Banners On The Parkway - Quick Guide to Xavier's Seven New PlayersYour only remaining free source for Xavier Musketeers newshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47177/banners-fave.png2014-08-26T11:29:22-04:00http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/rss/stream/58131702014-08-26T11:29:22-04:002014-08-26T11:29:22-04:00Quick Guide to Xavier's Seven New Players: Part 3
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<figcaption>Someone will take this guy's place in the heart of Xavier fans. | Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We know who is ready right away and who will take some time, but who will fans love and hate?</p> <p>Xavier is experiencing a roster turnover not usually seen outside of Madden sessions with 16 year olds. While Coach Mack hasn't actually traded anyone, his roster for this season barely resembles the one that limped off the court in Dayton last March. Joel <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/18/6031473/your-quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players/in/5813170" target="_blank">laid out the groundwork Monday</a>, and we're going to spend the rest of the week taking a slightly more in depth look at Xavier's incoming talent.</p>
<p>In part one of the series we had a look at the players most <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/20/6049113/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-1-bluiett-abell-macura/in/5813170" target="_blank">likely to impact the team instantly</a>. The second part of the series focused on who would take a <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/21/6052849/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-two/in/5813170" target="_blank">bit longer to develop</a>. Whichever category the new players fall into though, they will have an impact on the fans. Tu Holloway took his time developing and was beloved by the time he left (crushing UC will do that for you), Semaj Christon was ready right away and was immediately a crowd favorite.</p>
<p><b>- Who will be a Xavier fan favorite?</b></p>
<p>The numbers of Brazil have had dubious merit on the previous discussions and have absolutely no use here. Fan favorites seem to come in two forms. One is the star player who isn't too aloof to drive away fans. Holloway, Christon, and David West all fit this bill. The second kind of fan favorite is the Brad Redford mold. Redford did one thing, he did it well, and he did it with the combination of a lot of swagger and a smile on his face. That kind of thing will also win over fans who may otherwise not be inclined to overlook your other faults.</p>
<p>That leaves two likely candidates out of Xavier's incoming seven. Trevon Bluiett is the star of the incoming class. he's going to get buckets, and he's going to do with what appears to be ease. If he has a little bit of killer in him like Semaj and Tu did, he's going to make a name for himself, and quickly. The other player like to grab center stage soon is JP Macura. A Redford level gunner, Macura is six inches taller than Brad but possessed of the same level of confidence that when he catches the ball, it's going in.</p>
<p><b>- Who are opposing fans going to grow to hate?</b></p>
<p>While the oppositions fans will deride the same players that the home fans come to love, there will always be a special level of hate reserved for one type of player. Defensive stoppers are never much loved by the opposition, and neither are guys who get by on hustle and graft. That means that Remy Abell figures to be the target of a lot of vitriol wherever Xavier travels.</p>
<p>Abell is going to draw the oppositions best guard and his job is going to be to frustrate him. Abell has a reputation as being a good defender who is also something of a tireless runner. He will most likely be starting and harrying opposing players from the off. More than just being nuisance, Abell is going to be a large part of Coach Mack's gameplan. His ability to stay with smaller guards will leave Dee Davis free to sit in passing lanes or at least just get a break. That will keep Dee from suffering the fatigue and damage his body seems to accumulate toward the end of seasons.</p>
<p>Actually, maybe Remy Abell will be a fan favorite.</p>
https://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/26/6069453/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-3Brad D2014-08-21T11:24:51-04:002014-08-21T11:24:51-04:00Quick Guide to Xavier's Seven New Players: Part Tw
