Jordan Taylor
Photo:TheSportsBank.net

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Wisconsin vs. Syracuse (NCAA Tournament)
Box Score

Syracuse wins 64-63

Scouting Report

Jordan Taylor (G, 6’1”, SR)

Stats

40 min, 6-15 FG, 5-9 3pt, 4 reb, 6 assist, 1 st, 1 blk, 1 TO, 17 TP

Strengths

Offense flows through him- makes team go. Crashes the offensive boards when he is playing off the ball. Deceptive defender-quick hands. Contest shots on the defensive end and boxes his man out for the most part. Good passer- makes smart/effective/easy passes/simple passes- does an excellent job of utilizing ball fakes. Unselfish. Underrated playmaking ability-did a great job of putting players in position for easy scores. Has a very good understanding of the game-extension of the coach on the floor- high IQ. Very good system player who will do what is asked of him. Patient/Poised- is never in a rush- didn’t force shots against Syracuse zone in this game. Good form on shot- gets feet set- good follow through- high/quick release. Showed the ability to shoot the ball, including the 3 off the dribble and with feet set and the ability to create his own shot- he is an above average shooter and is consistent. Not the tallest or longest player at 6’1”, but has a high release and gets good elevation on shot enabling him to shoot and make shots over defenders and with a hand in his face Takes good care of the ball- has almost a 3 to 1 assists to turnover ratio. Moves well with out the ball- when playing off the ball- did a great job of getting in the open gaps in the zone. Strong upper body- NBA ready strength.

Weaknesses

His quickness and athleticism are not at an NBA level. Struggles to get to rim- doesn’t have the speed to blow by defender and get to painted area at will. Didn’t seem comfortable in creating/scoring/utilizing P/R situations. Has a low motor- doesn’t seem to go all out or assert himself every possession- plays just about every minute- he may be resting on some possessions. Did not do great job in the first half of this game on the defensive end- allowed his man to get to the rim to easily and seemed to give up and didn’t get a hand up when he struggled to get over a screen- may be fatigue- never came out this game. Struggled to a degree to match up with the athleticism or Syracuse guards. Struggles in a fast break/up and down style game.

Overview

Averaging a team-best 15.5 ppg and 4.5 asp, while shooting 35.9% from 3 and 79% from the line. Also leads the team in steals and minutes played. Named First- Team All-Big Ten. Last season as a junior, he was named to multiple All-American teams and to the First- Team All-Big Ten and to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

Low key/quite demeanor. Great sportsman ship showed this game multiple times, yet he is a leader on the floor- floor general. Poised at all times- never looks rattled or shaken no matter score/situation. Right handed player who prefers to go left. Heated up from 3-point range this game- many of these shots coming beyond the college line and came when the team desperately needed a score or at crunch times.

It is difficult to evaluate everything Taylor can do when scouting this game, partly because Syracuse only plays zone. I would like to see how Taylor performs against a man to man defense and how well he can break his defender down and get to the rim. I was however able to notice skills that would be there no matter what defense is deployed against him. Taylor has a high basketball IQ, is an excellent passer, and an above average shooter with NBA 3 point range. He can play off the ball and with the ball in his hands and is comfortable in either situation. He is a smart enough defender and has quick enough hands to defend the PG guard position at the next level, despite his physical shortcomings (size, quickness, athleticism). He would struggle to score and defend any thing other then a PG at the next level. I think he would be a good pickup for an NBA team in the mid to late second round depending on the team. I believe he could contribute off the bench for a team that played a half-court style game primarily instead of an up-tempo style. Organizations such as San-Antonio, Portland, or Boston would be good examples. He won’t ever be an all-star and may not ever become a starter for a team, but he would be a good locker-room presence, a hard worker, and a great teammate in my opinion.

