Alex Murphy & U-20 Finnish National Team

[BlueDevilBrowns]

Found this article today and thought it contained some interesting stuff regarding Alex. Nice to see him getting some extra work in as I believe he'll be one of the two keys to just how successful Duke will be next year(the other key being finding a singular leader/starter at the PG spot).

LINK: http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.d...CLID=205424997

[BD80]

Found this article today and thought it contained some interesting stuff regarding Alex. Nice to see him getting some extra work in as I believe he'll be one of the two keys to just how successful Duke will be next year(the other key being finding a singular leader/starter at the PG spot).

LINK: http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.d...CLID=205424997

Sigh. So young, but now he's finnish. Alex, we hardly knew ye.

[devildeac]

Hopefully, he will not be engaging in any hijinks like this while training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmBlUb2dcsk

[Jarhead]

This is interesting. Murphy is an Irish name, and so is Finn.

[Indoor66]

This is interesting. Murphy is an Irish name, and so is Finn.

That make him Murphyish and Finnish?

[OldPhiKap]

He shall now be known as "The Suomi Tsunami"

It will take awhile to catch on -- not as instant as calling Marty Nessley "The Puma" -- but it will build slowly and powerfully.

[BD80]

-- not as instant as calling Marty Nessley "The Puma" --

You mean the guy whose eligibility expired before he could make it back on D?

[ikiru36]

You mean the guy whose eligibility expired before he could make it back on D?

I always assumed Marty to be Canadian, what with all the 'lumbering'? At least he didn't foul!

Ps-mad props to Marty and all his efforts. Much love for the big fella.

Go Duke!!! Go Blue Devils!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!

[Greg_Newton]

I remember when discussing the benefits of coming to Duke a year early and redshirting, Alex said something to the effect of. "It's just been a whole different level. If I were playing HS ball now, I could score 40-50 points a game."

Looks like he wasn't kidding.

[Newton_14]

I remember when discussing the benefits of coming to Duke a year early and redshirting, Alex said something to the effect of. "It's just been a whole different level. If I were playing HS ball now, I could score 40-50 points a game."

Looks like he wasn't kidding.

I thought about that very same comment. I think it came when he and Mason were watching one of the High School Christmas tourney's that were being played in the area.

[FerryFor50]

I think it's a great sign. Regardless of what you think the level of competition was, he still was playing against men his age and size. For anyone who's played pickup ball, it's not always a given that you're going to score, even against lesser competition. He's at least showing he's competent at scoring in a competitive game rather than being a practice star.

[Greg_Newton]

I thought about that very same comment. I think it came when he and Mason were watching one of the High School Christmas tourney's that were being played in the area.

Yup:

The discrepancy between levels stood out to him two weeks ago when he watched St. Mark's, his high school team, play at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational in Raleigh.

"I feel like I've gotten a lot better since I've been here," Murphy said. "Put me in that game right now, I might score 40 or 50 points.

lol... gotta love the swagger.

We could very quietly be adding a very, very good starter on the wing this year. Great performance vs. Estonia or not, I really think all indications are and have been pointing to him being a standout, core player in our lineup at the 3 spot this year. I know that common perception is that SF will be a big question mark for us, but I have a feeling any such concerns will quickly be put to rest.

He was already really, really good last summer/fall, despite some China jitters; if he's made another big leap since then and added a little swagger, he's going to be really fun to watch for ~30 MPG this year. I really think he'll be the best true wing slasher we've had in a while, with a real nose for the rim and tremendous footwork/timing in his approaches; the 13 FT attempts might be the most telling part of that box score. He's not one to settle for a jumper.

[wk2109]

Yup:

We could very quietly be adding a very, very good starter on the wing this year. Great performance vs. Estonia or not, I really think all indications are and have been pointing to him being a standout, core player in our lineup at the 3 spot this year. I know that common perception is that SF will be a big question mark for us, but I have a feeling any such concerns will quickly be put to rest.

Does anyone know what position he's playing for Finland? I'm wondering if he's spending most of his time on the wing or if he's playing any 4.

[MChambers]

Does anyone know what position he's playing for Finland? I'm wondering if he's spending most of his time on the wing or if he's playing any 4.

Maybe the Finnish don't have positions?

[flyingdutchdevil]

I think the competition has a lot to do with Alex's points. Here are the stats from Marty Pocius's 2006 U-20 Euro tournament:

2pts 3pts FT Rbds
Match Min M/A % M/A % M/A % O D Tot As PF To St BS Pts
vs GRE 27 2/5 40 2/5 40 3/4 75 0 0 0 1 5 3 0 0 13
vs BUL 34 10/15 66,7 1/2 50 9/10 90 0 1 1 2 3 5 3 0 32
vs ESP 27 1/6 16,7 2/4 50 3/4 75 0 3 3 1 1 1 1 0 11
vs SCG 29 7/12 58,3 1/1 100 3/3 100 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 20
vs SLO 44 12/19 63,2 2/3 66,7 4/5 80 2 7 9 3 5 5 1 0 34
vs FRA 17 4/8 50 1/2 50 0/1 0 1 1 2 3 5 2 1 0 11
vs CRO 26 7/10 70 0/2 0 0/0 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 1 14
vs GRE 32 9/13 69,2 1/5 20 4/6 66,7 2 3 5 0 2 2 1 0 25

Given, Marty didn't ever score 36, but he did have one 32 point game and one 34 point game.

