University of Richmond: A Sleeper Awakened
September 8, 2009 Tom Blackburn The University of Richmond basketball program is enjoying almost as much hype as the home team during this offseason. Coming off a 20-16 season (9-7 in the A14), which concluded with a trip to the College Basketball Invitational semi-finals, the Spiders return four starters. Additionally, all-conference performer Dan Geriot returns from a gruesome knee injury that kept him out of action for the entire 2008-09 season. The junior center led the Spiders in scoring in his first two seasons and gives Richmond an inside presence on a squad that already features the A-10’s best backcourt in Kevin Anderson and David Gonzalvez.
Flyer fans are programmed to anticipate an exhaustive battle with Xavier for this year's conference title. However, with Derrick Brown's early departure, combined with the graduations of C.J. Anderson and B.J. Raymond, the Musketeers have opened the door for other challengers to the throne. Most observers have tapped Dayton to potentially become kings of the mountain. Still, there will be other formidable opponents on the horizon.
Enter the Spiders. By now, Dayton fans should be able to feel Chris Mooney's hot, clammy breath on the nape of their collective necks. A dangerous proposition for most, as this scenario usually results in a sudden blackout, waking up with your socks inside out. As for me, I looked certain death in the face, opting to fly to the capital of Virginia in my Gulfstream V (it used to be Arsenio Hall's) in order to mentally beat some answers out of Richmond Times Dispatch reporter John O'Connor. Like a jailhouse snitch, Mr. O'Connor provided a terse, yet informative, overview of this year's Richmond squad.
TB: Like most Americans, I like to live in the past. Let's take a trip down memory lane, all the way back to March, 2009. Richmond wraps up last season with 20 wins, bowing out in the semi-finals of the CBI against UTEP. All things considered, last season had to be considered a resounding success. What's the goal for the Spiders this season?
JO: A postseason that doesn't include the letters CBI. The last two years, UR has gone to the College Basketball Invitational. The Spiders' realistic goal this season is an NCAA trip because this is the season for which the program has been building since Chris Mooney took over as coach. This is finally a veteran team.
David Gonzalvez and Kevin Anderson make up the Atlantic 10's best backcourt. Anderson's speed and ability to get to the basket completely overpowered Dayton last season, and Gonzalvez is one of the best perimeter players in the conference. Summer marks the time of year when most college basketball fans are fully engorged on recruiting news and rumors (redundant, I know). Were Anderson and Gonzalvez expected to have such an impact right away, or has their talent level been an unexpect
London Warren's nightmare averaged 24 points against the Flyers last seasoned surprise? The duo would seem to prove that all that glitters isn't always gold.
Part of the reason these two guards have become quality players is because they picked a program in which they could play as freshmen. Gonzalvez wasn't a star in prep school in Massachusetts. Anderson was lightly recruited, overshadowed in a huge Atlanta-area market. They were given chances to play immediately, and the team's make-up allowed them to emerge (no scoring inside players last season).
Dan Geriot looks like a commodities broker but plays with the same type of anger Bigfoot probably exhibits after he's been laid-off. On one hand, Geriot's return to the fold is overwhelmingly positive for the Spiders. On the other, who knows how it will affect the team's chemistry. Sure, it's all smiles on team picture day, but a month later Geriot and Gonzalvez could be exchanging haymakers in a Shoney's parking lot. Do you think Geriot's return could disrupt Richmond's guard-oriented attack?
Geriot's comeback will enhance UR's attack. No more defenses geared to defend the guards. And in this Princeton-style offense, Geriot is the ball-distributor of choice in many sets. Plus, he rebounds and defends inside, two things with which UR experienced difficulty last season.
Give me an indication of what the Richmond fanbase is like. With no professional teams in the area, I would think UR would get a decent following from the locals. I am assuming that your typical Richmond students, cake eaters who prefer bong rips over college basketball, don't support the program as much as they probably should.
UR has about 2,900 students. Maybe a quarter regularly attend games. The alumni fan base is fairly limited because UR is a school that draws the majority of its students from the Northeast Corridor. Most return to that area after they graduate.
Justin Harper came into the program with an expectation that he would be one of the conference's better big men. To this point, his play can probably be best described as inconsistent. However, with an increase in playing time last season, Harper did show glimpses of promise. Will Geriot's return, combined with Richmond's reliance on its backc
Dan Geriot scoring, impressing a bewildered Jimmie Binnie ourt, have a detrimental affect on Harper's further development?