***

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By James Blackburn

Austin Rivers
Photo Source: Bleacher Report

Game Scouted: Duke @ Wake Forest
Box Score

Duke wins 79-71

Scouting Report


Austin Rivers (G, 6’4”, FR)

Stats

5-12 FG, 0-3 3pt, 0-1 FT, 4 reb, 2 assist, 3 PF, 3 TO, 10 TP

Strengths

Very quick first step- NBA ready. Showed versatility on defense tonight- matched up with Travis McKie (6’7, F) and guards in Chase Fischer, CJ Harris, and Chennault this game- smart move by Coach K- Rivers has done a great job neutralizing McKie by not allowing him to dribble drive. Plays the passing lanes well. Has a great understanding of spreading the court and court spacing- result of having Doc Rivers (NBA coach) as his dad. Very good in P/R situations with ball in hand- has ability to split double team and get to basket- has an effective floater and nice change of speed moves. Prolific scorer- can score in multiple ways and has the ability to hit tough shots over defense- very good offensive 1 on 1 player- with an array of finishing moves. Explosive going right. Tremendous ball handler- with a lightning quick crossover dribble. Great form on jump shot- struggled to a degree tonight with his shot- but has a quick release and solid form nonetheless. Confident in his game- wants the ball in his hands- makes highlights on the regular.

Weaknesses

Needs to do a better job of making contact with McKie when he is crashing boards. Needs to improve help defense- concerned about man too much. On the several occasions when he plays at the PG spot and brings ball down court, he tries to do to much at times and forces the issue and is TO prone in that regard- still has only one thing in mind when coming off ball screens and that is SHOOT- doesn’t have a PG/pass mentality- not really a bad thing because his role on this Duke team is a scorer- but does cause him to force some shots- still must improve passing ability and vision and not have so much tunnel vision when driving to basket- one stat to back up this statement is the fact that coming into this game he has more TO’s (66) then assist (62). More explosive going right then left- went to the left side corner 90% of time so he could drive middle going right- same thing with P/R plays- the pick is always set when he is on left side of floor- so he can come off pick going to his right- had a really nice right to left crossover move and scored with lay-in, but used his right hand- not going to work as much at next level. When he did go off screen from right side of floor- going left, he wasn’t able to turn the corner as well and got bumped out. Struggles to get around/fight through screens- gets screened way too easy and is too content with switching- this goes with both on ball screens and off ball screens- not as much urgency to get back to man- comes out of stance. A little shaky from FT line- rushes it too much- shooting 65% for year- should be in 70’s.

Overview

Leads to team in points per game(15.5), minutes played, and field goals made(149). He leads all ACC Freshman in ppg, mpg, made field goals, and made FT’s. Seventh leading freshman scorer in country. Has been named ACC Rookie of the Week eight times this season- leads the conference. Entering this game averaging 15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 2.1 apg.

Played more off the ball than PG tonight- when he did bring ball up, Duke always ran him off a pick and put him in P/R situation. Clearly he is more comfortable playing the shooting guard then PG at this point in his career- will be on the short side playing the SG at NBA level- but his scoring, athleticism, and first step will transfer to pro game and its style. His game play in meant for the NBA and he will be an effective scorer at next level. His ability to guard an NBA caliber shooting guard was not seen tonight, as Wake does not have anyone that fits that profile, but he has the IQ, quick hands, and average lateral quickness to stay in front- still vulnerable to post ups by bigger guards and ability to adequately defend taller shooters b/c of size and will still have to improve lateral quickness to stay in front of NBA guards- still somewhat of a tweener being 6’4” playing the 2G- but this would not worry me much if I was an NBA GM. More of a highlight reel- and a little bit more style/flash than substance, but he plays his role well for this Duke team and that is to score. With that said he has a low FG%(44), lots of TO’s, low assists numbers, low FT%, and plays a lot of minutes. He is an explosive scorer though and he is quick and athletic- all traits that will carry him to a good NBA career.

