NEC Basketball Season PreviewBy Matthias Gausz, QBSN Co-Director
Coaches Preseason All-Conference Team
Guards: James Johnson (Quinnipiac)
Tyler Murray (Wagner)
Forwards: Julian Boyd (Long Island)
Ken Horton (Central Connecticut St)
Jamal Olasewere (Long Island)
The following rankings are based upon the NEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll:
1. Long Island (10)
Top Newcomer: Brandon Thompson (Jr. G)
Key Returns: Julian Boyd (Jr. F), Jamal Olasewere (Jr. F), Jason Brickman (So. G), C.J. Garner (Jr. G)
Key Losses: David Hicks (G), Kyle Johnson (G)
Long Island returns three key pieces to last year’s NEC championship team. The two big bodies up front are Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere who both played great down the stretch during their 13-game win streak going in to the NCAA Tournament. The Blackbirds will lean on the two big men again this season, along with their budding star of a point guard, Jason Brickman. As a freshman last year, he led the team in assists and has become a floor general over the summer. Alongside Brickman in the backcourt is C.J. Garner as the team bodes a great speed and strength combo between the front and backcourts. Brandon Thompson, a JUCO transfer will add some depth to an already potent backcourt. LIU will look to extend one step forward this year, possibly reclaim the title, and win a game in the Big Dance.
2. Robert Morris (2)
Top Newcomer: Mike McFadden (So. F)
Key Returns: Velton Jones (Jr. G), Russell Johnson (Jr. F), Lijah Thompson (Jr. F/C)
Key Losses: Karon Abraham (G), Gary Wallace (G)
The Colonials have been towards the top of the NEC the past four years including back-to-back trips to the Dance in 2009 and 2010. With only one senior, Lawrence Bridges, the team will turn to the trio of juniors, Velton Jones, Russell Johnson, and Lijah Thompson, to pick up some of the leadership. Jones, the 6-foot guard, picked up the team’s scoring in the absence of Karon Abraham, and hit the game winner in the semifinal last year versus Quinnipiac. Johnson is an interesting player as he averaged 11 points per game and seven rebounds per game last year, but his play fluctuated. Over the summer, he has started to become a more consistent player and the leader in the frontcourt. Mike McFadden is an Iona transfer, who will become eligible after the first semester, has a big frame at 6 feet 8 inches will give depth to Johnson and Thompson come NEC play. RMU will be right at the top again this year and would be no surprise, with their experience at the top, to take the title.
3. Central Connecticut State
Top Newcomer: Adonis Burbage (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Ken Horton (Sr. F), Robby Ptacek (Sr. G), Joe Efese (Jr. F)
Key Losses: Shemik Thompson (G), Markeys Deans (F)
Ken Horton, the reigning NEC Player of the Year, is back for his senior season and looks to duplicate his absurd numbers from last year (19.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.4 spg). The Blue Devils have a new logo and new look as they lost scoring guard Shemik Thompson to graduation. However, senior guard Robby Ptacek will pick up where he left off last year (14.9 ppg). Junior Joe Efese will be the big man down low for Coach Dickerman, as he has added some more muscle to his frame, in what is a weaker frontcourt for CCSU. They will go nine deep this year, something Dickerman hasn’t been able to do in recent years, with all four incoming freshman, led by Adonis Burbage, playing a role. Burbage, a 6 foot 5 inch freshman from Orlando, will play the three and will make an impact early. Horton will likely carry the team again this year, but if they want to make the jump to win the NEC title they will need Ptacek, Efese, and Burbage to play a big role.
4. Wagner
Top Newcomer: Dwaun Anderson (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Tyler Murray (Sr. G), Latif Rivers (So. G), Chris Martin (Sr. G), Orlando Parker (So. F)
Key Losses: NONE
Wagner brings back their top six scorers from last year’s team which lost in the NEC quarterfinal. The Seahawks backcourt is stacked with Tyler Murray, Latif Rivers and Chris Martin who averaged 17, 14, and 10 points per game respectively. In the frontcourt, they are led by Naofall Folahan, the 6 foot 11 inch sophomore from Benin, a country in West Africa. Some people see Folahan as the NEC version of Hamady N’Diaye, the 7-footer from Rutgers who had 145 blocks in the 2009-10 season. Folahan’s numbers aren’t there but the potential is. Orland Parker and Josh Thompson round off the forwards; they aren’t as tall as Folahan but will make an impact. Dwaun Anderson, a Michigan State decommit will be eligible in the spring semester and could add some depth at the right time. Wagner will need to take another step up this year if they want to fight for the title. If they get some leadership from Murray they could be a Cinderella this season.
