MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Mr. Ypsi]

Guys, there was a reason for the 'wink' at the end of my 'Dauksas get an NBA look' post - it was (mostly) a joke.  Maybe I'm too pessimistic, but I took it that Keelan's 'look' was more as a favor to old friends than a really legitimate chance - I don't think it was an out-and-out fraud (Keelan's good enough that he deserves at least one 'look'), but I doubt it would have happened at all except for those contacts.  I have no clue as to whether Adam has such contacts.

I know this wasn't your intent, but I find this idea sorta rude. When did you last seen Keelan? What he did down in Salem was nothing short of amazing. He played so well he had everyone around me was in awe of him. And while I don't follow the NBA at all, I'm pretty sure he has the height to play in the NBA for someone who mostly shoots outside. If he wasn't good enough, no one would have let him get a shot, favors or not.

No offense intended, April.  (But please read my posts more carefully.)

As you probably recall, my only live observation of Keelan was December something, 2004 (the day after I saw Calvin's Draayer destroy Wheaton - I didn't think he would make the NBA either).  I think both Amelianovich and Draayer deserved shots, but I doubt either will make the NBA.  Like I said, I think Keelan deserves a shot, I just doubt he would have gotten it if it wasn't for contacts - I doubt Dauksas has such contacts.  There is a reason why "It's not what you know, it's who you know" has become a cliche - it's because it has a LARGE grain of truth.

[Gregory Sager]

Congrats to Paul Ferguson upon landing the Wheaton Academy job. As far as I'm concerned they couldn't have hired a better coach or a better role model for their student-athletes.

Lanny, I'm not quite sure why NPU fans should be taking "consolation" at Ron Rose's hire at Wesleyan. What the heck Wesleyan's hiring Rose would have to do with an uptick in NPU's basketball fortunes is beyond me -- unless Rose turns out to be a bad coach, which I take it wasn't the thrust of your point. The fact that the Vikings were a national powerhouse back when Rose was playing PG for the Titans falls under the category of "meaningless coincidence."

The Park is in no position to worry about which coaches are being hired by or are leaving the other CCIW schools. NPU has to get its own house in order, hoopswise.

If there's any pressure at North Park now, it's internal. There are other good young coaches on campus that are setting high standards for Paul Brenegan to match. After seven seasons John Born has built a really strong men's soccer program that has made even the Wheaties nervous. New hire Luke Johnson took the baseball Vikings, who had won a grand total of three games in the three previous seasons combined, to the CCIW tournament this spring -- and he did it without benefit of a full recruiting period. Scott Pethtel will probably get a couple years' worth of mulligans for the NPU football team, considering the Park's epic futility on the gridiron dating back to the late 1960s, but Brenegan has to start showing tangible progress this coming season. Of course, nobody's more keenly aware of that than him. 

[Pat Coleman]

Titan 2000, it is ironic that you specifically mention watching U of Illinois games - they met in a season-opening exhibition game and Dauksas outplayed Brown that game!  I'm not crazy enough to suggest it would happen with any regularity (perhaps 3 or 4 of a hundred?), but THAT game, Adam had Dee's number. 

The legend of Dauksas vs. Brown sure grows taller with every passing month, but here's what Bob said after the game.

Adam Dauksas also had a great game I thought.  He was defended exactly like a CCIW team would defend Dauksas - try to trap and get it out of his hands 30 feet from the basket.  He was under that kind of pressure from Division 1 athletes all evening and really did a nice job.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Keelan is a good enough shooter to play in the NBA, especially with his height.  The real issue will be whether or not he has the ability to create his own shot at the NBA level.  There's a big jump from d3 to the NBA, but one workout can do wonders for you.  Look at the career Devean George has put together.

[Titan Q]

A couple articles on Ron Rose...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/05/15/sports/doc44667a3923994194654622.txt

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/05/15/sports/doc44667b7312c74291192556.txt

[twocentsworth]

Keelan is a good enough shooter to play in the NBA, especially with his height.  The real issue will be whether or not he has the ability to create his own shot at the NBA level.  There's a big jump from d3 to the NBA, but one workout can do wonders for you.  Look at the career Devean George has put together.

