A Wesley Hanspard update

Lindsey Wilson College is an NAIA school located in Columbia, Kentucky and a member of the Mid-South Conference. Former Oakland Tech talent Wesley Hanspard is a 6-foot-7 senior there.

He has started all 15 games (the team is 14-1) for Coach Paul Peck while averaging 11.1 points a game while shooting 58% overall, 68% at the foul line in 24+ minutes a contest. He's also grabbing 4.3 rebounds each time out.

Perez verbals

From Alex Kline: "JUCO guard Alex Perez has given a verbal committed to Southern Miss"

The 6-foot-3 Perez, who was the most valuable player in the state tournament last season, is a sophomore at Fresno City College. This go-around, he is averaging 13.4 point per game while shooting 47% overall and 73% at the foul line alongside 140 assists plus 32 steals in 15 contests.

The latest community college team rankings

State Ranking/Record/Last 5/RPI (# in state)

1.   San Francisco/15-0/5-0/.7123 (#1)
2.   Mt. San Antonio/13-1/5-0/.6302 (#2)
3.   Santa Rosa/12-4/4-1/.6139 (#5)
4.   Saddleback/13-4/3-2/.6094 (#6)
5.   Foothill/13-2/5-0/.5917 (#14)
6.   Mt. San Jacinto/11-3/3-2/.5874 (#15)
7.   Ventura/16-3/3-2/.6226 (#4)
8.   Ohlone/11-4/3-2/.6011 (#10)
9.   Sierra/9-4/4-1/.6074 (#7)
10. East Los Angeles/11-3/4-1/.5596 (#24)
11. Sequoias/11-4/4-1/.5825 (#18)
12. Contra Costa/9-3/3-2/,5831 (#17)
13. Antelope Valley/8-5/4-1/.6020 (#9)
14. Chaffey/11-4/4-1/.5943 (#12)
15. Lassen/13-6/4-1/.5768 (#20)
16. MiraCosta/9-6/2-3/.5629 (#23)
17. Riverside/10-5/4-1/.5496 (#27)
18. San Jose City/11-3/5-0/.5854 (#16)
19. Fresno/12-6/2-3/.6278 (#3)
20. LA Pierce/10-6/2-3/.6049 (#8)

Northern California

1.   San Francisco
2.   Santa Rosa
3.   Foothill
4.   Ohlone
5.   Sierra
6.   Sequoias
7.   Contra Costa
8.   Lassen
9.   San Jose City
10. Fresno
11. Diablo Valley
12. Modesto
13. Cabrillo
14. West Valley
15. Mendocino

An Orlando Johnson update

Here's the latest on former Palma High star Orlando Johnson.

The answers to poor free throw shooting

It's free. It takes place at the charity stripe. So why do some never become free throw efficient or lose their touch? More importantly, what can be done about it?

Confidence building, repetition, mechanics and pretty women as Chris Herring reports. Bet the latter will get you to hit the link.

The deteriorating quality of basketball play

Luke Winn, in a recent Sports Illustrated column, wrote: "Scoring will continue to trend downward, hitting yet another low for the shot clock era and forcing the NCAA to have serious talks about fixing the problem. The NCAA can't demand that its coaches play faster basketball, but it can make bigger efforts to cut down on physical play that restricts movement, and bring the shot clock down to 30 seconds. I don't expect those changes to actually go into effect in 2013, but with final scores in the 50s and 60s becoming all too prevalent, new rules will at least be up for discussion, rather than existing only in sportswriters' fantasies."

The shot clock can be reduced and football-like tactics on the court penalized but how does that alter the deteriorating quality of skills at all levels?

Simply put, large swaths of even college games are cringeworthy.

Have you noticed the number of bad shots this season (although certainly not new to 2012) in the high school and college ranks, meaning those attempts after a single pass or none, regardless of time on the shot clock and level of defensive pressure?

But just as glaring is the must-go-to-the-basket as the nowadays pre-programmed offensive foray. It's direct yourself to the hoop and get a shot up, any shot despite the number of defenders, consideration of height and jumping prowess plus ability to create separation. The mind set appears to be additional points will be rewarded for degree of difficulty.

Yet the percentage for successfully employing this maneuver lessens with each step up the proverbial ladder -- varsity basketball, community college ranks, D-I, D-II and NAIA, the play-for-pay level -- as the opponents become taller, stronger and more adept at preventing or altering close in shot attempts.

