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Carl Berman

Managing Partner, NetScouts Basketball "The International Basketball Connection". Columnist, Basketball Times and Huffington Post. College and Professional Basketball Scout. Follow me on twitter @carlberman

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Ducks Dominate the Paint In Win Over Utah

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Eugene, OR – The Oregon Ducks squared off against the Utah Utes with both trying to remain near the top of the Pac-12 standings. It was Oregon that led early and kept Utah at a distance throughout the duration of the game to come away with 68-56 win at Matthew Knight Arena in front of 8,228 fans. Oregon was led by guard Jermaine Couisnard who paced the Ducks to victory with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists placing Oregon to one game back of second place in the Pac-12 standings.

Utah’s Branden Carlson, their leading scorer (16.6 ppg) and rebounder (7.5 rpg), traded baskets with Oregon in the opening stages of the game. The 7-footer can score both inside and out, including the ability to square up against his opponent to shoot or put the ball on the floor. He scored early, but Oregon held him in check the remainder of the game. Carlson did get to the free throw line, converting 9-out-10. He finished with 13 points (2-for-14 FG) and eight rebounds, while going 0-for-6 on 3s.

Oregon took control of the game by going on 16-3 run over a ten-minute stretch led by N’Faly Dante. He overpowered the Utes in the paint at both ends of the floor, scoring eight out of nine total points for the game in the first half. He added 10 rebounds, one point shy from another double-double. The Ducks defense stepped up as well by holding Utah without a field goal for that stretch by keeping them out of the paint and forcing them to shoot outside. Utah shot 28 percent from the field (8-for-29 FG) in the opening half. Fellow big Nate Bittle backed up his solid performance against Colorado with another strong game finishing the contest with nine points (4-for-6 FG), six rebounds and three blocks.

After leading 36-25 at the break, the Ducks extended their lead behind player of the game, Couisnard. The 6-5 combo guard looked for his shot from the perimeter off the catch and used his strength to get to the hoop. He scored 12 of his game high 18 points (7-for-14 FG) in the second half, while connecting on two 3s. Oregon’s lead grew to as much as 16 points (62-46) with four minutes remaining. Utah’s Lazar Stefanovich scored a team high 14 points on 4-for-8 from downtown and was trying to shoot the Utes back in the game, as they pulled back within eight points with under two minutes left in the contest.

The Ducks closed the game out behind veteran Will Richardson, who took charge by making the right decisions during the latter stages of the game with the basketball in his hands. The 6’5” guard was unable to find his shot throughout most of the game but stayed aggressive and helped to contribute 12 points on 5-for-15 from the field and seven assists.

Also, Oregon got solid minutes off the bench from 6-9 Lok Wur. He displayed relentless energy and hustle in his 12 minutes on the court. He pulled down four rebounds, added two blocked shots and the team was  plus-17 while he was on the floor. The Ducks’ size and strength proved too much for Utah, as Oregon controlled the boards with a 41-32 advantage and dominated points  in the paint by a 32-14 margin.

Oregon (13-9, 7-4) will travel to face one of the nation’s top teams in Arizona (19-3, 8-3) on February 2nd. Utah (15-8, 8-4) will return home to challenge Stanford (9-12, 3-7) also on February 2nd.

This article was written by Chad Mart, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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Real Madrid wins 2023 ANGT Munich

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Munich, Germany – NetScouts Basketball traveled to Munich, Germany to scout another highly-competitive, loaded with intriguing talented prospects, in the best U18 European club tournament, the Adidas Next Generation. For three days at Audi Dome, the state-of-the-art arena, which hosts the home games of the German powerhouse, Bayern Munich, eight teams, divided into two groups were playing for a spot in the 2023 European Club Championship that will take part alongside the Euroleague Final Four in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The traditional championship contending team of Real Madrid and the Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris Kaunas led each of the two groups, remaining unbeaten in the group phase. Real Madrid passed through Ratiopharm Ulm, Armani Milan and Alba Berlin, dominating and winning by double digits in each of the games -103-60, 92-62, 113-47 respectively.

