STARTING 5!!!

[SpanglerFan316]

Bill Walker went from being a high school senior to college in the first semester. He helped Kansas State pick up two potential key NCAA Tournament resume wins. And, he looked like he was on the verge of leading the Wildcats and coach Bob Huggins toward a top five finish in the Big 12.

But Walker's work is now done for the season, shelved for the next six to eight months with a ruptured ACL in his left knee, leaving the Wildcats to fend for themselves in the league and in a quest for a bid.

Kansas State sports information director Tom Gilbert confirmed Monday afternoon that an MRI showed Walker's rupture and surgery would be performed some time in the next two weeks. This is the second time Walker suffered an ACL injury, going through the surgery and rehab in his right knee in 2003.

The injury occurred a few minutes into the Wildcats' 69-65 loss at Texas A&M Saturday in College Station, Texas. Walker, who had started five of six games, was third on the team in scoring at 11.3 points a game, second in rebounding at 4.5. He scored 19 points in a win over USC in Las Vegas last month and followed that up with 13 the next night against New Mexico.

The Wildcats host Texas Tech Monday night.

Walker was ruled ineligible prior to the school year at North College Hill High in Cincinnati after it was determined he had already played in eight semesters of high school basketball. Huggins had been recruiting Walker for years, starting off when he was the head coach at Cincinnati. So, once Walker was ineligible, the Wildcats sped up the process and Walker finished his final class he needed to graduate. He then took a standardized test, received a qualifying score and got through the NCAA Clearinghouse in time to be admitted as a part-time student for the final few weeks of the fall semester. He was eligible to play at Kansas State on Dec. 17 against Kennesaw State, and despite only practicing one day, the previous day, he scored 15 points in 22 minutes.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2724691

[McShocker]

Re: What Marshall said

Do you believe that Marshall is a liar? I'm not saying that there are not issues (although he could be here in time to play at UMKC before LSU and UAB), but yes I think GM would start him. Why? Because Marshall said he would.

And Monday, I seem to recall Coach saying that when he gets here, there would be decisions to make. I'll have to wait and see what Coach does. Boy would I love for the kid to get here in shape to play and be able to catch on quick enough to really help.

Coach has backtracked from the statement about starting at least a couple of times since he made it. I would extremely surprised if he has to red-shirt, but I will be equally surprised if he steps into the starting lineup in his first month here.

[Zardoz]

If EO is as good as advertised then we play him this season, cause he's only going to be here two or three seasons. Anyone remember POB from Bradley a season and a half and he was gone. People are already saying NBA potential and he's not even in the states yet. These people are not WSU fans BTW, they are writers from college basketball pubs. I'm not sure when he will start, may not even start this year but he will get lots of minutes. He is an atheletic 7 footer and you just can't teach 7 foot.

[rrshock]

and especially can't teach 7 foot that can move. That's priceless as long as he can semi-jump.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Patrick O Bryan was just tall and that was that. He had a good tournament and was overhyped beyond total comprehension of the word.

[rrshock]

POB did have quite a bit of potential though. He is tall, but is also athletic. He shined on the stage he needed to and it worked for him. I watched him play in St. Louis that year and he flat out dominated. He was more than just tall ASM.

[SubGod22]

I don't expect Ehimen to start at UMKC. But I do expect him to get in and play. By January, he may be starting. This is all based off of reports from others and mostly from Marshall and Schaus.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

POB did have quite a bit of potential though. He is tall, but is also athletic. He shined on the stage he needed to and it worked for him. I watched him play in St. Louis that year and he flat out dominated. He was more than just tall ASM.

He showed alot in the NCAA. Im not trying to knock his accomplishments by any means. But he was not lottery pick worthy and unfortunately that is something that most people will try and throw around when they speak about POB.

[BOBB]

POB did have quite a bit of potential though. He is tall, but is also athletic. He shined on the stage he needed to and it worked for him. I watched him play in St. Louis that year and he flat out dominated. He was more than just tall ASM.

He showed alot in the NCAA. Im not trying to knock his accomplishments by any means. But he was not lottery pick worthy and unfortunately that is something that most people will try and throw around when they speak about POB.

The book hasn't been written on POB yet. He's not a good fit at Golden State though.

[Aargh]

Let me run down some "probables".

1) Someone in Nigeria ran across WSU's playbook and is teaching it to Orukpe

2) Someone in Nigeria ran across Marshall's footwork drills and is teaching them to Orukpe.

