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Five Cinderella Teams to Watch
- Thread starter Dubs1
- Start date
Webergrad02
Active member
Do you want to copy and paste what they say about Weber? Some of us don't have Insider.
Dubs...thank you for the link, but like webergrad02, I'm sure a lot of us don't have Insider access. Could you paste what is said about Weber?
And who are the other teams? I'm guessing SFS and Hofstra are possibly two.
And who are the other teams? I'm guessing SFS and Hofstra are possibly two.
5. Weber State Wildcats
Yes, this team went 13-17 last season and was 8-10 in the Big Sky. But Randy Rahe's track record is impressive, with seven postseason appearances in nine years at Weber. Rahe has four starters back, including a potential NBA guy in Kenneth Faried-type Joel Bolomboy (13.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and junior guard Jeremy Senglin (16.4 PPG). Rahe is excited about a handful of new faces, and is hopeful that 6-foot-9, 250-pound redshirt freshman big man Zach Braxton can make an impact and team with Bolomboy to form a potent inside duo. "We've got a nice balance of veterans and young guys, we're much deeper, we shoot it better and our skill level has improved," Rahe said.
Yes, this team went 13-17 last season and was 8-10 in the Big Sky. But Randy Rahe's track record is impressive, with seven postseason appearances in nine years at Weber. Rahe has four starters back, including a potential NBA guy in Kenneth Faried-type Joel Bolomboy (13.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and junior guard Jeremy Senglin (16.4 PPG). Rahe is excited about a handful of new faces, and is hopeful that 6-foot-9, 250-pound redshirt freshman big man Zach Braxton can make an impact and team with Bolomboy to form a potent inside duo. "We've got a nice balance of veterans and young guys, we're much deeper, we shoot it better and our skill level has improved," Rahe said.
Here are the other 4 teams:
1. Hofstra Pride
Two years ago, Joe Mihalich won just 10 games in his first season after coming from Niagara. Now he'll have the Pride as the overwhelming favorite to win the CAA, largely because of Juan'ya Green and Ameen Tanksley, who followed him from Niagara. Green, a tremendous passer who also averaged 17.1 PPG, will likely be the conference preseason player of the year. "We've got a star," Mihalich said of Green. "And everyone on the team is OK with it." Tanksley (16.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG) is a tough, versatile wing and a fifth-year senior. Starter Brian Bernardi (11.6 PPG) is also back, and Mihalich has replacements for Dion Nesmith and big man Moussa Kone in fifth-year Princeton grad transfer Denton Koon and skilled 6-foot-10 forward and Clemson transfer Ibrahim Djambo. That means Milhalich can throw out a lineup of Green, Tanksley, Bernardi, Koon and Djambo, who enter the season with a combined 19 years in college.
2. Valparaiso Crusaders
When Horizon League defensive player of the year Vashil Fernandez was granted another year by the NCAA over the summer, it meant coach Bryce Drew and the Crusaders returned everyone except for seldom-used reserve David Chadwick (2.3 PPG) from a team that won a school-record 28 games and went to the NCAA tournament last season. Alec Peters (16.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 47 percent success rate on 3-pointers) is the Crusaders star, but he has plenty of help from a supporting cast that includes seniors Darien Walker, Keith Carter, Fernandez and E. Victor Nickerson, as well as junior Tevonn Walker. Drew took his team to Canada and raved about the play of LSU transfer Shane Hammink, who is the team's most athletic player. "I'm not sure if he'll start or not, but he'll play -- a lot," Drew said.
1. Hofstra Pride
Two years ago, Joe Mihalich won just 10 games in his first season after coming from Niagara. Now he'll have the Pride as the overwhelming favorite to win the CAA, largely because of Juan'ya Green and Ameen Tanksley, who followed him from Niagara. Green, a tremendous passer who also averaged 17.1 PPG, will likely be the conference preseason player of the year. "We've got a star," Mihalich said of Green. "And everyone on the team is OK with it." Tanksley (16.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG) is a tough, versatile wing and a fifth-year senior. Starter Brian Bernardi (11.6 PPG) is also back, and Mihalich has replacements for Dion Nesmith and big man Moussa Kone in fifth-year Princeton grad transfer Denton Koon and skilled 6-foot-10 forward and Clemson transfer Ibrahim Djambo. That means Milhalich can throw out a lineup of Green, Tanksley, Bernardi, Koon and Djambo, who enter the season with a combined 19 years in college.
