If you're a basketball fan ... a real "gym rat," so to speak ... then there's no better place to be this Memorial Day weekend than in New York's Capital Region for the GymRat Challenge boys' AAU tournament.
The event is the largest of its kind in the east with 212 teams and close to 2,400 players participating this year.
Champions will be crowned in three age brackets: 17-under, 16-under, 15-under.
The event has hosted some high-powered talent in past years: Emeka Okofer was here, as was Cole Aldric, Jimmer Fredette (Brigham Young), Talor Battle (Penn State), Brad Sheehan (Georgia Tech), etc. etc.
Much of Siena's roster, past/current/future, is made up of players who have been in this event in past years as has much of the MAAC (Greg Nero of Fairfield, Tomas Vazquez-Simmons of Canisius, George Beamon of Manhattan and Candon Rusin of Marist, just to drop a few names).
While there are several dozen high-major level recruits that will come out of the event, it's also very fertile territory for the mid-major teams like those from the MAAC.
When participating teams submit their rosters many list the colleges interested in their players. Dozens upon dozens who will be here list MAAC schools among those involved in their recruitments.
The tournament will be played Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and, then, on Sunday from 8 a.m. until Sunday evening. Championship games will be contested Sunday evening. About 26 hours of basketball will be contested, almost non-stop, over the two days.
Yes, indeed, a basketball junkie's paradise.
In all, 349 games will be played at three sites: Siena College, the University at Albany and Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
A two-day admission fee of $15 allows spectators to see any game at any venue. Single-day admission is $10 and also allows fans to move from game to game and venue to venue. Multiple games are contested simultaneously. Siena, for instance, has seven courts in use at any time, and there is never a break in the action.
Your blogger will be in attendance and taking notes, as will a "talent evaluation" staff that picks players for tournament all-star honors. That staff gets some input from the better players in attendance about their college interst, and, as one of the talent evaluators for the event, I'll have access to that material.
When the tournament concludes, this blog will have a lengthy report about the tournament with as much recruiting information that pertains to the MAAC that I can acquire, which will be plenty.
More information about this year's event, the playing schedule and past histories of previous years' tournaments (including all-star selections and much information about the better players here from past years) is all available on the tournament's website, which is:
www.gymratchallenge.com
So ... attend the event; and, if you can't attend, then keep following this forum for post-tournament information.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
More Off-Season MAAC News To Come
The post below completes the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at men's and women's programs in the conference.
So, what's next?
There is always a full-plate of off-season happenings to discuss, and "Keepin' Track of the MAAC" is a year-round operation.
What's on the immediate horizon are major AAU tournaments in this blogger's backyard. The GymRat Challenge tournament featuring about 212 teams will take place in New York's Capital Region this Memorial Day weekend.
Your blogger will be there for two full days of basketball. There are always dozens of participants on the recruiting radar screens of MAAC teams, and we'll provide some sort of post-tournament rundown on some of those names.
Three weeks later, on June 19 and 20, there's a GymRat Challenge AAU event for girls and we'll do the same type post-tournament report on that.
After that we'll look at MAAC recruiting. May 19 was the final day for letters of intent to be signed during the late signing period, although there will be even later verbal commitments made between now and the end of the summer.
In subsequent weeks we'll provide a list and some background on all recruits committed too MAAC programs, both men's and women's.
Non-conference schedules are also being finalized, and we'll report those as they are completed.
Who knows what else will happen between now and the mid-October start of preseason practices?
Whatever it is, though, we'll keep an eye open for it and pass it along in this forum.
Hope you'll keep reading.
So, what's next?
There is always a full-plate of off-season happenings to discuss, and "Keepin' Track of the MAAC" is a year-round operation.
What's on the immediate horizon are major AAU tournaments in this blogger's backyard. The GymRat Challenge tournament featuring about 212 teams will take place in New York's Capital Region this Memorial Day weekend.
Your blogger will be there for two full days of basketball. There are always dozens of participants on the recruiting radar screens of MAAC teams, and we'll provide some sort of post-tournament rundown on some of those names.
Three weeks later, on June 19 and 20, there's a GymRat Challenge AAU event for girls and we'll do the same type post-tournament report on that.
After that we'll look at MAAC recruiting. May 19 was the final day for letters of intent to be signed during the late signing period, although there will be even later verbal commitments made between now and the end of the summer.
In subsequent weeks we'll provide a list and some background on all recruits committed too MAAC programs, both men's and women's.
Non-conference schedules are also being finalized, and we'll report those as they are completed.
Who knows what else will happen between now and the mid-October start of preseason practices?
Whatever it is, though, we'll keep an eye open for it and pass it along in this forum.
Hope you'll keep reading.
Women's Report: Marist Likely to Defend
Here's the latest, and final, installment in the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at MAAC women's programs.
Up now ...
