Crunching the numbers
A student at Bryant, Cam Germaine plays a key role as the Bulldogs’ Director of Basketball Analytics
SMITHFIELD — You mean I don’t have to sit in the stands? Nope, there’s a spot at the scorer’s table with your name tag on it.
In a season filled with noteworthy firsts and pinch-me moments, Cam Germaine was able to live out two of his main passions: basketball and analytics.
The 20-year-old joined the Bryant University men’s basketball staff with a distinctive title – Director of Basketball Analytics – that enabled him to see the game in ways that stretch well beyond the numbers.
As for where Germaine positioned himself during Bryant home games at the Chace Athletic Center, let’s just say he’s appreciative of steps taken by Miles McQuiggan, Bryant’s Assistant Director of Athletic Communications.
“The first game, I was sitting behind the bench with a notebook because I didn’t have my credential all set,” said Germaine. “It was nice to be at the table with a laptop. Definitely made things easier.”
A senior-to-be at Bryant, Germaine is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics & Statistics.
He’s been a math guy since his childhood days growing up in Latham, NY. As Germaine grew older and became more aware of how crunching numbers was becoming an essential way of life in sports, his focus narrowed. He wanted to join the data-driven field, but he also understood that there are steps one must take before applying for positions with pro sports franchises.
After dabbling with the Think Tank — a group of Bryant Data Science and Applied Analytics students – Germaine sought to kick up his apprenticeship a level or two. He made contact with Luke St. Lifer, who was the first Director of Basketball Analytics under Bryant basketball head coach Jared Grasso.
In June 2019, St. Lifer left Bryant to become an assistant coach at Le Moyne College. The move left Germaine in an uncertain position, yet Grasso proved take a shot on the kid.
“He didn’t have to Germaine.
What did Germaine keep track of? One stat that proved to be a great indicator of on-court success for the 2019-20 Bulldogs stemmed from how many times you’re able to get three defensive stops in a row. In the stat world, that’s known as a knockout.
“Basketball is a game of runs. When you’re scoring, chances are the other team is being held down,” said Germaine, who served as a captain of his high school basketball and tennis teams.
The goal is to achieve seven knockouts per contest.
“When [Bryant] got seven knockouts, we went 11-2. When we got less than seven, we were 4-14,” said Germaine.
Another stat of note that Germaine shared was the number of passes that Bryant threw per game – a good indication in terms of speed and tempo. When the Bulldogs lost to Saint Francis in the 2020 NEC Tournament, the biggest takeaway was that Bryant unleashed 100 more passes than the previous year’s loss to the Red Flash in the conference playoffs.
“With the new wave of talent coming in next year, hopefully we can go even faster,” said Germaine.
This past March, Germaine was afforded the opportunity to huddle up with some of the top minds in the sports analytics field who came to Boston for the 14th annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Organized by David Sparks, Director of Basketball Analytics for the Boston Celtics, Germaine listened and mingled with analytical
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“You’re working with the best of the best,” said Germaine, who was one of 40 individuals to receive an invite to what could be coined as an exclusive event.
One key takeaway from the Sloan Conference that Germaine can’t wait to study further up on involves the mid-range shot. Offensively, it’s a field-goal attempt that’s become an endangered species as basketball teams at all levels continue to stress three-pointers. After what Germaine heard, perhaps the long jumper could be making a comeback.
“You’re always trying to find that right balance based on your personnel,” said Germaine.
Grasso has come to depend on Germaine for numbers during the game, at halftime, and after the final buzzer.
“He’s got a real passion for basketball and the analytics side, which is something I have a major interest in,” said Grasso. “I think he has a bright future. When it’s all said and done, he’s one of those guys who you can someday see become the general manager of an organization. He’s really bright and a hard worker. We’re blessed to have him.”
All you can ask for is an opportunity with Germaine knowing that Grasso didn’t have to take a flyer on him after an opening for an analytical mind on the Bryant staff became available.
“Jared is a good resource to have,” said Germaine. “He’s taken care of me from the get-go.”
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