Story
Games 58 & 59 - Holiday hoops
58 - Rockdale HS vs. Glenn Hills HS
59 - Rockdale HS vs. South Miami (Fla.) HS
December 28/29 at William Venable Gymnasium in Tucker, GA
Story
59 - Rockdale HS vs. South Miami (Fla.) HS
December 28/29 at William Venable Gymnasium in Tucker, GA
Story
Game 57 - Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
December 25 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA
ESPN
ESPN
Game 56 - Auburn vs. Hawaii
December 25 at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI
ESPN
Auburn led by nine after Kareem Canty's 3-pointer about midway through the second half, but great work by Hawaii over the final nine minutes.
Sai Tummala followed almost immediately with a four-point play at the 9:15 mark, which seemed to get the Rainbows going as they closed the game on a 28-7 run and won 79-67 in the third-place game of the Diamond Head Classic.
* Roderick Bobbitt had a fantastic night for Hawaii, finishing with a game-high 30 points (22 in second half) on 8-of-13 shooting & 6-of-7 from three.
* Congratulations to new Scoochie Smith all star and freshman guard for Hawaii, Sheriff Drammeh.
ESPN
Auburn led by nine after Kareem Canty's 3-pointer about midway through the second half, but great work by Hawaii over the final nine minutes.
Sai Tummala followed almost immediately with a four-point play at the 9:15 mark, which seemed to get the Rainbows going as they closed the game on a 28-7 run and won 79-67 in the third-place game of the Diamond Head Classic.
* Roderick Bobbitt had a fantastic night for Hawaii, finishing with a game-high 30 points (22 in second half) on 8-of-13 shooting & 6-of-7 from three.
* Congratulations to new Scoochie Smith all star and freshman guard for Hawaii, Sheriff Drammeh.
Game 55 - Loyola Marymount at Portland
December 21 at Chiles Center in Portland, OR
ROOT Sports
Things were going quite well for Loyola about nine minutes in when Brandon Brown hit a jumper to put the Lions ahead 19-11. But Portland followed with a 23-0 run and finished the half on a 35-7 spurt and were never threatened again.
Loyola made nine of its first 17 shots, then missed 17 of their final 19 of the opening half.
Meanwhile, Portland had great balance as six players scored at least eight points. Bryce Pressley led the way with 25 points, showing why he's one of the finest shooters in the country (top 25 nationally in three-point percentage coming in) after knocking down 7-of-13 from long range.
Loyola kept letting Portland shoot 3-pointers and Portland (14 made from behind the arc) kept saying thank you for letting us shoot 3-pointers.
ROOT Sports
Things were going quite well for Loyola about nine minutes in when Brandon Brown hit a jumper to put the Lions ahead 19-11. But Portland followed with a 23-0 run and finished the half on a 35-7 spurt and were never threatened again.
Loyola made nine of its first 17 shots, then missed 17 of their final 19 of the opening half.
Meanwhile, Portland had great balance as six players scored at least eight points. Bryce Pressley led the way with 25 points, showing why he's one of the finest shooters in the country (top 25 nationally in three-point percentage coming in) after knocking down 7-of-13 from long range.
Loyola kept letting Portland shoot 3-pointers and Portland (14 made from behind the arc) kept saying thank you for letting us shoot 3-pointers.
Games 53 & 54 - Apalachee HS at Heritage HS
December 18 at Curtis Bell Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
girls-53, boys-54
girls-53, boys-54
Game 52 - Marshall vs. West Virginia
December 17 at Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, WV
ESPNU
After a tight first half, it was easy to see over the final 20 minutes why West Virginia could at least be a Sweet 16 team in March.
Marshall hit six of its first 12 three-point attempts, led by as much as five points and eventually trailed only 35-32 at halftime. The second half was a different story as the Thundering Herd missed all 13 attempts from behind the arc and WVU's pressure eventually was far too much for its in-state rival to handle in a 86-68 final.
The Mountaineers were the best offensive rebounding team in the country coming in and they showed why, grabbing 22 in 40 minutes.
This list of the top 10 offensive rebounding teams is so random & great:
1. WVU
2. Quinnipiac
3. Washington
4. Texas-Arlington
5. Baylor
6. Wagner
7. Georgia Tech
8. Towson
9. N.C. State
10. N.C. Central
ESPNU
After a tight first half, it was easy to see over the final 20 minutes why West Virginia could at least be a Sweet 16 team in March.
Marshall hit six of its first 12 three-point attempts, led by as much as five points and eventually trailed only 35-32 at halftime. The second half was a different story as the Thundering Herd missed all 13 attempts from behind the arc and WVU's pressure eventually was far too much for its in-state rival to handle in a 86-68 final.
The Mountaineers were the best offensive rebounding team in the country coming in and they showed why, grabbing 22 in 40 minutes.
This list of the top 10 offensive rebounding teams is so random & great:
1. WVU
2. Quinnipiac
3. Washington
4. Texas-Arlington
5. Baylor
6. Wagner
7. Georgia Tech
8. Towson
9. N.C. State
10. N.C. Central
Game 51 - Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls
December 16 at United Center in Chicago, IL
ESPN
Hubie Brown may have the most basketball knowledge of anyone on the planet.
I'm not sure how you could conduct a study like that, but I bet Brown would be up there with the smartest of basketball people because it just seems like he's seen 10,000 games or some kind of ridiculous number like that.
Anyway, Hubie also likes and loves stuff. A LOT of stuff.
Here's what Hubie liked and loved on Wednesday:
"I like Chalmers". I liked him on Miami"
"I love his game" (Jimmy Butler)
(Again Butler) "What I like about him, he was defensive player of the year. He plays with his heart every single night."
"You love the way they are attacking"
"What I like about it, (Courtney Lee) not only has 15 points, but he has five rebounds and four assists"
"I like what they did that time"
"I love it, (Lee is) 2-for-2 in the three point"
"Well you like the fact that he steps up under pressure"
"I like the way (Rose is) playing the glass on the angles"
"That guy right there (Joakim Noah), you gotta love him"
"And I like the fact that they put the challenge on him to guard Butler tonight"
"Coaches love the defense"
"And who made the pass? Noah. And that's why you just love it"
ESPN
Hubie Brown may have the most basketball knowledge of anyone on the planet.
I'm not sure how you could conduct a study like that, but I bet Brown would be up there with the smartest of basketball people because it just seems like he's seen 10,000 games or some kind of ridiculous number like that.
Anyway, Hubie also likes and loves stuff. A LOT of stuff.
Here's what Hubie liked and loved on Wednesday:
"I like Chalmers". I liked him on Miami"
"I love his game" (Jimmy Butler)
(Again Butler) "What I like about him, he was defensive player of the year. He plays with his heart every single night."
"You love the way they are attacking"
"What I like about it, (Courtney Lee) not only has 15 points, but he has five rebounds and four assists"
"I like what they did that time"
"I love it, (Lee is) 2-for-2 in the three point"
"Well you like the fact that he steps up under pressure"
"I like the way (Rose is) playing the glass on the angles"
"That guy right there (Joakim Noah), you gotta love him"
"And I like the fact that they put the challenge on him to guard Butler tonight"
"Coaches love the defense"
"And who made the pass? Noah. And that's why you just love it"
Game 50 - Winthrop women at Auburn
December 16 at Auburn Arena in Auburn, AL
SEC Network
Auburn rolled to a 76-33 victory, forcing 35 turnovers and holding Winthrop to 23 percent (12-of-51) shooting.