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<img alt="Will Dee Davis have a capable backup this year?" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oktsvfXWVS40xDIXfnLR1nM7B9Q=/0x300:3082x2355/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37258272/20140313_mta_sn5_227.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Will Dee Davis have a capable backup this year? | Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Who of the new seven projects to pleasantly surprise this year, and who looks to be more of a project for down the road?</p> <p>Xavier is experiencing a roster turnover not usually seen outside of Madden sessions with 16 year olds. While Coach Mack hasn't actually traded anyone, his roster for this season barely resembles the one that limped off the court in Dayton last March. Joel <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/18/6031473/your-quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players">laid out the groundwork Monday</a>, and we're going to spend the rest of the week taking a slightly more in depth look at Xavier's incoming talent.</p>
<p>In part one of the series we had a look at the players most likely to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/20/6049113/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-1-bluiett-abell-macura">impact the team instantly</a>. Not every player is going to do that though. Jason Love and Tu Holloway leap to mind as examples of Xavier players who started slowly before eventually leaving an indelible mark on the program. The players mentioned below will see some time this year, but will peak in the years to come.</p>
<p><b>- Who will most pleasantly surprise Xavier fans?</b></p>
<p>Do you know who Xavier's backup point guard was last year? You most likely know that Dee Davis was the starter and that Semaj Christon played the off guard role. Who, though, backed up Dee? The answer: Semaj. All but 5.1% of the minutes played last season featured one of the starters at the one. That, of course, meant that those two led the team in percentage of minutes played. Efficacy on any given day couldn't factor much into the picture when there were only two options available.</p>
<p>Semaj is gone this year and Myles Davis and Remy Abell figure to take his place starting at the two guard. Into the backup gap steps Larry Austin Jr. Austin Jr. was a very late add to the recruiting roster, which can make him feel like a throw in piece in the mold of the hapless Griffin McKenzie. He's not. Kansas State, Memphis, Missouri, and Iowa all made offers to the guard, who had been released from an LOI to Tennessee, but he landed with Coach Chris Mack.</p>
<p>Austin Jr. will pleasantly surprise Xavier fans because he's capable of running the team already. His scoring prowess may currently be below par, but his passing and decision making are not. In Brazil, Austin Jr played to his strengths and led the team in assists while taking the fewest shots of any player who appeared in every game. His team lead in assists also came with only six turnovers in 75 minutes of play. A guard off the bench capable of handling a team, not an offensive or defensive liability, and capable of playing starter level minutes is not a luxury Xavier had last year. Austin Jr. is a big step toward fixing that problem.</p>
<p><b>- Who is going to be more of a project?</b></p>
<p>Sean O'Mara, Makinde London, and Edmond Sumner come immediately to mind in this category, but there are reasons to believe two of them will impact the team significantly this year. One of those is that O'Mara is going to get time down low. Xavier returns Jalen Reynolds and Matt Stainbrook on the post. Ultimate team guy Isaiah Philmore does not return, neither does the team's second leading rebounder, Justin Martin. With James Farr insisting on being James Farr, O'Mara will get some time to play. Sumner will also see time because, limited physique aside, he's an electric scorer. Brandon Randolph may lose his minutes to Sumner unless Sumner's propensity for the turnover becomes a major issue.</p>
<p>That leaves Makinde London. Make no mistake, London is very skilled. He's a 6'1" guard who had a nine inch growth spurt and now occupies the height of a 6'10" power forward. Calling London thin, though, is a bit of an understatement. Xavier doesn't currently list a weight for him, but no other service has him at over 195 pounds. That's slender for a guy who may have to drop low on occasion. London can pick and pop and can block shots, but he's not grown all the way into his body yet. There will be flashes from the big man, but he may not quite be ready to have an impact on a consistent basis.</p>
https://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/21/6052849/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-twoBrad D2014-08-20T12:15:53-04:002014-08-20T12:15:53-04:00Quick Guide to Xavier's Seven New Players: Part 1
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<figcaption>Will Remy Abell start right away for Coach Chris Mack? | Joe Robbins</figcaption>
