A look at the Valley stat leaders 1/3 of the way through the season, and some warming thoughts

Let's face it -- all the Valley teams are playing bad...
Even the one that's gotten the best early season press -- Wichita State -- being ranked in some people's top 25..
..the Shockers have gotten hammered when they've been away from home, and had unimpressive wins over Texas Southern (79-67) and Chaminade (Chaminade hit 46% from 3-pt and and forced 21 Shocker turnovers)

But here are what I think are the top surprises in Valley stats......

#10 Nobody has more than 1.5 steals per game - that means there isn't a Valley player anywhere in the NATION's top 100! (Warren has 1.4)
Supportive evidence of lousy defense in the MVC?
#9 Mamadou Seck (10.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 61.3 FG%) may just be the surprise player in the MVC this year despite SIU's bad 5-5 start, and despite Greg McDermott getting the better pub..
#8 only two players in the entire MVC average over 3.8 assists per game!
#7 only 8 players total shoot better than 39.4% from 3-pt (Warren 42%)
#6 BU's FT shooting was great last year but we're only 9th best in the MVC this year
#5 Among players who have attempted at least 4 FT per game, only TWO are over 80%! (Andrew Warren 42-48, 87.5% & Jake Koch 8-33, 81.8%)
#4 with no other real shooters, defenses can focus on Andrew Warren, yet AW still leads the MVC at 17.7 ppg
#3 Illinois State is 7-3 and have only played one game that they should have lost - and as bad as BU is shooting, ISU still has a way worse 3-pt shooting pct. of only 28.3%, and all their best shooters and players are healthy
#2 Carlton Fay (33 attempts-15%) and Kenny Lawson (27 attempts-26%) and Justin Clark (32 attempts-22%) have almost as many or even MORE 3-pt shot attempts than most of the TOP 15 guys in the official MVC 3-point FG Pct. stats!
In other words...all the guys who can shoot are launching way fewer shots than all the guys who can't shoot -- could this just maybe be the key to why the Valley is so bad?
#1 the Valley overall is a miserable 51-38 with virtually no real quality wins...
http://www.mvc.org/mbb/stats/confstat.htm?DB_OEM_ID=7600


Here are the scoring averages and where they rank for the MVC preseason All Conference selections

1st team--
Ahelegbe - 11.1 - T20th, 2.6 asst
Lawson - 12.9 8th
Maniscalco - out for season
Murry - 11.1 - T20th
Weems 15.3 2nd

Hon. Mention-
Taylor Brown - out for season
Durley - 11.9 12th
Leonard - only avg. 9.1 - way off the pace
Colt Ryan - 15.3 3rd
Van Deest - 12.1 11th
Andrew Warren - 17.7 1st


Other current top performing players who did NOT get preseason mention...

-Dwayne Lathan (InSU) - 15.2 ppg
-Antoine Young (CU) - 14.1 ppg
-David Kyles (WSU) - 14.0 ppg
-Doug McDermott (CU) 12.9 ppg
-Carl Richard (InSU) - leading the valley with 8.6 rebounds per game
-Rayvonte Rice (DU) - 12.3 ppg, 1.5 steals






UNI's Adam Koch, averaging just 2 ppg, 2 rpg, has been "fired" by his Czech team, Nymburk..
http://www.eurobasket.com/Czech-Republic/basketball.asp?NewsID=211476

Here's a picture of Koch..
http://www.sport.cz/clanek/179181-nymburk-vyhodil-americkeho-basketbalistu-kocha.html


WHOA -- CELLUS WITH YET ANOTHER CAREER GAME FOR THE EX-BRAVE...
25 POINTS, 14 REBS last night for his Paris-Levallois team
http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/France/2010/1211_339_8.asp

Marcellus Sommerville is one of my favorite Braves...

last night he had an absolute monster game...

playing all 40 minutes, he was 10-19, including 4-9 from 3-pt,
and scored 25 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and had a couple asst.
Sadly, the rest of Cellus' team didn't help much...
http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/France/2010/1211_339_8.asp


Also -- Zach Andrews had a monster game as well.......
Zach played 30 minutes, was 7-15, scored 16 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and had 3 steals!
Zach's season averages improve to 12 ppg, 11 rpg
http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Japan/2010/1211_4121_7206.asp



Also -- Pekin's Todd Peterson (NIU) was just signed by a ProB French team -- congrats Todd!
http://www.eurobasket.com/France/basketball.asp?NewsID=211329

In his first game, Todd came off the bench for 12 points and a team leading 7 rebounds!
http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/France/2010/1211_3838_6483.asp


One of the board's posters predicted Todd would be hired as an assistant at BU!!
He said last spring when saying who the next BU assistant hired would be......
"Think a local player in the mold of Crouch that went to NIU. Whether Crouch would be promoted and Peterson
take Crouch's spot or whether there are further openings will be interesting to see."



One of Illinois' top post prospects is Nnanna Egwu -- and Egwu's team went head to head with Peoria Notre Dame yesterday ...
Now, don't get me wrong -- Egwu is GOOD, and he's had several TRIPLE DOUBLES this year!!!

but here's the outcome.......

