By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff
Anthony King and Ray Hicks were the only two Miami players who garnered significant minutes on last year’s successful NCAA Tournament squad who did not return this season. Initially many fans, myself included did not think either would be a particularly big loss. King for his part seemingly regressed from an intimidating post player to a timid jump shooter in his final UM season. Hicks was undersized and lacking in big time College Basketball talent many believed.
But as Miami’s season unravels we have been forced to reflect on the impact of both players. Ironically enough King was the last Perry Clark recruit in the Miami program and Hicks was the first player recruited by
ANTHONY KING
Anthony King is considered one of Miami’s top players of the Frank Haith era, and after being granted a fifth season of eligibility he started strong in 2007-08. But after a freak injury against Penn, King was timid and seemingly ineffective during the ACC campaign. He rebounded to post two strong efforts in the NCAA Tournament. Despite this, it seemed like King’s loss would not be serious for the team entering the 2008-09 season.
King was a superb player for Miami prior to the 2007-08 season. Completely disregarded in his freshman year by Perry Clark, King was buried behind Rodrigue Djahue and Leonard Harden on the depth chart. But when Frank Haith took over, King moved into the starting lineup and posted some dominant performances. He set the school record for blocked shots in a single game against FAU, and also completely dominated some top post players including Sheldon Williams, David Lee and Alexander Johnson inside.
King’s Junior year he was solid as well. Among the league leaders in blocked shots once again, he averaged double figures in scoring and had an outstanding game against Duke in the ACC Tournament. Miami won two games in the NIT after narrowly missing the NCAA Tournament and big things were expected from King the next season.
But King got hurt early in the season and Miami’s year unraveled. Following King’s injury, Jimmy Graham and Fabio Nass were also lost for long periods of time with bad injuries. Nass had assumed many of King’s minutes and once he went down, Miami was forced to play small and finished in last place in the ACC. Nass was a player whose final season at Miami was a waste after showing some promise before his injury in wins over Georgia Tech and UMass.
Granted a medical redshirt King returned for a fifth year last season. While his rebounding and scoring numbers declined in 2007-08, his shot blocking remained a key factor.
King undoubtedly played softer as a fifth year senior than he had in the previous three seasons under Coach Haith. But having developed a reputation as a shot blocker and a good rebounder, ACC coaches and players were conscious of his abilities and often times tried to avoid going strong at him.
RAY HICKS
Hicks was the first player recruited by Frank Haith to Miami. A role player for four seasons who was almost thrown off the team as a Junior, Hicks was more valuable than statistics would indicate.
Hicks was perhaps the strongest player on the Canes during his entire career. He played bigger than his size and was capable of taking the ball strongly to the basket or hitting a mid range jumper.
A player which very few big schools wanted out of High School, Hicks proved to be a valuable ACC caliber player as a senior giving valuable minutes and playing very good defense. He could also knock down the occasional jump shot, and ended his Miami career with a bang almost single handily bringing the Canes to the Sweet 16 in the final minute of the NCAA Second Round game against Texas.
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The bottom line is this. For all of Coach Haith’s bashers within the Miami fan base, a dose of reality needs to be showered. Miami lost two significant contributors from last season. While Adrian Thomas, whose injury a year ago necessitated the increase in minutes for Hicks has done well the last several games, King’s replacement Cyrus McGowan is making some of us long for Dwayne Wimbley.
Additionally, lingering injuries to Jimmy Graham and Lance Hurdle must be factored in when considering their limitations this season. When you consider an unmistakable regression in James Dews play and a suddenly cold Jack McClinton, it’s tough to argue the Hurricanes are underachieving.
In fact, Miami has played two really solid games all season: at Boston College and versus San Diego in the Paradise Jam. Every other game, win or loss has been a struggle. That points to larger issues than simply saying the coaching is not up to snuff. It points to a shortfall in talent and a lack of quality depth and consistency. Coach Haith has addressed these issues with the incoming recruiting class, which will probably be ranked among the best in Miami’s history.
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