If Alex continues this success, then consider me a believer. But right now, I think we need to take Alex's game with a grain of salt.

[sagegrouse]

I think the competition has a lot to do with Alex's points. Here are the stats from Marty Pocius's 2006 U-20 Euro tournament:

 	 	2pts	3pts	FT	Rbds	 	 	 	 	 	 
Match	Min	M/A	%	M/A	%	M/A	%	O	D	Tot	As	PF	To	St	BS	Pts
vs GRE	27	2/5	40	2/5	40	3/4	75	0	0	0	1	5	3	0	0	13
vs BUL	34	10/15	66,7	1/2	50	9/10	90	0	1	1	2	3	5	3	0	32
vs ESP	27	1/6	16,7	2/4	50	3/4	75	0	3	3	1	1	1	1	0	11
vs SCG	29	7/12	58,3	1/1	100	3/3	100	1	0	1	0	1	2	0	0	20
vs SLO	44	12/19	63,2	2/3	66,7	4/5	80	2	7	9	3	5	5	1	0	34
vs FRA	17	4/8	50	1/2	50	0/1	0	1	1	2	3	5	2	1	0	11
vs CRO	26	7/10	70	0/2	0	0/0	0	0	2	2	0	0	3	0	1	14
vs GRE	32	9/13	69,2	1/5	20	4/6	66,7	2	3	5	0	2	2	1	0	25

Given, Marty didn't ever score 36, but he did have one 32 point game and one 34 point game.

If Alex continues this success, then consider me a believer. But right now, I think we need to take Alex's game with a grain of salt.

Great table -- adjusted the format. -- sagegrouse

[phaedrus]

I think the competition has a lot to do with Alex's points. Here are the stats from Marty Pocius's 2006 U-20 Euro tournament:

2pts 3pts FT Rbds
Match Min M/A % M/A % M/A % O D Tot As PF To St BS Pts
vs GRE 27 2/5 40 2/5 40 3/4 75 0 0 0 1 5 3 0 0 13
vs BUL 34 10/15 66,7 1/2 50 9/10 90 0 1 1 2 3 5 3 0 32
vs ESP 27 1/6 16,7 2/4 50 3/4 75 0 3 3 1 1 1 1 0 11
vs SCG 29 7/12 58,3 1/1 100 3/3 100 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 20
vs SLO 44 12/19 63,2 2/3 66,7 4/5 80 2 7 9 3 5 5 1 0 34
vs FRA 17 4/8 50 1/2 50 0/1 0 1 1 2 3 5 2 1 0 11
vs CRO 26 7/10 70 0/2 0 0/0 0 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 1 14
vs GRE 32 9/13 69,2 1/5 20 4/6 66,7 2 3 5 0 2 2 1 0 25

Given, Marty didn't ever score 36, but he did have one 32 point game and one 34 point game.

If Alex continues this success, then consider me a believer. But right now, I think we need to take Alex's game with a grain of salt.

Sure, but no one really doubted Marty's ability as a pure scorer on the college level, either. If Alex is as good a scorer as Marty, he will be a competent scorer; it's in the other elements of the game I hope he surpasses Marty.

[BD80]

Maybe the Finnish don't have positions?

Its not where you start, its where you ...

[awhom111]

Does anyone know what position he's playing for Finland? I'm wondering if he's spending most of his time on the wing or if he's playing any 4.

Looking at the lineup, it appears he was the 2nd tallest player on the court and he is the 4th tallest player in their squad for this weekend. Of course the no positions response might be accurate as well given that their tallest player launched 7 3s in the game and hit 4 of them.

The team now heads to Serbia for the week as they face the hosts on Friday, Turkey on Saturday, and Israel on Sunday. The first 2 games are against U20 teams playing in the A division while Israel will also be a B division team.

Here is the article with their lineup:
http://www.basket.fi/uutiset/etusivu...33156=13497890

Remember that in addition to trying to do as well as possible for this team, Alex is also trying to prove himself for a future senior national team spot. The team has to navigate qualifiers for Eurobasket 2013 later this summer, but if Alex could fight his way to a place next summer, that would be an absolutely fantastic experience for him.

[awhom111]

Against tougher competition, Finland lost 90-63 to Serbia. Alex led the team again with 20 points and 3 rebounds. Villematti Kopio and Aleksi Akpaso, who is in the rotation for a top division Finnish team had 12 points each. Players with good games for Serbia included the 2nd leading scorer in Austria and Stefan Nastic, who plays for Johnny Dawkins at Stanford. Here is the boxscore with points and rebounds only:
http://www.basket.fi/maajoukkueet/ot...season_id=6353