Pair of power forwards returns

In a day that is full of meaningful basketball, the most intriguing game of the day is the 9:30 pm tip between No. 3 Kansas State and No. 12 Gonzaga.

And thanks to Jeff Goodman's neverending string of sources, we now know that the matchup just got that much better.

Curtis Kelly was the leading scorer in the Wildcat's front court as a junior, averaging 11.5 ppg and 6.2 rpg. But he was suspended for the first three games of the season, likely the result of a perceived lack of dedication to the team. Kelly will be back in uniform tonight, and his presence will be welcomed with open arms by K-State. One of the biggest issues the Wildcat's have faced here early in the season is a lack of scoring in their front court.

Kelly isn't the only power forward returning to the line up tonight.

The rest of this post can be found at Beyond the Arc.

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Elias Harris injured; "I heard something pop" ... UPDATE: He'll be fine

UPDATE: Good thing we just did a post on this...

According the Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Elias Harris did NOT tear his achilles. He'll miss about a week. Now, the question is whether or not he will be available for the CBE Classic. Gonzaga gets Kansas State on Monday, and could face Duke or Marquette on Tuesday depending Monday's results.

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Losing to San Diego State is a loss Gonzaga can overcome.

The Aztecs are criminally underrated (well, maybe not anymore) and got a career game out of one of their best players. The Zags still have plenty of opportunities to pick up enough quality wins to earn an at-large big.

A loss they cannot overcome would be Elias Harris.


Harris injured his shoulder a few weeks ago, so when he wasn't on the floor at the end of the game, that was the reason that some suspected. It turns out that he suffered a potentially serious foot injury:

Gonzaga standout sophomore forward Elias Harris left with an injury late in the game. "I think it's my Achilles' (tendon)," said Harris, who will have an MRI today. "I heard something pop. I couldn't get up in the air and I couldn't run any more."

If that's the case, then Harris will miss the rest of the season. He's getting an MRI today. It would be a huge blow to the Zags, as he was the favorite to win the WCC Player of the Year award in the preseason.

You can't replace a talent like Harris -- he's going to be a lottery pick whenever he turns pro -- but Gonzaga does have some pieces to make up for the loss. Kelly Olynyk and Sam Dower have been good early in the season, and Steven Gray is playing the best basketball of his career right now.

This team is still good enough to win the WCC.

But with the injury Harris, their Final Four aspirations may be headed out the window.
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Kelly Olynyk's coming out party

Canada is not known nationally as a basketball powerhouse. While US colleges are beginning to mine some of the younger talent of our neighbors to the north -- Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson, and Myck Kabongo are all headed to Texas, while guys like Andy Rautins and Kris Joseph made their names on national stage last year -- that success didn't translate at the World Basketball Championships.

Canada was eliminated, after losing all five games in Group play.

There were some positive signs to take out of the trip, however, particularly if you are a Gonzaga fan.

The Zags are losing an all-american guard in Matt Bouldin this season. Despite that loss, many believe that Gonzaga will, once again, but a top 25 team nationally and the class of the WCC. The biggest reason for that is Few's front line.

By now, everyone in college basketball should know the name Elias Harris. He's an super-athletic 6'8" power forward from Germany with post moves and a perimeter game. A rising sophomore, Harris seems destined to be Gonzaga's next NBA Draft early entry. He is already drawing comparisons to guys like Josh Howard, and I don't think anyone will be surprised to see him go in the first round when he finally does turn pro.

And then there is Robert Sacre, who played on the Canadian national team at the WBC. A seven foot behemoth, Sacre was a double digit scorer and a legitimate post threat last season. While he started for Gonzaga, he hasn't been the most impressive Zag this offseason.

That award would go to Kelly Olynyk, the 6'11" rising sophomore who had a bit of a coming out party this past week. After barely playing in Canada's first two WBC contests, Olynyk became a key piece over the last three, averaging 11 ppg and 3.7 rpg in just over 20 minutes per game. He went for 13 against France and had 14 against Spain in the final game.

Now, I don't really care all that much about the WBC. What we should all take out of this, however, is that Olynyk, who plays behind Sacre at Gonzaga, got significantly more minutes and was significantly more effective that Sacre on this Canadian team. If Olynyk can transfer that success back to the Pacific Northwest, Gonzaga will have arguably the best front line on the West Coast, and one of the better front courts in the country.

With Demetri Goodson, Steven Gray, and Mangisto Arop also returning, Gonzaga looks like they are going to just keep on winning.

