Jesse Bernhardt, sliding to ties
By Joe Keegan
PLL Analyst
Aug 9, 2022
The Chrome LC defense is allowing a league-low 10.1 scores against per game. Jesse Bernhardt wears the proverbial green dot on his helmet. He's a coach on the field for an equal parts violent and cohesive defense.
Chrome LC leads the league in unassisted shooting percentage allowed (21.9%). There are no easy one-on-ones across the board. Will Haus, Ryan Terefenko, and Mike Messenger have played lockdown defense from the short-stick position. JT Giles-Harris is in the conversation for the Dave Pietramala Defensive Player of the Year Award. Eli Salama and Nick Grill have been strong on-ball at LSM. And two-time All-Pro Mike Manley is playing his best lacrosse since 2018.
They rarely need to slide to support a matchup – but if you’re late on a clear thru or if you roll back when they’re nearby…
Jesse Bernhardt vs. Chaos: 4GB, 1CT, 1 run out, and held his matchup to 1-for-9 (11.1%) shooting pic.twitter.com/Kzh49Tiya5
— Joe Keegan (@joekeegs) August 7, 2022
…then they will trap you.
Chrome LC kept the Chaos offense in check by poling the lefty side, preventing any big-little opportunities for Chaos LC attack Josh Byrne.
“They were trying to pole the left side so that when we did get a pick-and-roll, I wasn’t able to get an advantage into the shorty,” said Byrne. “If they did get stuck with a shorty that side, they were obviously squeezing me and staying on the double and forcing it out of my hands.”
With three poles on the lefty side, that meant Bernhardt was often alone with two short-sticks against the righty side. He still held his assignment to 1-for-9 (11.1%) shooting on an island while coordinating the rest of the defense through Chaos’s pick-heavy offense.
