Observations From PC’s Scrimmage Victory Over Harvard

It was great to be back. After a long season watching the Friars go 12-20 last year it was exhilarating to get back to the AMP and get our first glimpse at Kim English’s third iteration of a Friar basketball team. The Friars didn’t disappoint those who made the trip where they would build a 18-point halftime lead and hang on for a 85-77 victory Saturday evening. Here’s a few of the Crier’s thoughts from the win.

• This Team is FAST– One of Kim’s desires for adjustment from last season to this one is to play at a much faster tempo. Last season KenPom ranked the Friars 234th in tempo, and the staff added guys to this roster that should change this. The Friars had 25 points on the break against the Crimson after scoring 20 fast break points at Pittsburgh. Expect to see a Friar team this season that generates a ton of points off the break.
• Team Can Get to The Cup– A bunch of the newcomers to the Friars know how to take it to the rim. Jaylin Sellers is a relentless driver who goes to the rim with bad intentions. Sellers is who I thought Wes Cardet could have been for the Friars last season. He wasn’t the only one taking it to the rack. Edwards, Davis, Jones, and Vaaks all showed their ability to get to the rim. Daquan Davis and Jamier Jones had instances off made baskets where they got the ball and went coast-to-coast for a responding bucket.
• Defensive Concerns with Optimism- The Friars have certainly given up points in their two preseason games. After giving up 81 points (40 points in paint), the Friars responded with a strong defensive first half vs the Crimson. However, they would give up 50 points in the second half. The defense fell off a cliff last season from the one prior, and it’s something that needs to get fixed. Despite giving up 79 points per game in their two exhibitions, there is a positive to take from the defensive side. The Friars were active and aggressive on defense in this one. That might have resulted in some defensive lapses but they also forced the Crimson into 23 turnovers with 13 steals.
• Two Standout Freshmen– While the portal additions revamped this roster and got most of the preseason shine, it’s a few freshman that caught my eye in this one. The Friars initially had a two man recruiting class coming in this year but that grew by two when the Friars added Peteris Pinnis and Stefan Vaaks from Europe. The Stefan Vaaks hype train kept rolling on Saturday as the Estonian guard showed off his offensive arsenal. He had 9 points and didn’t shoot it great (3/11) but the stroke looked good and he’s not afraid to let it fly. I expect Vaaks to be a big part of the rotation this season. Jamier Jones does not look like a freshman. He has a pro physique, and his gifts were on display in this one. Jones had 14 points and was able to get whatever he wanted to in the paint. Jones also should see a big role with the team.
• Rotation Questions Remain– Kim English stated that the Harvard game would be more of an indicator of a rotation that they’ll deploy during the regular season. While guys like Nil, Harrell, and Pinnis didn’t see action in this one, it’s hard to gauge what the rotation will be because of who was missing. The captain Corey Floyd Jr sat this one out for maintenance and the Friars were also missing Richard Barron with a concussion. Inside the walls of the Ruane Center the Friars could have a set rotation but for now it’s something fans will certainly monitor when the season opens up against Holy Cross.