- November 1st, 2009, 10:15 am
#282275
This is my annual attempt at putting together a pretty comprehensive preview of the conference heading into basketball season. Sometimes my predictions are great, sometimes they are lousy, but at least I think they are somewhat informative. These are originally posted on winthropfans.com, but Sly has asked in the past for me to post them on here as well...
http://www.winthropfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=68915
Presbyterian Blue Hose
(Last Season: 12-17 overall; 9-9 in Big South, T-5th, ineligible to participate in the Big South Tournament)
Head Coach: Gregg Nibert
Returning Players (with stats from 08-09 season):
G Chase Holmes, so. (6-4, 205) – 7.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 38.7 FG%, 20.2 3PT% (19 made threes), 61.1 FT% - 21.7 min/game
G Kevin Davis, so. (6-2, 180) – 0.9 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 41.2 FG%, 28.6 3PT% (2 made threes), 58.3 FT% - 4.6 min/game
F Walt Allen, jr. (6-4, 220) – Redshirted in 08-09 – 07-08 stats: 3.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 35.8 FG%, 32.4 3PT% (24 made threes), 81.3 FT% - 19 min/game
Returning Players Expected to Redshirt this Season:
C Al’Lonzo Coleman, jr. (6-7, 230) – 15.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.5 spg, 51.7 FG%, 25.0 3PT% (1 made three), 69.1 FT% - 33.5 min/game
G Josh Johnson, jr. (6-3, 185) – 9.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 38.8 FG%, 34.3 3PT% (48 made threes), 74.6 FT% - 35.1 min/game
G Pierre Miller, jr. (5-10, 160) – 7.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 36.0 FG%, 37.2 3PT% (54 made threes), 58.3 FT% - 35.7 min/game
Players that are Gone:
F Bryan Bostic (6-3, 200) – 12.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 39.1 FG%, 33.9 3PT% (37 made threes), 68.4 FT% - 29.6 min/game
F Travis Sligh (6-4, 210) – 5.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 spg, 47.1 FG%, 22.2 3PT% (2 made threes), 70.8 FT% - 26.3 min/game
F Aaron Gibbs (6-3, 200) – 3.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 59.2 FG%, 0 made threes, 41.2 FT% - 19.6 min/game
G Dominic King (6-0, 175) – 8.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 31.3 FG%, 12.5 3PT% (2 made threes), 90.9 FT% - 16.3 min/game – Played in 4 games
F Kyle Jazwiecki (6-8, 220) – 2.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 16.7 FG%, 0 made threes, 100 FT% - 6.7 min/game – Played in 3 games
C Steven Gatkuoth (7-0, 220) – 0.1 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0 made FGs, 25.0 FT% - 6.1 min/game – Played in 14 games
G Daniel Brown (5-11, 160) – 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg – 1.0 min/game – Played in 7 games
Newcomers:
F Jake Troyli, fr. (6-9, 185) – Redshirted in 08-09
G Travis Smith, fr. (6-3, 180)
G Zach Faircloth, fr. (6-2, 175)
F Jay Reynolds, fr. (6-10, 245)
G Khalid Mutakabbir, fr. (6-4, 190)
F Ryan Hargrave, fr. (6-6, 215)
About the Blue Hose:
In only their second full Division I season, and playing their first full Big South schedule, Presbyterian surprised everybody last year by finishing in the middle of the pack of the conference standings with a .500 record against Big South foes. The Blue Hose were tough to beat at home, tough on the defensive end, and had one of the league’s best post players in Al’lonzo Coleman. However, because they are not eligible for the Big South tournament and NCAA postseason action until the 2011-12 season, head coach Gregg Nibert has decided to redshirt his top three juniors this season (Coleman, Josh Johnson, and Pierre Miller) so that they will be redshirt seniors in PC’s first season of postseason eligibility. The redshirting will leave the program with very little experience and depth this season, so the Blue Hose will likely find wins difficult to come by.
