2025-26 Roster

[red_n_black_attack]

PG: Day Day / Kriisa / Tillery
SG: Jizzle / Harris
SF: Abaev / Celestine
PF: Baba / McKinley
C: Thiam / Haynes / Dzellat

I wonder if Tillery might try to redshirt. We're already two deep at every position and it's rare to have more than a 10 man rotation. We could always bring him into the fold if there's an injury.

Adam Finkelstein:

Today is commitment day for New Hampton School and City Rocks point guard Keyshuan Tillery, who will announce his college decision live on the @247Sports channel at 4pm. https://www.youtube.com/live/G3szNytz7i8

Scouting Keyshuan Tillery:
- True 2-way floor general & leader
- Elite competitor & intangibles
- Sets tone defensively; pressures ball
- Paint touches, fast with ball, improved shooter

Based on the scouting, Tillery is a true floor general, he may have a leg up on getting playing time at PG. Only Kerr and DayDay are true PGs, and neither are excellent passers. I think Tillery takes 12-15 minutes at PG with Kerr or DayDay sliding over to SG when Jizzle takes a break. I'd really like two excellent ball handlers and passers on the floor together with the wing/Bigs coming in. I know that really doesn't fit Wes' offensive scheme, but man the possibilities are high.

[GoBearcats31]

Just gotta add 6'4 Sencire Harris (West Virginia) and voila.

True haha, oops... I sincerely apologize

[sedz]

PG: Day Day / Kriisa / Tillery
SG: Jizzle / Harris
SF: Abaev / Celestine
PF: Baba / McKinley
C: Thiam / Haynes / Dzellat

I wonder if Tillery might try to redshirt. We're already two deep at every position and it's rare to have more than a 10 man rotation. We could always bring him into the fold if there's an injury.

[Carthage World]

6' Keyshuan Tillery - freshman
6'1 Day Day Thomas
6'3 Jizzle James
6'3 Kerr Kriisa (Kentucky)
6'7 Jalen Celestine (Baylor)
6'7 Shon Abaev - freshman
6'8 Jalen Haynes (George mason)
6'9 Tyler McKinley
6'10 Halvine Dzellat
7' Baba Miller
7'2 Moustapha Thiam (UCF)

Just gotta add 6'4 Sencire Harris (West Virginia) and voila.

[GoBearcats31]

6' Keyshuan Tillery - freshman
6'1 Day Day Thomas
6'3 Jizzle James
6'3 Kerr Kriisa (Kentucky)
6'7 Jalen Celestine (Baylor)
6'7 Shon Abaev - freshman
6'8 Jalen Haynes (George mason)
6'9 Tyler McKinley
6'10 Halvine Dzellat
7' Baba Miller
7'2 Moustapha Thiam (UCF)

[leeraymond]

According to Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports, Page will play for Northwestern next season. Very good academic school. If basketball does not quite work out, at least he will have a world-class degree. Not bad.

[leeraymond]

Any word on if Page is returning or if he is moving on? Has anyone heard anything on Page?

[leeraymond]

Congrats to Day Day Thomas (and CJ Anthony) for earning their degrees
https://x.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/1917598505092206801

I second that congrats. One day those degrees will come in handy. Good for those young guys.

[GoBearcats31]

Congrats to Day Day Thomas (and CJ Anthony) for earning their degrees
https://x.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/1917598505092206801

[GoBearcats31]

UC has updated the roster page
https://gobearcats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

1 - Day Day Thomas, 6'1 190 lbs. Graduate Student
2 - Jizzle James, 6'3 205 lbs. Junior
3 - Tyler McKinley, 6'9 240 lbs. Sophomore (surely this will be Redshirt Freshman)
4 - Halvine Dzellat, 6'10 225 lbs. Sophomore
5 - Jalen Celestine, 6'7 215 lbs. Graduate Student
6 - Sencire Harris, 6'4 174 lbs. Junior
7 - Jalen Haynes, 6'8 265 lbs. Graduate Student
8 - Kerr Kriisa, 6'1 185 lbs. Graduate Student
9 - Moustapha Thiam, 7'2 235 lbs. Sophomore

- Not listed yet: two incoming freshman
- Heights/weights from new guys probably from their prior schools' roster pages
- Still several spots available to fill

[DesertFog]

Re compring AP and Torvik Pre, it might be interesting to consider Torvik final as well.

