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2006-07 Men's Basketball Outlook
10/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
2006-07 Outlook
After a strong finish enabled Dartmouth to tie for third in the Ivy League in Terry Dunn's first year on the bench, the Big Green slipped to a 4-10 conference mark and a tie for seventh place last winter. Dunn is confident with just two players lost to graduation, the experience gained last winter and an intriguing group of freshmen and newcomers that ? after a mild hiccup ? Dartmouth can pick up this season where it left off in March of 2005.
That's all well and good, but really, what happened last year?
Good question. For one thing, people had a tendency to overlook the graduation hit Dartmouth took. It's hard to overcome the loss of two four-year starters in the backcourt and a senior like big David Gardner, who led Dunn's first team in scoring and rebounding while clogging up the middle.
Then there was the schedule that saw a very young Dartmouth team play 15 of its first 19 games away from the friendly confines of Leede Arena. “After we played very well at Boston College in our first game and beat UC Davis, we lost three or four close games,” Dunn said. “At that point our psyche and swagger left us. I also thought the lack of experience hurt us in crucial games and situations where it very easily could have gone Dartmouth's way.”
Before we go much further, who graduated this time around?
That would be co-captains Mike Lang and Calvin Arnold. Lang was the team's top 3-point threat and tied for the scoring lead. Arnold was a 6-9 forward who could step outside on the offensive end and really block shots on the defensive end. They'll be missed and so will Paul Bode, a senior “big” who chose not to play this year after an up-and-down career.
Let's go back to last year. Dartmouth really struggled to close out games. What happened and why will this year be different?
The lack of a dyed-in-the-wool point guard hurt. DeVon Mosley handled the role some, but he's more of a combo guard and a lot was put on his shoulders as freshman. Michael Giovacchini had his moments, but he's not a true point either, and remember, he was still a sophomore. Ironically, it was Johnathan Ball, who hardly seemed the likely choice to play the point, who settled the team down when he switched from off guard for the final three weeks.
This year should be different because the three guys who saw time at the point last year all move down the point guard “ladder” thanks to additions to the roster.
After a strong finish enabled Dartmouth to tie for third in the Ivy League in Terry Dunn's first year on the bench, the Big Green slipped to a 4-10 conference mark and a tie for seventh place last winter. Dunn is confident with just two players lost to graduation, the experience gained last winter and an intriguing group of freshmen and newcomers that ? after a mild hiccup ? Dartmouth can pick up this season where it left off in March of 2005.
That's all well and good, but really, what happened last year?
Good question. For one thing, people had a tendency to overlook the graduation hit Dartmouth took. It's hard to overcome the loss of two four-year starters in the backcourt and a senior like big David Gardner, who led Dunn's first team in scoring and rebounding while clogging up the middle.
Then there was the schedule that saw a very young Dartmouth team play 15 of its first 19 games away from the friendly confines of Leede Arena. “After we played very well at Boston College in our first game and beat UC Davis, we lost three or four close games,” Dunn said. “At that point our psyche and swagger left us. I also thought the lack of experience hurt us in crucial games and situations where it very easily could have gone Dartmouth's way.”
Before we go much further, who graduated this time around?
That would be co-captains Mike Lang and Calvin Arnold. Lang was the team's top 3-point threat and tied for the scoring lead. Arnold was a 6-9 forward who could step outside on the offensive end and really block shots on the defensive end. They'll be missed and so will Paul Bode, a senior “big” who chose not to play this year after an up-and-down career.
Let's go back to last year. Dartmouth really struggled to close out games. What happened and why will this year be different?
The lack of a dyed-in-the-wool point guard hurt. DeVon Mosley handled the role some, but he's more of a combo guard and a lot was put on his shoulders as freshman. Michael Giovacchini had his moments, but he's not a true point either, and remember, he was still a sophomore. Ironically, it was Johnathan Ball, who hardly seemed the likely choice to play the point, who settled the team down when he switched from off guard for the final three weeks.This year should be different because the three guys who saw time at the point last year all move down the point guard “ladder” thanks to additions to the roster.
Highly regarded Marlon Sanders, a true floor general who missed last season, is back and will battle with freshman Brandon Ware for the starting job.
“Marlon is the classic point guard who can run a team, advance the ball up the floor and make decisions in getting the right people the ball at the right time,” said Dunn. “He's also capable of scoring if need be. He's a leader and a pretty good defender. Like Leon Pattman the year before, he sat out for a year so basically he's a freshman again. I think he comes back with a sense of knowing what it takes to work hard and be successful. Brandon Ware played at the highest level in Dallas for a team ranked No. 1 in the state for most of the year. He had three teammates who are going to Big XII schools and he was the point guard who ran the show. He's got a college body and he's a good defender. It will be interesting to see how he and Marlon compete against each other.”
