During his first off-season as Montana State’s head men’s basketball coach, Brian Fish gave his roster an overhaul.
As the Bobcats enter the third weekend of Big Sky Conference play, Fish has received mixed returns from the eight new players he added to his roster. Montana State plays North Dakota on Thursday night in Grand Forks and the Bobcats could roll out another rendition of a starting lineup.
“There definitely might be some more changes,” Fish said on Tuesday.
MSU guard Tyler Hall
The first four games of the conference season — Montana State enters this weekend 2-2 — the Bobcats have gone with a guard-heavy lineup featuring senior Marcus Colbert, freshman Tyler Hall and junior Stephan Holm in the backcourt, sophomore wing Zach Green playing up front and senior Danny Robison playing in the post.
Montana State has been able to hang on the glass, earning a rebounding margin of nearly two more than their opponent per game. MSU has also shot the ball with proficiency, drilling nearly 39 percent of their shots from beyond the 3-point arc. But the Bobcats have been vulnerable in the paint, particularly in a 77-70 loss to Portland State at home last Saturday. PSU power forward Cameron Forte hit 12-of-18 shots in the lane and finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench.
“We are adjusting to the lineup and I think a few more conference games and seeing the ball go through the hoop a few more times for our guards will help,” Robison said. “We’ve won seven games with that style. I think it’s working for us. It’s not our offense we are worried about. It’s our defense.”
Hall has been a dangerous addition to the lineup. The true freshman from Rock Island, Illinois is averaging 21.8 points per game during conference play. His 36 points against Southern Utah was the most by an MSU freshman and the most in the league this season. He received extra attention against Sacramento State and finished just 3-of-11 from the floor but bounced back to score 24 points against PSU.
Sarp Gobeloglu, a 6-foot-10, 205-pound Turk who played the last two seasons at Gillette (Wyoming) Community College, has also proven to be a unique weapon off the bench. His unorthodox game and ability to stretch the floor translated into 20 points in the 71-64 win over Sac. Gobeloglu is averaging 11.5 points per game and is shooting 45.5 percent from beyond the arc in conference play.
MSU guard Quinton Everett pulls up for three vs. PSU
Fish brought in guard Nahjee Matlock and posts Tyson Kanseyo and Shy Blake from the junior college ranks. The trio is playing less than 20 minutes per game combined during league play. They have combined for 14 points, 16 rebounds, one assist, eight turnovers and 13 fouls during conference play.
True freshman Sam Neumann has played four minutes in Big Sky play. Freshman Mandrell Worthy is sitting out this season after undergoing knee surgery.
Quinton Everett is the X-factor for Montana State and the most likely addition to the starting lineup. Everett suffered a head injury that cost him the first conference weekend. Against Sac State, he missed all three of his shots and played just 12 minutes. Against Portland State, Everett drilled all three of his 3-poniters and scored 12 points off the bench.
“I think a lot of any lineup change has to do with what production we are going to get from Quinton,” Fish said. “He’s been out. He came back and he was almost night and day difference with the type of player he was on Thursday and Saturday. Hopefully, we will continue to get that because then that allows me to move guys around even more.”
Since entering the starting lineup during conference play, Holm has struggled. He is shooting just 31 percent from the floor and 31 percent from beyond the arc. Holm is one of the top sharpshooters in the league — the lefty is shooting 43 percent from downtown overall this season — and when his stroke is off, his defensive deficiencies are magnified.
“I thought he passed up shots today,” Fish said following Holm’s 1-of-7 shooting performance against Portland State. “I think (being in the starting linupe) has bothered him. I do. We have to take a look at that.
MSU guard Steph Holm
“We have to get Steph going again because Steph sometimes can give up a little defensively but can sometimes hit shots on the other end so it’s a plus for us but he’s struggling a little bit confidence-wise. We have to get him to making shots again.”
Fish also expressed displeasure with Green’s effort and referenced it as a reason Green sat on the bench down the stretch against PSU.
“He’s (Green) got to come ready,” Fish said. “I was a little disappointed with his effort. You have to get locked in. You give something up, you have to go down and make a play.”
Following a 93-82 loss at Southern Utah, Fish challenged his Bobcats to respond. MSU responded with a strong second half to earn a 74-72 overtime win at Northern Arizona. Last week, MSU rode Gobeloglu to the win over Sac. But Fish questioned his team’s maturity in not being able to earn the home sweep.
“That’s the part we have to get figured out as a team,” Fish said. “That’s the part that is a little bit shaky on this team is that when we have success, we get away from what we do well and go back to habits. That’s the part that we have to change. That’s the part I have to get identified and get them buying in to say, ‘Hey, this is what’s working. Let’s stick with it.”
Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
