It was almost as if a hurricane blew through the Miami basketball program last season.

Miami coach Frank Haith started his third season at the school with high hopes - but that was before an injury sidelined senior center Anthony King after just eight games, followed in quick succession by major injuries to forwards Jimmy Graham and Adrian Thomas. In addition to the M.A.S.H. cases, promising forward Raymond Hicks was suspended for violating team rules.

How many teams could survive after losing its top four frontcourt players?

"We win against Georgia Tech and we lose Anthony King," Haith said. "We beat Maryland and we lose Jimmy Graham. It seemed like every time we beat a team we lost a player. Then you add on the suspensions and it was very difficult."

Yet, Miami didn't just wallow in its misery. The Hurricanes wound up last in the ACC standings, but few teams finished with a stronger effort than the 'Canes. Late in February, Miami upset regular season co-champ Virginia, then took both Clemson and Florida State - both fighting for their NCAA lives - into overtime. Haith's resurgent team upset NCAA-bound Maryland in the opening round of the ACC Tournament and took Boston College to overtime in the quarterfinals.

The strong finish is a major reason why Haith approaches the coming season with renewed optimism.

"I think if this team had just bottomed out and gotten demolished, everybody would be concerned," Haith told Jorge Milan of the Palm Beach Post. "But we had a lot of things happen to us and we remained competitive and even won some games. I think we have a team that can be in the top half of the league."

Jack McClinton

Of course, Haith adds the caveat that the 'Canes have to stay healthy. Last season certainly demonstrates the damage a few injuries can cause.

But last year's disaster may turn out to have unexpected benefits this season. For one thing, without the season-ending injury, King would have graduated and left a big void at center this season.

But a change in the NCAA hardship rules allows the 6-9, 246-pound native of Durham, N.C., to return for a fifth season.

"He's our best recruit," Haith said last summer, upon learning that his veteran big man was granted the extra year of eligibility.

King has never been a big scorer, but he was leading the ACC in rebounding when he was hurt a year ago. And he had 65 blocked shots in his last full season, making the Miami big man the leading career shot-blocker returning in the ACC this season.

"Anthony is a leader on and off the court," junior guard Jack McClinton said. "He rebounds and he defends ... he's developed a jump shot and that's going to make him hard to stop."

Graham, another solid defender and rebounder, and the 6-7 Thomas are healthy again, while Hicks, who averaged 5.3 points a game before his dismissal last season, is back in good graces with Coach Haith.

But they'll have to contend with two players who were forced to develop when thrust into action last season. Brian Asbury, a 6-7 Miami native, started 31 games as a sophomore and was the team's No. 2 scorer at 11.7 a game. And Dwayne Collins, a 6-8 Miami native, started 22 times as a freshman and contributed 8.6 points and 6.5 rebounds a game.

Throw in 6-9, 258-pound freshman Julian Gamble, who played at the same Southern Durham High School that produced King, and 6-11 Brazilian Fabio Ness and suddenly the 'Canes have all kinds of options in the post.

Brian Asbury

"We have a lot of depth up front now," McClinton noted. "We should have a good inside presence."

McClinton remains the 'Canes chief weapon in the backcourt after averaging 16.1 points a game in his first season after transferring from Siena. He led the ACC in 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. Despite his success as a sophomore, Haith believes that the 6-1 shooting guard still has room for improvement.

"Jack has a chance to be even better because he went through most of last year without any post presence," Haith said. "We've got a chance to have our best combination of post players this year and I think that will help Jack."

Haith's biggest pre-season concern is finding a backcourt running mate for McClinton. The graduation of four-year starter Anthony Harris left a void that was supposed to be filled by guard Denis Clemente. But the talented sophomore was dismissed from the team late last season - just before the team's final surge.

That puts 6-0 recruit Eddie Rios first in line to replace Harris. The Miami prep standout emerged as one of the nation's top point guard prospects after leading Miami Senior High School to a state championship as a sophomore. Lance Hurdle, a 6-2 junior who spent a season at UC Santa Barbara, then a year at San Bernardino Valley Community College, will also contend for time in the backcourt.

"I feel good about our options," Haith said.

And McClinton feels good about Miami's prospects following in the footsteps of Virginia Tech, which turned a disastrous 2006 season into the springboard for a successful year in 2007.

"We're using last year and everything that happened as a learning experience," the Miami guard said. "God has blessed us with a chance to do some things. We have all those players who were injured back. Maybe last year was a blessing in disguise."

The pre-season ACC voters didn't see it that way, picking Miami to repeat as the league's last-place team. But that's fine with McClinton.

"I want us to be overlooked," he said. "We're going to come out and play hard every time we take the court, trying to get a victory."

But Haith warns that the mere return of last year's wounded players doesn't guarantee success.

"I don't want our kids to take anything for granted," Haith said. "Even though we had some success with a limited roster, that doesn't mean we should win because we have everybody back."

STRENGTHS - The depth of experience in the frontcourt - especially the return of Anthony King, who could be the ACC's best rebounder and shot-blocker. Also, Jack McClinton ranks as one of the league's best offensive weapons in the backcourt.

CONCERNS - Either Eddie Rios or Lance Hurdle must step up at the point or else McClinton will have to add those duties to his scoring load. Miami also needs to find a consistent inside scorer to balance McClinton's outside threat.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH - In 2006 Rios was rated one of the nation's top 20 prospects. Some analysts dropped him in their rankings last year, but he remains the most high-profile recruit that Haith has landed since coming to Coral Gables.

EARLY TESTS: Miami is in the Puerto Rico Tipoff Classic Nov. 16-18 and will likely face Virginia Commonwealth in the second round with the possibility of seeing Temple, Arkansas or Providence in the third round. The 'Canes get St. John's in Miami on Dec. 2 and face a tough road trip to Mississippi State on Dec. 13.

Dwayne Collins shot .538 from the floor and averaged 8.6 ppg in 2006-07 ... led all ACC freshmen with seven games of 10 or more rebounds ... averaged a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game ... over the last nine games averaged 10.2 points and 9.8 rebounds.

Anthony King was granted a medical redshirt allowing for a fifth year of eligibility in 2007-08 ... appeared in eight games before suffering a wrist injury which sidelined him for the remaining 24 games of the season ... was leading the ACC in rebounds (9.3) at the time of his injury.

Brian Asbury started a team-high 31 games as a sophomore in 2007 ... shot .443 from the floor and finished second on the team in scoring (11.7) and rebounding (5.9) ... scored 10 of more points in 11 of his last 15 games.

Jimmy Graham averaged 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds and shot .538 from the floor despite eight games with a hand injury ... averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in Miami’s two ACC Tournament games ... started 10 games ... has a career field goal percentage of .506.