2012/13 Men’s Season Recap
Better late than never I suppose, it’s been a busy life for me and I never got around to getting the hoops recap together. A lot has happened since the end of the season: a solid class of recruits were signed, more players left the program, a pretty good looking schedule was released, and Katz was singed on for an additional five years. If all that wasn’t enough, event center rumors are starting to kick up again. The future looks positive; unfortunately that doesn’t change the fact that the Hornets had another frustrating and disappointing season.
The Hornets came into the 2012-13 season looking to finally turn things around. With some key players returning in both the front and back court as well as incoming recruits that addressed the areas in need, the Hornets were poised to finally make a run at a post season berth. The season started well and featured a strong start which included a huge win on the road at Pac 12 Utah that culminated in a 5-1 start. Unfortunately from that point on the season turned into a typical season that Hornet fans have become accustomed to. The Hornets finished with a respectable OOC record of 6-3, but had a disappointing BSC record of 8-12 (t-6th) to finish the season with a 14-15 record and no post season play. The Hornets tied for 6th in the BSC but lost all the tie-breakers to miss out on the BSC Tourney for the 5th straight year under Katz. The Hornets did a great job of taking care of business in the Nest with a 10-4 record. However the typical road woes continued as the Hornets had a disappointing road record of 4-11.
The Hornets accomplished program season bests of 8 BSC wins (this past season featured 20 BSC games), 14 wins, and 10 home wins but 5 years into Katz’ tenure there is just no excuse for not at least making a BSC Tourney appearance considering the league quality (or lack thereof) and talented roster.
Key Wins (in chronological order)
Key Losses (in chronological order, typically losses of 7 points or less)
The Hornets had yet another inconsistent year. The difference in the season was blown leads in the second half against inferior competition. In possibly the weakest BSC lineup top to bottom, there is just no excuse for the Hornets not making the BSC Tourney given the talent on the roster. The Hornets wasted a respectable lineup from top to bottom that featured 4 different players averaging 10+ points per game. Seniors Konner Veteto and John Dickson held down the font court from the center and power forward spots respectively; while sophomore standout point guard Dylan Garrity and sophomore junior transfer shooting guard Mikh McKinney lead the way from the back court. The pieces to the puzzle where there, the execution and focus to finish vital games was not.
Final Big Sky Standings
http://www.bigskyconf.com/standings.aspx?standings=42&path=mbball
Team Statistics and Rankings
Individual Statistics
Only points, assists, and rebounds per game stats listed. Players averaging less than 5.0 ppg not listed.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/16/sacramento-state-hornets
The Hornets struggled on offense and finished near the bottom of the BSC in scoring even with a lot of returning talent. The Hornets were able to get different players contributing from game to game but it was too inconsistent to get this program over the hump. With only two of the top five scorers returning next season (both who whom are in the back court) and a litany of question marks in the front court means the scoring struggles will more than likely persist next season.
The Hornets had a good season on the defensive side of the court. Good defense and respectable rebounding limited scoring opportunities for opponents and kept the Hornets in a lot of games. It would be nice to see the Hornets pressure the ball more as Katz typically only applied pressure when trailing. With pretty much a complete turnover in the front court, it will be interesting to see how the new rotation plays on the defensive end.
Players Leaving
Players Returning
Incoming Recruits
Due to the long delay in this recap, we know who was inked and joining the program for next season. The incoming class has potential, and on paper the gem looks to be center standout Eric Stuteville. Here are the incoming recruits in alphabetical order.
Nick Hornsby: G, FR, 6’-5”, 185 lbs
I couldn’t find specific stats for Hornsby other than what the Hornetsports release had. He was named a team captain and a co-3AAA Player of the Year and co-Empire League MVP. Hornsby looks like a solid land by Katz who might be used to fill the swingman void of the rotation if he can bulk up a little, otherwise he will see limited time behind McKinney and Garrity. He looks to be a capable shooter which hopefully carries over into the D1 level.
