Note: The following piece 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 20-year coaching career. He served as head coach at James Madison from 2004-08. You can follow him on twitter: @DeanKeener1
The Dean’s List
This is the second of a three-part series previewing Southern Conference Men’s Basketball
I. Inside SoCon Basketball:
This may sound a lot like last year - I have Chattanooga as the clear-cut favorite. The Mocs are talented, experienced and well-coached. But as talented as Chattanooga is, and they are the clear favorite, I truly feel there are five or six programs that have a legitimate shot to win league titles – regular season and tournament – if the Mocs stumble in the smallest way. So, who are the others that have a chance?
If we’ve learned anything the past six years, it’s to never count out a Mike Young-coached Wofford team. They will miss Spencer Collins, but I look for them to be better than last year. Just down the road, the Furman Paladins are riding high from their finest season in years and look poised to continue climbing the SoCon ladder under the leadership of Niko Medved. Steve Forbes is putting the pieces together at ETSU and the Bucs will be a team that can make some real noise if the transfers blend together. UNCG, Mercer and Samford all have enough talent to win big games as well. And finally, don’t ever forget about Western Carolina as long as Larry Hunter is at the reins. The Catamounts have lost a ton of points the past few years, but are a tough out in the Ramsey Center.
In this edition of The Dean’s List, we will provide you with the pre-season power rankings which will no doubt cause some discussion among SoCon fans. There are also three key questions that need to be answered as we enter the new season. SoCon fans should fasten up for what should be a wonderfully wild ride that ends in Asheville, North Carolina when we crown the tournament champion in early March.
Here’s my take on each program in the Southern Conference as we begin the 2016-2017 season:
II. Pre-Season Power Rankings:
1. Chattanooga – The Mocs are loaded! After winning a program-record 29 games last season, the Mocs may very well be able to top that this season with all the talent that returns. This is a team that has great balance – inside and outside – at both ends of the floor. They also have a ton of experience with six seniors. Greg Pryor is a seasoned point guard and will only benefit from the return of Casey Jones. On the wing, Tre’ McLean came into his own last year and is a potential player of the year candidate. Up front, Justin Tuoyo is the best shot blocker in the league and the two-time reigning defensive player of the year. He has help from Chuck Ester, but there is not a ton of depth in the power forward and center positions, so head coach Matt McCall will need to balance the minutes and hope they stay healthy upfront. I also envision the Mocs playing smaller at times this season as well.
Off the bench, McCall has talent with senior guard Jonathan Burroughs-Cook and freshman Rodney Chatman among other newcomers. This could be a very special season in the Scenic City.
2. ETSU – Steve Forbes has done a nice job reworking the roster in just 18 months. His background in junior college has helped him find transfers as well as hidden gems and it’s already paying dividends in Johnson City. The Bucs are primed to make noise again this season with a talented roster. Guard T.J. Cromer proved he can score at this level and should get help in the backcourt from junior Desonta Bradford and A.J. Merriweather. Junior college guard Julian Walters was a first-team All-American at North Dakota State College of Science last year and is another talented transfer that could have an immediate impact in the Southern Conference.
But success may ultimately depend on how well transfers Hanner Mosquera-Perea (Indiana), Tevin Glass (Wichita State) and junior college transfer David Burrell perform in the frontcourt. If it all comes together, this will be a very dangerous team.
3. Mercer – The Bears look to rebound and get back to their old ways, especially inside Hawkins Arena. They are led by juniors Stephon Jelks, who is a double-double machine. Word is he is in the best shape of his career. Junior Demetre Rivers, who is arguably the most athletic player in the Southern Conference, is possibly the Bears best scorer.
Up front, if 6’9” center Desmond Ringer comes back focused and in shape, the Bears will have the top frontcourt in the league. Ringer is 6’9”, Andrew Fishler is 7’1” and continues to makes positives strides at both ends of the floor. But the most intriguing post player is graduate transfer JJ N’Ganga who is 6’10” 250. Ganga played one season at New Mexico and is a load down low.
