BAMA MIGHT BE NEAR THE BOTTOM OF SEC

Some tough times lie ahead...

    "The captain has turned off the seatbelt sign. You can unbuckle your seats and walk around the cabin. We ask you not jump off the plane, however," That pretty much sums up the way a lot of Alabama fans must feel tonight.  For the first half of the Clemson game, the Tide was an embarrassment. Coach Johnson's promise of a fast paced game seems like a distant memory.  Before the season started I thought the Tide would be hard pressed to match last season's win total. Right now, it's hard to see more than a handful of games the Tide will win. I think believing Alabama is going to win a few road games just isn't going to happen. I'm sure the Tide's coaching staff will come up with something to win a few home games. Beyond that, I don't see even 16 wins for the season.

        The Tide's offense is hopeless. We have no inside game, and our guards can't drop a ball off the end of a pier and hit the ocean.  They all seemed scared to death to even shoot. I'm glad that Johnson finally put Shannon Hale in the last ten minutes. He'll shoot. He might not make a lot but he'll cause the defense to seek him out. Add to that he will take the ball to the basket and it causes some offensive movement. Alabama even managed to get the Clemson down to single digits, but it was far too little and far too late. The Tide's record is now 5-5 with a possible win coming up on Wednesday in Huntsville. You tell where the Tide is going to win enough games to make the NIT, much less the NCAA.

       No doubt, the Tide has recruited well for next season. You might even see four of the Tide's recruits in the starting lineup. Right now, Don'ta Hall is the only Tide player I believe would start next season. So what does the Tide coaching staff do now? I'd give some strong consideration to calling this season unimportant. Would the Tide be better off just playing those players who might contribute next season?  I see only two Tide players, Avery Johnson, Jr. and Braxton Key that seems to play up to what the coaching staff wants to do. The strange disappearance of Riley Norris and Shannon Hale is surprising. Point guard Dazon Ingram has been like a lost sheep on the floor. Granted, the point guard position is a tough one. Even graduate transfers have been ineffective.

     Johnson's team is on the brink of collapse. Even the most miraculous coaching possible isn't going to turn this season around. The talent isn't there, the chemistry isn't there, and more than a few boos were rained down on the floor from fans who questioned the effort. Coach Johnson has a Merry-Go-Round of a playing rotation. Surely, that is going to stop at some time in the future.

     Coach Johnson pumped this team up to the fans. Perhaps he has misjudged or his boundless enthusiasm got the best. The Tide showed some enthusiasm in ten minutes. Kudos to them for doing so. The deficit was just too great.  It was the worst half of basketball I've seen in some time. Our offense doesn't exist. Our defense allows guards to penetrate untouched to the basket far too many times.

      Next year the Tide has better players coming in. But what are we getting off this year's team to help the newbies transition into SEC ball? Hall might continue to improve. Braxton Key    will be rock solid. Can Ingram figure out his problems? This team is on the verge of a complete disintegration unless like Saul they see the light. I don't think they even know where the light bulb might be. 

SLOW START HAS 'BAMA FANS WORRIED...

Players have closed door meeting to sort things out

 

         

Best Tide single season ? 

I've held off writing much because it seemed important to see the team play several games. I've seen six of the seven games the Tide has played and you can color me unimpressed. Last season, the Tide excited the 'Bama Nation with some good wins. I think most fans now understand how much Retin Obasahan meant to the Tide and how his inspiring play covered up a multitude of basketball sins for the rest of the team. Now, it is plainly clear that Obasahan meant a lot more than most fans and writers believed. The Tide's guard play this season and been average as best. I think the jury is still out on Dazon Ingram's play at the point. His outside shooting has improved. He penetration to the basket in undeniable. His turnovers are too frequent and come at the worst time. He is pressing in an attempt to carry his team. Ingram has all the physical skills necessary to be a great point guard. He will get better. His year off waiting for a foot injury to heal has left him rusty on the court. I expect him to show vast improvement as the year progresses. If Ingram doesn't or isn't able to step up the game it is going to be a long year for the Tide.

THE TRANSFERS...

   

Bama needs some points

Let's be honest. Nick King and Corbin Collins have been disappointing at best. King seems to be a jack of all trades but a master of none. Collins, who was a 40% shooter behind the line has not found his touch yet. He hit three bigs against Texas but has otherwise not delivered the offense fans expected. leadership cannot be denied. He's a solid addition at a time when 'Bama needs better than solid performances. Nick King has picked up with disruptive play inside on defense. His offense has been woefully short of what the Tide needs. The former top 25 recruit  signed with Memphis and then transferred to Bama. The Tide needs him to play the power forward. He is a classic tweener at the two forward positions. Avery Johnson, Jr. has been surprisingly steady off the bench. He is obviously well versed by his father and he has helped the Crimson. Nick King is now MIA due to an undisclosed medical problem which has caused him to lose "substantial" weight.

THE NEWBIES...

     

Davis needs to step up his game

When 'Bama signed Ar'mond Davis, the hot shot three-man from the College of Southern Idaho, there was a big hope his outside shooting would give the Tide some instant help. It has not happened. It's early in his Division One career. He has the touch to be a real asset.He is more of a catch and shoot three point shooter as opposed to creating his own shot. 

    If any player has exceeded expectations it is Braxton Key. Key who played at famed Oak Hill Academy. Key is 6-8 and checks in at 230 pounds.He is a real talent and is the best player on the team in my opinion. He can make the three-point basket and take it down low. He is good rebounder and has some real court sense. His play will likely determine just how well the Tide will do this season. He was a top 25 recruit according to some publications and was a consencus four-star player.

    Bola Olananiyan, the 6-7 grad transfer from Southern Illinois is a scrapper. It remains to be seen if excellent rebound skills will make his a strong addition to the Tide's team. Of all the Tide's new players he is the one that puzzles me the most. He got good reviews from fellow teammates for his leadership and hard work in practice. It has yet to manifest in games. He has started some games but his contributions have been modest.