That wasn’t the case for the Lithuanians who won a nail-biter (75-73) against the Next Generation Team Munich, which was a selection of talented prospects from different European teams and garnished that with two relatively controlled wins against the hosting team of Bayern Munich and Panathinaikos Athens, 82-68 and 73-65 respectively. Zalgiris didn’t lack any experience nor chemistry on their team, with six players who finished 4th at the U17 FIBA World Championship last summer and five players who grabbed the gold medal at the U16 FIBA European Championship Division A during the past off-season.

In the most anticipated game of the final day, Real Madrid controlled the pace against Zalgiris and steadily improved their lead to eventually punch their ticket to the Finals – 84-64. The Spanish team dominated in the fast break points (12-0), scored more points off turnovers (20-16) and second chance actions (18-12). In the third-place game, the selection of the Next Generation Team Munich won a close one against Alba Berlin, 82-79.

Next up we will travel to Patras, Greece to scout the second ANGT event for the season, scheduled to be played from February 10-12.

Most Valuable Player – Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid) 

All-Tournament Team:

Jan Vide (Real M) – 17.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg

Hugo Gonzalez (Real M) – 19.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 11/18 on 3s

Justas Stonkus (Zalgiris) – 17.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 27/35 from FT line

Jack Kayil (Alba Berlin) – 18.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3,5 apg,  9/17 on 3s

Alexandros Samontourov (Panathinaikos) – 14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg,  27/37 from FT line

Below you will find more information on two 2023 recruits who played at the event who we consider interesting from a college perspective. If you’d like to check out the full list of recruits we covered from the event with contact info, suggested rankings, video links and more, please contact Carl Berman at carl@netscoutsbasketball.com for information or to subscribe.

Illan Pietrus (2005, PG, c/o 23’) – a 6-foot-2 dynamic scoring French guard with good size and tough body. Has great basketball genes – his father is Florent Pietrus, and his uncle is former NBA player Michael. Out of the three events we scouted him last season, Illan performed at his best and most controlled at the U17 FIBA World Cup in the summer. There, he proved he’s capable of involving his teammates and sharing the ball, while also keeping a low TO ratio (3.1 – 1), a thing which he needs to be more consistent at. Pietrus has to keep improving his decision-making and balance his iso-style of game with his playmaking duties. His scoring instincts and level of confidence are beyond his age and would fit well the American style. A 3-level scorer. On defense he needs to be more engaged and put consistent effort to become more effective.

Szymon Nowicki (2005, PF, c/o 23’) – The best Polish prospect in his generation. Nowicki moved to the Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid after a solid showing at the U17 FIBA World Cup in the last summer. He improved significantly his physicality over the last several months, adding more strength and some weight to his previous lanky 6-foot-8 frame. He is expected to be a solid stretch 4 as a respectable and confident spot-up shooter and a valuable weapon in pick and pop actions at the next stage. Another dimension of his game will be his capability of creating his own shot, being able to put the ball on the floor and operate. Should be a solid defender on and off the ball thanks to a nice combination of physical tools (long wingspan and good mobility) and intangibles (solid awareness and IQ). His long wingspan will allow him to block shots at the next stage and secure the boards well. Nowicki plays winning basketball and shows very solid understanding of the game on both ends, two skills every college coach would highly appreciate.

This article was written by Simeon Marinov, Director of European Scouting for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

For those interested in our International Recruiting Service please contact Carl Berman at carl@netscoutsbasketball.com or through any of our social media accounts.

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Couisnard, Dante Lead Ducks to Upset Over Arizona

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Eugene, OR – The No. 9-ranked Arizona Wildcats visited the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena Saturday afternoon looking to sweep the Oregon schools. The Ducks had other plans and came out with an impressive performance as they ran away with an 87-68 victory over the Wildcats, led by Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante. The duo combined to score 49 points and came up with big plays throughout the contest in front of 7,970 in attendance.

The first half started off with Dante stealing a pass and dunking the ball with authority nearly over Kerr Kriisa. He got the foul on the dunk and completed the 3-point play. The aggressive play of the 6-11 senior, who scored 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, adding five rebounds and two steals in the first half alone, provided an early spark for Oregon. Dante made an imprint all over the game whether finishing strong around the rim, causing turnovers, or attacking the offensive glass.  

