The Jabbar Wilkins legacy

[Jabbar]

Background:

After accepting the UIC job to start the 2007 & 2008 season, Wilkins was determined to make UIC a powerhouse in college basketball. After leading the team to a second round elimination in the first round, Wilkins wasted no time recruiting regional players that will lead the team to #1 pre-season rank.

2007-2008 record: 27-2

2008 recruits:

Stevie Ogunye - PF - 6'10 - Mr. Basketball, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (4 star, A- potential)
Aldrin Cleveland - SG - 6'2 - Cleveland, Ohio (4 star, A potential)
Benny Dawson - C - 7'1 - Oak Lawn, Illinois (2 star, A potential)
Cedric Dalgarn - C - 6'11 - Detroit, Michigan (3 star, C+ potential)

In the 2008-09, Wilkins decided to redshirt big man Benny Dawson, as the center position was already crowded. With his size and potential, Dawson was a prospect with a bright future, but his inability to be a force on the low block meant a minimal amount of playing time. As the season commenced, only two of the freshman managed to start from the beginning of the season.

Aldrin Cleveland, although small for a 2-guard showed that he was to be an important building block for Wilkins' UIC team. His ability to penetrate defenses and play tough defense, won him the starting position for the remainder of the season over seniors with the team.

08-09 Stat line: 8.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 44 FG%, 37 3P%, 79 FT%

Stevie Ogunye's 6'9 thick build and ability to score in the post, won him the starting position as the tallest PF on the squad was 6'6. Ogunye's attraction to the glass, helped him solidify his starting role. He was a hawk on the defensive end, making it very tough for opponents' pentrating guards to get a clean shot.

08-09 Stat line: 9.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 52 FG%, -- 3P%, 84 FT%

Cedric Dalgarn's emergence as a defensive stopper off the bench helped earned him some valuable minutes down the stretch. However is raw offensive game was a concern for Wilkins. He was able to throw the dunk down, but besides that, his post game was a not a main attraction at the UIC Pavilion.

08-09 Stat line: 6.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 43 FG%, -- 3P%, 71 FT%

Leading the freshman, was PG Chris Danley who was one of the few impact players for the 08-09. Although 5'11, he had the ability to penetrate defenses, throw down the 3, and break UIC's single season record for assists. At 14 PPG and 8 APG, Danley was a coach on the floor, usually taking the game winning shot on more than one occasion.

He was joined by Locklier at the SF position. Although too slow to play basketball at an NBA level, the sophomore's sharp shooting skills was a sight to behold, knocking down the ball from all over the floor. He average a modest 12 PPG and 5 RPG.

However with the new additions, UIC was not able to get past the first round in the 2008-09 season and prompted Wilkins to dig deeper and find new players that will help bolster and improve the team.

[Jabbar]

2009 recruits:

Chauncey Atangana - SG - 6'5 - Orland Park, Illinois (3 star, B- potential)
Sidney Michaud - SF - 6'8 - Detroit, Michigan (4 star, A potential)
O'Marr Guerrero (JUCO - SO) - 6'10 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4 star, B+ potential)

The 2009 season marked the beginning of the future for the UIC flames. The future of Flames basketball was introduced in the form of Sidney Michaud.

Michaud was a very versatile SF who can beat you with his first step and dunk on your big men or pop the three from well behind the NBA 3 point line. His lethal mid range jumper gave UIC a weapon that they had never possessed in the history of the school. He won freshman of the year honors with the following stat line:

09-10 stat line: 15.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 56 FG%, 39 3P% 85% FT

Chauncey Atangana was a lean SG, who couldn't really shoot the ball. Known mostly for his defensive prowess, speed, and rebounding ability, he came off the bench behind Cleveland and provided UIC with energy and hustle.

09-10 stat line: 4.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 43 FG%, 32 3P%, 76 FT%

O'Marr Guerrero was able to crack the rotation easily because of his rebounding and 3 point shooting ability. Although he was a back up to Ogunye, defenses respected his 3PT shooting ability, which made it easier for Danley & Cleveland to drive the lanes and penetrate.

09-10 stat line: 6.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG, 51 FG%, 41 3P%, 83 FT%

Benny Dawson seemed to show a lot of potential in the limited time he played and he grew one inch taller to become a towering 7'3. He showed the ability to dominate in the low-post however his horrific rebounding ability kept him off the floor. As a 3rd string center he was able to contribute, however Wilkins made sure that his presence on the floor caused a minimal amount of damage.

