Quality Is Job 1 Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 First of all, I found it entertaining, which is the whole point. But having said that and gotten it out of the way, I must complain -- on behalf of the fans on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River -- that because the Illinois team had players from Chicago and mid-Illinois (around Peoria, according to Earl Austin, Jr.) East Siders are not allowed to proclaim they're better than the Missouri St. Louisans. The Illinois squad won 119-106, but I think both squads should have scored 15 to 20 more points than they did. I wasn't that there was any defense, but both squads missed a number of easy layups and dunks and committed unforced turnovers. Dwayne Polk is DA MAN!!! He's quick and reasonably strong. He goes where he wants to with the ball, he's not afraid to take the ball to the basket, and he knocks down open shots. Best of all, he definitely finds the open man, especially if that guy's going to the hole. Brad Soderberg may have to pull Dwayne away from throwing the lob pass (there won't be a Curis Muse at SLU next year, though maybe Izik Ohanon will be able to fill in) and get him to kick the ball out to Reggie more. I believe Dwayne topped 30 points. Tommie Liddell is a very good athlete, but he does seem to coast a bit. Then again, tonight was an all-star game, so it doesn't tell us much. He's not an outside shooter, but he can create looks for teammates or knock down mid-range jumpers off the dribble. He can go for highlight-reel dunks, but doesn't seem to want the spotlight. He'll kill some teams softly during his career at SLU. (Aside: What Jameer Nelson and Delonte West are to St. Joseph's is what I expect Polk and Liddell to be at SLU.) Luke Meyer didn't appear to fit in in this game -- err, exhibition. But Luke will be a key player for the Billikens in a couple of years. I think he'll mostly ride the bench as a freshman, but then contribute from his sophomore season, on. Kalen Grimes did not play because of injury. Ryan Hamlett, from Chicago Von Stuebon, is very athletic -- a tremendous finisher. He won the Illinois MVP. The program says he's unsigned. He's teammate Demetrous Evans is also a high-flyer. Well, that's all for now. If anyone has questions, I'll try to answer them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 If Liddell doesn't qualify and we get the news in say June (too late to sign a quality JUCO big guard), IMHO Luke Meyer is going to get minutes at 3 next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 thicks, I understand how you feel and I don't understand why the Riverwar management would allow the Illinois side to go beyond the Metro East area ( to Peoria and Chicago) to get players. It wasn't necessary. Perhaps Nate Latsch or Earl Austin Jr has an answer to that question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 Agreed. We won't have much choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 Did Evans play for the Missouri side? If so, any thoughts on his performance? I know it is tough to judge a player from an all-star game but whether or not he has regained quickness should have been in evidence. I wonder if he will sign with a lower D1 team in April or hang around longer to see if something better opens up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 It looke too me like he was very quick and had good hops ... most of his game appeared to be dunks ... but he is very athletic Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Latsch Posted March 28, 2004 Share Posted March 28, 2004 >thicks, I understand how you feel and I don't understand why >the Riverwar management would allow the Illinois side to go >beyond the Metro East area ( to Peoria and Chicago) to get >players. It wasn't necessary. Perhaps Nate Latsch or Earl >Austin Jr has an answer to that question. The previous two editions of this game featured Missouri vs. Illinois guys. This year there just weren't many good (Division I caliber) players from Missouri outside of St. Louis. - Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted March 29, 2004 Author Share Posted March 29, 2004 If the game normally includes Missouri players from outside of the St. Louis Metro area, then I take back my complaint. This was the first one I've attended, so I didn't know. One of the players who impressed me was Justin Dentmon. He wasn't as dominant as Dwayne Polk, but he was still quite good. He's quick, he distributes well, and he can score. Apparently he flew under the radar. He'll make some bigger-name schools regret that they didn't look at him more closely. I'm sure we'll see him make a little noise in the NCAA Tournament one of these years. Won't he be teaming with Najeeb Echols at Illinois State next year? Lawrence Blackledge, Dentmon's teammate, was also impressive. He's very athletic. He told me he's probably going to a junior college. I asked him for a list, and the only school he named is Kaskaskia. Jamall Walker, who's an assistant coach at Redlands Community College in Oklahoma City, was in the house, along with his head coach (who coached him in high school). They were looking at Curtis Muse, among others. I talked to Curtis's mom, and she cited Curtis's learning disorder as the cause for his needing to go the juco route. (Whoever posted earlier this year that Curtis qualified was mistaken, apparently.) Corey Tate, who's coaching at Mineral Area was in the house. He and Tommie Liddell appear to be pretty close. He put Tommie on the phone with Erwin Claggett, who wasn't there last night. We're in for a treat for the next four years with Polk coming. Not only is he a fabulous player, but he seems to be a good person who's well grounded. He told me he's planning on majoring in business at SLU. I told him to stay on Tommie about getting qualified and told him that I envision the two of them being like St. Joseph's Nelson and West. He went on to tell me how that game had concluded (someone had told him, I guess). I told him I had had Oklahoma State winning that game, anyway, and he said that he did too, because of the defense Oklahoma State plays, and he stressed how important defense is: "It's all about defense," I believe he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Thanks for the personal report thicks. >>I told him I had had Oklahoma State winning that game, anyway, and he said that he did too, because of the defense Oklahoma State plays, and he stressed how important defense is: "It's all about defense," I believe he said.<< Man, this kid is precocious, mature beyond his years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Latsch Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 THicks, Dwayne Polk is a really nice kid, one of the nicest kids I've met in my time in St. Louis. His personality is part of what makes him a great leader on the floor and a better all-around basketball player. I spoke with his mom recently for the story I wrote last week and she is really nice as well. Both Luke Meyer and Tommie Liddell are high quality character kids in addition to being good basketball players. I think that's one of the things that Billiken fans will see come out right away next year. Polk is a fun player to watch because he looks like he's having fun out there -- and that's not just all-star games, but every time he takes the floor. - Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 thicks, when i first heard the details of the polk recruitment and his academics, i knew then that we had a jewel regardless of his medical recovery. the fact he has gotten it all back is just the icing on the cake. a very good cake. as to dentman, three star and i have been preaching dentman for about 3 years now. slu had him on their orginal list. had polk not come, i bet our pursuit of justin would have stepped up. it is my understanding he has not qualified though either as of yet. i saw blackledge put on a show the first time carbondale beat west. if he weighed another 20 lbs he would be a top recruit target. he definitely bears watching mature at jucoland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted March 29, 2004 Author Share Posted March 29, 2004 He's got HOPS. He tried a dunk toward the end of the exhibition (afterward, Dentmon tried one). He didn't complete it, but he was definitely up there high enough to. And Dwayne is not as tall as me! (If he gets to claim 5-9, then I ought to stop claiming 5-8.5 and claim 5-11.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Now if only Tyler Hansborough could break his kneecap this summer (just kidding...I think). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesycow Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 Although I'd be overjoyed if he stayed in Missouri, be it with SLU or Mizzou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted March 29, 2004 Share Posted March 29, 2004 From where I was sitting ... right next to the Missouri bench ... I was watching DP on the sideline ... he was definately the leader and had a smile all night ... talking with everyone. If Tommie has to go the JUCO route ... hopefully he will stay close so we have more contact and guys like Erwin can help keep him at SLU Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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