Tonka Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Congratulations to Chris Sloan! This would be an L if not for Sloan. TF looked good and I think will get even better as his endurance picks up. Once again, Izik has shown me nothing. You guys said to give him time, so I am - but he still isn't much, as of yet. His ankles looked fine. He ran, he pivoted - there is no way his ankles are an excuse. For some reason, he can't get it done and turns the ball over way too much. Guy Phillips - shut up! I wish we could have seen more of JJ. He looks like an athlete. Let's hope he is a surprise this year. Varner got worse as the game went on. If he is not completely alone and set for a shot, he will not make it. He looked good in the beginning, but as soon as they looked for him to shoot, he threw up bricks. EKU played tough defense and I think I heard they shot over 60% from the field which is outrageous anyway you look at it, but even more impressive on the road. Guy Phillips - shut up! I don't like Drejaj slashing to the basket and when he does he throws up prayers. Let's just get through these three games! Curious, what were Brad's comments after the game, I didn't hear? We did win and that's always good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Man we had some tired dudes on the floor at the end of the game.With virtually no bench, several guys logged some big time minutes - Josh, for instance, played 40 minutes. Let's hope we can hang in there until Reggie returns. Even Ian will help if he can get 5 minutes a game or so. Hopefully, those two may help us generate some offense. We have to work really hard to get a bucket.JJ sure is a good athlete. Let's hope some Brad coaching can get him on track and he can be a contributor. I know Clark looks like a good athlete but he appears to be in awe out on the court from time to time. Twenty pounds would also help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Clarke had one good drive to the basket which he should have shot but he passed it up. JJ was a nice surprise. Very active on defense and did a very good job on post defense, Brad took Varner off of the blocks after he got burned twice and JJ shut them down. Varner is Varner. He doesn't make mistakes but has very few plusses in his game. Shot really bad in the second half. Lost his man around a couple screens and was punished on the blocks on defense. Izik is an enigma. Played very out of control at times. His ankles only looked bad at the end of his drives, he was getting no elevation and could not make quick stops. He threw up some prayers, and why can't he use his left hand on layups? He can dribble with it, instead he goes right and throws up scoops from underneath and behind the basket. I thought he was improved on defense though. Frericks was okay, good on offense, a litte soft while going up for shots. 4-6 on FTs, that is excellent compared to Kenny. He was decent on post defense although EKU did not offer much but I was dissapointed with his rebounding and that of the team's as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I continue to be unimpressed with Izik. I know a lot of you basketball analysts think he is going to have an impact. I am not an analyst. I am a basketball fan. That said, I have yet to be impressed with Izik. He looks just like he did the first game he played last year. I have seen little, if any, development. It would be helpful if someone would explain what he does that shows promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I think his one on one skills may be the best on the team. His post play is also pretty slick. His passing was good tonight. He just cannot finish shots, and makes silly mistakes and dumb TOs. His defense was improved tonight, but he cannot rebound at all. I think so much is expected of him because he is 1)6'9 2)Handles the ball like a point guard 3)Can get to the hoop He has talent has yet to put it all together. I have problems with his game but the potential is there to be a dominant offensive player. Whether he ever lives up anywhere near his potential I have no idea. He has only in spurts so far in his career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmolina Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 >>what were Brad's comments after the game,<< * You don't know what to expect in an opener. But he won't apologize for the win. * Sloan was huge down the stretch. But that's not his "go to guy." He said he really doesn't want to have a go to guy. He wants about three different players in double figures each night. * Drejah hit some big shots at key moments. He feels the Sophomore will only get better. *EKU's Witt gave the Bills fits with his outside shooting. But he said he could live with that because most of Witt's shots were "under duress." Coach didn't like the good looks Moore (15 pts.) was getting. *Defense in the paint was good. But he says we "need to clean up" the defense on the perimeter. Other facts: EKU was 0-1 from the free throw line with about six minutes or so left in the game. They finished just 2-4 from the stripe. Bills were called for only 11 fouls. A mere four at halftime. Josh Fisher logged the most clock playing all 40 minutes. Sloan(a game high 22 points) was next with 38. Drejah 35 minutes. Sloan scored 10 points in the last 8:28 of the contest including six from the line. The biggest lead ever held by the Bills in the game was nine at 39-30 with 17:18 to go. Both teams exchanged the lead five times in a stretch between the 11:02 mark and 9:44. EKU's latest lead in the game was 55-54 with 3:46 to go. Frericks (12 points) put SLU ahead to stay 56-55 with 3:25 left. Sloan scored six points in the last 2:04 remaining to help ice it. EKU won the rebound battle 30-23. Sloan pulled down six boards, Varner five, Frericks four. Drejah with a game high five steals. Sloan with four thefts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Good points, I'll wait and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
