All Americans

[LogShow]

Congrats to Jason Foster of Puget Sound for making a pre-season all-american team.  I am expecting big things out to him, and he should be leading Puget Sound back to the tournement and into the national picture.

[Pat Coleman]

Well, I guess I'll put my thoughts here on the PRE-SEASON All-Americans...

Not sure if d3hoops did their homework or not, but rumor around the campfire is that Pete Rortvedt (3rd team) isn't playing this year.  At this time, it seems like no one knows yet.

I guess we'll wait tomorrow when Point has their annual Purple Gold game...

He was on the preseason report that UW-SP filed with us. Ross Rortvedt was not, however.

[OshDude]

After 12 of the preseason Top 25 teams were from the West or Midwest, 13 of the 25 preseason All-Americans are from the West or Midwest. I like it.

[woosterbooster]

Wooster guard Brandon Johnson is injured, and optimistically slated to return by the first of the year.  Did this figure into his not being chosen as one of the top ten guards in the country?

[Pat Coleman]

Yes.

[Titan Q]

Wooster guard Brandon Johnson is injured, and optimistically slated to return by the first of the year.  Did this figure into his not being chosen as one of the top ten guards in the country?

Just FYI, here are the '07-08 offensive numbers for the 10 preseason All-American guards (*Sean Wallis numbers are '06-07):


1st Team

Sean Wallis*, Wash U (Jr) - 13.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 7.3 apg, 122-278 FG (.439), 48-128 3-pt (.375), 113-131 FT (.863)
Kent Raymond, Wheaton (Sr) - 24.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.9 apg, 237-549 FG (.432), 75-217 3-pt (.346), 185-208 FT (.889)

2nd Team

Matt Goodwin, UW-Whitewater (Sr) - 17.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 164-332 FG (.494), 67-158 3-pt (.424), 86-122 FT (.705)
Jimmy Bartolotta, MIT (Sr) - 23.9 ppg, 5.8 apg, 4.0 rpg, 208-390 FG (.533), 59-142 3-pt (.415), 99-123 FT (.805)

3rd Team

Steve Djurickovic, Carthage (So) - 23.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.3 apg, 189-401 FG (.471), 16-65 3-pt (.246), 186-234 FT (.795)
Nate Stahl, Capital (Sr.) - 13.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 141-279 FG (.505), 17-57 3-pt (.298), 103-135 FT (.763)

4th Team

Mike Moore, Capital (Sr) - 17.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 6.5 apg, 150-321 FG (.467), 66-163 3-pt (.405), 83-107 FT (.776)
Brett Wessels, Augustana (Sr.) - 14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 120-325 FG (.369), 54-156 3-pt (.346), 119-140 FT (.850)

HM

Dan Capkin, Gettysburg (Sr.) - 19.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 195-396 FG (.492), 75-187 FG (.401), 104-130 FT (.800)
Caleb Veldhouse, Calvin (Sr.) - 17.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 163-375 FG (.435), 58-136 FG (.426), 81-107 FT (.757)
----------
A few of the near misses I'm aware of:

Ryan Kroeger, Lawrence (Sr) - 17.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 131-237 FG (.553), 52-109 3-pt (.477), 123-145 FT (.848)

Ryan Burks, Elmhurst (Sr) - 17.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 124-273 FG (.454), 66-153 3-pt (.431), 128-144 FT (.889)

Aaron Thompson, Wash U (Jr) - 11.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 113-240 FG (.471), 68-155 3-pt (.439), 58-76 FT (.763)

Brandon Jones, Wooster (Sr) - 11.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 104-242 FG (.430), 40-98 3-pt (.408), 69-87 FG (.793)

[Pat Coleman]

Wesley guard Rashawn Johnson was among the final guards considered as well.
http://athletics.wesley.edu/sports/mbkb/2007-08/stats/teamcume.htm

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Was the poor showing last year responsible for leaving the Grinnell guards off any of the lists?

[Pat Coleman]

There seems to be some lack of agreement as to which of the two Grinnell guards is the better one. I'm hoping to take advantage of my new geography and see for myself.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

There seems to be some lack of agreement as to which of the two Grinnell guards is the better one. I'm hoping to take advantage of my new geography and see for myself.

