2023-24 Preseason

So we're one scrimmage and many practices deep, probably time for a preseason thread?

Happy Kenpom Day! Preseason rankings have dropped, he's got Portland at 160.

Not going to have to wait long to get tested. LBSU will come in ranked 40 spots higher at 120. Kenny P projects a 1-point Pilots win

Scrimmage margin of defeat was either 7 or 8 depending on source. I sent my spy to search the trash bins at Chiles for a box score, but apparently this game was played in Seattle??

I did manage to find out that Tyler Harris indeed looks like the real deal. Double double with 3 blocks for him.

Everyone likes winning, of course, but the UP staff chose to use the #124 Seattle game to look at the "other" guys to determine who will be in the 8-9 man rotation, not looking so much at the projected starters like TRob, Noah, V, Juanse, and Ali.

As mentioned, freshman Tyler Harris had a double/double in limited minutes and Ali played very well in the short time he played, while Vince, Yuto, Thomas, and Bol played the majority of minutes in the second half.

I have heard the staff was impressed with the team's defense and the ability of the players to work together, not as mere individuals on the court to get the job done.

After studying and learning from the tape of the Seattle scrimmage and then applying "lessons learned" during the scrimmage at home against #166 Utah Valley on October 28, the coaching staff will likely have a much better idea of where the team stands and the rotation heading into the #120 Long Beach St. game on November 6.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Happy Kenpom Day! Preseason rankings have dropped, he's got Portland at 160.

Here's the entire WCC accoding to Ken...



You'll note that KP expects all the "P" teams to finish in a WCC tie at 6-10, just one game behind SCU.

KP expects a precipitous drop in SCU's performance this coming season after losing a couple of key players...I think they'll be better than that.

LMU seems to get a lot of preseason love each year and disappoints, and this year the team is said to be "loaded" but not ranked in the top-100.

Surprised that SMC is down to #38 after finishing #13 last season and bringing back almost everyone.

These are the KenPom rankings for the rest of the WCC at the conclusion of last season:

8-GU
13-SMC
85-SCU
101-USF
109-LMU
157-UP
188-PU
192-UOP
224-USD

Big Purple vs. White scrimmage today (Saturday) at 1:30 in the Beauchamp Center...

Is the scrimmage open to the public today?

...thanks

Yes, the scrimmage is open to the public today in Beauchamp at 1:30. Coach Legans wants fans to attend today and support the team.

Here’s Coach’s request: Today’s scrimmage “is the ultimate showdown; the very first of its kind - It’s a bacon and eggs scrimmage, our last intra-squad scrimmage at 1:30 p.m. We're bringing in the refs (Surprise refs) and spicing things up with some serious bragging rights on the line. The losers? They're responsible for whipping up a feast for the whole team on Sunday.”

Please come support the guys!

DoubleDipper wrote:Big Purple vs. White scrimmage today (Saturday) at 1:30 in the Beauchamp Center...

Well, any first impressions of this season's team?

StudentPilot wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:Big Purple vs. White scrimmage today (Saturday) at 1:30 in the Beauchamp Center...

Well, any first impressions of this season's team?

Very impressed by the play and passion of Juanse Gorosito, Noah Jordan, and Ali Koroma.

Except for Yuto Yamanouchi-Willams, the entire team, including Tyler Robinson, struggled mightily at the free throw stripe.

The "home team," comprised of all but one potential starter, was able to play excellent lock-down defense in the second half and during OT.

Kelson Gebbers was the only walk-on to see action, and although he is sure to redshirt this season, he was very impressive with his athleticism and understanding of the offensive and defensive schemes.

Vince Delano was the only scholarship play who did not play.

After his terrible knee injury 18 months ago, I don't blame Chris Austin for not driving hard to the rim, but instead he was accurate from outside.  I asked Chris about his confidence in his repaired knee, and was told he's "getting there." 

Freshman Tyler Harris is a "baller" and will certainly not redshirt.

