Saturday, June 30, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/30/2012


Miami Heat might be thinking small in NBA Draft--Miami Herald
Miami has the 27th pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Last year, the Heat moved up a few spots to draft Norris Cole, a seasoned collegiate point guard who made an instant impact during the first half of the season and provided a spark in the postseason. The team will use that same template this year, only at a different position.
...
The summer league runs from July 13 to July 22. Cole will participate in the summer league along with the Heat’s new draft pick.
Miami Heat trades out of first round, drafts LSU’s Justin Hamilton--Miami Herald
In the end, the Heat went with the 7-0, 260-pound Hamilton, who will join the Heat’s summer-league team July 13 in Las Vegas and attempt to make the team. Joining Hamilton in Las Vegas will be Norris Cole, 2010 second-round pick Justin Varnado and most likely Terrel Harris and Dexter Pittman.
Riley dishes: He's not quitting; Pittman staying; no amnesty plans--South Florida Sun Sentinel
He indicated he is content with the tandem of Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole at point guard moving forward.

"We feel good with our point guard position," he said, "because we don't need a really, prototypical point guard that needs the ball 80 percent of the time."
Cleveland State's Brown Invited to Cavaliers' mini-camp--Cleveland State Hoops

Titan Club Hosts Successful Basketball Camp For Special Needs Players--detroittitans.com
Titans Ink Heralded Guard Anton Wilson--detroittitans.com
McCallum One Of 32 Active NCAA Division I Head Basketball Coaches To Be Drafted By The NBA--detroittitans.com

Knowing the Newcomers 2012: Jay Parker--uicflames.com

Saint Louis promotes assistant Jim Whitesell to associate head coach--CollegeBasketballTalk

Loyola adds Aguirre's cousin to roster
--The Chicago Tribune
Loyola basketball adds guard Kody Williams--Daily Herald
Kody Williams Added to Loyola Men's Basketball Roster--LoyolaRamblers.com
Walt Gibler Earns Coleman Medal Of Honor--LoyolaRamblers.com

Alec Brown NBA Draft Profile--College Sports Madness
Men's basketball: UWM moves games back to campus--Green Bay Press Gazette

Former UWGB, WNBA player Johnson debuts camp for girls--Green Bay Press Gazette
SummerTimeOut Featuring Stephanie Sension--GreenBayPhoenix.com
Wojta Earns League's Highest Honor--GreenBayPhoenix.com

UWM returns basketball to campus; arena official upset--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The False wall of Title IX--PantherU
Chancellor Lovell On The Dennis Krause Show--Panther Blog Zone
Coming Home: Men's Basketball To Play Home Games At On-Campus Klotsche Center--uwmpanthers.com
Allen's NBA Workouts Have Him Focused On Getting Better--uwmpanthers.com
Coming Home: Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About The Move Back To Klotsche--uwmpanthers.com

NCAA Basketball: 10 Teams Poised to Be Next Year's Tourney Cinderella--Bleacher Report
Lazerus: Valparaiso’s Ryan Broekhoff dreaming big--The Post-Tribune
Brandon Wood frustrated by lack of workouts as NBA draft approaches--The NWI Times

WSU looking for new rivalry without Miami--Dayton Daily News
Junior guard from Indiana picks WSU--Dayton Daily News
Former Wright State player Cuffee now at Cedarville--Wright State University Sports
Indiana junior verbally commits to Wright State--Wright State University Sports

Gibler, Wojta Named 2011-12 Cecil N. Coleman Award Winners--Horizon League Network

Sunday, June 24, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/24/2012

Karrington Ward A Hot Recruiting Target--ChicagoHoops.com
Florida State, Nebraska, Illinois, SMU, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Valparaiso and Detroit are just a few of the schools that are actively looking to get involved.

Strengthened Miami Heat puts the rest of America on high alert--Miami Herald
What you saw in that final game, when James told his teammates in a pregame huddle that Oklahoma City had no earthly idea what the Heat was about to unleash, was James making Mike Miller and Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole into his Paxson and Kerr. What James just did, this season, this postseason, compares favorably to even the best year on Jordan’s résumé.
Role players help Miami Heat roll to NBA Finals victory--Miami Herald
Chalmers and rookie Norris Cole took the baton from Battier in Game 4.

