- November 6th, 2007, 9:01 pm
#125568
Winthrop Eagles
(Last Season: 29-5; 14-0, 1st in Big South; Won Big South Tournament; Eliminated in Second Round of NCAAs; RPI - 70)
Head Coach: Randy Peele (first season at WU)
Players that are Returning:
G Michael Jenkins, Sr. (6’3”, 195 lbs) – 14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.3 spg, 45.9 FG%, 41.5 3PT%, 70.2 FT%
F Taj McCullough, Sr. (6’7”, 222 lbs) – 7.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 spg, 54.4 FG%, 42.2 3PT%
G Chris Gaynor, Sr. (5’10”, 164 lbs) – 7.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 39.1 3PT%, 72.4 FT%
G Antwon Harris, Sr. (6’3”, 204 lbs) – 5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 56.0 FG%
G/F Mantoris Robinson, So. (6’5”, 202 lbs) – 2.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg
F Jonathan Rice, Jr. (6’5”, 231 lbs) – 1.0 ppg, .6 rpg
Players that are Gone:
G Torrell Martin (6’5”, 200 lbs) – 14.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.1 spg, 49.7 FG%, 37.0 3PT%
F/C Craig Bradshaw (6’10”, 242 lbs) – 13.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 48.8 FG%, 32.7 3PT%
F Phillip Williams (6’8”, 215 lbs) – 8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 52.5 FG%, 83.5 FT%
C Jason Killeen (6’10”, 240 lbs) – Played in 15 games, 2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 52.2 FG%
G De’Andre Adams (5’8”, 158 lbs) – 2.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.8 apg
G Kyle Moore (6’3”, 185 lbs) - 1.9 ppg, .8 rpg, 33.3 3PT%
New Players:
G Byron Faison, Fr. (6’1”, 198 lbs) - Redshirted last season - Crestwood HS, Sumter, SC
G Justin Burton, Fr. (5'10", 170 lbs) - Riverside HS, Durham, NC
G Marc-David Vil, Fr. (6'4", 186 lbs) - College Montmorency, Montreal, CN
C Andy Buechert, Jr. (6'9", 230 lbs) - Tallahassee Community College
F Chris Malcolm, Fr. (6'7", 204 lbs) - Timber Creek HS, Orlando, FL
F Charles Corbin, Fr. (6'6", 226 lbs) - Griffin HS, Griffin, GA
F George Valentine, Fr. (6'8", 223 lbs) - 71st HS, Fayetteville, NC
Last season, Winthrop had a fairy-tale season. The Eagles swept through the conference schedule, broke the Top 25, and finally won their first NCAA tournament game. However, in the eight months since Winthrop beat Notre Dame in the NCAAs, quite a bit has changed. Gregg Marshall took the head coaching job at Wichita State, the talented senior class of Torrell Martin, Craig Bradshaw, and Phillip Williams graduated, and rising junior point guard De'Andre Adams was killed in an offseason automobile accident during the offseason. However, some things have remained the same. There of course is a new head coach, but it is Randy Peele, who is no stranger to the Winthrop program after being an assistant coach with the Eagles for the past four years. So the style of play and the emphasis on defense will be no different than in years past. Also, though the roster is filled with young players, there are also four seniors expected to start, so while this season is somewhat transitional for the Eagles, it also has several parts from last season returning to help keep Winthrop's three-year championship streak intact.
The backbone of the roster is the senior backcourt tandem of Chris Gaynor and Michael Jenkins. Gaynor has started his whole career and boasts a very strong assist/turnover ratio and can score at times when called upon. Jenkins came out of nowhere last season to become the Eagles' leading scorer behind an accurate three-point shot and good finishing skills on the fast break. Gaynor and Jenkins will get the lion's share of minutes at the guard positions, but redshirt freshman Byron Faison will likely find a way on the court often. Faison is a shooting guard who led all high schoolers in South Carolina in scoring his senior year, and has the ability to hit the three-pointer and finish strong around the basket. Freshmen Marc-David Vil and Justin Burton will add some depth to the backcourt, but neither is expected to contribute much right away.
The frontcourt has more question-marks than the backcourt, and will be led by power forward Taj McCullough. McCullough was Winthrop's top option off the bench a year ago and is one of the most athletic players in the league. He has always been known as a powerful finisher around the basket, but he showed a strong outside shot last year, leading the Eagles in three-point percentage. The small forward spot will be patrolled by returnees Antwon Harris and Mantoris Robinson. Both are athletic and like to drive to the hoop for their points (as opposed to shooting it from outside). Harris is the better scorer, but Robinson is the better defender. The center spot is the spot of biggest uncertainty. Andy Buechert is the most logical choice for that spot, as he is the tallest player on the roster and has two years of JuCo experience behind him. However, expect him to get pushed by freshmen Charles Corbin, Chris Malcolm, and George Valentine for playing time. Those three freshmen help bring some depth to the frontcourt, but freshmen generally struggle with stepping in and mastering Winthrop's systems right away, so how much they will be able to contribute is up in the air.
There is practically no chance for this year's Winthrop team to duplicate what last year's team did. It is very unlikely that this group can run the table or get nationally ranked due to losses of players like Martin and Bradshaw, along with the fact that there are so many new faces. But due to the quartet of seniors returning to the team, and because Peele is not planning on changing the defensive-minded philosophy of the program that has proven to be successful over the past nine years, I do not expect there to be a huge drop-off either. It will be a tight battle for the top spot this year, but the veteran leadership of Gaynor at the point guard position will lead the Eagles to a fourth straight title.
