But, at least on paper, it wouldn't seem to be the result of the returning players. Just eight of the top 20 scorers from a year ago return and the same is true among the top rebounders.
It's a strong crop of newcomers - both transfers and freshmen - that has league coaches saying the league race will be tougher this season.
“Montana, they have a lot of good players back and they had some quality kids sitting out, and ISU has its whole team back and has added good pieces as well. On paper, it looks like the best year in the three years I've been here so far.”
Portland State coach Ken Bone, whose Vikings won the regular-season and postseason league crowns last season, agrees.
“I've only been in the league three years, but it seemed like maybe it was a little down last year overall,” Bone said. “I don't foresee that happening this year.”
Any discussion of the top newcomers in the league has to start with the top two picks to win it all - Portland State and Montana.
The Vikings already return the reigning MVP in 5-foot-6 dynamo Jeremiah Dominguez. Three Division I transfers - Phil Nelson of Washington, Jamie Jones of Portland, and Dominic Waters of Hawaii - should make immediate impacts.
At 6-1, Waters can give the Vikings a bigger presence at the point - “Well, anybody does,” Bone quipped - and can play off the ball as well.
“Nelson has a reputation of being a great 3-point shooter,” Bone said. “He has his days when he lights it up and he has his other days when he doesn't.”
Bone likened Jones to former Griz Andrew Strait, although he said he's not in that class yet.
“He's undersized, but very efficient near the basket,” Bone said. “He has great hands and a nice little jump hook going to his right or his left.”
The Griz feature a talented group of new faces in Division I transfers Jack McGillis and Michael Taylor, and junior college transfers Anthony Johnson and Vassy Banny.
McGillis gives the Griz a true small forward, something they lacked a year ago, as well as a toughness the team hasn't had since the days of Kevin Criswell and Virgil Matthews.
Taylor is a prototypical point guard - fundamentally sound and smart - who will slide between the point and the two guard this season.
Johnson has the potential to provide instant offense off the bench, with a quick release on a soft jumper. And Banny has shown himself to be fearless when driving to the basket, another quality in short supply the last two seasons.
Idaho State also appears to have filled its most glaring needs. The Bengals had an abundance of off guards last season, who Coach Joe O'Brien used all over the court.
This season, the Bengals found a true point guard in freshman Sherrod Baldwin of Memphis, Tenn.
“I felt maybe by mid-year he'd be able to help us, but he's growing up much quicker than that,” O'Brien said. “I think he's going to be in the rotation to start the season.”
That will allow Amorrow Morgan to move off the ball, where he'll team with super-athletic Donnie Carson and leading scorer Matt Stucki to give ISU a deep backcourt.
The Bengals were a classic doughnut team last year - nothing in the middle. They've addressed that need with 7-footer Deividas Busma, from Western Nebraska CC, and 6-8 power forward Felix Caspari, from Eastern Utah JC.
“Busma is an offensive threat and a very good rebounder for a big guy,” O'Brien said. “He runs the floor very well. He's mobile, he's skilled and he has the size we wanted.
“Felix Caspari is just a rebounder. I mean a rebounder is a rebounder is a rebounder. You go recruit them, you don't teach them how to be one of those.”
Eastern Washington is going to need help from its newcomers after its leading returning scorer Adris DeLeon was declared ineligible by the NCAA.
Guard Benny Valentine, from Texas Tech, might have to step into that role.
“He had an impact (in the first exhibition game) and it wasn't a good one,” Eastern coach Kirk Earlywine said. “He was 1-for-10 from the field and 0-for-7 from the arc with more turnovers than assists. People might have been premature in terms of what they think Benny can do for us. I think he's a better player than that.”
Chris Busch, a 6-6 forward from Santa Rosa JC, will likely start at power forward for the Eagles, while Mark Dunn, a 6-8 forward from Danville Area CC, has “been a pleasant surprise,” Earlywine said.
