It's back!
The newest edition of Hokie hoops is set to take the floor for the first time this Friday, and we'll finally get to see what Virginia Tech basketball under Buzz Williams looks like.
I'll provide my overview of the roster today, and share my season outlook later this week. Since much of this team is new, 6 of 10 available scholarship players have never played a collegiate game, I can't say with certainty what any player's production will be. However, I can set a floor and a ceiling for each player, and hope what'll happen on the court lies somewhere in the middle.
Devin Wilson
Probably the only pleasant surprise from last season, especially when you consider that he was a last minute addition to the 2013 recruiting class. He's the most interesting case study for trial-by-fire, as he quickly became the only point guard on the team's active roster. That lack of depth lead him to play such a staggeringly high amount of minutes, even Kobe Bryant would say it was too much.
He showed above average floor vision but often over-passed, especially early in the year, which lead to a ton of turnovers. Eventually teams backed off of him and dared him to shoot, which ended up as a mixed bag for Tech. There was a three game stretch in mid-January where he went 18-31 and averaged 20 points a game, yet at other times, it didn't work out so well. As you can imagine, Wilson's shooting plummeted as the season dragged along, the countless 38-minute nights barely left him legs to stand on, not to mention shoot jumpers.
It's nearly impossible to judge Wilson's overall ability on last season. The team was horrible and he was the lone guy who could create shots for others. That lead to mistakes happening in droves, yet the season would have gone much worse without him (if you can imagine what that looks like).
Best Case
Wilson takes everything he learned last year and gets better because he's playing fewer minutes. The mistakes drop off, the shooting improves and the football toughness in him makes him a favorite of Buzz's. He'll never score 20 a game, especially not in the offense that they'll run. He does, however, have all the skills to be a swiss army knife, someone who can do a little scoring, a little rebounding, a lot of passing and decent defending.
Worst Case
He looks just as flustered as he did at times last season, he struggles to shoot the ball again (maybe he's nothing better than a 40 percent shooter) and spends all season feeling like he's auditioning against Justin Robinson as next year's point guard. This is going to be very interesting to watch, because Buzz has no ties or allegiances to Wilson. If he struggles, will we see some of the freshman combo guards rotate in at point?
Malik Mueller
He's been on campus for over a year, and very few people have any idea about what kind of player he is. Is he good? Bad? Did he teach Adam Smith German while they sat next to each other on the bench in shirts and ties? Did he run out of ties? How many dress clothes combinations did he have last year? I know when I was in college my dress clothes selection wasn't stellar, how many times did he wear the same clothes? These are the hard hitting questions I think we all deserve to know answers to.
Best Case
His frame (6'3", 220) causes opposing backup guards problems, and Mueller can come in like a wrecking ball off the bench for 15 minutes a night. I wish I could go into more detail, but I've only watched one grainy nine-minute highlight clip of his time in Germany.
Worst Case
Due to the plethora of guards, Mueller never has the opportunity to see much of the floor. He spends the year cursing at officials in German and becoming the next member of the Cadarian Raines Memorial TOTS All-Stars. He's already on track, look at his Twitter profile picture.
Adam Smith
Another player who's been on campus for seemingly forever, yet we barely know anything about him. Smith transferred to Tech from UNC-Wilmington, sat out a year, and then missed the final 14 games of his first season as a Hokie with a leg injury. What he showed when he did play was that he's a small two guard with a streaky stroke from deep and an array of floaters.
Best Case
Since the team has many more shooters than a year ago, it's much tougher for opponents to key on Smith. This gives the 6'1" shooting guard enough space to get his shot off, showing the ability to nail threes that he flashed last season (7-14 from three against Michigan State and Seton Hall). With opponents having to respect his shot, Smith could also capitalize on overzealous closeouts and show off his nifty mid-range game. His size will always be a problem on defense, but playing alongside a bigger ball handler like Wilson or Mueller could mitigate that.
Worst Case
His calf injury from last year lingers, or his body just won't be able to handle the grind of another full season. His ceiling is pretty well defined as a solid scorer who poses a liability on defense, so the only thing that would hold him back from reaching it would be his health.
Will Johnston
As the only scholarship senior, we basically know the deal with Johnston. Deep threes, hair bands and trying really hard on defense. We'll get to the trying really hard on defense thing in the 'Worst Case' section. He also looks like a guy who calls his hair 'lettuce'. I can neither confirm nor deny that, I'm just projecting due to the fact that he has a gloriously delicate mane.
