2008 Atlantic-10 Hoops Preview

Picking a ‘greatest’ season in the history of Xavier basketball wouldn’t have been an easy chore — until now. The Musketeers’ long, starry past is filled with names like Posey, Hill and Grant, not to mention coaches Pete Gillen, Skip Prosser and Thad Matta. Matta’s 2004 team came within a jumper or two of a Final Four and can make a strong ‘best ever’ case, but when the scintillating run of Xavier’s ‘Three Musketeers’ finally ended this past March with another Elite Eight loss, this one to UCLA, it became hard to argue that the school had experienced history.

Led by seniors Stanley Burrell, Josh Duncan and Drew Lavender, Xavier stormed to a 30–7 record. That’s a school-record for wins for a team that rolled through the Atlantic 10 and finished the season with a record No. 8 ranking in the polls.

“They led us as deep as we possibly could have gone. I think we established ourselves, if not the best team ever to play at Xavier, certainly right there,” says coach Sean Miller.

So what does Miller do for an encore? Stay in Cincinnati, for one. Despite hearing his name linked with some high-profile jobs (like Indiana and Marquette), Miller signed a contract extension through 2018. That’s security. And that’s allowed him to build the best talent base in the A-10.

Xavier boasted a balanced scoring attack with six players averaging between 9.7 and 12.4 points, so plenty of experienced talent returns. The key will be a deep frontcourt that boasts forwards Derrick Brown (10.9 ppg) and the physical C.J. Anderson (10.7 ppg), as well as strong center Jason Love. Brown and Anderson may just be the two best forwards in the entire A-10. Brown’s YouTube-worthy dunks are a given, and if he adds a dependable jumper, his national stature will explode.

The other frontcourt prospects to watch include Jamel McLean, a 6'8" transfer from Tulsa, and 7'0" Ohio prep star Kenny Frease, a top 50 recruit who’ll be a factor right out of the gate thanks to his aggressive style.

Replacing the Burrell-Lavender backcourt is a major challenge. Miller has two good pieces in place in streaky shooter B.J. Raymond and explosive sophomore Danté Jackson. But the real key will come from the rest of the freshman class. Miller somehow convinced three ball-handling aces to enroll at once in Brad Redford, Mark Lyons and Terrell Holloway. They all bring a little something different to the table, but finding a dependable point guard somewhere in that mix is priority number one. Brian Walsh, a shooter supreme from Miller’s hometown of Pittsburgh, rounds out the highly touted class of recruits.

Miller is ready to throw the new kids to the wolves with a non-league schedule that includes Duke, LSU, Virginia and Cincinnati.

2. Temple (21–13, 11–5); Postseason Prediction: One and done

The Fran Dunphy era at Temple kicked into high gear last season. The Owls, expected to be a mid-pack Atlantic 10 team, finished second in the league during the regular season and swept through the A-10 Tournament, earning their first NCAA bid since 2001.

Can Dunphy top that in his third season after replacing the legendary John Chaney? The Owls will have more depth and more frontcourt help but will sorely miss do-everything swingman Mark Tyndale and need to prove they can recreate the chemistry that developed in 2007-08.

The biggest X-and-O question may not involve replacing Tyndale’s production but finding somebody to take care of ball-handling responsibilities late in games. Temple didn’t get going last season until Dunphy handed those duties to Tyndale after the Owls suffered some early season embarrassments.

Temple still has Dionte Christmas, who is trying to become the first three-time scoring champion in Atlantic 10 history. Without Tyndale nearby, the senior wing player will draw more attention than ever. Last season, Christmas averaged 19.7 points per game and was easily Temple’s most prolific 3-point shooter, but his long-range percentage fell from 40.0 to 36.9. Dunphy feels the NBA prospect needs to develop more of an offensive game off the dribble.

Four starters return, including big men Sergio Olmos and Lavoy Allen. Olmos, a 7-foot Spaniard, showed more of an offensive game late last season, but the senior’s best assets are his long arms at the defensive end. From his first Temple game, Allen looked like the most fundamentally sound Owls player, but the 6'9" sophomore needs to be a little more selfish at the offensive end. His .558 shooting percentage was second on the team, but he was fifth on the club in shots taken per minute en route to averaging 8.1 points.

