2011-2012 Preview: Talking Miami Basketball With Danny Hobrock

In preparation for the start of the 2011-2012 regular season on November 7, we’re running a series here on Busting Brackets where we talk with other writers about their team or conference. You can check out all of the pieces in our preview series by clicking here. Our series rolls along with a conversation with Danny Hobrock of Canes Warning, as we talk about what new head coach Jim Larranaga has on tap for the upcoming season.

Be sure to check out more of Danny’s work on CanesWarning.com, and follow him on Twitter @CanesWarning.

BustingBrackets.com: Before we get to the the upcoming season, let’s talk about last season for the Hurricanes. They did win 21 games and made it to the NIT quarterfinals, but could we consider last year a disappointment?

Danny: What’s been most disappointing the last few seasons is the missed opportunities. Last season the Canes outplayed top-seeded UNC in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament and were tied 59-59 with seconds remaining after the Tar Heels mounted a comeback. Tyler Zeller lays one in as the clock hits zero and Miami is done. That came after upsetting Virginia in the previous round. The year before, Miami upset Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals, and played top-seeded Duke close in the semifinals, falling to the Blue Devils 77-74.

BB: Well there’s a new change at the top, as Jim Larranaga takes over for Frank Haith as head coach of the Hurricanes. What’s been the general reaction from Miami fans about the Larranaga hire?

Danny: When Haith took over in 2004, ‘Faith in Haith’ posters dotted the campus. Not to take away from the successes he had at Miami (he did bring the Canes to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2008), but with the talented players that he brought in there was a disappointment in his 43-69 ACC record. Fans are generally excited about a change at the top. Like Al Golden did for the football team, Larranaga brings a new energy to the basketball team that I’m excited to see on the court.

BB: Since Miami wasn’t a force on the national level last season, casual college basketball fans may not know a ton about Malcolm Grant. Talk about what makes Grant such a great asset and great scorer for this team.

Danny: Grant is a Villanova transfer who finished ninth in the ACC in scoring last year, and he’s the leading returning scorer among ACC guards. What I like most about Grant is his leadership on the court. He’s one of the ACC’s top point guards, but if the Canes make the tournament his leadership will deserve as much credit as his production and statistics.

BB: Grant will undoubtedly be the one that gets all the attention, but who might the unsung hero be for the Hurricanes?

Danny: Grant’s backcourt mate, Durand Scott, was the ACC’s 12th-leading scorer in 2010-11. He and Grant form one of the conference’s (and perhaps the nation’s) top backcourts. I wouldn’t necessarily call him an unsung hero, but if Grant gets most of the attention this season Scott can step up to take advantage.

BB: Only one freshman enters the fray this season, as shooting guard Bishop Daniels joins the mix. Any chance he gets significant minutes with such a veteran roster?

Danny: Probably not. Grant and Scott are going to get the bulk of the work in the backcourt, and DeQuan Jones is that guard/forward who’s probably going to get his minutes, too. Garrius Adams saw significant minutes last year, and started 24 times.

BB: Four starters return from last year’s team that won 21 games. It seems like North Carolina and Duke will be head and shoulders above everyone else in the ACC, but could Miami realistically challenge for the third spot in the ACC this season?

Danny: Every year it seems there’s hope that the Canes reach the upper echelons of the ACC; and every year those dreams go unfulfilled. It’s tough to predict how this year’s team will do with the new head coach. I wouldn’t say I expect a third-place finish his first season, but there’s a chance that three traditionally football-oriented schools compete for the spot behind the Tar Heels and Blue Devils—Miami, FSU and Virginia Tech. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, just that the opportunity is there.

BB: Speaking of the top two, is there a particular facet of Miami’s game that could give both of these two powerhouses trouble?

Danny: Miami is a team with four returning starters including Grant, Scott and Reggie Johnson (likely sidelined until mid-season after knee surgery), who last year outplayed and took top-seed North Carolina to the wire in the ACC tournament. The year before, the 12-seed Hurricanes made a semifinals run in the conference tournament, falling to top-seed Duke. With that comes the confidence that you can play with the best. That, and any new energy that Larranaga injects into the team, is going to help the Canes more than anything.

BB: Alright, let’s wrap it up with a prediction. Where do the Hurricanes finish in the ACC and what’s their seed for the NCAA Tournament in March?

Danny: Fifth seems like a safe prediction. I never like to stack the expectations on a coach in his first season, but the pieces are in place to earn the tournament berth. I’ll go with a 10-seed.

Want more college hoops talk? You can follow us on Twitter (@theblakelovell) and @Blacketologist, or check out our Facebook page for more college basketball discussion!