Post by pantherdon on Nov 8, 2006 15:21:18 GMT -6
I don't know if anyone else posted this but here's our review.
UWM
COACH AND PROGRAM
It was a great run while it lasted. But it ended on graduation day last May when six seniors walked across the stage to pick up their sheepskins. The seventh will do so in December. Five starters: gone. Two key reserves: gone.
There's not much left from the outfit that claimed its third consecutive Horizon League regular-season championship last March. That's not to say second-year coach Rob Jeter can't assemble a contender this winter, but he'll be starting almost from scratch.
The Panthers said adios to Joah Tucker, Boo Davis, Adrian Tigert, Chris Hill, Jason McCoy, Derrick Ford and Mark Pancratz. That group kept Milwaukee's title run intact during the transition from Bruce Pearl to Jeter.
When Pearl left for Tennessee after guiding the Panthers to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2004-05, Jeter inherited a ready-made lineup and didn't miss a beat. Milwaukee won the Horizon League regular season and tournament, went to the Big Dance for the third time in four seasons and won a first-round game for the second straight year. After the Panthers bounced sixth-seeded Oklahoma, then were bounced themselves by eventual-champion Florida in the second round.
Jeter even considered leaving himself. He interviewed for the vacant Iowa State job but decided to stay in Milwaukee and put his own stamp on the program that fought its way to the top of the Horizon League totem pole. The winning didn't change under Jeter's watch. Neither did the modus operandi. The Panthers pressed and ran their way to a fifth-consecutive season of leading the league in scoring (74.0 ppg).
Let the rebuilding begin. There's no one who started a single game last year and no one taller than 6-7. The parts include: three role players who averaged at least 10 minutes a game last year; two promising youngsters who sat out last winter; an important Division I transfer; and a recruiting class that will have to hit the floor running.
"I've been around situations like this before," Jeter said. "When I was at [Wisconsin] Platteville, we had a lot of strong, senior-dominated teams. So hopefully, that will be helpful to me.
"Another thing is that even though this group is gone, they did leave a mark on the program. They passed on a lot of their habits and winning ways to the group that's going to follow. I think success brings a lot more success. These guys have been around it. They've tasted it, lived it. It rubs off. We're just going to see how much."
PLAYERS
Making assumptions based on game experience might be a mistake. The most talented players don't have itat least not in a Milwaukee uniformbut that doesn't mean they won't press to the forefront.
Still, based on experience, 6-3 junior guard Avery Smith (4.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg) assumes a leadership role. Smith averaged 14.1 minutes a game, all off the bench in his one and only season at Milwaukee. He ranks as the leading returning scorer, but his shooting skills (.325 FG, .233 3PT) don't strike fear into any opponents.
Because he had nearly twice as many turnovers as assists, neither does his ball-handling. Smith is good on defense, though. His 37 steals ranked second on the team last year. He was a better shooter in his one junior-college season and should improve his percentages in his second try at Milwaukee.
Another junior guard, 6-0 Allan Hanson (2.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg) has paid his dues, coming off the bench for two years behind point guard Hill. Now the homegrown Hanson is ready to challenge for a starting job at the point. Hanson played in every game last year, averaged 10.1 minutes, and, in contrast to Smith, can stroke the three-ball. He was 21-of-45 beyond the arc last winter.
The third veteran of note is 6-5 senior forward Kevin Massiah (2.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg). Although he averaged 11.2 minutes last year, Massiah never scored more than seven points (five in a league game). He shot a modest .423 from the field. Massiah would love to close out a well-traveled career with a bang. He played two years at Western Kentucky, then transitioned at a community college before he came to Milwaukee last year. He'll be in the rotation, regardless of whether he starts.
Tyrone Young (2.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg) is a 6-4 senior guard who saw spot duty in his first season after transferring from junior college. He reached double figures once. Seeing even smaller spot duty was Nick Hansen (1.4 ppg, 0.7 rpg), a 6-5 senior walk-on guard. Whether Young or Hansen will be able to increase their minutes will depend on the success of four newcomers to the perimeter mix. Hansen at least can shoot the rock and might make himself useful in certain scenarios.
Now on to the new wave.
Ricky Franklin is a 6-1, 200-pound Milwaukee product who was the city's high school player of the year in 2005. He sat out last winter to get eligible academically and is ready to bust out. Although he couldn't practice last year, Franklin worked with his teammates extensively over the summer and will be a threat to make the league's all-newcomer team.
Had it not been for his grade issues coming out of high school, Franklin would have landed on a Big Ten campus. He has a solid physique and can swing down into the post in the flow of the offense and take care of himself.
