The Josh Schertz era at Saint Louis University is in its infancy, yet the energy and excitement around the program has been electric from the moment Schertz and his family stepped on campus. In hiring Schertz from Indiana State, SLU landed one of the hottest names on the coaching carousel this offseason, and immediately changed the momentum of the program. Schertz and his staff wasted no time in putting together practically a brand new team in a whirlwind of activity, bringing in 10 newcomers, including Indiana State stars Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope, and retaining Gibson Jimerson, Larry Hughes II and Kellen Thames from the previous regime.
With offseason practices just starting, it’s too early to know exactly what Schertz’s rotations and lineups will look like. Predicting this is even harder due to the fact that Schertz and his staff brought in a very promising crop of transfers and incoming freshmen who have clear fits on the roster and bring in unique advantages. In the portal era, coaches are often tempted to try to compile as much talent as possible as fast as possible, without any regard to fit. Schertz and his staff took an approach more akin to putting puzzle pieces together, and managed to quickly assemble a squad that, on paper, looks to fit nicely together while also being one of the most talented rosters in the Atlantic 10.
While it’s too early to know what SLU’s lineup and rotations will look like, it’s not too early to talk about the roster and engage in some speculation. In fact, doing so is the luxury of rooting for a team that put together its roster so quickly and efficiently. Also, I don’t want to study anymore for the bar today, and I’ve been meaning to write an article like this for about a month at this point, so let’s dive in!
Backcourt/Wings
Any backcourt with Gibson Jimerson and Isaiah Swope will be one of the best backcourts in the A10. It would be fun to be a fly on the wall at opposing A10 arenas when SLU comes to play, just to hear fans of other teams lament, “he’s still around? How?” regarding Jimerson. Jimerson chose to return to SLU for his 6th year (medical redshirt from his freshman year plus a COVID year) after testing the portal waters when Travis Ford was fired. Jimerson had major power conference interest, but turned it down to return to SLU. It’s going to be very exciting to see how Jimerson, one of the greatest shooters in SLU history, if not the greatest, will fit into Schertz’s dynamic, free-flowing offense. While last year was difficult for Jimerson without Yuri Collins, he now gets to play with Robbie Avila. Jimerson already has plenty of degrees, but he should add one in playing alongside elite creators. His off-ball movement should be a match made in heaven for Avila as the center serves as the hub of Schertz’s offense. Jimerson once again is paired with an elite passer who will get him the ball when he gets open. That didn’t always happen last year. Expect a big jump in efficiency from Jimerson, back to the 40% three point mark he routinely hit while playing alongside Yuri Collins.
Isaiah Swope is practically guaranteed to start alongside Jimerson. The 5’10 senior guard averaged 15.9 points for Indiana State last season despite playing most of the year with a knee injury. He had surgery this offseason, and the prospect of a fully healthy Swope should strike fear into the hearts of A10 defenses. Swope is a true 3-level scorer with extraordinary quickness. He can play either on or off the ball, and has enough athletic pop to be an efficient finisher driving to the hoop. Swope should establish himself as a go-to scorer and shot creator for SLU, just as he did at Indiana State, where he was second team all-MVC.
The third backcourt starting spot is unknown. If I had to guess, I would say the most likely option is Kobe Johnson. Johnson is a 6’4 senior guard who transferred in from West Virginia, where he started last season. He is a long armed, strong guard who will be one of the best defenders on the team. He averaged 6 points per game, and while he only shot 28% from deep, he did shoot 79% from the line. If he can knock down open threes and keep the offense running while guarding the other team’s best option, he will be an extremely valuable player. It’s rare for an A10 team to land a player with Johnson’s power conference experience, as he’s played 92 games for a Big 12 team. He could really thrive going down a level and his veteran presence will be a very nice addition for SLU.
