MBB: State University of New York Athletic Conference

[thebear]

Hey Bengalsrule.  Are you guys holding your cards or what.  Everyone else in the 'yac has rosters posted.  When can we expect the Bengals to show their team?

[magicman]

Preparing for Cortland should not be all that difficult, he said tongue in cheek. Just bring out last seaon's game films. Twelve RDragons return from that 22-7 squad that finished runnerup to Oswego and won 14 of its last 17. Heading the cast: all-stars J. Winter (14.8 ppg, 122 assts, 49 3s) and B. Manning (13.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 67 3s) plus J. Smith (13.2ppg, 65 3s) and H. Hefele (9.1 ppg, 35 3s). That's the senior backcourt. G. Spendijian is a veteran jr guard. Battle-tested frontliners: 6-5 jr K. McMahon (7.3 ppg), 6-8 sr D. Sternkopf, 6-4 jr. J. Connolly, 6-4 jr M. Kearney, 6-8, 275 soph M. Brown and 6-7, 220 soph M. McGowan. Roster lists returning soph guard T. J. Hefele a captain along with Winter and Manning. Four frosh and a soph round out 17 man crew.

Corts open Thursday at Elmira and travel to Utica for a Saturday matinee. Late December finds Coach Span taking his roundballers to Daytona Beach for action vs. Ursinus and Embry-Riddle.

Cortland has to be the preseason favorite to win the YAC this year. No one returns as much talent as the Red Dragons do. With an abundance of shooters and big men, the conference is theirs for the taking. They averaged 71.8 ppg last year and return 69.3 ppg with their top 9 players all back. Cortland finished in 2nd place last year with a 14-4 conference record.

That being said, Oswego and Geneseo will likely provide the the toughest opposition as both of these teams also return quite a bit of talent. The defending champion Lakers have a huge hole to fill with the graduation of SUNYAC All Everything Chad Burridge but starters Hayden Ward, Sean Michele and Chris Gilkes give Oswego a solid group to try for the repeat. Geneseo returns 4 starters and 7 of their top 8 performers led by Ryan Riefenhauser, Jordan Jones, Connor Fedge and Matt Curry. The Blue Knights handed Cortland 1 of their 4 conference losses last year, beating the Red Dragons in Cortland 63-60. Geneseo was the 3rd seed in last year's conference tournament after finishing in a tie for 3rd during the regular season with Brockport and Buffalo State.  Plattsburgh could be a challenger as they also return a large part of their rotation. With the additon of 3 solid transfers and some good looking freshman I expect the Cardinals will be a handful for any team this year. A tough out of conference schedule should get them ready for the SUNYAC wars.

I think these 4 teams will occupy the top 4 spots at the end of the year. Hard to pick a winner from them but I'm guessing it will be the Red Dragons of the Cortland variety. I sure hope I'm wrong and my Cardinals can put together a solid season that will lead to another title.

Random notes:

New Paltz will once again have the services of former All Conference selection Shereef Taylor. The 6'2" G/F averaged 13.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg 2,7 assists pg, and led the team in steals during the 2010-11 season. He'll form a potent combination with All Conference  forward Matt Devine for the Hawks. Loss of All Conference guard Harris Wichard (17.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, team leader in assists) will be felt. Big man and starter Alan Siergiej transferred to Plattsburgh. Six freshman and 2 transfers on a 14 man roster, will need to contribute right away or they will have a very short bench.

Oswego State will have 6'7" forward Brendan Nollet back this year as he returns after missing most of last year with an injury.

Brockport lost 3 starters including All Conference players Gerald Williams and Kyheem Green.  6'5" forward Donnell Jackson (10.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg) is also not listed on the roster. Golden Eagles lost over 45 ppg and 22 rpg. Eight returning lettermen led by guards John Ivy (12.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg), Derek Klein (4.9 ppg 4.4 apg), and Lance Legister (9.1 ppg). Lack of experienced bigs could prove troublesome. Several new faces with some size have transferred in and could fill that gap. Coach Dunne has lots of experience fielding a team that is lacking in height, however. Brockport is always competitive.

