After last Men’s Basketball Season, we were wondering where Tre’Shaun Fletcher’s 18 ppg. scoring was going to come from with this year’s team. In taking a look at the final statistics from this just completed season, 17.2 ppg came “unexpectedly” from our 3 bench players (Darrington at 9.4ppg., Littleson at 4.2ppg., and Edu at 3.6ppg.) Only 3 additional points per game came from last year’s 4 returning starters as shown below:

Sanford - 15.5ppg. this season vs. 16.3ppg last season
Navigato – 12.7ppg. this season vs. 12.2ppg, last season
M. Jackson – 11.7ppg. this season vs. 8.8ppg. last season
W Jackson – 8.5ppg. this season vs. 7.6ppg. last season
Knapke – 10.5ppg. this season vs, 10.8ppg.this season

Now we’re left wondering, where do the 37.6ppg. from Sanford, Navigato and Darrington come from with next year’s team? We can only hope that the 5 returning players (M Jackson, W Jackson, Knapke, Littleson, and Edu) increase their averages significantly, but we're also going to need some “unexpected” points to come from our Redshirts (Saunders & Smith) and incoming Freshmen Class. In addition, maybe we’ll get an immediate eligible JC or Graduate Transfer that we don’t know about right now to come in to provide additional scoring like Darrington did this season. Let the speculation begin!

I'd expect Willie Jackson to stay about the same unless coach decides to stop jacking it at any angle and run some plays into the paint. This will bump Knapke a point or two also. M. Jackson, Littleson and Edu will bring up most of the slack.

Eh, something always works out.

I think coach K wants a team of guys who who played like he did; chuck'em up basketball.

Recruit shooters first, inside game secondary.

Can't wait to see who transfers out and if TK can bring in someone to help out on the offensive end of things. A power forward and/or offensive minded Center, would help.

I think I'd like that power forward idea, someone to help out Willie on the boards. Navigato picked up some good back to the basket moves and taking his defensive guy to the hoop. That's also something I'd like to see Willie do.

Right not the one thing I do not figure being replaced is that midrange that Sanford brought. It seemed to me that was a shot that didn't go away when he started having his distance troubles. Plus he could be counted on for a few drives to the basket high off the glass, negating a taller post and moving the D back in.

If wee bring anyone else in we need to bring in a point guard considering Mareon's health is in doubt

(03-23-2019 06:21 PM)rocketpaul Wrote:  If wee bring anyone else in we need to bring in a point guard considering Mareon's health is in doubt

Fully agree. It’d be better if he could play right away because I don’t see a backup PG on the roster right now

(03-23-2019 08:22 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  

(03-23-2019 06:21 PM)rocketpaul Wrote:  If wee bring anyone else in we need to bring in a point guard considering Mareon's health is in doubt

Fully agree. It’d be better if he could play right away because I don’t see a backup PG on the roster right now

He's out 4 months. He'll be fine.

i think next year marreon will get a lot of shots both spotting up from 3 and creating his own. knapke will be isolated more and continue to shoot from outside. i think we will start to see AJ's finishing ability improve and his dribble drive game start to catch up to this level (he was good with the dribble against guys his age in international play). willie jackson will get more opportunities to take mismatches off the dribble. saunders will get a lot of jump shots and 2 of the freshman forwards are good scorers who can shoot. wouldn't be surprised by a transfer in. either immediate help from a grad transfer or juco or a talented transfer needing to rs. coach has had success with those. as for a backup pg. the question is if moore is ready to handle the ball at this level. he's kind of a combo guard whose athleticism is his most developed gift at this point.

I've heard some really good things about Saunders development in practice during his Freshman Redshirt season and am looking forward to seeing how it translates to his performance on the court next season. We will need for him to replace Sanford's mid range game and occasional drives to the basket which his high school tape showed he is very capable of doing. Another key is the continued development of Spencer Littleson who showed on occasion that he can "light it up" from the three point line. I don't know if he was deferring to Sanford, Navigato, and Darrington, but it seemed like he did not look to shoot much in several games. He will need to be much more aggressive next season to help make up for the loss of those graduating players!