Scored 22 in a losing effort. He looks like he has put on some weight, which probably helps him in the post. I remember being surprised at the good game he had against Kentucky.
UTC isn't very good, but Drazen has upped his game.
Recap and Pic
Showing posts with label Drazen Zlovaric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drazen Zlovaric. Show all posts
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Drazen Zlovaric to UTC
Drazen Zlovaric has decided to transfer to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In doing so, he will once again be close to the family that served as his host when Zlovaric moved to the U.S. from Serbia.
Sounds like a good fit for Drazen. If he builds his confidence some more, he might put up some big numbers. The physical talent is there. He just seemed unsure with the basketball. After a couple of games in which he didn't shoot well, he either was instructed not to shoot, or he was too rattled to do so with any confidence. He will likely have to play out his issues, and in a different scheme, it might just happen for him. With the transfer, he'll have a year to adjust before he suits up officially.
Good Luck, Drazen!
Transfer
Sounds like a good fit for Drazen. If he builds his confidence some more, he might put up some big numbers. The physical talent is there. He just seemed unsure with the basketball. After a couple of games in which he didn't shoot well, he either was instructed not to shoot, or he was too rattled to do so with any confidence. He will likely have to play out his issues, and in a different scheme, it might just happen for him. With the transfer, he'll have a year to adjust before he suits up officially.
Good Luck, Drazen!
Transfer
Fox signs Donte Williams and Sherrard Brantley
The way I see this is that Donte Williams gives us a quality back-up, and Sherrard Brantley will be able to shoot from deep. This means that we have at least in theory replaced the contributions of the guys who are graduating, Albert Jackson and Ricky McPhee, and the two signees may ultimately give us much more.
Anything we get from Cady Lalanne would have to be seen as gravy, since Drazen Zlovaric didn't contribute much this year. Demario Mayfield looked good in spots, but he didn't play enough for us to get a true read on what he might have been able to do. Gerald Robinson, the transfer who is newly eligible for this fall, will likely start and play a lot of minutes.
Any way you look at it, if we get either Polee or Thornton, we will have made a huge step forward. The SEC East won't get any easier, so we have to recruit pretty darn well just to avoid the lower half of the division. Lalanne with the two recent signees represent a good start.
Signees
Anything we get from Cady Lalanne would have to be seen as gravy, since Drazen Zlovaric didn't contribute much this year. Demario Mayfield looked good in spots, but he didn't play enough for us to get a true read on what he might have been able to do. Gerald Robinson, the transfer who is newly eligible for this fall, will likely start and play a lot of minutes.
Any way you look at it, if we get either Polee or Thornton, we will have made a huge step forward. The SEC East won't get any easier, so we have to recruit pretty darn well just to avoid the lower half of the division. Lalanne with the two recent signees represent a good start.
Signees
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Zlovaric and Mayfield to Transfer
Really hate to see these two guys leave. Zlovaric didn't show much this year, but he has real potential. Fox said as much when he came on board. There seemed to be some disconnect for Drazen. Maybe things could have gotten better with more playing time, but he just didn't produce in the limited minutes he got, and the minutes were not going to be there next year.
Demario Mayfield also had potential. Not everyone on a roster is going to get significant minutes. A good team needs some guys who are willing to contribute and perhaps wait their turn. I thought that Mayfield might have an opportunity to play more in the future if he just worked hard on his game.
Oh well.
What does this mean for the future? Hopefully, we have recruits coming in that can replace them. Josh Langford? Dwayne Polee? Jucos? We'll find out in mid-April.
Good luck, Drazen and Demario!
Demario Mayfield also had potential. Not everyone on a roster is going to get significant minutes. A good team needs some guys who are willing to contribute and perhaps wait their turn. I thought that Mayfield might have an opportunity to play more in the future if he just worked hard on his game.
Oh well.
What does this mean for the future? Hopefully, we have recruits coming in that can replace them. Josh Langford? Dwayne Polee? Jucos? We'll find out in mid-April.
Good luck, Drazen and Demario!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What about Polee and Williams?
Fox has two scholarships that he can give out this spring. Anonymous mentioned that he thinks that UGA will bring in Dwayne Polee and Donte Williams.
Dwayne Polee and anybody sounds good to me. I have been really impressed with him so far, and it would be a real coup for Fox to go out to the west coast and steal him from the PAC-10.
A signing class of Lalanne, Williams and Polee would help our roster to shape up, too. The best news is that we would have 5 quality big guys. You almost have to have that number, since we don't have a true center. Williams and Lalanne, the new guys would help to shoot and defend. Jeremy Price and Chris Barnes would give us the bulk and experience in the SEC. Trey Thompkins, if he comes back, would rebound and score.
