LaSalle Men's Basketball Team Grades for 2013-14

The LaSalle Men’s basketball team entered the 2013-14 season with high expectations following a Sweet 16 appearance last year.    The Explorers lost their leading scorer, Ramon Galloway, but returned 4 starters from a 24 win team.

The tone was set early this season, with an opening game loss at home to Manhattan.  The Explorers have struggled the entire year finding any type of momentum. In addition, at times, the team lacked energy and a swagger that comes from a tournament team.

Three quick conference wins early in January had LaSalle leading the Atlantic 10 conference and excitement built.  However, the Explorers proceeded to lose 8 of their next 9 conference games and any hope of a tournament selection faded.

This season will go down as one of the biggest disappointments in LaSalle Men’s college basketball history.   

Here are my grades for the 2013-14 LaSalle Explorers. 

Tyreek Duren – A - Despite a painful foot injury, Duren was consistent throughout the year and put the team on his back during critical times.   His 14.8 PPG scoring average leads the team.    Although his shooting percentage dropped to 41% this season, he was by far the most clutch scorer on the team. He will leave LaSalle as one of the best point guards to play at 20^th & Olney.

Sam Mills – C+ – Mills was expected to be the sharp shooter the team needed from 3-point range.    His scoring average dropped to 7.6 ppg and his .383% shooting was the worst in his 4-year career.

Tyrone Garland – C-  – Garland had a great run in last year’s NCAA tournament and had a chance to make his mark on the college basketball landscape this season.  His Southwest Philly Floater caught the eye of a lot of people.  However, his shooting this season has been simply atrocious.    His .336 shooting percentage, including a pathetically low .234 % from 3 point range has hurt this team.   At times, Garland looked disinterested in playing and his defense was below par.     Garland’s senior season may be one of the biggest disappointments in the last 25 years at LaSalle.

Steve Zack – B+ – Zack is LaSalle’s most improved player.  His defense has been very good this year and he leads the Atlantic 10 in rebounding.    Offensively he has improved a great deal too.   He needs to improve on his shooting percentage a bit for a big man. Zack will be a key force on the 2014-15 LaSalle squad.    Good year, Steve.

Jerrell Wright – B – Overall, Wright had a good year.   He is a high percentage shooter and can be counted on to grab rebounds when needed.    Unfortunately, Wright encountered early foul trouble in many games and spent most of the first halves of games on the bench.      He also needs to improve on his free throw shooting (58%).    Not a bad year.

Khalid Lewis – C- – A highly touted transfer from Delaware, Lewis was basically a flop this year.  Coach Giannini raved about him early and how he has so much potential.    His shooting percentage of .260% makes Garland look like Ray Allen.   Lewis did not get the playing time he needed in order to develop due to the logjam of senior guards on the team.    He has to work on his shooting and will be counted on to run the team next year.    

DJ Peterson – C+ – Peterson almost transferred this summer, but Coach Giannini talked him out of it.   He probably should have let him go.   DJ had a bad year  He was counted on coming into this year for his 3 pt shooting and defense.   His shooting percentage of .364% was his worst in 3 years and his 3 point accuracy of .265% was, well, just bad.      Peterson’s minutes were down this year and Giannini’s use of him was very inconsistent.  

Rohan Brown – Incomplete - If I were Brown, I’d transfer. The LaSalle team was out rebounded a lot this season.    Giannini never adjusted and went with a traditional lineup of 2 forward, 2 guards and a center.    He stayed with 3, sometimes 4 guards, costing Brown minutes.    The last 4 games this season, Brown has played 5 minutes.    He had a decent run in last year’s NCAA tournament and I expected to see him play more.    

Taylor Dunn – C+ – His playing time over his tenure here at LaSalle has diminished every year.    A scrappy player, Dunn is a low percentage shooter (wow, he fits in nicely on this team).    Due to the over abundance of guards, he was never going to see any significant playing time.

Jermaine Davis – Incomplete – After redshirting last year, I thought we’d see more of him.   Gianinni’s 3 guard offense cost Davis any chance of playing. 

Hank Davis – No grade  - We always root for the walk on’s.

OJ Lewis – Who ?  

John Giannini – C-    Coach Giannini had a bad year coaching.   His constant pining about losing Ramon Galloway was getting old.   Galloway was very god, but John had 4 starters return from a 24 win team and proceeded to reign over one of the most disappointing seasons in LaSalle basketball history.  That sounds a bit dramatic, but there were very high expectations this season.   At times, the team seemed constrained by Giannini’s predictable offense, that consisted of a high ball screen from Steve Zack, numerous passes out on the perimeter and eventually a low percentage shot as the shot clock wound down.      His lack of adjustments this season were painful.     Players have bad years, and so do coaches.  Giannini had a bad one.