[kazport]

Lets face it. You canjust about put anyone that is 7"9 in that position and they could do the same. Its just a freak of nature thing. UNCA lucked out when they got Kenny. But as far as ability come on.. It is almost painful to watch him. He doesn't have a shot. He stays under the basket and puts it in. THere is nothing magic about that. Anyway we played hard all season. Some let downs but far more joy. Alex, Rell TeeJay and Russell will be missed. It was a tough loss for them. I know they thought they were going to pull it out. Thanks to all.

[LUconn]

Lets face it. You canjust about put anyone that is 7"9 in that position and they could do the same. Its just a freak of nature thing. UNCA lucked out when they got Kenny. But as far as ability come on.. It is almost painful to watch him. He doesn't have a shot. He stays under the basket and puts it in. THere is nothing magic about that. Anyway we played hard all season. Some let downs but far more joy. Alex, Rell TeeJay and Russell will be missed. It was a tough loss for them. I know they thought they were going to pull it out. Thanks to all.

Actually, without looking it up, I think he was something like 6/7 in his FT shots. I watched him in pregame when they came to LU and he was sinking mid range jumpers the whole time. People really need to stop writing Geroge off like he just some kind of tree. Yes, his unique height gives him an advantage over everybody else in the country. But he's pretty skillful in the post. And honestly, I think he's one of the best passers in the league. If he catches the ball too far out, he finds a cutter every single time for an easy basket.

[flameshaw]

Kaz,

KG does have some ability. He shoots FT's pretty well which means you can't foul him evrytime and he can definitely play some defense. He will be a force next year as well. Hopefully McMasters can help stop the entry pass.

[Chris Lang]

Lets face it. You canjust about put anyone that is 7"9 in that position and they could do the same. Its just a freak of nature thing. UNCA lucked out when they got Kenny. But as far as ability come on.. It is almost painful to watch him. He doesn't have a shot. He stays under the basket and puts it in. THere is nothing magic about that. Anyway we played hard all season. Some let downs but far more joy. Alex, Rell TeeJay and Russell will be missed. It was a tough loss for them. I know they thought they were going to pull it out. Thanks to all.

Actually, without looking it up, I think he was something like 6/7 in his FT shots. I watched him in pregame when they came to LU and he was sinking mid range jumpers the whole time. People really need to stop writing Geroge off like he just some kind of tree. Yes, his unique height gives him an advantage over everybody else in the country. But he's pretty skillful in the post. And honestly, I think he's one of the best passers in the league. If he catches the ball too far out, he finds a cutter every single time for an easy basket.

Thank you. George didn't have to show any sort of game from 6-8 feet last night because Liberty let him get a touch two feet from the basket every time. But the kid has a decent baby hook and can post a defender and back him down. He also passes extremely well out of tight spots, something that really impressed me last night.

UNCA is a very good team. You can all say what you want about it being just Kenny George, but Garland and Smithson are experienced players who defend well, Vincent James is underrated at the three and Reid Augst has played very good basketball at the end of the season.

[thepostman]

I still believe our problem, aside from not making the open shots, was that we were scared to attack kenny george...he can not move very well and if you attack him enough times he is going to foul you....we would drive to the hoop get within 3 feet of him and get scared...you can not win that way...especially when the three point shot is not going down...

yes UNCA is more then just kenny george...but without him in the line up it would've been a whole different game...and I believe we would've won. that is how much kenny george was in our heads....you UNCA fans can say what you want about your backcourt (which is a decent one), but you know that you wouldn't of won without the big man....

[thesportscritic]

I still believe our problem, aside from not making the open shots, was that we were scared to attack kenny george...he can not move very well and if you attack him enough times he is going to foul you....we would drive to the hoop get within 3 feet of him and get scared...you can not win that way...especially when the three point shot is not going down...

yes UNCA is more then just kenny george...but without him in the line up it would've been a whole different game...and I believe we would've won. that is how much kenny george was in our heads....you UNCA fans can say what you want about your backcourt (which is a decent one), but you know that you wouldn't of won without the big man....

Agreed postman.

[Chris Lang]

Postman, I was at the game at UNCA last year when Liberty tried to attack Kenny George. He blocked six shots in 10 minutes. That's not the way to beat him.

[kazport]

Lets face it. You canjust about put anyone that is 7"9 in that position and they could do the same. Its just a freak of nature thing. UNCA lucked out when they got Kenny. But as far as ability come on.. It is almost painful to watch him. He doesn't have a shot. He stays under the basket and puts it in. THere is nothing magic about that. Anyway we played hard all season. Some let downs but far more joy. Alex, Rell TeeJay and Russell will be missed. It was a tough loss for them. I know they thought they were going to pull it out. Thanks to all.

