As you likely already know, the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game will be held on Friday, Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena. As an added twist this year, women's players will also join the fun in some co-ed competition.

Here's the press release:

Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun is hosting an NBA sanctioned alumni all-star basketball game this summer – the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game presented by Cigna – as part of the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic.

Many of Coach Calhoun's greatest players will return for the eighth Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game. NEW THIS YEAR, many of Connecticut's top women players also will join us for some coed competition. It will be a special night in Connecticut basketball history when stars from our national championship teams take the floor and compete against each other. 

Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Andre Drummond, Donyell Marshall, Khalid El-Amin, and Rudy Gay among others, have played in past charity games at Mohegan Sun. On the women's side, we have 2016 event commitments from Connecticut stars Nykesha Sales and Svetlana Abrosimova among others.

The game will be played at 7:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, Aug. 12. Proceeds from the game and the entire Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic will benefit The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

“I'm excited about bringing many of the top men's and women's players from the Connecticut Basketball family together for this game for the first time this year. It should be a tremendous evening as we all reconnect with these stars and I know they look forward to gathering together and playing in front of their longtime fans. As important, I'm so pleased that proceeds from the game will go to fight America’s number #1 killer – heart disease,” said Calhoun.

Since 1999, the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic has raised more than $8 million for cardiology research and life-saving care at The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

Tickets are $12 to $25 and go on sale Friday, June 10th at 10:00AM. To purchase game tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800.345.7000, go to Ticketmaster.com, or visit the Mohegan Sun box office.

Alterique Gilbert suffered a separated left shoulder in Friday's Jordan Brand Classic national game, but it doesn't appear to be too serious.

Early in the game, Gilbert fell to the floor in pain after trying to swipe away a steal, gripping his left shoulder, and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair at the Jordan Brand Classic national game.

Gilbert was taken to a local hospital, where X-Rays revealed a shoulder dislocation — something he’s suffered before.

“They say he’s fine,” offered Sharman White, Gilbert’s coach at Miller Grove High and also for on Friday night for the East Team. “It may take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to make sure it heals properly. He’s in good spirits.”

Gilbert suffered the dislocation when he tried to swipe the ball away from 6-foot-9 center Marques Bolden.

“(Bolden) had a good grip on it, so when he hit it, I think the vibration of it probably just knocked it out of place,” said White.

The coach added that the same thing happened to Gilbert a couple of years ago, “so he kind of knew exactly what had happened.”

Gilbert, a 6-1 point guard, is the centerpiece to a highly-touted UConn recruiting class.

“Y’all gonna really enjoy him up there," said White. "Phenomenal player, phenomenal kid. He affects winning, that’s what he does. He’s been a winner all his life, even before he got to Miller Grove. It’s almost sad that I’m not gonna be able to coach him again. I hated for this to happen, because this is our last ride together right here.”

“You’re gonna get an electrifying guard that can really affect winning in every single way.”

White said that Gilbert is like a hybrid of Kemba Walker, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.

"He can score like those guys, he can defend, but he can also run a team like I’ve seen Shabazz do. Whatever’s needed — he needs to score, manage, distribute, he can do that. You’ve got a great one.”

The coach added that Gilbert spoke with Ray Allen for about a half-hour earlier this week, and Allen was very impressed with the young man.

Here's what Jim Calhoun had to say about Scott Burrell being hired as the new head basketball coach at Southern Connecticut State:

"I think it's ideal, the fact that he was maybe the greatest athlete in the history of the New Haven-area school system."

"Like a lot of young guys, he probably needed to get a head job. I think at Southern Connecticut, his mom and dad graduated from there, so that makes it more special. I think he's ready. He and I talked a great deal about this over the years. There was a point where he wanted to get into coaching. Tommy (Moore) and I talked about hiring him, and he's moved on. He's done a good job there. I've watched him practice probably three or four practices a year at Quinnipiac, he does a great job at practice. I think he'll do a good job recruiting-wise, he's smart. A head coaching job is a head coaching job."

(did he see this day coming when Burrell played for him at UConn?)

"I never thought Scott Burrell would ever coach. Because then someone else would have to coach Scott Burrell. That was my joke to him. He was a typical 'boys of summer' -- he just wanted to play. He loved practices for the scrimmages. The drills, not so much. Watching him in the dugout when he wasn't pitching one day, he couldn't sit still ... Just a great kid, one of the best kids you're gonna find. He's kind of a throwback in many ways."

(does he have what it takes -- work ethic, etc. -- to be a head coach?)

"This isn't something that just came about. He started thinking about this four or five years ago ... Scott Burrell is ready for this job, he'll do a great job. We talked yesterday. We talked about this for the past few months, we've talked about a couple of things the past year or two."

"Taliek Brown is the next guy I'd love to see get into college coaching, because he's done a good job in high school ... He's trying to. We've talked a lot. He's been up to camp working. He's a great teacher. I always say the best (leaders) I ever had were 1. Kemba Walker and maybe 1a. or 2., would have to be Taliek. They played with great joy."

Calhoun also noted that he'll be back with ESPN this season and is talking about doing a lot more games -- and a lot of big-time games -- with Rece Davis and the gang.

After a couple of years at Waterbury's Crosby High, the Greater Hartford Pro-Am officially returns to ... well ... Hartford on Wednesday night. Games will be played at the Sport & Medical Sciences Academy at 208 Huyshope Ave. in Hartford.

