There's nothing worse for a college basketball program to have its coach go into a "lame duck" season, i.e. enter a season on the last year of his contract. And, now, Canisius coach Tom Parrotta won't face that situation.
Parrotta signed a two-year contract extension (no financial terms revealed) that will keep him as the Golden Griffins’ head coach through the 2012-13 season.
“Under Tom’s leadership, the men’s basketball program at Canisius has made steady progress and he has done a great job of recruiting and developing the young men in our program,” athletic director Bill Maher said in a press statement released by the school. “The growth and improvement of the student-athletes in our program has been outstanding and has positioned us very well for future success. I look forward to continuing to work with Tom and his staff as they lead our program toward the ultimate goal, winning a MAAC men’s basketball championship and earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.”
Parrotta helped guide Canisius to a 15-17 overall record and an 8-10 mark in MAAC play in 2009-10, with the eight leagues wins standing as the most for the program since 2004-05. Since taking over the program prior to the 2006-07 campaign, Parrotta has guided the Griffs to a MAAC Tournament win in each of the last four seasons, a claim only conference rivals Siena and Rider can boast. The 15-win season in 2009-10 marked just the 13th time in the last 50 years that the team had 15 victories over Division I programs in the same campaign, and the Griffs’ 7-5 record at home was the program’s first home winning record since 2004-05.
After a 6-25 overall record in the 2007-08 season, Canisius improved to 11 victories in 2008-09 and 15 this past season.
“I am excited and proud to be continuing the development and success to this program,” Parrotta said, in the school's press release. “We are on the cusp of great things here at Canisius."
The Griffs will return four starters and eight letterwinners to next year’s team. Parrotta’s first recruit, Frank Turner, wrapped up his eligibility at the end of the 2009-10 season and will leave the College ranked as the school’s career leader in assists, games played and minutes played, while ranking among the top-10 at Canisius in seven other statistical categories.
Among the returning players for next year’s team, rising seniors Julius Coles and Greg Logins are on pace to join the program’s 1,000-point club, while classmate Tomas Vazquez-Simmons, the school’s career blocked shot leader, is on pace to join the top-five on the MAAC’s all-time blocks list. The program has also made strides in the classroom, as all five members of the Class of 2011, including Elton Frazier and Robert Goldsberry, will start next season working toward their master’s degrees at the College.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Women's Report: Canisius Looks Solid
Here's the latest in the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series taking a look back and ahead at conference women's teams.
Up now ...
CANISIUS (6-12 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 12-19 overall)
RECAP: After losing two terrific players (Amanda Cavo and Marie Warner) from the 2008-09 team that finished 14-4 in conference play and 24-9 overall, the Golden Griffins figured to have a down cycle, and they did. But, it wasn't so bad. Six teams, ones that finished fourth-through-ninth, were fairly even in terms of talent this past season. It's just that the Griffs finished at the bottom of those six. Of its 12 league losses, nine were by single digits and five of those by five or fewer points. Canisius didn't have much height, but rode a deep, solid roster and its traditional three-point shooting proclivity for whatever success it did have. Senior guard Brittane Russell cemented her legacy as one of the program's best-ever players, fiinishing her career as the only MAAC player (and one of only five in NCAA history) to ever accumulate more than 1,200 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 300 steals.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Russell and 6-foot-0 senior forward Ellie Radke had strong seasons. Russell averaged 13.0 points and her 3.0 steal-per-game average not only led the MAAC (she was the conference's top thief in all four of her seasons in the league), but was 16th-best nationally. She was a second-team all-MAAC all-star and should have been on the first team. Radke averaged 11.2 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds. The team's best night might have come in a loss to league champion Marist on Jan. 29. Before a sell-out Koessler Arena crowd of 2,196 the Griffs held a 23-14 lead over Marist at halftime before the Red Foxes rallied for a 54-45 victory. A group of younger players got valuable experience, particularly 5-5 freshman guard Ashley Durham who looks like a capable replacement for Russell at point guard. In recent years, the program has found an up-tempo, 3-point shooting playing style to be effectively and currently has an NCAA-record active streak of 485 consecutive games with at least one made 3-pointer.
