Basketball Notes

by Andrew Golding

Overheard

"We've got a really young team." Ingrid Ellerbe, Brian Ellerbe's wife, to an acquaintance during the Towson contest.

"Sloppy game - but I haven't missed a shot." An official speaking to radio maven Chuck Swirsky and his children during halftime of the Bradley game.

"I'm not gonna throw it in for you." A different official, speaking to Leon Jones, after the freshman forgot he was to be the inbounder, versus Bradley.

"Get over there and screen!" Ellerbe to his big men near the end of the UDM game. Because the fans were silent at the time, the entire arena heard Ellerbe's comments. Afterwards, the U-M contingent seated behind him cheered wildly.

NBA Notes

At U-M at Least:

Former Detroit Pistons and current Toronto Raptors Assistant Coach Brian James attended the Bradley game, and sat courtside to view Bullock firsthand. Afterwards, he said he was impressed by Bullock's play. He has "a real good shot" at the NBA, James said, but the main question is, "Can he play the 1? [point guard position]. You certainly got to play off him because of his free throw shooting - he could be a John Paxson or Steve Kerr type. Of the players on the floor tonight, Louis Bullock is by far the player with NBA potential. Reid may have pro potential, to make some money overseas." Asked to comment on his NBA aspirations, Bullock was typically soft-spoken. "I got a shot," he stated, with a shy smile on his face.

More NBA:

Corn Rows and All:

UDM's Rashad Phillips wowed the crowd with a superb Allen Iverson impression versus U-M on November 19. Phillips, with corn rows like Iverson's, showed great quickness, off-kilter shooting, a fabulous crossover move, and some questionable decision making - all staples of the star Philadephia 76'ers' game. In typical Iverson fashion, Phillip's UDM team left without a victory.

Shooting the Bull:

"Sweet Lou" - as is tattooed on his left arm - displayed his impressive dunking skills in the pre-game warm-ups before the Towson contest. In the actual game, Bullock made a nice steal at halfcourt on Towson's Josh Davalli, and jammed simply with two hands as opposed to the reverse, double-pump dunk he went with in warm-ups. Asked why, he said he is "not a showboaty type of guy." In the future though, in reference to the reverse jam, Bullock remarked that "I'll see what I can do."

LB & MJ:

Bullock worked as a counselor at Michael Jordan's basketball camp this summer. Jordan "gave me some praises," Bullock said. When asked if he was a better shooter than Jordan, Bullock demurred and responded that in games this summer, "I'd just give him the ball." When told that Jordan is not a good three-point shooter, Bullock concluded, "We're both good shooters. MR

This article was published in the 9 December 1998 edition of The Michigan Review (Volume 17, Number 5).
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