RETURNING PLAYERS...

    I like Riley Cooper. He is an old fashioned blue collar player. In high school, he was a prolific scoring and rebounder. He has had two good years in Tuscaloosa already. I expect him to play well this season. Like a lot of shooters, he needs to shot. I know that sounds odd but long range shooters are not going to sit on the bench and come in a make a few very often.    

    How do you not pull for Jimmie Taylor, the much-maligned post player? He is a good shot blocker and that's about it. He plays hard, and I think he has lived up to his potential. That's about anyone can hope for. He has some good moments. But that's about it. Just moments and not games will to fall short for what the Tide needs. His backup, Don'ta Hall is an athletic animal who is short of any basketball skills. No doubt he can rebound and block shots. He has improved from last season. I think the time as come to put him ahead of Taylor

FINAL THOUGHTS...

    The excitement of Avery Johnson landing a gig in Tuscaloosa was huge. As usual, Alabama fans went completely crazy. That's okay because its been a long time since Bama has had a great team. If you understand Basketball it should have been apparent that this was going to hard season.

    I don't understand Johnson's refusal to key in on eight players and get his rotation settled. The Tide is averaging 33 points off the bench. That's not as good as what we'd like to believe. What that means for Bama is that the starters still haven't been selected. Tonight, the Tide plays Oregon. Alabama is a 12 point dog. We've all buckled up. Now we are going to find out if Coach Johnson can coach. Last season, he had already pulled off a couple of upsets. I hope he can get one tonight.

UPDATE ON AVERY'S GAMBLE...

JOHNSON WANTS THE BIG DOGS...

   

John Brown, Jr. has Tide on his short short list

 A short while ago I wrote a post about the danger of Avery Johnson's gamble to go after highly rated recruited status players. I'm talking five-star recruits and those players who are right at five-star status. Is it working? Well, at this point it is difficult to say. We keep hearing about players like John Petty and his interest in the Tide. So far we have no verbal commitments. I'd give Coach a lot of credit for even getting five-star recruits on campus. John Brown comes to mind. I know from talking with a few of the players they have some interest in the Tide. Would I call it a burning interest? I don't think so. For Johnson just to create enough interest to get those calibre players to visits is progress. Even if Alabama got only one five-star player to commit that has be labeled progress. A visit can create a burning interest. Give Johnson credit. He's working the circuit. 

    Rumors are flying faster than tear gas canisters in North Carolina at this point. Some say we are in good shape for Brown, Petty, and Sexton. Others say that Petty tried to commit to Kentucky earlier in the week. So what does this writer have to think about all this? Nothing. Recruiting big time basketball players is a thankless task and truth is an absolute stranger to the process. My gut tells me that all Avery's hard work is going to pay off. But that's all I have to offer. TIDERINSIDER, who does excellent work, says we have two private commitments. I'll take their word because I know where they get their information. I'd also like to offer my kudo's to the Rodney and Dalton for getting on board and taking hoops more importantly. The interest is there. They had been stymied by find out a way to get information in my opinion. Regardless, they have shown they are capable of doing an A-1 job in college hoops recruiting. Hoops recruiting makes football recruiting look like jello on a hot summer day. 

    I know that the Tide has been listed on the Top-Ten Watch List by other publications anticipating big years. Are they guessing, or where their is smoke their must be fire. I bet we get two or three big dogs. I think we know who the usual suspects are by now, but let's go over them a minute.

1. John Petty -  The Huntsville native is ranked as the 25th best player by ESPN in the Country. The 6-5 senior is a prototypical shooting guard. He'd start from the minute he hit the campus. Or would he? My guess is yes, but the Tide has some good outside shooters who can score. He'll get his minutes. 

2. Troy Brown, Jr. - might just be the best small forward in the nation who can also play the two in a pinch. I idea of him and Petty on the floor at the same time makes Bama fans salivate. ESPN checks him in at number 18 in the USA. The Las Vegas native, via Centennial High School is a great player. Johnson got him campus but can he steal the kid away from Kansas, Georgetown, Oregon, UNLV, (lot of pressure to stay at home) Arizona, and Cal. Local AAU coaches say Johnson made a strong impression. Don't leave out Cal in this hunt either. 6-6 - 185,

3. Herb Jones - I'm going on record to say that Bama needs to offer Jones and recruit him hard. He has a big upside once he's played against some big time competition. He dominates everyone locally. He's from Newbern, Alabama and has the frame to play the small forward, but the kid is a scraper and a scorer. 6-5 180.

4. Alex Reese - The Pelham native is 6-10. He's a power forward, and if you said he is the best player in Alabama you'd get a lot of support. He's going to either Alabama or UAB. I think we all know the importance of his recruitment. By the way, Vandy is pushing him hard, and Pitt just visited and made an offer.

5. Collin Sexton is instant offense. The 6-3 shooting guard from Georgia has easily been the most impressive recruit I've seen this summer. He was a game changer in a lot of AAU match ups. ESPN has him ranked as the 10th ranked player in the Country, and he is much better than that. No smoke blowing here, I've seen him play. Easily the best player the Tide is after. 

    Tide fans think the Crimson may sign four of these guys which tells me you can still by LSD on the streets. Could they get two? They just might.

AVERY JOHNSON TO NAB FIVE STAR?

     
      A couple of days ago I talked about the gamble that Avery Johnson was taking going after great players. Over the past couple days, I've come to believe the Collin Sexton is 'Bama  bound.  Sexton is a five-star rated point guard from Mapleton, Georgia.  Johnson and Pettway have recruited the young man hard and long into the nights. They have followed him to all his AAU summer gigs. At the ELYB tournament, he dominated. I watched his games on TV and all I could say "this kid is very, very good." And after talking with a bunch of people who know him, they believe he's a lock for Alabama at this point. If that is true, he would be a huge jump for 'Bama's program. He's rated #9 on ESPN Top 100, but that number is likely going down. Whatever the number ends up being it doesn't' matter. He is who he is, and who he is a great high school player. If Alabama signs Collin, it will be a hard-fought battle over some of the blue blood in college basketball. Here're a few of the names that contacted him. Duke and Kentucky are the latest schools which have reached out to him. North Carolina wants him. Add Arizona, Villanova, Kansas, Florida and anyone else who needs a point. That would be every college in America. 