Royce White

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Texas Tech @ Iowa State
Iowa State wins 72-54
Box Score

Royce White (F, 6’8”, SO)

Stats

5-7 FG, 3-9 FT, 10 reb, 6 assists, 13 TP

Strengths

Passes well out of post and in transition. Brings the ball at times up at 6’9”- terrific passer – leads team in assists- has great vision- sees the floor like a PG. Good ball handler for size- one of the best I have seen this year for a player his size. Brought the ball up 3 minutes in- crossed over defender and dunked in traffic- huge mismatch for opposing bigs. Very strong- great build and upper body strength. Huge hands- able to shield off defenders and hold ball away with one hand and throw accurate one handed passes. Bumps cutters when cutting across lane. Boxes out( although not every possession) and is physical on boards. Agile and versatile- showed ability to move feet on perimeter and even contain guards on switches. Terrific scorer from mid post area with good one on one moves including spin and dribble moves- able to create own shot. Very athletic- can finish above rim- which is saying something b/c of his weight. Unselfish. Understands the game- high Basketball IQ.

Weaknesses

Too casual at times tonight against a team in Texas Tech with a bad record- doesn’t have a sense of urgency-low motor tonight. Needs to run the floor harder- especially with his physical tools and athleticism. Showed the ability to defend a guard on a P/R switch- but this will not work at next level- must get better at shading out on guard and then getting back to his man- seems content at this level in just switching or hanging back- lazy on his part. Has the look that he is not playing hard, low energy, low motor- then he will have a few possessions where he will just go crazy and dunk on someone or show heavy pressure defense out on perimeter. I don’t know if this is his style/persona or if he is a bit out of shape (he is listed at 270 lbs.- would be at his best if he lost about 15 lbs.- I think it is a little of both (to his credit he does average over 30 minutes played a game this year, but he seems to rest at times on both ends- especially on the defensive end). Gets caught out of position on the defensive end at times and losing track of his man- when he does get out to guard, again there is no urgency and he has hands down. Poor FT shooter (air balled a couple tonight)- awkward release- doesn’t look natural and looks like he struggles to shoot it- stands flat footed- doesn’t rise up on toes (to his credit of his work ethic and wanting to get better- he works on his FT’s 45 minutes a day after practice and on game days). Not a great shot blocker especially with size and athleticism.

Overview

Has a murky past mixed with legal issues and off-court behavior that has gotten him into trouble in the past, where he quit the team at Minnesota, where he originally got recruited to play by Tubby Smith. Seems to have made a turnaround though- having a terrific season leading team in points, assists, and rebounds for a contender in Iowa State and has a good work ethic. Didn’t see any attitude or problems with him in this game- acknowledged he made a mistake early on a TO. Reminds me a bit of Blake Griffin- his build, athleticism, the way he carries himself on the court, and the way he plays. To his credit though, White is a better ball handler and passer, even though Griffin tries to handle the ball. Reminds a bit of a Glenn Robinson type as well.
Will be a good PF at next level- has the ability and tools to be a future first round pick. His size and athleticism will translate to next level, as well his passing, basketball IQ, and versatile scoring ability- post and perimeter. Will be able to defend and score against PF and even some SF. Will cause matchup issues even at next level.

Must improve energy and consistency- tends to disappear sometimes- like the first half tonight- has 7 games this year where he has played over 20 minutes in each and did not score more then 6 points. Came out second half and played better- more energy. The best asset White brings is the fact that even if he isn’t scoring, he can impact the game in other areas like his passing/playmaking and his size and rebounding.


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By James Blackburn

Kevin Dillard (G, 6’0”, RS JR)

Game Scouted: Dayton @ St. Louis

Stats

2-10 FG, 7-9 FT, 3 reb, 2 assist, 11 TP, 1 steal, 1 TO, 30 min.

Box score

St. Louis wins 58-50

Kevin Dillard Dayton Basketball
Photo: DaytonFlyers.com

Strengths

Lightning quick guard who uses his size to his advantage to get to the rim. Very difficult for defense to stay in front of. Has the ball on a string and is an above average ball handler- effective right to left crossover move that froze several St. Louis defenders this game. Excellent P/R player with ball in his hands- seemed to always make the right decision off this action- knew when to turn corner- which he has the ability to do, knew when to shoot pull-up, and knew when to hit screener with pass either when he rolled or popped.

