With the dust settled on the ISU men's highly successful 2015-2016 season, let's have a little fun and look ahead to next year. Just about every Bengal fan I've talked to since the end of last season is looking forward to next year with unbridled optimism, and why shouldn't they -- ISU will return four starters and, ostensibly, at least 9 of their top 10 scorers. (I never take for granted that everybody with eligibility will return, especially this year, when there were a couple of players whose playing time dived significantly by the end of the season. Those are the kind of players who are prime candidates to transfer.)
Even more important than numbers is the fact that Ethan Telfair -- unanimous all-Big Sky selection and Newcomer of the Year, will be back for his senior season. ET is the unchallenged leader of the team, and nobody in the conference had a bigger impact on his team's success.
But even as I look forward to next year, there are a few cautionary notes to keep in mind before predicting another top four finish for the Bengals. First and foremost is the fact the Big Sky had a ton of good, young players this past season, and the fact that the top two teams -- Weber State and Montana -- both return a good percentage of those players.
Sure, Weber loses all-everything Joel Bolomboy, but they return four starters, and in Zachary Braxton and Kyndahl Hill, they have two returning "bigs" who are as talented as any in the Big Sky. Yes Montana loses Martin Bruenig, their outstanding 6-8 center, but the Griz have an abundance of perimeter talent -- and they add Ahmaad Rorie, who started 15 games for Oregon as a freshman, and Sayeed Pridgett, a three-star recruit out of the Bay Area.
Then there's the Bengals' nemesis, North Dakota, who brings back every player of any consequence, including all-league guard Quinton Hooker who, along with his teammates, have been the Bengals' kryptonite in recent seasons. I SU played the Hawks three times last year and the whoppin's just got worse each time. Maybe the men will find a way to break the UND jinx like their female counterparts finally did in the Big Sky tourney this year.
Another, slightly less visible factor is that ISU may not get the same break in the Big Sky's unbalanced conference schedule they got this season, when they played Montana, Idaho and EWU -- three of the top six teams in the league -- only once this season. Next year, ISU will play Sac, PSU, NAU and SUU only once. In theory, at least, the Bengals will be trading four much easier opponents for tougher games next year.
Finally, we all know the Bengals won't be able to sneak up on anybody this next season, and that Big Sky coaches will all have six months to watch ISU-UND tape and scheme ways to make Telfair a lot less effective this year.
Having said all that, I still think ISU can remain an upper team if, IF they get the kind of development from some of their younger players that they got from Geno Luzcando and Ben Wilson this past season. Luzcando went from a true freshman who played sporadically, was an occasional defensive presence but couldn't really score, to a second-team all-conference pick who was one of the most efficient players in the league. Wilson, meanwhile, developed from an out-of-position, yet serviceable point guard as a junior to one of ISU's most valuable players -- their leading rebounder, a 50-percent shooter and one of the few players on the team with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio.
Who is most likely to experience such development? Well, if I were Novak Topalovic, the Bengals' 7-foot center who flashed glimpses of his considerable athletic ability last year, I'd be spending the summer parked in the gym with my back to the basket, five feet from the hoop, doing nothing but footwork and post move drills. If Novak can become a 10 to 12 point a game scorer next year, he'd add a completely new dimension to the ISU offense.
And then there's Stephen Lennox, the 6-8 small forward who made 35 percent of his 3 pointers in limited minutes last year. Put this young man in the weight room, give him 10 pounds of new muscle and add some post moves, and he has a chance to be a major contributor next year.
How about Kyle Ingram, who shot 53 percent from the field, led the teams in blocks and averaged 6 points and 4.6 rebounds a game? Kyle showed us a nice touch on the pick and pop, if he can get stronger and learn to avoid unnecessary fouls (and note, both he and Topalovic did a much better job staying on the floor by the end of the season), maybe Ingram could move over to Wilson's vacated four spot and start next to Topalovic.
There's Gary Chivichyan, who shot 38 percent from 3 as a true frosh. If Gary can get quicker on his feet defensively ( and use that 6-4 frame more to his advantage), while developing some semblance of a dribble-drive game on offense, the sky is the limit.
And how about Brandon Boyd, who wowed us with tiny glimpses of his ball handling skills before he went down with a broken wrist five games into the season? What can he bring to the table?
