Now that the dust is settling
Jun 3, 2017 20:15:04 GMT -6
fansincebuss, stillaphoenixphan, and 2 more like this
Post by thetulsawarrior on Jun 3, 2017 20:15:04 GMT -6
On April 15, I wrote the definitive overview of the 2016-17 season and what I thought would be a wrap up of the recruiting season. Boy was I wrong about recruiting being finished.
To sort things out will take an elevated level of math.
Let’s see if I have the updated numbers right. There’s the early graduation transfer of center, Kerem Kanter, guard Anthony Brown exit for home after legal trouble and the super late defection of Trevor Anderson for Madison. Add to the total the graduation of six seniors.
That leaves four players returning who were on the team last fall. Of the returning players only one Khalil Small was a starter. Kameron Hankerson got limited experience late in the season. 6-8 David Jesperson showed a few flashes and redshirt Avery Brown hasn’t seen the court since March of 2016.
Not since Dave Buss started the program in 1969 have we seen so many fresh faces. Thank goodness Green Bay will have names on the back of game jerseys. I’d suggest using the name on jersey approach in practice as well. This the biggest recruiting class in Nix history?
There are now nine newcomers counting Sandy Cohen who arrived from Marquette in December. Whether he will be able to play this coming season is an issue for the NCAA. Cody Schwartz transferred in this spring but will sit out the season.
Back to my math issue. By the numbers there will be two JUCO transfers and five freshman wearing Green Bay uniforms for the first time. Let’s add another curveball to the equation. Last season JUCO walk-on Kaharri Carter redshirted. He has practice experience with the GB coaching staff and had a nice high school career.
That puts the number of potential newbie on the court at ten.
Any predictions on how the 2017-18 Green Bay Phoenix will do will be based on a lot of speculation and a strong dose of confidence in coach Linc Darner’s abilities as a head coach.
The surest bet for immediate help from the recruiting class comes from the two new JUCO recruits. Both India born Sukhjot Bains and former West Point recruit T.J. Parham Junior have decent size, can score off the bounce or hit the occasional three.
Of the freshman class Darner needs production immediately from 6-8 Manny Patterson. Playing against tough Chicago competition he showed an ability to rebound in traffic.
Kimberly’s, Will Chevalier might also be asked to contribute in the post early although he’s more comfortable with mid-range and an outside game. 6-6 Trevian Bell is a classic tweener and that probably got him overlooked a bit. He was an early GB commit and seems like a glue guy/blue collar player. Heading into his senior season he had a list of mid-major offers.
The final members are two combo guards.
6-2 guard P.J. Pipes’ game seems a lot like Carrington Love’s. He’s high energy and constant motion. The fact that he had an offer from the U.S. Naval Academy suggests he has the potential to eventually be a heady college point guard.
6-2 Hunter Crist is one of those small-town Indiana products that show up on college rosters across the country. He’s a strong student who choose to spend an additional year in prep school to refine his game. Crist has a flair on the court and knows how to find an open man.
The bottom line -- this is the biggest rebuilding jobs in division one basketball in the 2017-18 season. The GB staff has worked hard, faced several unexpected setbacks and put together some nice talent that on paper could be more athletic and deeper than last season’s squad. The Nix should be able to compete and make some noise once the Horizon League Tournament arrives.
To sort things out will take an elevated level of math.
Let’s see if I have the updated numbers right. There’s the early graduation transfer of center, Kerem Kanter, guard Anthony Brown exit for home after legal trouble and the super late defection of Trevor Anderson for Madison. Add to the total the graduation of six seniors.
That leaves four players returning who were on the team last fall. Of the returning players only one Khalil Small was a starter. Kameron Hankerson got limited experience late in the season. 6-8 David Jesperson showed a few flashes and redshirt Avery Brown hasn’t seen the court since March of 2016.
Not since Dave Buss started the program in 1969 have we seen so many fresh faces. Thank goodness Green Bay will have names on the back of game jerseys. I’d suggest using the name on jersey approach in practice as well. This the biggest recruiting class in Nix history?
There are now nine newcomers counting Sandy Cohen who arrived from Marquette in December. Whether he will be able to play this coming season is an issue for the NCAA. Cody Schwartz transferred in this spring but will sit out the season.
Back to my math issue. By the numbers there will be two JUCO transfers and five freshman wearing Green Bay uniforms for the first time. Let’s add another curveball to the equation. Last season JUCO walk-on Kaharri Carter redshirted. He has practice experience with the GB coaching staff and had a nice high school career.
That puts the number of potential newbie on the court at ten.
Any predictions on how the 2017-18 Green Bay Phoenix will do will be based on a lot of speculation and a strong dose of confidence in coach Linc Darner’s abilities as a head coach.
The surest bet for immediate help from the recruiting class comes from the two new JUCO recruits. Both India born Sukhjot Bains and former West Point recruit T.J. Parham Junior have decent size, can score off the bounce or hit the occasional three.
Of the freshman class Darner needs production immediately from 6-8 Manny Patterson. Playing against tough Chicago competition he showed an ability to rebound in traffic.
Kimberly’s, Will Chevalier might also be asked to contribute in the post early although he’s more comfortable with mid-range and an outside game. 6-6 Trevian Bell is a classic tweener and that probably got him overlooked a bit. He was an early GB commit and seems like a glue guy/blue collar player. Heading into his senior season he had a list of mid-major offers.
The final members are two combo guards.
6-2 guard P.J. Pipes’ game seems a lot like Carrington Love’s. He’s high energy and constant motion. The fact that he had an offer from the U.S. Naval Academy suggests he has the potential to eventually be a heady college point guard.
6-2 Hunter Crist is one of those small-town Indiana products that show up on college rosters across the country. He’s a strong student who choose to spend an additional year in prep school to refine his game. Crist has a flair on the court and knows how to find an open man.
The bottom line -- this is the biggest rebuilding jobs in division one basketball in the 2017-18 season. The GB staff has worked hard, faced several unexpected setbacks and put together some nice talent that on paper could be more athletic and deeper than last season’s squad. The Nix should be able to compete and make some noise once the Horizon League Tournament arrives.