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A look at the upcoming season
2002-03 season
Atlantic Region teams
New
Jersey
Head coach
John Castaldo will have a young, but somewhat experienced squad of returning
veterans. Combined with a roster that boasts a number of talented newcomers,
the Lions are looking to reload and make a run at the NJAC title once
again after last winning the crown in 1998.
TCNJ will be looking for major contributions from returning starter, 6-7 sophomore power forward Scott Findlay. Tapped as the 2001-2002 NJAC Rookie of the Year Honors last year, he contributed 326 points, while averaging 14.2 ppg. He also pulled down 167 rebounds for a 7.26 rpg average with 29 blocked shots. He also shot 76% from the foul line. Senior guard Gyl Vaught returns for a final season after a solid junior year that saw him score 279 points, good enough for an 11.2 ppg average. He also hauled down 129 rebounds for a 5.2 rpg average. Senior guard Leroy Peterson is also coming off a solid year that saw him pour in 10.2 ppg (255 points), while adding 4.2 rpg as well. The team’s leader in assists last year, he handed out 93 assists, while picking up 45 steals.
Sophomore guard Kyle Burke had an impressive start to his collegiate career that saw him average 9.5 ppg as a rookie. A two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week honoree, he was among the league leaders in 3-point shooting, having shot 41.6% from long range, while averaging 2.7 treys per game. He added 25 assists and 17 steals to his resume as well.
Rounding out the Lions’ lineup of returning players is junior Alex Mahony. Mahony also turned in a career year having played in 24 games last year with 5.1 ppg and an impressive 83.3% average from the line, while also handing out 39 assists.
The sophomore class includes several players that garnered considerable playing time as rookies. Derick Grant and Oledeji Babolola both return and will be counted on heavily. Grant made five starts and appeared in 23 games as a freshman. He was also named the NJAC Rookie of the Week for Dec. 10, and finished the year averaging 5.1 ppg and shooting 80% from the line. He added 28 assists and 23 steals and was a spark off the bench for the Lions last year. Babolola finished his freshman season on a strong note. A two-game starter, he appeared in 21 games and average 10.0 minutes per game with a 2.5 ppg average. Another player with enthusiasm, Babolola was a burst of energy off the bench as a freshman.
Both Jody Crowley and Bobby Davison redshirt last year and return this year hopeful to find time in the lineup after a shortened campaign last season. Both players will be in the running to add major contributions after very successful high school careers.
The Lions welcome some outstanding newcomers to the roster this season, and Castaldo is confident that they will provide an immediate impact for the team. Look for Catholic University transfer, 5-7 guard Bobby Henning to have an immediate impact after a stellar campaign as a rookie in the Capital Athletic Conference. As a rookie at Catholic University, the 2001 NCAA Division III Champions and 2002 NCAA Sweet 16 squad, he helped his team to a 26-3 mark, while averaging 7.7 points and 5.7 assists per game. Another deadly shooter from the line, he shot 80.9% and was named the CAC’s co-Rookie of the Year. Henning shot 35.9% from the floor and 24.4% from 3-point range.
In addition to Henning, Castaldo is quite pleased with the rest of this solid recruiting class that includes David Boudwin, Dan DeSerio, Bill Heiring, Jason Stallworth, Ryan Brown, Matt Diamond, Patrick Discepola, Brian Halligan, Joe Hassan, Jim O’Hara, and Chris Pariso. This list of newcomers have each had stellar scholastic careers and should figure into the Lions’ game plan early on with the abilities to help the team both this season and down the road during their careers.
TCNJ opens the 2002-2003 season at home Nov. 22 and 23 with TCNJ’s Tip-Off Tournament, just prior to opening a tough New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule. League play will give the Lions a challenge throughout the season as they look to garner a spot in the postseason tournament and ultimately the NCAA Tournament as the NJAC Champions. NJAC play for the Lions begins on November 26 as the team will travel to Rutgers-Camden.
Out of conference competition for the Lions will come from the likes of Haverford, Marymount, Moravian, McDaniel and Lehman. TCNJ hopes its non-league schedule will prepare them for a run at the NJAC title in late February.
New
Jersey City
NJCU has always
been a basketball school, at when a team has been as consistently good
as the Gothic Knights have been, every preseason is a time of excitement.
With milestones galore on the horizon this season might be more anticipated than any in recent memory.
"It will be an exciting season," said head coach and NJCU Hall-of-Famer Charles Brown. "We always look forward to it, and we always set goals of 20 wins and a conference championship. We feel with the team we have this year, our goals are attainable."
One of the most celebrated milestones is set to be achieved by Brown himself. Now in his 21st year at the school where he himself was a Hall-of-Fame basketball star, Brown owns a career record of 390-169, and need just 10 more victories for the magical 400-victory plateau, something only 39 other coaches have ever done in Division III. But in Brown's case, only no other active coach will achieved that place in history in fewer seasons. He has averaged 19.5 wins per season for 20 years.
