David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Flip: Rubio to Become ‘Decent’ Shooter

Posted on January 6, 2014January 6, 2014 by David Shama

Don’t expect Flip Saunders to join those who criticize the shooting of Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio.

Rubio is making 0.351 percent of his field goals, the lowest percentage among the team’s starters. As a group the Wolves are converting 0.434 percent of their field goal attempts.

Rubio averages 9 points per game, not much better than his backup Jose Barea at 8.3 who plays fewer minutes. Rubio’s scoring average is the lowest among starters on a team with a 16-17 record and may not fulfill its potential of going to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The Wolves have lost nine games by four points or less including last Saturday’s 115-111 game against the Thunder. They haven’t been able to close out games and a better shooting Rubio would have made a difference but Saunders, the Wolves president of basketball operations, emphasizes the strengths of the third year point guard.

“You gotta look at his impact on the game,” Saunders told Sports Headliners last week. “He’s one of the few guys in our league that can have an impact on a game without scoring a lot of points. He’s had nights where he’s scored seven, eight points, but we’ve had big blowout wins because he’s had 10 assists, four steals, (and) a lot of rebounds.

“What goes unnoticed is he’s either (the) first or second highest rebounding point guard in the league at 4.6 rebounds. He’s fourth in the league in assists and he’s leading the league in steals.”

Rubio is making 0.339 percent of his three point attempts, similar to the team average of 0.337 and certainly a respectable figure. And Saunders said fans may not be aware how much Rubio wants to improve his overall shooting.

“I think the misconception (is) people don’t think he works at it. He works harder than anybody on our team in shooting. He’s 23. In time he’ll become a decent shooter.”

Rubio puts pressure on himself to improve and help the team win including the frustration of trying to push the season record above .500. Does he care too much?

“I always say that your greatest strength is your greatest weakness because you can’t control it,” Saunders said. “His greatest strength is his competiveness and his will to win. He’s a perfectionist but he doesn’t fail quickly. Sometimes if he makes a mistake or if he misses a shot, he’ll be thinking about that shot instead of forgetting about it and worrying about the next one.”

Rubio is making 0.853 percent of his foul shots, second best among the starters and No. 19 in the NBA. Saunders mentioned the 85 percent and predicted better field goal percentages in the future for Rubio.

“You look at the history of the league, most guys that shoot 86 percent from the free throw line end up being pretty good (field goal) shooters. In time he’s gonna be a guy that’s gonna shoot I think in the 45 percent and above (range), and over 40 percent from the three point line.”

Worth Noting

In last year’s NBA draft Saunders chose Michigan point guard Trey Burke, then traded him immediately to the Jazz for two later first round picks, swingman Shabazz Muhammad and center Gorgui Dieng who have played minimal minutes and games for the Wolves. Burke is averaging 13.3 points and 5.2 assists for the Jazz, establishing himself as a starter and key contributor to the team’s success.

Saunders said Burke is a good player but the Wolves had “five point guards” on the roster at draft time, including Rubio. “It’s tough to take a guy that’s not a high lottery pick that duplicates one of your best players,” Saunders said.

Saunders said playing in the Western Conference against so many of the NBA’s best teams could mean the Wolves “win 46 games and not make the playoffs.” The team was 31-51 last season.

The Wolves have superstar forward Kevin Love who leads the league in rebounds per game and is second in scoring average. Rubio’s passing and dribbling can be worthy of top 10 highlights on ESPN. “No matter what, we play entertaining basketball,” Saunders said. “We’re a team that a lot of people when they turn on NBA League Pass…want to watch.”

It looks like a long season for former Gophers coach Tubby Smith at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders first year coach is 8-6 with losses against the better teams on his schedule including Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State and Pittsburgh. In their home Big 12 opener on Saturday, the Raiders lost to Iowa State 73-62 before 5,861 fans.

Jeff Jones, the Washburn running back who was a team MVP last week in the nationally televised Under Armour All-America Game, was only invited to the national prep all-star event because another player couldn’t participate, according to Millers head coach Giovan Jenkins. He also said Jones will make an official visit to Florida later this month but has yet to schedule visits to Missouri and Michigan State. The Gophers still could be Jones’ college choice.

Twins spring training tickets go on sale Saturday. On January 24 single game ticket sales begin for the April 7 home opener in Minneapolis against the A’s. Single game tickets for the rest of the season will be available starting February 22. Tickets remain on sale for TwinsFest January 24-26 at Target Field. All tickets are available for purchase via Twinsbaseball.com, or by telephoning 612-33-TWINS.

