slu72 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 While stat wise they didn't knock anyone's socks off, but in terms of floor play, I thought both kids made improvement over the last 4 days. Loe especially looked pretty physical last night. And one of the announcers made reference to it. He said something like, coming from internaional ball is a change, but if he can get the physical part down and keep his shot he'll be a load. Not in those exact words but you get the point. Last night I thought Rob showed more physicality than he has in prior games, and that one screen at midcour was right out of Conk's "how to set a devastating screen" manual. Also, Remekun played w/ in himself and brought intensity on rebounding and interior D. He looks nowhere as lost as he did last season. Can't wait to see where these two are by mid January and into February as they could be the guys that really give this team a turbo boost. And that's not to say we don't already have a good turbo under the hood. But you can never have enough horsepower at the D1 level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyJumpUp Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Agreed, Loe stepped his intensity up in the OK game. He boxed out well, used his body, didn't shy away from contact.....definitely came to play. Remekun too, really showed some aggressiveness going after loose balls and rebounds unlike what I've seen from him in the past. The team has been working well together with improvements everywhere. Great tournament for the players and coaches. Keep it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 As one of CR's biggest bashers over the past two years, let me say I think I spy some light at the end of that tunnel. Cory nol onger looks lost on the court. He looked very comfortable out there in terms of the offensive set. He took a jumper or two, made his free throws, and added some much needed counter-atheticism to the barrage OU was throwing at us on the offensive boards. Seeing as Conklin now reminds me of the ghost of Bobby Brannen, wouldn't it be amazing to see CR ressurrect the ghost of another UC legend -- namely Kenyon Martin. Anyone going back that far will know what I mean --- Martin was a defensive stopper and offensive liability for his first three years at UC. Then, in his fourth year, he went monster nuts , leading the Bearcats to a #1 ranking (prior to breaking his leg against us in Memphis) and parlayed that one year into a pretty decent NBA career. While it may be a stretch for CR to do the same, hey ... it's happened before so why not us? Conklin is the second coming of Brannen right now. It is a testament to what a four-year player in a pretty good system can become. Conklin's stepping out to just short of the foul line last night was an added, thought-provoking bonus. He starts making the mid-range jumper and look out. No lead foot lug is going to be able to stay with him -- and last night, both Fitzgerald and Osby, both much more athletically-inclined than Brian, could not do it. Loe has shown me some pretty decent progress from last year to this. His contributions weren't much in terms of points (2) or rebounds (3) last night but he did mix it up well underneath -- well enough that his efforts allowed guys like Jett and Evans to rebound because he was boxing his man out. That was bringing the lunch pail to work. Ellis looked reborn. He is all out trying underneath. He seems to flop a lot down low and it works about 30 to 40% of the time, which is fine by me. Evans just keeps bringing a silent, yeomanlike work effort every night. Cassity is Cassity and this team needs Kyle to do his nightly good job -- I liked when he lost his man on the inbounds (although the guy gave him a push off to get free) and Majerus yanked him no questions asked. That sends the word to the team that everyone must do their job. Seniors and sophomores alike get yanked if they don't. OU seemd to try and abuse us on the offensive boards. Pledger, Clark and Osby were jumping out of the gym but our guys held their ground and the fouls were finally called. Grooms was completely negated --- no points, four fouls, one assist to two turnovers --- Kruegger better find a secondary option for someone to run the point in case Grooms does this again. OU had five assists on 25 baskets .... talk about a whole bunch of playground play. The Sooners will have to run this year to compete --- I can't see them staying with as skilled a team as we were. There were at least two plays where the Sooner guard threw the ball straight out of bounds on a pass. I remember that being one of our staples in years past. Our depth is unreal right now. If Evans can shoot the three -- LOOK OUT! Already you have to cover Cassity, Mitchell, McCall, Ellis, and Loe. Evans too? Conklin has more room to operate. Jett has lanes to drive through. What I really liked last night was that even though we did not burn the nets off as we did long range against Nova, our ability to pull ahead and stay ahead and build the lead in the face of an OU opponent who knew what they had to do and yet still could not stop us was truly amazing. I second Billikan's point from another thread that i have never seen a Billiken stretch of games like these last four in my 35+ years of watching. Unfortunatley, what happens to schools like us is that we spend a very long time climbing the mountain (rankings) just to get there and once we do, and we inevitably lose one, our fall is so much