UCF 2009-10 Men's Basketball Preview

UCF's 2009-10 basketball season is slated to begin on November 4 with an exhibition game vs. Saint Leo University.

Coach Kirk Speraw is in his 17th year as the Knights' head coach, and he expects nothing short of success. The Knights basketball team has finished in the top half of the C-USA standings each year since Speraw's tenure began.

UCF is currently completing their two months of off-season workouts, and starting Friday, Oct. 16, they will begin regular season practice.

Many players, including Junior guard Taylor Young, are reporting immense improvement in the off-season. “I am shooting the ball more consistently,” Young told reporters. Last year Young shot only 31.6 from the field, but is looking to turn that around in 2009-10.

Young is only one of three upperclassmen on the squad this season, which makes the Knights one of the youngest teams in the nation. The young squad includes Michael Jordan's son Marcus Jordan, a true freshman out of Highland Park, Illinois, and one of the biggest stories of the off-season.

The team's upperclassmen, including Taylor Young, have made it their mission to serve as role models to their younger teammates, going over Speraw's offensive scheme, and ensuring that the group is gelling and progressing at a swift rate.

The kind of leadership that the Knights' coaching staff is palpable; there's no man on the Knights' basketball squad for himself.

Age is nothing but a number for this team. The Knights are expected to continue to dominate in C-USA this season.

Point Guard

Last year, Jermaine Taylor was the star of UCF basketball, winning the C-USA Player of the Year award, and averaging 26.2 points per game. He was selected in the 2009 NBA Draft. A.J. Rompza, a sophomore, is one of the big reasons for Taylor's success.

Rompza will return again this year and see a lot of time at point guard for the Knights, along with Marcus Jordan. Jordan was considered one of the 100 best recruits from many outlets in the off-season, and should add magic to point guard for the Knights.

Shooting Guard

Sophomore Isaac Sosa made eight starts and averaged 8.2 points as a freshman. His three-point field goal percentage was seventh on the UCF single-season register, and will be an integral part of the Knights' success this season.

Drew Speraw has been selected as team captain, and will continue to be a shooting star for UCF, as he had a 55 percent field goal percentage last year.

Other star shooting guards for the Knights include Nik Garcia, R.J. Scott, and Amara Thompson.

Small Forward

Due to an injury this year, Dave Diakite only appeared in five contests as a true freshman. He's looking to make a big difference in the Knights' game this season as a rebound giant.

Sophomore P.J. Gaynor can play both forward spots. As a rookie last year, he appeared in 25 contests as a reserve and averaged two points in just over nine minutes.

Post Players

A.J. Tyler averaged 7.1 points and 4.4 boards last year. He only made nine starts, but was a force against Southern Miss at the C-USA championship, leading UCF with 16 points and 6 boards in 29 minutes.

With Kendrick Zondervan lost to graduation, Tyler is set to be one of the Knights' primary offensive threats.

Keith Clanton signed a National Letter of Intent with the Knights last spring, and has created quite a buzz among UCF basketball fans. Last year Clanton was named Florida Class 1A Player of the Year and the Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year. He averaged 18.2 points, 12.5 boards, and 3.8 blocked shots, leading Orlando Christian Prep to the state title.

Jakub Kuzmieruk, a player from Poland, has lost 20 pounds in the off-season, which should help mobility on both sides of the floor. Last year he averaged 2.2 points in 14 games.

CBS College Sports will air three UCF men's basketball games this year to a national audience, including a matchup against Marshall on January 13, Tulsa on January 16, and Tulane on February 13. Regionally televised games include Memphis on February 10 and February 16 versus Houston, both on CSS.

Other exciting matchups include Notre Dame, USF, and Connecticut. In total, the Knights will meet 10 teams that went to the postseason last year. View the entire 2009-10 schedule here.