2019 #HLMBB #MOTORCITYMADNESS PREVIEW
Ahead of the #HLMBB semifinals on Monday, Horizon League contributor Joey Yashinsky previews the upcoming Horizon League Men’s Basketball Tournament with analysis by coaches and scouts from around the league.
1) Wright State Raiders (20-12, 13-5)
Coach: Scott Nagy
“They are really, really tough-minded defensively and very committed. It’s a testament to Coach Nagy because it seems like every year, no matter who they have out there, they are one of the best defensive teams in the conference. I think people thought that with them losing Grant Benzinger, they’d lose a little bit of that toughness, some of that identity, but they just haven’t.”
“They really load up, they help in their gaps, and physically they just want to make you uncomfortable. They pressure the ball, and even though they don’t need to double the post with Loudon Love back there, they will still try to dig down and get the ball out of there. As a unit of five, they are really tough. And if you do get around your man, they do a very good job of helping one another out.”
“Love is obviously a really tough cover just because he’s so skilled and occupies so much space. You need to double-team him whenever he gets the ball, but it’s really a foot-fight to try and beat him to his post position. If he gets the ball within three or four feet of the basket, it’s game over.”
“Mark Hughes is a great glue guy. Fantastic defender, really tough kid. And also a very capable shooter. He’s a good rebounder, he’s switchable on defense. He always finds ways to contribute without needing to be a focal point of the offense.”
“You just have to hope Bill Wampler has an off night. If he’s in a zone, there’s not a whole lot you can do. He’ll shoot it from four or five feet behind the line.”
“They are one of the few teams that has a true rotation, when at that first media timeout, they’re bringing in that first wave of subs. At the second media timeout, they come with the second wave. And it’s allowed their players to get consistent minutes.”
“Having Skyelar Potter and Malachi Smith play the minutes they have has really allowed them to balance out all their players’ time throughout the year. Having that depth lets their staff get Love more rest, use Bill Wampler a little bit at the 4, and over the course of a full season, it definitely helps to try and reduce everyone’s workload.”
“Cole Gentry really is the head of the snake for Wright State. Even though he doesn’t average the most points, everything kind of flows through him. He does a great job of just running the show, getting guys where they need to be. And the thing with him -- even though he’s third on the team in scoring -- he makes big-time shots. When it comes down to crunch time, he’s probably not passing as much as he is early in the game. Down the stretch, I think he becomes more of a scoring threat and looks for his offense more. Him being aggressive just makes them that much more dangerous.”
2) Northern Kentucky Norse (24-8, 13-5)
Coach: John Brannen
“The thing with Drew McDonald is that he’s just so consistent. And not just over a period of games. I’m talking about years. He’s always productive and always plays very hard. He gets you 10 rebounds a game. Drew being a true inside-outside threat is so tough because not many teams have a guy that can guard a 4-5 man on the block and also defend out on the perimeter. He’s just kind of a matchup nightmare with that combination of skills.”
“Tyler Sharpe is very confident kid. You know he’s always going to keep letting it fly. You just hope to get into him a little bit and throw off his rhythm. Otherwise, he’s going to go off on you.”
“Jalen Tate brings them a lot of toughness. Very tough-minded, plays with a lot of swagger. Big wings in this league tend to do well. With him being 6-foot-6, he handles the ball well, he is able to get to the basket, all the things he can do defensively; most teams don’t have a guy like that. Like McDonald, he is going to give you a lot of matchup issues. If you put someone bigger on him, he’ll drive. Stick someone smaller on him and he’ll get to his spots and bury 10 to 15 foot jump shots. Also, if you have a small guard on him, Tate crashes the class very hard. He gives them a dimension I don’t think a lot of teams in our league have.”
“In losing Lavone Holland, they miss that guy that can just break you down 1-on-1 and get a good look. So now in end-of-game situations, they need to run quality offense and try to free up McDonald or Sharpe for a shot.”
“There aren’t a lot of 7-footers in this league. Chris Vogt does a really good job taking advantage of his size. He doesn’t play outside his game. If he catches the ball with a foot in the paint, it’s going to be really difficult to stop him. He has skills, he’s got some touch, and I think everyone sees that when he gets a little older, adds a little weight, he will be one of the best post players in the Horizon League.”
3) Oakland Golden Grizzlies (16-16, 11-7)
Coach: Greg Kampe
“I think they’re a year ahead of schedule. I feel like most people expected a little bit of a rebuild for them since they really don’t have seniors. But Coach Kampe always manages to get that group ready for conference play.”
“Xavier Hill-Mais just commands so much attention. I’ve seen teams try to single-cover him and it usually doesn’t work out. But he can really pass, so double-teams aren’t always a great strategy, either. He and (Brad) Brechting have really developed nice chemistry. It’s scary to think about what they’ll be like next year.”
“If the All-League stuff was just about the last half of league play, I think Brechting would be a first-teamer. He’s really been dominant. Almost seven feet, makes his free throws, works hard for position. He’s changed the look of their team.”
“In years past, Oakland would beat you with a lot of 3s. Now they can punish you inside. But there’s still a lot of firepower outside.”
“I like watching Jaevin Cumberland play. He always finds a way to get up seven or eight 3s. If they’re falling, it’s going to be very difficult to beat them.”
“Braden Norris doesn’t play like a freshman. He doesn’t turn the ball over. He never stops defending. He’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. Just a really hard-nosed kid and a competitor. It’s a big stage for a freshman point guard, but he’s handled it all year.”
“Tray Maddox Jr. seems to have found his role. Flies around on defense, gets deflections, gets out in the open court. And you can’t leave him alone from the outside, either. If he and Cumberland and Norris are hitting shots, with the strength they have inside, you’re going to have to play very, very well to beat them.”
4) Green Bay Phoenix (17-15, 10-8)
Coach: Linc Darner
“Sandy Cohen III is really dangerous. He’s probably the best 1-on-1, take-you-off-the-dribble guy in our league. He’s really hard to guard. Not all teams have a player on the roster to match up with him, so if he can get to his spots, he’ll elevate and shoot over you and there’s nothing you can do about it. And since he can knock down 3s, you have to close out hard on him and then it opens up driving lanes. To be a 6-foot-6 wing in our league without any real deficiencies makes him one of the toughest covers we face all year.”
“In JayQuan McCloud and Tank Hemphill, Coach Darner and his staff obviously did a great job of identifying guys they thought could come in and play right away. They needed that boost. They found two of them that have really helped them throughout the whole season.”
“They are so aggressive defensively. They’ll gamble, go for steals, try to get run-outs and push the pace.”
“Hemphill is extremely aggressive. He attacks the glass, goes after offensive rebounds, cuts hard, and picks up a lot of cheap points around the rim and in transition. He’s a true glue guy because you never really have to run a play for him and he’ll still wind up in double-figures. With his activity level, he’s always going to find a way to affect the game.
“Kam Hankerson has had certain games where he’s broken out and that’s what makes him so dangerous. He has the ability to go off for 20-25 points and you never really know when that’s going to happen. Having a guy like that -- especially coming off the bench -- who can score quickly and has the ability to change the momentum of the game, is something you need to be wary of sitting on the other side.”