I have already stated that next year's teams will be an excellent three point shooting team. Sallie can hit the three like no other, we saw this during last season's first round of the NCAA tournament. Garcia's specialty is his three pointer, Elliot William's specialty is his three pointer, and Kemp and Mack go on three point hot streaks all the time. Even Preston Laird hit all the threes he threw up last year.
Now we have a new addition. Drew Barham of the Nashville Celtics is now a Memphis Tiger walk on. As long as he is let out of his letter of intent by Illinois, he will be eligible to play this season. Guess what his strength is. Three point shooting.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Falling off
I know a lot of Tiger fans are not quite as excited about next season as we have been about the last four or so. Not that we aren't anxious. That's why so many of us are scrounging for any offseason news we can get are hands on (not that there's been any shortage).
We do know that things just cannot go as well. We only have one returning starter. We have a lot of talent, but lack depth, especially in the front court. The out of conference schedule is very weak, and, as a result, it will be especially difficult to get a high seed in the NCAA tournament this year. That is assuming we win the C-USA tournament.
I am kind of okay with this drop in talent. I know next year will be better. We already have Barton and Jackson is already trimming the fat(by that I mean knocking Kentucky off his list of schools). Our dreams of championships can begin again.
But think about it. In conference games will be fun again. Not that I didn't enjoy watching Memphis beat SMU by more points than SMU had scored itself. I just wasn't kept at the edge of my seat. In the last two years, I have probably had a total of two minutes where I thought that Memphis would lost an in conference basketball game. All two of those minutes were during Memphis's first match against Tulsa last season, and that includes stopped game play.
Now we can go to or watch conference games and wonder if we are going to win. We can watch the tournament and feel our anxiety rise as Memphis makes it closer to the tournament. Competition will be brought back to our conference games, and I think that's a good thing. Atleast for now.
We do know that things just cannot go as well. We only have one returning starter. We have a lot of talent, but lack depth, especially in the front court. The out of conference schedule is very weak, and, as a result, it will be especially difficult to get a high seed in the NCAA tournament this year. That is assuming we win the C-USA tournament.
I am kind of okay with this drop in talent. I know next year will be better. We already have Barton and Jackson is already trimming the fat(by that I mean knocking Kentucky off his list of schools). Our dreams of championships can begin again.
But think about it. In conference games will be fun again. Not that I didn't enjoy watching Memphis beat SMU by more points than SMU had scored itself. I just wasn't kept at the edge of my seat. In the last two years, I have probably had a total of two minutes where I thought that Memphis would lost an in conference basketball game. All two of those minutes were during Memphis's first match against Tulsa last season, and that includes stopped game play.
Now we can go to or watch conference games and wonder if we are going to win. We can watch the tournament and feel our anxiety rise as Memphis makes it closer to the tournament. Competition will be brought back to our conference games, and I think that's a good thing. Atleast for now.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Thank the Lord, we found a power forward.
With Martin N'Galoro injured and out for the season, I have been extremely worried about the power forward position. Sure Niles is trimming down, but he seems to fit into the center position better( and I still question his ability to play for long periods of time). Garcia is a decent choice though he needs to toughen up and get a better post game. Either way, our power forward will need a back up, and it was starting to look like they wouldn't get one.
Then we learned of DJ stephens. He's only a two star recruit, but his high school nick name is the human highlight reel. He's only 6'5( hope that 43-inch vertical leap isn't just talk), but so was N'Galoro.
In any case, it's good to have some numbers. I want to play fast, and I want to press. We need numbers for that kind of game.
Then we learned of DJ stephens. He's only a two star recruit, but his high school nick name is the human highlight reel. He's only 6'5( hope that 43-inch vertical leap isn't just talk), but so was N'Galoro.
In any case, it's good to have some numbers. I want to play fast, and I want to press. We need numbers for that kind of game.
NCAA ruling
I'll start with the good news. Elliot Williams has been cleared to play. Sure, it was never in doubt, but, with N'Galoro out of the picture, we need all the assurance we can get about next seasons roster.
Then there is the bad news. Our 07-08 Final Four season has been vacated. I found this extremely dissappointing as that season meant a lot to me. Also, I was excited to see if we could get the NCAA's all time longest in-conference winnging streak.
On the good side, however, Calipari will not be considered to be major contributor for that record. He is the only coach to have two Final Four appearances vacated at two seperate schools. We feel you UMASS. Also, does anyone else find it wierd that he left both schools right before the programs were accused of violations.
In the end, it's not really that bad. We didn't lose any scholarships, we can still have television appearances, and we can still compete to play in the NCAA tournament. Let's just look forward to a new era under Pastner. I doubt any of his wins will ever be vacated.
