Iona

NYC Metro Review Part 3: Teams 12-17

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:58:18 -0700

Teams ranked in the 12-17 area of the final rankings are clearly in a position to either move up or down next season. The team with the best chance to make a significant move up the standings in their league would have to be Manhattan (12-19), who return all key contributors next season. Guard Antoine Pearson was a Third Team All-MAAC selection this season, and swingman Devon Austin went a long way in establishing himself as this team’s leader in the MAAC Tournament. Youngsters such as Chris Smith and Rashad Green should be ready to take on more responsibility next season as well.

Army (14-16), Columbia (13-15) and Hofstra (12-18) will all head into the off-season knowing that they’ve got some large shoes to fill in replacing Jarell Brown, John Baumann and Antoine Agudio respectively. But there are some promising returnees for next season, most notably Charles Jenkins (Hofstra) and Josh Miller (Army). Fairleigh Dickinson (8-20) will have to replace guards Manny Ubilla and Bernell Murray, but second-leading scorer Sean Baptiste is slated to return.

Lastly, an Iona (12-20) that went through the season on a virtual roller coaster can look forward to next season, which brings a solid recruiting class along with a pair of four-year transfers (Kashif Pratt from Seton Hall and Jonathan Huffman from Louisville). They’ll have to replace a trio of key contributors in Kyle Camper, Dexter Gray and Devon Clarke, but things are looking up for Kevin Willard’s program. But before ranking these six teams, here is the Third Team All-Metro squad along with some honorable mention choices.

Third Team All-Metro

G Jonathan Han (Fairfield) – 11.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 44.7% 3PT

The junior from Brooklyn was Fairfield’s most consistent option on offense this year, and yet he still led the MAAC in assists per game. Selected to the conference’s Second Team All-Conference squad, Han was the catalyst for the Stags’ second half run that nearly got them to the top of the MAAC standings. Based on his improvement over the past year, Han should be a candidate for first team honors in 2008-09.

G Jaytornah Wisseh (Long Island) – 15.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.8 rpg

Only a sophomore, Wisseh led the Blackbirds in scoring and was second in the Northeast Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.58). His performance resulted in a selection to the NEC’s Second Team All-Conference squad, and it also played a big role in LIU’s best season in ten years. Like Han, Wisseh should definitely be a candidate for first team honors in his league next season.

G Drew Shubik (Sacred Heart) – 11.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.5 apg

One of the main reasons as to why the Pioneers once again reached the Northeast Conference final was Shubik, a jack-of-all-trades guard who was also a member of the Second team All-Conference squad. Shubik led Dave Bike’s team in both rebounding and assists, and was second in scoring behind Brice Brooks. The senior from Stoystown, PA leaves the Sacred Heart campus as the program’s seventh all-time assist man, and he also received a pair of academic honors as well. Shubik, named Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was also named to the ESPN the Magazine District I Academic All-America team.

F Ryan Thompson (Rider) – 15.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 53.7% FG

Just like Shubik, Ryan was a guy who you could find all over the stat sheet just about every night for the Broncs. Thompson, a Second Team All-MAAC selection, was second on the team in points, rebounds and field goal percentage while leading the team in assists per game. With older brother Jason off to the NBA, Ryan will be expected to be one of the leaders in 2008-09. And he’s more than capable of stepping up to the plate.

F Anthony Mason Jr. (St. John’s) – 14.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.3 apg

Mason Jr. was Norm Roberts’ best offensive option this season, and he did either off the bench (six games) or in a starter’s (sixteen starts) role. An honorable mention All-Big East selection, Mason Jr. led the Red Storm in scoring and was third on the team in both rebounds and assists per game. Despite missing eight games due to injury, Mason Jr. was second on the team in both field goal and three point attempts, which should underscore just how important he was to his team’s success. His highlight this season may have been the game-winner he hit against Seton Hall on March 1^st.

Honorable Mention All-Metro

G Antoine Pearson (Manhattan)

G Sean Baptiste (Fairleigh Dickinson)

G Harris Mansell (Rider)

F Robert Hines (St. Francis)

F JR Inman (Rutgers)

Final Rankings 12-17

12. Army (14-16)

The Black Knights finished just about where people thought they would in the Patriot League pecking order, taking sixth place. The positive to be taken out of this year includes their second straight trip to the Patriot League semifinals, and the fact that Josh Miller will be back next season. Miller was the only member of the league’s All-Tournament Team who didn’t play for either of the finalists, American and Colgate. But Jim Crews will have to figure out how to replace leading scorer Jarell Brown, but some of the key contributors from this season will be back at West Point in 2008-09.

13. Columbia (13-15)

Head coach Joe Jones will have quite the task ahead of him this off-season as he looks to replace six departing seniors from this year’s team. Led by two-time First Team All-Ivy selection John Baumann, this class is Columbia’s most successful since 1982-83. Key contributors slated to be back include guards Niko Scott and K.J. Matsui, and forward Joe Bova. There will definitely be some growing pains early for Columbia next season, as you don’t come across groups like the departing class every day. But they do have a chance to improve upon their .500 record in conference play next year.

14. Hofstra (12-18)

Well, it took Tom Pecora’s team some time to get acclimated to college basketball, and this young team understandably dealt with some setbacks in the early going. But a viable second option in freshman Charles Jenkins stepped to the plate as teams focused their attention on Antoine Agudio. Jenkins, named CAA Rookie of the Year after ranking tenth in the conference in scoring (15.1 ppg), will shoulder even more of the scoring load with Agudio graduating. Other newcomers who should be ready to go next season include Darren Townes and Nathaniel Lester. The Pride should be better than this season’s 12-18 finish, even with the loss of a player as special as Agudio.