09-10 stat line: 5.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.3 SPG, 2.6 BPG, 59 FG%, -- 3P%, 81 FT%

Player updates:

Cleveland became one inch taller (6'3), however his mid-range jumper seemed to take a fall. He managed to improve his 3PT shooting, rebounding as well as his assist-turnover ratio.

09-10 stat line: 9.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 41 FG%, 38 3P%, 81 FT%

Ogunye developed his low post game and improved his rebounding and blocking, making him the undisputed go-to man on the low block. His ability to the put the ball in the basket helped draw double teams which opened up 3PT shooters Locklier, Danley, Michaud and Cleveland.

09-10 stat line: 11.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 55 FG%, 100 3P%, 85 FT%

Dalgarn managed to win the starting position halfway through the season after he had worked on honing his low post game all summer long. Dalgarn and Ogunye formed a formidable duo in the front court along with freshman Michaud.

09-10 Stat line: 7.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG 48 FG%, -- 3P%, 72 FT%

As this was Danley's final season, his teammates along with Wilkins tried to make it a memorable one. However, their lack of experience coupled with an injury to Ogunye and Dawson in the post-season limited UIC's ability to advance past the second round. Wilkins felt he needed to fill the void about to be vacated by Danley's departure and started to recruit an experience PG. Final Record 26-8

[Jabbar]

2010 Recruits:

John Lopez (JUCO - JR) - PG - 6'2 - Nashville, Tennessee (5 star, F Potential)
Kentrell Straight- PF - 6'10 - Chicago, Illinois (3 star, C+ Potential)

The lack of an effective PG this season really hurt UIC's chances in the tournament. Chase Walker, Danley's backup for the past two years, could hit the occasional three but was a non-factor on offense. His defense was average at best and new recruit John Lopez's skill set made him seem like Gary Payton. However even with a poor PG, they were ranked 14 in the nation to start the season, and finished the season ranked 7th overall.

Kentrell Straight on the other hand was a positive addition to the UIC squad. Although he received minimal minutes at the beginning of the season, he was eventually fitted into the rotation and was effective in the low post and on the glass.

10-11 stat line: 4.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 50 FG%, 25 3P% 78% FT

Player updates:

Sidney Michaud continued down the road to stardom, with many projecting him as a lottery pick in the upcoming draft prior to the start of the season. His ability to slice up defenses and score at will, had many labeling him as the next, and upgraded version of Kevin Durant. Growing to 6'9 definitely helped his cause as he provided mismatches with opposing SFs. Michaud earned Conference player of the year for the second straight year, and had Wilkins praying that he would not forego the remaining 2 years of college to run to the pros.

10-11 stat line: 18.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG, 57 FG%, 42 3P% 88% FT

Stevie Ogunye managed to play himself into as a lottery bound draft pick this season. His improved offensive game, and low block dominance, helped UIC dominate the conference play, winning them their third straight conference championship. However Stevie Ogunye main improvement came defensively and on the boards. Ogunye also developed a mid and long range game which helped expand his offensive game.

10-11 stat line: 14.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2.3 BPG, 56 FG%, 75 3P%, 83 FT%

Aldrin Cleveland was soul searching in the summer time. He managed to find his mid-range jumper. His improved ball-handling ability and playing both guard positions increased his assist figures and allowed him to step up to the free throw line more than ever in his entire career. Him and Atangana were the two dependable weapons in the backcourt. Although he wasn't a consistent scorer, he had enough 20+ point games to elevate his PPG average. The only stat the declined was his rebounding numbers.

10-11 stat line: 11.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 45 FG%, 40 3P%, 84 FT%

Cedric Dalgarn was the one true disappointment of the 10-11 season. He lost his starting job to Benny Dawson at the beginning of the season after he failed to stay out of foul trouble in the first couple of games. This gave Dawson the minutes to shine and eventually take over the starting job. Dalgarn was still used as a back up to help control the tempo of the game. Opponents still feared driving to the basket whenever he patrolled the paint.

10-11 Stat line: 5.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG 49 FG%, -- 3P%, 71 FT%

Benny Dawson was the most improved played for the UIC flames. After taking over the starting position, he showed why many scouts raved about him being a lottery pick despite his raw skills. His unbelievable quickness at his huge size, now 7'4, allowed him to create mismatches all season long. His smart play and ability to stay out of foul trouble proved vital throughout the season, and favored him over foul-plagued teammate, Dalgarn. His stats shot up compared to a year ago and he became a popular go-to option early in the game as he was practically unstoppable and unmatchable by opponents.

10-11 stat line: 12.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG, 62 FG%, -- 3P%, 79 FT%

Chauncey Atangana continued to improve his offensive game, as he began to show the making of a lethal mid range jumper. His ability to shoot the occasional 3, kept opponents honest, helping spread the floor.

