Lineup(s) next season
In Tuesday’s paper, I provided a projected starting lineup for next season. But I wanted to expand on that a bit, since there are so many possibilities that singling out five players is almost certainly going to end up being wrong.
Let’s start out assuming Dominique Archie doesn’t get a sixth year, and not consider any more additions or subtractions to the roster. Here’s how I would break down the depth chart at each position, and honestly it’s just an educated guess:
Point guard: Bruce Ellington (5-9, Fr.), Ramon Galloway (6-1, Soph.), Eric Smith (5-11, Fr.)
Shooting guard: Galloway, Stephen Spinella (6-4, Soph.) Brian Richardson (6-5, Fr.), Smith.
Small forward: Malik Cooke (6-6, Jr.), Lakeem Jackson (6-5, Soph.), R.J. Slawson (6-8, Fr.) Austin Steed (6-7, Sr.), Richardson, Spinella.
Power forward: Jackson, Damontre Harris (6-9, Fr.), Johndre Jefferson (6-9, Sr.), Cooke, Slawson, Steed.
Center: Sam Muldrow (6-9, Sr.), Harris, Jefferson.
As you can see, next year’s team may be lacking in obvious stars, but it has depth and versatility. For instance, the only players not listed at two positions are Ellington and Muldrow.
Jackson and Cooke are basically interchangeable at both forward spots, but since they’re each undersized for the post, expect to see a lot of Harris, Jefferson and Slawson playing alongside Muldrow.
The projected starting lineup is rather small, but I went that way purely because of experience. You could also see some bigger combinations, like Galloway at point, Jackson and Cooke at the wings and a couple post players.
Now if Archie is available, plug him in at one of the forward spots, in place of Cooke, unless the team chooses to go big, which it could since Archie has a good outside shot. The Gamecocks are also still in contention for junior college post player Jesse Perry, who I haven’t seen play, but by the sounds of it would be a top reserve.
As you can see, there are a lot of unknowns, but a lot of possibilities, about next season. For fans I’m sure that makes it in both worrisome and exciting.
14 Comments to “Lineup(s) next season”
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State newspaper sports writer Seth Emerson blogs on University of South Carolina basketball and baseball.
It would be great if Harris or Jefferson develops to where one of them can start at the 4. That will allow Jackson to move to the 3 and Cooke to come off the bench. Word has it that Cooke is an “energy guy” that would benefit the team in a sixth-man role (he could still get 25 minutes a game that way). Jackson needs to work on his midrange jumper or teams may go zone when he is at the 3. Or if teams go zone, Spinella can come in at the 3 and Jackson can come out or move back to the 4. Spinella also needs to work on his shot. It’s one thing to make it in high school, it is another thing to make it in conference play (just ask Bill Vernau or David Ross).
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Lakeem Jackson began this season at shooting guard which is clearly not his natural position, yet because of his size and athletic prowess he got the nod (and rightfully so). Coach Horn has a keen sense and ability when it comes to his personnel and if you make note of this year’s opening day starting lineup, he started his biggest, most athletic and skillful players. Perceived player positions will not way heavily on who starts and where next year. Simply put the most talented players will start as they did this year. D. Harris will more than likely start at 4 next season. He’s a talented, natural big with a terrific skill set. S. Muldrow will of course join him in the post at 5. Which will make for a very long and athletic front court. The perimeter starters are not as difficult to forecast as one might think. As sure as most are that Muldrow will start in the post, I think it’s equally safe to say Lakeem Jackson and Malik Cooke are both guaranteed locks for next years starting lineup. A few years ago I saw Cooke and Jackson playing together at the Boo Williams National AAU tournament. With Jackson starting at point and Cooke at 2G they made their way through some very stiff competition, dominating at the perimeter. Trust me they’re a lock to start! Also, the notion that Cooke is nothing more than an “energy guy” (whaterver that means) is laughable. His stats at UNR can be terribly misleading. This is Christ School’s all time leading scorer. A school whos recent history is littered with major D-1 talent. A school responsible for 3 of next years players. Grossly overlooked is his ability to score consistently and at a great clip. With only 5 shots per game (in 23mins) at Nevada he avg’d roughly 10 pts 7 rebs a game leading the Wolfpack in FG% and PPS. Not to mention logging most of his time out of position. Look for a hungry and focused Cooke eager to prove his worth! Lastly I understand the excitment over the incoming guards Ellington and Smith but neither will start over Ramon Galloway at the point. With his freshman year behind him and a summer to reflect and build, both Galloway and Lakeem Jackson will be poised for breakout seasons. Ridiculously high expectations aside, Galloway and Jackson both had very good freshman campaigns! I think Galloway will settle into his roll as starting point much in the way Dee Bost did at Miss. State during his sophmore season.
