Monday, January 12, 2009

Guest Contributor Ray Floriani: St. Peter's, Niagara & Turnovers

by Ray Floriani

JERSEY CITY, NJ -- Sometimes these numbers just reach out and grab you. I covered the Niagara-St.Peter’s game, a MAAC Conference contest at St. Peter's Yanitelli Center, on Friday night. Niagara won 62-55 in a game where St.Peter’s just would not go away. The Peacocks got their preferred pace, the numbers of possessions stayed in the low sixties. Niagara had only 13 turnovers, a number that seems at first glance, pretty well controlled, but in a 62 possession contest those turnovers yield a less impressive 21% TO Rate. St.Peter’s had 20 turnovers that contributed in great portion to Niagara’s fine defensive efficiency. The offensive rebounding percentages for both teams are noticeably impressive. Any team with a 40% mark is really pounding the boards. Both these teams went at it hard and fast underneath. The offensive board percentage also explains, for the most part, why Niagara shot 28 free throws and St.Peter’s 21.

TeamPossEff.TO%OR%
Niagara621002151
St. Peter's64863154

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Sunday, I had the honor of officiating a girls high school showcase game at Monmouth University. My game had two ranked teams, St.John Vianney(NJ) and Oak Hill(Va). Vianney won 69-53. For Villanova fans, their program was well covered and represented as courtside among the coaches in attendance were Nova head coach Harry Perretta and assistant Heather Vulin.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Good morning greyCat

Did I read this right? You refed that SJV game?

That's quite a storied program.(If you're from around NJ you probably know)

And you're in my neck of the woods. My kids went there. I used to follow them regularly(meaning go to the games)

Are they that good now?

greyCat said...

Ray Floriani, a basketball writer, long time New Jersey resident and contributor to the Big East Report Blog, Basketball Times and Hoopville has kindly shared some of his reporting and analysis with me and the readers of Villanova by the Numbers. Note the post about St. John Vianny (and Villanova coaches Harry Perretta & Heather Vulin) is one of Ray's many contributions. Ray also referees New Jersey high school games. He is an all around great contributor.

St. John Vianney is indeed quite a program -- one of the very best in NJ. Have had the pleasure of watching a number of their TOC games over the years.