by Michael Tillery

The Time is Right…

Only the true Talib Kweli fans appreciate the power of this track off Liberation. Short, sweet and when the initial beat goes boom…instant gratification.

Wednesday night, a Rashard Lewis shot went bang precisely when his team needed the rock to knock. His three was the game-winner in a nationally televised contest. The Magic went up early, the Sixers took the lead late and the Magic finished what they started.

Andre Miller’s desperation shot fell short at the buzzer.

The Magic came out hot at the start. Lewis had 19 for the Magic, and his game-winner was a continuation of the three he began the game with. Don’t start none, won’t be none.

After being down much of the first half, the Sixers fought hard to get back against an Orlando Magic team with talent and length all over the place. Because of the constant double on Howard, there was always an opportunity for a corner three. Down the stretch, the Magic couldn’t buy one and missed shot after wide open shot until Lewis’ game-winner bailed the Magic out with 3.1 seconds left.

Because of their shooting ability, the Magic are going to be a tough out in any game against any opponent. The Sixers—specifically Theo Ratliff—played very good defense on Dwight Howard (21 and 14) but couldn’t close out the good effort. The Wachovia Center crowd was left stunned. Howard was a man inside and was very efficient. He attempted only seven field goals—making four—and was 13-18 from the line.

Tony Battie scored 20 seemingly quiet bench points on 9-9 shooting.

Rashard Lewis matched up with Elton Brand for much of the contest. The Sixers’ inability to get the ball to Brand early might have been the difference. Brand led the Sixers with 21 points and he and Andre Iguodala (17 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds) made big plays down the stretch to put their team in position for huge win, but it was just not meant to be.

Rookie Marreese Speights is making the most of his minutes lately with confidence growing by the minute. He had 12 off the bench and threw in a three just inside half court at the intermission buzzer which sparked the Sixers second half run.

Cheeks commented on the Sixers stellar bench play: “Theo guarded Howard extremely well. I thought Marreese Speights played extremely well for the time that he got. I thought Willie (Green) and Lou (Williams) also, when they came in the game, gave us that life that we needed. Again, I just thought that was winning basketball; it was unfortunate we didn’t win the game.”

I caught up with Tony Battie as he was leaving the locker room. His points were a major factor in the victory: “Open shots. They doubled the big and left me open.”

The guy who made sure the Time is Right with his true dagger three is next up.

SLAM: Rashard, from a team standpoint, there were shots available because of the double. As a team you went cold in the second half until the fourth quarter and then, Bang!
Rashard Lewis: The Sixers played a lot harder in the second half. We turned the ball over and since they are a fast break team, they ran out and killed us on the glass with second chance points. Finally we began to execute a little more and get the ball into Dwight. He got to the free throw line and knocked down a couple of shots.

SLAM: Is that corner three available to all NBA players?
RL: It depends on how the defense plays it. On the game winning-shot, they ran a pick-and-roll toward me in the corner. When the defender collapsed to help on Hedo’s drive and it left me open in the corner. Our defense is designed that you don’t help on the strong side—you let the big man come from the weak side to come and block that shot.

SLAM: Your length and talent positions this team to be among the League elite. What is going to be the difference as you challenge for an NBA Championship?
RL: We have to rebound better. We obviously play small with me playing the four. Sometime we can go big with Tony Battie at the four and leading Dwight at the five. We have to continue to be a good defensive team and become a better rebounding team. Those are the two keys to being an elite team. That’s what Boston did and they got a championship out of it.

SLAM: Mentally, what’s going to be the difference from this year and last year?
RL: We have a lot more experience. Playing that first year together with Stan Van Gundy—his first year on the team, my first year on the team—we learned how each other plays. We had that one year, so now it’s hold yourself accountable and know we have to go out and get the job done and play our roles.

SLAM: Obviously there are plays called, but does your coach let you go because of your talent and length? You can get any shot you want at any time.
RL: It all depends on if we are getting stops and running out. He then lets us go because we spread the floor by having a lot of shooters on the team as well as having a dominant big man inside. You want to continue to give the ball to the guys inside, but when they start to collapse and hang around then we move the ball around the perimeter. I’m a big, but I’m knocking down threes.

