Took a few minutes Thursday to watch the Minnesota State men's basketball team practice, with a specific eye on Egyptian Assem Ahmed, who began practicing with the team this week.
It tells you a lot about how this season is going that the most interesting thing to watch is a player who is not yet eligible and may not play a minute this season. And his name is pronouced AW-sem, which makes for some nice nicknames should he become popular.
Though only 19, the 6-10, 240-pound Ahmed has played international basketball as a member of Egypt's national U19 team so you know he has skills. On Thursday, he showed good footwork in the post and a soft touch on his shot.
You can tell that he hasn't had a lot of coaching. When he had the ball at the top of the key, he often held it with just one hand and he made some lazy passes. Yet, he certainly knows the pick-and-roll, working that to perfection a few times in half-court drills.
He's going to need to get stronger. He didn't look real aggressive, and he wasn't afraid of contact, but some time in the weight room will further his chances of playing professional basketball, which he said is the reason he came to the U.S.
He's already the best post player on the team, and it remains to be seen how he'll rebound or if he's a shot blocker. At first glance, he seems more athletic than Travis Nelson or Atila Santos, two of the best big men ever to play at Minnesota State. He's not real outgoing, though maybe that will come as he gets more comfortable here. He was one of the first players to high-five a teammate after a good play at practice.
We'll have to see if his work ethic matches those two.
Coach Matt Margenthaler said Thursday that the process of determining Ahmed's eligibility continues to roll along, without any real sense of when it will be decided. Ahmed wants to play this season, and Margenthaler wants him in there.
If Ahmed is declared eligible immediately, the Mavericks will be able to challenge for a berth in the Northern Sun tournament. It's unlikely that his addition will put Minnesota State in position to win the conference tournament, which is the only way this team can continue the program's streak of national-tournament berths.
If Ahmed can't play until next season, that means he and Jayme Moten, who transferred here from Texas-Pan American, will be the first two building blocks for a major roster makeover. The program has already signed Michael Busack from Redwood Valley, but expect another transfer or two or three to show up before Oct. 15.
You wouldn't expect Margenthaler and his staff to meekly accept another season such as this one.
Showing posts with label Margenthaler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Margenthaler. Show all posts
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
MSU men's basketball team getting bigger ... literally
It doesn't appear that Minnesota State men's basketball coach Matt Margenthaler is done with recruiting this spring, but he certainly has solved the team's most glaring need: size.
In the last week, the Mavericks have added high-schoolers Zach Romashko (Blaine) and T.J. Okafor (Champlin Park)and Iowa Lakes Community College transfer Charles McNeal III. Each is around 6-6 or 6-7, with good numbers for scoring and rebounding.
Romashko and Okafor are more gifted scorers, apparently inside and outside, while McNeal is more of a scrapper. Regardless, the Mavericks, who have Connor O'Brien, Mike Bisenius and Mitch Grundman returning, will no longer have a size disadvantage.
Throw in guards Kelly Madison and Miles Chamberlain, who signed in the fall, and Margenthaler said this is the most talented recruiting class he's ever brought to Minnesota State. That's a big statement, considering all the talented players to put on the purple and gold over the last 10 seasons.
Margenthaler said Monday that he'd like to bring in at least one more player, preferably a transfer who is more mature and ready to play right away. The roster only has one true point guard (Jimmy Whitehead) and one known 3-point threat (Stephen Kirschbaum).
Since Margenthaler has already recruited size, he's free to add a shooter or ball-handler.
It might be a rebuilding season upcoming for the Mavericks, who made that historic run to the national semifinals, but it doesn't appear that the dropoff will be severe as fans may have thought. And it likely never will under Margenthaler.
It's only six months until Midnight Madness. Recruiting has a way of getting you excited for the next season.
In the last week, the Mavericks have added high-schoolers Zach Romashko (Blaine) and T.J. Okafor (Champlin Park)and Iowa Lakes Community College transfer Charles McNeal III. Each is around 6-6 or 6-7, with good numbers for scoring and rebounding.
Romashko and Okafor are more gifted scorers, apparently inside and outside, while McNeal is more of a scrapper. Regardless, the Mavericks, who have Connor O'Brien, Mike Bisenius and Mitch Grundman returning, will no longer have a size disadvantage.
