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2008-2009 BIG EAST PREVIEW: POTENTIAL BREAK OUT PLAYERS

Every year fans debate what freshman class will make the biggest impact, who has the top NBA prospects returning to their line-up. However, more teams move up in the standings and more games are won because of the improvement made from players within their program. Each year we try to identify players likely to take a big step-up in the season ahead and become Big East break-out performers, will this year’s Sam Young be found on this list (Young was one of our candidates to break out last year), see for yourself…

This year, we are doing it a little different, trying to go position by position. Let’s get started:

PG: Chris Wright (Georgetown)
Jeremiah Rivers must have seen the writing on the wall, after two years of playing behind Jonathan Wallace, Rivers opted to transfer to Indiana rather than compete for starting minutes in the Hoya backcourt this coming season. What does that mean? Chris Wright is the real deal.

Wright’s freshman season never got off the ground as an early season foot injury forced Wright to the sidelines for the entire Big East regular season. With the possibility for a redshirt season in doubt, suddenly, Wright was back on the floor for the Big East Tournament and averaged 15 minutes a game in the three contests in NYC after missing more than two and a half months of game action. In the NCAA Tournament, Wright’s minutes increased to 17.5 a game and he scored 8 points in an opening round win over UMBC and added 9 in the season-ending loss to Davidson.

Now, as a sophomore, the reigns to the Hoya offense are being turned over to Wright. As a lead guard, Wright has the ability to score points with his explosive offensive game. Although not quite a true point guard, Wright should thrive in a system that does not ask for the point guard to create the offensive opportunities, although he will definitely be capable of doing so in transition.

With fellow classmate Austin Freeman and senior Jesse Sapp as his running mates, the Hoya offense is definitely going to be a little more of the high octane variety this season. Athletic big men such as DaJuan Summers and Greg Monroe will also look to spread the floor and run, playing to Wright’s strengths.

Another to Watch:
Joe Mazzulla of West Virginia is a Bob Huggins kind of player. Despite averaging under 6 points a game with 3 rebounds and 2 assists on the season, Mazzulla had one of the most impressive lines of the year with his 13-pt, 11-rebound and 8-assist performance against Duke in a second round NCAA Tournament win. Mazzulla has the toughness and leadership potential that Huggins loves and with the graduation of Darris Nichols, look for Mazzulla to make his mark as a junior.

SG: Will Walker (DePaul)
Around mid-January, DePaul head coach Jerry Wainwright turned to Will Walker to help the ailing DePaul offense. Walker responded by scoring in double figures in 10 of the next 11 games, averaging nearly 14 points a game in that stretch. Highlights included 21 points in a home win over USF and 20 points in a tough loss at Seton Hall.

This season, Walker will likely assume the role of Draelon Burns as the go-to perimeter scorer of the Blue Demons. Walker should be able to team with athletic slasher Dar Tucker and dangerous big man Mac Koshwal to form a balances DePaul offensive attack.

Walker shot 46% overall from the field last year and nearly 44% from beyond the arc, much better percentages than Burns, who hoisted up 430 shots last season, nearly twice as many as Walker who averaged 9.6 on the season in 20 minutes of action a game.

As a junior, look for Walker to continue his improvement as a scoring threat and become a consistent perimeter threat that will put points on the board for Jerry Wainwright’s team.

Another to Watch:
Big East fans did not see the real Corey Chandler of Rutgers last season as a foot injury stayed with him from December right through the end of the year. Nobody realized how much pain he played in and after an impressive out of conference showing (including 25 at Nebraska and 23 against North Carolina), he looked headed towards an all-rookie freshman season. The injury led to a 4-29 shooting performance his first three games in conference play and inconsistent play where only flashes of his potential were shown. Now healthy for his sophomore year, look for Fred Hill to lean on this impressive guard for a big season.

SF: Gilbert Brown (Pittsburgh)
We might be a year early on this one, but if anything, expect Gilbert Brown to be the next human highlight film of the conference. Brown can absolutely sky and he has shown that ability with an array of dunks and blocked shots. If you have a breakaway opportunity against Pittsburgh, you better know where Brown is, otherwise you could be the next victim shown on Sportscenter.

