Tulane Rising Under Dunleavy in the American
Later this week the Tulane Green Wave will tip-off against LIU Brooklyn beginning the second season under Coach Mike Dunleavy.
I had the opportunity to watch the team in a scrimmage against neighborhood rival Loyola New Orleans. One would expect Tulane to flex its D1 muscles on Loyola and beat them handily, which they did. The week prior in a Hurricane relief contest, Tulane bested LSU. Tulane has the makings of a program on the rise.
What that means in regards to wins in a American conference featuring a top-10 team in Wichita, a top-20 team in Cincinnati and a host of NCAA hopefuls including SMU, Houston, UConn, Temple, Tulsa and UCF, remains to be seen. Tulane is dramatically better than the 6-win team that it put on the floor a year ago.
The team comfortably goes 8 deep. In the scrimmage 10 then 12 players played and there wasn’t much drop off from the first five to the second five.
The guard play featured both players who can get to the rim and shoot the three. An impressive blend of youth and experience.
6'8" Cameron Reynolds has moved off the perimeter to more of an inside-scoring role. Reynolds averaged 17 points per game and is confident in his scoring ability from anywhere on the court. He’s most comfortable on the wing but for Tulane to be balanced he must contribute points in the interior.
6'4" guard Ray Ona Embo will play a key role in the backcourt. Embo has a fantastic motor and plays downhill. His defense is ahead of his offense but his toughness is important to the team’s identity.
6'6" Jaron Cornish, a transfer from UNLV, will be counted on to score. Cornish has good range and looks to penetrate.
6'6" Melvin Frazier, is a double-digit scorer from a year ago, another long, active defender that attacks the rim. Frazier is projected to start at the wing.
6'9" Vanderbilt-transfer, Samir Sehic will be counted on to stretch the floor. Sehic brings a consistent three-point threat off the bench for Tulane -an important piece that was missing last season.
Talented freshmen will challenge this group for playing time.
6'4" Caleb Daniels has star potential. Dunleavy is really high on his prospects and it’s easy to see why. Daniels is an explosive athlete with range. He could be the answer to fill in for Malik Morgan at the point position. A good passer and defender.
6'10" Bul Ajang from the Patrick School and South Sudan is just starting to scratch the surface of his immense potential. Extremely active defender, who has a great motor and an impressive hook shot. Ajang can be a real factor for this team, once he is able to play under more control.
Buay Koka, 7'0", was out with an injury but the coaching staff has been very happy with his development as well.
6'5" Shakwon Barrett will also compete for minutes at the guard position. Barrett is a capable three-point shooter that makes good decisions with the ball.
The depth and length that Dunleavy has put together, makes this team very dangerous.
The non-conference schedule is a good blend of games that they should win and challenges such as at National Champion North Carolina on December 3rd.
A 15-win season is within reach and with only one senior on the roster, the future is bright for the Green Wave.
