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

This is part II of Jason Taylor's impressions from the Desert Reign tournament held recently. The first part, released this past Wednesday, had impressions of Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins, and Daquan Cook. The article continues here:

Savon Goodman dunking ally-oop from Daquan Cook

Savon Goodman - The first impression of Goodman as he stepped on to the court, is that all competitors might need to spend time running back and forth between the dorm buffet line and the weight room.  Okay, maybe that is a stretch for my “first impression”, but the assertion is entirely safe having watched him play.  Let me just say this… UNLV fans are going to LOVE this kid.  You know, like, a few years ago, how much we complained about needing toughness - guys that could scrap, scuffle and rebound by sheer physical domination?  Remember, especially before getting Moser, how a high-in-the-air rebound almost always went to SDSU, or UNM?  Remember how much we’ve complained about big guys that can’t drive from 18 to 22 feet out and just cram it down somebody’s throat, or finish on the break?  Rebel fans - have no fear, Savon Goodman is here!  That’s right, I’m sayin’ it with confidence.  We’re gonna’ Love This Guy.  Not only can the thick-bodied 6’6” 210lb forward pound, he can fly!  You saw the dunk in the video.  He was easily a good foot over the rim.  Then, “Oh, ya.  I forgot to mention, he’s got a soft touch.”  He can bull his way in, get knocked in the air, and still balance out a nice touch to put the ball in the basket.  The down side?  He needs to work on form in his jumper, and he looks to me to be a less than 60% free throw shooter.  That’s okay, though.  I’ll take all the “and-nones” he can dish out.  If you remember J.J. O’Brien, who transferred from Utah and almost came here last year but went to SDSU after Bryce Jones committed, Goodman is his ultimate replacement.  He scored around 30 points in the game I watched, almost all of them coming at the rim.  Nice!

Moving on to Katin Reinhardt - Flash, ah-ah.  Katin is the guy, who whenever he has the ball, we’ll be drawing breath, anticipating - something.  We’re not always going to get exactly what we hope for, especially as he “freshmans” out of the gates, but this kid is a showman, he loves UNLV, and we’ll love him back.  He can seriously break ankles with his cross-overs, and he has great form on his pull-up jumpers, which he’s very confident in using - maybe overly so at times???  He can drive, dunk, pass, and shoot.  Consistency and balance will be his biggest questions.  Anything can happen, but I definitely see him as a shooting guard, vs. point guard, to start off as a Rebel.  I believe he’ll be an early season contributor.

Demetris Morant - I saw Morant play last year in the Addidas 64 tournament, and then, of course, in the Desert Reign game as well.  To give background, this kid just won state in the triple jump and the high jump.  He cleared 6’10” to win.  That’s insane!  To give perspective, according to my sports-expert friend, Pete, the great Wilt Chamberlin set a record way back in the day with a 6’11” jump.  The kid is athletic!  However, he’s the “quiet kid” on the court.  He does fine, retrieving rebounds for put-back dunks, and he gets a share of blocked shots, but as I’m sure he would admit, he’s a few years away from making an impact as a Rebel.  I hope he has a great work ethic, because he has all the potential in the world if he’s driven.

Bryce Jones - When I mentally insert him into a line-up, I think, “How big and athletic can we get?”  Marshall, Jones, Moser, Bennett and Birch…  6’3”, 6’6”, 6’8”, 6’7”, and 6’9 - average vertical, atmospheric.  I predict stretches of time - say 3-minute blocks - this season that the other team simply doesn’t get a rebound!  Jones will be difficult to defend.  He has supreme confidence, and can score from anywhere.  Turn-around 15-foot jumpers, 3-pointers, finishing dunks - he has the full repertoire.  However, he may have a switch.  He’ll change some games for us, much like Chase did last year, and then, he may go absent at times.  Overall, he’s a tremendous recruiting ‘get’; he’ll bring attitude and toughness, and he’ll be contributing right away, I believe.  Stylistically, he’s more Kobe/Jordan-esque than anybody else on the team.  Whether he can perform similarly… well, that’s almost impossible.  More than anything, though, this kid is a high-level competitor. 

And finally, Khem Birch - Khem is a game changer even if he never sees the offensive end of the court.  His defense is crazy good.  He has Joel Anthony’s timing, but can probably out jump him by a good 6 inches.  Like Joel, he doesn’t need time to get off the floor - for rebounds, or blocks.  I’ll make some early predictions: Khem is ineligible to play until December, but he’ll still lead the MWC in blocked shots on the year.  How’s that for steppin’ out?  Then, rebounds - He will outrebound Mike Moser on a per game basis.  So while he may not have more total rebounds at the end of the season than Mike, I’m predicting that he’ll have more rebounds per game than anybody on the team, and conference.  He has a similar style and ability to Mike, but he rebounds from the inside out, vs. Moser, who rebounds from the outside in.  In other words, he starts his efforts near the basket.  He looks like he can guard out to the perimeter as well.  These facts, assuming they hold true, definitely make him strong NBA material in my mind.  Then, yes, he has offense.  He can grab an offensive rebound six feet on the side, and put it right back up without needing the backboard.  He’s active and talented.  He may not be the leading overall point per game scorer on the team, but he’ll definitely have games where he’ll be the leading scorer.  Like Moser, he just has too much that can’t be taken away. 

