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Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Sat Jan 04, 2003 9:04 pm

Its not very often that CPC wanders around the bayous and woods in North Louisiana, because frankly things are dangerous around there for those folks of the avian persuasion. If being the birthplace of Popeyes Fried Chicken werent bad enough (I got your ****y or mild right here, bubba) these people eat chicken morning, noon and night, in a hundred different ways. Chicken Gumbo, Chicken jambalaya, chicken etouffe, fried chicken, baked chicken, chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice, chicken ala king, chicken parmesan, chicken-in-a-basket, chicken nuggets, chicken fried steak (oh sure, they call it steak, thats what they want you to believe, but thats thigh meat if I've ever seen it. That "steak" was wearing feathers just a couple days ago.) Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken! Scrambled eggs for breakfast, Chik-Fil-A for lunch, and gumbo for dinner. Its like these people dont know what a cow is actually for! Dont you have TV sets? Havent you seen the commercials? "Beef, its whats supposed to be for Dinner!" Dont listen to the cardiologist people, you know those guys dont ever have any fun, Beef is good for you, CPC swears! Its got all those proteins and amino acids and enzymes and stuff. Beef, it does a body Good! Or something like that........ You dont really want to eat a chicken, I mean.... there's not much meat on us.... you gotta pluck all those feathers..... and there are so many other things that taste just the same..... I swear beef tastes better, really. Just give it a try.
The only reason CPC ever ventures out into such potentially hazardous territories is to fulfill his role as unofficial team scout. The La. Tech Bulldogs may be the hardest team in the WAC to figure out, they're undefeated at home, but winless on the road. Three of their four losses are to teams ranked in the top-10 (Texas, Miss State and Florida), but they dont have a win over anyone worth a damn (Harding, Millsaps, Jackson State.) Tech was a solid 20+ win team last year that made a deccent showing in the NIT, and they have 4 starters back from that club, but they are really missing departed star Gerrod Henderson and top sub Marcus Cole. Cole and Henderson gave the Dogs scoring and athleticism on the wing that they have not replaced yet this year, and they're going to need if they want a chance at finishing in the top half of the WAC.
One player who has stepped up his game and lived up to expectations this year is power forward Antonio Meeking. Leading Tech in both points and rebounds, Meeking is Techs only double figure scorer (17.5 ppg) and only consistent offensive threat. Senior center Zach Johnson and JC transfer Joe Sykes (both 6'10) were supposed to complement Meeking inside, but so far neither has lived up to their recruiting hype, and Johnson may have cost his team a shot at a potential huge upset when he drew a technical foul late in the game against UT. On the perimeter, Lavelle Felton has turned into a solid defender at the point, and a capable ballhandler, but not a scorer, and he struggled when Florida and Miss State pressured him hard. Darrian Brown, Michael Wilder, Bruce Edwards, and Corey Dean have all gotten their chance to start on the wing, but so far the Dogs havent found a combination that works well. Techs best performance this year maay have been their 58-50 loss to Texas, where Dean and fellow freshman Jeremy Johnston saw increased playing time. The emergence of the freshmen may be the key to any success that Tech sees later this year. Tech heavily out rebounded UT in that game, but shot just 4/22 from outside the 3-point arc. Tech is just 22/85, or 26% from outside the arc this year.
Tech is a good defensive team, and Meeking gives them a legitimate presence inside, but they have no perimeter shooters. The points their guards do get come from driving to the basket, not from jumpshots. Tech is last in the WAC in total offense ( 61 ppg) and if they dont find an offensive threat to go with Meeking, teams are just going to pack a zone around the lane and dare Tech to fire it from the perimeter.
It will be interesting to see what attendance is like tonight, because Techs first 3 home games have drawn just a combined 3,000 fans. Slightly less than what their womens team draws for an average game.
Speaking of the Lady Techsters, CPC has to go now. CPC has a crush on one of the assistant coaches from Tech, and he needs to get down to Moody and do some more.... uh... scouting. CPC will be back tomorrow with more words of wisdom for his loyal fans. Until then, dont get your feathers ruffled. Peace out, from the CPC.
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:45 pm