Much prettier than the Winthrop stat sheet was the small, but memorable collection of basketball phrases from commentator Joe Ciampi:
"Run out(s)" - said six times
"Competitive spirit"
"Great ball movement, great people movement"
"Great basketball IQ"
And some things were happening IN SPACE:
"Guard in space" (5)
"Catching the ball in space" (1)
SEC Network
Auburn rolled to a 76-33 victory, forcing 35 turnovers and holding Winthrop to 23 percent (12-of-51) shooting.
Much prettier than the Winthrop stat sheet was the small, but memorable collection of basketball phrases from commentator Joe Ciampi:
"Run out(s)" - said six times
"Competitive spirit"
"Great ball movement, great people movement"
"Great basketball IQ"
And some things were happening IN SPACE:
"Guard in space" (5)
"Catching the ball in space" (1)
Games 48 & 49 - Rockdale romps
Rockdale HS at Clarkston HS (g-48, b-49)
December 15 at Clarkston HS gymnasium in Clarkston, GA
The Rockdale High School basketball teams had no trouble on Tuesday evening, winning the girls game 55-13 and the boys' nightcap 72-41.
In the opener, the Bulldogs out-scored Clarkston 26-2 in the third quarter, which turned a 13-point halftime lead into a laugher.
Jonai Jackson didn't start and was held to two points in the first half, but scored 12 in that third period. Clarkston made just four field goals.
Jalen Jordan is a sort of dark horse college prospect getting looks from a number of schools, including Tennessee Tech. He'll be a guard in college - he's run the point at times for the Rockdale boys and is an excellent long-range shooter (54% from behind the arc as a junior). Jordan showed off that shooting ability Tuesday, hitting five 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 23 points as the Bulldogs rolled.
Also a big night for senior Babatunde Sailu, who was a monster on the glass. The 6-5 forward grabbed five offensive rebounds, four of which went for put backs. Jordan and Sailu hooked up on nearly-identical fast break dunks about 25 seconds apart in the second quarter that really set the tone for the remainder of the night.
December 15 at Clarkston HS gymnasium in Clarkston, GA
The Rockdale High School basketball teams had no trouble on Tuesday evening, winning the girls game 55-13 and the boys' nightcap 72-41.
In the opener, the Bulldogs out-scored Clarkston 26-2 in the third quarter, which turned a 13-point halftime lead into a laugher.
Jonai Jackson didn't start and was held to two points in the first half, but scored 12 in that third period. Clarkston made just four field goals.
Jalen Jordan is a sort of dark horse college prospect getting looks from a number of schools, including Tennessee Tech. He'll be a guard in college - he's run the point at times for the Rockdale boys and is an excellent long-range shooter (54% from behind the arc as a junior). Jordan showed off that shooting ability Tuesday, hitting five 3-pointers and scoring a game-high 23 points as the Bulldogs rolled.
Also a big night for senior Babatunde Sailu, who was a monster on the glass. The 6-5 forward grabbed five offensive rebounds, four of which went for put backs. Jordan and Sailu hooked up on nearly-identical fast break dunks about 25 seconds apart in the second quarter that really set the tone for the remainder of the night.
Game 47 - Memphis women at Central Michigan
December 15 at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, MI
Chippewa Sports Network
Play-by-play man Adam Jaksa isn't the only one guilty of using the phrase "dribble drive". I've heard it many times by many different broadcasters. Jaksa is just the latest after he said it three times during Memphis' 64-61 win.
Once again: what is a dribble drive?!
1. Can you drive without dribbling?
2. Is there such a thing as a pick the ball up and run drive?
* Central Michigan had snapped a tie and gone up 61-56 on Reyna Frost's first 3-pointer of the season and a Da'Jourie Turner lay-up with about six minutes to play. But the hosts never scored again, missing their final nine shots, including three on one possession with the scored tied at 61-61, and turned the ball over three times over the final six minutes.
Turnovers have been a huge problem for CMU lately (65 during a current four-game losing streak), so it's no surprise that Memphis' trapping defense was an issue.
* She didn't score and was 0-for-5 from the field in 20 minutes, but that was after CMU forward Jewel Cotton was named the newest member of the Scoochie Smith All Stars.
Chippewa Sports Network
Play-by-play man Adam Jaksa isn't the only one guilty of using the phrase "dribble drive". I've heard it many times by many different broadcasters. Jaksa is just the latest after he said it three times during Memphis' 64-61 win.
Once again: what is a dribble drive?!
1. Can you drive without dribbling?
2. Is there such a thing as a pick the ball up and run drive?
* Central Michigan had snapped a tie and gone up 61-56 on Reyna Frost's first 3-pointer of the season and a Da'Jourie Turner lay-up with about six minutes to play. But the hosts never scored again, missing their final nine shots, including three on one possession with the scored tied at 61-61, and turned the ball over three times over the final six minutes.
Turnovers have been a huge problem for CMU lately (65 during a current four-game losing streak), so it's no surprise that Memphis' trapping defense was an issue.
* She didn't score and was 0-for-5 from the field in 20 minutes, but that was after CMU forward Jewel Cotton was named the newest member of the Scoochie Smith All Stars.
Game 46 - Rhode Island at Nebraska
December 13 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE
espn3.com
Yes, Nebraska erased an 11-point deficit and won 70-67 on the court, but slightly off the court? Commentator Kevin Lehman was the star on Sunday afternoon.
He started with this:
"This is not a game you want to wear a tuxedo to. This could turn into some mud wrestling."
Pardon?
But that was just the beginning for Lehman.
Let's take a look at the rest of his top 10:
9. "With the defender in his cylinder"
8. "A bit of a rock fight"
7. "Coach, give me the pill, I'm ready to go!"
6. "Put your seat belt on, baby, strap it in!"
5. "Have defense, will travel"
4. "A little taste of the tin"
3. "Big tree of Hurleys, and they are related!"
2. "They look like they eat weights for lunch!"
1. (On freshman receiving a lot of information) "It's like taking a drink of water out of a fire hydrant"
** Also, with Rhode Island up 52-44: "This team will not go away"
espn3.com
Yes, Nebraska erased an 11-point deficit and won 70-67 on the court, but slightly off the court? Commentator Kevin Lehman was the star on Sunday afternoon.
He started with this:
"This is not a game you want to wear a tuxedo to. This could turn into some mud wrestling."
Pardon?
But that was just the beginning for Lehman.
Let's take a look at the rest of his top 10:
9. "With the defender in his cylinder"
8. "A bit of a rock fight"
7. "Coach, give me the pill, I'm ready to go!"
6. "Put your seat belt on, baby, strap it in!"
5. "Have defense, will travel"
4. "A little taste of the tin"
3. "Big tree of Hurleys, and they are related!"
2. "They look like they eat weights for lunch!"
1. (On freshman receiving a lot of information) "It's like taking a drink of water out of a fire hydrant"
** Also, with Rhode Island up 52-44: "This team will not go away"
Game 45 - Lamar at Liberty
December 12 at Vines Center in Lynchburg, VA
Nick Garth came into the day as Lamar's leading scorer, but missed both of his field goal attempts & had just two points at halftime of Saturday's game.
That all changed in the second half as the freshman guard from Houston scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting without a turnover as the Cardinals won going away 73-58.
Garth didn't actually get going offensively until eight minutes had passed in the second, but hit consecutive lay-ups about a minute apart, the last becoming a three-point play at the 10:39 mark and hit a pretty fade along the baseline, part of a 2 1/2-minute span late in the game where he scored nine straight Cardinals' points.
"He’s a good player, you leave him open, he’s got confidence," Liberty coach Ritchie McKay said of Garth. "He did a good job for their team offensively tonight."