The GHPA's 2015 season kicks off at 6:30 p.m., with Attorney Deron Freeman (led by Tobin Carberry and a host of players from Central Connecticut) facing Pauly Chute Slamm (which will be led by a pair of terrific New Haven guards past and present -- Bobby Moore and Tremont Waters. Waters, a UConn target, won't be at Wednesday night's game. Stanley Robinson is also on the team).

At 8:15 p.m., New York's Hot 93.7 (last year's scoring champ Doug Herring, Anthony Cox) will face two-time defending champion BJM Law Firm (Ryan Gomes, Keith Cothran, Lamonte Ulmer, Kelvin Davis).

Other top players expected to compete in the 11-team league include Jerome Dyson, Doug Wiggins and A.J. Price. The league could get some special guest appearances: on Aug. 1-2, Nate Robinson is expected to play. Other possible players throughout the summer could include Andre Drummond, Rudy Gay, Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb and Wes Matthews.

And, as always, several current UConn players are expected to play throughout the summer.

Just had a nice conversation with Sterling Gibbs, who, if you don't know by now, chose to transfer to UConn on Saturday evening after two seasons at Seton Hall.

Seems like a very impressive young man who wants to put his disappointing past season at the Hall behind him -- particularly an incident involving Villanova's Ryan Arcidiacono that looked ugly at first, but wound up being a learning experience thanks to the impressive way both Gibbs and Arcidiacono handled the aftermath.

Here are some snippets of what he had to say.

(why did he choose UConn)

"Overall, the coaches. It's a great coaching staff, great players, a seasoned team. Everything Coach Ollie has dealt with as far as guards. It's a UConn tradition, everything their guards have done throughout the years."

"My favorite player has always been Marcus Williams. I used to watch all his games, even when he was on the Nets. The way he dished the ball and was also able to score a little bit. And, of course, Kemba (Walker) and Shabazz (Napier).

(on his role with UConn)

"I'm a point guard, 100-percent. I can score the ball, and the fact that I'm able to score, sometimes people may try to say, 'He's a combo, a two-guard.' But I'm a point guard who can score, and at the same I'm I'm able to get my teammates involved."

(on his visit)

"I was able to spend a little bit of time with those guys, just seeing how important winning is to them. Also knowing some of them beforehand."

Gibbs said he's known Rodney Purvis for a while and spent a good part of his visit with him.

(on what UConn can do this season)

"I think UConn can be really good. The sky's the limit. It's not like anything's gonna be given to us. I know Coach Ollie's gonna push us to the limit, make sure we all jell together as one family, as a brotherhood."

(on why reporters had him committing to UConn a week ago, and then again early Saturday afternoon before his actual commitment)

"To be completely honest, I don’t even know. It was a surprise to me. Obviously, I had no clue where I was going last week. I was completely undecided, going back and forth, trying to figure things out. When a reporter said I committed to UConn, I was like 'Whatever.'"

"I think after my visit, I wanted to talk it over with my parents and everyone, make sure it was the right fit. I truly believe it was the right fit, because of the coaching staff, how it was presented to us. The whole plan of what they see for the future, and the whole opportunity to be able to win, go to the NCAA tournament, hopefully, and do some big things."

UConn begins AAC tourney play Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. at the XL Center. Here's what Kevin Ollie, Ryan Boatright and Amida Brimah had to say after practice on Wednesday:

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on the "formula" to making a long postseason run)



(on Amida Brimah winning AAC defensive player of the year award)

"Sometimes we tell Amida he needs to rebound a little more, because he tries to block every shot. I think the Temple game, he gave up a couple of offensive rebounds because he got himself out of position. Other than that, he’s a monster back there. We don’t want him to try to block and go help everybody. That means we’re not playing good defense.”

“To have the big fella back there, not even blocking every shot but deterring every shot ... we just need him to rebound a little bit more. I told him one rebound in 28 minutes is unacceptable. To be the defensive player of the year, you’ve got to finish possessions with rebounds.”

(on whether Brimah needs to be more assertive on offense, or if his teammates need to look for him more)

“A little bit of both. He’s got to go in there and post up hard, make himself available, create his shots. All my coaches used to always tell me, when the shot goes up, that’s a pass to you. You’ve got to go get a rebound, you’ve got to involve yourself in the game. That’s running up and down the court. We had plenty of fast-break opportunities.”

(on playing in front of the home crowd)

“It’s an added shot in the arm. You get down, or you get up, you hear the crowd going, it gives you a boost of energy. But we’re not gonna say we’re gonna win the AAC tournament because we’re in front of our home crowd. We saw in Memphis, the quarterfinals last year, we beat them in front of about 17,000 people. So, we’ve been on the other end of that.”

Ollie noted that Sam Cassell, Jr. won't be available Thursday night.


BOATRIGHT:

(on the need for other guys to step up)

“We’ve got two players, Daniel and Rodney, that can do that, easy. We’re playing 4-on-3 sometimes. It should be easy to get the basket. I told them, in order for us to go far, you’re gonna have to do that. They took it positively, and these last few days, they’ve been working extremely hard and having the right attitude.”

(on what it would mean to win the AAC tourney)

"A lot. It’s my last year. It could possibly be my last game every time we step out there on the floor. It means a lot and the team obviously because we want to make the tournament. In order to do that, we’ve got to win four straight."

