Heart and Hustle - Season 3: Raptors resign Carter

[RMJH4]

Heart and Hustle


National Basketball Arena - Dublin, Ireland

Introduction

It was always my dream to play college basketball for a Divison I program. Across the country there weren’t too many kids able to do more than me on the court. In high school I always thought I was one of the best. My stats showed that. The problem was that I was playing in the wrong country. I was born and raised in Dublin Ireland. I played for 6 great years at one of the top basketball high schools in the country. I won two Senior National Championships, winning MVP in one final, and just being edged out for MVP in the second.

Schools basketball in Ireland works in the following way. High School lasts for 6 years. There are 4 teams you can play for throughout your time in school.

A Freshman Team,

A Sophomore Team,

Junior Varsity Team (all players 16 and under)

Varsity Team (all players from the ages of 16 – 19)

We had reached the final four at freshmen, sophomore and junior varsity level. We were always one of the top teams in the country. At Varsity level we finally put it altogether and won 2 National Championships. A just reward for all the hard work and near misses we had.

I had been selected for regional teams at every age group. I was captain for one of those teams too. But the National team was always a tougher task. I never had my final growth spurt until my last 2 years in High School. I was under 6 foot for most of my time in school, but then in my final year I shot up to 6’4. I was a point guard who always used his speed and IQ to beat most opposing teams. Now I finally had size, and a 6 foot 4 point guard with basketball smarts was hard to come by.

But the National team was pretty much a closed shop. It’s probably one of the reasons that Ireland has never been a force internationally at any age. A poorly funded organization who spent all their money on flying dual Irish-American college players to Ireland to play for the National team. The only player we really produced here was Pat Burke. The Marcin Gortat lookalike that played for the Suns and Magic most notably. Unless you had the cash, you literally couldn’t afford to play for the National team. Hell you had to pay 75% of the travel costs to play in European championships at underage level.

My family and I didn’t have that sort of money to throw around. We were good savers though, and our education was always prioritized. Going to a good college like UCD or Trinity College was the goal, for them at least. I had my sights set higher, and further afield. My godfather had just been promoted to chairperson of one of the leading sports merchandising companies in Ireland, and soon to be Europe. We always had a great relationship and being a sports fanatic, he always wanted to see me succeed.

In my senior year, I approached him with the idea of continuing my further education in the US. With a view to making my way onto a college roster. It was a major risk to take, and I needed some serious funding. It’s unheard off that an Irish basketball player, even a top international player, would get a scholarship to a US college for basketball. So I knew that wasn’t an option. One of my favorite players of all time was Scottie Pippen. He couldn’t get a scholarship to college. He got a job as a walk on manager, and once he got on the court during practices, it became obvious he belonged. Long story short, he ended up with 6 championship rings and in the hall of fame. I don’t expect to do that but it just gives me a lot of hope.

This is my story. My goal is to make it as a walk-on for a Divison I college program. How am I going to get there? Heart and Hustle.

Season 1 - University of Miami Hurricanes

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Profile Page
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13 - ACC Tournament
Episode 14
Episode 15 - East Region 2nd Rd vs Pacific Tigers
Episode 16 - East Region 3rd Rd vs Illinois Fighting Illni
Episode 17 - Sweet Sixteen vs Marquette Golden Eagles
Episode 18 - End of Season

Season 2 - University of Miami Hurricanes
Episode 1 - Larkin Drafted
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4 - Season Preview
Episode 5 - Hurricanes begin regular season 4-3
Episode 6 - Hurricanes stand at 8-5
Episode 7 - Hurricanes stutter to a 10-10 record
Episode 8 - Hurricanes move to a 14-14 record
Episode 9- Hurricanes end regular season 16-15
Episode 10 - End of Regular Season
Episode 11- Hurricanes make final 4 in ACC
Episode 12- NCAA Tournament Seedings
Episode 13- First 4 v Xavier
Episode 14 - 2nd Rd v St Louis
Episode 15 - UConn win National Title
Episode 16 - 2014 NBA Common Sense Mock Draft
Episode 17 - End of Season Review
Episode 18 - Hobbs declares for NBA Draft
Episode 19 - Interview with Basketball Ireland

Season 3 - NBA - Toronto Raptors
Minnesota Timberwolves Interview
Chicago Bulls Interview
Brooklyn Nets Interview
NBA Draft 2014 - Part 1 of 4
NBA Draft 2014 - Part 2 of 4
NBA Draft 2014 - Part 3 of 4
NBA Draft 2014 - Part 4 of 4
NBA Draft Surprises - Hobbs falls to #20
Raptors resign Kyle Lowry
Raptors resign Vinsanity
Raptors Season Preview

[RMJH4]

Episode 1

My final examinations went pretty well. I achieved 4 A grade’s, and 2 B grades. Which over here pretty much opens up every door you need opened college wise. I was trying to choose between an Engineering and an Education degree. I figured getting into education, specificially PE would allow me to stay involved with Basketball. If I don’t make it as a player, I can head down the coaching route like my Dad, and PE would give me a head start in this area. I was browsing sports courses in Limerick and Dublin City when an ad popped up in the corner of my screen.

