Rider

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Season Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:33:14 -0500

Raphielle Johnson's Metro preview & weekly Metro rankings & updates are a staple of fans in NYC's tri-state region. To get things going, here is Raphielle's 23 team NYC Metro preseason ranking and all-Metro teams. Individual team previews will up shortly!

Preseason Metro Ranking

*CHN Top 144 previews by Joel Welser. All other Metro previews by Raphielle Johnson.

Preseason Metro Honors

It's time to project some honors in the metropolitan area, which will not be lacking on the perimeter this season. No matter where you turn there seems to be a quality perimeter player on the horizon with the ability to lead their team to a successful season. And given the overall lack of big men, that's a good thing. No players from teams in the poll were selected as their conference's preseason player of the year, but a few did receive preseason honors and could very well lift up that hardware come March. Here are the first-, second-, third- and all-rookie teams for the 2008-09 season.

First Team (Player of the Year in italics)

G Eugene Harvey (Seton Hall)

G Charles Jenkins (Hofstra)

F Anthony Mason Jr. (St. John's)

F Ryan Thompson (Rider)

C Hamady N'Diaye (Rutgers)

Second Team

G Antoine Pearson (Manhattan)

G Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall)

G Jonathan Han (Fairfield)

F Justin Burrell (St. John's)

F Ross Morin (Yale)

Third Team

G Harris Mansell (Rider)

G Patrick Foley (Columbia)

G Jaytornah Wisseh (Long Island)

F Devon Austin (Manhattan)

F Gary Springer (Iona)

All-Rookie Team (Rookie of the Year in italics)

G Mike Rosario (Rutgers)

G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)

G Jiovanny Fontan (Fordham)

F Greg Echinique (Rutgers)

F Miklos Szabo (Hofstra)

MAAC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:04:06 -0500

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Conference Rank: 15th

10 year average: 17th

MAAC Conference Page

All-MAAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Kenny Hasbrouck	Siena	Sr
G	Tyrone Lewis	Niagara	Jr
G/F	Ryan Thompson	Rider	Jr
F	Edwin Ubiles	Siena	Jr
F	Alex Franklin	Siena	Jr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Kenny Hasbrouck Ryan Thompson Edwin Ubiles		Points: Kenny Hasbrouck 16.2 Rebounds: Alex Franklin 7.8 Assists: Jonathan Han (Fairfield) 6.2

MAAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

45	Siena**	MAAC	1	NCAA
101	Niagara	MAAC	2
120	Rider	MAAC	3
140	Fairfield	MAAC	4
172	Manhattan	MAAC	5
200	Loyola Md	MAAC	6
235	Iona	MAAC	7
268	Marist	MAAC	8
303	Canisius	MAAC	9
318	St. Peter's	MAAC	10

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MAAC?

Other MAAC Content

Head Coach Q&A's

Fran McCaffery: Siena

Conference Media Poll

Other

Rise & Fall: MAAC

State of 08: New York

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the MAAC?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:06:01 -0400

State of '08: New Jersey

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:13:42 -0400

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

NEW JERSEY

SETON HALL - Despite producing legendary prep talent, New Jersey has never been a collegiate powerhouse. Seton Hall is tops in the state, but the Pirates are in the midst of a very mediocre run. Louis Orr led the Pirates to NCAA Tournaments in 2004 & 2006 (and the NIT in 2003). Despite that decent record, Orr was sacked after five seasons and replaced by Bobby Gonzalez. In two years, Gonzalez does not have a postseason trip under his belt, but an NIT bid is possible in 2009. If the Hall miss out on the NIT, which is more likely than not, Gonzalez might be writing for Collegehoops.net next year..

RUTGERS - Like Bobby Gonzalez above, Fred Hill has done little to quiet the skeptics. Gary Waters led Rutgers to three NIT trips, but like Orr, he was sacked after five years. Rutgers has finished below 200th in the RPI the previous two years (60 spots worse than any of Waters' teams), and has just six Big East wins combined. The Knights lost to in-state rivals Saint Peter's & Rider, and barely avoided an embarrassing loss to lowly Dartmouth. But hope seems to spring eternal at Rutgers, and fans are hoping highly rated freshmen Rosario and Echenique actually pan out.

