From left to right: Billups, Jordan, Griffin, Paul, and Butler

This year, another “super team” has arrived in the NBA: the Los Angeles Clippers. After putting in a lot of effort, the Clippers picked up a star player of their own from the New Orleans Hornets, the best point guard in the NBA, Chris Paul. The question is though, do the Clippers, a subpar team the year before, have what it takes to reach the Finals on their first try? Many fans are skeptical, but with Chris Paul on the team, nothing is impossible.

In the two preseason games Chris Paul has played as a Clipper, they have been playing some exciting basketball! Paul has been distributing the ball very well and the other members of the team (which include all-stars Blake Griffin, Chauncey Billups, and Caron Butler) have been taking advantage of Paul’s tremendous passing ability. As a result, the Clippers have looked very strong offensively and have been making some jaw dropping plays.

The biggest thing the Clippers have going for them is that the players are in synch, largely due to the veteran leadership of Paul, Billups, and Butler. On offense, their teamwork has often looked flawless; Paul, who loves to throw alley hoops, has already connected multiple times with the Clippers’ dunking phenomena, Deandre Jordan and Blake Griffin. Based on way the Clippers played in the NBA preseason, it is safe to say that they are starting the regular season on the right foot. It will be interesting to see how the Clippers fare against their hometown rivals and the former champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.

As strong as the Clippers are offensively, I do not yet think that they are contenders for the championship because of one major factor: defense. While they could arguably be the best offensive team in the league, their defense is not at a high level. On top of that, while they do have solid sixth man, all-star Mo Williams, the rest of their bench consists of young and inexperienced players. However, I am not going to completely write off the Clippers either; I will be shocked if they do not make it to the playoffs this year. They have loads of talent, both young and old, and if they can just pick up a few defense-first type of players, there is great chance that the Clippers will be fighting for the championship in the a few years.

Here’s a video of Chris Paul connecting with DeAndre Jordan:

Q&A

Chris Sleckman with Rich Niemann

This year many of people have seen a new man walking around the building, you can’t miss him. His name is Rich Niemann and he spent his younger days in the NBA. The Detroit Pistons drafted him in 1968. He played in the NBA for 3 seasons before going to the ABA [Americans Basketball Association] and hitting his peak with the Carolina Cougars. He then retired and has been working with chemistry ever since.

Chris Sleckman- How tall are you?

Rich Niemann- 7 feet.

CS- Were you one of the tallest guys in the NBA at 7 feet?

RN- Yes, one of the tallest. In high school I was about 6 feet 10 and there were only about three guys in the whole area who were my height. In college every team had one 7 foot guy. Then in the pros every team had two or three 7 footers. And now every NBA team has somebody who is 7 foot 3 or so. Times have changed since when I played. Most of us really tall guys weren’t amazing athletes, but now the 7 foot plus guys are not only tall, but amazing athletes also.

CS- What is your best memory from your basketball career?

RN- When I played in the ABA [American Basketball Association] for the Carolina Cougars, it just felt good. I was in the best shape of my life and I got a lot of playing time. The people in Carolina really appreciated what we were doing, so that made it really enjoyable.

CS- When did you realize you were going to get drafted?

RN- I started to get information in about January, people would call and ask if I would like to come play for them and of course I said yes.

CS- What was your salary when you were in the NBA?

RN- The minimum when I was in the NBA was around $10,000 a year. I got signed my first year with the Pistons for $16,000. Top draft picks were getting signed for around $33,000 a year, clearly not even close to as much as it is now.

CS- Was it as physical of a game when you played?

RN- Not so much. It is much more physical today. We weren’t as good of athletes as they are now. I never lifted weights during my basketball career.

CS- What shoes did you wear when you played?

RN- We wore Converse All-Stars, which are the shoes kids wear now just to kick around.

CS- Who was the toughest player you ever played against?

RN- It would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I played with him during training camp for the Bucks before I was cut.

CS- What made Kareem the toughest player you ever played against?

RN- He was the new generation player. When I played it was set up and get as strong as you can in the post and then catch the ball do your move. Kareem could dribble, run, jump, and he could shoot from long range, he was the beginning of the next level of basketball.

CS- Why did you retire?

RN- I had an injury and was released from Dallas, and by then I had a wife and child. I had to start looking at my future; I had to do something more normal.

CS- Do you have any regrets about your time in the NBA?

RN- Not at all, I feel very lucky. All of us can say I could have worked harder. But no, I feel very fortunate to have gotten a chance to play.

CS- What do you have to say to kids who aspire to be in the NBA?

RN- Not a lot of people ask me that. I think a lot of people on the Clayton High School team think that is where they want to go, but my answer to the question is first of all, get a good education because you may end up ruining your chance if you don’t score well enough on the ACT. Unless you are just unbelievable like Kevin Durant or LeBron James you really need to have a good education to support you if you don’t make it.

