DANIELS AIMS TO OPEN NBA EYES

VCU senior Troy Daniels will work out for NBA scouts May 22-23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

RICHMOND, Va. – Troy Daniels made a career out of connecting on long shots. So what’s one more?

Daniels has been invited to an NBA workout May 22-23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Representatives from all 30 NBA teams are expected to attend.

“It’s time to get a job now. This is a lot different than college,” Daniels said Thursday. “It’s a great feeling. “It’s something that you dream about when you’re younger and it’s finally coming true now.”

Despite his sharpshooting credentials – Daniels ranks second in school history in 3-pointers (251) and owns the top two single season marks – the senior from Roanoke, Va. likely faces an uphill battle. He’s currently not expected to be drafted and is not listed among the top 100 NBA prospects by NBADraftExpress.com, NBADraft.net or CBS Sports’ Jeff Goodman.

But Daniels, who will graduate from VCU Saturday with a degree in criminal justice, says that won’t be a deterrent. He’s says he’s been working out twice a day, fine-tuning his skills and hopes to grab the attention of scouts and executives in Brooklyn. He’s also recently worked out with former Ram Eric Maynor of the Portland Trail Blazers, who typically spends much of his offseason in Richmond.

RAMS IN THE PROS: SANDERS SURGES

Former Ram Larry Sanders (center) is averaging 8.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game this season.

It looks like Larry Sanders is starting to figure out this NBA thing.

The 24-year-old former VCU star and current Milwaukee Buck is enjoying a breakout season. Selected 15^th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, Sanders is beginning to deliver on the promise Milwaukee saw on film and in workouts.

Through a quarter of the season, the 6-foot-11, 235-pound center was averaging career-highs of 8.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Sanders is shooting 54 percent from the floor, and as of this writing, his 3.0 blocks per game average was tied for the league lead.

Last season, Sanders averaged just 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. But a strong preseason and training camp earned him increased playing time from Bucks’ Coach Scott Skiles. Sanders responded with 10 points and seven rebounds in an opening-night victory over the Boston Celtics.

On Nov. 30, Sanders recorded his first career triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in a loss at Minnesota. His 10 blocks tied the franchise record, set by Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar later took to Twitter to congratulate Sanders.

Congratulations @larrysanders of the Milwaukee Bucks for tying my single-game franchise record 10 blocked shots. Great job!

— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) December 5, 2012

Sanders followed with 18 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks against the Celtics the next night.

RAMS IN THE PROS: SKEEN GETS A SCARE IN ISRAEL

Former Ram Jamie Skeen is averaging 10.7 points per game this season for Maccabi Ashdod in Israel.

Jamie Skeen admits he knew virtually nothing of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before two years ago. To him, war was in some faraway place like Iraq. He certainly didn’t envision war would come to his doorstep.

But earlier this year, Skeen, the star of VCU’s 2011 Final Four run, found himself caught in the crossfire of the decades-old conflict. Skeen is currently playing for Maccabi Ashdod in Israel’s top division. In the middle of one November practice, team owners abruptly sent players and coaches home and told them to prepare for rocket attacks.

Skeen ran to the locker room to gather his clothes. That’s when they heard the first warning siren, which signals incoming rockets.

“When you hear the siren, you have 20 seconds to get to the safe room,” Skeen says, referring to a reinforced structure within many residences and buildings in the region.

He rushed back to his apartment and his girlfriend, Whitney. The next morning, Skeen says rockets began scorching through the air five and six at a time as people began their daily commute. The rocket attacks would persist for eight days. He says one rocket landed a short walk from his apartment.

“When one lands, your whole apartment building shakes,” he said.

IS JAMIE SKEEN NFL DREAMING?

Jamie Skeen was named NCAA Southwest Regional MVP during VCU’s march to the Final Four in 2011.

I had a chance to talk to former Ram Jamie Skeen last week. He’s playing professionally in Israel, and it’s been a difficult year over there for Skeen, one of the heroes of VCU’s Final Four run. You can read more about that by picking up a game program at the Longwood or Fairleigh Dickinson games later this month.

But I saved one tidbit for the blog because I was short on space and it didn’t necessarily fit with the tone of the program piece. At some point in our conversation, he told me he planned on trying out for the NFL this summer. I chuckled at first, not sure if he was being facetious. I mean, Jamie can be pretty funny when he wants, and I already knew he was a huge Carolina Panthers fan. But Skeen insisted he was 100 percent serious.

After a minute or so, I thought, well, why not?

Skeen measured 6-foot-8 (in shoes) and 242 pounds at the NBA Draft combine last year, which means he’s got the size of an NFL tight end. Coupled with his athleticism and soft hands, he has many of the necessary skills. Of course, Jamie didn’t play football in high school or college, so that’s going to be a big problem.

