Adonis Thomas, a five star small forward who plays for Melrose in Memphis, Tennessee, has given his verbal commitment to play basketball for the University of Memphis. While many expected the Tigers to be the team that would eventually land Adonis Thomas, the commitment was still a relief for most of Tiger Nation. Josh Pastner and his staff focused their attention on Adonis Thomas at the expense of other recruits.
Landing Adonis Thomas was a great pick up for the University of Memphis for a couple of reasons. The first is his incredible talent. Adonis Thomas has been rated as high as the number one prospect in the country by some and is rarely seen outside of the top ten. He is a wonderful offensive player, but he is truly special because of what he can offer on defense and rebounding.
It's also important because for the second year in a row, Pastner was able to land Memphis's top recruit, last year he signed point guard Joe Jackson of White Station. What's even better is that Adonis Thomas is also academically focused and talented.
This commitment signifies many things to Tiger fans. The first is that Pastner's recruiting last year was not a fluke. While everyone considered him to be a great recruiter before accepting the head coaching job for Memphis, they also knew it's much easier to recruit for established coaches like Lute Olsen and John Calipari. Landing Adonis Thomas also showed that it will be very hard for other programs to land elite level talent from Memphis. Finally, the commitment made it clear that Memphis can land recruits that are concerned with the level of education that they will receive while in school.
The future looks bright, and fans have a reason to celebrate.
Showing posts with label Josh Pastner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Josh Pastner. Show all posts
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Roburt Sallie Not Suiting Up As a Memphis Tiger Next Season
Roburt Sallie, a junior guard for the University of Memphis, has announced that he will not return to Memphis to finish out his final year of eligibility. "I am grateful for my two years in Memphis, and no matter where I go on from here, Memphis and Tiger basketball fans will hold a special place in my heart," said Sallie. He plans to either pursue a career in Europe or to finish his final year of NCAA eligibility at a school that is closer to his home in Sacramento, California. He would be eligible to play immediately assuming that he graduates in August as planned.
Sallie played with the Tigers for two seasons after transferring from Laurenberg Prep in North Carolina. He started in 21 of the 70 games he played for Memphis. During that time, he averaged 8.2 points and 1.2 steals. He also had a field goal percentage of 43.2%, but was slightly more effective from beyond the arc at 43.8%. Coach Pastner had this to say regarding Sallie's decision, "Tiger Nation should be appreciative of what Roburt did while wearing the Blue and Gray. Roburt gave his all in his two years here, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have coached him."
The game most Tiger fans will remember him for is the one against Cal St Northridge in the first round of the 2009 NCAA tournament. During this game, he hit ten three pointers, the second most three pointers ever made in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
There are likely several factors involved in his decision to leave, the most obvious being his age. If he returned, he would play next season as a 25 year old. Also, he is graduating in August. There is also the fact that his playing time would likely decrease thanks to the stellar recruiting class that Pastner has assembled. Possibly most influential, however, is the fact that his father is battling cancer. If he does return to college, he will certainly be closer to his father.
Sallie contributed a lot to the University of Memphis, and he will be missed.
Sallie played with the Tigers for two seasons after transferring from Laurenberg Prep in North Carolina. He started in 21 of the 70 games he played for Memphis. During that time, he averaged 8.2 points and 1.2 steals. He also had a field goal percentage of 43.2%, but was slightly more effective from beyond the arc at 43.8%. Coach Pastner had this to say regarding Sallie's decision, "Tiger Nation should be appreciative of what Roburt did while wearing the Blue and Gray. Roburt gave his all in his two years here, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have coached him."
The game most Tiger fans will remember him for is the one against Cal St Northridge in the first round of the 2009 NCAA tournament. During this game, he hit ten three pointers, the second most three pointers ever made in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
There are likely several factors involved in his decision to leave, the most obvious being his age. If he returned, he would play next season as a 25 year old. Also, he is graduating in August. There is also the fact that his playing time would likely decrease thanks to the stellar recruiting class that Pastner has assembled. Possibly most influential, however, is the fact that his father is battling cancer. If he does return to college, he will certainly be closer to his father.
Sallie contributed a lot to the University of Memphis, and he will be missed.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A Slow Start
Last nights exhibition had much the same problem as the one before it, a slow start. Contrary to most people, however, I believe the slow start was more an offensive problem. The defensive pressure definitely picked up. Kemp and Mack were doing solid as always, but guys like Witherspoon and Barham were playing defense with much more intensity. The problem was that CBU exploited their defense. Memphis likes to play fast. The play fast offense, so they practice defense against a fast offense. CBU was perfectly content to slow it down and get a lot of ball movement. I can't tell you how many times it looked like Memphis' defense looked like they would force a clock violation when, suddenly, a shot would be made with two seconds left, usually a three pointer.