(MCT 2011)

I have really enjoyed watching the University of Kentucky this season. All odds were stacked against them after they lost their five top players to the NBA. Led by freshmen Terrance Jones and Brandon Knight, the Wildcats have the potential to upset the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sweet 16.

Another highly rated team that should be careful of an early upset is the BYU Cougars. Led by scoring machine Jimmer Fredette, the Cougars earned a #3 seed in this year’s tournament. The Cougars looked like a team bound for the Final 4 until forward Brandon Davies was suspended for the rest of the season following misconduct. Davies averaged nearly 12 points per game prior to his suspension. Without Davies, BYU will struggle to compete and will likely be an early exit.

Notre Dame is a team that has proven they belong among the best. The Fighting Irish were not selected to finish in the top half of the Big East coming into the season. They seemed to have answered the call, and earned a #2 seed. The Fighting Irish should be in the Final 4, possibly winning the tournament. Other Big East teams likely to be in the Final 4 include the Pittsburgh Panthers and Syracuse Orange.

Adding to the excitement this year are the new “First Four” games. The NCAA elected to have 68 teams compete for the championship this year, with seeds 65-68 and the four at-large qualifiers competing for a spot in the 64 team bracket. While the likely hood of any of the teams reaching the third round is incredibly slim, every year an underdog emerges.

Last season, Butler defeated #1 seed Syracuse en route to the championship game where they pushed the heavily favored Duke Blue Devils to the limit. This year, Gonzaga has the opportunity to ruin a few brackets. I doubt this happens, but they have the most potential of the lower seeded teams.

Overall, this tournament should be one to remember. Duke is likely to repeat as champions for the first time since 1991/1992.

Three players scored over 20 points as the Hounds prevailed 82-66 over Fort Zumwalt East.

Seniors Christian Thomas led the way with 26 points and 19 rebounds. Senior Ahmad Smith scored 27 and junior Clayton Buchanan added 21 to help the Hounds to improve to 13-2 on the season.

The Hounds play in the CBC tournament semifinal on Wednesday night. A win Wednesday would lead to a Friday night showdown for the tournament championship.

Buchanan encouraged students to come out to support the team.

“We’re fun to watch when we push the ball,” Buchanan said. “Plus, one of these games I am going to throw one down.”

The team has played in two tournaments thus far, finishes with trophies both times. Nonetheless, they do not want to settle for second or third place.

“We have had the chance to win two tournaments and we couldn’t bring back first place,” Buchanan said. “We want to get this one.”

The Greyhounds (7-1) added to the season’s great start with the  64-53 victory over the MICDS Rams (3-3)on Dec. 15.

The Hounds were led by senior combo guard Christian Thomas with 19 points and senior guard Ahmad Smith with 12.

The game carried significance for being the team’s first home game and because MICDS cut Clayton’s state hopes short last year in the district title game.

“Last year’s loss was tough, so it was great to come back and beat them this year,” junior point guard Charlie Harned said.

The Hounds led 38-23 at half, but MICDS was able to keep the game close and cut it the Clayton lead to six in the fourth quarter.

Clayton, ranked fifth among area small schools, is set for a showdown with second-ranked Whitfield (3-1) this Friday at 7 p.m. in Stuber Gymnasium.

Senior guard Devonte Bell dribbles around a screen in the district final game against MICDS. (Caroline Stamp)

In the game, Bell finished with 22 points, tied for a team-high in the loss.  In the semifinals, Bell defeated Westminster with a baseline jumper with just under three seconds to go.  That was the shot that the Hounds always counted on Bell to hit in his time as the starting point guard for the Hounds.
“All four years, he [Bell] was our go-to guy,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.  “It was almost as if we counted on him too much, but he was always up for the challenge.”
Bell’s time as starting point guard was four years long, meaning Bell is the only point guard that Clayton High’s class of 2010 has seen on the court in their four years here.
Bell was a team captain three of those years.
“Devonte had a lot of talent coming in his freshman year, but what really developed over time was his leadership skills,” Luhning said.  “He really started to see the value in working hard all the time.”
Bell finished his career with 1,386 points, and finished this season averaging 15 points per game, second on the team.  As the end started to near, Bell was able to reflect on everything he is going to miss about Clayton basketball.
“I’m really going to miss the bond that this year’s team had and Coach [Mike] Nelke,” Bell said.
Bell’s freshman year was also head coach Ryan Luhning’s first year as a head coach.
“I was here with him his first year, so we have built this connection as a player and it was fun helping him build the Clayton basketball program for four years,” Bell said.
Indeed, Bell gave not only his coaches, but a lot of Clayton students many memories while he was on the court.
“My favorite games that I played in were always the Ladue games, they were a lot of fun and the atmosphere was so intense,” Bell said.
Surely, the team to the west will be quite happy to see Bell graduate.  Especially after his performance at Ladue last year in which he sent the game to overtime with a last second three following a half court heave that he drained at the end of the third quarter.
“The game my junior year against them was probably the best I played all four years,” Bell said.
Bell’s play on the court was noticed by several coaches at the collegiate level and the question now is just where he will be playing college basketball.
For now, he just wants to remember the time he had at Clayton, and surely, Clayton will always remember Devonte Bell and the many contributions he made to the basketball program.  He leaves Clayton with an era that made him one of the best to ever run the court and made Clayton basketball relevant again.

