Archive for September, 2008
« Previous EntriesFive Questions - Saint Louis University, Assistant Coach Porter Moser
Monday, September 29th, 2008
In this final edition of ‘Five Questions’, College Chalktalk completes the run through the Atlantic 10, as Saint Louis’ Porter Moser stops by to comment on the Billikens. A former head coach, Moser joined Rick Majerus prior to last season and brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to the SLU staff.
College Chalktalk: Can you briefly describe your newcomers?
Porter Moser: We have many newcomers to the program this season.
Kyle Cassity - Kyle is a bigger guard who can play spots 1, 2 and 3 on the floor. He’s a good passer and will fit well into Coach Majerus’ system. He sees the court well and has a high basketball IQ.
Brian Conklin - A 6′7″ version of Luke Meyer and a workhorse. Brian is fundamental in the post and has the up-and-under move as well as the face-up shot. He is the kind of player everybody loves to coach because he brings a high energy level to every practice and game.
Ruben Cotto - He is a phenomenal shooter with tremendous range. The new three-point distance will not be a factor for him. He will be a scorer right away for us as a freshman. Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell will score for us, but Ruben gives us another scoring option.
Femi John - He is a strong and athletic guard. He gives us another big guard who can slash to the basket and score. He’s eager to learn Coach Majerus’ system and elevates our team athleticism.
Daniel Lisch - Just like his brother, Kevin, Daniel is a tough and rugged defender. His defensive intensity will be a huge benefit to the team because he will challenge everyone in practice every day.
Kwamain Mitchell - He has a chance to start from day one. He is a pass-first point guard who brings explosiveness to the position. The most important thing he has already done is win the respect of the seniors with how hard he works and competes.
Willie Reed - He is as long and athletic a player SLU has had in a while. He brings a shot-blocking presence to our defense, and he runs the floor like one of our guards. He is a lively and athletic player who brings a needed dimension to our front line.
Brett Thompson - He gives us size up front. Like all young post players, it will take him some time to adjust to the college game and get his body and conditioning into form. He has tremendous hands and skills for a 6′10″ kid.
CCT: As many know, you have head coaching experience, most recently at Illinois State. How has the transition to assistant been, and what lessons have you taken and applied from your head coaching days?
PM: Coach Majerus has been tremendous to me and has given me a lot of responsibility. With my head coaching experience, I understand that it is harder to make the final decisions than it is to make suggestions as an assistant. I try to offer Coach Majerus a point of view of being a head coach before, but there is a huge magnitude of difference when you move over that one seat. Hopefully, my previous head coaching experience is a benefit to both him and the team.
CCT: You have had the great fortune of being mentored by some excellent coaches, including Rick Majerus and Wimp Sanderson. Can you speak about your experience in learning from Majerus, Sanderson and others?
PM: I’ve been extremely fortunate to be around some great coaches. My mentor was Tony Barone, whom I played for and coached with as an assistant. I take a lot from him. But whether it’s Coach Barone, Coach Sanderson or Coach Majerus, they are all old-school coaches in terms of toughness, effort and attention to detail. All three of them are very much into scouting and preparation for games. They all work extremely hard to be fully prepared. With Coach Majerus, he simply sees the game at a different level. His attention to detail is as precise as I’ve ever seen. It’s been a great experience to be with him every day.
CCT: Last season, Tommie Liddell struggled at times adjusting to the new system implemented by Coach Majerus. What are you expecting from Tommie this season, now that the senior has a year under his belt?
PM: The old saying about one step backward and two steps forward applies to Tommie Liddell. By the end of last year, he was playing as well as he’s ever played. His ability to defend, take the ball to the rim, and be stronger with the ball all improved last year as the season went on. It took him a little while to make the adjustment to the demands and the goals the coaching staff set for him. Early on, he took the one step backward. But after that, he took two steps forward and everything has been moving forward for him ever since. He is truly poised to have the best year of his career.
CCT: The brand-new Chaifetz Arena. Your thoughts.
PM: We are, obviously, extremely excited about playing in Chaifetz Arena. It gives us the ability to compete on a national level and we firmly believe there isn’t a better on-campus arena in the nation. From the arena itself, to the practice facility, locker rooms, offices, sports-medicine and academic center, it is a first class athletic opportunity for all of our students. We cannot wait for the season to begin!
(College Chalktalk would like to thank Coach Moser for joining us. We look forward to speaking with him throughout the season about SLU hoops.)
Newcomer Spotlights - Paul Williams & Brett Thompson
Friday, September 26th, 2008
Paul Williams (Dayton): 6′3″, 210 lbs., Guard
Renaissance High School
One of the most talented basketball players in Michigan, Williams will help to fill the gaping hole left in UD’s roster by the loss of leading scorer Brian Roberts. The Detroit native played at Renaissance High, whose recent graduates include Oregon standouts Tajuan Porter and Malik Hairston, highly touted Kentucky recruit Joe Crawford and former Fordham guard Marcus Stout.
Williams is an explosive guard with the build for success at the college level. He was recruited by Florida, Tennessee, Michigan State, Michigan, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Illinois, but ultimately chose Brian Gregory’s program for the chance to step right in and play significant minutes for the Flyers this season. Gregory has spoken about Williams’ ability to create and his scorer’s mentality, while also highlighting his excellent defense and knack for rebounding from the guard position.
Bottom line - The loss of Roberts means Williams should team with Marcus Johnson to, sooner than later, form one of the more explosive guard combinations in the A-10.
Brett Thompson (Saint Louis): 7′0″, 260 lbs., Center
Vienna High School
In his first year as coach of the Saint Louis Billikens, Rick Majerus was forced to manage a roster filled with former coach Brad Soderberg’s recruits. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much height to speak of. But in the upcoming season, Majerus will have several newcomers, including the literal centerpiece of his class, Brett Thompson, as SLU opens Chaifetz Arena.
Thompson is a gifted big man who was also recruited heavily by Iowa State, Alabama and Indiana, but ultimately chose the Billikens in large part because of the efforts of Assistant Coach Porter Moser, with whom he had become familiar while Moser was in charge at Illinois State.
Thompson figures to replace Saint Louis’ former big-man Bryce Husak in the middle of Majerus’ offense. He is a physical specimen who will enter the A-10 as one of the true centers in the league, and could cause defensive nightmares given his ability to play facing the basket. He has soft hands and is highly skilled for a player his size.
Expect Thompson to thrive once he improves his conditioning and adjusts to the learning curve, providing an inside presence to complement Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell on the perimeter.
(A final segment of ‘Newcomer Spotlights’ will be published next week.)
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