dakota wizards

Potential Gifts From Golden State: A Look At Assignment Candidates

11/30/2011

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No NBA rookie this season will be more traveled than the enigmatic Jeremy Tyler.
Yes, the NBA is back. Believe me, there are few people in the state of North Dakota who are happier about this development than I am. This could mean a lot of action in the D-League in the upcoming weeks, with NBA training camps set to open on December 9th before the season officially begins Christmas Day. Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside commented on this topic on Monday, pointing to the fact that many D-League players could find themselves invited to training camps. Certainly it wouldn't be surprising to see someone like Edwin Ubiles or Mickell Gladness (who was in camp with the Heat last season) get a chance to show their skills at Warriors camp, but I'm interested in the other side of the NBA's return. 

There's been discussion that D-League rosters could be expanded from 10 to 12 players during training camp, presumably as a way to allow rookies to see some early game action without wreaking havoc by forcing teams to release players and create roster space. Again, this is just an educated guess, but certainly Golden State has a handful of players that are eligible for assignment at some point during the season, so let's meet the individuals that could be sporting a Wizards jersey in the future.

Jeremy Tyler, 6-foot-11, Center, Rookie
There likely isn't a bigger enigma in the current rookie class than Tyler, a physically gifted 20-year-old who has experienced a whirlwind last three years. Tyler first made headlines a few years ago by bypassing his senior year of high school to play professionally for Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli League. His struggles there were well documented, both on and off the court, before he subsequently signed to play in Japan. His performance there wasn't much better, especially when you consider the relatively weak level of competition, yet that wasn't enough to stop Golden State from taking a chance on the youngster in the second round.

So why did the Warriors feel he was worth the 39th overall pick? Simply put, Tyler is a specimen. He stands a legitimate 6-foot-11 with a huge 7-foot-5 wingspan, packs over 260 pounds onto his frame with room to grow and is a well above average athlete for a player his size. He passes the eye test. He has a very long way to go at both ends of the court, struggling with turnovers and in desperate need of improving his shooting touch and post-game polish, but NBA teams love size. There has been marginal improvement for Tyler since his high school days, but if ever there was a player who had D-League stint written across his forehead it was him. His presence would instantly give the Wizards one of the most physically imposing players in the league, but just from a basketball standpoint, it would be fascinating to watch his potential development.
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Wizards Chalkboard: Opening Weekend

11/29/2011

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Today we'll be debuting a new series on the Wizards Watch Blog called Wizards Chalkboard. This will be a semi-regular series in which we look at the X's and O's of basketball and some of the key sets and plays from recent Wizards games. In the Wizards Chalkboard debut we'll break down three plays from the Wizards season-opening series against the Los Angeles D-Fenders including the out of bounds play designed to get Edwin Ubiles an open look at the buzzer in the home opener.

As you know by now, both of the Wizards games with the D-Fenders this past weekend came down to the final play, with Dakota falling 86-84 in the season-opener, only to bounce back 98-97 on Saturday for Nate Bjorkgren's first win as a head coach in the D-League. On Friday, rookie guard Edwin Ubiles was the star, netting 25 points along with six rebounds and seven assists. He shot exceptionally well, connecting on 4-of-7 attempts from beyond the arc, so it was no surprise that with his team trailing by two with just 1.4 seconds remaining, the ball was going to the former Siena standout. Let's take a look at the play Bjorkgren drew up to get a game winner.
The play begins with the Wizards inbounding the ball on the near sidelines at the top of the key extended. Mo Baker is the inbounder, Mike Anderson is camped out under the rim, Anthony Goods is on the far wing and Curtis Withers and Edwin Ubiles are set up in a stack near the foul line.
As the ball is handed to Baker, Withers and Ubiles set a double screen for Goods who curls off towards the near corner. This action forces Jamaal Tinsely and Terrence Roberts to hedge towards the near side to provide help defense on Goods and prevent him from getting an open shot. Meanwhile, Courtney Fortson (guarding Goods), chases him man around the screen. So in all, Los Angeles is committing three defenders to Goods in order to prevent an uninhibited pass.
Tinsley commits with a full hedge as Fortson trails the play, leaving just one defender near the foul line. Withers sets an additional screen on this man as Ubiles cuts to the top of they key. This is a variation of the classic basketball concept that often the most open player on the floor is the one setting the screen. In this case Withers sets a screen for the screener, leaving Ubiles wide open.
The end result is a pretty good look for Ubiles, a step behind the top of the key. Considering there's just over one second remaining, this is about as good of a shot as the Wizards could hope for in this scenario. The shot was just off the mark, but head coach Nate Bjorkgren nailed it with this set, putting his team in good position to win.

