Small-college basketball preview, from Philly U. to Harcum
Last season's local small college basketball season was as eventful as any in decades. Philadelphia University's Herb Magee hit the 1,000-victory mountaintop, making Magee the only NCAA men's coach in history not named Krzyzewski to reach it.
Last season's local small college basketball season was as eventful as any in decades. Philadelphia University's Herb Magee hit the 1,000-victory mountaintop, making Magee the only NCAA men's coach in history not named Krzyzewski to reach it.
And a rival player in the same league, Garret Kerr at the University of Sciences, was named NCAA Division II national player of the year after leading his team to an NCAA berth and a victory at Division I Drexel.
This season, don't expect similar headlines, but there's always plenty of quality ball. The yearly local rivalry in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has an obvious favorite in R.C. Kehoe's Holy Family squad, with nine seniors and all five starters back from a 22-8 team that finished second in the CACC South regular season. Reggie Charles and Isaiah Gans lead the Tigers.
At Sciences, David Pauley predicts early growing pains without Kerr but expects his team to be pretty good by February, led by Sho Da-Silva with brother Flo helping, along with Garret's brother Wes Kerr, last season's defensive ace.
At Philly U., Magee has a surprising exhibition victory at La Salle already, coming back from a 25-point deficit. But the Rams still have holes to fill. The top returnees are big man Peter Alexis and wing player T.J. Huggins, along with Vermont transfer Brendan Kilpatrick.
Looking to move up in the CACC South, Chestnut Hill, 6-20 last season, will be young, with only four players back for Jesse Balcer, and six freshman joining a group that includes guard Luke Dickson.
Also in D-II, West Chester, coached by Damien Blair, has two starters back (Matt Wiseley and Avery Brown) from a 16-13 team that went 13-8 in the PSAC East, good for second place. PSAC rival Cheyney, coached by Dominique Stephens, is basically starting over after a 2-25 campaign.
Picked third in the competitive CIAA North, Lincoln, coached by John Hill, returns one starter, Joshua Davis, from a 16-11 team.
The big early-season local Division III game actually includes a D-I team, with former Rowan coach John Giannini taking his La Salle team to Rowan on Nov. 28 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Rowan's national title team. Joe Cassidy's Profs, coming off a 16-10 season, start three seniors, led by guard Kris O'Connor.
NJAC rival Rutgers-Camden, coached by Jason Curbison, lost a lot of production to graduation after a 14-12 season but returns a couple of starters and will be led by Abby Bah and John Tatem.
Across the river, Neumann is coming off its first NCAA tournament appearance. Among the four starters Jim Rullo has back from a 17-11 team that won the CSAC are Deshawn Lowman and James Butler.
CSAC rival Cabrini, coached by Tim McDonald, starts the post-Aaron Walton-Moss era with 13 freshmen and sophomores on the roster. Top returner Jair Green averaged 14.3 points a game. Perennial CSAC contender Gwynedd-Mercy returns four starters from a 17-10 squad. The top returners for John Baron are guards Darnell Artis and Cedric Elleby.
Rosemont, coming off a 13-13 season, will be led by guard Marcus Thomas, who averaged 14.7 points for Bobby Hughes in 2014-15. Immaculata, coached by Terrance Stewart, returns four starters from a 12-14 team and will be led by guards Matt Simon, Rodney Duncan and Roy Ferrell. Eastern, 10-15 last season, with former assistant Eric McNelley now in charge, will be led by Shaquan Turk. At Arcadia, Justin Scott's squad, coming off a 16-13 season, has one starter back and 11 freshmen.
In the Centennial, Swarthmore, coached by Landry Kosmalski, has four starters back from an 11-14 team: junior Chris Bourne and sophomores Zack Yonda, Matt Brennan and Robbie Walsh. Mike Mucci's Haverford squad, Matt Sherman leads a young team coming off a 6-19 season. Ursinus coach Kevin Small is optimistic the Bears, 10-15 last season, are on the upswing. "I kind of feel like we're us again," Small said of the basketball junkies he sees on his team.
At Widener, Chris Carideo's team, coming off a 9-16 season, is led by senior forward David Nicholson. Delaware Valley, coached by Casey Stitzel, has its top ten players back from a 12-13 team, led by guard Francis Arnold.
The area's junior colleges are stocked with talent. At high-scoring powerhouse Harcum, Drew Kelly has his typical assortment of D-I prospects, with two starters back from a 28-4 team. Valley Forge, coached by Rich Casey, has six sophomores coming off a 7-17 season. At Manor, Alfred Johnson's squad, 18-9 last season, led by Steffon Poole and Khalil Williams.
@jensenoffcampus