|
Post by Yote 53 on Oct 19, 2016 8:44:30 GMT -6
Post articles regarding Coyote Men's Basketball in this thread for easy access. Please refrain from discussion here, instead create a new thread for discussion.
Thank You.
|
|
|
Post by jordanh on Oct 25, 2016 11:16:03 GMT -6
SOUTH DAKOTA LOCATION Vermillion, SD
CONFERENCE Summit
LAST SEASON 14-18 (.438)
CONFERENCE RECORD 5-11 (8th)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 0/5
NICKNAME Coyotes
COLORS Red & White
HOMECOURT Sanford Coyote Sports Center (6,000)
COACH Craig Smith (North Dakota ’96)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 31-34 (2 years)
CAREER RECORD 31-34 (2 years)
ASSISTANTS Gameli Ahelegbe (Minnesota State ’07) Austin Hansen (South Dakota State ’03) Eric Peterson (Wis.-La Crosse ’06)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.) 10-10-12-17-14
RPI (LAST 5 YRS.) 292-243-259-212-200 2015-16
FINISH Lost in Summit quarterfinals.
It’s rare that a college basketball team loses every one of its guards from the previous season, but it has happened to a school or two over the years. Count South Dakota among that unfortunate group.
Coyotes will have an entirely new backcourt brigade this season, comprised of Division I and junior college transfers and freshmen. And if that isn’t enough, South Dakota also must replace its top six scorers. “We lost everything, basically,” said South Dakota coach Craig Smith, laughing. “It’s a pretty rare circumstance. We completely overhauled our roster in two years.”
Ten of the 15 players on the roster are newly eligible or completely new to the program. !at means fans expecting the Coyotes to be crisp and at their best at the beginning of the season might be disappointed. But because the team is moving into its new home, the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, at least the fresh digs will keep everybody occupied until the team can figure things out.
Smith and his staf got a head start on the process over the summer on an exhibition trip to Spain, which also allowed them to get some extra practice and competition. “It was great that we could take our overseas trip this summer,” Smith said. “We got better every practice and every game. It was invaluable. It’s going to take some time this season to get going. We will probably not play our best in November, but we should be better in March.”
Big keys to the Coyotes’ success will be the three D-I transfers: Trey Dickerson (Iowa), Matt Mooney (Air Force) and Carlton Hurst (Colorado State). All three will be expected to make immediate contributions after spending the last year getting acclimated to the program. They learned how we do things,” Smith said. They learned our terminology and how we play on both sides of the ball.”
Dickerson is a 6-1 junior from Queens who earned NJCAA All-America honors as a freshman at Williston (S.D.) State where he averaged 19.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He played 15 games for the Hawkeyes in 2014-15. “He was ranked the No. 1 point guard in junior college three seasons ago,” Smith said. “He is lightning fast with great vision, and he can score the ball at all three levels. His vision and speed really stand out.”
Smith recruited the 6-3 Hurst, a junior, to Colorado State when he was an assistant there. !e wing from Denver made six starts over two seasons. Hurst (4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg in 2014-15) can play either the two or three and should allow Smith to use him in several diferent ways. “He’s a lefty slashing type who is insanely athletic,” Smith said. “He has a 43-inch vertical and squats 450 pounds. He really, really moves well, scores well at the rim and can get fouled. He defends one through four and brings a lot of versatility.”
A sophomore, the 6-3 Mooney averaged 6.9 points as a freshman at Air Force in 2014-15 but left the academy after alleging that he was bullied. Like Hurst, Mooney is versatile and can even handle some work at the point. He’s a good shooter and has excellent court vision. Triston Simpson, a 6-1 freshman, arrives from North Star High in Lincoln, Neb., where he developed a reputation for taking care of the basketball.
Simpson (16.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.6 spg) will get a chance to back up Dickerson. “He really knows how to play point guard,” Smith said. “He can score, but he loves getting other people the ball. He handles it well and makes good decisions. He can get into the paint well and gets fouled. He makes the right play at the right time.”