15. Iona (12-20)

The good news in year one of the Kevin Willard era was that all hands were on deck for most of the season after last year’s injury-plagued two win debacle. But for some reason the Gaels just couldn’t maintain positive momentum. Prime example was the way in which they finished the season. An impressive win in the regular season finale over rival Manhattan, followed by a loss to Canisius in the first round of the MAAC Tournament.

But with a few of this season’s contributors (Gary Springer and Milan Prodanovic to name two) slated to return, the combination of transfers Kashif Pratt and Jonathan Huffman becoming eligible along with a solid recruiting class should give Iona a good shot at getting out of the Friday doubleheader in the MAAC Tournament.

16. Manhattan (12-19)

The primary lesson that the Jaspers learned was a rather simple one: when they committed to playing defense they were pretty good. Unfortunately for them the consistency wasn’t there, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the MAAC standings. But all major contributors should be back, led by Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin.

In their two games in Albany, you could sense that Austin was becoming more comfortable in leading this team, and head coach Barry Rohrssen noted as much after their loss to Siena, stating that it was “good to see him step up and emerge as a leader.” Along with these two, Chris Smith, Darryl Crawford and Rashad Green will return, as will interior players Laurence Jolicoeur and Andrew Gabriel. They should be in the top half of the MAAC standings next season.

17. Fairleigh Dickinson (8-20)

While this season didn’t end with a trip to the NEC Tournament, head coach Tom Green can take solace in the fact that Sean Baptiste will be back in Teaneck next season. The sophomore guard averaged 18.5 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest this season and with Manny Ubilla and Bernell Murray both out of eligibility he should have even more chances to make plays next year. John Galvin and DeJuan Pursley will also have more opportunities to get some things done as three of the team’s top four scorers (Eric Hazard) won’t be around. It remains to be seen who will join the Knights next season, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part One

All-Metro Team & Ranking 1-5

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Two

Ranking 6-11

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Three

Ranking 12-1

Next: NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Four

All-Rookie & Ranking 18-23

Northeast non-TV Bracket Busters preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:23:55 -0800

