MOUNT ST. MARY’S - 2015-16 Blue Ribbon's Preview

MOUNT ST. MARY’S

LOCATION   Emmitsburg, MD 

CONFERENCE   Northeast (NEC)

LAST SEASON 15-15 (.500) 

CONFERENCE RECORD   11-7 (4th) 

STARTERS RETURNING/LOST    4/1 

NICKNAME   Mountaineers

COLORS   Blue & Bronze 

HOMECOURT   Knott Arena (3,121)

COACH   Jamion Christian (Mount St. Mary’s, 2004)

RECORD AT SCHOOL 49-46 (3 years)

CAREER RECORD 49-46 (3 years) 

ASSISTANTS Ben Wilkins (NC State ’01) Darryl Bruce (Towson ’90) Donny Lind (Loyola Maryland ’10)

WINS (LAST 5 YRS.)   11-8-18-16-15

RPI (LAST 5 YRS.)   232-291-125-196-187 

2014-15 FINISH   Lost in NEC quarter finals.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT B 

FRONTCOURT B- 

BENCH/DEPTH B 

INTANGIBLES B-

by Ryan Peters, 2015-16 Blue Ribbon

Rebuilding Mode

The graduation of three 1,000 point scorers, two of whom were selected as all-conference players, typically would force a program into a rebuilding mode.

Christian's III Act

Jamion Christian’s third season as the coach at Mount St. Mary’s didn’t work out that way.

The Mountaineers led the NEC in scoring defense (64.8 ppg) and effective field-goal defense (0.452) en route to a respectable fourth-place finish in the Northeast Conference standings. Despite losing to an experienced St. Francis (PA) squad in the league tournament quarter finals, coach Christian was encouraged by the long-term outlook of his program, especially given its backcourt inexperience just a season before.

“I think last year was a really big year for us to show we can be consistent in the league,” Christian said. “Guys like BK Ashe found their way, Greg Graves found their way, and Junior Robinson—those guys proved that they’re talented enough to finish fourth in the league.”

"Mount Mayhem"

Throughout coach Christian’s tenure at his alma mater, "Mount Mayhem" has become synonymous with the program. It’s a Havoc-based system designed to speed up the tempo, force copious amounts of turnovers, shoot a lot of 3-pointers and utilize a rotation of at least nine to 10 players.

As it turns out, "Mount Mayhem" comes in different shapes and sizes. For 2014-15, the Mountaineers’ attack evolved into a slower, more methodical defensive approach that suffocated opponents with length and tenacity in the half court. e change in philosophy brought Mount St. Mary’s average game tempo down to 62.9 possessions per game, last in the Northeast.

With more seasoning, Christian is looking forward to a return of the exciting roots of Mount Mayhem basketball.

“I think we’ll be able to play a lot faster,” Christian said. “I think our guys understand which plays to try to make, which plays not to make, how fast to push it and when not to. Just [having] that true understanding of the game and how we can win.”

Balance is the Key

Balance usually serves as a key attribute of "Mayhem", yet this team will probably be paced by two upperclassmen—6-1 junior shooting guard BK Ashe (11.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.1 spg) and 6-7, 235-pound senior power forward Gregory Graves (10.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.3 spg).

KEY PLAYERS

#2 BK ASHE (SG, Jr.)

- Ashe emerged as one of the NEC’s élite scorers in conference play, averaging 14.2 points and making 38.1 percent of his 3-pointers. After scoring in double figures for the final eight contests, it isn’t a stretch to project him as one of the top five players in the NEC, at least in coach Christian’s opinion.

“He can shoot the ball from the outside, finish around the rim and we haven’t seen the best of him,” Christian said. “I think he can be as special of a player that we’ve ever coached here. What he did last year was kind of scratching the surface.”

#15 GREGORY GRAVES (PF, Sr.) 

- A stark improvement was also evident in Graves’ game last season. He led the team in minutes per game (29.5 mpg), rebounds (199), steals (34) and double-doubles (five). A dedicated approach to defense and strength training during the offseason should help the athletic big man have a dominant final campaign.

#3 JUNIOR ROBINSON (PG, So.) 

- One major reason for the Mountaineers’ unexpected finish was the play of point guard Lamont “Junior” Robinson (8.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 1.4 rpg, 0.9 spg), who started 30 games and shot .379 from 3 as the team’s point guard. e 5-5 sophomore, billed as the shortest player in Division I basketball, used his lightning-quick first step and freakish athleticism to land on the NEC All-Rookie Team.