Trevis Jackson: G, FR, 5’-11”, 160 lbs
I couldn’t find stats on Jackson outside of what his bio on Hornetsports lists. Per a Santa Monica Daily Press article Jackson will walk-on and redshirt this season. He recently led Santa Monica HS to its first championship since 1987.
Zach Mills: F, JR, 6’-5”, 210 lbs
Mills will probably be used to fill the void left by the graduation of Eberhard in the swingman role. Mills shot the ball well in the JC ranks and was also a solid rebounder. He should have a shot at a starting role if he impresses the coaching staff in preseason camp.
Case Rada: G, SO, 6’-3”, 200 lbs
Rada was his conference scoring leader in the JC ranks last season. Rada appears to be a strong perimeter shooter and is solid from the charity stripe as well. He should add some solid depth behind Garrity and McKinney and may become a key go-to player when some perimeter shots are needed.
Eric Stuteville: C, FR, 6’-10”, 220 lbs
A limited amount of stats were available (at least for free) so I plugged in what I could find plus what the Hornetsports release listed. Stuteville is the most hyped of the recruits in this class. He will plug a huge void at center which will be vacated by the graduation of Veteto. Stuteville should see immediate playing time and hopefully he can develop into a dominant presence in the paint as his career progresses.
This was another solid class brought in by Katz. It addresses the immediate and future need at center with Stuteville as well as some players who hopefully can bring in some perimeter shooting with Rada and Mills. I’m not sure where Hornsby fits in but it could be for the swingman role and it doesn’t hurt to bring in more capable talent. I also like the walk-on redshirt invitation to an undersized athlete like Jackson. This class has a good balance of JC recruits and high school recruits and with the proper development a few of these players should be able to contribute to this program.
Projected 2012/13 Lineup (next season’s class level listed)
Starters:
2013/14 Schedule
Discussion on the schedule occurred here: http://hornets.bigskyfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2002
All in all I like the schedule, but the concern are the early consecutive road games in both OOC and BSC portions of the schedule.
Looking ahead to next season isn’t too promising. The Hornets will be breaking in a lot of new players and there are just too many question marks to be overly optimistic. Katz was given a five year extension so I guess the thought is he will eventually get it together and get this program to the next level. I fear this program has plateaued but he has brought in a solid recruit class for the 2nd straight year. With a conference as weak as the BSC I guess there is always hope for a post season berth.
Go Hornets!
Better late than never I suppose, it’s been a busy life for me and I never got around to getting the hoops recap together. A lot has happened since the end of the season: a solid class of recruits were signed, more players left the program, a pretty good looking schedule was released, and Katz was singed on for an additional five years. If all that wasn’t enough, event center rumors are starting to kick up again. The future looks positive; unfortunately that doesn’t change the fact that the Hornets had another frustrating and disappointing season.
The Hornets came into the 2012-13 season looking to finally turn things around. With some key players returning in both the front and back court as well as incoming recruits that addressed the areas in need, the Hornets were poised to finally make a run at a post season berth. The season started well and featured a strong start which included a huge win on the road at Pac 12 Utah that culminated in a 5-1 start. Unfortunately from that point on the season turned into a typical season that Hornet fans have become accustomed to. The Hornets finished with a respectable OOC record of 6-3, but had a disappointing BSC record of 8-12 (t-6th) to finish the season with a 14-15 record and no post season play. The Hornets tied for 6th in the BSC but lost all the tie-breakers to miss out on the BSC Tourney for the 5th straight year under Katz. The Hornets did a great job of taking care of business in the Nest with a 10-4 record. However the typical road woes continued as the Hornets had a disappointing road record of 4-11.
The Hornets accomplished program season bests of 8 BSC wins (this past season featured 20 BSC games), 14 wins, and 10 home wins but 5 years into Katz’ tenure there is just no excuse for not at least making a BSC Tourney appearance considering the league quality (or lack thereof) and talented roster.
