Basketball Insight

The Houston Rockets were fighting for their playoff lives Monday night at home against the Utah Jazz and the ex-Duck Aaron Brooks was playing top notch basketball along with another ex-Duck playing in the NBDL finals in Luke Jackson.

Monday night the Rockets needed a win badly to prevent the Rockets from going down 0-2 to the Utah Jazz as the series moved from Houston to Salt Lake City. Brooks gave his all for head coach Rick Adelman.

Brooks was using his speed and overall athletic ability to cause havoc against the Jazz as star point guard Deron Williams was out with an injury sustained in a collision with Brooks in the third quarter.

Brooks scored six points in the first half however he did end up with three fouls going into the half.

Coming out in the second half Brooks picked up right where he left off once he got into the game late in the third quarter. Brooks scored a quick five points and also running the offense and setting up a big three for Shane Battier. Brooks also took a momumental charge on the defensive end that gave the ball to the Rockets in a key point early in the fourth quarter.

However Aldeman decided to go with the older vet in Bobby Jackson to end the game. It was a turning point for the Rockets as Jackson wasn't playing on par with Brooks late in the game. Aldeman made the smart move at the time to play the older vet but it might have been better to role with the rookie as the Rockets lost.

Brooks was not the only former Duck playing in a high pressure packed playoff game Monday night. A former teammate of Brooks, Creswell and Oregon's Luke Jackson came off the bench for the Idaho Stampede in the NBDL playoff finals against the Austin Toros.

Jackson chipped in 15 points, tied for second on the team, along with two rebounds and three assists in the 89-95 loss.


In an recent article done by Scout.com Oregon has started to recruit a new center for the class of 2008 in Edgar Garibay from Compton, CA. Garibay is ranked as the 29th best Center in the class of 2008.

The 6'10 250 pound center averaged 13 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks a game for Compton as Garibay starred alongside McDonald's All-American Demar DeRozen.

Garibay currently has not been offered by Oregon.


In the coming days I will be posting an article in which I got a chance to talk with a high level scout in the Illinois area from IllinoisHSbasketball.com about the three Chi-Town kids coming to Oregon next year so stay tuned for that story in the near future.

I also will be posting an article about potential Oregon recruits for basketball from the state of Oregon who have started the spring's AAU season. Players will include Mike Moser(Class 2009), EJ Singler (Class 2009), Jordan Ellis (Class of 2009), Terrance Ross (Class of 2010), and Terrance Jones (Class of 2010).