SB Nation - Roy Hibbert

Syracuse Basketball Leaves The State Of New York (Gasp!)

Sean Keeley — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:51:54 -0000

"Syracuse never leaves the country of the United States before January and that will hurt them in March."

Okay, Dick Vitale didn't actually say that...but you wouldn't be too shocked if he did...right? For one night, at least, the Orange will play a game outside of New York state and you would think that would quell the naysayers. But in fact, we all know it's just the perfect reason for them to keep harping on the travel thing even more.

(The good news? No Dick Vitale tonight! Brad Nessler & Jimmy Dykes instead)

The No. 7 Syracuse Orange (8-0) will take on the No. 10 Florida Gators (8-0) tonight in Tampa as part of the Big East/SEC Invitational. With Cal outside the Top 25 and North Carolina down, this game all of a sudden has immediate consequence for the Orange. Win, and you justify the hype, high ranking and Hoops Weiss' first-place vote. Lose and doubts begin to creep in about whether or not SU can beat a truly good team or win away from New York.

In a way, it's a showdown of two teams on a very similar path.

Neither of these teams were ranked prior to the start of the season, but each program has pushed its way into the Top 10 following similar 8-0 starts. The Orange's most noticeable wins have come over California and North Carolina, while the Gators have earned respect with triumphs over Florida State and Michigan State.

Also, much like the Orange, the Gators lost a lot of talent over the off-season but has retooled with the help of a transfer player:

Like Syracuse, the Gators lost their best player to the NBA draft, and both teams look much better this year with the help of a transfer. In Florida’s case, that transfer is former Hoya Vernon Macklin. Macklin is averaging 11.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game after sitting out last year due to NCAA eligibility rules. He’s been a big help so far in providing size down low, as Chandler Parsons, despite being a junior, is still somewhat lanky. Macklin got marginal playing time backing up Roy Hibbert, so there’s not much to glean from his 26 minutes played against Syracuse over three games.

The Orange will be counting on folks like Kris Joseph to step up and make an impact in the game:

With increased playing time this season, Joseph has had plenty of chances to connect to his friends at home - and is making the most of the opportunity...Joseph is averaging 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season.

"We think that both Scoop (Jardine) and Kris are good enough to be out there all the time," Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said about his top two reserves following Syracuse's 101-55 win over Maine Saturday. "And we think they are starters, and we expect them to play like starters."

Lots of intriguing storylines in this one. Florida is trying to reclaim it's place atop the college basketball heap. This could be the game that determines where highly-coveted recruit Brandon Knight goes to school. Billy Donovan could very well break out the short-shorts as a throwback. Brian Harrison will be ON HAND! It's almost too much.

Break out the scouting report and make sure you're ready. For the game and the back-handed compliments about SU traveling...

Iverson Watch 2K9: Go New York, Go New York, Go!

CasualHoya — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:24:30 -0000

via sportsillustrated.cnn.com

I've wanted to see Allen Iverson rock the Garden since 1995, so the news of his potentially imminent signing with the Knicks is intriguing to say the least. We all know AI's play has declined over the past few years, but can you see any negatives for him playing in MSG on that awful Knicks squad? Let's be honest, he'll automatically become the best guard on the team (tonight's starters were Chris Duhon and Toney friggin' Douglas) and there's no reason he can't average 18+ per game in D'Antoni's fun and gun offense.

Not sure why this deal is taking so long, especially given that the Knicks are 2-9 and going nowhere, and oh, Iverson has the same agent as Mr. LeBron James. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. Wouldn't you start watching the Knicks again with Iverson running the show? This HAS to happen.

In other news, nice game for Roy Hibbert tonight.

Again.

Casually.

Sleeping with the Enemy: Casual Q&A with 'The Owl's Nest'

CasualHoya — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:03 -0000

Continuing the esteemed tradition of Casual Q&A sessions with our enemies, Casual Hoya has joined forces with The Owl's Nest to provide you with some insight into tomorrow's opponent. Below you can find The Nest's responses to our hard-hitting questions about those pesky birds, as well as our replies to his inquiries about our Hoyas. Enjoy.

CH: Is former Owl great Mark Macon insane for trying to clean up the mess that former Gtown assistant Kevin Broadus left at Binghamton?