MONMOUTH - Like NEC rival FDU, Monmouth is coming off a down season with just 7 wins and a 4-14 league record. But from 2001 to 2006, this was the NEC's best team with tourney trips in 01, 04, and 06.

RIDER - The Broncs set a record with 23 wins in 07-08, and advanced to the newly created CBI, losing to Old Dominion. Now that Jason Thompson has graduated, a more typical 10-8 type finish in the MAAC should be expected. Rider hasn't been to one of the long-time postseason tournaments since the 1998 NIT.

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON - Veteran head coach Tom Green is still chugging along. Every few seasons, when you least expect it, FDU makes a serious run in the Northeast Conference. Last year, unfortunately, was not one of those good runs, as the Knights limped to a 4-14 league record (the 2nd worst in Green's 20+ year career). In 2005 FDU made the Tournament, which was followed up by the program's first NIT trip in 2006.

6. PRINCETON - Its amazing to think that Princeton dominated the Ivy League up until a few short seasons ago. The Tigers finished 331st in the RPI last year, the 2nd season in a row they finished at the bottom of the conference. Second-year coach Sydney Johnson will have a hard time cleaning up the mess left by Joe Scott.

7. SAINT PETER'S - Outside of Keydren Clark's legendary career which peaked from 2004-2006, Saint Peter's has been one of the country's worst programs in the last decade. The last two seasons have been particularly bad, with just 11 combined D1 wins (though they did beat Rutgers as noted above). Unfortunately, many expect SPC to finish near the bottom of the MAAC once again.

* NJ Tech is not included, as all provisionals were not included in the State of '08 articles.

Last: Missouri - Next: New York

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

2008-09 Rider Basketball Preview: #120

Joel Welser — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:43:17 -0400

Rider Broncs

Overall Rank: #120

Conference Rank: #3 Metro Atlantic

2007-08: 23-11, 13-5, 1^st

2007-08 postseason: CBI

Rider cannot lose a player like Jason Thompson and be better. Thompson, who was drafted 12^th overall by the Sacramento Kings, averaged 20.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks during his last season with the Broncs. But the proverbial cupboard is nowhere near empty. Coach Tommy Dempsey’s team will take a step back this year, but they can also begin to cement themselves as an upper echelon team in the conference.

Who’s Out:

Besides Thompson, Rider only lost a couple roleplayers. Forward Joel Green and guard Kamron Warner averaged around ten minutes per game. Green’s experience would be helpful for what is now an inexperienced group, but Rider fans will only be focusing on the absence of Thompson…and rightfully so.

Who’s In:

Can any of the newcomers at least play Thompson’s old position? At 6-8, Jermaine Jackson certainly has the size to play the five spot in the MAAC. However, the lefty is not your traditional big man. Jackson can knock down the three-pointer and use his athleticism to get to the basket off the dribble. His skills put him at the small forward spot, but his size will force him into the four and five spots for now. But it is not like having a 6-8 guy who can shoot the ball and beat opposing big guys off the dribble is a bad thing. Brandon Penn and Novar Gadson will add some size to the wings. Unless Rider plays small a lot, which is very possible, Penn and Gadson will be a ways down the depth chart this season. A.J. Fofanah, a walk-on guard, will also be suiting up for the Broncs this year.

Who to Watch:

He might be shorter, but Ryan Thompson is hardly the forgotten Thompson brother. At least he will not end up that way. As a sophomore last year, the younger Thompson ranked second only to his brother in points, rebounds and blocked shots. The 6-6 guard also dished out a 3.4 assists and had 1.7 steals per contest…both team highs. There will still be a Thompson leading this team and he will have plenty of other weapons in the backcourt. Harris Mansell is a superb shooter from beyond the arc and Justin Robinson showed plenty of promise during his freshman year running the point. Add Lamar Johnson, Matt Griffin and Harris’ brother, Patrick, to the mix and Rider has a ton of depth and experience on the perimeter.

