I don’t see us making the FF next season, unless Sheppard decides to come back. It doesn’t sound like he will.
Based on Pilgrim’s latest info, it looks like this is our most likely lineup:
G Fland/Perry
G Wagner/Richmond/Hart
G Thiero/Knox
F Quaintance/Burks
F Ivisic/Cyril
That leaves two scholarships to use in the portal if Cal decides to use 13, like he should but never does.
But there’s not any room for a starter with Wagner, Thiero, and Ivisic back. That’s three likely starters and I expect Cal will want to start Fland and Quaintance.
I would like to see us get two wings from the portal and start them at the 2 and 3 with Wagner at the 1, Thiero at the 4, and Ivisic at the 5. I’d bring the Freshmen along slowly and only play them if they can push a veteran out of the lineup. But that’s not Cal’s M.O., so forget that.
Our best bet is Freeman comes in. I think he is one of the few that would accept being a role player off the bench.
Not a bad roster. I am not a Wagner hater, like some on here. I think he could develop into a really good player for us, if he returns.
I hope Ivisic comes back and gives us some good minutes at the 5. He could be very good for us if Cal uses him correctly. He also needs to live in the weight room this summer.
Thiero back would be huge, especially on the defensive end. We need his toughness.
Overall, it’s a team that could be better defensively than this last one, and it better be because it won’t be anywhere near as good offensively. We won’t have the shooters like we did this past year.
Hopefully Wagner develops into a lockdown on ball defender. He has the ability to be that. Thiero should also be a lockdown defender. Ivisic, with some added muscle, should be a solid interior defender. If the Freshmen can defend, we could be pretty solid on defense.
I’m saying Sweet Sixteen ceiling.