(why is it possible)

"We beat every team that we’re going to face in this tournament. We beat them where we’re playing at, the XL. We should be confident going into those games knowing that we beat the teams that we’re facing already, we beat them where we’re playing at. And you should just have confidence in yourself, period. We’re good players and a good team, we’ve just got to go out there and show that.

(on memories of watching UConn's five-game run to Big East tourney title in 2011)

"I got in trouble a few times. I went to school late a few times, I watched Kemba and them.
It’s similar. I think they had five games, that’s even tougher, man. It’s kind of similar but we’ve just got to dig down deep and have a lot of pride. It’s going be tiring. There’s going to be some ups and downs, but we’ve got to stay together and keep fighting."

onestly, I haven’t watched USF lately. … We know they’re going to come in here and play hard. They’re not going to lay down. We need to go in there and take care of business.

(on talking to his teammates after calling them out a bit after Saturday's loss)

"We had a real long film session and we watched every clip, one by one. Then we watched the last five minutes and the first five minutes… I just told them they’re even going to come out showing that they’re going to take me out of the game and we’re going to figure it out from there. Or they’re going to go out and try to play us straight up and once I get to going off they’re eventually going to try to take me out of the game.

"I just told guys that’s your sign to step up. That’s your time to know that, ok, we’re going to let boat get us rest and we’re going to take over the game. We’ve got two, Daniel and Rodney, that can do that easily. We’re playing 4 on 3 at times, and it should be easy for you to get a basket."

"I told them in order for us to go far, you’re going to have to do that. They took it positively. These last few days they’ve been working extremely hard and have the right attitude."

(playing at the XL Center)

"It helps a lot. I’ve been saying it all year, we’re a totally different team at XL and at home than we are on the road, especially XL. We’ve been playing extremely well at XL this year. It has a lot to do with the crowd."
AMIDA BRIMAH:

(on winning defensive player of the year, other stuff)

Kevin Ollie and Geno Auriemma entertained a crowd of about 450 at the Oakdale Theater on Tuesday night. (First time I've been to the Oakdale, by the way, though I hear the acoustics are good for concerts. May have to make a point of coming back).

Anyway, here's a little of what Ollie had to say:



“We’re gonna have good chemistry. That’s what we work on, first and foremost. Then, everything else follows after that. We’re just trying to build them up from the neck up, then we’ll worry about the neck down. It starts with mental toughness, because that’s what it takes to be a champion. We want to win a championship every day. If they can do that, ultimately we’ll be where we need to be at the end of the season.”

(comparing Ryan Boatright to his point guard predecessors)

“They’re loyal to the program: Kemba was loyal, Shabazz was loyal, and Ryan is real loyal to the program and wanting to see the program succeed. When you have that common thread between the three of them, they all want to see UConn be the best university it possibly can be.”

Ollie said that the team has mostly been practicing in its new facility, and had its first scrimmage on Saturday. He said the team is healthy and ready to go, though Ryan Boatright and Amida Brimah have each sat out a few practices with foot soreness lately. Not a big deal, it seems.

Speaking of the new facility, its official dedication ceremony will be held on Friday from 4-6 p.m., prior to First Night festivities. New Haven's own Tremont Waters, as well as UConn commits Steve Enoch, Jalen Adams are expected to be in attendance at First Night.

So on Friday, just before the Huskies put an official exclamation point on their incredible 2013-14 season with the unfurling of dual championship banners at First Night, the program will unveil the symbol of its positive future, as well.

Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Andre Drummond, Ben Gordon and Rudy Gay are among the former UConn greats expected to participate in the seventh Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game on Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Other likely participants: Richard Hamilton, Caron Butler, DeAndre Daniels, Khalid El-Amin, Donyell Marshall, Donny Marshall, Charlie Villanueva, Scott Burrell, Taliek Brown, A.J. Price, Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, John Gwynn, Lyman DePriest and Rod Sellers. Shabazz Napier is a "hopeful" at this point, we're told.

Howie Dickenman will coach one team and Tom Moore will coach the other. Kevin Ollie won't play, but instead will help assist Dickenman's team. Jim Calhoun, of course, will be there, as well (provided he doesn't take any bike rides earlier in the day). Typically, he floats around to both benches during the game.

Players on all four of UConn's national championship teams will be represented. Also in the house will be the four national championship trophies, on display up on the concourse.

The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Ticket are $12 to $25 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster at 800-345-7000, at Ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun box office. All proceeds will benefit the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health. Since 1999, the game has raised more than $6.5 million for cardiology research and life-saving care.

Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Rip Hamilton, Rudy Gay and Shabazz Napier are among the former UConn stars expected to play at this year's Jim Calhoun Charity Classic game on Aug. 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Also expected to be in attendance are: Ben Gordon, DeAndre Daniels, Jeremy Lamb, Donyell Marshall, Donny Marshall, Charlie Villanueva, A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Taliek Brown and Scott Burrell.

The annual Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game will be held on Friday, Aug. 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Many of the stars from UConn's national championship teams are expected to attend, including Ray Allen, Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. The only marquee name that might not be able to play as of now is Emeka Okafor, who is dealing with a neck injury.

Here's the press release:

NCAA Champion and Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun is hosting an NBA sanctioned alumni all-star basketball game this summer – the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game presented by Milestone Wines – as part of the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic.

