Desert Reign: Impressions of UNLV’s Talent - Part I

By Jason Taylor
7-29-2012

(Part 2 will be released Saturday night)

I had a bout of RWS - Rebel Withdraw Syndrome - and  was unable to attend games recently in person, so I searched the net and found videos of several Desert Reign Pro-city League games on Rebel-Net.com.

Several Rebels joined the league this summer, and Rebel fans turned out in numbers.  The air conditioning system was broken in one game, but red clad fans completely filled the stands regardless of the near 100-degree indoor temps, and hung in to gain measure and give support to the new arrivals, and a few seniors.  That was a nice sight.  DaQuan Cook made a comment about how all these people were cheering as he and Savon Goodman walked into the gym, even though the fans had never even seen them play before.

I was able to watch games that included Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins, Khem Birch, Bryce Jones, Katin Reinhardt, DaQuan Cook, Demetris Morant, and Savon Goodman.

There were never more than 2 current Rebels on each team.

The competition was stout enough to gain perspective, I believe.  Although, of course, it is only a few games of loosely run scrimmages, so we obviously have to take that for what its worth in my analysis.  Several players rooted in the Las Vegas area were in attendance, including Darrington Hobson (of UNM, and NBA Bucks), Jamaal Smith (UNM grad), Billy White (SDSU grad), Pierre Jackson (Baylor), Romel Beck (UNLV grad), Marcus Lawrence (former UNLV point guard), and several overseas pro players.  

Here’s what struck me with each Rebel:

Anthony Marshall at Desert Reign

One of the strongest impressions I had was that there was one player that stood out consistently.  His strength, poise, occasional flash and explosiveness were gravitational - people knew who “that guy” was.  He positioned well, backed players down at will, played great defense, and made very few mistakes.  He even nutmegged a guy at center court.  I don’t think there would be any doubt, that if teams could be picked by the players - captain-style - that he would have been called right at the top.  Anthony Marshall was masterful.  He had over 30 points in one of the games I watched.  I’m really excited about seeing whether this level of control will carry into, and throughout the season.  Fingers crossed!


Then, add Justin Hawkins - more very solid play.  Justin seems to have hardened and strengthened his frame, and showed no hesitation what-so-ever on his shot, most of which, he made.  Drives to the basket, mid-range jumpers, and three pointers - he looked Good.  I’ve always said that he is a good three-point shooter when he steps into his shot - otherwise, not so much.  Justin seems to have progressed - he was hitting three’s against in-his-face defense, even hitting a few fall-aways.  On one telling play regarding added strength; he was below the basket and suddenly exploded straight up, slamming the rim down with a two-handed dunk.  “Hold on,” I said, hitting ‘rewind’.  “Holy mackerel.  Yep, that was Justin!”

Now, for the new guys:

The first game I watched included Savon Goodman and DaQuan Cook.  If you don’t watch anything else, watch this.  DaQuan Cook is number 6, and Savon Goodman is number 12 on the green team.

How about that, Rebel fans?

DaQuan Cook with Carmelo Anthony

So, DaQuan Cook - The game I saw with him was his first in Las Vegas.  He had just arrived in town a few days before and was just barely getting oriented.  He and Goodman came in off the bench.  The first impression as he stepped on to the court, was that this kid is going to have to spend a good bunch of his time running back and forth between the dorm buffet and the weight room.  He’s listed at something around 6’1” and 165lbs.  I’d call that fairly accurate - maybe even a touch heavy.  It’s hard to tell on video.  I am a little worried he’ll get pushed around, especially on defense.  On offense, he’s fun to watch; simply by the fact that you don’t know which way the ball is headed.  He can thread the needle, and take advantage of opposite direction breakdowns with some nice no-look passing.  Since this was his first game, he may have been a bit shy offensively.  He rarely looked to take it all the way to the hole himself, and didn’t take many jumpers, especially if he was well defended.  This made him a bit predictable at times.  If the opposing team had receivers covered, they could possibly gain a turnover because he might force a bad pass before taking it strong himself.  The jury is out on him, in my book.  He’s young, so even if he needs growth, he has plenty of time to develop into a weapon for UNLV.  Given the supporting cast, it’s very possible this kid could flourish as a true, pass-first point guard. 

