Sunday, June 30, 2013

Shabazz Napier Scrimmage Highlights

Jeremy Lamb 2012-2013 Highlights

Video has swears in it.

Kemba Walker 2013 Highlights

Khalid El-Amin Post Game Inteview

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Rudy Gay Dunks on a 25 Foot Hoop



  NBA Star Rudy Gay -- I Bet I Can Dunk on 25 Foot Hoop
  - Watch More
  Celebrity Videos
  or
  Subscribe

Thursday, June 20, 2013

What's In A Name

The American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Arespo is making the media circuit rounds trying to spread the word on the new American Athletic Conference.  He comes with a brand new logo that screams patriotism and is only missing the American Eagle.  But one thing that he doesn’t bring is a  catchy name.  The American Athletic Conference doesn’t roll off the tongue like the Big East did nor can you use the acronym AAC because the Appalachian  Athletic Conference already uses that.   They had to know that this would cause some confusion and yet they still went ahead with it.

They first tried out using Americon which sounds horrible and like some futuristic evil corporation.  Might as well get American Eagle to sponsor the name.  They are now pushing to use the American Conference for their name but there is already a Great American Conference.  They were pushing for something that didn’t seem regional like the Big East, but to come floundering out of the gates with a name that is so similar to others that it pigeon holes the vernacular makes the whole thing feel like a rush job.  They could’ve done better.

They will eventually adhere to the rest of the country calling it the ACC.  They need be out in front of this one and purchase the name from the Appalachian Athletic Conference now.  They are flush with cash from the exodus of all the schools and a new television deal and the schools under the now ACC aren’t going bankrupt you.  Its better than fighting a lengthy court fight down the road over this.

Time will tell where this new conference will end up but for now it is a jumbled mess.  The new season is five months away and they need to get everything figured out before then.  Be it American Conference, Americon, or ACC (which is the preferred way to go), it will ultimately be up to the competition of the league that will make or break this tentative alliance of schools.  But for now we will all have to suffer with the bumps and bruises of started a new league on the run in this new day and age of big money and big conferences.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Friday, June 14, 2013

George Blaney Retires after 43 years of Coaching

He was always there, quietly whispering words of wisdom into Jim Calhoun’s ear. George Blaney was the opposite of Calhoun’s blusterous side. Rarely did you see him animated on the sidelines, even when Jim had pushed the referees a little too far and was ejected. His calming assurance to a young player being pulled from a game after a mental error or a bad shot can not be overlooked. He was the soft landing to what sometimes looked like a heavy hand from Calhoun.

So after decades of coaching Blaney is saying farewell to the sidelines. There is no denying his loyalty to this program. He sat through the very highs and lows, transitioning the coaching staffs behind the scenes and is leaving UConn on stable ground. He’ll definitely still be involved in other aspects of the game, from practices to attending games and recruiting, but the coaching staff is embracing a new regime of UConn Alumni. There will definitely be a void of experience during the games though and it will be interesting to see if it effects the in-game decisions.

George Blaney is leaving basketball like he has been coaching it, quietly.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Meet Amida Brimah

Amida Brimah is a 6’11” and 215 pound center from Ghana but now resides in Miami, Florida.  He has only been playing basketball for a few years now, mostly growing up and playing soccer.  He averaged 16 points, 11.7 rebounds, 7.2 blocked shots, and shot 72 percent from the foul line last year.  He also recorded 5 triple doubles.  He speaks French and four other African dialects, and plans to study hospitality management.  He is raw offensively, is a natural shot blocker, a  good athlete, and is commonly described as bouncy.  His 7-6 wingspan gives him added length and he is known as a high motor and high-energy player.  He comes off ball screens well, but needs to develop a post game.

He has a tremendous work ethic and will thrive under Ollie’s tutelage who has praised Amida, saying, “Amida was one of the most passionate basketball players I saw during the entire recruiting period, and I fell in love with his passion for the game.  He showed leadership both on and off the court, and then he was the best player in the game.  With Amida joining Kentan and Terrence, we think we have three new players coming in who can all help us.  What I like best is they each have a relentless motor that just keeps going. They are excited to play basketball.”

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Bonzie Colson Jr. in 2012 Providence Elite Camp



August 11th 2012 

2012 Providence College Elite Camp 

Team Kevin Kurbec Vs Team Brian Blaney

Team Kevin Kurbec Roster (White):
Andre Brown 
Bonzie Colson Jr [ St Andrew's School RI ] 
Kendall Hamilton [ Wakefield Memorial High School MA ] 
Jarris Ashley
Matthew Scott 
Nick George 
Ryan Lawrence [ Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School NY ] 
Terrence Mann [ Hillside School MA ] 
Unique McClean 

Team Brian Blaney Roster (Black):
Aaren Edmead [ Deer Park High School NY ] 
Henry Bolton [ St Andrew's School RI ] 
Jordan Aquino 
Josh Sharma [ NMH Northfield Mount Hermon MA ] 
Justin Campbell 
Kaelen Ives 
Kevin Seymour [ Blair Academy NJ ] 
Mike Jurzynski [ St Joseph Regional High School NJ ] 
Robert Brooks 
Terry Larrier [ Our Savior Lutheran High School NY ]

Monday, June 3, 2013

Meet Kentan Facey

Kentan Facey is a 6’8” and 210 pound Power Forward from Glen Head, New York.  He is long, athletic, has a quick bounce, and can run the floor well.  He averaged 14.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game.  He is a bit raw offensively, needs to position himself better defensively, but under the proper tutelage of Kevin Ollie, Facey should be another impact-full UConn big man in the next couple of years.

Kentan grew up in Jamaica, playing mostly soccer and cricket and didn’t start playing basketball until he was 15 years old.  He has a tremendous work ethic mostly due to his family upbringing.  He grew up on a farm and is very humble.  He plans to study engineering and has strong academic skills.

"It's hard. Just picking up the terminology and what we were trying to do. He's a great kid. He is very smart and he is starting to understand the game a lot better," said his coach John Buck at Long Island Lutheran.

"He has just got a relentless motor," Ollie says. "He loves the game and it shows every time you see him out on the court. The energy he exudes, playing with passion, running and diving and talking, everything you want in a big. He has an upside on the offensive end. If he comes in and works on his body and gets bigger, he can make some money playing basketball after he's done playing here."

Jim Calhoun first spotted Facey and thought he had NBA potential and since then UConn has kept in contact with his family in Jamaica.  Hartford has a huge Jamaican population and he should have a ton of local support and could be a mentor for the youth in the area.  He should fit in nicely and mold into a solid big man for UConn by the end of the year.

Saturday, June 1, 2013