Unique fan-based basketball film by filmmaker Jason Rem available On Demand

HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 13, 2013) – The highly-anticipated Duke-University of North Carolina basketball rivalry documentary has been released and is available On Demand. The 94-minute “Duke-Carolina: The Blue Blood Rivalry” is a unique look at “the greatest rivalry in sports,” by filmmaker Jason Rem and REM Entertainment in partnership with Greatest Fan Films. Rem uses a unique story-telling device to bring this incredible rivalry and its compelling stories to the public.

Guaranteed to collide on the hardwoods at least twice a year, the Duke-UNC history is unmatched. This historic ‘Blue Blood Rivalry’ has featured Mike Krzyzewski, the coach with the most wins in NCAA Division I basketball history, and Dean Smith, the fourth-winningest coach, as well as players Michael Jordan and Grant Hill, 33 Final Four appearances and nine NCAA Championship teams between them. Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, a UNC alum, said: “There are only two games that matter, the North Carolina game at Duke and the Duke game at North Carolina.”

Unlike other Duke-Carolina documentaries, this film focuses on the communities and people who are deeply faithful and divided by their allegiance to one school or the other. Rem, an award-winning filmmaker who produced, directed and wrote the film, created a unique fan-based perspective, ticking-clock style and game-day theme to make viewers feel as if they are in Durham or Chapel Hill the day of the big game. “It was a challenge to tell such a rich and complicated story in a fun and compelling way, but along with a team of amazing individuals in Chapel Hill, Durham and Los Angeles, we were able to bring this fantastic story to life.”

The film captures the essence of the game-day experience from the perspective of basketball fans, players and coaches from each university. Viewers will enjoy never before seen interviews with hall of fame coaches Krzyzewski and Roy Williams, as well as current and former Duke and Carolina greats Phil Ford, Jay Bilas, Eric Montross, Chris Duhon, Antawn Jamison, Seth Curry, P.J. Hairston and many more. The film features interviews with notable basketball announcers such as Dick Vitale, Dan Schulman, Tim Brando and Erin Andrews as well as famous alumni like comedian Lewis Black (UNC) and recording artist Mike Posner (Duke). In all, Rem said they conducted more than 100 interviews to tell their story.

“Hassan Pinto and Greatest Fan Films added great value to the project, taking care do the funding and many of the critical production needs,” Rem said. “We were also lucky to have Sports Emmy winning editor Erik McMichael and executive producer Meleata Pinto on board. Hassan asked me to do a shoot for Art Chansky’s Duke-Carolina, The Blue Blood Rivalry eBook Series and I was inspired to create the film after that. With Greatest Fan’s connections to community, universities and athletic departments, along with Gil Fitts’ Pivot Point Media and Chansky’s deep knowledge of the games and contacts in the local area, we were off and running.”
Rem, a San Diego State graduate, has no allegiance to either school but he understood the importance of balance. “We made sure both universities were served properly,” he said. “And we treated both schools in the highest regard.” Most of the interviews in the documentary were shot around the two UNC-Duke game days in 2012. But even though the structure of the documentary is built around those games, Rem said there’s a timelessness to the story because participants shared memories from their favorite Duke-UNC games going back to the 1960s. “We wanted to make the audience feel like they were there on game day for any rivalry game that has happened,” Distributed by Image Entertainment, Duke-Carolina is available on cable On Demand on Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, Metrocast, RCN, Clearleap and other providers and on iTunes.

ABOUT REM ENTERTAINMENT
REM Entertainment, is managed by veteran producer and director, Jason Rem. Rem is an independent documentary filmmaker who has also produced programming for ESPN, Fox Sports, Versus, Sony, Nike and more. All of Rem’s series for ESPN and Fox Sports have been nominated for Sports Emmys and he is an award-winning independent documentary producer, director and writer. Rem has produced programming at the biggest sporting events in the world including the Olympics, Masters, World Series, Kentucky Derby and five Super Bowls. His most recent films have ranged from a touching look at the difficulties of Rett Syndrome to the famous Duke and North Carolina Universities’ basketball rivalry.

PRESS CONTACT: Noah Gold, Brian Robin, Staci Brener, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 818-462-5604, 5610, 5606

Gonzaga-(31-2, 16-0 WCC) – As usual, Head Coach Mark Few has the Zags playing great basketball as they head into March Madness. But this time, Coach Few has guided the sharp shooting team into a coveted #1 seed. Led by junior forward Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops BC), who averages 17.5 PPG and over 7 RPG, Coach Few and the Zags seemed poised to reach their first ever Final Four.

