Bucknell University Athletics
Deeper Bison Counting on Renewed Focus to Pave Way to Quick Turnaround
10/15/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 15, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- What a difference a year makes. Head coach Dave Paulsen turns an Arctic shade of pale when he flashes back to the Bison team he inherited in the late summer of 2008. It was a team plagued by injuries and fitness issues, none bigger than the loss of reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Stephen Tyree to a season-ending knee injury. Projected starters G.W. Boon and Darryl Shazier both missed significant chunks of the preseason due to injury and all three seniors had health issues, leaving a major leadership void. Even the assistant coaches, pressed into preseason drills and scrimmages, were regulars in the athletic training room. The depth concerns were all the more problematic given that Paulsen, who was hired in May to succeed the retired Pat Flannery, was trying to install a new system and a new philosophy with such a fragmented group.
That was the backdrop of a frustrating seven-win season, in which Bucknell lost four games in overtime and six others by four points or less. With an unproductive preseason -- Paulsen admits today that the team did not begin to practice effectively on a daily basis until mid-January -- the Bison were prone to slumps on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
Now flash ahead to the fall of 2009, and the situation is much more settled. The team's overall health is significantly better, the players are confident in Paulsen's system, and just as important, Paulsen now has a good feel for each individual's personality and game.
"We are just light years ahead of where we were a year ago," Paulsen says. "The returning guys are completely bought in. They understand what we are trying to do and how we are going to do it. They have embraced it and have worked hard in the offseason. And I now have a comfort level knowing who these guys are and what makes them tick. Where does Pat Behan operate more effectively versus Enoch Andoh versus Stephen Tyree?
"We have made significant progress in really trying to re-create that basketball culture where we are positioned for success in terms of work ethic, attention to detail, unselfishness and leadership. You have to have those things before you can win games, and you have to have them for sure before you can win close games." Paulsen says that almost every Bison player has come back this season more skilled and in better physical condition. For many of the returnees, the knowledge that a promising five-man freshman class has arrived to compete with them for minutes has been a major motivating factor toward a productive offseason. At the very least, the competitive level of Bucknell's practices will be noticeably different in 2009-10.
Offensively, Paulsen's newly installed motion scheme seemed to fall victim to the unproductive preseason more than any other aspect. It is a system that requires precise dribbling, cutting and passing, something that would take some time to learn even with a healthy roster. On top of those timing issues, the Bison were inconsistent shooting the ball. They shot only 38.4 percent from the floor as a team, the lowest percentage in the Patriot League and the eighth-lowest figure in all of Division I basketball. Their 3-point percentage (.343) was solid -- second-best in the Patriot League and in the middle of the pack nationally -- so obviously a major emphasis this offseason centered around finishing in the lane and around the rim.
G.W. Boon (53), Bryan Cohen (51) and Darryl Shazier (37) all ranked among the league leaders in 3-pointers made a year ago, and the Bison should have plenty of options beyond the arc.
"We have improved significantly as a team in our shooting drills in practice," Paulsen says. "Last year we would put five minutes on the clock and ask out perimeter guys to make 50 threes. At the beginning of the season no one could do it. By the end of the year some guys were hitting 51 or 52. And now we have guys making over 60. And one of the things we like about our freshman class is that every one of them is a good shooter at his position. Whether they can do it at the college level remains to be seen, but they were all very good shooters in high school and we think they will be able to continue it here.
"I think one of the main reasons we would go into shooting slumps was guys wearing down due to lack of depth. Also, until the very end of the year with Pat Behan, we did not have much of a credible inside presence at all, so everything was based on the perimeter on out. I think we'll have more inside scoring, and we have worked very hard on driving the basketball from the perimeter. That should get us more open looks and hopefully improve our percentage."
The Bison have also returned in 2009-10 with a renewed focus on the defensive end of the floor. Last season Bucknell defended the 3-point arc very well. The team led the league and ranked 31st nationally in 3-point percentage defense (.312). But playing most of the season with a smaller lineup, the Bison struggled defending the lane, and a number of opposing low-post players had big nights against them. Paulsen says that much of the team's defensive struggles last season were actually manifested in the offensive issues.
