Kevin Winford Has Surgery

Eastern Washington has been hit hard this year, and they didn't get out of Saturday unscathed.

Senior guard Kevin Winford took a blow to the shin, which resulted in compartment syndrome. It required surgery on Saturday evening after the game, but from Winford's twitter feed, it appeared to go well. Also according to his twitter feed, he will miss two weeks. Hopefully we will get to see him back out on the court.

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Eastern Washington Gets Ready For Canada Trip

 

Eastern Washington is off this week for a trip to Canada, where they will play seven games in six days. Head Coach Jim Hayford said, "The level of competition isn't the equivalent of Division I, but it's solid."

The trip comes at a good time for the Eagles, because they will be breaking in a ton of new guys. There are six newcomers - five freshman and one newcomers - as well as three guys who redshirted last year. The trip should be a good opportunity to gain some experience, as well as a chance for Hayford to begin fleshing out the makeup of the roster. With all of the newcomers, they are as tough to predict as any team in the Big Sky, and I suspect that even the coaching staff is waiting to see how a rotation plays out.

If I had to guess as of today, I think things would look something like thi:

Starting Lineup
G Justin Crogsile
G Jeffrey Forbes
F Collin Chiverton
F Venky Jois
C Martin Seiferth

Really, the only thing we know for sure is that Collin Chiverton will be in the starting lineup. He could lead the league in scoring, and Coach Hayford said he is fully recovered from a foot injury that bothered him all of last season. Jeffrey Forbes started last year which makes him a good bet to start again, but they have a lot of depth there. Justin Crogsile played a lot of minutes for St. Joseph's in his first two years, and my guess is he would have the inside track on the point guard spot, though that could depend on how ready Forbes is to be able to handle the primary ballhandler responsibilities.

Of course, they could start three guards and go with a small ball lineup, though I'm not sure how likely that is. Parker Kelly was a big-time player for them last year, and provides a bunch of range. Kevin Winford had a little bit of a disappointing year last year, but he can put up points in a hurry. Freshman Daniel Hill comes to the program with a lot of high praise, but it will be tough for him to secure a ton of time in a crowded, veteran backcourt. Ivan Dorsey went to junior college with Collin Chiverton, so obviously that familiarity will help him. There are a lot of good options back there.

In the frontcourt, things are a bit more unsettled thanks to a lot of graduations. Jordan Hickert has the most experience at EWU, but I'm not sure he brings enough to the table to play more than 15 minutes per night, as he is a three-point specialist but only an average rebounder. Martin Seiferth has drawn praise, and should be in the mix after sitting out a year after a transfer from Oregon. Venky Jois is just a hunch, as he appears to be an athletic big man that should be ready to play.

Another option is Danny Powell, who put up big time numbers in high school. He can score inside and outside, and he shot 46% from downtown as a junior. It wouldn't be a shock to see him get a lot of minutes. Jaylen Henry played a bit last year, but I am not sure he is a great fit in Hayford's offense. Frederick Jorg (Germany) and Thomas Reuter (Germany) are tough to project also, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see at least one of those guys redshirted.

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Notes On Eastern Washington

Time to take a little more in depth look at the preview posted on the Eastern Washington website, full of solid information on the Eagles.

Hayford knows what building a championship contender is like. Before he arrived at Whitworth, the school was 13-12. His first year at the helm the Pirates were 20-7, and his second season they were 23-4 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament. In his final two seasons, Whitworth was 54-5 overall and 31-1 in league play, and advanced to the DIII Sweet 16 in 2010 and the Elite Eight in 2011.

“The beginning of each new season brings promise and opportunity,” he said. “This is a new beginning for Eastern Washington basketball and there is hope on the horizon. In between hope, promise and opportunity and realizing our goals, is just a bucket load of work. It’s time to go to work and that is our focus. We’re excited – we think we’ve added some players to our roster who will make us even more competitive.”

