Saint Louis Men's Basketball Preview

Josh Fisher

Saint Louis head coach Brad Soderberg spent a harried spring in 2002 patching up a roster that was riddled by unexpected player losses shortly after he was hired that April. He and his staff filled the gaps so well that the Billikens surged to a third-place finish in Conference USA?s American Division in the spring of 2003, captured the program?s first first-round bye in the C-USA postseason tournament and earned a NIT bid.

Soderberg and his staff turned up late gems last year like guard Anthony Drejaj and forward Izik Ohanon, transfer guard Reggie Bryant and redshirt freshman forward Justin Johnson. Now, Soderberg needs junior college center Tom Frericks and three freshmen to step into the shoes of departed seniors who led the Bills in rebounding, scoring and three-point shooting.

?I have to compliment my staff signing eight players in a 12-month period,? Soderberg said. ?I?d challenge anybody to bring in that many quality players during that kind of time frame.?

The 2003-04 Billikens will be a deeper, more athletic group than a season ago. With seniors Josh Fisher and Chris Sloan leading the way, the Bills will benefit from having more players who fully comprehend Soderberg?s system.

?We have nine veteran players who understand what we?re trying to do, and that?s an advantage,? Soderberg noted.

Although the Billikens topped C-USA in points allowed last year at 60.7 points per game, their offense averaged that exact same number. When All-Conference guard Marque Perry was out of the lineup or had a rare off game, the Bills struggled to score. Soderberg sees that changing.

?We have the potential to put an offense on the floor that has more firepower,? he said. ?We have more versatility, because we have more players capable of playing multiple positions than we did last year. That?s an important factor in the motion game that we play.?

Guards
Soderberg?s main concern is what will happen when the shot clock or the game clock is running down. No longer is Perry available with his ability to penetrate at will and his fearless approach to game-winning situations.

?We?ve got guys who can do it, but a year ago, I knew that we had a guy who could get a shot,? Soderberg said. ?But we need to see if these guys can do it when it really matters.?

Veteran Josh Fisher (8.2 ppg, 3.7 apg) has been a steady, if unspectacular, performer for three seasons. Fisher?s occasional flashes of brilliance, like his 16-point game at Arizona and his 21-point game against Southern Illinois, provide glimpses of what he could provide regularly. Rock-solid at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and one of the Bills? best athletes, Fisher has averaged 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game for his career. He is on track to finish among the top five in both categories all-time at SLU.

?Josh has put a lot of time into his jump shot,? Soderberg said. ?A year ago, he earned my trust by reducing his turnovers and was our high assist man. The other thing that wasn?t noticed was how well he rebounded (2.6 rpg) from the guard spot.?

Fisher gained some degree of notoriety last year with his defensive work, especially against Marquette All-America Dwyane Wade, who scored in single figures only three times in his career. All three of those were against Saint Louis with Fisher providing the majority of the defensive responsibility. Wade was ineffective in both games against the Bills last year, averaging just 6.5 ppg on 22.2 percent marksmanship from the field.

?Josh became our defensive ?go-to-guy? last year on the perimeter,? Soderberg said. ?He has established himself as a great defender, which means he doesn?t need help. We?re going to need him to be that and more this year.?

Former Villanova guard Reggie Bryant is expected to take most of Perry?s minutes and, hopefully, pick up the scoring slack. In his sophomore season with the Wildcats, the 6-foot-2 Bryant averaged 9.1 ppg in just 24 minutes per game. He will get the opportunity to play 30-plus minutes for the Billikens.

A 36.6 percent career three-point shooter, Bryant is one of the players expected to take those late shots that were once Perry?s specialty.

?Reggie is a scorer and appears to have the disposition to handle that responsibility,? Soderberg said. ?He is a better shooter from the perimeter than Perry, and he?s very good going to the basket but not with the speed and strength of Marque.?

The transfer year allowed Bryant to gain strength and work through some of the physical maladies that slowed him at Villanova. Bryant wanted to be in a situation where he could play a larger role in the offensive scheme, and he now has that opportunity.

