Sooner04
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DISCLAIMER: These thoughts are not from a professional. They are from an unabashed Sooner BBall fanatic whose glasses are tinted heavily crimson. I’m not a coach, I’m not an analyst, I’m just a fan who used to write and misses the task. My knowledge of the X’s and O’s of the sport is tenuous at best. My predictions often prove folly. I once fell hard for Ray Willis. But I do love my Sooners hoopsters, often much too much. Feel free to critique but, please, be gentle.
At what point do you begin to pull back the curtain and expose your tender, scarred heart? At what point do you allow yourself to believe we’ve got a pretty solid basketball team? True, neither Corliss Williamson nor Todd Day emerged from the tunnel with a pig on their shorts, but that doesn’t mean this wasn’t a solid D-1 program staring us in the face today.
At what point are you no longer branded a hopeless optimist, steadfastly pursuing only the most slender of silver linings? At what point can you say, “we’re pretty darn good,” and be confident knowing you won’t receive a raised eyebrow from those close and a hearty scoff from those distant? How many hurdles must this basketball team leap?
Because we saw a pretty solid performance against Oral Roberts, and we all were very complimentary of Cameron Clark and how patient he’d become. We all marveled at how he “let the game come to him”. Well, Cameron Clark was awful today, and we won by 15. We talked about how depth was emerging after the ORU victory, and how good a game C. J. Washington played. Well, C. J. Washington was atrocious today, and we won by 15.
Is it time to start re-drawing the boundaries of what we can expect? The whole team starts off slow, so Andrew Fitzgerald puts us on his back and carries us with 17 first-half points. We re-emerge from the locker room in the final stanza stagnant, but Steven Pledger alleviates the worries and carries the victory home with 19 second-half points. Arkansas was somewhat resistant, and several times 14-point margins dwindled to eight or nine, but Tyler Neal proved himself to be a modern-day Lee Harvey with several assassin-like shots from the faraway reaches of the building.
What do we do? These guys wear crimson and cream, so we should support them blindly. But it’s one thing to show up and it’s a whole other to actually believe. A month ago I wanted nothing more than to avoid embarrassment in Anaheim. Two nights later I’m crushed we brought home no hardware. Thursday afternoon we stared at a 48-hour gauntlet and I hoped we’d be up to the challenge. Here I sit at dusk on Saturday and we didn’t just climb the wall, we napalmed it.
To hell with Finals week. I want to play Houston tomorrow. Bring on the Cougars.
SCORING BREAKDOWN:
1st: 24 [I’m turnin’ to stone,]
2nd: 13 [‘cause you ain’t comin’ home.]
3rd: 20 [Why you ain’t comin’ home,]
4th: 21 [When I’m turnin’ to stone?]
LEADING SCORERS:
Steven Pledger: 22
Tyler Neal: 18 [career high]
Andrew Fitzgerald: 17
Romero Osby: 10
LEADING REBOUNDERS:
Andrew Fitzgerald: 8
Romero Osby: 7
Tyler Neal: 5
PLUSES:
1. Tyler Neal: I give Tyler the nod only because his output was game-wide, whereas Pledger and Fitzgerald confined their maximum efforts to either side of halftime. Tyler was everywhere. From the corner, in the passing lane, crashing the glass: if a big play was made you could probably find the PC West product with a finger in the bowl of ingredients. And with an arc like that on his threes his number should be promptly changed to 33. No word yet on if he’ll attempt Larry Legend’s mustache. He also led the team in assists. Good grief, what a game!
2. Andrew Fitzgerald: In theory, Arkansas is a horrendous match-up for Fitz. Hands everywhere, pace quickened, up and down the floor; but Andrew’s first half was transcendent: 17 points and seven tough rebounds while warring with the big bodies down low. Kruger lamented the early second-half foul trouble because he wanted to see how Fitz finished the game but, lucky for us, there were others there to pick up the slack.
