Big Ten All-Conference Awards
So will Kofi, very cool
Finally the Big Ten did something right! They put together a 15 minute Andre Curbelo highlight reel for his 6th man award.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
I’ve been saying that Ayo’s banner will be honored and hung in the
rafters since he announced he was coming back, based on this criteria. Congratulations, Ayo Dosunmu, First-Team All-American! Hopefully, Kofi Cockburn makes it, too! Congratulations, Kofi!!!
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
I'm so glad he got recognition for his defense too. You can tell from his comments that he wants that recognition for all the work he's put into becoming a lockdown defender. It's not like he's naturally gifted to be as defensively gifted as he is. That is all hard work and that dog mentality.
But also...kinda ridiculous that our best defender isn't on there.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Curbelo is a menace. If he weren't an Illini, I would be so annoyed by his outrageous playmaking ability.
Knowing Ayo if we meet Iowa in the semis Friday Im sure Garza getting POY will just slightly motivate Ayo to prove them wrong!
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
If that meeting happens, I hope it results in an Ayo poster over Garza. The symbolism would just be...
And the W of course.
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
Amazing to see his improvement just over the course of the season too. Always extremely savvy, but you can see him manipulating the defense more and more as the season goes along. He is exactly the kind of guy Illinois was unable to land for a decade+. Sure glad to have him on our side.
Illini_1979
- Oregon
Show this video to every big man we are recruiting.
I'm no Dan Dakich, but here's what I like about Belo (in no particular order):
1. High motor -- didn't see him get tired all year.
2. Unselfish.
3. Great court vision.
4. Fearless.
5. Anticipation. This one is hard to describe but on some plays, when the ball is being passed to him, he starts running full speed well before even catching the ball. He knows exactly where he is going and heads there full steam ahead. Can't say I have ever seen anyone anticipate the play as well as he does.
One aspect of Andre’s game (among the others) that I’ve noticed getting way better which is his ability to control defenders by forcing them to react the way he wants instead of just making really creative plays. It gets me giddy to think about his growth in an offseason after this year. Scary.
His ability to draw a foul by being crafty is legit. Fouls drawn is a stat I wish was tracked.
That dog is absolutely named "Davison".Mulcahy is Rutgers Sportsmanship Award winner. Good times.
Fouls drawn per 40 min is tracked by Kenpom. Kofi leads IL with 7.1 per 40min - good enough for tenth in the country! Dosunmu draws 5.3 per 40 and 'Belo is third with 4.6 per 40. Those numbers are for this season against all D-1 competition. I'd post the whole chart but I'm pretty sure Mr. Pomeroy's Intellectual Property lawyers would object!
I'm glad Trent made the all-defensive team, but the entire all-defensive team was odd to me, because Michigan and Illinois were by far the best defensive teams in the league, and only one player combined from both teams made it. Statistically, guys like Franz Wagner, Kofi, DMW, Ayo, Dickinson and Eli Brooks were better than anyone else on that list, particularly the DPOY, who, fine, Maryland was pretty good on defense, but it probably should have had 2 guys each from Michigan and Illinois on the team.
Myles Johnson was also an odd pick there because he's more "fouls constantly" than "good defense", but he has a good defensive rating, so...maybe.
Defensive metrics:
Myles Johnson was also an odd pick there because he's more "fouls constantly" than "good defense", but he has a good defensive rating, so...maybe.
Defensive metrics:
That steal at 7:30 is my favorite Curbelo play of the game. He acts like he’s walking to the bench and the opposing player doesn’t even realize he’s playing until his pocket has been picked
Absolutely. So many times in the replays we were down when the Human Hairlight Reel came in. Then BOOM! And love they included the absolute barbaric steal at the end of the NW game. Simply golden.Curbelo is a menace. If he weren't an Illini, I would be so annoyed by his outrageous playmaking ability.
Next year Adam will feast, 17+ ppg. I'm predicting he and Belo will be all B1G next season.
Just finished watching the Curbelo compilation. Trying to remember that he is a frosh.
There is something that is called a natural talent. It implies effortless high level performance.
We will have this budding superstar here briefly. He will gain experience, get fully Fletched and be gone.
There is something that is called a natural talent. It implies effortless high level performance.
We will have this budding superstar here briefly. He will gain experience, get fully Fletched and be gone.
I also agree that the idea is funny.
AirNeezy
Orange Krush '13 -'14
Someone seems insecure LMAO
I think your username tells all.
The famed Iowa prose