WHAT WENT WRONG: First, there wasn't enough height. The Griffs were outrebounded by an average of 4.4 per night. Then there were injuries. Promising 6-foot freshman Melissa Gardner, who might have helped on the boards, suffered a foot injury after starting in 10 of the team's first 12 games (she was averaging 3.0 rebounds in 16 minutes per night) and missed the remainder of the season. Stephanie McDonald, a 5-10 sophomore guard (averaging 3.3 points, 3.2 rebounds) who started the team's first six games, suffered a shoulder injury and didn't play again. If those two remained healthy giving Canisius a little help inside the result likely would have been a few more wins. Then there was youth. Four of the team's top 10 players were freshmen, and that's never a great recipe for success. The lineup was almost a nightly work in progress. Eleven different players started at least a game. That's usually a sign of a roster of solid players, but not enough real standouts, which appeared to be the case here.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Here's a trivia question: What team is the last other than Marist to win the MAAC's post-season tournament? That would be Canisius, which earned the right to advance to the NCAA tournament in 2005. That won't happen again in 2010-11, but the Griffs seem to be doing the right things in their building process to get back there. Still, Russell and Radke will be tough to replace. Durham will have to emerge as a sophomore, which she seems capable of doing. Micayla Drysdale, a 5-9 junior guard whose career .392 percent 3-point accuracy is the best in the program's history, looks like she can provide some offensive punch. The return of Gardner and McDonald will help, as will the natural progressions of sophomore guard Tauralee Tenn, who moved into the starting lineup late in the season, along with 6-2 freshman Whitney Ellenor and 5-10 freshman Allison Braun. More help, especially up front, should come from incoming recruits, including two 6-foot-3 post players and another 6-1 forward. All three incoming "bigs" are from Canada. Next season the Griffs will have nine Canada natives on the roster, the most of any Division I program nationally.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: The MAAC looks like it will be as balanced in the coming season as it has been in recent memory. Canisius probably won't contend for the top couple of spots, but will clearly be in the next pack, like it was this year. The Griffs, though, don't appear destined to be at the bottom of that pack as they were this past season. Expect Canisius to finish anywhere from fourth to eighth, getting on the high side of that if the freshmen provide immediate help and on the low side if that help doesn't materialize. The team should be better this season, but it is best set up for success in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
Up now ...
CANISIUS (6-12 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 12-19 overall)
RECAP: After losing two terrific players (Amanda Cavo and Marie Warner) from the 2008-09 team that finished 14-4 in conference play and 24-9 overall, the Golden Griffins figured to have a down cycle, and they did. But, it wasn't so bad. Six teams, ones that finished fourth-through-ninth, were fairly even in terms of talent this past season. It's just that the Griffs finished at the bottom of those six. Of its 12 league losses, nine were by single digits and five of those by five or fewer points. Canisius didn't have much height, but rode a deep, solid roster and its traditional three-point shooting proclivity for whatever success it did have. Senior guard Brittane Russell cemented her legacy as one of the program's best-ever players, fiinishing her career as the only MAAC player (and one of only five in NCAA history) to ever accumulate more than 1,200 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 300 steals.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Russell and 6-foot-0 senior forward Ellie Radke had strong seasons. Russell averaged 13.0 points and her 3.0 steal-per-game average not only led the MAAC (she was the conference's top thief in all four of her seasons in the league), but was 16th-best nationally. She was a second-team all-MAAC all-star and should have been on the first team. Radke averaged 11.2 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds. The team's best night might have come in a loss to league champion Marist on Jan. 29. Before a sell-out Koessler Arena crowd of 2,196 the Griffs held a 23-14 lead over Marist at halftime before the Red Foxes rallied for a 54-45 victory. A group of younger players got valuable experience, particularly 5-5 freshman guard Ashley Durham who looks like a capable replacement for Russell at point guard. In recent years, the program has found an up-tempo, 3-point shooting playing style to be effectively and currently has an NCAA-record active streak of 485 consecutive games with at least one made 3-pointer.
