Washington Huskies Basketball

In 106 seasons of University of Washington basketball, there has only been one number to be retired. In the 107th season, there is now two.

Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers had his number retired last night before the Huskies took on the Trojans of USC in Seattle.

The honor is not just another accolade that is going into the young superstar’s trophy case,following the 2006 All-America and Pac-10 player of the year, the 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year, and a 2008 NBA All-Star selection.

Roy said before the game, moments after buying dozens of boxes of pizza for the Washington students lined up outside Hec Edmundson Pavilion:

"I really can’t put this into words."

Those short simple words summed up exactly what Roy was feeling. I talked to a number of eyewitnesses, who attended the game last evening, and they all remarked on how excited and truly blessed Roy looked. ESPN even made similar comments:

"Then a beaming Roy walked to center court immediately before tipoff with his parents, his fiancee — who was holding their infant daughter — and Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar. Roy carried his young son in the crook of his right arm as the sellout crowd roared."

I honestly believe that this honor is quite dear to Roy’s heart. If you continue to read the ESPN article, it talks about how Roy had to struggle to get to college and continue to fight on while at the University of Washington, it is quite the inspiring story. I believe the experiences he endured in college are what make him the player that he is today.

After a wonderful evening, Roy is probably back now with his professional peers sitting in the Trail Blazers locker room. As he looks around at his teammates, they probably can not  comprehend the night he just had. For example, Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw both did not attend college and went straight to the NBA after high school. Roy’s experiences are completely foreign to these two and in Roy’s eyes they missed out.

I have said it before, but life is all about choices and consequences. Roy was able to play all four years at the University of Washington (not saying he had the option to leave early), while these other players left early or did not even attend college.

If you had a choice to choose between Roy’s life versus the others in the locker room, which would you choose? For all of those college basketball commentators (Dickie V.) who exasperate about how kids need to stay in college, why don’t they talk about Brandon Roy? Maybe they should start.

On any given night, you can see Washington Huskies’ forward Jon Brockman bumping, banging, and bruising opponents on his way to a double-double.  At 6'7" and 260 pounds, he out-rebounds, out-scores, and all-together out-hustles bigger posts on a nightly basis. 

The senior is averaging a double-double for his second straight season. He has led the Huskies to the top of the Pac-10 and is an All-American candidate. 

There is no doubt that Brockman is a phenomenal college basketball player, but unfortunately, his game does not project to the NBA. 

Brockman is a below-the-rim player.  He is not an explosive NBA athlete like Detroit Pistons' forward Jason Maxiell, who is also 6'7" and 260 pounds.  For a player who relies on banging for production, thus drawing a lot of fouls, he shoots a miserable 54 percent from the stripe.

Sure there are professional basketball opportunities for Brockman in Europe and possibly the NBDL, but are there more promising opportunities for him in professional athletics?

Welcome to the NFL.

Today, analysts and reporters have quit referring to Antonio Gates as “the former college basketball player” and they have replaced it with “Pro Bowler” and “All-Pro."  Let's not forget that Gates was an undrafted free agent in 2003, after an impressive March Madness performance with the Kent State Men's Basketball Team. 

Gates and Brockman are not spitting images; Gates is several inches shorter and appears more muscular.  On the basketball court, they are both men amongst boys though, using their combination of strength, size, and coordination to out-produce more stereotypical ballers.

When NBA scouts watch Brockman play, they note his hustle and how well he gets down the court for a player his size.  They are impressed with his ability to track rebounds before they even hit the rim and he will out-tip more athletic players for tough rebounds.  He has soft hands and can catch entry passes from any angle, and can catch-and-finish on the break. 

It's hard to determine exactly how athletic Brockman is as he goes against future-NBA leapers in college, but I am convinced with a few months of training he could post a 4.6 to 4.75 second 40 time and a vertical leap over 34 inches. 

Brockman would not be the first college hooper since Gates to go to the NFL.  In 2005, the Denver Broncos signed rookie free agent Wesley Duke, who played his college basketball at Mercer University. 