Let me know when you're planning to go.  It would give me extra motivation to get up there again, especially now that gas is reasonably priced.


Grinnell's hosting Wheaton on January 3rd; maybe we can get April to fly out?

[Dance Major]

I am an admitted Emerson basketball and GNAC basketball fan, but I have a legitimate question for all you posters who have seen many more players across the country than I have -- is there any point guard in the country better than Emerson's Jeremy Shannon?  He won Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the GNAC as a sophomore, and jump started his junior campaign with a 25 point, 11 assist, 9 rebound performance that included an overtime-forcing 3-pointer at the buzzer.  He might be the quickest player in Division 3 and has an amazing finishing ability around the basket.  I found it interesting, and in fact preposterous, that the Preseason All-American teams found 10 other guards better than him.

[Hugenerd]

I am an admitted Emerson basketball and GNAC basketball fan, but I have a legitimate question for all you posters who have seen many more players across the country than I have -- is there any point guard in the country better than Emerson's Jeremy Shannon?  He won Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the GNAC as a sophomore, and jump started his junior campaign with a 25 point, 11 assist, 9 rebound performance that included an overtime-forcing 3-pointer at the buzzer.  He might be the quickest player in Division 3 and has an amazing finishing ability around the basket.  I found it interesting, and in fact preposterous, that the Preseason All-American teams found 10 other guards better than him.

His stats from the games this season are irrelevant as far as the preseason team goes.  Also, as jamiejohn said on the northeast board, 16 ppg, 5 rpg, and 4 apg doesnt really jump out at you, especially since they didnt make the tourney (although they had a good overall record).  The thing he needs most is some exposure.  Putting up numbers in the GNAC doesnt get the respect as it does in other conferences, such as the CCIW, WIAC, and UAA (for example). If they win the GNAC and he plays well in the tourney, he should get more consideration.

[Dance Major]

I realize his stats are meaningless to the "Preseason All-American" conversation, almost as meaningless as discussing the merits of a "preseason All-American" in general, I just wanted to put his name in the discussion of the best guards, or even players, in the nation, and provide some statistical backing.

The GNAC isn't a great conference, but the team that beat them in the GNAC title game just beat a highly ranked Brandeis team, and their 24 wins weren't enough to get an at-large bid.  16 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 60% (!!!!!!) shooting last season, while winning Defensive Player of the Year for the conference just must not jump out to some people, but hopefully the people who make the decisions about the REAL All-American teams take the opportunity to see this kid play at some point this year and judge for themselves.  On a bad team, or if he was a selfish player, he could easily average 25+ but he plays the right way.

[d3hero]

i know we're talking about pre-season all americans here but let me just throw this into the mix.

Marvin Billups, 6'5" wingman for SUNY Purchase, POST-season all american.  He dropped 28 against New Paltz, 29 against Hartwick to win the tournament for Purchase, their first ever tournament win in their first ever season as an official NCAA school.  The kid can jump out of the gym and he's only a sophomore. 

[KorsairKILLAH]

I realize his stats are meaningless to the "Preseason All-American" conversation, almost as meaningless as discussing the merits of a "preseason All-American" in general, I just wanted to put his name in the discussion of the best guards, or even players, in the nation, and provide some statistical backing.

The GNAC isn't a great conference, but the team that beat them in the GNAC title game just beat a highly ranked Brandeis team, and their 24 wins weren't enough to get an at-large bid.  16 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 60% (!!!!!!) shooting last season, while winning Defensive Player of the Year for the conference just must not jump out to some people, but hopefully the people who make the decisions about the REAL All-American teams take the opportunity to see this kid play at some point this year and judge for themselves.  On a bad team, or if he was a selfish player, he could easily average 25+ but he plays the right way.

You fail to post that Shannon averaged 4.5 turnovers a game.  How could you put a guard who averages 4.5 turnovers a game on an All-American team?  He did not even get mentioned in last years all region team from d3hoops or the NABC.  He had no chance of making preseason All-American.  To say he is one of the best in the nation is a very bold statement.