Countdown the NCAA Season: JNixon-Iggy9’s Top 35 Teams (#22)

22: Cincinnati Bearcats

Frontcourt- They lose contributors with size, some more modest than others. But they do return the best player in their frontcourt and a 4-year starter in Yancy Gates. Gates has been the leader of the Bearcat frontline since early in his Fr. year, and will man it again. At a legit 6’9 265, Gates is a big body but also a surprisingly good athlete. He has nimble feet and decent explosiveness, looking pretty good running the floor and getting in an out of his moves. He also mixes that with flashes of an intriguing post and face-up game. At his best, Gates will use his big body, solid athleticism, and good feet to make hey down low, and stretch and make 15-18 footers. He is a ordinary rebounder for his size though (almost 7 rpg last year; his career-best), most concerning is the fact he had just 3 double figure rebound games in 20 Big East games. The Sr. still floats FAR too often. No way should a guy his size only get to the line 4 times a night. At 265, Gates plays better when he’s around 255 as he did in Maui his Soph season, when he averaged almost 15 ppg and 10 rpg. He just hasn’t put his tools together with any consistency, which is a little frustrating given his potential. Gates can be given the “looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane” label as well; he’s not nearly as tough as he looks. Gates is a long-time NBA prospect who has been productive enough and enough to be a 2^nd round pick, but he stil has to develop and get more consistent. At PF, the Bearcats will look for guys like Soph. Justin Jackson and rFr. Kelvin Gaines to add size and contribute on the glass to make up for the other losses. Jackson is a 6’8 220 PF with length and energy. He’s athletic, runs the floor well, but he’s more of a natural basketball player right now. He needs more strength and girth as well, and he sometimes struggled and shies away from contact and physical play. He also will need to cut down on fouls to justify more time. Look for him play about 18 mpg, and get about 5 ppg and 4 rpg and close to a block next year. Gaines, a 6’10 C, probably won’t be asked to play more than about 12 mpg next year, but he will need to contribute on the glass and as an eraser around the rim. He’s another good athlete with raw basketball skills and a lack of strength. He was only 215 when he came last year, but he’s supposedly closer to 235 now with the redshirt being focused on getting stronger. Look out for their Fr. wings too, 6’6 Shaquille Thomas and 6’5 Jermaine Sanders. Thomas is ultra-athletic and long, and he has a developing perimeter skill-set. He needs a good bit polish, but he’ll make the athletic plays to intrigue and he has big defensive potential. Sanders is a plump 215 lb southpaw, but he has a nice shot and the strength to play immediately. He will struggle on D though. His upside is a poor mans version of Austin Freeman. Cincy has a bunch of length and will be ultra long and athletic. They are long and thin guys, besides, Gates though. And they also have a bunch of youth. Sounds like a broken record, but Gates needs to step up a bit more.

Backcourt- The starting PG for the 3rd year in a row is 6’0 180 rJr. Cashmere Wright. Wright is a somewhat maligned floor general, who is pretty athletic and occasionally a guy who can score in spurts. He can drive the lane and stick pull-ups, or hit open 3’s. He isn’t a great playmaker and doesn’t have natural floor vision though (he was a SG in HS), which sometimes bogs the offense when he’s running the show and leads to ugly scoring droughts. He will need to continue to grow up though, he’s got experience now. The wings will be held down by 2 athletic guys in rSoph. Sean Kilpatrick and Sr. Dion Dixon. The 6’4 Kilpatrick is arguably the most natural scorer on the team, as a guy who can slash the lane and he developed the consistent shoot that he didn’t have in HS. He has solid size, length and ability, but he has to work to be assignment saavy on D. The 6’3 190 Dixon, who played up to his potential finally, is quite the athlete, and he also can stick pull-ups and 3’s now too. He’s finally a guy who will do more than make the sporadic athletic play in a game and not do much else. He’s an explosive finisher off 2 feet with long arms, but he should stop settling for so many jumpers with his quickness and leaping skills. His handle needs improvement. Depth will be provided by Jr. Jaquon Parker, and  newcomers Ge’Lawyn Guyn, Jeremiah Davis, Sanders will also play here too. The 6’3 Parker was a forgotten man when Kilpatrick and Dixon emerged, but he did show some promise as a scorer his Fr. year as a combo guard. Davis is a 6’4 tweener guard without a standout skill, although he is physically ready to play some minutes on the perimeter in the Big East already. He’s solid as a drive and dish player. Guyn is a slasher with an aggressive nature. He’s not a natural playmaker though. The Bearcats have a lot of athleticism in the backcourt once again, and they have experience mixed with youth. The young guys won’t be forced to grow up too fast, but they it wouldn’t hurt if they contributed.

Overall: Mick Cronin did as good a coaching job as anyone in the Big East last year, hardly anyone in the media thought they’d be one the upper-end of the Big East standings or jum out to an undefeated start like they did, winning their 1^st 15 games. Cronin is one of the most fiery coaches out there, and he wants his guys to play hard on D. The Bearcats will be ultra-athletic and long again all over the floor. They weren’t great statistically offensively or on the glass last year, and they shoot all that well, but they did defend very well (they only allowed 80 points in 2 games, one in overtime). They have the athletes and mindset to do the same next year. I don’t think their offense will allow them to get past the 1^st round of the tournament though.