Huskies Move into top ten in both Major Polls

As I opined in my last post, the UCONN Huskies were ranked #7 in today's AP Poll and #9 in the ESPN/Coaches Poll on the strength of their spectacular showing in last week's Maui Invitational Tournament. The jump from unranked to seventh in the AP poll was the largest single move up in one week since Kansas jumped from unranked to fourth in 1989 after winning the pre-season NIT. Clearly, the Huskies are far better than all the pundits, including this reporter,predicted in the pre-season. Let's all take a deep breath at this point and address the question of "how high is up for this season's Huskies?"
First and foremost, the two returning starters Kemba Walker and Alex Oriakhi have far exceeded expectations. Walker is leading the country in scoring at 30.0 ppg and his leadership and confidence have been awesome. Oriakhi has elevated his game to potential All- American status; While he doesn't have huge "ups" he is a quick jumper and a ferocious rebounder at both ends of the floor. In addition, he has very soft, sure hands, receives passes well and has a very nice touch in the paint. He is averaging a double/double through the first five contests.
The Five Freshman are far better than believed in the pre-season reports. Shabazz Napier, the 6 foot point guard from Boston is lightening quick, a tremendous penetrator and precociously confident. He clearly can play point taking some of the ball handling burden off Walker. Jeremy Lamb is a versatile two guard who can both shoot and slash to the hoop. Niels Giffey is a 6'6" swingman from Berlin, Germany who has the outstanding all around game that has become typical of the best European imports. Tyler Olander, the 6'9" local product, has impressed with a nice shooting touch and pretty good jumping ability. A big variable at this point is the Huskies most highly touted recruit, Roscoe Smith,a 6'8" small forward from Baltimore. Calhoun likens him to Rudy Gay but feels he is a better shooter. Calhoun believes that "Smith will be a special player for us." So far, he has shown some flashes of his talent and at times has appeared tight and tentative.
In sum, this team has strengths where weaknesses existed last year. The team chemistry looks great and the effort has been all out in every game. There are three or four good perimeter shooters and there are four or five guys who can score when needed. Defensively, this group can be smothering which triggers the signature UCONN transition game. The biggest liability is that the front line is thin and in the tough Big East and the Big Dance, the big men tend to accumulate fouls quickly. In December 7'1" Freshman Enosch Wolfe, from Germany becomes eligible supplying much needed depth up frot.
To date Walker leads the Huskies in scoring at 30.0ppg, followed by Oriakhi at 13.4, Napier at 9.6, Smith at 7.8 and Lamb and Giffey at 5.2. Look for Napier to bump up to about 12 ppg, Smith to 11ppg and Giffey to 9.3 to provide support for Walker and Oriakhi. The next five games are cream puffs with the first Big East contest coming on Dec. 27 at Pittsburgh. Over the next five games there are several things to watch and if they happen we are in for a very interesting season. Look for Napier, Smith and Giffey to bump up their ppg's, Smith to gain confidence and start looking like the Huskies top recruit, Wolfe to add needed help up front. If all these things fall in place we are looking at a possible Elite Eight or even Final four squad.
You can watch the Huskies tomorrow night on SNY at 7:30 against New Hampshire. ON Friday the Huskies take on Maryland-Baltimore county in a 7:00 start, also televised on SNY.
"You Heard it here First"
Steve

Walker and Oriakhi fuel Huskies improbable Championship in Maui

If you had asked me on Sunday whether the Huskies had any chance to win the Maui Invitational Tournament I would have bet our Turkey dinner for 30 people against it. Fortuneately,I didn't make that bet but I will have to put a little crow on my plate since I was a vociferous opponent of UCONN giving Jim Calhoun another contract. I felt his time had passed and the Huskies needed to bring in a young, dynamic coach. Two nice cupcake wins against Stonybrook and Vermont plus two returning starters and Five Freshmen in a recruiting class ranked 20th in country did nothing to foreshadow last night's pounding of 9th ranked Kentucky to complete this weeks improbable championship run. In addition, the Huskies faced a strong field including 2nd ranked Michigan State and 11th ranked University of Washington. Kentucky's Freshman class was ranked #1 in the country and Michigan State's was ranked 10th to boot. In what may some day be considered Calhoun's greatest coaching job we saw this young Husky squad grow up in five games and beat Wichita State, Michigan State (70-67) and in the title game destroy Kentucky 84-67.
What happened? To begin with Kemba Walker has emerged as possibly both the best point guard, if not the best player in the country according to Jay Bilas, the fine ESPN color commentator. Forward Alex Oriakhi has blossomed into a rebounding and scoring force in the paint and the freshmen group was clearly underrated. Add this to great team chemistry and the ideal personnel to develop a smothering UCONN defense to fuel the signature of all great Calhoun teams, an explosive transition game and it all adds up. Freshman Shabazz Napier is an outstanding point guard, something rare in a "diaper dandy". He is quick, confident, plays intense Defense and can penetrate and drive to the hoop. Roscoe Smith is playing well, if inconsistently, and is a very good small forward. Jeremy Lamb is an exciting swingman and looked his best so far this year in last night's win. Niels Giffey, a German import, is a whippet thin 6'7" small forward who has a solid all around game, can run all day, and has a nice stroke from three point land. Finally Tyler Olander is a solid banger up front.
The first 13 minutes of last nights contest featured exciting, quick paced ball in a game that looked like it was going to go down to the wire. However, the Huskies seemed to be visibly gaining confidence when they led 29-27 with seven minutes to go. At that point, Napier scored on a tremendous drive to the hoop, cradling the ball away from the Wildcat big men, before banking a beauty off the glass. After getting the ball back Napier hit Walker on a text book backdoor play and the run had begun. Over the last seven minutes of the half, the Huskies outscored the Wildcats 21-2, a real old-fashioned Husky run, to open up a 51-29 lead at the half. WOW!
The game was never in doubt in the second half; Walker finished with 29 points and won the tournament outstanding player and Oriakhi scored 18 with 11 rebounds. Niels Giffey, in his best showing of the season, added 14 on 5-6 shooting from the field including 2-3 treys. Napier, sensational at the point added 12.
I have to believe that when Monday's polls come out the previously unranked Huskies have to be in the top 10 teams in the country and this squad is a legitimate contender in the East. It is obviously too early in the season to know how far they can go but it sure will be an exciting ride. This reporters battered hat is off to Coach Jim Calhoun and Associate Head Coach George Blaney.
"You heard it here First"
Steve

