Men’s Basketball: Way Too Early Look At Next Year’s Roster
By: Matthew Doherty
Now that the college basketball season is officially over, it’s time to take a way too early look at next year’s BU basketball roster.
The Terriers already lost one expected returner, when guard Cheddi Mosely announced he was transferring last week. And remember, point guard Kyle Foreman decided he wasn’t playing this season just months before the opener.
With the departure of Mosely, BU also has one scholarship available if they want to use it.
Basically, a lot can happen between now and the start of the season. So here is a breakdown at the depth chart that I’m sure will change many times before the season begins.
Point Guards: Alex Vilarino, Garrett Pascoe, Kamali Chambers
Freshman Javante McCoy was the starting point guard for most of this season but he actually played out of position. The 6’5 McCoy is better served as a two guard and should shift back to his natural position next season. That leaves the point guard duties up for grabs and Vilarino, a Texas Tech transfer, should be the starter.
Vilarino arrived to Boston in January and sat out the spring semester due to NCAA transfer rules. The talented guard will be eligible for the fall semester.
Pascoe, an incoming freshman from Concord, Cali., has good size at 6’3. He showed good ball handling and passing skills at the AAU level. Pascoe should the backup point guard and might surprise some people with his shot. Chambers, the lone senior on the roster, always provides steady minutes when given the opportunity.
Shooting Guards: Javante McCoy, Andrew Petcash
If Vilarino starts at point guard, McCoy will be the starting two-guard, especially now that Mosely transferred. McCoy shot 43.5% (40-92) from behind the arc as a freshman which is downright impressive. He’ll get only better as he gets stronger and faster. Petcash is also a good shooter, (37.5%) and can provide solid scoring off the bench.
Small Forwards: Walter Whyte, Destin Barnes, Fletcher Tynen
Whyte is THE guy moving forward for BU. He was a three-star recruit and showed a lot of promise during the second half of his freshman campaign. The sky is the limit for him.
Barnes is an interesting case because the talent is there. He missed 21 games his freshman year due to an internal team matter and then played just two games this year due to injury. A healthy and efficient Barnes will be a nightmare for opposing second units in the Patriot League.
I think Tynen is flying a little bit under the radar in the recruiting process. He played a major role on a loaded Bishop Montgomery team and earned first team All-CIF Open Division honors. He’s a versatile swingman, the type of player Joe Jones loves.
Power Forwards: Max Mahoney, Tyler Scanlon, Jordan Guest, Jack Hemphill
This is the most intriguing group because there is a lot of talent here. Mahoney and Scanlon will be starters as juniors. Mahoney obviously broke out this season and will only get better as he gets more opportunity. If he can constantly hit an outside jumper, he could be the Patriot League Player of the Year. Scanlon is the perfect complementary piece to Whyte and Mahoney because he can stretch the floor, rebound, pass, and defend multiple positions.
Guest and Hemphill, both incoming freshman, are very similar players. Guest can really step out and shoot the three which will make him valuable. Hemphill is also a good shooter from behind the arc and can finish around the basket. They’re both three-star recruits as well. It will be interesting to see which one get’s playing time right away.
Guest received interest from Stanford and Hemphill from Wisconsin late in the recruiting process.
Center: Sukhmail Mathon
Jones’ system does not really favor the center position so Mathon plays more of a “power forward” role in a center’s body. However, he has the chance to be the best rim protector on the team due to his size (6’10). Mathon also showed the ability to step out of the paint and hit a midrange jumper during his freshman year. He was just one of three players to play in all 31 games this season.
Summary:
Jones has an excellent rotation of forwards to work with in Whyte, Scanlon, Mahoney, Guest, Hemphill, Barnes, and Tynen. Mahoney will be the true post player while the other six can play multiple positions and shoot from distance. If the combination of Vilarino and McCoy can hold it down in the backcourt, this team has the talent and depth to finish in the top three of the Patriot League for the third time in four years.