Southern U-(23-9, 15-3 SWAC) – Southern is going to the NCAA for the eighth time overall, and first since 2006. Less than two years ago, Roman Banks took over a program that finished last in the SWAC, was in the process of reducing scholarships, and had a one year ban from post season play for faulty academic progress. Today, he has his program entering the NCAA Tournament in what has to be considered a miraculous turnaround

Pittsburgh-(24-8, 12-6 Big East)- The Panther offense has been very efficient for most of the 2012-13 season. They are among the top 30 in field goal percentage and rank 7th in the country with over 16 assist per game. The one Achilles heel that Pitt may suffer from in the dance is the lack of a “Go to” guy. The lack of a big scorer may limit their travel along the road to the final four. Only two Panthers average double figure scoring, and neither player has an average above 12 PPG.

Wichita St – (26-8, 12-6 MVC) – Coach Gregg Marshall is making his ninth NCAA trip, seven coming with his former program at Winthrop. The Shockers last NCAA win came back in 2006, when it defeated Seton Hall and Tennessee. This will make Wichita State’s 10th overall appearance in the dance, and first back to back appearance since 1987. Coach Marshall’s team graduated five starters from last season, making this trip even more of a special trip for the program.

Wisconsin-(23-11, 12-6 Big Ten) – The Badgers showed everyone late in the season that they could play with anyone in the country. In the last 10 regular season games for Coach Ryan and the Badgers, Wisconsin defeated 4 teams that were nationally ranked #13 or better. The battle tested Badgers will be a tough out as they go searching for the programs third final four appearance and second National Title.

Ole Miss- (26-8, 12-6 SEC)- Ole Miss earned its way into the Dance by winning the SEC Conference Tournament. They found themselves battling a very talented Florida Gator team for the automatic bid and pulled out a 66-63 hard fought victory. This will be just the 7th appearance for the Ole Miss program in the NCAA, which made the sweet 16 in 2001. Junior guard Marshall Henderson (Hurst, TX) is a threat to score every time he touches the ball averaging 20.1 PPG.

Kansas St.- (27-7, 14-4 Big 12)- Kansas State is making its 34th postseason appearance, which includes 27 in the NCAA Tournament and seven in the Postseason NIT. This year’s bid extends its consecutive NCAA appearances to 4, which ties the school record. Seniors Jordan Henriquez(Port Chester NY), Martavious Irving (Fort Lauderdale, FL) and Rodney McGruder (Wash, DC), are just the second senior class to reach four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. They will try to keep their surging offense rolling and reach Atlanta for what would be the school’s 5th final four appearance.

Arizona-(25-7, 12-6 Pac-12)- The Wildcats go into their 30th NCAA appearance and will set out for Atlanta and what would be the program’s 5th final four. The Wildcats will be led by senior guard Mark Lyons (Schenectady, NY) who is averaging close to 15 PPG. Lyons is a transfer from Xavier. Arizona would fall to UCLA in the PAC 10 Tournament by just 2 points, and coach Sean Miller would voice his displeasure after the game. Miller was fined $25,ooo for his actions by the NCAA.

Belmont-(26-6, 14-2 OVC)- Belmont comes into its third consecutive NCAA tournament, and the schools 6th overall NCAA appearance still searching for its first tournament win. A high scoring offense that includes the nation’s 4th best shooting percentage should help their chances. The Bruins are led by senior guard Ian Clark (Memphis, TN) who averages 18.1 PPG. The Bruins don’t mind shooting the three as they take 39% of their shots from behind the arc, making nearly 40% of those.

New Mexico-(29-5, 13-3 MWC)- After winning a tough Mountain West Conference Championship, New Mexico was rewarded with a 3 seed in the NCAA West bracket. Coach Steve Alford has the Lobos ready to make a deep run into this year’s dance with two outstanding junior guards in Tony Snell (Riverside, CA) and Kendall Williams (Rancho Cucamonga, CA). Last season Alford would lose a hard fought game to Indiana in the third round of the NCAA.

Harvard-(19-9, 11-3 Ivy)- For the second straight season, and third time in program history, The Harvard Crimson basketball program will be a part of the NCAA tournament. Harvard will be led by combo guard/forward Wesley Saunders (Los Angeles, CA). Saunders is averaging 16.5 PPG and almost 5 RPG. Harvard will face New Mexico for the first time in school history.

N Carolina A&T – (19-16, 8-8 MEAC) For the first time in 18 years, the Aggies of North Carolina A&T will be dancing in the NCAA Tournament. After earning the no. 7 seed in the MEAC tournament with an 8-8 conference record, the Aggies would defeat Morgan ST in the championship game 57-54. The MEAC tournament champions are led by Senior Forward Adrian Powell (Conover NC) who averages 12.5 PPG and 5 RPG. The Aggies have made the dance 9 times but will be playing for their first ever NCAA Tournament victory Tuesday night.