Everyone should slow down here on the "Keelan in the NBA talk"....this is definitely a "who you know" situation.

NBA teams routinely need players to participate in workouts and minicamps to fill-out spaces.  This occurred several years ago with Jason Wiertel at Carthage - the Bucks had him up to workout with 11 other players.  Wiertel and Keelan are "space fillers"....they get the chance to play in front of NBA coaches and get some workout gear and a "attaboy".....

Please keep in mind that Devan George had NBA physical talent - just not the skills (which he has certainly improved in the last several years).  The overwhelming majority of D3 guys do not have the NBA talent - although they may be skilled enough in several areas.

Just don't make too much out of this: yes it's a great opportunity for Keelan; yes it's partly based on his impressive 4yr accomplisments; but it's primarily based on the "connections" that he has to the Bucks coaching staff......

[Mr. Ypsi]

Titan 2000, it is ironic that you specifically mention watching U of Illinois games - they met in a season-opening exhibition game and Dauksas outplayed Brown that game!  I'm not crazy enough to suggest it would happen with any regularity (perhaps 3 or 4 of a hundred?), but THAT game, Adam had Dee's number. 

The legend of Dauksas vs. Brown sure grows taller with every passing month, but here's what Bob said after the game.

Adam Dauksas also had a great game I thought.  He was defended exactly like a CCIW team would defend Dauksas - try to trap and get it out of his hands 30 feet from the basket.  He was under that kind of pressure from Division 1 athletes all evening and really did a nice job.

Pat, I'm not sure how Bob's quote contradicts what I said.  For the record: points, Adam 13, Dee 8;  rebounds, Adam 4, Dee, 3; steals, Adam 2, Dee, 1 (full disclosure: assists, Adam 5, Dee 7).

I made it clear that I thought Brown was overall the better PG, but THAT night, statistically at least (I didn't see the game, you didn't see the game, I will yield to Q or anyone else who did see the game), Adam was the winner.

I'm not certain how that equates to 'the legend ... grows taller'.

[Pat Coleman]

It has gone from Bob's original post -- which as you point out, is from someone who saw the game -- to "Dauksas held his own against Dee Brown," to "Dauksas outplayed Dee Brown," to "Adam had Dee's number."

Give me a break. Let people who actually saw the game pass judgment on it, ok? I notice, too, that Bob has posted here since my last post and did not feel fit to discredit it.

[titan2000]

I know it was an exhibition game and Illinois was not "up" for it, but how did Bruce Weber handle the media after losing to IWU 87-62 ? 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Keelan is a good enough shooter to play in the NBA, especially with his height.  The real issue will be whether or not he has the ability to create his own shot at the NBA level.  There's a big jump from d3 to the NBA, but one workout can do wonders for you.  Look at the career Devean George has put together.

Everyone should slow down here on the "Keelan in the NBA talk"....this is definitely a "who you know" situation.

NBA teams routinely need players to participate in workouts and minicamps to fill-out spaces.  This occurred several years ago with Jason Wiertel at Carthage - the Bucks had him up to workout with 11 other players.  Wiertel and Keelan are "space fillers"....they get the chance to play in front of NBA coaches and get some workout gear and a "attaboy".....

Please keep in mind that Devan George had NBA physical talent - just not the skills (which he has certainly improved in the last several years).  The overwhelming majority of D3 guys do not have the NBA talent - although they may be skilled enough in several areas.

Just don't make too much out of this: yes it's a great opportunity for Keelan; yes it's partly based on his impressive 4yr accomplisments; but it's primarily based on the "connections" that he has to the Bucks coaching staff......

