Panther Madness

[famouspnthrfan]

Just got back from Panther Madness and here are a few of my impressions.

-Attendance was pretty weak. I guess I was expecting a little better...I was 1 of about 25 people in the student section.

-The DJ was awesome. No offense to the band because they did/do a great job but I wouldn't mind if that guy was at every game.

-Here are some guys who looked good in warmups

-Sam Mauldin - He was dunking and it looked impressive while he did it.
-Marcus Skinner - Very Athletic. I'm not sure what position he'll play but I'm excited to watch
-Charlie Swiggett - Unbelievable athleticism. He is listed as 6'1" but he dunks as if though he is 6'7".
-Nick Hansen - Looked very good in the pregame dunks and added some muscle to his frame for sure.
-Kaylan Anderson - Also looked incredibly athletic.
-Torre Johnson - This guy is unreal. His control, athleticism and nose for the ball are unbelievable.

Here are some guys who impressed during the scrimmage.

-Torre Johnson - He's a lock for 2008 Horizon POY
-Charlie Swiggett - Almost hooked up both ways with Avo for alley oop dunks. He looked good passing the ball, and although he didn't show incredible point guard skills, he looks like there is a very good possibility he will start.
-Roman Gentry - I believe he went 3-3 for 8 points. 2 3-pointers and he looked good doing it. He almost looked as if though he wasn't trying. I hope that's a good thing.
-Michael Bendall - I have to admit Bendall looked OK in the paint. He scored 4 points I believe and he was able to hold his own on D.

Solid but unspectacular...

-Ricky Franklin - wasn't disappointing, I guess he just wasn't the star I hoped he would be today. Luckily, it's only a stupid scrimmage.
-Paige Paulsen - same. He was pretty solid though and reminded me of Adrian. Again....just a scrimmage.
-Avery Smith - didn't get in on the action much and I don't think he scored...if he did it wasn't any more than 2 points...

Here are some guys who were a little disappointing.

-Ryan Thornton - looked young, skinny and scared. He got much better and more comfortable as the scrimmage went on but you could tell he was at least a little nervous.
-Deion James - I didn't know what to expect, but he just seemed unenthused, like he hasn't clicked with the rest of the players yet.
-Myles McKay - Hogged the ball a little bit like he had something to prove...which is understandable because he does, but it seemed a little much at the beginning of the scrimmage. Played good D on Ricky.
-Jason Deutchman - Didn't play...not sure why.

Torre Johnson was unbelievable and I can't wait for him to play next year...he will be unstoppable...i can't stop raving sorry...

-The girls volleyball team played really well and beat up on Butler pretty badly...Congratulations girls.

-It's no wonder Popeye's isn't doing the free chicken thing this year...they must have seen the team practicing and realized they would be down A LOT of chicken. ;D

-Overall, it seems like our team this year is SO much more athletic than last year. Between Torre, Kaylan, Charlie, Marcus, Ricky, and Roman, there was just athleticism oozing from the team...I can't wait for November 1st........

My projected starting lineup to start off the year:

Allan Hanson, G
Ricky Franklin, G
Kevin Massiah, F
Paige Paulsen, F
Sam Mauldin, C

But it will change i'm sure...ahem...Charlie Swiggett.

[PantherU]

For those of you who think JG's prediction that Torre Johnson is 2008 POY in the Horizon League is far fetched, sorry. He's a lock. No doubt about it. He is a complete monster. I cannot believe this guy isn't playing at Duke or something.
My starting five, what I would start:

Big Shot Al Hanson, PG
Rick Franklin, SG
Roman Gentry, SF
Paige Paulsen, PF
Sam Mauldin, C

I didnt change anythin but one, but i think gentry can start off thje bat. As for the forum, I met jimy lemke tonight. The guy needs to leave the tight bball jersey at home, lol. but he was a cool dude

[famouspnthrfan]