Liberty (15-20, 6-10 Big South) After opening regular season play with an 0-8 record, the Flames would finish the year out winning 7 out of their last 10 games. Getting hot at just the right time, the Flames would become only the second 20-loss team in NCAA history to earn a bid to the Big Dance(Coppin St 2008). The Flames are led by junior guard John Caleb Sanders(Sugar Land TX) who averages 14.4 PPG and 4 RPG.

Middle Tennessee State (28-5, 19-1 Sun Belt) During the past two seasons, Head Coach Kermit Davis has a combined record of 56-12, including a Sun Belt Conference record this season of 19-1. Considering the fact that Davis inherited a program that just completed its third losing season out of the previous four years, he is perhaps one of the country’s most underrated coaches. Davis won the Sun Belt’s Coach of the Year Award for the second straight season, and third of his career. His Blue Raiders are loaded with talented guards who can score in bunches, and none more potent than senior guard and Rentz Georgia native Marcos Knight. Knight leads the Raiders offense with 12.5 PPG, and is one of the country’s most ferocious rebounders from the guard position with an average of 6 RPG. The Raiders also rely on a very deep bench which contributes to 42% of their offensive production. MT also has one of the country’s stingiest defenses allowing only 57.8 PPG. Guard Bruce Massey JR. (Germantown MD) was named the 2013 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. MT earned an At-large bid and the University’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years.

St. Marys- (27-6, 14-2 WCC)- The Gaels are no stranger to the Big Dance, making their third appearance in the last 4 years, which included a trip to the sweet 16 in 2010. They are led this season by senior guard Matthew Dellavedova (Maryborough, Australia) who helped his team rank 23rd in scoring by draining 80 threes and averaging 15.8 PPG. With Dellavedova’s 6.4 Assist per game, the Gaels have 4 players who average double digit scoring. The Gaels lost only 3 games in their final 22 appearances this season, all three were to Gonzaga. The Gaels were an At-Large bid according to most experts, and were pushed to the 11 seed play in game when Ole Miss defeated Florida in the SEC Championship.

Boise St- (21-10, 9-7 MWC)- After losing in the first round of their conference tournament, Boise State had to sweat it out as the committee was deciding on which bubbles to burst. But as the brackets were unveiled, the Broncos were rewarded with a NCAA Tournament at-large bid, the first in school history. The Broncos are led by two Sophmores in Forward Anthony Drmic (Endeavor Hills, Australia) who averages 17.3 PPG, and Guard Derrick Marks (Chicago, Ill) with 16.3 PPG and dishing out 4 APG.

La Salle- (21-9, 11-5 A 10)- One of five Atlantic 10 teams in the NCAA Tournament this year, the Catholic based Philadelphia school earned their first bid to the Dance since 1992.They play a very perimeter oriented style of basketball and rely heavily on the scoring of Senior guard and Philly native Ramon Galloway, who averages 17 PPG. With 6’11 post player Steve Zack injured, the Explores will need to be offensively efficient as ever as rebounding the basketball will now be an even greater task.

LIU-Brooklyn-(20-13, 12-6 NEC)- The Blackbirds of LIU captured their third consecutive NEC title as they defeated Mount Saint Marys 91-70. LIU has battled through adversity this season, losing their top performer in Julian Boyd (San Antonio TX) to a torn ACL. Senior forward Jamal Olasewere (Silver Spring , MD) rose to the occasion for his team as he has averaged 18.9 PPG. The Blackbirds also get outstanding play from their junior point guard Jason Brickman (San Antonio TX), who presently leads the nation with 8.5 APG

JMU- (20-14, 11-7 CAA)- It has been 19 long years for the men’s basketball program at JMU, but all that misery came to an end as the Dukes earned their first conference championship, and a berth into the NCAA Tournament by defeating Northeastern 70-57. The last time the Dukes went dancing it was former Maryland great Lefty Driesell residing as Head Coach. That year Lefty entered his team as a 14 seed, and his ball club would give Florida all they could handle with a 64-62 scare. Florida would eventually make its way to the final four.

Louisville- (29-5, 14-4 Big East) Louisville and head coach Rick Pitino earned the number 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. After capturing the Big East Tournament, Pitino now sets out to get his 7th final four appearance, and perhaps add another National Title to what is already a hall of fame resume. The Cardinals reflect Pitino’s up tempo offense and pressure defense about as well as any team he has coached. Junior guard Russ Smith (Brooklyn, NY) leads the Cardinals in scoring with 18.1 PPG and the play of Senior guard Peyton Siva (Seattle, Wash) has been outstanding. The Cardinals will try to capture the school’s third NCAA Championship, and first since the freshman sensation “Never Nervous” Pervis Ellison (Savannah GA) would help his team to a 3 point win over the Duke Blue Devils in 1986.

