Marko Kolaric, Kevin Love, Illinois/Duke preview
1. After Monday's 74-63 loss to Marquette in the first round of the Maui Invitational, Division II Chaminade has an all-time record of 4-64 in the tournament it hosts. I think this particular version of the Silverswords has a chance to notch win number five, especially if they end up playing Princeton in the seventh-place game. Chaminade hung with a very talented Golden Eagles team for most of the game, and that was despite being without Rodrick Johnson for long stretches -- the team's apparent best scorer picked up three quick fouls in the first half and his fourth early in the second. Furthermore, point guard Bussey Ellis -- a transfer from Division I UC-Davis -- can't possibly play any worse than he did against a tenacious Marquette backcourt.
The Silverswords also have Marko Kolaric, a seven-foot senior from Serbia whose name you should remember: I think he's got a chance to show up in the NBA somewhere. His junior season per-game averages are rather unremarkable for someone playing a rather low level of competition -- 11.4 points and 9.8 rebounds. He needs some work defensively -- he blocked just 42 shots in 27 games last year, and I can't imagine he's up against too many players his height -- but offensively he reminds me of a poor man's Vlade Divac, minus the touch from the perimeter. He had 19 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks in 37 minutes on Monday night, and while Marquette's bigs aren't particularly noteworthy, those are excellent totals against any Big East program. He's a crafty around the rim, getting one basket on an up-and-under scoop shot that was very Vlade-esque. Like Divac, he's also a nifty passer who delivers the ball to the right spot deftly and calmly, even under pressure.
2. Speaking of big men who can pass, afford me the opportunity to talk about UCLA's Kevin Love. A lot is made of his outlet passing, and while his execution on such passes is tremendous, what I like most about him in this regard is his court awareness. Next time you watch him -- tonight's game against Michigan State is nationally televised -- watch Love when he grabs a rebound. He immediately snaps his body forward so that his shoulders are parallel to the halfcourt line, and his eyes are focused upcourt. So many players simply seek out the point guard as soon as they grab a board, but Love only looks for Russell Westbrook when he decides he doesn't have anyone open for a run-out.
He's also the rare young big man who understands how and where the ball should move, and how quickly -- something that was on display when Maryland applied full-court pressure.
3. Illinois looked better offensively against Arizona State Monday night in Maui than they did all of last year. Duke has been very impressive so far, but if the Illini play as well as they did against the Sun Devils, I think they could give the other Devils -- the Blue Devils -- quite a game tonight. Duke doesn't have anyone to counter the size and energy of Shaun Pruitt, Brian Randle, and freshmen Bill Cole and Mike Tisdale inside.
Both teams have nice depth this year, and both get after it defensively.
Illinois point guard Chester Frazier may be the most-important player on the floor in that one. Duke's half-court pressure defense has been effective against inferior opponents thus far this year, but Frazier's quickness and experience should be enough to counter that. The key will be Frazier being able to stay on the court. Illinois' own aggressive defensive style makes everyone on their team foul-prone, and Frazier picked up two first-half fouls against Arizona State.
The Illini were a different team without him on the floor. The absence of Jamar Smith means that Trent Meacham is playing starters minutes, and the backcourt reserves -- particularly junior Steve Holdren (a South Dakota State transfer) and freshman walkon Jeff Jordan (hereinafter referred to in this space as "Jeffrey, son of Michael") -- looked overwhelmed at times.
The Silverswords also have Marko Kolaric, a seven-foot senior from Serbia whose name you should remember: I think he's got a chance to show up in the NBA somewhere. His junior season per-game averages are rather unremarkable for someone playing a rather low level of competition -- 11.4 points and 9.8 rebounds. He needs some work defensively -- he blocked just 42 shots in 27 games last year, and I can't imagine he's up against too many players his height -- but offensively he reminds me of a poor man's Vlade Divac, minus the touch from the perimeter. He had 19 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks in 37 minutes on Monday night, and while Marquette's bigs aren't particularly noteworthy, those are excellent totals against any Big East program. He's a crafty around the rim, getting one basket on an up-and-under scoop shot that was very Vlade-esque. Like Divac, he's also a nifty passer who delivers the ball to the right spot deftly and calmly, even under pressure.
2. Speaking of big men who can pass, afford me the opportunity to talk about UCLA's Kevin Love. A lot is made of his outlet passing, and while his execution on such passes is tremendous, what I like most about him in this regard is his court awareness. Next time you watch him -- tonight's game against Michigan State is nationally televised -- watch Love when he grabs a rebound. He immediately snaps his body forward so that his shoulders are parallel to the halfcourt line, and his eyes are focused upcourt. So many players simply seek out the point guard as soon as they grab a board, but Love only looks for Russell Westbrook when he decides he doesn't have anyone open for a run-out.
He's also the rare young big man who understands how and where the ball should move, and how quickly -- something that was on display when Maryland applied full-court pressure.
3. Illinois looked better offensively against Arizona State Monday night in Maui than they did all of last year. Duke has been very impressive so far, but if the Illini play as well as they did against the Sun Devils, I think they could give the other Devils -- the Blue Devils -- quite a game tonight. Duke doesn't have anyone to counter the size and energy of Shaun Pruitt, Brian Randle, and freshmen Bill Cole and Mike Tisdale inside.
Both teams have nice depth this year, and both get after it defensively.
Illinois point guard Chester Frazier may be the most-important player on the floor in that one. Duke's half-court pressure defense has been effective against inferior opponents thus far this year, but Frazier's quickness and experience should be enough to counter that. The key will be Frazier being able to stay on the court. Illinois' own aggressive defensive style makes everyone on their team foul-prone, and Frazier picked up two first-half fouls against Arizona State.
The Illini were a different team without him on the floor. The absence of Jamar Smith means that Trent Meacham is playing starters minutes, and the backcourt reserves -- particularly junior Steve Holdren (a South Dakota State transfer) and freshman walkon Jeff Jordan (hereinafter referred to in this space as "Jeffrey, son of Michael") -- looked overwhelmed at times.
posted by H.S. Slam, Ph.D at 1:48 AM
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