MARIST (15-3 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 26-8 overall)
RECAP: Fairfield coach Joe Frager put Marist's 2009-10 accomplishments in proper perspective: "The rest of us would do anything to be 15-3 in the league." For Marist, though, 15-3 is almost below the program's lofty standards. It marked the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Red Foxes lost three league contests, which signifies the domination the team has held within the league. Since the start of the 2004-05 season Marist is 112-12 in regular-season MAAC play with six of those losses by three points or less. This past season's losses were to Niagara, to Fairfield (61-60) and a season-ending/meaningless setback at Manhattan. What Marist has become far transcends a single season. The program has been the conference's representative to the NCAA tournament for five straight seasons. Three years ago it advanced to that event's Sweet 16 round (winning two NCAA tournament games), the only program, either men's or women's, ever to get that far. It has been the conference's regular-season champion for seven straight years. Head coach Brian Giorgis' won-loss record over eight seasons is 194-63, a .755 winning percentage that is the 9th highest among all active coaches. The team's five non-league losses came against West Virginnia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, St. Bonaventure and Georgetown. Local interest has never been higher. A per-game average of 2,141 came out for home games this past season, a figure that was better than all but one men's program (only the Siena men, who play home games in an arena, drew more fans for home games). Senior forward Rachele Fitz firmly established herself as arguably the best female player in league history. Junior guard Erica Allenspach was a first-team all-league performer, and sophomore guard Corielle Yard was a second-team choice who could easily have been on the first team.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Other than the three league losses, pretty much everything. Hard to find fault with a 26-win season. Fitz finished with 2,447 career points, just 20 shy of the conference's all-time record (former Loyola standout Patty Stoffey finished with 2,467), and 1,066 rebounds, the 6th-best total in MAAC history. Her career field-toal percentage (.582) is second-best all-time and her .846 free-throw percentage is fourth in league annals. She was to the Marist women's program what Rik Smits was to the men's program more than two decades ago. Allenspach, already a highly regarded player, became one of the league's elite performers. Yard, who flashed ability as a freshman, also became established as a a conference standout. The team went legitimately nine deep, and the depth was the best in the conference. Marist not only has talent, but intelligence. Its 13.5 turnovers per game was the sixth-best total nationally. It was all enough for another trip to the NCAA, an occurance that, by now, is almost taken for granted.
WHAT WENT WRONG: One has to look pretty hard to find deficiencies. One was rebounding as Marist played to an 0.9 rebound-per-game deficit. Two of the three league losses were puzzling. Niagara had a nice second-half turnaround, but it was still a setback to a team that finished with a .500 conference record. Manhattan, at 10-8, was only slightly better and neither of those teams were close to the Red Foxes in terms of overall talent. And, then, there was the NCAA tournament loss to Georgetown, 62-42. Marist just didn't have any answers for the Hoya's clear advantages in quickness and athleticism.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Were the three league losses the first signs that there are proverbial chinks in the program's armor? Possibly, but players like Yard and Allenspach could both be first-team all-stars next season and will likely help ensure the Red Foxes are still the MAAC's best team. Still, it's tough to lose key players year after year, and Fitz's departure will be the toughest of all. The program has lost league all-stars in the past, but, now, it's losing the conference's all-time top player. Lynzee Johnson, a tough sparkplug performer, is also gone. Kate Oliver, a 6-4 freshman, flashed some ability, but mostly with perimeter shooting. Unless she becomes stronger in the post, rebounding could be a greater issue this coming season, although Brandy Gang, a -2 sophomore, is likely to help out there as her role increases. Kristine Best, a 5-4 sophomore, is another emerging perimeter player. The program also has three recruits coming in, with 5-11 forward Emma O'Connor seemingly the most-likely of those to get into the playing group. Count on this, though: the team will continue to play intelligently and effectively. Giorgis has clearly established himself as the MAAC's top coach and his presence alone almost ensures success.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: First place. Allenspach and Yard will both contend for Player of the Year honors. But, those two are the only returnees who averaged more than 4.9 points per game. A key for Marist in recent years is that it has gotten strong offensive production from at least three players every year. It needs a third to step up next season. Seemingly, though there is enough otherwise returning to ensure the Red Foxes will continue their reign, particularly if another decent source of offensive production steps up. Marist might not be quite as dominant as some of its past teams, but the rest of the MAAC doesn't look like it has quite caught up yet.
Up now ...
MARIST (15-3 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 26-8 overall)
RECAP: Fairfield coach Joe Frager put Marist's 2009-10 accomplishments in proper perspective: "The rest of us would do anything to be 15-3 in the league." For Marist, though, 15-3 is almost below the program's lofty standards. It marked the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Red Foxes lost three league contests, which signifies the domination the team has held within the league. Since the start of the 2004-05 season Marist is 112-12 in regular-season MAAC play with six of those losses by three points or less. This past season's losses were to Niagara, to Fairfield (61-60) and a season-ending/meaningless setback at Manhattan. What Marist has become far transcends a single season. The program has been the conference's representative to the NCAA tournament for five straight seasons. Three years ago it advanced to that event's Sweet 16 round (winning two NCAA tournament games), the only program, either men's or women's, ever to get that far. It has been the conference's regular-season champion for seven straight years. Head coach Brian Giorgis' won-loss record over eight seasons is 194-63, a .755 winning percentage that is the 9th highest among all active coaches. The team's five non-league losses came against West Virginnia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, St. Bonaventure and Georgetown. Local interest has never been higher. A per-game average of 2,141 came out for home games this past season, a figure that was better than all but one men's program (only the Siena men, who play home games in an arena, drew more fans for home games). Senior forward Rachele Fitz firmly established herself as arguably the best female player in league history. Junior guard Erica Allenspach was a first-team all-league performer, and sophomore guard Corielle Yard was a second-team choice who could easily have been on the first team.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Other than the three league losses, pretty much everything. Hard to find fault with a 26-win season. Fitz finished with 2,447 career points, just 20 shy of the conference's all-time record (former Loyola standout Patty Stoffey finished with 2,467), and 1,066 rebounds, the 6th-best total in MAAC history. Her career field-toal percentage (.582) is second-best all-time and her .846 free-throw percentage is fourth in league annals. She was to the Marist women's program what Rik Smits was to the men's program more than two decades ago. Allenspach, already a highly regarded player, became one of the league's elite performers. Yard, who flashed ability as a freshman, also became established as a a conference standout. The team went legitimately nine deep, and the depth was the best in the conference. Marist not only has talent, but intelligence. Its 13.5 turnovers per game was the sixth-best total nationally. It was all enough for another trip to the NCAA, an occurance that, by now, is almost taken for granted.
