Player by Player Review
Venoy Overton
Venoy has been hampered by injuries all year. He missed the exhibition game with a pulled hamstring he had been nursing for a while. Against Eastern Washington he took a hard fall and bruised his tailbone pretty well. Now he is currently out with a hyper-extended knee, which looks as though it will be healed up by Wednesday's game against USC. You have to feel for the guy, being hurt throughout his senior year. Hopefully he can get these injuries under control as we will need him to really succeed this year. So far he has been up and down in terms of his scoring ability. Personally, that doesn't really bother me as we need him first and foremost to be a point guard and defensive juggernaut. His defense hasn't quite been what we are used to, but with so many lower body injuries it is no surprise his game is a little slowed and he isn't putting up the steals like we are used to. On the other side, his assist turnover ratio is sky rocketing. He has led the team in assists on several different occasions, with a season high of 8. Right now he is sitting at a 3/1 ratio, a drastic improvement over last years 1.3 A/T ratio. His shot at the beginning of the year was rough at best, but over the past few weeks it has gotten more refined and is looking much better again. He is driving fairly well, but is still prove to over committing and causing turnovers that could be avoided with a pass out. He is a great sixth man for the team, but with Abdul having stepped up his game so much offensively and defensively, Overton is getting into the game a little later. He is playing somewhat similar minutes compared to previous years (21.4 this season versus 23.1 minutes last season) so his role has not really diminished. It is hard for me to judge what all we may expect from him this season as 90% of his minutes thus far have been hampered by one injury or another. Before he tweaked his knee, his speed looked to be on the rise again and the outlook was good. If he keeps getting injured, we may see him fall further back on the bench, sadly. I don't expect the injuries to be a trend by any means, but the continual recurrence of such things is mildly worrisome, especially the hamstring injury. Those injuries can take many moons to properly heal if they heal correctly at all. I am optimistic and would say Overton will be back to his old self within another week or two. From the sounds of things, Romar believed Overton could have played versus UNR, but opted to keep him out and give him some more rest. His talents are much more needed against USC and UCLA than UNR. Will he be a 10 point per game player? No, but he should score 6 or 8 almost routinely. We should see him putting out 4+ assists a game. Defensively, we may not see him grab 2 or 3 steals per game, but he will force turnovers. He has the ability to just plain frustrate his opponents and make them resort back to their middle school days of ball handling. Should he start? No. I don't think he is better than Abdul or Isaiah, but he is great at what he does and brings a lot to the table. We will need his speed at one point or another this year I am sure. He is a clutch free throw shooter, something that should not be overlooked in the slightest. I would rather see him in the final minutes than IT, maybe even Gaddy. 90% of the time he will make the right decision. Now it is about getting him to correct those final 10%. He has dropped some beautiful dimes to MBA and Aziz. He also has shown great court awareness, seeing the open shooters and getting them the ball even if he has an open shot.
Matthew Bryan-Amaning
Once again MBA teases us all with flashes of brilliance and extreme talent, only to leave us with confusion and anticipation when we play big games. He starts the year scoring 28 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and only 1 foul. Then comes UK, MSU, and TAMU and he shuts down both on the glass and offensively. I take that back, he was bad against UVA, but did pretty well against MSU minus the rebounding. Against UK he had 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. Bleh. Against TAMU he had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 turnovers. Not quite as bleh, but much worse stats than we need from him. In the last two games, Romar has had a nice starting line up with MBA at the 4 and Aziz N'Diaye at the 5. It has worked out great for both players and allowed MBA to return to his offensive rhythm. Now, we need to be reminded his two nice outings were against UNR and USF. Two mid major programs he should crush. What we need from him is some good outings against stronger post players. USC and UCLA have strong frontcourts that should give MBA a chance to either prove himself or flounder once again. Starting alongside Aziz, I think he stands a god chance to do well against USC and UCLA, but we shall see. He lacks the nose and drive to rebound well consistently, but he appears to be turning a corner in that aspect. He finally dove for a loose ball against UNR. It was the first time I had seen that out of him and I was happy to see it. Sure he had the ball knocked out of his hands and was right there, but he still hustled to snatch it right back up. He still jams like a monster and has added some nice post moves to his list of skills. He is running well and getting out front in transition. His ball handling skills still surprise people as he is able to play almost like a point guard at times. Once he starts rebounding 8 or more boards a game as well as scoring 12+ points per game he will be exactly what we expected, wanted, and need him to be. Next Wednesday is a big test of the new line up and hopefully MBA will flourish again. I have criticized him and will give him due credit when he shows up to play against the big boys. Also, we have seen him take a few jumpers from outside the key and they look pretty good so far. Nothing extravagant or overly impressive, but enough to get the job done. He hasn't taken any three pointers, not that he should or needs to, but it is a part of his game he has said is improved.
