Texas San Antonio in 2012-13

Brooks Thompson just sounds like the name of a basketball coach and here he is heading the University Texas San Antonio program. A solid backcourter, Thompson played at Texas A&M and Oklahoma State and was also a first round selection in the NBA draft. He was hired to lead the Roadrunner program in 2006.

Coming off an 18-14 overall, 10-6 Southland Conference season, Thompson has lost four graduating seniors plus another transfer while bringing in four new talents.

Saying goodby are forward/center Alex Vouyoukas, forwards Stephen Franklin and Larry Wilkins plus guard Sei Paye. Additionally, Forward Igor Nujic has transferred to St. Mary's.

So the RR backcourters and wings are:

* Kannon Burrage 6-foot-3 senior

Averaged a team-leading 13.5 points per game and shot 152 free throws, also tops.

* Michael Hale III 5-foot-9 senior

Best in assists with 3.2 per game.

* Melvin Johnson III 6-foot-5 senior

Second on the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game, he's a very good shooter all-around, including 43% from long distance.

* A.J. Price 6-foot-2 freshman

It looks like he redshirted last season but should be in the rotation in 2012-13.

* Ryan Whitehead 6-foot-0 junior (he played little)

Okay, PTW is required to write that Kannon Burrage is the perfect name for a shooting guard and both Michael Hale and Melvin Johnson should be deluxe trey shooters, right?

Swinging between guard and wing is:

* Jordan Sims, 6-foot-4 junior (he played little)

Plus, one of the four newcomers is a guard:

* Hyjjii Thomas 6-foot-3 junior (Navarro TX JC)

A superb athlete who is just putting it together, it's a matter of seeing how quickly he adjusts and advances to D-1 basketball.

So it's Burrage, Hale and Johnson (plus maybe Thomas) as the core strengths of the Roadrunners.

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In the frontcourt are two returnees and a trio of newbies:

* Jeromie Hill 6-foot-8, 230 junior

Averaged 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds a contest last season, the latter the best on the squad. What's perplexing is that he shot 41% on treys but just 60% from the foul line. At the end of last season, Hill was named the Southland Conference Student Athlete of the Year.

* Tyler Wood 6-foot-6, 230 sophomore (he played little)

and

There are a trio of incoming bigs:

* Tank Mayberry, 6-foot-10, 285 (Navarro TX JC)   

The loser of 65 pounds since he arrived at Navarro, that an impressive feat in and of itself. There's really no competition in the middle for him if Thompson wants to go with a traditional setup.

* Edrico McGregor, 6-foot-8 230 (North Idaho CC)
       
Out of the Bahamas, he displays scoring and rebounding ability and should enjoy the opportunity of solid, right away playing time.

* Lucas O'Brien, 6-foot-10 220 AZ HS center 6-foot-10 220

He'll need added strength and bulk but he already shoots and runs the floor very well. A redshirt year isn't out of the question but that's if Mayberry can play 30 minutes a contest. 

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As a team the Roadrunners shot 45% overall to 42% for opponents, plus 39% to 32% from three-point range. 

There been some buzz that former 6-foot-5 Utah freshman wing George Matthews is transferring in but nothing official as yet.

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In summary,  the Roadrunner guard set appears a strength and Jeromie Hill 9is the man upfront. If Thompson can get solid play from a couple of his new frontcourters, then San Antonio will be competitive.