FWIW....

https://staringatthefloorboards.wordpres...n-preview/

10 UNC WILMINGTON– The Seahawks are about the only team I’m even halfway confident in my preseason placement, and that’s unfortunately in the cellar- but even they have significant upside that could easily prove me wrong! Takayo Siddle has a hopefully healthier roster perfectly tailored to his myriad high ball pressure, ball screen blitzing defensive schemes. Dual PGs Mike Okauru and a healthy Shykeim Phillips return as rim attacking paint probers surrounded by a litany of long, versatile wings like healthier Jaylen Sims, breakout candidate Jamahri Harvey, Morehead transfer James Baker, Cleveland St transfer Alec Oglesby, a hopefully healthy Jay Estime, and prodigal son Jaylen Fornes. The Seahawks can score, no question, but they can also give up a ton of points- mostly thanks to a total void in the frontcourt. Essentially, if you get past the pressure, you’re going to score with ease at the rim. UNCW allowed a miserable 1.12 ppp in CAA play, and their 2PT% D per KenPom allowed an absurd 60%. Naturally, the Seahawks were excessively weak on the glass as well. Duquesne transfer Amari Kelly and frosh Khamari McGriff appear to be the only frontcourt additions by Siddle, and that’s simply unlikely to trigger any discernible improvement to his rim defense, unless the shot swatting freshman has a very short learning curve.

LOL, who wrote this, Hoops or B_Hawks? J/k, we have a lot to prove on the court for sure. The only part of the assessment is his statement that this is most confident pick.

(07-27-2021 11:06 AM)bricksnivy Wrote:  LOL, who wrote this, Hoops or B_Hawks? J/k, we have a lot to prove on the court for sure. The only part of the assessment is his statement that this is most confident pick.

Ha! Well played.
Except I've already said anything short of top 5 is a failure IMO. Expect a lot of write ups like this, Unproven coach, new roster, and a train wreck last year. Honestly, don't mind being an after thought, hopefully the team uses them as motivation.

My solid guess is we finish 7th or 8th.

No, I didn't write that mess.

No, I'm not confident we'll be in the top 5. I think we MIGHT have the talent to get there. I think we MIGHT have the coaching to get there.

Yes, I think the coach and team have a lot to prove to us as fans.

Not surprised at all after last year. Really nothing to look at that would give a writer a reason to believe we'll be better.

But, take a look at who really played last year vs. this upcoming year(Phillips didn't start until late, so I won't count him). Also, when he did come back, Simms went out.

2020

Okauru 6'3" 185 lbs
Gadsden 6'1 165 lbs
Harvey 6'5 175 lbs.
Simms 6'6" 195 lbs
Boggs 6'7" 190 lbs
Bowen 6'7" 200 lbs
Pridgen 6'5" 210 lbs.

2021

Phillips - 6'2" 180 lbs
Okauru - 6'3" 185 lbs
Harvey - 6'5" 175 lbs
Oglesby - 6'5" 195 lbs.
Simms - 6'6" 195 lbs
Baker - 6'7" 205 lbs.
McGriff - 6'8" 175 lbs
Samb - 6'8" 200 lbs
Kelly - 6'9" 230 lbs

Boggs and Bowen were our "big men" at 6'7" who played last year. Neither were shot blockers or rebounders, and Boggs was really an outside scorer. Spare me all the finger pointing, we all know where everyone stands. It was what it was. This year we will have four guys who are post players, post defenders, shot blockers and rebounders. Kelly, Samb and Baker all are more of a force in the paint than any big man we had on the roster last year. And my bet is that Baker and Kelly will both start, which will have a significant impact on every aspect of our interior offense, defense, shot blocking and rebounding. And when they rest, Samb and McGriff will be better in the post than anyone we had last year.

We may start

Phillips 6'2" 180 lbs
Oglesby 6'5" 195 lbs
Simms 6'6" 210 lbs
Baker 6'7" 205 lbs.
Kelly 6'9" 230 lbs.

That would be a pretty damned big lineup to rebound and defend. Bigger than we've seen at UNCW in a long time. And we'd have plenty of size off the bench so the drop off would be minor.

I see UNCW as a top six team and likely higher.

No one knows where anybody is going to be in this league. The Greg Peterson (VSIN host) podcast I listened to had CofC in 7th while this one had them in 2nd. You could honestly put almost anybody anywhere. I’d have W&M as my 10th place team. Even they show some promise.

Heck, Bart Torvik has CofC in 9th!

(07-27-2021 10:57 AM)70shawk Wrote:  and prodigal son Jaylen Fornes.

The only part of this write up that bothered me. People are still using that word incorrectly? Fornes is not “wasteful” or a lavish spender, I don’t believe…

(07-27-2021 09:44 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-27-2021 10:57 AM)70shawk Wrote:  and prodigal son Jaylen Fornes.

The only part of this write up that bothered me. People are still using that word incorrectly? Fornes is not “wasteful” or a lavish spender, I don’t believe…

But he was welcomed back with open arms. I got it.

(07-28-2021 04:42 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(07-27-2021 09:44 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(07-27-2021 10:57 AM)70shawk Wrote:  and prodigal son Jaylen Fornes.

The only part of this write up that bothered me. People are still using that word incorrectly? Fornes is not “wasteful” or a lavish spender, I don’t believe…

But he was welcomed back with open arms. I got it.

I'm not sure he was disagreeing with him coming back, just the article using the word incorrectly.