1 day ago
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Is 'Born ready' is NBA ready ? as Stephenson signs deal with Pacers...
“Born ready” is one step closer to living up to his moniker.
Former Lincoln HS star Lance Stephenson inked an undisclosed multi-year contract with the Indiana Pacers yesterday afternoon, just weeks after he thrived in the NBA’s Orlando summer league, averaging nearly 15 points per game.
The second-round pick, who spent one year at the University of Cincinnati and was named the Big East Rookie of the Year, also led the league in field goal percentage at 73 percent and was second on his team in scoring. Team president Larry Bird said shortly after the draft he was surprised Stephenson was available at the 40th pick.It’s the best of both worlds,” his father, Lance Stephenson Sr., said. “We got a good team and they got a good player. The Pacers have been a class organization. They treated him like a first-round pick. It’s a good day for both sides.”
Stephenson was in Indiana and unable to be reached for comment.
The Pacers used the 6-foot-5 Stephenson, 19, at both guard spots, but it was at point guard, a position he seldom played during high school or college, where he opened eyes. The move worked well, as the Coney Island product excelled as a playmaker, not only for himself, but those around him.
“The deal reflects a commitment by both sides,” said Stephenson’s agent, Alberto Ebanks. “Today marked the realization of a lifelong dream and at the same time the start of a new and exciting chapter in his life. He is playing for a great coach, for a Hall of Fame boss and in a town rich in basketball history. Who could ask for more?”
The next test for the all-time leading scorer in New York State history is training camp.
“I’m just happy everybody saw the talent in him,” said Dwayne (Tiny) Morton, who coached Stephenson at Lincoln. “He proved a lot of people wrong. He’s got a chance to show everybody he can play. He made his dream come true.” by BRAZILER
Former Lincoln HS star Lance Stephenson inked an undisclosed multi-year contract with the Indiana Pacers yesterday afternoon, just weeks after he thrived in the NBA’s Orlando summer league, averaging nearly 15 points per game.
The second-round pick, who spent one year at the University of Cincinnati and was named the Big East Rookie of the Year, also led the league in field goal percentage at 73 percent and was second on his team in scoring. Team president Larry Bird said shortly after the draft he was surprised Stephenson was available at the 40th pick.It’s the best of both worlds,” his father, Lance Stephenson Sr., said. “We got a good team and they got a good player. The Pacers have been a class organization. They treated him like a first-round pick. It’s a good day for both sides.”
Stephenson was in Indiana and unable to be reached for comment.
The Pacers used the 6-foot-5 Stephenson, 19, at both guard spots, but it was at point guard, a position he seldom played during high school or college, where he opened eyes. The move worked well, as the Coney Island product excelled as a playmaker, not only for himself, but those around him.
“The deal reflects a commitment by both sides,” said Stephenson’s agent, Alberto Ebanks. “Today marked the realization of a lifelong dream and at the same time the start of a new and exciting chapter in his life. He is playing for a great coach, for a Hall of Fame boss and in a town rich in basketball history. Who could ask for more?”
The next test for the all-time leading scorer in New York State history is training camp.
“I’m just happy everybody saw the talent in him,” said Dwayne (Tiny) Morton, who coached Stephenson at Lincoln. “He proved a lot of people wrong. He’s got a chance to show everybody he can play. He made his dream come true.” by BRAZILER
Monday, January 25, 2010
Born Ready - Lance Stephenson is growing up quickly at Cincinnati
Out here is Cincinnati, a small place compared to where Stephenson is from. They'll give him elbow room in Cincinnati, everywhere but in the lane. The locals are respectful of their sports stars. They're grateful enough to let their heroes breathe.
When Deion Sanders played center field for the Reds in the mid-'90s, he marveled at the space he got from fans. Prime Time was "household,'' as he liked to say. He was a two-sport jock, a bejeweled celeb who dabbled in hip-hop and was among the most recognizable sports people on the planet.
In Cincinnati, he could go to the mall. He could eat at a restaurant and not need VIP seating.
Stephenson could not have known any of that when he agreed last June to play quasi-amateur basketball at the University of Cincinnati. What he did know was that New York was starting to smother him. Breathing was a problem. So was being the next Next. New York is always looking for the next Next. That was Stephenson, who got Next from Sebastian Telfair, who inherited it from Stephon Marbury by way of Kenny Anderson. And so on.
