Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC assistant coach Jason Hart

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Jon’s interviews, and the rest of our extensive and continuous preseason coverage

Mike Hopkins is the latest member of the Jim Boeheim pipeline that is using the Syracuse basketball program to singlehandedly populate the Pac-12 coaching ranks.  1 of the 1st members was Jason Hart, who is preparing to begin his 5th season as an assistant coach at USC.  He began his career with the Orange as the 1st freshman to lead the Big East in minutes played and finished it a few years later with the most STL in school history and a spot on the Syracuse All-Century Team.  After a 9-year NBA career he became a coach and will try to help get the Trojans back to the NCAA tourney next March.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Hart about winning games in March and being a great defender.  

During your NCAA tourney career with Syracuse you had a 2-PT win over Iona in 1998 and a 2-PT win over Kentucky in 2000: what is the key to winning games in March that go down to the wire? I think that experience is the key to winning in March. You need a good team/coach but unless you have ultra-talented freshmen you need veterans.

Your 329 career STL remains in the top-20 all-time in D-1 history: what is your secret for being a great defender? It is just the desire to want to stop your opponent. I also had good hands/anticipation.

You were named to the Syracuse All-Century Team: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It means a lot to me. Coming from a program with such a large number of talented players, it is an honor that I will cherish more than anything.

You spent almost a decade in the NBA: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? Pro basketball is a business, whereas college is where you get to hone your skills and listen more to your coaches. Once you get paid you are expected to produce.

In Game 4 of the 2009 NBA playoffs with Denver, you scored 2 PTS in a 121-63 win over New Orleans, which tied a record for the most lopsided win in playoff history: how were you able to go on the road and simply destroy the Hornets? It was not me: we had Coach George Karl and a number of good players including Carmelo Anthony/Kenyon Martin. If you have a bunch of talented players then you can pull something off like that, but college is more about coaching.

You are an assistant to Coach Andy Enfield at USC: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? I learned not to take things too seriously. He is really good offensively and allows the players to play through their mistakes.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you had a 4-PT loss to Baylor: what did your team learn from that game that can help them this year? We just need to get stronger mentally/physically. It gave us the confidence that we belong: we just need to come out focused for each game.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Vanderbilt/Texas A&M/SMU/Oklahoma: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Every game is a test: as a coach you never want to get ahead of yourself so the game that jumps out to me is our opener against Fullerton.

Your cousin Brandon Triche also played for Syracuse: who is the best athlete in the family? I think Brandon is a little better athlete than me since he was a little bigger…but I think that I was the better player!

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? The goal is to play hard each and every game. We expect to be a better team than we were last year.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC assistant coach Jason Hart

Hoops HD Report: SEC Conference Preview

Posted on October 29, 2017 by John Stalica

Today, the HoopsHD panel rounds out the power conference previews as the SEC is discussed. Kentucky is once again the odds-on favorite as another cast of freshmen descends upon Big Blue Nation. Florida is not far behind as the Gators are also expected to return to the NCAA Tournament (although likely not as a protected seed). Other teams expected to contend for tournament contention include Texas A&M, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Georgia. Could a darkhorse like Missouri or Ole Miss also emerge? Watch (or listen) to our podcast to find out!

And for all of you who listen on the radio and/or on the go, here is the mp3 version of the show:

Posted in Conference Preview, Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hoops HD Report: SEC Conference Preview

Conference Preview: Summit League

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Chad

SUMMIT LEAGUE

Now that IUPUI has moved over to the Horizon League, the Summit League is down to eight members (though it will be back to nine next year when North Dakota joins).  Amongst those eight, cases can be made for a finish at or near the top of the standings for as many as seven teams this season.  The pick to win the title is defending tournament champion South Dakota State, a team led by the league’s best player, Mike Daum.  At over 25 points per game last season, including a 46 point effort against Fort Wayne and a 45 point output against Denver, Daum has the ability to single-handedly carry his team to the title, as he pretty much did in last year’s conference tournament final against Omaha.

