Another season of basketball for the University of Maryland begins Friday night vs. Wagner. To help preview the season, Baltimore Sports and Life (BSL) has again reached out to Terps Radio Analyst Chris Knoche.

As always, we thank Mr. Knoche for providing his thoughts.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

BSL: The 2014-15 season will be Coach Turgeon’s 4th at the helm of the University of Maryland’s program. Despite that continuity at the top, it feels like a period of transition for the Terrapins. Obviously the Terps are entering the uncharted waters of The Big Ten. Additionally there has been heavy turnover with the roster (departures from Seth Allen, Roddy Peters, Shaq Cleare, Charles Mitchell, & Nick Faust; arrivals of Melo Trimble, Dion Wiley, Jared Nickens, Michael Ceskovsky, and Richaud Pack. Optimism is rising among the fan-base as the season nears. As someone that closely follows the program, how excited are you to turn the page to this new chapter of MD Basketball?

Knoche: Personally I’m very excited. I love the prospect of going into the Big Ten and all that it offers. I think that, over time, some great rivalries will develop and that the league will remain one of the best in the nation. As for this team, I think it is one of the most likeable teams that we’ve had in some time. There is a talented mix of guys with enough experience to thrive and a really healthy dose of youth and enthusiasm. Beyond that, it’s a team filled with guys who are selfless and play the game the right way.

BSL: Smotrycz’s fractured foot has pushed Layman to the 4, and has MD using a 3 guard starting line-up. Based on the complexion of the roster, I like this alignment; do you? When Smotrycz returns, he is going to play plenty (starting or not). That will give MD another big body, another shooter, and some help on the boards. It will also slow MD a bit, and could change how MD plays on both ends. When Smotrycz comes back, how would you like to see him utilized?

Knoche: I think it might depend some on the opponent and some on how the young interior guys progress while he’s out. Evan’s experience should really pay off down the stretch of the season and his return will bolster an area of need. While I have no doubt that Jake Layman would prefer to play the 3 spot, moving him to the 4 from time to time should create enormous match-up advantages for the Terps. He would be a nightmare for an opposing PF to cover man to man and, conversely, he appears to be strong enough to hold his own on the defensive end.

BSL:  In his Sophomore year, Layman’s numbers and production improved across the board. When he’s playing with confidence he looks great. When things go wrong, he can often be invisible. It feels like there is additional ceiling in his game. Does he reach another level this year?

Knoche: I think its fair to say that both Jake and the coaching staff expect Jake to turn a corner this year. The two exhibition games underscore the nature of your question…the fact that he needs to find a level of consistency. His game and his flexibility virtually guarantee him 30 minutes a game, I would think. He’s a natural scorer who will relish the role and the freedom he has this year. I would expect big things from him.

BSL: Another change this year has been the installation of the motion offense. Initial impressions there?

Knoche: Not to get too technical here but, “motion” means different things to different people. I like what I’ve seen so far from the team in practice and the exhibition games. Basically what they are doing offensively (at least from my perspective) is that they’ve taken some things out of the San Antonio Spurs playbook and combined that with different sets that emphasize correct floor spacing to take advantage of a wealth of three point shooters they appear to have. Now they just need that Tim Duncan to emerge….

BSL: We’ve known for sometime that Trimble would be a key to this season. Every report I’ve seen on the McDonald’s All-American has been glowing. Lots of accolades about his maturity and intelligence. Comments that he will run the offense, can shoot, and is a better defensive player than anticipated. At the College level, the speed of the game increases. The season is longer, and becomes a grind. What do you think will be the most difficult transition for him?

Knoche: In High School Melo scored at will and was the best player on the floor in 99% of the games he played in. While he will certainly continue to score in college his most significant contributions this year may be more intangible than tangible. Not only will he be asked to run the team but he will be asked to defend some really good players this year. He doesn’t have to be great for this team to reach its goals. He definitely has to be good, though.

BSL: The ‘trade’ with Georgia Tech has seen Mitchell leave, and Robert Carter not available until next year. Cleare is gone. As discussed earlier, Smotrycz is going to miss the next few weeks. To start the year, that leaves the bigs as Damonte Dodd, Jonathan Graham, and 7’1, 235lb Freshman Michal Cekovsky.

Lots of talk about Dodd’s improvement, making that important Freshman to Sophomore jump. Lots of athleticism, defense supposed to be improved. Is he capable of any offense behind dunks, and put-backs? Is that limited offense acceptable in your eyes, if he can rebound, and protect the rim? Can he beat defenders down the floor like Jordan Williams, and score in transition with the up-tempo offense? Can he get position in the post, and find open shooters on the wing?

Knoche: Trade?? LOL….if that’s the case then watching Carter in practice will make you think we just got Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown.

The jury is still out on Damonte but he’s almost certain to get a lot of time in the first month of the season to work his way into being a player. I have no problem whatsoever if he only scores on dunks and put-backs. I know he can be a force defensively and that’s where this team needs him. I, for one, would like to see him do some pretty fundamental things better. Things like simply catching a tough pass around the basket and staying engaged in the game for every possession that he’s on the floor would be good places to start. I think in a perfect world Mark Turgeon would love to have given Damonte a lot of playing time last year to ease the learning curve this year but, to be completely honest, he never earned that time in practice. His development would be  huge thing for the Terps.

