Here's another in the series looking back and ahead at MAAC programs.
Up now ...
NIAGARA WOMEN
2011-12 RECORD: 9-9 in MAAC play, 13-19 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Considerable improvement, not only overall (the Purple Eagles were 0-18 and 1-29 in the previous year), but as the season progressed (5-3 in their last eight games). It certainly helped that the team filled its two major gaping holes from the previous year, at point guard and center, and with sophomores which bodes well for the next two years. Kayla Stroman, a 5-foot-5 PG who only played eight games in 2010-11 before being lost for the rest of the season, was a do-everything performer. And, 6-2 Lauren Gatto, who sat out last season after transferring into the program, was a good-enough force inside. There were also nice contributions from a four-member freshman class. It resulted in the team finishing in a tie for fourth place in the regular-season standings and, then, advancing to the post-season conference tournament's semifinal round, where it lost in overtime to Marist.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The return of Stroman, the eligibility of Gatto, some progress by a couple of returning players and the contributions of the freshmen. There were a lot of divergent parts coming together (including head coach Kendra Faustin, who wasn't around as much in preseason due to having a baby in early November). But, when things started coming together, things started working better. Stroman not only provided offense on her own (a team-best 10.8 points per game), but her 2.5 steals' average was second-best in the MAAC. Gatto scored at a 10.3 ppg. rate, and was at her best late, particularly in the MAAC tournament against Marist when she turned in a 19-point, 10-rebound effort. Meghan McGuinness became a nice third option by midseason (6.8 ppg.), hitting 53-of-115 from three-point range. Her 46.1 bonus-land percentage would have been the best nationally had she made enough treys to qualify for the national leaderboard. Sophomore Shy Britton, a 5-11 sophomore (5.9, 3.8) was a nice role player, and seniors Ali Morris (5.8, 3.8) and Meghan Waterman (2.3, 1.7) provided the requisite leadership skills. Another sophomore, 5-10 Chanel Johnson, added some athleticism to the starting lineup late in the season and the team went 8-6 with her in the starting five. Val McQuade (4.8, 3.6), a 5-10 freshman who made 20-of-48 treys, added to the team's long-range shooting ability. As a team Niagara's 35.7 percent accuracy from beyond the stripe was 16th-best nationally.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Probably a little too much youth, and all the adjustment to having five players in the nine-member playing group who saw just eight games of action a year ago (all by Stroman). It took some time for the pieces to come together, but they eventually did. Still ... Niagara would have been even better had it been able to take care of the ball. Its 18.4 turnovers per game was the worst average in the conference. The team also had to get by without the requisite "star." No team member was in the top 15 in the conference in scoring, or the top 12 in rebounding. And, despite Gatto's presence in the middle, rebounding remained a problem The team got outrebounded by 2.6 per game (only two MAAC teams had greater rebounding deficiencies), and Gatto (5.7 rebounds per game) probably needs to do more in that category. The offensive certainly has to be more productive (the 55.6 points-per-game average was ranked 286th of 345 Division I programs nationally). And, despite all the late-season optimism, remember that the team failed to finish over .500 in the league and was 13-19 overall. One MAAC program, Siena, fired its head coach despite having the same league mark and a better overall record than the Purple Eagles.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Certainly a little better, considering the only departing seniors were the team's fifth- and eighth-leading scorers. Team chemistry should be improved, picking up from the late-season successes. There will also be much optimism, particularly since the team's only two losses in its last five games were both to perennial power Marist ... one in double overtime and the MAAC tournament semifinal-round contest in OT. Niagara's athleticism caused Marist problems in both those meetings and league followers looking for someone to (finally) disrupt Marist's long-time league domination can grasp at those two overtime-game straws and say, "just maybe ..." But, there will be much optimism around the program as the starting lineup will likely include four juniors and a sophomore, which not only bodes well for the coming season but the year beyond that, too. And, then, there might even be some front-court help in the form of 6-1 freshman Gaby Baldasere, who played limited minutes but did get 16 rebounds in 66 minutes of court time.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: Hard to envision Niagara overtaking Marist, which will be very good again in the coming season. Otherwise ... all the other teams that finished in the top seven in this year's standings had significant losses of key starters. Niagara's graduation losses were role players. The early pick here is that the Purple Eagles will finish second or third next season and, with a little improvement, be a legitimate challenger to Marist.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Niagara Men's Report: Youthful Squad Will Grow Up
Here's another in the series looking back and ahead at conference programs.
