CATEGORY 6

It's all about . . . The U!!!

Tag Archives: Julian Gamble

2011-12 Miami Hurricanes Basketball: A Roller Coaster Season and the Birth of Category 6.

Miami’s up and down season came to a thudding end last night with a disappointing loss to Minnesota in the second round of the NIT. But we would be remiss if we did not reflect on that was if nothing else an eventful year.

The 11-12 ‘Canes Hoops Timeline:

April 5, 2011: Frank Haith resigns after 7 mediocre seasons in Miami, One NCAA Tournament appearance, and 129-101 record. Little did we know at the time the Haith era was unfortunately, far from over.

April 23, 2011: In a surprise move Miami announces the hiring of former George Mason Coach Jim Larranaga. Many speculated UM would make a run at Kansas State’s Frank Martin. But the ‘Canes instead go with the 61-year-old Larranaga who brings an energetic approach and Final Four experience to Coral Gables.

May 5, 2011: Josh invents “Category 6″ a grassroots movement/blog site designed on building support for Miami’s traditionally under supported hoops team, as well as all things UM. ‘Canes hoops, the Blog world as we know it, and our lives (or lack there of) will never be the same.

July 1, 2011: C Reggie Johnson suffers a torn meniscus in a pickup game with teammates. Johnson who is perhaps Miami’s most important player, is expected to miss 5-6 months.

August 23, 2011: C/F Julian Gamble tears his ACL and is out for the year. With Johnson already down, Miami’s front court is suddenly extremely thin before a single game is played.

November 10, 2011: On the eve of the hoops season UM announces that F DeQuan Jones, their most athletic player, will sit out the entire season amidst allegations his family received $10,000 from Nevin Shapiro to commit to Miami.

The loss of DQJ hurt UM early.

December 17, 2011: Reggie Johnson returns to the line-up and UM beats FAU 93-90 in OT. Johnson goes for 15 points 9 rebounds 5 assists and 5 blocks in one of his two best performances of the year.

December 21st 2011: With the help of his attorney, DeQuan Jones is reinstated after missing 10 games. The Shapiro allegations as they pertain to DQJ seem to be completely debunked. Miami suddenly seems like a deep and dangerous squad.

December 22nd, 2011: In tragic news, Malcolm Grant’s 36-year-old brother Yatti, dies of a heart attack. Grant would miss the next 2 games and struggle though out the year. The tragedy reminds us all that there are more important things in life than basketball.

Malcolm Grant suffered through a very difficult year personally.

January 21, 2012: G/F Garrius Adams, who began the year as a starter has knee surgery and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. Coach L also announced that freshman G Bishop Daniels is injured and will redshirt this season.

January 22, 2012: Miami loses to NC State 78-73 at home. UM shoots just 2-20 from downtown. After the game Coach L questions the teams intensity.

February 5, 2012: Miami extends its winning streak to 5 in a row with a shocker, defeating Duke 78-74 in OT on the road. Reggie Johnson is a man amongst boys with 27 points and 12 rebounds, and suddenly the ‘Canes are mentioned as an NCAA Tournament caliber team.

Reggie Johnson destroys Duke.

A Star is Born???  Over a 5 game stretch streak Kenny Kadji is unstoppable, averaging 17.5 ppg 8.1 rpg 2.0 blcks and knocks down 8-16 from long-range.

February 15, 2012: In one of the most outrageously one-sided officiated games you will ever see, Miami loses AT HOME to UNC 73-64. The ‘Canes build an early lead and play extremely well at times, but can not overcome a 23-8 FT advantage for the Heels. Miami now sits squarely on the NCAA bubble coming down the stretch.

February 21, 2012: Miami loses a heart breaker 75-70 at Maryland. UM controls the game through out but fails to execute down the stretch. Miami goes nearly 9 minutes with out a FG and gives up several huge offensive rebounds in the collapse. The ‘Canes NCAA hopes seem to be faded.

February 26, 2012: Just hours before a critical game against FSU, Miami announces that Reggie Johnson is ineligible due to travel benefits his family received from the previous coaching staff (Haith).

Reggie was forced to sit out against FSU.

Despite not having Johnson in the line-up Miami plays perhaps their best game of the season, annihilating FSU 78-62 behind a strong performance from Durand Scott. Miami’s NCAA hopes suddenly are revitalized.

Perhaps the highlight of UM's season.

February 29, 2012: Miami shoots itself in the foot by losing 77-73 to fellow bubble opponent NC State. Miami loses despite the reinstatement of Johnson earlier in the day.

