, and combined for 24 points on the night (Bolomboy also grabbed 14 rebounds). However, even Tresnak, who had a nice offensive game, missed a couple bunnies that he probably makes 98 times out of 100. It was that kind of night.
In the second half, the Bears tightened up their post defense, and the Wildcats struggled to get anything going. UNC came with a lot 3/4 court pressure, and the Wildcats young guards struggled a lot with it. It is clear that Jeremy Senglin and Richaud Gittens are very talented guys, but the stage was a little too big on this night. Fortunately for them, it's only the third Big Sky game.
As of now, the Bears have established themselves as the early front-runners in the Big Sky with a great all-around performance. However, circle February 8th on your calendar - the rematch in Ogden. I think this Weber State team is going to look a lot different than the one we saw on Thursday night.
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After Barden, it's a revolving door of guys that make plays when they are called on. Tim Huskisson had another nice night with 12 points, Tevin Svihovec had 15 efficient points off the bench (he is the sixth man of the year in the Big Sky), and Tate Unruh had 10. On this night, even a guy like Cody McDavis stepped up and gave them 16 really solid minutes, grabbing four rebounds, finishing a nice post move, and playing solid defense in the post. Everything that Coach BJ Hill did worked.
In the second half, the Bears tightened up their post defense, and the Wildcats struggled to get anything going. UNC came with a lot 3/4 court pressure, and the Wildcats young guards struggled a lot with it. It is clear that Jeremy Senglin and Richaud Gittens are very talented guys, but the stage was a little too big on this night. Fortunately for them, it's only the third Big Sky game.
As of now, the Bears have established themselves as the early front-runners in the Big Sky with a great all-around performance. However, circle February 8th on your calendar - the rematch in Ogden. I think this Weber State team is going to look a lot different than the one we saw on Thursday night.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Sunday, November 17, 2013
What Happened to Weber State Against Colorado State?
When Montana lost their season opener to Minnesota, I took a look at some of their potential problems and issues, saying that while it was way too early to panic, it wasn't too early to take a look at some negative trends and potential problems areas for them. After Weber State's game on Saturday - an 88-67 loss in a game that many (myself included) thought they may be capable of winning - it's time to do the same for Weber State.
Over their first two losses, the place to start is on the defensive side of the ball. In the opener against BYU, they allowed 1.07 PPP. Against Colorado State, that number was up to (close your eyes, Weber State fans) 1.29 PPP, which is not good. Most notably, CSU shot 25/39 on two-point shots, which has to be disturbing for the Wildcats staff. It's one thing if a team catches fire from deep, but the way the Rams physically dominated the game is disconcerting, to say the last.
CSU scored 44 of their 88 points in the paint, led by JJ Avila, who scored 30 points, going 10/19 from the floor (9/13 inside the arc) and 9/9 from the free throw line. Center Gerson Santo was also 5/5 from the floor, as the Rams got almost anything they wanted.
Weber was great at stopping the three-ball last year, and surprisingly (with the results of their two games), they have actually been excellent in that area so far this year, with their two opponents hitting 8/26 from downtown in the two games. One thing the Wildcats are not doing is forcing turnovers. BYU had seven turnovers, while CSU only had 4. Not forcing turnovers and allowing opponents good looks have been the big areas of concern defensively.
Offensively, Davion Berry has struggled a bit (2/10 against CSU), but he will be fine. Probably the biggest concern has been Jordan Richardson at the two guard, as he has struggled in his transition to that role. It's only two games, but he has seven points in 57 minutes, and has two made field goals this season. That spot was occupied by Scott Bamforth last season, and it's been a big drop-off so far. Again, Richardson has a good track record of being a good player, but they need him to grow into that role during the non-conference season, as Jeremy Senglin seems to have entrenched himself as the point guard.
Like Montana last week, it's obviously far too early to panic (and Montana followed up a rough opening game with an impressive road win over South Dakota State), but these are definitely areas of concern for Weber State. They will have plenty of things to work on before the home opener against Utah State on November 26.
