Anthony Jaskulski

2010 BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP WAS DA’SEAN’S TOURNAMENT

By Anthony Jaskulski

Heroic efforts and exemplary moments are not scarce in the Big East tournament.

In 2006, Gerry McNamara rocked the tournament for four days, hitting buzzer-beaters and shocking every opponent his Syracuse Orange played to reach the title.

In 2009, Syracuse and Connecticut went to an epic six overtime periods to decide a 127-117 Orange victory. The game lasted for 3 hours and 46 minutes.

But this year, Da’Sean Butler’s story could be added to the classics played in the past. Butler played three games in three days that made everybody who watched ask exactly how thin is that line between reality and just plain impossible?

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WEST VIRGINIA TAKES BIG EAST TITLE

Mountaineers win on the heels of Da’Sean Butler

By Anthony Jaskulski

He did it again.

Arguably the most clutch shooter in the history of West Virginia basketball, Da’Sean Butler showed exactly why he is the go-to man.

And while he’s hit six game-winning shots for the Mountaineers this year, none was as big as Saturday night’s.

With just four seconds left, the senior did what he does best, and drove from the top of the key to the paint, where he then fired up an acrobatic floater that dropped giving West Virginia (27-6) the 60-58 advantage and eventual win over Georgetown (23-10) in the 2010 Big East tournament championship game at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.

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PANTHERS FALL TO NOTRE DAME, 50-45 IN BIG EAST QUARTERS

By Anthony Jaskulski

New York, NY–Simple basketball is all it took.

Simple basketball is what changed the momentum.

And simple basketball is what separated Pittsburgh from a Thursday night win.

In the third Big East quarterfinal game of the day, the Pitt Panthers (24-7, 13-5) were dominated on easy cutters to the basket, give-and-go plays and inside buckets. A simple style offense that helped push Notre Dame (22-10, 11-7) to a 50-45 win at Madison Square Garden.

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NBE POST-SEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAMS & AWARDS

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The regular season is complete and the Big East Tournament tips off Tuesday so be sure to visit our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page for the full tournament schedule and the links needed for Big East basketball fans to purchase tickets to any or all of the 2010 Big East Tournament sessions.

Throughout the day the majority of NBE writers and contributors contemplated, debated and discussed our post-season awards for the Big East conference. Its been another great season with 16 teams battling it out for 18 games each through the 71 days of Big East action from December 26th through this past Saturday. After much deliberation…here are the NBE Big East 2009-2010 season awards:

NBE Big East Player of the Year: Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

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KING CITY CLASSIC REPORT: CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW

Early this afternoon, the King City Classic came to a close on the Cleveland State campus with a championship contest between the teams called Connecticut and Memphis. It was a jam-packed day and a half of action with college coaches galore coming into Cleveland to get a look at the talent, which was immense up and down the camp roster.

In a nice moment following the camp finale, Myck Kabongo, a point guard out of St. Benedict’s in Newark (NJ) gave a great thank you address. The class of 2011 Texas-commit and native of Canada was very impressive as he thanked volunteers, parents and coaches for coming and wished everyone a safe journey home.

However, many are not headed home yet. Such is the craziness of the July evaluation period. Many of these players will be playing in Nike’s Peach Jam next week in North Augusta (GA) and in several other events between now and July 15th, before taking a one-week break and ending the month of July in much of the same way.

Let’s take a look at the outstanding players from the King City Championship game…

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KING CITY CLASSIC REPORT IV

Notes from Duke vs. Villanova at King City Classic in Cleveland

by ANTHONY JASKULSKI

ROSTERS:

Duke………….…………………………………………….Villanova
Ray McCallum…………………………………………Ahmad Starks
Gary Franklin Jr………………………………………Kendall Marshall
Trey Ziegler……………………………………………Quddus Bello
Carlton Brundage……………………………………Ralston Turner
Dion Waiters……………………………………………Perry Ellis
Moses Morgan…………………………………………Evan Smotrycz
Justin Anderson………………………………………Roscoe Smith
Bakari Turner…………………………………………Jereme Richmond
Tony Mitchell…………………………………………Mike Shaw
Alex Kirk…………………………………………………James Johnson
Perry Jones

Roscoe Smith was the one who stood out most in this game, which was the fourth and final game before the playoff brackets began.