It was an ad from the University of Miami. It read
“Want to teach Physical Education in the US? Click here for our special international entry requirements.”

Sure enough I clicked in and was brought to the University of Miami website. I had everything I needed to qualify for their course. Apart from the special discounted $20,000 dollars entry fee. Discounted I thought, wow you could easily get through your 4 year degree in Ireland for that price! But I was intrigued. I went to my guidance councilor in school, and got the necessary paperwork. Now my mind was set. I wanted to attend University in Miami. But there was so much to organize. Not least the money.

So it was time to sit down with my parents and discuss the idea I had. Amazingly they were thrilled with the idea and even entertained the idea of moving over with me for a few months to settle in! I said yes that’s amazing, but couldn’t help but ask, how are we going to afford to live there? You can’t take time off your job? My dad replied, Rory, my brother is a decent man. He’s put some money away for us to pursue our dreams. Our dreams are to see our kids succeed at anything they want. And I have always dreamed of living in America one day. In fact if I had a choice Florida would be that place, you know I’m a big Magic fan. I think you should go for it. Now what do you need me to do?

My Dad Michael "MJ" was my lifetime basketball coach. His name was Michael John but all the kids called him MJ for fun, and it stuck. He gave me the love for the game. He coached me at our high school up to Varsity. I’d never known another coach. But it didn’t scare me. He was one of the best coaches our country ever produced. I knew I could make him proud and have a shot at making the Miami Hurricanes roster. Jim Larranga is their head coach. He has a lot of Irish connections. His son Jay represented Ireland. I'm sure that will be a good starting point.

[RMJH4]

Episode 2

My Godfather was thrilled at the idea. I got all my documents in order. I had an interview next week and if it went well then I would be accepted into the course. We had our flights booked. Dad had a good friend in Miami who used to drive the bus to all our high school games. He was a crazy Miami Heat fan so he said he could put us up for the week. We didn't care much for the Heat or LeBron but we could listen to him for the sake of it.

It was midday as we touched down in Miami international. The heat was incredible. Coming from 10 degrees Celsius in Ireland the 30 degree heat was phenomenal. This is the life I thought. Sure enough Darren was there to meet and greet us. We collected the bags and walked briskly through the airport and into Darren's big SUV.

He lived in Coral Gables, which was basically next door to the University. His apartment was incredibly big compared to what's on offer here in Ireland. We settled in for some food and turned the cable on. ESPN College Basketball tonight. Preseason show. The Hurricanes and Gators were previewed.



"I fancy your chances at getting a place on the Canes roster Rory" said Darren. They look weak at the guard rotation this year. I'll see if I can make some connections with recruiting and assistants for you. Darren was a smart man. Really clued in. He could talk the talk, and walk the walk. He was a pro bodybuilder. He was in serious training for the world championships in a few months time. He's not someone you would mess with. He knew his sports inside out, and in fairness to him, he'd always been a Heat fan. No band wagoner.

Darren always knew the lay of the land. He knew who to talk to, and what needed to be said. He knew people who knew some of the Seniors on the team. He was my best shot at making the right noises around the team. I just had to go out there and ball hard.

[RMJH4]

Episode 3

So here it is. The University of Miami. The "U". I was awestruck. I wandered around until I found the college of education. I met the Dean of Education. He was a lovely man. We chatted for about an hour. Seemed very informal. He loved his basketball. He loved the Hurricanes. He'd been on YouTube and Basketball Irelands website. " You can play kid, I just don't have any scholarships to offer. They are like gold dust. The Hurricanes have open tryouts next week. I'll put your name down". And with that, I was accepted into my course.

My Dad was a PE teacher and my mum was a Kindergarten teacher. A family full of teachers, he knew I was a solid choice. I'm impressed he saw my highlights too! I returned to the car with Dad and Darren waiting anxiously.

"I'm in! The Dean is a big sports fan. He has even seen my YouTube highlights. He is very impressed with my GPA and my background. I didn’t have to convince him at all. He said he will have a word with recruiting today about putting my name down to tryout for a walk-on spot.

Dad and Darren congratulated me and hugged me. It was suddenly real. Now I have to get to a gym and start getting some shots ups. Its time to shine. The next day we had to head back home and get the rest of my belongings. It was a long plane ride home, about 5 hours, but I couldn’t contain myself smiling.