SLAM: You’ve been in the League 10 years. You seem to always be on the cusp of becoming something special every year since you’ve been in the league. Now, you seem to want to add to the team dynamic with the sole purpose of winning a championship.
RL: That is exactly what it is. I’ve been in the League for 10 years, averaged a lot of points and played on All-Star teams. Now it’s all about winning big games on the way to a championship. The window of opportunity opens and closes real fast. Dallas had that window and Boston has it now. Detroit had it. You never know when you get that chance, but you better take advantage of it right away because anything can happen during the year—injuries, trades and guys not resigning with the team. That’s taking one step back while other teams are constantly taking one step forward.

SLAM: You want what Ray Ray has.
RL: Exactly.

SLAM: Did you talk to him after he won the championship?
RL: Oh yeah. Still do. We communicate a lot. I was more happy for him because he’s been in the League for a long time. He’s put a lot of work in. At first it was just him and Paul Pierce—K.G. wasn’t there yet. He was really upset about being traded out of Seattle. His family was there and he had a house where his family was being raised. Then later that summer it kind of worked out for him didn’t it?

SLAM: How do you describe this team? You have teams that are serious. You have teams that are loose. How would you describe the Orlando Magic locker room and on the floor?
RL: We spend a lot of time together off the court; we hold each other accountable. We know what we can do. We go out there and lolly gag and play around but we know it’s not personal. Stan does a good job making sure we get the job done. I give a lot of credit to him even though he’s a nag. It pays off in the long run.

SLAM: Pregame there seems to be much team loyalty and unity. There are not a lot of teams that can truly say that.
RL: I think that starts before the season. Jameer Nelson has a little mini camp and invites all his teammates to come out here (He’s from nearby Chester, Pa. for those who don’t know) and work out for a week as a unit. No coaches are involved. A lot of guys show up. I think we have pretty much the whole team except for Dwight (Olympics). That’s where it all started. Building relationships off the court while working out together is what did it.

Dwight Howard was next. I wanted to see where his head is regarding the sport in Indonesia. He has a huge following over there. He called me security when Anthony Gilbert and I walked up during his impromptu autograph session. There are few athletes today who look like super heroes and Dwight Howard is definitely one of them. After the game I asked him about the security comment, and he broke into a five-minute Friday impression. Deebo was on the block, and he had whoever was left in the locker room laughing. This was after he handed a young fan his court-worn kicks—and signing them. Good dude he is. The NBA is fortunate to have someone like him.

SLAM: Dwight, I get a lot of reader comments, but it seems like you have sparked something with some kids in Indonesia. There’s one kid in particular, Raz-q Damopolii, who has some lofty goals inspired by your play. Do you know anything about Indonesian basketball?
Dwight Howard: I really don’t know much.

SLAM: What would you say to fans who say you are the most popular player in their country?
DH: Man, I appreciate it. It’s an honor to tough people’s lives all across the world. I would love to go there, play basketball and meet the fans. I’m a big people person.

SLAM: Another specific question he had was what was going through your mind at the age of 14?
DH: When I was 14, I was thinking about becoming the first pick in the draft. I set high goals for myself. I push myself. I wanted to come in and dominate every game. I wanted to be one of the best rookies when I came into the league. I wrote all my goals down and to this day, I try to meet all my goals.

SLAM: Raz-q is attempting to be the first Indonesian player in the NBA. What does he need to know as he pushes forward on such a lofty goal?
DH: Well, you know it’s going to be tough. The thing is, the more you put into basketball, the more you are going to get out of it. If he’s in the gym everyday working on his game, watching tapes of the great players and even good players and sacrificing, then anything is a possibility. There are certain things you have to sacrifice to get to this level. In high school, I had to sacrifice going out to the movies and you know, just chill with your friends everyday. I woke up early and went to the gym to try to get better. You have to sacrifice the little things. Thanks, Raz-q.

SLAM: Straight up. Do you feel unstoppable on the court? Do you feel there is anyone in this league presently who has anything for you?
DH: When I walk on the floor, I have one thing to say to myself and that is: Dominate, dominate, dominate and not let anyone stop me on either end of the court. If I dominate, no one is going to be able to stop me.

by Cub Buenning

On a day that is usually set aside for gluttony, sloth and professional football, Thursday’s national holiday to give thanks went down a bit different than normal. The National Football League decided to give its trusted and loyal fan base two horrific match-ups for the big primetime Turkey Day contests (and one decent evening game). In households around the country, football dominated the airwaves, but when it was announced that the Old Spice Classic in Orlando (Fla.) would be an all-day college hoops fiesta over the holiday weekend, I knew that I might have to get creative with the remote control.

