Post by Wolf on Jan 13, 2006 18:22:28 GMT -5
UWGB's Blue Ribbon Preview:
COACH AND PROGRAM
Tod Kowalczyk has coached Wisconsin-Green Bay to two strong seasons back to back. He followed a 17-11 season with another 17-11 season and the Phoenix are 21-11 in the Horizon League those two years, finishing third in 2003-04 and second last winter.
Long story short, he's doing something right in the league's northernmost outpost. So, even though his club loses four starters and five of its top six scorers, when Kowalczyk says he's going to have his most talented team yet, don't discount it.
"I'm excited,'' Kowalczyk says. "I think we've got an opportunity to be better than people perceive us to be. We've got a lot of ability coming in.''
PLAYERS
As for perceptions, on paper at least, the Phoenix looks poised to free-fall down the standings. Three senior starters departed: guards Brandon Morris (10.6 ppg), Matt Rohde (11.5 ppg) and Javier Mendiburo (11.5 ppg). Another, forward Tyler Koenig (4.0 ppg), decided to transfer. To make matters worse, sixth-man Benito Flores -- the team's leading scorer (13.4 ppg) -- lost an appeal for an extra year of eligibility. Talk about transitions, Green Bay even has to break in a new radio play-by-play man after veteran John Maino decided to step down.
So who's left? Junior forward Josh Lawrence (10.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) is the only starter returning. Only three other lettermen return, to be joined by a host of newcomers. The bottom line though, Kowalczyk says, is that the talent level is rising. Green Bay's recruiting class was considered one of the tops in the nation among mid-majors.
"I've been a part of teams that lost a lot of people'' Kowalczyk said. "It all depends on other guys stepping up and getting better and then bringing in new guys with talent. I think we've done all that. We just need to jell it together. "From a coaching point of view, these are the most fun teams to coach. Young, talented teams are so much more eager. I know I'm going to have to be patient. I understand they are freshmen and they're going to make mistakes. But I am going to throw four of those guys into the fire.''
One of the four is actually a red-shirt freshman. Terry Evans (2.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) averaged 15 minutes over the first six games of the season last year but a knee injury shut him down and forced a medical red-shirt. It was an old high-school injury that had kept the 6-5 Evans from being recruited harder by high-major schools. Green Bay was tickled to death to sign him and hopes the knee came around sooner rather than later. As it turned out, that didn't happen but Evans is now healthy and ready to go. "He's one of the better athletes in this league,'' said Kowalczyk. "His role on our team will be a defensive stopper and rebounder and we need consistent scoring. He's going to have a chance to have a tremendous career here. He's maybe the most talented guy on our roster.''
The jewel of the incoming signing class is 6-8 freshman Ryan Tillema of Randolph, Wis. The rangy Tillema is a strong shooter who will play small forward or even shooting guard. The Wisconsin Badgers hoped to lure Tillema to Madison on an earn-a-scholarship basis, but he picked Green Bay, where he was the priority recruit. It's a big jump from a small high school (where he won four state titles) to Division I, but a strong AAU background should help Tillema handle the transition. "At 6-8, he can pass and see over the top of the defense,'' Kowalczyk said. "He's a very skilled, finesse kind of a player. "He has a chance to be one of the best players in the history of UW-Green Bay basketball.''
Mike Schachtner is another homegrown freshman from Somerset who will have a chance to play immediately. The 6-9 center/forward is skilled with his back to the basket and can step out and shoot the three. "He's the perfect recruit for how we play,'' Kowalczyk said. "He is a skilled forward that is multidimensional.''
The fourth freshman headed directly into the fire is 6-3 point guard Simon Farine from Canada. Point guard play was a strength for the Phoenix last year, but the slate is clean this year. Kowalczyk isn't crazy about handing the ball to a rookie straight out of high school, but Farine has some assets to offset those fears. "The two areas I'm really concerned about with a freshman point guard typically is, defensively, can they guard at our level?" Kowalczyk said. And secondly, will they not turn it over? Those are two of Simon's strengths. He's strong and he's a good defender. He's physically ready to play right now.''
