Penn

Daily Dribble: Friday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:56:35 -0800

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - Nevada / Mark Fox

About 10 days ago, ESPN put up an article highlighting Nevada's "growing pains." But since then, the Pack have reeled in three straight wins to pull within a half-game of the WAC lead. Outside of the elder Marcelus Kemp, Nevada's other three main contributors are very green. JaVale McGee and Brandon Fields were end of the bench rookies last year, while Armon Johnson is a freshman. This trio, along with a pair of big-time recruits heading to Reno next year (Luke Babbitt & Mark McLaughlin).. gives the program hope for big things down the line. Many thought Fox couldn't sustain the good vibes started by Trent Johnson, nor did they think he could compete this year without Fazekas or Sessions, but the program still keeps moving in the right direction.

B - Ray Hall

Who is Ray Hall? Nobody really knows.. but the Providence big man who had scored 8 points all season, came through with 10 points and 7 boards against Notre Dame. Granted, Providence lost the game.. and Hall's abysmal free throw shooting (2 of 10, missing his last 8) was a big reason why.. but still, it's always nice to more than double your season's production in one night.

C - Arizona State

Once the darling of the west.. ASU has lost 4 straight games to fall back into the middle of the Pac-10. Last night's 33 point shellacking by UCLA was the first real bad effort in the streak, but the trend might continue with road games against USC and Arizona coming up. What once looked like a Tournament-bound team now has some serious work left to do.. as their remaining schedule is brutal.

D - Eric Gordon

I give Gordon a joking D because I predicted Indiana would win. Some Wiscy fan blog must have noticed the prediction because I got a few emails rubbing it in. Gordon had no business playing in the game.. as his injury was worse then I realized. If I knew his left arm would turn into a club, then I'd have went with the Badgers.. When the standings come out though, a win is a win, and Wisconsin is now locked into a first place tie.

F - Princeton / Penn

Princeton's precipitous decline in recent seasons is well documented, but not many have noted Penn's struggles this season. They're 5-12 right now, with an average 12-point margin of defeat.. and have an RPI of 302.. barely better than Princeton's 317 ranking. The good news is that Penn is a very young team, and they don't start their Ivy League schedule until tonight (against Harvard.) The bad news is that the Quakers haven't been a team ranked above 275th.. so there's little reason to think they can do that much damage in the Ivy.

Previous Best / Worst

January 31st - Kansas State / St. John's

January 29th - Winthrop / Dyson & Wiggins

January 28th - Rutgers / Doris Burke

January 25th - Ron Hunter / Princeton Offense

January 23rd - Kentucky / Archbishop Burke

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Daily Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:02:09 -0700

Penn Freshmen Interviews: Part Two

Joel Welser — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 06:53:13 -0700

Penn enters the 2007-08 season having won 3 straight Ivy League titles and coming off a 13-1 Ivy League record. However, the Quakers must replace 3 starters including 2-time Ivy League Player of the Year Ibrahim Jaaber. A strong incoming freshman class ensures Penn will be solid for years to come. Jon Teitel interviewed four members of Coach Miller’s first ever recruiting class: Tyler Bernardini, Remy Cofield, Jack Eggleston, and Harrison Gaines.

Part One Yesterday: Tyler Bernardi and Remy Cofield

Jack Eggleston, 6-8, 215, Noblesville, Ind., St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)

1. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (winning district titles in 2006 and 2007) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? High school is certainly not the same kind of pressure situation as the NCAA Tournament, but playing for a title helped elevate my level of play and my intensity, so I just need to try and match that intensity during every game at Penn.

2. What insight has your dad (Tom, who played one year of basketball at Dartmouth) given you into Ivy League basketball? Not too much: he prefers to let me figure things out on my own, and just urges me to play hard and do my best to be successful.

3. Any chance you will play lacrosse at Penn, and what is it like being a 6'8" lacrosse player? I considered playing lacrosse at Penn, but it is doubtful that I will do that. I have not played lacrosse for my school the past two years, and since the college basketball season is so long, the overlap into the lacrosse season would probably kill any chance I had. My height advantage over shorter defenders was very nice, as I would be able to shoot over the top of them.

