Men's hoops returns four starters, takes on new head coach

It didn't take new head coach Joe Scott '87 long to figure out who the heart and soul of his basketball team would be.

Even as he spent four years in Colorado Springs, Colo., resurrecting the Air Force program, he kept tabs on his Tigers back in New Jersey. He'd seen senior center Judson Wallace score points by the bushel, seen senior forward Andre Logan battle back from injuries, seen junior point guard Scott Greenman mature into a steady floor leader.

But it was the play of senior guard Will Venable that impressed him the most. From 2,000 miles away, he noticed the intangibles Venable brought to the court.

"He's fast, strong and disciplined," Scott said. "He's the guy on our team who can determine what our persona is. I want to be able to say, 'Just look at Venable; that's what I'm talking about.' "

What Scott is talking about is toughness and intensity. Those are the traits that made Scott an All-Ivy player under Pete Carril, traits that continue to define him as a coach. They are also the traits that Scott believes separates a good team — like last year's 20-8 Ivy League championship squad — from a great one, like the 27-2 team of 1997-1998.

"This team has had some success, but I think there's more in them to give and more in them to accomplish," Scott said. "You have to play 40 minutes, as hard as you can. That's learned behavior."

Scott is not the only one with high expectations for the Tigers this year. For the first time since that '97-'98 season, Princeton is the heavy preseason favorite in the Ivies. Just as important, beating top-25 teams — and perhaps becoming one — is again a realistic goal.

"We've got all the parts," Wallace said, "so there should be expectations on us."

From top to bottom, the team is one of the most talented squads in recent memory. The question is how quickly the Tigers can adjust to Scott's version of the Princeton offense. While the sets and first passes are the same, the continuations are different.

"A lot of times [it seems like] we have 15 freshmen on the court," Scott said. "But it's the same principles, the same ideas, so the reasons why make more sense to them more quickly."

Scott says he is extremely pleased by the speed with which his team has picked up the new offense — "we're cutting way harder, we're moving the ball way better than we've seen in the past." His biggest concern is now defense.

The aggressive match-up zone system Scott has installed is drastically different from the fairly basic man-to-man defense Princeton has run in the past. It may take getting used to, but should pay off in the long run: Air Force led the nation in scoring defense last year.

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If the Tigers hope to match the Falcons' performance, they must limit opponents' second chances on offense with consistent rebounding. But doing so could be one of their biggest challenges, given the lack of size and depth inside.

The absence of Harrison Schaen '08, who was a key reserve as a freshman, will certainly hurt. Schaen is gone for the year. Making matters worse, Logan, who was expected to start at power forward, is again sidelined by his balky left knee. He reinjured it on the first day of practice and underwent arthroscopic surgery on Nov. 12. He is expected to miss three to six weeks.

Still, Princeton has plenty of frontcourt talent left, starting with All-Ivy center Wallace. He proved he could score in bunches, scoring more than 20 points 10 times. But he also suffered through a midseason slump.

"I'm looking for him to do the Princeton center things, like moving the ball more quickly," Scott said. "It's empowering for a freshman to see a guy who can score worry about helping other guys score."

Backing up Wallace will be barrel-chested six-foot, 10-inch senior Mike Stephens.

With Logan out, 6'5" freshman Noah Savage moves into the starting lineup. Although undersized for the position, he has impressed Scott with his toughness and inside scoring.

Sophomore Luke Owings — whom Scott hopes will add a post-up game this year to complement his established prowess from beyond the arc — steps into the other starting forward spot after making large strides in the off-season.

"Luke isn't making any of the mistakes he was making last year," Wallace said. "He's grown so much over the summer and understands what's expected of him."

Also seeing playing time at forward will be 6'7" freshman Kyle Koncz, a natural shooter with skills similar to Owings', and scrappy sophomore Edwin Buffmire.

Meanwhile, Venable, who spent most of his first three seasons at small forward, will play primarily at shooting guard. Scott hopes the move will create more mismatches for Venable, allowing him more chances to score.

"I want him posting up more and driving more," Scott said. "I've also emphasized his shooting. I think he's a much better shooter than he's been given credit for."

Alongside Venable will be Greenman, in his second season running the point. With Ed Persia '04 gone, even more responsibility for running the offense will fall on the lefty. Providing relief off the bench will be sophomore Max Schafer, a tenacious defender but a streaky shooter, and deceptively athletic freshman Matt Sargeant.

Given the amount of talent on the roster, it is easy to understand why so much is expected. Still, Princeton may have to take one step back to take two steps forward. And if it takes Scott hooting and hollering from the sidelines, so be it.

"I'm animated because it's very important to me," he said with a rare smile, "and because I think these kids can be very, very good."