March Madness is approaching

A leap year means we have a spare day in February, but even so, March is nearly here and with it comes… Madness.

Hold up... It really is almost March already. As the name signifies, March Madness is one of the biggest times of the year for hoops fans. The NCAA’s big tournament is an annual source of basketball heroics, underdog stories, crushing blows, and darn good basketball.

Many players are looking to make a splash to get noticed by the next level. Some are just happy playing out their final seasons on a big stage. Either way, it is all on display for the fans, so when will you need to have brackets filled out?

For the men, selection Sunday is March 15th. This is when we will see who plays who and which teams on the bubble do or do not make that cut for NCAA March Madness 2020.

From there, you will need to get that bracket filled out so you can earn those precious bragging rights (or not) because the First Four play-in games take place March 17th and 18th in Dayton, Ohio. These games serve as a nice, immediate reminder that none of us really know exactly how this thing is going to shake out.

The first and second rounds begin on March 19th. Games played on this date and the 21st will be held in Albany, St. Louis, Spokane, and Tampa. Games played on the 20th and 22nd will take place in Cleveland, Greensboro, Omaha, and Sacramento.

The Midwest Regional (Indianapolis) and West Regional (Los Angeles) will take place on March 26th and 28th. The South Regional (Houston) and East Regional (New York) will be played on March 27th and 29th. This will conclude the March action and give us the Final Four.

Final Four games will be held in Atlanta and played on April 4th and 6th. ESPN has a breakdown as of February 24th that gives an early estimation of how the bracket will look here.

Women’s dates and locations

Let’s not forget the ladies. The women’s NCAA tournament is just as much of a catalyst for big stories, with yearly upsets, heroics, and more. There are some big names in women’s college basketball this year and it will be exciting to see everyone put to the test.

Selection Monday is March 16th and will be televised on ESPN. Locations for the first and seconds rounds are still to be determined, but they will run from March 20th to March 23rd.

The Dallas Regional and Greenville (South Carolina) Regional games are on March 27th and 29th. Portland Regional and Fort Wayne (Indiana) Regional games are March 28th and 30th. April 3rd and 5th will see the women’s 2020 Final Four games at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

ESPN has an early glimpse of how this bracket may shake out as well, here.

As mentioned, this is always a crazy exciting time for basketball fans. The Basketball Movement will be bringing you the big stories and recaps of how the rounds shake out. Fill out those brackets, stay tuned all March, and embrace the Madness.

Join Robert Yanders' Evolution of a Hooper

ICYMI: Robert Yanders’ Evolution of a Hooper program is available for coaches, trainers, players, and parents.

The Evolution of a Hooper is up and running for anyone around the sport of basketball that has a desire to improve. Click this link to go directly to Patreon, which is home to the Evolution. The on-court curriculum is in abundance in the form of drills that coaches, trainers, and players can benefit from.

These drills have been created and perfected over years by The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders. This curriculum has been a trade secret of Rob’s that has gone into elevating the play of NBA players down through college, high school, and younger athletes. New drills are uploaded each week to The Evolution. To have access to all of these is an incredible value for the price, but it doesn’t stop there.

The off-court curriculum is included as well, focusing on many aspects of life that are important for ensuring a balanced approach to the sport. “The person is the player,” Yanders says. Making sure that your circle of friends, goals, and approach in all you do is optimized will translate to the court as well.

A “Midwife” section in the curriculum is made specifically for parents that want to help their athletes by doing all the right things and letting coaches and players take the reigns at the right moments. This is not a lesson in parenting, but how to be the best parent that you can be in terms of maximizing your impact related to your athlete’s performance.

Rob Yanders’ Evolution of a Hooper will continue to grow and will soon be linked with a documentary that explains where Rob has come from in the sport. Yanders’ journey through life has been directly linked to the sport of basketball through each step and we want to show how important it is to him that you get the most out of him as a coach and out of this product. His desire to improve those around him shines through absolutely.

Weekly drill uploads alone would make this online program worth it, but the abundance of other materials is what sets the Evolution of a Hooper apart. Give it a shot this shopping season - for yourself or the coach/athlete in your life. You will not regret it.

If you or your athlete want to maximize potential as a hooper, this is a must-have resource. Click here to give it a try, or go download the Patreon app for Apple or Android and search for The Evolution of a Hooper.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2020 recap

The 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend was one of the most competitive in recent memory.

A perennial knock on the NBA All-Star game is that the players do not try hard enough. Big men jack threes, no one plays defense, and those jerks all have too much fun. This year there was plenty of fun, but also underlying competitiveness that we have not seen in almost all of the major events. Maybe it was the Mamba Mentality coming out.

Things kicked off on Friday night with the Rising Stars Challenge. Rookie and sophomore players were pitted against each other in the USA vs. The World format again, with both rosters looking pretty stacked. This is about the only event that did not come down to the wire, with Team USA comfortably ahead to end the fourth quarter.

A comeback was necessary though, with the energy of team USA led by Miles Bridges powering a third-quarter push to seize control. Bridges, a second-year player from the Charlotte Hornets would be named MVP for his efforts.

All-Star Saturday night is when things really began to heat up. The Skills Challenge, a mini obstacle course designed to show ball-handling, speed, passing, and shooting prowess was up first. Some favorites to win, including former winners Spencer Dinwiddie and Jayson Tatum, were knocked out immediately, with big men standing out from start to finish.

The final round featured two first-time All-Stars in Pacers forward Domantis Sabonis and Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo. It came down to who could make the final three-point shot. After a few attempts apiece, Bam drained his shot to take home the trophy.

In the second event of All-Star Saturday night, the Three-Point Contest would also come down to a photo finish. From top-to-bottom, all eight competitors shot the ball well, which does not always happen. Despite strong shooting all around, three players stood out and moved on: Devin Booker, Buddy Hield, and Davis Bertans.

The Wizards sweet-shooting big man, Bertans continued his impressive display, but it was not enough to hang with Booker or Hield. Booker surpassed Bertans score by going on multiple streaks and hitting money balls when he needed them most. Even with the intimidating score though, the Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield would not be denied. Down to the wire, Hield needed his very last shot to pass Booker and… splash. Buddy is the first King to win since Peja Stojakovic in 2002.

Always fun if also a bit hit-or-miss, the Slam Dunk Competition was perhaps the most memorable we have had since the 2016 showdown between Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon. Despite his arguably superior creativity in 2016, the Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon was runner up. This year, he had an unfortunate bit of déjà vu.

After a decade away, Dwight Howard made his fourth appearance in the dunk contest. His hops may be a bit diminished, but he put on a nice display with a nice nod to Kobe Bryant and his own superman dunk all in one. Pat Connaughton of the Bucks had a nice showing also, going full White Men can’t Jump with his outfit and dunking over teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The stars of the show were Derrick Jones Jr. of the Miami Heat and Aaron Gordon. Gordon’s creativity was on display again this year with varied dunks that pushed Jones Jr. into a dunk-off to finish. Gordon amassed a staggering five 50 point jams, including a crazy one-handed alley-oop 360 windmill off the side of the glass.

