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the Nation

Posted Jan. 22, 2002

Long shot for No. 1?
By Mark Simon
D3hoops.com

Brockport State point guard Ricky Hollis shoots 63% from the field.

They are the only unbeaten men's team in Division III and as of Tuesday morning, one of only six such basketball teams regardless of gender in the entire nation.

Yet the pulse around the nation is that the Golden Eagles of Brockport State don't necessarily rate as elite, despite the fact that they hung tough with eventual national champion Catholic before losing by five points in last season's Sweet 16 matchup. Head coach Nelson Whitmore feels that despite that, his team is right in the thick of things.

"It kind of fuels us,'' said Whitmore, whose squad puts its 15-0 mark on the line Tuesday night against Buffalo State. "We're still trying to get respect. We get some, but we don't feel we get as much as we deserve. Maybe that's a good thing."

It might be if Brockport can keep up its high level of play through the rest of the regular season and into the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles just won the annual J.P. Morgan Chase Scholarship Tournament among upstate New York squads for the first time in 27 years.

"The X is on our back now,'' Whitmore said. "People have been gunning for us. In the past, we've all been going after Cortland State, but now the roles are reversed a bit."

Brockport's style of play has made things extremely difficult for most opponents. The Golden Eagles go 12 deep and have 10 players averaging at least 15 minutes per game. Whitmore's system of high-pressure defense involves rotating waves of five players every five minutes, such that everyone is kept fresh and that players can build chemistry with each other.

The abundance of talent — Brockport returned its top seven scorers from last season and brought in five new players that Whitmore thinks are close to just as good as the returnees — necessitated the move to that system.

Brockport's offense comes from a variety of players, led by junior forward Mike Medbury, who tops the squad at 14.7 points per game on 52% shooting. Help comes from the likes of sophomore forward Charlie Croff, who is averaging 11 points despite playing just 15 minutes a night. The defense is fueled by the quick hands of senior point guard Ricky Hollis, who is among the nation's leaders in steals with 66 in 15 games after placing second in that category two seasons ago.

"I think that we've brought our 'A' game maybe three times this season,'' Whitmore said. "We've defended well every night, but I don't think we're jelling yet offensively. Hopefully we'll be rolling in the next two to three weeks."

That will be required for them to get the recognition they seek.

"I went to Salem two years ago for the Final Four and saw Calvin beat UW-Eau Claire in the title game,'' Whitmore said. "In comparing that with what we had, I knew then that we were on the right track to where we wanted to go."

REMEMBERING 9/11: On Saturday, Jan. 26, at halftime of the Staten Island's men's game vs. Baruch, the Dolphins will pay tribute to three former CSI players that were killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11.

At halftime of the 4:30 pm game at the College of Staten Island Sports and Recreation Center, the jerseys of former players and NYC firefighters Tom Hannafin ('82-'86) and Scott Davidson ('86-'90), as well as trade center worker Terrance Aiken ('94-'95) will be retired. A remembrance reception will be held for family and friends of the three men following the game.

"We at the College, just as many Americans, are still struggling to deal with the events of September 11, " said athletic director Dr. Harold Merritt. "This ceremony is our small way of paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice that day." The CSI basketball teams added American Flag patches to their uniforms this season in remembrance of those killed in the attacks. In addition, the student athletes have organized a blood drive to be held at the college on Jan. 24, two days prior to the game, in response to the serious shortage that now exists on Staten Island.

The men's basketball team is currently ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division III atlantic region poll with a 12-3 record.

MACS BACK? Though the Alvernia women's basketball team is dominating the early part of the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference season, a possible sleeper may be emerging in Immaculata, which at 9-6 is off to its best start in 10 years. The Mighty Macs, a power in the AIAW and the first years the NCAA recognized women's sports, came back from a 30-6 deficit to overtake Wesley on Jan. 16, not leading until the final 17 seconds.

D3hoops.com photo by Pat Coleman Despite being one of about three scoring threats on the floor, Steve Syrjala got 21 points against UW-Whitewater.

ON WISCONSIN: Men's action in the WIAC has been just as unpredictable this year as last, as the conference's parity becomes evident again, with six of the eight teams within three games of first place just over halfway through the conference schedule. In fact, when D3hoops.com publisher Pat Coleman walked into Zorn Arena at UW-Eau Claire for the men's game against UW-Whitewater last week, Eau Claire head coach Terry Gibbons did a double-take and hoped his team, far removed from 2000's national runner-up squad in Salem, could give Whitewater a game.

Well, in fact, the Blugolds gave Whitewater all it could handle for about 39 minutes and 45 seconds, before a potential game-tying three fell short in the closing seconds of a 72-67 loss to the then-No. 21 ranked Warhawks. It was just another example of how tightly packed the conference is, and how much home court means. Eau Claire fell to 2-7 in the conference, but hung tough despite having three freshmen in the starting lineup, leaving juniors Steve Syrjala and Andy Witte to carry the load, scoring 38 of the 67 points. Witte in particular hit several big shots in the second half despite looking like he was exhausted with about 15 minutes left.

ASC SCORERS: This week's impending milestone comes from Hardin Simmons University, where junior forward Kendra Anderson is 12 points from reaching 1,000. The unbeaten Cowgirls achieved their highest national rating this week and are two wins away from the team mark for consecutive triumphs. Mary Hardin-Baylor senior Robert Moore reached the 1,000-point mark in just 40 games in scoring 34 against McMurry on Saturday, Jan. 19. He's got 1,026 points in his second season of ball. Misericordia's Willie Chandler reached the milestone in just 38 games, getting there last Jan. 13, and has 1,829 points in 69 career games.

Notes for Around the Nation are compiled with the help of sports information directors across the country. If you have suggestions or information for this column, please send it to mark@d3hoops.com.

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