A preview of New Mexico State men's basketball 2007-2008

Reggie-dom is no longer.

Debonair and suave has been replaced with Marvin Menzies, curiously also a former Louisville assistant like Theus.

So what is Menzies looking at?

Try four returning starters for one, and lots of experience. Plus, an incoming elite freshman recruit.

New Mexico State was 25-9, 11-5 in league, last season, including a stellar 19-1 at home. The only Achilles tendon of sort for Theus' team, as it is with most squads, was a 6-7 road mark. Mind you, .500 on the road is actually envious but it demonstrates that the Aggies of last season were not the powerhouse type of club that could enter hostile territory and usually succeed.

Also looking in the rear view mirror, the Aggies led the WAC in scoring offense at 78 ppg, shooting a lofty 48% as a team, second in the league. Theus' squad shot 39% on three-point attempts, again second overall.

Conversely, New Mexico State was eighth in scoring defense at 72.4 ppg.

As for personnel losses, role-playing guards Elijah Ingram, Shaun Davis, Ted Knauber and forward David Fisher have departed. None are spectacular or irreplaceable losses but still played solid roles in the Aggie 2006-2007 success.

Here's a look at the returning players:

Jonathan Gibson -- 6-1 180 point guard/shooting guard sophomore. Gibson was eased into D-1 last season but, to his credit, notched 22 assists versus 23 turnovers on the season--an adequate ratio for a frosh. The biggest obstacle he faces as a young point is learning to slow down his play and not attempt to force everything. Grasping when to initiate the action and when to let the game come to him is the next step he needs to take in his advancement.

Fred Peete -- shooting guard/wing 6-4 200 senior. Peete suffered an injury late in the season but managed 9.5 ppg., 4.0 rpg., while shooting 40% overall, 37% on 3's. Peete was also lauded for his defensive efforts, earning a spot on the All-WAC defensive team. Call him solid, if unspectacular.

Justin Hawkins -- 6-7 205 small forward senior. The go-to guy on the squad, Hawkins was a first team All-WAC selection after finishing sixth in the league in scoring at 15.6 ppg. He shot 52% from the floor, going to the foul line 185 times. Hawkins also contributed 79 assists and grabbed 6.6 rpg.

Trei Steward -- 6-7 240 power forward senior. He's the only D-1 transfer out of the original group of four (others: Peete, Iti, Hawkins) who hasn't made a mark with the Aggies as yet.

Hatila Passos -- 6-9 230 center senior. Passos is an inside banger, relying more on physical play than his skills set. He averaged 8.7 ppg. in 2006-2007, shooting shot 63% from the floor. His 149 free throw attempts were second to Hawkins. Passos also grabbed 6.1 rpg.

Martin Iti -- 7-0 240 center senior. Known for his defensive presence, he led the Aggies with 40 blocked shots while averaging 6.4 ppg. Iti shot 63% for the season but combined that with 36% from foul line. He actually entered the NBA draft when he was still at North Carolina Charlotte but a dose of reality caused him to withdraw. He remains at a less-than-NBA skill level but he'll find work overseas. He's from Australia.

Chris Cole -- 6-1 190 point guard sophomore. A transfer from Hartford, he led his former team with 78 assists while making 21 starts as a freshman. There is an opening for a pass-first point on the team so Cole could surprise people with his on-court minutes.

Here are the New Mexico State newcomers:

Herb Pope -- power forward 6-9 235 freshman. Although shot during a violent incident that wasn't his responsibility, Pope is well on the road to recovery and should be ready to compete for a starting spot in his freshman season. He was named a fourth team Parade All-American after averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots a game in 2006-2007 as a Pennsylvania high schooler. Pope is a terrific 'catch' for the Aggies. A scouting service described Pope this way: "...a horse on the inside. Will battle using his length and strength."

DeAngelo Jones -- shooting guard 6-3 180 freshman. Out of Seattle, he averaged 16.2 ppg. this past season. Shooting is his best talent at this point. One scouting service said of Jones: "Fairly athletic wing with decent ball skills." Look for him to possibly redshirt.

Aaron "Gordo" Castillo -- shooting guard/wing 6-4 190 freshman. Coming from crosstown in Las Cruces, Castillo was twice named the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico. He averaged 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists as a senior. He's another redshirt candidate.

Jahmar Young -- shooting guard/wing 6-5 175 freshman. Young was ranked by HOOPSCOOP as the 26th best prep recruit in the nation this past season. He will be the backcourt frosh who sees the most playing time. Per his prep coach Marc Hsu: "He is a high major kid going to a good mid-major program. I really think he could play at the Big East, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, any of those, schools. He is that level of a kid." Young's a Baltimore native.

JayDee Luster -- point guard 5-9 160 freshman. One listing has Luster as 5-8 and 140 but regardless, he was the player of the year in his San Diego league this season. He averaged 32.8 ppg. A description: "This guy is a good, smart point guard. He understands passing angles."

Paris Carter -- wing 6-4 225 junior. A second team NJCAA Division II All-American, Carter played at Cecil Community College MD, averaging 15.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg. and 4.8 apg. Like Chris Cole, Carter also played his freshman season at Hartford. Here's Theus on Carter: "I was looking for a multi-purpose guy and Paris fills that role very well for us. He has great size at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds and he is also a very good 3-pointer shooter."

Londale Theus -- small forward 6-5 190 sophomore walk-on. The second cousin of the former head coach, don't expect to see him on the court much but he is sterling in the classroom. We haven't been able to determine if he is related to the Londale Theus who played at Santa Clara in the late 1970s.

Wendell McKines -- power forward 6-4 220 freshman. He is a power player, with a power body but wing forward height. Being an amazingly quick jumper, he gets to the hoop before an opponent can react. His ball skills and shooting range need development but coaches love a guy like this because he wants it more than anyone else on the court and that can be contagious.

Taking what is known at this point, here's our best estimate at a starting lineup:

center - Hatila Passos
power forward - Herb Pope
small forward - Justin Hawkins
shooting guard - Fred Peete
point guard - Chris Cole

New Mexico State will battle Utah State for the top spot in the WAC. The load of talent Theus left behind is atypical for a new coach to inherit as Menzies doesn't immediately face any sort of a rebuilding job.

Psssst, here's our insider tip: it will be an Aggie March in 2008 for the WAC -- aren't we putting our necks on the line?