Tonight the UCONN Huskies open up their season against the Quinnipiac Bobcats of the Northeast Conference. It will be the 1st games for both teams as well. As a big Husky fan for so many years, I will give you my take on the games they play as well as a preview of the young team.
Jeff Adrien: Adrien is expected to be one of the offensive leaders for the Huskies this year. Was one of the leading rebounders for the team last season. Also will be counted on to provide leadership for probably what is the youngest UCONN Huskies lineup ever.
Craig Austrie: Austrie filled in admirably for the Huskies last season when Marcus Williams missed the first half of the season due to “Laptop Gate.”He will also be counted on to provide leadership for the Huskies. Should play the point and shooting guard during the season depending on how many guards Calhoun plays.
Rob Garrison: Has looked lost at times during the preseason. Garrison is supposed to be the best pure shooter at UCONN right now. Played in 17 games off the bench last season. Look for him to spell the shooting guards if he regains the spark that Calhoun is looking for.
Marcus Johnson: Johnson is a very athletic player who can play the shooting guard or small forward. He didn’t play with the confidence the coaching staff thought he had and will be asked to step up as well to lead a young team.
AJ Price: Price finally makes his debut for the Huskies after missing the 2004-2005 season with an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)which caused there to be bleeding on his brain. He missed last season as well due to his role in “Laptop Gate” and because he was not medically cleared. He is expected to provide leadership at the point guard position for the Huskies and has the ability to put up 20 pts a game, something the Huskies haven’t had since Khalid El-Amin. He is projected to be a lottery pick in the NBA within a few years.
Ben Eaves: Ben has good shooting range but lacks the physicalness needed right now. Should compete for time at 3 spot though due to his shooting range.
Doug Wiggins: Wiggins, who went to school locally in East Hartford, CT, is expected to be one of the top players of the bench for the Huskies. He will spell Price or can play the point with Price moving to the 2 guard. Has great range and is one of the fastest Huskies. The question is can he play under control.
Jerome Dyson: Dyson earned the starting spot over Craig Austrie at shooting guard due to his stellar play on the defensive end during the preseason games. Has good shooting range but needs to be smart about the shot selection. He has the potential to be one of the better guards in the past 15 years.
Curtis Kelly: Kelly will compete for minutes at the forward spot as soon as he grasps the offense. A left handed shot, whose range is limited possesses one of the highest vertical jumps on the team.
Stanley Robinson: should compete with Marcus Johnson for minutes at the forward spot and may over take Johnson’s starting position. Robinson has great athletic ability and can take just about anyone off the dribble. Needs a little better range with his shot but overall he could make a huge impact in the Big East this year.
Jonathan Mandeldove: Mandeldove should be the back up to fellow freshman Hasheem Thabeet at center. He could also spell Jeff Adrien if needed. Spent a year at prep school harnessing his skills and put on some extra muscle and weight to help him compete in the Big East. He is an excellent rebounder but needs to work on his range for his jumper.
Gavin Edwards: Edwards has good shooting range and should compete up front for minutes as well. A very solid post player who needs to increase his speed off the dribble and pick up some strength before the start of the rugged Bif East season.
Hasheem Thabeet: Many schools passed on Thabeet because of what they thought would be problems with his transcript from Tanzania. He has the potential to break Emeka Okafor’s records for career blocks and blocks in a season. He needs to improve his court awareness. At times when he got the ball in the post he has looked lost on the court. He needs to bulk up to compete with some of the bigger centers in the Big East. He has the skill to be a top pick in next year’s NBA draft and has the potential to win the Big East Rookie of the Year.