I also saw Tim Flowers at the game tonight, but I did not see Kevin Johnson although I'm sure he was there. I also saw 2-4 other guys who looked like they could be possible recruits standing off behind the bench...can anybody shed some light on these guys?...if not i understand

[SRT4driver]

Now I've been hard on Bobbi and those at the JS sports dept. for serious deficiencies in their coverage of UWM in the past. But I've gotta also give credit where it is due.... and well, there is nothing for me to complain about because THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY SUPERB ARTICLE. Incredibly well-written, well-researched piece. Covered everything of importance, really told me everything and anything I wanted/needed to know about an event I was half a world away from. Excellent work Bobbi! Bravo!

www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=519160


UWM opens with several new faces
Former Juneau star Johnson adds excitement to Panthers' festivities
By BOBBI ROQUEMORE
[e-mail]
Posted: Oct. 14, 2006
In a sense, "Panther Madness" started long before the UW-Milwaukee men's and women's basketball teams actually took the court Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

Earlier in the day, former Milwaukee Juneau and Oklahoma State standout Torre Johnson was officially added to the men's team.

Johnson, who will be a walk-on, had enrolled at UWM in early September. As a Division I transfer, Johnson will not be eligible until the 2007-'08 season.

The 6-foot-6 forward played in 30 games last season for Oklahoma State, finishing third on the team in scoring at 10.1 points per game while also contributing 4.2 rebounds.

"What's great about it is that here's a young man who comes from the city, that obviously was playing at one of the higher levels of basketball, that wanted to come home and play at Milwaukee," Panthers coach Rob Jeter said.

Johnson couldn't contain his excitement at the fact that, finally, he could be introduced as a Panther.

He could have practiced Friday but decided not to due to a wrist injury. Panther Madness, though, was an event that Johnson said he could not miss.

"After I went through the layup line, I felt good enough to play," Johnson said. "And I (went out there) just to let people know that I'm here and I'm playing. I wanted to show that I was part of the team."

Johnson took the court wearing No. 2 at Panther Madness, an open practice that featured a mixed scrimmage and plenty of giveaways for fans.

The scrimmage format was designed to put a spark in the festivities. The men's and women's squads were combined and each player was drafted onto a "black" or "white" team, which was announced Friday. For two quarters each, the men's black team faced the men's white team, and the women's black and white teams squared off.

Yet Panther Madness was also a time for reality to set in, that athletes like Joah Tucker and Adrian Tigert, who were cornerstones of the Panthers' recent success, are now history.

With the addition of Johnson, nine new players have joined the program, and three others who sat out last year were introduced as members of the 2006-'07 squad. Having them in uniform at Panther Madness alongside returnees like junior guards Allan Hanson and Avery Smith signaled that, indeed, a new era is under way.

Like the men, the Panthers women are also coming off Horizon League regular-season and tournament championships and going through a transition period.

"It remains to be seen, but I think the talent is there," Panthers coach Sandy Botham said. "I think the hunger is there and we've seen great improvements from our young kids coming in this year in terms of strength, skill and maturity. I think we'll be able to find some people that can fill those gaps."

Four recruits, two of whom have already committed to the UWM men and two who are being heavily pursued by UWM, were also on hand. Bradley Tech senior forward Anthony Hill and guard Deonte Roberts, a St. Paul, Minn., native attending Notre Dame Prep, caught a glimpse of the arena they expect to play in next season. Highly regarded forwards Kevin Johnson and Tim Flowers from Chicago Simeon are visiting campus this weekend and took in the action at courtside.

But Torre Johnson's surprise showing stole the show.

The journey that led Johnson to UWM began in July when he was dismissed from Oklahoma State, with Cowboys coach Sean Sutton saying the move was "in the best interests of both he and the program."

Shortly after his dismissal, Johnson ran into legal trouble in Stillwater, Okla. He was charged with and later pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a suspended license. His sentence was deferred for one year, in which he expected to fulfill obligations such as community service in Wisconsin.