Anthony Goods was used as a decoy in this first set, but on Saturday he went for 19 points, the second highest total on the team in a one-point win. The sharpshooting guard opened the game with a wide open lay-up in the opening second of the game thanks to a quick hitter off the opening tip. Let's take a look at this simple, but effective play begin the night.
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Best Of Wizards Watch (Week 2)

11/28/2011

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It's Monday boys and girls, which means it's time for another installment of the Best of Wizards Watch. Head coach Nate Bjorkgren was again my guest this week as we broke down the opening two games of the regular season, a weekend series the Wizards split with the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Among other topics, coach and I discuss defensive strategy for covering LA big man Brandon Costner, Edwin Ubiles' impressive debut on opening night and Mo Baker's huge 31-point effort in Saturday night's win - the first of Bjorkgren's career.

So if you missed yesterday's live broadcast or just feel like rewatching some of your favorite parts of the show, check out the week two version of Best of Wizards Watch below and enjoy.
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Respect Your Elders: Dakota 98 - Los Angeles 97

11/27/2011

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Photo courtesy RealisePhotography on Flickr

Box Score
Following the conclusion of last night's game as the media peppered Nate Bjorkgren with questions (so, myself and Lou Babiarz of the Bismarck Tribune) the question of Mo Baker's explosive performance was raised. The savvy veteran had gone on scoring streaks in the past, but only two other times in his long career had he reached the 30-point plateau. Bjorkgren's response is one I expect to hear a lot of this season: it came down to effort. Of course, for many in attendance last night, or those watching at home, this kind of career-night probably snuck up, overshadowed by a haphazard start to the night for Dakota, ripe with turnover problems.

Baker scored eight quick points in the first quarter, but the Wizards trailed 24-21 behind 11 turnovers. The night would end with Dakota coughing the ball up 20 times, a big number to be sure, but unquestionably there was a more concerted effort to move the basketball than there was on Friday. The offense could still be classified as stagnant for long stretches of the evening, but fewer three-pointers and long two's, coupled with more trips to the line is a plus. 

As we've come to expect from the Wizards in recent memory though - hopefully not a trend this year - the lead would slowly shrink in the second half, with the LA D-Fenders taking a one-point lead on a  Jamaal Tinsley runner with just under 40 seconds to play. The "winning" play for the Wizards was hardly textbook, but most importantly it was effective as Anthony Goods drew iron on a three-point attempt only to garner the long rebound and bury a subsequent three. Rookie Edwin Ubiles came up with a key block of Brandon Costner at the other end of the floor and the game was in hand, giving Bjorkgren his first win as a head coach in the D-League. On to the good stuff.
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Deja Vu: Los Angeles 86 - Dakota 84

11/26/2011

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Box Score
It was hard to watch last night's season opener and not be reminded of so many cold winter nights at the Bismarck Civic Center from a year ago. Slow start, late rally, hope and the eventual late breakdown that leaves you pulling your hair out and shaking your head. Look, I'm not rushing to judgement, I'm not hitting the panic button, it's one game, the first under a new head coach, but this really was a game that brings back memories of 2010. 