Final Projection:

They will need that experience in the backcourt since Mike Ringgold is the lone returning forward on the roster who played more than four minutes a game last year. Ringgold, a 6-7 sophomore, started all but one game as a freshman and proved to be a capable scorer around the basket and a tough rebounder. His airball to hit free-throw ratio is way too close to even and he only hit 31.5 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe. If Ringgold expects to become a better scorer around the basket, which he is very capable of doing, he will have to start hitting his free-throws much, much more consistently. It is possible that Ringgold could play the five spot and Thompson could play the four. It will be a little different for Rider running a four guard offense, but having a 6-6 guard like Thompson, who has plenty of toughness and defensive versatility, will make it much easier. That will be the only way to get the best five players on the floor at the same time, especially while the newcomers adjust to their roles, so do not be surprised to see the Broncs play small from time to time.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Justin Robinson, Sophomore, Guard, 6.4 points per game

Harris Mansell, Senior, Guard, 13.7 points per game

Lamar Johnson, Senior, Guard, 4.6 points per game

Ryan Thompson, Junior, Guard, 15.0 points per game

Mike Ringgold, Sophomore, Forward, 7.1 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Draft Poll: Who Will be the First Mid-Major Prospect Selected?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:58:28 -0400

Jason Thompson: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:42:57 -0400

Jason Thompson

College: Rider

Class: Senior

Position: PF/C

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 250bs

Accolades: MAAC Player of the Year (08), MAAC Defensive Player of the Year (08), First Team All-MAAC (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American – CHN (08), First Team All-MAAC (07), MAAC Defensive Player of the Year (07), Second Team All-MAAC (06), MAAC All-Rookie Team (05).

Scouting Report: A big player, literally and figuratively, from a small conference.

Strengths: NBA size and length. Very athletic for a man his size. Nice looking jump shot. Good range on his jumper – can step out and hit college three-pointers. Good ball handler for his size – used to be a guard – late growth spurt. Decent post moves. Can put the ball on the floor and beat his man. Capable of explosive point and board games. Great shot-blocker.

Weaknesses: Played in a small conference – didn’t go up against NBA-level talent every night. Will be a big adjustment stepping up to the NBA. Can he guard bigger, stronger NBA post players? Free throw shooting touch took a real dive his senior year. Turnover prone. Needs to get a bit smoother with his post moves.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid first round to early second round pick.

Consensus: Players with Thompson’s size and ability don’t come out of the MAAC very often. While he will still be a work in progress due to the lower level of competition he played against, he could turn out to be a solid pro.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=23138

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential

= Potential NBA All-Star

= Consistent NBA Starter

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter

= Career Reserve

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues

More 2008 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

NYC Metro Ranking & Report: Year End Review

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:01:55 -0400

Well, another season is in the books, and it was a quiet postseason for metropolitan area schools as only Rider played in a postseason tournament. Alas, their season ended in the CBI with a loss at Old Dominion, but that shouldn’t take away from a season that saw them finish one game away from an NCAA Tournament bid. The injury bug, something that the Broncs didn’t have to deal with all season, came up and bit them during the MAAC Tournament, but they got to the final nonetheless. It was also a good year for Mike Deane’s Wagner Seahawks, who won twenty-three games and finished second in the Northeast Conference. But other than these two, no one else really had a good chance at qualifying for a postseason tournament, something they all look to work on changing as they head into the off-season. Now it’s time to hand out some awards.

Player of the Year: Jason Thompson (Rider)

Numbers: 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg

The senior forward from Mount Laurel, N.J., who also won MAAC Player of the Year honors for his efforts, was the centerpiece of the Broncs’ run to a share of the regular season title and a spot in the MAAC Tournament final. Thompson improved both his scoring and rebounding numbers from last season, which is saying something given the fact that he was college basketball’s lone returnee to average “twenty and ten” in 2006-07. Now come the pre-draft workouts for a young man thought by many to be a first-round draft pick, but Rider fans certainly won’t forget the impact that the 2,000-point scorer had on their program.

Coach of the Year: Mike Deane (Wagner)

Record: 23-8 (15-3, 2^nd NEC)

This was a tough one, as Tommy Dempsey of Rider has a strong case as well. But Coach Deane’s Seahawks were a factor in the NEC all season long, holding onto first place in the league for most of the first half of the conference slate. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to regain the services of forward Durell Vinson, but this was an excellent coaching job after last season’s 11-19 showing. But 2008-09 brings about the challenge of replacing three double figure scorers in Vinson, Mark Porter and James Ulrich.

