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Atlantic Region Men's Teams

1999-2000 Season

CCNY
First-year head coach Dan Nigro leads the CCNY men's basketball program in what looks to be a rebuilding year. Nigro replaces Gary Smith who retired after 18 seasons as coach. He comes to City College via Kings Point, where he was an assistant last season. "We will be the hardest-working team in the league" said Coach Nigro.

Returning from last season's squad is 6'2 guard Andrew Walker (Spring Valley/Ramapo). Walker averaged 15 points, 6 rebounds, per last game last season. Also returning is 6'3 forward Dax Verdia (Brooklyn/Midwood). Verdia averaged 16 pts, 8 rebounds last season for the Beavers.

In addition to the returnees, City College has added 5 newcomers to its roster. Freshman forward Mukhtar Conry (6'3, Brooklyn/Nazareth) gives the Beavers an inside presence. "Mukhtar has a tremendous work ethic. We expect great things from him this season."

Michael Bucknight (6'3 Manhattan/Lasalle) provides versatility as he can score inside, and nail the 15-18 foot jumper. Guards Pablo Price (Queens/Francis Lewis), Vernon Dansler (Queens/Richmond Hill), and Luis Munoz (Florida/Broward C.C.) will all see time in the backcourt this season. Sophomore forward Ebube Nwige and Kamone Hector should also contribute to this young City College squad.

Hunter
The team that made six trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament from 1990-98 and dominated the City University of New York Athletic Conference for much of the decade is looking to rebuild as a new millennium rolls around. First-year head coach Bill Healy will have a tremendous challenge on the sidelines in 1999-2000 as he looks to lead Hunter back to its familiar lofty heights.

Boding well for the Hawks is a longstanding history of success that has been re-ignited in a major way since the dawn of the 1990s. As in any other year, this season’s team is filled with talented players eager to test their limits as they seek to maintain that tradition.

The team leader on the floor will be junior guard Lorenz Albano (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic), the son of a former coach of the Philippine national team and the sole remaining link to Hunter’s spectacular 1997-98 squad widely regarded as the best in school history. An uncanny shooter from three-point range and the free-throw line, he plays both backcourt positions and is a tenacious defender.

Another returnee from last season’s team is sophomore center Michael Mauro (Forest Hills, NY/Archbishop Molloy), who saw spot action and made several starts last season. He and sophomore forward Frantz Farnolle (Grandbourg, Guadeloupe/Julia Richman) must be ready to step up and increase their contributions from last season to ensure any measure of success this year.

The team is also hopeful for the second semester return of senior center Greg Hardin (Far Rockaway, NY/McClancy), who averaged 10.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last winter. In the meantime, a handful of newcomers will play their way into the mix looking to round the squad into a competitive and solid unit this season.

This crop of newcomers should be led by junior Jermaine Parkinson (Brooklyn, NY/Fort Hamilton) and sophomore Elvin Torres (New York, NY / Chelsea), both of whom possess college experience. The other new faces on the team are freshmen Jermaine Buchanan (Bronx, NY/Murry Bergtraum), Brentley Chin (Brooklyn, NY/Dewey), Rashad Henderson (Springfield Gardens, NY/Beacon), Peter Lorens (Tobyhanna, PA/Pocono Mountain), Robert Mair (Elmhurst, NY/Cathedral Prep), Lincoln Nelson (Washington, DC/Woodrow Wilson), and Alex Plevritis (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood).

Joining Healy on the sideline will be first-year assistant coaches Kendrick Saunders and Brian Duignan. Two former Hunter players who were both members of last season’s team, Nick Plevritis and Lawrence Roman, are serving as student assistant coaches.

With the program’s tradition well-established and a tough schedule to play, the 1999-2000 Hunter Hawks are faced with numerous challenges this season. They must be more than ready to meet them, however, in order to achieve the success they crave.

Kings Point
On the heels of back-to-back Skyline Conference titles and NCAA Championship berths, the 1999-2000 Mariners are poised to return to the "Big Dance" and continue to show the country what Kings Point basketball is all about.

