The Final Analysis

[mat1992 2,235]

It's difficult not to applaud this team. They became the first Towson squad to win a CAA regular season title or shared at 15-3. In some ways, they overachieved and in some ways underachieved. What do I mean? Let's look at the stats.

When it comes to underachieving and things we need to improve on:

1)Foul shooting at 72.1%. Cam Holden got to the line 181 times and that was nearly twice as much as the second-high Nick Timberlake (97). Timberlake shot 80.4% from the line. Holden shot 70.7% (128-181) and while he has a propensity to get to the line, which is great. He needs to shoot closer to 75%. Some of that might have been the mask and some the wrist he injured against Northeastern. Thomspon shot 63.1% (53 of 84), though he was a tad worse in conference play (61.2%) and Holden was worse as well (67.7%). Gibson shot 89.1%, but getting to the line (41 of 46) is not his game. Nolan also struggled at 62.3% and that's way down for his career numbers of 67.7%. Last year, he shot 81% from the line at Bradley and 34.3% from beyond the arc. He shot 29.6% from the three this season. Getting players that can get to the basket and either finish or get to the line who can make FTs, can't hurt.

2)Fouls. Part of that is due to our aggression on defense. You aren't going to average 7.2 steals per game without fouling at times. But with all that aggression and some pressure D, you'd like to see more than 12.8 turnovers forced a game. Two seasons ago, when we had a decent team, we forced 10.9, so that certainly is an upgrade. But I think what we showed tonight, with a little more length and athleticism, that press could be more effective. Not saying, we will be VCU, but it could become a part of our system.

3)Postseason. In three games in the postseason including the NIT and two CAA games, we shot 21 of 74 from the three-point line for 28.3%. We shot 35% from the field. We had 30 assists and 37 turnovers. Not saying the Thompson and Holden injuries weren't devastating, but the guards had some looks and couldn't get them to go in.

Getting to the postseason is the ultimate goal, Winning the regular season has been accomplished and now it's time to get even better. But when you look at the players expected to return in Timberlake (14.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 40.6% 3pt), Cam Holden (13.5ppg, 7.9rpg, 42.8% FG,  3.1 apg, 26.9% 3pt, 67 steals), Charles Thompson (10.8ppg, 53 blocks, 6.7rpg, 60.4% FG), and Jason Gibson (9.8ppg, 43.3% 3pt, 2.7apg), you have the best group of starters returning since JB. Guthrie, Damas and Burwell came back in 2013-14. The problem with that team was that Jerome Hairston was booted from the team early that season so they basically played with no point guard. This team has a point guard in Gibson returning, but Holden was more of the "point forward" and ran the team. The need for a point guard is going to be the key part that is missing with Terry Nolan not expected to return.

Nolan had his moments and was at one point in the top 20 in assist/turnover ratio. He provided some really good things early, had a respiratory condition, missed seven games and played limited in about 4-5 games and struggled to get his rhythm after that. But there's nothing wrong with having a 6-4, 200-pound athletic point guard who can defend. You'd like to see one who can slash to the basket and finish better preferably like a certain Drexel point guard who just transferred.

Now for the rest of the team? Who returns and who comes back by playing themselves in the rotation. I'm not going to assume everyone returns.

1)Antonio Rizzuto (6-3, 210). Shot decently but what an amazing coincidence. He shot 35.5% from three-point range! That's incredible because he's now shot around 36% from three-point in all four seasons. He opened the season going 0-5 from three-point against his old team Albany and wound up going 0 for 8 in his last three games. He's a good defender and played with a knee injury most of the season that limited his jumping ability and quickness. Does he return for his last season of eligibility? He can be a useful player off the bench if he returns, but the numbers are the numbers. He does that every season. He's basically a three-and-D guy, but is all or nothing from 3-pt and can't create his own shot. 

2)Chase Paar (6-10, 255). If he returns as the backup center, he has to get in better shape. Can't continue putting the ball low when he's in the paint. He averaged 3.4ppg and 2.7rpg in 11.1mpg. Shot 52.5% from the floor and 61.2% from the line. Missing those 2 FTs against Delaware and the missed layup against WF is hard to forget and really crushing moments for the team. A broken hand in preseason and loss of his mother couldn't have helped. Brother Cole could also be on the team in the fall and is similar size.