Best Case
"Hey Will, do you just want to go stand in the corner and hit three pointers? No, you don't need to move. Just hit the shots, thanks."
Seriously though, Johnston could be the person who benefits most from this influx of talent. Since there was barely any movement, on-ball or off, when the Hokies were on offense a season ago, defenders could move with Johnston, keeping him close to easily contest his shot. Now, the Hokies will have to move the ball around and stretch defenses as much as possible, meaning that defenses won't be able to simply shadow Tech's shooters like last year. This could give Johnston more open looks, which means more drained three pointers.
Worst Case
He gets the open looks, but doesn't hit enough of them to make up for what he gives up on defense. That's the key with shooters, they have to score at a higher rate than they give up defensively. I'm not saying that Johnston is a bad defensive player, he gives great effort, but I've seen the number on the back of his jersey desperately chasing his man around screens a LOT. It will be interesting to see how much playing time he get gets game-to-game. He was not used creatively by James Johnson over the last two years, and I think a good coach can avoid the worst case in this scenario.
Ahmed Hill
The highest rated incoming freshman on the team, Hill originally committed to Marquette and then followed his coach to Blacksburg. Listed as a 6'5", 190 pound shooting guard, Hill will likely play more of a swing position for Tech, depending on the lineup. He's a perfect Buzz Williams-type of player, an athlete who can move with or without the ball, finish at the hoop and put his teammates in positions to score.
Best Case
Hill has already locked down a starting spot and destroys defenses with the little things, scoring in double digits by cutting to the basket and scoring in transition. He's one of the players that personifies the gritty personality of his coach, and becomes a fan favorite for his explosiveness around the rim.
Worst Case
Unsure about his shooting and ball handling, Hill jams up the offensive spacing and doesn't really find a role all year. He still does all the little things, but now the little things don't make fans overlook the fact that he was a top-100 guy and considers him a disappointment. Think Vander Blue's first two years at Marquette. Another explosive swingman who did a lot of little things, he was considered a slight disappointment his first two seasons for the Golden Eagles until his scoring ramped up during his last year.
Jalen Hudson
One of the two holdovers from JJ's final recruiting class, Hudson is a bouncy guard listed on Hokiesports at 6'5". He's from Richmond, but played his high school ball at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. (Yes, the same one LeBron James went to). He's an athlete with a streaky jumper and a decent handle, but I'm not sure what other position he can play besides shooting guard. I've seen it thrown around that he could be the third point guard, but let's just wait and see what develops before we make that leap.
Best Case
He's Jamon Gordon. An athletic, tough defender who's tricky in the paint and can shoot it well enough to make opposing defenses respect him from range. Not to toot my own horn, but I really like this comp. I don't think he's a starter right now, but he can handle the ball well enough to be a distributor from the off-guard spot and anchor the second unit alongside Smith.
Worst Case
He's the odd man out in a deep wing rotation, barely gets any playing time and transfers out of the program after just one year. I know this is a dark scenario, but with Buzz taking three players to two open scholarship spots in this upcoming recruiting class, something will have to give. If Hudson can't make the most of his opportunities, would you blame him for leaving? Especially with Chris Clarke coming down the pipeline as another player who could take minutes from him? I really hope this doesn't happen, because I love Hudson's potential, but you have to at least acknowledge the possibility of this scenario.
Justin Bibbs
The next best prospect in the class, Bibbs was the other player who originally committed to JJ. He's a lefty swingman who can definitely play both wing positions, and I'm wondering if he can play a little power forward as well. Sure, he's only 6'5", but he's listed at 220 and has some extra length to him that can help him guard bigger players. It's not something that you'd want to see a ton of, but having an opposing four try to guard him would be a pretty nice advantage for Tech.
Best Case
Bibbs blossoms under Buzz and turns into the best scorer of the freshman class and maybe even the best scorer on the team. He's fast enough to get behind bigger guys on the perimeter, but big enough to body smaller guards close to the basket. He's not the most athletic guy, but he has good feet and will be a staple on both ends of the court.
Worst Case
I'm really not sure what the basement is here, I liked him a lot as a prospect simply because his game seems very sound. The only thing that I would be concerned about is him being relied on too much. He played on a tremendously talented team in Florida and never had to be the number one guy, so what happens if he's constantly guarded by other team's best defender? I could definitely see Bibbs hitting a freshman wall around conference play, when teams have more film on him to study.