Liberty was just dreadful in the first half, hitting only three field goals and tying the team record for fewest points in a half (14) at the Vines Center. The Flames, who lost their seventh consecutive game, picked it up considerably in the second half (16-of-24 from the field), but Lamar was nearly as good over the final 20 minutes (19-of-31).
"It was very frustrating as a player," freshman Lovell Cabbil, who scored 14 points for the hosts, said of the first half. "Second half we just talked to each other more."
Nick Garth came into the day as Lamar's leading scorer, but missed both of his field goal attempts & had just two points at halftime of Saturday's game.
That all changed in the second half as the freshman guard from Houston scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting without a turnover as the Cardinals won going away 73-58.
Garth didn't actually get going offensively until eight minutes had passed in the second, but hit consecutive lay-ups about a minute apart, the last becoming a three-point play at the 10:39 mark and hit a pretty fade along the baseline, part of a 2 1/2-minute span late in the game where he scored nine straight Cardinals' points.
"He’s a good player, you leave him open, he’s got confidence," Liberty coach Ritchie McKay said of Garth. "He did a good job for their team offensively tonight."
Liberty was just dreadful in the first half, hitting only three field goals and tying the team record for fewest points in a half (14) at the Vines Center. The Flames, who lost their seventh consecutive game, picked it up considerably in the second half (16-of-24 from the field), but Lamar was nearly as good over the final 20 minutes (19-of-31).
"It was very frustrating as a player," freshman Lovell Cabbil, who scored 14 points for the hosts, said of the first half. "Second half we just talked to each other more."
Game 44 - Indiana women at Indiana State
December 8 at Hulman Center in Terre Haute, IN
espn3.com
Let me tell you about a young man by the name of Michael Odom.
Wow!
It could've been his first broadcast, or his 214th, we can't be sure. But we can be sure that he starts many sentences with the phrase "just like that". Let's take a look at Odom's just like that count (JLTC):
1st quarter
Total just like thats: 11
Notable JLTs
"Just like that, we're underway"
"And just like that, Indiana State ties the game"
"Just like that - what a block"
"Just like that Jess Walter takes too many steps"
2nd quarter
Total: 3
"Just like that, misses a lay-up on her own"
3rd quarter
Total: 3
"Just like that, a cut to the bucket"
4th quarter
Total: 3
"And just like that it's a turnover"
"And just like that it's a seven-point game"
Total just like thats: 20
After that incredible opening quarter, I was honestly disappointed in his effort over the final three periods. But just like that, I had to move on with my life.
And here's a list of what I like to call The Odoms:
"And her stroke is smooth as butter"
"They did have a nice hot game"
"Never doesn't give enough effort"
"And her swag meter is off the roof"/"to make this roof blow off the Hulman Center"
"Buss...she gets the home roll" (Tyra Buss plays for Indiana)
(With Indiana up 52-48 1:18 left in 4th) "Indiana has their backs against the wall"
"She battled the flu bug as well as the turnover bug"
"Put her defender in the spin cycle"
"They are booing and oohing and aahing"
"I had a chance to catch up to the Indiana coach" (the second use of 'to' instead of 'with' makes this a phenomenal sentence)
And let's not forget Odom's partner Abbi Malchow, who had some fine moments of her own:
"Make sure you make the shots that you hit"
"This Big 10 rivalry" (no)
"The Sycamore house"
"These last few moments are going to be very big for both teams, and also very detrimental" (pardon?)
espn3.com
Let me tell you about a young man by the name of Michael Odom.
Wow!
It could've been his first broadcast, or his 214th, we can't be sure. But we can be sure that he starts many sentences with the phrase "just like that". Let's take a look at Odom's just like that count (JLTC):
1st quarter
Total just like thats: 11
Notable JLTs
"Just like that, we're underway"
"And just like that, Indiana State ties the game"
"Just like that - what a block"
"Just like that Jess Walter takes too many steps"
2nd quarter
Total: 3
"Just like that, misses a lay-up on her own"
3rd quarter
Total: 3
"Just like that, a cut to the bucket"
4th quarter
Total: 3
"And just like that it's a turnover"
"And just like that it's a seven-point game"
Total just like thats: 20
After that incredible opening quarter, I was honestly disappointed in his effort over the final three periods. But just like that, I had to move on with my life.
And here's a list of what I like to call The Odoms:
"And her stroke is smooth as butter"
"They did have a nice hot game"
"Never doesn't give enough effort"
"And her swag meter is off the roof"/"to make this roof blow off the Hulman Center"
"Buss...she gets the home roll" (Tyra Buss plays for Indiana)
(With Indiana up 52-48 1:18 left in 4th) "Indiana has their backs against the wall"
"She battled the flu bug as well as the turnover bug"
"Put her defender in the spin cycle"
"They are booing and oohing and aahing"
"I had a chance to catch up to the Indiana coach" (the second use of 'to' instead of 'with' makes this a phenomenal sentence)
And let's not forget Odom's partner Abbi Malchow, who had some fine moments of her own:
"Make sure you make the shots that you hit"
"This Big 10 rivalry" (no)
"The Sycamore house"
"These last few moments are going to be very big for both teams, and also very detrimental" (pardon?)
Game 43 - Montana at Gonzaga
December 8 at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, WA
ROOT Sports
A few things to get to from this game, which Gonzaga hung on to win 61-58 to extend its winning streak in the series to 10 games.
* During pre-game, the McCarthey Center was refereed to as "Zagville".
I think we can do better than that.
Here are my finalists:
- Zagopolis
- Zagtown (population: ZAGS)
- Zag Avenue Landromat
- Lower Zag Valley
- 29 Zag Street
* Great work by a handful of Gonzaga fans, who after Montana's Fabijan Krslovic had a first-half shot blocked started chanting "you got swatted" about 3 1/2 seconds after Krslovic had rebounded his blocked shot and put it back for two points.
* Gonzaga has GO ZAGS as part of the back of their jerseys, and it's simply not acceptable.
ROOT Sports
A few things to get to from this game, which Gonzaga hung on to win 61-58 to extend its winning streak in the series to 10 games.
* During pre-game, the McCarthey Center was refereed to as "Zagville".
I think we can do better than that.
Here are my finalists:
- Zagopolis
- Zagtown (population: ZAGS)
- Zag Avenue Landromat
- Lower Zag Valley
- 29 Zag Street
* Great work by a handful of Gonzaga fans, who after Montana's Fabijan Krslovic had a first-half shot blocked started chanting "you got swatted" about 3 1/2 seconds after Krslovic had rebounded his blocked shot and put it back for two points.
* Gonzaga has GO ZAGS as part of the back of their jerseys, and it's simply not acceptable.
Game 42 - Morgan State at Cincinnati
December 6 at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH
American Sports Network
Cincinnati had six in double figures, including 13 points, 14 rebounds and five assists from Gary Clark, 25 team assists and was never threatened in this one, an 87-66 victory.
It was also a nice night for some Basketball Phrases.
"The engine that steers the ship"
"Tick tack foul"
"You can't teach height"
"Pounding the rock"
"They're going to clean the glass all day"
"They have to play guarantee games"
"The kick ahead"
"Bringing home the hardware"
"Pep in their step"
"Sharing the rock"
American Sports Network
Cincinnati had six in double figures, including 13 points, 14 rebounds and five assists from Gary Clark, 25 team assists and was never threatened in this one, an 87-66 victory.
It was also a nice night for some Basketball Phrases.
