Cotton excluded: PICK the KEY Player for the Friars 2013-14

[wtm97]

Obviously, Bryce Cotton as a pre-season All Big East pick is our #1 player - so he has been excluded from this poll. With a full roster for the first time in a while, our Friars still have many questions to be answered if we have a chance to dance in 2014.

Who do you see as the KEY towards success for our Friars?

NOTE: To the many valued members we have who never post - ALL FORUM POLLS are anonymous, so you are encouraged and most welcome to cast your vote...

[dmac80]

I wanted to vote Kadeem, but then I realized both he and Cotton were pretty damn good last year and it wasn't quite enough. I therefore am assuming Kadeem plays at least at the level he did last year. Then I wanted to vote for Tyler Harris, because from the little I've seen and heard, he could be a special part of this group. But in the end, I think it is Kris Dunn. The injury was horrible timing last year and certainly set him back quite a bit. He recovered well and we saw flashes of his potential, especially on defense. I think we need Kris Dunn to step up and be a stud part of this team. IF he can knock down some shots we will be dangerous.

Tough poll though, every name on that list needs to, and probably will make some impact.

[pc1971]

I picked Dunn.

Win with guards in the college game and PC will need him to step up big time this season to accomplish what we want---a Big Dance Invite.

[diehardfriar]

I also went with Dunn. I think Cotton and Batts are expected(and will) to perform at a high level. I also think any consistent offense we receive from Harris & Austin will be sort of a bonus being it's their first year in uniform. If Dunn plays like a MAA entering his sophomore season that will basically give the team three all-league type players. That's not including Henton, Harris, Austin, and CD who are all legit BE level starters with the first three having a legitimate chance at being top 20-30 players in the league.

[dmac80]

Oct 21, 2013 11:07:33 GMT -5 diehardfriar said:

I also went with Dunn. I think Cotton and Batts are expected(and will) to perform at a high level. I also think any consistent offense we receive from Harris & Austin will be sort of a bonus being it's their first year in uniform. If Dunn plays like a MAA entering his sophomore season that will basically give the team three all-league type players. That's not including Henton, Harris, Austin, and CD who are all legit BE level starters with the first three having a legitimate chance at being top 20-30 players in the league.

And if all that happens, its hard not see this as a ranked team. I think a big hurdle will be Coach Cooley getting the group to buy into and believe that they can be and are that good, then executing on it. I think changing the mentality of the program to EXPECT results is one of the next big things we've yet to see (We hear it from Ed Cooley, but the players aren't there yet). Could this be the season? When we see it the team and program will have arrived.

[friar71]

I think Dunn needs to have an impact on both ends of the floor for this team to take that step up to an NCAA team.

[dex]

Dunn

[suspended poster]

CD

[mikey2]

I picked:

Carson Derosiers

The reason is I think my expectations for him aren't all that high.

If he surprises and improves from what I saw of him at Wake Forest and becomes more of a force down low on the defensive end...P.C. could be dancin' with the Stars in March.

I think Cooley and his staff have done some really good work with players (look how much Cotton and Batts improved...and Goldy too, from where he was as a Freshman).

Let's see if there is some magic coming from Carson this year.

God knows...seven footers don't grow on trees.

[wtm97]

mikey2?

If you picked CD then you really should actually vote for the lad...

[friar82]

I'm counting on Cotton, Batts and Dunn to pick up where they left off last season, and for Henton to continue on with his near double-double production.

For me, the X-Factor (Key Player) who can take PC to another level would be one of either Austin or Harris... with Harris getting my vote given the fact that he's had a whole year (post NC State) to develop within Cooley's system. I'm counting on him to be both an alternate scorer - and more importantly, weak side rebounder.

Austin would be a close second for me.

[drairf]

I can't figure out how to vote. I click on the box and then.....?

[wtm97]

Your vote has been recorded draif...

[Rock]

Key player? As in key to more victory's and higher positioning in the standings? Well, it depends on where you anticipate a weakness that a "key" player can ease or eliminate I suppose. For me that is guarding the rim, ball-handling and outside shooting. Excluding Cotton as instructed it's hard to include the latter concern as a "key" so I look to guarding the rim and see CD and handling the ball and see Dunn. If I had to select one over the other I'd go with the challenges at the guard position because of depth and options and vote for Dunn. If the kid ends up a 1st or 2nd team BE player can any of us possibly suggest PC will fail to finish in the top-4 or earn a bid to The Dance? I don't think so.

[friara]

I went with Dunn...if we can pressure the opponent into bad shots and turnovers, our weak interior defense won't be as much of an issue. And we have one other guard that can score, the offense will be a lot stronger.