I don't think so. Mark Macon was a great player, and has been a great mentor as a coach. With these issues being resolved, Mark has the opportunity to makes things positive and form a new mold and image of this program (similar to what Temple football has had to do). I think Mark is in a great position to make a name for himself as a coach now, rather than the All-American player he used to be. It won't hurt to try.

Former Hoya player and coach, Craig Esherick and Temple’s current coach, Fran Dunphy are white coaches following legendary black coaches yet even Esherick’s impressive mustache (nearly identical to Dunphy’s) was unable to save his job – what have Dunphy’s biggest challenges been in rebuilding this program and will he be able to turn the corner?

The main challenge that Coach Dunphy has had to deal with is probably the level of talent he acquires in his recruiting classes. With all due respect to the Ivy League, Temple's athletic quality is plenty higher than what Fran Dunphy was getting with Penn. So far though, Coach has been able to implement the remaining players from Coach Chaney (ex. Dionte Christmas, Mark Tyndale, Ryan Brooks) with the newer guys he has brought in (Lavoy Allen, Juan Fernandez). It's somewhat obvious that Dunphy has done a tremendous job with what Coach Chaney left too, since 2 of Dunphy's 3 seasons so far have resulted in Atlantic 10 Championships and NCAA Tournament Appearances.

Did Coach Dunphy keep the 6 am practices? Has he challenged any opposing coaches to fistfights?

I'm not exactly sure about the 6 AM practices. I wouldn't think so though. That seemed to be a 'John Chaney' type of thing. As for fighting, Dunphy doesn't exactly come off as the mean and passionate type of heart Coach Chaney had. JC had no problem getting on the cases of the UMasses and Dukes who definitely had favored calls.

What are Temple’s strengths and weaknesses? How does Temple's perimeter game stack up? Who are the top shooters? Rebounders?

Strength: Experience. Even after losing 3 of last year's starters, the majority of the players on this team has a taste of success, and have in some way contributed to that. Lavoy Allen and Ryan Brooks, two of Temple's leading scorers, have stepped up the past two years to make up for lost pieces. Each year, there have been several players that have made impressive strides to only make the team better than the previous year.

Weakness: Go-to-guy. 2007 it was Mark Tyndale. 2008 it was Dionte Christmas (If you shut down Christmas, you most likely shut down Temple' offense). Now that both of these players have left, the two highest averages for scoring are just 10 points a game. It is a necessity that Temple consistently has guys that play huge roles in games, especially against a team like Georgetown. There will honestly be no "gimmies" or guarantees this year until players decide to take the helm.

The perimeter game has taken a hit with the graduation of Dionte Christmas. He lived by the 3 ball during his tenure at Temple. The top shooters on this team would be senior Ryan Brooks and sophomore Ramone Moore. The top guy, ironically, beyond the arc is 6'10" forward Craig Williams. When he's on, he's on. Juan Fernandez can shoot the ball from time to time, but he likes to make Steve Nash-like moves, and score the ball in the paint.

Down low, Lavoy Allen is Temple's main threat. With center Sergio Olmos graduating, he now holds most of the rebounding duties. Sophomore Micheal Eric has made strides to possibly be Temple's next center (he's 6'11", the tallest on the team).

What can Georgetown expect out of this year’s Temple squad?

Georgetown should expect a much faster pace game. Temple's overall starting five is much quicker going down the floor compared to last year, and doesn't necessarily slow up to set anyone up for a shot. At the same time, the Owls manage to protect the ball well in doing so (fast breaks). Temple's scoring has primarily comes from mid range jump shots and layups. Juan Fernandez will truly confuse you when handling the ball. He's elusive and makes tricky passes.

Defensively, the Owls have switched back and fourth through man to man, and that signature 2-3 zone. Ryan Brooks and Ramone Moore have quick hands, and can poke the ball out to generate a fast break. Brooks and senior guard Luis Guzman would most likely cover the opposing teams' playmaker. Down low, Micheal Eric and Lavoy Allen are extremely athletic on the defensive side of the ball. They have great windspans and length that allow them to get a number of blocked shots and quick rebounds.

After being waived by the 76ers in camp, Temple legend Dionte Christmas was recently arrested on firearms charges. Prior to Christmas, I believe the last Owl to even sniff the NBA was Mardy Collins, famously loved by Isiah Thomas and consequently hated by the entire city of New York. First question: What was it like to celebrate Christmas at Temple? Second: Do you see anyone on Temple's roster having professional talent? And speaking of talent, how are Temple's cheerleaders?