Key Wins (in chronological order)
- • 85-67 vs CSU Bakersfield: The Hornets had a dominating performance against a program that has steadily improved of recent years. Garrity and McKinney finished with 21 and 23 points respectively. Bako finished 14-16 on the year and will join the WAC next season.
• 74-71 @ Utah: The Hornets overcame a 13 point second half deficit to pull off a huge upset on the road and at elevation. Eberhard had some clutch free throws down the stretch to preserve the win. Garrity and Dickson led in scoring with 19 and 16 points respectively. This win was the 2nd win over a Pac 10/12 opponent with Katz at the helm. Utah finished 15-18 (5-13 Pac 12).
• 71-68 @ UCA: The Hornets rallied from an early 16 point deficit and were able to pull off an ugly game for a rare road victory. Veteto had a monster double-double off the bench to lead the Hornets in scoring with 19 points and 11 boards. Eberhard also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. UCA finished 13-17 (7-11 Southland).
• 62-57 vs MSU: The Hornets started BSC play with a win by taking advantage of MSU’s horrid night from the floor. This win broke Katz’ 2 year streak of not having a BSC win in the first 8 BSC games of the season. McKinney and Veteto led in scoring with 21 and 19 points, respectively.
• 64-59 vs SUU: Despite one of the worst FT shooting nights in Hornet history (29/55), the Hornets won a foul-fest against an overly physical SUU program that was hot coming into this game. McKinney led the scoring with 18 points.
• 60-53 @ EWU: It was a tale of two halves as the Hornets recovered from a horrid first half (10 point deficit) to play an almost perfect second half on both ends of the court. Veteto and McKinney led the scoring with 12 points each.
• 77-71 vs PSU: The Hornets landed a huge win on senior night that featured a near sell-out crowd. The Hornets led by as much as 12 but of course let PSU back into the game. Clutch FT’s by Garrity down the stretch clinched the win. McKinney went off in this one with 30 points.
• 51-50 @ UCSB: This final Bracketbusters game wasn’t a meaningful one, but it is always good to knock off a BW program as nothing else enrages their fans more than a loss to a lowly Hornet program. Four Hornets scored 11+ points: Garrity and Dickson with 12 points, McKinney and Veteto with 11 points. UCSB finished 11-20 (7-11 BW).
• 53-52 vs ISU: Not really a significant win as the BSC Tourney was pretty much out of the question at this point (not mathematically, but based on schedule). The Hornets squeaked by the worst BSC program and this game only made the list because it was the last win of the season in which the Hornets predictably finished 1-5. Salley had a breakout game and posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards.
Key Losses (in chronological order, typically losses of 7 points or less)
- • 87-76 vs the farm extension: The Hornets held a 9 point halftime lead but were completely out coached and out played in the second half. Garrity and Dickson led the scoring with 22 and 18 points respectively. They finished 14-17 (9-9 BW).
• 62-57 @ SJSU: The Hornets dropped a close game on the road to a comparable program. A poor shooting night by the Hornets prevented this game from being a win. Dickson (who battled foul trouble) and Garrity led in scoring with 16 and 12 points, respectively. SJSU finished 9-20 (3-14 WAC). SJSU moves to the MWC next season.
• 61-60 vs UM: The Hornets started the night 1/16 from the floor and dug themselves a hole. However the Hornets fought back and Garrity hit some late 3’s to tie this game in the final seconds only to have UM bailed out with a questionable charge-block foul that could have gone either way. Guess which way the call went? Four Hornets had 10+ points, Veteto had a double-double (10 points, 10 boards) and Dickson led in scoring with 15 points.
• 57-50 @ NAU: The Hornets had an awful offensive game that featured 19 turnovers and 34% from the floor against a rebuilding NAU program. Eberhard had a double-double (10 points and 10 boards) and Dickson led the scoring with 12 points.