Biggest Surprise: Fairfield

Record: 14-16 (11-7, t-5^th MAAC)

After watching the Stags wrap up a 7-14 start with an 88-60 pasting suffered at the hands of Canisius (who finished 6-25 on the season), it looked like Ed Cooley’s bunch was headed in the wrong direction. But from there they won seven straight and put themselves right in the thick of the MAAC title race heading into the season’s final week. Of course the loss at Rider ended any shot of getting a piece of the title, but it shouldn’t negate the way in which the Stags recovered from their start. I’ll be honest; after the Canisius loss I didn’t expect them to get up off the mat…but they did.

Biggest Disappointment: Fordham

Record: 12-17 (6-10, 12^th Atlantic 10)

For a few seconds I thought about St. Francis (NY), who returned a good amount of talent from last season yet failed to qualify for the NEC Tournament. But there’s no contest for what the Rams did this season. A preseason pick to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10, with five senior starters returning, Dereck Whittenburg’s team struggled to even qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Not really known as an explosive team on the offensive end of the floor to begin with, the Rams had their trouble on the defensive end of the floor in allowing opponents to shoot 45.5% from the field. Last season, teams shot 43.2% from the field, and Fordham led the A-10 in scoring defense (12^th in 2007-08). With the renaissance experiences by the Atlantic 10, the Rams had all the makings of a team that should have been right in the middle of such positive vibes. But they weren’t.

First-Team All-Metro

G Antoine Agudio (Hofstra) - 22.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.9 apg

Every opponent of the Pride knew who their primary scoring option was, but it didn’t seem to matter as Agudio paced Tom Pecora’s team in scoring this season and was a member of the CAA’s All-Conference Team (First Team). With Loren Stokes and Carlos Rivera both out of eligibility, the target was squarely on his chest every night. Out of the twenty-seven games Agudio played this season, he eclipsed twenty points in eighteen of those games and failed to reach double figures just once (six points in a win at Drexel). Antoine leaves Hofstra as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,276 points.

G Jarell Brown (Army) – 18.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 40.1% 3PT

A member of the Patriot League’s First-Team All-Conference squad, Brown received about as much attention from opponents as Agudio every night. His scoring average was nearly ten points per game more than the next highest Black Knight (Josh Miller- 8.4). A more than capable perimeter shooter throughout his career at West Point, Brown was able to become a more versatile offensive option, helping Jim Crews’ team reach the Patriot League Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive season.

F Brian Laing (Seton Hall) – 18.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 45.5% FG

Laing, a senior forward from the Bronx, was named to the Big East’s First-Team All-Conference squad this season due to his hard work on both ends of the floor. While he was the Pirates’ most consistent offensive option, he also had to pick up the slack on the glass due to their lack of size. In each of his four seasons in South Orange, his scoring and rebounding averages improved, and it became quite clear to opponents that if they wanted to beat the Pirates then slowing down Laing was a must.

F Bryant Dunston (Fordham) - 15.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.0 apg

In an otherwise disappointing season for the Rams, Dunston put up his best rebounding average of his career. If you want to round up the rebounds and give him the season double-double then I’ve got no problem with that; the man has earned it. He also improved his scoring by three points per game, making second-team All-Atlantic 10 in the process. Although five seniors are leaving Fordham, there should be no mistaking who the linchpin of that program has been: Dunston.

F Jason Thompson (Rider) – 20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg

Player of the Year for these rankings as well as the MAAC, Thompson was the focal point for the Broncs this season. Even when injuries to key contributors during the MAAC Tournament threatened to derail their run towards an NCAA Tournament berth, it was JT who led the way to the MAAC final. Yes, they lost to Siena with the automatic bid on the line, but it’s safe to say that they’re nowhere near that position without Jason’s efforts.

Final Rankings 1-5

1. Rider (23-11)

The Broncs, who were in the top spot for most of the season once they were added in January, finish the year atop the polls. They’re going to have to replace Jason Thompson (along with classmates Kam Warner and Kevin Hickman), but with player such as Ryan Thompson, Harris Mansell and Mike Ringgold slated to return Tommy Dempsey’s team should be in the middle of things in the MAAC.

2. Seton Hall (17-15)

It was an interesting ride for the Pirates, with a five-game winning streak and the resulting optimism giving way to the harsh reality that this team lacked the depth inside needed to make a move up the Big East standings. Add to this the suspension of head coach Bobby Gonzalez for next season’s conference opener due to his behavior during and after the home loss to Rutgers and you’ve got a program with some questions to answer in the off-season. Jordan Theodore is an outstanding guard who should help…but he’s a guard. Look for the Pirates to go after some size in the final days before the spring signing period ends.

