Vermont 76 Concordia 71
Summer Basketball!!
What a rush to see the Catamounts playing again. Sometimes with the exhibition games, the atmosphere can suffer from low stakes and or a competition mismatch. That was not the case in this evening's contest. College Jean de Brebeuf has a tiny seating area but it was packed to the gills. The fans for both teams were into the game from the get go and the game stayed close throughout, fueling a midseason atmosphere. Concordia played intense physical defense and the stingers 6'0' guard Sami Jahan couldn't miss. I mean he seriously was unstoppable. What a performance. Hats off to him and Concordia for a great game. On to the Cats. As with any early season contest there are going to be some kinks. The perimeter shooting was uneven and the defensive rotations a bit slow. But, all that matters at this stage is getting to see the players out on the court doing what they love. With so many new faces it was exciting to get a first glimpse at what they are going to bring to Catamount country. First off Dylan Penn lived up to the well deserved hype as a major impact transfer and player of the year candidate. He led the Cats in scoring and wowed with an array of nifty finishes around the rim. In person his ability to knife to the rim is even more impressive. If Penn even has a sliver of daylight he can accelerate to the rim with tremendous speed. He will be the leading scorer this year without a doubt and has a chance to be a dominant player in the Vermont system. Tonight was the first time I have seen Ileri Ayo-Faleye in game action and after a slow start he made some big hoops down the stretch when the Cats were looking to pull away. He can absolutely jump out of the gym but showed some nice touch by knocking down his free throws and a three pointer as well. He was a bit out of control on occasion but looks like he will provide a spark and some highlights for sure. Nick Fiorillo looked very good, particularly passing the ball and running the offense from the high post. He had several beautiful assists and looks so comfortable in the offensive sets. Fiorillo is set up for a monster breakout. Finn Sullivan got himself into a bit of foul trouble but had a big three to ice the game late. Aaron Deloney also hit some big shots late to hold off a hold charging Stingers team. The starters tonight were Sullivan, Fiorillo, Penn, Kam Gibson, and TJ Hurley. Perry Smith Jr, Jorge Ochoa, and Sam Alamutu were unavailable for a team rules violation but will be in action for the rest of the weekend. Matt Veretto was on the sidelines as well still battling some foot issues I believe. That about wraps it up for today! What a fun night and I am already excited for tomorrow's game.
Thanks very much for this!!
ReplyDeleteYou're Welcome!!
DeleteLove It
ReplyDeleteIt was so fun!!
DeleteEnjoy your insights.. Keep it up!
DeleteYes, thank Lee for the great post. Always enjoy your commentary on our Cats. Yahoo, it's back to BB again!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it!!
DeleteDid Michelle get any time?
ReplyDeleteHe did get a few minutes. Still as fast and quick as ever. Still making the adjustment to the college game.
DeleteYou are welcome!
ReplyDelete