4. How close did you come to going to Columbia or Princeton? I went to Princeton the summer before my senior year: they have a great campus and great academics, but I was not a fan of their style of play or the basketball environment. I also went to a camp at Columbia, but since they had so many players returning to school, they stopped recruiting me. Even so, it would have been very hard for me to say no to Penn due to their own dominant athletic teams and excellent academic reputation.

5. What made you choose Penn over schools like Stanford and Wake Forest? I expressed an interest in those schools due to their great athletic/academic combination, and sent out some letters and game tapes, but did not have any real contact with them: it was more of a wish list.

6. Are you worried about getting playing time in the years ahead with four other forwards already on the roster? I am actually living with one of them right now (Cam Lewis), and have spent some time on the court with Brennan Votel and Andreas Schreiber getting to learn their game, but I have not seen Justin Reilly yet. While I do not match up in every way with every player, I feel I can compete and have a shot to play as a freshman, although the only opinion that matters is that of Coach Miller. I am not going to go out and score 30 points/game, but I can rebound, take a charge, play some defense, and do whatever else I can to get on the court and help the team. My jump shot has improved a lot over the past month, due to my many hours of taking shots every day. I have also spent some time this summer playing at LaSalle against elite college (Gerald Henderson/Wayne Ellington) and pro (Hakim Warrick/Marc Jackson) competition. I am still getting used to the physicality of these guys, but I am making progress and starting to feel comfortable playing at this level. It has also been a great learning experience to battle inside against the big men, even though I still get abused every now and then.

7. Do you feel that your high SAT score (1500+) will make it an easier transition to the rigors of getting an Ivy League education than if you were just the stereotypical “dumb jock”? I am a little worried about the class load, but hopefully I will not have to study as much as I would if I were a “dumb jock”. I hope to be one of the smartest guys on the team, and from what I hear about Coach Miller’s fairly complicated motion offense, it will make my life on the court much easier.

8. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn? I am a natural power forward, but I just want to be on the court, so I am not picky. If Coach Miller wants me to play the 3, then I will improve my ball handling. If he wants me to play the 5, then I will keep on working hard in the weight room.

9. What was the basketball culture like growing up in Indiana (where you were born) compared to Florida (where you went to high school)? I only lived in Indiana for the first three years of my life, so I do not have a lot of memories. However, my brother goes to a tiny high school in Indiana, and when they have basketball games with a packed gym and live broadcasts, it is pretty crazy. The Florida high school sports scene is all about football: basketball is just an afterthought to many people. Compared to Indiana, the basketball scene in Florida is more athletic, and the environment in Philadelphia is much more physical.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year in person, and what were your impressions? I came up to the Palestra for the Penn-Villanova game, which was great to watch because the whole crowd was going nuts. I am very excited to be coming to that environment, as it is a lot better than many of the rinky-dink facilities I played in down in Florida. It was also encouraging to see a guy my size (Mark Zoller) put up 33 points against a premier team like Villanova: it is good to know that you don’t have to be a high-flyer or blue-chip recruit in order to succeed on the Division 1 level.

Harrison Gaines, 6-1, 175, Victorville, Calif., Serrano

1. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (3 consecutive league titles) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? The first title my team won was a real big accomplishment, as our team had not won a basketball title in 20 years. It was also different than the subsequent title years because we had not won one before, so we were able to sneak up on people who did not expect us to win. The next 2 years were much harder as we tried to defend the title, because we got the best effort every night from every team. It taught me to work harder, as you just cannot rest on your laurels and expect to win.

2. What advice has your cousin Sean Burwell (who racked up the 3^rd most rushing yards in Oregon history as a tailback with the Ducks from 1990-93) given you about college athletics? He told me that the key is to have good time management skills and spend enough time on my work for class. He said that since it is college, I can go party and have some fun, but I am there to go to school and play my sport.

