The Gaels of this season versus 2012-13

Coach Randy Bennett's crew finished a very respectable 23-12 overall, 11-7 in the West Coast Conference this season but all didn't seem copacetic. A certain synchronicity appeared missing, an absence of an our-five-play-as-one-better-than-yours edge. With a fourth place finish when no lower than second is deemed as acceptable by Gael-ites, it didn't feel like a typical Bennett-like season..

Yet look at s-o-m-e of the Gael versus opponents numbers of this recently concluded season (no, these are not the in-depth analytics so popular nowadays):

* 71.5 to 65.5 overall scoring in favor of the Bennett-ites

* 45% to 45% overall shooting

* 38% to 34% in long distance shooting with 163 more Moraga trey attempts than opponents

* 71% to 71% foul shooting but, again, 141 more St. Mary's tries

* a 34 to 30 per game Moraga rebounding advantage

* 57 more Gael assists, a tie in turnovers, a tie in steals

So most of the categories are close, leading to the idea that ending at 23-12, 11-7 is actually pretty damn remarkable.

+++++

So how did the Gaels perform when Matty D was a senior and still aboard? Try 29-7, a second place 14-2, with a 74.6 to 62.9 per game point differential.

* 47% to 42% overall shooting

* even at 37 in long distance shooting with 205 more Moraga attempts

* even at the foul line but with 44 more St. Mary's tries

* a 37 to 29 per game Bennett rebounding advantage

* 128 more assists, a tie in turnovers, a tie in steals

So a majority of the most important statistics display a lessening in advantages.

Now Brad Waldow returns in 2014-15, which is a plus but too often there was no other fellow frontcourter enjoying a plus night. With Stephen Holt departing, it's also going to be difficult for the group of Gael backcourters to win their positional battles each game. The addition of Stanford's Aaron Bright will help but he's not a major difference-maker. Joe Coleman, from Minnesota, will also be coming off a redshirt season and he looks to have the capacity to replace the graduating Stephen Holt.

It's going to be very interesting in Moraga come next season. Can the magic return?