"He's acclimated and ready to hit the ground running," Jeter said. "Most point guards are quick but they're light for their size. Ricky is quick and powerful. He's very strong." Kaylan Anderson also sat out last year as a red-shirt because the backcourt depth was so strong. He's a 6-5 Canadian who has the size and athleticism to help Milwaukee at a couple of positions. However, he'll have to step it up or get passed over by some new faces on campus.
Charlie Swiggett is a 6-1 freshman guard from Chester, Pa., (just outside Philadelphia) whom Jeter is eager to see on the court.
"He will immediately add athleticism, toughness and the ability to defend in the full court," Jeter said. "He's a multi-dimensional player who can play above the rim, make shots and run a team."
Swiggett is more of a true point guard and comes from a season with one of the top prep schools in the nation. He doesn't have to score to be content, and Jeter likes the fact Swiggett has a track record of playing with top-line players and keeping them happy.
Roman Gentry is another key recruit. The 6-4 wing from Sioux City East was Iowa's Class 4A player of the year and originally committed to Northern Iowa. He averaged 20.6 points and 11.3 boards. Here are two impressive numbers that complement each other. Gentry hit 52 percent of his three-point tries but also got to the free-throw line 138 times during the year. Translation? An inside/outside game.
"He's got a great shooting touch," Jeter said, "yet he can drive to the basket and play well on the interior."
Gentry has a good court sense and will make fewer mistakes than the average freshman. He'll push for time at the off-guard spot.
"I like his steadiness," Jeter said. "He's not a guy who's going to wow you with athleticism, but he gets things done."
Another recruit with a shooter's eye is 6-7 forward Ryan Thornton from Chillicothe, Ill. A third-team all-state pick, Thornton made 117 treys last year, hitting at a .438 clip. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.4 boards.
"He is a tremendous shooter with unlimited range," Jeter said. "He has a very quick release and doesn't need much room to get his shot off."
The Panthers have high hopes for Thornton in the long run. His challenge is to get in the weight room and then prove he can hold his own close to the basket as well as from long range. Thornton could be red-shirted, or the Panthers might decide he's too good a shooter to sit on the bench for a year.
"You need pieces and he's one piece of the puzzle," Jeter said. "He's deadly and I'm excited to have a guy who can stretch the defense."
The inside game needs a big lift from newcomers Paige Paulsen and Marcus Skinner. The 6-7 Paulsen is instrumental to the Panthers' plans. He played two years at Northern Illinois in the competitive Mid-American Conference, gaining maturity that should prove invaluable this winter. Paulsen sat out last winter, but was on the practice floor every day soaking up the program's winning aura. He averaged 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds his last year at Northern Illinois, starting seven games. His highlight a 19-point outburst against DePaul.
Over his two years at NIU, Paulsen hit 40 percent of his three-pointers and is also comfortable with his back to the basket. Paulsen had good prep credentials, too. He was South Dakota's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Custer. At the end of the day, Paulsen could be Milwaukee's best player and a threat to be the league's top newcomer.
"His experience is going to be crucial for us," Jeter said. "And his versatility is really outstanding. He really fits in with the way we want to play, being 6-7 and able to play inside and out. Also, his dad is a coach and it's evident in the way he plays."
Skinner, a 6-6 junior from Flint, Mich., comes to UWM from Mott (Mich.) Community College, where he averaged 13.4 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting .568. The UWM staff likes the fact Skinner's game has been on a steady incline since he came out of high school unheralded. If the trend continues, he has a nice upside for the next two years.
"He developed tremendously in his two years at Mott," Jeter said. "If he continues to progress like he did at Mott, he'll not be a defender/rebounder but he'll start to add the offensive skills that he showed late last year at Mott."
A late addition to the roster could end up in the starting lineup. Sam Mauldin detoured to UWM when Birmingham Southern downgraded its program to Division III. The 6-9, 245-pound Mauldin spent two years of developing at Shelton State Community College in Alabama. He sat out last winter at Birmingham Southern to recover from a knee injury. If the knee holds up, he'll be an important factor for Milwaukee.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: B
INTANGIBLES: C
Few teams get hit with such a heavy loss of personnel as Wisconsin-Milwaukee did after last season. The experience and chemistryand sheer talentof the departed seniors is irreplaceable.
That said, the Panthers are reloading with some new faces that have plenty of potential. Paige Paulsen and Ricky Franklin in particular have the ability to be Horizon League stars and maybe even this winter.
The mass exodus of Panther stalwarts prohibits picking Milwaukee to extend its dynasty, but it would be a mistake to think the Panthers are falling off the map. Give them a year to develop some chemistry and watch out in 2007-08.
