The Bighorns second season as a single-affiliate of the Sacramento Kings begins tonight in Reno.
Head Coach David Arseneault Jr. — the son of the original creator of the prolific system which was so successful at Grinnell College in Iowa — enters his first season at the helm of the Bighorns program with expectations of a high-flying offense.
Arseneault joins the Sacramento Kings D-League affiliate after spending the last four seasons as an associate head coach for the Pioneers. Serving next to his father, the Grinnell offense racked up 110.7 points per game and connected on an average of 18.8 threes per game over the past four years. In that span, his team won 72 of 96 games.
Now, the youngest Arseneault brings his knowledge to the D-League level looking to replicate that level of success.
“It’s going to be a process” the rookie coach admitted. “It’s basically like I’m coaching freshman, because they’ve never seen this style of play.”
Keith Chamberlain - a 6-foot-9 forward for the Bighorns - is the only player on Reno’s current roster with any experience in Arseneault’s system. Chamberlain played at Grinnell and played side-by-side with his newcoach, as teammates for three years.
“He’s been very valuable for us,” stated the 28-year-old coach, who still owns the assists per game (9.4) record in Division III. "Not only in terms of knowing what to do on the floor, but also by helping some of the other guys figure out what they’re supposed to be doing.”
Arseneault Jr.'s system is predicated on strong perimeter shooting, penetration, good decision-making and full-court press defense. One of the most important players on the floor is the point guard - the decisions he makes will navigate the offense.
The Bighorns coaching staff is working with the current backcourt group to help them be more aggressive. The point guard in Arseneault’s system is not only responsible for getting his team into the offense, but is often asked to score at a high level as well.
“We always tell our point guards that they have to find a way to draw a double team and if they don’t draw a double team then they have to score,” said the Bighorns leader.
The system - a deviation of Paul Westhead’s run-and-gun, fast-break offense at Loyola Marymount in the late 1980s - looks to wear down their opponents thanks to a break-neck pace.
“There are differences,” admitted Arseneault when asked about the run-and-gun. “We will regularly rotate groups of five in a platoon and the idea there is we want the five guys on the floor to play as hard asthey can and then we want them to take a break and we’ll get a new five on the court.”
The offensive scheme features a barrage of perimeter shooting. Through two preseason games, Reno has attempted 113 threes and connected on 32 of them. While that is only a 27-percent clip, Arseneault says that number will grow, and grow quickly.
“If we’re getting quality shots and we’re forcing the other team to turn it over and we’re crashing the offensive glass, then we’re going to cover ourselves on bad-shooting nights,” admitted Arseneault. “If you look at the statistics, we had a bad-shooting night against Santa Cruz, but we were still able to score enough points to win - that says a lot about how we performed in those other areas.”
Preseason Progress: Moreland, James, Caven Show Potential
Reno finished its two-game exhibition slate with a 1-1record, falling to Idaho before beating Santa Cruz in overtime. The Bighorns suffered a defeat in the first outing, but did force Iowa into 39 turnovers. Three days later against the Warriors, the green and gold forced 36 turnovers and earned a 128-126 victory.
“In the first preseason game against the Stampede, I thought we did a few things well,” said Coach David Arseneault Jr. “We didn’t shoot the ball very well and we also didn’t defend well outside of those turnovers, obviously if we’re giving up 158 points. So I was very pleased with the progress we made the next game against Santa Cruz.”
In both of those outings, the Bighorns were led by Tajuan Porter who is averaging 26.5 points per game. He’s also racked up a team-high 9 steals and made a team-high 10 triples in those two contests.
“He was pretty much built to play in this system,” said Arseneault Jr. “He can get up and down and go and he’s just so quick, he can get to the rim, he can make plays for others and he is a lights-out shooterfrom three… I’m hoping that this system helps his showcase his skills and what he can offer to a basketball team.”
Assignment player Eric Moreland from the Sacramento Kings has also shined in Arseneault Jr.’s system. The rookie out of Oregon State is averaging a double-double thanks to his size and length. At 6-foot-9 and with a wingspan of 7-foot-3.5 inches, rebounding and shot-blocking have been Easy-E’s forte.
“He’s a very good fit for the system,” said Arseneault Jr. “He’s averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds and we haven’t run a play for him yet.”
“That’s just the player he is - he has a non-stop motor, he can guard point guards in the backcourt, he can out-run bigs to the rim, he can get offensive rebounds that nobody else has business getting. He’s really going to help our style of play.”
Moreland was a major contributor for the Kings Summer League team, which took home the trophy in July. He joined his new teammate Ra’shad James on that squad - a player Arseneault Jr. has been readily impressed with this year.
“You can tell Ra’shad has worked on his game,” said the new coach. “The way he shot the ball in the preseason did not reflect the way he shot the ball in training camp. If anything, those two games have been anomalies. He’s really worked on his perimeter shooting and his ability to read the pick-n-roll. So I’ve been very impressed with what he’s done and how he’s going to impact this team.”
Rookie picks Brady Heslip - a 6-2 guard out of Baylor - is another “lights-out” shooter at Arseneault’s disposal, while rookie guard Joonas Caven from Finland has also impressed the new coaching staff.
“Right now, [Joonas Caven is] coming back from wrist surgery, but he got a few live reps today,” said Arseneault Jr. “He’s a 6-foot-11 wing that can shoot the three - he hit one where he was 2 or 3 steps beyond the NBA three-point line today. And he’s fast. I know he’s going to be an NBA Draft pick, it’s just a mater of where he goes.”
Caven is predicted to get substantial playing time this season once he is fully healthy.
The toughest thing for the two rookies and the majority of their teammates will now be comprehension - understanding the system and knowing where to go and what to do on every play.
“We’re not quite to the point where I’d like us to be offensively, but we’re headed in the right direction,” said Arseneault Jr.
Although he’s only been on the job for a month, the youngest Arseneault coach has made headway in the League. His team’s style was the main focus of the Santa Cruz Warriors recap earlier this week and his squad’s pace and ferocity has been a welcomed sight in Reno.
This season is Arseneault Jr.’s opportunity to show what he can do.
“I’m very thankful the Kings took a chance on me,” he admitted. “They’ve shown in a number of ways that they are willing to think outside the box and they’re willing to try something new. I’m hoping that’s going to lead to success.”
Bighorns Tip-Off Tonight
Reno opens its season tonight, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. against the Iowa Energy at the Reno Events Center in the first regular-season test for David Arseneault Jr., and his fast-paced offense.
Bighorns supporters can watch the new high-scoring squad online via YouTube.
The first 1000 fans in attendance will receive a Danny Green Replica Jersey. Green, an NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs last season, played for Reno during the 2010-11 season.
To purchase single game tickets, discounted group tickets, or season tickets starting at just $4 per game, fans can visit RenoBighorns.com or call 775-853-8220.