2. Valparaiso Crusaders
When Horizon League defensive player of the year Vashil Fernandez was granted another year by the NCAA over the summer, it meant coach Bryce Drew and the Crusaders returned everyone except for seldom-used reserve David Chadwick (2.3 PPG) from a team that won a school-record 28 games and went to the NCAA tournament last season. Alec Peters (16.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 47 percent success rate on 3-pointers) is the Crusaders star, but he has plenty of help from a supporting cast that includes seniors Darien Walker, Keith Carter, Fernandez and E. Victor Nickerson, as well as junior Tevonn Walker. Drew took his team to Canada and raved about the play of LSU transfer Shane Hammink, who is the team's most athletic player. "I'm not sure if he'll start or not, but he'll play -- a lot," Drew said.
3. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Brad Underwood and the Lumberjacks have been to the NCAA tournament each of the past two seasons and have a 61-8 record in that span. Sure, the loss of Jacob Parker will hurt, but Underwood returns seven of his top nine players, including versatile standout Thomas Walkup and emerging sophomore star Ty Charles. Two-year starting point guard Trey Pinkney also returns, and Underwood is banking on Pinkney's fellow senior Clide Geffrard (8.5 PPG) making a jump and moving into the starting lineup. "We have unbelievable leadership, and we have the option to play big this year, something we haven't had the last two years." Underwood is hoping to get quality minutes this season from either 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior college product JaQuan Smith or 7-foot Serbian freshman Jovan Grujic.
4. Central Michigan Chippewas
Few (if any) oberservers figured on the Chippewas being in this position entering Keno Davis' fourth season. But the former Providence head coach won 23 games last season and returns five players who each started every single game a year ago, including potential MAC player of the year Chris Fowler. "He's a pro," Davis said of his senior floor leader. "He broke our all-time assist mark last year and also led us in scoring. Chris just makes everyone better." Central Michigan has experience with five seniors (three will start) and no shortage of shooters (the Chippewas shot 37 percent from the 3-point line last season). Davis employs a three-point guard offense (Fowler, Braylon Rayson and Rayshawn Simmons), but the key to the team could be the development of 6-foot-11 sophomore Luke Meyer.
Brad Underwood and the Lumberjacks have been to the NCAA tournament each of the past two seasons and have a 61-8 record in that span. Sure, the loss of Jacob Parker will hurt, but Underwood returns seven of his top nine players, including versatile standout Thomas Walkup and emerging sophomore star Ty Charles. Two-year starting point guard Trey Pinkney also returns, and Underwood is banking on Pinkney's fellow senior Clide Geffrard (8.5 PPG) making a jump and moving into the starting lineup. "We have unbelievable leadership, and we have the option to play big this year, something we haven't had the last two years." Underwood is hoping to get quality minutes this season from either 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior college product JaQuan Smith or 7-foot Serbian freshman Jovan Grujic.
4. Central Michigan Chippewas
Few (if any) oberservers figured on the Chippewas being in this position entering Keno Davis' fourth season. But the former Providence head coach won 23 games last season and returns five players who each started every single game a year ago, including potential MAC player of the year Chris Fowler. "He's a pro," Davis said of his senior floor leader. "He broke our all-time assist mark last year and also led us in scoring. Chris just makes everyone better." Central Michigan has experience with five seniors (three will start) and no shortage of shooters (the Chippewas shot 37 percent from the 3-point line last season). Davis employs a three-point guard offense (Fowler, Braylon Rayson and Rayshawn Simmons), but the key to the team could be the development of 6-foot-11 sophomore Luke Meyer.
This doesn't bode well for the home team in the opening game of the Florida tournament this year. Weber has drawn Central Michigan for the first game, who is picked as one of the 5 breakout teams and has all 5 starters returning including a point guard of NBA quality. Looks like we may be playing games 2 and 3 of the tournament in the losers bracket.
