By Colin Mieczkowski
The Windy City Bulls will be taking on the Erie Bayhawks tonight, and with some new firepower, as Denzel Valentine has been called down from Chicago. Valentine averaged 6.8 points for the Chicago Bulls in the last 10 games.
Valentine will play a critical offensive role in the game tonight against the Bayhawks. Chicago’s 1st round draft pick from 2016 was the AP Player of the Year the same year, when he played for the Michigan State Spartans.
He also was the same player who had the fourth Michigan State triple-double in history. He’s also the first Player of the Year winner at Michigan State since Draymond Green won it 2012.
He can be the spark for the Windy City Bulls, and provide that extra scoring. He was also known as a great passer in college as well.
You can listen the Windy City Bulls game live on SportsTownChicago.com, as Danzel Valentine, Alfonzo Mickinnie and the team, take on the Erie Bayhawks. This is your official radio home for Windy City Bulls basketball.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Bulls look to get back in the W column against Erie
By Colin Mieczkowski
The Windy City Bulls will be taking on the struggling Erie Bayhawks, on Saturday, Jan. 28, as the Bulls hope to continue their climb out of the cellar. In a big man’s game, the Bulls are lucky to have two solid ones with Alfonzo McKinnie and Alec Brown.
McKinnie has arguably been the Bulls’ best player lately, while Brown, who has had an up and down season, has played well recently. He’s been getting rebounds and scoring points which he’s capable of doing.
He has scored a total of 40 points in three of his last four games, including an impressive 14 point, 15 rebound effort against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants during the D-League Showcase. Mickinnie can also stroke shots, as he has made 19 three pointers this year among other stats.
10 of those made threes were between 25 and 29 ft long. He’s an amazing 61% from inside the paint to go along with his floor stretching ability.
So, with the giant duo taking the court, and both playing well, the Bulls shouldn’t have too much trouble with the Bayhawks and their lovely jerseys (seriously) on Saturday night. With Aaron Thomas back in the fold, he can help provide a heavy dose of scoring like he has done all year.
However, the Bayhawks shouldn’t be taken too lightly. Gabe York, who helped the Arizona Wildcats reach their second Elite Eight as a Sophomore, is averaging 17 points a game.
This is good enough to rank within the top 40 players in the D-League (32nd). So, despite the unfortunate season the Bayhawks are having, they have their shining light, and he’s pretty dangerous.
Coach Nate Loenser, knows how good of an offensive team Erie can be.
“Erie is a good offensive team” Loenser said. “Their front line opposes some challenges for us, especially with Zimmerman being on assignment from the Orlando Magic”.
Coach Loenser also mentioned that York will be a tough challenge for them.
“They have some outside scoring which is hard to contain” Loenser said. “Gabe York who they picked up mid-season has been a lethal scorer for them, especially the last few games”.
The best way to neutralize York, is by limiting his three point shots. He’s shooting an amazing 47% from the field, including 43% from three-point land. He did however, go 0-5 from beyond the arc in the Bayhawks last contest against the Long Island Nets.
He can also dish the rock off as well, but the Bayhawks will likely want to utilize his shooting abilities. If the Bulls can slow his outside shots down, and if the bigs continue to play well, then they will give the Bayhawks a hard time.
But, both teams are hungry, as they both try the escape the depths of last place. It’s also good to note that Bulls legend Bill Cartwright will be in attendance at the Sears Centre on Saturday.
Perhaps the WC Bulls can rub greatness off of a champion?
Be sure to listen to all home games and read about the squad on your official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
The Windy City Bulls will be taking on the struggling Erie Bayhawks, on Saturday, Jan. 28, as the Bulls hope to continue their climb out of the cellar. In a big man’s game, the Bulls are lucky to have two solid ones with Alfonzo McKinnie and Alec Brown.
McKinnie has arguably been the Bulls’ best player lately, while Brown, who has had an up and down season, has played well recently. He’s been getting rebounds and scoring points which he’s capable of doing.
