2019-20 First Look: McDonogh
McDonogh entered the 2018-19 season as a team with question marks as to what they would look like after Noah Locke departed for the University of Florida. Quickly, they answered the questions with their talented, youthful roster. Instead of leaning…
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Continue ReadingMcDonogh entered the 2018-19 season as a team with question marks as to what they would look like after Noah Locke departed for the University of Florida. Quickly, they answered the questions with their talented, youthful roster. Instead of leaning heavily on one player, there was balance throughout. They finished with a 18-10 overall record and pushed Mount St. Joseph’s to the brink before falling in overtime in the MIAA A Conference semifinals.
Their young guys gained valuable experience last season and it should carry over into improvement for 2019-20.
Moving on
2019 guard Drew Green graduated and is preparing for his freshman season at Seton Hill. Green was an athletic hybrid guard that could also play some wing. The Eagles will miss his ability to finish around the rim and his versatility. 2019 forward Lukas Michelson was the blue-collar guy on the roster last year. He did all of the things that don’t show up in the box score, but attribute to wins. 2021 David Brown III transferred to Bishop McNamara. Brown will be the hardest to replace because of his ability to shoot from outside and score in bunches.
Returning starters
2021 wing Jared Billups will be a major key for this team. Now 6-foot-6, Billups has improved on his overall game and body to set up what should be a breakout junior campaign. He is the most versatile player on the roster defensively and will be a handful to keep from scoring around the rim. If he can prove his jump shot to be more consistent, it will really open up not only his game, but the entire floor for this McDonogh team.
2020 wing Curtis Jacobs is often times the most overlooked player on this roster. Why? I have no idea. At 6-foot-4, Jacobs is a tank when attacking the rim. The Penn State football commit is no stranger to contact and he uses that aggressiveness when finishing and also impacting the glass. Make no mistake, he isn’t just a rim finisher. When Jacobs sees one go in from deep, he’s capable of following it up with one or two more.
2022 guard Everett Cooper along with Billups, is the other player on this roster that I expect to have a big season. Cooper, a recent commit to Alabama for baseball, has put on muscle and grown to about 6-foot-1 this summer. He stepped up in huge games last season as a freshman and will have plenty of confidence going into 2019-20.
Reserves playing a bigger role
6-foot-5 forward Preston Howard will be expected to step up and make some of the plays Michelson did last season. Things like diving on the floor and taking charges will be key focuses as he matures. His versatility and athleticism at the four spot can cause mismatch issues. He scores well inside the paint and has shown an improved jumper out to 17 feet.
6-foot-6 forward Dani Dennis-Sutton is the anchor of the defense for the upcoming season. The standout defensive end knows how to play physical and keep his leverage even when he’s matched up against a bigger center. He has good hands and touch around the rim. His overall IQ seemed to improve throughout his freshman season and he was an aggressive presence on the boards both offensively and defensively.
Impact Additions
2023 point guard Mathani Paul-Swindon has been one that has experienced some high praise entering high school. He can facilitate and defend at a high level for a freshman. His addition also allows the coaching staff to make lineup adjustments such as moving Cooper off the ball and allowing him to have more of a scorer’s mentality.
2023 guard Carl Carrington may not look like a whole lot in warm-up lines, but the 5-foot-8 guard will snipe your team’s head off after seeing one go in from deep. Carrington’s presence off the bench will be key for spreading the floor and giving lanes for the Eagles’ slashers to take advantage of.
Coach’s Outlook