Probable Starters:

Levance Fields, 5'10" 190 Sr.  15 pts, 8 ass, 67% FG, 50% 3PFG, 100% FT.  At first glance, doesn't look like an All-American candidate, but after you see him play, you're convinced he's one of the top point guards in the country.  He's great at getting into the lane and dishing off.  He has deep range on his jumper.  Not much of a mid-range game, when he drives, he's looking to dish or finish.  Runs their fast break well, getting the ball down the floor.  Makes big shots, wants the ball in his hands at the end of the game.

Jermaine Dixon, 6'3" 195 Jr.  6 pts, 4 ass, 50% FG.  JUCO All-American, younger brother of Juan Dixon and plays like him.  Really good shooter, off the dribble and from long range. 

Sam Young, 6'6" 220 Sr.  15 pts, 3 reb.  50% FG, 50% FT.  Added more to his game every year.  For a big guy, he drives into the lane under control and is able to stop and pop.  Good spot up shooter inside 18 feet, not really a 3 point threat.  Expanded his game to include working in the lane for tough baskets last year.  Likes to go baseline and pull up for the jumper.

Tyrell Biggs, 6'8" 250 Sr.  8 pts, 4 reb.  67% FG.  Experienced backup gets the chance to start this year.  Good rebounder.  Can step out and hit the jumper and has 3-point range. 

DeJuan Blair, 6'7" 265 So.  17 pts, 13 reb.  62% FG, 50% FT.  One of the best back-to-the basket games in the country, knows how to get position and he's strong enough to finish underneath.  Can flare out and hit the elbow jumper.  A terror on the offensive glass, he has a nose for the ball.  Sometimes gets into early foul trouble.

Off the Bench:

Travon Woodall, 5'11" 190 Fr.  3 pts, 5 ass.  25% FG, 50% 3PFG.  Point guard of the future from St. Anthony's (NJ) and he's built in that mode.  Tough player who can get to the basket and make tough shots.  He can also hit the deep ball.  Will get after you defensively.

Ashton Gibbs, 6'2" 190 Fr.  8 pts, 43% FG, 50% 3PFG.  Top-100 recruit who can fill it up.  Might be the best shooter on the team.

Brad Wanamaker, 6'4" 205 So.  6 pts, 2 ass.  100% FG, 100% FT.  Another shooter off the bench, but can put it on the floor and get to the basket.  Also gives opponents fits with his length defensively.

Nasir Robinson, 6'5" 220 Fr.  4 pts, 4 reb.  67% FG.

Gary McGhee, 6'10" 250 So.  4 pts, 4 reb.  50% FG.

In the half-court, Pitt and UCLA will run a lot of the same sets.  A lot of high pick and roll for Fields and Blair.  Dixon will slide behind looking for the open shot or an open lane to penetrate.  But Pitt has the low-post game that UCLA currently doesn't.  Look for some high-low action with Biggs up high looking to lob inside to Blair.  Also look for those two to possibly cross in the paint, freeing up Blair on the low block.  Young and Blair will often be on the same side of the floor.  If you guard Young tight, he'll go by you.  He only needs one dribble with his long frame and strength to get inside.  If you cut him off, Blair is open for the 12 footer.  If you play off Young, he'll feed inside to Blair, who will go to work.  When the shot clock winds down, Fields will go one-on-one.  In transition, look for pick and roll with Young and Blair with Fields and Dixon spotting up behind the 3 point line and Biggs looking for a possible dump pass.

Defensively, Pitt will force you away from the basket (even more than UCLA).  They want you to take quick shots so you get frustrated and become impatient offensively.  You have to be mentally tough and be willing to compete for 40 minutes.  Our offense has a chance to be successful if our ball movement is quick, our cuts are sharp, and we're able to make shots.  Those shots have to come off of dribble penetration or some inside-outside action.  Blair will commit some silly fouls trying to help out, his intensity gets the better of him sometimes.  Just as against UCLA, you can't have empty possessions, and Miami didn't have many of those Thursday night.

Pitt is 57-1 at home against non-conference opponents.  Our secret has been let out, which will allow Pitt to be even more ready.  The three big keys tonight are turnovers, shot selection, and rebounding.  The Panther defense can make you look silly with some of the shots they force you to take.  And we have to gang rebound at the defensive end.  Pitt may not get 2nd chance points, but their guards can kill you with dagger 3s off of missed shots.  The bench has to play well tonight because of how physical the game will be.  I don't think Dierkers or anyone can play 40 effective minutes against a physical team like this. 

This is a tougher matchup for us because of Pitt's front line ability, arguably the best front line we'll play all year.  Plus, they're a little more experienced than UCLA and they haven't had to fly back across the country, practice 1 day, then bus through bad weather.  But if we force them to make shots, rebound, and take good shots ourselves, it will be another close game.

Probable Starters:

Darren Collison, 6' 160 Sr.  19 pts, 4 ass, 3 reb, 3 steals, 67% FG, 67% 3PFG, 83% FT.  Collison may be the best change of pace guard in the country with his quick hesitation and slick crossover dribbles.  He can drive, dish, pullup, and shoot from deep.  He does a great of coming off screens tightly, allowing him to get into the lane to finish or kick the ball out to an open shooter.  Where he gets into trouble is when he starts pounding the ball outside and doesn't look to create, which bogs down the UCLA offense.  Defensively, he is arguably one of the top perimeter defenders nationwide.  His long arms and quick hands make life miserable for opposing point guards.  He is also very good at getting out in the passing lanes and reading the defense. 