Duke was more of a wide receiver/tight end hybrid at 6'5", 225 pounds with elite jumping ability.  He finished the 2005 season having played in three games, catching two passes for 22 yards with one touchdown.

Brockman may not make the case to be drafted, but he is a more successful college basketball player than Gates or Duke, and he has serious NFL potential. 

New York Giants' tight end Kevin Boss, who was undrafted in 2007, played football and basketball at Western Oregon.  Tony Gonzalez played both football and basketball at Cal. 

The skills between basketball players and tight ends relate so well that giving Brockman a shot is worth the roster spot, and maybe even the draft pick.

2009 NFL Draft Big Board

Coming off a football season where nothing went right, the Washington Huskies basketball team has gotten off to a hot start in Pac-10 play.

Early non-conference losses to Kansas, Florida, and Portland made the season look similar to that of Washington's 2007-08 campaign, which was mediocre. 

But after a 4-1 start in conference play, the Huskies are tied for first. 

For the first time in several years, there is no clear favorite in the Pac-10.

UCLA isn't quite as good as they've been the last few years. The departure of Kevin Love left a bit of a void at center, and let's not forget that virtually this same Huskies team knocked off the Bruins last year.

Cal handed Washington their only conference loss so far, and came in triple overtime. Jon Brockman has sparked this team, averaging 15 PPG and 10 RPG, and he's on the Pac-10 Player of the Year radar. And on Jan. 15, he broke the record for most career rebounds for Washington.

Brockman saw a trip to the Sweet 16 as a freshman, and in his final year, the Dawgs look like they'll be getting back to the dance. 

Freshman Isaiah Thomas has Nate Robinson written all over him. At 5'8", Thomas plays a lot like Robinson did at the UW, and is already averaging 15.8 PPG. Thomas is a true scorer, and while he runs the point, he fits in more as a two-guard, as does Robinson.

The Huskies biggest test comes this week when they play defending conference champ UCLA, and defending conference tournament champ USC. These games will both be played in Seattle, and if Washington can beat USC and either win or hang close with UCLA, I think they deserve to be ranked. 

For the past two seasons, Husky basketball has been locked in the doldrums. Brandon Roy and Spencer Hawes both took off for the NBA, and Washington has finished in seventh place for the past two seasons.

Now sitting at 13-4 and tied for first in the Pac-10, the Dawgs are back, and should be back in the Top 25.

The streak of seven consecutive wins by Washington State over the Washington Huskies was emphatically stopped in the Pac-10 opener for both schools. The final score Saturday afternoon in Pullman was 68-48 in front of a small crowd of just 8,107.

WSU students were on holiday break. Composure for the Cougs went on break for the final 10 minutes of the game, but let's not get ahead of things.

For the first 20 minutes, the game was typical between the two rivals.

Coach Tony Bennett's team got off to a nice start.

WSU held the lead or the game was tied for the first 12 minutes before Coach Lorenzo Romar's Huskies took their first lead at 13-12. The Cougs were playing classic Bennett Ball.

There were many things being done well by Washington State in the first half. All-American candidate Jon Brockman couldn't grab a single rebound and didn't score over the first 16 minutes of the game.

Where Washington excelled in the first half was making some critical three-point shots.

At intermission, the scoreboard reflected a great battle 30-28 in favor of the Dawgs.

When senior Taylor Rochestie converted a layup to begin the second, the crowd went wild. It appeared that fans were set for another 20 minutes of hard fought basketball.

Within the next couple of minutes, the Huskies went on a 9-0 run by controlling the tempo of the game. They had the Cougs on the run.

Over the following five minutes of play, Rochestie showed leadership on offense, but there wasn't an answer by the Cougar defense. The Huskies began to assert themselves by controlling the boards which led to setting the pace of play.

WSU was able to crawl back into the game midway through the second half, closing the score to 46-41 in favor of the men in purple. However, they would only score seven points the rest of the game.