Many of Coach Calhoun's greatest players will return for the seventh Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game. It will be a special night in Connecticut basketball history when stars from four national championship teams take the floor and compete against each other. Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Kevin Ollie, Donyell Marshall, Khalid El-Amin, Doron Sheffer, and Rudy Gay among others, have played in past charity games at Mohegan Sun.

The game will be played at 7:30PM at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, August 8, 2014. Proceeds from the game and the entire Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic will benefit The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

“Once again, I'm excited about bringing the Connecticut Basketball family back together for this game. It is a great way for me to reconnect with many of my former players, and I know they look forward to gathering together and playing in front of their longtime fans. As important, I'm so pleased that proceeds from the game will go to fight America’s number #1 killer – heart disease,” said Basketball Hall of Famer and Three-Time National Champion Collegiate Coach Jim Calhoun.

Since 1999, the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic has raised more than $6.5 million for cardiology research and life-saving care at The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

The charity game’s title sponsor is Mohegan Sun and it is presented by Milestone Wines in association with XFINITY.

Tickets are $12 to $25 and go on sale Friday, June 13th at 10:00AM. To purchase game tickets, call Ticketmaster at800.345.7000, go to Ticketmaster.com, or visit the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

For more information about the 2014 Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game presented by Milestone Wines and the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic, please call the event’s organizers, Gold, Orluk & Partners, at 860.674.1500 or visit the event website at www.calhounallstargame.com.

Cushing Academy coach Barry Connors seems like a real straight-shooter, not a coach prone to exaggeration and over-hyping his players.

But Connors can barely contain himself when talking about Jalen Adams, the Class of 2015 combo guard who recently led Cushing to a second straight New England Class AA Prep title.

"I'm not telling you he's the best player in the country, that's not my point, but the game comes to him easier than anyone else," Connors said. "He's just in the right spot. If there's a loose ball, it ends up in his hands. We need a rebound, he gets it. He's got that 'it' factor. He's had, like, six game-winning shots the last two years."

Sound like someone we know? In fact, Adams hails from the same Roxbury neighborhood as Shabazz Napier.

Perhaps Adams' best-known game-winner came in the New England Class AA championships a year ago, when he hit a 35-footer at the buzzer to beat St. Andrew's for the title. This past season, Adams had 20 points, 19 rebounds (remember, he's listed at 6-2, but more like 6-1) and nine assists in a semifinal win over St. Andrew's. He hit a putback with eight seconds left to give Cushing its first lead of the game.

"He's a perfect UConn guard, no doubt about it," said Connors. "Kemba, Shabazz -- he kinda plays like them. Their style and system fits him. He knows that, too. UConn's very high on his list, and that has a lot to do with it. He's mentioned he likes the guys. (Karl) Hobbs has been up here quite a bit, he likes him. He's gotten to know Kevin (Ollie) a little bit and he likes him, too. He mentioned that he likes the staff, likes the way they use their guards. He fits."

Adams has predictably received many offers. Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Providence are among those who seem to have a lot of interest. But it appears that two schools stand atop his list: UConn and Kansas.

"To be honest with you, they're the ones," said Connors. "You can tell by what he says, how he responds. They're the ones high on his list right now."

Connors said Adams will play out the summer for Mass Rivals AAU before making his decision. The coach seems like a real straight-shooter, not one prone to exaggeration. But he's coached the Pressey brothers (Matt and Phil), Syracuse-bound Kaleb Joseph and other top-notch players over the past several years, and ...

"Jalen's the best of 'em all. He's an incredible athlete, he can jump out of the gym, his arms are crazy-long. He doesn't play 6-1/6-2 at all. I've never seen anything like this kid. He's got the 'it' factor. He just makes winning plays. The ball just ends up in his hands -- loose balls, rebounds, deflections."

A few off-the-beaten-path notes heading into Friday's UConn-Iowa State Sweet 16 game at Madison Square Garden:

As we documented in a story back in December, Shabazz Napier was already Shabazz-ing other opponents long before he enrolled at UConn. He was hitting clutch shots and having big games at Lawrence Academy and at Charlestown High prior to his Husky career.

In fact, in a game against Tilton School as a senior, Napier went for 36 points in an 88-85 overtime win on the road. One of Tilton's star players? Georges Niang.

Yes, we know Niang won't be playing for Iowa State tonight, but just found that interesting.

*** Kemba Walker had a lot of interesting things to say about this year's UConn team in this New York Post story the other day. One thing I'm not sure I'd heard before was the following:

Walker recalled how Jim Calhoun raged at Napier at halftime of the NCAA championship against Butler.

“We weren’t playing so great, and Coach Calhoun kind of got into Shabazz a little bit, and the way he came out in that second half and responded, it was a cool thing to watch. Coach Calhoun, during that time, he hadn’t really got into anyone the way he got into Shabazz that day, and it was kind of cool to see how Shabazz reacted. He didn’t get down, he got better. He sparked us in that second half, and that was why we were able to go on and win that championship game.”
I didn't get a chance to ask Shabazz about that yesterday, as he was too busy answering the same questions, over and over, from national and New York media about staying with the UConn program, playing at the Garden, etc., etc. But I did ask Tyler Olander if he recalled the halftime outburst by Calhoun at Shabazz, and here's what he had to say:

"I remember him laying into a couple of guys. I don't remember him specifically singling out anyone, but he said a couple of guys really need to step it up if we're going to win this game. I think Shabazz and Jeremy (Lamb) knew he was talking to them, they've got to step it up, take a little pressure off Kemba so he'd be able to create and they can get involved in the flow of the game."

