2022 Preseason Conference Preview: Atlantic 10

[Ezaco]

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

 

A little bit of good, a little bit of mediocre, a little bit of bad... the A10 is a full mixed bag conference.

 

 

DAVIDSON WILDCATS

The home of Steph Curry... there may be another one coming up. Todd Struble is a senior this season, and the 5'11", former 2 star recruit is an absolute showstopper when it comes to shooting. His game closer to the basket can still use improvement, as well as defense and rebounding, but his team also has him well covered there. Robert Hill, another senior, has elite rebounding skills and a good player everywhere else. As a team Davidson may be fairly average, but it's an above average rebounding effort backed up by a good under the basket shooting team who can also really sink it from the midrange and isn't exactly a slouch from the 3 point. The Wildcats won't get much opportunity to prove it, but they are a good team.

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 32

 

 

DAYTON FLYERS

The Flyers are a microcosm of the A10 as a whole, a mixed bag. As a team it's a pretty good defense, but with some holes. Rebounding effort a also very good.. with some guys who just aren't interested. Close to the basket they are devastatingly good.. for the most part, and while they're a bit average from 2 point jumper land, they're fairly dangerous from the 3 point arc... with some very glaring holes. Aaron Sally and Brandon Proudfit are elite defenders with poor scoring ability. Frank Rivera, Gilbert Reasoner, and Rosalio Rivas are score-at-will guys who turn into ghosts on defense. The Flyers are certainly good and impressive where they are good, but can they make a mix of the good and bad to offset each other?

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 32

 

DUQUESNE DUKES

The Dukes actually have a lot of promise here. I'm not sure it's going to be this season, but next season could be something really special. Paul Rodrique pairs elite defense with excellent scoring ability, and you also have some really good shooters in Robert Dekker, James Hermann, and Gregory Jones. James Hermann is especially notable as a four star recruit stepping on to campus with some real potential. As a team the Dukes are about average defensively, but on the boards they leave a little to be desired. Paint scoring and midrange jumpers are looking really good, and don't sleep on their 3 point game either. If ever there were a definition of 'dark horse' is Duequense.

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 64

 

FORDHAM RAMS

One team I will be sleeping on is the Rams. An average to below average defense isn't helped by a very poor rebounding effort. The Rams are a decent paint scoring team, but not as skilled as similar teams, and their midrange game is average as well. Their 3 point game isn't bad, but perhaps not as good as it looks initially. As far as star power goes Douglas Claussen is an amazing shooter and Nicholas Mitchell is a great defender, on the opposite ends they're a bit lackluster and - like the rest of the team - it's a lethargic rebounding effort. But if the Rams can kick it into gear and play to their potential, then Fordham could surprise some folks.

 

Season Prediction: Bubble Team

 

GEORGE MASON PATRIOTS

It's unfortunate for the Patriots, because they do have some promising talent.. but something is off. Michael Zhou is a former 4 star recruit now in his senior year and is a really special guard, though you would have hoped to see his defense develop better. Han Xiong is very similar.. in fact as a team the Patriots are not very good on defense. Rebounding is average, and paint scoring is average. With some exceptions, though, they're very good from the mid range and have some skill from the arc. I just don't think there's enough there for George Mason to do much this season.

 

Season Prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

GEORGE WASHINGTON COLONIALS

It's even more unfortunate for the Colonials. Hanh Lee, Richard Kennedy, and Sergio Mares are out-of-their-mind shooters (who can also slash to the basket well). But beyond that there's not much for this team. They're decent from the midrange, bad from the 3 point (except for those three guys), and average from the paint. Lazy rebounding effort doesn't help a below average defense. These guys could be really special, breaking through the ceiling of what people expecting from them coming out of high school... but their teammates aren't helping them.

 

Season Prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

LA SALLE EXPLORERS

La Salle, simply put, is not very good. They're bad defensively, dreadful beyond the arc, below average midrange, and below average in the paint. If they're good at anything it's on the boards, where they're one of the better teams. But rebounding doesn't help if you can't score the ball... and besides Phillip Cassara and Cedric Shaw occasionally, there's not very many scorers on this team.

