Toledo Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

   During his time as a Notre Dame assistant, Gene Cross became enamored with the Irish’s four-perimeter, one-post uptempo style that’s big on skill and scoring. Toledo wasn’t built to play that way during Cross’ first season, but that will change going forward.

Cross and his staff recruited seven freshmen— from as close as Toledo’s Start High School and from as far away as Florida and Massachusetts—to rebuild the Rockets in Notre Dame’s image. Of course, the whole goal is to bring the UT faithful the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1980 as soon as possible.

“I’m all about trying to establish a culture around here,” Cross said. “That doesn’t happen overnight. I want to make sure I manage my expectations because we’re a very young group.”

How young? There isn’t a senior on the roster. Forward Justin Anyijong (9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and center Mouhamed Lo (5.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg) are the only juniors. Sophomore point guard Larry Bastfield (2.8 ppg) and sophomore center Ian Salter (1.8 ppg) are the only other lettermen.

As Toledo plows through preseason workouts, Cross hopes to have his “veterans” lead the way and his freshmen challenge for playing time. For example, Bastfield doesn’t have a resume as strong as freshmen point guards Josh Freelove (26.5 ppg at Fort Lauderdale’s North Broward Prep) and Neil Watson (23.3 ppg at Kansas City’s Sumner Academy). But Bastfield has the experience and desire and Cross noticed that from the outset of the Rockets’ four-man workouts.

Toledo’s other guard spots ought to be filled by new faces. Redshirt freshman Stephen Albrecht missed last year after undergoing two back surgeries, but he’s ready to go. True freshmen Jake Barnett (Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts) and Malcolm Griffin (Hyde Park on Chicago’s south side) will play from the jump—Barnett because of his all-around skills and Griffin for his physicality and upside.

  

NOTES, QUOTES

  —If Toledo is going to improve markedly on last year’s 7-25 record, then the Rockets need to improve on their MAC-worst 17.1 turnovers per game. They committed 111 more turnovers than their opponents. On the plus side for the Rockets, they graduated their two leading turnover-prone players. Seniors Jonathan Amos and Tyrone Kent combined for 240 turnovers in 32 games. On the other hand, they also combined for 893 of the team’s 1,893 points.

• Junior forward Justin Anyijong is Toledo’s top returner in scoring (9.7 ppg,), rebounding (6.4 rpg), 3-pointers (32) and steals (24). He and junior center Mouhamed Lo each blocked 27 shots. Coach Gene Cross foresees Anyijong as a team leader, but is especially to see how he blossoms on the boards. “Anyone who has 17 rebounds in a game (as Anyijong did against Central Michigan) has the potential to be pretty good,” Cross said.

Oddly enough, Lo also put together a 17-rebound game last year. His came on Jan. 6 against Rhode Island, two weeks before Anyijong’s effort.

• Despite its dreadful record last year, Toledo heads into this season on somewhat of a high. The Rockets’ final game was a 93-92 overtime loss to Akron—the team that went on to win the MAC Tournament and play in the NCAAs.

   LAST YEAR: 7-25 overall, 5-11 in the MAC West; lost in first round of the MAC Tournament.

   HEAD COACH: Gene Cross (career 7-25); 2nd year at Toledo (7-25).

   QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’m trying to establish what we’re going to be about: Hard work, togetherness, cohesion and character.”—Toledo coach Gene Cross.

 

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

   SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: Gene Cross brought in seven freshmen to join four returning lettermen—and it takes him quite a while to list all of their attributes. Point guards Josh Freelove and Neil Watson are Blur and Blurrier, but both also averaged more than 20 points per game during their senior years. Jake Barnett and Malcolm Griffin are wings who should play early—Cross expects Toledo fans to become particularly enamored with Barnett’s unabashed efforts on the court—while Jordan Dressler and Devin Russell are powerful posts. Hayden Humes, the seventh true freshman, was expected to contribute at both forward spots until he wrecked his knee during a preseason workout.

   KEY EARLY-SEASON GAMES: Toledo snagged a prized home game with Alabama, but the Tide doesn’t roll into town until Jan. 4. The Rockets won’t have to wait until then to face a prime-time program. They travel to Cincinnati on Nov. 18, then play at NCAA runner-up Michigan State on Nov. 20 to kick off the Legends Classic (Toledo also plays Cornell, Drexel and Vermont in Philadelphia as part of that tournament).

   PROGRAM DIRECTION: The Rockets just had their worst winning percentage in 76 years, so there’s little direction to go but up. Toledo has no seniors and just two juniors on its roster, so the seven healthy freshmen will have lots of chances to build Toledo’s next good run.

   PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP: PG Josh Freelove, SG Stephen Albrecht, SF Jake Barnett, PF Justin Anyijong, C Mouhamed Lo.

   ROSTER REPORT:

   —F Hayden Humes will miss his freshman season after suffering a torn ACL during preseason workouts in January. Humes, whom coach Gene Cross hoped would make an impact at both forward spots, will use his redshirt and have four years of eligibility remaining.

• C Zac Taylor has received a medical non-counter scholarship after knee and back injuries have forced him to give up the game. Taylor, who had three years of eligibility remaining, averaged 2.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in 9 games last year. The plan is for Taylor to stay with the program as a student assistant.

• G Clayton Sterling left the program after averaging 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in his freshman year.

• G Kevin Rohner has joined the program as an invited walk-on. The 6-foot-1, 165-point freshman from Rochester Hills, Mich., is regarded by coach Gene Cross as a “lights-out shooter.”