The experience and strength of Coach Romar's front line was complimented by steady play outside. Husky guards, freshman Isaiah Thomas and senior Justin Dentmon, combined for 36 of the Huskies 68 points. The Cougars' back court of Rochestie and freshman Klay Thompson managed just 20 points between them.

After the game, Coach Bennett conceded that his team isn't built to come back from large deficits. Clearly that was the case at Friel Court Saturday afternoon.

When WSU fell behind in the second half, they didn't have any answers on the offensive end of the court.  They showed their inexperience by turning the ball over and not getting back on defense, allowing the UW to make transition baskets.

Things got out of hand near the end of the game.  Words and shoving between the two teams marred the finish. Then with just a few ticks remaining on the game clock, Coach Romar called time out. Keep in mind, his team had a 20-point lead. That move incensed the few remaining fans, Cougar players and coaching staff.

After the clock ran out to end the game, Coach Bennett asked Coach Romar what that was all about. Coach Romar was simply disappointed in what was going on between players from both squads and wanted his team to show some respect for their opponent and the game.

This loss should go a long way toward motivating Washington State. The staff and team will review the tape and have a blueprint on how to gain a conference win. Passing up open shots and lapses on defense just won't get it done. Not against the talent in the Pac-10.

WSU drops to 8-5 on the year. More importantly, they are 0-1 in the Pac-10.

Conference play isn't a sprint, which is a good thing for the Cougs.  There is more than enough time left in this race to improve, gain some confidence and play a solid 40-minute game.

Seriously.

SeaTown Sports got the priceless opportunity to ask the number two ranked high school PG in the nation, Abdul Gaddy, a few questions. Abdul Gaddy currently attends Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma and will be attending the University of Washington next year to play ball for Lorenzo Romar.

Without further ado, here is the interview.

You decided to be a Husky only a day or two after you de-committed from Arizona. Why did you decide to make the decision so quickly?

I wanted to get the decision over with. It just felt like the right decision because I am going to be closer to my family and I will be near the people that I've known for awhile. Plus, I want to be able to represent my city and my state.

What do you look forward to most about being a Husky next year?

Just bringing the winning tradition back that to what they used to have. I look forward to putting the University of Washington back on the map. I also look forward for the program to help me mature and get me to the next level.

What current NBA or College player do you think you most resemble on the court and why?

The players I think I most resemble are Brandon Roy and Chris Paul. Like me, they play at their own pace and always make the right play. That's what I try to do. They are also winners, and that is what I want to be.

What do you see as the best part of your game?

Passing ability. Whenever my teammates are open, I'll give them the ball. I also try to get my teammates open by attacking and then dishing so they can have an easier shot.

What part of your game do you believe you have to improve the most on?

Defense. This will come as I get stronger, faster, and quicker. I need to become more of a shutdown defender.

What's a typical offseason workout like for you?

Just a lot of shooting, lifting, and getting stronger. I'm trying to bring something new to the season so that I can expand my game.

After taking a look at the starters, we'll now take a look at the several players that could make an impact coming off the bench for the Huskies.

Main Players in the Rotation

Darnell Gant (Forward, FR)

Gant redshirted last year and has all of a sudden become a valuable contributor as the starting forward for the Huskies. Bryan-Amaning used to have the second forward starting spot on the team until Gant's rebounding prowess was given more value than Amaning's offense.

From the first five games, it's evident that Gant can work well with Brockman on both ends of the court. Gant is by no means a beast at scoring points, but at the same time he hasn't been forcing anything and has been playing within his limits.

Venoy Overton (Guard, SO)

I love Overton—he has great speed and creates havoc for offensive players down at the defensive end. He's got a year under his belt and is ready to break out into a solid player for the Huskies.

He kind of reminds me of Will Conroy, as his offense is not amazing, but he's able to distribute the ball and keep the offensive flow moving. Overton can be really erratic at times turning the ball over, so this issue needs to be addressed.

