Sheila Does 'Nova Proud (Updated June 12): Philly.com reports that "Villanova's Sheila Reid pulled off an impressive double in the NCAA outdoor championships. The junior became the first woman to win the 1,500 [on Saturday] and 5,000 meters [on Friday] in the same NCAA meet, using a late burst to take Saturday's 1,500 in 4 minutes, 14.57 seconds. Reid couldn't contain her excitement once she approached the finish line, pumping her fist on the way to the win. "I couldn't even think straight when I crossed the finish line. I'm so ecstatic right now. It hasn't totally sunk in yet." Villanova senior Matthew Gibney placed fourth in the 1,500 to earn all-American honors in the event for the second time in the last three years."
Frank Bertucci of the Philadelphia Daily News writes that on Friday, Villanova All-America, "Sheila Reid, waited until the final 200 meters to take the lead and then ran home to an NCAA championship in the 5,000 meters last night at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Des Moines, Iowa. Her winning time of 15:37.57 was 37 seconds better than her previous best for the event. Villanova's Bogdana Mimic earned second-team All-American honors with an 11th-place finish (15:55.09). "I'll be running on tired legs," Reid said. "I'll see what I'm made of."
... or at least Fr. Donohue
"We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline" ... It’s almost as though Jake, er, sorry, Jay has gotten the band back together. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Joe Juliano writes, "Whatever the case and the circumstances, Villanova’s head coach has welcomed two former assistants back to his staff in the past month. Doug West is the latest to return. The former Wildcat star coached with Wright for three years, then left to pursue an opportunity in private business. Wright had added Billy Lange, who left as Navy’s head coach last month after seven years to return to the Main Line. Lange was a member of Wright’s first staff back in 2001 and left in 2004. The next season, the Wildcats began a streak of what is now seven NCAA tournament appearances."
Fish In The Dark ... USAToday reports that "Corey Fisher doesn't know what went wrong toward the end of the Villanova basketball season, when the Wildcats went from being one of the nation's top teams to a Big East also-ran in a matter of weeks."The last few weeks of the season, nothing went right. I wasn't healthy. I had tendinitis in my knee, nothing serious, but I played through that. We just didn't play as well as expected." Fisher was one of six prospective draft picks to work out for the Nets. It was his seventh workout and [he] has five more left before the draft on June 23. Nets general manager Billy King was impressed with Fisher. "Corey had a great career and knows how to play," said King, who saw Fisher play regularly when he was the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers. "He's a tough kid who knows how to compete. He definitely has the body to play in the NBA. Physically, his size won't hurt him. I just wanted to see if he could compete and he can." Villanova teammate Antonio Pena also participated in the workout. About former Villanova teammate, Scottie Reynolds, Fisher said, "I think Scottie and I are different players, but I definitely learned a lot from him, as I'm doing the same thing," Fisher said. "I talked to Scottie about going through the process. He just told me to go out and compete. I'm not worried about the same thing happening to me."
Blazers Like Fish ... Kristian Winfield of Bleacher Report writes, "The man who scored 105 points in a single game, Corey Fisher, is on the Trail Blazers' radar. The 6'1 point guard out of Villanova led the team averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game with a 2.12 assist/turnover ratio. The Blazers need a quick point guard who can attack the basket and knock down the three ball at an efficient rate (anything better than Andre Miller's 10.8 percent from deep would be nice). Maybe Fisher could be a breath of fresh air."
Stokes Works Out in The Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World ... Cleveland Cavaliers blog, WaitingForNextYear, writes, "With the Cavaliers understandably attempting to bolster their wing positions, Villanova shooting guard Corey Stokes is expected to be in Cleveland on Sunday. Stokes is expected to be a second-round selection due to his length (6-foot-9-inch wingspan) and excellent shooting; during his senior campaign with the Wildcats, Stokes shot 43.2 percent from three-point range and 89.4 percent from the free throw line. A bit one-dimensional, Stokes could flourish at the next level if placed into a situation where he is able to catch-and-shoot with range reportedly up to 25 feet."