Vukasin Masic, Thomas Oosterbroek, Vasilije Vuchinic, and Bol Dengdit all played significant minutes.

up7587 wrote:Who won, and who had to cook the bacon and eggs?

The two teams, Purple and White, played two 16-minute halves, and the score was zeroed-out starting the second half.

As I recall, the score at the end of the second period was 28-28, and then Purple finally won in OT.

Purple: Juanse, Chris, Noah, Bol, Ali, Yuto.

White: Vukasin, T-Rob, Tyler H., Thomas, Vasilije, Kelson.

DoubleDipper wrote:

Dean Murdoch wrote:Happy Kenpom Day! Preseason rankings have dropped, he's got Portland at 160.

KP expects a precipitous drop in SCU's performance this coming season after losing a couple of key players...I think they'll be better than that.

It was just an a "secret scrimmage," but I've been told Santa Clara beat UCLA 64-53 on Saturday.

While SMC was scoring over 100 points and trouncing Fresno St. by 35, and USF was humbling USC by 3, the Pilots were losers at home to Utah Valley by 3 points.

Way too many turnovers and fouls for the Pilots, as they were outscored at the free-throw line 25-10 while being limited to only 7 points off turnovers, while UVU scored 21 points off Pilot miscues.  

T-Rob played 35 minutes, something most of us did not want to see. Koroma fouled out in 26 minutes of action and 4 turnovers, Jordan went scoreless, while Austin scored 5 against the team the Pilots were playing when Chris went down with his horrific knee injury 18 months ago.

The bright spots came more from the subs than the starters as Harris, Vucinic, and Masic looked good according to someone who was at the scrimmage, while the bench contributed 31 of the Pilots 76 points.

Lots of work for the coaches and team before UP's tough matchup against Long Beach St. a week from tomorrow, Monday November 6 at 7:30.

One of my old Riverside buddies tells me that UP's November 12 opponent, Cal-Riverside, beat WCC cellar dweller USD 77-63 yesterday...

KenPom ranked UCR #234 and USD #263 in the preseason...

I thought I’d drop some predictions to get some chatter going around here as the opener approaches. Looking at this team, I believe T-Rob’s presence sets a decent floor of 5-6 conference wins. I freaking love watching that guy play and I’m going soak up this last season of seeing him in purple. My ceiling projection is around 10-11 conference wins and a 3/4 place finish in the league. Where they land in this range depends on if they get 1-2 other players to really pop and outproduce their projections. The biggest impact I see is if Gorosito can take a BIG step forward and play like a borderline all conference guy.

Summary:
Conference record: 8-8
X-factor: Gorosito
Newcomer with biggest impact: Koroma

Do you guys have any bold predictions?

bdaddy wrote:Summary:
Conference record: 8-8
X-factor: Gorosito
Newcomer with biggest impact: Koroma

I am in complete agreement with your assessment except that an 8-8 conference record might be a little optimistic.  However, with just four days to go before the first game, it is the time of year we should be optimistic.  

I have watched a couple of practices and a scrimmage and think the "other" newcomer that will have the most impact, and be on the All-Freshman team, is Tyler Harris.

With this year's roster, it is conceivable that T-Rob will be the starting point guard to add rebounding, scoring, and size while Gorosito comes off the bench to change the pace of the game.  

The starting lineup will likely change from game to game based upon best matchups with the opposition, but base purely on what I have seen, the first starting lineup could be:

T-Rob
Tyler H.
Ali
Vukasin
Chris

The 8-man rotation:

Tyler Robinson
Ali Koroma
Noah Jordan
Chris Austin
Vukasin Masic
Juanse Gorosito
Vasilije Vucinic
Tyler Harris

up7587 wrote:20 days and counting to Nov. 6th.  

The basketball season is here!!

Monday November 6 at 5pm Pilots WBB vs. SDSU and at 7:30pm Pilots MBB vs. Long Beach St.  

I am looking forward to watching the new squad. All the best to Legans and his coaches. Go Pilots!