JACKS Basketball

[JACKGUY]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Has anybody heard anything about informal non-sanctioned practice of the team. How do some of the returning players look and the new recruits? While I have not given up on this years football team the shelling we took in fargo makes me anticipate the Basketball season even more.

[CycloneJack]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Not to digress back too far to Tommy King, but I can give you a little input as a Cyclone. The coaches here were very high on him coming in to ISU, as he received a scholarship from the 2-time defending Big 12 champs at that time. He was a "playground legend" in Seattle and had a ton of potential. Unfortunately what he didn't have was self discipline, a strong work ethic, and the ability to stay away from certain substances.

At any rate, he is a very talented basketball player and if the coaches essentially let him do as he pleases he will be happy and perform well. Unfortunately at a high-major you are not allowed to do that.
________
LINCOLN BLACKWOOD PICTURE

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: JACKS Basketball


It's about time you posted Cyclone!, Sometimes a guy like Tommy King can be more of a distraction than an asset (see Terrell Owens). He definetly is an athlete and time will tell if he is a major force in the NCC, The u has had a lot of great individuals over the years but that hasnt always traslated to BB success. Another point of interest will be to see how the spoiled brat J. Mueller and King will co-exist. Dont be a stranger Cyclone, always interested in hearing the opinion from Ames!
Texas

[JACKGUY]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Tommie King was at USD last year and played well with Mueller. He was fortunate to get another year of elgibility. I don't think USD has the inside forces to compete with SDSU. Mueller is a guy that is easy to hate.

[JACKGUY]

Re: JACKS Basketball

The Jacks have posted there 2003/2004 Basketball Preseason/Season Outlook on the SDSU website. No surprises as they reference the medical reshirts that will be returning.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Here is the Argus Leader outlook. Not bad

SDSU men hope injuries stay away
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

published: 11/7/2003

Four former Jackrabbit starters return after missing last season

BROOKINGS - Scott Nagy endured a coaching nightmare last year, losing four projected starters to injury or illness either before or early on in the 2002-03 season.

Still, his depleted South Dakota State men's basketball team came tantalizingly close to winning a North Central Conference title and advancing to the Elite Eight.

Though the Jackrabbits lose four starters this year, including all-conference first-teamers Austin Hansen and Chris Stoebner, they get back those four players lost to maladies.

"We had a huge percentage of our team, a huge percentage of the people we were really counting on, who got injured," said Nagy, who after last season's 24-7 campaign is 183-52 through his first eight seasons. "That's very unusual for any sport when you talk about percentages.

"Most people aren't in the situation where we lose four starters and return five."

SDSU opens its 2003-04 campaign at 5 p.m. today against Philadelphia University at the Disney Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla. The Jacks will play three exempt games at the preseason tournament against Division II foes. It's SDSU's final season before moving up to Division I play next season.

Last season, the Jacks finished 12-3 in NCC play, trailing only St. Cloud State. Then, in regional play, they lost a heartbreaking 86-85 contest to Nebraska-Kearney that ended their season. That squad was guard-heavy, relying on the undersized Stoebner and Sonny Walker at the forward spots after the bevy of losses.

This season, it's the opposite kind of roster.

"I think we're a little thin at the guards, in terms of small and athletic," Nagy said. "But we have six posts who can really play."

Senior point guard Marquise Richardson is the Jacks' lone returning starter, coming off a solid first season in blue and yellow after transferring from Lake Land Community College in Illinois. The 6-footer averaged 10.5 points a game and proved able to crash the boards, getting 5.2 a contest. His passing skills and quickness lead the up-tempo SDSU squad in transition.

After Richardson comes the previously-injured players, all of whom have started for SDSU in their career.

Sophomore Matt Jones returns after receiving a medical hardship for mononucleosis. The 6-6 forward from Alpena was the 2001-02 NCC Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.8 points and 8.7 rebounds a contest. That season, he also finished fifth nationally in field goal percentage, making 65.2 percent of his shots.

"I would say that's a real big boost," Nagy said. "He's taking a while to get his legs under him and get used to playing at the level we play at. But here at the beginning of the season, it seems like he's starting to come around and respond."

He'll be joined in the frontcourt by 6-6 senior Derrick Schantz, who tore his ACL against Concordia-St. Paul last December. Schantz averaged 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2001-02.

Also back - after getting a redshirt for a stress fracture and then a broken hand - is senior center Josh Cerveny, who was an all-conference first-teamer in 2000-2001 as a sophomore. The 6-8, 285-pounder also suffered a broken hand in the 2001-02 season.

Replacing Hansen, the school's third-leading career scorer, is junior Andy Moeller. Moeller, a 6-1 guard, received his medical redshirt after dealing with a recurring foot injury. He saw some time early last season, leading the Jackrabbits in scoring twice.

Where Hansen was a cerebral player, Moeller brings a bit more instinctive style at shooting guard. He also can create his shot a little better.

"When you just talk strictly as an offensive player, Andy's probably better than Austin," Nagy said. "Andy's way more athletic, he's stronger - and Austin's a very strong guard. I would say in terms of consistency, that's where Andy needs work."

Top reserves will be 6-7 senior forward Calvin Melaney (8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds a game), 6-2 junior guard Luke Geiver, 6-foot junior guard Brady Hokenson, 6-11 junior center Jared DeJong and 6-5 senior forward Jared Gass.

Joining the mix should be two talented freshmen. Sharpshooting Andy Kleinjan, the 2002 Argus Leader Player of the Year, redshirted last season. The 6-3 guard will be counted on to help offset the loss of Hansen, who is now an assistant coach at Minnesota State. And true freshmen Ben Beran, a 6-7 forward from Victor, Iowa, could also see some time in the post.