March 9 2012: After defeating GT in the first round of the ACC Tournament, Miami is set to face FSU in the quarterfinals in their most important game of the season. Just hours before tip-off it is announced that Durand Scott is ineligible for receiving improper benefits from the previous coaching staff (Haith). In an atrociously officiated game, UM is defeated 82-71. Their bubble appears to have burst.

March 14, 2012: UM announces Scott will be reinstated after serving a 6 game suspension. Miami defeats Valpo 66-50 in the first round of the NIT.

March 19, 2012: The ‘Canes play perhaps their worst game of the season and lose at home to Minnesota in a near empty Bank United Center. The season, ends sadly.

 

Overall the season can not be judged as either a failure or a success. While the team did not accomplish its goals, it would be hard to argue that any team in America faced more distractions, adversity, or flat-out bad luck than Miami.

 

2011-12 Noteworthy:

Newcomers Shane Larkin, Trey McKinney-Jones, and Kenny Kadji all showed incredible promise.

Larkin, just a true freshman, saved his best for last. The son of hall-of-fame baseball player Barry Larkin, averaged 7.4 ppg 2.5 rpg 2.5 apg and 1.6 stls. Larkin may already be one of the quickest players in the country and played exceptionally well at the end of the season. If his floor game improves he could become a superstar.

Shame Larkin could be the key to UM's fate next season.

McKinney Jones averaged 7 ppg 3.5 rpg and shot 37.5 % from downtown. TMJ hit several clutch shots throughout the year and at times was Miami’s most consistent player.

TMJ had a solid first year at UM.

Kadji finished the year averaging 12.0 ppg 5.4 rpg 1.6 blcks, and shot 42.4% from downtown. At times K2 was the ‘Canes best player. At 6’11 he needs to improve on his rebounding. If he does not only will he be an ALL ACC player, he will find himself in the NBA.

While Rion Brown averaged only 6.9 ppg on the season, expect more from him next year. Brown averaged 14.7 ppg over the last 4 games of the season. Along with the prettiest stroke on the team, Brown showed off explosive athleticism in 11-12. Expect his star to rise with the graduation of Malcolm Grant opening up minutes next season.

 

What needs to happen next year for Miami to dance??

1) Reggie Johnson needs to return to the form that made him a star as a sophomore. Johnson really only played to his potential 2 or 3 times all season. The injury and conditioning clearly hurt Big Reg.

2) Kenny Kadji needs to get stronger. Kadji is an incredibly skilled big man. But the ‘Canes gave up far too many offensive rebounds this year. Kadji can really elevate his game to the next level by getting stronger and becoming a force on the glass next year.

Kenny Kadji is a force.

3) Shane Larkin takes over the team. Larkin’s talent, hustle, and skills are undeniable. If he takes the reigns and becomes the all world point guard he is capable of becoming, Miami is a very dangerous squad.

4) Durand Scott has a big senior season. Scott plays all out all the time. Scott was solid this year averaging 12.9 ppg 5.4 rpg and 3.1 apg. But I can’t help but feel Scott left some plays on the floor during crunch time.

5) Rion Brown becomes a consistent force.  Nuff said.  His ability is obvious.

Rion Brown could be huge next year.

 

With that being said an entertaining season is concluded with the hopes that next year promises to be just as exciting, more successful, and less eventful off the court.

 

ACC Basketball: State of the ‘Canes Hoops

Before we go forward it is sometimes necessary to take a quick glance back. You know, like when you’re struggling to get over to the left lane on the 836 to head north on 95 (or whatever dreadful highway is in the city you reside) and you’ve got to look or it could be smash-up city. Before Johnson’s injury healed, before the suspension was revoked, and before anyone knew anything tangible about Kenny Kadji, Shane Larkin and Trey McKinney Jones, Category 6 was sticking its neck out and made some bold predictions. Let’s see how some of them stack up as we are now halfway through the ACC basketball slate. Miami sits at 14-7 (5-3).

“I expect Miami to lose a few of the early season out of conference games, but finish strong. 20-9 overall and 10-6 & third place in the ACC seems very reasonable with this squad. From there I’d expect about a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament and a sweet 16 run, maybe more if this team clicks.” – Jerry, Nov. 2nd, 2011.