quicker and drastic that we drop out of that ranks, almost never to return. I want to win at LMU tomorrow and really stoke the fires for a nice homecoming. then win six more at home to cement things before we hit the road New Year's Eve. Vermont is 4 and 2 and I saw them come back and beat a pretty good Old Dominion team at Richmond on TV one night. Portland is 2 and 4 and lost at home by ten to Wazzu, a team that did little at the 76 Classic. Arkansas State just laid a 27-point-offensive egg at Louisville. North Texas is 1 and 3 and have a comparable December 4 game at Loyola Marymount. Alabama State sucks. These are al teams a good to great team destorys at home, even if the home team suffers a noticable letdown. So winning the next one is the most important thing right now. The A10 getting some good love on ESPN right now: http://espn.go.com/m...ege-basketball/ Keep the roll going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Conk is a better player than Bobby was. Curtis Bostic might be the better comparison at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Bobby Brannon was a thug and probably my least favorite Bearcat of all time. Please do not compare him to Conklin ever again. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I got that the feeling some of the Nova and OU players displayed on the court was that they thought Conklin was a thug too. They stopped play and reviewed the elbow the Nova kid threw at Conklin and there was a play last night where the one OU player physically cleared Conk out while the other put the offensive rebound back up and in. Some consider Chase Utley the dirtiest player in the National League. he can play on my team any time. Same with Conk. Beauty and thuggery are in the eye of the beholder. Brannen once scored 28 points ... wihtout ever making a field goal (I think). Twenty-eight of 29 from the line. I'd take that. The BB reference is a compliment and teams need all kinds of players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I got that the feeling some of the Nova and OU players displayed on the court was that they thought Conklin was a thug too. They stopped play and reviewed the elbow the Nova kid threw at Conklin and there was a play last night where the one OU player physically cleared Conk out while the other put the offensive rebound back up and in. Some consider Chase Utley the dirtiest player in the National League. he can play on my team any time. Same with Conk. Beauty and thuggery are in the eye of the beholder. Brannen once scored 28 points ... wihtout ever making a field goal (I think). Twenty-eight of 29 from the line. I'd take that. The BB reference is a compliment and teams need all kinds of players. You got a link to the boxscore of a game where Bobby Brannen scored 28 points on 28 of 29 from FT? I'm calling b.s. on that one. Conklin is so much better right now than Brannen ever was, its a bad analogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 As I recall, Huggy had Brannan come off the bench and provide that needed spark on a top 3 team. I always liked Brannan. Nice tough Cincy kid. At this point, Conklin's senior year is turning out better then Brannan. Okay, this will date me, I compare Conklin's play to Dave DeBusschere of the Univ of Detroit and the Knicks. Not a great outside shooter but in around the basket, tough as he**. Also, set the strongest screens in the NBA. Outstanding on defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 You got a link to the boxscore of a game where Bobby Brannen scored 28 points on 28 of 29 from FT? I'm calling b.s. on that one. Conklin is so much better right now than Brannen ever was, its a bad analogy. Brannen scored 20 once in a game when he went 18-20 from at the line against Minny his senior year. He scored a lot more than I remembered his last year. Averaged 14.3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Agree with the thumbs up for Cory and Rob. Cory has been solid all season and one can see confidence growing. The box score doesn't show the number of times Cory gets in the a shooter's face and alters a shot. He's a disruptive force in the defensive paint. Rob seems to be responding to the occasional benching by The Dictator. Some kids respond to the tough love. Others don't. Rob was very solid last night. Dwayne Evans is another player who struggled early in this season but deserves a shout out for his play last night. 7 boards / 9 pts. I also liked that he put the ball on the floor to draw fouls from the defender and hit the only 3 he took. That's the insane thing about this team. We're playing great but there is room to grow. Evans and Loe can give us more. Kwamain hasn't peaked yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 While stat wise they didn't knock anyone's socks off, but in terms of floor play, I thought both kids made improvement over the last 4 days. Loe especially looked pretty physical last night. And one of the announcers made reference to it. He said something like, coming from internaional ball is a change, but if he can get the physical part down and keep his shot he'll be a load. Not in those exact words but you get the point. Last night I thought Rob showed more physicality than he has in prior games, and that one screen at midcour was right out of Conk's "how to set a devastating screen" manual. Also, Remekun played w/ in himself and brought intensity on rebounding and interior D. He looks nowhere as lost as he did last season. Can't wait to