COLUMN: Princeton is just average without Pete Carril

Sewickley Hts., PA Quakers men's basketball coach Fran Dunphy, like every coach, loses out on prized recruits all the time. And despite Dunphy's remarkable success against the Tigers on the court, Penn often loses to Princeton in the all-important recruiting wars. Last year, Dunphy lost out on his top recruit, guard Brian Earl. The former Shawnee (N.J.) High School star rejected Dunphy's offer, opting to play for Pete Carril. And in 1993, Sydney Johnson, who Dunphy recruited, also opted for the orange and black, where he has matured into an all-Ivy guard. But Carril stepped down as Princeton coach this year, turning over the big desk and reserved parking space to his long-time assistant Bill Carmody. When the change was announced, Carmody promised that he would continue Carril's famous slow-it-down half-court offense, complete with back-door cuts and 34-second sets. But when Rocca explained his reasons for spurning Penn, he cited Carmody's promise that the Tigers would play a new style of basketball as a major factor in his decision. "Coach Carmody is a lot different that Pete Carril," Rocca claimed. Right from that first press conference, it was hard to believe Carmody would be Pete Carril II. It's a no-win situation for Carmody. If he wins, it will be because Carril laid all of the groundwork. If he loses, it will be because he messed with Carril's system. So despite his public comments, Carmody will likely open up the offense to some degree and implement his own system. Carmody doesn't want to be just a button-pusher in Carril's master plan. He wants to leave his own mark on Ivy League hoops. And if Carmody does loosen the reins and go with a more up-tempo system, then the Ivy League may be entering a new era. And that could be very good news for the rest of the Ivy League. The true magic of Carril's system was that it produced consistent winners with only average talent. This past season, both Penn and Dartmouth had better teams on paper. In Ivy League Player of the Year Ira Bowman, all-Ivy center Tim Krug and second-team all-Ivy guard Donald Moxley, Dunphy surely had the best core of stars in the conference. Throw in solid role players like sharp-shooter Garett Kreitz and low-post banger Paul Romanczuk and the Quakers starting five could make a case for being the Ivy's best. The Big Green answered with its inside-outside combo of 7-footer Brian Gilpin and Sea Lonergan, the league's leading scorer, along with a strong stable of complimentary players, including point guard Kenny Mitchell and gunner P.J. Halas. At best, Princeton had the third-best talent in the Ivy League. Yet the Tigers were league co-champions, won the one-game playoff with Penn and knocked off defending national champion UCLA in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But without Carril, what is the future of Princeton basketball? Four starters return from last year's squad -- all-Ivy center Steve Goodrich, all-Ivy guard Sydney Johnson, guard Jamie Mastaglio and Earl. But how much of their success was a result of Carril's wizardry, and how much was skill? The answer to that question may not sit too well with Princeton fans. That by no means takes away from the Tigers players' accomplishments. Someone has to execute the game plan. But the same starting lineup coached by anyone other than Pete Carril would never have won an Ivy crown or beaten UCLA. Princeton can have Mason Rocca. But what the Tigers really need is Pete Carril back.

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