Lynn Greer and the Owls are the hottest team entering the A-10 tournament. AP
1
Xavier
2
Temple
3
Saint Joseph's
4
Richmond
5
Dayton
6
St. Bonaventure
7
Massachusetts
8
La Salle
9
George Washington
10
Duquesne
11
Rhode Island
12
Fordham
499
Number of games played by Rhode Island at Keaney Gymnasium, which closed as a college basketball facility last weekend. Opened in 1953, the 3,385-seat gym went out in rousing fashion when coach Jim Baron -- facing his former team -- guided Rhody to an 80-72 upset win over St. Bonaventure on March 2. Rhode Island's all-time record at Keaney was 325-174.
"I like our attitude and our mindset, and I think we're playing better. I think we're progressing, but it took us a while to get back on track. I hope it's not too late."
-- George Washington coach Karl Hobbs, whose team lost 10 straight games after a 10-5 start, then won its last two to enter the A-10 tournament on a modest winning streak.
By Ron Chimelis, Special to CNNSI.com
For a conference that likes to flirt with the big boys of college basketball, the Atlantic 10 enters its postseason tournament at less than its rim-rattling best.
At least that's the perception around the nation, where much of the league's identity was based on the 1990s excellence of Temple and Massachusetts, who lifted the A-10 into the world of national TV games and multiple NCAA tournament berths.
Temple is still around, stumbling through its non-conference schedule and then, just when everyone is crossing off the Owls, rising to the top of the league. It happened again this year, when Temple's 87-84 double-overtime win over Saint Joseph's brought the Owls the East Division title, even though Temple's overall record is still an NIT-worthy 15-13.
And so the Owls go into the 2002 A-10 tournament on a 9-1 roll that, to most observers, makes them a logical tournament favorite. That's not really a knock on Xavier, which has won 22 games and had the best conference record, as much as it's a credit to Temple's resiliency.
Not that most of America may care, but this year's tournament could do as much to sort out the league's lower crust as it will to define where the Big Three (Xavier, Temple and Saint Joseph's) stand in relationship to each other, and to the rest of the nation.
Maybe it's a slap to Richmond, which won 17 games and went 11-5 in its first conference year, but the almost unanimous consensus seems to be that the A-10 champion will come from among those three teams. Temple and Saint Joe's must win to have any chance at the NCAA tournament, unless the Owls lose in the finals and the selectors look kindly on a team with a 17-14 record, a 12-2 finish and a history of 12 straight NCAA appearances.
Meanwhile, in a league that had one new team and eight new coaches this year, the have-nots are jockeying for position, as much for the future as for the present. Among them:
Umass: Steve Lappas says it will be different next year, when as many as six new players join his motion offense scheme. This year, the Minutemen started 4-0 (including a win over eventual Pac-10 champion Oregon), then sagged. A strong A-10 tournament could at least leave Lappas thinking the necessary first steps were taken this year.
St. Bonaventure: For a team that wound up getting a lot of hype for its high-octane offense, the Bonnies still wound up only 8-8 in the league. They're probably headed for the NIT, but if they come up flat in the A-10s, a lot of the early-season bloom will look lost.
La Salle, Duquesne and Rhode Island: Let's take 'em all at once, because all of them throw up clunkers on occasion, but also show occasional signs of life.
Rhody closed ancient Keaney Gymasium with a rousing win over St. Bonaventure, and the future looks palatable, if not bright. La Salle has begun to look like a team, not a collection of individuals, and the same goes for Duquesne. At least some of the time.
Fordham: Once upon a time, the Rams were 4-3 in the league. They finished 4-12. Injuries played a part in it, but until Bob Hill and his players come to some understanding of what it takes to survive a long season, every year will be a long season in the Bronx.
George Washington: There are several good young players here, and the Colonials drew UMass in the A-10 first round, a difficult but winnable matchup. There seemed to be progress at the beginning of the season and at the very end, and even one tournament win would erase some of the frustration from a 10-game losing streak.
That leaves Dayton and Richmond, and for these teams, the stakes in the Atlantic 10 tournament are high. Dayton is 18-9, yet still a club that knows it's close to joining the A-10 elite, yet usually seems to stub its toe on the doorstep.
Richmond should have nothing left to prove. The Spiders had an 11-5 league record in their first Atlantic 10 season, and many, many observers saw John Beilein as the league's best coach.
But for Richmond, like Dayton, anything short of at least a trip to the semifinals would stamp the tournament as a something of a disappointment. It's no guarantee for the Spiders, who get a first-round bye, then will probably face St. Bonaventure in the quarterfinals.
Will the 2002 Atlantic 10 tournament showcase a league better than most people think, or a league worse than it's been? For Xavier to win would almost certainly mean the Musketeers would represent the league as its only NCAA tournament team, an indignity the A-10 hasn't suffered since 1990.
For Temple to win would provide a second entry. But its late run notwithstanding, this is not one of John Chaney's premier teams. If it still winds up a champion, inevitable questions may be raised by national analysts over why there wasn't anyone better.
And Saint Joseph's, everyone's preseason darling, will have to win the tournament not only to reach the NCAAs, but erase the underachievement label which threatens to attach itself to this team for perpetuity.
It won't be easy for the Hawks, who will probably play Dayton in the quarterfinal, then may have to meet Xavier and Temple on consecutive nights. There's not an easy game in the mix.
Ironically, the most illuminating games (at least in terms of the league's future) may be the ones nobody is watching, the early-rounders involving second-division teams. Maybe somebody will show signs of someday joining the better clubs, where there may be openings next season.
If David West turns pro, Xavier will still be very good next season but won't be nearly as intimidating.
Temple will always be Temple, but two straight years of desperate finishes suggest the gritty Owls are hanging on to the national reputation by their fingernails. And next year, they won't have Lynn Greer, who saved them this season.
Saint Joseph's loses a ton of senior talent, so the Hawks may have a struggle on their hands next year, too.
Is there anyone out there, ready to step into the mix? That question won't be answered by the first-round and quarterfinal games this week, but those games may provide a few clues.
Not that anyone will be watching. Look for a likely Temple-Xavier final in a league that is still looking to redefine its identity, and may have its best chance of doing so in the most gradual, unspectactular way -- from the bottom up.
Mike Cleaves has taken on more and more responsibility at La Salle, suggesting the Explorers have an encouraging future even when scoring star Rasual Butler leaves after this season.
For years, it had been easy to figure out La Salle, and just as easy to beat the Explorers. There was always a superstar or two around - - Donnie Carr, , Victor Thomas , Rasual Butler -- but not enough of the complementary players to fill out a lineup and do all the little things. Cleaves, a 5-10 freshman guard from Paterson, N.J., is helping change that perception. With 23 points and eight rebounds against Dayton, he showed the improvement that has come with playing on a team that already had a backcourt leader, Julian Blanks, and a proven scorer in Butler.
Cleaves said early this season that "I try to electrify the crowd with my abilities at both ends of the court." He has the ability to do that, proven by his dunk championship at the New Jersey North-South all-star game last year. More important, though, is his ability to offer a package of scoring, passing and backcourt rebounding that all figure to increase after Butler and Blanks, the team veterans during this transitional first year under coach Billy Hahn , leave after this season.
HOT: Dayton forward Yuanta Holland
The 6-7 senior, a key player off the Flyers' bench, scored 23 points in the regular season finale against La Salle, showing the skills he'd exhibited only periodically this year.
NOT: UMass guard Anthony Anderson
He's the best rookie in the Atlantic 10, but every so often, he reminds us he's still in his first year. An 0-for-9 line with seven missed 3-pointers at Xavier was one of those days for the 5-11 sophomore.
HOT: Temple guard Lynn Greer
With 32 of his 36 points after halftime in a double-OT win over Saint Joseph's, and the game-tying and game-winning shots, he not only lifted Temple to the East title but established himself as one of the league's great clutch players, not just this year but in A-10 history.
NOT: Duquesne center Simplice Njoya
With 0-for-7 shooting in an 83-65 loss to Richmond, the 6-10 center proved that even after coming back from a 19-game suspension with much fanfare and promise, he still has a lot to learn.
Here's a team struggling to gain credibility, a team that has made progress with a new coach. A team that went into the final weekened with a chance to finish out of the cellar for the first time since 1994-95. A team preparing for its home finale against an opponent, Richmond, that seemed beatable. Even so, Duquesne took a hit when Kevin Forney, Jamal Hunter and Brad Migley managed to violate a curfew rule and get themselves suspended for the game. Hunter and Forney are the Dukes' starting guards, and Hunter was one of the seniors set to be honored at the home finale. Coach Danny Nee said it wasn't a big thing, but that rules are rules, which by March should not come as news. With seven scholarship players, Duquesne lost 83-57 in what proved to be a sadly fitting home finale for Wayne Smith, , a great player who never had a good team. So much for going into the A-10 tournament with momentum, even though the Dukes had shown signs of improvement this season, with Forney among those leading the way.
Xavier forward Anthony Coleman
The 6-10 sophomore, averaging 1.1 points per game in very limited time, played 18 strong minutes with six points against UMass. He's no David West, but with tournament games on consecutive days, he could come in handy off the bench.
Fordham forward Duke Freeman-McKamey
A 15-rebound effort in a loss to George Washington suggests the 6-9 senior, who has been occasionally superb if not consistent, may be gearing up for tournament time.
Duquesne forward Wayne Smith
In his final home game, the 6-7 senior scored 25 points with 9 rebounds in a loss to Richmond. He had be everywhere, because three Dukes had been suspended for off-court violations of team rules.
Xavier's quarterfinal, Mar. 7: The Muskies will play either UMass or George Washington. Having beaten the Minutemen by 20 last week, they may run into a team seeking revenge.
Saint Joseph's quarterfinal, Mar 7: The opponent will probably be Dayton, which must first beat Rhode Island. If good defense beats good offense, Saint Joe's could be in trouble in its first game.
Atlantic 10 championship game, Mar. 9: One team will be playing for an NCAA tournament spot it won't otherwise get. If Xavier gets upset before this game, make that two. Temple would look awfully good in a high-stakes matchup like this one.
Marques Green was in a class by himself in the steals category this season. Green had 95 thefts in his first 26 games for St. Bonaventure, far ahead of Tony Dobbins , who had 64 for Richmond and Smush Parker, who grabbed 61 for Fordham. Only two other players, the Bonnies' J.R. Bremer (50) and Temple's Lynn Greer (46), entered the regular-season finales with at least 45 ... Richmond roared into the Atlantic 10 tournament with a blaze of 3-point shooting. The Spiders hit 18 of 36 in an 83-57 win at Duquesne, just missing the A-10 record of 19 and sending a message that playing zone against them is risky. Richmond will instead probably have to deal with the pressure defense of St. Bonaventure in the A-10 quarterfinal ... UMass guard Jameel Pugh accepted the inevitable and left the team before the final regular-season game. Pugh plans to transfer, ending an unsatisfying two-year, 182-minute career. He came to UMass from Sacramento, Calif. with great fanfare as dunker, but never found a niche ... Who was the best player on Saint Joseph's this season. The general view is point guard Jameer Nelson, the A-10 assist leader, but Fordham coach Bob Hill called forward Bill Phillips not only the Hawks' best, but the league's MVP. Phillips led the A-10 in 3-point shooting percentage, and may have had a better year than Marvin O'Connor, , who still averaged 18 points despite a nagging toe injury. And some Hawk-watchers call Na'im Crenshaw the team's most consistent performer, if not its best. ... St. Bonaventure's run at the NCAA record for 3-pointers in a game (11.1, Troy State, 1996) will apparently fall short. The Bonnies averaged 10.23 in their first 26 games. ... Xavier's Thad Matta is just the third coach to win the A-10 regular season title in his first year at the school. The others were Roy Chipman (Pittsburgh, 1981) and Bob Wenzel (Rutgers, 1989). ... Duquesne forward Aaron Lovelace is finishing his career with a recurrance of the foot problems that bothered him throughout his career.
Ron Chimelis covers the Atlantic 10 for the Springfield (Mass.) Union-News. His "This Week in the Atlantic 10" column appears weekly during the season.
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Xavier forward Anthony Coleman