With Julian Gamble out for the season and until Big Reg gets back, Kadji is the man down low. Kadji sees himself as a Lamar Odom type with versatility to do it all. But early on the Canes need him to do the dirty work, set good screens, rebound, and block shots. Kadji may end up being one of the most talented guys on the roster, but with UM short handed up front, they need him to maximize all of his 6’11 frame. - Jerry, Nov. 2nd, 2012

Pretty spot on so far. It seems we’ve entered the domain of the “clicking point”. Miami has won 4 of its last 5 games and is on an absolute tear. After downing Duke at Cameron, Miami is poised to make some more noise as ACC play continues. Right now Miami is sitting pretty at 14-7 (5-3) with 8 games left. Kadji has been a revelation on both ends of the floor and as one of the emotional leaders on the ‘Canes.

Miami Hurricanes Rankings:

AP Poll

NR

RPI

#37

SOS

#33

SOS Projected

#34

The chart above references RPI and SOS. The closer to #1 the better for a ticket to the dance.

RPI: The RPI (Rating Percentage Index) is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. Created in 1981, the RPI is a tool used in selecting and seeding the 68 teams for the NCAA Men’s basketball Division I tournament. RPI data includes games against Division I schools only.

SOS: The SOS (Strength of Schedule) is similar to the RPI. The numbers are consistent from each computer model.

ACC standings/Season Miami Hurricanes splits:

Team

W-L

Conf

Split

W-L

Pct
1 North Carolina

20-3

7-1

 Home

9-2

0.818
1 Florida State

16-6

7-1

 Away

4-5

0.444
3 Duke

19-4

6-2

 Neutral

1-0

1.0
4 NC State

17-7

6-3

 Conference

5-3

0.625
5 Virginia

18-4

5-3

 Conf Home

2-1

0.667
5 Miami (FL)

14-7

5-3

 Conf Away

3-2

0.6
7 Maryland

13-9

3-5

 Conf Neutral

0-0

-
7 Clemson

11-11

3-5

 Top 25

1-2

0.333
9 Virginia Tech

13-10

2-6

 RPI 1-50

1-4

0.2
10 Wake Forest

11-12

2-7

 RPI 51-100

2-3

0.4
10 Georgia Tech

9-14

2-7

 RPI 101-150

3-0

1.0
10 Boston College

7-16

2-7

 RPI 151-200

4-0

1.0
RPI 200+

4-0

1.0

 

Tennessee Tech 16-9 (8-4), 2nd place in the Ohio Valley Conference: Miami took the home opener with a 69-58 win over Tech. Trey McKinney Jones and Erik Swoope asserted themselves on both ends of the floor to give the undermanned ‘Canes their first victory of the season. 1-0

Rutgers 12-12 (4-7), 10th place in the Big East Conference: At the time the 72-57 win looked more impressive statistically. Rutgers had been playing well while missing big-time freshman Kadeem Jack. Shane Larkin played in his first game and Kadji had his first solid game for the ‘Canes. K2 was 0-1 from 3-point range in that contest. I’m sure the sight of the ‘Canes only big man launching a three caused some worry for ‘Canes fans early . . . but we now know that Kadji has a great stroke from beyond the arc. Note: he was 4-5 from long-range against Duke. 2-0

North Florida 12-13 (6-6), 6th place in the Atlantic Sun Conference: Miami’s 75-62 drubbing of the Ospreys looked more lopsided on paper than it actually was. The ‘Canes struggled in this game and let a huge 18-point 2nd half lead dwindle to 6 before finally putting North Florida away. At this point the mantra was that the team would be different when Reggie Johnson returned from injury. At this point it was certain DeQuan Jones would miss the entire season. Now both points seem moot. 3-0

Florida Gulf Coast 12-11 (7-5), 4th place in the Atlantic Sun Conference: Miami struggled with another inferior team. Still, the 60-50 win was the team’s 4th in a row. Malcolm Grant was money from the line and his ability to get to the line late sealed the win for the ‘Canes. 4-0

@Mississippi 14-8 (4-4), 5th place in the SEC: Miami lost this one 61-64 in overtime. Malcolm Grant had another big game and tried to keep the ‘Canes in it, but eventually the Hurricanes fell. Trey McKinney Jones also came up big. This is one of those games you look at now and can’t help but think the full complement of ‘Canes would have pulled out the win. The Category 6 mantra was to wait until Reggie Johnson was back before passing judgment on the team. 4-1

@Purdue (15-8) 5-5, 5th place in the Big Ten: This is another game where Big Reggie could have made a big difference as Miami was brutalized inside by Purdue and fell 65-76. Kenny Kadji only played 2 ineffective minutes before Coach Larranaga pulled him from the game and he didn’t return. The reason I bring this up is that it seemed to be a turning point for Kadji who is playing like one of the best big men in the ACC – if not the country. One of the best things about this game for Category 6 was working with T-Mill over at www.hammerandrails.com. He’s a Boilermaker married to a ‘Cane, so he’s a ‘Cane fan as long as they’re not playing Purdue. 4-2