So that’s it.  This all sounds pretty exciting as I write it.  Every position is stacked.  Thomas and Lopez, I believe will still be contributors.  They’ll have their chance to play some good minutes early in the season.  The rest of the season will depend on how well they establish themselves, because it’s entirely possible that one of them will get very few minutes once Birch comes on. 

Another exciting element is the fact that the supposed “best player on the court”, Anthony Bennett, isn’t even mentioned yet.  He didn’t play in the Desert Reign tournament, and I haven’t seen him play, other than highlights.  He has been nominated by some national media to be the second most NBA eligible player in the 2012 class next to Shabazz Mohammed.  I’m hoping that Bennett will finally fill the shoes of the great Larry Johnson.  They seem to have similar builds and styles.  Fingers crossed on that one too!

Speaking of Bazz, I’m actually glad he didn’t choose UNLV.  We needed a power forward so much more than a shooting guard, or small forward.  There are those that wonder if we can manage all our talent.  I believe we have a very good chance of doing that as the team stands right now.  This, however, would have been much more difficult had Bazz come.  We would have been lighter in the frontcourt, and doubled up in the backcourt, possibly giving rise to some unhappy bench minutes for top talent.  The balance just wouldn’t have been there.

I only watched a few games, but these impressions, based on limited viewing minutes, helped push me into the T & M last week to grab season tickets.  That’s another story.  See you there, I’m sure!

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    

Khem Birch Interview

Khem Birch spent some time answering some questions that were on my mind, and I'm sure a lot of Runnin' Rebels fans' minds and this interview is the finished result. Would like to sincerely thank Khem Birch, he's a real class-act and a major piece of UNLV's charge to the top of college basketball.

RR = RebelReign
KB = Khem Birch

RR: Since you transferred from Pittsburgh and sat out last half of  the season, this summer, and first half of next – what are you working on basketball skills wise?

KB: Me and Coach Augmon have been working on midrange shots, face up moves, and shooting on the run.

RR: And what would you say, of those areas, have you had the most improvement in so far?

KB: I would say midrange shot.

RR: So how far is your range right now?

KB: I’ve been able to hit threes I haven’t hit before, but I’m more streaky when it comes to the three. My midrange shot is much better.

RR: So you’re pretty good from 16-18 feet out?

KB: Yeah.

RR: Are you a better shooter catch and shoot, or from the dribble?

KB: I would say catching off the pass.

RR: Physically, obviously you’ve been working with Coach Kabo in the weight room?

KB: Yeah.

RR: Is there any particular things he has worked with you on that you weren’t working on at Pittsburgh?

KB: I’ve been able to lift and keep my balance. At Pittsburg I was able to gain weight, but not jump – here I’m able to gain the weight and still jump.

RR: So he’s been focused on your vertical?

KB: Yeah, I’m still getting better, I’ve gained 10 points of muscle.

RR: Is that upper body, or lower body, or evenly spread?

KB: Yeah, even.

RR: Are there any areas physically you need to improve, I know you just said you’ve put on the 10 pounds but are you looking to add more bulk, or are you good where you are at?

KB: Yeah, definitely my lower body, my legs are still skinny. So I’m trying to do more leg stuff.

RR: Obviously, that will help you playing the 4/5 position.

KB: Yeah.

RR: I want to talk a minute about Anthony Bennett, you met him a while back while both in Canada?

KB: I was 17. We were on Team Canada together.

RR: Were you also both on CIA together?

KB: No, I was on the older team.

RR: Throughout his recruitment, you guys being in the same city that must have had a profound effect – any every Rebel fan thanks you. How excited are you to play along side Anthony this coming year?

KB: I am really excited. The last time we played together we did really well. So hopefully we can do more. We can probably get to the final four and win a championship together.

RR: Did you play together at the same time on Team Canada?

KB: Yeah, that worked out really well.

RR: What do you think of the addition of Roscoe Smith?

KB: I feel its great because he knows what it takes to win a national championship. He’s a really good player so, my hopes were up that he would come. I told him I wanted him to come, and I’m very excited.

RR: Were you surprised at all that he did chose UNLV?

KB: Actually I was, because he told me he was going to look at other schools and I was like, dang. He might… once you go to another school you might get another opinion, but that wasn’t the case. But I guess he really liked the visit and I guess we did a good job of showing him around Las Vegas.

RR: Its been well reported that last season’s win over #1 at the time UNC Tarheels put UNLV on your radar as far as transfer destination, but what specifically about UNLV attracted you and players like yourself to UNLV? Is it the opportunity to work with Coach Augmon and develop you as a forward?

KB: It was Coach Rice actually, he lets you play more free form, and run and gun, and that’s the style of play I really wanted. Having Coach Augmon and the other coaches helps as well because they were really nice  when I visited.

RR: So it’s the run and gun style that attracts players?

KB: Yeah.

RR: What do you think of the Mendenhall Center?

KB: I’m in there everyday, working out in there, morning, noon, and nighttime.

RR: Obviously better than the gym you used to play in.

KB: Definitely.

RR: How is it working out and playing against Mike Moser, Carlos Lopez, and everyone?

KB: It helps a lot, especially Mike. He’s really good on defense, he has quick feet. Its tough to get past him. And Carlos is strong. Its really good.