WHAT WENT WRONG: One has to look pretty hard to find deficiencies. One was rebounding as Marist played to an 0.9 rebound-per-game deficit. Two of the three league losses were puzzling. Niagara had a nice second-half turnaround, but it was still a setback to a team that finished with a .500 conference record. Manhattan, at 10-8, was only slightly better and neither of those teams were close to the Red Foxes in terms of overall talent. And, then, there was the NCAA tournament loss to Georgetown, 62-42. Marist just didn't have any answers for the Hoya's clear advantages in quickness and athleticism.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Were the three league losses the first signs that there are proverbial chinks in the program's armor? Possibly, but players like Yard and Allenspach could both be first-team all-stars next season and will likely help ensure the Red Foxes are still the MAAC's best team. Still, it's tough to lose key players year after year, and Fitz's departure will be the toughest of all. The program has lost league all-stars in the past, but, now, it's losing the conference's all-time top player. Lynzee Johnson, a tough sparkplug performer, is also gone. Kate Oliver, a 6-4 freshman, flashed some ability, but mostly with perimeter shooting. Unless she becomes stronger in the post, rebounding could be a greater issue this coming season, although Brandy Gang, a -2 sophomore, is likely to help out there as her role increases. Kristine Best, a 5-4 sophomore, is another emerging perimeter player. The program also has three recruits coming in, with 5-11 forward Emma O'Connor seemingly the most-likely of those to get into the playing group. Count on this, though: the team will continue to play intelligently and effectively. Giorgis has clearly established himself as the MAAC's top coach and his presence alone almost ensures success.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: First place. Allenspach and Yard will both contend for Player of the Year honors. But, those two are the only returnees who averaged more than 4.9 points per game. A key for Marist in recent years is that it has gotten strong offensive production from at least three players every year. It needs a third to step up next season. Seemingly, though there is enough otherwise returning to ensure the Red Foxes will continue their reign, particularly if another decent source of offensive production steps up. Marist might not be quite as dominant as some of its past teams, but the rest of the MAAC doesn't look like it has quite caught up yet.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Women's Report: Iona Has Much Back
Here's the latest installment in the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at MAAC women's programs.
Up now ...
IONA (13-5 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 18-14 overall)
RECAP: Picked to finish second in the preseason poll, and that's where the Gaels finished. Mostly a successful season, the fifth straight winning overall record from a program that, prior to its current five-year run of success, might have been the worst the conference has ever seen. Prior to the 2005-06 season Iona had 23 consecutive losing seasons. But, that's a thing of the past and, these days, an 18-14 overall record is no longer out of the ordinary. The Gaels finished 13-5 in the MAAC, losing only to first-place Marist (twice), third-place Fairfield (twice) and Siena. Senior guard Thazina Cook was a first-team all-league player for the second straight year, playing through some minor knee issues to be among the league's elite. Senior center Anna McLean was among the conference's better "bigs" averaging 8.5 rebounds. Iona looked like a team capable of challenging Marist in the league tournament's championship game. Instead, it lost to Fairfield (for a third time) in the semifinal round. Its second-place regular-season finish, though, brought an automatic berth in the Women's NIT. There, the Gaels got a tough draw meeting Maryland and losing, 88-53, in the opening round. It was Iona's third trip to the WNIT in four seasons.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Cook was the requisite offensive weapon. McLean and 6-1 junior forward Kristina Ford (9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds) combined to be one of the conference's better post duos. Suzi Fregosi, a 5-6 jnior guard, emerged as one of the MAAC's top point guards and was 11th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Freshman guard Diana Hubbard was named to the league's all-rookie team. Junior forward Anda Ivkovic was having her best all-around year until going down with a mid-season injury. The team was probably the deepest in the conference with 10 players averaging at least 12 minutes per game. Overall, Iona continued to establish itself as the MAAC's second-best program, behind only Marist, of recent vintage. It has a 60-30 record in league play over the past five seasons. Only Marist (83-7) has been better.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Primarily an inability to handle Fairfield, which earned a 72-59 regular-season victory over Iona on Feb. 19 which basically knocked the Gaels out of contention for the league title. And, then the Stags knocked Iona out of the conference tournament with a 61-57 victory in the semifinal round. Iona was 1-3 against Marist and Fairfield in the regular season and 12-2 against everyone else. Ivkovic, a talented offensive player, missed the final 10 games with a knee injury and Iona was absent a key weapon without her versatile skills. Her absence surely played a role in the team's 5-6 record in its last 11 games. Iona also had a 5-9 non-league record, but played one of the better non-conference schedules of any MAAC team, including losses to Arizona, Notre Dame, Arkansas, UConn and the WNIT loss to Maryland. Only the difficult non-league schedule stood between the team and a 20-victory season. The team also struggled from the field as McLean (at .509 percent shooting) was the only Gael to make more than .412 percent from the floor. Iona countered that, though, with an edge in rebounds and by committing fewer turnovers to get off 211 more shots than opponents on the season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: It has to find replacements for its two best players, Cook and McLean, and that won't be easy. But every other member of the 10-individual playing group does return. Ford will likely get even better in the post and Ivkovic, if fully healthy, will likely become the team's leading scorer and one of the conference's better players. Hubbard is likely to build on a strong freshman season. The program did have some height on the bench in sophomores 6-3 center Milica Paligoric (4.1, 2.7) and 6-0 Tomica Bacic (1.8, 2.2), and at least one, if not both, will need to make major strides for the Gaels to be as good as they were this past season. The team might also get an inside boost from incoming freshman 6-4 center Sabrina Jeridore.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: Head coach Tony Bozzella's cast has turned over a few times since his arrival, but the winning goes on, indicative of his abilities as a coach. If Inkovic is recovered and makes the expected step from strong role player to a featured role offensively, and if one of the post players, whether it's returnees Paligoric or Bacic, or incoming freshman Jeridore, can be an effective post player, then don't expect the Gaels to slip much, if at all. Expect Iona to be in the mix for the regular-season title with the likelihood of a second- or third-place finish the most-realistic expectation.