3)Radhir Hicks (6-0, 170). At times, Hicks looked like he was going to spell Gibson and Nolan for about 10 minutes per game. At other times, he was invisible because they need some offense and he averaged just 1.5 points on 31.7% shooting (0-8 3pt) in 12.7mpg. His defense is outstanding, but when you are point guard with the ball in your hands, you need to be more than that. Also needs to get bigger and stronger.

4)Tyler Coleman (6-7, 230) and Chris Biekeu (6-7, 235). Can you keep both? They both look good on the hoof, but Coleman appears to have the better hands and more offensive skills. Biekeu has the length. If Coleman continues to get in better shape, he could be the backup 4 and 5 next season (though I think we all would prefer another 3-4 guy like Juwan Gray). Biekeu has shown flashes but when CT leaves next year or the year after, is he really going to be next five man or even backup five?

5)Tyler Gill, Darrick Jones Jr. . Jones has never found a role in two seasons here and even though he was a 3* guy at Oak Hill, the best part of his game is the layup line. Maybe he just needs to be in a different more up-tempo style, but you have to play both ends. Future is probably not here. Gill is 5-11 and he's not growing, but in the Elon road game with no point guard, he ran the team a lot better than Hicks did. Yet, he hasn't played much and that's likely because Hicks is the better defender. 

I would think there will be a minimum of two more ships available. Maybe three. 

Transfer portal needs:

1)Point guard who can run the team, score in crunch time and not turn it over.  Must be able to finish at the rim

2)Wing with some length who can get to the rim and can shoot over 34% from 3pt. 

3)Big forward who has the versatility to play the post and the wing. Can come off the bench, defend, rebound and score some. Can replace Holden or play with him.

Christian May (6-6, 200) and Dylan Williamson (6-1, 190) are impressive freshmen, but it's not likely that they will have a huge impact, but who knows? The last two freshman classes did not have a player who could play in the rotation. These players appear to fit what this team needs. May could play some four, is unselfish, can shoot it and is very athletic. Williamson might be able to find his way as a rotation player due to his ability to shoot. Can either defender? That's always a tough task for a freshman to handle.

As for Holden, he was spectacular at times this season. What does he need? A left hand. He goes right about as much as John Davis used to go left. That jumper certainly needs work and some extra pounds couldn't hurt. I know that's a lot for an All-Conference player, but we don't need him to be good. For us to get to the next level. we need somebody to be GREAT. 

I don't think you can ask much more from CT. He exploded in conference play as he took his game to the next level. Better at the FT line. Better mid-range shot. A few more rebounds. 

Timberlake was terrific this season. Went from Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago to First-team All-Conference. Consistency on D, finishing better (using left hand some) or a floater. A bit more poise when they get down.

Gibson also had a solid season. Sometimes hot and cold, but did the best he could as a point guard, going against quicker players. He's not going to make the All-Defensive team, but he has become competent defensively. Playing off the ball more would help. Shot 43% from 3-point. Not much more you can ask other than getting a little bigger so he can finish in the paint. 

Very good season. Was very proud of the way they fought back in the second half against Wake Forest, but now is the next step and that's playing better when the lights are on. Maybe and apparently, they need a player from another program to step in and become that alpha that's needed to get to the Big Dance for the first time in 32 years. Could that have been Curtis Holland?

[TuTigers2012 1,069]

4 minutes ago, mat1992 said:

It's difficult not to applaud this team. They became the first Towson squad to win a CAA regular season title or shared at 15-3. In some ways, they overachieved and in some ways underachieved. What do I mean? Let's look at the stats.

When it comes to underachieving and things we need to improve on:

1)Foul shooting at 72.1%. Cam Holden got to the line 181 times and that was nearly twice as much as the second-high Nick Timberlake (97). Timberlake shot 80.4% from the line. Holden shot 70.7% (128-181) and while he has a propensity to get to the line, which is great. He needs to shoot closer to 75%. Some of that might have been the mask and some the wrist he injured against Northeastern. Thomspon shot 63.1% (53 of 84), though he was a tad worse in conference play (61.2%) and Holden was worse as well (67.7%). Gibson shot 89.1%, but getting to the line (41 of 46) is not his game. Nolan also struggled at 62.3% and that's way down for his career numbers of 67.7%. Last year, he shot 81% from the line at Bradley and 34.3% from beyond the arc. He shot 29.6% from the three this season. Getting players that can get to the basket and either finish or get to the line who can make FTs, can't hurt.

