Post by Chuck on Nov 4, 2005 15:31:01 GMT -5
PEZZIMENTI: Can Williams give Bonnies board work?
11/04/2005
ST. BONAVENTURE — Anthony Solomon has a simple philosophy when it comes to winning basketball games.
“Every successful team has to able to do two things,” the St. Bonaventure coach said. “Defend well and rebound consistently.”
Sounds easy enough. But saying it and actually doing it are two totally separate entities.
Last season the Bonnies rebounded and defended about as inconsistently as any team in the country. The result was a 2-26 mark, the program’s most futile on-court season in its long, tradition-laden history.
The Bonnies got bigger and more physical in the offseason, adding 6-foot-10 junior college transfers Ivan Kovacevic and David Fox and 6-11 freshman walk-on Jeff Foote. Another 6-10 player, Siena transfer Paul Williams, is eligible after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
But to Solomon the big bodies don’t mean much. He probably remembers that his lone 7-footer last season averaged all of 2.5 boards per game.
“You want to think with our increased size, speed and athleticism that we can be better,” Solomon said. “But a lot of times rebounding becomes a mindset. We’re still having to grow in that area in terms of having that mindset that we’re going to attack the backboard.”
Solomon said the team spent two hours and fifteen minutes of the first official practice of the season on rebounding and defense. Williams estimates 75-80 percent of practice time is dedicated to Solomon’s all-important ingredients to winning.
Bona was deplorable defensively and in the rebounding department a year ago. And that’s being nice.
The Bonnies were outrebounded by 4.7 a game, ranking 299th of 326 NCAA Division I teams. Opponents shot 49 percent, which ranked 323rd.
Whether it’s good news or not, Bona returns its top three rebounders, all of which are perimeter-orientated players. That includes guard Ahmad Smith, who has led the team in boards each of the last two seasons.
But if the Bonnies have any hopes of making a major improvement, it begins and ends with the trees up front.
“Each and every time any one of them steps on the floor they need to give us a presence in and around the basket,” Solomon said.
More specifically, a lot is expected of Williams, who underachieved during two seasons at Siena. As a sophomore he averaged less than three points and three rebounds per game. The numbers were similar his freshman year.
Williams, a highly-regarded recruit out of New Jersey high school power, St. Patrick’s, ultimately landed in coach Rob Lanier’s doghouse at Siena.
“I just want to play basketball. That’s all I’ve wanted to do,” Williams said. “What happened at Siena, I can’t change it. That’s in the past. Coach Solomon has given me a second chance to play ball and I’m just trying to make the best of it.”
While an assistant at Notre Dame, Solomon developed a relationship with Williams while recruiting Williams’ teammate at St. Patrick’s, Grant Billmeier, who ended up at Seton Hall. Solomon has attempted to persuade Williams to forget about his time at Siena rather than use it as motivation.
“What we’ve tried to do is put Siena behind,” Solomon said. “This is a new school, new experience and he has new coaches. He was a part of some successful teams at Siena. Whatever they were doing worked. What I want him to do is bring some of those positive experiences and share them with us so it can help our team be more successful.”
Although Williams has never suited up in Bona uniform, he is one of the elder-statesmen on a team loaded with youth. He played on a Siena team that advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2003.
Williams has acted as leader to Kovacevic, Fox and Foote, who are adapting to Division I life and Solomon’s philosophies.
“I try to let them know that it’s a long season and there’s going to be injuries and bumps but you still have to continue to get better,” Williams said.
“He’s shown me a lot about being tough,” Fox said of Williams.
According to Solomon, the year of practice without games has allowed Williams to become more comfortable in Bona’s system. The coaching staff and Williams himself have learned what will allow him to be successful in game situations.
“Paul’s basketball IQ is rather high,” Solomon said. “I’ve been pleased with his ability to pick up different things that we need for him to do.”
Besides improving the Bonnies’ defensive and rebounding capabilities, Williams should also boost the team’s low-post offensive production.
Bona’s top post players from a year ago, Saulius Dumbliauskas and Yankuba Camara, averaged less than five points combined. Worst, the duo never even provided a threat to opposing defenses.
“They didn’t have anybody to throw into the post to,” Williams said. “I just want to be that guy they can throw it into, maybe not always score, but at least have somebody to throw it into.”
The Bonnies would probably be more than happy with seven or eight points a game out of Williams.
“He’s a frontcourt player who gives us a chance to have the ball go inside,” Solomon said. “We have to trust that he’s going to make the right decisions. I think he’s made strides in being aware and knowledgeable in what to do in and around the basket.”
