Northeast Conference 2005-06 Season Recap
by Zach Smart
Farleigh Dickinson (20-12, 14-4): It was a special year for the Knights. The season had nearly all the right ingredients: a regular season conference championship, a conference Player of the Year award, and two players being named to the Division I All-MET second team. Throw an 11-game winning streak in there, a win over UW-Green Bay in an eBay BracketBusters pool game, and the accolades seem to go on and on. However, the foremost element of an extraordinarily special season, an NEC championship, was not there. FDU suffered a heartbreaking 49-48 loss to Monmouth in the NEC championship on a Chris Kenny layup with 2.1 seconds left. It wasn’t supposed to end like this – the No. 3-seeded Hawks upsetting the top-ranked Knights at the Rothman Center before a somewhat neutral crowd of 1,850. The game was televised live on ESPN2, but the highlights and hard-to-swallow ending was aired nonstop, throughout ESPN and other sports news channels throughout the night and into the wee hours.
The toughest losses, of course, are USBL-bound guard Chad Timberlake (15.2 ppg, team-leading 126 assists), a unanimous NEC Player of The Year selection, and Gordon Klaiber (14.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg). The duo earned All-MET second team honors, sitting alongside a number of household and soon-to-be NBA names. Andrea Crosarial, a 7-footer from Italy, will be back for his senior season in the fall. Crosarial came into his element this season, averaging 11.3 points and seven caroms down low. Crosarial is vastly improved and should step into a leadership role for the Knights next season. Coach Tom Green’s most recent pickups for the 2006-2007 campaign are Sean Baptiste (North Brunswick, NJ/St. Joseph’s of Metuchen), a high-octane guard, and Lawrence Brown (Portsmouth, England/Portsmouth), a 7-footer to complement Crosarial.
Central Connecticut (18-11, 13-5): Howie Dickenman and the Blue Devils concluded a strong 2006 campaign with a miserable loss to Monmouth in the NEC semifinals. CCSU shot a dreadful 19-for-72 (.264) from the field. A team that’s typically perilous from three-point land, the Blue Devils went 6-for-29 (.207) from three-point land. The loss snapped a nine-game home winning streak for the Blue Devils and was a tough ending to a season that was anything but. The Blue Devils thoroughly walloped in-state foe Sacred Heart in the NEC semifinals, 86-68.
Lenny Jefferson and Justin Chiera were both outstanding in their senior seasons. Chiera, the three-point assailant from Colonia, N.J., became the school’s all-time leader in three-point goals, as he buried 274 treys during his stay in New Britain. The First Team All-NEC selection is third on the conference’s all-time list and led the conference in threes made. Jefferson averaged 11 points per contest and shot a team-best .439 from downtown.
Sophomore guard Tristan Blackwood (14.2 PPG, 4.2 APG) will be the key returnee next season. Blackwood showed flashes of greatness in multiple games this season. He copped a 28-point, nine-assist effort in a tight loss to La Salle and a 23-point, 10-assist game that helped propel the Blue Devils to an 88-74 triumph over FDU. Also returning is forward Obie Nwadike and off guard Javier Mojica. Nwadike, a 6-foot-4 small forward, may come off as a tweener at first, but he’s strong, athletic, and forceful underneath the basket. Nwadike averaged 12.3 points to go with a team-leading 10.3 boards. Mojica has been a solid role player the past few years, averaging nine points and five boards off the bench. Jason Hickenbottom (8.1 points, 4.6 boards) shined during a string of games in late December and is a promising rising junior.
Monmouth (19-15, 12-6): It was a season to remember for the ages over at West Long Branch, N.J. The Hawks captured their second NEC tourney title in three seasons and copped their first-ever NCAA tournament victory. They would end up pestering No. 1 seed Villanova before 19,990 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, a privilege which every team at Monmouth’s level hopes for. But their upset bid fell short, as they fell to Allan Ray and the Wildcats 58-45. This was after Monmouth thoroughly dismantled Hampton, 71-49, in an opening round game.