What you might not have realized is that the charges were dropped due to the fact that the firearm was not his. The car and gun belonged to current Sixer and former Florida Gator Mareese Speights, and Dionte was merely charged with driving without a license.

Dionte Christmas was a great basketball player and an even better human being. His play through his four years with Temple generated a ton of interest in Temple Basketball, as well as put the Owls back on the map as a constant NCAA tournament invite. He will be missed as a Temple basketball player, but also as a great human being in the community.

I would say Lavoy Allen has the best show of playing professional ball. He's still young as a junior, and has yet to reach his full potential. Only time will tell though-- there are plenty of players who have the change to emerge as key impact guys.

I think you guys will enjoy our cheerleaders.

Pats or Genos for cheesteaks?

Either one. I'm a fan of both. Also like Tony Lukes.

See our responses to The Owl's Nest questions after 'The Jump'

The Owl's Nest: It's been quite some time since the Owls have faced the Hoyas. The teams' last matchup was during the '04 season, where the Owls defeated Georgetown 75-57. What have been some of the main changes that John Thompson III has made to this team since his first year, where his team finished out with a record of (16-11)?

The biggest change has been Coach Thompson bringing in his own players. The team he inherited had some tremendous talent but over the past few years, Coach Thompson has done even more to keep local stars here (including McDonald’s AAs Chris Wright and Austin Freeman). Each year, Coach Thompson has had NBA caliber talent but after being dominated on the interior with Hibbert, then on the perimeter with DaJuan Summers (a legendary underachiever), there should be a better balance this year.

For the most part, it looks as thought there are no seniors on this 2009 team. How do you think the majority of the team being juniors and sophomores affects their performance? Do you think the leadership role is divvied up, or could you give us an idea of who fits that spot?

There was a major chemistry issue last year though it appears to have been resolved as the upperclassmen moved on. As noted above, Coach Thompson has kept the locals together and those guys have been playing against one another for years – establishing bonds both on and off the court. Gtown also does a great job keeping the kids in town over the summer and playing in the Kenner League. On top of that, the freshman most of us expect the most from – Hollis Thomson – has been on campus for almost a full year practicing with the team and should be able to blend in immediately.

The team has gone through some changes over the past year but I’d guess that the leader will be Junior Chris Wright – he’s the point guard and very assertive (not always in a good way) and seems to be establishing more trust with Coach, making him the proverbial coach on the floor. Junior Austin Freeman and Sophomore Greg Monroe also play pivotal roles on the team.

What style of play do the Hoyas have on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball? Who are the team's go-to-guy, and most reliable producers?

Coach Thompson runs elements of the Princeton offense so the games are generally lower scoring and the Hoyas run only when they’ve clearly got numbers. Defensively, they apply solid pressure but really only out to the three point line. They’ve consistently had size and shot blockers so they collapse in the paint well but rebounding has been an issue recently.

No doubt that the go-to-guy is Greg Monroe (note below) for both scoring and rebounding. Everyone expects that Chris Wright and Austin Freeman will take major strides this year too – the key to them is that they can put the ball on the ground in contrast to Monroe really needing someone to get it to him in the post (though he did freak Hasheem Thabeet off the dribble last year).

In 2007 it was Jeff Green. In 2008 it was Roy Hibbert. Who do you think is the next talent to enter the NBA on this Georgetown squad?

Simple: Greg Monroe. He would have been a Top 5 pick last year and he opened up in front of his New Orleans home crowd with a nice 18 point game. After that, it gets more difficult to predict with both Wright and Freeman being undersized. Hollis Thomson has the type of length and athleticism the league loves but he still appears to be a few years away from that goal.

I know it's extremely early, but do you have any predictions for the way this season could potentially turn out for your team? How do you think Tuesday night will fare?

Season’s a tough one but the #20 (AP) ranking looks pretty solid right now. Figure the Hoyas for just over 20 wins on the season with a Top 5 Big East finish.

Tuesday will be an unusual made-for-TV game and there probably won’t be a ton of fan support. We’ll wait for the Vegas lines but with this both Gtown and Temple opening with convincing road wins, this will probably be a close game with the Hoyas coming out on top. The Monroe-Lavoy Allen should be a nice matchup of 2 athletic big guys.

