Archive for May, 2008
« Previous Entries2008-09: Break-Out Candidates (Part 1)
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008By: Ian Nolan (Regular Guest Contributor)
After each college basketball season, coaches and fans alike will look for a player, perhaps two, on their team to step-up and have a break-out year the following fall. With eleven of the league’s top twenty scorers and five of the top seven assist men gone from their respective clubs, holes need to be filled by the emergence of new standout players. Below is a sneak peek of one player from eight teams in the A-10 who has the potential to break out in 2008-09, not only with his own team, but league-wide.
Part 2 of this Break-Out Preview will follow in the next few weeks, covering one player from each of the remaining teams in the conference.
Charlotte - Michael Gerrity, Point Guard
Gerrity transfered to Charlotte from Pepperdine University where he was named to the West Coast Conference All-Rookie team and also tabbed the CBS Sportsline WCC freshman of the year. Those are no small feats in a quality league like the WCC; so Gerrity arrived in North Carolina with some fanfare and high expectations.
He did not disappoint.
Q & A: Kyle Whelliston Answers Reader Questions
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008It’s the offseason. Evidently, it’s the offseason for reader questions as well. Nevertheless, below are Kyle Whelliston’s answers to a few questions posed by CCT readers:
* It seems that most all of the schools in the A-10 had great recruiting classes. I know XU, SLU and UD have top classes coming in. What do you think of some of the other classes?
KW: Xavier’s class is nationally ranked — that’s the kind of talent that repeated March runs will get you — and there will be a lot of exciting rookies in the conference next season.
Along with SLU and UD’s incoming talent, Duquesne’s class looks good with G/F Melquan Bolding (who previously verballed to Louisville) and PG Eric Evans. Guard Rashad Coleman was chased by UConn but ended up at Charlotte. And UMass PG David Gibbs is a top 150 recruit no matter which service you ask. Jiovanny Fontan will also be a key name; he’ll play point for a Fordham team that hasn’t had production from that spot for years.
* Your thoughts on Rhode Island going into the 2008-09 after the swan dive that, as many know, wasn’t a great surprise to you?
Offseason Q & A: Kyle Whelliston
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008Kyle Whelliston of Basketball State, The mid-majority and another well known sports information provider, joins us here at College Chalktalk to answer reader questions.
There has been plenty of action in the Atlantic 10 to discuss this offseason, from Shawn James departure to Derek Kellogg’s arrival. With all of the early offseason happenings - and the NBA Draft right around the corner - now is as good a time as any to generate some discussion. While the emphasis will be on the A-10, questions about other teams and conferences are welcome.
Submit your questions to askwhelliston@collegechalktalk.com any time this week. Include your name (or initials) along with your State. Kyle will answer select questions. Responses will be published early next week.
-CCT Staff
Inside the Arc: The Numbers
Saturday, May 17th, 2008By: Regular Guest Contributor, Ray Floriani (Basketball Times/Hoopville); with input from CCT Staff.
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ - The three-point shot is a weapon.
It can bring a team back into, or quickly take them out of, a game. Coaches can no longer rest easy with a double-digit lead against an opponent with deadly perimeter snipers. At the same time, as important as the three can be, it’s easy to neglect offense inside the arc to the detriment of the team. Ultimately, balance and proficiency from two-point range are needed to be successful at any level.
In today’s game, virtually 75% of shots taken inside the arc are in the paint. The ten to fifteen footer is nearly extinct. As a rule, teams that are attempting two point shots are either posting-up, penetrating or finishing a fast break.
The following table contains the two-point field goal percentage of all A-10 teams during conference play. The figure to the right identifies the percentage of a team’s field goals that were attempted inside the arc. Again, these figures reflect only statistics generated during conference play.
Team 2 pt. FG % % of FG Att. Inside Arc
Temple 54 60
Xavier 53 61
Saint Joe’s 53 67
St. Bonaventure Player Carousel Continues
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008By: Ian Nolan (Guest Columnist)
St. Bonaventure Head Coach Mark Schmidt has for the first time experienced something to which the team’s fans have become accustomed in recent times; scholarship players leaving early.
This offseason, sophomores Hillary Haley and Matt Morgan have chosen to take their games to other institutions following the Bonnies seven win campaign.
Haley averaged 5.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game over 29 games, including 14 starts. However, Haley did most of his damage during the non-conference portion of the schedule, including scoring a career high 16 points on the road versus Wright State. Haley saw his minutes decline sharply during league play due to his poor defensive play and shot selection. He also struggled to grasp the concept of team defense and often got the quick hook for taking ill-advised shots early in the shot clock. He will likely transfer to a smaller conference school closer to his home in Maryland.
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