TMC mulling state tourney dates
The MIAA Tournament Management Committee was given the daunting task of trying to fit a spring state tournament into a small window of time.
The committee spent most of the hour Thursday debating just how they could conceivably run a postseason with the opening round slated to start around June 18 and have it completed by July 3 at the latest. Wahconah athletic director Jared Shannon feels ending the season on July 3 could be risky.
“Speaking for Western Mass., I spoke to people out here and no one wants to play after June 30,” Shannon said. “It’s dangerous to go past July 1 because of the weather. We could set the end date at June 30, so there is some flexibility in the event of rain.”
Burlington athletic director Shaun Hart is a staunch proponent of a state tournament, largely due to the fact that student-athletes didn’t get a chance to compete last spring due to the pandemic. He feels the committee has an obligation to do whatever it can to ensure a tournament moves forth.
“Our job is to build a tournament in a safe manner,” Hart said. “What suits (the TMC) is irrelevant — the primary directive
they got from the Gordon HAywArd sign-And-trAde in the offseAson. Green TeAmers hAd hoped thAt vAluABle Asset would net the teAm An All-StAr or At leAst A Better plAyer thAn Fournier.
The CeltiCs hAd Been rumored to Be A leAding Contender for MAgiC forwArd AAron Gordon, But he insteAd went to the Denver Nuggets. MeAnwhile, perhAps the Best plAyer deAlt on the dAy, MAgiC All-StAr Center NikolA VuCeviC, Also went to the Bulls, As pArt of OrlAndo’s everythingmust-go sAle.
Keep in mind, the Bulls Are just 1.5 gAmes Behind the CeltiCs for the No. 8 spot in the EAstern ConferenCe plAyoff rACe. Adding the tAlented VuCeviC And A pieCe like Theis should greAtly help ChiCAgo.
The MiAmi HeAt got Better As well By lAnding twotime All-StAr guArd ViCtor OlAdipo from the Houston RoCkets. The 6-foot-4 OlAdipo is AverAging 21.2 points, 5.0 Assists And 4.8 reBounds And joins A HeAt teAm thAt hAs ClimBed into the top-five in the EAst After getting to the NBA FinAls lAst seAson.
It’s fAir to sAy thAt teAms Competing with the CeltiCs in the EAst hAd A Better deAdline dAy thAn the C’s.
The depArture of Theis will open the door for more plAying time for RoBert WilliAms. The 23-yeAr-old hAs Been exCellent for the Celts, AverAging 7.7 points (73% from the floor), 6.4 reBounds And 1.7 BloCks in just 17.2 minutes per gAme. His dynAmiC And explosive skill set CertAinly wArrAnted more minutes.
Still, it’s diffiCult to imAgine the Addition of Fournier And more minutes for WilliAms will vAult the CeltiCs into ChAmpion
ship disCussion After A very underAChieving three months.
The 6-foot-11, 23-yeArold WAgner AppeAred in 25 gAmes this seAson for the WAshington WizArds And AverAged 7.1 points And 2.9 reBounds. He Could fACtor into frontCourt minutes for the C’s. However, thAt likely won’t Be the CAse for the 7foot-2, 25-yeAr-old Kornet, who AppeAred in 13 gAmes for ChiCAgo And AverAged 2.0 points.
The Buyout mArket Could Bring in more help, But thAt will only provide so muCh. After All, there’s A reAson why plAyers get Bought-out.
The CeltiCs’ Best hope is thAt the tAlent thAt wAs AlreAdy in the room And wAs expeCted to hAve the teAm At the top of the EAst, figures out how to reACh their potentiAl, And Fournier provides thAt needed Boost.
But they’re running low on time And the trAde deAdline hAs Come And gone.