With tonight being the start of ‘Maryland Madness,’ let us take a look at the Terps by position.
I see a lot of interchangeable parts, and believe Gary Williams will slightly alter minutes depending on opposing match-ups.
I also think that while it might be possible that Jordan Williams does not start immediately, that he will be the de facto starter by the time ACC play begins.
Here is how I look at the roster:
1) Bowie, Hayes
2) Vasquez, Tucker
3) Mosley, JSC
4) Milbourne, Gregory
5) Williams, Padgett, Goins,
A couple of thoughts on this:
1) It is possible that the Terps do not put the pressure on Williams early of being the ‘starter’, but I expect him to be receiving starter minutes. Again, he does not even have to be on the all-ACC Freshman team for him to greatly help this roster. Having a low-post presence that is simply capable of being a weapon in the Flex offense is going to help everyone. If he gives you anywhere near 8pts, and 5 rebounds a game, it will be excellent production. Defensively, if he can just provide a body on opposing Centers, this will allow the Terps to not completely sag around the paint. This should help them defend the 3 better.
2) I really see Padgett getting most of his mts at the 4 in future years, but for this season, mainly backing-up Williams makes the most sense for me. Milbourne now has a year under his belt as a PF, and Gregory can give him regular minutes of rest. Having Padgett, and Gregory as athletic bigs, that can run, rebound, and want to block shots off the bench is a strength. If Goins has made gains in his game, and contribute some this year, that would be a plus.
3) Vasquez has been quoted everywhere saying he is a point-guard. Well, he is a PG at the pro-level, but for the Maryland roster he is a guard. He will have the ball in his hand plenty as he always does, but I continue to think Hayes will be the PG in late-game situations. Vasquez remains the best scoring threat, and now playing with bigs who are at-least capable of put backs, and finishing; Vasquez should occasionally be freed-up for open looks from outside. That should help his shooting % some, but he will have to also show he has worked on his shot.
4) Mosley is going to start, so for now the 3 is the best spot for him. While not a true slasher, he is physically stronger than many guards, and can take them in to the post. He will have to show an improved ability to finish around the rim. More than anyone, Mosley should be the one that is left open from the outside. Double-digit scoring should be the expectation. Tucker will get a lot of mts backing up both the 2, and 3… but for these purposes, I have him listed as the backup 2 guard. I do not see a lot of mts for JSC, but I do see regular mts. I would imagine Choi learned a lot last year, and now in what should be his true Freshman season; I expect to see that added maturity. He can do a lot of things, but he has to get his shot off quicker. He could be a player that provides some scoring off the bench for you.
5) If there was a way to list Bowie and Hayes as equal starters at the 1, I would do so. They are both going to play a ton of mts. Bowie will be on the court with this athleticism, and ability to get to the rim. Hayes is a true PG, with the best shot on the team. If Hayes plays like he did in the ACCT, with a willingness to attack the rim; it will be hard to keep him off the court. As I alluded to above, I still see him as the guy that handles the ball in close and late situations. Bowie has supposedly again worked hard to improve his shooting, and ball-handling. Really he is a 2G, but at 6’2 he is not an off-guard. He has to help be a defensive stopper on opposing points.
Gary Williams is going to be able to mix-and-match a lot of different ways, because he has the talent available to do so.
I am looking forward to tonight, and the impending start of the season.
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.