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NIAGARA MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 8-10 in MAAC play, 14-19 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Just the third losing record in head coach Joe Mihalich's 14 seasons at Niagara, but the second in a row. Still, some improvement over a 9-23 finish the previous year. And, that's considerable progress considering the roster was the third-youngest of 345 Division I teams nationally. There certainly were some high points, including beating regional rival Canisius all three times the teams met (twice in the regular season, once in the conference tournament), and a pair of three-game winning streaks. The second of those included victories over Siena and Rider, teams that finished higher in the standing. And, the win over Rider saw the team overcome a 17-point second-half deficit. Individually, freshmen were three of the team's top four scorers. Guard Juan'ya Green had a fabulous first year at the college level, and his 17.7 points per game was the second-best average by a freshman nationally. He also led the conference in steals, was its Rookie of the Year (first ever from Niagara) and was the CollegeInsider.com's mid-major level Freshman of the Year. Niagara went 4-2 in its last six games, its season ending with a loss to tournament winner Loyola in the quarterfinal round of the MAAC's post-season event.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The youth delivered considerable optimism for the future. Green looked capable of emerging into one of the league's elite players oer his next three years, and makes for a formidable backcourt combination with red-shirt frosh Antoine Mason (15.1 ppg.). A third guard, 5-11 sophomore Marvin Jordan (10.4 ppg.) ensures the Purple Eagles' perimeter game is well-fortified for the next two seasons. Mason became one of the league's top snipers, and his average of 2.5 three pointers per game was 63rd best nationally. The team's trademark fast-tempo offense also showed signs of life, averaging 70.4 points per game, up nine points from the previous season's 61.4 ppg. average. A third member of the standout freshman class, 6-6 forward Ameen Tanksley, also had a nice first season (8.7 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds). And, yet another freshman, 6-7 forward Joseph Thomas (3.5, 3.7) flashed signs that he can develop into a contributor. The team also used its youth and athleticism to its advantage. Green topped the conference in steals (1.9 per game), and Niagara's 8.3 thefts per game was 26th-best nationally. Niagara also forced opponents into an average of 3.3 more turnovers per game than it committed, the 18th-best average nationally.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Too much youth. There were too many inconsistent nights, the likes of which turns a veteran coach's already gray hair even grayer. The team started 5-11. After that, it put together two three-game winning streaks but, between those, lost five straight games. It had a chance to avoid the post-season tournament's play-in round, but lost that chance with a lopsided 89-77 loss to Marist in the final regular-season game. And, typical of a young team, the defense was too often lacking. Niagara allowed 74.2 points per game, ranking it 308 of 345 Division I teams. There was also considerable lack of inside play. Eric Williams, a 6-8 junior, (1.0, 1.0) didn't come close to his 4.1/3.2 averages the previous year. But, Williams truly didn't fit into the up-tempo style. Then, too, highly touted junior college recruit 6-6 Ali Langford, was a disappointment (1.8, 2.0), and was recently was granted his release to move elsewhere. Thomas truly didn't come around until late in the year, and the team's tallest player, 6-8 Scooter Gillette (4.5, 2.5), doesn't contribute much in the paint.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Considering that the youth will develop together and theoretically build team chemistry, Niagara could be very good again fairly quickly. The expectation is that it will most-definitely approach a .500 record, at the very least, in the coming season with the chance for even better. But, that will all depend on the development of the inside players. Thomas and Tanksley in particular. They probably also need to bring in at least one more post player, although they haven't found one yet via recruiting. Green, Mason and Jordon (along with 6-3 sophomore Malcolm Lemmons) deliver the potential to be one of the better perimeter groups in the conference. And there's one more so-called wild card in the form of 6-5 freshman Josh Turner, whose academic struggles early restricted him from even practicing with the team until he was declared eligible for the second semester. He still averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds, but much more is expected of him and he could come up big next season.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: Hard to envision Niagara competing with Loyola and Manhattan for the top spot in the conference. After that, though, there's not much distance between the next six or seven teams and Niagara certainly falls into that group. It might be a year too early for Niagara to finish as high as third in the coming season, but a top-five finish isn't out of the question.
Up now ...
NIAGARA MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 8-10 in MAAC play, 14-19 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Just the third losing record in head coach Joe Mihalich's 14 seasons at Niagara, but the second in a row. Still, some improvement over a 9-23 finish the previous year. And, that's considerable progress considering the roster was the third-youngest of 345 Division I teams nationally. There certainly were some high points, including beating regional rival Canisius all three times the teams met (twice in the regular season, once in the conference tournament), and a pair of three-game winning streaks. The second of those included victories over Siena and Rider, teams that finished higher in the standing. And, the win over Rider saw the team overcome a 17-point second-half deficit. Individually, freshmen were three of the team's top four scorers. Guard Juan'ya Green had a fabulous first year at the college level, and his 17.7 points per game was the second-best average by a freshman nationally. He also led the conference in steals, was its Rookie of the Year (first ever from Niagara) and was the CollegeInsider.com's mid-major level Freshman of the Year. Niagara went 4-2 in its last six games, its season ending with a loss to tournament winner Loyola in the quarterfinal round of the MAAC's post-season event.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The youth delivered considerable optimism for the future. Green looked capable of emerging into one of the league's elite players oer his next three years, and makes for a formidable backcourt combination with red-shirt frosh Antoine Mason (15.1 ppg.). A third guard, 5-11 sophomore Marvin Jordan (10.4 ppg.) ensures the Purple Eagles' perimeter game is well-fortified for the next two seasons. Mason became one of the league's top snipers, and his average of 2.5 three pointers per game was 63rd best nationally. The team's trademark fast-tempo offense also showed signs of life, averaging 70.4 points per game, up nine points from the previous season's 61.4 ppg. average. A third member of the standout freshman class, 6-6 forward Ameen Tanksley, also had a nice first season (8.7 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds). And, yet another freshman, 6-7 forward Joseph Thomas (3.5, 3.7) flashed signs that he can develop into a contributor. The team also used its youth and athleticism to its advantage. Green topped the conference in steals (1.9 per game), and Niagara's 8.3 thefts per game was 26th-best nationally. Niagara also forced opponents into an average of 3.3 more turnovers per game than it committed, the 18th-best average nationally.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Too much youth. There were too many inconsistent nights, the likes of which turns a veteran coach's already gray hair even grayer. The team started 5-11. After that, it put together two three-game winning streaks but, between those, lost five straight games. It had a chance to avoid the post-season tournament's play-in round, but lost that chance with a lopsided 89-77 loss to Marist in the final regular-season game. And, typical of a young team, the defense was too often lacking. Niagara allowed 74.2 points per game, ranking it 308 of 345 Division I teams. There was also considerable lack of inside play. Eric Williams, a 6-8 junior, (1.0, 1.0) didn't come close to his 4.1/3.2 averages the previous year. But, Williams truly didn't fit into the up-tempo style. Then, too, highly touted junior college recruit 6-6 Ali Langford, was a disappointment (1.8, 2.0), and was recently was granted his release to move elsewhere. Thomas truly didn't come around until late in the year, and the team's tallest player, 6-8 Scooter Gillette (4.5, 2.5), doesn't contribute much in the paint.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Considering that the youth will develop together and theoretically build team chemistry, Niagara could be very good again fairly quickly. The expectation is that it will most-definitely approach a .500 record, at the very least, in the coming season with the chance for even better. But, that will all depend on the development of the inside players. Thomas and Tanksley in particular. They probably also need to bring in at least one more post player, although they haven't found one yet via recruiting. Green, Mason and Jordon (along with 6-3 sophomore Malcolm Lemmons) deliver the potential to be one of the better perimeter groups in the conference. And there's one more so-called wild card in the form of 6-5 freshman Josh Turner, whose academic struggles early restricted him from even practicing with the team until he was declared eligible for the second semester. He still averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds, but much more is expected of him and he could come up big next season.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: Hard to envision Niagara competing with Loyola and Manhattan for the top spot in the conference. After that, though, there's not much distance between the next six or seven teams and Niagara certainly falls into that group. It might be a year too early for Niagara to finish as high as third in the coming season, but a top-five finish isn't out of the question.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Marist Women's Report: Potential To Be Even Better
Here's another in the series looking back and ahead at MAAC programs.