My Prediction:
23-7 overall, 12-2 in the Big South; First place finish; Will win Big South Tournament[/quote]
(Last Season: 29-5; 14-0, 1st in Big South; Won Big South Tournament; Eliminated in Second Round of NCAAs; RPI - 70)
Head Coach: Randy Peele (first season at WU)
Players that are Returning:
G Michael Jenkins, Sr. (6’3”, 195 lbs) – 14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.3 spg, 45.9 FG%, 41.5 3PT%, 70.2 FT%
F Taj McCullough, Sr. (6’7”, 222 lbs) – 7.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 spg, 54.4 FG%, 42.2 3PT%
G Chris Gaynor, Sr. (5’10”, 164 lbs) – 7.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 39.1 3PT%, 72.4 FT%
G Antwon Harris, Sr. (6’3”, 204 lbs) – 5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 56.0 FG%
G/F Mantoris Robinson, So. (6’5”, 202 lbs) – 2.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg
F Jonathan Rice, Jr. (6’5”, 231 lbs) – 1.0 ppg, .6 rpg
Players that are Gone:
G Torrell Martin (6’5”, 200 lbs) – 14.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.1 spg, 49.7 FG%, 37.0 3PT%
F/C Craig Bradshaw (6’10”, 242 lbs) – 13.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 48.8 FG%, 32.7 3PT%
F Phillip Williams (6’8”, 215 lbs) – 8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 52.5 FG%, 83.5 FT%
C Jason Killeen (6’10”, 240 lbs) – Played in 15 games, 2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 52.2 FG%
G De’Andre Adams (5’8”, 158 lbs) – 2.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.8 apg
G Kyle Moore (6’3”, 185 lbs) - 1.9 ppg, .8 rpg, 33.3 3PT%
New Players:
G Byron Faison, Fr. (6’1”, 198 lbs) - Redshirted last season - Crestwood HS, Sumter, SC
G Justin Burton, Fr. (5'10", 170 lbs) - Riverside HS, Durham, NC
G Marc-David Vil, Fr. (6'4", 186 lbs) - College Montmorency, Montreal, CN
C Andy Buechert, Jr. (6'9", 230 lbs) - Tallahassee Community College
F Chris Malcolm, Fr. (6'7", 204 lbs) - Timber Creek HS, Orlando, FL
F Charles Corbin, Fr. (6'6", 226 lbs) - Griffin HS, Griffin, GA
F George Valentine, Fr. (6'8", 223 lbs) - 71st HS, Fayetteville, NC
Last season, Winthrop had a fairy-tale season. The Eagles swept through the conference schedule, broke the Top 25, and finally won their first NCAA tournament game. However, in the eight months since Winthrop beat Notre Dame in the NCAAs, quite a bit has changed. Gregg Marshall took the head coaching job at Wichita State, the talented senior class of Torrell Martin, Craig Bradshaw, and Phillip Williams graduated, and rising junior point guard De'Andre Adams was killed in an offseason automobile accident during the offseason. However, some things have remained the same. There of course is a new head coach, but it is Randy Peele, who is no stranger to the Winthrop program after being an assistant coach with the Eagles for the past four years. So the style of play and the emphasis on defense will be no different than in years past. Also, though the roster is filled with young players, there are also four seniors expected to start, so while this season is somewhat transitional for the Eagles, it also has several parts from last season returning to help keep Winthrop's three-year championship streak intact.
The backbone of the roster is the senior backcourt tandem of Chris Gaynor and Michael Jenkins. Gaynor has started his whole career and boasts a very strong assist/turnover ratio and can score at times when called upon. Jenkins came out of nowhere last season to become the Eagles' leading scorer behind an accurate three-point shot and good finishing skills on the fast break. Gaynor and Jenkins will get the lion's share of minutes at the guard positions, but redshirt freshman Byron Faison will likely find a way on the court often. Faison is a shooting guard who led all high schoolers in South Carolina in scoring his senior year, and has the ability to hit the three-pointer and finish strong around the basket. Freshmen Marc-David Vil and Justin Burton will add some depth to the backcourt, but neither is expected to contribute much right away.
The frontcourt has more question-marks than the backcourt, and will be led by power forward Taj McCullough. McCullough was Winthrop's top option off the bench a year ago and is one of the most athletic players in the league. He has always been known as a powerful finisher around the basket, but he showed a strong outside shot last year, leading the Eagles in three-point percentage. The small forward spot will be patrolled by returnees Antwon Harris and Mantoris Robinson. Both are athletic and like to drive to the hoop for their points (as opposed to shooting it from outside). Harris is the better scorer, but Robinson is the better defender. The center spot is the spot of biggest uncertainty. Andy Buechert is the most logical choice for that spot, as he is the tallest player on the roster and has two years of JuCo experience behind him. However, expect him to get pushed by freshmen Charles Corbin, Chris Malcolm, and George Valentine for playing time. Those three freshmen help bring some depth to the frontcourt, but freshmen generally struggle with stepping in and mastering Winthrop's systems right away, so how much they will be able to contribute is up in the air.
There is practically no chance for this year's Winthrop team to duplicate what last year's team did. It is very unlikely that this group can run the table or get nationally ranked due to losses of players like Martin and Bradshaw, along with the fact that there are so many new faces. But due to the quartet of seniors returning to the team, and because Peele is not planning on changing the defensive-minded philosophy of the program that has proven to be successful over the past nine years, I do not expect there to be a huge drop-off either. It will be a tight battle for the top spot this year, but the veteran leadership of Gaynor at the point guard position will lead the Eagles to a fourth straight title.
My Prediction:
23-7 overall, 12-2 in the Big South; First place finish; Will win Big South Tournament[/quote]
- By LU Armchair coach