Survey for Panther Hoops fans

[Hime_Peterson]

I figured this would be fun. I'm sure you guys are all starving for some Panther basketball action as this year looks to be the best in many years, and perhaps ever. This survey is dating back to around 1990:

1. Favorite player: Jason Daisy--Never played for a great team, but was bar-none the best player I've seen in a Panther uniform, and that includes all of the standouts on the current team. I also liked Randy Blocker when he played.
2. Best player: Daisy
3. Favorite coach: Greg McDermott--Eldon Miller was a great guy but as far as coaching goes, few anywhere are as good as Coach Mac. Outstanding coach in all facets of the game and one of the nicer guys you could ever meet or bump into in public.
4. Favorite team: 2003-2004 MVC Tournament Champs
5. Favorite assistant coach: Ron Smith--class individual and great coach who made the transition from Weaver to McDermott go very smoothly. Tough to beat Coach Smith.
6. Most exciting moment: Newby's 3-pointer against Missouri in the NCAA Tournament
7. Most underrated player: David Gruber--really helped turn the program around
8. Best shooter: Cam Johnson--guy could fill it
9. Best clutch performer: Ben Jacobson--hit some big shots
10.Best defender: Erik Crawford--my favorite current Panther
11.Best win: NCAA Tourney win against Missouri
12.Most important win: When Coach Mac's overmatched and undersized group took on the then-nationally ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and beat them--was a sign that the McDermott era would be special, and it would happen sooner than most thought
13.Lowest moment: Sam Weaver's last home game in which Martin Coon attempted 48 baseline three pointers in the second half of a loss--I remember being at that game--NCAA Tournament berths in the next few years seemed impossible.
14.Most improbable moment: Octav Morariu's rebound and putback on Reggie Evans that sealed the victory in 2001.

Have at it.

[BillRawz]

Haha Octav Morariu

Haha someone brought up that play. I remember when ESPN showed it about a hundred times "morariu, I'm fine how are you?" one of the greatest quotes in UNI and ESPN history. Haha thanks for bring that up, i'm having a good laugh.


I think your list is awesome, i wouldn't change a thing!

Nice post

[4N6]

Can Anyone Remember This ... ?

In the same season of UNI's (first) big win against Iowa at the Dome, Georgetown ... yes, the Georgetown Hoyas, had Jason Reece on their "All Opponant Team." And ... the last basket he scored for UNI (against Minnesota in the NCAA) was a DUNK !!!

Nice reading your post.

[Hime_Peterson]

How bout some other people filling the survey out!

[Born-a-Panther]

How bout some other people filling the survey out!

I'm having some trouble deciding on some of these questions... give me a few days

[TH1974]

How bout some other people filling the survey out!

I'm not sure that anyone can disagree with many of your picks. I'd say you're pretty dead-on with most of them.

[Purple Reign]

I won't go thru the entire survey right now, but if you ask many long time Panther fans who have seen decades of Cats on the court, I think you would hear one name as the best of the best----so far

JASON REESE !!!! One of the most tenacious, smashing, "get out of my way" centers we have ever seen.

PR

[GonzoCat]

1. Favorite player: Brian Heying, I have my reasons, more for what he did in high school than at UNI.

2. Best player: Jason Reese, in the two NCAA games he went up against big name centers who were NBA lottery picks or clost to it and just schooled them. That's how I remember it anyway, I could be wrong.

The rest I will just agree with your picks.

[oldcat]

PR.............I'm glad you posted that............besides, he was just a great person.................thanks to Jersey for recruiting him!