Smith (6-7½, 184 lbs) displayed great athleticism on his drives to the rim, which usually ended in a converted floater, almost in a Tony Parker fashion. He showed a great leaping ability; got extremely high on a few rebounds, including an offensive rebound/tip slam late in the game. He is a strong player that stays around the ball on every possession, and when his long-range jumper is on, which it was in today’s game, he’s a force to reckoned with.

Ray McCallum (6-0½, 179 lbs) got back in touch with his deep shot, hitting several off the dribble three pointers, including several from NBA range and beyond. Like I said earlier, his leadership skills, hustle and passing abilities are elite and it’s helping him in being one of the top players at this tournament.

Quddus ‘Deuce’ Bello (6-3, 179 lbs) had a great steal and windmill jam on the other end, showcasing that great athleticism. The best features about Bello are his defense off of the pick and roll, and his own ability to set screens on the other end. By not even touching the ball, Bello is easily the most important character in any offense when he sets as good as screens as he did in this game.

Trey Zeigler (6-5, 183 lbs) left off right where he started his last game, pulling down big time rebounds on both ends, and setting up some solid plays in the paint. One play, in particular, Trey grabbed a one-handed offensive rebound, slammed it back down and drew the and-1 foul. Was something that caught Bob Huggins (West Virginia), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut) and Keno Davis’ (Providence) eyes among many other coaches in attendance. I like Zeigler’s ability to draw the foul from anywhere on the floor at any time. He drew one late in the game from just inside the three point line, and drew several inside and around the paint.

Syracuse-bound Dion Waiters (6-3½, 201 lbs) was looking hot from beyond-the-arc, hitting on most opportunities this game. He was getting rather frustrated on defense—not getting the calls his way—and it sort of showed, as he let his man beat him in situations where, if Waiters was in the game, he would have dominated. His head was a little bit out of this game, but playing four straight days against the best competition in the country will do that to you…eventually.

James Johnson (6-9½, 212 lbs) made his presence felt on two huge dunks in a row, including one where he took off from the top of the paint on a flying one-handed jam. He’s an underrated, explosive player on offense, and a solid defender in the paint.

Evan Smotrycz (6-9, 212 lbs) showed off some nice range from beyond the arc. He looked like a member from of the Notre Dame basketball squad with his constant lining up on the three point line—but he did connect out there for the most part. Evan also dropped a few, pretty dimes, including a no look to Roscoe Smith for the easy layup early in the second half.

Moses Morgan, Carlton Brundage and Mike Shaw cooled off a little bit this game; you didn’t hear much from them. Morgan displayed some dominance early as he dropped a great floater in the lane after juking a defender off the dribble, but disappeared for much of the duration of the game.

Scouting Reports:
(Info only on players who didn’t receive reports from the Lebron James Skills Academy)

Quddus Bello
6-3, 179 lbs, class of 2011

High School/Hometown: Westchester/High Point, NC

Wingspan: 72’

Big East Comparison: Larry Davis (Cincinnati)

Interest: Baylor, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina, NC State, Oregon, Wake Forest

Strong Point: Ability to find the open right option on offense; great decision maker

Area of Improvement: Inconsistent shooter outside and midrange
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Roscoe Smith
6-7½, 184 lbs, class of 2010

High School/Hometown: Oak Hill/Mouth of Wilson, VA

Wingspan: 85’

Big East Comparison: Sam Young (Pitt)

Interest: Connecticut, Louisville, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, Texas A&M

Strong Point: Very aggressive wing that can pose as a 1, 2 or 3 at any time on the floor

Area of Improvement: Court vision and decision making was in question on several possessions
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James Johnson
6-9, 212 lbs, class of 2010

High School/Hometown: Samuel Morse/Mildomar, CA

Wingspan: 84’

Big East Comparison: Brandon Walters (Seton Hall)

Interest: Marquette, Texas A&M, Texas, California, Kansas, Oklahoma, San Diego

Strong Point: Nice long range shot for a big man; can play as a hybrid

Area of Improvement: Needs to stay in the paint a little more and do some rebounding and banging with the big boys.
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KING CITY CLASSIC REPORT III

Notes from Connecticut vs. Michigan State at King City Classic in Cleveland

by ANTHONY JASKULSKI

ROSTERS:

Connecticut………….…………………………………………….Michigan State
Phil Pressey……………………………………………………..Josh Selby
Nick Johnson……………………………………………………Taran Buie
Myck Kabongo……………………………………………………Doron Lamb
Russell Byrd…………………………………………………….JT Terrell
DeShaun Thomas……………………………………………….Travis Carroll
Dwight Powell……………………………………………………Michael Gbinije
Bradley Beal……………………………………………………Harrison Barnes
Cameron Clark…………………………………………………..Adonis Thomas
Kevin Johnson…………………………………………………..Frank Williams
Quincy Miller……………………………………………………….Meyers Leonard
Adreian Payne…………………………………………………….Kentavious Caldwell

This game ended at the buzzer with a dramatic finish, as a Phil Pressey jumper was just short of being a three-pointer to tie the game up, keeping the final score a 103-102 advantage towards Michigan State.