Johnson has shown exemplary conduct in the classroom and, Jeter said, is on schedule to complete his undergraduate degree by next summer.

Jamie Koepp, Johnson's former coach at Juneau, suggested that Johnson's brush with the law may have been just that. Given a fresh start at UWM, he expects Johnson to thrive.

"For as long as I have known Torre, it has been evident that if he is shown respect by coaches and feels appreciated, he will excel as a member of the basketball team," Koepp said. "When Torre was in high school, he was the most dominating player in the entire state of Wisconsin."

From the Oct. 15, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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[bigcatlover]

I attended Panther Madness because I was eager to see the players and to support the team. What I saw was encouraging, and I was glad to see an article in the Journal about it.
However, I am disappointed that Bobbi spent so much time talking about Torre, who will not play this year. It would have been a better article if it had focused on the players who will be playing, and if it had focused on some of the activity on court. Although the article is well written, it sounds like she wrote it before Panther Madness, and not about the actual event.
I hope she continues to give us some space, but I also hope she gives more serious thought and attention to the team.

[BBFran]

First, I firmly believe the event should be held at the Klotsche. The Cell is just too big and too remote for a game like this. If the event were at the Klotsche you would double to quadruple the student attendance. The alums and non-student supporters like me really don't care where it's held. If we're going, we're going. I'm also not a fan of combining the men's and women's teams into one event but I think the venue is more important.

As for the players, this was my first chance to see a lot of the new players with the ball in their hands. The scrimmage, of course, was completely unstructured, so it was not ideal. For example, in a scrimmage like this big men almost always find themselves secondary to the action.

That said, one thing I really liked was how much all the players were looking for each other. A lot of passes for baskets or at least basket attempts. Paige Paulsen stood out as a big who saw the floor well and was ready and able to pass the ball.

Individually, the three new guys who stood out to me were Charlie Swiggett, Ricky Franklin and Roman Gentry. Swiggett is much stronger and more athletic than I expected. Franklin had a poor night shooting but you could see all the other ability. Strong with the ball, fast, a heads up player who sees the floor. Roman Gentry has an easy stroke. It just looks effortless. Looks like the kind of player who will silently kill fom mid and long range. Although those three really caught my eye, all the other newbies looked very legit also. Sam Mauldin and Marcus Skinner should really help us down low, for example.

As for the vets, Allan Hanson looked physically stronger to me. Avery certainly hasn't lost any of his speed or instinct to attack. Nick Hansen showed his three point stroke in one of the contests. And Michael Bendall showed he will be in the rotation again.

The combination of Smith, Hanson, Franklin and Swiggett is going to give other teams fits. If Rob employs the press these guys can cause some havoc.

There were a good number of recruits at the event but I really didn't pay much attention to them. Evan Anderson is a very big kid for his age and looks a lot like Brian Butch.

This is going to be a very fun year. Rob and his staff have reloaded with talented players. Now they have to mesh them into a team.

[raar]

Well, here is my take...I must have been at a different angle or something. I should also add that it was tough to make a real assessment of these guys and their abilities...the style of play was a bit "street" and the loud music may have made it dificult to communicate on the floor.

I think that this style of scrimmage may have hurt the production of Mauldin and Paige (or I hope it did), because to me the better tandem of "bigs" appeared to be bendall and averkamp. And what happened to Mauldin, why did he not play in the second scrimmage? Is he not recovered from his knee injury? That brace he was wearing looked like something left behind at the MECCA by Buck's former Paul Mokeski. Neither one of those guys, paulsen or mauldin made a positive impression on me. leaving me think we maybe in trouble in the post. Paulsen does not look like he plays big.

I think Bendall looked good and could give some solid minute this year... I also think Averkamp is a solid player for UWM, he is not very smooth and he is very rigid out there...but he seems to be in the right place and the right time and very basketball smart.

