| What a ride University of Vermont freshman and Norwalk native Mike Trimboli had this basketball season.
In addition to the No. 6 seeded Catamounts' improbable run to the American East Conference championship game, Trimboli excelled on the court. He picked up numerous American East Player of the Week honors and was named the conference's Rookie of the Year.
"This was a really nice season," Trimboli said Saturday afternoon after his team fell to the University of Albany Great Danes 80-67. "We're a young team, and for us to come in and make it to the championship game as a young team is pretty impressive. Everybody's returning next year, so we're really looking forward to next year."
The Catamounts, who relied heavily last year on senior standouts Taylor Coppenrath and T.J. Sorrentine, were in a much different position this season and had to turn to Trimboli, a freshman. Trimboli didn't disappoint, however. He was eighth in the conference in scoring, netting 420 points overall and averaging 14 points per game. He led the conference in assists with 166, averaging 5.53 per game, and made 107 of his 127 free throws. Behind the line Trimboli was dangerous as well, converting 53 of 151 shots.
"I thought Mike had a great year," said first-year Vermont head coach Mike Lonergan. "His Rookie of the Year [Award] was well-deserved, but he still needs to get a lot better to get us to the next level next year. The last month of the season he really struggled, and I think he needs to work on shot selection. When you're not hot shooting the ball, you need to make sure that the guys that are are getting touches. He's terrific, and I think he'll be a four-year all-conference player."
This year, Trimboli also was awarded American East All-Second Team honors.
"It's all good," he said. "I am just happy that we got this far. A lot wasn't just me, but it was my teammates hitting shots and everything. They got me all my assists, and it was a really fun year. I need to work on my whole game for next year. I think if I do that, I will be more aggressive offensively and I'll open up a lot of teammates."
With the loss of Coppenrath and Sorrentine to graduation, Vermont, the winner of the past three American East tournaments, wasn't expected to make it to the final game this year. However, after beating No. 3 seeded Boston University and No. 2 seeded Binghamton, Vermont found itself back in familiar territory.
On Saturday in Albany, the No. 1 seeded Great Danes came out firing and built an 18-6 lead with 11 minutes, 53 seconds to play in the first half. Trimboli did his best, but was unable to find the basket.
After unsuccessfully draining his first six shot attempts, Trimboli scored his first points in a championship game with 6:04 remaining in the half. Trimboli cut through the lane for the running layup, which was good, and he was fouled on the play. After making the foul shot, the Catamounts cut the lead to 31-19.
Trimboli didn't connect on another shot until the 14:41 mark of the second, when he nailed a top-of-the-key three-pointer.
Although he finished the game going four for 14 from the field and one for six from behind the line, Trimboli was seven for eight at the charity strip and led the team with 16 points.
The Great Danes, Trimboli said, "came out hot right away and had their fans all over the place, but we had our fans here too, and they were pretty loud, considering it was in Albany. They came out strong and put us on our heels right away. It's easy to make shots when you're up by 20.
I had a couple of good looks [at the basket], and they were still pressuring me, but I think that if a couple of them dropped earlier in the game, then it could have been a much different ballgame."
Lonergan said he knew the game would be a tough one. "Albany played well, but I am disappointed in the way that we came out. The game was over in the first five minutes. We didn't look good early, and they were ready. You can't make a run when you don't make open shots. I've said all year that Albany's the best team in the conference. Today we didn't play well. We needed our 'A' game, and that definitely wasn't our 'A' game."
Lonergan, however, believes that the loss may ultimately have a positive effect on the Cat-amounts, particularly Trimboli.
"It was tough for us, but I am so happy that we played the game because to me it's a process and these games will do nothing but help us," said Lonergan. The 61-60 double-overtime loss to the Binghamton Bearcats on Jan. 25 "helped us win last weekend against them, and hopefully getting our rear ends beaten today will help us for next year," he said.
The Catamounts finished the season with a record of 7-9 in the conference and 13-17 overall.
Trimboli also is optimistic about next year. "I love my teammates," he said. "We have such a bond and especially going into next year. We've got everybody returning and two new kids coming in that will be important to our success. They'll fit right in, and we'll do well next year. We want to become the No. 1 seed and win the regular season. We want to be in the American East championship again, but this time we want to be the school that's hosting the finals."
What impresses Longeran about Trimboli is that despite being a freshman, he's been taking on a leadership role, both on and off the court.
"I have been hard on him all year, and he's responded well," said Longeran. "I told him that I hope that he's one of our captains next year, whether there are two or three, because we need one of the younger guys to step up in that leadership role. He has a great work ethic, is a good guy; he's a student of the game and has great potential. He's a freshman, and it was hard for him, but I think that this year will really help Mike because he got to go through a lot of good experiences with this team. We'll surround him with better players, which will make his job a little easier." | 