Villanova Men's Basketball Game 2017-18 Flavour Preview

Austin Krell

As you lot facial expression upwards as well as downward the roster of this year's Villanova Wildcats, in that location is 1 GLARING issue, or then it would appear to the uneducated eye. This squad has no seniors to Pb the manner dorsum to the NCAA tournament as well as struggle for a 2nd national entitle inwards 3 years. The Cats were pretty skillful ii years ago. But, they really started to click slowly inwards the season, as well as they took off from there. An upset loss to the Seton Hall Pirates inwards the Big East tournament entitle made the Wildcats hungry. The loss arguably fueled them to 1 of the most efficient-scoring, defensively-effective tournament runs inwards the history of the tournament. They absolutely blew out 4 of their 5 opponents on their manner to the NCAA entitle game. The defensive intensity as well as sustained efficient criminal offense all culminated in, every bit nosotros volition never forget, the greatest shot inwards NCAA tournament history -- Kris Jenkins' game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to win the national championship.

The squad looked fifty-fifty amend for the bulk of final season, amongst their maiden off loss of the flavor coming well-nigh 15 games into the season. But, Kris Jenkins was a less efficient sniper every bit a senior than he was a junior. The consummate reliance of under-sized Darryl Reynolds at optic was a glaring issue. And Josh Hart carried the charge offensively for the bulk of the season. While final year's Wildcats finished amongst a amend tape than the squad that 1 the entitle previously, they could non compete amongst the deeper, bigger, to a greater extent than aggressive teams they were bracketed amongst inwards the early on rounds of the tournament. As a result, they were upset inwards the 2nd round.

Now, Josh Hart is inwards the NBA, as well as Kris Jenkins is fighting for an NBA preparation army camp invitation. Darryl Reynolds is playing overseas. This year's squad has non 1 senior. But, they receive got a TON of experience. Junior scream for guard Jalen Brunson, red-shirt junior guard Phil Booth, as well as red-shirt junior forrad Mikal Bridges all contributed immensely to Villanova's entitle run 2 seasons ago. Red-shirt sophomore guard Donte DiVincenzo as well as red-shirt junior forrad Eric Paschal were also on the roster for the entitle season, but were unable to play due to injuries as well as NCAA transfer rules.

So, no seniors, no problem. The sense is there. The inquiry is, tin these guys, most of whom played a secondary operate field Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins, as well as Ryan Arcidiacono were yet on the team, accept large steps upwards as well as play primary roles?

Point guard Jalen Brunson has been a go-to guy since his really maiden off college game. Last year, amongst a niggling to a greater extent than experience, he was arguably the 2nd best actor on the team, behind Josh Hart. Now, amongst Hart gone, Brunson has the keys to the Ferrari. Can he navigate the criminal offense smoothly to a greater extent than or less the windy roads of a college basketball game season, or volition he crash? Keep inwards take away heed that, amongst the operate he has straight off every bit a leader of this team, as well as amongst an upcoming NBA draft bird that is non necessarily scream for guard rich, Brunson's play this flavor could dictate whether he is making millions of guaranteed dollars every bit a maiden off circular alternative on an NBA squad adjacent year, or if he is fighting for a roster location as well as minimal guaranteed coin every bit a 2nd circular alternative or an undrafted complimentary agent. There is also the potential that Brunson could play himself out of fifty-fifty entering the draft as well as opt for a senior flavor at Villanova. He volition live on looking for every chance to enhance his draft stock as well as Pb this squad to victories. And I believe he volition ball out. The inquiry is, volition he utilization the wisdom he's been gifted from Hart, Arcidiacono, as well as Jay Wright as well as live on patient, or volition he strength things as well as perhaps wound his team? His size may live on a delineate organization inwards the NBA, but his skills are there. He volition receive got his best flavor every bit a Wildcat.

Forward Mikal Bridges is some other guy amongst immense NBA potential. He has the trunk as well as defensive presence to live on an NBA maiden off circular pick. But, his skills demand much development to brand him a high alternative inwards this summer's draft. Last year, he forced turnovers inwards full-court defence as well as got layups as well as dunks off of those fast breaks as well as quick cuts to the handbasket inwards the half-court. He also made a really impressive 39% of his three-pointers. Even amongst those attributes, his criminal offense comes off of passes. He is largely a catch-and-shoot shooter. The rumor is that Mikal spent the summertime working on creating his ain shots, as well as patently improved that expanse of his game immensely. If it's true, as well as it shows this season, non solely volition Mikal live on headed to the NBA making a prissy chunk of guaranteed dough, but he volition shape 1 of the best dynamic guard-forward combos inwards college basketball. If he tin accept off amongst Jalen Brunson as well as Pb the team, they volition live on correct dorsum inwards the slowly rounds of the tournament.