2)Fouls. Part of that is due to our aggression on defense. You aren't going to average 7.2 steals per game without fouling at times. But with all that aggression and some pressure D, you'd like to see more than 12.8 turnovers forced a game. Two seasons ago, when we had a decent team, we forced 10.9, so that certainly is an upgrade. But I think what we showed tonight, with a little more length and athleticism, that press could be more effective. Not saying, we will be VCU, but it could become a part of our system.

3)Postseason. In three games in the postseason including the NIT and two CAA games, we shot 21 of 74 from the three-point line for 28.3%. We shot 35% from the field. We had 30 assists and 37 turnovers. Not saying the Thompson and Holden injuries weren't devastating, but the guards had some looks and couldn't get them to go in.

Getting to the postseason is the ultimate goal, Winning the regular season has been accomplished and now it's time to get even better. But when you look at the players expected to return in Timberlake (14.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 40.6% 3pt), Cam Holden (13.5ppg, 7.9rpg, 42.8% FG,  3.1 apg, 26.9% 3pt, 67 steals), Charles Thompson (10.8ppg, 53 blocks, 6.7rpg, 60.4% FG), and Jason Gibson (9.8ppg, 43.3% 3pt, 2.7apg), you have the best group of starters returning since JB. Guthrie, Damas and Burwell came back in 2013-14. The problem with that team was that Jerome Hairston was booted from the team early that season so they basically played with no point guard. This team has a point guard in Gibson returning, but Holden was more of the "point forward" and ran the team. The need for a point guard is going to be the key part that is missing with Terry Nolan not expected to return.

Nolan had his moments and was at one point in the top 20 in assist/turnover ratio. He provided some really good things early, had a respiratory condition, missed seven games and played limited in about 4-5 games and struggled to get his rhythm after that. But there's nothing wrong with having a 6-4, 200-pound athletic point guard who can defend. You'd like to see one who can slash to the basket and finish better preferably like a certain Drexel point guard who just transferred.

Now for the rest of the team? Who returns and who comes back by playing themselves in the rotation. I'm not going to assume everyone returns.

1)Antonio Rizzuto (6-3, 210). Shot decently but what an amazing coincidence. He shot 35.5% from three-point range! That's incredible because he's now shot around 36% from three-point in all four seasons. He opened the season going 0-5 from three-point against his old team Albany and wound up going 0 for 8 in his last three games. He's a good defender and played with a knee injury most of the season that limited his jumping ability and quickness. Does he return for his last season of eligibility? He can be a useful player off the bench if he returns, but the numbers are the numbers. He does that every season. He's basically a three-and-D guy, but is all or nothing from 3-pt and can't create his own shot. 

2)Chase Paar (6-10, 255). If he returns as the backup center, he has to get in better shape. Can't continue putting the ball low when he's in the paint. He averaged 3.4ppg and 2.7rpg in 11.1mpg. Shot 52.5% from the floor and 61.2% from the line. Missing those 2 FTs against Delaware and the missed layup against WF is hard to forget and really crushing moments for the team. A broken hand in preseason and loss of his mother couldn't have helped. Brother Cole could also be on the team in the fall and is similar size.

3)Radhir Hicks (6-0, 170). At times, Hicks looked like he was going to spell Gibson and Nolan for about 10 minutes per game. At other times, he was invisible because they need some offense and he averaged just 1.5 points on 31.7% shooting (0-8 3pt) in 12.7mpg. His defense is outstanding, but when you are point guard with the ball in your hands, you need to be more than that. Also needs to get bigger and stronger.

4)Tyler Coleman (6-7, 230) and Chris Biekeu (6-7, 235). Can you keep both? They both look good on the hoof, but Coleman appears to have the better hands and more offensive skills. Biekeu has the length. If Coleman continues to get in better shape, he could be the backup 4 and 5 next season (though I think we all would prefer another 3-4 guy like Juwan Gray). Biekeu has shown flashes but when CT leaves next year or the year after, is he really going to be next five man or even backup five?