Memphis played very poorly in the first half. This can probably be attributed to a poor performance by Elliot Williams. Although he still was the leading scorer, with 15 points, he was not the same team leader we saw against LeMoyne Owen. Its obvious the team will rely on him as they were down by as much as 14 at one point, and they were still trailing by one at half time.
Wesley Witherspoon was really the reason this team survived. It's not often that we see Witherspoon play with that passion for that amount of time. He finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He was confident, and he was good.
Will Coleman also looked good at the end of the game. He didn't play much early after being yanked for not diving after a loose ball. The loss of playing time must have affected him because he came back with a force. He ended the game with six points, making all of his attempts, excluding those from the charity stripe. He also ended with the second most rebounds, behind Witherspoon, with 5 which is pretty impressive considering his limited minutes. He also got two key blocks that helped the Tigers to get their confidence.
The only other players that stood in this game were Kemp and Sallie. Sallie did a great job in the paint once again with 11 points. He also made the only three point shot that went in for this team. Kemp was confident. I see him having a very good season this year. He wasn't afraid to drive. He didn't do it often, but when it was needed, he got to the glass. He didn't over dribble, and he didn't attack the rim with too much force like he has in the past. His stat line was nothing to write home about, but Pastner apparently agreed with me about his production as he spent more minutes on the floor than any other player.
Interesting to note, I'm not sure this team will be the three point shooting team it has been made out to be. Against LeMoyne Owen, they had a good three point shooting percentage but didn't seem comfortable relying on it. This time they shot a horrible 1 out of 12 from behind the arc. A big part of the problem is that they want to be a three point shooting team so bad that they force it. They settle for the low percentage shots when it isn't necessary. They must first establish a drive. Once they get the defense worried about them attacking the glass, they will find the open three's more readily.
Also, Memphis used a full court press during the entire second half. Will they be able to do this in future games? Roburt Sallie played point guard for small portion of the game. I Knew he played point as a JUCO, but with his shooting mentality, I never thought I would see it at Memphis.
Memphis played very poorly in the first half. This can probably be attributed to a poor performance by Elliot Williams. Although he still was the leading scorer, with 15 points, he was not the same team leader we saw against LeMoyne Owen. Its obvious the team will rely on him as they were down by as much as 14 at one point, and they were still trailing by one at half time.
Wesley Witherspoon was really the reason this team survived. It's not often that we see Witherspoon play with that passion for that amount of time. He finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He was confident, and he was good.
Will Coleman also looked good at the end of the game. He didn't play much early after being yanked for not diving after a loose ball. The loss of playing time must have affected him because he came back with a force. He ended the game with six points, making all of his attempts, excluding those from the charity stripe. He also ended with the second most rebounds, behind Witherspoon, with 5 which is pretty impressive considering his limited minutes. He also got two key blocks that helped the Tigers to get their confidence.
The only other players that stood in this game were Kemp and Sallie. Sallie did a great job in the paint once again with 11 points. He also made the only three point shot that went in for this team. Kemp was confident. I see him having a very good season this year. He wasn't afraid to drive. He didn't do it often, but when it was needed, he got to the glass. He didn't over dribble, and he didn't attack the rim with too much force like he has in the past. His stat line was nothing to write home about, but Pastner apparently agreed with me about his production as he spent more minutes on the floor than any other player.
Interesting to note, I'm not sure this team will be the three point shooting team it has been made out to be. Against LeMoyne Owen, they had a good three point shooting percentage but didn't seem comfortable relying on it. This time they shot a horrible 1 out of 12 from behind the arc. A big part of the problem is that they want to be a three point shooting team so bad that they force it. They settle for the low percentage shots when it isn't necessary. They must first establish a drive. Once they get the defense worried about them attacking the glass, they will find the open three's more readily.
Also, Memphis used a full court press during the entire second half. Will they be able to do this in future games? Roburt Sallie played point guard for small portion of the game. I Knew he played point as a JUCO, but with his shooting mentality, I never thought I would see it at Memphis.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Preston Laird
Preston Laird recently recieved a scholarship from the University of Memphis for one year. This might be explained by the wonderful shooting he displayed last season (he did hit every three pointer he took). But then again, it's not as impressive to have a good three point shooting percentage when all of your minutes come in the final two minutes of a blow out game.
I really can't say I understand this move. Laird is willing to play on the team for free, and we should be willing to let him. If any walk-on deserves a scholarship it is Drew Barham. He understands the game better and is a more consistent shooter in difficult game situations. Now we have two players on scholarship who will likely not see many minutes, the other being D.J. Stephens.
