On Fathers

Great article from Dan Le Batard that will make you either: A) Want to become a better father, B) Appreciate your father more, or C) Both.

And isn't that the life of the exile? Making so many sacrifices so your kids have to make so few? Giving up your dreams so that your children can chase theirs? Turning the short straw into victory with love and work and will?

Top Newcomers in The Big Sky This Season

According to the Big Sky Prospectus, here are the top newcomers for each team in the Big Sky:

Eastern Washington - Collin Chiverton (Jr)
Idaho State - Melvin Morgan (Jr)
Montana - Kevin Henderson (Fr)
Montana State - Xavier Johnson-Blount (Jr)
Northern Arizona - Danny Cheek (Fr)
Northern Colorado - Tevin Syihovec (Fr)
Portland State - Lateef McMullan (Jr)
Sacramento State - Dylan Garrity (Fr)
Weber State - Frank Otis (Jr)

It will be interesting to see how they all fare for their first season in The Big Sky. Typically the junior college transfers (or in the case of Frank Otis, just a transfer) will have the biggest impact, but time will tell.

It is going to be a fun season.

A Look at Montana State Potential Recruit Adrian Jefferies

From Mslacat:

I have heard from a couple sources that the Bobcats men’s basketball coaches have invited Adrian Jefferies from Morgan Park high school in the Chicago Illinois area. Jefferies is a 6-5ish player who is projected to play the small forward and possibly guard in College.

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 st

In 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.

Danny Powell Commits to Eastern Washington

According to his page at Rivals.

Desert Vista High School's 6-foot-6 senior forward Danny Powell has made his college decision, as he has given a verbal comitment to a division-I program in the Big Sky Conference.

I don't know a ton about him... will write more after I do some research. He is a 6'5'' PF, according to Rivals.

He also had offers from Central Michigan and fellow Big Sky program Northern Arizona.

Antonio Biglow Will Miss The Start Of The Season

Have heard these rumors but it was finally confirmed recently by Gidal over at Blue & Gold:

It’s been rumored (or known) for a while, but Brad Huse officially told me Monday that Antonio Biglow won’t be here first semester. Biglow and I have communicated through Twitter, and it’s due to some sort of error on either his junior college (Mt. San Antonio College) or him in regards to getting his associate’s degree on time.

His loss will definitely be felt, as he was one of the top (if not the top) incoming prospects in The Big Sky this season. It will be interesting to see if Biglow gets redshirted for this year, even though he will be eligible to play sometime in December or January. As some Bobcat fans are speculating, it could depend on how confident Huse and the staff are in their jobs and how the season is going.

It is a story worth following, because Biglow could be one of the most talented guards in the Conference this season if he becomes eligible and is put on the active roster.

Crawfacts Reiterates Its Belief in Portland State

In a post you should read in its entirety if you are a fan of any west coast basketball, Crawfacts reiterates his belief that Portland State is going to win the Big Sky:

PORTLAND STATE---And speaking of coaches it is not often you talk about a head coach doing a great job, while only having a .435 winning percentage after only two years as head coach. Tyler Geving at Portland State is the exception to the rule. Last year he won one more game than the previous year, not usually not a big deal, but it was big deal when you consider the Vikings were short handed playing most of the year without year star player Phil Nelson and also the fact the Portland State was on probation due to a low APR, due to the lack of previous coach Ken Bone not minding the store during his tenure with the Vikings. Like Ben Howland, Geving also made a brilliant off season move in the summer of 2010, when he hired veteran west coast assistant coach Andy McClouskey. McClouskey is a steadying influence and great to have on a bench for a young head coach. The Vikings are now off of probation, they have some good players, including one outstanding player in Chehales Tapscott and as I have written about before are my favorite to win the Big Sky.

If he is right, they are going to wind up surprising a lot of people this year.

Colorado Coaches Sit Down With Nuggets Coaches

A cool story and I am sure a very neat experience for some college coaches from around the Colorado area, as they were invited to sit down with George Karl and the Denver Nuggets coaching staff. The panel of coaches included BJ Hill and Northern Colorado assistants.

At the urging of coach George Karl, the Nuggets coaching staff opened up their playbooks to about 20 coaches from Colorado State University, Metro State College, the University of Colorado, the University of Denver, the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Wyoming. The Air Force Academy coaching staff also was invited but could not attend because of scheduling conflicts.

"George wanted to keep our minds active and focused on basketball," said Nuggets advance scout/assistant coach Jesse Mermuys, who coordinated the event. "Coach is also about giving back to the game of basketball. Giving back to your state is pretty big-time. It could help the college guys and it could help us as well."

Weber State Gets Some Love

Ballin' Is A Habit is starting their previews for the upcoming season, including a look at their top teams in the country. They have ranked Weber State at 50.

