Sam Maniscalco update

[Da Coach]

Sam's AAU team, the Illinois Wolves, has already made a reputation for themselves by dominating most of the AAU events they have been at. This week they are playing in a top national AAU event, the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. Today (Sat. 7/22) They defeated another of the top AAU teams in the country, the Worldwide Renegades. Below is a link to a report about the dya's events, including a report on the Illinois Wolves game. It is probably a premium article, so I will also include a clip with a mention of Sam.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=2&c=548832

A couple of UK targets saw some early action on Saturday in the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas.
J.J. Hickson, 6-foot-8 power forward from Georgia, saw just 15 minutes of play and was on the bench in crunch time as his Worldwide Renegades team fell by two to the Illinois Wolves. Evan Turner, a 6-foot-6 soon-to-be Ohio Buckeye, led the Wolves with 17 points. Sam Maniscalco, a 6-foot-0 point guard headed to Bradley, went 4-7 from three point range to keep the Renegades at bay toward the end.

It has already been posted elsewhere, but here is the PJS article from Friday that mentions Sam being selected for the All tournament team at the Best of the Midwest tournament last weekend.

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/072106...CF9D.071.shtml (see bottom of article)

[flipper]

do you think sam will be as good or better than ruff?

[hoops guru]

He is already a better shooter and defender as a junior than DR was, I think he can be better than DR at Bradley. But DR is pretty good, and a lot can change.

[MacabreMob]

He is already a better shooter and defender as a junior than DR was, I think he can be better than DR at Bradley. But DR is pretty good, and a lot can change.

To me, this is absolutely astonishing news. Everytime I read about SM, I lose my breath a little. Like I have said before, the announcement of SM's verbal to BU came out of nowhere (to me) - I didn't know he was on the radar.

I would hate to get into comparisons of SM vs DR. Would rather wait til both their careers are over.

Bradley has 2 yrs to look forward to DR - IMO, one of the best returning PG's in the MVC WITH 2 MORE YEARS!

SM will sub DR for one season (or maybe a redshirt??? which could give BU 8 years straight with a great PG). I don't think BU will miss a beat when it comes to this vital position.

SM - keep it up. Stay healthy. Work hard. Can't wait to see ya in Red and White.

[flipper]

i'd be surprised if sam red-shirted fom what i read of his game. maybe the second coming of jim les the player.

[user1]

Re: Sam Maniscalco update

Sam's AAU team, the Illinois Wolves, has already made a reputation for themselves by dominating most of the AAU events they have been at. This week they are playing in a top national AAU event, the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. Today (Sat. 7/22) They defeated another of the top AAU teams in the country, the Worldwide Renegades. Below is a link to a report about the dya's events, including a report on the Illinois Wolves game. It is probably a premium article, so I will also include a clip with a mention of Sam.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=2&c=548832

A couple of UK targets saw some early action on Saturday in the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas.
J.J. Hickson, 6-foot-8 power forward from Georgia, saw just 15 minutes of play and was on the bench in crunch time as his Worldwide Renegades team fell by two to the Illinois Wolves. Evan Turner, a 6-foot-6 soon-to-be Ohio Buckeye, led the Wolves with 17 points. Sam Maniscalco, a 6-foot-0 point guard headed to Bradley, went 4-7 from three point range to keep the Renegades at bay toward the end.

It has already been posted elsewhere, but here is the PJS article from Friday that mentions Sam being selected for the All tournament team at the Best of the Midwest tournament last weekend.

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/072106...CF9D.071.shtml (see bottom of article)

Sam and his Illinois Wolves continue to do well at the Reebok Las Vegas tourney but they certainly aren't getting the press that Eric Gordon, OJ Mayo, and Derrick Rose are.
In the game Da Coach mentioned above, Sam ended up with 14 pts on 4/7 three pointers (and 4 assists), and Carlton Fay had 13 with almost double digits rebounding.
Teammates Demetri McCamey (Illinois) and Evan Turner (Ohio State) do most of the damage and get most of the media coverage, but the reports on Sam and Carlton are very good.

