Trapped in CA wrote:Don't think the Panthers will be on the bottom half of the Valley for the foreseeable future, unless it is an injury issue. UNI was in the mix until O'Rear's ankle cracked. All the momentum unraveled at that point, basically relying on our third post player at that point. (McDermott would likely have started the season as #2 post player if not for the soap opera last summer).
As for next year, I would say the talent level is moving up from what historically UNI has been able to grab recruiting wise. Marvin Singleton from Minneapolis should be be in the mix right away. Take player built Kwadzo, add four inches (to 6' 6") and 15 pounds, a back to the basket game and an O'Rear type attitude down low. How this plays out at the next level, who knows, but he looked fantastic in the Minnesota HS playoffs.
Everybody loves their own incoming guys so I can see being excited. All I know is without O'Rear UNI could barely win a game, and he isn't back and neither is their best player. Coaching his socks off, and Ben did, UNI finished 2-8, and that's with Kwazdo. I'm not saying UNI's going to be bad, but it's hard to project the Panthers ahead of too many teams next season in the Valley.
