Final Report Card: Saint John Riptide
Rating and analysing the performances of the NBL Canada teams in the 2018-19 season.
The Saint John Riptide were arguably the least talked of and most unassuming team of the lost this NBL Canada season, but that seemed to work out for them. With others teams focused on the bigger hitters, the Riptide snuck under the radar and were able to pick up wins where they needed it and keep their playoff appearance streak alive.
They started the season with some uncertainties; though they welcomed back veteran star Jeremiah Mordi and secured Kemy Osse from the Storm, they didn't start off proceedings as well as they had hoped. Possibly a result of not having a solid starting unit.
As the season went on, though, they were able to fashion a rotation plan that worked for them and players who had been just part of the rotation before ending up playing a much bigger part on the team.
Though they finished with the franchise's worst winning percentage (.359%), enough wins over their division rivals saw them mark the season a success by clinching a playoff spot. The playoffs, though, were a different story altogether...
MVP: It's close between Frank Bartley and TJ Maston, but Bartley has been with the team from the start and, in his first professional season, he really hit the ground running. He quickly earned a place in the starting lineup, going on to lead the team in points per game and win Rookie of the Year honours. For this, he emerged as the team's star this year.
What They Did Right: From their squad this year, it would seem the Riptide were looking to build a multi-season team made up of young players - a strategy that might seem like a risk to some, but in Saint John's case, they chose wisely.
As well as Bartley, they had great production from fellow rookie Bryce Washington (who averaged 12.2 points and 11.3 rebounds) and youngsters Chris Early, Brent Arrington and Daniel Dingle. They obviously provided them with the right nurturing they needed, as they flourished on the courts in 2018-19.
What They Could Have Done Better: The Riptide were lagging a lot on offence this year. Looking at their scoring statistics is enough to make you think how they were able to win so often this season, especially as they weren't the biggest defensive team either.
The reason for their scoring inertia this season is not clear - they had dependable players regularly put up big numbers - but giving more time to work on their offence could have alleviated a lot of struggles they had throughout the season.
Final Thoughts: It's clear that the Saint John Riptide had a lot to work out this season, even as it was going on, but they did well to recognise the potential of and best utilise their new players, but there's no denying more could have been done with this team and their end to the season was an underwhelming one.
