The third time was a charm for Alabama head coach Avery Johnson.
After leading the Crimson Tide to back-to-back NIT appearances in his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, the team broke through in year three in advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The fourth year for Johnson and company is set to provide plenty of intrigue, as Alabama returns nine of its top 11 scorers and adds several newcomers that figure to make a big impact right away.
“We’re a little bit of a different team this year,” Johnson said at SEC Media Day on Wednesday. “We’re a little bit older. We’re more experienced and have quality depth at every position.”
After being the fourth least experienced team in the country last season, Johnson’s squad should be in position to provide more consistency across the board.
The upperclassmen nucleus of Donta Hall, Riley Norris, Daniel Giddens, Dazon Ingram, and Avery Johnson Jr. are back in the fold, with the team also adding Texas transfer Tevin Mack.
Mack, who averaged 14.1 points per game and shot 39.1 percent from 3-point range with the Longhorns during the ’16-17 season, should provide an instant perimeter threat on a team that finished 292nd nationally in 3-point shooting.
But it could be the underclassmen that decide how far this Alabama team can go this season.
John Petty, the team’s third-leading scorer last season, will look to expand his game and become a more all-around scorer after hitting a team-high 90 3-pointers.
“He shot the ball incredibly well at home but not on the road,” Johnson said. “He addressed that with his work habits this summer. He embraced the idea of getting his body stronger. He’s gonna have improved stamina on the court, and I think it’ll translate to his shot-making ability this year.”
Fellow sophomore Herbert Jones also has high expectations, as he emerged as one of the league’s premier defenders as a freshman.
This season, he should have a bigger offensive role as he moves towards becoming a future NBA draft pick.
“Herb’s game can travel everywhere,” Johnson said. “We’d like him to score in double figures this year, which is the next step for him offensively. He’s gonna be one of the best defenders in the country, and you’ll see him be a much improved 3-point shooter.”
Alex Reese and Galin Smith should take a step forward as well, with both expected to showcase improved offensive skills in an offense that will need multiple players to step up on a nightly basis due to Sexton’s exit.
Sexton attempted 438 field goals last season, and Petty was the next closest with 313 attempts.
“Hopefully we won’t be so easily scouted,” Johnson said. “Collin was an alpha dog. He’s gonna score 20 points per game. I’m hoping this year we’ll be a lot more versatile on offense.”
“We may not have one guy that get us 20 points per night, but I’m hoping we have four or five guys that can get us 14 or 15 points.”
For more SEC Media Day coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.