Loyola's Schilb Declares for NBA Draft

[RealityCheck]

I would say that Blake will be back, but it is a good sign for him that he got invited to the NBA camp. He is in the running for the NBA.

[Halo]

Maybe it is because Green Bay beat Loyola twice last year but I cant say that Schilb really impressed me. If he was NBA material he would have been the player of the year in the Horizon last year. Talent is not the problem. I just don't think he is agressive enough.

And now a small analysis to support my predictions:

WSU will be maybe the best team in the conference. The most balanced. Very good coach, and very good point guard are the basic materials to built a champion. Besides that leadership will be great with seniors like Wood Scott and Burleson. Pleiman should develop in one of the best(if not the best) center in the Horizon. Only problems are the developement of a second perimeter scorer and the fact that it might take a while to transition to the new coaches system.

Loyola has pretty much everything in place. Probably the most decorated returning player in the league and also a very nice and experienced supporting cast. Coaching is solid. In paper this is the logical pre season favorite. To me there is just something that doesnt click. Not sure if leadership and intangibles are there for a team to win a championship.

My Green Bay Phoenix will be definitely in the run for the top spot. Eventhough its the only team in the Horizon that returns all five starters experience will be the problem since the starting five will be two seniors and three sophs. Again like WSU coaching and point guard are as good as anyone in the league. Leadership and toughness will be very good next year. Big questionmark will be the presence of Lawrence. Last year he backtracked. If he picks up where he left during his soph year Green Bay has the potential to win it all.

Butler is the most unflappable team in the conference. Thats because they base everything on the system and much less on the players running the system. They will always be good. I am not sure they will be as good as last year since they lost the POY as well as 3-4 very experienced seniors but they will always be a tough matchup.

YSU will be in my opinion the surprise of the conference next year. The new coach has them play much more agreesive and Humphrey might be as talented as anyone in the Horizon. If Humphrey gets consistancy during his last year he might end up be the most NBA suited player in the Horizon.

UWM will not be as good as the last couple of years. Milwaukee fans will have to be patient with a brand new set of players. Tradition and talent will prevent them from being a bottom feader, but they will have to be lucky to reach more that 4-5 spot in the league

Detroit will be a very unbalanced team again. In what will be Cotton's third year they still didnt figure out a way to use him. I understand now why he never made it a MSU. Also the bigs that graduated where very important and Coville will not be able to replace them.

UIC dont seem to have the team chemistry to make it big. Lost their best player from last year and I would be surprised to see them escape the bottom of the league.

Cleveland State is the worst team. New coach will probably try to make them more competitive but it will take a couple of years to recruit his guys to play his brand of basketball. Till then CSU will fight to avoid being the doormat of the league.

[wrightguy]

Nice run down Halo. Even though I'm a WSU fan I would have to pick Loyola as the favorite if Schilb returns. I think second will come down to us and UWGB with Butler on our heals. It is still to early to perdict because players still might leave a team or be suspended or a team still might pick up a player at the last minutes. But hey, it's still fun to think about it.

[GBFanJ]

I think you're about right on all of that. Here's the way I see it right now. Obviously, this could change in the next few months.

Butler: They lost a good core of players, but transfers will help keep the team competative. While they may not be competing for the league title, they'll give teams plenty of problems.

Projected Finish: 4-7


Cleveland State: The team is in disarray right now. The coaching change has brought about transfers and defections, and it will be a while before the dust settles. While they do get an experienced coach, they don't have the players yet to really utilize that next season.

Projected Finish: 7-9


Detroit: They also lost a good core of players, but have plenty still going for them. With a few players returning from injury, some good additions and good players returning, they will keep competative this season, especially with Watson at the helm.

Projected Finish: 4-7


UIC: It's hard to tell where they will be going. They only took a few hits, but it's hard to tell how the team will shape up next season. If the chemistry improves, a good conference finish may be possible, but they have plenty of work to go to get there.

Projected Finish: 4-6


Loyola: It looks like they could be poised for their best season since 1985. Despite the questions about Schilb, they have a great core of players returning, a coach that has continued to improve the team, and plenty of experience on their side. Without Schilb, they'll still compete for the top 3, and with him, they'll be the preseason favorite.

Predicted Finish: 1-3


UWGB: Like Loyola, they look like they're ready for their best season since 1996. Almost everyone is returning to a team that was among the youngest in the nation last season. While inexperience could still cause problems, what they do have could be good enough for a title run.

