The Notre Dame Fighting Irish get their first shot at the ACC. Luckily for head coach Mike Brey, he brings along one of the more experienced backcourts. Overall, the team returns with three starters and will be relying on a lot of freshmen for depth.
GONE: Jake Cooley, Scott Martin, Tom Knight, Joey Brooks, Mike Broghammer (probably)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
PG – Eric Atkins (SR), 6-2/180
SG – Jerian Grant (JR), 6-5/200
SF – Pat Connaughton (JR), 6-5/210
PF – Cameron Biedscheid (SO), 6-7/185
C – Garrick Sherman (SR), 6-10/230
For the Irish, everything starts in the backcourt. Atkins is a two-year starter, who rarely ever sits (he averaged over 38 minutes per game last year). A bit on the small side, he struggles against beef in the paint, but loves to get his teammates involved and is not afraid to shoot a three from deep.
Jerian Grant is the star, despite not being great at one single thing. Throughout his career, he’s gotten better at the deep ball and worked on his ball handling skills. As long as he continues to add muscle, he should be hard to handle in the ACC. These two alone averaged nearly 25 PPG and over 10 assists per game last year.
Pat Connaughton is a spot-on three-point shooter from the wing, who can be dangerous when he gets rolling. Last season, he led the team with 154 three point attempts, hitting a solid 38-percent. Inside, I’m putting Cameron Biedscheid in as a stretch four. He’s a little undersized to be a power forward, so he’ll need to hit the gym. However, he’s a versatile swingman, who can actually play three different positions. He’s a decent ball handler in traffic and good at avoiding turnovers. He’s a good free throw shooter, but fails to get to the line enough.
Inside, Mike Brey has a variety of big men to roll into the lineup at the five spot. For now, Garrick Sherman should get the start. The former Michigan State transfer is best known for scoring 17 points in the five overtime win over Louisville last year. That may not seem impressive until you realize he didn’t play a second during regulation.
Sherman is a gifted big, with great hands and a wide body. He’s got good footwork inside and is capable of scoring with back to the basket (he shot 21-33 in last year’s last five games), but the problem is he can get pushed around when an opponent challenges him.
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTORS
PF – Zack Auguste (SO), 6-10/230
SG – Steve Vasturia (SG), 6-5/190
SF – Austin Burgett (SO), 6-9/214
Depth will be a huge problem next year. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Irish go with a rotation of just six or seven players. Auguste is sure to get his minutes. He’s the most physically gifted front court player. In fact, he could up starting the at the four spot. His offensive skill set is limited, but he’s active, loves to rebound and is an underrated defender/shot blocker. He can play both the four and five spots.
Of all the freshmen, Vasturia is not the most talented long-term, but right off the bat, he’s the best option for Brey. He’s an old-school player, who makes good decisions. He’s not the quickest cat in the litter, but he’s got great size, good ball handling skills and can handle the pressure.
Burgett only got about three minutes per game as a freshman last year, but he should get more playing time as he continues to improve. He’s a point forward and is a solid outside shooter for a big man. He’s a versatile player, who isn’t afraid to attack the boards.
ROLE PLAYERS
PG – Demetrius Jackson (FR), 6-1/185
SF – V.J. Beachem (FR), 6-6/180
Jackson is the top recruit in Mike Brey’s 2013 class. The 6th rated PG has great speed and good vision. His speed allows him to get past defenders and can put up an impressive pull up jumper. However, he’s not a strong shooter and it’s tough seeing him sneaking minutes away from Atkins.
Beachem is a long wing with a solid stroke from deep. However, he badly needs weight and has been described as soft as he struggles to defend and grab rebounds. It’s tough to get minutes if defense and rebounding are you flaws.
LIMITED ACTION
PF – Eric Katenda (R-FR), 6-9/220
PF – Austin Torress (FR), 6-6/200
Katenda is the unluckiest guy in basketball. First he suffered a career-threatening eye injury prior to his rookie season. When it looked like he was about to come back this offseason, he got a painful plantar fasclitis on his foot and needed surgery. Right now, who knows if he can even suit up next season. Torres is a garbage man, not afraid to get dirty inside. However, he’s a project at best, so it’s tough to see him getting minutes his freshman year.