Justin Holiday (Forward, SO)

By far the best defender on the team. It'd be smart for Romar to use Holiday as a Bobby Jones type of player, someone to put in and guard any opposing player that is lighting up the Huskies. He is still inconsistent offensively, but his defensive prowess is just too valuable for the former to play a role.

Elston Turner (Guard, FR)

Do you remember Phil Nelson from two years ago? He was in the same class as Spencer Hawes and Quincy Pondexter. He provided a threat behind the arc but transferred to Portland State in search of more playing time.

Elston Turner reminds me of Nelson, except this time Turner will be asked to shoot it way more than Nelson was asked. There is no Ryan Appleby this year, which means someone will have to be able to shoot the long ball or the Huskies are going to get zoned to death.

Reduced Roles

Joe Wolfinger (Forward, JR)

Wolfinger has made his name on this team for his excellent three-point shooting. However, he's received a good amount of criticism for his terrible post-play performance in rebounding and scoring.

From the games so far this season, his post game looks a lot more polished. However, he has looked out of sync in the offense, causing Romar to reduce his playing time (only eight minutes in the Kansas game).

Scott Suggs (Forward, FR)

I haven't seen enough of Suggs in-game, but from what I've heard, he can play a little point guard and has a nice midrange jumper. Brockman has said he's like a mix between Justin Holiday and Bobby Jones, which would mean he's probably really good at defense. That's a positive thing.

Artem Wallace (Forward, SR)

It seems as Romar has permanently cut the playing time of Artem Wallace, favoring the quartet of Brockman, Amaning, Gant, and Wolfinger. In my opinion, he's an offensive weapon (remember WSU last year?) and could break out. However, it looks like his injury is keeping him from playing to his full potential.

Devin Aguilar (Guard, FR)

Sound familiar? He also plays for a terrible team, the Washington Huskies Football team. Aguilar decided he wanted to walk-on and play basketball for Romar during the football season. He's super-quick and very physical for a guard his size (6'0"). He probably won't play much of a factor in the bigger picture, but he's a good player to have on the bench.

Tyreese Breshers (Forward, FR)

Breshers has been injured the whole season—will he be given the redshirt? Probably. We'll see... If he does get to play, expect to see a very athletic player that can be a force down low, kind of like former Husky Jamaal Williams.

Who do you think is the most valuable player off the bench for the Huskies?

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The Husky Basketball team looked awful. They looked downright terrible against Kansas tonight. I said in the pregame preview that we'd learn a lot about the Dawgs and we sure did. What are the biggest problems facing the Dawgs? We can't shoot, we can't play defense, and we love turning the ball over, not to mention we still suck at shooting free throws.

I'm not concerned about the shooting so much, even though they were under 30 percent from the field. There are several scorers on this Husky team it will just be a matter of time when Pondexter and Dentmon start to step it up.

Isaiah Thomas scored 20 and looked great, but the coaches need to start to slowly let him know about playing within his limits. He needs to keep on shooting, but he also needs to start finding his teammates more often.

There is one shooter that will need to get more playing time, Elston Turner Jr. Turner played limited minutes toward the end of the game, but was stroking threes at the end. He is by far the best shooter on this team and will need to be utilized more often as the Huskies are destined to face more zone defenses.

On the defensive side I am concerned about the defense down low. Brockman just got handled on the block by Cole Aldrich who scored 16 points. The blame has got to be put on the coaches though. When Aldrich was dominating Brockman, he needed help from the perimeter. Kansas was only 2-of-10 from the three-point line. I would have liked to see more double-teaming on the other teams' post players.

The free throw shooting was horrendous as usual, 9-of-16 is just not acceptable. One player that was 0-of-2 from the line was Venoy Overton. He needs to perform better or he could be seeing permanent bench time with an already crowded backcourt. It wasn't just the two missed free throws, but the poor fouls (he ended up with three) and his inability to create in the half-court offense.

