Re: 2018 Offseason Thread

[PilotNut]

I went to the volleyball match last night, and the hanging structure looks the same, but the screens have been updated to HD.... a BIG improvement! The sideline tables are also new with HD screens.

I was told that the install and supporting hardware & software are still in process, but they will have full video, etc., and will be a major upgrade from the previous crash-ridden system.

[DoubleDipper]

Nothing says that we have to play Humboldt State... we could just play 2 games in Honolulu?

The Rainbow Classic is hardly a classic this year, as what was a three games in four days tournament is now just two games for UP  and three games for Hawaii and North Texas, as each of those two schools play Humboldt State in addition to UP.

Friday: North Texas vs. Humboldt St. and UP vs. Hawaii
Saturday: North Texas vs. UP and Hawaii vs. Humboldt St.
Sunday: Hawaii vs. North Texas

The revamped Rainbow schedule doesn't favor the Pilots, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the young squad drop both games before heading back to the mainland, but IMO the Pilots will be strong contenders during the rest of the preseason, with a chance to win their remaining games, with the possible exception of Colorado.

[ExpatPilot]

I went to the volleyball match last night, and the hanging structure looks the same, but the screens have been updated to HD.... a BIG improvement!  The sideline tables are also new with HD screens.

I was told that the install and supporting hardware & software are still in process, but they will have full video, etc., and will be a major upgrade from the previous crash-ridden system.

You have no idea how happy this makes me and I don’t even get to go to Chiles to watch games anymore or work the video boards!

[Dean Murdoch]

My wife says that if the Pilots are 8-0 heading into the game at Boulder then I can make the trip down to watch! It’s ony a short little 12-hour drive from here.

[NoPoNeighbor]

Also roster has been updated for 2018-19 season.

https://portlandpilots.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball

Apologies if someone has already made note of this elsewhere... Unless I'm mistaken, and with Rashad Jackson and Joseph Smoyer having left the team, I believe Xavier Hallinan is now the only member of the Pilots' roster who has any connection to the Reveno era.

[DoubleDipper]

Apologies if someone has already made note of this elsewhere... Unless I'm mistaken, and with Rashad Jackson and Joseph Smoyer having left the team, I believe Xavier Hallinan is now the only member of the Pilots' roster who has any connection to the Reveno era.

Sound Voltex did note that earlier, but just to clarify, Xavier may be on the roster, but due to transfer rules will not be eligible to actually play until the Grambling game on December 15.

[Sound Voltex]

Also roster has been updated for 2018-19 season.

https://portlandpilots.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball

Apologies if someone has already made note of this elsewhere... Unless I'm mistaken, and with Rashad Jackson and Joseph Smoyer having left the team, I believe Xavier Hallinan is now the only member of the Pilots' roster who has any connection to the Reveno era.

With Rashad's departure, I believe that leaves no more scholarship players remaining from the Reveno era. Xavier is technically the last overall player remaining as a walk-on, though there was that half a season-ish moment last year when he wasn't on the team.

Alongside Stone's departure and X not graduating until the following year due to his redshirt situation, that also leaves us no seniors on the roster this upcoming season for the first time in exactly a decade (2008-09).

https://www.pilotnation.net/t5593p275-2018-recruiting#72427

[NoPoNeighbor]

I must have stowed away your insight in some obscure synapse, Sound Voltex, and then regurgitated it as my own four months later. My apologies!

[Sound Voltex]

10. Portland

Key Returners: Marcus Shaver Jr., Franklin Porter, JoJo Walker, Josh McSwiggan, Malcolm Porter, Tahirou Diabate,
Key Losses: Philipp Hartwich, D’Marques Tyson
Key Newcomers: Taki Fahrensohn (redshirt), Hugh Hogland (redshirt), Jacob Tyron (JUCO), Josh Phillips, Theo Akwuba, Crisshawn Clark (Pitt)

Lineup:


Outlook: It’s been a rough first two seasons for Terry Porter up in Portland. The former NBA great has amassed a record of 21-44 (6-30) during his short tenure, but has made strides in building a solid foundation for the future. UP isn’t exactly a storied basketball school, having only made the NCAA Tournament twice in 65 seasons, so Porter isn’t under too much pressure to perform right away. This season could be a turning point for the Pilots, as Porter brings back 6 of his top 8 guys, and one of the youngest rosters in the country in 2017-18 turns one year older.