Up now ...
MARIST WOMEN
2011-12 RECORD: 17-1 in MAAC play, 26-8 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Slow start, terrific finish (except for the season's last few minutes). When it comes to Marist, everything is relative. For instance, the other nine conference teams would all have been overjoyed just to advance to the NCAA tournament. Marist, though, is likely a little disappointed by not getting past St. Bonaventure (a 66-63 loss) in the NCAA's second round, after holding a 49-47 lead with 10 minutes left. Otherwise ... Marist started 5-6. Slow start? The six losses were to Virginia, Princeton, Boston University, St. Bona's, Hofstra and Kansas State. Three of those were NCAA tournament teams, the other three went to the WNIT. Combined record of the six: 142-55. If nothing else, it toughened the Red Foxes up for MAAC play, where it continued to dominate the conference (nine straight league titles, seven straight NCAA appearances) with a 17-1 record. After that, it swept the MAAC tournament, albeit with a scare from Niagara in the championship game. And, then, it won a first-round NCAA contest against a very solid Georgia team. Again, every other program in the league would sell its proverbial soul for that kind of success. Marist is likely thinking it could have done just a little more. Still, all things considered, a very satisfying season.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Plenty. Player of the Year guard Corielle Yarde lived up to preseason expectations with averages of 14.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists. She was the league's only player to finish in the top 10 of all three of those statistical categories. Another senior, 6-2 forward Brandy Gang, stepped up particularly on the offensive end (12.6 ppg.). Otherwise, it was basically a new cast of characters, but none made a greater impact than sophomore guard Casey Dulin, who was the least-used scholarship player in 2010-11 but became the team's point guard when senior Kristine Best blew out a knee after six games. Dulin averaged 9.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Sophomore guard Leanne Ockenden (8.8, 3.5) and 6-2 junior Kelsey Beynnon, both role players a year ago, stepped into more-featured roles. Overall, this team was greater than the sum of its parts, a credit both to grasping an intelligent style of play (side-to-side ball movement in an unpredictable motion-type style) and head coach Brian Giorgis, who might have done his best work this season. This wasn't close to being the most-talented team in the on-going nine-year run, but it still found ways to overcome the almost total lack of an inside game (Yarde, a 5-8 guard, was the leading rebounder) to continue its run of success. After the 5-6 start, the team won its next 10 games, inexplicably dropped a 48-44 decision to Manhattan and, then, reeled off 11 more victories (a 21-1 stretch) before falling in the NCAA's.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Pessimists will point to the 5-6 start. Your scribe will counter that those games might have included one of the program's most-challenging non-league schedules ever while serving to better prepare the team for conference play. This was a somewhat flawed team, and Giorgis admitted it in the preseason when he noted his squad didn't have its usual level of inside play. Still, Marist was a team in the truest sense as seven different players averaged at least three rebounds per contest. The team also lost senior point guard Kristine Best after six games (she'll return next season), but saw Dulin became a capable replacement. It also didn't get a lot from touted UMass transfer 6-1 junior forward Kristina Danella (6.5, 3.4), whose defensive shortcomings, according to Giorgis, kept her from playing more. Mostly, everything went right for Marist until the closing minutes of its second-round NCAA tournament game. There it held a 49-47 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining and still trailed by just a point with under two minutes left but committed an uncharacteristic turnover and, then, missed a three-pointer on its final two possessions in losing to Bona's by three, 66-63. Make no mistake, though, St. Bona's has been a formidable opponent of late. The Bonnies have beaten Marist in regular-season games in each of the last three years in addition to this season's NCAA loss. But, one more good play down the stretch of that contest and the Red Foxes would have advanced to the Sweet 16 round for the second time in program history.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More of the same. Marist loses its top two scorers in Yarde and Gang, but the old cliche fits: This program doesn't rebuild, it reloads. It reloads with 6-3 center Tori Jarosz, a solidly built inside player who transferred in after a season at Vanderbilt. Your scribe saw Jarosz play a number of times in her pre-college days, and she will be a force in the MAAC. Although she only played 15 total minutes as a frosh at Vandy in the 2010-11 season, she got eight rebounds. She provides the inside game that Marist could have used more of this past season. Then, too, will come the continued development of players like Dulin, Ockenden, Beynnon, Danella and freshman Natalie Gomez, who had some nice moments as a first-year point guard and certainly will challenge Best for playing time next season. And, then, comes another very strong incoming group. Giorgis has recruited five players, including four players taller than 6-0, including 6-4 center Delaney Hollenbeck. The best might be 6-0 guard Sydney Coffey from Minnesota. Giorgis calls the group "one of the finest classes we have ever brought in to the Marist women's basketball program." This from a coach not prone to hyperbole, so that comment speaks volumes. Between Jarosz, who will be a sophomore in eligibility terms this coming season, and the strong incoming group ... don't look for Marist to come back to the pack any time soon.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: Death, taxes and another dominant season coming up. By now, do you expect anything different? Niagara, which took Marist into overtime of the MAAC tournament's championship game, should be a viable contender in 2012-13. Canisius, Rider, maybe even Siena and Iona should all be much improved. But, no one else has enough to derail the Marist express from reaching another MAAC title. And, with Marist, it's wise to even look beyond that. With Jarosz inside, the team will be built for more NCAA tournament success next season.
