By Michael Letendre
Is there any slowing down the Bristol Central boys basketball program?
Probably not this year as the team won at Hartford Public, zipping up an 85-71 victory in Hartford to one to a perfect 12-0 on the campaign.
Don’t be tricked by the score as the final deficit was just 14 points.
The game was a laugher after three completed frames as the starters – including All-State talent Donovan Clingan – were on the bench, taking in the triumph.
But here’s my problem with the showdown and games like it.
Public kept its starters in the entire contest, pressing, and trapping and cutting a huge deficit to 14 points in the end.
Do I have a problem with the defensive tactics?
No, because you do what you must do at the end of a blowout.
But why in the heck are these same programs keeping starters out on the floor long after these games are over?
This is a silly tactic, completely irresponsible and doing things like that will burn a team in the end.
Just ask the New England Patriots that when they left Rob Gronkowski out on the field during a 59-24 blowout against the Indianapolis Colts in 2012.
Gronkowski ended up braking his left forearm blocking on a meaningless, fourth quarter extra point – derailing the Patriots postseason aspirations.
That’s why Central coach Tim Barrette pulls his starters once the game becomes out of reach.
Injuries are a real thing and Central has bigger plans in store than blowing Hartford Public out by fifty points – or more.
Barrette could do that, leave his prime-time players like Damion Glasper, Carson Rivoira, Steven Alseph, Victor Rosa, and Clingan on the court for 28-30 minutes-per-game.
Honestly, Clingan would average 40 points, 30 rebounds and 20 blocked shots a game if he went the distance – but the risk of a foolish, late game injury is too great.
But other programs around the state continue to use such tactics, pumping up the stats of players loooooong after games are out of reach.
And it doesn’t make much sense.
It’s an easy way for a star player to get hurt and wreck the season in the process.
For crying out loud, get your starters out when you can, develop your younger players, build your bench, and get the team to the pay window.
A good program can accomplish all those goals.
But a bunch of Central Connecticut Conference coaches, among others, are doing the opposite and it makes little sense.
But I guess you have to do what you have to do to push a player by inflating his (or her – this isn’t just a boys thing) statistics.
In two of the Bristol Eastern’s boys last three games, opposing coaches have left starters in the game – long after the contest was decided.
And the program at Bloomfield was still pressing up fifty points with at least one starter still in the game.
The Warhawks had just four players on the bench so that decision – and the tomfoolery that ensued – was made well before the jump-ball was even tossed.
Okay, do what you have to do.
Do you think Lewis Mills head coach Ryan Raponey did the same in the Spartans 58-34 win over Eastern last Wednesday?
No, because Raponey is a good coach and a big picture guy.
He would never even think of leaving starters in the game deep into a fourth quarter of a 24-point game.
But Platt did the opposite the other night at BE.
And let’s be frank: Coaches don’t forget.
So, if you’re going to beat up on someone, and play ‘games’ like that, expect a receipt in the near future.
What goes around comes around.
But I’m more concerned about our athletes and putting some of that talent in situations like that.
It isn’t a good idea on any level.
Believe me, if a player is good enough, his play will get noticed by collegiate scouts.
