This is the 3rd of a 3 part-series looking at 3 different 2009-10 scenarios for the Terps.
Part 3: What if Vasquez returns to MD, and Stephenson becomes a Terp?
Many MD fans are worn-out by the recruitment of Lance Stephenson, and believe that if he wanted to be a Terrapin, that it would have already occurred.
Getting past that part of the discussion, if Stephenson were to become a Terp, and Vasquez returned; the game would be on at College Park this year.
With Vasquez back, and with Stephenson; the Terp line-up would figure to look like this:
1 Vasquez, Bowie
2 Mosley, Hayes
3 Stephenson, Tucker, Kim
4 Milbourne, Gregory, Burney
5 Williams, Padgett, Goins
You add the athleticism, and scoring punch of Lance Stephenson to that mix, and expectations will be through the roof by the time of Midnight/Maryland Madness.
With Stephenson, the lineup has to change. Vasquez no longer has to be the primary scorer, so he goes back to the 1. Stephenson will be extremely difficult to handle 1×1 at the college-level, meaning open looks for the rest of the roster. If Vasquez is no longer being double-teamed, you can expect him to get to the rim at will.
You could actually make a case for Bowie, Hayes, or Tucker starting over Mosley… but I think Sean would get the starting nod for his overall game. He will have to show an improved shot though.
There would certainly be an increased media presence with this team. Besides the Baltimore Sun, and Washington Post; you can expect that the NY Media would be following the developments of Stephenson’s game.
Local radio and message boards would be speculating about how Vasquez and Stephenson would gel together on the court. My opinion is that it would work well. Vasquez is a winner, and Stephenson would help him win.
If this was the team, you would have to watch Bowie and Tucker with interest. Both are entering their Junior seasons, and have received a fair amount of mts during their first two-seasons. Both would continue to receive mts, and be in the regular rotation; but both would also haveg ames where their playing time was reduced.
I would hope they would both look at the situation, see that their team would be vastly improved, and that major starting mts would await themin their Senior season. Bowie is not going anywhere, but it is possible that Tucker could look to leave. In my opinion, both would stay.
If this was the MD team for the 2009-10 season, I would be expecting a 12-4 ACC record, and a team capable of cutting down nets in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Capable does not equate to saying they would definitively would cut nets, it just means that they would be capable.
With Vasquez back, and with Stephenson added; you could probably count on one hand the number of teams that would have a similar amount of depth, experience, and talent.
If this Terps team did not start in the Top 16, they would likely be there after the 2009 Maui Invitational. (Gonzaga, Arizona, Louisville,Wisconsin, Colorado, Vanderbilt)
MD would be an extremely high-profile team next year, which could only help add to the 2010 class of Stoglin and Ross.
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.