Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Saint Louis (Projected: 2nd in A10)
Over the last three seasons, Josh Schertz led an unbelievable turnaround at Indiana State. This offseason, he became the head coach of Saint Louis, taking over a fallen giant in the Atlantic 10. Schertz’s pedigree at the DII level and in the Missouri Valley gives me great confidence in what he can produce at a job with sufficient resources.
Three players hold over from the Travis Ford era at SLU. Gibson Jimerson (16 ppg) was the big get for Schertz. Jimerson is a veteran scorer who has proven himself in the A10 over the last five seasons. Jimerson now will have a chance under Schertz to reach his first NCAA Tournament in his career, a chance he couldn’t pass up, withdrawing his name from the transfer portal earlier this summer.
A couple of junior guards also stuck around to play under Schertz, Larry Hughes II (7 ppg) and Kellen Thames (6 ppg, 4 rpg). Hughes is in all-around guard, providing for both himself and his teammates on offense, and a solid defender on the other end. Thames is less of a shooter, but is a guy that loves to battle inside, a good rebounder at 6-5 and an efficient scorer last season (58.3% FG).
Plenty of players left the program this offseason alongside former head coach Travis Ford. Last season’s leading scorer, Sincere Parker (16 ppg, 4 rpg) left for McNeese State. Other backcourt members who left the Billikens include Michael Meadows Jr. (6 ppg), Cian Medley (4 ppg, 4 apg), and Djordje Curcic (3 ppg). The frontcourt lost Terrence Hargrove Jr. (13 ppg, 6 rpg), Bradley Ezewiro (12 ppg, 6 rpg), Tim Dalger (10 ppg, 4 rpg), Bruce Zhang (2 ppg), and Stef van Bussel (2 ppg).
Josh Schertz brought in seven transfers to help fill out his first roster at SLU. Two of the transfers followed him from Indiana State in junior center Robbie Avila (17 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg at Indiana State) and senior guard Isaiah Swope (16 ppg at Indiana State). Avila captured the hearts of many college basketball fans last season, a big-frame, google-wearing forward who can pass, shoot, and score at a high level. Avila shot 39.4% from three last season on 155 attempts from behind the arc and his elite passing was on display game after game with his 4.1 apg, often being the player the Sycamores ran their offense through. Swope is a star in his own right, a three-level scorer (36.2% 3P on 312 attempts) and solid defender last season at Indiana State.
Swope and Avila are the studs of the portal class from Schertz, but five others came in and should have roles in this BIllikens squad. AJ Casey (2 ppg at Miami) struggled to get off the bench at Miami the last two seasons, but I believe finds himself in a good position to start at the four for the Billikens this season. Kobe Johnson (6 ppg at West Virginia) is another high-major transfer coming in, a solid passer who started 26 games last season at WVU. Josiah Dotzler (1 ppg at Creighton) is the final high-major transfer joining SLU, an offensively-skilled point guard who looks to find consistent playing time in his sophomore season. Kalu Anya (10 ppg, 7 rpg at Brown) joins the Billikens after two seasons at Brown. Anya is a good athlete and was an elite defender during his time in the Ivy League. The final incoming transfer for Schertz is UCSB transfer Kilian Brockhoff (3 ppg at UCSB), a German big with three years of eligibility remaining.
Three freshmen finish off the first Billiken roster for Josh Schertz, although it may be tough for any of them to find minutes behind the upperclassmen. Mix Pikaar (Netherlands) is a Dutch big man with a similar skill set to that of Robbie Avila, a guy that could really become something a year or two down the line with his high potential and good skills. The other two freshmen join the list of names in the backcourt, Dylan Warlick (Unranked) and Amari McCottry (Unranked), likely having to wait a year for heavy minutes.
Josh Schertz has already proven himself as a winner at both the DI and DII levels. Now at Saint Louis, he’ll have great NIL money, great facilities, and a passionate fanbase. What he’ll be able to accomplish at Saint Louis I believe is truly unlimited. Right away this team has a chance to compete with Schertz bringing over Isaiah Swope and Robbie Avila to set next to returning guard Gibson Jimerson, and a bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament isn’t out of the question.
It should be a given what Swope and Avila provide as newcomers, and the same goes to returner Gibson Jimerson. The X-factors for me on this team are the guys who have a need to prove themselves this year in Miami transfer AJ Casey and Josiah Dotzler. Both were high-major talents, but never really found the chance to shine on the court. Casey will have tough competition with Anya for a starting spot, but I believe has the skill to take it. Dotzler could develop into the starting point guard for this team if the opportunities are there for him early on.
In the Atlantic 10 this season, there’s a clear cut top five (Dayton, Saint Louis, VCU, Loyola-Chicago, St. Joseph’s). All five teams are good enough to win the conference and it should be a heated race all throughout the late winter. I’ve got the Billikens to finish 2nd in the Atlantic 10, right behind Anthony Grant’s Dayton Flyers.