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2002-03 season
Middle Atlantic Region teams
Scranton
Carl Danzig
learned that the first year on any new job might be the most difficult.
He inherited a nationally recognized University of Scranton men's basketball program last season that played nine of its first ten games on the road, including stops at Division I Lafayette and defending NCAA Division III champion Catholic University, not to mention games against eventual national runner-up Elizabethtown and perennial NCAA Tournament contender Salem State.
Nevertheless, the Royals got up and dusted themselves off after a 4-7 start and put up a valiant fight in their quest to win their first MAC Freedom title since 2000. Scranton, however, struggled at the free throw line late in the year and lost five of its final six games to finish Danzig's first campaign as head coach with a 12-13 overall record, including a third-place finish in the conference with a 9-5 mark.
"Last year was like a broken record," says Danzig, "because I kept saying it was a transition year. We had to adjust to a new system, a new style of play, and a new emphasis on different areas as far as defense goes."
With a year under his belt and with a number of key veterans returning, it's not surprising Danzig is looking forward to the start of the 2002-2003 season.
"The Royal faithful will have something to be excited about," he says, "Especially with the fact that all five starters are back and two other players who saw significant time off the bench. In addition, we have six new faces who will add some punch to the lineup."
The most intriguing newcomer may be 6-9 freshman center Victor Agapay (Hialeah, Fla./St. Andrew's School), who once blocked 24 shots in a game and set a single-season record with 252 at Saint Andrew's School in Florida last year. Agapay and 6-8 senior James Rudolph (Stewart Manor, N.Y./Chaminade) allow Danzig to give two-time first-team all-Freedom Conference selection Derek Elphick (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./Delaware Valley) a breather in games this year.
Elphick, a three-year starter, averaged nearly 29 minutes a game last year and led the Royals in scoring (15.8), field goal percentage (.529) and blocked shots (1.0). He enters his senior year as the 22nd all-time leading scorer (1,180 points) and 15th all-time leading rebounder (558) in Royals' history.
"Derek loves to play and has to be on the floor," says Danzig. "I'm hoping we can strengthen his time on the court by using Rudy (Jim Rudolph) and Victor (Agapay) to come in and help us out. I feel very comfortable using Rudy and Victor."
Danzig isn't about to move sophomore Brian O'Donnell (Mahopac, N.Y./John F. Kennedy), however, from his power forward position to make room for Agapay or Rudolph in the starting lineup.
O'Donnell, the Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year, was the Royals' best all-around player, averaging a team-leading 8.4 rebounds despite his 6-4 frame. He also shot 49 percent from the field and 71.1 from the free throw line and came up big in the clutch by hitting a couple of 3-pointers in a pair of late season losses to Lycoming. He was also one of four players to average in double figures with an 11.2 average.
Danzig will count on 6-5 junior Owen Baillie (Miami/Gulliver Prep) and 6-7 freshman Bill Burke (West Pittston, Pa./Seton Catholic) to provide key minutes as understudies to O'Donnell. Baillie, who may be the best athlete on the team, averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.2 minutes a game last year, while Burke has the ability to run the floor and fits in well with Danzig's up-tempo style of play.
The Royals will once again go with sophomore Ryan Rogan (Archbald, Pa./Scranton Prep) and seniors Dan Loftus (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) and Bryant Smith (Philadelphia/Holy Ghost Prep) in a three-guard alignment.
Rogan redefined the term "scoring point-guard" by finishing second on the team and fourth in the Freedom Conference in scoring with a 15.3 per game average. He had two 30-or-more point explosions, including a season-high 35-point effort in a win over Moravian, and hit the 20-point plateau on seven other occasions. He did, however, struggle with his shooting touch down the stretch as teams made adjustments to shut down his effectiveness.
Loftus was just as impressive as Rogan when it came to putting the ball in the hoop. He was third on the team and fifth in the conference in scoring at 14.5 points per game, but more importantly, rounded out his game by leading the Royals in assists (3.1) and steals (2.0). His performance earned him second-team all-Freedom Conference honors for the second straight year. Like Rogan, he did struggle with his perimeter shooting and canned only 39.6 percent of his field goal attempts, a career low.