3. As one of the top point guards in California, you must have had several schools pursuing you: what made you choose Penn? It is a perfect fit for me, as I always wanted to go to a prestigious academic university (my parents wanted that for me too). I felt comfortable with Coaches Martin/Miller, and coming from a small town like Victorville, I wanted a chance to live in a big city like Philly.

4. Since the only 2 returning starters are a couple of guards (Grandieri/Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? I have just been trying to work hard this summer, and I am going to do whatever Coach Miller says and try to fit in where I can. I want to be an impact player from the start, and whatever playing time I get will let me prove that I can be as good as anybody.

5. How do you think you will fit into the Penn offense, and what style do you like to play on the court (drive inside, shoot from outside, etc.)? The coaches said they want to play up-tempo this year, which is how I play. Coach Miller wants a point guard who can distribute as well as score. I like to push the ball, but I can also run a half-court set and attack guys defensively.

6. As your high school’s all-time leading scorer and a 3-time league MVP, are you a shoot-first point guard, and how do you decide when to shoot vs. when to get your teammates involved? I just take what the defense gives me: if they give me the lane, I will drive to the hoop; if they play me tight, I will find my teammates. I do not go out there trying to shoot first or pass first. The teams I played on during my first 2 years of high school were okay, but I had to score a lot for us to contend. The teams I played on during my last 2 years of high school were better and we had more scoring options, so I did not need to be as much of a scorer.

7. What did you learn from the competition you played against at the Adidas Superstar Camp? It was a big learning experience: since there are not a lot of scripted offensive plays, you just have to go out and get your own. In doing so, I learned that I needed more moves off the dribble in order to break guys down (which is more of an East Coast style), and my focus on that really helped me improve going into my following season of high school. When you play against the best, you have to come with it every night, and you just cannot take any games off: you have to have a killer instinct. Playing against great guys at the camp should help me when I play against great guys in college: they will not show me any mercy, and I will not show them any either.

8. What did you learn from being a Special Olympics volunteer and a volunteer youth basketball coach? It was really heartwarming to work with the Special Olympics kids, and it made me appreciate the things that I am able to do. When I would give one of them a compliment, they would break into a smile, and it made me feel great that I touched someone. The AAU team that I coached was very competitive, and it helped me appreciate the little things. I got to see the game from a coaching standpoint, which is different then what you see when you are on the court, so it helped me improve my own game. It was also good that I used my knowledge to help the progress of the kids, hopefully enough to help some of them get to the college level and beyond.

9. Are you and the other Californians (Tyler Bernardini/Conor Turley/Tommy McMahon) going to bring a little West Coast attitude to West Philly? I am happy to play with anyone from anywhere: basketball is basketball no matter where you come from. However, it feels good to have some fellow California guys on the Penn team: I have worked out with Tyler a few times, so it is good to have someone from my area who I know.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year in person, and if so, what were your impressions? I went to see the NCAA Tournament game vs. Texas A&M in person. We almost pulled it out, and showed that we can compete with anyone in the country. Coach Miller has done great after Coach Dunphy left, which made me feel good about coming here.

Part One:Tyler Bernardi and Remy Cofield

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview & Awards | Discuss the Preview

Penn Freshmen Interviews: Part One

Jon Teitel — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:17:02 -0700

Tyler Bernardini, 6-6, 205, Carlsbad, Calif., Francis Parker

1. Was it difficult to commute from your home (Carlsbad) to your high school (Francis Parker's Linda Vista campus)? The 45-minute commute took a toll on me my freshman year, as I had to take a train and city bus just to get there, and then catch a ride home from my coach. Luckily, I got my license after my sophomore year, so that made it a little easier. However, it was hard not having a high school gym that was very accessible, so I would often just go to an outdoor park to shoot around. One of the things I am looking forward to at Penn is just being able to wake up five minutes before class, roll out of bed, and make it on time.