Up now ...
MARIST WOMEN
2011-12 RECORD: 17-1 in MAAC play, 26-8 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Slow start, terrific finish (except for the season's last few minutes). When it comes to Marist, everything is relative. For instance, the other nine conference teams would all have been overjoyed just to advance to the NCAA tournament. Marist, though, is likely a little disappointed by not getting past St. Bonaventure (a 66-63 loss) in the NCAA's second round, after holding a 49-47 lead with 10 minutes left. Otherwise ... Marist started 5-6. Slow start? The six losses were to Virginia, Princeton, Boston University, St. Bona's, Hofstra and Kansas State. Three of those were NCAA tournament teams, the other three went to the WNIT. Combined record of the six: 142-55. If nothing else, it toughened the Red Foxes up for MAAC play, where it continued to dominate the conference (nine straight league titles, seven straight NCAA appearances) with a 17-1 record. After that, it swept the MAAC tournament, albeit with a scare from Niagara in the championship game. And, then, it won a first-round NCAA contest against a very solid Georgia team. Again, every other program in the league would sell its proverbial soul for that kind of success. Marist is likely thinking it could have done just a little more. Still, all things considered, a very satisfying season.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Plenty. Player of the Year guard Corielle Yarde lived up to preseason expectations with averages of 14.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists. She was the league's only player to finish in the top 10 of all three of those statistical categories. Another senior, 6-2 forward Brandy Gang, stepped up particularly on the offensive end (12.6 ppg.). Otherwise, it was basically a new cast of characters, but none made a greater impact than sophomore guard Casey Dulin, who was the least-used scholarship player in 2010-11 but became the team's point guard when senior Kristine Best blew out a knee after six games. Dulin averaged 9.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Sophomore guard Leanne Ockenden (8.8, 3.5) and 6-2 junior Kelsey Beynnon, both role players a year ago, stepped into more-featured roles. Overall, this team was greater than the sum of its parts, a credit both to grasping an intelligent style of play (side-to-side ball movement in an unpredictable motion-type style) and head coach Brian Giorgis, who might have done his best work this season. This wasn't close to being the most-talented team in the on-going nine-year run, but it still found ways to overcome the almost total lack of an inside game (Yarde, a 5-8 guard, was the leading rebounder) to continue its run of success. After the 5-6 start, the team won its next 10 games, inexplicably dropped a 48-44 decision to Manhattan and, then, reeled off 11 more victories (a 21-1 stretch) before falling in the NCAA's.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Pessimists will point to the 5-6 start. Your scribe will counter that those games might have included one of the program's most-challenging non-league schedules ever while serving to better prepare the team for conference play. This was a somewhat flawed team, and Giorgis admitted it in the preseason when he noted his squad didn't have its usual level of inside play. Still, Marist was a team in the truest sense as seven different players averaged at least three rebounds per contest. The team also lost senior point guard Kristine Best after six games (she'll return next season), but saw Dulin became a capable replacement. It also didn't get a lot from touted UMass transfer 6-1 junior forward Kristina Danella (6.5, 3.4), whose defensive shortcomings, according to Giorgis, kept her from playing more. Mostly, everything went right for Marist until the closing minutes of its second-round NCAA tournament game. There it held a 49-47 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining and still trailed by just a point with under two minutes left but committed an uncharacteristic turnover and, then, missed a three-pointer on its final two possessions in losing to Bona's by three, 66-63. Make no mistake, though, St. Bona's has been a formidable opponent of late. The Bonnies have beaten Marist in regular-season games in each of the last three years in addition to this season's NCAA loss. But, one more good play down the stretch of that contest and the Red Foxes would have advanced to the Sweet 16 round for the second time in program history.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More of the same. Marist loses its top two scorers in Yarde and Gang, but the old cliche fits: This program doesn't rebuild, it reloads. It reloads with 6-3 center Tori Jarosz, a solidly built inside player who transferred in after a season at Vanderbilt. Your scribe saw Jarosz play a number of times in her pre-college days, and she will be a force in the MAAC. Although she only played 15 total minutes as a frosh at Vandy in the 2010-11 season, she got eight rebounds. She provides the inside game that Marist could have used more of this past season. Then, too, will come the continued development of players like Dulin, Ockenden, Beynnon, Danella and freshman Natalie Gomez, who had some nice moments as a first-year point guard and certainly will challenge Best for playing time next season. And, then, comes another very strong incoming group. Giorgis has recruited five players, including four players taller than 6-0, including 6-4 center Delaney Hollenbeck. The best might be 6-0 guard Sydney Coffey from Minnesota. Giorgis calls the group "one of the finest classes we have ever brought in to the Marist women's basketball program." This from a coach not prone to hyperbole, so that comment speaks volumes. Between Jarosz, who will be a sophomore in eligibility terms this coming season, and the strong incoming group ... don't look for Marist to come back to the pack any time soon.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: Death, taxes and another dominant season coming up. By now, do you expect anything different? Niagara, which took Marist into overtime of the MAAC tournament's championship game, should be a viable contender in 2012-13. Canisius, Rider, maybe even Siena and Iona should all be much improved. But, no one else has enough to derail the Marist express from reaching another MAAC title. And, with Marist, it's wise to even look beyond that. With Jarosz inside, the team will be built for more NCAA tournament success next season.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Marist Men's Report: Some Success, More Coming
Here's another in the series that looks back and ahead at conference programs.