In the series’ pivotal game, Chalmers scored 25 points and earned a lasting nickname from Wade that isn’t exactly fit to print. The fearless Alaskan had 12 points in the fourth quarter and carried the team late in the game when James went down with a leg cramp.

Cole, sporting a new haircut for Game 4 — his signature high-top fade from his collegiate days — had his series-defining run in the first half. With the Heat trailing by 17 points, Cole came off the bench to lead the rally, scoring eight points in a seven-minute span.

Sprinkled throughout the series were contributions from other reserves. James Jones and Udonis Haslem, Miami’s native sons, each had six important points off the bench in Game 3.

“Everybody stepped up — Shane, Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller … Udonis Haslem,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
What's next? Heat to turn to NBA Draft, free agency--South Florida Sun Sentinel
Among those who expected to participate are the team's first-round pick, 2012 first-round pick Cole, Harris, Pittman, possibly former Heat draft picks Jarvis Varnado and Robert Dozier, plus other young players who either go undrafted or are free agents.
Roster review: 15 players, 15 rings, their moments--South Florida Sun Sentinel
Norris Cole

Age: 23.

2012-13 contract status: Under contract for $1,082,520, with Heat holding options for two additional seasons under rookie scale.

Championship heights: For most of three rounds of the playoffs, he bought time for Erik Spoelstra to rest his starters, largely without getting in the way. And then, in the NBA Finals, there were subtle reminders of what had made him such a promising prospect at the start of the season. He finished with a flourish.

Next step: Honestly, little more than typical rookie maturation. To a degree, Cole is the type of player you don't want to inhibit. His free-spirited style is what makes him such a wonderful contrast on this roster.

Moment to remember: One a night when it came down to two or three big plays, Cole's two 3-pointers in the 104-98 Game 4 victory in the Finals provided a needed bench boost when there wasn't much of a bench boost otherwise.
Championship bonus: Heat clarity at center, point guard--South Florida Sun Sentinel
The Heat's point guard of the moment? The very point guard who over these past two seasons had lost his starting job to the likes of Carlos Arroyo, Mike Bibby and, almost, Norris Cole: Mario Chalmers.
Norris Cole 2nd Viking to win NBA title--Cleveland State Hoops

July 24 -- Signing Day – A Chance For Season Ticketholders And Donors To Shine!--detroittitans.com

Powell Emerging As Recruiting Force At Valpo--ChicagoHoops.com

Saturday, June 23, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/22/2012


Miami Heat members, family reflect on ‘rollercoaster’ championship run--Miami Herald
“So much contribution — Norris Cole. Shane Battier was huge. Everybody kept saying we’re a two-man team or three-man team. Well, which team was a two-man team? Oklahoma City is an amazing team; they’re going to have a lot of opportunities for this.”
Championship moments: Instant Heat memories--South Florida Sun Sentinel
James, especially, was in high spirits and when party-rockers LMFAO arrived, he took the stage with them to perform the 2Chainz shout-out "Riot." Unstoppable, James also tried Jay-Z and Kanye West's epic "Ball So Hard," "All I Do is Win" from Miami's DJ Khaled and, of course, "We Are the Champions." Norris Cole joined James onstage for their version of the Meek Mill-Rick Ross collaboration "I'm a Boss."
Norris Cole: NBA Champion in Rookie Season--csuvikings.com

Allison Mitchell Signs With Women's Basketball--csuvikings.com

Ray McCallum Team Shootouts Highly Successful--detroittitans.com
Four Titans Have Won NBA Titles--detroittitans.com

Laura Gonsalves Added to Women's Basketball Coaching Staff--uicflames.com

Women's basketball: UWGB's Borseth to earn $133K per year--Green Bay Press Gazette
SummerTimeOut Featuring Lydia Bauer--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Men's basketball: Brown, Cougill making strides with opposite weight goals--Green Bay Press Gazette

Donation Again Helps UWM's Summer Camps Partner With MPS--uwmpanthers.com

Valparaiso lands Jubril Adekoya to Class of 2013--The Post-Tribune
Valparaiso's anticipated Class of 2013--The NWI Times
Fernandez Makes Senior International Debut in 2012 Centrobasket--valpoathletics.com