Excellent passer who keeps his head up when dribbling- makes the right pass. Very explosive going to his right- especially the P/R. Has an above average pull up jumper. Can get to the rim and paint area at will, where he can pull up, lay it in with contact (draws contact and fouls at high rate) or kick to an open teammate. Split the double team and had an old fashioned 3 point play for a much needed basket with about 3 minutes to go in the game. Gets to the line and makes defenses pay- shoots over 80% from line- automatic FT shooter- shots rarely hit rim. Makes good decisions overall- 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. Leads team in assists with over 6 a game. Only had 2 today but should have had many more- gave teammates a lot of open looks, but Dayton had a tough time shooting the basketball- at one point in first half, they had only made 2 FG in an 11 minute stretch. He really distributes the ball well- throws passes all over the HC set- knows spacing and where teammates are.

Good defender. Excellent help defender- is aware where his man and where the ball are at all times- not once did I see him out of position. Leads teams with 38 steals for the season.

Weaknesses

Shooting is still inconsistent, especially from 3 where he is shooting barely over 30% for the year. Gets good elevation on shot and has decent form, but tends to fade at times and his misses are erratic and he often misses short. Needs to improve ability to go left. Not near as explosive going left as he is going to his right off the pick, is a bit hesitant. In 15 P/R situations that I tracked, he went to his right 9 of the 15 and he shot or went for a lay up in over half of those. Of the 6 times he went left he passed the ball or pulled it out 4 times and shot it the other 2- only once did he completely turn the corner and get to rim going to his left (got fouled on this play). Tends to pull up or pass going left and get to paint going right. Tends to jump in air to make passes at times, does so because of size and he is not able to see over bigger defenders- got caught in the air on baseline once this game for his lone TO. Even though he has over 68 TO’s for the year, he has over twice as many assists and if you account for the fact he plays over 30 minutes a game and he has the ball in his hands more then anyone on the team, that number does not seem as bad. Though he is a good defender- he is a better off ball defender then on ball- at his size in order to show he can play in the NBA, he must hound the ball more and keep his man from getting by him- did not see that from him today.

Overview

Kevin struggled for the most part today shooting the ball against a very good defensive-minded Rick Majerus team that has held 5 teams under 50 points so far this season. He still showed the ability to get to the basket almost at will and got to the line where he hit 7-9 FT’s. His teammates did not help with his assists numbers as they struggled to hit shots, many of which were open looks set up by Dillard. Dayton relies heavily on Kevin for his scoring and his playmaking skills, putting the ball in his hands the majority of the time and allowing him to create off of picks. He is leading the team in points and assists in a very deep A-10 conference that boasts 9 teams with an RPI of 100 or better. Has 1 year left of eligibility. Turned his ankle with 30 seconds to go in game and did not return. Was Mr. Basketball in state of Illinois coming out of HS in Chicago.

As far as Kevin’s NBA prospects, he has several things going for him. For one, he has an ability that transfers from college to the pros and that is speed. NBA GM’s love PG’s that can get into the paint, because that is what NBA offenses are predicated off of and Kevin can do that. Dayton also runs an NBA style offense by spreading the court and setting a lot of ball screens which the NBA does a lot of. His size will hurt him some but not a ton. His game reminds me of other smaller framed PG’s who are quick and can get to the rim- names like Ty Lawson, Ish Smith, and Kemba Walker come to mind. He is not the explosive scorer like Walker, but is almost as quick as these players. I believe with another year of playing at a high level, he would be a good mid second round pick for a team needing a solid back up PG.


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By James Blackburn

Kevin Giltner
Photo Credit:SoConSports.com

Game Scouted: Wofford @ Wake Forest
Box Score

Kevin Giltner (G, 6’6”, SR)

Stats
4-14 FG, 3-10 3 pt, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 TO’s, 1 steal, 11 TP, 39 min

Strengths
Great set shooter( especially from 3)- great rotation, form, arc, quick release, gets body square to rim curling off screens. Wofford ran a lot of off ball screens for him. Plays well without the ball- constantly is moving, running off screen- sets man up well to come off screen. Guarded Wakes best player in McKie tonight (CJ Harris was out)- did a decent job on him- contested his jump shot nicely- but struggled to keep him from getting to rim. Took several charges on the defensive end tonight.Good size- able to look over defense. Underrated passer- threw a beautiful no look pass in fist half for lay-up- also he was the one to throw pass in inbounds plays for Wofford (speaks of his shooting and passing). Makes the right/correct pass- made several good decisions when curling off screens, catching the ball and flipping it to screener who had rolled and Giltner had both defenders on him. Well conditioned played practically the entire game and did not slow down.