Jones Jr. impressed throughout as well, mostly relying on variations of between-the-legs jams. The judges could not give out 50s forever, so they eventually knocked a couple of points off what would be Jones Jr’s final dunk. That allowed them to make a final decision based on Gordon’s following dunk. Air Gordon brought out the 7’5” center of the Boston Celtics, Tacko Fall, dunked over him and was awarded one less point than Jones Jr., falling shy of the trophy once again in an epic battle.

A Saturday night filled with close, competitive action set the stage nicely for the big game on Sunday.

The format of the game was loaded with unique twists. Essentially, whichever team scored the most in a quarter got $100K towards the captain’s chosen Chicago charity. Both charities were for the education and betterment of kids, so one baseline area was loaded with the kids that would benefit, adding a fun element. There was no game clock in the fourth quarter. The high score was taken and had 24 points added to it (to honor Kobe Bryant) to create a goal score. The team that reached the goal score first won the game.

Team LeBron won the first quarter, Team Giannis the second, and the third was a tie, pushing that $100K prize into the winning pool.

The new format was entertaining and certainly seemed to add to the competitiveness of the game. There were still plenty of alley-oops and long bombs flying around, especially early. Chris Paul even dropped in a two-handed alley-oop slam for Team LeBron.

By the end, James Harden was jawing at the referees, Kyle Lowry was taking charges, and the preferred lineups were not exiting the game. What does this mean? The game was competitive and everyone was loving it.

Giannis was dunking essentially the entire game and Trae Young casually closed the half with a halfcourt bucket. Chris Paul led a second-half charge for Team LeBron, who eventually won the game 157-155 with Chicago native, Anthony Davis dropping in a clutch free throw to reach the goal.

Kawhi Leonard had 30 points including eight three-pointers to take the newly named Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP trophy home.

It was a weekend of fun, competitive hoops, and remembrance of David Stern and Kobe Bryant. For more coverage of the NBA as well as the basketball world as a whole, remember to keep it locked to The Basketball Movement!

Monte Morris helps power Nuggets comeback victory

Down 23 points in the second half, Monte Morris and his Denver Nuggets teammates defeated the San Antonio Spurs 127-120 on Monday.

Any players that come to The Basketball Movement looking to get better are special. Monte Morris of the Denver Nuggets may just be about as special a player as we have had. The young guard is a tenacious defender and is more than capable as a scorer and distributor. Perhaps even more impressive is his possession of the clutch gene.

In an exclusive interview with The Basketball Movement, Morris describes a particularly big moment in Monday night’s game: “My adrenaline was pumping,” says Morris. “I saw (LaMarcus) Aldridge closing, but I let it fly. I knew it was in.” The shot Morris is describing was an extra deep three that acted as an exclamation point to the furious comeback the Nuggets mounted to close out the third.

“I glanced at the scoreboard and knew I had three or four dribbles,” Morris recalls. “It was deep, but that’s a shot we practice all the time. I knew how much I had to get under it and let it fly.” The Nugs had been clawing their way back and had the home crowd whipped into a frenzy. Morris’ deep bomb came at the final buzzer of the third quarter and cut the game to four. The crowd exploded.

The video below starts at four and a half minutes to give a feel of momentum and crowd excitement. Morris’ big moment comes at 4:48:

Paul Millsap and Jamal Murray also had big second-half performances en route to the Nugget victory with Nikola Jokic also excellent as usual. Monte Morris did his damage in only 22 minutes, totaling 16 points and four assists, finishing with the best +/- on the team.

Morris has been rolling of late, averaging 14 points and four assists per just 0.5 turnovers over his last six games. He has been shooting 54 percent from the field including 40 percent from deep.

We asked him what his mindset will be after the upcoming All-Star break: “I just need to continue playing at a high level,” Morris tells The Basketball Movement. “I’m going to be well-rested and ready to go.”

Denver plays tonight on ESPN (9:00 pm CST) against the LA Lakers and NBA All-Star captain, LeBron James. Then, Morris and company will get a much-deserved rest over the weekend before continuing their push to be a top team in the Western Conference heading into the Playoffs.

We would wish Monte luck, but he seems to make his own just fine. Hard work is paying off for Monte Morris and we will all be watching as his story continues to unfold.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2020 preview

One of the most entertaining weekends in basketball is upon us once again as NBA All-Star Weekend comes to Chicago.

In the NBA this year, there have been plenty of ups and downs. The stars have shown brightly, we have now had some interesting mid-season trades, and the weekly lineups of games have been fire. Unfortunately, the basketball world was also dealt a severe loss in the form of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death as well as his daughter Gianna and all others involved.

NBA All-Star Weekend is an annual celebration of not only the current league but those who have come before. We see legends of the sport compete or coach in the celebrity game, judge the dunk contest (or be used as a prop), participate in the Legends Brunch, and be a part of the Hall of Fame Class announcements. The NBA truly does a fantastic job of remembering those that have come before.

For this reason, it is an important weekend for all players that felt the effects of the loss of Bryant. He will be remembered, honored, and poured over in various ways all weekend long. The gathering of basketball’s most elite, coming together for various competitions is just what everyone needs to help get through this tough time.

Friday, Feb. 14th kicks things off. NBA TV has the start of the Valentine’s event lineup, with the Rising Stars Practice at 11:00 am Central followed by the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 announcement. The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game takes place at 6:00 pm on ESPN.

The highlight of the evening is the NBA Rising Stars game on TNT starting at 8:00 pm Central and will once again feature a U.S.A. vs. The World format. Below are the rosters, highlighted by All-Star starters, Trae Young and Luka Doncic as well as Zion Williamson, though he has only played a handful of games. (Also, Collin Sexton will replace the injured Tyler Herro)

Saturday, Feb. 15th brings some fan-favorite competitions. NBA TV has coverage of the beginning of the day again, with the All-Star practice and media availability at 9:30 am Central. 6:00 pm will be Commissioner Adam Silver’s media availability, and then 7:00 pm Central officially tips off All-Star Saturday Night on TNT.

The Skills Challenge is up first, where players demonstrate combinations of ball-handling, passing, shooting, and speed. Below are the participants, including defending champ, Jayson Tatum:

Note: Derrick Rose has since dropped out and has been replaced by OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Next up is the 3-Point Contest, which seems to always boast a legitimate sampling of the league’s best shooters (while the dunk contest, unfortunately, does not). The reigning champ, Joe Harris is back to defend his title after beating Steph Curry last year. Unfortunately, Curry is still out of commission this season. Below are the participants:

Last but not least is the Slam Dunk Contest. While the contest does not usually showcase the dunkers that fans would most enjoy, this year’s lineup should prove interesting. Dwight Howard is participating for the first time in 11 years, which has to be a record. Derrick Jones Jr. is an electrifying dunker that has been a runner-up in the contest before.