Up now ...
MARIST MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 7-11 in MAAC play, 14-18 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: A sub-.500 usually isn't considered a notable achievement, but in light of the fact that the Red Foxes finished 1-17 in league play and 1-29 overall just two years ago (2009-10), this past season was one of considerable progress. And, there were plenty of bright spots. For instance, after a 7-7 start the team lost eight games in a row at midseason and could easily have lost its enthusiasm. Instead a cast of youthful players hung in there and won seven of its last 10 games, including a post-season tournament play-in game (a 61-57 victory over Saint Peter's) before losing to Iona (87-63) in the event's quarterfinals.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The youth grew up quickly, as evidenced by that 7-3 finish down the stretch, including a victory over Loyola, the MAAC's representative to the NCAA's. There was one senior on the roster (R.J. Hall), and he was a lightly used role player. Second-leading scorer Devin Price was a junior and everyone else in the eight-man playing group was younger than that.. Frosh 6-foot-5 swingman Chavaughn Lewis (14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals) did enough to merit Rookie of the Year honors in most seasons, but had the misfortune to be a first-year player in a year of standout freshmen. Still, he crafted a solid foundation for becoming one of the league's elite players in future years. Price, who was wildly inconsistent earlier in his career, developed into a mature leader and a real scoring threat (13.6 points per game). Sophomore 6-10 center Adam Kemp, who only played 16 games before an injury a year ago, stepped up as a serviceable big man (8.5, 7.2, 2.2 blocks). Isaiah Morton, a 5-8 freshman point guard (7.8, 2.6 assists) developed nicely as the season progressed. Sophomores 6-5 Jay Bowie (7.3, 4.3) and 6-6 Anell Alexis (4.2, 3.1) and 6-5 freshman Manny Thomas (5.3) all were nice support players who appear capable of becoming significant contributors in the future.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Too much youth. In a league where players develop and veteran teams have the most success, Marist was among the youngest teams in the MAAC. Lewis and Morton, among others, had early season growing pains. Much of the early season was spent developing not only young players, but overall team chemistry. Remember, three key players from the previous year left the program with eligibility remaining, and that kind of turnover was bound to mean some growing pains this season. Then there was the significant loss of 6-6 junior swingman Dorell Carter, who was averaging 11.7 points through three games before an ACL injury forced him to miss the rest of the season. And, there were problems inside. Kemp ws the only player taller than 6-6 who played significant minutes, and that lack of height showed up on the defensive end as opponents pounded the ball inside. Marist's field-goal defensive percentage of 46.2 percent was the worst in the league.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More progress, and it should be interesting to see just how much. The program went from that 1-29 finish two years ago to 6-27 overall last year to this year's 14-8 mark. There probably won't be another eight-game improvement to the overall record, but it's not difficult to think that the continued development of the youth (one can envision how effective the slender Lewis can become, for instance, with an additional 10 pounds of muscle) along with better team chemistry will result in a better-than .500 record in 2012-13. For sure, the Lewis/Morton tandem will be fun to watch develop. If Carter comes back healthy, he adds a veteran offensive presence. The need, though, is for some inside help for Kemp, whether it be just from returning players bulking up a little or from incoming freshmen 6-10 Eric Truog (Kenston H.S./Baimbridge, Ohio) or 6-7 Phillip Lawrence (Mount St. Joseph's H.S./Baltimore).
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: It's not hard to envision Marist finishing in the upper half of the league standings. Right now Loyola and Manhattan look like the conference's top two teams, but Marist is right there with the next group of pretenders. If all stays in place and the development continues ... could Marist be the 2013-14 season's early choice for the league's top team?
Up now ...
MARIST MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 7-11 in MAAC play, 14-18 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: A sub-.500 usually isn't considered a notable achievement, but in light of the fact that the Red Foxes finished 1-17 in league play and 1-29 overall just two years ago (2009-10), this past season was one of considerable progress. And, there were plenty of bright spots. For instance, after a 7-7 start the team lost eight games in a row at midseason and could easily have lost its enthusiasm. Instead a cast of youthful players hung in there and won seven of its last 10 games, including a post-season tournament play-in game (a 61-57 victory over Saint Peter's) before losing to Iona (87-63) in the event's quarterfinals.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The youth grew up quickly, as evidenced by that 7-3 finish down the stretch, including a victory over Loyola, the MAAC's representative to the NCAA's. There was one senior on the roster (R.J. Hall), and he was a lightly used role player. Second-leading scorer Devin Price was a junior and everyone else in the eight-man playing group was younger than that.. Frosh 6-foot-5 swingman Chavaughn Lewis (14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals) did enough to merit Rookie of the Year honors in most seasons, but had the misfortune to be a first-year player in a year of standout freshmen. Still, he crafted a solid foundation for becoming one of the league's elite players in future years. Price, who was wildly inconsistent earlier in his career, developed into a mature leader and a real scoring threat (13.6 points per game). Sophomore 6-10 center Adam Kemp, who only played 16 games before an injury a year ago, stepped up as a serviceable big man (8.5, 7.2, 2.2 blocks). Isaiah Morton, a 5-8 freshman point guard (7.8, 2.6 assists) developed nicely as the season progressed. Sophomores 6-5 Jay Bowie (7.3, 4.3) and 6-6 Anell Alexis (4.2, 3.1) and 6-5 freshman Manny Thomas (5.3) all were nice support players who appear capable of becoming significant contributors in the future.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Too much youth. In a league where players develop and veteran teams have the most success, Marist was among the youngest teams in the MAAC. Lewis and Morton, among others, had early season growing pains. Much of the early season was spent developing not only young players, but overall team chemistry. Remember, three key players from the previous year left the program with eligibility remaining, and that kind of turnover was bound to mean some growing pains this season. Then there was the significant loss of 6-6 junior swingman Dorell Carter, who was averaging 11.7 points through three games before an ACL injury forced him to miss the rest of the season. And, there were problems inside. Kemp ws the only player taller than 6-6 who played significant minutes, and that lack of height showed up on the defensive end as opponents pounded the ball inside. Marist's field-goal defensive percentage of 46.2 percent was the worst in the league.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More progress, and it should be interesting to see just how much. The program went from that 1-29 finish two years ago to 6-27 overall last year to this year's 14-8 mark. There probably won't be another eight-game improvement to the overall record, but it's not difficult to think that the continued development of the youth (one can envision how effective the slender Lewis can become, for instance, with an additional 10 pounds of muscle) along with better team chemistry will result in a better-than .500 record in 2012-13. For sure, the Lewis/Morton tandem will be fun to watch develop. If Carter comes back healthy, he adds a veteran offensive presence. The need, though, is for some inside help for Kemp, whether it be just from returning players bulking up a little or from incoming freshmen 6-10 Eric Truog (Kenston H.S./Baimbridge, Ohio) or 6-7 Phillip Lawrence (Mount St. Joseph's H.S./Baltimore).