There will be recruits unknown -- and likely transfers as well, but in my mind the real key to ISU staying in the top third of the Big Sky and making a post-season tournament next year is the development of the kids who are already in the program. Here's to a hard-working and prosperous summer.
Even more important than numbers is the fact that Ethan Telfair -- unanimous all-Big Sky selection and Newcomer of the Year, will be back for his senior season. ET is the unchallenged leader of the team, and nobody in the conference had a bigger impact on his team's success.
But even as I look forward to next year, there are a few cautionary notes to keep in mind before predicting another top four finish for the Bengals. First and foremost is the fact the Big Sky had a ton of good, young players this past season, and the fact that the top two teams -- Weber State and Montana -- both return a good percentage of those players.
Sure, Weber loses all-everything Joel Bolomboy, but they return four starters, and in Zachary Braxton and Kyndahl Hill, they have two returning "bigs" who are as talented as any in the Big Sky. Yes Montana loses Martin Bruenig, their outstanding 6-8 center, but the Griz have an abundance of perimeter talent -- and they add Ahmaad Rorie, who started 15 games for Oregon as a freshman, and Sayeed Pridgett, a three-star recruit out of the Bay Area.
Then there's the Bengals' nemesis, North Dakota, who brings back every player of any consequence, including all-league guard Quinton Hooker who, along with his teammates, have been the Bengals' kryptonite in recent seasons. I SU played the Hawks three times last year and the whoppin's just got worse each time. Maybe the men will find a way to break the UND jinx like their female counterparts finally did in the Big Sky tourney this year.
Another, slightly less visible factor is that ISU may not get the same break in the Big Sky's unbalanced conference schedule they got this season, when they played Montana, Idaho and EWU -- three of the top six teams in the league -- only once this season. Next year, ISU will play Sac, PSU, NAU and SUU only once. In theory, at least, the Bengals will be trading four much easier opponents for tougher games next year.
Finally, we all know the Bengals won't be able to sneak up on anybody this next season, and that Big Sky coaches will all have six months to watch ISU-UND tape and scheme ways to make Telfair a lot less effective this year.
Having said all that, I still think ISU can remain an upper team if, IF they get the kind of development from some of their younger players that they got from Geno Luzcando and Ben Wilson this past season. Luzcando went from a true freshman who played sporadically, was an occasional defensive presence but couldn't really score, to a second-team all-conference pick who was one of the most efficient players in the league. Wilson, meanwhile, developed from an out-of-position, yet serviceable point guard as a junior to one of ISU's most valuable players -- their leading rebounder, a 50-percent shooter and one of the few players on the team with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio.
Who is most likely to experience such development? Well, if I were Novak Topalovic, the Bengals' 7-foot center who flashed glimpses of his considerable athletic ability last year, I'd be spending the summer parked in the gym with my back to the basket, five feet from the hoop, doing nothing but footwork and post move drills. If Novak can become a 10 to 12 point a game scorer next year, he'd add a completely new dimension to the ISU offense.
And then there's Stephen Lennox, the 6-8 small forward who made 35 percent of his 3 pointers in limited minutes last year. Put this young man in the weight room, give him 10 pounds of new muscle and add some post moves, and he has a chance to be a major contributor next year.
How about Kyle Ingram, who shot 53 percent from the field, led the teams in blocks and averaged 6 points and 4.6 rebounds a game? Kyle showed us a nice touch on the pick and pop, if he can get stronger and learn to avoid unnecessary fouls (and note, both he and Topalovic did a much better job staying on the floor by the end of the season), maybe Ingram could move over to Wilson's vacated four spot and start next to Topalovic.
There's Gary Chivichyan, who shot 38 percent from 3 as a true frosh. If Gary can get quicker on his feet defensively ( and use that 6-4 frame more to his advantage), while developing some semblance of a dribble-drive game on offense, the sky is the limit.
And how about Brandon Boyd, who wowed us with tiny glimpses of his ball handling skills before he went down with a broken wrist five games into the season? What can he bring to the table?
There will be recruits unknown -- and likely transfers as well, but in my mind the real key to ISU staying in the top third of the Big Sky and making a post-season tournament next year is the development of the kids who are already in the program. Here's to a hard-working and prosperous summer.