Then there is the aspect of shooting consistency, both from the field and foul line. There is scholarship money for the taking for those whose best and maybe sole asset is catching the pass, squaring up and sinking the shot. The three point shot has opened up recruiting to those with such a proficiency. So why are shooting percentages from distance going down? And don't get me started on points frittered away at the foul line. Those are gimmes and Ms. Manners says all presents should be honored.

It's also alarming viewing the lack of dribbling prowess on display. This is an aspect that takes no special equipment to improve on but it appears a lack of working under defensive pressure on improving this particular skill is not happening nearly enough. Every kid goes between his legs with the ball during warmups so that element has been 'mastered' but start pressing and it's "I don't want the ball, you bring it up" time for too many.

Finally, there's the concept of spacing. Is it being taught? Yes, but maybe just not grasped enough? It's not exactly rocket science that one defender can better work against two opponents bunched together than apart but it takes a level of court awareness by five guys to not only be where they are supposed to be but on time. Synchronicity is a wonderful element to behold but doesn't have to be limited to a once in a blue moon appearance. Call me in the minority but running a play that results in an open look (and hopefully a make) is purity in motion and truly more enjoyable than most dunks.

Yes, call me the cranky old guy from the peach basket days but I want, no make that need, some of the beauty back in the roundball game.

CSUMB over CSEB

From the Monterey Herald:

The CSU Monterey Bay men's basketball team put a season-high 10 players on the scoring ledger to roll past Cal State East Bay 98-72 Saturday night in The Kelp Bed.

The win lifts CSUMB (5-6, 1-3 CCAA) to within a game of .500 after 11 games for the first time since coach Rob Bishop's squad opened the 2008-09 season 9-2. Freshman guard Alex Fertig led the Otters with 25 points in 25 minutes, his fourth 20-point game of the season...

Steve Connolly has the game report from the Pioneer point of view.

The Windsor Shootout & Erik Poulsen

Remember the name Erik Poulsen for down the road. He's a near 7-footer at Analy High with a ways to go still but plenty of potential. Peter Fournier covered the Windsor Shootout.

Santa Rosa area team rankings

YSN's Joe Pasquini offers his high school basketball team rankings from up Santa Rosa area way, plus his Player of the Week.

Devin Bracy honored

The Times-Herald honors Vallejo High's Devin Bracy as its Athlete of the Week.

Barbour in the running

Here's Matt Schwab on Brian Barbour, the former Monte Vista backcourter who is now a senior at Columbia.

The latest on Dom Artis

Oregon downed Nevada 56-43 yesterday with Dom Artis totaling 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.

Butterfield does it again

Spencer Butterfield just enjoyed another very solid game for Utah State yesterday: 18 points, nine assists and six rebounds in 28 minutes of play as the Aggies downed Texas State 81-57.

Sammy Yeager named Big West POW

Cal State Fullerton senior forward Sammy Yeager was named the Big West Conference men's basketball Player of the Week on Monday after his career night in front of the hometown faithful and a nationally televised ESPNU audience lifted the Titans to a win in their league opener against UC Santa Barbara.

Yeager (Modesto, Calif.), who earned his first career weekly award from the league, becomes the second Titan in the last three weeks to be so honored, following in the footsteps of teammate D.J. Seeley, who was named the league's player of the week on Dec. 17.

Hitting a career-high eight three-pointers and 11 of 16 shots from the floor overall, Yeager powered the high-flying Fullerton offense to an 86-79 victory over the Gauchos, finishing with 30 points in 37 minutes. He also added four rebounds, two assists, and a steal, becoming the second Titan player this season to reach the 30-point plateau (Seeley had 32 points against Southern Utah on Nov. 17).

His eight makes from three-point range flirted with the school single-game record of 11 set by Bobby Brown against Bethune-Cookman in 2006 while the Titans' 14 makes from long distance overall came close to matching the school record of 14 set last season against UCSB.

Yeager, who is third on the team in scoring at 14.3 ppg entering this week's games, has hit double figures in four of his last five contests and nine of 12 overall in 2012-13, leading the team with 28 three-pointers made and ranking tied for second on the team at 4.5 rpg.

Sankey stays productive

Lipscomb University fell 84-70 yesterday to North Florida but not before Khion Sankey produced 14 points (5-5 shooting).