Bama looks for starting five...

How long will Levi Randolph be out?

Bama looks for a starting five...


   

       I don't envy Anthony Grant. First he loses Trevor Lacey to stupidity. That's my word and not the coach. The starting center decides to transfer to Pan American. I don't care what anyone says he will be missed. Now he loses Levi Randolph. It wouldn't surprise me if Anthony Grant looked out his window and finds a plague of Locusts swarming around the facility. If he looked out in his out office and saw someone in a robe and carrying a stone tablet I wouldn't be surprised. If it wasn't for bad luck he'd have no luck at all as the old saying goes. Despite all this, our coach remains surprisingly upbeat and optimistic. Any you look at what has gone on it is true that he lost 60% of his starting lineup. Now the question becomes who will the starters be ? After watching a couple of practices he has some options. He just doesn't have a lot of options. To compound all the problems that Alabama has faced a new one may be the worst of all. It involves hand check and forearm checking on defense.  This one might be the biggest loss of all. That one takes away a lot of what Alabama does on defense. If Nolan Richardson could comment he'd say that college basketball has become 40 minutes of child care. So where does the Tide go?

 

          It is hard to believe or think that Bama is going to change the basic way they play. Here are couple of things I think they will do from observation. Alabama is going to try to score more points, maybe a lot more points. If I was pressed to name a starting lineup I'm not sure I could. It's clear we will have very little depth. Carl Engstrom is not full speed, the to freshmen we have are not up to speed right now. They will be and they are going to have a baptism by fire. Here are a few observations:

 

• Releford is shooting better and has improved. That should be a scary for the SEC
• Rodney Cooper has really improved. He seems to have found his touch and he knows he's going to get to take a lot more shots.
• Nick Jacobs has lost some weight, looks a little quicker, and is forcing his way inside. His baby hook looks sweet.
• Carl Engstrom move well. He is limited in what he does, but Grant doesn't ask him to do a lot of things. Set screen, pitch the ball back outside, block shots and get rebounds. He has a soft shooting touch.
• Shannon Hale as a silky smooth shot. He reminds me of Keith Wilkes in the way he moves. He can play inside as well.
• Jimmie Taylor is a beast in training. He can blocks shots and has excellent timing  to do so. He leaves his feet like a rabbit on hot coals, but he'll get better. He is going to score some around the basket and can finish off plays with thunder dunks. I'd estimate he weights at least 245.
• Retin Obasahan has improved tremendously. He is confident. He can shoot outside and is not afraid to take it inside. He's going to be a good one this year.
• Algie Key isn't much of a shooter although he practices outside the arch a lot. He can flat out take it inside and he is as hard as nails. He is fast, quick, and can run like cheetah.

     Counting heads that only seven players who look like they can play SEC ball. Dakota Slaughter is going to play some, and he'll help out. He is stronger and very excited about getting a grant in aid. He is also confident. When Levi come back we will have an eight man rotation. That's not a lot, but Wimp Sanderson played with 7 and 8 players for years. The statement of several weeks could mean a lot. I'm  told he'll be back by the SEC. We need him before them to make the NCAA.