YOUTH MOVEMENT

by Chris Spatola
November 13, 2013

As good as the Champions Classic was in its first two years (New York and Atlanta) for college basketball, it is hard to believe ESPN and the event's organizers could have imagined a night like last night.  The packed United Center was treated to an evening that had it all - four blue-blood programs, four of the games best coaches, freshman phenoms....and oh by the way, two pretty good games.

The environment last night was as good as we'll see in college basketball until the Final Four.  It has been a long time since one night of college hoops was so hyped, and it was only November 12.  Some of my takeaways from the two games:

KENTUCKY vs MICHIGAN STATE

• The dribble-drive offense is just not made to play against Michigan State's defense.  The Spartans ability to shrink the floor, plug driving gaps, and limit dribble penetration was key to their stifling defense, especially in the first half.  The Spartans were willing to give up three-point looks (which helped get James Young off in the first half), but they were not going to allow Kentucky's guards to get to the rim.
• Kentucky will not win a national championship starting both Harrisons.  I would imagine at some point John Calipari will make the move to starting Alex Poythress.  Aaron Harrison especially was a liability last night (1-7 FG, 1 reb).  The two of them are too similar and don't complement each other very well at all.  Poythress on the other hand has great size, fills a stat sheet (7 pts, 12 reb, 3 blks), and is a tougher matchup.
• I was surprised Tom Izzo chose not to double Julius Randle in the post in the second half when Randle started to get it going.  Izzo after the game even admitted to CBS' Seth Davis, "We missed on doubling the post, my fault."  Randle's ability to move his feet was just too much for one defender, and when Randle got it going he either scored or was fouled on every possession, and ultimately led the charge for Kentucky in that second half.
• Of the Michigan State "trio" (Adreian Payne, Garry Harris, Keith Appling) Keith Appling is by far the least talked about.  Not after last night.  Appling was superb and finished the night with 22 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, and was an incredibly steady hand for the Spartans.  Guard play, and point guard play in particular, wins in March and Appling may end up being one of the best in college.
• There's no question Kentucky was on their heels to start the game (started the game down 10-0) which is not all surprising considering Kentucky started four freshman.  For young players, regardless of how talented they are, a game like last night is unlike anything they have ever experienced.  Sure Michigan State had a lot to do with overwhelming Kentucky early, but don't discount the magnitude of last night's game, the attention it garnered, and the stage it was on, in leaving the young Wildcats wide-eyed to start.
• I had the chance to see Julius Randle play a few times in high school and always marveled at his size and skill set.  The thing that has impressed me the most about him so far this year, however, is his motor.  That is something I did not see when he was in high school.  He is relentless in his pursuit of the ball, has a competitive edge to him, and his body language is all about winning.  For such a talented and young player, his motor is Gilchrist-esque.
• I really love when Tom Izzo played Keith Appling and Brandon Trice together.  Gives Michigan State two experienced ball-handlers who don't turn it over, and defend their positions.  