5)Tyler Gill, Darrick Jones Jr. . Jones has never found a role in two seasons here and even though he was a 3* guy at Oak Hill, the best part of his game is the layup line. Maybe he just needs to be in a different more up-tempo style, but you have to play both ends. Future is probably not here. Gill is 5-11 and he's not growing, but in the Elon road game with no point guard, he ran the team a lot better than Hicks did. Yet, he hasn't played much and that's likely because Hicks is the better defender. 

I would think there will be a minimum of two more ships available. Maybe three. 

Transfer portal needs:

1)Point guard who can run the team, score in crunch time and not turn it over.  Must be able to finish at the rim

2)Wing with some length who can get to the rim and can shoot over 34% from 3pt. 

3)Big forward who has the versatility to play the post and the wing. Can come off the bench, defend, rebound and score some. Can replace Holden or play with him.

Christian May (6-6, 200) and Dylan Williamson (6-1, 190) are impressive freshmen, but it's not likely that they will have a huge impact, but who knows? The last two freshman classes did not have a player who could play in the rotation. These players appear to fit what this team needs. May could play some four, is unselfish, can shoot it and is very athletic. Williamson might be able to find his way as a rotation player due to his ability to shoot. Can either defender? That's always a tough task for a freshman to handle.

As for Holden, he was spectacular at times this season. What does he need? A left hand. He goes right about as much as John Davis used to go left. That jumper certainly needs work and some extra pounds couldn't hurt. I know that's a lot for an All-Conference player, but we don't need him to be good. For us to get to the next level. we need somebody to be GREAT. 

I don't think you can ask much more from CT. He exploded in conference play as he took his game to the next level. Better at the FT line. Better mid-range shot. A few more rebounds. 

Timberlake was terrific this season. Went from Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago to First-team All-Conference. Consistency on D, finishing better (using left hand some) or a floater. A bit more poise when they get down.

Gibson also had a solid season. Sometimes hot and cold, but did the best he could as a point guard, going against quicker players. He's not going to make the All-Defensive team, but he has become competent defensively. Playing off the ball more would help. Shot 43% from 3-point. Not much more you can ask other than getting a little bigger so he can finish in the paint. 

Very good season. Was very proud of the way they fought back in the second half against Wake Forest, but now is the next step and that's playing better when the lights are on. Maybe and apparently, they need a player from another program to step in and become that alpha that's needed to get to the Big Dance for the first time in 32 years. Could that have been Curtis Holland?

Number 3. That’s all the matters now. Some here will disagree, but that’s every mid major team And their fans goal.

we really need a go to player. Cam is a nice piece and does things well but he can’t drive and shoot. He’s not a guard and definitely not a power forward. He’s a tweener and if he’s back there’s a lot he needs to work on. 
 

 

[Tgr4life 167]

12 hours ago, mat1992 said:

It's difficult not to applaud this team. They became the first Towson squad to win a CAA regular season title or shared at 15-3. In some ways, they overachieved and in some ways underachieved. What do I mean? Let's look at the stats.

When it comes to underachieving and things we need to improve on:

1)Foul shooting at 72.1%. Cam Holden got to the line 181 times and that was nearly twice as much as the second-high Nick Timberlake (97). Timberlake shot 80.4% from the line. Holden shot 70.7% (128-181) and while he has a propensity to get to the line, which is great. He needs to shoot closer to 75%. Some of that might have been the mask and some the wrist he injured against Northeastern. Thomspon shot 63.1% (53 of 84), though he was a tad worse in conference play (61.2%) and Holden was worse as well (67.7%). Gibson shot 89.1%, but getting to the line (41 of 46) is not his game. Nolan also struggled at 62.3% and that's way down for his career numbers of 67.7%. Last year, he shot 81% from the line at Bradley and 34.3% from beyond the arc. He shot 29.6% from the three this season. Getting players that can get to the basket and either finish or get to the line who can make FTs, can't hurt.

2)Fouls. Part of that is due to our aggression on defense. You aren't going to average 7.2 steals per game without fouling at times. But with all that aggression and some pressure D, you'd like to see more than 12.8 turnovers forced a game. Two seasons ago, when we had a decent team, we forced 10.9, so that certainly is an upgrade. But I think what we showed tonight, with a little more length and athleticism, that press could be more effective. Not saying, we will be VCU, but it could become a part of our system.