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KING CITY CLASSIC REPORT II

Notes from North Carolina vs Duke contest at King City Classic in Cleveland

by ANTHONY JASKULSKI

ROSTERS:
Duke………….…………………………………………….North Carolina

Ray McCallum……………………………………………Kyrie Irving
Gary Franklin Jr…………………………………………Jason Morris
Trey Ziegler………………………………………………Reggie Smith
Carlton Brundage………………………………………Crandall Head
Dion Waiters……………………………………………..Tobias Harris
Moses Morgan……………………………………………Wayne Blackshear
Justin Anderson…………………………………………Terrence Jones
Bakari Turner………………………………………………Kyle Wiltjer
Tony Mitchell………………………………………………Michael Gilchrist
Alex Kirk………………………………………………………Tobi Oyedeji
Perry Jones…………………………………………………DaJuan Coleman

This was like the Ringling Bros and Zambelli Fireworks combined for a show in the Wolstein Center on the Cleveland State University campus this afternoon.

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KING CITY CLASSIC REPORT I

Notes from Michigan State vs. Oklahoma contest at King City Classic

by Anthony Jaskulski

ROSTERS:

Michigan State……………………………………………..Oklahoma

Josh Selby…………………………………………………..Marquis Teague
Taran Buie……………………………………………………L.J. Rose
Doron Lamb…………………………………………………..Juwan Staten
JT Terrell………………………………………………………CJ Fair
Travis Carroll………………………………………………….Keala King
Michael Gbinije………………………………………………..Trevor Cooney
Harrison Barnes……………………………………………….Daniel Alexander
Adonis Thomas………………………………………………..Malcolm Gilbert
Frank Williams………………………………………………….Reggie Bullock
Meyers Leonard……………………………………………….Jared Sullinger
Kentavious Caldwell

It was an impressive first game at the King City Classic in Cleveland OH, especially for one Marquis Teague, who absolutely amazed everyone in attendance.

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LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY: DAY II

Big East commits CJ Fair and Markus Kennedy shine on day two at LJSA

By Anthony Jaskulski

The second day of Lebron James Skills Academy at the JAR on the campus of Akron was much of the same from the first day, only with a different group. The morning session consisted of fast break, big man and give-and-go drills, and the afternoon session was an hour of two half scrimmages, with two games going on simultaneously on both courts.

Probably the most impressive performances came from a pair of Big East commitments, CJ Fair and Markus Kennedy, who really dominated their positions in the live scrimmage. Kennedy, who is verbally committed to Villanova, used his huge frame and was like a vacuum on the glass and jammed home several offensive put backs, wowing some of the crowd.

Fair, who will be headed to Syracuse, was doing a fine job dropping the midrange jumpers, and even threw down his own dunk on a drive to the rim. Fair is very athletic, and if the scrimmage told us anything, it’s that CJ is a player to NOT look over. I think he’ll be one of those immediate results of a player, that can benefit any team he ends up playing for.

Here is the complete scouting report from who stood out the most on the second and final day of the high school portion of the camp.

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NBE ‘LIVE’ EVALUATION PERIOD BLOG: DAY 2

Tuesday has kicked off day two of the live evaluation period for college coaches on the recruiting trail. NBE once again has Jeff Borzello at Albright College taking in the Hoop Group Elite Camp, Doug Ferguson on the University of Cincinnati campus watching he action at the Adidas it Takes 5ive and Ray Mernagh and Anthony Jaskulski are in Akron for the Lebron James Skills Academy.

We will have more updates throughout the day as everyone is a little more at ease in their surroundings and have found places to eat and their hotels and have settled in. Let’s take a look at what is going on today…

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LEBRON JAMES SKILLS ACADEMY: DAY I

By Anthony Jaskulski

The first day of the LBJ Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio went off without a hitch on a beautiful Monday afternoon.