10-11 stat line: 5.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 44 FG%, 35 3P%, 78 FT%

O'Marr Guerrero seemed to improve this season, and it showed when he was given the opportunity. Although he lacked ball control skills, he became a spot up shooter, similar to what Robert Horry was to the Spurs, Lakers and Rockets. He was often the go-to man, specially in tight games.

10-11 stat line: 6.6 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 53 FG%, 44 3P%, 81 FT%

The season went well for the flames and it looked like they had a legitimate shot. However in the Elite Eight, Memphis' Derrick Rose was able to dominate Walker. The lack of depth at the PG position ended the Flames' dreams for the year, however they had gone far. After convincing Michaud, Cleveland, & Ogunye to stay in school Wilkins decided to recruit what he feels is the missing piece to the puzzle, a pure PG.

Final record 31-6

[Preo32]

do you just simulate the whole season or what?

[Jabbar]

2011 recruits:

Chester Blizzard - PG - 6'1 - Mr. Basketball & HS All American Chicago, Illinois (5 star, A- Potential)
Blake Worthy - C - 6'11 - Bakersfield, California (4 Star, B Potential)
Paul Bradford - SG - 6'5 - Downer's Grove, Illinois (4 Star, C+ Potential)

Bringing in a hometown hero proved crucial to Wilkins and at that point had the UIC board offer him a lifetime contract. He had developed the top NBA prospect going into this season in Sidney Michaud who had already broken UIC's all time scoring record. Going into this season, Wilkins knew this was perhaps his last chance to make it to the final four for a while as many of his players were waying their options and looking towards the draft.

UIC ranked number one in the nation with Michaud, Cleveland, Ogunye, and Dawson looking to go in the top half of the draft barring a freak injury or a dismal season. Guerrero was also predicted to go in the first round due to his excellent rebounding skills and immaculate shooting ability.

PG - Blizzard, Atangana
SG - Cleveland, Arnold (WO - SR)
SF - Michaud, Guerroro
PF - Ogunye, Straight
C - Dawson, Dalgarn, Worthy

In the first game of the season, UIC faced sister school Illinois. In the battle for bragging rights for the state, UIC faced a tough match up. Below is the Box Score for the game

Name Pts Rbs Ast Stl Blks
Blizzard 8 2 15 3 0
Cleveland 19 3 5 2 2
Michaud 22 5 4 2 1
Ogunye 6 7 2 0 2
Dawson 10 6 3 0 1
Guerrero 9 7 0 1 2
Dalgarn 4 5 1 1 1
Straight 6 6 2 0 1
Atangana 7 3 4 2 2
Arnold 3 1 1 0 0
Worthy 4 2 0 0 0

Game Summary:

In the first game, UIC looked to dominate gaining a 15 point lead early on. However Dawson & Ogunye got into foul trouble, and Straight and Dalgarn were not able to match Illinois' faster front court play. Cleveland and Michaud though kept the Flames in the game and were able to help build a lead early in the second half which blew up to a 30 point lead.

The impressive play of freshman Chester Blizzard and O'Marr Guerrero helped keep Illinois in check. Wilkins utilized the 6'10 Michaud at the SG position, which helped take out Illinois' long range threat as he smothered them defensively. As the reserves took the stage in the final 5 minutes, their sloppy play allowed Illinois to cut UIC's lead to 13. But that was as close as Illinois would get, as UIC clinched their first win on the road to Final Four.

Final Score 93-85 - UIC Wins (1-0)

Important games notes

Blizzard's promising defensive play is encouraging. The former HS All-American's promising play could be the missing piece for UIC this year. However this disappointing play of Dawson and Ogunye does raise some questions. They cannot spend their time on the bench as their teammates try to battle it out against opponents frontcourt. UIC has tremendous depth, but when their starting frontcourt is playing together, they are practically unstoppable specially if Cleveland and Blizzard maintain their level of play.

If Cleveland continues to drain threes the way he did in this game, he can potentially be the top guard off the board come this year's draft. This year is vital for him, Ogunye, Dalgarn, and Guerrero as they are all seniors and will all be looking to have their name called in this year's draft.

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Next Opponent: #4 Marquette

[Jabbar]

do you just simulate the whole season or what?

No man I've played out every season. But I think this is the one season I actually have a shot at winning the title, and I just wanted to share with everyone my games and stuff. Hope this is up to par with the other posts.