Outlook: The 2010-2011 season was a surprisingly successful one for the Wildcats. They lost star guard Damian Lillard to a broken foot nine games into the season and still managed to finish third in the Big Sky and make the CBI. That success was largely due to the play of Scott Bamforth, a junior sharpshooter -- he shot 55.1% from three in league play -- that will be a terrific compliment to Lillard in the back court this season, and senior Kyle Bullinger, a face-up four with three-point range. With Lillard back, the graduation of Lindsay Hughey won't hurt as much, but replacing Trevor Morris could be an issue. He was a big, physical presence in the paint. Look for Kyle Tresnak to fill his role in the paint. The x-factor may end up being Byron Fulton, a 6'7" sophomore and reigning Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Fulton averaged 7.0 ppg and 3.5 rpg while shooting 48% from beyond the arc as sixth-man. He should move into the starting lineup this season. With Montana and Northern Colorado both losing key pieces, Weber State should be the favorite to win the conference.

I think they may have forgotten about Frank Otis, who figures to have a role in the frontcourt, but overall it is a very nice write up. Check out their post and the rest of their season previews, which are sure to be excellent.

Could Will Cherry Be The Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year?

With Brian Qvale, Montana had the best defensive player in the Conference last season. Qvale was one of the best shot blockers in the country last year, and set conference records on the defensive side of the ball.

However, he is now gone, having graduated after four stellar years. But could the defensive Player of the Year trophy remain in Missoula after this year?

Will Cherry of Montana looks to be one of the best defensive players in the Conference, and certainly the best at getting steals. He had a 4.7% Steal rate last year, which was 14th in the country and best in the Big Sky. This gave him a solid 2.6 SPG, which was a big reason (along with Qvale) why Montana was the best defensive team in the Conference.

That performance was definitely not a fluke either. The year before, as a sophomore, Cherry had a 5.2% steal rate, which was 2nd in the nation. He has a nose for the basketball, and this gives Montana a couple of extra possessions every game.

I found an interview with Cherry from a couple of years ago where he talks about getting steals:

Q. You lead the team in steals. What's the key to getting steals?

A. Oh, man, I'm just a big anticipator. I just have a knack for getting the ball and knowing where it's at. I use my speed and quickness to my advantage to jump in those passing lanes. That was one of the goals for myself and (assistant) coach (Bill) Evans, for me to lead the team in steals.

Without a ton of top returning defenders (as least not ones that put up a lot of numbers - and that is a huge factor in awards like this), Will Cherry will have a solid chance to be Conference Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year

What do you all think of Cherry's chances?

Tyler Ott Commits to UC Davis

As seen on Nor Cal Basketball:

Ott made an official visit to the school this weekend, and his AAU coach Dwain Schallenberger said the visit went well, which prompted Ott to give his commitment to head coach Jim Les.

Weber State and Southern Utah were both in on his recruitment.

2 Weeks

Well ladies and gentleman, I get married in 2 weeks. :)

Busy with planning and moving today, but expect some more fresh content soon.

Southern Utah's Top Returners

Last season, Southern Utah finished 11-19, 7-11 in the Summit League. For their last year in the Summit League, they would certainly love to go out with a bang and build some momentum for their entrance into the Big Sky.

Their best returner is probably Matt Massey, a 6'9'' C that will be a senior. He is an efficient scorer, as he shot 57% from the field and 73% from the line (and got to the FT line at a decent rate). His rebounding rates were poor for a center, but he brings a lot of offensive skill to the table.

A lot of the rebounding was done by Kyle Davis, (who had a great freshman year, but is not listed on their roster... anyone have any ideas where he went).... and Matt Hodgson (who transferred), so that leaves a big void in the rebounding department. Ramell Taylor might be their best returning scorer, but he is a 6'5'' SF. Still, with his 13.5 DR%, he could see a lot of time. Tyson Koehler will also be counted on, as he is a big body and efficient scorer.

In the backcourt, they return some guys that got a lot of time. One is Ray Jones, who will be a senior PG. He had a 24.0 ARate, but he needs to cut down on his turnovers. A guy that could be a potential difference maker for them is guard Jackson Stevenett, who showed a lot of flashes as a sophomore. He got 55% from the field and 74% from the Line. He also posted decent rebound and assist rates. He could be a solid player for the Thunderbirds.

It could be tough sledding for Southern Utah to finish in the upper half of the Summit League in the final year, but they are not void of talent. It will be interesting to see how things go for them before the enter the Big Sky.

Idaho State Offers Two Players

One thing I have regularly heard from Idaho State fans is that Joe O'Brien hasn't gone for many Idaho players... well, they have just recently offered scholarships to two Idaho Select players.

