MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[Matt Letourneau]

Are you locked in a building somewhere at Gally or what?

The way it looks now, nobody might be playing the Bison this year because they'll be nobody to play!

[kitchenrat]

Ahh, long time no post. I was at the Grumbacher Center the other day for a Volleyball game, and I've got to tell all of you that the place is amazing. It will make the perfect backdrop for Chad McGowan's MVP Junior Season.

[bisonpride]

Matt,

Nope, I was not lock in a building somewhere at Gallaudet.. I am still on campus fine and all good. Wait and see about your comment about nobody might be playing the Bison.. 

[Pat Coleman]

I just caught up with the news. Crazy stuff going on at Gallaudet.

[mwcsid]

10/23/06
UMW Men's Basketball to be Featured on Fox Channel 5 Morning News on Wednesday Morning


FREDERICKSBURG, VA - The University of Mary Washington men's basketball program will be featured on Fox Channel 5 in Washington, DC on Wednesday, October 25 from 6:00-9:00 am, as part of the "Let Tony Try It" weather segment every 15 minutes of the broadcast. Tony Perkins, Channel 5's weatherman, will attend practice and try his hand at running and coaching drills, taping ankles, and keeping statistics, and will give his weather report every 15 minutes from Goolrick Gymnasium.<p>
"This is a special opportunity for our program and our fans", said UMW head coach Rod Wood. "With the emphasis we have on recruiting in the DC and Northern Virginia areas, the chance to be seen in every living room in the DC Metro area will give us a greater visibility and name recognition."

[bbald eagle]

Mary Washington's posted a roster with 17 players

http://athletics.umw.edu/mb07roster.htm

6 are freshmen

[muchacho]

I believe UMW freshman Michael Fumai is the brother of CUA's Scott Fumai. It will be interesting to watch if they end up seeing time against each other this year.

[muchacho]

CUA's roster is also up now.

http://www.cuacardinals.com/sports/mbkb/2006-07/roster

[Matt Letourneau]

Everybody have a good summer?

CUA's got an interesting team.  Actually very young, but with a strong senior class of Dwyer, Wheeler, Fumai, Papageorge and Wasilenko.  All of them are good guys with good leadership potential--younger players will be well served by learning from them.

With Stolzenthaler, Olivero and Yarborough returning at guard, CUA's got some good depth.  They're going to need some freshman to step up in the forward spots though.

Catholic plays next Friday at Loyola (MD).  I'm going to try to make the trip.  Kind of a tough schedule--things are different with the addition of Hood...Catholic's got some weeks with three games on the road.  Tough.  Albright tourney should be good competition right off the bat.

Yeah, Michael Fumai is Scott's brother...huh.

Totally new coaching staff for Steve Howes this year---congrats to Jim Black moving on to American and John Becker (former CUA Assistant and Gally head coach), now Director of Basketall Ops at Vermont under Mike Lonergan.  Howes has some great new coaches though that have done really well on the DC Circuits--should be good recruiters and have led winning programs at St. Vincent Pallotti, Blake, and St. Albans. 

[muchacho]

CUA's got an interesting team.  Actually very young, but with a strong senior class of Dwyer, Wheeler, Fumai, Papageorge and Wasilenko.  All of them are good guys with good leadership potential--younger players will be well served by learning from them.

Its interesting to note that Catholic has no juniors on the roster. That was the year Lonergan went to Maryland, and it took them too long to name Howes the coach. With a strong program, I don't think it was really noticeable that they had no impact from that recruiting year. However, now when they would be 3rd year players, when most guys really come into their own, Catholic seems to be seriously lacking depth. The 5 seniors you listed could very likely be the starting 5, but what kind of production will the Cards get from the young guys. You mentioned 3 freshman who saw some playing time last year, but none of them were huge impacts. Besides Dwyer and Fumai, Catholic doesn't have another guy returning who averaged over 3.7 pts. Catholic definitely needs another scorer, and I don't know where that will come from.

They're going to need some freshman to step up in the forward spots though.

Very true. John Mish and Andrew Baker are not on the roster this season, and they had some size and decent contributions last year as reserves.
Catholic has always had good depth with their big guys since I've been watching the program. While Dwyer is a good player and Wheeler has earned his spot over the years, there is absolutely nobody behind them who has proven themselves. It might get tough for Catholic during those games when Dwyer picks up quick fouls. Howes will probably need to adjust to a much more guard centered offense.

[Matt Letourneau]

That's true.  Well, hey, Catholic always had a guard-oriented offense during the Glory Days anyway!

