Rumor has Air Force top scorer Max Yon as possible to play tomorrow...
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COLORADO SPRINGS NEWS, SPORTS & BUSINESS
Max Yon's return changes outlook,
options for Air Force
By Brent Briggeman Published: February 4, 2015 ?
For the first time in a long time, Air Force goes into a rematch looking better - at
least on paper - than it did in the first tilt.
With Max Yon back and little chance of snow to deter a home crowd at Clune
Arena, things are actually looking up for this program in advance of
Wednesday's 7 p.m. game against New Mexico for the first time in a while.
"It's been encouraging and has been fun," coach Dave Pilipovich said, offering a
surprising assessment of a season that has been largely derailed by injuries and
illnesses that have cost the team 93 man-games, and that doesn't count Yon's
four-game departure for personal reasons.
But Pilipovich has watched his depleted roster continue to work through the
bumps, remaining in the game until the final minutes at places like New Mexico,
San Diego State, Utah State and UNLV. He has also taken note of players
continuing to work out and shoot baskets on their own and popping into the
offices for extra video study.
You might assume this has been a trying season for the Falcons, but the baton
being given to younger players ahead of schedule because of all those issues
has breathed new life into the program."I think you can pack it in and start looking at the calendar around now,"
Pilipovich said. "It's been totally the flip for us."
And now, with Yon back, there's reason to believe the scoreboard might actually
reflect that mindset.
Teams have found success in going to a zone defense against the Falcons,
relying on their length to contest outside shots but clogging the inside and
taking away backdoor cuts that Air Force generally relies on for a few easy looks
each game. That's what New Mexico did the first meeting after the Falcons
scored on the first three possessions against a man-to-man defense.
At UNLV, the Falcons made adjustments by running the offense through Justin
Hammonds after passing it into the forward at about the free-throw line.
Hammonds responded with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and added two free
throws.
But adding Yon will give the Falcons a shooter who can create his own shot on
the perimeter as well as put the ball on the floor to attack the zone. That should
create more outlet looks to players like Zach Kocur, who has been swallowed by
the zones in going just 3 of 15 from 3-point range over the past four games.
Though Yon has missed the past six games - two because of injury, four
because of his personal leave - there's no reason to think Pilipovich won't give
him normal playing time in his return. Last year Hammonds missed the first
three games and the entire preseason after leaving the team to focus on school.
He returned and played 34 minutes in his debut. Later in the season Tre'
Coggins played 35 minutes in his return from a three-game suspension, leading
the team with 19 points.
Yon joins a team that is different than the one he left Jan. 10. This one has
maturing scorers in Hayden Graham, Trevor Lyons and Matt Mooney; and a
player in Kocur who has at times shown he can be a lethal shooter. All four were
essentially role players when Yon last played, but now they can each serve as
legitimate No. 2 options to the team's top scorer.
Air Force slowed the game when the Lobos won 60-48 in Albuquerque on Jan.
14, because they had to account for their lack of offensive firepower without
Yon, Mooney and the four players gone for the remainder of the year - including
last year's team MVP Kamryn Williams. This time, the Falcons can approach a
game with options that they dictate.
Note
Yon was one of 60 men's and women's players selected as candidates for the
Senior CLASS Award in college basketball. The award honors seniors with
notable achievements in the community, classroom, character and competition
http://gazette.com/max-yons-return-changes-outlook-options-for-air-force/article/1545707