2. How close did you come to choosing Columbia or Princeton? I did not come close at all to choosing Princeton, but I felt a good connection to Coach Jones and his staff at Columbia. I had a good visit there, which made my decision tougher, but Penn now seems like the clear-cut choice for me. It has a great combination of academics and basketball, which my parents stressed would be a good choice, and I wanted it too.

3. What made you choose Penn over schools like Arizona State, Northwestern, etc.? My AAU coaches had contact with those coaches, as well as other Pac-10 schools, but I felt a great connection with Coach Miller and Coach Martin at Penn. I have never wavered from my choice, and I think Penn is the right place for me.

4. Since the only returning starters are a couple of 6'4" guards (Brian Grandieri/Darren Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? As the tallest guy on my high school team, I got plenty of experience guarding big men. Offensively, I played a lot at shooting guard, and I have worked very hard on my ball handling this summer. I am just looking to fit in and help out where I can, and if I work hard, hopefully I can help continue the winning tradition at Penn.

5. How bad were your sophomore/junior year injuries, and how did you overcome them? I played less than 10 games each of those years, so it was very frustrating. I broke my foot before my sophomore year, spent two months in a cast, and then re-injured it after coming back. I had a good summer, but then I hurt my back during my junior year. My injuries really hindered my development as a player, but the most positive thing to come out of the situation is that I do not take anything for granted anymore.

6. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn: SG, SF, other? I feel most comfortable at the 2 or 3, and if I can bulk up some more, maybe I can get a little time at the 4.

7. Have you met your fellow Californians (Harrison Gaines/Conor Turley/Tommy McMahon), and are you going to bring a little West Coast attitude to West Philly? I have not gotten to know Conor very well due to his mission, but I talked to Tommy briefly. I got to connect with Harrison during my visit, and we have talked and worked out together several times: it can only help me to have a good relationship with the point guard. We are not trying to have a California clique: I think the entire team will mesh well together.

8. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (winning league titles in 2004 and 2007) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? The title we won during my freshman year was big, as it was the first time that our league rival Horizon had not won the title in over a decade. We should have won it again during my junior year, and we had a lot of players graduate, yet we were able to come back and do it again this past season. When you win a title, you get a big target on your back; when you do not repeat, you learn not to take it for granted. I learned to work hard every day, because a day not working out is a day lost.

9. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year on TV, and if so, what were your impressions? I saw the game against North Carolina (Penn looked good early, but struggled late), and liked what I saw. Coach Miller has said he wants to play a more up-tempo style this season, which I think will be good. I like the guys I have met so far and the way they play, and I just want to see how I can fit in.

10. How did you end up on YouTube (making a backward shot from half-court), and how many times did you have to shoot before making it? My friend kept trying it, but could not make it, Then he picked up his camera phone, and when I tried it, I swear to you, I made it on my very first try. We went crazy (you can hear my friend laughing in the background of the video), and the next I know he put it on the Internet for everyone to see.

Remy Cofield, 6-4, 205, Newton, Mass., Roxbury Latin

1. You get a lot of blocks/rebounds for a 6'4" guard: what’s your secret? I have a lot more experience as a forward than most of the guards I play against. When I was younger, I was big enough to play down low, and even though I am primarily a guard now, I can still hold my own with guys in the paint.

2. What have you learned from your brother Corey (who played at William & Mary)? He taught me the importance of budgeting my time, which will come in handy at Penn because of the large role academics play there. He also told me that the coaches will be very demanding, and that I just have to take the criticism and keep working hard.

3. How close did you come to choosing Columbia? I went there last summer, and liked the coach and the area a lot, but I chose Penn because it is a big-name school with a great tradition of winning. I want to help continue that tradition of winning Ivy League titles, but I also want to try and win a game or two in the NCAA Tournament.

4. What made you choose Penn over another big-name school with a great tradition like UMass? I had known one of their assistant coaches for a long time, but they were bringing in 8-9 other freshmen/transfers with a high level of talent, so I was not sure it would have been the best fit for me.

