Summer Reports, USF News, Zach Smart

SOUTH FLORIDA SUMMER REPORT

Bulls have long climb up, hoping for progress in right direction in 09-10

by Zach Smart

Life in the Big East’s gutter could improve drastically this season. The Bulls moved fast in restocking the system, reeling in a revived recruiting class that features 6-foot-11 center Jarrid Famous and Jordan Dumars, so of former Piston great Joe Dumars.

Famous, a transfer by way of Westchester Community College (Valhalla, N.Y.), averaged 25 points and a NJCAA-leading 15 rebounds en route to leading the Westcoes to back-to-back Mid-Hudson championships. Shaped by WCC assistant Dave Vandiver, a local area coach who turned Woodlands High School (Greenburgh, N.Y.) into a formidable Section I/N.Y.S. foe, Famous turned heads his sophomore season.

His game met the fancy of several top-tier Big East programs. Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Villanova, UConn, and West Virginia were all in heavy pursuit of the hunted one that got away to Tampa, Fla.

Now, Famous has the chance to help right the ship. The junior could potentially be the best big man the school has seen since current D-leaguer Kentrell Gransberry, who should be in the NBA at this point.

Famous could also potentially establish a radiant 1-2 punch with do-it-all scorer Dominique Jones.

Jones was the most underrated, underappreciated guard in the Big East last season. He’s also a JUNIOR.

Jones is a cool customer, never taxed or bothered by the lack of individual shine, headlines, or the fact that he’s yet to crack All-Conference. He doesn’t pay attention to stat sheets.

He doesn’t keep tabs on his numbers or troll ESPN.com, dissecting the stats of other playmaking guards who get much more love in the papers and by the pundits.

Not Jones.

He didn’t self-boast about establishing a new high-water mark with a 36-point eruption against Iona.

Through his progression-crazy energy and attitude, it’s visible that personal accolades are meaningless to the chiseled 6-foot-4 guard.

Is the Big East storm finally over for the cellar-dwelling Bulls?

KEY LOSSES:

Jesus Verdejo, 6-4 G: Puerto Rico native held his own in a conference oversaturated with elite guards. Posted solid numbers the past two years, including 12.2 points and three boards as a senior. Also assumed the scoring mantle at various times this season, rising to the occassion while shooting the rock at a high percentage.

Also, Mobaliji Ajayi and Aris Williams have exhausted their college eligibility and Eladio Espinosa and Gaby Belardo transferred following the season.

KEY RETURNEES:

Dominique Jones, 6-4 G: Jones was a veritable superman for the Bulls this season, leading the team in essential categories such as points (18.1), assists (3.9), and rebounds (5.6). He shredded Bobby Huggins’ complex West Virginia defense to the tune of 35 points. Jones scorched the nets for 29 points and snared eight boards against Providence. A cyborg in Nikes, Jones rarely played under 32 minutes in a game this season. Expect much of the same this season. WIth the arrival of Famous, Jones may be thrust into a role where he creates more. He has no problem with that.

Augustus Gilchrist, 6-10 F: Maryland native showed promise this season. Gilchrist has the size, attitude, and willful grit to be successful at this premiere level. He plays above the rim. As a redshirt freshman, Gilchrist averaged 10.2 points. The kid, who emerged from same basketball hotbed as Pittsburgh star and current NBA forward Sam Young, needs to use his body more effectively and more to his advantage. The addition of Famous should help Gilchrist and the Bulls establish a solid frontline that can lock up the rims on the defensive side and work off each other on the blocks…

Chris Howard, 6’3 PG: One of the top Big East returning assist-men of the last two seasons. Howard has overcome a series of knee problems which has taken away some of the explosive athletic ability he showed in high school as a teammate of former Pitt star Sam Young. Howard has more backcourt help and some new finishing options in the frontcourt that the veteran floor general could rely on for another solid season.

KEY NEWCOMERS:

Jarrid Famous, 6-11 F-C: A full-package who can eventually be dominant in this program. A full arsenal of refined post moves and a knack for pulling down rebounds and battiling for supremacy down low makes Famous a likely candidate for an immediate starting spot. He certainly seems like an upgrade for South Florida and broke the hearts of Seton Hall staff and fans as they thought he would be staying local and play for the Pirates.

Anthony Crater, 6-foot PG: Not eligible until mid-season, this Ohio State transfer will give the Bulls another gear at point guard. While Howard is entrenched as the starter, Crater is the future and with the hope of better days ahead, expect the speedy and shifty guard to get plenty of time to get comfortable in Big East play.

Mike Burwell, 6’6 wing: Being the leading scorer at a prep power such as South Kent is no small feat. The Jersey native comes south with a reputation of being able to put the ball in the basket from the perimeter, an area of weakness for the Bulls of recent seasons. Burwell could be thrust into early action with their need to balance the floor and add a shooter.

NBE Blogger Says…
The Bulls are definitely improved. How much improvement in the standings will result? That is still a good question. While the potential of a line-up including Crater, Jones, Burwell, Gilchrist and Famous is something to build on, the depth in the program is still an area of concern as the revolving door in and out of transfers keeps team chemistry from forming. There is still not a lot of successful Division 1-A experience on the roster and the rigorous travel from Florida in the winter months can sap the energy of any team having to head north.

Moving out of the bottom four quadrant of the Big East is an attainable goal for this year’s Bulls, but even with their improvement of talent, it will be far from a given. The goal of finishing in the 10-12 range in the Big East and putting themselves in consideration of an NIT invitation, in reality, is impressive progress in 2009-2010.

Previous Summer Reports:
Syracuse Summer Report

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