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Posting Up - Scoreboard - Top 25 - Features - Notables - Team of the Week - Live Audio |
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A look at the upcoming season 1998-99 season |
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Centre's Depth Could Permit
Run at Postseason Centre suffered a setback when Hodges had to have arthroscopic knee surgery in October. He is expected to miss about five games, including the season opener at home against Transylvania University on Nov. 21. Hodges led the SCAC with 9.7 rebounds per game and a 66.3% shooting percentage, third in Division III. Britt started all 25 games for the Colonels as a freshman and averaged 12.1 points and 4.1 assists, second in the SCAC in each. In Hodges' absence, 6-7 freshman Andy Jarvis is getting a look at center. He averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds at Prestonsburg (Ky.) High School last year. Scott Guttery, a 6-6 swingman who transferred to Centre from Division II Harding University, has also looked good in practice and could play guard or forward. Two other starters return for Centre in 6-5 junior forward Chip McLain (9.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and senior Andy Smith, who will join the team in December after completing a fall academic course in Great Britain. Senior sharp-shooter Tim Stephan from Lexington will get the first call at the two-guard position. Stephan was the SCAC's top three-point shooter as a reserve last year. Kyle Getter, a 6-8 sophomore from Miamisburg, Ohio, started several games down the stretch last season and should be a key contributor for DeWitt's team. Senior Tim Cooper is a steady backup at both guard positions.
Christopher Newport Sports Some New Faces There will be many new faces among the 1998-99 Captains, to replace the eight members of CNU's most successful team who have not returned. But don't think for a minute that CNU is headed for a rebuilding year. The faces may be new, but coach C.J. Woollum has high hopes that the results may be quite similar. CNU will actually have just five new players to start the season, but all five may have a major impact very quickly. Junior Jimmy Moorman will get the first call at the point after making great strides late last season. But it will be a good battle among three quality candidates. Moorman got a lot of big-game experience last season, and then had a great summer in the Norfolk Pro-Am League. Freshman Albert Haskins arrives after being named Virginia Group A Player of the Year last season for state champion Washington-Lee H.S. Woollum calls him, "a very talented player. He has all the natural ability to be a great point guard." Meanwhile, sophomore Joey Higginbotham has a year of college experience at Mt. Olive. He's a tough competitor who seems to have fit in well with CNU's returning players. Sophomore Dante Henderson has made great progress after earning the backup shooting guard job a year ago. He plays extremely hard and his shooting is improving rapidly. Unfortunately for CNU fans, few of them got to see what Brandon Jones, the likely starting small forward, can really do when he's at his best. His performance at Salisbury State, where he lit up the Sea Gulls for 39 points, coming off the bench, showed the promise the junior has, and won him a starting job for the rest of the year. The 6-5 forward averaged 9.7 points and 4.1 rebounds. "Some people are going to be really surprised when they see Antoine," says Woollum of Antoine Sinclair, last year's Dixie Conference Rookie of the Year. "He had a tremendous summer in the Pro-Am and is stronger than he was last year." Sinclair, a 6-5 sophomore, averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds after taking over the starting job when senior Kenny Carter broke his wrist in the seventh game of the season. Carter will be back as a fifth-year senior. Kenny Stokes, a 6-5 transfer from Montana State-Northern, will likely start in the post. He averaged 9.8 points and 6.0 rebounds at the NAIA Division II school last season. Sophomore probable backup Craig Dorosewicz might be the tallest Captain ever at 6-8 1/2, but he's also very mobile. A transfer from Mt. Olive, he had a great preseason in conditioning and gives CNU a terrific 1-2 punch in the middle.
