Carl Krauser is playing at the camp down in Orlando. He’s played in two games so far. Here are the reports on him from Day 1.

Krauser reportedly did not have a good showing last year and decided to return for his senior year. Right move. He looked great on Day 1, driving to the hoop, finding his teammates and being surprisingly vocal on the defensive end. He had a nice floater and he looked a lot better than Darius Washington. He can come in immediately to produce, but he must show that same type of mentality that made him stand out.

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After a poor showing in last year’s camp, Carl Krauser came to show the scouts that he is a better player than that. He took the ball strong to the hole on a number of occasions, finishing either off the glass or with a pretty floater. Defensively he was active and as vocal as ever, getting in the passing lanes and firing himself and his teammates up after every stop. He fed his big guys in the post and showed excellent leadership skills throughout.

The second day, they found a little to criticize.

Krauser has become the type of point guard you want in practice. He has the ability to keep everyone going on both ends of the floor. He was able to get into the lane and create his shots. He showed off a nice floater. He also showed off a Stephon Marbury drive. When Marbury drives to the hoop, he protects it with both hands. When he does this, it’s guaranteed he will shoot it himself unless there’s someone wide open. And he’ll only pass it if he can get it there and make the Top 10 at the same time. Krauser has the same problem. He was able to get into the lane and protect the ball. But when he grasped it with both hands, he lost all ability to pass it. He was fouled the first time and turned it over the second time he did it. Overall, he’s a player worth drafting, if he’s just used for practices.

Interesting. Hate to see Marbury comparisons these days. Talk about a name near mud. There are worst fates than being drafted and being mostly on the bench, and being a guy in practice. It can still lead to a shot. Earl Boykins comes to mind.

Here’s a couple posts from last June on Krauser’s camp.

The financially troubled Houston Bowl is still that way.

The Houston Bowl is without a title sponsor and television deal, and owes a portion of its $1.2 million payout to the Big 12 and Mountain West conferences for playing in last year’s game at Reliant Stadium. The NCAA bowl certification committee has set a deadline for the end of June to decide the six-year-old bowl’s fate.

If the Houston Bowl is not played this year, there is a chance it could take a year off to reorganize and seek recertification in 2007. Weiberg said last month the bowl would have to be run by one of the participating conferences and its payout would have to be reduced from $1.2 million to $750,000 to survive.

The Houston Bowl has affiliations with the Big 12, Big East, Conference USA and Notre Dame. The Mountain West has expressed an interest in joining the mix.

Everybody wants in, no one wants to pay.

The Big 12 thinks the bowl is 50-50 this year. Here I was hoping the Houston Bowl would get itself together. My sister lives in Houston which means a place to crash if Pitt ever plays there.

Orlando Antigua is moving up within the Pitt coaching hierarchy, so he doesn’t get a lot of attention in the stories today. Mike Rice, Jr. is the main guy discussed.

Rice has known Dixon for the past five years. They got to know each other when Rice worked for Hoop Group and they casually stayed in touch. Dixon and Rice first talked about the job more than a month ago at the Pittsburgh Jamfest, the AAU event held at the Petersen Events Center in April.

Rice said the reason he has ascended quickly through the coaching ranks the past few years is because of his association with the Hoop Group and the connections he made in the time he was there.

“It’s the reason I’m here,” Rice said. “If you look at my resume, I was at Chicago State and then four summers later, Phil Martelli asked me to be on his staff. The relationships you build there are invaluable. Coaches are always asking you about players. I made a lot of connections when I was there.”

Dixon liked Rice’s experiences at lower level Division I schools as well as his experience with the Hoop Group. “Every experience for a coach is a good one. That was a great way for him to develop relationships with people.

“Some people tend to underestimate the importance of evaluating players, getting guys who weren’t that highly rated has been the key to our program. Mike has an eye for those types of players as well. He’s been around a lot of coaches and has had great experience.”

Of course, getting highly rated players does help a lot. Rice is expected in Pittsburgh today, while Dixon is down in Orlando with Aaron Gray.

“I plan to hit the ground running,” Rice said. “I’m excited. It’s a challenge for me. The reason I came was to compete in the Big East and to compete for a national championship. I believe that can happen in the next couple of years at Pitt.”

Of course, St. Joe’s Head Coach Phil Martelli is disappointed to lose his assistant but happy for him.

“I desperately wanted Mike to stay,” the St. Joseph’s basketball coach said Wednesday, “but the opportunity to go to a place like Pitt, with all it has done — the Big East is a whole different world. That’s just the way it is.”
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While Martelli was dismayed by the thought of losing Rice, whom he called “a basketball lifer,” he managed to look past a situation that is similar to that of Dixon’s. St. Joseph’s has two spots to fill after the departure of Rice and Monte Ross, who took over as coach of Delaware.

“I have high regard for Jamie Dixon as a man,” Martelli said. “He’s getting a guy, in Mike, who is relentless in the pursuit of basketball knowledge in a lot of ways. Not just recruiting information, but getting comfortable with X’s and O’s and scouting. He’s really ready, and I’m delighted for him and his family.”

Rice is expected to use his recruiting connections to work Philly (obviously), but also most of the Northeast down to Virginia.

Orlando Antigua, obviously being a NYC native and his brother being a high school coach in the Bronx, is going to be recruiting the NYC metro area.

About Antigua, Dixon said: “Orlando has played a key role since he joined our staff. He understands what type of players we look for and what type of student-athletes we want to represent the university.”

Antigua, who compiled career totals of 930 points and 409 rebounds during a four-year playing career at Pitt, was elated the opportunity to remain with the program.

“It’s great to be able to learn under coach Dixon,” he said. “It’s going to be an exciting staff.”

That gives the staff about a month to really figure out who the targeted recruits are and where for the July recruiting period. Pitt will have at least 3 scholarships to offer for the class of 2007. 4 if Aaron Gray stays in the draft.