RR: What did you think by the visit and talk by Mike Tyson before the tournament?

KB: I was in shock, I can’t believe I saw Mike Tyson. He’s a really nice guy. I loved when he said even thought you don’t want to practice every day, you just have to. I take what he said to heart, and I go to the gym.

RR: During practice time, who is your favorite player to battle?

KB: I would have to say Brice Massamba. He’s really physical. And Quintrell, he’s really strong and brings physicality to the game. I would say Brice.

RR: How do you see UNLV fitting into your future plans as far as getting drafted and playing in the NBA?

KB: People think that, but I don’t really sweat that. If I was looking to get drafted quicker I probably would have stayed at Pitt and not taken the redshirt year. I’m really trying to graduate, and hopefully make the NBA in a year and a half.

RR: Well that’s a very humble attitude, I guess the ultimate decision is out of your hands. So that’s a good perspective to have.

KB: Yeah, definitely.

RR: How do you like living in Las Vegas versus Pittsburg?

KB: I like it way better, there is a lot of sun – not gloomy. People are real friendly here, lots to do. And the coaching staff is great.

RR: What do you think about 24 hrs supermarkets and fast food, they don’t have that everywhere else?

KB: That’s actually true, yeah. Cause I really get hungry at night.

RR: So you can hit the jack in the box or Taco Bell.

KB: Yeah

RR: What’s your favorite basketball shoe?

KB: Nike Foamposite Penny Hardaway.

RR: Is that because of the way they handle, or how light they are?

KB: No, its because of the way they look.

RR: Favorite NBA team?

KB: I don’t really have one.

RR: Favorite NBA player?

KB: Kobe Bryant

RR: Since Kobe is more of a shooting guard, and you play forward are there any forwards you idolize and like their game?

KB: Serge Ibaka game’s actually.

RR: He’s tough, he’s a good athlete – I get that.

KB: Yeah

RR: Well, thank you for the interview.

KB: No problem, thank you very much.

How sweet it is! - Anthony Bennett is a Runnin' Rebel

Anthony Bennett is the latest addition to a stellar Runnin' Rebels roster

With the dust that clouded up the Las Vegas sky clearing, Anthony Bennett cleared the air as well, and stole the collective breath of Runnin' Rebels fans this afternoon by selecting UNLV as his destination. Bennett, the highest ranked undeclared senior of the 2012 class (#7 regardless of position), and a prized member of Findlay Prep's powerhouse basketball team, picked the Runnin' Rebels after eliminating Florida and Kentucky in recent weeks, and then eliminating Oregon.

Bennett, who will play in the small forward spot along side Mike Moser, may get to start with longtime friend and fellow McDonald's All-American Khem Birch (when he become eligible after the fall semester) - who is likely as responsible as anyone in successfully recruiting Anthony Bennett to play at UNLV.

Expectations will be extremely high for the Runnin' Rebels, as many formidable weapons remain on the roster and when things click, the Rebels will be able to compete with and beat any team in the nation. What's impressive about Bennett, is that he uses his statute and leaping ability to efficiently dunk the ball. Staying away from being a one-trick-pony, he has considerable offensive skills in the form of a midrange jumper and even an effective three pointer, which makes his defender respect him not just underneath the basket.

It is clear that Coach Rice and the Assistant Coaches did a hell of a job in recruiting Anthony Bennett, and acknowledgement and thanks goes to the players who made him feel like UNLV was a good destination to further the very bright future he has in basketball. Much will be made of his addition, as well as the potent roster that is a mesh of experience and talent. But a picture is worth a thousand words, so they say, so videos must be worth exponentially more. Here are links to all prominent stories on UNLV landing Anthony Bennett, and video of Bennett in action.

To Anthony Bennett- Thank you for choosing UNLV. You had your pick of every top basketball school in the nation, and you recognized that you could do as much for UNLV as it could do for you. If every Runnin' Rebel fan could personally thank you, they would.

Bleacher Report
SB Nation
CBS Sports
ESPN
Las Vegas Sun
LVRJ

Half an update: Birch's disposition and Bennett's final three

Jimmy Kimmel tweets to Anthony Bennett

While this won't be the next preview (next and final is guards), there was two significant Runnin' Rebels news stories that came out this week and are worth noting as well as discussing.

A Good Khem Birch Interview

Those who miss Ryan Greene's take on the Runnin' Rebels look no further than Vegas Seven, the weekly which has a section and website under the moniker, www.RunRebs.com. Scooping the other news outlets, Mr. Greene interviewed Khem Birch, and bounced aspects of his game and worth ethic off of Coach Rice to complete the piece. The article in it's entirety can be found here: Link.

While the whole article is plenty interesting, the part I'd like to discuss is Birch's stance on playing center. As should be noted and is well established in news stories, Khem departed Pitt among other reasons, because he did not want to play Center. Clarifying his position on playing the five spot, Khem says he didn't want to play with his back to the basket, in the slow half-court offense that Pitt ran. He doesn't mind playing center in Coach Rice's transition offense because of potential mismatches.

