BleedGopher
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Howard Pulley Pro-Am opening day brings out the Gophers
Fans who showed up wanting to see Gophers play in the opening day of the Howard Pulley Pro-Am league got their wish Saturday at High Performance Academy in Eagan.
There were 11 players on six different teams, including returnees Austin Hollins and Elliott Eliason and newcomers Malik Smith and Daquein McNeil all playing with Pat Madison Magic. They won their opener 93-90 against the Errol Carlstrom Playaz behind 21 points from Hollins and 24 points from Smith, who drilled five three-pointers.
Smith wasn’t shy at all about launching jumpers from everywhere on the court — even from beyond NBA range. Sure the game had about as much defense as a glorified pick-up game, but the Florida International transfer didn’t disappoint in his debut in front of Minnesota fans. There probably hasn’t been a shooter with as much range as Smith in Minnesota’s program since
Blake Hoffarber, the school’s all-time leader in three-pointers. Smith was listed as 6-foot-2, 170 pounds last season at FIU. But he looks about 25 pounds heavier than that with a stronger body than I expected. He should be physical enough to be in the Big Ten. Toughness is not lacking with this guy.
Andre Hollins and Charles Buggs were supposed to play in the first game Saturday. But they arrived late and ended up joining the second game that featured Tony Geer’s team (Mo Walker and Maverick Ahanmisi) vs. Howard Pulley’s AAU team (Tyus Jones) along with ex-Gopher Rodney Williams.
The battle between the two best point guards in Minnesota (Jones in high school and Hollins in college) started with Hollins blocking Jones on a pull-up jumper. But that was the last time Jones looked flustered as he finished with 41 points on an array of floaters, uncontested lay-ups and jump shots. Jones had a two-hand dunk in transition that wowed the crowd because he did it so easy. But Hollins topped that with an emphatic one-hand dunk down the lane in the first half. Walker and Hollins both finished with 14 points for Tony Geer’s team, which won 111-108. Pulley’s AAU team played without DeLaSalle’s Reid Travis, who was taking an official trip to Gonzaga.
Hollins looked a bit worn down from trying out last week in Colorado Springs, Colo., for a spot on the World University Games roster. He didn’t make the cut. But Hollins should benefit from being able to spend more time building chemistry with his new teammates and coaches this summer. He needs to improve defending the pick-and-roll. There wasn’t much attempt to do it Saturday. Jones and Williams had shots galore in the lane, including a couple alley-oops.
– I never thought Walker would be able to trim down enough to play much in Pitino’s system. But he’s come such a long way from last season when he weighed 310 pounds. The 6-10 Ontario native has lost 44 pounds and looks like a completely different player. The Gophers want him to get down to 250. Walker’s athleticism never wows anybody. That’s not surprising because he missed two seasons with knee issues. But Walker ran the floor well and clearly has been working on his conditioning.
– Buggs hadn’t played in a game in front of fans since the Gophers’ All-Star Challenge (midnight madness) last October. He knocked down a three-pointer but wasn’t a major factor with just eight points. He actually impressed me more with his perimeter defense (hustled from the paint to block a three-pointer from Andre Hollins) and bigger frame. Buggs is about 6-9, 213 pounds right now. He weighed about 190 pounds while redshirting last season. He could make a solid case to start at power forward by his sophomore year if he continues to gain strength.
– Williams and Mbakwe decided to play Saturday because they wanted to see their ex-Gophers teammates. They were too busy training out of state and working out for NBA teams to hang out since the season ended. Williams and Mbakwe will reunite in the Orlando NBA Summer League July 7-12 playing with the Philadelphia 76ers.
– Drake transfer and former Eastview standout Joey King and Wally Ellenson did not play Saturday because their Miller Time team had a bye. They’re expected to make their Pulley debut Monday against Information Investor Group (Andre Hollins’ and Buggs’ original team) at 7 p.m.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers...ey-pro-am-opening-day-brings-out-the-gophers/
Go Gophers!!