For the rest of the new guys, come back Saturday!

Updates- Canadians may not play in Canada, Players witness Team USA, Schedule

This weekly update features a quick recap and analysis of a few recent stories, including one that just broke over the last few days regarding Anthony Bennett.

Canadians may not play in Canada


Already known was the fact that Pittsburgh transfer Khem Birch, who still has one semester left to wait due to a transfer redshirt, unfortunately will be unable to participate in the exhibition games in Canada starting in August.

What is now breaking news in the last few days, is that the NCAA is dragging their feet on declaring fellow Canadian Anthony Bennett academically eligible. At least one news outlet, has cited the reason for Bennett's eligibility decision taking so long is because he attended multiple high schools - and that normally slows the process. So, the NCAA has to look over his academics from Findlay Prep, as well as the Canadian HS's. Coach Rice believes that determination may take up to a month, but it could potentially come after the Canadian exhibition - leaving Bennett unavailable to play in the games.

The terrible irony of both the Birch and Bennett situation, is that UNLV is as loaded as anyone with solid Canadian talent. The fact that Birch and Bennett cannot enjoy a homecoming of sorts is a terrible shame and shows the NCAA's rules and regulations, at least in this case, have gone to far and have cost a couple of young men some valuable and meaningful experience. To make matters worse, this is a once-every-four-years type of trip, so its not like provided either Bennett or Birch are still at UNLV next year (think NBA draft) they can experience it in the 2013-14 campaign. Tempering the blow, the last trip was to Australia and we had -0- Australian talent, and have gained -0- Australian talent from the experience.

The Canadian public will just have to enjoy the performance put on by what is still a terrific college basketball team, but what purpose did this solve? Couldn't the athletic department have fought to get these guys to be able to play in games that don't mean anything anyhow? Maybe they did, it just wasn't publicized... Regardless of the insignificance this has on the the part of the season that actually counts, you have to feel bad for these guys.

The above cited article also mentions the possibility for Bennett not being available this season -- slow your roll Sporting News, let's not plant those seeds of doubt.

UNLV Players witness USA National Team Practice in their diggs

It was hinted, they'd find a way to watch. Low and behold, the balcony from the Mendenhall Center provided ample views of what must have been entertaining basketball with Team USA tuning up their performance before hitting the court against the Dominican Republic on Thursday night, then taking the show to DC and then off to London to hopefully dominate the 2012 Olympic Games.

What's initially clear, is that UNLV - who has had a good relationship hosting the national team as well as the NBA summer league most years (except for the lockout shortened season this past year) has received tons of free publicity from hosting the event. That clearly benefits UNLV as a basketball program, and highlights not only our facilities but our arena to potential future UNLV talent. After all, if its good enough for the best NBA players, isn't it good enough for you?

Although I was in attendance at the USA v. Dominican Republic game, my seats were so far up I didn't get a chance  to see if any UNLV players were in attendance. That said - even if they were the best basketball played in Las Vegas likely was left on the practice floor of the Mendenhall center. Calling it a sloppy game would be too kind. The only fun takeaway is that the Mack was packed, I'd have to estimate at least 16k showed up. Lakers fans heavy - as evidenced by the overwhelming applause for Kobe Bryant in comparison to other players. In all honesty, I've been to three of these now including the FIBA, and for the money its the cheapest way to see the NBA's biggest stars play. The one criticism, an intra-squad practice would be far more entertaining and meaningful then beating up on a team who was just knocked out by Nigeria from even being able to compete in London.

Back to practice, in publicized photos Roscoe Smith, Anthony Marshall, and Justin Hawkins were seen taking in the activities. Anthony Marshall actually tweeted quite a few photos from practice. What can a forward and two guards learn from the elite crew? Obviously plenty of tricks. When top players, who are also friends with each other get together - they want to show off. Take the amazing Blake Griffin dunk off of the wall. Unfortunately, the torn meniscus moved him off the roster. For Justin Hawkins and Anthony Marshall, they got to view some great workouts from players such as Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Derron Williams, and of course - Chris Paul. But, as seen only in practice, they got to see these players compete against potential future Olympians in the form of the USA select team. This included Demar Derozen, Klay Thompson, Paul George, Jrue Holliday, Kyrie Erving, and John Wall at the guard spot. Roscoe Smith got to see Kawai Leonard, Lance Thomas, Gordon Hawyard, Taj Gibson, and Derrick Favors try their best to prepare Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Andre Iguodala, Blake Griffin, and Kevin Love for the games.