When your high school team wins four city titles and you break the state's all-time scoring record (held by Telfair, who took it from Anderson), you are going to be pampered. Or as Stephenson put it, "respected too much.''
"In New York, everything was given to me. Out here, they keep me grounded. It's not like, 'Oh, he's a superstar, let's treat him different.'
"If everything is given to you, you feel like, 'I can do whatever I want and get away with it.' Out here I can't get away with everything.''
Either Stephenson talks as good as he plays, or there was a whole lot of misjudging going on the last few years.
Hoop junkies know his story: A legend at Coney Island's Lincoln High who had the Born Ready nickname applied to him by a Rucker Park announcer during a summer league game in 2006. The star of an Internet TV series of the same name, for which he received much attention from the NCAA, whose sleuths wanted to know if he got paid.
Stephenson took a tour of an Under Armour warehouse in Baltimore, while on an official visit to Maryland. The company's founder and CEO is also on Maryland's Board of Trustees. Oops. On top of that, Stephenson was charged with sexual assault for groping a 17-year-old girl.
All that happened in a two-year span. Many college coaches were scared off, seeing more risk than reward, even as recruiting experts proclaimed Stephenson to be the next Next. After Cincinnati signed him, the Bearcats had to sweat an NCAA tooth-combing. Stephenson was cleared just before UC's first exhibition game in November.
A kid could get exhausted from all that hype.
"You like it in the beginning,'' Stephenson said. "You feel like you're different than other people.''
Different was good for awhile: The press, the fawning, the awe when he entered a playground or a gym. Look at me.
That changed when the NCAA started looking at his film career and the press went south after the sexual assault charge. Different was no longer good. "It was a negative thing in my life and I wanted to change it,'' Stephenson said.
Stephenson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in the assault case and was sentenced to community service. He wasn't paid for Born Ready. He's no longer on the NCAA's hit list. He has adapted to college life in a way that delights him.
Stephenson earned a 3.5 GPA in his first college quarter. He never achieved better than a 2.0 in high school. Skeptics would suggest he excelled at Dick and Jane and never missed a Connect-the-Dots class. His academic advisor, Sara Piepho, said Stephenson's courses were legit: "They're not basket-weaving and Yoga 101,'' she said. In fact, Stephenson's schedule included an English class and a paralegal course.
When Piepho told Stephenson late last quarter that the 3.5 was a possibility, he wanted to call his parents. Their reaction was, "Are you serious?''
Piepho was wary of Stephenson when he arrived. Blue-chip recruit, not expected to stay more than a year or two: Another guy she'd have to run down and introduce to study hall. "Any time you have a kid who could be one-and-done, you wonder,'' she said. It hasn't happened that way. "If I could clone him, I would. He's disciplined and driven. He makes good decisions.''
Stephenson hasn't been the me-first playground player some suspected he'd be, either. If anything, he has held back. He leads Cincinnati in scoring at 12.7 points a game, but that's only slightly better than Deonta Vaughn's 11 points a game and Yancy Gates' 10.
"In high school, I could just go. Take over,'' Stephenson said. "I do that here, (defenses) collapse on me, I get a turnover.''
The one game he did take over on Dec. 30, the Bearcats upset Connecticut. Stephenson had 21 points, including the game-winning free throws. Still, he's not a finished product. Stephenson is not Kentucky's John Wall. He's still learning when to pass and when to shoot, and how to fight through screens on defense.
"Sometimes, he's in the all-pass mode,'' said Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin. "Sometimes, he's in the all-drive mode. When he (learns) when to pass, when to shoot, when to drive and take what the defense gives him, he's going to be a special offensive player.''
In the meantime, the learning continues for Born Ready. He'll be back in New York on Wednesday night, in Madison Square Garden against St. John's. Stephenson refers to Cincinnati as "out here.'' Either he sees it as the small-town outback, or an out from the unique burdens of being a New York schoolboy basketball prodigy. Maybe both.
It's nice to go home, Stephenson figures. But only for short time. By:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/paul_daugherty/01/13/stephenson/index.html
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Lance stephenson scores career high !
Seven players on the No. 22/24 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team scored in double figures, leading the Bearcats to a 94-57 victory over Texas Southern University on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena. The 37-point win is the largest margin of victory in head coach Mick Cronin's tenure at UC.
