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...needs to take a big step forward if their team is going to reach their highest potential next year? This may be a bit difficult with transfers coming in, but give it a shot.

For Nova, it is clearly Eric Dixon. EDix wasn't going to get any of JRE's minutes last year and like a lot of young Nova players he looked over his shoulder at Jay every time he made a mistake. That's probably the one thing about JW's coaching style that I don't always agree with. Eric played tentatively and I thought a little scared (at being pulled if he screwed up). If he can hit the 3 or the elbow jumper consistently and hold his own on D and rebound like he's pissed off, then we've got a shot to be really good. If he struggles we'll be an incomplete team that will be exposed at some point.

If Nova is going to be a true Top 10, FF potential team our big question mark is the post and I think only one guy can fill the need: Big Dix. Either way I predict he'll be a hit with the ladies. Hi-yooooooo! Try the veal and tip your wait staff.

For Xavier, I'd say it's the new big from Iowa - Jack Nunge.

A "big step forward" in his case is both staying healthy and then demonstrating the talent he appears to possess.

I could have gone with KyKy, but I'm going in this direction because of the amount of "suffering" we had to put up with when Jason Carter was relied upon too heavily. Great young man, btw, but a MAC level talent; not a BE level talent. And it showed.

So, a healthy and productive Nunge down low with Freemantle will or should very definitely change the complexion of this team.

GumbyDamnit! wrote:...needs to take a big step forward if their team is going to reach their highest potential next year? This may be a bit difficult with transfers coming in, but give it a shot.

For Nova, it is clearly Eric Dixon. EDix wasn't going to get any of JRE's minutes last year and like a lot of young Nova players he looked over his shoulder at Jay every time he made a mistake. That's probably the one thing about JW's coaching style that I don't always agree with. Eric played tentatively and I thought a little scared (at being pulled if he screwed up). If he can hit the 3 or the elbow jumper consistently and hold his own on D and rebound like he's pissed off, then we've got a shot to be really good. If he struggles we'll be an incomplete team that will be exposed at some point.

If Nova is going to be a true Top 10, FF potential team our big question mark is the post and I think only one guy can fill the need: Big Dix. Either way I predict he'll be a hit with the ladies. Hi-yooooooo! Try the veal and tip your wait staff.

Gumby=Henny Youngman, lol

Xudash wrote:For Xavier, I'd say it's the new big from Iowa - Jack Nunge.

A "big step forward" in his case is both staying healthy and then demonstrating the talent he appears to possess.

I could have gone with KyKy, but I'm going in this direction because of the amount of "suffering" we had to put up with when Jason Carter was relied upon too heavily. Great young man, btw, but a MAC level talent; not a BE level talent. And it showed.

So, a healthy and productive Nunge down low with Freemantle will or should very definitely change the complexion of this team.

Dash, thinking this is a pivotal year for Steele. Mainly "his" guys. No reason, with this talent, X doesn't Dance and contend for the upper tier. If not, I am guessing the natives will be VERY restless

Xudash wrote:For Xavier, I'd say it's the new big from Iowa - Jack Nunge.

A "big step forward" in his case is both staying healthy and then demonstrating the talent he appears to possess.

I could have gone with KyKy, but I'm going in this direction because of the amount of "suffering" we had to put up with when Jason Carter was relied upon too heavily. Great young man, btw, but a MAC level talent; not a BE level talent. And it showed.

So, a healthy and productive Nunge down low with Freemantle will or should very definitely change the complexion of this team.

Free is a great 4. Yet often asked to be the 5. That’s a tough ask with the likes of Watson/Wahab/Theo J type players. Put Free out as a stretch 4 and he will shine.

Novachap wrote:

Xudash wrote:For Xavier, I'd say it's the new big from Iowa - Jack Nunge.

A "big step forward" in his case is both staying healthy and then demonstrating the talent he appears to possess.

I could have gone with KyKy, but I'm going in this direction because of the amount of "suffering" we had to put up with when Jason Carter was relied upon too heavily. Great young man, btw, but a MAC level talent; not a BE level talent. And it showed.

So, a healthy and productive Nunge down low with Freemantle will or should very definitely change the complexion of this team.

Dash, thinking this is a pivotal year for Steele. Mainly "his" guys. No reason, with this talent, X doesn't Dance and contend for the upper tier. If not, I am guessing the natives will be VERY restless

Chap, putting the word "VERY" in caps was appropriate, but it comes up a little short for making your point. You also needed to bold it and enlarge the font. Xavier doesn't do long NCAA droughts. It will be downright ugly if he doesn't make it this year, and it will probably be a little jittery early on as he (hopefully) proves that the fan base can place increasing doses of confidence in him.

Gumby, a bow to the Chap's Henny Youngman reference. I kinda missed that the first time around.

I went to my doctor and he told me I had six months to live. I told him I couldn't pay my bill. So he gave me another six months. Drum roll please.

GumbyDamnit! wrote:For Nova, it is clearly Eric Dixon. EDix wasn't going to get any of JRE's minutes last year and like a lot of young Nova players he looked over his shoulder at Jay every time he made a mistake. That's probably the one thing about JW's coaching style that I don't always agree with. Eric played tentatively and I thought a little scared (at being pulled if he screwed up). If he can hit the 3 or the elbow jumper consistently and hold his own on D and rebound like he's pissed off, then we've got a shot to be really good. If he struggles we'll be an incomplete team that will be exposed at some point.

If Nova is going to be a true Top 10, FF potential team our big question mark is the post and I think only one guy can fill the need: Big Dix. Either way I predict he'll be a hit with the ladies. Hi-yooooooo! Try the veal and tip your wait staff.

As a well informed outsider, I have to disagree. Yes, JRE is nearly impossible to replace, but I'm thinking Njoku will make an immediate impact in the post. Dixon, on the otherhand, seems to be in a quandary from a position standpoint. I am expecting Samuels to gobble up minutes and Patterson to make a HUGE jump in the frontcourt in Classic Nova style. What about Slater minutes? And is DCR coming back healthy? Seems a bit crowded for any significant BigDix minutes.

That said, can you elaborate on the buzz about Dixon?

In staying true to the thread topic, I say Dwon Odom. Here we have a guy that hopefully will emerge as an elite PG...Not only in the BEast but nationally. Expect 12/6 from this spectacular soph and give Posh some competition for DPOY!!

I'll say N/A for SHU. I think next year depends much more on how well and how quickly all the new faces gel than on the development of any one player.

Agree with Dixon. DCR and Njoku are complete unknowns at this point, and we'll need minutes from our big men, unless the plan is to log heavy minutes at center for Samuels.