Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage: It's going to be a great year!

2012-13 Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage

Last night I had the privilege of taking in the festivities at the Thomas and Mack.

First, this team looks far different from last year's team. Different = better. When it came to the scrimmage, guys were out there hustling and getting physical like we've wished they would in years past. The scrimmage itself can be summed up as two parts, the first half - solid unrelenting defense, and the second half - an offense show for the fans. I would like to go player by player to share some remarks about their performance last night.

#5 Katin Reinhardt - He looked like the solid point guard he was advertised to be. Extremely quick getting up court, confident in his handle of  the ball, and passes light lightening bolts. A nickname was thrown out there last night "the white mamba". While Katin wasn't Kobe-esq, he certainly could be Steve Nash-esq. Kind of felt bad for him, as the shots he put up (I believe about 5) didn't fall. No worries, everyone knows this guy is a lights out shooter, and his mere presence on the court makes his teammates better.

#33 Charles Rushman - Little was known about the latest UNLV walk-on, but he brought his game last night. He proved he can jump, was confident with the ball, and made several shots. The Rebels have apparently scored a fundamentally sound point guard option who is confident enough to score multiple times in the scrimmage, which is impressive in its own right (remember, the guys he's scrimmaged against are ranked between 13-19th in the country). Hopefully we'll learn more about Mr. Rushman soon.

#24 Demetris Morant - We knew he had leaping ability as the Nevada HS high jump champion, but the guy is confident and is an athletic specimen. He chose well by coming to UNLV, where there's many talented forwards and forward/centers to learn from. I was impressed by his defensive intensity in the uptempo

#0 Savon Goodman - Man, this guy was underrated in the rankings - hell of a score for the Rebs. Knew he was a great player from the damage he did in Canada, but this guy had the poise of a sophomore, and the developed physique to match. With guys like Goodman, Smith, Morant, Bennett, and Reinhardt at point, these guys are as physically built as some of  the Georgetown teams of the 80's, or perhaps more familiar  the SDSU teams of the early 2000's. Goodman showed great hustle, and made his way to the basket multiple times. He also defendant and gave others a lot of headaches around the basket. Count on Goodman to earn his share of minutes this season, it would be a shame not to play a guy like this.

#10 Daquan Cook - Unfortunately with all the glitz and glamour  he kind of got lost in the shuffle. I think Cook can be a good player, reliable point guard, and perhaps air apparent to Bellfield or Hawkins, but he needs time to develop. If an option, would be good if he would take the redshirt year and step in more prominently with Hawk and Ant-Marz graduate.

#15 Anthony Bennett - This guy is the truth, the answer, the fame, the joy, and basketball perfection. I am absolutely impressed with him, and seriously can't imagine how Shabazz Muhammad or anyone could be better than him. Bennett did not get the benefit of the early start having not played the Canada trip, but he didn't miss a beat. After easily winning the dunk competition  he stoked shot after shot, from distance, from close range, dunking. And besides showing off his skill set, he had pure joy for the game of basketball and showed his appreciation for the UNLV fan base - beaming from ear to ear and flexing his muscles in what is sure to be his trademark pose this season. From what I saw, he only missed one shot in the scrimmage. Whether he's the second coming of Larry Johnson, or something different - time will tell, but he is going to be a hell of a player.

#2 Khem Birch - The most impressive attribute of Birch is his defense. He had an excellent swat near the basket, and offensively, while he shot wasn't rolling he has a quick second leap that allowed him to clean up his own and other's garbage. I think once he gets some game time in, and his fellow teammates give him the confidence to dig into his arsenal, he'll be a really solid player. The downside is we'll have to wait till late December to watch him in that progression - hopefully scrimmages will suffice.

#12 Barry Cheney - The other walk-on Rebel (sophomore) he appears to have improved since last season, and was holding his own. Clearly a pass-first guard, he seemed to have the quickness to penetrate and kick when needed.

#13 Bryce Dejean-Jones - Bryce has been unlucky, as he's broken his hand and hopefully won't miss too much more than the Scarlet and Gray game. Somebody should have told him #13 is an unlucky number. As potentially one of the best offensive weapons the Rebels have this season, too bad he couldn't show off last night but here's to healing quickly.

#11 Carlos Lopez-Sosa - Notice anything different? Lopez added the Sosa to his last name to honor his mother and her hard work - good son. What have we come to expect from Carlos, crafty footwork and tricks - good player. In classic Carlos form, he didn't disappoint, he had an excellent fake and move to the hole, and then showed a lot of range for a 6'11" guy, by stepping out and hitting a 3. A perpetual fan favorite, hopefully Lopez-Sosa will be able to make the most of this year, he deserves it.