5. Quinnipiac
Top Newcomer: Garvey Young (Jr. G/F)
Key Returns: James Johnson (Sr. G), Dave Johnson (Jr. G), Jamee Jackson (Jr. F)
Key Losses: Justin Rutty (F), Deontay Twyman (G), Dominique Langston (G)
Quinnipiac has a whole revamped lineup as they have 11 players that have yet to step on the floor in a game as a Bobcat. QU is led senior guard James Johnson, a first-teamer last year and this preseason as well. He led the Bobcats with 16.1 ppg and chipped in 4.2 rpg and 3.5apg making him one of the best all-around guards on the east coast. Junior point guard Dave Johnson will have to step in and start at the one. With some great ball handling moves and really quick feet, he has weaved his way in and out of defenses for his first two years in limited action. With James Johnson playing off the ball, he might be able to become a pure scoring guard. In the front court, Jamee Jackson and Ike Azotam will have to fill the huge void left by the NEC’s all-time leading rebounder Justin Rutty. Jackson and Azotam combined for 11.4 ppg and 10.3 rpg, just around Rutty’s numbers, but each are on the path to becoming Rutty-esque. Garvey Young, a Vermont transfer, will play a big role in playing the three and being the glue-guy. Quinnipiac will need significant minutes off the bench from the eight freshmen; if they add some scoring depth, the third time might be the charm for the Bobcats to punch their ticket.
6. Mount St. Mary’s
Top Newcomer: Taylor Danaher (Fr. C)
Key Returns: Lamar Trice (Sr. G), Julian Norfleet (So. G), Danny Thompson (Sr. F)
Key Losses: Shawn Atupem (F)
The Mount has six fresh faces on a team that didn’t lose much besides scoring big man Shawn Atupem. Leading scorer Lamar Trice is back for his senior campaign after being the NEC Most Improved Player last year, averaging 13.3 ppg and 2.9 apg. Trice will need to lead the Mountaineers if they want to make some strides in the league. He will need help from other senior Danny Thompson, who played behind Atupem last year. He will need to come into his own and be the frontcourt leader. Julian Norfleet and Josh Castellanos will play alongside Trice in what is a smaller team, and the three guards will account for the majority of the scoring. A tough non-conference schedule which includes trips to Marquette, Minnesota, Maryland and Penn State will test the Mountaineers prior to NEC play.
7. Bryant
Top Newcomer: Ben Altit (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Alex Francis (So. F), Frankie Dobbs (Jr. G),
Key Losses: Cecil Gresham (F), Barry Latham (G/F)
Bryant is an interesting team, as they are not eligible for any postseason tournaments due to their transition from D-II. The Bulldogs did lose Cecil Gresham, who had 14.3 ppg last season, but they will not lose anyone after this season. With no seniors on the team, this allows for the development of the 13 sophomores and juniors on the 15-man roster. Bryant will become eligible for the postseason in the 2012-2013 season. They are led by Alex Francis, last year’s NEC Rookie of the Year, who averaged a staggering 14.8 ppg and 8.0 rpg. He will get help from junior guard Frankie Dobbs (12.4 ppg, 5.3 apg) and the Aussies, sophomore guard Corey Maynard and sophomore forward Claybrin McMath. Bryant should have a great dress rehearsal, and could knock off some teams who take them lightly before the first full year in Division I.
8. Sacred Heart
Top Newcomer: Phil Gaetano (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Shane Gibson (Jr. G), Stan Dulaire (Sr. F), Chris Evans (So. G)
Key Losses: Jerrell Thompson (G)
Dave Bike enters his 34th season at the helm of Fairfield with a pioneer team that is looking to become a better defensive squad. Shane Gibson led Sacred Heart with 17.2 ppg in his sophomore season, good for second in the NEC. He will need some help from senior forward Stan Dulaire in the frontcourt and his backcourt mate Chris Evans. The Pioneers will need to find an answer for the loss at the point guard position, as Jerrell Thompson graduated. Look for Louis Montes to play well in his sophomore season, a combo-guard who played well down the stretch. Sacred Heart more than likely won’t come away with a NEC title, but they will test themselves with games versus Rutgers, Boston College, Notre Dame and Richmond.