Rashad Bishop led all UC scorers with 14 points, while Dion Dixon and Steve Toyloy added 13, Deonta Vaughn scored 12, and Yancy Gates and Jaquon Parker contributed 10 points. The last time UC won as a ranked team was on March 17, 2005 when the Bearcats defeated Iowa, 76-64, in the NCAA Austin Regional. UC was ranked No. 23 at that time.
Cincinnati won the tip and held the Tigers scoreless for the first 4:02 of the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Texas Southern drained back-to-back three pointers until Parker hit Darnell Wilks with a mid-court alley-oop, stopping the 6-0 run by Texas Southern. TSU responded with another 3-pointer, tying the game at nine, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.
Toyloy connected on two free throws that started a 20-1 run over 4:57 and gave UC a 29-10 lead with 8:13 to go in the first period. Gates had two dunks and Anthony McClain had a fastbreak jam during that span. Texas Southern went on a 9-4 run and pulled within 14, but Vaughn hit one of three Bearcat 3-pointers and Wilks slammed a dunk over the final 3:39 to give UC a 44-22 halftime advantage.
Nine Cincinnati players scored in the first half and UC outscored TSU, 24-2, in the paint. The halftime advantage of 22 points was Cincinnati's largest halftime lead of the season. Bishop poured in 11 points in the first half and was perfect from the field (5-for-5).
No team jumped out offensively to start the second half and Texas Southern did not getting closer than 19 with 16:12 to go. A 3-pointer by Vaughn started a 7-0 run for UC and Cincinnati pushed out to 59-32 lead. Stephenson grabbed a rebound and handed out back-to-back assists to give UC a 30-point lead and a Wilks 3-pointer 28 seconds later put UC up, 69-38, with 11:27 to go. It took 1:09 before the next bucket and then UC went on a 12-4 run and held a 39-point advantage, 81-42, with 6:20 left to play. The Bearcats continued to push and Toyloy scored eight of UC's last nine points, two off of feeds from Alex Eppensteiner, as Cincinnati rolled to the victory.
Lance Stephenson grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds and scored seven points with a game and career-high seven assists.
After nine days off, the Bearcats return to the floor at U.S. Bank Arena for a home game vs. Miami University (OH) on Dec. 10 at 8:30 p.m.
Rashad Bishop led all UC scorers with 14 points, while Dion Dixon and Steve Toyloy added 13, Deonta Vaughn scored 12, and Yancy Gates and Jaquon Parker contributed 10 points. The last time UC won as a ranked team was on March 17, 2005 when the Bearcats defeated Iowa, 76-64, in the NCAA Austin Regional. UC was ranked No. 23 at that time.
Cincinnati won the tip and held the Tigers scoreless for the first 4:02 of the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Texas Southern drained back-to-back three pointers until Parker hit Darnell Wilks with a mid-court alley-oop, stopping the 6-0 run by Texas Southern. TSU responded with another 3-pointer, tying the game at nine, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.
Toyloy connected on two free throws that started a 20-1 run over 4:57 and gave UC a 29-10 lead with 8:13 to go in the first period. Gates had two dunks and Anthony McClain had a fastbreak jam during that span. Texas Southern went on a 9-4 run and pulled within 14, but Vaughn hit one of three Bearcat 3-pointers and Wilks slammed a dunk over the final 3:39 to give UC a 44-22 halftime advantage.
Nine Cincinnati players scored in the first half and UC outscored TSU, 24-2, in the paint. The halftime advantage of 22 points was Cincinnati's largest halftime lead of the season. Bishop poured in 11 points in the first half and was perfect from the field (5-for-5).
No team jumped out offensively to start the second half and Texas Southern did not getting closer than 19 with 16:12 to go. A 3-pointer by Vaughn started a 7-0 run for UC and Cincinnati pushed out to 59-32 lead. Stephenson grabbed a rebound and handed out back-to-back assists to give UC a 30-point lead and a Wilks 3-pointer 28 seconds later put UC up, 69-38, with 11:27 to go. It took 1:09 before the next bucket and then UC went on a 12-4 run and held a 39-point advantage, 81-42, with 6:20 left to play. The Bearcats continued to push and Toyloy scored eight of UC's last nine points, two off of feeds from Alex Eppensteiner, as Cincinnati rolled to the victory.
Lance Stephenson grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds and scored seven points with a game and career-high seven assists.
After nine days off, the Bearcats return to the floor at U.S. Bank Arena for a home game vs. Miami University (OH) on Dec. 10 at 8:30 p.m.
