Michigan Basketball is Back!

Yes, I said it after 10 games during the 2008 season, Michigan basketball is back in my mind. They are 8-2 on the season. They defeated two teams that were ranked No. 4 in the nation when they played (UCLA & Duke). They have no bad losses, they have a new addition as of yesterday in Laval Lucas-Perry (nickname Lava) and most of all a genius of a head coach in John Beilein.

It's John Beilein's second season at the helm of Michigan and he has done the unthinkable bringing the Wolverines back so quickly to respectability. On Monday December 22, 2008 the Wolverine basketball squad will likely be ranked in the top 25 for the first time in a few years. Unlike the last time though, this team has a sense of direction and confidence that I haven't seen from a Michigan squad since the days of the "Fab Five".

How did Beilein turn it around so quickly? Well he recruited players that would fit into his system. Shooters, that is what his system requires, if you can't shoot, you are of no need for Beilein. Names such as Stuart Douglass and Zach Novak have been huge this season. They barely average 10 points combined, but it's role players like these two that compliment Michigan's two best players Deshawn Sims (nickname Peedi) and Manny Harris (nickname Fresh).

Let's start out with Harris, an all around player who can slash in the line, penetrate and kick to find the open man, hit the three, finish on fastbreaks, make free throws, defensive leader, and overall a player with a great basketball IQ. Can you say NBA player? He is without a doubt, but he has one concentration right now and that is getting Michigan back to the NCAA Tournament. Harris is my prediction for the Big Ten player of the year in 2009. He is that good, better than Robbie Hummel, Kalin Lucas, Evan Turner, Raymar Morgan, Trevon Hughes, and others because he can do so many different things. Expect Harris to only get better which is scary, also expect him to not enter the NBA draft until after his junior season. Michigan fans would hope to see him all four years, but he may be too good.

As for Deshawn Sims, he has become a complete player this year. He is manning the center spot on the team at 6'8, but it's his toughness that makes him effective defensively. A few improvements he has made is one, he now knows how to finish around the rim, he also knows his game better. He has become a dual threat with his post-up game and his outside shooting. He has a mid-range shot, knowing that he doesn't have to shoot all those three's like last year. He continues to get better and is destined for a great Big Ten season as a junior.

So Beilein recruited shooters, has Harris and Sims, but how else did he turn this program around. He kept teaching, he loves to a coach, it took time for players such as Kelvin Grady and Jevohn Shepherd to learn the system. Beilein is one of the best X's and O's coaches in America. That means when you need a score he can draw up a play to get the job done. He has great poise and makes great decisions from the sidelines as far as substitutions and timeouts. Only a few years back, a coach by the name of Tommy Amaker just got out coached 75 percent of the time by the opposing coach. He took players out who had the hot hand. You didn't see that from Beilein in yesterday's game against Oakland. Stuart Douglass made his first three 3-pointers on the day and he kept shooting. Same with Lucas-Perry he was 4-4 from beyond the arc and he kept shooting until he missed.

Kelvin Grady has really developed into a very solid PG this year. He is playing with a bunch of confidence and reminds me of his days at East Grand Rapids High School. He plays wild, that is just his style, on a rebound or a turnover, lookout give Grady the ball and fill your lanes. This is exactly what Michigan is doing, they are becoming a fastbreak team and Grady is becoming a vital part of the Michigan program. Shepherd brings depth, he stands only at 6'5 but he is playing the PF spot because of Michigan's one Achilles heel, lack of depth in the front court. He was a widely touted recruit from Canada who just has never lived up to his potential. This year though, he is letting the game come to him and is becoming a solid contributor for the Wolverines. Michigan will need both of these players to continue to play well in order to stay in the top 25 and compete atop the Big Ten conference.

There's more who can forget, David Merritt, C.J. Lee, Anthony Wright, and Zack Gibson. Michigan has become a deep team this year with as many shooters as any other team in the country. Merritt plays with a tremendous amount of poise and self-confidence. He doesn't make bad plays, he sets the offense up, plays solid defense, and has great basketball IQ. He is like a coach on the floor. C.J. Lee is similar, he plays good defense and can make the 3-point shot, can spot Harris some minutes from time to time. As for Anthony Wright, he is a player who is struggling right now especially with his shot, he is not letting the game come to him, he will be needed because he has the bulk to play in the Big Ten, defensively he needs to just play solid, and rebound well to make a contribution to the Michigan squad. Zach Gibson, does some good things and sometimes does some bad things. Overall he is a nice role player who needs to just keep knocking down mid-range jumpers and playing good post up defense.

Michigan has the ingredients to compete atop the Big Ten conference this year with the likes of Michigan St, Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio St. It's about going through your two best players in Harris and Sims. Along with that it's about Beilein's system working magic with backdoor cuts and open shots created from beyond the arc. If the players make shots, play their hearts out, and listen to the genius named John Beilein they will make the 2009 NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.

One thing we must not forget about are the players who tried to turn this program around but just didn't get enough help from the coaching staff that included head coaches Brian Ellerbe and Tommy Amaker. Names like Lavell Blanchard, Leon Jones, Chris Young, Bernard Robinson Jr, Dion Harris, Courtney Sims, Lester Abram, and most of all Daniel Horton. Without these players, believing and trying their hand at turning the program around Michigan wouldn't be where it is today. So let's say thank you to all of them!

It doesn't just stop this year. Things will continue to get better with the following recruits coming in next year: PG Darius Morris, SG Matt Vogrich, PF Jordan Morgan, PF Blake McLimans. Morris is the best recruit since Harris to come to Michigan, but Morris comes from the State of California. Vogrich will be the best shooter on the team next year, even better than Lava we shall see. Both Morgan and McLimans bring post depth and the ability to different things as big man on the team.

2010 has the possibility to be even better with names like Trey Zeigler, Moses Morgan, Will Regan, Tim Hardaway Jr. (former NBA player Tim Hardaway's kid), Ray McCallum and many more all looking at committing to Michigan. Don't stop there 2011 has a PG from Detroit by the name of Brandan Kearney who has ties to Michigan with the Edwards family. Recruiting is a key in winning and Beilein is showing that he can recruit the best, but can he finish the deal by getting them here?

Stay tuned for more updates about the Michigan basketball team!