Offensively, Portland primarily relies on the three-ball to score points, and shooting the three was one of the very few things the 10th-ranked WCC offense did well last season, ranking 39th in the country in 3PFG%. The loss of D’Marques Tyson, the best shooter on last year’s roster, is a big loss, but Porter has plenty of young shooters left on his squad. Something UP did extremely well last season, but not nearly often enough, was run in transition. Per Synergy, only three teams in the nation scored more points per possession in transition than the Pilots’ 1.233ppp. Porter has the depth, particularly in the backcourt, to ramp up the tempo in 2018-19.

Portland’s best transition player last season was Marcus Shaver Jr., who led the team in scoring as a freshman. Shaver came into Portland and immediately took the reins of the offense, proving to be an effective playmaker, creator, and rim attacker via the pick-n-roll and isolation. Shooting was Shaver’s major weakness last season, converting a ghastly 26.4% of his three-point attempts, but an 86.1% clip from the FT line inspires hope for improvement.

Shaver shares ball handling duties with fellow sophomores JoJo Walker and Malcolm Porter. Walker was also pretty good in his rookie season, though unlike Shaver, Walker was extremely efficient from outside the arc and struggled finishing from two. Walker may start alongside Shaver, but he may be better off coming off the pine. When the pair played together last season, UP scored just 0.96ppp, though the Pilots were much better on defense.

Malcolm Porter and his brother Franklin Porter (both Terry’s kids) will be looked upon to take on larger roles in 2018-19. Malcolm is more of a point guard while Franklin is a wing shooter that can create his own shot. Like every guard on the roster, the Porters will need to emphasize better shot selection in their second seasons in Portland – the Pilots were a bottom 50 team in the country last year in 2PFG%.

Josh McSwiggan, a 6’7” junior, returns as the Pilots’ best three-point option, knocking down 43.7% of his attempts last season. Depending on Porter’s lineup appetite, McSwiggan could see time at both the 3 and 4 this year. Porter has historically leaned towards a traditional two-big lineup, preferring to run McSwiggan and his other guards off baseline block screens in order to get open corner looks. Without Hartwich and Joseph Smoyer, though, frontcourt depth could be thin.

Tahirou Diabate, the lone returning frontcourt rotation player, has been pegged by many outlets as a major breakout candidate in 2018-19. Diabate ranked 6th in the WCC block rate and was a solid finisher around the bucket last season. He’ll be counted on to make up Hartwich’s post scoring and rebounding production.

Six newcomers join the Pilots this season, and at least a few of them project to make an impact right away. Crisshawn Clark, a 6’4” wing from Pitt, never saw the floor for the Panthers due to injury but could be an effective two-way player with his athleticism and length. Forward Hugh Hogland should also see time in his redshirt freshman season. Hogland is a former standout volleyball player from Hawaii and brings shot blocking and skilled footwork to the lineup. He’ll be joined in the frontcourt by Josh Phillips, a long post player with good rebounding instincts; Jacob Tyron, a rail thin stretch 7-footer; and Theo Akwuba, a very long shot blocking presence. New Zealand wing Taki Fahrensohn will provide shooting depth on the wing.

Bottom Line: Portland likely finishes 10th in a strong WCC, but the Pilots won’t be a pushover. While the final standings may show UP with 3 or 4 conference wins, they have the talent to compete with almost anyone in the WCC on a nightly basis. The offense will almost certainly improve with the increased backcourt experience, and more playing time for Diabate could lead to an uptick in defensive efficiency.

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/wcc-basketball-preview-2019

[Dean Murdoch]

Wow.

A lot of times you just see blogs put together a random smattering of crap and call it a conference preview, and anyone that knows the slightest bit about each team can pick out major factual errors.

But this preview even has quoted advanced analytics from Synergy. Props to them for the depth of each team overview and the work they did to put it all together. Never heard of this Three Man Weave but I'm going to have to put it into my rotation of nightly reading!

[NoPoNeighbor]

Today was the first day of allowed practices for Division I hoops. Did the Pilots take the court?

[DoubleDipper]

Today was the first day of allowed practices for Division I hoops. Did the Pilots take the court?

Actually, the first allowed D-1 practice is not until this coming Friday, but the first "official" practice at UP will not be held until Monday, October 1, because TP and his family will be out of town for his induction into the State of Wisconsin Athletic HOF (I think that's what it is called.)  

He was inducted into the Wisconsin Stevens-Point HOF in 1992, and I think he will be inducted into the Small College Basketball HOF later this fall.

