A Different Starting Five?

Everyone has assumed ever since Dontay Hampton went down with an injury the assumption had been that three of the starting five were all but clinched. Farad Cobb would be the starting point guard. Z Mason and Drazen Zlovaric would be the starting post players. The other two spots would be up for grabs.

You know who is in a fight for the life for a starting spot? Check out David Uchiyama's article here...

Um, this is odd. I like Lance Stokes a lot, and I'm a fan of his. In fact, I like going a little big and starting him at the three spot, if he earns it.

But starting him in Mason's spot? I'm not sure what I think about that.

Stokes has impressed me a great deal over the course of last year. He did not get a ton of playing time, but he showed flashes of athleticism that rivaled anyone on the team. He also showed that he was a very good defensive player, and that he had decent shot making ability. Stokes played six minutes late against Georgia Southern last December....and scored eight points. I had this to say about Stokes in my review of the game:

Stokes came into the game when it appeared over, and suddenly, the Mocs cut the lead down sharply, and he dominated the final few minutes of the game. He played outstanding basketball. He had been coming back from an ankle sprain and looked like he may deserve to be playing consistently for the Mocs. He may need a lot more minutes.
So there you go. I said this in the Mercer preview a week later:

The intrigue may be in how much a guy like Lance Stokes plays. He was so valuable against Georgia Southern in those closing minutes as the game tightened, but then did not see action against College of Charleston. He has shown flashes, but it is a little unclear where he fits into the rotation at this point in time.

So, I am a big Stokes fan, and have wondered why he was not playing more. I wondered all year last year. I also watched Z Mason average nearly a double-double in January before dislocating his knee cap.

Why can't both guys see the floor at the same time? And maybe they will. Maybe they will see a lot of playing time together. To me, Stokes provides a opportunity to play big with him at the three spot, while you can also go small by putting Stokes at the four. Both lineups can be successful. Both lineups can produce.

Z Mason is the leader on being my favorite player this year. That can change in a heartbeat, of course. But right now, I like the slimmed down Mason look, the attitude he has apparently taken on, and the leadership role he seems to have taken. I really like what Mason brings to the table for the Mocs. Stokes is close on the "my favorite player" scale- but I just don't know that I like him starting at the four spot.

We'll see what develops. This is a very interesting story. The best news to me? That Stokes appears to be a larger part of the rotation, because I really do think Stokes has a lot to bring to the table. So, I'll try to focus on the positives to take away from this- that I'm going to be seeing more Stokes.

GO MOCS!