- November 2nd, 2007, 7:06 pm
#124071
VMI Keydets
(Last Season: 14-19; 5-9, 6th in Big South; Lost in Finals of Big South Tournament; RPI - 297)
Head Coach: Duggar Baucom (third season at VMI)
Players that are Returning:
F Reggie Williams, Sr. (6'6", 195 lbs) - 28.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 53.1 FG%, 31.9 3PT%
G Chavis Holmes, Jr. (6'4", 195 lbs) - 19.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 spg, 39.0 3PT%, 74.4 FT%
G Travis Holmes, Jr. (6'4", 195 lbs) - 15.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.4 spg, 36.4 3PT%
F Willie Bell, Jr. (6'5", 205 lbs) - 5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 33.3 3PT%
G Adam Lonon, So. (5'11", 175 lbs) - 2.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg
G Carl Josey, So. (6'5", 195 lbs) - Played in 17 games, 1.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg
G Nick Matson, Jr. (6'4", 190 lbs) - Played in 7 games, 1.1 ppg, .6 rpg
Players that are Gone:
F Matt Murrer (6'7", 205 lbs) - 16.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 50.5 FG%, 31.2 3PT%, 76.3 FT%
G Fred Robinson (6'2", 180 lbs) - 11.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 spg, 30.1 3PT%, 74.4 FT%
C Lucas Jones (6'9", 220 lbs) - Played in 13 games, 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
G Dusty Pflugner (6'2", 185 lbs) - 2.6 ppg, .8 rpg
G Levar Joseph (6'2", 190 lbs) - Played in 1 game, 2.0 ppg
G Jack Castleberry (6'3", 190 lbs) - 1.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg
F JT Piribek (6'7", 200 lbs) - Played in 10 games, .3 ppg, .1 rpg
New Players:
G Joey Cantafio, Fr. (5'6", 150 lbs) - Benedictine HS, Richmond, VA
G Austin Kenon, Fr. (5'11", 180 lbs) - First Colonial HS, Virginia Beach, VA
F Quinn Brownfield, Fr. (6'7", 195 lbs) - Anderson HS, Kyle, TX
G Christian Hunter, Fr. (6'2", 180 lbs) - Kenston HS, Chagrin Falls, OH
F Hunter Houston, Fr. (6'6", 195 lbs) - Mountain Brook HS, Birmingham, AL
C Stephen Sargent, Fr. (7'0", 245 lbs) - Whitewater HS, Fayetteville, NC
One of the biggest stories of the Big South last season was Duggar Baucom's introduction of the 'Loot 'n Shoot' style of play and the high scores and crazy stats that it brought to the VMI program. The new style led to modest gains in the regular season (they moved from a last place team to a sixth place team). But Baucom then changed things up again, dropping the 'Loot' from their style during the conference tournament, instead using a conservative zone defense, and the Keydets made it to the Big South championship game and almost came out of the Winthrop Coliseum with the title before falling by 3 points. Expect Baucom to switch defenses this year, using both the all-out, 'let's steal the ball before they can shoot' style, and the more conservative zone. However, the offense will continue to shoot first (mostly three-pointers) and ask questions later.
The leader of the Keydet attack is the nation's leading scorer from last year, Reggie Williams. Williams flirted with the NBA draft (though never officially filed the proper paperwork) in the offseason, and is expected to put up huge numbers again this year. Williams can score from all over the court, and also rebounds and handles the ball well too. He, along with the Holmes twins (Chavis and Travis) give the Keydets a potent offense, and an athletic defensive presence which tend to give opponents fits. Both Holmes brothers proved to be capable of hot shooting nights last year, and both will likely continue to put up big numbers again this season. Those three players form a strong base for Baucom and them alone can lead the Keydets to a win on any given night.
But for the Keydets to be consistantly good, they will need some other players to step up and be key contributors, and that's the big question-mark for this season's team. Matt Murrer was a very underrated part of the VMI team last year, both as a steady scorer, and as the last line of defense in their trapping defense. Willie Bell will likely take Murrer's spot in the rotation, and though Bell has good athleticism, he lacks the versatility that Murrer had. Adam Lonon returns at the point guard spot, and runs the offense well, but is virtually no scoring threat. Carl Josey is the other key returnee, but did not get much of a chance to play last year due to injuries. Baucom brought in a 6-man recruiting class, and if any of the Rats can step in and contribute right away, it may help the Keydets move into the upper half of the standings. Christian Hunter and Austin Kenon are the most likely candidates to get alot of minutes.
It will be interesting to see what happens with VMI this year. Will VMI be more efficient now that they have had a full year to work on their system? Or will opponents now have a better handle of what to expect, and be able to slow the Keydets down? Either way, I expect a slightly more controlled defense this season, primarily so Baucom can keep Williams and the Holmes twins on the court for as long as possible, since they give him the best chance to win. Alot of people seem to think VMI will be in the upper part of the conference this year, but I expect them to end up right around where they were last year, toward the middle of the pack, or a little lower.