CPC has to make this quick, he's flying to Hawaii for the mens game on a commercial flight, and has to change planes in Albuquerque. (No more solo trans-pacific flights on my own wing power, CPC learned his lesson last time.) So, he's taking this chance during the layover to pass along a little info on this weeks opponents by banging it out on his laptop. Not exactly easy to do when you dont have fingers, and not really much of a lap, either, but CPC is never one to dissapoint his fans.
First of all, it looks like Riley Wallace is recovering well from that little Brain surgery thing that scared so many people back in September. For anyone who doesnt remember, Riley had to have emergency surgery after collapsing in the Las Vegas airport, back in the fall. CPC doesnt know exactly what happened, its too technical for a bird like me to follow, but apparently Riley is on his way to being OK.
People who have seen Hawaii play before arent going to notice much difference. To the surprise of absolutely no one, shooting guard Carl English is the Rainbows leading scorer at 19 a game. Hawaii runs pretty much the same offensive sets they have in the past, (theres no reason to change when you're leading the conference in total offense,) and English hits the same shots he always has, although he seems to be looking for his shot more often this year. Inside, the Rainbows are getting a little bit more production from their big men, as center Haim Shiminovich and power forward Phil Martin usually combine for about 20 points per game. Nkeruwem Akpan, a fairly burly 6'8" sophomore, has turned into a serviceable backup for both Martin and Shiminovich, and usually chips in another 7-8 points a night.
On the wing, no one player has been able to replace Predrag Savovic, but small forwards Mike Kuehbler and Vaidotas Peciukas are holding down the position as a tag team, and between the 2 of them they are averaging 15 points a game.
Mark Campbell has taken over at point guard for the departed Mark McIntyre, but its possible that many people havent noticed yet. The 2 players are practically clones.
There are a couple of new faces, and Shimonvich has begun to step up his game in the middle, but otherwise this Hawaii team looks an awful lot like last years team. Lots of shooters, good execution, and lots of names that CPC cant pronounce. Incidentally, if I misspelled anyones name, CPC is sorry, but you guys dont make it easy on a working bird.

The San Jose State team also looks alot like past years, in that they floundered before, and they're floundering again. Normally CPC wouldnt use up too much space talking about the Spartans, but there has been an interesting development in the last 2 weeks.

Take a look at the box score of tonights game between SJSU and La. Tech. See if you can find any of these names; Oudie Baker, Scott Sonnenberg, and Gary Smith. Baker was the teams best player, leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker. Sonnenberg was their starting point guard, and Smith was a part time starter at shooting guard (SJSU has used a different starting 5 for every game this year, so techically almost everyone is a part time starter. Dont drag CPC into that silly thread over on the football board.)
What these 3 guys have in common is that apparently all three of them felt like they deserved a little extra time off for the holidays. When practice resumed after Christmas, none of them showed up. They didnt travel with the team on their road trip to Boise and UTEP, and SJSU is being kind of vague on what happened to them.
San Jose's press releases sound like they are holding out hope that maybe someday Baker will return to them, but they have no idea when. The other 2 are never even mentioned, CPC cant get anyone from San Jose to admit they were even on the team before.
I dont know what happened to them, maybe they couldnt find anyone to post bail, or their correspondence school transcripts got lost in the mail, or maybe they just got homesick. All of them have a history of changing schools, (which I'm sure comes as a shock to all of CPC's readers, SJSU is one of those schools that takes players who have run out of other options) and Baker left school once before because of family problems (death of a close relative.)
Without Baker and Sonnenberg the Spartans arent much more than an intramural team. They have now become a serious contender to challenge UTEP for the absolute bottom spot in Div. 1. Guards Keith West and Brandon Hawkins are now the leading scorers, and JC transfer Maurice Moore has stepped into Sonnenbergs spot at the point. Moore is only averaging 1 point a game, but he did have a career high 4 points in last weeks blow out loss to UTEP. Eric Walton (no, not another one of Bills kids) starts at center for the Spartans. Eric isnt as talented as his illegitmate cousin Luke, but at 6'8" he's the tallest player the Spartans have, and he kind of wins the starting spot by default.

