Digging into Louisiana Tech basketball 2011-12

Not to downplay what appears below but it's always critical to keep in mind that some of the players on any team will move forward over the summer, some will remain in a static state and some will regress. Coupling that with 'determining' the impact of new (unseen) recruits make the following a fun exercise but not much else.


'New' is the selling point for Louisiana Tech basketball -- new coaches and new players. What's left out is the word often conjoined with 'new' -- that being improved. The Bulldogs have the possibility of being better next season but probably not. The first-year so-called vets need another year of seasoning and the freshman need to learn how to play at the college level. Plus, Greater talent is needed, period.

So 12-20 looks close to impossible to repeat (depending on the generosity of the outside schedule) but advancing beyond 2-14 in WAC play just may be attainable.

What Coach Mike White has to ascertain is at what position is each player the most proficient and also makes his teammates more effective? Yes, there will be some overlap with the shooting guards and wings but roles have to be established and expectations determined.

It's surprising that White didn't go for at least a partial quicker fix attempt by landing some JC transfer help. His master plan is apparently to build with who he deems the right people, suffer whatever hard knocks come the Bulldog way while laying the foundation for an actual program. He has the time to do so -- as long as we're not talking three years to get to .500.

Tech needs prospects who, based on merit and not a who-else-do-we-have-to-put-out-there scenario, can eventually battle for starting positions.

Did White do just that with Raheem Appleby, Kenny Smith, Michale Kyser and Isiaah Massey (plus he inherited Alex Carr, an early signee)?

Your guess is as good as any we can muster.

In fact, any Louisiana Tech prognostication is simply winging it at this point -- here's the best PTW can offer:

Raheem Appleby PG 6-2 &175 Fr
Kenyon McNeaill PG 6-1 & 185 So
Kenny Smith PG 6-2 & 180 Fr
Tevin Hall PG 5-11 & 155 JR Walk-on

McNeaill will start at the point, if he isn't the starter at shooting guard. Like with so many other of the returnees, he must shoot a better percentage and Coach White needs to determine at which spot will McNeaill perform most proficiently. However, there isn't any other player who will be ready to play major minutes at the point early on so it looks like the sophomore will have the offense in his hands from the get-go..

Alex Carr SG 6-2 & 190 Fr
Brandon Gibson 6-5 & 225 Jr
Cordarius Johnson SG 6-5 & 215 So
Darius Redding SG 6-4 & 205 So (redshirt)
C.J. Scott SG 6-1 & 225 Sr
Lonnie Smith SG 6-5 & 185 SO
Patrick Swilling SG 6-3 & 210 So (redshirt)    

Brandon Gibson may very well be positioned at the wing because his rebounding prowess is his best asset. As for Redding, PTW isn't even sure if he's even in school, let alone eligible to play. Tech will be better if he is available. This is a position where someone (or two) in the existing jumble of talent must either step up or White will have to resort to importing someone in his next recruiting class.

Stojan Gjuroski SF 6-7 & 195 Fr (redshirt)
James Johnson PF 6-7 & 250 So
Michale Kyser PF 6-9 & 220 Fr
J.L. Lewis PF 6-8 & 240 Jr
Romario Souza PF 6-10 & 245 Sr
Isaiah Massey 6-7 & 220 (Ole Miss transfer who will redshirt in 2011-12
Antwond Roshell C 6-9 & 250 Sr

Gjuroski may also be a likely wing candidate a la Gibson. The other frontcourt returnees simply don't inspire fear in opponents. Souza has some face-the-basket shooting ability and his compatriot in the middle, Roshell, is best suited as a backup at 10-15 minutes a game. The days of Magnum Rolle and even Kenneth Cooper to a degree are but mostly pleasant memories.

SUMMARY

Getting his team to score enough points is going to be quite the task for White so his proposed running style will play to a strength -- athletic ability. Tech has runners and jumpers. This squad will also defend with more intensity simply because of a new coach at the reigns and gobs of PT are there to be earned by who hustles the longest and hardest.