3)Postseason. In three games in the postseason including the NIT and two CAA games, we shot 21 of 74 from the three-point line for 28.3%. We shot 35% from the field. We had 30 assists and 37 turnovers. Not saying the Thompson and Holden injuries weren't devastating, but the guards had some looks and couldn't get them to go in.

Getting to the postseason is the ultimate goal, Winning the regular season has been accomplished and now it's time to get even better. But when you look at the players expected to return in Timberlake (14.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 40.6% 3pt), Cam Holden (13.5ppg, 7.9rpg, 42.8% FG,  3.1 apg, 26.9% 3pt, 67 steals), Charles Thompson (10.8ppg, 53 blocks, 6.7rpg, 60.4% FG), and Jason Gibson (9.8ppg, 43.3% 3pt, 2.7apg), you have the best group of starters returning since JB. Guthrie, Damas and Burwell came back in 2013-14. The problem with that team was that Jerome Hairston was booted from the team early that season so they basically played with no point guard. This team has a point guard in Gibson returning, but Holden was more of the "point forward" and ran the team. The need for a point guard is going to be the key part that is missing with Terry Nolan not expected to return.

Nolan had his moments and was at one point in the top 20 in assist/turnover ratio. He provided some really good things early, had a respiratory condition, missed seven games and played limited in about 4-5 games and struggled to get his rhythm after that. But there's nothing wrong with having a 6-4, 200-pound athletic point guard who can defend. You'd like to see one who can slash to the basket and finish better preferably like a certain Drexel point guard who just transferred.

Now for the rest of the team? Who returns and who comes back by playing themselves in the rotation. I'm not going to assume everyone returns.

1)Antonio Rizzuto (6-3, 210). Shot decently but what an amazing coincidence. He shot 35.5% from three-point range! That's incredible because he's now shot around 36% from three-point in all four seasons. He opened the season going 0-5 from three-point against his old team Albany and wound up going 0 for 8 in his last three games. He's a good defender and played with a knee injury most of the season that limited his jumping ability and quickness. Does he return for his last season of eligibility? He can be a useful player off the bench if he returns, but the numbers are the numbers. He does that every season. He's basically a three-and-D guy, but is all or nothing from 3-pt and can't create his own shot. 

2)Chase Paar (6-10, 255). If he returns as the backup center, he has to get in better shape. Can't continue putting the ball low when he's in the paint. He averaged 3.4ppg and 2.7rpg in 11.1mpg. Shot 52.5% from the floor and 61.2% from the line. Missing those 2 FTs against Delaware and the missed layup against WF is hard to forget and really crushing moments for the team. A broken hand in preseason and loss of his mother couldn't have helped. Brother Cole could also be on the team in the fall and is similar size.

3)Radhir Hicks (6-0, 170). At times, Hicks looked like he was going to spell Gibson and Nolan for about 10 minutes per game. At other times, he was invisible because they need some offense and he averaged just 1.5 points on 31.7% shooting (0-8 3pt) in 12.7mpg. His defense is outstanding, but when you are point guard with the ball in your hands, you need to be more than that. Also needs to get bigger and stronger.

4)Tyler Coleman (6-7, 230) and Chris Biekeu (6-7, 235). Can you keep both? They both look good on the hoof, but Coleman appears to have the better hands and more offensive skills. Biekeu has the length. If Coleman continues to get in better shape, he could be the backup 4 and 5 next season (though I think we all would prefer another 3-4 guy like Juwan Gray). Biekeu has shown flashes but when CT leaves next year or the year after, is he really going to be next five man or even backup five?

5)Tyler Gill, Darrick Jones Jr. . Jones has never found a role in two seasons here and even though he was a 3* guy at Oak Hill, the best part of his game is the layup line. Maybe he just needs to be in a different more up-tempo style, but you have to play both ends. Future is probably not here. Gill is 5-11 and he's not growing, but in the Elon road game with no point guard, he ran the team a lot better than Hicks did. Yet, he hasn't played much and that's likely because Hicks is the better defender. 

I would think there will be a minimum of two more ships available. Maybe three. 