In the past week both McKay Cannon (Shelley High School, 2013) and Clark Wilkinson (Highland High School, 2013) have received scholarship offers from Idaho State University. Neither has given a verbal commitment at this point.

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Wilkinson, a 6-6 forward, and Cannon, a 6-0 point/shooting guard, played on Idaho Select’s White team this past summer, leading them to an 18-3 record, a championship at the NW Premier Showcase in Seattle and a final-four appearance at the Best of the Summer in Anaheim.

-----

Cannon, as a sophomore, was a First Team All Conference selection, averaging 14.3 points, 4.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game. He first came on to college recruiter’s radars when he opened Shelley’s 2010-11 season with a 35 point performance. Cannon is expected to serve a LDS mission after graduating from high school.

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I am not sure there is a lot O'Brien can do to redeem himself in the eyes of Bengals fans... but going after Idaho players certainly can't hurt.

Top Statistical Returners to The Big Sky

For All Games:

Scoring - Will Cherry (Montana) - 14.1 PPG
Rebounding - Chehales Tapscott (Portland State) - 8.1 RPG
Assists - Stallon Saldivar (Northern Arizona) - 5.4 APG
FG Percentage - Emmanuel Addo (Northern Colorado) - 53.7%
FT Percentage - Jordan Richardson (Weber State) - 92.6%
3PT Percentage - Scott Bamforth (Weber State) - 48.8%

Conference Games Only

Scoring - Charles Odum (Portland State) - 15.3 PPG
Rebounding - Abner Moreira (Idaho State) - 7.4 RPG
Assists - Stallon Saldivar (Northern Arizona) - 5.8 APG
FG Percentage - Charles Odum (Portland State) - 56.5%
FT Percentage - Jordan Richardson (Weber State) - 95.0%
3PT Percentage - Scott Bamforth (Weber State) - 55.1%

Just thought it was interesting! All numbers from the Big Sky Prospectus.

Portland vs. Portland State

Craw's Corner has an excellent article on why a Portland vs. Portland State game (or two) needs to happen every year. This is the most telling part, in my opinion:

Even worse, here are some schools which the teams have on their schedule this year at home. Portland has both Concordia of Oregon and Concordia of California, plus they are playing Lewis and Clark, which by the way is 30 minutes from the Pilot campus. Portland State has Walla Walla College and Linfield. Out of respect, it is tough for each school to schedule and actually they do as good as possible, as basketball scheduling is becoming increasingly tough for all D-1 schools.

It would be a great intra-city rivalry... hopefully the two schools decide to get it done in the future.

Good Words For Tim Miles

Coach Tim Miles from Colorado State went to college at the University of Mary, in my hometown of Bismarck, ND. That is one reason I like him.

Another is that he is a darn good coach. A third is that he seems a likeable guy, and he is definitely funny, as chronicled by Yahoo! writer Jeff Eisenberg. Miles has converted me to a Rams fan.

Jamal Webb - PG For North Dakota

If you make a list of the best mid-major point guards next year or in 2 years, there is a good chance that Jamal Webb will be on that list.

He had an impressive freshman season for the surprising Fighting Sioux. His best attribute is his playmaking ability, as he had a 29.7 ARate (5.4 APG), 88th in the country and an excellent mark for a freshman. He can make plays for other guys and looks for them, and that is obviously an important trait for a PG.

He is also a good looking shooter from outside. He shot 40% on 3s, which is certainly a respectable enough and definitely enough to keep defenses honest. Curiously, he only shot 55% (44/80) from the FT line, a number that will have to go up. He is an efficient shooter overall though, as he also shot a solid 48% from 2s. Not bad marks for a freshman.

He can be dangerous defensively as well with his quick hands. His 2.9 Steal% was best on the team, and resulted in an average of about 1.5 steals per game. He has the potential and athletic ability to be a lockdown defender.

Of course, his game is not without holes, and the biggest is his propensity to turn the ball over. He had a whopping 30.0% TO Rate, which is bad. He turned it over nearly 4 times per game, and if he is going to take the next step as a PG, he needs to cut down on the turnovers. If he does that, he can be a great college PG, because all of the other tools are there.

Jamal Webb is a guy not a lot of people (outside of North Dakota fans) have heard about, but he is a guy that Big Sky fans will want to get to know, because he could be very good by the time North Dakota enters the conference. He is a great distributor, solid outside shooter, and potentially excellent defender. If he can cut down on the turnovers and improve his outside shot a bit, he will be one of the best mid-major point guard in all the land.

Northern Arizona Schedule Released

Finally, the last of the Big Sky teams has released their schedule, as NAU has theirs finalized. Will go more in depth on it at a later date.

2011-12 Big Sky Prospectus Released

Will have a lot more to say about things in the Prospectus eventually, but for now, you can take a look at the Prospectus here [PDF]