For the first time last January, I entered Freedom Hall not to watch the Louisville Cardinals play, but instead to watch the newly Division-I Bellarmine Knights make the most storied basketball venue in Louisville their home. Since then I have caught several Knights home games. During that 5-point loss in January loss to Lipscomb, I took note of Head Coach Scott Davenport’s unique approach to running an offense. Five possessions in a row, I counted the number of passes before a shot was put up.
Ten.
Ten.
Eleven.
Nine.
Eleven.
Like clockwork, the Knights pass the ball around ten times per possession before putting up a shot, fastbreak opportunities notwithstanding. To those onlookers who say Davenport’s system is antiquated, I say this: it works.
My evidence? In just their first year in Division-I, Bellarmine finished 14-8 and was invited to participate in the CBI. The Knights have four competent shooters on the floor at all times surrounding one big man, and the emphasis on relentlessly swinging the ball around the arc to find an open shot is slightly reminiscent of the Golden Age Poppovich Spurs.
That said, Bellarmine is now their best player from last season and likely the best basketball player I’ve ever had the (dis?)pleasure of guarding, in former Russellville product Pedro Bradshaw. In a campaign that earned him First Team A-Sun Honors, the 6-7 guard led the team in points and rebounds, while also providing much-needed toughness and athleticism before declaring for the NBA draft. Needless to say, it was more enjoyable watching Pedro blow past D-1 defenders rather than having it done to myself. It’s hard to see the Knights seriously vying for a conference championship this year without Bradshaw (and they still aren’t yet NCAA tournament-eligible anyway), but they should still be in the uppermost tier of the Atlantic-Sun.
Leading the way will be 6-3 senior guard Dylan Penn, who also notched First Team A-Sun honors in his stellar campaign last year. Especially if he has worked over the offseason to expand his range (only 8-for-30 from downtown last season) as has been reported, Penn should unquestionably be in the running for A-Sun Player of the Year this season. Penn is the engine that runs the ball-movement-obsessed locomotive that is Bellarmine basketball (3.6 assists per game), but his game is more than just post-entry passes and swinging to the corner. Penn is a player with a very high basketball IQ. He knows how to probe the lane for weaknesses and create his own shot anywhere within the perimeter (just shy of 13 points per game last year). For a guard, he’s also a solid rebounder, coming down with over 3 boards a game last season.
This team’s main deficiency is a lack of size, which is less of a problem for a team that relies on spacing, cutting, and shooting…at least offensively. Veteran forward Ethan Claycomb will need to carry the load defensively. Claycomb is a 6-7 forward who opted to stay for a fifth year, thanks to COVID. He is easily the Knights’ best help-side defender and shot blocker, but as of now he is the only established inside defensive presence. He’s a great passer as a big man, posting just under 3 assists per game last year, mainly operating from the high post. To boot, he knocks down three-pointers at a 37% clip.
Junior forwards Sam DeVault and Nick Thelen figure to platoon with Claycomb, but their reliability as rebounders or defensive anchors remains to be seen.
Surrounding the deft passing of Penn and Claycomb, it’s shooters galore. Fifth-year guard CJ Fleming is one of the best shooters in the conference. His range seemingly limitless, Fleming knocked down 40% of his three-point attempts last year, good for over 12 points per game. Guards Juston Betz (Sr.) and Alec Pfriem (R-Jr.) likely round out the starting five.
Betz is a guy with sticky hands. He’s likely Bellarmine’s best perimeter defender. Pfriem is 6-5 and a solid rebounder and shooter.
And yet, perhaps the most exciting storyline for Bellarmine this year is freshman guard Ben Johnson. A Lexington Catholic product, Johnson is the first Mr. Kentucky to lace up his boots for the Bellarmine Knights. Johnson is well-built at 6-3, and he has all the makings to be Bellarmine’s go-to guy one day. He can shoot, pass, and get to the rim well: the Knights’ modus operandi. He should be a featured piece in this coming season’s rotation. In this February 2020 game Johnson’s skills were on full display as his Lexington Catholic Knights blew out Trinity (Louisville):
It really is a credit to Coach Davenport that he was able to lead Bellarmine to a 14-8 season in their first year of Division-I play. It will be an uphill battle as a newcomer, but I expect last year’s mark to stand as the first of many consecutive winning seasons for the Knights… at least in regards to their conference schedule. Davenport also has a penchant for scheduling tough games, which should ultimately help the Knights adjust to the competition they’ll see at the top of the A-SUN. Their non-con schedule features games at Purdue, at Murray St., at St. Mary’s, at Gonzaga(!), at West Virginia, and against UCLA(!) in Las Vegas. Wow, that was a mouthful! If the Knights’ record isn’t so hot going into the new year, there are seven reasons why right there.
That said, with the addition of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville state, the A-Sun is deeper than ever. Expect Liberty, Lipscomb, and EKU to battle for the conference title, with Bellarmine as a dark horse candidate. Of course, the Knights still are not eligible for the NCAA tournament even if they happen to win the conference tourney. For the Knights, this year is all about continuity and growing the Bellarmine brand on a national scale.