WSU star enjoying German basketball league--Dayton Daily News
Thurgood Marshall standout not admitted to WSU--Dayton Daily News
Thomasson looking at Jucos after not being accepted at Wright State--Wright State University Sports
Former Wright State star Hollins writes book--Wright State University Sports

Valpo's Fernandez Makes Senior International Debut in 2012 Centrobasket--Horizon League Network
Norris Cole Captures NBA Title in Rookie Season--Horizon League Network

Thursday, June 21, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/20/2012

USF Basketball Releases 2012-13 Non-Conference Schedule--Voodoo Five
The season starts off with a five game homestand at the newly renovated Sun Dome. USF takes on the UCF Knights on Nov. 10. The Bulls will then host Maryland Eastern Shore, Western Michigan, and Loyola-Chicago in a round robin tournament from Nov. 16-18. Finishing up the homestand are the Bradley Braves, who will visit Tampa on Nov. 20.
...
The Bulls kick off December with a trip to Oklahoma State on Dec. 5 before a three-game home schedule of Youngstown State on Dec. 18, Bowling Green on Dec. 21 and George Mason on Dec. 29. UCF will finish off the non-conference schedule when USF makes the return trip to Orlando on Jan. 5.
...
- Not a lot of marquee names this year, but it should mean a lot of wins next year. Only one team had a Kenpom rating under 100 (Oklahoma State at 95), and have a couple of cupcakes in UMES (331 of 345) and Loyola-Chicago (281) in their four team tournament.

Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole give Miami Heat much-needed scoring--Miami Herald
Resilience on display in Miami as Heat defeats Thunder--Miami Herald
It took a collective effort – big baskets from Mario Chalmers, a timely tip by Shane Battier, three-pointers by Norris Cole, and grace under duress from Wade and James, but the Heat survived a frantic onslaught by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the closing minutes to take a 3-1 lead with the 104-98 victory.
Miami Heat defeats Oklahoma City Thunder to take 3-1 lead in NBA Finals--Miami Herald
Meanwhile, the Heat was 10 of 26 from three-point range. Rookie Norris Cole, who had eight points off the bench, provided a pair of key three-pointers in the first half. Shane Battier was 1 of 4 from three-point range and finished with four points. Thunder sixth man James Harden had eight points on 2 of 10 shooting, four turnovers and five fouls in 37 minutes.

“A lot of credit to Norris Cole, with the new haircut, to come up big,” Wade said.
...
But the Heat rallied in the second quarter behind and unlikely source. Cole, sporting a newly cut high-top fade similar to his college days, came off the bench late in the first quarter and gave the Heat life with a three-pointer near the buzzer. The Heat carried the momentum into the second quarter and stretched out a 16-0 run. After such a flat start, Miami was back in the game before halftime. Cole scored eight points in seven minutes between the first and second quarters and the Heat outscored the Thunder 27-16 in the second period.

To celebrate Father’s Day, a look at notable father-son combinations in college basketball--CollegeBasketballTalk
Ray McCallum Sr. and Ray McCallum Jr., Detroit

McCallum Jr. had the opportunity to play at a number of high-major programs, including Arizona, Florida, and Kansas, but chose to head to Detroit to play for his father.

In his sophomore season this past year, McCallum averaged 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, leading the Titans to a 22-14 record and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Detroit Titans Court Report Takes Home A Michigan Emmy--detroittitans.com

Eight Titan Teams Post Perfect APR's In NCAA's Latest Report--detroittitans.com

Women's Basketball Hosts A Pair Of Camps Over The Weekend--detroittitans.com
Coach Rademacher Attends Leadership Program--detroittitans.com

Men's basketball: Little Chute's Botz commits to UWGB--Green Bay Press Gazette

Rollin' with Ritchie: Episode 1--GreenBayPhoenix.com

The NCAA Basketball Buzzer Beater That Rules Them All--Mid-Major Madness
If I had to pick one moment to define them all, it starts and ends with Bryce Drew. In 1998, Drew hit a leaning 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Valparaiso the win over Mississippi. Everything had to work perfectly for it to happen. The throw, the catch, and the hand-off had to be timed exactly or the Crusaders never get the shot off.