Beyond South Dakota State, cross-state rival South Dakota and a resurgent Denver team appear to be the most likely to contend.  However, North Dakota State can never be overlooked in this conference, while Fort Wayne looks to bounce back from a disappointing conference season — and has the returning players capable of doing just that.  Even Oral Roberts and Omaha could be in the mix if they get their newcomers to gel with returnees in time for conference play to begin.  This has all the makings of an incredibly fun and exciting season in what may prove to one of the most balanced conference top-to-bottom in all of Division I.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. South Dakota State – The Jackrabbits have the nation’s top returning scorer, forward Mike Daum, who averaged over 25 points and 8 rebounds per game as a sophomore last season, leading them to the conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.  They also return three other starters and three top bench players, all of whom are juniors or seniors.  This team has the depth, experience and talent to take both the regular season and tournament titles this year.
  2. Denver – The Pioneers return seven of their top eight scorers from a team that was among the best in the entire nation in shooting percentages.  They have a legitimate big man down low in Daniel Amigo, and plenty of depth as well.  In short, the Pioneers have a chance to take a big step up this season and contend for the conference title.
  3. South Dakota – The Coyotes won the regular season crown last season and return three starters including top scorer Matt Mooney.  They will need to make up for the offseason losses of Tyler Flack and point guard Trey Dickerson, but if Triston Simpson can take over the point and Nebraska graduate transfer Nick Fuller can help in the frontcourt, they have a chance to repeat.
  4. North Dakota State – The Bison do return two of their top three scorers from last season, Paul Miller and A.J. Jacobson, but have to fill holes in the post and, even more importantly, at point guard.  If they cannot find the answers there, they could take an even bigger step back than this.
  5. Fort Wayne – November 22, 2016 will be remembered for a long time by Mastodon fans — the night they hosted Indiana and upset the Hoosiers 71-68 in overtime.  Unfortunately, the rest of the season did not go as well, finishing only 8-8 in league play.  Fort Wayne does return three starters that averaged double figures, led by John Konchar and Bryson Scott, and could be a factor this season.  They will need to find a way to not suffer from late-game let-downs that plagued them last season.
  6. Oral Roberts – The Golden Eagles have one of the best returning frontcourt tandems in the conference, with Albert Owens and Emmanuel Nzekwesi back.  Owens averaged over 17 points per game while Nzekwesi was conference Freshman of the Year.  The problem will be filling holes in the backcourt, where junior college and graduate transfers (such as Austin Ruder from Missouri State) will need to step in and contribute a lot immediately.
  7. Omaha – The Mavericks only return one starter, though that one player, Zach Jackson, averaged more than 10 points per game.  They also do bring back their sixth man Mitch Hahn (11.7 points per game), who figures to start as well.  However, there are still a lot of holes for a talented group of newcomers to fill, meaning that this team is probably a year away from making any serious noise.
  8. Western Illinois – The Leathernecks went 8-20 last season.  Their top two players from that team, Garret Covington (the school’s all-time leading scorer) and Mike Miklusak, are both gone.  The only good news is that they won’t miss the conference tournament — because with IUPUI gone to the Horizon League, all eight teams will qualify.
Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Conference Preview: Summit League

Conference Preview: Southland

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Chad

SOUTHLAND

The Southland Conference for four consecutive seasons was dominated by Stephen F. Austin.  When Brad Underwood left for Oklahoma State (and now Illinois) prior to last season, there was a chance the Lumberjacks would take a step back, and they did so last year losing six times in conference play.  It was the University of New Orleans, a school that almost dropped completely out of Division I not that long ago, which stepped up and stole both the regular season and tournament crowns.

This year, the big dog may return to its place on top, as SFA appears ready to re-establish themselves as the top team in the league.  However, it will by no means be a runaway performance.  Although New Orleans will likely fall back, both Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana appear ready to mount serious challenges.  Also, keep eyes on Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.  Both teams completed their transition to full Division I membership last season and are eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments for the first time ever this year.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Stephen F. Austin – During the four seasons from 2013-2016, the Lumberjacks lost a combined total of 3 regular season Southland games.  While 12-6 and a second place finish would sound great to most teams, it was a huge step back in Nacogdoches.  The Lumberjacks look to bounce back to the top of the standings this season with five returning players (assuming Leon Gilmore returns from suspension) that averaged more than 8 points a game, led by forward T.J. Holyfield.
  2. Lamar – The Cardinals return the majority of last year’s team that went 19-15 and qualified for the CIT.  They will be led by Colton Weisbrod, a senior forward with a real chance to average a double-double this season and contend for conference Player of the Year honors.
  3. Southeastern Louisiana – The Lions have a real chance to step up this season after they went a solid 16-16 last season despite having three regulars miss almost the entire year with injuries.  Keith Charleston, Joshua Filmore and Jordan Capps should all be back healthy, joining a pair of double-digit scoring returning starters to give this team the tools to contend for the league crown.
  4. Central Arkansas – Despite losing 24 games last season, the Bears did pick up 7 conference wins and slid into the conference tournament in 8th place.  Expect them to be back in the 8 team field this year behind seniors Jordan Howard and Mathieu Kamba, who combined to average over 33 points per game.  Also, keep an eye on freshman big man S.K. Shittu and his 86-inch wingspan.
  5. Abilene Christian – The Wildcats have completed their four year transition and are eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments this season.  They have a chance to make it to both with all five starters back led by sophomore Jalone Friday — a big man who can step out and hit the long ball as well.
  6. Incarnate Word – The Cardinals are now eligible for the Southland and NCAA Tournaments, and return three players that averaged more than 14 points per game apiece in Jalin Hart, Simi Socks, and Shawn Johnson.  If they can improve defensively, they will be a factor in the conference race.
  7. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – The Islanders had a huge 1-2 scoring punch last season with Rashawn Thomas (22.6 points per game) and Ehab Amin (17.2).  Thomas is gone now, but Amin is still here and will be asked to score even more to go along with his defense — he led the nation in steals.  A repeat of 24 wins seems unlikely, but the Islanders will still be tough to beat.
  8. New Orleans – New Orleans at one point began transitioning its athletic programs down to a lower division.  They not only changed course and chose to stay in D1, but quickly rebuilt to win the conference regular season and tournament titles last year.  With three starters gone, including their top two scorers, a repeat is unlikely.  However, there are still four key seniors on this roster, so the Privateers should not be counted out either.  If they can answer some questions at the point, they could finish higher than this.
  9. Northwestern State – The Demons will need to find more offense this season with three starters gone, including Zeek Woodley who averaged almost 20 points per game.  The returning inside-outside pairing of Devonte Hall and Ishmael Lane will help ease the losses.
  10. Sam Houston State – The Bearkats are likely to take a step back this season as only one starter returns, though Chris Galbreath is also back, and was second on the team in scoring as their sixth man last season.  However, unless some newcomers step up, this team may be fighting just to qualify for the conference tournament.
  11. Houston Baptist – The Huskies may take a big step back after a second place tie last season and a berth in the CIT.  Seven players from last year’s roster are gone, but center Josh Ibarra, a nightly double-double threat, is back and freshman David Caraher is a three-star recruit at small forward.
  12. McNeese State – Returning four of their top six players is a good sign for the Cowboys; however, this team lost 22 games last year and needs to get a lot better on the boards if they want to move up in the standings  A handful of bigger Juco transfers and freshmen recruits will be counted on to solve that problem.
  13. Nicholls State – The Colonels were a bit of a surprise last season, finding a way to win 14 games in head coach Richie Riley’s first season.  Seven seniors, including three starters, are gone from that team and they are likely going to take a step back.  However, keep an eye on UNC-Greensboro transfer Tevon Saddler, who led his former team in scoring during his freshman year.
Posted in Conference Preview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Conference Preview: Southland

Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC F Bennie Boatwright

Posted on October 28, 2017 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Jon’s interviews, and the rest of our extensive and continuous preseason coverage

USC is so good that McDonald’s All-American Charles O’Bannon Jr. might not even start for the Trojans, and they are so tall that the 6’6″ guard has a whopping 5 teammates who are 6’10” or bigger.  1 of those star forwards is Bennie Boatwright, who declared for the draft in April before deciding to return to campus.  Despite missing half the season due to a variety of injuries, he still scored 15.1 PPG last year including a career-high 24 PTS in a 4-PT win over Providence in the NCAA tourney.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Bennie about making free throws and his general health.  

Growing up your father Bennie Sr. served in the LAPD and brought you and your siblings to a gym at 6AM to take 500-1000 shots each morning: how much of an influence has he been on you either on/off the court? Words cannot describe how much he means to me: he has been there for me each and every day.

You play for Coach Andy Enfield at USC: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He is a great guy first and foremost who cares about his players. He has been around the sport for many years and is a guru when it comes to X’s and O’s.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you scored 11 PTS but Rodney Bullock made a layup with 1.5 seconds left in a 1-PT win by Providence: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career, and how sweet was it to beat them in the rematch last March? That was the toughest loss of my career because we were up the whole game until losing at the buzzer. We battled back in the 2nd half last March and it felt good to beat them.

In the 2017 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS/4-9 3PM in a 4-PT loss to Baylor: what did you learn from that game that can help you this year? I learned a lot of things from that game. I knew that I had to get stronger when playing against guys like Johnathan Motley: he was a beast.

You shot 73.8 FT% as a freshman but improved that to an outstanding 90.7 FT% as a sophomore (including a streak of 34 in a row): what is your secret for making FTs? Just staying loose and concentrating. My dad always tells me to hold my follow-through.

Last April you declared for the draft and then withdrew your name a few weeks later: why did you declare, and why did you return? I wanted to get some feedback from NBA scouts and was going to go through the process, but thought it would be better to return because we can make a good run this year.

Your godfather Francois Wise was an All-American basketball player at Long Beach State: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough 1 but you know that I have to go with myself! We have a pretty athletic family: my dad played at Oregon for a year and my little brother is coming along as well.

You missed 17 games last year due to a variety of injuries: how is your health at the moment? I am feeling great: this is the best I have felt during my career and I worked extremely hard this summer.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against Vanderbilt/Texas A&M/SMU/Oklahoma: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? There are a lot of great teams out there and those are all big-time schools, as well as Miami in the Diamond Head Classic.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We will take it 1 game at a time but we are expecting to win the Pac-12 title and contend for a national title. We are focusing on winning games and I think that this is our time.

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , | Comments Off on Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews USC F Bennie Boatwright

Hoops HD Report: Big 12 Conference Preview

Posted on October 28, 2017 by John Stalica

Today, our Hoops HD panel discusses the Big 12 conference. While Kansas is considered a mortal lock to win the conference, other teams that are expected to make noise include a West Virginia team coming off of a Sweet 16 run that ended with a tough loss to eventual national runner-up Gonzaga, a surprising TCU team that won the NIT in Jamie Dixon’s first season as head coach, and the Texas Longhorns who were coming off of a rare down season. Baylor, Kansas State and Iowa State have to reload this season, and Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are also discussed as well.

And for all of you who listen on the radio and/or on the go, here is the mp3 version of the show:

Posted in Conference Preview, Hoops HD Report, Podcasts, Videocasts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hoops HD Report: Big 12 Conference Preview