The 2012-13 Vandal-izers

Roster inhabitants for the Idaho Vandals always seems a super secretive subject, which probably goes with the territory when you're based in Moscow. So without the use of moles, double agents and the like, PTW is taking its best guess at the composition of Coach Don Verlin's 2012-13 roster.

In the middle, it's 6-foot-10 senior Kyle Barone. Let's just hope 20-25 additional pounds have settled in on his frame come next November because then he'll be close to an unstoppable force in the paint. 6-foot-9 junior Joe Kammerer is back to fill in as is Wendell Faines, a 6-foot-9 senior who can also be positioned at the four.

Add athletic 6-foot-8 JC transfer Marcus Bell to the mix in the middle and also to battle Faines for playing time as a corner. 6-foot-8 frosh Ty Egbert is a likely redshirt candidate so he can add the necessary weight and muscle for college competition. Someone has to step up and be this coming season's Djim Bandoumel for Verlin and Bell is at the top of the line upfront.

6-foot-5 junior Stephen Madison is secure at the three and one of the two possibilities (alongside Barone) as the leading scorer for the Vandals. Who backs him up remains to be seen.

Replacing the backcourt production AND efficiency of Deremy Geiger and Landon Tatum will be a tough task but there are plenty of candidates.

6-foot-3 senior Mansa Habeeb returns as a jack-of-all-trades but distance shooting isn't in his arsenal. However, 6-foot-2 sophomore Connor Hill is a beyond-the-arc specialist as only 21 of his 153 shots last season were two-point attempts. Mike McChristian, a 6-foot-2 senior, has the capacity to emerge at the point.

Coming to town are Antwann Scott, Denzel Douglas and Robert Harris, all JC transfers. Scott is a 6-1 junior with shooting and scoring talent, the 5-foot-10 Douglas is more a true point and the 5-foot-11 Harris led his squad with 4+ assists per game but his shooting accuracy needs upgrading.

The situation with 6-foot-5 sophomore Matt Borton is cloudy as he suffered another knee injury.

So who are we missing as there is one more scholarship to account for? Could the long-rumored Darrington Banks arrival still in play or possibly even Tim Johnson in the backcourt mix or are we overlooking someone?

In summary, expect Barone and Madison to lead the charge but the key will be getting consistent performances from two to three backcourters, whoever that may eventually be.