Ryan Davis commits to Vermont

Vermont received a commitment from the post player they were looking for last night. Ryan Davis, a 6-8 270 lb forward from Hoffman Estates, Illinois gave his verbal commitment to the Catamounts. I have been closely following Davis all summer. From the time of his offer in May I thought he was a player that fit really well in the Vermont program. He has great footwork both driving from the perimeter and with his back to the basket. I thought he would be one of those players Vermont offers before the AAU circuit who blows up after the July recruiting period. He certainly blew up at the mid-major level fielding many offers including  Bucknell, Toledo, and South Dakota. I then happened to be on church street and saw him on a visit toward the end of the summer. Full disclosure, I have been obsessively searching Twitter for information ever since. During this search I saw that he was drawing strong interest from Wisconsin who went to see his open gym several times. I was a little discouraged in thinking that the he might slip through Vermont's fingers. His commitment is great because he fits so well into the group that will be carrying on the tradition. I think Davis has a chance to be an all league performer. He is comfortable with both his back to basket and facing up on the perimeter. He has great size and a college ready body which he uses effectively to finish around the rim. His jump shot looks good and being able to be a stretch big in today's game is huge. It is great to get a post player who can face up and stretch the floor but is also comfortable with his back to the basket. That versatility is going to be very valuable. I am very excited about this commitment and this recruiting class. With Robin Duncan and Isaiah Moll signing their national letters of intent, this recruiting class is looking like another good one. I believe Moll has all league potential as well and is also ready to contribute right away. Duncan has tremendous potential as a floor leader and team leader as he has the same strong basketball sense as his brothers. Another strong Vermont recruiting class that is still unfinished. I have to think the next player in this class will be a small forward to round out some depth for next season. The recruiting momentum continues!

Exhibition: St. Michael's at Vermont 11/4/17

Vermont 102 St. Michael's 53

Time for the real thing.

Vermont overwhelmed St. Michael's to finish out the exhibition portion of their schedule with another win. With Trae Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan sitting, the young guys got a chance to showcase what they can bring to the table. Coach Becker said that the two starters were being held out as a precaution and that they would both be ready to go. I am glad to hear that they are both okay. Even thought there was a clear disparity between the two teams this game was a great opportunity for the guys fighting for roles to have an opportunity to play through mistakes and build some confidence. Drew Urquhart made a few nice plays and it will be crucial for him to have some positive energy as he is going to be a key player for this team. Samuel Dingba has a ways to go before he is ready to contribute after his year off and Urquhart has to be the one to provide depth in the frontcourt. Sticking in the frontcourt, Ra Kpedi still would benefit from a redshirt year and maybe I am still higher on him than most, but he is going to be a good player for Vermont. With the way his minutes went in the preseason I have a feeling that the coaching staff wants to redshirt him this season. If he gets stronger and is able to learn the system, I think he makes a big impact down the road. In the battle for minutes in the backcourt, Ben Shungu made some strides. He is a very strong finisher around the rim and his outside jumper has improved since last year. I like his physicality and he is player who could have a role on this years team. Stef Smith made some more great plays but showed a little bit of inexperience in this game. His shot selection was not great and he played too fast, resulting in too many turnovers. He has a very strong ability to score the ball but needs to work on his passing and feel for the offense. In the battle for minutes at the small forward position vacated by Kurt Steidl, there are still a lot of questions. Everett Duncan and Skyler Nash have been the early favorites but both of them are having a tough time of the defensive side of the ball. Duncan again impressed with his rebounding ability grabbing 6 boards in 16 minutes. He will get the first crack at minutes but he has far to go to get up to speed defensively. Nash looked more comfortable and got a few shots to fall and that will help him build confidence. Bailey Patella had some nice moments and he has a lot of potential as he gets stronger. There are going to be some intense playing time battles all year in practice and it will be interesting to see as the season progresses how the minutes play out. The progression during the non-conference schedule will be a great story line as there are a lot of minutes available for the second unit and there are still a lot of roles up in the air after the exhibition schedule. Next Sunday is going to a daunting task but I think it is a great way to start the season. My Vermont season preview will be out sometime before the game on Sunday.

P.S.
I feel the need to address the comments from the crowd while the players from St. Michael's were kneeling during the anthem. It was embarrassing as a Vermonter to hear some of the comments that were directed at the protesters. If respect for America is what you are after than respect for your fellow American has to be there first. That is what this protest is all about. Equality and fair treatment for everyone. I hope we as Vermonters can show that we are forward thinking, fairminded, supportive, and thoughtful human beings as I am very sure we will continue to see these protests throughout the season.

