HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2701
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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02-23-20 12:32 PM - Post#301516
In response to whitakk
Moving this here and repeating for discussion.
There is more to Harvard's depth. Harvard has been weathering weak first halves, wearing down opponents, adjusting when necessary at halftime, then battling back in the second half. Been the formula vs Penn and other teams that rely on a few key starters for years. Players like Brodeur, Llewellyn and Smith are examples in just the past 3 games. I have been hard on Amaker for weak starts, but his genius is in the adjustments, stretching out his lineup and having the confidence to go with guys like Tretout (vs Penn) and Forbes (vs Princeton) late in games when circumstances call for a change in plans.
Here's the thing about Amaker that sets him apart. Amaker put together a 2019-20 team for the Ivy ages. Had everyone been healthy, the expectation of some professional prognosticators was to enter the Ivy season with 2 or less losses, coming only in the Orlando Tournament. An undefeated Ivy campaign was more than possible. Scoff if you want, but this team could have been 23-2 and in the top 25. Here's where Amaker is different. This rarified opportunity comes around once a decade in this league, or less frequently. Unfortunately, this opportunity was lost - but only due to injuries.
Without Aiken and Towns, Amaker and Harvard has pivoted. It's not easy, nor pretty, but this team is a few calls or shots away from being 10-0 at this point. That's impressive.
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