Up now ...
IONA (13-5 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 18-14 overall)
RECAP: Picked to finish second in the preseason poll, and that's where the Gaels finished. Mostly a successful season, the fifth straight winning overall record from a program that, prior to its current five-year run of success, might have been the worst the conference has ever seen. Prior to the 2005-06 season Iona had 23 consecutive losing seasons. But, that's a thing of the past and, these days, an 18-14 overall record is no longer out of the ordinary. The Gaels finished 13-5 in the MAAC, losing only to first-place Marist (twice), third-place Fairfield (twice) and Siena. Senior guard Thazina Cook was a first-team all-league player for the second straight year, playing through some minor knee issues to be among the league's elite. Senior center Anna McLean was among the conference's better "bigs" averaging 8.5 rebounds. Iona looked like a team capable of challenging Marist in the league tournament's championship game. Instead, it lost to Fairfield (for a third time) in the semifinal round. Its second-place regular-season finish, though, brought an automatic berth in the Women's NIT. There, the Gaels got a tough draw meeting Maryland and losing, 88-53, in the opening round. It was Iona's third trip to the WNIT in four seasons.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Cook was the requisite offensive weapon. McLean and 6-1 junior forward Kristina Ford (9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds) combined to be one of the conference's better post duos. Suzi Fregosi, a 5-6 jnior guard, emerged as one of the MAAC's top point guards and was 11th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Freshman guard Diana Hubbard was named to the league's all-rookie team. Junior forward Anda Ivkovic was having her best all-around year until going down with a mid-season injury. The team was probably the deepest in the conference with 10 players averaging at least 12 minutes per game. Overall, Iona continued to establish itself as the MAAC's second-best program, behind only Marist, of recent vintage. It has a 60-30 record in league play over the past five seasons. Only Marist (83-7) has been better.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Primarily an inability to handle Fairfield, which earned a 72-59 regular-season victory over Iona on Feb. 19 which basically knocked the Gaels out of contention for the league title. And, then the Stags knocked Iona out of the conference tournament with a 61-57 victory in the semifinal round. Iona was 1-3 against Marist and Fairfield in the regular season and 12-2 against everyone else. Ivkovic, a talented offensive player, missed the final 10 games with a knee injury and Iona was absent a key weapon without her versatile skills. Her absence surely played a role in the team's 5-6 record in its last 11 games. Iona also had a 5-9 non-league record, but played one of the better non-conference schedules of any MAAC team, including losses to Arizona, Notre Dame, Arkansas, UConn and the WNIT loss to Maryland. Only the difficult non-league schedule stood between the team and a 20-victory season. The team also struggled from the field as McLean (at .509 percent shooting) was the only Gael to make more than .412 percent from the floor. Iona countered that, though, with an edge in rebounds and by committing fewer turnovers to get off 211 more shots than opponents on the season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: It has to find replacements for its two best players, Cook and McLean, and that won't be easy. But every other member of the 10-individual playing group does return. Ford will likely get even better in the post and Ivkovic, if fully healthy, will likely become the team's leading scorer and one of the conference's better players. Hubbard is likely to build on a strong freshman season. The program did have some height on the bench in sophomores 6-3 center Milica Paligoric (4.1, 2.7) and 6-0 Tomica Bacic (1.8, 2.2), and at least one, if not both, will need to make major strides for the Gaels to be as good as they were this past season. The team might also get an inside boost from incoming freshman 6-4 center Sabrina Jeridore.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: Head coach Tony Bozzella's cast has turned over a few times since his arrival, but the winning goes on, indicative of his abilities as a coach. If Inkovic is recovered and makes the expected step from strong role player to a featured role offensively, and if one of the post players, whether it's returnees Paligoric or Bacic, or incoming freshman Jeridore, can be an effective post player, then don't expect the Gaels to slip much, if at all. Expect Iona to be in the mix for the regular-season title with the likelihood of a second- or third-place finish the most-realistic expectation.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Women's Report: Fairfield Won't Fall Far
Here's the latest installment in the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at MAAC women's programs.
Up now ...