Ninety-three of the top elite high school basketball players from classes ’09 to ’11, got a chance a to work out with some of the best coaches in the game of basketball, including Kevin Eastman, assistant coach of the Boston Celtics, 14-year NBA veteran, now college basketball analyst for FSN, Craig Ehlo and New York Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson, among others.

The camp’s namesake, Cleveland Cavaliers’ great Lebron James, worked out with the first group on court one in the first session of the afternoon. Camp participants Trey Zeigler, Ray McCallum Jr and Pittsburgh commit Isaiah Epps were among the few to run drills and controlled scrimmages with James.

But today, we focused mainly on court two, where coaches Jay Bilas and Eastman taught a group led by Kyrie Irving, Kendall Marshall and Dion Waiters fast break and give-and-go drills for much of the day.

The night session, however, was the most intense, with two 20 minute periods of full-out scrimmage for the third high school group on the two courts in the JAR. The most impressive standout was Harrison Barnes, who showed off incredible hustle and stamina, going after every loose ball, and every miss, making sure he finished on every possession…literally every possession. Isaiah Epps was on fire from three-point land, and Jelan Kendrick wowed the crowd several times with his high-flying ability to get above the rim, jamming home a few opportunities.

Here is the scouting report from who stood out the most on the busy day one.

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NBE ‘LIVE’ FROM LJSA (EVENING UPDATE)

Everyone is off to the races as vacations are over and the July live evaluation period is under way. Today is the first day the doors are open to the media at the Lebron James Skills Academy in Akron (OH) and Ray Mernagh and Anthony Jaskulski are in the James A. Rhodes Arena on the University of Akron campus.

The camp is absolutely loaded with talent (roster) and upon arrival the high school players were involved in their second workout of the camp, the first came Sunday evening.

Here are some Monday observations from camp…

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DION WAITERS: NEXT BIG THING AT SYRACUSE

By Anthony Jaskulski

Syracuse University has put out its fair share of star-studded athletes.

Donovan McNabb broke five Big East records and three school records in his days as a Syracuse quarterback, Ernie Davis corralled the first Heisman trophy in Syracuse history from his running back position, and Carmelo Anthony brought Syracuse basketball its first NCAA championship, while winning the Most Outstanding Player award.

Enter Dion Waiters, the next possible candidate that hopes to join such a prestigious list.

With such an aggressive style that allows the big framed shooting guard to bang with the big men, as well as drop his beautiful jump shot from outside, all while handling the rock with impeccable design, it’s hard not to put Waiters on the prestigious waiting list.

Read Rest of Article HERE!!

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ISAIAH EPPS: FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS

By Anthony Jaskulski

Bucket off the beautiful assist…

It’s a line you may hear often as a Pittsburgh Panther/Big East fan in the near future, and it won’t be replays from the Levance Fields era either.

Instead, you’ll be seeing one of the more prolific passers in the country follow the footsteps of the pass-happy Fields, and that assist man waiting in the wings is Isaiah Epps.

At a slight 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Epps may not strike you as the most impressive shooter on the floor, and he certainly isn’t a rebounding monger. But with a string on the ball, a quick, agile style and a passing game that would make a quarterback envious, Epps, has emerged on the scene as one of the top recruits in the country thanks to his smooth facet of the game.

“When you work on your game as much as I have and put a lot of time into it, it starts to get a little easier,” said Epps. “There is always more room to improve though, and that’s what keeps me hungry everyday.”

A 2010 verbal commitment for the Pittsburgh Panthers, Epps, who was recruited by former Panther star and now assistant coach Brandin Knight, also a native of New Jersey, will more than likely be operating from the same position Knight dominated from 1999-2003, the point guard spot.

Read Rest of Article Here…

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Pittsburgh Penguins Playoff Tickets

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CATCHING UP WITH TOBIAS HARRIS

By Anthony Jaskulski

Tobias Harris brings a rare quality to the basketball court. He is a big man, with a big frame, that can handle the rock just as well as many point guards his age can.

At 6-foot-8 and around 220 pounds, Harris, a power forward from Brookville, New York, can be seen showing off a complete package, that ranges from big man qualities, pulling down strong rebounds on both ends, and garnering fantastic position amongst the biggest on the floor, as well as a string on the ball when driving the lane, and a perimeter shot that is dependable.

A part of the 2010 class, from Half Hallow (Dix) West Nigh School, Harris has shown his most dangerous attribute in his defensive skills. Tobias can play the post, as well guard perimeter players with near-impeccable status. In his weekend run at the Pittsburgh Jam Fest last month with his AAU team, the Unique All Stars, Harris exhibited tight, pressure defense on his opponents, and several times popped the ball out for steals leading to breakaway plays both on the post and perimeter.

