I think there is a lot of miscalculation hereHard to be more wrong. If Pike has any interest in keeping his job — he needs to cut the dead weight off the current roster and attack the portal hard. Needs to lock down a go-to scorer and then round out the rest of the roster with older guys that bring length / athleticism and can fit his defensive scheme. And while I don’t think Lathan should be shown the door — I do think the funds needed to retain him would be better utilized getting a defensive minded 5. Better fit for a Pike team
Steve has to focus on winning now. Retaining the whole roster, refusing to get aggressive in the portal and going all in on HS recruiting in the 2026 class is conceding that this team will not sniff the tourney for another 3+ years. Dead man walking at that point
If you retain the frosh (and that’s a big IF)….
You are looking at a soph -frosh nucleus of 3
Soph and 4 frosh …4 of whixh are top100-125 kids ….
If you can keep most of that nucleus intact to the year after …(and keep the 4 top 100-125 kids) ….then you all of the sudden have a junior -soph nucleus that the class of 2026 can upgrade the talent
Think back to pike
2017-2018
Geo frosh
Myles frosh (redshirt )
2018-2019
Geo sooh
Myles soph
Ron frosh
Montez frosh
Caleb frosh
…we turned a corner , Eugene helped …but we turned a corner
2019-2029
Geo junior
Jacob junior
Myles junior
Ron soph
Montez soph
Caleb soph
Paul frosh
Akawsi …added senior
Would be ncaa team
If you can add two portal quality juniors …and it’s about quality over quantity …you could be looking at this nucleus
Junior portal
Junior portal
Soph lathan
Soph dylan G
Frosh Mark
Frosh Nuwuli
Keep the nucleus and add incrementally
That roster next year …if you get two staring quality double digit guards …is a better 16-15 next year with upside to
Danxe with development the year after If you retain
Lot of ifs…but I think there is a better chance of hoping for this …than for 6 new players from
The portal turning us around next year …..