Josiah Dotzler could challenge him for that starting spot and he has huge breakout potential from the Billikens. While he played sparingly at Creighton as a freshman, he was the best player in Nebraska coming out of high school, was heavily recruited by Schertz at Indiana State, and between 2 state championships at Bellvue West and a Peach Jam title with MoKan (the same AAU program Larry Hughes II played for, though they were a year apart), he boasts a fantastic winning pedigree. Dotzler has a chance to follow the same trajectory that Ryan Conwell did last year: get recruited hard by Schertz out of high school, decide to go elsewhere, hit the portal, transfer to Schertz, and then have a huge breakout year. Dotzler might be the best pick-and-roll ball handler on the roster, has great size at 6’3 and is a very good athlete. Out of all the transfers, he has a chance to be the biggest surprise since he played so sparingly for Creighton.
Larry Hughes II will also be a key backcourt contributor. Simply put, there are not many 6’4 combo guards who have his length, defensive ability and shoot 36% from deep at high volume. His versatility, shooting and defense will make it hard to keep him off the floor. He can fit alongside any combination of guards on the roster and guard up and down the lineup. He was a bit overhyped going into last season, and that has resulted in him becoming underrated this season. He can be a very important part of this team with his 3-and-D capabilities.
Kellen Thames, meanwhile, is geared for a breakout season. I have been saying this for months and it is still true. Kellen Thames is going to have a breakout season. To borrow the parlance of a fellow Holy Cross grad who is also overly wordy at times (and much more interested in 80s movies and LA real estate than I am), I have bought many acres of prime real estate on Thames Island.
Listed at 6’5, but allegedly 6’7 (and he looks more 6’7 than 6’5), I wouldn’t be surprised if Thames gets some time at the 4 (at this point someone will correctly say: “Schertz doesn’t really play positions in a 1-5 sense.” Defensively, you need someone to guard who the other team puts on the court so when I refer to numbers, it’s who the SLU player is guarding, not necessarily their offensive role. It’s just easier this way to write about. This policy will remain in place all season.), but I’m still categorizing him as a guard/wing since that’s what he’s listed at. The former high school point guard and coach’s son is one of the best athletes in the A10, a great finisher at the rim, and showed an ability last year to hit an open three. It’s not hard to envision him in a Jayson Kent-type role, taking on tough defensive assignments and making smart off-ball cuts and hustle plays. Thames can do a little bit of everything well and will be hard to keep off the court, especially if he improves his discipline and rebounding.
Lastly, freshman Amari McCottry is a very intriguing talent. A 3-star recruit out of Wisconsin, McCottry is 6’6 and played point guard in high school. In college, he’ll be more of a wing, but his athleticism, vision and ball handling makes for a very interesting package. He has great length and should be a good defender once he adjusts to the speed of college basketball. He could force his way into the rotation ahead of some of the veterans if he impresses, as he definitely has the talent level to challenge for playing time.
Frontcourt
If you are still reading this article nearly 1500 words in, I would be shocked if you didn’t know who Robbie Avila is. Aka Cream Abdul Jabbar aka Larry Nerd aka Rob Wave aka like a million other nicknames. Off the court, Avila might be the most marketable player in college basketball after going viral last season for his goggles, slick passes and devastatingly effective below the rim game. He’s also probably the best transfer coming into the A10 this year, following Schertz from Indiana State. Last year at ISU, Avila averaged 17.4 points per game, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists, on 54/39/81 splits.
Avila is tailor-made to be the hub of a Josh Schertz offense. He is an exceptional passer for a 6’10 center, adept at finding cutters or passing out of the post. He is a smart screener on pick and rolls, he can stretch the floor with his shot, he can handle the ball and he can finish around the rim. He has definite athletic limitations on defense, but his offensive impact, especially within Schertz’s system is immense. He was first team all-MVC for a reason. Avila coming to SLU is one of the most exciting things to hit Midtown in a long time and he’ll play a big role in SLU’s relevance off the court, but most importantly, leading the team on the court. He’ll be the hub, and the offense will run through him. No player will be more important to SLU’s success than Robbie Avila. Avila has 2 years of eligibility left, so Schertz will be able to build around him as well.
SLU added a couple of forwards who look to be great fits playing alongside Avila in AJ Casey and Kalu Anya. I genuinely have no idea who starts between Casey and Anya, but both can play both the 4 and 5 and there should be no shortage of playing time for either. Like Avila, both have 2 years of eligibility left.
