Early on, it seems that this team has a better chemistry than last year. That could be because there were so may off the court issues early on and the team never really recovered from it. I think some of it could also be because there was such a maturity gap in last year's team from five seniors to freshmen. There was really nothing in between except Jonathan Gibson, who was a sophomore and Paris Carter, who didn't complete the season on the team.From the moments I've been around this group, they seem pretty loose and they look forward to games like tonight against USC or Kansas.
Anyway, I asked Coach Menzies about it following Saturday's game against Riverside and here is what he said.
"One thing that I was happy about was toward the end of the game when we had a significant lead, and we had guys that were OK not going back in and hungry for more minutes. That wouldn't have happened last year. Guys even mentioned that, 'No we have a big one Tuesday coach, I'm good.' That's a good change of pace so hopefully we will keep that going."
I also asked him about picking up his first win this year in comparison to winning his first last year.
"Last year was a lot more emotional for me just because it was first game, Division I. There was a lot more at stake and when it came down to it, you can never replay your first one. Outside of that, once the ball went up, it was pretty much the same. Leading up to the game was more emotional."
Just a couple interesting quotes that didn't find their way into stories this week.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
USC game
Great opening day effort from the Aggies. I hate to look too far ahead given the player movement the last couple of years, but you have to give it to Menzies early bringing in guys like Troy Gillenwater and Wendell McKines. Hamidu Rahman even looks to be a solid center as he continues to mature.
Here is a link to a column I wrote on the Aggies upcoming season. I don't want to spoil it for you but I don't choose them to go undefeated and to the Final Four, but check it out if you have time.
Also, here is the AP story from USC's game on Saturday.
As you may know, there are some ties to California on the Aggies roster with Gibson and Gillenwater, but I will have something on that in Tuesday's paper.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taj Gibson scored 17 points, including six straight in a decisive second-half run, and No. 18 Southern California defeated UC Irvine 78-55 Saturday to win its first season opener in four years.
DeMar DeRozan added 14 points in his college debut as the Trojans’ highly touted replacement for top scorer O.J. Mayo, who was a first-round NBA draft pick after one season.
Dwight Lewis had 18 points and Daniel Hackett 10 for USC, which lost openers to Cal State Northridge and South Carolina, both in overtime, and Mercer in coach Tim Floyd’s first three seasons.
Darren Moore scored 16 points for the Anteaters. They kept it close throughout the first half, when they led by two points and shot 41 percent from the floor. Brett Lauer added 12 points and Zac Atkinson 10.
But the Trojans asserted themselves offensively to open the second half, while also stepping up their defense.
Leading by six at halftime, USC opened with a 23-7 run to take a 58-36 lead that was never threatened. Gibson scored eight, including two dunks and a basket off his own rebound, while Lewis had five and DeRozan four.
In the final minutes, freshman Percy Miller, better known as hip-hop star Lil’ Romeo, came off the bench and grabbed one rebound.
Just like Mayo, DeRozan arrives as a newcomer with the ability to immediately make an impact on the program. The McDonald’s All-American forward averaged 29.2 points as a senior at nearby Compton High. He cracked the starting lineup Saturday, going 6-of-11 from the floor, making both his free throws and grabbing three rebounds.
Along with Mayo, the Trojans lost their No. 2 scorer, Davon Jefferson, who wasn’t selected in the NBA draft. The team is coming off a 21-12 season in which it lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Anteaters were 18-16 last season, losing three of their top scorers to graduation. They fell to 1-5 against the Trojans and haven’t beaten a Pac-10 school since 2005.
Here is a link to a column I wrote on the Aggies upcoming season. I don't want to spoil it for you but I don't choose them to go undefeated and to the Final Four, but check it out if you have time.
Also, here is the AP story from USC's game on Saturday.
As you may know, there are some ties to California on the Aggies roster with Gibson and Gillenwater, but I will have something on that in Tuesday's paper.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taj Gibson scored 17 points, including six straight in a decisive second-half run, and No. 18 Southern California defeated UC Irvine 78-55 Saturday to win its first season opener in four years.
DeMar DeRozan added 14 points in his college debut as the Trojans’ highly touted replacement for top scorer O.J. Mayo, who was a first-round NBA draft pick after one season.
Dwight Lewis had 18 points and Daniel Hackett 10 for USC, which lost openers to Cal State Northridge and South Carolina, both in overtime, and Mercer in coach Tim Floyd’s first three seasons.