Pat Connaughton of the Bucks will be relatively unknown, but his vertical will definitely turn some heads. Another runner-up, Aaron Gordon lost to Zach Lavine in 2016 despite a barrage of perfect scoring slams. The ‘16 contest has been lauded as one of the best ever. Zach Lavine will be a Saturday night participant, though fans would undoubtedly prefer a rematch with Gordon instead of his three-point display.

Sunday, Feb. 16th wraps up the weekend with the main event. The NBA Legends Brunch will be on NBA TV at 12:30 pm Central. At 7:00 pm, the 69th Annual NBA All-Star game will tip-off, featuring a new format (coverage begins at 5:00 pm).

Once again top vote-getters, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo selected their teams one by one, first from the starters and then reserves. The results are below, interestingly featuring only a few conference variations:

The new format will promote competition throughout the game. Whichever team scores the most points in each quarter will get a monetary bonus that is awarded to the captain’s chosen Chicago charity. So no matter the total, if Team LeBron scores more in the second, they win that one. If Team Giannis scores more in Q3, they win that one.

By the fourth quarter, the game clock is off. Whichever team has the highest score, 24 points will be added in honor of Kobe Bryant, and that becomes the goal score for each team. So, if it is 140 to 130, the first to 164 wins the game.

It may seem a bit complicated, but it is still simple at its core and should promote competitive play in an interesting way while honoring a lost legend.

That wraps up the preview! The Association brings plenty to the table year-round, but their All-Star festivities may be the best in professional sports. Tune in and follow along with The Basketball Movement through the weekend to stay up to date!

NCAA: Basketball power index update

The landscape of men’s college hoops has officially formed. How are things looking so far?

With plenty of games left, we have still seen enough college hoops to have a good idea of which teams are contenders and which still have a way to go. There is no perfect way to rank NCAA teams. Records are not enough, with the strength of opponents varying greatly in addition to other variables.

So, BPI (Basketball Power Index) is not an end-all-be-all system, but it does factor in important aspects. BPI focuses on what to expect from teams going forward, based on their past performances and upcoming schedule. The ranking occurs based on where a team falls compared to an “average” squad.

We don’t have to get into the math - just know that it is a handy tool for assessing top college hoops teams.

As of early Thursday, February sixth, Duke is at the top of the BPI rankings. Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils are 19 and 3 with many of their most difficult matchups already in the rearview. Gonzaga is unsurprisingly near the top at number two. Next are Kansas, Michigan State, Baylor, Lousiville, Arizona, and Dayton.

Michigan State and Arizona do not have poor records, but at 16-7 and 15-6 respectively, they show some of the curious nature of BPI rankings. Losses to top squads and relatively soft schedules going forward propel them to their spots.

Ninth on the list is San Diego State, who deserves plenty of praise for being the last undefeated Division I team left standing at 23-0. West Virginia rounds out the top ten.

The BPI naturally gives favor to traditional power conferences. Plenty of Big 10 and Big East teams make up the next grouping of squads on the list. Again, not a bad overview for analysis, but not a perfect measurement.

The best way to determine the strongest teams in college ball is to see them for yourself. Smaller programs are still made up of excellent players that can upset the big dogs in any given game. Just tune in and see for yourself as the college season gets serious.

For more on NCAA hoops as well as all other levels of the sport, stay tuned right here to The Basketball Movement.

Striving for the Mamba Mentality

As the basketball world continues to mourn the loss of Kobe Bryant, we remind players to carry on the Mamba Mentality.

The world knew Kobe Bryant by the basketball player we saw on the floor. Only his close family and friends truly knew him as a person. We saw how hard he worked, what he was able to achieve, and for the most part, what it took to get there. There are still countless unseen hours, not just that he put towards the game of basketball, but into his other passions, hobbies, and relationships.

For that reason it is not fair of us, the public, to pretend we knew everything about Kobe Bean Bryant. Media figures and players say ”He would want this,” or “he would have wanted that.” All we know is that he loved his family, loved his occupation, and gave us a hell of a spectacle on the court.

The loss of a family man is an indescribable blow. So, let’s just focus on what we can wrap our heads around: Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality.

We knew Kobe primarily by what he was on the court - a true superstar. Bryant was as feared an opponent as anyone could ever imagine. His offensive repertoire made him a killer, a basketball assassin. He could rip your heart out and crush your dreams in so many ways that he earned the respect of nearly every hooper on the planet.

Since the NBA has been naming first or second-team all-defense, Kobe earned the nod 12 times (nine first-team), the most ever by a guard. So despite being an offensive juggernaut, he was able to still exert enough energy and focus on defense that he was deemed one of the league’s best defenders multiple years. Impressive resume, but what does it mean?

The Mamba Mentality

Kobe Bryant was nicknamed the Black Mamba. He could and would strike on offense or defense at any moment, and it was always deadly. Players special enough to go so hard on both ends of the floor are rare, but they all possess something in common - a term coined by Bryant himself: Mamba Mentality.

Players do not need Kobe-level skills to harness the Mamba Mentality because it is just that - a state of mind.

The focus of the Mamba Mentality isn’t attacking the opponent like Bryant made it seem. Instead, the focus is internal; promises to yourself to get every loose ball, the drive to play every defensive possession like it is meant to be played, the willingness to let the offense come to you, but also the readiness to take over a game if that is your role.

Mamba Mentality will look different depending on your role. Kobe was asked to shoulder the load on offense and be a defensive stopper. For some players, it may be focusing on snatching every rebound or making sure teammates are involved. Players on the bench, coaches, anyone… the Mamba Mentality can be applied no matter what.

Perhaps the best way we can remember Kobe Bryant the basketball player is to all try our best to approach life with the Mamba Mentality. Fiercely protect family and friends, keep your foot on the gas while you chase dreams, and give your all in everything you do.

Enjoy the processes - even the little moments and the tough times. Keep loved ones close and let them know how much they mean to you. Bryant and the other individuals we lost were taken from the world too soon, but we can make their loss count for something big. Embody the Mamba Mentality and you will be surprised by the doors that open for you. Reach out to us if that means getting in the gym. Reach out even if it doesn’t and we will be a shoulder for you.

RIP Kobe Bryant - thank you for everything.

Around the NBA: Zion set to debut, All-Star selections

It is a big week for the NBA with Zion Williamson making his first appearance and the announcement of the All-Star starters.

Monday marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is always a notable holiday around the NBA. In addition to a full slate of televised games, the league did a great job as always of putting things in perspective with tributes, interviews that highlight Dr. King’s impact, and addressing that the NBA could not be what it is today without the civil rights movement.

