Atlantic 10 Basketball: Biggest 2022 offseason needs for each team

Dayton (2nd)

Returning: C DaRon Holmes II (12.8 PPG, 6.1 rpg), F Toumani Camara (10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg), G Malachi Smith (9.3 ppg, 5.3 apg), G Kobe Elvis (8.9 ppg, 2.4 apg), W Koby Brea (8.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg), F RJ Blakney (6.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), F Mustapha Amzil (5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Leaving: G Elijah Weaver (6.6 ppg/Transfer)

Dayton returns the top seven players from a rotation, that once set, led them to a 2nd place A-10 finish.  The Flyers will once again pair two of the conference’s most talented bigs, DaRon Holmes and Toumani Camara, with a burgeoning point guard in Malachi Smith and a host of role players, all of whom are capable of carrying the team on a given night.

Dayton sits in an odd place recruiting wise, as they return the bulk of their rotation, along with a Top 100 recruit who barely played while he developed (Kaleb Washington) and their 2020-21 sixth man (Zimi Nwokeji), while also adding another Top 100 recruit in Mike Sharavjamts.  They can theoretically upgrade the rotation at one or two spots, but any potential recruit who is talented enough to be an upgrade would likely be uninterested in having to come take minutes from an established player.

Needs

1. Backup Point Guard

This felt like a more critical need before a pair of impressive games running the offense for Kobe Elvis in the NIT.  But even if Elvis and Sharavjamts can share the playmaking responsibilities during Smith’s limited time on the bench, Dayton still needs a proper insurance policy for any time that Smith or Elvis is unavailable.

They will likely need to bring a freshman who is fine with limited playing time but the player will need to be a strong ball-handler who can help against the press and keep things moving if Smith and Elvis are out simultaneously, much like Lynn Greer III did before his mid-season transfer.

2. A Key Motivator

Really the only critical need is for a big-bodied backup center but ETSU transfer Richard Amaefule will likely take that spot following his redshirt year.  Last year’s team picked up some very impressive wins but really didn’t accomplish anything of consequence in March.  The talent is such that if all of the young players really work on their games this summer, Dayton will be a powerhouse. Coach Anthony Grant needs to ensure that his guys aren’t satisfied with last year’s results, and if they aren’t then this team is much closer to the Sweet 16 than the NIT.

Perfect Addition: G Paul McMillan IV, three-star

McMillan, the Gatorade Ohio POY, is right down the road in Cincinnati and the Flyers are battling a handful of Power 5 programs for his commitment.  The 6’1″ point guard put up 27 ppg and 5.0 apg this season en route to a state title and would be a crucial bench ball-handler for Dayton this year while having a chance to develop into a bigger role next year.

St. Louis (5th)

Returning: W Gibson Jimerson (16.3 ppg), C Francis Okoro (10.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg), F Fred Thatch Jr (9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), F Terrance Hargrove Jr (6.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg), W Javonte Perkins (17.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg in 2020-21)

Leaving: G Yuri Collins (11.1 ppg, 7.6 apg/Transfer), W Jordan Nesbitt (8.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg/Transfer-Hampton), C Marten Linssen (7.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg/Graduate), G DeAndre Jones (4.0 ppg/Graduate)

With Gibson Jimerson coming off of his breakout year and Javonte Perkins returning from a preseason injury, SLU will have a pair of elite perimeter scorers playing together this season, to go with a rugged duo inside, Fred Thatch and Francis Okoro, both of whom played their best basketball at the end of the season.  The Billikens are absolutely loaded on the wing, with Jimerson, Perkins, Thatch, and Terrance Hargrove all returning and being joined by Missouri transfer Javon Pickett (11.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and JUCO All-American Sincere Parker.

Needs

1. Point Guard

SLU’s starting lineup is NCAA Tournament caliber at four spots but Collins’ unexpected departure has left a huge hole at point guard.  Ideally, the Billikens can replace him with another superstar but if Travis Ford can find a mid-tier option, especially one who turns the ball over less often than Collins did (4.1 per game), then they may be fine.

Javonte Perkins is going to have a high usage rate anyways and is a pretty good playmaker.  While he may not be a traditional choice, Perkins could be a great option to split time with a young or more defensively inclined point guard. Remember, SLU made the NCAA Tournament in 2019 while being forced to split point guard duties between star wings Javon Bess and Jordan Goodwin.

2. Backup Center

Throughout last season, SLU ran a platoon between Okoro and Marten Linssen, and although Okoro established himself as a clear starter by the end of the year, his penchant for stupid fouls makes a solid backup a necessity.  And with the strong three-point shooting that the Billikens’ forward provide, SLU can focus on bringing in a player who, like Okoro, is a good defender and strong rebounder.

Perfect Addition: G Courtney Ramey, Texas

Ramey could basically choose to play for any team in the country for his final season, but his struggles this season were due in part to playing on an uber-talented Texas team where the pieces didn’t fit right. Why experience that again? He could come back home to SLU, which can offer something no other team can, a Top 25 roster around the point guard and an absolute guarantee of big minutes.

On any other top team, a rough start for Ramey could quickly turn into a long trip to the bench but the Billikens point guard situation means Ramey would be locked into 30+ minutes all season.