5. Since the only returning starters are a couple of 6'4" guards (Grandieri/Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? Whatever Coach Miller wants to do is what will happen, but I think there is enough room for all of us to get some time on the court. Penn used a big rotation last year, and I think I am well on my way to getting a shot to play, as I have been working on my game a lot over the summer.

6. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn: SG, SF, other? I feel comfortable at the 2, because I have a lot of athleticism and can defend pretty well. Since I feel I am strong for a guard, I could also play small forward if that is where Coach Miller wants me.

7. What was the competition like in the Independent School League (ISL), and do you feel it prepared you for Ivy League competition? The ISL has it critics, but there have been some great players who played there like Mike Jones (University of Maryland) and Antoine Wright (New Jersey Nets). I played against many talented ISL guards last season, so I feel it prepared me quite well for Ivy League basketball.

8. What did it mean to you to be a McDonald’s All-America nominee? It meant a lot to me to be recognized, and it was great to get my name out there for others to see.

9. What was your reaction to being named runner-up for the 2007 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year (an award won in the past by players who went on to the NBA such as Rumeal Robinson, Travis Best, and Dan Gadzuric)? I had mixed reactions: while I was happy to be in the running, I felt kind of disappointed and slighted that I did not win the award. I worked very hard throughout my career, and really wanted to win it.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year, and what were your impressions? I watched their NCAA Tournament game against Texas A&M on television, and was impressed that they stuck right with them into the second half. I like that Penn fights hard to win every night, and their style of play should be a good fit for me. My defensive pressure can help create steals that lead to easy baskets, and I can also help slow down the pace if necessary.

Interview w/ Penn Coach Glen Miller

Jon Teitel — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 09:54:50 -0800

Jon Teitel interviews the new Penn head coach to complete a series of all 8 Ivy League head coaches.

1. What are your team's goals for this season?
A: I want our team to practice hard every day, improve as a team, and focus on the day-to-day work of implementing a new system. If we do all that, I think success will take care of itself. We cannot get wrapped up in all the expectations that come with being the defending Ivy champions.

2. What facet of the game is most important to your team's success this season?
A: We must be a good defensive team if we want to have a lot of success, and we also need to play unselfishly when on offense.

3. Which non-conference opponent do you think will be your biggest challenge this year?
A: All our non-conference games are challenging, and the entire team is embracing the challenge.

4. Which of your three incoming freshmen (Justin Reilly, Andreas Schreiber, and Darren Smith) do you expect to make the biggest impact this season?
A: We need all three of them to contribute to our success. Last year's weakness for Penn (if any) was the lack of depth toward the end of the season. We are still looking to increase our rotation, and would like to play 9-10 guys every game whom we have confidence in.

5. In light of the success of Ivy players from other countries, do you think it is crucial to specifically recruit foreign-born players (like Schreiber), or do you just want to get the guys who can best help your team win?
A: We recruit nationally, and if we find kids overseas who want an Ivy education and are good players, we will try to recruit them as well. We need to develop our foreign recruiting efforts further if we hope to get more guys like Andreas, but ultimately we want to get the best possible guy.

6. Do you expect the fans/media to compare you to former coach Fran Dunphy (school-record 310 wins and 10 Ivy titles in 17 seasons), and how do you hope to be measured as a coach at Penn?
A: I am my own worst critic, as I put a lot of pressure on myself to be successful. I cannot help but be compared to Coach Dunphy, and it will take a lot of hard work to keep Penn at the high level they have been at, and hopefully improve on that.

7. Do you consider this season to be the usual two-team race between Penn and Princeton, or do you think another team can win the conference title this season?
A: The last few years have shown more parity/competition among all eight teams. Columbia and Cornell have gotten better this year, and Yale has been solid over the past five years.

8. After being named unanimous Ivy Player of the Year as a junior, how high is the ceiling for Ibby Jaaber in college and beyond, and after getting off to a hot start this year and leading the league in scoring, how high is the ceiling for Mark Zoller in college and beyond?
A: Both will be marked guys, and the opposition will be well prepared for them. I am pleased so far with our well-balanced team, as we have several double-figure scorers, and we hope to spread the wealth even more as the other guys develop. Jaaber is learning how to play the point on the fly, and continues to improve every day.

