America East 2005-06 Recap
2005-06 was a little different than the previous season in America East. Northeastern left the conference, but the loss of many key players on teams from the previous season left a number of teams with depleted rosters. Overall, the level of play in the conference was down noticeably; only one team saw postseason play after seeing three do so last year. Even so, the competitiveness was still very much present throughout the conference.
There was a change at the top geographically, as the “Upstate Uprising” marked much of the season with Albany and Binghamton standing in the top two spots for a large portion of the season. Meanwhile, Boston University and Vermont, two teams that had been at the top of the conference in recent years, dropped down in the standings until the end of the season, when the Terriers got hot and finished in third place (where they finished in 2004-05). New Hampshire also experienced a resurgence under first-year head coach Bill Herrion, finishing fifth and winning their quarterfinal game in the tournament.
One highlight of the conference season was the job done by coaches, especially those in their first-year. While Herrion brought New Hampshire up to fifth place in his first year, Mike Lonergan had Vermont right in the thick of the race until late in the season and rallied his team together to reach the conference championship game for the fourth year in a row. Binghamton’s Al Walker rallied his team from an injury-riddled start to the season that saw them lose a number of games, while Albany’s Will Brown did a good job with his team after questions surfaced about the preseason favorites during a relatively non-descript non-conference showing.
All told, the times changed in 2005-06 in America East, and if the early months of the off-season are any indicator, they will change noticeably again next season as well. Not only was there a coaching change, but several players transferred as well.
America East Tournament
First Round
No. 8 UMBC 88, No. 9 Stony Brook 70
Quarterfinals
No. 2 Binghamton 71, No. 7 Maine 62
No. 6 Vermont 64, No. 3 Boston University 61
No. 1 Albany 79, No. 8 UMBC 65
No. 5 New Hampshire 66, No. 4 Hartford 62
Semifinals
No. 6 Vermont 66, No. 2 Binghamton 59
No. 1 Albany 67, No. 5 New Hampshire 54
Championship
No. 1 Albany 80, No. 6 Vermont 67
Albany had never won an America East Tournament game prior to this season, but the Great Danes changed that in a big way by rolling to the championship with three double-digit victories.
NCAA/NIT
Albany – NCAA Tournament, No. 16 seed in the Washington, D.C. Regional
The Great Danes gave Connecticut all they could handle and more, looking like they might become the first No. 16 seed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. But a late rally by the Huskies changed the game and gave them a 72-59 win. Jamar Wilson had 19 points to lead the way, while Kirsten Zoellner and Lucious Jordan closed out their college careers with 12 points each.
America East Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Jamar Wilson, Albany
Rookie of the Year: Mike Trimboli, Vermont
Coach of the Year: Larry Harrison, Hartford
Defensive Player of the Year: Sebastian Hermenier, Binghamton
All-America East Team
Kenny Adeleke, Sr. F, Hartford
Kevin Gardner, Sr. F, Boston University
Andre Heard, Sr. G, Binghamton
Blagoj Janev, Jr. F, New Hampshire
Jamar Wilson, Jr. G, Albany
Albany (21-11, 13-3 America East)
Season Recap: Expectations were high for the Great Danes entering the season, and they delivered when it was all said and done amidst a couple of bumps in the road. Early on, a few injuries hurt the team’s non-conference play and raised a few questions, but by the end of December they had hit their stride and posted an eight-game winning streak into the month of January. They remained on top for most of the campaign and rolled to the conference tournament title for their first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Jamar Wilson had a terrific season in capturing the conference Player of the Year award, while sophomore Brent Wilson had a fine season and several players like Lucious Jordan and Kirsten Zoellner played their complementary roles well.