Price and Barnes will be seniors. Lalanne and Williams would need to prepare to play right away so they can get enough experience to be the key guys in the post for the future. Of course, one of the side benefits from signing Williams is that it might put UGA in a good position for snagging Tony Parker down the line.
Dwayne Polee and Travis Leslie would hold down the three spot, along with whatever Drazen Zlovaric can give us. UGA's high fliers would keep us on Sports Center, that's for sure. We would have an exciting brand of basketball.
My biggest concern would be on the perimeter. Dustin Ware can bring the ball up the floor, with an assist from Vincent Williams. Gerald Robinson, Ebuka Anyaorah and Demario Mayfield would be the key contributors at the two-guard. Can any of them score enough to give us fire-power against a zone? I think that if Robinson is as good as advertised, we might be okay offensively. The bigger question is whether our two-guards can defend the bigger shooting guards in the league.
Dwayne Polee and anybody sounds good to me. I have been really impressed with him so far, and it would be a real coup for Fox to go out to the west coast and steal him from the PAC-10.
A signing class of Lalanne, Williams and Polee would help our roster to shape up, too. The best news is that we would have 5 quality big guys. You almost have to have that number, since we don't have a true center. Williams and Lalanne, the new guys would help to shoot and defend. Jeremy Price and Chris Barnes would give us the bulk and experience in the SEC. Trey Thompkins, if he comes back, would rebound and score.
Price and Barnes will be seniors. Lalanne and Williams would need to prepare to play right away so they can get enough experience to be the key guys in the post for the future. Of course, one of the side benefits from signing Williams is that it might put UGA in a good position for snagging Tony Parker down the line.
Dwayne Polee and Travis Leslie would hold down the three spot, along with whatever Drazen Zlovaric can give us. UGA's high fliers would keep us on Sports Center, that's for sure. We would have an exciting brand of basketball.
My biggest concern would be on the perimeter. Dustin Ware can bring the ball up the floor, with an assist from Vincent Williams. Gerald Robinson, Ebuka Anyaorah and Demario Mayfield would be the key contributors at the two-guard. Can any of them score enough to give us fire-power against a zone? I think that if Robinson is as good as advertised, we might be okay offensively. The bigger question is whether our two-guards can defend the bigger shooting guards in the league.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Feeling a Dawgs Win
Dustin Ware will have to play the game of his life. He'll have to keep Bobby Maze out of the paint. And on offense, he has to make good decisions with the ball and help us keep it a half-court game.
The other guys have to step up, too. Does Ebuka have a jumpshot or two in him? Can Drazen spell Travis Leslie?
If we can out-physical their bigs, get Wayne Chism in foul trouble, then I think we win. Hopefully, their guards will come out cold. We're well-rested and fresh, and we need the victory more than they do.
Besides, we already whipped UT once this week. If we can can beat Pat Summitt, Bruce Pearl ought to be easy. We're on a roll, here. Let's keep it going.
Dawgs by a whopping 8 points. 68 to 60. I'm calling it.
The other guys have to step up, too. Does Ebuka have a jumpshot or two in him? Can Drazen spell Travis Leslie?
If we can out-physical their bigs, get Wayne Chism in foul trouble, then I think we win. Hopefully, their guards will come out cold. We're well-rested and fresh, and we need the victory more than they do.
Besides, we already whipped UT once this week. If we can can beat Pat Summitt, Bruce Pearl ought to be easy. We're on a roll, here. Let's keep it going.
Dawgs by a whopping 8 points. 68 to 60. I'm calling it.
Monday, January 18, 2010
More on Mississippi State Game
As annoyed as I was with the loss at Mississippi State, I realize that there were a few glimmers of hope in the game.
Drazen Zlovaric. He looked more comfortable out there. Nice move to the basket off of the in-bounds play. Good job in getting the bucket and finishing off the three-point play. I still think he'll have a big game (15 points or more) while in a Dawgs uniform.
Albert Jackson. Best I've seen him play in a while. Used his body. Shot 5 of 6 from the floor, if memory serves me. Had a crucial turnover late in the game, but I fault that to the guards putting him in a bad position.
Travis Leslie. Hit only 7 of 21 from the floor, and that includes the dunks. That means that he missed a lot of jumpers, floaters and stick-backs. However, of those misses, there were a few plays on which he should've gotten to the line, and in a home game, he probably would have. He'll have an off game or two. He just needs to stay agressive. As he improves, his field goal percentage will be close to 50 percent.
