After taking a look at the teams on Monday, let's take a closer look at the players that could make up awards teams and award winners, as we head into conference play. These are my predictions for the first two all-conference teams.
First Team:
- Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington - As we enter Big Sky play, Harvey looks like the favorite for the POY. He plays for the best team, and he has continued right where he left off last year as a dynamic scorer. He is averaging 22.8 PPG, but that only tells a little bit of the story. He is shooting a touch under 50% from three point range on the year, and doing it in nine attempts per game, which is almost ridiculous. He takes great care of the ball, and scores efficiently inside the arc as well. He is a star.
- Mikh McKinney, Sacramento State - I give him the slight nod over Garrity because he does more things well. He is a good distributor, and he is third in the league in Assist Rate. He has shot over 60% on two-pointers, and is a good enough outside shooter to keep you honest. He has also been a menace defensively, with the second best steal rate in the nation, swiping the ball 3.3 times per game.
- Venky Jois, Eastern Washington - Jois has cooled down a little after a scorching start, but he has shown a lot of improvement this year, averaging 19 and 8 per game. He is shooting over 60% from the floor, and has gotten better from the stripe. Though the total rebound number is a little inflated due to the fast pace of EWU, he is a good rebounder, and one of the best shot blockers in the conference. Jois does it all for the Eagles.
- Martin Breunig, Montana - Before the year, an insider told me that Breunig would be the best big man in the conference, and so far you could make the argument that is the case. His raw numbers of 16.7 PPG/6.4 RPG aren't as high as Jois, but he has been very good. He is shooting 64% from the floor, and 74% from the line. He's helped to turn around a lot of the rebounding troubles the Grizzlies have had the past couple years, and can block some shots as well. Foul trouble has limited his minutes quite a bit, but when he is on the floor, he's as good as any big man in the conference.
- Joel Bolomboy, Weber State - He hasn't been the offensive player we wanted him to be yet, shooting 44% on two-pointers against DI competition (he has feasted in two games against non-DI opponents), and hasn't rebounded it quite as well as his otherworldy rate from last year. But he still has the talent level to do that, and it should come together as the year goes on. No big man can match his athletic prowess.
Second Team:
- Dylan Garrity, Sacramento State - Garrity has really evolved in his career, but a playmaking freshman who led the conference in assists, into a senior who has to be one of the most feared shooters in the nation. He is a lethal weapon from the outside. He falls to the second team here because he has become more of simply a shooting specialist then he was in the past, but he could climb up to the first team.
- Mike Scott, Idaho - I have talked a lot about Scott this year, and he is a guy that has been efficient scoring 15.5 PPG (shooting 44% from three), while being one of the best distributors in the conference. He is second in the Big Sky in Assist Rate, which he has done while maintaining a minuscule turnover rate. He has been the most improved player in the conference.
- Drew Brandon, Eastern Washington - Brandon is the often forgotten third cog for EWU, a PG who does it all. Though not a great scorer (though he has been very efficient when he hasn't been shooting threes), he also averages 7 RPG from the PG position. Jim Hayford's offense needs a good PG, and Brandon has been that guy this year.
- Quinton Upshur, Northern Arizona - It's reasonable to wonder if we saw Upshur's peak last year, but he is a very productive guy that is capable of carrying their offense in some situations. Though not shooting the ball quite as well as last year, he gets a lot of respect from deep. One thing that could help him is if he can get a little better at the line, where is shooting just 59% this year, baffling for a guy with his shooting ability.
- Dominique Lee, Northern Colorado - Lee was excellent in a reserve role last year, but has been even better with increased minutes so far this year. He is super efficient, and has put up better rebounding numbers than anyone in the conference. He is a guy that brings a lot to the table, but doesn't take much off. He has to play the five spot more than you would like, but that doesn't diminish how good he has been.
Let's hear any snubs or your thoughts...
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Showing posts with label Joel Bolomboy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joel Bolomboy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Pre-Thanksgiving Big Sky Notes
This past week has been a busy one at work followed by an unexpected trip for a family matter, so even though I have been following the games and happenings, I haven't had the chance to write about them recently. So this will more or less be a random dump of some Big Sky thoughts.
- If all you knew about the Big Sky was what has happened so far this season, Eastern Washington looks like the best team in the land so far (which KenPom rankings also bear out).
After their opening win against Texas Southern, they crushed Utah Valley (a game they should win, but it was impressive how they won), and then on Saturday they hung in there on the road against #22 SMU. They hung with SMU despite shooting just 11/36 from downtown, and making just 7/15 FT's (in fairness, Veky Jois was 2/7 at the line, and he does not excel there). It is too early to make any definitive conclusions, but their offense looks as good as neutral observers hoped it would be.
- Montana State went on the road to play #1 Kentucky, and the result was even worse than you would expect. The Bobcats went into Rupp Arena and lost 86-28. Some of the more staggering numbers: The Bobcats shot 19.7% for the day, including 10/38 from two, and 2/23 from downtown. They were just 2/2 from the foul line. They turned the ball over 21 times, and scored 0.40 PPP. Joey Frenchwood led the team in scoring... with 7 points.
It was ugly all-around. Kentucky is a great team, and they could have the best chance of going undefeated that anyone has had in college basketball in many, many years. Brian Fish after the game said it was the best team he had scouted in 25 years of coaching. Against a young and rebuilding MSU team, clearly this was as big of a talent mismatch as you'll see between two DI programs. But I all that said, I am sure the Bobcats would like to get the taste of this game out of their mouth as soon as possible.
- Weber State has played a tough schedule, so there is no need to panic about a 1-3 start (indeed, they started 0-3 last season), but there are some discouraging signs below the surface. We knew that they could struggle to handle the ball, and that is exactly what has happened, as they are 340th in the nation in turnover rate. The biggest offender has been PG Jeremy Senglin, who has a staggering 40.1 TO Rate, and 18 TOs against three DI teams. Backup PG, freshman Hayden Hunter, had a 28.3 Assist Rate (good), but a 58.3 TO Rate (very, very bad). These guys are talented, and they will figure some things out... but the early guard play has been disappointing.
- One thing for Weber which has not been disappointing is Joel Bolomboy, who has been putting up huge numbers. While his FG percentages are down so far, he has been getting to the line often, and hitting them. He was 14/15 against Illinois State, and 7/8 against LSU. If he is doing this against non-conference opponents, they have to be excited to see what he will do against Big Sky big men.
- Northern Arizona is also 1-3, but other than a 33 point loss to Xavier (who, to be fair, is an NCAA Tournament team), they have played well. They lost to Toledo, but that looks better after the Rockets went toe to toe on the road with VCU and Oregon. They pounded Fresno State, and then lost 80-74 to Ole Miss on the road. Junior guard Jaleni Neely has been solid for them in the backcourt, and looks to be a nice piece for them. I will be writing more about some Big Sky newcomers hopefully early in the week.
- After a tough opener, Montana bounced back and took Boise State to double OT, and then went on the road to beat Seattle. Stats were not in for the Seattle game at the time of this writing, but Martin Breunig flashed some of his talent in the game against Boise State. Though he again had some foul trouble, he was 7/8 from the floor and had 16 points in 24 minutes, also grabbing nine rebounds. The Grizzlies will be an interesting sleeper.
- Southern Utah is winless, but they have showed some offensive punch so far, and showing that they may be trying to play at a much faster pace. Through three games, they are 29th in the country in pace, as they try and jumpstart an offense that struggled mightily last year. In a close loss to Utah Valley, SUU had 11 different players score. They are trying some things out, and I think they will be better for it in the long run.
- North Dakota lost a nailbiter to South Dakota State on the road, which is a good sign for them. In Estan Tyler's first game for them, he scored 17 points on 6/10 shooting and 5/7 FT. He has the potential to be a very good scorer for them. It's only been three games, but UND has looked a little better than I thought they might, which is encouraging.
- Idaho has been playing very good offensive basketball so far, and one reason for it is Mike Scott, who has stepped into the starting lineup and played three excellent games so far. Thus far, he is 16/27 from the field, and has 14 assists to one turnover. While he can't keep those numbers up, he looks like a real asset for them, and forms a really nice backcourt along with Sekou Wiggs (also off to a good start) and Connor Hill. The Vandals will score a lot of points this year.
I know I couldn't quite touch on everybody... but what else has stuck out early on in this season?
