I DISPISE NORTH CAROLINA BASKETBALL!

2009-2010 Men’s College Basketball Preview

(PART TWO – The Next 10)

Only six weeks or so until the start of the 2009-2010 Men’s College Basketball season.

That gives me ample time to continue my three part look at my preseason Top 25.  I am beginning to see some other predictions aside from ESPN, Sporting News and Rivals.com so I feel like I really need to get mine out there before people (you know who you are) try to say I copied off of someone else! 

For the record, I must reiterate that I am a die hard Georgetown Hoya fan, a card-carrying chapter president of the “I HATE DUKE” club, and an active member of the budding “I DISPISE NORTH CAROLINA BASKETBALL” group which originally began following the 2007 NCAA East Regional Finals.

(Despite the Georgetown win, Tyler "The Chosen One" Hansborogh took more free throw attempts than Georgetown’s entire team.)   

In 2009, the Kansas Jayhawks will begin the season as the consensus No. 1 team in America with Michigan State (the 2009 National Runner Up) a close second.  After that, it can be said that anyone (and I do mean anyone who can be considered a sweet sixteen team) has a shot at the Final Four which is why I am taking a chance with West Virginia! 

I now unveil the second part of my three part 2009-2010 Pre-Season Top 25 as bestowed upon me by the Basketball god’s themselves (one must truly be in relation with them in order to get knowledge like this :).

(11)Louisville – What can you say…first we have the scandal of all scandals followed by two key players being arrested while hanging out in Indiana.  Can someone say “Institutional Control?”  Ironically, how do you expect discipline from players when their coach admits to having unprotected sex in a public rest room with a women he knew for less than four hours…which by the way is really nasty!  Despite it all, Freedom Hall will be focusing on basketball again once the season starts and for good reason.  The talent is there for a solid season but the question is whether or not the focus is.  Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings form a very formidable front court that should be complimented nicely by the three guard rotation of Edger Sosa, Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles.  Freshman Peyton Siva should also factor in as a sixth starter if he can master the system; and the Cardinals have some solid help off the bench in the form of some veteran front court players.  If the basketball team can make better decisions on the court then they have off of it…the Blue Grass state may have two teams in the 2010 Sweet Sixteen!

(12)Puke…I mean Duke – The Blue Devils were in position to supplant North Carolina for tops in the ACC and make a run at their first Final Four since Emeka Okafor and company had that amazing comeback in 2004; that was until that fateful day when Gerald Henderson decided that he preferred Charlotte, NC to Durham and jumped ship for the NBA.  Now the Blue Devils will rely heavily on Jr. F Kyle Singler and one of the nation’s top back courts (Jr. G. Nolan Smith and Sr. G. Jon Scheyer) to propel Mike K’s team back into national prominence.  While a Final Four is not out of the question, it will hinge heavily on the success of veteran Sr. F. Lance Thomas, Freshman F. Ryan Kelly and the development of the Plumlee brothers (So. F/C Miles and Fr. F Mason).  Duke’s backcourt depth was boosted by the addition of former Class of 2010 recruit Andre Dawkins who reclassified to become eligible this year.  If Sr. Brian Zoubek can remind anyone of why he was a McDonald’s All American than Duke may actually challenge for not only an ACC title; but a National Title as well. 

(13)Butler – Last year the Bulldogs won 26 games and quickly became the darlings of college basketball.  Their coronation, a first round loss to LSU.  The good news is that the team was a young team that returns everyone of importance.  This includes Horizon League Newcomer of the Year Matt Howard.  The 6’8 230p Jr. F averaged 15 and 7 in 28 minutes of play and this total should rise to All American numbers this year.  Joining him are eight other players who played at least 10 minutes a game including So. G/F Gordon Howard and So. G. Shelvin Mack.  The year together should make the Bulldogs a formidable force nationally as they look to supplant Gonzaga as the Most Important Mid Major.

(14)GEORGETOWN – (3) Can Chris Wright play every game the way he played the last minute of the Hoyas February win over Final Four bound Villanova?  (2) Can Austin Freeman return to his McDonalds All American/DC Metro Player of the Year form (that means you can’t be 6’4 and weigh 239p…) that made him the most lethal mid-range recruit in the country in 2007?  (1) Can someone get the damn ball inside to Greg Monroe?  If the answer is Yes to all three than Georgetown should be playing the last weekend in March 2010.   If the answer is No to any of those questions than last year’s collapse will pale in comparison to the temperature under JTIII’s coaching seat.  It would also be nice if So. F/C Henry Sims developed into a decent low post compliment to Greg Monroe and Fr. G/F Hollis Thompson played well enough to become the sixth player to make the Big East All-Freshman Team in the JTIII era.  Additionally, if the bench (i.e. – So. G Jason Clark, Jr. F/C Julian Vaughn, Fr. G. Vee Sanford, Rs-Jr. F Nikita Mescheriakov) can “get in where they fit in” as my old track coach use to say; the Hoyas should be a threat in the Big East and make a run at the school’s first Sweet 16 since 2007.