The extreme cold has postponed St. Thomas and Bethel men’s and women’s basketball games scheduled for tonight until next Monday evening. Those are anticipated games because all four teams are off to successful starts in the MIAC. The St. Thomas men are 4-0, the women 6-0, while Bethel’s men’s team is 3-2 and the women 5-0.

Let’s Play Hockey magazine had a January 3 feature on 93-year-old Norb Robertson, a former Gophers hockey player and the father of ex-Wild executive Billy Robertson. The older Robertson also participated in baseball and football at Minnesota, and played all three sports at St. Thomas College, too.

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Dutcher Won’t Judge Pitino Too Soon

Posted on January 3, 2014January 3, 2014 by David Shama

Jim Dutcher is impressed with Richard Pitino but told Sports Headliners not to completely judge the first-year Gophers coach for a couple of years until results of his recruiting will be apparent.

Dutcher, the 1982 Minnesota Big Ten championship coach, said Pitino and his staff “did everything right” when the Gophers were a surprising 11-2 during the nonconference season. Last night in their Big Ten opener the Gophers impressed with their energy and rebounding (38 to 24 advantage) but couldn’t make enough plays late in the game against Michigan, losing 63-60.

“He’s done everything you could hope for,” Dutcher said prior to the Michigan game. “There’s a reason to be optimistic but it’s too early to be really optimistic. We don’t know. Tubby had undefeated (and one loss) nonconference seasons. Then the conference was a whole different deal.”

Pitino wasn’t hired to replace Gophers coach Tubby Smith until early April of last year. It was a surprise move by athletic director Norwood Teague because the then 30-year-old Pitino had only one year of college head coaching experience — with low profile Florida International of the Sun Belt Conference.

Pitino didn’t seem like a logical choice to skeptical fans. Doubts surfaced because Pitino looked like an afterthought with established coaches like Shaka Smart, Buzz Williams and Flip Saunders reportedly turning the job down.

Was hiring Pitino a good decision? “I’ll tell you after he’s had two recruiting classes,” Dutcher answered. “The secret to winning in any program is getting good players. I don’t care how good a coach you are, if you don’t have good players you’re not going to do well. Whether this staff can recruit, we won’t know that for a couple (or) three years. We won’t know how successful they’re going to be.”

Smith was hired after a long run of success at Kentucky including a national championship. Both his coaching and recruiting, though, faltered over six seasons at Minnesota. He was fired after compiling a 46-62 regular season Big Ten record.

“The jury is definitely out (on Pitino),” Dutcher said. “When people ask me, I say we don’t know. They were having parades and putting up banners when Tubby was hired, and you know where it was five years later.”

And then there is this: Pitino was asked about building his program during the postgame news conference last night. “I think it’s all about recruiting,” he said.

Worth Noting

The Gophers reported 11,800 tickets sold as of this morning for Sunday’s Purdue home game. Williams Arena capacity is 14,625.

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders was at last night’s Minnesota-Michigan game to watch his twin daughters, Kim and Rachel, perform for the Gophers national championship dance team.

The new Vikings stadium scheduled to open in 2016 will have many enhancements compared to the Metrodome but for the general public none may be appreciated more than the restrooms. The new stadium will have 979 restroom fixtures compared with 435 at the dome.

Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin all lost bowl games because of ineffective passing games and not being able to come from behind at halftimes. Gophers coach Jerry Kill is rebuilding the Gophers the way he planned, making defense priority No.1. Since the 2011 season the Gophers are 0-21 in games when trailing at halftime. Look for that to change next fall.

Washburn running back Jeff Jones was the MVP for Team Nitro in yesterday’s Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown, according to Espn.com. Team Highlight defeated Team Nitro 31-21 in the prep all-star game. Jones has verbally committed to Minnesota although he is drawing more attention from college recruiters and was offered a scholarship this week by Florida.

Eric Curry, who is both a college basketball referee and VP of sales at Sun Country Airlines, is engaged to Gophers assistant women’s basketball coach Kelly Roysland. The two became engaged late last year and are finalizing a wedding date.

The 18^th annual Timberwolves Shootout’s first game tomorrow (9:15 a.m.) matches the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks against the Lakeville North Panthers. Lakeville is led by senior J.P. Macura, a Xavier recruit who has been averaging 37.4 points per game. The Thunderhawks’ starters include junior Alex Illikainen who could finish his high school career as the state’s all-time leading rebounder.

The Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders and Bettendorf (Iowa) Bulldogs will play in the second game at 11 a.m. Then at 12:45 p.m. the DeLaSalle Islanders meet the St. Rita Mustangs from Chicago. The Islanders’ Reid Travis, who averaged 26.1 points per game last year, has yet to play this season because of a broken bone in his foot. The Mustangs are led by Victor Law, a Northwestern signee who is ranked No. 66 by ESPN in the class of 2014 and junior Charles Matthews, ranked No. 11 in the 2015 class, and has received offers from Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan State and Ohio State.

The Shootout’s last game matches the Apple Valley Eagles against the Blue Valley Northwest Huskies from Overland Park, Kansas starting at 2:30 p.m. Apple Valley’s Tyus Jones has been averaging 28.8 points per game this season. The Huskies’ starters include Clayton Custer, an Iowa State signee and two-time first team Class 6A selectee.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien thinks the final game of the day could be the best with two teams that are defending state champions. “Blue Valley really has a traditionally strong program,” he said.

All Shootout games are at Target Center. Fans with tickets to watch the Timberwolves versus Oklahoma City game at 7 p.m. tomorrow night are admitted free to the Shootout. Otherwise, tickets to watch all four games are available tomorrow for $15 at the Target Center box office.

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Austin Hollins Gives Gophers B- Grade

Posted on January 1, 2014January 1, 2014 by David Shama

The Gophers, 11-2 in nonconference games, begin their Big Ten schedule tomorrow night against Michigan, 8-4. Two months ago this looked like a game Minnesota was unlikely to win but the Gophers impressed during the nonconference schedule while the Wolverines, a preseason top 10 choice, are without center Mitch McGary, the 6-10, 255-pound potential All-American forward-center who has back problems.

The Gophers surprised with their performance during November and December. Preseason predictions had the Gophers, who lack size, skills and depth in the frontcourt, finishing near the bottom of the Big Ten. But during the nonconference the Gophers played to their strengths including harassing defense, three point shooting, fast breaks, maximum effort from players and making good use of their talented backcourt personnel. The focus was evident to new coach Richard Pitino who said “no eggs were laid mentally” during the nonconference schedule.

The Gophers won all their games at home including a Big Ten/ACC Challenge win over Florida State. In the Gophers’ only road game they defeated a now 10-4 Richmond team at Richmond. The Spiders also have an overtime loss at Wake Forest and 10 point neutral court loss to North Carolina. In neutral court games in Hawaii the Gophers put a scare into now No. 2 ranked Syracuse, and also lost to Arkansas, and defeated Chaminade during the Maui Invitational.

Guard and captain Austin Hollins said confidence is “very high” as the Gophers get ready to open their conference season with home games tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon with Purdue. How does he grade the Gophers so far?

“I would say like a B minus,” Hollins answered. “We can get a lot better, and this is just the beginning. We’ve got a long season ahead of us, the Big Ten season, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Gophers 6-11 junior center Elliott Eliason has been the MVP in the front court. Among Big Ten players during nonconference games he ranked second in blocked shots at 2.3 per game and fourth in rebounds per game at 8.2.

Eliason has observed the progress of a roster that only has a few returning players with experience who produced in past seasons. “We’ve come a long ways from the summer,” he said. “We didn’t know coach Pitino. It’s a new everything (including philosophy and style of play). You kind of have a little chip on your shoulder when you’re picked ninth in the Big Ten. (But) we handled our business in the nonconference pretty well and now we need to handle our business in the Big Ten. We’ve got two tough tests at home right away.”

The Gophers use a lot of energy with their max effort style of play, running and jumping at both ends of the court. To be successful in the Big Ten, Eliason said Minnesota will typically need eight or nine players to contribute each game. Those contributions could range from chasing down loose balls to making free throws.

“We’re gonna have to have it. It’s what it’s going to take to be successful,” said Eliason. “Every guy is gonna have to give something every night.”

Eliason knows from previous seasons how important it is to win at home. “It’s so hard to play on the road. Every time you get a road win it’s gravy.”

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher has been impressed with Pitino’s coaching. “For this team to be 11-2, I think Pitino has really managed the team well. He’s not bullheaded. He’ll do whatever he has to do to get the win. Change defenses, change lineups. I think it’s encouraging.”

Dutcher predicts the Gophers will finish seventh in the Big Ten. If so, that will compare favorably with last season’s more talented team that tied for seventh in the league standings.

Dutcher believes Michigan State is the Big Ten’s best team and he also predicts Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois will finish ahead of the Gophers. Michigan State “played the best schedule” among Big Ten teams during the nonconference season and has talented starters. “Their history (as a program) is they get better,” Dutcher said. In a league game yesterday, MSU defeated Penn State.