Weaknesses
Needs to be more aggressive offensively. Had several possessions in first half where Wake had to switch and he had a big man guarding him and he didn’t attack- he passed it instead. Although he did a decent job defensively on Travis McKie in the first half, but he allowed McKie to go to his right way too much through out the game- which is McKie’s strong hand. TO prone especially against pressure- must get stronger with ball. Needs to improve ball handling. Gets caught on screens too easily. Should be better rebounder at 6’6”-needs to get stronger/tougher. Really struggles to create his own shot. No speed- really slow on perimeter- both offensively and defensively. Must improve P/R offense as ball handler.

Overview
Reminds of Rip Hamilton and Kyle Korver. Plays off the ball like Hamilton and curls screens and passes like Korver. Fits into Wofford offense nicely. Is averaging 16.4 ppg and 4.2 rpg for the season. Helped lead Wofford to a big win tonight on the road to bring their record to 8-6 for the year. Leader on the court- senior- knows how to play. Good size for 2 guard- too slow to defend 2 guards at next level. Has a nice future overseas- 6’6” guard who can stroke it from deep.

By James Blackburn

Deniz Kilicli
Photo:msnsportsnet.com
Game Scouted: West Virginia @ Kansas State
West Virginia wins 85-80 in Double OT
Box Score

Deniz Kilicli (F, 6’9”, Junior)

Stats
6-9 FG, 7 reb, 1 assist, 6 TO, 12 TP, 29 min

Strengths
Solid/strong frame- 260 lbs. Good passer for big man- better than assist per game average shows. Hard worker/tough nosed. Works with out the ball/early to secure deep post position. Boxes out well and secures the ball by chinning it. Good back to basket game- great slide dribble to hook shot- can shoot it with either hand effectively. Not a conventional hook shot- more of a sweeping/old school hook shot away from body- impossible to block. Good footwork in the post- has the ability to reverse pivot and face up. Uses size and strength to defend post. Does a nice job of staying straight up and showing hands defensively with out fouling. Crafty offensive game for big man- loves to fake the hand off and go to the rim. Draws fouls and utilizes the pump fake well. Highly effective/efficient around rim. Will not get pushed off block and is able to push/keep opponents big from getting inside position. Uses body to shield off defender. Runs the floor better than a year ago. Showed the ability at end of game to put the ball on floor and go around defender on perimeter if he is pressured. Good screener. Looked active and mobile playing the middle of the 1-3-1 zone deployed by WV near end of game and in OT.

Weaknesses
Plays below the rim- not the most athletic in that regard- but works extremely hard. Struggles to defend the pick and roll- hangs back in the painted area below 3 point line- so guard must go under pick. Not a threat to block shots. Slow laterally. Boxes out well and holds his man off- but needs to be more active in pursuing rebound. Does not have the speed to get around man to get a lot of offensive rebounds. TO prone- event though he has the ability to put ball on floor when guarded by post player- his dribble is loose and high. Low ceiling.

Overview
Highly rated recruit from Turkey- played professionally in Turkey before coming to West Virginia. Does a decent job of running floor- but is much more effective in half court game, where he can post up. Had 4 fouls this game and had to sit for a good bit late in the second half (2 of these came from offensive fouls). More mobile and in better shape then last season- never sat out during either OT. Played both OT’s with 4 fouls with out picking up fifth- good control. Grabbed and controlled a big defensive rebound in the second OT, after traveling on a couple of rebounds before. I can see him as a late second round pick in the NBA draft after his senior year. Needs to continue to improve shooting consistency and adjust to the speed of the American game. He reminds me of a mix between Marc Gasol and Josh Harrellson, from Kentucky, now with the Hornets. If Harrellson can get drafted in the second round, then Kilicli can as well. May become a mid to early second round pick if he has a solid senior campaign.