Then there is the bad news. Our 07-08 Final Four season has been vacated. I found this extremely dissappointing as that season meant a lot to me. Also, I was excited to see if we could get the NCAA's all time longest in-conference winnging streak.
On the good side, however, Calipari will not be considered to be major contributor for that record. He is the only coach to have two Final Four appearances vacated at two seperate schools. We feel you UMASS. Also, does anyone else find it wierd that he left both schools right before the programs were accused of violations.
In the end, it's not really that bad. We didn't lose any scholarships, we can still have television appearances, and we can still compete to play in the NCAA tournament. Let's just look forward to a new era under Pastner. I doubt any of his wins will ever be vacated.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Elliot Williams
This could very well be our next star. He isn't that different from Tyreke Evans in a lot of ways. They played together in the McDonald's All American game. Evans was ranked 3 in that class and Williams was ranked 16. Williams is even a likely candidate for point, though his natural position is shooting guard. Sound familiar?
I don't doubt that he will end up playing point guard. He has the ball handling skills to do it, but I don't think its necessary. Most people want to see it happen because it worked so well with Evans. The situation is slightly different now. For one thing, I think Kemp will blossom under Pastner. He didn't fit in well with Calipari and was thrown to the side one too many times. I would like to see Kemp play point and do it well. Also, Evans natural position may have been shooting guard, but he was never as effective when we wasn't ball dominate. Williams can work with another player that handles the ball.
There are some similarities in the way Evans and Williams play, though. Both of them have superior ball handling abilities, both of them have deceptive speed, both of them are great at stealing the ball, and both of them finish at the rim with highlight reel quality dunks. While Evans might be better at most of these things than Williams, Williams does have one distinct advantage. He can consistently hit his threes. This makes him much more difficult to guard because he is well rounded. Also, by the time he first puts on his Tiger's uniform, he will have already had a years worth of college basketball experience. This will be invaluable to Williams. Just as he will be invaluable for the Tigers.
Check out some Elliot William's highlights on the video bar.
I don't doubt that he will end up playing point guard. He has the ball handling skills to do it, but I don't think its necessary. Most people want to see it happen because it worked so well with Evans. The situation is slightly different now. For one thing, I think Kemp will blossom under Pastner. He didn't fit in well with Calipari and was thrown to the side one too many times. I would like to see Kemp play point and do it well. Also, Evans natural position may have been shooting guard, but he was never as effective when we wasn't ball dominate. Williams can work with another player that handles the ball.
There are some similarities in the way Evans and Williams play, though. Both of them have superior ball handling abilities, both of them have deceptive speed, both of them are great at stealing the ball, and both of them finish at the rim with highlight reel quality dunks. While Evans might be better at most of these things than Williams, Williams does have one distinct advantage. He can consistently hit his threes. This makes him much more difficult to guard because he is well rounded. Also, by the time he first puts on his Tiger's uniform, he will have already had a years worth of college basketball experience. This will be invaluable to Williams. Just as he will be invaluable for the Tigers.
Check out some Elliot William's highlights on the video bar.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Weak Out of Conference Schedule
This schedule was retrieved from An Article by Dan Wolken of the Commercial Appeal.
Nov. 3 – LeMoyne-Owen (exhibition)
Nov. 9 – Christian Brothers (exhibition)
Nov. 13 – Jackson State
Nov. 17 – vs. Kansas (St. Louis, Mo.; Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 20 – Tennessee Tech (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 24 – Central Arkansas (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 30 – Oakland (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Dec. 5 – Arkansas State
Dec. 9 – Montana State
Dec. 12 – vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (North Little Rock, Ark.)
Dec. 19 – vs. UMass (Boston, Mass.)
Dec. 22 – Southeast Missouri State
Dec. 28 – IUPUI
Dec. 31 – Tennessee
Jan. 3 – Houston Baptist
Jan. 6 – at Syracuse
Feb. 6 – Gonzaga
11 lines have never spelled disappointment so concisely. Aside from 5 games; Tennessee, UMass, Syracus, Gonzaga, and Kansas, this schedule is all fluff. Me might not have had many more tough games last season. A few teams reappear as our major competition; Syracuse, Gonzaga, and Tennessee.The problem is that there are so many no-name teams.
The Tigers will have to win almost every game. With such a weak out of conference schedule, and such a weak conference, no one will believe that we are a talented team unless we win our five non-fluff games. I find it hard to believe that we wont lose at least two of those games, and other losses will be sprinkled through out the rest of the schedule.
I will be absolutely necessary to win the coneference tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. Getting a high seed will be next to impossible.
Don't get me wrong, I understand Coach Pastner's position. He had to focus on staff and players. They were an absolute necessity. He had only one recruit stay, returning players were iffy, and there was no coaching staff to speak of.