Trey Thompkins. Shot 8 of 19. Not too bad. He'll do better. He's money from the free throw line, which is good. He had some turnovers at the end of the game. I chalk that up to fatigue. Most games, Thompkins has really good hands.
Can we beat Tennessee? Can we get our first SEC win under Mark Fox? There are some glimmers of hope.
Drazen Zlovaric. He looked more comfortable out there. Nice move to the basket off of the in-bounds play. Good job in getting the bucket and finishing off the three-point play. I still think he'll have a big game (15 points or more) while in a Dawgs uniform.
Albert Jackson. Best I've seen him play in a while. Used his body. Shot 5 of 6 from the floor, if memory serves me. Had a crucial turnover late in the game, but I fault that to the guards putting him in a bad position.
Travis Leslie. Hit only 7 of 21 from the floor, and that includes the dunks. That means that he missed a lot of jumpers, floaters and stick-backs. However, of those misses, there were a few plays on which he should've gotten to the line, and in a home game, he probably would have. He'll have an off game or two. He just needs to stay agressive. As he improves, his field goal percentage will be close to 50 percent.
Trey Thompkins. Shot 8 of 19. Not too bad. He'll do better. He's money from the free throw line, which is good. He had some turnovers at the end of the game. I chalk that up to fatigue. Most games, Thompkins has really good hands.
Can we beat Tennessee? Can we get our first SEC win under Mark Fox? There are some glimmers of hope.
Friday, November 13, 2009
I Got a New Attitude
While I'm at it, using songs as titles for my posts, (I assume that most readers caught the John Lennon reference in my last post), I decided to throw some Patti Labelle in there.
Labelle's "New Attitude" song might be the theme for Georgia's year. We don't have too many new players to speak of, but our coach has given us a new perspective and approach to the game, and that might be enough to get us some wins.
Attitude
I will say that I like the line-up, if it's correct. Putting Jeremy Price in there with Chris Barnes and Trey Thompkins will give our starting five some height. We won't be as quick on the perimeter, since Dustin Ware will be paired with Travis Leslie in the backcourt. I'm not sure how long we will stay with the new look, especially if we have trouble advancing the ball. But we shouldn't be outrebounded.
I'd like to see Ebuka Anyaorah be the first person off the bench, followed by Drazen Zlovaric.
Should be fun.
Georgia vs. the New Orleans Privateers. Tonight!
Labelle's "New Attitude" song might be the theme for Georgia's year. We don't have too many new players to speak of, but our coach has given us a new perspective and approach to the game, and that might be enough to get us some wins.
Attitude
I will say that I like the line-up, if it's correct. Putting Jeremy Price in there with Chris Barnes and Trey Thompkins will give our starting five some height. We won't be as quick on the perimeter, since Dustin Ware will be paired with Travis Leslie in the backcourt. I'm not sure how long we will stay with the new look, especially if we have trouble advancing the ball. But we shouldn't be outrebounded.
I'd like to see Ebuka Anyaorah be the first person off the bench, followed by Drazen Zlovaric.
Should be fun.
Georgia vs. the New Orleans Privateers. Tonight!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Fox Comments on Zlovaric
I posted before a recap of the recent Q&A session between Coach Fox and the media, so most of the information in the Athens Banner Herald news piece is not new. However, I thought I should add the attached article due to the information on Coach Fox and his opinion on Drazen Zlovaric.
Zlovaric is impressive. He can shoot the ball and put it on the floor. And he is a big time leaper for a 6' 9" guy. The issue is where to play him. Can he guard an athletic two-player? Keep a slashing small forward out of the paint?
If Zlovaric moves his feet well on defense, I think Fox will give him a shot at a good number of minutes this coming year. Zlovaric will have his chance, especially since the graduation of Terrance Woodbury leaves the starting small forward slot open.
A pleasant surprise that Drazen has impressed Coach Fox so early in the process.
Zlovaric is impressive. He can shoot the ball and put it on the floor. And he is a big time leaper for a 6' 9" guy. The issue is where to play him. Can he guard an athletic two-player? Keep a slashing small forward out of the paint?
If Zlovaric moves his feet well on defense, I think Fox will give him a shot at a good number of minutes this coming year. Zlovaric will have his chance, especially since the graduation of Terrance Woodbury leaves the starting small forward slot open.
A pleasant surprise that Drazen has impressed Coach Fox so early in the process.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Thoughts from the Box Score
Interesting to look at the Box Score from today's game against UT.