Drawing my own conclusions from his words on the subject, he doesn't appear adverse per-se to the center position anymore, so likely much more emphasis in not liking his former teammates or the offensive sets the team was running. That's kind of a really bold reason why one would transfer, especially given the chronology of events that brought him to UNLV. Distilling that, Birch was unhappy early in the season at Pitt, he just so happens to see the UNLV-UNC game where UNLV runs and is dominant most of the game, and then after electing to transfer he picks UNLV over Florida.

Their loss is our gain for certain, and my roster preview albeit assumed that he would be playing the five spot rather than the four was part wishful thinking and logical conclusions - but the guess was on the money. So, to have another really legitimate center option after the fall semester, and one of his caliber is intriguing to say the least. It also shows the maturity of Khem, being willing to play the same position he supposedly despised for the Rebels. This should work out very well.

Bennett's Final Three


Not that long ago, teams were being cut and UNLV didn't make it into the dress cricle. That was the disappointment which became Shabazz Muhammad's ridiculous 'the decision' show. Rebels fans have reason to be hopeful, and its because we are in the final cut of destinations for the best unsigned high school senior in the nation. Anthony Bennett has reportedly narrowed his list to UNLV, Oregon, and Kentucky. Gone is Florida - which was considered a favorite after they had a similarly tall player transfer out, but their hopes diminished when Bradley Beal declared for the NBA Draft. According to this story, he and Bradley were close and he would have loved to play with him - hence Florida was in the running, but no more.

The downside is many have Kentucky as a strong front runner now to land Bennett. Any why not, Kentucky is essentially the Barbie's of the college basketball world - 'that bitch has to have everything'. The positive take away is that Bennett just finished an official visit to UNLV, and was thrilled with the staff. Clearly, there are several good things going for us -- a staff he likes, facilities everyone should love, and a long time friend - the aformentioned Khem Birch. If Bennett held high regard for Florida because he had a friend on the roster - then we are in a good position with Birch not going anywhere for at least a year.

I'm optimistic on this one. I think Bennett knows Kentucky's championship run was a rare event, largely enabled by consensus #1 draft pick Anthony Davis. It will be a very difficult feat to repeat, and being the team who follows a championship team and failing to bring a championship is an expectation and burden few would want to have to deal with. Anthony Bennett's hopefully not the type who believes he has to be on Kentucky's roster to be noticed by NBA scouts, and knows merely being associated won't help his draft position. He likely knows UNLV will be scary good next year, especially if he is a part of the magic. Come on Las Vegas, let's fly a Canadian flag for Mr. Bennett and land a top 10 prospect!

Update: Anthony Bennett has spurned Kentucky's scholarship and is down to between Oregon and UNLV.  Officially, Bennett had said his decision would come in two weeks (this was about a week ago), so his decision grows ever closer. LV SUN.

Another update: Anthony Bennett has tweeted Monday evening that his decision will come this weekend.

Final update: ANTHONY BENNETT CHOOSES UNLV! Full story coming Sunday (late night today)

Roster Preview: 2012-13 Forwards

The Forward spot has been a place where the Rebels had limited depth, and now still have limited depth. Looking at 2011-12, the primary forwards were obviously Chace Stanback and Mike Moser. With Stanback graduating and Moser thankfully returning for what will likely be his final UNLV season (barring injury), the question is who will run alongside Moser? Several of the 'forwards' have previosly been penciled into the center spot by virtue of someone is needed there (Carlos Lopez, Quintrell Thomas and possibly Khem Birch) and have been previewed several weeks ago - but who is left to be the next Chace Stanback? Who will give some relief so that the guard heavy roster isn't outmatched by taller more physical forwards? Let's take a peek.

Mike Moser

Mike is a wildly talented and driven player who had much more ups than downs last year, but the teams success and demise rose and fell with his performance, by and large. Was there a game that was lost when Mike Moser played very well? Yes - that aborition at TCU where we lost 102-97 (Moser had 22 pts, 8 rebs) but by and large in the vast majority of the losses Moser was underperforming, as was the rest of the team. 

In his first season with the Rebels, he had to deal with sudden extreme expectations having been named as a Naismith Player of  the Year Candidate very early on, having to deal with injuries, and then having his shot fall off as the season progressed. This is a lot for anyone to deal with, especially someone who is new to the system, and playing for a coach who wasn't the one who recruited you. All in all, Mike Moser's Junior year should be one of high expectations - as he's all but a lock to play in the NBA provided he shores up a few shortcomings, and the Rebels perform well. 

What Moser does well - He is tall, athletic, and hard to guard. He has an interesting set of tools in his toolbox, being that he can block shots, he can easily dunk or catch the lob for the ally opp. He can also steal and defend as well as anyone - and of course, we have the rebounding. As a solid double digit scorer as well as rebounder, he is the heart and soul of the Rebels. Coach Rice had said that the Runnin' offense is successful when there's high pressure defense, and rebounding so that a fast break can take place off of a missed shot. That's Moser's bread and butter. Ken Pomeroy made an interesting observation mid-season, stating essentially that Moser was a statistical anomaly given his offensive rebounding prowess and three point shooting percentage. Link This could be chalked up as a good thing or bad thing. As a good - to make an easy, popular reference, Dirk Nowitski is 6'11", is often the tallest guy on the court, yet he can shoot the three like a guard. For the same reason that Nowitski is a rare player, a guy like Moser who can pull down boards like nobody's business isn't presumed to normally have the ability to shoot a three pointer with much consistancy. Why? Because great rebounders are normally taller players, and taller players (like Dirk) don't normally shoot the three well (or free throws for that matter). Moser is a great player, and what's great about the Rebels is even though Moser is this, that and the other kind of awesome - you don't expect him to be the Rebels leading scorer that frequently. That's because our roster is still stockplied with great players, even more so than last year. 