Team MVP: Jamar Wilson (17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.3 spg)
Top scorer: Jamar Wilson (17.7 ppg)
Top rebounder: Jamar Wilson, Kirsten Zoellner (4.9 rpg)
Assists leader: Jamar Wilson (3.9 apg)
Starters leaving: G Lucious Jordan (8.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg), C Kirsten Zoellner (7.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Key players returning: Sr. G Jamar Wilson (17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.3 spg), Jr. F Brent Wilson (10.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.5 apg), Jr. G Jon Iati (6.7 ppg), Sr. G Jason Siggers (5.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg), Jr. G Brian Lillis (4.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.6 spg)
News: After the season ended, head coach Will Brown signed a five-year contract extension to keep him at the school through 2011.
In May, assistant coach Chad Eaton was promoted to associate head coach.
2006-07 outlook: Now that speculation about Brown’s job can be pushed aside, the talk can focus on repeating, which the Great Danes certainly will have a chance to do with three starters returning. Jamar and Brent Wilson (not related) lead the way, while Lillis will run the show from the outset, Siggers will get more minutes and possibly start after finishing the season well, and Iati remains a valuable contributor in whatever role they might put him in.
Binghamton (16-13, 12-4 America East)
Season Recap: One of the lead stories of the season was Binghamton’s emergence as a contender in America East, as the Bearcats set a number of school records in their fifth season in Division I. It didn’t start out that way, as they lost their first five games and were 3-9 as the calendar was about to switch over. That was when the Bearcats got going, as they won four straight road games as part of a six-game winning streak, then had another four-game winning streak in February as part of a 6-1 finish to the regular season. The Bearcats won with defense, forcing more turnovers than any team except UMBC, while also taking care of the ball offensively as they committed the fewest turnovers in the conference by far.
Team MVP: Andre Heard (17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.9 spg)
Top scorer: Andre Heard (17.1 ppg)
Top rebounder: Sebastian Hermenier (6.6 rpg)
Assists leader: Mike Gordon (4.5 apg)
Starters leaving: G Andre Heard (17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.9 spg), F Sebastian Hermenier (11.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Key players returning: Sr. G Troy Hailey (8.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg), Jr. G Mike Gordon (8.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.7 spg), So. C Ian Milne (6.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Sr. F Duane James (5.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg), Sr. G Steve Proctor (4.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg), Jr. F Giovanni Olomo (1.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
News: none
2006-07 outlook: Although Heard and Hermenier are not small losses, the Bearcats will be a veteran team and could certainly contend again. Hailey could be the primary player to pick up the scoring load from Heard’s departure, while Gordon is one of the most underrated players in the conference and Milne will only get better now that he has a season under his belt.
Boston University (12-16, 9-7 America East)
Season Recap: It was a mighty struggle at times for Dennis Wolff’s inexperienced team in 2005-06, especially at the offensive end. There were a number of games lost, especially early, because they just couldn’t score enough despite shutting down the opponent. Later in the season, they seemed to click better as the team gained experience, and they got hot late in the season to finish third. Seniors Kevin Gardner and Shaun Wynn were the team leaders, with Gardner improving a great deal to lead the team in scoring and rebounding. Brian Macon proved to be the perfect fit for the ball-control offense they ran, while Corey Hassan had his ups and downs shooting the ball but showed plenty of promise. Injuries hampered players like Ben Coblyn and Ibrahim Konate, both of whom have some potential, and Matt Wolff missed most of the season with a knee injury.
Team MVP: Kevin Gardner (13.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Top scorer: Kevin Gardner (13.7 ppg)
Top rebounder: Kevin Gardner (7.4 rpg)
Assists leader: Brian Macon (3.9 apg)
Starters leaving: F Kevin Gardner (13.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 apg), G Shaun Wynn (7.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg)
Key players returning: So. G Corey Hassan (11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.6 apg), Sr. G Brian Macon (5.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.1 spg), Sr. F Omari Peterkin (6.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg), So. F Ben Coblyn (5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg), So. F Ibrahim Konate (4.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg in 15 games)
News: After the season, three Terriers transferred: sophomores Tony Gaffney and Bryan Geffen, and freshman Brendan Sullivan. Gaffney transferred to UMass and Gaffney is headed to Quinnipiac.