UMASS 17-6 (6-3), 2nd place in the Atlantic 10: As it stands, the thrilling 83-75 win over UMASS served two purposes: 1) it remains Miami’s strongest out of conference win of the season; 2) it was the game where we saw a nice glimpse of the player Kenny Kadji was going to become over the next several weeks. Kadji had a massive block on one end that buried any hopes of a UMASS comeback and then K2 dunked on the other end with authority. 5-2

Memphis 16-7 (6-2), 3rd place in Conference USA: This game was an unmitigated disaster as the ‘Canes were thumped 71-54. It reminded me of watching clips of the NBA jam video game. Will Barton put on a dunking clinic the way Oscar De La Hoya believed he put on a boxing clinic against Felix Trinidad all those years back. Again, we try to have fun with the losses, so check out the recap here 5-3

@West Virginia 16-8 (6-5), 8th place in the Big East: This game fell apart in a hurry as the ‘Canes were “trucked” by Darryl Bryant in a 66-77 loss. ‘Canes fans were concerned about Coach Larranaga’s inaugural season turning into a montage of terrible and crawly nightmares. The post-game recap was really funny; read it here  5-4

Florida Atlantic 9-14 (5-5), 2nd place in the Sun Belt Conference –East: This game marked the real “beginning” of the season as the ‘Canes took it 93-90 in OT. Miami had been beaten-up inside in all their losses but had reason to celebrate: Reggie Johnson was back from injury and played a strong 36 minutes. His return sparked the ‘Canes as the inside/outside game went into high gear. Kadji’s 21pts started a string of incredible games that is still rolling along. 6-4

Charlotte 11-11 (3-6), 10th place in the Atlantic 10: Miami downed Charlotte 76-61 and continued to shoot the ball well with Johnson back in the lineup and his return also seemed to open things up for Kadji who finished with 18pts, 10reb, and 2blks. 7-4

Appalachian State 9-13 (5-7), 4th place in the Southern Conference – North: Miami clobbered Appalachian State 84-54. It was the basketball equivalent of the worst, most horrifying scenes from the movie Deliverance. 8-4

UNCG 9-15 (7-5), 2nd place in the Southern Conference – North: In a tough, high-scoring game Miami prevailed 99-89. Kadji went ballistic with 30pts, 12reb, and 2blks and it was enough to help counter the ridiculous effort by UNCG’s Trevis Simpson. 9-4

@Virginia 18-4 (5-3), 5th place in the ACC: Miami lost a close one 51-52 and had a chance to win the game on the last possession of the contest. This was a devastating loss at the time because Miami was a more talented team. Still, Mike Scott was quite a beast and will be playing in the NBA next season. 9-5

@North Carolina 20-3 (7-1), 1st place in the ACC: Miami was pummeled 56-73 by the Tar Heels. The ‘Canes were demolished on the boards. Category 6 snuck into the ACC Headquarters on a covert operation and burned the master copies of the game film. 9-6

Clemson 11-11 (3-5), 7th place in the ACC: Miami downed Clemson 76-73 to secure their first ACC win of the season. The ‘Canes won a close one in one of the worst officiated games of all time. The recap is good for a laugh if you haven’t read it. Check it out here. 10-6

N.C. State 17-7 (6-3), 4th place in the ACC: Miami shot 2-20 from beyond the arc in a 73-78 loss to N.C. State. This game may have been a turning point in the season. Coach Larranaga took off the kid’s gloves in the press conference and the team has rallied since. 10-7

@Georgia Tech 9-14 (2-7), 10th place in the ACC: Miami steamrolled Georgia Tech 64-49. Kadji and Grant went nuts pacing the ‘Canes to . . . gasp . . . an easy road win in the ACC! 11-7

@ Boston College 7-16 (2-7), 10th place in the ACC: Miami relied on a 2nd half run to obliterate Boston College 74-54. 2nd ACC road win in a row. 12-7

Maryland 13-9 (3-5), 7th place in the ACC: Miami needed double OT to de-shell the Terps 90-86. In what one of the announcers called “one of the most exciting games in ACC history” Miami was without Kadji, who had sustained a concussion during practice earlier in the week. The game was filled with ups-and-downs and a ridiculous amount of foul disqualifications, technical fouls, and the ejection of Maryland’s coach. DeQuan Jones played center for the end of the 2nd half and both overtimes. 13-7