Shane Henry
Get ready for a ton of minutes, Shane, because you're the only scholarship power forward on the roster! Henry, the JUCO commit from Georgia Perimeter College, averaged 13 points, 12 boards and almost five blocks in just 20 minutes a game last season. While those numbers are nice, he's undersized, no taller than 6'7" and less than 200 pounds, so I'm not exactly sure how well his game will translate to ACC play. Henry's athletic, and he's definitely an upgrade at the four over Marshall Wood and C.J. Barksdale, but I need to see the way he defends before I can be as optimistic about him as others.
Best Case
Two years of junior college makes him more ready to go than the other new guys and he starts at power forward all year. Making up for his lack of girth with athleticism, he teams up with JVZ to form a nice high/low combination and crashes both the offensive and glass like a menace. If he does that, he will be a perfect fit for this undersized and (hopefully) well-spaced squad.
Worst Case
He's too small to guard most power forwards, leaving Buzz in an awkward situation defensively. Do you try to double the opposing power forward to help Henry out, leaving the rest of your team vulnerable? Do you play a lot of zone? (probably) The amount of four-guard lineups we see will directly correlate with whether or not Henry can handle extended time against other big men.
Satchel Pierce
Pierce is the other freshman who left Marquette to follow Buzz to Tech. He's the biggest player on the team at a bulky 7'0", 255, but I have big concerns about whether or not he's ready to play. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't matter if he's ready or not, because he's going to be forced into action due to a shallow front court.
Best Case
He thrives in a small role as an energy big man off the bench for 15 minutes a game. He may not score a ton, but he grabs rebounds and protects the rim enough to succeed while surrounded by guards. It's not the sexiest ceiling, but if he can develop throughout the year he could be poised to be an extremely helpful big man for the next three years.
Worst Case
He's painfully slow and can't keep up with the pace that Tech tries to play. We see a lot of stat lines that look like 5 minutes, 0 points, 1, rebound, 0 blocks, 4 fouls.
Again, I haven't seen a minute of him playing collegiately, but I think that this is going to be closer to the truth this season. Unless they're a five-star prodigy, young big men take a little time to develop and are often not ready to play as an 18- or 19-year-old. It will be fun to watch him develop as the season goes along, but that's assuming that we will still see him on the court come February.
Joey van Zegeren
It's been amazing to watch JVZ develop over the last three years. I was in Cassel for all three of the games that he played as a true freshman, and although he played just 10 total minutes before Seth Greenberg decided to redshirt him, it was clear he simply wasn't ready.
Two years ago he had all the signs of a backup big (or "stiff" in derogatory terms), fouling at an absurd rate and failing to finish around the rim. Last year, however, he took a bigger step forward than I ever dreamed we would see. He was a true rim protector, a stronger rebounder and someone who went up without hesitation when he got the ball dished to him around the hoop.
JVZ's development is going to be the single most fascinating subplot of this season. He's the only known quantity in the front court and will be relied on much more than ever before.
Best Case
van Zegeren is everything that Tech needs him to be. An eraser on defense, an energy rebounder/pick setter/garbage scorer on offense while simultaneously controlling his foul situation. That's a ton to ask, probably way too much, but Buzz will have to do so considering that he has no viable backup.
If I had to guess, Buzz will scheme to make the foul situation as easy as possible for his center. I bet we see him pack the paint on pick and rolls as opposed to hedging the screen in space, a place where big men tend to pick up cheap fouls. We will also see a ton of van Zegeren in the middle of the lane, long arms stuck straight up, absorbing a beating from opponents. It's the "law of verticality", something that turned Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert into a defensive ace and would allow van Zegeren to defend the rim while also remaining in the game.
If Tech is able to get away with surrounding JVZ with four guards for chunks of time, their ceiling raises significantly.
Worst Case
He won't be able to stay on the floor. This is going to be a real concern every game, because if JVZ's off the floor the Hokies will be dominated inside. It's tempting for a guy as good at blocking shots as van Zegeren is to go chase them, but if he does that and picks up two early fouls his team is at a HUGE disadvantage.