Anthony Drejaj was a major surprise for the Bills as a freshman last season. Signed in late June last year, Soderberg was enamored with Drejaj?s desire to win, competitiveness and toughness. The New Jersey native eventually started 14 games and finished fourth on the club in scoring at 6.9 ppg, second in steals with 35 and third in assists at 2.2 apg. He should continue to be the type of player that changes the intensity level of the game whenever he enters the fray.

?The most surprising thing last year was when he showed flashes of being a reliable scorer,? Soderberg said. ?When he put up 27 points in his first conference tournament game, that was pretty good.?

Drejaj ended up scoring in double figures seven times, and his three-point shooting rescued the Bills in late-season games against East Carolina and Southern Miss. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder drilled 10-of-11 shots from the field including 5-of-6 treys, in that 27-point outing against the Golden Eagles. His 91 percent shooting from the field marked the second-best shooting performance by an individual in a C-USA Tournament game.

Freshman Darren Clarke is potentially a dynamic scorer from the perimeter with the ability to slash to the basket. A third-team All-State performer at Minnetonka (Minn.) High School, the 6-foot-4 Clarke played out of position at point guard and still managed 14.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, and 2.0 spg. He shot 51 percent from the field, 41 percent from beyond the arc and 72 percent from the line.

?Darren has a chance during his career to be whatever he wants to be,? said Soderberg, who thought Clarke was a steal in the recruiting wars. ?He?s an exceptional athlete.?

Senior guard Phillip Hunt will continue in his role as a spot performer and late-game three-point shooter. The St. Louisan did have some significant moments last year when he came off the bench to spark the winning rally against St. Bonaventure. His defense on Bonnies point guard Marques Green and a three-point bomb turned the tide for SLU. With the Bills? lack of depth last year in the backcourt, he handled top-ranked Arizona?s fullcourt pressure with aplomb. He also was the last Billiken to handle the ball as SLU calmly swung the ball around the perimeter to Perry in its game-winning possession in the upset of second-ranked Louisville.

Limited to a four-man rotation last year in the backcourt, the Billikens have options at the perimeter spots that they didn?t have a year ago.

Forwards
Senior forward Chris Sloan emerged as a dependable player at both ends of the floor in the last half of the 2002-03 season. In his final 15 games, the 6-foot-7 swingman averaged 10.3 ppg on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range. He also added 4.8 rpg in that same stretch.

Sloan had been struggling until an 11-point, seven-board effort against Memphis turned his season around. His 13-point, 11-rebound game in the overtime triumph over Tulane that featured two crucial treys in the late going cemented his stature as one of the Bills? most reliable performers.

Soderberg loves Sloan?s zest for the game along with his versatility.

?Most players can only guard their position, but Chris can guard guys who are bigger or smaller than he is,? Soderberg said. ?The emergence of his shot last year made Chris indispensable. All the intangibles he brings to the floor, and the fact that he plays as hard as he does, combined with a relatively consistent 15-to-18-foot jumper make him a valuable asset to our team.?

Should Sloan be as productive as he was in the latter stages of 2002-03, the Billikens will be more than satisfied.

Soderberg projected that junior forward Izik Ohanon would most likely use his sophomore year as a transition season. The 6-foo-9 Israeli forward had to miss the first eight games last year under a NCAA edict for playing with professionals in his homeland.

Ohanon showed flashes of his immense potential at various times last year. A memorable 18-point game against West Virginia and highlight reel moments against Kansas State and Minnesota whetted the appetites of coaches, fans and media.

?Izik showed the ability to do things from the three-point line such as initiate his possession from there, get to the rim with one dribble, pull up in the lane, shoot the three or get to the lane and making a great pass,? Soderberg said. ?His rebounding also surpassed our expectations.?

With a systematic commitment to working on his game, Ohanon is primed to dramatically improve upon his 14.5 minutes, 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game averages of a year ago. Soderberg is prepared to give him the opportunity with a more refined role.

