The Big Green are not a very deep team to start this season.  Cowles has a great nucleus of seniors and will be hesitant to bring in his younger players unless the team is not competitive early which should not be a problem.  He might use a few of them for depth but mainly rely on the superb upperclassmen.  The parts were interchangeable and the Green roll hard.  George Munroe and Ed Leede (no pun intended) have taken turns leading the Big Green into battle.  Neither is the prototypical point guard, though, and so Cowles uses a motion offense that gets everybody involved.  Leede is a true leader by nature and does whatever it takes for the Big Green to succeed.  Cowles had no problem putting the ball into his hands and though he plays the wing on defense is, at least for now, the team’s point guard.   This Bayside New York product goes 6’3 and has been a huge part of this program’s history, so much that they are thinking of naming the gym after him.  Really.  Munroe, at 5’11 170, guards the other team’s point guards but is really more of a scorer.  Joliet George (he is from Illinois) plays the game with a coolness that you can’t teach and this pair definitely has developed a reputation for playing well together and listening to good music.  These ‘Blues Bros’ are the ‘soul’ of this team but need to get better at involving their teammates if the Big Green are going to get to the Big Dance (or concert) this year.  The one thing this first five lacks is a true point guard but they know each other so well and played so well as a team they might not need one.  But they got to stay healthy and that has been a problem in Hanover.  Munroe actually missed the last ten games which opened the door for some young studs to get their foot in the door and will try to push it in this year. 

Last season came crashing to the floor when Senior Gus Broberg went literally crashing to the floor driving to the hoop versus the Bears.  Broberg tore up his right arm in an ugly injury that ended his season and that probably means the Pros as well as he might not have use of that arm again.  Ever.  That is a terribly sad situation for this truly great player and leader.  Broberg has been the heart and soul of this program for four years.  One of the best wings on the East Coast Broberg is a good all-around player who does whatever it takes to succeed.  His best attribute is his ability to score off the wing either going to the hoop or hitting little runners and jumpers.  Borberg is also a terrific defender even though he only goes at about six one.  He can run all day and really is the complete package.  This Connecticut kid made Cowles and this program with his incredible offensive game as he led the Ivy in scoring for two years and put the Big Green on the national basketball map.  His injury obviously really hurt the Big Green as they had no one ready to take over.  He did lead with courage and determination throughout his career and he will do so again probably in the court room as this kid is going to law school and wants to a judge someday.  His grit and leadership will be hard to replace next year as it was impossible to replace this year. The Big Green were 13 and 3 with and 3 and 9 without this superb talent. 

Inside the Big Green were not deep but they do have one stud.  Senior Post Player Rudy LaRusso earned First Team all-conference accolades.  He deserved them.  Larusso (with an L) is a terrific rebounder and low post defender.  ‘Roughhouse’ Rudy has developed a reputation for being a tough as nails guys but he also has a ton of skill that he has worked on to the nth degree.  His great offensive game gets forgotten with his other skills but he can score just as well as he boards.  Well, almost as well…This Brooklyn kid is as one might expect tough as they come and is also not afraid to take the last shot as he did against Penn in the biggest win of the year for the Big Green.  He is the only starter that lasted throughout the full season and should have been an All-American.  Although he came into this season as being a role player who would guard and defend down low while Broberg led the team in scoring per usual he worked hard and became the go to guy as he was the only post player that Cowles could count on consistently.   LaRusso has been taught well by his mentor Mr. Miagi er Cowles and all of those days of working on basic skills in the gym (Wax on, Wax off) have made him a super inside player.  He is the best player ever to play here and one of the best in Ivy history and has made himself a viable Pro caliber player.  There are rumors that this Brooklyn kid will end up in Los Angeles probably by way of station wagon.  Hopefully LaRusso acclimates well and meets ‘Allie with an I’ and most importantly Johnny and his buddies are not waiting for him! 

