Uconn filled with potential, questions

Talented UConn has questions but should rise By NEILL OSTROUT Staff writer   It's hard to imagine a group with more potential than this year's UConn men's basketball team. Of course, it's also hard to imagine a team with more question marks than the one ranked No. 2 in the preseason national polls. "We're not even the best team in the league starting off," UConn coach Jim Calhoun admits. "I would hope that we would be the best team." The questions facing Calhoun's team as he prepares for his 23rd year at UConn are evident.   - Will center Hasheem Thabeet's on-court play finally match his NBA draft projections? - Will point guard A.J. Price return from offseason knee surgery as the same dominant player he was last season? - Will junior forward Stanley Robinson return in December and will he quickly return to top form? - Will freshman forward Ater Majok arrive in December and will he quickly mesh with his new teammates? - Will junior guard Jerome Dyson once again be a big-time scorer, avoiding the off-court problems and offensive fouls that have occasionally stunted his growth?   If the answer to all of these questions is yes, the Huskies may not lose to anyone, including a litany of dangerous foes in the talent-rich Big East. If the answer to all of the questions is no, the Huskies may be hard-pressed to win a single game in the talent-rich Big East. And if, as is most likely, they go something like 4 for 5, it's going to be a wildly entertaining season in Storrs. "We've got at least four or five teams from our league that can get to a Final Four," Calhoun said. "The problem is who catches a bad break? Who catches a couple tough losses? Injuries, all of the things that happen during a season." The Huskies caught a few of the toughest breaks possible last season. Price's collapse in the first round of the NCAA tournament was preceded by the ill-timed suspensions of Dyson and Doug Wiggins. UConn enters the 2008-09 season hoping that it ran over its allotment of speed bumps last year. The regular season begins Friday with a game against Western Carolina and continues with a Monday night tilt against Hartford. The Huskies also have a trip to the Virgin Islands just ahead of them with two or three challenging games there. But the Huskies' season will likely be separated neatly into parts: B.C. and A.D. That would be Before Christmas and After December. Or is that Ater December? Majok is awaiting approval of his Australian high school transcript by the NCAA. Robinson is waiting for UConn's first semester to end so that he can re-enroll. Until Robinson and Majok arrive near the holidays, the Huskies will be using a three-guard lineup. After that, it's anyone's guess how the pieces will fit together. "The things we do early, we won't be doing later," Calhoun said. "Hopefully, by mid-January, this team will mesh." The problems of having too many talented players is one Calhoun doesn't mind. If Majok can't adjust to a new level of play during his first season in Storrs, the Huskies will adjust. If someone like Craig Austrie, of Stanford, is playing too well to allow Robinson back into the starting lineup, it won't necessarily be a bad thing. "Everybody is making a case for themselves without realizing it," Calhoun said of the preseason and pre-conference schedule. "It's important those guys understand that." The Dyson question will probably be answered quickly. His suspension appears to be in the past, but Calhoun wants his on-court play to resemble what it was before the incident. "We've got to get Jerome back to being aggressive," Calhoun said. "I think last year when he got knocked out for those nine games and didn't play, he never got his swagger back." The coach has also asked forward Jeff Adrien to pick up his play, asking the senior to exhibit a little more desire. "I expect him to be more hungry," Calhoun said. "Because of the league we're in, where everybody is good enough to beat you, we're going to have to play hungry every night." Price appears to be playing without pain, but his role may change this season even if his knee is perfect. Although Majok and even Nate Miles probably received more attention, perhaps no incoming Husky is more suited to the program than freshman point guard Kemba Walker. The speedy New Yorker's style and emotion have already changed the team. "The last freshman who brought that -- he's a whole different kind of player -- is Khalid (El-Amin)," Calhoun said. "Khalid brought that kind of enthusiasm. You can't put a price tag on that." It appears Walker will begin the season as Price's backup, but he'll enter the lineup alongside Price many times and allow the senior to slide over to the wing. "He's got that other gear," Price said. "When he comes into the game, you better be prepared to stop the ball early or he can take it all the way to the paint. The speed of the game definitely does pick up." Walker isn't an accomplished shooter and won't likely have any 30-point games. He will, however, help the Huskies as they try to revive a full-court press. "Kemba will have a bad game or two; he's a freshman," Calhoun said. "But he's going to provide a spark. He's going to provide some quickness." UConn actually might not get out of the gate very quickly. Many of these same players were part of a hot start two years ago that fizzled when league play began. UConn might perform something of a reverse this time. "We're not the No. 1 team as we start out," Calhoun said. No, they just have the potential to be No. 1 when the calendar reads 2009 A.D.   1HASH MARKS -- If center Hasheem Thabeet has improved as much as his coach thinks he has, or even as much as he thinks he has, the Huskies are in for a big season. Watch Thabeet's performances early in the season against perimeter-oriented teams like Western Carolina and Hartford, as well as his first few tests against bigger teams. How about a matchup with Miami? The Hurricanes have a 316-pound freshman center. 2MURDERER'S ROW -- Even before the ball drops and it becomes 2009, the Huskies will begin Big East play. With it comes a minefield of talented teams, each of which feels it can make the NCAA tournament and perhaps half of which have designs on an Final Four. 3DECEMBER 20 -- If Stanley Robinson and Ater Majok arrive as scheduled, a Dec. 20 date with Gonzaga will be the first test of the new-look Huskies. Robinson probably won't have much difficulty, but how the freshman from the Sudan via Australia performs on this Seattle stage might be a good indicator. 4TAN LINES -- The Huskies are headed to the Virgin Islands next week for three key games and perhaps a couple early season tests. If they concentrate on basketball and not the sandy beaches, the Huskies could take a major step forward. 5PRESSURE COOKER -- He hints at it nearly every season, but coach Jim Calhoun appears committed to employing full-court pressure on a regular basis. The three-guard lineup he'll use for the first part of the season lends itself to more pressing. So does his one-man shot-blocking machine. -- NEILL OSTROUT   http://www.connpost.com/ci_10967266?source=most_viewed

