November 13, 2008

Randall Thomason
GoMiddle.com

Often times though it is a team's strength beyond its starting five that can determine success throughout the course of a season.

Having a reliable sixth man off the bench capable of providing a spark or valuable depth is a key component of almost every championship caliber team.

Today, we break down who we feel are the top sixth men in the Sun Belt.

It is difficult to project each team's starting lineup with full confidence, but all of these players either started less than half of their team's games last season or are newcomers to the league and we think they'll be utilized mostly as a reserve this season.

Sun Belt sixth men to watch

1) Ronald Douglas - South Alabama

Douglas provides great depth on a very talented Jaguar front line. Playing behind first team all league player Brandon Davis and DeAndre Coleman, Douglas is a great option for coach Ronnie Arrow to turn to in a reserve role. Douglas 6.5 points and 4.4 rebounds last year and blocked 35 shots while averaging barely 20 minutes per game.

2) Dynile Forbes - ULM

The 6-foot-2 junior college transfer will be one of the most athletic players in the conference. Forbes has a vertical leap of more than 40 inches and was named a junior college all-American at Cochise College last year, where he averaged more than 20 points per game and shot 41 percent from 3-point range. His role is still being determined by Warhawks coach Orlando Earley, but the first spot off the bench seems to make the most sense. He can bring instant offense and energy to the floor in that role.

3) Calvin O'Neil - Middle Tennessee

O'Neil was primed for a big season last year, when he was expected to be a full time starter for the Blue Raiders. He played in the opening game of the year against San Jose State like he was going to have that type of season before he tore his ACL while driving to the basket on a fast break. This year, he will likely be mostly a reserve, giving coach Kermit Davis a valuable experienced option off the bench. O'Neil may never again play at the level he likely would have last year, but he's still capable of playing a few different positions and knows how to make winning plays.

GoMiddle.com Countdown to Tipoff

40 days-October 6th: Schedule full of challenges, opportunities
39 days-October 7th: Sun Belt newcomers to watch
38 days-October 8th: Strong memory motivates Yates
37 days-October 9th: Kanaskie in position to leave a legacy
36 days-October 10th: Johnson driving force behind MT attack
35 days-October 11th: O'Neil hopes to pick up where he left off
34 days-October 12th: Boyd's long awaited debut getting closer
33 days-October 13th: Allen may be MT's missing piece
32 days-October 14th: Hudson aiming for quick recovery
31 days-October 15th: Williams can be a first year factor
30 days-October 16th: X-Factor Hair could push Raiders over top
29 days-October 17th: Green's contributions important for MT
28 days-October 18th: Lighter Haddock making big early impression
27 days-October 19th: Jones adjusting to new level
26 days-October 20th: Avery is a glue man for Blue Raiders
25 days-October 21st: Hopson brings plenty of value
24 days-October 22nd: Inside a scouting report with Artie Pepelea
23 days-October 23rd: Case has bright outlook in new post
22 days-October 24th: Top five wins of Kermit Davis era
21 days-October 25th: Top five near misses of Kermit Davis era
20 days-October 26th: Davis era: Top five individual performances
19 days-October 27th: Hoops facilities have come a long way at MT
18 days-October 28th: GoMiddle.com Preseason All Sun Belt-First Team
17 days-October 29th: GoMiddle.com Preseason All Sun Belt-Second Team
16 days-October 30th: GoMiddle.com Preseason All Sun Belt-Third Team
15 days-October 31st: MT strategy may be altered by 3-point line
14 days-November 1st: Sun Belt aims at multiple bids again
13 days-November 2nd: Preview: Sun Belt East remains strong
12 days-November 3rd: Preview: West expected to be wild
11 days-November 4th: Sun Belt profile raised by new coaching hires
10 days-November 5th: Preseason Sun Belt superlatives
9 days-November 6th: MT basketball preseason over/under
8 days-November 7th: Five burning preseason questions
7 days-November 8th: Kermit Davis era All- Blue Raider team
6 days-November 9th: Kermit Davis era All-Sun Belt team
5 days-November 10th: Ken Pomeroy talks MT, Sun Belt
4 days-November 11th: Top five Sun Belt non-conference games
3 days-November 12th: Top five Sun Belt Conference games
2 days-November 13th: Sun Belt sixth men to watch