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<p>Xavier is bringing in a ton of new talent, but how much of it is ready to contribute from day one?</p> <p>Xavier is experiencing a roster turnover not usually seen outside of Madden sessions with 16 year olds. While Coach Mack hasn't actually traded anyone, his roster for this season barely resembles the one that limped off the court in Dayton last March. Joel <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/18/6031473/your-quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players" target="_blank">laid out the groundwork Monda</a>y, and we're going to spend the rest of the week taking a slightly more in depth look at Xavier's incoming talent.</p>
<p>It's all well and good to wait on one freshman to develop into a player of the course of a couple of years, and Xavier has had great success with that business model (see: Jason Love), but with seven new players there's not enough left on the roster to carry that much development and remain competitive. What that means for this year is that several of the incoming class are going to have produce right off the shelf.</p>
<p><b>- Who has the best chance to start right away?</b></p>
<p>If you go just by the <a href="http://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/12/5996461/compiled-brazil-trip-stats" target="_blank">stats from Brazil</a>, which I'd caution against, it looks like Remy Abell figures to start right away for the Musketeers. Those stats are the product of an exhibition schedule and an MIA Dee Davis though, and may not have a great bearing on what you'll actually see come November. Larry Austin Jr. logged only a minute less playing time than Abell did (and only nine minutes fewer than team leader Myles Davis), but most of that came because Dee couldn't go.</p>
<p>That seems to leave Remy Abell and Trevon Bluiett as the most likely members of the incoming group to start right away. Which of them suits up for the first few games could be an indication of where Coach Mack is going with the team. Bluiett is a scorer who spurned the advances of UCLA to sign for Xavier. He can shoot, get to the rim, and score off the offensive glass. If Coach Mack is looking for a like for like swap to replace the offensive production of Semaj Christon, it's Bluiett that he'll turn to.</p>
<p>Replacing offense might not be a big concern though, with Jalen Reynolds looking very ready to step up and Matt Stainbrook, last year's most efficient starter, figuring to have a larger role. That would leave a starting spot open for Remy Abell. Abell is also a capable shooter (45.8% from deep in a smallish sample at Indiana) and brings a defensive toughness that Coach Mack has always stressed. Abell is also coming in as a junior with two years in the Big Ten already under his belt.</p>
<p>The third possibility is that both Abell and Bluiett start from the off. Reynolds, Stainbrook, and Dee Davis are sure things. Currently occupying the fourth starting spot is Myles Davis. If his shot isn't falling or if Bluiett or Abell are able to match him shot for shot, their superior athleticism and rebounding ability will give them an edge over the sophomore. If both players step up, there could be two new faces in the Xavier lineup when the season tips off.</p>
<p><b>- Who has a skill that plays right away?</b></p>
<p>JP Macura. All of the incoming players are, obviously, talented, but that doesn't mean they have the one party piece that will garner them instant time. Macura does. There is always a need for a team to have a defensive stretching specialist who is a danger to shoot any time he crosses the half court line. Anyone who remembers Xavier's loss at Creighton last season will recall Ethan Wragge's game changing barrage that ended with what was essentially a 27 foot runner. Macura isn't that tall, but he's every bit the pure shooter. At 6'5" he'll have some leeway to get his shot away that Brad Redford didn't have, and he'll have much the same effect on the crowd.</p>
https://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/20/6049113/quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-players-part-1-bluiett-abell-macuraBrad D2014-08-18T14:37:35-04:002014-08-18T14:37:35-04:00Your Quick Guide to Xavier's Seven New Players
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<figcaption>"Where do I find these guys?" | Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Nobody wants to be left asking "who?" when they first look through the program. Here is a brief rundown of what you need to know about all seven of Xavier's new guys.</p> <p>Xavier has more guys coming in than guys coming back, so there is going to be a little bit of a breaking in period as everyone becomes familiar with the new names and faces on the squad. We've got the information you need to be a leg up on everyone else when the season rolls around.</p>
