After a pretty good freshman season, what can we expect as a sophomore?
What About The Bench? Who’s Going To Be Our X-Factor?
Our bench has players that could come into a game and be the difference maker. As a matter of fact, if this season ends up being a really good one, it might very well be due to one (or more) of the guys that start the season on the bench.
These are players that I expect to begin the season coming off the bench – each for different reasons – but who might be starters at some point. Each of which I think could be X-Factors this season
Dennis Parker, Jr.
“Basketball aficionados know full well that a player often undergoes the biggest improvement of his entire life between his freshman and sophomore years. …The reasons the frosh-to-soph leap is so dramatic are threefold. First, it often takes a full year for a player’s body to adapt to college basketball. …Second, the speed of the college game is so much faster than the high school level that it takes time for the player to catch up. Finally, even if the player is ready physically and mentally, there is often an older, established player at his position.” (Sophocles, or Seth Davis, not sure)
The Question – Is he going to make that sophomore leap?
(NOTE: Is his post game presser after Wednesday’s exhibition game, Coach Keatts announced that Dennis is currently dealing with sprained ankles (plural) right now. He did not play.)
Let’s not sleep on DPJ! He is a very good basketball player, good enough to start 12 games as a freshman, good enough that he might even move into the starting lineup this season. Last season he was one of our better defenders, rare to see as a freshman, but unfortunately, his offensive game lagged. His FG% (44.3%) was decent, but his 3PT% (30.8%) was not as good as expected (about the same as Mo), and his FT% (53.8%) was one of the worst on the team.
Resume – His resume leads you to have high expectations. In HS, he was the Virginia POY his senior season. He scored 553 points his senior season, shooting 58.04% from the floor and 37.5% from 3PT (120 attempts). He was an excellent defender in HS, and averaged 2.3 steals per game his senior season. Unfortunately, he wasn’t great at the free throw line (65.6%) in high school either.
Reasons for skepticism – I got nothing, I think our “Big Parker” is going to do well.
Reasons for optimism – He had a decent freshman season, he is very athletic, he is an excellent defender (steals in 15 games, season high of 4) and is 6’6”, the combination of which will get him game time. He shot well in high school, and he showed it occasionally last season as well. Last season he scored double digits five times, with a season high of 18. He had one double-double with 14 pts / 10 reb.
Best Case Scenario – Dennis is a natural guard, and that’s likely the position he’ll play if he plays pro ball. Last year, out of necessity, he played the 4/forward position, but that is not where he belongs. He’s a more natural wing.
Where does he fit in the rotation? It will be interesting to see how the rotation works out. Styles should get the start at forward, but who’s next?
- In a perfect world, Diouf (6’9”) is first off the bench with Middlebrooks mixed in when the matchup makes sense. If Diouf can give solid minutes at forward, DPJ could move into the rotation at the wing. Of course to do that well, we need him to sharpen up that shooting.
- If not, he will again have to primarily rotate in at forward behind Styles – at least until Diouf (who only arrived on campus in late August) is ready, if he is this season. Middlebrooks should also get time at forward, but in the past he has been so foul prone that you don’t want to risk him picking up any fouls at forward (whoops, he just got another one!) , some games he’ll need his five to back up BHH at center.
So a lot depends on Diouf, and secondly on DPJ’s 3PT shot. We know he’s been working with Coach Nelson on his mechanics. If he can find his shot again – and Coach Keatts says he has improved in practice – that coupled with his solid defense and rebounding, he could be a difference maker this season. He might not start any games this season, but he could finish them.
BASKETBALL SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!