Metro Atlantic Conference 2003-04 Season Recap
The Manhattan Jaspers for the second straight year finished atop the leader board with a 16-2 (25-6) record with the two conference losses coming on the road to Iona and Rider. Iona and Rider meanwhile had their fare share of problems this season. The Gaels (8-10, 11-18) never found a rhythm losing their two leading scorers during the season to off-the-court issues. The Broncs (10-8, 16-13) finished fifth but lost momentum heading into the tournament losing three of the last four.
Fairfield managed to catch a late season surge winning an impressive 10 of their last 12. The Stags finished with a 12-6 (19-10) record, good for third place. In second place was Niagara, picked by many (including myself) to win out this year over Manhattan (didn’t happen). The Purple Eagles (13-5, 19-8) finished strong with just two losses in February while St. Peter’s, led by the nations leading scorer Keydren Clark (NY, NY), finished fourth with a record of 12-6 (17-12).
Siena did not win a single game in December but the team hung tough and the Saints finished above .500 for the second half of the season, earning sixth place and a 9-9 (14-16) record. Canisius struggled as well but picked up victories over Fairfield and non-conference rival St. Bonaventure. The Griffs finished eighth with a 5-13 (10-20) record. Marist finished the season 4-14 (6-21) in eighth place while the Loyola Greyhounds, as expected, rounded out the conference finishing dead last with a woeful record of 1-17 (1-27).
All-Conference Team
G – Luis Flores, Manhattan (MVP), 24.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg
G – Keydren Clark, St. Peter’s, 26.7 ppg, 4.3 apg
F – Tremmel Darden, Niagara, 17.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
F – Michael Haddix, Siena, 15.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg
C – Rob Thomson, Fairfield, 13.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg
Metro Atlantic Tournament
The three first round games in Albany at the Metro Atlantic tournament went as expected with all the higher seeds advancing. Loyola was eliminated with a 75-67 loss to the Rider Broncs while Siena, led by Michael Haddix (Philadelphia, PA), defeated Marist 73-64. Coach Jeff Ruland and the Iona Gaels stole a 68-66 victory knocking out Canisius.
Second round action at the Pepsi Arena featured three nail biters including two overtimes. No. two Niagara defeated Iona 106-92 in overtime, and then St. Peter’s won in OT versus Rider, 79-69. Tim O’Toole, named the 2004 MAAC Coach of the Year, watched his Fairfield Stags lose a 66-63 down-to-the-wire battle with Siena.
Facing off in the semifinals would be Manhattan and St. Peter’s followed by Niagara and Siena on Sunday afternoon. Niagara proved too much for a smaller Siena Saints squad winning 79-74 and advancing to the championship game Monday evening. The Manhattan Jaspers received the bye all the way into the semis where they defeated Clark and his Peacocks, 83-72.
Manhattan, the 2004 MAAC tournament champions, saw a contest from the Purple Eagles. On the Deuce in front of a national audience the Purple Eagles actually put up a shot at the end of regulation to potentially win the game in thrilling fashion but the shot fell way short. The Jaspers celebrated their second consecutive championship title and the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
NCAA and NIT
The Manhattan Jaspers and the Niagara Purple Eagles continued their winning ways in postseason action. After last year’s first round loss in the NCAA tournament versus Syracuse, Manhattan had a sour taste left in their mouths. This year the Jaspers received a higher seed (12) in Raleigh, North Carolina and would face No. five Florida. Gonzalez knew he had a shot and his team came out fierce defeating the Gators in game one on day one of the NCAA tournament. Led by Flores’ 26 points, the Jaspers won 75-60 and awaited a Saturday, second round clash with Chris Paul (Lewisville, NC) and his fourth-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The Jaspers hung tough until the very end but would end their season with an 84-80 loss, an intense game featuring an exceptional performance from the freshman Paul.
The runner-up for the MAAC regular season and tournament titles, Niagara received an invitation to the NIT. The Purple Eagles defeated Troy State 87-83 in their first win since 1987 in the tournament. Senior guard Tremmel Darden (Las Vegas) scored a game-high 26 points, leading Niagara to a second-round appearance at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers eliminated Niagara by hitting free throws to close the books on a 78-70 victory. The Purple Eagles finished the season with a 22-10 overall record.