"The engine that steers the ship"
"Tick tack foul"
"You can't teach height"
"Pounding the rock"
"They're going to clean the glass all day"
"They have to play guarantee games"
"The kick ahead"
"Bringing home the hardware"
"Pep in their step"
"Sharing the rock"
Games 39 & 40 - Salem HS at Lanier HS
December 4 at Lanier High School gymnasium in Buford, GA
39 - girls
40 - boys
39 - girls
40 - boys
Game 38 - Liberty at Radford
December 3 at Dedmon Center in Radford, VA
Liberty Flames Sports Network
Radford showed it could win without shooting well from the field (32 percent) or from three-point range (19 percent). The Highlanders were excellent on the offensive glass, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points. Rashun Davis (16 points and five assists) & new Scoochie Smith All Star Ed Polite (10 points and eight rebounds) led the way.
* I spend a lot of time on this site and many others making fun of announcers, and I think it's justified - a majority of sports announcers stink.
But the duo of Matt Warner and Paul Nazigian do a nice job, especially Warner, who is a really solid play-by-play man.
Of course, Nazigian did say "keep going back to the buffet 'til they cut you off", so we can't let him get away with that.
Liberty Flames Sports Network
Radford showed it could win without shooting well from the field (32 percent) or from three-point range (19 percent). The Highlanders were excellent on the offensive glass, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 20 second-chance points. Rashun Davis (16 points and five assists) & new Scoochie Smith All Star Ed Polite (10 points and eight rebounds) led the way.
* I spend a lot of time on this site and many others making fun of announcers, and I think it's justified - a majority of sports announcers stink.
But the duo of Matt Warner and Paul Nazigian do a nice job, especially Warner, who is a really solid play-by-play man.
Of course, Nazigian did say "keep going back to the buffet 'til they cut you off", so we can't let him get away with that.
Games 36 & 37 - Winder-Barrow HS at Salem HS
December 1 at Salem High School gymnasium in Conyers, GA
There was a ton of talent on the floor Tuesday night, mostly on the side of the Winder-Barrow girls (66-30 win) and Salem boys (84-45 victory).
The core of Winder's now 3-0 team are underclassmen as freshman Chellia Watson and sophomore Latrice Perkins each scored 17 points and 6-2 sophomore center Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 14 points and blocked seven shots.
As soon as Nelson-Ododa figured out how to defend without fouling (she had two first quarter fouls), she was dominant in the paint. I was hoping for the rare points-blocks double-double, but Nelson-Ododa couldn't quite get there.
Expectations are high for the Salem boys and a really good set of guards are a big reason why. Michael Green, who is a smooth ball handler and has continued to develop a mid-range jump shot, leads the way. But Jordon Simons looks to be the kind of guard you can count on to do just about everything as he had 17 points, five rebounds (for a generously-listed 5-10 guard) and three steals and Brandon Smith had a great game, leading all scorers with 18 points in the lopsided win.
There was a ton of talent on the floor Tuesday night, mostly on the side of the Winder-Barrow girls (66-30 win) and Salem boys (84-45 victory).
The core of Winder's now 3-0 team are underclassmen as freshman Chellia Watson and sophomore Latrice Perkins each scored 17 points and 6-2 sophomore center Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 14 points and blocked seven shots.
As soon as Nelson-Ododa figured out how to defend without fouling (she had two first quarter fouls), she was dominant in the paint. I was hoping for the rare points-blocks double-double, but Nelson-Ododa couldn't quite get there.
Expectations are high for the Salem boys and a really good set of guards are a big reason why. Michael Green, who is a smooth ball handler and has continued to develop a mid-range jump shot, leads the way. But Jordon Simons looks to be the kind of guard you can count on to do just about everything as he had 17 points, five rebounds (for a generously-listed 5-10 guard) and three steals and Brandon Smith had a great game, leading all scorers with 18 points in the lopsided win.
Game 35 - North Texas at Northern Iowa
November 30 at McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, IA
espn3.com
Northern Iowa trailed by two points at halftime and 49-46 early in the second half, but used an 11-0 run to take the lead for good in a 93-70 victory.
The Panthers' defense was the real story over the final 17 minutes as North Texas made just 8-of-25 over that stretch (with six turnovers) after starting the game hitting 20-of-29 from the field.
Notes
* Taking the first name "Michael" and adding letters and an apostrophe to it or coming up with a new way of spelling it & adding a J doesn't mean those were the right things to do.
That's the situation we have with North Texas players Ja'Michael Brown and J-Mychal Reese.
* Let's get to some Basketball Phrases from the broadcast team.
"A culture of excellent defense"
"Double-double machine"
"That's a horse shot"
"More interchangable parts"
"The man in the middle"
"Passing that leather around"
And also, this was said about Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, who coming into the night was an excellent 201-106 in 10 seasons at UNI:
"This consistency of winning by Ben Jacobson is unparalleled."
He's been very good. But: unparalleled?!
espn3.com
Northern Iowa trailed by two points at halftime and 49-46 early in the second half, but used an 11-0 run to take the lead for good in a 93-70 victory.
The Panthers' defense was the real story over the final 17 minutes as North Texas made just 8-of-25 over that stretch (with six turnovers) after starting the game hitting 20-of-29 from the field.
Notes
* Taking the first name "Michael" and adding letters and an apostrophe to it or coming up with a new way of spelling it & adding a J doesn't mean those were the right things to do.
That's the situation we have with North Texas players Ja'Michael Brown and J-Mychal Reese.
* Let's get to some Basketball Phrases from the broadcast team.
"A culture of excellent defense"
"Double-double machine"
"That's a horse shot"
"More interchangable parts"
"The man in the middle"
"Passing that leather around"
And also, this was said about Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, who coming into the night was an excellent 201-106 in 10 seasons at UNI:
"This consistency of winning by Ben Jacobson is unparalleled."
He's been very good. But: unparalleled?!
Games 33 & 34 - Pair of blowouts
Discovery HS at Heritage HS
November 28 at Curtis Bell Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
It's expected to be a nice winter for both of the basketball teams at Heritage, and Discovery found out why Saturday afternoon.
The girls started the day with a 68-27 blowout as their top two players - sophomore center Camille Saunders (23 points & 15 rebounds) and junior guard Asia Caldwell (17 points) led the way.
The boys reached the Sweet 16 a season ago and this year are a potential state final four team. Juniors Isaiah Banks (14 points) and Byron Abrams (10 points) are Division 1 prospects and Jordan Thomas (16 points) will also play somewhere at the next level. Not to mention seniors Makyle Wilkerson, a Division III prospect, and Charles Moore, who if he can add a jumper may end up being the best collegiate of the group.
The Patriots also play team defense extremely well and Saturday's 80-47 romp helped them move to 5-0.
November 28 at Curtis Bell Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
It's expected to be a nice winter for both of the basketball teams at Heritage, and Discovery found out why Saturday afternoon.
The girls started the day with a 68-27 blowout as their top two players - sophomore center Camille Saunders (23 points & 15 rebounds) and junior guard Asia Caldwell (17 points) led the way.
The boys reached the Sweet 16 a season ago and this year are a potential state final four team. Juniors Isaiah Banks (14 points) and Byron Abrams (10 points) are Division 1 prospects and Jordan Thomas (16 points) will also play somewhere at the next level. Not to mention seniors Makyle Wilkerson, a Division III prospect, and Charles Moore, who if he can add a jumper may end up being the best collegiate of the group.
The Patriots also play team defense extremely well and Saturday's 80-47 romp helped them move to 5-0.