Colorado St- (25-8, 11-5 MWC) Back to back NCAA bids have the Mountain West Rams headed on the right path. This marks first-year Head Coach Larry Eustachy’s fifth appearance in the NCAA Championships. The Rams are one of the nation’s top rebounding programs as they are ranked fourth in the country. Leading the way is senior center Colton Iverson (Hankton SD) who averages close to a double double with 14 PPG and 9.8 RPG.

Missouri- (23-10, 11-7 SEC)- The Missouri Tigers come into this dance as the second best rebounding team in the country. Elon graduate and Head Coach Frank Haith leads Missouri into its school record fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance. Senior forward Lawrence Bowers (Memphis TN) leads the Tigers averaging 14 PPG and 6 RPG. Missouri’s roster includes 6 players who average double digit scoring and 4 players who average 5 RPG or better. Their first round match up should be a war among the glass as they face the number 4 rebounding team in the country Colorado State.

Oklahoma ST- (24-8, 13-5 Big 12) With one of the country’s best backcourts, Head Coach Travis Ford is all set to take the Cowboys back to the NCAA Tournament after a 2 year absence. Freshman guard Marcus Smart (Flower Mound TX) leads Oklahoma State average 15.1 PPG and 5.7 RPG. The 2010 berth into the dance was short lived as Georgia Tech defeated the Cowboys 64-59.

Oregon- (26-8, 12-6 Pac-12)- Many feel that Oregon was the one team that was greatly under-seated. After winning the Pac 10 Tournament, the Ducks were looking at a 6 or 7 seed according to most experts, but instead were seeded as a 12. The Ducks are led by E.J Singler (Medford OR), brother of former Duke star Kyle Singler, and a first-team All-Pac 12 pick, he’s just the 13th player in Oregon history to total more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. Singler averages 11.6 points and 4.9 rebounds a game. Head Coach Dana Altman is in his third season and has combined a record there of 71-36.

ST. Louis- (27-6, 13-3 A 10)- A very solid defensive team that makes you earn every basket. They play a style of basketball that tends to frustrate teams that are use to getting out in transision. Offensively, the Billikens can score from all 5 positions and run a high post offense that makes teams guard for a good basketball. He would be proud of his former student athletes and the patience on offense, along with the stifling defense that they have demonstrated this season.

New Mexico ST.- (24-10, 14-4 WAC)- The Aggies come in to the dance winning 18 of their last 20 games. It will mark the second consecutive year the Aggies have earned a NCAA berth, though their last Tournament win came 20 years ago defeating Nebraska in the NCAA first round. New Mexico St. is a great rebounding team that has a very big interior presence. They are also led in scoring by sophomore guard Daniel Mullings (Toronto ON) who averages 14 PPG. The Aggies are 10-21 overall in NCAA tournament play.

Memphis TN- (30-4, 16-0 C-USA)- After an undefeated season in Conference USA, the Memphis Tigers have lost one game out of their last 25, that being a 2 point loss to Xavier. Junior guard Joe Jackson (Memphis TN) leads the Tigers in scoring with 13.2 PPG. Memphis has gone dancing the last 7 of 8 seasons. A very athletic Memphis team and head coach Josh Pastner will await the winner of the 11th seeded play in game in the Midwest.

Michigan ST- (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten)- Tom Izzo enters his favorite time of the year seeking his 7th final four in just the past 13 seasons. He has guided his program to 15 straight NCAA appearances and his teams seem to always get better, and much tougher as the month of March begins to near. The Spartans displayed what they are capable of doing this regular season when they ran #4 Michigan out of their Gym, beating a very talented Michigan team by 23 and completely dominating the game. The Spartans are led this season by a tough group of players beginning with junior guard Keith Appling (Detroit MI). Appling is averaging 13.6 PPG and 3.5 APG. The junior forward Adreian Payne (Dayton OH) has rebounded the ball the way Tom Izzo expects and is averaging 7.5 RPG while scoring 10PPG.

Valparaiso- (26-7, 13-3 Horizon)- The Crusaders and Head Coach Bryce Drew earned an automatic bid to the NCAA by winning the Horizon Conference tournament. Valparaiso upended Wright State 62-54, giving the Crusaders its first invitation to the dance since 2004. Coach Drew’s club is very proficient on offense ranking 6th in the country with a shooting percentage of 48.9%. They will face a very tough challenge in the opening round facing Tom Izzo and the Spartans of Michigan State.

