Quality Is Job 1 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 The Billikens had me sweating, but they pulled out a six-point win. Chris Sloan chipped in a career-high 22 points, and Tom Frericks added 12. Only six players saw major minutes: Frericks, Varner, Ohanon, Sloan, Fisher, and Drejaj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted November 22, 2003 Author Share Posted November 22, 2003 The Bills were outrebounded, committed a number of bad turnovers, and allowed torried outside shooting by the Colonels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentFLBilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Is Izik hurt or was he just playing so poorly that he didnt get many minutes??? Hard to tell from the radio. Frericks sure sounded good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StlCardinal Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 If he was hurt, it wasn't evident. When he was playing, he seemed to be playing like he normally does. He had a couple nice drives, but he also had some bad turnovers. It was a disappointing performance by him overall, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 We didn't play terrible. Izik turned the ball over too much, so his minutes were limited. Ross didn't play well in the second half, although he shot the ball well in the first half. Drejaj penetrated well and had a bunch of steals. Fish played good defense, hit a pair of threes, and made good decisions on offense, but he didn't shoot that well. Sloan was great in every facet of his game. Frericks played well defensively and offensively, but he was winded a few times. JJ played a few minutes a made two nice defensive plays. DC played a couple of minutes and didn't do much good or bad. EA had two little white guards that shot lights out. These guys kept them in the game. I will take a win any way we can get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STLBlazer Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I decided to go to the game. Here's a couple thoughts from an unbiased POV: 1. I like the concessions at the Savvis Center but don't like the pro prices 2. Your announcer is pretty funny 3. The students in the Blue Crew should swap w/ the band so they are next to the opposing team. It's hard to heckle from across the court but if they are right next to them they can do a better job of pissing off the opposing team. 4. It's cold in that freakin' place. Maybe hockey has something to do with it. 5. Your team looked flat as would be expected for any team playing their first regular season game. 6. Dredjaj needs to shoot more. That kid can really handle the ball and his quickness is amazing for how big he is. 7. Too many passes on the perimeter. Not many jumpers shot tonight. 8. Your guys have got to do a better job of defending the 3pt. There are guys in CUSA that can really shoot the 3pter and will hurt you if you let them. 9. You have a big lineup. I was impressed with a white guy..think he had a dunk, hit the first shot of the game. He was pretty agile for his size. Frericks looked pretty good..wonder why he left UAB. 10. Sloan is a workhorse. His free throw shooting could use some work but he was very aggressive in going to the basket. Good game, way to hold on to the lead and not let down. I look forward to our game in January. Good luck the rest of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoastballer45 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 8 for 10 from the line not bad for sloan how is that bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 i keep hearing about izik's ankles but to be honest, he didnt look hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 i thought frericks played bad defensively. tim volpeinhien was more like chris heinrich than chris massey yet did what he wanted when he got the ball. we are lucky the two guards were as selfish as they were down the stretch and didnt go at frericks more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 >i thought frericks played bad defensively. tim volpeinhien >was more like chris heinrich than chris massey yet did what >he wanted when he got the ball. we are lucky the two guards >were as selfish as they were down the stretch and didnt go >at frericks more. I only got to listen to most of the second half on the radio but it sounded like JJ was our best post defender during his brief 5 minutes (at least based upon the comments of Rammer and Earl). The box score says one steal but I thought he had two. This is a pleasant development as Varner is overexposed with 27 minutes. As I recall, Kenny Brown was not a stellar post defender the day he showed up at SLU from JUCO land but continued to improve throughout his 2 year tenure. Frericks has the size and attitude to be a solid post defender so I believe he will upgrades as the coaching staff improves his technique and positioning. The situation with Izik concerns me the most. We need steady offensive production from him. I'm also concerned that Josh Fisher did not assert himself more offensively on a night when we were struggling to score for much of the second half. He had 10 points but with Reggie sitting and Izik in a funk, he should have been the man to step up on the offensive end. Josh can penetrate but rarely looks to do so. Huge thanks to Chris Sloan, another senior, for having a career night and saving the Billikens' rearends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 "Is Izik hurt " Yes. He's playing on two sprained ankles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STLBlazer Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Yeah, you are right. I don't know why I thought that. Maybe it's because he missed on the intentional foul. Did Diener graduate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I would have a hard time believing IO's problem was his ankles ... I said in a previous post his problem is he is to cute around the basket ... he is quick enough inside to get wherever he wants ... he just needs to take the ball all the way to the rim, when he has the opportunity. