The 'Roop Appears
It’s been a long time coming, but Manroop Clair finally made his College Summer League debut on Thursday night for league leader Flipbooks Hawaii.
It probably wasn’t the introduction to his long-range skills any UH fan had in mind in the 128-93 blowout of Central Medical … but at least the UH freshman guard got on the court. Some. Clair, by my count, went 1-for-7 for three points (a lone swished 3) in about 9 minutes of total play time. He was obviously being worked in gently coming off his ankle sprain that’s shelved him almost since he arrived at the start of July.
The freshman understandably declined an interview after his brief showing, but his Flipbooks teammate Christian Standhardinger (32 points) was more than happy to speak for him.
“Manroop is an amazing player. Very good point guard. He’s just gotta get used to those rims here,” Standhardinger said. “His shot always looked good, it was just off 1 inch or something like that. In another time, they all drop. He makes shots from all over. He just started (in workouts/open gym) two days ago. He did pretty well. He brings great energy, and what I really do like is his intensity, playing hard, which I like to play with.”
Standhardinger, not one to let what he perceives as a missed call go by even in a 40-point summer league blowout, earned a tech for his trouble late in the game. He was ejected from a game for getting into it with another player a couple weeks ago, as well.
“I gotta gather my emotions and that’s what I will work on and not do in a Division I game, because there’s just too much on the line,” he said.
Chaminade’s Leon Ballard added an impressive 31 points in the win for Flipbooks (8-1) which has locked up the top seed in next week’s playoffs going into its regular season finale vs. National Fire Protection on Saturday. Brett Caldwell, also of Chaminade, added 22 points with several high-flying dunks.
UH senior Hauns Brereton had 28 for CMC (3-6), which was again with a bare-bones roster of five players. He had to force up a bevy of tough shots in defeat.
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There was a bizarre finish to the first game, a 108-107 overtime victory for Wealth Strategy (2-7) over Grantco Pacific (5-5). Grantco led by one in the game’s final moments with the ball, but called timeout … when they had none remaining.
No, Chris Webber was nowhere to be seen in the building.
William Broadus (44 points) of W.S. stepped to the line and made both technical shots for the game’s final points, and Grantco was unable to muster a winning shot in the final seconds.
The UH tandem of Garrett Jefferson (26 points) and Brandon Jawato (19) helped W.S. to its second win.
UH alum Geremy Robinson led Grantco with 44 points of his own. Caleb Dressler added 25 in the loss.
Wealth Strategy and Central Medical cap off the regular season with the 7:30 game on Saturday.
Nice write up as always Brian!
Yes, nice to see Manroop even at the game! He hi motor and Christian, if they control that in team concept on offense and especially defense, along with Spearman, Jefferson, and company
UH MBB team will be in a lot of ball games, if not win there share this year!
Thanks for tweet about Gib..we know he is the eternal recruiter, In Vegas, all in.. hope he gets the SF athletic slasher, who knows maybe two!!
Thursday night [July 26, 2012 only!].
Brian: Your professionalism always shines;
You’re “the Man of Action”.
Manroop: “My ‘Roopi Disappeared.” I said, “Didn’t see that evidence of ‘Thousand Shots a Day'”.
“The dude who’s going to Duke says ‘Go back to high school!’.
Hauns: You probably thinking “What’ll I do, if the defense gets rougher?”.
Garrett: You smilingly said “It’s fun, can I do this all the time?”.
Jawato: You worrying that “Why my shots mostly missed by just an inch?”.
Caleb: Feeling bad about myself, “Just one less turned-over by me, my team would had won!”.
Mike: Promises that “I will get stronger & faster for my scholie.”.
Christian: Complains that “They suckered me.. all the time!”
Well, better nights/days are going to come???
Thanks again, Brian
You seem to work well with timelines/deadlines…
and you’re right, much anticipation for ‘Roop
Thanks for the word on him getting “started”;
Avoid re-injury hereon and can start building…
Team and individual skill workouts important to building what the players take into the (real) games with them;
Summer League is good for weaving those individual/ team skills into the flow of the game with the lights on…
And getting into game rhythm and shape.
Christian is a good team mate, maybe practiced from having to sit sidelines all last year.