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: It's not hard to envision Marist finishing in the upper half of the league standings. Right now Loyola and Manhattan look like the conference's top two teams, but Marist is right there with the next group of pretenders. If all stays in place and the development continues ... could Marist be the 2013-14 season's early choice for the league's top team?
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
St. Peter's Women's Report: More Tough Times
Here's another in the series of team reports looking back and ahead at conference programs.
Up now,
SAINT PETER'S WOMEN
2011-12 RECORD: 4-14 in MAAC play, 5-26 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Exact record as the men's program, but a slight drop from 2010-11 when the Peahens won six games overall. Like 2010-11, there was a horrendous start. The team started 0-15 this past season and then won back-to-back games (including a surprise victory over Loyola). It then lost seven more in a row before a 3-4 mark in its last 7 outings, including a play-in round tournament upset of Canisius. Jynae Judson, a senior forward, was among the better players in the MAAC, but the entire roster was otherwise comprised exclusively of, at least for this past season, role players.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Judson finished seventh in scoring (13.4) and 14th in rebounding (5.6) among league players. Quina Porter, a senior forward, was a warrior inside and one of the MAAC's most improved players (averaging 7.5 points, 6.5 rebounds). Kristal Edwards, a Division II transfer who didn't play last season, added some front-court athleticism (6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds). Then, there was team resiliency. An 0-15 start could have been discouraging, but the team continued to play hard, maybe buoyed by the back-to-back mid-season victories over Loyola and Rider. It also beat Canisius twice (once in the regular season, once in the league tournament), and the Golden Griffins had considerably better individual personnel. Does it bode well for a building block heading into 2012-13? Maybe not. The Peahens won three of their last four games at the end of the 2010-11 season, and that momentum didn't carry over.
WHAT WENT WRONG: As good as Judson was, she missed six games via suspensions for violating team rules. Having her pop in and out of the lineup didn't help. Even when she was around, she was a solo act offensively, making the team easy to defend.. No other player averaged more than 7.5 points. Aziza May, after a promising freshman year at point guard, had the exact numbers in her sophomore season (5.2, 3.0 assists) as she did as a freshman. And, we'll need someone to explain what happened to sophomore guard Teresa Manigrasso. After she was the team's second-leading scorer as a freshman (7.5 points per game), she barely played as a sophomore and averaged just 1.9 points on 24.1 percent shooting. A decent long-range sniper as a frosh (24 treys made), she was just 2-of-22 from bonus depth as a soph. Team-wise, the Peahens were at or near the bottom in just about every statistical category among league members, except for total rebounds. And, that statistic was padded because the team missed so many shots (shooting a league-worst 33.2 percent from the floor), meaning there were more rebounds available in its games.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Probably another year of struggling to get more than five or six wins. Judson, the only offensive weapon, graduates as does Porter, the team's top rebounder. Gone, too, is senior forward Lauren Morris, who had some nice late-season games. Edwards, who averaged just 6.5 points per game, is the top-returning scorer. May, as a freshman, looked like she could develop into one of the league's better point guards, but then didn't make the progress expected from a sophomore. Kaydine Best, a 6-1 junior forward (4.4, 3.4) will need to make major strides.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: The program is 18-70 overall over the past three seasons, and there's no end in sight for escaping those kinds of results. Still, despite the lack of recent success, there aren't many teams in the league that play harder every night and that usually gives the Peahens a chance to be competitive. For Saint Peter's to avoid the cellar, though, it needs its role players to make major strides forward and to get some contributions from incoming freshmen ... and, that's a lot to ask.
Up now,
SAINT PETER'S WOMEN
2011-12 RECORD: 4-14 in MAAC play, 5-26 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: Exact record as the men's program, but a slight drop from 2010-11 when the Peahens won six games overall. Like 2010-11, there was a horrendous start. The team started 0-15 this past season and then won back-to-back games (including a surprise victory over Loyola). It then lost seven more in a row before a 3-4 mark in its last 7 outings, including a play-in round tournament upset of Canisius. Jynae Judson, a senior forward, was among the better players in the MAAC, but the entire roster was otherwise comprised exclusively of, at least for this past season, role players.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Judson finished seventh in scoring (13.4) and 14th in rebounding (5.6) among league players. Quina Porter, a senior forward, was a warrior inside and one of the MAAC's most improved players (averaging 7.5 points, 6.5 rebounds). Kristal Edwards, a Division II transfer who didn't play last season, added some front-court athleticism (6.5 points, 4.5 rebounds). Then, there was team resiliency. An 0-15 start could have been discouraging, but the team continued to play hard, maybe buoyed by the back-to-back mid-season victories over Loyola and Rider. It also beat Canisius twice (once in the regular season, once in the league tournament), and the Golden Griffins had considerably better individual personnel. Does it bode well for a building block heading into 2012-13? Maybe not. The Peahens won three of their last four games at the end of the 2010-11 season, and that momentum didn't carry over.