see where these two are by mid January and into February as they could be the guys that really give this team a turbo boost. And that's not to say we don't already have a good turbo under the hood. But you can never have enough horsepower at the D1 level. As far as CR goes the box score showed 0 rebounds last night so not sure about your rebounding comment unless you meant for the entire tourney. I do agree that his D looks better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyRican Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Both guys really stepped up, pretty awesome screen by Loe early on as well. I think Jett played awesome this tournament. Check out his line from last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 Taj Mahal, I almost hurled my breakfast when I read Conk=Brannen. Brannen was a street baller, thug, henchman in the tradition of Huggy Bear's gallery of muggers. Conk most reminds me of Barkley. Yes, that Barkley. No one was impressed w/ him until he went to the Olympic camp and caught Knight's eye. Conklin would definitely catch Knight's eye. And, JRay, that's South American Dictator. As for Evans, I like his no fear approach of slashing from the wing. So far has not worked out too well for him in terms of finishing, but last night he drew a lot of fouls on it and made the FT's. And definitely room to grow for RL. Remember last year when at season's start CE wasn't getting it? Then the 2nd half rolls around and he starts to develop until he suffers the shoulder injury. I expect RL to be the same way come the 2nd half. As for KM, am sure he's the guy drawing the most attention in the locker room discussions. But he can still fly to the hoop and he made some nice 3's last night. Plus he's aso in synch w/ the system and is unselfish. All the coaches and players from the tourney showered some praise on the Bills for making that 3rd pass for a better shot. That's why KM will probably never match Holloway's stats but he's just as important to this team as TH is to X. One other item, did anyone notice how hard JJ hit the floor on that one steal? That must be one solid kid, 'cause he bounced right back up like it was nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXBilliken07 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 One other item, did anyone notice how hard JJ hit the floor on that one steal? That must be one solid kid, 'cause he bounced right back up like it was nothing. yeah I'm not sure how he didn't break his arm the way he used it to break his fall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 I'll wager his hip's got a bruise this morning. He was flipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 No, I don't have a boxscore but can I use brian's remembrance from Brannen's Minnesota game and go with 18 of 20? Knowing that's in response to my fave AC bunkie kshoe, I guess not. I really love how everyone hones in on "the point." With "the point' being whatever you want it to be. In this case, let's all focus on the perceived thug side of Brannen and lose touch with the reality of what he provided to that team and the journey he took to get there. He was nothing his freshman year --- just a blonde haired, surfer dude type catching rays on the sunny banks of the Ohio River while waveboarding the same. Come his senior year, not only is he an integral part of the team, but it is arguable that he was its engine. The Brannen reference is relvant in that we were in that conference then and saw it up close and personal. And comparing Conklin to a white kid who disappeared from the organized game of basketball right after his UC days were done seems more appropriate and logical than to a black kid who went on to a stellar NBA/Olympic career and was voted one of the Top 50 NBAers of all time (I think). And no matter how you rate the analogy, the "facts" substantiating where Conk is now to where Brannen was then are all hazy and subjective. You can't compare the reality of stats seperated by 20 or 25 years. But you can in terms of the analogy. How about Remekun and Martin? The stats there would have to favor Kenyon because he was a four-year starter at UC his time there and the time on the floor alone would have to enhance his production/stats over Cory's. The Barkley comparison doesn't work. Comparing Conklin to Chris Crawford or Steve Novak at Marquette doesn't do it either -- both of those guys were more the perimeter players and Conk is not. Conk to Adam Morrison doesn't work. Maybe its Keith van Horne, although I did not follow van Horne much at Utah and believe (from memory) he had a more overall game than what Conklin has shown. Nik Caner-Medley at Maryland comes to mind but Caner-Medley was a supposed five- or four-star recruit who never got any better than day one. I am thinking of that seven-footer at Duke who was a doofus for three years and then got servicable his senior year but the name escapes me and comapring Conk to a seven-footer isn't fair and Conk gave a hell of a lot more in Years One - Three than that guy ever did. But it is fair in terms of the analogy. UC fans loved Brannen, we did not. I am certain the inverse will be true in term of us and Conklin versus what fans of other programs think of him as well. I am guessing Conklin will be th eones the other fans love ot hate; with Ellis a close second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 brannen could not put the ball on the floor at all. conk did that last night very well. right