Darren Moore scored 16 points for the Anteaters. They kept it close throughout the first half, when they led by two points and shot 41 percent from the floor. Brett Lauer added 12 points and Zac Atkinson 10.
But the Trojans asserted themselves offensively to open the second half, while also stepping up their defense.
Leading by six at halftime, USC opened with a 23-7 run to take a 58-36 lead that was never threatened. Gibson scored eight, including two dunks and a basket off his own rebound, while Lewis had five and DeRozan four.
In the final minutes, freshman Percy Miller, better known as hip-hop star Lil’ Romeo, came off the bench and grabbed one rebound.
Just like Mayo, DeRozan arrives as a newcomer with the ability to immediately make an impact on the program. The McDonald’s All-American forward averaged 29.2 points as a senior at nearby Compton High. He cracked the starting lineup Saturday, going 6-of-11 from the floor, making both his free throws and grabbing three rebounds.
Along with Mayo, the Trojans lost their No. 2 scorer, Davon Jefferson, who wasn’t selected in the NBA draft. The team is coming off a 21-12 season in which it lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Anteaters were 18-16 last season, losing three of their top scorers to graduation. They fell to 1-5 against the Trojans and haven’t beaten a Pac-10 school since 2005.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Joyner
Terrance Joyner was not granted initial eligibility by the NCAA. The earliest he could conceivably play is Dec. 14 against UTEP, following fall semester finals so the Aggies will be a bit short handed for their first 7 games at the very least.
I got an email from Fred Hawthorne, who coached Jonathan Gibson during the Say No Classic in L.A. over the summer. Apparently Gibson and UC Riverside guard Sean Cunningham were teammates over the summer so that could be interesting to watch on Saturday afternoon.
I got an email from Fred Hawthorne, who coached Jonathan Gibson during the Say No Classic in L.A. over the summer. Apparently Gibson and UC Riverside guard Sean Cunningham were teammates over the summer so that could be interesting to watch on Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Signing
As you may know, the NMSU men's team doesn't have any scholarships to fill during the signing period that runs from Nov. 12-19. The NMSU women are expected to sign three post players that they have received verbal committments from over the past three months so keep an eye out for that in the SN.
Here is a couple paragraphs from an AP story on Nevada's two signings.
Nevada basketball lands 2 big men recruits
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada coach Mark Fox said Wednesday he has signed two big men as part of the early recruiting period to join the Wolf Pack in 2009-10 and shore up a shortage of front-line players.
Steven Bjornstad, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center from Vancouver, Wash., and Devonte Elliott, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward from Paramount, Calif., signed the national letters of intent.
Fox also announced that Mark McLaughlin, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kenmore, Wash., has been cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center and next season will honor the letter of intent he signed last November to attend Nevada.
Bjornstad averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game last season at Columbia River High School. He also shot 80 percent from the field and helped the Chieftains to a 21-7 overall record and the 3A Greater St. Helens League championship last year.
Here is a couple paragraphs from an AP story on Nevada's two signings.
Nevada basketball lands 2 big men recruits
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada coach Mark Fox said Wednesday he has signed two big men as part of the early recruiting period to join the Wolf Pack in 2009-10 and shore up a shortage of front-line players.
Steven Bjornstad, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound center from Vancouver, Wash., and Devonte Elliott, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward from Paramount, Calif., signed the national letters of intent.
Fox also announced that Mark McLaughlin, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kenmore, Wash., has been cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center and next season will honor the letter of intent he signed last November to attend Nevada.
Bjornstad averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game last season at Columbia River High School. He also shot 80 percent from the field and helped the Chieftains to a 21-7 overall record and the 3A Greater St. Helens League championship last year.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Comparison?
I don't think it means much because Western is so bad, but here is the story on their exhibition against the Lobos. Some of it sounds familiar don't you think. Alford and Menzies each has their hands full with young teams.
It sounds like from some of the bloggers on the previous post were looking back at the UNM/NMSU rivalry so here is some more fuel to that fire. Don't know much about the Lobos. They had a closed scrimmage with Arizona State and then the Western exhibition. They have some great returners though in Toppert, Roman Martinez (El Paso product) and Danridge back from the injury.
It sounds like from some of the bloggers on the previous post were looking back at the UNM/NMSU rivalry so here is some more fuel to that fire. Don't know much about the Lobos. They had a closed scrimmage with Arizona State and then the Western exhibition. They have some great returners though in Toppert, Roman Martinez (El Paso product) and Danridge back from the injury.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Starters tonight
Just a reminder that Wendell McKines will not play tonight for a "violation of team rules" due to academic responsibilities. It's apparent that Coach Menzies is holding his young team to a high standard of responsibility early on.