WHAT WENT WRONG: First, there wasn't enough height. The Griffs were outrebounded by an average of 4.4 per night. Then there were injuries. Promising 6-foot freshman Melissa Gardner, who might have helped on the boards, suffered a foot injury after starting in 10 of the team's first 12 games (she was averaging 3.0 rebounds in 16 minutes per night) and missed the remainder of the season. Stephanie McDonald, a 5-10 sophomore guard (averaging 3.3 points, 3.2 rebounds) who started the team's first six games, suffered a shoulder injury and didn't play again. If those two remained healthy giving Canisius a little help inside the result likely would have been a few more wins. Then there was youth. Four of the team's top 10 players were freshmen, and that's never a great recipe for success. The lineup was almost a nightly work in progress. Eleven different players started at least a game. That's usually a sign of a roster of solid players, but not enough real standouts, which appeared to be the case here.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Here's a trivia question: What team is the last other than Marist to win the MAAC's post-season tournament? That would be Canisius, which earned the right to advance to the NCAA tournament in 2005. That won't happen again in 2010-11, but the Griffs seem to be doing the right things in their building process to get back there. Still, Russell and Radke will be tough to replace. Durham will have to emerge as a sophomore, which she seems capable of doing. Micayla Drysdale, a 5-9 junior guard whose career .392 percent 3-point accuracy is the best in the program's history, looks like she can provide some offensive punch. The return of Gardner and McDonald will help, as will the natural progressions of sophomore guard Tauralee Tenn, who moved into the starting lineup late in the season, along with 6-2 freshman Whitney Ellenor and 5-10 freshman Allison Braun. More help, especially up front, should come from incoming recruits, including two 6-foot-3 post players and another 6-1 forward. All three incoming "bigs" are from Canada. Next season the Griffs will have nine Canada natives on the roster, the most of any Division I program nationally.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: The MAAC looks like it will be as balanced in the coming season as it has been in recent memory. Canisius probably won't contend for the top couple of spots, but will clearly be in the next pack, like it was this year. The Griffs, though, don't appear destined to be at the bottom of that pack as they were this past season. Expect Canisius to finish anywhere from fourth to eighth, getting on the high side of that if the freshmen provide immediate help and on the low side if that help doesn't materialize. The team should be better this season, but it is best set up for success in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Women's Report: Rider To Be Improved
We did it for the men, and now it's the women's turn ... a look back and ahead at the conference's 10 programs.
Call it a "10 Teams in 10 Days" series.
The reports are done in reverse order of last year's finish.
First up, this past season's 10th-place finisher ...
RIDER (2-16 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 4-26 overall)
2009-10 RECAP: A 7-11 conference record and 10 overall victories in 2008-09, the program's high points since 1999-00, created some optimism that was never fulfilled. Instead, third-year head coach Lynn Mulligan dismissed leading scorer senior Tammy Meyers from the program after seven games and the Broncs' offense suffered. The team wasn't going to be a contender anyway, and there were indications that Meyers' dismissal was addition by subtraction. On the court, though, teams only had to be concerned about defending senior guard Amanda Sepulveda, a terrific outside shooter, and junior guard Cintella Spotwood, an athletic slasher. Not much offense was coming from anywhere else. On the year the Broncs scored a MAAC-low average of 52.7 points per game while allowing 65.5 points, also worst among conference teams.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Sepulveda had a nice senior season, connecting on 77 3-pointers, best in the conference and 26th-best nationally. She was a long-range threat all season. She was also an above-average point guard, but the team needed her to score more than it needed her to pass. Spotwood chipped in with 10.2 points per game and should be one of the league's better players as a senior in the coming season. Although freshman Caitlin Bopp didn't win the conference's top rookie award, she might well be the first-year player who will have the most impact in the league in future seasons. A 6-2 center, Bopp averaged 8.4 points and 9.6 rebounds. She was the conference's second-leading rebounder, third nationally in that statistic among all freshmen and 40th nationally for any player. On the year she had 10 double-doubles. The team had a nice early season non-conference victory over state rival Monmouth, and defeated solid conference teams Manhattan and Saint Peter's during regular-season play.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The early dismissal of Meyers left the offense too easy to defend. There was also much youth getting significant time. Four of the team's top seven scorers were freshmen or sophomores. Other than Bopp (8.4 ppg.), who wasn't a real offensive threat, the Broncs got almost nothing offensively from its frontcourt. On the season, it shot a conference-low .334 percent from the field. And, then, Bopp suffered an ankle sprain and didn't play in the MAAC tournament. Without her, Rider managed just 25 points in a 45-25 first-round tournament loss to Siena, the low point total ever by a team in the conference tournament. There just wasn't enough experienced talent around for anything other than a last-place finish.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Certainly better days. Only Sepulveda departs. If Bopp adds some off-season strength she'll be among the league's elite inside players over the next three years and will be a terrific building piece for the program. Sophomore Sarah Homan, a 6-3 post player, flashed some signs that she can be a future contributor. Another inside player, 6-foot freshman Carleigh Brown, could be another nice piece for a strong future front court. Spotwood is a strong swingplayer and will likely be the go-to perimeter performer next season. Five recruits are signed, including junior college transfer Aisha Varnadore, who averaged 15.4 points per game at Burlington County College this past season. Things certainly can't get much worse for a team that hasn't won more than seven league games since 1999-00 and hasn't been above the .500 mark overall in its 13 years in the MAAC. The Broncs probably won't get there next season either, but they're moving in the right direction.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: Eight of the team's players will be freshmen and sophomores and another is an incoming JC transfer. That sort of youth rarely has great success at this level. Still ... if Bopp continues to develop, if this year's freshmen make some natural progression, if JC transfer Varnadore can pick up Sepulveda's lost scoring and the incoming freshmen can at least contribute, Rider should escape the cellar. Don't expect the Broncs to compete for the upper division, but it could contend to escape the play-in round for the conference's bottom four teams and move on to even better things beyond next season.