"Last year, how we were playing offensively was such a big change for the returning players, I probably spent too much time on that early in the season," Paulsen offers. "Early in the year we had some games where we scored plenty of points and started to look better offensively, but we couldn't guard anybody. Then we made a concerted effort to shore up the defense, and then we couldn't score. It was like one of those situations where you put a finger on the dike, only to spring a leak somewhere else.
"In the Patriot League we were second in the league in field goal percentage defense behind only a veteran American team. I thought we gave some really good defensive efforts from mid-January on. But because of our inability to score at key junctures, the defense became exposed. A greater attention to detail is going to help us defensively, as will our guys being a year older and wiser. Having better depth will help. Ironically, being a better offensive team will help our defense. When you can score the ball a couple of times in a row, you get a little spring in your step and it becomes easier to get in your stance and chase a guy through a screen."
Personnel-wise, the Bison return six of their top seven scorers from last year, with only guard Justin Castleberry (11.5 points per game) lost among that group. Senior Patrick Behan, a Second Team All-Patriot League selection in 2008-09, is back after leading the team in scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg). Off-guard Bryan Cohen (11.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg) is coming off a breakout freshman year in which he established himself as not only a key scorer but also as one of the league's best defenders.
Junior point guard Darryl Shazier averaged a career-high 7.8 points per game and also became the first Bucknell player ever to lead the Patriot League in assists (4.6 apg) last season. When Paulsen turned to a smaller lineup last January, sliding Behan to center, junior G.W. Boon (9.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg) became the starting power forward.
Senior Zach Evans (2.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and sophomore Enoch Andoh (3.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) both played more than 12 minutes per game as key reserves.
Five freshmen bolster the roster this season as well, with help arriving at every spot on the floor. Canadian star Bryson Johnson will likely begin as Shazier's backup at the point. Mike Muscala, a 6'10" Minnesotan with plenty of game both inside and outside, is expected to garner significant minutes up front. New Jersey Shore region star Joe Willman and local product Colin Klebon (Southern Columbia High School) also have bright futures in the frontcourt. And sharpshooting guard D.J. Rowe comes in as a recruited walk-on from Harrisburg's Cedar Cliff High School.
"This freshman class is going to be exciting to watch grow up in Bucknell uniforms over the next four years," says Paulsen. "It's not a matter of `if' they are going to be good players, but just a matter of `when.' Collectively they have to embrace the process of trying to get a little bit better every day. Some days are going to be better than others. There are going to be ups and downs. That's what it means to be a freshman in college."
The addition of the strong freshman class and the return of Tyree means that the team's depth will be drastically better than last season. Now, Paulsen is working to coax his returning starters into taking a leap forward to become not only true leaders in the locker room, but toward playing with the confidence that would allow them to become stars on the floor.
"We still need to prove that we are tough enough to win those close games down the stretch, and we need a couple of guys to step up, and not in a selfish way, but prove they are first team all-league type of players," Paulsen offers. "If you are going to win your league you need a solid rotation where you can go nine or 10 deep, but you also have one or two first team all-league guys where you can look to make the big plays down the stretch for you, night in and night out, and especially on the road. We have guys who are capable of getting there, but they haven't done it yet. I'm excited about seeing where the journey takes us."
Following is a more detailed look at the Bison lineup for 2009-10.
BACKCOURT
Junior Darryl Shazier played almost every minute at the point last season, probably too many minutes if you ask Dave Paulsen. That is not because Shazier did not have a solid season, but because he tended to wear down late in games after averaging over 36 minutes per contest, the second-highest figure in the Patriot League. Still, he led the league in assists (4.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.06) while giving the Bison stability at the point guard position.
Shazier significantly improved his long-range shooting last season, upping his 3-point field goal percentage from 23.8 as a freshman to 37.0 a year ago. He scored in double figures nine times, with a career high of 21 against Army on the road. Two areas of improvement that Paulsen is working on with Shazier are his mid-range game and the vocal aspects of running the point.
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"Darryl struggled shooting the ball inside the arc, and we want him to improve on his mid-range game," says Paulsen. "In the workouts so far, he has significantly improved his mid-range game. He has made progress so far, but he really needs to work even harder at becoming more of a vocal leader and an extension of the coach on the floor. He has embraced the need to do that, and he is working at that and is making progress. He's not there yet, but he is way ahead of where he was a year ago."