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By James Blackburn

San Diego State

West Regional Semifinals- 2011 NCAA Sweet 16 matchup
Connecticut wins 74-67

Box Score

Game Recap/Thoughts

1st Half

• UConn is getting only one shot every trip early in the 1st. half – State is doing a great job on the boards.
• Leonard picked up his 2nd foul with a un-sportsmanlike technical 4 minutes into the game – had to be taken out – we will see how this effects State the rest of the half.
• UConn is shooting contested shots – poor shot selection.
• San Diego St. is getting whatever it wants on the offensive end. Going inside out.
• SDSU is getting in foul trouble early – they have 2 guys with 2 fouls each with over half of the 1st half remaining.
• UConn is going one-on-one too much – not a lot of movement. State on the other hand is running a lot of good sets.
• Leonard is back in with 9 minutes left.
• UConn is using a lot of clock on the offensive end – having to take bad shots to beat the shot clock
• SDSU loves to run the floor – they are doing a good job in the half-court too. SDSU is also doing a great job of entering the ball to the post.
• SDSU’s big’s do a great job of passing out of the post.
• UConn closed the half on a 19-5 run because of State’s turnovers and the fact that UConn is starting to run their sets and shooting better shots.

2nd Half

• SDSU goes to Leonard for the 1st play.
• UConn is setting ball screens for Walker and letting him create.
• UConn should start denying the post entry pass or double the post – SDSU is able to get the ball to their big’s way too easily and once they get the ball, they have space to operate.
• SDSU just took the lead with 13 minutes to go in the game – going inside out and UConn is settling for poor shots and doing too much one-on-one and not running the play.
• UConn’s freshmen are taking some quick shots early in the offense.
• UConn takes a timeout after some recent sloppy play, resulting in SDSU 4 point lead.
• SDSU is losing the mental battle this game – Franklin picked a un-sportsmanlike technical with 9 minutes left for a shoulder bump after a time out.
• The game is starting to get chippy and the refs are calling it tight.
• Game is full of runs by both teams – UConn is on a 9-0 run right now, mostly by Walker, with Leonard on bench with 4 fouls.
• UConn has no answer for SDSU’s post players.
• Big 4 point play for SDSU’s Gay with 3:45 remaining. Big momentum swing.
• Lamb with a big steal to secure the win for UConn.
• UConn is just the 2nd team to beat San Diego State all season, the other one being BYU.

Scouting Reports

Connecticut

Kemba Walker (G, 6’1”, JR)

Strengths: shifty- can get to the lane/rim at will- changes speeds well. Moves well with out the ball. Great shooter – has NBA 3 point range. Can shoot off the catch, off the screen, and can create his own shot – very good form. Gets good elevation on jumper. Plays hard and plays a lot of minutes – well conditioned – never came out of the game. Dived on the floor for a steal. Good anticipation on defensive end. Explosive scorer – can score in bunches when he gets going. Good body control in air. Array of offensive moves in his arsenal – loves to pump fake and step in to mid range jumper. At his best when isolated at the top of the key and is given freedom and space to create. Gets to the FT line at a high rate.

Weaknesses: over dribbles, good FT shooter- but tends to drop his hands after follow through – causes him to miss, he needs to hold his follow through. Goes to his right most of the time – needs to improve left – even though he did show the ability to use his left this game.

Overview: Better at the off guard than at PG – more of a scorer than a play-maker. Tweener – some NBA scouts/GM’s will question how much Walker can contribute at the NBA level because of size. The guy can play – he is a competitor and a winner – had a terrific game tonight – showed off his full arsenal and ability to score the ball in a variety of ways. He wants the ball in clutch situations and when the game is on the line. He comes from a good program and a good conference. The Big East is known for producing good NBA players. He would be a solid top 15 pick in my opinion.

Roscoe Smith (F, 6’8”, FR)

Strengths: Ability to shoot the 3. Long and athletic – gets off the ground quickly. Still raw in the post – but showed a nice drop step. Good rebounder. Had a nice back door cut in 2nd half – and had a nice reverse acrobatic finish.

