TKR Breakdowns: Jeremy Pargo

Well we have finally made it through the 2008/2009 roster, and today we will be doing the breakdown of Jeremy Pargo. Last season was a banner year for Jeremy, as he was named the WCC Player of the year. His season was highlighted by incredible performances against some of the best opponents on the schedule. This included a 25 point performance against Memphis, as well as 27 points against St. Mary's and 28 against Oklahoma. However, the outcome of all these games was a loss for the Zags. Was this a reflection of Jeremy's personal performance.....absolutely not! But what these games did reveal, was that for Jeremy to get to the next level as a Point Guard he must work on making his teammates better. This theme carried over to the NBA pre-draft camps, as Jeremy was lauded for his athleticism and strength, but was encouraged to go back to school and improve on his decision making. Luckily for all GU fans, Jeremy listened, and he is back for what should be a sensational senior year.

Strengths: The reason that Jeremy is such a difficult matchup for any guard throughout the country is his size. Jeremy is built like a football player, and has the strength to match. This makes him nearly impossible to guard on the offensive end....at least when his shot is going well. There are very few guards that contain a guy with Jeremy's speed and strength off the dribble, and he has the ability to get by 99% of defenders at will. The only chance a guard has at containing Jeremy, is backing way off of him and hoping that his shot is off. This size also allows Jeremy to score quites a few baskets in the post. Jeremy also utilizes this great size on the defensive end, where he is able to use his strength to contain the quicker and smaller guards. Jeremy also fits the stereotype of the tough Chicago point guard (I cant believe that I may have just quoted Craig Ehlo). This is most apparent when the Zags go up against teams like Memphis and UCONN and even St. Mary's. Even if you are worried about how the Zags may play, or if they will match up well against the opponent, it is pretty much a guarantee that Jeremy will step up and play a great game. It was incredible last season watching him go up against Derrick Rose, and really playing him even. It is this moxie that allows Jeremy to go out and dominate the biggest games GU plays, and to go up against the #1 pick in the NBA Draft, and play him evenly.

Room For Improvement: It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the 2 main areas where Jeremy must improve. Looking back on last season, I am truly amazed by some of the great point totals Jeremy put up, despite being an awful shooter. Keep in mind that I think Jeremy has the potential to be a 1st team All-American this season, but that will only happen if he significantly improves his shooting. Last season, Jeremy shot 26% from behind the arc, and only 68% from the free-throw line. Think about how difficult Jeremy would be to guard, if he could move that 3 point shooting percentage up to around 40%. I understand that Jeremy will never be a dead-eye shooter, but if he can just be consistent and shoot between 35-40% from beyond the 3 point line, he would be impossible to guard. I really think that Jeremy can average 15 points a game, and take less shots per game then he did last season. By getting a consistent jump shot, and returning to the 75% he made from the free throw line his sophomore season, Jeremy's scoring should improve significantly. For Jeremy to prove to the NBA people that he can be a PG at the next level, he must also improve his decision making. Jeremy is an excellent passer, and showed this by averaging 6 assists per game last season. However, Jeremy really tends to struggle with turnovers, especially when he drives to far into the lane. This is most noticeable when the Zags are in the half-court offense. It seems that Jeremy often tries to force any early basket or make a great pass, when nothing is available. I cant count the number of times I looked over and saw Mark Few yelling for him to slow down. If Jeremy can slow down, and really execute the offense, then the turnovers that plagued him should begin to go down. At the same time, it will allow for him to put his teammates in a better position to score.

Projected Role: Jeremy will be the heart and soul of this team next season. I think that he truly understands that he has an opportunity to play himself into the top-20 of the NBA draft next season, as well as lead this team to the Final 4. Jeremy must set the tone for the team, beginning in October and hopefully ending in April. Jeremy must understand, that the NBA front office doesn't want to see him dominate games by scoring. Instead they want to see a true point guard, who can score when the opportunity presents itself, as well as a player who makes his teammates around him better. Jeremy has all the talent to be an All-American next season, and I believe if he will heed the advice of the coaching staff and the NBA, we will see some incredible performances next season.

Summer Assignment: Its going to be difficult for all these guys do find a hoop to shoot at throughout the summer. Along with Meech, Bouldin, Ira, and Sacre, Jeremy must spend this summer improving his jump shot. In my mind, this is the key for Jeremy reaching his potential next season. A consistent jump shot will not allow his defender to back off, which in turn will create more scoring opportunities for Jeremy. It will also leave the key much less congested, which will allow for Jeremy to make easier passes and better decision when he is penetrating. There is no better mentor for a PG in regards to his decision making then John Stockton. Hopefully Jeremy will realize what a great resource he has at his disposal, and can utilize John's knowledge of the game.

TKR Breakdowns: Josh Heytvelt

February 9, 2007 is a date which every Gonzaga fan will remember. For myself and many friends, it was one of those "where were you when you heard" moments. Personally, I was laying on the couch watching Sportscenter when it flashed on the bottom line. Psychedelic Mushrooms was all you needed to see. That day, the hearts of every Gonzaga fan dropped as Josh Heytvelt and Theo Davis were arrested for possession of Mushrooms and Marijuana. The fallouts of this event were huge. Gonzaga went on lose 10 games that season, the most since the 97-98 season. Both players were reinstated in October but many wondered if they damage done was irreparable. Players felt let down, coaches were shocked, students were embarrassed, and fans knew the season was shot. Heytvelt returned to the floor last season on December 20th against Oklahoma after missing the first 11 games due to injury. He struggled to get his strength back the entire season and never appeared comfortable. As his senior season nears, Heytvelt has something to prove; he owes it to his teammates who forgave him for that night in February.