They will need guys to step up.  I think its probably not QUITE as bleak as you make it out to be, only because Stolz and Olivero did show quite a bit last year (ppg numbers are little deceptive to judge freshman by--most of them have to earn their playing time and spend the beginning of the season sitting on the bench). Both of them did have double digit scoring games at various points.

But even so, obviously in the frontcourt, the freshman are going to have to have an impact.  They've got 3 freshman over 6'5.  Lets face it--its not like CUA was getting a ton out of its frontcourt bench anyway (Spirenberg, Baker...uh....), so we'll see.

Just as much as it is about the young guys, this senior class has a chance to really make its mark.  While recognizing the great accomplishments of last year's seniors during their careers, there is no question they simply didn't have the kind of year that the program expected of them.   I think the guys everyone really thought would have big seasons never took that leap like, say, Will Morley did his senior year.  So here you have a group, all of which have shown flashes--do they put it together?   I think you look to Dwyer and Fumai--both of them are capable of carrying a team and taking over a game.  Remember that Mary Wash game in the CAC's when everybody was just standing around, and then Fumai went nuts and starting nailing 3's?

This league is going to tough this year though--its WIDE open unlike it has been in a while.  York is way, way down, but certainly still a contender, Mary Wash is very strong, Salisbury is strong, Marymount has a bunch of transfers (same old--talent is there...but that isn't generally the issue over there), and of course, there's Catholic, who hasn't had an actual BAD season in ten years. 

[kitchenrat]

I think York has a chance to be a real thorn in a lot of team's sides this year. There is no doubt the Spartans have lost a ton from last year to this, but there is still a lot of talent on this team. Obviously the loss of the 4 seniors is huge. Bushey, Fass, Singer and Lee accounted for 39.17 ppg and 18.31 rpg. Add to that the loss of Quinn Howard who put up 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg and almost 1 steel per game and that seems like an insurmountable loss. Especially when you consider the leadership abilities the seniors brought and the intangibles displayed by Lee and Fass that never showed up in the box score.

All that said I think this team will have a few really great games this year. Lead by Player of the Year candidate Chad McGowan (17.8 ppg 6.4 rpg 1.2 bpg and .93 spg as a soph) this years team has less depth but still sports great athletes through out. The starting 5 should be: seniors Brad Zerfing (7.3 ppg 3.2 apg  44 TO 3.2 rpg) Joe Yeck (3.8 ppg 2.5 apg in just 15 minutes a game) as the guards. The forwards will be McGowan, Nate Fry (7 ppg 3.4 rpg as a freshman) and Nate Lankford a 6-3 sophamore who last played for Slippery Rock (5.1 ppg in 24 games/15 starts. 15 min per game) There should be steady contributions from Pat Kelley and Mike Riley at forward as well as both of them will see more time this year.

This year's squad has 5 new freshman ( Michael McEachern 6-1 G, Nick Brady 6-2 G, Bennett Foelber 6-5 F, Jeremy Keefer 6-5 F, and Adam O'brien 6-3 F) and one new Sophomore in Lankford. Add to that a ton of excitement from the new building and it should be a solid season. 

[muchacho]

That's true.  Well, hey, Catholic always had a guard-oriented offense during the Glory Days anyway!

CUA had great guards with Rice, Moloney, and Judge during their championship run, but they don't win it without Morley and Hilleary. Hilleary and Morley were the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers on that team, so the offense wasn't that dominated by guards.

They will need guys to step up.  I think its probably not QUITE as bleak as you make it out to be, only because Stolz and Olivero did show quite a bit last year (ppg numbers are little deceptive to judge freshman by--most of them have to earn their playing time and spend the beginning of the season sitting on the bench). Both of them did have double digit scoring games at various points.

I wouldn't say it is bleak. I'm sure several guys may step up, while some might falter. Olivero is a great competitor, and showed flashes of great play. However, he won't have as much time to adjust like he did last year if he is being counted on to be a major impact. Stolz will be alright, but I don't see him as a scorer. Is one of them good enough to be a consistent third scorer on days when Dwyer or Fumai are either in foul trouble or shooting cold? I'm not sold on that yet.

But even so, obviously in the frontcourt, the freshman are going to have to have an impact.  They've got 3 freshman over 6'5.  Lets face it--its not like CUA was getting a ton out of its frontcourt bench anyway (Spirenberg, Baker...uh....), so we'll see.

