Posts tagged basketball
CU Buffs Ranked #23, Booker Pac-12 Player of the Week
Nov 19th
By Curtis Snyder, Associate SID |
BOULDER—The Colorado men’s basketball team appeared in the Associated Press poll for the first time in 15 years and sophomore guard Askia Booker was named Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week Monday on the heels of the Buffs winning the Charleston Classic and Booker being named tournament MVP.
Booker averaged 19.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.3 rebounds per game en route to MVP honors, helping the Buffs knock off Dayton, No. 16 Baylor and Murray State in four days in Charleston, S.C. Booker scored 16 points in the quarterfinal round and added four assists. He then scored a career high 19 points with three assists and three steals in the win over Baylor and bettered that performance with 23 points and four steals in the championship game against the Racers. Booker shot over 50 percent from the field, knocking down 24-of-47 shots, and made seven 3-pointers to help the Buffs to their first in-season tournament championship since 2003 Pepsi Classic, not far from Charleston in Charlotte, N.C. The Buffs came it at No. 23 in the AP poll, the first time the program has been ranked in a major poll since earning back-to-back No. 25 rankings in the Coaches Poll during the 2005-06 season. In the AP poll, it is the first ranking since appearing at No. 24 in the final poll of the 1996-97 season, when Chauncey Billups led the Buffs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It’s the first time the Buffs have been ranked before the start of conference play in 42 years, since a showing on the Dec. 30, 1969, poll, coming in at No. 20. Overall, it is the 32nd time the Buffs have appeared in the AP rankings. CU’s highest ranking came on Dec. 18, 1963, coming in at No. 6. The Buffs returned to Boulder Monday and have a few days off to recover from three games in four days, next hitting the court on Sunday against Air Force, a 6 p.m. tip off at the Coors Events Center. [includeme src=”http://c1n.tv/boulder/media/bouldersponsors.html” frameborder=”0″ width=”670″ height=”300″] |
Brooks: Deep, Talented CU Women’s Team Awaits Opener
Nov 10th
Release: 11/10/2012 Courtesy: B.G. Brooks, Contributing Editor
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BOULDER – It might be a stretch for a college junior to be reflecting on how it was “back in the day,” but Brittany Wilson vividly recalls how things were in Colorado women’s basketball a mere three seasons ago. “In my freshman year,” “B-Wil” remembered the other day, “we got down to six players when we played Iowa State.” Technically, the Buffs were down to eight players, but first-year coach Linda Lappe‘s primary rotation that day was six – with the five starters playing at least 33 minutes each in a game that pushed into overtime. But here’s Wilson’s point: Her first CU team didn’t have a deep end; most of the time it flailed away in shallow water. Things have changed. Big-time. The CU team that opens its 2012-13 season Sunday afternoon against Idaho (2 p.m., Coors Events Center) has plenty of bodies that play plenty well. What’s more, the daily competition goes from whistle to whistle and isn’t for the gentle and meek. “Coaches have to stop practice sometimes to get people off the floor,” Wilson said. “We haven’t had the competition on the floor like this. You have to come out and compete for your spot every single day, because there’s 13 girls that can play. If you don’t come out ready to defend your position – if you are a starter – or to earn your playing time, either you’re not going to start or you’re not going to get that playing time.” That’s exactly the way Lappe and her staff want it, although her priority as Sunday’s opener approached was identifying enough consistency among those talented 13 players to pencil in a starting lineup. As of Tuesday, she had “no idea,” but she will by Sunday morning. It’s a good problem to have, one that will sort itself out as Lappe’s very balanced bunch advances. If her number of better players this season creates a different kind of dilemma, it’s still one she relishes. She and her staff “take a lot of stock in who brings it every day in practice” and use that as a guide in determining how 40 minutes on game day is split. “But day to day that changes with our team,” Lappe said. “That’s been the most unsettling thing as a coach – the consistency of our players and who we think can provide us major minutes during this first game. It’s something that as the year goes along will change and fluctuate. That’s probably been the hardest thing for me. But there’s good in that because now you do have 10-12 players that all could start on any given day.” Lappe has a