• 60-59 @ ISU: The Hornets had an embarrassing collapse against the worst BSC program. The Hornets let a 9 point halftime lead slip away as the Hornets completely imploded on both ends of the court. There was no excuse for losing this one which dealt a significant blow to the BSC Tourney hopes. Dickson led the Hornets with a double-double (19 points, 11 boards). McKinney and Veteto also contributed 14 and 13 points respectively.
• 62-61 vs NAU: The Hornets dropped a 14 point lead midway through the second half in a must win game. This loss marked the unofficial end of the season even though 5 weeks (8 BSC games) remained. Garrity and Dickson led the way with 13 points each.
• 49-48 @ UND: The Hornets needed to steal a road win somewhere in the final 4 road BSC games to position themselves for a BSC Tourney berth and this one could have been it. The Hornets dug themselves out of an early 12 point deficit but missed a bunch of point blank scoring chances. In the closing seconds Garrity needed to step up and take a shot but deferred to Dickson for a long range low percentage shot. Dickson led the way with a double-double (19 points, 10 boards) and Veteto had 16 points and 9 boards.
The Hornets had yet another inconsistent year. The difference in the season was blown leads in the second half against inferior competition. In possibly the weakest BSC lineup top to bottom, there is just no excuse for the Hornets not making the BSC Tourney given the talent on the roster. The Hornets wasted a respectable lineup from top to bottom that featured 4 different players averaging 10+ points per game. Seniors Konner Veteto and John Dickson held down the font court from the center and power forward spots respectively; while sophomore standout point guard Dylan Garrity and sophomore junior transfer shooting guard Mikh McKinney lead the way from the back court. The pieces to the puzzle where there, the execution and focus to finish vital games was not.
Final Big Sky Standings
http://www.bigskyconf.com/standings.aspx?standings=42&path=mbball
Team Statistics and Rankings
- • Scoring Offense: 64.7 ppg (10th BSC, 245th D-1)
• Scoring Defense: 65.7 ppg (4th BSC)
• Scoring Margin: -1.0 (5th BSC)
• Offensive Field Goal %: 640/1546, 41.4% (9th BSC, 266th D-1)
• Defensive Field Goal %: 690/1598, 43.2% (4th BSC)
• Free Throw %: 436/599, 72.8% (3rd BSC)
• Offensive 3-Point %: 160/474, 33.8% (7th BSC)
• Defensive 3-Point %: 210/599, 35.1% (5th BSC)
• Offensive Rebounds: 982, 33.9 rpg (6th BSC, 208th D-1)
• Defensive Rebounds: 1008, 34.8 rpg (8th BSC)
• Rebound Margin: -0.9 (4th BSC)
• Assists: 358, 12.3 apg (7th BSC, 195th D-1)
• Blocks: 71, 2.4 bpg (7th BSC)
• Steals: 151, 5.2 spg (10th BSC)
• Turnovers: 325, 11.2 tpg (1st BSC)
• Turnovers Forced: 349, 12.0 tpg (7th BSC)
• Turnover Margin: +0.83 (3rd BSC)
Individual Statistics
Only points, assists, and rebounds per game stats listed. Players averaging less than 5.0 ppg not listed.
- • Dickson: 12.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 40.5-FG%, 75.8-FT%, 30.3-3%
• McKinney: 12.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 39.9-FG%, 80.7-FT%, 37.2-3%
• Garrity: 11.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 44.3-FG%, 86.1-FT%, 40.8-3%
• Veteto: 10.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.2 apg, 49.1-FG%, 61.1-FT%, 00.0-3%
• Eberhard: 6.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 38.1-FG%, 75.5-FT%, 37.8-3%
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/16/sacramento-state-hornets
The Hornets struggled on offense and finished near the bottom of the BSC in scoring even with a lot of returning talent. The Hornets were able to get different players contributing from game to game but it was too inconsistent to get this program over the hump. With only two of the top five scorers returning next season (both who whom are in the back court) and a litany of question marks in the front court means the scoring struggles will more than likely persist next season.
