Illini point guard expresses thoughts on leaving

[tornado]

Michael Orris who is headed to Illinois this fall - leads one to believe he might yet change his commitment......
In a premium article he says this...
He's "relieved" that a coach has been named - but does not say "happy", "satisfied", or anything positive yet...

" I was just anxious and waiting around to see what the next step would be."
Now that he has a coach, Orris will aim to find out what Groce is all about.
Orris admits that he doesn't know much about the new Illini coach overall, however.

.. "As of right now I'm going to the University of Illinois.."

and he says he has NOT decided to open it up again - but he left that possibility hanging there ...

[45otseoj]

He's a Valley-level player with a BIG ride. He'd better stay put.

[tornado]

right now, with what they have, he might be starting at PG for Illinois

[wily coyote]

He's a Valley-level player with a BIG ride. He'd better stay put.

I agree. He needs to stay put. He didn't make the 1st OR 2nd all state team.Did make Honorable mention though. Something Bell did not do. Hope it was because of his injury but from what I've heard......

[lake Camelot]

I think for both Illinois and himself he would be better playing elsewhere. He is not a big ten player. And no, I don't want him here either. Although I think he could play in the Valley.

[Old Coach]

right now, with what they have, he might be starting at PG for Illinois

That would surprise me, but anything is possible.

[tornado]

did it surprise you that when healthy Sam was starting PG for Illinois?

[lake Camelot]

did it surprise you that when healthy Sam was starting PG for Illinois?

Yes, it surprised me. I thought he would be 8th or 9th man.

He played much better than I thought he would early. And much worse than I thought he would late.

I know he was slowed by injuries late in the year. But I would not have played him at all late in the year the way he was playing.

[bradleybraves1]

did it surprise you that when healthy Sam was starting PG for Illinois?

I will add that I was also not surprised that Sam started for Illinois. Sam was a good (not great) mid-major player. Second team All-MVC I believe? To me, the fact that Sam was starting for a Big 10 team like Illinois was more an indictment on Weber... his poor team planning and recruiting of PG's. There is no way that a guy like Sam should have been starting for an elite B-10 team... and that fact proved itself out and led to Weber's firing.

[Da Coach]

I can't agree. When Sam's ankle was better, in Illinois' first 13 games (pre-conference) Sam averaged 10 points per game, and 3 assists per game, and he had a number of outstanding games including scoring 24 and almost singlehandedly winning the game at Maryland in the B10-ACC Challenge. Illinois won their first 10 games, and were a ranked team. Their only 2 pre-conference losses were to UNLV and Missouri, both highly ranked teams. Then Sam's ankle began bothering him, and then he suffered the knee injury that was an even bigger problem for him.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/73131

Even with scoring only 23 points over Illinois' last 18 games, Sam still ended the season as the 5th highest scorer on the team. He also had the best in FT percentage, was 2nd in assists, and by far the top assist/turnover on the team.
If he had been able to stay healthier, I think he would have been one of the stars on the team, and the team would have been much more successful.

[lefty]

I will add that I was also not surprised that Sam started for Illinois. Sam was a good (not great) mid-major player. Second team All-MVC I believe? To me, the fact that Sam was starting for a Big 10 team like Illinois was more an indictment on Weber... his poor team planning and recruiting of PG's. There is no way that a guy like Sam should have been starting for an elite B-10 team... and that fact proved itself out and led to Weber's firing.

I agree that Weber messed up by not having a PG left behind after McCamey. I thought way back that it was a huge risk to take Sam particularly not knowing how his ankles were. I guess BW didn't feel he had much of a choice....heck maybe if he started Abrams Illinois would have started poorly and ended up decent...nobody knows for sure.

[Old Coach]

did it surprise you that when healthy Sam was starting PG for Illinois?

Not at all. I didn't expect a true freshman to start ahead of a 5th yeat senior, but it would surprise me to see Orris start ahead of Abrams next season.

[tornado]

Michael Orris - who committed then de-committed to Creighton...
then said he is going to Illinois...has now DE-COMMITTED from Illinois and will re-open his recruitment...

I say BU needs to go after the kid - he is a true point guard that can play....

Illinois Coach John Groce has a few open scholarships - and hosted a visit today from Dylan Chapman - a 6-5 wing player who might take that walk-on spot at Illinois


ESPN's Steve Bardo did not like the result of the Illini coaching search but this ESPN guy sure drools over John Groce...

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story/_/id/7743011/university-illinois-got-lucky-john-groce-hiring

[lake Camelot]

My vote is no thanks.

[tornado]

here's another thought - a comment in a premium report on the Indiana site says this...

"(Matt Roth) can come back if he wants to, he just won't have a scholarship. He was told that before the season."
"He's looking at options in Europe first. I suspect that's where he'll be next season."