Transfer portal needs:

1)Point guard who can run the team, score in crunch time and not turn it over.  Must be able to finish at the rim

2)Wing with some length who can get to the rim and can shoot over 34% from 3pt. 

3)Big forward who has the versatility to play the post and the wing. Can come off the bench, defend, rebound and score some. Can replace Holden or play with him.

Christian May (6-6, 200) and Dylan Williamson (6-1, 190) are impressive freshmen, but it's not likely that they will have a huge impact, but who knows? The last two freshman classes did not have a player who could play in the rotation. These players appear to fit what this team needs. May could play some four, is unselfish, can shoot it and is very athletic. Williamson might be able to find his way as a rotation player due to his ability to shoot. Can either defender? That's always a tough task for a freshman to handle.

As for Holden, he was spectacular at times this season. What does he need? A left hand. He goes right about as much as John Davis used to go left. That jumper certainly needs work and some extra pounds couldn't hurt. I know that's a lot for an All-Conference player, but we don't need him to be good. For us to get to the next level. we need somebody to be GREAT. 

I don't think you can ask much more from CT. He exploded in conference play as he took his game to the next level. Better at the FT line. Better mid-range shot. A few more rebounds. 

Timberlake was terrific this season. Went from Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago to First-team All-Conference. Consistency on D, finishing better (using left hand some) or a floater. A bit more poise when they get down.

Gibson also had a solid season. Sometimes hot and cold, but did the best he could as a point guard, going against quicker players. He's not going to make the All-Defensive team, but he has become competent defensively. Playing off the ball more would help. Shot 43% from 3-point. Not much more you can ask other than getting a little bigger so he can finish in the paint. 

Very good season. Was very proud of the way they fought back in the second half against Wake Forest, but now is the next step and that's playing better when the lights are on. Maybe and apparently, they need a player from another program to step in and become that alpha that's needed to get to the Big Dance for the first time in 32 years. Could that have been Curtis Holland?

Matt,

 

Very good analysis. Just as a note in regard to the fouling.......I had a chance to talk to John Wooden before the UCLA-Memphis State Championship game. I asked him how UCLA played aggressive defense, but nobody ever fouled out. He noted that the vast majority of fouls are  called on the boards while rebounding. He taught his players to go to the basket with their hands in the air as opposed to raising them once they are under the basket. It was his opinion, that this drill in practice made a huge difference in fouls during the season. I found that to be very interesting. Clearly being aggressive in the open court does make a difference, but there are things that can be done to help that situation. 

[Tiger93 299]

15 hours ago, mat1992 said:

It's difficult not to applaud this team. They became the first Towson squad to win a CAA regular season title or shared at 15-3. In some ways, they overachieved and in some ways underachieved. What do I mean? Let's look at the stats.

When it comes to underachieving and things we need to improve on:

1)Foul shooting at 72.1%. Cam Holden got to the line 181 times and that was nearly twice as much as the second-high Nick Timberlake (97). Timberlake shot 80.4% from the line. Holden shot 70.7% (128-181) and while he has a propensity to get to the line, which is great. He needs to shoot closer to 75%. Some of that might have been the mask and some the wrist he injured against Northeastern. Thomspon shot 63.1% (53 of 84), though he was a tad worse in conference play (61.2%) and Holden was worse as well (67.7%). Gibson shot 89.1%, but getting to the line (41 of 46) is not his game. Nolan also struggled at 62.3% and that's way down for his career numbers of 67.7%. Last year, he shot 81% from the line at Bradley and 34.3% from beyond the arc. He shot 29.6% from the three this season. Getting players that can get to the basket and either finish or get to the line who can make FTs, can't hurt.

2)Fouls. Part of that is due to our aggression on defense. You aren't going to average 7.2 steals per game without fouling at times. But with all that aggression and some pressure D, you'd like to see more than 12.8 turnovers forced a game. Two seasons ago, when we had a decent team, we forced 10.9, so that certainly is an upgrade. But I think what we showed tonight, with a little more length and athleticism, that press could be more effective. Not saying, we will be VCU, but it could become a part of our system.

3)Postseason. In three games in the postseason including the NIT and two CAA games, we shot 21 of 74 from the three-point line for 28.3%. We shot 35% from the field. We had 30 assists and 37 turnovers. Not saying the Thompson and Holden injuries weren't devastating, but the guards had some looks and couldn't get them to go in.