Corey Butler had as many points and rebounds as Scotty Hopson. Butler was a walk-on, and Hopson, according to Rivals.com, was the #5 recruit in the country.
Hate to say it, but Albert Jackson was an "0-for" for the game. He had 0 points and 0 rebounds in 14 minutes. I'm sure he played some defense, but your starting center has to at least register something besides personal fouls in a big game. For comparison's sake, UT's starting center gave them 12 points and 7 boards.
Drazen Zlovaric did not play. I, for one, want to see what he can do. Maybe the main reason is that Georgia has strength on the wing, but Woodbury is a senior. Travis Leslie will inherit the starting position, I'm sure, next year, but I'm not sure who will be his back-up. When we play long, athletic teams without the bulky post players, Zlovaric can help us.
Only 3 turnovers from our point guards. Dustin Ware played a really nice game, I thought. He kept his head up on the drives, went at pretty much full speed, either going left or right, and showed a pretty decent shooting touch (4 for 9).
Tyler Smith was the player of the game. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds (4 on the offensive end), and 6 assists. The published report before the game was that he was "doubtful", and might not suit up, due to a bruised bone in his knee. Without Smith, UT loses today's game.
Corey Butler had as many points and rebounds as Scotty Hopson. Butler was a walk-on, and Hopson, according to Rivals.com, was the #5 recruit in the country.
Hate to say it, but Albert Jackson was an "0-for" for the game. He had 0 points and 0 rebounds in 14 minutes. I'm sure he played some defense, but your starting center has to at least register something besides personal fouls in a big game. For comparison's sake, UT's starting center gave them 12 points and 7 boards.
Drazen Zlovaric did not play. I, for one, want to see what he can do. Maybe the main reason is that Georgia has strength on the wing, but Woodbury is a senior. Travis Leslie will inherit the starting position, I'm sure, next year, but I'm not sure who will be his back-up. When we play long, athletic teams without the bulky post players, Zlovaric can help us.
Only 3 turnovers from our point guards. Dustin Ware played a really nice game, I thought. He kept his head up on the drives, went at pretty much full speed, either going left or right, and showed a pretty decent shooting touch (4 for 9).
Tyler Smith was the player of the game. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds (4 on the offensive end), and 6 assists. The published report before the game was that he was "doubtful", and might not suit up, due to a bruised bone in his knee. Without Smith, UT loses today's game.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Georgia against Wofford
Game is at 2:00 in Athens.
Georgia should win this one, but you never know. The key, I think, will be exploiting our size advantage on the inside.
Wofford does have a guy who is 6' 9", but other than that, they are truly undersized, compared to Jackson, Thompkins, Price and Barnes.
Wofford will likely try to get Junior Samples, er, rather Salters going. I never did like Hee-Haw very much, so let's have Corey Butler shut this guy down.
Wofford Roster
I'd like to see Georgia get a comfortable lead, enough so that we can see some more of Drazen Zlovaric and Troy Brewer.
Georgia should win this one, but you never know. The key, I think, will be exploiting our size advantage on the inside.
Wofford does have a guy who is 6' 9", but other than that, they are truly undersized, compared to Jackson, Thompkins, Price and Barnes.
Wofford will likely try to get Junior Samples, er, rather Salters going. I never did like Hee-Haw very much, so let's have Corey Butler shut this guy down.
Wofford Roster
I'd like to see Georgia get a comfortable lead, enough so that we can see some more of Drazen Zlovaric and Troy Brewer.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Crazy Hair
Late in the basketball season of 2007/2008, Coach Felton pledged that he would shave off his moustache if the Dawgs made it to the NCAA Tournament.
Well, against all odds, the Dawgs played four games, in three days, with two overtimes, and one tornado. And they won the SEC Tournament, automatically advancing to the NCAA Tournament's coveted field of 64.
True to his word, Coach Felton came out to the Tate Center during the spring, and before a group of cheering students, had his barber make him completely clean-shaven.
Fast-forward to fall, 2008. Coach Felton has grown back his moustache. And the team is struggling. They stumbled out of the gate and lost a couple of games that they should have won. Then came the embarassing loss to Illinois.
After that game, the seniors called a team-only meeting.
I'm not sure what was said, but I will say this: Georgia looked like a new team out there in the Dawgs' next game against Virginia Tech.
Georgia was much more patient offensively. They shared the ball. Cut down on turnovers. Played with more purpose, defensively. There was no second-half let-down. Everybody scored. And the Dawgs pulled out a game down the stretch against a quality opponent.
But it was more than that. Not just the way they played. The team looked different.