It feels odd to say, but Joey van Zegeren may be the most important player on this team, the difference between 12-13 wins and 16-17 wins. I don't know how I feel about that as someone who follows the team, but what choice do they have? It's a young, undersized team that will have a very small margin of error.
They'll get better, but just remember that this team has a best case and a worst case just like all of it's players. It'll surely fall somewhere in the middle, but we'll simply have to wait and see what that middle looks like.
Comments
Thanks, Brian! I'm even more pumped and ready for season to start!
Who finishes their season with the least wins:
Virginia Tech Men's Team
Los Angeles Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are insulted you asked that question.
lol seriously
Though, I do have to say that very quietly the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL have put together a roster that just might out-tank the efforts the Sixers put together this year. They are simply an all around awful team with absolutely no redeeming qualities, as opposed to the Sixers, who have some very good players surrounded by absolute awfulness. I think the Corsi stats for the NHL show the Sabres on average this year are possessing the puck something like less than 35% of the time during the games. That's just unheard of.
I appreciate this as a Flyers fan, but more importantly as an NHL fan. The Sabres vs Sixers should be a dreadful watch for who can finish the season with fewer wins.
The Sixers
they don't have the benefit of starting out the year padding the win stats against a bunch of teams from lower conferences and divisions.
I predict that both the Hokies and the Sixers will be rolling strong in a couple years, though.
I don't know anything about the NBA but I would set our O/U at about 11.5
Great write-up Brian!
I am excited for this team. No expectations other than to see improvement over the course of a season.
It's a fantastic perspective to be able to have: Don't worry about wins & losses as a fan, just a 20-odd game preview of what VT Basketball is going to be going forward under Buzz.
It's the perspective I'm taking on football at this point. I wish I'd taken that perspective earlier on, but it is making the past couple weeks easier to bear.
Two things we will see out of Buzz's team: effort and energy! Win or lose. Buzz will not settle for anything less that maximum effort. Double digit wins is a good start to the Buzz era.
Could you possibly include the jersey #'s with each player's description? With so many fresh faces, I had to jump back and forth between your article and Hokiesports' bball roster to know which player you were referencing.
Rumors had the starting lineup vs. USC as Wilson-Smith-Mueller-Bibbs-JVZ. Bibbs at 4 is frightening. And I'm not sure if Mueller on the floor is frightening or exciting, opinions of ZeGerman vary greatly.
Others have said that Henry is too thin to play major minutes and that he's a 15-min guy. That's a significant blow to this team, IMO. And he's no upgrade over Barksdale (if healthy) or probably even Marshall. Its interesting to note from this pic that Bibbs and Henry are of similar height.
I noticed the height thing as well, but if you look closely, Bibbs is on his tippy toes.
Wilson/Smith/Mueller will be fascinating to watch, the ball handling ability could help in transition/team's ability to move the ball around.
It's a wait and see thing with Henry in my opinion. He's really thin, but if he can adjust to the game's physicality he may be able to make up for it. If he simply tries on the low block he's an upgrade over the other two...
I think we've got a lot more talent this year but with the roster deficiencies in the post, our W/L could be really poor. I'm a big Buzz believer (and I thought JJ was an awful coach, so there is a lot of room for improvement in my mind just by being competent on the sideline), but I have a tough time seeing how this roster can beat major conference teams. I could see a 2-16 type of ACC season.
It's going to be fun......and painful.
Nice! We should have had the whole back row doing this and listed everyone with 2 more inches in order to trick our opponents into thinking we actually have more height than a high school team.
Pretty sure Buzz had smaller teams during his tenure at Marquette.
Bibs looks far bigger than Henry in the pic.
I think folks will be stunned by Pierce' skill level.
Who the heck is the backup PG? Buzz said he didn't want Hill dribbling more than twice so that's not an option. Mueller?
Yeah, Muller and Smith can backup Wilson. But Wilson is going to play a ton.
Bold prediction: Wilson shoots >80% from the line this year.
I think my two biggest unknowns are Shane Henry and Malik Mueller. Buzz has said a lot of very complimentary things about Mueller, so hopefully he brings a little Euro flair ala Ricky Rubio. They could be similar players. Tad inefficient but good passers with good vision.
Shane for the love of god, please help us rebound! We're gonna need it!
I got dunked on by Jalen Hudson my sophomore year when he was at Benedictine, not fun.