With LaRusso at one post position the Big Green just needed a solid compliment at the post.  The two headed monster of seniors Aud Brindley and Jim Francis did just fine last year.  When healthy….Brindley is a multitalented weapon underneath who can score and board.  Undersized for the post, LaRusso usually moved to center when Brindley is in.  Brindley like Munroe and Broberg got their seasons cut short due to injury primarily due to his skinny as heck frame trying to hang in with the bigs.  This Rockville NY kid is vastly undersized at only six four but can score with an array of moves.  Brindley has a solid all-around offensive game and was a great compliment to LaRusso but this is not 1944 anymore either.  Francis is just a solid worker.  He has more size (6’9) than Brindley and allowed Larusso to play his natural power forward position.  A terrific board guy who is similar to LaRusso and back in the day Cowles needed more offense and went with Brindley.  This year LaRusso improved his offensive game and it allowed Francis to play more which he did and did well.  And of course Brindley got hurt.  His ability to bang down low really opened up the key for his buddy LaRusso to excel and this kid was doing his old job of the dirty work.  When these two were in together nobody was safe from a cross check screen or a tag team pounding under the glass.  He is a class act but he is not exactly a rim protector and the Big Green have one of those waiting in the wings.  

Cowles had some other guys who could play down low and soon it will be up to them to try and replace that great senior class.  Cowles has slowly let them integrate into the system but with all of the injuries last year this group got more minutes than expected.  Seniors Alex Winn and George Ramming got their shot and did aright.  Winn is 6’6 and 220 pounds from Saugus Massachusetts (yes, he does have the Ivy pedigree) and can play.  This tweener forward is not big enough for the post and was stuck behind Larusso anyway.  He is definitely not a center and this team needed that though he did play well at the three when given a chance. Ramming is only 6’5 and though he plays center is way too small.  He can score inside though.  Junior Sterling Edmonds (if ever there was an Ivy League name, this is it) took advantage of his shot and had a terrific second season in New Hampshire.  At 6’9 he has the size but not the girth (200 pounds) even in the Ivy.  Edmonds will block a shot and has a good low post game.  He almost averaged double digits in the ten games he started and will continue to improve.  He does need to get better on the boards but with Larusso (and Francis) around wiping the glass (that’s a new one Miagi) the Big Green does not need much help there.  Fellow Junior Paul Erland also got some minutes and is consistent.  A bit undersized (6’5) as well Erland can flat score and though he might be better suited for a wing gets the job done in the paint.  He is not a great board guy but man can he score.  He barely played early but he was getting huge minutes on the JV and showed he can really play.  He will be counted on for one spot off the bench and the other should be a nice battle between two kids with some huge upside.  At the opposite end of the spectrum are sophomores Walter Palmer and Larry Lawrence.  Palmer is a true seven-footer and brings something this program has never had.  Size.  Another Virginia kid who came to Dartmouth for an education and to improve himself and others but can also play.  Palmer, like Edmonds before him, is however is in every sense of the word a project.  They must not feed them too well down in Old Dominion as Palmer, like the Ivy named one, is too skinny.  But one thing for sure is this kid is ‘active’ and will continue to push for minutes for himself and others.  A gifted shot blocker, Palmer has much room to improve and is not the type to eat up 30 minutes a game but his size and presence is needed and he will play and he will get better.  He spent most of his freshman year on the JV and did not even start until Erland got called up but he averaged almost 3 blocks a game.  He is the tallest guy in the Ivy (7’2) but needs to get bigger (he only weights 215) and stronger and develop some kind of post move.  The world is his oyster though and this kid understands his limitations and how much work he will have to do to get to the next level.  His height gives him a huge advantage but it is not like shooting a wild lion on a preserve, you got to work to become king of the jungle in the Pros.  Lawrence is the opposite end of the pool as he an undersized post player who really knows how to play this game.  At six foot six he is not afraid to wander in with the trees but has a complete offensive game.  A gifted low post player who can also take it out to 15 feet, Lawrence should get some big minutes next year but with Erland around there may be too many peas in the pod playing the same position and to be honest neither is really even a four.  They both will play as they are the best of the lot that remains and Cowles has to have somebody manning the paint in lieu of the great LaRusso leaving for the West Coast.  But that is next year.  This year Lawrence will get some minutes up on the varsity but he and Palmer will team again down low on the JV.   There is another duo of sophomores who will push for time and are more suited for the four spot.  Brian Burke and Paul Anderson will push for time but look to be rotating once again with Lawrence and Palmer for time.  This quartet spent most of the year on the JV team as none were going to push LaRusso for time.  When the right time comes Cowles will go with Palmer to get his feet wet for obvious reasons.  There is some hope here but none will replace the Crane kicking LaRusso any time soon.   Speaking of Ivy league names, senior J Gunnar Malm is a 6’7 post who is big in the frats but has barely played since arriving in Hanover.  JGM has a great name and some game (let’s hope) but if he gets on the court next year remains to be seen. 

