Ducks Look For Strong Start To Post-Joe Young Era Against Jackson State Tigers
- Nov 11, 2015
- 2 min read
The departure of Oregon’s all-time leading scorer Joseph Young to the NBA and the team's numerous injuries has left many question marks around the team. Who will step up to become the number one scoring option? How do you replace Young’s 20.7 points per game average? Who will take over Young’s ball-handling role?
The Ducks have reloaded and turned over their roster, adding key transfers such as 6'10” Junior College Player of the Year Chris Boucher and fifth year senior Dylan Ennis from Villanova. The team has also added freshman Tyler Dorsey, who was named California’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year, along with newcomers Kendall Small and Trevor Manuel.
Oregon is missing some key pieces as the team starts their season though. Sophomore Jordan Bell, who set the school record for blocked shots in a season with 94 as a freshman last year, and Dylan Ennis will both miss a large part of the first half of the season with foot injuries.
When speaking of Ennis’s timetable for his return, head coach Dana Altman told reporters, “He's going to be out for a while. I’m not sure how long, but we won’t see him, November for sure, maybe not even December, I’m not sure.”
Jackson State will look to capitalize on Oregon’s injuries and try to win their first game against a Pac-12 opponent since 2013 when the team lost to Colorado 94-70. The Tigers will have to find some offensive firepower if they want to win in Eugene.
Last year’s Jackson State team averaged only 60.7 points per game, along with making only 38.7 percent of the team’s field goals and 27.4 percent of the team’s three point field goals. Rebounding, however, was a great strength of the Tigers, as the team averaged almost five more rebounds per game than their opponents.
The Tigers will rely heavily on seniors Raeford Worsham and Kaven Bernard, who combined to average 24.1 points per game last year. The size and height will come to be a challenge however, as the Tigers are undersized compared to the Ducks.
Worsham is a forward but his 6'5” frame represents that of a guard, which may give him trouble going up against a taller Oregon team. Jackson State’s tallest players, 6'8” juniors Treshawn Bolden and Janarius Middleton will also have trouble matching up with Oregon’s 6'9” freshman Trevor Manuel and 6'10” duo of Roman Sorkin and Chris Boucher.
Both the Ducks and Tigers look to make a run into the NCAA tournament this upcoming March by starting their seasons with a win. The teams tip off on Friday at 7 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena.
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