Eighteen Lettermen Return for Emory
Bridgewater Has Youth in Abundance One player Leatherman is glad to have back is junior co-captain Brad Harrington, a first-team All-ODAC selection last season, averaging a team-high 15.1 points per game. A consistent shooter, Harrington set an ODAC record by making 48 consecutive free throws a year ago and shot nearly 40% from three-point range. The 6-4 forward has started all 53 games in his two years at Bridgewater. Sophomore Justin Bourne returns at point guard where he started 14 times as a rookie. Bourne ranked fifth in the conference with 3.8 assists per game. The other guard spot is more unsettled with the graduation of Craig Tutt, who averaged 13.2 points. Seniors Owen Snyder and Travis Whetzel will battle sophomore Jermaine Reed for the starting nod and freshmen Matt Stevens, Jeff Grant and David Sheets will also figure in the mix as well. The Eagles must also replace the frontcourt tandem of Jason Jones and Jonathan Orrock, who were a prime reason Bridgewater finished first in the conference in rebounding margin last season. Shane Burnette, a 6-5 sophomore, has the inside track at power forward after starting seven games a year ago. Burnette is perhaps the team's most versatile performer who will also spell Bourne at point guard. He will be challenged by junior Cameron Fairchilds, who averaged 3.5 points last season and senior co-captain Patrick Weller. In the middle, 6-6 freshman Kyle Williford has the size and strength to step in and contribute immediately, while fellow rookie Rocky Rhodes will see time as well.
Eastern Mennonite Tries to Continue Upward Trend Gone are seniors Forrest Hundley, Troy Gerber and Carey Keyes. The talented trio will be greatly missed, but a solid nucleus returns led by senior co-captains Mike McElroy and Matt Yoder, who bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to this year's squad. The duo averaged an identical 13.3 points per game last year, good for second on the team and ninth in the ODAC. Additionally, Yoder was sixth in the conference in free-throw percentage and 13th in assists. McElroy finished the year as the ODAC's leading rebounder at 8.4 rebounds per game. Four others return who had significant action in every game last year, juniors Keion Green and Quincy Longacre along with sophomores Joel Kauffman and Neal Lewis. Green is the heir apparent to Keyes at point guard and Kauffman is expected to be his running mate at shooting guard. Green's quickness and Kauffman's accurate shooting will help fuel the Royals' fast-break attack. Longacre is penciled in as the center along with frontcourt mates Yoder at small forward and McElroy at power forward. Longacre brings a soft shooting touch and needed rebounding ability to the Royals. Lewis contributes to team depth inside with his size and strength. The three other returnees are junior Mike Caldwell and sophomores Chip Coleman and Bryan Werner. All three will be given the opportunity to be key contributors in backup roles this year.
Emory & Henry Could See Breakout Year At forward, the Thurston twins should be a duo to be dealt with this season. Donald Thurston averaged 6.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg while Ronald averaged 7.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg. The two senior forwards will provide important leadership and experience for the Wasps. At point guard, junior Justin Porterfield should provide the experience needed at that position. Porterfield has led the team the past two seasons in assists. He averaged 6.0 apg last season and scored 8.9 ppg. A solid core of players who saw considerable amounts of court time last year include guards Patrick Moore, Patrick Bailey, Anthony McCoy and center David McManus. Moore averaged 10.2 ppg last year with 32 made 3-pointers. He also added a team high 33 steals. Bailey tied for the team lead in scoring by averaging 11.2 ppg. He also led the team in 3-pointers with 40 made for a 41.7% shooting percentage behind the arch. McCoy added 39 assists and looks solid as a back up to Porterfield. McManus will provide excellent relief time for Barbour. He led the team in blocked shots and shooting percentage with a hot 62.8% from the field last season. The Wasps' two departures are guard Donald Childress and R.J. Spelsberg. Childress tied with Bailey for the team lead in scoring with 11.2 ppg. Spelsberg, a scrappy guard, will be missed as his hard play averaged him 8.7 ppg.