Another member of the signing class was junior college point guard Ontario McKee. However, he fell short of being admitted to school. That means junior Ryan Evanochko (6.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg) will draw some point-guard duty. How much depends on Farine's success rate. Evanochko averaged 24 minutes a game last year and is the team's best free-throw shooter at 79.7 percent. "He's probably our most improved player,'' Kowalczyk said. "Looking back at last year, he played a lot and probably should have played more. When he was in the game good things happened. He can play the point but I think he's more valuable playing off the ball. He's an aggressive offensive player who can score off the dribble.''
The other returning perimeter veteran is 6-2 sophomore Ryan Werch (0.6 ppg, 0.3 rpg), although calling Werch a veteran is something of a stretch. A transfer from Utah, Werch was expected to contribute but ended up playing a total of 62 minutes in his Green Bay rookie season. Expected to be a dangerous three-point specialist, he was only two-of-nine from three-point range. However, Kowalczyk hasn't soured on Werch's future with the Phoenix. "What happened last year wasn't so much Ryan Werch as it was the other guys,'' Kowalczyk said. "He was more caught up in a numbers game and wasn't given the opportunity. This year he has the opportunity for significant playing time. He can really shoot it. He's done a good job of simplifying his game. He gets into trouble by trying to do too much.'' Losing the bulk of its three-point arsenal from last year (the Phoenix led the league at 37.3 percent), Green Bay could certainly use Werch to stretch defenses this winter.
The one proven scorer is Lawrence, a 6-7 junior who has played a lot of minutes his first two years. He hit 38.5 percent from beyond the arc last year and developed a sneaky inside game to become more of a complete offensive threat. As the only returning starter, Lawrence has to be ready to take on the role of go-to guy on offense. "He had a very good year but didn't finish the season the way we hoped,'' Kowalczyk said. "Down the stretch he got banged up, but he's ready to go. Last year, he was a guy who didn't do it every game. This year he's got to have the consistency that we can call on him every night to get 12 to 15 points.''
The other returning letterman is center Tevah Morris (2.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg). At 6-9, 250, Morris offers size and bulk that many Horizon League teams don't have a physical match for. His challenge is to become more confident on the offensive end at the same time his minutes are increasing. "He's something our league doesn't have a lot of,'' Kowalczyk said, "a big guy who is athletic and can run the floor. I think he can get you eight- to 11 points and six rebounds if he plays as well as he's capable of.''
Offering depth is Aswan Minatee, a 6-5, 230-pound junior college transfer. He's a rugged but undersized post player with good instincts around the basket. If he can cobble together a rotation out of the above parties, two of his freshmen might be best served with a red-shirt year.
Randy Berry is a 6-9 post from Plover, Wis., and Cordero Barkley is a 6-5 wing from Racine. Barkley is a strong defender who could eventually develop into a big point guard.
Eventually all of the new recruits should help Green Bay be a contender. "I think this class was a culmination of three years of us improving this program,'' Kowalczyk said. "My concern is just that this is a very young team. They're just building confidence and establishing roles, but ability-wise, this is probably the most high I've been on any team I've coached. I'm just going to have to be patient and as the season progresses, we're going to become much better.''
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: C
BENCH/DEPTH: C
FRONTCOURT: C
INTANGIBLES: C
Is Green Bay a straight Cs team? If so, only because of inexperience. Green Bay was 12-1 last year in games decided by single digits. That feat will be difficult to match with a young lineup that must replace four starters and five of the top six scorers. The good news is that the talent level is improving since Kowalczyk arrived three years ago and the guy has proven he can coach.
So the future is bright if a touted recruiting class lives up to its billing. However, for now Green Bay is long on youth and short on experience. That makes it unlikely the Phoenix can hang on to a top-three finish in the league again this year, given the veteran nature of teams like UW-Milwaukee, Detroit and Wright State.
Still, this team could surprise by February if Lawrence indeed becomes a consistent go-to-scorer and newcomers like Evans and Tillema are able to have an impact. A lot is riding on freshman point guard Farine.