Call it a "10 Teams in 10 Days" series.
The reports are done in reverse order of last year's finish.
First up, this past season's 10th-place finisher ...
RIDER (2-16 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 4-26 overall)
2009-10 RECAP: A 7-11 conference record and 10 overall victories in 2008-09, the program's high points since 1999-00, created some optimism that was never fulfilled. Instead, third-year head coach Lynn Mulligan dismissed leading scorer senior Tammy Meyers from the program after seven games and the Broncs' offense suffered. The team wasn't going to be a contender anyway, and there were indications that Meyers' dismissal was addition by subtraction. On the court, though, teams only had to be concerned about defending senior guard Amanda Sepulveda, a terrific outside shooter, and junior guard Cintella Spotwood, an athletic slasher. Not much offense was coming from anywhere else. On the year the Broncs scored a MAAC-low average of 52.7 points per game while allowing 65.5 points, also worst among conference teams.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Sepulveda had a nice senior season, connecting on 77 3-pointers, best in the conference and 26th-best nationally. She was a long-range threat all season. She was also an above-average point guard, but the team needed her to score more than it needed her to pass. Spotwood chipped in with 10.2 points per game and should be one of the league's better players as a senior in the coming season. Although freshman Caitlin Bopp didn't win the conference's top rookie award, she might well be the first-year player who will have the most impact in the league in future seasons. A 6-2 center, Bopp averaged 8.4 points and 9.6 rebounds. She was the conference's second-leading rebounder, third nationally in that statistic among all freshmen and 40th nationally for any player. On the year she had 10 double-doubles. The team had a nice early season non-conference victory over state rival Monmouth, and defeated solid conference teams Manhattan and Saint Peter's during regular-season play.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The early dismissal of Meyers left the offense too easy to defend. There was also much youth getting significant time. Four of the team's top seven scorers were freshmen or sophomores. Other than Bopp (8.4 ppg.), who wasn't a real offensive threat, the Broncs got almost nothing offensively from its frontcourt. On the season, it shot a conference-low .334 percent from the field. And, then, Bopp suffered an ankle sprain and didn't play in the MAAC tournament. Without her, Rider managed just 25 points in a 45-25 first-round tournament loss to Siena, the low point total ever by a team in the conference tournament. There just wasn't enough experienced talent around for anything other than a last-place finish.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Certainly better days. Only Sepulveda departs. If Bopp adds some off-season strength she'll be among the league's elite inside players over the next three years and will be a terrific building piece for the program. Sophomore Sarah Homan, a 6-3 post player, flashed some signs that she can be a future contributor. Another inside player, 6-foot freshman Carleigh Brown, could be another nice piece for a strong future front court. Spotwood is a strong swingplayer and will likely be the go-to perimeter performer next season. Five recruits are signed, including junior college transfer Aisha Varnadore, who averaged 15.4 points per game at Burlington County College this past season. Things certainly can't get much worse for a team that hasn't won more than seven league games since 1999-00 and hasn't been above the .500 mark overall in its 13 years in the MAAC. The Broncs probably won't get there next season either, but they're moving in the right direction.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: Eight of the team's players will be freshmen and sophomores and another is an incoming JC transfer. That sort of youth rarely has great success at this level. Still ... if Bopp continues to develop, if this year's freshmen make some natural progression, if JC transfer Varnadore can pick up Sepulveda's lost scoring and the incoming freshmen can at least contribute, Rider should escape the cellar. Don't expect the Broncs to compete for the upper division, but it could contend to escape the play-in round for the conference's bottom four teams and move on to even better things beyond next season.
