The Miami Hurricanes have been picked to finish ninth in the ACC 2016-17 Preseason poll announced Wednesday at the ACC’s Operation Basketball in Charlotte.
Duke is the favorite in the ACC, followed by North Carolina, Virginia, and Louisville. The Hurricanes were picked to finish fifth, over 100 points behind Notre Dame in the 2015-16 pre-season poll. They finished tied for second with Virginia at 13-5 one game behind conference champion North Carolina.
The Tar Heels lost to Villanova at the Buzzer in the NCAA Tournament Championship game. Miami lost to the Wildcats 92-69 in the South Regional Semifinals at Louisville’s KFC Yum Center.
The Hurricanes enter the 2016-17 season without their two leading scorers and leading rebounder. Shooting Guard Sheldon McClellan is playing for the Washington Wizards, Point Guard Angel Rodriguez plays for Cholet in France and Center Tonye Jekiri is playing in Turkey for Bandirma Kirmizi.
Point Guard Ja’Quan Newton ,Forward Kamari Murphy, and Guard Davon Reed will be the three counted on to replace McClellan, A-Rod and Jekiri’s leadership and production. Sophomore Anthony Lawrence Jr. should join Murphy on the front line.
Miami has a lot of depth entering the 2016-17 season. This could be Larranaga’s deepest team to date during his tenure in Coral Gables. There are numerous candidates to become the fifth starter.
The most likely is sophomore center Ebuka Izunda. The Sophomore would give the ‘Canes a true five, but at 6’10 205 he needs to bulk up to man the middle. Freshman Bruce Brown could play shooting guard, sliding Reed to the three or Brown’s classmate Dewan Huell could start at the four or the five.
Brown and Huell are the core of a recruiting class that is ranked 15th in the country by 247 Sports. They are the 22nd and 23rd ranked players in the class of 2016 and two of Miami’s highest rated recruits ever on the hardwood.
The 6’11 220 Huell has spoken openly about this season being a one and done player and applying for the 2017 NBA Draft. A graduate of Norland High School, Huell is also one of the highest rated recruits ever out of Miami.
Asked by the Miami Herald in March about the possibility of being a one and done Huell responded: “That’s the goal”. Huell is not listed among top 60 draft prospects by Draft Express or NBADraft.Net.
Huell’s draft express scouting report says:
“Huell doesn’t have a ton to him as a player but he’s well worth tracking given his size and athletic ability. Huell will have to get bigger and contribute more as a defensive rebounder and post defender, but his ceiling is high.”
Per the Herald, Draft Express lists10 freshman one-and-dones and NBADraftNet had 16 one and dones. Asked by the Herald what he needs to work on, Huell said: “Work is on my mind — getting better, improving…I need to work on everything — just take it to the next level.”
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