3. Wagner (23-8)

Coach Mike Deane will have to replace a pair of first-team All-NEC honorees in Durell Vinson and Mark Porter, but he will have some others returning, such as Joey Mundweiler and Jamal Smith. I would peg this team as middle of the pack candidate right now, but you never know, especially when you factor in the drop Wagner took last year when they were without Vinson.

4. Marist (18-14)

So, who’s the head coach going to be next year? Matt Brady moved on to take the job at James Madison, immediately taking two assistants with him. The third, Rob O’Driscoll, will join him if he’s not chosen to take over the reigns of the Marist program. Besides changing coaches, they’ll have to figure out how to replace mainstays Ryan Stilphen, Spongy Benjamin and Ben Farmer. But there is a talented backcourt slated to be back in the form of MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year Jay Gavin and David Devezin.

5. Sacred Heart (17-13)

A team predicted by some to be the best that Dave Bike has coached in Sacred Heart’s Division I era (they won a national title at the Division II level) fell one game short of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. Four seniors leave the program; most notably guards Drew Shubik and Brice Brooks, and forward Luke Granato. Joey Henley was granted an additional season by the NCAA, making him a prime option in 2008-09. But has the window closed on the Pioneers? We’ll have to see about that.

Next: NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Two

Ranking 6-11

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Three

Ranking 12-1

NYC Metro Year End Review: Part Four

All-Rookie & Ranking 18-23

A Saint's Welcome: Siena Advances to NCAA Tournament

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:08:10 -0400

Albany, NY - Given the tight nature of the MAAC title race throughout the regular season, one that saw six teams finish within two games of first place, it would have been natural to expect a close final between co-champs Rider and Siena. However, the Saints' lone senior and birthday boy Tay Fisher made sure there would be no such drama. Taking all ten shots from behind the arc and making six, Fisher scored twenty-one points and helped lead Siena (22-10) to a 74-53 win in tonight's MAAC Tournament title game. Kenny Hasbrouck, named tournament MVP for his work over the weekend, finished with seventeen points and Edwin Ubiles scored fifteen.

Jason Thompson attempted to put Rider (23-10) on his back, but his 22 and 12 effort went for naught as the Saint pressure took control from about five minutes left in the first half on. "I thought they were disruptive with it (the trapping), but their offense was the difference," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey, and he had a point there as well. Siena shot 51.9% from the field for the game and knocked down nine three pointers. The Saints also forced sixteen Rider turnovers, scoring twenty-one points off of those Bronc miscues. But the true story on this night was the lone player to stick around after Fran McCaffrey took over for the recently removed Rob Lanier.

"He believed. He stayed (when everyone else left). Hasbrouck knew me for two weeks. I told him if he came, we'd do something special," said McCaffrey.

On Fisher's exploits tonight, Rider head coach stated that he "thought he broke open a competitive game late in the first half" with twelve points that helped move the Siena lead from 23-22 to 37-26 with 3:31 remaining in the half. From there the Saints rode a strong defensive effort to a 41-30 lead at the half. Siena also outscored Rider 17-4 in bench points, a stat that underlined both Fisher's shooting and the fact that the Broncs were without Ryan Thompson and had a hobbled Justin Robinson. On this night, however, it wouldn't have mattered who was on the floor. This was Tay's night.

So while Siena moves on to the NCAA Tournament, Rider is hopeful of receiving an NIT bid. And to be frank, they should.

"I hope it's not over. I think this team gets an NIT bid," said Coach Dempsey, and with a first-round draft pick and a school-record twenty-three wins as part of their resume there's no reason why the NIT wouldn't take the Broncs. There's also the newly-formed CBI, but no disrespect to the Gazelle Group I don't see a team turning down the NIT for the CBI. "I just told Tommy 'you're getting a bid'. They're a program that clearly deserves a postseason bid," said McCaffrey after the game.

Thus ends an exciting season of MAAC basketball. Expecting the birthday boy to blow out the candles? Sure. But a blowout in the title game? I don't think even the most optimistic of Saints supporters expected that.

Possible seed for Siena: 14 or 15.