2006-07 PAC Men's Basketball Preview

BETHANY BISON (23-5 Overall, 12-0 PAC)

It’s been four years since Aaron Huffman took over as the head men’s basketball coach at Bethany College and every day since his arrival in 2002, he’s had Matt and Mike Drahos, as well as Josh Polantz, standing in his huddle. While replacing the most productive class in school history will obviously be hard to do, Huffman says the winning attitude that has taken hold of the program is still prevalent in the returning players such as senior captains Chris Stephens (right) and James Wallace.

“But it’s not like we are starting completely over because we have guys who have been around for the last two and three years,” said Huffman. “We know what it takes to win, we know the commitment and mentality we need to have. The difference is that guys like Chris and James have always known that success as more of role players, so we’re going to need them or someone to step up into lead roles.”

The Bison have five players battling for time at the two spots left by the Drahos brothers. Wallace is the most experienced veteran, having played in 82 games for his career, which included averaging 5.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 27 games last season.

Two other returners, including 6-9 senior center Joe Sprumont, who played in 22 games last year, and sophomore Nate Stoner, who appeared in 17 contests, as well as a pair of freshmen in Ryan Besancon and Joe Testa, are in a tight competition for minutes. This all means Huffman could run any number of combinations on the floor, depending on what the situation calls for.

“We can’t rotate five posts, so we’re still waiting for people to distance themselves from the pack,” said Huffman. “With the experience James has, he’ll probably be someone we’ll look to take more of the load. Joe Sprumont could also see more time because his size could give us a nice presence in and around the paint. And even though Nate is very undersized for a post, we’re trying to find a niche for him because he has the most versatile skill set.

“Among the newcomers, Ryan has shown some early promise,” said Huffman “He’s a typical freshman in that he’s a little thin and not very physical right now. Joe Testa is an undersized post player who can bang inside and has some perimeter skills and has improved quite a bit over the first three weeks of practice as his conditioning has improved.

“Overall, it’s still up in the air in terms of who could see the most time,” said Huffman. “We can run a lot of different combinations out there, so we may just take it game-to-game and base it off what we need.”

In the backcourt, the Bison do have two starters back in Stephens, who earned Honorable Mention All-PAC as a junior after averaging 7.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He is joined at the two-guard spot by junior Brody Jackson, who scored 7.1 points and drained 35 three-pointers last year.

“With Chris and Brody, we have some continuity in the backcourt,” said Huffman. “Chris is a three-year starter, so we know what we have with him. I’ve said for awhile his is the only spot in the starting line-up that is totally locked up. Brody just fits smoothly into our system and is a pretty good defender.”

The point guard position in up in the air, although junior Marcus Adams, who played in 24 games last year, is the front-runner over senior Marc Palermo, who averaged 6.2 points and hit 42 percent from the arc (30-72), mainly because Huffman likes what Palermo can bring off the bench.

Other guys who are making a case for time include sophomore Carey Palermo and freshmen Jason McKeegan and Jay Lyonett.

This season’s schedule will also provide a challenge for the Bison, as they will take the floor against NCAA Tournament qualifiers Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) University and Lake Erie (Ohio) College, as well as Division II West Liberty State. And the PAC looks especially strong this season, with Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College, Waynesburg (Pa.) College and Westminster (Pa.) College returning at least four starters from a year ago.

“Add in quality non-conference games against Carnegie Mellon, Lake Erie, who beat us by 15 at home last year, and West Liberty, and this is the toughest schedule we’ve faced in my time,” said Huffman. “We will just have to take it one game at a time and figure out a way to win.”

According to Huffman, Bethany has struggled to find their identity during the opening weeks of practice, which is to be expected considering what they lost. However, something else that is expected from within is that BC continues a tendency they have established over the last few seasons and that is play their best basketball down the stretch.

“Our focus is on being the best team we can be in February,” said Huffman. “We’ve peaked in January and February over the last couple years and I know our guys are confident that trend will continue. We still need to find our identity but as long as we work hard and keep getting better every day, our roles will manifest themselves and we can be ready to play our best basketball when it matters most.”