This is why most Eastern Washington fans are and should be excited for the Jim Hayford Era. The guy has proven he can coach and win. It was at the Division III level, which is a lot different than Division I, but you still have to be a good basketball teacher to win as much as he did. Those skills should carry over.

The biggest change for Hayford will be recruiting at the DI level, and I think he is off to a good start there. He got JUCO wing Collin Chiverton to stay aboard (who Rivals sees as a second team Big Sky player), and has a verbal from Danny Powell, a guy he coveted.

Three guards return who all averaged at least 24 minutes per game, including senior point guard Cliff Colimon and juniors Jeffrey Forbes and Kevin Winford. That trio combined to start 60 games last year and have 99 total starts in their careers.

“The most experienced part of our team is the backcourt,” said Hayford. “We have three guards who have been through Big Sky play and have performed in conference games at a high level. That is the most solid part of the foundation that we are building on.”

It is no secret that the guards will be the strength of this team, as they are very experienced. I have written a lot about them, and if EWU is going to cash in on some of the promise that many (myself included) think they have, they will need the guards to be one of the best units in the Conference. However, concerning the guards, I thought this was a very interesting nugget:

“Last year, those three players were frequently on the court together,” Hayford explained. “As we looked at video, that created match-up problems because they are all under 6 feet tall. We don’t plan to have all three of those guys on the court at the same time too much, which means we’ll have two guys with some experience but other spots with not as much experience. This is where we need to find out the right blend.”

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“As I’ve talked with other coaches in the Big Sky and reviewed video, over the course of the last five or six games of the conference season, Cliff played as good as any guard in the league,” praised Hayford. “Cliff is excited to be the undisputed leader of this team his senior season, and I expect him to be one of the standout guards in the Big Sky Conference.

The trio of returning players will be joined in the backcourt by some taller newcomers in Willie Hankins (6-3), Tyler Harvey (6-4) and Parker Kelly (6-4), in addition to St. Joseph’s transfer Justin Crosgile (5-11). Harvey and Crosgile will redshirt the 2011-12 season.

That means likely that either Jeffrey Forbes or Kevin Winford will see some minutes cut, and my guess is that Winford will see his playing time drop the most. He is a bit of a gunner that doesn't do as much as Forbes and Colimon. Hankins will get some run, reports have been good about his potential.

“I think Tremayne Johnson is going to have a great senior year,” said Hayford. “He’s maybe the biggest “X” factor on this team and needs to reach his potential. I’ve told him the worst word you want next to your name heading into your senior year is potential. I expect him to have a great year.”

Hayford does and should expect big things from Johnson, who I think will be the key for the Eagles this year. He's got the talent for a big year, and could receive some honors if he plays up to his ability.

Among Eastern’s newcomers is high-scoring junior college transfer Collin Chiverton. The 6-6, 200-pound junior averaged 19 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in leading City College of San Francisco to a 32-1 record and the 2010-11 California Community Colleges Athletic Association title. Most importantly, in the four seasons he has played since his junior year in high school, teams that Chiverton has played on have won 114 of 131 games for an 87 percent winning rate.

“Collin was a prolific junior college scorer and one of the top high school players on the West Coast,” said Hayford. “He can slide down and play the shooting guard position, which makes us bigger in the backcourt as well.”

Chiverton will immediately be a top athlete in the Big Sky, and he has the potential to be a star in Cheney. He is great on the break and has a solid outside shot as well. He can play the 2 or 3 and will allow the Eagles to go with a lot of different looks this year. Out of everyone in the Conference, he is on my short list of players I am most excited to watch.

The whole article is worth a read, it is very good and gives a good look into Jim Hayford and his program. The Eagles have one of the highest ceilings in the Conference... should things come together, they will be a darkhorse.

Kevin Winford

If you look at Kevin Winford's stats last season, he looks just like any other 3-point specialist. He averaged 9.9 PPG, and jacked up 187 treys (compared to 74 2s). He was a solid outside shooter, but most of all he took a lot of 3s.