9. With three seniors who were named All-Ivy last year (Jaaber, Zoller, and Steve Danley), and only one junior who scored at all last season (Brian Grandieri), do you feel pressure to win the Ivy title this year before the departure of your senior leaders next May?
A: I feel pressure to win every year, but I really want the seniors to go out on high note. As they have played in the NCAA Tournament in the past, it would be a major disappointment if we did not go back this March. It is also imperative that our younger guys gain some experience now so that they can take over next year after the seniors have graduated.

10. What kind of advantage (if any) do you think that your assistant coaches' experience of both playing (Perry Bromwell and Mike Martin) and coaching (Chris Sparks) in the Ivy League gives them over coaches who got their start outside the conference?
A: One of the most difficult aspects of the Ivy League is recruiting, and the experience of my assistants is valuable both in knowing what kids to recruit and how to get them. I am very pleased with the class that we have coming in.

11. As one of the best coaches in Brown history (with 93 career wins), how do you think you will feel this winter when you walk back onto campus to face your old team?
A: I am not looking forward to it, as there will be a lot of attention put on the situation. I will be happy to get the first game out of the way, and then it should be like any other game in the future. I also think it might be difficult for Coach Dunphy to come back to the Palestra with his new team at Temple. The game should be more about the players than the coaches, but I don't know if the first one will be.

12. What was your reaction to the shooting of the Duquesne basketball players, and how do you try to keep your own players safe when they are off the court?
A: It was a tragic situation. I think it is important to be careful what environment you put yourself in, and I try to be in constant communication with my players, giving them advice without being overbearing.

13. Whom do you consider to be the favorite for Ivy Player of the Year?
A: It is usually the best guy on the best team, or the best guy on a team that is battling for the championship.

14. Whom do you consider to be the favorite for Ivy Rookie of the Year?
A: It is usually a talented guy who gets a chance to make an impact by getting some minutes. We have some good freshmen here at Penn, but they might not get a lot of minutes due to the seniors we have leading us.

Basketball Diary: A Tale of Two Road Trips

Jon Teitel — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 20:52:04 -0800

Jon Teitel spent last week watching his alma maters play in two very different atmospheres. Game 1 featured powers Arizona & Louisville going at it in the world’s most famous sports arena. Game two featured his Penn Quakers taking on Navy in little Annapolis, MD. Here's a log of his journey that featured famous coaches, minor celebrities, good basketball, and guns.

Game 1.
Arizona vs. Louisville, 12/5, Game 2 of the Jimmy V Classic in New York, NY

After my 4-hour bus ride to NYC (thank you Greyhound), I walked a few blocks to a bar called Shady Jake’s (do NOT get the Carolina pork sandwich) for the Arizona pre-game pep rally. As usual, I did not win a single damn thing in the raffle, but still had fun seeing friends and getting psyched for the game.

Just as I’m getting ready to head over to catch Game 1 of the Classic (Oklahoma State vs. Syracuse), a roar erupts from the Wildcat fans in the bar. I look over to the staircase, and who comes walking up but the Silver Fox himself…LUTE OLSON!! The crowd goes nuts, as everyone wants a piece of him: handshake, picture, autograph, etc. He stands up on a chair behind me, gives the patented visiting-alumni-on-a-road-trip speech, and takes a few questions. As he precariously steps off the chair, I hold out my hand to make sure that Josh Pastner does not prematurely become the next Arizona head coach. After Lute safely reaches the floor, he gives me a smile and a handshake, thereby making my day. If this man ever decides to run for political office, look out!! Speaking of which, another older fellow who is working the room comes over and introduces himself: it’s outgoing Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe. Apparently, I am not the only one who is more interested in Arizona basketball than DC politics.