Fredonia lost 5 of their top 7 players including All Conference forward Julius Bryant (14.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg). They averaged 62 ppg last year and graduated 45 ppg along with  21 rpg. 19 players listed on the 2012-13 roster but only 3 returnees from last year's squad. Amir Billups (8.4 ppg), Dalton Kashmer (7.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Devin Case (1.1 ppg) are the only Blue Devils lettermen. Of the 16 new faces 9 of them are freshmen, 4 are transfers from jucos and 3 others, all upperclassmen are new to the team. Eight players listed at 6' 4" or taller. Will definitely need a lot of these guys to show up right away or it could be a long season for the Blue Devils.

Oneonta State had a 10 man rotation that averaged double digit minutes last year in an obvious rebuilding year. Of those 10 players only 1 was a graduating senior. However 4 lettermen are not listed on this year's roster. What hurts even worse is that all of them were 6'4" or taller including both 6'7" players. YAC Rookie of the Year guard Frankie Kelly (10.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and 4.3 ast/g) is back to once again lead these Red Dragons. Dan Lee (9.2 ppg, 46 3's) will probably occupy the 2 spot. Nick Sarchioto a 6'5" forward (7.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg), guard Kevin Donahue (6.3 ppg) and guard Zach Mager (3.7 ppg) all saw extensive playing time last year and will be fighting for a starting role. Two former players, both guards, return after missing most or all of last year  (Chris Hooks and Terrence Parker). Six freshmen and 2 new upperclassmen make up half of the 16 man roster. Quality bigs may be a shortcoming

Still no roster for Buffalo State.

Potsdam and Plattsburgh were written about earlier on this board by "the bear" and yours truly.

Lots of new faces in the league this year. It certainly should be an interesting season, as always. Perhaps the biggest change in the SUNYAC is that the conference tournament will no longer be open to the top eight teams. Starting this year, only the top six teams will get a chance to win the automatic bid to the NCAA's. That will certainly make every conference game a must win and defending your home court a necessity.

My wish list:

1. The Cardinals capture the regular season and the Conference tournament.  (I said it was a wish list)

2. My alma mater Potsdam has a good year, makes the playoffs and meets the Cards in the Championship game. (I know, I know, I'm wishing for a lot.)

3. In addition to the automatic bid to the NCAA's, 2 other YAC teams receive at large bids. (Don't know if that's ever happened, I'll actually be happy if we get 2 teams in this year)

4. Some one from the YAC makes the D3 Hoops All American Team.

5. Multiple players make the D3 Hoops Team of the Week

6. A SUNYAC team goes deep in the NCAA Tournament (That would mean at least the Great Eight)

7. Two teams from the YAC finish in D3 Hoops Top 25.

Plattsburgh opens up their season on 11-16 as they take on The Sage Colleges in the 1st round of the Cardinal Classic. Since it's my birthday that  day I'm expecting a victory for my present. We'll play either York College or Norwich the following day and then host #4 Middlebury on 11-25.

Cortland has the honor of playing the first regular season game, as jdex mentioned, at Elmira on Nov. 15th at 8 PM. Six other teams open on the 16th.  First set of SUNYAC games are the weekend of Nov. 30th-Dec. 1st.  Lucky (sarcasm) Cardinals have to travel to Oswego, then Cortland. Who in hell made out this schedule. Facing, most likely, the top 2 teams right off the bat on the road isn't what I had in mind. My other favorite team the Bears have the same problem.    

Three more days till the opening bell.  GO CARDS!!!

[magicman]

Hey Bengalsrule.  Are you guys holding your cards or what.  Everyone else in the 'yac has rosters posted.  When can we expect the Bengals to show their team?

They're waiting for a reason, bear. Can't say as I blame them.

[thebear]

[
Lucky (sarcasm) Cardinals have to travel to Oswego, then Cortland. Who in hell made out this schedule. Facing, most likely, the top 2 teams right off the bat on the road isn't what I had in mind. My other favorite team the Bears have the same problem.    

Three more days till the opening bell.  GO CARDS!!!

Magic - Thanks for wishing good things for da Bears. 