Jrue Holiday, 6'3" 180 Fr.  11 pts, 3 steals, 50% FG, 40% 3PFG, 50% FT.  Holiday isn't the athlete Westbrook was, but he might be a better basketball player already than Westbrook.  He can score in many ways, and do it going right or left, which makes him tough to guard. 

Josh Shipp, 6'5" 220 Sr.  9 pts, 6 reb, 4 steals, 36% FG, 20% 3PFG.  Shipp is a great all-around athlete who is especially tough defensively and on the offensive glass.  Shipp can hit the open 3 and the baseline pullup, and has enough quickness and strength to get to the rim.  Defensively, he's tough to drive on and is very physical on the perimeter.  You have to force Shipp to take contested shots, where he'll get lazy with his lower body and start pushing the ball.  And you have to force him back to the middle when he dribbles, which often makes him give the ball up.

James Keefe, 6'8" 231 Jr.  7 pts, 6 reb, 33% FG, 25% FT.  Keefe is long, pretty athletic and can hit the open spot-up jumper.  He's a good rebounder, has long arms, making it tough for opponents to shoot over him.  He doesn't have much of a back-to-the basket game, but he does try to play physical at both ends.  You have to keep a hand in his face when he has the ball outside because of his ability to make shots and pass the ball.

Alfred Aboya, 6'9" 245 Sr.  4 pts, 7 reb, 33% FG, 50% FT.  Athletic big man, who can run the floor, finish in transition, rebound at both ends, and block shots.  Most of his offense comes from 2nd chance points; you're content with him shooting the ball outside of 6 feet.  He plays very hard and defends well.  He is also very long, making him tough to shoot over.

Off the Bench:

Malcolm Lee, 6'5" 180 Fr.  12 pts, 6 reb, 4 ass, 63% FG, 33% 3PFG, 50% FT.  Instant offense from all corners of the floor.  When he comes in, he's looking to shoot the ball.

Drew Gordon, 6'8" 235 Fr.  6 pts, 8 reb.  100% FG.  Arguably has more offensive ability than UCLA's starters at the 4 and 5.  Athletic, can run the floor, good rebounder, and can step out and hit the open shot.

Michael Roll, 6'5" 200 Jr.  7 pts, 2 ass, 43% FG, 33% 3PFG.  Jason Kapono-type player.  Can't leave him open or he'll bury the outside shot.  Must make him put the ball on the floor.

Jerime Anderson, 6'1" 165 Fr.  3 pts, 3 ass, 50% FG, 100% 3PFG.  Has a solid offensive game for a freshman, but he's looking to get others involved and spread the ball around.  The heir apparent to Collison.

J'mison Morgan, 6'10" 248 Fr.  4 pts, 2 reb, 2 blks, 100% FG.  The young enforcer underneath.  Has some post game that still needs work, but he'll add another inside presence who will rebound, intimidate, and block shots underneath.

UCLA under Coach Howland is a Big East impostor in the Pac 10.  When you play UCLA, you expect tough defense, physical play underneath, and great athletic ability.  You also expect a slower, more half-court based game in which every possession feels like a game in and of itself.  But with so much youth, can the Bruins play their usual brand of basketball?  Some signs were there last night:  holding Prairie View to 42% shooting, outboarding them 41-18, and forcing 26 turnovers.  In contrast, UCLA committed 24 turnovers, 6 each by Collison and Anderson, their 2 point guards.  Those numbers may be more indicative of the out-of-control style Prairie View plays, but does UCLA have enough discipline to play their half-court game?

The Bruins keep it simple offensively.  They run a lot of high pick and roll for Collison and wing pick and roll for their swingmen.  When they go high pick and roll, their wings slide down, waiting for the kickout while the weak side big man (Keefe or Gordon) pops out for the elbow jump shot.  If Collison decides to kick the ball out to a wing, the wings will dribble weave, looking for an opening to drive or shoot.  If there are no openings, one of UCLA's bigs will pop out for a wing pick and roll, or Collison will get the ball back and look to drive again.  It sounds simple, but what makes it tough on the defense is UCLA's spacing.  When the shot goes up, the Bruins will send 3 or 4 guys to the boards, and because of their spacing, they're hard to locate.  UCLA will run when the opportunity is there, and they do a great job of running their lanes and finishing at and above the rim.  You have to make them execute in the half-court.

Defensively, it's tough to score on UCLA because they play physical, are athletic, and have incredible length.  It doesn't hurt that Howland brings the Big East defensive mentality with him.  They will challenge you on the perimeter, make you go east-west and limit any ball movement.  After taking you out of your offensive rhythm, they like to force quick shots, allowing for easy defensive rebounds and transition opportunities.  The ball has to go inside-out and be reversed to force the defense to move.  UCLA's bigs can be scored on underneath, but you have to be physical and strong with the ball.  Anything weak thrown up will be swatted in your face and run with the other way. 

Every possession counts against UCLA.  To win, Miami must take care of the ball, move without the ball well and rebound, rebound, rebound.  Force UCLA to make 3s and cut off Collison from the lane, force him to go east-west dribbling the ball.  Miami can't have any empty possessions offensively.  If they don't, that limits UCLA's ability to get out and run.  Miami must do a better job against dribble penetration and must be sharp in their team defense.  If they're not, it could be a long night. 

