Do NOT go uptempo with a short bench vs the press. Certainly not with those ball handlers. My guards on my D3 team can take care of the ball better. Recruit ball handlers and passers, even at the 4 and 5 spots when you can. Especially in the triangle where passing is a key attribute.
Until then, and even in a lot of cases, I'd still use slow-down against the press. It neutralizes the strengths of the team, especially if they run 11-12 deep.