Dutcher likes Ohio State’s quickness and conference best defense giving up 54 points per game during the nonleague schedule. The Buckeyes were 13-0 during a soft nonconference schedule before defeating Purdue on the road yesterday in their Big Ten opener. “They really didn’t play anybody,” Dutcher said.

“Wisconsin is the surprise team,” Dutcher said. “They graduated four starters and here they are again.” The Badgers have impressive nonleague wins including over Florida, and Dutcher said sophomore forward Sam Dekker is the league’s best player so far.

“Iowa is close to the most talented team in the league,” Dutcher said. “I think Iowa can be good.” The Hawkeyes defeated Nebraska in their Big Ten opener yesterday.

Michigan sophomore guard Nik Stauskas is making 47 percent of his three point shots. He typifies a Michigan offense that emphasizes three pointers. Although the Wolverines don’t have McGary, Michigan’s front court depth eases the transition, Dutcher said.

Illinois gave up only 60.6 points per game during the nonconference schedule, tied with Wisconsin for second best in the league. The Illini scoring is led by junior guard Rayvonte Rice who averaged 18.2 points in nonconference games. Illinois defeated Indiana yesterday in a Big Ten opening game.

Ohio State is ranked No. 3 in the country, Wisconsin No. 4 and Michigan State No. 5. Iowa is No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Worth Noting

Washburn running back Jeff Jones has received a scholarship offer this week from the University of Florida. Jones, a four-star recruit who has a soft verbal commitment to the Gophers, has been practicing in the Orlando area for the Under Armour All-America Game, a national prep all-star game to be played tomorrow on ESPN.

“Jeff Jones was offered by Florida as a result of all his hard work down here the last couple days,” Washburn coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners. “I guess he’s just been tearing it up from what I heard.”

Tommy Davis, a former all-conference guard for Dutcher who played on Minnesota’s 1982 Big Ten championship team, was in town last weekend. Davis played pro basketball in France until he was 40 and now coaches in Bordeaux. Davis is now a French and American citizen. “He speaks and writes and is fluent in French,” Dutcher said.

In his final game of the season Vikings rookie wide receiver and kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson left fans with a can’t wait attitude for 2014. Patterson scored the team’s only touchdowns in the 14-13 win over the Lions including a spectacular club record 50 yard run, the longest ever by a Vikings receiver. He also added 51 yards to his season total for kickoff returns setting another team record. For the year Patterson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including one for an NFL record 109 yards, and totaled 1,393 return yards.

The Vikings Greg Jennings, an NFL wide receiver for eight seasons, has a nickname for Patterson. “I call him The Special. Special people do special things and you see it every time you get the ball in his hands. He’s a highlight reel waiting to happen.

“I’ve seen a lot of players come through this league and I can’t say I’ve seen one that has been more explosive. There may be some that have been as special but he’s right there with them.”

Vikings reserve quarterback Josh Freeman is a free agent in 2014. He told Sports Headliners in coming weeks he will work on physical conditioning and “evaluate the situation” regarding where he to play in 2014.

The Vikings 5-10-1 record this season means they will have the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Locally there will be support to choose dynamic Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel who is an underclassman but is expected to enter the draft. His scrambling is reminiscent of Vikings Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska and Wisconsin play in bowl games today. Only Wisconsin is favored to win, but a couple of victories today would provide a boost to the Big Ten’s sagging football reputation. For years the conference has disappointed in postseason games and in 2013 Minnesota and Michigan have already lost. Maryland and Rutgers, two programs that join the Big Ten next fall, have also been defeated in bowl games.

Ex-Becker High School tight end Matt Veldman moved up from the Lions practice squad last week and played on special teams in Detroit’s loss to the Vikings on Sunday at Mall of America Field. A former captain and tight end at North Dakota State, Veldman is the 76^th former player from the Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game to play or coach in the NFL.

Mike Tyson holds a news conference tomorrow afternoon in Minneapolis to enhance interest in the ESPN Friday Night Fights event at Target Center January 3. The evening’s 12-round main event will be an IBF Super Featherweight Championship fight between champion Argenis Mendez (21-2-1, 11 KOs) from Brooklyn versus No. 1-ranked and undefeated challenger Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (19-0, 12 KOs) from Miami.

The card includes several Minnesotans and features a 10-round televised semi-final non-title bout between USBA Middleweight Champion Caleb “Golden” Truax (23-1, 4 KOs) from Osseo against Ossie The Ghanaian Gladiator Duran (28-11-2, 11 KOs) from Patterson, New Jersey. A crowd of about 4,000 is expected to produce one of the largest ticket revenues in local boxing in a decade.

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