Arizona’s trio of Courtney Ramey, Azoulas Tubelis, and Omar Ballo collectively scored the Wildcats’ first 19 points of the game as they had a 19-13 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the half. The trio seemed to be in complete control with brilliant movement and easy baskets both inside and out. Ramey, a transfer from the Texas, finished the game with 12 points, going 4-for-8 downtown. He did have a hard time finishing around the basket, shooting 4-of-12 overall for the game. Big man, Ballo, who followed Coach Tommy Lloyd from Gonzaga, contributed 10 points (5-for-10 FG), seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

The Ducks didn’t trail long and responded with a 10-0 run in less than two minutes to lead 23-19. During the run, the player of the game, Couisnard attempted a pass to Dante just beyond half-court. It sailed over Dante’s head and found its way in the basket for a 3-pointer. Shortly after, Couisnard drove in the paint and scored on a floater and drew the foul, completing a 3-point play. The 6-4 combo guard, playing only in his fourth game as a Duck, tallied 27 points (9-of-14 FG), five rebounds and three steals. He was in the zone and connected on 6-for-9 on 3s, which was a huge boast considering Oregon’s 3-point shooting woes on the season. The Ducks went into the half leading 43-37.

The second half, saw an aggressive Will Richardson after he had a slow start to the game. He scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half and helped to extend the Ducks’ lead early in the half. He was looking for his shot, and constantly on the attack to set up his teammates for open looks. Richardson didn’t have his best shooting night but made an impact in other ways on the court dishing out five assists, adding four steals and pulling down three rebounds. Nathan Bittle, a 7-foot sophomore out of Central Point, Oregon contributed 10 points (4-of-7 FG), netting two 3s and collected four rebounds.

Tubelis, an 2023 NBA Draft prospect, had his moments of scoring around the basket with strong finishes with both his left and right hand. The 6’11” power forward, was ultimately held in check shooting, making 5-of-13 attempts in the game to score 14 points. He added six rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Ducks defense in the second half held not only Tubelis in check but the rest of the Wildcat team by holding them to 31 percent shooting. In addition, Oregon had 13 steals, over 50 deflections and scored 19 points off Arizona’s 16 turnovers in the game. The bench for Arizona was a bright spot with Kylan Boswell scoring 15 points (5-for-11 FG) and knocking down three 3-pointers.

Down the stretch, Oregon kept the attack on, building a 20-point lead with just over three minutes remaining, after a beautiful up and under move by Dante to cap off his 22 point (9-for-11 FG), 10 rebound double-double performance. For the contest, Oregon shot 53 percent as a team, outrebounded the Wildcats 42-32, including a 14-  5 margin in points in the paint. The Ducks effort at both ends of the floor proved to be too much for the visitors and led them to a big time upset over Arizona.

Oregon (10-8, 4-3) will travel to the Bay Area to challenge California (3-15, 2-5) on January 18th. Arizona (15-3, 4-3) will look for a bounce back win against USC (13-5, 5-2) on January 19th.

This article was written by Chad Mart, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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Gonzaga Edges San Francisco in Thriller

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

San Francisco, CA – The No. 9 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs traveled to Northern California to play the Dons of San Francisco at the War Memorial at Sobrato Center.  The heavily favored Bulldogs started off slow, led the game for only 20 seconds, but beat San Francisco 77-75.  Rasir Bolton got hot late and led Gonzaga with 21 points, connecting on 5-of-7 from deep.

The Bulldogs shot poorly from 3 in the first half, just 33 percent on 4-of-12 while San Francisco was hot from deep, shooting 57 percent on 8-of-14. San Francisco’s hot shooting was led by Khalil Shabazz who had two first half threes.  The Dons also dominated the Bulldogs on the glass, out-rebounding them in the game by a 45-26 margin. That, combined with their strong shooting, gave San Francisco their largest lead at 12 points with 5:45 remaining in the first half.  Gonzaga’s leading scorer Drew Timme struggled in the first half (3-for-9 from the field) but still found a way to score 10 first half points.  At the end of the half San Francisco held a 46-36 lead.

