DeChellis to emphasize prep school, JV teams
The disadvantages coaches face trying to lure athletic talent to a military academy are obvious. But new Navy basketball coach Ed DeChellis is excited about the lone edge he has over his coaching counterparts — unlimited scholarships.
While other Division I basketball programs are allotted 13 scholarships, Navy has no such restrictions. All of the students at the Academy are on scholarship.
Recommended Stories
As he takes over a program that has lost 10 straight years in the opening round of the Patriot League tournament, DeChellis believes more players are the answer to what ails the Midshipmen. To that end, he is re-establishing the Naval Academy Prep School program, same with the school’s junior varsity team.
“We have to have the numbers,” DeChellis said. “That’s where the JV program comes in. That’s where NAPS comes in.”
By bringing more players in, DeChellis hopes to uncover more late-blooming talent. Since leaving his post at Penn State and taking over the Navy job last spring, DeChellis has heard the same advice from former Navy head coaches Paul Evans and Don Devoe and former assistants Doug Wojcik and Emmett Davis.
“They were emphatic,” DeChellis said. “They said ‘JV and NAPS.’?”
Previous Navy coach Billy Lange, who had two winning seasons in seven years, preferred that his recruits who needed seasoning or academic improvement play at prep schools that offered strong competition. Incoming freshmen guards Chall Montgomery and Donya Jackson played last year at Mercersburg, Pa.
But DeChellis believes acclimating players to the Academy lifestyle is more beneficial.
“[NAPS] can be a great feeder system,” DeChellis said. “You put six kids there, maybe eight at the very, very most. You get those kids down there the following year, a year older, bigger, stronger. They understand the system, so when they walk on campus they’re not in shock.”
Navy has the second-largest freshman class in the nation with 10. The Mids have three seniors and one junior. One of the freshmen DeChellis has high hopes for is 6-foot-10 Jared Smoot of Crown Point, Ind. With no other player taller than 6-7 sophomore J.J. Avila, DeChellis needs help inside, especially with his style that emphasizes post play, rebounding and defense.
It’s a departure from Lange’s up-tempo tactics and emphasis on the 3-point shot.
“It’s night and day,” senior guard Jordan Sugars said. “Coach Lange he let the guards play. It was more freestyle. This year there’s definitely more structure, and we need that, especially with the young guys.”
Sugars (16 ppg, 6 rpg), an all-conference selection, is one of two returning standouts DeChellis will count on. The other is the versatile Avila (11.5 ppg, 5.3 apg, 2.0 apg), who led Patriot League freshmen in scoring, rebounds, 3-pointers (53), steals (54) and blocks (18) but will be required to play closer to the basket this year.
“I’m not sure we’re gonna play fast. I’m more control — control the game, control the possessions,” DeChellis said. “I think our concentration point is defense, trying to rebound the ball.”
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sports/college/2011/10/navy-basketball-hopes-have-strength-numbers#ixzz1bvdaFbVj
