Actually one of the more thoughtful conference previews I have read.


8. UNC Wilmington
Key Returners: Ty Gadsden, Jaylen Sims, Shykeim Phillips, Mike Okauru, Jay Estime’ (injury), Brian Tolefree, Imajae Dodd, Jake Boggs
Key Losses: Martin Linssen (grad transfer)
Key Newcomers: Jamahri Harvey, Ja’Juan Carr, Ian Steere (St. John’s)


Outlook: It’s never too late to do the right thing, folks. Let the UNC Wilmington administration’s decision to (finally) hire Takayo Siddle, Kevin Keatts’ lead assistant at UNCW, three years after Keatts accepted a big boy ACC job be a testament to that truth. The administration went astray by trying to force such a stylistically different choice into the program (UNC assistant C.B. McGrath), and that experiment failed miserably, as McGrath was unable to bring in the kind of players he needed to become a mini UNC. Instead, the roster is still overflowing with a wealth of guards, an ideal blend of speed and scoring with which Siddle can reconstruct the style that flourished under his old boss.

Make no mistake about it – that’s Siddle’s plan. In an offseason interview, Siddle was asked about the team’s glaring lack of size, to which he responded:

“I think we’ll be faster than most teams, and with our speed and the way we play, the way we’re gonna press, I think it will kinda eliminate some of the bigger post players in our league.”

Keatts pressed 35% of the time in his final year at UNCW, the second-highest rate in the country, so Siddle is likely not blowing smoke with such a claim. He gave different looks, which made it tougher on the offense to get comfortable and slowed them from quickly breaking the pressure each time. Sometimes it was just a straight man-to-man meant to speed up the ball-handler, sometimes it was a diamond trap in the backcourt, and sometimes it was man-to-man with a run-and-jump trapping element:


A backcourt of Shykeim Phillips, Ty Gadsden, and Mike Okauru gives Siddle three lightning-quick defenders who can wreak havoc; Phillips ranked 92nd nationally in steal rate for a team that wasn’t prioritizing pressure, and Gadsden and Okauru were not far behind.

Where those UNCW teams really excelled, though, was via a devastating four-out blitz on the offensive end, spreading and slashing their way through defenses that simply could not keep up. Again, the trio of ball-handlers will be a challenge to guard, and UNCW will have the pedal to the metal in the open floor. All three Keatts teams ranked in the top 75 nationally in tempo, and it would be a minor shock to see Siddle not match or exceed that with this group.

The presence of a bigger fourth guard (a la CJ Bryce in 2017) is what truly unlocks the attack, and Jaylen Sims is perfectly equipped to handle that role. He can abuse slower-footed matchups, and both can open up the court for spread pick-and-roll action with their shooting. Jay Estime’ would have been a second ideal fit, but he tore an ACL in September (especially brutal as he was coming back from a previous season-ending knee injury), but fortunately, the backcourt has some depth. Brian Tolefree and/or Jake Boggs can be floor spacers off the bench, and freshmen Ja’Juan Carr and Jamahri Harvey will be given every opportunity to contribute early. Harvey is especially intriguing; he played alongside NC State recruits Josh Hall (opted to go pro) and Shakeel Moore at Moravian Prep, and he could be a diamond in the rough after being overshadowed by those two.

The trick will be finding enough of a paint presence to take advantage of the space the offense creates and to battle inside defensively. Devontae Cacok was the platonic ideal for this role – remember when he shot 79% from the field over an entire season? – and Imajae Dodd may follow in his footsteps as a burly but mobile presence who can make an impact on the glass on both ends of the floor. Siddle also added Ian Steere, a big man he recruited to NC State while an assistant there and another terrific option as the “one in” of the four-out, one-in spread offense. The Seahawks don’t need a ton of depth here because of the 4-guard system, but the only other post option is thin sophomore John Bowen.

Bottom Line: I can’t lie – I loved watching Keatts’ UNCW teams play, and the prospect of Siddle resurrecting that style has me excited. More importantly, though, playing that style with this roster makes sense. There’s multiple ball-handlers, guard depth, and a bigger wing who can hold up as a small-ball four (if only Estime’ were healthy to make it two such players). If Dodd and/or Steere can lock down the center position, the Seahawks are primed for a quick resurgence, and these gorgeous jerseys getting more shine will never be a bad thing:

Much more positive review

Great breakdown and I agree.