CUA didn't have a go-to frontcourt reserve off the bench last year. However, they had Wheeler and Spierenburg as well as the young guys. They might not have been offensive forces, but were reliable to get you minutes. And 3 freshman over 6-5 doesn't mean anything. Jeff Baccash at 6-9 looked good on the roster, but did that mean anything when the games had to be played.

There are two concerns I have for Catholic. 1- A third scorer. 2- Overall depth.

This league is going to tough this year though--its WIDE open unlike it has been in a while.  York is way, way down, but certainly still a contender, Mary Wash is very strong, Salisbury is strong, Marymount has a bunch of transfers (same old--talent is there...but that isn't generally the issue over there), and of course, there's Catholic, who hasn't had an actual BAD season in ten years.

I like Mary Washington at the beginning of the year. This will be the last year for AJ Fitzgerald and Mike Lee to make things happen, and they are two very explosive players. York's depth will also be down, but McGowan is the CAC's best player. If the guys who were on the bench last year develop into decent role players around him, York winning the conference wouldn't surprise me either. I see those two teams at the top, with Catholic right behind them. I still don't see Catholic having a BAD season, but I don't see them as a force right now.

[bbald eagle]

I still don't see Catholic having a BAD season, but I don't see them as a force right now.

If not now, never. At least in the CAC. 

[Matt Letourneau]

That's true.  Well, hey, Catholic always had a guard-oriented offense during the Glory Days anyway!

CUA had great guards with Rice, Moloney, and Judge during their championship run, but they don't win it without Morley and Hilleary. Hilleary and Morley were the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers on that team, so the offense wasn't that dominated by guards.

Well, I mean you could say that for anyone.  But c'mon--Pat Maloney single handidly won some of those games, particularly in the NCAAs.  We all know that.  The guards were murderous on defense (ask Horace Jenkins).  Of course others contributed, but...

They will need guys to step up.  I think its probably not QUITE as bleak as you make it out to be, only because Stolz and Olivero did show quite a bit last year (ppg numbers are little deceptive to judge freshman by--most of them have to earn their playing time and spend the beginning of the season sitting on the bench). Both of them did have double digit scoring games at various points.

I wouldn't say it is bleak. I'm sure several guys may step up, while some might falter. Olivero is a great competitor, and showed flashes of great play. However, he won't have as much time to adjust like he did last year if he is being counted on to be a major impact. Stolz will be alright, but I don't see him as a scorer. Is one of them good enough to be a consistent third scorer on days when Dwyer or Fumai are either in foul trouble or shooting cold? I'm not sold on that yet.

Right.  No way to know yet.

But even so, obviously in the frontcourt, the freshman are going to have to have an impact.  They've got 3 freshman over 6'5.  Lets face it--its not like CUA was getting a ton out of its frontcourt bench anyway (Spirenberg, Baker...uh....), so we'll see.

CUA didn't have a go-to frontcourt reserve off the bench last year. However, they had Wheeler and Spierenburg as well as the young guys. They might not have been offensive forces, but were reliable to get you minutes. And 3 freshman over 6-5 doesn't mean anything. Jeff Baccash at 6-9 looked good on the roster, but did that mean anything when the games had to be played.

There are two concerns I have for Catholic. 1- A third scorer. 2- Overall depth.

I guarantee you at least one of those players is better than Jeff Baccash! Sure, sometimes they just don't turn out, but these were quality recruits and its not like just one of them has to carry the load.

This league is going to tough this year though--its WIDE open unlike it has been in a while.  York is way, way down, but certainly still a contender, Mary Wash is very strong, Salisbury is strong, Marymount has a bunch of transfers (same old--talent is there...but that isn't generally the issue over there), and of course, there's Catholic, who hasn't had an actual BAD season in ten years.

I like Mary Washington at the beginning of the year. This will be the last year for AJ Fitzgerald and Mike Lee to make things happen, and they are two very explosive players. York's depth will also be down, but McGowan is the CAC's best player. If the guys who were on the bench last year develop into decent role players around him, York winning the conference wouldn't surprise me either. I see those two teams at the top, with Catholic right behind them. I still don't see Catholic having a BAD season, but I don't see them as a force right now.

Yeah, I can agree on MW.  They are probably the favorites going into things, but its really hard to tell.  Everybody has question marks, perhaps what is different is that Catholic does too.  I sure wouldn't overlook Salisbury, either.  I do think that Catholic can compete for the #1 slot and will be right there at the end, though...still are a disciplined group with experience and leadership, and they're going to be well coached.