[Eaglesfan27]

The roster doesn't leave me quite as excited as I thought I'd be, but it is still fairly good:

PG (Solid position in terms of depth)

PG Israel Simmons just isn't as good as I hoped out of the gate in his overall ratings, but his 3 point rating does excite me at 81 which leads the team. His offensive skills are great with an excellent handle, solid passing skills, and even some good inside ability. His midrange jumper is less solid than advertised as is his defensive prowess. However, he is lightning quick and even with an overall rating a few points lower than Gus, I think he'll start. Overall rating of 73. He is now 6'2 180.

SR PG Gus Waters has a better mid range jumper and is a much better defender than the young freshman. He also has top speed and should play a lot whether he starts or comes off the bench. He averaged 12 ppg in the last 3 that I kept track of. He is rated 77 overall. His height has always been a bit of a liability - now 5'10 170.

Sophomore PG Christiano Bitee is the loser with our big acquisition. He'll play some with his excellent speed and good defensive prowess, but his time will go way down. Has the weakest jump shot of the 3, but isn' terrible in that area. He is 5'9 180 and is rated 73 overall.

SG (this position takes a huge hit with Graves gone):

Chen Li didn't see the court in his first 2 years, but he should get playing time this year. At 6'3 204 pounds, he has good solid foot speed and can shoot the 3 passably. His defense and finishing ability are liabilities. Rated 71 overall.

True Freshman Tamal Gill will see the court and might even win the starting job. He is 6'6 195 and has speed comparable to Li's. His defense is a bit better, but he is a more unrefined shooter, although he is a decent post shooter.


SF (our best starter, but depth is a question)

Hannan was our biggest star recruit of my era before the young PG signed this year. Hannan was only a 3 star and was only 109th overall in his class. He is now rated 80 overall and is a solid 6'8 250 pounds. His midrange jumper has become very solid and he does everything well. I'd like to see more consistency off the dribble. Shoots very well in traffic.

SF Raul Lisinic is a disappointment in his first weeks on campus. He is 6'7 205 but lacks athleticism. His foot speed is poor, his shooting is even poorer. Rated 67 overall which would have been good when I first arrived here, but now it doesn't cut it. I'll probably redshirt him.

SR Walkon Branden Jenkins will never see the court. Overall of 57.


PF (Our next best starter and best depth):

SR Whitney Cornette is 6'10 240 now. He has a very good post game now and will get to use that more than ever. He also is a decent midrange shooter. Good defender. Rated 80 overall.

JR Gilson Willis is 6'9 233. He is a good 3 point shooter for his size and has a decent post game. He is rated 74 overall.

Sophomore "PF" Marko Cox is 6'5 219 and doesn't do a lot very good, but he is fair in most areas. Rated 74 overall.

Alfonso Bowers could be our #1 SF option off the bench again this year. He is 6'8 258 and is the 2nd best 3 point shooter on the team behind our freshman PG. He has just enough foot speed to play SF and is a decent passer. The SR is rated 72 overall.

SR Vitor Ziri hasn't seen the floor much this year, but he will probably get time as our backup Center this year. He is 6'9 250 and specializes in rebounding. He is rated 70 overall.

C (our weakest position)

Mamery Clifford will get the start this year with Simon gone. He is 6'11 266 and is a good post scorer at times and will add something there. However, he isn't as good at rebounding. On the plus side, he is a better shot blocker with more mobility.

Gary Outlaw isn't bad for a blind reach. Our coaches think the kid is a decent rebounder despite being rail thin. He also has some ability to shot a bit away from the rim. However, he neds to gain weight and strength. He'll redshirt this year.