Actually, without looking it up, I think he was something like 6/7 in his FT shots. I watched him in pregame when they came to LU and he was sinking mid range jumpers the whole time. People really need to stop writing Geroge off like he just some kind of tree. Yes, his unique height gives him an advantage over everybody else in the country. But he's pretty skillful in the post. And honestly, I think he's one of the best passers in the league. If he catches the ball too far out, he finds a cutter every single time for an easy basket.

Thank you. George didn't have to show any sort of game from 6-8 feet last night because Liberty let him get a touch two feet from the basket every time. But the kid has a decent baby hook and can post a defender and back him down. He also passes extremely well out of tight spots, something that really impressed me last night.

UNCA is a very good team. You can all say what you want about it being just Kenny George, but Garland and Smithson are experienced players who defend well, Vincent James is underrated at the three and Reid Augst has played very good basketball at the end of the season.

Chris, If you read what I posted. I didn't say anything about the rest of the team. I was saying that if you take any guy that is that tall you can make him into basketball player. And as far as free throws come on. I am not picking on Kenny George I am stating a fact. And as far as the best passer in the league. Give me a break. Lets not get crazy

[Chris Lang]

Sorry, Kaz. I was really piggybacking of LUConn's post more than anything. He has become more of a basketball player. I watched him last year and all he could do was turn and drop it in the basket. That's it. But he went to Newell's big-man camp out in Cali, and clearly has developed some skills. I don't know about one of the best passers in the league, but he has good vision for a big fella. He knows how to pass out of trouble.

[LUconn]

by best passers I mean big man passers. He's obviously not a point gaurd.

[LUconn]

by the way, did anybody notice on the pregame show the announcer kept saying that UNCA was "knocked up" the last time we played them. He said it probably 3 or 4 times and finally on the last one he said, by that I mean injured.

[TDDance234]

I still believe our problem, aside from not making the open shots, was that we were scared to attack kenny george...he can not move very well and if you attack him enough times he is going to foul you....we would drive to the hoop get within 3 feet of him and get scared...you can not win that way...especially when the three point shot is not going down...

yes UNCA is more then just kenny george...but without him in the line up it would've been a whole different game...and I believe we would've won. that is how much kenny george was in our heads....you UNCA fans can say what you want about your backcourt (which is a decent one), but you know that you wouldn't of won without the big man....

We tried going at George last year and he responded with something like 8 blocks in the first half.

[Sly Fox]

Frankly I doubt we will have to face Garland, Smithson or George ever again.

[ToTheLeft]

Frankly I doubt we will have to face Garland, Smithson or George ever again.

George is a Junior, right? I think we have to deal with him again, unless you know something about him going pro...

[paradox]

Yea, we'll see George again, but without the other two, which makes a huge difference as far as UNCA being a contender next year.

[Sly Fox]

Do not rule out Kenny going pro. His knees aren't getting any younger and his stock will likely not be higher a year from now.

[sweetnahmah1]

It sucks to lose the last game like this, but we were in it until about 3 minutes left. The free throw missing by BJ and Smitty really killed us.

When we first walked in, all of us together, it was so exciting, felt like I was playing in the game. Then right when we got in there we started chanting stuff.
It felt like we took over right when we got in there. Then the UNCA fans started cheering back, it was a duel the whole night. We were more creative, they didn't understand.

[JDUB]

they had decent fans, they just weren't original and had no idea what they were doing. but they got loud whenever they actually got unified

[SuperJon]

Their fans were loud, and that's what mattered. There was some good back and forth at times. I know we scared the crap out of a girl I went to high school with at one time. At times they seemed more into taunting us than the game but that's ok.

As for the game, we played Kenny George the way you have to play him. Our shots just weren't falling. Smitty (4-11), BJ (3-8), Kyle (1-8), and Jeremy (2-6) just had off nights. It's the law of averages. We shot amazing on Tuesday and didn't shoot well at all last night.

Critic, I love ya buddy, but you're absolutely wrong on this one. Bryan Smithson is the best scoring guard in the league right now. He can knock down any shot from any spot on the floor. KJ Garland played well last night. He got some bounces on the rim that you get on nights when things are going good. Twice he had the ball hit the back of the rim, go straight up, and come right back down through the hoop. Their three players (Smithson, Garland, and George) scored 55 points and we scored 57 as a team. That shows how good Smithson and Garland truly are.

