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Seton Hall Pirates (2001: 16-15)

The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I teams, be sure to order the 2001-02 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.

Program overview

Well, here we are, back to square one for the Pirates and in-state rival, Rutgers. Remember when we were firing the starter's pistol to commence the battle between the schools' new coaches, Scarlet Knight boss Kevin Bannon and slick Tommy Amaker?

It was only four years ago, and everybody in the Garden State wanted to see which new man would fare better. At first, it looked as if Bannon would prevail. Then, Amaker took the lead, thanks to the Hall's improbable 2000 Sweet 16 run.

In the end, the race was a dead heat -- at least for the programs. Each is starting anew, trying to regroup after disappointing 2000-01 seasons and curious about whether their latest hires are indeed the men capable of leading them to sustained success.

The two coaches took different paths. Amaker moved on to Michigan, to help rescue the Wolverines, while Bannon resigned from Rutgers, unable to quell the disappointment among the school's athletic constituencies. Consider Amaker the big winner in that contest.

But what of Seton Hall? In steps Louis Orr, former Syracuse frontcourt legend and extremely successful one-year wonder at Siena, where he replaced another shining coaching star, Paul Hewitt. He must now guide the Pirates back to contention in the Big East, after a 2000-01 season that was filled with controversy, unmet expectations and some truly uninspired play.

Everything that was accomplished by the Sweet 16 club was torn asunder by last year's unit, which was torpedoed by internecine squabbles and petty jealousies. Even though Seton Hall managed a modest run at the end of the season, winning two Big East Tournament games, it couldn't erase the bad taste of a 2-8 regular-season finish and the team's perceived lack of focus.

Orr must repair any bruised egos that still exist and turn what appears to be a talented group of individuals into a team.

On the court, the Pirates will be an aggressive, up-tempo bunch, eager to take advantage of their quickness and depth. And, when things get a little slower, and halfcourt ball prevails, the Hall will rely on its expected strong outside shooting. It's not a bad combination, and one that could result in a pretty good season.

Backcourt

Although only two starters return, both are guards, an excellent step-off point for any successful team. Sophomore point man Andre Barrett and senior wing Darius Lane are one of the league's best backcourt pairings and have the potential to be much better.

The 6-4 Lane (16.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.7 spg, .395 3PT) is a complete package, capable of scoring from all over the floor. He can be a good passer and strong defender who can get to the backboards. He was an All-Big East honorable mention pick last year and should attract more notice this season, particularly if he concentrates on his complete game for the whole year.

The 5-8 Barrett (10.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.5 apg) was a highly regarded newcomer last year who was supposed to team with Lane and Eddie Griffin to bring Seton Hall to the Final Four. That didn't happen, but Barrett did have a strong debut. Most impressive was his 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, excellent for a collegiate player.

Barrett did convert only 36.3 percent of his field-goal tries and was a tepid 30.1 percent from behind the arc. Those numbers should improve, thanks to added maturity that ought to result in better shot selection. Unfortunately, Barrett's touch didn't improve this summer, as he played for the bronze medal-winning U.S. team in the World University Games. He averaged 5.5 points and 1.9 rebounds and was second on the team in assists, but shot .357 from the field and just .211 from the three-point line.

As if Barrett and Lane aren't enough, the Pirates can call on 6-0 senior Ty Shine (9.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.5 apg), a combination guard with great shooting range who can sit on the wing and fire or run the show. He wasn't thrilled by the arrivals of Barrett and Griffin last year, but he should be happier this year, because Orr is not wedded to any of the team's players and is only looking for leadership and production.

Expect to see 6-4 junior Desmond Herod (1.8 ppg, 0.9 rpg) in the mix. Herod played in 19 games last year after transferring from UNLV and flashed some athletic ability. Now, he must display more basketball skill. He's a slasher and a leaper who could fit in well with Orr's fullcourt style.

Rounding out the backcourt is 6-3 senior walk-on Raheem Carter, who sat out last year after transferring to Seton Hall from Monmouth. He's a point guard who isn't expected to see all that much time. He did average 4.5 points and 1.2 assists at Monmouth in 1999-00 and had 14 points against Fairleigh-Dickinson.

Frontcourt

Although Griffin and 7-0 center Samuel Dalembert -- both first-round NBA draft picks -- are gone up front, the Pirates have added some talented newcomers, most notably 6-5 freshman John Allen from Coatesville (Pa.) High School. Expect Allen to make an immediate impact. A second-team Parade All-America and a USA Today third-teamer, Allen averaged 26.0 points last year and led Coatesville to the Pennsylvania Class AAAA title.

Allen was Coatesville's all-time leading scorer, with 2,372 points, breaking UConn and current Washington Wizards star Rip Hamilton's record. Allen signed early, while Amaker was still coaching the team, but stuck around after Orr took over. He will provide some more wing scoring, and though he might have to defer to Lane somewhat this year, could be a big-time force in the coming years.

The Hall has plenty of options at the forward spots besides Allen.

Holdover Greg Morton (1.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), is a 6-7 sophomore who demonstrated the ability to rebound last year. Now, he must display the ability to score somewhat or be relegated to special situations.

Sophomore Marcus Toney-El (6.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) was the least heralded of the three newcomers last year, but the 6-6 sophomore is a nuts-and-bolts player who can help out on the wing or closer to the hoop. Though relatively one-dimensional (off the dribble) offensively, Toney-El is athletic and should flourish at times when the tempo increases.

Orr will be interested to see what 6-7 sophomore Damion Fray, from Walt Whitman High School in Huntington, N.Y., can do. Fray sat out last year as a partial qualifier, but is extremely athletic and has potential. He practiced with the team last year but missed six weeks at the outset, because of a fractured wrist. He averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds as a prep senior but is strong and capable of being hard to handle inside.

Another new forward who can play the three or four is 6-8 freshman Mauricio Branwell, from Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep. Branwell isn't going to score a lot, but he will rebound and defend.

The middle could belong to 6-10 senior Charles Manga (2.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg), who started four times last year. Manga is a strong player with limited scoring ability who will be called upon largely to defend and rebound. If he can handle those assignments and stay out of foul trouble, he could get 20 minutes a night. If not, he'll be replaced by a rotating forward line that will feature Fray or Branwell in the middle.

Don't expect to see 7-0 freshman Alexander Gambino from Long Island Lutheran in the middle for too long. He averaged 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds last year as a senior and needs plenty of polish. Though he possesses good hands and a fine shooting touch, Gambino needs to add strength to his 235-pound frame, the better to handle the rough stuff inside. He is likely a project.

Bottom line

Last year, many predicted a Final Four run and a Big East title for the Pirates. What they got were plenty of problems and an ugly, late-season slide.

Amaker is now gone to greener pastures, and Orr will try to build a program that can one day meet those expectations. He'll begin with more discipline, a popular style and a talented backcourt.

Those are three strong foundation pieces. If Barrett and Lane mesh well together, provide leadership and play for the team, rather than their stats, the Hall is off to a good start. Add in Shine, and Orr has some intriguing and explosive options.

The frontcourt will be interesting. Allen has the potential to score a lot, but the Hall needs the other newcomers to team with Morton and Manga in a productive forward wall that defends to the death, crashes the boards and provides enough interior scoring to keep opposing defenses from crowding the perimeter. That could happen, particularly if the Pirates can get the tempo pulsing.

Orr will recruit well and put forth teams that are aggressive and smart. But he has a challenge in state, because Rutgers made a good hire with Gary Waters. The race is on again, and Jersey fans hope that the outcome this time is different.