@Duke 19-4 (6-2), 3rd place in the ACC: Miami had its first signature win of the season – and one of the greatest wins in program history – by extinguishing the Blue Devils 78-74 in OT. It was a game that aged ‘Canes fans several years due to pure emotional force unraveling the telomeres that act as governors of the aging process. Sorry to wax scientific here; the game was metaphysical for the ‘Canes fam. 14-7

Game Statistics
Player GP MIN PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FG% FT% 3P%
Durand Scott 21 34.9 13.1 5.0 3.5 1.0 0.2 1.8 .433 .809 .310
Malcolm Grant 19 31.9 12.7 2.5 1.8 0.8 0.0 1.6 .350 .763 .326
Kenny Kadji 20 27.0 12.6 5.8 0.7 0.6 1.8 1.8 .553 .635 .486
Reggie Johnson 12 27.3 11.8 7.0 1.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 .520 .708 .500
Shane Larkin 20 25.2 7.3 2.6 2.6 1.9 0.1 2.2 .374 .923 .371
Trey McKinney Jones 21 25.3 7.0 4.0 1.7 0.7 0.1 1.4 .438 .850 .343
DeQuan Jones 11 16.7 6.6 4.0 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.9 .509 .577 .400
Garrius Adams 10 21.3 5.7 3.3 1.1 0.8 0.1 1.2 .400 .563 .387
Rion Brown 19 17.3 5.5 2.0 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.8 .388 .786 .400
Erik Swoope 17 15.1 3.1 2.2 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.4 .512 .500 .000
Raphael Akpejiori 14 8.8 2.4 1.8 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.4 .545 .588 .000
Ryan Quigtar 4 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .000 .000 .000
Justin Heller 3 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 .000 .000 .000
Totals 21 – 72 35 12 7 4 12 .441 .730 .359

So Here We Are:

Garrius Adams suffers torn meniscus; set for ‘scope Thursday

Just as the ‘Canes were getting closer to full strength for the rest of the ACC basketball slate they were hit by another injury. This time it’s JR G/F Garrius Adams who tweeted that he tore his meniscus – the same type of injury suffered by Reggie Johnson prior to the start of the season. C/F Julian Gamble also went down before the season with a year-ending torn ACL.

 

Category 6 and 'Canes fans everywhere wish Garrius a full and speedy recovery

 

Going by what the experts say about a torn meniscus (read below), Adams will probably return to action a bit more quickly than did Johnson. In the video below Dr. Kanell states that Dan Marino returned to action for the Dolphins 2 weeks after a similar procedure. Recovery time can also depend on how severe the meniscus injury was. Still, Adams has a lot of factors that aid a speedy recovery: he’s a good athlete, he’s young, and he’ll have a dedicated staff of professionals helping him rehabilitate the injury.

Garrius Adams
G_Adams25Garrius Adams
@JaeArchie I tore my meniscus
Garrius Adams

G_Adams25Garrius Adams

Surgery date set for thursday

From about.com

“The knee joint is very important in allowing people to go about performing almost any activity. The joint is made up of three bones: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone), and the patella (knee cap). The surfaces of these bones within the joint are covered with a layer of cartilage. This important surface allows the bones to smoothly glide against each other without causing damage to the bone. The meniscus sits between the cartilage surfaces of the bone to distribute weight and to improve the stability of the joint.

The two most common causes of a meniscus tear are due to traumatic injury (often seen in athletes) and degenerative processes (seen in older patients who have more brittle cartilage). The most common mechanism of a traumatic meniscus tear occurs when the knee joint is bent and the knee is then twisted.”

 

From Dr. Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM:

“If knee arthroscopy is performed, the rehabilitation process balances swelling and healing. The goal is to return range of motion to the knee as soon as possible. Physical therapy is a common part of rehabilitation, and most therapists work with the orthopedic surgeon to return the patient to full function as soon as possible. Since the procedure is planned in advance, some health-care professionals advocate pre-hab. With rehabilitation prior to the procedure, the patient begins strengthening exercises before surgery to prevent the routine muscle weakness that can occur after an operation.

Elite athletes return to practice within one to two weeks after surgery, but they are a motivated group of people who spend hours each day in rehabilitation. For most other patients, return to mild routine activity occurs in less than six weeks.”

The knee in all it's intricate glory . . .