The dictionary definition of a "hoya"<http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hoya> describes some sort of shrub/plant of the milkweed family. However, Georgetown's mascot is a bulldog. Where does the relation between this plant and the bulldog derive?

Hoya refers to neither the plant nor the bullbog. The cheer stems from the chant Hoya Saxa - which means "What Rocks" in a combination of Greek and Latin. Georgetown was once called the Stonewalls and an ingenious student came up with the chant. This of course can not be fully confirmed since it happened over 100 years ago. But in this day and age, Hoya has come to represent those who are able to Google "What is a Hoya." Those incapable of doing so (80% of West Virginia) are not Hoyas.

Casually.

Roy Hibbert Labeled A Beast

Hire Esherick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:45:06 -0000

via www.nba.com

Dime recently sat down with former Hoya Roy Hibbert to discuss his transition from "Rookie to Beast." Good stuff in the article including a nice quote from Roy about the big man tradition at Georgetown.

Dime: You come from a Georgetown program that has a great big man tradition. Who have you tried to pattern your game after?

RH: When I was at Georgetown, I wanted to be my own player. But I also wanted to have a little mix of Alonzo, Dikembe and Patrick. So I try to be a defensive presence like Dikembe, be physical like Alonzo and have post moves like Patrick. So I want to be a little bit of all of them.

Nice to see that the Georgetown offense did not turn Hibbert into a robot (yes I am still bitter about Jeremiah).

Good talk.

Big Man Alert: T. Jordan Omogbehin on the Hoya Radar

Hire Esherick — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:18:38 -0000

via www.montrosebasketball.com

Not much has been written about T. Jordan Omogbehin, a big man out of National Christian Academy with an uncanny resemblance to Jessie Sapp. But 7'2'', 300 pounds is enough for me. Hoyaballa caught up with Jordan recently, excerpt below and full interview can be found here.

At a self reported, 7'2 300lbs, National Christian Academy junior, Jordan Omogbehin is a presence on the basketball floor simply due to size. That size coupled with an eagerness to improve and hone his skills, makes the Nigerian born big man an intriguing prospect. Omogbehin has been in the United States now for two years, and has been playing basketball since 2004. Omogbehin first arrived on the scene at Montrose Christian on a talented team. While his playing time was limited, coaches and observers quickly had noticed the potential. This year he has moved on to National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland. His reason to make the move basketball wise was simple, "To play more. I really did not get the chance for much playing time. And now this year I'll be on the floor a lot more."

Jordan averagde 2 points per game last year as a sophomore at Montrose Christian in limited playing time. He was also playing behind Mouphtaou Yarou, a standpoint senior heading to Villanova this season.

Hoyaballa also states that Jordan is receiving interest from DePaul, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Tennessee and has not received an offer from Georgetown.

Between Jordan Omogbehin (Class of 2011), Maurice Walker (Class of 2010) and Rakeem Christmas (Class of 2011), JT3 is looking to fill the paint with classic Georgetown big men. Here's hoping for more Roy Hibbert and less Wesley Wilson type players.

Good talk.

Roy Hibbert Shines in Taiwan

CasualHoya — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:10:38 -0000

More photos » by Wally Santana - AP

2 months ago: Denver Nuggets' Johan Petro (27) and Indiana Pacers' Roy Hibbert reach for the ball during an exhibition game in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

Browse more photos »

We're not going to post updates on every game of current Hoyas now playing in the NBA (actually, maybe we will), but Roy Hibbert's performance in last night's preseason game is worth noting:

Roy Hibbert scored 20 points, grabbed 11 boards and blocked eight shots as the Pacers beat the Nuggets in Taiwan on Thursday.

20, 11, and 8? Not bad.

Coming off an impressive performance in the Orlando Summer League in which he was named one of the best players, Roy may be ready to make an impact in Indiana in this his 2nd season.

Probably worth noting that the Taipei Arena was packed to capacity, with more than 12,000 screaming and shouting fans.

Casually.

Meet Maurice Walker - The Player Every Georgetown Fan Has Been Waiting For

Hire Esherick — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:16:25 -0000

via www.torontoobserver.ca

How many times over the past seven years have you wondered what a Georgetown team would be like if they just had a bruiser? Ever since the departure of Mike Sweetney, Georgetown has been missing some toughness and roughness in the paint. Sure Roy Hibbert held his own, but he was no DeJuan Blair or Jeff Adrien. All our Big East rivals are landing the players that put Georgetown in the national spotlight 25 years ago. But times are a changing, I hope...

