Three things we learned about the Charlotte 49ers in their season opener vs Monmouth
The Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team went 615 days without a full-capacity crowd at Halton Arena.
Newcomer Clyde Trapp Jr. wasted no time getting the home crowd involved with a steal and dunk early in the action, jump-starting the 49ers’ wire-to-wire lead. Charlotte escaped Monmouth’s late surge in the season opener to win 68-66, breaking their skid of nine straight losses dating back to February 2020.
The Hawks cut Charlotte’s lead down to 2 points with 7.6 seconds to play, but George Papas’ 3-pointer fell short at the buzzer. After trailing by 15 early in the second half, Monmouth rallied by shooting 49% from the field in the final 20 minutes.
Jahmir Young connected on two free throws with two minutes to play, giving the 49ers just enough to hold their narrow lead down the stretch.
Charlotte coach Ron Sanchez spoke about the 49ers’ home environment following the win.
“Thankful for the students showing up and giving us that energy,” Sanchez said. “They say the crowd is worth six to eight points a game. Today we needed every one of them from every person that cheered.”
Here are three things we learned from the 49ers’ season-opening win:
TRANSFERS IMPRESS
Charlotte brought in five transfers for the 2021 season, three of which made instant impacts and opening night.
After spending four seasons with Clemson, Trapp was the best player on the floor for the 49ers in the first half. He led the team with 20 points while sharing the primary ball-handling responsibility with Young.
“I expect Clyde to be who he was today, every day,” Sanchez said. “I think there’s still more in him, to be honest with you. He’s played in big games and in big venues under a lot of pressure. Him calming down some of the younger guys that haven’t been there, and I think that’s huge.”
Trapp shot 50% from the field and 42% from 3, including two from NBA range. He left the game with cramping in both calves following a dunk with 12:50 to play in the second half but returned shortly after.
Austin Butler is the loudest player on the court. He was known for his shooting ability and toughness in his four years at Holy Cross and that carried over to the 49ers on opening night. Butler’s communication defensively set him apart early, and his timely three to extend Charlotte’s lead in the second half gave him an even 10 on the night.
Robert Braswell IV played big minutes for Syracuse in the ACC and NCAA tournaments last season and provided an immediate impact off the bench for the 49ers in the first half. Braswell didn’t attempt a field goal in the final 20 minutes, totaling 8 points with a pair of 3s.
JAHMIR YOUNG THE CLOSER
Young was relied on heavily in 2020 for the 49ers and the closing minutes of Tuesday’s game were no different. The pre-season first-team all-conference guard took Charlotte’s last five shots, and seven of the team’s 10 in the final eight minutes.
It was a slow start for Young, shooting just 2 of 7 from the field in the first half. He finished 4 of 17 on the night but connected on all six free throws. Following Trapp’s brief exit midway through the second half, Young became the primary ball handler and did just enough to get Charlotte in the win column.
At 6-1, Young posted 14 points and led the team with 10 rebounds and three assists. It was his second career double-double.
“The beauty about Jahmir now is that he has some experience under his belt and he’s been in some tough games through his journey,” Sanchez said. “He handled the pressure and made some good plays. He challenged the rim well — some fouls and some maybe not. I thought that he managed the game pretty well today.”
LACKING RIM PROTECTION
Charlotte went with a small-ball starting lineup with Butler (6-5) at small forward, Jackson Threadgill (6-6) at power forward and Aly Khalifa (6-11) at center.
The undersized lineup showed as the 49ers allowed 38 points in the paint and gave up nine offensive rebounds. Khalif and Jared Garcia both saw time at center, with Khalifa recording the team’s only block.
Monmouth was led by North Carolina transfer Walker Miller’s 23 points and 7 rebounds. Many of his shots were without a hand in his face. Charlotte’s Pack Line defense doubled in the post early and often, but Miller had his way with any one-on-one matchup in the lane.
It was Khalfia’s collegiate debut and achieved double figures with 11 points on the night, but of the 49ers’ big-men who saw action, 22 of their 30 rebounds were from guards.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 10:00 PM.
