FGCU Mercer and USCU made a name for themselves with post season tournament wins, so it is easy to forget that FGCU beat them both in the ASun tournament. They came on strong for new coach Andy Enfield behind 2 All-Freshmen guards (Bernard Thompson and Brett Comer). They lose only role player Kevin Cantinol and a third freshman guard (Dante Holmes). Cantinol will be replaced in post by Iowa State transfer sophomore Eric McKnight who was a highly touted, super athletic 6’9” player coming out of high school, (3 star, rated 91 by ESPN, highest of any ASun athlete). McKnight ought to do far better than Cantinol’s 2.8 points and 3.0 rebounds. They have lots of good shooters but are perimeter heavy, outside of McKnight, with no strong, physical 3 or 4 types to fill the gap between four very skilled 6’3” and under guards and the 6’9” McKnight. 6’8” players Fieler and Murray play soft, and 6’9” Filip Cvjeticanin is sort of like a European Kenyona Swader: very long at 6’9”, athletic, with a fantastic perimeter shot (56-130 for .431 from 3), but not strong inside. One or two of those 3 need to develop more inside game. Anthony Banks, one of the best athletes in the ASun left the team when coach Andy Enfield arrived, and would have filled that inside gap very nicely at a superbly athletic 6’6”. But he’s long gone. The inside gap should be filled nicely in 2013-2014 as 2 very promising transfers, 6’10” Nate Hicks of Georgia Tech and 6’6” 210 Jamail Jones of Marquette, become eligible. Dajuan Graf is being touted as the prize recruit as a speedy point guard: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/aug/01/mens-basketball-fgcu-will-chart-new-course-graf-po/ Recruiting includes 6’9” 190 freshman Leonard Livingston (said to be a redshirt candidate). 6’3” freshman guard Alex Blessig arrives from Germany but faces a crowded guard scene. The team took 7 men on a summer trip to the Bahamas (McKnight and Varidel did not go, although top recruit Graf did), crushing 3 weak opponents. Lots of enthusiasm seems to surround this program, one of the most improved in the ASun.