"(Calhoun) was in there, throwing markers and all that stuff. We were like, 'Hey,' I thought we were doing decent, we're winning the game, doing alright. That's just Coach Calhoun. That wasn't enough. We had to dominate, we could do better."

*** Wouldn't it be amazing if, somehow, Omar Calhoun were to make some sort of big contribution for UConn on Friday, right here in his hometown of New York? Especially after this most disappointing sophomore season? Calhoun tells me his future is at UConn. We shall see.

*** No doubt, there will be no shortage of New York City bars where Husky fans can congregate for Friday's game. There's even a UConn pre-game pep rally from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Affinia Manhattan Ballroom on 371 7th Ave. (31st and 7th, just a block from the Garden).

There'll even be a Husky Hangout/Game Watch on Saturday at The Thirsty Fan on 254 W. 31st St., across from the Garden, for those who want to watch the UConn women's game against BYU.

And, against all odds, there's apparently an Iowa State bar in NYC, too:

Who knew?

The AAC's all-conference teams and all-rookie team (or, as I like to call them, almost exact replicas of my predictions on Sunday) were released Tuesday morning. Shabazz Napier was a unanimous first-team all-conference pick, while Amida Brimah made the all-rookie team.

2014 American Athletic Conference All-Conference First Team

Sean Kilpatrick, G, Cincinnati *

Shabazz Napier, G, UConn *

Montrezl Harrell, F, Louisville

Russ Smith, G, Louisville *

Nic Moore, G, SMU

2014 American Athletic Conference All-Conference Second Team

Isaiah Sykes, G, UCF

Justin Jackson, F, Cincinnati

TaShawn Thomas, F, Houston

Shaq Goodwin, F, Memphis

Joe Jackson, G, Memphis

Markus Kennedy, F, SMU

2014 American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team

Amida Brimah, C, UConn

Terry Rozier, G, Louisville

Austin Nichols, F, Memphis *

John Egbunu, C, USF

Chris Perry, F, USF

The conference’s major individual awards – Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man Award and Sportsmanship Award – will be presented at Wednesday’s awards luncheon at the Gibson Guitar Factory in advance of the first American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship.

Napier could win Player of the Year. Or he may not. Or maybe he'll share it with Kilpatrick and/or Smith. I feel Napier should win at least a share of the award, but Napier himself isn't worrying about it.

“I don’t care. I’m more vested in winning championships," he said. "I’m not into individual awards. I’d rather win a championship.”

When it was pointed out that Kemba Walker didn't win Big East Player of the Year, Napier pointed out, “They gave it to Jimmer (Fredette) that year. Kemba was happy to have a championship that Jimmer doesn’t have. It’s OK.”

He was referring to national Player of the Year, of course. But point well-taken. And, it should be noted, that Ben Hansborough did win Big East Player of the Year over Walker in 2011.

Who would Napier vote for?

“It’s definitely up in the air. I think Sean Kilpatrick definitely played well. But he had a lot of help with Justin Jackson. Russ Smith definitely played well, Nic Moore as well. He definitely turned that team around. Different individuals. The big thing is consistency.”

Tyler Olander and Niels Giffey on their respective UConn careers. Tomorrow night is their last home game.

Olander's story may be the most intriguing of all, going from a starting freshman on the national title team to a senior getting little playing time, with arrests, bad rapping and scattered playing time in between.

OLANDER:

"Just looking back on the four years, the ups and downs, good and bad, it's been so fun and enjoyable, so many life lessons from so many different people. It's just been an unbelievable ride. Tomorrow night will definitely be emotional."

(on being a leader to younger big men)

"They're playing well ... I know we have pieces where we can make a good run in March. I just thought, a while back, what can I do? How can I help this team win? I'm not getting a lot of playing time. It's just helping these guys be the best they can be, so when they're out there, we've got the best team we can out there. I took a leadership role like that, and it's been successful so far ... I think that's what UConn basketball is all about. We have guys come back all the time and shed their wisdom on us. It's only right to continue to do that."

(on the team bonding through tough times)

"We've been through it all together, we really love what this program is all about. We love this school, the people involved in the program, the bond that we've had is one that probably will carry on for probably a lifetime. Just to think about that alone, to share this night tomorrow with these guys, will be something I wouldn't want to do with any other group."

"We stuck with it, ups and downs, for the love of basketball and for the love of each other, this university, the UConn family. That makes it all worth it."

(on Shabazz)

"He's unbelievable. Day-in, day-out, the transformation of him as a person behind the scenes has been unbelievable. He's grown so much. It's hard to put it into words, the things that he's done on the court, and his growth off the court has been even more remarkable."

(highlights of his career)

"Scoring the first points of the Final Four and (national championship) game are things you can definitely hold onto. Getting that ring, the run that we had in the Big East tournament ... there are so many memorable moments, more just of the team than myself. When 'Bazz hit that shot this year (against Florida), all the things that Kemba did, the adversity that we faced last year, not playing for anything but each other -- things like that, the bonds that I've created with these people and the reasons why are what I'll hold most (over) on-court performances."