Thats all for now, CPC has to fly, they're calling for the First Class passengers to board. Dont take an wooden nickles, and keep an eye on the Box score to see if any of San Jose's wayward lambs return. This has been the CPC. Peace out.

[This message has been edited by The CPC (edited 01-10-2003).]
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby Pony_Fan » Thu Jan 09, 2003 8:37 pm

For those curious - I really liked the way Pedrag played at UH

<A HREF="http://www.nba.com/playerfile/predrag_savovic/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nba.com/playerfile/predrag_savovic/</A>
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Sat Jan 11, 2003 9:46 pm

Another quick update before CPC heads out and tries to find the gym at San Jose. Rumors abound out here on the left coast, and more than a couple surround the Spartans hoops squad. First, it looks like Oudie Baker has officially quit the team, at least until he changes his mind again. SJSU coach Phil Johnson asked Baker to do a few extra sprints after returning late from Christmas break, but Baker felt that wind sprints didnt really have much to offer him, and declined. The word around San Jose's campus is that Baker will be dropping out of school and returning to his hometown in Indiana, where he will try to recuperate from this recent allergic reaction to physical conditioning drills.
Starting guard Keith West, the teams leading scorer without Baker, was benched early in the Spartans loss to La. Tech, after exchanging heated (and apparently obscene) words with Coach Johnson during a time out. West spent the rest of the Tech game on the bench, and may not start or play tonight, either.
At half time of the Tech game, with his team trailing 40-17, Coach Johnson refused to let the team return to the court for warm up shots, until the buzzer sounded to start the 2nd half. Instead he kept them in the locker room for an extended screaming session that some people say could be heard echoing in the almost empty gymnasium.
From what CPC is hearing, San Jose sounds like a team on the verge of an serious meltdown. This is all just rumor, though, and we'll see how much of it is true at tipoff, tonight. CPC has to fly now, Peace out.
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Thu Jan 16, 2003 3:58 am

Ohhhhhhh........ CPC's head hurts. Yesterday CPC woke up in a dark, hot, foul smelling place. Wings aching, head throbbing, hot, smelly, dark and humid. Even his feathers ached. Wrapped up so tight CPC thought he was suffocating, impossible to breathe. It was like CPC had died and gone to hell....... or the oven at a KFC...... Then someone on the outside was kind enough to open the zipper, and CPC made his escape.

As it turns out CPC wasnt in the deep infernal region or even in the deep fryer. Some of his new friends in Hawaii had thoughfully packed him into one of the Fresno State equipment bags, to make sure he got back to Dallas after the postgame party. CPC had to ride 5,000 miles inside a canvas bag packed with dirty towels and sweaty socks, and he got back to Dallas without any clothes, his wallet, his laptop computer, and about half his tailfeathers, but at least he got back to Moody without having to pay for the freight, and he's got a couple of verrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting souveniers. He also brought back a thundering hangover from too much fermented coconut milk. It was probably one heck of a postgame party, but CPC cant really say for certain, he doesnt even know where his tailfeather went. That funky coconut juice is some mean stuff, and CPC wasnt able to see, speak, hear or think for about 18 hours or so.