Here’s a quick preview of the ESPNU O’Reilly Bracket Busters games this weekend that will not be shown on television involving northeast teams. In most cases, the organizers of this event have done a better job of limiting the travel for non-television games, with the exception of UC Davis visiting Loyola (MD) among games involving northeast leagues. Bracket Busters, originally put together to provide schools in non-BCS leagues one last opportunity to add to their resume, now involves some 100 schools from sixteen conferences. Niagara @ Appalachian State (Saturday, 1 PM) The nation’s leading scorer, Charron Fisher, takes his act on the road as the Purple Eagles visit the Mountaineers of the Southern Conference. Fisher has eclipsed the forty point mark in two of his last three games, including 45 and nine rebounds against Loyola (MD). Niagara (with help from Tyrone Lewis, Stanley Hodge and an improving Benson Egemonye) will look to run and put up a lot of points, but the Mountaineers are also capable of scoring some points. Six players score at least seven points per game, led by senior forward Donte Minter. I’ll take the Mountaineers due to the home court advantage. Northeastern @ Holy Cross (Saturday, 4 PM) The Huskies make the short trip to Worcester to take on a Crusader team still trying to recover from a slow start in Patriot League play. Tim Clifford is Holy Cross’ best offensive option, but it’s been the health of PG Pat Doherty that has been the concern. His Achilles injury at San Francisco was the catalyst for a five-game skid early in 2008, and the team has been up and down ever since. Northeastern, looking to end their two-game skid, will counter with a balanced scoring attack led by wing Matt Janning. Normally, I’d go with the home-court advantage, especially with an environment as hostile as the one awaiting NU’s arrival. But I’m going to take the Huskies due to the fact that they’re a more balanced team on offense. Bucknell @ Old Dominion (Saturday, 7 PM) The Bison, like their Patriot League rivals, have uncharacteristically struggled in league play this year. But given the number of losses due to graduation over the last two seasons, you can understand why this team isn’t in its usual perch atop the conference standings. Guards John Griffin, Justin Castleberry and Stephen Tyree are the main men on the offensive end of the floor, and they’re going to have their hands full in Norfolk. Forward Gerald Lee leads the Monarchs in scoring, but they have seven players averaging at least six points per game. In their last four games, all wins, three different Monarchs have led the team in scoring (Lee twice, Brian Henderson and Abdi Lidonde once apiece). I like the Monarchs to win this one. Vermont @ UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 7 PM) If you’re looking to find a candidate for the most improved player in the country (yes, country), look no further than Vermont’s Marqus Blakely. After averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season, the sophomore forward is up to 19.8 and 10.8 this year. And only two players have a 30/20 game to their credit this season: Michael Beasley and…Marqus Blakely. Mike Trimboli and Kyle Cieplicki are also more than capable of scoring from the perimeter. As for the Seahawks, four players average at least twelve points per game, led by senior guard T.J. Carter’s 15.8. Possessing a home record of 11-2, UNCW comes into this one riding a four-game win streak. Expect this one to be a close one, but I like the Seahawks to come out on top. UC Davis @ Loyola-Maryland (Saturday, 1 PM) Well, this one could get ugly as the Greyhounds host the Aggies. UC Davis, currently dead last in the Big West, has lost their last nine and are the league’s worst defensive team (opponents shoot 48.1% from the field). And when you’ve got to stop a player like G Gerald Brown, that could be bad news for the Aggies. Brown will have some help on the offensive end, supplied by Michael Tuck and Marquis Sullivan. The Aggies are led by guards Vince Oliver and Shane Hanson, but they have a road record of 1-11 for the season. I like Loyola to win this one. Hofstra @ Iona (Saturday, 2 PM) The Gaels host one of the nation’s best scorers in Hofstra’s Antoine Agudio, and with Iona preferring to quicken the pace this could be a game in which Agudio puts up some points. But the trend all season has been that the Pride are only as successful as Agudio’s supporting cast, and a group led by Charles Jenkins has become more confident as the season has progressed. On the other side, Kevin Willard’s first year as head coach has been streaky in regards to results, with a three game win streak followed by a short losing spell. Iona ended a two-game skid with a win at Canisius on Monday night, and five players averaging about eight points per game (Kyle Camper averages 7.8 to be exact). The key to this one will be how well Hofstra takes care of the basketball, something they haven’t done well on the road this season (3-9 away from home). I’ll take Iona by a basket. Fairfield @ Drexel (Saturday, 4 PM) The Stags, winners of five in a row, take their on one of the CAA’s worst offensive teams in the Dragons of Drexel. Center Frank Elegar leads Drexel in both scoring and rebounding, but the points have been few and far between for a team looking to replace the likes of Bashir Mason and Dominic Mejia from last season’s team. Fairfield, on the other hand, has received a boost from the likes of seniors Marty O’Sullivan and Mamadou Diakhate, two players who weren’t expected to see much playing time throughout the remainder of the season. But the team runs based on the play of PG Jonathan Han, the MAAC’s assist leader. With six road wins already to their credit, I like the Stags to pick up a seventh. Youngstown State @ Buffalo (Saturday, 4 PM) With two of the bottom feeders in their respective leagues on display, you have to dig a little deeper to figure out who to watch in this one. How about guards Andy Robinson (Buffalo) and Byron Davis (Youngstown State)? Both lead their teams in scoring, but truth be told each team has a couple of places from which the points can come. I’m taking Buffalo for one simple reason: The Penguins are 1-11 on the road this season. Binghamton @ Manhattan (Saturday, 4 PM) One of three matchups between America East and MAAC schools, this one will be an interesting affair due to the age difference between the backcourts. Manhattan, led by Antoine Pearson and Devon Austin (Austin’s a wing), rely primarily on sophomores while Binghamton’s backcourt is manned by seniors Mike Gordon and Richard Forbes. The Bearcats’ leading scorer, however, is sophomore forward Lazar Trifunovic (14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg). I like the Jaspers to move their three-game win streak to four due to the fact that they’re at home (Binghamton is 3-10 on the road this season). Albany @ Canisius (Saturday, 7:30 PM) There’s no Jamar Wilson, but the Great Danes are still in third place in America East. The leader this season is Brian Lillis, a wing currently averaging sixteen points per game. In all, five Great Danes are averaging at least 7.7 points per game. Their opponent has one of the quickest guards in the MAAC in Frank Turner, but little has gone right this year for the 4-22 Golden Griffins. Losers of five straight games, I don’t think Canisius plays good enough defense (allowing 73.1 points per game) to end the skid in this one. Boston University @ St. Peter’s (Saturday, 2 PM) The Terriers have won six of their last seven, while the Peacocks have lost eleven of thirteen. SPC has one of the toughest competitors in the MAAC in senior Todd Sowell, but as a team they simply don’t defend well enough or take good enough care of the basketball (averaging sixteen turnovers per game). When you have four players scoring in double figures, turnovers are a sure way to keep your win total low. Corey Lowe, one of the best guards in America East, leads BU with eighteen points per game, but the improved play of freshman John Holland has been the catalyst for their recent run of good play. I like the Terriers to get a road win in this one.

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Big Week For Fairfield

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:48:45 -0800

Team of the Week:
Fairfield
Results:
W 66-61 @ Manhattan, W 68-59 vs. Iona

Don’t look now but the Stags are only one game out of third place in the crowded midsection of the MAAC standings. After the whipping they took at the hands of cellar dweller Canisius back on February 1^st, such a statement would seem to be a pipe dream, better to be left to next season. The key to the 2-0 week: junior guard Herbie Allen. In the two Fairfield victories, Allen averaged 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Allen’s numbers for the season: 8.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.8 apg. In Friday’s win at Manhattan, Allen posted his first career double-double with fifteen points and ten boards.

On Sunday, sophomore forward Anthony Johnson chipped in with sixteen points and five rebounds in the Stags’ nine-point win. Fairfield won the game thanks to an outstanding defensive effort in the second half, limiting the Gaels to twenty-nine percent from the field in the final stanza. The two wins give Fairfield an 8-6 conference record, just one game behind the three-team logjam for third place. And just as important as staying within striking distance of Marist, Niagara and Loyola (MD) is the fact that they now are two games clear of seventh, since teams 7-10 have to play on the opening Friday of the MAAC Tournament.

Honorable Mention:
Columbia (wins over Penn and Princeton); St. John’s (2-0 week in the Big East without Anthony Mason Jr.); Yale (2-0 weekend in the Ivy League).