WHY ALABAMA?

     Let me give you four reasons why I think Alabama will have Collin on their roster next season.  The first two reasons are Avery Johnson and Antoine Pettway. Two old point guards who can teach this young man a lot about running the point. Throw in the fact that Johnson can fast track him to the NBA must be enticing. Number three is that the Tide was the first school to recruit him. Think about that. This season is Johnson's second recruiting class. That says the young man has gotten better. He has been the most impressive player on the AAU circuit this summer. Number four is that he loves Tuscaloosa, and it is close to home. Mom has already cast her vote for Tuscaloosa. Collin may a kid from Georgia but he made it clear to Dawg coaches he wanted a situation to help him reach to the league. His recruitment tells us a lot about our coaches and our University. I think we get him, and let's hope he pulls the trigger soon. His commitment would tell the rest of our recruits that if you come to Bama, I'll get your rock. 

AVERY'S GAMBLE...

Johnson Rolls the Dice on Big Time Recruits...

   You have to love Avery Johnson. He is an enthusiastic coach and leader who believes in his ability to recruit the best players in America. He is dealing with a classic zero sum game. He is going to be highly successful, or someone else is going to be highly successful, and there is no room between the two. He either wins big, or he loses big. He is doing what Nick Saban does in football. Whether he is successful remains to be seen. 

Tide has a decent basketball history...

         Let's be honest with ourselves. Alabama is not a big name in college basketball. We have been historically more successful than most people realize. In Alabama, there is only room for one theory of recruiting - go big or go home. Tide fans will only accept winning. I have no idea of whether Coach Johnson will succeed in his big game hunt. I've talked with several recruits, and they have some real interest in Alabama. The recruits have more interest in whether Johnson can help them get to the NBA as quickly as possible. The Tide might grab a few kids who grew up Bama fans, but the Tide is now casting a wider net to attract big name players. 


The Tide needs a great class to jumpstart the program...

   

Five Star Troy Brown has Bama in his final cut...

     One good recruiting will bring in the next class. I liked what Johnson did with the team last season. He had some talent, but a lot of it was just gutsy basketball coupled with overachievements. One thing is sure - if Alabama is going to be a national player in basketball again, Johnson is doing the best thing possible. There is another road I hope he won't forget. It's what I call the Gonzaga method. Gonzaga became a player in the NCAA by hiring a great coach and then recruiting good players who hung around four or five seasons. I think that Johnson will look toward the Gonzaga example, and he has done so already. Donta Hall is the obvious example. He has some talent. Hall is a good athlete, but Donta isn't a good player yet. I stress the yet because he can end up being a superb basketball player. Right now, he has demonstrated that he will clean your chops on the inside with his shot block ability. Hall is a player to watch to judge Johnson's coaching ability. By the end of last season, I thought Hall was the best post player on the squad. 

Johnson is drawing national attention...

     One thing that leans in Bama's favor is the national reputation of Avery Johnson. He is well respected, and admired by a lot of AAU coaches. That is generally a recipe for success. We can talk about the recruits themselves another day, but we need to give Coach Johnson a pat on the back for his putting together a great staff and a couple of excellent recruiters. Someone asked me the other day where is Bama recruiting? One word answer on that one - everywhere. Johnson as divided up his staff to send them to any camp where the big named recruits migrate to in the summer. The Tide has made the final cut for a lot of big name recruits. More on them later and what i learned from them...

Tide's Pre-SEC schedule...

Faulkner (exhibition) on Nov. 3

2015 record: 20-14, 11-7 SSA Conference

Coastal Carolina (season opener) on Nov. 11

2015 record: 21-12, 12-6 Sun Belt

Dayton on Nov. 15

2015 record: 25-8, 14-4 Atlantic-10

Ball State on Nov. 18

2015 record: 21-14, 10-8 MAC

Valparaiso on Nov. 21 (tournament in Las Vegas)

2015 record: 30-7, 16-2 Horizon League

Charleston Southern on Nov. 29

2015 record: 9-21, 5-13 Big South

at Texas on Dec. 2

2015 record: 20-13, 11-7 Big 12

at Oregon on Dec. 11

2015 record: 31-7, 14-4 Pac-12

USC Upstate on Dec. 15

2015 record: 10-22, 4-10 Atlantic-Sun

Clemson on Dec. 18 (Birmingham)

2015 record: 17-14, 10-8 ACC

Arkansas State on Dec. 21 (Huntsville) 

2015 record: 11-20, 7-13 Sun Belt

Stetson on Dec. 29

2015 record: 12-22, 4-10 Atlantic Sun

PERCEPTION IS THE NOW REALITY IN BASKETBALL RECRUITING...

   

 Have you ever heard of something called the "Halo Effect"? It's an old educational term regarding smart students. If an excellent student turned in an essay that was clearly average at best, the student would always get an A. I observed a study in graduate school about whether the Halo Effect was real. It seemed to me that it is indeed a fact. Why would I write some scientific facts about recruiting? Here's why. If you sign a scholarship with Alabama in football, you will get a higher ranking whether that ranking is deserved or not. 

         If Kentucky signs a basketball recruit, it is highly likely that kid is a five star, and if not, he will be soon. The Wildcats have taken the Halo Effect to an even higher level. Not only are you a five-star recruit, but you are a one and done player. If a Kentucky coach sits in your family den with the family, you'll eventually hear the term one and done. "At Kentucky, we only expect you to play with us for one season, and then (of course) you'll be in the NBA next season. Anyone see a problem with that?  Not all Kentucky players are of the one and done variety. Not all Alabama players are five-star, I'll be free in three, type players. 

