Thursday, November 20, 2003
Boston Globe's assessment of the PL:
HOLY CROSS AT A GLANCE Coach: Ralph Willard (fifth year, 76-46 Last year: 26-5, 13-1 Patriot League (first place Returning starters: G Jave Meade, 6-1, Sr. (10.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg); C Nate Lufkin, 6-11, Jr. (5.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg).
Other returnees: G Greg Kinsey, 6-4, Jr. (4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg), G Kevin Hamilton, 6-4, So. (4.4 rpg, 2.2 rpg); C Neil Fingleton, 7-6, Jr. (2.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg); F Greg Richter, 6-7, Jr. (2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg); G/F John Hurley, 6-8, Jr. (1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg); G Michael Smiley, 6-3, Jr.
Newcomers: G Torey Thomas, 5-11, Fr., White Plains, N.Y.; G Keith Simmons, 6-4, Fr., Kingston, N.Y.; F Josh Kramer, 6-7, Fr., San Diego; F Joe Young, 6-6, Fr., Silver Spring, Md.
Outlook: Although the Crusaders must replace a trio of 1,000-point scorers in center Patrick Whearty, forward Tim Szatko, and guard Brian Wilson, they are the favorite to win a fourth straight Patriot League championship despite returning only one senior, Meade. Willard will surround his talented guard with a strong supporting cast led by Lufkin, who as a freshman was named the conference's Rookie of the Year, and Fingleton, a North Carolina transfer who last season averaged seven minutes in 21 games. The towering twosome will give the Crusaders intimidating size in the low post that they never had. The Crusaders hope it will be enough to help them get past the first round of the NCAA Tournament after three consecutive early exits courtesy of Kentucky, Kansas, and Marquette.
Patriot League outlook
(in predicted order of finish 1. Holy Cross
2. Lafayette - The Leopards will return four starters, including all-league senior Gs Winston Davis (16.3 ppg) and Justin DeBerry (13.8 ppg), who ranked second and seventh in the league in scoring. Seniors Rob Dill and Mike Farrell will be back to bolster the frontcourt.
3. Colgate - The Raiders will have a strong inside-out senior combination in 6-8 F Howard Blue, a preseason all-league first-teamer who returns as the league's only 1,000-point scorer (1,019), and senior 6-2 guard Mark Linebaugh, who is closing in on the mark with 886 career points.
4. American - Despite the loss of a pair of senior guards from last year's 16-14 team, the Eagles return senior G Andres Rodriguez and a deep frontcourt led by Fs Jernavis Draughn (8.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Matej Cresnik (7.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
5. Lehigh - Senior G Ra Tiah (8.2 ppg) is the lone holdover from last year's 16-12 squad that was regarded as the most improved in the league. Mitch Gilfillan (4.4 ppg), an All-Rookie Team selection last year, also returns.
6. Bucknell - Peabody's Kevin Bettencourt, the league's Rookie of the Year (11.1 ppg), headlines a group of 11 letter-winners from last year's 14-15 team. Senior Gs Matt Quinn, Chris Rodgers and junior F Chris Niesz averaged a combined 15 ppg last year.
7. Navy - Don DeVoe, who got his 500th career victory in the 2002-03 opener, will face a difficult challenge in replacing all five starters from last year's 8-20 team. Sophomore G David Hooper, an All-Rookie Team selection, ranks as the team's leading returning scorer (5.6 ppg).
8. Army - The Cadets have nowhere to go but up after going winless (0-14) in league play. Jim Crews, whose next victory will be the 300th of his career, returns a strong nucleus of three seniors, led by 6-3 G Sean O'Keefe (9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg)."
It's insulting to HC that a reporter for the Globe would say that they never had size in the low post-- I'm pretty sure that's what got them to the last 3 NCAAs. Apparently, the Globe reporter was too busy to know that last year's POY was a post player from HC. @ 11:26 AM
HOLY CROSS AT A GLANCE Coach: Ralph Willard (fifth year, 76-46 Last year: 26-5, 13-1 Patriot League (first place Returning starters: G Jave Meade, 6-1, Sr. (10.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg); C Nate Lufkin, 6-11, Jr. (5.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg).
Other returnees: G Greg Kinsey, 6-4, Jr. (4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg), G Kevin Hamilton, 6-4, So. (4.4 rpg, 2.2 rpg); C Neil Fingleton, 7-6, Jr. (2.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg); F Greg Richter, 6-7, Jr. (2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg); G/F John Hurley, 6-8, Jr. (1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg); G Michael Smiley, 6-3, Jr.
Newcomers: G Torey Thomas, 5-11, Fr., White Plains, N.Y.; G Keith Simmons, 6-4, Fr., Kingston, N.Y.; F Josh Kramer, 6-7, Fr., San Diego; F Joe Young, 6-6, Fr., Silver Spring, Md.
Outlook: Although the Crusaders must replace a trio of 1,000-point scorers in center Patrick Whearty, forward Tim Szatko, and guard Brian Wilson, they are the favorite to win a fourth straight Patriot League championship despite returning only one senior, Meade. Willard will surround his talented guard with a strong supporting cast led by Lufkin, who as a freshman was named the conference's Rookie of the Year, and Fingleton, a North Carolina transfer who last season averaged seven minutes in 21 games. The towering twosome will give the Crusaders intimidating size in the low post that they never had. The Crusaders hope it will be enough to help them get past the first round of the NCAA Tournament after three consecutive early exits courtesy of Kentucky, Kansas, and Marquette.
Patriot League outlook
(in predicted order of finish 1. Holy Cross
2. Lafayette - The Leopards will return four starters, including all-league senior Gs Winston Davis (16.3 ppg) and Justin DeBerry (13.8 ppg), who ranked second and seventh in the league in scoring. Seniors Rob Dill and Mike Farrell will be back to bolster the frontcourt.
3. Colgate - The Raiders will have a strong inside-out senior combination in 6-8 F Howard Blue, a preseason all-league first-teamer who returns as the league's only 1,000-point scorer (1,019), and senior 6-2 guard Mark Linebaugh, who is closing in on the mark with 886 career points.
4. American - Despite the loss of a pair of senior guards from last year's 16-14 team, the Eagles return senior G Andres Rodriguez and a deep frontcourt led by Fs Jernavis Draughn (8.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Matej Cresnik (7.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
5. Lehigh - Senior G Ra Tiah (8.2 ppg) is the lone holdover from last year's 16-12 squad that was regarded as the most improved in the league. Mitch Gilfillan (4.4 ppg), an All-Rookie Team selection last year, also returns.
6. Bucknell - Peabody's Kevin Bettencourt, the league's Rookie of the Year (11.1 ppg), headlines a group of 11 letter-winners from last year's 14-15 team. Senior Gs Matt Quinn, Chris Rodgers and junior F Chris Niesz averaged a combined 15 ppg last year.
7. Navy - Don DeVoe, who got his 500th career victory in the 2002-03 opener, will face a difficult challenge in replacing all five starters from last year's 8-20 team. Sophomore G David Hooper, an All-Rookie Team selection, ranks as the team's leading returning scorer (5.6 ppg).
8. Army - The Cadets have nowhere to go but up after going winless (0-14) in league play. Jim Crews, whose next victory will be the 300th of his career, returns a strong nucleus of three seniors, led by 6-3 G Sean O'Keefe (9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg)."
It's insulting to HC that a reporter for the Globe would say that they never had size in the low post-- I'm pretty sure that's what got them to the last 3 NCAAs. Apparently, the Globe reporter was too busy to know that last year's POY was a post player from HC. @ 11:26 AM
