Random Road Game with the Fighting Brookses!

As I’ve said a bunch lately, the only silver lining to Elon joining the CAA is that it coincided with my own move to that part of North Carolina. This is giving me the chance to see even more JMU road games than I did back in NoVa, where the trek out to GMU (now moved on to a better conference just sayin’) or god forbid Towson on a weeknight was a nightmare. Especially for the teams I might not otherwise have checked out. In this case, Kenny Brooks’ CAA Domination Machine was tops on the list and it was fun to see Elon’s “facility.” Look, Elon is a beautiful, high-resource, rapidly improving academics school. It’s a far cry from the “school for dumb upper-middle class kids” I remember from two decades ago. And I’m definitely looking forward to hosting a football road tailgate in the manner of our WVU at FedEx bustrip next year. But their gym, oh their gym. I am not kidding when I say that it favors an elementary school setup more than even most high school facilities. They have a curtain and a stage behind the basket. Read that last sentence again, I’ll wait. That is amazing. It makes the Convo look like the Barclay’s Center (except it does have way-better video boards and live screens that even the players are distracted by of course!).

In any case, it was a good bit of dorky, middle-aged blog geek fun to sit right behind the JMU bench and joke around with the families of the Dukes’ players. Also met a great couple from Staunton who made the trip (I honestly think they were the only other unrelated JMU fans there). In any case, here our a few observations in no particular order.

Actual Basketball Thoughts

It’s refreshing to see how mellow Coach Brooks is and how he and the other coaches stay positive throughout a game. Their example of support and encouragement carries over to their players and clearly improves the team’s play.

Precious Hall is a beast. You don’t notice it at first, but she’s a true alpha dog! Never loses confidence and is always looking to be aggressive. The Dukes need it as they don’t have anyone else who seems to naturally want to be a takeover type of player. Gwathmey could be, but she doesn’t seem to realize just how good she is sometimes.

KB doesn’t break it out much, especially against mostly inferior CAA competition, but putting Jazmon at the head of a press is incredibly disruptive to other teams. So long, so active, so athletic. It’s impossible for smaller guards to deal with her and the whole thing looks very Jay Wright Villanova-ish scary when the Dukes employ it.

If Mickens ever finds a jumper, she could be incredible. She’s the only true ballhandler on the squad right now and her defensive instincts are incredible so she’s already super important to the Dukes, but she could get to whole other level with any hint of a threatening shot.

Okafor is a BCS-conference level player that is slowly learning to dominate CAA-level competition. Elon simply didn’t have anyone inside capable of dealing with her.

JMU’s backup wings/guards – Perez and Barron – hustle their butts off, but you can tell they’ve got a ways to go in KB’s mind on the defensive end.

Ode to Agent Steinzz

It is with another nod of congratulations to our friend-of-JMUSB and inspiration Dan Steinberg on his recent promotion that I’m delighted to comment briefly on two fashion-related items for the women’s team.

First of all, the shoe game for the women needs to step up. Despite a solid relationship with the Swoosh, most of the team stays with safe and rather dull black or gray offerings. Their are three exceptions. First, Precious Hall, who goes with some futuristic-looking orange-and-purple (also strangely a retro color combo to the original Bo’s) on gray combo. Second, reserve F Carly Brew, who goes with a spirited purple shoe that old guys like I us who always want more purple can support. And of course Angela Mickens, the lead guard whose dark gray, ratchet looking low-tops with loose laces combo is pure baller! Seriously, that look is amazing.

But in addition to the kicks, I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the Coach’s fashion for tonight’s roadie. KB was just chillin’ in his 1/4 button Polo Sweater pullover, wool slacks, and bucks. No overformal Coach K suit on one hand, no underdressed Belichikian sweats on the other. Just perfectly splitting the difference in his own laid back way. Of course funniest thing is while he looks like he’s hitting the Men’s Grill at Spotswood, all of his assistants are dressed to the nines.

In any case, thanks to the women for delivering the usual – a solid performance, great effort, and another victory!

Happy Birthday to former Dukes star Kirby Burkholder, who is playing professionally in Italy right now!