9. St. Francis (Pa)
Top Newcomer: Ollie Jackson (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Umar Shannon (Jr. G), Chris Johnson (Jr. G)
Key Losses: Will Felder (F), Mislav Jukic (F)
St. Francis (Pa) will look to build on some good young pieces they had last season. First is junior guard Umar Shannon who averaged 15.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, and 2.0 apg, junior guard Chris Johnson (8.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, and 2.5 rpg), as well as build-up sophomore forward Scott Eatherton, a big body at 6 feet 8 inches, who averaged nine minutes per game last year. Coach Friday said that Eatherton has gotten bigger and is starting to become an inside presence. One of the big losses was Will Felder who averaged 9 ppg & 5 ppg his first year and 11 ppg and 7 rpg last year. Felder transferred to Miami (Ohio). The Red Flash will need to play better defensively if they want to compete for a title. Non-conference tests versus Pitt, Drexel, VCU and Bucknell will provide some proof.
10. Monmouth
Top Newcomer: Andrew Nicholas (Fr. G)
Key Returns: Mike Myers Keitt (Sr. F), Ed Waite (Sr. F), Marcus Ware (Jr. F)
Key Losses: None
King Rice is the new king of Monmouth basketball, Rice was an assistant under Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt for five seasons and played collegiately at North Carolina under the legendary Dean Smith. Rice is bringing a winning culture to a program that hasn’t had a winning record since the campaign of 2005-06 when they won the NEC tournament. Rice has inherited some pieces in senior forwards Mike Myers Keitt and Ed Waite, who led the team in scoring last season. Waite is an unconventional 6 foot 3 inch, 215 pound power forward who also had 5.9 rpg last year. Keitt, on the other hand, is a 6 foot 7 inch scoring forward who likes to play on the wing. Keitt was the only player to average double figures in scoring last year with 10.1 ppg on a team that finished 325th in the nation in scoring at a lowly 60.6 ppg. They will need to pick up the scoring for a non-conference slate that includes Villanova, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Harvard.
11. St. Francis (NY)
Top Newcomer: Ben Mockford (So. G)
Key Returns: Akeem Johnson (Jr. F), Stefan Perunicic (Sr. G/F)
Key Losses: Akeem Bennett (G), Ricky Cadell (G)
The Terriers will need to fill up the 30.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, and 4.6 apg left behind by graduating seniors Akeem Bennett and Ricky Cadell. St. Francis College will have to turn to Akeem Johnson, its’ junior forward, who had eight and five a year ago and has been given the role of leader. The ball handling will be turned over to Dre Calloway. The senior point guard will have to fill the shoes of Cadell. Senior swingman Stefan Perunicic will be the outside threat for the Terriers, a team that was towards the bottom of every major category. Iona transfer Ben Mockford will be a bright-spot as the pesky guard from across the pond played his high school hoops at Apex in New Jersey and Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. The headliner on the schedule their ‘home’ meeting with LIU will be at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 8 in the Battle for Brooklyn.
12. Fairleigh Dickinson
Top Newcomer: Melquan Bolding (Jr. G)
Key Returns: None
Key Losses: Mike Scott (G), Terrence Grier (G), Kamil Svrdlik (F), John Galvin (F)
Teaneck, New Jersey has become the transfer hub of the NEC with eight new players, five of them in the starting lineup. The first is frontcourt George Goode who played three years at Louisville, graduated, and came to FDU for his graduate year. The 6 foot 9 inch forward will start at the four. In a similar situation is Mouhamed Lo, who played at Toledo and then came to New Jersey for his last year. The 6 foot 7 inch center will start at center. Melquan Bolding is the cream of the transfer crop. After averaging over 12 ppg his freshman season at Duquesne, he will have a huge impact. Then there is JUCO All-American Lonnie Hayes. He will run the point after a stellar career at Missouri State-West Plains. The Knights have talent, but they don’t have any cohesiveness. This is more than likely the reason for picking them last in the conference. If they gel faster than most expected, then Coach Vetrone will be the Coach of the Year, and they will shock the NEC with their size, strength and scoring.
No comments:
Post a Comment