Brendan Sherrer
It's hard to say much about walk-ons, sadly. On the other hand, Romar has said Sherrer could see some real game minutes if the situation called for it. Romar believes that while Sherrer is not ready or talented enough for high level competition, he could see Sherrer in the game and not be freaking out about the outcome. Sherrer is a big, strong body who could provide some much needed rest or a temporary body in foul trouble situations. He is becoming much more confident in his shot and is not immediately passing off when he gets the ball. Overton has done a great job of making plays for Sherrer on pick and rolls. Sherrer is a screen beast if you haven't noticed. The kid will set 10 or 12 picks per possession it seems like. Great hustle and defense. He may not be major D1 talent, but he has a great heart and love of the game. After a year with the team his conditioning has really picked up and he is now able to play more minutes per game, though still in blowout games. Will we see him in Pac-10 play? Yes. Against the Oregon schools, Stanford, maybe ASU or even Cal . UCLA, WSU, UA, and USC will most likely be competitive games and will not let Sherrer get in play time. Will he play during "real" game situations? Probably not. I think his first opportunity for that type of play will be against Seattle University.
Darnell Gant
One of the biggest surprises of the year was the sudden emergence of Darnell's offensive game. He has never been known as an offensive power by any standard. Suddenly he is out on the court finding open shots and sinking them with ease. While he is still far from being a leading score or a 10+ ppg scorer, he is a threat that opponents must keep honest or he can light up the boards. At one point he was shooting 70% from range on 7 for 10 shooting. That is not a ton of shots, but he was taking open shots and sinking them, something C.J. has struggled with the last two games. He lost his starting spot to MBA in the new, larger, and better rebounding line up (more on this at the end). Darnell has never been much of a rebounder either, but after his poor performance at Texas A&M, which could be argued was a main reason we lost the game, he has toughened up a bit on the glass. He came out against UNR and picked up 4 offensive boards in 14 minutes, a pretty solid performance. He has realized the need to rebound and that as a larger forward, 6-8, he should be helping the team pick up the loose balls. Will he be a 6+ rpg player? No, but he can average 4 to 5 no problem. If he can do this along with Ross and C.J. off the bench, the Huskies will be looking good. His defense is still quite solid as his length allows him to guard just about anyone and do it very well. He isn't the biggest or strongest guy at 6-8 225lbs, but as I said his length is a huge part of his success as a defender. With MBA starting alongside Aziz Gant will play in a variety of line ups where he will play the 4 and at times even play a strange type of 5. Likely we will see Aziz come out first unless he is scoring at a regular clip. Then Aziz will come in to relieve MBA. When Gant is in he needs to continue to create shots, but he also needs to stay closer to home. If he is playing the 4, he can't be dancing around the arc all night. He needs to stay closer at home to rebound the ball. He can be a huge asset for the Dawgs if he steps up the rebounding and maintains his defensive mindset. He doesn't need to score 8 or 10 points a game, but taking the open shots is a great idea and he should continue to try and a create a few shots a game to keep the defenders honest.