I trust the judgement of Pastner and the rest of the coaching staff, but I can't say I follow their logic.
In any case, congratulations Preston. You are a true tiger, and I have no desire to take away from your accomplishments
I really can't say I understand this move. Laird is willing to play on the team for free, and we should be willing to let him. If any walk-on deserves a scholarship it is Drew Barham. He understands the game better and is a more consistent shooter in difficult game situations. Now we have two players on scholarship who will likely not see many minutes, the other being D.J. Stephens.
I trust the judgement of Pastner and the rest of the coaching staff, but I can't say I follow their logic.
In any case, congratulations Preston. You are a true tiger, and I have no desire to take away from your accomplishments
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Something We Haven't Seen
Our thoughts can now be put to rest. Coach Pastner will not be implementing a carbon copy of the Dribble Drive Motion Offense that we are used to seeing, according to Doneal Mack. This shouldn't come as a suprise. That style of offense serves only two purposes. The first is for recruiting. All DDM consists of is attacking the rim, if the opportunity is there, put the ball in. If it isn't, kick it out to the open teammate. It is an easy to learn offense that resembles the style of play most players did in high school. The second, which in contingent on the first, is that it puts players in one on one situations. This is excellent when you have depth coupled with outstanding players.
This season, however, the Tigers do not have the depth that they are used to. They also do not have the incoming freshman talent. The time for a new offense is now. As one might guess, Pastner will be implementing a Lute Olsen style Motion Offense, with some occassional DDM on the side. The main difference is the Motion Offense uses a lot of pick setting, something Calipari vigorously avoided. Other than that, the offense are very similar. They both have good deal of one on one situations. They are both fast paced. They both spread the defense, and Coach Pastner has said since he was an assistant coach for Calipari that the Lute Olsen Motion Offense spreads the defense even farther than DDM.
Doneal Mack seemed to view the new offensive style in a positive manner. He said that it fit the individual skills of each player well, especially because many players on the Memphis team are good at shooting of the pick and roll. Also, expect Memphis to use their big men more effectively. Pastner is focusing heavily on their skill development, something he is known for and Cal was known not to do.
This season, however, the Tigers do not have the depth that they are used to. They also do not have the incoming freshman talent. The time for a new offense is now. As one might guess, Pastner will be implementing a Lute Olsen style Motion Offense, with some occassional DDM on the side. The main difference is the Motion Offense uses a lot of pick setting, something Calipari vigorously avoided. Other than that, the offense are very similar. They both have good deal of one on one situations. They are both fast paced. They both spread the defense, and Coach Pastner has said since he was an assistant coach for Calipari that the Lute Olsen Motion Offense spreads the defense even farther than DDM.
Doneal Mack seemed to view the new offensive style in a positive manner. He said that it fit the individual skills of each player well, especially because many players on the Memphis team are good at shooting of the pick and roll. Also, expect Memphis to use their big men more effectively. Pastner is focusing heavily on their skill development, something he is known for and Cal was known not to do.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tarik Black
Now that Joe Jackson has committed to Memphis, our back court will be good, regardless of whether or not Memphis lands anymore guards for the 2010 season. The focus now will be on the post.
Will Coleman will likely be around in 2010 to provide a talented center. The question mark will be the powerforward position. Tarik Black, of the Memphis Magic summer circuit program, would provide a perfect fit. The fact that he played on a team with Joe Jackson doesn't hurt either. Neither will the presence of #1 shooting guard Will Barton, or the extremely available playing time.
Tarik Black, your hometown awaits your decision.
Will Coleman will likely be around in 2010 to provide a talented center. The question mark will be the powerforward position. Tarik Black, of the Memphis Magic summer circuit program, would provide a perfect fit. The fact that he played on a team with Joe Jackson doesn't hurt either. Neither will the presence of #1 shooting guard Will Barton, or the extremely available playing time.
Tarik Black, your hometown awaits your decision.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
It Official! (the pieces are falling into place.)
Joe Jackson, the 5-11 top 25 point guard for White State and the Memphis Magic, made it official yesterday afternoon at 5:30 that he will be playing for the Memphis Tigers next year. He joins fellow point guard Antonio Barton, 3 stars, and his brother Will Barton, the #1 ranked shooting guard.
This commitment ensures a top recruiting class for Memphis, it currently ranks as the third best recruiting class under Ohio and Syracuse. Those talented three guards will have company with Wesley Witherspoon, Elliot Williams, and possibly Roburt Sallie, who might leave due to age (unless he has been talking to Taggart). The Tiger's backcourt will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2010-11 season.
Now the recruiting will shift towards big men. We need a solid center to back up Will Coleman, and a couple of good power forwards. Having two five star guard recruits, and an obviously think frontcourt, should help in successful recruiting.
