Re: 2018 Offseason Thread

[wrv]

I too appreciate your efforts DD.

A quick note: you have Akwuba at a mere 6-8. Pilot website has him at 6-10 as does the recruiting info from last spring. I assume Akwuba's height is not properly listed. A 6-10 shot blocker/ post would be preferable, obviously.

Putting Crisshawn in the rotation will impact both Jojo and Malcolm. The fight for minutes in the backcourt is going to be tough.

It will be interesting likewise to determine if and who might provide an inside punch that we missed last year. Akwuba is a freshman; his scoring ability down low may not be up to D1 and conference standards this year. Tryon, from reports, does not appear to be a low post player, but at 7-0 can't count it out. Diabate and Hoagland have a little more maturity as sophomores and have spent a year learning their craft; let's hope that includes low post back to the basket scoring.

The season approaches quickly.

[DoubleDipper]

Yeah, Theo is indeed 6-10 in sneakers...I shouldn't have tried switching between two football games and a taped F1 race while posting on PN.  

It's possible Jacob has read those reports that he's not a back-to-the-basket post because he's diligently working at that skill, using either hand.

[NoPoNeighbor]

Some of this is a crap shoot without having seen the team on the court yet, but this is my way-too-early guess at the depth chart:

PG: Shaver, M. Porter, Walker, Hallinan
SG: Clark, F. Porter, Turner
SF: McSwiggan, Fahrensohn
PF: Diabate, Phillips
C: Tryon, Hogland, Akwuba

Without Glover, we're thin at the wing. Will Fahrensohn play some minutes there behind McSwiggan? He's the tallest of the guys listed as a "guard."

Will Hogland play at the 4 or the 5? If Phillips redshirts, we'll need someone to fill in behind Diabate. If Akwuba redshirts, we'd need him as a backup center behind Tryon.

Of the returners, I think McSwiggan and Diabate have the most likelihood for improvement in terms of scoring output (i.e. they need to improve if the team is going to improve). If they can each increase their scoring average by even 4 points/game, it will take a lot of pressure off of the guards and keep defenses on their toes.

It's been 4 years since we had a legitimate scoring threat at center. Anything that Tryon/Akwuba/Hogland can provide in that respect will be most welcome.

[ExpatPilot]

I seem to recall a season in 2008-09 where our team vastly improved despite having no senior players after coming from several poor season during Reveno's tenure. Can I hope for the same this year?

[Dean Murdoch]

I seem to recall a season in 2008-09 where our team vastly improved despite having no senior players after coming from several poor season during Reveno's tenure. Can I hope for the same this year?

Can Crisshawn Clark be to the 2018 team what T.J. Campbell was to the 2008 squad?

[DoubleDipper]

Two things from this video I loved:
1. Josh M. driving to the basket (and dunking over Kramer)  
2. Josh M. calling himself the "team leader"

https://twitter.com/i/status/1046917794187567104

[Dean Murdoch]

1 week until the Purple/White scrimmage, 2 weeks until the Antelope Valley exhibition, 3 weeks until the Westmont exhibition, 3.5 weeks until the Multnomah "season opener," 4 weeks until Hawaii/North Texas at the Rainbow Classic.

So it's all right around the corner. Anyone seen any practice? How are things progressing?

[NoPoNeighbor]

In addition to the upcoming dates that Mr. Murdoch listed, the WCC is having its annual pre-season Tip-Off media events this coming week in Las Vegas, with the men's programs being featured on Thursday:
http://www.wccsports.com/news/2018/10/10/mens-basketball-wcchoops-tip-off-returns-to-las-vegas-october-17-18.aspx

Coach Porter and Josh McSwiggan will be interviewed live at 11:30am here:
http://www.wccsports.com/sports/2018/10/2/tipoff-2018.aspx

[Sound Voltex]

More previews/predictions:

10. Portland Pilots

Portland will most likely finish at the bottom of the WCC standings come March but they will be returning six of their seven top scorers from last season so that’s a positive. Portland isn’t much of a basketball school but Terry Porter (head coach of the Pilots; 2x all-star with the Trailblazers; Portland legend) has the program going towards the right path. Porter snagged a transfer named Crisshawn Clark from Pittsburgh who will be eligible to play this season after sitting out last year due to transfer rules. Although Clark didn’t play at Pittsburgh because of a knee injury, he could be an immediate impact for the Pilots due to his athleticism and length as a 6’4 wing player.

Key Player: Marcus Shaver Jr. (SO, G)

2017-2018 stats - 12.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1 SPG

Marcus Shaver Jr. lead the Pilots in scoring as a freshmen and will again be directing the offense for the youngest team in the WCC. He is the primary ball-handler and playmaker for the Pilots so you have to keep an eye on him when the Gonzaga Bulldogs play him at Portland on January 18.