Lance stephenson scores career high !
Seven players on the No. 22/24 University of Cincinnati men's basketball team scored in double figures, leading the Bearcats to a 94-57 victory over Texas Southern University on Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena. The 37-point win is the largest margin of victory in head coach Mick Cronin's tenure at UC.
Rashad Bishop led all UC scorers with 14 points, while Dion Dixon and Steve Toyloy added 13, Deonta Vaughn scored 12, and Yancy Gates and Jaquon Parker contributed 10 points. The last time UC won as a ranked team was on March 17, 2005 when the Bearcats defeated Iowa, 76-64, in the NCAA Austin Regional. UC was ranked No. 23 at that time.
Cincinnati won the tip and held the Tigers scoreless for the first 4:02 of the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Texas Southern drained back-to-back three pointers until Parker hit Darnell Wilks with a mid-court alley-oop, stopping the 6-0 run by Texas Southern. TSU responded with another 3-pointer, tying the game at nine, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.
Toyloy connected on two free throws that started a 20-1 run over 4:57 and gave UC a 29-10 lead with 8:13 to go in the first period. Gates had two dunks and Anthony McClain had a fastbreak jam during that span. Texas Southern went on a 9-4 run and pulled within 14, but Vaughn hit one of three Bearcat 3-pointers and Wilks slammed a dunk over the final 3:39 to give UC a 44-22 halftime advantage.
Nine Cincinnati players scored in the first half and UC outscored TSU, 24-2, in the paint. The halftime advantage of 22 points was Cincinnati's largest halftime lead of the season. Bishop poured in 11 points in the first half and was perfect from the field (5-for-5).
No team jumped out offensively to start the second half and Texas Southern did not getting closer than 19 with 16:12 to go. A 3-pointer by Vaughn started a 7-0 run for UC and Cincinnati pushed out to 59-32 lead. Stephenson grabbed a rebound and handed out back-to-back assists to give UC a 30-point lead and a Wilks 3-pointer 28 seconds later put UC up, 69-38, with 11:27 to go. It took 1:09 before the next bucket and then UC went on a 12-4 run and held a 39-point advantage, 81-42, with 6:20 left to play. The Bearcats continued to push and Toyloy scored eight of UC's last nine points, two off of feeds from Alex Eppensteiner, as Cincinnati rolled to the victory.
Lance Stephenson grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds and scored seven points with a game and career-high seven assists.
After nine days off, the Bearcats return to the floor at U.S. Bank Arena for a home game vs. Miami University (OH) on Dec. 10 at 8:30 p.m.
Rashad Bishop led all UC scorers with 14 points, while Dion Dixon and Steve Toyloy added 13, Deonta Vaughn scored 12, and Yancy Gates and Jaquon Parker contributed 10 points. The last time UC won as a ranked team was on March 17, 2005 when the Bearcats defeated Iowa, 76-64, in the NCAA Austin Regional. UC was ranked No. 23 at that time.
Cincinnati won the tip and held the Tigers scoreless for the first 4:02 of the game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Texas Southern drained back-to-back three pointers until Parker hit Darnell Wilks with a mid-court alley-oop, stopping the 6-0 run by Texas Southern. TSU responded with another 3-pointer, tying the game at nine, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.
Toyloy connected on two free throws that started a 20-1 run over 4:57 and gave UC a 29-10 lead with 8:13 to go in the first period. Gates had two dunks and Anthony McClain had a fastbreak jam during that span. Texas Southern went on a 9-4 run and pulled within 14, but Vaughn hit one of three Bearcat 3-pointers and Wilks slammed a dunk over the final 3:39 to give UC a 44-22 halftime advantage.
Nine Cincinnati players scored in the first half and UC outscored TSU, 24-2, in the paint. The halftime advantage of 22 points was Cincinnati's largest halftime lead of the season. Bishop poured in 11 points in the first half and was perfect from the field (5-for-5).
No team jumped out offensively to start the second half and Texas Southern did not getting closer than 19 with 16:12 to go. A 3-pointer by Vaughn started a 7-0 run for UC and Cincinnati pushed out to 59-32 lead. Stephenson grabbed a rebound and handed out back-to-back assists to give UC a 30-point lead and a Wilks 3-pointer 28 seconds later put UC up, 69-38, with 11:27 to go. It took 1:09 before the next bucket and then UC went on a 12-4 run and held a 39-point advantage, 81-42, with 6:20 left to play. The Bearcats continued to push and Toyloy scored eight of UC's last nine points, two off of feeds from Alex Eppensteiner, as Cincinnati rolled to the victory.
