Way-too-early predictions for Division II Boys Basketball
Now since the season is over, it’s time to get a head start on the 2020 season. Anything can change between now and the start of the 2020 season such as transfers, but let’s not focus on that. Let’s just…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingNow since the season is over, it’s time to get a head start on the 2020 season.
Anything can change between now and the start of the 2020 season such as transfers, but let’s not focus on that.
Let’s just focus on the returning players for next season.
Here are my way-too-early predictions for the teams to watch for in Division II Boys Basketball:
Division II-A
Lausanne
Key losses: Jalen Bo Montgomery and Johnathan DeJurnett.
Key returnees: Moussa Cisse, AJ Dillworth and Hayden Ledbetter.
Quick summary: Head coach Marvis Davis will have the best player in the league back next season in 6-foot-11 big man Cisse. He’s coming off a 2019 season averaging a triple-double. Cisse had 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocks in his team’s win over FACS in the Division II-A Boys State Tournament Championship game. Ledbetter is a solid facilitator and Dillworth showed promise at times that he’s not afraid to play in big games.
Cisse, Dillworth and Ledbetter will need the help of guards Langston Rogers, Craig Cunningham and Marvis Davis to push for another state title. If these young guards can develop, the Lynx will have a chance.
FACS
Key losses: Jayden Williams.
Key returnees: T.J. Thomas, Daniel Egbuniwe, Corey Savage, Kobe Wilkes, Elijah Rogers and Josh Ward.
Quick summary: The Crusaders won the Division II-A West Region Tournament Championship against Lausanne and many people didn’t see that coming. Head coach Dee Wilkes did it with a lot of young players and all of them will be back next season. Losing Williams will hurt because of his ability to rebound and his physicality was hard to match. This season was a great one for FACS, especially since people didn’t see the run go all the way to Nashville, TN. Coach Wilkes said after his team’s loss to the Lynx that his team will be back. I believe that and others should, too.
CPA
Key losses: None
Key returnees: Braeden Moore, Jake Dykstra, Evan Shiflet, Jordan Dewalt, Sam Smith, Braden Zapp and Drew Cox.
Quick Summary: The Lions put up 1,046 3-point attempts heading into their first round matchup at Lausanne. They were averaging around 33 3-point attempts per game, and they made a high clip of them. At one point, CPA went on a 14-4 run to get within one. Moore scored seven straight points during the run. At 6-8, Moore can shoot it from deep and has a niche for being patient. Dykstra, Shiflet, Dewalt, Smith, Zapp and Cox will help with the 3-point shooting as well. The Lions will have enough coming back next season to make a run to Nashville, TN.
ECS
Key losses: Hadden Burgess.
Key returnees: Kameron Jones, Dominic Brown, Thomas Kizer and Grayson Saunier.
Quick summary: Losing Burgess, a 6-6 forward, will hurt the Eagles frontcourt. He was the team’s second scoring option. Jones, the team’s first scoring option, will be back for his senior campaign. Brown’s role should go up a notch. He proved to be a viable scoring option late in the season. Kizer and Saunier are solid 3-point shooters. If ECS can replace Burgess, head coach Willie Jenkins could be looking at another run to Nashville, TN.
Division II-AA
Knoxville Catholic
Key losses: Akeem Odusipe.
Key returnees: Blue Cain, Samuel Sompayrac, Pressley Patterson, BJ Edwards and Hanje Tamba.
Quick summary: The Fighting Irish scratched the surface when they defeated defending champion Briarcrest Saturday night for the state title. Knoxville Catholic could be on the heels of a repeat. Losing 6-9 forward Odusipe will hurt. He had nine points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Odusipe made 50 percent of his shots. Hopefully, Tamba, whose 7-foot, takes the next step in his junior season.
Cain, Sompayrac and Patterson can shoot the 3. Patterson proved Saturday night that he’s the team’s best 3-point shooter. He scored 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting. Edwards showed poised as the team’s floor general. He had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Head coach Mike Hutchens mentioned that he will be highly disappointed if his team isn’t back in the state title game next season. By the level of talent coming back, I would be, too.
Christian Brothers
Key losses: Sam Spence and Spencer Stalnaker.
Key returnees: Reese McMullen, Chandler Jackson, Eli Federman, Harrison Kelly, Ben Floyd and Colin Scifres.
Quick summary: The Purple Wave will probably have the best backcourt next season in McMullen and Jackson. Jackson, who’s 6-4, is a handful, while McMullen is a sniper from 3-point range. Kelly is a deadly 3-point shooter as well. Federman plays good defense and knows how to run an offense. Christian Brothers could use some size, though. With Briarcrest losing everything, this will be the Purple Wave’s best chance of getting to the state title game.