My Prediction:
13-15 overall, 5-9 in the Big South; Fifth place finish; Will be eliminated in semifinals of Big South Tournament
(Last Season: 14-19; 5-9, 6th in Big South; Lost in Finals of Big South Tournament; RPI - 297)
Head Coach: Duggar Baucom (third season at VMI)
Players that are Returning:
F Reggie Williams, Sr. (6'6", 195 lbs) - 28.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 53.1 FG%, 31.9 3PT%
G Chavis Holmes, Jr. (6'4", 195 lbs) - 19.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 spg, 39.0 3PT%, 74.4 FT%
G Travis Holmes, Jr. (6'4", 195 lbs) - 15.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3.4 spg, 36.4 3PT%
F Willie Bell, Jr. (6'5", 205 lbs) - 5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 spg, 33.3 3PT%
G Adam Lonon, So. (5'11", 175 lbs) - 2.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg
G Carl Josey, So. (6'5", 195 lbs) - Played in 17 games, 1.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg
G Nick Matson, Jr. (6'4", 190 lbs) - Played in 7 games, 1.1 ppg, .6 rpg
Players that are Gone:
F Matt Murrer (6'7", 205 lbs) - 16.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 50.5 FG%, 31.2 3PT%, 76.3 FT%
G Fred Robinson (6'2", 180 lbs) - 11.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.7 spg, 30.1 3PT%, 74.4 FT%
C Lucas Jones (6'9", 220 lbs) - Played in 13 games, 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg
G Dusty Pflugner (6'2", 185 lbs) - 2.6 ppg, .8 rpg
G Levar Joseph (6'2", 190 lbs) - Played in 1 game, 2.0 ppg
G Jack Castleberry (6'3", 190 lbs) - 1.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg
F JT Piribek (6'7", 200 lbs) - Played in 10 games, .3 ppg, .1 rpg
New Players:
G Joey Cantafio, Fr. (5'6", 150 lbs) - Benedictine HS, Richmond, VA
G Austin Kenon, Fr. (5'11", 180 lbs) - First Colonial HS, Virginia Beach, VA
F Quinn Brownfield, Fr. (6'7", 195 lbs) - Anderson HS, Kyle, TX
G Christian Hunter, Fr. (6'2", 180 lbs) - Kenston HS, Chagrin Falls, OH
F Hunter Houston, Fr. (6'6", 195 lbs) - Mountain Brook HS, Birmingham, AL
C Stephen Sargent, Fr. (7'0", 245 lbs) - Whitewater HS, Fayetteville, NC
One of the biggest stories of the Big South last season was Duggar Baucom's introduction of the 'Loot 'n Shoot' style of play and the high scores and crazy stats that it brought to the VMI program. The new style led to modest gains in the regular season (they moved from a last place team to a sixth place team). But Baucom then changed things up again, dropping the 'Loot' from their style during the conference tournament, instead using a conservative zone defense, and the Keydets made it to the Big South championship game and almost came out of the Winthrop Coliseum with the title before falling by 3 points. Expect Baucom to switch defenses this year, using both the all-out, 'let's steal the ball before they can shoot' style, and the more conservative zone. However, the offense will continue to shoot first (mostly three-pointers) and ask questions later.
The leader of the Keydet attack is the nation's leading scorer from last year, Reggie Williams. Williams flirted with the NBA draft (though never officially filed the proper paperwork) in the offseason, and is expected to put up huge numbers again this year. Williams can score from all over the court, and also rebounds and handles the ball well too. He, along with the Holmes twins (Chavis and Travis) give the Keydets a potent offense, and an athletic defensive presence which tend to give opponents fits. Both Holmes brothers proved to be capable of hot shooting nights last year, and both will likely continue to put up big numbers again this season. Those three players form a strong base for Baucom and them alone can lead the Keydets to a win on any given night.
But for the Keydets to be consistantly good, they will need some other players to step up and be key contributors, and that's the big question-mark for this season's team. Matt Murrer was a very underrated part of the VMI team last year, both as a steady scorer, and as the last line of defense in their trapping defense. Willie Bell will likely take Murrer's spot in the rotation, and though Bell has good athleticism, he lacks the versatility that Murrer had. Adam Lonon returns at the point guard spot, and runs the offense well, but is virtually no scoring threat. Carl Josey is the other key returnee, but did not get much of a chance to play last year due to injuries. Baucom brought in a 6-man recruiting class, and if any of the Rats can step in and contribute right away, it may help the Keydets move into the upper half of the standings. Christian Hunter and Austin Kenon are the most likely candidates to get alot of minutes.
It will be interesting to see what happens with VMI this year. Will VMI be more efficient now that they have had a full year to work on their system? Or will opponents now have a better handle of what to expect, and be able to slow the Keydets down? Either way, I expect a slightly more controlled defense this season, primarily so Baucom can keep Williams and the Holmes twins on the court for as long as possible, since they give him the best chance to win. Alot of people seem to think VMI will be in the upper part of the conference this year, but I expect them to end up right around where they were last year, toward the middle of the pack, or a little lower.
My Prediction:
13-15 overall, 5-9 in the Big South; Fifth place finish; Will be eliminated in semifinals of Big South Tournament
- By LU Armchair coach