Creighton-(27-7, 13-5 MVC)-All-American Junior Forward Doug McDermott (Ames IA) leads his Jays into March Madness averaging 23.1 PPG while hitting the glass for 7.5 RPG. There is yet to be a spot on the floor that the talented 6’8 220lb junior cannot shoot from. The Jays also lead the country in field goal percentage, shooting an amazing 50.8% from the field. Creighton also ranks 5th nationally in assist with 17.5 per game.

Cincinnati- (22-11, 9-9 Big East)- The Bearcats have relied on good defense, along with rebounding the basketball to pull them through some offensive woes. There may not be two teams with more contrasting styles than when Creighton, who holds the nation’s best field goal percentage, squares off against Cincinnati, who is currently 304th in the same category. The Bearcats are battle tested and will rely on junior guard Sean Kilpatrick (Yonkers NY) to give them enough offense to “survive and advance”.

Duke-(27-5, 14-4 ACC)- With the sixth highest scoring offense in the country, the Duke Blue Devils enter the NCAA Tournament averaging over 78 PPG. For most of the season, Duke has had great production from big man Mason Plumlee (Warsaw IN) and sharp shooting guard Seth Curry (Charlotte NC). Both have provided Coach K major offensive production averaging 17 PPG. If Coach K has one concern, it has to be the inability to rebound the basketball. The Blue Devils were one and done in the ACC Tournament in which Maryland outrebounded the Devils by double digits. Even with a slight rebounding weakness, the Devils score in such spurts that they will be a threat to win it all, Seth Curry has looked as if he could not miss at times and when Coach K is on the sidelines, a final four seems to always be within reach.

Albany- (24-10, 9-7 Am. East)- Albany earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007 by defeating the Vermont Catamounts in an exciting American East Championship game. Vermont had swept the regular season contest with the Great Danes, winning the first contest in a route 70-45. Albany would get two huge threes late from Senior guard Jacob Iati (York PA). Iati, who averages over 12 PPG, was a combined 1-17 shooting in the two previous contest. Albany faces Duke in what would be a monumental upset if they are victorious.

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Miami (Fla.)’s Jim Larrañaga is the 2012-13 recipient of the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the national coach of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Larrañaga

Larrañaga will be recognized by the USBWA on Friday, April 5, at a 9:15 a.m. ET news conference in Atlanta in conjunction with the Final Four. The winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy as the national player of the year will also be announced in Atlanta at that time.

Larrañaga will be formally presented with the Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award on Monday, April 15, at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards gala in Oklahoma City. The Oscar Robertson Trophy will also be presented that evening.

In his second season at Miami, Larrañaga, 63, has led the Hurricanes to a 27-6 record, including the school’s first Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament titles. The ‘Canes will make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008 as a No. 2 seed in the East Region.

The USBWA District IV Coach of the Year and the ACC Coach of the Year has guided the Hurricanes to a school-record 27 wins, including a 15-3 mark in ACC play. Miami opened conference play with 13 straight wins. Currently ranked 5th by the Associated Press, the Hurricanes have been ranked as high as No. 2 this season.

“Jim Larrañaga’s story should inspire us all. He gave hope to hundreds of so-called ‘mid-major’ schools by leading George Mason to the Final Four in 2006,” said USBWA President John Akers of Basketball Times. “Then, in just two seasons at Miami, he convinced a bunch of players who had known mostly disappointment to buy in for what has been a dream season. Truly inspirational.”

“Coach L definitely deserves this award because of his passion for the game of basketball and his dedication to the team and the University of Miami,” said Miami guard Shane Larkin. “He said he would take this program to the top, and in only year two, we are ACC champions.”

Including this season, Larrañaga now boasts a 517-353 (59.4 winning percentage) overall career record in 29 seasons as a college head coach. Prior to coming to Miami, Larrañaga was 273-164 in 14 seasons at George Mason, including 13 straight winning seasons, five NCAA Tournament appearances and the school’s memorable 2006 Final Four run.

The Henry Iba Award is named in honor of the legendary Oklahoma State coach who won 655 games and two national championships in 36 seasons in Stillwater. The award is voted on by all members of the USBWA at the conclusion of the regular season. The USBWA has presented a National Coach of the Year Award each year since the 1958-59 season.

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available at collegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 15 banquet will also honor Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart with the Integris Wayman Tisdale Award as the national freshman of the year and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of theWayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Related link:
• Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected 14 outstanding players as finalists for its 2013 Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy presented by Aflac and eight standout freshmen as finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Award. Members of the association’s board of directors chose the finalists and the entire 900-member USBWA will vote on the awards as well as the annual All-America and All-District teams.