Smith will once again be counted on to be the Royals' defensive stopper. He started 22 of 25 games last year and often drew the opposition's top scoring threat. He may be asked to increase his scoring output this year if opponents continue their trend of concentrating their defensive efforts of stopping Rogan and Loftus in the backcourt.
Danzig will call on junior Jim Martelli (Drexel Hill, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) and freshman Michael Riccobono (Mendham, N.J./Mendham) to provide minutes at the point-guard position, while veterans Jeff Kane (Norristown, Pa./Kennedy-Kenrick) and Mike Klingele (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian), along with newcomers Nick Alfier (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic), Matthew Snyder (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep) and Thomas Gangemi (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon), fight it out for playing time at the shooting guard spot.
The Royals shouldn't have any problems putting the ball in the basket, but keeping the opposition from doing the same thing could be the determining factor whether Scranton wins the MAC Freedom championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
The Royals allowed an average of 74.3 points per game last year and were 1-7 in games in which the opposition scored 80 or more points. On the other hand, Scranton was 8-2 in games in which it held the opposition to less than 70 points.
"We're going to focus on keeping the basketball out of the middle of the floor, trying to keep point guards at bay," says Danzig. "We'll continue to do what we do — apply full-court pressure — and get after people as much as we can."
Danzig feels that the key to beating out the likes of defending champion Lycoming, King's, Wilkes and DeSales for the MAC Freedom crown may lie in the little things.
"How we capitalize on the fundamentals that we can control — rebounding, free throws, defense, loose balls — those are the intangibles that really win ball games", says Danzig. "Those are the things that we are really going to concentrate on."
Washington
College
Washington
College head coach Rob Nugent faces a familiar task in his second season
at the helm of the Shoremen — making up for the contributions of
four graduated starters. Just like his first season, Nugent will have
nearly an entire new starting lineup. The difference between this year
and last, however, is that this year, the Shoremen have no seniors.
Sophomore co-captain Andrew Gentile will run the point in the Shoremen's three-guard lineup. Sophomore Colin Camacho, is the leading candidate to start at the off-guard position, while versatile sophomore John Alexander, who played every position but point guard last season, could start this year as the third guard.
Other returners to the backcourt include junior co-captain David Horvath, the team?s best pure shooter, and sophomores Buck Howanksi and John Lennon. Explosive freshman Travis Moore and classmates Drew Hill and Dustin Abbate are the newcomers.
The Shore frontcourt will be undersized, but talented. Junior Jeff McMahon will step up and play a major role and will be joined by freshmen Jonathan Webb, Eric Blumenthal, and Rob Engemann and sophomore Scott Polyniak.
With such a young squad, Nugent knows the Shoremen will have to develop at a quick pace.
"The freshmen are going to have to step up in a hurry. They have no time to be freshmen. Our upperclassmen will have to set the example early, and they will have to lead."
Though the 2002-03 Shoremen will be inexperienced, the team's talent and depth provide potential for the squad to develop into a strong unit.
Catholic
Catholic University,
the only school in the nation to appear in the past five Sweet Sixteens
of the NCAA Tournament, returns four starters to a team that won 20 straight
and was ranked as high as No. 2 last season. The Cardinals have won five
consecutive CAC regular-season championships with a devastating league
record of 63-7 (.900).
"If we play great team defense like we're known for, I think we can have another special season," CUA Coach Mike Lonergan said. "We need to stay healthy, work hard in practice and play smart in games."
Matt Hilleary, a second-team All-American in 2001-02, led the 26-3 Cardinals in scoring (17.4 ppg), rebounding (9.2 rpg) and blocked shots (2.6 bpg). A talented player at both ends, the 6-foot-6 senior was selected Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year last season.
"Matt could be a legitimate National Player of the Year candidate if he improves as he has each of the last three seasons," Lonergan said. "He's talented enough to win games for us on nights we're not playing our best. He could have a monster year."
Will Morley (6-5) joins Hilleary in the frontcourt. The versatile junior averaged 12.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg in his second year as a starter. He scored in double figures 20 times and was CAC Rookie of the Year in 2000-01.