Player of the Week:
Jason Thompson (Rider)
Numbers for the Week:
18 points, 14 rebounds vs. Niagara, 26 points, 24 rebounds vs. Siena

Thompson becomes the first repeat winner this season and rightfully so as the senior averaged 22 points and 19 rebounds per game in two contests. Unfortunately for the Broncs, his Herculean effort on Sunday wasn’t enough to keep their win streak alive, falling 80-77 to Siena at Alumni Gymnasium. The preseason choice for MAAC Player of the Year may have all but sewn up the end of season honor with Sunday’s effort, the third time this season in which he has gone for more than twenty points and twenty rebounds in a game. Thompson has amassed sixteen double-doubles this season, and it’s a safe bet that a few more are on their way.

Honorable Mention:
Antoine Agudio (Hofstra): 23.5 ppg, 3.0 apg in two games; Herbie Allen (Fairfield): 15.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg in two games; Manny Ubilla (Fairleigh Dickinson): 20.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.0 apg in two games.
　

　

Turnaround of the Week:
Fairleigh Dickinson winning at St. Francis (PA), just two night after losing at Robert Morris by fifty.

When you have to play a game without three starters and have only eight players available, bad things can happen. This was the situation for Tom Green and the FDU Knights heading into their game at Robert Morris, one of the best teams in the NEC. But to get beat by fifty points (95-45) is something that can sink a team’s season on the spot. But credit the Knights for not only showing up two days later at St. Francis (PA) but managing to win the game 79-61. Two days after allowing RMU to shoot fifty-four percent from the field, FDU held the Red Flash to thirty-five percent from the field, completing the sixty-eight point turnaround.

　

Other Observations on the week

Just two games after getting Paul Gause back from a broken hand; Seton Hall has now lost him for the year to a torn ACL.
Gause only saw three minutes of action in their home loss to Notre Dame due to the knee injury, leaving Bobby Gonzalez to figure out how to make up for the loss of his best defensive player. Gause could wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor, harassing opposing guards into making poor decisions with the basketball. While Eugene Harvey and Brian Laing are adept at stealing the ball as well, they are also Seton Hall’s two best offensive options, which may mean that more may be expected defensively from Larry Davis, Jamar Nutter and Jeremy Hazell.

St. John’s is now on a three-game win streak, with the last two coming without Anthony Mason Jr.
Just when it looked like the Red Storm would be spending another March watching the Big East Tournament, they’ve put together a three-game win streak. Making the current run all the more impressive is the absence of leading scorer Anthony Mason Jr., currently out with a sprained ankle. How have the Red Storm done it? Balanced scoring and taking better care of the basketball.

At least three players have scored in double figures in each of the three wins, and St. John’s turned the ball over an average of ten times per game. For the season, the Red Storm are averaging fifteen miscues per game. Now they’re only one game out of a spot in the top twelve, something that didn’t seem to be within reach as recently as two weeks ago.

Hofstra puts up its best defensive effort of the season in holding Georgia State to forty-five points.
The previous low for points allowed in a game this season for Hofstra was fifty-eight, reached twice in wins over Drexel and Delaware. But Saturday’s home effort against the Panthers took the cake, and not just because of the point total. The Pride, allowing teams to shoot forty-one percent from the field for the year, held Georgia State to thirty-four percent shooting while forcing twenty turnovers. While Hofstra had eighteen turnovers of their own, their work on the other end of the floor allowed them to get away with it. If they can continue to force turnovers, their remaining schedule sets up for them to make some headway in the CAA standings, important when it comes to seeding in the conference tournament.

Yale and Columbia get weekend sweeps in Ivy League play.
Not saying that their 2-0 weeks make them challengers to Cornell for the league’s automatic berth, but it was a good weekend for both the Bulldogs and the Lions. In Columbia’s win over Penn on Friday night, three Lions reached double figures, led by Niko Scott’s nineteen. John Baumann added 18 and K.J. Matsui seventeen in the 74-58 win. And despite seventeen from Lincoln Gunn, Columbia held off Princeton 58-53 on Saturday.

Yale also got both of their wins at home, making short work of both Harvard and Dartmouth. Matt Kyle, despite playing only sixteen minutes, led the Bulldogs with 19 points in their 97-58 win over Dartmouth. Can these two keep the momentum rolling? Yale visits Penn and Princeton next week, while Columbia hits the road for Harvard and Dartmouth. But followers of the program should be encouraged by the recent results.

Games to keep an eye on

Wagner @ Quinnipiac (Monday, 7:30 PM)

One game separates these two in the NEC standings as both hope to make a run at Sacred Heart and Robert Morris. The Bobcats have one of the league’s most explosive scorers in DeMario Anderson, currently averaging 20.9 points per game. Wagner, coming off of an overtime win at Mount St. Mary’s, is 8-4 on the road this season.

#16 Marquette @ Seton Hall (Tuesday, 7:30 PM; ESPN Full Court)

The Pirates will look to end their current two-game skid when the Golden Eagles show up at The Rock. We all know about the firepower these two teams possess in their respective backcourts, but keep an eye on the frontcourt during this one. Anything these two teams can get from the likes of Ousmane Barro (Marquette) and the trio of Augustine Okosun, John Garcia and Mike Davis (Seton Hall) will be a bonus. If the Pirates are to entertain any thoughts of making a run at a postseason bid, they need this game.