Category 6 Basketball Simulation: Miami (2010-2011) vs. FAU (2010-2011)

Miami ventures to Sunrise to take on the FAU Owls in the Orange Bowl Classic. The Orange Bowl, as many of you know, has been demolished and a new structure has been built atop of its foundation. If you recall, this is basically the plot for Poltergeist.

In honor of this match-up the computer scientists at Category 6 have run a computer simulation based on last year’s team stats. The program uses some kind of algorithm to generate a pretty detailed box score.

In this 2010-2011 fantasy match-up, the ‘Canes emerged victorious with an 86-76 victory at a simulated neutral site.

 

*Bolded players are predicted to play in Saturday’s game.

 

Raymond Taylor (2) was on fire in the 1st half.

The Owls got off to a fast start due to the efforts of 5’6 PG Raymond Taylor who paced the Owls to a 41-39 lead at the half with lock-on shooting and dribble penetrations that led to some success on the inside for F Kore White. Taylor was on fire, hitting all 4 of his trifectas in the first half, including one from the corner as the half ended.

 

 

 

It was at this moment that Miami’s coach Frank Haith took of his jacket and slammed it on the floor. Owl star G Greg Gantt was largely kept in check by the ‘Canes. For the ‘Canes, Durand Scott and Reggie Johnson kept the ‘Canes in it, along with some crisp passing by Malcolm Grant.

 

Reggie Johnson (42) isn't just big . . . he's gigantic and he dished out some serious simulation punishment on the FAU Owls.

The Owls may have won the first half, but the ‘Canes came out storming in the latter frame. Adrian Thomas sank a couple of threes early on in the half to give the ‘Canes a lead they would build on by going to Johnson down low and having Scott cut his way to the basket. Grant carved through the defense and delivered a no-look pass to Julian Gamble who delivered an emphatic dunk. The ‘Cane attack proved to be too much for Owl defenders who racked up the fouls and sent the ‘Canes to the line where they converted a whopping 27-31 (87.1%). White fouled out with 5 minutes on the clock, paving the way for Johnson to get some easy buckets to keep the Owls at bay.

 

Durand Scott (1) had a big-time simulated game with 25pts.

Obviously a lot has changed for both teams since last year. The game on Saturday will be a great opportunity for the ‘Canes to get another tick in the win column. Don’t be fooled, the Owls under coach Mike Jarvis will come to play. Without Johnson, Gamble, and DeQuan Jones the ‘Canes lose out on 29 simulated points and 16 simulated rebounds. That production – real or imagined – is going to have to come from other sources. Look for our preview of this game in the next day or two.

 

FINAL
10-11 Miami (FL) 86
10-11 Florida Atlantic 76

 

VISITING TEAM: 10-11 Miami (FL)
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PT M/A FTM/FTA REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
Durand Scott 35 8/13 2/5 7/8 4 3 0 2 3 3 25
Malcolm Grant 32 2/5 2/5 2/2 3 8 0 2 2 1 8
Adrian Thomas 27 3/6 3/6 4/6 3 3 0 0 2 1 13
Reggie Johnson 26 6/12 0/0 6/6 9 1 1 0 2 3 18
Garrius Adams 25 1/4 0/1 4/4 3 3 0 1 1 1 6
Julian Gamble 19 2/3 0/0 0/0 3 0 1 0 1 3 4
Rion Brown 16 1/4 0/2 1/1 0 1 0 1 1 2 3
DeQuan Jones 15 3/6 0/1 1/2 4 0 0 1 1 0 7
Raphael Akpejiori 5 0/0 0/0 2/2 2 0 0 0 0 1 2
TOTALS 200 26/53 7/20 27/31 31 19 2 7 13 15 86
49.1% 35.0% 87.1%
HOME TEAM: 10-11 Florida Atlantic
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PTM/A FTM/FTA REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
Raymond Taylor 32 7/13 4/7 3/3 3 9 0 3 4 4 21
Brett Royster 32 6/9 0/0 3/4 7 0 1 0 3 4 15
Alex Tucker 32 4/9 0/0 4/4 3 7 0 1 2 3 12
Kore White 27 5/11 0/0 0/0 6 0 2 2 2 5 10
Greg Gantt 24 3/7 1/3 1/2 3 0 0 0 1 3 8
Dennis Mavin 14 1/3 0/1 2/2 2 1 0 0 1 2 4
Pablo Bertone 10 2/5 0/1 0/1 2 0 1 0 0 0 4
Shavar Richardson 9 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0
Jordan McCoy 7 1/1 0/0 0/0 1 0 0 1 0 1 2
Justin Davis 7 0/0 0/0 0/0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Andre Mattison 6 0/1 0/0 0/0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
TOTALS 200 29/60 5/13 13/16 29 19 4 8 14 24 76
48.3% 38.5% 81.3%