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- If all you knew about the Big Sky was what has happened so far this season, Eastern Washington looks like the best team in the land so far (which KenPom rankings also bear out).
After their opening win against Texas Southern, they crushed Utah Valley (a game they should win, but it was impressive how they won), and then on Saturday they hung in there on the road against #22 SMU. They hung with SMU despite shooting just 11/36 from downtown, and making just 7/15 FT's (in fairness, Veky Jois was 2/7 at the line, and he does not excel there). It is too early to make any definitive conclusions, but their offense looks as good as neutral observers hoped it would be.
- Montana State went on the road to play #1 Kentucky, and the result was even worse than you would expect. The Bobcats went into Rupp Arena and lost 86-28. Some of the more staggering numbers: The Bobcats shot 19.7% for the day, including 10/38 from two, and 2/23 from downtown. They were just 2/2 from the foul line. They turned the ball over 21 times, and scored 0.40 PPP. Joey Frenchwood led the team in scoring... with 7 points.
It was ugly all-around. Kentucky is a great team, and they could have the best chance of going undefeated that anyone has had in college basketball in many, many years. Brian Fish after the game said it was the best team he had scouted in 25 years of coaching. Against a young and rebuilding MSU team, clearly this was as big of a talent mismatch as you'll see between two DI programs. But I all that said, I am sure the Bobcats would like to get the taste of this game out of their mouth as soon as possible.
- Weber State has played a tough schedule, so there is no need to panic about a 1-3 start (indeed, they started 0-3 last season), but there are some discouraging signs below the surface. We knew that they could struggle to handle the ball, and that is exactly what has happened, as they are 340th in the nation in turnover rate. The biggest offender has been PG Jeremy Senglin, who has a staggering 40.1 TO Rate, and 18 TOs against three DI teams. Backup PG, freshman Hayden Hunter, had a 28.3 Assist Rate (good), but a 58.3 TO Rate (very, very bad). These guys are talented, and they will figure some things out... but the early guard play has been disappointing.
- One thing for Weber which has not been disappointing is Joel Bolomboy, who has been putting up huge numbers. While his FG percentages are down so far, he has been getting to the line often, and hitting them. He was 14/15 against Illinois State, and 7/8 against LSU. If he is doing this against non-conference opponents, they have to be excited to see what he will do against Big Sky big men.
- Northern Arizona is also 1-3, but other than a 33 point loss to Xavier (who, to be fair, is an NCAA Tournament team), they have played well. They lost to Toledo, but that looks better after the Rockets went toe to toe on the road with VCU and Oregon. They pounded Fresno State, and then lost 80-74 to Ole Miss on the road. Junior guard Jaleni Neely has been solid for them in the backcourt, and looks to be a nice piece for them. I will be writing more about some Big Sky newcomers hopefully early in the week.
- After a tough opener, Montana bounced back and took Boise State to double OT, and then went on the road to beat Seattle. Stats were not in for the Seattle game at the time of this writing, but Martin Breunig flashed some of his talent in the game against Boise State. Though he again had some foul trouble, he was 7/8 from the floor and had 16 points in 24 minutes, also grabbing nine rebounds. The Grizzlies will be an interesting sleeper.
- Southern Utah is winless, but they have showed some offensive punch so far, and showing that they may be trying to play at a much faster pace. Through three games, they are 29th in the country in pace, as they try and jumpstart an offense that struggled mightily last year. In a close loss to Utah Valley, SUU had 11 different players score. They are trying some things out, and I think they will be better for it in the long run.
- North Dakota lost a nailbiter to South Dakota State on the road, which is a good sign for them. In Estan Tyler's first game for them, he scored 17 points on 6/10 shooting and 5/7 FT. He has the potential to be a very good scorer for them. It's only been three games, but UND has looked a little better than I thought they might, which is encouraging.
- Idaho has been playing very good offensive basketball so far, and one reason for it is Mike Scott, who has stepped into the starting lineup and played three excellent games so far. Thus far, he is 16/27 from the field, and has 14 assists to one turnover. While he can't keep those numbers up, he looks like a real asset for them, and forms a really nice backcourt along with Sekou Wiggs (also off to a good start) and Connor Hill. The Vandals will score a lot of points this year.
I know I couldn't quite touch on everybody... but what else has stuck out early on in this season?
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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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Friday, March 21, 2014
What Can Weber State Do To Have a Chance?
Obviously, you know that a 16 seed has never beaten a 1 seed. The odds are not just stacked against Weber State, they would have to make history to advance and beat Arizona. On paper, certainly, Arizona is the heavy favorite, but that's why they play the games. Here are some keys for the game that would help give Weber State a puncher's chance:
- Make outside shots - This is key for anyone trying to pull off a big upset - you have to be able to hit shots. Arizona is perhaps the best defensive team in the country - you are not going to break them down and get to the rim. Weber State is a very athletic team, but Arizona is even more athletic. Teams shoot 40.5% on twos against Arizona, second lowest rate in the country. To have a shot, Weber needs to make some threes, and they do have the shooters to be able to do that.
- Force Arizona bigs into foul trouble - Without Brandon Ashley, Arizona is perhaps most susceptible if you can get their big men into foul trouble (especially Kaleb Tarczewski and Aaron Gordon). Weber is a good team at drawing fouls, especially Davion Berry. I know I said they need to make a lot of threes, but they could also benefit from Berry trying to get to the rim, and ideally forcing some fouls.
- Don't let Arizona get second chance shots - Weber State is not a team that forces turnovers, and that will not change today.But, they are a good defensive rebounding team, and that trait needs to hold today. Once they force a miss, they HAVE to get the defensive rebound - you can't give up free baskets to teams as good as Arizona. Joel Bolomboy is one of the best rebounders in the nation, and he'll have to show it today.
- Survive the first ten minutes - I know that Weber State is confident they can go in there and shock the world - you simply wouldn't be a competitor if you didn't believe that no matter the odds. But if Arizona gets off to a big start right away, some of that belief could fade a little bit. They have to start out strong, and be at least even or close to it after the first ten minutes. Build up a little momentum, and the crowd will be on your side, at least the neutral fans that are in the house.
That is the anatomy of a Weber State upset. Ken Pomeroy's odds give them a 4% chance to win the game. If they are going to shock the world, these four keys will likely be a big part of it.
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- Make outside shots - This is key for anyone trying to pull off a big upset - you have to be able to hit shots. Arizona is perhaps the best defensive team in the country - you are not going to break them down and get to the rim. Weber State is a very athletic team, but Arizona is even more athletic. Teams shoot 40.5% on twos against Arizona, second lowest rate in the country. To have a shot, Weber needs to make some threes, and they do have the shooters to be able to do that.
- Force Arizona bigs into foul trouble - Without Brandon Ashley, Arizona is perhaps most susceptible if you can get their big men into foul trouble (especially Kaleb Tarczewski and Aaron Gordon). Weber is a good team at drawing fouls, especially Davion Berry. I know I said they need to make a lot of threes, but they could also benefit from Berry trying to get to the rim, and ideally forcing some fouls.
- Don't let Arizona get second chance shots - Weber State is not a team that forces turnovers, and that will not change today.But, they are a good defensive rebounding team, and that trait needs to hold today. Once they force a miss, they HAVE to get the defensive rebound - you can't give up free baskets to teams as good as Arizona. Joel Bolomboy is one of the best rebounders in the nation, and he'll have to show it today.
- Survive the first ten minutes - I know that Weber State is confident they can go in there and shock the world - you simply wouldn't be a competitor if you didn't believe that no matter the odds. But if Arizona gets off to a big start right away, some of that belief could fade a little bit. They have to start out strong, and be at least even or close to it after the first ten minutes. Build up a little momentum, and the crowd will be on your side, at least the neutral fans that are in the house.
That is the anatomy of a Weber State upset. Ken Pomeroy's odds give them a 4% chance to win the game. If they are going to shock the world, these four keys will likely be a big part of it.
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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.
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Friday, October 11, 2013
Potential Breakout Sophomores in the Big Sky
Each year, I like to take a look at the potential breakout sophomores in the Big Sky. I think I had solid success last year, but let's take a look at this year's crop.
The fact that DeWayne Russell (Northern Arizona) and Venky Jois (Eastern Washington) aren't on this list is a compliment to them, because they have already established themselves. Jois led the conference in rebounding, and Russell was the #2 option for NAU last season. Both these guys can play at a very high level.