Predicted Finish: 1-3


UWM: The dream has finally come to an end. They lost almost everything after the season ended. A complete rebuild is necessary now. The returning players only contributed a small fraction to last season's team. While they will eventually compete again, it won't be next season.

Predicted Finish: 5-8


Wright State: Two years ago, they had one of the youngest teams in the nation. Now, that youth is ready to become an experienced team that will storm the conference. While a coaching change can be a tough time, everything is in place for a big run. With a balanced team and an experienced coach, Wright State is ready for their best season since 1993.

Predicted Finish: 1-3


Youngstown State: It's hard to be optimistic for a team that has finished 9th, T-6th, T-7th, 9th, and 9th in their five years in the league. Still, things are looking up for next season. Overall, the team did improve, and they do return two potential all-conference picks. A few transfers will boost the team, and experience will be there. Team chemistry may be a question, though. They're still not ready to compete for the title, but they could finally compete next season.

Predicted Finish: 5-8

[Fastbreak]

I have a hard time predicting where we will finish when I can't even predict what our starting lineup will be.

[Retired Coach]

Schilb Puts Forth Strong Showing In Game One At Pre-Draft Camp
Loyola guard recorded two dunks en route to nine points


June 7, 2006

ORLANDO - In his first game action at the 2006 NBA Pre-Draft Camp today, Loyola University Chicago guard Blake Schilb recorded nine points, four rebounds and three assists, despite his team's narrow four-point defeat. The 6-foot-7 Honorable Mention All-American played nearly half of the 48-minute game as he logged 21 minutes of action and slammed home a pair of dunks in the contest.

In 2005-06, Schilb recorded 19.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game to help lead Loyola to a 19-11 record, its most successful season in over 20 years. No Rambler has been selected in the NBA Draft since Andre Moore and Bernard Jackson were selected in the second and sixth rounds respectively, in 1987. Schilb has one season of eligibility remaining and has not hired an agent, giving him the option to return for his senior season at Loyola. The final day for underclassmen to withdraw from the NBA Draft is June 18.

Schilb's squad will be back in action on Thursday, June 8 at 4 p.m. Central.

loyolaramblers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/060706aaa.html

[Retired Coach]

These nine have something to prove in Orlando
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com


ORLANDO, Fla. -- We have established for weeks now that the NCAA rules that make players pay for their own expenses up front before individual team workouts have pushed players to stay in the draft.

Well, there is one exception: The NCAA allows the NBA to pay for the league's predraft camp without any impact on a player's college eligibility.

As such, nine players -- to the best of our knowledge -- are in Orlando for the free ride to test their draft status. Drills begin Tuesday night, games are played Wednesday through Friday and physicals occur over the weekend. By the end of the week, we should know how many of these nine will be staying in the draft. A few of the players listed below did have team workouts and, if they choose to return to school, will have to go through the paperwork-driven process of proving that they paid up front for the expenses.

There are two other players, both higher-profile, who will be in Orlando for private workouts. Pitt junior center Aaron Gray will go through physicals at the draft camp but he'll also have a workout Thursday for NBA personnel. Meanwhile, Villanova sophomore guard Kyle Lowry will have one on Wednesday.

Who are the nine and what do they need to do this week according to NBA personnel?

1. Morris Almond, Rice
Numbers: 6-6, Jr., F, 21.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg
Where does he stand? Needs to play his way into second round.
How does he do it? He must make a name for himself by standing out as a big-time scorer.
What's at stake? If he returns, Rice has a legit shot to be an NCAA Tournament team.


2. Renaldo Balkman, South Carolina
Numbers: 6-8, Jr., F, 9.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Where does he stand? Still trying to play his way into the draft. NBA personnel say he is putting out vibes that he wants to stay in the draft.
How does he do it? Must prove he can be a true NBA small forward with ballhandling, shooting and passing.
What's at stake? If he leaves, the Gamecocks go down a notch after losing three of their top five scorers. South Carolina has recruited well, but he could be the difference between the NCAAs and NIT.


3. Bobby Brown, Cal State Fullerton
Numbers: 6-1, Jr., G, 17.5 ppg, 4.6 apg
Where does he stand? He's a potential second-round pick.
How does he do it? He has to prove he has point guard skills. Everyone knows he can score.
What's at stake? Fullerton was 16-13 with him last season but the Titans had three seniors in their top six. Lose Brown and the key departures would rise to four. You do the math.