WHAT WENT WRONG: As good as Judson was, she missed six games via suspensions for violating team rules. Having her pop in and out of the lineup didn't help. Even when she was around, she was a solo act offensively, making the team easy to defend.. No other player averaged more than 7.5 points. Aziza May, after a promising freshman year at point guard, had the exact numbers in her sophomore season (5.2, 3.0 assists) as she did as a freshman. And, we'll need someone to explain what happened to sophomore guard Teresa Manigrasso. After she was the team's second-leading scorer as a freshman (7.5 points per game), she barely played as a sophomore and averaged just 1.9 points on 24.1 percent shooting. A decent long-range sniper as a frosh (24 treys made), she was just 2-of-22 from bonus depth as a soph. Team-wise, the Peahens were at or near the bottom in just about every statistical category among league members, except for total rebounds. And, that statistic was padded because the team missed so many shots (shooting a league-worst 33.2 percent from the floor), meaning there were more rebounds available in its games.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Probably another year of struggling to get more than five or six wins. Judson, the only offensive weapon, graduates as does Porter, the team's top rebounder. Gone, too, is senior forward Lauren Morris, who had some nice late-season games. Edwards, who averaged just 6.5 points per game, is the top-returning scorer. May, as a freshman, looked like she could develop into one of the league's better point guards, but then didn't make the progress expected from a sophomore. Kaydine Best, a 6-1 junior forward (4.4, 3.4) will need to make major strides.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: The program is 18-70 overall over the past three seasons, and there's no end in sight for escaping those kinds of results. Still, despite the lack of recent success, there aren't many teams in the league that play harder every night and that usually gives the Peahens a chance to be competitive. For Saint Peter's to avoid the cellar, though, it needs its role players to make major strides forward and to get some contributions from incoming freshmen ... and, that's a lot to ask.
St. Peter's Men's Report: Some Improvement Likely
After a brief break that included a week-long trip to California, it's time to get back to basketball and to the team-by-team post-season reports.
Up now ...
SAINT PETER'S MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 4-14 in MAAC play, 5-26 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: There's got to be a morning after, so to speak, and this past season was it for the Peacocks. On the heels of capturing the 2010-11 conference tournament and a bid to the NCAA's, the program lost four significant starters and, then, head coach John Dunne dismissed another key role player for disciplinary issues prior to the season. If that wasn't bad enough, two key front-court players were lost for the year to injury by the mid-way point. Yes, indeed, the bottom dropped out. For the entire season all Saint Peter's got was a non-league win over a moribund Binghamton squad, two wins over the conference's last-place Canisius team and, inexplicably, two victories over Siena, the MAAC's sixth-place team. The season included two eight-game losing streak, including an active one with a season-ending setback to Marist in the play-in round of this season's conference tournament.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Very little, but there were a couple of bright spots, most notably the two conference victories over Siena that kept the Saints from finishing over .500 in both league play and overall. The second of those, on Siena's home court, included a stalwart defensive effort led by 6-7 junior center Darius Conley that held his Saints' counterpart O.D. Anosike to nine points and ended Anosike's string of 17 consecutive double-doubles. Conley, after being a role player for the past two years, had a nice break-out season averaging 11.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a third-team all-MAAC selection. Freshman guard Lamin Fulton had a solid first year (8.9 points per game). Otherwise, not much else went the Peacocks' way, which was somewhat expected considering all the personnel losses from a year ago.
WHAT WENT WRONG: This could be lengthy. Four key players graduating was tough enough. Then, senior forward Jack Hill (4.7 points, 2.8 rebounds), who was playing relatively well, went down for the season after nine games. And, then, junior college transfer Karee Ferguson (4.1, 3.3), who was expected to provide some front-court offense, tore an achilles in the team's 16th game and was lost for the rest of the season and his status for the coming season is up in the air. Fulton, despite some solid statistics, was wildly inconsistent. And, then, he recently informed the coaching staff that he would be transferring out of the program. Chris Prescott, a transfer from St. Joseph's, didn't come close to living up to expectations (10.1 points per game, but 33.9% shooting), and looks like little more than a role player for the coming year. Another big man, 6-10 freshman Gaetano Spera from Italy who was an intriguing project, lasted six games and opted to leave school. The team's hallmark of recent years, its defense (second nationally in field-goal defense in 2010-11) was non-existent and ranked 296 of 337 Division I teams nationally in that statistically this past season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More rebuilding. Fulton and Ferguson could have been nice pieces for next season, but Fulton is gone and there's a great deal of uncertainty over whether Ferguson will be able to recover from his injury to play in 2012-13. Prescott doesn't look like much of a factor. It leaves Conley and 6-3 junior guard Yves Raymond (7.5, 3.9), who had a solid season coming off the bench, as the primary building blocks. Head coach John Dunne, though, knows how to build a program. He'll need to continue to develop current sophomore perimeter players Chris Burke (6.2, 4.0) and Blaise Ffrench (4.4, 2.6), both of which came in to fairly high expectations, to be able to be competitive. He'll also need to find a big man, maybe in 6-9 incoming freshman Lawrence Fejokwu, who attended Sunrise Christian Academy, a Kansas Prep school, for the past two years.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: They'll probably be picked to finish last when the coaches' preseason poll comes out in October, the the potential is there for a little better if the team stays healthy, if players like Burke and Ffrench step up and another adequate front-court player is found. It's more than a little to ask, but if it happens Saint Peter's is capable of much better than this past season.
Up now ...
SAINT PETER'S MEN
2011-12 RECORD: 4-14 in MAAC play, 5-26 overall.