The recipients are to be announced on Friday, April 5 in Atlanta at a 9:15 a.m. ET press conference and then formally presented their awards at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on Mon., April 15 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Following are the finalsts for the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Year Trophy:

Following are the finalists for the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award:

Tickets and sponsorship information for the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards are available atcollegebasketballawards.com or by contacting Scott Hill (405-749-1515, scott.hill@access-sports.net). The April 15 banquet will also honor Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as the recipient of the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award.

Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player.

The USBWA has chosen a national freshman of the year since the 1988-89 season when LSU’s Chris Jackson was the recipient. Last season, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis became the second winner of the Wayman Tisdale Award. Other notable previous winners of the national freshman of the year award include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Related link:
• Oscar Robertson Trophy presented by Aflac
• Integris Wayman Tisdale Award

By John O’Malley

Game Scouted: Saint Mary’s (CA)- 87 at Pepperdine- 48
February 27, 2013

#4 Matthew Dellavedova; PG/SG; 6’4; 190lbs. Senior (27 min, 8-18 FG, 5-8 3FG, 4-4 FT, 25 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals)

Strengths
Offensively, Dellavedova’s court vision is one of the best I’ve seen in college basketball. He is patient, reads the defense and attacks whatever the defense gives him. He has a very high basketball IQ and looks for the best look. Very unselfish player, always looking to pass the ball to whoever is open. He is excellent at ball distribution. He can make the cross court pass, right into shooters pocket whether it’s on a bounce or skip pass. He made a spectacular bounce pass in transition, placing it right in stride for the wing to score a simple layup. He makes it easy for the Gaels to get into an offensive rhythm. People have questioned whether he is a point guard or shooting guard. Although he is versatile off the ball and can hit a spot up jumper, he’s much more active and comfortable with the ball in his hands running point.

Dellavedova is not only a keen passer, but also a streaky scorer. When he gets hot, it’s difficult for the defense to cool him off and get out of rhythm. Great example from tonight’s game was from the three-point range, going 62% from behind the arc. He has a solid right-handed jumper. He squares his body, gets good elevation, drives his legs in balance and stride, and holds his follow thru. He has great shot selection, and is crafty keeping the defense on their toes. He utilizes the floater very well. He will drive, but prefers the jump shot. If he is open, sometimes he takes the initiative to penetrate and then make the kick-out pass to an open teammate. He is good off isolations. He is strong and added more weight and muscle from the offseason. This body strength is good for setting screens. It also benefits him when he penetrates and absorbs contact from the bigs in the paint. He struggles a little bit in finishing off contact. But once he draws contact around the basket, he is a golden 87% free throw shooter.

Not just offensively minded, Dellavedova is a solid defender. He keeps a constant low defensive stance, closes out with high hands, and keeps arms distance with his defender. He is a hustler every second of the game and plays with high intensity and passion. He has tremendous stamina, even though he sat the final minutes of the second half because it was so one-sided. Fearless and never gives up on a play. Treats each possession like it matters. He likes to take control the game early. Very coachable player. Has great faith in his teammates. He keeps a positive attitude, encouraging teammates. He is always directing the offense and pointing.

Weaknesses
Though he can zip the ball to his teammates, Dellavedova doesn’t have lightening quick legs. His upper body strength allows him to get to the rim rather than his foot speed. He is fast, but doesn’t have lighting quick agility or can outrun anyone coast to coast. His lateral agility and quickness needs to improve. I’m not sure if he could guard an athletic slasher throughout an entire course of a game. As a shooter, he can polish some of his jab steps and pump fakes. He utilizes these moves, but sometimes they need to be quicker to bite the defender. On defense, Dellavedova likes to get involved in help defense when the ball is in the post. This is good he helps and swipes, but he tends to overdo it and will get too deep into the paint, thus leaving shooters wide open on the perimeter.

Overview
Coming into tonight’s game, Dellavedova was selected as a finalist for this year’s Naismith Player of the Year Award, and rightfully so. Dellavedova is the heart and soul of the Gaels program. He is the Gaels all-time leader in assists and games started, and will just need 4 more points on senior night to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. His decisions and talents have impacted Saint Mary’s success since he joined the roster four years ago. He has worked hard to improve his talent over the years and has become a true leader for the Gaels. When it comes to competing at the next level, Matthew definitely has the tangibles to play professionally. He’s already had experience playing on his national Australian Olympic team this past summer in London, where he averaged 28 minutes per game, 7.3 points per game, and 4.5 assists per game.