[Born-a-Panther]

*Favorite player: Sean Hawkins... for reasons off the court... he was just a fun/nice guy to be around.
*Best player: I also have to say Jason Reese. I was just a little one when he was playing, but I still have a lot of memories of him.
*Favorite Coach: I have a lot of loyalties to Eldon Miller -- he's done a lot for a lot of people whether it have to do with basketball, UNI athletics in general or just being a good friend. However, I love Coach Mac, too -- especially his coaching style.
*Favorite Team: On the court: 2003-04. Off the court: 1996-97 squad (the year we won the mythical state championship).
*Favorite assistant coach: For off the court reasons, Jonathan Cox. Both as a player and a coach, he was a nice guy that could always make people laugh.
*Most exciting moment: As many times as I've seen the replay of Newbie's three-point shot, I was too young to be there in person, and I only remember the aftermath of it - not the actual event. Therefore, my most exciting moment would have to be when the final horn sounded at the end of our double-overtime championship game against SMS. I'll never forget rushing the court in the Savvis that night...
*Most underrated player: Ditto to David Gruber
*Best shooter: Ditto to Cam Johnson
*Bet clutch performer: Ditto to Ben Jacobson... he WANTS the ball in his hands more than anybody when the game is on the line... I love that about him.
*Best defender: Everyone knew about Jason Daisy's offensive abilities, but he also was great on defense... so I guess I'll change this category to saying "J.D." was the most underrated defender.
*Best win: "Oh Newbie... ...are you kidding me?! You put in the guy off the bench?! He hadn't played in ten minutes!" <--The win against Missouri... but to pick a game that I was in attendance for, it would be our championship victory in St. Louis.
*Most important win: I'll echo Coach Mac's win against Iowa... I remember the critics calling it a fluke... boy, is it fun to prove those people wrong!
*Lowest moment: I don't think I can pick one moment... I'll just pick the entire Weaver era.
*Most impossible moment: I'll agree with the Octav moment... honestly, I don't remember it exactly, but just reading about it made me laugh out loud.

[panther2317]

Let's see if I can throw my 2 cents in here:

1. Favorite player: I can't pick one...but if I had to name a few of my favorite guys, I'd say Brian Carpenter, Jason Sims, Theo Vandeven, Seth Anderson, Brian Jones, John Holterhaus and Brian Heying.
2. Best player: Blocker, Daisy and Cam Johnson (Jacobson will add his name to that list when he's done)
3. Favorite coach: I am an Eldon Miller guy. I worked for him for four years and he has done so much for me personally and professionally through the years. He's been like a second father to me and I think Coach Mac is FANTASTIC, but I am pretty loyal to Coach Miller.
4. Favorite team: 2003-2004 MVC Tournament Champs
5. Favorite assistant coach: Sam Skarich - when I was a freshman, it wa hard to like Coach Skarich. He was pretty demanding. But I quickly changed my tune and Coach Skarich was one of the best guys out there who had an endless passion for basketball and his players. Coach Boyle and Lehman are close runner-ups in this category. They were great mentors as well and great to work for during college.
6. Most exciting moment: Newby's 3-pointer against Missouri in the NCAA Tournament. I can tell you exactly where I was at North Scott High School when this happened. I was skipping out of Algebra II and watching it on the big screen in the media center. WOW! GO PANTHERS!!!!
7. Most underrated player: Brian Jones, Brian Heying, Darian DeVries
8. Best shooter: Cam Johnson--guy could fill it
9. Best clutch performer: Ben Jacobson--hit some big shots
10.Best defender: Jason Daisy was the best defender...Crawford and Little get it done too...but UNI really struggled defensivley after JD graduated.
11.Best win: NCAA Tourney win against Missouri
12.Most important win: When Coach Mac's overmatched and undersized group took on the then-nationally ranked Iowa Hawkeyes and beat them--was a sign that the McDermott era would be special, and it would happen sooner than most thought
13.Lowest moment: Sitting on the bench during the 1994 MVC Championship game and watching in horror as the Panthers lost a 10 point lead in the last 5 minutes of the game. That's as close to the NCAA Tournament as I'll ever be in my life. (as a participant - manager/coach).
14.Most improbable moment: Wow...the Morariu moment is very improbable...I'll go with that one for now...but reserve the right to change my mind later on.

[oldcat]

13.Lowest moment: Sitting on the bench during the 1994 MVC Championship game and watching in horror as the Panthers lost a 10 point lead in the last 5 minutes of the game. That's as close to the NCAA Tournament as I'll ever be in my life. (as a participant - manager/coach).