(on learning from mistakes)

"Realizing your goals and knowing things you can and can't do to reach them. When you play Division 1 athletics, you're not a regular college student. When you play UConn basketball, you're far from a regular college student. So, just learning lessons like that will help me, I think, in the future ... whatever that will hold."

NIELS GIFFEY:

(on Shabazz)

"I remember he had this little rat-tail, and he had glasses on. I had just met Tyler in the dorm room and Shabazz popped in, said hello, introduced himself."

"It was an amazing start. At that point, we didn't realize what great leaders we had on the team -- Kemba, Charles and Donnell. At this point, we're just trying to carry that over to this season. I'm just getting a little emotional about it."

"It's just a sign that we really wanted to be here, we wanted to be at UConn, we wanted to be nowhere else. It wasn't always about ourselves or about our situation, but sticking with the program that gave us a chance to do all this, to win a national championship. I hope people see that."

(on his future in basketball)

"I think there's always going to be a good spot for me back home, but maybe I can play somewhere else. I like it in the U.S."

Khalid El-Amin and the 1999 UConn national championship team each were inducted into the Huskies of Honor at halftime Sunday. Richard Hamilton, who hasn't come back to UConn a whole lot over the last 15 years, was in the house, along with the other four starters on the title team (El-Amin, Kevin Freeman, Jake Voskuhl and Ricky Moore) as well as Souleymane Wane, Beau Archibald, coaches Karl Hobbs, Tom Moore and, of course, Jim Calhoun.

Here's what Hamilton had to say:

 “The biggest thing I remember from that game is coach’s attitude at the beginning of the game. Usually, he was always on pins and needles. That was the first game he came in and told us, just relax and play. I think that really, really was the big thing for us, beacuse we really believed we could win the game. We thought we were the best team in the country. We thought Duke was getting all the praise, but we didn’t mind that. It was something exciting for us. I think when Khalid had the ball, running, and they were playing that ‘One Shining Moment’ song, and he was running with the ball, with his hands up, I think that’s the memory that sticks in my head.”

(on seeing Duke players over the years)

“They can’t even look me in my face. That’s how I like it ... to beat them – especially now, playing in the NBA and they've got so many great players in the NBA – you played against them and competed. I’m always hard on them, like, ‘Hey, you never beat (us), regardless of all the praise y’all got, whether you got the Wooden Award or not. We got the ring at the end.'”

“We were undefeated until the game that I sat out. I got hurt, Jake got hurt, and it was good that we actually lost that game, because it kind of gave us motivation to come out and play even harder. We came out and lost on Senior Night – I think it was Miami, here in Gampel. Coach came in and said, ‘Don’t think you’re as good as you are.’ We really had to go out and finish the work and we did.”

(on possibly still hooking up with an NBA team)

“I just want to go to the right team. I want to be on a team that has an opportunity to win. I don’t just want to be out there, going through the motions or anyting like that. I want to be in a situation where I can get an opportunity to get another ring. That’s how you build your legacy.”

(on Calhoun and SMU's Larry Brown both in Gampel on Sunday)

“Isn’t that crazy? You’ve got my two favorite coaches of all time in the same building. Both guys that I got an opportunity to win a championship with. That’s crazy. It’s one of those magic moments, something that couldn’t be planned or anything like that. It’s exciting for me.”

(on why he decided to return to UConn after '98 season)

“You know what it was? I put all my eggs in coach’s basket. I had one foot on the university campus and one foot out the door, and I put all my trust into coach Calhoun. Everything he told me in his office … after that 3-4 hour conversation that day, came true. When you’re 20 years old, sometimes you think people are just talking to be talking. But everything he told me came true.”

(on this year's UConn team)

“I think that KO’s done an excellent job. It’s hard to follow coach Calhoun. That’s huge pressure. But I thought that he came in and really put his spin on things. The guys respond to him very well. You can look at his record for the last two years. One thing I can look at with UConn, we always have great guard play. The guards have been doing great, doing a tremendous job of leading the team.”

Jim Calhoun:

“Of all the things I've done in my coaching career, I’ll never forget walking into this building in 1999 – the trip over, I still describe as probably the most remarkable trip, I have no idea how many people were on 84, they stopped cars, they were on buildings. Coming up here on 195 was absolutely incredible. But still, walking into this building, after the disappointment of nine years before, and this time having the hardware in my hands, is still the highest moment of my coaching career.”

“I always thought we were better when we had to dig our way back. But I always thought we had more experience, we were tougher. (Duke) could’ve been, if they had stayed together one more year – or if they hadn’t met us – been one of the greatest teams ever.”

“If you ever look back at the teams we played, the teams we beat – pretty special. Without injuries, you could make a case for 36-0. Is it the greatest team? I don’t know. But it was the best ‘team’, in the sense that they all worked with each other. Both point guards could pass, shoot, well, not Khalid, but defend. We had great answers, with Edmund, Souley, Albert Mouring. That was just a terrific basketball team.”

“When we lost to Carolina in Carolina, they went to the Final Four, we didn’t, they stayed together and it was just one of those kind of things. We had, without knowing, our eyes on the prize in ’98 to get to ’99."

“The first one is special. It was special for UConn. I don’t know if, like anything else in life, you can’t duplicate that first time. So, that makes it special. Is it better? No. I love watching Kemba making four foul shots to win, getting 31 last night to beat the Grizzlies. Watching any kind of those great things, that’s all great stuff, too. But, you can’t duplicate walking up here and bringing back that trophy. That’s not gonna be replicated in my lifetime or anybody else’s lifetime.”

