So far the official 2023-2024 roster has nine players listed as Guards, three players listed as Forwards, and two Centers. I believe this gives some insight on where the Coaches plan on using these players on the court.
Probably the only surprise to me is Davis listed as a guard. Verbal Commits has him listed with D'Amico as a Small Forward.
| 15 | JR Jacobs | G | 5-9 | 155 | R-Fr. |
| 10 | Xavier Johnson | G | 6-1 | 185 | Gr. |
| 24 | Trent Brown | G | 6-2 | 185 | Gr. |
| 12 | Chris Cross | G | 6-2 | 195 | Sr. |
| 25 | Trey Miller | G | 6-2 | 180 | So. |
| 5 | Sheridan Sharp | G | 6-3 | 180 | Fr. |
| 33 | Jovan Stulic | G | 6-6 | 215 | Sr. |
| 14 | AJ Ferguson | G | 6-6 | 185 | Jr. |
| 30 | Kennard Davis | G | 6-6 | 180 | Fr. |
| 23 | Troy D'Amico | F | 6-7 | 210 | Jr. |
| 32 | Jarrett Hensley | F | 6-8 | 220 | Sr. |
| 4 | Clarence Rupert | F | 6-8 | 245 | Jr. |
| 2 | Scottie Ebube | C | 6-10 | 265 | R-So. |
| 21 | Cade Hornecker | C | 7-0 | 240 | So. |
Class balance looks pretty good with this roster also.
| 10 | Xavier Johnson | G | 6-1 | 185 | Gr. |
| 24 | Trent Brown | G | 6-2 | 185 | Gr. |
| 12 | Chris Cross | G | 6-2 | 195 | Sr. |
| 33 | Jovan Stulic | G | 6-6 | 215 | Sr. |
| 32 | Jarrett Hensley | F | 6-8 | 220 | Sr. |
| 14 | AJ Ferguson | G | 6-6 | 185 | Jr. |
| 23 | Troy D'Amico | F | 6-7 | 210 | Jr. |
| 4 | Clarence Rupert | F | 6-8 | 245 | Jr. |
| 25 | Trey Miller | G | 6-2 | 180 | So. |
| 2 | Scottie Ebube | C | 6-10 | 265 | R-So. |
| 21 | Cade Hornecker | C | 7-0 | 240 | So. |
| 15 | JR Jacobs | G | 5-9 | 155 | R-Fr. |
| 5 | Sheridan Sharp | G | 6-3 | 180 | Fr. |
| 30 | Kennard Davis | G | 6-6 | 180 | Fr. |
2 spots open for 2024 right now, could jump to 4 if the Seniors don’t come back and 5 depending on who the last scholarship of 2023 goes to. And obviously this assumes we don’t have unexpected departures.
So far the official 2023-2024 roster has nine players listed as Guards, three players listed as Forwards, and two Centers. I believe this gives some insight on where the Coaches plan on using these players on the court.
Probably the only surprise to me is Davis listed as a guard. Verbal Commits has him listed with D'Amico as a Small Forward.
15 JR Jacobs G 5-9 155 R-Fr. 10 Xavier Johnson G 6-1 185 Gr. 24 Trent Brown G 6-2 185 Gr. 12 Chris Cross G 6-2 195 Sr. 25 Trey Miller G 6-2 180 So. 5 Sheridan Sharp G 6-3 180 Fr. 33 Jovan Stulic G 6-6 215 Sr. 14 AJ Ferguson G 6-6 185 Jr. 30 Kennard Davis G 6-6 180 Fr. 23 Troy D'Amico F 6-7 210 Jr. 32 Jarrett Hensley F 6-8 220 Sr. 4 Clarence Rupert F 6-8 245 Jr. 2 Scottie Ebube C 6-10 265 R-So. 21 Cade Hornecker C 7-0 240 So.
Davis will in all likelihood play the 3 maybe the 4 occasionally, but I really don't see him at the 2. This is a good thing if they are able to stick to that. This is where Domask should have been his entire career here, but circumstances had him playing the 4 for the majority.
We have a lot more depth at the 4 spot now with D'Amico, Hensley, and Rupert (Hensley and Rupert can play the 5 as well, I'm hopeful they don't often). If D'Amico can shoot at a higher volume and maintain his 3 point percentage (38% the last two years), I think he'll be able to play some 3 too.
Which brings me to my next point...imagine with me if you will a couple 6'6" 2 guards splitting minutes in Ferguson and Stulic. Wouldn't that be something. If they don't end up at the 2 guard, I think the 3 becomes way too crowded and the 2 guards very thin.
I think this allows Miller to backup Johnson and occasionally fill in at the 2 guard spot, before he takes over next year with Sharp as the basckup (hopefully Sharp can redshirt this year and get stronger).
My depth chart would look something like this.
1. XJ, Miller, Sharp (redshirt candidate)
2. Feguson/Stulic in either order, Brown, Miller (fill in)
3. D'Amico, Davis, Ferguson (fill in)
4. Rupert/Hensley in either order, D'amico (fill in)
5. Ebube, Hornecker, Rupert/Hensley (fill in)
This is without knowing where that last schollie is going. Hopefully to another shooter/2 guard.
I doubt D’Amico plays at the 3, he’s our starting 4, I believe.
Trey Miller should be starting over Ferguson right now. You’re forgetting Brown too and I don’t think he’s going to sit. He’s far more likely to start than sit.
I did forget Brown thanks (fixed it in the above), but if he's starting we are in real trouble this year. I think he sticks around and is more of a glue/on-boarding guy and plays spot minutes. Miller is an interesting guy and I could see him playing the 2 but I really don't think that is his primary position. I think they brought him to be the heir apparent/backup for XJ. Unless his 3 pt. shooting goes up, you can't have your 2 guard shooting 30% from deep (see last year). Mullins seems really high on Ferguson from his earlier interviews and I sure like that size and athleticism for the 2/3 guard. It's really hard to know b/c so many guys are unproven overall or unproven on this team/this level. I don't think anyone really knows who is playing where until the season starts this was just my guess.
I doubt D’Amico plays at the 3, he’s our starting 4, I believe.
If D'Amico is the starting 4 we are going to have a really crowded front court. I think he absolutely will play there sometimes, but if he starts at the 4 then Rupert gets pushed to the 5 and you have Ebube and Hornecker in the same situation as last year (not saying it isn't possible, just not ideal).
@foxman24 D’Amico won’t be able to guard athletic 3’s.
I’ll hold off on further roster analysis until when/if they fill the last ride but I will say that if Trey Miller plays at a fairly high level, I think he and XJ will play together quite a bit. Not enough quality guardplay on the roster to not deploy them both if they’re producing.
We’ll see how Trey’s 3-ball comes along … hopefully he can get it to drop at a higher clip going forward.
Let’s Go Dawgs! It’s been to damn long since SIU has made the NIT or NCAA Tournament. You came to SIU to win…..let’s do that in a big way this season.