2317.............you must like pushing my buttons. I remember that game very well..........I was in the stands (that big dusty old barn) and remember Blocker having a break away for a stuff............and he missed it. The game turned around at that point. SIU had one heck of a team and we were playing great basketball (Cam was hitting on all cylinders)..........................man, that one hurt!!

[panther2317]

Cam is still to this day the only player named Tournament MVP from a team that did NOT win the Championship. Kudos to Cam!

That game is also how I came to loathe all SIU fans (at least all of them that were there). They had just won the title, gotten an automatic bid to the NCAA's and when Cam was announced as MVP, they BOOED and BOOED for the entire time that Cam was walking up to get his trophy. That was truly classless and as you might be able to tell...I haven't quite gotten over it yet. Cam would have given that trophy to anyone for a berth into the NCAA's instead. What a great group of guys that was. Good times...good memories...but that was a tough night.

[Born-a-Panther]

I also remember that game, although I wasn't actually there. I watched it on TV... but I remember that tournament so well because I listened to every single game on the radio leading up to the championship game... I was only eight, and it was the first year that I really "got" what all the excitment was about. I remember having tears in my eyes while I tried falling asleep that night. Cam Johnson is still one of my favorite players and the number 25 will always belong to him in my book!

[Panther Fan]

Not one to post much on message boards but read very regularly. As a fan for 20+ years dating back to elementary school this thread really peeked my interest and thought I'd throw in my two cents worth.

1. Favorite player: Dale Turner, can’t even say why, but was my favorite player on the ’90 team
2. Best player: Blocker, I’m no scout but thought he might have a future. The way he could get in the lane, elevate and shoot was impressive. Also had some great dunks. I do think we need to realize the talent level in the Valley and the level of basketball currently being played. For example, I wonder how Krayanbrink (sp?) would fare today, he'd obviously benefit from the three point line.
3. Favorite coach: Can’t go wrong with Eldon or Mac
4. Favorite team: each year it’s the current years team
6. Most exciting moment: Newby's 3-pointer is the obvious choice but just for something different I’ll say the full court pass and shot to beat SMS in the ’90 Mid-Con semifinal game. I get goosebumps thinking about it. Almost overshadows the amazing comeback they made leading up to that point and really overshadows the triple overtime win against UIC the previous night. Those three days are like a blur ending in the UWGB win.
7. Most underrated player: Troy Mullinberg wasn’t the star given the likes of Reece, Phyfe, McCullough and Turner. More known for the lack of socks.
12.Most important win: When Mac said the win at WSU this year was the biggest win in history I did think he needed to caveat that it was the biggest regular season win, but also thought his words would be true IF we ended up with an at-large bid. Although last year would have been a success with an NIT bid, being in the dance two straight years is a significant accomplishment that hopefully will be the continuation of Mac building this program. The bid was a direct result of that win and the fact that it directly moved us ahead of WSU for a possible third MVC team.
13.Lowest moment: Hate to dwell on this but it’s almost more fun to think about now that we’re enjoying so much success. My friends and I laugh that some teams have a rebuilding year and UNI had a rebuilding decade. I was at the SIU game at the Arena in ’94 and can’t describe how depressing the drive home was, but I’ll throw out three other’s that were pretty bad. 1)’91 Mid-Con semis when we blew a lead against a heavily favored N. Ill when Donald Whiteside throws in a 25 footer at the end to send it to overtime. The drive home from GB the next day rivals the ’94 ride, but just longer. Would have been tough to beat GB the next night but would have liked the chance to make back to back NCAA appearances and what that might have meant for the program. 2) The games in the early ‘90’s against Morningside and Wartburg. If my memory serves me right we lost to Morningside (or really struggled to win). And if I remember right we played Wartburg on a Sunday afternoon at McElroy Auditorium when the Dome collapsed. Felt like there were 50 people there and we had maybe a 4 point lead at the half. In the 90’s UNI had a hard enough time with people in the state thinking we were D-II and those games didn’t help.