College basketball preview: DePaul
The uphill climb from the bottom of the Big East was already daunting. Then Oliver Purnell began his second season at DePaul with three pieces of bad news.
Third-leading scorer Tony Freeland needed shoulder surgery and will be out for the year. Freshman Montray Clemons slipped during warm-ups before the first practice and ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee. Another freshman, Macari Brooks, was ruled academically ineligible and withdrew from school.
Purnell has been through this rebuilding routine before at Clemson, Dayton and Old Dominion. He knows better than to expect smooth sailing.
“That’s the nature when you’re turning around programs,” he said. “You’ve got to go down a road to recovery. The road generally isn’t straight. Often times, is rocky.”
Had Freeland been healthy, the Blue Demons would have returned their top five scorers from last year’s 7-24 season. Then again, four out of five isn’t bad, especially when one is Big East rookie of the year Cleveland Melvin.
Melvin, a 6-8 sophomore from Baltimore, averaged 14.3 points overall and 17.4 in conference play.
“He’s an uncanny scorer,” Purnell said. “He’s got unusual athleticism in that he doesn’t look like an overpowering athlete, but he’s got quickness as well as explosiveness. He’s got that second jump. He does things you wouldn’t expect from someone 6-7 ½ and real thin.”
The coach’s description made Melvin sound a bit like Bulls forward Luol Deng, an effective forward who isn’t seen as a spectacular athlete.
“Luol was probably a little more polished coming out of high school and a little bit more of a wing, where Cle came out as more of a post player and is developing into a wing,” Purnell said. “I want him to still take advantage of his terrific post up game.”
In the backcourt, DePaul returns two starters in Brandon Young and Jeremiah Kelly. Purnell is hoping it turns into a deep group with help from three newcomers: freshmen Charles McKinney and Jamee Crockett, plus 5-10 JC transfer Worrel Clahar.
McKinney attended Maine East High School before moving to Quality Education Academy in North Carolina. Crockett, from south suburban Crete-Monee, missed much of the preseason due to a heart condition, but has been cleared to play.
“McKinney’s got a chance to be one of the best defenders in the Big East,” Purnell said. “Crockett may be the best athlete on our team.”
The biggest addition will arrive in the third game – 6-9 forward Donnavan Kirk, a Miami transfer. The Pontiac native was once considered the best Detroit-area prospect in his high school class.
“We think he’s going to help us a lot,” Purnell said. “He’s a long, Big East-type athlete.”
So the Blue Demons have plenty of experience coming back, plus some exciting newcomers. But the room to improve is immense after going 1-17 in the Big East.
“Clearly, we have a chance to be better because of experience by the young guys,” Purnell said. “We’ll be a much more athletic team. We’re very confident that we can be a lot better and much more competitive.”