The Bulldogs found their stride with an 11-3 run at the start of the second half which cut the lead to 51-49. Julian Strawther hit a three and Anton Watson hit from mid- range, followed by a shot from deep which got the Bulldogs back on track.  Gonzaga continued to get punished on the boards. In addition, San Francisco’s 7’2” center Volodymyr Markovetskyy gave Timme trouble, altering his shots and limiting his production.  Timme finished with only 11 points on 3-of-16 from the field, significantly less than the 35 points he scored on Pepperdine a week ago. 

But the hallmark of a good team is the ability to win when not playing well.  Gonzaga kept up the pressure by making shots.  San Francisco showed amazing toughness by responding with great shooting of their own.  In response to Gonzaga’s Nolan Hickman making a jumper to bring the Gonzaga within 59-57 with 7:23 remaining the Dons Tyrell Roberts responded with a three=pointer after a time out.  Gonzaga and the Dons seemed to trade buckets with the Zags’ Rasir Bolton making a three and then the Dons’ Josh Kunen making his own three in response to give San Francisco a 71-65 lead with 4:23 remaining in the game.

The crowd at the War Memorial could feel the momentum swinging to the Bulldogs after another Bolton’s three to cut USF’s lead to three points. Tyrell Roberts made two free throws but Bolton responded with yet another three-pointer to cut the USF lead to two points with 2:42 remaining in the game.  The Dons still had a chance to upset the #9 Bulldogs.  Down the stretch, a Bolton steal led to a Hickman layup to tie the game at 73.  The Dons’ Roberts made a beautiful jumper to put the Dons back up by two at 2:02.  Isaiah Hawthorne missed a three for San Francisco then Watson tied the game for the Bulldogs when he was fouled on a dunk, but he missed the free throw. Shabazz then missed another three-pointer.  With the ball in their best player’s hands with nine seconds left, Timme missed a layup but the sharpshooter Bolton came all the way from the other side of the paint and found some space to get the rebound and the put back to give Gonzaga a thrilling 77-75 road win.

This article was written by Damon Burris, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

 

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Utah Valley Holds Off Oregon for Road Win

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Eugene, OR – The Oregon Ducks finished their non-conference schedule, against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Matthew Knight Arena, in front of 5,064 fans. The Ducks tried to stage a late second half comeback after trailing by 17 points at halftime. Quincy Guerrier scored 12 of his 14 points in the final seven minutes of play, to cut the lead to two, at 68-66 with just over a minute remaining. Trey Woodbury on the next possession, sealed the win for the Wolverines with a dagger midrange jumper, pushing the lead back to four points as Utah Valley came away with a 77-72 road win.

Woodbury had an answer for the Ducks all night, scoring a team-high 24 points (9-for-18 FG) and converted enough free throws in the final moments of the game, which proved to be the difference in stopping Oregon’s late surge.

Both teams got off to a slow start scoring until Utah Valley had a short 7-0 spurt to take a 15-10 lead. Woodbury, a 6-4 guard, paced the Wolverines, scoring 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, knocking down two 3s. Utah Valley forced the Ducks into nine first half turnovers, and the Wolverines scored 13 points off those turnovers. Woodbury added nine rebounds, six assists and three steals to his team-high scoring. The Wolverines grew their lead to ten points at the six- minute mark of the opening half behind Tim Ceaser’s two 3s and was fouled on a third attempt, in which he netted all three free throws. Ceaser a 6-9 wing, scored 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.  

Justin Harmon of Utah Valley connected on a 3-pointer to push the lead to 17 points with 36 seconds left in the half to extend the lead to 41-24 at halftime. The 6-4 shooting guard, who leads the team in points per game at 14.8, was an instrumental part in the dominant first half by the Wolverines. He finished the contest with 13 points and seven rebounds though was only 5-of-15 shooting with most of his misses coming in the second half. As a team, Utah Valley connected on 6-for-11 from downtown. The Wolverines benefited from Oregon’s mistakes and held the Ducks to shooting 28 percent from the field and 13 percent on 3s.

In the second half, N’Faly Dante got involved on the offensive end, after sitting out most of the opening half in foul trouble. He posted up aggressively to score on a jump hook. Then, the 6-11 center, took advantage of a mismatch down-low, with a baseline spin for the lay-in. When Dante is fully engaged, he is a force inside crashing the offensive glass and finishing at the rim. Dante recorded a double-double scoring 17 points (7-for-12 FG) and adding 15 rebounds.