However, this situation is not unprecedented. Antonio Gates played basketball, not football at Kent State, but became an All-Pro tight end for the San Diego Chargers. Earlier this year, Les Brown, an accountant who played Division III basketball, earned a contract as a tight end with the Miami Dolphins, but was cut in training camp. Tony Gonzalez, who will be in the Hall of Fame the minute he’s eligible, was a football and basketball star at California.

VCU fans will no doubt remember when former Ram Jesse Pellot-Rosa was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets in 2007. Pellot-Rosa, hampered by a hand injury for much of training camp, played in one preseason game before he was cut by the team. Before choosing basketball, Pellot-Rosa was a star wide receiver in high school.

Whatever his chances, Skeen believes he has the connections to get himself a tryout this summer. He says he’s eying Carolina and the Atlanta Falcons. We will be watching closely.

Q&A WITH RAM RADIO ANALYST MIKE LITOS

Mike Litos joins Ram Radio as color analyst for the 2012-13.

VCU alumnus, CAAHoops.com founder and bocce enthusiast Mike Litos (@VCULitos) will join the VCU Ram Radio broadcast team for the 2012-13 season as color analyst. He’ll join play-by-play voice (and former child acting star) Robby Robinson to bring VCU Men’s Basketball into your living room (and car, and mobile device, etc.).

I recently caught up with Litos to get some answers to the questions that are burning up Ram Nation right now, such as, “Would you be supportive of a Wham! reunion?”
CK: A select few get to come back to their alma mater and put in a position like this. How exciting is this opportunity for you, as a long-time fan?

ML: I’m rarely at a loss for words, lots of them, but I’m still having a difficult time articulating how exciting this opportunity is for me. I will say it’s extremely humbling to even be considered…we’ve got incredible momentum as an athletics department and a university, so to become a bigger part of that is thrilling. I very much look forward to digging in and contributing where I can.

CK: Your predecessor, Mike Ellis, was known for his knowledge of Xs and Ox, his stories and his undying devotion to officiating. What can fans expect when they turn the dial to listen to the game this year?
ML: It’s possible I’ve given aid to an official who, shall we say, may have erred in his interpretation of the rules. I’ll continue to help out the zebras. But really what people can expect is an answer to the question why. My goal is to be invisible. What I mean is that the radio audience gets a mental picture of what’s occurring on the court. Robby does a great job explaining what’s happening; my job is to depict what’s happening that impacts what Robby is describing.

NBA SUMMER LEAGUE CHEAT SHEET

Bradford Burgess is one of three former Rams who will be trying to impress at NBA Summer Leagues in July

By now you should know that three former VCU players will participate in NBA Summer Leagues (as of this writing). Bradford Burgess will play for the Orlando Magic in the Orlando Summer League July 9-13, while both Jamie Skeen (Chicago) and Larry Sanders (Milwaukee) are set to play in the Las Vegas Summer League July 16-22.

The word is that Burgess may also play in Vegas, but that hasn’t been decided. Orlando isn’t sending a team to the Las Vegas Summer League, so he’d have to play for another franchise, which isn’t uncommon. Old Dominion’s Kent Bazemore, for instance, will play for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Orlando and the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas.

Here’s a quick look at the schedules for the three VCU guys, as well as the TV listings. The good news for Ram fans is that NBA TV will essentially broadcast every game, most of them live.

One game to keep an eye on will be the July 22 game in Las Vegas between Skeen’s Bulls team and Sanders’ Bucks squad. The NBA TV schedule wasn’t available that far out, but I’m assuming it will also be carried by the network.

ORLANDO MAGIC LEAGUE: Bradford Burgess (Orlando)

Monday, July 9
Brooklyn vs. Orlando, 11 a.m. (NBATV)

Tuesday, July 10
Detroit vs. Orlando, 3 p.m. (NBATV)

Wednesday, July 11
Utah vs. Orlando, 5 p.m. (NBATV)

Thursday, July 12
Philadelphia vs. Orlando, 5 p.m. (NBATV)

Friday, July 13
Boston vs. Orlando, 10 a.m. (NBATV)

Orlando Magic Summer League roster

Notes: Teams will play four 10-minute quarters. Overtime periods will be three minute in length.

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE : Larry Sanders (Milwaukee) and Jamie Skeen (Chicago)

Monday, July 16
Milwaukee vs. New Orleans, 10:30 p.m.  (NBATV)

Tuesday, July 17
Chicago vs. Boston, 10 p.m. (Tape delay NBATV, July 18, 12 p.m.)

