coreyschucky
11-08-2004, 12:51 PM
From CBSSPORTSLINE.COM
Northeast Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Monmouth
2. Fairleigh Dickinson
3. St. Francis (Pa.)
4. Robert Morris
5. St. Francis (N.Y.)
6. Mount St. Mary's
7. Central Connecticut
8. Wagner
9. Sacred Heart
10. Quinnipiac
11. Long Island
College basketball will lose a legend after this season, when Long Island University moves into a $40 million facility that is expected to be ready for 2005-06.
Monmouth star Blake Hamilton is working his way back from a broken foot.(Getty Images)
That's good news for the Blackbirds but bad news for anyone who won't get the chance to attend a Northeast Conference game at the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Center, a 1,000-seat gym that wasn't suitable for Division I basketball but was a gem nonetheless.
Back in the day, the gym wasn't a gym but a theater -- the Brooklyn Paramount Theater, a place where the likes of Mae West, Bing Crosby and Little Richard performed. A place where New York DJ Alan Freed helped turn the country on to rock 'n' roll. A place where the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ played.
In 1962 the theater closed down and was reconfigured to accommodate LIU athletics. The gym got back into showbiz in the 1980s when Nike filmed a commercial that had Michael Jordan dunking and Spike Lee squawking, "It's gotta be the shoes!"
It's gotta be the gym of all gyms. Go see it before it's gone.
Monmouth
Top three: G Dwayne Byfield, F Blake Hamilton, G Chris Kenny.
On the rise: The only thing between Monmouth and another NEC title is the health of Hamilton and Byfield. Hamilton is a potential league player of the year if the foot he broke this summer doesn't slow him down too much. Byfield was slowed last season by a knee injury.
Fairleigh Dickinson
Top three: F Gordon Klaiber, G Chad Timberlake, G Tamien Trent.
On the rise: The Knights have wonderful perimeter talent in Klaiber, Timberlake and Trent, though the team will have a new face -- most likely attached to freshman Bernell Murray's body -- at point guard. Get solid play there, and get active on the boards, and FDU is a serious threat to Monmouth.
St. Francis (Pa.)
Top three: G Darshan Luckey, C Jason Osborne, G Garrett Farha.
On the rise: If you know anything about NEC basketball, you already know about Luckey and Osborne, but get ready to meet Farha, a junior-college transfer who was among the country's leaders last season in assists. If he can smoothly make the transition to Division I, the Red Flash could hurtle toward the top of the league.
Robert Morris
Top three: F Chaz McCrommon, G Maurice Carter, F Mark Anderson.
On the rise: The Colonials have to replace two starters in the paint, but McCrommon was the team's best inside player a year ago and probably can be counted on for more than his 5.3 rebounds as a junior.
St. Francis (N.Y.)
Top three: G Tory Cavalieri, F Devon Neckles, G Tristan Smith.
On the decline: Smith is a St. John's transfer who was out of his element in the Big East but could become a star in the Northeast Conference. The Terriers already have a solid point guard in Cavalieri. Adding Smith gives St. Francis the best pair of ball-handlers in the league. Too bad Smith wasn't eligible last season, when the overall talent was much higher.
Mount St. Mary's
Top three: G Landy Thompson, F Kiel Butler, G Mychal Kearse.
On the rise: The light bulb clicked on late last season for the Mountaineers under new coach Milan Brown. It'll burn bright this season if Brown can find someone inside to balance the perimeter play of Thompson and Kearse.
Central Connecticut State
Top three: F Obie Nwadike, F Rich Pittman, G Justin Chiera.
On the rise: Yeah, this is a long drop for the Blue Devils -- maybe too long, if one of the team's two huge newcomers (7-foot-3 Jermaine Middleton or 6-10 Ingo Beaudet) can provide the interior offense and defense that left with the graduation of NEC player of the year Ron Robinson.
Wagner
Top three: F Sean Munson, G Jamal Webb, F Durell Vinson.
On the decline: Last season was tough, but this season could be tougher for former Marquette coach Mike Deane, whose program lost its top three scorers. A celebrated freshman class is on hand, so don't heap the dirt on Wagner just yet.
Sacred Heart
Top three:F Kibwe Trim, F Joey Henley, G Jarrid Frye.
On the decline: The Pioneers are starting over after losing their top three guards from a year ago, including NEC scoring leader Maurice Bailey.
Quinnipiac
Top three: C C.J. Vick, G Rob Monroe, G Craig Benson.
On the decline: Vick and Monroe are a nice inside-outside combination, but the defensive issues that crushed the Bobcats last season might be worse this year without athletic Rashaun Banjo and Kason Mims around any more.
Long Island
Top three: G James Williams, F Esa Maki-Tulokas, F Derek Bell.
On the decline: With only one senior (Bell), the Blackbirds are a year away from getting out of the NEC basement. Williams and Maki-Tulokas headline a quality group of young players who need more time -- and more support -- to begin making headway.
Accolades
First team
F -- Chaz McCrommon, Robert Morris
F -- Gordon Klaiber, FDU
C -- Jason Osborne, St. Francis (Pa.)
G -- Darshan Luckey, St. Francis (Pa.)
G -- Landy Thompson, Mount St. Mary's
Second team
F -- Blake Hamilton, Monmouth
C -- C.J. Vick, Quinnipiac
G -- Dwayne Byfield, Monmouth
G -- Maurice Carter, Robert Morris
G -- Rob Monroe, Quinnipiac
Player of the year
Darshan Luckey, St. Francis (Pa.)
Newcomer of the year
Garret Farha, St. Francis (Pa.)
Breakthrough player
Obie Nwadike, Central Connecticut
Northeast Conference preview
By Gregg Doyel
SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Stock Chart
Team Stock
1. Monmouth
2. Fairleigh Dickinson
3. St. Francis (Pa.)
4. Robert Morris
5. St. Francis (N.Y.)
6. Mount St. Mary's
7. Central Connecticut
8. Wagner
9. Sacred Heart
10. Quinnipiac
11. Long Island
College basketball will lose a legend after this season, when Long Island University moves into a $40 million facility that is expected to be ready for 2005-06.
Monmouth star Blake Hamilton is working his way back from a broken foot.(Getty Images)
That's good news for the Blackbirds but bad news for anyone who won't get the chance to attend a Northeast Conference game at the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Center, a 1,000-seat gym that wasn't suitable for Division I basketball but was a gem nonetheless.
Back in the day, the gym wasn't a gym but a theater -- the Brooklyn Paramount Theater, a place where the likes of Mae West, Bing Crosby and Little Richard performed. A place where New York DJ Alan Freed helped turn the country on to rock 'n' roll. A place where the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ played.
In 1962 the theater closed down and was reconfigured to accommodate LIU athletics. The gym got back into showbiz in the 1980s when Nike filmed a commercial that had Michael Jordan dunking and Spike Lee squawking, "It's gotta be the shoes!"
It's gotta be the gym of all gyms. Go see it before it's gone.
Monmouth
Top three: G Dwayne Byfield, F Blake Hamilton, G Chris Kenny.
On the rise: The only thing between Monmouth and another NEC title is the health of Hamilton and Byfield. Hamilton is a potential league player of the year if the foot he broke this summer doesn't slow him down too much. Byfield was slowed last season by a knee injury.
Fairleigh Dickinson
Top three: F Gordon Klaiber, G Chad Timberlake, G Tamien Trent.
On the rise: The Knights have wonderful perimeter talent in Klaiber, Timberlake and Trent, though the team will have a new face -- most likely attached to freshman Bernell Murray's body -- at point guard. Get solid play there, and get active on the boards, and FDU is a serious threat to Monmouth.
St. Francis (Pa.)
Top three: G Darshan Luckey, C Jason Osborne, G Garrett Farha.
On the rise: If you know anything about NEC basketball, you already know about Luckey and Osborne, but get ready to meet Farha, a junior-college transfer who was among the country's leaders last season in assists. If he can smoothly make the transition to Division I, the Red Flash could hurtle toward the top of the league.
Robert Morris
Top three: F Chaz McCrommon, G Maurice Carter, F Mark Anderson.
On the rise: The Colonials have to replace two starters in the paint, but McCrommon was the team's best inside player a year ago and probably can be counted on for more than his 5.3 rebounds as a junior.
St. Francis (N.Y.)
Top three: G Tory Cavalieri, F Devon Neckles, G Tristan Smith.
On the decline: Smith is a St. John's transfer who was out of his element in the Big East but could become a star in the Northeast Conference. The Terriers already have a solid point guard in Cavalieri. Adding Smith gives St. Francis the best pair of ball-handlers in the league. Too bad Smith wasn't eligible last season, when the overall talent was much higher.
Mount St. Mary's
Top three: G Landy Thompson, F Kiel Butler, G Mychal Kearse.
On the rise: The light bulb clicked on late last season for the Mountaineers under new coach Milan Brown. It'll burn bright this season if Brown can find someone inside to balance the perimeter play of Thompson and Kearse.
Central Connecticut State
Top three: F Obie Nwadike, F Rich Pittman, G Justin Chiera.
On the rise: Yeah, this is a long drop for the Blue Devils -- maybe too long, if one of the team's two huge newcomers (7-foot-3 Jermaine Middleton or 6-10 Ingo Beaudet) can provide the interior offense and defense that left with the graduation of NEC player of the year Ron Robinson.
Wagner
Top three: F Sean Munson, G Jamal Webb, F Durell Vinson.
On the decline: Last season was tough, but this season could be tougher for former Marquette coach Mike Deane, whose program lost its top three scorers. A celebrated freshman class is on hand, so don't heap the dirt on Wagner just yet.
Sacred Heart
Top three:F Kibwe Trim, F Joey Henley, G Jarrid Frye.
On the decline: The Pioneers are starting over after losing their top three guards from a year ago, including NEC scoring leader Maurice Bailey.
Quinnipiac
Top three: C C.J. Vick, G Rob Monroe, G Craig Benson.
On the decline: Vick and Monroe are a nice inside-outside combination, but the defensive issues that crushed the Bobcats last season might be worse this year without athletic Rashaun Banjo and Kason Mims around any more.
Long Island
Top three: G James Williams, F Esa Maki-Tulokas, F Derek Bell.
On the decline: With only one senior (Bell), the Blackbirds are a year away from getting out of the NEC basement. Williams and Maki-Tulokas headline a quality group of young players who need more time -- and more support -- to begin making headway.
Accolades
First team
F -- Chaz McCrommon, Robert Morris
F -- Gordon Klaiber, FDU
C -- Jason Osborne, St. Francis (Pa.)
G -- Darshan Luckey, St. Francis (Pa.)
G -- Landy Thompson, Mount St. Mary's
Second team
F -- Blake Hamilton, Monmouth
C -- C.J. Vick, Quinnipiac
G -- Dwayne Byfield, Monmouth
G -- Maurice Carter, Robert Morris
G -- Rob Monroe, Quinnipiac
Player of the year
Darshan Luckey, St. Francis (Pa.)
Newcomer of the year
Garret Farha, St. Francis (Pa.)
Breakthrough player
Obie Nwadike, Central Connecticut