I had to pack everything I could possibly need. As I walked in the door I was greeted with a large banner in the hallway. Congrats Rory it read. All my family and relations were there. My mother and brothers were standing at the front with a large brown package. I opened it and pulled out a t-shirt. It had the University of Miami logo on it. I was officially accepted to the college. My acceptance letter was with it too, incase I was in any doubt. I was ready to rock and roll!

[RMJH4]

Episode 4

I'm staying with Darren for the first semester to help ease my transition over here. It also severely cuts down on the expense of the whole thing too. Darren's training program keeps him on a strict diet all of the time, so to be in peak condition I'll be taking a lot of tips from him. His specialty is obviously strength and conditioning. That’s probably my weak point, and to play against some of the big guys they have here, I'm going to need to add some muscle. As the old saying goes, I've got the heart and hustle, now I need the muscle! The first set of tryouts is later today. I've been told it’s like an elite camp where some of the past, current and future players all train and learn together. I've heard some Hurricanes alumni like John Salmons, James Jones and Rick Barry might be here. A chance to meet some past and present NBA players is very exciting.

Some of the current Hurricanes roster like Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji and Durand Scott will be here. The Hurricanes are expected to be one of the top teams in the ACC in 2012-13 along with the usual powerhouses Duke and North Carolina. I know I'll have my work cut out in practice with some of these guys.

I've heard some of the guys I'll be trying out against for a walk on spot are Justin Heller from Florida and Steve Sorensen from Texas. They've had some nice YouTube videos up and I'll have to play well to beat them out for a spot at point guard. Shane Larkin has the starting spot sown up and I hope I can hold my own against him when we matchup.

Assistant coach Michael Huger attended Bowling Green years ago, and Darren knows him a little bit. There is quite a bit of a connection with Bowling Green and Irish players, and Head Coach Jim Larranaga coached there for 11 years. I know that’s why I've been given a shot here of making the roster.

Huger introduced me to a few guys like Shane, Julian Gamble and Durand Scott. They were very friendly and said they looked forward to working with me this week. But they wont hold anything back, as this is their preseason.

Dad told me to get on the right side of the seniors early on. If you can get along with the seniors then it will stand you in good stead with the coaching staff. The coaches generally listen to the input from the seniors, and if I could get over with those guys, they might recommend me as a walk-on. So I made sure I talked to Kenny, Julian and Durand as much as possible.

I passed them the rock and defended really well at all times. I always talk when I play, and this time would be no different. I see things happening on the court before they happen, and if I could show that I have this ability, I know I'll get selected as a walk on.

[RMJH4]

Episode 5

So here was my chance. I'd had a pretty solid week from a playmaking point of view. Dishing the ball to open guys, throwing some alley oops and being pretty solid defensively. I didn’t shoot the ball very effectively, but I had some nice spells where I hit a few threes. I took advantage of most of my post ups and scored reasonably well. I wasn’t hung out to dry, or dunked on yet, so I was pretty pleased! DeQuan Jones who just graduated last year is an incredible athlete, everyone just cleared out when he took off to flush one down.

We were divided up into 4 teams on the final day. My team (the green team) won all 3 group games and we had to face the orange team in the final. I was running with Kenny Kadji, new recruit Tonye Jekiri, James Jones (NBA guy) and Deron Williams (From Tampa, not the NBA guy!)

We were matched up against a pretty solid team in the final of the 4 team round robin. Julian Gamble, Erik Swoope, Dequan Jones (NBA Guy), Justin Heller and Garrius Adams at the point. Garrius had been talking about redshirting this season so I thought if I could hold my won against him, I could make the roster and maybe get his approval for some minutes. The roster looked pretty thin at point guard after Shane Larkin.

The game was full of nerves early on, with James and DeQuan going at it one on one. Coach Larranaga let them have it about showboating, and that was that. Now we could play some proper ball. I took my drive right at Garrius every time. Kenny was a great finisher and I got him some nice touches down low. I threw the new recruit Jekiri a nice lob, and all of a sudden we had a 10 point lead. James Jones was happy to get to the corners and drain the 3's. I must have assisted about 4 three pointers for him!

We won the final game by 10 points. The high 5's were all around and Jim Larranaga had a big grin on his face. He gathered everyone around the center court to talk to us.

"Well played guys. Very good matchup. I'd like to thank, DeQuan and James for giving us a spectacle. I want to wish them well in the NBA this season. Next I'd like to thank my Seniors and all the guys I invited from our current roster. It was great to see how your fitness and match sharpness is progressing. And now to our invites. The guys who want to walk-on to our program. The coaching staff and I have reviewed your progress and performance all week long. We look at our roster and see where we need to fill in the gaps. We look at suitability, character and work rate. We have chosen 2 guys. And we are all pretty fully agreed on who should make the cut. Guys put your hands together and congratulate Justin Heller and Rory Hobbs. They have earned their status as walk-ons for this season."