Weaknesses: needs to get stronger in the upper body – opponents post players get deep position on him – results in foul trouble.

Overview: Highly touted freshman – was a Jordan All-American. A player to keep an eye on – still raw in many areas, but I see a lot of potential in him. The NBA is in his future.

San Diego State

Kawhi Leonard (F, 6’7”, SO)

Strengths: Good rebounder. Can face the basket, put ball on floor and attack the basket, can advance the ball up the court with the dribble after securing the rebound. Active and physical player, strong – constantly moving – full of energy. Good enough ball handler to bring ball up the court and initiate the offense. Underrated passer. Attacks the basket hard – explosive going to his right. High release on shot.

Weaknesses: Prefers to go to his right – needs to improve left hand. Needs to improve shooting – extend range (shooting less than 30% from 3 this year). Slow release on set shot. Needs to improve shooting overall.

Overview: Got a technical foul 4 minutes into the 1st half because he was talking to the opposing players – it was his 2nd foul – had to come out (1st technical of his career). Body is NBA ready – solid effort tonight – scored, rebounded, and assisted. Should be a solid role player in the NBA.

****
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By James Blackburn

Roy Williams UNC
Flikr/Kevin813


(Reports from Wake @ UNC game on February 15, 2011)

Harrison Barnes, 6’8”, F, UNC
Strengths
Good shooter who follows his shot. He never misses right to left and rarely leaves the ball short- good misses when he does miss a shot. Strong upper body. Had several nice passes to post players against the Wake Forest zone. Showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to rim where he can finish with either hand. Good defender when he wants to be. Although he is not known to be a superb athlete- he did have several athletic above the rim finishes late in the second half, including a drop step dunk in traffic.

Weaknesses
Although he is a good shooter, he doesn’t have the quickest release. Potential to be a great defender (he showed this towards the end of the game), but seems to take some defensive possessions off. Has a bad habit of putting the ball over his head and holding it against the zone- needs to bring the ball down and protect it in triple threat position, so he can be a threat at all times.

Overview
Solid game from Barnes, who finished with 17 points and 4 assist. He seems to be getting better and better each game and is looking more comfortable. Did not force the issue and took much better shots than the last time I saw him play earlier in the year vs. Kentucky. Will definitely be a top 5 pick.

Tyler Zeller, 7’0”, F/C, UNC
Strengths
Gets great post up position-very deep. Has good post moves- very effective hook shot. Runs the floor well. Good strong rebounder. Ty Walker’s (Wake Forest, 6’11”) shot blocking ability had no effect on Zeller today (6-9 FG). He was getting whatever he wanted on the offensive end.

Weaknesses
Needs to improve passing ability out of post.

Overview
Zeller continues to impress. Zeller does not really make you say “Wow” with anything he does, but he is a solid player, who does many things- rebounds, scores, and defends. Not the most athletic player, but he will play in the NBA.

John Henson, 6’10”, F, UNC
Strengths
Active player on both ends of the floor. Great rebounder, especially on the offensive end. Does a good job of keeping the ball alive and tipping the ball the ball in basket, even when he does not have great position. Good shot blocker, who either blocks or alters most shots in his vicinity. Does a good job of keeping space between himself and offensive player so he can block the shot. Athletic player. Showed off an improved low post/all-around offensive game with some nifty moves around the basket. Good footwork. Right handed player who loves to go left. Very long- length causes havoc on defensive end. He guards the inbound pass under the goal- had several deflections and caused some steals b/c of active hands and length- makes it difficult for opponents to get ball in bounds, let alone getting a score.

Weaknesses
Must get stronger. Needs to improve FT shooting- 4-10 FT for the game. His shooting form is not bad, but the consistency is not there- the shot might miss short, long, left, or right. He needs to develop a mid range jumper.

Overview
Good game today from Henson, who finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Has a never ending motor. Henson has made major strides in his offensive game, but there is still room for improvement. Will be a good fit for most NBA teams.

Kendall Marshall, 6’3”, PG, UNC
Strengths
Great passer. Does a lot of little things well. Directs the offense- very poised and savvy player, especially for a freshman PG. Good in transition- makes good decisions, high basketball IQ. Ability to create own shot. Uses creativity to get into the pain.

