The Seniors return

This week it was announced that Ben Shungu, Bailey Patella, Justin Mazzulla, and Tomas Murphy will all be remaining with the Catamounts for next season. This is a big boost for Vermont and will keep them competing at the top of the league. I am very excited to see what each of these players will do with a full offseason. They all showed growth and flashes during this strange season and will likely build on their success. It was also announced that Murphy will have two more seasons of eligibility as he must have received his injury waiver to gain back the season he lost. If he can get healthy and with more time in the Vermont program, Murphy is going to be a very good player. There will very likely be more and more player movement over the next month but Vermont's roster is taking shape. With two scholarships remaining I would expect the Cats to add some three point shooting. The player they really missed this past season was the Kurt Steidl/Everett Duncan 6-6 small forward who can play tough defense and hit the three. Having a player that doesn't need the ball in their hands to score is a crucial piece to any team and a piece that the Cats were missing last season. That type of player would be their ideal target but I would also expect them to explore any shooters who are available. With the enormous amount of talent in the transfer portal this season and immediate eligibility to be approved next month, most teams will be able to fill out their rosters in whatever way they would like. 

P.S. With Stef Smith committing to St. Johns its time to be a Red Storm fan as well!!

Hamlet Tibbs heads home

Vermont assistant Hamlet Tibbs has left the Vermont team to join new Albany coach Dwayne Killings' staff. It is a return home for Tibbs as he went to Troy high and has deep ties to the Albany area. Albany and Vermont were two of the handful of teams in college basketball who had kept the same staff together for the past 7 seasons and now each is dealing with change. It is a great opportunity for Tibbs and will help keep the rivalry going despite the departure of longtime coach Will Brown. Catamount country will always be eternally grateful to Tibbs for his Albany connection landing Anthony Lamb in a Vermont uniform. Mostly I am sad to lose on of the best names in college basketball. Best of luck to Tibbs who was a great representative of the program and an integral part of this incredible run of success. It will be interesting to see where Vermont turns for a replacement. They will definitely want to find someone with good recruiting connections that differ from Kyle Ceplicki's Midwest area and Ryan Schneider's Canadian connection. 

Season Wrap

For the second year in a row I am faced with the same question, How to sum up a strange season? 

Much like last season the year feels unfinished. So many what ifs and unanswered questions. After reflecting over the past week I have ultimately been left with appreciation for the basketball that was played and excited for the future when I can set foot in Patrick gym once again. 

Vermont faced challenges right from the start with the cancellation of the non-conference schedule and the departure of Bernie Andre. Ultimately the lack of practice time and cohesiveness that this program has hung their hat on, never had a chance to grow. With the second pause in January the season took on the feel of a preseason that just wouldn't end. This year having a season was the real goal and they were able to get that far. Seeing Ryan Davis emerge as the heart of the team was fun to watch and dials up the excitement for next season. Davis went from great player in the America East territory to mid-major player to watch territory faster than even the most faithful of fans saw coming. Stef Smith had an up and down final season in Catamount country but will always be up there with some of the best players to wear the white, green, and gold. Now Smith has a great and unique opportunity to take his extra year of eligibility and see how far he can take his game as he entered the transfer portal this week. It is a just reward for every player that worked through the hardships of this season and is going to make the landscape of college basketball very exciting next season. One of the best stories from this season was Ben Shungu taking his game to a new level. To go from a walk-on to an all-conference player is a testament to his hard work and dedication. Steady, consistent, and always there to make the right play, Shungu was the glue that held the team together. Maybe he will be back for one more season? One definite point of excitement for next season is Sam Alamutu arriving in Catamount country. He has all the makings of the next great Catamount.

Uncertainty will be the name of the game this offseason as coaching changes and player movement ramp up. Becker's name has and will continue to come up as the coaching carousel turns. With the transfer rules shifting to a one-time transfer without sitting out and the extra year of eligibility, there will be more player movement than in a typical year as well. It is going to be near impossible to predict what the roster will look like next season and it will probably be awhile before it is set in stone. 

The big thing that the coaching staff will need to do this offseason is to develop some outside shooting. Having a regular offseason program should work out the defensive kinks and the depth issues that popped up down the stretch. However the perimeter shooting struggles are going to need to be a point of emphasis over the course of the offseason. Too many time teams were able to sag in the lane and cut off drives to the basket because they were not worried about the Cats getting hot from three. Over the last 10 years or so Vermont had has at least one and often two "all time great" three point shooters on the floor. This has been a incredible luxury and is why the Cats offense has improved so much during that time. 

Also congrats to Hartford for making the tournament for the first time. Second chances are a rare commodity and the Hawks made sure to not let theirs slip away. There is nothing better as a fan than when your team finally wins a title. The Catamounts will be back to reclaim the crown next season. 

