Arizona St

NBA: Top 10 Prospect Report

Joey Whelan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:38:44 -0500

Joey Whelan will be checking in throughout the season with his Top 10 Prospects Report, a look at who is rising and falling in the game of college basketball:

1. Blake Griffin - Oklahoma

The Sooners big man has been nothing short of spectacular this season. Posting averages of 25.7 points and 19.2 rebounds, Griffin has dominated every team in his path. There isn't a better combination of size, strength and athleticism in the college game right now, and few if any players will be able to challenge the sophomore as the best pro prospect at the collegiate level.

2. James Harden - Arizona State

Few players have gotten off to the kind of start that Harden has this season, averaging 27 points and nearly 7 rebounds over his first six games. While he isn't the world's greatest athlete, he possesses pretty good size and scouts love his basketball IQ. Harden is a very fundamentally sound player with a nose for the basket. If he can continue his stellar play once the Pac-10 schedule kicks off, he is a safe bet to be a top five pick in June.

3. Hasheem Thabeet - Connecticut

Thabeet has had a strong, albeit inconsistent start to his junior year. His scoring and rebounding numbers are up significantly from last season and he has seen a big time leap in his shooting percentage as well. Granted, few teams he has played have been able to physically match up with the Big East giant, and his mundane showing against Wisconsin didn't earn him any points. However, with his size and the occasional showing like he has against Miami (19 points, 14 rebounds, 7 blocks) will be enough to have Thabeet land in the lottery.

4. Jrue Holiday - UCLA

While the freshman hasn't started off at a torrid pace, Holiday hasn't done anything to hurt his already high stock so far. He has been a tremendously efficient scorer so far although his totals have been inconsistent. Holiday is coming off his best showing of the season so far, dropping 20 points on Florida International on a perfect 8 of 8 shooting. His perimeter shooting prowess has carried over from the prep scene with Holiday connecting on over 45% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Increasing the rate with which he distributes the ball will only stand to further help his stock.

5. Earl Clark - Louisville

Sure the numbers aren't going to jump off the page, but at 6'9" and the ability to play away from the basket, Clark is always going to be very appealing to scouts. His scoring numbers are up slightly through his first three games, but what has been the most intriguing change so far is the improvement we are seeing in Clark's perimeter shooting ability. While he didn't have any qualms about firing from deep last year, his form looks much more consistent than it has in the past.

6. Tyreke Evans - Memphis

The freshman has proved his merit on the court so far, leading the Tigers in scoring through the team's first six games. Evans already has an NBA body with elite athleticism but his perimeter shooting has been suspect. The majority of his baskets so far have come in transition or as a result of hustle plays, but it isn't hard to see why scouts have been keeping tabs on Evans since he was tearing up the high school circuit. If he starts to find his stroke from beyond the arc opposing teams will have their hands full trying to contain him.

7. B.J. Mullens - Ohio State

For a player as hyped entering college as Mullens was, 5.5 points and 4 rebounds per game hardly seems like the production one would expect from a future pro player. Of course we can't forget how important physical attributes are when it comes to evaluating a player from an NBA standpoint. Mullens is a legitimate 7-footer with tremendous athleticism; if he is able to put it all together he is capable of putting on some impressive performances. However, if he continues to post mediocre numbers, no amount of athleticism will keep his stock from slipping.

8. Patrick Mills - Saint Mary's

Every time Mills steps on the floor he gives scouts more and more reasons to love his game. His scoring is up significantly from last season, with a slight bump in his rebound and assist numbers as well. Mills has tremendous speed and quickness, but what makes him so dangerous is his ability to change speeds in a flash. His mid-range game has looked fantastic thanks to a soft touch on his pull up jumper and he has shown little trouble beating defenders off the dribble. Things are looking up for Mills' stock at this point in the year.

9. Ty Lawson - North Carolina

The Tar Heels point guard has been nothing short of spectacular to kick of his junior campaign. With averages of 16 points, 6.7 assists, 2.4 steals and a 52.6% shooting mark from beyond the arc, Lawson has been a nightmare for opposing teams this season. The most impressive part of his game this year is the fact that he has significantly increased his assist numbers while actually averaging nearly a full turnover less per game. The question marks surrounding his shooting ability have been quelled at least for now with the huge jump in his three-point numbers.