Joel Bolomboy (Weber State)
You might be wondering why he doesn't fall in with Russell and Jois, since he ranked fourth in the conference in rebounding last season. Simply put, I think Bolomboy has just scratched the surface of his potential, and think he will even be a lot better this season than he was last year. Last year, he has a 15.1 OR% and 24.1 DR%, making him one of the best rebounders in the country. He shot 58% from the field, and that was without a post game, just mainly on putbacks or lobs. His 7.4 Block % was in the top 100 in the country. With an expanded role this year, he could challenge the nation lead for rebounding, while doubling his scoring average. I'm not sure that's out of the question.
Andy Martin (Montana)
In a perfect world, Martin would have redshirted last year, but the Grizzlies were so thin upfront that they needed him. While he lost a year of eligiblity, he did gain a year of experience playing, and that should serve him well this year. Eric Hutchison may be the nominal starter for the Grizzlies at center, but Martin is the guy with the higher ceiling and should be the better player by the end of the year. He posted an excellent block percentage, and shot an encouraging 80% from the line (in only 24 attempts). He looked clumsy at times last year, and he needs to add some bulk, but he has a good skillset, and should be much improved as a sophomore.
Marcus Colbert (Montana State)
Colbert was one of my favorite players to watch last year, because he was a freshman PG that played like he was an upperclassmen. He needs to improve in taking care of the ball and being more efficient inside the arc, but he does a lot of things well. He shot 40% from three-point land last year, had a solid assist rate for a freshman, and was good on the defensive end. I'm not sure he'll ever be an all-conference guy, but he will be a solid player for the Bobcats for four years.
AJ Hess (Southern Utah)
I talked a bit about him earlier this week, but he is someone that SUU will be relying on heavily. He could be their #1 scoring option, which will be a big step up. The tools are there - he is 6'6'', can shoot from the outside, and gained confidence as the year went along. He posted a 103.2 ORtg last year, now it will be interesting to see if he can keep that up with more minutes and more responsibility.
Tyler Harvey (Eastern Washington)
Harvey was one of the big surprises in the Big Sky last year. He wasn't expected to contribute that much, and he didn't at the start of the season. For the year, he played just 23.4% of the team's minutes. However, the last 6-8 games of the year he played a ton (in their final four games, he played an average of a shade under 38 minutes per game), and he responded well. In fact, he was sensational down the stretch. He shot 60% from twos, 43% from threes, and had a 26.3 ARate. Can he keep that up over a full year when teams will be expecting him? If he can, he's an all-conference guy.
Just missed:
- Shane Benton (North Dakota) - He simply won't have a chance this year, with all the guys in front of him. He should figure prominently for UND next year, if only because so many in front of him will be graduating.
- Danny Robison (Montana State) - I like him. He had solid numbers in his limited minutes, but I think he needs some more polish before he gets consistent minutes.
- Jordyn Martin (Northern Arizona) - He rebounded well last year, but has a way to go offensively. With so many new faces around NAU, I'm not sure he'll get enough minutes to really breakout.
- Cody Demps (Sacramento State) - He showed glimpses last year, but not quite enough to make the list. The coaches speak very highly of him though, so this could be a miss on my part.
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The fact that DeWayne Russell (Northern Arizona) and Venky Jois (Eastern Washington) aren't on this list is a compliment to them, because they have already established themselves. Jois led the conference in rebounding, and Russell was the #2 option for NAU last season. Both these guys can play at a very high level.
Joel Bolomboy (Weber State)
You might be wondering why he doesn't fall in with Russell and Jois, since he ranked fourth in the conference in rebounding last season. Simply put, I think Bolomboy has just scratched the surface of his potential, and think he will even be a lot better this season than he was last year. Last year, he has a 15.1 OR% and 24.1 DR%, making him one of the best rebounders in the country. He shot 58% from the field, and that was without a post game, just mainly on putbacks or lobs. His 7.4 Block % was in the top 100 in the country. With an expanded role this year, he could challenge the nation lead for rebounding, while doubling his scoring average. I'm not sure that's out of the question.
Andy Martin (Montana)
In a perfect world, Martin would have redshirted last year, but the Grizzlies were so thin upfront that they needed him. While he lost a year of eligiblity, he did gain a year of experience playing, and that should serve him well this year. Eric Hutchison may be the nominal starter for the Grizzlies at center, but Martin is the guy with the higher ceiling and should be the better player by the end of the year. He posted an excellent block percentage, and shot an encouraging 80% from the line (in only 24 attempts). He looked clumsy at times last year, and he needs to add some bulk, but he has a good skillset, and should be much improved as a sophomore.
Marcus Colbert (Montana State)
Colbert was one of my favorite players to watch last year, because he was a freshman PG that played like he was an upperclassmen. He needs to improve in taking care of the ball and being more efficient inside the arc, but he does a lot of things well. He shot 40% from three-point land last year, had a solid assist rate for a freshman, and was good on the defensive end. I'm not sure he'll ever be an all-conference guy, but he will be a solid player for the Bobcats for four years.
AJ Hess (Southern Utah)
I talked a bit about him earlier this week, but he is someone that SUU will be relying on heavily. He could be their #1 scoring option, which will be a big step up. The tools are there - he is 6'6'', can shoot from the outside, and gained confidence as the year went along. He posted a 103.2 ORtg last year, now it will be interesting to see if he can keep that up with more minutes and more responsibility.
Tyler Harvey (Eastern Washington)
Harvey was one of the big surprises in the Big Sky last year. He wasn't expected to contribute that much, and he didn't at the start of the season. For the year, he played just 23.4% of the team's minutes. However, the last 6-8 games of the year he played a ton (in their final four games, he played an average of a shade under 38 minutes per game), and he responded well. In fact, he was sensational down the stretch. He shot 60% from twos, 43% from threes, and had a 26.3 ARate. Can he keep that up over a full year when teams will be expecting him? If he can, he's an all-conference guy.
Just missed:
- Shane Benton (North Dakota) - He simply won't have a chance this year, with all the guys in front of him. He should figure prominently for UND next year, if only because so many in front of him will be graduating.
- Danny Robison (Montana State) - I like him. He had solid numbers in his limited minutes, but I think he needs some more polish before he gets consistent minutes.
- Jordyn Martin (Northern Arizona) - He rebounded well last year, but has a way to go offensively. With so many new faces around NAU, I'm not sure he'll get enough minutes to really breakout.
- Cody Demps (Sacramento State) - He showed glimpses last year, but not quite enough to make the list. The coaches speak very highly of him though, so this could be a miss on my part.
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Friday, March 15, 2013
Weber State Wins in the Best Big Sky Game of the Year
Our dream Big Sky finals matchup awaits us: Montana vs Weber State, part 3. How did they get there? On Friday night, the road wasn't as easy as some might have expected, especially for Weber State.
In one of the most exciting games of the Big Sky season, Weber State clawed back from a 12 point second half deficit to beat North Dakota 76-74 and clinch their spot in the Big Sky championship. It was everything you would want in a game of this magnitute. North Dakota played their best game of the year, but just couldn't pull it out, thanks to Weber State making a ton of plays down the stretch, as you would expect them to do.
UND pulled up 52-40 at the 17 minute mark, though you need the Wildcats would not go away. That they did not was in large part due to the play of Davion Berry and freshman Joel Bolomboy. To me, Bolomboy was the player of the game. He had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks, continually making an impact on both ends of the court. He showed more post moves than he has all season, and showed more of the potential that he has hinted at this year. He was outstanding.
Berry paced the Wildcats with 25 points, though he was just 7/19 from the floor. He attacked relentlessly, earning himself 12 trips to the free throw line. He also pulled down six rebounds.
In the last minute and a half, though, it was neither of those guys making the big plays for Weber State. Scott Bamforth had a quiet 10 points before hitting a corner three to tie the game late. That was just a senior making a huge shot when his team needed it the most. Then, on the Wildcats last possession, with the game tied at 74, they went inside to Kyle Tresnak, who had a nice baby hook for what wound up being the game-winner. Tresnak played 18 minutes because of foul trouble, but he was the man that Randy Rahe trusted with the final shot, and he delivered.
