#23 YUANTA HOLLAND, 6-8 220LB, SR, DAYTON, OH

The Flyers will be looking to Yuanta Holland to provide the inside scoring threat lost with Mark Ashman’s graduation. If Holland can elevate his game in his third season, much like Tony Stanley did in 1999-2000, he may be one of the biggest surprises to A10 opponents in 2000-01. But if he develops into one of the better power forwards in the league it won’t come as a surprise to most Flyer fans. Flyer fans are well aware of the 6-8 Holland’s potential. Arguably the most athletic player of his size in Flyer history, Holland had a solid sophomore (eligibility-wise) season in 1999-2000. After a slow start and a pep talk from his grandfather Uriah, Yuanta averaged 8.6 points on 51% shooting from the field, and five rebounds a game. While not his best statistical game, Holland may have foreshadowed what could come this season with a 14pt, three rebound performance in just 24 minutes against Purdue in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The challenge for Yuanta will be to put up those type of numbers consistently over the course of the season. Too frequently an 11pt, five-rebound game has been followed by a 1pt, one-rebound game, or three good games followed by three subpar perfromances. Holland has reportedly bulked up in the weight room and with added strength he should be able to hold position better on the interior. Once he establishes position inside, Holland has the ability to score on a multitude of spin moves to the basket or when he attacks the offensive glass. Nearly half of his rebounds came on the offensive end.

If there was a negative in last season’s stats it was the 59% free throw percentage. Improvement in that phase of his game would significantly increase Yuanta’s scoring as he gets to the charity stripe with regularity. Holland has worked on his perimeter shot, and that should be evidenced by an improved percentage from the line.