FanPost

The future of the WCC


hey, I'd just like to start this by stating I'm a new user here, but have been following Gonzaga since it's first deep tournament run...mainly that late in life because as a kid who was a John Stockton fan I could never find GU games on tv in Vermont in the early 90's. This site is awesome and has been a great source of news for me to keep up on a program almost an entire continent away from my current base in Pennsylvania... which, of course, I'll be there to see them kick Nova's teeth out at MSG... don't worry, they'll be fine and still a top ten team at the end of the year, and this post is why I think they'll have enough quality wins, even if they don't win their bracket in the Phil Knight and drop one or two in conference....

In keeping up with the Zags, I've developed a side hobby... following WCC recruiting. It was fairly impressive a few year back when Pepperdine landed Lamond Murray Jr, and seeing a shooting guard from the outskirts of Chicago on Santa Clara was cool. However; looking at the depth of recruits coming into the conference is truly impressive. In fact, a fellow sbnation site lists four WCC teams in its mid major top recruiting classes. Of course, Gonzaga and BYU are no surprise, but LMU has this 6'7" PF named Zafir Williams whose inside out games reminds me more of a big you'd find on a Big East roster instead of the typical 6'7" WCC game. Inside out with a lot of skill, he's joined by Eli Scott, who plays for Chino Hills. If you watch the highlights, he's usually the only one playing defense. I think this kid is a big signing, an athletic two-three whose played big time high school ball, can defend and really works hard, paired with Ryse Williams who ESPN has rated the highest of their incoming signings. I highly doubt the Lions will make a tournament before the Oregon PF transfer they've got there... Emmanuel? Graduates... but if the recruiting continues in this way, athletic skilled and tough players, the middle of the conference might be, in five years or so, taking home some NIT 1 seeds... which beats Santa Clara winning the CBI or CIT. Speaking of the Broncos...

Being from northeast Pennsylvania, I'm only a few miles from Blair Academy in New Jersey where Santa Clara commit Matt Turner played. After seeing his highlights, and in person, against a few of New Jersey's incredibly tough parochial schools... someday, he might just eclipse Brownridge. Right away, obviously, we're not going to see that... well hopefully, as a Bulldog fan... just for next year, at least... but the kid is a baller, and he will someday be mentioned the same as any Zag killer. Breeding in the NYC New Jersey metro Connecticut area has me believing he'll come ready to play from day one and will be a complete gamer. Outside of Turner, Shaq Walters will continue this trend of athletic, big, long guards and wings coming in at a higher ranked, and higher rate. Though he's from London, Santa Clara beat out Arizona State for this 6'6" attacking, defending wing, who can finish above the rim with ease. I except his impact to be less immediate than Turner, but in four or five years, he has Jackie Manuel level shutdown capabilities with his speed, length, timing, and explosiveness. The one signing I was so happy to see, usually WCC teams seem to sign guards in the 70's from time to time but unknown or postgrad or unrated bigs... but Santa Clara landed this kid Josip Vrankic. Though only rated a composite two star, watching the kid play he's a skilled big that's usually reserved for Gonzaga, Saint Mary's , or BYU. With Sendeks notorious defensive coaching, and tendency to lean on one big scorer, I expect them to continually get longer, faster, more defensive oriented, and lining up players to play alongside Turner. I actually think this core can make a tournament appearance over the next four years. Specifically later in that time frame.

Gonzaga with Kispert, and the incoming Wade... plus possible transfers. Saint Mary's had a decommit from a nice SG out of Australia but if you're like me... get to know, or already start to try and forget the name Kristers Zoriks. He's going to piss a lot of us Zag fans off for a while, I feel, may bust out like that kid Gonzaga got from Maine all those years ago...Hyland? Went to Vermont and left there as well.. but seems to be just, that,..kinda...ugh,....Saint Mary's guard. BYU has a lot of talent coming in, but lost probably their best recruit, a guy who'd actually play defense... no wonder the recruiting staff stopped paying attention to him...(via vanquishthefoe). Portland has a pretty nice class, including a kid from New Zealand in Taki Fahrensohn. He may take a few years to get acclimated but the size, vision, and skill he plays with might be something special for the Pilots. Combine that with a guy who has impressive game film in PG JoJo Walker and a hit or miss big... from Japan, by way of Mali, Tahirou Diabate. At 6'10" with what seems to be, I cannot find measurements, at least a prototypical Louisville bigs wingspan... mixed with the size and speed that the other two recruits bring, along with a few JC signings, it seems like the bottom dwellers from last year can return to the form they were at when Gonzagas run of WCC dominance began. San Francisco brought in much needed size in the 6'11" JC transfer Erik Poulsen, who was solid to very good at Santa Rosa JC, and yet another longer and bigger guard coming to the WCC with Oakland guard Souley Boum (6'3" and a capable scorer.). That seems to be a common thread here, get bigger, more aggressive, talents, and most importantly athletic enough to stop high end offenses, like Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and BYU.

Of course, it wouldn't be the WCC without a little disappointment. Pacific had no real signings to speak of, but did land one time Gonzaga target, Kendall Small, after he transferred from Oregon, along with two A-10 backcourt players. I don't think they'll be much different from last year... bad. Sorry, not sorry, Pepperdine was a huge let down this year, but a solid signing in Jade Smith, who they beat Cal for... is worth mentioning. Not really sure what's going on down there in sunny San Diego, if only they could get recruits to match their awesome uniforms. Seriously, if they became remotely competitive again as the conferences profile is seemingly rising, just judging by the value of good recruits coming in this year, and how spread out it is, you could market the heck out of those sweet baby blue uniforms.

Seeing the potential and athleticism, length, and knowing the coaching has taken an overall step up in the WCC; coupled with the seemingly rapid decline of the Mountain West, I think the WCC could head into unknown lands. Becoming a borderline power conference, akin to the Big East. Though there are many, I stress MANY, miles left to go, the commitment put in by schools like Santa Clara, San Francisco, Loyola Marymount, Portland, and Pacific means the Zags are going to have to start landing some mor McDonalds All Americans and top level transfer and high school talent to keep the streak alive. It's only going to get tougher, I feel.

well, tlnr, thanks for the years of cool coverage, and hopefully all these guys turn out really, really good,... but just good enough for them to beat a few PAC twelve teams, or some Big East teams, and not Gonzaga.

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