Sacred Heart @ Wagner (Thursday, 7 PM)

Two of the main competitors in the NEC get together on Staten Island. Sacred Heart has now won eight straight games, and a win in their second-to-last road game of the season would put them in very good shape when it comes to winning the regular season crown. Wagner, depending on what happens against Quinnipiac, may need this one to bolster their chances of hosting a game in the NEC Tournament.

Marist @ Manhattan (Friday, 8 PM; ESPNU)

Within the crowded middle of the MAAC standings sits Marist with a 9-5 league record, and they’ll need another road win in the second of four straight away from Poughkeepsie. It’ll also be worth watching to see whether or not Louie McCroskey returns from an ankle injury suffered against Loyola (MD). As for the home standing Jaspers, they’re only 4-7 at Draddy Gymnasium this season.

Villanova @ St. John’s (Saturday, 8 PM; ESPN Classic)

The Red Storm will have a chance to get their win streak up to four in a game matching two teams in desperate need of wins at this point in the season. Both are in danger of missing the Big East Tournament, something the Wildcats have never done. Unfortunately for St. John’s, this has become commonplace in recent years. While the Johnnies have done a better job of taking care of the basketball, it’s been the failure to do so along with many defensive lapses that had Villanova mired in a five-game skid before their win over Seton Hall. Should be an entertaining affair from the Garden.

Charlotte @ Fordham (Sunday, 6 PM)

Speaking of teams struggling to simply qualify for their conference tournament, there’s the plight of the Fordham Rams. Currently just one game up in the loss column on George Washington for twelfth in the Atlantic 10, Fordham hosts a Charlotte team hoping to make a late run at an NCAA bid. Two of the better players in the conference, G Leemire Goldwire and F/C Bryant Dunston, will be on display in this one. With this game coming before a two-game road swing to St. Louis and Temple, the Rams must have this one.

Updated Rankings (previous week in parentheses)

1. Sacred Heart (3)

2. Rider (1)

3. Seton Hall (2)

4. Wagner (5)

5. Yale (7)

6. Army (6)

7. Marist (7)

8. Columbia (11)

9. St. John’s (12)

10. Iona (8)

11. Fordham (10)

12. Fairfield (15)

13. Rutgers (9)

14. LIU (13)

15. Hofstra (16)

16. FDU (14)

17. Monmouth (17)

18. Princeton (18)

19. Manhattan (21)

20. St. Peter’s (20)

21. St. Francis-NY (19)

22. Stony Brook (22)

23. NJIT (23)

Some weekly honors in the Northeast

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:59:03 -0800

Team of the Week: Rhode Island Results: Providence (W: 77-60), @ Syracuse (W: 91-89) These two key wins put the Rams at 10-1 on the season, and truth be told they should have been ranked in both polls this week. But for the critics who pointed to their schedule as a reason to overlook their start, here are two impressive "resume" wins. Jim Baron, who has to rank up there with some of the more underrated coaches in the country (in terms of the mainstream), took a chance last season by letting these Rams run. The end result there was a trip to the Atlantic 10 final, and more success has come this season. Guard Jimmy Baron and forward Will Daniels lead a solid group of offensive options, one that would make Frank Keaney and his "two points a minute" teams quite proud. Overlooked in the polls, but people had better keep tabs on the Runnin' Rams. Player of the Week: G/F Charron Fisher (Niagara) Stats: 36 pts, 8 rebounds against Rider (W: 89-77); 31 pts, 12 rebounds at Towson (L: 75-72) To be frank, Fisher, a senior from Pennsauken, NJ was a man among boys this past week. In their MAAC opener, Rider had no answer for his versatility. The same goes for Towson, but they were able to get the hard-fought win. Think being 230 pounds relegates Fisher to being an undersized banger inside? Well, he went 8-12 from behind the arc against Rider. Teams within the MAAC have known for a couple of seasons that they've got their hands full with Fisher. Let's see if St. John's is up to the challenge on Saturday. Surprising Score of the Week: Iona 92, Loyola (MD) 68 Iona, in their first season under Kevin Willard, was expected to be an improved team. Well, when you only win two games the previous season, there really isn't anywhere to go but up. But to drop this kind of beating on a team picked by many to contend for the MAAC title is an eye-opener. Four Gaels reached double figures, led by Dexter Gray's 18 off the bench, and Iona shot 59% from the field while limiting the Greyhounds to 32.7%. Besides Gerald Brown, who put up 31, not much went right for Loyola in a game that got out of hand in the first half (halftime score: 49-24). Loyola went the first 4:49 without a field goal, and then topped that with a 5:46 drought to start the second half. One question to think about: what if Loyola doesn't go 27-33 from the charity stripe? Ouch. This win along with their close loss at Siena two days later (81-76) shows that Coach Willard has this program headed in the right direction, despite their 2-7 record. Some other notes on teams in the Northeast: - St. Francis (NY) has been relying too much on the three point shot. Heading into their game at Columbia tonight, the Terriers were 64-for-202 from distance, good for 31.7%. All of last season, SFC attempted 440. With a player the caliber of forward Robert Hines, there should not be this many attempts from beyond the arc. But Hines isn't absolved of any guilt in this either. In 06-07, Hines attempted 106 three-pointers. Through ten games, he's already attempted 52...and made 15. Until the Terriers as a whole commit to attacking the basket, they will have a hard time ending their four-game losing skid. - LIU has replaced the scoring of James Williams by committee. Quite a few people, yours truly included, didn't expect much from the Blackbirds with the graduation of James Williams. But after a win tonight at New Hampshire, LIU is 6-3. Four Blackbirds are averaging at least 10.6 points per game, led by senior forward Kellen Allen at 12.1. Last season, Allen averaged a meager 4.4 points per game. While it's too early to expect LIU to contend for the NEC crown, the wide-open nature of the league combined with their early start means that we shouldn't rule this team out just yet. - Also, keep an eye on Maryland- Baltimore County. The Retrievers have gotten off to a good start this season, possessing a record of 7-2 heading into their game at Central Connecticut State tomorrow night. UMBC holds wins over the likes of Richmond, George Washington and Morgan State, and while that may not be an impressive list, keep in mind that they won twelve games all of last season. Four Retrievers average at least fourteen points per game, led by guard Brian Hodges (18.8 ppg). Also, it doesn’t hurt to shoot 44.4% as a team from behind the arc. It’ll be interesting to see if they average of 79.7 points per game holds up in America East play as well.

