The Baylor basketball team began practice in October and the good news for its centennial season of 2005-2006 is that the Bears will field a nearly full, albeit young, squad for the first time in Scott Drew's three seasons. The bad news is that Baylor will only play half a season due to NCAA sanctions brought on by the former coaching staff.
So for the third straight season, Drew's team is saddled with an unprecedented task. After two seasons of playing with half a team (Baylor has dressed seven or fewer scholarship players for 57 straight games), the Bears will now become the first team in modern-day college basketball history to play a regular-season schedule with no non-conference games.
"We're in uncharted waters again," Drew said. "We've been the first two seasons with half a team on scholarship and a bunch of walk-ons playing; and we'll be in uncharted water this season starting an abbreviated schedule in January. You can't call anyone and ask them, 'How do you handle half a season?' It's never happened before."
The squad Drew will debut during conference play is by far his most talented, but is heavy on youth and newcomers. The 13-man preseason roster lists nine underclassmen, including six players who have yet to dress for a game, and just two seniors.
"We face the challenges that are raised from playing half a season and the uncertainties that are raised in half a season; as far as playing time, roles and chemistry," Drew said. "It's a very talented team, but it's a very young team."
In addition to the influx of newcomers, Baylor will return the core of last season's team. Baylor returns 93 percent of its scoring and 90 percent of its rebounding from the 2004-2005 squad, which was the least experienced in the nation (the 2004-2005 Bears returned only one scholarship player and scrapped their way to a 9-19 season).
"We're an unknown," Drew said. "Just like professional teams that make huge moves in the off-season, you have no idea how they are going to respond or how long it is going to take them to jell. With the changes we've had and with the new guys coming in and without time to adjust, it's hard to tell."
In Year Three of the Drew Era the Bears will carry a near-full compliment of 11 scholarship players - two shy of the maximum. Back are seven of Baylor's eight regular players (including sophomore Aaron Bruce, the nation's top-scoring freshman last season) and a seven-footer who redshirted last year (Mamadou Diene). They will be joined by the school's most highly thought of recruiting class in recent memory.
The incoming recruiting class, rated the nation's 11th-best class by Rivals and No. 17 by HoopScoop, includes three national top-100 high school freshmen (Henry Dugat, Curtis Jerrells and Kevin Rogers) and what some have referred to as the top international signee (Jari Vanttaja).
The group will join Diene and five returning scholarship players to give Drew his first legitimate basketball squad in three seasons at Baylor.
"Our biggest obstacle last year was our lack of height," Drew said of having just one scholarship player taller than 6-6. "This year we are in a situation where we have five guys over 6-foot-6 and we have guys that can rebound. So we've answered that question. We have height and we have athleticism and we have talent."
Baylor is celebrating its basketball centennial this season, the school's 100th year of play since its first recognized season in 1906-1907.
GUARDS
Back to lead the Bears and run the offense from the point is All-America and Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Aaron Bruce (6-3, So.), the only Bear to start all 28 games last season. Bruce, a freshman All-American last season who led the nation's freshmen in scoring with 18.2 points per game, led the Bears in scoring, minutes (34.8 mpg), assists (3.8 apg), 3-pointers (69), free throws (96) and free throw percentage (82.8%).
"Aaron is one of those players that can make other players around him look better," Drew said.
Bruce, an All-Big 12 honoree last season, spent the summer playing on and serving as captain of Australia's under-21 national squad.
"Aaron will get a chance this year to display his passing ability more," Drew said. "With added talent and depth around him we expect Aaron's assists to increase. He is great at getting out in transition, and he'll be able to get out now that he won't have to have the rebounding responsibility he had before. Aaron can throw up some double-double numbers now."
Candidates to man the shooting guard position are returnee Kevis Shipman and two highly regarded true freshman, Henry Dugat and Curtis Jerrells.
The strongest contender is likely Dugat (6-0, Fr.), a true freshman from Dayton (Texas) High School. The speedy Dugat, rated the No. 74 recruit nationally by Rivals, averaged 25.5 at Dayton as a senior last season.
