What can Longwood’s roster look like?

While we continue through the process of finding a new coach for Longwood Basketball, it’s important to consider what the roster could look like next year. When coaches leave, so do players, and we’ve seen a little bit of that with DJ Myers and Jaron Williams asking for their release from their Letter of Intent. This doesn’t mean they are gone forever, but it does mean that the new head coach will have to sell them on Longwood again.

To first understand what Longwood’s roster can look like next year, let’s take a look at the situation five years ago. When Jayson Gee was hired he lost Longwood’s one signee, Chris Shields (yea that Chris Shields), and lost Michael Kessens (Alabama), Nik Brown, Frank Holloway, and Kirk Staine to transfer. To combat the losses Gee brought in his first recruiting class of Damarion Geter, DJ Allen, Leron Fisher, Ike Belton, and some other pieces that never really contributed to Longwood.

Gee inherited a roster that featured TT Carey, Jeylani Dublin, Karl Ziegler, Lucas Woodhouse, and Jeff Havenstein. While that doesn’t look that bad on paper, the Lancers frontcourt was basically non-existent that year with Havenstein and other developmental players.

The next Longwood coach will likely inherit a roster that begins with Isaiah Walton, Spencer Franklin, and Chris Shields. It’s going to be tough for those three guys to transfer. Beyond those three journeyman big Drew Romich will join the crew, and so will a starting caliber big in Pernell Adgei. Those five guys are most definitely coming back.

So what about the wild cards? Damarion Geter makes sense as a grad transfer if he wants to go that route. While Jahleem Montague, JaShaun Smith, Kamil Chapman, and Jordan Cintron could head elsewhere if they chose too. The wildest of wild cards in Juan Munoz who has missed the last two seasons due to injury. Could he get a waiver to not have to sit out a third year? Would another program take a chance on a guy that hasn’t played in two years? Who knows.

What we do know is that the roster should be in slightly better shape than it was five years ago when Gee inherited the team. We’d love to see everyone back, but even if we do get the full slate coming back (we won’t) there is still an opportunity to improve the roster. Time is of the essence.