What Moser doesn't do well - he's still not as bulky as other dominant power forwards who project well to rebound well in the NBA. Easy example - Drew Gordon (UNM) has the body necessary to occupy space, and not give ground to other forwards. Mike Moser has upper body muscle, but he lacks bulk in the hips and legs especially that may have contributed to his fatigue later in the season. Getting back to the statistical anomoly that Ken Pomeroy pointed out, the bad side of that is it shows that Moser may have been too comfortable shooting the three pointer. No secret, UNLV over Coach Krueger's tenure has been a team in love with the long ball, and the 'streak' has been somewhat of a constant reminder of the importance of shooting the three - but the team's leading rebounder should maybe shoot a whole lot more layups and short range higher percentage jumpers. Example, Mike Moser's three point percentage was 33%, he made 44 of 133 attempts. Total field goal percentage was 45% he made 184 of 409 attempts. Subtract out his three point shooting, and we get a 2 point percentage of nearly 51% . His three point attempts accounted for 32.5% of his shot selection. Clearly, three pointers are worth more than two pointers, but making only 1 of 3  from deep versus 1 of 2 from within the line potentially means he could have been a more effective player - less reliant on the three. My evaluation of what Mike needs to do to get better and become more complete, is to hit the weight room and build more lower body muscle, still maintain his quickness, and build on his short to mid range game. If Mike does improve like he's capable of, he is a lottery pick. 

Demetris Morant

The Bishop Gorman incoming freshman has a daunting decision ahead of him - burn a redshirt year or try to crack the rotation. The general evaluation of Morant is that he is a hyper athletic player who has tons of above-the-rim ability, is a one man block party, but who's offensive game is under developed. This carries slight risk for the Rebels, as improving under the tutelage of Dave Rice means building an offensive repertoire. Weighing heavily on whether to take a red shirt year depends largely on minutes available now, and whether dipping his toe in the water right away and potentially not being as successful as possible could mess with his confidence. Time and circumstance will tell on that point. The other similarly tall players who he may compete for minutes with, are the aforementioned Mike Moser, Quintrell Thomas, Khem Birch, Carlos Lopez, and Bryce Jones - who is a tallish tweener guard at 6'5" (Michael Jordan was also a guard, and 6'5"). The other big question is whether he'll be playing the 4 or 5? Throughout his stay at Bishop Gorman Morant was put in the center position. As a center, he's undersized - but UNLV has a history of success with undersized centers (Lou Amundson, Joel Anthony). My gut reaction is that he will take the redshirt, and then breakthrough better when Quintrell Thomas has graduated and Mike Moser has left for the NBA. 

Bryce Jones

Mr. Competetive, but also Mr. Misunderstood - he's the USC transfer who has waited out his redshirt year and is poised to make a big spash on the court this year. I'm mentioning him in the 'forwards' category because my take on the rotation (guard heavy) would likely having him match-up with a forward, and at his height he would be capable of guarding a forward up to perhaps 6'8". The line on Bryce is that he sometimes has been the best player on the court in many practices last year - no small feat given how good the team was through the majority of last year. The same complement was paid to a man by the name of Mike Moser - and look how good that turned out. Bryce Jones left USC because of playing time, and an altercation with another teammate. With some temperance on his live or die playing attitude, he will either push others to succeed, or be toxic to the chemistry of  the team. My thoughts are that the coaching staff assembled have enough experience and knowledge to be able to gauge his + or - , and will adjust based on that. Yes, we have a history of transfers, but we also kick malcontents to the curb - see Emmanuel Adeife. 

For Bryce to be a successful player, everyone needs to wipe the slate clean, recognize who he is, what he's been through, and what occurred and brings him to the Rebels. Then, purely evaluate him based on what occurs while he wears the Scarlet and Gray. Bryce Jones has the ability to be a special player, a scoring powerhouse, and a confident give-it-all-you got baller, a complete player. He just needs to have the maturity to work within Coach Rice's offense, be unselfish when someone has a better shot than he does, and to celebrate his teammates as much as he can. The offensive load left by Chace Stanback must be picked up by someone - and Bryce and Khem Birch are the most likely candidates to handle the task. 

(Want to know where Carlos Lopez, Quintell Thomas, and Khem Birch were discussed? Click here)

Roster preview: 2012-13 Centers

This is the first in a three part series about next year’s roster.

This past season the center spot has evolved with the three returning guys, Brice Massamba, Carlos Lopez, and Quintrell Thomas assuming different roles.

Massamba earned the well deserved trust of Coach Rice, playing harder, smarter, and scoring more than he had under any of  his previous years with Coach Kruger.
Carlos Lopez had a decent season, but the breakout that everyone was anticipating given his flashy moves and universal fan-favorite status among the faithful didn’t materialize due to injuries and illnesses.
Quintrell Thomas was used more sporadically than in the previous years, and was at times very good, and at times a DNP on the stat sheet.

