Monday, June 15, 2009
Gibson back
I have a couple items that nobody should really be surprised about. Jonathan Gibson took his name out of the early entry list and will return for his senior season. From talking to Jonathan, it sounds like he is trying to develop some leadership qualities. I don't see him as the vocal presence that J.Y. Wendell or potentially Gillenwater, but I think the younger players would respond to his experience, especially De'Shawn Gomez, who is an incoming freshman from L.A. ... I don't expect Chris Gabriel to return next season. Most players come back to campus in early July for summer school and I would be surprised if he returns, unless he has a change of heart.
Monday, June 8, 2009
NCAA rule changes
NCAA approves 3 rules changes for men’s basketball
INDIANAPOLIS AP — An NCAA committee has approved three rules changes intended to clarify block-charge calls, who can shoot free throws after an injury and the expanded use of replay.
The announcement Monday means secondary defenders must establish position outside the area between the backboard and the front of the rim to draw a charge call. The playing rules oversight panel said in a release that the change was based on surveys, rules forums and the coaches’ desire to reduce the amount of contact occurring underneath the basket.
The panel also addressed the perceived advantage teams can get when a fouled player is injured. Previously, the shooting team’s coach could select any player on his roster to take free throws. Now, the opposing coach must select from the four players remaining on the court.
And the committee approved expanding replay to determine flagrant fouls, which would result in ejection. If the foul is not considered flagrant, officials could still call an intentional foul or a technical foul for contact. It is the only rules change that will apply to men’s and women’s basketball.
The rules changes will go into effect this fall.
INDIANAPOLIS AP — An NCAA committee has approved three rules changes intended to clarify block-charge calls, who can shoot free throws after an injury and the expanded use of replay.
The announcement Monday means secondary defenders must establish position outside the area between the backboard and the front of the rim to draw a charge call. The playing rules oversight panel said in a release that the change was based on surveys, rules forums and the coaches’ desire to reduce the amount of contact occurring underneath the basket.
The panel also addressed the perceived advantage teams can get when a fouled player is injured. Previously, the shooting team’s coach could select any player on his roster to take free throws. Now, the opposing coach must select from the four players remaining on the court.
And the committee approved expanding replay to determine flagrant fouls, which would result in ejection. If the foul is not considered flagrant, officials could still call an intentional foul or a technical foul for contact. It is the only rules change that will apply to men’s and women’s basketball.
The rules changes will go into effect this fall.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Justin Hawkins in Cruces
I spoke with former Aggie Justin Hawkins tonight. He's back in Las Cruces with his family after playing professionally in France last year. Here's a link to his profile on their website. More power to you if you speak French. It sounds like Hawkins is committed to getting to the NBA, even if it takes a couple years of playing overseas. He certainly has the athleticism you would think would land him in the NBA at some point. He said he has some summer plans to play in Vegas with the Lakers in July and its possible that some workouts will also come down the road.
Notes
A previous poster asked about Wendell. I spoke with Coach Menzies a couple days ago and nothing has really changed. Gabriel is 50-50 as far as leaving, he said everyone else is coming back, including Wendell. It's just a matter of if he missed a handful of games or redshirting for the entire season. It seems like something that will be determined in the fall. ... A couple of scheduling tidbits. Northern Arizona backed out of a game due to a conflict so the Aggies have two non-conference games to fill and the Aggies are trying to make them home games. Don't expect another high major road game and nothing in the Northeast. The UCLA game will be the marquee game on the schedule. Both UNM and UTEP home games will be before students leave campus and the university is working with the WAC to get ESPN interested in the UNM/NMSU opener on the first week of the season.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Las Cruces HIgh
I know it's a high school post, but I have heard Las Cruces High will announce Mike Smith's replacement as boys basketball coach this week. The Bulldawgs interviewed seven candidates on Monday. Some names that I have heard mentioned are current assistant and former Aggie William Benjamin, current Gadsden assistant coach Saul Perez, Del Norte's Gerome Espinoza and former Las Cruces High assistant and Hatch and Mesilla Valley head coach Claude Gobble. It's a good prep job that appears to have attracted some quality candidates.
Alex Kirk
I've known about Alex Kirk since I came to New Mexico and worked in Farmington for two years. I saw him as a sophomore but haven't seen him since but I know he put on a show in the Class 4A tournament at the Pit. He has big time offers in the bag already but I don't think it ever hurts to go after in state players and the Aggies finally got into the mix. Here is some background followed by a short Q&A with the best in-state 2010 player.
Kirk’s father and high school coach, Alan, said Kirk made unofficial visits to Arizona, UNM, Texas Tech, Colorado and Oklahoma State last fall. He has offers from all of the above except Oklahoma State.
Alan said NMSU made an offer this winter and Chris Pompey made the trip north to watch a Los Alamos game his junior season. The Aggies are one of several schools that have made offers already including WAC rival Utah State, USC, Cal, Oregon State, Arizona State, Tulane, Vandy and Minnesota.
Kirk is 6-10, 225 pounds with a GPA above 3.0. His dad said he is a better shooter than he is with his back to the basket. At the high school level, Kirk averaged 28 points, 14.6 rebounds, seven blocks and 3 assists for his team, which plays in Class 4A in New Mexico.
Kirk plays for Houston Hoops in the summer and he has already played 40 games this summer in tournaments in Virginia, Phoenix, Minneapolis and Houston and Dallas twice. He’s playing in the Nike Memorial Day Classic this weekend in Atlanta. June stops include the Nike Peach Jam Jul 11-15, the AAU Super Showcase in Orlando Jul. 24-27 and the AAU National Championships in Orlando Jul. 27-31. He played with Danny Granger's Southwest Titans last summer and was discovered by Houston at a John Lucas camp in Houston last year.