Throw in guards Kelly Madison and Miles Chamberlain, who signed in the fall, and Margenthaler said this is the most talented recruiting class he's ever brought to Minnesota State. That's a big statement, considering all the talented players to put on the purple and gold over the last 10 seasons.
Margenthaler said Monday that he'd like to bring in at least one more player, preferably a transfer who is more mature and ready to play right away. The roster only has one true point guard (Jimmy Whitehead) and one known 3-point threat (Stephen Kirschbaum).
Since Margenthaler has already recruited size, he's free to add a shooter or ball-handler.
It might be a rebuilding season upcoming for the Mavericks, who made that historic run to the national semifinals, but it doesn't appear that the dropoff will be severe as fans may have thought. And it likely never will under Margenthaler.
It's only six months until Midnight Madness. Recruiting has a way of getting you excited for the next season.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Final thoughts on MSU basketball from Elite Eight
Left Springfield, Mass., for a couple of days at Hartford before returning to Minnesota on Sunday.
It's always amazing, regardless of sport or level its being played, how quickly the emotions of a dramatic postseason run can crash with a loss. When a team, such as the 2009 Minnesota State women, wins a championship, there's usually a few days for everyone to revel in the victory, slowly coming down from the emotional high.
But when a team is playing at a high level, such as this Minnesota State men's squad, and then loses, it's an immediate and hard letdown for the coaches and players. In a few days, they'll be able to look back at the amazing accomplishments of this season, but that first 24 hours seems pretty tough.
The Mavericks will be back at the Elite Eight sometime, especially if Matt Margenthaler continues to coach at Minnesota State, but the rebuilding task is daunting. Seniors Jefferson Mason, Marcus Hill, Cameron Hodges, Joe Drapcho and Taylor Morrow were so important to this team, and it leaves little experience coming back next season.
This will be the most difficult class to replace since the 2007 class of Luke Anderson, Tony Thomason and Paris Kyles, which ironically was the year that Hill, Drapcho, Morrow, Mike Bisenius, Stephen Kirschbaum and Mitch Grundman came to Minnesota State.
There was no shame in losing to Bellarmine, which has a good chance to win a national championship Saturday against BYU-Hawaii. Bellarmine was a veteran, tough, strong, disciplined team that out-executed the Mavericks over the last five minutes.
Mason ended his career as one of the top 5 players ever at Minnesota State, and Cameron Hodges' final month was nearly as good. Hill is also a top-20 player in program history, and the fact that he played 224 of 225 minutes in the national tournament says a lot about his courage and determination.
Margenthaler and assistant Mike Schott will never have a bad team at Minnesota State. They're too good at recruiting to let the talent level slip, but experience will be the key.
There might only be two starters for next year that are on the team right now. Jimmy Whitehead will be the point guard, and Connor O'Brien will be the center or power forward. Kirschbaum and Bisenius will probably be the first players off the bench.
That means the two freshman already signed -- Kelly Madison of Des Moines, Iowa, and Mile Chamberlain of Madison, Wis., -- might be starters, or there could be some additional signings or transfers.
It's important that Margenthaler and staff capitalize on this historic season and attract some talented players. The women's program didn't do that after 2009, and that team is struggling just two years later.
You might expect next season to be less successful, but that's the same opinion that most fans had back in November, especially after the two senior transfers were kicked off the team.
It appears that you should never underestimate Margenthaler, Schott and his players. A lot of teams and fans found out the hard way this season.
It's always amazing, regardless of sport or level its being played, how quickly the emotions of a dramatic postseason run can crash with a loss. When a team, such as the 2009 Minnesota State women, wins a championship, there's usually a few days for everyone to revel in the victory, slowly coming down from the emotional high.
But when a team is playing at a high level, such as this Minnesota State men's squad, and then loses, it's an immediate and hard letdown for the coaches and players. In a few days, they'll be able to look back at the amazing accomplishments of this season, but that first 24 hours seems pretty tough.
The Mavericks will be back at the Elite Eight sometime, especially if Matt Margenthaler continues to coach at Minnesota State, but the rebuilding task is daunting. Seniors Jefferson Mason, Marcus Hill, Cameron Hodges, Joe Drapcho and Taylor Morrow were so important to this team, and it leaves little experience coming back next season.