        That leads me to John Petty. He is a five star-star recruit from Huntsville, Alabama. He is high on the Kentucky recruiting list. High enough that he'd get a five-star ranking regardless if he deserves that rating or not. I've never personally seen him play. I've seen four or five videos, and he looks like a five star. In the past week, young Mr. Petty and family had in-home visits from Avery Johnson and John Calipari. Petty and his family are long-time Kentucky fans from all reports. The Wildcats are one of the top five basketball programs of all time in my opinion. I don't see what the University of Alabama has to offer this player. My late father bought an Edsel once, so anything is possible. I'd bet my last dollar that Avery Johnson can sell salt in the desert to a thirsty man. Johnson is talking about how he can send young men to the NBA based on his coaching in the League. Calipari can hand the recruit a list of kids he coached who are in the League. 

 

   For Alabama to sign John Petty, it is going to take some strong persuasion on the part of Johnson and Pettway. It is also going to take the Petty family to be convinced that sending their son to Alabama is going to be as beneficial as watching him driving north to Kentucky. That is a hard sell. In the long run, the Tide coaching staff must convince Petty that coming to Tuscaloosa is just a good as attending Kentucky plus. Plus? Alabama is going to have to sell Petty that they can do everything that Kentucky can do plus one additional thing. The likely plus is that you will be top dog in rebuilding Alabama to national prominence. You will become an Alabama hero. 

     And then, there is that football "thing".  What? What football thing? The football thing is that a large percentage of "Alabama" fans don't like basketball. Or as those guys like to say, "I don't follow basketball." Or in everyday language, "I don't give a tinker's damn about the round ball." In my book, those by guys aren't Alabama fans at all. The recruiting of John Petty is a perfect example of why being the head Alabama basketball coach is a tough job. I don't know who much Johnson makes. I do know it isn't enough. I do know that if I were Avery Johnson's agent, I'd have demanded five to seven seasons to get the ship afloat again. It's a hundred times harder to get a five-star player in hoops to come to Alabama than it is to get his football equivalent.  But, one day, a player will come. It might be this season or not. Johnson has the juice to land some good players. He got one of top JUCO players and one of the most impressive forwards I've seen in quite some time for next season. Johnson's heading in the right direction. 

IN PETTY'S OWN WORDS REGARDING JOHNSON - “He’s really just trying to turn it around,” he said. “So all the great Alabama players, we have to stay home. He’s just trying to prove to us he can turn the school around and keep Alabama a good school.”

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article73635157.html#storylink=cpy

NO QUICK HELP FOR BAMA IN THE SPRING...

   

 This is one of those bad news type posts. I have called recruits, coaches, assistant coaches, and anyone who might have any news about Alabama basketball recruiting in the late period. That concerns me. Or am I just overreacting? 

     No one could give me a single name connected with the Crimson Tide. Nada.Zip.Zero.Nothing. Feel free to fill in your favorite synonym for striking out. Here's what this means for Tide fans. We signed two excellent players in Davis and Key and lost two good players in Ferguson and Coleman. You be the judge on Kessens. No pun intended but Kessens can teach us some lessons about accepting transfers from lower mid-major teams. Throw in the fact that Obasohan and Edwards are gone, and this might end up being the spring of our basketball discontent. 

     I keep looking at my list. Not one name on it has any involvement with Alabama. That doesn't mean we won't sign anyone, but I do think it means that Johnson is going to have to make a decision on whether to gamble on someone or just hold his cards. I don't see how we can be successful next season without a backup point guard. We just never seem to land a good post player. Taylor and Hall were both four-star rated players. Really? I think Hall has some definite upside. I think the other players like Taylor and we have to keep him to put someone on the floor. Taylor can't shoot, is a weak rebounder, but he can create some chaos on the inside. I think Hall is a much better athlete, and I suspect the staff is going to work him to death on some drop steps, baby hooks, and put-backs during the summer and fall. Avery, Jr. must have made some tremendous strides. Otherwise, why would Coleman have left? His family told me he wanted more playing time. He's a good kid. His departure might also say that he has seen the writing on the wall regarding his future? Is Johnson, Jr. that good?


   Dazon Ingram, on paper and in limited action last season, seems to be a winner. So as it stands today, we have Ingram, Johnson, and Schaffer to play the point. I don't think Austin can play the point. If Johnson is okay and is ready for SEC ball, we will be covered out front. If Johnson is not ready for prime time, we are going to have a lot of problems in my opinion.  

    Nick King and Braxton Key will both bolster the power forward next season. It wouldn't surprise me to see Hale play the two guard. He can shoot the ball well in streaks, and he has to get on the nerves of the officials with his constant complaining. The man has some woeful looks to give the refs. Maybe he will be a surprise to the Tide faithful ala Sprewell and Farmer. 

     I'm looking at Tennessee, Auburn, Mississippi State as a progress comparison. All three of those programs is mired in the same morass as Bama. Are we ahead of those teams? I don't know. Missouri has so many problems I don't think we can use them to gauge our progress in any meaningful manner. 

     Wimp Sanderson once said he'd take a JUCO player if he could start next season. Present Bama coaches must think Davis can do the same thing. An old rule of thumb regarding JUCOs is to bring them in to start, or to back up a center and a point. Otherwise, pass on them. Gosh, we need some rebounding and inside scoring. I watched a few practices, and King can be that man. Key has tremendous potential. One has sat out a year and will have some rust, and the other must adapt to D1 ball. 

    I said three years recruiting would be needed to see if we can get some hops in the program. I'm standing by that, but in all honesty, I wish coach would find one more inside player in the late period.

