Thoughts on A10 Media Day

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On Tuesday in Brooklyn the league hosted their annual media day unveiling the preseason predictions for order of finish as well as the all conference teams. Voted on by the league’s coaches and media members, these predictions and honors are more for fun than anything else. If you need an example Davidson was tabbed to finish just 12th last season and won the entire league. Below are some quick hitters on the day in general.

• Dayton was tabbed to win the league which I have no issue with. They proved last year that despite being shorthanded, and short, they were a terrific team who played great “team” basketball. UD is very well coached and will likely remain a top team in this league so long as Archi Miller is on the sideline.
• URI was selected second. Time for Danny Hurley’s team to win. Given their insane talent, this is the season where the sum needs to be as good as the parts. To me, anything less than an NCAA berth is a disappointment from this crew.
• Davidson was picked 3rd. The leagues’ coaches realize how bad they underestimated this team a year ago and didn’t do the same this time around. The Wildcats bring back everyone save Tyler Kaloniski. 
• I could see VCU finishing 5th. Or 9th. Team has a ton of question marks following Shaka Smart’s departure and loss of Briante Weber, Treveon Graham and Terry Larrier. 
• The league’s coaches still love GW. I do not. They have a talented starting five but after last season I can’t trust this team. To me, Richmond should have been higher and GW lower. The Spiders won their last 6 games in March and bring back basically everyone aside from Kendall Anthony. They should be very solid with their match-up zone continuing to bother teams.
• The Bonnies being picked to finish 8th seems fair, and maybe even a tad bit optimistic given the Bonnies’ lack of depth and lack of interior punch. I do think the Bonnies have the starting five to compete this year, but as we are going to find out, this season may hinge on how the bench plays and how healthy this team can remain. Simply, SBU cannot afford to lose anyone else. Furthermore, their fitness level better be superb given their eight man team, promise to run more, and 30 second shot clock this year.
• I don’t understand St. Joe’s being selected to finish higher than Schmidt’s club. SBU beat the Hawks three times last season and bring back three starters. Yes, the the Hawks have Bembry still in the fold but I don’t believe Phil Martelli’s club warrants being ahead of the Bonnies.
• As the coaches believe, and I agree, UMass likely takes a big step back this season.
• Fordham and Mason are still in the basement despite changing coaches this spring.
• It’s great that Marcus Posley made 2nd team all league (not shocking) but to me Dion Wright is the better player, and he didn’t even made 3rd team. Posley averages more points a game but Wright is so consistent and efficient. There’s tons of players and fan-bases who think their team or player was disrespected or snubbed but to me Wright has legit beef. He’s one of the most well-rounded players in the league and I have NO doubt that he’s going to wind up on at least 3rd team, if not 2nd team all league when this season is over. But, this is a snapshot of his career in Olean: flying under the radar and not granted the respect he deserves. 
• Jordan Price of La Salle is not a 1st team player. He’s a volume scorer no different than Posley who scores a ton because he shoots a ton…at 38% from the field. This is a prime case of the coaches just looking at the top returning scorers.
• Kendall Pollard of Dayton could easily have been on 2nd team, he made 3rd team.