UWM
COACH AND PROGRAM
It was a great run while it lasted. But it ended on graduation day last May when six seniors walked across the stage to pick up their sheepskins. The seventh will do so in December. Five starters: gone. Two key reserves: gone.
There's not much left from the outfit that claimed its third consecutive Horizon League regular-season championship last March. That's not to say second-year coach Rob Jeter can't assemble a contender this winter, but he'll be starting almost from scratch.
The Panthers said adios to Joah Tucker, Boo Davis, Adrian Tigert, Chris Hill, Jason McCoy, Derrick Ford and Mark Pancratz. That group kept Milwaukee's title run intact during the transition from Bruce Pearl to Jeter.
When Pearl left for Tennessee after guiding the Panthers to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2004-05, Jeter inherited a ready-made lineup and didn't miss a beat. Milwaukee won the Horizon League regular season and tournament, went to the Big Dance for the third time in four seasons and won a first-round game for the second straight year. After the Panthers bounced sixth-seeded Oklahoma, then were bounced themselves by eventual-champion Florida in the second round.
Jeter even considered leaving himself. He interviewed for the vacant Iowa State job but decided to stay in Milwaukee and put his own stamp on the program that fought its way to the top of the Horizon League totem pole. The winning didn't change under Jeter's watch. Neither did the modus operandi. The Panthers pressed and ran their way to a fifth-consecutive season of leading the league in scoring (74.0 ppg).
Let the rebuilding begin. There's no one who started a single game last year and no one taller than 6-7. The parts include: three role players who averaged at least 10 minutes a game last year; two promising youngsters who sat out last winter; an important Division I transfer; and a recruiting class that will have to hit the floor running.
"I've been around situations like this before," Jeter said. "When I was at [Wisconsin] Platteville, we had a lot of strong, senior-dominated teams. So hopefully, that will be helpful to me.
"Another thing is that even though this group is gone, they did leave a mark on the program. They passed on a lot of their habits and winning ways to the group that's going to follow. I think success brings a lot more success. These guys have been around it. They've tasted it, lived it. It rubs off. We're just going to see how much."
PLAYERS
Making assumptions based on game experience might be a mistake. The most talented players don't have itat least not in a Milwaukee uniformbut that doesn't mean they won't press to the forefront.
Still, based on experience, 6-3 junior guard Avery Smith (4.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg) assumes a leadership role. Smith averaged 14.1 minutes a game, all off the bench in his one and only season at Milwaukee. He ranks as the leading returning scorer, but his shooting skills (.325 FG, .233 3PT) don't strike fear into any opponents.
Because he had nearly twice as many turnovers as assists, neither does his ball-handling. Smith is good on defense, though. His 37 steals ranked second on the team last year. He was a better shooter in his one junior-college season and should improve his percentages in his second try at Milwaukee.
Another junior guard, 6-0 Allan Hanson (2.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg) has paid his dues, coming off the bench for two years behind point guard Hill. Now the homegrown Hanson is ready to challenge for a starting job at the point. Hanson played in every game last year, averaged 10.1 minutes, and, in contrast to Smith, can stroke the three-ball. He was 21-of-45 beyond the arc last winter.
The third veteran of note is 6-5 senior forward Kevin Massiah (2.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg). Although he averaged 11.2 minutes last year, Massiah never scored more than seven points (five in a league game). He shot a modest .423 from the field. Massiah would love to close out a well-traveled career with a bang. He played two years at Western Kentucky, then transitioned at a community college before he came to Milwaukee last year. He'll be in the rotation, regardless of whether he starts.
Tyrone Young (2.0 ppg, 0.8 rpg) is a 6-4 senior guard who saw spot duty in his first season after transferring from junior college. He reached double figures once. Seeing even smaller spot duty was Nick Hansen (1.4 ppg, 0.7 rpg), a 6-5 senior walk-on guard. Whether Young or Hansen will be able to increase their minutes will depend on the success of four newcomers to the perimeter mix. Hansen at least can shoot the rock and might make himself useful in certain scenarios.
Now on to the new wave.
Ricky Franklin is a 6-1, 200-pound Milwaukee product who was the city's high school player of the year in 2005. He sat out last winter to get eligible academically and is ready to bust out. Although he couldn't practice last year, Franklin worked with his teammates extensively over the summer and will be a threat to make the league's all-newcomer team.
Had it not been for his grade issues coming out of high school, Franklin would have landed on a Big Ten campus. He has a solid physique and can swing down into the post in the flow of the offense and take care of himself.
