Transition Year For Gonzaga? Not So Fast.
By Josh Horton
Feb 16, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Gary Bell, Jr. (5) controls the ball against the San Francisco Dons during the first half at War Memorial Gym. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Ever since the news broke that Kyle Wiltjer will be transferring to Gonzaga, Bulldog fans have been salivating at how good the 2014-2015 Zags could be. A lineup that features Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell Jr., Gerard Coleman, Kyle Wiltjer, and Przemek Karnowski is hard not to get excited about, but don’t overlook the 2013-2014 Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Although there are some unanswered questions about this Gonzaga team, this roster still bolsters a great deal of talent. Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr. are returning once again to compose the Bulldogs backcourt, and Sam Dower will be providing a veteran presence to a frontcourt that is extremely inexperienced. Przemek Karnowski, after settling in to the division one basketball pace of play, is destined to make that next step based on his elite potential. Gerard Coleman and Angel Nunez are both high impact transfers that possess a great deal of skill, and are great players to stick on the wing for Mark Few’s squad. Kyle Draginis will look to contribute as well on the wing with his high basketball IQ and athleticism. Freshmen Luke Meikle and Ryan Edwards will commit to backup roles behind Sam Dower and Przemek Karnowski, assuming that they are not redshirted. David Stockton will be a steady presence as a backup point guard and Drew Barham is a sharpshooting small forward that can be brought in off the bench. Walk ons Rem Bakamus, Brian Bhaskar, and Dustin Triano will bequeth the bench-warmer roles on the team, rounding off an all-around, complete roster.
As evident by the previous paragraph, Gonzaga still has a great deal of talent. Is it as good as it could be in 2014-2015? Probably not. Is it as good as last year? Probably not. However, there is no reason that the Bulldogs cannot compete for an outright WCC title, and make a decent run in the NCAA tournament next year. Looking ahead is always fun, but staying focused at the task at hand is the most important thing right now.