Strengths: There is no doubt that when Heytvelt is healthy and "with it", he is one of the most talented players Mark Few has ever coached. Standing at 6'11'' and nearly 240 pounds, he surprises many people with his outstanding athleticism. He is an extraordinary leaper and is a very rare combination of length, size, and athletic ability. Many Gonzaga fans talk about his sophomore season's effort against the hallowed Tyler Hansbrough and North Carolina. Josh dominated Hansbrough with his shot blocking and post defense and had his most outstanding game as a Zag. As a basketball player, there are not many things that Josh does not excel at. Many players of Josh's size and stature are only players that can play within a few feet from the basket. This is not so with Josh as he is an excellent shooter for his size. Sometimes it gets him into trouble with his shot selection from three-point range but no one can question his ability. It adds another dimension to the offense because many WCC forwards and centers are slow and unable to guard Josh from the outside-in.

Room for Improvement: It feels like every player we breakdown has to have their weaknesses prefaced with injuries. Josh is no different. As I mentioned early, Josh missed the first 11 games of last season due to a stress fracture which still ails him today. He had another surgery this off-season to insert more pins because the initial surgery did not heal properly. He is expected to be ready for camp but that is something Gonzaga fans have heard once or twice before. When healthy, Josh is so skilled on the basketball court. For him to be completely successful this season he needs help from Robert Sacre so that he can play power forward. Josh struggles in back to the basket situations and is much more comfortable with a face-up style of play. He has shown flashes of a very good hook shot and the ability to post up but it seems as though the desire is no there to do so. Desire is a big question for Josh in general as many have questioned his effort level since returning to Gonzaga. Before the arrest, Heytvelt had a look and edge about him when he played. When Josh returned last year, he did not have the same swagger but once he got more and more comfortable, we saw some of that swagger return and if the Zags are to be successful, they are going to need all of it.

Projected Role: Barring any more complications with Josh's stress fracture, he will be a starter and will see plenty of action as he is one of the Bulldogs' biggest threats. The question still remains as to what position he will play this season. If he plays the bulk of his minutes at power forward, I expect him to have his best season at Gonzaga. If he plays center he will largely be playing out of position and having responsibilities that he is not used to having. The Zags are thin as can be in the interior so he will see some minutes at center but you can bet that he is watching Robert Sacre very curiously this offseason. A starting lineup with both Sacre and Josh would be, if nothing else, very intimidating for opposing WCC teams.

Summer Assignment: It feels like we could have broke Gonzaga's players into two categories: first, guys that need to heal and secondly, guys that need to take 100's of shots everyday. Josh would benefit from both. First and foremost, he must be healthy to have a positive impact on this team. The last thing Gonzaga needs is for him to play the first 3 games and be sidelined the rest of the season because he was not fully healthy to start. He may not need to take 100's of shots but he has got to become more comfortable with back the basket play as he will be called to play center at times. There's a easy way to spot when Josh is healthy and comfortable. Just wait for an opportunity for a monster dunk and if he takes the opportunity and lets out a barbaric scream afterwards, you know he has arrived.

TKR Breakdowns: Ira Brown

At this time last year, Gonzaga nation was gripped with Ira Brown fever. Everyone had seen "the dunk", and many people thought that we had the second-coming of Erroll Knight. However, because of a variety of issues, Ira hardly ever saw the court. I often wondered, how on a team short of toughness and leadership, why Ira saw the court as little as he did? But with a new season comes new opportunities for Ira. As we learned from Ira in our interview, he is as determined as ever to establish himself on this team, and help lead the Gonzaga program to great places. The hope is that Ira can put behind him this past season, and emerge as a leader and vital part of the team's success this next season.

Strengths: All you have to do is take one look at Ira Brown and you realize that his greatest strength.....is his strength. Ira is one of the more physically developed athletes you will ever see playing college basketball. His great strength allows him to be a menace on the defensive end, and should allow him to be effective against both smaller guards and some of the bigs he will go up against. For the team to succeed to its highest potential next season, Ira must use his strength to be able to play the PF position. If Ira can emerge at this position then the depth at the PF and C position will improve dramatically. Having played professional baseball for a couple of years, Ira is much older then the typical college athlete. Because of his background as a professional athlete, and his age, Ira knows what it takes to be a leader for this team. There has never been anyone questioning Ira's work ethic and determination, and hopefully this drive for success can carry over to the rest of the team. If you ever get a chance to see Ira with his teammates, you will instantly notice the leadership and maturity that he possesses, and also how much respect his teammates have for him.

Weaknesses: The main issue for Ira, is what position will the coaching staff put him at? Will they play him as an undersized PF? If this is the case, then Ira must be able to guard opposing players who will be 5 to 6 inches taller then him. No matter how strong Ira is, there is nothing he can do to change the dramatic height difference that he will be facing. One advantage Ira does have, is that with his great strength, he maybe able to push his man away from the basket. If he were to play PF, then Ira would also need to develop a post game. We all know the great dunks that Ira can throw down, but we have not seen Ira make a post move in a half-court set. If Ira is going play the PF, then he needs to be more then a body on the court. The other issue with Ira is his shooting. If the staff is going to play Ira at the SF, then he needs to be able to consistently his either the mid-range or 3 point jump shot. As we saw with LG last season, no matter how strong you are on the defensive end, if you are a huge liability on the offensive end, you will not see much action. I have no doubts about Ira's ability to guard any of the wing positions, but for him to see the court and be able to contribute, he must be able to contribute on the offensive end.

Projected Role: The ideal situation for both the team and for Ira is for him to play the backup PF role. With the ridiculous amount of talent at the wing positions, it is no likely that Ira would be able to get in the rotation at that position. However, the PF and C situation is entirely different. Ira could fit in perfectly as a backup for either Daye or Heytvelt at the PF. I believe that with his strength, he can make up for a lot of the height he would be giving up on a game to game basis. The key for Ira is to use his strength to get the offensive player as far away from the basket as possible, as well as using his strength to really block-out the offensive player. Proper fundamentals on the defensive end and with rebounding can eliminate any issues with height that Ira may have. Having another player who can contribute in the post would be so important towards the success of the team this next season.

