Season Wrap

It was another incredible season in Catamount country. I read over my wrap up from last season and it actually reads very much the same. Another surprisingly dominant season where the Cats took their lumps in November and then dominated the rest of the way. This season highlighted the program as a whole and its ability to find, develop, and integrate players into the system. In a shifting college basketball landscape, Vermont demonstrated that they have the ability to lean on winning, hard work, and selflessness to bring the players together. The goal that I mentioned at the end of last season for the program to keep moving forward was to make the tourney in back to back seasons. The Cats accomplished that with flying colors. There has been a debate and some restlessness among the fanbase about if this season was a step forward or back for the program. I am surprised at the idea that winning year in and year out isn't seen as "enough" and have to feel on some level that the fanbase is suffering from a little bit of "success fatigue". Seven straight regular season titles, seven straight players of the year, twenty wins every season is the stuff of fantasy that hundreds of other programs would sell their souls for in a heartbeat. Basing a successful season on consistently winning games as huge underdogs or pulling off a march madness upset is a slippery slope. What has been built at Vermont is special and unique in the college basketball world. For a program in a non metro area, a less than ideal geographic location, with a tiny athletics budget, and outdated facilities to win at the level that Vermont has is a testament to the hard work of the staff and the dedication of the players. Getting the new facility would be a game changer for the program and everyone will be waiting on pins and needles to see when that might happen. Once that is in place it will be time to talk about another programmatic jump. Until then winning year in and year out is something we should all cherish and get excited about. 

It was absolutely incredible watching Robin Duncan and Finn Sullivan raise the level of their play so significantly this season. At the end of last season Becker said that he thought Finn Sullivan could be a player of the year type guy for Vermont and boy was he right. Sullivan went on an electric run during conference play. I will always be particularly impressed with his ability on the defensive end. Often times players that are good at playing defense on the ball don't get the flashy plays like big steals and blocks. The defensive players that get the big steals and block are often coming from off the ball or often taking big gambles. Sullivan was somehow both. That is what made his defense so incredible. He could shut someone down by staying in front and moving his feet AND still get the steal or a blocked shot. What a find by the coaching staff and what a great couple of years in Catamount country for Sullivan. There is almost nothing more to be said about Robin Duncan. What a season. What a career. Duncan is the epitome of the Vermont program. A player that accepted many different roles throughout his career and always in support of the ultimate team goals. A player that learned how to be the best version of himself and topped it off with a year where he doubled all of his career numbers in one glorious breakout season. Duncan finished his career with 704 points, 637 rebounds, 432 assists (8th all time), 100 steals, only 180 turnovers, and all in a Vermont record 147 games. The last of the Duncan family who changed the Vermont program forever. What a great player, leader, and ambassador for Catamount country. Not to mention recruiting Dylan Penn to join him for one magical season. Speaking of Penn, a perfect fit for a player who had only one goal, win. Fighting though an early season injury and adjusting to a new system, Penn put the team on his back down the stretch and reached the NCAA tournament after missing out the year before. It was so fun to watch such a unique player and that conference tourney run was one to remember. Kam Gibson was the consummate role player during his time in Catamount country. Always there to do the right thing at the right time and a trustworthy and stabilizing force. My favorite stat to illustrate this, albeit a small one, is that in 57 career games for Vermont, Gibson only turned the ball over 22 times. Twenty two!! That is a miniscule number and is such an important stat for a integral role player. Sure will miss watching these guys play. 

Aaron Deloney blossomed even further into his bench scorer role and was electric to watch. His toughness and swagger were game changers this season. He is a good example of a guy who fought hard to improve throughout his career and be ready to make an impact when it was his turn. He will be able to fill a similar role on any team in country next year and it will be exciting to see what he can do. His likely departure leaves Vermont in a similar situation to last season, replacing most of the scoring and playmaking. Last year they had the benefit of returning experienced veterans which is often more reliable than integrating younger players, but this offseason will be a similar task to the last. How to find players within and outside of the program who can fill the roles that have been vacated. Matt Veretto has a chance to step into a larger role next season. By the end of the season he was the Cats most reliable three point shooter and was beginning to score in other ways around the rim. The fact that he was so impactful after three years off is mind blowing so it is tantalizing to think what he will be able to do with a full offseason. Nick Fiorillo had a lost season due to injury so it will be interesting to see how he will be able to get himself ready for a bounceback next season. He will be the old veteran on the team and probably most importantly will be tasked with a huge leadership role for next years group. 

Next year will be a year similar to the 14-15 season when Vermont brought in a huge freshman class after the departure of a senior laden group. This time around the new players have already been in the system for a year so they will have a leg up. That season Vermont was able to claw their way to a 20-14 record (12-4 conference) and finish second in the America East. It is hard to count out this program and their coaching staff when history suggests that they will find a way to win no matter the circumstance. Guys like Ileri Ayo-Faleye and TJ Hurley showed flashes in their limited opportunities and are two players that could thrive in a larger role. Despite the limited impact of the other freshman from this past season, someone in that group will make a leap this offseason. As a fun exercise here are the freshman stats from some recent star players:

Player A: 6.2 minutes per game, 1.1 points per game

Player B: 10.2 minutes per game, 3.3 points per game

Player C: 16.4 minutes per game, 4.1 points per game

Player D: 9.0 minutes per game, 3.6 points per game

Bonus player: 30.8 minutes per game, 13.6 points per game

Guesses?

Player A is Ben Shungu, B is Ryan Davis, C is Finn Sullivan (at San Diego), and D is Dylan Penn (at Division II Bellarmine). The bonus player is actually Kam Gibson who exploded his freshman year at Western Carolina. The point being, players of the year can start their careers with a whimper and role players can start with a bang. Someone or everyone in the TJ Hurley, Jorge Ochoa, Perry Smith Jr, Jackson Skipper, Sam Alamutu freshman group (and incoming freshman Seth Joba) will become good and maybe great college players when it is their turn. To be honest that is what I have always personally loved about college basketball. Who is next? Which player will surprise? How will they get better?

There will be more additions to next year's roster as I am confident that the coaching staff will address the need at PG through the transfer portal. As they always do, they will find players who are looking to win and want a chance to make the NCAA tourney. The last few years the portal has been a huge lift for the program and the coaching staff has done a great job finding diamonds in the rough like Veretto and Sullivan and is always taking big swings at established players, landing one in Dylan Penn (with an assist from Robin). That is what makes the consistent winning so important. Vermont doesn't have the luxury of nice facilities (yet) or a sunny climate to pitch to prospective players. What they do have is that they will win, make them a better player, and they get to play in front of a great crowd every night. There will always be players who are looking for that opportunity. 

Next season will officially be the start of a new era in Catamount country, "the post Duncan era" if you will. New players, young players, guys getting an opportunity and capitalizing on that opportunity. It has been a long time since Vermont has relied on young players to shoulder the load and while those seasons can be up and down, they are new and exciting. I have very fond memories of the 14-15 season: the excitement of the new players, the getting to know the new team process, watching the growth throughout the season. I am excited by the new frontier and this may even be the group that is a part of taking the Vermont program to the next level. It has to start somewhere.

Again as always thanks for reading and commenting on the blog. This year was by far the most interactive and I have enjoyed responding to and reading all of the comments. Check back often over the next month as March and early April are now often the busiest time for posting.