Probable Starters:

Kellen McCoy, 5'6" 180 Sr.  Last year averaged 9 points and 3 boards while shooting 45% from the field, 40% from 3 and 77% from the foul line.  McCoy moves from the backup point guard role to the starter where he's expected to be the catalyst for the offense.  He is prone to turning the ball over, only had a 1:1 assist/turnover ratio last year, which for a point guard is not good.  Have to make him play faster than he wants and get him to pound the ball more than he wants, make him become careless with the ball.

Mark Hansen, 6'4" 185 Jr.  JUCO transfer is a gunner.  In their last exhibition, Hansen took 8 shots from the field, all from deep.  Have to play him tight and keep a hand in his face, make him put it on the floor.

Daviin Davis, 6'4" 190 Sr.  Honorable Mention All-Big Sky last year.  Averaged 9 points and 3 boards while shooting 47% from the floor and 74% from the line.  He's trying to expand his game beyond the 3 point line, making 3/4 in the last exhibition, but only shot 20% from the shorter line last year.  A drive-first player, he's also good at using penetration to finding the open man.

Kyle Bullinger, 6'6" 210 Fr.  Redshirted last year due to an injury, big things are expected from this young man.  As a senior in high school, averaged 28 points and 12 boards.  All-around player, can shoot it from deep and put it on the floor and take it to the basket.  He can post up smaller 4s and take bigger 4s outside. 

Steve Panos, 6'8" 240 Jr.  Averaged 7 points and 3 boards last year while shooting 55% from the floor and 64% from the line.  Can step out and hit the 12-footer.  Slow footed and not very physical on defense (at least on the little tape I saw).  I like Dierkers on this matchup.

Off the bench:

Damian Lillard, 6'2" 180 Fr.  True freshman will be the backup point guard.  Regarded as one of the top 100 guards last year in the country by several recruiting services, Lillard can drive, dish, and shoot it.  He will play a lot if he plays like he did during the exhibition season.

Marcus Carson, 6'4" 185" Jr.  JUCO transfer, expected to eventually be a double/double guy.

Trevor Morris, 6'9" 230 So. 4 points and 2 boards off the bench last year, shooting 64% from the floor, 75% from the line.

Darin Mahoney, 6'8" 220 Fr.  Will mainly be counted on for defensive rebounding and to block shots. 

When I've watched Weber St. in the past, they're at their best when they're playing their finesse offensive game, making shots inside and outside while playing solid position defense.  When they made the NCAAs two years ago, David Patten was conference player of the year.  He didn't overwhelm you with his athleticism or height, he knew how to play and he could make shots.  This bunch appears to be a little more athletic and has a number of guys who can make shots, but they're lacking other qualities.  Even though they led the Big Sky in scoring defense, the Wildcats were in the bottom fifth in defending the 3 and one of the worst 25 teams in assists per field goals made, which is a metric that can be used to gauge team defense.  The little tape I've seen shows slow rotations on defense, so if we can reverse the ball, drive and dish, get the defense moving, we should be able to have some success offensively.  As many shotmakers as the Wildcats have, last year they were in the bottom third of Division 1 in offensive efficiency mainly due to the number of turnovers the Wildcats had.  With a number of new ballhandlers entering the rotation, turnovers could be a problem for Weber St.

If Miami plays up to their capability, they should win.  The key will be playing Miami defense, which is ball pressure, contesting shots, and team rebounding.  Miami would like to run more and get the transition game going, but when you're focused on transition, sometimes you forget to buckle down and play defense for 35 seconds.  Against a team that can make shots, if you're not commited to playing defense for the entire possession, you'll be grabbing the ball out of the net all night long.  At the other end, Miami has to make Weber St. play defense.  Ball reversal, dribble penetration, and crash the offensive glass.  If it becomes a dragged out, half-court affair, I believe Weber St. will falter, I don't think they can grind it out for 40 minutes.

But remember, it's the 1st game of the year.  Anything can happen as both teams are still trying to find out who they are and what they have.

2009:

PF Mark Anderson (JUCO) - As as frosh last year at Sinclair C.C., he was named second team Division II JUCO All-American after leading the nation in scoring.  He was also the conference leader in rebounding and named conference player of the year.  

WF Drew Barham - AAU teammate of Drew Kelly.  Pure shooter!

PG Delano Collins - Quick point guard from Detroit who may end up playing football in college.

PG Chris Colvin - Colvin comes from the same high school as Dwight McCombs (Chicago Whitney Young).  Will go to a high major school.

2G/SF/PF Bill Edwards, Jr. - Bill is a player Miami has been recruiting for a long time.  As a junior last season, Bill was GMC player of the year.

SF Marquis Horne - Horne is a Juby Johnson clone.  High school teammate of Orlando Williams.  Also plays AAU with Williams, Danny McElroy, and Carl Jones. 

PG Carl Jones - Lightning quick point guard.  Will go high major.

PF/C Reggie Keely - Strong power forward from Northeast Ohio.  Similar to former Ohio player Gary Trent. 

PF Drew Kelly - High major football recruit at tight end, but may end up playing basketball.

PF Danny McElroy - Originally committed to UC, has opened up his recruitment.  Similar player to former Miami star Danny Horace in that he is a total warrior.

C Drew McGhee - Maybe the best center in the state of Ohio.  Very skilled for a 6-10 player.

SF Chris Read - Shooter out of Indianapolis.  High school teammate of Larry Smith.

