KENNEDY EXCITED ABOUT AN ATHLETIC REBEL BASKETBALL TEAM

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Andy Kennedy Believes This May Be His Deepest Back Court

Andy Kennedy is pleased with the complexion of his 2017 basketball team, one with a nice blend of old and new complemented by the what Kennedy says is the deepest backcourt he’s had in his tenure at Ole Miss.

Breein Tyree, Deandre Burnett and Terence Davis comprise a trio of guards that played a good chunk of minutes a year ago. Tyree came into his own towards the end of the season and showed flashes of how he explosive he can be with the basketball at point guard. It was even more remarkable considering he was less than a year removed from tearing his ACL. Tyree’s knee is now completely healthy and Kennedy thinks he’s a different player because of it.

“He was a phenomenal athlete when we recruited him and he wasn’t even cleared to play until November of last year,” Kennedy said. “He was being introduced to college basketball as a freshman when the game started, which is a very difficult transition. He barely played early and then ended up being our starting point guard. He was not close to the athlete, even though he made some athletic plays, to where he is now.”

Burnett is the team’s leading scorer from last year at 17 points per game, and will now get to settle into shooting guard thanks to Tyree’s emergence. Davis brings back 16 points a game, most of which came in transition. He provides a challenge for opponents in the open floor.

If there was a single flaw that hindered the Rebels the most last year, it was the ability to consistently defend in the post. Kennedy believes they will be much better in that area thanks to the size of seven foot transfer center Dominik Olejniczak, 6-foot-11 Karlis Silins and 6-foot-8 junior college transfer Bruce Stevens.
Silins tore his ACL early in the year last year and gives the Rebels a long, versatile player the post. Senior Marcanvis Hymon also returns. This group will be tasked with replacing the SEC’s leading rebounder, Sebastian Saiz.

“We are going to have to do that by committee,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy believes Olejniczak will make an immediate impact and will get better with more games under his belt. He is new to the game of basketball, only playing a couple of year before ending up at Drake and then eventually came to Ole Miss

“I think the biggest thing is just experience,” Kennedy said. “He is an incredible worker.”

The newcomers in the post have made an impact on Hymon, who says he is a better rebounder because he goes up against them in practice every day. Hymon knows rebounding was an issue outside of Saiz last year, and believes this group will be better.

“As a bigs group, we watch a lot of film together,” Hymon said. “We know that is a big role to fill.”

Ole Miss didn’t get a lot of offense out of the four-spot last season. Hymon and Senior Justas Furmanavicius are tasked with generating more offense out of that position this year.

“Coach challenged me to get better, work on my shot and free throws as well,” Hymon said. “It has made me be more confident, and I think that was the issue last year. I was not as confident last year. That’s what I have worked on this offseason.”

This is a team with good deal of talent and a deep pool of guards. Burnett is a senior and knows the guards will be responsible for a good portion of the scoring. Newcomer Markel Crawford will certainly help with that. The graduate transfer from Memphis was a crucial addition for Kennedy this offseason.

“He plays hard and we all knew he could defend,” Burnett said. “He knows the game really well, being a fifth-year senior.”

So will freshman Devontae Shuler, who is a tenacious on-ball defender. Kennedy called him the most talented guard they have ever signed out of high school. Shuler will help Ole Miss immensely on the defensive end of the floor, and his scoring will develop in time.

“He’s got a chance to lead the SEC in scoring one day,” Kennedy said. “It won’t be this year, but down the road. His role will be a little different as a freshman.”

This is a team with some new faces, but also has a nice foundation from a year a go in both the front court and back court. Kennedy isn’t yet sure what his team’s identity will be, something they’ll figure out as they lunge deeper into the season. But he knows there is a lot of athleticism accompanied by even more potential.

“We’ve got an eclectic mix of old and new,” Kennedy said. “We addressed the areas we needed to improve upon in the offseason.”

The team opens the season on November 10 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-b ... 17aab.html
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