Tom Brennan was the architect, Mike Lonergan kept the momentum going but John Becker has solidified Vermont as one of the most formidable and respected basketball programs in New England.
Between the 01-02 and 03-04 seasons, the Brennan-led Catamounts had three strong seasons under their belt: an overall 64-29 record, two American East championships, but both appearances in March Madness against Arizona and UConn were not competitive, ending each season with a sour feeling of consolation.
Entering the 04-05 season, Vermont was still “just another mid-major school” until March 18th, 2005, arguably the most important date in program history: thanks to consecutive three-pointers in a 48-second span by Germain Mopa Njila and T.J. Sorrentine (the Sorrentine shot is arguably one of the best moments in March Madness history), Vermont shocked #4 seed Syracuse in OT in Worcester, MA, a location nearly equidistant from both schools’ campuses.
Thanks in part to that game, Vermont was no longer “just another mid-major school”: they were one of those consistently good mid-major schools that none of the high-majors wanted to schedule in November.
Their success since the 05-06 season has been remarkable: a 383-170 record (.693), ten regular season championships, five America East Conference Tournament championships.
Over the last six seasons, Becker has led the Catamounts through quite a run: six consecutive regular season championships, three conference championships and three 13-seeds.
That level of consistency makes it clear that Becker and his squad never rebuild, they just keep reloading.
As good as Vermont has been, it’s fair to argue that last year’s squad was the best squad top-to-bottom in program history: nine players averaged 13 or more minutes-per-game and the team’s 28-6 record earned them a 13-seed and a KenPom rating of 54, their best rating since the 04-05 season.
Entering the offseason, Vermont was faced with replacing their top-four scorers, who together represented 64% of last year’s scoring. Amongst those four, South Burlington’s Ben Shungu (16.2p, 41.4 3p%) and skilled big Ryan Davis (17.3p, 44.1 3p%) are the most talented graduates to replace.
In late April, Becker’s staff found an instant replacement for Shungu, Bellarmine grad transfer Dylan Penn. The 6’3 190 athletic point guard led Bellarmine in points (16.6) and assists (5.0) last season.
While not a strong or willing three-point shooter (24.2% on just 1.9 attempts/game), Penn sticks to his strengths: good vision, inventive passing, off-the-bounce breakdown abilities and smart off-ball cuts.
One of Vermont’s strengths last season was limiting turnovers (their 14.7 turnover % was the 14th best in the nation, according to KenPom) and Penn’s simplified A:TO ratio of 1.72 is even better than Shungu’s simplified A:TO ratio of 1.28.
In addition to Ben Shungu, last year’s starting guard Justin Mazzulla is moving on after playing his fifth-year of basketball, and his second season in Burlington, but the Catamounts return four upperclassmen in their backcourt to step up:
Finn Sullivan, 6’4 195 fifth-year senior. Joined Vermont last season after playing three seasons at San Diego. Sullivan started last year at the 3-guard providing a versatile two-way game providing scoring (7.2p), outside shooting (2/3rds of his FGAs were from deep and Sullivan converted at a 34.6% rate), passing (2 assists/game), and defense (33 steals and 16 blocks).
Robin Duncan, 6’5 190 fifth-year senior. The youngest of the three Duncan brothers who all played at Vermont, Robin has been a steady presence on Becker’s rotations, averaging between 18-24 mpg in each of his four seasons in Burlington. Not much of a shooter or scorer (just 22 career 3PM and 437 career points), Duncan is the team’s glue guy providing steady rebounding (averaged between 3.2-3.8 rebounds/game throughout each of his four seasons) and assists (2.4-2.6 assists/game throughout each of his four seasons).
Aaron Deloney, 6’0 165 senior. Last year, Deloney reached career highs in points-per-game (7.5) and 3P% (39.5% with about ½ of his FGAs from deep). According to 247, when Deloney committed in 2019, he was Vermont’s highest ranked recruit of all-time.
Kameron Gibson, 6’3 195 fifth-year senior. Joined Vermont last season after playing three seasons at Western Carolina, a program known for letting it fly from deep. Gibson brought some of that range to Burlington, shooting about 2/3rds of his attempts from three and converting at a 35.1% rate.
Between the addition of Dylan Penn and the returning talent of the four upperclassmen listed above, Vermont’s backcourt is talented and deep.
On the other hand, the biggest question marks are in the frontcourt. Between Ryan Davis and Isaiah Powell, the Catamounts are losing two of their top-three scorers, their two best rebounders and their best passer, Powell.
While 6’7 210 junior Nick Fiorillo, a former walk-on, is a rugged returnee who can do a little bit of everything, a lot of the lifting in the frontcourt will be counted on by Vermont’s transfer haul and incoming freshmen led by Perry Smith Jr. and Jorge Ochoa, who both, according to 247, are the program’s two highest ranked recruits in school history.
Out of Legacy Early College in Greenville, South Carolina, the 6’9 220 Perry Smith Jr. has fans in Burlington buzzing about Smith’s potential as the next great Vermont big. Smith picked Vermont over high-major schools LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas A&M, TCU, Marquette and others.
Smith was kind enough to share with me about what excites him most about playing for Becker and the Catamounts: “There is a true family atmosphere here at Vermont and we are already coming together as a team to learn from each other and appreciate what we all bring to the table. Vermont is a winning program and we plan to continue the tradition this year.”
Smith is very aware of what great Vermont bigs like Ryan Davis have excelled with in the past: “From what I’ve seen with Ryan [Davis], he was great offensively and moved well without the ball. I will use my athleticism to match his intensity.”
Smith also sees his skillset meshing with Vermont basketball: “My game will transfer smoothly with pick and pops, playing tough around the basket, defending the post and the perimeter, blocking shots and securing double-digit rebounds every game.”
While Smith is well aware that he will have to work his way into the rotation, the departure of Davis allows for a huge opportunity for Smith to compete for minutes at the 5 alongside Fiorillo.
From Los Angeles, CA, the 6’7 220 Jorge Ochoa picked Vermont over high-major schools Washington State and DePaul, along with offers from Rice, UC-Santa Barbara, Nevada and Loyola Marymount.
Ochoa brings three-level scoring potential thanks to his footwork and awareness in the paint, his ability to play above the rim and his outside range.
The other two pieces of Vermont’s transfer haul will compete for frontcourt minutes:
Ileri Ayo-Faleye, a 6’7 185 redshirt sophomore from Rhode Island. In his 42 total minutes last year, Ayo-Faleye secured six rebounds and three blocks, a small sample size hinting to some dynamic defensive potential. Out of high school, Ayo-Faleye held 14 offers from D1 teams.
Matt Veretto, a 6’7 210 senior who last played D1 basketball during the 18-19 season at Delaware, starting 12 games and averaging 6.4 points on 39.1% shooting from three.
With twelve scholarships currently filled, the team’s roster also includes:
Incoming freshman TJ Hurley, a 6’6 wing from Pelham, Ontario.
Incoming freshman Jackson Skipper, a 6’7 forward from Oklahoma.
Returning redshirt freshman Sam Alamutu, a 6’5 215 forward from Ajax, Ontario.
While the Bryant Bulldogs, last year’s NEC champions, will definitely help make the America East a more competitive league, Vermont’s talent and depth will continue to persuade voters to pick the Catamounts to dominate the top of preseason polls.
OOC games as of 6/21/22:
11/13 @ Cal State Fulteron (last year’s Big West champions)
TBD @ USC
TBD v Toledo
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