Year two of the Richard Pitino era is here, and as the budgets go up, so do the expectations. The Musketeers hit the portal quickly and efficiently, adding a plethora of talented players to fit Pitino’s scheme. Tomorrow, X has a season ticket-holder event scheduled. There is an open practice and an autograph session afterwards. Heading into the event, this preview will give you an idea of what each player brings to the team.
Several of you have requested player numbers. Those have not officially been released yet, so they are not included here.
Player Previews
Jovan Milicevic (Junior): The lethal shooter we all know and love is back for his junior season. Jovan is a versatile forward who has a solid handle and can shoot the lights out. I won’t say too much about him, as we know what he brings to the table. Regardless, he will be a massive contributor to this group.
Mike Nwoko (Senior): Mike is going to be Xavier’s main man down low this season. He is an extremely efficient scorer, shooting 61% from the field last year. Nwoko possesses the interior strength that X needed last season so badly. Mike is a very physical player who delivers explosive finishes. If you have been watching the practice mixtapes on Xavier’s social media, you have probably seen an emphatic slam from Mike. He immediately elevates the physicality of the squad this year, which was desperately needed last year.
Something to note is that Mike and Jovan work with the same trainer, so they certainly have some chemistry already. You’ll note that in this clip the first bucket is Jovan → Mike for a dunk.
Gabriel Pozzato (Junior): Gabe is sort of a question mark to start this season. He was expected to be one of X’s best players last year, until he suffered a torn meniscus that took him out for the whole year. It will be interesting to see the level he plays at after missing over a year. He averaged 15 PPG at Evansville two years ago. Gabe will either be an elite contributor or somewhat of a letdown. I’ve heard rumor that he’s banged up a bit right now, so I’m unsure if he will participate in Friday’s activities.
Ruben Dominguez (Junior): I have three words to describe this kid: Ice Cold Shooter. Ruben shot 40% from three last season. As a matter of fact, Ruben set a program record with a 30-point performance on 10 three-balls this past season at Texas A&M. Another strength is his low turnover rate, which was a whopping 5.7% this past season. The only concern is that he has some limits on defense. However, I’m sure Pitino and staff will be working him into a suitable defensive weapon.
Tru Washington (Senior): Tru is making his return to Coach Pitino after a year at Miami (FL). He played under Richard for two years at New Mexico, and now he’s back. Tru is an absolute unit on the defensive end of the floor, averaging 1.8 SPG last year. On top of his strong defense, he is a facilitator on offense and can score when needed. He scored 11.9 PPG in the ACC last season, so it should translate to the Big East.
Chance Westry (Junior): Chance will be Xavier’s main playmaker this season, as he averaged 5.5 assists at UAB last year. However, he has Power 5 experience, (he spent a year at Syracuse). His ability to attack the rim and create shots for his teammates is elite. Westry will handle the ball the most for X. The only concern is his three point shooting; if he can work on that, he coule be an elite national player.
Rolyns Aligbe (Junior): The main focus for Rolyns is defense, as he was in the top 5% of D1 in defensive rebounding and adjusted defensive rating. He is certainly a depth add, as Nwoko is the main man. I am not saying Rolyns couldn’t contribute this season, but after a year of development, he could be great for X.
Nikolaos Chitikoudis (Senior): A quote from @Scouting_Col on X/Twitter…”Nikolaos Chitikoudis isn’t the most athletic or dynamic player. What he does bring is size, strength, and rebounding to Xavier’s frontcourt.” Nikolaos will most likely be behind Mike Nwoko as the second big on the team. He is a physical player, just like Mike. Physicality is a virtue in college basketball.
Braden Appelhans (Senior): Braden has also played for Richard Pitino in his career, and he wanted to finish his career under him after a season at Drake. Braden will be more of a depth piece this year.
Asher Elson (Freshman): Asher is described as a forward who moves with the fluidity of a wing player. He also possesses the skills of a PG. He has a strong combo of size, strength, and basketball IQ. This was a big commitment for X, as he had offers from Auburn, Maryland, St. John’s, Creighton and more. In the early practice videos, Asher’s height has stood out, but he will need to put some muscle to be able to bang down low in the Big East. Asher’s in the back left of the first picture below.
Kalek House (Freshman): When Kalek was asked to describe his game, he said “I’m a knockdown shooter with high level defense and good playmaking that creates for others. I do anything to win.” Credit to Yahoo for the quote. Kalek was another huge commitment for Xavier, as he had offers from Kansas and Michigan.
Kason Westphal (Sophomore): Reserve
Henry Thole (Junior): Reserve
Gedeon Basoon (Freshman): Reserve
Harrison Aligbe (Freshman): Reserve, brother of Rolyns Aligbe.
What To Look For Tomorrow
The thing that both Hunter and Charlie are looking for tomorrow is just the sheer size and physicality that these guys are going to bring. Obviously, this is an early look and won’t be full-force, but getting to see the raw athleticism and length this team has is a significant plus.
We’re also watching for the Jovan-Mike Nwoko connection. This should be a huge part of Xavier’s success this season and will help build overall chemistry within the team.
Another thing is the overall skill and connection of Kalek House and Asher Elson. Contributing freshman have not been common at X the past few years. However, this year could mark a change.
Xavier has a stacked squad this season and it should be a promising event tomorrow. Both @nkybracketology and I will be there, we hope to see you all there!
Picture Credit to Xavier Athletics.