Derrick Roberts Impressive In All-Star Game

[50's PONY]

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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports

May 15, 2004, 11:36PM



Nimitz's Roberts shines
By TED STAVINOHA
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
SUGAR LAND -- Saturday afternoon's basketball all-star doubleheader sponsored by the Greater Houston Area Basketball Coaches Association featured the usual ingredients found in such a gathering of the sport's premier players.

There was fancy passing, 3-pointers shot from well beyond NBA range, high-flying dunks, mass substitutions and enough baskets to make the most proficient of scorekeepers cry uncle.

But when 5-11 Kingwood senior Jason Koenig took a charge early in the first quarter of the first game, you knew this wasn't your father's all-star game.

Nimitz guard Derrick Roberts, an SMU signee, scored 25 points, and Angleton's Corey Jefferson added 19 as the Sandy Schwartz all-stars ran past the Virel Kalinowski stars 129-102 in the first of two games played at Wheeler Fieldhouse.

In the second game, Elsik's Baron Sauls scored 17 points, and Mike Drewy of Willowridge added 14 to lead the John Lee Alexander Hart stars past the Robert Hughes team 90-70.




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HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
This article is: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2572885

[91Stang]

Sounds like a welcome addition, to say the least!

[LA_Mustang]

The young man is a big-time scorer and will bring a MUCH needed scoring option to our offense.

[PonyFan]

If he can really shoot from the outside, maybe you play him and Isham with Hopkins, Castro and Simpson. If he's the long-range threat he seems to be, that might free up Isham to do what he does best: slash to the basket for big dunks and pile up some free throws.

[LA_Mustang]

PF,
Depending on matchups, I like that lineup. You bring up a good point. If Roberts comes in as an immediate offensive threat that will take a lot of the pressure off of Isham and he will be able to play his game. He just isn't a scorer and that is what you need your 2 guard to be. IMO, that is why he struggled last year. With the addition of Roberts and Tubbs new offense, we should see a different Isham this season.

[Hoop Fan]

never too early to talk lineups. I see 7 guys getting alot of playing time next year: Hopkins, Isham, Roberts, Pearson, Ofoegbu, Simpson, Castro. If Rack pulls it together it could be 8. I imagine the starters will be Hopkins, Isham, Pearson, Simpson and Castro. But there are some interesting combinations. If you sub Roberts for Isham and Ofoegbu for Pearson, that might provide the best balance of scoring punch and rebounding. That would be Hopkins and Roberts in a dynamic backcourt, Simpson slides up to the 3, Castro the 4 and let Ofegbu use his athleticism to man the 5 spot with weakside help from Castro.

[OldPony]

We are going to need 8-9 players if we really hit the court running which J Tubbs has said he wants to do. Caution- don't put too much pressure on a freshman before he has a chance to see how he can do against college talent. Rack will have to be a bigger part this year. When you run well, the big men are running too and are aften filling the lane on the breaks. I look for Pearson to be much improved and very solid this year.

[BUS]

Did he just say" Big Men" Oh I think he did. The Bball team needs some muscle too. I hope the Oak Tree ( Oka fubu or something ) is a strong guy. We really neeed a stronger post and I hope get that next year.

Go TUBBS

[Charleston Pony]

From what I've seen, most guys make their most dramatic improvement as collegiate players between their Frosh and Soph years. Should be interesting to see whether Pearson and Reay will be significant contributors next year.

The key to success next year will be how the returning seniors respond to this coaching change. Will they step it up a notch?

With at least 3 scholarships to give, I'm looking forward to Coach Tubbs 1st recruiting class. A bball program can be turned around VERY quickly. Sure would be nice to be ready to compete right away in CUSA.

[LA_Mustang]

We are going to see a great year from the senior class (Simpson, Castro, Isham). This group has fought through some tough times and should be primed for a breakout season. I look for them with Hop to provide a strong leadership core for Coach Tubbs. Tubbs, more than Dement, is the type of coach that will allow his players to take more of a leadership role and I believe one or two of these guys will evolve into the “team leader(s)”. There will be a new atmosphere around this team and it should benefit all.

Everything I have read about Roberts suggests that he is a very mature and hard working young man. I think he is really going to surprise a lot of people with his skills. You might have considered Sasser a scorer but he was more of a “volume” scorer (I stole Antoine Walker’s term) and Q was a great all around player but he wasn’t a big-time scorer. Dement never really had a go to guy (I hate saying that because Q was his senior year but that is the only exception, IMO). All indications are that Roberts can be that guy. He is a scorer in the truest sense. He has a very smooth and athletic game with a better than average jumper....in the Kobe mode. I have a feeling it is going to be very hard for Tubbs to keep him out of the starting lineup by mid-season.

As for Pearson, I love what he brings to the table. Energy and rebounding!!!! He will surprise you with his outside shot as well. Hopefully he will work very hard this summer and provide solid minutes off the bench. I like the addition of Ofoegbu for rebounding and shot blocking. These two guys are going to be key because if we run like Tubbs wants to Castro and Simpson will need rest.

[Stampede]

It was reported to me personally from "inside the program" that Roberts is the real deal and cut in the same mold as "Q". Went on to say Derrick would most likely have started LAST year.....not to mention this year. Mike Kuhnstadt told Dement that "Roberts may be the catch of early signing." We should thank Lineberg for recruiting and landing Derrick.

I personally met Derrick on his official visit and he is a great looking kid with a terrific smile and attitude. He will fit into SMU perfectly.

Now we'll all just have to wait and see.

[RGV Pony]

Stampede, if you met Derrick on his official visit, isn't that something that the M-club lit. says we can't do?

[Hoop Fan]

Our man Stampede runs the Spirit Shop stores. My guess is Roberts came in to buy some SMU gear like most new students do. There is nothing illegal about observing and greeting someone is there?

OP makes a valid point about expecting too much from freshman. Didnt some people fall into that trap with BHop? At the same time, SMU is not so talented that some quality national caliber players could not make a big impact for us as a freshman, especially in the WAC. If Roberts is truly a special talent, and his skills fit what we need, there is no reason not to get him on the floor early and often. With Bennett leaving, I'm pretty sure Roberts will play alot unless reports about his talents are completely off base, which I doubt.

[OldPony]

Based on my way too many years of watching freshmen, I think we'll see Roberts play a lot. My concern is that even very talented freshmen don't get the rythm or find their place on a team until midway or later their first year. It just takes a while to understand what is expected of them and how the college game differs from HS. Only the truly exceptional defy this observation. JR Giddens of KU was one of the best frosh in the country last year but he really didn't become a go-to guy until late in the season. Confidence and natural ability are hard to sustain until freshmen become comfortable in the system. This certainly isn't a knock on Roberts. He looks on paper to be a very good outside shooter and Lord knows we need help in that area. JT (no not you JTStang) will be hard pressed (no pun intended) until all of the guys get into the new flow and I fear sloppy play through the first 1/4 of the season at least. Come conference time......?

[Hoop Fan]

granted, all freshman have problems with consistency. Your point about Giddens is taken, but I also think just as many freshman start strong early in the year and then hit the wall come February because the length of the season and the intensity difference to HS. The good news is like LA pointed out, we have some serious veteran leadership coming back next year between Simpson, Castro, Isham and Hopkins. Should make things easier for Roberts if he is expected to play alot.