Last season’s top 3-point shooter and undisputed team leader, Chris Clark, is gone, so a huge key for Temple will be at point guard. Last season, junior Luis Guzman started and split time at the position. In addition to continued progress from Guzman, Dunphy is looking for senior Semaj Inge to stay on the court and show steadier play. Temple’s coach believes Inge can easily get anywhere on the court due to his athleticism.

Expect Ryan Brooks, a clutch player but streaky shooter off the bench last season, to start at a wing position and redshirt freshman Ramone Moore to see a lot of time off Temple’s bench. Joining Christmas, that group provides the Owls plenty of options off the ball.

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Michigan State proved how far Temple was from being a nationally ranked team. Dunphy’s club isn’t likely to achieve a ranking this season, but enough parts are there for Temple to contend again in the A-10 and get back to the postseason.

3. Charlotte (20–14, 9–7); Postseason Prediction: NIT

When a team returns nine of its top 10 players, as the Charlotte 49ers do this season, you’d expect them to be better. And the 49ers probably will be. They were a respectable 20–14 in 2007-08, earning an NIT bid and finishing tied for fourth in the Atlantic 10.

However, the one player missing from that returning bunch was their go-to scorer last season. That was the mellifluously named Leemire Goldwire, a shooting guard who averaged 18.6 points per game and on one memorable night outplayed Davidson’s silky Stephen Curry during a 49er victory.

But while Goldwire is gone, everyone else returns from a Charlotte team that also beat Clemson, Temple and Saint Joe’s last season. Coach Bobby Lutz was on shaky ground a year ago at this time, but he was rewarded with a contract extension in March that takes him through the 2012-13 season. The fiery Lutz has gotten the 49ers to the NCAA Tournament five times in his 10 seasons at the helm but not since 2005. He is the 49ers’ all-time winningest coach, however, and has averaged 18.8 wins per season during his Charlotte tenure.

Lutz will base this team around two senior forwards — Lamont Mack and Charlie Coley. The 6'7", 230-pound Mack became the 49ers’ clear-cut No. 2 scorer in the second half of last season, scoring 15 or more points in 11 of the team’s final 17 games. He had a 27-point effort in a loss at Richmond and a 23-point, nine-rebound game in a key late-season win at UMass. Mack should have several 20-point outings this year with his ability to score inside and out.

The 6'7" Coley is the team’s most consistent post player. He led the team in rebounding (6.2), dunks and blocks last season. When Lutz goes with a big lineup, he will use the somewhat gawky 6'10" Phil Jones at center, but the coach frequently doesn’t have a true center on the floor.

Sophomore An’Juan Wilderness will start at small forward. His outside shot is suspect, but he’s very good at sneaking into the wilderness of the paint for acrobatic layups. Junior transfer Rashad Coleman may be an impact newcomer due to his ability to put the ball in the basket. He also had scholarship offers from Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State.

Junior point guards DiJuan Harris and Michael Gerrity will fight for the starting role, and it would be ideal if one emerged and had a big season. Both had pedestrian seasons in 2007-08.

Lutz always counts on 3-point shooting, and he will have a host of players who can hoist it. Ian Andersen, redshirt freshman Javarris Barnett, Charles Dewhurst and newcomer Shamarr Bowden will all shoot from beyond the stripe frequently. Last year, the 49ers ranked second in the A-10 in 3-point attempts (786) but 10th in 3-point accuracy (.344).

4. Dayton (23–11, 8–8); Postseason Prediction: NIT

Last season, the Dayton Flyers were living up to their name through December, until a batch of injuries, most notably to the Atlantic 10’s most talented freshman, sent Brian Gregory’s team tumbling to the NIT.

With top guard and leading scorer Brian Roberts gone, Dayton isn’t likely to recreate its 14–1 start, but there isn’t much reason the Flyers can’t approximate a 23–11 final tally that included a loss in the NIT quarterfinals to eventual champion Ohio State. After a perfect December highlighted by a victory at Louisville and a 25-point home win over Pittsburgh, Dayton had to win its last three regular-season conference games just to get to 8–8 in the A-10.

This time around, having a full season of sophomore forward Chris Wright (10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg) looks like the biggest key. Wright played so well early on that he was named to the league’s all-rookie team despite appearing in only one conference game. He fractured his ankle in the A-10 opener — a 92–83 win over Rhode Island — and didn’t return until the NIT. He may be the A-10’s top NBA prospect.

Without Wright, Dayton became too dependant on Roberts. The senior averaged 18.4 points, but there was a lot of standing around watching him. For instance, Roberts scored 30 points in a late-February game at La Salle, but the Flyers still lost 81–78.