10. Chase Budinger - Arizona

Budinger has been a high profile pro prospect since he broke onto the college scene; not much has changed six games into his junior year. His scoring and rebounding numbers have increased, but it is the ridiculous shooting percentages so far that catch the eye. Budinger is hitting on over 65% of his shots from the field and from beyond the arc, an absolutely blistering pace that he likely won't be able to keep up. There is no doubt that Budingers production this year will keep his name in the lottery as the season progresses.

Next in Line

Gerald Henderson - Duke: A fantastic athlete, but has gotten off to a sluggish start.

Nick Calathes - Florida: Great size for the PG spot and has been extremely productive so far this season.

Demar DeRozan - USC: Another tremendous athlete who projects out well at the next level who has started off slow.

Patrick Patterson - Kentucky: The SEC beast is having a better year on the boards and has significantly improved his shooting from the field.

Darren Collison - UCLA: Scoring is up, assists are up, shooting numbers are up, stock is up.

What do you think about this year's prospects? Post your thoughts below:

College Basketball: Week in Review

Rob Carpentier — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:33:44 -0500

Rob Carpentier's "Seven Day Stretch" is a whirlwind tour around every corner of college basketball nation:

Seven Day Savior (Team): Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners have started the season 6-0 and although four of those wins have been against inferior competition, two of the wins have come against a very good Davidson team and a Purdue squad that will be one of the favorites to win the Big 10 (despite the Duke loss). Star forward Blake Griffin is averaging 19.2…REBOUNDS per game. That’s astonishing regardless of whom the Sooners have played. Oh, by the way, he’s scoring at a 25.7 per game clip. Against Purdue, Griffin “only” scored 18 points, but he hauled in 21 boards. It’s not just Griffin, though. Blake’s brother Taylor and super-frosh Willie Warren are both scoring in double figures. It’s early, but Jeff Capel is starting to look like the most successful Coach K protégé out there. The Sooners have a couple of tough contests this week, with USC coming to town for the Big 12/Pac 10 Harwood Series and then having to travel to take on a tough Tulsa squad. Win those two games and the Sooners will probably be a top five team.

Seven Day Savior (Player): David Holston

Senior David Holston, Chicago State Cougars. CSU hasn’t shocked anyone, but they did play Marquette tough and beat Central Michigan. This is big for a school that has no winning tradition whatsoever. The Cougars sit at 3-3 and although they won’t get an NCAA bid, (they’re an independent after spending years in the Mid Continent Conference), they are much better than in the past. The biggest reason why is the 5’8” Holston. He is second in Division 1 scoring at 25.7 PPG, and even that doesn’t tell the whole story. He has scored in the 30’s four times, including a 33 point effort at Marquette, and has already attempted 70 three point shots. The fact that he’s hitting on 4% of those shots helps, but he is also an unselfish player, averaging almost 6 assists per game. He’ll have a couple more shots at getting on the highlight shows this season as the Cougars still play at Illinois and at Kansas State.

Game of the Week (The one you DON’T know about): ASU vs Nebraska

Since there are no “big” mid-major conference games this week, let’s look at one of the intersectional games between two BCS schools. Arizona State is supposed to be one of the teams that should give UCLA a serious run for the Pac 10 crown, while Nebraska has started the year at 5-0 including a big win against Creighton this past weekend. Both schools should be in the mix for a bid to the Big Dance in March and winning this game will go a long way to getting one of those programs to go “dancing”. It will be an interesting match-up as Nebraska has relied very much on its defense to start the season, (no team has scored more than 57 on the Huskers this year), while ASU has one of the best individual offensive players in the country in sophomore James Harden. Both teams like to slow it down a bit and run very structured offenses. While games like UNC/MSU may get the bulk of the media coverage, its games like this that are often more intriguing and more entertaining.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Charleston