4. Jordan Farmar, UCLA
Numbers: 6-2, So., PG, 13.5 ppg, 5.1 apg
Where does he stand? He's a solid first-round pick if he stays in the draft.
How does he do that? Well, he can still move up, which is what he's trying to do here. His floor game needs to be tight. He'll need to show how well he can run a team.
What's at stake? The Bruins are a Final Four contender with Farmar and leading-scorer Arron Afflalo back (the assumption is that he will return to school after not attending Orlando). Still, the Bruins say they have Darren Collison ready to go to offset a Farmar departure, so it might not be as damaging as it seems if he leaves.


5. Daniel Gibson, Texas
Numbers: 6-2, So., G, 13.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.1 apg
Where does he stand? He is considered a second-round pick.
How does he change that? He needs to prove he's a point guard, not just a wing. He was moved off the ball during the season. The comparison being made is to Bobby Jackson. If that's the case, Gibson must stand out as an all-around ballplayer at the camp. The consensus is that he leaves the camp in the same state -- second round.
What's at stake? If he returns, the Longhorns avoid losing all five starters. Gibson would be a bridge to the newcomers and allow Texas to have a tutor for newcomer D.J. Augustin. He'll complement A.J. Abrams, who replaced Gibson at the point during the season. Either way, the Longhorns will be rebuilding, but with Gibson, they're more of a challenger to Kansas and Texas A&M.


6. Coby Karl, Boise State
Numbers: 6-4, Jr., 17.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4 apg
Where does he stand? A possible second-round pick but nothing guaranteed.
What does he have to do? Well, he must prove that he is a solid defender and can score against elite competition.
What's at stake? Karl is battling thyroid cancer. Still, the son of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl is going ahead with his plan of testing the draft process. If Karl returns, the Broncos (14-15, 6-10 WAC) are a player in the WAC next season. If he doesn't, they'll drop. It's that simple.


7. Blake Schilb, Loyola-Chicago
Numbers: 6-7, Jr., F, 19.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.9 apg
Where does he stand? He is considered to be a bubble second-round pick.
How does he change that? He'll have to be a standout performer, but the consensus is that he will return to Loyola next season.
What's at stake? He was the leading scorer on a team that had only one senior in its top 10. With Schilb back, Loyola has a realistic shot of winning the league after going 19-11, 8-8 (Horizon) last season.


8. Mustafa Shakur, Arizona
Numbers: 6-3, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 4.7 apg
Where does he stand? He is in the second round but could slide out of the draft.
How does he change that? He desperately wants to stay in the draft. The Arizona coaches have started to move on emotionally, already saying they can see J.P. Prince running the show next season. Shakur must prove he can shoot the ball well and improve his decision-making.
What's at stake? Talk to Arizona and the staff says not much. The Wildcats were more concerned that freshman Marcus Williams nearly declared for the draft. Losing Shakur won't crush this program in the slightest. The Wildcats will be fine if he stays in the draft.


9. Darius Washington, Jr., Memphis
Numbers: 6-2, So., G, 13.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.1 apg
Where does he stand? He is in the second round. How high is still unknown. It's not crazy to think he could slide out of the draft, either. Even though everyone assumes he has signed with an agent, there is no record of that yet. So, for these purposes he's staying on the list. Memphis coach John Calipari expects him to stay in the draft.
How does he change his stock? He has to make good decisions and prove he is truly a point guard. Decision-making has been the knock on him throughout his career.
What's at stake? If you talk to Calipari, there doesn't seem to be much at stake. The Tigers are set because of incoming guard Will Kemp and the return of Andre Allen, who was much more of a point than Washington for the Tigers.

Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com

sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2006/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2472562

[Retired Coach]

Schilb Helps Team To 80-74 Victory At NBA Pre-Draft Camp
Rambler guard tallies four points and five boards in win


June 8, 2006

ORLANDO - Loyola University Chicago guard Blake Schilb registered four points, five rebounds and a pair of assists in 20 minutes of action to help lead his team to an 80-74 victory this evening at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp. Playing at the two-guard slot, the two-time First Team All-Horizon League selection connected on 2 of 5 shots from the field and committed only one turnover in the win.

Schilb , who averaged team highs of 19.1 points and 3.9 assists for the Ramblers in 2005-06, will play his final game at the Pre-Draft Camp tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central.

loyolaramblers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/060806aaa.html

[RM]

If Schlib gets drafted in the second round, I'm assuming he will jump to the NBA. Can Schlib wait till after the draft and go to the NBA if he is drafted and then come back to Loyola if he is not drafted?

[Retired Coach]

Underclassmen have until June 18 to remove their name from the draft and still maintain their eligibility. The NBA Draft isn't until June 28.