Summer Assignment: Ira has two fairly clear tasks this summer. The first is to join Meech, Pargo, and Bouldin in shooting 100's of jumpers a day. Ira can be such a unique player at the PF for us, if he can establish a face up jumper and some relatively basic post moves. But if he continues to only be a dunker, then he will be a liability on the offensive end, and will see his playing time suffer dramatically. The second thing I would do with Ira is give him tapes of Dennis Rodman. I would have Ira study these for hours a day, so that he can see how much an undersized PF can contribute on the defensive end and with rebounding, if he gets in proper position. Obviously I don't think that Ira will be averaging 10+ rebounds per game, but with his body type and athleticism, I think he can really be a strong force on the glass. As I mentioned earlier, rebounding is more about being in the proper position and being fundamentally sound, then it is about being tall. If Ira can work on these two tasks, then I think he can be an incredible spark off the bench, and give great contributions to the team throughout his senior season.

TKR Breakdowns: Micah Downs

When Micah Downs went to Kansas his freshman season, many Gonzaga fans breathed a sigh of relief. Downs had a bad reputation coming out of Juanita High School in Washington. Observers claimed that he was a "me" first player, his dad was crazy, and he would ruin a team. Micah Downs shut each and every one of those people up with his "prodigal son" like return to Gonzaga. The Kirkland product tested the water at Kansas, and he got a good amount of minutes, but he never got comfortable. He came to Gonzaga and had to sit out a season due to eligibility rules but even though he was off the court he had every Zag fan on the edge of their seat. As his senior season approaches, Micah is poised for a big season. He as much talent as anyone that has walked into the McCarthey Center, the question still remains, however, if he can exploit that talent on a consistent basis.

Strengths: Micah Downs was a McDonald's All-American in high school, meaning that the kid could flat out score. Everyone knew it but what Downs has consistently shown in his years at Gonzaga is that he can play some great defense. Micah along with recently departed Larry Gurganious, have been two of the best defenders that Gonzaga has seen. His ability to guard stronger players in the interior as well as face up guards on the perimeter makes Micah a very valuable asset for Gonzaga. Like Austin Daye, Micah has a long and lanky physique which has helped him greatly. Micah is someone that does all of the "little things" or intangibles. He may not score in loads (only 8 ppg last season) and he may not be on highlight reels but he's a player that will tip a rebound back out to a guard to reset the offense or injure his wrist but still come out and finish the game out (true story). He just does things to help his team win, and the fact that he is a freak athlete doesn't hurt either. Anyone knows about Micah Downs knows that he has an incredible motor and has made some "WOW!" type plays. He has great hops which had led to some insane blocked shots and dunks. There is no doubt that Micah brings so many values to this team, many of which never really show up on stat sheets.

Room for Improvement: In order to completely understand the "weaknesses" in Micah's game, it's necessary to understand that he has been plagued by injuries. He, along with seemingly every other Gonzaga player, has spent some time in a boot and he has also suffered through a nagging wrist injury. Both these injuries have interrupted his tenure at Gonzaga or at least made it very uncomfortable at times. One of the things which has been hurt by the injuries or has just failed to get better is his inconsistent shooting. He came out of high school as one of the better shooters in his class and even in his first season at Gonzaga, he exhibited some deadly outside shooting. This past season, either by desire or by doubt, Downs shifted his focus from taking over games, to helping with the little things. Zag fans expected Downs to be a key force in their success as far as scoring the ball but he contributed in other ways. He came off the bench most games and many fans were surprised by his lack of minutes during some games. One thing I would love to see Micah get back on offense is that killer instinct. This is a seemingly team-wide problem outside of a few players but Micah played with such an edge in high school and early in college where if he was struggling, he would just keep shooting. Gonzaga needs that. Micah is one of the most mentally tough Gonzaga players and for this team to have success, he has got to show it.

Projected Role: Much like Steven Gray and Robert Sacre, it is hard to say where Micah fits in regarding the starting lineup. Many think he should be a starter but it depends on what lineup Coach Few is comfortable with. Their would realistically be several starting lineups that I would take no issue with and many include Micah Downs. I believe that it is hard for Micah to come off the bench and score. He is a streaky shooter and has to get off early or he will struggle. He started for the first 10 or 12 games of the year last year and I hope he is given the same opportunity this season. With the arrival of Austin Daye and his projected big season, it will be interesting to see how Few uses Downs and if we see lineups with Daye and Micah. If we do, they will be dangerously athletic and very long.

Summer Assignment: Micah needs time to get his body completely healthy; something he hasn't been in quite some time. Much like was written about Matt Bouldin, Micah has got to find a way to develop consistent shooting before it is too late. Downs is a true competitor and he should be on the court during crunch time because he plays with such an edge, but you can bet he won't be if he is not producing. He has to spend time shooting and shooting and shooting. He's already a great passer, rebounder, athlete and his body has probably filled out as much as it will so he must develop his shot. He's got a beautiful stroke and when he is hot, no one is going to shut him down. All the coaching staff has to do is find a way to unleash him consistently.

TKR Breakdowns: Matt Bouldin

Last season was a very interesting season for Matt Bouldin. Coming off a very impressive freshman season, it seemed as if Bouldin was destined to be the next great Gonzaga guard. During the summer he played for the USA U-19 team, and he had emerged as a great passer and a crafty scorer. Looking at the statistics, he led the team in scoring at 12.6 pts per game, and he averaged 2.9 assists per game, it would seem that Matt had a terrific season. Yet looking back on the past season, I must admit that I was not blown away by Matt's performance. Perhaps I had set unreasonable expectations after his great freshman year. But for whatever reason, last season left a bitter taste in my mouth (it may just be that Davidson performance is still lingering with me). It should be interesting to see if this summer Matt can make some great strides in his game. There is not doubt the talent is there, and he should benefit from staying in Spokane this summer.