Great article, helped inform the casual fan such as myself and I just look forward to having something to actually look forward to come hoops season. Can't forget guys, Seth Allen could be a big asset down the road, but it sounds like another guard is the least of our concerns right now
Roster:
0 - Shane Henry - F - 6' 8" -190 - Jr. - Decatur, Ga. - Newton/Georgia Perimeter College
1 - Malik Mller - G - 6' 3" - 220 - r-Fr. - Ehingen, Germany -- Urspring
2 - Joey van Zegeren - F - 6' 10" - 235 - r-Jr. - Hoogeveen, The Netherlands - Canarias Basketball Academy
3 - Adam Smith - G - 6' 1" - 170 - r-Jr. - Jonesboro, Ga. - Fayette County/UNC Wilmington
4 - Seth Allen - G - 6' 1" - 195 - Jr. - Woodbridge, Va. - Fredericksburg Christian/Maryland
10 - Justin Bibbs - G - 6' 5" - 220 - Fr. - Dayton, Ohio - Montverde Academy (Fla.)
11 - Devin Wilson - G - 6' 4" - 190 - So. - McKees Rocks, Pa. - Montour
13 - Ahmed Hill - G - 6' 5" - 195 - Fr. - Augusta, Ga. - Aquinas
14 - Greg Donlon - F - 6' 8" - 230 - Jr. - Midlothian, Va. - Cosby
21 - Satchel Pierce - F - 7' 0" - 255 - Fr. - Barberton, Ohio - Kiski School (Pa.)
22 - Christian Beyer - F - 6' 7" - 220 - Sr. - New Bern, N.C. - New Bern
23 - Jalen Hudson - G - 6' 5" - 195 - Fr. - Richmond, Va. - St. Vincent-St.Mary (Ohio)
25 - Will Johnston - G - 6' 4" - 225 - Sr. - Midlothian, Va. - Midlothian
32 - Zach LeDay - F - 6' 7" - 235 - Jr. - Dallas, Texas - The Colony/South Florida
In Picture (from L to R)
Top Row: Seth Allen, Greg Donlon, Joey van Zergen, Satchel Pierce, Shane Henry, Justin Bibbs, Zach LeDay
Botom Row: Adam Smith, Jalen Hudson, Christian Beyer, Ahmed Hill, Malik Muller, Devin Wilson, Will Johnston
Thanks for identifying everyone. Saved me a few minutes of research.
if Will Johnston is 6'4 then im 7 feet....went to highschool with him and wouldnt put him at anything over 6'3 if even that. wonder if any team actually has an accurate height/weight list, i know when my cousin played college baseball often times they were allowed to make up their own heights/weights without an official weigh in or anything.
Basketball height is always listed WITH shoes. So add an inch or two to their real height unless they're wearing platforms.
Height/weight cannot be trusted. Henry is listed 6'8 - 190 lb, that is only twenty pounds heavier than 6'1 Smith and thirty pounds lighter than 6'3 Mueller. Certainly possible, but kind of crazy. He looks athletic, but adding 10-20 lbs of strength would add some versatility. Hopefully Mueller will have a big strength advantage if he gets matched up with smaller guards.
Are Bibbs and LeDay tip-toeing it?
You get a leg for making my life easier.
Well done.
My only data point for this team is the comparison of the pic above with the Hokiesports height listings. Measurements for a couple of those guys included not only the sneakers, but the shoebox as well.
Seriously, this is a small basketball team (or perhaps I should say, "this is a seriously small basketball team") that will have to make up for it with intensity on defense, good shooting on offense, and good fundamentals all around. Getting this consistently is a giant ask for this many freshman, but I do think there will be times when this team hits a bunch of 3's...Smith, Bibbs, Hill, and Johnston have plenty of range. Henry's (who looks closer to 6' 5") highlight reel included a few bombs as well.
A year from now, I think we might do some damage in the conference. This year, I'm just looking forward to the new faces and a fresh approach...the new era in VT basketball.
Thoughts on some of the returning players - When JVZ was recruited, the objective analysts as well as Greenberg said that he would eventually become an effective post player. Meaning that he would grow (in ability) into the position. Not a great one, an effective one. Of course, the immediate rsponse by some fans during his freshman year was that he was a bust. Because they ignored the objective analysis on him. The JVZ that we will get now is the one he was projected to be, and he will be key to us.