As knocked out as CPC was, though, he wasnt as Unconscious as Hawaii's Carl English or Michael Kuebler were in their game with Fresno. Between them, the 2 Hawaii wingmen poured in 59 points that night, shooting a combined 18/28 from the floor (71%), 13/13 from the free throw line (100%), and 10/16 (61%) from 3-point range. Neither of them ever came out of the game, they were on fire and their teammates fed them the ball until they couldnt eat another bite. It was actually a close game for a while, but Kuebler dropped in 3 long range bombs right before the half, putting Hawaii up by 7, and they never looked back from there. In the 2nd half Fresno tried face guarding Kuebler, close to a diamond-and-one look, but when they did English exploded. Carl was perfect in the 2nd half, 7/7 from the floor and 10/10 from the line. As a team Hawaii shot 84% from the floor, in the second half. Eighty Four Freaking Percent. Its not often anyone has a game like that, much less 2 teammates the same night, and CPC has got to say he was seriously impressed.
It wasnt like Fresno played poor defense, they were Extremely agressive on the defensive side. But Hawaii executed their offense very well, cut-screen-pass over and over, until one of the shooters popped open. Fresno did alot of reaching, slapping at the ball, even clutching and grabbing, but they couldnt fight their way through all the screens. The aggressive D did force Hawaii into 19 turnovers, and that was the only way they ever stopped the 'Bows from scoring, but they also committed 26 fouls, and Fresno doesnt have the depth to overcome that kind of foul trouble.
Fresno sticks almost entirely to an 8 man rotation. This is a bit of a different Fresno team than what we have seen in the past, no Tark, no NBA bound transfer stars, but a well balanced team thats more disciplined, and seems to play hard for 40 minutes every game. Damon Jackson is the teams leading scorer at 12.4 ppg, and power forward Jonathan Woods is next at 11 a game. Jackson is the teams shooting guard, and SMU fans should all remember him from last year when he lit us up twice from outside the arc. Woods is new, a 6'6" forward who prefers to play in the paint, but also can hit the occassional jumper from about 8 feet out. He's even hit a couple 3's this year, but that really isnt his shot, he'd much rather take it to the basket. The rest of Fresno's rotation averages from 6-9 points per game. Noel Felix usually starts at center with Hiram Fuller backing up both Felix and Woods in the frontcourt. Fuller has been very up and down this year, he's a big, strong kid who's pulled off a couple double-doubles this year, but he's also had more than one game where he hardly showed up at all, including their loss to Hawaii.

This is a good Fresno team, better than any of the teams that have already visited Moody this year, and very athletic. They rely heavily on the inside game and their athleticism around the rim. Jackson is their only serious perimeter threat, but he's good enough by himself to keep most defenses honest. They dont have much depth though, and that could kill them on this road trip. When they got off the plane in Dallas, some of them didnt know where they were, or what day it was. And from here, they have to go to La. Tech on Saturday. They're a worn down group, but they also know their backs are against the wall here. If they dont win in Moody then they will most likely go home dragging along a 3 game losing streak behind them, and their shot at winning the conferences regular season title will be fading into the western horizon. I expect they'll lay it all out tomorrow night, the only question is wether they will have enough gas left in the tank to play 40 minutes.

CPC has to go now, he has to stick his head ina sink full of ice cubes, or his eyeballs might explode, and I dont think anyone wants to see that. Peace out, and always remember what CPC says at times like this: Skrawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwk!

[This message has been edited by The CPC (edited 01-16-2003).]
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Sat Jan 18, 2003 9:10 pm

