My preseason All-SEC picks
Just submitted my ballot for the preseason All-SEC men’s basketball poll.
I picked Florida second overall in Southeastern Conference, behind Kentucky. The Wildcats again will be young, but again will have overwhelming talent at all five starting positions. I had a chance to watch Kentucky freshman center Nerlens Noel in the summer of 2011 at the AAU national championships. Noel isn’t as polished as offensively as Anthony Davis was coming into college, but he may be an even better shot-blocker.
Like ESPN analyst Bruce Pearl, I like Florida’s experience and depth up front. If Casey Prather can conquer his turnover problems, you will have four upperclassmen up front (Patric Young, Will Yeguete, Erik Murphy and Prather) rotating in three spots. It could play out similar to 2010-11, when the all-senior starting frontline of Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin led the Gators to the SEC regular season title.
I picked Missouri third, but consider the Tigers league title contenders as well. Remember this name — Phil Pressey. Pressey, Missouri’s junior point guard, has an incredible competitive will and I believe will emerge as the best point guard in the league.
I picked Florida senior guard Kenny Boynton for the All-SEC first team, with Noel, Pressey, Arkansas sophomore guard B.J. Young and Tennessee senior forward Jeronne Maymon. I considered Florida junior center Patric Young, but felt he was too inconsistent as a sophomore last year. If Young’s conditioning and post offense improves though, he could easily surpass Maymon by the end of the season. I also think Tennessee sophomore Jarnell Stokes and Arkansas junior Marshawn Powell could emerge as elite big men in the league this season.
Here’s a look at my preseason All-SEC ballot:
Projected Order of Finish
1. Kentucky
2. Florida
3. Missouri
4. Tennessee
5. Arkansas
6. Alabama
7. Ole Miss
8. Texas A&M
9. Georgia
10. Auburn
11. LSU
12. Vanderbilt
13. South Carolina
14. Mississippi State
Preseason All-SEC Team
C — Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
F – Jeronne Maymon, Tennessee
G — Kenny Boynton, Florida
G — Phil Pressey, Missouri
G — B.J. Young, Arkansas
The SEC will release the full preseason men’s basketball poll early next week.
Kevin Brockway gave up on his dream of becoming a lefty starting pitcher for the New York Mets when he walked four straight batters, then hit one in a middle school game in Suffern, N.Y. Since graduating college in 1993, he’s worked as a sports writer at daily newspapers throughout the state of Florida, beginning with the Key West Citizen. He then moved on to the Northwest Florida Daily News and Naples Daily News before becoming the men’s basketball writer for The Gainesville Sun in 2003. Brockway has won multiple state and national writing awards during his 16-year career. Favorite pastimes include karaoke and watching baseball. Favorite college hoops team growing up was St. John’s.
Seems pretty cut an dried. Maybe we ould just skip the regular season and the first two rounds of the Tourney and start UF in the Elite 8 an go from there!
by brr-bon phil
brr-bon phil’s comment is why football should never expand a playoff beyond four teams since this is what people will say about football too.
Enjoy the regular season, it is what makes the tournament so interesting
by Mark T.
I had Uf first then some twins went over to the dark side.Agree but Uf goes farther in March.Carolina may surprise us all with a major coaching upgrade.
by fanan