Time will tell whether the experience lent any takeaways to the UNLV players who watched the NBA's best and NBA's up-and-comers tear up the courts, but hopefully this pays dividends beyond the publicity.

Non-Conference Schedule Set

Here is the Non-Conference schedule, just recently released this past week (schedule page updated as well). In Rebel Reign style, the opponents will be looked at, predictions will be made, and comparisons to previous schedules will be mentioned. This all takes time, which is why no major media outlet has done the dirtywork either. We'll get it done, and there is plenty of time before the season starts to start thinking about how winning that winning record will be. Feast your eyes on our foes:


UNLV BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
The Rebels' non-conference opponents for the 2012-13 season:
Nov. 3 at UCLA (closed scrimmage)
Nov. 7 Dixie State (exhibition)
Nov. 12 Northern Arizona
Nov. 17 Jacksonville State
Nov. 23 Oregon
Nov. 24 Cincinnati or Iowa State
Nov. 28 UC Irvine
Dec. 1 Hawaii
Dec. 4 at Portland
Dec. 9 at California
Dec. 13 University of La Verne-z (D-III)
Dec. 17 at Texas-El Paso
Dec. 19 Northern Iowa
Dec. 22 Canisius
Dec. 29 at North Carolina
Jan. 3 Chicago State
Jan. 5 Cal State Bakersfield
z-at Orleans Arena; all other home games at Thomas & Mack Center    

Reggie Smith headed back to the midwest

Transfer point guard Reggie Smith has asked for and been granted release from the Runnin' Rebels to transfer to a school closer to Chicago. The reason behind the sudden leaving has to do with being closer his ailing grandmother.

Reggie's time at UNLV was short, and due to the reliability of Oscar Bellfield, Rebels fans were waiting to see what Smtih could do with more minutes and more time in Coach Rice's system.

In a sudden dramatic change of events, the Rebels - once loaded with guards, has lost some great ones and will lose more after this coming season (Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins will graduate after the season). Fortunately, new guards are on the horizon. Daquan Cook and Katin Reinhardt are penciled into the lineup, and the Reggie Smtih transfer decision could easily have an effect on either one of their decisions to redshirt the coming year. Potent scoring guard Bryce Dejean-Jones will make waves at the shooting guard positon. Additionally, Dantley Walker will be added to the roster for the 2013-14 season, and the Rebels still have strong interest in Findlay Prep's Nigel Williams-Goss.

The Reggie Smtih loss also frees up another scholarship, making it two available for the 2012-13 campaign, which is shaping up to be epic. Reggie Smith will be missed, and hopefully he gets the chance to make the impact he is capable of at the college he attends. Good luck to you Reggie!

One half J-Hawk, One half Alpha-Dog

UNLV vs. Grand Canyon 11-11-11

By Jason Taylor

Borrowing a phrase from the founder, RebelReign.com is all about UNAPOLOGETIC FANDOM, which is cool because we get to break rules of NORMAL NORMALDOM, and give a fan-to-fan perspective.  GO REBELS!

One of the biggest developing stories is the question of what exactly Coach Rice meant when he promised he was going to put "Runnin'" back into the Runnin' Rebels.

There are several stories in our opener against Grand Canyon, a division II school that took a strategy of actually "out running" the Rebels, as UNLV only had 7 scholarship players eligible for the game. 

Are we Runnin?

The best way to describe the new offense… Frenetic.

Bellfield crosses mid-court and the offensive set goes in motion.  Bellfield cuts right, and fires a 3.  
Massamba rebounds… he's fouled.

Defensive rebound by Moser.  To Bellfield.  He finds Massamba ahead in the middle.  Shot. 

Steal by Moser.  He drives to the basket in open court.  Dunk!

Bellfield crosses mid-court.  He fires ahead to Massamba.  Layup, Good!

The 6'8" Moser rebounds and dribbles up through traffic.  To the corner…  Hawkins fires a 3.

Steal by Bellfield.  He passes the time line.  He swings to Wallace.  The shot is up.  Good!  3 pointer. 