Overall, Dayton was more guard-oriented in 2007-08 but now looks to have one of the A-10’s better frontcourts, and one of the more athletic groups around. Wright, guard Marcus Johnson and forward Charles Little all boast better than a 40-inch vertical leap. Johnson, a 6'3" junior who averaged 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds, is the top returning guard, but the Flyers are very high on 6'4" freshman shooting guard Paul Williams, who also had offers from Illinois, Michigan State and Tennessee, among others.

Little, a 6'6" senior, battled his own injuries and averaged 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds, both down from his sophomore totals of 10.5 and 5.2.

Junior London Warren may not have a 40-inch vertical, but he is considered as athletic as anybody on the roster. If Warren isn’t the starting point guard, it will be due to speedy Rob Lowery, a junior college All-American, beating him out.

Inside, Kurt Huelsman, a 6'10" junior, is back. He has started every game of his Dayton career, although he rarely dominates. Huelsman averaged 5.9 points and 4.0 rebounds last season in 22.2 minutes.

The Flyers made it as high as 14th in last season’s Associated Press rankings, then dropped as low as 12th in the A-10 before rallying late in the year. This time around, the NIT might be the expected destination, minus the fluctuations.

5. UMass (25–11, 10–6); Postseason Prediction: NIT

On the night of the Massachusetts’ team banquet in April, Travis Ford took to the podium and toasted his future as the Minutemen coach with a room full of boosters. A week later, he was introduced as the next coach at Oklahoma State. Welcome to big-time college basketball.

Enter Derek Kellogg. The one-time UMass point guard back in the John Calipari era spent the last eight seasons scouring the country for players for Memphis’ powerful program. That was an easy sell. Transferring those skills back home to his New England roots will be Kellogg’s biggest challenge. Almost secondary will be the one basic question always asked of a young coach who’s never called a timeout on the college level: Can he coach a lick?

UMass fans will find out quickly. Kellogg, 35, inherits a solid but flawed group from Ford. UMass raced all the way to the NIT finals (after wins over Syracuse and Florida) a year ago, losing to Ohio State in a 92–85 shootout. That racehorse style played into the hands of several players, most notably departed seniors Gary Forbes (19.4 ppg) and Etienne Brower (12.7 ppg). UMass also lost its most athletic big man in Dante Milligan.

Kellogg plans on bringing the dribble drive motion offense with him from Memphis and even hired the pioneer of the attack, former Pepperdine head man Vance Walberg, to be on his staff.

Kellogg has a pair of returning guards who should flourish in the new offense. Senior point guard Chris Lowe looked like Tiny Archibald at times last year, knifing his way to the hoop (11.8 ppg) and dishing off (6.3 apg) while leading a blazing fast break.

Lowe is joined by the other major beneficiary of the up-tempo style, wing scorer Ricky Harris. After averaging 4.5 points and making 17 threes as a freshman, Harris blossomed into one of the most improved players in the nation as he scored 18.2 points per game and drained 104 threes.

Replacing Forbes, the A-10 Player of the Year, will be very difficult. He scored 1,128 points in two seasons in Amherst.

Wake Forest transfer Anthony Gurley should give Kellogg another wing scorer. Gurley spent a year working on a shaky outside jumper that he’ll need to fit in well. Young guards Gary Correia and David Gibbs will provide depth.

The picture gets much cloudier in the frontcourt. The lone returnees who appear ready to help are 7-footer Luke Bonner and bouncy 6'8" forward Tony Gaffney. Bonner likes to shoot 15-footers, while Gaffney owns enough potential to blossom into an all-purpose player. But two players who sat out last year as academic non-qualifiers may really help. The best prospect is Tyrell Lynch, a powerfully built 6'7" forward who could be a real load. Also, forward Travon Wilcher owns the run-and-jump skills that any up-tempo team craves.

6. Saint Joseph’s (21–13, 9–7); Postseason Prediction: None

When you enter a season with the consensus best big man in your conference and one of the top coaches around, it’s easy to consider your team armed and dangerous. That’s what Saint Joseph’s fans feel about their Hawks this season.