This commitment ensures a top recruiting class for Memphis, it currently ranks as the third best recruiting class under Ohio and Syracuse. Those talented three guards will have company with Wesley Witherspoon, Elliot Williams, and possibly Roburt Sallie, who might leave due to age (unless he has been talking to Taggart). The Tiger's backcourt will be a force to be reckoned with in the 2010-11 season.
Now the recruiting will shift towards big men. We need a solid center to back up Will Coleman, and a couple of good power forwards. Having two five star guard recruits, and an obviously think frontcourt, should help in successful recruiting.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A look at the future
As the 2009-10 season draws ever nearer, Tiger fans are growing more and more excited... for the 2010-11 season. When our top recruiting class consisting of Xavier Henry, Demarcus Cousins, Nolan Dennis, and Donnell Dodson left I thought the bad news was over.
Later in the off-season our new prized recruit, Latavious Williams, decided that China might be a better destination for him than Memphis would. Certainly it can't get worse can it? Of course, it can!
Our most viable power forward option, Martin N'Galoro, got injured and was forced to stay at home in France and miss the entire 2009-10 season. That was okay, though. We still had Angel Garcia. While he would be an unorthodox power forward, he would certainly contribute a great deal to our thin post. Not anymore. Garcia has torn his ACL and will be forced to sit out this season, again.
On the bright side, it looks as though the season's disappointment will not become a trend. Joe Jackson is set to announce his commitment to the University of Memphis, as said by his coach, grandmother, and the fact that he is announcing in a U of M building. He is ranked as the #5 point guard and the #21 player overall. He joins point guard Antonio Barton and his brother Will Barton, who is ranked as the #1 shooting guard and the #6 player overall. This commitment will ensure Memphis will have a top ten recruiting class next season.
Later in the off-season our new prized recruit, Latavious Williams, decided that China might be a better destination for him than Memphis would. Certainly it can't get worse can it? Of course, it can!
Our most viable power forward option, Martin N'Galoro, got injured and was forced to stay at home in France and miss the entire 2009-10 season. That was okay, though. We still had Angel Garcia. While he would be an unorthodox power forward, he would certainly contribute a great deal to our thin post. Not anymore. Garcia has torn his ACL and will be forced to sit out this season, again.
On the bright side, it looks as though the season's disappointment will not become a trend. Joe Jackson is set to announce his commitment to the University of Memphis, as said by his coach, grandmother, and the fact that he is announcing in a U of M building. He is ranked as the #5 point guard and the #21 player overall. He joins point guard Antonio Barton and his brother Will Barton, who is ranked as the #1 shooting guard and the #6 player overall. This commitment will ensure Memphis will have a top ten recruiting class next season.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
When "big man" goes bad
Pierre Henderson-Niles, this is a player who was once a top 40 recruit for his class. He showed an enormous amount of potential. His skills, however, didn't translate to the college level. This was not because he wasn't good enough. He just got too big. As a result, his ability to jump, and his stamina, was drastically affected.
Close to the beginning of his freshman year in college, Niles sustained an injury to his ankle. During this time he was unable to exercise to stay in shape. Making things worse, he rediscovered his love for fast food.
His weight fluctuated over the next four years, topping out at around 335lbs. His playing time was limited. Calipari did what he does when a player doesn't live up to his expectations. He ignored him.
This summer, Coach Josh Pastner has made Niles follow a strict diet and exercise regiment that has significantly reduced his weight. He is currently checking in at about 275lbs. This is great news. Given the lack of depth, and lack of big men, we will probably need to rely on him more than we have had to in the past. This is especially true when you consider how reluctant Garcia is to mix it up in the paint. That brings us from three big men down to two.
I don't think this will make him a star, but it will certainly help out. He probably won't become a starter, but at least he will be able to make significant contributions off the bench.
Close to the beginning of his freshman year in college, Niles sustained an injury to his ankle. During this time he was unable to exercise to stay in shape. Making things worse, he rediscovered his love for fast food.
His weight fluctuated over the next four years, topping out at around 335lbs. His playing time was limited. Calipari did what he does when a player doesn't live up to his expectations. He ignored him.
This summer, Coach Josh Pastner has made Niles follow a strict diet and exercise regiment that has significantly reduced his weight. He is currently checking in at about 275lbs. This is great news. Given the lack of depth, and lack of big men, we will probably need to rely on him more than we have had to in the past. This is especially true when you consider how reluctant Garcia is to mix it up in the paint. That brings us from three big men down to two.
I don't think this will make him a star, but it will certainly help out. He probably won't become a starter, but at least he will be able to make significant contributions off the bench.
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.
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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