No. 10: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Washington Huskies

2008-2009 Record: 26-9, 14-4 Pac-10 (1st)

Key Losses: Jon Brockman (14.9 ppg, 11.5 rpg), Justin Dentmon (14.4 ppg, 2.7 apg)

Key Returners: Isaiah Thomas (15.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Quincy Pondexter (12.1 pg, 5.9 rpg), Matthew Bryan-Amaning (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)

Newcomers: Abdul Gaddy, Clarence Trent, CJ Wilcox, Tyreese Breshers

Isaiah Thomas will team with Abdul Gaddy to form one of the most exciting back courts in the country.
(photo credit: Tucson Citizen)

Washington won the Pac-10 last season, and despite losing two of their top three scorers, many are predicting a second title in as many years for the Huskies.

The biggest reason for that is their back court. Sophomore Isaiah Thomas and freshman Abdul Gaddy will be as exciting as any duo in the country this season. We know what to expect out of Thomas this season. He is an excellent scorer, especially when he is putting the ball on the deck and getting to the paint. Despite being just 5'8", he is able to finish amongst the trees thanks to an array floaters and scoop shots. Thomas is at his best when he is playing in the open court, thanks to his shiftyness and his ability to handle the ball. Where he could still use some improvement is in his jump shot. He was inconsistent as a freshman, especially from beyond the three point line.

The biggest key for Thomas this season may actually be the addition of Abdul Gaddy. Thomas is better when he plays off the ball, looking to score first. Gaddy is more of a natural point guard that has drawn some comparisons to Mike Bibby. Gaddy's strength lies in his ability to handle and pass the ball. He isn't overly quick or bouncy, but his crossover is deadly and he can throw any pass with either hand on the money. His stroke has been much improved of late, and may end up being a strength for him at this point.

Joining those two in the back court will be Venoy Overton. Overton may be the best perimeter defender in the country. He is a ball hawk that will provide Lorenzo Romar with a defender for 94 feet. Offensively, he will get some points in transition, and knock down a three here and there. Sophomore Elston Turner and freshman CJ Wilcox will also see time in the back court. With the graduation of Justin Dentmon, the Huskies are going to need another scoring punch from the wing. Lorenzo Romar will be counting on one of these two to step up.

The front court is where the question marks are going to be. Gone is Jon Brockman, one of the best big man in the history of the Pac-10 conference. Brockman controlled the glass for the Huskies, and had a motor that couldn't quit. The issue was that, despite the fact he ran the floor hard, Brockman was far from what you would call a great athlete. So while his loss will no doubt hurt, given the Huskies increased emphasis on an uptempo style of play, getting more minutes from Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Darnell Gant may not be a terrible things.

Junior Bryan-Amaning is more talented than Gant, and will be counted on more for production. At 6'9", he can run the floor and finish, but his rebounding and defense will need to be improved. Gant is more of a hustle guy. As a redshirt freshman last season, he struggled a bit offensively and with his consistency. Redshirt freshman Tyreese Breshers should also see some minutes in the post.

Perhaps the key for Washington this year will be Quincy Pondexter. Pondexter was a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, but until last season he really struggled with his ability and consistency. As a junior, Pondexter really began to develop an offensive game. He averaged 12.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg, scoring a lot of points as a result of his hustle and athleticism. Justin Holiday is another guy in similar shoes. Also 6'6", Holiday is a rangy athlete that is still coming into his own talent wise. Both Holiday and Pondexter should be able to thrive playing the forward spot in an uptempo system like Washington will play.

Outlook: The Huskies do have a ton of talent. Their back court is loaded with Thomas and Gaddy, and Bryan-Amaning and Pondexter both look primed for excellent seasons. The issue is going to be with how the Huskies can handle this change of style. Will their big guys be able to play against teams with bigger and stronger front lines? Will the athleticism on this roster be taken advantage of when they are in the open court? Will someone outside of Thomas develop into a shooter? Those are a lot of questions to be answered, but the Huskies will have time as they play in a watered down Pac-10. The league title will come down to U-Dub and Cal.