Key Game to Watch: Portland @ BYU on January 10th

https://www.slipperstillfits.com/2018/10/13/17942936/wcc-2018-2019-preview-10-6

10) Portland Pilots

Pros:
Young, athletic guards who can push the ball in transition
Team has more pieces down low than they had last season

Cons:
Rebounding could take a huge hit without Hartwich
Shooting efficiency
Had a habit of taking bad shots instead of making the pass

https://twitter.com/CondorianFM/status/1050079814726475777

[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.

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

I'll try one more roster insight, which I don't think anyone has made yet... Not only is Hallinan the only holdover from the Reveno era, he's also the only holdover who saw the floor in a game the year after Reveno was gone -- i.e. during Coach Porter's first year at the helm, 2016-17, which was only two years ago! In addition to Hallinan, the only other members of the current team who were even on the Bluff during the '16-'17 season are the Porter brothers. Given that Hallinan is a walk-on who likely won't play meaningful minutes in a game this season, that means there has practically been a 100% active roster turnover between March 2017 and today.

Eighteen months ago, members of the current roster could be found...

Clark: U of Pittsburgh
M. Porter: redshirting at UP
Walker: high school in CA
Turner: high school in CA
Shaver: high school in AZ
McSwiggan: JC in Wyoming
Akwuba: high school in AL
F. Porter: redshirting at UP
Diabate: high school in Japan
Fahrensohn: high school in NZ
Phillips: high school in CA
Smith: prep school in NC
Hogland: high school in HI
Tryon: high school in CA
Watson: high school in WA
Hallinan: active roster at UP!

[DoubleDipper]

More previews/predictions

10. Portland Pilots
Portland will most likely finish at the bottom of the WCC standings come March …..
Key Game to Watch: Portland @ BYU on January 10th

https://www.slipperstillfits.com/2018/10/13/17942936/wcc-2018-2019-preview-10-6

10) Portland Pilots
Cons:
Rebounding could take a huge hit without Hartwich
Shooting efficiency
Had a habit of taking bad shots instead of making the pass

https://twitter.com/CondorianFM/status/1050079814726475777

I wish the author had explained the "Key Game to Watch: Portland @ BYU on January 10th.  

I have no problem with the various “experts” ranking the Pilots last in the WCC, as I think the team and staff need to prove they are better than that to be any higher, but I also find those same experts writing about how much the team will miss Phil as almost humorous.

The Pilots have yet to prove they are a good outside shooting team, and true, Phil blocked a lot of shots and pulled down a lot of rebounds, but his lack of offense beyond a couple of feet from the rim meant other teams could easily collapse the lanes leaving no room for his teammates to drive to the basket.  The reason for many of those "bad shots instead of making the pass" was because there was rarely anyone with an opening to the basket.

If you go back over the last few years to see how many games UP lost by a narrow margin and then check Phil’s free-throw shooting numbers, I think you’ll see that Phil’s swatting and rebounding were more than offset by his lack of offense.

The frontcourt this year will be VERY inexperienced, but they will also be much more athletic and mobile with leaping ability that will offset that inexperience....

[Dean Murdoch]

The frontcourt this year will be VERY inexperienced, but they will also be much more athletic and mobile with leaping ability that will offset that inexperience....

It's definitely going to be a different look for the Pilots there this year, and those big men are going to get tested early. I was looking at Hawaii's team a little bit this morning - they bring back a 6-9 senior in Jack Purchase that was their de facto centre last year, and add to that THREE seven-footers (two of which are Australians) as part of their recruiting class. Should be interesting!

[DoubleDipper]

So it's all right around the corner. Anyone seen any practice? How are things progressing?

Is it okay to answer, "slowly but surely?"  'Cause that's about how it's going at this point as the staff melds a lot of new guys into the on-court mix.

What has been a big aid in moving forward is the redshirt experience of Crisshawn, Taki, and Hugh, and the experienced leadership of Josh M.

As mentioned in the 2018 Recruiting thread, it seems pretty obvious Josh P will redshirt. He's very smooth and athletic, and really a joy to watch, but he needs the skill work he'll get during his redshirt year.

D has really transformed his body and will be much tougher underneath while still needing to prove he can also shoot from mid-range and at the free throw line.  I've seen him hit bunches in a row, but also miss a bunch.

Hugh is now looking much better than while redshirting, not enough to be a starter, but if he can get some game minutes early in the season, I think he can be a first-class sub off the bench.

