2011-2012 Maine Maritime Men's Basketball Preview

More news about: Maine Maritime

When Maine Maritime Academy's men's basketball season gets underway, the Mariners will do so with a relatively young squad. Of the 11 players on the roster, six are freshmen. The young Mariners will look to improve on a 10-15 mark from a year ago, relying on a solid cadre of returning players, but can only do so with immediate help from the freshman class.

Tyler Pineo and Shawn Dostie, the seniors on the squad, are the team's elder statesmen, while Scott Alexander, Andy Ball and Benjamin Russell provide for an experienced junior class.

Dostie, the Mariners leading scorer a year ago, returns his 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game to the lineup. The 6-4, junior blocked 42 shots a year ago. Dostie played in 25 games in 2010-11, a number matched only by Ball and Russell among the returning players. Ball and Russell also have the distinction of owning the best plus/minus ratings among Mariners who saw 300 or more minutes a year ago at +0.37 and -3.62, respectively, solid numbers for a sub .500 team.

Ball contributed 5.4 points and 2.9 boards per outing to go with 18 steals and as many blocked shots in his freshman campaign. He posted a season highs of 19 points and seven rebounds against both Maine-Augusta and Maine-Presque Isle.

Russell was solid for 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. He posted 46 assists and 17 steals in his sophomore campaign. Both numbers were down, along with his minutes from his freshman season when he put up 9.7 points and 3.4 points per night.

Pineo appeared in 24 games for Maine Maritime last year and brings 68 games and 42 starts worth of experience to the floor. His minutes, points and rebounds averages all took a hit last year like Russell's, but he still gave the Mariners 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. He also produced 17 steals and 21 assists.

A first-year member of the team as a sophomore, Alexander appeared in nine games scoring six points and pulling down four rebounds, while taking the ball away three times.

With three players 6'5" or taller, the freshman class gives the Mariners the ability to go big in the lineup. A local product, 6'7" Nick Richie of Ellsworth was a key contributor on a team that advanced to the Eastern Maine Class B final in each of the past two seasons.

At 6'6", South Portland's Griffin Brady was a Maine Mr. Basketball Semifinalist for his contributions at Cheverus, where he won the State Championship in 2010, and played for it again in 2011.

At 6'5", Shawn Silva was a co-captain on one of Massachusetts' traditionally strong teams, Attleboro.

Brandon Theriault, a 5'10" guard from East Millinocket, guided his Schenck team to a 2010 State Championship and was named the Eastern Maine Tournament MVP. The four-time varsity letter winner was an All-Maine Honorable Mention selection.

A five-year letterwinner at Isleboro Central, Jason Hatch captained the team for four years. The 1,000-point scorer is expected to contribute from the wing.

David Lord, a 6'0" guard from Kenduskeag, Maine, was Central's general on the floor. A two-time captain and All-Penobscot Valley Conference selection, he offers strong court vision and the ability to go to the hole.

The Mariners open the season on Tuesday, November 15 at home against Maine-Presque Isle. The team will head on to Boston for the weekend to compete at the Regis Tipoff Tournament.

Mar. 16
W:

Final

George Fox 76, at Amherst 69
Box Score Recap

Final

at Cabrini 81, Illinois Wesleyan 78
Box Score Recap

Final

at Illinois Wesleyan 65, St. Thomas 53
Recap

Final

UW-Whitewater 71, at MIT 56
Box Score Recap

Mar. 17
W:

Final

at St. Thomas 87, Amherst 60
Recap

Final

at UW-Whitewater 63, Cabrini 60
Box Score Recap

Final

at Illinois Wesleyan 57, George Fox 48
Box Score Recap

No games featuring ranked teams today.