Following in the footsteps of a Legend (CH2k8)

[Deuce2223]

So now that I have decided to stay at UNC, my plan is to actually start playing more games and doing more of a tradition style recap. I still might not do a game by game recap, but will at least post the scores and top players from each game in a writeup covering the non-conference games as well as go more in depth around the Big Sky, Top-25, ect..

[Knickerbocker91]

Congrats on the tourney win and the good pair of recruits you signed as well.

[Deuce2223]

Quote: Originally Posted by Knickerbocker91

Congrats on the tourney win and the good pair of recruits you signed as well.

Thanks. I am excited. Forte comes in as my 2nd highest rate player but I think I want to keep my starting lineup the same as last year and just bring him off the bench. He will still get to start 2 years unless Atkinson leaves after this season which I doubt because he is still rated in below 80.

[thesportsguru11]

Wow, big win on and off the court for you here. Big expectations you've set for next year. Good luck!

[pfeifere1]

Personally, I would have given a long, hard look into Miami of Ohio....but I'm glad you stayed put for now.

Great win in the tourney, I'm looking forward to seeing you build on back to back NCAA Tournament appearances!

[Deuce2223]

YEAR 4 PREVIEW

Coming into his 4th season as the Head Coach at UNC, excitement is at a all-time high in Greeley. Despite back to back 20+win season, a Big Sky Championship and a NCAA Tournament win, Coach Dezaron "The Deuce" and his 60-33 record is back to coach a very talented squad who has 1 goal. A Sweet 16 birth.

This isn't Coach Dezaron's only goal this season. With 4 scholarships to offer he has hopes of landing a Top-20 class including Colorado's Mr BB 6'7 SF Hubert Schaffer. Landing Schaffer will be a challenge as UNC currently is #10 on his Top-10 list at 40% and with schools like Mizz,Arizona, BYU and Colorado all in his Top-5, the likely hood he ends up in Greeley will be a tough task.

However before we get to much into possible recruits for next season let's take a look at the returning 10-man squad.

The Starters

PG-SO 6'4 T. Sylia (73 OVR/81 3PT)
"Named Big Sky FOY averaging 9.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, well hitting 50/150 3pt (40%)"

SG-SO 6'4 W.M. Brady (69 OVR/83 3PT)
"Started all 32 games as a freshman averaging 8.9 PPG 2.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG well hitting 57/142 3pt (40%)

SF-SO 6'4 K. Conway (76 OVR/76 3PT)
"Started all 32 games as well averaging 7.2 PPG,5.0 RPG,2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG well hitting 28/69 3pt (40%)

PF-JR 6'7 C. Atkinson (78 OVR/90 Close/79 Mid)
"The reigning Big Sky POY averaged 18.3 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 2.0 BPG hitting over 50% FG. In 2 seasons he has started 63/63 games played.

C-JR 6'10 A. Thompson (68 OVR/91 Close)
"Started just 23 games of 25 last season due to injuries but still managed to average 13.1 PPG and 5.5 RPG.

The Bench

PG-SO 6'4 F. Perry (66 OVR/77 3PT)
Averaged 2.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 2.1 APG well hitting 11/36 3pt (30%) last year playing in all 32 games.

SG-SR 6'0 N. Boatner (60 OVR/75 3PT)
As a Freshman he was the teams 6th man averaging 9.4 PPG, then as a Soph he started all 31 games and raised his averaged to 12.8 PPG, but then as a Junior went back to the bench and averaged 7.1 PPG last season. He is a 36% career 3pt shooter (143/394).

SF/PF-JR 6'7 K. Crenshaw (67 OVR/80 OVR)
"Started 31 games as a true freshman averaging 6.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.1 SPG but moved to the bench last season where he averaged 7.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG, starting 9 of 32 games.

