New Coach Dana Altman is not exactly coming to a program with empty cupboards either. Altman is lucky to have one of most talented and symmetrical front lines in the entire country playing together.  They might not have had the same kind plethora of talent in the back court but Altman has shown he can coach perimeter players (he is coming from Kansas State after all).  If he indeed can get some good guard play the MVC is the Blye Jays oyster and those boys from Bradley might want to look over their shoulder and keep this program in view as they are coming up fast.   

Seniors Paul Silas, Bob Portman and the massive Sophomore Benoit Benjamin formed the aformentioned menacing front line.  Foremost of these and one of the most underrated great players in the country is the somber Mr. Silas.  Silas is a six foot seven power forward who puts the definition in the position.  Coming from Oakland, Silas understands that physicality is part of the game.  And relishes this fact.  He is mean, loves to mix it up and knows how to play the game.  He will knock you down with a screen if you are or aren’t looking, will rebound all day and is one of the best passing big men around.  His board work is already legendary as he averaged over 11 a game by knowing how to use that enormous backside the Good Lord gave him.  Silas is also as good of a low post defender as there is in the college ranks.  His attitude towards the game is that there is a certain way to play and everyone else should be fans.  He will not back down or give and inch to anyone and his priority toward winning most certainly carried over to his teammates.  If it didn’t he would probably knock them down.  Silas is not just a physical presence and intimidator but he is very cerebral as well.  He knows he does not have the skills or talent of some of his teammates but he also knows how to get the job done.  Bottom line he is a Winner.  Oh and by the way he can score a little too as he led the Blue Jays in scoring and though he is not Benjamin on the blocks gets many easy baskets just outworking guys on the boards.  He was not only the best player on this team he was without question the leader, enforcer, go to guy and main man in Omaha. 

On the opposite end of the motivation spectrum is Benjamin.  Benjamin is a seven footer with the size and skill to match up with any of the elite big men playing this game today.   He does not however have the same attitude as Silas.  If he did he would be an all world player.  He has the game and tools to be terrific but seems to find ways to not succeed.  Don’t get me wrong there are nights that Benjamin comes to play and in those nights the Blue Jays are almost unbeatable.  At certain times he can be the next Chamberlain, blocking shots, hitting baby hooks, grabbing boards and basically dominating the paint.  The other nights are what makes all Blue Jay fans pull their hair out.  For a guy that is seven foot and 250 pounds he can flat disappear.  Playing next to a guy like Silas with his all-out work ethic only makes Benjamin look worse and at times the fans have got on him.  One can only imagine what these two do in practice agent each other.  His propensity for missing games with injuries does not help with his rep.  He missed five games after that brutal game versus the Cornhuskers where they made it a point to hit the kid from Louisiana every chance they could with their never ending parade of big corn fed seven footers.  To show how important he was the Blue Jays lost three of those games but instead of supporting their big man the fans of Omaha somehow held this against him.  This is not good for his future as the pros are salivating at a chance to get this monster on one of their rosters.  He will be counted on to carry this team next year up front with Silas and Portman graduating but for now will be the main option on the blocks and the best shot blocker in the midwest without a nickname for a constellation.  If he stays around that long cuz don’t get me wrong with all of the motivational issues with Benjamin, those pro teams will not hesitate to throw a bunch of Benjarmin’s at Bemjamin. 

The third wheel of this outstanding triumvirate up front was the terrific Portman.  He does not get the attention nor accolades of his sidekicks but he does not mind at all.  That way he can continue to deliver in the manner he loves to perform.  Under the radar!  Portman is an unathletic three who gets the job done with skill and intelligence.  A school boy legend on the Streets of San Francisco Portman ran across Silas once or twice and ironically the two ended up in Omaha together.  They fit together perfectly and were a perfect complement to each other.  With Portman’s jump shooting and cutting ability he needed a guy who could get him loose and the immovable screens of Silas were always in the waiting.  Portman led the team in scoring for two years but dropped back a bit this year as Altman brought in a pair of wings who are way more athletic.  Portman still had a fine season and averaged almost twelve a game and helps out on the boards when needed which is not much with Silas gobbling up boards.  He is also tricky inside as he can get to the hoop inside and knows how to score amongst the big trees.  He will be missed but Altman had his replacements already on the roster per usual. 

Senor Ed Beisser is an undersized center that gave up his starting job to Benjamin and maybe shouldn’t have.  A solid player without the physical gifts of Big Ben, Beisser is as no nonsense as Silas and would have been a great combination.  They did pretty well together for 2 years but it is hard to keep a talent like Benjamin on the bench especially when you are six six.  Beisser ended up playing more behind Silas then Benjamin as power forward more fits his size and mentality.  Beisser got hurt midway through the year and ended his college career prematurely but do not count him on the pro level as he has already played a year at the AAU level with former opponent Bob Kurland where they made up a formidable pair up front. Don’t think for a minute though the Blue Jays do not have other good players up front as this program always reloads on their front line.  

The season ended with legendary Bob Gibson as their sixth man but everyone knew that clock was ticking as the Cardinals were waiting for their next superstar pitcher to get through with his hobby and join them in spring training.  If you think Silas has a glare it is nothing compared to Gibson who is as mean and focused as they come. Gibson goes 6’1 and can flat score but ‘Hoot’ will have a tough decision to make once spring training comes around and the Cardinals come a calling on this Blue Jay.  Altman has to keep that in mind as he would love to have the high scoring Gibson around on the wing but he also has to develop some continuity on the team and who knows how long Gibson will continue to keep flight in Omaha instead of St. Louis.    