You can expect immediate results from a defensive-minded player with such an aggressive style, and calm, precision on offense on the next level.

Here is what Tobias had to say in a Q&A segment following the Pittsburgh Jam Fest this year.

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CLASS OF 2011 INTRO: MALCOLM GILBERT

By Anthony Jaskulski

Malcolm Gilbert is a star-studded center that brings an explosive, aggressive package in the paint. He has a defensive attack that is very well developed and overly mature for his age. Some of his best plays can be noted on the defensive end, including blocked shots, aggressive rebounding and getting position.

Gilbert is apart of the 2011 class now after reclassifying when he transferred to the Academy of the New Church. The native of Smyrna (DE) previously attended St. Elizabeth HS in New Wilmington (DE) and has yet to decide on a school, although he is considering such schools as LaSalle, Delaware, Maryland, St. Joseph’s and Virginia to name a few, as well as Big East schools in Villanova, Notre Dame and Rutgers, with more and more likely to enter the picture once the summer evaluation period gets in full swing.

With so much time to develop and a big frame to work with, the 6-10, 210 pound big man, Gilbert, is a name you will be familiar with in the upcoming years of his college career.

Here is what Gilbert had to say in a Q&A segment following a game with his AAU squad, Team Final, last month:

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PITTSBURGH JAM FEST: PART II

by Anthony Jaskulski

Pittsburgh, PA—Before we take a peek at the last of the top, elite recruits, here is a view at the exciting championship games that took place on the Petersen Events Center floor Sunday evening.

(All 17-U divisions)

Gold Finals on Petersen Court One

Team Final 68, Playaz Basketball Club 64

In a game that had Playaz win written all over it in the first half, it was Dion Waiters that helped bring Team Final back with his amazing range and passing that opened up the offense and ushered Team Final to an overwhelming 18-3 run to start the second half. Waiters finished with a team-high 16 points. The supporting cast of George Harper and Malcolm Gilbert, who combined for 26 points, helped keep Team Final in the lead, and inevitably give them the victory and the Gold Finals crown.

The Playaz got nine points and eight assists from Isaiah Epps, while Fuquan Edwin finished with a team-high 16 points.

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PITTSBURGH JAM FEST: PART I

by Anthony Jaskulski

Pittsburgh, PA—A beautiful Friday evening in the Steel City kicked off the Hoop Group’s annual Pittsburgh Jam Fest and set the tone for the duration of a busy weekend.

Many scouts were in attendance from the Petersen Events Center to the Fitzgerald Field House, to even places such as Robert Morris and LaRoche College, got to see a slew of talent in some highly competitive AAU matchups.

Here is a part one scouting report of the cream of the crop talent, many of which, could be putting on a Big East jersey in the next couple of years.

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BIG EAST STOCK REPORT: BET EDITION

By Anthony Jaskulski

The second most anticipated postseason tournament is finally here. From March 10th to March 15th, the Big East Tournament will be under way in the basketball capital of the world, Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Here is the stock report for the end of the regular season and start of the Big East Tournament.

*Rankings this week are according to the teams’ seed in the tournament

**All stats provided are conference games only. They are the final regular season stats.

1. Louisville 25-5, 16-2, Stock: UP

National Ranking: 5
Last game: W 62-59 at West Virginia
Big East Quarterfinals vs. No. 8 Providence or No. 9 Cincinnati/No. 16 DePaul
Current Streak: W 7
Postseason Status: NCAA
Projected Big East Tournament Finish: Championship Game

Strong Point: Louisville finished the conference season with the second best defense, giving up just 63.2 points per game, and a field goal percentage defense of just 40.3%. They held eight Big East opponents to 60 points or less, as well as holding Pitt, who was No.1 at the time, to just 63.

Area of Improvement: You may not know it, but Louisville is one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the league at just 62.9%. They shot 11 of 17 from the stripe in their finale at West Virginia, but just 1 of 4 in the final minute.

Overall Analysis: With one of the most feared frontcourts in the league, Louisville earned the right to the Big East regular season title, after winning at West Virginia, who had one of their biggest crowds in the schools history in attendance. Forward Terrence Williams, an all Big East first team finalist, is the backbone of this Cardinal team, averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game. He is a frontrunner for the Big East player of the year, and a main reason why Louisville lost just two conference games this year.

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