BAMA NEEDS A POST PLAYER AND A POINT GUARD ASAP

      It doesn't take a brain surgeon to understand that Bama needs a competitive post player and a point guard in April. Dazon Ingram is going to be a star in the SEC before he leaves. Next season, he's going to be a freshman all over. I understand that Dazon played some before an unfortunate practice injury. I know he will be stronger, fully rehabilitated, and full of energy to get back on the floor. Like most of you, I can't wait to see him. He will be rusty, and even though I'm sure he will have gained a lot of knowledge from sitting on the bench. What he does not have is playing time. The loss of Justin Coleman is going to hurt the Tide early on in the season. Nick King is going to step into the departed shoes of Michael Kessens, and he'll do just fine. In fact, he may do a lot better than just fine. 

         In case you've missed the last three years of Tide hoops it is easy to understand Alabama doesn't have a real post player.  That's not a knock to Jimmie Taylor. He has given it 110%. Jimmie just doesn't have the talent to compete with big post players in the NCAA. The jury is still out if Don'ta Hall will make it or not. What Bama needs is a post player who can come in and play the center position next season. I don't see him on the horizon. The word is that Bama is close to getting that point guard, in the form of a grad transfer. The Word is that Alabama is also close to getting a more than decent center who will be a transfer. That means he will have to sit out one season before he can play. If Bama can't find someone to come to Bama to rebound and give Bama a few points inside I doubt next season will be much different from last season. You have to wonder who can take the place of Retin Obasohan?  The short answer to that question is no one. At least, no one I see today. 

       Braxton Key is going to help. I got to watch him five times on ESPN, and he is impressive. He's not flashy, but he is a good player. He is the type of player who can come in as a freshman and contribute. Oak Hill Academy is the best place for basketball players in the East. The Tide should feel good about being able to crack the wall the ACC has built around Oak Hill Academy. I'd bet he won't beat that Key won't be the last player that Johnson signs while he is the coach at Bama. Key is better than good, perhaps not great, but we are lucky to have him. The Tide also signed a tall and talented two-guard in JUCO Armond Davis. He is 6-6 and is going to be a tough man to guard. He can shoot, he can run the floor, and he has the hops to add a lot to the Tide lineup. Both are four-star players. I've wondered if Key might get his fifth star based on his senior season

     The real question in my mind is whether or not Johnson and his staff can add a point guard, and a post player. If Bama can do that, it is possible a much better season is coming up. If we can't sign a couple of good position players, we will have to hope that a year's improvement will carry the team to a higher won-loss record. Let's keep our fingers crossed the coaches have something up their recruiting sleeves. 

WINNERS NEVER CHEAT AND CHEATERS NEVER WIN, EXCEPT IN THE NCAA

  Remember that time-honored saying. College and Professional Sports have just about put an end to that belief. The NCAA allowing North Carolina and Syracuse to play in the Final Four is an outrage to decency and fair play. I academic fraud shown by both schools, and validated by the NCAA is an affront to every institution that plays by the rules. I don't care if these are two of the top five winning schools of all time. I don't care if the two respective coaches are two of the biggest winners in college basketball history. They are each, and the NCAA has backed up their cheating by allowing them to play for an opportunity to play for a berth in Final Four. Without a doubt, these two schools are the dirtiest schools ever to play basketball. Moreover; they wouldn't be able to play if it wasn't for the partner in crime, the NCAA Infractions Committee. Whoa, you say, what are you talking about? These are two of the top programs in college basketball history. 
 

     Syracuse was caught pay boosters, fixing drug tests, and misconduct of their coaching staff. The coaches are writing papers for players. It's called cheating, or in kinder circles it is called academic fraud. Their coach, the esteemed and always whining Jim Boeheim was suspended for a whole nine games. Last season Syracuse agreed not to go to the NCAA, which they wouldn't have received a bid in the first place. The report was comprehensive, cited so many violations it was 94 pages long. If you every want to know how to succeed in college basketball read the story yourself. Boeheim, who has about as much integrity as a war criminal, complained his nine-game suspension was overly harsh. I do agree it was improper. He should have been kicked out of the game forever. The NCAA said the punishment was adequate. So the punishment was so great that Syracuse made this year's tournament, in large part by ignoring the early season losses in Boeheim's absence. Yeah, buddy, that taught the Orange, who as undoubtedly kicked up the old program again. That one year wasn't a punishment it was a sabbatical for the devil himself.

     Those violations pale in comparison to UNC's. Forging teacher's names to show passing grades, as many as 220 UNC players took classes that simply didn't exist or did not meet UNC standards. The NCAA was so mad at UNC they caused the school Chancellor, to resign in disgrace. Coaches submitted papers for their players, communicated with college professors pretending to be the player himself. On example of the far-reaching, fraud was a player had his current eligibility re-instated after a basketball school secretary 
and basketball director wrote a paper for the student. These violations went on for a decade. After the NCAA had given their report to UNC they committed other violations the NCAA will levy punishment after the Basketball Tournament. In fact, the violations were so egregious the NCAA invented the moniker, "No Show - paper class. 

    The upcoming game will be a chance for the NCAA to explain why these two schools are even playing. This game will be like Sing-Sing playing Alcatraz in a match game to determine who cheated the most. I have the answer to that one. It was the NCAA who cheated its mandate to enforce misconduct. So if you want to build a big time program go out and buy players, have tutors take tests for them, and forget that go to class rule. Basketball isn't about sport. It isn't about competition; it is merely about money. This makes the Cam Newton decision look like a game of Candy Land. What' happening to our country? Men like those on the Infraction's Committee lead us by example.

WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THE SEC 

       

     It's that time of year to pick the winners and losers in the SEC. This year the biggest winner in the league was Texas A&M. The Aggies made it to the round of 16, the Sweet Sixteen, and Kentucky fizzled after the first round. You have to give the Aggies a tip of the hat for getting through a midseason slump and finishing well. They won the SEC and got the first seed in the SEC Tournament of Kentucky. By default, I'd go with Kentucky as a winner. Of course, winning and losing are relative. Ask the Aggies if they had a good year and the 12th Man would give a resounding yes. By the way, in basketball that should be the 6th man. Kentucky would tell you what a horrible year they had by their self-imposed standard. I do think the Wildcats underachieved proving the general rule that you can't always win with freshmen. TAM had a senior-heavy class, and that helped them in close games. 

