As a follow up to Tuesday’s UCF Football roundtable, the KnightNews.com sports staff decided to write a UCF Basketball roundtable, featuring all the latest issues revolving around the basketball team.
From upsetting No. 4 UConn to A.J. Rompza being reinstated, there are plenty of things to discuss regarding the UCF Basketball squad.
Once again, KnightNews Sports Editor Allen Levin, and assistant sports editors Nick Wilke and Anthony Scalco go 1-on-1-on-1 in the second edition of the KnightNews Sports Roundtable.
Tell us who you think wins the debate:
Contact us at athletics@knightnews.com.
1. Which player’s growth is more instrumental to UCF’s success this season- Marcus Jordan or Keith Clanton?
Allen Levin: Marcus Jordan. While Clanton forming into a consistent 20-10 big man would be essentially as important, I think Jordan’s growth into an elite scorer would slightly edge that out. The Knights often go through droughts on offense, and that’s because they don’t have an elite scorer, such as Knights alumni Jermaine Taylor.
Jordan has already shown his ability to takeover ball games and make clutch shots (UConn, Florida upsets), but also still has games where he’s a non-factor (Harvard, FSU). If Jordan can take that next step to an elite, 20-point scorer, which is very possible based off his early-season play, the Knights will have a good shot at achieving their goals of making the NCAA Tournament.
Jordan’s ability to get to the rim and create offense is undeniable. If he can be that guy on a more nightly basis, combined with the help from Clanton, UCF will be in good shape.
Anthony Scalco: Jordan. If
Nick Wilke: I say Clanton because he is really the Knights only big man who is a scoring threat. UCF guards Isaiah Sykes, Rod Days and Tristan Spurlock have shown that they can score from the outside. Over the past two years, Clanton has showed that he can rebound with the best and and be a threat from all areas of the floor, including three-point range.
He can’t be afraid to post-up against other big men. I think he needs to work on his post game more so that he can become more confident with the ball in the post.
2. Who will be the Knights best transfer player- Josh Crittle, Tristan Spurlock or Jeff Jordan?
AL: While all three players add something different to the Knights lineup, I think Tristan Spurlock will end up having the biggest impact out of the transfer players. Spurlock is a lengthy and athletic 6’8” combo player. He can really play any position besides center with his versatility.
The thing I think that makes him more crucial than the big body of Crittle or point guard skills of Jeff Jordan is that versatility. He can rebound, shoot threes, play inside, bring the ball up and create his own offense, which is something the Knights need as they get into the heart of their schedule. Spurlock played a year in arguably the best conference (ACC) in college basketball at Virginia, so he’s played with top notch talent. I think once he get used to the Knights system, he will have a huge impact.
So far, he’s averaging 9.5 points and 3.3 rebounds, and has made 43 percent of his threes. Look for that to improve as the season goes on.
AS: Crittle. He brings depth to an undersized frontcourt that I have no faith in. Dwight McCombs can’t finish near the hoop, and Clanton wishes he was Issac Sosa. Crittle seems to understand the essence of his position and is willing to bang while bringing great energy.
Spurlock is a good athlete, but it seems like he can be forgotten at times while Jeff is more of a publicity move as his play has been awful to start the year. Crittle will help both Jordan and Clanton moving forward as the anchor of the defense inside, while providing stability and a presence down low that UCF desperately needs.
NW: Josh Crittle will be valuable for the team because he is a big body. He brings physicality and tough play to the team. He also plays with a lot of passion and fire, and it shows during pre-game warm-ups. I think he is more of a scorer than McCombs, and he has a soft touch close to the basket.
He put in a lot of hard work during the offseason, losing 40 pounds. This will help Crittle run the floor and keep him on the floor longer without tiring out.
3. How far will this UCF basketball team go this year?
AL: I still think its way too early to tell being that the Knights have only played six games. However, they have obviously showed some great potential early on with the upset victory over No. 4 UConn. Still, I don’t want to let myself get fooled, as this team won 14 straight games to start the season last year, before collapsing and loosing their next eight games.
So, until they get into conference play, I think any judgment is premature. That being said, I think they have shown some positive signs early on and good promise once all their pieces fall together. As of now, I’d predict that the Knights will notch another 20-win season and at least reach the NIT Tournament. The Big Dance is possible, but I think the team has some flaws and holes they need to improve on.
AS: This is by far the hardest question asked today. I am not sure what to make of this team yet since the UConn upset surprised me immensely. I refuse to go out on a limb yet because conference play has yet to start and UCF still faces off against ODU Dec. 17.
Overall, I look for the Knights to win around 20 games yet again. If they can pick up some early conference wins the, momentum may swing in their favor for their showdown with Memphis Jan. 18. A sweep of that series is ideal, but getting one win helps the cause, and as long as UCF musters up a few big conference wins, the future can look bright.
Rompza returns Dec. 30, just in time for conference play to begin. My prediction will be 22-7 in the regular season and at least one win in the C-USA Tournament with a NIT birth. If Rompza returns to form and Jordan can really develop, this team may go even farther, but this is my best cast scenario prediction.
NW: I think the team can make the NIT this season and go far in the tournament. UCF has proven that they can beat nationally ranked teams already. It will be trouble if the Knights run into a big team like Florida State again because UCF doesn’t have the bigs to match up.
4. Will the Knights be better with A.J. Rompza back as the starter, or keeping with Isaiah Sykes, and why?
AL: I’m going to have to go with the captain A.J. Rompza here. Isaiah Sykes has done a solid job running the point so far in a thin backcourt, which is missing Rompza due to suspension. Sykes is third in the team in scoring at 10.3 points per game and second in rebounds at 6.2 per game.
There is no question that he has made significant strides in his sophomore season, but he has been shaky at times. He sometimes makes poor decisions and leads the team in turnovers with 17.
Rompza is a senior with plenty of experience running the Knights offense. I think being that its Rompza’s senior year, combined with the fact he has a chip on his shoulder after being suspended, he will be on a mission. He wants to end his career at UCF on a good note and won’t let the team slack. I still think Sykes should get considerable playing time, but Rompza should be the starter, and I think the Knights will be better with him running the point.
AS: A.J. Rompza is the heart and soul of the Knights basketball team. He is the key energy guy and clutch play maker at the end of games that any team would need to succeed throughout a season. Isaiah Sykes, or Swag Daddy, as his Twitter name refers to him as, has seen a vast improvement in his game since his freshman campaign, but is not at all ready to take over the reigns as the starting point guard.
He is extremely athletic and gets to the rim at ease, while also being a fantastic rebounding guard. He still is a bit eratic and at times turns the ball over way too much. Rompza is a senior, and despite missing non-conference play, has seen basically every obstacle a season throws at you- making him the obvious choice to start.
This is the core that everyone has been waiting on between Rompza, Jordan, Clanton and Crittle, this will be the best chance the Knights have at obtaining a NCAA Tournament bid.
NW: I think the team will be better when Rompza comes back. Now with Sykes and Jordan running point, UCF has a limited playbook for them. Rompza has been with the program for three years, and he knows his team and how to run an offense.
Now Sykes can get back to his normal position at SG/SF. Marcus Jordan can get back to his normal position at SG. Jordan won’t have to create shots for himself so much because he can count on Rompza to create open shots for him and his teammates. Rompza’s aggressive defense and senior leadership will also help the team. He is fourth in program history with 394 career steals.
