Nets Lose to Blazers 108-98 and drop to 3-7: Sure
they played without the two guys who are supposed to be the core of their team,
Brook Lopez and Deron Williams. And sure
they are an aging team that is still rounding into collective shape but the
signs are still troublesome. Once you sift through all the injuries matchups
and other game specific situations, the
Trail Blazers were simply another team like Cleveland and Sacramento who may
not be better than the Nets on paper but were able to beat them with speed and
quickness. All game long the Nets'
defense could not defend the penetration
of rookie of the year Damian Lillard who
simply got anywhere he wanted to go any time he wanted and set up smooth
shooting forward LeMarcus Aldridge and three point marksman Wes Matthews for 27
and 24 points respectively. The Nets should be at least concerned that the
early losses are indicative of a larger problem than just injuries and key
players missing large chunks of training camp.
Time and again fans heard that the team was built to be deep and protect
against the age of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. So far at least, Net fans are
finding out what Yankees' fans learned watching last year's team. When you
replace old guys with other old guys you ask for trouble. Whether it's Kevin
Youkilis being brought in to protect
A-Rod or Andrei Kirilenko being brought in to protect Pierce and Joe
Johnson age makes all predictions tenuous. As a Nets fan I hope for the
injuries to heal and for the Nets to find their footing but even though it's just
10 games in I wonder and worry if that's possible.
St. Francis of Brooklyn Takes two in Florida and Nearly
Upsets Syracuse: One team in Brooklyn that's been a nice surprise is coach
Glen Braica's St. Francis Terriers. They opened the season springing upset wins
over ACC foe Miami and Conference USA rival Florida Atlantic, coached by former
St. John's mentor Mike Jarvis. Following a tough loss at Dayton they nearly
pulled off the season's biggest upset, leading for much of the game at the
Carrier Dome before losing 56-50. Delaware native Jalen Cannon has led the way
for the Terriers but a pair of ex-New York schoolboy stars have pitched in
well. Anthony White, the sturdy 6'4" guard from William Floyd HS on Long
Island has provided both a steady hand and good shooting while tough forward
Wayne Martin, who starred at South Shore HS, has provided an inside presence
the team has sorely needed. Against the 'cuse Martin repeatedly exploited the
middle of their vaunted zone defense and provided the kind of scoring and
playmaking option that an NEC team typically will just not have against a team
from the ACC. If the Terriers can continue to improve while LIU Brooklyn maintains its place at the top
of the league, the Battle of Brooklyn could well be for much more than bragging
rights. The two teams could be playing for a spot in the NCAA tournament.
Fordham Starts Quickly as Well: Fordham has
sandwiched wins over St. Francis (Pa) and Lehigh around a loss to Syracuse to
begin the season and a pair of star New York guards have led the way. Senior
Brandon Fraser (Bishop Loughlin) and
highly touted freshman Jon Severe (Christ the King) have provided much of the scoring
punch along with sophomore, and Rochester NY
native Mandel Thomas. Former Cardozo star Ryan Rhoomes, appears to have
settled into a nice role patrolling the paint for the Rams. The two wins
combined with the signature of superb forward and Dobbs Ferry native Eric
Paschal could signal that Tom Pecora's program has turned a proverbial corner.
And just as he did at Hofstra, he has laid a foundation of tough New York kids.
Progress is coming slowly but it's coming for sure.
Creighton Looks Like the Best of the New Big East Time
will tell whether the Blue Jays quick start will hold up in the new league
where very good teams will play each other home and home during the regular
season. That said they have all the
ingredients to win this or any other league. National Player of the Year
candidate Doug McDermott is the unquestioned go-to-guy but he's surrounded by a
group of tested and tough minded teammates that include perhaps the nation's
best "glue guy" in forward Grant Gibbs and former St. Ray's star
Devin Brooks. The 6'2" guard, who came to Creighton via Iowa Western
Junior College has fit in well with a team that has played many games together
while adding a dose of speed and quickness off the bench that they don't get
from anyone else. He scored 16 points in the Jays impressive 83-78 win at St.
Joseph's. Another local star freshman Deandre Bembry (The Patrick School)
scored 20 for St. Joe's.
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