The Hornets had a good season on the defensive side of the court. Good defense and respectable rebounding limited scoring opportunities for opponents and kept the Hornets in a lot of games. It would be nice to see the Hornets pressure the ball more as Katz typically only applied pressure when trailing. With pretty much a complete turnover in the front court, it will be interesting to see how the new rotation plays on the defensive end.
Players Leaving
- • PF – (#32) John Dickson: Started all 29 games this season and earned BSC Honorable Mention. He is by far the best high school recruit Katz has recruited to the program under his tenure and is also the first Katz high school recruit to make it through all four years. Dickson led the team in scoring, field goal attempts, field goals made, defensive rebounds, and was the team’s second leading overall rebounder this season. Dickson finishes his career having played in all 115 games including 90 starts, 5th all-time in scoring (1,313 points), 3rd all-time in blocks (100), and 7th in rebounding (508). He is a shoe-in for the Hornet Hall of Fame and his athleticism and talent will be missed. Regardless of his sporadic shot selection, he has been one of the bright spots during the last four years of Hornet hoops. Dickson will be greatly missed.
• C – (#41) Konner Veteto: Started 21 of the 28 games he played in this season and battled a knee injury early in the season. He did a solid job holding it down in the paint and led the team in offensive rebounds and had a respectable 61.1% from the free throw line. He showed some range at times but his primary role was to bang around inside. Veteto wasn’t a dominant big man but he made his presence felt. Veteto started 26 of his 55 career appearances as a Hornet.
• G/F – (#3) Joe Eberhard: Started 28 of the 29 games he played in and had some clutch moments this season (he was huge in the upset at Utah). Unfortunately it was largely a down season for him and I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that McKinney had such a solid year which minimized his touches. Eberhard was team 4th in scoring, 3rd in rebounding, and will leave as one of the best 3-point shooters (42.1%) in Hornet history. He started 55 of his 57 career appearances.
• PG – (#11) Julian Demalleville: Started 3 of the 29 he played in this season and this walk-on was the go-to ball handler when Garrity was out. D’ville wasn’t much of a scoring threat but was capable of running the offense when called upon. He started 5 of his 57 career appearances.
• G – (#1) Jackson Carbajal: Played in 24 games this season. The hope was for Carbs to build off of a strong finish of the previous season, but that didn’t happen. Instead he struggled from the floor and shot a horrid 11.4% from behind the arc. Carbs did show potential when he drove to the hoop and did provide a spark off the bench in a couple of games and had some solid defensive showings this season. His free throw shooting was also greatly improved (70.6%). Carbs left the program and would have been only the second of Katz high school recruits to make it through his entire eligibility as a Hornet had he stuck it out. However he was looking at being buried on the bench behind more capable players so he bailed. He started 12 of his 42 career appearances.
• SG – (#0) Jordan Estrada: Missed the entire season due to an injured back and transferred to Chico State. He more than likely would have been buried on the bench next season. He started 8 of his 22 career appearances.
• C - Pete Rakocevic: Left the team prior to the season. Probably would have seen a little time given the season long injury to backup center Okwudibonye.
• PF - Magd Owayed: Left the team prior to the season. He would not have seen action had he stayed.
Players Returning
- • PG – (#5) Dylan Garrity: Garrity had another solid season and earned BSC Honorable Mention. He started 26 of the 28 games he played in (53 starts of his 56 career appearances) and did a solid job of running the Hornet offense. Garrity lead the team in assists (5.1/game); however his scoring numbers were down from a season ago (11.6/game) and his turnovers were up (2.3/game). Garrity will need to pick up his game and shoot the ball more if he wants to lead this team to a BSC Tourney berth.
• SG – (#10) Mikh McKinney: McKinny came on as a JC sophomore transfer and had an outstanding season. He started all 29 games and awed Hornet fans with the scoring ability to drive to the hoop or hit the perimeter shot. McKinney made the circus shots look easy and had some amazing performances on both ends of the court. He led the team in steals (1.2/game) and was second on the team in scoring (12.3/game). He will be looking to continue this onslaught next season.