Getting to the postseason is the ultimate goal, Winning the regular season has been accomplished and now it's time to get even better. But when you look at the players expected to return in Timberlake (14.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 40.6% 3pt), Cam Holden (13.5ppg, 7.9rpg, 42.8% FG,  3.1 apg, 26.9% 3pt, 67 steals), Charles Thompson (10.8ppg, 53 blocks, 6.7rpg, 60.4% FG), and Jason Gibson (9.8ppg, 43.3% 3pt, 2.7apg), you have the best group of starters returning since JB. Guthrie, Damas and Burwell came back in 2013-14. The problem with that team was that Jerome Hairston was booted from the team early that season so they basically played with no point guard. This team has a point guard in Gibson returning, but Holden was more of the "point forward" and ran the team. The need for a point guard is going to be the key part that is missing with Terry Nolan not expected to return.

Nolan had his moments and was at one point in the top 20 in assist/turnover ratio. He provided some really good things early, had a respiratory condition, missed seven games and played limited in about 4-5 games and struggled to get his rhythm after that. But there's nothing wrong with having a 6-4, 200-pound athletic point guard who can defend. You'd like to see one who can slash to the basket and finish better preferably like a certain Drexel point guard who just transferred.

Now for the rest of the team? Who returns and who comes back by playing themselves in the rotation. I'm not going to assume everyone returns.

1)Antonio Rizzuto (6-3, 210). Shot decently but what an amazing coincidence. He shot 35.5% from three-point range! That's incredible because he's now shot around 36% from three-point in all four seasons. He opened the season going 0-5 from three-point against his old team Albany and wound up going 0 for 8 in his last three games. He's a good defender and played with a knee injury most of the season that limited his jumping ability and quickness. Does he return for his last season of eligibility? He can be a useful player off the bench if he returns, but the numbers are the numbers. He does that every season. He's basically a three-and-D guy, but is all or nothing from 3-pt and can't create his own shot. 

2)Chase Paar (6-10, 255). If he returns as the backup center, he has to get in better shape. Can't continue putting the ball low when he's in the paint. He averaged 3.4ppg and 2.7rpg in 11.1mpg. Shot 52.5% from the floor and 61.2% from the line. Missing those 2 FTs against Delaware and the missed layup against WF is hard to forget and really crushing moments for the team. A broken hand in preseason and loss of his mother couldn't have helped. Brother Cole could also be on the team in the fall and is similar size.

3)Radhir Hicks (6-0, 170). At times, Hicks looked like he was going to spell Gibson and Nolan for about 10 minutes per game. At other times, he was invisible because they need some offense and he averaged just 1.5 points on 31.7% shooting (0-8 3pt) in 12.7mpg. His defense is outstanding, but when you are point guard with the ball in your hands, you need to be more than that. Also needs to get bigger and stronger.

4)Tyler Coleman (6-7, 230) and Chris Biekeu (6-7, 235). Can you keep both? They both look good on the hoof, but Coleman appears to have the better hands and more offensive skills. Biekeu has the length. If Coleman continues to get in better shape, he could be the backup 4 and 5 next season (though I think we all would prefer another 3-4 guy like Juwan Gray). Biekeu has shown flashes but when CT leaves next year or the year after, is he really going to be next five man or even backup five?

5)Tyler Gill, Darrick Jones Jr. . Jones has never found a role in two seasons here and even though he was a 3* guy at Oak Hill, the best part of his game is the layup line. Maybe he just needs to be in a different more up-tempo style, but you have to play both ends. Future is probably not here. Gill is 5-11 and he's not growing, but in the Elon road game with no point guard, he ran the team a lot better than Hicks did. Yet, he hasn't played much and that's likely because Hicks is the better defender. 

I would think there will be a minimum of two more ships available. Maybe three. 

Transfer portal needs:

1)Point guard who can run the team, score in crunch time and not turn it over.  Must be able to finish at the rim

2)Wing with some length who can get to the rim and can shoot over 34% from 3pt. 

3)Big forward who has the versatility to play the post and the wing. Can come off the bench, defend, rebound and score some. Can replace Holden or play with him.

