Dave Reynolds/PJS article 2/21 & and other articles

[Da Coach]

Dave Reynolds has an article today (2/21) about the Braves.
Also an update on Jeremy Crouch's knee, and Sam Singh's plans for next year.

http://pjstar.com/stories/022108/BRA_BFRA8BNT.W02.php

[Da Coach]

Here is an article by the beat writer for Wichta State about the lack of quality big men in the MVC this season--

http://www.kansas.com/250/story/317677.html

In 2006, Valley big men included an NBA lottery pick (Bradley's Patrick O'Bryant) and borderline NBA types (Wichita State's Paul Miller, Creighton's Anthony Tolliver). Northern Iowa's Grant Stout led the conference in rebounds and Southern Illinois' Randal Falker dominated the conference tournament.
This season, Valley big men seem to be most useful setting screens so the guards can do their thing.
Falker remains a force..... Northern Iowa's Eric Coleman is equally talented...

Just to note that the best "big men" in the MVC, Falker and Coleman, are having poor seasons.. I think calling them "a force" is a bit of a stretch--

Last night, Randall Falker had just 6 points, and 6 rebounds, and 3 turnovers, despite the fact that the opponent's centers-- Eric Coleman sat out a lot with foul problems, and Jordan Eglseder missed the game with an injury.
Falker, the MVC Preseason Player of the Year, is averaging just 12.4 ppg, his shooting percentage is down from 60% to 54.5%, he's rebounding less and he's fouling much more than the last 2 seasons. This season, IMO, he has been only the 3rd best player on his own team.

Eric Coleman is having perhaps his worst year of his career. Last night he scored only 2 points and had 3 rebounds. His scoring average of 11.0 ppg is the lowest since his freshman season when he averaged 10.7 ppg, and his rebounding is off from last year, too.

[Da Coach]

Article about Lennox Forrester--

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/feb/21/eventual-d-i-coach-forrester-must-win-at-d-ii/

[ph]

I was just thinking, that if Larry Bird joined a MVC team today, he would usually be the tallest guy on the court. If I remember from footage, he was not the tallest guy on his team..


Of course this gives me optimism that we have a somewhat realistic potential for Egolf and Thompson to become the best MVC big man combo in a couple years.. (An now I'm bringing up myself for criticism that I mentioned Egold and Bird in the same post, but I am making NO COMPARISON, just two seperate points)

[BradleyBrave]

The UNI fans are ready for the Coleman era to end. On some other forums he's being referred to as a 'quitter'. Not the way for a senior to go out. I'm not sure what direction Ben Jacobson has that program heading, but I don't think it's the right one.

Does anyone know if JC's swollen knee is the same one he injured last year?

[Da Coach]

I was just thinking, that if Larry Bird joined a MVC team today, he would usually be the tallest guy on the court. If I remember from footage, he was not the tallest guy on his team..

Actually, Larry Bird was the tallest player that played for the 1978-79 Indiana State team.

Here is a link with their roster- scroll down to the bottom to see the roster--

http://www.sportsstats.com/jazzyj/past/79indianast.htm

Bird is 6'9", and they do have one other kid on the roster listed at 6'9" (Eric Curry) but he almost never played (see the stats in the above link).