• G/F – (#2) Cody Demps: Started 1 of the 29 games he played in this season. Demps saw a significant amount of playing time at the swingman spot this season which hopefully will allow him to develop and improve his game. He did play like a freshman and there is plenty of room for improvement. His field goal shooting was respectable (41.2%) but he will need to significantly improve his free throw shooting (56.5%) as well as his ball handling/control. Demps has a lot of potential and will return for his sophomore season.
• PF – (#22) Jordan Salley: Started 2 of the 26 games he played in. He saw more playing time as the season progressed and had a monster game against ISU that preserved a win. Salley will be a senior next season and will be looking to land the starting power forward spot. He should see significant playing time next season.
• F – (#4) Joey Quigley: Started 6 of the 29 games he played in. He logged some decent minutes but was largely ineffective on the offensive end. He was last in team field goal percentage and averaged 1 turnover per minute of playing time. He performed much better on the defensive end where he was 2nd in blocks (14) and averaged 1 steal per minute of playing time (wipes out his poor ball handling on the other end). Quigley will return for his senior season.
• SG – (#20) Dreon Barlett: Entered the season buried on the depth chart but managed to play sparingly in 13 games. He did show some potential from behind the arc (6/12) and could see more playing time as the Hornets search for a reliable perimeter shooter. Ultimately a redshirt may have been better suited for his situation; instead Barlett will return for his sophomore season.
• C – (#15) Ryan Okwudibonye: Played in 1 game and never saw action again as he couldn’t recover from a knee injury. He would have seen significant time if he was healthy and it appears he was granted a medical redshirt (updated roster lists him as a RS JR) so it looks as though he has two seasons left.
• PG – (#12) Kendall Groom: Played in 9 games this season, mainly during garbage time. He will most likely remain as a reserve next season as he returns for his senior season. He has 28 career appearances.
• PF – (#34) Alex Tiffin: Transferred in as a junior and sat out this season with a redshirt. He will be competing for the starting power forward spot vacated by Dickson’s graduation.
Incoming Recruits
Due to the long delay in this recap, we know who was inked and joining the program for next season. The incoming class has potential, and on paper the gem looks to be center standout Eric Stuteville. Here are the incoming recruits in alphabetical order.
Nick Hornsby: G, FR, 6’-5”, 185 lbs
- • Points/game: 16.7 (34 games)
• FG’s (2’s): 42%
• 3-PT’s: 44.2%
• FT: 80%
• Rebounds/game: 8.3
• Assists/game: 2.7
• Steals/game: ?
• Blocks/game: ?
I couldn’t find specific stats for Hornsby other than what the Hornetsports release had. He was named a team captain and a co-3AAA Player of the Year and co-Empire League MVP. Hornsby looks like a solid land by Katz who might be used to fill the swingman void of the rotation if he can bulk up a little, otherwise he will see limited time behind McKinney and Garrity. He looks to be a capable shooter which hopefully carries over into the D1 level.
Trevis Jackson: G, FR, 5’-11”, 160 lbs
- • Points/game: 15.2 (36 games)
• FG’s: ?
• 3-PT’s: ?
• FT: ?
• Rebounds/game: ?
• Assists/game: 6.8
• Steals/game: ?
• Blocks/game: ?
I couldn’t find stats on Jackson outside of what his bio on Hornetsports lists. Per a Santa Monica Daily Press article Jackson will walk-on and redshirt this season. He recently led Santa Monica HS to its first championship since 1987.
Zach Mills: F, JR, 6’-5”, 210 lbs
- • Points/game: 14.6 (4th team, 27 games)
• FG’s: 150/308, 48.7% (2nd team in made shots)
• 3-PT’s: 32/74, 43.2% (led team in 3PT-%)
• FT: 61/75, 81.3% (4th team in FT%)
• Rebounds/game: 8.2 (led team)
• Assists/game: 1.4
• Steals/game: 0.7
• Blocks/game: 0.6
Mills will probably be used to fill the void left by the graduation of Eberhard in the swingman role. Mills shot the ball well in the JC ranks and was also a solid rebounder. He should have a shot at a starting role if he impresses the coaching staff in preseason camp.