Category 6 Breaks down the 2010-11 Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes Basketball Program has long been overshadowed by the football squad. Dissapointing home crowds, some very tough losses, and just one NCAA appearance in seven years marked the Frank Haith era. Nonetheless Haith left UM when Missouri came calling, and the Canes caught perhaps the biggest break of the offseason. When Jim Larranaga was  hired, this team took on a whole new feel. For the first time ever UM will have a coach with Final four experience. Haith did not leave the cupboard bare and Larranaga inherits an experienced squad. Injuries to big men Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble provide an early challenge. Nonetheless if this team reaches its’ potential by season’s end I expect fans in South Florida to know more about basketball then the “Big Three”.

Projected Starting Lineup:

C – Kenny Kadji   6’11 255 Redshirt Sophmore *****
F – DeQuan Jones  6’7  218 Senior
F – Rion Brown    6’6  194 Sophmore
G – Malcolm Grant 6’2  188 Senior
G – Durant Scott  6’3  198 Junior

Key Reserves

G/F Garrius Adams       6’6  193 Junior
C   Raphael Akpejori    6’10 230 Sophmore
G   Trey McKinney-Jones 6’5  216 Junior
G   Shane Larkin        5’11 160 Sophmore
F   Erik Swoope         6’6  230 Sophmore
G   Bishop Daniels      6’3  180 Freshman
**** C Reggie Johnson 6’10 300 Junior (injured)

Star Watch:

 

There were times last year when Malcolm Grant was the best player on the floor for either team. Grant brings swagger & McClinton-esque range on threes to every game. I’d be very surprised if he isn’t a first team all ACC pick at the end of the year. In addition to improving on last season’s 15 plus points a game and maintaining 42 percent on three pointers, the 6’2 combo guard needs to be the leader of this team in his senior year, and take better care of the ball. But watch any team that makes a deep run in the NCAA’s and they have a guy like Grant,  who is deadly from the line and has a penchant for making big shots in crunch time.

 

If Reggie Johnson comes back healthy and regains his form quickly, he deserves mention here as well. Reggie is already the best offensive rebounder in the ACC. at 6’10 300 pounds, Reggie has the size few in the country can match.  Reggie has NBA hands and touch as well. The only question about the big guy is how well he heals and how his conditioning holds up when he gets back in January.

Break out player:

 

While DeQuan Jones may finally be in the system to utilize his athleticism and Garrius Adams has the versatility to be the guy here,  my break out player for 2011-12 is Rion Brown. Whether in the starting lineup or coming off the bench, I expect to see Brown play major minutes. He is arguably the Canes’ best perimeter defender. By the end of the year I expect he’ll be thier second best outside shooter. At 6’5 Brown has good size. I expect he will fill out some in his upper body and end up getting to the line more frequently. Expect double figures from Rion Brown on most nights.


X-factor:

Durand Scott. In my opinion no one gets the basket in the ACC better then Scott. The problem is the 6’3 guard seems to rarely get the benefit of the doubt from the refs when he makes contact with bigger players. Scott often has the strength to finish plays on his own, and his 39 percent on threes last year was far improved from his freshman season. Miami needs Scott to take care of the ball and become a consistent 2nd scoring option until Reggie gets back. If Durand Scott brings his A game night in and night out, UM may have the best backcourt in the conference if not the country.

Biggest shoes to fill (literally):

 

Kenny Kadji. With Julian Gamble out for the season and until Big Reg gets back, Kadji is the man down low. Kadji sees himself as a Lamar Odom type with versatility to do it all. But early on the Canes need him to do the dirty work, set good screens, rebound, and block shots. Kadji may end up being one of the most talented guys on the roster, but with UM short handed up front, they need him to maximize all of his 6’11 frame.

 

Outlook/Prediction:

The bad news:
Playing in the ACC is never easy, and the out of conference schedule is daunting. A four game stretch in late November and early December that includes bookend trips to Purdue and West Virginia, and home slates against UMass and Memphis, will be telling. Miami get preseason #1 UNC twice and their lone match-up with Duke is in on the road. Reggie Johnson is out until January.

The good news:
Despite the tough road ahead, I think the Canes have a chance to do something special. Jim Larranaga and his coaching staff bring final four experience and endless energy to the equation. The back court is talented and experienced. The wings players are versatile and athletic. Reggie Johnson should be back in time for the conference schedule. These factors usually lead to special seasons.