Nicholls overpowers New Orleans to win season opener

Ryan Bathie and Fred Hunter poured in 19 points apiece for the Colonels

 

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonels took a 41-26 lead to the locker room at halftime and never looked back, running to a 79-62 win over New Orleans in the season opener Wednesday night in Stopher Gym.

"I'm thrilled about what we got out of our guys," stated J.P. Piper, head coach of the Colonels. "Hopefully we'll continue to improve each time out. The toughness that we've had in practice and the intensity that we've had each day in the gym carried out onto the floor tonight and that led to this win."

Senior Ryan Bathie (Melton, Australia/Mowbray) and freshman Fred Hunter (Denton, Texas/Denton) each poured in 19 points to lead the Colonels. Hunter led Nicholls on the glass with six rebounds, including four on the offensive end.

Hunter went 8-for-15 from the floor, part of a team 51.7% (30-58) shooting percentage. 

Sophomore Anatoly Bose scored 11 second-half points, helping the Colonels to their second-straight win over UNO.

Nicholls (1-0) trailed early in the opening half, falling behind by as many as eight points (10-2), before a three pointer from sophomore Dominic Friend (Geelong, Australia/St. Joseph's) put the Colonels ahead for good (22-21).

Friend and senior Justin Payne (Opelousas, La./Opelousas) each dished out four assists on the night.

The Colonels led by double digits through much of the second half, paced by Hunter, who had 10 second-half points, and sophomore Anatoly Bose (Sydney, Australia/Waverley), who poured in 11 after the break. Bose tallied 13 points, thanks in part to a 5-for-7 performance from the line.

New Orleans (0-2) pulled close near the six minute mark, using a 7-1 run to bring the score to 59-56, propelled by 22 second-half points from Darrian McKinstry. McKinstry finished with a game-high 28 points, adding five rebounds.

"There were definitely some sloppy parts for us in the game tonight," Piper noted, "but all-in-all, it was definitely a positive win. We knew McKinstry would be dangerous and, even though he got us a little more than we would have liked, I thought we did a remarkable job holding him back in the first half."

Bathie and freshman Kyle Ford (Whitehouse, Texas/Whitehouse) each sank three treys, as Ford finished with 11 points, while Bathie knocked down three blocks in the second half.

"We're excited about our freshmen and the performances they had," added Piper. "They fit into our system really well - sometimes I have to remind myself they are freshmen. They're ahead of the game and have a chance to be really special for us."

The victory is the Colonels second-straight over the Privateers after claiming a 75-60 win in New Orleans last season.

Prior to Wednesday night's game, Nicholls had not won a season opener since the 1999-00 season, when the Colonels defeated Centenary 55-52 in Stopher Gym, marking the last time Nicholls opened the season at home.

The Colonels will travel to Tulane on Saturday, facing the Green Wave for a 2 p.m. tip at Fogelman Arena (Sunday 8am AEDT).