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2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: So who came back?

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

You wouldn't be wrong if you said it seems like half of the college basketball ranks declared for the 2010 NBA Draft. Believe it or not, there were some NBA prospects -- fringe or otherwise -- that decided returning to school was their best option. Now this was nothing like last year, when guys like Cole Aldrich, Willie Warren, and Greg Monroe decided to go to school for another year. There really was only one surprise. But that doesn't mean there isn't some talent that will be hitting the books next season instead of cashing checks.

Keep in mind, this list will (hopefully) grow as players come to realize their true standing in regards to this year's draft class.

So as of today, who's coming back?


Kyle Singler, Duke, forward: Singler was the one surprise that I was referring too. After struggling to acclimate to a more perimeter-centric role with the Blue Devils early on, Singler went crazy over the last six weeks of the season. He capped his junior year off with a fantastic performance in the NCAA Tournament, culminating in the Final Four MOP award as Duke won their fourth national title under Coach K.

Can Kyle Singler win another one?
(photo credit: B/R)

Singler likely would have been a first round pick if he had gone pro. Instead, he decided to return to school to try and lead the Blue Devils to a second straight national title. While the decision was a great one from the perspective of a Duke fan (or a college basketball fan in general, regardless of your feelings about the Blue Devils), it probably won't hurt his potential NBA career all that much. While his stock may never be higher than it is right now, the thing about Singler is that he is a known commodity. Nothing he can do next season is going to hurt his draft stock, and likely won't improve it all that much. He's a combo-forward that is going to play hard and compete, can knock down a jumper, and may be big versatile enough to create mismatches is a team decides to go small and use him at the four.


Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt, sophomore: A lot of fans don't know who Jeff Taylor is, but it is a safe bet that NBA scouts do. Taylor has all the makings of a guy that can develop into an impact small forward in the NBA. He's an explosive athlete with good size (6'7") and length that can defend and rebound. His is still a bit raw on the offensive end, but a jump shot and ball handling can be developed. Tools cannot.

Taylor probably made a good decision to return to school With Jermaine Beal graduating and AJ Ogilvy entering the draft and hiring an agent, Taylor is going to be Vanderbilt's first option next season. If he puts in the work this off-season and can up his production, there is no reason he can't vault himself into the back end of next year's lottery.


Kemba Walker, UConn, sophomore: Walker plays a different position than Taylor -- he is a diminutive point guard as opposed to a "power wing" -- but he is facing a lot of the same problems that Taylor is. Simply put, Walker relies far too heavily on his absurd quickness and ball-handling ability but doesn't quite understand how to run a team. He can lead a fast break as well as anyone at the collegiate level, but can he get a team into an offense and run a system. Next season, Walker will have a chance to work on that as UConn will need to play as much more of a team with talents like Stanley Robinson and Jerome Dyson graduating.

The other thing Walker will have a chance to work on next year is learning his limitations. There are few players that can keep Walker out of the paint, but quite a few that can block his shot or force him into a tough layup at the rim. If Walker wants to be a successful NBA point, he is going to need to learn how to score in the mid-range; to learn when he should pull up for a 10 foot jumper or a short floater as opposed to trying to finish around the rim in traffic.


Elias Harris, Gonzaga, freshman: Harris wasn't considered an NBA prospect when he arrived in Spokane, but he certainly is now. He reminds me a lot of Josh Howard. What I mean is that he is a four at this level, but he has the athleticism and the ball skills to project as an effective three at the next level. Harris is explosive enough to dunk over you and strong enough to bully his way through you, but he also has a finesse game, showing an ability to weave his way through traffic, and can knock down a three.

Elias Harris surprised a lot of people this season.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Harris was a bit inconsistent this past season, which probably had more to do with the fact that he was the third or fourth option most of the season than any knock on his game. With Matt Bouldin gone, it is going to the Harris and Steven Gray show for Mark Few next season. Expect big numbers ffrom the 6'8" 20 year old, and if he can show some development in his ability to play on the perimeter, Harris could be a lottery pick next season.


Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, Michigan State, juniors: Both of these guys made the right decision to come back to school. Neither had a great junior year, and it wasn't just an issue of their basketball ability. Lucas was the 2009 Big Ten player of the year, but he dealt with leadership and injury issues throughout the season and is currently laid up with a torn achilles tendon. Lucas likely isn't going to be a lottery pick or a primetime player in the NBA, but if he can lead the Spartans to a third straight Final Four, you don't think NBA teams are going to take notice? He's a point guard that can create his own shot, can make a play for a teammate, and is a proven winner. Leadership aside, Lucas seems like he is going to be the kind of player than hangs around the league for 12-15 years as a solid back up point guard.