However, looking a little deeper, you notice something else - he has games of 39 points and 28 points last season. For a guy that is the 4th leading scorer on a team, that is pretty impressive. And it is one of the reasons EWU might be picked to finish as high as 3rd in the Big Sky.

Winford is no doubt a bit of a volume shooter, as none of his percentages jump out at you. In the game he scored 28 points against Idaho, he shot 9/20 from the field and 8/16 from downtown. In the 39 point game against New Hope Christian, he shot 14/27 from the field, 10/23 from downtown. Those aren't bad, but it is not an amazing shooting percentage.

It is unclear if he will be given as much of a green light from Jim Hayford as he had under Kirk Earlywine, and so he needs to add a little variety to his game. He does get many assists (though he doesn't turn it over a lot either), and he is not one to get to the hoop and get to the FT line. He is a 3-point specialist, and 35% is actually pretty average for someone with that role. He is definitely athletic, so it would be nice to see him show a little more restraint in simply jacking up 3s.

With the presence of Jeffrey Forbes, Cliff Colimon, and Collin Chiverton, it remains to be seen if Kevin Winford will start. But either way, he figures to be a key role for the EWU offense. He is very talented... if he can get a little more efficient, he can be one of the most dangerous scorers in the Big Sky.

How Will Eastern Washington Replace Glen Dean?

We are slowly making our way through the departed stars of the Big Sky, and now it is time to take a look at the one who didn't go via graduation - Glen Dean of Eastern Washington.

After the firing of Kirk Earlywine and hiring of Jim Hayford, Dean originally said he was going to be sticking around for the Eagles, before changing his mind and departing for Utah, where he will have to sit out a season. On first blush, a Big Sky team (that finished 10-20) losing a 2nd team Big Sky performer as a sophomore sounds like a huge loss, but the good thing for EWU is that they are deep in the backcourt and should have the talent to make up for his departure.

Returning, they have 3 guards that got a lot of PT last season and will not be fazed by having bigger roles this year. The best among them may be Jeffrey Forbes, who had the highest ORtg on the team as a sophomore. What made him so effective was his 3-point shooting, as it was at 41% on 134 attempts (compared to 92 2PT attempts). He could stand to improve his assist rate, but he doesn't commit a ton of turnovers and his true shooting % was a cool 58%.

Also back are a couple of guys that can put up points in a hurry. One is Cliff Colimon, who averaged 10.4 PPG as a junior, including scoring 27 points in the Eagles Big Sky Tourney game against Weber St. After Dean, he had the highest ARate on the team, but also has a propensity to turn the ball over. There is nothing wrong with his 51.3 EFG%, and if he can combine it with being a little better of a distributor for EWU, he will be a very solid contributor.

Quick - name the player on EWU that scored 39 points in a game last season? Bet you didn't say Kevin Winford, who also had a 28 point game. Ait 5'11'', he doesn't pull down many rebounds, and doesn't get a lot of assists (though he has a solid TO rate), but he is a streak shooter than can put up points in a hurry. He took a team high 187 3s last year, making a respectable 35%. If he can push that up even a couple points, he will be extremely dangerous.

Then there are a couple of newcomes who should have big roles for EWU. One is Collin Chiverton, a JUCO recruit who should immediately be one of the best athletes in the Big Sky. He is a wing player, but will be counted on heavily to put points on the board. He was a top 150 recruit out of high school and looks to be a difference-maker for Jim Hayford.

Then there is redshirt Willie Hankins, a guy that EWU fans are very excited about. If he can stay motivated and play consistently, he could be a starter and have a big role in the offense. EWU spread the ball around well last year, and with diverse options in the backcourt such as Hankins, it is easy to envision a similar scenario this year.

Eastern Washington was an interesting team stylistically last season as they were one of the smallest teams in the country and yet played at a below-average tempo. It will be interesting to see if Jim Hayford brings more of a running style to Cheney, because even with the loss of Dean, they will be guard-oriented. My gut feeling is that we could see the Eagles finish in the top half of the Big Sky, and get some office space nyc.