There is something scary about what I saw today

Jon Brockman being absolutely worthless offensively. He just was not a factor with a taller body defending him. He rebounded well, but he couldn't get anything going as he was double-teamed immediately when the ball went to him. He needs to get rid of the ball immediately as he is extremely prone to turning it over when there are two or even three defenders on him. The Huskies will have to get their shooters to spot up and just fire away when this happens.

What pissed me off the most?

The Huskies did not take care of the ball at ALL. The guards were terrible taking care of the ball when attempting to penetrate the Kansas defense. Everyone is guilty of forcing it, some may point to Thomas' 20 points, but on several occasions he drove to the basket turning the ball over to Kansas for easy fast break points.

On a side note, Bob Knight? Wereshington? It's pronounced Washington (wosh-ing-tuhn). Besides that, you were decent to say the best.

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The Washington Husky basketball team takes on defending National Champion Kansas tonight on supposedly neutral ground in Kansas City.

Kansas is in rebuilding mode since most of the players from last year's National Championship team have either graduated or moved on to the pro's. Just two reserve players from the title team return, 6'11" sophomore center Cole Aldrich and junior guard Sherron Collins. Both are former high school All-Americans, who are now getting their first chance to shine.

Bill Self will be filling in the rest of the lineup with JC All-American Mario Little and freshman starters in 6'9" forward Markieff Morris and point guard Tyshawn Taylor, both from New Jersey.

Huskies reserve forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning, who missed the first three games due to leg injuries, is expected to make his season debut tonight against the Jayhawks and that should take a lot of pressure out of Wooden Award nominee Jon Brockman, who has been fighting double teams in the first three games.

This should be a pretty even game since both teams are trying to find themselves in the early part of the season. For Washington to win they are going to need better play offensively and defensively out on the perimeter. Isaiah Thomas showed some spark in the last game and he is going to have to provide at least 30 minutes of it tonight for the Huskies to pull off the upset.

Quincey Pondexter is another guy that has been inconsistent that needs to start showing up. Pondexter has NBA type potential that really hasn't developed since he has been at UW. He needs to start putting it all together on a nightly basis for UW to make a serious run this season.

CBE Classic Schedule

Today

Syracuse vs. Florida,

4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Washington vs. Kansas,

7 p.m. (ESPN2)

Tuesday

Consolation game, 4:45 p.m. (ESPNU)

Championship game,

7:15 p.m. (ESPN2)

Radio: KJR (950 AM)

After three years of Husky basketball bliss, we sat through two years of high expectations and mediocre results.  Along with most fans, I expect this year to be different than the last two—at least ONE of our sports teams has to be decent, right?  Right. 

There is more to base expected success on other than just hope, though. This is a much different team than the one we have seen the last two years, and one that I believe will return to the top of the Pac-10 and make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

From where I sit, the success of the season will be dependent on five factors and five games/series. Sure, it’s a long season, but these will define whether this version of the Huskies can get back to the tourney...and perhaps make a Romarific run deep into March.

Key Factors

1) Free Throws

Does this even need to be stated?  UW has to hit 65-70 percent of its free throws minimum.  Against Western we hit 69 percent—not great, but not terrible.

2) Perimeter Defense

This team must create constant perimeter pressure in order to force turnovers and fast breaks.  We did not have the athletes the last two years.  We do now.

3) Quincy Pondexter

The last two years we have waited for Quincy to show us why he was a top 50 recruit.  He has to show us this year.  Having a wing who can take the pressure off Brockman is essential for success.

4) Hec Ed and the Dawg Pack

Three years ago playing at Hec Ed was difficult for opposing teams—the last two years, not so much.  Everyone in the arena must make sure that when opposing teams come to Seattle, they know they will not be leaving with a win.

5) Pac-10 Strength

The Pac-10 was the best conference in the country last year, but it is not this year.  Stanford lost the Lopez twins, WSU lost Lowe, Weaver, and Cowgill, and Arizona is, well, a mess.  USC, UCLA, and ASU will all be very tough, but beyond those three, the Pac-10 is not what it was last year.