North Dakota certainly has nothing to hang their heads about, as they gave a really good team everything they could handle and then some. Troy Huff led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, getting a head start on his 2014 Big Sky POY campaign. He was seemingly everywhere. Guys like Aaron Anderson, Brandon Brekke, Mitch Willmer, and Jamal Webb also had solid games, but UND just wasn't able to finish it out. They turned it over just five times in the game, but struggled to get good looks at times in the second half, with a lot of credit for that going to WSU.
North Dakota finishes the year at 16-16, though there is a chance they could make it into a small tournament. Weber State moves to 26-5 as they prepare for the Big Sky title bout.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Freshman Joel Bolomboy Is One Of Country's Top 3 Rebounders
We knew that Joel Bolomboy of Weber State was going to be good coming out of high school. He had offers from schools such as New Mexico and Texas A&M, so obviously he had the talent to excel at the Big Sky level. When he signed, I wrote: "He is athletic and has a long wing span (which is a bit of a cliche, but still worth mentioning) and a quick jump, which allows him to be a solid shot blocker. He is still developing there, and could be a force on the glass and defensively inside for Weber State."
Still, I had no idea he was going to be this good, this quickly. As a freshman coming off the bench, all he has done is average 8.2 rebounds per game (in 22.2 minutes - he is third in the Big Sky in rebounds per game), and have one of the top three rebounding rates in all of college basketball.
Here are the top five rates, as of Wednesday night:
A couple notes...
1) Kevin Hill is leading the country, but he plays 10.9 minutes per game. Of the top five, Bolomboy is second in minutes per game (far away trailing Cooley in that category).
2) According to KenPom's numbers, Bolomboy is 18th in OR%, and 8th in DR%. Only two other players crack the top 20 in both categories (and neither of them is Cooley... who is the best offensive rebounder in the country but 26th in DR%).
3) Again, Bolomboy is a true freshman whose game could still be described as raw. But he has insane leaping ability (just watch any of his putback dunks), and seems to have a knack for going up to get the rebound right after it comes off the rim. When I saw him in person, I noticed that most of his rebounds seemed to come at the rim, meaning he wasn't letting the ball come down to let anyone else get it. This is what makes him such a terrific rebounder.
There is a lot to like about his game. He shoots 55% from the field and blocks a bunch of shots (his 7.7% block rate is top 100 in the country)... but he stands out because when it comes to rebounding, there are few players in the entire country that can match Joel Bolomboy.
* Thanks to Nathan Walker for the link.
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Still, I had no idea he was going to be this good, this quickly. As a freshman coming off the bench, all he has done is average 8.2 rebounds per game (in 22.2 minutes - he is third in the Big Sky in rebounds per game), and have one of the top three rebounding rates in all of college basketball.
Here are the top five rates, as of Wednesday night:
A couple notes...
1) Kevin Hill is leading the country, but he plays 10.9 minutes per game. Of the top five, Bolomboy is second in minutes per game (far away trailing Cooley in that category).
2) According to KenPom's numbers, Bolomboy is 18th in OR%, and 8th in DR%. Only two other players crack the top 20 in both categories (and neither of them is Cooley... who is the best offensive rebounder in the country but 26th in DR%).
3) Again, Bolomboy is a true freshman whose game could still be described as raw. But he has insane leaping ability (just watch any of his putback dunks), and seems to have a knack for going up to get the rebound right after it comes off the rim. When I saw him in person, I noticed that most of his rebounds seemed to come at the rim, meaning he wasn't letting the ball come down to let anyone else get it. This is what makes him such a terrific rebounder.
There is a lot to like about his game. He shoots 55% from the field and blocks a bunch of shots (his 7.7% block rate is top 100 in the country)... but he stands out because when it comes to rebounding, there are few players in the entire country that can match Joel Bolomboy.
* Thanks to Nathan Walker for the link.
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Monday, January 21, 2013
Big Sky Freshmen Rankings
Normally, there might be a few freshmen that earn enough time to make a significant impact, and usually they are guards. Last year, the three freshmen with the biggest impact were Dylan Garrity of Sacramento State, James Douglas of Northern Arizona, and Tevin Svihovec of Northern Colorado.
This year, there are four guys that stand out as having a big impact, and two of them are freshmen. What's more, the big men are really good, and at least a couple of the freshmen have a chance to be all-conference players. The top three in particular you could put in any order and be able to make a case. Further, a freshman leads the conference in scoring, rebounding (Jois and Bolomboy are one and two), blocked shots, and second in steals. The guys up top are having great seasons.
Let's rank them.
1. Venky Jois (Eastern Washington) - 13.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 BPG
All he has done so far in his first season is shoot over 50%, score 13 per game, and lead the Big Sky in rebounding and blocked shots. He has a good handle for a big man, which allows EWU to do a lot of things through him. He scores well on the low block, plays a ton of minutes, and looks to me like he will be the emotional leader of the team for his four years. All in all, you can't really ask for a better debut season than what Jois has brought so far.
2. DeWayne Russell (Northern Arizona) - 16.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG
After a blistering start, he has cooled down a bit but is still a very productive player. He leads the conference in scoring, as he is already really good at getting to the FT line and shooting 37% from long range. He presses at times, but that is not unexpected for a freshman who is being asked to do as much as Russell is doing. Defensively, he has quick hands, and he is second in the conference in steals. He is a great building block for Jack Murphy.
3. Joel Bolomboy (Weber State) - 7.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG
On a per minute basis, it's tough to argue that Bolomboy has been the best freshman in the Big Sky. He is third in the country in DR% (29.0) and 18th in OR% (15.8). He has simply been incredible on the boards. He is second in the Big Sky in rebounds per game. His block rate is a superb 7.7% as well. So why is he only third? Here is the percentage of their team's minutes played for the top three:
Jois - 84.2%
Russell - 81.5%
Bolomboy - 54.9%
Through no fault of his own, he doesn't get the minutes the guys above him get. That puts him third on the list, though I could see him moving up by the end of the year.
4. Marcus Colbert (Montana State) - 5.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG
It's rare to say this about a freshman, but I think he has been a calming influence at the PG spot for the Bobcats. While Antonio Biglow was suspended, Colbert got more playing time, and the team went 4-1 and turned around their season. He is an unselfish player, and I think that rubs off on the rest of the team. He doesn't put up big numbers, but he doesn't take bad shots and has a good grasp of the offense.
Honorable Mention: Thomas Reuter (Eastern Washington), Daniel Hill (Eastern Washington), Greg Tucker (Northern Colorado)
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This year, there are four guys that stand out as having a big impact, and two of them are freshmen. What's more, the big men are really good, and at least a couple of the freshmen have a chance to be all-conference players. The top three in particular you could put in any order and be able to make a case. Further, a freshman leads the conference in scoring, rebounding (Jois and Bolomboy are one and two), blocked shots, and second in steals. The guys up top are having great seasons.
Let's rank them.
1. Venky Jois (Eastern Washington) - 13.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 BPG
All he has done so far in his first season is shoot over 50%, score 13 per game, and lead the Big Sky in rebounding and blocked shots. He has a good handle for a big man, which allows EWU to do a lot of things through him. He scores well on the low block, plays a ton of minutes, and looks to me like he will be the emotional leader of the team for his four years. All in all, you can't really ask for a better debut season than what Jois has brought so far.
2. DeWayne Russell (Northern Arizona) - 16.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG
After a blistering start, he has cooled down a bit but is still a very productive player. He leads the conference in scoring, as he is already really good at getting to the FT line and shooting 37% from long range. He presses at times, but that is not unexpected for a freshman who is being asked to do as much as Russell is doing. Defensively, he has quick hands, and he is second in the conference in steals. He is a great building block for Jack Murphy.
3. Joel Bolomboy (Weber State) - 7.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG
On a per minute basis, it's tough to argue that Bolomboy has been the best freshman in the Big Sky. He is third in the country in DR% (29.0) and 18th in OR% (15.8). He has simply been incredible on the boards. He is second in the Big Sky in rebounds per game. His block rate is a superb 7.7% as well. So why is he only third? Here is the percentage of their team's minutes played for the top three:
Jois - 84.2%
Russell - 81.5%
Bolomboy - 54.9%
Through no fault of his own, he doesn't get the minutes the guys above him get. That puts him third on the list, though I could see him moving up by the end of the year.