Scott Suggs
He got to start one game before losing the position to Gant. To be fair, I really didn't think Suggs could start in front of Gant. He is sadly undersized for the 4 spot and gives up too much size to start. He is not good enough to bump Holiday from the starting 3, so in the meantime he looks to be the first sub off the bench to relieve the 2 or 3 player. He started off looking much the same as last year. A solid, spot up shooter. However, as the season has progressed we have seen a lot more aggressiveness from him and his inside game is much improved. He has been the most consistent shooter for the team, better than Wilcox in my opinion, as he makes his open shots 90% of the time. He has the ability to enter a game and immediately get things under control if we are playing wild or put a team down if we are barely holding a lead. In our wins he is averaging 10ppg while in losses he is averaging 3ppg. Sure the whole team is averaging less points, but 7 less is quite a difference. His defense is looking better, but I still see him struggling off the screen at times. This causes him to be a step or two off his man and this is very dangerous for teams with solid outside shooters or even decent ones who can hit open shots. What I do like is his ability to now get under the basket, rebound, and put it back up real quick for some nice second chance points. I also enjoy his three point shot, though this is something most people know of and appreciate greatly. His consistency is earning him minutes that are becoming tougher to come by as Romar works on narrowing down a tighter rotation as we get into the conference schedule. It appears as though Romar will be playing who ever is hot from the trio of Suggs, Wilcox, and Ross and so far Suggs has proven himself to be a good first option and testing point. He could take Holiday's starting spot next season after graduation. Suggs' mission, get open, take shots, grab a few rebounds.
Isaiah Thomas
Isaiah has had an interesting year and like all star players has taken some heat when he didn't live up to every expectation. He took a bad shot against TAMU that many blame the loss on. At the same time he has also stepped up his passing game both on the perimeter and on the drive. He ended the non conference with a bang scoring a season high 24 points. Sure he went 9-19 from the field, but he shot 40% from range, a solid number. His assist numbers are great, averaging 3.9 a game thus far with an assist to turnover ratio just under 2.0. He has developed a new free throw shot that takes a few more seconds after dribbling to concentrate and so far it is looking much improved and was a great decision by Isaiah. He is going to lead the team in scoring throughout the year, of this I have no doubt. He is too much of a threat inside and out not to be. He has the speed, agility, and strength to drive at will and score. He can create space and shoot. He can also face up and shoot on most defenders. So long as his ego does not get in his way and cause him to take bad shots when he isn't hitting simply to try and score he will be a good guard for this team. He should average between 16 and 20 points on the year with 4+ assists and hopefully an A/T ratio of 2 or more. Another interesting, but great number is 3.8, the number of rebounds he is averaging per game. For a guard, at 5-9 none the less, that is huge. He is a big part of why we are able to get some nice defensive boards. He really gets after it and his toughness combined with his athleticism allows him to get up and grab the ball off the rim. He nearly had a put back jam this year that may have brought the roof down. IT looked like Nate Rob in 04-05. It will be a productive year for IT once again as he climbs the scoring charts for UW. He may earn Pac-10 player of the year awards.
Aziz N'Diaye
What a big and pleasant surprise this junior college transfer has been. His offensive game has really begun to tune itself up nicely in the last week, just in time for Pac-10 play. Over the last two games he is averaging 10ppg and 7.5 rpg alongside MBA who is averaging 13ppg and 10 rpg. The two have worked really well together and I hope the trend continues this week in SoCal. Back to Aziz....He is a tough, tough guy. He is actually rebounding at a better rate per minute than Jon Brockman. Quite a feat. After dealing with some soreness in his knee, it appears the training staff has been able to get him feeling healthy which is allowing him to play 20 to 25 minutes a game. This is great for the Huskies as he is a huge defensive presence, a tremendous rebounder, and shot blocker. His presence on the court also gives MBA and IT more opportunities because his strength demands respect. He is starting to get some post moves that allow him to back down his man and get to the hoop. Aziz has really progressed his offensive game and done it in a very quick and pleasing manner. He actually played one of his better games against UK getting 10 boards and 5 blocks. Sure UK doesn't have a big inside presence, but they are a top caliber team and for him to have that kind of game is brilliant, especially for a player new to the D1 scene. Look for him to step up this week. He strikes me as a player who will excel in tough situations as he has the drive to get down and dirty.
