Long Beach State Sports : Re: Basketball Roster

I'm usually too optimistic, even last year I thought we could hold our own despite what the BW coaches said. But boy, were they right. This year, I have no idea but I am learning to be more realistic and even concerned. I don't have any idea how this is going to go. Go BEACH.

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As we had last year, this is nearly a whole new team. They will take time to gel and play together in a balanced offense. Last year, we depended too much on Askew for scoring, so I hope this new squad will distribute the ball and balance out the scoring. It's is going to be on Acker to get this new team ready to compete and get into the top half of the BW. Since Coach Acker had time to recruit for next year, it's time to see how well he can coach.

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Current roster according to Verbal Commits:

PG: Shaquil Bender (6'2", 170), Isiaih Lewis (6'3", 165), Rob Diaz III (6'2", 175), Grant Gondrezick (6'1", 173), Jason Hart jr.(6'2", 175)

Wings: Cole Farrell (6'5", 205), Christian Jones (6'4", 180), Gavin Sykes (6'4")

F/C: Derrick Michael Xzavierro (6'10", 220), Demarshay Johnson Jr. (6'9", 210), Peter Majstorovic (6'8", 215), Dallas Washington (6'9", 200)

Of these, Gondrezick (Detroit Mercy D1 transfer, 8.4 ppg), and Majstorvic (Syracuse, D1 transfer, 2.6 ppg and 3.2 rpg) are listed as committed, but their signings have not yet been announced.

Jones comes in as a JUCO guard, he averaged 10.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg for a JUCO team that went 28-7 and made the JUCO elite 8, he was the leading scorer.

DMX and Hart are the only two returners.

Sykes and Washington are highly rated HS recruits.

Farrell (Portland State, 6.5ppg) and Johnson jr(San Diego St., 1.1 PPG, .7 rpg ) are D1 transfers who were not starters at their last school. Bender (Manhattan, 13.6ppg, 1.3apg) and Lewis (Little Rock, 9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg)are also D1 transfers and were starters at their last stop.

Diaz is a D2 transfer from Humboldt St and averaged 16 PPG there.

Bottom line so far: We have a number of guys who have some experience in D1.

In the post, our most proven guy is clearly DMX (5.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg). But, even with him last year we struggled to score in the post. Johnson and Majstorvic had P4 experience, which is valuable, but neither could credibly claim to be proven scorers. Washington was rated top 100 in the country at one point by ESPN, so he has promise, but you never know if freshmen will produce. I am concerned because when you recall our issues last year basically revolved around a lack of scoring in the post, I don't see any clear evidence we have solved that issue.

All of our proven scoring is guards. Bender and Lewis look like a solid tandem and at this point look like starters. We are small at the wings right now.

First guess at starting lineup:

PG:Lewis
SG: Bender
SF: Farrell
PF: DMX
C: Majstorvic