The Mariners will have to face new challenges as the 1900s end. One of those challenges will be filling the void left by four-year starters Ryan Robinson and Sean Bradley. Bradley ended his hoop eligibility ranking second on the all-time scoring list with 1,070 points while Robinson ended his career as the Blue and Gray's all-time assist leader (574).

The man appointed to tackle these challenges is first-year Head Coach Bill Lange. Lange's history is rich in coaching experience ranging from his positions as an assistant coach at Atlantic 10 powerhouse LaSalle, to head coach at Bishop Eustace High School of New Jersey, where his team had a 20-6 record and a No. 4 state ranking.

Coach Lange is ready for the challenge of maintaining the level of success that Kings Point basketball has achieved, and of making his mark reaching new heights with the program.

"I am very excited about being the basketball coach here at Kings Point," says Coach Bill Lange. "The prestige of graduating from the US Merchant Marine Academy is something that our players will carry with them for the rest of their life. Because of that, I feel confident in our ability to attract the best student-athletes in the country. Our goal on the court is to win through team play. Quite simply, I want our team to play hard, play smart, and play together. If we can do that on an everyday basis, we will become the best team we can be."

With a new head coach comes new assistant coaches and fortunately, Lange found two of the brightest young assistant coaches in the country. The Academy will welcome Chuck Guittar and John Krikorian to the basketball staff and to the athletic department. Guittar will work with the big men down low while Krikorian will train the Mariners' backcourt.

In addition, freshman Nick Cappel will work courtside as a student-assistant coach overseeing the student managers and assisting in everyday practice routines.

"I am fortunate to have a great staff to work with. Coach Guittar and Coach Krikorian are two hard working, intelligent, and colorful assistants who will represent the Academy and our basketball program with class. They have bright futures in coaching. We are also very happy to bring Nick Cappel on board as a student assistant. Nick is a passionate Kings Pointer who possesses a great work ethic and a love for the game of basketball," says Bill Lange on his coaches.

The "Road to the Final Four" will offer many detours for this young ball club, but Lange and company are ready to turn on the ignition switch and put the pedal to the metal. The Blue and Gray will play 60 minutes of "in your face" man-to-man defense. Crashing the boards hard and looking for the quick outlet pass will be the key to successful play under Coach Lange. The team will look to run-and-gun, to score points quickly, and catch the opposing defense off guard.

Kings Point will use this style of play to defend their throne as Skyline champions. The Mariners have accomplished this feat the past two consecutive seasons and were a perfect 14-0 in Conference play last year. The season will get sizzling quickly as the Mariners will open the campaign with Academy rival, Coast Guard, and then will compete in two early tournaments.

Kings Point will hit the road as they will tip off at the Nazareth Tournament in early December and at the Alamo Shootout in San Antonio before the new year.

Last year's second-leading scorer and rebounder, senior center Mike Hyland (White Plains, N.Y.), will be returning to lead the Mariners. The 6-7, 215-pound bruiser will be the Mariners' go-to guy and will be an integral part of the halfcourt game. Hyland, voted a team co-captain for the 1999 season, has great post moves which will enable him to score points in the paint. Equally effective with his back to the basket or out on the wing, where he has shown a soft shooting touch, Hyland will look to build upon last year's 13.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Joining Hyland in the frontcourt will be senior forward Chad Schoene (Baltimore). A talented second-year player, Schoene will challenge for minutes at forward where he will be tasked with grabbing quality rebounds and starting the transition game. Last year Schoene saw limited action in 12 games, but Lange is confident he has the necessary skills to play an impact role.

Also at forward position will be the versatile junior, Jay Hastings (Glenridge, Ariz.). Hastings has provided a huge spark off the bench during the past two years, and will be expected to step up his role this year. A solid shooter with the ability to consistently sink the three-pointer, Hastings has worked hard to improve his defensive game and footwork.

Rookie forward Seth Cobb (Powder Springs, Ga.) will also be ready to step on the hardwood when summoned. The Georgia native has a long, lean body and the ability run the court and add points to the Mariners' totals. Once the big men get accustomed to a new style of play and playing with each other, the family down low will be a force to be reckoned with.

