This is your Morning Commute. Additional links after the jump.
Let me start this rant by saying that if Jordan Williams leaves Maryland for the NBA after this season, the entirety of what I'm about to say is a moot. I don't think he will leave, because his body and his game aren't far enough along for him to succeed on the next level, but it is still a possibility.
But between the CBA expiring and the state of his game, I don't think he'll make the leap. He'll be the foundation of the Maryland team next year, and based on what we've seen recently, he'll have a pretty good amount of help.
Terrell Stoglin has shown over the last two games that he is unafraid to take, and make, big shots in the ACC. We don't know if he'll be a successful point guard at this level yet, but we do know that he can score. And there have been many games over the last year or so that the Terps have been in desperate need of a player who can create his own shot from the perimeter, and Stoglin may prove to be that guy.
The other source of immediate hope is Pe'Shon Howard, who might be able to handle the point guard duties that Stoglin might be unable to. Howard is also unafraid to shoot, but he is most effective when looking for his teammates. Together, they should thrive as the Terps' starting back court for the next three seasons, if they stay around.
Along with Williams, they should form a pretty solid three man foundation to build on. The goal is then to fill in the spots around them with capable role players. They need to put a big man next to Jordan Williams that is solid defensively, and big enough to hand the opponents best post player so as not to tire Jordan out. If he ever gets a pair of hands, James Padgett might be a very similar player to Dino Gregory, and that is pretty good.
And let's not forget a pretty promising group of recruits who will be freshman on the team next year. Nick Faust has excellent size for a wing player, and the shooting stroke to be successful on an inside-out team like Maryland's. Sterling Gibbs, the younger brother of Pitt guard Ashton, should complete the point guard rotation. And the Terps still might get stretch power forwards in Greg Whittington and Martin Breunig, both of whom were at the game yesterday.
The Terps haven't been great this season. They probably aren't going to the NCAA tournament. But they are young, and they have the pieces to be a successful team moving forward. We'll have to see some of their incoming freshman before we decide just how good they can be, but the only way to go from here is up.
Must reads from around the SB Nation network.
- Federal Baseball on National manager Jim Riggleman.
- Testudo Times recaps the game last night.
- Bullets Forever on if the Wizards have two stars currently on the roster.
On tap today at SB Nation D.C.: Daniel Shiferaw was at the Grevis Vasquez ceremony yesterday. Jack Anderson on the Caps need for Alex Ovechkin to start playing like Alex Ovechkin. Scott Jackson says that it isn't time to push the panic button on the Caps season yet.