by JP Pelzman
Less than a minute remained Tuesday night in an exhibition game Seton Hall won 112-38 over Division III Misericordia (Pa.), and there was Grant Billmeier standing in front of the bench, signaling the offensive set he wanted run by the Pirate reserves in the game.
Much like his mentor, the diligent Billmeier was coaching until the clock read zero, no matter the score. And it’s something he will have to do for at least one more game.
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, who is entering his 10th season at the school, has been suspended by the university for two games. The ban was handed down because of allegations of tampering with a transfer student, a source said. Seton Hall hopes the self-imposed penalty will be sufficient and that the NCAA will not give Willard a further ban.
In a statement, the school said “Seton Hall University has been working collaboratively with the NCAA enforcement staff to address an infraction within our men’s basketball program. Our department has been proactive in our review and has been fully cooperating with the NCAA enforcement staff. As head coach, Coach Willard assumes responsibility for the program, including this underlying violation, and has agreed to sit out the October 29 exhibition contest and the November 5 game.
“This matter is still in review, and as a result, we will refrain from commenting any further until it is resolved. Seton Hall is and always will be committed to a culture of compliance, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure it.”
So although the exhibition at Walsh Gym against a horrendously over-matched lower-level team was meaningless in the grand scheme, it was noteworthy for Willard’s absence. It also was important in the short term for Billmeier and the rest of the coaching staff to have a dress rehearsal in terms of functioning on game day without Willard, who still is permitted to run practices.
“We’re a very close staff,” Billmeier said after the game, noting that everyone on the coaching staff was with SHU last season. “So there’s a lot of continuity. We were very organized in our game plan and we wanted to kind of stick to what we always do, and prepare for Misericordia like we would for any opponent.”
Billmeier, a former Seton Hall center, has been on Willard’s staff for all but one of Willard’s 10 seasons with the Pirates. But Billmeier had never been a head coach before Tuesday night.
“It’s certainly a lot different than being an assistant but Coach Willard prepares everyone to be in that spot,” he said, adding that Willard prepares his assistants so that they will be able to run their own programs someday.
“Coach Willard is big into everybody being involved in every aspect of the program,” Billmeier said, “scouting, recruiting, overseeing player development, so this is what he prepares us for on an everyday basis.”
And what was Willard’s advice? “He just said, ‘Have fun. Be yourself.’ That was the biggest thing. Obviously him having a great deal of confidence in me means the world to me. He’s been an unbelievable mentor to me and someone I’ve been fortunate to learn from for nine years. I’ve been able to get the best kind of education you can” to become a head coach.
As for the so-called game itself, there isn’t much to say. Not surprisingly, Division III players had as much trouble guarding Myles Powell as high-major defenders do, and he scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half to settle the matter early. He was 6-for-8 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Billmeier was pleased with the Pirates’ 24 assists on 47 baskets.
“You look at our first possession today,” he said. “I think we passed the ball seven times and we got a wide-open three. It’s what Coach Willard preaches everyday, share the ball, and I think this group does a great job moving the ball around. It’s a group that really enjoys seeing other guys score.”
So now all Pirate eyes turn to Tuesday's opener against Wagner, also at Walsh Gym. How will the 12th-ranked Pirates handle the hype and handle being circled on so many opponents' schedules?
"They just naturally play hard," Billmeier said. "They take pride in representing this program whether they’re picked first (in the Big East) or they’re picked 10th. They’re going to have the same mentality. They love playing for one another. They love being in the gym. … Not much has changed in the mindset and the way we approach practice everyday and the way we go about things."
Except that for a brief time, it will be a different voice calling the shots on game nights.
COMMENTS?
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
Less than a minute remained Tuesday night in an exhibition game Seton Hall won 112-38 over Division III Misericordia (Pa.), and there was Grant Billmeier standing in front of the bench, signaling the offensive set he wanted run by the Pirate reserves in the game.
Much like his mentor, the diligent Billmeier was coaching until the clock read zero, no matter the score. And it’s something he will have to do for at least one more game.
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard, who is entering his 10th season at the school, has been suspended by the university for two games. The ban was handed down because of allegations of tampering with a transfer student, a source said. Seton Hall hopes the self-imposed penalty will be sufficient and that the NCAA will not give Willard a further ban.
In a statement, the school said “Seton Hall University has been working collaboratively with the NCAA enforcement staff to address an infraction within our men’s basketball program. Our department has been proactive in our review and has been fully cooperating with the NCAA enforcement staff. As head coach, Coach Willard assumes responsibility for the program, including this underlying violation, and has agreed to sit out the October 29 exhibition contest and the November 5 game.
“This matter is still in review, and as a result, we will refrain from commenting any further until it is resolved. Seton Hall is and always will be committed to a culture of compliance, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure it.”
So although the exhibition at Walsh Gym against a horrendously over-matched lower-level team was meaningless in the grand scheme, it was noteworthy for Willard’s absence. It also was important in the short term for Billmeier and the rest of the coaching staff to have a dress rehearsal in terms of functioning on game day without Willard, who still is permitted to run practices.
“We’re a very close staff,” Billmeier said after the game, noting that everyone on the coaching staff was with SHU last season. “So there’s a lot of continuity. We were very organized in our game plan and we wanted to kind of stick to what we always do, and prepare for Misericordia like we would for any opponent.”
Billmeier, a former Seton Hall center, has been on Willard’s staff for all but one of Willard’s 10 seasons with the Pirates. But Billmeier had never been a head coach before Tuesday night.
“It’s certainly a lot different than being an assistant but Coach Willard prepares everyone to be in that spot,” he said, adding that Willard prepares his assistants so that they will be able to run their own programs someday.
“Coach Willard is big into everybody being involved in every aspect of the program,” Billmeier said, “scouting, recruiting, overseeing player development, so this is what he prepares us for on an everyday basis.”
And what was Willard’s advice? “He just said, ‘Have fun. Be yourself.’ That was the biggest thing. Obviously him having a great deal of confidence in me means the world to me. He’s been an unbelievable mentor to me and someone I’ve been fortunate to learn from for nine years. I’ve been able to get the best kind of education you can” to become a head coach.
As for the so-called game itself, there isn’t much to say. Not surprisingly, Division III players had as much trouble guarding Myles Powell as high-major defenders do, and he scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half to settle the matter early. He was 6-for-8 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Billmeier was pleased with the Pirates’ 24 assists on 47 baskets.
“You look at our first possession today,” he said. “I think we passed the ball seven times and we got a wide-open three. It’s what Coach Willard preaches everyday, share the ball, and I think this group does a great job moving the ball around. It’s a group that really enjoys seeing other guys score.”
So now all Pirate eyes turn to Tuesday's opener against Wagner, also at Walsh Gym. How will the 12th-ranked Pirates handle the hype and handle being circled on so many opponents' schedules?
"They just naturally play hard," Billmeier said. "They take pride in representing this program whether they’re picked first (in the Big East) or they’re picked 10th. They’re going to have the same mentality. They love playing for one another. They love being in the gym. … Not much has changed in the mindset and the way we approach practice everyday and the way we go about things."
Except that for a brief time, it will be a different voice calling the shots on game nights.
COMMENTS?
https://setonhall.rivals.com/