Corey Butler, the player nick-named, "the Senator", apparently decided to dispense with some of his statesman-like bearing, and ran out onto the floor sporting a Mohawk. Drazen Zlovaric had the same style. If Drazen's parents caught any of the highlights of the game on the Serbian version of ESPN, they must be there fraught with worry over how American life has totally corrupted their son.
As strange as the Mohawks were, the other hair-cuts had them beat. Travis Leslie, Dustin Ware and perhaps a couple of others had designs in their hair. I thought that aliens might have landed and put their characteristic crop circles on the scalps of our players. But it was weirder than that. Nothing geometric that I could see. No pattern that would suggest the visit of a race of highly advanced extra-terrestials.
No, this appeared to be pure whimsy.
Well, I'm all for fun. Coach Felton started this hair thing just before last season's successful tournament run, and we might just need some kind of extra magic again if the Dawgs are going to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
Whatever the case, I definitely liked the team returning to its winning ways. I say, keep the crazy hair until we lose.
Well, against all odds, the Dawgs played four games, in three days, with two overtimes, and one tornado. And they won the SEC Tournament, automatically advancing to the NCAA Tournament's coveted field of 64.
True to his word, Coach Felton came out to the Tate Center during the spring, and before a group of cheering students, had his barber make him completely clean-shaven.
Fast-forward to fall, 2008. Coach Felton has grown back his moustache. And the team is struggling. They stumbled out of the gate and lost a couple of games that they should have won. Then came the embarassing loss to Illinois.
After that game, the seniors called a team-only meeting.
I'm not sure what was said, but I will say this: Georgia looked like a new team out there in the Dawgs' next game against Virginia Tech.
Georgia was much more patient offensively. They shared the ball. Cut down on turnovers. Played with more purpose, defensively. There was no second-half let-down. Everybody scored. And the Dawgs pulled out a game down the stretch against a quality opponent.
But it was more than that. Not just the way they played. The team looked different.
Corey Butler, the player nick-named, "the Senator", apparently decided to dispense with some of his statesman-like bearing, and ran out onto the floor sporting a Mohawk. Drazen Zlovaric had the same style. If Drazen's parents caught any of the highlights of the game on the Serbian version of ESPN, they must be there fraught with worry over how American life has totally corrupted their son.
As strange as the Mohawks were, the other hair-cuts had them beat. Travis Leslie, Dustin Ware and perhaps a couple of others had designs in their hair. I thought that aliens might have landed and put their characteristic crop circles on the scalps of our players. But it was weirder than that. Nothing geometric that I could see. No pattern that would suggest the visit of a race of highly advanced extra-terrestials.
No, this appeared to be pure whimsy.
Well, I'm all for fun. Coach Felton started this hair thing just before last season's successful tournament run, and we might just need some kind of extra magic again if the Dawgs are going to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
Whatever the case, I definitely liked the team returning to its winning ways. I say, keep the crazy hair until we lose.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Drazen Zlovaric
It's amazing what 7 of 8 shooting can do for a guy.
I imagine we won't see too many remarks on message boards about whether Drazen is a "project" or not. Most sports fans use the term to mean someone who will need a lot of work and a couple of years before being able to contribute, if at all.
Well, if you can hit a number of outside shots in a row, and are 6' 9" to boot, with great handles, the likelihood is that you are NOT a project. A couple of years could make Zlovaric stronger, no doubt, and added strength will help him compete at a higher level. But the consensus now is that the issue is not so much whether Zlovaric can play or when he can play, but rather, how can we get him more minutes.
Another recently debated topic deals with Tanner Smith. Some have lamented the fact that Georgia "missed" on Tanner Smith. The program really needs a shooting guard, and with Ebuka Anyaorah being sidelined with injury, some argue that the coaching staff should have worked harder to bring Smith in.
As great a kid as Smith is, and I would have loved to have him join UGA's program, the truth is that Georgia didn't miss on him. From all I understand, he was recruited and given a scholarship offer.
In the end, Smith's recruitment stopped when Zlovaric committed. In all likelihood, had Smith committed earlier, we would have taken him. But it appeared that the Georgia staff ranked Zlovaric as being a better prospect. And since Zlovaric is taller, with more impressive athleticism, I can understand a basketball program taking him, rather than Smith.
If Zlovaric continues to shoot well, I doubt we will see much posted on Tanner Smith. I'll continue to follow Smith and cheer him on as he competes for Clemson. Sometimes, recruiting is about timing and choices, rather than whether someone was overlooked.
