WILL ILLINI SLIP NEXT YEAR?

WHAT ABOUT ILLINI BASKETBALL FUTURE?
The Illini defeated Michigan State on the road last Saturday and some fans are dreaming of another NCAA title run. Until Saturday, most of these same fans had many doubts.
In early January, the Illini basketball team had a 15-0 record and was ranked sixth in the nation. This came the year after Illini finished 37-2 and reached the finals of the NCAA tournament. The Illini had won more basketball games in this century than anyone except Duke. Coach Bruce Weber’s recruiting had just gotten a commitment from Eric Gordon of Indianapolis. Gordon is the nation’s top ranked shooting guard from the class of 2007. Things were looking good and Coach Weber looked like a genius.
Since then the Illini have a 10-5 record and have dropped to 10th in the polls. I am not disappointed or surprised at the current record. Actually, the Illini are better than expected. The bad news is that the well may be running dry. Next year does not look like another fun season.
A couple of weeks ago I attended a meeting where the main speakers were local radio and sports writers. They answered questions from the audience. I did not learn much new about next year’s team but I had some of my worst fears substantiated.
The underclassmen have many weaknesses. The 37-2 team had three guards, (Dee Brown, Luther Head, and Deron Williams) that are far superior to what we can expect again. The future players do not have that kind of talent.
Expect to see Jamar Smith, Rich McBride, and Chester Frazier at guards next year.
Smith can shoot but has problems getting open and creating shots. McBride is a veteran, but still doesn’t move well without the ball and can’t take the ball to the basket. Frazier handles the ball but does not score. The other guard prospect, Calvin Brock, would be wise to transfer.
Brian Randle has great athletic ability. However, his strong defense is sporadic, he can’t shoot from outside, and is very poor from the free throw line. Shawn Pruitt, Marcus Arnold, and Warren Carter can be good players but appear to lack the talent for greatness. Yes, Dee and Augie will be missed. Are you ready for a 17-15 season with no trip to the NCAA tournament next year?