He has scored a total of 40 points in three of his last four games, including an impressive 14 point, 15 rebound effort against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants during the D-League Showcase. Mickinnie can also stroke shots, as he has made 19 three pointers this year among other stats.
10 of those made threes were between 25 and 29 ft long. He’s an amazing 61% from inside the paint to go along with his floor stretching ability.
So, with the giant duo taking the court, and both playing well, the Bulls shouldn’t have too much trouble with the Bayhawks and their lovely jerseys (seriously) on Saturday night. With Aaron Thomas back in the fold, he can help provide a heavy dose of scoring like he has done all year.
However, the Bayhawks shouldn’t be taken too lightly. Gabe York, who helped the Arizona Wildcats reach their second Elite Eight as a Sophomore, is averaging 17 points a game.
This is good enough to rank within the top 40 players in the D-League (32nd). So, despite the unfortunate season the Bayhawks are having, they have their shining light, and he’s pretty dangerous.
Coach Nate Loenser, knows how good of an offensive team Erie can be.
“Erie is a good offensive team” Loenser said. “Their front line opposes some challenges for us, especially with Zimmerman being on assignment from the Orlando Magic”.
Coach Loenser also mentioned that York will be a tough challenge for them.
“They have some outside scoring which is hard to contain” Loenser said. “Gabe York who they picked up mid-season has been a lethal scorer for them, especially the last few games”.
The best way to neutralize York, is by limiting his three point shots. He’s shooting an amazing 47% from the field, including 43% from three-point land. He did however, go 0-5 from beyond the arc in the Bayhawks last contest against the Long Island Nets.
He can also dish the rock off as well, but the Bayhawks will likely want to utilize his shooting abilities. If the Bulls can slow his outside shots down, and if the bigs continue to play well, then they will give the Bayhawks a hard time.
But, both teams are hungry, as they both try the escape the depths of last place. It’s also good to note that Bulls legend Bill Cartwright will be in attendance at the Sears Centre on Saturday.
Perhaps the WC Bulls can rub greatness off of a champion?
Be sure to listen to all home games and read about the squad on your official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
Bulls looking for same results in rematch vs Fort Wayne
On Friday, Jan. 27, the Windy City Bulls will take on one of the best teams in the D-League, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at the Sears Centre Arena. The same team in which the Bulls destroyed in their previous meeting, 102-78, in what was arguably the team’s most dominant performance of the year.
The Mad Ants are 16-9 good for second in the central division but are 5-5 in their last 10 games, including the loss to the Bulls. Nonetheless, they’re still a dangerous squad.
The Bulls are 9-14, last in the central division, and hope to continue to turn it around. They have some work to do however, as the team is 3-7 in their last 10 games.
In that D-League Showcase blowout win over the Mad Ants, the key player in that game was Alfonzo Mickinnie, who continues to impress, scoring 20 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds in a double-double game, against a dangerous team.
Alec Brown also went off, dropping 14 points, and collecting 15 rebounds, and even getting two assists. The stretch big also dropped a couple of three point bombs, going 2-5 from downtown.
Tim Quarterman, who played in the game before getting the call back to the Portland Trailblazers, helped the team with his seven point, eight assist effort. Quarterman is also friends with top NBA draft pick, Ben Simmons, who unfortunately suffered a season ending injury.
But, with Quarterman gone, the Bulls depth just dropped a small bit. This gives arguably the Bulls’ hottest scorer, Aaron Thomas a chance to start once again.
And playing for Coach Nate Loenser, Thomas has given some high praise for the new coach.
“Coach Nate, he’s a good coach, he always has a plan” Thomas said. “No matter what it is, whether it’s practice or a game, he always has a plan, we just need to execute together as a team.”
On the other side of the court, we take a look at Alex Poythress, the former Kentucky star. During his senior year, Poythress averaged 10.2 points a game for the Wildcats after missing the 2014-15 season with an injury.