Senior guard Kevin Wise returns as one of the most accurate 3-point shooters in the nation. He ranked 10th nationally in 3-point FG percentage (46.9) and 15th in 3-pointers per game (3.4). The lithe 6-4 sharpshooter also distributed a career-high 10 assists at St. Mary's (Md.).
Senior shooting guard Craig Avallone enjoyed a career year last season in his first as a starter. He averaged 13.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.4 spg, and scored in double figures 25 times. Talented around the basket, Avallone also grabbed a personal-best 10 rebounds vs. Marymount in the CAC championship game.
The Cardinals' biggest void is at point guard after a homesick Bobby Henning chose not to return for his sophomore campaign, transferring to College of New Jersey. Junior Adam Dickman (1.9 ppg, 2.1 apg) started four games last year and will battle sophomore Tim Burke and freshman Aaron Kelly. Burke played sparingly in 26 contests and averaged 1.3 ppg, while Kelly started four years at the point in high school.
"The best thing about Bobby was his 'on the ball' defense," Lonergan said. "I think Adam, Tim and Aaron have the ability to be our point guard, but they are all unproven right now. I look forward to a healthy competition."
Junior forward Blair Mills will once again be one of CUA's top reserves. He posted career-high averages of 6.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg. He hit 83.3% (45 of 54) of his free throws and secured a career-high nine boards three times.
Forward Shane Sowden, center Matt Spierenburg and guard Matt Tanner are expected to contribute in their rookie campaigns. Sowden (6-8) was selected first-team All-Delaware last season. Spierenburg, at 6-9, is one the Cardinals' tallest players in years. He played the past two seasons with Tanner (6-4), who was named 2001-02 Baltimore Catholic League Player of the Year.
"We have more depth than any team I've had here in 11 years," Lonergan said. "If we can get guys to accept their roles and put the team goals ahead of individual goals, I think we will be a tough team to beat in February, and hopefully March."
Delaware
Valley
The 2002-03
season marks the return of head coach Bill Dooley to the Delaware Valley
sidelines. Dooley was the Aggie leader for two seasons before relocating
to Ireland where he later became the head coach of the Irish National
Team after the 1999-2000 season. Dooley and his family moved back to the
country just as Bob Simmons resigned from Delaware Valley to before an
assistant coach at Division I Lehigh.
Dooley, who coached at Division I Richmond prior to his stint with the Aggies, takes over a young Delaware Valley squad that went 6-19 last year, including a 1-13 mark in the Freedom Conference. The 2002-03 roster will consist of two seniors, one junior, four sophomores and 12 freshmen.
"Obviously, we are extremely young and inexperienced," Dooley said. "We are still in the process of learning how to play hard on every possession. Our goal is simple — improve every day in practice and in every game we play."
Six letterwinners are back including three players Josh Wurtz (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford), Kevin Wolf (Philadelphia/Father Judge) and Randall Graves (Baltimore/Calvert Hall) who were starters as freshmen a year ago.
Wurtz, a 6-7 forward/center, was the lone Aggie to start all 25 games during the 2001-02 campaign. He led the team in a number of categories including scoring (12.3 avg), blocks (1.5 avg) and free thrown percentage (.847). His free throw percentage led the MAC Freedom and he also placed fifth in the conference in blocks.
Wurtz led or tied
for team-high scoring honors in eight games, including the last three
contests of the seasons where he notched a combined 55 points. He also
averaged 4.5 rebounds per game and played in just under 28 minutes an
outing.
Wolf followed Wurtz in scoring with an average of 6.8 points per game
from the guard position. Wolf paced the Aggies with 31 baskets from 3-point
land while tying for second in assists (52) and third in steals (30).
Graves, also a guard, played in all 25 games with nine starts last season and averaged 6.2 points in 19.6 minutes per game. He led the team in assists with 67 and placed third in steals with 13.
Senior guard/forward Jason Radic (Carlisle, Pa./Central Dauphin East) averaged 5.8 points and 3.2 rebounds a season ago. Radic excelled under Dooley as a freshman as he averaged nearly 10 points per game.
Rounding out the returnees is sophomore guard James Avant (Philadelphia/ Mastbaum) and senior guard/forward Isaac Blount (Bronx/Columbus). Avant averaged 4.9 points and 1.1 assists during his rookie campaign while Blount averaged 1.3 points and rebounds in 12 appearances.