Skip ahead to tonight, and the big week continues as rookie Zion Williamson makes his much-anticipated debut at 8:30 pm (CST) on ESPN. Tonight is a double-header with the Sixers visiting the Raptors at 6:00 pm (CST) in another good game.

Williamson’s debut comes after speculation that the New Orleans Pelicans may shut him down for the season to preserve their prized rookie in a season that is not going well in the win column. We have also seen Zion throwing down some impressive dunks in shootarounds before taking the bench for games, so whether or not he was healthy enough to give it a go was not an issue.

Below is a reminder of what the 19-year-old is capable of from the preseason:

Brandon Ingram has valiantly filled the void of the go-to guy for the Pelicans this year. He appears to have made enough of a leap that he is unlikely to take a backseat to Zion upon his return. The two will form a one-two punch that will be difficult for opposing teams to handle. Mix in the savvy of Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, and Derrick Favors with the emerging talent of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and Jaxson Hayes, and there is a solid team here.

We likely won’t fully see things come together until next season for these young Pelicans. Until then, we can still count on one hell of a show, and that starts tonight.

All-Star starters to be announced

Another exciting event around the NBA is the announcement of the 2020 All-Star starters. Fans have been voting for over a month and the top five vote-getters from both the Eastern and Western Conference will be announced during the usual Thursday double-header on TNT tomorrow night.

The “third fan returns” came out on January 16th and voting ended on January 20th. So, the below image (taken from the official NBA.com website) should provide a decent idea of who is in. Keep in mind also that fan voting is 50 percent of the equation, media is 25 percent, and players make up the other 25 percent.

Screenshot 2020-01-22 at 12.45.53 PM.png

In both Conferences, three frontcourt players and two backcourt players will be selected as starters. So, four days of voting likely did not impact most of these players on the fan side. The ones that appear to be borderline are the East guards, with Kemba Walker close behind Kyrie Irving. The media and player voting is likely to sway things as well.

The validity of fan voting is always questioned, but the above does not appear to be terribly skewed as it relates to season performance. Some fan favorites are sitting a bit high relative to games played - Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, and Carmelo Anthony have all missed substantial time this year. Tacko Fall and Alex “Bald Mamba” Caruso are on this list as a collective joke between fans.

The remainder of the All-Star rosters will be announced at a later date. In the meantime, the rest of the week includes some really nice matchups. The national TV schedule is decently loaded, but there is a free preview of NBA League Pass running from now through the 26th for good measure. Also, for those that will be available to watch, there is an afternoon game Friday with the Bucks and Hornets facing off in Paris.

For more on what is going on around the NBA, stay tuned to The Basketball Movement here and on our Twitter.

2020 Tournament of Champions: Final recap

Saturday wrapped up the final action of the 2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions - here is how it went down!

From start to finish, Saturday brought plenty of action with four good games and an impressive slam dunk contest. Thank you to everyone for sticking with The Basketball Movement through this action-packed weekend. We had nice showings from the local squads and played witness to impressive D-1 and likely NBA-level talent.

Things kicked off with Kickapoo taking on Greensboro Day School in the 7th place game. Kickapoo was coming off of two tightly contested contests and may have been a bit worn down, falling to Greensboro 67-57. Anton Brookshire impressed all weekend and finished this one with 18 for the Chiefs. Greensboro had a balanced attack with Hayes, Williams, Harris, and Bailey all in double figures.

In the fifth-place game, we got our first and only overtime of the tournament. With multiple lead changes, Christ the King came out on top 71-67 over Greenwood. Aminu Mohammed of Greenwood had a great tournament, setting the single-game rebounding record in this one with 23 to go with his 38 points. His 52 boards are a Tournament of Champions record and he is just the fourth player to score 100 points.

For Christ the King, Ryan Myers led his team with 23 as he had done in all three of their games. Sterling Jones stepped up in this one with 21 to help Christ the King claim fifth.

The Great Southern Dunk Contest was up next, which featured representatives from the tournament teams as well as a few local guys from area teams. We saw some flashy moves, but Oak Hill’s Darrick Jones Jr. was head-and-shoulders above the competition. Jones also won the contest in 2018. He went horizontal from the side à la Michael Jordan and then completely cleared his parents in a great moment.

Eyeing bronze, it was Vashon vs. Booker T Washington up next. It was a slow start offensively for both teams, but Vashon finally began to click in the second half. They would hold on to take third place, winning 62-51. Kentucky commit, Cam’Ron Fletcher continued his stellar play, finishing with 14 points and 15 boards for Vashon. His teammate Nicholas Kern had a team-high 20.

Booker T Washington’s Trey Phipps, an OU commit, had his best game of the tournament, going for 20 points. Teammate Jalen Breath had 10 and 11.

Saving best for last, the championship game featured Paul VI trying to hand Oak Hill their first loss of the season. Oak Hill managed to keep Paul VI at arm’s length throughout, shooting 55 percent from the field as a team. The final score was 72-57 with Oak Hill’s starters playing heavy minutes and being too much for Paul VI.

Jeremy Roach (Duke commit, 12 pts, 9 reb) and Trevor Keels (offers from Duke, UConn, Ohio State, and more, 18 pts) did some scoring as always but were too inefficient from the field to gain on Oak Hill. Sophomore “Dug” McDaniel chipped in 13.

All five of Oak Hill’s starters scored in double figures, but it was LSU commit, Cam Thomas’ 26 points and 8 boards that made the biggest impact. Thomas was a killer all tournament, never changing expressions as he attacked holes in defenses at every level and imposed his will. He was named the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions MVP.

Below are the selections for the All-Tournament team:

MVP - Cam Thomas - Oak Hill
Darius Maddox - Oak Hill
Trevor Keels - Paul VI
Jeremy Roach - Paul VI
Aminu Mohammed - Greenwood
Anton Brookshire - Kickapoo
Bryce Harris - Greensboro Day
Ryan Myers - Christ the King
Cam'ron Fletcher - Vashon
Bryce Thompson - Booker T. Washington

It was another exciting tournament this year and The Basketball Movement was honored to cover it. Players and fans, stay tuned to our social media channels, especially Rob Yanders’ Instagram as we continue to put out videos and high-definition images from the action. Feel free to share away!

2020 Tournament of Champions: Day two recap

Day two of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions provided closer games in addition to a closer look at the talent.

Friday night brought the intensity up a few levels in the 36th annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. The consolation bracket and winners bracket alike had closer games and shown a light on the tournaments’ star athletes. Let’s break down what happened last night and make sure you are caught up before the biggest day of the tourney.

image.jpg

The first game of the night between Kickapoo and Christ the King got things started nicely in the consolation bracket. Anton Brookshire of Kickapoo had another impressive showing with a 20/6/7 line and poise throughout. Cam Liggins had 16 and 9 for the Chiefs. It was Christ the King who would claim victory 71 to 66, led by the duo of Sterling Jones (23 points) and Ryan Myers (20 points).