With all of this great talent one might wonder why the Blue Jays did not run away with the MVC last season?  Well, the Blue Jays had one huge weakness.  The Achilles heel for Creighton was the smallest position on the court but possibly the most important.  Yes, the Blue Jays had problems at point guard.  Altman could not find the right quarterback for this high-octane team.  Don’t get me wrong Altman had some options and some talent.  Coming into the season the incumbent was Junior Ralph Bobik.  Bobik is a talented six foot seven point guard who loves to pass the ball.  And he is dang good at it.  The problem is this kid wants every pass to be spectacular kind of in the vein of some guy playing up in the Big Ten.  Bobik is good and he is big and actually predated the Magic Man but he is nowhere near that kind of talent.  Bobik also has a penchant for having a bit too much fun and kind of going off the reservations once in awhile.  ‘Crazy’ Ralph as he has known around campus is likely to do anything (ask any co-ed about his coaching the girls team or his infamous Bobik pitch in softball) to mix things up and that is on and off the court.  Don’t get me wrong this kid from Rim of the World High School (seriously) from near Los Angeles, which fits this free spirit to a T, can play the game.  The Blue Jays were a much better team with this assist machine on the court setting up his teammates relentlessly.  The problem was that he was Sutton’s boy and might not fit what Altman is trying to do.  Bobik started most of the time for the Jays but is always having to fight off challengers for minutes and Altman has recruited a slew of point guards to challenge this incumbent.   Foremost of the returning challengers is senior Ed Cole.  Cole comes from Turtle Creek Pennsylvania and can flat score.  The problem is he is only 5’11 which is not suited to being a shooting guard.  He would much rather score than pass and uses immense quickness to get to the hoop.  If he could pick up some of Bobik’s distribution skills, Cole might have a shot at playing more.  For now he is offense off the bench but that could change depending on the new kids Altman has brought to Omaha. 

Altman does have a solid bench besides Beisser, Gibson and Cole that though not athletic does get the job done for the Blue Jays.  Juniors Gene Harmon and Rick Apke got jumped over in the Creighton process when Benjamin arrived in town.  Both are forwards who bring solid overall skills and smarts to the game.  Harmon is one heck of a shooter but is a tweener forward who has huge difficulties guarding wings and is not quite big enough (6’6 235) for the four.  This kid from Nampa, Idaho (is that even a real city) is not done here and should produce plenty off the bench once again.  Apke’s is from a basketball family (his brother Tom player here and now is an assistant coach on the JV where Rick shined the last two years) who knows how to play.  This Cincinnati kid is 6’8 195 but plays the wing and is one heck of a ballhandler ala Bobbit for a bigger kid.  Still, he needs to get better defensively but there is opportunity here depending on what happens with Gibson.  Speaking of seeing their opportunity (and minutes) pass by, seniors Tim Powers, Wally Anderzunas, Neil Johnson, Dick Harvey and Swede Langer are all in line for deep bench work after some solid careers in Omaha.  Langer was a star here way back in the day but is way too small for modern pivot play but the Blonde Bombshell will hang around as the pickup man.  Powers is 6’7 and at 190 too skinny for the post in the MVC.  Anderzunas missed most of last year and is far behind the others on the totem pole.  Johnson and Harvey have the best chance of playing and both are solid two-way players but neither is bumping Portman or Silas out of the starting role.  Sophomore Kevin McKenna gives the team a gifted perimeter shooter off the bench (Altman cannot have enough shooters on his team) who is also a smart player.  He is the type of player coaches love on their team.  Junior John C. Johnson is a combo guard who got some minutes and played well and will push to start. At 6’3 175 this hometown kid can defend and does many things well but nothing great.  The question is whether or not he is a good enough ballhandler to play point consistently?  He is not a great shooter but he can defend.  Sophomore Vernon Moore is another combo guard but does have point guard skills and should really push for more minutes next season.      

The biggest question mark on this team is not Benjamin but the kid he replaced at center.  Junior Cyril Baptiste was a favorite of Sutton who he said has the most talent of any player he has ever coached.  This 6’9 230 pounder from Miami Florida who Sutton somehow got to come to Omaha can do anything on the court that he wants to.  Heck, he might be better than Benjamin but he has bigger demons than lack of motivation though that does come with this particular demon.  Baptiste has some addiction issues and missed the second half of last year after his dominant first year in Omaha.  If he comes back, Altman will be waiting with open arms as this kind of talent does not fall off trees (or corn stalks).  Imagine Baptiste playing next to Benjamin up front?  They have some big corn-fed kids over in Lincoln but the entire Cornhuskers front line could not match up with those two.  Or maybe not Sutton’s alma mater in Stillwater either!

Coach Dana Altman wants to establish a basketball program in the football crazy state of Nebraska that will get just a part of the national recognition the Cornhuskers have enjoyed. The Creighton Blue Jays are in one of the elite Mid Major programs in the country.  The Blue Jays have size, talent and Altman loves to recruit some great shooters and has already brought in a few.  They are led by two of the toughest seniors in the country and they want to bring some glory to Omaha before they leave for the bigger and brighter world of professional sports.  Still, even though the game is changing, you got a much better chance of moving up into the elite category if you got one of those seven footers who dominates the paint.  The Blue Jays have one of these and if they are going to indeed climb that mountain (not around these parts of course) it is going to be all about the Benjamin!!