NBA teams should not sleep on Matthew. One speculation going against Dellavedova is he doesn’t face the competition of the power conferences on a regular basis. The highest I see him selected in the NBA Draft would be mid-to-late second round. If he goes undrafted, I see him earning a spot on a Summer League roster and trying to make a spot right before or during the regular season through hard work in the D-League. Dellavedova could have a safe career as a reliable back-up point guard for NBA teams.

Photo Source: ACCHeadlines.com

Game Scouted: Wake Forest @ Florida State
Florida State wins 76-62
Box Score

Codi Miller- McIntyre (6’3”, PG, FR)

Stats
36 min, 2-9 FG, 1-3 3 pt FG, 2 rebounds, 5 TP

Strengths
Loved his aggressiveness on the defensive end. Hounded the ballhandler. Stays in front of ballhandler, good lateral quickness, stays down in his stance, and has quick hands. Did a good job of fighting around on-ball screens as well.

Showed good change of speed and the ability to create for others off the dribble. Had several nice flip passes in traffic to teammates in middle/post after breaking down initial defender. He has good size and strength for the PG position at 6’3” and has excellent upper body strength. Has an excellent pull-up jump shot- goes right at defender and is able to stop on a dime and pull-up under control, rise up, and shoot. Uses screens effectively and can create off the P/R. Does a nice job as a freshman of being a leader and general on the floor- uses hand signals and puts players in their spots. Poised and patient.

Weaknesses
Prefers to go to his right- needs to improve his left hand. At this point, while he is a solid ball handler, its not up to pro standards for a PG. He is a high dribble and he needs to get it tighter when attacking rim. Got several of his lay-up attempts blocked this game going up against the length of Florida State. Needed to use his body and go in stronger on these attempts instead of going in casually with the ball exposed and away from his body. Poor FT shooter, which is surprising- he is shooting 63% for the season from the line, wish you would want your PG to be in the 80’s if possible. Needs to develop a more consistent 3 point shot as well. Speed and first step quickness are a concern.

Took the wrong line at beginning of game defending a pin down screen- instead of going directly up in the middle of the floor in a straight line, he followed his man in a circular motion and got caught on the screen.

Terrific on-ball defender, but must work on being a better off-the-ball and help defender. Is in the right position most of the time, but instead of getting in front of the big man underneath, he stood beside them. Has tendency to turn head and body at times when defending off the ball as well. Most of these mistakes can be attributed to the fact that he is a freshman.

Overview
Played both guard positions this game, but mostly played the PG spot. Below average game for Codi tonight as he struggled to score or impact the box score in a big way in his 36 minutes of court time. Wake has not been good on the road this year and this game was no different. After beating the number 2 team in the nation on Saturday, they lost this game to an un-ranked and frankly not very good Florida State team. Codi has started every game this season, and is third on the team in scoring with 8.4 ppg, number 1 on the team in total assists with 68, compared to 49 turnovers. What was impressive tonight was the fact that he played such a long period of time with out turning the ball over 1 time.

Miller-McIntyre has potential and has and will continue to only get better as he gets older and more experienced playing at the college level. His intangibles he brings are impressive especially as a freshman, as he is poised, shows leadership abilities, and he is under control. He is a pure PG who knows the game, uses picks, changes speeds well, and has a good mid range pull-up. He should be a 4-year guy and will be a pro prospect by his senior year. Codi will be even more heavily counted next year as the teams leading scorer, senior guard, CJ Harris, will have graduated.

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James Blackburn is the Director of Scouting for Basketball Elite and scouts high school, college and pro prospects. You can follow James on Twitter right this second.

ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Air Force guard Michael Lyons as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 17. The USBWA’s weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and has been handed out each Tuesday this season. Lyons is the season’s final recipient.

Lyons

As the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week, Lyons was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week.

Lyons, a 6-5 senior from Newport News, Va., averaged 36.0 points per game while shooting 60.9 percent from the field as the Falcons split a pair of conference outings last week. On Wednesday, he scored a game-high 27 points as the Falcons snapped an 11-game losing streak to UNLV in a 71-56 victory.

He followed that performance by scoring more points in a game than any Air Force player in over half a century when he scored a career-high 45 points on 17-25 from the field in an 89-86 loss to Colorado State. The 45 points, the third-highest scoring effort by a Division I player this season, were the third-most in a Mountain West game in league history and tied for the fifth-most in a single game overall. In addition, it was the fifth-best scoring effort in program history and the most points scored by a Falcon since Bob Beckel’s school-record 50 vs. Arizona on Feb. 28, 1959. It was also the most points ever by a Falcon in a conference game.