CPC hasnt had a chance to see Nevada play in person yet, but he did catch their game with Tulsa on ESPN, and has made a study of such game tapes as have been made available.
The Wolfpack are a guard oriented team, they usually start 2 6'9" post players, but their points come primarily from their backcourt. Who starts in the post varies from game to game. Kevinn Pinkney has started almost every game, but the other spot has rotated amongst 4 different players who seem to be almost interchangeable. Sean Paul had a strong game in Nevada's win at La. Tech on Thursday, and that may earn him the starting nod again tonight. Regardless of who starts, all 4 will see time.
In the backcourt., sophomore swingman Kirk Snyder is their main man. The 6'6" Snyder leads the team in points, assists, and even rebounds. Snyder is usually joined in the backfield by Garry Hill-Thomas and point guard Todd Okeson.
Missing from the starting 5 these days, though, is senior Terrance Green. Green is the nephew of former NBA star AC Green, and he has been Nevada's leading scorer since the first game his freshman year. Twice last year he poured in 23 against the Mustangs, including the first round of the WAC tournament, when Nevada sent the Mustangs home early. Okeson seems to have taken Greene's job, though, and has emerged as the Pack's most reliable shooter, hitting 30 of 55 attempts from 3 point range, and shooting 86% percent from the free throw line.
For a team built around guards, the Wolfpack are not good shooters. Besides Okeson, no one shoots better than 25% from beyond the 3 point arc. Hill-Thomas still hasnt made a 3 this season. This team much prefers to drive the lane all the way to the basket or pull up for the short jumper. They really are not perimeter shooters. At least they havent been this year.
Thats all CPC can say for now, he has to flie if he is going to make it to Moody before the crowds. See you there.
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby OldPony » Sat Jan 18, 2003 10:47 pm

Wait til the Ponies get hold ofr them. They'll become great 3 point shooters because it is just like practice with no one guarding.
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Re: Scouting report

Postby Pony_Fan » Sun Jan 19, 2003 12:39 am

Yessir - OP, WIDE OPEN looks all night long.
I heard something like 11 for 27 from beyond the arc. The little dude Okeson is quite a shooter. They sure were perimeter shooters tonight...even I could make some of those.

[This message has been edited by Pony_Fan (edited 01-18-2003).]
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Thu Jan 23, 2003 4:35 pm

Tonight SMU fans may think they are experiencing a bit of Deja vu, because the Rice Owls look very similar to the Nevada team SMU just played. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Rice is what Nevada would like to look like. If Nevada eats their vegetables, drinks their milk and works on some shooting drills, one day they might grow up to be the Owls.

Rice runs a motion offense similar to Nevadas, using 2 big men in the low post, but the Rice players, Brandon Evans and Yamar Diene, are a little bit heavier and stronger than any of the Nevada players. Like Nevada they are primarily a guard oriented team, with excellent depth, and their offense almost always runs through shooting guard, Omar Seli Mance. Mance, the most recent WAC Player Of The Week, is averaging over 19 points a game, and challenging SMU's Quentin Ross for the conference scoring title. The real measure of their depth, though, is that their 2nd leading scorer doesnt even start. Michael Harris is a 6'6" forward similar to Nevada's Kevin Snyder, but with a much better jump shot. Harris has started 4 games this year, but usually comes off the bench. Like Snyder, Harris prefers to attack the basket, but he's been able to knock down the 3 point shot when he has taken it.

The most eye catching numbers in the Rice Stat sheet, and what seperates them from most other teams, though, is their shooters. Five of Rices regular contributors are shooting better than 50% from the floor, including Harris, Diene, and guard Jason McKrieth. MKrieth has perimeter numbers that rival Nevada's Todd Okeson, 15/29 from beyond the arc, for 55%. Five players shoot better than 75% from the free throw line, including Mance and McKrieth both at 85%. Mance, Harris, Mckrieth, and subs Brock Gillespie and Michael Walton, are a combined 92/213 from long range, 43%.
These guys can bomb from outside all night long. Rice also likes to push the ball hard in transition to get some easy baskets on the break, and they have the 2 big guys inside to keep the defense honest, but their biggest threat is their perimeter shooters.

On defense they use their guards to pressure the ball and create turnovers to ignite their fastbreak. Rice leads the WAC in steals.

CPC is going to swing by Moody in a bit and uh..... "scout" the Lady Owls before their game with the Lady Mustangs tonight. Gotta see if the Hooters have any Shooters, if you catch CPC's drift. Back tomorrow with more details. Peace Out.



