Previous Message

Lets look at some of the roster:

Guards: We seem to have real depth and talent, albeit with something to prove.

Devin Askew (6'5") is a high ceiling player. His best season was 22-23 where he was averaging 15.5 ppg at Cal when he got hurt. If he can stay healthy, is is 1st team all BW potential player.

Ramel Lloyd jr (6'6") was one of the top HS players in the country and decided to go to Nebraska, where he redshirted as a frosh and injury redshirted last season. He appears to have an extremely high ceiling, but is unproven in college. He is the player that I am most excited to see, I have a feeling he is going to be a big star like his Dad.

TJ Wainwright (6'3")is a D1 transfer out of Robert Morris of the Horizon league. He is a junior and averaged over 10 ppg last se3ason coming off the bench as the 6th man.

Cory Curtis jr (6'5")was a huge scorer (23+ ppg) in one of the toughest JC leagues in the country. But, his JC team was very poor.

These four guards look to me to be a great bunch and if our rotation was just these four, I think we would be pretty good. But to this tall core you can add Varrick Lewis (6'3") who had some promising moments as a frosh, Kam Martin (6'4") who is a highly regarded freshman recruit, Jason Hart who provides depth at the PG position and showed at times last season he can be a defensive force, and Eli Djordivic who last season looked a bit overmatched prior to getting hurt. Bottom line for me is a ton of talent and depth. But also a bunch of guys with something to prove. I see a group that on the upside has the potential to be the best backcourt in the BW.

Frontcourt: Acker recruited mostly for defense in the frontcourt.

Austin Johnson (6'10") was a defensive force for UCI for several years (not a big scorer) and with Acker's defense first philosophy, he should be an anchor in the paint.

Christian Richardson is a huge get for LB (7'1"). He comes out of the same JC league as Cory Curtis. Acker in a vide3o described him as having a 7'6" wingspan, he and Johnson seem to be the favorites to be our rim protectors at Center. Like Johnson, he is not proven as a scorer, look for him to come off the bench behind Johnson.

Derrick Michael Xzavierro (6'10")is another D1 transfer. He comes from Grand Canyon and is coming off major health issues. Acker describes him a a pick and pop 4. He seemed to be highly thought of prior to getting ill. He is not proven at this level, another of those talented and hungry guys. Derrick goes by DMX.

Cam Denson is an undersized but aggressive PF. He is a senior transfer from UOP, where he averaged 8.5 ppg and was their leading rebounder.

Andrew Nagy (6'9") is a true freshman. He was one of Acker's fist recruits, which might suggest he was someone |Acker already had a recruiting relationship with from SDSU.

Denson and Johnson give you a pair of experienced seniors, Richardson, Nagy and DMX, give you depth and potential.

Looking at the Roster and having listened to Acker describe what he wants to do, this is a team that will be defense first. We have plenty of size and guys with the skill sets to do what Acker wants. It appears most of the scoring will have to come from the guard corps which is talented and deep. Due to having a new Coach and no returners who were key players, it is tough to predict a rotation. But, if healthy, you have to assume Askew is a lock, Johnson is a lock, and Denson and Wainwright look likely to me.