Bison137
Professor
Posts: 16147
Reg: 01-23-06
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03-25-17 04:54 PM - Post#228126
In response to Bison137
I remember Vlad and Pee Wee being All-American candidates in HC70's mind.
Certainly not All-Americans but both very good PL players, who both made 1st team All-PL. Gardner (along with Wroblicky) did lead his team to one PL title. Vlad never did.
One of my fondest PL memories is of Bryan Cohen guarding Vlad in 2011 and 2012. Bryan gave up 3+ inches to the 6-9 Vlad, who was one of the league's top three players - one who could play inside and out, post up or shoot the three or anything in between. But Bryan stuck with Vlad constantly, harassed him, and constantly denied him position. The first time the Bison met Vlad, he had a good game, often with Cohen not guarding him, but BC shut him down completely on the last possession, where Vlad ended up forcing a bad shot that could have won the game. After that game, the two teams met three more times over the next 1+ years. Cohen guarded Vlad most of the time, and he held him to 6-27 shooting, 18 points in 87 minutes, 6 ppg. In all other games over those two seasons, Vlad averaged about 20 ppg.
Bryan is the only player to win the PL DPOY award three times. Imo he is clearly the best defensive player in league history who wasn't a center. It's hard to compare centers defensively to wings and guards, but I would say that Foyle was likely the only more valuable defender than Cohen. Muscala might be in the conversation, although BC was the league DPOY in 2011 and 2012. Hopefully Nana will be in that conversation by next year.
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