Game 32 - IUPUI at Georgia State
November 27 at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, GA
espn3.com
Georgia State led by 11 with about seven minutes to go, but the Panthers had turnover problems all night and let IUPUI get back into the game, and eventually take the lead.
It was an excellent end of regulation for guard Isaiah Williams, who with the Panthers down by four with 30 seconds left, assisted on a Jeff Thomas jumper, then hit a lay-up and the tying free throws with 1.2 seconds to go.
In overtime, IUPUI missed all three of its three-point attempts after a 10-for-19 performance in regulation.
Jeremy Hollowell, whose been great so far in the Replacing R.J. Hunter As Best We Can (RRHBWC) role, converted a conventional three-point play one minute into overtime to put GSU up for good at 70-69.
Hollowell finished with 18 points, a team-high along with Kevin Ware (though the pair combined for 13 of GSU's 22 turnovers).
Not the prettiest of victories, but I think 3-1 with a fairly tight loss at Mississippi through four games is a start the two-time defending Sun Belt champions will take.
espn3.com
Georgia State led by 11 with about seven minutes to go, but the Panthers had turnover problems all night and let IUPUI get back into the game, and eventually take the lead.
It was an excellent end of regulation for guard Isaiah Williams, who with the Panthers down by four with 30 seconds left, assisted on a Jeff Thomas jumper, then hit a lay-up and the tying free throws with 1.2 seconds to go.
In overtime, IUPUI missed all three of its three-point attempts after a 10-for-19 performance in regulation.
Jeremy Hollowell, whose been great so far in the Replacing R.J. Hunter As Best We Can (RRHBWC) role, converted a conventional three-point play one minute into overtime to put GSU up for good at 70-69.
Hollowell finished with 18 points, a team-high along with Kevin Ware (though the pair combined for 13 of GSU's 22 turnovers).
Not the prettiest of victories, but I think 3-1 with a fairly tight loss at Mississippi through four games is a start the two-time defending Sun Belt champions will take.
Game 31 - Vanderbilt vs. Kansas
November 25 at Lahaina Civic Center in Lahaina, HI
ESPN
The Jayhawks erased a four-point halftime deficit to pick up the Maui Invitational title with a 70-63 win.
Kansas bounced back from a loss to Michigan State with three wins in Maui by an average margin of more than 25 points, and they won the championship Wednesday thanks in large part to excellent work from behind the arc.
Wayne Selden, who led all scorers with 25 points, hit 4-of-6 from three, part of a 50% team effort (8-of-16) from long range, while the Jayhawks held Vanderbilt to just 22% (6-of-27) there-point shooting.
Vanderbilt settled for the runner-up trophy, but played well during the tournament. The Commodores blew by St. John's, 92-55, and Wake Forest, 86-64, and I expect the Nashville school, coming off a run to the NIT quarterfinals a year ago, to again put themselves in position for an NCAA berth.
ESPN
The Jayhawks erased a four-point halftime deficit to pick up the Maui Invitational title with a 70-63 win.
Kansas bounced back from a loss to Michigan State with three wins in Maui by an average margin of more than 25 points, and they won the championship Wednesday thanks in large part to excellent work from behind the arc.
Wayne Selden, who led all scorers with 25 points, hit 4-of-6 from three, part of a 50% team effort (8-of-16) from long range, while the Jayhawks held Vanderbilt to just 22% (6-of-27) there-point shooting.
Vanderbilt settled for the runner-up trophy, but played well during the tournament. The Commodores blew by St. John's, 92-55, and Wake Forest, 86-64, and I expect the Nashville school, coming off a run to the NIT quarterfinals a year ago, to again put themselves in position for an NCAA berth.
Game 30 - Belmont at Kennesaw State
November 24 at KSU Convocation Center in Kennesaw, GA
espn3.com
Belmont rolled to an 80-55 victory in the Legends Classic championship game, though the real legends were the members of the broadcast team.
The espn3 telecast just began with the opening tip and I never got a chance to get any names, but these two just had a phenomenal evening.
We had Basketball Phrases & General Nonsense:
"Eyes got as big as saucers"
"Team of assassins"
"Calm, cool and collected"
"Storied program"
"Hotbed for talent"
"Verticality"
"Bunnies"
"Hack-a-Bruin"
Some people-specific silliness (psS):
"Byrd Ball"
[Great how they misspelled 'Byrd']
"The Al Skinner Era"
"It's the Nick Masterson Show!"
And some other silliness (oS):
"They've answered nicely in trying to reply"
(pardon?)
"That's the one guy that's got a giant, neon green sign above his head - 'watch me'"
(A. Why neon green?
B. We're dealing with a GIANT neon green sign here, would the 'watch me' part really be necessary?)
"He buried Egekeze into the Convocation wood!"
(yikes)
And finally, someone said "shot clock down to 10 seconds", but it sounded like 'shot clock TOWN'. That would be a pretty hectic place, I think, though I assume the stop light situation would be about the same.
espn3.com
Belmont rolled to an 80-55 victory in the Legends Classic championship game, though the real legends were the members of the broadcast team.
The espn3 telecast just began with the opening tip and I never got a chance to get any names, but these two just had a phenomenal evening.
We had Basketball Phrases & General Nonsense:
"Eyes got as big as saucers"
"Team of assassins"
"Calm, cool and collected"
"Storied program"
"Hotbed for talent"
"Verticality"
"Bunnies"
"Hack-a-Bruin"
Some people-specific silliness (psS):
"Byrd Ball"
[Great how they misspelled 'Byrd']
"The Al Skinner Era"
"It's the Nick Masterson Show!"
And some other silliness (oS):
"They've answered nicely in trying to reply"
(pardon?)
"That's the one guy that's got a giant, neon green sign above his head - 'watch me'"
(A. Why neon green?
B. We're dealing with a GIANT neon green sign here, would the 'watch me' part really be necessary?)
"He buried Egekeze into the Convocation wood!"
(yikes)
And finally, someone said "shot clock down to 10 seconds", but it sounded like 'shot clock TOWN'. That would be a pretty hectic place, I think, though I assume the stop light situation would be about the same.
Game 28 - Butler vs. Miami (Fla.)
November 22 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, PR
ESPN
Miami looked quite good in winning three games - 105-79 over Mississippi State, 90-66 over Utah and 85-75 over Butler - and the Puerto Rico Tip Off title.
But all that really matters is a Sunday Basketball Phrases Top 7.
7. "One and done"
6. "Rim protector"
5. "Yeoman-like work"
4. "Live ball turnover"
3. "Uber-competitive"
2. "You feed your bigs"
1. "Glue guy"
ESPN
Miami looked quite good in winning three games - 105-79 over Mississippi State, 90-66 over Utah and 85-75 over Butler - and the Puerto Rico Tip Off title.
But all that really matters is a Sunday Basketball Phrases Top 7.
7. "One and done"
6. "Rim protector"
5. "Yeoman-like work"
4. "Live ball turnover"
3. "Uber-competitive"
2. "You feed your bigs"
1. "Glue guy"
Games 26 & 27 - Cedar Shoals HS at Rockdale HS
November 20 at Cleveland Stroud Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
26 - Girls
27 - Boys
26 - Girls
27 - Boys
Game 25 - Temple vs. Butler
November 20 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, PR
ESPN
I just have one, simple question: what is a floor game?!
I've heard a number of basketball announcers say things like "he's got an excellent floor game", or "I've been impressed with her floor game."
Are there basketball games I'm not aware of that are being played on something besides a floor?
Why do people have to invent so many different ways of saying this player is good?
ESPN
I just have one, simple question: what is a floor game?!
