More on and about Ivan Rabb

John Holt highlights the play of Ivan Rabb and also the person he is.

Team killers

Loved this post from Mel Grussing -- it opens with:

“It is the player you keep from joining your program that often improves your team the most.” Anonymous Basketball Coach...

How to get better in SacTown

Joe Davidson writes about the Sacramento Professional Development League, some of its local participants and how Guss Armstead has contributed mightily to the development of many Sacramento area talents.

SJDC's Postle to the Land of Lincoln

From the Santa Cruz Sentinel: "...Mitch Postle, a 2011 graduate who competed the last two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, recently signed on with Lindenwood University -- Belleville in Illinois, an NAIA school. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward earned all-conference honors last season with Delta, posting 12 points and eight rebounds per game for the Mustangs.

"Postle has an extremely high basketball IQ and is very skilled for his size," Lindenwood assistant coach Curtis Wilkerson said in a statement. "He brings an element to the program that we have never had and I have no doubt he will make a huge impact for us right away."

Noble to the Centennial State

From the Cabrillo College basketball site:

Cabrillo College sophomore guard Dalton Noble has signed a National Letter of Intent and scholarship papers with Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Noble, a Salt Lake City native, helped lead the Seahawks to the Coast Conference South Championship averaging 17 points per game in conference play earning him 2nd team All-Coast Conference South honors. Noble's teams won two Coast Conference Championships with a two year combined record of 22-2. His teams advanced in the State playoffs in each of his two years with appearances in the Elite 8 and Sweet 16 respectively.

Additionally, Noble was one of the best 3pt. shooters in the Coast Conference. The 6'1" Noble shot 34% from the 3pt. line on the year and 36% in conference play going 48/133. Noble shot 82% from the free throw line going 34/41 in conference play. He was, without question, one of the main reasons the Seahawks managed to win a third consecutive championship.

Colorado Mesa University is an NCAA Div. II member and competes in the very competitive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). There are 14 universities in the RMAC which include: Metro St., Fort Lewis, Adams St., Colorado St. - Pueblo, Colorado School of Mines, New Mexico Highlands, Colorado Christain, Western States, Western New Mexico, Regis, Black Hills St., Colorado- Colorado Springs, Chadron St..

Grigg to Western New Mexico

From the Cabrillo College basketball site:

Cabrillo College sophomore center C.J. Grigg has signed scholarship papers with Western New Mexico University. Grigg, from Reno NV., averaged 6.5 points per game and nearly 8 rebounds per game on the year.

 he 6'7" 235lb Grigg was a key ingredient for the Seahawks this year. His toughness and unselfish play helped the Seahawks to a third straight Coast Conference South Championship with a 10-2 record. In Grigg's two years at Cabrillo the Seahawks won 44 games and lost 13 with two Conference Championships. 

WNMU is located in Silver City, NM. They are an NCAA Div. II University and a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Rouse is being wronged

Abar Rouse's situation is a stain on the college coaching ranks, period. Check out the eight plus minutes video.

Loyalty to the truth and doing what is morally right supersedes any sort of professional code.

Chriss more than noted

From Eric Bossi: "Go ahead and pencil in Marquese Chriss for the 2015 rankings in four-star territory. The 6-foot-7 forward is a big-time athlete who plays above the rim and commands respect in tight quarters. He's been a beast on the glass, he looks to have touch on medium-range jumpers, and he is one of the camp's breakout performers"

and

From Frank Burlison: "Marquese Chriss (6-7/Elk Grove, CA, Pleasant Grove/”Team Stanford”). No player in the camp has done more over his first two games to elevate his “stock” in the Class of 2015, regionally and nationally. The most overt thing noticeable about him Saturday was the energy (Leland Green-like) he exudes the minute he steps on the floor. The less obvious but just as impressive aspect of his performances Saturday was his offensive skill level — it’s well advanced for a player his age and size. Is he the No. 2 “rising junior” in Northern California behind Ivan Rabb of Oakland Bishop O’Dowd? Hmmmm . . . could be."

Rabb makes the cut

 (photo courtesy of Max Preps)

He was a lock but it's still noteworthy that Ivan Rabb has been made the cut to 16 with the 2013 USA Basketball U16 National Team. The roster will be further reduced to 12 but bank on Rabb repping the Bay Area.