2006-07 outlook: Gardner and Wynn won’t be missed as much as Chaz Carr and Rashad Bell were this past season, but their loss is big for this team. That became exacerbated by the transfers of Gaffney and Geffen, the former of whom showed flashes of potential but never put it together consistently and also missed a month due to a suspension. Three starters return next season, but how deep the Terriers will be is an open question at the moment. With two of those starters being in the all-important backcourt, they have a good base, and Wolff’s teams will always be in games because they play defense.
Hartford (13-15, 9-7 America East)
Season Recap: The Hawks made a jump in the standings thanks largely to the addition of Hofstra transfer Kenny Adeleke, who was a double-double machine and helped guards like Aaron Cook become more productive. But they were also a streaky bunch, posting two four-game winning streaks and mixing in a five-game losing skid. Adeleke got help from two other key newcomers in freshmen guards Chris Cole, who settled the point guard spot, and Paris Carter, who was on a tear in the latter half of the season.
Team MVP: Kenny Adeleke (20.7 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
Top scorer: Kenny Adeleke (20.7 ppg)
Top rebounder: Kenny Adeleke (13.1 rpg)
Assists leader: Chris Cole (2.8 apg)
Starters leaving: F Kenny Adeleke (20.7 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg), G Aaron Cook (16.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.6 spg), G David Ruffin (5.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), G-F Paris Carter (7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) (transferred)
Key players returning: Jr. G Rich Baker (4.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 spg), So. G Chris Cole (3.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.8 apg), Sr. F Bernard Lowndes (3.2 ppg in 13 games)
News: In March, Larry Harrison resigned as head coach after six seasons at the school. About a month later, the school hired former Temple assistant Dan Leibovitz to replace him. Leibovitz’s initial staff consists of former Lafayette assistant John Gallagher as associate head coach, another former Lafayette assistant in Elliott Broadnax, and former Citadel assistant Chris Gerlufsen.
Swingman Paris Carter transferred after the season, with no word on where he may go.
2006-07 outlook: It’s uncertain how the Hawks will look next year, though it’s a given that they lose a great deal as Adeleke and Cook are done, while Carter is transferring and Cole might transfer as well. Lowndes is done academically, so he might not return. All of that is added to the coaching change, meaning that fans might want to grab a program to know who’s playing for the Hawks next season. Leibovitz comes with excellent coaching experience for a man his age, so the Hawks clearly have a good leader for their program going forward.
New Hampshire (12-17, 8-8 America East)
Season Recap: Few coaches did as good a job as Bill Herrion did with the Wildcats this past season, as he inherited much the same team that struggled mightily a year before and turned them into a .500 team in conference play. More importantly, they clearly got better as the season went along. The highlights of the season included a four-game winning streak in January and two wins over league champion Albany, though the Great Danes handled them when it counted in the conference tournament. Blagoj Janev became a consistent player, while Jermaine Anderson was a good leader and Jamaal Caterina played a good role. Mike Christensen played well down the stretch, and all in all the Wildcats ended the season in a better state than they started.
Team MVP: Blagoj Janev (14.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Top scorer: Blagoj Janev (14.4 ppg)
Top rebounder: Blagoj Janev (4.5 rpg)
Assists leader: Jermaine Anderson (3.0 apg)
Starters leaving: G Chris Vetrano (7.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg) (transferred to St. Anselm)
Key players returning: Sr. F Blagoj Janev (14.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 apg), Jr. F Mike Christensen (9.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 apg), Sr. G Jermaine Anderson (8.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.3 spg), So. G Tyrece Gibbs (6.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.3 apg), Sr. F Jamaal Caterina (6.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
News: After the season ended, guard Chris Vetrano transferred to St. Anselm.
2006-07 outlook: Despite Vetrano’s departure, the Wildcats’ personnel looks to be in good shape. Four starters return, with Janev, Anderson and Caterina as the senior leaders, and Christensen played his best basketball in the last month of the season. The Wildcats also welcome a good recruiting class that will certainly help them move forward, showing that Herrion has this program going in the right direction.