Guilford Could Surprise There is still room for improvement on the young team, as it must learn how to win, especially on the road. The Quakers showed signs of growth by winning four of their last eight contests and staying in the hunt for one of eight conference tournament berths. Still, Guilford needs to outgrow the inconsistency displayed by most young teams. Last year's team showed it could play with just about anybody on the schedule, but rarely performed its best for the entire game or in consecutive contests. Better role definition helped Guilford to its improved standing late in the season. With such an influx of newcomers and some early-season injuries, it took a while for the team to sort itself out. Evans didn't become a regular in the starting lineup until 10 games into the season. Jaron Randall started the first seven games at point guard as a freshman, but deferred to Jason Gunter for a seven-game stretch before a hip injury put him on the shelf. Randall returned and was an important factor in the Quakers' late-season improvement. After shuttling in and out of the starting lineup, Robinson and Jeff Heybruck settled into important reserve roles. Since the bulk of last year's freshman-laden team is back with another year of college experience, figure the Quakers will come together sooner and continue the progress shown last season. Jensen hopes the club's newcomers raise the team's overall talent and athleticism. Guard Paul Kinden and forward Brad Woolley started on East Chapel Hill High's 1998 State semifinal team and helped the Wildcats to the 1997 3-A State championship. The addition of 6-7 Matt Lewis gives the Quakers eight players who stand 6-5 or taller on the preseason roster.
Hampden-Sydney Headed Higher Leading the way for the Tigers will be an experienced cast of four seniors and four juniors. The group has combined for a 44-13 record, two ODAC titles and two NCAA appearances over the past two seasons. Juniors Chris Fox, T.J. Grimes and Jeremy Harris have averaged double figures in scoring their first two seasons and one of them was H-SC's leading scorer in all but two games last season. Grimes is the most decorated of the three, earning first-team All-ODAC honors as well as leading the team in scoring (14.6 ppg), assists (3.6 apg), three pointers (73) and three-point percentage (40.3%). Fox was just behind Grimes, averaging 10.9 points. He also finished second on the team with 3.1 assists per game. Jeremy Harris was the team's leading rebounder (6.2 rpg) and third leading scorer last season (10.4) and will be counted on in the middle as the team's only true center. Senior Alex Robbins will push Fox and Grimes for the starting point guard position. Robbins started 23 games a year ago and finished as the team's fourth-leading scorer with 8.4 points per game. Filling the roles at the forward positions will be seniors David Hobbs and Kevin Garst along with junior Jack Jirak. Hobbs was a spot-starter last season and averaged over 5.6 rebounds per game despite averaging 4.0 points per game. Garst was a starter in 25 of 29 games last season, averaging 5.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while connecting on 50% of his field goal attempts. Jirak averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds and led the team in field goal percentage (54.4%) and blocked shots (25). Hampden-Sydney will play 14 of its 24 games at home this season where the squad posted a 14-1 mark last season. The Tigers play only one non-ODAC game on the road.
Lynchburg Looking to Take it Outside With the bulk of the perimeter returning, Davis considers ball-handling and outside shooting a definite plus for the 1998-99 team. O'Hara led the team with 41 three-pointers at a 38% clip in 1997-98, while Whelan connected on 25 at a 37% rate. Fellow junior guard Kurt Reighard is considered just as lethal outside after hitting 22 three-pointers last year. As the elder statesmen on the team, the three juniors are the ones Davis will watch to carry the brunt of the leadership duties. Guard Jeremy Wells is the only senior on the team this season, while sophomores Mike Desmond, Jacob Hull, Win Hunter and Matt Long return for their second season of play. Lynchburg will have the benefit of a number of new players and many will be looked towards to fill the Hornets' vacancies inside. Whatever the contributions of the newcomers however, the team will strive to create pressure on both ends of the floor to offset its lack of size and experience in the post. "If we work hard and have players successfully fulfilling their roles, we will be competitive and an exciting team to watch," said Davis. The Hornets face a tough non-conference schedule to prepare them for ODAC play. The team opens with its home tournament on November 20 at Turner Gym and faces such challenges as Division I The Citadel as well as the Muskingum College Tournament in December.
