MBB: Landmark Conference

[saratoga]

I guess when you don't recruit post players that can score & rebound, go without a true point & basically have little to replace 70% of your scoring & rebounding from a team that did well in league but, as usual fell flat in the NCAA's...you go out & schedule the Penn Tech's & Bard's of the world.
  Can't wait for the advance ticket sales to open on the PSU Hazleton, Bard & Penn Tech games. i bet the Long Center will rock like old times during those games. Augustana goes out & schedules Wash U. & Gonzaga...the Royals get home dates with Bard & Joe's Auto Repair College!
  Great job by Scranton's SID getting the schedule up this early...an all-time record. Horrible job by the Royal schedule maker. Make that @#$%$#***#@% horrible.
 

[Matt Letourneau]

Scranton has advanced ticket sales?

[NEPAFAN]

Scranton has advanced ticket sales?

Yes, I believe they do.


Check out Ursinus' recruits...impressive...these kids are going to Usrinus over D1 schools?

Bears announce Class of 2013 commitments
COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus College head mens basketball coach Kevin Small has announced three commitments for the Class of 2013 on Monday.

Point guard Matt Donahue (Camp Hill, PA/Trinity) and forwards Kevin Janowski (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) and Jon Ward (Allentown, PA/Parkland) join a team who advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four two seasons ago.

Donahue led the Shamrocks to a 24-8 record last season, en route to a PIAA District III AA Championship. Trinity advanced to the PIAA Quarterfinals this past season, the third time Donahue has made an appearance in that round.

A 2009 All-State honorable mention selection, he was first-team All Mid-Penn selection. He was also a two-time honorable mention Harrisburg Big 15 and District III All-Tournament team selection.

A three-time letterwinner, the 5-10 point guard averaged 17 points per game, three assists per game and 4.3 rebounds a contest. He also sank 87 three-pointers this season, finishing with a lifetime three-point percentage of 44 percent.

He chose Ursinus over Catholic, Millersville, East Stroudsburg and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Janowski led his team to a 23-6 record in advancing to the Central Jersey Group 1 final, while winning the Freedom Division championship. The team finished sixth in the final New Jersey Group 1 ranking, and was named as the Ocean County Team of the Year by the Star Ledger. Janowski was named first-team Star Ledger all-state Group 1, All-Ocean County, first-team Freedom Division, first-team All-Area by the Trenton Times and first-team All-Area by the Burlington County Times.

The first 1,000 point scorer in school history (1,238 total points), he is also the total rebounds leader in school history (773). The 6-8 forward averaged 16.3 points per game and 8.9 rebounds a contest.

He chose Ursinus over Holy Cross, New Hampshire, Binghamton, Monmouth, Rider and USP.

Ward led his team to a 26-4 record, while advancing to the PIAA AAAA Quarterfinals. Along the way, the team advanced to the Lehigh Valley Conference Finals, while winning the District XI championship. Parkland was named as Team of the Year by the Allentown Morning Call and won the Wildwood Boardwalk Classic.

A McDonalds All-American nominee, the 6-10 Ward was second-team All-Area and won the Lehigh Valley and Parkland High School basketball Scholar-Athlete Award.

Ward chose Ursinus over Wofford, The Citadel and the Centenary College of Louisiana.

All three student-athletes were named to their respective school's honor rolls.

The three join two-time all-league point guard Remy Cousart (Yardley, PA/Holy Ghost Prep) for Ursinus, who will open up play on Friday, November 20, 2009 against Keystone at the Hamilton College Tip-Off Tournament.

[lefty2]

Scranton has advanced ticket sales?

Check out Ursinus' recruits...impressive...these kids are going to Usrinus over D1 schools?

He chose Ursinus over Catholic, Millersville, East Stroudsburg and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.


He chose Ursinus over Holy Cross, New Hampshire, Binghamton, Monmouth, Rider and USP.


Ward chose Ursinus over Wofford, The Citadel and the Centenary College of Louisiana.

It seems that they chose Ursinus over ALL other schools, but it would be impossible to list all of them.

[cold_case]

It seems that they chose Ursinus over ALL other schools, but it would be impossible to list all of them.

Now that's sophisticated humor.

[lefty2]

CC,

Glad to see you're still in the neighborhood.

How did your karma get so high?

Lefty

[CUA_FAN]

Any word on new Catholic recruits for upcoming season?

[ronk]

   Scranton incoming players announced today on team web site(including NEPA's newspaper catch from New Jersey).

[NEPAFAN]

   Scranton incoming players announced today on team web site(including NEPA's newspaper catch from New Jersey).

Okay, that seems to take care of the guards and make up for the loss of Fitzpatrick, but what about the forwards?

[NEPAFAN]

So what round of the draft did Banzhaf go in?