Meet Maurice Walker, a 6'10'' center out of the Class of 2010. Maurice hails from the great country of Canada and ESPN states that he is very strong and not afraid of contact. When was the last time you heard that about a Georgetown recruit? Hoyaballa reported last month that Maurice was set to visit Georgetown in September, but that has not been confirmed. Regardless, Northstar Basketball is projecting that Maurice will commit to Georgetown, below is an excerpt from their report:

Maurice Walker, C, 6'10, Brewster Academy (NH)
Favorite: Georgetown
2nd in Line: Pitt
3rd in Line: Texas A&M
Watch Out for: Virginia Tech, Kansas
After playing his high school ball in Canada, the big man came to Brewster Academy for a PG year, and thus far it seems he has made a sound decision, as numerous high-major programs are on his trail. Walker has previously stated that Georgetown, Pitt, and Texas A&M are his top three, and Virginia Tech has been involved for a while. Kansas is another school that has taken notice of the low post player. It may be tough for Texas A&M to maintain the high standing with Walker, as the Aggies already have commitments from two class of 2010 big men in Tobi Oyedeji and Daniel Alexander. Mark Turgeon and Co. are definitely in play though. Georgetown may well be the favorite here. A program that has a history of producing NBA big men and one that has been quite successful under John Thompson III, the Hoyas seem to be in search of another big man to go along with Nate Lubick. Pitt is another program that is hoping to add a post player to its class of 2010, and the Big East is intriguing to a lot of top-notch prospects, such as Walker. Virginia Tech is another option here, and Kansas should never be discounted for any prospect.

He might not be at the top of the radar for the big recruiting powerhouses but that is fine by me, JT3 seems to get the most out of players who do not come in with national accolades.

Take the Northstar report was a grain of salt, however. Their report did not even mention Georgetown as a school in the running for Roscoe Smith, who recently narrowed his list of schools to Georgetown, Duke and UConn.

Good talk.

Hump Day: What We Have Seen So Far in Kenner, Tulane Game Update

CasualHoya — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:13:58 -0000

Nearly one week into Kenner League action, and here is what we know:

via cache.daylife.com

Greg Monroe - appears physically to be the same player as last season, for better or worse. Our spies tell us he has yet to show an improved ability to finish with his right hand, though hopefully he'll unleash it in the upcoming weeks.

Hank Sims - Feel free to call him Henry if you'd like, but I like the sound of Hank. Sims has been somewhat of an enigma this week, alternating games of modest production with 30 and 10 outings. The reality is that Hank was better as a freshman than Roy Hibbert was, and if he can make a significant leap this season to complement Monroe underneath the basket, the Hoyas should be in good shape.

Chris Wright - after his first full season at the point, CW looks ready to be the team's leader. He has clearly spent some time in the weight room in the offseason, and has been attacking the rim in Kenner.

Austin Freeman - looks to have shed about 10 lbs., and I like that he's playing on The Tombs with a bunch of freshman, since it has allowed him to take a bunch of shots and be aggressive. I still think Austin has one of the sweetest strokes in the Conference, and he's only going to be more effective on the court if he is confident enough to let it fly.

Hollis Thompson - It's Christmas Time in Hollis, Queens! Big expectations for Hollis this season, who needs to be a lean, mean, Princeton offense guru machine. Like Patrick Ewing Jr, Hollis had nearly a full season to grasp the offense in practice. Has displayed good athleticism and a nice stroke from outside in Kenner play thus far.

Jason Clark - By all accounts the most improved player on the Hoyas. Mr. Wingspan has improved his handle in the offseason, and has been hitting shots from outside and underneath thus far, including some ferocious dunks. Would the Hoyas be more dangerous with Clark starting at the 2 and Freeman coming off the bench? I guess that's a question for JT3.

Julian Vaughn - Can Julian be Jerome Williams? That's really all we'll asking for. Julian has been fairly impressive so far, grabbing boards and also exhibiting decent touch from outside.

Jerelle Benimon, Vee Sanford - these two freshmen haven't showed much (Austin's been doing much of the shooting on The Tombs), but since JT3 will likely only ask them to play about 5 mins a game this season, that's just fine. As long as these guys don't dribble the ball off their knees out of bounds, I probably won't have much reason to throw them under the bus.