While Utah Valley cooled down shooting from the perimeter in the second half, the Ducks also remained ice cold. With only seven minutes left in the game, Oregon was 1-of-15 on 3s. Oregon kept battling, especially on the offensive glass, and drawing fouls on putbacks. The Ducks took a total of 28 free throws throughout the game, making 21. Lok Wur, not known for getting much playing time, got Oregon back in the game with an offensive rebound and put-back with eight minutes remaining to cut the deficit to eight points. His relentless hustle became contagious amongst the rest of the Ducks. Wur, a 6-9 junior, tallied only 3 points (1-for-3 FG), but collected eight rebounds and had two blocked shots in 18 minutes of action. Oregon collectively outrebounded the Wolverines 53-36 and 22-8 on the offensive end. The 22 offensive rebounds were turned into 22 second chance points to Utah Valley’s eight.

Will Richardson had to do it all for the Ducks, despite getting in foul trouble, Coach Altman kept him in the game. The 6-5 point guard, demonstrated consistency in all facets of the game for Oregon. With his teammates struggling in the opening half shooting, only making a combined 3-for-20, Richardson scored 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting. The Ducks could have been in a deeper hole going into the half, if it wasn’t for his scoring. Richardson had a game-high 26 points (10-fo-19 FG), seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Ducks played a much better second half, but the major determining factor for Oregon’s loss was 3-point shooting. Oregon shot 3-of-18, while the Wolverines connected on 40 percent of their attempts (8-for-20 3PT).

Oregon (7-6, 1-1) will ramp up conference play as they will host rival Oregon State (6-6, 1-1) on December 31st. Utah Valley (9-4, 0-0) will return home to start league play to face Sam Houston (10-2, 0-0) on December 29th.

This article was written by Chad Mart, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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Richardson’s Triple-Double Sparks Oregon’s Win

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Eugene, OR – The Ducks squared off on Saturday afternoon against the visiting Nevada Wolfpack (8-2).  Oregon was looking for a bounce back win after a tough road loss against UCLA. Will Richardson shined with the first triple-double performance in 20 years for the Ducks. He had 19 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Oregon to a 78-65 win at Matthew Knight Arena in front of 5,416 fans.

Oregon jumped out to an 18-6 lead at the 11: 55 mark of the opening half, after Quincy Guerrier knocked down his fourth 3-pointer in a row. In the first half, Guerrier scored 14 points on 4-of-6 3s. He got into a groove early with some good looks at the basket while catching and shooting in rhythm. The Ducks would extend their lead to 32-15, after the Wolfpack struggled shooting for the first 15 minutes of the half. They started out 1-for-11 on 3-point attempts. Guerrier continued his scoring prowess in the second half, showing that he can score both inside out and out. He finished with 26 points (7-for-13 FG), making 7-of-8 free throws and adding nine rebounds. Free throw shooting has been an area where Oregon has struggled early this season. Tonight, as a team, they shot 13-for-19 for 68 percent.

The Wolfpack rallied to get back in the game during the final five minutes of the half, with Jarod Lucas nailing a 3-pointer from the wing. Nevada would finish the half on a. 14-4 run to go into halftime trailing 36-29. Lucas a former Oregon State Beaver, leads Nevada on the season in scoring at 17.3 points per game. He nearly hit that mark again with 16 points. The shooting guard was bottled up most of the night, and he was forced by the Duck defense into difficult shots. His shot selection included several fadeaway jumpers, in which he managed to hit a few. He went 5-for-13 from the field and netted three 3s. Lucas is always a tough matchup for teams with his smooth shooting stroke. Also, he is constantly in motion, looking for his shot, whether moving off the ball or handling the basketball.

The second half started out with Oregon’s Richardson providing instant offense scoring five of the team’s first seven points to extend the lead back to 14 points with 18 minutes remaining. Oregon was in complete control throughout the remainder of the game. When Richardson is playing well and contributing in different phases of the game, the Ducks always have a chance to win. The senior scored 19 points on an efficient 7-for-12 shooting, while hitting four 3-pointers. The Ducks showed much more patience and flow at the offense end, than through the first third of the season, by assisting 17 times on 27 made field goals. Behind the Richardson’s leadership, Oregon would extend their lead to as much as 19 points.