4. Marcus Colbert (Montana State) - 5.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.1 APG
It's rare to say this about a freshman, but I think he has been a calming influence at the PG spot for the Bobcats. While Antonio Biglow was suspended, Colbert got more playing time, and the team went 4-1 and turned around their season. He is an unselfish player, and I think that rubs off on the rest of the team. He doesn't put up big numbers, but he doesn't take bad shots and has a good grasp of the offense.
Honorable Mention: Thomas Reuter (Eastern Washington), Daniel Hill (Eastern Washington), Greg Tucker (Northern Colorado)
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Friday, January 11, 2013
Random Big Sky Thoughts on Thursday Night
I was at the Northern Colorado/Montana State game last night, so I didn't actually get to watch any of the other games... but here are some thoughts based on the box scores and things I read about them.
- It was a good night for freshmen. Joel Bolomboy for Weber State got perhaps his biggest role of the year in a win over Southern Utah, and he made the most of it. He had 13 points (on three FG attempts), 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Venky Jois for Eastern Washington is leading the conference in rebounding, and had another big day, going for 14 and 14 in a win over Northern Arizona. It wasn't DeWayne Russell's fault that NAU lost - he had 17 points on 5/11 shooting, and grabbed seven steals to boot. Did I mention these guys are all freshmen?
- On Monday night, Southern Utah's opponent (Sacramento State) shot 55 free throws. Yesterday, their opponent (Weber State) only shot 49 free throws. I guess that's progress?
- I said that if I had to pick a midseason all-conference team, Jackson Stevenett would likely be on it. He made that prediction look good, scoring an efficient 29 points in the Thunderbirds loss.
- Even with a 3-0 Big Sky start, I (and I'm not alone here) have been slow to buy in on Southern Utah this year. But, they were impressive in defeat. At this point, you have to say they are a very legitimate contender for the third spot in the conference.
- Gabe Rogers finished 3/15 for Northern Arizona, and is shooting 30.6% from the field. That is why, even though NAU is much improved from last season, they are going to struggle to make the Big Sky tournament in Jack Murphy's first season. You just wonder where they are going to get enough offense night in and night out.
- Collin Chiverton with 22 points in 20 minutes (and four rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks). When he is on, not many guys in the Big Sky are capable of matching his scoring prowess. It is good to see him fully back into things, and he makes the Eagles a dangerous team.
- He only played 13 minutes, but interesting to see that Andy Martin got the start for Montana in their win over North Dakota. You get the sense that Wayne Tinkle is open to anything up front. Mathias Ward was the star of that game, scoring 27 points on 11/16 shooting. I don't know that there is a better midrange shooter in the Big Sky.
- North Dakota looks really limited offensively with the exception of Troy Huff. They have their work cut out for them if they want to make the conference tournament, because they really are not playing good basketball right now.
- I will see Montana in person on Saturday and I am excited for that. Even though they are 5-0 there are questions. Who gets the tough rebound for them when it matters? Who can they count on for production other than Cherry/Ward/Jamar?
- Portland State has not exactly been known for their three point shooting the last couple years, but it was key for them in a home win over Sacramento State. They hit seven of them over a three and a half minute stretch, and finished the game 12/18 from deep. Combine that with the nice inside duo of Aaron Moore and Renado Parker, and slowly things are coming together for the Vikings.
- The Hornets have to be wondering what has happened to Joe Eberhard. He was quietly one of the best players in the Big Sky last season, but his scoring has dropped four points per game and his shooting has dropped 10 percentage points. They need him.
- As always, the logjam after Montana and Weber State is still there. I hope everyone at the Big Sky is familiar with the tiebreaker rules, because I have a feeling there will be a lot of logjams in the 3-11 spots at the end of the season.
Anything else you saw?
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- It was a good night for freshmen. Joel Bolomboy for Weber State got perhaps his biggest role of the year in a win over Southern Utah, and he made the most of it. He had 13 points (on three FG attempts), 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Venky Jois for Eastern Washington is leading the conference in rebounding, and had another big day, going for 14 and 14 in a win over Northern Arizona. It wasn't DeWayne Russell's fault that NAU lost - he had 17 points on 5/11 shooting, and grabbed seven steals to boot. Did I mention these guys are all freshmen?
- On Monday night, Southern Utah's opponent (Sacramento State) shot 55 free throws. Yesterday, their opponent (Weber State) only shot 49 free throws. I guess that's progress?
- I said that if I had to pick a midseason all-conference team, Jackson Stevenett would likely be on it. He made that prediction look good, scoring an efficient 29 points in the Thunderbirds loss.
- Even with a 3-0 Big Sky start, I (and I'm not alone here) have been slow to buy in on Southern Utah this year. But, they were impressive in defeat. At this point, you have to say they are a very legitimate contender for the third spot in the conference.
- Gabe Rogers finished 3/15 for Northern Arizona, and is shooting 30.6% from the field. That is why, even though NAU is much improved from last season, they are going to struggle to make the Big Sky tournament in Jack Murphy's first season. You just wonder where they are going to get enough offense night in and night out.
- Collin Chiverton with 22 points in 20 minutes (and four rebounds, three assists, two steals, three blocks). When he is on, not many guys in the Big Sky are capable of matching his scoring prowess. It is good to see him fully back into things, and he makes the Eagles a dangerous team.
- He only played 13 minutes, but interesting to see that Andy Martin got the start for Montana in their win over North Dakota. You get the sense that Wayne Tinkle is open to anything up front. Mathias Ward was the star of that game, scoring 27 points on 11/16 shooting. I don't know that there is a better midrange shooter in the Big Sky.
- North Dakota looks really limited offensively with the exception of Troy Huff. They have their work cut out for them if they want to make the conference tournament, because they really are not playing good basketball right now.
- I will see Montana in person on Saturday and I am excited for that. Even though they are 5-0 there are questions. Who gets the tough rebound for them when it matters? Who can they count on for production other than Cherry/Ward/Jamar?
- Portland State has not exactly been known for their three point shooting the last couple years, but it was key for them in a home win over Sacramento State. They hit seven of them over a three and a half minute stretch, and finished the game 12/18 from deep. Combine that with the nice inside duo of Aaron Moore and Renado Parker, and slowly things are coming together for the Vikings.
- The Hornets have to be wondering what has happened to Joe Eberhard. He was quietly one of the best players in the Big Sky last season, but his scoring has dropped four points per game and his shooting has dropped 10 percentage points. They need him.
- As always, the logjam after Montana and Weber State is still there. I hope everyone at the Big Sky is familiar with the tiebreaker rules, because I have a feeling there will be a lot of logjams in the 3-11 spots at the end of the season.
Anything else you saw?
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Thursday, January 3, 2013
Closer Look at Joel Bolomboy
I have written a bit about Joel Bolomboy for Weber State, both on this blog and on twitter. He is one of my favorite players in the Big Sky, as he has athletic ability that is rarely seen at this level, which he uses to be an excellent rebounder, shot blocker, and dunker.
Roy Burton of the Standard-Examiner takes a closer look at him:
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Roy Burton of the Standard-Examiner takes a closer look at him:
“He’s got worlds of potential,” Weber State coach Randy Rahe says, “and it could be a lot of fun for him and what he could become. A lot of it is going to be based on how hard he works and how good he wants to be, but Joel is one of those kids that wants to be good.He is already a pretty darn good player, as some stats from later in Burton's article show:
“He’s got the potential to be a special player for us down the road once he gets a little stronger and everything starts to fall in place for him.”
In 22.1 minutes per game off the bench, Bolomboy averages 7.9 points per game, is second in the Big Sky Conference in rebounding at 8.4 boards per game despite playing 12.5 fewer minutes per game than the league leader. He is also second in the league in field goal percentage (.638) behind teammate Frank Otis and sixth in blocked shots (1.5 bpg).He will be very fun to watch over the next four years, especially for Weber State fans.
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Friday, December 21, 2012
Weber State's Balance is Their Strength
Last year, Weber State had Damian Lillard (one of the best players in the country) and a bunch of guys they hoped would contribute around him, with a roster that was hit very hard by injuries. This year, this is no one star, but their strength is that they have a lot of guys that contribute.
Nine guys average in double digits in minutes played, and a tenth (Byron Fulton) will likely join that club as he gets healthier. They have a lot of guys that pitch in, which was never more evident than their Big Sky opener.
They beat Eastern Washington 74-53, as ten guys played double figure minutes. Seven players scored at least seven points, with nobody above 15 points. Jordan Richardson led the team with 15 points... before the year, many thought he would be coming off the bench behind Gelaun Wheelwright.