"Henry is going to be a crowd favorite, as far as the excitement he can bring to the court," Drew said. "Plus he has a pretty good feel for the game."
Jerrells (6-1, Fr.) is a true freshman from Del Valle High School in Austin, Texas. Jerrells was rated the seventh-best recruit in the state by Texas Roundball after averaging 20.2 points as a senior in 2004-2005.
"Curtis already has a Big 12 body," Drew said. "He's done a great job in preparing himself and he is capable of scoring in bunches."
A lefty, Jerrells is expected to see significant minutes at both guard positions.
Shipman (6-0, Sr.) started the first 19 games last season at the two guard and came off the bench for the final nine contests. The former junior college transfer averaged 4.8 points and shot 36.2 percent from the 3-point line in his first season at Baylor.
"Kevis is a great shooter," Drew said. "He is one of the best stand-still shooters in the league."
Providing depth at guard is freshman walk-on Carl Sims (5-10, Fr.) from Waco High School. A scholarship wide receiver for the Bears football team, Sims was a two-sport star at Waco.
FORWARDS
As Drew mentioned, the added height on his roster will allow some flexibility and choices in the frontcourt.
The majority of the minutes at the small forward position are likely to be split between returnees Tim Bush and Patrick Fields as well as newcomer Kevin Rogers.
Bush (6-6, Jr.) started all 24 games after becoming eligible following the first semester last season. The former transfer from LSU was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer team after averaging 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds.
"Now that Tim has had a year to adjust to his weight loss and has improved his perimeter play, we look for him to take another step up," Drew said of the 40-pound weight drop Bush sustained throughout last year and the off-season.
Fields (6-6, Jr.) is a second-year wing who started 18 of the first 19 games last season. He averaged 11.1 points and totaled 19 double-digit scoring games.
"Pat played really well in stretches last season," Drew said. "With experience hopefully he can become more consistent."
Rogers (6-9, Fr.) is expected to make an immediate contribution as a true freshman. The standout from South Oak Cliff in Dallas, Texas, is Baylor's highest-rated recruit in recent memory. A powerful left-hander, Rogers averaged 15.5 points and eight rebounds in helping SOC to the Texas 4A state championship last spring.
"Kevin has a knack for scoring," Drew said. "He is a great athlete with tremendous potential."
An additional possibility at the 3 includes second-year sophomore Richard Hurd. Hurd (6-5, So.) played 17 minutes a game and made 10 starts last season as a true freshman walk-on.
"Richard drastically improved from the first game to the end of the season last year," Drew said. "He provides athleticism and aggressive play on the court and has a nose for the ball."
Options at power forward include veterans Tommy Swanson and Bush, and newcomers Rogers and Jari Vanttaja.
Vanttaja (6-10, Fr.) is a 19-year-old from Oulu, Finland and a veteran of international competition with his country's junior national teams. The true freshman has been compared to fellow Finn Hanno Mottola, a former Utah Ute and Atlanta Hawk.
"Jari can handle the ball, he can shoot, and he has size," Drew said.
Second-year walk-on Mark Shepherd (6-9, So.) adds depth to the frontcourt. Shepherd averaged 2.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 14.0 minutes last season as a freshman.
"Mark has really improved since arriving here," Drew said. "He plays tremendously hard."
CENTER At center, Drew's options include Swanson, redshirt freshman Mamadou Diene and Vanttaja.
Swanson (6-10, Sr.) is a fourth-year senior with 53 starts under his belt. Swanson averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds as a junior in 2004-2005.
"Hopefully now with some added size around him, Tommy won't have to carry the brunt of the rebounding and the dirty work inside," Drew said. "That should allow him to expand his game a little bit outside the lane and have some help on the glass."
After redshirting last season, freshman Diene (7-0, RFr.) will suit up in green and gold for the first time in 2005-2006. The talented youngster arrived in the United States in January 2005 and practiced with the team over the second half of last season. Diene has succeeded in adding 40 pounds to his slender frame since arriving last winter as a sub-200-pound true freshman.
"Mamadou has improved more than any player since he got here," Drew said. "He is a good rebounder with nice touch. We look forward to him getting bigger and stronger."