PF/C-SO 6'10 J. Esterkamp (67 OVR/79 Close)
"A 3* JC Transfer"

C-FR 6'10 N. Forte (74 OVR/86 Close)
"A 3* Ranked #271 Overall/#18 C in his Class, he is expected to play a big role off the bench this season backing up Atkinson and Thompson, as he looks to make it 3 years in a row in which a UNC Bear has won Big Sky FOY"


Coach Deuce "I really like the roster alot. We have a great combination of size and 5 guy's who can flat out shoot the 3pt. This works great for our offense. I would love to see Atkinson average a double double this season with 20/10 and I think he has the skills to do it."

THE SCHEDULE

11/5-vs Air Force
11/12-"Polar Bear Tip-Off Classic at Eastern Washington"
Opening Round vs IUPUI.
11/20 @ Colorado
11/24 @ LMU
11/27 @ #8 Oklahoma State

12/5 @ Stanford
12/8 vs Denver
12/14 @ Washington State
12/24 vs Hawaii
12/18 Big Sky Opener @ Montana
12/30 Big Sky Home opener vs Weber State

1/1 vs EWU
1/6 @ Sacramento State
1/9 @ Montana State
1/15 vs NAU
1/27 vs Idaho State
1/29 vs Portland State

2/3 @ EWU
2/5 @ Weber State
2/10 vs Montana State
2/12 vs Sacramento State
2/16 @ NAU
2/24 @ Portland State
2/26 @ Idaho State
3/1 Senior Night vs Montana

Coach Deuce-"I like our chances to repeat with 20 wins despite our schedule. We have some tough games especially #8 OSU, 2 games vs Pac-10 teams, and 8 of our first 11 games our on the road, but this team has proven they can win tough games"

UNC PICKED TO REPEAT AS BIG SKY CHAMPS!!

UNC (79 OVR) is picked to repeat as the Big Sky Champs and make a 3rd straight trip to the NCAA tourney, but they will face some tough competition along the way.

Montana (77 OVR) is always a tough challenge and with 3 Seniors in the starting lineup including SF L.F. Dickerson (74) as well as talented FR PF D. Evenstar (71).

NAU (76 OVR). The Lumberjacks will rely on SR SG K. Jeinke (74) and JR PG P. Thompson (73) to carry the load but if they get decent production from their 2 FR starters SF L. Arnin (65) and PF S. Buckely (67) they could surprise.

Portland State (74), Sacramento State (74), Weber State (74) all have a chance to finish anywhere from #3-#6. Look for WSU's SR SG R. Harmon (81) to make a push at Big Sky POY he is considered the conference's Best Overall and Best Pro Prospect.

Montana State (73), Idaho State (71) and EWU (70) are the bottom feeders of the conference and will have to hope they can pull off some upsets to fnish better then #7-9.

[Deuce2223]

#1 Duke (94)
#2 Florida (90)
#3 Maryland (88)
#4 Ohio State (88)
#5 Michigan State (91)
#6 Syracuse (88)
#7 Wisconsin (90)
#8 Oklahoma State (89)
#9 USC (89)
#10 Villanova (88)
#11 UCLA (92)
#12 Texas A&M (87)
#13 Purdue (85)
#14 Kansas (87)
#15 Kentucky (87)
#16 Oregon (87)
#17 Texas (89)
#18 Louisville (88)
#19 Cincinnati (86)
#20 Georgetown (87)
#21 Arizona (90)
#22 Tennessee (91)
#23 Seton Hall (86)
#24 Iowa State (85)
#25 Texas Tech (85)

Coach Deuce-"It's interesting to see that the ACC typically considered one of the strongest conferences in college basketball has just 2 teams in the Top-25, but Duke is by far the best team this year as they have 4 1st Team-All Americans in their starting lineup. 6 teams from the Big 12 and 4 from the Big Ten show they are ready to compete with the SEC (3) and Big East (6). I am surprised to see the defending champs at #22, the Vol's have a very good starting 5 including 2 Soph's that started for them all year last season. I expect them to finish as a Top-10 team"

[pfeifere1]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

#1 Duke (94) 4 1st Team-All Americans in their starting lineup.

THAT'S INSANE!!!!!!!