The last matter involving Zlovaric is Felton's body of work in recruiting. It is true that the state of Georgia has a lot of talent in its high school ranks. It is also true that a number of highly-touted players left the state to compete for other schools.
Yet, you still have to give Felton credit for the talent he did bring in. Zlovaric, Thompkins, Ware and Leslie will be big-time players for Georgia for years to come. It has been many years since Georgia has had as talented a class as this one.
Felton traveled all the way to Serbia to check Zlovaric out, and he appears to have gotten it right. Zlovaric can play. The other guys are fantastic, too. They all project to be great representatives of Georgia basketball, and I look forward to their development. Felton is a hard worker on the recruiting trail, and he is bringing in some high quality student-athletes, including last game's designated player of the game, Drazen Zlovaric.
Go Dawgs.
I imagine we won't see too many remarks on message boards about whether Drazen is a "project" or not. Most sports fans use the term to mean someone who will need a lot of work and a couple of years before being able to contribute, if at all.
Well, if you can hit a number of outside shots in a row, and are 6' 9" to boot, with great handles, the likelihood is that you are NOT a project. A couple of years could make Zlovaric stronger, no doubt, and added strength will help him compete at a higher level. But the consensus now is that the issue is not so much whether Zlovaric can play or when he can play, but rather, how can we get him more minutes.
Another recently debated topic deals with Tanner Smith. Some have lamented the fact that Georgia "missed" on Tanner Smith. The program really needs a shooting guard, and with Ebuka Anyaorah being sidelined with injury, some argue that the coaching staff should have worked harder to bring Smith in.
As great a kid as Smith is, and I would have loved to have him join UGA's program, the truth is that Georgia didn't miss on him. From all I understand, he was recruited and given a scholarship offer.
In the end, Smith's recruitment stopped when Zlovaric committed. In all likelihood, had Smith committed earlier, we would have taken him. But it appeared that the Georgia staff ranked Zlovaric as being a better prospect. And since Zlovaric is taller, with more impressive athleticism, I can understand a basketball program taking him, rather than Smith.
If Zlovaric continues to shoot well, I doubt we will see much posted on Tanner Smith. I'll continue to follow Smith and cheer him on as he competes for Clemson. Sometimes, recruiting is about timing and choices, rather than whether someone was overlooked.
The last matter involving Zlovaric is Felton's body of work in recruiting. It is true that the state of Georgia has a lot of talent in its high school ranks. It is also true that a number of highly-touted players left the state to compete for other schools.
Yet, you still have to give Felton credit for the talent he did bring in. Zlovaric, Thompkins, Ware and Leslie will be big-time players for Georgia for years to come. It has been many years since Georgia has had as talented a class as this one.
Felton traveled all the way to Serbia to check Zlovaric out, and he appears to have gotten it right. Zlovaric can play. The other guys are fantastic, too. They all project to be great representatives of Georgia basketball, and I look forward to their development. Felton is a hard worker on the recruiting trail, and he is bringing in some high quality student-athletes, including last game's designated player of the game, Drazen Zlovaric.
Go Dawgs.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Dawgs Win!! The good, better and excellent.
Wow! The Dawgs were clicking on all cylinders last night. They scored 98 points on Mississippi Valley State. Final score: UGA, 98. MVSU, 57.
The Dawgs' performance was so outstanding that I have to dispense with my "good, bad and ugly" analysis, and make it, "the good, better, and excellent."
Now, I will put my disclaimer out front. This was Mississippi Valley and it was at home, and I want the Dawgs to succeed. I don't want to get too enthralled when there will be hard days ahead. But, enjoying a win is allowed. And, with my own permission, I will proceed to do so.
The good. We got the W!! Hooray! The Dawgs are now 5 and 1. Not a bad season start.
The better. Contributions from up and down the bench. We got to see who we have. The point guards played much better in eliminating turnovers and distributing the ball. No one was injured, and the players who are recovering (Woodbury, Jackson and Thompkins) were out there on the floor, gaining confidence and getting in shape.
The excellent. Rebounding was superb. Great balance between tough defense and scoring. And Drazen Zlovaric. Who knew? Seven of eight from the floor. Raining in jump-shots. Drazen can put the ball on the floor and finish with authority. I don't know how much of that part of his game was on display last night, but he is super athletic.
Trey Thompkins. The guy can flat out play. He will be the team's leading scorer. He will need to get much stronger and his legs will have to heal. But he is a legitimate 6'9", and he can really score the basketball.
The Dawgs' performance was so outstanding that I have to dispense with my "good, bad and ugly" analysis, and make it, "the good, better, and excellent."
