A very hypothetical comparison but here goes.
We start with PG. Melo next year with a years experience vrs. this year. I got to go with next years Melo. As a backup, Brantley is a real PG. So advantage on offense but Pack was a very good defender so
there may not be much advantage at back up PG but overall PG should be measurably better.
2 Guard. Take your pick, Pack, freshman Nickens or freshman Wiley vrs. sophomore Nickens, sophomore Wiley, Brantley or maybe a grad transfer (Lee). I have to go with a big advantage to next year.
SF. Dez vrs. Jake. Dez was just a warrior. Did he sometimes try to do to much? Definitely yes but nobody else was stepping up. We shall see how Jake plays as a senior but I'm giving the advantage to this past year with Dez, About the same advantage that next year's PG situation will have an advantage.
PF. Jake as starter backed up by Evan and Jonathan vrs. Cater backed up by Bender or Checo. Jake played out of position but did a great job most of the time. Evan would have been great if he had his shooting touch back, but he didn't. Big advantage for next year.
C. Dodd backed up by freshman Checo, undersized Jonathan, or oft injured and undersized, Evan vrs. Potential lottery pick Stone backed up by Dodd and Checo both another year older and wiser. Huge advantage to next years team.
Intangibles: Last year, Dez's leadership. Outstanding free throw shooting. Dez and Pack on the D end. Next year, will Melo, Carter and Layman fill the leadership void? Will we shoot as well from the ff line? I'm going to give the advantage to this years team, too many unknowns.
That means 4 advantages next year to two advantages this year. I think improved inside scoring and rebounding will be more important than anything. Add in the improvements between freshmen and sophomores we usually see for Melo, Nickens, Wiley and Checo and I see us winning 30 regular season games, winning the BIG, getting a 1 seed in the NCAA and winning at least all the way to the final four and perhaps a championship.
Next year maybe Men's and Women's BB National Champion
We start with PG. Melo next year with a years experience vrs. this year. I got to go with next years Melo. As a backup, Brantley is a real PG. So advantage on offense but Pack was a very good defender so
there may not be much advantage at back up PG but overall PG should be measurably better.
2 Guard. Take your pick, Pack, freshman Nickens or freshman Wiley vrs. sophomore Nickens, sophomore Wiley, Brantley or maybe a grad transfer (Lee). I have to go with a big advantage to next year.
SF. Dez vrs. Jake. Dez was just a warrior. Did he sometimes try to do to much? Definitely yes but nobody else was stepping up. We shall see how Jake plays as a senior but I'm giving the advantage to this past year with Dez, About the same advantage that next year's PG situation will have an advantage.
PF. Jake as starter backed up by Evan and Jonathan vrs. Cater backed up by Bender or Checo. Jake played out of position but did a great job most of the time. Evan would have been great if he had his shooting touch back, but he didn't. Big advantage for next year.
C. Dodd backed up by freshman Checo, undersized Jonathan, or oft injured and undersized, Evan vrs. Potential lottery pick Stone backed up by Dodd and Checo both another year older and wiser. Huge advantage to next years team.
Intangibles: Last year, Dez's leadership. Outstanding free throw shooting. Dez and Pack on the D end. Next year, will Melo, Carter and Layman fill the leadership void? Will we shoot as well from the ff line? I'm going to give the advantage to this years team, too many unknowns.
That means 4 advantages next year to two advantages this year. I think improved inside scoring and rebounding will be more important than anything. Add in the improvements between freshmen and sophomores we usually see for Melo, Nickens, Wiley and Checo and I see us winning 30 regular season games, winning the BIG, getting a 1 seed in the NCAA and winning at least all the way to the final four and perhaps a championship.
Next year maybe Men's and Women's BB National Champion