NYC Metro Preview: #13 Iona

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:25:46 -0800

13. Iona (2006-07 Record: 2-28, 1-17 MAAC)

Head coach: Kevin Willard

Returning Starters: 3- G De’Shaune Griffin (sophomore): 6-0, 160; G Milan Prodanovic (sophomore): 6-2, 180; F Devon Clarke (junior): 6-6, 205.

Team Stats & Info

Roster

People had a good idea that the Gaels would take a step back in 2006-07 after going to the NCAA Tournament the previous. It’s not easy to replace the likes of Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver. But an injury-riddled freefall? Well, that’s what happened to the Gaels, leading to the departure of Jeff Ruland as head coach. In comes Kevin Willard, a longtime assistant under Rick Pitino at Louisville. Helping the Gaels cause this season will be the return of three major pieces to their machine: G Kyle Camper (7.0 ppg, 4.7 apg) and forwards Dexter Gray (10.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.3 apg) and Gary Springer (redshirted in 2006-07; 23 starts in 05-06). Camper and Springer missed either most of or all of last season due to injury, while Gray sat out the first semester due to his transfer from St. John’s, only to become academically ineligible after four games.

The injuries meant that youngsters such as F Devon Clarke (7.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), G De’Shaune Griffin (4.9 ppg, 2.0 apg), G Milan Prodanovic (7.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and F Kevin Hassett (3.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg) had to step into roles that proved overwhelming at times. With these youngsters a year older and a year wiser, look for them to be better prepared to contribute. Camper will once again be given the ball at the point, but who is alongside him in the backcourt is up for debate. Starting Griffin may allow Camper to play some more off the ball, while Prodanovic played more as a two last season but needs to improve his shooting. Hassett, who stands at 6-8, is a forward who can knock down shots from behind the arc. And in freshmen Rashon Dwight (Bloomfield, NJ) and Andre Tarver (Bronx, NY), Iona will have two young guards more than capable of breaking into the rotation.

Up front, you can pretty much put Gray and Springer in the starting lineup, with either the aforementioned Clarke or Hassett starting at the three. But the depth up front took a hit when sophomore Alejo Rodriguez (7.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), who led all MAAC freshmen in rebounding last season, had back surgery this past off-season. Rodriguez, who was hampered with back issues last season, will redshirt this year. Also available is senior John Kelly, who stands at seven feet tall. Kelly has recovered well from off-season shoulder surgery and should be able to contribute some minutes this year.

Looking at the Gaels’ schedule, they begin the season with four straight games on the road, including back-to-back roadies against North Carolina (November 18^th) and Old Dominion (November 20^th) as part of the Las Vegas Invitational. The tournament will send them to Vegas for games against South Carolina State and either Hartford or Jackson State the 23^rd and 24^th. Other non-conference games of note include back-to-back road games against Louisville (December 29^th) and Vanderbilt (December 31^st), and another appearance in ESPNU BracketBusters on February 23^rd. Of their first fourteen games, eleven will be away from the Hynes Athletic Center.

2007-08 Prospects

This season is all about becoming acquainted with the way that Coach Willard wants things done, but don’t think for a second that the Gaels won’t be competitive. There’s some talent on the roster that didn’t get to show much last season, and the players thrust into prominent roles last season have a year’s experience under their belts. But to ask a team with limited interior depth to make a serious move up the conference standings with a new head coach may be a bit too much to ask right now. Iona will be a better basketball team this season, and hopefully the injury bug won’t bite them too often.

