The Halfcourt Trap Preseason Top 10

Hatvol has just posted his preseason basketball top 10 for the 2008-2009 season:

Realizing that academics, defections, and summer shenanigans will inevitably impact some of these teams, here is the first Halfcourt Trap Top 10 for the ’08-’09 season:

1. Pitt. Jamie Dixon’s most talented squad will be tough enough to survive the meat grinder in the Big East and bring the trophy to the Steel City.
2. North Carolina. By far the most talented team in the country. However, their playing with both hands firmly placed around their throats against Georgetown and Kansas in the last two NCAA tourneys tells me there is a lack of testicular fortitiude on that squad.
3. Louisville. Had they played UNC in any of the other 49 states in the regional final, they would have been in the Final Four last season. Pitino will not have to worry about playing on someone else’s court on the regionals this year.
4. Arizona State. From the NIT to the Final Four. Herb Sendek will lead Pendergraph and Harden to college basketball’s promised land.
5. UCONN. Jim Calhoun doesn’t stay out of the spotlight for long. The Huskies will be deep and talented. That recipe has won them two National Championships.
6. Michigan State. Tom Izzo is due for another deep tourney run. He now has the horses to do so.
7. Villanova. Guards win in college basketball. Nobody has a more explosive backcourt at their disposal than Jay Wright.
8. UCLA. Despite their early defections to the NBA, the Bruins will be just fine. Ben Howland will never allow them to fall far.
9. Memphis. Another program that will weather their personnel losses just fine. Cal has enough talent at his disposal to make a run at a fourth straight Elite 8.
10. Tennessee. The Vols will put the most physically talented team in program history on the floor. Experience and point guard play are the only question marks that keep them out of the top 5.

I have to admit that I am a little surprised to see Tennessee at #10. While I agree that the Vols may put one of their most physically talented teams on the floor, the lack of a proven three point shooter is a cause for concern.

Departed seniors Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith and Jordan Howell combined for 80% of the teams three point production last season. That’s a big void that won’t be easily filled.

Wayne Chism leads all returning Vols with 38 made three’s last year but he only hit 32%. Tyler Smith and Cameron Tatum hit nearly 38% from beyond the arc but had limited attempts (37 for Smith and 8 for Tatum).

Even with all of his accolades and hype, I’m not convinced that Scotty Hopson can be a consistent threat from three point range. He will no doubt be a major contributor for the Vols this season but, from what I saw this summer, his outside game has been less than stellar.

Bobby Maze is one newcomer that I believe can fill that void. I’ve been very impressed with his game including his mid-range and outside shooting. He’s a confident shooter and has really nice rotation on the ball. Maze very well may be ‘the solution‘ that propels Tennessee into that top 10.