[RMJH4]

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes start out 4-1, beat #13 Michigan State

The Hurricanes have had a solid start to their 2012-2013 campaign with 4 wins in their first 5 games. They started with a comeback win against Stetson. They dropped the next game against an up and coming FGCU. The Hurricanes proved their resiliance though by reeling off 3 wins in a row against Jacksonsville, Detroit and #13 ranked Michigan State.

The feature game is the big win against the #13 ranked Spartans:



Hurricanes win ACC/Big 10 challenge vs Michigan State Spartans.

MICH@MIA

MIchigan: 59
(Appling 15, Harris 12, Dawson 11)
Miami: 67
(McKinney Jones 18, Larkin 15, Scott 15)

Rebounds:
Michigan: Gary Harris 8
Miami: Reggie Johnson 11

Assists:
Michigan: Keith Appling 4
Miami: Shane Larkin 3

Highlight of the Month


#8 Rory Hobbs makes his debut against Stetson. He scored 3 points, and had 5 assists in 9 minutes, an outstanding start for the Walk - On.

Last 5 Games:
Vs Stetson 87-79 W
@FGCU Eagles 51-63 L
VS Jacksonville 73-57 W
Vs Detroit Mercy 77-62 W
Vs Michigan State 67-59 W

Hobbs' stats for last 5 games:
Vs Stetson - 3 pts, 5asts, 9 mins
@FGCU - 1 pt, 2 asts, 6 mins
Vs Jacksonville - 4 asts, 8 mins
Vs Detroit Mercy - 2asts, 7 mins
Vs Michigan State - 2 pts, 4 asts, 8 mins

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes move to 8-3, finish 4th in Diamond Head Classic

The Hurricanes had a solid start to their 2012-2013 campaign with 4 wins in their first 5 games. However they have had quite a mixed bag since then. They had 3 solid victories over Massachusetts, Charlotte and UCF. All 3 of those were expected wins. The Hurricanes rode that momentum into the first game of the Diamond Head classic and beat the hometown Hawaii in the quarter final. However they were brought crashing back down to earth with a heavy defeat to #4 Arizona in the semi final. That meant a 3rd place playoff against Indiana State. Coach Larranga used it as a chance to expand his rotation and ended up with an overtime loss. The one bright spot from the disappointing trip to Hawaii? The play of Walk -On Rory Hobbs. He lit it up in the 3rd place playoff and is nailing down some regular playing time.

The feature game is the overtime loss against the Indiana State Sycamores in the Diamond Head 3rd place playoff:



The Hurricanes had a 19 point loss to #4 Arizona, Hobbs got some burn at the end of the game.

IND@MIA

Indiana State: 57
(Arop 13, Mahruhin 13, Odum 9)
Miami: 55
(Kadji 13, Scott 12, Gamble 11)

Rebounds:
Indiana State: Khristian Smith 10
Miami: Trey McKinney Jones 11

Assists:
Indiana State: Jake Odum 6
Miami: Rory Hobbs 7

Highlight of the Month



Hurricanes freshman PG Rory Hobbs scored 9 points and had 7 assists in tonights game.

Last 6 Games:
@ Massachusetts 75-62 W
Vs Charlotte 77-46 W
@ UCF 72-50 W
@ Hawaii 73-58 W
Vs Arizona 69-50 L
Vs Indiana State 57-55 (OT) L

Hobbs' stats for last 6 games:
@ Massachusetts - 1 ast, 2 mins
Vs Charlotte - 3 pts, 2 asts, 8 mins
@ UCF - 2pts, 1 ast, 8 mins
@ Hawaii - 1 ast, 4 mins
Vs Arizona - 1 ast, 2mins
Vs Indiana State 9pts, 7 asts 14 mins

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes move to 13-3, Win 5 in a row

The Hurricanes continue their strong start to the season and improve their record to 13-3. They are now on a 5 game win streak, after having several tough games on the road. Most notably @ North Carolina. The Hurricanes had a terrific all around performance. They are led nightly by the frontline of Kenny Kadji and Julian Gamble. Shane Larkin is the floor general and really has his team ticking. The play of walk-on Rory Hobbs continues to impress, regularly getting minutes in all game's. The Hurricanes are expected to get a top 30 ranking tomorrow with their recent good run of form.

The feature game is the win over ACC rivals North Carolina:



The Hurricanes had a 9 point win over North Carolina, Hobbs got 5 minutes and scored 2 points.