The Aggie freshmen class is headed by 6-foot-8 center Brian Singer (York, Pa./Eastern York), forwards Matt Morrison (Sea Isle City, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) and Kevin Wright (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), guards Tim Smink (Philadelphia/Cardinal Dougherty) and Sean Smith (Chalfont, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) and guard/forward Frank Finney (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn).
Lycoming
Lycoming enters the 2002-2003 season coming off one of the most successful
campaigns in the program's 54-year history. In 2001-2002 the Warriors
recorded 20 victories, won the program's first conference championship,
advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the third time, and won at Gettysburg
in the opening round.
This season Lycoming will have a new look as they try to defend their
MAC Freedom title. Only four players return from last year's squad, while
third-year head coach Terry Conrad will welcome 10 new players to the
team.
"Repeating last season's success will certainly be a challenge with
the number of new players on the team, but I think with the players we
do have coming back and the talent level of the entire team, we will be
a very strong ball club," said Conrad. "Our goals are the same
as a year ago to position ourselves well for the conference tournament,
win the conference championship, and advance to the NCAA playoffs. Last
season was fun, but we don't want to stop there, we want to build off
of that success and take the program up another notch."
Leading the way for
the Warriors will be the team's lone senior, Tommy Wesner. Wesner was
the MAC Freedom Player of the Year in 2002 and led both Lycoming and the
conference in scoring with a 17.4 point-per-game average. He also led
the league in 3-point field goals with 95 and was second in free-throw
shooting, hitting 81.4% of his shots.
Balancing the outside threat of Wesner will be junior center Matt Stackhouse.
Stackhouse had a breakout season a year ago, averaging 13.7 points and
8.6 rebounds per game and earning second-team all-conference honors. He
also set a single-season record with 49 blocked shots for the Warriors.
Stackhouse's performance late in the 2001-2002 campaign was a key component
of the Warriors' championship run.
Poised for a breakout year of his own is fellow junior L.J. Huggler. Also
a center, Huggler was averaging 11 points and seven rebounds per game
last season before suffering an ankle injury that sidelined him for eight
games. He ended the season averaging 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest.
Tomislav Cutura is the fourth returning veteran on the team. Last season,
he saw action in 11 games as a forward.
"I'm very comfortable with the players we have coming back,"
said Conrad. "I think they create a solid foundation for the team
and will also provide positive leadership. The experience they gained
last season both during the conference race and in the postseason can
be invaluable to this years club. We certainly will be counting on them
to carry us until our new guys have a chance to mature a little bit."
The 10 new members include four transfers and six true freshmen.
Jeremiah Edison joins the team after one season at Emmanuel where he averaged
8.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a freshman. At 6-9, Edison will
be able to provide quality minutes spelling Stackhouse and Huggler inside.
J.J. Manikowski comes to Lycoming after spending time at both Wilkes and
Franklin & Marshall. A local product out of South Williamsport High
School, Manikowski was the offensive and defensive MVP of both the West
Branch and Mid-Penn conferences in 1998.
Shaun Morris joins the Warriors after playing for Division II Wheeling
Jesuit last season. Morris saw limited action in 16 games for the Cardinals
who went 16-12 in 2001-2002. A product of Trinity High School, Morris
was the teams captain in 2001 when they won the PIAA state championship.
Nick Myers spent the 2001-2002 season at Keystone and will be another
outside shooting threat for the Warriors. His senior year at Shamokin
Area High School, Myers recorded 87 3-point field goals, while averaging
18 points and 10 rebounds a game.
"Having a number of transfers on the team is a plus this season,"
said Conrad. "While they are still new to our program, they have
some experience at this level that makes the transition a little easier.
I'm looking forward to seeing what they can contribute to the team both
on and off the court."
If Lycoming is to defend its conference title, the team will have to receive
significant contributions from a talented but untested freshman class.
Jonathan Pribble highlights the class after averaging 27.2 points per
game his senior season at Central Mountain High School. He will likely
be counted on to provide at least a portion of the offense lost with the
graduation of Chris Napier.
Brad Musser is an outstanding ball-handler and should see plenty of time
at point guard when Wesner is not on the floor. He averaged 12.4 points
and 5.1 assists per game during his high school career.