3. Steven Pledger: 19 second half points, and he was often the answer to several Razorback mini runs. Check the tape, and you’ll see that he was defended well, but he took advantage of closeouts by using the pump fake and dribbling inside the line for a shorter jumper. He had a stretch there in the second half where he basically lost his mind and became a turnover machine, but he fought through it and continued to put the ball in the hoop. He has come a long way. He’s so much tougher now.
4. Barry Honore: The guys down low needed some help late, and Honore was up to the challenge. You don’t expect Barry to supply ten solid minutes very often, but he has surprised us a few times this season. Three rebounds, a block and a bucket: not to mention some very good interior defense. I thought he bridged the gap for the interior, allowing us to withstand Fitzgerald’s foul trouble and Osby’s tired legs.
5. Free-throw Shooting: 18 of 23. I think we hit the front end of every one-and-one too. Deelish!
6. Shooting: Another night where we make more than we miss. Can it last? We sure look comfortable in the looks we get. That’s a sign of good coaching, those looks: Thanks, Lon!
7. Romero Osby: God, I can't believe I forgot this the first time. Hit his free throws, rebounded well, and an absolutely vicious dunk in the game's early stages. That boy is a MAN!
MINUSES:
1. Calvin Newell: Who?
2. Cameron Clark: Out of sync from the get-go. But we played our best (first half) while he was on the bench. I bet he’s miles better against Houston.
3. Casey Arent: I can’t wait for things to start going his way. He looks so befuddled out there.
4. C. J. Washington: If Oral Roberts was his tour-de-force then today was his Waterloo. Yikes!
5. Student Attendance: Good grief, what happened? When I was growing up the student section was a complete madhouse. The ones who WERE there today, though, were very good. Hope they brings a friend or two next time…..maybe 12.
I proudly wear the cap of unabashed optimist for the BBall team. It has cost me friendships, credibility and familial respect, but I care not. Hear me now: we’re pretty good. How good? Who knows, but I do know that we’ve got a cast of characters who seem willing to answer the bell when their number is called. I like seeing guys ride the wave, and I like seeing teammates who neglect getting “theirs” in hopes of slinging the ball back to the guy with the hot hand. When Fitz was hot early we were screening like mad to get him open for another jumper. When Neal hit a couple he was ready to let the next one fly as soon as it came his way.
Confidence is a beautiful thing. Houston, you may have a problem.
Thank you for your time.
At what point do you begin to pull back the curtain and expose your tender, scarred heart? At what point do you allow yourself to believe we’ve got a pretty solid basketball team? True, neither Corliss Williamson nor Todd Day emerged from the tunnel with a pig on their shorts, but that doesn’t mean this wasn’t a solid D-1 program staring us in the face today.
At what point are you no longer branded a hopeless optimist, steadfastly pursuing only the most slender of silver linings? At what point can you say, “we’re pretty darn good,” and be confident knowing you won’t receive a raised eyebrow from those close and a hearty scoff from those distant? How many hurdles must this basketball team leap?
Because we saw a pretty solid performance against Oral Roberts, and we all were very complimentary of Cameron Clark and how patient he’d become. We all marveled at how he “let the game come to him”. Well, Cameron Clark was awful today, and we won by 15. We talked about how depth was emerging after the ORU victory, and how good a game C. J. Washington played. Well, C. J. Washington was atrocious today, and we won by 15.
Is it time to start re-drawing the boundaries of what we can expect? The whole team starts off slow, so Andrew Fitzgerald puts us on his back and carries us with 17 first-half points. We re-emerge from the locker room in the final stanza stagnant, but Steven Pledger alleviates the worries and carries the victory home with 19 second-half points. Arkansas was somewhat resistant, and several times 14-point margins dwindled to eight or nine, but Tyler Neal proved himself to be a modern-day Lee Harvey with several assassin-like shots from the faraway reaches of the building.
What do we do? These guys wear crimson and cream, so we should support them blindly. But it’s one thing to show up and it’s a whole other to actually believe. A month ago I wanted nothing more than to avoid embarrassment in Anaheim. Two nights later I’m crushed we brought home no hardware. Thursday afternoon we stared at a 48-hour gauntlet and I hoped we’d be up to the challenge. Here I sit at dusk on Saturday and we didn’t just climb the wall, we napalmed it.
