by Patrick Stevens
 
Aiden Argabright knew the Richmond basketball staff was keeping an eye on him last season as he figured out how to stay aggressive without becoming reckless as he learned the Spiders’ system and put his considerable talents to use.
 
Richmond trusts him implicitly, and for good cause. Argabright led all Atlantic 10 freshmen with 10.8 points a game, had 2.6 assists for every turnover and then decided to remain with the Spiders for a sophomore encore.
 
In turn, the 5-foot-11 guard is assured in what he’s doing for a team seeking to move back into the top half of the A10.
 
“I feel like I can go through practice with my eyes closed, it’s so easy for me,” said Argabright, a preseason third team all-A10 selection. “But it’s just getting other guys involved now. I know I have a good sense for it. Collin Tanner has a good sense for it in his fourth year. We’re just trying to get the other guys caught up to speed a little bit.”
 
Funny he should mention speed, since his quicksilver movement on the floor is what stands out to just about anyone seeing Argabright for the first time. In an offense predicated on ball movement, his astute play while zipping around the court adds a valuable element for the Spiders.
 
“He’s really, really a special player,” coach Chris Mooney said. “He has a great sense for the game, as well as great shotmaking ability, great quickness, really has a very good sense. He much more of a scoring guard, but he’s able to set the table for others because of how quickly he can recognize defenses and make adjustments on the fly.”
 
Argabright has spent the offseason finding a balance between those scoring instincts and the need to distribute. Last year, he played alongside the likes of Mikkel Tyne, Mike Walz and Will Johnston, all of whom were important nodes in Richmond’s offense.
 
The Spiders’ 10 newcomers are the most in any of Mooney’s 22 seasons, though the early returns behind the scenes suggest this could be a potent mix of talent—with Argabright doing plenty to draw them out.
 
“We’re definitely more tough this year, and we have a lot more grit,” Argabright said. “That’s going to show up every game.”
 
A LOOK AT THE SPIDERS:
Coach: Chris Mooney, 22nd season at Richmond, 373-307 with the Spiders and 391-319 in 23 seasons overall.
 
Last year: Defensive issues plagued the Spiders, who started out 3-2 in the conference but lost 12 of their last 14 games. Richmond didn’t win a game away from the Robins Center after Jan. 7, and their 75-67 loss as the No. 11 seed to Loyola Chicago on the first day of the Atlantic 10 tournament left them at 15-17 overall.
 
They’ll miss: Six of the Spiders’ top seven scorers depart, a group headlined by AJ Lopez (13.4 ppg, .394 3FG%) and Johnston (9.7 ppg, .374 3FG%), both of whom played a prominent role on the perimeter while starting every game last season. Walz (7.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) also graduated, leaving a vacancy in the lineup at center.
 
Impact returners: Retaining Argabright was arguably the best move of Richmond’s offseason, but it does help to have experience in Mooney’s system elsewhere in the rotation. Tanner (5.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg) is in his fourth season in the program, and Will Harper III (3.4 ppg) returns after playing in 14 games as a freshman despite being hampered by injury and illness at a couple points in the season.
 
Newcomers of note: If Thad Matta doesn’t retire at Butler after last season, the Spiders probably don’t have either wing Jamie Kaiser Jr. or forward Jack McCaffery. Richmond added both in the spring, along with former Bulldogs assistant Maurice Joseph.
 
Mooney recruited Kaiser (9.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg) hard out of high school before the northern Virginia product chose Maryland and remains impressed with his work ethic, approach and professionalism. And Mooney was long familiar with McCaffery because he’s known his father Fran (the current coach at Penn) for years. Unsurprisingly, the younger McCaffery (2.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg) has a keen sense and understanding of the game.
 
“I feel like that is something that is helpful,” Mooney said. “Maurice Joseph was on the Butler staff, he had gone to Butler from Richmond and now returns to Richmond. Those three guys coming in being familiar with one another and also knowing, trusting and having a good relationship with one another is really, really critical.”
 
Another name to keep an eye on is Bucknell transfer Amon Dörries (16.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg), a German forward who earned second team all-Patriot League honors last season and seems like an optimal fit into a system that prioritizes skilled bigs.
 
Reasons to be optimistic: Not only is Argabright ready for a greater spotlight, he won’t have to do everything on his own. That’s because Richmond signed UC Irvine transfer Derin Saran (11.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg), a 6-foot-5 senior who provides both size and steadiness in a ballhandling option.
 
“Derin’s going to be playing the other guard with me,” Argabright said. “He has a good sense. The way he fits our system, he likes to cut a lot and he likes to drive. He’s a really smart player and good on defense.”
 
X factor: Two members of the Penn State staff—head coach Mike Rhoades (formerly of VCU) and assistant Jamal Brunt (a longtime fixture on Mooney’s staff)—gave Mooney positive feedback on junior guard Dominick Stewart (6.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg last season with the Nittany Lions).
 
In the Spiders’ two exhibition games, the 6-foot-5 Stewart averaged 10 points and four rebounds while starting both contests and is poised to play a substantial role at Richmond.
 
“He really has a good sense for the game, a really good passer, very good shooter and we’re excited,” Mooney said. “He’s long and athletic as well and I think has a chance to have a very good impact for us. I think Dominick is one of the more talented guys that we have and I think we’re looking forward to him not only being a finisher and a scorer but also a playmaker for us.”
 
Circle the date: Well, two of them for one of the Atlantic 10’s great local rivalries. The Capital City Classic against VCU will be played Jan. 30 at the Siegel Center and Feb. 13 back at the Robins Center on Richmond’s campus.
 
Bottom line: Argabright could be one of the A10’s most exciting players, and Richmond added some savvy high-major pieces around him. It may take some time before the Spiders fully figure things out, but there’s more than enough in place to be one of the league’s best teams in February (and maybe a bit a sooner).
 
Patrick Stevens is a veteran college basketball writer who oversees Mid-Atlantic College Hoops. Previously, he worked for The Washington Post, Syracuse Media Group and The Washington Times. Stevens has written selected pieces for the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2013.