Present at the Buenning family Thanksgiving (beautifully hosted at my parents’ house) were at least a half dozen major sports fans. All were huge NFL guys, and the idea of watching college hoops in November was borderline sacrilege around these parts. My three brothers are all big-time sports bloggers (www.kubiaktohold.blogspot.com and www.blakestreetbias.blogspot.com) but none of them are particularly fond of the game of college basketball—at least not until they can fill out a bracket and put money on the games.

But, again, luck was on our side yesterday as the first NFL game between Tennessee and Detroit was already a 28-3 route midway through the second quarter. With deftness and skill, I was able to procure the remote and during a commercial, slyly change the channel to the tourney’s tip-off game between Bruce Pearl’s Tennessee Volunteers and the Siena Saints of Albany (NY). This game between two of the nation’s fastest-paced teams promised to be a high-scoring affair (recall that the Saints return the entirety of a team that made it to the NCAA Tournament’s second round last year after a 13 vs. 4 upset of Vanderbilt.)

When my uncle (a former D-III All-American twice over and a 2000-point college scorer at Wartburg College in Iowa) noticed the channel switch, he jumped to action with inquiries about what was going on. Rest assured after I briefed him and the rest of those within earshot about the Old Spice Classic, they were more than happy to temporarily ignore the boat race that was currently going on in Detroit.

In just its third year of existence, the Old Spice Classic has already supplanted the tradition-rich tournaments in Maui, New York City and Alaska as the cream of the early season crop. Seven of the eight teams involved made it to post-season play last year, including five that made the NCAA field of 65. In addition, three of the teams ended last year in the ESPN Top 25, with four now included into this year’s rankings.

The Milk House on the Disney Wide World of Sports campus was more than half-empty for yesterday’s opening round, but the action continued following the Vols’ relatively easy 14-point victory with the Georgetown Hoyas facing the Shockers of Wichita State.

After watching the first half (a great one for freshmen big man Greg Monroe) dinner was served. Despite sloppy play by both teams during the second half, John Thompson III’s crew was able to hold on for a 58-50 win. The Hoyas are going to be a continual “work in progress” as they look to move on with out several of their key players from the past couple of years. Gone are Roy Hibbert, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Jonathan Wallace, which gives Thompson and his staff a herculean task of not only rebuilding on the fly, but having to do it in the highly competitive Big East, as well.

After a break of action down in the Magic Kingdom, the games continued with one between the Maryland Terrapins and the highly ranked Michigan State Spartans. This was the surprise game of the day for most, but in my estimation Coach Tom Izzo’s team has been largely overrated at this point of season. The Terrapins, behind a loose, but gutsy performance from their Venezuelan superman point guard , clamped down their defense on star Spartan forward Raymar Morgan, and pounded MSU 80-62 in a game that was never really close. Bottled up for most of the night while strapped with foul trouble, the 6-8 Morgan did his doubters (which include me) a service by again playing an inconsistent game, just nights after two stellar performances. Vasquez and the Terrapins weren’t great at times in this game either, but their defense was suffocating and oppressive as the Spartans played the game with an already depleted line-up (no center Goran Suton).

As this game winded down, the high-stakes Texas Hold ‘Em action in my parents’ basement did, as well. My younger brother took home the prize (and $60 for his troubles) and my wife, daughter and I used the break in action to scurry home, in order to watch the day’s final game.

The night-cap in Orlando featured the most intriguing match-up of the day’s four games. The Top 10-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs met with the newly re-tooled Cowboys of Oklahoma State. New ‘Poke boss Travis Ford has implemented an up-tempo style of play in Stillwater, which should work well with a team that is largely void of any inside play. Gonzaga, on the other hand, brings in one of the deepest teams in the nation and arguably their best team in the school’s history. Despite poor early shooting by both teams, the game was largely in question with just over five minutes remaining.

Sparked by an impressive 9-0 run, the ‘Zags raced to an 83-71 win. As should be expected, Gonzaga got production from seemingly half of Spokane with seven guys getting at least six points and five of those in double figures. To wit: At this early point in the season, the 3-0 Zags are being led in scoring by junior Micah Downs (mistakenly viewed by many as almost an after-thought on this team) and the conference’s returning player of the year, Jeremy Pargo, is currently sixth on the team with nine points a night. (If you picked up a copy of the most recent mag, you know even more about this outrageously loaded team that should be in “Final Four or Bust” mode).
Peace, love and college hoops from all of us at Cub Scouts.