“I feel like he’s a guy right now that’s just a little bit forgotten, but he’s as explosive as any player in the league,” Christian said.

BACKCOURT BACKUPS

#4 KHALID NWANDU (G, Jr.) - #12 CHARLES GLOVER (G, So.-R)

- Also easily forgotten was the impact o the ball of 6-3 junior guard Khalid Nwandu (4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.1 apg) and 6-1 redshirt sophomore guard Charles Glover (2.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 apg). While the offensive statistics suggest both struggled last season, it was their stellar defensive contributions that led to a fair amount of playing time.

“We allow Khalid and Charles to guard the best guys,” Christian said. “We’ve always taken pride in locking down the very best guys.”

In addition to their defensive play, both guards bring positives to other facets of the game. According to o season reports, the 6-1 Glover shot the ball well. Meanwhile, Nwandu’s quickness o the dribble allows him to attack the rim at will. Last season, 81.4 percent of the 6-3 guard’s shots were near the basket, illustrating his invaluable ability to attack o the bounce and create scoring opportunities for himself and others.

FRONTCOURT STARTERS

#11 WILL MILLER (SF, Jr.)

- As one of the best long-distance threats in the NEC, 6-6 junior forward Will Miller (5.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, .397 3PT) will look to expand his role on both sides of the ball. Nevertheless, Miller’s size and quick release render him a di cult matchup for most opposing NEC wings—even as a one-dimensional player.

#50 TAYLOR DANAHER (C, Sr.-R)

- Taylor Danaher (4.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg), a fifth-year, 7-0 senior center, shot .568 from the field and finished fifth in blocked shots (38). He’s been the definition of steady in the frontcourt. For his senior campaign, Christian believes a return to a true "Mayhem" scheme will allow the veteran to showcase his strengths.

“He’s a great runner and sprinter, so the faster we play, the better he plays,” Christian said. “That’s going to help him in terms of getting up and down the oor. [Being a] ball screener with all these shooters—you’re going to have to make a decision on who you are going to leave open.”

ROTATIONS:

#35 CHRIS WRAY (F, So.) - #13  ELIJIAH LONG (G, Fr.)

- After the veteran core, coach Christian must rely on several unknowns to fill out the back end of his rotation. Two players in particular, 6-8 sophomore forward Chris Wray (1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and 6-0 freshman guard Elijah Long, have a solid chance to find playing time amid a crowded rotation.

Wray’s physical gifts are certainly unique when compared to most NEC players.

“He’s an élite defender, and we don’t have a lot of those guys, but he’s one of our guys that can really influence the game,” Christian said of Wray, who has been compared by his coach to former St. Francis Brooklyn forward Kevin Douglas.

After originally committing to FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles), Long (10.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.5 spg) reopened his recruitment. Christian and his staff  took full advantage of the opportunity, adding the John Carroll (Md.) High product to the Mountaineers’ roster during the spring.

“Elijah Long is a tremendous competitor,” coach Christian said of Long, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. “He’s going to jump in and be a great competitive guard for us. He ts the NEC in how he plays and his toughness.”

#14 CHRIS MANNING (F, Fr.-R)

# 22 TROY HENDERSON (F, Fr.-R)

#1 MAWDO SALLAH (C, So.)

- Chris Manning is a 6-7 redshirt freshman forward who profiles as a shot blocker with a high motor, though he’s likely a year away from contributing.

- The same could be said for 6-9 redshirt freshman forward Troy Henderson and 6-8 sophomore center Mawdo Sallah (0.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg), who both possess an intriguing blend of size and athleticism at their respective positions. 

Mount St. Mary’s was, at times, uncharacteristically mediocre at shooting from behind the arc, hitting just .330 of its 3-point attempts last season. Then again, spacing the floor wasn’t a priority for the defensive-minded Mountaineers.

“The way for our team to win last year was to be really good defensively,” coach Christian said. “To be really good defensively, you’re usually not going to space the oor and that’s just the reality of it.”

Done and Gone

Given the graduations of 6-11 center Kristijan Krajina and 6-8 forward Andy Smeathers, a smaller, yet more athletic roster may welcome coach Christian to implement four-guard sets when needed. Those are the kind of lineups that inspire "Mayhem" and could lead to more open looks, and ultimately, an improvement in the team’s 3-point shooting percentage.

“We’ll probably get back to playing four guards again and really space [teams] to attack them,” coach Christian said. “I think it’s going to be really dangerous.”

Ryan Peters, 2015-16 Blue Ribbon