He keeps pumping his teammates esp. when it might not at the moment look like it, reminding them of what they can be/ARE when at their best; that’s one of the best ways of getting the best out of people;
(one of JJones’s best coaching skills was just reminding his players with supreme “matter of fact” confidence that, yeah, you can do this, same as every day, just like practice…)
Glad that Hauns has demonstrated a good understanding of what’s a smart play, what’s a good shot…
Unlike some of the departed, this league shouldn’t be building any bad habits…
It is what it is , Summer League, chance for guys after summer school and UH coaches workouts and weight lifting, strength conditioning to play some ball. Now is the time when guys can shoot, work on FT’s, passing, ball handling, rebounding, etc, under a game situation. Still strange..is Alan Silva still the coach? CMC not being able to field more than 5 guys, never heard of that in Summer league in long time. Know of forfeits before, …By the way Brian or others that were at game..did Jace Tavita show up?
I think this year’s UH MBB team going to be alright, seems to have upgraded , though young in overall talent for BWC comeptition. IMO.
Suspect they’ll be more consistent than the .500 team — effort and depth…
Standhardinger- Fotu- Dressler should be step-up from JT-TW, in depth, defense and rebounding (even with the emotions, really enjoyed the feistiness of JT-TW but suspect a group led by CS will be plenty feisty, and maybe bb smarter…)
Backcourt might start off slow… but once/IF firepower (right now mostly “potential”) shows up, could be a surprise; to be in the game they just need to hold their own… IF they can start ‘winning’ the 1 or 2 position (or both, better depth and basic skills than last year) could keep getting stronger all season long with improved experience and depth (instead of fading or being susceptible to injury/illness);
Hauns should be solid and may be More of A Threat and a Beast as a Senior; potentially a strong position IF help shows up … [But NOT Yet…]
Schedule should support growth with limited high-point challenges (UNLV, Illinois, DH Classic Long Beach and whoever emerges as #2, 3 in BW should keep them grounded in reality)…
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K-Bay:
Yes I agree with you. At least we have a preview of what last years guys , including redshirts and transfers can do under game situation. With Fotu and Dressler, there are two young bigs who are smart, if coaches augment their game with more skill set and BB IQ , they are going to be effective this year. I cannot see coach RS anyone IMO. Hauns, looks like designated scorer, and Christian, hi motor…keep in check emotions..heard that Manroop is like that too. If you have 6 or 7 or 8 guys, constantly attacking DEFENSIVELY and getting out for quick offense, then have a mature, point, or whomever, combo guard or forward to run sets in half court, the season looks winnable.. more than 16, maybe 18, 19 or BWC tourney champion , We can dream!
Guys working super hard, main thing, and no one gets seriously hurt, ..we await the possible arrival of maybe two more SF’s? JMO>
Like many leagues (even NBA) Saturday’s Last Night of the Season apparently slow (as you can expect unless a last game victory can help seedings or a draft, and apparently didn’t);
Top Two Seeds (Flipbooks and Solar Universe) receive first round Byes;
and play Tuesday Night’s Winners on Thursday;
Thursday Winners in Championship on Saturday…
Interesting to see who, if any, steps up in playoffs
when it’s Win or Done:
– like Hauns did in JC Playoffs two years ago?
– Standhardinger, Fotu, Dressler or the guards ?
Might Also look for stepped-up defensive strategies or maybe surprises (Solar?)
Augmented Teams ?
Good Chance for Better Basketball This Week…
FROM HSA Breaking News…
California prep player intends to play for UH hoops
By Brian McInnis
POSTED: 05:58 p.m. HST, Jul 29, 2012
LAST UPDATED: 07:43 p.m. HST, Jul 29, 2012
Aaron Valdes, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound wing player at La Jolla Prep (Calif.), said he intends to commit to play for the Hawaii men’s basketball team for the 2012-13 season.
However, his recruitment process is in the early going and much could happen before he is theoretically admitted to UH, a source indicated.
Several recruiting outlets picked up on his commitment via twitter, but that information was premature.
Valdes did, however, confirm his intent in a message on Sunday.
Valdes was also a water polo standout at La Serna High prior to La Jolla Prep. He averaged about 19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and three steals per game at La Jolla, his prep coach Gary Trousdale said.