The depth and strength of the Atlantic 10 may knock the Hawks out of the NCAAs, but don’t be surprised if 13th-year head coach Phil Martelli squeezes a solid finish out of this team. He certainly owns a few key building blocks, none bigger than all-league power forward Ahmad Nivins. The senior from Jersey City, N.J., saw his numbers dip a year ago as departed forwards Pat Calathes and Rob Ferguson shouldered more of the scoring load for the NCAA tourney-bound Hawks, but this year the team needs its big man to become more of a dominant force.

Nivins has the looks of an NBA power forward and has worked hard on his face-up offensive game. If he can improve his aggressiveness and hit the boards (5.8 rpg) much harder, the Hawks will own the type of big man who can carry them to great heights.

Calathes and Ferguson combined to average more than 29 points and 12 rebounds, and finding someone to fill those scoring shoes is Martelli’s biggest challenge. Nivins will certainly see more touches, but sophomore Idris Hilliard could blossom. He was a top recruit out of New Jersey two years ago but sat behind the two seniors as a freshman. Martelli is also confident that veteran swingman Garrett Williamson can step up his game at either guard or forward after serving as a valued sixth man a year ago. Scouts also like incoming forwards A.J. Rodgers and Bryant Irwin, as well as the longer-range potential of 6'11" Nigerian center Temi Adebayo.

Martelli owns many more concrete answers in the backcourt. Starters Tasheed Carr and Darrin Govens, not to mention a valued glue guy in Williamson, form a potent backcourt. The Hawks are also high on Connecticut freshman Chris Prescott. Carr, a transfer from Iowa State, averaged 10.8 points a game in his first taste of the A-10, but his strong body and shooting range could spell a breakout scoring season. He also averaged 5.6 assists and can be a dogged defender. Govens is a calm, cool customer whom Martelli has trusted with the offense since he arrived on Hawk Hill, while Williamson is a lock-down defender who makes all of the tough plays.

The Hawks lost in the A-10 finals to Philly rival Temple yet still were awarded one of only six NCAA bids that went to non-BCS conferences. That shows that Martelli isn’t afraid to schedule tough. The Hawks haven’t won an NCAA game since Jameer Nelson and Delonte West left town, but Martelli is always stockpiling the type of talent that can spring March surprises. This Hawk team, like so many of his others, is indeed dangerous.

7. Richmond (16–15, 9–7); Postseason Prediction: None

In 2007-08, Chris Mooney’s squad, picked to finish at the bottom of the Atlantic 10, soared past all expectations, probably even the internal ones. The Spiders finished in a three-way tie for fourth, snuck over the .500 mark and grabbed a bid to the new College Basketball Invitational.

And with almost 90 percent of their scoring expected back and a number of talented guys on the way from around the globe, the Spiders entered the offseason with expectations soaring. Then, in late July, emerging star Dan Geriot, a third-team All-Atlantic 10 pick last year, tore an ACL in a summer league game. The injury is expected to keep the junior center out for the entire season. It was a tough blow for a Richmond team that had the look of a darkhorse A-10 contender.

With Geriot, the only proven frontcourt commodity, out of action, point guard Kevin Anderson, the 2007-08 A-10 Rookie of the Year, will step up and assume a larger role. Last year, Anderson finished fifth in the A-10 in minutes played, averaging 34.8 per game. He was Richmond’s third-leading scorer (10.7 ppg) and also led the Spiders in assists and steals. Swingman David Gonzalvez is the only other returning double-figure scorer at 11.7 per game, after making 42.1 percent of his 3-pointers.

The Spiders hope that sophomore forward Justin Harper has a breakout season, especially at the offensive end, after seeing sporadic playing time in 2006-07.

It appears Richmond has a number of candidates for all-rookie honors. Josh Duinker, a 6'10" post player from Sydney, Australia, got the most hype, but the Spiders also like 6'8" forward Darrius Garrett from Atlanta and think they may have a sleeper in 6'5" Francis Cedric Martel, from Montreal.

8. La Salle (15–17, 8–8); Postseason Prediction: None

The loss of Darnell Harris, the A-10’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, is big, but John Giannini’s fifth year in Philly could turn out to be a special one. The Explorers return the bulk of a team that enjoyed plenty of promising nights a year ago. That core consists largely of sophomores and juniors, and Giannini has made even more talent upgrades that could elevate his program in conference play.

Six of the top seven scorers return, led by athletic wing Rodney Green (13.2 ppg) and impressive young big man Jerrell Williams (9.4 ppg). Green has been productive since he arrived on campus and is only a consistent jump shot away from being one of the A-10’s better players. Green led the Explorers in both assists and steals. His backcourt mates this season will be Kimmani Barrett, Ruben Guillandeaux and Kyle Griffin, who’ll combine to give the team an interesting mix of options.