Greensboro Day School and Greenwood Laboratory were up next on the consolation side. It was another good one, with the hometown Greenwood pulling out a 61 to 57 win. Bryce Harris was the only Greensboro player to finish with an efficient day, winding up with a 24 and 10 double-double. Greenwood only played five players in the game. Tommy Pinegar had 15 points and clutch 4th quarter free throws while Aminu Mohammed finished with a 31/13/6 line.

In the first semifinal game, Vashon kept up with Oak Hill throughout, despite shooting just 32 percent from the field. Kentucky commit, Cam’Ron Fletcher had more than half of Vashon’s points, finishing with 28 points, 13 boards, two blocks, and two steals. Oak Hill won the game 56 to 51, led by Cam Thomas’ 20 points and four steals. Their balanced attack lands them in the championship tonight, though Georgetown commit, Jamari Sibley exited yesterday’s contest and returned to the bench in a sling.

The night concluded with Booker T Washington and Paul VI in the final semifinal game. It was tight through the first half, but Paul VI pulled away to win 74-60 when the dust settled. Kansas commit, Bryce Thompson carried Booker T Washington again tonight, finishing with 25 points. As a team, 38 percent shooting would hold them back.

Paul VI advances to the championship game behind a big double-double from Trevor Keels (25 and 16). Keels holds offers from Duke, UConn, Ohio State, Maryland, G-Town, Bama, Butler, Miami, WVU, Marquette, Nova, Florida, and more. Duke commit, Jeremy Roach had a big second quarter and finished with 17 points.

Tonight should provide the best action yet, with Paul VI attempting to end Oak Hill’s undefeated season in the championship game. This evening also features the Great Southern Slam Dunk Contest, which is always a thrill for the players and fans alike. Here is the schedule:

2:30 (7th place) Kickapoo vs. Greensboro

4:00 (5th place) Christ the King vs. Greenwood

6:00 Great Southern Slam Dunk Contest

7:00 (3rd place) Vashon vs. Booker T Washington

9:00 (Championship) Oak Hill vs. Paul VI

Below is a look back at the 2019 dunk contest for an idea of what players of this caliber are capable of!

Once more, remember to follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders on Instagram. We’ll see you tonight!

2020 Tournament of Champions: Day one recap

Day one of the 2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions featured good games and impressive individual performances.

With night one in the books, fans have a good idea going forward of what these big-time hoopers are capable of. For the most part, players we had highlighted previously stood out as expected, but witnessed the potential of others as well.

In the opening game, Vashon beat down Christ the King in surprising fashion 69-33. Ryan Myers led CtK with 12 and struggled a bit with his shot. For Vashon, Phillip Russell stood out, scoring 20 with 6 of 9 shooting from deep. Cam’Ron Fletcher was as-advertised, flashing explosiveness at the rim and finishing with a 21 point, 13 rebound double-double.

The second game of the night was much closer throughout, but a big run to finish things out made the score appear lopsided. Oak Hill Academy, currently ranked number three in the nation, defeated the hometown Kickapoo Chiefs 78-63.

Oak Hill had a balanced attack, with efficient nights from Ezewiro, Sibley, Robinson, and Maddox. Cam Thomas was the high man with 26 points. For Kickapoo, Anton Brookshire was scoring at will, hitting 7 of 12 from deep and finishing with 33 points and seven boards.

The third game was entertaining if not always competitive. Paul VI downed Greenwood 80-54 behind 25 points from Duke commit, Jeremy Roach. Steals were the name of the game for Paul VI, as they amassed 19 on the night. Despite some timely long balls by Tommy Pinegar and nifty ball-handling by Grant Harper, it was the Aminu Mohammed show for Greenwood as usual. Mohammed had 31 points and 16 boards, but 11 turnovers to go with it.

Finally, Booker T Washington vs. Greensboro Day provided a close match start-to-finish. Both teams shot around 35 percent and bricked plenty of threes. Still, it was down to the wire with Booker T Washington finishing on top 54-50.

Kansas commit, Bryce Thompson was the driving force for Booker T Washington, scoring 31 big points to go with 10 boards. His teammate and Oklahoma commit, Trey Phipps shot just 1-13 on the night, so we are expecting a bounce-back performance this evening. Greensboro Day is was without Virginia signee, Carson McCorkle, who was recently injured. They leaned on Cam Hayes (14) and freshman Jaydon Young (15) to do the scoring in this one.

Tonight’s (Friday, Jan 17th) action will surely be thrilling once again and we can’t wait to break down the happenings for you.

4:30 Kickapoo vs. Christ the King

6:00 Greenwood vs. Greensboro Day

8:00 Vashon vs. Oak Hill

9:30 Paul VI vs. Booker T Washington

Remember to follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, former pro, Robert Yanders on Instagram.

2020 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions

The 36th annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is January 16-18th - The Basketball Movement will have you covered!

It is time again for the annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions - the most attended high school boys basketball tournament in the nation. As always, the tourney will be held on the campus of Missouri State University and will host a pair of strong Springfield teams in addition to top teams from around the country.

The 36th annual tournament will run from Thursday, January 16th to Saturday the 18th and will include a slam dunk contest as well.

Over 370 players that have participated in the tournament have gone on to play D1 hoops with at least 65 going pro. This is always one of the most impressive collections of talent that Southwest, MO gets to host, so you know we have to be there to soak it all up.

Once again this year, The Basketball Movement will be providing coverage of not only the tournament in general but of its top talent and performers. We will interview athletes, provide quality game highlights, and give shoutouts to the players that impress. Follow the action on our Twitter and see it first by following The Basketball Movement’s Founder, former pro, Robert Yanders on Instagram.

Rob has an eye for talent and runs the top basketball training facility in the Midwest. He takes hoops seriously and loves nothing more than to help others better themselves on and off the court. Players, do yourself a favor and get in touch with Coach Yanders!

Every year, the talent level of the Bass Pro ToC impresses. This year is no different. The Basketball Movement gym rat and Yanders Law AAU standout, Anton Brookshire (2021) will look to lead Kickapoo High to some upsets next weekend. The other Springfield school in the tourney is Greenwood Laboratory, which features Aminu Mohammad (2021), who just showed out at the last big Springfield tournament, the annual Blue & Gold.

One more Missouri team, Vashon High School out of St. Louis features a few familiar faces from The Basketball Movement Invitational Tournament a few months back. Cam’Ron Fletcher (2020) is a Kentucky commit, Phillip Russell (2020, seen in the below video) has committed to SEMO, and Kobe Clark (2020) has some nice offers on the table as well.