America East Preview 2017-2018

It is time to once again make some predictions. Last year the final standings were very different than the preseason polls. Stony Brook and UMBC greatly exceeded expectations while Binghamton suffered through injuries on their way to another tough season. Who will be the surprise team this year? Will Vermont be able to live up to their lofty expectations? Here is how I see the year playing out in the America East.

1. Vermont
           All across college basketball, Vermont is getting attention as a top mid major program. Winning the title last year and returning the core of their team has rocketed them into a different stratosphere. Anthony Lamb is ready to breakout and compete for the conference player of the year. Payton Henson, Trae Bell-Haynes, and Ernie Duncan are locked in to their roles and ready to make another run at the title. However, this years team has more questions marks than the one that cruised through the league last season. Losing Dre Wills, Kurt Steidl, and Darren Payen is more significant than most people think. Vermont is going to rely on young, inexperienced players to fill those roles. Much of what those graduated players brought to the table is tough to replace because it was intangible "beyond the box score" type production. It will be interesting to see how the defensive side of the ball progresses throughout the season. Vermont has some young, intriguing talent and the progression of their roles will be the key to Vermont's success. Last year the Cats motivation was to erase the sting of their postseason disappointments and this year their motivation is to stay on top. Those are two very different mentalities and it will be interesting to see if that has any effect on this Vermont team.

2. Albany
          Albany is again poised to push Vermont for the top spot in the league. They too return the core group from last years team including the dynamic duo of Joe Cremo and David Nichols. Travis Charles is going to have an expanded role this year after a very successful year coming off the bench.  Albany and Vermont are in very similar situations where they are asking their newcomers to make an immediate impact. The two flagship America East programs seemed destined to clash once again as the top two teams in the conference. The x-factor for Albany will be what they get out of graduate transfer Alex Foster. He is 6-8 forward who began his career at Texas Tech and gives them some much needed frontcourt depth. Will Brown will have his team ready and this year they are the team looking to erase the sting of a postseason disappointment.

3. UMBC
          The Retrievers came out of nowhere last year and took the league by storm. In a league of methodical teams, they were the foil. A fast paced high octane system caught many teams off guard and they relentlessly attacked opponents. UMBC returns Jairus Lyles and KJ Maura to lead this undersized unit. They will miss the production of Will Darley who allowed them to use small lineups and spread the floor with his shooting ability. Replacing his production will be key to the Retrievers success.

4. Stony Brook
          Stony Brook has the look of a team that is one year away from returning to the top. They have a good young group and Jeff Boals is making some noise on the recruiting trail. Akwasi Yeboah is poised for breakout year and Anthony Ochefu leads a pack of impact freshman. The loss of Lucas Woodhouse is going to make it tough to stay at the top this season. So much of Stony Brook's success last year was dependent on his steady hand at the controls. They are going to be a fun team to watch and they have to chance to push the top teams.

5. New Hampshire
           Tanner Leissner is ready for his senior campaign and Jacoby Armstrong returns from a one year absence. Along with Iba Camara, they form one of the leagues most formidable frontcourts. How will they fill the void left by Jaleen Smith and Daniel Dion? The Wildcats were a very inconsistent outside shooting team during those players careers and now face the tall task of finding shot makers to replace their production. Leissner is a tremendous talent but now he is going to face more intense defensive pressure as the main offensive weapon. The Wildcats are going to have to out physical opponents and play tough defense to compete with the top teams.

6. UMass Lowell
           Finally eligible for the post season, the River Hawks look to build on flashes of brilliance over the last few years. Jahad Thomas is an incredible talent and the most versatile player in the conference. This team can score and is a very efficient offensive team. Their struggles in recent years have been on the defensive side of the ball. I think that being able to fight for a postseason spot will help this team remain focused and push through for the entire conference schedule. Look for Rinardo Perry to build off a strong freshman campaign.

7. Binghamton
           I am going to echo what I say every year. Will the Bearcats make it through the year without an injury, a suspension, or some other controversy that hijacks their season? Last year the injury to JC Show killed their momentum. That was another moment in a long line of difficulties that the Binghamton program has faced. They have a veteran team comprised of mostly junior and seniors and they will be one of the more physical teams in the league. Making a significant jump is dependent on finding consistency.

