Early Look Ahead: 2015 Tribe Basketball (Part 2)

Rising Sophomore Greg Malinowski will look to build off of his strong Freshman year campaign.
Rising Sophomore Greg Malinowski will look to build off of his strong Freshman year campaign.

Last week, we detailed the Tribe’s starters for the 2015/2016 season. This week, we take a look at the rest of the squad! Let’s get to it.

Off the Bench

#5 Greg Malinowski, Sophomore, Forward/Guard (6’5”, 205): Showed great flashes on both ends of the court and showed a knack for getting to the basket in his Freshman year. He was definitely the most impressive Freshman a season ago. Malinowski can also shoot the occasional 3-point jumper. We project him to be the first man off the bench this coming season.

#21 Oliver Tot, Sophomore, Guard (6’6”, 200): Tot has insane ball-handling and passing ability, coupled with great court vision. The Slovakian product developed last year as he adjusted to more of an American style of play– but we want to see more. With another year under his belt, the assist-machine should be ready to go.

#41 Jack Whitman, Redshirt Sophomore, Forward (6’9”, 235): Whitman primarily functioned last season as the third big man behind Sheldon and Schalk. We haven’t seen much from him (mainly because he has yet to see extensive time on the floor). However, his height is a serious advantage, especially on a Tribe team that doesn’t have much of it. Look to see Whitman’s playing time significantly increase, especially as Sheldon’s primary back up.

#10 Connor Burchfield, Sophomore, Guard (6’4”, 175): Burchfield saw his playing time increase toward the end of last season. Known as a “3 point specialist,” he can certainly contribute from beyond the arc. Checking in at just 175 pounds, he may want to pack some additional pounds onto his frame this offseason. Burchfield reminds us of recent Tribe grad Julian Boatner, and may have the potential to one day be among the top 3 point shooters in the CAA.

#11 Michael Schlotman, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard (6’4”, 195): Schlotman began the season seeing a lot of playing time, but soon saw his time on the court diminish as Malinowski and Tot took the reigns. Schlotman is a guard with a great handle, but did not show an ability to get to the rack and score the ball in any significant way last season. If Schlotman becomes more willing to shoot the ball, he may see more playing time in the future.

#1 Jamison Glover, Sophomore, Guard (6’0”, 185): A great Tribe walk on player, Jamison Glover gives 200% each and every time he touches the court. He’s a shifty lefty, who knows how to put down his head and drive to the basket (rare on this Tribe team). We would love to see nothing more than increased playing time for Glover. Only time will tell if it’s in the cards this coming season.

Freshman Class: Let’s not forget that Tony Shaver often incorporates one or two Freshmen into the rotation each year. The incoming class isn’t set in stone yet, however, Hunter Seacat is one prep player who has already officially signed his letter of intent for the Green and Gold. The incoming Freshman is a 6’9” post-up Forward from North Carolina. And let’s not forget Paul Rowley, the Northern Virginia product who redshirted his Freshman season and practiced with the team last year. Stay tuned for updates regarding the Tribe’s newest crop of Freshmen in the coming months.

Wrap Up

One would think that the loss of William & Mary’s all time leading scorer would be a huge cause for concern. While replacing Marcus Thornton will certainly be no easy task, next year’s team has great depth, leadership, and coaching. An increased effort and focus on the defensive end would go a long way in helping this team get over the hump, and possibly into the NCAA tournament. We know it’s early, but it’s never too early to look ahead to next season. Get pumped! LET’S GO TRIBE!!!

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