Here's my review of the team this past season and what to look ahead for next season:
Daniel Hackett: B
Season Review - Daniel had an up and down season, which might make some people question his "B" grade, but how can you ignore the heart he showed battling through all the injuries this season? To recap, he fought back from a broken jaw early in the season and a stress fracture in his lower back late in the season. What was frustrating about all the setbacks was that Daniel was poised to have a breakout year. He had an excellent summer playing for the Italian National Team and in his 2nd game back posted a triple-double against South Carolina. It looked like Daniel was set to break-out, but instead he went through ups and downs and struggled to maintain consistency. He ended the season on a bad note, struggling against KSU's defensive pressure.
Future - Daniel's future will hinge on whether SC can finally get a true PG since the passing of Ryan Francis. The truth is, Daniel is a swingman playing the 1. Even though he's done an admirable job thus far, as long as he's counted on bring the ball up court, he will remain inconsistent and have a limited impact offensively.
Angelo Johnson: C+
Season Review - Angelo got off to a great start in the season opener against Mercer showing nice quickness in penetration and rolling effectively off high screens, but most impressive of all was his assertiveness and confidence. Unfortunately, Angelo's progression never seemed to take off from that point. He never seemed truly comfortable as the court general. He often struggled getting the offense into their sets and reaching certain points on the floor against aggressive guards. There were too many times where Angelo would pick up his dribble prematurely leading to dicey plays/turnovers or push too aggressively on the break. Defensively, he struggled against quick guards like Darren Collison, Nic Wise, Tajuan Porter, etc. Of course, all was not bad, Angelo did a great job hitting open 3's and had some solid performances in some select games, but overall his performance was very much indicative of a freshman.
Future - Next season will be Angelo's make-or-break year as the starting guard for the Trojans. Incoming PG, Donte Smith, a JUCO transfer from Mt. San Antonio College, will push Angelo for the starting PG spot right away, meaning AJ will have to play with confidence and assert himself early.
Incoming:
Donte Smith - Mt. San Antonio College (JUCO)
Donte was one of the top JUCO point guards before he committed to SC and looks to be an impact player right away. His build and style of play reminds me of Chris Paul. He's listed at 6'0 180lb on recruiting sites, which is almost identical to CP3; he also plays with the same calm pace and can shoot well off the dribble. Obviously Donte is nowhere near CP3 in terms of talent, but he is the closest example I can think of to paint a picture visually.
Coming from the JUCO ranks, the transition to Pac-10 basketball should be shorter than that of a HS senior, so look for him to push Angelo early for the starting PG spot.