When 6-4 freshman Tyler Peterson was at Centennial High, the Lino Lakes, Minn., native played point, but Smith sees him as more of a wing. “He can guard diferent positions and is in the right place at the right time,” Smith says. “He shoots it well, and if he hadn’t torn his meniscus [his] senior year, he would have been a 2,000-point scorer. He is a very good rebounder and has an unbelievable nose for the ball.”
When Smith talks about 6-5 freshman Brandon Armstrong, a product of Holy Cross High in San Antonio, he likens him to “a microwave” because of the wing’s ability to score quickly. Armstrong can get it done from inside and outside the arc.
Expect 6-4 junior Joshua Doss (10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.5 apg), who played at Triton (Ill.) College after his days at Taft High in Chicago, to make an impact on the wing. He’s tough and will be diicult for anybody to handle. “He’s an ultra-competitive, junkyard dog kind of guy,” Smith said. “He’s high, high energy, and when you tell him to do something, he says, ‘Yes, sir, coach.’ He plays with a ferociousness and is athletic and powerful.”
Although the Coyotes’ holdovers are all from the frontcourt, it doesn’t mean there is great certainty about that area. Smith needs more consistency from the forwards, and he needs good health from 6-7 senior Tyler Flack (9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .583 FG). Flack missed 2014-15 with a back problem, and then tore his meniscus before last season, appearing in just 17 games. By the second half of last season, however, Flack was playing his best basketball, and Smith expects that if Flack stays healthy he could average almost a double-double this season. “He’s incredibly athletic and can do a 720-degree dunk,” Smith said. “He has great two-footed pop, and he gets of the loor very quickly. He’s super strong and also skilled. He has the ability to step out and make open 3s and is very good from 17 feet and in. He’s improved his handle and can drive it, and we can throw it inside to him.”
The Coyotes will count on 6-6 sophomore Trey Burch-Manning, who averaged 7.9 points and 4.4 rebounds at North Idaho College last season. !e Federal Way, Wash., native has the ability to play all three frontcourt positions and should it into the USD motion offense.
Last season, 6-9 sophomore Dan Jech (6.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, .519 FG) showed enough that Smith predicts good things for him. But he has work to do, particularly on the backboards. “He has all the tools,” Smith said. “He’s a good inside guy who can step outside.”
Another sophomore, 6-10 Tyler Hagedorn (3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg), is more of an outside performer who can pass the ball well and has a good feel for the game. Austin Sparks (1.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg), a 6-8 junior, is more of an inside player but, like Flack, he has struggled with injuries and played in only 20 games last season. Smith considers 6-4 sophomore Logan Power (2.4 ppg) “the consummate team guy.” !e former walk-on was awarded a scholarship before this season. “He’s a phenomenal teammate and can really, really shoot it,” Smith said.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT B
FRONTCOURT C+
BENCH/DEPTH B-
INTANGIBLES B+
Coyotes have turned over their roster, and now it’s time for them to make some progress in the Summit. It’s not going to be easy for Smith to bring everybody together into a winning unit right away, but there are a lot of pieces that should help South Dakota be successful. With only one senior—Flack—it’s likely the team’s best days are in the coming seasons, but that doesn’t mean 2016-17 can’t be productive and successful. Michael Bradley
|
|
|
Post by coyotecrazie5 on Oct 25, 2016 20:35:31 GMT -6
technically Flack would be a returning starter.
|
|
|
Post by Cousin Eddie on Oct 26, 2016 12:32:10 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by golfingyote on Nov 2, 2016 6:31:05 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by Yote 53 on Nov 2, 2016 7:51:53 GMT -6
Well, we do have some knowledgeable posters here. He could do worse.
|
|
|
Post by statguy on Nov 2, 2016 8:18:30 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by Cousin Eddie on Nov 2, 2016 8:39:23 GMT -6
I realize I am beating a dead horse, but I just don't see how a reasonable person cannot see the upgrade in talent from last year to this year. Just go position by position
PG: Norris to Dickerson SG: Kasperbauer to Mooney SF: Davis to Hurst PF: Burnette to Burch-Manning C/PF: Flack (One year better)
Bench: Robertson, Haggedorn, Jech, Sparks, Power, Mayot, Zach Dickerson
VS.