I expect Miami to lose a few of the early season out of conference games, but finish strong. 20-9 overall and 10-6 & third place in the ACC seems very reasonable with this squad. From there I’d expect about a #5 seed in the NCAA tournament and a sweet 16 run, maybe more if this team clicks.

 

Category6 breaks down UM’s schedule, minus Julian Gamble

Jim Larranaga’s task during his first year at UM just got a bit more daunting.  For those who haven’t already heard, senior big man Julian Gamble tore his ACL and will be out for the year. With Reggie Johnson already out until possibly January, UM’s frontcourt is beginning to look mighty thin.  The opportunity for Kenny Kadji to emerge as a star is one reason for optimism.  But in my mind for UM to compete consistently Raphael Akpejori will have to step up into Gamble’s role.  While Gamble’s statistics don’t jump out at you, his energy and post presence will be dearly missed. Now more then ever guards Malcom Grant and Durand Scott need to carry the load. Expect to see the Canes play as up tempo as possible, which should be every exciting to watch.
 
 
 In other news, UM released its’ 2011-12 men’s basketball schedule and it looks extremely challenging to say the least.  After what should be a clear cut win against Tennessee Tech, Miamigets a visit from Rutgers. While the Scarlet Knights aren’t a historical powerhouse, they won’t be an easy out this year.  Remember Rutgers beat UM last year, and with a top 25 recruiting class coming in and a star coach in the making in Mike Rice, they should provide the Canes with a stiff early challenge.  After two snoozers in North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast, UM travels to play Ole Miss and Purdue back to back. While Mississippi is a middle of the pack SEC team, Purdue especially with the return of star forward Robbie Hummel, should be ranked.  If UM can somehow defeat the Boilermakers it would be a major coup for thier post season aspirations.  After Purdue the Canes get home games against UMass and Memphis back to back.  Both games, but in particular Memphis and thier long talented roster, pose major challenges. UM finishes the tough stretch out at West Virginia, who the Canes defeated last year in perhaps thier best performance of the season.  The most notable out of conference matchup after that is a late December matchup with Charlotte, then on to the ACC.  Say this for UM,  they did not schedule easy for the upcoming year.  If they can survive until Reggie returns, they should be battle tested at the least. 
 
 2011-2012 SCHEDULE
 
Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

11/11/11 vs. Tennessee Tech Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
11/15/11 vs. Rutgers Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
11/19/11 vs. North Florida Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
11/22/11 vs. Florida Gulf Coast Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
11/25/11 at Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 7:00 p.m.
11/29/11 at Purdue  West Lafayette, Ind. 9:00 p.m.
12/03/11 vs. Massachusetts  Coral Gables, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
12/06/11 vs. Memphis  Coral Gables, Fla. 9:00 p.m.
12/10/11 at West Virginia  Morgantown, W.V. 7:00 p.m.
Orange Bowl Classic
12/17/11 vs. Florida Atlantic Sunrise, Fla. 1:00 p.m.

12/22/11 at Charlotte Charlotte, N.C. TBA
12/30/11 vs. Appalachian State Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
01/02/12 vs. UNC Greensboro Coral Gables, Fla. TBA
01/07/12 at Virginia *  Charlottesville, Va. 6:00 p.m.
01/10/12 at North Carolina *  Chapel Hill, N.C. 9:00 p.m.
01/18/12 vs. Clemson *  Coral Gables, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
01/22/12 vs. North Carolina State *  Coral Gables, Fla. 12:00 p.m.
01/24/12 at Georgia Tech *  Atlanta, Ga. 9:00 p.m.
01/29/12 at Boston College *  Chestnut Hill, Mass. 1:00 p.m.
02/01/12 vs. Maryland *  Coral Gables, Fla. 8:00 p.m.
02/05/12 at Duke *  Durham, N.C. 3:00 p.m.
02/09/12 vs. Virginia Tech *  Coral Gables, Fla. 9:00 p.m.
02/11/12 at Florida State *  Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
02/15/12 vs. North Carolina  Coral Gables, Fla. 7:00 p.m.
02/18/12 vs. Wake Forest *  Coral Gables, Fla. 1:00 p.m.
02/21/12 at Maryland *  College Park, Md. 8:00 p.m.
02/26/12 vs. Florida State *  Coral Gables, Fla. 6:00 p.m.
02/29/12 at North Carolina State *  Raleigh, N.C. 7:00 p.m.
03/03/12 vs. Boston College *  Coral Gables, Fla. 2:30 p.m.