Steal by Hawkins.  Swing to Wallace.  He fires a 3 and misses.  Moser, Rebounding DUNK!

UNLV shot the ball 94 times in its opener… 40 2pt attempts, 24 3pt attempts, and 30 free throws.  That's more than 2 attempts per minute, and remember, there was another team on the court!

So, to answer the question… Yes.  We're Runnin, and Shootin'

An emerging effect of "Runnin'"

In order to keep up, the first two teams have had to try to cover the lateral movement, the swing, skip and dump passes, the rebounding strength of our "bigs", and the onslaught of drives.   The result… a plethora of fouls.  UNLV had 36 free throw attempts against Washburn, and 30 in the GC game.

This fact was a "plus" against Washburn, as free throws helped us win the game with a 26-point boost.  However, we only shot 50% against GC.  This was a major reason they were able to hang so tough against us in the first half.  We flat stunk at the line.

Game Strategy

As covered in the review, it was apparent something(s) in the D. Rice strategy would have to yield to the fact that we only had 7 scholarship players lined up for the game.  Rice has shown strong favor to man-to-man "D", combined with his new, rapid firing offense.  Either he'd have to slow down on offense, play some zone defense, or bring in the walk-ons.

The answers…

While the offense was rapid firing, there were several instances where the offense was allowed to rest for a few seconds as Rice called for the occasional "walk-up" by the point guard.  We took all opportunities to push, but also occasionally "slowed-up" when prudent.

We saw the first Zone defensive sets I can recall in years.  The first switch to zone yielded a steal.  However, GC was able to capitalize on 5-10 first half 3 point shooting, several of which came while the Rebels employed zone defense.  This fact, combined with our POOR effort at the line, allowed a half time score of 39-38, Rebels.

Overall, though, I felt very comfortable with the team's ability to run the zone.  The pressure was still intense.  GC just hit some nice outside shots.

Grand Canyon's coach was pushing his team to run as he subbed through a deep bench.  He thought he could wear us down.

The second half was interesting.  Coach Rice relied less on the zone, but made one key change.  Hawkins gave Bellfield some relief by taking over the point for several minutes.  I'll get back to that, as that is part of the overriding game story.

Multi-MinuteMania.  Coach Rice stuck with his 7 scholarship players, and to GC's dismay, they were not able to outrun us.  This fact makes a statement.  Four UNLV players ended up with over 35 minutes… Bellfield, Hawkins, Moser, and surprisingly, Wallace (it's very rare any single player reaches that stat for the Rebels).  Yes, we huffed at times, but D. Rice was not even in dire need to use his timeouts as rest stops.  Pretty impressive.

Q and Brice split near equal time at center netting a combined 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Mashour had 11 quality, yet largely uneventful minutes.

Double-Digititous is a rare circumstance, but struck the Rebels in the opener.  5 of 7 players scored in double digits:  Brice, Q, Moser, J-Hawk, and O.  It was a largely balanced attack.

The strategy worked.  Rice passed his first "test", and managed the game in pro fashion, even while missing 3 key players.  The final score: 83-66.

An Amazing One-Man-Stat

Mike Moser had a double-double.  Ya, blah, blah.  We're going to see him do that more often than not, I believe.  He is off to a good start with 16 career points per game.

But, 20 REBOUNDS? 

WOW!  CRAZY! 

Enough said.

The Real Story of the Night

One strong measure of confidence in a player is readily evidenced.  Just watch to see who gets the ball or takes a shot after timeouts.  Late in the game, for the first time I can remember, that player was Justin Hawkins, AKA J-Hawk.

I've heard rumors that J-Hawk has had runs in practice this year where he couldn't miss.  That's encouraging, but how will that translate at game-time?

Justin had an answer Friday night.

The senior has been a "glue guy" for the rebels over the years.  Kruger has subbed him in with confidence, knowing he'll play exceptional defense, score a few points, and manage ball control.

This year, Justin has benefited from Stanback's suspension and, at a smallish 6'3", he has received a lot of small forward minutes in the first 2 outings. 

In the first half, J-Hawk was J-Hawk, as advertised.  He played "D", missed a 3, made a 3, made a layup, grabbed a few rebounds, and snatched a few steals. 