To hell with Finals week. I want to play Houston tomorrow. Bring on the Cougars.
SCORING BREAKDOWN:
1st: 24 [I’m turnin’ to stone,]
2nd: 13 [‘cause you ain’t comin’ home.]
3rd: 20 [Why you ain’t comin’ home,]
4th: 21 [When I’m turnin’ to stone?]
LEADING SCORERS:
Steven Pledger: 22
Tyler Neal: 18 [career high]
Andrew Fitzgerald: 17
Romero Osby: 10
LEADING REBOUNDERS:
Andrew Fitzgerald: 8
Romero Osby: 7
Tyler Neal: 5
PLUSES:
1. Tyler Neal: I give Tyler the nod only because his output was game-wide, whereas Pledger and Fitzgerald confined their maximum efforts to either side of halftime. Tyler was everywhere. From the corner, in the passing lane, crashing the glass: if a big play was made you could probably find the PC West product with a finger in the bowl of ingredients. And with an arc like that on his threes his number should be promptly changed to 33. No word yet on if he’ll attempt Larry Legend’s mustache. He also led the team in assists. Good grief, what a game!
2. Andrew Fitzgerald: In theory, Arkansas is a horrendous match-up for Fitz. Hands everywhere, pace quickened, up and down the floor; but Andrew’s first half was transcendent: 17 points and seven tough rebounds while warring with the big bodies down low. Kruger lamented the early second-half foul trouble because he wanted to see how Fitz finished the game but, lucky for us, there were others there to pick up the slack.
3. Steven Pledger: 19 second half points, and he was often the answer to several Razorback mini runs. Check the tape, and you’ll see that he was defended well, but he took advantage of closeouts by using the pump fake and dribbling inside the line for a shorter jumper. He had a stretch there in the second half where he basically lost his mind and became a turnover machine, but he fought through it and continued to put the ball in the hoop. He has come a long way. He’s so much tougher now.
4. Barry Honore: The guys down low needed some help late, and Honore was up to the challenge. You don’t expect Barry to supply ten solid minutes very often, but he has surprised us a few times this season. Three rebounds, a block and a bucket: not to mention some very good interior defense. I thought he bridged the gap for the interior, allowing us to withstand Fitzgerald’s foul trouble and Osby’s tired legs.
5. Free-throw Shooting: 18 of 23. I think we hit the front end of every one-and-one too. Deelish!
6. Shooting: Another night where we make more than we miss. Can it last? We sure look comfortable in the looks we get. That’s a sign of good coaching, those looks: Thanks, Lon!
7. Romero Osby: God, I can't believe I forgot this the first time. Hit his free throws, rebounded well, and an absolutely vicious dunk in the game's early stages. That boy is a MAN!
MINUSES:
1. Calvin Newell: Who?
2. Cameron Clark: Out of sync from the get-go. But we played our best (first half) while he was on the bench. I bet he’s miles better against Houston.
3. Casey Arent: I can’t wait for things to start going his way. He looks so befuddled out there.
4. C. J. Washington: If Oral Roberts was his tour-de-force then today was his Waterloo. Yikes!
5. Student Attendance: Good grief, what happened? When I was growing up the student section was a complete madhouse. The ones who WERE there today, though, were very good. Hope they brings a friend or two next time…..maybe 12.
I proudly wear the cap of unabashed optimist for the BBall team. It has cost me friendships, credibility and familial respect, but I care not. Hear me now: we’re pretty good. How good? Who knows, but I do know that we’ve got a cast of characters who seem willing to answer the bell when their number is called. I like seeing guys ride the wave, and I like seeing teammates who neglect getting “theirs” in hopes of slinging the ball back to the guy with the hot hand. When Fitz was hot early we were screening like mad to get him open for another jumper. When Neal hit a couple he was ready to let the next one fly as soon as it came his way.
Confidence is a beautiful thing. Houston, you may have a problem.
Thank you for your time.
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