NBA Greats with Big East Roots: Yahoo Sports writer, Joe Dorish, ranks the all-time best NBA players who attended schools presently in the Big East Conference. Paul Arizin, a member of the VUHoops Hall of Fame, is the only Villanova player on the list. About Arizin, Mr. Dorish writes, "Arizin played at Villanova from 1948 to 1950, and averaged 20.0 points per game (25.3 as a senior). He then played 10 years in the NBA (missing a couple years when he served as a Marine in Korea) and averaged 22.8 points per game, 23rd best in NBA history. Paul Arizin was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978. " The other players on the list are Jerry West ( West Virginia), Allen Iverson (Georgetown), Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati), Dwyane Wade (Marquette), Carmello Anthony (Syracuse), Adrian Dantley (Notre Dame), George Mikan (DePaul), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Dave Bing (Syracuse), Ray Allen (Connecticut), and Mark Aguirre (DePaul).
'Nova Still In Hunt for Jefferson ... NBEasketball writer, Alex Schwartz, writes "On paper, the top player who participated in the Rasual Butler All-City Classic was [Villanova recruiting target] Amile Jefferson. The 6-foot-7 combo forward from Friends Central (PA) did not disappoint, as his 19 points tied for the high in the event’s three games. He also picked up co-MVP honors for his performance in a 26-point victory in the Junior Game. Among the colleges he is considering, Jefferson lists Villanova, Temple, Ohio State, North Carolina State, Stanford, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Maryland, West Virginia and Miami. "I haven’t really taken any visits," Jefferson said of whether he has any favorites yet. "I have talked to some of those schools, hope to get some [visits done]."Jefferson did note of Villanova that he has "been up there multiple," but that none of them were actual unofficial visits. About Villanova, Jefferson said, "I really like ‘Nova [and it is] probably the school I’ve seen the most. My interaction with [the coaching] staff is great, always been great. I know they have a good program."
Rich Get Richer ... ESPN.com reports that "The 38th overall in the class of 2012, SG Omar Calhoun, committed to Connecticut after considering North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, West Virginia, Villanova, Seton Hall and Rutgers. Calhoun is Connecticut’s first commitment for the 2012 class, but the Huskies also have their sights on No. 1 prospect Andre Drummond , No. 18 power forward Jarnell Stokes and No. 23 small forward Devonta Pollard."
Savon Takes On New York ... The New York Post’s Zach Braziller writes, "Rumble in the Bronx is here – the New York area’s top AAU tournament over three days at various (and by various, I mean hundreds) – locations. In many ways, Rumble signals the start of the summer and the AAU season. Among the many top prospects on hand will be [Villanova commit] Savon Goodman, Kyle Anderson, Daniel Dingle, Kamari Murphy, Kerwin Okoro, Omar Calhoun, Jermaine Lawrence, Kuran Iverson and Austin Colbert."
Kennedy the Second Coming of Dejuan Blair? .... Collin O’Connor of Sportshaze.com assesses four of ‘Nova’s 2011 recruits -- Markus Kennedy, Tyrone Johnson, Achraf Yacoubou and Darrun Hilliard. About Markus Kennedy, he writes, "From the prominent Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, Markus Kennedy is a back-to-the-basket center that has a big body despite being a bit of an undersized center at 6-9. If I had to compare him to any recent college center, it would most likely be Dejuan Blair from Pittsburgh, because of his strength and ability to finish with contact at the basket. In transition, though, Kennedy still has the athletic ability to grab an alley-oop and throw it down, or get up to block a shot on the other end of the floor. When in the offense, he has the ability to hit a jump shot in the pick and pop or an open mid-range jumper.