CG Allen Roberts - Roberts is the first cousin of Bill Edwards.  Edwards and Roberts are both high school and AAU teammates.

2G Colt Ryan - Like Edwards, Miami has been recruiting Colt Ryan for a very long time.  Colt is known as a shooter who can also drive.  Miami is only a 50 minute drive from his Batesville, Indiana home.

PF Jon Smith - Ranked as one of the top power forwards in Ohio.

PG Larry Smith - Before a knee injury, Smith was rated as a top 150 recruit nationally.

2G Matt Vogrich - Pure shooter out of Chicago who also can throw it down.  Getting serious high major looks.

CG Orlando Williams - Great kid who can play any of the guard positions.  Williams has great fundamentals around the basket. 

NOTE:  The above list may be incomplete as there are likely others that Miami has offered that we are not aware of at this time.

MHT.com Deveroes Information Thread

CURRENT MIAMI PLAYERS LISTED: Sr. PG Carl Richburg, Sr. C Tyler Dierkers, Fr. C Vince Legarza, Fr. PG Kramer Soderberg, Fr. PF Julian Mavunga, and RS-So. PF Sean Mock.

PAST MIAMI PLAYERS LISTED: Ron Harper, Monty St. Clair, Nathan Peavy, Doug Penno, and Danny Horace.  

Team rosters have not been released yet, but those are fluid. 

LEAGUE LINKS

League Home Page

Players & Teams

Schedule

Results & Standings

News & Notes

Newsletter & Alerts Signup

League Blog

Photo Gallery

Director Email: deveroes@cincysportsworld.com

**********************************************

THE FOLLOWING IS COPIED FROM THE LEAGUE WEBSITE 

2008 TEAMS

Brick Street

Cintas

Clovernook Health Care

John H. Flessa Law Office

Game Day Communications

Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

OHC

Stan Litz Law Office

McCluskey Chevrolet

Slats

******

2008 PLAYERS include

Xavier: CJ Anderson,  Derrick Brown, Charles Bronson, Adroin Graves, Dante Jackson, BJ Raymond, Andrew Taylor.

Cincinnati: Nick Aldridge, Kenny Belton, Rashod Bishop, Larry Davis, Dion Dixon, Yancey Gates, Anthony McClain, Brandon Miller, Alvin Mitchell, Steve Toyloy, Deonte Vaughn, Darnell Wilkes, Mike Williams, Cashmere Wright.

Miami: Tyler Dierkers, Vince Legarza, Julian Mavunga, Carl Richburg, Kramer Soderberg.

Dayton: Marcus Johnson, Charles Little, Mickey Perry,  Chris Wright.

Northern Kentucky: Scott Bibbins, Billy Finnell, Dennis Gagai, Brad Hosler, Matt Koman, Dustin Maguire, David McFarland, Tony Rack, Corey Sorrel, Jonathon Van Hoose, Eric Wilke, DeAaron Williams.

Cincinnati State: TBA

Other Schools: Brandon Hassell (Penn State), Matty Owens (Thomas More), Matthew Pilgrim (Kentucky), Mike Pilgrim (Arkansas-Monticello), Quantez Robertson (Auburn), Tyrone Robinson (Southwestern Illinois), BJ Walker (Oklahoma City)...

Professional: Ron Allen, Erik Daniels, Jamaal Davis, Billy Edwards (father of Miami's #1 recruiting target Bill Edwards, Jr.), Damon Flint, Danny Horace, Robert Hite, Jack Jennings, Nathan Peavy, Doug Penno, Paul McMillian (Miami-Hamilton), Monty St. Clair, Eric Taylor, Keith Waleskowski...

Legends Past: D'Juan Baker, Corie Blount, Steve Gentry, Tarrice Gibson, Ron Harper, Tyrone Hill,  Melvin Levett, Louis Orr, Nick Van Exel…

******

SCHEDULE

REGULAR SEASON

  Sunday, June 15

Noon      McCluskey Chevrolet vs Brick Street

1pm       Clovernook Health Care vs. Stan Litz Law Office

2pm       Cintas vs Game Day Communications

3pm         OHC vs John H. Flessa Law Office

Bye:         Slats, Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

Tuesday, June 17

6:30pm   Clovernook Health Care vs. Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

7:30pm               OHC  vs Brick Street

8:30pm  McCluskey Chev. vs Stan Litz Law Office

Bye: Cintas, Game Day Communications, John H. Flessa Law Office, SLATS

Saturday, June 21

Noon McCluskey Chevrolet vs. Clovernook Health Care

1pm    Brick Street  vs Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

2pm        OHC  vs  Stan Litz Law Office

3pm   John H. Flessa Law Office vs Game Day Communications

4pm                          Cintas vs SLATS           

 Sunday, June 22

Noon              Cintas vs. Clovernook Health Care

1pm  Goodies Barbecue Restaurant vs McCluskey Chevrolet

2pm      John H. Flessa Law Office vs  Brick Street

3pm                          OHC vs SLATS

4pm        Stan Litz Law Office vs Game Day Communications                       

Tuesday, June 24

6:30pm Game Day Communications vs. Clovernook Health Care

7:30pm      Stan Litz Law Office vs SLATS

8:30pm  Cintas vs Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

Bye: McCluskey Chevrolet, Brick Steet, John H. Flessa Law Office, OHC

Saturday, June 28

Noon         Cintas vs Brick Street

1pm     McCluskey Chevrolet vs John H. Flessa Law Office

2pm        Stan Litz Law Office vs Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