 

Nevill dominant for Utes in first win of season

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Luke Nevill scored 10 of his 20 points in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the second half to lead Utah to a 79-60 victory over Wisconsin-Green Bay in the first round of the Glenn Wilkes Classic on Tuesday night.

It was the first win of the season for the Utes (1-1), following their embarrassing opening loss to Division II Southwest Baptist.

The 7-foot-2 Nevill sat out much of the first half with foul trouble but had no problem dominating the smaller Phoenix (0-1) after halftime. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked three shots as the Utes outscored the Phoenix 19-6 over a nine-minute span to take control.

Terry Evans led the Phoenix with 15 points, while Chop Tang added 12.

Luka Drca recorded 16 points and Carlon Brown 13 for the Utes, while Kim Tillie had eight points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.

 

 

Mills leads Gaels in big win over Fresno State

MORAGA, Calif. (AP) -Patrick Mills scored 27 points and added six steals and five assists, and Saint Mary's made a statement for breaking into the Top 25 with a 99-85 victory over Fresno State in a game that ended early Tuesday morning.

The matchup was one of 14 games being played as part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-off Marathon and started at 11 p.m. local time. The student section rocked at McKeon Pavilion for the nationally televised contest, and new West Coast Conference commissioner Jamie Zaninovich was in attendance despite the late hour.

Omar Samhan added 18 points, including six during a 12-2 spurt to start the second half, and added 13 rebounds. Diamon Simpson had 10 points, 10 boards and three blocks for the Gaels, picked to place second in the WCC behind eight-time defending regular-season champion Gonzaga. They received 108 votes in this week's poll, released Monday.

Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett has one of his deepest rosters ever and returns four starters from a team that lost to Miami in the first round of last season's NCAA tournament.

Paul George had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Mychal Ladd added 13 for scrappy Fresno State, a young team featuring eight newcomers and just one senior in Dwight O'Neil. O'Neil had 12 points and nine assists and was whistled for a flagrant foul for taking Mills down hard on a breakaway with 8:04 to play. Sylvester Seay added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Bulldogs.

Both teams came out running and established their transition games early, with Saint Mary's capitalizing on Fresno State's eight first-half turnovers.

Mills scored nine points during a 13-2 run late in the first half that put Saint Mary's ahead 45-28. Mickey McConnell's 3-pointer 3:05 before halftime gave the Gaels a 20-point cushion.

Mills, a speedy sophomore guard, shot 9-for-21 with four 3s and is clearly more confident this season coming off a successful Olympics with the Australian national team in Beijing.

Saint Mary's shot 49 percent in the first half and hit 7 of 14 3-pointers on the way to a 55-42 lead at the break.

The Gaels lead the all-time series 19-16, and this marked the Bulldogs' first game in Moraga since 1997. Saint Mary's won 77-68 in a meeting last season at Fresno State.

A moment of silence was held before the national anthem for Hall of Fame basketball coach Pete Newell, who died Monday at age 93. He coached in the Bay Area at both California and San Francisco.

 

Game Notes Saint Mary's vs. Fresno State

• Both Omar Samhan and Diamon Simpson posted double-doubles.  Samhan finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for his ninth career double-double, while Simpson posted his 21st career double-double.
• The Gaels continue their streak of at least one three a game to 476 games, hitting 9 three's against Fresno State.
• Randy Bennett continues a successful carrier at home, winning 55 of the last 67 games played in McKeon Pavilion.
• In their last 21 games when scoring over 70 points, the Gaels are 20-1.
  
• Saint Mary's once again showed its depth, playing 12 players, 11 with significant minutes and contributions.
• As with the last meeting between the Gaels and the Bulldogs four or more SMC players scored in double digits. 
• The last time Saint Mary's had five players score in double digits was when they had six against Pepperdine last season.
• Mills posted his ninth career 20-point game as a Gael.
• Yusef Smith scored 10 points for his sixth career game in double figures.
• Ben Allen scored a career-high 10 points.  

 

Opacic 12 points in Furman loss

Charleston, S.C. - Jamarco Warren scored a game-high 28 points and Omar Carter added 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead Charleston Southern to a 75-64 victory over Furman in men's basketball action Monday evening at CSU Field House.

The Buccaneers used a 15-2 first half run to erase a seven-point deficit and take a 35-30 lead into the halftime break. Warren buried six treys on the night to lead the Buccaneers who converted on 44.4% of their attempts beyond the arc and 50.9% from the field.

