For College Basketball fans everywhere, Monday was like Christmas morning. You were able to watch basketball from as early as 8 am PT and as late as 11 pm PT, for us Aztec fans, that felt like Christmas Eve, knowing our season would not start for another two days, but we are so excited to FINALLY have San Diego State Basketball back! Brian Dutcher is going to try and accomplish something an Aztec team has never done this year, and that is making it to the second weekend three straight years. I would be delusional to tell you all that it is a for sure thing the Aztecs make the second weekend a third straight year, but this years Aztec team will be battle tested believe that. It all starts with a tough crosstown rival in UCSD tonight at 7pm on Yurview and the Mountain West Network. I will be giving player insight as well as my prediction for how this season will go, with a prediction of record and conference seeding and tournament winner.
Player Previews
Lets start with the second longest tenured athlete. The Byrd Man. Miles Byrd.
Miles Byrd: Miles is a redshirt Sophomore for San Diego State, last year he played in thirty four games, averaging 4 points 2.5 rebounds .9 assists per game. Miles in my opinion is the heart and soul of this team and will take this team as far as he goes. I have spoken to Miles a couple times at the Swish League and he as driven as anyone to bring this team and university back to the second weekend of the tourney and beyond as anyone. He brings a very unique ability as a defender who can guard 1-4 and in some cases, even some centers. He has shown the ability to make threes and extend his range, I like to call Miles a better shooting Winston Shepard, he has the capability to run the offense if need be and can find open teammates all over the court. I predict Miles Byrd to make an All Mountain West team at the end of they year and receive votes for MW Defensive Player of the Year.
Nick Boyd: Nick is a senior transfer from Florida Atlantic, some of you may know him as the defender of Lamont Butlers game winner in the Final Four to send the Aztecs to the National Championship game, by the end of this year, Aztec fans will know him to be the vocal leader of a very young but talented group, he is one of eight new players on the Mesa, and after that exhibition victory of CSUSM last week, we might be in for a wonderful season by Nick Boyd. Boyd last year played in 27 games averaging 9.3 points 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists a game, while shooting 34.1% from 3. Nick Boyd is a shooter that is due for positive regression, is 34% good? Yes it is, but when you consider Boyd his first two years at FAU shot 40% from three both years, he is due for positive regression. I fully expect Boyd to be a leader in all games, and even be like Micah Parrish when it comes to being the villain on the road.
Jared Coleman-Jones: Jared is a senior transfer from Middle Tennessee State, he is one of the better offensively skilled bigs this program will see, minus Jaedon LeDee of course. He can handle the ball, he can score at all three levels, and he can pass well for a person of his size. His issue from what I saw on film was his defense, but, after watching him in the Swish League. I do not think it will be a problem, especially when he has Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath on the floor at the same time as him. Jared averaged 11 points 7.6 rebounds 2.3 assists 1.1 blocks per game. He shot a very impressive 44.2% from three, but 45.2% from the field. I believe he can finish better when you have shooters like Boyd Byrd BJ and Gwath around him, as well as Waters when he comes back from injury.
BJ Davis: BJ is a sophomore guard from Modesto, CA. Many casual fans do not know of BJ Davis and what he is capable of. If you went to Swish League games or followed Sons of Montezuma talking about it, we knew he was the real deal. I came home the day BJ Davis carried his team on his back in a hard fought loss this summer and said, BJ Davis is gonna be playing in the NBA when he is done on the Mesa. That is how much I believe in him. He is lighting quick, has a good handle and does not make too many mistakes with the ball in his hands. Aztec fans got introduced to him when word came out that he dropped 28 points while hitting SEVEN threes to help lift the Aztecs to victory. A defense that includes BJ Davis Miles Byrd and Magoon Gwath, along with the other great defenders on the roster, is gonna make for an elite Aztec defense.
Magoon Gwath: Magoon is a 7 foot redshirt Freshman from Euless, Texas. Lets talk about probably the most hyped Aztec this program has ever seen. Magoon is going to be playing in the NBA as long as he does not have massive injuries that derail his career. Last year during the season, My Dad and I were invited along with many others, to go to a live SDSU Mens Basketball practice. That is when Mesa members were introduced to Magoon. He was simulating being Great Osobor as they were traveling to Logan a couple days later. Magoon got the ball with four seconds on the clock in practice in 5 on 5 defensive period, took a step back three and drilled it. The crowd audibly gasped with ooos and ahhhs. Next during offensive period he blocked back to back shots. That is what Aztec fans this year should expect to see from him and maybe even more. For those that remember Malik Pope, Magoon has the ability to be a far better Aztec than Pope was and then some. He is that good and he will show it this year.
Wayne McKinney III: Wayne is a senior hometown hero transfer from USD. Last year as a junior at USD, he averaged 13.5 points 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game. He was USDs top scorer last year and was their number one option. He is solid scorer at all three levels of the floor, but is mainly known for his finishing ability and the pull up mid range. He had an explosion against Pacific in conference play where he dropped 31 points on the road to help lift USD over Pacific 89-84. Wayne is going to be a terrific 6th man off the bench and bring a veteran presence when the likely second unit includes young inexperienced players like Taj and Pharaoh. He is a very feisty defender who is going to cause problems for opposing guards with his size, he is built like an NFL linebacker and is the bounciest player on this team,(sorry BJ and Miles). I expect to see a few blow up games from Wayne where he is getting to his spots and is not missing his nice little pull up jumper, or what his teammates like to call, Waynes layup.