Theo, much like Josh P is a super athlete, and even less experienced, but I just don't see him redshirting as his talent is enormous if he can just get the minutes to develop it. I see him as first off the bench to sub for Jacob.

Jacob is sneaky athletic. He may not impress you as much as the others, but he can block, rebound, and shoot! The biggest concern for Jacob is his lack of width/weight when going inside against opponents who will outweigh him by 20-50 pounds, but he has shown he's quick enough to get around or away from those bigger guys.

I really think that anyone who can come to the 2pm Purple/White game on Saturday can develop their own impressions of the team, especially the backcourt that I have not paid that much attention to.  Caution, I think we all have to temper our expectations a bit early-on as the coaches attempt to meld all these new pieces to make a whole team.

[NoPoNeighbor]

The frontcourt this year will be VERY inexperienced, but they will also be much more athletic and mobile with leaping ability that will offset that inexperience...

Athleticism and leaping ability are great, but when someone is already 7' tall I'd gladly trade a pound of leaping ability for an ounce of scoring aptitude: capacity to score one-on-one in the post, consistent free throw shooting, toughness to finish a lay-up while being fouled. A good short- to mid-range jumper would be icing on the cake. Any read on those skills for this year's centers, DD? You did mention that Tryon looks like a good shooter, which is promising.

After all, it was never Phil's lack of leaping ability or athleticism that hampered the Pilots' offense; it was his basic ineptitude as a scorer. Last year Hartwich and Smoyer combined to average 7.1 points/game. Will the combo of Tryon and Akwuba do any better?

Hugh is now looking much better than while redshirting, not enough to be a starter, but if he can get some game minutes early in the season, I think he can be a first-class sub off the bench.

From what you'd seen in practice, DD, do you expect Hogland to come off the bench at the 5 (behind Tryon and Akwuba), or in place of Diabate at the 4?

I really think that anyone who can come to the 2pm Purple/White game on Saturday can develop their own impressions of the team, especially the backcourt that I have not paid that much attention to.  Caution, I think we all have to temper our expectations a bit early-on as the coaches attempt to meld all these new pieces to make a whole team.

Thanks for the report, DD. I plan to be there on Saturday to get a first-hand look. But don't worry... with the consensus of prognosticators predicting a last place finish for the Pilots, my expectations are sufficiently tempered already.

[Dean Murdoch]

Source: Portland guard Chrisshawn Clark is out indefinitely with a dislocated ankle. Clark was formerly at Pitt.

Sigh...poor Crisshawn. This guy has been through the wringer.

A quick Google tells me that recovery from an ankle dislocation is about six weeks. Maybe the Portland State game he’d be back for?

[NoPoNeighbor]

Source: Portland guard Chrisshawn Clark is out indefinitely with a dislocated ankle. Clark was formerly at Pitt.

Sigh...poor Crisshawn. This guy has been through the wringer.

A quick Google tells me that recovery from an ankle dislocation is about six weeks. Maybe the Portland State game he’d be back for?

Oh man, this guy is cursed! When the Pilots posted a video a couple of weeks ago documenting the first day of official practice, I worried that Clark could have sustained an injury at the :55 mark, when Shaver falls on his ankle. That's probably not what caused Clark's actual injury, but it doesn't look real good in the video:
https://youtu.be/BpUPaHgaces?t=50

I'm further tempering my expectations for the season...

[NoPoNeighbor]

The WCC coaches have picked the Pilots to finish last. We received 15 points, which means that 6 coaches voted for us the finish second-to-last, and 3 voted for us to finish last.

Gonzaga was the unanimous pick to finish first (again). Mark Few used his first-place vote for BYU this year rather than SMC. Still, SMC eked out 2nd place over BYU, by one point.

The 10-man pre-season all-conference team features four guys from Gonzaga:
http://www.wccsports.com/news/2018/10/18/mens-basketball-wcc-unveils-2018-19-preseason-poll-all-wcc-team.aspx

Coach Porter and Josh McSwiggan will be interviewed live at 11:30am:
https://watchstadium.com/live/147969/

[DoubleDipper]

Sigh...poor Crisshawn. This guy has been through the wringer.

A quick Google tells me that recovery from an ankle dislocation is about six weeks. Maybe the Portland State game he’d be back for?

Yeah, I was absolutely heartbroken for Crisshawn when I got word of it yesterday morning.

It would seem from early indications that Crisshawn will NOT need surgery, and the PSU game may be a possibility, but Grambling on December 15 might be more realistic.

Austin Stone went through this while still at JC, and it seemingly took forever for him to get back to full speed.

Having the team lose its potential second leading scorer and best perimeter defender is certainly a blow, and the bench in now even shorter with just 11 scholarship players, but as they say, "next man up!"