As for the schedule, Bears really didn't adopt the Boeheim scheduling formula, start with Ithaca, who is loaded, If they get past the Bombers, they get a solid Clarkson team; after Thxgiving, they face the Knights again, the aforementioned Oswego/Cortland Road trip, then an always tough SLU team, then host the Bengals and Fredonia, which appears to have substantially reinforced its roster.

Don't know if Dr. Pat or the new commish made this schedule, but hitting the NorthCountry teams with Cortland, Oswego, Buff State in the first four conference games is cruel and unusual punishment.

Those first Eight games will probably give a pretty good indicator of how the winter of 2012-13 will go.

[magicman]

It's almost 2 AM Tuesday morning and Bengalsrule is as wide awake as I am.

Where's that roster you promised me today?

[magicman]

Nice article about Oswego State's Chris Gilkes on the front page of D3hoops today. Sounds like this young man has got his priorities straight.

  The story is titled "Powering forward". Here's the link: http://d3hoops.com/landing/index#

[Bengalsrule]

It's almost 2 AM Tuesday morning and Bengalsrule is as wide awake as I am.

Where's that roster you promised me today?

                                                                 Roster will be out Thursday!!

    And yes magicman, thats a great story on Chris Gilkes! Kudos to the kid who has had to survive a distant father and (although she lived in Syracuse) a distant mother too! Being a "good" father at 18 makes his story all the more amazing!!

   What really stands out after I finished reading the story was that it was submitted by the Oswego - Assistant S. I. D.!!!! It is truely heartwarming to see a staff person at a school who really gives a damn about the kids in (any of) their programs. None of us know for sure what most, if any, of these kids go through to get to their respective colleges (unless they take time to share with us like Chris did) and then to become basketball players. In the inner-cities of Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and New York City, the environment leads kids, like Chris, to having a better chance of doing 4 years at Attica than SUNY-Oswego. Having a "Ms. Grulich' (see story if you dont know who she is) might be the only thing which stood in between a Chris going to a different type state institution (which is not known for "higher learning"). Only God knows the number of kids who didn't have a loving parent or Ms. Grulich, who was willing to "stand in the gap" for them during those critical years of junior high/high school! And but for 1 person or persons who realized that this kid had some extraordinary circumstances to overcome, and he is worth taking a chance on, we may never have heard of many of our SUNYAC stars, let alone student athletes.

  We, the fans, enjoy our players on game night! But if we knew what life obstacles they have had to go through to get to that court on Friday night. Obstacles like..... *seeing you father sentenced to 10 years in prison on your 12th birthday and then 5 years later *burying your mom before you graduate from high school. *After graduation having to raise your younger siblings and, on some days your firstborn child, in a boarded up house (because public assistance wouldnt pay for anything better) because the alternative would be to continue live in a house with your stepfather and continue to watch him sexually abuse your younger sister (after you mother has died and biological father has gone to prison). All the while hoping that 1 day a college/coach/admission director, would see that you are worthy enough to attend their school/be part of thier school/program, and that an S.I.D. would be willing to fight for your right to play the sport that you love, (which in most cases, like Chris, kept you off the streets and out of prison).   The road that some of these kids have traveled to get to that court on Friday night is worthy of a standing ovation when the walk on the court..let alone play in the game 

  Too often I've heard of S.I.D.'s who try and shortchange a player, like Chris, because they don't like A- the kid...B- the coach of that particular sport or C - they just don't like that sport! And so instead of doing all that they can do, as the S.I.D., (or assistant S.I.D.) to insure that a kid has every opportunity to excel in their given sport, they attempt to "backdoor" the kid and hurt his/her chances to excel! Thier warped thinking says if "I can keep this kid off the team then I can hurt" this/that team. That sucks!! If I had my drothers I'd line the s.o.b.'s up and....(fill in the blanks magic/bear). People like that who are paid to do whats best for the student athlete (within the guidelines of the NCAA), and in fact do the opposite, are worthless pieces of s--t!!!   

      Anyway, hoping the best for Chris (except on 1/12/13 and 2/1/13). My pastor always says that if "you have had no test(s) in life..then you have no testimony". Chris and other SUNYAC hoopsters truly have a testimony. I'm a witness that that is true! .