FAIRFIELD (11-7 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 20-14 overall)
RECAP: It took Fairfield a while to get things right but when it did, it did so in a big way. A 20-win season was a significant accomplishment for a team that lost four key starters from the previous year. And, then, it started this past season with a 10-12 overall record and a 4-7 mark in conference play. It would have been easy to figure 2009-10 wasn't going to be their year, and the Stags could have coasted home. Instead they won their last seven conference contests and nine in a row overall including victories in the first two rounds of the MAAC tournament before losing to Marist in the championship game. It was enough to earn a post-season berth in the Women's Basketball Invitational event where it won a first-round game over Towson before falling in the second round to Appalachian State. The season saw former role player 6-2 senior Stephanie Geehan produce a season that was worthy of Player of the Year consideration, former shooting guard Desiree Pina make a successful transition to point guard and freshman Katelyn Linney emerge as one of the conference's top rookies.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Geehan, content to defer to older teammates over her first three seasons, made a seamless transition to be the program's spotlight player. In doing so she set a conference record for single-season blocked shots (118), fifth-best nationally. Her 11.4 rebound-per game average also led the MAAC and ranked sixth nationally. She also became one of just 10 conference players to ever record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career. Pina became a nice second option, while also directing the offense and was just about indispensible, averaging 38.1 minutes per contest. Linney became an effective long-range weapon with 67 three-pointers on the season. Sophomore Taryn Johnson, an athletic forward, averaged 8.9 point, 6.9 rebounds and had 53 blocks and Tara Flaherty, a 6-2 senior forward, became an effective second presence in the post, particularly late in the season. The late-season nine-game winning streak included a victory over Marist and two over second-place finisher Iona. As a team the Stags set school records for most blocks and most made three-pointers in a season. Give at least a little credit to third-year head coach Joe Frager, who is among the conference's best.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The slow start, which wasn't helped by a knee injury to promising sophomore guard Sarah Paulus (3.8 points, 3.5 rebounds in four games). After that, the Stags became an "Iron Six," as its top six players scored 1,877 of its points and the rest of the roster contributed just 97. No other MAAC team did more with less. When Geehan struggled, which wasn't often, Fairfield became primarily an easier-to-defend perimeter team. Geehan got in early foul trouble in the conference tournament's championship game, and the Stags couldn't compete against Marist without her. Otherwise not much else went wrong, particularly in the second half of the season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Frager took a team that lost more than any conference team after the 2008-09 season and produced a second-straight 20-victory year in 2009-10. The program doesn't lose as much in terms of quanty, but it does lose one of its all-time best players in Geehan as well as Flaherty, its only other inside presence. It will be interesting to see if Fairfield can overcome significant losses yet again. The perimeter, though, will be as good as any team's, particularly with Johnson at small forward and Pina and Linney at the guard spots. If Paulus is healthy again, she'll be a nice addition. Junior Joelle Wawrocky, a 6-foot-0 guard, and 6-1 freshman forward Brittany McFarlane both look capable of stepping up next season. The program, though, needs to find some post players and depth and much of that could come from incoming freshmen post players 6-2 Katie Cizynski and 6-1 Brittany Obi-Talbot and 5-10 guard Alexys Vazquez.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: After surviving the loss of four starters and still finishing with 20 victories this past season, we know better now than to underestimate what Frager can get out of his players. The perimeter pieces are in place. If the incoming freshmen can provide some help in the post and, in the process, extend the team's playing rotation to seven or eight, it could be another good season for the Stags. They won't fall from the conference's upper half, and could realistically finish in in the top three.
Up now ...
FAIRFIELD (11-7 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 20-14 overall)
RECAP: It took Fairfield a while to get things right but when it did, it did so in a big way. A 20-win season was a significant accomplishment for a team that lost four key starters from the previous year. And, then, it started this past season with a 10-12 overall record and a 4-7 mark in conference play. It would have been easy to figure 2009-10 wasn't going to be their year, and the Stags could have coasted home. Instead they won their last seven conference contests and nine in a row overall including victories in the first two rounds of the MAAC tournament before losing to Marist in the championship game. It was enough to earn a post-season berth in the Women's Basketball Invitational event where it won a first-round game over Towson before falling in the second round to Appalachian State. The season saw former role player 6-2 senior Stephanie Geehan produce a season that was worthy of Player of the Year consideration, former shooting guard Desiree Pina make a successful transition to point guard and freshman Katelyn Linney emerge as one of the conference's top rookies.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Geehan, content to defer to older teammates over her first three seasons, made a seamless transition to be the program's spotlight player. In doing so she set a conference record for single-season blocked shots (118), fifth-best nationally. Her 11.4 rebound-per game average also led the MAAC and ranked sixth nationally. She also became one of just 10 conference players to ever record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career. Pina became a nice second option, while also directing the offense and was just about indispensible, averaging 38.1 minutes per contest. Linney became an effective long-range weapon with 67 three-pointers on the season. Sophomore Taryn Johnson, an athletic forward, averaged 8.9 point, 6.9 rebounds and had 53 blocks and Tara Flaherty, a 6-2 senior forward, became an effective second presence in the post, particularly late in the season. The late-season nine-game winning streak included a victory over Marist and two over second-place finisher Iona. As a team the Stags set school records for most blocks and most made three-pointers in a season. Give at least a little credit to third-year head coach Joe Frager, who is among the conference's best.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The slow start, which wasn't helped by a knee injury to promising sophomore guard Sarah Paulus (3.8 points, 3.5 rebounds in four games). After that, the Stags became an "Iron Six," as its top six players scored 1,877 of its points and the rest of the roster contributed just 97. No other MAAC team did more with less. When Geehan struggled, which wasn't often, Fairfield became primarily an easier-to-defend perimeter team. Geehan got in early foul trouble in the conference tournament's championship game, and the Stags couldn't compete against Marist without her. Otherwise not much else went wrong, particularly in the second half of the season.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Frager took a team that lost more than any conference team after the 2008-09 season and produced a second-straight 20-victory year in 2009-10. The program doesn't lose as much in terms of quanty, but it does lose one of its all-time best players in Geehan as well as Flaherty, its only other inside presence. It will be interesting to see if Fairfield can overcome significant losses yet again. The perimeter, though, will be as good as any team's, particularly with Johnson at small forward and Pina and Linney at the guard spots. If Paulus is healthy again, she'll be a nice addition. Junior Joelle Wawrocky, a 6-foot-0 guard, and 6-1 freshman forward Brittany McFarlane both look capable of stepping up next season. The program, though, needs to find some post players and depth and much of that could come from incoming freshmen post players 6-2 Katie Cizynski and 6-1 Brittany Obi-Talbot and 5-10 guard Alexys Vazquez.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: After surviving the loss of four starters and still finishing with 20 victories this past season, we know better now than to underestimate what Frager can get out of his players. The perimeter pieces are in place. If the incoming freshmen can provide some help in the post and, in the process, extend the team's playing rotation to seven or eight, it could be another good season for the Stags. They won't fall from the conference's upper half, and could realistically finish in in the top three.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Women's Report: Jaspers Getting Better
Here's the latest installment of the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at conference women's programs.
