Virginia Commonwealth
is coming off
another successful season under head coach Jeff Capel with a
trip to the NIT. With just one starter leaving Richmond, the
Rams will once again find themselves in the upper echelon of the
CAA. What was a young backcourt of B.A. Walker, Jesse Pellot-Rosa
and Alexander Harper is now a backcourt of upperclassmen. The
trio should continue to improve and become team leaders.
Who’s Out:
Michael Doles started 24 games as a senior last year. The 6-6
forward averaged 14.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The
frontcourt takes another hit with the graduation of Derrick
Reid. The 6-8 forward started nine games scoring 3.8 points and
grabbing 2.7 boards per contest.
Who’s In:
Eric Whitehurst is the star of the class, but it will be tough
for any newcomer to break into the starting lineup, since the
projected starting five all started at least 15 games a season
ago. The 6-9, 210 pound small forward is talented enough to be
starting as a freshman and will at least play a big role off the
bench. T.J. Gwynn, a 6-4 small forward will add more depth to
the wing as a freshman. Point guard Eric Maynor won’t light up
the scoreboard, but he’s a solid true point guard. He still
needs to get stronger but should be able to contribute for VCU.
Eric Davis sat out last year after transferring from Seton Hall.
The 6-9 forward only played in nine games for the Pirates two
years ago, but should fill in nicely off the bench for Coach
Capel.
Who to Watch:
Nick George has gotten better every season at
Virginia Commonwealth. His senior year will be his best yet.
Last season he led the team with 16.8 points and 5.8 boards per
contest. At 6-6 and 205 pounds, the Manchester, England native
may be best suited to play on the wing, but his team needs him
in the low post. For the sake of the team, George’s rebounding
numbers need to get better. There won’t be much help on the
boards until the newcomers come around. The 16.8 points per
contest is impressive, but it is George’s energy and work ethic
that helps out the team the most. If VCU is to be successful
this season, it will be on the shoulders of George.
Projected Conference Rank:
This is probably the most talent we’ve seen
in the Colonial Athletic Association in quite some time. No team
is going to waltz through the conference without running into
some quality roadblocks. A 3rd place finish in the
conference is still plenty good enough for the Rams to make a
return trip to the postseason.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NIT
Projected Starting Five:
B.A. Walker, Junior, Guard, 12.1 points per game
Jesse Pellot-Rosa, Junior, Guard, 6.6 points per game
Alexander Harper, Senior, Guard, 5.9 points per game
Nick George, Junior, Forward, 16.8 points per game
Calvin Roland, Senior, Center, 4.3 points per game
