The test was three pages long and 20 questions. It included questions about the North Atlantic Conference and the Maine Maritime Academy men’s basketball schedule for the upcoming season. It also included questions involving leadership, like who among their teammates did the players trust in certain situations, on or off the court?

David Muchnick, the Mariners’ new men’s basketball coach, was looking for leaders. In sophomore guard Dylan Price, he found one. Before the start of the season, Price was named one of the team’s captains, along with junior guard Zach Radcliffe.

Additional Images

Madison graduate Dylan Price has averaged 5.2 points per game and 2.8 assists per game for Maine Maritime Academy this season. Contributed photo

The Price File

• School: Maine Maritime Academy

• Hometown: Madison

• Major: Power Engineering Technology

“Dylan was a guy who stood out in those leadership questions,” Muchnick said. “It was a unique way to find out who the guys trust. He says the right thing. He does the right thing. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s just a sophomore.”

“It’s a really big responsibility and it’s a great honor,” Price said on being a captain. “I try to get the guys to do the best that they can. I know the guys can be better.”

A Madison native, Price has played in all 19 of Maine Maritime’s game, starting five. He started Saturday’s game at Castleton, dishing out a team-high six assists and scoring two points in a 90-81 loss to the Spartans. Price has scored in double digits three times this season, most recently when he scored a season-high 14 points in an 86-64 non-conference loss at Colby.

Price and MMA are off until Friday’s conference game at home against Colby-Sawyer.

On the season, Price averages 5.2 points and 2.8 assists per game for the Mariners, who are learning to play in first-year coach Muchnick’s system.

“He had four assists in the first half versus Castleton. He finds guys. He’s very unselfish. He’d good at penetrating, and our shooters are waiting for the ball on the perimeter,” Muchnick said.

Although Price is just 5-foot-10, Muchnick calls him the Mariners’ best on the ball defender. Often, Price defends opponents who are four or five inches taller than he.

“Dylan defends every team’s best player every night when we’re in man-to-man (defense),” Muchnick said.

When the Mariners played Green Mountain College, they used a box-and-one defense. Price found himself guarding 6-7 forward Cam Anderson.

“You just have to be intense,” Price said. “It doesn’t matter how big they are if you’re able to stay in front of them.”

With two years left in his college career, Price still has plenty of room for improvement. Muchnick would like to see Price diversify his offensive game, and look for his shot more often. That will come with increased confidence, Muchnick said. Also, Price has a tendency to sometimes play too fast and aggressive, and that can lead to turnovers, Muchnick said. It’s a good problem to have, and easy to fix.

“Thinking too much, and I get out of control,” Price said.

“I’d rather have a player go fast than have to speed him up,” Muchnick said. “Those things will come with time.”

This has been a learning season for the Mariners, who are 2-17, 1-11 in NAC play. In Muchnick’s first season, that was expected. It’s what the Mariners do with the experience gained this season that concerns Price.

“We’re pretty much all freshmen this year. That’s what Coach (Muchnick) said. We’re all in year one, and we have to learn,” Price said. “I just want to get everyone on the same page. We’ll get that structure other teams have.”

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM

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