Regardless, the first practice is next Monday...

[Dean Murdoch]

Actually, the first allowed D-1 practice is not until this coming Friday, but the first "official" practice at UP will not be held until Monday, October 1, because TP and his family will be out of town for his induction into the State of Wisconsin Athletic HOF (I think that's what it is called.)

Well, USD posted a video last night of their first official practice. Different start dates from school to school, perhaps?

I hope the Pilots aren't missing out on what's essentially a full week. It's a great and well-deserved honour for Coach Porter, but surely one of the assistants are more than capable of running an effective practice?

[PilotNut]

I hope the Pilots aren't missing out on what's essentially a full week. It's a great and well-deserved honour for Coach Porter, but surely one of the assistants are more than capable of running an effective practice?

My thoughts exactly?!! I would hope that the Assistants are running practices while Coach Porter is away (unless they are also attending the ceremonies/out recruiting, etc?). I would assume that someone would be left on campus to lead practice. I hope this is just a matter of terminology with the "first official practice" being the photo op with (all) the coaches and players on Monday...

[DoubleDipper]

Well, USD posted a video last night of their first official practice. Different start dates from school to school, perhaps?

I hope the Pilots aren't missing out on what's essentially a full week. It's a great and well-deserved honour for Coach Porter, but surely one of the assistants are more than capable of running an effective practice?

My apologies to NPN, yes, yesterday was the first "legal" day for D1 practice....I'm just not good at math, and the NCAA moved the first game from the traditional second Friday in November to 3 days earlier this season!

The assistants are MORE than capable, I guess TP and his sons want to be at the first practice.

The team is allowed 30 practice days in the 42 days preceding the first game, and they can practice no more than 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week.  With the threat of once again exposing my (lack of) math skills, that comes out to practicing 5 days per week in the 6 weeks that will be remaining upon TP's return from Wisconsin and the first game (Multnomah on November 6th...Election Day!!).

[Dean Murdoch]

So they're not losing days, just delaying the start of them?

I guess I'll put the pitchfork away then.

[Sound Voltex]

Re: WCC Preseason Predictions and Analysis 2018-2019
PORTLAND

Coach Terry Porter begins his third year at the helm of the Pilots. He has two sons playing on the perimeter. Neither of which is much of a three point shooter. Last year the Pilots struggled mightily with an inexperienced perimeter game and a very thin low court. Coach Porter has been very busy in the off season stocking the front line and has brought in more than a couple guys that have considerable potential.


BACK COURT

Senior:

Crisshawn Clark 6'4"

Transfer from Pitt. Missed last season due to knee injury. Will sit out this year per transfer rules.


Junior:

Josh McSwiggan 6'7" (red shirt) 10.9 ppg; 1.3 apg; 3.6 rpg
McSwiggan is a tall wing with a nice shot (43% from 3) and will get you a few extra rebounds during the course of a game.. His ball handling is average as best. His lateral mobility is far from the best and he can be a defensive liability if forced to close out on the perimeter.

Franklin Porter 6'4" (red shirt) 9.1 ppg; 1.9 apg; 3.3 rpg
At this point in time, Franklin is one of the better perimeter players on this team. He shoots close to 40% from 3 and can take the ball to the rim if a lane opens up.

Xavier Hallinan (red shirt)
Did not see the floor last year. Appeared in 10 games as a Freshman.


Sophomore:

Malcolm Porter 6'4" (red shirt) 7.0ppg; 2.0 apg; 1.8 rpg
Malcolm’s Freshman campaign saw him averaging 20 minutes a game and performing in an off guard role. His shooting percentages are nothing to write home about. His defense is probably his best attribute at this point in time.

JoJo Walker 6'1" 7.8 ppg; 2.4 apg; 2.1 rpg
Walker was a bit of a bright spot in what was generally a dismal Portland season. This kid is great fun to watch on the offensive end of the floor. He’s quick and gives opposing defenders all kinds of trouble. That said he shoots better from the 3 point line, 37%, than he does on the interior. He does not enjoy great success when he drives to the basket and really needs to be a better distributor of the basketball. There is unrealized upside here. Look for JoJo to razzel and dazzel once again.

Marcus Shaver Jr. 6'2" 12.3 ppg; 2.3 apg; 3.3 rpg
Shaver saw a lot of floor time and did most of his damage inside the three point line despite hoisting a lot of 3's. Sadly only 26% of those 3 point shots dropped for him. You have to give him this, he isn’t afraid to shoot the ball. This is a case of a kid on a bad team who is often over matched by his opposition. The Pilots needed his production badly which probably explains more than I could speculate about here. He has a lot of things to work on and needs to become more of a team player and a more productive scoring threat.