MIA@NC

Miami: 68
(Kadji 18, Gamble 14, Larkin 11)
North Carolina: 59
(McAdoo 14, Bullock 11, Paige 10)

Rebounds:
Miami: Kenny Kadji 9
North Carolina: James Michael McAdoo 7

Assists:
Miami: Durand Scott 5
North Carolina: Marcus Paige 5

Highlight of the Month



Hurricanes walk-on PG Rory Hobbs scored 6 points and had 2 assists in the blowout win over La Salle.

Last 5 Games:
@ LaSalle 76-59 W
Vs Georgia Tech 62-49 W
@ North Carolina 68-59 W
Vs Maryland 54-47 W
@ Boston College 60-59 W

Hobbs' stats for last 5 games:
@ LaSalle 6 pts, 2 asts, 10 mins
Vs Georgia Tech 2 asts, 7 mins
@ North Carolina 2pts 5 mins
Vs Maryland 2 mins
@ Boston College 1 ast, 2 mins

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes move to 18-3, Win 10th game in a row

The Hurricanes are wiping the floor with every opponent. They destroyed #1 ranked Duke at the start of this run. The Hurricanes were ranked #25, they followed the superb victory up with a win over the Seminoles. The Hurricanes then moved up in the rankings to #14. But it didn't stop there. They reeled off 3 further wins over Virgina Tech, #19 ranked NC State and then another win over Boston College. That win moved Miami to #8 in the Rankings and the experts have given them a real chance of doing something dangerous in March. If the Cane's keep rolling like this, who can beat them?!! The play of Durand Scott and Shane Larkin has been elevated to the same level as Kenny Kadji and Julian Gamble. But the play of walk-on Rory Hobbs gives the Hurricanes one of the deepest benches in Division 1 this season.

The feature game is the win over ACC rivals and #1 ranked Duke:



Hobbs uses his size advantage over Quinn Cook, The Hurricanes won by 27 points.

DUKE@MIA

Duke: 63
(Sulaimon 16, Mas.Plumlee 15, Jefferson 13)
Miami: 90
(Scott 25, Kadji 22, Larkin 18)

Rebounds:
Duke: Mason Plumlee 11
Miami: Julian Gamble 10

Assists:
Duke: Quinn Cook 5
Miami: Shane Larkin 5


Highlight of the Month



Hurricanes PG Rory Hobbs scores 2 of his 4 points in the nail-biting win over NC State.

Last 5 Games:
Vs #1 Duke 90-63 W
Vs Florida 71-47 W
@ Virginia Tech 73-64 W
Vs #19 NC State 79-78 W
Vs Boston College 72-50 W

Hobbs' stats for last 5 games:
Vs #1 Duke 4pts, 1 ast, 6mins
Vs Florida 3pts, 2 asts, 8 mins
@ Virginia Tech 1pt, 4 mins
Vs #19 NC State 4pts, 3 asts, 8mins
Vs Boston College 3 asts, 7mins

[RMJH13]

Anybody interested or following this?!

[TGsoGood]

Seaboh hasn't logged in a while. This was a good story.
Seaboh could you send me that CF? I would like to add your character to my college story thread.

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes finishing strong, record stands at 22-4, Wake Forest end streak.

The Hurricanes were wiping the floor with every opponent. They ran riot over North Carolina and Florida State. but then along came Clemson. The Canes struggled over the line with a 45-43 victory. They returned home to face Virginia and ground out another tough victory. But it was clear over the last two games trouble was brewing. Wake Forest turned the Canes over and ran rampage to end a 14 game win streak. But the Canes would bounce back like true stars and beat Virginia Tech by a healhty scoreline. Highlights for the Canes in this stretch include the incredible win over North Carolina and the close fought win over Florida State. Julian Gamble and Shane Larkin continue to lead the way for Miami, but are ably assisted by Kenny Kadji. They look to have a 9 man deep rotation, which is too much for most opponents. There national rankings have been up and down but have stayed in the top 10. They were ranked #8 going into the Tar Heels game. After that game they jumped up to #3, where they reeled off two more wins to be ranked #2 in the Nation. However they took the foot off the pedal and lost to Wake Forest, which led to the Canes slipping to #5.

The feature game is the win over longtime ACC rivals North Carolina Tar Heels



Hobbs drains the open jumper, something which he has improved steadily.

NC@MIA

North Carolina: 61
(Bullock 14, Hairston 11, McDonald 10)
Miami: 87
(Larkin 18, Scott 17, Kadji 17)

Rebounds:
North Carolina: Reggie Bullock 7
Miami: Kenny Kadji 8

Assists:
North Carolina: Marcus Paige 4
Miami: Shane Larkin 9


Highlight of the Month



Hurricanes PG Rory Hobbs started the 2nd Half vs North Carolina in what was an extraordinary performance for the walk-on freshman.

