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CollegeHoops.net All-Sweet Sixteen Team
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March 29th, 2009
by Jeff Fox
Blake Griffin - Too Good
Apparently someone forgot to send Syracuse the memo that this year’s Elite Eight was going to be renamed “The Big East Invitational”. Despite the Big East dominating the outcomes of the Sweet 16 games, a couple of other conferences dominate CHN’s All-Sweet Sixteen Team.
CollegeHoops.net Sweet Sixteen MOP
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
30 points, 14 boards, three assists
This Blake Griffin character is pretty good - wonder if anyone else has noticed that? Perhaps the most amazing thing about Griffin’s play so far in the tournament is the amount of shots he’s missed - only 10 out of his 47 shots have missed the mark.
CollegeHoops.net All-Sweet SixteenTeam
Guard: Ty Lawson, North Carolina
19 points, nine assists, four board, one turnover
The little man continues being the engine that drives the North Carolina machine. He played almost flawlessly versus Gonzaga, only turning the ball over once and missing only two shots.
Guard: Tony Crocker, Oklahoma
28 points, three steals, 6-11 3pts
Suddenly all over the world kids are practicing their three-point shooting wearing long sleeve shirts under their jerseys.
Guard: Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
19 points, seven board, four assists
Yet another versatile weapon for Roy Williams to utilize in his title quest.
Forward: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Center: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
15 points, 15 boards, four blocks
He continues to be raw on offense, but Thabeet’s D has been key to UConn’s run to the Elite Eight.
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About Jeff Fox
Columnist
NBA Draft & International Hoops
Contact
foxyjj@sympatico.ca
Background
Jeff Fox is a freelance journalist based an hour outside of Toronto, Canada. While attending University of Waterloo (Canada) earning a B.A. in Economics and Management Studies, Jeff managed to walk onto the school’s varsity basketball team, the Warriors, for 2 seasons. His final year riding the pine for the Warriors saw the team make it to the CIS (Canada’s NCAA equivalent) Final 8 tournament. In addition to this site, he is a regular contributor to SLAM magzine (& online) and The Hoops Manifesto. When he isn’t planted in front of his computer he spends the rest of his time with his wife, Lisa, his son, Adam and his dog Jeannie.
Location
Toronto, CA
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As a draftnik, I'm sure
As a draftnik, I'm sure you'll agree that Thabeet's tournament performance so far has been absolutely crucial for him. He's one of those players that everyone (myself included) refuses to see for anything other than his flaws. I readily admit that I have not been the biggest Thabeet fan, and I think that if the draft pool wasn't so weak he wouldn't be a top 5 pick. Can you imagine Thabeet going anywhere in the top 10 against last year's draft class? I can't. But, he's showing that he doesn't bend against good teams in pressure situations like he did a few times in the regular season. He certainly has one of the higher ceilings of the probable 2009 draft class given how big he is, how quick (for his size) he is, and how little time he's actually played the game for. I don't think he's ever going to be a special player, but he could have a long career being a defensive stopper and scoring around 10 points a game in the NBA. That would be a very good return on investment in this years draft.