In one of the most entertaining games all season, definitely the most physical game of the year. Dejuan Blair went not around, but through College Basketball's shot blocking machine Hasheem Thabeet to lead #4 Pitt to a win over #1UConn. Blair proved to be too physical and too strong for Thabeet as he consistently kept his brute force in between Thabeet and the ball. Watching Blair go to work reminds me of what Barkley used to do to taller opponents in the NBA. Bullying his way to the rim against a player who has 7 to 8 inches on him and still managing to finish with a soft shot. His entire Barkley-like arsenal was on full display last night which had to boost his NBA draft projection. It was a national stage all the scouts you'd want at the game if you're a player, It was controlled chaos in the paint last night and Blair thrived in it and Thabeet just couldn't adjust and it might end up costing him some money in the long run.
The game was a old school playground fair-one. You know, pop-sicle stick on each kids shoulder which represents their mothers and both kids knock the stick off the other guys shoulder, now who's going to strike first? Blair took it to Thabeet early and often which put Thabeet in foul trouble all game. Blair ended up with a 20-20 performance which definitely will have a physcological affect on Thabeet when they meet again. At one point, I thought Blair could of broke Thabeet's arm when he ripped away the ball with Thabeets arm stuck in between, Blairs sheer force flipped the 7 foot 3 inch center over his back by his arm. This play summed up for me who wanted it more.
Jim Calhoun complained after the game about the refs letting them play too physical. Last time I checked both teams we're teams that were known for out muscling their opponents. Yes, the refs let the physical play go, but it was both ways. I myself thought the refs had lost the whistles in the 2nd half. But Calhoun shouldn't complain just because his team ran into a team that was more physical than his team. Again, It was called even and his team was home. The real story is that Hasheem Thabeet, coming off of a 20-20 performance, was absolutely punished by Dejuan Blair and only finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. In my assessment Coach Calhoun needs to take the focus off the refs and begin to get his team in the right frame of mind for the next time they play Pitt or risk losing this same game in the Tourney before the game even starts.
That dude from UCONN needs to man up
No way I'd draft him first; if he can get punked by a 6-7 dude in college, imagine what will happen to him in the NBA.
No and that's exactly my point Rob... He just made a lot of scouts job harder this draft season because no on e will forget this game. The problem for him is that he was never even in the game. Like was ineffective against a player a lot smaller than him that played really physical. These guys are every where in the NBA... look at Reggie Evans for the Sixers... he'd be a nightmare for Thabeet. He simply could not find his way out there - I waited like a lot of UConn fans all game for him to assert himself but it didn't look like it was in him. Which is a bigger problem than just having a bad game.