Yahoo! Sports' '09-'10 WCC Preview

http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1002985

Highlights:

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Gonzaga
2. Portland
3. Saint Mary's
4. Santa Clara
5. San Diego
6. San Francisco
7. Pepperdine
8. Loyola Marymount

PRESEASON PICKS

First team
C Omar Samhan, 6-11, Sr., Saint Mary's
F Dior Lowhorn, 6-7, Sr., San Francisco
G Matt Bouldin, 6-5, Sr., Gonzaga
G Brandon Johnson, 6-0, Sr., San Diego
G Nik Raivio, 6-4, Sr., Portland

Second team
F Mangisto Arop, 6-5, Fr., Gonzaga
F Robin Smeulders, 6-10, Sr., Portland
G T.J. Campbell, 5-9, Sr., Portland
G Jarred DuBois, 6-3, Jr., Loyola Marymount
G Kevin Foster, 6-2, Soph., Santa Clara
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
G Matt Bouldin, 6-5, Sr., Gonzaga
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
F Mangisto Arop, 6-5, Fr., Gonzaga

New coaches: None
Best frontcourt: Portland
Best backcourt: Gonzaga
Coach on the rise: Eric Reveno, Portland
Coach on the hot seat: None
Last NCAA tourney win: 2009, Gonzaga made a Sweet 16 appearance as a No. 4 seed

Portland also saw postseason action - its first since 1996 - losing to Pacific in a close game in the Collegeinsider.com Tournament. That wrapped up a terrific season for the WCC's surprise team, and perhaps set the stage for a pursuit of the title in 2009-10.

Yahoo! obviously doesn't know that the WCC has 10 players on the first team All-WCC and there is no such thing as second team.

Love seeing this team get some love though.

Interesting that they give us the nod for best frontcourt. I agree, of course, since we have such experienced guys returning and really only Omar Samhan returns as a dominant big man for any other WCC school, but really it's our backcourt that carried us last year with TJ, Nik, and Jared.

Kramer is totally reliable and you know what you're going to get from Robin, but if Luke can step up and contribute like I know he's got the potential to... it could be a special group. And hey, Jasonn has two years under his belt now and hopefully is improving too. I know none of us really expect a ton out of him, but he will play an important role as back-up center. If he can become the type of guy who can reliably receive passes and finish around the hood and play good defense, he can be a factor as well.

It's just great to see a pre-season all WCC team with more Pilots than Zags... But yeah, with the likes of Daye, Simpson, Heyetvelt, and Bryant leaving there really isn't much in the way of returning proven front court talent (Unless you believe the GU board extrapolation of Robert Sacre's talent based on 20 minutes of PT, or whatever it was)

Stoney... I totally agree with you on our frontcourt. I'd love to see Jasonn finishing around the hood. I think a more urbanized offense could really help his game.

Honestly, though, I had a very similar response. I think our backcourt is really our biggest threat but we certainly have experience down low. I think that Luke will have a big year and, if he does, it could make the year even more special.

From what I've seen (mostly in the "Pilots Jerkin'" Video), Jasonn appears to have slimmed down even more over the summer; I've also confirmed this with some on-campus sources. If we are able to get more ppg from our frontcourt, and in this way balance our offensive attack, it will be a splendid year for Pilot bball.

I can confirm on Jasonn's weight... saw him at a soccer game a while ago and he's in incredible shape - very trim and very muscular.

It's not his body that's holding him back... I think really it's just the speed of the game. I know that he has moments during practice where he looks unstoppable (For MattyWizz: like Sean Peterson!) but during games he still hasn't quite bridged the gap. But if you watched closely last year, you would have noticed that the other guys on the team were constantly feeding him the ball, trying to get him going and maybe get a little more comfortable out there. So they believe in his potential. Sometimes I think that what Jasonn needs is a game where he scores like 10-12 points and plays really well to help build up his confidence and really get him going. Because he works really hard and is totally committed... his body is proof of that. I still hold out hope that he can be a very valuable role player on the team.

That makes a lot of sense. I guess I had just assumed that his game speed would pick up as he trimmed down and although that can't hurt, it may not be the #1 factor. The fact that the guys believe in him and are eager to help says a lot about J's potential and about the team's mentality.

This team is simply a feel-good team all the way through! Is it November yet?!

Question for those who follow the other league members more closely: do you agree with the assessment that no coaches are on the hot seat? Anybody getting warm?

I can't imagine Bill Grier is feeling too comfortable. Going from Tourney upset special to absolute implosion can't be good for a head coach's longevity... But other than that most of the other programs are either still in that window where the coaches still have time to prove their worth or already established.

up7587 wrote:Question for those who follow the other league members more closely: do you agree with the assessment that no coaches are on the hot seat? Anybody getting warm?

There has been so much turnover lately in the lower echelons of the conference, I dont think anyone is on the hot seat yet.

My thoughts:
-Mark Few/GU: Obviously not on the hot seat, and not going anywhere any time soon on his own accord, either.

-Randy Bennett/SMC: Also obviously not on the not seat. He turned around SMC from complete shambles to a consistent winner... he is a prime candidate to get picked off by a BCS school, however.

-Rex Walters/USF: Entering just his 2nd season, and has brought life to the program after the Eddie Sutton and Jesse Evans debacles.

-Kerry Keating/SCU: Entering his 3rd season, and while his teams have been competitive, there has been "significant" turnover. He is still a couple bad seasons away from a hot seat; and, lets see how he does without Bryant.

-Billy Grier/USD: Entering his 3rd season. Year 1 was the upset of GU @ home in the WCC tourney and the upset of UConn in the NCAA tourney (and an offer from OSU). Year 2 was a series of injuries and discipline issues, and a .500 record. If USD finishes near the bottom of the conference this year, I think some eyebrows will raise. But no hot seat yet--he bought a couple years with the NCAA upset.

-Max Good/LMU: Entering his first full season (took over from the Bayno "situation"), with promising young talent. There is really no basis to judge him, yet... but things are looking up, at least on paper so far.

-Tom Asbury/Pepp: Entering his 2nd year of the 2nd stint as Pepp Coach. Asbury was very successful the first time around (early 1990's), but picked up a program in complete shambles... the Walberg scandal, and something like 4 coaches in 5 years... The Pepp program needs stability right now, so I dont see Asbury on the hot seat even if this year goes poorly (he is ~63 years old, has already retired once from coaching... so I would think he will stabilize things, and bring in an heir-apparent Assistant soon).

Thanks for the detailed analysis! So, the only coach on the "hot seat" is Rev, if the team doesn't perform up to the exuberant expectations of its fans!

Are we talking the Budweiser hot seat or the proverbial hot seat?

Budweiser Hot Seat, brought to you by AFLAC.

Pilot Nut hit it on the head... I don't think Grier is on the hot seat yet, and is less so now than he was at the end of last season. But since then he has managed to finally get verbals from solid recruits (something he hadn't been able to do previously - he went to the NCAAs with Holland's players), so I think that should help stabilize things for him. But if San Diego has a really tough season this year (which I think is quite possible, especially if Johnson doesn't come back 100%), maybe things will change. I know that Ky Snyder, San Diego's athletic director, has very high expectations and wouldn't take a 7 or 8 win season lightly.