Alongside Shazier is sophomore Bryan Cohen, who may have been the team's most pleasant surprise last season. The new Bison staff was quickly impressed by Cohen's vast array of skills, but even then they could not imagine all he would contribute as a first-year player. Cohen started every game in the backcourt and averaged better than 33 minutes per game, the most among all Patriot League rookies. That he averaged 11.8 points per game only told part of the story. He handled the ball well, scored both inside and outside, and as an athletic 6'5" two-guard, he proved to be a key defensive weapon.
This summer Cohen was a part of Bruce Pearl's gold-medal-winning United States team at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. He played a key role off the bench, scoring double figures in four of the team's six games, with a high of 18 points in a win over Russia.
"Bryan had just a phenomenal freshman year," lauds Paulsen. "What some people don't understand is that in addition to scoring in double figures he was called upon to guard the other team's best perimeter player. He has had a very good offseason. He had a terrific experience with the Maccabi team playing with and against some high-level players."
Tyree's return is a big deal for the Bison on a number of fronts. At full speed, he is one of the elite stoppers in the Patriot League, as evidenced by his defensive player of the year award in 2007-08. At 6'3", he can defend point guards, power forwards, and anyone in between. He averaged almost five rebounds per game as a sophomore, and he was so successful getting the ball to the basket that he shot 57.9 percent from the field (66.7 percent in conference play).
"It's great to have him out there again," says Paulsen. "I wouldn't say that he's 100 percent yet, and I don't know that he will be 100 percent again, but he is such a competitor. The competitiveness level has been raised to another level with him out there. Even if it's a 2-on-2 drill during a workout, he wants to win it. His game is not pretty, but very effective. That leadership component that was missing with Stephen on the sideline last year is very apparent now."
Like Tyree, Boon is another versatile player who is hard to label by position. Boon is perhaps best equipped to play on the wing, particularly as his ballhandling skills continue to improve, but he finished last season starting at the power forward spot as Paulsen went to a smaller lineup.
At times throughout his first two seasons Boon has provided instant offense for the Bison. Before joining the starting lineup midway through 2008-09 he was leading the Patriot League in points per minute. He scored in double figures eight times as a reserve, including a 24-point game against Wagner and 20 at Navy. In his first two games as a starter he scored 20 points against Lafayette and 15 against Colgate, leading Bucknell to wins in both games. But he was less consistent after that, scoring in double figures in only two of the team's final 11 games.
Still, he led the team with 53 3-pointers last season and ranked fifth in the league in 3-point percentage (.393).
"G.W. had a solid sophomore year," says Paulsen. "He showed flashes of brilliance. He would come off the bench and score 20 points, followed by games where he wouldn't score. The next step for him is to become more consistent on a daily basis. He has made significant progress in the offseason in his ability to dribble and drive the basketball. That's going to bode very well for him because he is such a good shooter. He can make threes in bunches, but now his ability to drive the ball and finish at the rim is going to make him a more complete player."
Freshman Bryson Johnson brings terrific offensive credentials to the Bison lineup, where he figures to play a significant role fairly quickly. A native of Nova Scotia, Johnson prepped at St. David's Catholic in Ontario, where he was a first team all-provincial selection as a senior. A strong ballhandler and outside shooter, Johnson averaged over 20 points and nearly four 3-pointers per game as a senior. His ability to adapt to the speed of the collegiate game defensively will determine how much he plays as a freshman, but one thing has been clear early in the preseason: Johnson has natural leadership abilities. He has already become one of the team's most vocal players.
"Bryson is a gym rat," says Paulsen. "He is a natural leader with a very high basketball IQ, and he is a terrific shooter. Those are four nice qualities to have. The pace of the game and the athleticism are the things he'll have to adjust to." Senior Matt Fiery and freshman D.J. Rowe are walk-ons who provide good depth in the backcourt. Both players are very competitive and are working hard to increase their own minutes, and at the same time they have a keen interest in making their teammates better every day in practice.
Fiery is in his third year in the program, while Rowe joins the Bison after scoring over 1,500 points and hitting over 200 3-pointers at Cedar Cliff High School in Harrisburg.
"Matt is a great teammate," Paulsen says. "He works his rear end off every day in practice. He is the epitome of unselfishness and character. He makes us better every day. D.J. is smart, tough, and a very good shooter. He's going to make us better every day, and he is going to compete to get himself on the floor."