He would go undrafted the following year however, but did get an opportunity to play with the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately for Poythress, this didn’t last, as he was waived after playing in just two preseason games.
So now, in the D-League, he taking advantage of the opportunities to grow as a player and he will be a man for the Bulls to keep an eye on. Poythress is 13th in the D-League in points for a reason, and the Bulls need to rely heavily on strong defense to slow him down.
If the Mad Ants go cold, and if players like Brown and Mickinnie take advantage of rebounding opportunities, then they will be in good shape. The Mad Ants are going to come into the Sears Centre angry (no pun intended) after the massacre against the Bulls the first time around.
Andre Dawkins needs to also be that spark off the bench, as he went 1-5 from three point land. He’s the team’s best long range sniper, and it will be a nice advantage for the Bulls if he gets his stroke back.
Tip-off is at 7pm.
Don’t forget to listen to all home games and read up about the squad, on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
The Mad Ants are 16-9 good for second in the central division but are 5-5 in their last 10 games, including the loss to the Bulls. Nonetheless, they’re still a dangerous squad.
The Bulls are 9-14, last in the central division, and hope to continue to turn it around. They have some work to do however, as the team is 3-7 in their last 10 games.
In that D-League Showcase blowout win over the Mad Ants, the key player in that game was Alfonzo Mickinnie, who continues to impress, scoring 20 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds in a double-double game, against a dangerous team.
Alec Brown also went off, dropping 14 points, and collecting 15 rebounds, and even getting two assists. The stretch big also dropped a couple of three point bombs, going 2-5 from downtown.
Tim Quarterman, who played in the game before getting the call back to the Portland Trailblazers, helped the team with his seven point, eight assist effort. Quarterman is also friends with top NBA draft pick, Ben Simmons, who unfortunately suffered a season ending injury.
But, with Quarterman gone, the Bulls depth just dropped a small bit. This gives arguably the Bulls’ hottest scorer, Aaron Thomas a chance to start once again.
And playing for Coach Nate Loenser, Thomas has given some high praise for the new coach.
“Coach Nate, he’s a good coach, he always has a plan” Thomas said. “No matter what it is, whether it’s practice or a game, he always has a plan, we just need to execute together as a team.”
On the other side of the court, we take a look at Alex Poythress, the former Kentucky star. During his senior year, Poythress averaged 10.2 points a game for the Wildcats after missing the 2014-15 season with an injury.
He would go undrafted the following year however, but did get an opportunity to play with the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately for Poythress, this didn’t last, as he was waived after playing in just two preseason games.
So now, in the D-League, he taking advantage of the opportunities to grow as a player and he will be a man for the Bulls to keep an eye on. Poythress is 13th in the D-League in points for a reason, and the Bulls need to rely heavily on strong defense to slow him down.
If the Mad Ants go cold, and if players like Brown and Mickinnie take advantage of rebounding opportunities, then they will be in good shape. The Mad Ants are going to come into the Sears Centre angry (no pun intended) after the massacre against the Bulls the first time around.
Andre Dawkins needs to also be that spark off the bench, as he went 1-5 from three point land. He’s the team’s best long range sniper, and it will be a nice advantage for the Bulls if he gets his stroke back.
Tip-off is at 7pm.
Don’t forget to listen to all home games and read up about the squad, on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
Bulls late rally falls short to Fort Wayne
By Colin Mieczkowski
The Bulls lose to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 109-99 in what was a physical defensive game full of fouls. Alfonzo Mickinnie led the way for the Bulls with 23 points and 8 rebounds, going 9-14 from the field.
Starting point guard Thomas Walkup, also had a good game, scoring 12 points while dishing out 12 assists in the loss. One of the newest Bulls, Jarell Eddie, who scored 12 points off the bench, kept things positive in the tough loss.
“We can be down by a bunch of points, and we still fight our way back into the game” Eddie said. “Just to see that this group is real resilient and can persevere through adversity, it’s real encouraging”.
