RSS
Home
Offseason additions and subtractions: Colorado Buffaloes
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The offseason was a time to fill some holes in Boulder. Coach Jeff Bzdelik went out of the country to bring in 6-11, 240-pound Shane Harris-Tunks. He will replace Jermyl Jackson-Wilson who graduated.
The Buffs have made some strides even though it may not have shown it in the final record. They were very competitive every night as shown by their 5 point loss on the road to Oklahoma and an overtime loss to Texas. “We were gaining wisdom and experience with all those young kids, “ stated Coach Bzdelik. However, they may still be a year away as they only have one senior starter back.
The backcourt returns all conference guard, Cory Higgins, as well as senior Dwight Thorne II. The key will be the development and maturation of Aussie import, Nate Tomlinson. He gained valuable experience in the off season playing for the Australian team in the World University Games. His erratic play was a somewhat typical result of being throw right into the fire as a freshman. But as the legendary Marquette coach, Al McGuire said, “the good thing about freshmen is they become sophomores.” This adage needs to carry some weight for the Buffs to improve.
In the front court the aforementioned Harris-Tunks will be relied on heavily. Junior college transfer Marcus Relphorde will bring some much needed athleticism to the paint and with a year under his belt, Casey Crawford will be counted on for more consistent play.
Without the depth inside that is needed to compete at the highest level of the Big 12 night in and night out Colorado will rely on offensive execution and the ability of Higgins to make plays at the end of a shot clock. Early season games in the Maui Classic will give Buffalo fans a peek into the future. If they can hold their own against Wisconsin and Maryland than you just might hear some rumbling in the mountains of Colorado come conference season.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