 

Season Prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

LOYOLA RAMBLERS

Sister Jean isn't going to have much to cheer for this season. Chuaong Yamada is a special defensive talent, but he can't score. Kevin Bailey and Robert Grodecki are great scorers, but they can't defend. And the team as a whole is pretty bad defensively, and can get bulled around on the boards. Shooting from range is pretty below average, and paint scoring is just... average. It's not a good recipe of success for the Ramblers.

 

Season Prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

 

:massachusetts: MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN

Now there is some hope for the Minutemen. Brian Price is an amazing shooter, and Derrick Dowdell is no slouch. In fact, Massachusetts is pretty impressive from the midrange, if average from the 3 point, and pretty good from the paint. This team moves the ball around the court very effectively and doesn't make very many mistakes. Rebounding is a mixed bag, with some very good rebounders and some very bad ones. The biggest weakness for the Minutemen, though, will be the defense, where they are, frankly, not very good. If they can outpace their defense with their offense there will be success, but that's a difficult prospect for any team.

 

Season Prediction: Bubble Team

 

 

RHODE ISLAND RAMS

Rhode Island could be silently dangerous. This is a decent defensive team who is very good on the boards, and their ballwork might be one of the best in the country. Paint scoring may be slightly above average, while midrange shooting is pretty good and the 3 point scoring is impressive as well. Richard Roso is going to lead this team offensively, despite being a defensive liability but at least on that end he'll have the help of Edward Kinnick - and elite defender who can score at will as well. The Rams definitely have some things going for them. And with all of their best players still set to return next season... goodness, watch out for the Rams next season.

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 32

 

 

RICHMOND SPIDERS

After my arachnophobia gets over the logo, I'm usually a fan of the Spiders. I'm not going to be super high on them this year, however. Bad midrange shooting isn't helped by a bad 3 point shooting effort and average paint scoring. Rebounding is decent, but the defense is simply average... for a team that cannot score very well. Franklin Cotto is a good player who should catch some NBA attention, and so should his teammate Jay Teeter... but they're fringe draft prospects who might make an NBA roster, and they don't have any help here in Richmond.

 

Season Prediction: Bubble Team

 

SAINT JOSEPH'S HAWKS

Saint Joseph's could be really special, if they wanted. This is a team that is really, really good from the midrange, and pretty doggone good from the paint. Three point shooting is a bit average, as well as rebounding, and defense is... well, not great. But this roster also has some legitimate NBA talent. Benjamin Morris, Harold Lehtinen, Jose Molina, and Vijay Zhou can all score well, defend decently-to-great, and should really grab the attention of some NBA scouts. But do they have enough firepower? Do their teammates have enough umph to carry them through? I don't think so.

 

Season Prediction: Bubble Team

 

SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS

I stopped laughing at the Billikens mascot, because this team is no laughing matter. Once they get done bashing the ball over your head and scoring into the pain, they're going to step outside and shooting some midrange jumpers. And just for fun they might even step to the 3 point line and sink a few as well. And if they miss they're going to bully you out of the way to take it from you. If there's anything questionable it's their defense, which is a bit average. But will Anil Shah, Christian Babcock, Darren Wu, and Genaro Arreola on this team.... the Billikens are almost as scary as their mascot.

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Sweet 16

 

:stbonaventure: ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES

The Bonnies may not be quite as scary... but there's not a team I'd close my eyes on. This is a really good defensive team who puts a lot of effort into the boards. Paint scoring is among the best in the country, while midrange shooting is great and 3 point shooting is pretty good as well. They're not going to dominate as much, but they're definitely going to be a team that more than one team underestimates and gets put away by.

 

Season Prediction: NCAA Tournament - Round of 32

:VCU: VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH RAMS

There's three Rams teams in this conference (very weird), and VCU might be the worst of them. Not great defensively, lackluster on the boards, it's a team that can't really score beyong the paint, Samuel Evans being the lones, special exception to this. And while George Felkins is going to go through this season on every NBA radar and contend for player of the year, he's going to leave behind the rest of his team who simply isn't equipped to keep up with anyone, let alone him.

 

Season Prediction: Misses NCAA Tournament

[Ezaco]

Pick to win conference: Saint Louis