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INTRODUCING THE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Feb. 8
Ballots are already being handed out for a long list
of awards that will be announced in March. Some of the
choices will be obvious, while others will require a
little more thought. But most of the recipients will
reside in one of the high profile conferences. And
that’s unfortunate for Rodney Stuckey who will get
every vote for freshman of the year in his conference,
but probably won’t get a lot of votes for national
honors.
Stuckey, a freshman at Eastern Washington, is
dominating the Big Sky Conference. Following that
statement, a lot of people would say, ‘yeah but it’s
the Big Sky.’
Watch him on the floor for a few minutes and you’ll
think otherwise.
He is a good, solid 6-foot-4 and that solid frame
allows him to post-up opponents. He can also play both
the off and lead guard and he has developed a nice
all-around game. He can score, defend and he has
quickly become the team leader.
To put it more simply -- Rodney Stuckey is the real
deal.
Here comes the voice again ‘yeah but it’s the Big
Sky.’
Stuckey was a Prop 48 coming out of Kentwood high
school so that Pac-10 wasn’t an option. Had he made
the grade you would hear his name mentioned as a
national freshman of the year candidate. Instead he
walks the point in relative obscurity in Cheney, WA --
For now.
In just twenty-two games, Stuckey earned four Big Sky
Player of the Week honors. He had a school-best 45
points earlier this season. Five times he has tallied
30 or more. He has scored in double figures in 22 and
counting. He has led the team in scoring in 19
straight games and is averaging 24 points per contest
(28 ppg. in conference).
One coach joked that the best defense for Stuckey is
to hope he doesn’t play. But even the flu can’t slow
him down. Fighting a fever, Stuckey recently dropped
36 on then first-place Montana.
Before you point out again that it’s the Big Sky, sit
down and watch. You’ll see that this kid could play
and star in any league in America.
He will undoubtedly be overlooked for accolades
outside the borders of Big Sky country and that is too
bad because Rodney Stuckey is a legitimate candidate
for national freshman of the year. Yes, national.
Is the Big 12 down this year? That’s argument
for another column, but regardless it should not
detract from the success that Ricardo Patton and
Colorado is having this season.
Last week the Buffs entered the ESPN/USA Today Coaches
Poll at No. 25. It marked the first time since the
1996-97 season that CU had cracked the rankings. And
it was fifth time they had been ranked.
Patton’s team is getting done on both ends of the
floor. They aren’t shy about shooting from beyond the
arc, but they are stingy on defense. One key has been
limiting looks. Everyone on the floor can rebound for
CU, which means there aren’t often second-chance
opportunities. Limiting second chances makes you a
much better defensive team.
In addition to solid defense, CU has done a nice job
of taking care of the basketball lately. Keeping
turnovers down and limiting opponents is a good
formula for success.
It also helps to have players like Richard Roby who is
making a case for Big 12 player of the year honors.
Junior Marcus Hall won’t receive those accolades, but
their continued success hinges on him. Hall has done a
really nice job of directing the Buffs offense.
And as for their success being a product of the league
being down -- They are winning the games that are on
the schedule.
It won’t happen right away, but it also won’t
take long for Long Island University to get back to
the top of the Northeast Conference. Now in his fourth
season, coach Jim Ferry has made nice strides with the
program and now he has a state-of-the-art complex to
pitch to recruits.
The macabre Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, which had been
home for LIU basketball since 1963, closed its doors
last season and a few weeks ago the doors opened to
the Wellness Recreation and Athletic Center. The $40
million, 112,000 square-foot complex should help the
program to reach new heights.
There is a popular belief that the Missouri
Valley Conference is the clear-cut winner in any
argument about best mid-major conference. Those making
that argument haven’t bothered to follow the Colonial
Athletic Association. With all due respect to the
Valley, the CAA is every bit its equal.
How is UCLA getting it done, in spite of a
seemingly endless list of injuries? It’s called
defense. That’s a word not often associated with the
Pac-10, but the young Bruins have embraced the simple
concept of playing hard and defending. It also helps
that sophomore point guard Jordan Farmar has really
come of age and continues to improve his game. As a
freshman Farmar was a talent, but now he has become a
player, buying into Ben Howland’s system.
That valuable experience gained by attending the dance
last year figured to only serve them better this
season. It has and they seemed poised to take another
step this season. Everybody in college basketball has
talent so what separates the exceptional from the
mediocre is just simple desire. It’s amazing what
happens when talent comes to play. They will be a
handful this March, but just wait until next year.
Last year about this time CI’s Joe Dwyer
tabbed Georgetown as a real tough out in March.
Unfortunately that prediction fell off much like the
Hoyas did down the stretch. But we like to kid Dwyer,
telling him that he was just a year ahead of everyone
else.
Early in the season it was evident that the Hoyas
would be a much-improved team and would challenge for
an at-large NCAA invite. But since the impressive win
over Duke, coach Thompson’s team looks more like a
team that figures to hang around the dance floor for a
while.
As impressive as the win over Duke was, perhaps more
noteworthy was the win at Notre Dame. For a team that
hasn’t enjoyed a great deal of success in recent
years, dealing with that success isn’t always easy so
don’t dismiss that win in South Bend or the blowout at
home over Cincinnati as being insignificant.
Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green are stars on a team that
doesn’t go far beyond seven deep and probably the
least talked about is the most important. A lot of
people scoffed at the idea of Jonathan Wallace running
the point and a look at the stat sheet would probably
reaffirm that for most, but his value isn’t in the
numbers.
Wallace does tremendous job of directing the offense
and setting the tempo. Ashanti Cook is more explosive,
but Wallace’s calming demeanor on the court should not
be discounted.
Matt Drake is a senior writer for
collegeinsider.com.
EMAIL MATT |
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