The central focus of the Mariners' offense will be the athletic play of the backcourt. The Blue and Gray will compete with a smaller core of guards than in the past, but with less size, comes speed. When speed is mentioned, look no further than senior guard Johnny Garrett (Missouri City, Texas). Garrett played just seven games last season before he left the Academy to fulfill his sea duties. He is a lethal penetrator, who can break down the best defenses off of the dribble and will cause some serious problems for the opposition. A Skyline Conference Second-Team All-Star in 1997, Garrett has averaged 10.1 and 12.3 points per game during the past two seasons, while last year he shot a smoking 55.6% from the floor.

Garrett is joined by a plethora of talented guards, all of whom can handle the rock. Sophomore Kevin Bernick (Toms River, N.J.) adds his outside shooting touch to stretch the defense even more. Bernick, who scored 7.6 points per game during his first season, has the ability to drive if opponents get too close and is the Blue and Gray's best prospect to knock down the trey. He shot 34.5% from downtown with 41 threes on the year, and worked hard in the off-season to improve his defensive foot work. Sophomores Nate Barton (Hummelstown, Pa.) and Nick Casazza (Phoenix) will earn quality minutes this year providing much needed depth to the backcourt. Barton, a team co-captain, owns superior ball-handling and passing skills. Casazza has the touch of a shooter and a strong work ethic. Both are good defenders who take charges in the paint, and both will push for minutes at the shooting guard positions.

Entering their first year at Kings Point will be an exciting and explosive group of guards in Kevin Kreutz (Glendale, Ariz.), Jason Bernick (Toms River), Kevin Corrigan (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Harlow Wood (Powsbo, Ga.). The multi-faceted "freshman foursome" will all be expected to make solid contributions to the squad as rookies.

Kings Point's guards have the ability to run with the ball and get the transition game going, while the forwards will gang crash the boards to jump start the offensive push. Coach Lange's exciting brand of basketball will look to continue the impressive tradition that is Kings Point basketball. The 1999-2000 Mariners have the ingredients and the chemistry to defend the Skyline Conference Championship and to make another run in the NCAA Tournament. Accomplishing these objectives will be forefront in the minds of both the coaches and players.

Manhattanville
The Valiants are embarking on another exciting season and coming off a 16-12 mark, the second-most wins in the program's 24-year history, the question will be, can the Valiants somehow improve on that record? Other coaches believe they can, as the Valiants were selected as the preseason No. 1 in the Skyline Conference.

Coach Brian Curtin returns three starters from last years team that won a school-record nine Skyline Conference games and made their second consecutive ECAC Tournament appearance. With eight new faces on this season’s roster, one of Coach Curtin’s biggest challenges will be to overcome some of the mistakes that come with inexperience.

Defense will once again be the name of the game as the Valiants will try to match the intensity of last year’s squad that ranked in the Top 10 in Division III in field-goal percentage allowed at 37.9%. The Red and White attack will be built around senior forward Leif Gagliardi, who led the team in rebounding and was second in scoring last season, as well as sophomore point guard Brendon Murray who led the squad in three point percentage and was third in scoring.

With a strong recruiting class that will add talent, athleticism and depth, Coach Curtin’s team will make a strong run at clinching the school’s 10th postseason tournament berth while attempting to nail down the Skyline title.

New Jersey City
New Jersey City University returns two starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s team that went 19-8 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Gothic Knights will be led by veteran head coach Charles Brown who enters his 18th season with a career record of 335-141 (.704). Brown has led New Jersey City to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Gothic Knights will be led by 6-5 senior forward Jon Greene (Neptune, N.J./Lakewood Prep) who averaged 9.8 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per game while earning NJAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. Junior 6-3 forward Jeff Harrington (Newark, N.J./Shabazz) led New Jersey City in both scoring (11.9) and steals (47) last season.

After three years away from the program, junior point guard Omar Cooper (East Orange, NJ/East Orange) returns to direct the offense. Cooper was the Gothic Knights’ leading scorer in each of his first two seasons, averaging 16.7 points per game. He earned New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 1995 and First Team All-NJAC in 1996 before being ruled academically ineligible. Cooper returned to the University last year and regained his eligibility for this season.

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