Doss, Jech, Sparks, Simpson, Power, Armstrong, Haggedorn, and Peterson. (I would be surprised if Delimont and Stensgard didn't RS).
Even if you go to the beginning of the year and plug in Shy, shifting Norris to the bench, big deal.
I know everybody has great expectations for Dickerson, Hurst and Mooney, so I can understand how meeting those expectations will be a challenge. However, I really think people are going to be impressed with the talent of Simpson, Armstrong and Peterson.
On top of everything else, my gut tells me the chemistry of this team is going to be MUCH better, if not simply as a bi-product of their ability to practice and play in Spain earlier in the year.
|
|
|
Post by Cousin Eddie on Nov 2, 2016 8:40:52 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Nov 2, 2016 16:45:22 GMT -6
I would say a reasonable person would also realize that last year ended up quite the mess. A reasonable person would also hold judgement until the team has had a chance to play at least a few games before we assume that the new players are head and shoulders above what we had last year. Optimism is optimism but reality still needs to be proven. It's like recruiting. Everyone is a great player when they first sign their letter of intent just like all these new players are all great players until we actually see if they are great players. I certainly hope that the talent level is better but I also hope that the heart is a little bigger as well. The talent level may or may not have been the best but I think it is fair to say that the second half of last year was much more than just a talent deficiency. Whatever your opinion of the talent it was a strange season that the talent level doesn't come up as the primary reason for what occurred. Internal issues are much more likely the problem.
I am reserving my judgement until I see for myself whether we have something new and better going on here or if this is just an extension of the end of last season. It will be interesting to find out those answers.
|
|
|
Post by golfingyote on Nov 3, 2016 6:28:07 GMT -6
We can't wait to have you on the bandwagon in 2017-2018 CF.
|
|
|
Post by usdtator on Nov 3, 2016 7:06:29 GMT -6
We can't wait to have you on the bandwagon in 2017-2018 CF. Maybe CF will even pry open that dry, almost-fused-shut wallet, and purchase season tickets for basketball as well... I doubt it, but maybe...
|
|
|
Post by Cousin Eddie on Nov 3, 2016 8:02:08 GMT -6
I would say a reasonable person would also realize that last year ended up quite the mess. A reasonable person would also hold judgement until the team has had a chance to play at least a few games before we assume that the new players are head and shoulders above what we had last year. Optimism is optimism but reality still needs to be proven. It's like recruiting. Everyone is a great player when they first sign their letter of intent just like all these new players are all great players until we actually see if they are great players. I certainly hope that the talent level is better but I also hope that the heart is a little bigger as well. The talent level may or may not have been the best but I think it is fair to say that the second half of last year was much more than just a talent deficiency. Whatever your opinion of the talent it was a strange season that the talent level doesn't come up as the primary reason for what occurred. Internal issues are much more likely the problem. I am reserving my judgement until I see for myself whether we have something new and better going on here or if this is just an extension of the end of last season. It will be interesting to find out those answers. A few things: 1) I wasn't targeting you. 2) Last year did have a lot of second half issues. No argument here. 3) The team has already had a chance to play some games and I have spoken to several people that have seen them play. 4) I never said "the new players are head and shoulders above what we had last year" but I did say that each player would be an "upgrade in talent." I stand by that. 5) Let me be clear about what I mean when I say talent. I mean height, length, athleticism, quickness, leaping and raw skill. That is only one part of the game. The mental, emotional and effort elements are a complete unknown. 6) I agree on heart - that is the key to everything. I hope the D-1 and JUCO transfers have a chip on their shoulders, especially. I hope that drive carries over to the young guys. 7) The "primary" reason for the lack of success was indeed a lack of talent, in my opinion. However, I will never say it was the only reason, because it wasn't. 8) I also tend to believe there was actually a lot of drama in the background. I also thought there was a lack of chemistry. Hopefully those issues are behind us. I think the team greatly overachieved early last year and then fell off due to a lack of depth and high level talent. I also think youth played a huge factor in the apparent regression of Jech and Haggedorn. That is very common with TRUE freshman. I highlight TRUE, because I know somebody will bring up Daum. He was a RS Freshman and Nagy was quoted as saying he didn't even know if he would make it into the rotation or stay on the team based on his play during his time as a redshirt. A lot of things can change (for better or worse) over the course of a year during college. I will not deny that I am drinking the Kool-aid and wearing rose colored glasses right now. Hope springs eternal in the preseason. Hopefully after tomorrow there will be many more folks on this board giving their first impressions of the team after watching the exhibition game. Sadly, I cannot make it, but I hope others can. My gut says that it will be mostly positive, but I also expect Smith to be very vanilla. Go Yotes!