?Our goal this year is to use Izik exclusively as a perimeter player,? Soderberg said. ?Our experiments last year in how to use Izik were all productive toward this year. He will be a perimeter player who has our permission to go into the post when he feels it?s appropriate. He can handle all of it.?

With plenty of playing time up for grabs along the front line, redshirt freshman Justin Johnson has an opening to grab some playing time by virtue of his athleticism and shooting skills. The 6-foot-8 Johnson bulked up to 230 pounds during his redshirt season to better be able to bang on the block.

?If Justin develops the way we believe he can, he will fit the prototype of a four-man in Conference USA,? Soderberg said. ?He?s got that Cam Stephens (former Charlotte power forward) body with the ability to play outside the lane. He?s a fine shooter, but how he competes in the bump-and-grind is his challenge.?

Senior Ross Varner was a victim of the numbers game last year among the forwards and saw just under 10 minutes of playing time per game in only 21 games. A better shooter than his career numbers indicate, the 6-foot-7, 230-pounder has proven to be an excellent offensive rebounder and a reliable defensive rebounder with solid technique.

?We like Ross? understanding of what we need from him in getting his teammates open and being a threat to score after he?s set a screen,? Soderberg said. ?He?s valuable for that reason alone.?
Varner may prove to be more productive in a defined role such as providing relief for Sloan.

Centers
Although everyone points to replacing Perry as the Billikens? major issue, the Saint Louis coaching staff is equally concerned about filling the center spot occupied by Kenny Brown for the past two seasons. Brown was the Bills? leading rebounder and shot blocker for the past two seasons and had developed into one of the best post defenders in C-USA, if not the country.

Expected to step right into the middle is junior college transfer Tom Frericks. At 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, Frericks fills the bill physically. An All-Panhandle Conference performer at Chipola (Fla.) JC, Frericks averaged 10.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor.

?We had to bring in someone who could start at the five spot, someone who has the physical experience and the offensive skills, and Tom certainly has those qualities,? Soderberg said. ?He?s a big, physical, tough five-man, and he should help bridge the gap between Kenny Brown and the development of our young guys. He has the ability to score on the block and the size to give us presence on the block defensively.?

Frericks also knows his way around C-USA. He spent one season at Chipola after transferring from UAB. As a freshman with the Blazers in 2000-01, Frericks averaged 2.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in 7.5 minutes per game. Frericks sat out the 2001-02 season as a medical hardship before leaving for Chipola.

Two promising young big men will provide support behind Frericks. Seven-foot, 250-pound freshman Bryce Husak originally signed with Elon University, but gained his release after the coaching staff was dismissed. Husak blossomed during his senior season at Mt. Vernon (Iowa) High School and averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks per game.

?Bryce has excellent hands and feet, good skills, runs the floor very well and has the potential to be an excellent low post player,? Soderberg said. ?His adjustment needs to go from playing at a small high school to major college basketball. We?re going to give him every opportunity to learn, grow and not force him into action too quickly.?

Saint Louis enhanced its international flavor by adding 6-foot-10, 250-pound Ian Vouyoukas from Greece. Vouyoukas averaged 23.8 points, while shooting 62 percent from the field, and 11 rebounds per game for Ilisiakos, a club team in Athens.

?Ian is highly skilled for his age, has a feel for the game and is a tremendous passer,? Soderberg noted. ?Ian or Husak need to give us significant minutes this year. Ian would appear to be a little ahead with his international experience.?

Vouyoukas will play for the 19-and-Under Greek National Team this summer in preparation for his first year of college.
In the post, Saint Louis should be able to replace Brown?s 6.7 ppg, but filling that defensive presence will be a challenge.

Offense
Saint Louis ranked 13th in C-USA in scoring for the second straight season averaging 60.7 ppg. The combination of Soderberg?s motion offense and point guard Josh Fisher?s steadiness led the Bills to a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

The Billikens? increased depth in the backcourt should allow them to better withstand the fullcourt pressure that wore them down at times last season.