Despite the loss, dropping the Bulls to 9-15 on the season, Eddie is correct that there is a lot of upside to this new team. Tonight was an example, playing a style of defense that netted them a combination of five steals and six blocks.
The way the team has been able to fight, with so many different roster changes, over the last couple of months shows that resilience. Eddie himself, quickly adjusted to the squad, and came out the gate getting buckets.
In the end, it was the Mad Ants coming out on top, led by Stephen Hicks, who was playing out of his mind, going 7-8 from the field, scoring 17 points. Trey-Mickinney Jones, whose Aunt, Esther, was an Olympic gold medalist, was gold from the free-throw line, going 12-12.
Despite his 3-16 night in the field, Jones got many foul calls, and drained all his free shots. Thanks to the play of Hicks and Jones, the Mad Ants came out victorious, in what was a close game coming down the stretch.
New Bull and former Maryland star, known for his wondrous hair, hit a huge three to cut the Mad Ants lead to four points. The Bulls didn’t score another point after that however, and some more free throws by the Mad Ants would seal the deal 109-99.
Be sure to listen to all home games and read up about the squad, on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com
The Bulls lose to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants 109-99 in what was a physical defensive game full of fouls. Alfonzo Mickinnie led the way for the Bulls with 23 points and 8 rebounds, going 9-14 from the field.
Starting point guard Thomas Walkup, also had a good game, scoring 12 points while dishing out 12 assists in the loss. One of the newest Bulls, Jarell Eddie, who scored 12 points off the bench, kept things positive in the tough loss.
“We can be down by a bunch of points, and we still fight our way back into the game” Eddie said. “Just to see that this group is real resilient and can persevere through adversity, it’s real encouraging”.
Despite the loss, dropping the Bulls to 9-15 on the season, Eddie is correct that there is a lot of upside to this new team. Tonight was an example, playing a style of defense that netted them a combination of five steals and six blocks.
The way the team has been able to fight, with so many different roster changes, over the last couple of months shows that resilience. Eddie himself, quickly adjusted to the squad, and came out the gate getting buckets.
In the end, it was the Mad Ants coming out on top, led by Stephen Hicks, who was playing out of his mind, going 7-8 from the field, scoring 17 points. Trey-Mickinney Jones, whose Aunt, Esther, was an Olympic gold medalist, was gold from the free-throw line, going 12-12.
Despite his 3-16 night in the field, Jones got many foul calls, and drained all his free shots. Thanks to the play of Hicks and Jones, the Mad Ants came out victorious, in what was a close game coming down the stretch.
New Bull and former Maryland star, known for his wondrous hair, hit a huge three to cut the Mad Ants lead to four points. The Bulls didn’t score another point after that however, and some more free throws by the Mad Ants would seal the deal 109-99.
Be sure to listen to all home games and read up about the squad, on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com
Sunday, January 8, 2017
VanFleet Sinks Late Free Throws to Lead Raptors 905 to Victory
By Colin Mieczkowski
After a great victory against the Westchester Knicks on Friday, the Windy City Bulls dropped a heartbreaker to the Raptors 905, 102-100. Two huge free throws from Fred VanFleet, would seal the deal for the Raptors 905 to move on to 14-7 on the season.
VanFleet also led both teams in scoring, dropping 23 points, and dishing out seven assists. Axel Toupane, last year’s Most Improved Player in the D-League, added 21 points to compliment the offensive attack.
As for the Bulls, it was Alfonzo Mickinnie who carried the load, scoring 22 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. He was also red hot from the land of threes, going 3-4 from long range, showing off his stretch big capabilities.
Paul Zipser also had a solid all-around night, with 15 points, five assists and five boards, to go along with two made three pointers. Zipser, the 48th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2016, has taken advantage of his opportunities with the Windy City squad, and has proven to be a valuable outside shooter as well.
Off the bench, Wesley Saunders and Jon Octeus both played very well, scoring seven and six points respectively. Saunders also added four dimes (assists) to go along with his scoring.
