Note: The following is the final piece of a three-part series previewing Southern Conference men’s basketball for 2013-14. The season preview was prepared by Dean Keener, who provides commentary on Southern Conference men’s basketball broadcasts. Keener played collegiately at Davidson before embarking on a successful coaching career. He served as head coach at James Madison from 2004-08.
Keener and play-by-play announcer Darren Goldwater open the season on Nov. 11 when Davidson hosts Wisconsin-Milwaukee in a game that can be seen on ESPN3.
“Best Bets”
(This is the final installment of a 3-part series on SoCon Men’s Basketball)
No doubt it’s difficult for coaches to say good-bye to talented players, great leaders and others who have made a positive impact on their programs. But at some point it’s time to pass the torch and move on allowing the next group of players to show what they can do.
Even with the loss of some really good players, there will be no shortage of potential stars – and highlights – in the coming months as Southern Conference basketball will be wide open this season. This should make for lots of fun for the fans.
Yes, we’ve talked about lots of things in this series as the hoops season approaches, but one of the fun parts of a new year are the fearless predictions. Remember, a new season is not just about the tournament champion. Yes, the pot of gold everyone is chasing is important, but it’s also about the buzzer-beating games, the upsets, the crazy storylines and the new stars that emerge.
These forecasts are certain to cause discussion among SoCon hoop fans. With that, here are my “Best Bets” for the upcoming year:
o Best non-conference games
§ November 15: FGCU @ Furman
· Dunk City brings its show to Timmons Arena
§ November 21: Wofford @ Minnesota
· Huge opportunity for the Terriers against a Big Ten foe
§ December 7: UNCG @ North Carolina
· Wes Miller goes home to face his alma mater in the Dean Dome
§ December 8: Davidson @ Charlotte
· Battle for the Hornets’ Nest is always a war
§ December 17: Elon at Georgetown
· Nationally televised game (CBS Sports Network) could put Elon on the radar
§ January 18: UMass @ Elon
· A possible “Bracket Buster” game in mid-January. Think Alumni Gym will be rocking?
o Best conference games
§ January 4: Elon at Western Carolina
· Larry Hunter is hard to beat in the Ramsey Center
§ February 6: Davidson @ Samford
· Only regular season meeting. Can the Bulldogs make a statement?
§ February 20: Furman @ Wofford
· Separated by just 35 miles, these two schools simply don’t like each other!
§ March 1: Appalachian State at UTC
· Late season game could really mean something for both teams
§ March 1: Davidson at Elon
· This may be for the Southern Conference regular season title
o Player most likely to….
§ Lead league in scoring
· Trey Sumler – Western Carolina
§ Lead league in rebounding
· Z Mason – Chattanooga
§ Lead league in assists
· Marshall Harris III – The Citadel
§ Lead the league in dunks
· Lucas Troutman – Elon
§ Lead the league in shots per minute
· Karl Cochran – Wofford
§ Surprise the SoCon
· Kyle Cain – UNCG
§ Record a triple double
· Tim Williams - Samford
§ Score 30 points in a game
· Karl Cochran - Wofford
o Accolades
§ Best perimeter scorer
· Trey Sumler – Western Carolina
§ Best low post scorer
· De’Mon Brooks – Davidson
§ Best passer
· Raijon Kelly - Samford
§ Best shooter
· Sebastian Koch – Elon
§ Best rebounder
· Z Mason – Chattanooga
§ Best shot blocker
· Lucas Troutman – Elon
§ Best defender
· Tom Droney – Davidson
§ Most versatile
· Brandon Boggs – Western Carolina
§ Best in the clutch
· Trey Sumler – Western Carolina
§ Best speed (baseline-to-baseline the quickest player)
· Russell Wilson – Samford
§ Best motor (college basketball can never have enough of these guys)
· Ryley Beaumont – Elon
o Best Frontcourt
§ Elon
· Not even close: Lucas Troutman and Ryley Beaumont are talented and experienced. Add Egheosa Edomwonyi, Ryan Winters and Tony Sabato and you have a formidable frontcourt for any mid-major league!
o Best Backcourt
§ Davidson
· Tom Droney, Tyler Kalinoski, Jordan Barham, Brian Sullivan and Jake Gibbs. There are several solid backcourts in the league this year, but the Wildcats gain the edge with their versatility.
Pre-season all-conference team
It’s difficult selecting just 5 players for the pre-season all-conference team, but these guys simply are some of the best the Southern Conference has to offer.
De’Mon Brooks (Davidson) – 6’8” 225 Forward Senior
The reigning SoCon POY (Media) and Tournament MVP, Brooks can do a little bit of everything. Equally adept inside using either hand, Brooks has been a force the past two seasons. With Jake Cohen and Clint Mann gone, he will see a lot more double teams – how he reacts to these will determine a lot about his success – and Davidson’s - this season.
Tim Williams (Samford) – 6’8” 225 Forward Sophomore
The SoCon Freshman-of-the-Year in 2013 earned the award going way, leading all freshmen in six statistical categories (scoring, rebounding, FG%, steals, blocks and minutes played). He’s athletic and possesses loads of talent, but he simply can’t rely on his reputation.
Now that people have a scouting report on him, his motor needs to improve in order to keep his game and the Bulldogs on an upward trajectory.