Oak Hill is back again and brings plenty of star power of their own. Five seniors, Cam Thomas, Darius Maddox, Bradley Ezewiro, Jamari Sibley, and KK Robinson have all committed to D1 universities. Thomas and Ezewiro will stay together next year at LSU.

Paul VI has a Duke commit in senior, Jeremy Roach. Trevor Keels (2021) has an offer from Duke in addition to multiple other big programs. One of the tournaments’ most touted 2022 players, Knasir “Dug” McDaniel already has several D1 offers on the table as well.

Christ the King’s Ryan Myers (2020) sports several nice offers and will be looking to raise his stock even further this tournament. Greensboro Day School’s Carson McCorkle (2020) will be playing at Virginia next year. McCorkle is joined by juniors Bryce Harris and Cam Hayes, who have committed to NC State.

Rounding out the field is Booker T. Washington, which has a trio of seniors that are sure to impress. Jalen Breath has an offer from UMKC, Bryce Thompson will be playing for Kansas, and Trey Phipps has committed to Oklahoma.

All the above are just a few of the players we have our eye on early. To all the others, feel free to use this as fuel. The Tournament of Champions is a big stage and we will happily help blast you out and raise your stock if you give us a good reason.

Last year’s MVP, Sharife Cooper of McEachern

This is an exciting collection of talent and we can’t wait for the opening tip! Again, be sure to check back here, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and keep up with Rob Yanders, who will be the first to let you know what’s up. We’ll see you there!

The Basketball Movement - Respect

An important key in basketball and in life is to treat everyone around you with respect.

A good practice for basketball but also life in general is to be respectful of EVERYBODY - superiors, peers, and subordinates alike. It is true, not everyone deserves respect, but there is never an excuse to treat someone that way. Even if you do not respect somebody, you must act respectfully at all times.

In basketball, the ultimate example of respect happens in the player-coach relationship. Coaches have the difficult task of uniting individuals in a group, developing a strategy, and implementing that strategy through the actions of their team. This can cause friction between all involved and is not always smooth sailing.

Playing time and usage is important to players and are also some of the greatest tools at a coach’s disposal. They put who they want on the floor to give them the best chance at executing their strategies at all times. Even if you have a tenuous relationship with your coach, it is important that you understand that they are trying to complete a difficult job to the best of their abilities. Not agreeing with the methods is allowed, but respect is necessary at all times, or else it will cause fractures in the team as a whole.

Most importantly, your coach is human. They are prone to mistakes, lapses in judgment, real-life issues, and more that deserve the same consideration that you would hope for yourself. Respect that.

As a player, you must also respect your teammates. You have the same goals; win every game possible, limit mistakes, and yeah, show out a bit. Some may have more or less drive than you. Some may be turnover-prone. Some may just not like to pass you the ball. This is still someone in the trenches with you that you need on the same page as to accomplish the biggest goals.

Again, they are human. Acting disrespectfully will fracture the team dynamic, create rifts where there should be friendships, and make life more difficult than it has to be. You don’t even have to like all of them - just treat them with respect to make the best out of any situation.

“Sport is and should remain a great school of life that supports young people in their personal development. It teaches respect for others and also for oneself.”
— Richard Attias

Referees are different. No wait, that isn’t right because they are also human! Referees have an incredibly difficult job and would probably prefer if you didn’t foul or let the ball go out of bounds. They like basketball too and deserve to enjoy it in their own way without getting disrespected by a player (or coach) that thinks they are doing poorly at their job. They are real people with real issues that don’t deserve to be treated badly.

By now, you have seen the trend. Opponents must be treated with respect. They are a lot like you, only from different locations. The more people you treat with respect, the more likely you will gain respect in return.

Respect can be a difficult concept to grasp even though it seems simple. You do need to earn respect and not every individual does what is needed to have earned it. Strive to earn respect, and remember that treating others respectfully (whether earned or not) is one of the quickest ways to get there.

Generally, people around you will give you opportunities to earn respect and reward you with it. Still, there are those that will want to bring you down. Nothing will eat at them more than treating them respectfully when all they want is to ruffle your feathers. That is why treating others with respect is some of the best advice we can give.

You can’t go wrong with acting respectfully, so do so as much as possible! Even when you stumble, be apologetic, humble, and gracious to get back on the right track. Respect is important in life (and on the court), so make it a focus in 2020.

For more tips, basketball news, and more, keep it locked with us here at The Basketball Movement!

Merry Christmas from The Basketball Movement!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We talk a lot about using holidays and weekends to outwork your opponents but maybe hang with family on this one.

At The Basketball Movement, we are serious about hoops. However, we are also well aware that there are plenty of things that are bigger than basketball. Here on The Basketball Movement blog, we have discussed doing inside work on rainy days, getting in a gym on holiday weekends, and more. That said, Christmas is one of the most important times of the year for stepping away from work, school, and play to focus on what is important.

We were thrilled to partner with Yanders Law to show the power of basketball with our Angels of the Hardwood event. It was great to show that even as basketball organizations, there are still ways to get involved in the true reason for the Christmas season.

To all of the players, parents, fans, and The Basketball Movement trainers and staff - Merry Christmas! This is an excellent time to reflect on a year’s worth of accomplishments, hardships overcome, and great things on the horizon.

Thank you to everyone that helped us to make 2019 successful. We are proud of everything that has been accomplished and proud to have worked with everyone who helped to make it happen.

Enjoy this time with family and friends and remember what Christmas is all about. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas, everyone!

James Wiseman puts NCAA on notice

Potential top NBA pick, James Wiseman walks away from Memphis and the NCAA to prepare for professional hoops.

The NCAA suffered a big blow recently with the departure of one of the top players in the country, James Wiseman. Wiseman was in the midst of a 12 game suspension by the NCAA, who determined that he and his family received $11,500 to help them relocate to Memphis from Penny Hardaway, who went on to become the head coach for Memphis.

Memphis disputed the suspension, which allowed Wiseman to play out three games total before finally hanging it up for a lengthy stretch. With a simple, but effective way to get back, Wiseman stepped away from college hoops.

Already expected to be a one-and-done player, Wiseman is now strictly focused on preparation for the NBA draft. He will likely be a top-five selection, if not number one overall.

Wiseman undoubtedly had reservations about leaving coach Hardaway and his Memphis teammates high and dry. However, he has a lucrative professional career to care about. There is little doubt that Wiseman will go on to make great money in his field, so it is understandable that he would have little interest in producing additional revenue for an organization that is not willing to pay him one penny for doing so.

The NCAA has been issued a wake-up call from a prominent one-and-done player. Zion Williamson was injured last season but came back to play later. How damaged would the NCAA have been had Williamson decided to hang it up? Would the knock on his camaraderie have held him back in the NBA draft? (Answers: very damaged and nah)

Many top draft prospects are playing overseas and likely more will go the way of Wiseman in the future. In the next two years, we will likely see reform, possibly opening up the NBA draft to 18-year-old high school grads once again.