With the graduation of Phillip Leonard, Jordan Strawberry will man the point guard slot. The 6’1” junior has appeared in 68 games in his two years on campus, and possesses much needed experience for the position. How well he thinks pass first, score second will determine a lot about the Bears success this season. Junior college transfer Ria’n Holland is slender at 6’0’ 152, but can score and should get the nod at the shooting guard position. He will also backup Strawberry at point guard. Wings Ethan Stair and Cory Kilby will also see plenty of time for what should be a very exciting season in Macon.
4. Wofford - Fletcher Magee. That name has already caused coaches in the Southern Conference countless hours in the offseason trying to figure out how to guard one of the top shooters in college basketball. As a freshman, Magee led the nation in free throw percentage (92.5 percent) while connecting on almost 48 percent of shots behind the arc. He never hit a wall like so many freshmen tend to do. In fact, he got better late in the season – during the last eight games he averaged 21 ppg., shot 60 percent from 3FG and 98 percent from the line!
Eric Garcia will handle the point guard slot and is as tough as any player in the Southern Conference. He will have help in the backcourt from Jaylen Allen and Derrick Brooks. Freshmen Donovan Theme-Love will see time backing up Garcia at the point and Nathan Hoover is a terrific shooter who should complement Magee.
In the post, Wofford is healthy and deep. Cam Jackson (6’8”) is back from injury. He has the potential to impact games, if he can stay healthy. Ryan Sawvell does a bit of everything and is a great team player, but the key might be 6’6” freshman Dishon Lowery. He has a 7’1” wingspan and is very talented.
The biggest key for the Terriers is getting back to their old ways at the defensive end of the floor. If they guard well, they will be right there come tournament time.
5. UNCG – I think this is the year for Wes Miller and the Spartans to break through. There is simply too much talent and experience for UNCG not to be in the mix. Sure they have to believe in themselves and they need to have great chemistry, but I believe everything is in place for the Spartans to have a season to remember. In fact, they should be one of the top teams from start to finish and I predict they will finish higher than fifth. RJ White is a load inside, but the Spartans are even better on the perimeter. Diante Baldwin has really settled into a solid point guard and Francis Alonso would have been the freshman of the year had it not been for Fletcher Magee. Alonso is a terrific shooter from long range. Also, guard Demetrius Troy and center Jordy Kuiper are expected to play big roles, be it off the bench for the Spartans.
As mentioned, the Spartans have the talent and experience to finish at or near the top of the league standings. Three keys for success are: 1) how well they guard 2) minimizing turnovers 3) how RJ White reacts to potential double teams with the graduation of Kayel Locke. If they take care of these areas, they will be a tough out every night.
6. Furman – Because Niko Medved has steadied the ship in Greenville, life after Stephen Croone may not be as difficult as some think. Sure the Player of the Year did much for the Paladins, yet the cupboard is far from bare. The Paladins return four starters that won 19 games a year ago. Junior guards Devin Sibley and Daniel Fowler have proven they can score at this level. In particular, Sibley has a chance to be all-league performer. He’s athletic and can get to the rim with explosive speed. John Davis III should man the point and simply must be solid.
Senior forward Kris Acox is one of the best rebounders in the Southern Conference and post defender. Sophomore Matt Rafferty will also be counted on to provide productivity upfront. Keep an eye on redshirt freshman Jalen Williams. The local Greenville product is 6’8” and has lost 40 pounds since arriving on campus. He could be a big surprise come conference play – and help in the post – if he can gain some experience early in the year.
7. Western Carolina – It’s never wise to pick a Larry Hunter coached team in the second tier. Yet one of the winningest active coaches in college basketball will need to have one of his best coaching years. The Catamounts have lost thousands of points during the past few years, yet they seem to be right there come March. This season is no different as they lost four senior starters from a year ago, but my guess is they will be a very tough out by the time conference play rolls around.
Juniors Devin Peterson and Haboubacar Mutombo will be counted on to provide leadership on a team that has five freshmen. That said, sophomore Marc Gosselin looks ready to have a breakout year. He appeared in 33 games as a freshman, making 22 starts. He is intelligent and makes his teammates better. The key for the Western might be sophomore guard Elijah Pughsley. If the 6’1” guard can stay focused throughout the year, he has as much scoring ability as most any player in the league.
The Catamounts should also be bigger this season on the wings and in the post as their roster boasts seven players 6’6” or bigger. That will only help as the season progresses.
