“Deep” is a word Waves fans will welcome with open arms. Last year’s team was besieged by a catastrophic series of injuries that saw their projected starters at point guard, center, and power forward play in a total of only six games. In essence, head coach Paul Westphal went to battle every night with a lineup of six small forwards and two shooting guards.
Quality of play understandably suffered, as well. The Waves were hard-pressed to get their offense going and often were forced to settle to one-on-one play and outside shots.
However, all that looks to be changing this season.
No fewer than seven Waves have exhibited the ability to score 20 points in a game. In exhibition play, eight players made at least one three-pointer. The team shot well over 50% overall.
Most important is the new team offensive philosophy – although “new” may not be the right term, as the coaching staff now has the flexibility to do what it always wanted. Ball movement and player movement without the ball are the trademarks of this year’s squad. In exhibition play, the Waves recorded 37 assists on 78 made baskets, an outstanding ratio that indicates an offense that looks for the best shot.
It gets even scarier for those opposing coaches:
There are no seniors on this roster. Barring an NBA draft declaration here and there, this team could be back intact for 04-05.
Here's a quick commentary on each player, in alphabetical order.
Alex Acker, 6’5 SG, Sophomore – Officially, he will start at PG, but he's a SG. A really good SG. Creates his own shot well, comes off screens to shoot well, is a leader by example. Will rack up the numbers without attracting his due attention on a team full of highlight-reel athletes.
Shaun Davis, 5’10 PG, Freshman – Looks like he is digitally superimposed onto the court and his video is playing at a faster speed than the rest. He's not a natural shooter, and he'll have a hard time getting off shots at his size, but he’s being encouraged to take it to the hole to keep defenses honest. It's early in his career; the stardom will come later.
Yakhouba Diawara, 6’7 PF, Junior – He can be a rugged, physical inside force if needed, but the French national clearly benefits from his European upbringing: he's as solid fundamentally as he is physically. Good ballhandler, and good instincts. There is some concern about whether he may have played some semi-pro ball in Europe. If it isn’t resolved, he may be forced to sit out the opening game(s).
Chase Griffin, 6’3 SG, Redshirt Freshman – Does a lot of nice things, like passing and moving without the ball. Maybe a little early to expect a lot of minutes, but a future contributor. Can shoot the lights out. Will get limited minutes due to depth at his position.
Shane Griffin, 6’3 SG, Freshman – the same size as Chase (no relation), unless you count the enormous hairdo. A first-year walkon; you won’t see much of him barring a blowout.
Derick Grubb, 6’10 C, Sophomore – Is evolving quickly from typical college big man to excellent athlete with good basketball skills. Shows post-up moves and shooting range. Will be a contributor, especially against the bigger, more physical teams.
Cody Horning, 6’9 SF, Redshirt Freshman – Has guard skills but needs to keep his dribble lower to the ground when guarded by little guys. Should be a solid contributor. A similar player to junior Robert Turner, he will get some minutes but is stuck in a deep rotation for now.
Keith Jarbo, 6'4 SF, Sophomore - A walkon transfer from Brown, Keith shows his Ivy League roots. Also a football standout, Keith is a smart, crafty player built like an ox who can bang with much taller players for rebounds.
Terrance Johnson, 6’5 SG, Junior – Possibly the best athlete on the team. Jumps tall buildings in a single bound and finishes the break spectacularly. Needs to take the ball to the hole more and use that athleticism to get to the line, but he likes to shoot from outside. But hey, he shoots it well.
Marvin Lea, 6’3 SG/PG, Redshirt Freshman – A very good defender. Disrupts the dribble of just about everyone who gets near him. He could be a shut-down defensive player, which the coaches will be looking for. Defense will earn him some minutes.
Glen McGowan, 6’9 PF/C, Junior – It's never clear whether Glen is playing at 75% to nurse an injury or if everything just comes so easy to him that he makes it look like he isn't giving 100%. He's still the most impressive specimen to come through here in a while. He does love to take it to the hole, and when he does, he's explosive. But for now, he will be asked to provide a strong inside and rebounding presence for the Waves.
Jesse Pinegar, 6’9 F/C, Junior – Sweeeeet stroke. Smooth, effortless, and quick release, a rare combination for a guy his size. He's the prototypical BYU player (he transferred from there) ... it's nice to have a guy like that on our side for a change.
Robert Turner, 6’9 SF – Coming into his own. Will probably have a breakout season. There's no telling how good he can be. Very smooth; put up 25 and 11 in the last exhibition game. Does everything well. A sleek, athletic player who beats everyone except Shaun Davis in running drills without breaking a sweat.