Post by Commissioner on Jun 9, 2016 8:55:12 GMT -5
OK, so the team has taken shape (walk-ons marked by an asterisk):
PG - McFolly, Black, Grant, *Robinson, *Joubert
SG - Allen, Williams, *Carter
SF - Jenkins, Foster-Smith, Long
PF - Hogan, Blackshear
C - Jones, Eichler
Redshirt - Chatman
I don't think the team will always line up strictly along these positions -- Williams, Allen, and McFolley are all combo guards, really; I can envision lots of time when neither Jones nor Eichler are on the court, depending in part on how well each does (frankly, I don't expect a whole lot this year from either, but I'd like to be surprised. If I'm right, though, maybe we'll see lots of Hogan/Blackshear on the court together); Foster-Smith can be used in the 3 or 4. But that's basically the team.
My guess is that the starters will shake out to be McFolly, Allen, Jenkins, Hogan, and Jones. I think Black, Allen, and McFolly are all likely to see good court time, eating up most of the backcourt time in various combinations, with Williams rounding out the backcourt with 8-10 minutes a game and Grant seeing relatively little playing time. It will be interesting to see how much Bacari uses Grant, who always seemed a bit of a favorite of Ray. A wild card in the backcourt is the possibility that Williams and Grant really step up. Two short years ago, coming off their freshman seasons, they looked like the could be the league's best backcourt by 2016-17. I have the sense that Williams has played through lots of nagging little injuries and that Ray never had a lot of confidence in him. At times he has looked very good, at others very bad. I'd love to see him have a big senior season and I don't think that is out of the question.
Hogan is an excellent post-up player and offensive rebounder. It's too bad we can't switch him and Jones out every time there's a possession change, with Jalethal on offense and Jones on defense. But I also suspect Jalethal's defense will improve (or appear to improve) with Jones back there. Hogan was simply forced to guard too many guys he shouldn't have had to guard. My hope is that Foster-Smith really steps up, but we'll see. Last year he averaged about 10 minutes. I suppose if he can kick that up to a productive 15 minutes and establish himself as a clear heir to Jenkins' output starting in 17-18 that would do. Anything we get from Long as a freshman seems like gravy.
Maybe the biggest question mark is what we get from the centers. Nothing against Eichler, but just going with the fact that we were apparently his only D-I offer suggests that we shouldn't count on major production from him as a freshman. And a Juco like Jones, who missed last year with an injury, is always a question mark. We know Jones is limited offensively. But if he can do a reasonable imitation of NJ for two years, that would be a big help. If neither of those guys produces, though, we're back to Hogan at the 5, looking a lot like last year but without Bass.
I really like Cory Allen's potential and I think he'll see immediate playing time, quite likely starting unless Bacari doesn't think either he or McFolly should be playing the point full time.
Them's my thoughts looking at the roster.
PG - McFolly, Black, Grant, *Robinson, *Joubert
SG - Allen, Williams, *Carter
SF - Jenkins, Foster-Smith, Long
PF - Hogan, Blackshear
C - Jones, Eichler
Redshirt - Chatman
I don't think the team will always line up strictly along these positions -- Williams, Allen, and McFolley are all combo guards, really; I can envision lots of time when neither Jones nor Eichler are on the court, depending in part on how well each does (frankly, I don't expect a whole lot this year from either, but I'd like to be surprised. If I'm right, though, maybe we'll see lots of Hogan/Blackshear on the court together); Foster-Smith can be used in the 3 or 4. But that's basically the team.
My guess is that the starters will shake out to be McFolly, Allen, Jenkins, Hogan, and Jones. I think Black, Allen, and McFolly are all likely to see good court time, eating up most of the backcourt time in various combinations, with Williams rounding out the backcourt with 8-10 minutes a game and Grant seeing relatively little playing time. It will be interesting to see how much Bacari uses Grant, who always seemed a bit of a favorite of Ray. A wild card in the backcourt is the possibility that Williams and Grant really step up. Two short years ago, coming off their freshman seasons, they looked like the could be the league's best backcourt by 2016-17. I have the sense that Williams has played through lots of nagging little injuries and that Ray never had a lot of confidence in him. At times he has looked very good, at others very bad. I'd love to see him have a big senior season and I don't think that is out of the question.
Hogan is an excellent post-up player and offensive rebounder. It's too bad we can't switch him and Jones out every time there's a possession change, with Jalethal on offense and Jones on defense. But I also suspect Jalethal's defense will improve (or appear to improve) with Jones back there. Hogan was simply forced to guard too many guys he shouldn't have had to guard. My hope is that Foster-Smith really steps up, but we'll see. Last year he averaged about 10 minutes. I suppose if he can kick that up to a productive 15 minutes and establish himself as a clear heir to Jenkins' output starting in 17-18 that would do. Anything we get from Long as a freshman seems like gravy.
Maybe the biggest question mark is what we get from the centers. Nothing against Eichler, but just going with the fact that we were apparently his only D-I offer suggests that we shouldn't count on major production from him as a freshman. And a Juco like Jones, who missed last year with an injury, is always a question mark. We know Jones is limited offensively. But if he can do a reasonable imitation of NJ for two years, that would be a big help. If neither of those guys produces, though, we're back to Hogan at the 5, looking a lot like last year but without Bass.
I really like Cory Allen's potential and I think he'll see immediate playing time, quite likely starting unless Bacari doesn't think either he or McFolly should be playing the point full time.
Them's my thoughts looking at the roster.