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Over their first two losses, the place to start is on the defensive side of the ball. In the opener against BYU, they allowed 1.07 PPP. Against Colorado State, that number was up to (close your eyes, Weber State fans) 1.29 PPP, which is not good. Most notably, CSU shot 25/39 on two-point shots, which has to be disturbing for the Wildcats staff. It's one thing if a team catches fire from deep, but the way the Rams physically dominated the game is disconcerting, to say the last.
CSU scored 44 of their 88 points in the paint, led by JJ Avila, who scored 30 points, going 10/19 from the floor (9/13 inside the arc) and 9/9 from the free throw line. Center Gerson Santo was also 5/5 from the floor, as the Rams got almost anything they wanted.
Weber was great at stopping the three-ball last year, and surprisingly (with the results of their two games), they have actually been excellent in that area so far this year, with their two opponents hitting 8/26 from downtown in the two games. One thing the Wildcats are not doing is forcing turnovers. BYU had seven turnovers, while CSU only had 4. Not forcing turnovers and allowing opponents good looks have been the big areas of concern defensively.
Offensively, Davion Berry has struggled a bit (2/10 against CSU), but he will be fine. Probably the biggest concern has been Jordan Richardson at the two guard, as he has struggled in his transition to that role. It's only two games, but he has seven points in 57 minutes, and has two made field goals this season. That spot was occupied by Scott Bamforth last season, and it's been a big drop-off so far. Again, Richardson has a good track record of being a good player, but they need him to grow into that role during the non-conference season, as Jeremy Senglin seems to have entrenched himself as the point guard.
Like Montana last week, it's obviously far too early to panic (and Montana followed up a rough opening game with an impressive road win over South Dakota State), but these are definitely areas of concern for Weber State. They will have plenty of things to work on before the home opener against Utah State on November 26.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Gelaun Wheelwright Will Reportedly Transfer From Weber State
Weber State was dealt a big blow when it was announced that junior guard Gelaun Wheelwright would be transferring from the Wildcats.
Wheelwright originally committed to USC before coming to Weber State. He had his ups and downs over the first two years of his career, but he looked to be a good bet to start the next couple of years in the backcourt. He was lacking in polish, but had excellent physical skills - he was perhaps the fastest player in the Big Sky. With that in mind, it seems like Weber State was the ideal spot for him - they developed Damian Lillard into a national star, and Jordan Richardson into one of the best PGs in the conference.
Arguably, there are few better spots to become a better PG, but it just never clicked for Wheelwright to become a star that his talent suggested he may be.
Last year, he shot 51.5% from twos and 33% from downtown, but struggled with ball security and initiating the offense. He had an assist rate of 13.4 and TO Rate of 27.3. While he has the size for the one, he was more of an undersized two guard.
His absence poses some interesting questions and thoughts for Weber State.
First is, who starts next to Jordan Richardson in the backcourt? Of the returners, Royce Williams seems like he could handle more minutes. In limited time last season, he was an efficient offensive scorer, shooting 50% both inside and outside the arc. Another option could see the Wildcats going big, with a lineup like:
PG Jordan Richardson
SG Davion Berry
SF Kyndahl Hill
PF Joel Bolomboy
C Kyle Tresnak
The amount of length and athleticism on that roster would be ridiculous.
In my opinion, the most intriguing option would have freshman Jeremy Senglin starting at the two guard, as there has been nothing but great things said about him. I suspect he will have a great chance at the starting spot if he has a great fall. Though with the lack of depth that this may cause, it may be better to have Senglin off the bench.
The second question is - who handles the ball when Richardson is out? There is no natural backup PG on the roster now, which is a concern this year and in the future for the Wildcats. Davion Berry is a guy that will probably be handling the ball a lot more this season.
In the end, it seemed like Wheelwright was coming into a great situation, but things never clicked 100%. At times, it seemed like he wanted to do his own thing, or make the fancy play rather than the simple one. However, he's very talented, and his absence will test the great depth the Wildcats would have enjoyed. It's not an insurmountable loss, but it's a blow for Randy Rahe.