Strengths: It is rare to see a guard at the college level with the court vision that Matt Bouldin has. After nearly every game, I find myself shaking my head in disbelief at some of the passes Matt makes. One great example of that was in the San Diego game. Late in the game, Kuso set a screen for Matt at the free throw line, and right when Matt came over the screen, he delivered a perfect pass to a rolling Kuso. It was truly one of the prettiest passes I have ever seen. While Matt is certainly capable of the breathtaking pass, he also does an excellent job delivering the easier passes. Matt always seems to make the right decision with the ball, and usually puts his teammates in a good position to score. Matt also possesses a terrific basketball IQ. Matt is not the quickest or strongest guard you will see, however he continually puts himself in a position to succeed. Going back to the San Diego game, not many guards in the nation would have made that terrific back cut at the end of the game to secure the win. Matt also utilizes his great size in the post (although I would like to see it even more) to score on smaller guards. He is very good at reading his defender and knowing when to attack the hoop, or when to settle for the jump shot. Because of his great knowledge for the game, Matt is able to makeup for his lack of great athleticism.

Room for improvement: The main weakness with Matt is his shooting ability. Last season he shot only 46% from the field, and a paltry 36% from beyond the 3 point line. There is no denying Matt's ability to score, but to become a more complete offensive player he needs to raise those percentages. A true shooting guard should shoot over 50% from the field, and between 40-45% from the 3 point line. Obviously Matt will never be a pure shooter like a Stephen Curry, but he can certainly improve on his current percentages. Imagine how difficult it would be to guard Matt if he had a consistent jump shot. He would be a nightmare matchup, as he can post up most guards, he can drive by them, and with a consistent jumper, defenders would not be able to give him any space. The other issue for Matt last season was his consistency. This was especially true toward the end of the season, when the only consistency he had was being consistently poor. Many Zag fans think that Matt vanished in the bigger games, but that is not true. Matt had 21 against Tennessee, 19 against UCONN, and a career high 26 against Utah. The question is, where did this form go at the end of the season? Except for his performance against St. Mary's, I would be hard pressed to find a game where Matt really played his best. If Matt can bring a consistent performance to every game, that will be huge for the Zags success throughout the season. I'm not saying that we need him to score 20 points per game. But what we really need from Matt is around 14 pts, 5 rebound, and 3-4 assists per game.

Projected Role: I would be truly stunned if Matt was not a starter at the beginning of next season. It will be interesting to see whether he starts at the SG alongside either Micah or Austin at the SF, or if he starts at the SF alongside Gray at the 2. With so many weapons on the wings this season, it is imperative that Matt delivers a consistent performance from game to game. I believe he will, and I think we will see Matt emerge as one of the best play-makers in the nation. It is important for Matt to not settle for the jumper, and to utilize his size advantage and take his defender into the post or off the dribble, and finish at the hoop. If he does that, then his shooting percentage should rise significantly. With all the weapons that GU has, Matt should have great success at allowing all his teammates to be in the best position to score. His passing and basketball IQ will be vital to the success of the team.

Summer Assignment: My main assignment for Matt is to get in the gym and take 100's of shots per day. I truly believe that if he can improve on his jumper then everything else will come into place. A better jumper will allow for more drives to the hoop, more open shots for his teammates, and more consistency on a game to game basis. Matt has such great size and strength for his position, and has the potential to be a great guard at GU. Look for this to be the breakout season we were all expecting from Matt as a sophomore.

TKR Breakdowns: Will Foster

“You can’t teach height”. You hear it all the time in the basketball world. In football and baseball, upside has very little to do with your success in your sport. Those sports are based on what you can do now and if you can sustain that performance for a long period of time. In basketball, upside is huge. Teams take huge risks and spend lots of money based on what they think you will be able to do one day. Gonzaga is no different and has invested plenty of time and a scholarship in Will Foster. Will is every inch of 7’4’’ and 225 pounds soaking wet. Foster is now a junior for the Zags and has seen little action in his past two seasons. But as I said, you can’t teach height and that is a huge asset for Foster, we are just waiting for him to flip the switch and be a solid post presence for the Bulldogs. This appears to be his year to either make a leap or be a bench player for his tenure at Gonzaga. If that switch does get turned, Foster would provide many things for this version of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Strengths: When it comes to Foster, it is hard to ignore his height. He is 7’4’’ and in basketball that means a number of things. In the short spurts of time he has actually seen action, opponents have seen how hard it is to deal with someone that tall. He is able to alter shots just by standing in the lane. Especially in the WCC, where most of the centers and forwards are 6’8’’ to 6’10’’, Foster can really cause some difficulties. All of his strengths are obviously directly related to his stature. His best game of the year was Gonzaga’s biggest at home. He played only six minutes in the Bulldogs game against Washington State and was very efficient. In those six minutes he had three blocked shots. He has a relatively good feel for when to jump so that he avoids the foul but still blocks the shot and in the WSU game he really showed some outstanding ability to alter shots. He had two more blocks in his next action against Northern Colorado but the stint against WSU was outstanding and it was during a meaningful part of the game, something which Foster has not seen much of during his first two years here.