Charleston Southern (1-1) opened the second half on a 13-4 run behind a pair of Warren treys to open up a 48-34 advantage. Furman (1-1) answered with a 23-6 spurt to pull within three at 57-54 on Darryl Evans three-pointer with under eight minutes remaining, but the Buccaneers converted on 6-of-8 trips to the foul line in the final five minutes to pull away for the double digit victory.

Jordan Miller led four Paladins in double figures with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field. Alex Opacic (Sydney) tallied 12 points and eight boards while Justin Dehm and Evans each totaled 11 points. Furman shot 41.0% (25-61) from the floor and 37.5% (9-24) from the three-point line, including Miller's 4-for-5 effort beyond the arc.

Charleston Southern held a 38-31 edge on the boards and forced 11 Furman turnovers while committing just 10. Kelvin Martin joined Warren and Carter in double figures with 11 points.

Furman continues its four-game road trip on Sunday when it visits Atlantic-10 member Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pa. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. (Monday 6am AEDT).

 

Christian Salecich Signs to Play for Billikens

 St. Louis - Saint Louis University head men's basketball coach Rick Majerus today announced that 6-foot-4 guard Christian Salecich (Gold Coast, Australia/Institute of Sport) has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University and play basketball for the Billikens. Salecich will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2009-10 academic year.

"Christian is truly Aussie-tough," Majerus said. "Like all `Boomers', he has a passion and a competitive streak to rival that of Australians like (former Utah and current NBA player) Andrew Bogut, who I was fortunate to coach, and (former NBA and Australian pro) Shane Heal. Christian has played on three continents against men. Every coach and every competitor talks first and foremost about his toughness and passion. He is coming 6,000 miles from home to play basketball. That should give our fans some indication about his love of the game."

"Like Jon Smith and Cory Remekun, Christian is a sensational student," Majerus said. "This is an honor roll class in the academic arena as well as the basketball arena. But in the area that matters the most, all of these young men have exceptional families who visited with them and got to meet and see for themselves first hand the best part of Saint Louis University - the faculty, education and the current players on the team. Christian, Cory and Jon were player favorites on their recruiting visits. Our current class really felt that their attitude and commitment to the game coincided with theirs."

Salecich is the top-ranked off guard in the 2009 class in Australia. He played the last two seasons for the Australian Institute of Sport, the elite prep school in Canberra, Australia, which has produced more than 20 Division I players, including Andrew Bogut who played at Utah under Majerus.

"Christian's Junior National Coach, Marty Clarke, is a teacher extraordinaire, therefore, Christian has a real command of the fundamentals," Majerus said.

Last season, Salecich averaged 12 points per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line. Christian helped A.I.S. advance to the 2008 Southeast Australian Basketball League finals. Salecich is a member of the Junior Australian National team which will compete at the 2009 U-19 World Championships. He won the silver medal with Team Australia at the 2007 Junior Oceania Tournament, and he participated in the 2007 Adidas Nations Camp in New Orleans, when he played against current Billiken Ruben Cotto, and each remembered the other for his tenacity. Salecich scored 15 points and had four assists and helped Australia win the bronze medal game at the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament with a victory over the USA. Salecich is an athletic guard who possesses deep 3-point range, and he is considered a premier defender. Last season, Salecich averaged 12 points per game while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line. Christian helped A.I.S. advance to the 2008 Southeast Australian Basketball League finals. Salecich is a member of the Junior Australian National team which will compete at the 2009 U-19 World Championships. He won the silver medal with Team Australia at the 2007 Junior Oceania Tournament, and he participated in the 2007 Adidas Nations Camp in New Orleans, when he played against current Billiken Ruben Cotto, and each remembered the other for his tenacity. Salecich scored 15 points and had four assists and helped Australia win the bronze medal game at the 2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament with a victory over the USA. Salecich is an athletic guard who possesses deep 3-point range, and he is considered a premier defender.

 

 

Witt plays big off bench in Valpo win

VALPARAISO, Ind. -- Michael Rogers scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half Saturday night, leading Valparaiso to an 87-56 exhibition victory over Marian.

Marian, an NAIA school in Indianapolis, stayed close early in the game, but Erik Buggs had 4 points during an 11-0 run that put the game out of reach.

The Crusaders built a 28-11 lead to 43-21 at halftime and continued pulling away in the second period.

Cameron Witt (Launceston) added 16 points in his collegiate debut and Buggs finished with 13 for Valpo. Marian, which gave up 35 points on 23 turnovers, was led by Alex Sylvester with 16.