Now, I will put my disclaimer out front. This was Mississippi Valley and it was at home, and I want the Dawgs to succeed. I don't want to get too enthralled when there will be hard days ahead. But, enjoying a win is allowed. And, with my own permission, I will proceed to do so.
The good. We got the W!! Hooray! The Dawgs are now 5 and 1. Not a bad season start.
The better. Contributions from up and down the bench. We got to see who we have. The point guards played much better in eliminating turnovers and distributing the ball. No one was injured, and the players who are recovering (Woodbury, Jackson and Thompkins) were out there on the floor, gaining confidence and getting in shape.
The excellent. Rebounding was superb. Great balance between tough defense and scoring. And Drazen Zlovaric. Who knew? Seven of eight from the floor. Raining in jump-shots. Drazen can put the ball on the floor and finish with authority. I don't know how much of that part of his game was on display last night, but he is super athletic.
Trey Thompkins. The guy can flat out play. He will be the team's leading scorer. He will need to get much stronger and his legs will have to heal. But he is a legitimate 6'9", and he can really score the basketball.
Friday, November 7, 2008
My Take on the Exhibition Game: Three Surprises
I missed the entire first half and haven't seen a box score yet. Still, the essence of a blog is to post information and opinion, so I will carry on. Just know that my comments below are more of the latter and less of the former.
Three Surprises:
Dustin Ware: Didn't have a good game from what I saw. Pushed the ball too much into traffic. However, Ware did show that he can go full speed with either hand and keep his head up. Critical for a point guard.
Wish he had more speed, though. Perhaps the small guards at Albany State were able to match him, and it won't be so easy for the bigger guards in the SEC to keep up with him. One can hope.
He looked like a serviceable back-up point guard. He will have better games, so I'd like to see him play again before making too many predictions.
Drazen Zlovaric: The guy has incredible court sense. Great fundamentals. He knows what to do with the basketball. Not a project. Will play a lot this year.
Troy Brewer: Heard he was very assertive in the first half. He had a nice up and under move in the second half. Maybe he will be Georgia's high scoring two guard.
Georgia did not look like an elite team. But we didn't look bad either, and that's saying something since Terrance Woodbury and Howard Thompkins were out for the game, and Ebuka Anyaorah is out for the year.
We have some pieces. Maybe the Dawgs will end up like the Hawks and give their fans some very positive surprises this year.
Three Surprises:
Dustin Ware: Didn't have a good game from what I saw. Pushed the ball too much into traffic. However, Ware did show that he can go full speed with either hand and keep his head up. Critical for a point guard.
Wish he had more speed, though. Perhaps the small guards at Albany State were able to match him, and it won't be so easy for the bigger guards in the SEC to keep up with him. One can hope.
He looked like a serviceable back-up point guard. He will have better games, so I'd like to see him play again before making too many predictions.
Drazen Zlovaric: The guy has incredible court sense. Great fundamentals. He knows what to do with the basketball. Not a project. Will play a lot this year.
Troy Brewer: Heard he was very assertive in the first half. He had a nice up and under move in the second half. Maybe he will be Georgia's high scoring two guard.
Georgia did not look like an elite team. But we didn't look bad either, and that's saying something since Terrance Woodbury and Howard Thompkins were out for the game, and Ebuka Anyaorah is out for the year.
We have some pieces. Maybe the Dawgs will end up like the Hawks and give their fans some very positive surprises this year.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Drazen Zlovaric
When I mentioned the fact that UGA has several guys who can play above the rim and dunk the ball, I inadvertently left off Drazen Zlovaric's name.
Oversight, I tell you. Zlovaric is a player with a lot of athleticism.
I link below one shot from a site that has a photo gallery of Zlovaric. There are a few other photos there in which you might be interested. The pictures are somewhat dated, but they provide enough information to show that Zlovaric can sky to the rim.
Zlovaric
Oversight, I tell you. Zlovaric is a player with a lot of athleticism.
I link below one shot from a site that has a photo gallery of Zlovaric. There are a few other photos there in which you might be interested. The pictures are somewhat dated, but they provide enough information to show that Zlovaric can sky to the rim.
Zlovaric
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
New Roster up at Official Website
http://www.georgiadogs.com/SportSelect.dbml?ATCLID=1556674&DB_OEM_ID=8800&SPID=3593&SPSID=46709
Doesn't have the freshmen bio's yet, though.
So as a service to UGA hoops fans, here is my filler information until the freshmen get their due recognition.
Travis Leslie:
Nickname: "T-Bird."