Complete NYC Metro Preview & Ranking

Iona hires new assistant, and a great attendance policy at Georgia

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:33:57 -0700

According to Dick "Hoops" Weiss of the New York Daily News, Iona has hired former Seton Hall point guard Shaheen Holloway as an assistant coach. Holloway spent last season at his alma mater, helping out first year head coach Bobby Gonzalez in South Orange as a graduate assistant. With the amount of youth in the Gaels' backcourt, this is a very good hire. Iona had trouble in the backcourt last season due to injuries and inexperience. Returnees such as Milan Prodanovic, Mike Harris and De'Shaune Griffin should benefit from Holloway's presence on the staff. Iona also added two transfers to their incoming class this spring, signing forward Jonathan Huffman (Montgomery, AL; Louisville) and guard Kashif Pratt (New York, NY; Seton Hall) to go along with incoming freshmen guards Rashon Dwight (Bloomfield, NJ) and Andre Tarver (Bronx, NY). That makes three natives of the NYC metropolitan area for Coach Willard in his first recruiting class, a sign that Iona will continue to have a strong recruiting presence in the area. As for Georgia, athletic director Damon Evans has come up with a novel way to limit unexcused class and academic meeting absences by his student-athletes: fines. Yes, athletes can now be fined at UGA for missing classes and academic meetings, having to pony up $10 for an offense. Has it worked? Well, for the the first time in school history more than half the school's athletes achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Also, the number of credits earned by athletes this spring (954) blew last spring's number (770) out of the water. This is something that other athletic departments are looking into, and rightfully so. It's easy for someone to ignore a verbal warning, be it for missing class or committing poor acts on or off the field of play. But when you can lose money, you've got to pay attention. Link to the article: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2896480 In soccer news, the Gold Cup got underway last night, with two games in the Orange Bowl. In Group A action, Canada beat Costa Rica 2-1, and Guadaloupe and Haiti played to a 1-1 draw. The United States begins their quest to defend their 2005 title against Guatemala tonight at 9 PM EST, The game can be seen on Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision.

It's official, Kevin Willard to Iona

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 07:29:19 -0700

This morning, Iona College announced that Louisville assistant Kevin Willard will be the new basketball coach. Go to www.iona.edu/gaels for more details as the day progresses.

Ruland, Iona announce terms of contract settlement

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:20:41 -0700

In a joint written statement released today, Iona College and former head basketball coach Jeff Ruland have come to a mutual agreement on the terms of a contract settlement for the last two years of his contract. In his nine years in New Rochelle, Ruland led his alma mater to three MAAC titles and three NCAA Tournaments. “In the collegiate sports arena, change is a constant. The fact that Jeff was a member of the coaching staff of the men’s basketball program for twelve years, nine as a head coach, is indicative of our mutual loyalty, respect, commitment and fondness,” stated the school's president, Brother James A. Ligouri, CFC. “After careful thought and consideration, Iona felt the need to take the men’s basketball program in a different direction and Jeff felt it was time to move on to other opportunities. Thus, we were able to reach a settlement agreement on the final two years of his contract. As expected, Jeff was an absolute gentleman during this process,” Liguori said. Both sides refused to comment on the terms of the agreement, but both allowed that the agreement was amicable. “The negotiations could not have been more amicable. Iona has shown a great deal of respect for Jeff, and these feelings are mutual. I am sure that Jeff will always be a favorite son of Iona, and he certainly will always be a Gael at heart,” said Ruland's attorney, Rob Ades. Quotes taken from the Iona College press release, which can be found here: http://www.iona.edu/gaels/story.cfm?id=3313

Ruland reportedly out at Iona

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:28:41 -0700

According to the New York Post, Iona will relieve mens basketball coach Jeff Ruland of his head coaching duties. Ruland, 139-134 in nine seasons at his alma mater, is currently on vacation in Caribbean and any announcement regarding the direction of the program will be delayed until he returns. One year after the Gaels went 23-8 and represented the MAAC in the NCAA Tournament, injuries hit the team hard to the tune of a 2-28 record. If the report is indeed true, Iona will pay Ruland $1.2 million to buy out the remaining two years of his contract. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aA..usFa5U10&refer=amsports

Metro Basketball Report & Ranking

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:41:03 -0800

Well, we have now hit the stretch run of the basketball season. BracketBusters is completed, and the New York City area schools involved in the event went 4-2 overall. While the MAAC took a weekend off from conference play, the NEC attempted to get some sense of order in the middle of the league standings. Sacred Heart, Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner all find themselves jockeying for seeding in the eight-team conference tournament, and Long Island and St. Francis (NY) need wins and help in order to qualify.

In the Big East, St. John’s is getting closer to the Big East Championship, holding a three game edge in the win column over 13^th place. Who’s in thirteenth? Seton Hall, and with two games separating the Pirates from a Connecticut team that they’ve already lost to, things don’t look too good for Bobby Gonzalez’s club. In the Atlantic 10, Fordham is stuck in the middle of the pack record-wise, and where they could end up in terms of seeding by the end of next weekend is still to be decided. Army and Stony Brook find themselves at the bottom of the Patriot and America East conferences, and they don’t figure to stick around their conference tournaments for too long.

In the Colonial, it’s going to be tough for Hofstra to make up their two-game deficit with two games to go, but they still need wins in order to ensure that they end up on the side of the bracket opposite first-place Virginia Commonwealth. Lastly, Columbia doesn’t have the luxury that other teams in the area have since the Ivy League doesn’t have a conference tournament. And with the Lions five game behind Pennsylvania in the loss column with five games (for the Quakers) to go, it looks like another year without an NCAA tournament for CU. Now here are a few games to keep an eye on over the next couple of days in the area.

Lafayette @ Army, Wednesday 7 PM EST

Yes, both teams are tied at the bottom of the Patriot League standings with 3-9 league records, but the winner of this contest will go a long way in avoiding the bottom two seeds in the conference tournament. All games in the tournament are played at the higher seed, and with the top two teams being Holy Cross and Bucknell (their order is still up in the air as well), any pipe dream of making a miracle three-game run would have to include finishing at least sixth in the league.

The Black Knights have lost their last seven, and with Bucknell visiting West Point to end the season three days later, they need this one for confidence reasons as much as for their record. The Leopards certainly aren’t hot right now either, going 3-11 in their last fourteen games. Expect this one to be a low scoring affair with the team doing the better job of limiting their turnovers getting the win.

