Post by MizzouTiger on Jan 27, 2008 14:50:01 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/story/462689.html
Beasley is good enough to bring KU’s run to an end
MANHATTAN, Kan. | Michael Beasley is ready for the Jayhawks. The nation’s top player, Kansas State’s basketball messiah and mercenary, warmed up for Wednesday night’s showdown by torturing the Iowa State Cyclones.
Scoring 33 points in just 22 minutes, Michael was Beastley in K-State’s 82-57 rout Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum.
He’ll need to be Beastley again in a few days when second-ranked Kansas brings its all-star lineup, undefeated record and 24-game Manhattan winning streak to town.
He might even need to be a little bit better; if that is possible. I’m not sure it is.
A notorious slow starter, Beasley opened Saturday’s game as though he wanted to offer the Jayhawks a warning: Beware of Beasley.
Barring a rash of fouls, Kansas is going to get 40 minutes of Beasley offensive aggression. On Saturday, he took six shots in the first three minutes, missing five. But he took six good shots. Coach Frank Martin pulled Beasley from the game for a brief stretch. I assume Martin wanted to settle his young star’s nerves. Mostly, it just delayed Beasley’s eventual onslaught.
When Beasley wants to dominate, he can’t be stopped or even slowed. You just have to weather it. Compared most often to Texas’ Kevin Durant, the one-and-done frosh from a year ago, Beasley is different from, more imposing and better than Durant.
Durant dominated with a feathery jump shot. That’s it. He had one dimension that couldn’t be contained, and that dimension did not elevate the play of his teammates. Beasley is strong, skilled and intelligent. He can kill you on the block, on the perimeter, with his unselfishness, with his selfishness, with his strength and his finesse. You couldn’t really see it Saturday, but what Beasley does improves the play of his teammates. He creates space, open shots and cutting lanes. He allows the Wildcats to pick up defensively farther on the perimeter. They can play the passing lanes and slip out to start the break.
Obviously, the Cyclones lacked the depth, talent or experience to overcome a Beasley attack.
The freshman power forward scored 17 points in the first half. He tacked on an additional 16 in the first 9 minutes, 45 seconds of the second half, and then he took a seat on the Wildcat bench and watched his teammates finish the blowout.
Beasley connected from three-point range, scored on putbacks, sank mid-range jumpers and drove the lane. He hit 11 of his final 15 shots. Oh, he snatched 15 rebounds, too.
He did enough on Saturday to make me believe the Wildcats, 14-4, will give the Jayhawks a significant challenge on Wednesday. If Beasley hits the court Wednesday with the mindset he had Saturday, Darnell Jackson and Darrell Arthur will have long nights.
On the road, inside a rabid, hostile environment, I’m not sure the Jayhawks’ backcourt advantage produces a Kansas victory without major contributions from Jackson and Arthur.
Yeah, Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson and Brandon Rush should have their way with K-State’s guards. Chalmers and Robinson will turn over Clent Stewart and Blake Young. K-State’s reserve guards lack the necessary poise and experience for a big game.
But Beasley can make it all irrelevant. He’s that good. He could rain 40 on the Jayhawks, foul out Jackson and Arthur and finish the Hawks in the final two minutes with post moves and free-throw shooting.
Let me repeat: Beasley is no Kevin Durant. Remember a year ago when Durant dropped 37 on the Hawks and Texas still lost? Durant couldn’t miss. Everything he unspooled found the bottom of the nets.
Jump shots are like a good jab. They’ll keep you in the fight and your opponent off balance. Beasley doesn’t throw jabs. He throws haymakers. He’s George Foreman in his prime. He unloads windmills and uppercuts. When he bulls to the basket, he draws fouls and double-teams and, most important, he finishes.
If Beasley scores 35, Kansas loses.
Will Beasley score 35? After watching him for 22 minutes on Saturday, 50 points wouldn’t surprise me.
Beasley is good enough to bring KU’s run to an end
MANHATTAN, Kan. | Michael Beasley is ready for the Jayhawks. The nation’s top player, Kansas State’s basketball messiah and mercenary, warmed up for Wednesday night’s showdown by torturing the Iowa State Cyclones.
Scoring 33 points in just 22 minutes, Michael was Beastley in K-State’s 82-57 rout Saturday night at Bramlage Coliseum.
He’ll need to be Beastley again in a few days when second-ranked Kansas brings its all-star lineup, undefeated record and 24-game Manhattan winning streak to town.
He might even need to be a little bit better; if that is possible. I’m not sure it is.
A notorious slow starter, Beasley opened Saturday’s game as though he wanted to offer the Jayhawks a warning: Beware of Beasley.
Barring a rash of fouls, Kansas is going to get 40 minutes of Beasley offensive aggression. On Saturday, he took six shots in the first three minutes, missing five. But he took six good shots. Coach Frank Martin pulled Beasley from the game for a brief stretch. I assume Martin wanted to settle his young star’s nerves. Mostly, it just delayed Beasley’s eventual onslaught.
When Beasley wants to dominate, he can’t be stopped or even slowed. You just have to weather it. Compared most often to Texas’ Kevin Durant, the one-and-done frosh from a year ago, Beasley is different from, more imposing and better than Durant.
Durant dominated with a feathery jump shot. That’s it. He had one dimension that couldn’t be contained, and that dimension did not elevate the play of his teammates. Beasley is strong, skilled and intelligent. He can kill you on the block, on the perimeter, with his unselfishness, with his selfishness, with his strength and his finesse. You couldn’t really see it Saturday, but what Beasley does improves the play of his teammates. He creates space, open shots and cutting lanes. He allows the Wildcats to pick up defensively farther on the perimeter. They can play the passing lanes and slip out to start the break.
Obviously, the Cyclones lacked the depth, talent or experience to overcome a Beasley attack.
The freshman power forward scored 17 points in the first half. He tacked on an additional 16 in the first 9 minutes, 45 seconds of the second half, and then he took a seat on the Wildcat bench and watched his teammates finish the blowout.
Beasley connected from three-point range, scored on putbacks, sank mid-range jumpers and drove the lane. He hit 11 of his final 15 shots. Oh, he snatched 15 rebounds, too.
He did enough on Saturday to make me believe the Wildcats, 14-4, will give the Jayhawks a significant challenge on Wednesday. If Beasley hits the court Wednesday with the mindset he had Saturday, Darnell Jackson and Darrell Arthur will have long nights.
On the road, inside a rabid, hostile environment, I’m not sure the Jayhawks’ backcourt advantage produces a Kansas victory without major contributions from Jackson and Arthur.
Yeah, Mario Chalmers, Russell Robinson and Brandon Rush should have their way with K-State’s guards. Chalmers and Robinson will turn over Clent Stewart and Blake Young. K-State’s reserve guards lack the necessary poise and experience for a big game.
But Beasley can make it all irrelevant. He’s that good. He could rain 40 on the Jayhawks, foul out Jackson and Arthur and finish the Hawks in the final two minutes with post moves and free-throw shooting.
Let me repeat: Beasley is no Kevin Durant. Remember a year ago when Durant dropped 37 on the Hawks and Texas still lost? Durant couldn’t miss. Everything he unspooled found the bottom of the nets.
Jump shots are like a good jab. They’ll keep you in the fight and your opponent off balance. Beasley doesn’t throw jabs. He throws haymakers. He’s George Foreman in his prime. He unloads windmills and uppercuts. When he bulls to the basket, he draws fouls and double-teams and, most important, he finishes.
If Beasley scores 35, Kansas loses.
Will Beasley score 35? After watching him for 22 minutes on Saturday, 50 points wouldn’t surprise me.