Last 6 Games:
Vs North Carolina 87-61 W
@ Florida State 74-68 W
@ Clemson 45-43 W
Vs Virginia 54-50 W
@ Wake Forest 65-80 L
Vs Virginia Tech 76-58 W

Hobbs' stats for last 6 games:
Vs North Carolina 10pts, 6 ast 6 rebs, 16mins
@ Florida State 2pts, 2 asts, 12 mins
@ Clemson 4pts, 8 mins
Vs Virginia 2pts, 3 asts, 10 mins
@ Wake Forest 5pts, 3 asts, 8 mins
Vs Virginia Tech 2 pts, 5 asts, 10mins

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes regular season ends 23-6, ranked #9 in the Nation.

The Hurricanes disappointingly finished the season with a #9 National Ranking. They are most certainly going to the dance though, after they deal with the ACC tournament first. The Hurricanes had a disappointing end to the season though with 2 more losses added to what was an impressive regular season record. Its time to iron out the creases and fix the problems off the last 3 weeks. If the Canes can do that and get freshman Rory Hobbs more playing time, they could go places. If you watched the Duke game you would understand why.

The feature game is the loss to #3 ranked Duke.



Hobbs throws it down in traffic, his bench play almost helped the Canes beat Duke.

MIA@DUKE

Miami: 76
(Larkin 25, Kadji 17, Hobbs 14)
Duke: 79
(Kelly 36, Cook 15, Mas Plumlee 12)

Rebounds:
Miami: Kenny Kadji 10
Duke: Ryan Kelly 7

Assists:
Miami: Rory Hobbs 5
Duke: Quinn Cook 5

Highlight of the Month



Rory Hobbs has been outstanding in the last few games, his dribbling skills with both hands have left opponents flailing on defense.

Last 3 Games:
@ Duke 76-79 L
Vs Georgia Tech 69-71 L
Vs Clemson 62-49 W

Hobbs' stats for last 3 games:
@ Duke 14pts, 5 asts, 15 mins
Vs Georgia Tech 8pts, 3 asts, 10 mins
Vs Clemson 5 pts, 5 asts, 12mins

[RMJH4]

Episode 12

So we've reached the end of the regular season. We are the 2013 ACC Regular Season Champions! We have a fairly decent overall record so far, but we have had some disappointing high profile losses. I think it will hurt us in the NCAA Tournament seedings, but if we win the ACC tournament we could really improve further. If we can get a #2 seed in any of the regions we will be pretty pleased. I don't think we have done enough to get a #1 seed. From what i've seen Louisville, Kansas, Indiana and maybe Gonzaga could grab the #1 seeds, but Duke will be pretty close too. Depending on how they fare out in the ACC that is.

I've had a pretty good season so far. I've worked my way into the rotation, and generally play about 10 minutes on average. That was pretty much my goal for this season once I made the cut. But looking back now with Darren I think I could actually play a little bit more. I've had some stellar games, and i'm averaging about 2 assists a game, along with 3 pts a game. Its very solid for a walk-on freshman! Its a difficult decision for Coach Larranga to play me more though, he would have to lessen Durand Scott's minutes, and to me that could be risky. The starting 5 have a great chemistry right now, and so do the bench guys, it difficult to mess with that. I'm happy to hover around 6th or 7th man for now.

Darren reckons the word on the street in Miami is that depending on how this season fares out, the Hurricanes roster won't look fantastic next season. We have a lot of Seniors like Larkin, Kadji and Gamble leaving. Scott too. This is the last run for this core group of guys. So if I play my cards right, I could be one of the core guys next season. Like possibly a starter, depending on the recruits. But it may not be that simple. I am not sure if they have any scholarships left for next season. Darren reckons they have a couple of guys lined up for them, or at least they are offering them to put a competitive product on the floor next year.

I have had to ring my godfather at home for some money for next month. Living on the road can be expensive. He might be coming out here to watch the ACC tournament in North Carolina, and will help me out then. The opportunity to earn a scholarship is something that would make life a lot easier for me. Darren has been excellent and has never seen me stuck for cash. I will have to repay him for his kindness when the opportunity arises. Darren fully believes in me. He works with Microsoft and has like his whole office following my progress! I don't mind the pressure though, I love balling so much I just take it in my stride.

Some of the seniors have one eye on the ACC and NCAA tournament, and another on the NBA Draft. I'm not one to tell Seniors what to do, but if we don't get focused fully on our task, our season could be over pretty soon. I know when we are focused we can do big things in February and March. Its hard to blame them though, and I view things from a different point of view as i'm only a freshman. I suppose if other colleges were looking to offer me scholarships etc my head would certainly be turned. Ok time for some food and start packing my bags for Greensboro Coliseum. ACC baby!

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes beat North Carolina, clinch ACC Tournament Title.