Pickett, As Expected, Returning to Jaspers
As expected, Manhattan's junior guard Rico Pickett, the MAAC's leading scorer this past season, will return to the Jaspers for the 2010-11 season.
Earlier this spring Pickett submitted his name for eligibility in next month's NBA draft. He had until this past Saturday to withdraw his name from consideration to retain his eligibility for next season, which he did.
Pickett was among 80 college underclassmen to declare for the draft. Players who did not hire an agent had the option of withdrawing their names. About 50 underclassmen decided to remain eligible for the draft and give up their college eligibility.
Only 60 players are drafted by the 30 NBA teams in the two-round draft. Only players selected in the first round are assured, by NBA rules, of receiving guaranteed contracts.
Underclassmen who declare for the draft are allowed to work out for NBA teams prior to Saturday's deadline to decide to remain draft eligible or return to school.
Pickett, though, did not participate in any workouts, according to a report in his hometown Decatur (Ala.) Daily newspaper.
“I made the decision, really, before I even had workouts,” Pickett told the newspaper. “I had workouts set up. I just decided I wanted to come back to school before it all started.”
He’ll return to Manhattan College, his third college stop after Alabama and Miami-Dade Community College. Pickett scored 17.7 points a game as a junior last season to lead the MAAC..
“The main part was really what I wanted for myself and what I wanted to do,” he said. “I felt like that I just needed one more year before I pursued my professional career.”
It probably didn't hurt his decision that his name never appeared in the many mock drafts floating around the internet.
Earlier this spring Pickett submitted his name for eligibility in next month's NBA draft. He had until this past Saturday to withdraw his name from consideration to retain his eligibility for next season, which he did.
Pickett was among 80 college underclassmen to declare for the draft. Players who did not hire an agent had the option of withdrawing their names. About 50 underclassmen decided to remain eligible for the draft and give up their college eligibility.
Only 60 players are drafted by the 30 NBA teams in the two-round draft. Only players selected in the first round are assured, by NBA rules, of receiving guaranteed contracts.
Underclassmen who declare for the draft are allowed to work out for NBA teams prior to Saturday's deadline to decide to remain draft eligible or return to school.
Pickett, though, did not participate in any workouts, according to a report in his hometown Decatur (Ala.) Daily newspaper.
“I made the decision, really, before I even had workouts,” Pickett told the newspaper. “I had workouts set up. I just decided I wanted to come back to school before it all started.”
He’ll return to Manhattan College, his third college stop after Alabama and Miami-Dade Community College. Pickett scored 17.7 points a game as a junior last season to lead the MAAC..
“The main part was really what I wanted for myself and what I wanted to do,” he said. “I felt like that I just needed one more year before I pursued my professional career.”
It probably didn't hurt his decision that his name never appeared in the many mock drafts floating around the internet.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Robert Burke Hired at Mount St. Mary's
Another individual with past MAAC connections has become a head coach.
The latest is Robert Burke, an assistant at Siena during Paul Hewitt's time there (1997-2000), who will be introduced Monday as the new head coach of Mount St. Mary's University of Emmitsburg, Md., a member of the Northeast Conference.
The 43-year-old Burke had been an assistant this past season at American University, which had an 11-20 record.
Before that he was an assistant for five seasons at Georgetown under John Thompson III, but departed from that program under unexplained circumstances after the Hoyas failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament in 2009. Most reports indicate that Burke was either fired, or forced to resign under pressure.
Burke has coached as an assistant for 22 years on the Division I level, and is acknowledged as a good recruiter and tactician. But, there's probably a reason why he's coached for so long without getting an opportunity to run his own program.
After Hewitt left Siena for Georgia Tech he did not offer to bring Burke with him, an unusual move since most head coaches moving on to better things traditionally bring their top assistants along.
Burke did seek to become Hewitt's replacement at Siena in 2000, but was not a serious candidate then. The school opted to hire Louis Orr at that point, and Orr remained at Siena for all of 49 weeks.
Burke was interviewed again by Siena when the position was open prior to the 2005-06 season. But a source on that search committee revealed that Burke had an extremely poor interview and was subsequently dismissed from consideration in the process that ultimately brought Fran McCaffery to Siena.