The new-look Bison will open their season Friday, November 17, at the Juniata Tournament, playing Penn-State Altoona at 7 p.m.

GROVE CITY WOLVERINES (9-17 Overall, 5-7 PAC)
An enhanced commitment to disciplined offense and tenacious man-to-man defense is the driving force behind the Grove City College men's basketball program as it prepares for the upcoming 2006-07 season.

Youth and inconsistency helped send the Wolverines to a 9-17 mark last season, their first losing season this decade. Head coach Steve Lamie (111-95), now entering his ninth year, will rely on an experienced and relatively deep squad as Grove City pursues the Presidents' Athletic Conference title.

Grove City returns nine lettermen from last year's squad, including the team's leading scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker. Seven of those nine veterans scored at least 100 points.

The Wolverines are especially deep in the backcourt, where four veterans are battling for three probable starting spots. Shawn Carr (left), a 6-foot-1 junior guard, led Grove City in scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.0 rpg) in 2005-06. He also led the team with 45 three-pointers and started 25 of 26 games last year.  

Carr earned Second Team All-PAC following the season.

Junior Ryan Gerber emerged as a sophomore, shooting 39 percent beyond the three-point line. The 6-1 Gerber drained 34 threes en route to averaging 8.2 points per game. He also led the team with 35 steals.

Junior Joe Capotosta made an immediate impact in his first year at Grove City by giving the Wolverines offensive punch off the bench. Capotosta shot 42 percent (20 of 48) behind the three-point line and averaged six points per game.

Sophomore guard Ryan Gibson led Grove City's reserves with 500 minutes played. His 51 assists ranked second on the squad. At 6-2, 190 pounds, Gibson gives the Wolverines additional size at guard.

The Wolverines also return several veterans up front, including senior center Craig Hallman and senior forward Mark Smith. The 6-6 Hallman shot a team-leading 54 percent from the floor last year and also led Grove City with 15 blocked shots.

At 6-3, Smith can play either forward position. He started 17 games last year and is a three-year letterman. Smith shot 52 percent from the field in 2005-06.

Junior forward Bobby Turner made four starts late in the season last year. A returning letterman, the 6-3, 205-pound Turner is one of the Wolverines' top interior defenders. Sophomore forward John Scheller played in 25 games as a freshman.

All four veteran post players are in contention for the two starting frontcourt positions.

Grove City also features six freshmen on its roster this season. Several may have to play key roles at times this year for the Wolverines.

Grove City will open its 2006-07 schedule Nov. 18-19 in the annual West Penn Classic.

THIEL TOMCATS (5-22 Overall, 1-11 PAC)
Coming off a 5-22 season in 2005-06 that saw just one regular-season conference victory, the only place for the Tomcats to go is up. They embark on that journey with a new coach, Tim Loomis, a Greenville native and past Division I coach that most recently spent the last six years coaching Kennedy Catholic High School’s boys basketball team.

“We’re starting from absolutely square one,” said Loomis, who was an assistant coach at Penn State University and head coach at California University (Pa.) and Florida Atlantic University. “What we have seen the first few days of practice is that we have to start very, very basic with our instruction and what we’re trying to teach.

“That’s not bad. Many times when you start a program there are a lot of old traits that you have to erase. That’s not really the case here. With this bunch it’s just the fact that they need certain instruction and learning.”

Seven players are back from last year’s squad, including two starters. In addition, two former Kennedy Catholic players who played under Loomis in Brandon Mirizio and Sharron Summerville, have transferred to Thiel.

“They know what’s expected of them as far as how physical and tough we want to play,” Loomis said of Mirizio and Summerville. “They obviously have an advantage because they played for me before.”

Leading the crop of returners are starting forward Joe Herrmann (right) and starting guard Gary Gates. Herrmann started 16 games for the Tomcats last year, scoring 252 points (15.8 ppg) with 139 rebounds (8.7 rpg). Gates played in 27 games a year ago with 25 starts. He scored 160 points (5.9 ppg) and grabbed 96 rebounds (3.6 rpg).

