First impressions of ISU basketball

I had an opportunity to watch the newest version of Bengal Basketball last night at Reed Gym.  Amid all the excitement of a new season, last nights effort gave me a few first impressions and a ton of questions.  READER OPINION:  Media and coaches have the Bengals making the tournament at a three or four seed.  What do you think?  Will the Bengals make it to the big dance this year?My first impression of the Bengals is that they are long and lean.  With Deividas Busma’s 7′0″ frame in the middle of the paint, the Bengals should have a low post presence against almost every foe that they face this season.  Newcomer, Rolando Little played in last nights game, and although he is 6′9″, he definately isnt ready for Big Sky play on the defensive end.  He got beaten down the court on a couple of different occasions by division II UC-Colorado Springs and he will need to correct that if he is to be considered a legitimate contributer to the Bengal cause this year.

As for the rest of the post players, Chron Tatum and Demetrius Monroe return this season although Monroe didn’t dress last night and Tatum was limited in minutes played due to early fouls and a slightly upset coach O’Brien.

The real strength of this team will be their back court as they are loaded with guards who can flat out scoot up and down the court.

Amorrow Morgan returns for his senior year and this Memphis native picked up right where he left off last year, leading the team with 18 points, seemingly scoring whenever he wants to in the lane.  At 6′6″ Morgan will prove to be a defensive match up nightmare for other teams as he has shown that he can play on the post, as well as the perimiter with equal effectiveness.

O’Briens newest toy, Broderick Gilchrest is a true point guard who showed last night that he is as fearless as he is fast.  On one particular play, Gilchrest stole the ball, and then beat two team mates and a defender to the goal despite all three of them having a head start.  Once there, Gilchrest finished stong.  He also hit the game tying three point basket at the end of regulation, showing a calm under fire that is needed at the point guard position.

Also impressing in the back court is sophomore Sherrod Baldwin who looks like he put on about 20 pounds over the off season, which should make him physically more prepared for the rigors of the Big Sky season.  Baldwin joined Morgan and Gilchrest with 18 points last night and he looks more than capable of playing the one or the two for the Bengals this season.

Toss in the high flying Donnie Carson, sharp shooting Austin Kilpatrick and the newley arrived Mike Lacey and these Bengals look like they could be the real deal.

Now for reality.  The early season will be filled with more losses than wins due to yet again a just brutal road, non-conference schedule.

Games at Iowa State, BYU, Utah State, Utah, Notre Dame and USC dot the first two months of the schedule like landmines ready to explode.  Hopefully, the losses won’t bring the teams psyche down because once into Big Sky play, the Bengals should be well equiped for a decent run through the season.

Will they win the Big Sky and head to the dance?  Probably not.  A regular season title and a shot at hosting the post season tournament will more than likely be a major key to that happening but I just don’t see Weber State slipping but stranger things have happened.

To bad that a post season call will more than likely not be in the cards, due to the overall won loss record at the end of the season, but one thing is for certain, this team should be a blast to watch this year.  Tons of athletes and a wealth of experience is on tap and I hope that the fans in the area will come out en mass to support them.