Vermont 84 Siena 76
What a way to bounce back. After dropping a tough opener Vermont turned around and played their hearts out. Last nights win was not just a win, but a statement by a young team. This team showed their toughness and grit and willed themselves to victory. The game demonstrated the heart of a hungry young team eager to prove themselves and make each game a chance to learn a new lesson. The lesson learned in this game was about toughness. Siena (more importantly Jimmy Patsos) physically overpower opponents and wear teams down. Last years game featured 63 combined fouls and several foul outs. This years game was not far behind with 58 combined fouls and four Vermont players fouling out. The Cats finished the game with six healthy players and 24 turnovers. Several times their backs were against the wall but each time they were able to regroup and battle back. Early in the second half the wear and tear seemed to start to take effect for Vermont. Siena took a nine point lead with about 12 minutes to go and things were starting to look bleak. But then all of a sudden the one man run Trae Bell-Haynes took over. His speed and ability to finish around the rim is a thing of beauty. Just watch the highlights. After struggling in the first half, Bell-Haynes turned on the jets and just blew through the Siena defense at will. I love his tenacity and fearlessness when driving towards the hole. I mean that eurostep???? Killer. The beginning of the highlight video is an Ernie Duncan teaser. I am trying not to be too hopeful as the back injury seems to be fairly debilitating and will most likely linger all year. However, anyone watching that video has to just be drooling about his passing ability. His passing skills are on another level. He has elite court vision and puts the ball in the exact position for the player to finish in stride. He managed to lead the team in assists with four even though he only played 11 minutes. I find myself daydreaming about a backcourt with Bell-Haynes at the point and Duncan at the two guard. The potential for this group is definitely sky high. It was nice to see Kurt Steidl get back into the action and hit some big shots. The three from the corner to put Vermont up 75-71 was a killer blow. This game also demonstrated that when Hector Harold is not a walking turnover, he can be a very effective scorer. Unfortunately he has 11 turnovers through two games. Ethan O'Day turned in a stellar performance going 8-8 from the field and leading the team in scoring. He looks like he will thrive in the more uptempo system this year. He also blocked shots on two consecutive plays down the stretch with Siena trying to claw back into the game. This team is definitely going to lose some head scratchers and pull some upsets as they work out the kinks. The fun thing for the fans is the ability to climb back into a game with offensive firepower rather then relying solely on getting stops. Vermont outscored Siena 42-16 in the paint including 24-4 in the second half. That is the recipe for a potent offense. Throw in shooting a ridiculous 68% including an unreal 76.5% in the second half and you have a team that can put the ball in the hoop. It certainly seems like night in and night out you never know what this team will bring, but last night they proved that toughness and grit will be a big part of what this team can bring.
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