Also returning are forwards Geno Bianco, Ross Watson, Mike Quaglia and Steffon Radcliff. Bianco, who averaged 8.8 ppg and 3.6 rpg last year, recorded a career-high 27 points in the Tomcats’ 73-72 upset of rival Washington & Jefferson College in the opening round of the PAC Championship Tournament. Thiel entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed while Washington & Jefferson was No. 2. Watson averaged 4.1 rpg and 9.7 ppg last season.

Guard Tony White is also back. White played in all 27 games last season, getting 15 starts. He scored 97 points with 30 rebounds.

“I like their attitudes and the way they get along with one another,” Loomis said of his team. “And that’s something you see right away in a team … that’s something that starts from Day 1 or never develops. I think these guys will play together well, and that really is a huge thing when you build a program.”

In addition to the seven returners, Loomis also sees a few of his freshmen making contributions. Those that could push for time include: Cory Chaffee, Dario Hadzovic and Greg Hawes.

“They’re right there,” Loomis said of his freshmen. “They’re right up there in the top seven or eight players.”

Loomis hopes the Tomcats develop into a physical team. He would like to play a similar style of basketball played in the Division I Big East Conference, he said.

“We’re going to run set plays,” said Loomis. “Slow the ball down and play it like a Big East team. We’re going to be physical, we’re going to play quite different than everybody else in the league. And if we don’t make (the opposition) play the way we want to play, we’ll get beat. So, we have to set our tempo and physicality.”

It behooves the Tomcats to cut down on the number of points they allowed and turnovers. They gave up an average of 89 points per game in 2005-06 and committed an average of 20 turnovers per contest.

“We’re getting discipline involved in our offensive game,” Loomis said. “We have to be very disciplined and make sure we take care of the ball. We have to get to the point where it’s 12 turnovers or less a game and under 65 points, and if we do that we’ll win.”

THOMAS MORE SAINTS (2-23 Overall, 2-10 PAC)
It’s the dawn of a new era at Thomas More as former Capital assistant John Ellenwood will be the seventh head coach in the school’s 55-year basketball history.

Coming off a season in which the Saints struggle, Ellenwood has been given the charge of resurrecting the program. He has pictured how he wants the TMC basketball program to be portrayed.

“I envision a team full of team oriented, talented basketball players,” said Ellenwood. “We are not worried about last year. We are worried about finding players who will compete day in and day out. Players will emerge and they will be put in a competitive environment in practice. The wins and losses will take care of themselves.”

One of the first things Ellenwood hopes to change will be the Saints’ defensive intensity. They allowed 87.2 points per game and were last in the PAC in scoring margin at minus17.2 points per game in going 2-24 a season ago.

“We are going to be a tough man-to-man team to start out,” said Ellenwood. “In order to be solid defensively, we need to learn the fundamentals, proper footwork, communication and trust. The little things have to be better for the team to be better defensively.

The two players that have the most starting experience, senior Ed Thornton (left) and sophomore Brandon Bolden are now playing the same position after Thornton was moved back to his natural small forward position. Over the last two seasons, Thornton proved his willingness to put team first as he spent time directing the offense as a point guard.

Thornton, who is one of the team captain’s for the season, has started in 43 of the last 49 games over that past two years. The leading returning scorer with 6.6 points per game, he will be asked to provide more leadership and more points in order for the team to be successful. He brings a stretch of 29 straight made free throws into the season.

Bolden played in 22 games, making 15 starts last season at the small forward after Thornton moved to point last season. He averaged 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.

The other captain, senior Michael Selm, has provided the Saints with intensity and outside shooting off the bench in each of the last two seasons. He averaged 10.2 minutes per game in playing in all 25 games. His 33 percent connection rate from behind the arc led the team.