This is the fourth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week. The weekly Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week will be considered for the Oscar Robertson Trophy watch list, which will be released at mid-season.

Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation’s oldest award and the only one named after a former player.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy presented by Aflac will be presented by its namesake, Oscar Robertson, at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 15, 2013, at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. TheHenry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the most comprehensive college basketball publication in the world, returns for its 32nd season, bigger and better in 2012-13. Blue Ribbon – long-known as “The Bible of College Basketball” – gives its readers the most thorough, up-to-date and timely evaluations of every Division I team in the country. For more information about Blue Ribbon Yearbooks, visit blueribbonyearbookonline.com.

2012-13 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
• Week of Dec. 9: Brandon Paul, Illinois (Big Ten Conference)
• Week of Dec. 16: Doug McDermott, Creighton (Missouri Valley Conference)
• Week of Dec. 23: Victor Rudd, South Florida (Big East Conference)
• Week of Dec. 30: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 6: Trey Burke, Michigan (Big Ten Conference)
• Week of Jan. 13: Elston Turner, Texas A&M (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Jan. 20: Roosevelt Jones, Butler (Atlantic 10 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 27: Darrun Hilliard, Villanova (Big East Conference)
• Week of Feb. 3: Shane Larkin, Miami (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week of Feb. 10: Mason Plumlee, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week of Feb. 17: Michael Lyons, Air Force (Mountain West Conference)

Photo Source: Orlando Sentinel

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Florida State @ Wake Forest

Wake Wins 71-46

Box Score

Michael Snaer (6’5”, G, SR)

Stats

36 min, 4-13 FG, 1-5 3pt, 4-5 FT, 5 reb, 2 assists, 3 TO, 2 steals, 13 TP

Strengths
Florida State struggled to score the ball today as they came into today’s game winners of 2 of their last 3. Snaer, however, has not struggled to score the ball. Although he did struggle shooting today, he still led FSU in scoring and also helped on the boards, grabbing 5 rebounds. Snaer is a solid all-around scorer, not just a catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter. He uses his size and strength to score and create space off the bounce. Also showed the ability to change speeds and directions off the dribble drive-Had several creative finishes at the rim. Doesn’t waste his dribbles or over dribble. Everything he does is with a purpose.  Michael is a good shooter off the catch and can also shoot it off the dribble using on the ball and off the ball screens very effectively as he does a great job of moving off the ball and setting his man up. He has good shooting mechanics and shoots a straight ball. Terrific FT shooter- good mechanics, excellent rotation and arc. Is shooting over 80% from the line this season.

Unselfish player who is willing and able to play within the system-team player. I was impressed with his passing ability and ability to see the floor in the half-court off the dribble drive.

Solid defender who does a nice job of staying between his man and the basket and is in the right position to help on the drive- jumps to the ball. Always aware of where his man is and where the ball is. Plays just as hard on the defensive side of the ball as he does on the offensive side.

Snaer has a high basketball IQ and good court instincts. I like the fact that he played hard even when his team was losing- competed on the defensive end and kept a positive attitude. He is the vocal leader on the floor- talks and communicates. Huddles the players together and an extension of the coach on the floor. Great poise- doesn’t get rattled, even when his team is losing.

Weaknesses
Struggled to score over longer and more athletic defenders. Lack of athleticism and speed is a concern. Got his shot blocked more then once. His ball handling isn’t bad for being a 2G, but he didn’t look extremely comfortable handling the ball with pressure.

I thought he should have been more aggressive looking for his shot and to score this game, especially in the first half. I don’t see him being a big scoring threat at the next level. I question whether his jump shot is NBA level at this point or if he can hit the NBA three. Just didn’t do anything this game to make you say Wow! Doesn’t do any one thing extremely well or anything that is NBA level.

Overview
The one word to describe his game is solid. He doesn’t do anything really flashy- plays in the system and does not force the issue. He understands the game and knows his limitations. He has had an excellent career and has already surpassed 1,000 career pts earlier in the year.

Came into today’s game ranked first in the ACC in game-winning, buzzer-beating shots, fifth in FT %, fifth in 3pt % (39%), and 12^th in scoring (13.9 ppg).

All-though some draft websites have him pegged as a second round pick in this years draft, I see him more as a D-League guy, who goes undrafted. He would be a good option for the right team for a 10-day call-up. He would be a true professional in my opinion and you know he will work hard and not complain. Even though he struggled shooting the 3 today, he has a nice stroke and could become a corner three specialist who also works hard on the defensive end.

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James Blackburn is the Director of Scouting for Basketball Elite and shares his reports with several NBA teams. You can follow James on Twitter right this second.