(12-23-2017 09:15 AM)rileylives Wrote: Ajdin Penava now leading the country in blocks per game. Averaging 4.8 blocks. Nearly put up a QUADRUPLE DOUBLE last night against EKU.
Penava stat line last night: 13 pts, 10 reb, 9 blocks, 7 asst
Penava is playing the Shawn Marrion role in the D'Antoni system.
Of course John Elmore is putting up 23.7 pts per game.
Ajdin Penava who all the crazy people that post on Marshall message boards wanted gone, thank god none of them have a say in anything or Marshall would be in the NCCAA because they would have already fired about 20 coaches.
On the other hand there was a small portion of us who actually have followed Marshall basketball though the good and bad seen the small flashes of what A. Penava was able to do.
That message board crowd I was talking about was all "Woe is me" when Terrence Thompson announced he was going to transfer. Thompson transferring and making Penava the focal point of the big men this year has forced him to step up and he has in a big way.
Marshall only loses Ot Elmore and Milan Mijvoic off of this years team. But then they add freshman Camron Brooks-Harris (6'7 195 SF) and Jeremy Dillon (6'5 SG). Then we will have a pair of guys eligible with Levi Cook (6'10 315 C/PF) who transferred in from DePaul, from Arnett, WV (Huntington Prep), Iran (pronounced E-Ran) Bennett (6'11 could be 7' by next year 325 C). Bennett became eligible to practice this month and those who are going to practice say that Bennett has been "Rag Dolling" anyone trying to guard him, without fouling.
Marshall also gets a walk on come next year. This isn't your every day walk on though. His name is DeAundra Murphy (6'5 185 SG). Murphy avged 24 points and 6 rebounds in HS. I expect him to only be a walk on one year.
My projected starting line up next year:
SG CJ Burks
PG/SG Jarrod West
PG Jon Elmore
SG Rondale Watson
PF Ajdin Penava
But the depth of next years team will be something Marshall hasn't had in years, maybe going back to 1998 or 2001 with one of Greg White's teams.
Off the Bench will be:
PF Dani Koljanin
PF Jannson Williams
SF Darius George
SF Phil Bledsoe
SF Christian Thieneman
SF Cameron Brooks-Harris
C/PF Levi Cook
C Iran Bennett
SG Jeremy Dillon
SG DeAundra Murphy
In recent memory Ive not seen Marshall 12-13 deep. As I said earlier its either been 1998 (20 years ago) or 2001 (17 years ago). Since Marshall has been this deep.
Also with the depth of next years team I could see both Brooks-Harris and Dillon red shirting.