Ouch.
Iona blitzed Vermont out of the gates and never let their foot off the gas in a dominating performance. After looking more together and cohesive in the USC game, the Cats took a step back in this one looking disjointed and frustrated. As I mentioned in the season preview, this is a grueling non conference schedule where they play several other teams who have tournament aspirations and there are no cupcakes. The Cats were never in this one with too many turnovers and missed layups. Vermont is looking for an offensive identity. There are no go to offensive sets and too many possessions devolve into one on one improvisation. As I mentioned in the last post lineup changes were going to be coming and it only took until the second half of the game tonight. Becker benched three starters to begin the second half, sending a message that the quality of play needs to increase. This feels like a key moment in Vermont's season. They have now lost four in a row and did not even give themselves a chance in this game. Lots of soul searching after this one and it makes the Yale game a must win situation. It might seem early for that talk but with another long trip and a three games in three days tournament coming up, the Cats need some positive momentum.
Dylan Penn was the only Catamount in double figures with 10 points but he was one of the starters benched to start the second half. He is not engaged enough on the court and has too many lapses on both ends of the floor. He has had stretches where he is very impactful but they are often sandwiched between lackadaisical play. He has some major work to do to make the impact that was expected preseason. Aaron Deloney did not play at all in the second half. He struggled with the physicality of the Iona guards and did not score. Nick Fiorillo was the other starter on the bench to start the second half. His transition to be more of a traditional big man is not going well at the moment. He doesn't have a strong back to the basket game and is struggling with the physicality underneath. Sam Alamutu, Kam Gibson, and Perry Smith Jr were the replacement starters to begin the second half. Alamutu made some nice plays and gave them more size and strength on the perimeter. Smith Jr had some nice moments and some not so great moments. He finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds showcasing his size and strength underneath. He also turned the ball over several times and only shot 3-7 from the field. There were some growing pains for sure but he is going to be the answer for Vermont underneath. His ability to get up to speed and make an impact is going to be the deciding factor in Vermont's sucess this season. Finn Sullivan really struggled in this game. He got some tough offensive foul calls early and let his emotions get the best on him. Sullivan finished with 7 turnovers which is astronomical, particularly for someone who takes such good care of the ball. Robin Duncan also turned the ball over 4 times and was ineffective offensively. He grabbed 9 rebounds to lead Vermont again, which is why he plays a crucial role despite his offensive struggles.
Vermont is in a tough spot. I very much think they can still fix the issues but the preseason expectations may have skewed the view of how this team would perform early. They are replacing a lot and have players shifting to roles they have never played before. With a schedule packed with so many good teams, getting wins while smoothing out the wrinkles is a tall task. How they play against Yale on Tuesday will answer a lot of questions about the resolve of this Vermont team.
Nearly 7000 miles in 7 days very hard on any club. A couple of bright spots were Sam Alamutu he clearly has the physical ability to compete at this level. And Perry Smith Jr is clearly not Ra Kpedi not George Lefevbre. I expect fatigue to be a factor against Yale and this team will need time to recharge the batteries . Hopefully ( if this doesn’t hurt morale too much ) this will serve them well later in the season
ReplyDeleteAgree for sure. This schedule is one that is built for a veteran team returning players in defined roles. Not a new team learning the ropes. Alamutu and Smith Jr were bright spots for sure. I agree it will serve them well experience wise but I do feel there is a certain threshold of losing before it starts to have an impact.
DeleteI was thinking about the scheduling last night. Not to make excuses but is there a reason they seem to play a tougher out of conference schedule than most. It’s not so much the level of competition but the quantity. Even last yr I remember the 3 games in 3 days and then a quick turn around. For a team like this one where there are literally 10-11 guys whose rolls were not defined coming in it seems a few less games and some more time at home practicing would help. As for the game, not to say they were ever in it but they clawed their way back at times which shows they are capable talent wise. Meaning playing terrible basketball for long stretches and to be within a few buckets of tying it in both halves is encouraging. The foul shooting, three point shooting and turnovers were too much but can easily be improved. Maybe trying out a bigger lineup where smith jr and ileri play big and fiorillo plays a wing with say deloney and penn. Because I think deloney and fiorillo have good chemistry but they’re being asked to do things too far out of their scope. As I posted before that starting lineup is a no go. It’s way too small and penn and deloney aren’t great defensively. I like Sam’s physicality but have yet to see him really shoot the ball. All in all Becker is in a tight spot, trying to figure out what works in real time and possibly might have to change his coaching philosophy a bit because I don’t see how this team can play small as they’ve been able to do in the past. Let’s beat Yale get some mojo back and start building from there…
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in another reply, this schedule is a mismatch for this year's Vermont team. With a younger less experienced team it would have been beneficial to have a few more home games., especially early on. Such is the life of a good mid major in a less than ideal geographic location. I agree about a new lineup. I like Deloney better off the bench and moving Fiorillo to the four is a better fit. All of the difficulties can be improved for sure but how much losing can the team tolerate while working to improve it the real question.
DeleteAfter watching the opening games and witnessing some of the player chemistry, good and bad, I have what might be an intriguing series of line-up changes on my mind. It may be interesting to start Smith at 5, Fiorello at 4, and then Sullivan, Penn, and Duncan on the perimeter. This would place Delony back at a crucial 6th man spot, Hurley/Gibson as the off-the-bench snipers, and Verretto/Ayo-Faleye in tandem as big man relief. This also keeps Alamutu in line as defensive/rebounding guard specialist. The small line-up might be more available as the youngster mature into D1, but as of now there needs to be a bigger defensive presence in the paint and which relieves the perimeter defense to focus on shutting down the hot shooting exterior teams. Just an idea... Two out of the 4 road losses quite easily could have been wins. The difference of one play...
ReplyDeleteI agree with your proposed lineup. That too is the one I have in mind as creating better fits. The small lineup is one that is more suited for conference play when everyone is a little more seasoned. It absolutely comes down to one play here or there. Even a short stretch like the first 7 minutes of the Iona game were the difference. This year is a very clear example of this as they are quite literally one made free throw away from 2-3 which would feel very different. That is why getting caught up in wins and losses this time of year can be a trap. Preseason this was a game I had circled as a loss. Most of the reaction to last night's games was how the team looked rather than the loss itself. The uncertainty of team roles is written all over everyone's face. It is creating a lack of confidence and tentative play.
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