The first quarter wasn't pretty as the Wizards quickly fell into a 26-17 hole, as Brandon Costner shot early and often for LA. You can chalk it up to rust, to shots not falling, to opening night jitters, but shining a critical light on Dakota's offense means acknowledging the lack of flow in the game's first 12 minutes. There was little ball movement and a tremendous amount of settling with the basketball. The Wizards didn't attempt a shot inside of 20 feet on their first seven possessions, a stretch that lasted nearly four minutes. That trend didn't continue as Dakota somehow wound up outscoring the D-Fenders 48-36 in the paint, but LA still capitalized on pounding the ball inside, hitting 19-of-25 free throws to just 4-of-7 for the Wizards.

I do give the Wizards credit, they rallied from a slow start, finishing the game with an offensive efficiency of .91 (LA was at 1.0), which is just above average, so it wasn't necessarily a bad performance, there were just untimely errors. Plenty of credit goes to Nate Bjorkgren for drawing up a great final play that got Edwin Ubiles a relatively wide open look at a three-pointer from the top of the key as time expired. You really couldn't ask for a better shot given the circumstances (less than two seconds to play, trailing by two). What will ultimately be forgotten however, is the previous possession by the Wizards with over 20 seconds left on the game clock and the team trailing by just one. After a stalled set, the ball was entered inside to Ubiles on the right block where he was able to isolate his defender, not ideal, but not terrible given his scoring success to that point. The problem was there was no movement off the ball as he spun into the lane, allowing for an easy double-team that forced a jump ball. LA came down with it and put the game away. 

It's not the start anyone in that building wanted last night (save for the D-Fenders), but it's one game and given that it was the season opener, chances are early impressions will get blown out of proportion as they so often do. Let's break this one down a bit further.
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Game 1 Preview: Let's Get This Started

11/25/2011

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The LA D-Fenders come to town to open the Wizards 2011-12 season.
The Jump Off
As much as we look forward to opening night  - perhaps even more this year with the absence of the NBA - it's always a struggle to not jump to conclusions following the final horn. The truth is, you don't learn much from one game, particularly the first of the season where players and coaches are shaking off months of rust. Jamal Tinsley could hang 35-points on the Wizards, it doesn't mean the D-League's number one overall selection in October's draft is ready for a return trip to the NBA. Dakota center Mickell Gladness - who I've lauded for his improved jumper - could rain home three-pointers all night and it wouldn't suddenly convince me that he's a perimeter threat. 

Here's the catch though: even though I'm well aware of this fact, I'll still on some level get excited by little moments, small flashes of what could come. It's my one fatal flaw as a journalist, I started as a fan and will be one until the day I die. It's the biggest reason most of us get into this profession we call sports journalism, we love the games, we love the sports. It's why things like this blog exist, it's a labor of love, not a required part of my job. But I digress. The season begins tonight and Los Angeles is coming to town, let's break this one down.
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Best Of Wizards Watch (Season Premiere)

11/21/2011

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Opening night for the Dakota Wizards is less than one week away, with Los Angeles coming to Bismarck on Friday for a pair of games at the Civic Center. The start of the regular season also means the return of Wizards Watch on NBC North Dakota Sports - the show from which this blog got its name. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the show it airs each Sunday during the season in the second half of the 5 PM newscast  (that's Central Time). Each week head coach Nate Bjorkgren will join me in studio to break down the previous week for the Wizards, or in cases where the team is on the road, another member of the front office will be on set. We'll also go live at the Civic Center a few times during the season when Dakota plays a Sunday afternoon home game. The new season began yesterday afternoon with Bjorkgren joining me for a quick preview of the upcoming D-League season. Below is a "best of" from the show and you can look forward to these segments every Monday on the Wizards Watch Blog when you can't catch the show live or just feel like watching for a second time. 
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Justin Johnson Feature On KFYR-TV