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COACH AND PROGRAM
Tod Kowalczyk has coached Wisconsin-Green Bay to two strong seasons back to back. He followed a 17-11 season with another 17-11 season and the Phoenix are 21-11 in the Horizon League those two years, finishing third in 2003-04 and second last winter.
Long story short, he's doing something right in the league's northernmost outpost. So, even though his club loses four starters and five of its top six scorers, when Kowalczyk says he's going to have his most talented team yet, don't discount it.
"I'm excited,'' Kowalczyk says. "I think we've got an opportunity to be better than people perceive us to be. We've got a lot of ability coming in.''
PLAYERS
As for perceptions, on paper at least, the Phoenix looks poised to free-fall down the standings. Three senior starters departed: guards Brandon Morris (10.6 ppg), Matt Rohde (11.5 ppg) and Javier Mendiburo (11.5 ppg). Another, forward Tyler Koenig (4.0 ppg), decided to transfer. To make matters worse, sixth-man Benito Flores -- the team's leading scorer (13.4 ppg) -- lost an appeal for an extra year of eligibility. Talk about transitions, Green Bay even has to break in a new radio play-by-play man after veteran John Maino decided to step down.
So who's left? Junior forward Josh Lawrence (10.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) is the only starter returning. Only three other lettermen return, to be joined by a host of newcomers. The bottom line though, Kowalczyk says, is that the talent level is rising. Green Bay's recruiting class was considered one of the tops in the nation among mid-majors.
"I've been a part of teams that lost a lot of people'' Kowalczyk said. "It all depends on other guys stepping up and getting better and then bringing in new guys with talent. I think we've done all that. We just need to jell it together. "From a coaching point of view, these are the most fun teams to coach. Young, talented teams are so much more eager. I know I'm going to have to be patient. I understand they are freshmen and they're going to make mistakes. But I am going to throw four of those guys into the fire.''
One of the four is actually a red-shirt freshman. Terry Evans (2.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg) averaged 15 minutes over the first six games of the season last year but a knee injury shut him down and forced a medical red-shirt. It was an old high-school injury that had kept the 6-5 Evans from being recruited harder by high-major schools. Green Bay was tickled to death to sign him and hopes the knee came around sooner rather than later. As it turned out, that didn't happen but Evans is now healthy and ready to go. "He's one of the better athletes in this league,'' said Kowalczyk. "His role on our team will be a defensive stopper and rebounder and we need consistent scoring. He's going to have a chance to have a tremendous career here. He's maybe the most talented guy on our roster.''
The jewel of the incoming signing class is 6-8 freshman Ryan Tillema of Randolph, Wis. The rangy Tillema is a strong shooter who will play small forward or even shooting guard. The Wisconsin Badgers hoped to lure Tillema to Madison on an earn-a-scholarship basis, but he picked Green Bay, where he was the priority recruit. It's a big jump from a small high school (where he won four state titles) to Division I, but a strong AAU background should help Tillema handle the transition. "At 6-8, he can pass and see over the top of the defense,'' Kowalczyk said. "He's a very skilled, finesse kind of a player. "He has a chance to be one of the best players in the history of UW-Green Bay basketball.''
Mike Schachtner is another homegrown freshman from Somerset who will have a chance to play immediately. The 6-9 center/forward is skilled with his back to the basket and can step out and shoot the three. "He's the perfect recruit for how we play,'' Kowalczyk said. "He is a skilled forward that is multidimensional.''
The fourth freshman headed directly into the fire is 6-3 point guard Simon Farine from Canada. Point guard play was a strength for the Phoenix last year, but the slate is clean this year. Kowalczyk isn't crazy about handing the ball to a rookie straight out of high school, but Farine has some assets to offset those fears. "The two areas I'm really concerned about with a freshman point guard typically is, defensively, can they guard at our level?" Kowalczyk said. And secondly, will they not turn it over? Those are two of Simon's strengths. He's strong and he's a good defender. He's physically ready to play right now.''
