(04-23-2022 10:58 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:51 AM)klake87 Wrote:  I will start, Kenny Battle best player to leave. Brad Waller best player to transfer in.

Lived on the basketball team floor with Kenny in Neptune Central my senior year. Brad was in my graduating class at Glenbard East. Both were amazing talents.

I lived on that floor as well!

(04-23-2022 11:51 PM)niuaccy1976 Wrote:  

(04-23-2022 10:44 PM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:44 PM)niuaccy1976 Wrote:  Transfer in: Matt Hicks

When I think of the Chick Evan’s Fieldhouse the first player I think of is Matt Hicks.

Yeah, same here. For more Matt Hicks stuff, see post #36 in this thread.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-455533.html

Thanks 1976. Great story. I voted more than once

(04-22-2022 08:51 AM)klake87 Wrote:  I will start, Kenny Battle best player to leave. Brad Waller best player to transfer in.

You are correct.

Brian Hammel was such a class act. I wish he had stayed longer. He wanted t so bad for the Huskies. His teams were tenacious and hustled non-stop.

(04-26-2022 01:43 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:51 AM)klake87 Wrote:  I will start, Kenny Battle best player to leave. Brad Waller best player to transfer in.

You are correct.

No way Brad Waller was the best player to transfer in. Waller was a great H.S. player who averaged 33 pts/game his senior year. In college, not so much. In 1 year at Cincinnati and 3 years at NIU, he averaged 9.9 pts (11.9 pts at NIU). Waller was a one-dimensional player, take away his shot and he was a non-factor. Opposing teams figured that out quickly. He wasn't a threat going to the basket, not a great passer (averaged 1.4 assists for his career) and was a defensive liability.

As others have said, Jim Smith and Matt Hicks were way more impactful. Both were dominant rebounders and big-time scorers. From the NIU Hall of Fame about Jim Smith:

Quote: finished career rated among all-time NIU leaders in career rebounding (14.4 rbpg.), career scoring (20.1 ppg.

Also from the NIU Hall of Fame about Matt Hicks:

Quote:Two-time All-America remembered for mind-blowing dunks (31 as senior). First player in MAC history to repeat as loop scoring and rebounding champ (25.0 ppg. & 12.8 rbpg. in 1975-76 / 25.3 ppg. & 13.0 rbpg. in 1976-77).

I'll give Matt Hicks a slight edge because he was more of a scoring threat. He was probably the second best dunker ever at NIU, but could also post up and had a reliable mid-range jumper. Jim Smith was a player who intimidated with his physicality. I knew Smitty and he was one crazy dude. Fun fact, Smitty would drink beer BEFORE games. He said it made him angrier!

There's a reason Smith and Hicks are in the NIU Hall of Fame and Waller is not.

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...-smith/167

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...t-hicks/87

(05-05-2022 07:33 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-26-2022 01:43 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:51 AM)klake87 Wrote:  I will start, Kenny Battle best player to leave. Brad Waller best player to transfer in.

You are correct.

No way Brad Waller was the best player to transfer in. Waller was a great H.S. player who averaged 33 pts/game his senior year. In college, not so much. In 1 year at Cincinnati and 3 years at NIU, he averaged 9.9 pts (11.9 pts at NIU). Waller was a one-dimensional player, take away his shot and he was a non-factor. Opposing teams figured that out quickly. He wasn't a threat going to the basket, not a great passer (averaged 1.4 assists for his career) and was a defensive liability.

As others have said, Jim Smith and Matt Hicks were way more impactful. Both were dominant rebounders and big-time scorers. From the NIU Hall of Fame about Jim Smith:

Quote: finished career rated among all-time NIU leaders in career rebounding (14.4 rbpg.), career scoring (20.1 ppg.

Also from the NIU Hall of Fame about Matt Hicks:

Quote:Two-time All-America remembered for mind-blowing dunks (31 as senior). First player in MAC history to repeat as loop scoring and rebounding champ (25.0 ppg. & 12.8 rbpg. in 1975-76 / 25.3 ppg. & 13.0 rbpg. in 1976-77).

I'll give Matt Hicks a slight edge because he was more of a scoring threat. He was probably the second best dunker ever at NIU, but could also post up and had a reliable mid-range jumper. Jim Smith was a player who intimidated with his physicality. I knew Smitty and he was one crazy dude. Fun fact, Smitty would drink beer BEFORE games. He said it made him angrier!

There's a reason Smith and Hicks are in the NIU Hall of Fame and Waller is not.

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...-smith/167

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...t-hicks/87

I didn't know much about Matt Hicks, but reading his HOF bio he seems to be one heck of an athlete. He came in second to Marques "No, no, I am not Raymond, that's not me" Johnson in the Slam Dunk Contest. And the most amazing thing at 6'4", is that he had a 13.00 RPG average.

(05-05-2022 08:15 AM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  

(05-05-2022 07:33 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-26-2022 01:43 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(04-22-2022 08:51 AM)klake87 Wrote:  I will start, Kenny Battle best player to leave. Brad Waller best player to transfer in.

You are correct.

No way Brad Waller was the best player to transfer in. Waller was a great H.S. player who averaged 33 pts/game his senior year. In college, not so much. In 1 year at Cincinnati and 3 years at NIU, he averaged 9.9 pts (11.9 pts at NIU). Waller was a one-dimensional player, take away his shot and he was a non-factor. Opposing teams figured that out quickly. He wasn't a threat going to the basket, not a great passer (averaged 1.4 assists for his career) and was a defensive liability.

As others have said, Jim Smith and Matt Hicks were way more impactful. Both were dominant rebounders and big-time scorers. From the NIU Hall of Fame about Jim Smith:

Quote: finished career rated among all-time NIU leaders in career rebounding (14.4 rbpg.), career scoring (20.1 ppg.

Also from the NIU Hall of Fame about Matt Hicks:

Quote:Two-time All-America remembered for mind-blowing dunks (31 as senior). First player in MAC history to repeat as loop scoring and rebounding champ (25.0 ppg. & 12.8 rbpg. in 1975-76 / 25.3 ppg. & 13.0 rbpg. in 1976-77).

I'll give Matt Hicks a slight edge because he was more of a scoring threat. He was probably the second best dunker ever at NIU, but could also post up and had a reliable mid-range jumper. Jim Smith was a player who intimidated with his physicality. I knew Smitty and he was one crazy dude. Fun fact, Smitty would drink beer BEFORE games. He said it made him angrier!

There's a reason Smith and Hicks are in the NIU Hall of Fame and Waller is not.

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...-smith/167

https://niuhuskies.com/honors/hall-of-fa...t-hicks/87

I didn't know much about Matt Hicks, but reading his HOF bio he seems to be one heck of an athlete. He came in second to Marques "No, no, I am not Raymond, that's not me" Johnson. And the most amazing thing at 6'4", is that he had a 13.00 RPG average.

Donnell Thomas was a GREAT rebounder at 6’4”. Matt Hicks was also 6’4” and was an even better rebounder.