This blogger's interactions with Burke over the years found him to lean toward the paranoid side (which seemed to make him a perfect fit at Georgetown) and extremely hesitant to reveal even the most innocuous seeming of information.
While assistant coaches are usually considerably more accessible to close program followers than head coaches, Burke opted not to develop those type relationships at Siena. It's probably not stretching the issue to perceive Burke's people-person skills weren't his strongest characteristic.
His hiring at Mount Saint Mary's, though, makes sense. It's a school in the shadows of several larger programs so media attention is minimal and its fan base relatively small.
Burke replaces Milan Brown, who moves on to become the head coach at Holy Cross. Coincidentally, Brown was on Siena's radar to replace McCaffery but was not interviewed.
The latest is Robert Burke, an assistant at Siena during Paul Hewitt's time there (1997-2000), who will be introduced Monday as the new head coach of Mount St. Mary's University of Emmitsburg, Md., a member of the Northeast Conference.
The 43-year-old Burke had been an assistant this past season at American University, which had an 11-20 record.
Before that he was an assistant for five seasons at Georgetown under John Thompson III, but departed from that program under unexplained circumstances after the Hoyas failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament in 2009. Most reports indicate that Burke was either fired, or forced to resign under pressure.
Burke has coached as an assistant for 22 years on the Division I level, and is acknowledged as a good recruiter and tactician. But, there's probably a reason why he's coached for so long without getting an opportunity to run his own program.
After Hewitt left Siena for Georgia Tech he did not offer to bring Burke with him, an unusual move since most head coaches moving on to better things traditionally bring their top assistants along.
Burke did seek to become Hewitt's replacement at Siena in 2000, but was not a serious candidate then. The school opted to hire Louis Orr at that point, and Orr remained at Siena for all of 49 weeks.
Burke was interviewed again by Siena when the position was open prior to the 2005-06 season. But a source on that search committee revealed that Burke had an extremely poor interview and was subsequently dismissed from consideration in the process that ultimately brought Fran McCaffery to Siena.
This blogger's interactions with Burke over the years found him to lean toward the paranoid side (which seemed to make him a perfect fit at Georgetown) and extremely hesitant to reveal even the most innocuous seeming of information.
While assistant coaches are usually considerably more accessible to close program followers than head coaches, Burke opted not to develop those type relationships at Siena. It's probably not stretching the issue to perceive Burke's people-person skills weren't his strongest characteristic.
His hiring at Mount Saint Mary's, though, makes sense. It's a school in the shadows of several larger programs so media attention is minimal and its fan base relatively small.
Burke replaces Milan Brown, who moves on to become the head coach at Holy Cross. Coincidentally, Brown was on Siena's radar to replace McCaffery but was not interviewed.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
School-or-Pro Decisions Due Saturday
A reader of this blog recently asked for an explanation of the NCAA rule pertaining to underclass players who declared for the NBA draft.
This is pertinent, for the first time in MAAC history, because Manhattan junior guard Rico Pickett "declared" last month, the first conference underclassman to do so.
Here's the rule, put into place for this season: Pickett and other early entrants in the draft who haven't hired an agent have until Saturday (May 8) to declare whether they will stay in school or chase a pro career.
Prior to this year a deadline agreed upon by both the NCAA and the NBA was set at 10 days before the NBA draft. That would have been June 14 this year. This year, though, the NCAA invoked the new rule after pressure from coaches who perceived that they were left in limbo as players mulled their futures into mid-June and left little opportunity to recruit replacements for those who did move on.
Players who have declared themselves eligible for the draft can travel for workouts not only to see if they're ready for the next level, but to allow pro teams to get a better look, too. They can no longer do so after Saturday, though, if they announce an intention to return to school for next season.
With its new policy the NCAA not only has created an earlier decision-making deadline, but it bars players from missing classes for workouts. Many schools are still in session, or beginning a final exam period, limiting the time players can travel to work out before pro talent evaluators. The majority of NBA teams did not start working out draft prospects until last week, which left early declarees less than a two-week window to travel for workouts, a period that becomes even more restrictive with class and exam schedules.
About three dozen players, including Pickett, have made an early declaration without hiring an agent and face the Saturday deadline.
All players selected in the first round of the two-round NBA draft receive guaranteed three-year contracts. Players picked in the second round get no such guarantees.