Vermont (13-17, 7-9 America East)
Season Recap: First-year head coach Mike Lonergan deserves to be commended for getting the least experienced team in the country to the championship game of the conference tournament. He brought together a core of mostly freshmen and sophomores and got them to regroup after a late-season slump dropped them to sixth place. Mike Trimboli was the conference’s top freshman all season long, and though he wore down late in the season from having to play a lot of minutes, he was solid at the point for this team. Martin Klimes, mainly a defensive specialist his first two seasons, broke out offensively this year and was a real leader.
Team MVP: Mike Trimboli (14.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.6 spg)
Top scorer: Mike Trimboli (14.0 ppg)
Top rebounder: Chris Holm (6.5 rpg)
Assists leader: Mike Trimboli (5.5 apg)
Starters leaving: F Ryan Schneider (6.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) (transferred)
Key players returning: Sr. F Martin Klimes (11.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg), So. G Mike Trimboli (14.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.6 spg), Jr. G Kyle Cieplicki (8.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.1 apg), Sr. C Chris Holm (8.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg), So. F Colin McIntosh (4.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Jr. F Timothy McCrory (3.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
News: Shortly after the season ended, sophomore forwards Josh Duell and Ryan Schneider were given their release. Duell transferred to Siena, close to his home, while Schneider is headed to Marist.
In May, assistant coach John Sanow resigned to become the head coach at Bloomsburg University, a Division II school in Pennsylvania.
2006-07 outlook: Now that the young Catamounts have another season of experience, more will be expected of them. They should at least be in the first division next season, as this year’s freshmen get better and Trimboli gets assistance from the recruiting class. Lonergan hopes to move Trimboli off the ball and cut his minutes down when possible, as he wore down late this season with no true backup at the point. Some continued improvement from players like Cieplicki, McIntosh and McCrory will be important as well.
Maine (12-16, 7-9 America East)
Season Recap: Second-year head coach Ted Woodward was snake-bitten again by injuries as the Black Bears again lost key players for long stretches or the entire season. With that, as well as new players to integrate into the lineup, the Black Bears weren’t the most consistent team in the conference. Among holdovers, Ernest Turner put forth another good year, while Olli Ahvenniemi became a good presence inside and Chris Bruff had a breakout year. Three newcomers were key players, with Rashard Turner and Jon Sheets among the keys in the backcourt and Philippe Tchekane Bofia being among the conference’s top freshmen. The Black Bears did manage to score a couple of good road wins in America East play, knocking off New Hampshire and Boston University.
Team MVP: Ernest Turner (15.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
Top scorer: Ernest Turner (15.2 ppg)
Top rebounder: Olli Ahvenniemi (6.3 rpg)
Assists leader: Rashard Turner (3.0 apg)
Starters leaving: G Ernest Turner (15.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 spg)
Key players returning: Sr. G Kevin Reed (redshirt), Sr. G Rashard Turner (10.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.0 apg), So. F Philippe Tchekane Bofia (9.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Sr. G Jon Sheets (9.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.3 spg), Sr. G-F Chris Bruff (6.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Sr. C Olli Ahvenniemi (5.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.6 bpg), So. F-C Christian Cavanaugh (3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg), Jr. G Jason Hight (1.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
News: none
2006-07 outlook: Based on the past two seasons, health is going to be the top predictor of how good this team will be. Personnel-wise, the Black Bears could make a real jump in the standings next season with just one starter gone. That starter was leading scorer Ernest Turner, but getting Reed back will make a major difference. They will also have Junior Bernal, who sat out due to injury, and they join the returning starters from this season’s team to form a solid base that might see some of this year’s starters come off the bench. With a little health, the Black Bears could develop the consistency they lacked this season and become a contender.
UMBC (10-19, 5-11 America East)
Season Recap: The season started out with plenty of promise, as the Retrievers looked like a much-improved team despite losing three of their first four games. They appeared to have good balance and were going to at least be a tough out in the conference, especially after knocking off perennial contender Boston University in early January. But after that game, the team headed south, losing three straight including two at home, and an inability to win on the road really sank them. To top it off, the team got some negative press when head coach Randy Monroe banished the team from their locker room for much of the conference season due to a lack of effort. John Zito closed out his career with a fine season, while Chris Pugh made strides late in the year and Jay Greene looks to be their playmaker of the future.