VMI defeated Kentucky in Lexington and Western Kentucky beat Louisville, (but was crushed earlier by Murray State), but the team that really should be raising eyebrows if you’ve been paying attention has been the College Of Charleston. They’ve started the year 5-1 and the one loss was a squeaker at Temple, (who should be pretty good this year), and they just defeated South Carolina. With all due respect to Davidson head coach Bob McKillop, the only current Southern Conference coach to get to a Final Four is Charleston’s Bobby Cremins. Granted, that was with Georgia Tech, but Cremins knows what he is doing. The Cougars play the same pressure defense that Cremins made famous during his days in Atlanta, and they rebound very well, (they essentially played the Gamecocks to a draw on the boards). It’s a young team, (only two seniors), but they play with a lot of confidence. Sophomore guard Andrew Goudelock is the go-to guy for the Cougars. But he isn’t it; Charleston has five players at least 6’7” tall, which is a lot for a mid-major program, and they are very athletic. Junior guard Tony White, Jr. is a defensive wiz, utilizing his quickness to harass opposing guards. Perhaps most importantly, Charleston takes care of the ball. As a team, they average only 11.7 turnovers per game. That means that Charleston doesn’t give up big runs to opponents. Circle December 29; Davidson comes to Charleston in what may be the first of three meetings this season. If Charleston wins, they won’t be under the radar anymore.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: Billy Gillispie

Billy Gillispie is in trouble. His Kentucky team has rattled off five straight wins, including wins over Kansas State and West Virginia. Those wins were just in time, too. That’s because the Wildcats lost at home to VMI, (much like last season’s home loss to Gardner-Webb), and then got hammered at North Carolina 77-58, a score line that was in now way indicative of how thorough the beating was that Kentucky took. The natives are restless in Lexington and Gillispie will need a big season from here on out to defuse the perception that he is vastly underachieving. Gillispie’s offense has been suspect and he has yet to fully get his players to completely buy into his defensive concepts. The Cats still get Miami (Fla.), and Louisville out of conference so the sour taste of the VMI loss still can be purged, but Heaven forbid that Kentucky losses to Indiana…then Gillispie’s backside will really get warm.

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Kelvin Sampson

The NCAA finally came down with its ruling in the investigation of Kelvin Sampson and Indiana. Sampson, by all accounts, was justifiably hammered. He essentially won’t be able to coach in the college ranks for the next 5 years as he has been placed on a show-cause restriction, meaning that any college that wants to hire him has to show cause as to why. Okay, I think most people feel that’s a justified penalty, (one of the harshest that the NCAA can levy against an individual), as Sampson, basically, was stupid. I want even get into the “slime” factor. The head scratcher, though, is the fact that Indiana got off with three years of probation. No post-season ban, no loss of television. Normally this would be fine as Sampson was the real culprit here, as well as members of his staff. But it was shown that Indiana had some knowledge of his wrongdoing and didn’t jump to correct it. That’s an oversight issue and schools have been trashed by the NCAA for doing that. In short, the NCAA, once again, has shown no consistency in determining penalties for institutions. The fact that colleges and universities haven’t moved to form their own governing body is a head scratcher as most schools know that the NCA A is one of the most arbitrary bodies in existence.

College Basketball: Weekend Viewers Guide

Jason Brubaker — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:28:05 -0500

The big focus this weekend is on college football for many sports fans, with conference and national title implications hinging on a number of rivalry games.

But don't forget about hoops either. Here are a few games to keep an eye on while you're digging through those leftovers.

Saturday

7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh vs. Washington State HDNET

The championship of the Legends Classic figures to be a defensive masterpiece, with two rugged teams going head to head. Pitt is led by forwards Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, and guard Levance Fields, and they've lived up the the hype so far, combining for 49 points per game. The Cougars have leaned on freshman forward Klay Thompson and veterans Aron Baynes and Taylor Rochestie, and their calling card continuers to be defense, holding teams to 29.7% shooting thus far. However, Pitt figures to have too many weapons and too much experience, and should come out on top.

8:00 p.m. Dayton vs. #15 Marquette

Marquette may get their first test of the young season, and the first of Buzz Williams' career. Dayton has ridden high-flying forward Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson to a 5-0 start, including an overtime win over Auburn. The Eagles are still led by one of the finest guard trios in the game with Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews, who are averaging 49 points and 13 assist between them. Look for the Eagles to fly away with the win.