I also understand wanting to play it safe. He has just recently been able to look at his complete roster. Even now, two players are waiting to be cleared by the NCAA (Martin Ngaloro and Elliot Williams). Pastner was not sure what kind of talent he would be working with. This is not the ideal time to make a stacked schedule. Not to mention, after four years of 30 plus win seasons, Tiger's fans will not be happy with a lot of losses.
While this is the type of schedule we should expect to see from our first time head coach, most of us don't want to settle for meeting our expectations this season.
Nov. 3 – LeMoyne-Owen (exhibition)
Nov. 9 – Christian Brothers (exhibition)
Nov. 13 – Jackson State
Nov. 17 – vs. Kansas (St. Louis, Mo.; Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 20 – Tennessee Tech (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 24 – Central Arkansas (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 30 – Oakland (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Dec. 5 – Arkansas State
Dec. 9 – Montana State
Dec. 12 – vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (North Little Rock, Ark.)
Dec. 19 – vs. UMass (Boston, Mass.)
Dec. 22 – Southeast Missouri State
Dec. 28 – IUPUI
Dec. 31 – Tennessee
Jan. 3 – Houston Baptist
Jan. 6 – at Syracuse
Feb. 6 – Gonzaga
11 lines have never spelled disappointment so concisely. Aside from 5 games; Tennessee, UMass, Syracus, Gonzaga, and Kansas, this schedule is all fluff. Me might not have had many more tough games last season. A few teams reappear as our major competition; Syracuse, Gonzaga, and Tennessee.The problem is that there are so many no-name teams.
The Tigers will have to win almost every game. With such a weak out of conference schedule, and such a weak conference, no one will believe that we are a talented team unless we win our five non-fluff games. I find it hard to believe that we wont lose at least two of those games, and other losses will be sprinkled through out the rest of the schedule.
I will be absolutely necessary to win the coneference tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. Getting a high seed will be next to impossible.
Don't get me wrong, I understand Coach Pastner's position. He had to focus on staff and players. They were an absolute necessity. He had only one recruit stay, returning players were iffy, and there was no coaching staff to speak of.
I also understand wanting to play it safe. He has just recently been able to look at his complete roster. Even now, two players are waiting to be cleared by the NCAA (Martin Ngaloro and Elliot Williams). Pastner was not sure what kind of talent he would be working with. This is not the ideal time to make a stacked schedule. Not to mention, after four years of 30 plus win seasons, Tiger's fans will not be happy with a lot of losses.
While this is the type of schedule we should expect to see from our first time head coach, most of us don't want to settle for meeting our expectations this season.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Starting lineup
Now that the roster is pretty much settled, I thought I would take a moment and write about who I think will be starting, and who I think should be starting.
The players that Coach Pastner will most likely use to start are:
Elliot Williams- point guard
Doneal Mack- shooting guard
Wesley Witherspoon- small forward
Angel Garcia- power forward
Will Coleman- center
The players I would have start would be:
Willie Kemp- point guard
Elliot Williams- shooting guard
Doneal Mack or Wesley Witherspoon- small forward(I'm split because Witherspoon has an amazing amount of potential, but Mack has the experience)
Angel Garcia- power forward
Will Coleman- center
The players that Coach Pastner will most likely use to start are:
Elliot Williams- point guard
Doneal Mack- shooting guard
Wesley Witherspoon- small forward
Angel Garcia- power forward
Will Coleman- center
The players I would have start would be:
Willie Kemp- point guard
Elliot Williams- shooting guard
Doneal Mack or Wesley Witherspoon- small forward(I'm split because Witherspoon has an amazing amount of potential, but Mack has the experience)
Angel Garcia- power forward
Will Coleman- center
Monday, August 3, 2009
Will next seasons team be a top 25?
I don't think anyone is expecting next season to turn out as well as the last, but with 30 plus wins, and only four losses, a step back certainly doesn't mean falling into obscurity.
A lot of people don't see next season's Memphis Tigers as being the top dog of conference USA, like they have been since the conference was reorganized. I'm not one of those people. Sure we won't be undefeated in conference play (I'm just hoping we can extend the streak long enough to beat Kentuck's all time high in-conference winning streak), but there are not many C-USA teams that will be able to handle the Tigers.
Their perimeter game will most definately be their strength. The Tiger's frontcourt is loaded with guys like Elliot Williams, Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack, Wesley Witherspoon, and Roburt Sallie. In this area, the talent, and depth, is not lacking.
The biggest problem will be at the post. I do expect Will Coleman to be an immediate impact player. As the number 2 ranked JUCO player, he has proven himself to be a beastly, yet still amazingly atheletic, player. He will be solid, but he cannot do it alone. Pierre Henderson-Niles has shown flashes of what he can do. He is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. His contributions will be valuable, but most likely limited. He has never been in great shape, and it shows as he begins to huff and puff on the court (not something we can afford).