With a veteran roster, the Hurricanes finished the regular season with a conference record of 15–3 and won the ACC regular season championship. This marked the program's first-ever outright regular season conference championship. They entered the ACC Tournament as the top-seed and received a first-round bye. After defeating Boston College and NC State, they beat North Carolina to capture the 2013 ACC tournament championship and became the first ACC school other than Duke or North Carolina to win both the ACC regular season and tournament championships in the same season since the 1974 NC State team. It certainly bodes well for the Hurricanes heading into the NCAA tournament. One of the highlights for Miami freshman point guard Rory Hobbs was " Winning the ACC Tournament on St Patricks Day, I couldn't think of any better way to celebrate it!". Hobbs' play off the bench was integral to Miami's run in the tournament. Miami now await the seeding for the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

The feature game is the championship game vs North Carolina



Hobbs puts the nail in the coffin as the Canes beat North Carolina 87-77.

MIA@NC

Miami: 87
(Larkin 28, McKinney-Jones 20, Gamble 12)
North Carolina: 77
(Hairston 28, Paige 17, Bullock 11)

Rebounds:
Miami: Julian Gamble 10
North Carolina: Reggie Bullock 7

Assists:
Miami: Shane Larkin 7
North Carolina: Marcus Paige 5

Highlight's of the Tournament



Hobbs nails the pull up jumper vs NC State in semi final.



Hobbs celebrates making the bucket with harm in the championship game, which was played on St Patricks Day.

ACC Tournament Results:
Vs Boston College 69-58 W
Vs NC State 81-71 W
Vs North Carolina 87-77 W

Hobbs' stats for ACC Tournament:
Vs Boston 6pts, 2 asts, 15 mins
Vs NC State 8pts, 4 asts, 13 mins
Vs North Carolina 9 pts, 5 asts, 12mins

[RMJH4]

Episode 14 - Tournament Seedings

My Godfather was thrilled to be there to witness me win the ACC tournament, and to be heavily involved in the 3 games too. "I'm so proud of you Rory, all of your family are too. The rest of them are flying out for the NCAA Tournament next week. They just don't know where to yet!" "Thanks, I really appreciate your belief in me. Without your help I wouldn't be here." Thats all I got to say to him in the stands. i didn't know where he was but I knew he would be there to witness this wonderful moment. ACC Regular Season and Tournament Champions. And I played well too! As an Irishman winning this on St Patricks day was really special. As if the whole country was behind me or something. Green, White and Orange all over the campus in Miami and the fans around Greensboro Coliseum, sure it was just like a St Patricks day parade!

This tournament win was pretty important. Duke were beaten by Maryland and we didn't get to face them at all. Its a pity as I felt beating them could have possibly pushed us into consideration for a #1 seed. Anyway, during the course of the weekend I bumped into Coach K. I was almost frozen in time to come face to face with such a renowned coach. " Hey freshman!" He said. " You're doing your country proud with your play this season kid. You've got a great game, I love how you read the floor. Best of luck with the rest of the tournament, and maybe we will see you at the dance." I was stunned, Even those few words from Coach K meant so much. He actually knew me. I must be doing something right!

"Hey Rory the show is starting, here come the tournament seedings!" shouted Darren. I ran into the sitting room. Here goes.

Midwest Region
1. Louisville
2. Duke
3. Michigan State
4. Saint Louis
5. Oklahoma State
6. Memphis
7. Creighton
8. Colorado State
9. Missouri
10. Cincinnati
11. Middle Tennessee / Saint Mary's (Cal.)
12. Oregon
13. New Mexico State
14. Valparaiso
15. Albany
16. North Carolina A&T/ Liberty

South Region
1. Kansas
2. Georgetown
3. Florida
4. Michigan
5. VCU
6. UCLA
7. San Diego State
8. North Carolina
9. Villanova
10. Oklahoma
11. Minnesota
12. Akron
13. South Dakota State
14. Northwestern State
15. Florida Gulf Coast
16. Western Kentucky

East Region
1. Indiana
2. Miami
3. Marquette
4. Syracuse
5. UNLV
6. Butler
7. Illinois
8. NC State
9. Temple
10. Colorado
11. Bucknell
12. California
13. Montana
14. Davidson
15. Pacific
16. LIU Brooklyn / James Madison

West Region
1. Gonzaga
2. Ohio State
3. New Mexico
4. Kansas State
5. Wisconsin
6. Arizona
7. Notre Dame
8. Pittsburgh
9. Wichita State
10. Iowa State
11. Belmont
12. Mississippi
13. Boise State / La Salle
14. Harvard
15. Iona
16. Southern Univ


Wow we are in the East region. Texas to be exact. The Frank Erwin center in Longhorn country. Darren's dad was a Longhorn fan and was living in Texas for the last 5 years. Its funny how I end up going to these place's with people I know. Pacific Tigers up first for us. I better get going Coach Larranga has called us in for a team meeting about the seedings.