The NCAA must seek out ways to remain relevant in basketball’s changing landscape. Most players are currently less interested in the G-League route or playing overseas than going to college, but that may change in a hurry, especially with the NBA sweetening the G-League deal all the time.

The obvious solution is to provide some compensation for the players that work so hard and generate revenue for their universities and the NCAA. A paid-for college education is great, but it isn’t for everyone and doesn’t allow players to use their skills to put their families in better situations.

(Reminder that this article is written by Wil Harrington and may not reflect all the views of The Basketball Movement!)

The coming years will hopefully see solutions to the NCAA and players’ issues that will benefit all involved, whatever those may be. Either way, The Basketball Movement will be here letting you know what’s up. We wish the best of luck to James Wiseman on his journey. The future is bright!

Angels of the Hardwood at The Basketball Movement

Yanders Law’s second annual Angels of the Hardwood event is underway right here at The Basketball Movement!

Our favorite day of the year, the Angels of the Hardwood event has been marked on the calendar for Yanders Law and The Basketball Movement for a long time. The event is finally starting with dozens of kids coming through the doors of The Basketball Movement facility.

Multiple Yanders Law players are in attendance, helping kids find the right size of brand new Nike shoes, getting shirts for everyone, and directing them to get professional photos were taken, a new Nike Elite basketball, and even courtside haircuts courtesy of our friends at CUT N EDGE barbershop.

In their new Nike Elite socks, shoes, and shirts, they will start doing simple basketball drills soon as Yanders Law coaches and The Basketball Movement trainers take them through what they do best. The lighthearted nature of the basketball portion will be a bit less intense than we usually see around here, but the inclusion and fun make it many times sweeter during the season of giving.

The gym is currently filled with the sounds of balls bouncing and kids laughing, and we couldn’t be more excited to keep the energy going!

In addition to the gear, all athletes will receive presents, goody bags filled with healthy snacks, and North Face fleece pullovers as temperatures drop outside. It is a great day of giving, but it wouldn’t be possible without ample support.

We want to give a very special shoutout to all of our sponsors:

Nike

OMS Surgery

Parkcrest Dental Group

Eastbay

Clear Creek Family Dental

Aleshire Robb & Rapp

Cox Health - Neurosurgery (Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute)

Spencer Fane

Multiple anonymous donors

We also want to thank the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, Harmony House, YMCA, and multiple area public schools for getting the word out and participating in this event. A special shoutout of course to the Yanders Law players and parents for donating presents and their precious time!

Make sure you are following along with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram during and following the event to keep up with the good we are hopefully doing for the community that has given us so much. Merry Christmas from The Basketball Movement!

Around the NBA: Too early MVP rankings

Not far into December, we have plenty of NBA basketball left, but we examine the MVP candidates in the early going.

It may be too early to crown an MVP, but it is far enough into the season to talk about the standout players for their teams. Some of the early MVP candidates have been here before, but some are new to the scene as well.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the league’s reigning MVP. He is also likely the front-runner in the race to claim the award again this year. Antetokounmpo is scoring and rebounding at elite levels, but that isn’t what sets him apart. He is a two-way star, meaning he gets it done on the defensive end as well. The icing on the cake is that his Milwaukee Bucks are tied for the NBA’s best record, 20-3.

Perhaps next in line for the prize is a player that was not in the discussion last year. Luka Doncic just missed an All-Star bid last season, his rookie year. This year, he is accelerating what was supposed to be a Dallas Mavericks rebuild, propelling his squad to 16-6, the second-best record in the Western Conference. He is nearly averaging a 30 point triple-double and has become one of the most electric players in all of basketball.

Not surprisingly, James Harden is in the MVP mix once again. He had a good argument to take the honor last year and is doing his best to contend again. His squad is a good, if slightly underachieving, 15-7 so far as they continue to bring Russell Westbrook up to speed.

Harden is averaging an absurd 39 points per contest, on the back of his also absurd 14.6 free throw attempts per game (per basketballreference.com). The fact that this historic scoring alone doesn’t vault him to the top of the MVP ladder speaks the wealth of individual brilliance on display in today’s NBA game.

We mentioned the Bucks being tied for the NBA’s best record; they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers out west, who have looked strong all season (short as it may be to this point). The Lakers have two stars, but so far, LeBron James has shone the brightest.

In his 17th NBA season, James is leading the NBA in assists (10.7 per basketballreference.com) and still scoring efficiently while being the on-and-off-court leader for one of the league’s most visible markets.

Another new name in the MVP race is the league’s reigning Most Improved Player, Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors. The Raps are the reigning champions from last season, but that was undeniably Kawhi Leonard’s team. This year, Toronto is back in contention in the Eastern Conference after Siakam taking another giant step forward, with career-high numbers across the board.

Joining Siakam in the top-heavy Eastern Conference are players with similar success, if not quite as eye-popping numbers. Jimmy Butler has turned Miami into an ECF contender again, along with Joel Embiid for the Sixers, Kemba Walker of the Celtics, and Domantas Sabonis of the Indiana Pacers. Look up Sabonis if you aren’t familiar. Dude can ball.

In the Western Conference, you can’t talk about LeBron and the Lakers without mentioning Anthony Davis. While LeBron leads in many ways, the offense still runs through Davis, who remains as dominant as anyone when healthy.

The Nuggets team success propels Nikola Jokic into the conversation, even though he is having a relatively down year to this point. Karl-Anthony Towns’ individual brilliance is shining as always, though Minnesota’s win total will exclude him from serious MVP talks, same with Devin Booker of the surprising-but-still-not-good Phoenix Suns. Paul George has been brilliant in his small sample size. The Clippers are good and will likely only get better, but games played will likely hamper any shot at the MVP award for him or the restful Kawhi Leonard.

That is quite a few names to mention, but it is so early in the season that the MVP award is still anyone’s to claim. These are your leaders so far, but things are certainly subject to change. For more coverage Around the NBA as well as the whole world of basketball, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement.

Evolution of a Hooper - Out now!

ICYMI: Robert Yanders’ Evolution of a Hooper program is available for coaches, trainers, players, and parents.

The Evolution of a Hooper is up and running for anyone around the sport of basketball that has a desire to improve. Click this link to go directly to Patreon, which is home to the Evolution. The on-court curriculum is in abundance in the form of drills that coaches, trainers, and players can benefit from.

These drills have been created and perfected over years by The Basketball Movement’s Founder, Robert Yanders. This curriculum has been a trade secret of Rob’s that has gone into elevating the play of NBA players down through college, high school, and younger athletes. New drills are uploaded each week to The Evolution. To have access to all of these is an incredible value for the price, but it doesn’t stop there.

