Texas Tech basketball could be even better in 2019-20 in some key areas
There will be more playmakers on the court
At times last year, it felt like if Jarrett Culver wasn’t able to create for the Red Raiders, the offense became painfully stagnant. That improved as the season progressed as Matt Mooney and Davide Moretti became more accustomed to creating off the dribble but the only elite playmaker on the team was Culver.
And we saw the impact of that in the Final Four when Michigan State and Virginia essentially collapsed their entire defenses to keep Culver out of the paint. Next year though, opponents will not have the luxury of focusing their defensive schemes on just one player.
That’s because this team is loaded with playmakers up and down the roster. We know Moretti can create off the dribble (even though that is not his forte) and he will likely make improving in that area a key offseason priority. Also, we can expect Kyler Edwards to take another step forward in that regard as he becomes more comfortable and aggressive in his second season.
Additionally, Tech has added one of the best creators in the nation in Chris Clarke, the grad transfer from Virginia Tech. Averaging at least three assists per game in each of the last two seasons he has played (he sat out 2018-19), he would have ranked third on last season’s Red Raider roster behind Culver and Mooney. And the scouting report on Clarke says that he is a pass-first player who loves to get into the lane and create opportunities for his teammates, an attribute that will be needed with the departure of Culver.
Meanwhile, incoming true freshman Jahmius Ramsey, the highest-ranked player to ever sign with the Red Raiders, is an elite offensive talent. With athleticism that some compare to Zhaire Smith, Ramsey attacks the rim with relentless ferocity thanks to an elite first step.
Other newcomers such as freshmen Terence Shannon Jr. and Tyreek Smith are also athletic enough to create their own offense and put enough pressure on defenses to keep them from focusing on just one player. And there is also an outside shot that UNLV sophomore transfer Joel Ntambwe, one of the most versatile and athletic forwards in the nation, could be ruled eligible this year, which would add another elite playmaker to the roster. But even if he has to sit out the year, Beard will have more players capable of creating offense for themselves or their teammates than he did on his Final Four team.