FRONTCOURT
Headlining the Bucknell frontcourt group is senior Patrick Behan, who transformed himself into an All-Patriot Leaguer last season after coach Dave Paulsen decided to go with a smaller starting lineup and moved Behan to center. The switch made excellent use of his unorthodox offensive style, as he was able to use his quickness advantage to spin his way around slower centers. As a result, Behan averaged almost 19 points and nine rebounds over the last 11 games of the season. He had eight 20-point games, including five straight near the end of the year.
"Pat had a good season last year, and he was very, very good the last third of the season," says Paulsen. "It was a combination of him gaining confidence and embracing playing around the basket more. We were a more effective team with him playing center and going with a predominantly smaller lineup, and he was able to find a way to be effective playing that way. And also it took me awhile to figure him out. He has kind of a funky game. He doesn't really fit any labels. He has this whirling, spinning way about him, but he puts the ball in the basket. He definitely raised his competitiveness level and his toughness level."
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After two seasons of limited action, senior Zach Evans played a prominent role off the bench for the first time last year. He appeared in a career-high 28 games and averaged over 12 minutes per outing. Evans is an energy player who can rebound, defend and toss in an occasional basket.
"Zach had some real good moments last year and gave us a spark off the bench," says Paulsen. "His good moments were in direct proportion to his willingness to buy in to his role. He can really help us as a penetrator, as a rebounder, as a defender, and as a guy who makes timely baskets when it's appropriate."
Sophomores Enoch Andoh and Probese Leo both got a taste of the college game as rookies last year. Andoh saw the most time of the three, playing in all 30 games while averaging just over 14 minutes per game. He had his moments, most notably a 13-point, 10-rebound effort in a win over Colgate, and while Andoh had some difficulty with turnovers and finishing at the basket, the early indoctrination should bode well for his future.
"Enoch has made very good progress," Paulsen says. "He came back in August this year in much better physical shape than at this time last year. He looks completely different. His body is toned up and he's in better shape. His work ethic and his attention to detail are much better. I'm very happy with the strides he's made."
Bucknell's recruiting class capably addressed the team's depth concerns up front. Mike Muscala, Joe Willman and Colin Klebon all appear to have bright futures in Orange & Blue. Muscala is the tallest of the three at 6'10" and will contribute at both the 4 and 5 positions. Muscala can score inside, but he also likes to get out in transition and can shoot the ball from as deep as 3-point range.
"Mike is a very skilled frontcourt player" says Paulsen. "He can score with both hands around the basket, he has a real good touch and is a good passer. He can step out and hit a three, and he can really run the floor. The pace and the physicality of the game is going to be the eye-opener for him. How well he adjusts to that will determine how good he is this year. For Mike, I'm sure there are going to be some games where he is going to look unbelievably good, and then some others where he may struggle. That's part of the maturation process."
Willman was enjoying a prolific senior year at Monmouth (N.J.) Regional High School when it was abruptly cut short in mid-January when he took a spill after a fastbreak dunk, and suffered two broken wrists while trying to brace himself from the fall. He is now fully recovered and anxious to get back on the floor. Willman is a do-it-all type, one of those players who does not stand out in any one area, but who can contribute in many ways. He is an outstanding athlete who loves to get on the glass and do the little things that make teams better.
"Joe is kind of a throw-back player," Paulsen offers. "He's tough, he's hard-nosed, he's competitive. He may not be the biggest guy on our front line and he may not be the quickest, but no one is more competitive. He's tough, and he just finds a way to get the ball in the basket. He needs to continue to improve in each facet of his game, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't get himself on the floor in a fairly significant fashion from day one."
After a record-setting career at nearby Southern Columbia High School, Klebon is going through an adjustment period in his initial weeks in a Bucknell uniform. At his best he is a hard-working forward who shoots well, gets to the free-throw line and can defend.
"Colin can score around the basket, he can knock down a three and he can score in between," says Paulsen of Klebon's game. "He can rebound. He has some good natural ability and has a way of finding the basket. The level of play and the pace of play will be a big adjustment for him. Again, it's not a matter of `if', but `when' with him. He is going to have to be patient, get a little better every day, and not let expectations get in the way of that process. He's going to be really good, but he needs to understand it may take some time."