In the coming year, we say goodbye to Brice, and hello Khem Birch, and possibly and Matt Willms. Lets breakdown who’s returning, who may be here, and what to expect.


Carlos Lopez
6’11” 215 pounds and a lot of talent, as well as heart. Carlos Lopez has been an effective big man for the Rebels since he finished his freshman redshirt year. Regarding talent, he has a repertoire that includes fake passes, fancy footwork, a short-to-mid range game - and he brings instant energy when inserted. Nearly a 7 footer, Carlos is also listed as a forward, and throughout the season was played as such by Coach Rice. Not sure whether the change was inspired by the Coach, or by Carlos, but due to the illness and injuries we didn’t get to see enough Carlos to judge whether a move to forward to play along-side another big man was a good strategy, especially in the uptempo Runnin' offense.

Next year I see Carlos either sticking with the center position due to the lack of  experienced alternatives, or Coach Rice playing a modified lineup where the best matched player will defend the opposing team’s center, while offensively the team runs a 3 forward 2 guard lineup, or perhaps at times a 2 forward 3 guard lineup. Regardless of Carlos’s position, I do see it as a breakout season for him. There will be a lot of slack to pick up regarding losing Brice’s numbers, and areas that Carlos can show improvement. For example, Carlos can be a great playmaker for the Rebels – especially since several other players on the floor are likely to draw the double team because of the reputation for offensive potency. Carlos is a good shooter, and for a big man 63% from the field is respectable. But, last season he only had 95 field goal attempts. In contrast, Massamba had 135, and Mike Moser had 409. With his talent, heart, and creativity he has to have some first option plays drawn up for him. His other area of improvement has to be free throw shooting – a traditional sore spot for big men, but 61% isn’t cutting it. Closer to 75% should be his goal this year. As for positives, he’s already a very effective shot blocker, as well as a ball thief. Dependant on the role Khem Birch assumes, I see Carlos Lopez as a very good option for starting center. If not a starter, bringing him off the bench with other energy people makes for a great pace-changer.


Quintrell Thomas
6’8” 245 pounds, he feels the game, and is sometimes the difference maker for the Rebels. The difference from his role with Coach Kruger, is under Coach Kruger he was used in rotating fashion with Brice and Carlos, basically someone would occupy the space until they racked up 1 foul, then the next guy would go in, and so on. This was extremely frustrating to watch, and must have been excruciating to be a part of. The question is, was it better to play in a way where it was difficult to get into the rhythm of the game because of constantly rotating in and out, or playing a bunch in some games and barely at all in others. Coach Rice saw Quintrell as someone who would have match-up problems with the opposing team’s centers, and for that reason he was not played in several games. No doubt about it, Thomas is small to be playing center at 6’8”, but I assume he knew that in transferring from Kansas. Although the roster lists him as a ‘forward’ he really hasn’t occupied that position for the Rebels.  His main physical attribute for playing the position is his physical size – he can take up space, and has the mass not to be pushed off the block. In the last two seasons we’ve seen flashes of great play by Quintrell Thomas, but this past season really calls into question the role Coach Rice has in mind for him in his final season.

Because of the size issue, unless Thomas is clearly besting all of the other candidates in practice and in Canada, I don’t see him being the starter. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that he’ll be at his most effective against an opposing player who is 6’10” and shorter.  Both his shooting percentage and free throw percentage ranked among worst at the center position, but he was a more effective shot blocker than Lopez and Massamba (had double what Massamba had, and played half the minutes. Unfortunately for him with all the issues with his foul trouble last season – that problem has been solved, but his effectiveness has diminished, 6.7 ppg in 2010-11, now 4.4 in 2011-12. In the off season, his hands need to improve – if that’s possible. He has had struggles with shooting and rebounding because the basketball does not hold tight in his hands, and sometimes falls out or gets shot poorly. This may be an issue that may never be remedied, but this is his last collegiate season and if he wants to keep playing basketball professionally, these issues need to be overcome. I really want to see Quintrell Thomas have a breakout senior year – much like Brice Massamba did.


Khem Birch
6’9” 220 pounds, Khem Birch is a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh, and a former McDonald's All-American. He will not be eligible to play until after the fall semester, the same way that Reggie Smith was not eligible until this past spring term (or until fall grades were posted). It will be interesting to see how things change once he is inserted into the lineup and ready to play. Clearly, with his basketball pedigree and accolades – he can play. Luckily, if he is as good as his reputations predicts him to be, by virtue of his transfer situation we’ll have at least a year and a half of him playing for us (nobody is going to draft a guy based upon a semesters worth of college ball – unless we go final four and he’s the reason why).

Khem is another guy who would be slightly undersized at the center position. One of the reasons Khem transferred away from Pitt among other issues, was that he did not want to play center. Likely reason behind that – he knows he would not translate as a NBA center, he would be a power forward – which is a well founded conclusion. With someone who specifically did not want to do something, it will be extremely important for Coach Rice not to play him at center, and cause him to disengage because of it. If Birch’s presence in the spring lineup changes anything dramatically, it will likely be the 3F2G, or 2F3G lineup alluded to earlier. What will also be interesting to watch is whether he becomes a starter, even though he hasn’t  played in the fall. I highly doubt it, unless the Rebels have an uncharacteristically poor season up to that point. Great things are expected from this unexpected player, and he may be the gift that keeps on giving if he is able to solidify Anthony Bennett’s presence on the Rebels’ roster.