[DoubleDipper]

Some of this is a crap shoot without having seen the team on the court yet, but this is my way-too-early guess at the depth chart:

PG: Shaver, M. Porter, Walker, Hallinan
SG: Clark, F. Porter, Turner
SF: McSwiggan, Fahrensohn
PF: Diabate, Phillips
C: Tryon, Hogland, Akwuba

After three weeks of practice and the loss of Clark, the depth chart includes only 10 scholarship athletes, and looks more like this:

PG: Shaver, Walker
SG: McSwiggan, Fahrensohn
SF: F. Porter, M. Porter
PF: Tryon, Diabate
C: Akwuba, Hogland

Redshirt: Phillips (If JP doesn't redshirt he will be behind Hogland at the 5 spot).

Obviously players are not welded to their position on the depth chart, and I can see Marcus and JoJo in the backcourt together or Franklin moving to the 4 and D going underneath to the 5, but this looks to be the current starting lineup.

The loss of Crisshawn means the loss of a ball handler, scorer and perimeter defender.  The only other player who can come close to all three of those qualities is Josh, and I think the move to the 2 hurts him individually because it takes him away from the 3 where he would be the most individually affective....but it's a team game!  In practice neither Porter has shown the ability of Josh or Taki at the 2, but Franklin is doing okay at the 3 while Malcolm struggles with his shooting.

Tryon is, as advertised, a stretch 4, and although most of us expected he and D to play together, at the moment Theo is outplaying D in all aspects.  It's hard to say if D is just going easy until "game day," or if Theo is just that much better.

Walk-ons Turner and Hallinan (Xavier is not eligible until 12/15) could see some minutes if needed, but early on, it's a seven or eight man rotation with very little help on the bench.

From what you'd seen in practice, DD, do you expect Hogland to come off the bench at the 5 (behind Tryon and Akwuba), or in place of Diabate at the 4?

I think that question is answered above, but of course it really depends about where the team is at in its development in three weeks, and even more importantly, what TP thinks is the best combination going forward.

[Guest]

Do you see Malcolm as being big enough to be effective at small forward? I know his shot was poor last year, and his most effective move was driving to the hoop. But I am not sure that he can rebound effectively from the SF position.

I hope to make the scrimmage, and will be looking to see how the guys look in different positions.

[DoubleDipper]

Do you see Malcolm as being big enough to be effective at small forward? .

Haha, was that meant to be rhetorical?

[Guest]

No, that's the position you have him listed at.

[NoPoNeighbor]

Turns out I won't be able to make the scrimmage tomorrow after all. Thanks in advance for any reports that others can provide

Seems that a slight shuffle in the depth chart could alleviate some of the problems DD has identified:

PG: Walker, M. Porter
SG: Shaver, Fahrensohn
SF: McSwiggan, F. Porter
PF: Tryon, Diabate
C: Akwuba, Hogland

This moves Shaver off the ball, but allows us to have two good ball-handlers on the floor at once. It moves Malcolm back to his best position, which is PG. And it moves McSwiggan to his better position on the wing.

Too bad to hear the report that Diabate hasn't been living up to his potential in practice, but good to hear that Akwuba is impressing! Maybe the challenge from the true freshman will ultimately be good for Diabate.

[Dean Murdoch]

Thanks for the update, DD. These are always very much appreciated, more so for people like me that are fans at a distance!

Tryon is, as advertised, a stretch 4, and although most of us expected he and D to play together, at the moment Theo is outplaying D in all aspects.

I find this shocking. Diabate had flashes of brilliance last year as a freshman and I thought he'd take massive strides as a sophomore.

[Dean Murdoch]

The KenPoms are out! The Pilots are ranked 209th in the country after finishing 272nd in last year's rankings.

Seems pretty generous at first glance with everyone and their dog picking Portland to finish last in the WCC, but the conference as a whole improves from 12th to 9th from end-of-season to preseason ranking (almost equal to the #8 ranked A10).

Pilots are projected to finish 10-5 in non-conference, 5-11 in WCC, 15-16 overall. Pepperdine is the only team ranked lower, at #226.

Non-conference opponents: Hawaii 217, North Texas 164, Northridge 336, USC Upstate 323, Cal Poly 313, Texas State 204, Colorado 81, Portland State 232, Sacramento State 250, Grambling State 306, Seattle 256, Florida A&M 353, Fullerton 137.

WCC rankings: Gonzaga 9, BYU 54, SMC 74, USD 135, USF 138, LMU 140, Pacific 143, SCU 193, UP 209, PEP 226.

New D1 teams: Cal Baptist 227, North Alabama 337 (out of 353).