The person who will really need to step up to keep this team as a dominate program is Angel Garcia. He is our other freakishly athletic big man. The most interesting part about Garcia is that he plays more like a perimeter player than a post player. He already has his NBA range 3-pointer down. This makes me excited because it will change the way he plays his role as a power forward. Unfortunately, it also makes me nervous. We have plenty of 3-point shooters, and what we really need is someone to get down low. He needs to learn to play by the post. He has to pull down rebounds, block shots, and put his back to the basket.
If Garcia developes himself into a quality power forward, I believe this team will have no problems staying in the top 25, and having another impressive season. If he doesn't the team will still perform well, but the competition will have more opportunities to capitalize on their weaknesses.
A lot of people don't see next season's Memphis Tigers as being the top dog of conference USA, like they have been since the conference was reorganized. I'm not one of those people. Sure we won't be undefeated in conference play (I'm just hoping we can extend the streak long enough to beat Kentuck's all time high in-conference winning streak), but there are not many C-USA teams that will be able to handle the Tigers.
Their perimeter game will most definately be their strength. The Tiger's frontcourt is loaded with guys like Elliot Williams, Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack, Wesley Witherspoon, and Roburt Sallie. In this area, the talent, and depth, is not lacking.
The biggest problem will be at the post. I do expect Will Coleman to be an immediate impact player. As the number 2 ranked JUCO player, he has proven himself to be a beastly, yet still amazingly atheletic, player. He will be solid, but he cannot do it alone. Pierre Henderson-Niles has shown flashes of what he can do. He is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker. His contributions will be valuable, but most likely limited. He has never been in great shape, and it shows as he begins to huff and puff on the court (not something we can afford).
The person who will really need to step up to keep this team as a dominate program is Angel Garcia. He is our other freakishly athletic big man. The most interesting part about Garcia is that he plays more like a perimeter player than a post player. He already has his NBA range 3-pointer down. This makes me excited because it will change the way he plays his role as a power forward. Unfortunately, it also makes me nervous. We have plenty of 3-point shooters, and what we really need is someone to get down low. He needs to learn to play by the post. He has to pull down rebounds, block shots, and put his back to the basket.
If Garcia developes himself into a quality power forward, I believe this team will have no problems staying in the top 25, and having another impressive season. If he doesn't the team will still perform well, but the competition will have more opportunities to capitalize on their weaknesses.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Joe Jackson
For those of you who haven't heard about him, Joe Jackson is the point guard for White Station as well as Memphis Magic. His highest interest for college seems to be between Tennessee, Memphis, and Kentucky. His relationship with coach Pastner seems to be very good, but he has also shown a tremendous amount of admiration for coach Calipari.
Most Memphis fans have considered Jackson to be a lock for the Tigers 2010 team. I don't think that is necessarily true. It is probably the most likely scenario, but there is definately no guarantee.
Jackson has made it clear that he wants to take his time before choosing what college he will play for. That makes a lot of sense. Where he will go to school could drastically impact his future. Also, the publicity athletes recieve during recruiting battles can be very beneficial for players with aspirations of joining the NBA.
Should he play for Memphis? I think so. He would be a hometown hero who would develope pride for his city. His commitment, combined with Will Barton's, would ensure a talented backcourt for the Tigers. If he was able to convince Tarik Black to join him as well, then Black could pair with Will Coleman to make a powerful frontcourt.
Of course, these are just the thoughts of a fan. I'm sure at this point he is waiting to see two main things. The first, is how the NCAA allegations against the Memphis basketball program will play out. The second, is how well Josh Pastner will perform during his first season as a head coach.
Most Memphis fans have considered Jackson to be a lock for the Tigers 2010 team. I don't think that is necessarily true. It is probably the most likely scenario, but there is definately no guarantee.
Jackson has made it clear that he wants to take his time before choosing what college he will play for. That makes a lot of sense. Where he will go to school could drastically impact his future. Also, the publicity athletes recieve during recruiting battles can be very beneficial for players with aspirations of joining the NBA.
Should he play for Memphis? I think so. He would be a hometown hero who would develope pride for his city. His commitment, combined with Will Barton's, would ensure a talented backcourt for the Tigers. If he was able to convince Tarik Black to join him as well, then Black could pair with Will Coleman to make a powerful frontcourt.
Of course, these are just the thoughts of a fan. I'm sure at this point he is waiting to see two main things. The first, is how the NCAA allegations against the Memphis basketball program will play out. The second, is how well Josh Pastner will perform during his first season as a head coach.
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