[leeraymond]

The truth of the matter is, even with all of the fancy analytics, the statistical tools of Torvik and Kenpom, and predictions of college basketball thought gurus, no one knows how next season is going to play out. UC was ranked as high as 14th in the country this season and finished its season 13th in the BIG XII. What a let-down.

Let's see how next year's team looks once it hits the floor and plays its first one or two challenging games against a decent opponent. Although next year's team may not enter the season ranked as high as this year's team, next year's team may fit together and have better chemistry than this year's team. UC now has the roster configuration to play big or small. Teams with the two big body bigs may not give next year's team as many problems as this year's team. UC now has a 4 big man rotation (Thiam McKinley, Haynes, and Dzellat). Who knows, UC still has more roster spots to fill, it may bring in another big man. I doubt it, but you never know.

Finally, Thiam and Haynes did not come to UC to sit on the bench. I project that UC may start the season with both of those guys in the starting lineup. Thiam, I do not know about Haynes, is being paid good money to be on the floor. I cannot see either one of those guys not starting. However, let us not sell McKinley or Dzellat short. McKinley can really play and knows how to play. He is 6'9" and 240. He has had a chance to observe big time college basketball up close for a year. He has been watching film in real time. I expect that he is going to be able to strike a blow in practice. Remember, McKinley played high school basketball at the highest level in the country. He knows what it is like to play high level basketball. Look out for McKinley.

I do not know if anyone paid any attention to Dzellat when he was on the floor during the Crown Tournament. From what I could see, there is nothing wrong with his defense. Also, he took shots when he was around the rim. He appears to like playing offense. He was looking for his shot. I like that. Next year's team may be alright. It has some interesting parts and pieces.

Miller is still the wild card. As we all know, it takes Miiler forever to decide on a starting 5. If next year's team can develop a strong chemistry, toughness, and intelligence, who knows what could happen. It may be able to save Miller's job.

[DesertFog]

I have a few things to add to the statistics/analytics comments, but I wonder if it might make more sense to put the discussion, which is presently scattered throughout the Roster and Transfer Portal sections, in the Analytics section. Admins?

[GoBearcats31]

@GoBearcatsMBB tweeted "It all starts with 1 and 2" with pics of Jizzle and Day Day. Day Day obviously never hit the portal but this is further confirmation he is back.

I guess Day Day posted on IG similar to Jizzle where he announced he's back but it's buried at the end of a video

[sedz]

Here is how Torvik's preseason rankings compared to the AP last season for all teams in either the AP's preseason or final rankings. Torvik was closer on 21, the AP was closer on 12.

Team	AP Pre	Torvik Pre	AP Final
Kansas	1	4	37
Alabama	2	9	6
UConn	3	13	29
Houston	4	1	2
Iowa St	5	3	17
Gonzaga	6	8	23
Duke	7	2	3
Baylor	8	15	--
UNC	9	5	--
Arizona	10	10	15
Auburn	11	7	4
Tennessee	12	6	5
TX A&M	13	12	19
Purdue	14	17	14
Creighton	15	14	30
Arkansas	16	35	20
Indiana	17	30	--
Marquette	18	25	38
Texas	19	11	--
Cincinnati	20	27	--
Florida	21	36	1
UCLA	22	24	32
Kentucky	23	23	12
Ole Miss	24	38	18
Rutgers	25	19	--

Team	AP Pre	Torvik Pre	AP Final
St Johns	27	16	11
Texas Tech	29	20	8
Michigan St	32	18	7
Michigan	34	34	10
BYU	35	28	13
Clemson	41	44	22
Wisconsin	45	40	16
St Marys	46	39	24
Louisville	47	62	21
Maryland	55	48	9
Memphis	--	32	25