Brooklyn 2011-12 men's basketball preview

Brooklyn, NY --- The Brooklyn College Men's Basketball team enters the 2011-2012 campaign on a mission to claim its third City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) championship in four years.

After clinching back-to-back (2009 and 2010) CUNYAC championships, the Bulldogs were denied their third straight conference title in 2011, losing a heartbreaker in the semifinals CUNYAC/Con Edison Men's Basketball Championships to the top seeded College of Staten Island, 73-70, in overtime.

Entering his 16th season at the helm of the BC Men's Basketball program, Head Coach Steve Podias will have to replace four key figures from the Bulldogs' recent success over the past four seasons. Gone from last year's team due to graduation are starters Ahmad Hemingway and Darnell Cudjoe, to go along with key reserve players Daniel Velasquez and Brian Shea.

Hemingway was third on the team last season in scoring averaging 12.6 ppg, while averaging 5.9 rebounds per game, good for second on the team. Cudjoe was the team's leading rebounder a year ago, averaging 6.4 rpg, to go along with 10.5 ppg, good for fourth on the team. Velasquez and Shea provided solid veteran leadership coming off the bench. Shea will also transition from player to coach this season, as he joins coach Podias' staff as an Assistant Coach.

There is still plenty of optimism at another deep BC run in the CUNYAC Championships as Coach Podias returns his senior laden backcourt tandem in Amil John and Tyshawn Russell.

John led the team last season in both assists (3.3 apg) and steals (3.3 spg), while raking second in scoring (14.6 ppg). John would also go on to earn CUNYAC All-Tournament team honors during the 2011 conference championships. John also ranked fourth nationally in all of Division III in steals per game.

Russell is coming off of his best season at Brooklyn after averaging a team-best 17.0 ppg, en route to being named to the 2011 CUNYAC All-Star Second Team. John and Russell will both look to cap off their BC careers with their third conference championship in four years.

Along with guards John and Russell, junior forward Steven Grant also returns looking to add a second championship to his Bulldog career. Grant averaged 6.3 points and 4.9 rebounds as a sophomore last year and will look to increase his production this season.

Other returners include seniors guard Jonathan Martinez, guard Wade Kornegay and forward Eric Rodd and junior forwards Kavon Baker and Keiran Halton.

"With the experience we have returning in the backcourt, and the team quickness we have, this may become one of the better defensive squads we've ever had," said Coach Podias. "It seems that we can not only force turnovers, but take offenses out of their comfort zones. We are improved in our outside shooting, which was a problem last year. If we can play to our strength and negate the fact we are small inside, with the schedule we are playing, we intend to compete and win back the CUNYAC title."

To go along with his solid core of returners, Coach Podias brings on board seven newcomers to help the Bulldogs make another run at the Dutch Shoe, which is the trophy given to the conference champion.

The newcomers include juniors forward Abdul Lanlokun, forward Filipp Bochkov and guard Christian DeJesus, sophomore forward Richard Spence and freshmen guards Steven Diaz, Marvin Lazar and Jerome Hayden.

Bochkov, a 6'5" transfer from Mount Saint Vincent College, will add immediate collegiate playing experience, as well as much needed depth and height to the Brooklyn frontcourt.

"Among the newcomers, Bochkov and Diaz will greatly enhance our offense," continued Podias. "As they gain experience, both Hayden and Lazar show great potential at the guard spots. Of course, it all starts with John and Russell, two All-Conference performers who are hungry for their third CUNYAC championship."

Coach Podias has set a strong schedule to prepare his team for another championship run, as the Bulldogs will square off against seven teams that participated in the postseason in 2011.

Highlighting its non-conference slate, BC will take on reigning Empire 8 Conference champion Hartwick College (November 18th - Neutral), reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) champion New Jersey City University (January 23rd – Away), New York University (December 5th – Away), Richard Stockton College (February 4th – Home) and William Patterson University (January 30th – Home).

Hartwick and NJCU both participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament, while NYU and Stockton each participated in the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament. Hartwick, NJCU and William Patterson are also receiving votes in the D3Hoops.com Top-25 Preseason Poll.

Other key non-conference contests include St. John Fisher College (November 19th – Neutral), the College at Old Westbury (November 22nd – Home) and Rutgers-Camden (December 30th – Away). BC will look for some revenge against St. John Fisher as they eliminated Brooklyn in their opening round match of the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament. Brooklyn will take on both Hartwick and St. John Fisher in the 2011 Castle Classic hosted by Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY.

In the always grueling CUNYAC, Brooklyn will look to uncrown reigning conference champion and borough rival Medgar Evers College (November 29th – Home & February 1st – Away). ECAC participants Staten Island (January 7th – Away & February 10th – Home) and Baruch College (January 21st – Home) will also pose a threat to Brooklyn's championship aspirations this season.

The Bulldogs will tip-off the 2011-2012 season on Tuesday, November 15th, as Brooklyn will travel to Madison, NJ to take on Fairleigh Dickinson-College at Florham at 7:00 pm.

BC's home opener is slated for Tuesday, November 22nd against Old Westbury at 7:30 pm in the West Quad Center, while Brooklyn's conference opener is scheduled against Medgar Evers on Tuesday, November 29th at 7:30 pm at home in the West Quad Center.