THE LOSERS:

1.  The SEC got only two bids to the NCAA and fell short of anything noteworthy in the NIT; and

2.  Bruce Pearl took a massive hit in my eyes. His team was full of selfish players, and most played very me-first basketball. Losing twenty games is pretty tough to do. Pearl pulled it off in a weak league. Bonus points for doing that. Pearl will return next year, in large part due to a buy-out clause that is just short of the national budget for many small countries.

3.  Auburn was horrible. Pearl didn't take his team a step closer from last season. He has signed some great players, but I'm not convinced that Pearl's heart is in the rebuilding job. At one point the Tigers had their best inside player playing point guard. Their best player quit. In fact, the entire team took a sabbatical. 

4.  LSU had the best player in America in Ben Simmons. Despite his presence on the court, the Tigers turned down the NIT after a totalling embarrassing loss in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers had the second best talent in the SEC in my opinion, at least on paper. While we are naming potential losers, the name Johnny Jones can't be left out. He's number 5 on my list.

5. South Carolina started 15-0. If you look at those wins most were against lesser opponents. It's tough putting them in the losers league in some ways, but their end of the season wasn't due to lack of talent like Alabama. They finished the season 10-9 and lost big games when wins mattered most. It's hard calling a team with a 25-9 record, but winning and winning big games are different things. The Gamecocks lost a chance to prove they belonged with the big boys.

6.  The SEC MEDIA once again proved they don't care about basketball and their coverage is bargain basement leftovers. No real depth coverage about games, game previews, recruiting, and injuries left the SEC MEDIA in a league of their own. SEC coverage for hoops is a big joke and is laughable from start to finish. You get a commitment article regarding football recruits instead of basketball news. Shame on you guys. 

8.  Vanderbilt is next on my list. Kevin Stallings (#9) took a talented bunch of players and found ways to lose close games. The have the league's best inside player, and he looked persona non grata in a dozen games. One of the most talented teams in the conference was anchored in the bay far too often.

10. The SEC schedule makers need to rethink what they are doing. Moving away from the East and West Divisions was supposed to help the SEC get more teams into the NCAA field. I rest my case. If you have to play Kentucky twice, you have a terrible time in your quest to make that Tournament. Home and Home is the fairest way to determine the champion. That won't happen because when a league is as weak as the SEC beating each other up won't help. Maybe go back to the East and West format might be better. At least, that gives you a chance to schedule some good teams like Bama did this season.

THE WINNERS:

1. Texas A&M entered the SEC  as a football school. They won the SEC as co-champions with Kentucky and ended up a number 3 seed in the NCAA. They were the highest seeded SEC school. Billy Kennedy announced that it was his intention to make TAM a basketball powerhouse. In talent-rich Texas, he'll find plenty of recruits to make that possible.

2. Ben Simmons had a banner year despite poor coaching and questionable decisions on the part of Coach Johnson. Granted, Simmons didn't lead LSU to any pos season glory, but he killed whoever he played. Simmons is the best prospect I've seen for a couple of decades in the SEC. He almost averaged a double-double while being one of the most unselfish players in the NCAA. The young man is a player. He could have been the next Pete Maravich, or as close as anyone might come
3. Alabama Crimson Tide  had a great run with very limited talent. They lost their top recruit early on in the season.  They did have the best guard in the league in Retin Obasohan. The fifth-year senior was First-Team All-SEC on offense and defense. He also was the Scholar of the Year. Avery Johnson Retin Obasohan our number four winner brought some fire and enthusiasm to the Crimson Tide this year. Some close losses in the late season kept the Tide out of the NCAA.  That Bama was even talked about for the Dance was beyond the wildest dreams of Bama fans. The future seems bright for the Tide in the next few years. 

4. Retin Obasohan - The Belgium Bulldog is how Joe Dean, Jr. describes him. I have seen two senior seasons by guards that separate themselves from the others. Gary Waites senior season was a production of leadership and deadly outside shooting. Obasohan won all the laurels an SEC player might like. The media got only one wrong. We should have been named Player of the Year. 

5. Ben Howland seemed like an odd fit at Mississippi State when named head coach. The Ex-UCLA head coach, winner of one national championship, and the best coach at Westwood since John Wooden is turning Mississippi State into a winner. I suspect they will be a power to be reckoned with shortly. 

6. Tyler Ulis of Kentucky was named the SEC Player of the Year. Like Obasohan, he was also first-team All-SEC on offense and defense. The 5-9 inch point guard was the sparkplug of the Wildcat team and always seemed to have an answer for the 'Cats when things turned tough. He wasn't a one and done, but is a two and through taking his game to the NBA. 

7. Billy Kennedy of Texas A&M took a fairly average bunch of players and won the SEC. If Kennedy can continue to recruit Texas, and only Texas, he will keep the Aggies near the top for years to come.

 8. Aggie comeback against Northern Iowa was the game of the year. Down 12 points with 30.2 seconds in the second round of the NCAA, the Aggies put on a full court press for the ages. The Aggies tied the game and eventually won in double overtime. You will never see a comeback like this in your life again. 

9. The Florida Gators minus Billy Donovan had a twenty plus win season and made the NIT. While the Gators weren't great they beat some highly regarded teams and seemed to be on track to an NCAA bid. 

10. Stephan Moody of the Ole Miss Rebels was the energizer bunny of the SEC. This 5-10 shooting guard had no peer when shooting the ball. He never saw a shot he didn't like, and he made more than he missed. Moodie was a joy to watch, and I have to admit feeling a little sad when he fouled out in his last game. He epitomized what college basketball is all about. It also helps to have a 42-inch vertical leap. You gotta love the dreadlocks dipped in red dye for the Rebels. 