Up front is where the Explorers must improve, especially defensively as opponents put up 76.2 points per game. Williams handled the center duties most of the time as a freshman and lived to tell about it even though he was undersized. Forwards Paul Johnson and Yves Mekongo-Mbala also boast loads of experience. But the key to any marked improvement should be the addition of Vernon Goodridge, a 6'9" transfer from Mississippi State. Goodridge uses his 240 pounds to bang inside and should give the Explorers one of the A-10’s top newcomers. Giannini also signed two big, strong freshmen in local star Devon White and David Keyba Baroum, a native of Chad.

9. Rhode Island (21–12, 7–9); Postseason Prediction: None

One of the stranger seasons in the country played out in Kingston, R.I., last year. The Rhody Rams raced out to a 19–3 start that included three wins over Big East schools (Syracuse, Providence, South Florida) and a ranking in the Top 25. Then something went wrong, terribly wrong.

The Rams closed the season with a 2–9 finish with a defense that went to pot, some key players who clearly tired and opposing coaches who seemed to crack Jim Baron’s code. Whatever occurred, a last-second NIT loss at Creighton did little to ease the disappointment of a season that had held so much promise.

Baron, who is entering his eighth season at Rhode Island, has three NIT berths to his credit. The loss of all-league forward Will Daniels and valuable point guard Parfait Bitee likely spells a continued absence from the NCAAs that stretches back to 1999.

Finding a competent point guard and a go-to scorer will be Baron’s chief challenges, but he has a nice collection of young talent to choose from. The leaders will be two seniors and third-year starters in forward Kahiem Seawright and shooter deluxe Jimmy Baron. Seawright has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders for the last two seasons in leading the Rams in rebounding, and he’ll need to do even more without Daniels crashing the glass. Baron, the coach’s son, canned 99 field goals from beyond the 3-point line and 50 inside the arc. Improving his driving skills and movement without the ball were top summer priorities.

A slew of young players needs to help out the seniors. Keith Cothran finished second in the A-10 in steals (59) in only 22.1 minutes of action. Lamonte Ulmer’s athleticism is off the charts, and Delroy James looked a lot like Daniels during some spurts late in the season. Consistency is a key with all three players. Baron is hoping freshman Stevie Mejia can step right in at point guard, Philly recruit Jamal Wilson can surprise with his all-around game, and promising 6'9" big man Orion Outerbridge can help Jason Francis and Will Martell inside.

10. Saint Louis (16–15, 7–9); Postseason Prediction: None

Rick Majerus arrived in St. Louis last year with plenty of fanfare. This season he hopes to make do with a little more talent.

Majerus’ first Saint Louis Billikens’ team was predictable. If you stopped Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell, you’d have a pretty good chance of winning. The team ranked last in the A-10 in scoring (60.1 ppg), including a shocking 49–20 loss at George Washington. The fact that Majerus scratched a winning record out of the group was a credit to his skills, but it was an experience Billiken fans don’t want to suffer through again.

The program is moving to its sparkling new on-campus home, the Chaifetz Arena, with only four returning scholarship players. Lisch and Liddell give Majerus one of the top backcourts in the A-10, although he sees the addition of freshman Kwamain Mitchell and local schoolboy star Ruben Cotto at point guard as a big key. Sophomore shooter Paul Eckerle and recruit Kyle Cassity need to add some shooting punch.

Strong forward Barry Eberhardt enjoyed a nice junior year, and he’ll be the old man in an extremely young frontcourt. Signees Brett Thompson (6'11"), Willie Reed (6'10") and Brian Conklin (6'8") all need to contribute right away for Majerus’ program to move forward.

11. George Washington (9–17, 5–11); Postseason Prediction: None

Only three seasons removed from a 27–3 joyride, George Washington’s program finds itself in disarray entering Karl Hobbs’ eighth season. Internal issues and injuries turned last year into a disaster, but it looks like Hobbs realized major changes were necessary. He’s bounced two players out of the program and elected to move forward with a group of talented, although young, players.

