Someone give us a Pickup Game (Basketball) report this Saturday...

[The_Bionic_Pig]

The Recruits will most likely participate and its open to the public.  2:00 p.m. (est)

[501Ben]

I will be there.

[TN_Realist]

Good to hear.  Wish I was still there, would go see Keith and try to sway him even more hah

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

2:00

i'll be there

[The_Bionic_Pig]

2:00

i'll be there

That's 1:00 p.m. (cst) your time Hollywood...recall I am on the Atlantic

[Tomhog™]

So you are on the East Coast now, Stewie?  Didja finally make it there?

I'd appreciate updates on the shoot around...

[Razorod]

anyone can give updates on the visitors--especially the bb ones since they will be playing some pick-up ball tomorrow! Keep us in the know.

[razorhead94]

Watched Rotnei shoot today with the team...unbelievable shot.  I think we have a good shot of landing him.  He seemed to be getting along well with our players.

[The_Bionic_Pig]

Watched Rotnei shoot today with the team...unbelievable shot.  I think we have a good shot of landing him.  He seemed to be getting along well with our players.

Interesting you should say that razorhead because in a interview before his visit he mentioned that team continuity will play a major part on who he signs with this November. (Early signing period)

[Adam Stokes]

Watched Rotnei shoot today with the team...unbelievable shot.  I think we have a good shot of landing him.  He seemed to be getting along well with our players.

Interesting you should say that razorhead because in a interview before his visit he mentioned that team continuity will play a major part on who he signs with this November. (Early signing period)

The drama with Willie probably had something to do with him wanting more team continuity.

[Snoop Hoggy Hog]

Did anyone go watch the pickup game? If so how did they look?

[501Ben]

From what I saw

- Townes and Thomas look like different people. Townes has slimmed down and looks like a monster. He is really lean and looks great.

- We ran the floor great. It was a pickup game, so those are naturally faster pace just because there is really no structure to them, but the teams conditioning looked good getting up and down the floor.

- Michael Washing ran the floor well, and he was hitting a lot of threes in a shoot around and in the scrimmage.

- Ervin and Welsh each ran the point for their teams.

- Patrick played like Patrick. He was a great leader out there and really directed the team.

- Sonny was in street clothes, and he didn't play.

- I hope we get Stan Simpson. He was playing great out there, and looked like he could come in now and contribute early.

[The Boar War]

- Townes and Thomas look like different people. Townes has slimmed down and looks like a monster. He is really lean and looks great.

They have both dropped the weight and added the muscle.  I kept having to tell my wife that yes that is Darian Townes.  She couldn't believe it.

[The_Iceman]

Players usually improve the most between their Junior and Senior year. I hope this is the case for guys like Townes and thomas. Hill, Weems, and Ervin also need to improve their games as well. If all 5 of those dedicate themselves, we could be a top 10 team.

[AirForceHog]

Thanks for the updates. Looking forward to the season.

[japhog]

how did Steven Hill look?  i haven't heard much about him this offseason...

[HawgAdvocate]

Players usually improve the most between their Junior and Senior year. I hope this is the case for guys like Townes and thomas. Hill, Weems, and Ervin also need to improve their games as well. If all 5 of those dedicate themselves, we could be a top 10 team.

Wouldn't it be awesome if Townes pulled a Nicky Davis and dominated the SEC in rebounding this year?

[The_Iceman]

Players usually improve the most between their Junior and Senior year. I hope this is the case for guys like Townes and thomas. Hill, Weems, and Ervin also need to improve their games as well. If all 5 of those dedicate themselves, we could be a top 10 team.

during his freshman year, i thought townes was going to be an All-SEC, first round NBA talent.

He still has time to regain that form.
Wouldn't it be awesome if Townes pulled a Nicky Davis and dominated the SEC in rebounding this year?

[return2glory]

I went to the scrimmage too. Townes and Thomas both have lost a lot of weight.

Before the pickup game, Pelphrey had Sanchez, Washington, Thomas, and Townes going through some drills. I think I'm going to like him as a coach, he was on them about running through the drills and not being lazy. He got out there with them and was defending them in the post. Pushing them to get better.

AJ Walton was playing too. He was playing well. Threw some good alley oops, shot well, and really ran his team well in my opinion. Physically, he stacked up pretty well with the other recruits and PGs they have on campus. Hope we can get him.

Stan Simpson played like he had something to prove. He played harder than the rest of the bigs. I think he could come in and contribute.

[Hawgballz]

From what I saw

- Townes and Thomas look like different people. Townes has slimmed down and looks like a monster. He is really lean and looks great.

- We ran the floor great. It was a pickup game, so those are naturally faster pace just because there is really no structure to them, but the teams conditioning looked good getting up and down the floor.

- Michael Washing ran the floor well, and he was hitting a lot of threes in a shoot around and in the scrimmage.

- Ervin and Welsh each ran the point for their teams.

- Patrick played like Patrick. He was a great leader out there and really directed the team.

- Sonny was in street clothes, and he didn't play.

- I hope we get Stan Simpson. He was playing great out there, and looked like he could come in now and contribute early.

Ben501, great report and I agree totally with most of what you said.  I believe I got their earlier than what you did because I got to watch the individual workouts before the scrimmages.  They worked the guards first and then the big men.

