SOUTH KINGSTON, R.I. – At a time like this, it’s insane to think that there have been people who want to run Jim Baron out of town. That’s not to say such a notion isn’t bad just on its own merits, but at a time like this the absurdity of it is more obvious.
After Thursday night’s 79-76 win over Northeastern, the Rams are 7-1. They head north to play at Boston College on Sunday, and even if they don’t come away victorious there, fans have to think this is a good non-conference run thus far.
The Rams were nobody’s pick to start the season well. Besides the lost production and leadership from last season, they didn’t look overly impressive at first. The halfcourt offense, still very much a work in progress now, looked shaky, so they had to live and die by the press. But they have largely lived and improved, and they have good wins along the way. They have knocked off preseason Patriot League favorite Holy Cross, America East contender Stony Brook, arch-rival Providence (who has been better than advertised) and now CAA contender Northeastern. The only loss came at CAA contender VCU, one they have bounced back from with three wins within six days.
They have pulled out close games as well. They beat Providence by just four, put away Quinnipiac late to win by nine and then beat Northeastern by three.
“I think we’re growing off of past experience,” said senior guard Keith Cothran, who scores 19 points in the win over Northeastern. “Last year, we used to lose a lot of close games, two points, three points here and there, because of those key possessions down the stretch.”
Baron admits that there have been times this season, especially at first, where he has been looking for son Jimmy Baron while on the bench. Without him, the team entered the season not having a clear sniper from long range that can help in the halfcourt offense. He also lost a guy in Kaheim Seawright that they could dump the ball inside to for a basket when they really needed one. But as the Rams have improved there, he admits he’s getting away from looking for Jimmy, and going 10-20 from long range against Northeastern certainly helps.
“Guys are doing a heck of a job, and they’re gaining some confidence through this process,” said Baron. “It’s a good feeling.”
The way the Rams play, the bench is always a key, and it certainly has been for them more and more as the season has gone along. Thursday night, it was in full force. The Rams had a 30-12 edge in bench scoring against the thin Huskies, with Akeem Richmond going 4-10 from long range and making a couple of those shots at key junctures. Richmond isn’t shy, and although at times he looks like a gunner, he’s simply taking advantage of the freedom he’s being given.
Stevie Mejia had a big game, going 3-3 from long range and adding give rebounds and four assists with one turnover after Marquis Jones got in foul trouble. He also battled some foul trouble of his own late in the first half, effectively playing with two for a while. At times this season, the halfcourt offense has looked better with Mejia in the game. That’s highly unlikely to mean a move into the starting lineup, especially since it is working right now, but it always helps when you go to the bench and gain something.
“He didn’t miss a beat. He stepped up and made some plays,” Baron said of Mejia. “He just leads. I’ll take four assists and one turnover from him.”
Defense is still a concern, as the Rams are allowing opponents to shoot over 46 percent on the season. Only twice have they held an opponent below 40 percent for the game, and the last three opponents have shot just below 50 percent despite the Rams winning the games. They are turning teams over, which is further evidence of how important the press is for this team as it can make up for the relatively high shooting percentage.
As concerning as the halfcourt offense is, the Rams are more concerned about the defense. They know it’s a bigger issue because they feel the offense will come along. They also know they can’t live just with the press because some teams will be able to break it.
“We just got to pick it up on the defensive end and the offense will just come,” said Cothran.
The defense has been a concern all season, as has the halfcourt offense. It’s been an area where they have stressed a need for improvement all along. But through it all, the Rams are off to a good start on the season and look to be growing. Considering the bottom line is often all that matters to some, the Rams’ 7-1 start is a pretty good coaching job to this point.
