Five observations from Navy’s 57-55 loss to undefeated Tulane on Tuesday.
- Navy will be a tough out. Befitting the talent on the floor on Tuesday, Tulane raced to a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes. Then by mixing it up on defense, Navy held the Green Wave scoreless over the next 6:10. “We got that deer-in-the-headlight look when they started changing defenses,” Tulane coach Ed Conroy said. By necessity, Navy will play a lot of zone and force teams to beat them from the outside. Good strategy. Opponents are taking lots of threes (97 in five games) and shooting 27 percent.
- Jordan rules? Minus the transition opportunities and the three-point green-light – features of previous coach Billy Lange’s offense — Jordan Sugars is trying to find his way in the controlled scheme of coach Ed DeChellis. His scoring is down (10.8 ppg from 16.0 as a junior) along with rebounds (5.5 pg from 8.0 as a sophomore) and field goal (38 percent from 45 as a sophomore) and three-point shooting (26 percent from 42 as a sophomore).
- Missing the point. Last year at Alumni Hall, Jason Brickman scored 13 points to help Long Island beat Navy, 96-86. One Navy student who might have helped the Mids’ cause that night was Brickman’s brother Jordan, who was recruited to play at Navy but opted out of basketball. This year, with a coaching change, Jordan Brickman has resumed his basketball career and is the starting point guard. The 5-11 junior hit four of five shots and scored a team-high 14 points against Tulane. “I was kind of overwhelmed with the whole military school [thing]. I don’t think I was ready for that,” Brickman said. “With the new coaching staff, they knew my history here, but they gave me a fresh start.” Three years ago at Clark High in San Antonio, Jordan Brickman was a first-team all-district player, while Jason was second-team. “I was the point. He was the wing. If I started feeling it, he would bring the ball up,” Brickman said.
- Going small. Jared Smoot, a 6-10 freshman, isn’t ready yet, leaving 6-7 sophomore J.J. Avila as the tallest Mid in the rotation. Navy started three guards, none taller than 6-3 on Tuesday. So far the lack of size hasn’t hurt the Mids on the boards, who are out-rebounding foes 176-169. Last year Navy ranked No. 341 out of 345 teams in rebounding percentage (43.2).
- Limitations. The Mids don’t have anyone who can create his own shot. The lack of a go-to player was evident in the closing minutes against Tulane. After Sugars’ basket with 4:24 left gave Navy a 55-53, the Mids didn’t score again, missing six shots and turning it over twice. “We’re trying to get them to understand how every possession is so important,” DeChellis said.
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