Guard Phil Booth is looking to come upwards dorsum from a knee articulation injury that express him to less than 5 games final season. The defensive combo-guard was the hero for Villanova inwards their entitle battle amongst UNC, scoring a career-high twenty points off the bench. If Booth tin come upwards dorsum as well as play a fully good for you lot flavor as well as improve his perimeter shooting a bit, Villanova's starting dorsum courtroom volition live on really strong.

Guard Donte DiVincenzo had his ups as well as downs throughout final season. Confidence was an number for him. But, towards the cease of his freshman campaign, things started to click for him, as well as he made strong contributions inwards every game, including a highlight reel put-back tip-in at the buzzer to crunch a strong University of Virginia squad at the Wells Fargo Center. His athleticism is elite, but his shooting as well as play-making might are largely a business office of his confidence level. If he tin remain confident inwards his abilities as well as alternative upwards where he left off at the cease of final season, he volition live on a really strong contributor to this team.

Forward Eric Paschal has the tools to live on a difference-maker on this team. His athleticism is unrivaled past times anyone on the roster. His shooting is streaky. He could live on actually good, he but has to pose it all together, all field gaining a amend grasp on omnibus Jay Wright's system. There were many times final flavor when Paschal would live on subbed inwards as well as out inside a few minutes because he was having problem figuring out Jay Wright's system, as well as he would either terms the squad or he would but live on ineffective. With some other summertime as well as a yr of sense nether his belt, I await Paschal to improve immensely from final season. He should live on a really strong large guard or undersized forrad off of the bench.

Red-shirt freshman optic Omari Spellman is the large story delineate for this season. With Darryl Reynolds manning the middle final season, scoring as well as defending the handbasket were the Wildcats' achilles heel. While Spellman is non that much taller than Reynolds, he is wider, stronger, as well as MUCH more skilled. It's difficult to enjoin precisely what Omari volition live on without always seeing him play a game live, but if he is every bit skillful every bit advertised, he volition brand the Wildcats exponentially better. He volition receive got some growing pains every bit a freshman, but amongst a red-shirt yr of experience, he volition receive got an wages over most freshmen.

Freshman forrad Jermaine Samuels is some other huge story delineate for this season. He is extremely athletic, as well as has a defined science set. He tin do a niggling fleck of everything. But, he needs to develop that defined science laid to brand himself really skillful at everything inwards his tool box. He is a freshman, then he has fourth dimension to develop, but he volition demand to brand strides throughout the season. Expect some deadening increment at first, but amongst sense as well as practice, he volition receive got grown a lot from the kickoff of the flavor to the end. Even every bit a truthful freshman, Samuels volition add together depth to the bench this season. But, he is a much bigger slice of the long-term puzzle than he is the short-term.

It is unclear whether or non freshmen forrad Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree as well as guard Collin Gillespie are red-shirting this season. Gillespie, an unranked 3-star recruit from the Main Line expanse is a long-term project. I do non await him to live on a contributor this season. Cosby-Roundtree is a fleck to a greater extent than prepared for college basektball than Gillespie, but yet needs a lot of piece of job as well as is a long-term projection every bit well.

Overall, this Wildcat team, although without a unmarried senior on the roster to Pb the way, has the potential to decease on the success of the final ii seasons. Even without seniors, Villanova has leadership as well as sense inwards Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, as well as Phil Booth. Although it's unknown who the team's star(s) volition be, Jay Wright's civilization revolves to a greater extent than or less selfless, starless, squad basketball. He does non facial expression for NBA-bound superstars. So, it's non similar Villanova always relied on a unmarried superstar to brand things work, anyway. This year's squad could potentially live on amend than final year's, for the Wildcats possess the size as well as depth off the bench that it lacked final season. That lack of size as well as depth, despite the presence of Hart as well as Jenkins, killed them inwards the tournament. With final year's holes filled, in that location should live on minimal driblet off from final year's team, amongst the possibility of but every bit much success or fifty-fifty to a greater extent than than the final campaign. It all depends on how Omari Spellman tin deport on the pigment on both ends of the court, if Phil Booth tin remain healthy, as well as if Jalen Brunson as well as Mikal Bridges tin ascent into the spotlight. If in that location is a positive answer to each of those "ifs", this squad volition live on correct inwards the mix for a national championship. If in that location is a negative answer to each of those "ifs", the squad volition regress, inwards which case, the focus volition live on adjacent year.

Projected starters: PG- Jalen Brunson, SG- Donte DiVincenzo, SF- Phil Booth, PF- Mikal Bridges, C- Omari Spellman

Projected record: 24-7; amongst a Big East tournament championship, every bit expected: 27-7

Villanova Men's Basketball Game 2017-18 Flavour Preview 2017-09-28T11:13:00-07:00 Rating: 4.5 Posted By: angkrate