Early Look at Men's Hoops -- april 2023

This is going to be turned into a post (a couple of versions) so this is like notes/ sketches for that

Perry – Transfer - 82.7% minutes played
Huntsberry – Graduate 79%
Jones – Returning *as of now - 65%
Scott – Returning *as of now 66.6%
Sissoko – Returning 21%
Ousmane – Transfer 53%
Matt Stone – Returning 37.3%
Tyree Eady – Graduate 50.1%
Christian Moore – Returning
Rasheed Browne – Graduate
Jayden Martinez – Graduate 34.9%

Ball handlers:

Jones, Moore

Scorers:

Jones, Scott [a little bit. he’s growing into the role]

Shooters

Scott, Jones [He is a career .347 shooter, but .312 this year although he leveled up in the last few weeks shooting .416 in the NIT], Moore

Bigs

Sissoko

I think the needs are in ball-handling, scoring, and big men. A couple of those roles overlap. Last year, Perry/Huntsberry did both ball handling and scoring and stretching the floor. Martinez played the big man spot and was also a threat to shoot.

By our definition, the scorer role is someone that can create for themselves. Can we give them the ball or run a set for them and let them get a bucket?

Ross Hodge will want some versatility – offense and defense and someone that fits the program – but definitely someone that can come in here and get buckets. I believe Rubin Jones can get 15/game if he wants, but he will need help. He can’t be the primary defender, ball-handler, and scorer. Just like Kai Huntsberry did a lot of scoring – averaged like 12 per game in the NIT – ball handling and defending, you need some options.

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Stone has been and will continue to be an interesting chess piece for the rotation, but yeah he doesn’t really fit any of those categories cleanly as a power-guard. A more consistent shot would go a long way, as his defense and energy are already tenacious. I loved the three ball-handler lineups that we started at the end of the year. Having that type of personnel is great because it allowed them to adjust to any injuries on the fly, in addition to all the benefits that the full strength lineup had to attack off the dribble individually.

I would agree with your assessments altogether. Two more starting ball-handlers to replace TP and Kai’s roles will be huge. Moulaye’s contributions were huge at the end of the year but he was kept on the bench by Abou almost all year. I would like someone that could maybe be an Abou/Jayden hybrid next year that could challenge Moulaye, a role that I don’t see Chris Morgan fulfilling. A Tyree/Jayden hybrid that could play next to AScott and another big, but could also back up AScott and Rubin would be on my shopping list as well.

It might be a while before they start filling roster needs though, as it seems like Coach Hodge is currently filling out his staff with the departures of their assistant coaches to Tech as well. We will almost certainly have to go back to our tried and true method of finding JuCo/D2 diamonds in the rough.

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