 |
| |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Posted: Tuesday October 22, 2002 2:26 PM Updated: Monday October 28, 2002 1:58 PM St. Bonaventure Bonnies
The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518. Team Preview | Blue Ribbon Analysis
Consider Jan van Breda Kolff 1-for-1 when it comes to fulfilling his preseason promises at St. Bonaventure. When van Breda Kolff headed east from the beaches of Malibu, Calif., he talked of bringing a fun-and-gun offense full of 3-pointers to the Bonnies' cozy campus in New York state's southwest corner. Man, did he deliver. The 2001-02 Bonnies led the nation in 3-point goals per game (10.4) and finished 14th in the country in scoring (80.5 ppg) while earning their third straight (and fourth in five years) postseason bid. Highlights included an 88-70 victory over Connecticut in Hartford and an 80-79 home win over Xavier that ended the nation's longest active winning streak at 12 games. St. Bonaventure played to 97 percent capacity at the Reilly Center as senior guard J.R. Bremer lit up opponents to the tune of 24.6 points per game, which ranked fourth in the nation.
So with Bremer and forward Vidal Massiah (10.8 ppg) having graduated, does van Breda Kolff forecast a slowdown in his second season? Not hardly. "We are going to be in a situation where we will be able to score more than last year," van Breda Kolff said. "We're losing 36 points, which is a big amount, but we have several players who can score more. "We are not going to have one guy who is going to score 25 a game, but we'll have several who can be in the 15 to 17 range, and when you add that up, it could be more than last year." In addition to being more balanced, the Bonnies (who often did not have a player taller than 6-foot-6 on the court last season) have added significant size and also are intent on improving on the glass after being outrebounded by 6.6 boards per game. "That's something that we have to do; we have to be a better rebounding team," van Breda Kolff said. "I think we've addressed that as something we have to do to be successful." You also can figure on 5-foot-7 junior point guard Marques Green (15.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 6.0 apg, 3.4 spg) having a big hand in any success St. Bonaventure has. The shortest player in the Atlantic 10, Green thrives in van Breda Kolff's up-and-down system by directing the offense and being disruptive on defense. He ranked among the top 10 in the conference in seven major categories as his scoring average increased by 9.2 points per game in 2001-02. "With J.R. having graduated, we are counting on Marques to continue to run our team and continue to be a leader and score points and distribute the basketball," van Breda Kolff said. Green was voted third-team All-Atlantic 10 and earned a spot on the league's all-defensive team and is St. Bonaventure's top returning scorer. While opposing defenses will need to be aware of him, it will be difficult for them to focus too much on Green (as they sometimes did with Bremer) because of his ability to pass the ball and the scoring ability of his teammates. There is a good chance he will be a much better player this season, even if his statistics don't change much. Senior Patricio Prato and sophomore Mike Gansey will be two of Green's primary options on the wing. The 6-foot-5 Prato (11.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 spg) is better known for his outside shooting (.359 for his career on 3-pointers), but is also tough around the basket. One of just two players remaining from the Bonnies' 2000 NCAA team, Prato led the team in rebounding last season. "He's an excellent offensive rebounder, he's an excellent shooter and those are things that he did well last year," van Breda Kolff said. "He handles the ball well, makes plays and is a good passer." Gansey, a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, won over the hearts of Bonnies fans with his hustle and scrappy play as the team's top reserve last season. At 6-foot-4, Gansey (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 spg) spent a lot of time at power forward during his first campaign and is not afraid to mix it up with bigger players. He is also an effective outside shooter who made 41-of-106 (.387) 3-point shots and should benefit from more playing time at his natural position this season. "We're looking for big things from Mike as far as scoring points and doing some of the intangibles that he showed a willingness to do last season," van Breda Kolff said. Joe Shepherd, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, also returns. Shepherd (1.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg) provided good energy off the bench last season after transferring from Owens (Ohio) Community College. Freshman Ahmad Smith, one of five newcomers on scholarship, also should be a factor. The 6-foot-4 Smith (14.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 7.1 apg) starred at Bishop O'Connell High School in Fairfax, Va., where he led his team to a 30-7 record as a senior. "Ahmad is a player in the mold of J.R. Bremer," van Breda Kolff said. "We felt like we had to replace J.R., and hopefully we've done that with Ahmad. He's a combination guard who can play alongside the point or take over at the point." The graduation of Massiah and an influx of new talent will result in a much different look along the Bonnies' front line this season. Robert Cheeks (4.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg), a 6-foot-6 senior, is the Bonnies' most experienced post player. Cheeks played power forward and center last season, despite his lack of size. He also had offseason surgery, and that slowed him the first half of the season. "As the season progressed, he got more and more acclimated," van Breda Kolff said. Cheeks, who earned his bachelor's degree in sociology in the spring to regain his final season of eligibility, will benefit from knowing how to play two positions and will be a team leader. With so many new players in the mix, it is difficult to forecast exactly where he will play or what his role will be. Sophomores Patrick Methot-Lottin, who is 6-foot-6, and 6-foot-8 Saulis Dumbliauskas also are looking to solidify niches for themselves. Methot-Lottin (2.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg) played in all 30 games last season and is a good outside shooter who also has the ability to take people off of the dribble. Dumbliauskas (0.5 ppg), a native of Lithuania, has added 15 pounds and could be a surprise this season. His biggest strength is his mid-range jumper, but he also could be a contributor defensively and on the glass. Newcomers Jamil Terrell, Cortez Sutton and Calvin Brown were brought in for the express purpose of making the Bonnies a better rebounding team. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Terrell (15.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg) did not play in high school but enjoyed two successful seasons at Coastal Georgia Community College. Terrell, who shot 60 percent from the floor for the Mariners last season, should make an impact at center. "He may be the most athletic big man that I've ever coached," van Breda Kolff said of the junior. "He is a guy that can go up and rebound in a crowd and go over someone to get a rebound, and he is a guy that can block shots." Sutton, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, sat out last season after averaging 10 points and four rebounds for Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College in 2000-01. He rebounds well off the wing and could fit in at either forward spot. "Cortez is a lot like Patrick Methot-Lottin, just a little bigger," van Breda Kolff said. "He is long and lean and very athletic. He can take it off the dribble, post up or spot up to shoot. Since he's a little older, we feel he'll be able to step right in and help." At 6-foot-8 and 255, Brown provides the Bonnies with a legitimate wide body. He averaged 11 points and eight rebounds at St. Thomas More (Conn.) Prep last season and 16.2 points and 11.7 rebounds as a senior at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he was teammates with Methot-Lottin. Brown may need to lose some weight to improve his speed and become a better fit with St. Bonaventure's system, but he also should provide immediate help. "He has excellent hands and excellent footwork," van Breda Kolff said. "He has long arms, and he is just relentless. He goes after it on every play." The Bonnies also will receive a midseason boost when Maurice Young, a 6-foot-5 transfer from Virginia, becomes eligible. Young played in 25 games as a freshman in 2000-01 (2.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and twice was selected the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week. He played two games last season and will have 2 1/2 seasons of eligibility at St. Bonaventure. "Mo has the total package and will be an impact player," van Breda Kolff said. "He just needs the opportunity to play. He is a prototypical small forward who is very versatile. He has range on his shot, he can post up his man, he can score in the paint, and he can rebound. "He also brings great intangibles. He has a real drive to succeed and great competitive desire. He is a natural leader who will be a great role model." Coaches will tell you that it's not their job to entertain people, it's their job to win games. Van Breda Kolff did his share of entertaining and winning last season, and that trend should continue into 2002-03 and beyond. St. Bonaventure does not have a star like Bremer this season, but people didn't know how good he really was until his final two seasons. The Bonnies do have a solid perimeter, with Green, Prato and Gansy, but none of them can carry a team offensively like Bremer did. Green is a better player than people realize, but his success depends on getting his teammates involved. Ultimately, the five newcomers will determine how good St. Bonaventure will be. "There's a big difference between playing in high school and playing in college, and there's a big difference between playing in junior college and playing in college," van Breda Kolff said. "It's difficult to say how smoothly players are going to make that transition." Terrell could be a force down low, and Sutton and Brown also will need to be solid for the Bonnies to extend their string of consecutive postseason trips to four. Cheeks also will play a role, Methot-Lottin and Young can provide additional scoring options, and Smith could be one to watch. Van Breda Kolff says the offense will continue to click and the rebounding will be improved. If he's right, these Bonnies could be as entertaining (and maybe even a bit better) than last year's team.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