Also looking for playing time in the backcourt will be Patrick Baylor
and Chris Evans. Baylor averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds a game his
senior season at Cardinal O'Hara High School. Evans recorded 17.2 points
per game and seven assists per game during his scholastic career.
Tim Eskridge and Michael DiNatale join the Warriors as forwards. Eskridge,
also a member of Lycoming's football team, averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds
per contest his senior season at Haverford High School. DiNatale posted
six points and 10 rebounds per game at Central High School in Newark,
N.J..
"I'm excited about the talent level of our freshman class,"
said Conrad. "I believe all of them possess the skills to have very
successful college careers at Lycoming. They will certainly have the opportunity
to prove themselves early and I think a number of them will respond to
that challenge very well."
"Overall, I'm very excited about the group of guys we have this year.
I think it will be a fun year. The conference is as strong as ever, so
repeating won't be easy, but I think our non-conference schedule will
prepare us well for league play and hopefully we'll be right in the thick
of things again."
Gettysburg
When considering the future of Gettysburg men's basketball, it might be
most helpful to first address the recent past in order to move forward
into 2002-03.
Yes, Gettysburg lost a lot from last year's squad that posted a program-record 20 victories and became the first team to ever win back-to-back Centennial Conference championships. How much? Try 74% of its scoring, nearly 60% of its rebounding, 66% of its assist total and 83% of its made 3-pointers. Not to mention two first-team all-conference selections, three starters and tons of battle-honed experience.
Which means that going from the CC's first repeat champion to its first three-peat champion is likely to prove a daunting task, especially when you consider that the Bullet roster features only four returning letterwinners and no fewer than nine new faces.
So why is 14th-year head coach George Petrie more optimistic than one seemingly has the right to be after saying good-bye to the likes of Curtis McNeil and Terence Callahan?
The answer lies in a small, but solid nucleus of returning players ready to carry on the program's recent winning ways. And it most certainly has something to do with a talented group of freshman that could someday resemble the recently departed Class of 2002.
"So far, I really like what I see and I think we're more than capable," said Petrie of his latest squad. "We have to remember that they're young, but we're very confident in the talent that we have and we believe that they're capable of performing at a competitive level in our conference. And that's what we fully expect them to do."
Quick to temper any comparisons to recent seasons, Petrie is content to let the 2002-03 Bullets chase more CC history by writing their own script instead of following someone else's instructions.
"Each team develops its own character and personality," said the coach. "So when people watch us play this year and try to compare to last year, I think that's a mistake. Because this group of players is better at different things than last year's team."
Petrie is, however, also the first to acknowledge that there will be a steeper learning curve for this particular squad, especially early in the season.
"We might look a little rough and not very polished in the beginning, but if we can be successful as we go through the year, it will pay off big dividends," he said. "I think the expectations are there and a lot of the players came into the program with that in mind. They have a tradition to uphold and it's something they intend to do. I think we'll be right in there competing for the conference title again."
All four of Gettysburg's returning letterwinners reside in the frontcourt, including returning starters John Schnebly (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) and David Glaser (West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep), and backup center Brad Billmeier (Pennington, N.J./Hopewell Valley).
After spending two seasons in the shadow of a high-scoring backcourt, the stage is set for Schnebly to emerge as the team's go-to guy in 2002-03. A senior forward and one of the team's co-captains, he started all 27 games a year ago, averaging 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.
He reached double-digit point totals on seven occasions last season, demonstrating his scoring potential with a career-high 18 points against Lebanon Valley. Schnebly enjoyed his best all-around performance in an eight-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist showing against NCAA participant Alvernia, something that Petrie expects to see more of this year.
"Last year, John was an integral part of what we did, but he sort of let his game take a backseat to the seniors," said the coach. "That won't be the case this year. He's had an excellent preseason and I know he's going to step up and really provide a complete game for us. Plus he's doing an excellent job as a captain, mentoring the kids everywhere from the weight room to the practice floor."
Glaser, a sophomore center, jumped into the starting lineup in his fourth collegiate game and finished with 21 starts while appearing in all 27 contests. He averaged 6.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game along with 56 assists and 15 blocks while learning to play the multi-faceted post position in Petrie's Princeton offense. Also a long-range threat, Glaser knocked down a number of crucial 3-pointers during his debut campaign.
