[jcmanson]

As practice begins Friday, what should we expect?

Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2013.
BY JON MANSON

The Liberty men’s basketball team begins preparation for its Big South Conference title defense on Friday with the team’s first practice. While FlamesNation has a positive taste in their mouths following the improbable run to the conference tournament championship, it’s easy to forget where this team was in mid to late February. Liberty finished 11-20 during the regular season and 6-10 in conference play. The Flames did not pick up their 1st Division I win until December 31st. There were rumblings about the safety of head coach Dale Layer’s job. Then the unthinkable happened. Fast-forward 6-7 months to the present, and expectations are higher than they have been in several years. And for good reason.

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[flameshaw]

I know it is early, but my expectations are quite low for this team. Having a bad record last year and saying that we have 4 starters returning, doesn't bode well in my humble opinion.
I hope we win every game, just trying to be realistic.

[Purple Haize]

I know it is early, but my expectations are quite low for this team. Having a bad record last year and saying that we have 4 starters returning, doesn't bode well in my humble opinion.
I hope we win every game, just trying to be realistic.

Is there room on that bus? Although I am hopefully optimistic about the PG situation with the new player coming in.

[TIMSCAR20]

I think you guys may be under estimating the value of experience. It has been many years since Liberty has been able to put this many upper class men on the floor. Personally I think the talent is in the program now. I was one of the very few on record for saying this team was good enough to win the tournament last March because I truly believed it. Burris coming back healthy will be big. Joel is healthy in Sept for the 1st time in 5 seasons. If there is one thing lacking I would say it is athletic wings. I am ok with playing combo guards that know each other well. I am expecting a solid season from the Flames.

[jinxy]

To me the season will swing with gielo and retic. We know what we have with pretty much everyone else. If these take take steps forward we will have a solid season. I think scars point about putting a veteran group out there is true. I feel better right now about the overall state of the program now than any other time since the curry/mckay debacle

[flameshaw]

I hope by keeping my expectations a little low, I will be pleasantly surprised.

[GillsHill2013]

I seen Retic in the auxiliary gym at lahaye a couple weeks back practicing his butt off alone. I can't remember in my four years actually seeing a player working alone at lahaye. Take it for what its worth but I think he's going to be good.

My expectation for this team is they should be at least a 20 win team.

[lynchburgwildcats]

The big question for me was the Big South Tournament run just a flash in the pan for a bad team that got hot at the right time, or was it what the team is capable of being on a daily/nightly basis? In reality, it's probably somewhere in the middle.

[Chris Lang]

The schedule is much, much lighter this year. The only non-conference game where you go in thinking Liberty is absolutely going to lose is the Virginia game. Every other game is winnable. Delaware on the road might be the second toughest game. William & Mary after that.

[olldflame]

I know it is early, but my expectations are quite low for this team. Having a bad record last year and saying that we have 4 starters returning, doesn't bode well in my humble opinion.
I hope we win every game, just trying to be realistic.

Keep in mind that having 4 starters from last year returning does not necessarily mean all 4 will start this year, and even if they do, it probably won´t be at the same positions. With Burrus at the 4, if Gielo or Smith start, it will be at the 3, which will be a very different look with lots of size. If we go small, we will see a new starter in Retic, Roberts or Kemrite at the 3. We lose one contributor (Speaks) and add 3 new players in Burrus, Retic and Kemrite. We will have size, depth, shooters and tons of experience and maturity. I understand keeping expectations low so you won´t be disappointed, but with an easier non conference schedule, I don´t think it takes a koolade drinker to look at this years team and anticípate a significantly better record.

[Purple Haize]

The fact that we have one of the weaker SOS, neither a good thing or bad thing, makes me optimistic about our win total

[olldflame]

The fact that we have one of the weaker SOS, neither a good thing or bad thing, makes me optimistic about our win total

[BJWilliams]

As has been said by others here, 15-20 wins is about right. We have a lot of experience coming back and we have three fairly easy wins (non-D1 I know) before the calendar turns over into 2014. Get those, go 2-0 down in Corpus Christi, get Western Carolina and Howard at home, we go 10-8 in conference (barely better than .500) that is 17 wins right there.

[Sly Fox]

Count me in Scar's camp that I believe we have the talent to take the Big South once again. The team we saw down the stretch last year really opened my eyes.

[olldflame]

York interviews coach Layer and Antwan Burrus following the first practice.

http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm ... 28&TeamID=

Alan comments on how great Twan looks and he says he has lost weight, gained strength, and is in the best shape of his life. I always thought 235 was too heavy for him, especially if he is playing PF instead of center. He played 5 games in Jamaica for an AIA team coached by Richie McKay this summer, and apparently the leg is fine.

Layer says the player he thinks has improved the most is Davon Marshall, who was not able to participate in summer workouts last year because he was completing his associate degree. He is in better shape and benefited a lot from playing this summer on the same AIA team as Twan.

[Chris Lang]

Burrus said he wants to play between 235-240 this year, and that he's at 235 now. The difference is in his body fat percentage.

[olldflame]

Burrus said he wants to play between 235-240 this year, and that he's at 235 now. The difference is in his body fat percentage.

I buy that, although he did say he lost weight in the interview with York, so apparently he was closer to 250 last year even though the roster said 235. He definately was not cut up the last couple of years like he was as a 17 year old Freshman who looked like he belonged in the NFL at about 220. If he is a solid 235 with lower body fat and can move like he used to, that would be great.

[Chris Lang]

No doubt he was heavier than listed. Burrus used to be very top heavy. Seemed like he was all traps and shoulders and that limited his mobility and flexibility. Looks much more cut to me.

ICYMI, here's my story on Burrus that ran in Friday's rag: http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liber ... 0f31a.html

[flamehunter]

Anybody know anything about Devon Pekas? 6-4 pg from Minnesota. Walk-on?

[olldflame]

Apparently he is a recruited walkon, meaning we knew about him and wanted him here but didn´t have a scholarship. He didn´t just enroll in school and try out. I don´t know if he had scholarship offers, but his HS resume is actually pretty impressive. Layer seems to think he can play the point at 6´4¨.

[TIMSCAR20]

9 players on the roster are either in their 4th or 5th year of basketball. Many of those have been under Layer their whole career. Give me a team with that kind of experience any day of the week. It should translate into a good season on the floor. I think the preseason polls may have Liberty near the top of the Northern Division. Hopefully everyone stays healthy. I'm really excited about this season. 18 games are going to be on LFSN this season too! Including several road games. Also with the Big South stepping up their game with the free Web Streaming, you guys should be able to watch nearly every game. The Big South mentioned having a more TV-like presentation for the web stream-only games too.

[jcmanson]

We begin our basketball preview by taking a look at the South division of the Big South - http://www.libertyflamesnation.com/big- ... -division/

[Chris Lang]

Some basketball notes for your bye week reading pleasure:

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liber ... f6878.html

[Chris Lang]

Position preview: Point guards

http://www.newsadvance.com/sports/liber ... 0f31a.html

[Purple Haize]

Glad to see someone was working on their leadership skills in the off season. Hope he was working on his passing and pull up jumper