Next up is a look at Rutgers.
RU is being mentioned in some "too early" top 20 lists and will be one of the more interesting teams to follow this year.
The rotation looks like:
--6'4" Tyson Acuff (TR)
--6'7" Zach Martini (TR)
--6'5" Jordan Derkack (TR)
--6'4" Jeremiah Williams
--6'5" Dylan Harper (FR)
--6'8" Ace Bailey (FR)
--6'2" Jamichael Davis
--6'10" Lathan Sommerville (FR)
--6'10" Emmanuel Ogbole
The other roster players are both freshman, 6'7" Bryce Dortch and 6'8" Dylan Grant.
3/5 of the line-up seems set. Bailey was the #2 recruit nationally this year, Harper #3. The 3rd sure starter is an unknown to a lot of people. PG Jeremiah Williams only played the last 1/3 of the season due to injury, but put up impressive #s.
A 4th starter would appear to be either 6'4" TR Tyson Acuff, who had impressive #s at EMU, or 6'5" Jordan Derkack, who was MOP in his league and is known as as an athletic defender and capable ball handler. Derkack was rated the higher of the two, but I think both will be better than their ratings would indicate.
The big issue and problem with Rutgers this rear is the 5th starter, the Center position. Ogbole is a raw former JC recruit without much of an offensive game who shoots 41% from the FT line. Sommerville is a talented freshman recruit, rated at #130 or so,, who probably will be starting by the time the BT rolls around. RU has been unable to attract a talented portal recruit (lack of $).
Martini is an Ivy League shooting specialist who will get some time. Dortch and Grant are both 130ish raw physically imposing types who could fight for minutes, especially later in the year. Davis looks like a competent PG backup.
So..........lots of uncertainty here. There is a huge upside. But given the youth of the two star players and the uncertainty at the Center position I would see some early struggles, and have them finishing behind the group of IU, Purdue, MSU, OSU, Illinois, and UCLA. I have them on the same plain as MIchigan heading into the season.
RU is being mentioned in some "too early" top 20 lists and will be one of the more interesting teams to follow this year.
The rotation looks like:
--6'4" Tyson Acuff (TR)
--6'7" Zach Martini (TR)
--6'5" Jordan Derkack (TR)
--6'4" Jeremiah Williams
--6'5" Dylan Harper (FR)
--6'8" Ace Bailey (FR)
--6'2" Jamichael Davis
--6'10" Lathan Sommerville (FR)
--6'10" Emmanuel Ogbole
The other roster players are both freshman, 6'7" Bryce Dortch and 6'8" Dylan Grant.
3/5 of the line-up seems set. Bailey was the #2 recruit nationally this year, Harper #3. The 3rd sure starter is an unknown to a lot of people. PG Jeremiah Williams only played the last 1/3 of the season due to injury, but put up impressive #s.
A 4th starter would appear to be either 6'4" TR Tyson Acuff, who had impressive #s at EMU, or 6'5" Jordan Derkack, who was MOP in his league and is known as as an athletic defender and capable ball handler. Derkack was rated the higher of the two, but I think both will be better than their ratings would indicate.
The big issue and problem with Rutgers this rear is the 5th starter, the Center position. Ogbole is a raw former JC recruit without much of an offensive game who shoots 41% from the FT line. Sommerville is a talented freshman recruit, rated at #130 or so,, who probably will be starting by the time the BT rolls around. RU has been unable to attract a talented portal recruit (lack of $).
Martini is an Ivy League shooting specialist who will get some time. Dortch and Grant are both 130ish raw physically imposing types who could fight for minutes, especially later in the year. Davis looks like a competent PG backup.
So..........lots of uncertainty here. There is a huge upside. But given the youth of the two star players and the uncertainty at the Center position I would see some early struggles, and have them finishing behind the group of IU, Purdue, MSU, OSU, Illinois, and UCLA. I have them on the same plain as MIchigan heading into the season.
