New season, new recap theme!
Trying something new (and old) here with five-ish post-game
thoughts. How long will it last? Who knows? Enjoy!
1.) Given all that’s gone on during the preseason for the
Dutchmen, and the inexperience on the roster, a loss to Monmouth was not
surprising. But the gains the Dutchmen made in shaving a 19-point halftime
deficit to 12 disappeared over the final 8:40, when Monmouth outscored Hofstra
27-10. The 29-point loss was the Dutchmen’s worst season-opening loss to a
non-power conference foe since the 1972-73 team fell to Temple, 80-48. In other
words: Oof.
2.) As evidenced by the margin of defeat, this was a
thorough loss for the Dutchmen, who shot just 29 percent from the field and
missed more shots in 65 attempts (46) than Monmouth did in 72 attempts (36).
Gulp. The Dutchmen also turned the ball over 23 times, their most since Jan. 5,
2009 against Northeastern. Stevie Mejia had a particularly rough game as he
committed a career-high eight turnovers and was 2-of-10 from the field. Mo
Cassara and Co. need a lot better out of Mejia, who provides the Dutchmen a
rare bit of experience at the most important position on the floor.
3.) The Dutchmen’s other returnees—David Imes, Stephen
Nwaukoni and Moussa Kone—fared a bit better by combining for 20 points, 23
rebounds and four blocks. Caution must be exercised in pro-rating these stats
over 31 games, since Monmouth only played two players taller than 6-foot-7, but
the Dutchmen will benefit if Imes can become a weapon from outside (both his
field goals were 3-pointers, giving him one-third as many as he had last year)
and Nwaukoni (11 rebounds) and Kone (a career-high 10 rebounds as well as six
points on 4-of-6 shooting) can establish themselves on the boards.
4.) This season is all about, to quote Tom Pecora, early
pain for late gain Nobody wants to hear that, but with nine newcomers—and Taran
Buie and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, the two most anticipated imports, suspended for
the first two games—it’s the truth. The growing pains began Friday, when
newcomers accounted for 107 of the 200 minutes and nine players played at least
13 minutes. The latter happened just once last season, against Binghamton.
As for the newcomers, Jordan Allen, Kentrell Washington,
Jimmy Hall, Shaq Stokes and Dallas Anglin combined to shoot just 9-of-35 with
an assist-to-turnover ratio of 6:8, but it has to start somewhere. Stokes
shared the team lead with 12 points, albeit on 4-of-12 shooting, while Anglin
was just 1-of-11 shooting and Washington 0-for-4 with three turnovers.
5.) Hall was by far the brightest spot on an otherwise
frustrating night. Hall looked like the rawest of the Dutchmen’s freshmen when
he struggled in the second half of the Blue-White Scrimmage and didn’t play in
the first half of the exhibition against Queens, after which Cassara hinted Hall
had to develop off the court, as well. But Hall was the best player on the
floor for the Dutchmen Friday when he pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds
(including eight offensive boards) and scored 11 points in just 26 minutes off
the bench. He is only the third Dutchmen to post a double-double in his
collegiate debut since the turn of the century, joining Kenny Adeleke and Halil
Kanacevic in the select club. This, of course, also means he has a 100% chance
of finishing his career somewhere else. Welcome to life as a fan of the Flying
Dutchmen, Molly!
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Monmouth 11/9)
3: Jimmy Hall
2: Moussa Kone
1: Shaq Stokes
SEASON STANDINGS (duh)
3: Jimmy Hall
2: Moussa Kone
1: Shaq Stokes
Email Jerry at defiantlydutch@yahoo.com
or follow Defiantly Dutch at http://twitter.com/defiantlydutch.
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