Defensive Player of the Year
C – Juan Mendez, Niagara Purple Eagles
Niagara’s 6-foot-8, 240-pound center had a stellar season and was the reason many opponents changed their strategy in games against the Purple Eagles. Mendez (Montreal, Quebec) averaged 8.6 rpg, half of them coming off the offensive glass. Mendez ranked second in the conference in blocked shots averaging 1.7 blocks per game for a total of 51 on the season. Mendez is well versed on offense as well, averaging 20.3 ppg and finishing third in the MAAC in field goal percentage (52%).
Freshman of the Year
G – Shane Nichols – St. Peter’s
Peacocks freshman Shane Nichols earned my pick for the Freshman of the Year award. Though Nichols (Radford, VA) will play the next three years in the shadow of backcourt teammate Keydren Clark, Nichols has accepted his title as a role player. The 6-foot guard averaged 10.6 ppg while shooting nearly 40 percent from three-land this season. Nichols has done a decent job distributing the ball to his teammates averaging nearly three assists per outing. He was one of just two players to earn multiple MAAC Rookie of the Week honors in 2004.
Coach of the Year
Tim O’Toole – Fairfield
Tim O’Toole is under investigation for giving “gifts” to players. He lost his star athlete junior forward Deng Gai to a season-ending injury and then O’Toole lost his leading scorer Terrence Todd to academic problems midway through the season. With plenty of problems surrounding the program, the Fairfield Stags managed a 19-11 overall record and a 12-6 record in conference. In his sixth season with the Stags, O’Toole produced back-to-back winning season for the first time since 1979.
Manhattan Jaspers
Before, during, and after the season, heading the campaign in the MAAC was Manhattan College. They finished with a stellar record of 16-2 in conference play posting a 25-6 mark overall. Luis Flores (NY, NY) was by far the playmaker finishing the season with averages of 24.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 27 starts. Flores ran the floor exceptionally well and it sure helped to have wingman Jason Wingate (2.4apg) in the half-court offense. David Holmes (D.C.) was the team’s leader on the glass pulling down 8.5 rpg including 12 caroms versus Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Jaspers will have a new-look team next season as starters Flores, Holmes, and Jason Benton are all graduating. Wingate, Peter Mulligan, and Mike Konovelchick will be counted upon in making Manhattan contenders again.
Niagara Purple Eagles
The Purple Eagles finished the season 13-5 in MAAC competition, 22-10 overall. Forward/center Juan Mendez (Montreal) was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder with 20.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Tremmel Darden had a phenomenal senior season and Puerto Rican native Alvin Cruz was a nice surprise at guard averaging a team-high 6.1 assists per game.
Niagara will lose two key starters in Darden and James Reaves but Mendez is back as well as Cruz and Lorenzo Miles who will all be key contributors.
Fairfield Stags
With all of the ongoing off-the-court issues, Fairfield managed to finish the season with the most impressive run to the top in the conference. The Stags finished 12-6, 19-11 overall. When Deng Gai (Sudan) went down with a season-ending injury, Rob Thomson (Hellertown, PA) approached the challenge and relished in it averaging 13.7 ppg and 8.1 rpg. He led the team in both categories and earned himself an All-Conference team selection. When DeWitt Maxwell (Newark, NJ) left the team at the season’s midway point because of academic problems, Ty Goode (Brooklyn, NY) had to make the appropriate adjustments at point guard and the instant camaraderie looked to take the Stags deep into the conference tournament. However they would fall just short in the second round to Siena 66-63.
Thomson is the one key ingredient who will not return next season but Gai should be ready to go. Goode is small and Maxwell had academic issues so with all this combined with the Stags late-season surge last year, this team has some questions to answer come tip-off for 04-05.
St. Peter’s Peacocks
The Peacocks earned some national attention. Not particularly because of a 12-6, (17-12) record but mainly because they held the nation’s leading scorer in Keydren “Ki-Ki” Clark. Clark, who averaged 26.7 ppg to go along with 4.3 apg was at times unconscious from the perimeter, nailing three-pointers at his own will. The much-anticipated Flores -Clark meetings were excellent battles between the two ferocious guards. Clark will be a junior and is young but the problem is his surrounding teammates. Jamie Sowers (Newark, NJ) is a force on the glass as the team’s leading rebounder with 6.1 rpg. Shane Nichols was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year but unfortunately they do not have the depth on offense and will lose starter Amir Ali (U.K.). Clark, Nichols, Corey Hinnant, and Ron Yates can make this upcoming Peacocks team a heavy player come tournament time.