Summers has a much higher ceiling than Lucas, but it just seems like he doesn't want to tap into that potential. He looks almost apathetic on the court at times. He proved what kind of player he can be as he stepped his game up in the NCAA Tournament without Lucas, earning the Midwest Region's MOP, but one good month doesn't make up for a career's worth of inconsistency.


Other notable names back for another season:

• Scotty Hopson, Tennessee, sophomore: A big time recruit coming out of high school, Hopson needs to prove that he is more than an athlete that can hit a jumper.
• Chris Singleton, Florida State, sophomore: Singleton might have been able to sneak into the first round this season, but like Hopson, he still relies too heavily on being toolsy.
• Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State, freshman(?): Sidney never saw the court this season due to issues with being an amateur. But a 6'11" big man with his talent will always be a prospect.
• Aaric Murray, La Salle, freshman: Murray is a big man with a jump shot, but he needs to prove he can also play in the paint.
  
• Malcolm Lee, UCLA, sophomore: The Bruins just didn't have a good enough season to warrant anyone going pro. Lee is a gym rat, however. I expect him to come back much better next year.
• Trey Thompkins, Georgia, sophomore: I know I wasn't the only one that was impressed by the big man's play towards the end of the season.
  

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Friday's Shootaround: Elias Harris one and done?

Gonzaga 89, St. Mary's 82: Elias Harris is gone after this season, right? I mean, has there been a freshman that has impressed more with less hype coming in? Last night, Elias Harris had 31 points and 13 boards as the Zags went into McKeon Pavilion and pretty easily handled a St. Mary's team that more than a few expect to make the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga was up by 12 at halftime, and eventually held on as the Gaels made a comeback in the final minutes.

Matt Bouldin had 22 points and Steven Gray went for 14 points, 14 boards, and 6 assists, while Omar Samhan paced SMC with 31 and 12 of his own, but the story of this game was Harris. The kid's game just screams NBA. He's 6'8" with the strength and athleticism to dunk on or grab a board over just about anyone at this level, but he's shown the ability to hit the three and the mobility to drive to the rim from the perimeter. Gonzaga now has beaten Portland and St. Mary's on the road, and will head to San Diego next (you think the WCC schedule makers wanted this conference race to be close?), and if the Zags win at San Diego, you can all but call off the WCC season and hand the title to the Zags.

That's assuming you haven't already.

Louisiana Tech 81, Fresno State 73: Louisiana Tech looks like they may just run away with the WAC. Kyle Gibson scored a career high 32 points and Magnum Rolle added 16 point and 13 boards as the Bulldogs used a 20-7 run to open up a 20 point lead in the second half. Fresno would come back to make this interesting, but the game was never really in doubt. Tech is now 17-2 on the season and 5-0 in WAC play.

Pac-10: Quickly, as this league is too much to figure out.

• Cal 93, Washington State 88: Jerome Randle had a career-high 39 points and added 9 assists as the Bears took sole possession of first place in the Pac-10, a game up in the loss column on five different teams.
• Washington 94, Stanford 61: Quincy Pondexter had 27 points and 10 boards as the Huskies won in a rout, a win U-Dub desperately needed.
• Arizona State 76, Oregon 57: Rihard Kuksiks scored 25 points as the Sun Devils got out to a 19 point lead at the break.
• Oregon State 67, Arizona 64: Lathen Wallace buried a three with 1.1 seconds left as the Beavers knocked off the Wildcats.
  

Other notable games

• Tennessee 81, Auburn 55: Wayne Chism paced the Vols with 14 points and 12 boards as Tennessee kept rolling despite playing with just six scholarship players. Up just one at halftime, the Vols ratcheted up their defense in the second half, holding Auburn to just 18 points.
• Georgetown 85, Seton Hall 73: Greg Monroe was the only Hoyas start that didn't reach double figures as Chris Wright's 21 points and 6 assists and Austin Freeman's 16 points paced Georgetown. Jason Clark had a career-high 20 points, and when he does that, Georgetown is going to be damn near impossible to beat.
  
