Zachary Lyon:
Future150 Regional Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball: NC, SC & VA
Mansfield, CT (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.
Kevin Ollie's team knocked out Colorado in the first round but failed to rally against the #1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks. What's the next step for the Huskies?
UConn loses some major production from Sterling Gibbs, Shonn Miller, and Omar Calhoun but they have a very solid four man recruiting class to help bandage some of the bleeding. This class consists of PG Alterique Gilbert, G/F Vance Jackson, and frontcourt additions of Juwan Durham and Mamadou Diarra.
Gilbert has the talent level to come in and contribute immediately, and could pair up with Jalen Adams to form a scary good backcourt if they can learn to co-exist. Gilbert is lightning fast and is such a smooth playmaker in both the halfcourt and transition.
On the wing the Huskies will have Vance Jackson out of Prolific Prep (CA) who can score from all three levels and has fantastic size at 6'8. Jackson's versatility and athleticism will allow him to be a big time scoring threat in the AAC, and he could be a true matchup nightmare sooner rather than later.
In the frontcourt the Huskies add two strong rebounders with Durham and Diarra. Durham is definitely a more polished scorer in the paint, as he can muscle his way and finish through contact with ease. While Diarra is more of a raw prospect, but still has the potential to be a fantastic three to four year player.
Look for UConn to be contenders in the AAC once again, and have a scary good backcourt that could be one of the best in the nation.
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