#22 Roscoe Smith - We won't have the benefit of Smith's experience this year due to the transfer redshirt, but he showed that he had the veteran skill set to be a difference maker come 2013-14. Solid both offensively and defensively is what I remember, again - so many great players and good stuff to watch that sometimes things blend together. I do remember that as advertised, he was great.

#1 Quintrell Thomas - Q has slimmed down considerably (I'd estimate 15-20 lbs) and is moving much more quickly than the previous seasons. He also managed to stay aggressive, and his 8 foot jumpers were hitting fairly consistently. He's always been a good player, he just needs to hold on to the ball.

#43 Mike Moser - Moser was a little bit of a disappointment  given all of the hype and the NBA ready talk. I've talked with other Rebels fans and we all scratch our heads a bit, because Mike Moser is best when he's being Mike Moser, not trying to be Chace Stanback 2.0. While for a good part of last season he was able to stroke the 3 with remarkable frequency for someone who rebounded like he did (statistical outlier), he was most effective when he was working inside. Conclusion - Kawhi Leonard wasn't drafted because he had a really strong outside shot, he was drafted for being a dirty-work rebounding beast, the outside shooting is bonus points. Moser needs to focus on what made him a sensation last year, and keep the talking heads out of his head about what he needs to do or highlight to make the league. Because Mike wasn't 'being Mike' last night, much like Canada - he faded into the background.

#31 Justin Hawkins - Hawk is spectacular when giving the chance to do what he does best. He picks pockets, he shoots, and he hustles. He did all three last night. Oh, I forgot, he is a hell of a passer too. Some of the more exciting hustle plays last night involved Justin Hawkins. As an energy guy and defensive dynamo, he normally comes off the bench but I think he could effectively be used to keep an opponents star guard from finding his rhythm if used on him man-to-man early.

#3 Anthony Marshall - Unfortunately for Rebels fans, and for Anthony he had hurt his wrist/hand the day before the scrimmage, and could not play. Fortunately, it appears not to be serious (x-rays negative). As a senior who also had volunteered for the dunk contest, you have to feel bad that he's missed out on his final Scarlet and Gray - but we know Anthony, he uses that for motivation and will come out hard when he's cleared to play.


So that's the evaluation from last night. Here are some pictures I took from the dunk contest and game. Enjoy. If I'm able to find a video of the actual game, I'll get that posted (as of now I can't find one anywhere, except of the player intros and dunk competition).

The upcoming: The scrimmage and what's hopefully in-store till then

This weeks article isn't original content, but it is very important information provided by the athletic department regarding the upcoming Scarlet and Gray scrimmage. Unlike last years festivities, it appears that there is no planned Fremont Street event. Looking back, perhaps that was more of a 'here's our new coach and his staff' type of event, as much as it was about introducing the 2011-12 Rebels. In any event, the scrimmage has been held before the season starts, and provides a view into the team and what to expect when the season rolls around.

Besides this information, RebelReign.com will try to do the following before the seasons starts: get at least one more interview with either a player or member of the coaching staff, and give a in-depth recap and analysis from the scrimmage. Real college basketball is only a short wait, and the anticipation is killing me. Please read the following, and attend the free scrimmage.

Sept. 27, 2012 

RUNNIN’ REBEL SCARLET/GRAY SHOWCASE SET FOR OCT. 18 

Free fan event features dunk contest, Legends game, Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage, Fan Fest and more 

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men’s basketball team will hold a free fan event on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. Named the Runnin’ Rebel Scarlet/Gray Showcase, fans are invited to celebrate the start of the 2012-13 season with festivities that will include a dunk contest, the Scarlet & Gray Scrimmage and the Legends game. 

The dunk contest is a new element to the program’s first open-to-the-public event of the season, while the Legends Alumni game has taken place prior to or during halftime of Runnin’ Rebel games the past several years. 

The Runnin’ Rebel Scarlet/Gray Showcase will have a Fan Fest outside in front of the Thomas & Mack Center from 5-6:30 p.m., and the building’s doors will open at 6 p.m. There will be games and activities for kids included. The Showcase will also feature the debut of new videos as well as a chance for fans to get autographs from the players and coaches at the conclusion of the event. 

“We are excited to begin the 2012-13 season and for this opportunity to be back in front of our fans,” said UNLV men’s basketball head Dave Rice. “This event is so important to our program and we know Runnin’ Rebel fans look forward to it each year. It will be a lot of fun for the team as well as the fans, and it will be good for our players to be in front of a crowd as we continue our preparations for games to start in November.” 

The Runnin’ Rebels are ranked No. 13 by Athlon Sports and No. 15 by Blue Ribbon entering this season after going 26-9 in Rice's first year at the helm of the program. The 26 wins during the 2011-12 campaign were the most victories in a season by a first-year head coach in UNLV history. 

