Next year w/ James Haarsma

[thepantherfan]

I realize the season is not over yet, and I'm extremely excited to see how we play in the NIT. But after last night's loss I couldn't help but start looking ahead (a bit) to next year and thinking about some of the holes we'll need to fill.

I'm most curious about James Haarsma. I think losing the dominant force in Ant Hill will hurt the most next year. Those are HUGE shoes to fill, and the more capable the replacement the better. So I'm wondering if anyone has heard any news about James, how he is doing in practice, or what we can expect from him next year? Is he a lock-in for starter, or will he have to battle for minutes?

He's seems to have been a solid contributor on Evansville.

[Pounce Needs Pals]

I met James Haarsma and his parents over the summer at the Milwaukee Pro-Am. He is a great young man and comes from a great home!

He can't wait to play next year! He will be the key Panther for controling the glass.

[uwm97]

You'll be impressed. He's got a nice post-game and can knock down the 15-footer. Smart, fundamentally-sound, and well-coached in high school. He should step in and contribute immediately next season.

[Super King]

I think we should experiment a little with Meier at the 3, Haarsma at the 4, and Panoske at the 5. Obviously we'd have to play zone defense out of this particular set -- which is very doable -- but Meier is deadly from the perimeter, where I think he needs to stay more often than not. And the exciting thing about this lineup is that Panoske and Haarsma are both capable shooters, with Panoske in particular having a great 3-point shot.

Haarsma gives us a lot of versatility, far more than Ant. And it might take a little while to figure out where he fits into the rotation, and what the best sets of personnel are when he's on the court. So, patience.