After losing so many key players from last year’s Final Four team, I entered this season with tempered expectations. And after a couple games into the PK80 (Phil Knight Invitational), it was apparent that this team didn’t have ”it.” So, I kicked back and resigned myself to the idea that this was a rebuilding year. That the goal of this season was to develop talent—develop role players—who would complement the …
A Farewell to FishDuck.com and an Ode to My Ducks
Here I am, after nearly 15 months, writing my last article for FishDuck.com. I started before I even stepped foot on campus for my freshman year. Doe-eyed and terrified, I contacted Charles Fischer, an incredibly passionate Duck enthusiast who scared the crap out of me from the moment I started writing. My first article was good, but the title was awful and …
Rule Changes and Recruitment Will Help Move Oregon into Basketball’s Elite
After the 2013-2014 basketball season, everything was looking rosy for Dana Altman and Oregon basketball. They just finished a season which saw them win the Pac-12 tournament and the team had a strong showing in the NCAA tournament, narrowly losing to an eventual Final Four team, Wisconsin Badgers, in the round of 32. With a plethora of young and talented players returning, the Ducks were …
Oregon’s Top 5 Players in the NBA?
Although Oregon doesn’t have a long list of NBA players like Duke, North Carolina or UCLA, the Ducks can boast about the following Top 5, whom I’m going to rank arbitrarily according to their stats and highlights in the NBA. 1. Steve Jones: Jones was undrafted but signed with the Oakland Oaks of the ABA, in 1967. He was a …
NBA Draft Profile: Joseph Young
Oregon basketball enjoyed an electrifying season, one that it was never supposed to enjoy at all. After returning only three rotation players, the Ducks were expected to finish eighth in the Pac-12, all but certain to miss the NCAA tournament. Joseph Young saw to it that the Ducks proved all their doubters wrong. Young led the Ducks to the Pac-12 …
How Three Vital Ducks Were Ranked Coming into Oregon
As Oregon fans, we love to see when the sports teams land huge commitments of four- or five-star prospects that either came out of high school or transferred here from another academic institution. So, here are three fundamental players that have exemplified their phenomenal skills set on the court: 1. The One-and-Only G Joseph Young Of course, he would be regarded as …
Men’s Basketball Team Poised for Long-Term Success
It was certainly no Butler vs. Duke for the National Championship in 2010, but this year’s Oregon men’s basketball team was pretty close to a Cinderella story. Not even the die-hard fans, let alone the players, gave this team a chance of finishing second in the Pac-12 behind Arizona. The success from this past season is the fire that this basketball program needed. In Eugene, people care a lot …
Two Years and Three Cheers for Mighty Joe Young
“Here we go. Five seconds left in regulation. Young with three. Young FOR three. GOT IT!”- Dave Pasch, ESPN Announcer. A truly amazing play. The final few seconds leading up to Joseph Young’s buzzer beater against Utah to advance Oregon to the Pac-12 Tournament Championship were unforgettable. It’s been a couple weeks now, but I still find myself thinking about …
Looking Forward to Next Year’s Basketball Squad
Despite the fact that the Ducks didn’t make it far into the 2015 NCAA Tournament it’s still important to recognize the fact that they had one amazing run this year. Redshirt senior G Joseph Young had a legendary impact serving as Oregon’s “go-to-guy” during tough stretches at the end of games. However, next season is the beginning of a new …
What Comes Next for Oregon Basketball?
While the Sweet 16 is currently in progress for those still in the tournament, for the Ducks the offseason began after Sunday’s 85-77 loss to Wisconsin. While the taste of a repeat loss to the Badgers is a tough pill to swallow, there is plenty to look forward to in the 2015-16 season. The Ducks are bringing back a youthful, …
What An Amazing Run
Incredible. That’s the only word that describes the 2014-15 Ducks’ basketball season. I’ve never seen a team projected to be one of the worst in its conference play at such a high level during league play, and then at an even higher level during the NCAA Tournament. The growth of this team has been remarkable, and the Ducks deserve to …
A Bright Future for Elgin Cook
The Ducks have wrapped up their 2015 NCAA tournament campaign after a 72-65 loss to Wisconsin, but things are still looking bright after this season. With Joseph Young leaving, the Ducks will be looking for new players to feed the ball to next season. The 6-6 forward Elgin Cook may be one of the answers for the Ducks as they …