The leading scorer on the season is Davion Berry, at 13.6 PPG. Fresh off a 25 point game against BYU, he had just nine points...but pitched in seven assists. Their leading rebounder was freshman Joel Bolomboy. In 22 minutes, he had 9 points, 12 rebounders, and 4 blocks. He is already one of the best defensive rebounders in the country (his DR% of 29.5 is sixth in the country), and he is a good offensive rebounder as well. He is already a high impact player whose biggest problem is difficult finding minutes because of WSU's depth up front.
Speaking of Bolomboy, he is a poster boy for what looks to be a trend in the Big Sky - Weber State is recruiting better athletes than everyone else. With him, Kyndahl Hill, Royce Williams, Richaud Gittens, and Jeremy Senglin among the recruits brought in over the past couple of seasons, it is soon going to be extremely difficult for any team in the conference to match up with the Wildcats athletically.
The Wildcats are 5-3 overall and 1-0 in Big Sky play, but I have a feeling (and I am sure the coaching staff does as well) that they will do a lot of improving this year. There is no elite team in the Big Sky yet this year, but WSU has a chance to be one by the end of the season.
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Nine guys average in double digits in minutes played, and a tenth (Byron Fulton) will likely join that club as he gets healthier. They have a lot of guys that pitch in, which was never more evident than their Big Sky opener.
They beat Eastern Washington 74-53, as ten guys played double figure minutes. Seven players scored at least seven points, with nobody above 15 points. Jordan Richardson led the team with 15 points... before the year, many thought he would be coming off the bench behind Gelaun Wheelwright.
The leading scorer on the season is Davion Berry, at 13.6 PPG. Fresh off a 25 point game against BYU, he had just nine points...but pitched in seven assists. Their leading rebounder was freshman Joel Bolomboy. In 22 minutes, he had 9 points, 12 rebounders, and 4 blocks. He is already one of the best defensive rebounders in the country (his DR% of 29.5 is sixth in the country), and he is a good offensive rebounder as well. He is already a high impact player whose biggest problem is difficult finding minutes because of WSU's depth up front.
Speaking of Bolomboy, he is a poster boy for what looks to be a trend in the Big Sky - Weber State is recruiting better athletes than everyone else. With him, Kyndahl Hill, Royce Williams, Richaud Gittens, and Jeremy Senglin among the recruits brought in over the past couple of seasons, it is soon going to be extremely difficult for any team in the conference to match up with the Wildcats athletically.
The Wildcats are 5-3 overall and 1-0 in Big Sky play, but I have a feeling (and I am sure the coaching staff does as well) that they will do a lot of improving this year. There is no elite team in the Big Sky yet this year, but WSU has a chance to be one by the end of the season.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Freshman Reigning in the Big Sky
It is early in the season, but an interesting trend is starting to emerge in some statistical categories in the Big Sky. Here is a look at some numbers as of the end of Tuesday, December 10th.
In scoring, DeWayne Russell leads the conference at 17.1 points per game. Venky Jois is ninth with 13.6 per game.
In rebounding, Jois is leading the conference at 9.3 per game. Joel Bolomboy is second at 8.5 per contest. Bolomboy's is astounding because he is playing just over half the minutes for the Wildcats (21.8 per game), and is still putting up those numbers. He has a DR% of 30.5, which is good for fourth in the country (and his offensive rebounding percentage is top 200 nationally).
Russell is also fourth in the conference in assists (3.9 per game), tied for first in steals (2.0 per game), and third in free throw percentage (94.1%).
If you haven't picked up on it right now, all three of these guys are freshmen. The Big Sky is having a down year so far (though I do think things will pick up), but the future looks bright, in part because of guys like these three.
If you follow the Big Sky, these are three names that you are going to be hearing an awful lot for the next four years.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
In scoring, DeWayne Russell leads the conference at 17.1 points per game. Venky Jois is ninth with 13.6 per game.
In rebounding, Jois is leading the conference at 9.3 per game. Joel Bolomboy is second at 8.5 per contest. Bolomboy's is astounding because he is playing just over half the minutes for the Wildcats (21.8 per game), and is still putting up those numbers. He has a DR% of 30.5, which is good for fourth in the country (and his offensive rebounding percentage is top 200 nationally).
Russell is also fourth in the conference in assists (3.9 per game), tied for first in steals (2.0 per game), and third in free throw percentage (94.1%).
If you haven't picked up on it right now, all three of these guys are freshmen. The Big Sky is having a down year so far (though I do think things will pick up), but the future looks bright, in part because of guys like these three.
If you follow the Big Sky, these are three names that you are going to be hearing an awful lot for the next four years.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Notes From The Past Few Days
Over the past week I have had the pleasure of both being really sick (I missed two days of work and should have missed more... I am still fighting it), and having a really busy week of work (hence why I did not miss more time), which has led to slower posting here than I would normally like. So, let's get caught up on some of the action over the past few days that I have missed.
- The one thing I didn't miss was Sacramento State's 3-0 start, including two wins over Division I teams. Dylan Garrity is making an early case for All-Conference honors, with 15.3 ppg and seven assists per contest early in the year.
- Northern Colorado turned in a historically great offensive performance in their first game of the year, but couldn't replicate that in their second game, losing 64-53 to Cal Poly. They shot just 3/18 from downtown, which is a big stat for them. The difference in the game was the free throws... UNC was 6/13, Cal Poly was 22/30.
- I predicted Derrick Barden to be the rebounding champ in the conference, and he pulled down nine in the game. However, he was just 2/6 from the field for seven points. They will need some more offense from him, and I expect he will be just fine. It just takes a little time to find your place in the offense.
- Weber State lost 68-67 in OT to San Jose State, with two guys widely expected to be all-conference players struggling for them. Kyle Tresnak was 0/8 with two points, and Scott Bamforth was 3/10 for 11 points. Needless to say, they need those guys.
- Two newcomers did step up for WSU... Davion Berry scored 21 points on 8/17 shooting, while Joel Bolomboy had 11 rebounds. Everyone expected Berry to be good, but he looks like he will lead the team in scoring easily. Bolomboy was expected to be more of a role player this year, but he might be too talented not to get a bunch of minutes.
- Nick Robinson may have a bigger rebuilding job on his hands than he might have expected. Southern Utah lost 66-54 to Green Bay, and 112-69 to CS Fullerton. None of their three games have been easy, but they haven't been particularly competitive either.
- It wasn't always pretty, but Montana got a 66-63 win over Idaho. The young guards are showing they are talented but inconsistent (Gregory/DeShields: 14 points, 3 assists, 4 turnovers), but the Grizzlies got enough from their stars. Kareem Jamar had 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Mathias Ward pitched in 16. Spencer Coleman had nine points and five rebounds, including a big three late. At this stage of the year, a win is a win.
- North Dakota continued their road struggles, getting blown out 72-47 at Northern Iowa. They were playing with Troy Huff, missing his second straight game after breaking his jaw. Aaron Anderson led the team with 12 points, but he was unusually inefficient doing it. Alzono Traylor had nine points and four rebounds, and I was impressed with him. He had a nice move near the basket, and showed good touch on a 15 footer. It will be big for them if he is able to become a consistent contributor.
- We went to the Nuggets/Heat game last Thursday night, and I would recommend for any basketball fan to go watch LeBron James play in person. He is incredible to watch. The athleticism, the presence, the passing ability.... it is incredible how many wide open looks his teammates get after passes from him. If you get the chance to watch him, you should take the opportunity.
Anything I missed?
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- The one thing I didn't miss was Sacramento State's 3-0 start, including two wins over Division I teams. Dylan Garrity is making an early case for All-Conference honors, with 15.3 ppg and seven assists per contest early in the year.
- Northern Colorado turned in a historically great offensive performance in their first game of the year, but couldn't replicate that in their second game, losing 64-53 to Cal Poly. They shot just 3/18 from downtown, which is a big stat for them. The difference in the game was the free throws... UNC was 6/13, Cal Poly was 22/30.
- I predicted Derrick Barden to be the rebounding champ in the conference, and he pulled down nine in the game. However, he was just 2/6 from the field for seven points. They will need some more offense from him, and I expect he will be just fine. It just takes a little time to find your place in the offense.
