FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2008-2009 SEASON, CLICK HERE
The Atlantic Sun was consistently one of the worst conferences in the country this past season, ranking No. 28 in conference RPI and finishing with the second-most non-conference losses. However, it did feature a decent league race, as Belmont won its final 10 games of the season, but still finished only two games ahead of Jacksonville. Four teams finished with at least 11 wins, and two more were 9-7. Despite the closeness of the title race, the conference tournament ended the same way the regular-season did – with Belmont emerging victorious, beating out Jacksonville in the championship game. In the NCAA Tournament, Belmont nearly pulled off the upset of the Tournament, falling to No. 2-seeded Duke, 71-70, despite a chance to win the game in the final seconds. The Bruins and Jacksonville could continue their battle for A-Sun supremacy atop the conference this year.
Favorites: Belmont loses Justin Hare, one of the best players in the program’s history, but does return four starters and will aim for its fourth straight 20-win season. Shane Dansby and Matthew Dotson form a dynamite frontcourt combo; both could be all-conference performers. Andy Wicke can really shoot the ball, while Alex Renfroe is a solid scorer and passer. Jordan Campbell will replace Hare. Jacksonville has the best shot to unseat Belmont at the top of the league. Forwards Lehom Colbert and Marcus Allen form one of the better tandems around, while Ben Smith might be the best point guard in the conference. Evan Jefferson and Ayron Hardy also return to the starting lineup for the Dolphins.
Contenders: Stetson also returns five starters from last season. The best of the bunch is all-conference forward Garfield Blair, who can carry the Hatters. A.J. Smith, Kris Thomas and Mark Lohuis form a very good perimeter trio, while Sheldon Oliver and Eric Diaz are solid up front. East Tennessee State is led by one of the better inside-outside combos in the Atlantic Sun in guard Courtney Pigram and forward Kevin Tiggs. Both are all-conference candidates. Mike Smith and Greg Hamlin will likely step in to vacant spots in the frontcourt.
Sleepers: Lipscomb loses Eddie Ard, one of the conference’s best players throughout his career. However, a solid group of players returns, including guards Josh Slater and Michael Lusk, and frontcourt performers Adnan Hodzic and Brandon Brown. Brown could be poised for a big season. Mercer knocked off USC in the season-opener last season, but finished 11-19 overall. All-conference guard James Florence leads the way for the Bears; he can really fill it up. Calvin Henry is an excellent player at both ends of the floor, while Mark Hall is another returning starter. Campbell is home to one of the most productive players in the country, Jonathan Rodriguez. He is a 20-10 lock every night out despite his 6-5 size. He teams with Kyle Vejraska to form a solid frontcourt tandem, while Junard Hartley is a solid distributor in the backcourt.
Rounding out the Pack: None of the following teams are eligible for the conference tournament, and will therefore not be in the running for the NCAA Tournament. Kennesaw State is led by the inside-outside duo of guard Kelvin McConnell and Texas Tech transfer Jay Mitchell, a 6-9 forward. Florida Gulf Coast owns one of the better forward tandems in the conference, with double-figure scorers Adam Liddell and Landon Adler. Both KSU and FGCU are both a year away from getting out of their transition period. South Carolina Upstate returns three starters from last season, including Bobby Davis, while North Florida finished last in the Atlantic Sun last season and will likely repeat that feat. Stan Januska is a double-figure scorer at the guard position.
Prediction: Belmont seems to always find a way to make its way to the top of the Atlantic Sun standings, but this year could be the season where the Bruins fall short. Jacksonville has the inside-outside balance to rival Belmont and point guard Ben Smith is just that good. Of course, Belmont has plenty of talent and will be a threat all season long. The loss of Justin Hare, though, might be the difference for the Bruins. He’s been an important cog for them for years, and they need to replace him in order to repeat as conference champions. I think Jacksonville will take advantage of that, and sneak in to get the regular-season and conference tournament championships.