3pm           OHC vs. Game Day Communications

4pm           Clovernook Health Care vs SLATS

Sunday, June 29

Noon   McCluskey Chevrolet vs Cintas

1pm      Clovernook Health Care vs Brick Street

2pm  Stan Litz Law Office vs John H. Flessa Law Office

3pm       OHC vs. Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

4pm    Game Day Communications vs. SLATS                      

Tuesday, July 1

6:30pm          Game Day Communications vs Brick Street

7:30pm   SLATS vs  John H. Flessa Law Office

8:30pm            OHC  vs Cintas

Bye: Clovernook Health, McCluskey Chev., Stan Litz Law, Goodies BBQ

Tuesday, July 8

6:30pm  Clovernook Health Care vs John Flessa Law Office

7:30pm McCluskey Chevrolet vs OHC

8:30pm SLATS vs Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

Bye: Brick Street, Game Day Communications, Cintas, Stan Litz Law Office

Saturday, July 12

11am  Stan Litz Law Office vs Brick Street

Noon      McCluskey Chevrolet vs SLATS

1pm  Goodies Barbecue Restaurant vs Game Day Communications        

2pm    Cintas vs John H. Flessa Law Office

Bye:        OHC, Clovernook Health Care

Sunday, July 13

Noon   SLATS vs Brick Street          

1pm     Clovernook Health Care vs. OHC

2pm     Stan Litz Law Office vs Cintas

3pm  John H. Flessa Law Office vs Goodies Barbecue Restaurant

4pm McCluskey Chevrolet vs Game Day Communications

***End of regular season***

TOURNAMENT

Tuesday, July 15

 Quarter-Finals

Thursday, July 17

  Quarter-Finals

Saturday, July 19

Semi-Finals

Saturday, July 26

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

******

2007 Deveroes Summer Basketball League Awards

League Co-MVP

Nathan Peavey, Miami 2003-2007, Brick Street
Jamual Warren, Cincinnati, Mike Albert Leasing

Tournament MVP

Josh Duncan, Xavier, Stan Litz Law Office

Top Newcomer

Kenny Hayes, Miami, Brick Street
 
Mr. Excitement

C. J. Anderson, Xavier, Goodies BBQ Restaurant

All League

*Kenny Hayes, Miami, Brick Street
*Nathan Peavey, Miami 2003-2007, Brick Street
*Trent Calloway, Cincinnati State, Cintas
*Marvin Gentry, Cincinnati, John Flessa Law Office
*C. J. Anderson, Xavier, Goodies BBQ Restaurant
*B. J. Raymond, Xavier, Innovative Marketing
*Josh Duncan, Xavier, Stan Litz Law Office
*Adam Waleskowski, Florida St. 2001-2005, Stan Litz Law Office
*Keith Waleskowski, Dayton 1999-2004, Stan Litz Law Office
*Adam Hyranciuk, Cincinnati, Mike Albert Leasing
*Jamual Warren, Cincinnati, Mike Albert Leasing
*Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, SLATS
*Mike Williams, Cincinnati, SLATS

******

2008-2009 Post-Season Honors

Stanley Burrell, Xavier; Defensive Player of the Year,
3rd Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference
Michael Bramos, Miami; 2nd Team All-Mid-American Conference
D'Angelo Dean, Arkansas-Monticello; Freshman of the Year, Gulf South Conference
Josh Duncan, Xavier; 2nd Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference
Dennis Gagai, Northern Kentucky;
Freshman of the Year, Great Lakes Valley Conference
Kenny Hayes, Miami; Honorable Mention All-Mid-American Conference
Drew Lavender, Xavier; 2nd Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference
Harrison Morton, Northern Kentucky; 2nd Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference
Norman Plummer, Southern Indiana; 1st Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati; 1st Team All- BIG EAST Conference
Kevin Weybright, Christian Brothers; 1st Team All-Gulf South Conference

*******

06/13/08 UPDATE: 

Update—muhoopsjunkie has informed me that Kenny Hayes will be playing and not going to IMG in Florida...but not for Brick Street. Due to the 2 returning players from the same team rule, Hayes has to play for someone else (Dierkers and Richburg already on Brick Street).

He also said Brick Street will have Dierkers, Richburg, Soderberg, Mavunga, Legarza, Danny Horace, Nate Peavy, and Doug Penno.

Also, I received an email for Deveroes. Below is a copy of part of the email:

Player Team Assignments

Listed below are the team assignments of some of your favorite players:

Brick Street - Carl Richburg, Tyler Dierkers, Kramer Soderberg, Matty Owens

Cintas - Kenny Frease, Brad Redford, Brad Loesing, Quinn McDowell, Derek Hellermann

Clovernook Health Care - Rashad Bishop, Nick Aldridge, Andrew Taylor, Jamel McLean, Terrell Holloway, Jamual Warren

John H. Flessa Law Office - Alvin Mitchell, Kenny Belton, BJ Raymond

Game Day Communications - Derrick Brown, Mark Lyons

Goodies Barbecue Restaurant - Darnell Wilkes, Larry Davis, Adrion Graves, CJ Anderson, Robert Hite

OHC - Anthony McClain, Dante Jackson, Jason Love, Mickey Perry, Marcus Johnson

Stan Litz Law Office - Brian Walsh, Michael Davenport

McCluskey Chevrolet - Tony Rack, Dennis Gagai, David McFarland

SLATS - Mike Williams, Deonta Vaughn, Cashmere Wright, Yancey Gates, Dion Dixon, Steve Toyloy

BACKCOURT

2009 6-1 PG Orlando Williams - offers from Miami, BGSU.

