dogdays
11-07-2006, 10:37 AM
Colleges
Posted on Tue, Nov. 07, 2006email thisprint thisDick Jerardi | DICK JERARDI'S PRESEASON TOP 151. North Carolina (23-8 last season): The Tar Heels lost everybody that mattered from their 2005 championship team and, with a very young nucleus, played lights out down the stretch. Now, they have added to that bunch with what may be the greatest recruiting class in history - three top five players (super quick point Tywon Lawson from Oak Hill, Episcopal's scoring machine Wayne Ellington and power forward Brandan Wright from Tennessee). Roy Williams loves to run the ball at teams. This team will fly. They may average 100. And did I mention they still have Tyler Hansbrough, an NBA-ready big man who stayed for a second season.
2. Florida (33-6): They are all back from the team that dominated the NCAA Tournament. The Gators were very good in the regular season, great in March and April. Did they just get hot at the right time or are they really this good? Well, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and the rest will get to show what they've got again
3. UCLA (32-7): It only took Ben Howland three seasons to get the Bruins back into the Final Four. Josh Shipp, who missed all but four games last season, is back. Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo are one of the nation's best backcourts.
4. Kansas (25-8): Hard to imagine the Jayhawks are going out in the first round for a third consecutive year. Everybody is back from a team that played great down the stretch. Brandon Rush and Julian Wright are two of the best athletes anywhere.
5. Wisconsin (19-12): The Big Ten figures to be down so the veteran Badgers may dominate. Bo Ryan's team has matchup nightmare Alando Tucker and solid point guard Kammron Taylor, the Chris Rock look-alike. They play a funky style, which could make them dangerous in March.
6. Georgetown (23-10): John Thompson III has done this faster than anybody could have imagined. The Hoyas were the only team that really tested Florida in the NCAA. Jeff Green was a revelation as a freshman, better as a sophomore. Roy Hibbert is a very big man with skills. If the Hoyas' back line can be productive, the FF is not out of the question.
7. Pittsburgh (25-8): Jamie Dixon is 76-22 in three seasons, but is playing a much more challenging schedule. The record may not be as good, but the competition might help in March.
8. LSU (27-9): A slimmed down Big Baby Davis is back. Is there anything else necessary?
9. Ohio State (26-6): Terrific point guard Jamar Butler is the only starter back from a very good team. This is, however, not about who is back. It is about who is here - a freshmen class rivaling UNC's with center Greg Oden as the marquee name. He may not play until January as he recovers from surgery to his right wrist.
10. Texas A & M (22-9): This was a joke of a program until coach Billy Gillispie showed up. Now, the Aggies have everybody back from the team that knocked out Syracuse and nearly knocked out LSU.
11. Arizona (20-13): Wildcats underachieved big time last season until nearly beating Villanova at the Wachovia Center in the second round. Philly's Mustafa Shakur is back at the point and will be joined by the usual array of great athletes.
12. Duke (32-4): They are here because they always are. They lost so much you wonder how they will do it. Expect big things from Episcopal's Gerald Henderson, an amazing talent who should be perfect for this system of free flow offense.
13. Xavier (21-11): They are all back from a team that began to figure it out late last season. Played Gonzaga to the wire in the first round. Super fast point guard Drew Lavender, an Oklahoma transfer, is now eligible.
14. Southern Illinois (22-11): No, Walt Frazier is not coming back, but the Salukis' starting five returns. Even if Billy Packer did not understand, S. Ill., which has been in five consecutive NCAA's, was one of the best teams in one of the best conferences in America, the Missouri Valley.
Posted on Tue, Nov. 07, 2006email thisprint thisDick Jerardi | DICK JERARDI'S PRESEASON TOP 151. North Carolina (23-8 last season): The Tar Heels lost everybody that mattered from their 2005 championship team and, with a very young nucleus, played lights out down the stretch. Now, they have added to that bunch with what may be the greatest recruiting class in history - three top five players (super quick point Tywon Lawson from Oak Hill, Episcopal's scoring machine Wayne Ellington and power forward Brandan Wright from Tennessee). Roy Williams loves to run the ball at teams. This team will fly. They may average 100. And did I mention they still have Tyler Hansbrough, an NBA-ready big man who stayed for a second season.
2. Florida (33-6): They are all back from the team that dominated the NCAA Tournament. The Gators were very good in the regular season, great in March and April. Did they just get hot at the right time or are they really this good? Well, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and the rest will get to show what they've got again
3. UCLA (32-7): It only took Ben Howland three seasons to get the Bruins back into the Final Four. Josh Shipp, who missed all but four games last season, is back. Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo are one of the nation's best backcourts.
4. Kansas (25-8): Hard to imagine the Jayhawks are going out in the first round for a third consecutive year. Everybody is back from a team that played great down the stretch. Brandon Rush and Julian Wright are two of the best athletes anywhere.
5. Wisconsin (19-12): The Big Ten figures to be down so the veteran Badgers may dominate. Bo Ryan's team has matchup nightmare Alando Tucker and solid point guard Kammron Taylor, the Chris Rock look-alike. They play a funky style, which could make them dangerous in March.
6. Georgetown (23-10): John Thompson III has done this faster than anybody could have imagined. The Hoyas were the only team that really tested Florida in the NCAA. Jeff Green was a revelation as a freshman, better as a sophomore. Roy Hibbert is a very big man with skills. If the Hoyas' back line can be productive, the FF is not out of the question.
7. Pittsburgh (25-8): Jamie Dixon is 76-22 in three seasons, but is playing a much more challenging schedule. The record may not be as good, but the competition might help in March.
8. LSU (27-9): A slimmed down Big Baby Davis is back. Is there anything else necessary?
9. Ohio State (26-6): Terrific point guard Jamar Butler is the only starter back from a very good team. This is, however, not about who is back. It is about who is here - a freshmen class rivaling UNC's with center Greg Oden as the marquee name. He may not play until January as he recovers from surgery to his right wrist.
10. Texas A & M (22-9): This was a joke of a program until coach Billy Gillispie showed up. Now, the Aggies have everybody back from the team that knocked out Syracuse and nearly knocked out LSU.
11. Arizona (20-13): Wildcats underachieved big time last season until nearly beating Villanova at the Wachovia Center in the second round. Philly's Mustafa Shakur is back at the point and will be joined by the usual array of great athletes.
12. Duke (32-4): They are here because they always are. They lost so much you wonder how they will do it. Expect big things from Episcopal's Gerald Henderson, an amazing talent who should be perfect for this system of free flow offense.
13. Xavier (21-11): They are all back from a team that began to figure it out late last season. Played Gonzaga to the wire in the first round. Super fast point guard Drew Lavender, an Oklahoma transfer, is now eligible.
14. Southern Illinois (22-11): No, Walt Frazier is not coming back, but the Salukis' starting five returns. Even if Billy Packer did not understand, S. Ill., which has been in five consecutive NCAA's, was one of the best teams in one of the best conferences in America, the Missouri Valley.