Looking ahead, I like Wendell's spark coming off the bench, with Troy Gillenwater starting at the power forward spot. Every team needs a guy to come off the bench with energy and Wendell does all of the little things. I think Gillenwater has the offensive edge over Wendell right now, and that should lead to the starting spot for the redshirt freshman. At any rate, Menzies told me Gillenwater will start tonight, along with Hernst Laroche, Jonathan Gibson, Jahmar Young and Hamidu Rahman.
Looking ahead, I like Wendell's spark coming off the bench, with Troy Gillenwater starting at the power forward spot. Every team needs a guy to come off the bench with energy and Wendell does all of the little things. I think Gillenwater has the offensive edge over Wendell right now, and that should lead to the starting spot for the redshirt freshman. At any rate, Menzies told me Gillenwater will start tonight, along with Hernst Laroche, Jonathan Gibson, Jahmar Young and Hamidu Rahman.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Standouts
Jahmar Young and Jonathan Gibson showed that they will be as advertised so I'm not going to go too much into their performance. All I will say for those who were not in attendance is if they take better care of the ball on the perimeter early and Gibson logs as many minutes as J.Y. and it would have been a massacre. (By the way, Menzies said Gibson was slated to start, but apparently missed a team obligation earlier in the week so hence the limited playing time)
The two players that impressed me were Troy Gillenwater and Hamidu Rahman. I saw Justin Hawkins play on a couple of occasions as a junior and his entire senior season. Some people on the message board were asking if Gillenwater is better than Pope, but I think Hawkins is a better comparison and wanted to see what you thought. I'm not saying right now, but I wonder if Gillenwater as a freshman is comparable to Hawkins his first year. Both are long and I'm sure four years in the weight room and Troy will get stronger as he gets older. Troy may even be better than Hawk in the post because he seems to have a couple inches on Justin. Both can handle the ball, although Troy needs to improve there and Gillenwater seems to have a midrange jumper and a decent stroke from long range. Even the laid back and calm demeanor is similar. Just a thought, but I'll stop there because Gillenwater has a long way to go to become the player Justin was, but physically I saw a lot of similarities.
Hamidu Rahman may have gotten tired toward the latter stages, but he got up and down very well early, outrunning more athletic posts to the spot in the paint and finishing around the basket. He also seems like a good free throw shooter, as did Chris Gabriel, but the centers impressed me, but they still don't know where to throw the ball if they get doubled in the post, but Menzies said that will be addressed in practice this week.
Other notables, Hernst Laroche showed that he can get to the basket and create, but he was also solid on the defensive end. very quick. Wendell McKines will push for a school rebounding record if he puts up numbers like Friday over the next three years, 14 points, 11 boards. Also had four assists and three blocks and he knocked down a couple of jumpers. It was good to finally see the team in action.
The two players that impressed me were Troy Gillenwater and Hamidu Rahman. I saw Justin Hawkins play on a couple of occasions as a junior and his entire senior season. Some people on the message board were asking if Gillenwater is better than Pope, but I think Hawkins is a better comparison and wanted to see what you thought. I'm not saying right now, but I wonder if Gillenwater as a freshman is comparable to Hawkins his first year. Both are long and I'm sure four years in the weight room and Troy will get stronger as he gets older. Troy may even be better than Hawk in the post because he seems to have a couple inches on Justin. Both can handle the ball, although Troy needs to improve there and Gillenwater seems to have a midrange jumper and a decent stroke from long range. Even the laid back and calm demeanor is similar. Just a thought, but I'll stop there because Gillenwater has a long way to go to become the player Justin was, but physically I saw a lot of similarities.
Hamidu Rahman may have gotten tired toward the latter stages, but he got up and down very well early, outrunning more athletic posts to the spot in the paint and finishing around the basket. He also seems like a good free throw shooter, as did Chris Gabriel, but the centers impressed me, but they still don't know where to throw the ball if they get doubled in the post, but Menzies said that will be addressed in practice this week.
Other notables, Hernst Laroche showed that he can get to the basket and create, but he was also solid on the defensive end. very quick. Wendell McKines will push for a school rebounding record if he puts up numbers like Friday over the next three years, 14 points, 11 boards. Also had four assists and three blocks and he knocked down a couple of jumpers. It was good to finally see the team in action.
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