2010 6-3 2G Jordan Siebert - Already offered by Miami, Xavier, BGSU, and Miami-FLA.

FRONTCOURT

2009 6-6 SF Marquis Horne - no known offers yet, but besides Miami, he has received interest from BGSU, Tennessee Tech, Missouri, Xavier, and Wisconsin.

2009 6-6 PF/SF Stephon Johnson - was once ranked by Hoopscoop as #62 in the nation.

2009 6-7 PF Danny McElroy - Recently decommitted to UC.  Is ranked by Hoops Report as the #131 player in the nation.

Davin Anderson: 6-1 from Harmony Prep.  Played high school ball in Louisville.  As a H.S. senior last year, Kentucky Preps ranked him #20 in the state (Rodney Haddix was #8 btw).  They wrote about him, "Versatile guard. Explosive in transition. Has handles, can lead breaks. On-ball D is an asset. Can finish strong at basket, limited shooting range. Must learn to get others involved. Shot selection suspect."

Javonte Clanton:  Originally from Columbus (Reynoldsburg), he signed with Niagara in 2006 and played 4 games in the 2006-07 season before going JUCO.  He spent the last season at Blinn (J.C.) where he signed with Big XII's Colorado.  He was just recently released from his LOI by Colorado and is looking to come back home.  While playing for Blinn, Clanton averaged 10.5 ppg, 2.5 apg and shot 54% from the field.  Javonte said in a Rivals.com story last week, "I've gotten a lot of calls from schools like Bowling Green, Miami-Ohio, Morehead State, Gardner-Webb, Western Carolina, Cincinnati, and Youngstown State so far. I'm not sure what I'll do about visits yet but I'll play that by ear."
Clanton MHT.com Thread Discussion

Lonnie Hayes:  Hayes was the PG for Harmony Prep this past season.  Harmony was undefeated until losing to Gutierrez and Findlay Prep in the Prep School National Championship quarterfinals.  Hayes is orginally from Cincinnati Hughes High School.  One of Rivals.com best unsigned backcourt players.   Miami was interested at one time.
Hayes MHT.com Thread Discussion   

Mike Porrini:  Originally from Massillon, Ohio, Porrini signed with Larry Hunter and Western Carolina.  At some point after Christmas, Porrini (and fellow Ohioian Cam Miller) left the team.  Porrini would be available to play halfway through next season after sitting out a year.  Miami had interest in him in high school.
Porrini MHT.com Thread Discussion

Shavar Richardson: 6'2" Combo Guard from New Creations Christian in Richmond, Indiana.  Originally from the Bronx.  School website bio read, "Shavar is able to score the ball from all over. Shavar brings a swagger that we needed and is a winner who will teach others that same drive. He played his AAU basketball for team Odom and is currently being recruited at the Division One level."

Kramer Soderberg:  Son of former Wisconsin and SLU head coach Brad Soderberg.  Was selected the Gatorade player of the year for Missouri and also the St. Louis Post-Dispatch player of the year, averaged 24.4 points and made 63 3-pointers while leading the Warriors to a second-place finish in Missouri’s Class 4.  Nearly a 50% 3 point shooter.  Offered by UWGB, La Salle, Miami, Wichita State.
Soderberg MHT.com Thread Discussion    

Another 2008 high school point guard in the MHT.com database is Chris Crockett of Columbus.  There has not been much discussion of this player in the last year.  Crockett MHT.com Thread Discussion

Projected Starters:

G Brandon McPherson, 6'1 Jr.  10 pts, 2 ass.  49% FG, 44% 3PFG, 78% FT.  Far and away Valpo's best guard.  Can score a variety of ways.  Surprisingly only plays 24 minutes a game because Valpo is significantly better with him on the floor because he can change the pace of the game offensively and the way he pressures the ball defensively.  In transition, he likes to pull up for the 3 when leading the break.

G Jake Diebler, 6'3 Jr.  5 pts, 3 reb.  36% FG, 38% 3PFG, 75% FT.  Jon Diebler's big brother, Jake is more of a glue guy than a big-time scorer, but with everyone else, he can shoot the 3.  His low shot release sometimes gets him into trouble.  Only averages 3 boards a game, but he does a good job of helping out on the glass.  Plays extremely hard defensively.

F Shawn Huff, 6'7 Sr.  12 pts, 5 reb.  46% FG, 45% 3PFG, 87% FT.  Not sure he's 6'7, but a very strong, athletic player.  He can put it on the floor and take you inside.  He's able to post up smaller guys and score effectively.  And he's strong enough to drive hard, step back and hit the perimeter shot.  Very good at finishing around the basket.

F Samuel Haanpaa, 6'8 So.  10 pts, 3 reb.  44% FG, 43% 3PFG, 83% FT.  Think a slower, less athletic version of Keith Van Horn and Hanno Mottola.  He and Huff are from Finland and while Huff has a very American game, Haanpaa is the prototypical European player.  Clever with the ball, shoots it well, good at shooting on the move.  But he needs time to get his shot off and isn't a strong defender or rebounder.  May not start because he missed the Loyola game with an illness

C Urule Igbavoba, 6'9 Jr.  10 pts, 7 reb.  53% FG, 61% FT.  Athletic, plays with a lot of energy, very agile for a big man.  To make things even more awkward, he's a lefty.  As required by Valpo's offense, he's a very good passer from the high post.  He can drive from the elbow to the basket and finish under control.  He likes to spin left around the basket.  He can also hit a pull-up jumper.