Room for Improvement: Most of Foster’s liabilities lay on the offensive side of the court. However, what afflicts Foster the most is his strength. If you have watched the last few years, you can tell that Foster has added some weight and muscle. However, this has not transitioned into basketball weight. He struggles getting position in the post and is easily moved from his spot because many post players in the WCC are shorter but very thick. This has hurt him on the offensive side of the game and is the reason why in his small amount of minutes, Foster has failed to average a point per game. One of the hardest parts of being that tall is dealing with your quickness and being comfortable in your own body. Foster struggles with lateral quickness and has not been effective getting to a spot and defending his man. This is the risk you take when you take a flyer on a project like Foster. Guys like him and Hasheem Thabeet go through growing pains on their way to the top. Foster’s offensive skill set has not developed the way the Zag community had hoped. He has yet to show really any sort of consistent post move to date. Each of his weaknesses is exactly what Mark Few and the staff knew they would have to deal with when they recruited Foster. Hopefully we see some strides as he enters his third year at Gonzaga.

Projected Role: This has to be the year where Will Foster makes significant strides. He seems to do well in the summer and during practice but has not been able to translate that to success on the court. With Kuso gone and Andy Poling expected to red shirt, Foster should be forced into a backup role. He will definitely be behind Heytvelt and Sacre in the rotation and if Ira and Austin have some time at power forward, Will may see very few minutes again. If Few decides to play Pargo and Matt at guard and Austin at the small forward, Foster will be in the rotation with Josh, Robert, and Ira. This means that he will likely see plenty of action. If Gonzaga is at their full potential, they need Foster to perform. Assuming Sacre develops, he would be joined by Josh at his natural position of power forward and we could have Jeremy and Matt at the guards and Austin on the wing. With Steven, Micah, Ira, and Will backing them up, this team would be formidable and very deep, and I haven’t even mentioned the freshmen yet.

Summer Assignment: Will Foster will never be 260 pounds during his time at Gonzaga; it’s hard to force a young man’s metabolism to work in reverse. He seems destined to remain at that 225-240 range. Weight room improvement is very important for Foster but with this being his third year, he needs to spend his time working out on the court. He needs to find a comfort level on the court before his time runs out. No longer can he be regarded as the player that everyone cheers for just because he gets in. He was recruited and given a scholarship by Mark Few and has got to start getting some consistent court time. For him to do this he needs to improve his quickness and develop some post moves. For all intents and purposes, it is put up or shut up time for Mr. Foster.

TKR Breakdowns: Austin Daye

When the 2007 recruiting class was announced, all eyes immediately turned to Austin Daye. Daye, was arguably the most decorated recruit to ever sign with GU out of high school, and was even a 5 star recruit according to rivals. After an incredible senior year in high school, in which Daye averaged over 30 points and 10 rebounds, many people were curious to see how Daye's game would translate at the college level. To be completely honest, Daye surpassed my lofty expectations with an incredible freshman year, that firmly established him as an NBA lottery pick whenever he declares. Any GU fan will remember his unbelievable debut against Montana, when he started his career off with a double-double. His strong play continued throughout the season, and despite some inconsistency in playing time, Daye emerged as the best pure scorer on the team.

Strengths: No discussion about Austin Daye can occur without mentioning his incredible offensive game. Despite his slight frame, there is literally nothing Daye cant do with the ball in his hands. Despite playing only 18 minutes per game, he ended up 3rd on the team in scoring, averaging 10.5 points per game. What makes Daye so outstanding on the offensive end is the multiple ways he can score the basketball. Throughout the season, we were treated to a player who was as likely to shoot a 3 in the defenders eye, as he was to post up a smaller player. What makes Austin so difficult to guard is the matchup problems he causes. If you put a small forward on him, Austin is so tall and has such long arms, that he will take the defender to the post and dominate him. If you put a power forward on him, then Austin can take him off the dribble and finish at the rim, or pull up and hit a 3 in the eye of the defender. Having a father who played in the NBA has allowed Austin to develop a great understanding of the game. On the offensive end, Austin is incredible passer, and 9 times out of 10 will make the pass to the right person, or make the correct decision on whether to shoot or pass. Because of his size, Austin is a great weapon to pass the ball into the post, and play a high/low game with. This understanding of the game also helps him on the defensive end. Despite not being the most intense defender, he knows where to be on the court, and how to use his great size and wingspan to disrupt shots and grab rebounds.

Room for improvement: Despite possessing an incredible offensive game, Daye could take it to even another level with added strength. When matched up against a quick power forward, Daye often struggled, because the defender could muscle him around and take Austin out of his game. With added strength, Daye would become an even better finisher in the paint, as well as a better player in the post. It would also help him greatly on the defensive end, where often times Austin would be pushed out of position for rebounds by stronger bigs. While Austin may never possess a whole lot of muscle on his long frame, it is vital that he adds strength to become a more complete player. I also believe that Austin could add some toughness to his game. When GU went up against very physical and athletic teams, Austin often struggled and had his minutes greatly reduced(8 minutes against Memphis, and 10 against UCONN). For him to make a huge impact against teams like Memphis and UCONN, Austin needs to not allow the physicality of these teams to hurt his game. I think a lot of this had to do with being a freshman and making this difficult adjustment, but for GU to reach its potential next season, Austin needs to be on the court and productive against teams that play with great physicality.

Projected Role: Depending on the rest of the starting lineup, we will likely see Austin starting at either the small forward or power forward. For this team to be as successful offensively as some of the past GU teams, the offense must run through Austin. Not only is he the teams best pure scorer, he is also one of the best passers at his position in the nation. He doesn't necessarily need to have a huge increase in his shots from this past season, but the ball must be in Austin's hands every possession, because he will deliver the ball to his teammates at the right place and at the right time. I anticipate that we will see lots of high/low basketball between Austin and either Heytvelt or Sacre, which will put those two post players in the position to have lots of great scoring opportunities.

Summer Assignment: Austin has two very clear things to do this summer. The 1st is get in the weight room. The more strength that Austin puts on, the more dominant he can be at both ends of the court. My other assignment for Austin is to emerge as a leader for this team. If Austin has the projected role that I predict he will, he will need to gain the trust of his teammates and emerge as a leader. There is no player more talented in college basketball then Austin, and with all the things he can do on the court, he must develop the trust of both the coaches and his teammates. As Coach Few has mentioned, we will never see the best of Austin at GU, because he wont reach his true potential for another 5 years. But next season, we could be blessed with one of the great talents in the college basketball world, and along with Sacre, one of the most important pieces to the success of next season.