The guards spent most of their time working on several drills to quicken their shots, speed up running through the lane & on the baseline to come off screens and shoot the 3, and to take the ball hard in & step back for the 3.  Ervin & Welsh did well handling the ball, but their shots were erratic, while PBev really did it all well and looked like he was having the most fun on the court the whole day, also weems fully participated in the individual drills and while his ball handling suffered from the cast, his shooting did not.  I was amazed at how quick he could get his shot up & how accruate he was with the injury.

You are right, Townes & Thomas look like different players, not only have they trimmed down but they both showed great attitudes during the individual workouts.  It is hard to tell how much Michael Washington is working because it all just seems to come to easy for him (that is a good thing I guess).  Michael Sanchez is well behind the other bigs in the individual workouts, his feet & hands will both need a lot of work.  I have a feeling he will not see as much playing time as some have predicted (I don't think he will be on the 2 deep) at least at the start of the season.

The scrimmages were a lot of fun for both players & fans.  A few things that stood out to me were:  Vincent Hunter was not much more than just a clown on the court (joking with everyone, but not playing very well), you could really tell Steven Hill was just taking it easy (walking up & down the court), the 2 best passes inside of the day belonged to the kid from Europe (Levan ), PG play will still be our biggest question mark this year, Nate Rakestraw & Levan ?? will be zone busters if they have any time at all and Townes & Thomas looked ready for SEC play, today.

Oh yeah, 1 last thing, if Coach P doesn't win, it won't be because he didn't work at it and push the players to be their best.

[The Boar War]

how did Steven Hill look?  i haven't heard much about him this offseason...

I got there late so I didn't see him play much.  Physically though he looked a lt stronger across the shoulders.  I think he will be a more dominant rebounder this year.

[TRUHOG718]

From what I saw

- Townes and Thomas look like different people. Townes has slimmed down and looks like a monster. He is really lean and looks great.

- We ran the floor great. It was a pickup game, so those are naturally faster pace just because there is really no structure to them, but the teams conditioning looked good getting up and down the floor.

- Michael Washing ran the floor well, and he was hitting a lot of threes in a shoot around and in the scrimmage.

- Ervin and Welsh each ran the point for their teams.

- Patrick played like Patrick. He was a great leader out there and really directed the team.

- Sonny was in street clothes, and he didn't play.

- I hope we get Stan Simpson. He was playing great out there, and looked like he could come in now and contribute early.

Ben501, great report and I agree totally with most of what you said.  I believe I got their earlier than what you did because I got to watch the individual workouts before the scrimmages.  They worked the guards first and then the big men.

The guards spent most of their time working on several drills to quicken their shots, speed up running through the lane & on the baseline to come off screens and shoot the 3, and to take the ball hard in & step back for the 3.  Ervin & Welsh did well handling the ball, but their shots were erratic, while PBev really did it all well and looked like he was having the most fun on the court the whole day, also weems fully participated in the individual drills and while his ball handling suffered from the cast, his shooting did not.  I was amazed at how quick he could get his shot up & how accruate he was with the injury.

You are right, Townes & Thomas look like different players, not only have they trimmed down but they both showed great attitudes during the individual workouts.  It is hard to tell how much Michael Washington is working because it all just seems to come to easy for him (that is a good thing I guess).  Michael Sanchez is well behind the other bigs in the individual workouts, his feet & hands will both need a lot of work.  I have a feeling he will not see as much playing time as some have predicted (I don't think he will be on the 2 deep) at least at the start of the season.

The scrimmages were a lot of fun for both players & fans.  A few things that stood out to me were:  Vincent Hunter was not much more than just a clown on the court (joking with everyone, but not playing very well), you could really tell Steven Hill was just taking it easy (walking up & down the court), the 2 best passes inside of the day belonged to the kid from Europe (Levan ), PG play will still be our biggest question mark this year, Nate Rakestraw & Levan ?? will be zone busters if they have any time at all and Townes & Thomas looked ready for SEC play, today.

Oh yeah, 1 last thing, if Coach P doesn't win, it won't be because he didn't work at it and push the players to be their best.

Thx guys.  Great info. +1 for you both.  I try not to think about it too much because it gets me too jacked up for November.  I sure hope Hill knows something I dont know because other than Hunter all our Bigs are playing like they want to start this season.

And I dont think Pel's too high on what you did last year. He's got a "show me" mindstate so I hope Hill starts SHOWING. I'm damn proud of Townes though.

[HawgAdvocate]

I posted this in the B-Ball forum, but if anyone gets an update on Beverley's shooting hand injury, please share it here.

He took a charge yesterday and was getting a cast put on today.

[ballhogger14u]

townes dominated the inside, thomas is still a manchild, hill still stinks on offense, washington looked pretty good. Beverly is just a winner, was impressed with rakestraws shooting, but concerned about his speed on defense. point guard is going to be an issue irvin can't get it done, not sure why hunter is even on the team. welsch looked ok. was dissappointed with levans shooting, thought he could shoot better than what he did

[ballhogger14u]

I was there until 2:30 and he was fine then, must have happened after i left

[razorhead94]

townes dominated the inside, thomas is still a manchild, hill still stinks on offense, washington looked pretty good. Beverly is just a winner, was impressed with rakestraws shooting, but concerned about his speed on defense. point guard is going to be an issue irvin can't get it done, not sure why hunter is even on the team. welsch looked ok. was dissappointed with levans shooting, thought he could shoot better than what he did

ballhogger, patsa's shooting is fine. i promise you, i wouldn't worry about it too much. maybe just an off day.