Off the Bench:

G Jarryd Loyd, 6' Sr.  12 pts, 4 ass, 3 reb.  45% FG, 42% 3PFG, 62% FT.  The 6th man who is basically a 6th starter.  He and McPherson in the backcourt together are a lethal combination.  Good slasher, likes to go to the crossover dribble, which is also good.  Can hit the 3 and create other shots for himself.  Hit a lot of clutch shots in the Butler game.

C Bryan Bouchie, 6'11 Fr.  7 pts, 3 reb.  50% FG, 27% 3PFG, 49% FT.  Good post player for a freshman.  Stronger than Igbavoba, he can also finish with his left hand and possess a spin move on the block.  You have to honor his 3 point shot, he can hit it.

G Howard Little, 6'4 Fr.  3 pts, 2 reb.  33% FG, 22% 3PFG, 65% FT.  Guard of the future.  Can't let him catch the ball with space behind the 3 point line, he'll drain it.  Have to make him put it on the floor.

G/F Michael Rogers, 6'6 Fr.  2 pts, 2 reb.  43% FG, 29% 3PFG, 40% FT.

Valpo has good shooters, so they look to get good perimeter shots with a lot of movement without the ball.  They run a lot of different sets, but there are a couple that they will run repeatedly.  Their post players are good passers, so they'll pop out and catch the first pass at the high post.  They'll look for a wing coming off the point guard's screen where he'll get a shot or reverse the ball to the other wing coming from the high post who down screened for him.  They also run a well-designed player where they'll dribble handoff and send one of their bigs to the block off a double screen, which is sometimes open.  But what they're really looking for is the wing, one of the screeners in the double screener, getting screened by the other screener for a jump shot.  If Valpo wants to get the ball inside, they'll put everyone on one side of the floor and throw the lob over the top.  Or, they'll go high pick and roll, dribble over to the side and the screener rolls all the way to the block.  And they'll run a little triangle action to work it inside-out either for a basket inside or a kick-out 3.  Valpo averages 25 made field goals a game, 15 are assisted.  That shows you how well they move the ball.

Defensively, Valpo will put a lot of ball pressure on the point guard.  This makes it harder for the other team to initiate their offense, but also masks their defensive deficiencies.  They have a lot of athleticism, but they're not overly quick and don't anticipate passes well, so they don't create a lot of turnovers.  They only force 13 turnovers a game.  Plus, they're not a particularly good rebounding team, so ball pressure is applied to try and force the worst shot possible.  When the defense breaks down, everyone sucks into the lane hard to help, leaving people wide open on the perimeter to shoot the ball.  Butler did this throughout the 2nd half and Valpo kept getting burned by it.  Another way they'll look to make things hard for the opponent's offense is by playing a token 2-2-1 3/4 court press, which is meant to slow the other team's progress up the floor, not necessarily steal the ball.

Valpo wants a pretty game.  They want to show their ability to score and shoot the ball while playing solid defense.  If they don't shoot the ball well, it puts a lot of pressure on their defense, which isn't good enough to win games by itself.  Valpo plays 7 guys for the most part, so depth shouldn't be an issue.  Offensively, dribble penetration and ball movement for open shots has to be the main focus.  We should've done more of this the other night.  If we penetrate and kick, we should get a lot of open looks.  Defensively, we have to communicate better with screens, this lost us the game the other night.  We have to be much sharper defensively on and away from the ball.  If we're not, Valpo will put on a shooting clinic.  Valpo is 21st nationally in shooting the 3 (40%)

Projected Starters:

G Andy Robinson, 6'1 Jr.  13 pts, 3 reb.  39% FG, 37% 3PFG, 76% FT.  1st meeting:  2 points, 0/7 shooting, 0/4 from 3.

G Byron Mulkey, 6' So.  6 pts, 2 reb.  40% FG, 33% 3PFG, 81% FT.  1st meeting:  7 pts, 3/5 shooting

F Greg Gamble, 6'4 Jr.  8 pts, 4 reb.  45% FG, 66% FT.  1st meeting:  7 pts, 3/8 shooting, 7 boards

F Jawaan Alston, 6'8 Fr.  2 pts, 3 reb.  39% FG, 31% FT.  1st meeting:  3 pts, 4 boards

F Kambi Laleye, 6'9 So.  2 pts, 3 reb.  41% FG, 53% FT. 

Off the Bench:

G Sean Smiley, 6'1 So.  9 pts, 2 reb.  32% FG, 32% 3PFG, 80% FT.  1st meeting:  13 pts, 3/10 shooting, 3/9 from 3, 5 boards.

G Rodney Pierce, 6'2 So.  8 pts, 3 ass.  37% FG, 32% 3PFG, 56% FT.  1st meeting:  9 pts, 4/10 shooting, 1/1 from 3, 3 boards, 4 turnovers.

F Calvin Betts, 6'3 So.  9 pts, 7 reb.  51% FG, 30% 3PFG, 66% FT.  1st meeting:  12 pts, 5/9 shooting, 9 boards.

F Max Boudreau, 6'7 So.  7 pts, 3 reb.  51% FG, 54% FT.  1st meeting:  2 pts, 1 board.