Bob Bone takes a shot as a player for UMSL. Bone, a three-time All-American, played from 1973-1977 and remains UMSL’s scoring and assists leader. (Photo courtesy of Bob Bone)

I first learned of Bone’s career when I was walking around the Mark Twain Athletic Complex at the University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL), attending only for basketball camp.  On one wall, next to all the other UMSL greats, was Bone.  When I asked my dad if this was the same Bob Bone, my dad explained that Bone was one of the greatest college basketball players in his memory.
In four seasons at UMSL, Bone averaged over 26 points per game to score a grand total of 2678 points during his career from 1973 to 1977.  In his senior season, he topped 30 points per game.  In perspective, no Division One player has accomplished the feat of scoring 30 a game this season.  He is not only the leading scorer in UMSL history, but he is also the career assist leader.
Bone attended Collinsville High School in Collinsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis.  He played under legendary coach Vergil Fletcher, who currently has the fourth most wins in Illinois high school basketball history.
“It was a great place to play basketball,” Bone said. “I played for the school which, at the time, had the most wins in high school basketball history.  It was part of great tradition and it was a great program.”
Out of high school, many schools in the Midwest, Division One and Division Two alike, recruited Bone.  For Bone, UMSL offered something other schools did not.
“It gave me the opportunity to start all four years,” Bone said. “They also let me play baseball, which was a big bonus.”
Today, people might question Bone’s decision to attend a Division Two school.  He defended the decision he made almost 40 years ago.
“You never know what could have happened at a big division one school,” Bone said. “I may not have gotten any playing time at a bigger school.  I was also only a kid at the time, and I don’t know if I would have made the same decision today.”
Bone also mentioned that the national scope for college basketball was smaller at the time due to lack of the internet and fewer games broadcasted on television.
Bone immediately became a scorer at UMSL.  Even with no three point line, he averaged over 20 points per game his freshman year.
“Our offense gave me opportunities to shoot, so that’s what I did,” Bone said. “My biggest assets were quickness, speed, determination and mental toughness.”
Bone also excelled on the baseball field at UMSL as a second baseman.  In addition to being picked as an All-American three times for basketball, he was on the All-American team for baseball after his junior year.
“I think the mental toughness helped in both basketball and baseball,” Bone said.
Though Division Two schools normally do play other Division Two schools, a game versus a Division One school is often placed into the schedule.  While Bone was at UMSL he faced Indiana State, a very good Division One team that featured future NBA great Larry Bird.  In a losing effort, Bone scored 38 points, and Bird had 48.
“Playing against Larry Bird was definitely a highlight,” Bone said. “It was a great game.”
After Bone’s senior year, he was given a huge honor for a college basketball player of any level.  He was selected to play in the East-West All Star game.  The twenty top college basketball players were selected from across the country, and Bone was selected as one the players, the only player representing Division Two basketball.
Today, a college player not drafted might decide to play basketball in Europe or try the NBA Development (D) League.  In the 1970s, however, players did not have such options.
“I had the opportunity to attend NBA tryout camps,” Bone said. “However, I received a post-graduate scholarship, and to try out for an NBA team, I would have needed to sacrifice my scholarship.”
His playing career ended after college, but he returned to the game to coach for another 30 years.  After being an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Saint Louis University for a year each, he became head coach at East-Central Jr. College for five years.  From there, he made the move back to Collinsville High School to coach.
“My original plan was to stay in college coaching, but my kids changed my perspective,” Bone said.  “I wanted to see my kids grow up, and being a Division One coach makes this difficult.  Moving to Collinsville to coach was the right move for me at the time.”
Bone noted his time coaching at Collinsville was another highlight of his career.
“I got to see my kids in high school,” Bone said.  “I also had the privilege of coaching both my sons.”
At a big basketball school like Collinsville, the team was expected to perform well.
“Athletics are taken very seriously in Illinois’ high schools, it is a lot different from here,” Bone said.  “We played powerhouse basketball schools featuring future NBA players such as Vince Carter and Darius Miles on a yearly basis.  However, the joy from winning was much less than the pain from losing.  Losses took their toll.”
After coaching for 27 years, Bone stepped down from his position and left Collinsville.  He then joined the Clayton staff as Athletic Director.
“I was done with coaching,” Bone said. “I had coached long enough. Basketball had been such a big part of my life for so long, it was time for me to get out.”
Though he does not plan on going back into coaching in the future, Bone is thankful for basketball having been part of his life.