(15)Texas – While many have Texas as a Final Four Team…I still have my doubts.  Yes they do return a formidable front court with the versatility of Sr. G/F Damion James and Jr. F Gary Johnson (as well as the sheer force of 6’10 298p Sr. C Dexter Pittman).  Throw in Sr. G Justin Mason and the arrival of McDonald’s All American G. Avery Bradley and the Longhorns may be able to match the Pre-Season hype bestowed upon them by such publications as Athlon.  This team will also be one of the deepest that Rick Barnes has fielded since coming to Texas.  Florida transfer G Jai Lucas, Fr. F Jordan Hamilton, Jr. G Dogus Balbay, Fr. G/F Shawn Williams, Fr. G J’Covan Brown, Jr. F/C’s Clint Chapman and Matt Hill and So. F Alexis Wangmene gives the Longhorns a plethora of options to choose from on a team that may make my pre-season ranking look insulting.   

(16)Georgia Tech – While I can honestly say I really respect Paul Hewitt as a coach and more importantly, as a person; no one in the Pre Season top 25 is on a hotter seat then he is.  Last year the Rambling Wreck won two conference games and finished last in the ACC.  This year will be a make-or-break year for Coach Hewitt and he did a great job at giving himself more than a fighter’s chance.  It all began when 6’10 234p McDonald’s All American F/C Derrick Favors committed to the program and ended when 6’9 233p Jr. F Gani Lawal decided to stay in school.  The Yellow Jackets now have a team that may be a sleeper to make a run for April Basketball in 2010.  They are deep, athletic, experienced and versatile.  Sr. F Zac Peacock, Jr. G Maurice Miller and So. G. Iman Shumpert round out a starting five that will challenge in the top half of the ACC this season.  While he gave himself more than a fighting chance; anything less than an NCAA appearance may result in the end of the Paul Hewitt era at Tech.

(17)California – For my Pac 10 fans, I am sorry to say that this will be a down year for your conference.  While the Golden Bears are the favorite to win the conference, they are a borderline Sweet 16 at best.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a talented bunch that can play with anyone and this is due in large part because of the play of Chicago native Jerome Randle.  The 5’10 160p G may be the smallest man on the court but his 18ppg/5apg are huge numbers.  Throw in Sr. F Theo Robertson and Sr. F Jamal Boykin as well as Sr. G/F Patrick Christopher and you have a very solid group of players.  While the Golden Bears will most likely loose in the opening weekend of the 2010 NCAA tournament, a Sweet 16 appearance is not out of the question.

(18)Gonzaga – Question…how can a team that lost four starters be in the top 20?  Because Mark Few can coach and Gonzaga should get at least 10-12 wins beating up on weak WCC opponents.  It also helps that Sr. G/F Matt Bouldin and Jr. G Steven Gray are back.  Solid guard play is the key to any team’s success and that is a strength of this year’s squad.  If the front court can be respectable than Gonzaga may actually win more than one game come March.

(19)Washington – What do you get when you add a McDonald’s All American G (6’3 170p Fr. Abdul Gaddy) with a 5’8 180p So. G (Isaiah Thoms)?  One of the nation’s most exciting young back courts.  Sr. G/F Quincy Pondexter joins them to give the defending Pac 10 Champions a solid team capable of big things.  If the rest of the front court starters can step up and help comes off the bench; this team can battle California for top dog in the Pac 10.  It would also help if a viable fourth scoring option can emerge.

(20)Oklahoma – Boomer Sooner – Blake Griffin = a chance for So. G. Willie Warren to show why he is a really special player.  Not only is he an elite scorer who will be a future NBA lottery pick…he gives Jeff Capel a reason to believe his program is still on track towards a potential Final Four berth in the next few years.  Sr. G Tony Croker and Sr. F. Ryan Wright also help give Oklahoma what it needs to maintain national prominence.  Much of the success will hinge on the development of 5’11 203p Fr. G Tommy Mason-Griffin.  The Houston, TX native will have to grow up quick if this year’s team has any chance of reaching a potential Sweet 16.  His little size will be complimented nicely by 6’9 300p Fr. Keith “Tiny” Gallon who showed in the McDonald’s All American game that he will be in consideration for a spot on the Freshman All American team.

(21)Michigan

(22)Dayton

(23)Maryland

(24)Xavier

(25)Cincinnati