Case Rada: G, SO, 6’-3”, 200 lbs
- • Points/game: 24.0 (led team, 28 games)
• FG’s: 205/535, 38.3% (led team in made shots)
• 3-PT’s: 111/305, 36.4% (led team in 3PTs made)
• FT: 150/181, 82.9% (led team in FT% and FTs made)
• Rebounds/game: 3.8
• Assists/game: 2.4 (2nd team)
• Steals/game: 0.8
• Blocks/game: 0.2
Rada was his conference scoring leader in the JC ranks last season. Rada appears to be a strong perimeter shooter and is solid from the charity stripe as well. He should add some solid depth behind Garrity and McKinney and may become a key go-to player when some perimeter shots are needed.
Eric Stuteville: C, FR, 6’-10”, 220 lbs
- • Points/game: 21.7 (led team, 32 games)
• FG’s: 60.0%
• 3-PT’s: ?
• FT: 84.0%
• Rebounds/game: 12.3 (led team)
• Assists/game: 0.7
• Steals/game: 0.3
• Blocks/game: 6.3 (led team)
A limited amount of stats were available (at least for free) so I plugged in what I could find plus what the Hornetsports release listed. Stuteville is the most hyped of the recruits in this class. He will plug a huge void at center which will be vacated by the graduation of Veteto. Stuteville should see immediate playing time and hopefully he can develop into a dominant presence in the paint as his career progresses.
This was another solid class brought in by Katz. It addresses the immediate and future need at center with Stuteville as well as some players who hopefully can bring in some perimeter shooting with Rada and Mills. I’m not sure where Hornsby fits in but it could be for the swingman role and it doesn’t hurt to bring in more capable talent. I also like the walk-on redshirt invitation to an undersized athlete like Jackson. This class has a good balance of JC recruits and high school recruits and with the proper development a few of these players should be able to contribute to this program.
Projected 2012/13 Lineup (next season’s class level listed)
Starters:
- • PG: (#5) Dylan Garrity, JR, 6’-2”, 170 lbs
• SG: (#10) Mikh McKinney, JR, 6’-3”, 185 lbs
• G/F: (#20) Zach Mills, JR, 6’-5”, 210 lbs
• PF: (#22) Jordan Salley, SR, 6’-6”, 230 lbs
• C: (#44) Eric Stuteville, FR, 6’-10”, 220 lbs
- • G: (#0) Case Rada, SO, 6’-3”, 200 lbs
• PF: (#34) Alex Tiffin, RJR, 6’-9”, 235 lbs
• G/F: (#2) Cody Demps, SO, 6’-4”, 185 lbs
• SG: (#20) Dreon Barlett, SO, 6’-3”, 170 lbs
• G: (#32) Nick Hornsby, FR, 6’-5”, 185 lbs
• C: (#15) Ryan Okwudibonye, RJR, 6’-8”, 230 lbs
• PF: (#4) Joey Quigley, SR, 6’-8”, 210 lbs
• G: (#12) Kendall Groom, SR, 6’-3”, 175 lbs
• G: (#11) Trevis Jackson, FR, 5’-11”, 160 lbs (redshirting next season)
2013/14 Schedule
Discussion on the schedule occurred here: http://hornets.bigskyfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2002
All in all I like the schedule, but the concern are the early consecutive road games in both OOC and BSC portions of the schedule.
Looking ahead to next season isn’t too promising. The Hornets will be breaking in a lot of new players and there are just too many question marks to be overly optimistic. Katz was given a five year extension so I guess the thought is he will eventually get it together and get this program to the next level. I fear this program has plateaued but he has brought in a solid recruit class for the 2nd straight year. With a conference as weak as the BSC I guess there is always hope for a post season berth.
Go Hornets!