To anyone who says Kenny George has no talent, they're absolutely wrong. As Chris said, in the game in January, he was hitting baby hooks left and right on us. His free throw shooting was very good last night. Being taller than everyone contributes to this, but he has very good court vision. If he posts up too far from the basket to score, he always finds someone slashing or an open shooter. He's developing into a basketball player and not just some big tall kid.

Best play of the night: Teejay spinning off a kid to hit Smitty with a dunk. That was just sick.



Did anyone in town DVR this game. I video taped a lot of stuff last night and want to get some of the game stuff to throw in there if at all possible.

[TIMSCAR20]

by the way, did anybody notice on the pregame show the announcer kept saying that UNCA was "knocked up" the last time we played them. He said it probably 3 or 4 times and finally on the last one he said, by that I mean injured.

Me and MRS SCAR both noticed it and laughed pretty hard about it. It was a freudian slip I think. He obviously meant knicked up. Too funny...As for UNCA, I agree with bigsouthking. I got lambasted on here and the WU board for saying UNCA was the team to beat. Ok, not lambasted because I am liked for the most part but still criticized. I do believe that two 5th year guards in the backcourt make a difference for that team but they have a bunch of 6-6 guys that are tough too including Vincent James, Williams and Augst. They will probably beat WU tomorrow but don't count out the experience of a championship team. WU should play well. It is tough to beat a team 3 times but they already beat them twice guys They don't have to win 3 this weekend just win tomorrow. I am looking forward to the game.

I don't understand why folks don't think Kenny is good. He has touch around the basket, real post moves and a decent mid range shot. He can also pass well as Lang said. Also the arguement that if you take George out of the lineup they are no good is a weak one IMO. He is enrolled at UNCA, in good academic standing and is eligible. What is the problem? He plays for them. Plus even when he is not in the lineup as I said, they are pretty good. Smithson is way better than what he showed in Lynchburg but he was at about 50% that night due to the injury. As for seeding? WU could get a 14 with their 2 ACC wins and a big win over 24-8 UNCA in the championship game. UNCA could get a 15 but no better despite the number of wins IMO.

[thesportscritic]

Critic, I love ya buddy, but you're absolutely wrong on this one. Bryan Smithson is the best scoring guard in the league right now. He can knock down any shot from any spot on the floor. KJ Garland played well last night. He got some bounces on the rim that you get on nights when things are going good. Twice he had the ball hit the back of the rim, go straight up, and come right back down through the hoop. Their three players (Smithson, Garland, and George) scored 55 points and we scored 57 as a team. That shows how good Smithson and Garland truly are.

SJ i well.......like you sometimes ........jk. but if you go back and read some of my posts i did slowly change my mind about their guards. To me they are decent but they are not all that. their guards out played ours and they deserved to win the ball game. they didn't impress me when they came to the Vines Center back a few weeks ago. I don't really care if they were injured because if memory serves me right one of them was injured that evening and didn't play much or at all. They got those bounces because they are at home where they are comfortable at anyway.

[thesportscritic]

and to add one more thing, asheville's guards out played us and they deserved to win the ball game because they made plays down the stretch and we didn't make free throws

[olldflame]

I honestly hadn't given any thought to Kenny turning pro early, but if you think about it, it makes sense. If UNCA wins Saturday and he plays well, and then has a good game in the opening round, the exposure will be in his favor. The NBA has a history of making "projects" out of the likes of George Murisan, Manute Bol and Mark Eaton. As the 11th or 12th man on someones roster, he wouldn't play much at all, and could save his knees and focus on conditioning and developing his skills until he is good enough to make a contribution..

In any event, we will be better equipped to deal with him next year with some longer athletes who have the shooting skills to take advantage of his total inability to guard away from the basket. Even Alex couldn't resist the wide open opportunities he had from 3 on the few times they were on the court together. You can imagine that TB, or McMasters would be drooling.

[SuperJon]

Did anyone think the cat and mouse thing with Kenny George and Alex was "over-coaching?" I thought it was a great game plan, but Asheville's beat writer is saying it was over-coaching. I disagree with him, but wanted to see if anyone agreed.

[olldflame]

I'm with you on this one SJ. Alex is a beast inside, but George is a monster. Ace's strengths play right into his hands, and he just doesn't have the game to take advantage of Kenny's weaknesses. By substituting the way he did, Richie was able to get productivity out of Alex inside against Ashville's other forwards. I honestly don't think Alex could have done much more to stop George defensively than the smaller players who ended up guarding him.