 Kevin Ollie from practice Friday, in advance of Saturday's AAC bout with Central Florida in Storrs:

(on UCF’s Isaiah Sykes)

“He’s been putting up big numbers … he’s a walking triple-double. We’ve got to limit his touches. He loves to drive left and finish left. We’re going to have to squeeze paint.”

(on what team did better against Harvard)

“We stayed connected, believed in each other. When one man was out of position, another guy had his back, playing high-level defense. Offensively, it was a challenge. They slowed the ball down, and sometimes when you come down after a 35-second possession, you want to rush a shot.”

(on The American)

“Every team is good. These teams are good. They can come and beat you at any time. If you’re not ready to play at Level-5, they’re going to beat you. That’s where I want my teams to play at … Anybody can get beat.”

(on what Amida Brimah can do to avoid foul trouble)

“Most big men get fouls on not keeping vertical … He’s learned how to be vertical … We don’t want him to hand-check, where he’s getting a lot of silly fouls. I like a foul where he’s banging on the boards and he’s called for an offensive rebound (vs. Harvard), which wasn’t an offensive foul or over-the-back. I like those type of fouls … We want him to be on the floor a lot more.”

(on Shabazz Napier playing a lot of minutes)

“He’s a competitor,he wants to play. Kemba’s played a lot of minutes, too. You’ve got to know when to pick and choose your spots. He worked out before the season started with the soccer team, so I think he’s in phenomenal shape, the best shape he’s ever been in … He’s not 41, like I am. He’s a young man, and he’s got a lot of basketball ahead of him.”

(on Omar Calhoun, Phil Nolan)

“(They’ve) just got to keep working hard, play Level-5 on the defensive end. The guys in front of them are playing well. Lasan’s playing well, Niels is playing well, Amida … they’ve got to put the hard decision on me, keep playing your game, try to improve on a lot of things people don’t see. With Phil, I think the sickness took a lot of weight off him, he didn’t have the stamina he once did. Omar’s got to play defense, stay solid.”

I always find it fun to look back and see what was being said about UConn players back when they were being recruited or had just committed to the Husky program.

And with Shabazz Napier finally starting to generate the national buzz that he deserved last season, what better time to hark back to the blog files on when Napier first became a Husky.

*** Napier made his unofficial visit to UConn on Feb. 28, 2010, taking in the Huskies' 78-76 loss to Louisville at Gampel. Josh Selby was slated to visit that day, too, but had "car trouble." Later, after committing to Kansas, Selby was found to have received improper benefits and was suspended the first nine games of the 2010-11 season.

*** Napier committed to UConn on April 2, 2010. West Virginia, Florida, Miami and Memphis were among the other schools offering him scholarships. He was listed as Class of 2011 at the time, and he was attending Lawrence Academy. The hope was that he would be able to re-classify, however, and he did so after transferring back to Charlestown High (where he spent his first three years) late in the school year and graduating from there.

I found out later that day that Napier had, indeed, re-classified to 2010. It's funny, reading the comments on my blog from that day (back in the days before Twitter, when people still commented on my blog), there was so much concern that signing Napier meant the Huskies were going to miss out on Brandon Knight, Cory Joseph and Selby, among others.

All three wound up as one-and-dones, and none of them have an NCAA championship ring.

*** Kevin Wiercinski, Napier's coach at Lawrence Academy, had a lot of good things to say about him at the time of his commitment. A couple of quotes stand out:

"He’s a good kid and an exciting player, that’s for sure. He's probably one of the more dynamic point guards around. He's exciting athletically: as quick as they come, handles the ball real well, right hand/left hand, and he's a very good shooter with excellent range. He makes all the open ones and the tough ones, too. He's got a real ability to warm up in a hurry. And he's such a great penetrator."

"He's really dynamic on the offensive end, and you add that to how instinctual he is, his anticipation is off the charts, and he's a real gamer. When the chips are down, he doesn't shy away from that stuff at all."

Some things never change.

*** I thought this rivals.com post, linked to my blog at around the time of Napier's commitment, was very telling: "Napier eventually would nail 11 threes, and looked the part of a big time player. Most of Napier's shots were created by himself, and he was even well defended, but still there was nothing that could have been done."

*** Napier held a press conference to sign his national letter-of-intent on April 22, 2010, up at the Tobin Community Center in Boston's Mission Hill section. Me and the J-I's (then Connecticut Post's) Neill Ostrout went up for it, and I posted this blog entry (I really wish the video was still working. And no, the link doesn't work anymore, either.)

Anyway, it was obvious from the start that Napier didn't lack for confidence.

My favorite quote that day, after Napier was asked about being able to play with Kemba Walker for a season:

“He’s a great player. He’s fast, I’m fast. We’ve played against each other, it’s hard. I think it’s going to be good, because he can teach me some certain things, and I guess I can teach him how to shoot better.”

Hey, guess it worked, no?

Some notes and quotes off Friday night's stirring 2K Sports Classic championship victory:

*** Shabazz Napier hit 10 baskets. Seven of them either tied the game or gave UConn the lead, including three over the final 4:21. He scored eight of the Huskies' final 11 points and 27 overall.