Pz

[Preo32]

ok thats kinda what i thought was going on

[Jabbar]

UIC (1-0) @ Marquette (0-0):

Pregame notes:

The key matchup in tonights game is the Flame's Sidney Michaud vs. Marquette's Stanley Lathom.

Sidney Michaud

Michaud at 6'10 is viewed as the more experienced and complete version of Kevin Durant and is considered a top 3 pick in this year's draft. His ball-handling and scoring ability allow him to play 3 positions, something that is very rare in college ball, and is considered an intangible by most NBA scouts. His tenacious defense allows him to cause mismatches specially at the 2 and 3. Marquette will need to apply constant pressure throughout the whole game in order to have a chance to win this tough match up. Michaud is known to get hot at any point in the game, he needs to be shut out.

Stanley Lathom

Lathom is viewed by many as a more offensively gifted version of Vince Carter, at 6'7 he has unbelievable speed which allows him to run circles around his respective defender. He has an extremely developed low post game and can step back and hit the three. A projected top 10 pick, his biggest knock is his defense although his coaches insist that he will surprise the nation this year with a more focused, improved and contained defensive effort. Lathom has to have a big offensive game in order for Marquette to keep up with UIC's uptempo game.

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A Word with Wilkins

Reporter: Coach Wilkins, what is the most important factor in tonights game?

Wilkins: Playing against the #4 ranked team in the nation is a test itself early in the season. This game can prove to the world why we were given the #1 rank. It's our ranking to lose. So it's crucial that our starting bigs stay out of foul trouble and keep their heads in the game. Marquette has multiple offensive threats and if we slack on defense there's a good chance they can build a lead that will be hard to rally back from. I would say Dawson and Ogunye have to be in the game long enough to provide the inside scoring and interior D that we normally depend on them to provide.

Reporter: Who must have a big game in order for the Flames to win?

Wilkins: I don't want to single out one player, because basketball is a team game. We need a group defensive effort to overcome Marquette's offense. I want to say though that I was impressed by Blizzard's ability to dish the ball out in his first game. He has to stay composed and be consistent. There are high expectations for him set by you [the media] and by the school because he is the first HS All-American to ever be recruited. But I tell him that he should only be concerned with his own and his teammates expectations, he shouldn't be bothered by what others think of him.

Reporter: Coach, who do you feel you need to contain in order to win this tough match up?

Wilkins: Stanley Lathom is definitely a threat. What makes him a tough player is that the offense doesn't run through him. His ability to see the floor and get his teammates involved is crucial. We'll probably be able to handle him on the defensive end, however we have to make sure that none of his teammates get hot because that can spell trouble for us. We can overcome a big game from Lathom, we just have to make sure that we limit the rest of Marquette's offensive threats. That is key for a win tonight.

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Team lineups, coming up.

[Jabbar]

Game Summary

The game got off to a fast start with Lathom torching the Flames defense. Meanwhile, Aldrin Cleveland played like the lottery pick that he is and got Dawson in the mix early on. Sidney Michaud was smothered by double and even triple teams, and the UIC shooters were able to take advantage of that by building an early 15 point lead 33-18.

But the shots stopped dropping and the double teaming of Stevie Ogunye and Michaud led to bad shots and turnovers which helped Marquette catch up. The score at the end of the first half was 40-40, with none of the UIC players hitting double figures. On the other bench, Stanley Lathom was virtually unstoppable, scoring 16 points along with 5 rebounds and 6 assists. We caught up with Coach Wilkins after the halftime break and this is what he had to say.

"We really need to focus here. I expressed to the team that I am truly disappointed at how we blew the 15 point lead. Luckily it's the first half and my guys have time to regroup. Lathom is obviously a great player and we've had a tough time stopping him. As long as we limit his teammates we'll have a better chance at walking away with a win.

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First Half Stats for UIC Players:

Blizzard: 3 points, 3 assists
Cleveland: 9 points, 4 assists
Michaud: 2 points, 4 assists
Ogunye: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks
Dawson: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 blocks
Guerrero: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Dalgarn: 7 points, 2 rebounds

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Second Half:

Stanley Lathom continued his offensive assault against the UIC defense and he continued to get his teammates involved. Michaud, who was silent offensively in the first half, turned on his motor and started charging at the basket making it difficult for Marquette to contain him and going to the line for 7 FTs (made 6). In addition, Cleveland lit up the Marquette defense single handedly drilling 3's and dishing out assists to Big men Dawson and Ogunye.

With 30 seconds to go and 5 fouls to give, Marquette was behind by two points and was fouling the slippery UIC players in order to get them to the line and get another possession. In a careless effort to waste time, Cleveland ran away from Marquette defenders. Just before being fouled he fired a pass into the low post to Dawson to put the game away, but the pass was intercepted by Stanley Lathom, who passed it to his wide open teammate for the potential game winning three. Swish!