Robby Pride, a hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners freshman, will also try to fit in the picture at the point as well as at the two guard.
So that means Ball will be the starter at the two-guard?
Not so fast my friend. As there will be at every position, there will strong competition for time at the off guard slot where Leon Pattman, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman and one of last year's scoring leaders, also returns. Ball, Giovacchini, long-armed sophomore Alex Barnett and senior Jason Meyer are among the others vying for time here. And don't count out soph Reggie Schickel.
Let's move on to the small forward position. Who do you see there?
Barnett and Meyer may see time there if his outside shot comes around. Ball, who can play four positions, might also slide forward on occasions depending on who else is on the floor.
And at power forward?
Rock-solid Dan Biber, who can step outside or bang with the big boys at 6-8, 235, had several dominant games as a freshman. Another name to watch would be sophomore Jarrett Mathis, who struggled with injuries as a frosh.Finally, you struggled last year at the “five.” What does this year look like?
A lot more like two years ago, thanks for asking. At 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, freshman Elgin Fitzgerald reminds Dunn a good deal of 6-10 space-eater Gardner, except he probably has a better touch under the basket. Transfer Kurt Graeber is 6-9, 240. Now throw in 6-9 junior Brian McMillan and Biber, who can also play the five, and Dunn has a lot to work with in the middle.
“We didn't have an inside presence last year,” the coach admitted. “That's a big project for us, to find one of those guys, because that can take pressure off the other guys.
“Elgin really does remind me of Gardner but he can also step out to 15 feet. He has to improve his running, not that he's slow. And he's a pretty good rebounder.”
Excuse me for interrupting, but is it true Graeber transferred from a junior college and that he barely played there?
Yes it is, but there are a few asterisks involved. First, although he comes from a juco, he was an outstanding high school player and student who was recruited by Dartmouth out of high school. Lured by the lights of the big time, he tried walking on at Arizona State only to realize he'd made a mistake. He comes to Dartmouth from Fullerton Junior College, which was loaded at the five on the way to a 37-0 season.
“Graeber was behind two guys that both went to high division I levels,” explained Dunn. “He's a very good rebounder and post defender. He can be explosive around the basket if he has the angle. He's a guy who can get the basketball and likes contact. He'll help us become better in the post defensively.”
What's the “X Factor” on this year's team?
Actually, there are two in the head coach's opinion. “One would be the point position,” said Dunn. “We should be better there and maybe a lot better. The other would be the five and which one of those guys steps up.”
Time to cut to the chase. What is the biggest weakness for this year's team?
Challenge might be a better choice of words.
“Getting our swagger and confidence back,” said Dunn. “We need to be able to sustain our confidence and hope to get off to a quick start. Even the first year we struggled getting back-to-back wins. I'm hoping our record can be a lot better by the time the Ivy season approaches.”
What do you see as the strength of this team?
“Depth at each position,” said Dunn. “The sense that there won't be a dropoff when we make changes. I want to play 9-10 guys. I think that helped us in the Ivy League. Maybe we didn't win those games, but we were in position to win them. With depth there is the challenge of guys accepting their roles for us to become a really good team.”
What can you say about the schedule?
How about: That it's more reasonable?
“We tried to balance the home and away non-conference schedule,” explained Dunn. “In doing so we had to add some new teams and play at their place to balance the '07-'08 schedule as well. We've discontinued some previous long-term opponents like Albany and started some new ones.
“We've got UMass, Kansas and George Washington. We have a great following in the Greater Washington, D.C.-Virginia area as far as alums are concerned and look forward to getting them involved. It's also a chance to find out early on what our strengths are as a team.”
What do you see looking around the league?
The same old, same old with a little interesting spin, actually. “Penn is the team to beat,” Dunn said without a moment's hesitation. “Princeton played very well down the stretch and Columbia beat Penn at the end of the season. Brown came on strong at the end of the year, although they lost their best player, and Cornell had a good year. It's Penn but even they are one injury away from being right there with everyone else.”
We should have asked about your captains. John Ball and Jason Meyer, right?
Yup and they are a terrific pair in Dunn's opinion. “Jason brings experience on and off the floor,” the coach said. “He did a great job of embracing our younger guys last year and helping them understand what it takes to be successful in the classroom, how to handle practice, how to manage your time, how to get help when you need it. The guys respect him unbelievably for how he's stuck with it. More than I ever thought.
“John Ball, more than anything, has been a leader since he stepped foot on the campus. He's going to bring the intensity level every day and he's going to let you know about it. Surprisingly enough, both of those guys will let you know when you are not carrying your weight.”Anything else we should know?
Now that you ask, Dartmouth is beginning the year with a series of games in Costa Rica just prior to the start of the school year. “We're looking forward to it,” said Dunn. “What we're also excited about is having 10 days of practice before we leave. That will help us be ready to go when practice begins in the fall.”
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