Z Mason (Chattanooga) – 6’5” 235 Forward Senior
Mason is simply a bull in the low post. Listed at 6’5”, he plays bigger and stronger (is that possible?), two skills that are invaluable. He averaged 14.9 ppg last year and is the leading returning rebounder in the SoCon (7.6 rpg). With the emergence of Gee McGhee and Ronrico White on the perimeter, Mason could help make new coach Will Wade’s transition a smooth one.
Lucas Troutman (Elon) – 6’10” 220 Forward Senior
He possesses as much talent as anyone in the league. The 6’10” senior has a chance to lead the league in rebounding and blocked shots. And yes, he can really score too! What should also help Troutman have a successful senior year are four other returning starters in the Phoenix lineup.
While he has that help all around him, if the Phoenix are going to win the Southern Conference, he has to be the difference-maker. Not many teams Elon will face this season will have a skilled big man like Troutman.
Trey Sumler (Western Carolina) – 5’10” 180 Guard Senior
Sumler is a scoring machine. As long as he is one the court (and he is a lot, averaging a league best 37.7 mpg), the Catamounts have a chance most nights in this league.
Last season, Sumler ranked in the SoCon’s top 10 in five statistical categories, pacing the league in scoring average in league-only games at 19.1 points per game. He ranked second in the league in steals per game (1.9 spg) overall while pacing the league in SoCon games at 2.2 thefts per outing. He also dished out 3.6 assists per game.
SoCon "Off-Broadway"
Here’s my list of the top 5 most indispensable players in the Southern Conference. Not necessarily the best players. These are the ones who might not be all-league, but are important to the success of their team; yet they don’t usually get the headlines.
Lee Skinner (Wofford) – 6’6” 212 Forward Junior
On a team with Karl Cochran, it’s sometimes hard to get noticed, but Skinner is a player! The 6’6 junior can do a little bit of everything, including all the dirty work inside. Last season, he led the Terriers in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and minutes per game (34.5 mpg) and was second in assists (2.2 apg) while chipping in 10.3 ppg.
Stephen Croone (Furman) – 6’0” 170 Guard Sophomore
Baseline to baseline, he is one of the quickest players in the league. He has a solid skill set with the unique ability to get into the lane. If he stays healthy, expect the sophomore point guard to be a big part of the Paladin program moving forward.
Matt Van Scyoc (The Citadel) – 6’6” 218 Guard/Forward Sophomore
This kid is just different. He’s all about the right things in college basketball. He’s a tough match up and with Mike Groselle gone; he needs to be one of the “go-to” players for Chuck Driesell’s Bulldogs.
Mike Neal (Appalachian State) – 6’2” 185 Guard Junior
App State was 14-9 last year when Neal returned after sitting out the fall semester. The Mountaineers need him to be at his best this season. He is a solid shooter from all three areas on the floor (3FG, mid-range and at the rim), but needs to improve on his assist-to turnover ratio.
Neal may not be the most talented point guard in the league, but without him, the Mountaineers are just an average team.
Jelani Hewitt (Georgia Southern) – 6’2” 185 Guard RS-Junior
Without Eric Ferguson, Hewitt may very well be the key to GSU success. Cming off a red-shirt season, Hewitt was a 39.6% 3-point shooter two seasons ago. When he’s open, it’s trouble for an opponent. It will be interesting to see how new coach Mark Byington moves him around in order to free him for some easy looks.
Seniors that need to step up
This is not necessarily a list of the best seniors, or even the most indispensable. It is simply a list of seniors that need to have productive seasons in their final year if their team is to be successful.
Chris Czerapowicz (Davidson) – 6’7” 200 Guard Senior
To his defense, he has not been the same since having hip surgery in May 2012. If he’s healthy (and all indications are that he is close to 100%), he is capable of being a first team all-conference performer – he’s that good! He possesses a special blend of IQ, toughness and most importantly, the willingness to take the big shot.
Tom Droney (Davidson) – 6’6” 220 Guard Senior
He was highly recruited out of Pittsburgh and has had a solid career for the Wildcats to date. But with guards JP Kuhlman and Nik Cochran gone, Droney will be counted on to log major minutes for Davidson this season. For Droney, his value doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet, although his career assist-to-turnover ratio is terrific. He does all the little things that help a team win.
Tawaski King (Western Carolina) – 6’8” 245 Forward Senior
The big fella from Georgia has been a mainstay in the post for the Catamounts the past 3 seasons playing in 100 games. That said, if Western Carolina is to have any chance at post season play, he needs to take pressure off Trey Sumler and others. Last season, King averaged 11.0 ppg and 6.3 rpg while shooting 50-percent from the floor. If those numbers go up just slightly, the Catamounts will be a tough out.
Tre’ Bussey (Georgia Southern) – 6’2” 185 Guard Senior
With 92 career games under his belt and CJ Reed gone, Bussey needs to assert himself in the Eagles backcourt. He was the Eagles 3rd leading scorer (8.8ppg) last season but the 6’2” guard from Lithia Springs, GA only shot 36% from the field. Worse, he had a 0.6-1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Those statistics must improve.
Charlie Reddick (Furman) – 6’5” 185 Guard RS-Senior
He is another talented player that has been derailed with injuries. Reddick has worked hard to make himself into a player during his career at Furman and if he and Stephen Croone are healthy, the Paladins have a perimeter game that can contend most nights in the Southern Conference.
I hope this series has cured your SoCon basketball fix. It’s been fun putting this together, but now it’s time for the real action to start. Follow me throughout the year on twitter at @DeanKeener1.
I look forward to seeing everyone on the road during a Southern Conference game soon!
-Dean Keener