The kid is clutch.

“That’s that Mission Hill coming out of him, that Boston," said Kevin Ollie. "He’s just a fighter, he’s just a warrior. He never gets down on himself, and I told him, he has a special gift. For him to really get to that next level, he’s got to start giving away his gift. That’s what he did.”

“It’s not all about the buckets, it’s the leadership he’s providing right now. He didn’t do that early on in his career. Now, he’s doing it. It’s just a great thing.”

“When he steps up, it’s money in the bank. Especially when he’s going left and he can get that pull-up. He’s so herky-jerky with his dribble, it kind of throws guys off.”

“We had seven overtime games last year and we won five of them and he was a big part of that, making 3’s. He just relishes the moment. Some people run away from the moments, he embraces them. It’s just a special quality to have as a young man, and a special quality to have on the basketball court.”

Tyler Olander: “I think he’s proven that ever since he was a freshman, sophomore he hit a game-winner against Villanova. Last year in overtimes, he was unreal. This is another case where, when it matters most, he steps up and puts us on his back.”

That's the thing: Napier was Kemba-clutch last season, as well, but it was all largely under the radar, as UConn spent the season in some sort of postseason-less purgatory.

*** Here's what Napier had to say afterwards:

(on his charging foul with 22 seconds left)

“It was a bonehead play for me, I should have passed it. I don’t think it was a charge. Yogi fell, and I was going towards the basket. With the new hand-checking rules, it’s supposed to be a foul on Yogi. But, the ref called it an offensive foul, and I had to change my mindset and try to get a stop. Sometimes, you get bad calls, sometimes you miss free throws when you need it. It’s all a part of the game.”

(on being compared to Kemba Walker)

"That's my brother. I try to emulate everything that he does, but also put my type of talent and skills on it. I’m not trying to be him, those are some hard shoes to fill. I’m just trying to be Shabazz. If I go out there and play the way I play, minus the free throws and minus the turnovers, I think I should be good.”

(on his seven turnovers and 3-for-7 foul shooting (5-for-his-last-11 dating back to the final 30 seconds of Thursday's win over BC)

“Honestly, when I miss free throws, that’s one thing I worry about most, other than turnovers. When I miss ‘em, sometimes my head wanders off and Coach Ollie’s there to tell me to forget about it, it happens. Today I just forgot aabout it, even though I missed a ton of them. I just told myself that my team needs me and I went out there, made some plays, my teammates gave me the ball in right opportunities, and I was fortunate enough to make the play.”

*** It felt had the feel of a Friday night Big East tournament game. The crowd of 10,051 was loud and electric -- and, seemingly, about 70-percent Hoosier fans.

“When I come to games, I just see a lot of blue-and-white," said Napier. "I don’t hear any other fans or anybody else, I see a lot of blue-and-white.”

*** Late in the game, it appeared Indiana coach Tom Crean was yelling at the officials that Ollie was too far out of the coach’s box.

*** With the 2K Sports Classic championship, UConn has now won 20 in-season tournaments over the years: 13 Connecticut Mutual Classic, two Maui Invitationals, two Paradise Jams, one ECAC Holiday Festival, one Orange Bowl Festival and now this one.

*** See-saw affair: Friday’s game featured eight ties and 13 lead changes.

*** Indiana freshman Noah Vonleh, a major UConn recruiting target, was in foul trouble all night and wound up scoreless with two rebounds. He also missed the game’s last shot at the buzzer, after the Hoosiers inbounded to him with .7 seconds left on the clock.

Spoke briefly with Sam Cassell, Jr., who committed to UConn today, while he was in between classes down at Chipola College. He said his visit to UConn the weekend of Sept. 21 (attending the Michigan game, etc.) was what made him want to be a Husky.

“When I went on my visit, I just felt at home," he said. "It felt like the place for me.”

Seeing so many ex-players return that weekend for Jim Calhoun's tribute dinner (Rudy Gay, Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, etc.) opened his eyes, too.

“That was great, to see a lot of players come back.”

UConn sees Cassell, Jr. as a point guard, but he's an excellent scorer off the ball, as well.

"I think I can fit in great," he said. "I know if I want to make money playing basketball, I've got to be a point guard. Coach Ollie said I'll be in a lot of point guard situations, but whatever guard gets (the ball), go. Up-and-down, fast-paced."

 

Cassell, Jr.'s dad, of course, made a lot of money playing basketball, spending 16 seasons in the NBA and winning three titles (two with Houston and one, in 2008, with the Celtics in his final year).

Cassell was a teammate of Ollie's for a year-and-a-half with Milwaukee, and dad had good words for his son regarding the UConn coach.

"He definitely spoke highly of him," Cassell, Jr. noted. "They played together, so he knows him. Me having a good relationship with my dad, Coach Ollie having a good relationship with my dad, that's big."

Cassell, Jr. said that "everything is good" with his academics down at Chipola. In fact, the reason he didn't play basketball last season at the junior college was to concentrate on his grades.

Apparently, Kemba Walker recently got his own park in the Bronx.

Kemba Walker recently got his own park by Sack Werns Projects in the Bronx. Looks great fresh and clean. http://t.co/5Da8pe4qnC #NYCHA #NBA
— The Basketball Diary (@TheBBallDiary) September 24, 2013

Certainly can't hurt UConn's recruiting in New York City, one would think.