Page 10-Wednesday, November 30, 1977-The Michigan Daily
Wolverine cagers
Loaded with new talent, offensive spark
The Michigan Daily-Wednesday. Nove
DEFENSE, REBOUNDING SUSPECT
Worried Orr still optimis
Dave Baxter
6-3 No. 25 Sr.
165 Detroit G
Baxter's Varsity Record:
Yr. G FG-FGA Pet. Fr-FTA Pet. Ib M.A't. Avg.
Fr. 26 40-108 .370 20-27 .741 39 41 3.8
So. 32 80-164 .488 46-56 .821 45 60 6.4
Jr. 29 94-186 .505 41-57 .719 46 63 7.9
BAXTER: "I miss not covering Rickey
Green in practice because he was so
great I had to work hard to contain
him. . . I know what I want to do on
the court and I know what the coac
want done. Our team has great indi
ual talent, but it may take some time
blend together into a team . . . If
can't clear the defensive boards, t
we have m fast brk.That would e
hurt."
Tom Bergen
hes
vid-
e to
we
hen
B'
Sr.
C
Alan Hardy
6-6 No
192 D
Hardy's Varsity Record:
Yr. G FG-FGA Pct.F
Fr. 29 41-83 .494
So. 29 47-104 .452
eo. 42
letroit
Jr.
F
rF-FA Pct. Rbs.As't. Avg.
1019 .526 44 18 3.2
15-25 .600 65 8 3.8
a
0
" SAM'S
0 . .0
0
00
o -
- .
* 0
0
0- 0
0 -
4, 0
207 E. Liberty
663-8611
6-9
200
No.53
Mt. Prospect, Ill.
Bergen's Varsity Record:
Yr. G FG-FGA Pct. FT-TTA Pct. PB&As't. Avg.
So. 29 24-43 .558 15-17 .882 35 8 2.2
Jr. 22 12-30 .400 7-14 .500 25 5 1.4
ORR: "Bergen's played before and we
have a little confidence in him. He's
helped in games in the past two years.
He's a good offensive center."
BERGEN: "My role on the team is
more as a playmaker to set picks. I'll
try and run the offense correctly and
look for a good pass underneath and
then shoot if my options are gone. I'll
be working on better outside shooting
this year."
Marty Bodnar
6-3 No. 24 Fr.
175 Barberton, O. G
BODNAR: "I look at my freshman
year basically as a learning experience.
I'd like to play, sure, but I won't be
disappointed if I don't. Coming here
was a big adjustment from high school.
I think I'm finally getting the hang
of it. The defense is the hardest. In high
school we just switched when we were
picked, where now I have to learn to
fight them off."
Mark Bodnar
ORR: "Offensively Alan plays very,
very well. He could be an outstanding
player."
HARDY: "I see my role as a prime
source and needed just as much as
any of the other starting five. I'm a
rebounder and now I need defense. I'd
call this year's team the Big O because
of our offensive power."
Paul Heuerman
Editor's note: As Johnny Orr heads into his tenth
season as Michigan's basketball coach, he faces the
challenge of placing an entirely new starting lineup on the
floor and still making a run for the Big Ten title. Over
his previous nine years, Orr has compiled a 161-77 record
while at Michigan and a 200-110 in his overall coaching
career, including three years at Massachusetts. Orr talked
recently with Daily-reporter Ernie Dunbar about the
upcoming Big Ten schedule and the strengths and the
weaknesses he sees in the Michigan basketball team.
THE DAILY: Will you do anything
differently as a coach due to the inex-
perience of the team?
ORR: Well, I haven't thought about
that. We're all well, you see Joel,
Hardy, Staton, and Baxter are very
experienced players. The only player
on that first group that would not be
experienced would be McGee. But
I'm sure we have a lot of players now
that are closer in ability than we've
had, and so we may try different ones
in there, especially in the early
going.
THE DAILY: Are you worried
about having a bench without exper-
ience?
ORR: No, that doesn't worry us at
all. That isn't the thing that bothers
us. The rebounding and the defense
are the things that worry us.
THE DAILY: Will you platoon your
6-7
200
No. 15
Akron, 0.
Fr.
F-C
ORR: "He's been a pleasant surprise.
He's played better than we thought he
would. He works hard. He was 6-4 as a
junior in high school and 6-8 as a senior.
If everything goes okay he should be
seven foot by the end of the year."
HEUERMAN: "I'm just trying to do
my best. I'm trying to play to the best
of my abilities."
Johnny Johnson
6-4 No.34 Fr.
200 Buffalo, NY. F-G
ORR: "He's a fine offensive player,
boy he's strong. Defensively he's not so
strong. We'd like him to work a little
harder."