"It"s exciting when I look back," said Brown. "I can't believe this is my 21st year, and to win 400 games at your alma mater is unbelievable."
If the Knights can keep up their winning ways, it will continue another milestone, one that is nearly unfathomable. The Knights have had 32 consecutive non-losing seasons, last finishing below .500 in 1969-70 when they were 11-14. Additionally, NJCU has registered 27 consecutive winning seasons, last finishing with an even .500 ledger in 1974-75 when they were 13-13. The two streaks are the second longest active runs in Division III.
The 2002-03 mens team will be led by senior forward George Thomas (Jersey City, N.J./St. Mary's), senior point guard Reginald Wright (Trenton, N.J./McCorristin Catholic), and junior power forward Samar Battle (East Orange, N.J./Clifford Scott), all three of whom are returning starters from last years team that went 18-11, and advanced to the championship game of the ECAC Metro Tournament.
Battle and Thomas have a chance for a piece of history themselves this season. Battle, who two years ago was the NJAC Rookie of the Year, and last year was selected Second Team All-Conference, should be in the running for the NJAC Player of the Year award this season. In only two years, Battle already has 672 points (12.7 average). He had 389 points last season for a 16.2 per-game rate. Meanwhile, Thomas game on strong in 2001-02, scoring a career high 353 points for a 12.2 per game tally. This year's captain had 705 points in his career, and needs only 295 more to reach 1,000.
"We hope to have outstanding play from all three people. We feel Reggie is a key [with the point guard loss of Rafi Hargrove who used up his eligibility]. We're trying to make him a point guard [after playing the swingman role in previous seasons]. He's never played the position in college before."
The three returnees will be joined by a talented core of newcomers, and several reserves from last year's team. Among the newcomers are junior center Harold Williams (Jersey City, N.J./St. Aloysius), a transfer from Montclair State, senior forward Tremayne Tarpley (Bayonne, N.J./Cholla High, Tucson), a transfer from a junior college in Arizona, and sophomore transfers Mark Washington (East Orange, N.J./West Side) and James Kaiser (South Orange, N.J./Columbia). Freshman Alex Mirabel (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) is the highly touted point guard of the future for NJCU. Freshman guard Aaron Williams (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch), freshman forward Tony Ellis (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) and sophomore forward Javier Rodriguez (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy), who is returning from a back injury suffered when his car was rear-ended, causing him to miss the entire 2001-02 season, are all expected to contribute.
"This year's team is deeper than last years, and that's why we think well be as successful, if not more successful. Since we're still in the preseason, we don't know where everyone will fit in, but we do know now we have some good athletes."
Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers University-Camden
coach Jim Flynn has a puzzling dilemma as he prepares his team for the
2002-2003 season: How do you replace an All-American who was the conference
player of the year and led the Scarlet Raptors to their first winning
season in two decades?
For the first time in three years, the Scarlet Raptors will be without sharp-shooting guard Brian Turner, who averaged 21.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game last season on his way to being named New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Turner, who finished his two-year Rutgers-Camden career with 951 points, went on to capture a host of other post-season awards. Along the way, he carried the Raptors to a 14-11 record, their first winning season since another 14-11 campaign in 1983-84.
"We can't go into the season worrying about replacing Brian," said Flynn, who begins his fifth year with the Raptors when Rutgers-Camden faces CCNY on Nov. 23 in the opening game of the Doc Green Tournament at Juniata. "As a player and as a person he's irreplaceable. Our success will have to come from our depth and balance."
Although Turner has departed, the Raptors return seven lettermen, including senior forward Rob Scott (Long Branch/Long Branch), 6-7 senior center Homer Hemmings (Moorestown/Moorestown), senior guards Keith Benson (Cherry Hill/Moorestown Friends) and Chuck Walter (Haddon Heights/Paul VI), and junior guard Gene Mergenthal (Sicklerville/Highland). Also returning are guards Jonathan Jean-Louis (North Brunswick/North Brunswick), a junior, and sophomore Tyrone Rucker (Pennsauken/Pennsauken).
Scott had a banner season last year in his first season with the Scarlet Raptors. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals. Benson had 5.9 points, 3.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, while Mergenthal averaged 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals.
"Gene had an outstanding year last year," Flynn said. "We=re looking forward to his leadership."
Walter, a dangerous shooter from three-point range, averaged five points and 1.6 rebounds as a junior. Hemmings, the all-time leader in blocked shots at Rutgers-Camden with 97, averaged 1.2 blocks, 5.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season.
"We're going to count on Homer Hemmings for so much of our inside presence," Flynn said. "He can blossom into an outstanding player."
Hemmings' development will be a big key for the Raptors, who are primarily a guard-dominated team. Besides the 6-7 Hemmings, the 6-3 Scott and 6-4 newcomer Marco Morcos (Alexandria, Egypt/St. Joseph of the Palisades [N.J.]), the Raptors don=t have another player as tall as the 6-2 Walter.