Now Dave Calloway’s team could be on the verge of establishing themselves as a conference powerhouse, a growing dynasty.
The key losses are graduated seniors Tyler Azzarelli and Chris Kenny. Though he averaged just 8.8 points, the 6-1 Azzarelli was a do-it-all floor general who was always contributing on both sides of the hardwood. Though a bit streaky offensively, Azzarelli played with a toughness that’s rarely found in NEC guards. He grabbed boards well for a backcourt player, excelled at setting up his teammates, and was able to step up during crucial stages. Kenny was one of the best shooters on the entire east coast the past two seasons.
Not to worry. The Hawks return their two leading scorers, 6-6 guard Dejan Delic and undersized forward Marques Alston. Delic and Alston averaged 12.3 and 11.6 points, respectively.
The Hawks need more productivity out of the gargantuan John Bunch, a junior transfer by way of Division III Lincoln University. At 7-foot-2, 320 pounds, Bunch could emerge into a very forceful presence in the paint. Bunch averaged eight points and five rebounds this season, but showed potential in wins against Wagner, St. Francis N.Y., and Quinnipiac. Bunch had 19 points, six rebounds, and four blocks in the win over St. Francis. The Maryland native must become more aggressive on the glass and learn how to fully utilize his size.
Mount St. Mary’s (13-17, 11-7): A fourth-place finish in the NEC gave the Mount to its most successful season since 1999, and one of the finest in school history. Behind electrifying guard Landy Thompson, Mount St. Mary’s recorded 11 league victories (third highest since the program originated) and played its first home playoff game in ten years. A stingy defense was the backbone of their successful campaign, as the Mount held opponents to just 66.5 points per contest, its lowest scoring defense in 25 years. Thompson averaged a team-high 13.7 points his senior year. The graduating guard from Maryland finishes his storied four-year career as the school’s eighth all-time leading scorer with 1,733 points. He is 12th in assists with 322.
Thompson departs with a strong class that includes Charles Cook, Chris Sumner, and Kiel Butler. The Mount returns a hounding defender in forward Mychal Kearse. Kearse, the 2006 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 10.6 points, 7.8 bounds, and 1.6 steals as a junior.
Robert Morris (15-14, 10-8): Sparked by two sharp-shooting guards in Derek Coleman and Tony Lee, the Colonials rode a potent, balanced offense to a successful campaign. In the end they were just a game away from an NEC championship appearance, their season closing with a 71-55 loss to No. 1 FDU. In his first eligible season, 6-6 forward A.J. Jackson dropped many jaws. The transfer from East Tennessee State didn’t waste time in becoming the go-to-guy. Jackson averaged a team-high 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds, displaying flares of dominance at times. He collected 14 double-doubles and dropped 39 in a crucial win over Quinnipiac. NEC Rookie of the Year Jeremy Chappel averaged 14 points and six boards in his freshman season. The 6-3 guard provided athleticism and energy throughout the year. Chappel treated fans to his coming out party with a dazzling 25-point, eight-rebound performance that propelled the Colonials to a 67-66 victory over Mount St. Mary’s in the NEC quarterfinals. The Ohio native was one of 25 Division-I freshman named to the Collegeinsider.com freshman All-America team.
The Colonials could emerge as an early favorite for the 2006-2007 season. Coach Mark Schmidt made a strong move towards improving the Colonials’ front court by signing 7-footer Bas Rozendaal. Jimmy Langhurst (Willard, Ohio/Willard), a scoring point guard who averaged 32.3 points and 4.5 assists for Willard High this year, also inked with RMU.
Long Island (12-16, 9-9): Jim Ferry is lucky he convinced James Williams to make the trip from DeSoto, Texas to Brooklyn. Williams, who led the Blackbirds in scoring in 18 of their 28 games this season, has turned out to be the jewel of his recruiting class. Williams averaged 16.6 points and buried 89 trifectas on the year, en route to earning first team All-NEC and All-MET third team honors. The three-year starter led the Blackbirds to a berth in the NEC tournament, where they fell to eventual champion Monmouth, 74-63, in the first round. With all of LIU’s starters returning, the trailway is blazed for a bright 2006-2007 campaign.