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 "I would have a hard time believing IO's problem was his ankles" Why? He was the most dominant player in practices and scrimmages for the past 3 months. After he sprained his ankles he has just been average in practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 His problems on the court last night were his hands, and the fact he appears lost on defense. If he was having problems getting to the basket ... ok then ... but he got to the basket he just doesn't finish. He needs to play stronger around the basket ... just my opinion though. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 "he got to the basket he just doesn't finish" Might have to do with his current 16 inch vertical. You ever try to jump on two sprained ankles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 From where I sit ... I don't believe his ankles were the problem ... I'm sure his ankles are sore ... but imo it was his style around the basket that is his flaw. No use continuing this though ... you obviously have your opinion and I have mine. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Majerus Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Part of their being outrebounded was the fact that EK at one point made 12/15 - you can't rebound when they swish through... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Majerus Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Except I thought Drejaj started to play a little "bucket" in the second half, and the motion went out of the motion offense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Majerus Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I think that's part of his problem - he has the ability to go up in the paint and shoot the short jumper over the 3 that's covering him. When you go all the way, you're driving into the defense and the big man gets the last shot at you. I certainly think he should go to the basket when he's in a 1/1 situation, but I think he's better just getting halfway into the paint and then shooting or passing. I think he'll be more productive as he gets the pt this year - he'll find out what works for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Enough about Izik's ankles. Right now, Izik sucks - plain and simple! Why sugarcoat it? His ankles may be sore but rarely is any player not sore with something. He needs to get his shi# together soon. Even when RB comes back, we can't put it all on him. Fact of the matter is, we need all the pistons firing on this team for us to be good this year. Like Brad said, Sloan is not a go to guy and we can't expect 22 from him every night. He made things happen because he has talent. I doubt Sloan could pull off the same thing against Marquette, Louisville, or UC. Somebody has got to step up and be a surprise for us this year. Could it be JJ? Who knows? I have taken my confidence away from Izik all together. Hopefully, he will earn it back. I had to blink a few times last night towards the end of the game. I looked on the floor last night toward the end of the game and Hunt and Varner were in together I think with Fisher Sloan and I'm not sure who the 5th was, but it wasn't Frericks I don't think. I never thought in my wildest dreams that would be a line-up in a vital game situation. I know why they were in there for that brief minute, but that tells you a lot right there. I never thought in a million years that would be a line-up within the last 3 minutes of a game unless we playing a team like EKU and were up by 25. Oh wait a minute, we were playing EKU. If we don't dessimate Savannah State, we have problems, even with RB out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I meant to say "because Sloan has heart". Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Ike really hasn't perfected the mid-range jumper off the dribble. I don't think I've seen him convert more than 3 jumpers off the dribble since he's been here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Last night he was driving almost all the way ... the worse thing you can do at 6'9" is drive to the basket and then try to flip up some little shot ... when you get there you have to go at the rim. He doesn't. I agree that he needs to have a short 6-8 ft jumper in his arsenal as that will bring the big man out ... and should open up lanes for cutters ... but if you are going to go all the way then go strong. Make the opponents big men defend you not just swat at the shot, you will also get to the line and create foul problems inside for most opponents. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I think you had it right the first time. Sloan was known for his rebounding and ability to score in the paint in high school, just like he is doing now. Due to his bum shoulder and a loss of confidence, he underachieved the first 2 1/2 years at SLU. That's why I'm not ready to give up on Izik yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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