Check Cub Buenning’s scouting website for weekly player reports. Many players highlighted in Cub Scouts are thoroughly covered on the site.

By Antonio Curro

The high school season is ready to get into full swing and with that being said I thought it best to start off here at SLAM with a quick look into the future and some of the prospects on the rise who have the potential to grab headlines for years to come. SLAM’s Aggrey Sam has given his take on the best high schoolers in the country, and now I’m taking a look at the future of the game and 10 up-and-coming prospects from the Midwest who stand to have a major impact on the Grassroots circuit and beyond.

Harrison Barnes — Class of 2010 — 6-6 — SF — Ames (IA)
This silky smooth talent exploded this past summer on the Grassroots travel circuit with the All Iowa Attack program. An exceptionally skilled swing, Barnes is a lethal on the offensive end with his ability to score in bunches from the mid range area and outside the arc. He’s currently regarded as a Top 10 national prospect on virtually every board in America and could be regarded as the best player to every come out of the state of Iowa when it’s all said and done.

Jared Sullinger — Class of 2010 — 6-7 — F/C — Northland (OH)
Arguably the most physical prospect in the Class of 2010, Sullinger is a skilled interior talent who brings power, instincts, and skills to the table night in and night out. Regarded by some as the top 2010 prospect in the country, Sullinger brings consistent double double production game after game while completely dominating opposing teams in the paint. He’s verbally committed to Ohio State.

DeShaun Thomas — Class of 2010 — 6-7 F — Bishop Luers (IN)
He’s been one of the faces for the 2010 class for the past few years, and for good reason. Thomas is a strong powerful explosive skilled talent that can dominate the court any time he wants to. His versatility, skills, and athleticism make him virtually unstoppable when he gets it going. He’s verbally committed to Ohio State.

Ray McCallum Jr. — Class of 2010 — 6-1 PG — Detroit Country Day (MI)
The former Indiana prep standout takes his game to the state of Michigan this year, and what an exceptionally skilled game it is. “Sugar Ray” has the skills, instincts, and savvy to put in major work whenever he takes the floor. His game is smooth and effortless and he’s bound to make a lot of noise on the prep circuit in the state of Michigan over the next couple of years.

Mike Shaw — Class of 2011 — 6-8 F — De La Salle (IL)
Shaw has all the physical tools and skills to be that dude when it’s all said and done. He has the ability to score around the basket and he can also step out and stroke the trey ball as well in the mold of current Detroit Pistons star Rasheed Wallace. Shaw drips with talent and potential whenever he takes the floor and is part of a loaded 2011 class in the Midwest.

Marvin Singleton — Class of 2011 — 6-5 F — Hopkins (MN)
One of the best blends of power and athleticism in the 2011 class, Singleton attacks the rim extremely well and can stroke the perimeter shot as well if left open. Add to the mix an ability to elevate in transition and physically dominate on both ends and Singleton stands to become one of the most talked about 2011 prospects in the country if he continues to develop. He rocks the court at the prep level for the always powerful Hopkins program.

Wayne Blackshear (pictured) — Class of 2011 — 6-5 G — Curie Metropolitan (IL)
A silky smooth perimeter prospect, Blackshear is sensational in transition and has the skills from the mid range area and beyond the arc to dominate in half court sets as well. One of the premiere 2011 prospects in the entire country, Blackshear is an explosive talent who will be one of the most talked about talents in the country for the 2011 class.

Marquis Teague — Class of 2011 — 6-2 PG — Pike (IN)
Already one of the most talked about PG’s in the country, Teague has excellent physical tools to go along with big time instincts and an excellent skill set for a young floor general.  One of the prized prospects in the 2011 class, Teague is regarded by most as a top 10 national prospect in the Class of 2011 and with good reason because he can really go.

Jean Pierre Tokoto — Class of 2012 — 6-5 F — Menomonee Falls (WI)
One of the premiere young forwards in the country, Tokoto is a freakish athletic forward with the ability to completely dominate on both ends of the floor. An exceptional rebounding talent due in part to his size and explosive hops, Tokoto’s ability to elevate and finish with both hands makes him virtually unstoppable in transition. Scary potential and upside.

Perry Ellis — Class of 2012 — 6-7 F — Wichita Heights (KS)
Arguably the #1 freshman in the country, Ellis is an explosive, multi-skilled  talent with the ability to completely dominate the game on offensive end. Add to the mix exceptional grades and you have one of the premiere future prospects in the land.  The sky is the limit for Ellis.