Player of the Year: Jonathan Rodriguez, F, Campbell
All-Conference Team:
G- James Florence, Mercer
G- Courtney Pigram, East Tennessee State
G- Ben Smith, Jacksonville
F- Jonathan Rodriguez, Campbell
F- Garfield Blair, Stetson
Second Team:
F- Calvin Henry, Mercer
F- Shane Dansby, Belmont
F- Kevin Tiggs, East Tennessee State
F- Lehom Colbert, Jacksonville
F- Marcus Allen, Jacksonville
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Big South Conference Preview
FOR A COMPLETE PREVIEW OF THE 2008-2009 SEASON, CLICK HERE
The Big South Conference race was a two-team affair all season long last year – no one else was much of a factor down the stretch. UNC-Asheville got off to a hot start, going 7-0 to begin the conference season, but an ensuing four-game losing streak opened the door. Familiar face Winthrop stepped into that void, taking a one-game lead into the season finale. However, Asheville went into Rock Hill and knocked off the Eagles to complete a season sweep and win the tie-breaker for the regular-season title. In the conference tournament, though, Winthrop’s experience showed, as the Eagles got revenge on Asheville, defeating them in the title game. They could not repeat their NCAA Tournament success of two years ago, losing to Washington State in the first-round. With Winthrop losing many of its top players, will the Big South see a changing of the guard at the top?
Favorites: Radford finished just 5-9 in the conference last season, but the Highlanders return all five starters from that team. They have an outstanding perimeter group, led by all-conference guards Amir Johnson and Martell McDuffy, as well as Kenny Thomas. Up front, Joey Lynch-Flohr is one of the better forwards in the Big South. Gardner-Webb is going to be a factor in its first season after leaving the Atlantic Sun. The Bulldogs own an outstanding backcourt in Grayson Flittner and Aaron Linn, two of the best guards in the league. Nate Blank is poised to have a huge season in the frontcourt. Winthrop is always a player in the title race, despite the fact that simply not a lot returns for the Eagles. Byron Faison could be the team’s go-to-scorer on the perimeter, while forwards Mantoris Robinson and Charles Corbin need to become more aggressive in the frontcourt. Wake Forest transfer Cameron Stanley will make an immediate impact.
Contenders: Liberty returns the preseason Big South Player of the Year in Anthony Smith, and also brings in the best recruiting class in the history of the conference. Seth Curry, Stephen’s brother and Dell’s son, will start in the backcourt along with fellow frosh Brolin Floyd. Kyle Ohman and Jeremy Anderson return up front. High Point loses two-time Player of the Year Arizona Reid, but could be a factor in the league race. Leading the way is guard Eugene Harris, an all-conference candidate who can really shoot. Cruz Daniels and David Campbell also return as starters in the frontcourt.
Sleepers: VMI is always fun to watch, but the Keydets need to replace Reggie Williams, the nation’s leading scorer for two seasons. Chavis and Travis Holmes, two big-time scorers on the wing, will pick up the slack. Guards Austin Kenon and Adam Lonon will also start, with Willie Bell anchoring the frontcourt. Coastal Carolina played better late in the season, and will win some tough games this year. Joseph Harris and Anthony Breeze could be a dynamite frontcourt duo, while Logan Johnson is a solid perimeter player. Mario Sisinni and Steven Sexton return as well. Charleston Southern has one of the best duos in the entire Big South in forward Omar Carter, an all-conference performer, and guard Jamarco Warren, who can play both backcourt spots. 6-10 Giedrius Knysas and Tovi Bailey will also start for the Buccaneers.
Rounding out the Pack: UNC-Asheville could go from sharing first-place to the cellar after losing four starters, including Kenny George, whose career is likely over after getting part of his foot amputated. The only starter coming back is Reid Augst, although several role players return, including Donovan Jones, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Presbyterian is not eligible for the conference tournament until 2011-2012, as the Blue Hose will be playing their first season in the Big South after being an Independent last season. They are led by forwards Al’Lonzo Coleman and Bryan Bostic.
Prediction: This could be the year that Winthrop’s reign atop the Big South comes to an end. The Eagles simply lost too much from last season, and the talent level across the entire conference has increased dramatically. Radford has a tremendous perimeter group and a solid forward in Joey Lynch-Flohr; Gardner-Webb is very solid; and Liberty has plenty of quality performers. Of course, you can’t count out Winthrop because of the way it plays defense and knows how to win. However, I’m going to go with Radford to get the automatic bid and get to the NCAA Tournament. The Highlanders’ inside-outside balance will be the key to overcoming Winthrop.