An E.J. Rowland update

John Devine updates the accomplishments and whereabouts of E.J. Rowland, the former Palma High, Hartnell College and St. Mary's backcourter who has carved out quite a nice livelihood abroad.

Meet Aalim Moor, 2013 SJSU alumnus

Almost any talk about loyalty is grounded in the sense there is a payoff for carrying out such behavior.

But the reality is there is no guaranteed benefit as sometimes there is a reward, sometimes not.

And sometimes the bounty from such behavior proves to be a less than visible dividend.

Take Aalim Moor.

In June 2009, Moor came out of St. Mary's High in Berkeley, heralded for his play and desired by multiple college basketball programs. His team reached the NorCal championship game in both his sophomore and senior seasons and, as a senior, he earned 2009 CalHi Sports Division IV all-state team honors. During his tenure as a Panther, 113 wins were achieved with him manning the point.

Moor then chose to become a Spartan. San Jose State University (SJSU) and San Jose became his adopted home.

Four years later, he possesses a B.A. in Communication Studies with a plan to next earn a Master's degree from SJSU in counseling.

However, getting on the court proved to be a bewitching process -- solid practices resulting in pine time come the opening jump ball.

Moor participated in 14 games as a freshman, 17 outings as a sophomore and saw action in 13 contests as a junior. It was entry into 21 games during his final season in 2012-13, one in which he totaled a career-best 14 points against WAC champion Louisiana Tech, going 6-12 from the floor alongside four assists. Moor also scored nine points at New Mexico State, ending up 4-5 in his shooting. 323 minutes out of his playing time total of 475 came as a senior. Yet ponder this conundrum: in his Spartan career, he shot 44% from the floor, 42% from three-point range, with a 29/21 assist-to-turnover ratio -- marks better than most around him.

But as the team and program continued to struggle and eventually disintegrated in the 2012-13 season, Moor figuratively carried the Spartan banner, leading the cheers for his teammates and both challenging and pumping up those not playing to their potential. He was the ultimate teammate, an antidote to the me-me-me plague so evident in sports and elsewhere.

His take: "if I couldn't help out on the court, it was how can I contribute? I had friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime and we were close, like a family."

On a team also not overly successful academically, Moor performed well in this domain, graduating in a now unheard of four years. He posted a 3.4 grade point average in his last semester.

Speaking of his education, He offered, "I loved it. Overall, it was amazing. My degree will do me wonders and I was part of a great experience. I want to thank my academic advisor, Gina Archimede-Medina, for pushing me and keeping me on track."

Plus as someone who carries influence and credibility in the East Bay basketball community, he is going to continue to advise others.

"People looked out for me when I was younger and in my four years here so I want to be a big brother to those seeking advice."

Overall, the basketball component didn't work out fully as desired yet he still repped SJSU well and will continue to do so. The educational component certainly proved fruitful, what with his degree. In his time at Washington Square, Moor developed what will be lifelong relationships with fellow athletes, students and professors and he remains true to his school.

"This is my home and it always will be."

His Spartan loyalty will be lifelong. That's just who he is.

The sky is not the limit, it's only the view.

More on Dylan Alexander heading to SJSU

Dylan Alexander has accepted a roster spot as a recruited walk-on with the San Jose State University basketball squad.

Here's a January 2013 article on the sweet-shooting Alexander.

He and another talent earned most valuable players honors from the Manteca Bulletin this year.

A Rabb update

Adam Zagoria offers the latest on Ivan Rabb who is a lock for a roster spot on the USA Men’s U16 National Team.

Conroy to head to Reno

Patrick Conroy, a 6-foot-2 backcourter out of Marin Catholic High, has accepted a spot as a recruited walk-on with the Nevada Wolf Pack, a team coached by David Carter and a member of the Mountain West Conference.

Conroy was a Marin County Athletic League First Team honoree this season.

Dave Curtis penned a background article on Conroy in January of this year.

More later.

Four new Wildcats

Chico State athletics profiles the Wildcat newcomers joining Coach Greg Clink's basketball program.