Notes on MSU...

Hey guys…

I posted a few weeks ago here, telling you guys about the interview with Withers on SouthernCollegeSports.com. In addition to running that site, I’m also a huge State fan, so I thought I’d share a few things about our team so you guys can know what to expect tonight. I’m sure you’re not real familiar with MSU basketball. Heck, after losing all five starters from last year, we aren’t even familiar with our own team.

So far we’re 2-0 with a convincing win over Chattanooga and a down-to-the-wire win over Arkansas State, both at home. We’ve won 14 straight non-conference road games, but then again, that was with a very experienced team the past couple of seasons. As I mentioned, we lost all five starters, including F Lawrence Roberts (an all-American) and G Winsome Frazier, the best defender and steals leader in the SEC a year ago. Also gone are G/F Shane Power, C Marcus Campbell, G/F Ontario Harper, and G Gary Ervin (transfer to Arkansas). Here is a breakdown on our players, the starting five first:

PG - Jamall Edmondson, SR (JUCO) - just 5’9 so undersized; increased shooting role this year; capable of going off from downtown at any point, but hasn’t yet this year…if he gets hot, though, watch out; driving more to the basket this year, but like I mentioned, he is somewhat undersized.

SG - Jamont Gordon, TFr - very solid player, a top 25 recruit nationally; played at Oak Hill in VA; scored 15 in the first half Monday but got fatigued in the 2nd half and only ended up with 16; a decent 3pt shooter but seems content to do his work around the goal; appears he will develop into our best player this year.

SF - Dietric Slater, JR - not a threat from outside but is one of the quickest players in the SEC; gets all points within 6-8 ft of the goal; tough defender, may get job guarding Withers depending on who is on the floor; total hustler but he won’t beat you; role player.

PF - Piotr Stelmach, JR - Poland native; also a role player but can shoot from outside; loves the 3 from the top of the key; not very fast but he is about 6’9 or so; it’s to your advantage if he gets stuck with Withers.

C - Wesley Morgan, SR - will start but won’t play more than 20-25 mins; 7’0 who has a great game and then a half-dozen where he disappears; no threat from more than 6 feet away from the goal; not a great defender.

Off the bench:

PF - Charles Rhodes, SO - one of the team’s best players; can shoot decently but does his real damage on very tough rebounding and defending; prone to some fouls and may guard Withers.

G - Michael Boler, SR - played sparingly throughout his career and is coming off a separated shoulder; can shoot the 3 occassionally.

G - Richard Delk, TFr - nephew of Tony Delk, has a twin Reginald also on the team who is hurt and out tonight; will not play more than 20 mins or so and not much of a scoring threat; good defender.

SF - Jerrell Houston, RSFr - tons of potential but hasn’t really showed much yet; wouldn’t be scared of him if I was Charlotte; hear he can shoot from outside but has not shown that yet.

PF - Bernard Rimmer, TFr - will play sparingly; no threat on offense; great leaper and rebounder.

C - Vernon Goodridge, TFr - a top 25 national recruit who has played very little so far; appears unable to grasp the Stansbury-type game thus far; supposedly his strength is defense and rebounding but we have seen nothing thus far.

And a few other notes after reading the board here: (1) Yes, Mississippians can read, write, and use a computer…haha!; (2) Yes, Charlotte is probably our biggest non-conference game of the season. We’ve played teams like Xavier, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Syracuse the past few seasons, but with such little experience returning, Stansbury chose to go light on the non-league games this fall in an effort to get some W’s and confidence; (3) We respect Withers a great deal, no doubt one of the best players in America.

Great Post. I was starting to wonder if MSU followed any sports other than football.

Just out of curiosity, what’s the deal with this Vernon Goodridge guy? The info I’ve got on him is: never played basketball until he turned 18 - potential NBA draft pick - started college at 21 - very slow to adjust to college basketball. I’m sort of baffled.

well if you didn’t start until the age of 18 playing basketball i would assume you would be slow to pick it up as well

[QUOTE]“Vernon is an extremely talented player who gets better each year. A lot of that is the hard work he puts in but also his physical maturing has helped.” [B][I]-Lutheran coach Darryl Schoefield[/I][/B][/QUOTE]

that is what rivals says about him

[QUOTE=the daxified one;140778]well if you didn’t start until the age of 18 playing basketball i would assume you would be slow to pick it up as well[/QUOTE]

I think what survivor meant is “Did this guy wake up after being frozen in a block of ice?” Who doesn’t play hoops until age 18, but then is also an NBA talent? That’s what he was getting it, where is the guy from? Cue X-Files theme.

Based on this report, Edmonson and Stelmach go a combined 12-14 from 3Pt and Gordon hits a career high with 36. =/

Hopefully that’s enough of a jinx. Go Niners!

I think what survivor meant is "Did this guy wake up after being frozen in a block of ice?" Who doesn't play hoops until age 18, but then is also an NBA talent? That's what he was getting it, where is the guy from?

That is exactly what I meant. He was listed as the #1 rated center in the country. I think it’s kind of funny that a school would recruit some hyped-up foreign center and then wind up with a dud.

Excellent post SCS! Thanks for the info, I am really looking forward to the game, GO NINERS!!!

<blockquote>I think it's kind of funny that a school would recruit some hyped-up foreign center and then wind up with a dud.</blockquote>

[COLOR=darkgreen]This will just crack you up then:[/COLOR]
[ATTACH]358[/ATTACH]

Great Post. I was starting to wonder if MSU followed any sports other than football.

Just out of curiosity, what’s the deal with this Vernon Goodridge guy? The info I’ve got on him is: never played basketball until he turned 18 - potential NBA draft pick - started college at 21 - very slow to adjust to college basketball. I’m sort of baffled.

Great question. It’s really a strange situation. He’s from Pennsylvania, but like you said, for some reason he got a late start playing, but was still ranked the top center in America last year. He’s also 22 years old right now because of a year (and maybe two??) of prep school, and the NCAA has already ruled that he only has three years to play three…so no redshirt available even though I think Stansbury wishes he had that option right now.

In the week or two prior to the season starting, Stans was raving about him. Then after our first exhibition game, Goodridge played awful and Stans said that he “went back to his local gym, street ball habits” or something to that effect. I think it’s one of those deals, to be quite honest, where he has tons of athletic ability but just hasn’t developed it in a basketball manner, and since he’s 22 years of age and just a FR in college, it might (just my speculation, no disrespect to the guy) have something to do with his level of intelligence. Just my honest opinion.