Sunday

5:30 p.m. #16 Georgetown vs. Maryland ESPN2

The consolation game of the Old Spice Classic pits two teams still searching for an identity. Maryland pulled a big upset in knocking off Michigan State, but then looked completely outclassed by Gonzaga in the semis. Outside of PG Greivis Vasquez, the Terps are wildly unpredictable at this point. The Hoyas have some good pieces in Dajuan Summer, Austin Freeman and talented frosh Greg Monroe, but they've lacked an offensive identity so far. However, look for Georgetown to use their talent to overwhelm the unproven Terps, and come away with the victory.

7:30 p.m. #12 Tennessee vs. #10 Gonzaga ESPN2

Could be one of the best early-season matchups in recent memory. Tennesee is long, athletic and deep, with an endless supply of wings who can attack the basket and shoot. If PG Bobby Maze plays under control, they'll be tough to beat. The Zags are also blessed with incredible depth, and are led by veterans Jeremy Pargo, Matt Bouldin, Josh Heytvelt and Austin Daye. This one figures to be up-and-down the floor with plenty of highlights. Look for the Zags, with more experience, to pull out the victory and win the Old Spice Classic.

8:00 p.m. UTEP vs. #14 Arizona State ESPNU

The Sun Devils were shocked by Baylor's hot-shooting from distance, but they should have no trouble rebounding against Stefon Jackson, Randy Culpepper and the Miners. ASU guard James Harden has been spectacular, and the Devils will be poised to redeem themselves after the surprising loss to the Bears.

10:30 p.m. #24 Wake Forest vs. Baylor ESPN2

The championship of the 76 Classic should be a fun one. Wake is loaded with young talent, like sophomores James Johnson and Jeff Teague, as well as freshman stud Al-Farouq Aminu. The Bears are loaded with veteran talent, including Curtis Jerrels, Henry Dugat and Kevin Rogers, plus sharp-shooting sophomore Lacedarius Dunn. Look for Baylor to impose their will in this game, and negate Wake's size with their outside shooting and quickness. Scott Drew continues his amazing success with a victory in the 76 Classic.

Pac-10 Coach Raking: Big Ben

Jeff Fox — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:33:40 -0500

Take a wild guess who is ranked as the top coach in the Pac 10? You got it, that guy.

1) Ben Howland – UCLA

Ben Howland is truly the king of the Pac 10. He has the Bruins on course for a fourth-straight Final Four.

2) Mike Montgomery – California

A great hire for Cal – Mike Montgomery has the coaching pedigree to lead the Golden Bears back to their 1990s Jason Kidd-led level.

3) Tim Floyd – USC

There’s a new player in L.A. hoops. Tim Floyd seems to have the recruiting touch and the Trojans are ready to fight back against neighborhood bully UCLA.

4) Herb Sendek – Arizona State

Herb Sendek has the Sun Devils headed towards the upper echelon of the Pac 10 and is now the top coach in the Land of McCain.

5) Tony Bennett – Washington State

There is no way that Washington State should be a player in the Pac 10 every year, yet Tony Bennett has them doing just that.

6) Lorenzo Romar – Washington

The back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in ’05 and ’06 seem ages ago. At least Lorenzo Romar has Jon Brockman around for his senior season.

7) Ernie Kent – Oregon

Ernie Kent’s Ducks appear to have peaked in 2007 with their appearance in the Elite 8. Don’t expect a repeat performance this season.

8) Johnny Dawkins – Stanford

It should be a long season for first year coach Johnny Dawkins. Couldn’t at least one of those Lopez twins have stuck around for another season?

9) Craig Robinson – Oregon State

It’s debatable who has the tougher task ahead of him – Craig Robinson or his brother-in-law Barack Obama.

10) Russ Pennell – Arizona

Its always hard to follow a legend, but being thrown into the head coaching position at the last minute (and thrown into the middle of a soap opera to boot) makes Russ Pennell’s job even harder.

