Alright maybe not totally, but an AU Eagle is playing and (to be cliche) flying high over in Europe. Vlad Moldoveanu is looking like the player that could take the Eagles to a third consecutive Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament experience. In "No I'm Not Dead, I've Just Been Taking Stock of the Situation" I pointed out that AU was lacking a leading scorer.
I'll indicate how wrong I was by using messed up syntax: lacking is not what the basketball team of the American University is anymore.
Consider that in four games in EuroBasket 2009 Divison B play Vlad (can I call you Vlad since I'll be barechested and roaring implications that you will impale other teams in a matter of mere months?) has been a force.
Here are his lines in the past four games (courtesy of EuroBasket2009.org):
| Match | Min | 2P FG | 3P FG | FT | Reb | PF | Pts | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | O | D | Tot | ||||||||
| vs . Cyprus | 39 | 3/5 | 60,0 | 2/3 | 66,7 | 8/9 | 88,9 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 20 | ||||
| vs . Belarus | 32 | 6/7 | 85,7 | 1/3 | 33,3 | 2/5 | 40,0 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | ||||
| vs . Switzerland | 35 | 5/6 | 83,3 | 1/5 | 20,0 | 5/8 | 62,5 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 18 | ||||
| vs . Albania | 36 | 3/8 | 37,5 | 3/7 | 42,9 | 3/5 | 60,0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 18 | ||||
For those of you unwilling to do the math, that's an average line of 35.5 minutes, 18 points, 8.5 rebounds a game on 65% from the field and 39% from behind the arc.
That is, mesmerizing? check. fantastic? check. something to anticipate? check. check. CHECK.
Okay, is he putting up Lebron James style numbers? No. However, he IS looking like some kind of perverse superhuman Garrison Carr/Brian Gilmore hybrid numbers.
The bad news is he won't be eligible until January. The good news is he'll be in just in time for Patriot League play to start.
Sorry for the effusive gushing, friends and fans, it's fantastic to see that we'll have a certifiably promising addition to Hendra, Luptak, and Lumpkins.
Pro deo et patria and GO EAGLES!
I'd make some comparisons between small Eastern European nations and the likes of Colgate, Lafayette, Army, and this past year's Bucknell squad...but I think the analogy speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder, though, how did those sort of numbers never come out of Vlad while at Mason? I mean, I could make some comparisons between small Eastern European nations and the CAA...
Also, I cannot wait to shout "IMPALED" every time Mr. Moldoveanu makes a basket. Now...how do we connect this to the Crusaders to make it extra offensive...
Hard to say exactly why, Josh, but it could be any number of things. Without having seen the FIBA games, Romania may be running a different system that is giving Vlad more open looks and working him into the offense more. Given that in his two seasons in the CAA he averaged 11.4 and 9.9 minutes a game, he was only given a supporting role with the Patriots. You're right that his percentages were much lower (especially from long-range) but more play time usually improves that (which is what I'm hoping will happen with the talented Mr. Luptak)
ReplyDeleteAlbania, Cyprus, and Switzerland are all weaker than most PL teams. Vlad will be a solid PL player but he won't average 18.5 ppg or 8.5 rpg. Also is unlikely to shoot 50% from the field.
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