Lastly, I want to thank all the readers for making this blog a fun extension of being a fan. I love having the opportunity to share my thoughts and observations. The countdown 'til next season begins.

America East Semifinal 03/06/21

 Hartford 71 Vermont 65

There will be a new champion in the America East after Hartford rode hot shooting into their second consecutive final. With Lowell picking off UMBC, the Hawks will host the title game next weekend. Traci Carter and Austin Williams dominated the game from start to finish with their energy and aggressiveness. Williams finished with 24 and 9 rebounds and Traci Carter dominated the second half, finishing with 23 points. Hartford executed their game plan perfectly and made all the tough shots. The Hawks shot 63% for the game and made 10-19 (53%) from three. They played tough perimeter defense and Vermont went 1-9 from three in the second half. The Hartford players were laser focused and didn't even do any crazy celebration after the game as if they expected to get back to the finals. Guess the universe is balancing the ledger so to speak after the Hawks worked so hard to get a shot at the tourney last year before having it ripped away. Vermont struggled to get into a rhythm on offense and their defensive rotations got out of whack several times. Ryan Davis scored 16 to lead the Cats and Ben Shungu added 14 points and 6 assists. Stef Smith really struggled, finishing  4-15 from the floor and 1-8 from three. The struggles from the perimeter reared their ugly head and Vermont went through stretches where Hartford just out worked them. Maybe it was the layoff or maybe it was the stress of a long season but the Cats just didn't have the spark in today's game. No postseason for the first time in a long time and Vermont heads into the offseason on a tough note after a challenging season. This is going to be a interesting offseason. Extra years of eligibility and changing transfer rules are going to make the recruiting landscape completely different. Also, now is the time that the stress of the season and the sacrifices are really going to set in. Players and coaches across the country experienced a season like no other and reflecting on that is going to be tough. It is also Becker watch time in Catamount country as the coaching carousel around the country will be in full swing. I will wrap up the season in more detail sometime next week but want to take this opportunity to thank the Vermont program for their hard work and sacrifice this season. I can't imagine some of the hardships they had to endure to make this season happen. As a fan I got to enjoy the fruits of the hard labor and am incredibly proud of what this team was able to accomplish this season. It wasn't the result anyone wanted but I am thankful for the basketball that was able to be played this year. Everyone should be proud of this Catamount team. Overcoming the pandemic and staying safe and healthy while playing the game they love is victory enough. Thank you. 

Thoughts on the America East Semifinals

March is here!

Despite facing a slew of new and different challenges four teams have emerged to vie for the America East title. Each matchup has intrigue and is tinged with the uniqueness of this season. 

UMBC vs UMass Lowell

The first quirk of the playoffs is that these two teams did not meet during the regular season, which creates a pretty fun one off matchup for a place in the finals. On the surface this matchup has the look of a breeze for the Retrievers, but below the surface there is plenty of intrigue. UMass Lowell is a grossly underrated team and has all the trappings of a team ready to continue their run. Lowell would very likely have been in the top 4 had their star player Obadiah Noel not missed 5 games at the end of the season. He is their engine, the best pure scorer in the America East, and a player that can put a team on his back and carry them to victory. This is most well rounded team that the River Hawks have put together and they finally play enough defense to give their ultra efficient offense a chance to win them games. The way to beat UMBC is to shoot a high percentage on offense and make every possession count. These are two hallmarks of the Lowell offense. UMBC relies on their tough defense to keep games in the sixties. This years teams does not have the same offensive explosiveness from year past and relies on deliberate half court sets and getting to the free throw line. RJ Eytle-Rock methodically picks apart defenses and wears teams down with his physicality. He is both UMBC's glue guy who makes his teammates better and their go to player when the Retrievers need a bucket. This game is very intriguing and should be a very competitive semifinal.

Vermont vs Hartford

The wait is over. Never has a matchup had so much time to build up suspense. These two teams have not played since February 8th, 2020 when Ryan Davis made a layup at the buzzer for a 69-68 Vermont victory. After an almost championship matchup followed a year later by an almost weekend series, these two teams finally get to battle it out. Hartford is ready to make up for lost time and will be beyond hyped for this matchup. Led by Marist transfer Austin Williams, the Hawks play tough perimeter defense, try to take away the three point line, and want to get out and run on offense. John Gallagher always has his guys ready to play and they will certainly bring max energy on Saturday. Vermont is coming off a two week break from game action and will need to snap back into beast mode from the tip. Player of the year Ryan Davis is ready to dominate down low and force the Hawks to throw a double team at him to open things up for his teammates. Vermont will look to their own tenacious defense to force Hartford into tough shots and pound the ball down low on offense. The Cats will use their size and physicality to win the battle on the boards and get baskets at the rim. This matchup is always a cage match and never lacks for energy and emotion. 

There is nothing better that playoff basketball.