Okay, so the season just ended Monday night, and players this way and that are declaring either one more year of school or their intentions to test the Draft waters.  Let’s take it a step further and lay out the most likely scenario for matchups this fall.

The SEC East, in order of 2008 finish:

Tennessee
G – Ramar Smith - JR –  7ppg
G – Scotty Hopson – FR
F – Tyler Smith – JR – 14ppg – 7reb
F – Duke Crews – JR
C – Wayne Chism – JR - 10ppg – 6reb
6th – Cam Tatum, JP Prince (although not at the 1), and Daniel West (at the 1).  Freshman Renaldo Woolridge has a legitimate shot at taking this spot due to his long body and ability to play the 2, 3, or 4.

Kentucky
G – Derrick Jasper – JR
G – Jodie Meeks – JR – 9ppg
F – Patrick Patterson – SO – 17ppg – 8reb
F – Darius Miller – FR
F - Perry Stevenson – JR 
6th – DeAndre Liggins and Ramon “The Alaskan Assassin” Harris, although AJ Stewart really came on strong at the end of the year for the Cats.  The question around Stewart is, will he be able to play full speed without playing stupid?

Vanderbilt
G – Jermaine Beal – JR
G – Keegan Bell – SO
F – Lance Goulbourne – FR
F – Darshawn McClellan – SO
C – AJ Ogilvy – SO – 17ppg
6th – Kevin Stallings doesnt know either…

Florida
G – Walter Hodge – SR
G – Nick Calathes – SO
G – Jai Lucas – SO
F – Eloy Vargas – FR
C – Kenneth Kadji – FR
6th – A trio of Freshmen will compete with Dan Werner for this spot: Rayford Shipman, Allan Chaney, and PG Erving Walker (who just might win the starting job)

South Carolina
G – Devan Downey – JR – 18ppg
G – Brandis Raley-Ross – JR
F – Dominique Archie – JR – 11ppg
F – Darius Morrow – FR
F – Mike Holmes – SO
6th – Darrin Horn will have slim pickins on the bench this year unless he is able to come up with a magical JuCo transfer real quick.  The only returner with experience is Lithuanian Evaldas Baniulis

Georgia
G – Billy Humphrey – SR – 12ppg
G – Terrence Woodbury – SR – 11ppg
F – Jeremy Price – SO
F – Howard Thompkins – FR
F – Travis Leslie – FR

So there you have it folks.  Now on with the prognostications.

Buried beneath a week full of tragedy surrounding the University of Kentucky, on a completely different level was even more bad news. While the news pales in comparison to the deaths of Bill Keightley and Marvin Stone, Scotty Hopson’s commitment to Bruce Pearl and the Vols also made waves. Hopson is a McDonald’s All-American, although he may not be the best player in his own region. He led his team to an “All-A Classic” Championship (see: small school State Tournament in most other states), and a Sweet Sixteen (Kentucky’s State Tournament) berth. He and Darius Miller, UK commitment, battled each other all year to see who would win Mr. Basketball. Hopson’s perceived laziness by coaches and media hurt his campaign, he seemingly could never do anything right. Miller had committed to UK in the fall (a UK commitment always helps in the voting) and won MVP honors leading his Mason County team to the State Championship. Hopson, no doubt, is a great coup for Pearl and UT; but is Scotty going south the worst thing for UK?

For all we know right now, Kentucky only has four scholarships to give for 2008-09. Miller and DeAndre Liggins (Findlay Prep in Las Vegas) signed National Letters of Intent back in the fall. Liggins was expected to play a combo-guard role, and Miller is a wing/slasher much like Hopson. Then, in the last month, Kevin Galloway (JUCO) verbally committed to Billy G. The Cats bring back Derrick Jasper, Jodie Meeks, and Michael Porter as guards. Ramon Harris and AJ Stewart, who both came into their own towards the end of the year, return as small forwards. Patterson will obviously (hopefully he returns without a hitch) play power forward. We should all hope and pray the “Mark Coury Starting Experience” will end, and Perry Stevenson should play center. That seems to show a lot of depth in the backcourt, and a lack thereof in the frontcourt. Was another wing-player, like Hopson, the answer? No.

Kentucky needs a big man in this class. Patterson needs help, he needs another presence so that he’s not getting double-teamed every time he catches the basketball. Apparently, there are options out there for UK. Kentucky Sports Radio always seems to be on the ball about UK’s latest recruits. Yesterday, they reported Maurice Sutton could be the big man who would give some depth in the frontcourt next year. There are also rumors that one, or more players may transfer before next season. Little used big men Jared Carter and Mike Williams would be the most likely candidates. Even if they were to leave, Kentucky would still need a big more than backcourt help.

This is not written in any way to discount Hopson. He could definitely have helped Kentucky next year. However, he is probably looking to be a one-year player (see: asking Tyler Smith to stay one more year). Kentucky fans will lament Gillispie, for sure, when Hopson comes to Rupp next year and drops 25 points and gets 10 rebounds. You can hear them on the call-in shows, “We got this dang Miller kid, and Hopson’s the real deal!” That may be true, but in Lexington we hang National Championship banners, and in Knoxville they hang Sweet Sixteen banners.

[ Kentucky Sports Radio ]