F Brian Addison, 6'8 Jr.  2 pts, 2 reb.  43% FG, 31% FT.  1st meeting:  2 pts, 3 boards.

In the first meeting, neither team played particularly well and we were fortunate to win as Bramos didn't play.  Both teams shot under 40% and under 25% from 3.  The key stat from the game was Buffalo committed 17 turnovers while we only committed 9.  Kenny scored 20, TPo had 18 and 4 assists while EPo had 10 and 7 rebounds.  Dierkers added 5 points and 9 boards. 

Buffalo wants to play helter-skelter basketball and lengthen the game.  They are one of the 50 worst shooting teams in Division 1 and in the bottom 3rd in overall offensive efficiency.  While they force 17 turnovers a game, they commit 17 turnovers a game.  Defensively, they give up 76 points a game and are one of the worst 2 point defensive field goal percentage teams in Division 1.  However, they rank 32nd in 3 point field goal percentage defense.  Slowing the game down and taking care of the ball will be the two main keys.  We can't afford to get into a shootout, especially after Tuesday night.  One more key stat from the first meeting was points off turnovers.  We had the edge 20-5.  With Bramos back, if this stat can be a draw, because Buffalo will force some turnovers and make a couple of runs, we should be in good shape.

Projected Starters:

G Michael Redell, 6' Jr.  6 pts, 4 ass.  39% FG, 34% 3PFG, 80% FT.  Primary job is to get into the lane, even though he's not the quickest point guard, and create for his teammates.  Can hit the perimeter shot when needed late in the shot clock.  Still struggles sometimes when pressured handling the ball.  Plays very hard defensively, creates steals by getting in passing lanes.  But he has trouble guarding 1on1.

G Shawntes Gary, 6'2 Jr.  8 pts, 5 reb.  41% FG, 34% 3PFG, 73% FT.  Quickest and most athletic player, he can finish at the rim.  Plays bigger than 6'2, especially on the glass.  Streaky outside shooter.  Team's best on-ball defender.

G David Kool, 6'3 So.  15 pts, 3 reb, 3 ass.  42% FG, 37% 3PFG, 88% FT.  Best offensive player, can do a number of things.  He can shoot the 3, pull-up jumper, floater and finish at the basket.  Does a good job of drawing the defense and kicking the ball out.

F Andrew Hershberger, 6'7 Sr.  3 pts, 3 reb.  48% FG, 56% FT.  Inserted into the starting lineup to play defense and bring a little more size.  Scores mainly off of offensive rebounds.

C Joe Reitz, 6'7 Sr.  15 pts, 8 reb.  56% FG, 72% FT.  Big body who is tough to move underneath.  Once he gets position on the block, it's 2 points.  Have to try and move him off the block.  Doesn't like to try and score outside of 8 feet usually.  Defensively, plays good position defense, but can be scored upon.

Off the Bench:

F Derek Drews, 6'5 Jr.  8 pts, 2 reb.  44% FG, 42% 3PFG, 92% FT.  Started 14 games, brings offense off the bench.  Very good 3-point shooter, have to make him put it on the floor.

G Andre Ricks, 5'9 Jr.  6 pts, 34% FG, 32% 3PFG, 80% FT.  Quick little guard who likes to push the tempo.  Better shooter than his numbers indicate.  He likes to look for his offense more.  Puts good defensive pressure on the ball.

F Derek Fracalossi, 6'5 Sr.  4 pts, 2 reb.  43% FG, 36% 3PFG, 76% FT.  Improved his shooting from last year.  Can handle the ball well for his size.  Not the greatest defender.

Offensively, Western will play 4 out and put Reitz down low and let him work in the lane.  With Hershberger starting, look for a little more motion offense with Kool and Gary coming off the 2 big men down low.  Western will pass and cut you to death, so you have to be alert.  Spacing is the key to their offense, and they space the floor well, averaging 71 points a game while shooting 43% from the floor, 36% from 3.  In terms of offensive efficiency, Western is in the top 100 nationally.  Where they get into trouble is when they face teams who are quick and athletic, especially on the perimeter.  If Western can't score outside, Reitz becomes a non-factor.

Defensively, Western has improved from a year ago.  They're in the top third of Division 1 in defensive efficiency and in the top 100 in field goal percentage defense.  They play extremely hard on defense and are always in good position.  On the boards, they are +5, thereby not giving up many second shot opportunities.  Where they struggle is defending quick, multi-talented guards outside.  They can be beaten off the dribble if you attack them 1on1.  Western won't let you finish at the basket, they'll foul you and send you to the line.  They only force 13 turnovers a game, putting a lot of pressure on the defense to be able to guard every possession.

Last year, we trailed by 14 at the half at our place against these guys, but we came back and won on a Penno 3 at the horn.  We turned the ball over 9 times and shot 35% in the 1st half; we only committed 2 turnovers and shot 68% in the 2nd half.  We were more aggressive, attacked them inside and shut them down on the perimeter.  More of the same has to happen Tuesday night.  Western will take the first good shot they see, but they won't push the tempo too much because they want to wait for Reitz to get down the floor.  We have to keep the ball on the perimeter, contest shots, then fight hard on the glass.  Offensively, we'll need the same balance from our 3 main cogs that we've had lately.  TPo had a big night last year.  I think he and Kenny could have nice games this year.  But we can't waste possessions with turnovers and we have to be careful with fouls since they are deep.