I've heard a number of basketball announcers say things like "he's got an excellent floor game", or "I've been impressed with her floor game."
Are there basketball games I'm not aware of that are being played on something besides a floor?
Why do people have to invent so many different ways of saying this player is good?
Game 24 - Emmanuel College at Georgia State
November 19 at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, GA
espn3.com
espn3.com
Game 23 - Miami (Fla.) vs. Mississippi State
November 19 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico
ESPN
Miami rolled to a 105-79 victory, but Mississippi State is the real winner since they now have a player on our all-name team - freshman guard Jett Jobe.
ESPN
Miami rolled to a 105-79 victory, but Mississippi State is the real winner since they now have a player on our all-name team - freshman guard Jett Jobe.
Game 22 - Mississippi vs. George Mason
November 19 at TD Arena in Charleston, SC
ESPN
What a day for color commentator Craig Robinson, who was all over the place, yet right there in TD Arena.
Let's take a look at Craig's top 6:
6. "That's the sign of a young team - losing a halftime lead."
I disagree. I think the sign of a young team is youth.
5. "Shevon Thompson is keeping every NBA scout in the country keeping their eye on this kid."
4. "That was a restaurant-quality pass."
Pardon?
3. "That's really good basketball playing there."
Thanks, Craig!
2. "It can't go said enough."
1. "It'd be better for them to get a five-second call than a turnover."
Again, thanks Craig!
ESPN
What a day for color commentator Craig Robinson, who was all over the place, yet right there in TD Arena.
Let's take a look at Craig's top 6:
6. "That's the sign of a young team - losing a halftime lead."
I disagree. I think the sign of a young team is youth.
5. "Shevon Thompson is keeping every NBA scout in the country keeping their eye on this kid."
4. "That was a restaurant-quality pass."
Pardon?
3. "That's really good basketball playing there."
Thanks, Craig!
2. "It can't go said enough."
1. "It'd be better for them to get a five-second call than a turnover."
Again, thanks Craig!
Game 21 - Tennessee Tech at New Mexico State
November 18 at Pan American Center in Las Cruces, NM
Aggie Vision
Color commentator Patrick Knapp used to be a coach, so play-by-play man Adam Young is going to refer to him as "coach".
All game long.
"The coach, Patrick Knapp"
"Coach"
"Coach Knapp"
First half: said 12 times
Second half: 11 times
Total "coach" - 23
Aggie Vision
Color commentator Patrick Knapp used to be a coach, so play-by-play man Adam Young is going to refer to him as "coach".
All game long.
"The coach, Patrick Knapp"
"Coach"
"Coach Knapp"
First half: said 12 times
Second half: 11 times
Total "coach" - 23
Game 20 - Penn State women at Tennessee
November 18 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN
SEC Network
SEC Network
Game 19 - Richmond at Wake Forest
November 18 at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC
espn3.com
You might think this was a great win (91-82) for Richmond to go and beat an ACC team on the road, but the Spiders are just better than the Demon Deacons. This was just a regular win.
Richmond led only 84-82 with about three minutes to play after Wake freshman Bryant Crawford (game-high 21 points) hit a 3-pointer. It was a miserable final three minutes for Wake, though as the hosts did this with their final five possessions:
1. turnover with 2:27 left
2. bad shot out of time out - 1:50
3. hurried 3-pointer, blocked - :53
4. jumper, blocked - :28
5. lay up, blocked - :17
Amazingly, those were the only three shots Richmond blocked all night.
Meanwhile, the Richmond offense had a nice night - 46% from three, including 6-of-9 in the second half and 51% overall from the field, including a 17-of-30 performance over the final 20 minutes.
espn3.com
You might think this was a great win (91-82) for Richmond to go and beat an ACC team on the road, but the Spiders are just better than the Demon Deacons. This was just a regular win.
Richmond led only 84-82 with about three minutes to play after Wake freshman Bryant Crawford (game-high 21 points) hit a 3-pointer. It was a miserable final three minutes for Wake, though as the hosts did this with their final five possessions:
1. turnover with 2:27 left
2. bad shot out of time out - 1:50
3. hurried 3-pointer, blocked - :53
4. jumper, blocked - :28
5. lay up, blocked - :17
Amazingly, those were the only three shots Richmond blocked all night.
Meanwhile, the Richmond offense had a nice night - 46% from three, including 6-of-9 in the second half and 51% overall from the field, including a 17-of-30 performance over the final 20 minutes.
Game 17 - Alabama at Dayton
November 17 at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, OH
ESPN
It's a big day at 200 Game Season as we introduce our all-name team.
We'll be searching for the best names in basketball throughout the season, and what better way to get it started than with Dayton guard and captain of the Scoochie Smith All Stars, Scoochie Smith.
Full team list can be found here
ESPN
It's a big day at 200 Game Season as we introduce our all-name team.
We'll be searching for the best names in basketball throughout the season, and what better way to get it started than with Dayton guard and captain of the Scoochie Smith All Stars, Scoochie Smith.
Full team list can be found here
Game 16 - Valparaiso at Rhode Island
November 17 at Ryan Center in Kingston, RI
ESPN
I feel like this game really put me over the top when it comes to spelling "Valparaiso" correctly on the first try.
I scribbled it down a couple times at the very start of the game - a 58-55 win for the visitors - then had to type it twice for this post and I got it the first time each time.
It's been a long journey, from the early days of Valpraiso & Valapariso, but we've finally arrived.
VALPARAISO!
ESPN
I feel like this game really put me over the top when it comes to spelling "Valparaiso" correctly on the first try.
I scribbled it down a couple times at the very start of the game - a 58-55 win for the visitors - then had to type it twice for this post and I got it the first time each time.
It's been a long journey, from the early days of Valpraiso & Valapariso, but we've finally arrived.
VALPARAISO!
Games 14-15 - Late night/early morning
Baylor at Oregon
November 16 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR
ESPN
BYU at Long Beach State
November 17 at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA
ESPN
Basketball Phrases & assorted silliness
"Court vision"
"Step through"
"Nerves of steel"
"Handle the rock"
"Household name"
"Glue guy"
"They're a space basketball team"
"Handsy"
"Worth the price of admission"
"Points of emphasis"
"Gunslinger mentality"
That looks like a pretty nice watch
November 16 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, OR
ESPN
BYU at Long Beach State
November 17 at Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, CA
ESPN
Basketball Phrases & assorted silliness
"Court vision"
"Step through"
"Nerves of steel"
"Handle the rock"
"Household name"
"Glue guy"
"They're a space basketball team"
"Handsy"
"Worth the price of admission"
"Points of emphasis"
"Gunslinger mentality"
That looks like a pretty nice watch
Game 13 - Connecticut women at Ohio State
November 16 at Value City Arena in Columbus, OH
ESPN2
Connecticut is trying to become the first team in either men's or women's basketball to win four consecutive national titles and the Huskies got off to a fine start Monday evening.
Reigning national player of the year Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, fellow senior Moriah Jefferson had 21 (those two might be the best pair of teammates in the country) & the Huskies rolled to a 100-56 victory.
Uconn's defense was excellent as well, holding OSU to 33 percent shooting and sophomore Kelsey Mitchell, who as a freshman led the nation in scoring, to a career-low eight points on 2-of-14 shooting. The Buckeyes, who suffered the worst home loss in the program's history, have so far played and lost to the No. 2 team in the country in South Carolina (88-80 on November 13) and the top-ranked Huskies.