That is the moment that sticks out most when I think of my favorite highlight from college basketball. Even the flop and pile on the floor is burned into my memory.
Highly touted forward Adekoya picks Valparaiso--Off The Mark
VU basketball coach savoring first Father's Day with his long-awaited son--The NWI Times
Crusaders land highly-touted Chicago forward--The NWI Times
Broekhoff Invited to Boomers Melbourne Camp for Farewell Series--valpoathletics.com

Ex-WSU's Duggins enjoying German basketball league--Dayton Daily News
Wright State’s Duggins enjoys first season in Germany--Wright State University Sports
A busy June for Wright State’s Billy Donlon--Wright State University Sports
Wright State’s Cooper Land talks about first season in Norway--Wright State University Sports

Valpo's Broekhoff Invited to Boomers Melbourne Camp for Farewell Series--Horizon League Network

Saturday, June 16, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/16/2012

Points per player possession 2011-2012--Horizon League Hoops
39 Ryan Broekhoff Valparaiso Jr 1.287
...
109 Kendrick Perry Youngstown State So 1.177
...
151 Ray McCallum Detroit So 1.101

NBA Finals Features Plenty of College Stars--Rush The Court
March Madness fans probably remember Derek Fisher, Eric Maynor, and Norris Cole, too, each of whom led small schools to the NCAA Tournament through leading point guard roles. Now they are all valuable reserves for potential NBA champions, though Maynor has missed this season with an ACL tear in his knee.
Thunder looks for answers to slow starts vs. Heat--Miami Herald
Finals debut

Heat rookie guard Norris Cole made his Finals debut in Game 2. He played 13 minutes 17 seconds and had two points.

Of the seven NBA draft picks from Cleveland State, Cole is the second player from the university to play in an NBA Finals, according to the NBA’s player database. Franklin Edwards came off the bench for the Sixers in their 1983 NBA Finals sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers.

“He wanted to play so bad,” Wade said of Cole. “He did well in the minutes that he played.”

Wade said the pairing of Cole and starting point guard Mario Chalmers allowed “me to have a chance to get off of [the ball] and make other moves and make other decisions, so I liked it.”

Chalmers played more than 39 minutes in Game 2 but was just 1 of 7 from the field for three points.
Northeast Ohio's college hoops coaches embracing Coaches vs. Cancer program--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dayton Transfer visits Cleveland State --Cleveland State Hoops
Report: Top JUCO Prospect Majok Signs With Cleveland State--Cleveland State Hoops
Cedric Jackson to workout for Golden State--Cleveland State Hoops

The year of the floor general--FoxNews
Philadelphia, PA – The point guard position is comparable to the quarterback in football in terms of overall importance and ability to affect a game.

With Kendall Marshall and Damien Lillard moving on, the 2012-13 Bob Cousy Award, which goes to the nation's top point guard, is up for grabs. The following is an early list of the top contenders:
...
RAY MCCALLUM - The two-time All-Horizon League honoree has thrived while playing for his father at Detroit. McCallum led the Titans to the NCAA Tournament with four wins in a row in the HL Tournament. The former McDonald's All-American finished second in the conference in scoring (15.4 ppg) and third in assists (4.0 apg). He is attending Chris Paul's CP3 Elite Guard Camp this summer to hone his skills even further as he prepares to lead Detroit back to the Big Dance.
Warren Central’s Calhoun on Detroit situation--The Indy Star
Ex-Wolverine Carlton Brundidge says he's going to Detroit Mercy--The Detroit Free Press
Former Michigan basketball player Carlton Brundidge transfers to Detroit Mercy--The Detroit News

Summer Camp Season Tips Off With Elite Camp
--detroittitans.com
Detroit Adds Michigan Transfer Carlton Brundidge--detroittitans.com

Women's Basketball Incoming Freshman Rosanna Reynolds Featured In Sunday's Detroit Free Press As A Scholar Athlete--detroittitans.com

Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul, Loyola head APR honors--The Chicago Tribune

