Tomorrow 2 p.m. @ Spitzer's
Let me know if you're going to make it.
There are many Illini b-ball shots that stick out in my mind over the years.
Cory Bradford's 3-pointer to knock of Indiana in the Big Ten Tourney.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OQ8o_Ow-qY&feature=related)
Or Marcus Griffin's last second shot off an inbound against Wisky.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi4OHcDMWM&feature=related)
I went nuts over Roger Powell's tip dunk of his own shot against Louisville in the 2005 Final Four.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9eiGQ-WBuQ - at 3:50)
There's Frank William's 3-pointer that defeated Michael Redd and the #13 Buckeyes.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s85t5QMP4Y&feature=related)
Don't forget Luther's put back to beat Purdue in 2004.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkaszwO4K_c)
You have Deron William's 3-ball to tie the score against Arizona.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX-6a_Es48Y&feature=related)
And my personal favorite, Nick Anderson's 35 foot buzzer beater at Indiana. I remember watching that at Grandma's house.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSRuVA6xU-Q")
I have a new favorite play that snuck into the top 5. Chester Frazier's dunk over 6'8" DeShawn Sims on Sunday was straight NASTY! I was lying on my couch, psyched by how fluid the Illini offense looked, when I saw Illinois grab a steal and Dimitri McCamey start the fast break. When McCamey dropped a bounce pass to Chet with Sims closing in, I thought Demetri was playing quarterback and leaving his wide receiver exposed in the middle of the field. Then Chester rose up and dunked with authority over a man 7 inches taller. I was shocked, and I nearly jumped out of my apartment. Unfortunately, I cannot find the video online. Anyone who has a link, please email the IGP or add it in the comments section of the blog.
Chester Frazier is by far the Illini's most improved player this year. In his first few seasons, Chester's offense was worse than the Sooners in the red zone last night. Not this year. Although he is the only starter not averaging double figures in points; he is averaging twice the assists he did last year (6.4 - 6th in the country), his assist/turnover ratio is 2x his ratio in 2007-2008 (3.0 - 18th in the country), and he is shooting a full 10% better from the field (45%). Frazier is a true floor leader who wants to be a coach when his playing days are over. Imagine a coaching staff of Jerrance Howard, Chester Frazier, and Dee Brown (All have indicated an interest in coaching. Side note: Sergio McClain is the Head Coach at Parkland Community College.).
A recent blog by Chester's high school coach tells the story of Frazier's recruitment process:
"Well, as I was watching Illinois upset Purdue the other night, I started thinking about what an inexact science recruiting is. Chester Frazier plays for Illinois and was fantastic against Purdue. He played for me when I was at Notre Dame Prep School. His entire recruitment by the University of Illinois lasted about an hour. The story goes like this…
"Five years ago, I received a phone call from Bruce Weber, who is the Head Coach at the University of Illinois (when Bruce was at Southern Illinois he had recruited one of my players so I knew him a little). He was in New Hampshire at one of the prep schools and was flying out of Boston the next day. He wanted to watch a kid that was playing for me workout, but his flight was at noon, so he wanted to know if we could work out in the morning. Now normally, I would not move a workout the evening prior, however Coach Weber is a good guy and he is the Head Coach at Illinois. Also, I felt a little bad for him because he did not like the player he went up to New Hampshire to see, and it was not going to get better for him at Notre Dame Prep – the player that he had heard about here was not good enough to play in the Big Ten. So, I moved our workout to seven the next morning. Bruce arrived at 6:30am just as my assistant coach, Mike McMahon, was turning on the lights.
"Just a little aside on Chester Frazier…He had been a good player for us at Notre Dame Prep. He could help win a game offensively and defensively. The thing I remember most was his toughness. He got injured in January and the doctor said he will be out for eight weeks. Four weeks later we were about toplay a big game, and Chester walked into my office and told me he wanted to play. I ask him what the doctor said, and he replied, “Who cares?” I then said, “Not me, the bus leaves at 3:00” (Oh relax, of course I checked with the doctor – I just can’t recall if it was before or after the game). Anyway Chester helped us win the game, and I have always thought that he is one of the toughest players in the country. Now, back to Coach Weber and 7:00am practice…
"The kids started playing, and I am telling you, Chester went off! He was sensational. He must have hit ten straight threes, was driving to the basket and finishing above the rim. He did it all. At about 8:00am, Bruce came over and asked if Chester plays like that all the time. I told him “Why, yes. Every 7:00am practice with a Big Ten coach in the gym, yes, he does play like that.” At about 8:15am, Bruce told me he was going to offer Chester a scholarship. Bruce visited again the next week and Chester, once again, did not disappoint. The rest, as they say, is history. Currently, Chester is a senior at Illinois, and he has been a good player for them for four years. Yes, a coach flew out to New England to see a kid that didn’t work out, so on his way to the airport, he stopped in to a hastily arranged workout to watch yet another kid he had heard about, and ends up offering a scholarship to a third kid – Chester Frazier, a player he had never heard of before that day. Recruiting is a crazy business. I have seen coaches spend two years recruiting a kid, pour their heart and soul into it, and then not get him. Then there are stories like Chester’s – I love stories like this one, don’t you?"
The full story can be read at http://collegechalktalk.com/general/assoc-head-coach-bill-barton-duquesne-recruiting-an-inexact-science/
Chester is a special player and a tough kid. Let's be sure to cheer extra hard for Chet during his senior year.Illinois vs. The Big 1o Team Who Lost to Lipscomb (TB10TWLTL)
TB10TWLTL is 5-9 this year and 0-2 in the Big10. In a previous blog I mentioned that TB10TWLTL would not win a conference game all year, but TB10TWLTL surprised me last week by playing Michigan to the wire. They lost 72-66 in OT. Still...they lost to Lipscomb. Lipscomb for crying out loud. Devan Dumes and Tom Pritchard are the only players for TB10TWLTL averaging in double figures. Dumes is good off the bounce, and we saw what dribble penetration did against Illinois in the 2nd half against Fichigan. Our help defense will have to be better. Don't get me wrong, I am not too worried about TB10TWLTL, I am just making a point about our defense to better educate the IGP audience.
Our front line should have a field day against Indiana's small and inexperienced forwards (all but 1 are freshman). One of the Mike's (Davis or Tisdale) will go for 20 and the other will hit a double-double. Welcome to the Big10 Tom Crean.
Illinois - 76
TB10TWLTL -59
Sincerely,
The Former TCU Horned Frogs Offensive Coordinator
PS...Thanks for naming the IGP as the pre-conference Illini MVP - 42% of the vote.
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