With the verbal commitment of Matt Staff, it looks like the Lobos' 2009 recruiting class is set in stone with Chad Adams and Jamaal Fenton also already committed.
The following link will take you to a highlight reel of Matt Staff. It's a pretty extensive reel, and it gives you an idea of what he does well. Obviously, he can hit the three ball. He got open multiple times by running backdoor cuts and he finished strong several times in traffic. He even showed some ability to drive the ball in, pull up, and score. One thing he did not do, however, was post up with his back to the basket. His game appears to be similar to Chad Toppert but with a little bit more ability to create and he's also a bit bigger than Chad.
http://www.collegeballorbust.com/clients/2115/highlights
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Breaking News: 2009 Commitment
As reported by the Albuquerque Journal, Houston forward Matt Staff has verbally committed to play for the Lobos!
More info forthcoming!
More info forthcoming!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Too-Early Basketball Outlook: What We Know
I know it's only May, but it's as good of a time as any to take a look at next year's team.
We can count on this production from these players based on their previous years' performance and as seniors they're unlikely to make a HUGE jump in productivity. These three guys will likely be our Big Three in terms of scoring and leadership and if we're going to have a good season all three of these guys will have to have good seasons.
1. Chad Toppert will shoot 45% from three and average 10-12 points and 4 rebounds per game. Chad made small improvements across the board from his sophomore to junior season (9.5 pts to 10.3, 2.6 reb to 3.2, .7 ast to 1.5, 46% 3P% to 48%) so I'd expect similar small improvements. What Chad needs to work on the most is his consistency and concentration at the free throw line.
2. Daniel Faris will shoot 50% from the field and average 10-12 points and 4-6 rebounds per game. Daniel will be the only proven scorer in the block for us, and until the new guys get adjusted I'd expect him to play a ton of minutes.
3. Tony Danridge will shoot 50% from the field and average 12-15 points per game. Tony's output is the most difficult to predict because he's coming off an injury year, but from all accounts he has been injury-free since at least January and it's been reported that he's looked like the same player, if not better.
What we know
We can count on this production from these players based on their previous years' performance and as seniors they're unlikely to make a HUGE jump in productivity. These three guys will likely be our Big Three in terms of scoring and leadership and if we're going to have a good season all three of these guys will have to have good seasons.
1. Chad Toppert will shoot 45% from three and average 10-12 points and 4 rebounds per game. Chad made small improvements across the board from his sophomore to junior season (9.5 pts to 10.3, 2.6 reb to 3.2, .7 ast to 1.5, 46% 3P% to 48%) so I'd expect similar small improvements. What Chad needs to work on the most is his consistency and concentration at the free throw line.
2. Daniel Faris will shoot 50% from the field and average 10-12 points and 4-6 rebounds per game. Daniel will be the only proven scorer in the block for us, and until the new guys get adjusted I'd expect him to play a ton of minutes.
3. Tony Danridge will shoot 50% from the field and average 12-15 points per game. Tony's output is the most difficult to predict because he's coming off an injury year, but from all accounts he has been injury-free since at least January and it's been reported that he's looked like the same player, if not better.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
APR Issues
The APR scores have been released by the NCAA, meaning it's time to lay down the law! The UNM Athletics programs scored under 925, meaning trouble may be on the horizon.
The Lobo Basketball team was penalized a scholarship for an APR average of 894. However, Coach Alford elected to take the hit last year when he didn't sign another player to replace academically ineligible Darrington Hobson.
The Lobo Football team and Lobo Baseball teams were both under the mandated score of 925 but won't receive penalties because they've shown significant progress over the past few years.
Down south, it's a different story. The NMSU Basketball team scored an 835 (!) average and has been penalized a scholarship and four hours of practice a week. The Aggies' football, baseball, track, and tennis teams all were under 925 as well, giving them a grand total of six programs in academic trouble.
What does it all mean? The Lobo Basketball program needs to get over 925 in a hurry. They scored an 878 last year because of so many transfers. A good first step is to keep everyone currently on the team in good academic standing. A good second step is to get seniors Jamaal Smith, JR Giddens, and Darren Prentice to graduate, and soon.
The Aggies, on the other hand, could already be facing even bigger trouble. This offseason they've already had three transfers, and if they don't show progress fast they could face a ban on postseason play.
Ouch indeed.
The Lobo Basketball team was penalized a scholarship for an APR average of 894. However, Coach Alford elected to take the hit last year when he didn't sign another player to replace academically ineligible Darrington Hobson.
The Lobo Football team and Lobo Baseball teams were both under the mandated score of 925 but won't receive penalties because they've shown significant progress over the past few years.
Down south, it's a different story. The NMSU Basketball team scored an 835 (!) average and has been penalized a scholarship and four hours of practice a week. The Aggies' football, baseball, track, and tennis teams all were under 925 as well, giving them a grand total of six programs in academic trouble.
What does it all mean? The Lobo Basketball program needs to get over 925 in a hurry. They scored an 878 last year because of so many transfers. A good first step is to keep everyone currently on the team in good academic standing. A good second step is to get seniors Jamaal Smith, JR Giddens, and Darren Prentice to graduate, and soon.
The Aggies, on the other hand, could already be facing even bigger trouble. This offseason they've already had three transfers, and if they don't show progress fast they could face a ban on postseason play.
Ouch indeed.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Recruit on Campus
The Albuquerque Journal is reporting that senior-to-be power forward Matt Staff (6-8, 200) is on campus for an unofficial recruiting visit. Staff is a prospect who's flying a little under the radar -- he's only a one-star on Scout and a no-star on Rivals -- but he has some big names coming after him, including Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Marquette, and Baylor.
Staff has been described as a face-up player who can shoot and guard the 3 or the 4 collegiately. He's admittedly not the greatest athlete, but he's supposedly a good setup and intangibles guy.
With Daniel Faris, Monquel Pegues, and Johnnie Harris all graduating at the end of 2009 adding a big man or two will definitely be a priority. Staff would be a good guy to lock down early because the big names will probably start offering later this summer.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Neal Staying Put
Coach Neal (far left) said no to Scott Skiles
Associate Head Coach Craig Neal informed the Albuquerque Journal that he is not accepting an assistant coaching job under Scott Skiles with the Milwaukee Bucks. Lobo Nation, take a deep breath. The sky is not falling.
As I posted earlier, Coach Neal is a HUGE cog in the coaching staff. I think we need to understand that it's very flattering that our coaches are being sought after, as it's a testament to how good of a job they've done. If we were losing I don't think anyone would be calling.
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