Galloway has no handle, and turns the ball over way too much. Ellington will start and be very effective. Actually excited about next years squad.
Sorry but anyone who shoots FT’s at 27% and is a starter did not have a “very good freshman campaign”. He had an average freshman season at best. He needs alot of work on his shooting or else he should not start. If he continues shooting FT’s at the 27% clip, he would be a liability in a close game. I hope he improves his overall shooting significantly.
I hate to cloud the sunshine, but after last year’s breath of fresh air, this year is hauntingly like the return of Odumb basketball. Pull a couple of upsets (granted one was very significant – a shift from the past) but then lose a great number of woulda, shoulda, couldas, such that….we’re mediocre again! Here’s hoping the freshmen are better than what we have now. Otherwise, we’re in for another great year of excuses why we’re home for the tournament or, just as bad, playing in the damn NIT again. Here’s hoping last year will be more like it as opposed to what we just went through. I really feel like we just wasted Devan Downey for three years. Can you believe he didn’t play in the NCAA in his whole career?? That’s sad.
No one is debating Lakeem’s shooting woes (FT%)this season but for a true freshman playing out of position and doing whatever the coach needs from him, he performed better than average. 26mins per, 7pts at 50% from the field is a great start to a young carrer in a BCS conference. That’s right a team leading 50% from the field. To a heckling fan, his stats may seem pedestrian but to someone who played the game at a high level and has seen tons of young kids struggle with the adjustment from high school to major D-1 ball, LJ did just fine. Galloway avg almost 8pts per, shooting 40% from the field while playing over 20mins per. Again for a true freshamn in a BCS conference this is a very good freshman outing. Poll this seasons true freshman and compare they’re stats with these too young men and you will find sans a few, these young gamecocks had better than average season. Not to mention all the intangibles that do not register on a stat sheet. Both will start barring a D. Archie return.
I think you know Ellington, Jackson, and Muldow will most likely start.
I don’t think Galloway or Cooke is a sure thing, depending on whether Carolina has Archie or Perry and depending on whether Harris shows up able to handle the role defensively.
The lineup that makes me happiest is something like:
ellington
jackson
Cooke
Archie/Perry
Muldrow
Here all three forwards are shooters, which lets you play Jackson alongside of them without killing you. You are bigger, quicker, more athletic and pretty balanced as far as scoring goes.
or
Ellington
Galloway
Jackson
Harris / Perry / Archie
Muldrow
Here you make the concession to outside shooting by putting Galloway out there, and you aren’t as small as you are playing Cooke.
Still, to make this viable you got to either have Archie or Perry or you need Harris to show up ready to handle the defensive load.
….
Perry if you land him is going to be a better option than Cooke.
Free throws…
Our squad, that is Coach Horn … should mandate that in order to make the squad next year a player has to shoot 80% from the line minimum (80 out of 100) in game situations. And until then they ride the pine. Period.
Next year I want our club to lead the SEC in free throw percentage and be top 10 in the nation. There is absolutely no reason we shouldn’t.
Just imagine what another 7-10 pts per game would have done for this squad this year? Imagine..
Gosh sakes they call them FREE throws.
I’d be very surprised if a. both Jackson and Cooke are not amoung the five players who play the most minutes, b. any of the freshmen, outside of maybe Ellington are amoung the five who play the most minutes, c. provided they are on the team, Archie and/or Perry are not amoung the five who play the most minutes, and d. I can wait until next season. I’m really excited about next year, and the future of Gamecock basketball under Horn. And Staley.
Some of you guys should give up your night shift at Burger King and become coaches – Coach Horn could surely use your keen basketball insights. All he has now are former basketball players who have dedicated their lives to coaching. You guys would be way better!
I will always be a USC football fan, but I have to say I’m tired of our total failure in basketball. Think about it… there are only 5 guys on the court at one time. Every small school in America can find 5 guys who win so why can’t we? If somewhere over a 3-4 year period you can’t manage to make it to the big dance then it’s not “rebuilding” – it is failure. The AD needs to hold a much shorter rope for these coaches.
Matt4USC,
I disagree with you. I don’t think you understand basketball very well.
Eric Smith may be more in the running at PG than we think.
I agree that Galloway is better suited for the 2. Lakeem’s arms are so long, he kinda reminds me of Willie Gallman. He’s a great rebounder whether at the 3 o4 the 4.