CATCHING UP WITH STAN HEATH

Greg Auman of the St. Petersburg Times spends some time Catching Up With Stan Heath to get a state of the program with the South Florida head coach. It has been an interesting year for the USF coach who has seen six players leave the program, two more transfer in, three recruits not qualify and the roster shuffling continued as the Bulls have just signed point guard Justin Leemow to a grant-in-aid as a late addition to the 2008-2009 roster.

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Projected 2008-2009 Roster:

Seniors: Mobalaji Ajayi (BF), Jesus Verdejo (G/F), Aris Williams (BF)

Juniors: Chris Howard (PG), Mike Mercer (G), Alejando Rivas-Sanchez (C)

Sophomores: Dominique Jones (SG)

Freshman: Justin Leemow (PG), Eladio Espinosa (F), Gaby Belardo (G), Augustus Gilchrist (C)

Early 2009 Commitment: Shaun Noriega (G), Jordan Dumars (F)



With Leemow, the Bulls have newcomers Gaby Belardo, Eladio Espinoso and JUCO big man Alex Rivas-Sanchez. Georgia transfer Mike Mercer will be eligible as a mid-year transfer on December 14th and the Bulls are in the process of completing the paperwork to file for a hardship waiver on behalf of Augustus Gilchrist hoping to have the Maryland transfer eligible to play this season.

Frontcourt depth is a major concern for the Bulls as they will await the word on Gilchrist from the NCAA, Rivas-Sanchez is recovering from May surgery and that leaves just senior center B.J. Ajayi and freshman power forward Eladio Espinosa, with senior Aris Williams able to back up both, as their lone options.

The backcourt is much more settled with returning guards Chris Howard, Jesus Verdejo and Dominique Jones being joined by Mercer in December. Freshmen Belardo and Leemow add depth to the line-up

The Bulls are going to be hard-pressed to move up in the Big East, despite the fact they could be an improved team this season.