Miles Heide: Miles is a second year Aztec out of Washington, Miles came in with some hype last year due to the fact Brian Dutcher recruited him personally. Through 37 games last year Miles was mainly just a quick sub for LeDee to get him some rest, but in some those games he showed some promise for the future. He has shown us he can be a good defender and be a great rebounder. He shows some great touch around the rim but struggles with his shot beyond 16 feet. For those that went to Swish league this summer, Miles showed the ability to make second read passes as well as play some great defense and rebound the ball at a high level. Miles this year is going to have the opportunity to show Aztec fans and the Aztec coaching staff, exactly why Brian Dutcher pushed so hard to get him on the Mesa.
Demarshay Johnson Jr: Demarshay is a redshirt junior for the Aztecs out of Oakland. Demarshay has not seen much game action for the two years he has been able too, and most would say for good reason. I believe Demarshay has just not found his stride yet, and I think it will start to come this year. In the few games he played, he shows the ability to be an outstanding rebounder and lob threat. He does struggle on defense mainly due to him being just a little too aggressive on close outs and contests in the painted area. This is going to have to be the year he shows the coaching staff and Aztec nation what he is capable of to get those minutes and build his confidence. I still have faith that he will turn it around without a shadow of a doubt.
Reese Waters: Reese is a senior that transferred from USC just last year to play for the Aztecs. Last year in his first season in an Aztec uniform, Reese came out hot and firing to start the year, but then the injury bug hit. As we all know, we will be without Reese for at minimum, til the beginning of January. This is a massive bummer, as I fully believed that Reese not only was gonna win Mountain West Player of the Year this year, but was even going to battle to be an All American. Reese is a dynamic scorer of the basketball. He can shoot the ball from three, the mid range, and finish at the rim. Oh, he is also an outstanding free throw shooter as well, only person I am taking at the line over Reese Waters, is Steph Curry. Reese is going to take time to gel with the team as he comebacks from injury, but when he does, this team is going to be very dangerous.
Kimo Ferrari: Kimo is senior graduate transfer from Brown University. Kimo is a MARKSMAN from deep. On his senior night at Brown, he made TEN threes dropping 39 points to carry Brown over Dartmouth 89-67. Now Kimo is not a scholarship player, but with Reese being out til January, expect to see him get some game action as Dutcher figures out what works and does not work with this very new team. I expect Kimo to play a massive factor mainly in practice getting the team prepared for the likes of DJ Thomas and Donovan Dent in conference play, but maybe he does what he did against Dartmouth against one of the power house teams we play this month.
Pharaoh Compton: Pharaoh is a true freshman from Chicago who played his high school ball in Arizona as well as being travel ball teammates with fellow freshman Taj DeGourville. Watching Pharaoh play in high school and everything I have heard, he reminds of a foe the Aztecs played last year, one JT Toppin. Pharaoh can jump out of the gym and has an absolute relentless motor. There will be games this year where Compton has a double double and will show everyone why Dutcher brought him in. Compton this year and later on his Aztec career is going to make a name for himself nationally and people will know who is.
Taj DeGourville: Taj is a true freshman from Las Vegas who as I mentioned above, played high school AAU ball with Pharaoh. Taj played in a lot of Swish League games this year and I was able to see him before many other Aztec fans will this upcoming winter. I remember after Taj first Swish League game talking to the opposing head coach and asking him his thoughts. He told me his ability to see the floor and be a floor general at such a young age facing grown men, was outstanding, and after watching him for all of Swish league, safe to say I agree. Taj is the most skillful passers I have seen at this young of an age. Will he makes mistakes and choose a wrong read or take a bad shot? Absolutely, but that is how Taj will get better and improve, he can be the next Winston Shepard for this program, or should I say next Miles Byrd.
David Thokbor Majak: David is a freshman 7 footer out of South Sudan. I imagine we will not see any of Majak this year, but I thought I should go over him briefly and what I saw in the Swish league games I saw him in. David has a very unique ability to protect the rim and shows promise as a rim runner and possibly as a floor stretcher. Him working with AG and redshirting this year will be crucial for his development. Going up against Jared Magoon Heide Compton Johnson and even AG at times will only make this kid better and he will grow as a player.
Season Predictions
My prediction for this years Aztec team is that we finish the year 23-9 and being the third best team in the Mountain West regular season. I then predict us to make the MW Championship game and winning it, putting the Aztecs at a record of 23-9. Now some of you will see 23-9 and wonder how the Aztecs only managed to finish third in the MW regular season. To that I answer, its going to be a very tough Mountain West this year. I believe we make the NCAA Tournament and we unfortunately fall short of the second weekend losing in the Round of 32. I am going to steal a little bit of a game from Aztec Breakdown and the podcast team. It is a segment called homer and hater. Two irrational takes on the Aztec season. My Homer, which is going to contradict what I just predicted, but, the Aztecs on the backs of Miles Byrd Nick Boyd and Reese Waters, make it to the Elite 8, I am making this my homer because the Aztecs truly have one of if not the most talented roster this program as have ever seen. With the likes of a truly powerful freshman class like Magoon Taj and Pharaoh, veteran leadership in the backcourt with Wayne, Waters, and Boyd along with the leadership of Jared in the frontcourt. The two just energy bunnies in BJ Davis and Miles Byrd, the calming presence of Miles Heide. This team has Final Four like talent. Now for my hater on the season. My hater is that the Azteca go 0-4 in the Gonzaga game as well as the Players Era Festival games. The reason why I believe the Aztecs go 0-4 is simply because this team is young and new to each other, it is going to take time for this team to gel together and when they do, this team is going to be very dangerous.
I am excited for this years Aztec squad. It is going to be an up and down year, all I have to say to you Aztec fans, is to be PATIENT. This is a very young team and its going to take time for them to reach its full potential. GO Aztecs!
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