We continue our recruit and return series with the VCU Rams, whose season ended Sunday with a loss to Oklahoma in the second round. A look at what the 2016-17 season could hold:
Possible 2016-17 starting five (statistics reflect regular-season average)
G: Jonathan Williams (3.9 PPG, 1.9 APG)
G: JeQuan Lewis (10.5 PPG, 4.9 APG)
F: Jordan Burgess (4.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG)
F: Justin Tillman (7.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG)
F: Mo Alie-Cox (10.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG)
Who is lost: Melvin Johnson and Korey Billbury, VCU’s two leading scorers, are both gone. Johnson was named first-team all-conference in the Atlantic 10 after averaging 18 points per game this year and being one of the top three-point threats in the conference. Billbury was a key addition for first-year head coach Will Wade, joining the program as a graduate transfer after previously starring at Oral Roberts. He began the season providing an offensive spark off the bench but was later inserted in the starting lineup as Wade began to rely more and more on a small ball type of lineup with Johnson and Billbury on the wings and two ball-handling guards in the backcourt.
Who is added: Wade signed two players during November’s early signing period in ESPN 100 SF De'Riante Jenkins and 6-foot-4 combo-guard Marquell Fraser. He has since landed a verbal commitment from Malik Crowfield, another big six-foot-four guard from Riverside Academy in Louisiana. Jenkins is undoubtedly the gem of the class though. A long and wiry wing with a special ability to create his own shot and make tough shots, he led Hargrave Military Academy to a National Prep Championship this year, taking MVP honors in the process. He’s poised to make an immediate impact on the offensive end of the floor next year, while Fraser and Crowfield will also have chances to compete for available minutes in the backcourt. While both have good size on the perimeter, Fraser is more of a pass-first player who can create off the bounce and then see/pass over opposing defenses while Crowfield strikes a balance between operating off the dribble and knocking down long jumpers. Samir Doughty will join the competition for backcourt minutes as well after redshirting his freshman season. He provides a boost of quickness, and a guard who can break down opposing defenders off the bounce. Jonathan Nwankwo also redshirted this season, and provides a true center and rim protector who can anchor a team’s defense in the paint.
What it means for next season: The Rams are likely to be a different type of team than we saw to finish this year when they were essentially starting four guards, including two point guards, around a single frontcourt player. JeQuan Lewis and Jonathan Williams both return in the backcourt and so they’ll provide stability, and likely both play heavy minutes while Doug Brooks could see increased minutes in his senior campaign as well. There is actually far better depth up front though and so we’re more likely to see a return to more conventional lineups. Mo Alie-Cox will continue to hold things down inside after being named to the all-conference third team and All-Defensive Team by the Atlantic 10. Jordan Burgess and Justin Tillman, two forwards who began the season in the starting lineup before moving to the bench, could see a return to that first unit, although that would create concerns about three-point shooting and consequently floor spacing in a halfcourt game. Ahmed Hamdy-Mohamed and Michael Gilmore provide two more quality options up front on what is a deep and talented frontcourt with Gilmore's ability to stretch opposing defenses to the arc being particularly valuable on next year’s roster.
Trending: Down. The Rams are going to be one of the more interesting case studies in the country next year. They have plenty of talent returning and especially good depth up front, but in just his second season on the job, Will Wade is still remaking a roster that isn’t especially well-balanced. With less perimeter firepower than they had this year, and three-point shooting looming as a potential problem, look for them to try to take advantage of their depth and athleticism up front by recommitting to the havoc style that was first branded under Shaka Smart and would allow them to create even more offense from their defense.