Lance Stephenson grabbed a game and career-high 11 rebounds and scored seven points with a game and career-high seven assists.
After nine days off, the Bearcats return to the floor at U.S. Bank Arena for a home game vs. Miami University (OH) on Dec. 10 at 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Born Ready in Cincinnati Unversity college shruggles
Stephenson being 'Born Ready'
Filed Under: Freshmen, Big East
It’s a good thing Lance Stephenson moved on from his “Born Ready” nickname. It didn’t apply in his debut.
Cincinnati’s 6-5 guard is billed as one of the nation’s impact freshmen (fell for it), but there are no words for opening with a 7-point, 4-rebound performance against Prairie View A&M. The Bearcats won the game (barely), otherwise you’d be reading about UCLA and Cincy stumbling on Monday.
As for Stephenson – 2-10 from the field, 0-3 beyond the arc and 1 turnover in 22 minutes – there’s an explanation.
“He was a nervous wreck,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “He’ll get better. I’ve got to make sure he’s not putting too much pressure on himself. When we were struggling, he was the one guy in the huddle trying to fire everybody up. You could see his frustration. You could see his desire to win.”
Nervousness in your college hoops debut is understandable. Only a chosen few can open with a memorable night.
But it seems odd for Stephenson to have those jitters. He’s one of the most celebrated players from NYC. He’s been on the AAU circuit and played in high-pressure situations before. What’s going to happen when the Bearcats play better teams or get into Big East play?
Perhaps Cincy now has a player who’ll stick around for more than one season.
Filed Under: Freshmen, Big East
It’s a good thing Lance Stephenson moved on from his “Born Ready” nickname. It didn’t apply in his debut.
Cincinnati’s 6-5 guard is billed as one of the nation’s impact freshmen (fell for it), but there are no words for opening with a 7-point, 4-rebound performance against Prairie View A&M. The Bearcats won the game (barely), otherwise you’d be reading about UCLA and Cincy stumbling on Monday.
As for Stephenson – 2-10 from the field, 0-3 beyond the arc and 1 turnover in 22 minutes – there’s an explanation.
“He was a nervous wreck,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “He’ll get better. I’ve got to make sure he’s not putting too much pressure on himself. When we were struggling, he was the one guy in the huddle trying to fire everybody up. You could see his frustration. You could see his desire to win.”
Nervousness in your college hoops debut is understandable. Only a chosen few can open with a memorable night.
But it seems odd for Stephenson to have those jitters. He’s one of the most celebrated players from NYC. He’s been on the AAU circuit and played in high-pressure situations before. What’s going to happen when the Bearcats play better teams or get into Big East play?
Perhaps Cincy now has a player who’ll stick around for more than one season.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Lance going to Kansas Or ???
Video Posted from Lance's Gallery on Takkle.com
Lance Stephenson to choose college soon; Kansas is likely destination
By I. Begley and M. Lelinwalla
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
Lincoln's Lance Stephenson is expected to pick Kansas over Maryland and St. John's when he makes his college commitment.
While Lincoln hoops star Lance Stephenson was scheduled to announce his college commitment Tuesday morning as part of the McDonald's All-American High School basketball game's media day at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla., the Daily News has learned he likely will hold off on that announcement a little longer.
Sources still strongly expect Stephenson to choose Kansas, one even adding that he's "99.9% sure" the Coney Island product will join the Jayhawks and pass on St. John's and Maryland. Sources believe Stephenson will choose a college if he is academically eligible and not follow prep star Brandon Jennings and play in Europe.
Stephenson's father vows his son has taken the SATs and will be eligible to play in college next season.
An announcement this week would end months of speculation over Stephenson's college plans. Stephenson originally told reporters as early as December that he was going to announce his commitment at the Garden after Lincoln captured its fourth consecutive PSAL championship - which it did - but he never did.
His career at Lincoln ended abruptly Saturday, in a 77-50 loss to Rice for the State Federation Class AA championship.
Kansas currently has 14 scholarship players for next year and Sherron Collins has hinted at returning for his senior season. That means Kansas would need Cole Aldrich to go pro and a player to give up his scholarship or leave school to make room for Stephenson. It is likely Kansas will accomodate Stephenson if he makes a commitment to the school.
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