TKR Breakdowns: Robert Sacre

If you watched Gonzaga basketball last year, you know that the interior post play was not a strength for the Bulldogs. Hopes are still high because of one player: Robert Sacre. Sacre, a sophomore from North Vancouver, British Columbia, earned his way into the starting lineup his freshman year and showed signs that he could be the next great Gonzaga center. Recruited heavily out of high school, Sacre was offered scholarships by UCLA, Washington, Notre Dame, and many others. Sacre's most outstanding performace last year came against the University of Connecticut, where he played 26 minutes and scored 9 points and added a couple of rebounds. The most impressive part of his performance was the fact that he played so well against against Hasheem Thabeet, one of the best centers in the nation. Zag Nation is definitely expecting to see more of that performance his sophomore season as he is to be a huge piece of this (hopefully) final four puzzle.

Strengths: Typically in college basketball, freshman centers who are 7 feet tall are extremely thin and need a year to get their body in the right form. This is not the case for Sacre who is a physical specimen. He's listed at 7 ft, 255 pounds and he is definitely every pound of that. This allowed him to get into the lineup early his freshman year and will help his development going forward as he is already used to his body type. With his size, Sacre is a very physical post player. He is able to get down low and bang with the best and holds his ground very well. His ability to bang down low gives Gonzaga fans hope for another great back the basket center ala J.P. Batista. Since Batista's departure, Gonzaga has been forced to play smaller and without a dominant force in the post and Sacre should be able to provide that. One thing which is not mentioned on the stat sheets is the outstanding character of Sacre. He is a fun player to watch on the court because anyone can tell that he gets what this game is all about. He has stepped in and become a vocal leader on this team and has really brought a lot of energy to this team. You can rest assured that Sacre leave it all on the floor each and every game he plays in.

Room for Improvement: No one can expect a 7 footer to come in to college his first year and dominate right away (unless your name is Oden). Thus, Sacre has a few areas for improvement. He made freshman mistakes last year and often seemed to rush when the ball was given to him in the post causing turnovers for the Bulldogs. Many times he would receive the ball and fumble with it, allowing for opponents to steal it away. With a year of experience under his belt and a whole summer to get more comfortable in the offense, I really expect this problem to be taken care of by next season. Staying on the offensive side, Sacre tended to show some instances of stone hands. This is undoubtedly related to being a freshman and rushing plays but in order to be a successful back to the basket scoring threat, Sacre has got to learn how to soften those hands up and keep the ball tight. Calling up J.P. Batista and asking for some pointers may not be a bad place to start. Defensively, Sacre struggled last season with committing bad fouls by being out of position. Once again, getting comfortable with the college game should fix this problem but many times last season we saw him picking up "dumb" fouls because he was undisciplined in the interior. Once he understands that he is the biggest guy on the court, we should see a lot less fouls from Mr. Sacre.

Projected Role: This is one of the biggest question marks going into the season. Many believe that Sacre will start along side Josh Heytvelt and form a twin towers for the Bulldogs. However, Few showed last season that he loved the three guard lineup of Pargo, Bouldin, and Gray and that would mean the other two spots would be "reserved" for Austin Daye and Josh Heytvelt. I believe that Sacre will be a starter for Gonzaga this season if he makes the jump that the coaching staff believes he will. He will have a huge role and will help open up Heytvelt's game more because now Josh can play the power forward and play with a more face to the basket mentality.

Summer Assignment: Breaking down the freshman last week was simple. Weight room, weight room, weight room! Everyone knows the Robert Sacre does not need any significant improvement in the weight room but he still needs a great deal of time spent in the gym. He needs to work hard with the Gonzaga coaching staff and work on his interior game, especially on the offensive side. He was taken out early from many games because he was an offensive liability but if he improves on that he should get significant minutes each and every game. He could also use work on his free throw shooting as that was a problem not only for Sacre, but for many Gonzaga players.

TKR Breakdowns: Steven Gray

The 2007 recruiting class will go down in GU history as one of the most talented and highly ranked that the school has ever signed. Although the start to his season was delayed, Steven Gray emerged as one of the best freshman shooters in the entire nation. The Bainbridge high school product had his career delayed by a wrist injury, but once he came back healthy, his ability was put on full display. This was highlighted in the NCAA tournament, when against Davidson, Gray hit seven 3's and went head to head with Stephen Curry. Gray should make a huge jump in his sophomore season, and hopefully will continue to emerge as another great weapon for the Zags.

Strengths: The NCAA tournament this past season was a prime example of just how vital a pure shooter can be to a team. Watching Stephen Curry lead Davidson all the way to the elite 8 made GU fans dream of having the type of shooter who could lead his team to victory. Luckily, with Steven Gray, the Zags have one of the best pure shooters in the nation. Despite not making his debut until midway through December, Gray quickly emerged as one of the best 3 point shooters on the team. Gray scorched the nets, by shooting over 46% from behind the line. This was highlighted by his six 3's made against Santa Clara, and the 7 against Davidson. Gray also made his mark as one of the better defenders on the team last season. Although only a freshman, Gray typically guarded the best player on the opposing team each game. Any fan of GU will remember how he limited USD's Brandon Johnson to only 6 points when the Zags made the trip to San Diego. It is rare for any player to emerge as a lock down defender in his 1st season, but Gray is not your typical player. It was impressive watching him continually frustrate smaller guards with his strength and quickness. With Pargo, Meech, and Gray in the back court, GU will have a great team of defensive guards.

