Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Nacogdoches, TX (Future150) -- The Big Dance is finally here and while everyone would like to cut down the nets, there can only be one champion. That being said, there is always the chance that the next season could be better than the last. With that in mind, Future150 would like to introduce "The Next Step", a segment dedicated to breaking down each program's recruiting class as they bow out of the tournament; because theres' always next season.
Stephen F. Austin has been a bit of giant killer under Brad Underwood and Thomas Walkup, and did it again against WVU on Friday. It looked like the Lumberjacks would strike again until Rex Pflueger tipped it in at the buzzer to break the hearts of Lumberjack fans.
While the tip ended this season, it feels like it ended more than that. Gone are Trey Pinkney, Jared Johnson, Demetrius Floyd, Clide Geffrard, and Thomas Walkup all graduate at the end of the season.
Losing Walkup obviously hurts, he will go down as one of the greatest to put on an SFA uniform. But the Lumberjacks may be facing an even bigger loss. Brad Underwood has done more than enough to prove that he is deserving of a bigger job, and will likely have plenty of suitors.
Things aren't all doom and gloom in Nacogdoches though. There is no promise that Underwood is gone. Dallas Cameron, Ty Charles, and C.J. Williams, and T.J. Holyfield are all rotation guys who will return and take a step forward. Freshman guard Nathan Bain should take a big leap forward and has a ton of natural talent.
There will be new faces as well. JuCo point guard Ivan Canete will bring some needed experience. Finnish forward Samuli Nieminen will come to the states as a freshman next season and could be a steal for SFA. Future150 Alum Brandon Averette rounds out the class. At 5-foot-10, Averette is a little undersized, but has great vision and plays with a ton of heart. It will take him a few games to get acclimated to college, but he will soften the blow of losing some of the seniors for this year's squad.
If Underwood stays on as the head coach at SFA, they should be the clear favorites to win the Southland and it's automatic bid. If not, things will certainly be up in the air in the conference.
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