Atlantic 10 Basketball: 3 key takeaways from 2022-23 season Media Day
By Tyler Cronin
On Thursday, the 15 Atlantic 10 Basketball head coaches put on their best threads and descended on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for a morning of interviews, basketball signings, and a group picture (although Archie Miller managed to get out of the last one). It was a day of unlimited optimism but some of that optimism was warranted and from the ground, I tried to come away with some things to look forward to.
1. UMass Fans Are Going To Love Frank Martin
*If they don’t already
New UMass Coach Frank Martin is either one of the friendliest and most entertaining people in coaching, or he deserves an Oscar for the last few years. He was so in demand from the media that a score of journalists had to pile in behind the already-filled chairs to get questions in, which is pretty impressive for someone who isn’t coaching one of the top favorites.
Martin always has something interesting to say and on this day he gave a deep dive on instilling the proper mentality in his new players, worried about his potential dry cleaning bill if he returns to wearing suits, and discussed his friendship with Dayton Coach Anthony Grant, his high school teammate.
On the court, Martin’s philosophies will be an absolute delight for the Minutemen fans who had to suffer through watching a bottom-15 defense nationally last season. This year, the keyword for Martin is “sacrifice,” which is required both physically and mentally for a quality team defense to come together. That mentality led to Martin’s South Carolina teams finishing in the Top 100 in defensive efficiency each of the last seven full seasons.
The comment that should be music to the ears of the UMass fans is when Martin said, “If we lose then I’m miserable because I hate to lose.” It’s a simple comment but not one muttered by a coach who expects to lose and Martin’s 288 career wins speak for themself.
It’s a new era for UMass and Frank Martin is going to be at the center, entertaining the fans with gritty players and interesting stories.