Drc Latest Blog..on How Guard Signings Will Work Out?

[OldTimer]

May 15, 2007

Thoughts on White

North Texas picked up a player who appears to be its point guard of the future on Tuesday in Josh White.

White was one of the best players in the state of Louisiana last season and was still left on the board long after most of the top players in the country had signed their letters of intent. Did UNT need a post player more than another point guard? No doubt, considering it has starter Ben Bell back and JUCO standout Ryan McCoy on the way.

White was just too good for UNT to pass up.

This is a guy who was named the Class A state tournament MVP in Louisiana twice and the overall state tournament MVP last season. UNT head coach Johnny Jones said White might be the best high school player he has signed since he arrived at UNT.

Jones will now have Bell, White and McCoy at the point next season, not top mention a host of talented shooting guards and small forwards, including Collin Dennis.

Dennis, a South Florida transfer who sat out last season, is supposed to fill a large part of the backcourt scoring void left by the graduation of Calvin Watson and Kendrick Davis.

Right now it does not appear as if UNT will have extensive playing time for all three point guards and Dennis … and JUCO recruit Adam McCoy … and Collin Mangrum … and Michael Sturns, who will be back at shooting guard after spending a year playing out of position at the point.

I have already received several questions about how UNT will make this work. My guess? Competition and attrition will take care of the problem for Jones, who has been in this spot before.

Remember a few months back when Keith Wooden, Quincy Williams, Justin Howerton, Jonathan Jackson, Harold Stewart and Curtis Muse were supposed to split time at what amounts to two frontcourt spots in a three-guard offense?

By the time the season rolled around, Muse was gone, Jackson was hurt and everything else worked out during a run to the NCAA Tournament.

Hopefully all of UNT's guards will find a role. Is that likely? Not really, but the Mean Green will be a better team in the long run because it grabbed perhaps its best high school recruit in recent years when it had the chance.

[UNTflyer]

Good things are happening for UNT Basketball.

[MCMLXXX]

Will Ben Bell be back?

[meangreenacct]

I don't see why Ben Bell wouldn't be back. He had a pretty solid year and was a real steady player for this team, I think he will get the bulk of the minutes at point this year. Overall I like the signing. We were going to need to sign another point during next years recruiting class to replace Bell, so the signing was just a year early. I'm excited to see a couple of high school players who look like the could make an impact in the next two years. I am still hoping for a high school big man though.

[OldTimer]

I think Tristan Thomas should have been mentioned when he discussed small forward/shooting guard, just makes it more complicated....hopefully every position will be hard fought and the best players play.