If nothing else, East Carolina's 61-54 loss to Louisville in the
Conference USA tournament was the perfect showcase for the state of its
basketball program. The Pirates are closer, but still have miles to go.
That has been the recurring theme for ECU since it fell to DePaul 70-65
in late January. Regardless of the opponent, the Pirates are good enough to
wage a competitive battle, but still lack the ammunition to finish a major
war.
Against the Cardinals last Thursday, that was only part of the story.
More than any team this season, Louisville exposed the primary question
Pirates coach Bill Herrion must address during the off-season. Does Mike
Cook receive the keys to the offense next season, or does Japhet McNeil
reassume his place behind the wheel?
My vote is for McNeil � probably not the popular opinion given East
Carolina's performance this season with Cook as the starting point. When he
seized the job, the Pirates found a rhythm and elevated their play across
the board.
Whether or not that is a direct reflection of Cook as the primary
ball-handler is subject to debate.
On one hand, his confidence and physical, fearless approach to the game
was the perfect prescription for improved play at point guard. On the other,
it's arguable that ECU benefited primarily by the addition of another
scoring threat, and point guard was the only position at which Cook could
log more minutes.
If you go by the traditional job description, McNeil is the more
qualified candidate to fill the role of floor general in the future.
By nature, McNeil is a playmaker whose M.O. offensively is to get his
teammates involved. His pass-first, shoot-second mentality is part of the
textbook definition of a prolific playmaker. Not only did he lead the
Pirates in assists (97), but his 58 turnovers were 35 fewer than one of the
nation's best, Duke's Chris Duhon.
With Cook, you get the opposite. Built like a Mack truck and with a
mindset much like it, Cook's basic instinct is to find his shot.
At times, he looks like Mike the Magician � outfoxing his defender and
sinking off-balance mid-range jumpers. On other occasions, he is Mike the
Mustang � bucking aimlessly out of control like a wild horse in close
quarters.
Too often we saw the latter, as evidenced by his assist-to-turnover ratio
(85-80). Thursday was a prime example.
From the opening jump, Cook struggled against the Cardinals' pressure
with a bushel of possessions ending in forced shots and turnovers. Before
Herrion could loosen his tie, the Pirates found themselves in an early 8-1
hole.
Enter McNeil, who carved Louisville's press like a Thanksgiving turkey,
and ECU turned a blowout loss into a competitive fight to the finish. With
dribble penetration, McNeil was able to expose the Cardinals' weakness in
the post. His on-the-ball pressure against Taquan Dean made the sharpshooter
a non-factor and contributed heavily to 19 turnovers.
That's what ECU needs at the point.
Next year the Pirates could boast one of C-USA's best back lines with the
return of Moussa Badiane and the additions of Mike Castro and Charles
Bronson. Not leveraging that advantage would be a mistake, which amplifies
the need for McNeil's presence on the floor.
Not only that, but with McNeil, Badiane, and wing Frank Robinson on the
floor, the Pirates are perhaps the league's most polished defensive unit.
Though Cook isn't exactly a slouch on defense, he does struggle against
playmakers adept at dribble penetration.
The fact is, ECU needs improved play and increased minutes from both
McNeil and Cook to make a serious leap up the C-USA standings next year. The
departure of Derrick Wiley opens the opportunity for just that.
With McNeil running the show, Cook will be free to move without the ball,
fighting off screens and posting up smaller guards. That the Pirates' best
stretch in the second half against Louisville occurred with both on the
court isn't some coincidence that should be overlooked.
Just when it looked like the candidate list for ECU's vacant director of
athletics position was beginning to slim down, a new name has been thrown
into the mix. Literally.
Georgia Tech Senior Associate AD Larry New has recently shown interest in
becoming the Pirates' next AD. Although the longtime member of the Tech
athletics department has no direct ties to the Pirates, he does have
connections within East Carolina.
New coached under current ESPN analyst Bill Curry at Georgia Tech,
Alabama, and Kentucky. While at Alabama, New was on the same staff as
current Pirates coach John Thompson.
Of the known candidates, New has the least experience, having served in
athletics administration for less than three years. But apparently that
hasn't affected his quick rise to second-in-command in Atlanta.
However, according to a couple of sources, New's name may have been added
to the candidate pool too late for him to have a serious shot at securing
the job.