now i saw donnie dobbs in conk last night. btw, pretty sure brannen is in the mortgage industry these days as an executive with a very up and coming wholesale lender in Tennessee. so while he "disappeared" from basketball, he apparently did very well for himself. that all said, i hated brannen with a passion. my wife still goes on about that barbed wire tatoo on his bicep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 The Barkley comparison doesn't work. You go on for 4 paragraphs detailing who Conk doesn't compare to and why, and leave the Barkley comparison untouched? Shame on you, Taj Mahal. What's not to compare? Two realtively short stockily built inside gamers who could score by using their smarts and talent. C'mon, man, you're killing me here. And to compare our Conk to a thug like Brannen, who was probably a big player in the mortgage scandal, is like comparing Obama to Hitler. Ooops, hope I don't get banned on that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Once again larry72, I am comparing Conklin's rise through the ranks over four years of college to a player of similar ilk who was in the same conference with us. We will compare Conklin to Barkley --- just as soon as Conk concludes his stellar NBA run with one NBA title appearance, a couple of rebounding titles, an Olympic Gold medla and other same-level-to-same-level comparisons. Patience my friend .... ... and did you clean that hurl up before honey gets home or are you just gonna leave it lying around the breakfast nook unaccounted for? roy -- get off the barbed wire tatoo as well. I wa snever a Brannen fan. I hated him as much as any non-red-and-black wearing opponent of Huggy's Bearcats rightfully should have. As a matter fo fact, with an MBA from Saint Louis University not far from Brian's grasp, the comparison to Brannen and a post basketball career takes on new, more salient and competitive meaning now with this mortgage news, don't cha' think? Conk'll kick his arse there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 brannen could not put the ball on the floor at all. conk did that last night very well. right now i saw donnie dobbs in conk last night. btw, pretty sure brannen is in the mortgage industry these days as an executive with a very up and coming wholesale lender in Tennessee. so while he "disappeared" from basketball, he apparently did very well for himself. that all said, i hated brannen with a passion. my wife still goes on about that barbed wire tatoo on his bicep. -i would have bet on bobby being in prison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLIKNS Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I thought of the Brannen comparison also, just hadn't got to post it. It is the intensity and toughness that Conklin shown that made me think of him. Brannen was a thug, but Huggins developed him, by the time he was a senior he very good. Huggins also developed Melvin the Helicopter, I can`t remember his last name. Always liked Conklin passion and intsensity, but man he was like give me the ball, I'll take it in, over, through, whatever, and I'll score. This sure is fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.B. Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I thought of the Brannen comparison also, just hadn't got to post it. It is the intensity and toughness that Conklin shown that made me think of him. Brannen was a thug, but Huggins developed him, by the time he was a senior he very good. Huggins also developed Melvin the Helicopter, I can`t remember his last name. Always liked Conklin passion and intsensity, but man he was like give me the ball, I'll take it in, over, through, whatever, and I'll score. This sure is fun. Melvin Levett. He could fly but also hit the three. Most vivid memory of him was when he hit a fade away in the last coujple of minutes and then turned to the 'intense' guy and his son in 115 who were screaming at him the entire gave them the dagger in the heart gesture and them shushed them with one finger. They were speechless for the only time in the building. Still laugh when thinking about it. I think he might have got a sniff in the NBA but could be wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waldo027 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/slu-oklahoma-classic-in-review/article_b0c7366c-19f2-11e1-bdaa-001a4bcf6878.html "Majerus says Remekun is feeling pushed by John Manning. (Majerus said Manning is the most likely player on this team to play in the NBA. "You can book it," he said.)" Umm...wow. That's high praise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock_Tower Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 http://www.stltoday....1a4bcf6878.html "Majerus says Remekun is feeling pushed by John Manning. (Majerus said Manning is the most likely player on this team to play in the NBA. "You can book it," he said.)" Umm...wow. That's high praise. No. That's got to be a mistake. JM cannot possibly make the NBA, or even be good for our team, since not enough schools were after him (and did not make offers to him) during his JR year in highschool. What? My source for the above comment: reading the posts from the experts on this Board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Sorry, Taj Mahal, I'm sticking w/ Barkley. No way am I comparing Conk to the Brannen the Brawler who's now wholesales bogus mortgages in Biloxi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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