SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Long Island might seem like an unlikely team to contend for the Northeast Conference title at first glance. Although they were picked third in the conference’s preseason poll and got a first-place vote, it’s a team with six sophomores and five upperclassmen, so it’s not the kind of very experienced team that tends to win a conference like the Northeast. And while leadership can be a concern, the Blackbirds are off to a 10-4 start, including 2-1 in the conference, and have the look of a team that can contend.
The Blackbirds won five road games in non-conference play, and continued that with their 75-55 win at Bryant on Thursday night. They followed the same formula that they have all season at the offensive end, with four players scoring in double figures and another one just off with nine. They showed a lot of unselfishness, and there was balance in numbers as well, which has been the case all season.
With a team like this, leadership can be an issue. So far, it hasn’t been, and head coach Jim Ferry isn’t looking to just one or two players for it.
“We try to establish leadership,” said Ferry. “It’s going to be a different type of leadership because it’s not going to be just one guy. We’re a pretty unselfish team, and it’s a matter of personalities blending together so we’re all on the same page. I think we’re taking steps towards that.”
The Blackbirds have three seniors, and the feeling is that the two who play significant minutes, David Hicks and Kyle Johnson, are showing the leadership one expects of seniors. In particular, Hicks is on a roll, as he is averaging 15.7 points in his last three outings. Julian Boyd, who had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds on Thursday, sees that, as well as the potential for what Ferry is trying to do.
“I think everyone on the team has the capability of being a good leader,” said the sophomore forward. “Definitely David and Kyle, our two seniors, they know this is their last year. Every time we’re about to play a game, they know it can be their last, so they always keep everyone focused and do a good job keeping this team together.”
Long Island plays with a lot of offensive freedom, which is mainly because Ferry demands so much of them at the defensive end. Boyd said defense has been a big focus for them because they give up over 74 points per game, and thus far it appears to be paying off as opponents are shooting just over 39 percent on the season against them and are turning it over 16 times. They play fast, so the scores tend to be high, but Ferry wants that to be better.
“We have to tighten that stuff up and get better defensively if we’re going to win a championship,” Ferry said.
One thing they are doing that will help them win a title is winning on the road. Ferry said they are trying to establish winning on the road since they can certainly win at home, and he feels that’s one more necessary ingredient to winning a championship. That’s why they go on the road often, which this year included four straight at one point. Their ability to win on the road helps their confidence, and Boyd likes the improvement from his first two seasons there.
The Blackbirds had a 19-point lead at the half, but didn’t let Bryant get anything resembling a rally going. The Bulldogs never got closer than 15 points in the second half, and LIU led by 26 at one point.
“It’s something that we’ve talked about over the last couple of weeks” said Ferry. “For us to make a run in this conference, we have to sustain that lead and try to expand it. I thought the kids did a good job of that tonight.”
Long Island heads into Saturday’s game at Central Connecticut with a 2-1 record in early Northeast Conference play. Their 6-2 road record suggests they could come away with another one, and put themselves in a good spot early in conference play. They could look more and more like a team ready to contend.
