Thursday January 15, 2009

Wake Forest Preview: Spiller's Time

Wake Forest Preview
Big games are not usually against bad teams. Wake is ultra-talented. In fact, Wake might be the most talented team in the country and at least one of the top five most talented. You don’t go 15-0 and climb to number-two in the national rankings without talent but this team is extremely talented.

The biggest issue with Wake Forest is the tremendous matchup problems they present.

Jeff Teague is a 6-2 combination guard that is too big and strong for point guards to defend and too quick for shooting guards to defend. The sophomore is averaging 21.2 points, four rebounds and four assists per game but he is averaging 31 points in his last three games and 31.5 in conference games this season. He has scored in double figures in every game this season and has been held under 20 points only seven times. Teague can beat defenders off of the dribble and scores many of his points in the paint. He is strong enough to create separation and beat you with his jump shot as well. I would classify Teague as more of a scorer rather than a shooter.

James Johnson is a powerful forward who averages 13 points and eight rebounds per game. He is a very athletic post player that can bang in paint but he can also extend the defense beyond the three-point line. This is a difficult match considering his range even though he is 6-9, 245 pounds. Johnson has 128 three-point attempts in his first 44 college games. One thing to watch Saturday is to see if Johnson can get back on track offensively. He has been held to single digits in five of his last eight games.

Al-Farouq Aminu is one of the most talented freshmen in the country. The 6-9, 215-pounder is long and athletic. The Atlanta native is averaging 12.9 points and 8.7 rebounds in his first season. Aminu got his college career off to a fast start with 21 points in his first college game and has been held in single digits only four times in his first 15 games. So far he has not been much of a threat outside the three-point line and does most of his damage inside of 15 feet. Like Johnson and fellow front-liner Chas MacFarland, Aminu is a threat on the boards on both ends of the floor.

MacFarland is one of two true centers the Tigers will face Saturday. This is a seven-footer who has continued to improve each year. As a junior, MacFarland averages 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. He is a solid defender and space eater on the defensive end.
L.D. Williams is a 6-4 wing guard that is more of a slasher than a shooter. Like most of the Deacons, he is not much of a threat behind the three-point line but his athleticism is a plus. Williams is a junior that averages 8.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest.

Harvey Hale is a 6-3 senior shooting guard that might be the biggest three-point threat for the Deacs. He is averaging 6.4 points per game. He has only had one big game so far this season when he hit five of six threes against Wright State.

Tony Woods is a 6-11 freshman that was one of the highest ranked high school players in the nation a year ago. He played a lot early in the season but his minutes have tailed off as of late. Woods is a tremendous talent but he is having a hard time getting minutes with the talented front liners ahead of him.
Ish Smith is one of the quickest point guards in the country. He was injured earlier this season but his minutes have increased in recent weeks. He has now seen at least 20 minutes in all but two of his last nine games.

Wake Forest can play two point guards when Smith and Teague are in the game at the same time and this is a matchup issue. Their front line is 7-0, 6-9 and 6-9 which is another matchup problem. Wake is not a big three-point shooting team. They love to pound the basketball inside and beat you on the boards. The Deacons play a fast tempo and throw a bunch of athletic bodies at you.

Spiller’s Time
Today at 4:00 pm in the McFadden Auditorium C.J. Spiller will announce his intentions to either leave early and make himself eligible for the NFL draft or return to school. All signs indicate Spiller has decided to enter the draft this year but that will not become official until he announces today.

I know a lot of Clemson fans want Spiller to return to school and I would love to see him have another year of jaw-dropping runs. However I think we should all look at C.J. and be thankful for the time we shared with him. In the end we should all be big C.J. Spiller fans and hope he has a long, healthy and prosperous career in the NFL.

Good Luck C.J. You will always be remembered as a great Tiger!

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer lost will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover-was born Wednesday, January 14 several weeks pre-mature and was 2 lbs. 15 ounces. She is doing well but like all pre-mature babies she will have to get through several issues over the next few weeks.

Mrs. Kathleen Bowers

Larry in Naples, FL. Larry is currently being kept sedated in ICU and has acute pancreatitis. Larry is going to be transferred this week to Shands in Gainesville, FL for surgery on his pancreas. The doctors are saying that there is a 40% mortality rate with this surgery and if successful, there will still be a very long recovery. Larry is a great guy and a wonderful husband/father. Larry is 32 years old.

RTG-Pawsitive Tiger

Kaitlyn L-4 year old girl in TN who has seizures and a brain lesion that may be a slow-growing tumor. She will likely have a biopsy in February.

Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter)

Sandy Wright

Jo Ann Bachman

Frank Taylor

Kenneth Bryant

Pruitt Martin

Got igers and his family

David Rowland

Leonard Gillespie and his family

Jim S

Christine Hepfer
Daniel Rosborough-4-year old Inman, SC who will have a kidney transplant 1/14/09 in Charleston

Special Prayer Request from Peggy Lesley at Brookwood Church .

I am starting a signing for my son's best friend who has cancer (Hodgkin's Lymphoma). He is 11 years old and is not doing well at all. He was diagnosed with this cancer 2 weeks ago and the tumor is next to his jugular vein and entwined in it...has moved his wind pipe over a inch making it hard for him to breathe. The tumor is the size of a large eggplant and is sitting right above his heart. This little boy needs all the prayer he can get. I would like you to sign this and pass it on to as many people as you can. Once we get to a thousand people can you please send this back to me at: 1volsgirl@bellsouth.net When I get the 1000 people that have signed it...I am going to print this up for my sons best friend and show him how many people care and how many people are praying for him to get better. If you have a heart at all, you will all do this for me. I love this child as though he is my own and we really need all the prayers!

Thank you,
Peggy