• Mississippi State 82, Arkansas 80: Jarvis Varnado notched his second triple-double of the season with 17 points, 12 boards, and 10 blocks and Dee Bost added 20 points and 6 assists as the Bulldogs held on against a late rally from the Razorbacks. Marshon Powell scored 14 of his 25 in the last 8 minutes.
• Butler 64, Cleveland State 55: Willie Veasley scored 16 points and Shelvin Mack added 15 as the Bulldogs improved to 6-0 in the Horizon.
• Michigan 69, Indiana 45: Manny Harris scored 17 of his 21 points after halftime as the Wolverines held on to win a game they desperately needed. DeShawn Sims scored 20 points for Michigan, who is now 9-7 heading into a home game with UConn.
• William & Mary 85, James Madison 78: The Tribe got 21 points from Quinn McDowell and held on despite a late rally from the Dukes to improve to 5-1 in the CAA.
• Radford 62, Coastal Carolina 52: Artsiom Parakhouski scored 20 points and added 10 boards as Radford beat CCU in a game of the two best teams in the Big South.
  

Thursday's Best

• Jarvis Varnado notched a triple double - 17 points, 12 boards, 10 blocks - in a win over Arkansas.
• Jerome Randle's career-high 39 points and 9 assists carried Cal to a win as he outplayed fellow potential Pac-10 player of the year Klay Thompson (18 points).
• Warren Niles scored 39 points, but Oral Roberts was unable to beat IUPUI in OT.
• Detroit's Chase Simon scored 33 points and grabbed 12 boards in a win over Milwaukee.
• Omar Samhan had 31 points and 12 boards, but was outdone by 31 and 13 from freshman Elias Harris as the Zags beat the Gaels.
  

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Droppin' Dimes: The Slipper Still Fits

Droppin' Dimes is a new feature we are trying out at BIAH this year. A couple of times a week, we are going to catch up with the bloggers behind the best team-specific sites on the web. If the internet really is becoming the new newspaper, then the writers at these sites are the de facto beat writers. They know their teams inside and out, and hopefully will provide you (and us) with some detailed insights. If you would like to recommend a site or pose a question for a certain team, you can reach us at contactbiah@gmail.com or @ballinisahabit.

Today's Droppin' Dimes is with The Slipper Still Fits, a blog dedicated to the Gonzaga Bulldogs. After the jump, get answers about Gonzaga's front line, the state of the WCC, and Bol Kong.


1. During the preseason, we weren't shy about heaping praise on the Zags back court, but it was the front court that really carried the team against Michigan State. Was that a fluke, or is that group really good enough to put the Zags back into the top 25?

I'm happy to say that what happened against Michigan State was no fluke. Gonzaga's back court received most of the praise during the summer months and leading up to the season because that was the only piece of this team we were sure about. We've watched Matt Bouldin for three years, Steven Gray for two years, and Demetri Goodson showed very well for himself his freshman year. With the front court it was completely unknown. Robert Sacre has been hampered by injuries since he arrived at Gonzaga but appears to have healed very well and looks like a completely confident and competent post presence. The first time Gonzaga fans heard about Elias Harris was when the West Coast Conference released a press release about winter signings. There was no recruitment, no star-rating, no Rivals or Scout articles, just a 20 year old freshman with experience playing against men more than five years older than him.

Robert Sacre and Elias Harris form a formidable front court.
(photo credit: ESPN)

Obviously, Harris has proven to be one of the best freshmen out of the gate and I don't think Gonzaga fans have any worry about the front court anymore which is rare. The bench is still coming around but 7'5" senior Will Foster has shown great improvements this year and I think Gonzaga fans are finally starting to believe in him a little bit! The upside for the group in the front court is extraordinary which makes this season as exciting as ever. I think some big tests for them are still on the horizon when you think about Wake Forest coming to town in December. Wake is one of the few front courts that can match the size Mark Few has assembled. We'll know a lot more after that game's conclusion.


2. One of the more intriguing story lines over the summer was Gonzaga's recruitment of Sudanese national Bol Kong. Gonzaga went through some trouble getting him enrolled in school, but we've yet to see him show up in a box score. What are you hearing about Kong?