   And thanks to Tom Loughery - Assistant S. I. D. - Oswego State, for taking to time to talk proud about 1 of his student athletes who has overcome tremendous odds and persevered. I have no doubt that Tom works very hard for all the student athletes at Oswego. I hope other S.I.D.'s take note(s).

                                                             Roster Thursday (Pending S.I.D./NCAA approval of course!!!!)



P.s. The * is to identify true, not fictitious (sic?), incidents in the life of a Buff State student athlete (who will remain anonymous), Things that he has shared with me in person.

[thebear]

Nice tribute Bengals.

As someone who has been both an SID and an assistant SID, & been able to get one of my players (Mike Deane) AA honors, and a second (Ted Bence) first team All-ECAC from the same team in the same year, (Magic can attest to their combined abilities from many years at the PBA) I appreciate your concern.

Some stories play better than others.  Humbled that Chris Gilkes is willing to share his family tragedies, new he just has to deliver on the court & it will add to the legend.

Oswego is ranked #1 in D-III hockey, so it makes sense that the Asst SID would do the main coverage for hoops.  Hockey is king in Oswego, I have a brother, sister, and sister in law who are all Lakers. 

The Bear

[magicman]

Bengalrule + K.  Nuff said!

[magicman]

As someone who has been both an SID and an assistant SID, & been able to get one of my players (Mike Deane) AA honors, and a second (Ted Bence) first team All-ECAbearC from the same team in the same year, (Magic can attest to their combined abilities from many years at the PBA)

You got that right. Deane to Bence was a thing of beauty and most of the time no one saw it coming.   The annual PBA tournament. Some of the best ball the North Country has ever witnessed. Plus K for bringing back the memories.

bear,
Had no idea you were an SID back in the day.

[thebear]

I was the student SID and followed you as sports editor of the Racquette 71-73, also did Stats for Jerry, and was the PA the last year in Merritt (a wonderful pit) and the first three years in Maxcy 72-75.

I was hired as SID from 73-75.  We had SUNYAC champs in hoops, wrestling & swimmin & diving at the same time.

Got married & went to grad school in '75.

Fun times...

-bear-

[magicman]

D3hoops preseason All America team has been released. Was hoping that Buffalo State's Jake Simmons might get a mention or possibly Oswego State's Hayden Ward but no such luck. No SUNYAC player made it on any of the four teams or the honorable mention list. Fortunately the real list comes out in March so our guys have plenty of time to make a lasting impression. Last year we had 5 different players make the D3hoops Team of the Week. Three of those players are back for another season and hopefully all will have outstanding seasons. I know after watching Jake Simmons play for the past 3 years I'd take him on my team over a number of other  guards on the preseason AA teams.   

Hartwick's Jared Suderly was named to the 1st team. Ithaca's Sean Rossi was named to the honorable mention list. The only other player from the East region is Rochester's John DiBartolomeo, who received a 2nd team nod. Here's a link to the complete list:

http://d3hoops.com/awards/all-americans/men/preseason-2013

magicman -- barring a favorable appeal, Jake Simmons is out of eligibility.

Pat,
News out today, Jake Simmons did get a favorable appeal from the NCAA and is eligible to play for the entire year.

Does this mean he can rightfully take his place somewhere on the D3 hoops preseason All American teams? I realize it's too late now, but I have to believe he was under consideration by you guys until the eligibility issue came up. Hopefully he won't be overlooked for the end of the year selections.   

[dcahill44]

Oswego State Should win the Conference returning some Guys and have some stud Freshman watchout for Alex Rawa 6-4 F/C. Buffalo State Should be good with Jake Simmons running the show. Cortland is always solid and Geneseo could be pretty good had a good Recruiting Class this Year.

[magicman]

After today's favorable ruling on Jake Simmons, Bengalsrule's feet are so far off the ground he's in danger of getting his hair clipped by low flying planes.

[magicman]

Oswego State Should win the Conference returning some Guys and have some stud Freshman watchout for Alex Rawa 6-4 F/C. Buffalo State Should be good with Jake Simmons running the show. Cortland is always solid and Geneseo could be pretty good had a good Recruiting Class this Year.

Jake doesn't run the show, he is the show.