Five other players that saw extensive action last season return, including the sophomore tandem of Mark Lucas and Matt Tierney. They served in a reserve role to the Saints top two scorers last year, and were able to provide quality minutes. Tierney made seven starts and played in all 25 games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.4 rebounds, while Lucas averaged 4.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 24 games.

Guards Charles Kinney and Jeremy Abell will all compete with some newcomers for playing time.

The three guard spots will be hotly contested with newcomers Robbie Lykes, Erik Marting, Brent McMahan, Aaron Miller, Tony Ramsey, Patrick Steele, Eddie Tyree and Buster Voils all vying for minutes.

In addition to Lucas and Tierney, junior Brad Cutter will be in the mix for playing time in the post. Two transfers, Brad Buckner and Joe Langley will bring more experience to the front court.

Freshmen Nick Boeckman and Ben Plummer will be competing for time in the post rotation.

“We have a clean slate,” Ellenwood said. “There are a lot of new faces and the guys that played last year will have to step up and improve. We have a good mix of newcomers and returners.”

The Saints will open the 2006-07 campaign at Defiance on November 18.

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (10-16 Overall, 8-4 PAC)
With 10 letterwinners, including all five starters, and 99.5 percent of the scoring output returning from a year ago, Washington & Jefferson appears primed to record its first winning season since 1997-98. 

In addition, Head Coach Glenn Gutierrez was hired in April, becoming the 12th head men’s basketball coach in school history.  With 21 years of experience at the Division I and II levels, Gutierrez brings a positive outlook to a program which has struggled to find success in recent history.

“We are only a week or so into practice, but we are working really hard,” said Gutierrez.  “We want to create a hard-working environment and develop a winning attitude.  We want teams to know that they are going to be in for a battle when they play W&J.”

“It has been a lot of fun so far,” added Gutierrez.  “This is something I have been waiting a long time for and I am looking forward to experiencing all of the emotions the season provides.”

Senior Jon Koch (right) will make Gutierrez sleep better during his first year as the 6-foot-2 guard returns as one of the conference’s top talents.  Koch, who last year became the first player in school history to amass 450 or more points twice during a career, has scored 1,328 career points and can become the school’s all-time leader with 326 this season.

Koch led the Presidents and ranked 54th in the nation with 19.5 points per game.  He also connected on 85 percent (124-for-146) of his free throw attempts to finish 45th in Division III.

“I am impressed by Jon’s tenacity, competitiveness and work ethic,” noted Gutierrez.  “He is one of our hardest workers and gives you everything he has.”

The Presidents have the luxury of returning another 1,000-point scorer in senior guard Brandon Studer.  Studer went over the 1,000-point plateau in the final game of 2005-2006 and serves as Washington & Jefferson’s top outside threat.  He averaged 12.6 points per contest a year ago and has drained 173 career three-pointers.

“We need Brandon to be a leader,” noted Gutierrez.  “He has proven to be a solid perimeter player and I expect him to provide us with a good work ethic for our younger players to follow.”

Gutierrez has also been impressed by seniors Raul Sandoval and Kevin Bringman and sophomores Josip Lucic-Jozak and Wahab Owolabi.  “These guys have really got my attention in the first few practices,” said Gutierrez.  “Their work ethic and communication has been a bright spot.”

The 6-foot-8 Lucic-Jozak averaged 12.9 points and 7.3 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent (138-for-243) from the field.  He finished his rookie season 63rd in country in field-goal percentage and nearly averaged a double-double in conference play with 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

“Josip runs the floor very well for a post player and has good hands,” added Gutierrez.  “He has a chance to be a force on both ends of the floor.”

The Presidents also return starters senior forward Matt Vorndran and sophomore guard Nathan Burton.  Vorndran notched 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds a game last season, while starting all 26 contests.  Burton handled the point guard duties and showed his versatility by averaging 3.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Junior forward Tony Lewis is another intriguing player who Gutierrez believes is ready to take his game to the next level.  Lewis averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds last season, while only averaging 15.0 minutes per contest.  He shot just under 50 percent from the floor (68-for-137) and blocked a team-high 20 shots.