Basketball Phrases
Plenty of good nonsense from color commentator Stephanie White:
"Dribble drive"
"Heat check"
"Activity level" (said twice)
"She's an X-factor"
"Skill set" (6)
"Silky smooth"
"Great flash and pass"
"Sense of urgency" (2)
"Stat stuffers" (2)
"Big-game environment"
"Tunnel vision"
"Use these games as a measuring stick"
"Energy level" (3)
"Competitiveness is in her blood"
"Can leap out of the gym"
ESPN2
Connecticut is trying to become the first team in either men's or women's basketball to win four consecutive national titles and the Huskies got off to a fine start Monday evening.
Reigning national player of the year Breanna Stewart scored 24 points, fellow senior Moriah Jefferson had 21 (those two might be the best pair of teammates in the country) & the Huskies rolled to a 100-56 victory.
Uconn's defense was excellent as well, holding OSU to 33 percent shooting and sophomore Kelsey Mitchell, who as a freshman led the nation in scoring, to a career-low eight points on 2-of-14 shooting. The Buckeyes, who suffered the worst home loss in the program's history, have so far played and lost to the No. 2 team in the country in South Carolina (88-80 on November 13) and the top-ranked Huskies.
Basketball Phrases
Plenty of good nonsense from color commentator Stephanie White:
"Dribble drive"
"Heat check"
"Activity level" (said twice)
"She's an X-factor"
"Skill set" (6)
"Silky smooth"
"Great flash and pass"
"Sense of urgency" (2)
"Stat stuffers" (2)
"Big-game environment"
"Tunnel vision"
"Use these games as a measuring stick"
"Energy level" (3)
"Competitiveness is in her blood"
"Can leap out of the gym"
Game 12 - North Dakota State at Illinois
November 15 at Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, IL
ESPN
It sure looked like Illinois was headed for its first 0-2 start since 1923-1924 when North Dakota State went up by as much as 14 points in the first half.
But graduate transfer Mike Thorne Jr. scored 21 points with seemingly all of them coming on a nice set of moves from about four feet away and freshman reserve Jalen Coleman-Lands scored 15 points (12 in 2nd half) in Illinois' 80-74 victory.
Illinois went on a 16-3 run and took the lead for good at 60-57 on Thorne's three-point play with about 5 1/2 minutes to play in the game.
Meanwhile, the visiting Bison went from shooting 51 percent in the opening half to 31 percent-shooters in the second.
ESPN
It sure looked like Illinois was headed for its first 0-2 start since 1923-1924 when North Dakota State went up by as much as 14 points in the first half.
But graduate transfer Mike Thorne Jr. scored 21 points with seemingly all of them coming on a nice set of moves from about four feet away and freshman reserve Jalen Coleman-Lands scored 15 points (12 in 2nd half) in Illinois' 80-74 victory.
Illinois went on a 16-3 run and took the lead for good at 60-57 on Thorne's three-point play with about 5 1/2 minutes to play in the game.
Meanwhile, the visiting Bison went from shooting 51 percent in the opening half to 31 percent-shooters in the second.
Game 11 - Middle Georgia State at Georgia State
November 13 at GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, GA
espn3.com
Color commentator Jihad Ali loves to use the word definitely, so it's a good thing I counted how many times he said it during this 73-54 Georgia State win.
1st half - said 18 times
Notable definitelys
"You definitely have some nerves"
"Definitely, unselfish players, unselfish team"
"Definitely, that was a grown man drive"
"90% of the game is confidence, definitely"
"Definitely got a couple blocked shots on the defensive end"
"You definitely don't want to peak in November"
@ halftime, just before start of 2nd half - 2
2nd half - 16
"Definitely don't want to start the half with a turnover"
"Definitely - Jeremy is a gifted offensive player"
"Definitely...they definitely got the talent to do it"
"I think he's definitely going to get that three-point shot going"
Total definitelys: 36
espn3.com
Color commentator Jihad Ali loves to use the word definitely, so it's a good thing I counted how many times he said it during this 73-54 Georgia State win.
1st half - said 18 times
Notable definitelys
"You definitely have some nerves"
"Definitely, unselfish players, unselfish team"
"Definitely, that was a grown man drive"
"90% of the game is confidence, definitely"
"Definitely got a couple blocked shots on the defensive end"
"You definitely don't want to peak in November"
@ halftime, just before start of 2nd half - 2
2nd half - 16
"Definitely don't want to start the half with a turnover"
"Definitely - Jeremy is a gifted offensive player"
"Definitely...they definitely got the talent to do it"
"I think he's definitely going to get that three-point shot going"
Total definitelys: 36
Games 9 & 10 - Season openers
Rockdale HS at Heritage HS
9 - Girls
10 - Boys
November 13 at Curtis Bell Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
9 - Girls
10 - Boys
November 13 at Curtis Bell Gymnasium in Conyers, GA
Game 8 - Vermont at Eastern Michigan
November 13 at Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, MI
espn3.com
College basketball season tipping off at 11 am? Fantastic.
The long season got started Friday morning with Eastern Michigan using a 15-4 run early in the second half to pull away and win 70-50.
Willie Mangum (18 points) and Tim Bond (15) led five with at least nine points and the Eagles are going to need that kind of offensive production after it was announced 2014-2015 leading scorer Raven Lee was suspended for violating team rules.
I had thought the suspension came as the result of his parents naming him Raven, but no: team rules.
Anyway, nice start for the Eagles, who held Vermont to 30% shooting.
I think Bond, just a sophomore, could develop into a really good player. He's quick and athletic and if that jump shot keeps improving, EMU may not miss Lee as much.
STATS WE DON'T NEED
John Becker in season openers as Vermont's head coach: 1-3
Basketball Phrases
Good start to the college nonsense season for commentators Greg Steiner & Ryan Woody.
"Electricity in the building"
"Blistering the net"
"Puts up the flight show"
"Calm demeanor" (said twice)
"Scoop and score"
"Athletic big"
"Rain threes"
"Saddled with foul trouble"
espn3.com
College basketball season tipping off at 11 am? Fantastic.
The long season got started Friday morning with Eastern Michigan using a 15-4 run early in the second half to pull away and win 70-50.
Willie Mangum (18 points) and Tim Bond (15) led five with at least nine points and the Eagles are going to need that kind of offensive production after it was announced 2014-2015 leading scorer Raven Lee was suspended for violating team rules.
I had thought the suspension came as the result of his parents naming him Raven, but no: team rules.
Anyway, nice start for the Eagles, who held Vermont to 30% shooting.
I think Bond, just a sophomore, could develop into a really good player. He's quick and athletic and if that jump shot keeps improving, EMU may not miss Lee as much.
STATS WE DON'T NEED
John Becker in season openers as Vermont's head coach: 1-3
Basketball Phrases
Good start to the college nonsense season for commentators Greg Steiner & Ryan Woody.
"Electricity in the building"
"Blistering the net"
"Puts up the flight show"
"Calm demeanor" (said twice)
"Scoop and score"
"Athletic big"
"Rain threes"
"Saddled with foul trouble"
Game 6 - Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks
November 11 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX
ESPN
Some random thoughts from a 118-108 Dallas victory:
1st quarter
Please stop shooting, Zaza Pachuila
Can anyone play center for the Mavericks besides Zaza Pachulia?
Mike Breen: "The Timberwolves have become a fun team to watch"
Jeff Van Gundy: "Yeah, they've won all of their road games and lost all (of) their home games."
Fun!
2nd
Devin Harris AND Charlie Villanueva?!
Still?!
I'd like to see Rick Carlisle with long, curly hair. And then a few shots of him pushing it out of his face while arguing with a referee.