Abdul Gaddy
This kid went from bust to all star in no time. He is confident, he can shoot, he passes like no one else in the nation. He is averaging 4.3 assists in his 23 minutes per game. His assist to turnover ratio is currently 3.6. That is amazing. He is also tied for the most offensively efficient player in the nation with Kemba Walker. He is also averaging 9.5 ppg and is shooting 89% from the free throw line (8 of 9). His also shooting 43% from range on the year and is fairly deadly from outside. His tear drop shot he showed off in limited attempts last season is raining all over the opposition this year. He can drive and dish better than any other guard on the court, except maybe Isaiah. His passes are certainly better, so much better than his teammates often fumble them because they are not ready for such precise ball placement. If I had to put an x-factor on who will be the biggest factor in how our season goes, it could go to either Abdul or Gant who have both dramatically improved and strengthened the team.
Antoine Hosley
Another walk on. He has a weird shot and likes to jack up shots he shouldn't be taking. I would probably do the same. Limited minutes on a major D1 team with a shot at going deep into March, I'm shooting every chance I get. He has good ball handling skills and could run a team decently, but I wouldn't give him normal game minutes.
Terrence Ross
Ross has been off and on all season, offensively. He is a solid rebounder and scrapper. He has a good shot, but he tends to put too much power on it. He is confident in his shot and pulls up with defenders in his face. He can create space using a sick cross over move, very B-Roy like. He plays some good defense and gets low and in the opponents face. He could see 15 or 20 a game if he is shooting well. 10 if he is not. With Romar looking to tighten the rotation he needs to come out shooting and playing well. His rebounding and play making ability make him a prime candidate for play time especially when we are losing the battle on the boards. He may not be a huge star this season, but all the tools are there for him to break out after a year of play under Romar and a summer to work more on his skills. For not having played in HS his senior year, he sure is playing well. He long ball is pretty good, but he needs to work on either arcing more or taking some gas off of it.
C.J. Wilcox
He has the best and most pure shot on the team. The last two games he has not played well or shot well and has played limited minutes due to that. When he is in his groove, he is unstoppable. He has a quick release, good form, and a nice jump that allows him to get over defenders. His defense has really stepped up over the last weeks and he rebounds fairly well in addition to his offensive game. I am interested to see if he can step up against USC and get his shot back into action. When he is shooting well we play much better as his incredible range gives our post more room and opens up our other perimeter players. He missed some open shots in the game against UNR, something that cannot become the norm especially with his great shooters touch. He shoots free throws pretty well. He has a decent dribble drive, but is more prone to penetrate then take a jump shot. He is a potential starter next season with the departure of Justin Holiday.
Final Thoughts
All in all this is one of the better teams UW has seen, possibly better than 04-05 if they play up to their potential and talents. They could either enter conference play tomorrow and show they will be the dominate force or they could begins their road woes again and fall into mediocrity once more. If they can sweep the SoCal schools and start the season 2-0, I think they have a good shot of going undefeated in conference. USC poses the biggest threat this weekend. With a larger frontcourt and some talented guards they are dangerous. They have beaten two top 25 squads and nearly beat Kansas. UA on the road along with USC and WSU on the road appear to be the most challenging games in conference play. So what will our final record look like? We should be 15-3 or better. Worse than that should be considered a disappointment. Personally, I think 18-0 is very doable if we play our game night in and night out. Will this happen? Likely not. Romar's teams tend to struggle near the beginning, but shape up to be hugely talented teams by the time March rolls around. I am predicted 16-2, with a loss to UA on the road and either WSU or USC on the road.
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