"He's acclimated and ready to hit the ground running," Jeter said. "Most point guards are quick but they're light for their size. Ricky is quick and powerful. He's very strong." Kaylan Anderson also sat out last year as a red-shirt because the backcourt depth was so strong. He's a 6-5 Canadian who has the size and athleticism to help Milwaukee at a couple of positions. However, he'll have to step it up or get passed over by some new faces on campus.
Charlie Swiggett is a 6-1 freshman guard from Chester, Pa., (just outside Philadelphia) whom Jeter is eager to see on the court.
"He will immediately add athleticism, toughness and the ability to defend in the full court," Jeter said. "He's a multi-dimensional player who can play above the rim, make shots and run a team."
Swiggett is more of a true point guard and comes from a season with one of the top prep schools in the nation. He doesn't have to score to be content, and Jeter likes the fact Swiggett has a track record of playing with top-line players and keeping them happy.
Roman Gentry is another key recruit. The 6-4 wing from Sioux City East was Iowa's Class 4A player of the year and originally committed to Northern Iowa. He averaged 20.6 points and 11.3 boards. Here are two impressive numbers that complement each other. Gentry hit 52 percent of his three-point tries but also got to the free-throw line 138 times during the year. Translation? An inside/outside game.
"He's got a great shooting touch," Jeter said, "yet he can drive to the basket and play well on the interior."
Gentry has a good court sense and will make fewer mistakes than the average freshman. He'll push for time at the off-guard spot.
"I like his steadiness," Jeter said. "He's not a guy who's going to wow you with athleticism, but he gets things done."
Another recruit with a shooter's eye is 6-7 forward Ryan Thornton from Chillicothe, Ill. A third-team all-state pick, Thornton made 117 treys last year, hitting at a .438 clip. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.4 boards.
"He is a tremendous shooter with unlimited range," Jeter said. "He has a very quick release and doesn't need much room to get his shot off."
The Panthers have high hopes for Thornton in the long run. His challenge is to get in the weight room and then prove he can hold his own close to the basket as well as from long range. Thornton could be red-shirted, or the Panthers might decide he's too good a shooter to sit on the bench for a year.
"You need pieces and he's one piece of the puzzle," Jeter said. "He's deadly and I'm excited to have a guy who can stretch the defense."
The inside game needs a big lift from newcomers Paige Paulsen and Marcus Skinner. The 6-7 Paulsen is instrumental to the Panthers' plans. He played two years at Northern Illinois in the competitive Mid-American Conference, gaining maturity that should prove invaluable this winter. Paulsen sat out last winter, but was on the practice floor every day soaking up the program's winning aura. He averaged 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds his last year at Northern Illinois, starting seven games. His highlight a 19-point outburst against DePaul.
Over his two years at NIU, Paulsen hit 40 percent of his three-pointers and is also comfortable with his back to the basket. Paulsen had good prep credentials, too. He was South Dakota's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Custer. At the end of the day, Paulsen could be Milwaukee's best player and a threat to be the league's top newcomer.
"His experience is going to be crucial for us," Jeter said. "And his versatility is really outstanding. He really fits in with the way we want to play, being 6-7 and able to play inside and out. Also, his dad is a coach and it's evident in the way he plays."
Skinner, a 6-6 junior from Flint, Mich., comes to UWM from Mott (Mich.) Community College, where he averaged 13.4 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting .568. The UWM staff likes the fact Skinner's game has been on a steady incline since he came out of high school unheralded. If the trend continues, he has a nice upside for the next two years.
"He developed tremendously in his two years at Mott," Jeter said. "If he continues to progress like he did at Mott, he'll not be a defender/rebounder but he'll start to add the offensive skills that he showed late last year at Mott."
A late addition to the roster could end up in the starting lineup. Sam Mauldin detoured to UWM when Birmingham Southern downgraded its program to Division III. The 6-9, 245-pound Mauldin spent two years of developing at Shelton State Community College in Alabama. He sat out last winter at Birmingham Southern to recover from a knee injury. If the knee holds up, he'll be an important factor for Milwaukee.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: B
INTANGIBLES: C
Few teams get hit with such a heavy loss of personnel as Wisconsin-Milwaukee did after last season. The experience and chemistryand sheer talentof the departed seniors is irreplaceable.
That said, the Panthers are reloading with some new faces that have plenty of potential. Paige Paulsen and Ricky Franklin in particular have the ability to be Horizon League stars and maybe even this winter.
The mass exodus of Panther stalwarts prohibits picking Milwaukee to extend its dynasty, but it would be a mistake to think the Panthers are falling off the map. Give them a year to develop some chemistry and watch out in 2007-08.