Fans who showed up wanting to see Gophers play in the opening day of the Howard Pulley Pro-Am league got their wish Saturday at High Performance Academy in Eagan.
There were 11 players on six different teams, including returnees Austin Hollins and Elliott Eliason and newcomers Malik Smith and Daquein McNeil all playing with Pat Madison Magic. They won their opener 93-90 against the Errol Carlstrom Playaz behind 21 points from Hollins and 24 points from Smith, who drilled five three-pointers.
Smith wasn’t shy at all about launching jumpers from everywhere on the court — even from beyond NBA range. Sure the game had about as much defense as a glorified pick-up game, but the Florida International transfer didn’t disappoint in his debut in front of Minnesota fans. There probably hasn’t been a shooter with as much range as Smith in Minnesota’s program since
Blake Hoffarber, the school’s all-time leader in three-pointers. Smith was listed as 6-foot-2, 170 pounds last season at FIU. But he looks about 25 pounds heavier than that with a stronger body than I expected. He should be physical enough to be in the Big Ten. Toughness is not lacking with this guy.
Andre Hollins and Charles Buggs were supposed to play in the first game Saturday. But they arrived late and ended up joining the second game that featured Tony Geer’s team (Mo Walker and Maverick Ahanmisi) vs. Howard Pulley’s AAU team (Tyus Jones) along with ex-Gopher Rodney Williams.
The battle between the two best point guards in Minnesota (Jones in high school and Hollins in college) started with Hollins blocking Jones on a pull-up jumper. But that was the last time Jones looked flustered as he finished with 41 points on an array of floaters, uncontested lay-ups and jump shots. Jones had a two-hand dunk in transition that wowed the crowd because he did it so easy. But Hollins topped that with an emphatic one-hand dunk down the lane in the first half. Walker and Hollins both finished with 14 points for Tony Geer’s team, which won 111-108. Pulley’s AAU team played without DeLaSalle’s Reid Travis, who was taking an official trip to Gonzaga.
Hollins looked a bit worn down from trying out last week in Colorado Springs, Colo., for a spot on the World University Games roster. He didn’t make the cut. But Hollins should benefit from being able to spend more time building chemistry with his new teammates and coaches this summer. He needs to improve defending the pick-and-roll. There wasn’t much attempt to do it Saturday. Jones and Williams had shots galore in the lane, including a couple alley-oops.
– I never thought Walker would be able to trim down enough to play much in Pitino’s system. But he’s come such a long way from last season when he weighed 310 pounds. The 6-10 Ontario native has lost 44 pounds and looks like a completely different player. The Gophers want him to get down to 250. Walker’s athleticism never wows anybody. That’s not surprising because he missed two seasons with knee issues. But Walker ran the floor well and clearly has been working on his conditioning.
– Buggs hadn’t played in a game in front of fans since the Gophers’ All-Star Challenge (midnight madness) last October. He knocked down a three-pointer but wasn’t a major factor with just eight points. He actually impressed me more with his perimeter defense (hustled from the paint to block a three-pointer from Andre Hollins) and bigger frame. Buggs is about 6-9, 213 pounds right now. He weighed about 190 pounds while redshirting last season. He could make a solid case to start at power forward by his sophomore year if he continues to gain strength.
– Williams and Mbakwe decided to play Saturday because they wanted to see their ex-Gophers teammates. They were too busy training out of state and working out for NBA teams to hang out since the season ended. Williams and Mbakwe will reunite in the Orlando NBA Summer League July 7-12 playing with the Philadelphia 76ers.
– Drake transfer and former Eastview standout Joey King and Wally Ellenson did not play Saturday because their Miller Time team had a bye. They’re expected to make their Pulley debut Monday against Information Investor Group (Andre Hollins’ and Buggs’ original team) at 7 p.m.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers...ey-pro-am-opening-day-brings-out-the-gophers/
Go Gophers!!