Have you thought seriously about New Mexico State? When did they start contacting you?
They contacted me midway through my junior season. Tthey are building back up after Theus went to the NBA. Everyone is on my radar right now. I'm open to anyone really at this point.
Any plans to make unofficial to Las Cruces?
I'm pretty busy with school and I have AAU games and tournaments through August so I really don't have time for visits anywhere.
Is there an early favorite as your junior year ends?
I took those visits because there was an opportunity there. They are all really good schools and I enjoyed every single visit.
When are you going to start whittling down the offers?
I have two more weeks of school and then the summer is here where I will have more time to start thinking about it and cut my list down.
Do you have a number in mind you would like to have it broken down to entering your senior year?
I have talked about having a decision made by my senior season, but I am just going to take my time and see how the process works out for me.
What are your strengths?
I feel like I'm a good shot blocker and rebounder. My shot for a big man is pretty good. I can shoot over I lot of people and I think that helps a lot. I can hit from 3-point range on in.
What are you trying to improve on this summer and your senior season?
Just confidence and my conditioning and strength.
How long have you played with Houston Hoops? What is that competition like and how beneficial is it for you?
I started playing with them right after the state tournament. It's been one of the best experiences in my life basketball wise.e Talent is everywhere. Every player there has the opportunity to play Division I and every player we play against will play Division I ball. It benefits me because I don't really have the opportunity to play big men like this in New Mexico. The more games I play, the better I have gotten.
When do you want to make some sort of verbal commitment by?
When I feel like a school is the right fit for me, whenever that happens, I will make a verbal.
Kirk’s father and high school coach, Alan, said Kirk made unofficial visits to Arizona, UNM, Texas Tech, Colorado and Oklahoma State last fall. He has offers from all of the above except Oklahoma State.
Alan said NMSU made an offer this winter and Chris Pompey made the trip north to watch a Los Alamos game his junior season. The Aggies are one of several schools that have made offers already including WAC rival Utah State, USC, Cal, Oregon State, Arizona State, Tulane, Vandy and Minnesota.
Kirk is 6-10, 225 pounds with a GPA above 3.0. His dad said he is a better shooter than he is with his back to the basket. At the high school level, Kirk averaged 28 points, 14.6 rebounds, seven blocks and 3 assists for his team, which plays in Class 4A in New Mexico.
Kirk plays for Houston Hoops in the summer and he has already played 40 games this summer in tournaments in Virginia, Phoenix, Minneapolis and Houston and Dallas twice. He’s playing in the Nike Memorial Day Classic this weekend in Atlanta. June stops include the Nike Peach Jam Jul 11-15, the AAU Super Showcase in Orlando Jul. 24-27 and the AAU National Championships in Orlando Jul. 27-31. He played with Danny Granger's Southwest Titans last summer and was discovered by Houston at a John Lucas camp in Houston last year.
Have you thought seriously about New Mexico State? When did they start contacting you?
They contacted me midway through my junior season. Tthey are building back up after Theus went to the NBA. Everyone is on my radar right now. I'm open to anyone really at this point.
Any plans to make unofficial to Las Cruces?
I'm pretty busy with school and I have AAU games and tournaments through August so I really don't have time for visits anywhere.
Is there an early favorite as your junior year ends?
I took those visits because there was an opportunity there. They are all really good schools and I enjoyed every single visit.
When are you going to start whittling down the offers?
I have two more weeks of school and then the summer is here where I will have more time to start thinking about it and cut my list down.
Do you have a number in mind you would like to have it broken down to entering your senior year?
I have talked about having a decision made by my senior season, but I am just going to take my time and see how the process works out for me.
What are your strengths?
I feel like I'm a good shot blocker and rebounder. My shot for a big man is pretty good. I can shoot over I lot of people and I think that helps a lot. I can hit from 3-point range on in.
What are you trying to improve on this summer and your senior season?
Just confidence and my conditioning and strength.
How long have you played with Houston Hoops? What is that competition like and how beneficial is it for you?
I started playing with them right after the state tournament. It's been one of the best experiences in my life basketball wise.e Talent is everywhere. Every player there has the opportunity to play Division I and every player we play against will play Division I ball. It benefits me because I don't really have the opportunity to play big men like this in New Mexico. The more games I play, the better I have gotten.
When do you want to make some sort of verbal commitment by?
When I feel like a school is the right fit for me, whenever that happens, I will make a verbal.
Hoops notes
Previous posters have mentioned the possible departure of Chris Gabriel. I came to find out that it is indeed a possiblity, another player who if he does leave, I don't see his leaving as making a major impact on the win loss record. ... But it looks as if Wendell McKines will either miss part of or end up redshirting next season after grades came out. Either way, Wendell was on the verge of a monster junior year and he still will be if he redshirts. Obviously it means that Gillenwater would see his minutes increase, which I think was what caused him to play up and down and land in Menzies' doghouse. Where I think Wendell will be missed the most other than the boards, is his leadership. It seemed like to me Wendell and J.Y. were developing as the vocal leaders on that team as sophomores. ... Spoke with women's coach Darin Spence briefly. He said he hopes his assistant coach job will be posted sometime this week and filled by mid June. He's looking for someone with experience like a head coach at a smaller program who knows how to run and build a program. The new assistant would replace Joel Washington and develop players, recruit among other responsibilities.
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