SEC BASKETBALL NEEDS SOME HELP AND A CONSULTANT WILL NOT HELP 

         I think the SEC needs to do some serious soul searching about the sorry state of its basketball program. It appears that the SEC is at the bottom of the Power Five Major basketball leagues, and frankly, there are two or three mid-major conferences which might be better than the SEC as well. If you look at the NCAA and NIT results so far it proves my point. It's difficult to understand the slow demise of the SEC. Everyone has their opinion, and I'll offer you mine.

1. The SEC is all about football. It is about nothing else to most fans. I'm not denigrating women's sports or minor sports, but SEC fans don't care about anything else but football. I've had dozens of friends over the year say "I'm an Alabama fan, but I don't keep up with basketball." The implication is that sports other than football don't count. Is is possible that if you are the undisputed leader in NCAA football it hurts in other sports. I think perhaps it does. How much? I'm not sure.

2. The South doesn't produce great basketball players. You can rattle off a list of great players who played in the SEC. However; the SEC seems to have outstanding athletes who are not fundamentally sound as basketball players. Since I'm familiar with Alabama, I'll use them as an example. Other than Retin Obasohan, who is Bama's best player. The answer is Riley Norris. He understands the game. He's going to help you in all aspects of the sport. Is he a great player? Yes, I say he is, but he isn't a great athlete. The SEC seems to get fewer of tremendous athletes who are also great basketball players. Norris holds his own because he knows how to play the game. Don'ta Hall and Jimmie Taylor are outstanding athletes. Neither one of those hard working young men seems to understand how to play their position. For all I know both might end up being players and great athletes. Hall is more likely than Taylor. 

3. Southern high school basketball is a lesser sport. Basketball is the sport that is played between football season and spring camps. Not all schools are that way but proportionally the south does not produce as many basketball players as their football counterparts. Fundamentals are often lacking. Here's some proof. I have coaches ask me to help them with fundamentals annually. I'm talking about defensive position, how to use the baseline and sidelines in presses, and how to improve their shooting skills. Those are three areas that I think have hurt the SEC. But there is one more than hurts the SEC. I call it the ESPN effect. 

    Kids no longer have the same loyalty toward local or in-state schools as in the past. Turn on the television and PAC 12, Big 10, and other conferences don't seem so far away. Mom and Dad won't miss seeing any games. Students can broaden their horizons by playing in New York, LA, or Lawrence. The ESPN has almost produced super leagues. Those schools may not play in the same conferences. Those schools are the center of the attention of all players who tune in on the TV. Right now the SEC looks like a bad hair-cut on prom night. 

Next up: Does the Tide need to model their program on Gonzaga?

TIDE FALLS WITH A THUD IN THE NIT AND A LOOK-BACK AT THE SEASON

    Mercifully, the basketball season is over. It ended with a whimper and not a bang. Bama played the worst game of the season against a team they could have beaten. I saw two differences between the teams. One, Creighton has real post players. Bama was forced to defend them. Bama has no post players that anyone has to guard. Second, Retin Obasohan is worn out. The senior, All-SEC player looked exhausted and played the same. With no post scoring and a dead tired point guard, the JayHawks whipped the Tide 72-54. It was a complete beatdown. 


     Justin Coleman led the Tide with 18 points, and Retin Obasohan had 13. Retin  could not supply the emotional lift the Tide needed in the second half. No other Tide player scored in double figures. Edwards had 2, Riley had 3, and Hale had 9. Don'ta Hall had 5 points and 8 rebounds. I'm not sure how many blocked shots he had for the game. It was a bunch. The Tide shot 28% for the night and got outbound by 13. Bama also had 14 turnovers. That's how you get beat by 18 points. The Tide did make 12-15 free throws in an ironic twist. 

    It must be said the Tide collapsed at the end of the season. The Crimson went to an almost shoo-in for the NCAA Tournament to losing a first round NIT game.  The took us on a roller-coaster ride all season.  Tide fans went from exhilarated to humbled in the course of two weeks. The first negative posts about Johnson are being posted.  I'm not sure how to put this season into perspective. The final record was 18-15. Alabama beat 4 teams in the top 25 (at the time they played). That has to be considered quite an accomplishment. They also lost a couple of home games which killed their NCAA hopes. There was nothing in the middle about this team. They were either doing amazing things or looking like a lost team. Last night's offensive performance is such an example of the latter. There were a lot of ups and downs, but to find an average for this team was almost impossible. Anthony Grant's last season? He was 18-14, and Levi Randolph had a Retin Obasohan type season. And just to balance history we have to remember that Grant lost two starters in the last two weeks of the season. Had Shannon Hale and Ricky Tarrant stayed healthy the Tide could have gone to the NCAA, and Avery Johnson wouldn't be coaching Alabama. 

      I am convinced that Johnson brings a lot of things to the Alabama table that Grant couldn't do. To say that Grant couldn't coach would be a lie. He just couldn't keep great recruits in his program. To say that Grant was a fan favorite would be untrue. The fans love Avery Johnson. Give him three bad seasons in a row and he'll be maligned and hated. I think that Johnson is a great coach. Better than Grant. He probably is a better coach, but the only thing that matters is can he recruit? If he can't sign great players, he won't be a great coach. If he can, he will be a great coach. If he can recruit enough players to make the Tide a great team, he will be one of the most outstanding recruiters in SEC basketball history. At Alabama, it is as simple as that. 

    Making the NIT was a pleasant surprise. Retin Obasohan was not an entirely unexpected gift because he showed flashes of splendid play the last third of last season. Still, being named TFirst-Team All-SEC was stunning.  Riley Norris had an outstanding year, do did Arthur Edwards. Who had ever heard of him before Bama gave him a chance? That signing continues to tell me a lot about Johnson. Jimmie Taylor gave vigorous effort, and was a good shot blocker, but he can't score, and he can't rebound in the numbers needed by the Tide. Don'ta Hall can rebound and block shots, and I suspect he'll come into nest season with a sweet little drop shot and baby hook to stun the opposition. Justin Coleman showed us glimpses of what he can do. Shannon Hall may be ready for a good senior season. He can score and rebound. Michael Kessens remains a mystery to me. His playing time will be significantly reduced when Brandon Key and Nicky King get on the floor. 