N’Faly Dante and Brennan Rigsby helped contribute for the Ducks combining to score 18 points. Dante’s presence at both ends of the paint created mismatches and made it tough for the Wolfpack to get easy buckets in the paint. With Oregon in control in the second half, the Ducks at one point were outscoring the Wolfpack 26-12 in the paint, before Nevada made several baskets in the paint during the final few minutes. Dante recorded three blocks to go along with his 11 points (4-for-8 FG). Collectively, Oregon tallied 11 blocked shots in the contest to Nevada’s zero. Rigsby, a 6-3 sophomore scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting. He showed the ability to drive left and step back for a mid-range fadeaway. Later in the game he would take the same angle but elevate for a floater.

The offense for Nevada struggled to find any consistency as they shot 7-for-28 on 3s and only 30 percent from the field. Early in the game, they had some wide-open shots from the perimeter, but could not capitalize on the looks. Kenan Blackshear, a 6-6 wing tried to keep the Wolfpack in the game. He had a team high 20 points on 5-for-14 shooting. He didn’t shoot the ball well, but kept attacking the hoop, drawing fouls and getting to the foul line. The junior went a perfect 10-for-10 from the strike. In addition, he had five rebounds and three steals.

Oregon collectively had one of their best shooting outcomes on the season by shooting 46 percent from the field (27-for-59), including 11-for-27 from downtown. Other keys to the Ducks victory is controlling the boards by the count of 44-36. This led to a 15-5 margin in second chance points. Coach Altman seemed to make transition defense a point of emphasis in this contest holding the Wolfpack to only four fast break points to Oregon’s 12.

Oregon (1-1, 5-5) will stay home to challenge UC Riverside (0-0, 5-3 on December 14. On the same day,  Nevada (0-0, 8-3) will be back home to host UC San Diego (0-0, 4-4).

This article was written by Chad Mart, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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UCLA’s Early Run Propels Them Past Stanford

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Palo Alto, CA – The No. 21-ranked UCLA Bruins traveled to Northern California to play Stanford at Maples Pavilion.  The game had the makings of a great match up with five NBA prospects participating.  However, Stanford started off with seven turnovers in the first nine possessions as UCLA ran off to a 17-0 lead, then coasted to an 80-66 win.

UCLA took control of the game with its defense.  Jaime Jaquez Jr. had three steals in the first six minutes which led to easy transition layups.  UCLA’s superior athleticism was on full display with dunks from Jaquez Jr. and a thunderous lob dunk from freshman power forward Adem Bona. Jaquez Jr and Amari Bailey combined for 14 of UCLA’s first 17 points, scoring from all levels.  Bailey was impressive with his efficiency and athleticism. He knocked down a three, hit a mid-range jumper and scored at the rim.

By the middle of the first half, the Bruins and Cardinal traded baskets.  Stanford’s Harrison Ingram, an NBA prospect, had an off night missing badly from deep.  He was tentative which grew with each missed shot.  Ingram finished with six points on 3-of-8 shooting and 0-of-5 on 3’s.    

In the second half, the Cardinal found their footing behind improved three-point shooting from starter Spencer Jones and sixth man Mchael Jones.  They combined for 28 of Stanford’s 66 points and were the only Cardinals in double figures.  In addition, UCLA seemed to lose focus starting the second half with four turnovers and two missed layups.  This spurred a 9-2 Stanford run at the 16:35 mark where the score was UCLA 52 – Stanford 38.

UCLA went cold and was out of sync, scattering shots here and there.  David Singleton and Tyger Campbell hit back-to-back 3’s to hold off the surging Cardinal.  Jaylen Clark had been a defensive menace for the Bruins with 16 steals in seven games (2.3 per game) but after some missed assignments he played only 19 minutes, well below his average of 29 minutes per game.  Clark finished with four points (2-of 3 FGA) and one rebound.  Clark is shooting 46 percent from 3 on the season.  He didn’t take a three-pointer during this game

Ingram continues to struggle with shooting efficiency. He played just 20 minutes. He never looked comfortable in the Stanford offense which looked to him to be a playmaker.  Ingram was benched the majority of the second half.

