Solomon Hill should be leading the way next season. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE
The end of the college basketball season means the beginning of the never-too-early predictions for next season — and here’s one from ESPN.com.
Andy Katz released his Top 25 for 2013 on Tuesday morning, with Indiana on top and the Arizona Wildcats at No. 12.
So much for UA slipping under the radar with a young team.
The Cats lose All-Pac-12 guard Kyle Fogg, hard-working post player Jesse Perry and sharp-shooting Brendon Lavender from a team that lost in the first round of the NIT to visiting Bucknell.
Arizona was the only Pac-12 team in Katz’s Top 25.
He wrote:
“The Wildcats had to deal with a number of issues this season from injuries to attrition, but they were still close to mounting a Pac-12 regular-season title challenge and made the NIT. Arizona should lean heavily on Solomon Hill as a lead returnee (along with Kevin Parrom’s return), but this will be a team heavy on newcomers. The recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1 in the country by ESPN, with Kaleb Tarczewski, Grant Jerrett, Brandon Ashley and Gabe York heading to Tucson. This team will be young in November but should make its mark in March.”
There is much to be determined before then, most notably the status of starting point guard Josiah Turner.
Turner ended his freshman season on suspension and his status for next season is unclear.
Meanwhile, Arizona is pursuing talented Duquesne point guard T.J. McConnell, who is set to visit the UA campus later this week. McConnell, who would have to sit out this season as a transfer, is considering Arizona and Virginia. He would have two years of eligibility left.
Coach Sean Miller hasn’t addressed the media or publicly clarified Turner’s future since the end of the season. Turner did hang out Saturday with friends at Arizona’s football scrimmage on campus.
Arizona is set to return point guard Jordin Mayes, whose sophomore season was limited by foot injuries. UA can also use shooting guard Nick Johnson at the point, as it did late in the season. York, even though he is 6-1, is more off an off guard than a point guard at this time.