Sophomore point guard Scott Oklin provided a spark off the bench in conference play and finished the season with 3.4 points per contest, while classmate Derek Syrylo will also look to see increased playing time this season.

Gutierrez’s main focus right now; however, is getting everyone on the same page.  The Presidents showed flashes of excellence a year ago, but a 2-11 start to the season and a tough loss to Thiel in the first round of the PAC Tournament put a damper on an 8-4 record and a second-place during league play.

“We need to improve our communication on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense,” concluded the head coach.  “It is important that we come into each practice or game focused and ready to give our best effort.”

Gutierrez is eager to start his first season as a collegiate head coach. He will lead the Presidents in their season opener on November 17, at home versus Carnegie Mellon.

WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS (16-11 Overall, 7-5 PAC)
Following last season’s trip to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship, the Waynesburg College Yellow Jackets have plenty to keep them excited about revisiting that goal this season.  Head coach Frank Ferraro returns for his fourth season at the helm with a wealth of talent anchored by three four-year starters.

Leading that trio are guards Beau Wilson (left) and Marc Lodovico and forward Jeff Nero, who combined to average more than 41 points per game, accounting for 51 percent of the team’s total offensive output. 

Wilson, who was named second-team all-conference last season, led the Yellow Jackets with 17.0 points/game and 3.0 assists/game.  The Daybrook, W.Va. native also posted his third-consecutive season ranked in the top five of the PAC in free-throw shooting with an .845 percentage.

Lodovico led the Yellow Jackets in three-point shooting with a .351 percentage and is also a three-time member of the PAC Academic Honor Roll.

Nero’s athletic ability allows him to be one of the most versatile players on the floor.  Averaging 14.9 points/game and 5.4 rebounds/contest, the 6-1 hybrid joined Wilson on the PAC second-team last season.  He also led the PAC last season with 2.31 steals/game and ranked fourth in the conference with 0.77 blocks per game.  

Also returning from last year’s 16-11 squad is junior forward Josh Parisi, who set career highs in rebounds (5.9) and minutes played (22.0).  Parisi, who averaged 6.7 points per game in 25 starts last season, will patrol the paint for the Yellow Jackets, who ranked third in scoring offense (80.4) and fourth in scoring defense (76.3).

Senior forward Shawn Coleman, senior guard Jeff Linden and junior guard Jered Gamble will compete for the vacant starting spot, which was vacated by the graduation of forward Ryan Bujnowski.

Coleman, who has started 45 games in his career, was limited to just fourteen games last season due to a mid-season injury.  In 2004, Coleman led the PAC with a .527 field-goal percentage while scoring in double figures ten times.

Linden appeared in 26 games last season and was fourth on the team in scoring at 9.3 points/game.  Linden, a transfer from Albright College, also led the team with a .554 field-goal percentage.

Gamble, a native of Newell, W.Va., shot .350 from three-point range and had a free-throw percentage of .879 in limited attempts.

Off the bench, the Yellow Jackets will look to junior guard Tim Drakeley, sophomore guard Dan Happe, and sophomore forward Colby Grubich, who all played in at least 13 games last season.

The on-court leadership from an experienced senior trio will certainly look to pay dividends this season as Waynesburg will look to reestablish itself as a PAC powerhouse and win its first conference championship since 1996. Waynesburg begins the 2006-07 season November 17 at the Mt. Aloysius Tournament.

WESTMINSTER TITANS (11-16 Overall, 7-5 PAC)
When head coach Larry Ondako was asked how good the 2006-07 Westminster College men's basketball team would be this year, his answer was quite promising for a successful season.

"From top to bottom, this is the most talented team that I played on or coached," Ondako said.

The Titans will have tremendous depth in the 2006-07 season. Nine of 11 lettermen, including three of five starters, return from last year's team that went 11-16 overall and 7-5 for fourth place in the PAC.

All nine returning lettermen started at least two games last year for the Titans, including four players that started at least 11 games. Throw in senior forward Dom Joseph (right), a two-year starter and team MVP who sat out last year with a medical redshirt, and the Titans have a solid nucleus for a championship-contending team.

