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Texas Longhorns PG Javan Felix invited to USA Basketball U19 training camp

Posted by    |    May 22nd, 2013 at 2:06 pm

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According to a press release from Texassports.com, freshman point guard Javan Felix will participate in USA Basketball’s U19 training camp this summer. The camp will be held from June 14-19, and 24 players will be in attendance. Of the 24 players, 12 will be chosen to represent Team USA in the FIBA U19 World Championship, held later this summer.

It’s a bit of good news for a Texas Longhorns team that has recently seen hard times. Last season, Felix started the first 23 games at point guard, admirably filling in for the suspended Myck Kabongo. Felix finished the remainder of the season coming off the bench, backing up both guard spots. Felix ended the year averaging 6.8 PPG and 4.1 APG, and shooting 35.4% from the field.

Fellow Big 12 freshman Marcus Smart will also be in camp. Barring injury, Smart will take starting point guard duties going into the World Championship. Felix will be competing for a backup point guard spot. Also in camp are Ryan Arcidiacono (a freshman from Villanova), Kris Dunn (a freshman from Providence), Rodney Purvis (a freshman from Connecticut), James Robinson (a freshman from Pittsburgh), and Nigel Williams-Goss (a HS senior committed to Washington).

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LHN: Rick Barnes Talks State of the Texas Longhorns Basketball Program

Posted by    |    May 21st, 2013 at 12:48 pm

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Rick Barnes has been in perception management mode over the last week, recently granting a number of long interviews to various print media and releasing this 17+ minute segment on the Longhorn Network. I don’t know if it’s a full on Save-My-Job-Tour, but I’m guessing a trickle of negative fan sentiment has managed to penetrate the thick, insulated walls of Bellmont aided by the helpful bludgeon of a 16-18 reality trebuchet.

It’s worth your time.

 

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My Greatest Erwin Center Moments: The Harlem Globetrotters

Posted by    |    May 9th, 2013 at 2:56 pm

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I can’t remember most of my freshman year of college, but I can still remember when the Harlem Globetrotters came to Austin, Texas when I was seven years old.

They were a phenomenon that my young brain couldn’t initially process. Were the Globetrotters playing the Texas Longhorns? Was Harlem in the Big East? Is that Red, White, & Blue ball even regulation? Who are the Generals? I’m pretty sure that was traveling…

The first few chords of Sweet Georgia Brown and the Globetrotter lay-up line offered clarity. This was a mummer’s show, with bits and premises straight from 1920s vaudeville, the chitlin’ circuit, and the Catskills. But for me, it was high comedic art. No matter how hackneyed, a lot of it still makes me laugh today. It was my first introduction to clowning and it was clear to me who the joke was on. And it wasn’t on the charismatic Globetrotters.

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392-0

Posted by    |    May 7th, 2013 at 9:08 am

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According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the playoff record for NBA teams holding a 16-point lead at the 4 minute mark of the 4th quarter over the past 15 seasons.

Until Monday night.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors shredded the Spurs in the 3rd quarter to build up what seemed to be an insurmountable lead. Curry was unconscious, scoring 22 points on a 9 for 12 shooting in the 3rd quarter. A floater in the lane or a 26-foot bomb – it was all the same to Curry who ended up with 44 point and 11 assists.

Despite battling a stomach bug, Tim Duncan finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He was walking to the locker room when the Warriors held a 98-82 lead in the fourth quarter. San Antonio then closed out the game with a 18-2 run and forced overtime.

Manu Ginobli has a miserable shooting night, going 4-19 and 1-8 from beyond the mark by late in the 2nd overtime. He then committed a cardinal sin in the basketball bible of Gregg Popovich – he fired off an ill-advised 3-pointer with plenty of time on the shot clock.

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Are the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff struggles Sam Presti’s fault?

Posted by    |    May 3rd, 2013 at 2:06 pm

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A lot of the blame for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff struggles have been laid at the feet on head coach Scott Brooks (beyond the Russell Westbrook injury, of course). Tjarks covered this extensively in his “Groundhog Day” post. However, Scipio made a good point that OKC’s bench is pretty putrid and is a direct causation to subpar performance.

I took a look back through the Thunder’s transaction log and was wholly unimpressed by what I saw. Certainly, general manager Sam Presti deserves credit for his successive draft efforts starting in 2007. That draft netted Kevin Durant (and Jeff Green), 2008′s Westbrook and Serge Ibaka, and 2009′s James Harden.

An analysis of all the moves since the Harden-anchored 2009 Draft reads like a list of David Kahn’s greatest hits. Here are the major acquisitions, along with some semblance of a grade.

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