Coach Bob Walsh and the members of the University of Maine men’s basketball team are going to take a bit of time off during spring break.
Upon their return, the No. 1 priority for all involved will be to find ways to improve the Black Bears’ dismal defense.
UMaine’s inability to get stops at the defensive end was the deciding factor in its inability to have a greater effect on the America East Conference this season. The Black Bears posted an 8-22 record (4-12 in league play) and wound up losing their last nine games, including last Wednesday’s 99-82 AE quarterfinal setback at Vermont.
Even though injuries to sophomore guard Kevin Little, freshman guard Ryan Bernstein and junior forward Garet Beal of Beals Island affected the team’s depth and its ability to implement its relentless full-court pressure down the stretch, they only exacerbated the overall defensive shortcomings.
Among 346 Division I men’s teams, UMaine ranked 345th in scoring defense, allowing 86.9 points per game. It was No. 343 in field-goal percentage defense (.497) and 296th in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.369).
Walsh’s defensive philosophy revolves around using pressure and trapping to force a fast tempo that leads to turnovers and transition opportunities at the offensive end. The Black Bears were highly successful at times but found that opponents that could handle the press either got to the basket regularly or broke down UMaine’s man-to-man half-court defense, often with impunity.
The latter dynamic seemed to stem from opponents’ ability to spread the floor and either get into the paint off the dribble or pound the ball inside where UMaine lacked enough strong, physical players to put up enough resistance to get stops.
It is undeniable that the Black Bears’ defensive tactics caused problems for most of their opponents, at least in spurts. They ranked eighth in Division I while forcing 16.57 turnovers per game and were 14th with 8.3 steals per game.
That helped UMaine average 77.8 possessions per 40 minutes, according to Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, which ranked third in the country. However, its 113.2 points allowed per 100 possessions ranked 330th.
The challenge for Walsh and his staff during the offseason is to find ways to help UMaine get enough stops to win what most often are going to be high-scoring games because of its propensity for getting shots up early and often.
UMaine must replace two seniors in post player Till Gloger and shifty guard Shaun Lawton. Gloger (8.9 ppg, 2.7 rebounds per game, .558 FG pct.) was a dependable scoring weapon but proved a defensive liability.
Lawton averaged 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a team-leading 1.9 steals. He was a sparkplug on the press and in transition.
UMaine will bring back a high-energy nucleus led by guards Little (14.7 ppg, 2.6 apg, 1.2 spg) and Aaron Calixte (10.8 ppg, team-best 2.7 apg), who will be juniors, along with sophomore forwards Issac Vann and Devine Eke.
The versatile Vann, who missed 13 games because of injury, led the Black Bears with 16.4 ppg and a .412 3-point shooting percentage while grabbing 5.8 rpg. Eke, who used his 6-foot-7 frame in the post with high energy, posted 9.5 points and a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game while averaging 1.6 blocked shots.
UMaine received solid production from rugged freshman guard Lavar Harewood (5.1 ppg) and always-hustling junior guard Troy Reid-Knight (4.8 ppg), while walk-on point guard Ryan Bernstein (3.7 ppg, 2.0 apg) was a capable floor leader. Ilija Stojiljkovic had a solid debut season (3.6 ppg, 1.6 apg).
Beal provided 5.4 points and 1.2 assists in his limited action, but he is joined by oft-injured junior Marko Pirovic (1.9 ppg) among players whose potential has yet to be displayed consistently.
UMaine’s supporting cast included three walk-on guards in sophomore Garvey Melmed of Greenbush, junior C.J. Ward and freshman Dennis Ashley, who did not see any action.
The Black Bears appear to have plenty of offensive weapons with their returnees after connecting for 76 ppg to rank second in America East and 110th in the nation.
UMaine’s eight wins were only five more than the first season under Walsh, but the team improved its stock and its fan appeal by virtue of its uptempo style and its dynamic offensive capabilities spearheaded by the quick-trigger 3-pointers of Little and the high-flying, dunking talents of Vann and Eke.
UMaine boosted its scoring production 15.6 points (60.4 ppg to 76 ppg) from last season but surrendered 86.9 ppg compared with 74.8 a year ago, an increase of 12.1 ppg.
The Black Bears’ shooting percentages slipped slightly, while those of opponents were a bit higher.
Looking ahead, the program also will welcome in another scorer in 6-7 left-handed forward Andrew Fleming out of Oxford Hills High School in South Paris. But in the final analysis, it will be UMaine’s defense that will determine whether it takes the next step toward fulfilling Walsh’s goal of becoming a championship-level program.