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VCU's 6-foot-3 sophomore shooting guard Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland (Photo by Scott K. Brown courtesy VCU Athletics)
Given his standout performance in the second half of last season, it's no surprise that Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland, a sophomore shooting guard, is the leading scorer on Virginia Commonwealth University's men's basketball team. After playing three games last week in a patched together, three-day tournament in South Dakota, Hyland is averaging 16 points per game in the new season. That's the good news about Hyland.
The bad news?
Having been nailed with technical fouls for misbehavior in VCU's first two games, Hyland now leads the team in that category, too, suggesting that one of the team's integral components may have a maturity problem that needs mending.
More good news: At this point, it appears that for his fourth season as the Rams head coach, Mike Rhoades may have upgraded the roster depth-wise. With the six additions — four freshmen and two transfers — overall, this year's team looks a little quicker, too.
VCU plays at Penn State on Wednesday, Dec. 2, with its first home court game on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. against Mount St. Mary’s. But the packed houses and amped-up atmosphere of the Siegel Center will be happening only in our memories with seating for fans at The Stu limited to 250 people due to the pandemic.
During this time of COVID-19-driven adjustments, basketball schedules are subject to change at the drop of a net. The Rams ended up spending Thanksgiving in Sioux Falls because the first two games on their published schedule (against Charlotte and Tennessee) were suddenly canceled due to an outbreak of the virus within the Tennessee team.
Hours after that cancellation news landed, an opening appeared in the bracket of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic, so VCU parachuted into that tournament. During a press conference on Zoom from Sioux Falls, Rhoades spoke about how his players were itching to face any opponent, in any venue.
"They were ready to play outdoors," he said with a chuckle. "Pickup ball ... anything."
In their three Bad Boy matchups the Rams beat the Aggies of Utah State (85-69) and the Memphis Tigers (70-59), with a loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers (78-66) sandwiched between the two wins. West Virginia is ranked No. 11 in this week's new AP Poll.
VCU's last season ended abruptly on March 12 with the cancellation of the entire Atlantic 10 Conference's championship tournament. That letdown came heaped on a regular season that had been bedeviled by fizzling expectations. After starting off with six consecutive wins and a No. 20 ranking in the AP Poll, the then-senior-laden Rams began to unravel in fits and starts. They wound up losing seven of their last eight games and fell to a 18-13 finish. Thus, with last week's two victories, the eight returning players who endured last season's extremes may have washed a bad taste out of their mouths.
Yes, "Bones" is back and some other players looked pretty good in the tournament, too. They include: Vince Williams (a 6-foot-6 junior forward), KeShawn Curry (a 6-foot-4 junior guard), Adrian "Ace" Baldwin (a 6-foot freshman guard), Hason Ward (a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward) and Jimmy "Tre" Clark (a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard). Like Hyland, Curry and Baldwin started all three games. Moreover, the hustling effort the whole team put out was impressive.
The 6-foot-3 Hyland has the raw ability and natural confidence to draw a brief glance from a pro scout. To earn a second look he will have to show he's learning how to be spontaneous and improvisational within a system with agreed-upon standards. In any good coach's system, complete players are expected to harness their passions to avoid drawing silly technical fouls.
One of the best things about following A-10 basketball teams (which includes the University of Richmond Spiders, who just upset Kentucky in Lexington) is that we get to see players who stay for four years and watch them improve. With his quick hands, Hyland has plenty of potential. At his Zoom presser from The Stu on Nov. 30, Rhoades praised Hyland for his improvement on defense.
Coming off the bench, Williams, averaging 13.7 points per game, is the second leading scorer on the team. His newfound marksmanship from beyond the 3-point line will be a valuable asset, if he can keep it going.
Ace Baldwin has taken to point guard responsibilities like a duck to water. He's averaging 6.3 assists per game. So far, Baldwin has done a good job of distributing the ball without turning it over. Rams fans who insist a good team must have a "natural" at the point position should enjoy watching Baldwin operate.
VCU was the underdog in all three of its games in South Dakota. Those modest expectations for the Rams were based somewhat on how the A-10 beat reporters viewed VCU's potential in their annual preseason poll; the Rams were picked to finish ninth in the 14-team conference. It's now fair to say Rhoades' 2020-21 Rams team has already displayed signs of being poised to exceed such expectations.
However, given the variables hovering over this college basketball season, predictions are probably worth even less than expectations. Accordingly, let's say VCU's team looks willing to face whoever and whatever comes next, without backing off.
Even if it's outdoors on asphalt.
