Expected Winning Percentage: 0.145
Actual Winning Percentage: 0.25
Team Gross PER: 362.34
The Rams season was derailed almost immediately from the start after it was revealed All-A10
guard Dawan Robinson would miss most of if not all of the season because of injuries. However,
this wasn't the main problem; one injury could have been worked around, considering it was a
down year for the Atlantic 10. The Rams failed this season because they did not replace the
contributions of Brian Woodward and Dustin Hellenga.
This is overlooked constantly when talking about the Rams, as people seem intent on villifying
Scott Hazelton for not carrying the team to the NCAAs and blaming losses on the frontcourt. The
truth is the Rams lost 202.25 in gross PER between Woodward, Hellenga, Robinson and Steve Mello.
They replaced it with 87.21 gross PER between Parfait Bitee, Jon Lucky, Tyrese Sullivan and
Randy Brooks. Not even a 40 point gain by Hazelton could offset this huge defecit.
Will things get better? You would think they have to, but the Rams are losing Hazelton, who was
better last year then Robinson before his injury. Even if a healthy Robinson returns, the Rams
need improvement from their younger players to stay out of St. Bonaventure territory. Daniels
looks like he could be a stud, and Lucky could improve, but it's not a guarantee that a player
will improve from year one to two. J.R. Moore and Jon Clark both lost value this year.
If the Rams do suffer through another bad season, Head Coach Jim Baron will be under even greater
scrutiny. So far, most of his recruits haven't panned out, and there hasn't been demonstratable
evidence that players have gotten better under his watch. The team seems to play hard for him,
but there have also been disciplinary problems, and ultimately fans want a team that will win
and not just get their uniforms dirty. Also remember that Baron was not the hire of AD Tom McElroy.
Amazingly, Hazelton's season was seen as something of a disappointment in Kingston. When you
analyze his numbers, there were only a few players legitimately better than him, and his value
is obscured because Jim Baron didn't play him enough. He also played on a lousy team and his
primary skill was getting to the free throw line.
Of course, he could have helped himself out by taking less threes. Despite only shooting 14
percent from three, he took 36 shots from long distance. His overall shooting percentages were
low, but because he got to the line so much, it didn't matter. At times, he looked like the
only Ram who could hit the broad side of a barn. Hazelton led the A-10 in usage rate, reflecting
how strapped the Rams were for people who could create their own shot.
Daniels was actually the Rams second most valuable player, but you wouldn't know it since Baron
decided he and Hazelton shouldn't play together at the same time. Because of this, Mack pulls
ahead in gross value despite a lower PER. Daniels was the lone bright spot among the freshmen,
as he showed signs of being able to fill Hazelton's role as ace scorer next year if Robinson can't
return. His usage rate was 8th in the A-10, but he wasn't in enough to really fill up the basket.
If Daniels is going to take the next step, he really needs to round out his game. He was one of
the worst passers in the A-10; if he becomes the number one option, he's going to get double
teamed. He's a good bet to improve and replace Hazelton's contribution well enough, but it's
doubtful whether someone can step up and replace his presence off the bench.
Because someone besides Hazelton had to shoot from time to time, Mack got some good looks,
capitalizing down low with his massive frame. Mack is built (pardon the pun) like a truck and
overpowered other players. The only thing that could really stop him was taller players who
could block his shots.
Well, that and passing the ball. Mack's passes didn't lead to many easy buckets, even though
he would get double teamed. Between seasons (2003-2004 to 2004-2005), Mack improved his
rebounding and offensive production but slipped in terms of turnover ratio. This isn't
uncommon though as players take on a greater offensive responsibility. He needs to take
another step forward to be a really valuable player.
No one is ever going to mix up Marcel with an All-American, but few players ever had more heart
and desire than he showed. He's still thin and gangly, but not skeletal like his first year at
Rhody. He'll be missed for his energy off the bench, although his skills are duplicated by other
players on the roster. The sight of Marcel preparing for a three from courtside was one of the
greatest, "What the ****?" moments I've ever had as a fan.
From this point on, things get downright brutal for the Rams, and many mean things will be said
about players. You've been warned...
Bitee performed well for a backup point guard. Unfortunately, he inexplicably played the second
most minutes to Jon Lucky and started most games. There's been an outcry that the Rams don't
have a good big man, but the real problem is horrible guard play. Remember, Bitee is their *best*
guard currently. He needs to make huge strides in shooting, passing and finding his own shot to
be a viable starter. At this point, the only acceptable thing he does for a guard is avoiding turnovers.
Sullivan was probably the Rams best choice for second or third guard, but it's hard to see how
he can improve his game from this level. Height isn't as important at the college level, but
Sullivan isn't quick enough to get himself enough open looks. His dismal PSA can attest to that,
and he often had to shoot from well beyond the three point line to make sure he wasn't blocked.
Sullivan somehow managed to avoid having the worst rebound rate in the A-10, which tells us more
about the players below him than his own ability. He was servicable as a passer though, with a
decent assist ratio.
Just a shade more valuable than Sullivan, but he at least has the potential of becoming a decent
player. Lucky didn't have a great year, but in his defense, he was injured early in the year
and opted to play through it instead of undergoing surgery. In hindsight, it was probably a bad
decision by the Rams - There's always the chance he could have hurt himself permanently, and their
season didn't end up going anywhere. It might have been better for him to just spend a year
focusing on healing.
Lucky showed glimpses of being a good point guard in the future despite his injuries, posting a
respectable assist ratio. However, this is only if his high turnover ratio and poor PSA are due
to injuries. Like Bitee, Lucky posted a decent gross PER because someone had to play the point for the Rams.
No, Clark shouldn't be starting, but he does have his uses. He's a big guy, and a much better
option than Moore at this point, so he can hang with the few plodding big men that are still in
the A-10. If Clark is your third center, that's not bad, but if he's starting, you really need
to reasess your gameplan. His only skill is rebounding, and he has bad hands, which is reflected
in his high turnover ratio and low assist and usage rate.
The fact that Brooks was recruited by Baron and somehow managed to play 13 minutes a game is the
biggest endorsement against Baron's continued employment. I'm not saying he's a horrible coach,
but at some point, you have to acknowledge that things aren't working. Even the 4th best assist
ratio couldn't make up for someone so god awful in every other aspect. Was Alex Davis really
such a downgrade that Brooks earned playing time over him?
It might be a question worth asking - Is Baron obsessed with gritty "gamers" who don't really
produce? Brooks, Clark and Bitee all played more minutes than they probably should have.
Meanwhile, the team's best player was routinely yanked from the lineup in favor of just about
anyone. Outside of Daniels, there's not a freshman on the roster that you can point to and say,
"He's definitely going to be a quality starter someday."
Q: How the hell can you be a center and grab as many boards as Randy Brooks? A: Change
your name to J.R. Moore. Frankly, Moore didn't do much of anything last year, and
needs to improve in every area, especially rebounding. He is basically a bad version
of Jon Clark.