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes romp home to easy victory over Pacific Tigers in 2nd Round.



Hobbs splits the defence for an easy lay-up.

PAC-MIA

Pacific Tigers: 49
(Fulton 18, Kelley 11, Duran 9)
Miami Hurricanes: 78
(Scott 21, Larkin 10, Hobbs 8)

Rebounds:
Pacific: Khalil Kelley 9
Miami: Kenny Kadji 10

Assists:
Pacific: Lorenzo McCloud 4
Miami: Shane Larkin 9


Highlights of the Game



Pacific Tigers could not stop Miami driving through the lane tonight.



Hobbs threads the needle for one of his 5 assists tonight.


Hobbs' statline for tonight:



8 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 16 minutes.

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes come out fighting to beat Illinois in 3rd Round.



Hobbs gets the tough basket to put Miami ahead in the 2nd half.

MIA-ILL

Miami Hurricanes: 63
(Larkin 21, Hobbs 12, Kadji 11)
Illinois Fighting Illni: 59
(Paul 18, Egwu 12, Griffey 12)

Rebounds:
Miami: Kenny Kadji 8
Illinois: Nnnana Egwu 12

Assists:
Miami: Rory Hobbs 6
Illinois: Brandon Paul 4


Highlight of the Game



Hobbs stepped up in Larkin's absence ( Suspected Broken Ankle) and ran the pick and roll to perfection.


Hobbs' statline for tonight:



12 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 18 minutes.

[RMJH4]

Hurricanes fall to Golden Eagles 71-61.



Hobbs started in place of the injured Shane Larkin tonight.

MIA-MAR

Miami Hurricanes: 61
(Hobbs 14, Kadji 11, Scott 10)
Marquette Golden Eagles: 71
(Wilson 16, Blue 14, Otule 14)

Rebounds:
Miami: Durand Scott 7
Marquette: Trent Lockett 11

Assists:
Miami: Rory Hobbs 5
Marquette: Derrick Wilson 4


Highlight of the Game



Hobbs kept fighting all night but Marquette had too much firepower in the end.


Hobbs' statline for tonight:



14 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds, 28 minutes.

[TGsoGood]

Hobbs really took off in the tournament! He should easily earn a scholarship for next season.

[RMJH4]

Hobbs really took off in the tournament! He should easily earn a scholarship for next season.

Yeah the injury to Shane Larkin gave me the opportunity to give Hobbs more playing time. The Hurricanes roster doesn't look very good for next year, Hobbs will have to do some work to make it to the tournament next year. Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame are joining the ACC so it will be a tough task to repeat as ACC regular season or tournament champions!

[RMJH4]

Episode 18 - End of Season Review

So we've reached the end of the regular season. We were the 2013 ACC Regular Season and Tournament champions. We reached the Sweet Sixteen and got knocked out by Marquette. Marquette were beaten easily by Syracuse who made it to the Final Four in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Syracuse were beaten by Michigan, who were eventually beaten by Louisville. We could and probably should have been in the Elite Eight and maybe Final Four. A season of broken dreams for the Hurricanes, and even more disappointing season for our outgoing seniors. Shane Larkin, Kenny Kadji, Julian Gamble and Durand Scott.

I've had a pretty good season apart from the disappointment of losing in the Sweet Sixteen. I worked my way into the rotation, and generally played about 10 minutes on average. That was pretty much my goal for this season once I made the cut. I really stepped my game up for the tournament, and then with Shane's injury I was given the opportunity to start which I relished. It was a ringing endorsement as to how valued I was to start in the Sweet Sixteen. I hope I left a lasting impression on the Miami sports department, and they see fit to offer me a full scholarship next season.

I'm just finishing up my assignments for my biomedical classes and we haven't got long yet before end of year exams. Enough sport for now, I'll keep the head buried in the books for the next 2 months now, then back off to Ireland for the summer. Hopefully I have a scholarship in my hand!

[RMJH4]

Miami Hurricanes Senior G Shane Larkin selected #18 in NBA Draft



Miami Senior Guard Shane Larkin has been selected as the 18th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Larkin is the only Hurricane selected in the NBA Draft this year. Other graduating players eligible for the draft were, Kenny Kadji, Durand Scott, Julian Gamble and Reggie Johnson.

Larkin was selected by the Atlanta Hawks. The Dallas Mavericks then traded 16th pick Lucas Nogueira, guard Jared Cunningham and the No. 44 pick (Mike Muscala) to the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 18 pick, Shane Larkin.

We wish Shane and all our graduating Seniors the very best in sport and their future careers. You will always be remembered fondly hear in The 'U'.