|
|
|
Post by usdtator on Nov 3, 2016 8:10:15 GMT -6
I would say a reasonable person would also realize that last year ended up quite the mess. A reasonable person would also hold judgement until the team has had a chance to play at least a few games before we assume that the new players are head and shoulders above what we had last year. Optimism is optimism but reality still needs to be proven. It's like recruiting. Everyone is a great player when they first sign their letter of intent just like all these new players are all great players until we actually see if they are great players. I certainly hope that the talent level is better but I also hope that the heart is a little bigger as well. The talent level may or may not have been the best but I think it is fair to say that the second half of last year was much more than just a talent deficiency. Whatever your opinion of the talent it was a strange season that the talent level doesn't come up as the primary reason for what occurred. Internal issues are much more likely the problem. I am reserving my judgement until I see for myself whether we have something new and better going on here or if this is just an extension of the end of last season. It will be interesting to find out those answers. A few things: 1) I wasn't targeting you. 2) Last year did have a lot of second half issues. No argument here. 3) The team has already had a chance to play some games and I have spoken to several people that have seen them play. 4) I never said "the new players are head and shoulders above what we had last year" but I did say that each player would be an "upgrade in talent." I stand by that. 5) Let me be clear about what I mean when I say talent. I mean height, length, athleticism, quickness, leaping and raw skill. That is only one part of the game. The mental, emotional and effort elements are a complete unknown. 6) I agree on heart - that is the key to everything. I hope the D-1 and JUCO transfers have a chip on their shoulders, especially. I hope that drive carries over to the young guys. 7) The "primary" reason for the lack of success was indeed a lack of talent, in my opinion. However, I will never say it was the only reason, because it wasn't. 8) I also tend to believe there was actually a lot of drama in the background. I also thought there was a lack of chemistry. Hopefully those issues are behind us. I think the team greatly overachieved early last year and then fell off due to a lack of depth and high level talent. I also think youth played a huge factor in the apparent regression of Jech and Haggedorn. That is very common with TRUE freshman. I highlight TRUE, because I know somebody will bring up Daum. He was a RS Freshman and Nagy was quoted as saying he didn't even know if he would make it into the rotation or stay on the team based on his play during his time as a redshirt. A lot of things can change (for better or worse) over the course of a year during college. I will not deny that I am drinking the Kool-aid and wearing rose colored glasses right now. Hope springs eternal in the preseason. Hopefully after tomorrow there will be many more folks on this board giving their first impressions of the team after watching the exhibition game. Sadly, I cannot make it, but I hope others can. My gut says that it will be mostly positive, but I also expect Smith to be very vanilla. Go Yotes! Sorry for my lack of knowledge on current slang... but what does "...very vanilla" mean? Boring?
|
|
|
Post by Cousin Eddie on Nov 3, 2016 8:17:35 GMT -6
Yeah, sort of.
Meaning simple with play calls, lineup, strategy, etc. This is an exhibition that is going to be about showing the players off to the fans and for the coaches to see what they have in each of their players. This is not going to be about trying to win by the widest margin of victory possible.
|
|