former_d1 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Varner played a good game or about all i could expect from him. I think the new center will be fine with some playing time. Ike's, if you read the board, stop thinking so much and take the shot or make the move. Even if you throw something up that breaks the backboard put it up. Sloan is the man. It is late so good night. This post was written after to much beer......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Everyone Has made good observations ... so I don't have much to add. Izik does not get all the way to the basket instead of finishing on the rim or glass he tries to be fancy when he's close and keeps releasing his shot from 2-4 feet away. He shoots by flicking his wrist which does not allow for a lot of control ... he needs to get to the rim and his drives will finish ... until then he will remain inconsistent. He is too worried about what Coach thinks ... every play good or bad he looks to the bench for acknowledgement. He is lacking in confidence. Tom was not as agressive on the glass as he was in the last exhibition. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 If I am ever in a basketball game in a dark alley ... I want CS on my side Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Terrible attendance:: The only way they had 7958 last night is if everyone was counted twice. Terrible game:: If this is the best we can do against a mid - mid major it will be a long season. Last night Marquette beat Savannah ST my 38 points. Monday will tell us a lot about our Bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CentFLBilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Lighten up dude. 8,000 in college basketball is not terrible. Monday nights game will tell us very little about the Bills. Savannah State is probably the worst D1 team playing and we will beat them by 15-35 points. If you expected us to come out of the gate on fire after losing our starting point guard and center, with our best player sitting out, with a crowd 17,000 going nuts, then I suspect you havent been a SLU fan for very long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Thanks for your advice. The whole point is the attendance was closer to 5000 than 79xx. I have attended SLU games for 55 years now and enjoyed good and bad games. Or at least enjoyed the good games. If SLU wins Monday by 25 points or greater, then I'll feel we are closer to Marquette's level than the EK game showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 6'10" guys are rarely able to take their man off the dribble with spin moves and jump stops. izik has wing skills in a tall body. a lot of times he got the ball last night and fisher or drejaj would then show up in the post. get the hell out of his way. that all said, i agree with your assessment thus far. we need more than glimpses. potential is worth nothing unfulfilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 i said in an earlier post, i would have guessed 7k. remember the savvis is huge. the billikens seating configuration is i think set up for 22,000. thus there is room for a lot of empties with 8k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 After one of Izik's more bone-headed moves last night, my seatmate turned to me and said, "He's starting to remind me of Sekeue." On the other hand, there were brief flashes last year when Izik reminded me more of (remember, I said "brief flashes") Harry Rogers, the guard in a forward's body. I think the ultimate resolution will depend upon whether anyone on the coaching staff can teach Izik hand skills -- Brad was all over him last night for rebounding with one hand, and that palming-the-ball episode looked like he learned NBA rules early when he was playing in Israel. And sometimes when he dribbles, he reminds me of somebody else altogether: Gumby. If we can get Drejaj to teach him heart, Frericks to teach him banging and Fisher to teach him ball-control, he still has a shot. But I sense he isn't real high on Brad's list right now, and might be even less so when the suspensions are fulfilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I would have guessed the attendance at 7-7.5k. I thought it was a larger crowd than an opening night of late ... but there was one moment when I dropped a safety pin ... I didn't see where it landed ...but the lady 2 rows up helped me find it, she heard it drop. The Billiken crowds are the quitest I have ever seen at any college sporting event. Maybe they need to announce when the prayer is over, so people will know they don't have to be quiet any longer. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_Ken R Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I think the standard for reporting attendance is tickets sold. Does someone know whether this is correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I'm not 100% sure ... but I would assume you are right. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 The announced attendance is tickets sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 55 year as a fan and you say this was a "terrible game"--what a joke! I have been going to Bills games since the late 50s (I have missed very few home games since the mid 60"s) and I can tell you that over the years I have seen a lot of great games and a lot of "terrible" games. This was not a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination. It was a first game for a team with a very limited bench. Fisher, Sloan and Drejaj played their butts off while being very tired from the long minutes. The opposing team had a freshman who nobody ever heard off get incredibly hot from about 22-23 feet. I sit about 20 feet from where he made all five of his shots and they were classic, long and pure after he came off screens. I would bet big money that he could not repeat the shots but on this night he was "feeling it". Look at Michigan State and UConn and other top teams. They struggled against lesser teams--Yale!!!, etc. The botom line is that all teams need time to develop a sense of themselves and our short bench makes that very difficult because eveyone is so tired. Our team showed guts down the stretch and they pulled out a hard fought victory. Give us all a break! I was told by someone earlier that you are no the idiot Too but you sure sound like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stchuckbilliken Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I agree, compared with some of the games of Randy Albrect, Ron Coleman and even Buddy Brehmer eras this was not a terrible game. However, I have hopes that this is a year this program steps it up a notch. Not by losing another opening game. These early "gimme" games you have to win to build a good record for NCAA consideration. I think last years losses to Tenn-Martin and SMS cost us a bid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Law Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 If you expected us to come >out of the gate on fire after losing our starting point >guard and center; -Frericks played. He'll start at center all year. ith our best player sitting out -Sloan played and he played a hell of a game. By far the best player the Bills have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 i will be shocked if sloan is considered our best player by year end. i love chris sloan, but for us to compete for an ncaa spot, he better be our third player. i am not expecting chris to come down, i am expecting izik and bryant to rise above chris. chris will maintain what he is doing. he is too intense not too. the key to this team offensively is to have reggie and izik rise up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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