Thoughts?
EDIT: Per Roy Burton, Coach Randy Rahe said, "We both decided it was time for (Wheelwright) to have a change of environment and move on to a different situation.”
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@_shawnyBOY yeah
— GeLaun Wheelwright (@WebState0) September 4, 2013
Wheelwright originally committed to USC before coming to Weber State. He had his ups and downs over the first two years of his career, but he looked to be a good bet to start the next couple of years in the backcourt. He was lacking in polish, but had excellent physical skills - he was perhaps the fastest player in the Big Sky. With that in mind, it seems like Weber State was the ideal spot for him - they developed Damian Lillard into a national star, and Jordan Richardson into one of the best PGs in the conference.
Arguably, there are few better spots to become a better PG, but it just never clicked for Wheelwright to become a star that his talent suggested he may be.
Last year, he shot 51.5% from twos and 33% from downtown, but struggled with ball security and initiating the offense. He had an assist rate of 13.4 and TO Rate of 27.3. While he has the size for the one, he was more of an undersized two guard.
His absence poses some interesting questions and thoughts for Weber State.
First is, who starts next to Jordan Richardson in the backcourt? Of the returners, Royce Williams seems like he could handle more minutes. In limited time last season, he was an efficient offensive scorer, shooting 50% both inside and outside the arc. Another option could see the Wildcats going big, with a lineup like:
PG Jordan Richardson
SG Davion Berry
SF Kyndahl Hill
PF Joel Bolomboy
C Kyle Tresnak
The amount of length and athleticism on that roster would be ridiculous.
In my opinion, the most intriguing option would have freshman Jeremy Senglin starting at the two guard, as there has been nothing but great things said about him. I suspect he will have a great chance at the starting spot if he has a great fall. Though with the lack of depth that this may cause, it may be better to have Senglin off the bench.
The second question is - who handles the ball when Richardson is out? There is no natural backup PG on the roster now, which is a concern this year and in the future for the Wildcats. Davion Berry is a guy that will probably be handling the ball a lot more this season.
In the end, it seemed like Wheelwright was coming into a great situation, but things never clicked 100%. At times, it seemed like he wanted to do his own thing, or make the fancy play rather than the simple one. However, he's very talented, and his absence will test the great depth the Wildcats would have enjoyed. It's not an insurmountable loss, but it's a blow for Randy Rahe.
Thoughts?
EDIT: Per Roy Burton, Coach Randy Rahe said, "We both decided it was time for (Wheelwright) to have a change of environment and move on to a different situation.”
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Friday, September 14, 2012
Weber State Gets Verbal Commit From Jeremy Senglin
Weber State already secured a nice commitment from Richaud Gittens, and now they can add someone else into their future backcourt. As first seen on the twitter account of Eric Bossi, they got a commitment from Jeremy Senglin, a 6'2'' guard out of Texas.
Senglin is billed as a great shooter, but he is not exactly lacking in the athleticism department. While not elite, he will be plenty athletic for the Big Sky. Check out the dunk at the beginning of this video sent to me from The Upset:
He looks from this seat that he has the potential to be a star in the Big Sky.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Weber State getting it done. Arlington (Texas) Bowie shooting guard Jeremy Senglin committed today. He's a shooter with deep range.I am told that the other teams in Senglin's top 6 were Nebraska, TCU, Tulsa, Richmond, and Tulane, and that Colorado State was in the mix as well. That is a couple BCS schools, as well as schools like Richmond and CSU that have had a lot of success recently. This makes it an impressive coup for Randy Rahe and staff, similar to their signing of Joel Bolomboy in the class of 2012. Simply put, Weber State seems to be recruiting a different caliber of athlete from the rest of the Big Sky right now.
— Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops) September 14, 2012
Senglin is billed as a great shooter, but he is not exactly lacking in the athleticism department. While not elite, he will be plenty athletic for the Big Sky. Check out the dunk at the beginning of this video sent to me from The Upset:
He looks from this seat that he has the potential to be a star in the Big Sky.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
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