[This message has been edited by The CPC (edited 01-23-2003).]
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Sat Jan 25, 2003 9:35 pm

CPC is going to keep this short, because the game is about to start, and there isnt that much to say. The scouting report on Tulsa is: They're good. Everybody knows that. Everyone knows that Kevin Johnson is the Man in the middle for the Hurricanes, and they're outside shooters, Swanson, Reed, Parker and Glenn, are good enough to keep defenses from packing a zone around Johnson. Tulsa isnt very tall, Johnson is playing center at 6'8" and their starting guards are a pair of twin waterbugs, but they are seldom outrebounded, and it takes a team with size similar to Kansas or Iowa to really exploit the Tulsa interior. The Hurricanes are probably the WACs best defensive team.
CPC isnt telling the fans anything they dont know. With one exception this is the same Tulsa team that came to Moody last year, and not much different from 2 years ago. They're good. They're always good. Its something you can count on, like Death and Taxes. They have struggled some times on the road, and injuries have disrupted their chemistry somewhat this year, but they are still the WACs top ceontender for the post-season, particularly since they will host the conference tournament again this year.
CPC will be back tomorrow, but for now he has to get his wings in gear or he'll miss tipoff. Remember what CPC always says, only in Poker will three of a kind beat 2 pairs. Peace out.
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby PX » Thu Jan 30, 2003 5:15 pm

UTEP was the WACs worst team last year, and they remain strong contenders for the WAC cellar even now, perhaps even worse. Every player that saw consistent minutes last year either graduated, ran out of eligibility, transferred, flunked out, or just flat quit, except for Roy Smallwood. Smallwood was an All-WAC caliber forward and easily the teams best player, but he blew out his knee before WC play began, and no the Miners have even less than they started with.
Did CPC mention that their coach from last season quit just 3 weeks befoore the seasons started? Rumors of marital indiscretions abound surrounding the former coach, and it appears he and his wife have seperated, but UTEP has kept things very quiet. It doesnt help that new coach Billy Gillespie was arrested for DWI after turning the wrong way down a one way street. Normally CPC would have a field day with this, but Nacho and other posters have already stolen the best lines (Two Shots and Drive the Lane, that was a good one.) Besides, its really no fun to kick someone when they are this far down, and the Miners couldnt get much lower.
The only upside for UTEP is that they are playing alot of young guys, and those young players may be competitive when they are more experienced, but right now the Miners are a long, long, long way from the glory days of Don Haskins, and their isnt any rainbow in sight.
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Re: Scouting report

Postby The CPC » Fri Feb 21, 2003 8:21 pm

Just a quick note while CPC waits for the weather clear. Rice is having one of their best season this year, playing with a relatively young team, but lead by senior Omar Seli Mance. They've been successful by playing an uptempo style with full court pressure defense and traps in the halfcourt. The Owls lead the WAC in steals as a team, and they use those turnovers to trigger their transition offense.
In the teams first meeting, this style played right into SMU's hands. The Mustangs, who had been going through a terribly stagnant stretch on offense, were able to hit their first 11 shots from the field and grab a sizable lead early in the game. By turning the contest into an open court game, Rice allowed the faster and more athletic Mustangs several opportunities to get good looks at the basket without having to run a half court offense against a prepared defense.
On the offensive end, the Owls lacked patience and forced alot of quick shots. This was the style they had established early in the season, but again it backfired against SMU. The Owls want to score quickly in transition, and by taking quick shots they were unable to capitilize on SMU's biggest defensive weakness, guarding the perimeter. Rice actually has some very good outside shooters, their 3-point percentage is one of the best in the WAC, but they dont take many shots from out there. Last night against Tech, Rice was 7-14 (50%) from beyond the arc.
If Rice plays the same way tomorrow night, the Ponies should again be able to pull out a win. We'll find out how good a coach Willis WIlson really is, when we see if he is able to adjust his teams style to attack an opponents weakness.
Some will tell you that a glass is half empty, and others that the same glass is half full. But all CPC really wants to know is...... does the drink taste good?
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Re: Scouting report

Postby Vitale » Fri Feb 21, 2003 8:34 pm

Dement said he's really nervous about Rice's ability to shoot the 3. Which is good to see. Now let's defend against the thing.
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