Jack Lambert
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2009
- Messages
- 4,743
I love college basketball, and with it starting this week, I figured I'd get the thread started. For those who have been turned off a bit by college football season and the near complete lack of whites at QB or any non caste position in the Top 15 or so, college basketball season will be a breath of fresh air. Wisconsin and Arizona, who will start 4 and 2 white guys respectively, start off in the Top 5. I think Wisconsin's and Arizona's combined white starters are more than 3 out of the top 4 college football teams right now!! Combined, Miss. State, Alabama, and FSU start 6 white guys out of 66, compared with 6 out of ten for these two schools. In addition, Gonzaga starts off at #13 with 3 white starters. Teams that feature whites as the go-to guys are Syracuse and Wichita State, with Michigan, Virginia, and Harvard playing a few as well. Just outside the Top 25, we have Iowa (who may have 4-5 white starters) and Stanford (who has a lot of white guys on their team too).
I'll look at a few of our guys/teams this year to watch out for (and there are a few of them)... Jimmy, Freethinker, celtic, or others can add to my previews as well, especially going more in depth with some of the teams I didn't get to or missed. I'll be adding to these later as well.
Arizona
After their loss to the Badgers in the Elite Eight, the Wildcats return just about everybody from their team last year. Arizona will feature two white men in their starting lineup, and they're both really good. Athletic 7 footer Kaleb Tarczewski will be even better this year coming off a much improved sophomore season. PG TJ McConnell is the guy that makes this team run. He can fill the state sheet in a variety of ways besides scoring, like dishing out 11 assists in the Wildcats' exhibition finale. Off the bench for Arizona will be 7 foot Serbian freshman Dusan Rustic, and sophomore guard Elliot Pitts. I know White Lightning likes the Wildcats, so he may be better suited to talk about these guys than I am. But nonetheless, Arizona's definitely a team to root for this year.
Tarczewski jams it.
McConnell drives past a UNLV defender.
Wisconsin
CF's favorite team is also favorite to cut down the nets this year after a great run to the Final Four last year. They'll look to have 4 white starters again this year, with a couple white guys off the bench. Losing Brust will hurt, but this team still has a ton of great talent. That talent starts with big man Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky is very athletic and will score both inside and outside for the Badgers. In addition he'll also be feared on the defensive end of the court. His emergence last year was HUGE for Wisconsin, and now Kaminsky will be looking to take his team all the way this year. Joining Kaminsky in the front court will be equally talented forward Sam Dekker. Getting Dekker's commitment to Wisconsin was big, and he hasn't disappointed. Dekker is an elite athlete and he plays like it. Both Dekker and Kaminsky will be in the NBA soon. In the back court will be guards Josh Gasser and Bronson Koenig. Gasser has hit some huge shots for the Badgers over the years, and he'll be looking do to more of the same. Koenig steps into Brust's starting spot after being a pivotal role player as a freshman. The Badger's white rotation players should include Duje Dukan, sophomore guard Zak Showalter (who's been described as one of the most athletic players on the team), and potentially freshman small forward Ethan Happ.
Frank Kaminsky (44) and Sam Dekker (15) combine to stop an Arizona player.
I'll mention a couple of guys to look out for this season as well.
Trevor Cooney - Syracuse
The only white contributor for the Orange may also just be their best player. Cooney is an amazing shooter who had some huge cames for Syracuse last year. He's also very athletic (this may surprise some announcers/DWFs) and can jam the ball when he wants to. Although he shoots a lot of threes, he can also drive it to the hole as well. I'm hoping he takes the next step this year and asserts himself as the go-to guy for Syracuse. As I've mentioned, watching Cooney tear it up as the only white guy for the Orange is certainly a better alternative to watching the majority of College Football's Top 25.
Cooney showing off his athletic ability.
Ron Baker - Wichita State
This kid is great. Since I began watching him closer last year, he hasn't disappointed. Ron Baker should be the go-to scorer for the Shockers. He is simply a joy to watch. He can score from driving to the hoop or knocking down a three. He's going to be in the NBA someday as well. Baker was second on the team last year with 13 PPG. He can also play some defense, being 2nd on the team last year with 51 steals. I look forward to watching him light it up this year. If you didn't know his name before this season, you sure will after it.
