The lasting legacy of Pete Carril

Hall of Fame coach cemented Princeton as part of NCAA Tournament lore, thanks to iconic games and singular system. Plus, the ongoing debate of the top 2023 prospect, Caleb Love's big summer, and more.

August 16, 2022

If you spent much of Monday watching YouTube for highlights of backdoor cuts and constant offensive movement, that’s understandable. I did the same thing.

Let’s get to the news.

STARTING FIVE

1. Pete Carril, Princeton legend, dies at 92

Great coaches win lots of games. Legends impact the game beyond their teams. That was Pete Carril, whose Princeton-style offense not only delivered victories but some of the singular moments in NCAA Tournament history.

Carril died Monday at the age of 92. He hadn’t coached college basketball in 25 years, but his passing still resonated because of his legacy.

Carril won 514 games, nearly all of them at Princeton, where the Tigers were an Ivy league power. They won or shared 13 conference titles, went to 11 NCAA Tournaments and won the 1975 NIT Tournament — all without scholarship players — using an offensive approach that emphasized constant motion, backdoor cuts, picks and teamwork. Hey, when you don’t have scholarships, you have to level the playing field.

Princeton nearly became the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 1989 when they took Georgetown down to the wire during a 50-49 loss. They led the Hoyas 29-21 at halftime and it was only Alonzo Mourning’s block that sealed it for Georgetown — not to mention gave March Madness some much-needed juice.

In 1996, Carril’s Tigers finally got that elusive March win when they beat defending champion UCLA on — what else? — a beautifully executed backdoor cut.

The wins and the style still used by the extensive Carril coaching tree are what cemented him a spot in the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997, though it may be difficult for younger fans now to appreciate how totemic those March games were. Princeton wasn’t the only mid-major school that was an NCAA Tournament factor, but the style against legendary programs cemented what’s possible in March. (That John Thompson III, who played for Carril, would later take Georgetown to the 2007 Final Four using a Princeton-based scheme was the ultimate touchstone.)

This remembrance from Alexander Wolff at SI.com highlights everything that made Carril a singular persona in college basketball: Brilliant, funny, and perfect for his program.

Carril detested praise, both the collecting and dispensing of it. “The cheapest kind of reward,” he called it. Late in his final season, right after Princeton had held Dartmouth to 39 points, someone asked him about his team’s defensive performance. Carril sensed a trap. Surely Dartmouth deserved no praise, but he had found plenty to be desired in his own team’s play. The coach’s answer was a rhetorical backdoor pass, threaded past the premise of the question to score a point of its own: “They have guardable players. And we guarded them.”

2. Who’s the 1?

The DTF crew dove into the Class of 2023 a few weeks ago and debated: Who is the top prospect?

Not in the mood for a video? Not a problem. Travis Branham from 247 Sports also spent the last few weeks asking coaches who they thought could be the best player. Here’s the thing: Nobody agrees.

Mackenzie Mgbako (Duke commit) and DJ Wagner (undecided) got the most votes, but there’s enough support behind other players such as Matas Buzelis (G League), Aaron Bradshaw (undecided), Justin Edwards (Kentucky) and Xavier Booker (Michigan State) that any of them would have a good claim for the top spot. (The more I see of Isaiah Collier, the more I like him.)

If nothing else, it’ll be good for ongoing recruiting news through the rest of 2022 and into the spring of 2023. (What? Is that just something those of us who write newsletters care about?)

3. Caleb Love looking for that Dame touch

Last summer, Damian Lillard helped Ochai Agbaji elevate his game to All-American and NBA Draft lottery levels. Caleb Love didn’t have the same one-on-one interaction with Dame. But maybe his time at Dame’s Formula Zero camp — where Love was named MVP — could have a similar impact.

(Tar Heel fans nod in agreement.)

Coming off Formula Zero, Love talked with Brendan Marks from The Athletic, where he seemed to have exactly that goal:

This summer has been probably the most important summer of my career, because I know exactly what I need now. I know exactly what needs to take place for not only me to get better, but for me to get better for my team. I just feel like everywhere I’ve been, like to the Hall of Fame, that was a great experience. Seeing all the legendary guys enshrined there, that wasn’t just about an NIL deal or anything like that. That was about me actually getting to see, like, who’s in there. I saw Kobe’s plaque, got to learn some more about Kobe.

And then I’ve been out in L.A. with Drew Hanlen (an NBA trainer who also works with Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid). We didn’t really work on much shooting; it was all finishing and handling and pace, because that’s what I needed to work on most. I feel like my shooting is already there if I just take out some of the bad shots I was taking, so I was more focused on my finishing and my handle. So everywhere that I went was for a purpose, and like I said, I feel like this has been the most helpful and important summer I’ve had. I feel like I’ve been working on everything I needed to be working on.