Christian May (6-6, 200) and Dylan Williamson (6-1, 190) are impressive freshmen, but it's not likely that they will have a huge impact, but who knows? The last two freshman classes did not have a player who could play in the rotation. These players appear to fit what this team needs. May could play some four, is unselfish, can shoot it and is very athletic. Williamson might be able to find his way as a rotation player due to his ability to shoot. Can either defender? That's always a tough task for a freshman to handle.

As for Holden, he was spectacular at times this season. What does he need? A left hand. He goes right about as much as John Davis used to go left. That jumper certainly needs work and some extra pounds couldn't hurt. I know that's a lot for an All-Conference player, but we don't need him to be good. For us to get to the next level. we need somebody to be GREAT. 

I don't think you can ask much more from CT. He exploded in conference play as he took his game to the next level. Better at the FT line. Better mid-range shot. A few more rebounds. 

Timberlake was terrific this season. Went from Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago to First-team All-Conference. Consistency on D, finishing better (using left hand some) or a floater. A bit more poise when they get down.

Gibson also had a solid season. Sometimes hot and cold, but did the best he could as a point guard, going against quicker players. He's not going to make the All-Defensive team, but he has become competent defensively. Playing off the ball more would help. Shot 43% from 3-point. Not much more you can ask other than getting a little bigger so he can finish in the paint. 

Very good season. Was very proud of the way they fought back in the second half against Wake Forest, but now is the next step and that's playing better when the lights are on. Maybe and apparently, they need a player from another program to step in and become that alpha that's needed to get to the Big Dance for the first time in 32 years. Could that have been Curtis Holland?

Great recap. I agree with everyone who has said that we need a strong physically athletic player that can get to the rim and finish in crunch time to make sure we are not over-relying on three-pointers like we did at times this year (never thought I would say that). I agree an athletic point guard who can shoot enough to keep teams honest would be nice. I do realize getting these types of players are easier said then done. 

I felt like this year we were at our best when no one player to carry the full burden of scoring. We had a lot of wins where 4 or 5 guys took 8+ shots. This was our best winning formula. As much as Thompson and Timberlake improved, they are not good enough to be go-to players in crunch time. They are good enough to put extreme pressure on teams in crunch time if there are multiple offensive options. I know ultimately it does work better if there is someone who can get a big bucket in crunch time, but it was refreshing to watch when we the ball was moving smoothly throughout the offense, and I hope Skerry can have the personnel to replicate this on a somewhat consistent basis. 

[Tiger93 299]

15 hours ago, TuTigers2012 said:

Number 3. That’s all the matters now. Some here will disagree, but that’s every mid major team And their fans goal.

we really need a go to player. Cam is a nice piece and does things well but he can’t drive and shoot. He’s not a guard and definitely not a power forward. He’s a tweener and if he’s back there’s a lot he needs to work on. 
 

 

No one on this board will disagree with you on No. 3. However, being good when it counts means you need to develop consistent habits and be peaking at the right time of the season. That requires the element of having a good regular-season, conference team that is consistently getting better. What we are all waiting for is to peak at the right time, and not be tight, injured or have off-shooting game when the chips are down. Hopefully we can figure that out.  

[omniland 31]

We were just fractions of 3 point shooting away from beating Delaware and Wake.  Basketball is an imperfect game.  You are going to have turn overs, sometimes more than other games, however we were a good 3 point shooting team.  I don’t know if it is realistic to be a competitive mid-major and not shoot really good from 3 point range.  On the nights that you shoot terrible from 3 point range you probable lose.  Probably all mid-majors lose against a power 5 if they shoot terrible from long range.  Power 5 teams land all the quack point guards that can drive to the basket with either hand.  Power 5 teams land all the freshman big men with skills.  Power 5 teams have many players with the size of CT and bigger.  Mid-majors get late bloomers and now frustrated players off the transfer portal.  You can barley squeak by Northeastern shooting terrible but not Delaware or Wake.  We had a lot of good looks in both games, just missed bad, time and time again.  I thought Nolan, in the Wake game, needed to give up the ball during the last 3 minutes.  When it is not your night it is not your night.  The last 3 games we shot 21 of 74 from 3 point range.  If that just changes slightly we may pull off both loses.  Regardless of what player we land or ad you cannot shoot that poorly against good competition and win.