Rider Broncs
The Broncs finished the season 10-8 in conference play, 17-14 overall. Rider was led by MAAC All-Conference selection Jerry Johnson (18.7 ppg, 3.9 apg). Johnson (Lancaster, PA) had season high’s of 35 points against Niagara and 31 versus Loyola. Rider’s big man on the glass was Steve Castleberry (Mullica Hill, NJ/6.5 rpg). Next season Niagara will return all but one starter in that of Laurence Young. Johnson should be a conference player of the year candidate plus Ed Muniz and Castleberry will make a strong starting five for Rider.
Siena Saints
Siena finished at .500 with a 9-9 MAAC record, 14-16 overall. Michael Haddix was the team’s leading scorer (15.6 ppg) and rebounder (9.0 rpg). Jamal Jackson, who is graduating, ran the point dishing out 4.4 apg. Haddix likes to compare himself to Sir Charles Barkley. He has the potential to be the best big man in the MAAC. He will need some help as two of his starting mates in Jackson and Justin Miller will both graduate. Haddix and Philadelphia product Antoine Jordan along with Tommy Mitchell will make a strong starting five.
Iona Gaels
“Less than mediocre” is the best way to describe the season for the Gaels. Iona finished with an 8-10 conference record, 11-18 overall. You would be hard-pressed to find anything positive to take away from last season however there were a few bright spots. Ricky Soliver (NY, NY) looked tremendous in post-season action.
With just two seniors lost to graduation and any major transfers, nearly everyone is back and this team can get the fresh start it has needed. Nestled in coaching controversy and player’s allegations of each other, DeShaun Williams (14.8ppg) has been dismissed from the team and Greg Jenkins (12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg) is on of the two players graduating. The losses will hurt on both ends but Soliver and Marvin McCullough (4.1 apg) will lead a steady backcourt and junior Steve Burtt will hurt opponents from downtown.
Canisius Griffs
The Griffs finished 5-13, 10-20 overall. Toby Foster (Candor, NY) finished his career at Canisius with a nice season averaging 10.4 ppg and 6.2 rpg. The forward was also a contributor from three-land shooting 41% from outside. The main three-point threat, Kevin Downey (Livonia, NY), led the team in scoring and assists with 13.1 ppg and 3.7 apg. Foster graduates along with starter Jon Ferris but Downey is back and 5’10” point guard Dewitt Doss should do a solid job of getting his teammates the ball.
Marist Red Foxes
In what was announced to be the final hoorah for head coach Dave Magarity, Marist finished 4-14 in the MAAC and 6-22 overall. Will McLurkin (Medford, NY) led the way with a team-leading 10.8 ppg to go along with 5.7 rpg. Chris Handy (Salt Lake City, UT) led the team on the glass with 6.3 rpg and Brandon Ellerbee (East Plano, TX) had a team-high average of 3.1 apg. Handy and Dennis Young both leave the 04-05 starting rotation with two gaps to fill in. McLurkin and Ellerbee are back however if Marist plans on finishing the season ahead of Loyola, new head coach Matt Brady will have to pull some tricks out of his sleeves.
Loyola Greyhounds
Just about the only thing Manhattan and Loyola have in common is before, during and after the season we know where they’re going to finish. The Greyhounds finished the season 1-17, 1-27 overall. A 31-game losing streak was snapped with a 63-57 win over Marist on January 29th. Charlie Bell (D.C.) scored 25 points and was really the only bright spot in what was another poor season for Loyola basketball. Bell averaged 15.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Bernard Allen (Houston) led the team on the boards with 6.3 rpg while Shane James was the top assists man averaging 2.8 apg. Lindbergh Chatman is the lone starter graduating however 2-3 players are expected to transfer. Scott Hick’s contract has not been renewed so Bell, and James will work under the tutelage of first-year head coach Jimmy Patsos.