Brian Smith 6'2" 1.7 ppg; 0.7 apg; 0.3 rpg
Smith is a little used guard who averaged a bit more than 4 minutes a game last year. Brian was a pretty good HS player, so perhaps he has some unrealized potential.

Freshman:

Takiula Fahrensohn 6'6" (red shirt ?) no stats for this player
Average athleticism, very right handed and does most of his work inside the paint. It appears he was a red shirt last year which was probably needed to improve his conditioning and skill set.

Miles Turner 6'1" Tracy HS, CA
There’s not a lot of tape on this kid. If I had to pick one aspect of his game that stands out it would be his passing. He does not appear to be all that athletic and his shot could use a bit of work. Ball handling was adequate at the HS level. Not sure how that is going to translate to the WCC.


It appears the Portland back court will be little changed this year. They are another year older and hopefully their play will be improved. I don’t think this group is going to provide enough to make much of a difference on their own. 3 point shooting is an issue here that may be the key to success for the entire team. Otherwise look for opposing defenses to pack it into the paint and make scoring very difficult for the Pilots.


FRONT COURT

Sophomore:

Tahirou Diabate 6'9" 6.4 ppg; 0.1 apg; 4.2 rpg
This is a relatively athletic kid with a raw skill set. Portland pressed him into service last year mostly because they didn’t have anyone else. When one considers he spent 20 minutes a game on the floor you can see his productivity was only fair. That said, there is considerable up-side with this player. He needs time and instruction to reach his potential.

Jacob Tryon 7'0" 12.0 ppg; 5.9 rpg and 2.2 blocked shots per game at East LA College
Tryon has better than average ball handling skills for a big man. He rebounds his area fairly well. He is adept at driving to the basket and will not hesitate to take a 3 point shot if left open. All in all, a pretty good skill set. Good find for Coach Porter.


Freshman:

Theo Akwuba 6'10" 11.7 ppg; 14.1 rpg; 10.4 blocked shots per game for Brewbaker Magnet Tech HS
Akwuba is a well developed young man given his height and age. This Micky D’s nominee boasts a 7'4" wingspan. He rebounds his area well. It appears he does most of his scoring within a few feet of the basket. He has a few moves and his body control is quite good considering his age. Then there’s all those blocked shots. He is a force in and around the basket but can also close out on the perimeter. This kid is a keeper and should provide a strong foundation that coach Porter can build around.

Josh Phillips 6'9" no stats from last year at Edison HS
Phillips is another raw talent who’s primary assets at this point in time are rebounding and shot blocking. His instincts and ability to rebound outside his area are impressive. He is predominately right handed and likes to play with his back to the basket. His offensive game will need some work when he arrives at Portland.

Hugh Hogland 6'10" (red shirt)
Hugh spent last year in the weight room and working on his game. As a high school player Hogland wasn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor for a dribble or two and did most of his work around the basket. Should be interesting to see his progress when he steps on the floor this year.

Wyatt Watson 6'8" no stats played at Sehome HS, Bellingham WA
Mr. Watson is a "preferred walk-on with a full-ride scholarship in engineering (4.0 HS GPA). Wow! at worst he will be a nice addition to the red team and who knows, he may contribute even more in years to come..


I’m kind of jazzed about this group. I’m sure some of the incoming Freshmen will struggle mightily. Indeed one or two may red shirt. There is no lack of bodies to play in the paint.


ANALYSIS

I don’t think the Pilots are going to turn the corner this year and make a strong push into the top 4 or 5. Coach Porter did a very nice job with the limited assets he had in the front court last year. If he can do as well this time around things will definitely take a turn for the better.

San Francisco is probably the best of the bottom 5 but has the toughest schedule. Portland will benefit from the minus two scheduling; only having to play Gonzaga and St. Mary’s once each. With the exception of Pacific (almost guaranteed cellar dweller), the teams I have ranked 9 to 6 are very close in terms of potential wins and losses at the end of the season. Like always, picking the order of finish in the bottom the WCC is a total crap shoot. An injury or two to key players can have devastating consequences.