Skinner is atheltic, but he looked like a typical rough JUCO guy. Often out of position and fouling. He might take time to develop.

Messieh, He showed some flashes, but again...he will not be a significant player on this team, which you'd hope he'd be as a senior. Hope I am wrong on that.

Franklin is not a scorer, but he had a real presense out there. He has great control, is smooth and calm...reminds me of a Jose Winston (at this point)

Allan Hason was just himself, nothing too exciting yet not bad either. I don't think I see him as the starter as I thought he'd be.

Gentry...wow, what a shooter! I would love to see him develop as a slasher too. I don't think he will start right away though, but he will get minutes for sure.

Anderson...Can't really say. He did not leave much of an impression. I think he scored, not sure.

Thorton...redshirt for sure. He needs to grow. He was very timid and overwhelmed out there. I watched him for a little bit during warm up, He wasn't even hitting many of his long balls then either.

Hansen...Going to be a solid guy off the bench this year, kind of like a pancratz with a little better of a shot. He definately has been working out (not to sound gay...not that there is anything wrong with that)

Swiggett looks very athletic and talented, he could be a very good player for us. He could be a very good player in the league, he is a scorer.

I think Avo looked good...he put up about 3 - 5 shots and missed one of those. I Still think he will be starting, or getting a lot of minutes. He is one of our better players

I look forward To Torre next year...I am sad that he is only here for one season.

I still have no idea who will be that "starting 5"

I think I will have a better Idea after tuesday when I see them play a bit more seriously.

[BBFran]

I agree with you about Averkamp and Thornton. Averkamp is a space eating, rough and tumble kind of player. A garbageman who finds the ball. Thornton needs to mature physically. He'll be fine but it will take a year or two. I think Kaylan Anderson may need another year of maturation, too. Not sure I agree with you about Massiah. I think he will be a good player for us.

Again, the scrimmage was so unstructured that it's very diffciult to draw a lot of conclusions from it. You can see whether guys are talented in that setting but you can't really see if they are ballplayers.

I wasn't paying much attention to Torre Johnson since he can't play this year, but he's very athletic. More than a little early to start calling him next year's Horizon POTY with guys like Brandon Cotton out there. (Or is BC a senior now?)

[raar]

I do have one more comment about the event yesterday. It has nothing to do with the quality of this year's men's team. No, this pertains to the highlight videos shown prior to introducing this year's teams. The women did a fantastic job with their highlight video. I took me through their year and was emotional. I am not even a big fan of women's b-ball, but I was a bit moved with the footage and the story the video told. Great work. The combination of paper headlines, color commentary and highlights was great. Now the Men's...not great work. It was a nothing but clips of panthers dunking with rap music playing loudly. Not very inspiring and not a very good tribute to last years squad. I did not make me swell-up inside like the womens did. I did not tell the story of the 2005-2006 season. It was crappy. I hope they do a better job in the future.

[FTA1982]

I won't speak for anyone else, but I do not believe I am the only one ready for the Charlie Swiggett Era to begin.

[teddyp00]

I am a pretty dissappointed that I could not make it due to last minute work obligations. Anyone have an idea what attendence was for the event? I agree that this should be moved back to the Klotsche. I think a fuller house would make a bigger impact on recruits. Its not as if we own the cell or it is even a beautiful venue.

[famouspnthrfan]

I don't know the exact attendance figures but if I had to guess by looking around the arena...there weren't more than 1000 people there...that may be a generous figure...

[teddyp00]

That is pretty weak. But with a poor student turn out its hard to expect a bigger number. Our alumni base is not very hard core fans at this point and I doubt many really know the importance of this event for recruiting.

[milwsport]

The problem is the timing. It was too early for people who wanted might have made a night of it. 6:00 is the middle of the dinner hour. Attending meant finding a place to park, finding a restaurant to eat at, and going early enough to do both without missing anything.

[nil]

once again.. remember who you are. many teams in the Horizon do not have these type of events for this very reason!!!