Ron Baker
Ryan Arcidiacono - Villanova
Arcidiacono is the floor general for the Wildcats. He averaged around 10 PPG last year, played the most minutes of any Wildcat, and easily had the most assists on the team. He also had a 2.5 assist to TO ratio as well. I haven't watched Villanova enough to really say much about this kid, but I'm hoping he makes some improvements this year.
Arcidiacono steps up for three.
Like I mentioned, feel free to add to mine or preview other teams!! I also encourage CFers that normally don't watch college hoops to give the teams mentioned here a watch!!
I'll look at a few of our guys/teams this year to watch out for (and there are a few of them)... Jimmy, Freethinker, celtic, or others can add to my previews as well, especially going more in depth with some of the teams I didn't get to or missed. I'll be adding to these later as well.
Arizona
After their loss to the Badgers in the Elite Eight, the Wildcats return just about everybody from their team last year. Arizona will feature two white men in their starting lineup, and they're both really good. Athletic 7 footer Kaleb Tarczewski will be even better this year coming off a much improved sophomore season. PG TJ McConnell is the guy that makes this team run. He can fill the state sheet in a variety of ways besides scoring, like dishing out 11 assists in the Wildcats' exhibition finale. Off the bench for Arizona will be 7 foot Serbian freshman Dusan Rustic, and sophomore guard Elliot Pitts. I know White Lightning likes the Wildcats, so he may be better suited to talk about these guys than I am. But nonetheless, Arizona's definitely a team to root for this year.
Tarczewski jams it.
McConnell drives past a UNLV defender.
Wisconsin
CF's favorite team is also favorite to cut down the nets this year after a great run to the Final Four last year. They'll look to have 4 white starters again this year, with a couple white guys off the bench. Losing Brust will hurt, but this team still has a ton of great talent. That talent starts with big man Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky is very athletic and will score both inside and outside for the Badgers. In addition he'll also be feared on the defensive end of the court. His emergence last year was HUGE for Wisconsin, and now Kaminsky will be looking to take his team all the way this year. Joining Kaminsky in the front court will be equally talented forward Sam Dekker. Getting Dekker's commitment to Wisconsin was big, and he hasn't disappointed. Dekker is an elite athlete and he plays like it. Both Dekker and Kaminsky will be in the NBA soon. In the back court will be guards Josh Gasser and Bronson Koenig. Gasser has hit some huge shots for the Badgers over the years, and he'll be looking do to more of the same. Koenig steps into Brust's starting spot after being a pivotal role player as a freshman. The Badger's white rotation players should include Duje Dukan, sophomore guard Zak Showalter (who's been described as one of the most athletic players on the team), and potentially freshman small forward Ethan Happ.
Frank Kaminsky (44) and Sam Dekker (15) combine to stop an Arizona player.
I'll mention a couple of guys to look out for this season as well.
Trevor Cooney - Syracuse
The only white contributor for the Orange may also just be their best player. Cooney is an amazing shooter who had some huge cames for Syracuse last year. He's also very athletic (this may surprise some announcers/DWFs) and can jam the ball when he wants to. Although he shoots a lot of threes, he can also drive it to the hole as well. I'm hoping he takes the next step this year and asserts himself as the go-to guy for Syracuse. As I've mentioned, watching Cooney tear it up as the only white guy for the Orange is certainly a better alternative to watching the majority of College Football's Top 25.
Cooney showing off his athletic ability.
Ron Baker - Wichita State
This kid is great. Since I began watching him closer last year, he hasn't disappointed. Ron Baker should be the go-to scorer for the Shockers. He is simply a joy to watch. He can score from driving to the hoop or knocking down a three. He's going to be in the NBA someday as well. Baker was second on the team last year with 13 PPG. He can also play some defense, being 2nd on the team last year with 51 steals. I look forward to watching him light it up this year. If you didn't know his name before this season, you sure will after it.
Ron Baker
Ryan Arcidiacono - Villanova
Arcidiacono is the floor general for the Wildcats. He averaged around 10 PPG last year, played the most minutes of any Wildcat, and easily had the most assists on the team. He also had a 2.5 assist to TO ratio as well. I haven't watched Villanova enough to really say much about this kid, but I'm hoping he makes some improvements this year.
Arcidiacono steps up for three.
Like I mentioned, feel free to add to mine or preview other teams!! I also encourage CFers that normally don't watch college hoops to give the teams mentioned here a watch!!
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