BSL: Graham will provide energy, and defense off the bench – but I think ideally you would want to limit his minutes. Based on the roster, it seems that MD is going to need Cekovsky to consistently provide some positive minutes to the post-rotation. From what you’ve seen, and heard; do you think he will be capable of that here in his Freshman year?

Knoche: We can argue all day about Graham as a starter but I’d be the last guy to suggest you limit his minutes. He plays with an energy and edge that is special…and not found in most college players. The other thing about him is that he appears to be playing like a guy who, as a senior, knows his days as a college player are very limited and he’s making the most of them. I think if you paired him with a guy like Cekovsky he might actually take a lot of pressure off the young guy because Graham will do the dirty work for you. Both of these guys will get plenty of minutes through Thanksgiving with Evan sidelined.

BSL: Pack is the one incoming player with experience – the North Carolina A&T transfer averaged 34.2 minutes, and 17 ppg last season. Lots of comments from teammates and Coaches this Summer about the leadership he’s brought to the roster. Starter or 6-man, he figures to get plenty of playing time during his 1 year in College Park. What have you seen from him?

Knoche: I love this kid. Smart, selfless, fearless. Just what the doctor ordered. He’s versatile enough to be the back up point guard, can shoot comfortably to well beyond the arc and works his tail off on defense. He was a tremendous pick up for a team that has such a young back court.

BSL:  Dez Wells was named to The Big Ten’s All-Conference Pre-Season Team in The Sporting News preview. How does the motion offense impact him? What specific improvements to his game will we see this year? He’s been a good player in the A10, ACC, and figures to be one in the Big Ten. Is he capable of becoming elite?

Knoche: I think Dez is a much better shooter than he’s ever given credit for. His play going to the rim on the break and in half court can be so dynamic that it takes away from the way people see the rest of his game. He is an all Big Ten talent, for sure. My guess is that when Dez looked at tape of last year’s games it probably dawned on him that the only guy who ever stopped Dez was Dez himself. He played some first halves like Clark Kent and then was Superman after halftime. For him to be truly elite the ebbs and flows have to be minimized.

BSL: Trimble and Cekovsky are joined by two other talented Freshman in Wiley, and Nickens. Both should help improve MD’s shooting, and overall athleticism. You can only take away so much from the exhibitions, but I thought it was encouraging that both came out and produced right away vs. San Francisco State, and Bowie State. As Maryland wants to play more up-tempo this year, how important is it that Wiley and Nickens quickly become regular members of the rotation?

Knoche: I’m not worried about either of these guys at all. Both are talented and confident and are really good offensive players. Wiley makes very good decisions on the floor and good things happen with the ball in his hands. Nickens may be the least hyped guy of this recruiting class but could be the best player of them all when his career is over. He’s long and athletic and shoots the lights out to well beyond the arc. They’ll be in the rotation from the first game, and will see plenty of time.

BSL: The OOC schedule is highlighted by Arizona State, & either Iowa State or Alabama in the CBE Tournament. That will be followed Virginia (at home) in the ACC / Big Ten Challenge, and a trip to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State. Thoughts on any of these opponents? Any match-ups you are looking forward to seeing?

Knoche: It’s hard not to love having Virginia come to us in the Challenge. That promises to be good fun. I think the first real barometer of this team what it could become will be in Kansas City for the CBE tournament. Good teams with good coaches in a great environment. I remember going to KC several years back feeling very good about the Maryland team only to be matched up with UCLA and guys named Love, Westbrook and Collison. Days like that will remind you to stay humble and keep working.

BSL: The aforementioned Sporting News preview has MD finishing 7th in The Big Ten, with Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Nebraska being the ranked conference foes. Do you see the Conference similarly? What do you think will be the Terps biggest on-floor adjustment to life in their new league? How about you, are you personally looking forward to seeing new opponents, and locales?

Knoche: I used to do Big Ten games and loved it so, yes, I’m definitely looking forward to it. As for where I expect everyone to finish…there are so many unknowns this year. Good players have been lost to graduation and injury. I think we know that Wisconsin and Michigan State will be very good. Beyond that there are questions. We discovered during the football season that the conference is top heavy. It may be the same during hoops.

BSL: Turgeon has been quoted as saying he has never felt better about his program. If MD can win a couple of the OOC games mentioned above, and finish .500 or better in league play; they will be in good position to get back to the NCAAT for the first time since 2010. Is that within their grasp? Do they have enough talent on the roster, to set their aspirations a bit higher?

Knoche: The short answer is a qualified yes. They don’t have an overwhelming amount of talent where they can coast through any stretch of their season. They do have a deep and talented (albeit young) back-court and they have a certain level of star power in Dez. In a perfect world Layman becomes the perfect Robin to Dez’s Batman. Just as important as that is the fact that you have be able to cobble things together in the interior so that you can rebound and defend (and occasionally score) enough against some of the size that we’ll be seeing down the road.

Chris Stoner
Chris Stoner

Owner

Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.

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