DUKE vs KANSAS

• The comments by both Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins showed both are wise beyond their years and great teammates.  Both defused the questions about the other, and instead pointed to the fact that Duke played Kansas and a lot of guys made plays for both teams.  Impressive.
• Kansas' Perry Ellis is MUCH improved.  The talk this morning is of Wiggins, but the job Perry Ellis did in the post for Kanasas put pressure on Duke (specifically Jabari Parker and Amile Jefferson) all night.  His footwork and touch around the basket were terrific and will provide Bill Self with the low-post scorer he covets every year.
• Good teams win when their best players are their best players.  That said, Rodney Hood can not take only 8 shots in a game for Duke.  For Duke to be good, and to win a game like last night, Duke needs Hood to be much more aggressive.  Up to this point Hood has been Duke's most consistent player, but his 5 turnovers and only 3 rebounds were the mark of a guy who was not as engaged as Duke needs him to be.  That Hood and Amile Jefferson combined for 5 rebounds is not a good sign for a team that will remain small up front all year.
• The best way to guard a team's best player is to make him play defense on the other end and that's exactly what Bill Self intended to do last night to Jabari Parker.  Parker had 19 in the first half, but the cumulative effect of having to wrestle the likes of Perry Ellis and Joel Embiid in the post all game definitely had a cumulative effect, beside the fact that Parker fouled out.  Duke's lack of interior depth will force Parker to have to defend in the post for much of the year, a proposition that is sure to wear on him throughout the course of a game.  However, Parker was terrific in trying to front Kansas' post all night, especially considering the work he was putting in on the offensive end.
• He will go mostly unmentioned throughout the year, but every championship team needs a Wayne Selden.  Not only did he have 15 points and 6 rebounds, but his defense on Rodney Hood most of the night led to Hood being largely ineffective.  Selden, especially for a freshman, is so physically developed and it allows him to impose his will defensively.  His body language, poise, and mindset to do dirty work - I love it all.
• We heard all pre-season about how important Naadir Tharpe is to Kansas' ability to go far in March.  That may become a moot point after watching Tharpe's "back-up" Frank Mason.  Mason  was unafraid of the stage last night and was relentless in how he attacked the basket.  In what was a close game throughout, his 11-12 free throw shooting and 15 points were huge.  This is a kid who was originally committed to Towson, didn't qualify, and ultimately ended up at Kansas.
• Duke, at least in a game of last night's caliber, not is not as deep as we all might have thought.  Only six Blue Devils played 20+ minutes, while the other four guys who played combined to play 19 minutes.  

QUICK-HITTERS

• Was good to see Teddy Valentine live and in the flesh officiating the Michigan State/Kentucky game last night.  No one can captivate an audience quite like Teddy "Big game" Valentine.  Of course, officials aren't supposed to be part of the show, they're supposed to blend into the scenery.....but don't tell Teddy that....he's worth the price of admission.
• Worth saying again - how about the show all three marquee freshman put on last night?  After Randle's performance it seemed like their was no way the other two could top it...then Parker comes out and has 19 at the half.....then Wiggins puts an exclamation on the end of the game with his step back jumper and emphatic breakaway dunk.  They have all been hyped....but what a show by all three.
• In their two losses last night, Duke and Virginia were a combined 35-61 (57%) from the free throw line.  In games that are close that number loses most of the time.
• How good was VCU's Treveon Graham last night?  Forget the three he sank with three seconds left to put VCU ahead, Graham scored 13 points in the last seven minutes.  Tough.
• The most shocking score during the marathon of games had to be the BYU win over Stanford 112-103.  A huge win for the Cougars on the road over what is supposed to be a tournament worthy Stanford team.  BYU's guard tandem of Matt Carlino and Tyler Haws combined to score 57 points.  They also combined to shoot 25 free throws and were a prime example of the new foul rules liberating penetrating guards.
• Speaking of the new foul rules - the over-analysis of it all is becoming nauseating.  The "scoring is up, scoring is down", "games are too long", "a foul is a foul" - it's just too much already.  If the game needed to be cleaned up fine, emphasize calling more fouls.  To blame the drop in scoring average over the last several years on the game's physicality, however, misleading.  Sure fouling has contributed, but the decline in offense also has to do with....well the decline in offense.  Kids out of high school are not nearly as prepared to play offense as they were a decade ago.  And yes, I blame it on the AAU culture.  Internationally, scoring averages are high not simply because of fouls being called or the shot clock being 24 seconds, its because they are teaching offense better than we are.  
• With the likes of St. Louis, VCU, and Lasalle dominating the Atlantic-10 headlines, no team in that conference is off to a better start than UMass.  With two quality wins over Boston College and LSU, UMass has announced to the world it is for real.  UMass guard, and A-10 player of the year candidate Chazz Williams has been good (22 ppg in two wins), but the difference maker for UMass has been 6'10 post player Cady Lalanne.  In the two UMass wins, Lalanne has 43 points on 20 of 25 shooting.