As is our tradition, Hoopraker’s editorial board spent the better part of two hours this afternoon sequestered at the corner table on the second floor of The Spotted Pig in New York’s West Village. The board, brows furrowed, ear drums processing the magic of James Honeyman Scott’s guitar, and hearts pounding against the bacon fat and Old Speckled Hen Ale, had a serious job to perform. The 2008-09 Hoopraker All-Big Ten list was due.
Without further delay and in a concerted effort to steal the thunder of the Big Ten Conference whose own list comes out after this one, Hoopraker would like to honor the following individuals as graduating the season with honors. Thanks for the inspired basketball gentlemen.
The results below are certified by waiter Jake and the accounting firm of Monte And Stepson, “Oh, we’ll get your money, don’t you worry ’bout that,” providing timely, aggressive results since Monte’s parole in 2002.
2008-09 All-Hoopraker Teams
First Team
Evan Turner, Ohio State
Talor Battle, Penn State
Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
Manny Harris, Michigan
Kevin Coble, Northwestern
We have to acknowledge the impact injuries played in the composition of the First Team. Purdue’s Robbie Hummel and Michigan State’s Raymar Morgan surely would’ve factored into the voting if they hadn’t missed extended periods with injuries and illness. Not surprisingly, the outstanding sophomore class dominates the team, which doesn’t include one senior. With nods to Craig Moore, Jamelle Cornley, Chester Frazier, Badger killer Lawrence Westbrook, Marcus Landry, Travis Walton and Goran Suton, the senior class, on a whole, may be one of the weakest in memory. Attrition from their freshman year was a staggering 67%.
It was very hard to keep JuJuan Johnson off the first team, however, at critical times in critical games he tended to disappear. The player who supplanted Johnson, in our subjective eyes, was Coble, a gamer in the biggest tilts of the conference slate. Turner essentially stepped into the player-coach role as the season progressed; he’s dominant and Ohio State’s season rests in his hands. Turner’s an All-American if he stays for his junior year. Manny Harris and Talor Battle both are atop the conference in scoring and are the primary reasons Michigan and Penn State remain relevant in NCAA Tournament discussions. Kalin Lucas is the best player and the engine on the conference’s best team and, like Turner, has All-American written all over him. He and the Spartans deserve another crack at Memphis or North Carolina.
Second Team
Craig Moore, Northwestern
Jamelle Cornley, Penn State
JuJuan Johnson, Purdue
Jake Kelly, Iowa
DeShawn Sims, Michigan
Also meriting serious consideration were Mike Davis and Demetri McCamey, but in the end both were too inconsistent down the stretch. Moore gets the old timey, nostalgia nod here for his quick release jumper, high basketball IQ, and leadership. DeShawn Sims was hard to keep off the first team as he put up some monster games this season, including the UCLA and Purdue wins. Jake Kelly deserves the first team, maybe as much as Coble. Cornley, undersized in the post, is all Penn State has underneath. His heart, effort and four year contributions merit honors. Omitted here, to our chagrin is E’Twuan Moore, but his shooting slump in Hummel’s absence seemed to impact his overall game. Like Johnson, we’d like to see Moore get more assertive as the Boilermakers roll into late March.
All-Freshman Team
Matt Gatens, Iowa
Delvon Roe, Michigan State
Verdell Jones III, Indiana
B.J. Mullens, Ohio State
Ralph Sampson III, Minnesota
John Shurna, Colton Iverson and William Buford also merited serious consideration here. As soon as next season, Gatens will be the sure-shooting compliment to Jake Kelly, which would put Iowa one point guard away from respectability. As his health improved, Roe has shown the ability, with soft hands and a high hoop IQ to become a superstar of national stature for Izzo. Like Roe’s high school teammate Tom Pritchard, Jones III has handled the adversity of Indiana’s season as an opportunity. As Sampson III increased his intensity on defense, he’s increased the level of his overall play and has shown signs he’ll become one of the conference’s best big men. Despite limited touches, Mullens made the team by converting over 70% of his shots, most dunks. He’s a legitimate seven footer with speed and coordination. Buford was kept off the team by a nonchalant defensive effort and his penchant for quick shots, both of which have found him seated next to Thad Matta down the stretch.
Next up on our agenda: Big Ten Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year.
Original Story:
http://hoopraker.com/2009/03/06/with-...
