Despite last season’s nightmare of blowout defeats, last-minute losses and injuries to star players, men’s basketball coach Michael Giorlando said his players never slackened in spirit.
Starting Oct. 26, the Loyola men’s basketball team returns with several new weapons and a change in strategic focus. Giorlando and some of the team’s leaders have expressed confidence in the 2007-2008 team underpinned by last season’s painful lessons.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been so excited to start a season,” said shooting guard Luke Zumo, psychology senior.
The team plays its first game Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. against the Dem Boyz Basketball Club All-Stars, a local club of former Louisiana college players that competes against local universities. On Nov. 1, the ‘Pack plays Division I University of Tulane in the annual Battle of Freret Street, and the following night the players will travel to play another Conference USA member, the University of Southern Mississippi.
Just eight months ago the ‘Pack endured a painful lesson in its first-round loss to Spring Hill in the Conference Finals. Loyola led the game until the last second when Torry Beaulieu, history sophomore, fouled a Spring Hill guard, allowing the Badgers the opportunity to end the game – and Loyola’s 5-24 season – at the foul line.
“This team never quit,” Giorlando said. “Their character was true as gold all the way to the last game of the year.”
The ‘Pack began the season with a series of close games in a physically demanding exhibition schedule. The players held a tight match against C-USA member Tulane and were only down by five points with two minutes left before losing 66-53.
But according to Giorlando, the close back-to-back defeats to Southern University at New Orleans and William Carey in the first two conference games set the tone for the rest of the season. The ‘Pack earned only two more wins the rest of the way.
“The wins and losses didn’t reflect how hard we played,” said forward Mario Faranda, finance junior.
As in the Spring Hill game, Loyola lost most of its matches at the foul line. Losing leads late got the ‘Pack into foul trouble as the players scrambled to regain offensive control, said Giorlando.
He said the team fundamentally broke down in defense, an area where they had excelled just two seasons ago. The 2004-2005 ‘Pack ranked 12th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for defensive field goal percentages and 14th in total rebound defense. This season, Giorlando said he plans to make Loyola a defense-oriented team once again by emphasizing the fundamentals of rebounding and tight man-to-man coverage.
The Pack’s three newest players are expected to assist in that process.
Darrinton Moncrieffe, a 6-foot-9 management freshman, established blocking records at University High in Baton Rouge and was named District 8-2A Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Giorlando said his performance should keep fans entertained as he continues to improve over the next four years.
Giorlando expects 6-foot-6 transfer Robert Manson, marketing sophomore, to further develop an inside presence on defense. He said Manson, who played in his native Australia, should contribute offensively with midrange jumpers and inside drives.
Walk-on Joshua McGrew, management sophomore, has earned the respect of coaches with his defensive intensity and unselfishness on the court.
Manson and Moncrieffe will put the ‘Pack on even ground in the GCAC in the height component, an element in which they were lacking last season. All three new players should receive substantial playing time early in the season, said Giorlando.
Despite last year’s ailing defense, Giorlando said, “The team has enough offensive weapons to carry us.”
As shooting guard, Zumo ranked third in the NAIA in three-point percentage and 38th in points per game. Faranda and Beaulieu averaged 12.1 and 9.2 points per game, respectively.
To open up scoring opportunities, Giorlando and new assistant coach Joey Steibing have implemented a new triangle offense. The system, popularized by Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, spreads the offense out by creating a three-man, triangle-shaped set-up on one side of the court and a two-man set-up on the other. Instead of using set plays to create openings, the triangle spreads defenders to create single-coverage mismatches and open lanes to the basket.
For the system to work, players must have an extensive understanding of their roles in respect to the movements of their teammates. When executed properly, however, most defenses find the triangle offense to be one of the most difficult to cover and adjust to.
Guard Sean Bennett, general business sophomore, said the new system gives the team more freedom on the floor and will make scouting difficult for opposing teams.
Considered by the players to be one of the most competitive matches of the season, the Loyola-Tulane Battle of Freret Street, held at Fogelman Arena, is expected to attract large crowds from both campuses.
After recently receiving a disappointing seventh-place preseason ranking, Tulane makes its season debut led by senior forward David Gomez.
The ‘Pack has been practicing longer than Tulane – who officially started Oct. 13 – and expects to make it a close game like last year’s, said Bennett.
Loyola will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. the following day to battle the C-USA fourth-ranked University of Southern Mississippi. Last season, the Golden Eagles earned 20 wins for the first time since 2001 under the leadership of freshman point-leader Jeremy Wise.
Zumo said playing Division I schools exposes unseen weaknesses and builds confidence going into the season – especially if they pull off a win. Protecting the ball is the utmost concern in preparing against the tougher defenses, said Zumo.
Steve Heath can be reached at [email protected].