Room for improvement: While Gray clearly demonstrated his ability to shoot the ball from distance, he never really displayed a mid-range game. This could have been because he assumed the role of a 3 point shooter, and didn't want to stray from that position, but we have still have not seen Steven demonstrate much offensively besides being a set shooter. In high school, Gray often displayed the ability to drive to the hoop, or to stop and pull-up for a jumper. However, Gray struggled offensively when opposing teams took away the 3 point shot. Gray tended to settle for long distance shots because he is not a great ball-handler. Although he is primarily a SG, Gray must continue to develop his ball-handling skills should he be forced into PG duty. If Gray continues to develop his ball-handling, it will also allow him to attack the rim with more quickness and allow him to demonstrate a more complete offensive game.

Projected Role: After his tremendous conclusion to last season, it would be safe to assume that he will continue to be the starter at SG. With his unlimited shooting range, and solid defensive abilities, Steven will continue to earn lots of minutes. I also think that his offensive game will expand this year. He should be more comfortable not only with the offense, but also with his teammates. If this is the case, we should see a lot more of Steven attacking the hoop and creating his own offense. With the addition of Meech and Gibbs, along with the return of Gray, Bouldin, and Pargo, the guard position is deep and talented. Look for Gray to share the floor with all of the above players throughout the season, and play both PG and SG.

Summer Assignment: The main focus for Steven this summer should be improving his quickness and dribbling skills. I have mentioned his shotting ability numerous times, but to emerge as a complete offensive player, Steven must demonstrate the ability to get to the rim or shoot the mid-range jumper. I would also like to see Steven have a higher confidence in his game and his role on the team, as he can be one of the best offensive players on this team. Hopefully he will push his offensive game to the limits, and not continue to be strictly a 3 point shooter.

TKR Breakdowns: Andy Poling

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest is the last member of Gonzaga’s 2008 recruiting class. When Andy Poling committed to Gonzaga, he was one of the hottest players in the nation. After his sophomore season at Westview High School in Oregon, Poling was one of the top centers in the nation as rated by Rivals. He earned second team all state in Oregon and led his team to the state semifinals. Then a nasty illness struck which stripped 30 pounds from Poling’s frame and significantly hurt his high school career.

Strengths: Around the NBA Draft time, it feels necessary to be talking about Poling because he is loaded with upside. Most of his upside comes from his excellent length. He is nearly 7 feet tall and has a very large wingspan meaning that he has the ability to challenge shots as well as grab long rebounds. He has always been characterized as lanky and for the Zags, this could be a very good thing. Another positive thing about Andy is that he is extremely advanced offensively. He was a scoring machine in high school when he was healthy. He has an outstanding feel for where he is on the court especially in the post. He is an excellent fit for what Gonzaga needs because he has a variety of post moves and a very smooth hook shot in the paint. The bulldogs have struggled to find a back to the basket big man since the departure of J.P. Batista. Like the other Zag recruits, Poling has a very high basketball IQ. He is a student of the game and really respects the history of the game and plays like an old time center. He is an excellent scorer not because he is the most athletic but because he knows how to play the game the right way.

Room for Improvement: Before Poling came down with his mysterious illness, he had very few areas where he required serious improvement. Now that he is barely 200 pounds, strength has become a huge issue for Poling. He must dedicate himself to the weight room if he is going to be a successful interior presence for Gonzaga. If he can add all of that lost weight back, Poling is going to be a force but if he stays slim, he is really going to struggle in the future. Going along with Poling’s overall lack of strength right now is his lack of defensive presence. He is notorious on the offensive side of the court but is a below-average defender. Obviously, an increased presence will come with an increase in his weight but it must also be a mental change. Gonzaga needs defenders in the low blocks, especially with the type of non-conference foes they take on. The last thing he needs to do is continue staying healthy. No one ever really found out for sure what his illness was but hopefully it is not recurring. If he stays healthy, he should be on the fast-track to success at Gonzaga.

Projected Role: Poling is the most likely candidate to redshirt his freshman year. He is coming off the illness, he is not physically where he needs to be and a year off could really benefit him. He could focus most of his time to adding strength and getting all of his confidence back. Gonzaga will be thin in the interior as the departure of Kuso really hurts but they still have Josh Heytvelt, Robert Sacre and Will Foster. Ira Brown can also double as a power forward because of his size and Gonzaga is probably going to have to play small this year because of the lack of bigs.

Summer Assignment: WEIGHT ROOM. Poling has to become a gym rat. Strength is the key to getting him back to his old self where he dominated Oregon high school basketball as well as in the AAU ranks. Aside from that, he needs to continue perfecting his post moves and developing faster footwork but everything with Poling stops and starts in the gym. I wouldn’t mind if he even set up a cot in weight room.

Possible Nickname: A friend of the Kennel Report has suggested “Smooth Criminal”

TKR Breakdowns: Demetri "Meech" Goodson

For the second in our series of player breakdowns, The Kennel Report is taking a look at Demetri "Meech" Goodson. Meech is a Point Guard from Houston, Texas, where he attended Klein Collins high school. He is the 79th ranked player in the class of 2008 according to Scouts Inc. His brother, Mike, plays for the football team at Texas A&M.

Strengths: In Meech, Gonzaga is getting a true point guard. One of Meech's greatest strengths is his court vision. With all the weapons that GU will have over the next couple of years, it is vital that the point guard puts everyone in a position to score and make plays. In our interview with Meech and his coach, it was said that Meech is able to make everyone around him better. It is vital, that a point guard can dominate the game without having to score, and this seems to be the case with Meech. Toughness is another attribute of his game that will be important over the 4 years Meech is at Gonzaga. Prior to committing to Gonzaga, Meech had scholarship offers in football from Arizona State, and many other schools, even though he had not played the sport for a couple of years. Because of his football background, Meech will not shy away from contact, and will provide a toughness that is not always on display at GU. Lastly, I think that all fans should be prepared to see one of the quickest players they will ever see. Meech has been timed in the 4.4 range in the 40 yard dash, and his coach said that he is the quickest player from free-throw line to free-throw line that he has seen in 17 years of coaching. This will be important if the Zags are going to return to pushing the ball up and down the court like they have in years past. What makes Meech so rare is his great decision making at such a quick pace.