Wednesday, July 18
Milwaukee vs. Washington, 4 p.m. (NBATV; plus a replay July 19, 12 p.m.)
Chicago vs. Houston, 6 p.m. (Tape delay NBATV, July 19, 2 p.m.)

Thursday, July 19
Milwaukee vs. NBA D-League, 10 p.m.

Friday, July 20
Chicago vs. Golden State, 8:30 p.m. (NBATV)

Saturday, July 21
Chicago vs. L.A. Clippers, 8:30 p.m. (NBATV)
Milwaukee vs. Boston, 10:30 p.m. (NBATV)

Sunday, July 22
Chicago vs. Milwaukee, 4 p.m. (TV schedule not yet available)

Milwaukee Bucks Summer League roster
Chicago Bulls Summer League roster (not yet available)

OPENER SHOWS GOOD, BAD OF YOUNG VCU SQUAD

Sophomore Juvonte Reddic provided a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds Friday.

Following six months of build-up, a crowd of 7,617 came to 1200 West Broad Street to celebrate Friday night. It was a coronation of sorts. VCU, March’s superstar underdog, unfurled its Final Four banner from the rafters. For all-time, fans will view that as the moment the Rams arrived on the national scene and took on all comers. The roar of the crowd was jubilant, deafening. It was unforgettable.

Somewhere in the bowels of the Verizon Wireless Arena, Shaka Smart missed every pulse-pounding second.

“I didn’t even see it,” the VCU Coach admitted following the Rams’ 63-57 season-opening victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) Friday night.

Some called the unveiling of the banner one of, if not the biggest, moment in program history. No big deal. Smart saw the banner earlier in the week. He had already turned his attention to getting his young team prepared for the game.

In the weeks prior, Smart maintained that the Final Four season, while great, was over. This was a different team, a youthful group that featured six freshmen and a lone senior. VCU was ready to turn the page, he said.

If turning the page was their stated goal, the Rams succeeded Friday night. VCU bore scant resemblance to the shot-making juggernaut that stormed through five big-name schools on the way to Houston in March. Instead, the Rams looked like a team with plenty of questions to answer. They were a team that fully expects a tug-of-war between its youth and its inherent ability.

ALL APOLOGIES

Jamie Skeen was named All-CAA Second Team at the end of the 2010-11 regular season. He was not on any of the All-CAA preseason teams.

On Tuesday, the Colonial Athletic Association will hold its annual men’s and women’s basketball media day in Arlington, Va., where it’ll reveal its Preseason All-Conference Teams. I think this is the perfect opportunity to apologize for my profession and the rest of my media brethren. These preseason All-Conference teams, they’re our fault.

I know how fun it is to prognosticate, to predict how an entire season will shape up on a single sheet of paper. Believe me, I’ve done it and enjoyed the heck out of it.

As a former voting member of both the All-CAA Men’s and Women’s awards body, I have contributed to this affliction for the preseason crowning of the best of the…well, I don’t know, actually. What are we rewarding people for with these preseason All-Conference teams again?

It’s a simple equation. Take last year’s All-Conference team, subtract the graduating seniors, injured players and suspended/ineligible/dismissed troublemakers. Move everybody up into the available spots. Then, with what’s left, take some educated guesses to fill the remaining slots and voila! You have voted for your very own preseason All-Conference team.

There’s the rub. There’s little or no science to this. We’re not rewarding an accomplishment, unless we’re talking about last year’s accomplishments, which we already rewarded – last year. It doesn’t – and can’t – account for so many unforeseen circumstances. How about an underperforming junior who figures it out as a senior? May I present, Jamie Skeen? How about the player whose career arc levels off, like, say, Julius Wells? What about new transfers or breakout freshmen?

A MATTER OF TIME

How cool is this? Cristin Granados with the buzzer-beater? Not much rarer than a buzzer-beater in soccer futbol. This is my seventh year at VCU and I’d say this is one of the cooler singular plays of that time. If I had to put together a list of my favorite true buzzer-beaters since the 2005-06 season, it would look something like this:

1-Jamie Skeen vs. Drexel in CAA Semifinals, 2011 (MBB – 1:20 mark of video).
2-D’Andra Moss vs. Delaware, 2010 (WBB).
3-Cristin Granados vs. Georgia State, 2011 (WSOC).
4-B.A. Walker vs. Drexel, 2006 (MBB – :20 mark of video).

Actually, those are the only four buzzer-beaters since 2005-06 that I could think of. I initially included Joe Van Meter’s homer to win the CAA Tournament in 2010, but that was just a go-ahead homer, not a walk-off, so it doesn’t count for these purposes.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T IS SPELLED E.S.P.Y.

‘sup?