[Raider Country]

Future looks great

Loyola's Blake Schilb made big gains at the NBA's predraft camp, putting himself on the map for next year's draft.

Schilb, a 6-7 Loyola junior, has not hired an agent and said he is undecided on whether he will withdraw from the draft by the June 18 deadline.

To stay in the draft, Schilb said he wants to hear he's a first-round pick.

"Other than that, I wouldn't have my degree, I wouldn't be able to come back to school," he said. "It would be harder to find a job in that situation. Plus, maybe next year I can go back and work on what I need to improve on and maybe get a higher grade."

A few NBA scouts said they will recommend that Schilb return to school. Schilb was relatively unknown coming in, but he displayed sound passing and his athleticism piqued interest.

"I had no expectations of him before I came here," Basketball Times draft editor George Rodecker said. "I was sufficiently impressed to say if he goes back to school, he has a chance to be a serious candidate."

chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/illinois/cs-060609nbadraft,1,3042514.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

[Raider Country]

Blake Schilb, the junior forward from Loyola, came to Orlando thinking he was a lock to be back at school for his senior season. Now he thinks it's a 50-50 proposition after what Jim Whitesell, his college coach, has heard from NBA types this week.

''He was here and telling me he was hearing nothing but positive reviews,'' said Schilb, who must make his decision by June 18. ''At the same time, you can't go based on that. You don't want to risk it and not be able to come back to school. It would probably have to be a first-round [pick] guaranteed [to leave school]. Other than that, I wouldn't have my degree. It would be harder to find a job in that situation. It's up in the air right now; I can't really call it.''

www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bull10.html

[Raider Country]

Loyola's Blake Schilb Withdraws From NBA Draft
Rambler All-America guard will return for his senior season


June 14, 2006

CHICAGO - After participating in the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando last week, Loyola University Chicago junior guard Blake Schilb has decided to withdraw himself from the NBA Draft and return to school for his senior season. He did not hire an agent, thereby maintaining his collegiate eligibility.

"This isn't a surprise to us," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said. "This has been a great experience for Blake and has gotten his name on the radar of all the NBA teams. The teams we talked to felt there was a lot of potential for him after he had a good showing at the Pre-Draft Camp. I give credit to Blake and his family for handling this process the right way. We are happy to have him back and look forward to coaching him again and hopefully helping him fulfill his dream."

Schilb helped lead Loyola to a 19-11 record in 2005-06, its best showing since 1984-85 when the team went 27-6 and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. The 6-foot-7 guard averaged team highs of 19.1 points and 3.9 assists to go with 5.2 rebounds per game this season en route to First Team All-Horizon League honors for the second consecutive campaign. Schilb also became Loyola's first All-American since Alfredrick Hughes in 1984-85, as he was tabbed Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press.

Also a Third Team Mid-Major All-America selection by FOXSports.com, Schilb racked up over 400 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists for the second straight year and scored in double digits in all but one game as a junior. Following next season, Schilb will be looking to become the first Rambler selected in the NBA Draft since both Andre Moore and Bernard Jackson were chosen in the 1987 Draft.

Loyola returns all but one player from last year's team that won 19 games and finished tied for third place in the Horizon League.


loyolaramblers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061406aab.html

[Raiderfan]

With Schlib coming back I think it makes the Ramblers the preseason pick to win the HL. I know their are varies opinion concerning Blake but I really like him a lot and think he is the top returning player in the HL.

[Raider Country]

raiderfan said:

With Schlib coming back I think it makes the Ramblers the preseason pick to win the HL. I know their are varies opinion concerning Blake but I really like him a lot and think he is the top returning player in the HL.

I think he is a head case. I saw this post by a UWM fan on Loyola's message board and thought it was very appropriate.

Loyola COULD be good. on paper they're definitely worthy of a potential NCAA bid but if they play like last year, who knows. they're rather inconsistent and if you can get an early lead on them, there's no reason you shouldn't win. they dropped most of their important games, then dominated in the first 2 rounds of the Horizon Tourney and then we spanked them in the semis. Schilb, while talented also has a nice little ego and if you get him upset, he'll make a lot of stupid mistakes. he got a T'd up last year vs. us b/c we got into his head. their talented post players are undersized so i'd feed it inside ALL DAMN DAY!!!!!!!! we've beaten them 11 straight games and our coach even said this about them last year: "We all know the only way Loyola can beat us is if they play their very best and we all know that never happens." boy ain't that the truth.