With Maureece Rice and Hobbs battling last season, forwards Rob Diggs and Damian Hollis and guard Noel Wilmore took ownership of the team. Diggs exploded late in the season while both Hollis and Wilmore, a good deep shooter, flashed the potential that made them solid recruits a few years back. A fourth returnee, forward Wynton Witherspoon, rounds out a core that must perform every night for the Colonials.

The key to the team, however, will be a return to health of point guard Travis King. When he suffered a season-ending knee injury last August, GW’s hopes were lost. He needs to return intact and get some help from promising recruit Tony Taylor. The Colonials will really benefit if either Jabari Edwards (6'9") or Joseph Katuka (6'10") proves ready to help as a sophomore.

12. Duquesne (17–13, 7–9); Postseason Prediction: None

The revival of Duquesne basketball took a giant step forward last season and then a major turn for the worse soon after.

The Dukes posted a winning season for the first time in 14 seasons and trotted out the type of athletes that scared almost every Atlantic 10 team. But when shot-blocking center Shawn James and guard Kojo Mensah both applied for the NBA Draft (neither drew a sniff) and then sued the university for not providing adequate security at a September 2006 on-campus dance where they and three teammates were shot, the Dukes found themselves back into rebuilding mode.

The good news is that even without James and Mensah, energetic coach Ron Everhart clearly knows how to build a winner. Step one is recruiting, and Everhart has flooded the program with young talent. Senior Aaron Jackson, a dogged defender and slick passer, should be the only upperclassmen seeing big minutes this season. He’ll need help in the backcourt from sophomore wing shooter Bill Clark, Phillip Fayne and a very promising group of four freshmen. Point guard Eric Evans was one of Detroit’s top seniors last winter; swingman Melquan Bolding left a commitment to Louisville to go to Duquesne; Johnny Higgins drew raves for his competitiveness in the New England prep schools; and B.J. Monteiro was the top player in Connecticut.

Up front, the Dukes will lean heavily on the shoulders of sophomore Damian Saunders, one of the A-10’s top newcomers last year. He’ll be joined by little-used returnee David Theis and two more recruits, forwards Shawntez Patterson and Ali Djim.

13. St. Bonaventure (8–22, 2–14); Postseason Prediction: None

This may not be good news for Bonnie basketball fans, but here goes: Last year’s success may prove to be a highlight for second-year coach Mark Schmidt’s first few seasons on the job.

Led by three departed seniors, the Bonnies were more competitive than they’ve been in recent years, but eight wins are not what Schmidt is all about. What he is focused on is elevating the talent level in the program, and he appears to have done so with a deep recruiting class of seven players and two four-year transfers.

The Bonnies return two starters in senior center D’Lancy Carter and forward Tyler Benson, but the bulk of the team will feature new faces. Schmidt wisely went the junior college route, and he somehow nabbed three highly touted players. The leader could be Ray Blackburn, a point guard from Buffalo who was a Division II Junior College first-team All-American. Schmidt then went out West and corralled guard Lewis Leonard, who was second in scoring in the California Community College Association with 25.2 points per game. Then the Bonnies nabbed Jonathan Hall, the MVP of the Division I National Junior College Tournament. The 6'4" guard led South Plains (Texas) College to the title by averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the tourney.

The Bonnies also have several young, developing big men whom Schmidt will throw into the fire. Da’Quan Cook redshirted last year, and incoming freshmen Andrew Nicholson (6'10") of Canada and Marquis Simmons (6'8") from Maryland hold plenty of promise.

14. Fordham (12–17, 6–10); Postseason Prediction: None

No Atlantic 10 team proved to be a bigger disappointment than the Rams a season ago. Blessed with five returning senior starters, led by all-league forward Bryant Dunston, the Rams started slowly and never recovered on the way to their worst conference finish in four years under Dereck Whittenburg.

With so many team leaders gone, it’s clear that the Rams will have to fight to jump up the rungs of what’s become a much longer A-10 ladder. Junior guard Brenton Butler is the only returning double-figure scorer, and he’ll be asked to carry a heavy load this season. Shooter Mike Moore, combo guard Herb Tanner and undersized power forward Chris Bethel round out the returnees who look ready to step into the rotation.

Whittenburg needed to restock the program with talent, and he appeared to do so. While forwards Khiry Gordon and Lamar Thomas will no doubt see instant time because of a lack of size in the program, the key additions come at guard. Trey Blue helped lead Brewster (N.H.) Academy to the New England prep title, and teammates Jio Fontan and Alberto Estwick helped lead Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony’s to a state title.