Solitary Man

[Wayne23]

3/1: 50-36. Weird game but a huge win. We were up 11 at the half and were never really challenged in the 2nd. They shot 40% but they only took 40 shots due to our tenacious D. We forced 24 TOs. Jona led us with 12 and 9 but this game was not about O.

16-10, 10-5, tied for 2nd, 1 back of 1st.

[Wayne23]

3/4: 61-75. We were down 15 at the half and never really threatened them. 31, 4, 3 for Colt, but he didn't get much help.

We finish the regular season at 16-11, 10-6, in a two way tie for 3rd in Conf. H. We should be the #3 seed.

+0.4 PPG, +3.0 RBs, -0.4 TOs- a lousy 14.9.

Still loving my work. The more I see of this city the more I like it. It is beautiful and it is very progressive.

[Wayne23]

3/6: We play #11 seed Boston College who just beat us by 14. We won by only 2 at our place. We'd better be ready to play.

3/7: 70-58. We took an early lead and led all the way. 20, 4 for Colt. 18 for backup guard Ausi Bron. +10 Rbs, with Howe getting 13 and Jona 12. Only 10 TOs.

We play #2 seed Milwaukee, 15-13, 11-5, in the semis. We beat them by 16 at our place.

Scouting Coach Jab Moore: On paper this is a team we should beat easily; we're better at every position. But they run a really quick offense and shoot from all over the floor off of quick passes. If they're hitting the shots they can be tough. They run a good press on D and play mostly man and 1-3-1. We need to move without the ball and find the open man.

[Wayne23]

3/8: 60-74. We didn't do the things we needed to do. We played poor D- they shot 50%, and we didn;t move without the ball on O. 15, 6, 3 for Jona, 15, 3 for Colt.

We'll go somewhere but it won't be the big dance.

3/12: NIT, #8 Midwest. We play #1 seed Auburn, 16-12. We need to play well or we're in big trouble.

[Wayne23]

3/13: 55-73. We were outplayed and never really in it. 14, 9 for Jona. 21 TOs.

Not a great season by any means. 17-13, up and down all season long.

2 starters leaving, Kev Wilk and Greg Wolf.

4/3: #1 Virginia wins it all.

4/4: Awards: Alex Colt is Conf. H Frosh OY and 1st team. Daus Jona made the 2nd team.

Would I leave UMass? If the right offer comes I'll RUN!

4/9: Houston is mildly tempting, but not tempting enough. I'm staying.

4/23: I ask for $.

Got $10,000.

A disappointing season, but we move up to Conf. G. I hope we're up to the challenge!

Overall, after 7 seasons, I'm 154-67, .697.

[Wayne23]

5/1: I think with the transfers and recruits we're going to have a very competitive team this year.

Daus Jona transfers. Disappointing but not surprising. He had lots of issues last season. Cris Holt also leaves but he didn't figure in our plans.

6/5: Looking at transfers.

6/16: No luck.

6/26: 3 scholarships. We want at least 2 guards.

I have to say that unless we can turn some attitudes around we're in trouble. I have 5 guys whose mood is red and 3 who are yellow.

I haven't talked about what I'm doing in a few months.

Lexi and I have settled in nicely. We're great roommates. We share the same respecting each other's need for privacy but working well together on cooking, cleaning... We've also become friends and we do some things together- concerts, trips to various places downtown, sometimes a movie, just sitting aroudn watching videos together... But it's a friendship, not a romance.

Li and I see each other from time to time but I'm just not ready for anything that's more than casual. I think she wants more so she may back away but so far she hasn't.

Work is always challenging. I work on some fascinating cases, all of them frustrating and heart breaking because all of them involve someone who has been done a grave injustice. At Born Free we manage to get these people a chance. Sadly, sometimes justice is done and sometimes it isn't, but we give it all we have.

I'm a researcher so I dig through court records, newspaper accounts, talk to witnesses...

8/7: Alex Colt is #25 and Nico Ateo #34 on the Norton list.

[Wayne23]

8/15: We offer to 2 PGs and a C.

The coronavirus took a hiatus. It was everywhere, and then suddenly in late December it seemed to disappear. As of a week ago it's back and it is raging throughout the world, in almost every country.

In the past week an estimated 200,000 people died, 25,000 in the U. S.

9/18: Got a C, #67, and a PG, #99. Lost a PG.

We're going to a tourney! Fallen Heroes. But we're matched up with #12 ranked Kansas. Still, it's nice to go to a tourney. 5 home games in the pre-conf. season,
which is good. The schedule is a little more competitive.

9/25: Lost another PG.

10/2: Lost another PG.

1st day of practice. I like this team!

The virus is exploding. More than a million dead worldwide and many millions infected.

10/9: We get a PG, #132. Great recruiting class!

11/6: Here's the lineup: Soph Alex Colt is back at PG.

Juco junior Jim Shin is at SG.

Junior Cal Mond, and soph Ausi Bron will back up at guard.

Soph Nico Ateo, a transfer from Clemson, is at SF.

Dave Howe, our only senior, is at PF.

Tim Pilk, a junior transfer from Michigan, is at C.

Juco junior Mike Lear backs up inside.

We're picked to win the conference and I think we can do it if we stay healthy.

[Wayne23]

11/14: We start tomorrow at home.

The virus has all but shut down the world. Nothing non-essential is open, and precautions are being taken everywhere. As with previous pandemics there are ignorant skeptics in many countries who try to flaunt the rules. Because this caused so much needless suffering and death in the past these idiots are being incarcerated immediately when they are discovered. They will remain in prison for the duration of the epidemic. this is in place here, and in most other countries.

Since my game is all virtual I can keep coaching.

11/15: 70-54 over Furman. Alex Colt lit it up with 29, 2, 8. 19, 3, 6 for SG Jim Shin.

[Wayne23]

11/18: 76-51 over Northwestern here. Up 15 at the half. 22, 2, 4 for Shin, 15, 7 for Ateo, 12, 8 for 6th man F Mike Lear.

11/20: Recruits all sign.

We're ranked! #22. 1st time here at UMass.

Heading for the tourney against #22 Kansas. They're the #2 seed, we're #7.

It seems a vaccine has been found for the virus. It will require just a bit more testing before being ready for mass use, but scientists are very optimistic.

[Wayne23]

11/21: 60-73. They led all the way and were simply the better team. My guys never gave up though. 20 TOs and 33.9% shooting. 17, 14, 5 for C Tim Plik, 12, 6, 4 for Ateo.

Everyone is excited about the possibility of a vaccine.