8. Maine
          Maine was again left in shambles after last season with more departures and public embarrassment over a locker room fight that resulted in a broken jaw. With constant roster turnover there is no way to build a program and much like Binghamton, until there is some year to year consistency it is hard to start winning games. Maine has a significant influx of JUCO players this season which may add some life into the program but I am not sure if it is going to transfer into wins.

9. Hartford
         The difference between the teams toward the bottom of the league is fairly small. I am picking Hartford last because they did not have much success last year with Jalen Ross and now that he has graduated, they don't have a clear replacement. Jason Dunne will put up some big numbers but Hartford is still too reliant on outside shooting to bring game to game consistency. This might be a make or break year for John Gallagher.

Exhibition: Concordia at Vermont 10/29/17

Vermont 92 Concordia 64

And the state of Vermont collectively holds its breath.

Another strong exhibition showing but the Cats was marred by an injury to senior captain Trae Bell-Haynes. He came down awkwardly grabbing a rebound in the second half. He was in obvious pain and did not put any weight on his left leg. His teammates carried him of the court and behind the bleachers. He did return to the bench and walked through the handshake line and to the locker room under his own power but with a significant limp. It goes without saying that an injury to the reigning player of the year is significant. Vermont fans everywhere will be crossing their fingers hoping that Bell-Haynes avoided a significant injury. I will refrain from any more speculation until there is some word from the team. Ernie Duncan also seemed to leave the game with an injury or was a least being  protected as he played a very small amount at the beginning of the game. He did go down hard toward the end of the game on Friday so I am hoping it was just precautionary. On to the actual game action. Bell-Haynes looked great going 7-7 from the field on route to 17 points. He had some incredible finishes weaving through the lane and continues to blow me away with his ability to finish at the rim. Stef Smith had another great showing and is definitely ready to contribute from day one. He knocked down two threes as part of his 10 points and played tough aggressive defense. Most of his mistakes are in the form of making the typical "freshman" passes that just don't work in the college game. He is ahead of schedule and will be a crucial part of this team.  Everett Duncan knocked down 4-5 shots from behind the arc for 15 points. He looks ready to be the guy to pick up where Kurt Steidl left off. He may not be able to provide the intangibles that Steidl did right off the bat but his shooting ability will keep him on the court and contributing. The other parts of his game will hopefully continue to grow throughout the season and if they do he will be a very solid contributor. Payton Henson and Anthony Lamb continued to do their thing and they are going to be a tough cover this year. Bailey Patella looked very good in this game. He has a nose for the ball and has that innate feel for the game that you can't teach. I am sure his slight frame has people thinking redshirt and that may be the case but he has the skill set to contribute this year as well. Skyler Nash still seems to be getting a feel for the speed of the college game and the Vermont system. He needs more repetitions before he is ready to contribute. Vermont is going to be very thin up front this season and it is going to leave them open to difficulties with foul trouble. Samuel Dingba and Drew Urquhart are very up and down during their time on the court. They will need to find consistency over the next few weeks to help shore up the Cats' post depth. The defense has a long way to go to get up to the standard that Coach Becker is accustomed to and this is where they are going to miss the graduates from last year the most. The offense is there but last year they won a lot of games by making big defensive plays and getting big stops. The new guys have a long way to go and even the returners are getting used to playing without the senior defensive leaders from last season. It will be interesting to see how this affects the Cats through he first part of the non-conference schedule. I will be posting an America East preview this week and a Vermont team preview the following week before the Cats open their season against Kentucky.

Hurricane benefit

Vermont 87 BU 76

Basketball is back and balance is restored to my life.