3rd
Wesley Matthews is having a nice shooting night, but I think he's making a huge mistake not going by "Wes".
(DeAndre Jordan gets 4th foul) Breen: "The crowd is lovin' it!"
I'd say some of the crowd is likin' it.
Does Chris Paul even like playing basketball?
4th
OK, Josh Smith. You made a couple 3-pointers, but that's enough. This isn't NBA Jam and you aren't Larry Johnson on NBA Jam.
ESPN
Some random thoughts from a 118-108 Dallas victory:
1st quarter
Please stop shooting, Zaza Pachuila
Can anyone play center for the Mavericks besides Zaza Pachulia?
Mike Breen: "The Timberwolves have become a fun team to watch"
Jeff Van Gundy: "Yeah, they've won all of their road games and lost all (of) their home games."
Fun!
2nd
Devin Harris AND Charlie Villanueva?!
Still?!
I'd like to see Rick Carlisle with long, curly hair. And then a few shots of him pushing it out of his face while arguing with a referee.
3rd
Wesley Matthews is having a nice shooting night, but I think he's making a huge mistake not going by "Wes".
(DeAndre Jordan gets 4th foul) Breen: "The crowd is lovin' it!"
I'd say some of the crowd is likin' it.
Does Chris Paul even like playing basketball?
4th
OK, Josh Smith. You made a couple 3-pointers, but that's enough. This isn't NBA Jam and you aren't Larry Johnson on NBA Jam.
Game 5 - Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers
October 30 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH
ESPN
Just have one thing to mention from this game, a 102-92 Cleveland win.
Hubie Brown on Russell Westbrook:
"He plays with his heart every night"
I'd like to think of this not as a ridiculous Basketball Phrase, but as a lyric in a pop song Brown wrote in the third person about how he (Westbrook) keeps playing with (Brown's) heart EVERY NIGHT.
ESPN
Just have one thing to mention from this game, a 102-92 Cleveland win.
Hubie Brown on Russell Westbrook:
"He plays with his heart every night"
I'd like to think of this not as a ridiculous Basketball Phrase, but as a lyric in a pop song Brown wrote in the third person about how he (Westbrook) keeps playing with (Brown's) heart EVERY NIGHT.
Game 4 - Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers
October 29 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA
TNT
The last two minutes of the first half of this game were the worst 12-15 minutes (real time) I've ever experienced in my life.
AND I HAD TO SIT THROUGH TWO HOURS OF A PRODUCTION OF THE KING AND I.
The stats (unofficial):
* 77 total fouls were called
* DeAndre Jordan went to the free throw line 42 times and made 2 free throws. Each time he went to the line he first wiped nothing off of his face with his jersey and yelled something to no one.
* The clock stopped 29,000 times
TNT
The last two minutes of the first half of this game were the worst 12-15 minutes (real time) I've ever experienced in my life.
AND I HAD TO SIT THROUGH TWO HOURS OF A PRODUCTION OF THE KING AND I.
The stats (unofficial):
* 77 total fouls were called
* DeAndre Jordan went to the free throw line 42 times and made 2 free throws. Each time he went to the line he first wiped nothing off of his face with his jersey and yelled something to no one.
* The clock stopped 29,000 times
Game 3 - Panathinaikos Athens at FC Barcelona
October 29 at Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, Spain
espn3.com
espn3.com
Game 2 - Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
October 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA
ESPN
Mark Jackson really likes saying the word "basketball". I know this because he said it all evening as the Timberwolves came back to win 112-111.
Total times said: 29
Break down by quarter:
1st - 5 times
"Rebound the basketball"
"Flat out score the basketball"
2nd - 3
"Push the basketball"
3rd - 13
"Get the young man the basketball"
"Bryant seeking the basketball"
"Loves the game of basketball"
"That's winning basketball"
"That's beautiful basketball"
4th - 8
"Pursuing the basketball"
"Isolation basketball"
Total times using the word 'basketball' including in this sentence: 12
* Mike Tirico also said things and a number of those things were ridiculous.
Michael, are you there?
"Chicken wing elbow"
"Asked to mentor little pups"
"Got Lou Williams tied up in a pretzel"
"It's a bang and a bucket"
"A show and go"
"Heady veteran"
"That tippy toe triple"
"There's a little of that sauce on that pass"
"Cut from a similar cloth"
ESPN
Mark Jackson really likes saying the word "basketball". I know this because he said it all evening as the Timberwolves came back to win 112-111.
Total times said: 29
Break down by quarter:
1st - 5 times
"Rebound the basketball"
"Flat out score the basketball"
2nd - 3
"Push the basketball"
3rd - 13
"Get the young man the basketball"
"Bryant seeking the basketball"
"Loves the game of basketball"
"That's winning basketball"
"That's beautiful basketball"
4th - 8
"Pursuing the basketball"
"Isolation basketball"
Total times using the word 'basketball' including in this sentence: 12
* Mike Tirico also said things and a number of those things were ridiculous.
Michael, are you there?
"Chicken wing elbow"
"Asked to mentor little pups"
"Got Lou Williams tied up in a pretzel"
"It's a bang and a bucket"
"A show and go"
"Heady veteran"
"That tippy toe triple"
"There's a little of that sauce on that pass"
"Cut from a similar cloth"
Game 1 - San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder
October 28 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK
ESPN
What an excellent opener for 200 Game Season as the Thunder erased a seven-point, fourth quarter deficit to win 112-106.
Russell Westbrook had a great night - 33 points and 10 assists - but it was back up guard Dion Waiters who hit the tying (pull-up jumper with 2:12 left) and go-ahead (fall away at 1:34) baskets for Oklahoma City.
Kawhi Leonard is a pleasure to watch and Wednesday he led the Spurs with his first-career 30-point game (he scored 32) and played excellent defense throughout. I can't believe he hasn't yet made an all-star team, but I think that changes this season.
* ESPN's Doris Burke interviewed new OKC coach Billy Donovan before the start of the fourth and he had this to say about Westbrook:
"He's been great all year long."
All one hour and 54 minutes long?
ESPN
What an excellent opener for 200 Game Season as the Thunder erased a seven-point, fourth quarter deficit to win 112-106.
Russell Westbrook had a great night - 33 points and 10 assists - but it was back up guard Dion Waiters who hit the tying (pull-up jumper with 2:12 left) and go-ahead (fall away at 1:34) baskets for Oklahoma City.
Kawhi Leonard is a pleasure to watch and Wednesday he led the Spurs with his first-career 30-point game (he scored 32) and played excellent defense throughout. I can't believe he hasn't yet made an all-star team, but I think that changes this season.
* ESPN's Doris Burke interviewed new OKC coach Billy Donovan before the start of the fourth and he had this to say about Westbrook:
"He's been great all year long."
All one hour and 54 minutes long?
You're doing it again
After watching more than 300 baseball games at 300gameseason.blogspot.com and 100 football games at 100gameseason.blogspot.com, OBVIOUSLY I was going to follow those efforts by watching 200 basketball games.
Why 200? Because that's how many losses Lou Carnesecca had in his career.
The goal is to have watched at least (could be more) 200 games by the final game of the NBA Finals. That includes live games (in person & on TV) & television replays of games that have already been completed.
We'll also be documenting the usual announcer nonsense and building an all-name team.
Why 200? Because that's how many losses Lou Carnesecca had in his career.
The goal is to have watched at least (could be more) 200 games by the final game of the NBA Finals. That includes live games (in person & on TV) & television replays of games that have already been completed.
We'll also be documenting the usual announcer nonsense and building an all-name team.
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