Randolph-Macon Hopes to Return to NCAA's Seven seniors will bolster the 1998-99 team including Matt Meehan. A first-team All-ODAC selection, Meehan averaged 15.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest last season and surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career. Also returning are starting guard Joe Goldin (8.9 ppg) and forwards Jonathan Talley (3.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Josh Soper (6.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg). Brian Pirttima (6.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg) was a part-time starter at the forward position for the Yellow Jackets last season. Guard Brian Cunningham and forward Byrne Huddleston will join Meehan, Goldin, Talley, Soper and Pirttima in providing R-MC with one of its largest senior classes in history. Three other members also return playing experience to the Yellow Jacket lineup. Although not on last year's team, junior Mike LaGuardia was a part-time starter for Randolph-Macon two seasons ago. Also returning are junior guard James Urban and sophomore guard Doug Cunningham. Joining the Yellow Jacket program this season will be a seven-member freshman class. Possibly the most notable recruit is Tom Ridder, a 6-5 forward from Fredericksburg, Va. who averaged 15 points and eight rebounds per contest. Randolph-Macon's biggest challenge of the season should come Dec. 5 when the Jackets travel to Lexington to take on Division I VMI.
Roanoke Picked Fourth in ODAC Bullock represents the entire senior class and is the only returning Maroon to garner postseason honors last year (honorable mention All-ODAC). His junior campaign was a breakthrough season as he scored 12.3 ppg on 42.9% shooting, including 16 of 51 from downtown (31.4%). Dunleavy will spell Bullock at the shooting guard and could see time at the small forward as well. His 162 points last season (6.2 ppg) is the second-highest output by a freshman in Moir's nine seasons. Junior Paris Butler and sophomore Ben Halterman will also be called on to run the point this season in place of graduated second-team All-ODAC honoree Nathan Hungate. Butler has shown steady improvement the past two seasons as he has gradually increased his playing time, while Halterman struggled to earn quality minutes due to the depth of the Roanoke backcourt. Murphy, with 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 27 blocked shots last season, connected on 42.1% of his attempts from downtown (32 of 76) to go along with his solid play inside. At the power forward slot, Dettloff returns the most experience (42 games, nine starts) and the higher numbers (6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg), but sophomores Colby Leftwich and Jason Strickland have worked diligently in the offseason. Moir has the luxury of having two starting centers. Alex Phillips was a pleasant surprise for the Maroons. Expected to be a long-range project, he stepped into the Roanoke system and almost immediately started to impress.
Virginia Wesleyan Led By Three Seniors Also in the mix at the wing are juniors Tim Petrillo and Nathan Hale. Petrillo, a second-team All-ODAC performer last year, averaged 13.8 points per game and led the team in three-point shooting with 70. Hale is an excellent defender and helps provide chemistry at the offensive end. Sophomore Corey Clouster and transfer Osmond Bangura will vie for playing time as well. In the post, the Marlins will have some depth as Ron Yuhasz returns to partner with Nickerson. The 6-7 junior has the ability to score inside and shoot the three as he hit on 43% of his tries last season. A welcome addition is 1996-97 Virginia Beach Player of the Year McKinley Ford. The 6-7, 235-pounder spent the past year at a junior college in Florida. Junior Ken Clough, averaged 4.3 points per game along with five assists. will return at the point.
Washington & Lee Ready to Make its Mark Again Ricketts will be joined under the hoop by 6-6 junior center Rich Peterson. Peterson was second on the team in scoring last year, averaging 11.2 points, while corralling a team-best 5.4 rebounds per game. Peterson and Ricketts will be spelled by 6-6 junior post Scott Hudson. Hudson started all 25 games a season ago, averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds while compiling a team-best 29 blocked shots. Competition for the small forward slot will be intense, with three freshmen in the hunt. The shooting guard position is well stocked and should be led by 6-1 sophomore Will Ballard. Ballard started all 25 games as a freshman, averaging 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting a team-high 38% from three-point land. Distributing the ball will be the Generals' lone senior in Kevin Cobbin and junior Walt Plyler. A 5-9 point guard, Cobbin led the team in assists last season (65) while scoring an average of 4.7 points per game. Plyler, a 5-11 point guard, also saw a lot of action at the point guard a year ago, finishing the season with 64 assists and a 2.1 points per game average. |
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