The confetti has settled. The court has by now been dismantled and unceremoniously stored in some side room in the dark corridor of a football stadium. Virginia gets their parade, their immortality, and their due rewards. The 1 out of the 68 that does not have to wonder what might have been. They don’t have to torture themselves with thoughts of the eyes of a referee, or the tendencies of a fickle rim. They can sleep easy and sound as champions.
But the Billiken, his sleep is a restless one. The what if’s, the missed moments, the rocks rattling around the rims of his nightmares, they will haunt him for the months still ahead. When any season ends with the thud of a self-inflicted loss it can be difficult to swallow and move forward. But, that is what will be done.
Atlantic 10 Tournament Champions
The 2018-2019 Billikens get to hang an Atlantic 10 conference tourney banner. Every time any member of this squad walks into Chaifetz they can look up, point, and tell everyone within earshot, “we won that one. 4 wins in 4 days.”
And that lasts as long as Chaifetz stands atop its foundation. Javon Bess will get a standing O the next time he visits a home game, and Goodwin and French still have two more shots at adding even more. There is a touch of STL immortality, and for some, that’s enough. But what if they want more, what if they want it all? How they will do it, that’s a complicated equation…
Basketball of the 21st Century
If you’ve watched even one high level program in D-1 or any single NBA game you know that shooting the basketball well is the most important facet of every top-tiered offensive team. This year’s Billikens’ played offense like a pre-shot clock era team from a Sunday morning rec league. The offense was average at times, and unwatchable at others.
Free throw shooting: 467-778 at 60%, good for 352 out of 353 in the Nation
Three point shooting: 5.8-18.5 per game at 31.3%, good for 317 out of 353 in the nation
Overall Field Goals: 23.9-57.1 per game at 41.9%, good for 298 out of 353 in the nation
Scoring: 67.4 points per game, good for 299 out of 353 in the nation
This has to improve. There is no denying it. It either has to be a change in coaching philosophy, a change in players, or a change in coaches. This has been the identity of the Billikens’ offense for all of Travis Ford’s tenure. It’s up to him to change this, no more excuses, no more “well they make them in practice.” You have to shoot the rock. Period.
So how did they even make the tourney? Grit, grind, toughness, defense and rebounding.
Here is how tough the Billikens were.
Overall Rebounding: 39.8 per game, good for 16th in the nation
Offensive Rebounding: 13.8 per game, good for 5th in the nation
They owned the glass this season. They smothered teams on defense and dragged every game they could into the 50’s and 60’s. These things will win you some games, and maybe even a conference, but when they’re all you have, you won’t sniff the second weekend of the Big Dance.
A World to imagine
What if….now stay with me here…what if this team keeps their defensive intensity and simply cracks the top 150 in the nation in free throw, three point, and field goal shooting? I’m not asking for much…I’m asking for middle of the GD pack. If the 2018-19 Bills had done just that they would have been knocking on the door of the Elite 8. Instead, they put up 18 points in the first half of a first round NCAA Tournament game. 18. I’ll say it again. EIGHTEEN.
BUT…just get to the middle of the offensive ranking. I’m not asking for Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers offense, I’m asking for 72 lousy points per game…I’m asking you to shoot 65% from the stripe instead of 60%…I’m asking you to only miss 11 threes a game instead of 13.
I suppose it is just sour grapes. 32 teams half to lose in the first round and our Billikens were destined to be one of them. There is next year, and next year is a bright one. Hasahn French and Jordan Goodwin will be the undisputed Alpha’s of the squad, Thatch and Hankton will hopefully be given expanded roles, and maybe just maybe those two will start dropping jumpers like the players they were recruited to be.
I am personally optimistic that next year’s squad will be better on offense, because there is zero ways it can be worse. All I can say is, if the Billikens learn to shoot, the A-10 should just cancel their season and give every trophy to the STL.
Until next year…long live the Manhattan Jaspers.
Follow Sauls on Twitter @Will_ArchCity
1 comment
[…] my season wrap up back in the spring I lamented the inability of SLU to shoot the rock. Revisiting these numbers I am astounded that […]
Comments are closed.