Post by CHANGEME on Sept 6, 2007 12:53:49 GMT -5
It's actually somewhat rare. Perhaps the extra year of seasoning with NBA-quality players is enough for the sophomores to usually dominate the game. This year was different with the rookie class being so strong. Here's a report on the game with some liberties taken.
1st Quarter
The sophomores came out slow at first, falling behind 6-1, but Randy Foye took over a few minutes in and shut down Acie Law IV and Mike Conley Jr., while putting up 11 of his game-high 19 points. The sophomores played unusually tough defense en route to a 19-11 lead.
2nd Quarter
The Freshman fought back with a good quarter led by Oden, Durant, and Jeff Green. However a late run for the Sophomores, led by Rodney Carney and Shelden Williams, helped them extend their halftime lead to 36-25
3rd Quarter
Greg Oden and Branden Wright came out like men possessed, blocking 6 shots combined and sweeping the defensive glass. The result was a miserable 6 points by the sophomores, and the rookies completely erased the 11-pt lead and tied it 42-42. This game normally reserved for playground ball and showboating took on a new level of competitiveness centered around defense.
4th Quarter
The offenses started to find a groove, but the Rookies pulled ahead early and just fought off every advance. They got to the line a lot as the game winded down, and they finished with 17 more free throw attempts than the Sophomores. The last 2 minutes were great when Rajon Rondo hit a big 3 to cut the lead to 3, and Roy got a quick steal, dished to Carney for a massive dunk over Stuckey. Durant made it clear he wanted the ball in crunch time. He drove halfway down the lane, spun, and made a tough fadeaway. Then Oden got his 5th block of the game. From that point on, it was Jeff Green and Nick Young icing it with free throws. The Sophomores couldn't get the lead under 3 the rest of the game.
Stars of the Game
Jeff Green was named player of the game, because he constantly broke down the defense, and he was huge down the stretch, hitting free throws. Randy Foye was probably the best player on the floor, though. He had 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Durant and Oden showed why they went #1 and #2, and I have to say the entire Rookie team would've been lost without those two.
It was a very strange game, unlike what we've seen in previous Rookie-Soph games. Perhaps college players are getting more prepared defensively than in prior years. Perhaps huge defensive plays are getting notoriety that's previously reserved for huge dunks or clutch shots. Perhaps future Rookie-Soph game scores will be in the 70's...or the 120's -- we'll just have to see what shows up next year. It better be good to be respectable against this formidable batch of players.
1st Quarter
The sophomores came out slow at first, falling behind 6-1, but Randy Foye took over a few minutes in and shut down Acie Law IV and Mike Conley Jr., while putting up 11 of his game-high 19 points. The sophomores played unusually tough defense en route to a 19-11 lead.
2nd Quarter
The Freshman fought back with a good quarter led by Oden, Durant, and Jeff Green. However a late run for the Sophomores, led by Rodney Carney and Shelden Williams, helped them extend their halftime lead to 36-25
3rd Quarter
Greg Oden and Branden Wright came out like men possessed, blocking 6 shots combined and sweeping the defensive glass. The result was a miserable 6 points by the sophomores, and the rookies completely erased the 11-pt lead and tied it 42-42. This game normally reserved for playground ball and showboating took on a new level of competitiveness centered around defense.
4th Quarter
The offenses started to find a groove, but the Rookies pulled ahead early and just fought off every advance. They got to the line a lot as the game winded down, and they finished with 17 more free throw attempts than the Sophomores. The last 2 minutes were great when Rajon Rondo hit a big 3 to cut the lead to 3, and Roy got a quick steal, dished to Carney for a massive dunk over Stuckey. Durant made it clear he wanted the ball in crunch time. He drove halfway down the lane, spun, and made a tough fadeaway. Then Oden got his 5th block of the game. From that point on, it was Jeff Green and Nick Young icing it with free throws. The Sophomores couldn't get the lead under 3 the rest of the game.
Stars of the Game
Jeff Green was named player of the game, because he constantly broke down the defense, and he was huge down the stretch, hitting free throws. Randy Foye was probably the best player on the floor, though. He had 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Durant and Oden showed why they went #1 and #2, and I have to say the entire Rookie team would've been lost without those two.
It was a very strange game, unlike what we've seen in previous Rookie-Soph games. Perhaps college players are getting more prepared defensively than in prior years. Perhaps huge defensive plays are getting notoriety that's previously reserved for huge dunks or clutch shots. Perhaps future Rookie-Soph game scores will be in the 70's...or the 120's -- we'll just have to see what shows up next year. It better be good to be respectable against this formidable batch of players.
