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Florida State at Maryland 12/19/04
By: Chris B.
First Half: Well the rust of the exams didn’t show up until about half way through the first half. Ibekwe looked very good in the first part of the half until, foul trouble. Garrison looked ok in the early going until, foul trouble. Luckily super frosh James Gist (Jist to Brian) stepped up and asserted himself on both ends of the court. The D was blocking shots early and helped the Terps get out to a 13 point lead. Then the finals rust showed up. The offense looked out of sink and allowed FSU back into the game. Nik Caner-Medley looked more like Chris Bixler-Medley running the three spot for the Mighty Golden Elks. Airballs, turnovers, you name it was a spitting image of me! Highlight of the first half, which proved to be huge was John Gilchrist hitting a whirling dervish three out of control at the buzzer to push the lead up to about 8.
Second Half: A lot of frustration ensued after the break. Garrison fouls out with half of the second half remaining. Ibekwe was not far behind. (Do you think Fofana would have gotten some burn last night?) Gist played well again, when he wasn’t getting banged up going all out. As the tide was turning, you could just feel it starting to slip away. No one had an answer and it was fast break offense or nonexistent offense. With a 1 point lead and the ball, the offense was running some sort of half court O that you expect to see at the Y. McCray then has what is in the running for bonehead play of the year to date. His lazy handoff to Gilchrist resulted in a steal and eventually a made free throw to tie the game. Now there were about 20 seconds remaining and once again the offense was looking to get something going. About 10 seconds remaining McCray passes up a wide open three, that had me upset. In hind sight had it took it missed it we would have found a way to lose. Instead Chris Bixler-Medley, I mean Nik Caner-Medley launched an airball from the corner at the buzzer to OT we go.
OT: Got down four quickly, but DJ Strawberry, Mike Jones, and Gilchrist made some sterling plays in OT. DJ made a steal and made one free throw. He was 3-6 from what used to be know as the charity stripe. I think we will just call it the stripe for now on. No charity available there. McCray was apparently in the dog house as Mike Jones made a cameo appearance. After Strawberry’s run Bad Will “Hunting” Bowers pulled down a nice board. With the score now a one point lead for FSU, Mike Jones did a ball fake, his man thought he was going to the lane, and left MJ (don’t we wish) wide open to can his only bucket of the game. His three pointer, put the Terps up by two. With about thirty seconds left FSU nailed a jumper to tie the game. Here we go again. Ball in hand with a chance to win it on the last possession. Once again the half court offense was laboring just to keep the dribble alive. Gilchrist finally decides to start going to the basket around 8 seconds remaining (a little late for my liking, but I am not GW, so we will assume he is doing what he is told.) The offense breaks down Gilchrist’s back is to the basket and he tries to kick a pass out to DJ around mid-court as it appears we will be going to double OT, but wait alas a zebra blows the whistle and push is called against FSU sending J. Gilchrist to the line shooting two. At this point he is smiling like he already made the shots from the stripe. Luckily he cans them both, and Von Waffer’s three was off the mark as time expired. With the win the Terps improve to 6-2 on the season (1-0 ACC). It was ugly, but I will take every win in the conference we can get.
Report Card
Report Card: Travis Garrison: F The Good: He started the game. The Bad: He
did not even come close to finishing the game! Fouling out in 17 minutes
against FSU’s front court. What is he going to do against a real center? Nik Caner Medley: F The Good: Hopefully his grades. He must have spent all week hitting the books instead of the courts. Somehow he did manage to score 11 total points (8 from the field on 15 shots) Should be included in the bad I guess. The Bad: He
was compared to my high school career. Enough said.
Ekene Ibekwe: D- The Good: Was an unstoppable force while in the game. 13 points in 16 minutes. The Bad:
Played only 16 minutes. See Garrison. He can thank is offense for keeping him
from a failing grade! John Gilchrest: A The Good: 21 points, 13 BOARDS, 8 Assists. That is 10 bonus points for those of you in the ACC Fantasy lead. He certainly left it all on the line last night. (only 2 TO’s) The Bad:
Offense looked like something you would see in the 8th grade Y league
in Cecil County at times.
Chris McCray: D The Good: 14 points The Bad: D is
for Donkey, which is what he was last night. That pass, then passing up on the
open look, seems to have landed himself in GW’s dog house in OT as Mike Jones
and Strawberry where running the 2 and 3 while NCM was playing the 4 to pick up
for the big men who fouled out. DJ Strawberry: B+ The Good:
Carried the team in OT and made sure we were not going to lose. 3 steals to go
along with 11 points. The Bad: 3-6 from the line in OT (5-8 overall) Sterling Ledbetter: INC The Bad: No
Playing time. Get well soon Sterling. James Gist: A- The Good: 31 MINUTES 11 points, 7 boards, 4 blocks. How does a Freshman get 4 blocks and stay out of foul trouble? Why don’t you teach TG, and EI! The Bad: 3-7
from the stripe. Mike Jones: A The Good: This guy has been clutch in his short career. He doesn’t play a lot, yet, and then when things looks bleak he drains a three. We will not soon forget that shot Mike. The Bad: Give the man some minutes. Will Bowers: C+ The Good: 2 points, 5 boards. Stepped in nicely to give Gist and Nik breathers at times. I will take 5 boards a game from him. He is going to need to improve under fire however if this is the time of foul trouble we are going to get used to. The Bad: At
his size he needs to be more assertive. Hassan Fofana: Z (-1) Even though he is gone, we are going to need his 5 fouls it appears. |