pretty good handle on two members of Sunday’s starting five. That pair would be senior wingMeagan Malcolm-Peck and “B-Wil,” who sees herself in the next layer of leadership below Malcolm-Peck and senior point guard Chucky Jeffery. Here’s how Wilson perceives her game and her role: “Things have slowed down for me. I’m a junior now, I get the game. Although I played in two different conferences, now for me it’s like I don’t have to think so much. I can just go out and play . . . And now, I see myself as leader in helping (teammates) to follow. As Meagan and Chucky are leaders, I help others follow those two. If Meagan or Chucky is saying things that somebody might not be getting, then it’s usually me or the next person to tweak it a little so it is understood.” That’s a good position for now, but it probably will evolve into a full-blown take-charge role. And if not this season, then surely next, when she is a senior. Whichever of those scenarios occur, Lappe feels fortunate to be able to watch it happen. Her first two CU teams have a combined 39-30 record and a pair of WNIT appearances. Showing further progress in year three is paramount, and Lappe believes it can happen because of leadership that hadn’t fully developed in years one and two. “This is the first year to have some junior-senior leadership that has played a lot for our first two or three years,” Lappe said. “That’s definitely a bonus; it allows us to take that next step. We’ve never had that (and) it differentiates this team from some of the others. We also have some good talented young players who are maybe further ahead than some of the other freshmen we’ve had at different times.” How far ahead? Last season, CU played Idaho at the CEC on Dec. 4, winning 68-59. Tape of that game, said Lappe, shows this team – young as it is – to be further along in early November than her 2011-12 squad was in early December. “We look better now than at that point,” said Lappe, adding that the loss of senior post Julie Seabrook and her court communication on screens and setting the defense might be a temporary setback. “But overall we’re further ahead and much, much deeper.” Wilson agreed, noting that in this season’s pair of exhibition games, the Buffs “got it going early . . . last year we struggled (early) to get it going. There were stretches where we didn’t score for five or six minutes at a time, but this year the freshmen are catching onto the offense and we have a lot of upperclassmen now.” Although forward Jen Reese is entering her sophomore season, Lappe considers Reese well-seasoned. Reese does, too. She’s been waiting for Sunday’s opener longer than most; she missed last season’s last six games with an orbital eye socket injury and is wearing protective goggles now, although “it’s a hassle,” she said. Her vision slowly is returning to normal, but still can be a little fuzzy now when she gazes upward when under the rim. So she uses her neck more and tilts her head. But Reese clearly sees this: “These players have more confidence and that brings out more confidence in the team. We have leaders in Meagan and Chucky, when she’s the point guard. And I feel like we’ve been communicating better. The freshmen have been doing really well listening to us and improving every day in practice . . . I think we’re just more prepared.” More focused on a daily basis, too. Every team has reaching the NCAA Tournament as a goal, and that includes the Buffs, who could wind up playing in NCAA first- and second-round games in their building. But the approach this season is different, said Reese: “Last year we had a main goal of going to the NCAAs, but we weren’t more concerned with how to get there . . . this year we’re setting goals that we can reach (daily) to get to that level. That’s what I like about this year.” Reese says she’s among the Buffs whose confidence has skyrocketed, plus she’s stronger and better conditioned. And here’s something else – aside from the depth, the talent and the confidence – that Wilson says sets this team apart from others: “We’ve got 13 girls with heart, 13 girls that will punch you back if you punch them . . . we’re all competitors, that’s what different and special about this team.” Lappe is hoping it all translates into a special year. It gets underway on Sunday afternoon. [includeme src=”http://c1n.tv/boulder/media/bouldersponsors.html” frameborder=”0″ width=”670″ height=”300″] |
Boulder CU B-BALLER ROBERSON NAMED TO JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD TOP-50 WATCH LIST
Nov 8th
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – University of Colorado junior forward André Roberson was named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 watch list by The Los Angeles Athletic Club, Thursday afternoon.
Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball media members, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who, based on last year’s individual performance and team records, are the early front-runners for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.
Roberson is one of two CU basketball players in the last three years named to the prestigious Wooden Top-50 watch list. Former Buff standout Alec Burks was named to the Top-50 watch list in 2010-11 and later made the final top-20.
Roberson is one of three Pac-12 players named to the watch list joining Solomon Hill of Arizona and Allen Crabbe California.
Last season, Roberson was a Pac-12 All-Conference first team selection, in addition being named to the conference all-defensive team. He was a key contributor in CU’s successful run winning the Pac-12 Conference Tournament championship in Los Angeles and the NCAA Tournament third round in Albuquerque last March.
Roberson enters his junior year 357 rebounds from breaking the CU career rebounding record held by Stephane Pelle (1,054, 1999-2003). Roberson shattered the single-season last season with 401 rebounds. He also ranked third nationally in rebounds per game at 11.1, and was fifth nationally with 20 double-doubles.
CU opens the 2012-13 season against Wofford, Friday, Nov. 9, 5 p.m. at the Coors Events Center. There are a limited number of tickets available for the season opener, in addition to season tickets for the 15 home games.
Creighton junior forward Doug McDermott was a Wooden Award All American a year ago after an outstanding sophomore campaign in which he ranked first nationally in field goals made, third in scoring, and seventh in field goal percentage. On the season, he averaged 22.9 points and 8.5 rebounds, taking the Blue Jays to a Missouri Valley Conference title and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Transfers, freshmen and medical redshirts are not eligible for the Preseason Top 50. The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the midseason list and the official voting ballot, both of which are open to freshman and transfer students. The National Ballot consists of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation’s top 10 players, will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 37th annual Wooden Award ceremony will honor the Men’s and Women’s Wooden Award winners, and will include the presentation of the Wooden Award All American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, which in 2013 will go to Kansas Head Coach Bill Self. The event will take place the weekend of April 12-13, 2013.
Nine upperclassmen return to the Preseason Top 50 list from a year ago: Allen Crabbe of California; Aaron Craft of Ohio State; Tim Hardaway, Jr. of Michigan; Elias Harris of Gonzaga; Solomon Hill of Arizona; Ray McCallum of Detroit; McDermott; Peyton Siva of Louisville; and Patric Young of Florida.
Louisville, a Final Four team a year ago, was the only school with three players on the Preseason Top 50 (Siva, Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan). Seven schools had two players named to the list: Duke (Seth Curry and Mason Plumlee), Florida (Young and Kenny Boynton), Indiana (Christian Watford and Cody Zeller), Kansas (Elijah Johnson and Jeff Withey), Michigan (Hardaway, Jr. and Trey Burke), North Carolina State (Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie) and Ohio State (Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas).
Two 2012-13 preseason honorees are younger brothers of previous John R. Wooden All Americans. Duke’s Seth Curry is the younger brother of 2009 Wooden Award All American Stephen Curry of Davidson. Cody Zeller of Indiana is the younger brother of 2012 Wooden Award All American Tyler Zeller of North Carolina.
The Big 10 leads all conferences with nine selections to the Preseason Top 50, followed by the Big East with seven and the ACC and SEC each with six. The Big 12 has five selections, the Pac-12 boasts four, the West Coast Conference has three, and the Mountain West has two picks. Conference USA, Horizon, Missouri Valley, Mid-American, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Summit and Sun Belt each have one honoree.
About the John R. Wooden Award
Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), Candace Parker (’07 and ’08), Kevin Durant (’09) and Maya Moore of Connecticut (’09 and ‘11). Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis won the men’s Award in 2012.
Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club the weekend of the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.
Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com or going to the Wooden Award facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WoodenAward. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or via email atwoodenaward@laac.net.
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