Vermont opened its season for a good cause in a exhibition against old rival Boston University. The Cats woke up in the second half and seized control of the game, cruising to a sizable victory. It was a great opportunity to see Vermont get a game against division one competition to begin their season. It feels like a more accurate assessment of where they are at. There is a lot to sort through so lets get to it. The returning core looked ready and ahead of the curve. Anthony Lamb looked his dominant self out-muscling and outworking his opponents for rebounds and finishing through contact at the rim. With increased confidence and a year of college basketball under his belt, he is going to have a big year. His froncourt counterpart Payton Henson also looked strong with some creative finishes at the rim. He was a little overshadowed by Lamb's breakout last year but he is every bit a special and versatile player who creates matchup problems. Trae Bell-Haynes looked good as always even though he was battling through some foul trouble. I thought Ernie Duncan looked like the most improved player of the group. He drove to the rim with more determination and grit than I have seen him through his first two years. If he continues to develop that part of his game it makes him that much more dangerous. He only needs to drive the ball like that a few times a games to keep the defense honest. He knocked down 4 out of 5 threes and looked quicker and more decisive with the ball. With so many strong returnees it is weird to think they are also trying to incorporate seven new players into the rotation. The new guys were about where you would expect at this stage of the season. A step slow on the defensive rotations. A bit unsure on offense. This is to be expected as they foray into the college game for the first time. Stef Smith was the standout from the group as he put up 15 points and had 3 steals in 14 minutes. He was strong with the ball and attacked the rim with force (including a sweet fast break dunk). Smith looks ready to contribute this year. Everett Duncan hit the first shot of the season and played the most minutes of the new guys. He got stronger during his redshirt year and continues to impress me with his underrated rebounding ability. He looks to be the guy who is going to get the first crack at minutes and his playing time is going to hinge on his ability to play defense. Skyler Nash looked timid but solid in his minutes. The coaching staff clearly wants Samuel Dingba to be a part of their post rotation. He has the length but he is very raw and foul prone. The staff is going to have to deploy him in short spurts like they did with Darren Payen last year in order to maximize his efficiency. Ben Shungu, Bailey Patella, and Ra Kpedi didn't play quite enough to get an impression of what their roles might be. Overall Vermont looked very strong. The offense is going to be there this year and I think they are going to have close to 5 guys averaging double figures. The offensive efficiency and versatility is on track. The defense takes time and the defensive system is difficult to learn. The young guys have their work cut out for them in that department. With the loss of Kurt Steidl and Dre Wills I do think the defense, especially early in the season, will take a slight step back. Without the strong and experienced individual defenders Vermont is going to have to rely on each other more and function as a defensive unit. The returning core group hasn't skipped a beat and will be leaned on heavily to start the season. The depth may be an issue early on but the talent is there and come conference time the young guys will have carved out their roles. I already cant wait to be back at Patrick on Sunday.

Isaiah Moll commits to the Catamounts

Vermont received their second commitment for the 2018 class today from Isaiah Moll, a 6-7 230 pound forward from Albany, NY. The two things about Moll's game that jump out are his strength and versatility. In his highlights Moll is highly involved in every aspect of the game. He shows the capability to put the ball on the floor, shoot from the outside, and set up his teammates. Another one of the players Vermont likes to get that can do a little but of everything. His scoring and rebounding inside look like they could have a instant impact for the Cats. He has a big body and uses very smooth footwork to finish at the rim. Getting a big man with a college ready body is crucial for Vermont considering that there will be significant minutes available for the class of 2018. Moll is exactly the type of post player that can flourish in the America East and looks to be a instant impact freshman. The New York recruiting connection pays off again. The 2018 recruiting class is all about solidifying the Cats frontcourt. There is depth at guard in the 2017 class and with Robin Duncan as the other 2018 commit. The frontcourt depth takes a big hit with Payton Henson, Drew Urquhart, and Nate Rohrer graduating after this season. Coach Becker always talks about how he feels post players take a little longer to pick up the college game than guards so I would imagine that there will be more post players in the 2018 recruiting class. Another strong get for the Vermont coaching staff as the countdown to the new season marches on.

A Duncan Trifecta

Vermont received its first commitment for the 2018 class today from a familiar source. Robin Duncan (sound familiar?) a 6-5 PG will join his brothers Ernie and Everett at Vermont. I have been following Robin for a while as the Cats seemed like a good possibility from the beginning. The part of Robins' game I like the most is his court sense. Like his brothers he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and making good decisions on the court. He put up good all around numbers last year at Harrison High School in Indiana. He affected the game in a lot of different ways, stuffing the stat sheet and dishing out almost 8 assists a game.  Robin also has great size for a point guard and is a gym rat who works hard to make himself better. I see him as a player who will develop in a floor leader/glue guy who will do everything well and make the players around him better. Another great addition to the Catamount family and it shows that his brothers are enjoying their experience at Vermont. Robin had several offers, including several good in state programs (Ball State, IUPUI). Robin fits right in with the team first, winning is everything attitude that the Vermont program has come to embody. The 2018-2019 season will give the brothers an opportunity to play together. The Cats continue to add multi-dimensional players who strive to improve themselves on and off the court. This is a great start to the 2018 recruiting class following an incredible 2017 class. Now lets get that new arena done!! Happy Fourth!!