Rhode Island, 2010
This dynasty is another attempt at building a team centered around an extremely fast paced, high scoring, 3 point shooting team, with little to no regard for defense.
Here is my first try, with the Hartford Hawks:
FBCB2: Hartford Hawks - Front Office Football Central
It failed miserably. Part of the problem was the type of player I could recruit. With a 20-30 prestige team, I was limited to 2 star recruits and the occasional 3 star guy. Most of these guys who are great 3 point shooters have very little other skills. I had one decent year and that was abut it. Also, I think the AD's expectations were way out of line.
So, I'll try again with Rhode Island, a 59 prestige team. Here is the basic setup.
No academic suspension, no injuries, no players leave early for the draft. Transfers can play immediately.
I am going to expand my criteria a bit when recruiting.
PG: Must be B or better at 3PS, and I'll look for good hands, passing and inside shooting ability (drive and dish or score)
SG: Must be B or better 3PS and good JPS. INS is nice but not necessary.
SF: Must be B or better 3PS and either good INS or JPS.
PF/C: Must be B or better in either ORB or DRB and competent in the other. Also needs to be a competent INS.
Defense doesn't matter.
Pace will be set to 10. 3 point shooting set to 10. My go to guys will be my best 3 point shooters.
If this was a real life team, I want to see us push the ball up court, and take the first open shot we get, preferably a 3 point shot. The bigs should rebound and tip in or kick back out for another shot.
On defense....I don't really care what they do, I just hope the other team shoots quick, so I don't think we are going to play tough man or pressure defense. I just want to get the rebound on a miss and go the other way quickly.
Rhode Island plays in the A10 conference and has a team prestige of 59 to begin. The AD expects me to finish 500 in conference. Seems reasonable.
The first season gets simmed pretty quickly because I don't really care about the current players on the team. I just want to get my guys in the program and start implementing my system and see if I can have success.
This first recruiting class is essential!
I have 3 scholarships available and the only pressing need right now to field a balanced team is a SF. I'll try to grab a guard and a PF/C as well, but probably go for best overall.
I lock onto a guard and a center early on and I am in a 2 way recruiting battle with each of those guys. I'm having trouble find an SF that I like with mutual interest.
I lose the SG to Delaware, which is pretty disappointing. The other team drops out on the Center I am after, so that should be a done deal for me.
I have an offer out to 2 SFs who I like, but I am not in love with. I also keep heavily recruiting a couple other SF's that I like as well.
Nobody signs with me in the early recruiting period.
December Signing Period.
I miss out on on SF. He chose Holy Cross. I did land the other:
SF Elton Stevens, 3 star, #228. A potential in 3PS, currently rated 71. C's pretty much acros the board in all other scoring categories.
I am still almost assured of the Center and I now have an offer out to a PG who I overlooked a bit at first, but after further review should make an excellent SG in my system.
January Signing Period
I wrap up my first recruiting class with 2 more signings!
C Mitch Lukas, 3 stars, #336 overall. Potentials of: A in ORB, B in DRB and B for INS. And for a bonus a B in Steals.
PG (soon to be SG I think) Jamal Oller, 3 stars, #408 overall. Potentials of B in 3PS, A in JPS, A in FTS, C in INS.
Fast Forward to the end of the season...
We finish the regular season up at 17-13 (9-7), good for 6th in the A10 (a 14 team league). Our RPI is 87 so maybe we are looking at an NIT bid or something...
Postseason
A10 First Round: RI 83, Umass 71
A10 Quarters: Charlotte 109, RI 91
Temple beats Charlotte for the A10 Title and the Auto Bid.
No post season tournament invite for me, which is fine.
NCAA Top Seeds: Michigan State, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky
Final Four (with seed): Clemson (3), Texas (1), Syracuse (2), Wake Forest (2)
Villanova beats Maryland for the NIT Title.
Texas beats Syracuse by a bucket for the National Title!
We had the conference player of the year and he is only a junior, so I have that to look forward to.....
On to the first real season!