JOHNSON: "Offensively I know I can
do it whenever I want. As I learn the
'D'-watch out!"
Len Lillard
h
6-3
175
No. 30
Barberton, 0.
Fr.
.1 --
--
BODNAR: "I hope to become a more
defensive oriented player-that's the
hardest part right now. We will be
pressing a lot and that's going to take
a lot out of your starting five. I'll come
in and give three or four good.minutes
on defense if that is what they want."
DOWNTOWN
-.
All New for Lunch
DOWNTOWN
W 114 E. Washington
All New for Dinner
Now, in add
wich, soup,
been expanc
*
-4.
Especial
Unlim
SALA
with
inclu
Especial
All y
SMO
dais1
dition to our great luncheon deal of sand- Pick your day and plan ahead. All you can eat!
salad and relish bar (which now has also
ded), we're serving new specials. *Chtldre
SUNDAY: Italian Buffet.. .$3.49, 1.99
Ily for the Weight-Watcher: MONDAY: Spaghetti .......... 2.49, 1.99
ited trips to our $1 95 TUESDAY: Bar-B-Q Chicken or Beef Ribs..
1D & RELISH BAR . ... 3.25, 1.99
over 25 items, 6 dressings WEDNESDAY: Seafood Buffet . . 3.95, 2.50
tding Blue Cheese at no extra charge THURSDAY: Smorgasboard ... 3.49, 1.99
Ily for the Hearty Meal Lover: FR I DA Y and SATURDAY DINNER
Prime Rib au Jus $4.95
iRCASBOARD includes potato, bread, unlimited trips to salad bar
Ades soup, salad, relish bar, OR YOU MAY CHOOSE FROM AN ENLARGED
y gourmet entree MENU OF ITALIAN AND AMERICAN FOOD
-Eso aladable: generous cockmtils. cold beer. domestic and imported wine
rP BY AND S FOR YOURSELF! BIMBIOS DOESN'T ONLY MEAN PIZZA!
6-7 No. 52 Sr.
210 Ann Arbor F-C
Lillard's Varsity Record:
Yr. G FG-FGA Pet. F-TA Pet. R1. As't. Avg.
Jr. 10 8-12 .667 2-2 1.000 11 0 1.8
LILLARD: "I like to be able to get in
the game. I'm not as flashy as most
players, so I like to play good defense
and get the boards. When you're com-
ing off the bench you see what you've
got to do."
Mark Lozier
6-3 No.32 So.
185 Logansport, Ind. G
Lozier's Varsity Record:
Yr. G FG-FGA Pct. Fr-FA Pct. Rb. As't. Avg.
Fr. 16 5-16 .313 4-5 .800 13 5 0.9
LOZIER: "People here wouldn't know
me except for the Marquette game un-
less they followed real close. Every-
body recognizes me for that game.
What's really funny is people back
home saw me against Purdue, North-
western on television and Marquette.
They think I played every single game
like that. It's funny but it's good, be-
cause it has put a lot of pressure on
me. I hope to be at least like Baxter
was last year-the third guard and the
first man in. They recruited me as a de-
fensive player, but college defense de-
pends on quickness. I'm not that quick,
so I just try to play steady defense."
Mike McGee
6-5 No. 40 Fr.
190 Omaha, Neb. G-F
ORR: "He will certainly be a candi-
date for outstanding freshman in the
Full court press
By CUB SCHWARTZ
THE DAY IT WAS announced that Phil Hubbard was to undergo surgery,
Johnny Orr made sure his team knew he still had confidence in it.
"We're in the-same position we were five years ago when Campy
Russell left us," he told them, "but we got together then as a unit and had
determination. You would be aiazed at what you can do. This year we have
a lot more talent than we did then. You've just have to play as a team."
But it is obvious more than just teamwork is needed if this year's team
is to be successful.
Orr's teams are characteristically scrappy. Then run. They're quick,
They force turnovers with a stifling man-to-man defense. Orr hasn't
fielded a run and gun team since he came to Michigan. It's not his style.
But this year will be different than in the past. There is no Steve Grote
to beat up the opposition this year. There is no Phil Hubbard or C.J. Kupec
to clear the boards and start the fast break. Orr has a different type of talent
to work with. Not worse-different.
Consider the starting five:
Center-Joel Thomson: At 6-7 Thompson will always be facing taller
centers. And while he is a great leaper, Joel is a forward-and an offensive
one at that. He will have trouble keeping out of foul trouble if he is at all
effective inside. Joel lacks that quickness which gave Hubbard an edge on
the boards.
Forward-Alan Hardy: If you've ever seen Hardy at practice you know
he can rip the nets from almost anywhere on the floor. He's a good offensive
player. From the same practice session you will see Hardy's weakness on
defense. And although Hardy can jump, it will happen more on dunks than
on rebounds.
