The Tigers, who currently have not fulfilled a criteria which would allow them to sign import players, feel a little bit like a work-in-progress. In BBL terms, though, that work is the Sistine Chapel.
Point Guard: I remember when Perry Lawson first joined the BBL. The 6'2'' playmaker was considered to have perhaps the highest potential for any young British guard who didn't take his skills Stateside. He's been around the BBL for a while now, with spells at Newcastle and Sheffield, and appears to have stepped up very well to starting this year.
Ideally, perhaps, Lawson would not be starting. GB star Nate Reinking had been picked up in the hope he would stay for at least a little while, but before he could make his debut he jetted off to a big contract in Turkey. For the moment this leaves the Tigers a little short staffed at the point. James Jones will get some minutes here, and young guards Sam Bogucki and Max Casanove might temp as back-ups until someone new is brought in.
If Tigers were to find a starting point guard, Lawson would certainly become the most talented back-up in the league, but for now, starting on his own, he could do with some help.
Grade: C+
Shooting Guard: 6'4'' guard James Jones narrowly missed out on a place on the GB side that qualified for next year's Eurobasket tournment, and from his early play this season you can see what he could have offered. Dropping 17 points, 4 assists and 6 rebounds in the first BBL championship game of the season, Jones is going to be a handful for every team this year.
The son of Manchester head-coach Jeff, and brother of Worcester guard Callum, he honed his skills in the American college system before joining the ranks of the Guildford Heat a couple of seasons back. For the Tigers last year he averaged 14 ppg and will no doubt he hoping to improve on this, and get back in contention for a GB squad place.
Behind Jones this season are 6'3'' Brit Sam Bogucki and Frenchman Max Casanove. Neither are particularly likely to play big minutes, and with the current breakdown of the squad, small forwards Aliu and Williams are more likely to fill in back-up minutes here when a big lineup is on the floor.
Grade: B
Small Forward: David Aliu is one of the best players that Liverpool has ever produced. Impressive Midnight Madness appearances championed Aliu's skills as the 6'6'' forward became known for his powerful inside play and fantastic fundamentals. Aliu can hurt you in a lot of ways offensively, and his force of will make him a good defensive presence. He didn't play last season, however, and may well need some time to shake off the rust.
Short-term Jet Jamal Williams has joined the Tigers primarily simply as an extra player to take the strain off the current team. I don't know an awful lot about him except that he is a Canadian with a British passport who averaged decent statistics in the Canadian college system. Whether he can be a force in the BBL is yet to be determined.
Grade: B
Power Forward: Having a former BBL MVP on your team is rare. A former BBL MVP who is British is virtually unheard of. But that's exactly what the Tigers have in Andrew Sullivan. A spell at the Eagles at the end of last season, and a key-role in the GB qualifying campaign over the summer prove that Sullivan is at the top of his game. He can dominate at this level, and alongside old master Tony Garbelotto the Tigers have a very dangerous team.
Good depth at the centre position and inside play of Aliu means Sullivan won't be missing a good back-up.
Grade: A
Centre: Coming off a stellar season at Sheffield, Tafari Toney was another player who came close to forcing his way into the GB team. Talented, athletic and powerful, Toney is tough to stop inside. He averaged the near double-double of 17 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last term. Known as "Tap", Toney's play inside with Sullivan is likely to be the highlight of this top-heavy team.
Being the closest BBL team to Manchester afford Mersey a unique oppurtunity. They can poach the top players from Manchester's highly successful youth programme who often venture to the abroad to develop themselves. One of the key players on that list is Andy Thomson. The 6'10'' forward/centre is capped by England and has that classic inside-outside European game which makes him such a difficult match up for the import big men, especially when he plays next to the powerful inside presence of Sullivan or Toney.
Injury or foul trouble is the only thing that can take Tigers' title of strongest inside combination.
Grade: A
Key Additions: Most of the starting line-up is new, but Andrew Sullivan is a level above almost any player in the BBL.
Key Losses: The back-court is, for the moment at least, significantly weaker. Star US guards Trey Moore and Kevin Bell have gone, and only Perry Lawson has been brought in.
Full Roster:
David Aliu 6'6'' SF/PF
Sam Bogucki 6'3'' SG
Max Casanove 6'3'' SG
James Jones 6'4'' SG/PG
Perry Lawson 6'2'' PG
Andrew Sullivan 6'8'' PF
Tap Toney 6'9'' PF/C
Andy Thomson 6'10'' PF/C
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