     But none of that means anything if Bama can't find another point guard to back up Coleman or start ahead of him. If Creighton can win with two fat boys inside surely Alabama can find someone similar. Without signing a good post player who can score it will be another long and unsuccessful season for the Tide. You can turn around a hoops program with an aircraft carrier in the middle and couple of fighter planes on the outside. I understand that Bama is in the running for a pair of freshman big men.

       All things considered it was a good start for Johnson and company. 
       

TIDE GETS NIT BID AND GET SHIPPED TO CREIGHTON FOR FIRST GAME
A few Tide "fans" to quit the board

 

This writer is proud of our year

   While watching the Kentucky game, it entered my mind that the lopsided loss would cost us a lower seed in the NIT.  I think that had we made that a competitive game we would have hosted UAB in Coleman. Losing five of your last seven games isn't going to impress anyone. Kudos for Avery Johnson and his team for making a postseason tournament. The Tide will be at least a five point underdog to Creighton, but I think we will win. 

       I know a lot of posters are going to say the NIT is a second-rate  tournament. Those guys who say such nonsense are idiots. The NIT is a historically important tournament and gives us a chance play in Madison Square Garden, which is the world's most famous basketball venue. Before our first game if  you told me that we'd make it to any postseason tournament, I'd have been highly skeptical. We should be proud of the team for making the season an enjoyable one, even though it wasn't for those of us who have heart trouble. All you guys who want to slam Alabama for playing in the NIT can drop dead as far as I'm concerned. You know nothing about basketball. You aren't an Alabama fan, and don't try to convince any real Tide basketball fan you are. You are part of those who feel protected by remaining anonymous. I'm attempting to conjure up a name for you. So far "loser" is about the nicest thing that comes to mind. If you can't support the effort of this year's team, you should take it to your mommy. Try to get the day shift at McDonald's. Maybe that will improve your attitude. It's one thing to be disappointed in not making the NCAA. It's entirely different in defaming your team because of your complete lack of basketball knowledge and history. 

     I think of all the hours our players spent at practice and in the weight room. They made sacrifices while a bunch of you sat at home in the lazy-boy knocking down cheap beer. Say anything you want to say about me, but damn it, leave our players alone. This was one of the most miraculous seasons I've seen, and that goes back for 60 years. We didn't have a proven big time player, not one who averaged double figures, we lost our only big time recruit to injury,  and still almost made the NCAA.  You question whether our team "wanted" it enough.If you had half a brain you should apologize, but people no longer do that. I think of fans like rolltider67 and MD4U and it makes me proud we have real fans. I'm sure most of you are true fans. Please feel free to hit the ignore button. I know I have today. 

BAMA NEEDS TO PLAY SOMEWHERE 

NIT NEWS,  LSU DOGS IT UP, AND SHOULD GEORGIA MAKE THE NCAA AHEAD OF VANDERBILT?

    I have to say that LSU just put on the worst performance in the history of basketball. I'm joking, kinda. The Tigers scored 13 points in their first half humiliation loss to Texas A&M. The final score was 71-38, and the man once said, "it wasn't that close".  Remember Stephan Moody dropped in 39 against Alabama earlier in the Tournament. LSU got some bad news when Hornsby was out with a sports hernia. Still, Johnny Jones might well lose his job after that one. The Cajuns have become restless in Baton Rouge after seeing a poor season, despite the signing of Ben Simmons. Simmons is the best talent I've seen in years, but he needs to be less selfish. He led the nation in double-doubles. He is so fundamentally sound it makes me recall the way basketball was once played. Simmons might find one more season in the NCAA to help him define which position he should play. It isn't likely he'll stick around for another Titanic ending. 

      Regardless, look for LSU to make the NIT. I think Vanderbilt will be taken over Georgia. Georgia hurt themselves by lack of quality wins. That doesn't mean they aren't a quality team. So it looks like TAM, Kentucky, SC (may fall to play in game) and Vandy will make the NCAA. I'm still confused if a team can count making the NCAA if they lose a play in game. 

     Kentucky handled Georgia, but it was a much closer game their game with the Tide. If I were on the Selection Committee, I'd take Georgia over South Carolina or Vanderbilt. South Carolina had a miserable end to a terrific start; they may not have Carrera as well. He didn't play in the last game and will game to game with a hamstring injury. Vandy, as is their habit, took a very talented team and managed to stink it up near the end. Take away their unique playing arena and they not have won 12 games this season. I see where Tyler Eulis is going to the NBA at the end of the season. He might stick due to the NBA's elimination of the Detroit Piston Bad Boys type defense. Otherwise, a 5-9 player would make an NBA roster. 

 .   I've talked three times today with my guy in NYC who is close to the NIT Selection Committee. He says Alabama is in, and there is a lot of debate as where to place them. The win over Ole Miss convinced some members they are at least a four seed. The substantial loss to Kentucky hurt the Tide. Right now it appears that Bama will:

A. play an away game somewhere near NYC.

B. Be a four seed and play a game at home to their belief that Bama will sell out Coleman Coliseum.

C. Strong consideration is a Bama vs. UAB match up is possible. It is also possible that the Tide may play Princeton in New Jersey.

   BIG APPLE BUCKETS.COM CURRENTLY  BELIEVES BAMA WILL REMAIN IN THE SOUTH AND BE IN THE SAME BRACKET AS GEORGIA SHOULD GEORGIA NOT MAKE THE NCAA. 

    Would Bama ever consider an invitation to the CIT or a similar Tournament? I don't know. The Tide needs all the games they can play to help their younger players.