Team MVP: John Zito (13.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg)
Top scorer: John Zito (13.5 ppg)
Top rebounder: John Zito (6.8 rpg)
Assists leader: Jay Greene (3.6 apg)
Starters leaving: F John Zito (13.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg), F Jerrell Dinkins (11.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Key players returning: Jr. G Brian Hodges (12.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 apg), Sr. G Chris Pugh (8.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.5 spg), So. G Jay Greene (8.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg), Sr. F Mike Housman (7.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.3 spg), So. G Tom Young (3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
News: Former James Madison forward Cavell Johnson and guard Ray Barbosa, along with former Coppin State forward Darryl Proctor, are transferring to the team. Barbosa and Johnson will each have one year of eligibility, while Proctor will have two, beginning in 2007-08.
2006-07 outlook: Two key frontcourt starters are gone, and one player who was likely to help replace them was released from his letter of intent in June, so Mike Housman won’t have much help from holdovers to start next season. The backcourt will be in good shape as Greene, Pugh and Hodges are potentially one of the conference’s better units. If the Retrievers can win a few games on the road, especially early on, it might be just what they need to get some momentum going and take steps forward. The backcourt talent is there, so if some unproven players can emerge in the frontcourt, they could jump into the first division.
Stony Brook (4-24, 2-14 America East)
Season Recap: Steve Pikiell’s first season leading the Seawolves was a constant struggle as they were young and played a daunting schedule. The schedule started with Villanova (a 78-35 drubbing) and later included St. John’s, Hofstra, Connecticut, George Washington and Boston College. They lost their first nine games before winning two straight, then never won consecutive games the rest of the way. But they competed, with Mitchell Beauford giving them a spark when he rejoined the team in December and Bobby Santiago playing well after a down year last year.
Team MVP: Mitchell Beauford (14.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg)
Top scorer: Mitchell Beauford (14.1 ppg)
Top rebounder: Mike Popoko (5.3 rpg)
Assists leader: Bobby Santiago (2.9 apg)
Starters leaving: G Bobby Santiago (9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.2 spg), G-F Hendrick Feist (4.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
Key players returning: Jr. G Mitchell Beauford (14.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg), Sr. F Mike Popoko (10.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Jr. G Antwan Hardy (8.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 apg), So. G Tre Cunningham (6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg), So. F Stephane Bakinde (3.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
News: After the season, the school extended head coach Steve Pikiell’s contract by one year through the 2010-11 season.
2006-07 outlook: Pikiell and his staff hauled in a recruiting class that has received much acclaim. That, along with three returning starters, is reason to believe the Seawolves will take some good steps forward next season. Beauford, Popoko and Hardy are a good veteran group to start with, while Cunningham and Bakinde showed some potential at times this season. The Seawolves won’t become contenders next season, but they should be well on their way to doing so in a couple of years as Pikiell builds a program now solidly on Division I footing.
America East 2006-07 Outlook
Next season looks to be a better year for the conference, although a few teams have lost some key players that have transferred. Still, this year was such a down year from 2004-05 that next season can only be better, and a few teams still return many key players. Two of the first team all-conference players return as well.
As far as contenders go, there’s no reason to think Albany can’t repeat as champions. Although they lose two starters, Jamar Wilson leads a cast of returnees that is solid in the backcourt and deep in experience. Vermont has all of its key players back and will have more support for Mike Trimboli, while New Hampshire loses just one starter and welcomes a good recruiting class. Boston University should still be in the mix, while Maine is capable of making a jump in the standings and Binghamton could be in the mix if they can replace the two key starters they lose. Two teams with the potential to jump into the first division are UMBC and Stony Brook, though neither looks like a title contender next season. All in all, 2006-07 figures to be another competitive season in America East from top to bottom.