Adam Smith is going to HAVE to play defense, despite being tiny. If he wants playing time, he HAS to play defense, which he's not done during his career yet. He isn't a measurably better scorer than a handful of guys who are bigger than him and who will play defense. That will determine his playing time. Watch during the season.
Devin Wilson has to focus on getting the ball to OTHER people to score. He has to focus on creating ball movement that results in baskets. He has to learn how to make free throws, and how to shoot jump shots. A PG that shoots .659% on FTs is horrible. Bottom line, that is horrible. He's got to immediately go well over .775%, and really needs to be in the .800% range.
As for the newcomers (as well as some of the holdovers), a main point of focus for Buzz is in developing their confidence, in getting them to believe in themselves. Easy wins over OOC teams don't do that nearly as well as competing tightly against ACC opposition, even in losses.
This is a ground up reconstruction. I have faith it will surprise many with its success, but I also understand that W-L records & postseason play are not accurate gauges of the team for the next handful of seasons. The best advice is to listen - LISTEN, not just hear - to what Buzz says about the team and individual players, and to catalog that with a knowledge of Buzz's philosophy.
All that said, I am very amped over this season. The quality of play on the court will be the best in years, and that is what counts.
I'm hoping Wilson worked during the off season the way that Erick Green worked when he made the huge leap in productivity. I thought he was pretty good at getting other people the ball last year. Didn't he tie school record for assists in a single game? If his shot has improved, which I'm sure it has (free throws included), he could have a pretty impressive season.
Wilson had a tendency to 'own' the ball for far longer than he should have, and while he certainly led the team in assists, had far many more opportunities to get more. As far as being hopeful that his shooting accuracy improved drastically over the summer, I'll wait to see the actual product on the floor. Green worked extraordinarily hard, we'll see about Wilson's improvement. His shooting has a lot of room to improve, certainly.
I think Wilson frequently compared himself too much to Green, probably because he was handed the team on the floor by Johnson the way Johnson handed Green the team a year earlier. That's one of the unfortunate results when you have a head coach that is in far deeper waters than he should tread.
On the brighter side - Wilson has a good chance to be the facilitator, in a positive way, under Buzz. If - repeat - IF he recognizes the right opportunities in passing - a comment from Buzz himself.
Buzz is truly building something the right way. I'm loving his video crew that captures the Boot Camp and other sessions. Check out this video about the National Anthem.
To those who have served-THANK YOU! #jenga
Good post, leg up! I've got to say, anybody the least bit interested in Hokie basketball MUST follow Buzz on Twitter, as well as his website, which is -
http://coachbuzzwilliams.com/
Listen to the pregame show even if you're not attending, and listen to the postgame for a better understanding of what Buzz is doing. He's not like some coaches, you can actually learn real info about our players as well as the opponents, and where we are on our path to success. It's not fluff. If you care about Hokie hoops, invest the time, you'll be richly rewarded.
Also follow Buzz's Youtube channel, they post a bunch of clips about the team, Boot camp, his teachings, etc. Really fun to watch
I think Satchel Pierce's time working in the US Basketball Academy and as the starting center for the U-19 squad that won several high profile world tournaments will bring him in much more prepared for the college game than many seem to think. I also anticipate Christian Beyer being called on to play important minutes at the power forward position this season, especially if Henry doesnt pan out. Its not ideal but he could be the difference this season in a few games. I am surprised at how quickly Bibbs has packed on the pounds. Ideally he plays more of a three role but circumstances could change that. All in all I agree with most of what Brian had to say in terms of what to expect from this team.
The center formerly known as Satchel Prince?
Got to love phone autocorrect
I think the thing that excites me about this team is not only the fact that we'll be truly competing in the ACC at a high level within the next 2-3 years, but the fact that we're going into this season with little to no expectations. That being said, I believe the team will exceed expectations this season.
What role (if any) will Isaiah Ford play this year?
Was wondering the same thing. Haven't heard a whole lot about him and how he fits in.
He seems like a similar player to Jalen Hudson, except smaller. I know he really filled up the stat sheet in high school, so he will be interesting to watch. Too bad he's not a frontcourt player!
With this team, he's a power forward.
Just so everyone knows, I made a $15 to win $11,000 bet on the basketball team winning the national championship...rails on me if this ever comes to fruition.
As someone who is turning 21 during the season you sir are a fantastic person, and I look forward to the rails.
