With basketball season just a few days away, there are a few questions that need to be answered as the Flames look to repeat as Big South Conference Tournament Champions.
1. How will Antwan Burrus mesh with the team?
Liberty’s offense last season was led by their guard play and 3-point shooting. Davon Marshall set a school record for most 3 pointers made in a season with 107, and John Caleb Sanders, Casey Roberts, and Chad Donley combined for another 106. JR Coronado was the Flames’ leading scorer amongst their bigs with just 4.9 points per game. Coronado’s strength is obviously not in his scoring, but rebounding. Fast forward to this season with a healthy and lean Antwan Burrus back for his final go. Antwan averaged double figures scoring during his junior season, and his production will be expected to be at that level again. But it’s not as simple as flipping a switch and being able to incorporate a big into an offense predicated on guard play and the 3 point shot. If Burrus and the guards can effectively mesh, the Flames will be dangerous on offense.
JCS hopes to be healthy
2. Is JCS healthy?
John Caleb hurt his ankle during last season’s run towards the championship in Myrtle Beach, and he needed offseason reconstructive surgery. He missed most of the preseason, but is hopeful he will be ready to go by opening night. Hopefully this injury is not something that lingers or hurts Cabe’s production as any hopes the Flames have of repeating could crash with an injury to Sanders.
3. Where and how will Joe Retic fit in?
You don’t bring in JUCO transfers to a team that is well established with 10 upperclassmen unless you think he can contribute immediately. Dale Layer is already on record as to saying Retic will have a role on this team. He is the only true, pass-first point guard on the team. How big of a role will he have, and whose minutes will he take from? Will he play alongside Cabe and Marshall?
4. Is Gielo a long-term solution at the 3?
The only contributor the Flames have to replace is Tavares Speaks who was the prototypical 3-man at this level. Problem is, Liberty doesn’t really have anyone who fits that mold that is ready to contribute right away. Coach Layer can either go small with 3 guards, or go big with 6’9″ Tomasz Gielo. He will start the season with Geilo spending most of the time at the 3. Tomasz does have the offensive ability to play the 3 as he made 22 3-pointers a season ago, but does he have the quickness to face the smaller 3’s he will see in the Big South?
5. Was last season’s tournament run a fluke?
It’s the question on everyone’s mind. Was Liberty’s 4 game win streak on their way to the BSC tournament championship a fluke? Did they just get hot at the right time? Or was it a team finally “figuring it out”? The Flames didn’t pick up their first DI victory until their 14th game of the season. They were 7-15 entering February. Then they turned it around. Liberty was 8-5 in their final 13 games of the season including their 1st round loss in the NCAA Tournament to North Carolina A&T. Is the Flames’ team from February and March going to be the team we see throughout all of 2013-14 or is the real Liberty team the one that was 7-15 from November – January?
We begin to find the answers to each of these questions Friday night.