Kemba Walks on water as Huskies upset #2 Michigan State

The big news tonight is that Kemba Walker, no ifs ands or buts is a superstar. Espn's knowledgeable color commentator called him the best point guard in the country in tonights's spectacular upset win over Michigan State. Prior to tonights game Walker was leading the country in scoring with a 30.3 ppg average. tonight's
30 point effort against Michigan State will likely keep in that spot.
Since this is my first post of the season I will start by highlighting the pre-season expectations for this years Huskies and review the major questions that I had following last season's disappointing and enigmatic squad. The Huskies lost 3 of their top scorers from last year including Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson and Hasheem thabeet. They were left with only two returning starters, Jr. Kemba Walker and sophomore Alex Oriakhi and five Freshmen recruits. Their recruiting class was only ranked 20th in the country and their top recruit, small forward, Roscoe Smith was ranked fifth at this position. Not one poll or major college pre-season magazine picked Uconn in the top 25 teams in the country and most picked them about 10th in the Big East. I have to admit, that my own expectations were low and I was screaming as loud as anyone for the Huskies to end the Jim Calhoun era. As you know, I felt that he was mired in a depression last year that adversely effected his coaching and the team. My four major question marks, incredibly, have already been answered after only four games.

1. Could Jim Calhoun regain his equilibrium and rebuild a very young team? I have watched all four games this year and from the get-go I have that Calhoun looks like a much happier guy this year. Unlike last year, when he often appeared tense, angry and distracted, he has been relaxed and very present in all games. Calhoun seems to have really bonded with his young Huskies and this is an exciting, hustling team a la Calhoun's best squads. Put one in the plus column.
2. Kemba Walker showed flashes of brilliance last year when he averaged 14.8 ppg. However, he shot inconsistently and didn't supply the much needed leadership. Walker apparently worked very hard on his game this summer and it shows. Both his perimeter shooting and finishes on his drives have improved dramatically and he has been simply sensational. I think he may be the fastest college player I have ever seen in the open court with the ball. Move over Ray Allen, Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton et al, another Husky superstar has been ordained.
3. Last Year I felt that Freshman Alex Oriakhi would blossom into a big time player, but I did not expect it to happen so fast. He is averaging a double, double and had 15 points and 17 rebounds in tonight's win.
4. Are there any talented recruits. I love Freshman point guard Shabazz Napier. He is confident a great ball handler and penetrator and sensational on defense. calhoun used him a lot at the point tonight enabling Walker to play two guard and not have to handle the ball so much. top recruit Roscoe Smith (10.3 ppg) has improved with each game, can shoot the trey, slash and is a very good shot blocker. Swingman Jeremy Lamb has been a contributor and Nils Giffey, a small forward from Germany has an excellent all around game. Much more talent here than predicted.
In sum, batten down the hatches everyone this is one exciting team. They will definitely contend in the Big East and take a trip to the big dance. Much too early to know how far they will go but it doesn't hurt to have possibly the best player in the country.
tonight's exciting win was sealed when Kemba Walker scored the last of his 30 points with 52 seconds left on a fade away jumper from the left corner. Roscoe Smith added 8 points and Shabazz napier added seven in the Huskies sensational upset.
Tune in tomorrow night when the Young Huskies will play the winner of the Kentucky- Washington game in the finals.
I will say it right now - WE ARE GOING TO THE BIG DANCE
You heard it here first
Steve