It’s now time to walk across the street to the world’s most famous arena: Madison Square Garden. I missed the first half between the Cowboys and the Orange, but caught most of the 2nd half. Mario Boggan is unstoppable in the paint, Paul Harris throws down a sweet dunk, and the pro-Syracuse crowd goes home sad as they lose a close one, 72-68. Then the real game begins.

The Cats look good early, building a double-digit lead late in the 1st half. Derrick Caracter, the kid who was 6’8”, 240 pounds as a 13-year old, made his collegiate debut for the Cardinals: it was the best of times (9 points, 7 rebounds), it was the worst of times (11 minutes, 5 fouls). I have never seen more combined hatred for a single player in my life than the venom that evening directed towards Louisville’s David Padgett: the Arizona fans booed him for not deciding to enroll in Tucson a few years ago, and the Louisville fans booed him for averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds a game despite being 6’11”, 245.

Another first was seeing a forward get a double-double while shooting 1-8 from behind the arc: thank you Terrence Williams (13 points, 10 rebounds). On the victor’s side, the 2 leading men were the super-frosh (Chase Budinger: 17 points, 6 steals, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers) and the super-Serbian (Ivan Radenovic: 22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals). The other 3 starters (Williams, McClellan, and Shakur) were a pathetic 5-25 from the field, which contributed greatly to the Cats missing 17 of their first 18 shots in the 2nd half, but it was not enough to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

While the crowd listened to Dickie V’s halftime ode to Jimmy V, I moved down to about 10 rows behind the Arizona bench. Two tall latecomers showed up during halftime after playing for the Nets in the Meadowlands: former Wildcats Hassan Adams and Richard Jefferson. They were mobbed by fans, and security stepped in to quash the hopes and dreams of teenagers who wanted an autograph from their heroes. After leaving the Garden, and surviving the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 1:30 in the morning, I made my way out of NYC with a big win, some great memories of my first-ever trip to the mecca of college basketball, and further proof that the Big East is not going to be as dominant as it was last year.

Game 2.
Penn vs. Navy, 12/7, Annapolis, MD

How did the Midshipmen commemorate the 65th anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor: by scheduling the Quakers for a riveting Ivy League-Patriot League battle at Alumni Hall. Penn was in command the whole way, both on offense (all 5 starters finished in double figures) and defense (a whopping 15 steals), en route to a 79-58 win over Navy. With conference scoring leader Mark Zoller having only an above-average (rather than an out-of-this-world) game, the rest of the starters showed off their own skills for all to see. Steve Danley was unguardable down low, and ended up making 11 free throws. Surprise starter Michael Kach had 12 points and 1 nasty fall while on the receiving end of a flagrant foul.

Ibby Jaaber was an absolute menace on defense, racking up a game-high 7 steals and leaving him 4 short of the all-time conference career record. Like a 7-foot center whose physical presence is enough to keep opponents out of the lane, the Navy guards wanted no part of Jaaber: if one of them was being guarded by Jaaber while bringing the ball up the court, they would pass it to the other one so that they could avoid having their pocket picked (more of a threat in the Big Apple, no!!).

Other than the Quakers’ win, the most enjoyable part of the game was the crowd. I showed up expecting military men and women dressed in uniform and solemnly supportive, but I was way off. There were students in all shapes, sizes, and costumes: Chippendale’s dancers, full body paint, kilts, togas, Speedos, camouflage, etc. During breaks in the action, groups of students would run laps around the mezzanine as others tried to block their way. A guy with a chest full of medals would start pumping his arms, and chants of “Fire it up, fire it up!!” would reverberate throughout the tiny gym. While other schools have halftime entertainment featuring acrobats or musicians, Navy brings you…guys with guns, marching in formation. I do not know if this atmosphere is the exception or the rule, but I have rarely been prouder of our servicemen and women.

In conclusion, it was a wild 3 days, but with 2 wins from my alma maters, Chanukah came early this year.

Ivy League: First Month Awards

Jon Teitel — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 10:21:45 -0800

Ivy League awards after the first month are dominated by Penn and Harvard..