<p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Transfer:</u><br><br><b><span>Remy Abell</span> - 6'4" combo guard - Junior transfer from Indiana</b><br>Abell comes in with a reputation for hard-nosed defense and being a solid shooter. He played 68 games in two years at Indiana and boasts six games of NCAA tournament experience. Transfers have been a huge part of the Xavier program, and it seems likely that Remy Abell will be asked to play a big role from day one for this young and talented team.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gbi1YO7-GV4" height="480" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><b><u>Freshmen:</u></b></p>
<p><b>Larry Austin, Jr. - 6'2" point guard - Lanphier (Springfield, Ill.)</b><br>After Justin Martin opened up a scholarship by transferring to SMU, Xavier moved quickly to add Larry Austin, Jr. Austin is a pass-first point guard who is known to be a vocal leader on and off the floor. He is not a dynamic scorer (yet), but he led the team in assists and steals in Brazil and figures to be a capable understudy to <span>Dee Davis</span>.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Xu2Qu-KzF9Q" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><b>JP Macura - 6'5" guard - Lakeville North (Lakeville, Minn.)</b><br>Macura is a shooter first and foremost, but he can get buckets off the bounce and at the rim. He has the kind of range and fearlessness Xavier fans came to know and love from <span>Brad Redford</span>, but with a more well-rounded game and six extra inches of height. I could find videos that showed you more of his game, but I don't think any one tells more about him as a player than the one below. Cold blooded.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mdPdUzKb2oI" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Sean O'Mara - 6'9" center - Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)</b><br>O'Mara is a husky lad who played both basketball and football for four years in high school. He is traditional, back-to-the-basket big man player in the mold of <span>Matt Stainbrook</span>, and Coach Mack has also noted O'Mara's feel for the game and advanced passing abilities out of the post. He is a relentless rebounder, having led his team in rebounding in every game but one as a senior and finishing behind only <span>James Farr</span> and <span>Jalen Reynolds</span> in rebounding in Brazil.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lKEM_rxQp4s" height="480" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Trevon Bluiett - 6'6" wing - Park Tudor (Indianapolis, In.)</b><br>Widely regarded as the gem of Coach Mack's recruiting class, Bluiett is a wing who can score the ball from deep, mid-range, and at the rim. He graduated as his school's leading scorer and rebounder, sixth all-time scorer in Indiana, and a finalist for Mr. Basketball. He was rated the fourth-best shooter in the class by ESPN and FOX Sports and was a four-star recruit according to every reputable service. He was a verbal commit at UCLA before opening up his recruitment to play closer to home. On top of all that, he also led the team in offensive rebounds in Brazil.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FoJ5ZRREMY0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Edmond Sumner - 6'4" combo guard - Country Day (Detroit, Mich.)</b><br>Sumner is as wiry as they come, but he has an advanced skill set and explosive athleticism. He was two-time all-state and on the short list for Michigan's Mr. Basketball and the McDonald's All-American team. He requires space to get his shot off, but he is more than adept at creating it. Anyone who crowds him is likely to be shown a clean pair of heels on the way to the basket.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tmEqK3X2Yq0" height="480" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><b>Makinde London - 6'10" forward - Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)</b><br>London was a lightly heralded 6'1" guard when he began his high school career and a skilled 6'10" forward when he stepped onto campus for Xavier. Growth spurt aside, London has retained the shooting stroke and handle he had as a much smaller man and will become more of a force inside as he continues to gain weight. He is a capable rim protector on defense and can play pick-and-pop and hit spot-up threes on the other end.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SPUYM-tyrsM" height="360" width="640"></iframe></p>
<p><br>There's your quick rundown on who all seven of these guys are. We'll discuss what each of our writers expects from the group a little more this week, then preview them more extensively as we continue to build up to the season opener. Monitor this space, because the season is fast approaching.</p>
https://www.bannersontheparkway.com/2014/8/18/6031473/your-quick-guide-to-xaviers-seven-new-playersJoel D