PREDICTION

6th

http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1781&p=5909#p5904

[wrv]

Re: WCC Preseason Predictions and Analysis 2018-2019
PORTLAND

Coach Terry Porter begins his third year at the helm of the Pilots. He has two sons playing on the perimeter. Neither of which is much of a three point shooter. Last year the Pilots struggled mightily with an inexperienced perimeter game and a very thin low court. Coach Porter has been very busy in the off season stocking the front line and has brought in more than a couple guys that have considerable potential.


BACK COURT

Senior:

Crisshawn Clark 6'4"

Transfer from Pitt. Missed last season due to knee injury. Will sit out this year per transfer rules.

ANALYSIS

I don’t think the Pilots are going to turn the corner this year and make a strong push into the top 4 or 5. Coach Porter did a very nice job with the limited assets he had in the front court last year. If he can do as well this time around things will definitely take a turn for the better.

San Francisco is probably the best of the bottom 5 but has the toughest schedule. Portland will benefit from the minus two scheduling; only having to play Gonzaga and St. Mary’s once each. With the exception of Pacific (almost guaranteed cellar dweller), the teams I have ranked 9 to 6 are very close in terms of potential wins and losses at the end of the season. Like always, picking the order of finish in the bottom the WCC is a total crap shoot. An injury or two to key players can have devastating consequences.

PREDICTION

6th

http://wccboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1781&p=5909#p5904

Terry Porter and staff are unaware that Crishan Clark is sitting out a third year, if one includes in the total years of not playing the nearly year long absence Crishan endured while at Pitt.

Perhaps the analysis would have changed were the author to have known that Clark was anticipated to be an integral part of this team for the upcoming season.

Or is there news to report of which I am unaware?

[DoubleDipper]

Perhaps the analysis would have changed were the author to have known that Clark was anticipated to be an integral part of this team for the upcoming season.

Or is there news to report of which I am unaware?

Nope, barring unforeseen circumstances, Crisshawn will be in the starting lineup alongside Marcus Shaver in the back court.

Based purely on their personalities, their leadership style, and their experience(s), I will be surprised if Josh and Crisshawn are not the team captains.

[DoubleDipper]

So they're not losing days, just delaying the start of them?

Yeah, I was told a lot of teams do this.

Schools will have their "midnight madness," or whatever, then concentrate their practices closer to the season opening game so they can have more consecutive practices after giving the guys their mandatory number of days off at the beginning of the 42 day preseason practice period.

[PilotNut]

I guess I'll put the pitchfork away then.

It is good to get it out now and then and make sure it is polished up...

[DoubleDipper]

Finally got around to reading Three Man Weave's WCC predictions and really appreciate the in-depth work they've done, however, I have a different view of the Pilots' depth chart.

Most expect the Pilots to finish last in the WCC this coming season, and that’s definitely a fair assessment until the team starts winning and Coach Porter can prove he’s improved as an in-game coach.  If the players are coached to their potential, I can see them finishing 8-8 in WCC play.

Based solely on summer workouts, and with the first practice scheduled for tomorrow, here’s my depth chart for the coming year.  The team is very young, having no seniors and only three juniors, so the season will essentially be a work in progress, and even during preseason practice this depth chart could easily change.

1. Marcus Shaver, sophomore combo guard and the team's leading scorer last season (12.3). Potentially the real star of the team, he needs to work on his outside shooting (only 27% from 3-point last season) and distribution (2.3 assists per game) compared to his freshman year, but otherwise very solid at driving to the basket and drawing fouls (86% at the line last season).
2. Josh McSwiggan, redshirt junior wing. Even though he has the best 3-point percentage (44%) of any of the returning players from last season, he should have a much-improved season on offense as he will not have to rely only on outside shooting now that the team will have post players who can stretch the defense and allow him to go inside to the basket.  The second leading scorer last season (10.9), his numbers, and those of his teammate should improve as the team will have much greater scoring depth than the last two years (fingers crossed)! Josh will graduate in May with one year of remaining eligibility.
3. Crisshawn Clark, redshirt junior combo guard. Very much the experienced, natural and vocal leader, he has a great attitude and has the potential to be the real star of the team if he can remain healthy after missing 3 seasons due to knee injuries.  Crisshawn will graduate in May with one year of eligibility remaining.
4. Tahirou Diabate, sophomore post.  After one full season of experience and going from 210lbs to 245lbs in the past 9 months, he should have a breakout year. He is the leading returning rebounder (4.2) and has been working very hard in the offseason and looks great.
5. Jacob Tryon, 7-0/200 sophomore post from East L.A. JC.  He graduated from high school in 2016 and spent one year in prep school and another at JC but has had a difficult time gaining weight.  He is a skilled big man who can rebound, block shots, and score around the basket and from distance.  A decent free-throw shooter (68% at East LA) and 3-point shooter (16/32), Jacob should add a scoring dimension UP badly needs.  
6. Theo Akwuba, 6-8/210 freshman post from Montgomery, Alabama who moved from Nigeria with his family 10 years ago. Because he played only two years of organized basketball and played sparingly his junior year, he could potentially redshirt as he adjusts to college and the physical nature of D1 basketball. In his senior year he averaged 11 blocks per game, and once had 20 rejections in a game. His excellent timing and body control, and his 7-4 wing span make him an excellent defender. It’s hard to say how he’ll do as a freshman against much more experienced opponents, but in his senior year he averaged 12 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. His 3.7 GPA going into engineering at UP is a bonus.