Peoria Notre Dame 48 -- Chicago St. Ignatius 46

Bielfeldt - 26 pts, 13 reb, 4 blocks
Egwu - 6 pts, 5 reb

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool/ct-spt-1212-prep-bkb-st-ignatius-peor20101211,0,6183260.story

(the Trib article hints that Bielfeldt would go to Illinois, redshirt a year then get a scholarship..)


In another game -- Ryan Boatright scored 63 points in his team's 113-104 win
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool/ct-spt-1212-prep-bkb-proviso-west-eas20101211,0,7925139.story

One other notable performance......
Chicago Morgan Park's Wayne Blackshear (going to Louisville), played against Chicago Ellison yesterday, Morgan Park winning 103-57 -
with Blackshear scoring 56 points, 21 rebounds, 8 blocks, 7 steals.....



Here's some more coverage of Bielfeldt and other locals from elsewhere...
"Notre Dame 59 Manual 48
Game started off a bit slow and bit sloppy, and after it picked up in the middle, both team looked exhausted in the hot and muggy gym by the end. Manual controlled the 1st quarter, knocking the Irish back on their heels with some aggressive defense and a pack it in from the weak side approach against Notre Dame big man Max Bielfeldt. Leading 17-11 after a quarter, Manual struggled in the second quarter and Notre Dame put it together. Behind 8 points from Max Bielfeldt in the 2nd stanza and 6 from David Molinari, ND turned a 25-20 deficit into a 34-25 halftime lead.

The rest of the contest was Manual trying to make a run, but Notre Dame always seemed to have an answer on both ends as they led by 7 at the end of the 3rd quarter and after a few free throws at the end held on for the 11 point win. Molinari led ND with 13 points, while Bielfeldt added 12 points, 10 boards and 6 blocks, as well as 3 assists. Lane also had 11 for Notre Dame. Manual got 13 from Isaiah Duncan.

The Players
2011 Max Bielfeldt Peoria Notre Dame
He has definitely slimmed down and looks more agile and athletic. He looks to be right around 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7, despite being listed at 6-foot-8. He didn't get many touches, finishing 6-10 from the floor, but due to the constant double teaming he helped get his teammates open. Defensively, this was probably the best game I have seen him play, as he blocked 6 shots and altered others against a Manual frontline that has decent size. His jumper looked good in warmups, but his only perimeter attempt missed off the back iron.

As one longtime Peoria basketball observer noted after the game, teams in Peoria do a nice job of slowing him down because they send 2 or 3 guys his way before he catches it, while teams that haven't seen them play just let him go 1 on 1 for 30+ points. He did almost all of his work in the paint, scoring around the hoop using body control, strength and a deft touch. Hopefully on Saturday in Assembly Hall we can see him go 1 on 1 and not face as many double teams.

Max is really more of a center right now, despite his shooting touch and passing, because he doesn't handle the ball real well on the dribble, and despite the imporvements physically, stil isn't real quick..

2012 Jacobby Roddy Peoria Manual 5 points, 4 rebounds
The 6-foot-5 energy guy struggled with foul trouble that saw him sit most of the first half. In fact, he really didn't get untracked until the 4th quarter when he showed off his motor and quickness with some full court pressure and along the baseline. He only missed one shot, a dunk in traffic, so we didn't get to see him do much offensively. Defensively he has the ability to be a stopper at the next level. Roddy still has mid majors following him, including Southern Illinois.

2012 Jeff 'Kiki' White Peoria Manual 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
White, formerly known as 'Jeff Stokes', ran the show for Manual, handling the great pressure put on by the Notre Dame guards. He showed the ability to stay under control and get to the basket in the half court, while also finishing with his left hand. His perimeter jumper is a work in progress, but he is becoming a true point guard. SIU really likes his potential as well.

Notable
-Loved the way these two teams defended. It was full court pressure for 32 minutes on both ends. And both squads were gassed at the end.

-2011 Manual forward Andrew Jordan had the block of the night, catching ND guard Molinari from behind for a swat off of the backboard, but didn't get much else done before leaving with an apparent knee injury in the 4th quarter. The tools are definitely there, but Jordan still hasn't put it all together.

-David Molinari, the transfer from Peoria Christian, is definitely a calming influence on this squad, and he handles the ball well enough to be a point guard while being a very solid perimeter shooter. What's not to like?"



More on Max..
"Every year a few Seniors in Illinois will have a breakout year and emerge onto the scene, with higher level schools giving them more of a look. In the class of 2011 one such player is Max Bielfeldt from Peoria (Ill.) Notre Dame High School.

Max Bielfeldt
The Irish are off to a great start, beating Champaign Central, O'Fallon and McCleur North in the Tournament of Champions over Thanksgiving in a trio of marquee matchups and Bielfeldt is excited about the team's fast start.

