Sports and Rants with Brett and Pants : atlantic 10

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Hawks Improving

The Saint Joseph’s Hawks started conference play losing 64-60 to George Washington. From tip-off the Colonials played as if they had the game won. It appeared as if the Colonials put very little effort in the game. They played soft and let the shot clock run down each of their possessions. The Hawks did not play at a high-level the entire 40 minutes. It is a mystery as to what sparked the team, but something got them going in the second half.

Even with limited possessions and being down by 20 at one point, the Hawks played with hustle and desire. Character shows when a team is losing. St. Joe’s did not lose any tenacity while playing down throughout the entire game. SJU never gave up as they scored more points in the last 11 minutes, 32 compared to 28 in the first 29 minutes. The Hawks played better when they were pressing. Their passing was smoother on the run and they attacked the basket.

The Colonials are one of the better teams in the Atlantic 10. For the Hawks next match-up, they will travel to A.J. Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh to play Duquesne. Both teams are considered to be the weaker teams in the Atlantic 10. After playing Duquesne, Saint Joseph’s plays another top conference team, in VCU on Saturday. Playing these two tougher conference games early, will help the Hawks improve. We already saw the them improve throughout the George Washington game.

Isaiah Miles inconsistency is the Hawks biggest issue. His role on the team is to be the perimeter shooter. It appears as if Miles can only make an impact in a game when the team did not fall to an early deficit. He needs to learn to how to be part of the flow of the game even when the team is losing.

Right now, St. Joe's is a one man show. DeAndre Bembry is the only player the opposing team has to worry about. If DeAndre has the ball in his hands at the start of the game, St. Joe’s will not be trailing early. The team can feed off of his energy. Once the team has momentum, Bembry can act as a facilitator. The team needs to learn to play through him in order to play their best basketball.

Hawk fans can see the team’s potential. The team needs to learn how to play together as a team from tip-off and not when their backs are up against the wall. If pressure is how the team will score their points, then the quicker players should be on the court more.

- Pants

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Saturday, January 3, 2015

Just the Start of Conference Play

Saint Joseph’s Hawks start conference play as the defending champions against the George Washington Colonials. Tip-off will be at 2:00 on Saturday, January 3^rd in Hagan. Even though it does not appear that the Atlantic 10 will have a strong presence in the NCAA tournament, the Colonials are likely going to be representing the conference. If St. Joe’s will play a competitive game against George Washington, they will need to play up to their full potential. If they do not do not play competitively, it is only the first conference game. It will not determine the rest of the season.

The Hawk’s success this season will be determined by how quickly they develop their potential. Once their full potential is developed, they will be able to compete with the top teams in the conference. The quicker they reach their potential, the sooner they can play competitively against the top teams in the conference. Every game’s outcome could change based on when the game is played. Each team has the opportunity to develop and worsen throughout the season.

Phil Martelli is often criticized for not developing his young players. Heading into the 2014-2015 season, the Hawks biggest issue was their lack of experience and developed players. In order for a player to develop, they need to experience in-game action. DeAndre Bembry and Chris Wilson were the only returning players that averaged more than 10 minutes a game last year. The two experienced Hawks have been consistent this season. Any young team needs strong leadership. Leadership brings the team together.

Aaron Brown and Shavar Newkirk are the only two players who have not started and have played every game. They are also the only two players to average more than 20 minutes a game. Besides Brown and Newkirk, both Jai Williams and Obi Romeo should play every game as well. Williams and Romeo are the Hawks’ bigs coming off the bench. Williams and Romeo should each receive at least 5 minutes. Those are valuable minutes that will not only allow them to develop, but also give other players rest.

Due to Papa Ndao sitting out for the season for medical reasons, Isaiah Miles has received more minutes this season than originally anticipated. Miles has developed his rebounding and shooting ability. The team plays their best basketball when number 15 is grabbing offensive rebounds and making three pointers. If he plays at the level that he ended the non-conference games at, he will soon be playing just as many minutes as Bembry.

Brendan Casper started to receive valuable minutes after he scored 9 points and grabbed 9 rebounds against Villanova. If a player were to play well during a game that lost its competitiveness from it being a blowout, Villanova would be the team to do it against. It is also an easy way to not only become a fan favorite, but a player Martelli would be comfortable bringing off the bench. Ever since the Holy War, Casper has been receiving valuable minutes. Brendan is a sophomore without a scholarship, and Coach Martelli is allowing him to develop.

The first game of conference play does not represent how well the team will play at the end of the season. Each team has their own potential, and St. Joe’s may not reach theirs until the end of the season. If Martelli allows each player to develop, the Hawks can reach their full potential this year. St. Joe’s may lose poorly against the Colonials to start conference play, but at the end of the season the hawks may be able to compete against them.

- Pants