Bona fouled out with 1:53 remaining.  While the game was firmly in hand.  Bona’s awareness of time, score and game situations needs to improve.  Bona would be well served to develop a mid-range shot, as of right now he is merely a lob finisher. 

The stars of the game were Jaquez Jr. and Bailey.  Jaquez Jr. finished with 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting (0-of-2 3’s), four rebounds and three steals.  Jaquez Jr. was crafty with mid-range shooting and in-the-lane finishes.  He had control of the game from the tip on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Bailey was also impressive with 19 points on 7-of-9 from the field including 2-of-2 from deep.  He was explosive with a first half dunk and tip dunk off a Singleton missed jumper. While Bailey did have seven turnovers, he is a very good on-ball and help defender.  Bailey knows where the opportunities to make plays are and he hunts those opportunities down.

This article was written by Damon Burris, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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Oregon’s Second Half Surge Leads to Win in Pac-12 Opener

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Eugene, OR – Oregon broke open a close game with a 13-2 run midway through the second half and came away with a 74-60 win over Washington State in their Pac-12 opener on Thursday night.  N’Faly Dante scored a season-high 22 points, 16 in the second half, and added a team-high seven rebounds in only 24 minutes of play to lead the Ducks. Will Richardson was very effective at point guard, adding 17 points, eight assists and three steals against only two turnovers.  6-11 Mouhamed Gueye was impressive for the Cougars scoring 19 points, 17 in the first half, on 8-of-12 from the field.

The Ducks had eight scholarship players available for this game, an improvement from their last game in Portland against Villanova when only six were available. Juco transfer Brennan Rigsby got his first action of the season and did a nice defensive job in 21 minutes of play. Rigsby grabbed six rebounds, scoring his only points on a put-back dunk and added two steals while helping hold down Washington State’s leading scorer TJ Bamba. The 6-5 Bamba came into the game averaging over 17 points per game and shooting over 56 percent from deep, 21st in the country. He was held to 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, scoring all of his baskets at the rim and was limited to one three-point attempt, which was unsuccessful.

In an extended 34 minutes of court time Rivaldo Soares played his best all-around game of the year. Soares scored only eight points, missing his three attempts from deep, but added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals along with some good defense. Freshman center Kel’el Ware didn’t play his best, finishing with eight points and four rebounds in 26 minutes. Ware had two thunderous dunks in the first half but was only 1-of-4 in the second half. He missed his two three-point attempts and missed a 15-foot fall-away jumper where he had no reason to move away from the basket. He has to understand that not many defenders have his height, reach or skill.

Oregon won despite continuing to shoot poorly from deep, going only 3-of-18.  The Ducks are making only 28.6 percent of the 3-point attempts, 323rd in the nation. They helped themselves by sharing the ball well, generating 16 assists on 32 made baskets compared to only five assists from the Cougars. They also forced 17 turnovers and committed only 11.

The teams ended the first half tied at 32 and Oregon trailed 44-40 before going on their 13-2 run.  A three-pointer from Quincy Guerrier (12 points) put the Ducks up 62-52 and they took their biggest lead on a Dante dunk off a feed from Richardson that extended the lead to 14 points late in the game. Dante, returning to action after missing the Villanova game, matched his career high of 22 points, connecting on  11-of-16 from the field and being very active throughout the contest.

Oregon (4-4) will next travel to face UCLA on Sunday afternoon in a game that will be televised on ESPN. The Bruins are coming off a solid road win at Stanford where they went out to a 32-9 lead.

This article was written by Carl Berman, Managing Partner of NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

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Oregon State Goes Winless at PK85

by Carl Berman
written by Carl Berman

Portland, OR –Oregon State finished the PK85 0-3, however played their best game of the tournament in a 54-51 defeat to #8 Duke at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the opening day of the event.