What’s exciting about Birch, is that he’s shown himself to be a player capable of double-doubles, as well as averaging nearly 2 blocks a game. With an inside presence like that, our rebounding woes should be cured, as well as the paint held much more sacred. Hopefully, no more guards running through the lane like a hot knife through butter. It will be as interesting as anything to see how Khem Birch changes the Rebels midway through next season.


Bryan Glenn
6’11 215 pounds – a lucky find to get a local player who in a non-scholarship capacity fit the bill as a tall center on the scout team. Chances are, unless you’ve been to practices you’ve not seen him play. I’ve not been – so I haven’t seen him play. The fact that Coach Rice hasn’t seen his way to play Bryan Glenn, even in garbage time, shows he has a lot of way to go to crack the lineup. But, one can always hope that he somehow someway becomes a viable center candidate because of his sheer size and all of  the great experience he’s getting playing as the opposing team against the nationally ranked Runnin' Rebels. Even if  that’s a pipe dream, we are still more than happy to have the services of Mr. Glenn helping the Rebels to be great. Thank you Bryan Glenn.


Matt Willms
6’11” 210 pounds, it seems fitting to get another big man from Findlay Prep to replace the outgoing Brice Massamba. According to information online, UNLV is in the running, as well as Providence, Long Beach State, and Marquette. He’s a true center, but has a nice complementary skill set that can cause the defense to respect him outside of the restricted area. From what I’ve seen on mix-tapes, he can follow the action and swoop in to dunk the ball, but he can also stoke a three, at least from high school distance. The biggest knock on Willms, is that he’s rail thin at only 210 (up 10 pounds from the previous season). The facts are that he’s a legit prospect to be a very good center, and UNLV will someday soon be devoid of true centers. Provided everything works out and there are no better alternatives, this should work out. Should the Rebels take Matt Willms, I fully expect him to redshirt his first year due to the current depth at the center position, plus time to mature and get better. Go get Willms!

Khem Birch Bio - Welcome to UNLV!

The rumors were true, Khem Birch is indeed a Rebel. One thing is certain, UNLV will have a fantastic team next year no matter who else we add to this roster. As some have remarked, the Rebels now have one of the most talented scout teams for the remainder of the year. The roster pages will be updated shortly to include Khem Birch for 2012-13, and 2013-14.

Here is a bio for Mr. Birch, credit to Pitt's website:

THE STORYLINE

An explosively athletic player at 6-feet-9-inches tall, Khem Birch is considered one of the nation's top shot blockers in his recruiting class. Birch is physically gifted, extremely coachable and has a feel for the game. He has been described as a phenomenal athlete who is quick off his feet and plays high above the rim. He runs the floor well, has great mobility and is quick laterally. On defense, he is a long and extremely athletic frontline player who can change the game with his shot-blocking ability. He also has the potential to guard multiple positions. On offense, he uses his length to grab offensive rebounds, consistently scoring with tipins above the rim or on the break. He scores in and around the lane when he receives the ball from cutting and slashing in between defenders. He also has good touch around the basket, has several post moves and can hit a short jumper from the corner. A soft spoken, mature Canadian, Birch signed a National Letter of Intent with Pitt on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010.

HIGH SCHOOL

A 2011 graduate of Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass. where he played his senior season for head coach Ryan Hurd...McDonald's All-American...Named to the USA Today All-America Second Team...Averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots per game as a senior at Notre Dame Prep...Guided the Crusaders to the title game of the National Prep Championships before a 90-74 loss to champion St. Thomas More Prep (Conn.)...Named a McDonalds All-American and participated in the annual All-America Game held at Chicago's United Center on March 30, 2011...Played for the West squad and led team in scoring (15 points), rebounding (10, including nine offensive) and blocked shots (six)...One of three Canadians who played in the McDonald's All-American Game (Myck Kabongo-Texas and Kyle Wiltjer-Kentucky) and the first-ever player from Montreal, Quebec...Became the sixth Pitt signee in school history to earn McDonald's All-America Team honors joining Charles Smith (1984), Jerome Lane (1985), Bobby Martin (1987), Brian Shorter (1987) and Dante Taylor (2009)...Scored 15 points with seven rebounds (five offensive) and five blocks in helping the East Team to a 113-109 win in the Jordan Brand All-Star Game, April 16, 2011 in Charlotte, N.C....Played the 2009-10 season at Winchendon Prep in Winchendon, Mass for head coach Mike Byrnes...Averaged 5.0 blocks per game as a sophomore at Winchendon Prep...Helped guide Winchendon to a No. 3 state ranking, 11-5 record and 7-2 league slate...Consensus top-10 recruit...Ranked the nation's No. 11 recruit and No. 1 power forward by ESPNU...Ranked the nation's No. 14 recruit by Scout.com...Rated the nation's No. 17 recruit by MaxPreps...Rated the nation's No. 25 recruit by 247Sports/Sports Illustrated...Led his team to the tournament title at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio...Played AAU basketball on the Expressions Elite team for head coach Todd Quarles...Also has played for the Brookwood Elite.