- Weber State lost 68-67 in OT to San Jose State, with two guys widely expected to be all-conference players struggling for them. Kyle Tresnak was 0/8 with two points, and Scott Bamforth was 3/10 for 11 points. Needless to say, they need those guys.
- Nick Robinson may have a bigger rebuilding job on his hands than he might have expected. Southern Utah lost 66-54 to Green Bay, and 112-69 to CS Fullerton. None of their three games have been easy, but they haven't been particularly competitive either.
- It wasn't always pretty, but Montana got a 66-63 win over Idaho. The young guards are showing they are talented but inconsistent (Gregory/DeShields: 14 points, 3 assists, 4 turnovers), but the Grizzlies got enough from their stars. Kareem Jamar had 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Mathias Ward pitched in 16. Spencer Coleman had nine points and five rebounds, including a big three late. At this stage of the year, a win is a win.
- North Dakota continued their road struggles, getting blown out 72-47 at Northern Iowa. They were playing with Troy Huff, missing his second straight game after breaking his jaw. Aaron Anderson led the team with 12 points, but he was unusually inefficient doing it. Alzono Traylor had nine points and four rebounds, and I was impressed with him. He had a nice move near the basket, and showed good touch on a 15 footer. It will be big for them if he is able to become a consistent contributor.
- We went to the Nuggets/Heat game last Thursday night, and I would recommend for any basketball fan to go watch LeBron James play in person. He is incredible to watch. The athleticism, the presence, the passing ability.... it is incredible how many wide open looks his teammates get after passes from him. If you get the chance to watch him, you should take the opportunity.
Anything I missed?
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Weber State, Portland State, Sacramento State All Notch Wins
Weber State, Sacramento State, and Portland State all started the season with home games against lower competition, games they should dominate. All three schools did just that.
Weber State lived well in their first game without Damian Lillard, dropping a ridiculous 110 points on Arizona Christian. AZ Christian is an NAIA school, but still nice to see them score 55 points in each half. Seven guys scored in double figures in this game for the Wildcats, and they shot 64% from the floor (and still wound up with 16 offensive boards)
Two quick guys to focus on... Davion Berry scored a cool 17 points in his debut (in 23 minutes), shooting 6/10 from the floor and 3/5 from downtown. Off the bench, Joel Bolomoboy played 22 minutes and notched a double, with 16 points (5/5 FG, 5/8 FT), 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. They are deep.
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Sacramento State started things off right with a 96-62 win over UC-Merced. Going into the year I thought the Hornets seemed settled at a starting lineup, but Brian Katz started Joey Quigley and Mikh McKinney, relegating Konner Veteto and Jackson Carbajal to coming off the bench (I believe he used this lineup in the exhibition game also).
Five guys scored in double figures for the Hornets, who led by just 8 at the break before blowing it open in the second half. John Dickson led the way with 18 and 9, while Veteto had 17 and 8. Dylan Garrity picked up where he left off last year, scoring six points, but dishing out nine assists.
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Portland State's victory margin was less than the other two games, but winning was never really in doubt in a 77-58 win over Pacific. Their lead was 26-24 late in the first half, but the Vikings went on a 13-4 run to head into the break, and never looked back.
Dre Winston led the way with 16 points, shooting 5/6 from the field and 3/4 from downtown. Aaron Moore (13) and Michael Harthun (11) also scored in double figures. PSU turned it over 19 times, which is just way too much. Lateef McMullan needs to be the steady hand as a senior PG, but he struggled. He was just 2/7 from the field and had 5 TOs.
The Vikings will travel to face Oregon on Monday night.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Weber State lived well in their first game without Damian Lillard, dropping a ridiculous 110 points on Arizona Christian. AZ Christian is an NAIA school, but still nice to see them score 55 points in each half. Seven guys scored in double figures in this game for the Wildcats, and they shot 64% from the floor (and still wound up with 16 offensive boards)
Two quick guys to focus on... Davion Berry scored a cool 17 points in his debut (in 23 minutes), shooting 6/10 from the floor and 3/5 from downtown. Off the bench, Joel Bolomoboy played 22 minutes and notched a double, with 16 points (5/5 FG, 5/8 FT), 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. They are deep.
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Sacramento State started things off right with a 96-62 win over UC-Merced. Going into the year I thought the Hornets seemed settled at a starting lineup, but Brian Katz started Joey Quigley and Mikh McKinney, relegating Konner Veteto and Jackson Carbajal to coming off the bench (I believe he used this lineup in the exhibition game also).
Five guys scored in double figures for the Hornets, who led by just 8 at the break before blowing it open in the second half. John Dickson led the way with 18 and 9, while Veteto had 17 and 8. Dylan Garrity picked up where he left off last year, scoring six points, but dishing out nine assists.
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Portland State's victory margin was less than the other two games, but winning was never really in doubt in a 77-58 win over Pacific. Their lead was 26-24 late in the first half, but the Vikings went on a 13-4 run to head into the break, and never looked back.
Dre Winston led the way with 16 points, shooting 5/6 from the field and 3/4 from downtown. Aaron Moore (13) and Michael Harthun (11) also scored in double figures. PSU turned it over 19 times, which is just way too much. Lateef McMullan needs to be the steady hand as a senior PG, but he struggled. He was just 2/7 from the field and had 5 TOs.
The Vikings will travel to face Oregon on Monday night.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Big Sky 2012-13 Recruits
With signing day on Wednesday, let's take a look at players committed to the Big Sky entering the 2012-13 season. I will update this as the season goes along. If you have any information on a recruit I'm not mentioning, please send it my way!
Eastern Washington
- Danny Powell (6'6'' F) - My article
- Daniel Hill (5'9'' PG)
- Venky Jois (6'7'' F)
- Frederik Jorg (7'1'' C)
- Thomas Reuter (6'6'' F)
- Ivan Dorsey (6'0'' G) - My article
Idaho State
- Chris Hansen (6'4'' G) - My article
- Nnamdi Ezenwa (6'5'' F) - My article
- Tomas Sanchez (6'3'' G) - My article
- Ayibakuro Preh (6'9'' F) - My article
- Naveij Walters (6'6'' F) - My article
Montana
- Andy Martin (7'0'' C) - My article
- Jake Wiley (6'7'' F)
- Marko Kovacevic (6'11'' C) - My article
- Spencer Coleman (6'7'' F) - My article
Montana State
- Marcus Colbert (5'10'' G)
- Ryan Shannon (6'7'' F)- My article
- Flavien Davis (6'5'' F) - My article
- Danny Robison (6'8'' F) - My article
- Paul Egwuonwu (6'9'' F) - My article
- Calen Coleman (6'4'' G) - My article
- Eric Norman (6'9'' F) - transfer from SMU - My article
Northern Arizona
- Jordyn Martin (6'7'' F) - My article
- Blake Hamilton (6'5'' F) - My article
- Cameron Forte (6'6'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- DeWayne Russell (5'10'' G) - My article
- Bryce Gosar (6'1'' G) - walk-on - My article
- Len Springs (6'10'' C)
Northern Colorado
- Greg Tucker (6'2'' G)
- Cody McDavis (6'8'' F) - My article
- Derrick Barden (6'5'' F) - My article
North Dakota
- Alonzo Traylor (6'7'' F) - My article
- Ryan Salmonson (6'10'' F) - My article
- Jaron Nash (6'8'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- Dustin Hobaugh (6'4'' G) - transfer from Houston Baptist
Portland State
- Lamont Prosser (6'8'' F) - My article
- Marcus Hall (6'4'' G) - My article
- Aaron Moore (6'8'' F) - My article
- Tim Douglas (5'10'' G) - transfer from Portland - My article
Sacramento State
- Cody Demps (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jordan Salley (6'6'' F) - My article
- Mikh McKinney (6'1'' G) - My article
- Ryan Okwudibonye (6'8'' C) - My article
- Dreon Bartlett (6'2'' G) - My article
- Joey Quigley (6'8'' F) - My article
- Alex Tiffin (6'9'' G) - transfer from UC Davis - My article
Southern Utah
- Austin Waddoups (6'1'' G) - My article
- Drake Thomas (6'0'' G) - My article
- Zach Ghormley (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jayson Cheesman (6'11'' C) - My article
- AJ Hess (6'6'' G) - My article
Weber State
- Joel Bolomboy (6'8'' C) - My article
- Kyndahl Hill (6'7'' F) - My article
- Abdulsamad Zaid (6'2'' G) - My article
- Royce Williams (6'5'' F) - My article
- Wayne Bradford (6'3'' G) - My article
Anyone I am missing? Please let me know.
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Eastern Washington
- Danny Powell (6'6'' F) - My article
- Daniel Hill (5'9'' PG)
- Venky Jois (6'7'' F)
- Frederik Jorg (7'1'' C)
- Thomas Reuter (6'6'' F)
- Ivan Dorsey (6'0'' G) - My article
Idaho State
- Chris Hansen (6'4'' G) - My article
- Nnamdi Ezenwa (6'5'' F) - My article
- Tomas Sanchez (6'3'' G) - My article
- Ayibakuro Preh (6'9'' F) - My article
- Naveij Walters (6'6'' F) - My article
Montana
- Andy Martin (7'0'' C) - My article
- Jake Wiley (6'7'' F)
- Marko Kovacevic (6'11'' C) - My article
- Spencer Coleman (6'7'' F) - My article
Montana State
- Marcus Colbert (5'10'' G)
- Ryan Shannon (6'7'' F)- My article
- Flavien Davis (6'5'' F) - My article
- Danny Robison (6'8'' F) - My article
- Paul Egwuonwu (6'9'' F) - My article
- Calen Coleman (6'4'' G) - My article
- Eric Norman (6'9'' F) - transfer from SMU - My article
Northern Arizona
- Jordyn Martin (6'7'' F) - My article
- Blake Hamilton (6'5'' F) - My article
- Cameron Forte (6'6'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- DeWayne Russell (5'10'' G) - My article
- Bryce Gosar (6'1'' G) - walk-on - My article
- Len Springs (6'10'' C)
Northern Colorado
- Greg Tucker (6'2'' G)
- Cody McDavis (6'8'' F) - My article
- Derrick Barden (6'5'' F) - My article
North Dakota
- Alonzo Traylor (6'7'' F) - My article
- Ryan Salmonson (6'10'' F) - My article
- Jaron Nash (6'8'' F) - transfer from Texas Tech - My article
- Dustin Hobaugh (6'4'' G) - transfer from Houston Baptist
Portland State
- Lamont Prosser (6'8'' F) - My article
- Marcus Hall (6'4'' G) - My article
- Aaron Moore (6'8'' F) - My article
- Tim Douglas (5'10'' G) - transfer from Portland - My article
Sacramento State
- Cody Demps (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jordan Salley (6'6'' F) - My article
- Mikh McKinney (6'1'' G) - My article
- Ryan Okwudibonye (6'8'' C) - My article
- Dreon Bartlett (6'2'' G) - My article
- Joey Quigley (6'8'' F) - My article
- Alex Tiffin (6'9'' G) - transfer from UC Davis - My article
Southern Utah
- Austin Waddoups (6'1'' G) - My article
- Drake Thomas (6'0'' G) - My article
- Zach Ghormley (6'4'' G) - My article
- Jayson Cheesman (6'11'' C) - My article
- AJ Hess (6'6'' G) - My article
Weber State
- Joel Bolomboy (6'8'' C) - My article
- Kyndahl Hill (6'7'' F) - My article
- Abdulsamad Zaid (6'2'' G) - My article
- Royce Williams (6'5'' F) - My article
- Wayne Bradford (6'3'' G) - My article
Anyone I am missing? Please let me know.
Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Kyndahl Hill Commits to Weber State
In their second signing of the recruiting period, the Wildcats have snared forward Kyndahl Hill:
So today yo boy commited to weber stIn case you don't know about Hill, he is a 6'7'' forward that can play either the 3 or the 4, but seems likely to spend most of his time at the 3 spot for the Wildcats, according to what I have read.
The consensus seems to be that Hill is a high major athlete that has mid-major skills right now. He was a big time football recruit, but recently decided to focus on basketball only. He averaged 13 PPG and 8 RPG per game.
He has the potential to be an elite defender in the Big Sky with his athleticism and versatility. I think he will eventually be able to guard anywhere from a 1 to a 4, he has that type of speed and strength. He has a developing 3 point shot also, and that will be key to his development.
Teamed with fellow recruit Joel Bolomboy, and all of a sudden Weber State will have two of the more athletic players in the Big Sky. When you combine those with the fact that Josh Fuller will be joining the team following his mission, Weber State shouldn't miss too much of a beat even after Kyle Bullinger and Darin Mahoney leave.
Hill's decision was down to Weber State and Utah State... his choice of Weber further signifies their rise in Utah. I think there is a solid chance they can be the best team in the state next season, and that will only continue to help their recruiting efforts. Randy Rahe has done an excellent job.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Few More Thoughts on Joel Bolomboy
I wrote a little about Joel Bolomboy, a F recruit out of Texas that committed to Weber State in the last week, but I had a few more thoughts on the biggest takeaways from his commitment.
1) The Big Sky can recruit with bigger conference schools - Bolomboy had offers from New Mexico, Texas A&M, Fresno St, and others, and he still chose Weber State. The key is for Big Sky schools to be able to identify the players earlier than others and stick with them longer (obviously easier said than done). According to The Standard, "Weber State was the first school to recruit Bolomboy, starting in his sophomore season, and also the first to offer him a scholarship."
2) Bolomboy fills a need for Weber State - Darin Mahoney will be one of the top shot blockers and defenders in the Big Sky, but he will be a senior this year. Kyle Bullinger is a part-time post player, and he is a senior. Frank Otis will be solid after transferring from SMU, but he will be a junior this year. They will need some big men, and Bolomboy fits the bill.
3) Bolomboy has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the Big Sky - He is athletic and has a long wing span (which is a bit of a cliche, but still worth mentioning) and a quick jump, which allows him to be a solid shot blocker. He is still developing there, and could be a force on the glass and defensively inside for Weber State. He is certainly not lacking in confidence: "I'm really good at rebounding. I'm better on defense," Bolomboy said. "I can shoot really good for my size, dribble the ball. I can jump very high, very explosive in traffic." If WSU can develop him properly, they will have a really good one.
What are your biggest takeaways from the signing of Bolomboy?
1) The Big Sky can recruit with bigger conference schools - Bolomboy had offers from New Mexico, Texas A&M, Fresno St, and others, and he still chose Weber State. The key is for Big Sky schools to be able to identify the players earlier than others and stick with them longer (obviously easier said than done). According to The Standard, "Weber State was the first school to recruit Bolomboy, starting in his sophomore season, and also the first to offer him a scholarship."
2) Bolomboy fills a need for Weber State - Darin Mahoney will be one of the top shot blockers and defenders in the Big Sky, but he will be a senior this year. Kyle Bullinger is a part-time post player, and he is a senior. Frank Otis will be solid after transferring from SMU, but he will be a junior this year. They will need some big men, and Bolomboy fits the bill.
3) Bolomboy has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the Big Sky - He is athletic and has a long wing span (which is a bit of a cliche, but still worth mentioning) and a quick jump, which allows him to be a solid shot blocker. He is still developing there, and could be a force on the glass and defensively inside for Weber State. He is certainly not lacking in confidence: "I'm really good at rebounding. I'm better on defense," Bolomboy said. "I can shoot really good for my size, dribble the ball. I can jump very high, very explosive in traffic." If WSU can develop him properly, they will have a really good one.
What are your biggest takeaways from the signing of Bolomboy?
Friday, September 9, 2011
Another Joel Bolomboy Article
We saw a couple days ago how Texas F/C Joel Bolomboy signed with Weber State, and another article about it has popped up from The Standard.
Bolomboy is a long, athletic post player with an approximately 7-foot wingspan who runs well and is a shotblocker.I will have more to say on Bolmoboy in the coming days, but it certainly looks like Weber State got a good one, and Wildcat fans are rightfully very excited.
"I'm really good at rebounding. I'm better on defense," Bolomboy said. "I can shoot really good for my size, dribble the ball. I can jump very high, very explosive in traffic."
Weber State was the first school to recruit Bolomboy, starting in his sophomore season, and also the first to offer him a scholarship. He says he also had offers from New Mexico, Fresno State, Louisiana Tech, Missouri State, Hartford, Long Island, IUPUI, and St. Francis.
While other schools wanted him to redshirt, the Wildcats' staff won Bolomboy over with the chance to play as a freshman. He took an unofficial trip to Missouri State, but decided on Weber State after an official visit to the Ogden campus Sept. 2-4.
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