The off-court curriculum is included as well, focusing on many aspects of life that are important for ensuring a balanced approach to the sport. “The person is the player,” Yanders says. Making sure that your circle of friends, goals, and approach in all you do is optimized will translate to the court as well.

A “Midwife” section in the curriculum is made specifically for parents that want to help their athletes by doing all the right things and letting coaches and players take the reigns at the right moments. This is not a lesson in parenting, but how to be the best parent that you can be in terms of maximizing your impact related to your athlete’s performance.

Rob Yanders’ Evolution of a Hooper will continue to grow and will soon be linked with a documentary that explains where Rob has come from in the sport. Yanders’ journey through life has been directly linked to the sport of basketball through each step and we want to show how important it is to him that you get the most out of him as a coach and out of this product. His desire to improve those around him shines through absolutely.

Weekly drill uploads alone would make this online program worth it, but the abundance of other materials is what sets the Evolution of a Hooper apart. Give it a shot this shopping season - for yourself or the coach/athlete in your life. You will not regret it.

If you or your athlete want to maximize potential as a hooper, this is a must-have resource. Click here to give it a try, or go download the Patreon app for Apple or Android and search for The Evolution of a Hooper.

NCAA: Men's and women's update 11-2019

Several undefeated teams are left standing early in the 2019-20 NCAA hoops season.

Few teams are more than seven games into their 2019-20 NCAA regular seasons, but we still have some teams separating themselves from the field and/or remaining undefeated. For the most part, any pre-season power rankings are holding mostly true, though several top teams have faced “lesser” opponents to this point.

On the men’s side of things, Michigan State was lauded as a popular number one pick. So far so good for the Spartans, who have looked good despite dropping their first game to Kentucky. The Wildcats are 5-1, largely thanks to Ashton Hagans, whose two-way prowess is putting him on the radar as a quality NBA guard.

Duke boasts a 6-0 record, having kicked off their season with a nice win against Kansas. The Jayhawks have picked it up since, winning their next three and playing at an elite level.

Some other noteworthy undefeated teams are Louisville, Oregon, Gonzaga, North Carolina, Ohio State, Maryland, Texas Tech, Arizona, Tennessee, and reigning NCAA champs, Virginia. The Utah State Aggies have been a pleasant surprise, going 7-0 themselves, including a nice win over LSU in the Jamaica classic. The VCU Rams and Auburn Tigers are 5-0 to start the season as well.

Locally, the Missouri State Bears are 3-4, though they have had some tough calls and very close games. They dropped those four games by a combined nine points.

NCAA women’s update

Like things on the men’s side, many of the pre-season speculations is holding true in the early going for the women. Oregon is the team to beat, with Baylor looking strong as they have for the last several years. Stanford, South Carolina, and of course UCONN are off to brilliant starts as well.

Plenty of talent returned from deep tourney runs for the five teams mentioned above. Multiple undefeated teams remain, including six from the ACC - Florida State, Louisville, NC State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina. The Big 12 is sporting six undefeated squads as well: Kansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and the aforementioned Baylor Bears.

The Missouri State Lady Bears are 5-1, with their lone loss coming at the hands of seventh-ranked Oregon State. They will battle major conference opponents for rankings all year long. We’ll be rooting for them!

Stick with us for more NCAA updates, local hoops stuff, and our Around the NBA segment as we track as much basketball movement as possible!

Around the NBA: Injuries marring early going

The 2019-20 NBA season is in full swing, but injuries to star and role players alike temper excitement somewhat.

Steph Curry unleashed, Zion Williamson taking the league by storm, the bounce-back of Gordan Hayward, Paul George and the Clippers owning the West… these are a few of the things that the NBA regular season is missing right now due to unfortunate injuries.

Despite already taking multiple “rest” days, Kawhi Leonard and his Clippers still look solid, though we have not gotten to see their potential as a juggernaut on both ends due to Paul George’s shoulder injury ahead of this season. At least PG13 is expected back tomorrow, though we will still have to wait a bit longer for another preseason injury to heal…

Zion Williamson has been a threat to his own knees for years already. Being 280lbs or so is one thing, but when you are propelling that weight higher than a human can typically go and falling just as far back to Earth each time, damage can be done. That’s what happened during the preseason, causing the exciting rookie to be sidelined until approximately December 9th. Zion should start watching the tape of the evolution of Blake Griffin now.

Many other injuries came further out even, with Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Rajon Rondo, Andre Iguodala, and Andre Roberson still having yet to make a return. Rondo and Roberson are expected back soon (though OKC fans have been given no reason for optimism in the past) and Iguodala and Oladipo will still be out until December. The others may not make the regular season.

The mid-season injuries are the most jarring, as they are unexpected and we already got to see flashes of potential from many of those affected. In his Boston Celtics debut two seasons ago, Gordan Hayward broke his leg badly on the nationally televised NBA tipoff. He missed that season before returning last year only to look fearful to jump and make explosive motions.

This year, Hayward seemed to have returned to his All-Star form, scoring, rebounding, and defending at an elite level. The NBA world was saddened when he broke his hand last week, though he is only expected to miss six weeks. Hopefully, he can pick right back up where he left off.

One of the only bright spots in the Warriors’ young season was a broken hand of their own, only because it was the non-shooting hand of future hall-of-famer, Steph Curry. Curry’s hand was flattened beneath a crashing seven-footer and his injury is expected to need three months to heal. Curry is hopeful to beat that timeline, but Golden State is nowhere near contention with their stars hurt and depth exposed.

We did finally see Blake Griffin return last night from the injury he fought through in last year’s playoffs. He had a nice line, though he did appear winded. Unfortunately, the Pistons have since lost Reggie Jackson to injury, though Derrick Rose is scorching earth in his place. The Blazers’ bigs have been hit hard with lengthy absences expected following injuries to both Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins.

Nagging injuries abound as they always do, but unfortunately, the big ones do not stop with the above. The Milwaukee Bucks second-fiddle, All-Star Kris Middleton suffered a quad injury that is expected to sideline him through at least early December.

De’Aaron Fox of the Kings recently suffered an ankle injury expected to sideline him until mid-December. Sacramento already had Marvin Bagley III sitting for a month with a fractured finger. The defending champion Raptors will have to go a week or two without Kyle Lowry (thumb) and Serge Ibaka (ankle).

You’ve read this far!? That means you now fully grasp how bad the injuries have been to start the 2019-20 season. There have been other great storylines as well, with the Raptors’ Pascal Siakam angling towards a second consecutive Most Improved Player award, the battle for LA in full swing, and the Westbrook/Harden tandem actually working.

Hopefully, the injuries clear up a bit soon and we can see the greatest teams in the world back at full strength. Keep checking back here for more updates from Around the NBA!