"We'll have to be tenacious on defense," Flynn said. "We'll have to use our quickness, speed and toughness."
In addition to his lettermen, Flynn will rely on five newcomers, including forward Morcos and guards Anthony Fair (Philadelphia/South Philadelphia), Mark Groark (Erial/Highland), Paul Turkot (Westmont/Haddon Township) and Chris Usilton (Washington Township/Washington Township).
"Mark Groark will have an immediate impact," Flynn said. "He was an All-South Jersey player in high school and he adds scoring and toughness to the team. Chris Usilton is going to contribute. He has a nice shot from outside."
In addition to several new players, the Scarlet Raptors also have added new faces to the coaching staff. Joining the program will be Dennis Earl, the father of former Shawnee High School standouts Danny and Brian, and Josh Hersz, a former basketball star in Australia. They will team with second-year Raptor coaches Joe McAleer and Shawn Anstey to form Flynn's staff. Also returning for his second season is student assistant coach Pete Campbell, a former Scarlet Raptor standout under Flynn.
Without the go-to play-making abilities of Turner this season, the Scarlet Raptors will be forced to spread the wealth around in order to achieve their goals.
"Our goals are the same as always," Flynn said. "We want to make the (NJAC) playoffs. We have four seniors with 3-4 years of experience in our league. That's the first time we've had that much experience.
"I hope we step up as a team. Each player has an important role to play in the success of the team."
Mt.
St. Mary
Brendan Twomey
(New Windsor, N.Y.) looks to build off his sophomore season
in which he was named a conference first-team all-star and finished the
season as one of two Division III players to be nationally ranked in four
categories. Twomey was 45th in scoring (19.7 ppg), 4th in 3-pointers per
game (4.1), 26th in 3-point percentage (44.0%) and 13th in steals (3.0).
In addition, Twomey will be attempting to help Mount Saint Mary improve
upon its 16-11 record in 2001-02.
Twomey, along with returning starter Roberto King (Hempstead, N.Y.), headlines a core of six players from last year's team that reached the conference semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champion Kings Point. King led all first-year players for the Mount in '01-02 and was third on the team in scoring with a 9.6 ppg average.
Aside from King, MSMC
head coach Duane Davis (Binghamton, N.Y.) expects
increased scoring from sophomore returners Kenny Lane (East Meadow, N.Y.)
and Sergio Guzman (Bronx, N.Y.). Both Lane and Guzman served as role players
for the Mount last season; however, they will be required to produce more
offensively and solidify the interior for the undersized Knights due to
the departure of all-time leading rebounder Luis Melo (New York, N.Y.).
Melo finished his eligibility and ended his four-year career with 753
rebounds.
Lawrence Combs (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Shawn Coffey (West Sayville, N.Y.) also
return to the team and add stability and experience to a revamped lineup.
Combs averaged 8.2 ppg while Coffey was third on the team with 71 assists
last year.
Meanwhile, Mount Saint Mary's crop of new recruits includes Adam Cash (Washingtonville, N.Y.), Nicholas Caesar (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Keith Letendre (West Brighton, N.Y.), Brandon Weldon (Elmsford, N.Y.), Kieran Begley (Chester, N.Y.) and C.J. Burdett (Jefferson Township, N.J.).
Letendre transferred to the Mount from Division II Caldwell and is expected to provide the Knights with another scoring threat from the perimeter. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Staten Island High School League Tournament after leading the St. Peter's Boys School to an undefeated season and Staten Island championship as a senior.
Weldon was named a
county first-team all-star by the Westchester County
Basketball Coaches' Association as a senior at Alexander Hamilton High
School. Davis anticipates that Weldon will share the point guard responsibilities
with Coffey and Letendre.
Meanwhile, Cash, Caesar, Burdett and Begley will all serve a variety of roles for the Knights while playing guard and forward positions.
Davis, who enters his eighth season at the helm of the Knights, is confident that MSMC has a quality mix of veteran experience and talented newcomers. Despite a relatively small front line, the Mount is stocked with quick, athletic players that fit well within Davis' fast-paced offense and pressing defense. Davis is also confident that the team has made improvements in adding some much-needed scoring punch to help offset the defensive pressure that opponents place on Twomey.
"Last year, we didn't have another consistent perimeter scorer (other than Twomey)," said Davis. "We are going to need someone to step up this year. I think we have a little more depth and a number of players that can fill that role."
As in years past,
the cream of the Skyline Conference crop begins with
two-time defending champion Kings Point and a senior-laden Manhattanville
squad. Davis hopes that his team can outwork and out-hustle all challengers
within the conference as the Knights attempt to recapture the Skyline
crown which MSMC claimed in '99-00.
"We are really trying to concentrate on our effort and work ethic this year," said Davis. "Winning is usually a direct result of a consistent effort."
More Previews
2001-02
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