Busting Brackets
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Grand Canyon Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Antelopes

By Jason Burgess

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Grand Canyon Lopes fans cheer during the team's semifinal game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament against the Utah Valley Wolverines at the Orleans Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. GCU won 75-60. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Grand Canyon Lopes fans cheer during the team's semifinal game of the Western Athletic Conference basketball tournament against the Utah Valley Wolverines at the Orleans Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. GCU won 75-60. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /
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DURHAM, NC – NOVEMBER 12: Oscar Frayer #4 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes reacts after turning the ball over against the Duke Blue Devils during the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC – NOVEMBER 12: Oscar Frayer #4 of the Grand Canyon Antelopes reacts after turning the ball over against the Duke Blue Devils during the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Starting five for the Antelopes

The two returning starters for the Antelopes are leading scorer, sophomore forward Alessandro Lever and junior forward Oscar Frayer. The 6-10 Lever averaged 12.2 points while pulling down 4.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. The native of Italy has the ability to stretch the floor and shot the three-point shot at a 32% clip last season. Frayer is a 6-7 power forward who netted 9.6 points and pulled down 5.2 rebounds, 2nd most on the team. Frayer also likes to shoot the three, having the most attempts of anyone returning for 2018, while shooting 36%.

One of the guard spots could go to sophomore Damari Milstead, the 6-2 Milstead is from Hayward, California and even though he averaged just 9.4 minutes per game and 4.5 points, Majerle relied on him more as the year went on. He appeared in 26 games but saw an uptick in minutes over the last 17. Over that time, he played nearly 11 minutes per game and while his point production stayed about the same, he was more productive across the stat sheet.

There is a good chance the other guard spot goes to Carlos Johnson who has received a waiver to be eligible this season after transferring from the University of Washington. The 6-3 Johnson averaged six points and three rebounds as a freshman for the Huskies, but the coaching change last season resulted in a reduced for Johnson.

The final starting spot could go to a newcomer, 6-4 Phoenix native J.J. Rhymes who joins the Lopes after leading Hutchinson Community College in Kansas to a national championship as a sophomore. Rhymes was named a Division I JUCO All-American last season, averaging 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and three assists.