You know, I think the hype machine, and we're as guilty as any one else of this, kind of got out of control when the news of Bol Kong's arrival at Gonzaga became official. We talked to the former head the Canadian development program, Greg Francis, and Bol's former coach at Douglas Community College, Jamie Oei, and they both echoed similar thoughts about Bol: He's a great scorer, could score at the division one level right away, but will take time contributing in other areas. When you play for Mark Few, or any other top-tier coach, you flat out won't play if you struggle to defend or are struggling to understand concepts. That is what we are hearing with Bol. And this really shouldn't be surprising; Bol hasn't played organized basketball in over a year, and he probably has never really been forced to abide by a "team" concept as strong as the one at Gonzaga. Unlike Manny Arop, Elias Harris, and Kelly Olynyk, Bol wasn't able to play for Canadian or German national teams this summer. Unlike Sam Dower and G.J. Vilarino, Bol didn't play a long summer of AAU basketball leading up to Gonzaga. I wouldn't call him a "project" in the most literal sense but I think he is just going to come along a bit slower than everyone else. If he was able to get in to the states at the start of the summer rather than a few weeks after the school year started, I think Bol would already be a valuable contributor.


3. Gonzaga has a reputation of producing excellent collegiate point guards. Demetri Goodson seems to be the next in line. What are your thoughts on the sophomore?

Demetri, or Meech, is still one of the big unknowns about this team. The funny thing is that no one is really concerned about him. I think he made some major headway with Gonzaga fans by hitting that running layup against Western Kentucky to send Gonzaga into the Sweet Sixteen. As far as this year is concerned, Meech is in an interesting position because he is the starting point guard but the offense doesn't really run through him.

Demetri Goodson may be the next great Gonzaga point guard.
(photo credit: ESPN)

I realize that is an odd sentence but judging from these first two games it is pretty clear what Meech's orders are from the coaching staff. In fast break situations, Meech is comfortable. He is the fastest guard we've had at Gonzaga (although some say freshman G.J. Vilarino is just as explosive) so he is a great guard for break situations which is crucial because with a front line as athletic as Sacre and Harris, there are plenty of opportunities for fast break points. If the fast break isn't there, it is Meech's main job to get the ball to Steven Gray or Matt Bouldin. The offense goes through those two guys and more often than not in half court sets, the ball is out of Meech's hands by the time he hits the three-point line.

I think his future is bright at Gonzaga. As you said, he's only a sophomore and only has two games as a starter under his belt. I think he'll develop into an outstanding point guard for the Zags. Mark Few has shown the ability to get the most out of his guards because he shows a great deal of trust in them right from the get-go.


4. Nik Raivio or Derek Raivio?

Gotta go with Derek but I think we all wished that Derek had Nik's size. People don't really understand how amazing it was for Derek to be as prolific as he was. It was always funny that Derek was listed at 6'3'' while in Spokane. He was probably closer to 6' but had one of the quickest shots I've ever seen in person. Nik, on the other hand, is more of a pure wing at around 6'5'' and plays a different style but has been great at Portland. I think he also plays a little tougher against Gonzaga because they never really showed a great deal of recruiting interest.


5. Is Gonzaga the favorite to win the WCC? St. Mary's looked good in their beatdown of SDSU and Portland received a lot of attention in the preseason.

You're asking a lot of questions where my bias is really going to show through because I absolutely believe that the West Coast Conference still belongs to Gonzaga. I think one of the most surprising teams in the country, not just on the West Coast, is St. Mary's. Everyone assumed when they lost Patty Mills they would vanish and never be heard from again but Randy Bennett just keeps plucking Australians out of the wood work and they are performing at a high level and showing no signs of intimidation. They put a beating on San Diego State and it appears that the guys that really needed to step up are answering the call. Mickey McConnell is now running the show from the back court and is lighting it up from deep and Ben Allen is filling in for Diamon Simpson and is also playing at a high level. They've been so impressive that it has once again kind of pushed Portland to the back burner but that is where they thrive. They have the best point guard in the conference in T.J. Campbell and Nik Raivio is an All-WCC selection. The key for them is whether or not Eric Reveno can get anymore improvement out of his veterans since they returned 12 men from last year's team. I think Campbell will show great improvement but I wonder if the rest of the team has hit their ceiling. Only time will tell but when you look at what Gonzaga did against Michigan State and how physically imposing their front court has become, I have to say they are still the favorite.

Steven Gray
(photo credit: ESPN)

Bonus: True of false - Steven Gray is actually one of the Geico cavemen?

Nothing surprises us anymore with Steven and the hair is just another feature of his personality. You may actually be more right than you know because he is acting now at Gonzaga and recently earned the lead role in a University production. As long as he keeps shooting and attacking the basket, we don't care what he looks like!
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