Up now ...
MANHATTAN (10-8 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 15-15 overall)
RECAP: The program hasn't had a winning overall record since a 20-10 mark in 2002-03, and underwent an off-season coaching change to bring in John Olenowski, who had done nothing but win an extraordinary amount of games as a high school coach and head coach, in the 1980's at Pace University. Most recently an assistant at Long Island University, Olenowski almost got the Jaspers back on the positive side of the won-loss ledger with a 15-14 regular-season mark that slipped back to .500 (15-15 overall) when they lost to Niagara in the first round of the MAAC tournament. Otherwise things were fairly satisfying, an encouraging first step, for a young team that was 10-20 overall the previous year. Included was a midseason stretch when it won six times in eight MAAC games. The season also saw 6-foot-0 sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhiser emerge as one of the better players in the conference, senior point guard Michelle Pacheco revitalize her career that slipped considerably the previous season and allowed a host of younger players to get valuable and positive playing experience.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Pacheco, who fell out of favor and lost her starting job as a junior, flourished under Olenowski in her senior seasons, finished fourth in the conference in scoring, first in assists, second in steals and was a first-team all-MAAC selection. Loutsenhiser, a sophomore, finished third in scoring, 10th in rebounding and second in field-goal percentage. She was a second-team all-star selection who probably should have been on the first team. Nadia Peters, a 6-1 sophomore forward, was a nice inside presence and her 1.6 blocks-per-game average was second-best in the conference. The team won games by taking care of the ball. Its' positive 3.4 turnover ratio was the best in the MAAC as it turned it over 100 fewer times than opponents. Those extra possessions showed up on the scoreboard where Manhattan averaged 62.3 points per game, third-best in the conference. There was the 6 wins in 8-game mid-season stretch including a pair over third-place Fairfield. At the end of the season Manhattan knocked off Manhattan, 65-62, one of Marist's three regular-season losses and Pacheco had 28 points in that contest.
WHAT WENT WRONG: A very evident rebounding disadvantage (Manhattan's 32.9 rebound-per-game average was last in the conference, and it got beat by an average of six per game) left the team with very little margin of error. And, then, it lost its best outside-shooting threat when sophomore guard Alyssa Harrington, one of the conference's top marksmen, suffered a mid-season injury and missed the final 16 games. To that point she was leading all conference players with 37 three-pointers. Manhattan had four other players hit at least 20 3-pointers during the year, but the loss of Harrington made the team a little easier to defend. Loutsenhiser, whose best work came on the perimeter, was also the team's leading rebounder (6.5 per contest). An overabundance of young players (10 of the 13 team members were freshmen or sophomores) almost ensured the best work was in the future. There was also a lack of depth. After Harrington's loss, the team pretty much only relied on seven players. The season ended on a down note, the 66-54 tournament loss to Niagara which the Jaspers had beaten in both regular-season contests. It should give the team some off-season incentive.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More improvement should be coming particularly if the program can find a replacement for Pacheco, its standout point guard. That could come from incoming freshman Jazmine Jarvis, a 2,000-point scorer on the high school level. If Jarvis, or anyone else, steps up to run the team effectively then the Jaspers could reasonably approach the 20-victory level this coming season. Loutsenhiser is the requisite "star" player a team needs to compete for the conference's upper level, and Harrington's return should allow her to be a second offensive force. Peters should get better and provide a little more inside, and junior guard Abby Wentworth (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds) is another solid starter who does a little bit of everything. Toni-Ann Lawrence, a 5-11 freshman forward, averaged 2.9 rebounds in limited playing time this past season and could add some needed inside help. Among the recruits is 6-3 center Brandone Roberts.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: If a point guard steps up, and some rebounding help emerges ... both likely to happen ... Manhattan should do no worse than this year's fourth-place finish and could compete for the top three spots. Anything more than that does depend on filling the point-guard/rebounding needs, but finishing in one of the top three spots is certainly a possibility. Competing for the regular-season crown isn't out of the question, either.
Up now ...
