If I were to write an early season analysis critical of Montana’s cumbersome start to the 2008-09 men's hoops season (and I am NOT; this is not that column), it would be difficult for me to be more critical of the Grizzlies than Montana’s own players and coaches have been.
In public, on record, usually in post-game interviews, several Griz players have been bluntly self-critical. Coaches, particularly head coach Wayne Tinkle, have taken a broader, more diplomatic view... with the same candid conclusion.
Montana’s problems revolve around defense, and the key areas of play that affect defensive results. It’s too early to use statistical averages to make sweeping predictions. Nonetheless, there are some giant red flags whipping around these Montana Grizzlies.
PHOTO: Montana's Jack McGillis defends Santa Clara wing Michael Santos.
Early statistical numbers support the notion that Montana’s defense and rebounding require significant foundational repair over the next three weeks if the Griz expect to be Big Sky contenders when conference play rolls around.
Without belaboring this early season’s Big Sky statistical indicators, a quick rundown of six key areas shows Montana’s Big Sky Conference rank as follows:
- Scoring Defense: 6th (71.3)
- Field Goal Defense: 6th (.463
- Three Point FG defense: 7th (4.17)
- Rebounding: 9th (a whopping -4.5 pg.)
- Steals: 8th (3.33)
- Blocks: 2nd (3.67)
Those numbers rank Montana at a defensive average of seventh in the nine-team Big Sky Conference.
So what if no other Big Sky team has played Duke? Can’t make that excuse this year. Montana’s non-conference slate is NOT tougher than the schedule of any other Big Sky school, particularly Eastern Washington’s or Idaho State’s.
All that being said, I’m not cashing in any chips just yet.
Certainly there’s work to do. And this year time is short. Montana’s first league tilt is a mere three weeks distant, December 20 against Portland State, the 2008 conference and tourney titlist.
The Grizzly front court lineup contains the necessary skill-position players -- five deep -- to become a solid, perhaps even dominant, rebounding team. But two important reserves, frowards Derek Selvig and Kyle Sharp, are working to fit into new (for Selvig) or altered (for Sharp) roles, and the transition has been a bit rocky.
In the back court, the competition for playing time by six players for three positions (wing and the two guard spots, with some floating between wing and off guard) is fierce. It’s hardly much of a prediction to say that the players who step up on defense will get rewarded with more on-court minutes. But it’s a rumble and the player roles haven’t been fully determined yet.
In some ways, Montana’s depth and the competition for playing time has actually slowed the process of cohesion.
That’s a vast improvement from last season where depth was a year-long crisis.
Already this season, nine players have played a minimum per-game average of 15 minutes. That adds up to an interesting, and complicated, process of team-building.
As a result, this year’s Griz squad is already more fun to watch than they’ve been for the last two years. I like how the pieces of this complex team are slowly notching together.
And if I were a bettor, I’d be making a long-term investment in this commodity. It’s a diverse and
multi-talented crew that will get better with each game.
Besides, I’ve got a long memory. Four of Montana’s seven Big Sky Championships were not very good teams by New Year’s day. All four got better with each game. All four peaked late, but just in time to mine the pot of gold.
PHOTOS: (Top) Montana sophomore center puts up a shot over Santa Clara forward Ben Dowdell. (Below) Monana's Anthony Johnson faces the defense of Santa Clara's John Bryant and Marc Trasolini.
I’m not making any predictions. Portland State is loaded and will be tough to top. Eastern Washingston and Idaho State are already playing nail-tough defense. Northern Colorado and Montana State are putting volatile and interesting squads on the floor. And who would ever doubt that Mike Adras will have his Northern Arizona Lumberjacks ready to rumble?
That leaves Weber State and Sacramento State as teams I can’t quite peg just yet.
Montana can go a long way toward solving its puzzles this week with three straight home contests, two of them against Big Sky-level teams. That will give the Griz all they can handle, but some experience to arm them for another tough non-conference road swing that morphs directly into their game at Portland State.
I like the pieces of the Griz puzzle. I guess we’ll see if Montana’s players move to start putting the pieces in place.
