Posted by BillFromTampa

Last season’s record: 25-10 (overall), 10-6 (conference, 4th place)
Key losses: Toney Douglas (21.5 ppg – 1st, 2.9 apg – 1st, 1.8 stls/gm – 1st, 81.0% FT – 2nd, 3.9 rpg – 5th); Uche Echefu (8.1 ppg – t3rd, 5.2 rpg – 2nd, 84.8% FT – 1st)

Key additions: Michael Snaer – 6’5” SG (Senior year stats – 28.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 5.2 apg, 3.6 steals and 2.2 blocked shots per game) Terrance Shannon – 6’8” PF (Junior year stats- 21.4 ppg, 15.4 rpg, out injured before the start of his senior season)

Key returning players: Solomon Alabi (8.4 ppg – 2nd, 5.6 rpg – 1st, 2.1 blocks/gm – 1st, 54% FG- 1st), Chris Singleton (8.1 ppg – t3rd, 5.2 rpg – 2nd, 1.5 stls/gm – 2nd), Derwin Kitchen (7.9 ppg – 4.6 rpg – 4th, 2.5 apg – 2nd)

Following FSU’s overtime loss to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA tournament (the only back to back loss by the team last season having lost to Duke in the championship game of the ACC tournament), Leonard Hamilton and his staff immediately went to work to plan for this coming season and hopefully improve on what was the Seminoles second best record in school history.

That improvement is expected to be to go deep into the Big Dance next March. That expectation is not just by fans but by the players themselves.

How will Hamilton accomplish that after losing to graduation the do everything Toney Douglas?

Well, those fine print details are always a closely guarded state secret.

But the first thing the staff addressed was not the offense as you might think when your main scoring threat is no longer on the team. No, it was the defense that got the initial attention.

Adjustments have been made to shore up problem areas. One part of that solution is expected to be more use of various zone defenses. Shocking news to followers of FSU basketball under Hamilton who at one time never met a zone defense he ever liked. But with a team that has the wing span it does fans could see the zone defense a lot more this season.

However, don’t believe for a second though that the man to man don’t allow the ball inside style of defense that Hamilton prefers won’t be the primary defense his squad utilizes.

Hamilton did add that the first time his zone defense gets beaten on a play that will be the end of seeing that defense ever again this season. That was a joke by the way. Hamilton can afford to be jovial at this time of year.

Offensively, Hamilton has said he wants to score more points over last season’s 68.3 ppg (who doesn’t). To accomplish that he will install a much more up tempo style of offense. Maybe not Carolina quick, but definitely a more run it up and down the floor offense.

Will the transition to that style be a smooth one?

That’s where Kitchen and his backup Luke Loucks come in.

In far better shape this season, Kitchen showed flashes of a highly consistent level of play late last season with the ability to drive the ball inside and score. The only ingredient that was not prominent was dishing the ball off once he broke down the defense.

Enter the trip to Spain.

As you may have read, the team averaged 116.8 over the four game tour. That was a prelude to the more up tempo offense Hamilton is looking to run. It also was a dress rehearsal for Kitchen who primarily ran the offense giving him the opportunity to handle the quicker pace. Say what you want about the level of competition the team played, but Kitchen dished out seven assists in each game. The coaches called that a success and feel confident Kitchen can step on the gas and still keep the team under control. His ball handling has reportedly improved.

However it won’t be just up to Kitchen. This will be a team effort. Last week’s short scrimmage at the Jam With Ham function indicated that. Obviously Loucks will be counted on when Kitchen needs to come out of the game. And Loucks showed improved foot speed as well as an improved three point shot. Add that to his pin point passing he showed off at times last season and you might not see much difference when Loucks is in the game.

Based on what we saw Friday night, even if it isn’t Loucks or Kitchen handling the ball, the goal will be to start the break quickly by getting the ball to the open man up the court and attack the basket within five seconds.

But let’s say the opponent is able to stop those break outs. This is where the strength of the team namely the frontcourt comes in. Long, athletic, runs the floor, bulked up, and able to finish plays, FSU’s front line comprised of Alabi, Xavier Gibson, Singleton, Ryan Reid, and Terrance Shannon are going to be a handful for any team to handle. If the guards can get the ball to them down low in particular Alabi the chances are better than 50% the result will be two points for the ‘Noles.

With the makeup of the team this could be Hamilton’s most balanced team in his eight years at Florida State. One that won’t rely primarily on one player as it did last season with Douglas. Hamilton believes he can have least four players average double figures and maybe even as many as six.

Having the advantage of ten extra practices in preparation for the Spain trip, all that really began in earnest last Saturday at noon at the first official practice of the new season.

Up next: The players