Nikita Mescheriakov - NOT PLAYING. Smart.

.....................................................

With Tulane accepting an invitation to play in the 2009 Charleston Classic November 19th-22nd, it appears increasingly likely that the Hoyas will be making the trip to the Big Easy to play the Green Wave the weekend of Friday, November 13th.

Why Things Went Horribly Wrong Last Season, Part 2: PRODUCTIVITY

Hire Esherick — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:48:49 -0000

Last month, GrittyCrusader presented a great analysis of why last season was such a disappointment. Following in his footsteps, below is another reason why things went horribly wrong.

There are two keys to running the Princeton offense. (1) Protecting the ball and (2) taking high percentage shots. Both are essential to winning since the offense is based on clock management and low scoring games. The two best layman metrics (i.e. not involving the wizardry the fellows over at Hoya Prospectus perform) to judge how well the team is running the offense are (1) Assist to Turnover ratio and (2) Assist to Field Goal ratio. The former measures the number of turnovers for every one assist and the latter measures the percentage of field goals created by assists.

Following the jump are the Assist to Turnover and Assist to Field Goal ratios of Georgetown over the past five seasons.

But first, some definitions:

Starters - The five players that started the majority of the games in any given season. So no, Nikita is not, will not, and shall not ever be considered a starter.

Positions - As listed in each year's respective media guide.

Team - For the first time ever under JT3, the Georgetown squad had more turnovers than assists.

The 2009 squad had numbers that resembled the 2005 team, which happened to be the only other time under Thompson the Third that Georgetown failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Both teams were similar in their makeups, very young and fresh to the Princeton offense. Alternatively, 2005 was the only time JT3 did not have any of his own recruits (minus walk-on Wallace). For the first time, everyone on the 2009 team was recruited by JT3.

Starting Five - The 2009 starting five had the least amount of assists and lowest A/T ratio out of any other starting five.

One possible explanation to this drop productivity could be because the starting five of the 2009 team played more minutes per game, or a greater percentage of the team's minutes, therefore spent more time on the court during junk time. This is actually not the case, the starting five of the 2009 team played less than the average over the past five seasons. The drop could be explained by new guards running the system, even though Sapp was a senior but...

Starting Guards - The A/T ratio of the 2009 starting guards actually improved from 2008.

But the A / FG ratio was the lowest it has ever been. The 2009 guards played a substantially larger scoring role in the offense, which led to more field goals and fewer assists. The 2008 and 2009 Georgetown teams averaged the more points per game than any other team, and both have the lowest A / FG ratios for the starting guards.

Starting Centers - Statistically, Greg Monroe was much better than Roy Hibbert.

But he was also forced to play a bigger role because of...

Starting Forwards - Summers, love him or hate him, was a drag on the offense.

The only player EVER under JT3 to average twice as many turnovers than assists in a season (and average more than 6 minutes a game).

Da Bench - The bench was horrible.

The bench was also incredibly inexperienced. The only players on the bench that had ever played in this offense were Omar Wattad and Bryon Jansen. And both combined to average less than 5 minutes of playing time a game coming into the season.

It is easy to look at the graphs and point to certain factors (or persons or Summers) that led to the demise of what looked to be a promising season. But in the end, you cannot overlook the fact that Georgetown fielded a very young and inexperienced team in a brutal and grueling league that arguably could have been one of the deepest, strongest, most experienced and most talented conferences ever. That being said, the future looks bright...

Bring on Kenner.

Good talk.

Roy Hibbert Wins Orlando Summer League MVP

CasualHoya — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:08:17 -0000

Sort of.

via msnbcmedia3.msn.com

Per NBA.com:
The former Georgetown standout, who guided the Indiana Pacers to a perfect 5-0 record, shot a blistering 63 percent from the field and, alongside fellow big man Tyler Hansbrough, was relentless in the paint as he was named the unofficial 2009 Summer League Scoop MVP.

Hibbert managed to get to the free throw line 32 times, burying 24 of them. He also played unremitting defense, denying many shot attempts.

Despite his outstanding effort, nevertheless, Hibbert realizes this is just one step closer to where he ultimately wants to be.

"I give myself a B-," he said. "I still have some things to work on."

Relentless. Unremitting. Outstanding.

Sounds like a deoderant ad.

In unrelated news, how was this monstrosity NOT a charge again?

Casually.