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Good pickup!

Not going to lie. This one stings like a sonovabitch. We really need to replace two ELITE scorers in Trevon and JP next year, and Swider would have been a perfect fit.

Saying that, a SINCERE CONGRATS to Nova, as if he would have picked Duke or Syracuse, it would have felt like having an appendage hacked off with a dull butter knife.

Xavier definitely had close to a perfect fit for Swider coming in, our top two scorers leaving, both somewhat similar in styles and position with Swider. With Nova, will he most likely start? What's the fit/who would he be replacing? Essentially, through the optics of immediate playing time, what was the sell in your opinion? (I'm not talking about the League Titles/Nat champ/Brand Etc)

Again, congrats on a huge pickup for NOVA and the Big East.

Nice post Jax... by all accounts, both Brunson and Bridges will leave after this year. So, he will get a lot of time as a stretch 4. Imo, if spellman stays a 2nd year too they can be very good at the 4 out and 1 in lineup giving cole a lot of good looks. Nova needed a sniper for 2018 and he is perfect for it. Looking at his film over the years, he looks like a skinnier version of Jenkins with a touch more height. Strength coach will bulk him up and he will be very good.

2018 lineup will have Booth (probably) & Donte at the 2, samuels & slater at the 3, swider, crosby-roundtree at the 4, spellman (hopefully) and painter at the 5. Paschal (if still here)can play the 3, 4 & 5. Big question mark now is the point. Booth, Donte can fill in with Gillespie, but dont be surprised if thats not the next one.

Not sure if he'll start Day 1 but if he can shoot (and is willing to defend) he'll get time. We used to be Guard U but Maybe it should be Wing U. Donte D, Booth, Samuels, Paschall, Bridges, Slater and now Swider. I'm good with that.

Get a stud PG in this class (or if Gillespie pans out) and we'll be a consistent top 20 team for the next 5-6 years IMO.

GumbyDamnit! wrote:Not sure if he'll start Day 1 but if he can shoot (and is willing to defend) he'll get time. We used to be Guard U but Maybe it should be Wing U. Donte D, Booth, Samuels, Paschall, Bridges, Slater and now Swider. I'm good with that.

Get a stud PG in this class (or if Gillespie pans out) and we'll be a consistent top 20 team for the next 5-6 years IMO.

NOVA is "Position Less Basketball U", with Jay recruiting players that are capable of playing at least 2-3 positions. Many league titles later with a National championship in tow, its a methodology that a majority of teams are copying, including Xavier. We play 4 out, 1 in, and the 4 out are almost interchangeable at times. The kids these days that used to be 6'4 are now 6'6-6'8, are quick, can handle the ball, shoot out to the arc, have 6'10 wingspans (Paul Scruggs/X recruit 6'4 with 6'10 wingspan), and can play 2-3 positions. I think Bridges is the exemplification of this approach. ESPN had this to say about him when he was being recruited;

"He's long and athletic with a ton of undiscovered upside left in his frame. He's got slashing tools that translate to the next level, shows no hesitate to finish against contact at the rim, and the ability to make open shots from the three-point line. His length and quickness are defensive assets as is his ability to guard multiple positions." This is a 6'7/210 lb kid.

Xavier needs two elite scorers/shooters in this class that are hopefully top 100 type kids, as JP and Tre accounted for 47% of our scoring output after Sumner went down last year.

Nova reloading ....