Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (19-13, 9-7)
Projected starting five:
Jr. G Gabe Rogers
Jr. G Stallon Saldivar
Sr. G Durell Norman
Jr. F Austin Smith
So. F Ryan Schaefer
Important departures:
Cameron Jones: 20 ppg, 3.2 apg, 4.6 rpg
Shane Johannsen: 9.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.3 blocks per game
Eric Platt: 10.1 ppg, 69 3-pointers made per game
Top returnees:
Rogers: 13 ppg, 81 3-pointers made per game
Saldivar: 5.4 apg, 3.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg
Norman: 3.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Additions:
Fr. Danny Cheek: 15.3 ppg, ranked No. 18 recruit in California and No. 52 shooting guard overall in the nation in ESPN Recruiting Rankings
Ephraim Ekanem: transfer from Irvine Valley College (8.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
Jywrell Wilson: transfer from Cuyamaca College (18.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 4.5 apg)
Schedule highlights:
Toughest nonconference match up: vs. Brigham Young in Prescott, Ariz. or at Arizona.
Hardest conference stretch: first weekend of January at Portland State and Eastern Washington or last weekend of February at Montana and Montana State
Outlook:
The Lumberjacks will miss Rogers for the first two months of the season with a torn labrum, but it shouldn’t have a major impact on their conference play – unless he’s out for longer. Then it could be a longer year for Mike Adras, the Big Sky’s longest tenured coach (13 years, 99-83 BSC record). But when Rogers comes back, it could be a boon. Saldivar is as pure a point guard as one might find, and his leadership at the position will help make everyone better as the team gets used to playing without Rogers and finds out who will step up in the wake of Jones and Johannsen leaving. The team might be the smallest in the Big Sky – rivaling only Montana State in shortness – and has an overabundance of guards on the roster. With only one senior and no experience in the frontcourt, Northern Arizona will contend because of Adras’ coaching, potential and major player losses to every team in the conference.