This year, look for Brown to become a defensive stopper on a team with go-to offensive performers such as Sam Young, Levance Fields and DeJuan Blair. However, Brown might be the one that hurts you the most as he will pick his spots and deliver. Brown came up big last season late in wins over Syracuse in the Dome and seemed to be the one to energize the Panthers in their Big East Tournament championship win over Georgetown. He also was a key in their win over Louisville by making the little plays that the Panthers needed.

While we do not expect eye-popping numbers, Brown is the next one to watch out of the Pitt program that will have people wondering where Jamie Dixon finds these guys.

Another to Watch:
This was a tough position to find players, so we went deep into the rosters and pulled out Jamine Peterson of Providence. When a new coach takes over, you try to find players that are holdovers that will fit his style. With Keno Davis it is an uptempo attack that likes to play wide open, what better for the muscular and ultra-athletic 6-foot-6 wing known as ‘Greedy’ on the NYC playgrounds. Peterson absolutely punishes the rim, both by his dunks and his perimeter shooting touch (not a good thing). If he can fine tune some of his skills, he could be a player that takes off under the new regime at PC.

PF: Trevor Mbakwe (Marquette
After a preseason knee injury looked to wipe away the 6-foot-7, 240 lb forwards season, it came as quite the surprise to see him back on the floor by mid-February. In what was a curious move, to say the least by Tom Crean, Mbakwe never really got his feet under him as a freshman. Rumors surfaced that he would be transferring closer to his Minnesota home, but when Crean left for Indiana, Mbakwe re-confirmed his commitment to the Golden Eagle program and new coach Buzz Williams.

Mbakwe is just what the Golden Eagles need, a strong and athletic post player that will defend on one end and finish at the rim at the other. Mbakwe does not have to do a lot with Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, Wes Mathews and Lazar Hayward returning, but he might be the most talented frontcourt player they have had at Marquette in several seasons.

While the stats might be a little subdued, especially on the offensive end, Mbakwe does remind us a bit of Pitt’s DeJaun Blair and if he is fully healthy as a sophomore, watch for a big season this year and an important piece to the puzzle for MU.

Another to Watch:
Looking at Antonio Pena of Villanova and he definitely passes the look test. At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, with excellent athleticism and versatile skills, Pena has the tools to be a very good Big East forward. As a redshirt freshman for the Wildcats, Pena definitely showed flashes as he shook off the rust and provided a lift for VU on several instances, like their opening round NCAA Tournament win over Clemson. Look for more of that this season for Jay Wright’s squad.

C: Mike Davis (Seton Hall)
Bobby Gonzalez might be one of our 2008-2009 Coaches Under the Microscope, but a player like Mike Davis could help remove that microscope in a hurry and lead to more wins.

Davis was another player trying to shake off the rust after a long quest to become eligible for NCAA competition delayed his college career. The effects of his trials and tribulations showed as Davis never seemed to be in tip top shape to be productive for long stretches in Gonzo’s system, and his playing time and production mirrored that image.

Word around the Big Apple has been positive on Davis this summer and a year to get comfortable in school and learn the ins and outs of what is expected should have him leaner and meaner for his sophomore season.

It is clear that Gonzalez trusts his guards and believes in putting the best players on the floor, irregardless of position. However, in the Big East, everyone has great guard play in the upper echelons of the conference, it will be the development of his big men and his own trust in these players that will likely differentiate the Pirates from the other teams in the middle of the conference. Will Davis be the one to force Gonzalez to rely on his bigs? For Pirate fans, they should keep their fingers crossed, he could very well be that one.

Another to Watch:
Much like Mike Davis of SHU, Ayodele Coker of St. John’s learned much more is needed than mere size to be successful in the Big East. Players need to be conditioned and able to move their feet offensively and defensively to be in position to score or avoid foul trouble. It is a rough lesson for many big freshman to adjust to the speed and athleticism of the opposition. ‘Dele’, according to reports, has taken steps to improve his chances of being an impact big man by slimming down on working to improve his footwork to stay on the floor longer. We always though Coker had the potential to be a solid big man, but it will take development and patience to get to that point, this should be a step forward this year, maybe a big step.

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