College Basketball: Top Sophomores

Joey Whelan — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:57:46 -0500

Last season’s freshman class was absolutely loaded with talent, as shown by the seven players from that group taken in the NBA Draft lottery back in June. The star power doesn’t end with that group though, as this year’s sophomore group can lay claim to being the strongest class in the country; certainly at the top. This list includes a nice mix of guards and big men, with a couple of inside/outside studs as well. Keep an eye out as many of these individuals will likely end up on All-American lists at the end of the year.

Pick Six: Top Sophomores

CHN's Pick Six series highlights the Top 6 players by position, league, and class.

1. Blake Griffin - Oklahoma

There really wasn’t much debate with making this pick. Not only is Griffin the best returning player from his class, but he may be the best pro prospect in college basketball right now. The big, bruising, athletic specimen’s return to Norman completely changed the landscape of the Big 12 Conference this season. Rather than being a middle of the pack team, the Sooners find themselves ranked 12^th in the pre season AP Poll. With his strength, finesse, soft touch and a devastating developing post game, Griffin is the best big man this side of Tyler Hansbrough, and certainly shows more upside in the long term. He just missed out on a double-double average last season, don’t expect that to be the case this year.

2. James Harden – Arizona State

There are plenty of reasons to love this old-school shooting guard. Harden has a very fundamental game, which is highly polished for a player at his stage of development. There are also few players in his class that can match his basketball IQ right now. Harden proved to be a go-to scorer in his first year with the Sun Devils and was an extremely efficient scorer, posting a 63% true-shooting percentage, good for third in last year’s freshman class. Team’s will be keying in on the budding star even more this season, but with his ability to read defenders and make decisions on the fly, there is no reason to think Harden wont post comparable or better numbers than he did last year.

3. Patrick Patterson – Kentucky

This beast in the middle will be the top big man in the SEC this season. Patterson’s game is still very much a work in progress but he shows tremendous flashes of ability with a soft hook shot and the decisions he makes cutting without the basketball. The scary thing is, at this point, he is so physically dominant; he almost doesn’t need a very refined post game to be a force. Few if any players in the conference can match Patterson’s strength, athleticism and explosiveness on the block. While he isn’t the biggest frontcourt player, listed at 6’8” 223, Patterson does a tremendous job of establishing position inside and pushing would be defenders around while he goes to work. He averaged just under 36 minutes per game last season, don’t expect that number to drop this year.

4. Patrick Mills – Saint Mary’s

The WCC managed to recruit some of the top talent in last year’s freshman class. Mills is an electrifying player who enters this season riding high from an impressive summer stint with the Australian national team, where he averaged 14 points in just 24 minutes of action. Mills’ game is built on speed. Whether it be in the open floor or the half court set, few players can match the point guard, particularly his devastating first step. He shows pretty good court vision and distributes the ball well, but clearly he is a shoot first guard. If he cuts down on the number of three-pointers he chucks up this season (nearly six per game last year) Mills should see an increase in his already solid offensive production.

5. Austin Daye – Gonzaga

This player has already gotten plenty of hype from me, so I won’t delve in much more. Daye poses the most tantalizing combination of size, athleticism and skill in the country this season. At 6’10” and possessing the ability to put the ball on the floor comfortably, attack the basket or shoot from the perimeter, there are few players who can boast this same combination. If the small forward can put it all together this season, not only are we looking at a potential All-American caliber player, but a lottery pick as well.

6. Andrew Ogilvy – Vanderbilt

What is there to not like about a 7-footer who dumps in 17 and 7 a night? Very little. Ogilvy was likely the biggest surprise out of last season’s freshman class, emerging as one of the top underclassmen big men in the country. The Aussie shows good mobility and excellent hands for a true center. His back to the basket game is clearly well developed and he shows outstanding touch with both hands, a rarity at the college level. While inconsistent, he showed that he can knock down the mid-range jumper when he chooses to face up on defenders. While Ogilvy could stand to benefit from getting stronger and a little quicker, there is no denying he is one of the most talented players in his class.

Next in Line: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse; Kyle Singler, Duke; Nick Calathes, Florida; James Anderson, Oklahoma State; DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh

Love it or hate it? Let’s hear it!