"We've got everyone returning and it seems like a lot of other teams in the PAC have everyone leaving," Ondako said. "We are not in a stage of transition like a lot of the other teams, losing starters and changing coaches."

There are three first-year coaches in the PAC this year and defending champion Bethany lost three first-team all-conference players.

"We've got as good of a chance as any team to win the conference," Ondako said. "We are probably the most veteran team in the conference. The kids know that they are done learning, and now it is time to start winning."

The three returning starters are juniors Craig Hannon and Jake Zatchok and senior Greg Rosatelli.

Hannon, a 6-2 guard, started 19 games and was the PAC's third-leading scorer with 19.9 points per game, including a league-high 114 3-pointers (.331). Hannon, a second-team all-PAC selection last year, did this while sharing the backcourt with now-graduated teammate Mark DeMonaco, who averaged 20.7 points per game while earning first-team all-PAC honors.

Rosatelli, a 5-10 guard, will likely increase his scoring after he averaged 9.3 points per game last year. He started in 10 of the 15 games he played.

Zatchok, a 6-5 forward who averaged just 2.8 points per game last year, will be joined in the front court by 6-8 sophomore Steve Bielich, who averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in 2005-06. Both players started 11 games last year, but Zatchok played in 17 more games.

Westminster will continue to run its wide-open 3-point shooting offense that averaged 17.0 made 3-pointers and 50.3 attempts per game last year, but will also emphasize a stronger defense this year, utilizing its improved depth.

"The biggest thing now is we have a solid defense," Ondako said. "Our offensive philosophy won't change as long as we have the kids that can shoot well. But with our size and physical strength we are able to defend and rebound and that makes us a much more solid team."

In addition to Zatchok and Bielich, there are four other returning lettermen, all 6-2 and taller and all with starting experience.

Guards include 6-2 senior Nick Adams, 6-2 junior Nick DiNatale and 6-4 junior Chauncey Whitlow.

All three guards played in every game last year, Whitlow started six games and averaged 10.5 points, DiNatale started eight and averaged 5.1, and Adams started two and averaged 9.6.
Six-foot-three sophomore forwards Ryan Ricketts and Brian Urso, who averaged 2.6 and 7.9 points per game last year, respectively, also bolster the Titans' inside game with starting experience.

"Everyone (on the team) knows what we are doing, so we are pretty optimistic," Ondako added. "We are setting some high goals and expect big things this year."

SAINT VINCENT BEARCATS (18-12 Overall)
Head coach D.P. Harris begins his fourth season as the head coach of the Saint Vincent Bearcats. After finishing the 2005-06 season with an 18-12 mark and making it to the second round of the American MidEast Conference playoffs, the Bearcats will play a full PAC schedule in 2006-07.

Seniors captains Jonny Hasson and Ian McCollough (left) will lead the Bearcats this season as they enter the NCAA Division-III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

"We're expecting big things from both Ian and Jonny," said Harris.  "They both are going to be big contributors for us this year."

Hasson is at Saint Vincent for a fifth year, after sitting out the 2004-05 campaign due to a knee injury.  He has appeared in every game during his junior and sophomore campaigns, and is one of the top three-point shooters on the roster, shooting 43 percent from behind the arc in '03-04. 
 

McCollough, a 6-3 guard, has been a consistent contributor over the past three seasons, despite fighting through a multitude of injuries.  In each of the past two seasons, he has averaged nine points, 2.5 assists, and four rebounds, and was named the American Mideast Conference's Freshman of the Year in 2003-04.

Both of the captains have appeared in a pair of NAIA National Tournaments for the Bearcats, a fact that Harris believes will aid the pair in leading the squad.

"They have both been through it all with us," the coach said.  "They have been through the battles of the AMC and the NAIA National Tournament, and they know what to expect and what goes into being a successful team."

The Bearcats will kick off the season on November 17th, participating in the Manhattanville College tournament in New York City.

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