Nov. 10, 2010

Sophomore guard Josh Bartelstein will give an inside look all season at the 2010-11 version of the Wolverines.

What's up everyone? Since my last post, we played a good game against a very well-coached Saginaw Valley State team. I was very impressed with their defense and how well they got back in transition. Also, their point guard was extremely quick, maybe the quickest player I have seen since I've been here.

Darius (Morris) did a great job of getting him in foul trouble and out of the game -- 17 free throw attempts for D-Mo is pretty impressive. With that I hope everyone comes out Saturday night for our first official game as the more fans we have there the better.

Now on to your questions ...

From Drew Question: How much do you guys work on defensive positioning, body positioning, and footwork in practice?

Answer: We do a ton of defense in practice every day. Different shell drills where we jump to the ball and make sure we are in the gaps. Our goal is to not let anyone get into the paint. This has been a huge emphasis for us this year as we try and be a great defensive team.

Question: What do the players think about exhibition games? Are they good for "getting the bugs out" and trying different lineups, or are they just a waste of time?

Answer: For me there really is no difference. Once you get to exhibition games, they are the real deal. We have fans watching us, refs on the court and finally get to put on our new uniforms, which I think are really cool. I've seen people saying they don't look very good but they are much lighter than last year and the new trim is a lot better.

Question: How much coaching happens on the bench during a game?

Answer: There is a lot of coaching that goes on during the game, but it is different kinds of coaching. Once you get to the game, you just want your players to play freely and compete. The worst thing for us to do is think about everything you are doing. Coaches are always reminding us about scouting reports on the bench and other key points that are in our game plan. Still, there is more coaching in practice than a game.

From Champswest Question: Who do you predict will lead the team in three-pointers made?

Answer: Tough question. We have so many great shooters. Stu, Zack, Matt, Tim and Evan are the five guys who will compete for the most makes. I'm going to take Stu in a close one as he has been on fire in practice.

From Chad Question: My question is about Matt Vogrich. Last year he was behind Manny Harris on the depth chart, didn't get much PT, and struggled a bit on the defensive end keeping up with more athletic players. How much has he improved over the off-season and what can we expect from him this year? What have you been seeing from him in practice? Is he a potential starter on this year's team?

Answer: In an article I was interviewed for ESPN, I picked Matt as the player that was going to surprise the most people this year. He was stuck behind a great player last year and didn't ever get a rhythm to really be judged. I know Matt worked his tail off this summer because I was with him in the gym every day. You guys saw his pull-up jump shot in the exhibition game and how effective that worked. When you have such a lethal shot as Matt does, it makes the rest of your offensive game that much easier. The key for Matt is not to be defined just by his offense. Matt has gotten a lot better as a defender and he can really rebound around the basket. People think he is small and doesn't mix it up inside, but he led our team in rebounding in Europe and I expect him to get lots of key boards during the year as well.

From Cobey Question: I'm a sophomore at Highland Park High School. Turns out at I have the same pre-calculus book that you did. Looks like I got a $38 autograph and a pre-calc book at book sale this year. Good Luck this year, and I know that Coach Harris is proud to have coached a Michigan basketball player.

Answer: Cobey the only advice I can give you is don't use any of the answers in that book, because there is a real good chance they aren't right if it is truly my book. Let's just say math has never been my favorite or best subject.

I'll be back later this week with some good stories about our team. It's been great hearing how much people have enjoyed the blog so far. The feedback has been great and that's all I am aiming for.

Hopefully I'll see you all Saturday night.

Keep sending those great questions at askjbart20@gmail.com.