In a competitive game which had eleven lead changes, the game came down to a final 3-point miss by the Beavers (Pope) that would have sent the game into overtime. The Beavers never trailed the Blue Devils by more than five points the entire contest and led by as many as six points (43-37) with 10:10 remaining in the game. They played a solid zone defense holding Duke to 27% field goal shooting in the contest.  2023 NBA Draft prospect 7’0” Freshman forward Kyle Filipowski took over down the stretch as he led the way with a game high 19 points (5-13FG, 1-5 3FG, 8-9FT) and added 14 rebounds, scoring nine of those points down the stretch to propel the Blue Devils to victory. He’s a solid athletic stretch “Big” currently averaging 16.2 ppg and 11 rpg on the season. For Oregon State their 6’2” freshman guard Jordan Pope continues to impress, leading the way with his 14 points (5-12FG, 1-6 3FG, 3-4FT), five rebounds, and two assists.

Key Game Stats

Time led: Duke 19:49 – OSU 18:36

Field Goals: Oregon State 40% – Duke 27%

Rebounds: Duke 45 – Oregon State 29

Bench Points: Duke 20 – Oregon State 8

2nd Chance Points: Duke 18 – Oregon State 7

In Game two versus Florida, a team the Beavers have never played prior to the PK Legacy event. Oregon State got off to a really slow start shooting 37% in the first half. The Gators got out the blocks quickly behind the shooting touch of 6’0” junior guard Trey Bonham who made 3- three pointers early and scored 13 of his game high 19 points (7-12FG, 3-6 3FG, 2-2FT) in the first half. Florida had balanced scoring with guards Will Richard (13 points) and Riley Kugel (10 points) and 6’11” senior forward Colin Castleton adding 12 points (4-6FG, 4-4FT). The two bright spots for Oregon State were Jordan Pope (4-10FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-2FT), and 6’9” freshman forward Tyler Bilodeau (5-8FG, 2-3 3FG) each with 12-points. 

Key Game Stats

Time in the lead: Florida 39:23 – Oregon State 0

Field Goals: Florida 57% – Oregon State 46%

Free Throws: Florida 87% – Oregon State 50%

Points in the Paint: Florida 32 – Oregon State 24

In their final contest against familiar in-state rival Portland State the Beavers would lose to Vikings 83-71 for the second time in nine days, losing the first time on November 19th in Corvallis 79-66. The Vikings had a balanced scoring attack with six players (13-Mikal Starks, 11-Cameron Parker, Bobby Harvey, Hunter Woods, 10-Trey Wood) reaching double figures. They were led by 6-4 junior guard Jorell Saterfield who scored 10 of his 15 points (4-14FG, 4-10 3FG, 3-3FT) in the first half, also adding three rebounds. Saterfield, a transfer from UTEP, also had a decent game in a102-78 loss to #2 Gonzaga where he scored 21 points (7-15FG, 5-8 3FG, 2-2FT).

Oregon State started off extremely slow, lacking energy and focus as well as experiencing more shooting woes as in the Florida contest. Portland State took a commanding 15-point lead two times in the first half (37-22), (43-28), and went into the half with a 45-34 lead. In the second half the play was much of the same, Portland State never allowed the Beavers to get within nine points (51-42) at the 16:14 mark of the game following a transition score by Pope. The Vikings would take their largest lead of the game 76-54 with 7:48 remaining to take full command of the game, as they never took their feet off the throttle with its intensity, aggressive attacking offense, and extended man to man defensive pressure with multiple trap schemes.

For Oregon State their talented 6-2 freshman point guard Pope had a nice showing all tournament. He was this game’s high scorer with 23-points (6-10FG, 1-3 3FG, 10-10FT) and added three rebounds, and three assists. He was the only Beaver player to reach double figures in this game. All tournament he displayed leadership, competitiveness, and the ability to be very effective and efficient. He’s a player to keep on the radar as he was solid in all games knocking down outside shots as well as using his speed and quickness with the ball to penetrate into the paint.  

Key Game Stats

Lead Time: Portland State 39:30 – Oregon State 0

3FG%: Portland State 38 – Oregon State 25

Assists: Portland State 16 – Oregon State 11

Steals: Portland State 9- Oregon State 4

Oregon State (3-4, 0-0)  will next Washington (5-1, 0-0) in Pac-12 opener on Dec. 1st at 7pm, while Portland State (3-4, 0-0) will host Portland Bible College (0-8,0-0) in non-conference contest on November 30th at 7pm.

This article was written by Lorenzo Leaks, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

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