Then, everything changed.

The second half came around, and it seemed Bellfield was struggling a bit with muscle cramps that are becoming more of a story this year.   D. Rice, with no other choice, began putting the ball in Justin's hands at point guard.

It was like watching Miracle Grow take hold over the course of 20 minutes.  The fist time he brought it up, he was a bit unsure.  But, the more he bounced the ball, the stronger, and surer the bounce became. 

His shot transgressed as well.  Justin received the ball in the corner on a play, and his feet were in perfect shooting position.  Not knowing who he actually was for a second, I knew the shot was good before leaving his hands.  He stepped into his shot and snapped the bottom of the net.

He drove and ran, and scored a few layups. 

On a "driving right" play from the top of the key, he drew defenders and hooked a pass to a well positioned Massamba for an assist.  He was actually looking like a point guard!

Then the confidence came from the Coaches.  They sensed he was hot, and made sure he had a look, or control of the ball after a few timeouts.  It's the ultimate compliment, and J-Hawk transformed, if just for the time being, into the Alpha Dog.  He was the leader on the floor.

Flush with confidence, J-Dog crossed the ball through his legs a few times, and then, directed a play.  This one, however, was a play he directed for himself, pointing to a spot 5 feet in front of him, which set a pick on the 3pt line, dead ahead of the basket. 

The "Big" obliged, and Justin pulled up for a 23 footer, and DRAINED IT!

It was a moment, and a great story to start the season.

I can only imagine Mamma-Hawk watching. The crowd raged.  

The tears had to have flowed.

See you Monday night!

Season awards

Season awards

Every season, players deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments. Let these awards recognize some of the outstanding accomplishments of last season, and are no way a slight to anyone who was not recognized. Unlike Tee ball, not everyone will get a trophy. Let’s celebrate the Runnin’ Rebels!

Points leader – Chace Stanback 

Chace led the Rebels in points made during the season, making 162/339 field goals, equaling 47% . His scoring led the UNLV to its first national ranking of the season, and helped the team dominate the 76 Anaheim Classic, winning MVP. When the team was without significant contributions from Tre’von Willis, Stanback was leading the way. His best game of the season came against Wisconsin scoring 25 points in 32 minutes, helping the Rebels to beat the highly respected Badgers 68-65. Chace also had nearly a high at 24 points in the 94-79 beating at TCU. That game was mostly garbage time, with an attendance of about 300, but it helped the Rebels regain some confidence going into a showdown with the top-rated SDSU Aztecs. Stanback averaged 13.0 PPG for the season.

- Honorable mention – Tre’von Willis

Willis scored 382 points on 125 of 289 shooting, equaling 43%. He actually had a slightly higher average than Stanback with 13.2 PPG, but played less due to injuries / suspension. Willis’s highest production came against the New Mexico Lobos on February 23 where he scored 25 points and we won in overtime 77-74.

Rebounds leader – Chace Stanback

Who would have guessed it? One would assume it would have been one of the ‘big 3’ who would have earned that title, but Stanback led the team in rebounds last season. Stanback collected 60 offensive rebounds and 135 defensive rebounds totaling 195 boards.  He averaged 5.9 a game. There are qualities that make someone more akin to rebounding, size, position, and hustle are a few. Chace is 6’8” so he can grab basketball over smaller guards and forwards. Chace seemed to be in the right place at the right time, either by luck or intuition.

- Honorable mention – Quintrell Thomas

A member of the three-headed-monster, he racked up 64 offensive and 107 defense rebounds for a total of 171 boards. He did this playing considerably almost half the minutes that Stanback did, 507 vs 967, so his rebound production was on-par with what one would expect. Surely, had Q been given the minutes he would have led the category.

Steals leader – Tre’von Willis

Tre’von Willis led the team with 46, making him leader of the pickpockets. This number was actually an improvement over the previous season’s 41 steals. Steals are quite valuable because they take away the opposing teams opportunity to score, and usually lead to transition points.

-Honorable mentions – Anthony Marshall and Justin Hawkins

Anthony Marshall had 42 steals, and Justin Hawkins had 41. Both figure to be key pieces of UNLVs forward progress, and one or both will have to do even better in the absence of Willis. Also impressive about Hawkins, he had 41 playing over 200 less minutes than Willis or Marshall.