As for Octeus, there was no doubt that he couldn’t wait for his chance to come in the game and take advantage. During practice before the game against the Knicks on Friday, Octeus was putting on a dunking clinic, soaring through the air, and showing no regard for the basket.
Coming off the bench cold is tough, especially since the Bulls have had some good point guards play for them this season. Spencer Dinwiddie, Jerian Grant a couple of times, and now Thomas Walkup who is solid passer and defender.
When I had the chance to chat briefly with Octeus before the start of the season, I had asked the young point guard, what are some of the differences of playing in college as opposed to the D-League.
“You’re pro now, and you got to approach it like a pro” Octeus said. “You don’t have to worry about school which is big because you can focus more on your craft”.
There’s no doubt he has been focusing on his craft and handling everything like a true professional. Players like him and Saunders could play some big roles in the coming games if they continue to play well off the bench.
For the record, during that same interview, when I asked him about what it meant to play in Chicago Bulls organization with such a rich history, he had a fun response.
“It’s exciting” Octeus said. “We talk about Jordan and Pippen, but for me, Dwyane Wade is my favorite player”.
Octeus is from Miami, which is a major reason why he is such a fan of the Chicago Bulls’ new acquisition. But bench play is just as crucial as starter play, and it was a fun moment for Saunders and Octeus.
Unfortunately, the W went into the wrong hands, as once again, the Windy City Bulls lost to the Raptors 905 to fall to 7-12 on the season. Next home game will be against one of the D-League’s best, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Jan. 27.
You can listen to that game live, and all other home games as well as read up about the team, on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Bulls Look to Continue Home Court Cooking vs Raptors 905
Tonight, the Bulls are back at it, taking on the Raptors
905, a team that was once the hottest in the D-League. They, at one point were
on a huge winning streak that gave them an early edge of their division.
Although they have slowed down a bit, they still are a
dangerous team, and the Bulls need to plan accordingly. The Raptors 905 have
lost three of their last four, but put up a winning performance against one of
the best teams in the league, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, winning by 14 points,
114-100.
The key reason for this win, was due to solid play of Fred
VanFleet, who the Bulls need to keep an eye on during this game. Bulls coach
Nate Loenser will no doubt be having a good game plan set up to help slow down
VanFleet.
VanFleet was on the 2012-2013 Wichita State Shcoker that
reached the Final Four, and “shocked” the nation. He was a Freshman at the time
who played a big role in Wichita State reaching the Final Four, scoring 12
points against Ohio State to help the Shockers reach that point.
The Rockford, Illinois native is also Wichita State’s
all-time leader in assists. To this day, he is still proving to be a quality
passer, getting six dimes in the game against the Mad Ants and also dropping 20
points.
So, with his combination of great passing, and solid
scoring, he could be a handful, but the Bulls have weapons of their own.
Alfonzo McKinnie has really developed into a star on the Windy City Bulls, and
with no sign of slowing down, as he dropped 15 points and grabbed seven
rebounds in the last game against the Knicks.
McKinnie has gained valuable professional basketball
experience, not only playing in the D-League, but playing overseas as well.
SportsTownChicago.com’s own Jamie Newell had a chance to chat with McKinnie
who said that there is a lot more playing time in the D-League than overseas.
That difference seems to be paying off for McKinnie, who is
nearly averaging a double-double this season, with 13.8 points, and 8.5
rebounds. He also has an impressive field goal percentage of a 50%, showing his
scoring consistency.
The Chicago native had a solid stint at Eastern Illinois,
averaging 10 points and seven rebounds as a sophomore with the Panthers. He
also was second in the OVC in field goal percentage, with an impressive 56%
from the field.
In a game against Maine, while at Eastern Illinois, he had
one of the best games of his college career, getting 24 points, while also
collecting 14 rebounds. He continued the solid play at UW-Green Bay, where he
averaged eight points and 5.3 rebounds during his senior year.
