November 10, 2020
How did we do in training camp?
Code:
LAFAYETTE Training Results
Player Ins Jps Fts 3ps Hnd Pas Orb Drb Psd Prd Stl Blk Qkn Str Jmp Sta
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Jamie Kelso 0 2 1 2 10 10 3 2 2 3 3 1 0 1 1 7
Joseph Hubbard 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 3 1 0 1 0 6
Ben Miele 1 5 5 5 4 9 3 1 2 7 3 2 1 1 1 6
Rob Prendergast 1 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 3 0 1 2 2 1 8
Woody Carrasquillo 2 2 2 4 4 0 0 2 2 2 8 2 0 2 1 8
Matthew Ackerman 3 4 1 5 3 1 1 0 2 9 3 3 2 2 2 9
Rodney Lundgren 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 3 2 3 0 2 1 6
Thomas Lucy 2 4 2 6 2 4 0 2 2 2 8 2 3 8 0 16
Tim Hutchinson 6 6 1 3 3 7 3 3 3 4 7 3 1 2 1 5
Carlton McFadden 2 6 4 2 2 2 0 2 2 2 4 4 2 8 0 26
Jonathan Baldwin 2 2 2 2 0 1 5 7 6 1 2 2 1 5 1 16
Jon Woods 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 5 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 12
Matt Robles 5 1 1 0 1 1 1 5 3 2 1 9 1 3 1 13
Asdrubal Cruz 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 2 4 1 1 1 1 3 2 8
After taking a look at the training outcomes, I've decided to try playing some small ball at Lafayette this year.
The only true big man in the projected starting lineup is sophomore
Matt Robles. He showed some potential as a scorer, and he is a willing rebounder and shot blocker.
Three of the starters are natural wing players. One of them, of course, is
Tim Hutchinson, a two-time All-Conference selection. Tim is the one proven scorer in the Lafayette lineup; he's averaged at least 14 PPG in each of his first three years.
Junior
Matthew Ackerman has patiently waited his turn to shine. Our English sharpshooter took a big step forward last season, significantly improving all his shooting percentages. Matthew has also turned into a resolute perimeter defender.
The third wing will be freshman
Thomas Lucy. He's as good as we thought he'd be, with an offensive game that is very polished for a first year player.
Our second returning starter,
Jamie Kelso, will run the point. Jamie worked hard in camp and came away as an even more dynamic ballhandler and passer. He'll be backed up by sophomore
Ben Miele, who deputized for Kelso very well when the latter broke his foot last season.
Asdrubal Cruz is eligible this year after sitting out a season, following his transfer from Savannah State. If the small lineup gets punished too badly by teams who focus their attack on inside play, I can call on Asdrubal, who is a very good post defender. Sophomore
Jonathan Baldwin has an even better reputation as a defensive player, with a little less offensive talent.
Rob Prendergast provides lockdown defense on the perimeter; we could use his talents, because Lucy is likely to contribute nothing but steals on the defensive end of the floor.
The remainder of the roster will pick up minutes here and there, unless they distinguish themselves in some way when they get onto the floor.
The "small ball" experiment is definitely something new for our program; we've fielded a traditional, two bigs/two wings/point guard lineup throughout Graham's career. So many of the best players on this year's team are perimeter players, though: Hutchinson and Kelso are Green/Green; Ackerman, Miele, and Lucy are Green/Blue. Robles is Yellow/Green, but all the other big guys are Red players now.
We'll see how it works out very soon.