Weber State, the Big Sky champ two seasons ago, has retooled.
Redshirt freshman Kyle Bullinger will step into one starting forward position to complement returner Daviin Davis. Wing Nick Hansen has been solid so far and true freshman Damian Lillard has been solid playing behind starting point guard Kellen McCoy.
“Bullinger is a tough kid who can really shoot it,” Rahe said. “He has a chance to really help us. Hansen is probably better than I even expected. He's been shooting the ball well and is a tough, competitive kid.”
Northern Colorado recruited some help for its backcourt by getting junior college transfers John Pena (Mesa CC) and Yahosh Bonner (Salt Lake CC).
“Offensively, (Pena) can have a big impact on this team and on this league,” UNC coach Tad Boyle said. “When he has the ball in his hands you feel very comfortable as a coach.
“Bonner is as good a defender on the ball and plays with as much energy as anybody I've ever coached.”
Northern Arizona coach Mike Adras points to St. Bonaventure transfer Jermaine Calvin, a 5-10 guard, as an impact player for the Jacks, who have advanced to the league's championship game for three straight years.
Transfer Marquis Navarre will likely start at point guard for Montana State, Coach Brad Huse said.
“He ran the team like he'd been here for a while,” Huse said of Navarre in the exhibition season. “So that was encouraging. He plays really, really hard and doesn't make many mistakes.”
Sacramento State is, well, Sacramento State. The Hornets welcomed 12 players as well as head coach Brian Katz from the junior college ranks. Of the Hornets' 16 players, only one began his career at Sac State as a freshman, senior Randy Adams.
“When you have 12 new guys out of 16, we're really a team in transition,” said Katz, who compiled a record of 435-185 in 19 years in the junior college ranks. “It's really hard to know.
“It's a daily process. It's like cooking a stew, you can't really rush it. It's done when it's done.”
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
Top newcomers
Some of the top newcomers - freshmen or transfers - in Big Sky Conference men's basketball, as identified by their coaches:
Eastern Washington
f-Chris Busch, 6-6, jr., Santa Rosa JC
g-Benny Valentine, 5-7, jr., Texas Tech
f-Mark Dunn, 6-8, jr., Danville Area CC
Idaho State
c-Deividas Busma, 7-0, jr., W. Nebraska CC
f-Felix Caspari, 6-8, jr., Eastern Utah JC
g-Sherrod Baldwin, 6-0, fr., Memphis, Tenn.
Montana
f-Jack McGillis, 6-6, jr., Oregon State
g- Michael Taylor, 6-4, so., E. Washington
g-Anthony Johnson, 6-3, jr., Yakima Valley CC
f-Vassy Banny, 6-3, jr., Salt Lake CC
Montana State
g-Marquis Navarre, 5-11, jr., Marshalltown CC
g-Will Bynum, 6-3, jr., Almagordo, N.M.
Northern Arizona
g-Jermaine Calvin, 5-10, sr., St. Bonaventure
c-Josh Lepley, 6-10, fr., Reno, Nev.
c-Kristian Kuhn, 6-10, so., Trinity Valley CC
Northern Colorado
g-John Pena, 5-10, jr., Mesa CC
g-Yahosh Bonner, 6-0, jr., Salt Lake CC
Portland State
g-Dominic Waters, 6-1, jr., Hawaii
f-Phil Nelson, 6-7, so., Washington
f-Jamie Jones, 6-7, jr., Portland
g-Wendell Wright, 6-5, fr., Lakewood, Calif.
Sacramento State
g-Mike Marcial, 6-1, jr., Fresno City JC
g-Antonio Flaggs, 6-3, jr., Diablo Valley JC
Weber State
f-Kyle Bullinger, 6-6, fr., Mountain View, Wyo.
f-Nick Hansen, 6-4, jr., College of So. Idaho
g-Damian Lillard, 6-2, fr., Oakland, Calif.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)