Game 1: Vermont 81 Ottawa 55
Game 2: Vermont 83 UQAM 62
Game 3: Vermont 77 McGill 57
Basketball in August? Yes please.
Catamount fans were able to get a glimpse into the future this weekend with Vermont playing three exhibition games in Montreal. With all the games in the same general location and only a little over an hour from my house, it was an opportunity I could not pass up. I attended all three games and it was great to get to see what kind of team Vermont will have for the upcoming season. Vermont won each game handily by pulling away in the second half. As with any exhibition tour the level of competition was varied but what a great way to get the young inexperienced players some game action. The number one takeaway from the weekend was that Anthony Lamb is back. He has clearly put in a lot of work in the offseason, looking quicker and stronger. He was the best player on the floor in each game and is poised for a big time season. I would put him at the top of the conversation for preseason conference player of the year. All predictions are health permitting but a healthy Lamb is going to put up big numbers this season. Even in Vermont's balanced system I could see him averaging somewhere in the vicinity of 17 points per game. He has such an array of offensive moves and has a relentless drive when he gets underneath the hoop. He is poised to be the man of this years team and looks to be taking on more of a leadership role as well. Everett Duncan is the other elder statesmen and he was more assertive on the offensive end. It looked like he has made a commitment to expand his game and work on putting the ball on the floor a bit more when he is getting closed out hard at the three point line. He completely changed the complexion of game two with a big second half. The young guys as a group demonstrated loads of potential to impact this years team in a big way. Ryan Davis exploded in game one and led the team with 19 points. He is a different type of big man than Vermont typically gets. He has a big strong frame and tremendous hands. He scored in double figures in all three games with a combination of outside shooting and creative finishes around the hoop. I see him with a big role this season, giving Vermont the pieces to run a lot of high low sets with some big to big passing out of the high post. Isaiah Moll also made an immediate impact and is going to be a very versatile player. He is the only player on Vermont who went through both the perimeter player and post player pre-game warm up routine. That gives an indication of how the coaching staff views his versatility. He has great quickness and can create his own shot as good as anyone on Vermont. There were times where he played too fast but he gives them another player to go to when the offense is stagnating. Robin Duncan looked every bit the point guard of the future. Calm with the ball and smart decision making. At 6-5 he is very big for a point guard and he uses his length very well. It took him a few games to assert himself, but he knocked down 4 threes in the last game and had a few nice finishes around the rim. After watching the freshman it only confirmed my beliefs that all three of them have a chance to grow into all league caliber players. Ra Kpedi had some good moments on the trip. He still struggles with fluidity and has yet to really add an offensive game. He had a productive final game and can be a very good offensive rebounder as he continues to get more comfortable with the college game. He has also proved to be a good free throw shooter which will help him greatly as he draws a lot of fouls. He still has some work to do with his offensive game but has gotten stronger over the summer. Bailey Patella had a very impressive weekend. Defensively he has a chance to be great. He blocked about 7 shots over the three games and is freakishly athletic. He gets up off the floor in a hurry and has a great nose for the ball. He was deflecting passes and getting tough rebounds in every game. He knocked down a few shots as well and has a chance to be a very impactful player off the bench. Ben Shungu was all over the court. He played tough defense, rebounded well, make some nice passes, and handled himself very well at the point guard position. His shot still has a long way to go but he will also be able to have an impact off the bench. Stef Smith played in two out of the three games as he was battling a nagging injury. He has so much potential to be a big part of this years team. His combination of quickness and shooting ability is very good. The young guys struggled to rotate on defense and that is going to be the deciding factor on who wins the playing time battles. Whoever is best able to understand and execute the defensive scheme will be on the court. The potential is there for Vermont to have another strong season. Lamb has the ability to carry this team for long stretches. There will be some growing pains and they will definitely take some lumps in the non-conference schedule. There will be a lot of turnovers early on and mental lapses. However, the overall potential is incredibly exciting. The depth of talent in the post that this team has is a luxury that not a lot of mid-majors have. The offense is going to run through the post quite a bit this season and teams are going to have to double Lamb which is going to create opportunities for everyone else. That last interesting piece from the weekend was that Ernie Duncan and Samuel Dingba were not with the team. I am fairly certain that Dingba has had some passport issues in the past, so that is a possible explanation for his absence. Duncan on the other hand is a mystery. It is awfully strange for the top returning senior to miss a trip entirely. It was great to get a taste of college basketball as the countdown begins until the season opener.