(I may be rating Tryon and Akwuba a little higher than some would expect, but if they can adjust to college ball, they will both be a lot more productive than Phil ever was).

7. JoJo Walker, sophomore point guard.  Shooting woes coupled with his immaturity and concern for his countrymen in Puerto Rico hurt him last season. I think he knows he’s in for a fight to get back in the rotation, and he’ll either thrive on that or lose interest…it just depends on his maturity and motivation.
8. Franklin Porter, redshirt junior guard. He can be a very good player, as demonstrated early in the preseason and for short periods during league play, but the question is, can he be a TEAM player? Also, can he accept the fact he’s no longer in the starting five?  He graduates in May with one year of eligibility remaining.
9. Malcolm Porter, redshirt sophomore combo guard. He was the most improved player over the length of last season, but the new guys are ahead of him on the depth chart, IMO.  Wonderful kid, and a wonderful team player.
10. Miles Turner, (walk-on) 6-3/180 freshman combo guard from Tracy, California.  Miles decided to attend UP for its academics and a chance to play ball. A very personable and bright kid, he comes with a 3.85 GPA from HS. Turner is versatile enough to play either guard spot, but what he does best is distribute the ball.  
11.Taki Fahrensohn, redshirt freshman guard. He could be a great shooter, but he’ll need to prove he’s athletic enough and tough enough to play defense. He could be another sharpshooting role-player much as Tyson was. Taki has the potential to be a wonderful all-around player, but it may take a couple of seasons.
12. Hugh Hogland, redshirt freshman post. He’s got great leaping ability and timing for rebounding and blocking shots, but his offense needs development. I could be rating him too low as he’s had a redshirt year to learn the UP game.  He could even be part of the rotation this season if he continues to develop, but for now the new guys (Akwuba, and Tryon) are ahead of him. (If Akwuba and Phillips redshirt, Hugh would be 8th on my depth chart).
13. Josh Phillips, 6-8/220 (was 180lbs when he was recruited 12 months ago) freshman power forward from Huntington Beach, California.  Josh has a lot of potential but will likely redshirt this coming season.  He’s a run and jump athlete who made a name for himself blocking shots, dunking, and getting more than his share of rebounds.
14. Xavier Hallinan (walk-on) redshirt junior point guard. He is the only holdover from the Reveno days, and after transferring to a D2 team last fall, transferred back to UP.  A one-time starter when filling-in for Alec Wintering, he is a very solid performer and natural team leader and will continue to push the guys in practice. He could get some court time but is not eligible until December 15th against Grambling due to transfer rules.
15. Brian Smith (walk-on) sophomore combo guard.  A great kid, and an inspiration to his teammates, but he’ll likely see little court time.  A good defender, we have yet to see what he can do offensively.
16. Wyatt Watson(walk-on) 6-8/190 freshman small forward from Bellingham, Washington.  Wyatt will be a very good “scout team” member allowing the starting rotation some rest between games but will probably only see game action during blowouts.  A 4.0 GPA Engineering student, Wyatt is on a full-ride for academics.

[Dean Murdoch]

Interesting read, Dipper. Thanks for the work!

Out of curiosity, where do you think Ty Glover would have been on this list?

[Guest]

Thanks for your perspectives on the team. Those high GPA engineers should really help make up the loss of Phil's GPA. Hopefully the new guys make up the loss of Phil's defense, and improve over his "offense".

[DoubleDipper]

Out of curiosity, where do you think Ty Glover would have been on this list?

Seventh, pushing McSwiggan for the starting wing spot!