I have seen a lot of people are down about the spring additions. I get it, and can see that side. With that being said, these kids are not saviors. They are not going to come in here and post big numbers in the ACC. The idea is that they can each bring something to the table, and help provide depth for this team.
Missing on Gibbs and Nwamu hurt. They had a few chances to bring in an impact player. I am of the belief that they needed a two guard as much as a post player. After Sterling and Ike, there weren't many options. You just have to hope that the current back court stays healthy and Sterling Smith finds a comfort level. At this point, the only wildcard is Maverick Rowan. He is the only high impact player out there, and it might play out for a couple of more months.
It sounds like Pitt is in the driver's seat for Alonzo Nelson-Ododa. I will refer to him as ANO. If you add him, then your center trio is better than last year. You had one player that couldn't run, a JUCO project, and a four year practice player that couldn't score in a shoot around. Now, how much better is the question. These guys will at least be available, and that should help Mike and some others. Obviously Mike Thorne was the home run, but Maia and possibly ANO are valuable rotation guys.
Again, this team's floor is basically what they did last year. Borderline tournament team. The guys they lost provide addition by subtraction in a sense. They could add three graduate transfers that bring experience and at least one proven skill. Then you have the scholarships for the 2016 class. The future of this program will depend on how they finish this class with Manigault. But for now, they have probable kept things above water. The core was Young and Artis, and these additions will not disrupt chemistry. They could have gotten much better with a kid like Sterling, but it didn't happen. So at this point, you just have to hope that the guards stay healthy, and somehow Maverick gets his classwork done and surprises a lot of people.
Missing on Gibbs and Nwamu hurt. They had a few chances to bring in an impact player. I am of the belief that they needed a two guard as much as a post player. After Sterling and Ike, there weren't many options. You just have to hope that the current back court stays healthy and Sterling Smith finds a comfort level. At this point, the only wildcard is Maverick Rowan. He is the only high impact player out there, and it might play out for a couple of more months.
It sounds like Pitt is in the driver's seat for Alonzo Nelson-Ododa. I will refer to him as ANO. If you add him, then your center trio is better than last year. You had one player that couldn't run, a JUCO project, and a four year practice player that couldn't score in a shoot around. Now, how much better is the question. These guys will at least be available, and that should help Mike and some others. Obviously Mike Thorne was the home run, but Maia and possibly ANO are valuable rotation guys.
Again, this team's floor is basically what they did last year. Borderline tournament team. The guys they lost provide addition by subtraction in a sense. They could add three graduate transfers that bring experience and at least one proven skill. Then you have the scholarships for the 2016 class. The future of this program will depend on how they finish this class with Manigault. But for now, they have probable kept things above water. The core was Young and Artis, and these additions will not disrupt chemistry. They could have gotten much better with a kid like Sterling, but it didn't happen. So at this point, you just have to hope that the guards stay healthy, and somehow Maverick gets his classwork done and surprises a lot of people.