Mickinnie’s surge as a top player on the Bulls, will
ultimately help the team in the long run if he stays put. However, it wouldn’t
be a shock if he gets a call from an NBA team sometime down the road, as he’s
pushing that much closer to big league status.
Utilizing his size, getting the boards, as getting the
inside buckets will be key for McKinnie, as he looks to help the Bulls get
their second straight win. Who knows, since it is Dog Night at the Sears
Centre, maybe the power of the pooches can help propel the Bulls to another W.
Tip off is at 7pm.
Be sure to listen to all home games and read up about the
squad on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
The Streak is Busted! Winning Ways Return vs Knicks!
After a tough seven game losing streak, the Windy City Bulls made a nice comeback to defeat the Westchester Knicks 113-102 at the Sears Centre Arena. Bobby Portis, who was just assigned to play for the WC Bulls, did what many expected and dominated the game.
Portis led all scorers with 32 points, while also grabbing nine boards. Paul Zipser, who was called to the WC Bulls for a third time, also joined in on the parade of points, dropping 18 points, with he too, collecting nine rebounds.
Portis is expected to be called back up to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday which was reported before the game. After his stellar performance, the chance just got much higher that this will occur.
Among the regulars, Aaron Thomas continued to do what he has done most of the season which is be the most valuable scorer on the team. He poured in 17 points, despite the great play of Portis and Zipser.
This speaks volumes on his consistency. No matter who’s on the roster, he still remains arguably the team’s most dangerous offensive weapon.
One of the things that helped out the Bulls also, was the fact that Jordan Crawford of the Knicks, went 0-11 from the field. The 5’6” Crawford can be a dangerous scorer, and he was neutralized by Portis and the Bulls.
They couldn’t slow down one of the D-League’s hottest shooters in Chassen Randle (Averaging 21 points per game), but it didn’t matter, as the Bulls fire power was too much on a freezing evening. Again, the Bulls win this one to push themselves a little closer to getting out of last place, and they bust the seven game losing streak.
Be sure to listen to all home games and read up about the tram on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Zipser returns tonight, Portis Debuts
By Colin Mieczkowski
The Windy City Bulls will have some extra fire power as they play the Westchester Knicks tonight at the Sears Centre Arena. Bobby Portis, the 22nd overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2015, has been called down to get buckets for WIndy City.
This comes at an impromptu time, as the WC Bulls are coming off a seven game losing streak, and look to turn it around. Having Portis, a big who is also capable of stretching the floor, is a huge plus for the team.
This season for Chicago, Portis has averaged 3.9 points off the bench, and shooting over 40% from behind the three point line.In his last nine games, he only had 11 minutes off the bench, so there’s no doubt that he’s hungry for his chance to shine with Windy City.
The former Arkansas Razorback racked up a solid career in college, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in his second and final season. This will be his first time assigned to the Chicago Bulls’ new D-League team.
Tip-off is at 7pm between the Bulls and Knicks and you can listen to game and read up about the team on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
The Windy City Bulls will have some extra fire power as they play the Westchester Knicks tonight at the Sears Centre Arena. Bobby Portis, the 22nd overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2015, has been called down to get buckets for WIndy City.
This comes at an impromptu time, as the WC Bulls are coming off a seven game losing streak, and look to turn it around. Having Portis, a big who is also capable of stretching the floor, is a huge plus for the team.
This season for Chicago, Portis has averaged 3.9 points off the bench, and shooting over 40% from behind the three point line.In his last nine games, he only had 11 minutes off the bench, so there’s no doubt that he’s hungry for his chance to shine with Windy City.
The former Arkansas Razorback racked up a solid career in college, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in his second and final season. This will be his first time assigned to the Chicago Bulls’ new D-League team.
Tip-off is at 7pm between the Bulls and Knicks and you can listen to game and read up about the team on the official radio home of Windy City Bulls basketball, SportsTownChicago.com.
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