"I think it will be hard for people to score on us because we're big and can rebound well," Nagy said. "We've always done that in the past, and this year we should do that even better because we're bigger and more athletic."

Copyright 2003 Argus Leader. All rights reserved

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: JACKS Basketball

That was a pretty good article, I have a question about the term "exempt" for the Disney tip off games, what does that mean?
It will be fun to watch the Jacks go to a " big" lineup as they sometimes do, 6-8 Cervany (285) 6-7 Melaney (285) and DeJong who is 6-11 and has to be at least 250. That should be an intimidating front line. and those three are far from "timid" in the paint.

Its game day finally! the day all Jacks fans live for! the start of the basketball season! Our national champion womens team plays in Boulder tonight against the Buffs. and our Mens team plays the university of Philadelphia.
Heres to the Jacks, and that that both teams will be playing that last week in March!!

GO SDSU

[SDSUFAN]

Re: JACKS Basketball

That was a pretty good article, I have a question about the term "exempt" for the Disney tip off games, what does that mean?
It will be fun to watch the Jacks go to a " big" lineup as they sometimes do, 6-8 Cervany (285)  6-7 Melaney (285) and DeJong who is 6-11 and has to be at least 250.  That should be an intimidating front line. and those three are far from "timid" in the paint.

Its game day finally! the day all Jacks fans live for! the start of the basketball season! Our national champion womens team plays in Boulder tonight against the Buffs. and our Mens team plays the university of Philadelphia.
Heres to the Jacks, and that that both teams will be playing that last week in March!!

GO SDSU

The exempt refers to the game season total that is allowed in accordance with D2 rules. I think its 28 or 29 and those three games will not count towards that total.
Could be wrong.

[89rabbit]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Here is the Link to the Register's "season preview" story, to bad we are 6 games into the season. Oh well, better late then never. Coach Nagy has some pretty good stuff to say.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?B...=461&rfi=9

Go State!

[SDSUFAN]

Re: JACKS Basketball

I think we need to start a venture capital drive in order to buy The Brookings Register from its current owners. I am not sure who the current owners are, but they seem to have trouble hanging on to sports writers. Rod Thormsagaard who wrote this article is a teacher during the day at Brookings Middle School. Rod has continually bad mouthed the D1 move, but otherwise does not do a bad job of sports writing. We need a Jeff Kolpack at the Register. I would like to see more current uptodate information about all SDSU programs. Our SID seems a little slow in getting things up on the website too, so we dont have that flash coverage that SDSU athletics deserve.

[89rabbit]

Re: JACKS Basketball

I am ok with the Register, they are what they are a small town newspaper, so I don't expect a lot. I have more trouble with the Sioux Falls Argus. They should be every bit the Newspaper that the Fargo Forum is. THEY need a Jeff Kolpack. Question, is it me or does the Argus seem to be warming up to our move to D-I? Do you think they figured out that having a D-I team would increase interest in Jackrabbit sports and maybe sell more papers, or is it just Basketball season and wishful thinking on my part? ???

Go Blue!

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: JACKS Basketball

89r,
It's probably wishful thinking at this point, but your observation of a "warming" Argus will come pretty soon, when they see the next years schedules, and the excitment that that will bring to the area they will come around..."kicking and screaming" but they will come around.-They HAVE to.
SDSU D1-The Biggest and BEST (By a long way)

[JACKGUY]

Re: JACKS Basketball

I've felt all along that the Argus will come around on the Jacks. Remember NDSU is in Fargo and thus gets a lot of coverage. I think if SDSU was in Sioux Falls it would be a whole different story. As people start to realize both inside and outside the Jack family that the college sports entertainment value is about to be enhanced like the state of South Dakota has never seen it will catch on with both the media and the casual sports fan. I don't see any reason why Brookings and SDSU can't capture the excitement similiar to Lincoln on football game day or in Lawrence Kansas for a Basketball game. The potential is there for the taking as the USD and Augustana sports scene is reeling. There is no other D1 sports program in the state that SDSU has to compete with. Its important we get in a conference,have some relative success soon and build an atmosphere that says this is the place to be on game day!

[SDSUFAN]

Re: JACKS Basketball

Granted the Brookings Register is a small town paper serving a population of 17000 without students. With students 27,000 and within the immediate area, there maybe another 10,000 which makes it nearly 40,000 in a population base. The problem as I see with Register involve two or three issues.

1. The paper itself does not want to expand its staff but insists on working with a staff that was adequate 30 years ago.

2. Publisher and editor who I believe is Billy McMackin has not come on record one way or the other on the D1 issue.
Rod Thormsdagaard, the teacher and part time sport writer has written vicious columns against the move to D1. Unless you subscribe to the print version you never see those columns. In one he called Fred Oien and Peggy Miller liars because the fact they decided to move forward without a conference. Keith Jensen a one time Executive Director the Alumni Assoication has taken on Thormsdagaard and the Billy Mac ends up defending Thor, who is an idot in my book.
3. I think Billy Mac, who is a former SDSU baseball player is still pissed at Fred for ploughing up Heuther Field and making a parking lot out his field of dreams. For that reason alone, Billy Mac has not endorsed the move to D1.
With these small grudges and uncooperative support, the The Register is more of a hinderance than a help.


This is why a new ownership of The Register would help. If I had the resources I would start a new daily and run the Register out of business. Either they have to S@@T OR GET OFF THE POT.

[89rabbit]

Re: JACKS Basketball

SDSUFAN,

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel. I agree with you 100% from the stand point that the Register has not gotten on board with the D-I decision. From that stand point you are right. I to have been shocked at some of the stuff that Rod has written (from my trips home to visit my folks) and I have not seen the half of it, it sounds like. Lets hope they get better or you hit the lottory so you can buy the paper.

Go State!