"Dave looks really good," said Petrie, clearly excited about Glaser's evolution from rookie to veteran. "He's stronger, moving better and shooting the ball better. He's more active, more knowledgeable and now he has experience and a lot of drive to continue what he was involved with last year."
Billmeier, a senior center, will continue to provide valuable minutes behind Glaser as the squad's most veteran post player. He averaged 3.2 points and 1.9 assists in a career-high 23 appearances last season, including his first three collegiate starts. He tossed in a career-best 10 points against Washington (Md.) and posted seven points and three rebounds in 26 strong minutes against Navy.
As an added twist to his final season, Billmeier is juggling basketball with a semester-long internship at American University.
"For the little that he's been able to show up, he's made a big contribution," said Petrie. "He's just a big guy that works hard, he knows the system and we really need him to be here. Right now, it's amazing how well he's playing for the lack of practice time he's getting."
The Bullets' other true post player is freshman Erik Fromm (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional), a 6-6 all-county high school selection who could see varsity minutes right away.
"Erik's had a real good preseason," said Petrie. "He's made an impression with his teammates and the coaching staff and I fully expect him to get some playing time in the post position."
Gettysburg's fourth returning letterwinner — and possibly its most intriguing player heading into the season — is junior Dami Oloruntoba (Glenn Dale, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt), who will inherit Callahan's starting spot at small forward.
Oloruntoba averaged 3.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 25 appearances a year ago. He scored a career-high 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Haverford and flashed his upside potential throughout the year with numerous crowd-inciting dunks and blocked shots.
"We've groomed him for two years now and his game has matured," said Petrie. "We just look forward to him blossoming this year and being very difficult to contend with. Dami can post up, he can go to the hole and he can shoot the three. He's very versatile."
Freshman Kyle McGlensey (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East), sophomore Chris Pombar (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore) and sophomore transfer Kyle Jakobe (Baltimore, Md./Peddie [N.J.]) will battle for time behind Oloruntoba.
The 6-4 McGlensey was an all-conference player and four-year track letterwinner at West Chester East High School while varsity first-timer Pombar contributed major minutes with the Bullets' junior varsity program in 2001-02. Jakobe made seven appearances as a freshman at Franklin & Marshall before transferring to Gettysburg at the start of this year.
Jakobe might also provide one of the answers to the biggest question facing the Bullets in 2002-03 — who will play guard after the departure of not only starters McNeil, Callahan and Jim Natale, but also sharpshooter Cody Bowers and defensive stopper Antoine Gaither? Exactly three guards on the current roster were on last year's championship team, accumulating a grand total of 81 minutes of playing time.
Senior co-captain Doug Loveland (Oceanport, N.J./Christian Brothers Acad.) should get the first shot at running the show after absorbing the offense in his first full varsity season in 2001-02. An emotional coach-on-the-floor, Loveland appeared in nine games a year ago, demonstrating his scoring touch with seven points in six minutes against Western Maryland.
"We'll probably start out with a more veteran lineup until the youth catches up and Doug provides that experience," Petrie explained. "He's very knowledgeable, he provides us with a lot of leadership and he can mentor the younger kids."
Sophomore Justin Harrison (Washington/St. John's College) and freshman Todd Brady (Hancock, N.H./ConVal) also spent a good deal of the preseason in Petrie's first guard rotation and are slated to be big contributors in the early-going.
Harrison appeared in nine games last season, scoring six of his eight points in a victory over Haverford. He also possesses the ability to play at the small forward spot and could spell Oloruntoba when Petrie decides to go with a three-guard lineup.
"Justin is a very talented player and we expect a lot out of him," said the coach. "We expect him to blossom this year with his game. Now there is an opportunity here and we fully expect him to produce some points just like the guys we had in the past."
The 6-2 Brady has been the most polished of the freshman class and has shown the ability, like Harrison, to play guard or small forward. He was an all-state basketball player at ConVal High School, where he also was an acclaimed quarterback and lacrosse player, helping him develop a toughness that will come in handy during the grind of conference play.