Also: St. John’s @ Louisville.

Manhattan @ Siena, Thursday 7 PM EST

This one is big for seeding in the MAAC Tournament, as well as the fact that Siena is one of three teams one game (in the loss column) behind first-place Marist. Siena’s won six straight heading into this contest and a win at home over the Jaspers sets them up for a showdown at Marist on Saturday for a share of the regular season crown. The Jaspers have a lot to gain in terms of seeding as well, but if they want to play the role of spoiler they’d better make sure that all five Saint starters don’t reach double figures in points like they did in the first meeting, an 80-69 Saint win on January 21^st. Manhattan must have an answer for guard Kenny Hasbrouck, who went for 22 in the first meeting, if they are to keep this one close.

Also: Mount St. Mary’s @ Wagner.

St. Peter’s @ Iona, Friday 7 PM EST

An ESPNU audience will get to watch two area rivals get together in what should be an entertaining game despite their records. Iona has been hit hard by injuries and academic issues, but they silver lining in their cloud of a season has to be that freshmen are getting valuable experience for next year. St. Peter’s is also a young team that will have a lot of returnees next season, so this game could be a springboard into 2007-08 for both teams. And given the unpredictable nature of conference tournaments, one of these teams (or both) could pull an upset or two in Bridgeport next weekend.

Siena @ Marist, Saturday 11 AM EST

Yes, this game starts at eleven, but it also gets an ESPN2 audience. And depending on what Siena does against Manhattan on Thursday night, this one could be for a share of the MAAC regular season title. Marist won the first meeting between the two back on January 15^th thanks to twenty-four from their star guard Jared Jordan. But look out for reserve forward Wilfred Benjamin; better known as “Spongy” (this is one of the best nicknames in college basketball). Neither team relies heavily on their bench, but in his last four games Benjamin has averaged 11.2 points per game for the Red Foxes. The McCann Field House should be jumping for this one, regardless of the time of day.

Also: Fordham @ Rhode Island, Fairleigh Dickinson @ Wagner

Duke @ St. John’s, Sunday 2 PM EST

The Blue Devils make yet another trip north to take on the Red Storm, and this is one that St. John’s usually has no problem getting up for. This SJU team is nowhere near the teams of Artest and Bootsy Thornton that found a way to win at Cameron Indoor, but don’t expect Norm Roberts’ bunch to back down from this challenge. Lamont Hamilton will have his hands full with Josh McRoberts, but this one may ultimately be decided by how well Duke point guard deals with St. John’s guard Eugene Lawrence, one of the better defensive guards in the Big East. On paper, Duke should leave the Garden with a win, but you never know what can happen in this one.

Here are the updated rankings.

Marist (last week: 1): The Red Foxes took care of business last week, and they have a few extra days off before Siena comes to town on Saturday.
Hofstra (2): Hofstra got lucky at home on Senior Day, needing two free throws and a lost second block from Carlos Rivera to beat Holy Cross.
St. John’s (3): They lost a tough on at Providence last week, but the fact that none of the teams behind them did anything of note last week keeps the Red Storm at three.
Fairfield (4): The Stags have alternated wins and losses in their last five, but a win over St. Peter’s on Sunday could go a long way in giving the Stags a boost heading into the MAAC Tournament.
Sacred Heart (8): The Pioneers recovered nicely from their loss to CCSU by taking Mount St. Mary’s out behind the woodshed, then winning a close one over FDU.
Fairleigh Dickinson (7): They lost a tough one against Sacred Heart, but the Knights win over Central Connecticut State gave the rest of the NEC hope that someone could beat the Blue Devils come tournament time.
Fordham (5): The Rams ended their four-game skid by holding on at home against Duquesne on Sunday. Next up is a two game road swing at Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure.
Manhattan (6): The Jaspers have lost their last four games, and they need some kind of positive momentum to take into the MAAC Tournament next weekend.
Seton Hall (9): The Pirates haven’t played very well of late, but none of the teams behind them in this poll have either.
Wagner (11): The Seahawks won at St. Francis (PA), and then lost at Robert Morris. This team has had a hard time sustaining positive momentum throughout the season.
Columbia (10): The road sweep at the hands of Penn and Princeton pretty much ended the Lions’ chances to win the Ivy, not that the numbers were in their favor heading into the trip to begin with.
LIU (13): The Blackbirds, winners of three of their last four, are starting to wake up. Unfortunately for them, however, it may be too late to qualify for the NEC Tournament. The St. Francis (PA)/Robert Morris road swing wraps up the season.
St. Francis (NY) (12): The Terriers made a run at eighth, but it looks like with a two-game gap to make up in the final two games of the season, it may be too late. Don’t expect this team to be on the outside looking in next year, however.
Stony Brook (15): The Seawolves beat New Hampshire by eighteen on Sunday, but they’re going to have a much tougher time with Albany on Thursday night.
Army (14): The losing streak has hit seven, and if they want to end it before the season ends, they need to take care of Lafayette.
NJIT (16): The Highlanders, led by senior guard Clayton Barker, have gone 2-2 in their last four games.
St. Peter’s (17): The Peacocks found a way to beat Iona, but they weren’t so fortunate in their 59-58 loss at Tennessee-Martin.
Iona (17): The Gaels got their first road win of the season, 52-50 at Delaware. Yes, it was Delaware, but for this young team it’s still a good win.