3) Someone in Nigeria is familiar with USA rules and is teaching them to Orukpe.

4) Someone in Nigeria got a potential class schedule for Orukpe and the required textbooks and is tutoriong Orukpe in the classes he will be taking.

5) It doesn't require much coaching to tell a player, "Don't let your guy get the ball, if he gets it don't let him shoot, if he shoots block it".

6) It will take about 20 minutes of practice time for WSU's passers to figure out that Orukpe can get to balls that are out of reach of defenders.

7) Orukpe will demand a double.

8) When doubled, Orukpe will be told to always know where Cooz is and to pass the ball to him. That's going to be the toughest adjustment to D1 ball for Orukpe.

[SpanglerFan316]

Aargh: Don't you want to replace "probables" with "certainties"???? :whistle:


As fans, we can sit back and objectively observe the team. Our insight is great because ... (I always forget this part). :lol:


Shocker fans just wanna have fun (sung by Cindy Lopper) 8)

[Aargh]

"Gal, if they are overplaying PJ, guarding Mantas closely and playing tough man-to-man defense, take the ball to the basket and score or drop the ball off to Ramon or Ehimen." Defend that, SIU.

Last year Mekel demonstrated he could dribble penetrate SIU's perimeter defense. SIU's perimeter D might not be as impenetrable with Tatum and Young gone.

I will admit there was no plan for dribble penetration and Gal didn't have a good plan once he penetrated. Gal got pulled when de did that. If Marshall recognizes dribble penetration of the perimeter as an offensive strategy against SIU, then there could be a plan for what to do after the penetration.

In my simplistic viewpoint, I think passing to the 7' guy after penetrating the perimeter seems like a decent plan. Or maybe feed it back out to Cooz for a 3 while the defenders are chasing the penetrater to the hoop.

EO could (conceivably) be here well in advance of Dec. 15.

Is that legal? Could WSU provide housing and meal money during the first semester for a player who's not enrolled that semester? Would Orukpe have to pay his own expenses prior to Dec. 14?

[forevershockerfan]

The last time I remember WSU beating SIU was our double-OT victory here 2 years ago in Wichita. Our best weapon in that game was Paul Miller who scored around 30. This year, with our added depth, better athletes, probably a tough D of our own, and SIU losing some real key players, we have a decent shot at beating them for a change. The Exhibition game will be much more revealing as to how our D will be administered.

[WuDrWu]

SIU is about 2 things.....toughness and determination and that's it.


Their talent is MARGINAL. Randall Falker is an athletic, tough as nails, never quit, jarjar binks look-a-like fighter that couldn't score 10 points outside of the lane if you left him alone in the gym for a week.

They had no bench. Nobody could score outside of Tatum and Young and they were streaky. BUT they were the hardest working, most dedicated punk felons playing D1 basketball this side of Joliet prison.

Mullins would lose a game of horse to Falker.


WSU played 2 AWFUL games against SIU last year. Absolutely AWFUL. We lost by 5 and 8.


What they do is outwork, out-hustle and out gut you. That should shame anyone with talent and heart. Its time to take the fight to them, men.

If you are scared of hard work and fighters, then SIU should scare you. Otherwise its time to step up and show them we're done with their crap.

[WeWillShockU]

[quote="WuDrWu"]SIU is about 2 things.....toughness and determination and that's it.


Their talent is MARGINAL. Randall Falker is an athletic, tough as nails, never quit, jarjar binks look-a-like fighter that couldn't score 10 points outside of the lane if you left him alone in the gym for a week.

They had no bench. Nobody could score outside of Tatum and Young and they were streaky. BUT they were the hardest working, most dedicated punk felons playing D1 basketball this side of Joliet prison.

Mullins would lose a game of horse to Falker.


WSU played 2 AWFUL games against SIU last year. Absolutely AWFUL. We lost by 5 and 8.


What they do is outwork, out-hustle and out gut you. That should shame anyone with talent and heart. Its time to take the fight to them, men.

If you are scared of hard work and fighters, then SIU should scare you. Otherwise its time to step up and show them we're done with their crap.


Well said Wu Dr Wu! Its time to kick their butt! I don't think that it is really going to matter who starts. We will have alot of depth this year and the minutes should be spread around. Our depth should help wear down the other team and should help us win several more games.