With 5.3 seconds on the clock, Michaud inbounded the ball to Blizzard at the half court line and UIC took a timeout. Coach Wilkins faced a tough decision. He could put the ball in

A. Cleveland's hands who was shooting over 50% from the field (60% from 3PT)
B. Dawson's hands, who was virtually unstoppable in the post with 19 points
C. Blizzard's hands, who shot a critical three in the last minute of the game which gave UIC the lead they just lost
D. Michaud's hands who is having a poor offensive night but managed to pull it together in the last 10 minutes.

With 4.1 seconds left, Stevie Ogunye inbounds the pass at the bassline to Michaud, who starts to drive to his basket, 3.5 seconds left. Lathom is knocked down to the floor by an unexpected screen set up by Benny Dawson, 2.5 second left. 15 feet from the basket Michaud takes off jumping over Lathom's knocked down body and releases the ball with .5 seconds left on the clock.

The ball elevates just over Marquette's Center's fingertips as he goes for the block, the ball hits the back of the rim and bounces off the backboard and into the net as the Flames narrowly beat #4 Marquette. With the score 99-98, UIC crawls away from the Marquette challenge, improving the record to 2-0.

We caught up with team captains Sidney Michaud, Aldrin Cleveland, & Stevie Ogunye after the game and here is what they had to say.

Reporter: Sidney, how much does this win mean to the UIC Flames?

Sidney Michaud: It's big, this is why I stayed in school, this is the first test of the season, and although it was tough we passed! Even though it was ugly we managed to sneak away with a win.

Reporter: Aldrin, how glad are you Sid made the game winning shot?

Aldrin Cleveland: Extremely, Sid is clutch. He came through when we needed him and probably saved us from doing extra laps at practice

Reporter: Stevie, what did Coach Wilkins tell you in that last team huddle with 4.1 seconds to go?

Stevie Ogunye: He drew up a play with screens then turned to me and told me to pass to whoever had the best chance of getting us the win. Our guys kept running around trying to get free and then I saw Benny [Dawson] starting to set up the screen which freed up Sid[ney Michaud], so I dished it out to him and he came through when we needed him the most!!!

Reporter: Coach, How would you evaluate tonight's win?

Coach Wilkins: Bonnie, to be honest, I am glad we won because Marquette played excellent ball, I am definitely thankful to the basketball gods. I can't say I am happy with our overall performance, as there are many things we need to address, such as defense. If we didn't blow the early 15 point lead, we wouldn't have been in that situation with 4 seconds to go. At the end of the day we did win, but we didn't have the proper mentality and or discipline during the game to stay ahead. That's something we'll have to work on, maybe I'll have them run some extra laps in practice.

Box Score:

Name - P - R - A - S - B
Blizzard - 6 - 1 - 7 - 3 - 0
Cleveland - 20 - 0 - 7 - 2 - 2
Michaud - 16 - 4 - 5 - 1 - 2
Ogunye - 14 - 6 - 2 - 0 - 2
Dawson - 19 - 7 - 5 - 2 - 3
Guerrero - 7 - 5 - 0 - 0 - 1
Dalgarn - 9 - 5 - 0 - 0 - 0
Atangana - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0
Straight - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0 - 1

Game Review:

It's a good thing we have many players that are experienced and are able to step up when others are underperforming. It is vital though that the players develop consistency. I would like to see more scoring to come out of Chester Blizzard as he is the future and doesn't seem like he will declare at the end of the season unless he starts exceeding all expectations.

If we can get solid performances from our starting 5, we can limit the rotation to 8 players, down from 10 and can really start building for the future in Blizzard. We have 7 graduating seniors and two juniors that are most probably going to declare (Dawson & Michaud). Blizzard will be called upon next year to the lead the team so its vital he starts performing at a high level in order for us to get our recruiting priorities straight while we still have time.

Michaud's disappearance in some parts of the game and his lack of concentration is a concern and is a liability we can't afford, however we have no replacement for him. As long as his teammates, can balance each others flaws will be fine for most of the season. Cleveland has been surprising and has developed a killer instinct from the 3 PT line. Dawson's aggressiveness has most NBA scouts drooling and he is projected to be the top draft pick from the conference and possibly in the NBA draft next summer. This means Worthy needs to get some playing time because he will be successor if Dawson declares. Worthy seems to have a solid understanding of the game and reminds scouts of a young Joakim Noah with a more polished low post game. Let's see how the next weeks unravel.