MANHATTAN (10-8 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 15-15 overall)
RECAP: The program hasn't had a winning overall record since a 20-10 mark in 2002-03, and underwent an off-season coaching change to bring in John Olenowski, who had done nothing but win an extraordinary amount of games as a high school coach and head coach, in the 1980's at Pace University. Most recently an assistant at Long Island University, Olenowski almost got the Jaspers back on the positive side of the won-loss ledger with a 15-14 regular-season mark that slipped back to .500 (15-15 overall) when they lost to Niagara in the first round of the MAAC tournament. Otherwise things were fairly satisfying, an encouraging first step, for a young team that was 10-20 overall the previous year. Included was a midseason stretch when it won six times in eight MAAC games. The season also saw 6-foot-0 sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhiser emerge as one of the better players in the conference, senior point guard Michelle Pacheco revitalize her career that slipped considerably the previous season and allowed a host of younger players to get valuable and positive playing experience.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Pacheco, who fell out of favor and lost her starting job as a junior, flourished under Olenowski in her senior seasons, finished fourth in the conference in scoring, first in assists, second in steals and was a first-team all-MAAC selection. Loutsenhiser, a sophomore, finished third in scoring, 10th in rebounding and second in field-goal percentage. She was a second-team all-star selection who probably should have been on the first team. Nadia Peters, a 6-1 sophomore forward, was a nice inside presence and her 1.6 blocks-per-game average was second-best in the conference. The team won games by taking care of the ball. Its' positive 3.4 turnover ratio was the best in the MAAC as it turned it over 100 fewer times than opponents. Those extra possessions showed up on the scoreboard where Manhattan averaged 62.3 points per game, third-best in the conference. There was the 6 wins in 8-game mid-season stretch including a pair over third-place Fairfield. At the end of the season Manhattan knocked off Manhattan, 65-62, one of Marist's three regular-season losses and Pacheco had 28 points in that contest.
WHAT WENT WRONG: A very evident rebounding disadvantage (Manhattan's 32.9 rebound-per-game average was last in the conference, and it got beat by an average of six per game) left the team with very little margin of error. And, then, it lost its best outside-shooting threat when sophomore guard Alyssa Harrington, one of the conference's top marksmen, suffered a mid-season injury and missed the final 16 games. To that point she was leading all conference players with 37 three-pointers. Manhattan had four other players hit at least 20 3-pointers during the year, but the loss of Harrington made the team a little easier to defend. Loutsenhiser, whose best work came on the perimeter, was also the team's leading rebounder (6.5 per contest). An overabundance of young players (10 of the 13 team members were freshmen or sophomores) almost ensured the best work was in the future. There was also a lack of depth. After Harrington's loss, the team pretty much only relied on seven players. The season ended on a down note, the 66-54 tournament loss to Niagara which the Jaspers had beaten in both regular-season contests. It should give the team some off-season incentive.
WHAT'S AHEAD: More improvement should be coming particularly if the program can find a replacement for Pacheco, its standout point guard. That could come from incoming freshman Jazmine Jarvis, a 2,000-point scorer on the high school level. If Jarvis, or anyone else, steps up to run the team effectively then the Jaspers could reasonably approach the 20-victory level this coming season. Loutsenhiser is the requisite "star" player a team needs to compete for the conference's upper level, and Harrington's return should allow her to be a second offensive force. Peters should get better and provide a little more inside, and junior guard Abby Wentworth (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds) is another solid starter who does a little bit of everything. Toni-Ann Lawrence, a 5-11 freshman forward, averaged 2.9 rebounds in limited playing time this past season and could add some needed inside help. Among the recruits is 6-3 center Brandone Roberts.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: If a point guard steps up, and some rebounding help emerges ... both likely to happen ... Manhattan should do no worse than this year's fourth-place finish and could compete for the top three spots. Anything more than that does depend on filling the point-guard/rebounding needs, but finishing in one of the top three spots is certainly a possibility. Competing for the regular-season crown isn't out of the question, either.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Women's Report: Niagara's Run Continues
Here's the latest in the "10 Teams in 10 Days" series looking back and ahead at MAAC women's programs.
Up now ...
NIAGARA (9-9 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 13-18 overall)
RECAP: Through nearly half its season Niagara looked like the worst team in the league, which wasn't a surprise. The Purple Eagles needed to win their final regular-season game of 2008-09 to avoid becoming the fourth team in conference history to go through a league schedule without a win. It finished 1-17 in MAAC play and 3-28 overall. And, it followed that with a 3-12 overall record to start the 2009-10 season. And, then, Niagara wasn't the conference's worst team any more. Just ask Marist, the regular-season champion, which suffered a 69-59 defeat at Niagara on Jan. 31. That was the second of a mid-season five-game winning streak. Some lineup adjustments and a renewed dedication to doing the so-called little things, i.e. boxing out, getting on the floor for loose balls, etc., that add up to victories also added up to a remarkable mid-season turnaround from what looked to be another disasterous season. Instead, it turned out to be a very satisfying season, one that earned third-year coach Kendra Faustin the conference's Coach of the Year award and created considerable optimism for what's ahead. The 9-9 conference record was the program's first .500 league season since 2004-05. It won a decisive first-round MAAC tournament game with a 66-54 victory over Manhattan before it lost to tournament-winner Marist, 69-47, in the semifinal round.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The mid-season rededication turned the season around. After the 3-12 start it would have been understandable if the team merely opted to play out the string. That it didn't had to be as satisfying as the 10-6 won-loss record down the stretch, including victories over league champion Marist and third-place Fairfield. The turnaround came with a lineup adjustment that moved lightly used resevere 6-1 senior center Jaclyn Konieczka into the starting five. Her rebounding and defense provided aspects of play that were lacking for a team that had been getting overwhelmed in the post until then. Although Konieczka only averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, she had a career high 21 points in the "signature" victory over Marist. Freshman point guard Kayla Stroman also provided play beyond her years while running the team. Another guard, sophomore Ali Morris, was named the conference's 6th Player of the Year winner and junior forward Liz Flooks, one of the MAAC's top outside shooters, was a second-team all-conference pick. As a team Niagara committed 73 fewer turnovers than its opponents.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Rebounding was a problem all season as Niagara was outrebounded by a per-game average of 7.5. Through its first 12 games it operated at a deficit of 11.4 rebounds per game, after that only a minus 4.1. Tough to win games giving up all those extra possessions, but the Purple Eagles did other things well, including putting a value on its own possessions and it had 73 fewer turnovers than opponents. Its second-leading scorer, Jennifer McNamee, suffered a mid-season injury and didn't play after Jan. 31. Four of its top eight players were freshmen or sophomores, although that overall inexperience became less of a factor as the season progressed. Mostly, it was a tale of two seasons. The first 15 games were miserable ad the final 16 were far more than program followers expected.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Potentially more post problems as the team's top two rebounders, 6-1 Rachele Folino (5.7 per game) and Konieczka are both gone. it leaves Flooks, mostly a perimeter performer; and the 5-5 Stoman as the two leading returning rebounders. Otherwise, there is much to be optimistic about. Flooks will be among the conference's better scorers this coming season, Stroman has a year's experience running the team. Morris will likely play a bigger role after a nice sophomore season. Another sophomore, 5-10 forward Meghan Watermann might have been the league's top defensive stopper this past season. And, 5-11 freshman forward Jessica Flamm showed signs of being a nice contributor. But, there's still the rebounding problem, and that might have to be solved by incoming freshmen. The best is athletic 5-11 forward Shy Britton. And, there are two-6-1 players joining the program, Jazmine Frost and Kaitlin Gattuso, whose dad is the associate head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: There won't be any need for a mid-season turnaround. If the team can continue to embrace the need to do the dirty-work duties that produced this past season's strong second-half results, then it should be winning games right away. There are five very good perimter players returning. The only question concerns finding some inside players, even if those only provide rebounds and inside defense. If that comes, Niagara should finish in the upper half of the league standings.
