Going to my first Maryland Terps basketball practice each year always feels a little bit like Christmas for me. You get the chance to open up some shiny new presents left under your tree and see how they fit with all your other toys. Trust me when I tell you this…Santa was very good to us this year!
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Some completely random and unconnected thoughts about this team after watching a practice…
The first thing I noticed does not involve a player. It involves the three point line. This summer they moved the NCAA line back a full 17 inches to match the international line. The line went from 20’9” to 22’1 ¾”. Big change, for sure. If you think that doesn’t make a difference ask a guy who’s been toeing a 20’9” line every day for 5-6 years straight. I don’t think it will change the number of threes taken but it sure will change the percentages. Shot makers just became even more important in recruiting.
I did not expect to see Anthony Cowan sitting practice out. As has been reported in the last day or two he and a teammate had banged heads earlier in the week and Ant was still going through the last day or two of concussion protocol. I’ve been to dozens of practices in the four years Cowan has worn the uniform…don’t think I’ve ever seen him sit out a play, much less a practice. That is just a reminder of the really impressive durability for a kid that size.
Aaron Wiggins has grown a neck. Like the rest of his teammates he is completely ripped. Last year he had an Olive Oil neck and this year his whole body screams Popeye after a can of spinach. More magic from the genius that is Kyle Tarp. The same can be said for the new and improved Jalen Smith. He might be outgrowing the whole ‘Sticks’ thing. If those two play to their game –and newfound physiques- they’ll have big seasons. Perhaps even more magical is the fact that point guard Erik Ayala lost weight and is now a svelte 189 pounds – down almost 20 pounds from last year. When prompted about why he will tell anybody who will listen that chasing Cowan around every practice at 210 was a complete nightmare. He also says the key to losing the weight was giving up Oreos…proving that some diets are just not worth it.
With Cowan out and sophomore Ricky Lindo limited in this practice it made for a really good opportunity to take a look at the freshman. I loved what I saw of forward Donta Scott in the Capital Classic last spring and I liked him even better in practice. There are plenty of guys whose game doesn’t translate with the structure of practice but not Scott. He plays multiple spots (huge in today’s game) and plays them hard as hell. He seems to go after every single rebound and when you combine that with what seems to be like a nice feel for the game he’s a real keeper. He’ll help right away and should be a four year guy that Terp fans will love.
One other Scott note…read his hoops bio. All this guy ever does is win championships.
This was my first real opportunity to see the Mitchell twins – Makhi and Makhel – play. Telling these guys apart off the court will be virtually impossible for folks. They should probably have to wear a number to class and around campus. If they swapped jerseys before a practice nobody would know. Both of these guys can play. Makhi is the more advanced player but I was happy to see how serious both were about working hard. I’m always reluctant to have high expectations about freshmen bigs but these guys will have an impact and be in the rotation when the season starts.
Freshman Chol Marial was not at the practice I went to but is apparently progressing nicely from his surgery. I believe he is allowed to do some form shooting at this point but is prohibited – understandably- from anything that requires much movement. The fifth freshman, Hakim Hart, is an interesting late addition. He looks really young to me (and a little bit like Nick Faust, maybe?). He also looks like he might’ve grown an inch or two since I met him at the Capital Classic. There is so much talent in front of him on this roster it might be unrealistic to expect him to crack the rotation this year but he has the size and length to be an interesting long term investment.
I would be floored if this team as it is currently comprised is not an absolutely Elite defensive team this season. They have a wealth of depth and length and – all of a sudden- experience. All of those young freshmen from last year have become sophomores and look like men. When you have knowledgeable Terp fans having reasonable discussions about all of the options for a starting lineup you know you have something. The bet here is that your first five will be Cowan, Wiggins, Darryl Morsell and Jalen Smith for sure. I know Mark Turgeon likes to have some continuity with his starting lineup – every coach does. He may leave that fifth spot up for grabs for whoever is playing well or had a better week of practice but he’s flush with options.
It was also good to see the focus on transition at the practice. I know there is always talk about what to keep and what to change moving from one year to the next. My hope would be that this team runs more than last year. When you think about it, last year’s team – with Bruno Fernando and Smith doing most of the heavy lifting – had a pretty historic year from a rebounding perspective. Offensive rebounds were hard to come by for opponents with Bruno on the floor. Yet it didn’t seem like many of those defensive boards were turned into opportunities on the other end. This particular team certainly does not have the sheer presence of Fernando but it has more than enough size and speed to get the job done on the glass and push the ball up the floor.
Fortunately for Terrapin nation none of those questions about who to play and what style to play will fall to me to decide. I can tell you how Mark Turgeon and his staff have spent the last 200+ days since that stinging loss to LSU. They’ve watched every minute of every game from last year to see where and how they can be better. Then they watched again. This staff has been around long enough to know that you don’t have teams like this every year. In fact, most programs never have a team like this. I’ll let the smart guys make the predictions but certainly all of the pieces are in place to make this a special season.
Terps Analyst
A fixture in the Washington sports scene since his days as a player and a coach, Chris Knoche has accumulated a diverse resume as a media presence in town for more than two decades. That resume has earned him opportunities on both national and local stages and made him a Washington DC staple on radio, television and in digital media.