"Todd's very athletic, he shoots the ball well and can go to the basket," said Petrie. "He's very skilled and very competitive and he has a presence on the floor. For a freshman, he's one of the more mature players we have in that position."
Junior Reggie Davis (Longwood, Fla./William Penn Charter [Pa.]) is the other veteran among Gettysburg's returning guards. A pass-first playmaker, Davis appeared in six games during his first varsity season a year ago and could shoulder a significant amount of the point-guard responsibilities.
Joining Brady as the backcourt's other newcomers are freshmen Graham Shaffer-Rais (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth), Ryan Page (Silver Spring, Md./St. John's College) and Chris Grandieri (Media, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), all of whom have the potential to be key players in the Bullets' future.
"Graham is very talented and a very good athlete," said Petrie. "Ryan is also a very talented and athletic guard, and so is Chris. They just lack experience and knowledge of what we're doing, but as they accumulate that, their games are going to blossom as we go through the year."
Hard-working sophomore John Pelin (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport), who spent the 2001-02 season as a key junior varsity contributor, rounds out Petrie's newest group of guards.
Like many Gettysburg fans that are anxious to see how the new Bullets come together, voters in the CC's preseason poll are taking a wait-and-see attitude, picking the two-time defending champions third behind Franklin & Marshall and Johns Hopkins in the CC West Division.
Petrie believes that the Blue Jays and Ursinus Bears could have a leg up in this year's title chase thanks to their returning veterans.
"Hopkins has a lot of guys back," he said. "I know they lost (center Matthew) Eisley, but they've got the biggest nucleus back and somehow I feel like they feel they've been denied the last couple of years. With that senior leadership, I think they're on top and F&M's right there also.
"The other side of the league is going to be really interesting, too," he added. "Muhlenberg lost Mark Lesko and Ursinus has some quality players back. So I think Ursinus is the strong team on that side and Muhlenberg's right there. It's going be an interesting fight."
As for his team's third-place prediction?
"I think we have to play some games and see what the results are," Petrie said. "After six, seven, eight games, they might be saying something different. We were picked third for two years and we ended up winning it. Nobody remembers where you were picked, they just remember where you finished."
Gettysburg opens its latest title defense by hosting Lynchburg, Arcadia and Villa Julie in its annual tip-off tournament on Nov. 22-23. The Bullets face Arcadia in the opening round on Friday night at 8 p.m. Gettysburg opens its CC schedule at home against Washington College on Dec. 7 and will also battle division rival Johns Hopkins before the mid-year break.
Franklin
& Marshall
It is a new
era at Franklin & Marshall.
Sure, the Diplomats return three of five starters from the program's 2002 Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament team. Coach Glenn Robinson and assistants Will Bartz, Dan Fahringer and Greg Martin also return.
However, gone is two-time All-America selection Alex Kraft, forward Cas Thomas and guards Larry Fain and Maurice Dozier who graduated last year.
One of the most successful intercollegiate basketball programs in Division III history with a 1,073-775 record (.581 winning percentage) over 99 seasons, Franklin & Marshall College concluded the 2002 season 24-5, 12-3 in the Centennial Conference, and claimed the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region Championship with an 82-65 win over King's.
It marked the first time in the history of the sport at the College that the men's basketball team participated in the ECAC tournament. Historically, all 15 prior F&M men's basketball teams that won 20 games advanced to the post-season, with four teams making the NCAA Final Four.
Further, last season marked the 12th time in the last 24 years that F&M has won 24 or more games in a season, as the blue and white tallied 24 or more wins in 1979, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96 and 2000 prior to the 2002 team. The Diplomats concluded the 2002 season ranked 25th in the final D3hoops.com poll.
Leading the Diplomats in 2003 will be 32-year coach Glenn Robinson. The 1991 Basketball Times Division III Coach of the Year and 11 time conference and NABC regional Coach of the Year, he is only the fourth coach in the history of NCAA Division III to record 600 career wins. Historically, only 36 coaches in collegiate basketball history have won 600 games.
On the Division III level, Robinson is the active wins leader with a 623-226 record (73.4 winning percentage), well ahead of runner-up Jim Smith (604) of St. John's. Only Dick Sauers (702) of Albany, Illinois Wesleyan's Dennie Bridges (666) and Ken Anderson (631) of UW-Eau Claire have won more games than Robinson has accumulated.
