I recently sat down with Kirk Crecco '12 to discuss the state of Dartmouth men's basketball and his expectations for the rest of the season.
How's the season going so far?
KC: I'd say the season is going well in terms of effort and I think we're on a positive slope. Things are going to improve a lot just because we've worked too hard for them not to, and the spirit of the team is really positive. We've had some tough losses, but I think that we've learned from them.
What's the deal with your coaching situation?
KC: I would say that it was Coach Dunn's decision to resign because it was in the best interest of himself and his family. But, we are looking forward to the Ivy League situation. The goal has always been to win an Ivy League championship and that's not going to change.
What are the keys to playing well the rest of the season?
KC: We need to continue to have great enthusiasm in every game and come into every game with a real fire and a real passion. Basketball-wise, we really need to focus on executing the offense better and limiting other teams' second-chance points. Our rebounding needs to improve. If we do those things, we'll put ourselves in a great position to win a lot more games. The effort has always been there, we just need to maintain that and focus on the little things.
How tough was it to lose your best player from last year, Alex Barnett '09?
KC: I think it's tough. You can't replace a player like Alex because he did so many things for us. It was great to play with him and even just watch him. He's doing great over in Europe right now. At the same time, we're a team where everyone needs to contribute and that shows. We have different guys who can do different things every night. Everyone needs to pick up the slack instead of just looking towards one person. It's only been a year since he graduated. A continual team effort will put us in the best position to win more games.
Who are some of the best teams in the Ivy League?
KC: Until somebody beats Cornell, they're going to be the clear-cut favorite. So far during the year, they've beat schools like Alabama, La Salle, St. Joe's and they almost beat Kansas the other night. Harvard is also a very, very good team. They've improved a lot, and a lot has to do with their recruiting. They're going to be big challenges, but challenges we are looking forward to.
How would you guys match up against a team like Kansas?
KC: If we were to match up with a team like that, it'd be crucial for us to control the tempo of the game, just because they're more athletic than us and have more speed and will want to play a more up-and-down game. We would need to take good shots, really move the ball around and not take quick shots. If we could keep the game low-scoring, it'd put us in a position to win. For the games we've won and even when we've lost, we've kept the other team from scoring. The times we are most successful, we keep the other team in the 40s and 50s.
How tough is your practice and travel schedule?
KC: The time aspect is pretty tough because it takes up so many hours during the day between practice, film sessions, treatment at the sports medicine center and things like that. At the same time, it's something we've all chosen to do and we love to do, so it's really not that much of a sacrifice in that we enjoy what we are doing. It is tough balancing the demands of Division I basketball and academics.
Who's the best dunker on the team?
KC: The best dunker is probably Mbiyimoh [Ghogomu '13]. He's a freshman. Just because he's so athletic and really explosive.
Do you guys see yourself winning the Ivy League and making a tournament appearance during your career here?
KC: Yes. I definitely think that we have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle. We have really great potential and we just need to utilize it. We have a really great ability to surprise people in the future. By the future, I mean in the near future and the long-term future.
What are some things for fans to look forward to for the rest of the season?
KC: I think that they should look forward to their basketball team being very competitive. During the stretch of the Ivy League season, everything picks up a notch and goes to another level just because every game counts the league doesn't have an end-of-the-year tournament. Every game will have more intensity. The more fans we get at home games will really help us. We appreciate all the support we can get.
