Holloway, Allen and added big men could get No. 20 Alabama back to another Sweet 16

Dynamic guards Aden Holloway and Amari Allen are back for the Crimson Tide, who are looking to make the NCAA Tournament for a seventh consecutive year under coach Nate Oats. Also significant: Oats signed three big men in the transfer portal who could help make them more competitive against Southeastern Conference heavyweights Florida, Tennessee and Texas.

Alabama advanced to the Sweet Sixteen each of the last four years and lost the last three to No. 1 seeds by double digits — mostly because of defensive lapses and rebounding woes. Last season’s run came without Holloway, who was arrested on a marijuana possession charge days before the tournament. The charges were dismissed after Holloway completed a pretrial diversion program, and he was suspended for the first two games of the regular season.

Holloway averaged 16.8 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds as a junior last season. He shot 44% from 3-point range while playing alongside fellow guards Labaron Philon and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Now he’s expected to be the team’s primary ball handler and top scorer.

Allen should make a sophomore jump after averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season.

Cole Cloer, a 6-foot-8 guard who transferred from N.C. State, could be a high-volume, 3-point shooter. He made 8 of 18 from behind the arch in Alabama’s first two exhibitions.

Philon and Wrightsell moved on to the NBA, and big man Aiden Sherrell transferred to Indiana. The Tide also need to replace sixth man Houston Mallette following his graduation.

Oats signed five high school recruits, including two top-20 guys in 6-foot-6 shooting guard Qayden Samuels and 6-foot-6 small forward Jaxon Richardson.

Arguably the most intriguing additions are the three big men: Drew Fielder from Boise State, Jamarion Davis-Fleming from Mississippi State and Brandon Garrison from Kentucky.

Alabama opens the season Nov. 3 at home against Sam Houston and has a non-conference slate that includes consecutive NCAA-resume-building games against No. 14 Miami (in Coral Gables, Florida), No. 10 Houston (in New York City) and No. 13 St. John’s (in Birmingham, Alabama).

The Crimson Tide were picked by league media to finish fifth in the SEC, one spot behind last year’s prognostication. Alabama finished second in the league last season. … Alabama played SEC opponents Auburn and Mississippi in exhibitions and won both. … Alabama led the nation in scoring for the third consecutive year, averaging 91.2 points a game, but also gave up 82.7 points a game, which ranked 347th out of 361 teams.

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