Key Games/Series

1) CBE Tournament: Nov. 24 & 25

UW needs a signature out of conference win.  A win over Kansas or Florida/Syracuse will let us, and the country, know if we are ready to compete with the big boys.

2) At WSU: Jan. 3

We have not beaten them since Nate Robinson donned the Purple & Gold.  A win on the road, where we have struggled the last two years, would do a lot for the confidence of this team.

3) At home against USC & UCLA: Jan. 22 & 24

If we expect to be in the top three in the Pac-10, we must hold serve at home. 

4) At Arizona, ASU, Cal, and Stanford: Jan. 29 & 31 and Feb. 5 & 8

UW must win at least two and should win three of these.

5) At UCLA & USC: Feb. 19 & 21

A win on the road against who I think are the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Pac-10 will dramatically help our RPI.

After last night’s loss to Portland, we are still waiting to see if we can hit free throws and Quincy can somehow manage to become an offensive threat.  I think we can, but until we do, we can only hope.

After a disappointing season last year, Lorenzo Romar has his troops ready for a new season. The UW basketball team is hungry for an NCAA tournament berth.

They finally have the right personnel in place including a perennial All-American candidate, Jon Brockman and a star freshman in Isaiah Thomas. Here are five games that Brockman and his teammates will have to win to make March Madness a reality:

November 24^th against the Kansas Jayhawks (CBE Classic): This will be the first true test for this Husky team. The defending champs lose just about every player that played significant minutes last year.

However, the talent that is filling in provides little drop off. The Jayhawks match up surprisingly well with the Huskies. One battle that will be fun to watch will be between Brockman, who weighs 255-pounds and Quintrill Thomas, who weighs 240-pounds. This game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

The Huskies need a win here to insure a high seed when March rolls around.

December 4^thagainst the Oklahoma State Cowboys HOME: Besides the Kansas game, Oklahoma State is the only other significant non-conference foe the Huskies will face. This game will be extremely entertaining because of the anticipated high-pace styles employed by both teams.

A new head coach for the Cowboys, Travis Ford, has promised to push the ball more and play more pressure defense. This game also promises to be a big game for Brockman, who will be going against a forward-less Cowboy team who will probably only start one forward, opting for a four-guard lineup.

If the Huskies can beat Oklahoma State, then it will prove that the Huskies' athleticism is the real deal.

 

January 3^rd at Washington State Cougars: It’s not so much that the Cougars will be a tough team, but it’s more because the Huskies haven’t beaten the Cougars since 2005. The Cougars have won the last seven meetings between the two teams.

However, this time around the Huskies will be the favorites, with the Cougars returning only two starters from last season.

The winner of this game will be determined by which team is able to impose its’ style on the other team. I have a feeling that the Huskies’ athleticism and up-tempo style will win over the solid defensive prowess of the Cougars.

With this game being the first Pac-10 game, it will be vital for the Huskies to start off on the right foot to kick off a tough conference schedule.

January 31^st at Arizona State Sun Devils: This season, the Sun Devils are expected to be the second best team in the Pac-10 to UCLA. The Sun Devils will return one of the top players in the conference, James Harden, who will be competing with Brockman for conference player of the year honors.  Along with Harden, Jeff Pendegraph, a senior forward will provide concerns for the Husky defense.

This will be a tough game for the Huskies to pull out, but if they win here, they’re destined for big things come March.

February 19^th at UCLA Bruins: Easily the top team in the conference, this game will be the second of the series between the Huskies and the Bruins. Of course both games are crucial, but the road game is even more important as the Dawgs have struggled to win against ranked foes on the road. Alfred Aboya and James Keefe are the only experienced returning players from last year's UCLA team.

However Jrue Holiday, a freshman, will be the player to watch. Jrue is the brother of current Husky player, Justin Holiday. Will Romar use Justin to guard his little brother? If so, Jrue will have to beat the Huskies who will not only be attacking him out on the court, but also be waging a mental war at the same time in little Jrue’s head.