?We?ll have a backcourt that?s more than a four-man rotation,? Soderberg said. ?We have options at the perimeter spots that we didn?t have a year ago.

?We should have multiple players in double figures this year, and that could become our strength. Our opponents shouldn?t be able to defend one guy and put us in jeopardy.?

If better balance and more options lead the Bills to featuring more than one double figure scorer, it will be the first time since the 2000-01 season.

Defense
Saint Louis topped C-USA in points allowed last year yielding just 60.7 ppg. With an altered cast on the perimeter and virtually a whole new group in the five spot, Soderberg knows there?s work to be done on the defensive end, particularly early in the season.

?How we do defensively hinges on the newcomers,? Soderberg stated.

?With Josh Fisher having been around the block more than anyone, we expect a fine year from him defensively. He?s defended some of the best players in the country during his time.

?Drejaj has proven that he?s got what it takes. Sloan can defend. Reggie Bryant, Tom Frericks, Darrin Clarke and Ian Vouyoukas will determine whether we?ll be solid as a unit.?

The Billikens need to improve in rebounding where they were out-boarded by 3.3 rpg, which ranked 13th in the league last year. Soderberg contends that the Billikens were a better rebounding team than the numbers showed.

?When I checked after games what percentage of missed shots that we came up with, we were competitive with anybody,? he said. ?Rebounding is a priority, and we can become an excellent defensive rebounding team. We?ve got good size and perimeter guys who can help on the glass.?

Schedule
The Billikens once again played a challenging schedule last season with their schedule strength rated 27th in the RPI and 43rd in the Sagarin power ratings. Saint Louis was 5-6 against teams in the 2003 NCAA Tournament field.

Soderberg?s approach is to play a schedule that will catch the eye of the NCAA Tournament selection committee when March Madness rolls around. The 2003-04 schedule is almost identical to last year?s slate.

The highlight non-conference game of the year features defending PAC-10 champion Arizona rolling into Savvis Center in December. NCAA Tournament darling Butler and the Big 12?s Kansas State also pay visits to Saint Louis. The Bills have significant road tests at Atlantic Coast Conference contender Georgia Tech, defending Atlantic-10 tournament champ Dayton, Big East member West Virginia and traditional regional rival Southwest Missouri State.

For the first time, C-USA teams will play everyone within the league at least once. The Bills will play home-and-home against Charlotte, DePaul and Marquette. The league?s postseason tournament is back in Cincinnati next March.

?Last year, we were in position to get into the NCAA Tournament with a win here or a win there.? Soderberg said. ?Sometimes, a team can have a lot of wins but not the strength of schedule necessary to catch the eye of the selection committee. That?s a situation we try to avoid.?

Soderberg?s crew solidified down the stretch to earn a 2003 postseason NIT bid and have a schedule this year that should place SLU in the postseason hunt once again.

Summary
Saint Louis is bigger, deeper and more athletic than it was a year ago. The Billikens lack a preseason All-Conference player and all the senior experience that they featured last year, however.

?The leadership issue isn?t a concern,? Soderberg explained. ?We?ve got players who are responsible and want this team to be successful. They?ve proven that by their effort during the summer, and that?s where leadership is conceived.?

Seniors Fisher and Sloan are reliable performers who have played on a team that finished third in C-USA?s American Division last year, finished fourth overall to earn a first-round bye in the league?s postseason tournament and was just a point shy of playing in the C-USA tournament championship game. That performance followed the 2001-02 season when the Bills finished fifth overall in the league.

Saint Louis expects proven performers like Bryant and Drejaj to fill the void left by Perry. Rebounding needs to become a team mission, and the Bills expect to improve with better athletes going to the glass in greater numbers. Being one of C-USA?s best defensive teams has become a staple at Saint Louis.

In the past 10 seasons, the Billikens have earned four NCAA bids and two NIT berths. In three other seasons, they were in the hunt for the postseason right down to their last game.

So, when Saint Louis is eyeing March Madness in Spring 2004, the Billikens will be in familiar territory armed with the talent to be successful and guided by a coach who knows how to get there.