Room for improvement: The main weakness in Meech's game is his shooting. At the high school level, Meech was able to use his quickness to blow by defenders, no matter how far they backed off of him. However, at the D1 level, players will by much quicker and stronger. For Meech to be able to dictate the pace, and be able to get into the lane, he will have to be able to keep the defense honest. If Meech can develop a reliable jumper, he will be incredibly difficult to guard with all the quickness that he possesses. The other issue with Meech is his size. There is no denying that Meech is a strong and tough kid, but he is only 5'10 or 5'11. It will be interesting to see how Meech matches up with taller and stronger guards at the D1 level. Because of his size, it will be very hard for him to guard a player like Jeremy Pargo, who with his strength and height, would be able to dominate in the post. It will only be with the taller guards that size will be an issue for Meech, and hopefully he can make life difficult with his strength and quickness.

Projected Role: I expect Meech to be the primary backup for Pargo at the Point Guard position. This is the perfect role for Meech, as he can bring 15-20 minutes of energy and push the tempo off the bench. This will also allow for him to have a season under his belt to learn the offense, before he inherits the starting Point Guard role his sophomore season. He will also bring a sense of toughness, along with Gibbs, to the program, and I think he will push other guards for playing time. We might also see some times when Meech and Pargo share the back court, allowing Pargo to focus on more of a scoring role.

Summer Workout Plan: Meech will be arriving along with Andy and Grant for the second summer session. After he settles down and unpacks his bags, Meech should be in the gym shooting 100's of jumpers daily. As mentioned earlier, with a reliable jumper, Meech will be very difficult to guard. He should also try and spend as much time as possible picking the mind and watching tape of Pargo. The quicker that he picks up the offense, the bigger impact he can have early on.

In Meech, I believe that GU has the next great point guard, in its long line of great guards. Meech has the quickness and ability to be a great point guard not only at this level, but at the next. With Grant, Meech, and Steven at the guard position for the next 3 years, there is no shortage of versatility and talent. Look for Meech to bring a great sense of toughness, and great energy off the bench throughout the season.

TKR Breakdowns: Grant Gibbs

Kicking off our series of player breakdowns is incoming freshman Grant Gibbs. A 6'5'' guard from Marion, IA, Gibbs is one of the three members of Gonzaga's talented 2008 recruiting class. He is coming off a nasty wrist injury during his senior campaign but is having an excellent recovery and the injury should not affect his career at Gonzaga University. Here is a little more about Grant Gibbs from the eyes of The Kennel Report.

Strengths: One of Gibbs' greatest assets is his size. Gibbs is currently listed at 6'5'', 190 pounds. He was a point guard during his time at Linn-Mar high school but is expected to make the transition to shooting guard upon his arrival in Spokane. His size for a guard is well above average and that is promising for Gonzaga and should fit well into the system. Gibbs, like Bouldin and Pargo will be able to most smaller guards up and present a great deal of mismatches. Another strength for Gibbs is his basketball IQ. Gibbs is a very tough-minded, smart basketball player. His physicality on the court and his basketball savvy are going to be welcome additions to the Zags, especially during practice. Gibbs will have no issue with roughing it up with his teammates and will definitely push them to the max. Court Vision and Passing is another skill Gibbs has taken to another level. In Gonzaga's offense, interior passing and ball movement is crucial and Gibbs' size gives him the ability to see the court very well. The Zags struggled with turnovers last year and Gibbs will be able to offer a steady hand to help reduce that number greatly.

Room for Improvement: Although Gibbs was a high school point guard, he still has to improve his quickness. Many believe that Gibbs is deceptively quick on the drive but his lateral quickness needs improvement for the next level. This will directly affect his ability to come off of screens as well as defending smaller, quicker, point guards. Defending Jeremy Pargo in practice should help this. Not so much a room for improvement but a cause for concern is Gibbs' lingering affects from his injury. Grant suffered a wrist injury from a nasty fall during a regular season game that sidelined him for quite some time. Gonzaga has had experience with this sort of injury with Steven Gray but Gibbs' appears to be more serious. Even though it is not a major cause for concern, their is a great deal of mental and physical issues associated with this sort of injury. Gibbs can also improve on his shooting. He is excellent from the free throw line but has not really developed a consistent catch and shoot type shot. Improving his quickness and getting better looks should help out with his shooting.

Projected Role: Gibbs' greatest impact may not be on the floor during his freshman season. He is expected to bring a tough attitude to the program and will test the wills of the returning players. Expect Gibbs to increase the toughness in Gray and Bouldin and should see some minutes on the court. He will backup Bouldin and Gray at the shooting guard spot unless Gray and that could mean quite a few minutes of Gonzaga returns with the three-guard lineup.

Summer Workout Plan: Gibbs will be in Spokane for the summer and will benefit from being around two of the most physically strong guards in the nation in Matt Bouldin and Jeremy Pargo. He will learn from them in the weight room and improve on his skinny frame. As I mentioned, his quickness should get boosted by guarding Pargo in practice but will still need to work on his speed. Expect him to gain some weight this off season and be very similar to Bouldin.

Gibbs will be a force for Gonzaga during his tenure. He has all the physical and mental tools. Gonzaga hasn't seen a player as tough as him since the arrival of Pargo. He will instantly impact the attitude of this historically "soft" team. He's also a die-hard Gonzaga fan and respects the history of Gonzaga and knows what comes with putting on the uniform. His impact will be outstanding this season and for his four years in Spokane.