#178 R.P.I. East Tennessee State @ 110th R.P.I. Virginia Tech
TV coverage: none
Tip-off: 2pm
Vegas line: TBA
Hoops season already?
Yup, such caught me nearly unawears as well.
As this is not only a tough game to call, more implicitly, this is a very tough 2011-2012 Hokie hoops team to call as well.
Right now, I can listen to any version of a cogent argument from fourth to tenth inside of the Atlantic Coast Conference as to how good (or not) this current edition and latest incarnation of Seth Greenberg and company will be.
- J.T. Thompson has blown out another A.C.L.
- Marquis Rankin is on the shelf for the duration with a bum knee.
- Erick Green is hobbled (and out for this game) with a bad heel/Achilles tendon.
And the beat rolls on and on and on for a 2011-2012 Virginia Tech basketball club that is suddenly rather thin at the Point-Guard position. Sometimes the beat even steamrolls Seth Greenberg and company who if not for bad-luck would have no luck at all.
One of these days the Sun is gonna shine on Virginia Tech hoops. In fact I know those that think this 2011 recruiting class is better (more talented top-to-bottom) than the Zab and Gordo’ class, or even the Delaney and Allen newly departed gathering.
All of that is fine and dandy come March of 2015, to be sure –when VT really should be a contender for the A.c.c. throne. In the meantime however VT hoops looks to be a very mixed bag. Some good, some not so good and some flat out unknown.
This ain’t no opening game D-1aaaaaa rinky-dink soft touch folks. Guess which team –the A.c.c. one or the A-Sun (Atlantic Sun) one- has been to the NC2A’s two of the last three years and is coming off of a 24 win season with a nifty 16-4 record in conference play? Sure seems like the A.c.c. team prima facie, although when you get right down to brass tacks it just ain’t.
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a quality mid-major indeed, make no mistake on that. Or at least they were a quality mid-majro for three years running, before they departed 42 starting points and the A-Sun conference player of the year last from last season (18 ppg Mike Smith).
Right now ETSU is lead by #41 6`8“ 210 lb. senior post Isiah Brown (see: right). Isiah is almost surely the best player in the paint in this season opening contest for either side. Big broad shoulders and a double-double just looking for a place to happen, that’s Mr. Brown’s game. Although it is said that he has an even higher ceiling than that, as the word you hear associated with his play is: “inconsistent”. With focus and discipline this kid is prolly an all-conference caliber baller at seasons end. However, with more yo-yo’ing or up and down efforts he’s prolly no better than a token third-teamer in A-Sun terms. Up front the big ole burry 260 lb. 6`6“ junior season J.C. Ward will handle the enforcer roll, and he will throw his weight around even if his offensive game is a bit thinner. Senior Swing Tommy Hubbard (6`4“ 210 lbs.) was an all-conference ‘tweener a two years ago. Although he only played in four games last season due to injury (foot) and took a med-red shirt in 2010-2011. This kid can ball, and he is basically a third returning starter presuming his foot is good-to-go. Defense, all around athleticism, and rebounding are his fortes If Hubbard’s foot holds up this kid is a sleeper all-conference kinda talent and the Buccaneers leading scorer at ~15 points per game. The rest of the Buccaneers front-court is small and freshmanic. 6`4“ 185 lb. Lester Wilson is more of a shooter, who will be forced to ply his trade on the inside. 6`7“ 200 lb. fellow freshman John Walton (no relation) is a springy front-courter who will start out at the four (Power-forward), although his skill set is better suited to the three (Small-Forwad).
In the backcourt the Bucs are lead by 6`6“ 200 lb. senior 2-Guard one Mr. Adam Sollazzo. Adam takes some ribbing for being more parts slasher and less parts shooter, making him something of a de facto lead-Guard as opposed to a true shooting-Guard. 6`3“ 185 lb. freshman shooting-Guard Rashawn Rembert is said to have range out to the N.B.A. 23`9“ three-point line and the VT backcourt needs to close out on this kid in a hurry. The Point-Guard spot is up for election via committee as no less than three guys still appear to be in the mix here and two of ‘em are rookie freshmen ballers. 6`3“ 170 lb. freshman Ryan Woumn is the most natural one (or Pt.Guard) of the lot, and is said to be a natural floor-leader. He will be pushed by senior 6`2“ 190 lb. Jarvis Jones who is really a shooting-Guard trapped inside a Point-Gurad’s body, and he too is coming off of a med-red season last year (knee) as well.
So as you can see this 2011-2012 Buccaneer hoops squad is three things, a bit small or undersized, a bit out of position and a bit freshmanic at several spots and nearly across the entirety of the Bucs bench itself. Accordingly, while I actually toyed with the upset pick here –as I (initially) felt this ETSU club to be a bigger threat to a lame Hokie hoops team right outta the gate- I have now reversed course and currently favor VT to open up 1-o presuming V.D. can keep Mr. Brown in check down on the low blocks.
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That said, don’t expect a pretty game with two basketball teams that both have a whole lotta mismatched and flat out juxtaposed parts out there on the court that (still) require considerable sorting out. VT will win this one and this one may not be easy on the eyes.
Virginia Tech=59, ETSU=51
“LET’S GO!”
“HOKIES!”
b’street
Happy Veteran’s Day 2011!
