Hartford Lands Skilled Big Man
After only two years at the helm of the University of Hartford program, Dan Leibovitz has already led the Hawks to the America East Championship game. With the vast majority of the team’s major contributors set to return next year, it appears the future is bright in Hartford.
Leibovitz and his staff have built the foundation of their program on skilled players with high basketball I.Q.’s. Offensively, the Hawks spread the floor and take (and make) more three-pointers than any other club in the America East. Defensively, they employ many of the same tactics that Leibovitz learned while working under John Chaney at Temple University. The most notable of these is their patented match-up zone that requires very intelligent players.
With their unique style of play, the Hawks need to be particularly diligent in their recruiting to ensure they find players who can excel in that system. With past recruits having come from Puerto Rico, California, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Leibovitz and his staff have shown they will go just about anywhere to find the type of player they are looking for. Now, they have found a good fit from the New England area, as Worcester Academy’s Genesis Maciel is coming onboard.
Maciel is a very skilled big man who can be productive on both the low and high posts. He is a very crafty with his back to the basket, with a very distinct international feel to his game. He can also stretch the defense by pulling the opposing shot blocker out to the three-point line with his shooting range. Finally, he is an intelligent player with a high basketball I.Q. For all of those reasons, Maciel has the potential to be very effective for the Hawks.
However, the Worcester Academy big man does not come to Hartford without his question marks. He needs to get himself into much better shape, improve his conditioning, and prove that he is willing to work hard on a consistent basis. If he can address those issues then he has the potential to be a difference maker in the America East.
Genesis Maciel