This will be the most difficult class to replace since the 2007 class of Luke Anderson, Tony Thomason and Paris Kyles, which ironically was the year that Hill, Drapcho, Morrow, Mike Bisenius, Stephen Kirschbaum and Mitch Grundman came to Minnesota State.
There was no shame in losing to Bellarmine, which has a good chance to win a national championship Saturday against BYU-Hawaii. Bellarmine was a veteran, tough, strong, disciplined team that out-executed the Mavericks over the last five minutes.
Mason ended his career as one of the top 5 players ever at Minnesota State, and Cameron Hodges' final month was nearly as good. Hill is also a top-20 player in program history, and the fact that he played 224 of 225 minutes in the national tournament says a lot about his courage and determination.
Margenthaler and assistant Mike Schott will never have a bad team at Minnesota State. They're too good at recruiting to let the talent level slip, but experience will be the key.
There might only be two starters for next year that are on the team right now. Jimmy Whitehead will be the point guard, and Connor O'Brien will be the center or power forward. Kirschbaum and Bisenius will probably be the first players off the bench.
That means the two freshman already signed -- Kelly Madison of Des Moines, Iowa, and Mile Chamberlain of Madison, Wis., -- might be starters, or there could be some additional signings or transfers.
It's important that Margenthaler and staff capitalize on this historic season and attract some talented players. The women's program didn't do that after 2009, and that team is struggling just two years later.
You might expect next season to be less successful, but that's the same opinion that most fans had back in November, especially after the two senior transfers were kicked off the team.
It appears that you should never underestimate Margenthaler, Schott and his players. A lot of teams and fans found out the hard way this season.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Margenthaler hoping for some one-year magic
Minnesota State men's basketball coach Matt Margenthaler announced his latest signing this week, adding 6-foot-7 guard Andre Gilbert to the roster.
Gilbert certainly brings some baggage (or interesting story, depending on your perspective), with an acquittal of sexual assault charges during his freshman season at South Dakota State, a transfer to a junior college in California, one season at Kansas State playing alongside Michael Beasley and Bill Walker and two years of working and living in California, looking for another chance.
It will be interesting to see how Gilbert, who payed high-school ball at Park Center, is received by the university and the program's fans.
Gilbert is the second transfer who will have just one season with the Mavericks, joining 6-7 A.J. Wilson, who came here from Murray State. Both are obviously talented athletes or they wouldn't have been playing at Division I universities.
But successful programs rarely are built on one-year players. Margenthaler said he's always trying to recruit the best players, and he looks for transfers to fill in holes on the team. Wilson will likely be the starting center/power forward, with Gilbert at shooting guard/small forward.
Margenthaler's desire to win is never in doubt. He puts more pressure on himself than the university puts on him, and having watched the Winona State men and Minnesota State women win national championship, that only fuels his passion for a title.
If it works next season, and the Mavericks have a prolonged run through the postseason, nobody will care where these players came from or why. If it falls apart as it did this season, more scrutiny will follow.
Gilbert certainly brings some baggage (or interesting story, depending on your perspective), with an acquittal of sexual assault charges during his freshman season at South Dakota State, a transfer to a junior college in California, one season at Kansas State playing alongside Michael Beasley and Bill Walker and two years of working and living in California, looking for another chance.
It will be interesting to see how Gilbert, who payed high-school ball at Park Center, is received by the university and the program's fans.
Gilbert is the second transfer who will have just one season with the Mavericks, joining 6-7 A.J. Wilson, who came here from Murray State. Both are obviously talented athletes or they wouldn't have been playing at Division I universities.
But successful programs rarely are built on one-year players. Margenthaler said he's always trying to recruit the best players, and he looks for transfers to fill in holes on the team. Wilson will likely be the starting center/power forward, with Gilbert at shooting guard/small forward.
Margenthaler's desire to win is never in doubt. He puts more pressure on himself than the university puts on him, and having watched the Winona State men and Minnesota State women win national championship, that only fuels his passion for a title.
If it works next season, and the Mavericks have a prolonged run through the postseason, nobody will care where these players came from or why. If it falls apart as it did this season, more scrutiny will follow.
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