The redshirt experiment will hurt Presbyterian in the short-term, but Nibert is hoping that the experience gained by his very young team this season (which includes two sophomores and six freshmen on the nine-man active roster) will help those players contribute alongside the redshirt trio when they return next season and going forward into PC’s first year of postseason eligibility two years from now. Only three players on the active roster have seen college action on the court, so expect plenty of bumps in the road as the season moves along.
Two of those players with college experience will likely be the starting backcourt. Sophomore Kevin Davis will have to fill Miller’s shoes at the point, but his college experience was limited last season to less than five minutes per game. Joining Davis in the backcourt will be sophomore Chase Holmes. Holmes was a solid contributor last season for the Blue Hose and will be looked upon as the go-to guy on this year’s team. There is a good chance that Presbyterian will run a lot of three-guard sets (due to the lack of frontcourt players on the roster). Freshmen Khalid Mutakabbir, Zach Faircloth, and Travis Smith will all battle for time at the third guard spot and for back-up minutes behind Davis and Holmes. Mutakabbir appears to be a slight early favorite, but all three will get plenty of opportunities to see the court.
The frontcourt is where PC’s lack of experience and depth will be exposed. The only player with college experience is redshirt-junior Walt Allen. Allen has not been counted on in the past to play a major role with the team, but his two years of playing experience make him the veteran on the squad, so he will play a much bigger role this season than he has in the past. Redshirt-freshman Jake Troyli will likely be the other starter up front, and out of all of the inexperienced players on the roster, Troyli has the most potential to make a major impact this season with his length and athleticism. Freshmen Jay Reynolds and Ryan Hargrave will also get playing time, with Reynolds having the size needed to battle the big bodies in the league in the post, and Hargrave more likely to see time at the power forward spot.
Fans of the Blue Hose will need plenty of patience with this year’s team. Along with the lack of experience and depth, Presbyterian also has a brutal non-conference schedule, with only one non-conference game being played at home and plenty of the road games at big-conference/high-profile schools. Because we do not know much about the newcomers, there is a chance that they can end up surprising some people and being better than expected. But with all of the new faces and lack of experience, it is hard to see them coming away with many wins.
My Prediction:
3-28 overall, 1-17 in conference – 10th place finish – ineligible for Big South Tournament
http://www.winthropfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=68915
Presbyterian Blue Hose
(Last Season: 12-17 overall; 9-9 in Big South, T-5th, ineligible to participate in the Big South Tournament)
Head Coach: Gregg Nibert
Returning Players (with stats from 08-09 season):
G Chase Holmes, so. (6-4, 205) – 7.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 38.7 FG%, 20.2 3PT% (19 made threes), 61.1 FT% - 21.7 min/game
G Kevin Davis, so. (6-2, 180) – 0.9 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 41.2 FG%, 28.6 3PT% (2 made threes), 58.3 FT% - 4.6 min/game
F Walt Allen, jr. (6-4, 220) – Redshirted in 08-09 – 07-08 stats: 3.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 35.8 FG%, 32.4 3PT% (24 made threes), 81.3 FT% - 19 min/game
Returning Players Expected to Redshirt this Season:
C Al’Lonzo Coleman, jr. (6-7, 230) – 15.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.5 spg, 51.7 FG%, 25.0 3PT% (1 made three), 69.1 FT% - 33.5 min/game
G Josh Johnson, jr. (6-3, 185) – 9.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.5 spg, 38.8 FG%, 34.3 3PT% (48 made threes), 74.6 FT% - 35.1 min/game
G Pierre Miller, jr. (5-10, 160) – 7.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 36.0 FG%, 37.2 3PT% (54 made threes), 58.3 FT% - 35.7 min/game
Players that are Gone:
F Bryan Bostic (6-3, 200) – 12.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 39.1 FG%, 33.9 3PT% (37 made threes), 68.4 FT% - 29.6 min/game
F Travis Sligh (6-4, 210) – 5.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 spg, 47.1 FG%, 22.2 3PT% (2 made threes), 70.8 FT% - 26.3 min/game
F Aaron Gibbs (6-3, 200) – 3.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 59.2 FG%, 0 made threes, 41.2 FT% - 19.6 min/game
