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Username Post: Topic Split: Tops in the league on Pomeroy!
HARVARDDADGRAD 
Postdoc
Posts: 2685

Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
12-26-17 02:32 PM - Post#241320    
    In response to mrjames

We are days away from the start of the Ivy season. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to suggest that if this Harvard team continues to play the way it has, 2017-18 will be a season of mediocrity, with a chance to lose almost any game, and a middling record. Certainly, not what anyone expected.

I'm not capable of providing the analytics, but here are the problems - and solutions I see. Apologies if anyone finds this obvious.

Offense:
- The Big 3 need to be healthy and score consistently, likely scoring 40 to 50 ppg among them. Chris and Seth need to aggressively attack the Ivy rims.
- Regardless, Harvard HAS to shoot 35% or more on three's. Inside-out offense doesn't work unless Harvard has a response to the triple teaming that Chris Lewis is facing. Seth Towns is leading the league in 3 point shooting percentage (50%), while the team is worst in the league at 27%. Johnson, Aiken, Bassey and possibly Djuricic need to hit their 3's at a higher rate.
- Transition buckets are key, although I expect Princeton to continue it's strategy of abandoning the offensive boards to get back on defense.
- Fortunately, this is a good FT shooting team. -
- Looks like we don't have a true PG, so the load continues to fall on Bryce. Is there any chance Tommy McCarthy can play this year? Would it matter?

Defense:
- Coach Amaker is a defense first guy. The high usage of Bassey, Haskett and, for certain matchups, Baker is evidence of this.
- To me, the health of Chris Egi is key. He may be the best interior defender on the team. Without Egi, Seth ends up in foul trouble when he draws a strong active 4. Djuricic and Baker (health?) can help, but Egi's presence is crucial. Weisner Perez is strong and active, but he just isn't tall enough for most interior matchups.
- To my surprise, Harvard seems to have the bodies to play reasonably effective defense on the perimeter, but without Egi, interior defense (especially challenging penetration to the basket) has been a challenge.

Rebounding:
- The talent is there, with Lewis, Towns, Bassey and Djuric. Looks like Henry Welsh has a ways to go.
- Egi and Baker need to be healthy so the Crimson can compete underneath for a full 40 minutes.
- Perez is an amazing offensive rebounder against certain lineups, but not against all. He'll have his moments though (e.g., Jonah Travis).

Harvard is very very fortunate that it doesn't start the non-Dartmouth league schedule for a full month. Ironically, although I am a staunch opponent of the Tournament, it may help Harvard this year - 75 days to get healthy and figure things out. Maybe Harvard can become healthy in that time and the Big 3 can light things up for a weekend. The current 'half empty' glass still has the talent to runneth over at any given time.


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