Forward-Mike McGee: The coaches are very high on McGee. They
say he will be an All-America candidate by the time he graduates. Orr
compares him favorably with Mike Woodson of Indiana. Sure McGee is
good-most blue chippers are. But like the others playing the front line,
McGee is weaker on defense than offense. Thus, Orr will have Tommy
Staton switch to the forward position on defense to pick up the slack in both
defense and rebounding.
Guards-Tommy Staton and Dave Baxter: Not much you can say about
this duo. Both can play defense well and both are capable of running the fast
break.
But there are two problems with running the fast break this year.
First, when the other team is putting the ball through the hoop it's tough to
run the fast break. Second, when the rebounds are few and scattered it's
tough to break.
But Orr still plans on scoring points this way. If you can't rely on
rebounds you have to force the turnovers-the steals, picked-off passes,
the mental errors.
To do this the Wolverines will press this year. So what's new? Michigan'
has always pressed.
This year it will be different-it will be zone and it will happen often.
"We're going to press a lot more this season," says Orr, "not only after
made free throws but after turnovers, made baskets, inbounds. .
Lots of pressing produces two things-exciting games and tired players.
Let's consider the latter..
Remember when you read about Michigan's recruits last year. 'Why
worry about it,' you thought, 'without Earvin we don't have to worry about
anyof the recruits playing.'
All the pressing will probably change that. You'need fresh players in
& y ',x E;! ~4FU1JL.Pag07\ \ __
centers? What are the unique
strengths of each?
ORR: We don't plan on platooning.
We plan on finding one and he'll be
the center until he needs some rest or
gets into foul trouble, or doesn't play
well. When he doesn't do those
things, we'll bring in a new center.
Joel is the best shooter, there isn't
any question about that. At times
he's a strong rebounder. He fouls ex-
cessively in there. Robinson is big.
He's a shot blocker, probably better
than any of them, and should be very
strong on the boards. I think he will
be as time goes by. Heuerman is just
a hustler. He's probably the best
defensive player and the hardest
worker of them all. I think Bergen
has not had a good pre-season.But-
he's played before and we have a
little confidence in him. He's helped
in games in the past two years.
Defensively he's not a real strong
player and he's not a strong rebound-
er and that's a problem when you
play center. He's a good offensive
center too.
THE DAILY: This year you've
said the team isn't as good defensive-
ly as last year. Will you do anything
to offset this weakness?
ORR: Well, we've worked on fun-
damentals I think more this year
than we ever have. I know we have.
Much more. We've gone down the
basics, we've reviewed daily, gone
over and over and over it. I think for
the older guys it gets kind of
monotonous but when you have seven
new players in your system,, it's
more tedious, time taking and you
have to have more patience than you
have in the years past. I think we've
done an excellent, excellent job. I
think these players are getting better
and better and I think when we get
going, they'll be pretty good.
THE DAILY: Could you compare
the strengths and weaknesses of this
year's starters as opposed to last
year's?
ORR: You can't tell. We haven't
had this team play yet, so it's hard to
tell. I think we'll have some of the
same strengths as last year - good
quickness and I think we may be a
stronger offensive team. But we
won't be quite as good a defensive
team or quite as strong a rebounding
team, at this point.
THE DAILY: You said before last
season that you would have one of the
top five recruiting years in the na-
tion. Do you feel you did?
ORR: Oh, I don't know what the
others had, or how theirplayersare
going to be. We'll just have to wait
and see that. But we have some good
freshmen. Along with Michael (Rob.
inson), I think we had a very good
recruiting year, there's no question
about that. They've got to develop.
They're good players, they've just
got to fit into the system and learn
what we want them to do, work hard
and let time take its course.
THE DAILY: A Bobby Knight
team is ass
What is the s
Orr team?
ORR: Oh,
we've been on
defensive tea
the past four
offense has
around our c
ball, getting
quickly and .
ing turnovers
think that's 1
team. We jus
saying we're
offense or a
just isn't the
at Michigan
good an all a
team we hav
years as anyt
THE DAIL
leaving Mic
another coa
business [lik
quette, or bra
ORR : No.
now in the L
Jo4
changes. Bu
built up. The
program wi
now it's one
try. I like Mi
I like work
have a goc
we've been
There's stil
cause we w
Championst
opportunity
Michigan. I
soever of ev
and I doubt
coach any
you never
come up sc
But I enj(
players, en
working at
gan.
THE DA
feelings on
its -players
emphasis d
during the s
'See l
e
h
't r e.w w-pfiw c. ..rtr e a- o aij J. b i -s-4
' k. i CTi t E ritd'i - 6 - 1 .k3R :Y.Jna . yww l 'fr '
-W i ll i ISO,