By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Xavier still has a couple months to enjoy the benefits of having a player like David West on the court, someone who is good for a double-double almost every game while drawing a host of defenders when he touches the ball.

West, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound senior, makes his teammates better because of the attention he demands from opponents. So it is no secret that Xavier does not look forward to replacing him next season. Someone like West doesn't come around in every recruiting class.

Without West, the entire scope of Xavier's offense changes next season because of the transfer of experience from post to perimeter. Lionel Chalmers, Romain Sato, Keith Jackson and Dedrick Finn return, while center Anthony Myles will be the only starter coming back in the post.

Backup center Will Caudle, a second-year freshman, also returns, but he hasn't shown he is completely comfortable in the system and he is prone to foul trouble.

"Will is doing well and showing that he can play," Xavier coach Thad Matta said. "He's got some things he needs to improve on."

Next season will be Caudle's third at XU, including a year of practice last season.

"I'm not really thinking about next season too much," Caudle said. "After the season, I'll get into a whole different mind-set. Right now, I'm just trying to play like I know how to play. I've been thinking too much. Thinking about what play we're going to run next when I should be blocking somebody out."

Freshman Brandon Cole, 6-8, 235 pounds, also might get a look at power forward next season. Cole chose to redshirt this season because he would have been playing few minutes behind West. Freshman Angelo Smith, 6-8, 220, has been outsized at times this season and will have to put on weight in the offseason.

Xavier (14-4, 5-1 Atlantic 10) still has one scholarship left to offer for next season, but coaches aren't necessarily looking to find the next West. With 6-8 Boubacar Coly and 6-8 Justin Doellman already signed for next season's class and 6-6 Justin Cage expected to sign in the spring, Xavier is going after either a center or a point guard.

"I don't think you can replace David West," Matta said. "To say we can go and get another David West, that's hard to do."

Recruiting expert Dave Telep said Xavier probably will go after a junior-college player because most of the quality high school big men are taken, and Xavier could get quicker production from a junior-college transfer.

There's also the option of not filling the final scholarship spot and letting it carry over to the 2004 class. If that were the case, Xavier would be able to sign five players for 2004.

If Xavier doesn't pick up a center with this season's class, XU coaches have their eyes set on 6-10, 360-pound Aaron Agnew, a junior from Bellaire High School, who would have to drop some weight to be effective but is agile for his size. Other post players of interest are 6-10 center Seth Gorney from Vandalia Butler, 6-8 Shaun Pruitt from West Senior (Ill.) and 6-8 James Mays from Garner (N.C.) High. Xavier already has one verbal commitment for 2004 from Detroit Denby's Darryl Garrett, a 6-4 shooting guard.

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com