The Blackbirds won four of their last six games of the 2005-06 season. They ended up 12-16 despite a disappointing 3-8 start. The Blackbirds have a balanced offense to support Williams, starting with Aubin Scott, who led the ‘birds on the glass this season in averaging just under 10 rpg. Other players LIU will look to are shooter Randy Jones, forward Paulius Morkeliunas and Esa Maki-Tulokas, a 6-7 forward with a surprising outside touch.
Sacred Heart (11-17, 8-10): The Pioneers created perhaps the sharpest inside/outside tandem in the conference with big man Kibwe Trim and 6-3 swingman Jarrid Frye. It wasn’t enough for Dave Bike, who’s going into his 29th year as a game general, to deliver a winning season. It was, however, quite an improvement from last year’s 4-23 disaster. The Pioneers fell to in-state foe CCSU in the opening round of the NEC tourney.
After finally overcoming hampering injuries, Trim stepped his game up and emerged into a dominant force inside. The 6-10 grad student from San Juan, Trinidad averaged 19 points and nine boards in conference play to lead SHU, which seemed to win and lose games in clusters. Trim’s team-leading .674 shooting percentage made him invaluable down low. Needless to say, he will be sorely missed next season. Frye (17.2 ppg in-conference, 6.0 rpg), a quick slasher and solid outside jump shooter, had a breakout season. The junior from Queens, N.Y. mastered the transition to small forward after senior guard Joey Henley suffered a season-ending injury. Henley, who led the Pioneers with 12.3 ppg in 2004-2005, suffered two broken bones in his right leg during a football game in the fall. With a year of eligibility remaining, it’s uncertain whether or not Henley will make a comeback. Frye will need more offensive production from point guard Drew Shubik (8.6 ppg, 90 assists) and 6-6 guard Luke Granato (8.3 ppg), who’s dangerous from behind the arc. The Pioneers were led in scoring by a player other than Trim or Frye in just four of their 28 games this year.
Key off-season acquirements include Joshua Marshall, a 6-5 swingman who averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds for New York’s Lawrence Woodmere Academy. One player who could provide cushioning for the loss of Trim is UMass transfer Jeff “Big Deli” Salovski, a 6-11, 340-lb. behemoth. Salovski sat out the 2005-06 season out under NCAA transfer rules.
Quinnipiac (12-16, 7-11): Coach Joe DeSantis brought in an immensely talented nucleus of newcomers. The move helped the Bobcats to their first playoff berth in three seasons. Had the Bobcats not qualified for post-season action, DeSantis (95-130 at the Division-I level, two winning seasons in the past six years) might have been forced to search for a new job. After a sluggish 1-6 start in NEC play, the No. 8 seed Bobcats squeezed into the NEC tournament. The ‘Cats played shoulder-to-shoulder with top-seeded Farleigh Dickinson, their upset bid falling just one point short on Gordon Klaiber’s game-winning bucket. The inconsistent Bobcats split games with the Knights during the regular season, cruising to a 21-point victory in their second meeting.
PG Adam Gonzalez, forward Chris Wehye, and F/C Victor Akinyanju (who battled multiple injuries), all transfers via Cecil Community College, quickly surfaced into players to watch. The trio of juniors will return next season. John Winchester, a high-flying transfer from Tennessee, led the team in scoring with 12.4 per game. Winchester dropped 25 on Uconn, but was perhaps most valuable for his defense on opposing teams’ key scorers.
The Bobcats ditch their bandbox home gym next season, as they’ll play in a new 3,500-seat arena starting January. This transition should help sell top-notch recruits easier. The Bobcats will miss seniors Craig Benson, an outside shooter with a quick first step, and Kevin Jolley, a physical interior banger. They bring in a freshman class that features sharpshooter James Feldeine from New York and Casey Cosgrove, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Massachusetts. Though the Bobcats already have an undersized PG in 5-foot-9 speedster Job Casimir, along with a serious surplus of guards, DeSantis isn’t worried. The Bobcats received an off-season boost when DeMario Anderson, a junior transfer, inked on April 25. Anderson, who averaged 14.1 points to lead Central Connecticut his sophomore year, is eligible to play right away.
St. Francis N.Y. (10-17, 7-11): The Terriers made a late-season surge towards an NEC tournament appearance, winning four of their last six games of the season. Unfortunately, it was not enough as Quinnipiac took the last spot. This marked an end to the Terriers’ streak of eight straight tournament appearances. Under first-year head coach Brian Nash, the Terriers struggled to get production from players other than their “big three” of Allan Sheppard, Christian Brown, and Sean Dantzler. Sheppard (11.6) and Brown (10.7) led the way for the small school from Brooklyn Heights. Rebounding proved to be the Achilles Heal for the undersized Terriers, which lacked an effective big man.
This off-season, Nash has gotten a powerful junior duo from Jersey City (Marcus Williams and Otis Campbell) to transfer in. Both were teammates at national power St. Anthony’s High School under legendary coach Bob Hurley, Sr.
Wagner (13-14, 6-12): The Seahawks experienced the highs and the lows, the agony and the essential agony and ecstasy of a lost season. The basement dwellers actually won seven of their first nine contests and nearly upset then-No. 12 UCLA in a down-to-the-wire battle at Los Angeles. The organization’s hottest start in 26 years hit an abrupt stop sign, and the Seahawks took a freefall to the dungeon after a dismal seven-game losing streak. The Seahawks snapped their losing streak with a 64-60 come from behind victory over Quinnipiac. After shooting an atrocious 5-for-26 in the first half, Wagner finally looked like the Seahawks of old in the second half.
The Seahawks didn’t shoot the rock like they did in the first 7-8 games of the season. They also ran into difficulty when opponents keyed on their top players. They must put everything behind them.
They return junior forward Durrel Vinson, who averaged 15.2 points (16.3 in league play) and led the NEC with 10.6 boards per game. Vinson had a team-high 13 double-doubles in the regular season. Redshirt freshman Jamal Smith (8.0, 3.9) who earned a spot on the NEC All-Rookie team, showed great potential in wins over Brown and Quinnipiac. He’s tough and experienced and was a high-profile recruit when Deane snagged him in 2004. Key acquisitions this off-season have been the signings of three players: Michael Duty (6-7, 210, F, Seattle, WA / O’Dea HS), Michael Orock (6-7, 200, F, Hoboken, NJ / Hoboken HS), and the versatile T.J. Czeski (6-2, 180, G, Amsterdam, NY / Amsterdam).
St. Francis (Pa.) (4-24, 2-16): The youth movement at St. Francis continues, as the Red Flash hope to both rebuild and recover. Bobby Jones has already gotten four solid recruits to ink, and their adjustment to his system will most likely dictate whether or not the program can bounce back to respectability. Jones struck gold this past season with tough freshman guard Marquis Ford, who was named to the NEC All-Rookie team at the conclusion of the season. Ford became the first player to receive the honor since former standout Darshan Luckey. “This is a great reward for an outstanding young person,” Jones said.
“We recruited Marquis knowing that he would make an impact on this program. He worked his tail off this year and did everything that we asked of him. He has come a long way since he first stepped on the court at the Carrier Dome in November, and we know that his better days are ahead of him. We are very fortunate to have the quality of person and player that Marquis Ford is.”
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the other players that comprise the 12-man roster. Fifth-year senior Rahsaan Benton led the way for the Red Flash, which finished the season with an embarrassing record of 4-24 (a horrid 1-13 on the road). The 5-10 guard from Ohio averaged 12.5 points, playing with too much weight on his shoulders at times.