Justin Harper will be better, more assertive. This is because he has made significant weight and strength gains during the offseason. With the strength comes the confidence. He is still only 19, but Harper will be a consistent Spider this season, I believe.
Shifting to this year's schedule, Chris Mooney has appeared to have loosened his belt and decided to take on all comers. Richmond's non-conference schedule features Wake Forest, Mississippi State, Florida, South Carolina and potentially Missouri. Is Mooney's objective to get the Spiders ready for A-10 play, or is he thinking that 2-3 wins among the aforementioned group could put UR in line for an at-large berth?
Coach Mooney recognizes this as a season in which UR has the talent to make a run at an NCAA bid and wants to give the Spiders every possible opportunity for "quality" wins that may impressive a selection committee. This is a toughest overall schedule in school history.
Let's turn to Richmond's incoming freshman class: Darien Brothers and Greg Robbins. What impact, if any, will the two newcomers have this season?
Robbins may be a 3-point threat UR can use. Brothers will be a back-up guard.
Make an embarrassingly early prediction. What is the best and worst case scenarios for this year's Richmond squad?
Richmond can finish third in the A-10 behind Dayton and Xavier, then qualify for the NCAAs. A worst-case scenario would have to involve injuries. There's too much experience and talent to expect a second-half finish in the A-10 any other way.
Reader Comments (16)
I sold Payne Stewart my old Learjet.
too soon?
@ O'Brien: yikes...
I sold Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper my Beechcraft Bonanza
Both of those comments were in very poor taste. I did lend some anti-personnel grenades and automatic firearms to my friend Dylan Klebold about 10 years ago, but the trenchcoated loser hasn't returned my calls since.
BTW, whoever prepped John O'Connor for his interview with the BR should have been working with Sarah Palin prior to her interview with Katie Couric. He gave exact answers. No more. No less. Looks like someone did his homework. Hope the stench of respectability didn't rub off on Mr. Blackburn.
Richmond could have a monster year.
rosceaux FTW
Richmond finishing 3rd in the A-14 this year? A bold prediction indeed. But they do have a difficult schedule and a veteran team. Should be a fun year.
I am arachnophobiic and all A-10 teams should be this year.
Richmond has been sneaky good the past two seasons ... and last year they gave us a run for our money in the A-10 tournament. Looking over their schedule it seems to be very tough. VMI, Miss St, Mizzou, ODU, Florida on a nuetral court and @ Wake Forest will be very good challenges for them.
I see 21 or 22 wins for them this year. They are a better team, but play tougher competition so the win total may not jump as high. UD plays at their place this year ... that game could be a huge one in the A-10 standings.
Personally, I think Mooney has done a great job with that program. It will be fun to see a new name enter the top 5 of the A-10 race. Hopefully the A-10 can get three in the dance without the benefit of an automatic bid.
I don't think its bold to have Richmond in third. In fact, if Geriot is healthy and Harper slides into the system, I can see them placing in the top 3. As in #1, or #2, or #3. If KH has the "intangibles," then Geriot has the "tangibles." There's a lot of basketball smarts on Mooney's team, and they can back it up with talent and toughness.
@ O'Brien: didn't they end up shooting Stewart's plane out of the sky?
@ Rosceaux: O'Connor wanted to see the site before agreeing to talk to me. I think he wanted to keep things straightforward.
My guess is that Richmond beats UD at their place this year. No way this Spider team finishes outside of the top four in the conference. Wouldn't be surprised if they seriously challenged for first.
Richmond scares me more than Xavier this year...the match-ups could be very interesting.
What does "FTW" mean? Seriously, I use the internet for sports, email, and reading articles...it basically stops after that, basically. I am also the guy who writes complete sentence text messages with everything spelled correctly. Please fill me in.
FTW = for the win.
WTF = what the fuck.
You'll get far in life with just that info right there.
@blackburn: Almost.
Richmond is dead to me until they find an extra year of eligibility for Kevin Steenberge.
Are the rumors true? Swampy together with you fuckers, on audio? Stay thirsty, my friends.
@Adam: I can neither confirm or deny, but yeah, it's true.
@Adam...it will be an epic fail of...well...epic proportions.