Another big part of his game is the ability to pass when he’s double teamed down low. Multiple sources mention this as the best part of his game, and that could be a huge asset when he’s playing with good guards and good shooters once he arrives at Villanova. Kennedy has lost weight, even though some more needs to be taken off, and he seems to be a bit more athletic, rather than the way he looked at the same time last year. However, there are still concerns about his work ethic and the way he carries himself off the field. He lost some weight, but as mentioned before, more still needs to come off for him to reach the pinnacle of his potential and talent. And while he’s a very strong force offensively, there are still questions of his ability on defense. He still doesn’t go after a rebound outside of where he’s standing when the shot goes up, which can either be attributed to laziness or the fact that he isn’t quick enough to go get it. Working with college coaches this summer should help mold that drop off though. "
Johnson Brings Winning Ways to 'Nova ... Mr. O’Connor calls Tyrone Johnson "a proven winner. Johnson is a strong guard at 185 pounds, but with his quickness and ability to control the ball in transition, he will be a perfect fit at Guard U when he steps on the floor for Jay Wright next season. When watching him play, what stands out about him is his quickness with the basketball. He shows off some of his best work in crossing over defenders and making tough passes on the run. Defensively, his size and athleticism make him a great player on that end of the court. Johnson should be able to step in and hold his own next season when playing against some of the best the Big East has to offer, especially on the defensive end of the ball. In an interview with ESPN, Johnson said that his strengths on the floor were, "...attacking the rim, taking contact, getting everybody else involved, basically just being an animal." Another thing that he did mention is his ability to finish at the rim with contact is definitely one of the best in the class among point guards. Playing in the Big East, that’s going to be very important and it’s great that he’s already done a good job of creating that ability. However, some of his noted weaknesses are the fact that he can still be a streaky shooter. In that same interview, he mentioned that his shooting is the part of his game he’s working on the most. With his speed, being able to stop or step back into a jumper will just give him even more tools as a scorer. Another weakness he has to continue working on, which will come as his jumper improves, is doing work without the ball. Coaches and scouts seem to be worried that he is only effective when the ball is in his hands, but that’s what happens with a lot of young players who are used to having the ball the whole game. They usually don’t have to make plays without the ball."
Ach Better Than His Rankings ... Mr. O’Connor calls Achraf Yacoubou "a strong, 6-3, 195 pound combo guard who should fit in perfectly with the incoming point guard in Tyrone Johnson. Like Johnson, Yacoubou is a good finisher in transition and is very talented when it comes to taking it to the basket and finishing with contact. Plus, because of his size, they should be able to play on the court at the same time with Johnson at the point and Yacoubou off the ball. On how he will contribute to Villanova right away, Yacoubou told SLAM Online, "Just my toughness, will, lock-down defense and shooting." If he can come in and be a tough guard that can hold his own on the defensive end of the ball, then he definitely will be able to come in and play right away. He’s listed as the 35th best shooting guard by Scout but it’s hard to believe there are that many off-guards better than him. However, he’s placed that low most likely because of his shooting inconsistency. The other standing out weakness for him is just his speed and ball handling. He is a good scorer and finisher in transition, but is not necessarily a quick enough guard to lead the break throughout the game."
Hat Tip to Barney ... Mr. O'Connor writes about Darrun Hilliard, "At first impression, Darrun Hilliard seems like another proto-typical Big East guard who was extremely athletic in high school and can jump out of the gym to finish off dunks that seem impossible for a kid his age. Nicknamed "Money" by all of his close friends and teammates, his only real weaknesses are that he forces bad shots, which a lot of young kids do, and has an inconsistent jumper. He can knock down open shots, but he can be streaky at times when he isn't hitting. He also can turn into the sort of player who tries to take over when his team needs it, but tries to do a little big too much. That shouldn't be too much of a problem, though, once he arrives on campus at Villanova. Next season he should be a good complement to the freshmen coming in alongside him. Tyrone Johnson and Achraf Yacoubou are both guards who are effective in transition and should thrive with a player like Hilliard to dish it off to. "
Go to Sea With Randy ... On Saturday, June 18th, the Randy Foye Foundation will launch an evening boat cruise hosted by Randy Foye and radio personality Peter Rosenberg of Hot 97 along with their celebrity friends from the sports and entertainment industries! This event is open to anyone over the age of 21. Music will be provided by a celebrity DJ, food will be provided by Dinosaur BBQ and views will be provided by the New York City skyline! The event also features a silent auction of NBA and music memorabilia. All proceeds from the evening benefit the Randy Foye Foundation. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased at: www.rocksoff.com.