1st Annual Abla Report
The 1999-2000 University of Michigan Men’s Basketball Team Scouting Report
Reviews are based on last night’s exhibition game versus Double Pump All-Stars.
Only reviewed players who played in the game. Brandon Smith (34) is currently injured.
By Tim Abla
Leon Jones (0)
played more mature than last year…..played well down the stretch…..still takes some poor shots…..good hustle defensively
Jamal Crawford (1)
skinnier than a whittled-down twig…..wears 1 for a reason — no other number would fit on his jersey…..extremely athletic…..mix between Ray Jackson and Jalen Rose…..in love with the highlight reel game — going to be very frustrating at times…..flashiest warmup player I’ve ever seen, which is not necessarily a good thing…..takes a shot most times he sees the hoop…..long arms lead to some good defensive picks…..runs the point when Gaines isn’t in — not as successful at it…..can clamp down on the defensive end
Kevin Gaines (2)
floor leader of the future…..freshman that looks most like an upper classman…..runs the point solidly, but needs to make better decisions on the fast break…..looks to pass more than shoot, but still takes it to the hoop the right amount…..gets pocket picked a little too much, but easily correctable…..athletic and pretty good around the hoop…..telegraphs some passes…..much more calm than Crawford…..wrist was taped, but wasn’t affected
Gavin Groninger (23)
can’t create by himself, but good shot when open…..needs to look for shot a little more…..will be a solid player after getting a little experience…..can play the point in a crunch, but not a regular point guard…..probably 9th or 10th in rotation after Smith gets healthy
Josh Asselin (25)
excellent…..put on a little muscle without losing quickness…..really going to be a top-notch player and floor leader…..didn’t make the bad fouls, but you can see it happening here and there…..very good around the basket offensively….. will at least be second-team Big 10…..looking to score more…..gets a lot of tip-ins
Lavell Blanchard (30)
stud…..will lead the team in scoring if Asselin doesn’t…..great shot…..very solid rebounder defensively…..excellent offensive rebounder, puts in all his second chance opportunities (unlike others) of which there are many…..will challenge for top Big 10 freshman honors…..smart, smart, smart…..needs to eliminate some fouls — probably a little nervous in the first half, played huge in the second half…..looked better against 27-year-old ex-college players than against 17-year-old high schoolers last year
Chris Young (45)
solid, without any flash…..not much offensive game other than second-chance tips…..good defensive rebounder…..keeps balls alive on the offensive end…..strong
Leland Anderson (50)
well-built…..quick for his bulk…..thinks his offensive game is better than it really is…..may get the least playing time of top 10…..looks shorter than 6′ 8″ listed height…..had a fairly-wide-open dunk attempt blocked by the bottom of the net…..emotional
Peter Vignier (55)
same old, same old…..terrible hands, terrible touch on offensive end…..pretty good rebounder on both ends, but misses easy second chances…..rode the bench down the stretch…..might have put on a little muscle — looks big
Miscellaneous Team Notes
very athletic…..excellent offensive rebounding team…..poor defensive rebounding team…..miss most second-chance bunnies, but get a lot of third chances…..terrible passing with a capital T…..tall guards…..not bad three-point shooting…..doesn’t get to the line at all…..went with quick rotations of players — short shifts…..can legitimately say they are 9 or 10 deep when Smith gets back…..VERY streaky team — proved it by falling down by double digits twice in the second half, only to fight back to even both times (including once in the last two minutes)…..susceptible to three-point shot, but could develop into a very solid defensive team…..Ellerbe seemed comfortable playing three freshmen at a time…..can be a better team quicker than I thought, but will still lose some games they should win…..NCAA tourney not out of reach, but really needs to win all the games they should win before the Big 10 season…..will be very exciting and very frustrating
Prediction
most likely NIT-bound