Last night the Illinois Wolves won again 62-42 over the Colorado Chaos, then beat PHPS 70-68 to go to 4-1 overall and reach the semi's of Bracket #5.
They completed pool play 2-1. (Beat the Long Island Lightning and Renegades, lost to Speice)
and on Sunday they lost to the red hot Speice Indy Heat 60-47.
Saturday they beat the Worldwide Renegades 66-64
(Renegades have Trevor Mbakwe, another Illinois recruiting target)
McCamey has been averaging 11 assists per game, among the leaders at the tourney, and Fay has been among the leaders in rebounds.

They now play Total Package at 11:40AM today (in Las Vegas)
and a win puts them into the finals of Bracket play.
The eight bracket winners play for the overall tourney title, with all eight of the top seeded teams from pool play being seeded #1 in one of the eight brackets.
(the Chicago Jaguars with Koshwal are also still alive in Bracket play)

If the Wolves win their bracket they will likely face So Cal All Stars who are the top team in the opposite bracket.

Among the top scorers so far at the Las Vegas tourney:
#1-Eric Webster, 33.0ppg
#2-Eric Gordon, 31.7ppg
#19-Derrick Rose, 23.0ppg



A few other notes...
Justin Bocot (Ft. Sooy-No Limit) had one of the top individual games at 36 pts against the Houston Lynx.
Verdell Jones (Ft. Sooy) made 19 FT's in one game (19-21)
Tim Flowers is averaging nearly a double double, 11/9

[user1]

Sam's Illinois Wolves won again early yesterday to advance to the bracket semis, then lost their bracket final, in the late game.

Early game:
53-32 over Total Package.
Sam had 9pts (2/4 from 3-pt), 4 asst, 2 stl
Carlton Fay was 0/4 from the field, 5/6 from FT line, for 5 pts, 8 rebs, and had 3 asst.

Late game:
50-49 loss to Minnesota Magic Elite (POB's old team)
Sam 3 pts (1/2 on 3-pt) 5 assists and played 27 of 32 minutes.
Fay-9pts, 9 rebs in 31 min.
McCamey & Turner had off games (they combined for 17pt/8 rebs between the two of them).
So the Illinois Wolves are done at the Reebok Bigtime.

(Illinois State recruit Alex Rubin is on the MN Magic, he had 5 pts, no assists in 23 min)

Justin Bocot's Ft. Sooy team is in the semi's of the A Bracket (one notch below the Open Bracket)

[tornado]

I see Mac Koshwal's Chicago Jaguars and OJ Mayo's DI Greyhounds both got knocked off.

Tim Flowers had 19pts, 13 rebs in their Bracket Final win
(Gordon had 26/5, Rose 22/5)


and Jeff Teague is still on FIRE, 19pts in Spiece Indy Heat's Bracket win.

[Braves4Life]

JJ Hickson to NC State

Sam's AAU team, the Illinois Wolves, has already made a reputation for themselves by dominating most of the AAU events they have been at. This week they are playing in a top national AAU event, the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. Today (Sat. 7/22) They defeated another of the top AAU teams in the country, the Worldwide Renegades. Below is a link to a report about the dya's events, including a report on the Illinois Wolves game. It is probably a premium article, so I will also include a clip with a mention of Sam.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=2&c=548832

A couple of UK targets saw some early action on Saturday in the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas.
J.J. Hickson, 6-foot-8 power forward from Georgia, saw just 15 minutes of play and was on the bench in crunch time as his Worldwide Renegades team fell by two to the Illinois Wolves. Evan Turner, a 6-foot-6 soon-to-be Ohio Buckeye, led the Wolves with 17 points. Sam Maniscalco, a 6-foot-0 point guard headed to Bradley, went 4-7 from three point range to keep the Renegades at bay toward the end.

It has already been posted elsewhere, but here is the PJS article from Friday that mentions Sam being selected for the All tournament team at the Best of the Midwest tournament last weekend.

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/072106...CF9D.071.shtml (see bottom of article)

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs...317/1021/GTCOM

Finally, some good news this week for N.C. State basketball.

J.J. Hickson, one of the top big men in the recruiting class of 2007, announced his commitment to the Wolfpack at a Thursday news conference.

[DL]

Hickson was a recruiting target of Bruce Weber, but several top schools including
Bruce Pearl at Tennessee really went after him hard.