Player of the Year: Anthony Smith, G, Liberty
All-Conference Team:
G- Anthony Smith, Liberty
G- Grayson Flittner, Gardner-Webb
G- Amir Johnson, Radford
G- Chavis Holmes, VMI
F- Omar Carter, Charleston Southern
Second Team:
G- Eugene Harris, High Point
G- Martell McDuffy, Radford
G- Aaron Linn, Gardner-Webb
G- Travis Holmes, VMI
F- Joey Lynch-Flohr, Radford
The Big South Conference race was a two-team affair all season long last year – no one else was much of a factor down the stretch. UNC-Asheville got off to a hot start, going 7-0 to begin the conference season, but an ensuing four-game losing streak opened the door. Familiar face Winthrop stepped into that void, taking a one-game lead into the season finale. However, Asheville went into Rock Hill and knocked off the Eagles to complete a season sweep and win the tie-breaker for the regular-season title. In the conference tournament, though, Winthrop’s experience showed, as the Eagles got revenge on Asheville, defeating them in the title game. They could not repeat their NCAA Tournament success of two years ago, losing to Washington State in the first-round. With Winthrop losing many of its top players, will the Big South see a changing of the guard at the top?
Favorites: Radford finished just 5-9 in the conference last season, but the Highlanders return all five starters from that team. They have an outstanding perimeter group, led by all-conference guards Amir Johnson and Martell McDuffy, as well as Kenny Thomas. Up front, Joey Lynch-Flohr is one of the better forwards in the Big South. Gardner-Webb is going to be a factor in its first season after leaving the Atlantic Sun. The Bulldogs own an outstanding backcourt in Grayson Flittner and Aaron Linn, two of the best guards in the league. Nate Blank is poised to have a huge season in the frontcourt. Winthrop is always a player in the title race, despite the fact that simply not a lot returns for the Eagles. Byron Faison could be the team’s go-to-scorer on the perimeter, while forwards Mantoris Robinson and Charles Corbin need to become more aggressive in the frontcourt. Wake Forest transfer Cameron Stanley will make an immediate impact.
Contenders: Liberty returns the preseason Big South Player of the Year in Anthony Smith, and also brings in the best recruiting class in the history of the conference. Seth Curry, Stephen’s brother and Dell’s son, will start in the backcourt along with fellow frosh Brolin Floyd. Kyle Ohman and Jeremy Anderson return up front. High Point loses two-time Player of the Year Arizona Reid, but could be a factor in the league race. Leading the way is guard Eugene Harris, an all-conference candidate who can really shoot. Cruz Daniels and David Campbell also return as starters in the frontcourt.
Sleepers: VMI is always fun to watch, but the Keydets need to replace Reggie Williams, the nation’s leading scorer for two seasons. Chavis and Travis Holmes, two big-time scorers on the wing, will pick up the slack. Guards Austin Kenon and Adam Lonon will also start, with Willie Bell anchoring the frontcourt. Coastal Carolina played better late in the season, and will win some tough games this year. Joseph Harris and Anthony Breeze could be a dynamite frontcourt duo, while Logan Johnson is a solid perimeter player. Mario Sisinni and Steven Sexton return as well. Charleston Southern has one of the best duos in the entire Big South in forward Omar Carter, an all-conference performer, and guard Jamarco Warren, who can play both backcourt spots. 6-10 Giedrius Knysas and Tovi Bailey will also start for the Buccaneers.
Rounding out the Pack: UNC-Asheville could go from sharing first-place to the cellar after losing four starters, including Kenny George, whose career is likely over after getting part of his foot amputated. The only starter coming back is Reid Augst, although several role players return, including Donovan Jones, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Presbyterian is not eligible for the conference tournament until 2011-2012, as the Blue Hose will be playing their first season in the Big South after being an Independent last season. They are led by forwards Al’Lonzo Coleman and Bryan Bostic.
Prediction: This could be the year that Winthrop’s reign atop the Big South comes to an end. The Eagles simply lost too much from last season, and the talent level across the entire conference has increased dramatically. Radford has a tremendous perimeter group and a solid forward in Joey Lynch-Flohr; Gardner-Webb is very solid; and Liberty has plenty of quality performers. Of course, you can’t count out Winthrop because of the way it plays defense and knows how to win. However, I’m going to go with Radford to get the automatic bid and get to the NCAA Tournament. The Highlanders’ inside-outside balance will be the key to overcoming Winthrop.
Player of the Year: Anthony Smith, G, Liberty
All-Conference Team:
G- Anthony Smith, Liberty
G- Grayson Flittner, Gardner-Webb
G- Amir Johnson, Radford
G- Chavis Holmes, VMI
F- Omar Carter, Charleston Southern
Second Team:
G- Eugene Harris, High Point
G- Martell McDuffy, Radford
G- Aaron Linn, Gardner-Webb
G- Travis Holmes, VMI
F- Joey Lynch-Flohr, Radford
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