Pickett, at least in this blogger's opinion, isn't likely to be picked at all and is likely to return to Manhattan. However, that's no certainty and players who opt not to return to school and go undrafted can continue to pursue the NBA through free-agent situations or seek playing opportunities overseas.
This is pertinent, for the first time in MAAC history, because Manhattan junior guard Rico Pickett "declared" last month, the first conference underclassman to do so.
Here's the rule, put into place for this season: Pickett and other early entrants in the draft who haven't hired an agent have until Saturday (May 8) to declare whether they will stay in school or chase a pro career.
Prior to this year a deadline agreed upon by both the NCAA and the NBA was set at 10 days before the NBA draft. That would have been June 14 this year. This year, though, the NCAA invoked the new rule after pressure from coaches who perceived that they were left in limbo as players mulled their futures into mid-June and left little opportunity to recruit replacements for those who did move on.
Players who have declared themselves eligible for the draft can travel for workouts not only to see if they're ready for the next level, but to allow pro teams to get a better look, too. They can no longer do so after Saturday, though, if they announce an intention to return to school for next season.
With its new policy the NCAA not only has created an earlier decision-making deadline, but it bars players from missing classes for workouts. Many schools are still in session, or beginning a final exam period, limiting the time players can travel to work out before pro talent evaluators. The majority of NBA teams did not start working out draft prospects until last week, which left early declarees less than a two-week window to travel for workouts, a period that becomes even more restrictive with class and exam schedules.
About three dozen players, including Pickett, have made an early declaration without hiring an agent and face the Saturday deadline.
All players selected in the first round of the two-round NBA draft receive guaranteed three-year contracts. Players picked in the second round get no such guarantees.
Pickett, at least in this blogger's opinion, isn't likely to be picked at all and is likely to return to Manhattan. However, that's no certainty and players who opt not to return to school and go undrafted can continue to pursue the NBA through free-agent situations or seek playing opportunities overseas.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Banquet To Honor Siena's Hoop History
From time to time, this blogger comes across interesting events worthy of being brought to the attention of our readers.
An "Evening With Siena Banquet" scheduled for this Saturday night (May 8) is one of those.
The event is meant to honor the school's basketball success, not only over the past three seasons but over the past few decades.
At least 20 former players, including some who played in the 1950's, will be on hand. Among the most noteable will be Marc Brown, arguably the program's best player of the school's Division I era; and, former coach Mike Deane, who recruited Brown. Together, they brought Siena its first NCAA tournament appearance (1988-89). That season, in this blogger's humble opinion, remains the greatest in the school's history.
Former players expected to attend include Bruce Schoeder, Jack Mulvey, David Ryan, Michael Haddix, John Murray, Rod Owens, Mike Catino, Scott Knapp, Andy Grazulis, Josh Duell, Richie Smith, Kenny Hasbrouck and several members of this past season's team.
Current coach Mitch Buonaguro will be a keynote speaker, and the majority of former players and Deane are also expected to speak at the event.
The banquet is being sponsored by Rene LeRoux, who recently wrote a book about Siena's basketball history.
The banquet will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn on Hoosick Street in Troy, N.Y. Those interested in attending can contact LeRoux at 518-877-5170, or Jason Rich at 518-783-2411. Cost to attend is $75.
An "Evening With Siena Banquet" scheduled for this Saturday night (May 8) is one of those.
The event is meant to honor the school's basketball success, not only over the past three seasons but over the past few decades.
At least 20 former players, including some who played in the 1950's, will be on hand. Among the most noteable will be Marc Brown, arguably the program's best player of the school's Division I era; and, former coach Mike Deane, who recruited Brown. Together, they brought Siena its first NCAA tournament appearance (1988-89). That season, in this blogger's humble opinion, remains the greatest in the school's history.
Former players expected to attend include Bruce Schoeder, Jack Mulvey, David Ryan, Michael Haddix, John Murray, Rod Owens, Mike Catino, Scott Knapp, Andy Grazulis, Josh Duell, Richie Smith, Kenny Hasbrouck and several members of this past season's team.
Current coach Mitch Buonaguro will be a keynote speaker, and the majority of former players and Deane are also expected to speak at the event.
The banquet is being sponsored by Rene LeRoux, who recently wrote a book about Siena's basketball history.
The banquet will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn on Hoosick Street in Troy, N.Y. Those interested in attending can contact LeRoux at 518-877-5170, or Jason Rich at 518-783-2411. Cost to attend is $75.
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