Weaknesses
High dribble. His jump shot needs improvement. His shot is flat, but his mechanics look OK. Needs to improve his overall offense.

Overview
Marshall is now going to be leaned upon even more at PG since the departure of Drew. Very good assist to turnover ratio. Finished with 8 assist, 3 rebounds, and 3 points. A player to keep an eye on.

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By Marcus Shockley

Brad Wanamaker

Team Notes

Could Pitt be the dark horse of the NCAA this season? While everyone is talking up Duke, Pitt has also opened up undefeated before losing to Tennessee and boasts a ton of experience on a team with size and strength. Head coach Jamie Dixon has put together a team that has a good shot to win the Big East, but also may go deep in the NCAA tournament and contend for a title. Pitt is strong enough this season to compare them against other national title contenders. The Achilles heel for Pitt is the lack of outside shooting; only Ashton Gibbs is a real threat from the perimeter and can’t be left open. This could, and probably will, be the difference in big games. Gibbs is a shooter that can hit all game long and under pressure, but no one else can be counted on, and it’s Gibbs sharpshooting ability that makes him Pitt’s leading scorer. Their most versatile player is shooting guard Brad Wanamaker, who does a lot of things and is a real ‘glue guy’ for the team, in addition to being one of the most consistent scorers that Pitt has.

Pitt’s biggest strength so far is their rebounding, particularly their offensive rebounding, which stems from their strength and experience. Pitt is not as deep with future pro talent as other top teams, but they have such an experienced and poised starting lineup that they can beat teams with patience, execution and strength. That is a great combination at the college level, especially now, when most top flight college teams are always trying to work in high flying freshman talent into their rosters.

Pitt does have a notable post player coming off of the bench in Dante Taylor, a 6’9″ power forward who often plays center for Pitt and is quick to the rim. He fits right in as an offensive rebounding force.

Scouting Reports

Brad Wanamaker, SG, 6’4″

Versatile scoring guard who does a lot of things on the court, including rebounding. Right handed. Can slash to the hoop and pull up for the mid range jumper, and can create his own shot. Has good strength for a guard, not exceptionally quick but plays strong with the ball. Upper body strength and hops to finish at the rim. Slashing moves create problems for the defense, and he also passes well out of trouble when the defense adjusts, but he tends to almost always drive to his left. Release on his perimeter shot is a bit slow and he tends to bring the ball too far back with his elbow out, and he’s not a consistent threat from deep, right now averaging 35.3% from outside the arc. I’m not sold on Wanamaker as an NBA prospect, even though he’s Pitt’s leading scorer. I think he might get a look in summer league, but he plays more like a slashing small forward than a shooting guard, isn’t a threat from outside and does not look like he’d be able to transition to the point guard spot. I think he’ll probably end up overseas, but he might get a look in the NBA summer league.

Gary McGhee, C, 6’11”

True post player who has size and strength to bang inside. Right handed. Has good hands and can catch the ball in traffic but is not a high flyer. Most effective in the half court sets, sets solid picks and establishes position on the low blocks, although he’s not used as Pitt’s primary offense. Has the size and fundamentals to play pro ball at some level, but not really sure if he’ll get much of an NBA look. He’s mostly a solid defender and position rebounder at this point. Very poor free throw shooter, only averaging 46% from the line.

Talib Zanna, PF, 6’9″

Long player who is working on developing an outside shot. Needs more time to really polish his game, looks like has has some upside.

Dante Taylor, PF, 6’9″

Offensive rebounding monster and great at getting to the rim. Athletic and runs the floor well. Right handed. Good hands and a passer from the post position. Best scoring post player that Pitt has. Is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game and 8+ points per game coming off of the bench. Definitely a player to keep an eye on, probably an NBA prospect. Right now it looks like his contributions on offense and defense are all around the rim, be he has a quick bounce and has a lot of potential. Taylor’s free throw form is a bit odd, the ball spins slightly sideways as he shoots, but he averages over 70% from the line.

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