High School Career: Led Columbia High School to AAAA championship. Averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks per game. Named AAAA State Player of the Year. Number 11 ranked player in the state, according to Rivals.com. Chose Georgia over Georgia Tech, Clemson and others.
Outlook: High flier. Will be counted on for major minutes at either the scoring guard or small forward position.
Ebuka Anyaorah
Nickname: Unknown, but I vote for "EA Sports." Okay. Bad choice. Somebody, rescue me, here.
High School Career: Scored 1,459 points during his career at North Gwinnett High School. Second in Gwinnett County in scoring (behind Howard Thompkins) with a 26.3 points per game average in AAAAA, the state's toughest classification. Also garnered 8 rebounds per contest. Anyaorah twice shot 7 three-pointers in one game. Named to first team all-state for AAAAA.
Outlook: Shooter and defender with great potential. Big-time athleticism as well. With the loss of Billy Humphrey, Anyaorah will be counted on to log minutes at the shooting guard position.
Drazen Zlovaric:
Nickname: Unknown
High School Career: Varied. Due to the fact that Zlovaric is from a foreign country, he was required to attend more than one school to remain in the U.S. Last school was Patterson of North Carolina. Also played at Sagemont of Florida and in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Outlook: Shooter and a leaper at 6' 9". May figure into the mix at either small forward or scoring guard.
Dustin Ware:
Nickname: Unknown
High School Career: Played at North Cobb Christian. Led his team to back-to-back championships in the GISA. Also led NCC to national championship of the NACA tournament, where he was named the MVP.
Outlook: Will play a lot at point guard. Reliable shooter from deep. One of just two point guards on the roster, Ware will have to play well during his freshman year for UGA to compete against the SEC's guard-heavy line-ups and pressure packages.
Howard Thompkins
Nickname: "Trey"
High School Career: Averaged 30 points a game his senior year. Thompkins played his junior year for Oak Hill Academy, the number one ranked high school basketball in the country that year. Thompkins led Wesleyan High to the AA State Championship. Chose Georgia over offers from Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Florida and UNC. Ranked as the #30 overall recruit in the country by Rivals.com
Outlook: Scoring power forward. Possible minutes at the small forward position. Will be counted on to play a lot.
Doesn't have the freshmen bio's yet, though.
So as a service to UGA hoops fans, here is my filler information until the freshmen get their due recognition.
Travis Leslie:
Nickname: "T-Bird."
High School Career: Led Columbia High School to AAAA championship. Averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks per game. Named AAAA State Player of the Year. Number 11 ranked player in the state, according to Rivals.com. Chose Georgia over Georgia Tech, Clemson and others.
Outlook: High flier. Will be counted on for major minutes at either the scoring guard or small forward position.
Ebuka Anyaorah
Nickname: Unknown, but I vote for "EA Sports." Okay. Bad choice. Somebody, rescue me, here.
High School Career: Scored 1,459 points during his career at North Gwinnett High School. Second in Gwinnett County in scoring (behind Howard Thompkins) with a 26.3 points per game average in AAAAA, the state's toughest classification. Also garnered 8 rebounds per contest. Anyaorah twice shot 7 three-pointers in one game. Named to first team all-state for AAAAA.
Outlook: Shooter and defender with great potential. Big-time athleticism as well. With the loss of Billy Humphrey, Anyaorah will be counted on to log minutes at the shooting guard position.
Drazen Zlovaric:
Nickname: Unknown
High School Career: Varied. Due to the fact that Zlovaric is from a foreign country, he was required to attend more than one school to remain in the U.S. Last school was Patterson of North Carolina. Also played at Sagemont of Florida and in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Outlook: Shooter and a leaper at 6' 9". May figure into the mix at either small forward or scoring guard.
Dustin Ware:
Nickname: Unknown
High School Career: Played at North Cobb Christian. Led his team to back-to-back championships in the GISA. Also led NCC to national championship of the NACA tournament, where he was named the MVP.
Outlook: Will play a lot at point guard. Reliable shooter from deep. One of just two point guards on the roster, Ware will have to play well during his freshman year for UGA to compete against the SEC's guard-heavy line-ups and pressure packages.
Howard Thompkins
Nickname: "Trey"
High School Career: Averaged 30 points a game his senior year. Thompkins played his junior year for Oak Hill Academy, the number one ranked high school basketball in the country that year. Thompkins led Wesleyan High to the AA State Championship. Chose Georgia over offers from Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Florida and UNC. Ranked as the #30 overall recruit in the country by Rivals.com
Outlook: Scoring power forward. Possible minutes at the small forward position. Will be counted on to play a lot.
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