"Our season is going great, I've got no complaints," he said. "We're playing well and winning games. My team is great this year. Our guards are great, have experience and can handle the ball. They have such a variety of skills, from shooting, defense and ball handling, they have everything we could possibly want. I have a great big guy to work with me that helps take the pressure off of me. When we played Limestone they were double and triple teaming me and he really stepped up and had 10 points in the first half.

Bielfeldt has always been a solid player, but some improvements this past summer have allowed him to expand his game and grow as a player. He scored 39, 26 and 40 in the three games in Washington (Ill.) and he attributes that to mostly an improvement in conditioning.

"Over the summer I improved my game," Bielfeldt said. "I've added 2 inches on my vertical and I've lost 10-15 pounds which has made me quicker on my feet and really benefitted me in keeping my strength up."

These points were'nt put up against weak sisters either. Champaign Central features 6-foot-7 2012 Purdue commitment Jay Simpson, O'Fallon is one of the top teams in the southern part of Illinois, featuring Butler signee Roosevelt Jones. McCleur North features Wisconsin-Milwaukee commitment Shaq Boga and is a perennial power in the St. Louis area.

The ability to score has always been there for Bielfeldt. Using his 6-foot-6 and 225 pound frame he is able to draw contact and still finish, and he makes his free throws when he gets to the line. He's also been forced to be a better passer.

"Really, I score when I have one guy on me but when I get the double and triple teams, I'm passing it off," Bielfeldt said. "I've hit a couple of three's, but probably free throws have been the biggest thing for me. When I had 39 points, I was 18-19 from the line. I've been getting to the line a lot more and making my free throws, and that's really been big."

Although most Illini fans are focused on the Shootout at the Hall this weekend, Peoria Notre Dame and Bielfeldt have their conference opener on Friday night as well against Peoria Manual. They will then play St. Ignatius and Illini signee 6-foot-10 Nnanna Egwu in a game on Saturday afternoon at 3:45PM. It's a huge weekend and one where they want to make a statement.

"This weekend is going to be huge," he said. "If we can go 2-0 it will really make a big statement. I've got no doubt in my mind that we can go 2-0 if we play well, but it's going to be tough. Manual on Friday, it's our first conference game, and conference is the most important thing in the regular season. Our goal is to win conference, so beating Manual would be very important and make a statement. The Saturday game will be tough coming off of the Manual game on Friday, but you've got to be tough and get through it. We're going to come back and give it 100% and try to take it to St. Ignatius too, and get that win."

Peoria has always been a hotbed for basketball talent, and this year is no different. Notre Dame is off to a great start, but it gets even tougher when they begin playing within their conference.

"Every conference game, our conference is unbelievably tough, so every weekend is tough," he said. "There are just 4 teams in our conference in Peoria including Notre Dame/ That's Manual, Central, Richwoods and us. Manual got 2nd in state, Richwoods got 2nd in state and Central was ranked in the top 10 last year. Just our regional will have 4 of the top 20 teams in the state. You have to realize that every game is important and you have to go out play every night and realize that it is so important."

As far as recruiting goes, his play early this season has put some college coaches on notice that he is a player to watch.

"My original offers were from Ball State, Western Michigan and Wright State, and I just got another from University of Illinois-Chicago," Bielfeldt said. "The University of Illinois has offered me a preferred walk-on spot, and said that I would most likely have a scholarship by my sophomore year, if I redshirted. The Ivy League schools can't offer, but I've gotten a lot of interest from Brown, Dartmouth and Penn."

"If they offered me a scholarship, that would be my only high major offer, and with the family ties I'm pretty sure my family wouldn't be against me going there for sure, but I'd have to take into account my playing time and my role," he said. "I don't think it would be something I would jump right on, but it would definitely have a really big effect."
http://illinois.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1163747



I have a question for the experts...
Almost every expert agrees, that average temperatures in the southern hemisphere are up about one degree since 1900...
ONLY ONE DEGREE in more than a century....and so how can that account for what they claim is massive melting of Antarctic ice sheets, in an area where the temps are 10-30 degrees BELOW freezing??
Could there be a different answer??? Some think it has more to do with the release of small bubbles of methane or natural gas from the floor of the seas, which carries warmth to the surface occasionally then reverses....see below...
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BB0DS20101212


Anyway -- all this predicted rise in ocean levels has NOT occurred despite the claims we hear (and those claims are bogus).
So are we being fooled?? You decide...
here's abundant data that says the temperatures in Antarctica are NOT rising...not at all...maybe even falling and almost certainly the ice levels on the continent are INCREASING...
and that the melting of ONE isolated area of ice shelf is a local/regional phenomenon ONLY -- the very thing that always rag on everyone else about using as proof.
Just like if we tried to use the ice storm in Minnesota this week as proof of cooling -- they'd go ballistic and say you can't use regional data or phenomena. But that's exact what the warming proponents are doing!
http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/global_warming.htm

Note especially how the "warming" people misused the melting Ross ice shelf data from 2002 to claim proof of global warming -- when that particular ice shelf re-froze within just a matter of days and has remained frozen ever since and returned to the backburner of their arguments.