(More nodding from UNC fans.)

If Love has an All-America season or simply becomes or more consistent scorer, it’ll have been a summer well spent.

4. Colorado State snags a guard

Speaking of good summers, Kyan Evans did just that.

The KC-area guard helped MoKan Elite win Peach Jam last month, and followed that up with a commitment to Colorado State on Tuesday.

Evans is a 6-1, 170-pound guard, in the class of 2023, and averaged 16 points and 6 assists a game during the high school season. He wasn’t a star on the MoKan Elite team that also featured the likes of Omaha Biliew and Trey Green, but he did play meaningful minutes all season. That’ll be important for his arrival in Fort Collins as Niko Medved’s built a consistent winning in just a few seasons.

Also on the recruiting front:

5. The common sense section of The Daily

We can’t be the only voices of reason in college hoops. So it’s time to highlight two other sources on topics that really shouldn’t need much discussion.

As SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey continues to float the idea of expanding the NCAA Tournament — we’ve already taken a stance on that — you’ll probably see more takes about its merits. But you need to look no further than Dana O’Neil’s column in The Athletic about why the idea doesn’t need exploring.

The second stems from radio host Paul Finebaum, who took John Calipari’s verbal gaffe last week (yes, Kentucky’s a basketball school, but throwing shade on the football team isn’t needed) and turned it into quite a take. Via On3.com:

“I mean are you guys telling me you can’t find a coach better than John Calipari right now? Billy Donovan? I’m just throwing a name out there. A young coach who is up-and-coming? Take your pick. John Calipari is really no longer the best option for the University of Kentucky.”

You’ve gotta fill the air on radio. And while the NCAA tourney loss to Saint Peter’s is still lingering, this is a bad take. Kentucky had a marvelous 2021-22 season with a lousy end. Calipari stepped in it last week. Take a breath, get ready for SEC football season, then get ready to watch the ‘Cats have another terrific season. If their Bahamas trip is any indicator, it’s a Final Four caliber team.

SUMMER READING

UAB may be the mid-major star in 2022-23

Summer reading assignments suck. Trying to absorb info when your brain just wants to zone out is like trying to outrebound Oscar Tshiebwe. Well, good news. We did the assignment. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Sean Paul gives CliffsNotes on programs that aren’t Top 25 contenders but are worth knowing entering the 2022-23 season. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. 

UAB synopsis: The Blazers used their fiery tempo to win 27 games and the Conference USA tournament title before an NCAA Tournament exit to Houston ended their season. But they’re ready for bigger things in 2022-23. Most of the key players return for coach Andy Kennedy — an entertaining follow on Twitter — making the Blazers a potential media magnet this season. Also, they’re going to be really good.

Main Characters: A player like Jelly Walker stands out in the college game. His size (5-11) makes him an unlikely NBA player, but his electric style — Walker plays fast and can light it up from outside — coupled with an incredible nickname ensures NIL opportunities and a starring role. He averaged 20.3 points, 4.9 assists and shot 40 percent from deep.

He’s joined by LSU transfer Eric Gaines Jr to form one of the game’s blazing guard duos. Gaines is lightning quick and crazy athletic. Expect these types of defensive plays regularly against C-USA foes.

Returning starters KJ Buffen and Trey Jemison provide energy, experience and defensive ability, while East Tennessee State transfers, the Brewer bros (Ty and Ledarrius), are instant rotation players. Expect Mississippi State transfer Javian Davis to back up Jemison at the five.

The conflict: Who scores if Walker struggles?

No player is immune to a bad shooting night. When Walker can’t connect, it might get tough for UAB. Gaines isn’t a scorer and the supporting cast is mostly filled with defensive-first players. Certain defenses will force the ball out of Walker’s hands. Can UAB win when teams game-plan to stop him?

Spoiler alert: UAB is good. Not “C-USA” good. It’s a legit, Top 25 team. Anyone looking for a mid-major to win 30 games and make an NCAA tourney run should look here first. Kennedy’s built a great culture and has elite guard play. If there’s consistency on both ends of the floor, it’ll be a terrific season.

THE FAST BREAK

Links as you scan Draymond Green’s wedding pics.

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OFF THE CAROUSEL

Can’t-Miss opportunity

Chris Jans won 79 percent of his games at New Mexico State, four WAC titles in five seasons and even snagged an NCAA Tournament win in 2022, beating 5-seed Connecticut.

So why leave a perfect scenario for continued success? Jans explains his decision to take the Mississippi State job and what’s ahead for the Bulldogs in our Off the Carousel series.

Thanks for reading! Coming tomorrow: Where will fans watch all those Big Ten basketball games?

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