UNLV played in its third straight NCAA Tournament and defeated three top-25 teams last year, including a win over then-No. 1 North Carolina, marking the program’s first victory over the nation's top-ranked team in 22 years and the first time a Mountain West school has ever defeated the No. 1 team in both polls. 

The Runnin' Rebels were ranked for 13 straight weeks (14 overall), climbing as high as No. 11 in the country last season. UNLV was 18-1 at the Thomas & Mack Center last year, which included a perfect 17-0 mark during the regular season, its first undefeated home regular season in 20 years. 

The team was second in the nation in assists per game last year (17.6) and also second in the country in percentage of field goals assisted at 65.4 percent. 

The Runnin' Rebels return six letterwinners from last year's team, including starters Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall. Moser, who is entering his junior season, was honorable mention Associated Press All-America and a unanimous First-Team All-Mountain West selection as a sophomore. Marshall, who is entering his senior campaign, was named to the All-MW Second Team. Both Moser and Marshall were selected to the league's all-defensive squad last year. 

Also returning are seniors Justin Hawkins and Quintrell Thomas, along with junior Carlos Lopez. The Runnin' Rebels have welcomed their six new scholarship players (Anthony Bennett, Daquan Cook, Savon Goodman, Demetris Morant, Katin Reinhardt and Roscoe Smith) to the roster for the 2012-13 season, plus Bryce Dejean-Jones, who redshirted in 2011-12 after transferring from USC, and Khem Birch, who sat out the Spring 2012 semester after transferring from Pittsburgh. Birch must also sit out Fall 2012 before becoming eligible to play in games in December. 

UNLV had an early start to its season in August as it went 4-0 during its exhibition tour of Canada. 

For information on purchasing season tickets in the lower plaza level, contact the Rebel Athletic Fund at702-895-1533. For information on all other tickets, call 702-739-FANS or visit UNLVtickets.com. 

Thanks for all your support! 

Gary Plumlee 
Rebel Athletic Fund

Impressions and Video from Scarlet and Gray Scrimmage

UNLV Scrimmage – Impressions

By Jason Taylor

RebelReign Contributor

(rebelgrad95)

Are We Runnin’?

The most obvious difference in tactics came as 6’8” Power Forward Mike Moser, and 6’8” Small Forward Chace Stanback brought the ball up after their respective rebounds.  The guards were running ahead on the wings.  After made baskets, the Point pushed it up with tempo. 

Regardless of who brought the ball up, the offensive set was in motion very quickly.  The flurry of movement was evidenced as both teams huffed and puffed in fairly short order during a break. 

“Sub, Please.” 

Fortunately we’ll have plenty, as we likely will see a 9-10 man rotation, which will include Massamba, I believe, but probably not much from Mashour (dang’it).  Smith is definitely worthy, so we’ll see him after December 17^th, when he becomes eligible after his transfer from Marquette. 

The only fast breaks came after steals in a 20-minute scrimmage, but you can definitely see a difference in offensive pace.  There was no evidence of a zone defense.  Imagine combining Kruger’s intense defense with an equal offensive effort.

“Another Sub, Coach.  Please.”

A Myth, Tested

One myth was tested, and confirmed.  Reggie Smith is a highlight waiting to happen. 

Reports of a 44” vertical are a little hard to believe.  However, I stood on the court at 6’1” after the event and looked down at Reggie.  I had to check his calves for evidence of Pogo Sticks, because this kid is ridiculous.  He brought oooh’s and aaah’s dunk after dunk in “warm-ups”, and as a finale he threw himself a rainbow pass off the floor, jumped up to rim height, grabbed the ball, slung it through his legs and tomahawked it, bringing the crowd to its feet (see the “Part 1” video @ about the 2:50 mark).

The Worst Best News of the Night

#15 is a game changer.  He provided some of the more exciting dunks in warm-ups. He is confident, athletic, and can score in multiple scenarios inside, and outside of the arc.  He is Bryce Jones.  The worst thing about Bryce – under transfer rules, we have to wait a year before he hits the court.

The Best Thing Wrong

UCLA transfer Mike Moser (#43) has been described as another Chace Stanback.  Fans welcomed that idea. 

However, the description is WRONG.  From what he showed tonight, he’s different, and better. 

Imagine a combination of Quintrell Thomas (but more athletic) and Chase Stanback (but more energetic).  This is very likely the multi-talented big guy we’ve been missing for years.  And years.  And years.   

Prediction:  Mike Moser - Leading rebounder and scorer for UNLV, 2011-12.

Another Prediction:  He will be in the running for “MWC Newcomer of the Year”. 

Found on the web, the big video is the pre-scrimmage dunking, smaller ones are in order, left to right, top to bottom. If you wish to view these bigger, please go to the scrimmage video tab.