NOVEMBER ALL-IVY

SR PG Ibby Jaaber (Penn): 13.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 2.7 SPG, 58.2 FG%
The improved play of Zoller and Grandieri has allowed Jaaber, the defending Ivy Player of the Year, to focus on his distribution skills from the point.

SR SG Jim Goffredo (Harvard): 15.6 PPG, 88.9 FT%, 3 3-PT/GAME
The senior leadership of Goffredo, plus his skill from behind the arc, and Cusworth should allow the Crimson to remain competitive throughout the rest of December.

JR SF Brian Grandieri (Penn): 14 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, 53.6 FG%
Expected to play 3rd-fiddle to Zoller and Jaaber this year, Grandieri is already putting up Jaaber-like numbers, and should explode next year when he is the focus of the offense.

SR PF Mark Zoller (Penn): 22.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2 SPG, 62.5 FG%, 82.2 FT%
The early favorite for Ivy Player of the Year, Zoller led the conference in scoring in November, and is picking up where he left off in December after netting a career-high 33 against Villanova.

SR C Brian Cusworth (Harvard): 18 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 61.2 FG%
Despite the fact that his eligibility will expire at the end of the semester, Cusworth is going out with a bang, as well with the conference lead in rebounding.

NOVEMBER ALL-IVY FRESHMEN

FR G Louis Dale (Cornell): 13.1 PPG, 50.8 FG%, 1.4 3-PT/GAME
With the season-ending injury to teammate Adam Gore, Dale and Wittman will be a lethal 1-2 scoring punch for Cornell through the end of the decade.

FR G Nico Scott (Columbia): 8.9 PPG, 52.4 FG%, 1.9 3-PT/GAME
The Lions have plenty of scoring and rebounding up front with John Baumann and Ben Nwachukwu, and now they have some three-point shooting from Scott to balance it out.

FR G Patrick Foley (Columbia): 8.4 PPG, 50 FG%, 83.3 FT%
With his fellow backcourt mate Scott, the future backcourt of Columbia is now.

FR G Lincoln Gunn (Princeton): 6.1 PPG, 1 SPG, 1.1 3-PT/GAME
The early favorite for Ivy Name of the Year, Gunn’s all-around skills will give him more minutes as the year progresses.

FR F Ryan Wittman (Cornell): 16.8 PPG, 1.4 SPG, 94.7 FT%, 3.8 3-PT/GAME
The early favorite for Ivy Freshman of the Year, Wittman leads all Ivy freshmen in scoring and is virtually automatic from the free-throw line.

NOVEMBER INJURED PLAYER OF THE MONTH

SO SG Adam Gore (Cornell): 20 PPG, 4 APG, 100 FT%, 5 3-PT/GAME
After being named Ivy Freshman of the Year last year, Gore tore his right ACL in the final minute of an outstanding performance in the Big Red’s season-opener last month. As a result, Gore will have to sit out the rest of this year.

Ivy League Preview

CHN — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 10:13:54 -0800

Conference Previews | Top 144 | 06-07 Preview Home

Ivy League Preview

Conference Rank: 23rd

Conference Page

All-Conference

Player of the Year - Ibrahim Jaaber, Penn, G

Keenan Jeppesen, Brown, G/F

Mark Zoller, Penn, F

John Baumann, Columbia, F

Brian Cusworth, Harvard, C

Nat'l	Team (Click for Preview)	Conf	Tourney
82	Penn	1	NCAA
154	Princeton	2
181	Brown	3
199	Yale	4
223	Columbia	5
255	Cornell	6
278	Harvard	7
313	Dartmouth	8

Ivy league Head Coach Q&A's:

Craig Robinson - Brown

Frank Sullivan - Harvard

Joe Scott - Princeton

Steve Donahue - Cornell

2006-07 Preview: #82 Penn

Joel Welser — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 13:26:38 -0700

Ivy Player of the Year Ibrahim Jaaber (18 ppg) should lead Penn to another conference title.