A rotation of several players attempted trying to replace Broberg and Munroe after their injuries.  Junior James Brown and sophomore Bryan Randall got some serious minutes down the stretch.  Brown (not to be confused with the Godfather of Soul or the big guy from Harvard) is a 6’2 scoring machine who averaged double digits the last 15 games.  This Long Island kid can flat get to the hoop and has a nice mid-range game.  He is penciled in to start at the shooting guard. but that depends on improving his defense a little and whether or not Randall takes over the point and moves Leede (and or Monroe) to the two.  Randall is a 6’1 true point guard who was content getting his feet wet running the JV when the injury bug hit.  Soon he was on the varsity and soon after getting some huge minutes.  By far the best passer on the carryover roster, Randall does everything well and will no doubt be the man running the show in Hanover.  The question is in the words of Morrissey ‘how soon is now!’  Seniors Steve Spahn and Chuck Kaufman and junior Bill Raynor will also battle for minutes in the back court but unless there is another run of injuries this trio will be deep on the bench.  After all, Cowles chose to go with a true freshman last year over these guys and though they did play some, it was not all the way through the year as expected. 

One player who played all the way through and will no doubt be the go to guy for the Big Green for the next two years is Sophomore wing Jim Barton.  Barton started the year as the first guy off the bench and soon was playing huge minutes.  When the injuries hit he became the go to perimeter player.  Barton can shoot and can also fill the lane on the break.  He is as gifted as anyone who ever wore a Big Green uniform who is not named LaRusso.  Barton at 6’4 is not afraid to mix it up down low either but is best suited for the wing game.  Barton finished a strong second on the team in scoring to the mighty LaRusso and gives the Big Green the type of perimeter game it needs to be.  The big question is whether he plays the two or the three.  He is fine at either and gives Cowles options but this team needs to get bigger so don’t be surprised if he switches over to shooting guard permanently.  That position does define him after all.  He will soon be the man in Hanover and could put up some huge numbers the next three seasons.

The Dartmouth Big Green will not confuse you with Penn’s or Princeton’s as the best of the Ivy League.  But for a while, not so long ago, they could have!  They did look like they had regained some old magic and could challenge the two Behomeths midway through the year until injuries shipwrecked what was potentially a great season for the Big Green.  The senior laden lineup lost three starters in a five game stretch that basically put an end to any thoughts of contending with the Big Two in the Ivy.  The fans of Hanover have very right to be upset and should know that this team was on the verge of greatness. The usual cry of wait til next year rings a little hollow with all the talent going to greener pastures.  Coach Cowles may be in rebuilding mode.  And maybe for an awful long time!   But alas Covid hit and a few seniors got their years back and this could be their year once again.  They do have the toughest guy in the league up front and a great wing who can flat fill it up from behind the arc so the cupboard is not completely empty.  Now, if Cowles can find some of that infamous Big Green chemistry that led this program to the promised-land a few years back perhaps this is the year the nation actually realizes that there is something else to do in February in New Hampshire then try and select a President.