2011-12 RECAP: There's got to be a morning after, so to speak, and this past season was it for the Peacocks. On the heels of capturing the 2010-11 conference tournament and a bid to the NCAA's, the program lost four significant starters and, then, head coach John Dunne dismissed another key role player for disciplinary issues prior to the season. If that wasn't bad enough, two key front-court players were lost for the year to injury by the mid-way point. Yes, indeed, the bottom dropped out. For the entire season all Saint Peter's got was a non-league win over a moribund Binghamton squad, two wins over the conference's last-place Canisius team and, inexplicably, two victories over Siena, the MAAC's sixth-place team. The season included two eight-game losing streak, including an active one with a season-ending setback to Marist in the play-in round of this season's conference tournament.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Very little, but there were a couple of bright spots, most notably the two conference victories over Siena that kept the Saints from finishing over .500 in both league play and overall. The second of those, on Siena's home court, included a stalwart defensive effort led by 6-7 junior center Darius Conley that held his Saints' counterpart O.D. Anosike to nine points and ended Anosike's string of 17 consecutive double-doubles. Conley, after being a role player for the past two years, had a nice break-out season averaging 11.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a third-team all-MAAC selection. Freshman guard Lamin Fulton had a solid first year (8.9 points per game). Otherwise, not much else went the Peacocks' way, which was somewhat expected considering all the personnel losses from a year ago.
WHAT WENT WRONG: This could be lengthy. Four key players graduating was tough enough. Then, senior forward Jack Hill (4.7 points, 2.8 rebounds), who was playing relatively well, went down for the season after nine games. And, then, junior college transfer Karee Ferguson (4.1, 3.3), who was expected to provide some front-court offense, tore an achilles in the team's 16th game and was lost for the rest of the season and his status for the coming season is up in the air. Fulton, despite some solid statistics, was wildly inconsistent. And, then, he recently informed the coaching staff that he would be transferring out of the program. Chris Prescott, a transfer from St. Joseph's, didn't come close to living up to expectations (10.1 points per game, but 33.9% shooting), and looks like little more than a role player for the coming year. Another big man, 6-10 freshman Gaetano Spera from Italy who was an intriguing project, lasted six games and opted to leave school. The team's hallmark of recent years, its defense (second nationally in field-goal defense in 2010-11) was non-existent and ranked 296 of 337 Division I teams nationally in that statistically this past season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More rebuilding. Fulton and Ferguson could have been nice pieces for next season, but Fulton is gone and there's a great deal of uncertainty over whether Ferguson will be able to recover from his injury to play in 2012-13. Prescott doesn't look like much of a factor. It leaves Conley and 6-3 junior guard Yves Raymond (7.5, 3.9), who had a solid season coming off the bench, as the primary building blocks. Head coach John Dunne, though, knows how to build a program. He'll need to continue to develop current sophomore perimeter players Chris Burke (6.2, 4.0) and Blaise Ffrench (4.4, 2.6), both of which came in to fairly high expectations, to be able to be competitive. He'll also need to find a big man, maybe in 6-9 incoming freshman Lawrence Fejokwu, who attended Sunrise Christian Academy, a Kansas Prep school, for the past two years.
PREDICTION FOR 2012-13: They'll probably be picked to finish last when the coaches' preseason poll comes out in October, the the potential is there for a little better if the team stays healthy, if players like Burke and Ffrench step up and another adequate front-court player is found. It's more than a little to ask, but if it happens Saint Peter's is capable of much better than this past season.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Siena To Name Ali Jaques New Women's Coach
After 22 seasons the Siena women's basketball team will have a new head coach.
The school has set a 2 p.m. press conference for tomorrow (Thursday), at which it is believed it will announce Ali Jaques to succeed long-time coach Gina Castelli, who was fired last month.
Jaques, according to sources at Siena, has officially accepted the position. Several other upstate New York media outlets are also reporting that Jaques is believed to be the school's choice.
But, your scribe has an impeccable source confirming Jaques' hiring.
Jaques' candidacy was aided by a strong recommendation by another former Siena head coach Jim Jabir's (Castelli's predecessor). Jaques was an assistant for one season (2005-06) under Jabir at Dayton.
A 1998 graduate of New York University, she began her coaching career as an assistant at Rider for one season. She also served as an assistant for three seasons at Sacred Heart Univerity and, then, three seasons at Furman University.
After Dayton she was an assistant at George Washington University for two seasons, moving from there to Northwestern prior to the 2008-09 season.
Over her time at Northwestern that program had a 58-68 record, but was 51-45 over the past three seasons.
Castelli had been at Siena since the 1989-90 season serving one year as an assistant (under Jabir) before becoming the program's head coach prior to the 1990-91 season.
The school has set a 2 p.m. press conference for tomorrow (Thursday), at which it is believed it will announce Ali Jaques to succeed long-time coach Gina Castelli, who was fired last month.
Jaques, according to sources at Siena, has officially accepted the position. Several other upstate New York media outlets are also reporting that Jaques is believed to be the school's choice.
But, your scribe has an impeccable source confirming Jaques' hiring.
Jaques' candidacy was aided by a strong recommendation by another former Siena head coach Jim Jabir's (Castelli's predecessor). Jaques was an assistant for one season (2005-06) under Jabir at Dayton.
A 1998 graduate of New York University, she began her coaching career as an assistant at Rider for one season. She also served as an assistant for three seasons at Sacred Heart Univerity and, then, three seasons at Furman University.
After Dayton she was an assistant at George Washington University for two seasons, moving from there to Northwestern prior to the 2008-09 season.
Over her time at Northwestern that program had a 58-68 record, but was 51-45 over the past three seasons.
Castelli had been at Siena since the 1989-90 season serving one year as an assistant (under Jabir) before becoming the program's head coach prior to the 1990-91 season.
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