Transfers Out Of The Big Sky (Part 1)

After checking out some of the transfers into the Big Sky, let's check some of the players transferring out (Note: this won't cover players who are leaving the teams because of personal issues or academics):

After the firing of head coach Kirk Earlywine (and his career record of 42-78), it shouldn't have been a surprise that some players might transfer out. Even at Arkansas, which had likely the most applauded hire of the offseason (with Mike Anderson), their best player, Rotnei Clarke, transferred out. So it's no surprise that they had a high number of transfers.

- Glen Dean (EWU) - After initially saying that he would stay and play for new coach Jim Hayford, he apparently changed his mind, and will transfer to Utah. There he will sit out a year, and have 2 years of eligibility remaining.

First, the bad news. He was the best player on the Eagles last year, finished 2nd team all Big Sky, and would have been one of the top candidates for POY in the Big Sky. He had a nice assist rate, cut down on his turnovers, and shot 42% from downtown (though just 36% from 2s). He would have been the biggest building block for Coach Hayford.

Now, the good news. EWU is very deep in the backcourt, and should be able to recover pretty well. Cliff Colimon will be a senior, and he score in a variety of ways (27 points in the Big Sky Tourney game last year). He was second on the team in assist rate, though they will need him to be a better distributor. Kevin Winford is probably the least known player to have scored 39 points in a single game last season. Jeffrey Forbes played almost 80% of the team's minutes last season and shot 90% from the FT line and 41% from 3PT.

In addition, Willie Hankins redshirted last season, and Eastern Washington folks are very excited about his potential. Wing man Collin Chiverton was a top 150 recruit out of high school, and should be in the running for Newcomer of the Year in the Big Sky after a successful JUCO career. Losing Dean will hurt them, but they should be able to make do just fine with all that backcourt talent coming back.

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- Rashano McRae and Carter Warnock (EWU) - Word came out that these two were going to be "exploring options in Division II and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics basketball teams." McRae played in 23 games as a junior (his first year), but had very minimal impact. The 6'7'' McRae scored only 21 points with 29 rebounds in 175 minutes of action. He played double digit minutes in his first four games, and then only 3 times for the rest of the season, so it should not be a huge loss, especially with the signing of JUCO F Jordan Hickert. I don't believe McRae has decided where he will go, or at least I have not seen anything.

Warnock was 6'9'' and redshirted his freshman year before deciding to leave with the coaching change. He is tall but thin, and likely would not have made a major impact for the team next season, despite a thin frontcourt. He transferred to Point Loma, which, if you hadn't heard of that university before right this moment, you are not alone.

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- Vaughn Autry (Montana) - Autry was seen as a solid recruit coming out of high school (he originally committed to Utah St before winding up at Montana), but things just didn't really work out in his year for the Griz. He averaged less than 10 minutes per game and scored 1.5 PPG, but has decided to transfer closer to his home in Los Angeles. From Mslacat in March of 2010:

I think with Autry’s athleticism and strong defensive skills will make it tough for him not to be in the mix for playing time next year. I think his skills will fit the needs the Griz will have next year. If he could develop a consistent three point shot it would be a lock.

I'm sure Wayne Tinkle would have liked to have kept Autry around, but they should have the depth to overcome his departure.

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- Casey Trujeque (Montana St) - This is another case of a player from California transferring to be closer to home. At 5'9'', Trujeque struggled to find his own shot as a freshman (shooting under 30%), but looked to have a nice future as a playmaker. He had an Assist Rate of 26.8, which is very solid, and was third on the team in assists despite playing about 9 minutes per game. He likely would have seen an increased role next year, and could have been starting by his junior year, so his loss will be felt in the Bobcats program.

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- David Arnold (Northern Colorado) - After two seasons, Arnold decided to transfer to MSU-Billings for his final two years. The CO native was not a big factor for the Bears, playing in only 9 games last year (after 21 as a freshman), and scoring 20 total points in his 2 seasons. While it is possible he could have earned more playing time, I can't imagine the Bears coaches are too broken up about his departure.

PART 2 to follow...