(Vinny Pezzimenti is a sports writer for The Times Herald)
©Bradford Publishing 2005
11/04/2005
ST. BONAVENTURE — Anthony Solomon has a simple philosophy when it comes to winning basketball games.
“Every successful team has to able to do two things,” the St. Bonaventure coach said. “Defend well and rebound consistently.”
Sounds easy enough. But saying it and actually doing it are two totally separate entities.
Last season the Bonnies rebounded and defended about as inconsistently as any team in the country. The result was a 2-26 mark, the program’s most futile on-court season in its long, tradition-laden history.
The Bonnies got bigger and more physical in the offseason, adding 6-foot-10 junior college transfers Ivan Kovacevic and David Fox and 6-11 freshman walk-on Jeff Foote. Another 6-10 player, Siena transfer Paul Williams, is eligible after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
But to Solomon the big bodies don’t mean much. He probably remembers that his lone 7-footer last season averaged all of 2.5 boards per game.
“You want to think with our increased size, speed and athleticism that we can be better,” Solomon said. “But a lot of times rebounding becomes a mindset. We’re still having to grow in that area in terms of having that mindset that we’re going to attack the backboard.”
Solomon said the team spent two hours and fifteen minutes of the first official practice of the season on rebounding and defense. Williams estimates 75-80 percent of practice time is dedicated to Solomon’s all-important ingredients to winning.
Bona was deplorable defensively and in the rebounding department a year ago. And that’s being nice.
The Bonnies were outrebounded by 4.7 a game, ranking 299th of 326 NCAA Division I teams. Opponents shot 49 percent, which ranked 323rd.
Whether it’s good news or not, Bona returns its top three rebounders, all of which are perimeter-orientated players. That includes guard Ahmad Smith, who has led the team in boards each of the last two seasons.
But if the Bonnies have any hopes of making a major improvement, it begins and ends with the trees up front.
“Each and every time any one of them steps on the floor they need to give us a presence in and around the basket,” Solomon said.
More specifically, a lot is expected of Williams, who underachieved during two seasons at Siena. As a sophomore he averaged less than three points and three rebounds per game. The numbers were similar his freshman year.
Williams, a highly-regarded recruit out of New Jersey high school power, St. Patrick’s, ultimately landed in coach Rob Lanier’s doghouse at Siena.
“I just want to play basketball. That’s all I’ve wanted to do,” Williams said. “What happened at Siena, I can’t change it. That’s in the past. Coach Solomon has given me a second chance to play ball and I’m just trying to make the best of it.”
While an assistant at Notre Dame, Solomon developed a relationship with Williams while recruiting Williams’ teammate at St. Patrick’s, Grant Billmeier, who ended up at Seton Hall. Solomon has attempted to persuade Williams to forget about his time at Siena rather than use it as motivation.
“What we’ve tried to do is put Siena behind,” Solomon said. “This is a new school, new experience and he has new coaches. He was a part of some successful teams at Siena. Whatever they were doing worked. What I want him to do is bring some of those positive experiences and share them with us so it can help our team be more successful.”
Although Williams has never suited up in Bona uniform, he is one of the elder-statesmen on a team loaded with youth. He played on a Siena team that advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2003.
Williams has acted as leader to Kovacevic, Fox and Foote, who are adapting to Division I life and Solomon’s philosophies.
“I try to let them know that it’s a long season and there’s going to be injuries and bumps but you still have to continue to get better,” Williams said.
“He’s shown me a lot about being tough,” Fox said of Williams.
According to Solomon, the year of practice without games has allowed Williams to become more comfortable in Bona’s system. The coaching staff and Williams himself have learned what will allow him to be successful in game situations.
“Paul’s basketball IQ is rather high,” Solomon said. “I’ve been pleased with his ability to pick up different things that we need for him to do.”
Besides improving the Bonnies’ defensive and rebounding capabilities, Williams should also boost the team’s low-post offensive production.
Bona’s top post players from a year ago, Saulius Dumbliauskas and Yankuba Camara, averaged less than five points combined. Worst, the duo never even provided a threat to opposing defenses.
“They didn’t have anybody to throw into the post to,” Williams said. “I just want to be that guy they can throw it into, maybe not always score, but at least have somebody to throw it into.”
The Bonnies would probably be more than happy with seven or eight points a game out of Williams.
“He’s a frontcourt player who gives us a chance to have the ball go inside,” Solomon said. “We have to trust that he’s going to make the right decisions. I think he’s made strides in being aware and knowledgeable in what to do in and around the basket.”
(Vinny Pezzimenti is a sports writer for The Times Herald)
©Bradford Publishing 2005