Webergrad02
Active member
baller said:
We don't know for sure what we have. So I won't count us out yet. We have 4 of 5 starters returning and the starter we lost will end up helping us in team chemistry. I just like that we know we will be facing one really good team in Florida.
oldrunner
Active member
thescout said:
Braxton is a totally different player than he was last year. The red shirt year has done him a tremendous amount of good. He is stronger, more confident, more knowledgeable, and way more ready to be a solid contributor. The same goes for Jefferson. Both of those guys are ready to go.
There may turn out to be some very good freshmen red shirting this year as well. Sometimes it is the better players that you don't want to waste a year of eligibility by playing them before they can be a major contributor. We have a few that might fit into that category this year.
Wildcat_Fan
Active member
I drank the purple Kool Aid last year big time and was severely disappointed, to say the least, about how the season went.
We saw big time Rahe has athletes and has not developed into basketball players as of last season. The chemistry with the team left something to be desired.
SO with that being said I could see us come out and lose every game in that tourney or win the whole damn thing. Neither would surprise me.
If those athletes have turned into athletic basketball players we have the potential to be freakin amazing! But if Senglin is still going for 20 shots a night and the chemistry is still off, itll be a good thing everyone goes to the Big Sky tourney cuz we will be mid pack again this year.
Hoping for the best but no expectations..
We saw big time Rahe has athletes and has not developed into basketball players as of last season. The chemistry with the team left something to be desired.
SO with that being said I could see us come out and lose every game in that tourney or win the whole damn thing. Neither would surprise me.
If those athletes have turned into athletic basketball players we have the potential to be freakin amazing! But if Senglin is still going for 20 shots a night and the chemistry is still off, itll be a good thing everyone goes to the Big Sky tourney cuz we will be mid pack again this year.
Hoping for the best but no expectations..
I'll be honest, I'm a bit worried about this season. I really like the team the Cats have coming back and can see how Weber has the potential of being a very scary team. However, like a lot of you on this forum, I drank the purple kool-aid last season and was severely disappointed. Yes, one has to realize that last season was a totally different team from the one that won the Big Sky Crown, after losing Berry, Tresnak, Richardson, and Fulton. I don't know why we all thought that Weber would be the best team, especially knowing that Rahe wasn't going to play a traditional big in the center like he had the previous seasons.
This season...we know what we have as starters and the first couple off the bench. We know we have quality guys coming in and that we are deeper, more talented, and have the right guys at the right positions. Yes, once again, Weber is a young team, but not like last year.
This season...we know what we have as starters and the first couple off the bench. We know we have quality guys coming in and that we are deeper, more talented, and have the right guys at the right positions. Yes, once again, Weber is a young team, but not like last year.
SWWeatherCat
Active member
I have no opinion on this team and wont until we see what they look like in the tournament. I'm really hating the term "scary" being used since my interpretation of scary good is rarely seen in the BSC. I will say I can't hardly stand the wait for Braxton to get on the floor and get busy, I have a really good feeling about him and the ability of the team's success built around him IF he ends up being the player I hope he is AND Rahe uses him accordingly. Rahe said on a half-time interview at the football game that he is very excited to see what Senglin, Joel, and some very talented, young players can do this season and that he believes they have a lot of depth that's been missing in recent years and much better shooters from last year.
There's no reason to think Weber can't contend for the BSC title but there's no concrete reason to think they will either. The only certain thing is despite any success they enjoy this season, it will be highly diminished due to the sorry home schedule and lame@$$ BSC tournament changes.
There's no reason to think Weber can't contend for the BSC title but there's no concrete reason to think they will either. The only certain thing is despite any success they enjoy this season, it will be highly diminished due to the sorry home schedule and lame@$$ BSC tournament changes.
sacstateman
Active member
Last year at this time I had plenty to say on this forum......this year you Weber fans seem to have your feet firmly on terra firma so I don't have much to say (I'm sure that suits you fine tal)....I am anxious to see basketball start and see who fits where as the preseason moves along.....
SWWeatherCat
Active member
There's always the altitude and scheduling conspiracy theories, sacs.
sacstateman
Active member
Can't bitch....we get you twice this year.....SWWeatherCat said:
