Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 2006-07 Preview
by Matthew Moll
Thirty years of experience has exited the MAAC since the end of last season. Canisius, Fairfield, Manhattan and St. Peter’s are starting anew on the coaching end while veteran players hope to adjust to new systems as new players are introduced the MAAC.
MAAC mainstays such as Iona’s backcourt, which led the Gaels to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 2001, are history. Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver have graduated and rival Jeff Xavier has transferred, so a Manhattan versus Iona clash lacks recent implications, but will still have historic consequence. And Keydren Clark, who filled stat sheets for four years, plays his basketball in Greece.
This season is truly a year in flux with little cohesiveness from seasons past to come into the fold for the present. No team is without its own wrinkle which could just as easily spring it to the top of the standings as sink them to the cellar.
Such truisms will merely add to the drama of a tightly contested conference which almost always needs the full slate of games to decide the final seeding to the MAAC tournament.
Hoopville Preseason Awards
All-Conference Team
Kenny Hasbrouck, So, guard, Siena
Jared Jordan, Sr., guard, Marist
Jason Thompson, Jr., forward, Rider
Todd Sowell, Jr., forward, St. Peter’s
Arturo Dubois, Jr., forward, Manhattan
Player of the Year
Kenny Hasbrouck
Defensive Player of the Year
Todd Sowell
Top Newcomer
Gerald Brown, Jr., guard, Loyola
1. Siena Saints, 15-13 overall, 10-8 MAAC, 4th place
Starters: Kenny Hasbrouck, Ronald Moore, Michael Haddix, David Ryan, and James Carr
Big games: The Saints start the season against Stanford and later have an ACC clash with Maryland, but the biggest game of the season could be the last when Marist, a strong candidate for the MAAC crown, and the Saints play on the last day of the season for a possible conference tournament number-one seed.
Prognostications of another world: Last season the Saints were cast-offs destined to spend one season in purgatory with a new coach and without Michael Haddix. But instead Siena was solid thanks to first-year coach Fran McCaffery and Kenny Hasbrouck (12.4 ppg), who was the best freshman in the conference. Now with Haddix back and Hasbrouck with another year of experience, the Saints should leap frog MAAC mainstay Manhattan and then have to deal with the anointed Marist Red Foxes. Kojo Mensah should recover soon from his injuries following a pre-season altercation and will add to Duquesne’s backcourt next year, but the transfer will affect the Saints who he led in assists.
Gone as well is Antoine Jordan, who led the Saints in scoring last season, so Hasbrouck must not have a sophomore slump and carry the load on the offensive end. Help should come in the form of a healed Haddix who will be itching to be back in the fold.
The key will be the play of the point guard. Freshman Roger Moore could be the answer otherwise wings Tay Fisher and David Ryan will have trouble getting open looks and need someone to create.
Overall the Saints’ turnaround should continue with the coach who is making a career out of resurrecting small schools. Siena is one of the teams to beat in a MAAC that should have numerous shifts at the top.
2. Marist Red Foxes 19-10, 12-6, 3rd
Starters: Jared Jordan, Ryan Stilphen, Will Whittington, James Smith, Ben Farmer
The Games: Marist is scheduled to clash with the Big Ten’s Minnesota Golden Gophers and (as mentioned earlier) end the season with Siena.
Sure they could be first: Last season, first-year head coach Matt Brady guided Marist to the highest number of wins since joining the MAAC in 1997. What still eludes the Red Foxes is the MAAC tournament final. This season, the Red Foxes have Jared Jordan (who led the nation in assists), Ryan Stilphen (led team in rebounds), and Will Whittington (15.4 ppg) to attempt to alter the team’s postseason drought.
If Stilphen can emerge as the MAAC’s dominant big man the rest will fall into place for the surging Foxes. Jordan is always solid and Whittington will only have more open looks as Stilphen becomes more assertive.
The Red Foxes will end their painful deprivation from NCAA tournament bids if they are able to allow Stilphen to be the man and if they can find some defense.
3. Loyola College Greyhounds 15-13, 8-10, 6th
Starters: Gerald Brown, Michael Tuck, Hassan Fofana, Shane James, Marquis Sullivan
Who are they playing: Michigan State in East Lansing and two straight conference games against Siena and Marist.
Is Jimmy P for real? Andre Collins’ one year tour of duty jump-started a school with a recent history of embarrassment, but now it is up to Jimmy Patsos to prove it is not a flash in the pan. But he can only write the play, it is up to his actors to execute the lines. The leads will be a pair of transfers, one who played last season under Pastos and the other a first year player out of Providence. Hassan Fofana will have his first full season at Loyola after transferring from Maryland. Fofana was only eligible for half of last season, but managed 5.8 boards per game. The weakness in the MAAC middle should propel Fofana into the MAAC spotlight. Providence transfer Gerald Brown is a 6-4 junior and may moonlight as the next Collins, but first must take advantage of his dominant body over the smaller MAAC guards.
Where the Greyhounds will need to improve the most is on the defensive end, where they gave up a league-high 78 points per game.
4. Niagara Purple Eagles 7-11, 11-18, 7th
Starters: Charron Fisher (when he returns), Stanley Hodge, Lorenzo Miles, J.R. Duffey
Gamers: The Eagles host both Valparaiso and St. John’s during their non-conference schedule. Niagara has a favorable conference schedule with no extended time away from the Gallagher Center.
Biggest Question Mark: Six players were issued suspensions ranging from one to eight games following assault charges on Aug. 31. Charron Fisher will begin his eight-game suspension at the start of the season as others will be staggered throughout.
Until the late August arrests (affecting Lorenzo Miles, Stanley Hodge, Kamau Gordon, Javonte Clanton, and the aforementioned Fisher) this was one of the most experienced teams in the MAAC with one of the most seasoned coaches in Joe Mihalich. The season would have began with Fisher as a question mark coming off of his ACL recovery (the second of his career) and a lack of depth, but as it stands now it will be up to Mihalich to use his savvy to avoid the off-court distractions.
5. Iona Gaels 23-7, 13-5, 2nd
Starters: Kyle Camper, Mike Harris, Kevin Hassett, Anthony Bruin, John Kelly
Game on gamer: The first seven games of the season will be on the road for the Gaels, including games against the Big East’s Rutgers and two Atlantic 10 teams.
Tourney team dismantled: Gaels’ coach Jeff Ruland is prepared to rebuild with a formidable batch of fresh meat, but first what is left in the wake of last season’s run must be considered. Steve Burtt Jr. and Ricky Soliver were the best scoring guard tandem in the country. Marvin McCullough and Kiril Wachsmann were perfect compliments setting up other teammates and cleaning the glass. All have hung up their warm-ups.
Forward Anthony Bruin is last season’s only constant, but will have to improve on his 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game since he is surrounded by newcomers and Gary Springer will begin the season inactive.
Of the newcomers, Kyle Camper is set to take the reigns of the Ruland backcourt. Last season the 6-3 Camper led Cecil (Md.) Community College to the NJCAA Division II national championship.
But with all the new faces in a league with experience at the top, Ruland and Co. will be forced to spoil late if they are unable to contend.
6. Manhattan Jaspers 20-11, 14-4, 1st
Starters: Arturo Dubois, Devin Austin, Antoine Pearson, Patrick Bouli, Darren Johnson
Play here: CUSA power Memphis are scheduled to host the Jaspers and the Jaspers will host 2006 tourney snub Hofstra.
Bobby is Gonz: The backcourt graduated and Jeff Xavier elected to finish his career at Providence, while C.J. Anderson will sit out the season then try again at Xavier University. On top of all that, the man who put the Jaspers on the map is now a Big East coach and a distant memory.
Bobby Gonzalez may have left for a larger conference, but Brooklyn native Barry Rohrssen quickly re-acclimated himself with New York City and filled seven holes that transfers and graduation left him. But his largest inheritance might be the man who patrols the lane for the Jaspers in Dubois. He averaged 15 and nine in 2005-2006 but will need more as the young guards learn to play against the experienced MAAC littles.
Dubois can do a lot on his own, but Rohrssen’s hand-picked youngsters will define the coach’s freshman season.
7. Rider Broncos 4-14, 8-20, 10th
Starters: Terrance Mouton, Harris Mansell, Joel Green, Jason Thompson, Lamar Johnson
The Schedule: The Broncos link up with Big East powers Villanova and Notre Dame. But if Rider is in contention toward the end of the season, they will have four straight road games (three MAAC conference games) to try to clinch a first round MAAC Tournament bye.
No longer interim: Tommy Dempsey coached all season as an interim, but now with a contract and a healthy Jason Thompson, Rider might be this season’s sleeper. Thompson averaged 16.6 ppg last season, but saw limited action at the end of the campaign. Even with the missed games he was named an All-MAAC performer. A healthy Thompson is one of the top two players in the MAAC and Rider always has a shot; without him Rider is a bottom-rung team in a wide-open conference.
Senior Terrance Mouton will run the point for the Broncos, but he only averaged 2.9 assists per game and will need to increase that total as Rodney Pierce (transferred to Buffalo) and Paul Johnson (graduated and led the team in assists) are no longer there to set up teammates. If Mouton is unable to pace the offense then Dempsey will be forced to try his hand with fresh blood.
But if newcomer Joel Green, who played with Iona’s Kyle Camper last season, is as good as expected, his 6-8 frame combined with Thompson’s 6-10 could form the most indomitable frontline in the MAAC, the most coveted of assets.
8. Canisius Golden Griffins 9-20, 6-12, 9th
Starters: Corey Herring, Darnell Wilson, Chuck Harris, Frank Turner, Ola Matti
Who plays who: The Golden Griffins host Syracuse and end the season at home against MAAC opponents.
Can Canisius: Tom Parrotta takes over for the Golden Griffins after five consecutive losing seasons with finishes no higher than seventh in the MAAC. But he also inherits a group of letterwinners and starters who are prepared for a change in direction since the Mike MacDonald era.
Corey Herring led the team in rebounds last season and will be the Griff’s horse now that Kevin Downey graduated. He and Darnell Wilson look to mirror the strong guard play at Hofstra, where Parrotta was a lead assistant before taking the job.
A smooth transition will prove to be the tallest task for the Golden Griffins as the new staff, new coaches, and new approach will attempt to mesh before they fall off the MAAC map.
9. Fairfield Stags 9-19, 7-11, 8th
Starters: Michael Van Schaick, Marty O’Sullivan, Danny Oglesby, Jonathan Han, Herbie Allen
Fields are fair: Ed Cooley will have a homecoming game at Boston College and host Georgetown early. The Stags have a potentially perilous mid-season stretch, playing six out of seven on the road, with all but one of those games in a MAAC contest.
Cooler than Cooley: Stags faithful should be patient with Cooley as this team is starting with little. Terrence Todd and his 18.8 points per game will be missed by more than just the box score. The top returning scorer is Michael Van Schaik, who averaged less than 10 points per contest.
The guard play of Herbie Allen and Jonathan Han should start the offense well, but who will accept the task of finishing remains to be seen. Marty O’Sullivan is back from injury and Danny Oglesby shows signs of being able to light it up, but there are no proven scores on the roster.
10. St. Peter’s Peacocks
Starters: Raul Orta, Todd Sowell, Kevin Spann, Quentin Martin, Kinzey Reeves
Tilts: An early clash with Florida State highlights the non-conference season, while four of the last five games of the season will be played at home.
Team most likely to make writers print retractions: Keydren Clark put together the sixth-most prolific scoring career in NCAA history and nearly ended his career dancing in the field of 65. Clark and his 26.2 ppg ran out of eligibility and Bob Leckie retired.
First-year coach John Dunne, formerly of Seton Hall, is fitted with the task of convincing the remaining pieces to play without a star. St. Peter’s has Todd Sowell, who averaged a double-double and is capable of doing more with his big body and weak MAAC middle. Raul Orta is a 6-4 guard who can bring it and will have more opportunities to show off his range and his driving abilities now that there are more shots to distribute.
But without any of his players proven to be able to win without Clark, expectations are low in Jersey City.
As Always Expect the Unexpected
In just about a month all of what is written and hypothesized will be seen as foolish or unparalleled foresight, or a little bit of both. With this conference and the multitude of nuances, the former seems more likely.
Expect the always guard-heavy league to be dominated by the team with the strongest frontcourt. Thompson, Dubois, Sowell, and Stiphlen are all able to change games by simply stepping on the court. Who does it best will decide who is dancing come March.
