2011-2012 Seton Hall Pirates Basketball Preview

Seton Hall Pirates - Big East

2010-11: 13-18, 7-11

2010-11 postseason: none

Coach: Kevin Willard (13-18 at Seton Hall, 58-67 overall)  

Coach Kevin Willard stepped into a pretty nice situation at Seton Hall last year. The Pirates did struggle early, although the schedule turned out to be pretty tough. Seton Hall ended up winning seven games in the Big East, including a huge upset over Syracuse in late January and victories over St. John’s and Marquette to finish up the regular season. That momentum did not carry over to the Big East Tournament, but it could help get this group ready for the 2011-2012 campaign with some hope of making some noise in the Big East.

Who’s Out:

Jeremy Hazell and Jeff Robinson were a lot more than just the top two scorers on team. Hazell was the heart and soul of the Pirates and led the team with 19.8 points per game. He was also a superb defender and the team’s most dangerous outside shooter. Robinson was a forward who could stretch out the defense with his shooting ability and that skill may be tough to replace. Robinson was also a fine rebounder and finding another athlete like him to fill in at the four spot will take some time. Ferrakohn Hall, Jamel Jackson, Keon Lawrence and Eniel Polynice are also not returning for the 2011-2012 campaign. Most of those players missed quite a bit of time during the season anyway, but they were pretty much the entire Seton Hall bench and that leaves the Pirates depth very inexperienced.

Who’s In:

Coach Willard has brought in a versatile group of perimeter players to help replace the loss of Hazell. Aaron Cosby is a combo guard who could end up starting at the shooting guard spot this season. He has a nice outside shot and that is what this group needs out of their shooting guard. Freddie Wilson is more of a true point guard, to go along with fellow newcomer Sean Grennan. However, Wilson is a fine shooter as well and a shut down defender. He will likely emerge as the backup point guard for now. Haralds Karlis is the most versatile player of them all. At 6-6 he has the size of a small forward, but he can run the point too if Seton Hall wanted to play big. Like the rest of this group, he is a good shooter and the playing time could come down to whose shot is falling. The frontcourt adds a couple more freshmen in power forward Brandon Mobley and center Kevin Johnson. Johnson is a true center and has the skills to develop into a fine all-around player down the road. For now his offensive game is a little raw, but he should still get plenty of playing time using his 6-9, 240 pound frame to create space in the paint and grab some rebounds.

Final Projection:

Pope and Theodore are a great duo to build around, but the emergence of last year’s freshmen will be the key to Seton Hall winning some games. Fuquan Edwin is a 6-6 forward who quietly averaged 7.9 points per game last year. He will be a candidate to be the next Robinson, but he can handle the ball better. Patrik Auda is a very good shooter for a 6-9 forward. He will be able to stretch out the defense, but to be an effective starter he will need to hit the glass more effectively. Aaron Geramipoor saw very limited action as a freshman, but the 6-11 Brit needed time to develop his game. How much he will improve with a year of experience under his belt remains to be seen, but it would be nice to have another big body available and all three of these sophomores will have to play a larger role if Seton Hall hopes to make a postseason tournament.

Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

• Jordan Theodore, Senior, Guard, 11.0 points per game

• Aaron Cosby, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

• Fuquan Edwin, Sophomore, Guard, 7.9 points per game

• Patrik Auda, Sophomore, Forward, 3.2 points per game

• Herb Pope, Senior, Forward, 9.8 points per game

By Joel Welser courtesy of www.CollegeSportsMadness.com
CollegeSports-fans.com Senior Basketball Writer

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