Koch on UC hoops

[White Magic]

This is encouraging... Kind of makes me wish I'd gone down to see this game myself.

At last, a talented UC basketball team

Just got back from the Deveroes Summer League final, where I saw Slats beat John Flessa Law Firm, 101-93. It was a very entertaining game. Anyone there would probably agree that it was the best $3 they will spend all day. Slats, of course, has UC players Deonta Vaughn, Mike Williams, Yancy Gates, Dion Dixon and Cashmere Wright and I would venture to say that even the harshest critic of UC coach Mick Cronin, after watching these guys play, would have to concede that the talent level on this season's UC team will be appreciably higher than anything UC has been able to put on the court since the 2004-05 season. Vaughn is playing with a poise that's obvious even in a summer league. Dixon looks to be a real find. Williams, who was named the MVP today, is a rebounding machine who will make a huge difference on UC's front line. Gates is a strong, physical bundle of talent just waiting to be harnessed, and Wright could be the answer at point guard. The highlight of the afternoon was the battle between Gates and Kenny Frease, XU's incoming freshman center. It took only a few minutes after Frease took the floor to play against Gates for a nearby fan to say that she was already looking forward to this year's Crosstown Shootout. At one point, Frease blocked a Gates shot and as he fell to the floor after the block he pointed at Gates. A few minutes later, Gates returned the favor by rejecting one of Frease's shots. In the end, Gates got the best of the matchup with several thunderous dunks. I'm not foolhardy enough to predict how well UC will do this winter. These guys still have to come together as a team, but I will say that finally, after three years of recovery, this program has a base of legitimate talent to work with. It should be interesting to see what Cronin does with it.

[bearcat428]

yeah, it does sound promising. of course last year would have been a different year had williams not been out.

[Woodmania]

Encouraging, but hard to take too much stock in summer league basketball.

[david aka the TYZ]

I was fortunate enough to be at the final as well as two other set of games. My expectations for this year have been raised a little. Here are a few thoughts I have about what I saw.

Gates showed me a little more this past week than the three times I've seen him play prior. He is obviously talented but has lacked desire in my opinion. He showed a little bit more passion when Frease and others got in his face. He seems like he needs to be motivated to play, which still bothers me, but honestly in the Big East it won't take long for some big guy to challenge him. He is already big enough to play in the Big East and has good quickness and best of all a nice shot and can hit free throws.

Dion Dixon will be an absolute stud. He has good size and incredible leaping ability. This weeks game he played Alvin Mitchell one-on-one a lot and usually got the better end of it. Mitchell looked really impressive this year. He impressed me last year in the summer league, but that didn't pan out to much this past year. But his body has gotten bigger and he seemed a lot more polished. He and Dixon will be fighting for playing time. I'm hoping too they continue to battle in practice like they battled in the game because they will make each other better.

Cashmere Wright didn't impress me as much as I was hoping he would. He seems a little too small for me. Not really his height, but his body. I'm afraid he will be out-gunned by Big East guards. Big East officials allow a lot of contact and you need to be strong at every position, even point-guard. With that said he does have a lot of upside. He seems to look for his teammates first which to me is very important. For a guy that is 6-0 maybe, he can jump out of the gym. He was throwing down some impressive dunks. As a point guard that doesn't necessarily matter, but it shows his incredible athleticism. He also is pretty quick. I don't think the summer league is the best case to showcase how you run an offense so I'm still giving him a wait and see.

Mike Williams. Oh my God. I only got to see him play this one time, but he put on a show. He has a tenacity about him and a knack for coming up with the ball even when not in position. Similar to Eric Hicks in that regard. He has great size and I can't wait to see him suit up for the Bearcats. The only problem I saw with him was that after getting an offensive rebound (and he got plenty) he couldn't finish. He would quickly be double or more often triple teamed and he tried to go up with it every time and usually ended up losing the ball. Big East officials RARELY call fouls in this situation so he needs to learn how to better position himself to go back up or learn to pass the ball out as soon as he gets it.

Rashad Bishop has gotten bigger. His body is impressive. Larry Davis looked good when I saw him, but honestly don't know where he fits in with all these other guys. I'm sure he'll see time at point guard. Biggie McClain looked slow and unmotivated. His foot is still bothering him and I doubt that will get any better. I honestly think Gates will start at center and Williams at power forward. He will come off the bench. But it's nice to have a seven footer on the bench. I saw Nick Aldridge play one game. He looked good, but again I'm not sure where he fits in with these other guys. He will be fighting for time with Bishop, Dixon and Mitchell. It's a good problem for the Bearcats to have I guess. Deonte Vaughn there's nothing to be said. He was a stud last year down the stretch and looks as if he hasn't missed a beat. He reminds me more and more of Steve Logan every time I see him. Every time he went inside he got his shot off and took the foul.

Like I said I have raised my expectations a little. If all goes well and this team gels, which I think it will, they could win some games and make a run at the tourney. I might even go so far as to say if they don't make the NCAA's I will be disappointed. I won't say that yet because the summer league is not the Big East and I need to see them out on the floor as a collective team before I really make an opinion. But things look good for this year and next year with all these newcomers a year more experienced and Vaughn a senior they could really have something special. The thing that really impressed me most was the size of all these guys. They are a rough looking bunch and I don't expect them to get pushed around anymore. That alone could account for 2 or 3 more conference wins and easily a better non-conference fate.