Roster Released

The WAC published their season prospectus and included is the roster for the Bulldogs.

LOUISIANA TECH

5 Olu Ashaolu 6-7 230 G So. 1L Toronto, Ontario (Humble Christian)
*33 Anson Bartlett 6-3 175 G So. 1L Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)
10 Yonas Berhe 5-10 160 G So. 1L Toronto, Ontario (Father Henry Carr)
11 DeAndre Brown 5-11 160 G Jr. TR Fort Worth, Texas (Navarro JC)
2 Brandon Gibson 6-5 230 G So. 1L Marianna, Fla. (Marianna HS)
22 Kyle Gibson 6-5 205 G Sr. 3L Los Angeles, Calif. (Dorsey HS)
3 Jamel Guyton 6-3 180 G Sr. 1L Odessa, Texas (Odessa College)
30 David Jackson 6-8 195 F Sr. 1L Tucson, Ariz. (Mesa CC)
45 Shawn Oliverson 6-10 250 F/C Jr. 1L Preston, Idaho (Cornell)
24 Darius Redding 6-4 205 F Fr. HS Tallahassee, Fla. (Godby HS)
15 Magnum Rolle 6-11 225 F/C Sr. 1L Freeport, Bahamas (LSU)

*walk-on

First thought is that Kadeem Coleby is not listed on the roster. He must not have qualified which I surmise means he will probably follow the footsteps of DJ Wright and Josh Brown and be placed at a junior college and come to Ruston in two year. Also adds the potential of another November signing to add to the expected class of three or four.

Quick breakdown (to borrow a football term) of the 2 deep

Point
DeAndre Brown – JUCO All-American tries to solidify a position that has been a question mark since Daevon Haskins left Ruston.
Yonas Berhe – Should be  improved after a season with the program after joining the team last season only a couple weeks before the first game.

Shooting Guard
Jamel Guyton – volume shooter can take over ball games from the perimeter.
Darius Redding – only scholarship freshman on roster comes in with reputation of big time athleticism and a penchant for getting to the rim.

Small Forward
Kyle Gibson – anything short of a first team All-WAC season is a huge disappointment. He is a legitimate threat to average 20 a game.
Brandon Gibson – assuming he is completely healed from his injury suffered in the WAC tournament he should continue to improve. 2010-11 will be the season he breaks out.

Power Forward
Olu Ashalou – undersized but making up for it with athleticism and a high motor Ashalou should be much improved as a sophomore.
David Jackson – Jackson will swing between the 3 and 4 as the ultimate role player who will notch each column of the stat sheet each night.

Center
Magnum Rolle – the future NBA player really bloomed after Kenneth Cooper left the roster midstream last season and was averaging a double double in that stretch before an injury slowed him at the end of the year. If he stays healthy he will be a game changer on both ends of the floor in the WAC.
Shawn Oliverson – he was a player you saw improving every time he was on the court. His role is simple. Defend, rebound, and a couple point blank put backs a game.

I know the WAC is deep this season (the top 15 scorers return) but I truly feel this will be a much improved Louisiana Tech team. They’ve all played together a year and the largest jump a player makes is between their first year of Division One basketball and their second. Guyton, Jackson, B Gibson, Asahlou, Berhe and I’d argue Oliverson all fall into that category.

And if you missed what Kyle Gibson did this summer read here.

Practice starts less than a month away.