11/18/2011

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In case those of you in the greater Bismarck area missed it, on Wednesday we ran a profile piece on Wizard's rookie guard Justin Johnson. The 6-foot-2 California native has had an interesting journey to get to the D-League, beginning at UC Irvine then transferring to both Citrus Community College and Concordia-Irvine. Along the way he won a pair of GSAC Player of the Year honors and was named the 2011 NAIA National Player of the Year. For more on Justin's path to Bismarck, check out the story below.
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There Was Preseason Basketball Last Night And The Wizards Were Playing

11/18/2011

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Even if it doesn't count in the standings, the Nate Bjorkgren Era in Bismarck began with a pair of wins.
I know, I know, the title itself could use some work. But let's not lose focus on the important facts here, D-League basketball is back and the Wizards were in action. Dakota is one of a handful of teams taking part in the first ever Jamboree Kickoff being held in Carrollton, Texas. It's a round-robin even of sorts, with teams each playing two 24-minute exhibition games per day and gives coaches a chance to see their rosters in action against players in different uniforms.

But on to the important information - how did the team do? In a Thursday night phone call with Nate Bjorkgren we were informed that the Wizards went 2-0 on the afternoon with victories over the Texas Legends and Austin Toros. Game one required overtime to complete, with Dakota winning 54-51 on the strength of a buzzer beater from forward Edwin Ubiles. It's only a preseason game, but there's some significance here. Just in conversations with Ubiles and watching him perform in practice, there's potential for him to be an elite player in this league, everything seems to hinge on confidence for the former Siena standout. Earlier in training camp Bjorkgren told me he challenged Ubiles to step it up before a practice and he proceeded to dominate his teammates. This game-winning shot could be the logical next step in the equation.

Game two was a 48-38 win in regulation over Austin (we have final stats for this game courtesy of the D-League's official website). Anthony Goods (12) and Mike Anderson (10) both reached double figures in scoring, but the team stats in this were slightly more telling. The Wizards assisted on eight of their 15 made field goals, a solid enough mark, but seven blocked shots and nine forced turnovers in 24 minutes shows the kind of dedication to defense Bjorkgren has been preaching from day one. 

A few other notes from my conversation with Bjorkgren included a solid effort from Anthony Goods in game two, something you'd expect after he got a jump start on the season during Team USA tryouts. Marcus Dove sat out both games due to a lingering groin pull he suffered on Sunday and it sounds as if he'll be out for today's games as well (the Wizards face Rio Grande Valley and Tulsa). Mickell Gladness, Mike Anderson and Curtis Withers saw the bulk of the minutes rotating at the four and five spots and Bjorkgren said he was happy with the trio's performance inside. Gladness also added his pleasure with the team's performance yesterday on Twitter.

Really, a couple of scrimmages aren't going to tell us a ton about this team. It's a chance to get out and run against some fresh competition while polishing some of the new offensive and defensive sets that have been installed by a new coaching staff. But hey, it's competitive basketball and another sign that the regular season is quickly approaching. 
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Training Camp Scouting Report: Mike Anderson

11/17/2011

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As part of the countdown to the start of the 2011-12 D-League season we'll be breaking down each of the Dakota Wizards training camp invites. These scouting reports will include advanced statistics, visual analysis and hopefully as much commentary and analysis as we can muster from the players and coaches themselves. Today we break down second-year small forward Mike Anderson.


Next to the tremendous success of power forward Chris Johnson - who was called up to the NBA by Boston and Portland - Mike Anderson is my favorite story of the 2010-2011 Dakota Wizards season. The former VCU Ram earned an invite to training camp out of an open tryout and then made the opening night roster. That alone is impressive, but by the time the season came to an end Anderson was a full time starter and one of the most productive players on the Wizards roster. Early in the season you could tell he was timid and would try to force the issue when on the court simply because his minutes were so limited. Once he saw an increase in playing time his numbers jumped across the board, but more importantly, so to did his efficiency marks. Now that he's got a full year under his belt the bar has been set for Anderson who returns as a veteran. Let's dive further into his game.
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