So Montana has had a decent amount of movement over the past two weeks and added a bit of clarity to a roster for next year. I am not as pessimistic as I was a few weeks ago.
Just to recap as to what our roster looked like... Not pretty.
Here is what Montana has in regards to returners minutes wise:
2. Brandon Whitney (1,133/31.5mpg)
6. Te'Jon Sawyer (587/16.3mpg)
9. Money Williams (247/20.6/12gp)
10. Chase Henderson (218/9.1mpg/24gp)
11. Blake Jones (192/7.7mp/25gp)
12. Connor Dick (38/2.1/18gp)
Bringing in transfers helped...
1. Malik Moore (Pepperdine): 912 minutes/27mpg
2. Austin Patterson (Sacramento State): 954/28.1
3. Kai Johnson (Western Washington): 964 minutes/33.2
If you looked at the targets for next year, you needed to bring in Minutes, experience and the ability to score:
1. Kai Johnson 21.6ppg (at DII Western Washington)
2. Austin Patterson 9.5 ppg
3. Malik Moore 8.8ppg
If you were to round out the roster with the available scholarships (2 minimum, 3 maximum)
1. Center/Post Defender with experience that can come in and contribute immediately. Immediate transfer and impact bigs are really tough to find, but they need to find a central post defender in the worst way. They have three post players who have range out to the 3pt line, but not a true post player in the mix. The bigger issue is that Sawyer despite his heft is not a great post defender and doesn't play with the greatest instincts as a help defender near the rim. They need someone who can come in and provide the type of post defense that the program lacked last year. Of those that are on the list, I think Ballisager-Web is probably the best fit. He's truly a post only guy. I think the preference is to have Jones be a flex 4/5 guy who can toggle between both positions as a matchup type guy. Davidson's game is more wing-like and can provide that type of length on the perimeter and would be better utilized as a help defender in the post rather than an anchor. Jazz Gardner of Nevada is another post that Montana has been connected with, that fits the role as player that can play inside. I'd take Great Osobor if he would some how be available as well. LOL.
2. Post/Flex 4 scorer. I am not sold that we have a post player who consistently score. We've been searching for it for two years. Sawyer is truly a stretch 5 that thrives off of isolation matchups and really likely needs a 4 who can space things out. They've been after players who fit that role: Yamonouchi-Williams of Portland, Powell of Wyoming, and Erikstrup of Eastern Washington. Powell is likely headed to a power 5 type conference and my guess is that Erikstrup eventually ends up at Washington State with Davis Riley. Williams fits as a 6-10 guy a more direct fit to the role that Josh Bannan held two years ago.
3. Wing Depth with length: If the season were to start today, Montana would go likely go:
Just some observations...
Just to recap as to what our roster looked like... Not pretty.
Here is what Montana has in regards to returners minutes wise:
2. Brandon Whitney (1,133/31.5mpg)
6. Te'Jon Sawyer (587/16.3mpg)
9. Money Williams (247/20.6/12gp)
10. Chase Henderson (218/9.1mpg/24gp)
11. Blake Jones (192/7.7mp/25gp)
12. Connor Dick (38/2.1/18gp)
Bringing in transfers helped...
1. Malik Moore (Pepperdine): 912 minutes/27mpg
2. Austin Patterson (Sacramento State): 954/28.1
3. Kai Johnson (Western Washington): 964 minutes/33.2
If you looked at the targets for next year, you needed to bring in Minutes, experience and the ability to score:
1. Kai Johnson 21.6ppg (at DII Western Washington)
2. Austin Patterson 9.5 ppg
3. Malik Moore 8.8ppg
If you were to round out the roster with the available scholarships (2 minimum, 3 maximum)
1. Center/Post Defender with experience that can come in and contribute immediately. Immediate transfer and impact bigs are really tough to find, but they need to find a central post defender in the worst way. They have three post players who have range out to the 3pt line, but not a true post player in the mix. The bigger issue is that Sawyer despite his heft is not a great post defender and doesn't play with the greatest instincts as a help defender near the rim. They need someone who can come in and provide the type of post defense that the program lacked last year. Of those that are on the list, I think Ballisager-Web is probably the best fit. He's truly a post only guy. I think the preference is to have Jones be a flex 4/5 guy who can toggle between both positions as a matchup type guy. Davidson's game is more wing-like and can provide that type of length on the perimeter and would be better utilized as a help defender in the post rather than an anchor. Jazz Gardner of Nevada is another post that Montana has been connected with, that fits the role as player that can play inside. I'd take Great Osobor if he would some how be available as well. LOL.
2. Post/Flex 4 scorer. I am not sold that we have a post player who consistently score. We've been searching for it for two years. Sawyer is truly a stretch 5 that thrives off of isolation matchups and really likely needs a 4 who can space things out. They've been after players who fit that role: Yamonouchi-Williams of Portland, Powell of Wyoming, and Erikstrup of Eastern Washington. Powell is likely headed to a power 5 type conference and my guess is that Erikstrup eventually ends up at Washington State with Davis Riley. Williams fits as a 6-10 guy a more direct fit to the role that Josh Bannan held two years ago.
3. Wing Depth with length: If the season were to start today, Montana would go likely go:
- G:Whitney 6'1'' Henderson 6'0''
- G: Johnson 6'4'', Dargan 6'3'' Patterson 6'3''
- W:Moore 6'5'', Thompson 6-6
- W: Williams 6'5'', Davidson 6'7''
- P: Sawyer 6'8'', Jones 6'10
Just some observations...
