Off The Boards by Jack Scheuer – November 7, 2018 Edition

Off The Boards

By Jack Scheuer

November 7, 2018 Edition

New season, new players, new hopes, but Villanova still seems to be the best team in the city. The defending National Champions lost 4 top-notch performers to the NBA, but still return regulars Eric Paschall and Phil Booth, plus the experienced Collin Gillespie and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree. Dylan Painter and Jermaine Samuels will be in the front court rotation. Albany transfer Joe Cremo will help, and if freshman point guard Jahvon Quinerly is as good as advertised, the Wildcats will continue their successful ways.

If Saint Joseph’s can escape the injury bug, the Hawks should bounce back with a good year. Talented junior Charlie Brown, Jr. returns after missing the entire season along with Lamarr Kimble, who played in only one game. Chris Clover, Pierfrancesco Oliva, Taylor Funk and Anthony Longpre’ form a solid nucleus. Freshman Jared Boykin has been impressive.

Temple lost Obie Enechionyia and Josh Brown, but the Owls expect Quinton Rose (15 ppg) to put up even bigger numbers this season. Shizz Alston Jr. (13.3) is a veteran performer, and reserve guard Alani Moore II returns. De’Vondre Perry, Nate Pierre -Louis and J.P Moorman II all showed potential as freshmen. Junior guard newcomer Quentin Jackson Jr. could see meaningful minutes.

Penn, defending Ivy champs, look to challenge again this season. AJ Brodeur (All Ivy 1st team) and Ryan Betley (2nd team) showed plenty as sophomores, and guards Antonio Woods, Devon Goodman, Jake Silpe and Eddie Scott provide depth in the backcourt. Senior Max Rothschild is a solid big man, while top newcomer is 6-10 Michael Wang is expected to get meaningful minutes.

La Salle, under first year coach Ashley Howard, appears to be rebuilding, but got a big break when Pookie Powell (17 ppg) was granted an extra year of eligibility. He’ll team with Marquette transfer Traci Carter in the backcourt, aided by South Carolina transfer David Beatty, Isiah Deas, and Saul Phiri. Up-front, 6-8 freshmen Jared Kimbrough and Ed Croswell (255 lbs.) will fight for minutes. Sophomore Miles Brookins, at 6-10, will be in the middle.

Drexel lost its leading scorer when the well-traveled Tramaine Isabel transferred to Saint Louis (his 3rd school). Guards Kurk Lee and Troy Harper are the starting guards. Two freshman guards Camren Wynter and Coltrane Washington will help in the backcourt. Junior forward 6-9 Alihan Demir will be in the frontcourt, along with James Butler, a 6-8, 242 lbs. strong-man who transferred from the Naval Academy, and 6-10 Tim Perry Jr., son of the former Temple star.

There they are, The Philadelphia City Six, representing the best college basketball city in America.

 

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Hard to figure out dept.: Last season, Rhode Island was 15-1 at home. The only defeat was to Saint Joseph’s… by 30.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s record was 25-9, with 3 of the losses to Penn State.

 

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Trivia Time: Who is the Big 5’s all-time scoring leader? Answer at the end of the column.

 

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This and That: The nation’s new power, Nevada, coached by Eric Musselman, has 8 transfers on its roster. How long before the NCAA starts sniffing around this program? …. Better move in a little: Wisconsin’s Khalil Iverson was 0-for-24 from behind the arc last season…. Syracuse freshman guard 6-5 Buddy Boeheim is expected to get minutes from the coach, his father Jim….And that 6-9 freshman at UCLA, Shareef O’Neal, who indeed is the son of you know who, is expected to be in the rotation. Oddly, he weighs only 215, about a 100 less than his dad.

 

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Answer to Trivia Time: The great Lionel Simmons with 3,217, is the Big 5 leader.

 

1 Comment

  1. You are so right about Nevada…its a story waiting to break.

    Love the L-Train trivia…a Big 5 All-time great!

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