AJ Casey is a 6’9, 221 pound forward who transferred in from Miami. A former 4 star recruit, Casey is a former middle school classmate and AAU teammate of Avila, so they have built in chemistry. Casey had underwhelming stats at Miami, where he was frequently played out of position, but he is an athletic freak who has the quickness and speed to effectively guard on the perimeter. In high school, he showed an ability to hit shots from a distance and handle the ball and pass, and he might have more of an opportunity to let his full skill-set shine at SLU. If he plays up to his talents, he could be the perfect big to play alongside Avila, protecting the rim and guarding quicker players on defense, while making smart cuts and attacking the boards on offense. He is another potential breakout candidate. Simply put, the A10 doesn’t get many 6’9, 220 pound players who can move like AJ Casey.
Kalu Anya transfers in from Brown and the 6’8 junior has a versatile skill set. He averaged over a block and a steal per game, to go with 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds. He might be the best rebounder on the team and is very athletic. He can pass and dribble (though he’s had some rough turnover numbers at Brown) and shot 27% from deep, so he has some ability to space the floor despite being a poor free throw shooter (51%). The Worcester, MA native will bring toughness and rebounding, plus a surprising amount of offensive oomph. Both him and Casey are strong options at the 4 (as is Kellen Thames) and both can play with Avila or as small-ball 5s. They can even play next to each other. I don’t know who will start, but both will get plenty of playing time and Billikens fans should be excited for both.
Kilian Brockhoff is a 6’9 center from Germany who transfers in from UCSB with 3 years of eligibility. He played sparingly at UCSB because he was recovering from an injury, but he provides another option at backup center. Brockhoff has some sauce to his game. He can hit the three pointer (and isn’t afraid to try a stepback three, even) and has a fondness for no-look passes in transition that most big men can’t make. His passing skills especially make him an interesting fit for SLU. The big man market in the transfer portal was insane this year, and landing a stretch 5 with Brockhoff’s passing ability as the fourth big man is a major coup for SLU.
Now we move on to the freshmen. Max Pikaar is a 6’11 forward from the Netherlands who played high school ball at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas. Pikaar is a unique talent, with uncommon perimeter skills for a 6’11 player. However, he is also rail-thin, to the point where he likely cannot effectively physically guard centers. Pikaar’s unique offensive skillset still could earn him minutes though. There are just not many guys who can do the things he can on offensive at 6’11.
Lastly, we have Dylan Warwick, who was SLU’s final signee of spring. Warwick is a 6’5 forward from Oklahoma who is a 3-star recruit. Warwick is a very unique player, a connector type who can pass, dribble and shoot, but is most effective around the basket. He’s a little similar to Dwayne Evans in how he can get to his post moves after facing up his defender (just watch a little tape and you’ll see what I mean) and he really gets after it. Warwick is a type of player who just makes smart plays all over the court and that could potentially earn him minutes.
It’s an open competition in practice, so who knows what the lineups and rotations will ultimately look like, I suspect the starting line-up will be some variation of Swope, Jimerson, Johnson/Dotzler, Casey/Anya and Avila, with Hughes and Thames also playing significant minutes. I think during non-conference the rotation could expand beyond those 9 to as many as 11 deep, and if Brockhoff and the freshmen play well, they could earn significant minutes throughout the season. Not exactly a hot take, but it seems to me to be the most likely scenario.
SLU certainly can achieve a NCAA Tournament at-large bid with this roster. However, it is important to keep in mind amidst all the hype and excitement that this is a team with a new head coach and ten new players. The learning curve will be steep, and the floor may be lower than fans and experts expect. The team could click instantly, play at a top 25 level throughout the season and secure an at-large bid, or it could scuffle along as it works to find its identity and players get used to each other and a new system. Regardless, the excitement of a new era, with one of the buzziest head coaches in the game, an elite big man who is both fun to watch and perhaps the most marketable player in college basketball, one of the greatest shooters in SLU history, a top-notch shot creator at the guard position and a host of other talent, it’s an exciting offseason for Billiken fans!