We really are always thin on the front line. I know Buzz will probably get that fixed over time, but that's what worries me most about this team for this upcoming season. We will probably be seeing a lot of 4 guard/forward lineups, which I'm sure will be fun to watch at times as well as frustrating too.
Go Hokies!
One good thing about college ball, especially in the ACC, is that you can be really successful even if your biggest impact player is only a #4 guy. To use the extreme, look at Duke. Other than the Plumlees, they've been using 6'9"ish guys as their 'bigs' for years. That doesn't mean Buzz is a Coach K clone in terms of philosophy. It just means you don't have to be big to succeed. Buzz never really had big teams at Marquette, and he was hugely successful there.
Yeah, Buzz's teams are always a little on the smaller side but they sure do work their tails off with hustle... I'm looking forward to seeing how his philosophy transfers over to our team. I cannot wait.
I am excited for the season. If we're looking to beat the projections, all we have to do is come in better than last place in the ACC. Definitely doable.
I am really excited to watch Bibbs and Hill play. I really enjoyed their highlight tapes. The thing that stood out to me about Pierce is that while he does seem a little raw, he moves pretty well. With how fast our team will have to play due to lack of size, I think a mobile 250lb 7footer is huge (literally) for us.
I hope I am not being too optimistic, but I think Wilson will have a good year for us. I think he can be a very effective floor general.
If Henry can help with rebounding and Bibbs is as proficient at it as Buzz has mentioned, then that will help our team a great deal.
Player I'm most excited to watch: probably Ahmed Hill in a close race with Bibbs. Hill looks like he has springs in his shoes in all of his highlight tapes.
Hudson has some serious hops also.
Sick dunk but that was awful defense. Giving up baseline to a kid that quick should earn you a spot on the bench real quick. And who goes for the charge on help after your guy gave up baseline? Sure fire way to end up on someone's hoopmixtape lol. Put a hand up kid
Hope Cassell is packed this Friday. It needs to be. Support these guys and Buzz!
Looking forward to seeing a few ames this season.
I'll be there with 5 of my friends! Can't wait!
Good to see everyone is either a G or F. Sounds like Buzz will mix and match for a while depending on what he wants to run. Nice.
Record wise, I have no clue what we are going to be, and I don't care. With all these new players, freshman, transfers, juco, etc. who knows how our chemistry is going to be this year. I am just excited/looking forward to seeing a more up beat offense or just an effective offense in general.
Don't you mean Seth Allen?
I'm not going to call Seth Allen a point guard until I see it with my own eyes.
I agree. Nothing I saw from him at Maryland makes me think he would be able to surpass Devin at PG. Robinson on the other hand is a pure PG and will likely push Devin coming in the door if Devin can't improve his passing and turnovers.
BTW Wilson had 90 TO's and 148 Asst playing 35 min/ gm as a freshman. Just sayin....
Seth Allen had 102 TO's and 143 Asst as a freshmen and sophomore at Maryland. Not really a huge difference in either of those categories. Allen shoots slightly better than Wilson overall but that's with two seasons at the college level. Seeing no significant difference in that and knowing what film I have seen on Allen, I think that Wilson will likely develop this season enough to surpass what Allen did as a sophomore. I also think Allen had much greater talent around him and still struggled to perform so considering what Wilson was working with last season his performance is that much more impressive compared to Allen.
Absolutely agree with that, looking for big improvement from him with last years experience and a full year of strength and conditioning...
Wilson should be so much better if he can get pt down to 30-32 min. The dead legs just killed him last year especially on FT's and perimeter shooting. He was over 80% I believe early last year before he hit the wall.
The kid is a warrior for sure
Wilson's production in OOC play in November/December didn't vary much from his ACC play. He did shoot better from the floor, only as a result of driving to the basket more often as opposed to settling for shots outside. He shot better on 3PT shots during ACC play, and his FT shooting was not down that much. He was bad early and late on his FT shooting, so fatigue had nothing to do with it.
OOC: FG - .483% 3PT - .167 FT - .688
ACC: FG - .326% 3PT - .343 FT - .645
I am hopeful like everyone else he improves his shooting. I'm just not optimistic about it until I see it actually happen. A point guard absolutely must shoot better than he did. That being said, his focus needs to be on distribution, not scoring.
Great write up, I didnt see anything on Christian Buyer, or were you just doing scholarship players?