Much better than No Bid Nation. But he did miss on Cacok's shooting % the one season. It was 80%, not 79%. I only point that out because 80 looks much better than 79. ?

I'm kind of surprised we aren't getting some more love. We brought back everyone but one player, we beat the top teams in the conference when we switched coaches last year, several teams lost a lot of talent, and we're going back to a style of play we won with with a coach who was a part of that equation.

I can only see us being better than last year, but that doesn't seem to resonate in these predictions.

(10-22-2020 03:49 PM)82hawk Wrote:  I'm kind of surprised we aren't getting some more love. We brought back everyone but one player, we beat the top teams in the conference when we switched coaches last year, several teams lost a lot of talent, and we're going back to a style of play we won with with a coach who was a part of that equation.

I can only see us being better than last year, but that doesn't seem to resonate in these predictions.

I think everyone seems to assume that all the question marks don't pan out. And most times implementing a new system is tough, and takes time. KK was a rare quick turn.

But, as this article points out, this roster seems to already fit the style of play so who's to say that it can't happen again?

(10-22-2020 03:49 PM)82hawk Wrote:  I'm kind of surprised we aren't getting some more love. We brought back everyone but one player, we beat the top teams in the conference when we switched coaches last year, several teams lost a lot of talent, and we're going back to a style of play we won with with a coach who was a part of that equation.

I can only see us being better than last year, but that doesn't seem to resonate in these predictions.

Honestly, I don't fault them for the logic. It's a coaching change, plain and simple. Sure, Burke got them to win when he switched the coaching style to more of what we should see under Siddle, but it's a different guy calling the X's and O's.

I hope it works out. I think it will. Time will tell.

A system like Siddles or Keatts requires a commitment to it from Day 1 and it's a bit unfair to judge Rob on that. To his credit, he played the cards he was dealt.

When you commit to this system, it's a 365 day thing. You have to condition not only your body but your entire defense and offense to it. This commitment cannot be understated here. That is why Keatts teams got better as the year went along too because they have a blue print and their conditioning continued to improve as well as their collective confidence.

I was impressed with the breakdown of this individual reporting this. He gave definitive basketball reasons why it should fit for the personnel that the Hawks have. I can't agree more. If you have the personnel already that are quick and guard oriented, it's a no brainer. I see the loss of Estime hurting with his shooting ability but I also saw a guy like Tolafree possibly getting his minutes reduced which would not be good either because he is a very undervalued asset to this system with his size and aggressive nature on both ends.


This system is perfect for Sims to shine and is the perfect fit for this system as he mentioned as a hybrid 3/4 that can stretch the defense and can drive it. Boggs will be able to make the next step too here with his shooting prowess and guard like skills. You have a proven terrific lead guard in Phillips and Carr can grow organically. Hawks need Ty to be Ty and not get injured...that is key to this team with limited lights out 3 ball guys. Okauru can thrive in this system and is a multi tool player with ultra quicks. Look for Harvey to become a force during the year once he gets his feet wet. His progression will be key with his offensive arsenal and defensive instincts. Dodd is definitely a key player for UNCW this year without question. Dodd can flat out board the ball and is very hard to deal with on the blocks period and has surprising hops/athleticism that allows him to contest and block shots at key moments of games-very undervalued player. The development of Steere (crazy upside) will be big and important especially against bigger teams. Bowden will be the utility guy that can come off the bench and add energy at the 4 or emergency 5.

The pieces are there as basketball savvy 3-man weave and 82 suggested, no doubt. And, I expect to win more CAA games than losses this year, even in year 1. You're going to have to guard 4 out so you have to adapt defensively (opponent) and that's hard to deal with half court wise. Expect to see zone defenses once the half-court is established so the Hawks must practice zone offense a bunch. That may force Siddle's hand early to find another drop dead shooter to augment Gadsden and that guy will have to be Tolafree or Harvey. Their development will be a big key going forward because the zone will mark Ty and give Phillips the 3 ball until he proves it (he knows this already and has a good stroke and worked on it...smart). Good problems to have because you know the deal going in, but that's how it will likely play out.