8. Samford – Scott Padgett continues to build the Bulldog program and they should take another step forward this year. They finally have a full roster to employ their full-court system. Junior Christen Cunningham will lead the team from his point guard position. He was an ironman last year averaging almost 35 mpg in conference play.
Sophomore post player Wyatt Walker will patrol the middle. The 6’9” sophomore averaged 10.6 ppg and six rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field as a freshman. Impressive numbers that should only get better this year. The Bulldogs also welcome several Division I transfers that should help. Demetrius Denzel-Dyson (UMass), Alex Thompson (Auburn) and graduate transfer Terry Brutus (Ole Miss) add talent and experience to the Bulldogs roster.
Better overall team defense and perimeter shooting will be the keys to success for the Bulldogs. They shot just 32 percent from behind the arc last season and made the fewest threes in league play by a wide margin. If they can shoot and defend just a bit better, this group will be a very good Southern Conference team.
9. VMI – The Keydets have one of the premier players in the Southern Conference in QJ Peterson. The senior can score in bunches and is a threat every time down the court. He will be the go-to guy for VMI, but Julian Eleby and Trey Chapman will also be counted to provide help at the offensive need if Dan Earl and staff are to have success this year.
Freshman Keith Smith and sophomore Adrian Rich should share time at the point guard slot which will allow Peterson and more importantly Eleby to play off the ball which should help their offensive productivity.
Up front, freshman Will Miller is a skilled big man who will provide much needed size for the Keydets. The Keydets are making positives strides, but it’s unknown how that will translate in the win column.
10. The Citadel – There is no doubt that Duggar Baucom will get things turned around at The Citadel. The only question is when it will happen. The Bulldogs will continue to play fast, very fast and that will cause teams problems. Still, for The Citadel, they will need to be better at the defensive end if they are to move up in the rankings.
The Bulldogs will be the youngest team in the Southern Conference as they have 12 freshmen and sophomores on their roster. In fact, they do not have a junior and only three seniors.
Speaking of seniors, Warren Sledge will need to continue his upward trend and be a mainstay at the offensive end. Tom Koopman and Brian White will also need to have good final seasons in Charleston. Sophomore Zane Najdawi needs to build off a solid freshman season when he averaged 7.2 ppg and over 4 rpg. Frankie Johnson and Preston Parks are two freshmen that have impressed early. If this young group can gain some confidence early, they could be very dangerous in conference play.
III. Three Questions That Need To Be Answered
1. Can Chattanooga run the table?
This is probably an unfair question, but it will be very interesting to watch. Matt McCall proved he could coach leading the Mocs to a school-record 29 wins in his first season. And they did it without pre-season player of the year Casey Jones for much of the year. So, even with great balance throughout the league, with four potential all-league players on their roster, it’s not inconceivable to see the Mocs run the table in conference play. There is no doubt they will be everyone’s “big game” during conference play this season.
2. What can the league do to make some noise on a national stage?
It’s pretty simple; the league needs some quality wins in the pre-season. The league also needs some of its talented players to make some noise on the national level. The SoCon is so close to becoming a top 15 league, but has to do more if it wants to get there. They need quality non-conference wins and a few spots on Top 10 highlights in November and December.
If you’re a SoCon fan, then cheer for Chattanooga against UNC and Tennessee. ETSU also has plenty of chances playing at UNCW, at Dayton and then they get A-10 Fordham and Tennessee at home! Mercer gets Davidson at home and UNCG has Virginia and Wake Forest in the Greensboro Coliseum. It’s games like these that can catapult the league on the national level.
3. Who will be the sleeper?
I love working through this, but this is always a difficult question during a pre-season preview.
There are always several choices, but I’m going with UNCG. No doubt, Wes Miller and staff need to turn the corner in year six, but I truly believe they will and here’s why. RJ White is one of the most talented post players in the league. Diante Baldwin has become very comfortable running the team and most importantly, the Spartans have an emerging star in Francis Alonso. The sophomore from Spain can flat out play. Last season, he finished second in the league with 85 made 3-pointers, connecting on 39.5 percent! With 17 home games, the Spartans have everything they need for a successful season.
Next edition: Part III of my pre-season preview will include my “Best Bets” for the upcoming season in the Southern Conference:
Follow me throughout the year on twitter: @DeanKeener1