Rick Mons
The former MN Snowman
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2009
- Messages
- 1,272
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From BlueRibbon Yearbook via ESPN's Insider:
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: A-
BENCH/DEPTH: B+
FRONTCOURT: C
INTANGIBLES: A
The Pilots are getting plenty of preseason buzz, at least from the group of people whose opinions matter most -- WCC coaches.
Pointing to Portland's experience and backcourt strength, rival coaches are expecting the Pilots to contend in the WCC this year, and if they can stay healthy and make enough improvements inside to take the pressure off their long-range shooters, they will challenge Gonzaga for the conference championship.
In just three years, former Stanford assistant Eric Reveno has taken the program from the depths of the West Coast Conference standings and turned the Pilots into contenders ...
Reveno, the WCC Coach of the Year and NABC District 9 Coach of the Year last season, guided Portland to 19 wins, the second-most in program history since it jumped to Division I in 1958, and its first postseason appearance since it won the 1996 WCC Tournament.
The Pilots' turnaround was triggered by a season-long stretch of lights-out shooting, especially from the perimeter.
The leader of the Pilots' high-octane offense should be 6-4 senior guard Nik Raivio (16.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg), a first-team All-WCC pick who shot 46 percent from the floor, hit 49 three-pointers (.360), and finished fourth in the WCC in scoring and seventh in rebounding last year.
He'll again get a significant boost from 5-9 senior guard T.J. Campbell (11.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.7 apg), who burst onto the scene after transferring from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College last year. Campbell earned the WCC Newcomer-of-the-Year Award and also was an All-WCC first-team pick after he hit 76 three-pointers and shot .531 from behind the arc. His .498 field-goal percentage was sixth best in the conference and tops among all guards, and he also finished second in the conference in assists.
Inside play was Portland's chief weakness last year, though the Pilots did get good minutes from 6-10 senior forward Robin Smeulders (10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), an honorable mention all-conference pick who did all of his damage inside, shooting 50 percent inside the arc. This year, Reveno needs Smeulders to step up his interior defense as well.
"We struggled defensively on the interior all the way to the end, and we've got to improve there," Reveno said.
Full story here but you need an "Insider" account. Tip o' the hat to Alec who subscribes to ESPN Magazine
BACKCOURT: A-
BENCH/DEPTH: B+
FRONTCOURT: C
INTANGIBLES: A
The Pilots are getting plenty of preseason buzz, at least from the group of people whose opinions matter most -- WCC coaches.
Pointing to Portland's experience and backcourt strength, rival coaches are expecting the Pilots to contend in the WCC this year, and if they can stay healthy and make enough improvements inside to take the pressure off their long-range shooters, they will challenge Gonzaga for the conference championship.
In just three years, former Stanford assistant Eric Reveno has taken the program from the depths of the West Coast Conference standings and turned the Pilots into contenders ...
Reveno, the WCC Coach of the Year and NABC District 9 Coach of the Year last season, guided Portland to 19 wins, the second-most in program history since it jumped to Division I in 1958, and its first postseason appearance since it won the 1996 WCC Tournament.
The Pilots' turnaround was triggered by a season-long stretch of lights-out shooting, especially from the perimeter.
The leader of the Pilots' high-octane offense should be 6-4 senior guard Nik Raivio (16.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg), a first-team All-WCC pick who shot 46 percent from the floor, hit 49 three-pointers (.360), and finished fourth in the WCC in scoring and seventh in rebounding last year.
He'll again get a significant boost from 5-9 senior guard T.J. Campbell (11.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.7 apg), who burst onto the scene after transferring from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College last year. Campbell earned the WCC Newcomer-of-the-Year Award and also was an All-WCC first-team pick after he hit 76 three-pointers and shot .531 from behind the arc. His .498 field-goal percentage was sixth best in the conference and tops among all guards, and he also finished second in the conference in assists.
Inside play was Portland's chief weakness last year, though the Pilots did get good minutes from 6-10 senior forward Robin Smeulders (10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), an honorable mention all-conference pick who did all of his damage inside, shooting 50 percent inside the arc. This year, Reveno needs Smeulders to step up his interior defense as well.
"We struggled defensively on the interior all the way to the end, and we've got to improve there," Reveno said.
Full story here but you need an "Insider" account. Tip o' the hat to Alec who subscribes to ESPN Magazine