Lindfors transfers to Loyola
--Daily Herald

Loyola Awards Scholarship to Gabby Micek--LoyolaRamblers.com
Courtney Lindfors Joins Loyola Women's Basketball--LoyolaRamblers.com

Green Bay hopes recruits call, maybe--College Basketball Nation Blog

SummerTimeOut Featuring Sarah Eichler--GreenBayPhoenix.com
Fans Invited to Evening at the Ballpark with Coach Borseth--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Lindfors leaves UWM for Loyola--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Last Year's Top 100 Players--Basketball Prospectus
60. PF Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso, Jr. (Me: unranked; CBS: unranked)
Broekhoff had a supremely efficient season as the second option for a pretty average Valparaiso team. He shot 60/39/80 and ranked in the top 50 nationally in defensive rebounding rate.

Head Coach Jerry Slocum, NE Ohio Division I Coaches Unite For Coaches vs. Cancer Program--ysusports.com

Women's Basketball Adds Three for 2012-13--ysusports.com

Sunday, June 10, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/10/2012


Looking back on over 100 games in 2011-12--Hoopville
(21) Cleveland State 67, Rhode Island 45

The visiting Vikings blitzed the Rams early and often in this game, as it was never a contest. Cleveland State showed what they were capable of in this game as they executed their game plan about as well as they could have.
Owner Micky Arison soaks in the Miami Heat’s Game 7 win--Miami Herald
On the TV, he is handed the Eastern Conference trophy, and he doesn't even hold it up. Honestly, he passes it faster than any basketball Dwyane Wade has ever given over to LeBron James. Whomever was closest to Arison was getting that trophy, and that's why, at the center of this celebration, after ending the veteran Celtics, the guy shaking the trophy over his head on behalf of the Heat is a rookie named Norris Cole, who scored all of seven points in seven games.

"That celebration doesn't feel right," Arison says. "We haven't won anything yet. So I said, 'Take it, rook.'"

A laugh.

Horizon League builds plan for future--Dayton Daily News

Saturday, June 9, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/9/2012

Horizon League Preview: Staring Down Life After Butler--SB Nation

Heat's loss Thunder's gain for Finals--South Florida Sun Sentinel
As for Fisher, one has to wonder had Riley coached this team whether he would have allowed his roster to go into the postseason without someone like Fisher, would have accepted a rookie, in Norris Cole, as his only safety net at point guard?

Metro & state: UDM's Ray McCallum, Michigan's Trey Burke going to Chris Paul's summer camp--The Detroit Free Press

Ke'Sha Blanton Named Women's Basketball Assistant Coach--detroittitans.com

Broekhoff, Australia to Face China in the YouYi Games--valpoathletics.com

McCallum Headed to Chris Paul's CP3 Elite Guard Camp--Horizon League Network

Thursday, June 7, 2012

News On The Horizon 6/7/2012

Ranking the coaching jobs: The Others--College Basketball Nation Blog
Horizon
Best: Valparaiso -- With no more Butler, the Drew-dominated Valpo job squeaked out a win over Milwaukee and Cleveland State among others.
Worst: Youngstown State -- Loyola and UIC have been awful on the court, but their Chicago location likely kept them out of this spot.

UDM's Ray McCallum Jr., U-M's Trey Burke at Chris Paul's camp--The Detroit News
Detroit's Ray McCallum, U-M's Trey Burke invited to Chris Paul guard camp--The Oakland Press
Detroit coach Ray McCallum runner-up in Shots from the Heart--The News-Herald
Drives & High Fives All Around At 27th Annual CAL Club Golf Outing--detroittitans.com
Ray McCallum Invited To CP3 Elite Guard Camp--detroittitans.com

2012 NBA Draft Combine Set to Take Place at FAC June 7-8--uicflames.com

SummerTimeOut featuring Adrian Ritchie--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Chambliss joins Jeter's staff--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Chambliss Added To Men's Basketball Staff As Assistant Coach--uwmpanthers.com

Kyle Rechlicz On The Dennis Krause Show--Panther Blog Zone

Katie Loosvelt Completes Women’s Hoops Coaching Staff--valpoathletics.com

Green Bay's Wojta, Wright's State Lloyd Named Horizon League NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees--Horizon League Network