Three point shots leader – Oscar Bellfield

Oscar Bellfield made 66 of 174 attempts, equaling nearly 38%. In addition to being the three-point leader, he was running the team at point guard, which takes a lot of energy. While this past season as a team was not stellar from beyond the arc, 38% is still an impressive figure. Hopefully a more potent offense will free up shooters from three helping Oscar to shoot even more next season.

- Honorable mention – Chace Stanback

Chace Stanback made 47 of 130, equaling 36% from 3. Provided he is not suspended for too long his shooting will be critical with the absence of Willis.

Blocks leader – Carlos Lopez

Carlos Lopez led the way last year with 25 blocks. A formidable blocking presence tends to shut down easy layups and dunks, making a team have to take more jump shots. Lopez was only a freshman last year – look for big things from him, he has the chance to be really special.

- Honorable mention – Quintrell Thomas

Quintrell Thomas was right behind Lopez with 24 blocks. This was an impressive feat seeing how he is only 6’8” as compared to Lopez at 6’11”. Both Thomas and Lopez enjoyed first year success at UNLV and look to capitalize further next year.

Newcomer of the year – Quintrell Thomas

Although he transferred in from Kansas, it is a tough task to crack the starting lineup in your first year with a team that wins as many games with the Rebels. Quintrell did just that. He became a force to be reckoned with once he figured out how to deal with Coach Kruger’s constant substitutions and foul trouble. Because he came from Kansas, there was a lot of hype and expectations for Thomas – 

but he has lived up to it. Expect great things from him.

- Honorable mention – Carlos Lopez

As a redshirt freshmen he provided energy and important production that helped the Rebels succeed this past year.

Most improved player – Anthony Marshall

Marshall elevated his game between his freshman and sophomore years. His numbers jumped from 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game to 9.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He filled in admirably when Willis was out, and his leaping ability was unmatched during the year, producing highlight dunks. The future looks very bright for this local player’s junior season.

Hustle guy / fan favorite – Carlos Lopez

From his bouncy fro to his fauxhawk, Carlos has been a colorful addition to the roster and has won the support of the fans. When he enters the game, its instant energy. Besides putting more energy and effort when he is in, he’s shown some crafty footwork and fakes that make him exciting to watch. He also led the team in blocked shots, so that’s always fun. Look for Lopez to get even better and earn more minutes next season.

Mr. Quotes – Quintrell Thomas

Hardly did a week go by without Quintrell getting quoted in the newspaper saying something short but extremely accurate about what needed to happen next game, or what just happened. Somewhere during last season a Thomas quote became a staple of any good article. Frankly I want more, this guy has a lot to say, but he says it in a mature manner. Kudos to Quintrell for talking the talk and backing it up.

Iron man award – Oscar Bellfield

He played more than any other rebel last season, 1111 minutes. No other Rebel even cracked 1000. He averaged 33.7 minutes per game and never missed one. This figure is way up from the 28 MPG the season previous. Hopefully all those minutes didn’t wear him out. Please take an ice bath, we’ll need you healthy for your final campaign as a Rebel.

Celebrating UNLV history award – Dave Rice and Stacey Augmon

It is always good to see a team celebrate its history, and it’s also important in doing so not to trivialize the job by filling it with an alumni. UNLV met both criteria by selecting Coach Dave Rice and Assistant Coach Stacey Augmon, both members of the 1990 championship team. I would have to call Stacey Augmon’s move to the Rebels more of a personal sacrifice, so I think it’s worth celebrating. He had a great gig going for him with the Denver Nuggets, and obviously a good life in Denver. No doubt, Stacey made some sacrifices to come and be a Rebel again. Welcome back!

MVP – Chace Stanback

When UNLV was headed in the right direction last season he was right out front. Stanback is the reason why the Rebels were initially ranked, and he dominated the Anaheim classic, winning MVP there as well. Clearly, you have to give the points and rebound leader the award, he has earned it. Hopefully Stanback is able to top his Junior year and lead the Rebels further into the NCAA tournament.

Also, congratulations to Shawn Marion and Joel Anthony to being key parts of their teams march to the NBA Finals. UNLV Athletics had this snazzy graphic posted, so I thought I would share: