ECC Men's Basketball Insider Blog: Sudden Impact
by: Chris Granozio
Stefan Bonneau. Nigel Munson.
John Petrucelli. Khalil McDonald.
Justin Brown. Josh Malone.
The names are splashed across the East Coast Conference stat
pages, and are highlighted with red marker on every coach’s
scouting report. And with good reason, for they are talented
leaders capable of taking over a ballgame.
But what about the other guys that no one really identified back
in November? Who are the impact players that flew under the radar
prior to the season? We asked each of the nine coaches in the
conference to single out their unsung heroes… their pleasant
surprises to whom attention must now be paid.
Bridgeport
Perhaps the most dangerous of these breakout performers is
Darian David, the junior transfer from Delaware
State who is the crown jewel of Bridgeport’s latest roster
makeover. A native of The Bronx, the 6-0 David has averaged over 20
points a game while shooting 46% from the floor in his first year
of Division II ball. But coach Mike Ruane says it
isn’t the numbers that define the man.
“He’s an energy guy,” Ruane states. “He
doesn’t look very strong but he plays through a lot of
contact. He’s tough, and he has carried the load. Night in
and night out, he scores the basketball, which is the most
important thing. We need him to score 20 points a game, and he had
the quietest 38 points you’ve ever seen in our game at
Southern Connecticut. He’s a leader by actions, not vocally.
A quiet leader – a silent assassin.”
Especially from long range, where David’s team-leading 39
threes are fifth most in the conference. Scoring isn’t the
only facet of the left-hander’s game, though. He is among the
Top 10 in the conference in assists, and is #1 in steals, proving
he is just as menacing on the defensive end of the floor.
C.W. Post
The Purple Knights’ chief rivals – the C.W.
Post Pioneers – are setting the pace atop the conference
standings yet again, and one of the main reasons has been a
formidable frontcourt that has perfectly complimented the lethal
guard combo of Bonneau and Tobin Carberry. Coming
into the campaign, everyone knew the body of work Vaughn
Allen brought to the table, and he has made a seamless
transition to the starting lineup as a sophomore, nearly averaging
a double-double. However, another young forward has simultaneously
emerged, and has thrived playing in Allen’s shadow.
True freshman Tyuan Williams is a St.
Anthony’s (NJ) product whose exposure to the legendary
Bob Hurley coaching scheme has more than
adequately prepared him for the travails of ECC hoops action. His
first collegiate mentor – Chris Casey
– says Williams definitely filled a gaping hole.
“We lost a big bullet, having lost Aaron
Hall (a senior who anchored the frontcourt the last two
seasons),” Casey admitted. “We were hoping Ty would be
able to step in and make a major impact as a freshman and he has.
It’s not surprising because of the Hall of Fame coaching he
received. He has given our frontcourt a lot of stability. An
exceptionally hard worker, he brings the same energy level to ever
practice and every game. That’s something you need to do to
be good and he certainly does.
As of press time, Williams was averaging 7.7 points and 7.9
rebounds for C.W. Post in just over 23 minutes per game. The
rebounding average is good enough for third-best in the ECC, two
behind Allen, giving the Pioneers the most formidable – and
youthful – frontcourt in the circuit. Casey also singled out
Terry Coleman – a Division I transfer from
Portland State – who has stepped into the starting point
guard role after incumbent playmaker Billy Butler
blew out his ACL two days before the season began. Despite the
setbacks, the Pioneers continue to lead the pack with the only
undefeated league record in the East Region.
District of Columbia
As imposing as C.W. Post’s backcourt is, it is
arguably second-best behind the District of Columbia’s
terrific trio of Nigel Munson, Brandon Herbert and
Dishawn Bradshaw. Those three seniors have
accounted for 67% of the Firebirds’ scoring load this season,
including 85% of their 3-point attack. The roster is loaded with
upperclassmen, which has presented something of a roadblock for
young talent trying to break into Jeff
Ruland’s rotation. Still, the former NBA All-Star
and third-year UDC head coach was able to single out a player who
has exceeded expectations – at least somewhat.
“ Dyrek Jones has been our best rebounder
and defender,” Ruland said. “Now that (senior center)
Diyaaldin Kelley is out, he’s our starting
center, and in his last game he had nine rebounds and six blocks.
He’s a little undersized for the position, but he’s a
great student and a great kid… a pleasure to be
around.”
Jones is a 6-7 junior hailing from Brooklyn who missed a good
chunk of last season due to a wrist injury, but his hands have been
very active this season as he leads the ECC in blocked shots (2.6
per game) and checks in at #6 with a 6.7 rebounding average. Not
bad for a player who came off the bench the first 12 games of the
season.
Dowling
In the Easternmost outpost of the East Coast Conference,
Dowling has steadily improved over the course of the winter,
upsetting Chestnut Hill and nearly springing similar surprises
against C.W. Post and UDC. One of the primary reasons for the
progression has been the point guard play of sophomore Leon
Taylor, who has advanced from spectator to instigator.
“Leon played very little last year,” said his head
coach, Steve Hayn. “He came into this season
unproven and has done a fine job for us. The last few games, his
shooting percentage, assist-turnover average, defense and
leadership have all improved. He has stepped in and really
stabilized the point guard position. We don’t have the
success we’ve had without him. He’s developed into a
kid we rely on now, which has been kind of a surprise.”
Taylor ranks among the league leaders in assists and is tied with
backcourt teammate Josh Malone for third in the
steals category. Hayn sees him as the key to any current and future
success for the Golden Lions.
“His greatest asset is his ability to run our team
offensively,” according to Hayn. “Whether it’s in
transition or the half-court, he’s done a fabulous job. And
he’s becoming a more consistent shooter.”
Mercy
Like Dowling, Mercy College has taken steps in the right
direction this season and is no longer a pushover. Gone are the
days when five guards on the floor would get hammered on the glass,
sometimes by 30+ boards a night. There are frontcourt pieces now in
place, and second-year head coach Adam
Parmenter‘s greater emphasis on rebounding and
defense has already begun to pay dividends as the Mavericks are
outworking their opponents on the boards by more than two a game,
the third-best differential in the league. Two of the chief reasons
beh ind that turnaround are recent transfers Joseph
Pope and Jordan Lee, both of whom have
helped provide a presence in the paint, on both sides of the
floor.
“No one knew in the league knew who Joe was when the rosters
came out, but he’s shooting 54% from the floor (good for
second-best in the loop) and doing a nice job defensively.
He’s also the first guy from out of the area in a long time
that’s made an impact.”
A 6-4 junior, Pope hails from Akron, Ohio, and comes to the Mavs
from Suburban Community College. Lee - another JUCO transfer with
three years of eligibility left – measures 6-7 and has an
unusual hobby:
“Jordan has a million pairs of sneakers,” Parmenter
said with a chuckle. “He collects them. His home in Jersey is
wall-to-wall with sneaker boxes. He can wear a different pair every
day the rest of his life.”
As for what Lee does when lacing up for the games, the
coach likes what he sees.
“He’s going to have a nice career for us, from
rebounding to scoring, he gives us a presence inside. He’s
starting to score with both hands in the paint, and that’s a
facet we haven’t had since I’ve been here.”
Molloy
Sometimes it’s the intangibles that make a
difference on a team. Such is the case with Molloy’s freshman
guard Matt McLeod, who has jumped right into the
fray as a starter alongside some exceptionally talented guards by
the names of John Petrucelli and Jimmy Nolan.
“What Matt has brought to us is a nice unselfishness,”
according to head coach Charles Marquardt, who can
boast his fair share of standout backcourt players through his 17
years at the helm. “He gets it more than most freshmen.
He’s very coachable and is all about team unity. He’s
the type of player that helps a program. He’s very funny and
has a great personality… very likeable.”
The Pre-Dental student from Greenlawn, NY is already making Lions
fans smile, averaging double figures in scoring while pulling down
over five rebounds a game and ranking second on the club with 32
steals (good for 6th in the ECC).
“We don’t run any plays for him specifically,”
Marquardt admits. “But somehow by the end of the game he ends
up with 10 points. He gets offensive rebounds (seven his last game
vs. Queens) and extends possessions. He’s gotten a great
opportunity this year and knows he can improve, especially in his
shooting, ball-handling and transition offense. He’s capable
of getting 13-14 points a game and he stays 40 minutes after
practice working with us toward that. He’s a great kid with
great grades. We’re very happy with him.”
New York Institute of Technology
The other Long Island school – New York Institute of
Technology – is experiencing a season of transition, with no
fewer than nine new faces on this year’s roster. And with
leading scorer Kayvon Roberts beleaguered by
injuries, head coach Sal Lagano pinpoints the
evolution and maturity of junior point guard Dominic
Scurry as the key to his team’s success.
However, with Scurry already having established himself as one of
the better returning players in the conference, Lagano selected
junior transfer Azel Prather, Jr. as his
“sudden impact” performer this year. The native of
Glenarden, Maryland was an elite rebounder during his stint at
Prince George Community College in his home state and has continued
to blossom in Old Westbury.
“We beat out a couple of CIAA schools to get Azel,”
Lagano said, referring to the top-flight Division II Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which boasts perennial powers
Virginia Union and Bowie State among others. “He has a very
big family spread out all over, and when they researched the
academic level of the school, it helped us.”
The left-handed forward is the ECC’s third most accurate
shooter and #2 rebounder… evidence that he has transitioned
to a higher level of basketball with little problem.
“He needed a little coaching and guidance early,”
Lagano claims. “Now he has handled the rigors of Division II
basketball every night and has increased his maturity level. He
gets elbowed in the face and he’ll take it. He’s a
wonderful kid – he says hello to you when he comes in every
day and goodbye when he leaves. And he’s a great locker room
guy.”
Queens
Though it has only been a small sample, Queens head coach
Kyrk Peponakis likes what rookie point guard
Abe Akanmu brings to the table.
“He’s a tough kid,” the 17-year Knights mentor
said. “He’s a physical guard who doesn’t back
down… he takes the hit and is not afraid of the contact on
either side of the ball. He’s a true point guard in that he
makes other guys better. Once he gets into the paint, he’s a
little taller and tougher, and his outside shot is better than I
thought it would be.”
A graduate of Xaverian High School on Staten Island, Akanmu has
been limited to just six games, hobbled by an injury that helped
compromise the Knights’ depth and undoubtedly played a factor
in the club’s recent struggles. Still, the coaching staff is
very encouraged by Akanmu’s perseverance.
“It took him a long time to get to Queens,” Peponakis
said. “He went to a JUCO (Borough of Manhattan Community
College) for one year to get his grades up because he wanted to
come so bad. He got over a 3.4 GPA and attended summer school so he
could get more credits. I am impressed with how mature he is and
I’m confident with his moving forward.”
Peponakis thinks Akanmu can eventually evolve into the type of
player Anderson Labase was the past couple of
years – an unrelenting, hard-nosed floor leader.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Though Omar Kellman has taken big steps
toward becoming the big man in the middle for St. Thomas Aquinas,
head coach Dennis O’Donnell is even more
impressed with the progress of junior forward Dane
Dixon.
“As Coach (Lou) Carnesecca would say, he’s not an
aircraft carrier,” O’Donnell said of the lean, angular,
6-6 native of Uniondale, NY. “He struggled his freshman and
sophomore years but he’s coming into his own. His head coach
at Uniondale (High School), Tom Diana, described
him as a sleeper and he has been a pleasant surprise. He’s
been lifting and is so much stronger than he was as a freshman. He
scores points, has a nice 12-foot jumper, helps us in rebounding,
and defensively alters other people’s shots.”
Dixon gets his paws on a good chunk of those shots, too, according
to his 5th-place ranking on the ECC’s blocks-per-game list.
But as intimidating as he is on the court, Dixon is just a regular
guy when he steps out of the gym.
“He’s a great student and an even better kid,”
O’Donnell said. “He’s a real
sweetheart.”
Thanks to all the coaches for contributing to this column. Next week: an amazing tale of survival that will warm your heart. Until then, Happy Hooping to all!