CANADA BASKETBALL

Played on the Canadian Junior National Team for head coach Greg Francis...Guided Canada to a bronze medal at the Under-18 Championships in San Antonio, Texas during the summer of 2010...Led the squad in both rebounding and blocks...With a 3-2 record, Canada qualified for the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championships in Latvia...Averaged 5.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game in the five-game FIBA event...Ranked fifth among all tournament players in rebounding (7.8) and second in blocked shots (4.2)...Scored four points, eight rebounds and blocked seven shots in the bronze medal 86-83 win over Argentina...Finished with seven points and seven rebounds in a semifinal loss to eventual team champion United States...Registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in a pool play win over eventual second place finisher Brazil...Has an opportunity to compete for a roster spot on Canada's 2012 Olympic team and World Championship Team.

PERSONAL

Born Khem Birch on September 28, 1992...Son of Wendy Sparks...Became the highest ranked recruit to choose Pitt since Brian Shorter in 1987...First played basketball because of his height, but now plays because "he loves the game"...Made an unofficial visit to Pitt on September 11, 2010...Both of his parents played basketball...Gave the visit to Pitt a "10" on a scale of 1 to 10, saying the fans were "great" because they knew every single player on the team during a pre-game autograph session...Committed to Pitt in September, 2010 and signed on November 17, 2010...Chose Pitt because of his relationship with Jamie Dixon and the fact that the program "can help him get to the next level"...Also said he "felt comfortable with the coaches and players at Pitt"...Resided in both Ottawa and Montreal before transferring to the Winchendon School for the 2009-10 season...One of his career goals is to put "Canada basketball on the map"...First Canadian to play at Pitt since Vancouver native Levon Kendall (2003-07)...As a kid growing up in Pierrefonds, Quebec, preferred football over basketball, but once he grew tall, he decided that he would play basketball...Selected Pitt over North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Connecticut, Ohio State, St. John's, West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Arizona and Providence.

KHEM BIRCH FEATURE STORIES

Canada's Jr. National Team Captures Bronze at the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, July 2, 2010, Tanya Phillipps, OyeTimes

Khem Birch Takes on North America, Oct. 21, 2010, Lucas Shapiro, HSH 1-on-1
Birch to Enroll at Pitt Earlier than Expected, Nov.21, 2010, Mike DeCourcy, SportingNews
Potential Draft Pick Birch Emerges from Car Crash, Jan.19, 2011, Adam Zagoria, ZagsBlogs
Pitt Panthers Basketball, McDonald's All-American Recruit, Mar. 31, 2011, Justin Welton, BleacherReport

Exciting time to be a Rebels fan – UNLV #12 in both polls and likely adding Khem Birch

Finally, UNLV is getting some of the recognition it deserves from people who vote in the polls. UNLV vaulted to # 12 in both the Associated Press top 25 as well as the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. In the top 25 (and one) poll, the two sportswriters-in-charge rank the Rebels as #9.

UNLV’s ascent has less to do with the two recent wins (CSU Bakersfield, and Hawaii), which are good, but more to do with the fact that many of the teams in the top 25 lost games, making the Rebels that much more attractive to the voters.

 Movement among key foes that UNLV has played works both for and against us. In the ‘for us’ category, UNC is listed as # 3 in all of the key polls, a team we beat when they were undefeated  and #1 at a neutral site. Also for us, since we bested UNR, they have come up in the polls and are now receiving a vote or two and sport a 13-2 record.

Counting against us, Illinois has fallen out of the rankings, as has Wisconsin. Wichita State is not garnering any votes at all in the polls.

Potentially helping us in the conference schedule, San Diego State was ranked #25 last week, and is now #22 in both polls. Also, New Mexico  is getting votes and if they continue to play strong and beat a team like San Diego State, they could easily vault  into the top 25 as well.

Being #12 is awesome and is a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1992/93. This ranking probably feels so much better than #17 because it more closely fits the Rebels accomplishments thus far and puts us close to top-10.

Khem Birch

While no major media outlet has announced Mr. Birch’s choice (was said to be between Florida and UNLV) multiple sources have said a combination of his ‘inner-circle’ saying he’s committing to UNLV, or that its ‘confirmed’ that he is transferring to UNLV. On the other hand, I’ve seen nothing about anyone speculating that he is in-fact going to Florida (but I haven’t looked that hard).  I think I’ve been looking too long at the Twitterverse, which frankly is quite annoying and I wish was never invented (because of re-tweets).  BTW, I've added a Twitter feed on the right side of your screen. Vote how you feel about it. (UPDATE: I killed the twitter feed on the sidebar, it slowed down the site something fierce. Look for a reincarnation of it in a tab if you're so inclined sometime soon). 

The same source that said he is ‘confirmed’ also said his commitment may sway Shabazz Muhammad, but didn’t indicate which way. The solid word is, Khem Birch’s destination has far more sway on Findlay Prep’s Anthony Bennett, who is likewise a Canadian native and is currently ranked as the #7^th best prep.

Nonetheless, every change made outside ones sphere has an effect on their decision making going forward – I think they call that the butterfly effect. I wouldn’t put too much stock in it, Muhammad likely has already made up his mind or cut it down to two.

So, a likely welcome aboard to Khem Birch, if this team gets any better tickets are going to be scarce!