Another member of the signing class was junior college point guard Ontario McKee. However, he fell short of being admitted to school. That means junior Ryan Evanochko (6.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg) will draw some point-guard duty. How much depends on Farine's success rate. Evanochko averaged 24 minutes a game last year and is the team's best free-throw shooter at 79.7 percent. "He's probably our most improved player,'' Kowalczyk said. "Looking back at last year, he played a lot and probably should have played more. When he was in the game good things happened. He can play the point but I think he's more valuable playing off the ball. He's an aggressive offensive player who can score off the dribble.''
The other returning perimeter veteran is 6-2 sophomore Ryan Werch (0.6 ppg, 0.3 rpg), although calling Werch a veteran is something of a stretch. A transfer from Utah, Werch was expected to contribute but ended up playing a total of 62 minutes in his Green Bay rookie season. Expected to be a dangerous three-point specialist, he was only two-of-nine from three-point range. However, Kowalczyk hasn't soured on Werch's future with the Phoenix. "What happened last year wasn't so much Ryan Werch as it was the other guys,'' Kowalczyk said. "He was more caught up in a numbers game and wasn't given the opportunity. This year he has the opportunity for significant playing time. He can really shoot it. He's done a good job of simplifying his game. He gets into trouble by trying to do too much.'' Losing the bulk of its three-point arsenal from last year (the Phoenix led the league at 37.3 percent), Green Bay could certainly use Werch to stretch defenses this winter.
The one proven scorer is Lawrence, a 6-7 junior who has played a lot of minutes his first two years. He hit 38.5 percent from beyond the arc last year and developed a sneaky inside game to become more of a complete offensive threat. As the only returning starter, Lawrence has to be ready to take on the role of go-to guy on offense. "He had a very good year but didn't finish the season the way we hoped,'' Kowalczyk said. "Down the stretch he got banged up, but he's ready to go. Last year, he was a guy who didn't do it every game. This year he's got to have the consistency that we can call on him every night to get 12 to 15 points.''
The other returning letterman is center Tevah Morris (2.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg). At 6-9, 250, Morris offers size and bulk that many Horizon League teams don't have a physical match for. His challenge is to become more confident on the offensive end at the same time his minutes are increasing. "He's something our league doesn't have a lot of,'' Kowalczyk said, "a big guy who is athletic and can run the floor. I think he can get you eight- to 11 points and six rebounds if he plays as well as he's capable of.''
Offering depth is Aswan Minatee, a 6-5, 230-pound junior college transfer. He's a rugged but undersized post player with good instincts around the basket. If he can cobble together a rotation out of the above parties, two of his freshmen might be best served with a red-shirt year.
Randy Berry is a 6-9 post from Plover, Wis., and Cordero Barkley is a 6-5 wing from Racine. Barkley is a strong defender who could eventually develop into a big point guard.
Eventually all of the new recruits should help Green Bay be a contender. "I think this class was a culmination of three years of us improving this program,'' Kowalczyk said. "My concern is just that this is a very young team. They're just building confidence and establishing roles, but ability-wise, this is probably the most high I've been on any team I've coached. I'm just going to have to be patient and as the season progresses, we're going to become much better.''
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: C
BENCH/DEPTH: C
FRONTCOURT: C
INTANGIBLES: C
Is Green Bay a straight Cs team? If so, only because of inexperience. Green Bay was 12-1 last year in games decided by single digits. That feat will be difficult to match with a young lineup that must replace four starters and five of the top six scorers. The good news is that the talent level is improving since Kowalczyk arrived three years ago and the guy has proven he can coach.
So the future is bright if a touted recruiting class lives up to its billing. However, for now Green Bay is long on youth and short on experience. That makes it unlikely the Phoenix can hang on to a top-three finish in the league again this year, given the veteran nature of teams like UW-Milwaukee, Detroit and Wright State.
Still, this team could surprise by February if Lawrence indeed becomes a consistent go-to-scorer and newcomers like Evans and Tillema are able to have an impact. A lot is riding on freshman point guard Farine.
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