[TheGrove]

So what round of the draft did Banzhaf go in?

ROTFL! I'd +k you if I could. 

[saratoga]

NEPA: Classic! Plus karma! I guess many of us expect recruiting classes to have the occasional player that can step in & play a little & make some serious contributions as freshmen & sophmores (please refer to F&M).Some very serious questions regarding Royal recruiting in recent years.
   Last seasons freshman class between them averaged less than 3 minutes per game...virtually zero points, rebounds or assists & after the first 8 players most often used, the playing time for the remaining 7 players was pretty non-existant. It should prove interesting not only to see where Scranton's points in the paint come from...but, perhaps of a greater concern...where does Scranton's interior defense come from? This is not to infer that some of these kids can't play...just that the opportunity to play was not offered very much.
  On another recruiting note...my brother who resides in the Boston area told me recently that there was an article in one of the smaller newspapers up there of various players from some of the better prep schools & what they've done & where they are heading to college & one post player (around 6'7") with really good prep numbers is going to Catholic.

[BCannon]

NEPA: Classic! Plus karma! I guess many of us expect recruiting classes to have the occasional player that can step in & play a little & make some serious contributions as freshmen & sophmores (please refer to F&M).Some very serious questions regarding Royal recruiting in recent years.
   Last seasons freshman class between them averaged less than 3 minutes per game...virtually zero points, rebounds or assists & after the first 8 players most often used, the playing time for the remaining 7 players was pretty non-existant. It should prove interesting not only to see where Scranton's points in the paint come from...but, perhaps of a greater concern...where does Scranton's interior defense come from? This is not to infer that some of these kids can't play...just that the opportunity to play was not offered very much.
  On another recruiting note...my brother who resides in the Boston area told me recently that there was an article in one of the smaller newspapers up there of various players from some of the better prep schools & what they've done & where they are heading to college & one post player (around 6'7") with really good prep numbers is going to Catholic.

With regards to your freshman in recent years past not contributing Ashworth was huge for the Royals as a Freshman earning 2nd team and leading the team in scoring in the playoffs I believe, while taking(and making) some huge shots along the way...also it was Luke Hawks freshman year of eligiblity this year I believe (but not totally sure) & I think he had a pretty good 1st yr as well if I'm not mistaken...I know you have a high standard up in Scranton and rightfully so, but even in recent years you have gotten some nice production out of a player or two from the freshman class I would say.

If Catholic can get a legit 6'7 6'8 kid who rebounds hard and blocks shots to put along side JB that would be huge for them

[saratoga]

I would guess that Coach Danzig's best recruiting year was 4 years ago when he brought in FitzPatrick, Biagioli, Paul Hawk, Fuller & Londo. Fitz & Hawk started almost immediately, Biagioli was there by his sophmore season & Brendan & Eli chipped in big time whenever they were presented the opportunity.
  However, the following season 3 kids made the team but only Dan O'Connell has logged any playing time. The other two juniors from last season have yet to log the minutes of one game in 3 years.
  Two years ago Ashworth & Luke Hawk came in...and obviously Ashworth has done a great job. Luke was injured that entire season & did not play until this past season.
  This years freshman class saw another 3 kids make the team although none saw any appreciable quality minutes. So far this year it looks like Danzig was given the recruiting budget of 10.00 as two kids are coming in from Scranton Prep & the other one from Christian Brothers Academy didn't even start. 
  Based on last years talent & their inability to yet again win even 1 NCAA game...I find it hard to believe that recent recruiting has positioned Scranton for a deep run in the tournement any time soon. It appears to me that recruiting may be getting done with the best in the contact stage...the problem seems to lie in being able to seal the deal. Accordingly, one very good recruiting year followed by 3 or 4 years of minimal  to average at best influx of talent simply will not get it done. Hence, the addition of Bard, Lancaster Bible & the Penn St. Hazleton's of the world on the schedule instead of Ursinus, Muhlenberg, Hamilton or Amherst.
  One simple fact remains...to this point in time,the best team Coach Danzig put on the floor was the last one assembled by Coach Bessoir. Until recruiting greatly improves on a consistant basis...that rather unfortunate fact will persist.

[BCannon]

Any idea what Bessoir's son does now? In reading the media guide a few years back it was easy to see  he was an extremely talented basketball player. He play overseas at all and is he in coaching now?

Anyone ever read the book "The Last Amateurs"? I think most on this board would enjoy and it actually mentions Danzig a few times briefly ( random thought, but for some reason this conversation about Danzig and recruiting reminded me of it ).

I'm actually surprised Scranton didn't re up the schedule this year with the Landmark not being a pool b league anymore (i think). Should be all about how the team does in conference and getting them prepared for the league schedule/tourney.