G Dominic King (6-0, 175) – 8.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 31.3 FG%, 12.5 3PT% (2 made threes), 90.9 FT% - 16.3 min/game – Played in 4 games
F Kyle Jazwiecki (6-8, 220) – 2.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 16.7 FG%, 0 made threes, 100 FT% - 6.7 min/game – Played in 3 games
C Steven Gatkuoth (7-0, 220) – 0.1 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0 made FGs, 25.0 FT% - 6.1 min/game – Played in 14 games
G Daniel Brown (5-11, 160) – 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg – 1.0 min/game – Played in 7 games
Newcomers:
F Jake Troyli, fr. (6-9, 185) – Redshirted in 08-09
G Travis Smith, fr. (6-3, 180)
G Zach Faircloth, fr. (6-2, 175)
F Jay Reynolds, fr. (6-10, 245)
G Khalid Mutakabbir, fr. (6-4, 190)
F Ryan Hargrave, fr. (6-6, 215)
About the Blue Hose:
In only their second full Division I season, and playing their first full Big South schedule, Presbyterian surprised everybody last year by finishing in the middle of the pack of the conference standings with a .500 record against Big South foes. The Blue Hose were tough to beat at home, tough on the defensive end, and had one of the league’s best post players in Al’lonzo Coleman. However, because they are not eligible for the Big South tournament and NCAA postseason action until the 2011-12 season, head coach Gregg Nibert has decided to redshirt his top three juniors this season (Coleman, Josh Johnson, and Pierre Miller) so that they will be redshirt seniors in PC’s first season of postseason eligibility. The redshirting will leave the program with very little experience and depth this season, so the Blue Hose will likely find wins difficult to come by.
The redshirt experiment will hurt Presbyterian in the short-term, but Nibert is hoping that the experience gained by his very young team this season (which includes two sophomores and six freshmen on the nine-man active roster) will help those players contribute alongside the redshirt trio when they return next season and going forward into PC’s first year of postseason eligibility two years from now. Only three players on the active roster have seen college action on the court, so expect plenty of bumps in the road as the season moves along.
Two of those players with college experience will likely be the starting backcourt. Sophomore Kevin Davis will have to fill Miller’s shoes at the point, but his college experience was limited last season to less than five minutes per game. Joining Davis in the backcourt will be sophomore Chase Holmes. Holmes was a solid contributor last season for the Blue Hose and will be looked upon as the go-to guy on this year’s team. There is a good chance that Presbyterian will run a lot of three-guard sets (due to the lack of frontcourt players on the roster). Freshmen Khalid Mutakabbir, Zach Faircloth, and Travis Smith will all battle for time at the third guard spot and for back-up minutes behind Davis and Holmes. Mutakabbir appears to be a slight early favorite, but all three will get plenty of opportunities to see the court.
The frontcourt is where PC’s lack of experience and depth will be exposed. The only player with college experience is redshirt-junior Walt Allen. Allen has not been counted on in the past to play a major role with the team, but his two years of playing experience make him the veteran on the squad, so he will play a much bigger role this season than he has in the past. Redshirt-freshman Jake Troyli will likely be the other starter up front, and out of all of the inexperienced players on the roster, Troyli has the most potential to make a major impact this season with his length and athleticism. Freshmen Jay Reynolds and Ryan Hargrave will also get playing time, with Reynolds having the size needed to battle the big bodies in the league in the post, and Hargrave more likely to see time at the power forward spot.
Fans of the Blue Hose will need plenty of patience with this year’s team. Along with the lack of experience and depth, Presbyterian also has a brutal non-conference schedule, with only one non-conference game being played at home and plenty of the road games at big-conference/high-profile schools. Because we do not know much about the newcomers, there is a chance that they can end up surprising some people and being better than expected. But with all of the new faces and lack of experience, it is hard to see them coming away with many wins.
My Prediction:
3-28 overall, 1-17 in conference – 10th place finish – ineligible for Big South Tournament
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