Up now ...
NIAGARA (9-9 in MAAC play in 2009-10, 13-18 overall)
RECAP: Through nearly half its season Niagara looked like the worst team in the league, which wasn't a surprise. The Purple Eagles needed to win their final regular-season game of 2008-09 to avoid becoming the fourth team in conference history to go through a league schedule without a win. It finished 1-17 in MAAC play and 3-28 overall. And, it followed that with a 3-12 overall record to start the 2009-10 season. And, then, Niagara wasn't the conference's worst team any more. Just ask Marist, the regular-season champion, which suffered a 69-59 defeat at Niagara on Jan. 31. That was the second of a mid-season five-game winning streak. Some lineup adjustments and a renewed dedication to doing the so-called little things, i.e. boxing out, getting on the floor for loose balls, etc., that add up to victories also added up to a remarkable mid-season turnaround from what looked to be another disasterous season. Instead, it turned out to be a very satisfying season, one that earned third-year coach Kendra Faustin the conference's Coach of the Year award and created considerable optimism for what's ahead. The 9-9 conference record was the program's first .500 league season since 2004-05. It won a decisive first-round MAAC tournament game with a 66-54 victory over Manhattan before it lost to tournament-winner Marist, 69-47, in the semifinal round.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: The mid-season rededication turned the season around. After the 3-12 start it would have been understandable if the team merely opted to play out the string. That it didn't had to be as satisfying as the 10-6 won-loss record down the stretch, including victories over league champion Marist and third-place Fairfield. The turnaround came with a lineup adjustment that moved lightly used resevere 6-1 senior center Jaclyn Konieczka into the starting five. Her rebounding and defense provided aspects of play that were lacking for a team that had been getting overwhelmed in the post until then. Although Konieczka only averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, she had a career high 21 points in the "signature" victory over Marist. Freshman point guard Kayla Stroman also provided play beyond her years while running the team. Another guard, sophomore Ali Morris, was named the conference's 6th Player of the Year winner and junior forward Liz Flooks, one of the MAAC's top outside shooters, was a second-team all-conference pick. As a team Niagara committed 73 fewer turnovers than its opponents.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Rebounding was a problem all season as Niagara was outrebounded by a per-game average of 7.5. Through its first 12 games it operated at a deficit of 11.4 rebounds per game, after that only a minus 4.1. Tough to win games giving up all those extra possessions, but the Purple Eagles did other things well, including putting a value on its own possessions and it had 73 fewer turnovers than opponents. Its second-leading scorer, Jennifer McNamee, suffered a mid-season injury and didn't play after Jan. 31. Four of its top eight players were freshmen or sophomores, although that overall inexperience became less of a factor as the season progressed. Mostly, it was a tale of two seasons. The first 15 games were miserable ad the final 16 were far more than program followers expected.
WHAT'S AHEAD: Potentially more post problems as the team's top two rebounders, 6-1 Rachele Folino (5.7 per game) and Konieczka are both gone. it leaves Flooks, mostly a perimeter performer; and the 5-5 Stoman as the two leading returning rebounders. Otherwise, there is much to be optimistic about. Flooks will be among the conference's better scorers this coming season, Stroman has a year's experience running the team. Morris will likely play a bigger role after a nice sophomore season. Another sophomore, 5-10 forward Meghan Watermann might have been the league's top defensive stopper this past season. And, 5-11 freshman forward Jessica Flamm showed signs of being a nice contributor. But, there's still the rebounding problem, and that might have to be solved by incoming freshmen. The best is athletic 5-11 forward Shy Britton. And, there are two-6-1 players joining the program, Jazmine Frost and Kaitlin Gattuso, whose dad is the associate head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh.
PREDICTION FOR 2010-11: There won't be any need for a mid-season turnaround. If the team can continue to embrace the need to do the dirty-work duties that produced this past season's strong second-half results, then it should be winning games right away. There are five very good perimter players returning. The only question concerns finding some inside players, even if those only provide rebounds and inside defense. If that comes, Niagara should finish in the upper half of the league standings.
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