I'm pretty sure that's what I said.  He's quite suspect in his ability to create his own shot at the NBA level, but if you're looking for a big guard with decent handle and a very good outside shot, he could fit the bill.  Today's NBA is made up on guys with one weapon, that's why we're so amazed with the stars who can do a lot of things well.  I think there is a place for a 6-6 outside shooter, I just don't know if the right people will get a chance to see him work out.

[JUSTINTYEM]

I know of atleast two others that worked out for the bucks on monday and they were Novak of Marquette and Stanford Star Dan Grunfeld,son of former buck GM Ernie Grunfeld.

[robberki]

I have no idea if the new IWU coach is good or not, but people should keep in mind that if successful high school coaches moving on to established, tradition rich programs definitely equals success then when is Gerry Faust's induction ceremony to the hall of fame? 

[twocentsworth]

Keelan is a good enough shooter to play in the NBA, especially with his height.  The real issue will be whether or not he has the ability to create his own shot at the NBA level.  There's a big jump from d3 to the NBA, but one workout can do wonders for you.  Look at the career Devean George has put together.

Everyone should slow down here on the "Keelan in the NBA talk"....this is definitely a "who you know" situation.

NBA teams routinely need players to participate in workouts and minicamps to fill-out spaces.  This occurred several years ago with Jason Wiertel at Carthage - the Bucks had him up to workout with 11 other players.  Wiertel and Keelan are "space fillers"....they get the chance to play in front of NBA coaches and get some workout gear and a "attaboy".....

Please keep in mind that Devan George had NBA physical talent - just not the skills (which he has certainly improved in the last several years).  The overwhelming majority of D3 guys do not have the NBA talent - although they may be skilled enough in several areas.

Just don't make too much out of this: yes it's a great opportunity for Keelan; yes it's partly based on his impressive 4yr accomplisments; but it's primarily based on the "connections" that he has to the Bucks coaching staff......

I'm pretty sure that's what I said.  He's quite suspect in his ability to create his own shot at the NBA level, but if you're looking for a big guard with decent handle and a very good outside shot, he could fit the bill.  Today's NBA is made up on guys with one weapon, that's why we're so amazed with the stars who can do a lot of things well.  I think there is a place for a 6-6 outside shooter, I just don't know if the right people will get a chance to see him work out.

the only people that will see him workout are the Bucks coaches/staff -- that's probably because he's not NBA material.  He's a very, very good college player - he's just not: quick enough, athletic enough, strong enough, can't dribble it well enough, will have trouble creating his own shot, have trouble guarding on the perimeter, and lacks experience playing the shooting guard position (I could go on but you get my drift).

don't get me wrong here - i wish i was as talented or accomplished as much when i played as keelan.  it would have been an honor to work out with NBA-caliber players for an NBA staff like keelan.  there's nothing wrong with being asked to participate in a workout to be a "body" instead of a potential signee. i'm just saying that is what happened here....

[robberki]

Now whether Ron Rose can bring some desire and elan back to Bloomington remains to be seen.  There were just too many times when Trost's teams did not play to their own high talent level and their fans over-inflated expectations.

It's not easy being green.

MW

I think the fan's expectations is your key comment here. Some of the IWU fans I've spoken too are a little too optimistic about their team every year. They always are a solid group, but you'd think they should never lose a game and would be on a 20 championship streak at this point based on some of the comments.
Heck, I'm as red as they come (nebraska) but even I am able to look realistically at the cornhuskers chances. That being said, circle your calendars for September 16, its the "Welcome Back Big Red - Coming Out Party" <---totally off topic.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I'm not going to keep going back and forth on the Keelan thing.  Honestly, I don't care.  I'm more concerned that twocents is not understanding what I'm saying.  We're stating the same facts and while (s)he chooses to pass judgement, I am leaving that up to the uncapable hands of NBA talent evaluators.  Sure, I doubt Keelan has the complete package to play in the NBA, but he does have one or two things in his favor and I'd like to leave the rest up to someone who's working him out.  We're not really arguing, you've just made up your mind faster than I have.


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