In terms of regular season and NCAA Tournament success, few coaches in the history of college basketball can match Robinson's success. Seventeen 20 win seasons, including 10 from 1987 to 1996, 18 NCAA Division III Tournament bids, including 11 consecutive years from 1986 to 1996, four appearances in the Final Four and a national title game appearance in 1991. Under Robinson, F&M has earned 24 conference playoff berths, including 16 in the last 17 years, and 13 playoff titles, with eight in the last 12 years.
The key to the Diplomats' season may well reside in the games of the program's three returning starters.
At center Steve Juskin (Jr., East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park) is the team's top returning career scorer (564 points) and rebounder (307).
A 2002 All-Centennial
Conference Second Team All-Star, he holds the F&M career and single
season blocked shot records with totals of 105 and 56, respectively. Last
year, Juskin led the team in blocks (56), rebounds (188) and scoring (360)
to establish him in the program.
With the loss of Kraft, the program's fourth highest career scorer with
1,565 points, Juskin will be looked to score more often. Further, Kraft
ranked fourth in rebounding (692), while classmate Thomas ranked ninth
with (656), a loss Juskin will be looked to lessen this year. Last season,
he led the team in scoring and rebounding (12.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg) as the Diplomats
knocked off nationally ranked Springfield, Salem State and Elizabethtown
during the year.
Against national runner-up Elizabethtown in a 83-80 win on Nov. 20, Juskin registered his second career double-double by blocking a school record 10 shots, scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. On Jan. 31, 2001, he scored 14 points, ripped down 16 rebounds and dished out 10 assists to record the first triple-double in Franklin & Marshall history in a 90-48 romp over Western Maryland in the Mayser Center.
On the wing, guard Asaf Ganot (Sr., Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly) will be looked to continue his outstanding defensive play.
Called "probably our best player (so far)," by head coach Glenn Robinson in preseason interviews, Ganot has been the team's defensive stopper the last three years. In 2002, Ganot was a defensive force for the Blue and White while pulling down 117 rebounds, including 80 defensive boards, blocking 43 shots, corralling 52 steals and chipping in 108 points.
For his career, ranks seventh in blocked shots with 69, two short of moving past Vince Hill '74 for sixth place. He is on pace to bypass Thomas (99) for second place in school history behind Juskin.
At point guard, Duran Searles (Jr., Camden, N.J./Peddie School) returns following a season in which he averaged 9.9 points and dished out 81 assists. Bigger and stronger for his return in 2003, Searles added 15 pounds to his frame this year due to a strenuous offseason workout plan.
"I know I can't
score all the points," said Searles. "I just have to do the
other thingsI know I'm going to have to play well if we're going to win
consistently.
If the polls are to be believed, the Diplomats should be win consistently.
Franklin & Marshall is third among others receiving votes below the preseason D3hoops.com Top 25 and is favored to win the 2003 overall title according to the head men's basketball coaches and the sports information directors in the Centennial Conference.
The Diplomats received 10 out of 20 first-place votes (teams not permitted to vote for themselves) for 82 points and the favorite's role in the West poll. F&M also tallied 10 out of a possible 20 votes for the overall title in the annual preseason poll of coaches. Franklin & Marshall lost a 50-47 decision to Gettysburg in the CC final at home last season.
Other players to watch for F&M include starting guard/forward Jackiem Wright (Jr., Sicklerville, N.J./Moorestown Friends) and forward Frank Hughes (Sr., Annapolis, Md./US Naval Academy) who are new to the starting lineup. Also new to their roles are junior Brandon Jones (Fr., Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin), the backup point guard; wing guard Brandon Smith (Jr., Philadelphia/Germantown Friends), and Bob and Dan Lynch (So., Richboro, Pa./Council Rock), 6-6 sophomore twins who figure to be the first off the bench at the post spots.
The Diplomats will begin the 100th season of intercollegiate men's basketball at the College at home in the Mayser Center in the 36th Annual Sponaugle Collegiate Basketball Classic on Nov. 22-23 with Methodist, Marymount and Widener.
More Previews
2001-02
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