University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: Who's This Year's Rich Young
10/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
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| By Stephen Howard, Oct. 18, 2010 - 6:25 p.m. |
My mission during today's North Texas basketball practice was to sit down at my usual spot on press row at the Super Pit and let the Mean Green Nation know who my "Pick-To-Click" is going to be for the 2010 season. But to tell you the truth, I'm having a little trouble picking my pick.
You, of course, know the usual suspects of Josh White, George Odufuwa and Tristan Thompson, but those guys will get their acclaim on the Preseason All-Sun Belt teams next week. I want to give you some insight into which guys will be the game changers for Johnny Jones & Co. Which unsuspecting player is going to put this collection of all-stars over the edge like Rich Young did in 2007, or Adam McCoy in 2009 or Shannon Shorter last year?
Picking Young in '07 was simple. Look for the underutilized guy who filled up the stat sheet with a ton of maturity and talent. Boom, he turned into "The Glue" and did the dirty work that sent NT to its first NCAA's since 1988. McCoy had as much talent as most professionals, and I pitied the team he put it all together against. Then he exploded for 24 points at Middle Tennessee on 10-of-15 shooting. All Shorter did was conjoin a lineup of four All-SBC players, and North Texas went 15-4 with him in the starting lineup down the stretch.
None of those guys made an all-conference team, but they put the Mean Green in championship form. That's why I'm having trouble today, because we have a roster full of them in 2010.
Conventional wisdom says to go with Jacob Holmen. A physical monster at 6-8 with legit track speed, the sophomore now understands what the game is about after getting tough minutes in the Sun Belt and NCAA Tournaments. Chris Seroka, NT's strength and conditioning coach, has Holmen looking amazing after yet another rugged offseason program.
How about Alzee Williams, a guy who was called on late in games for his defensive ability AS A FRESHMAN. Since when could freshmen play defense? Much like Holmen, his shot was inconsistent at times, but he has the speed and talent to be the difference maker any time he takes the hardwood.
Dominique Johnson would be another easy choice. The speedy point guard missed most of last year to an ankle injury, but brings his shifty moves and 80-plus free throw percentage back to the line.
But since the graduation of Eric Tramiel has left an opening at the four-spot, we'll need a powerful paint presence in his stead. We're good there too with the addition of Alonzo Edwards and the return of Kedrick Hogans.
Edwards, a 6-7 talent that can play face-up or with his back to the hoop, got lost in the shuffle after signing with Nebraska out of high school as one of the top preps in the nation. Now he's with a program that makes good on big-man transfers (see Tramiel, Odufuwa and Keith Wooden).
Hogans already ranks 10th in school history in career blocks and is a near 60-percent shooter from the floor. The junior matured - both as a player and a person - during a year off due to a shoulder injury, and is 100-percent heading into '10.
That's without even mentioning Ben Knox, a 6-10 sophomore who can run the floor with the best centers in the country. Wanna know why he's such an important piece of the puzzle. Quick, name the best true center in the Sun Belt right now? Having trouble?
They are hard to come by, which means that an impact player at that position can have a massive effect (see Jeremy Evans at Western Kentucky).
This North Texas team has a stable of weapons at its disposal, and I'm hard pressed to name just one guy that could emerge as THE game changer of 2010. Shoot me an email if you have a thought, but until then will the next Rich Young please step forward.
