Martelli optimistic about young St. Joseph's team's chances

In the three weeks since preseason practice began at St. Joseph's, Phil Martelli has seen sparks from the youngest team he will send on the floor in his 16 seasons as head coach on Hawk Hill.

The question is whether those sparks will ultimately ignite a flame that represents St. Joe's return to its previous status as a perennial contender in the Atlantic Ten Conference.

"There have been times at practice when I don't feel like I'm out there just trying to put a Band-Aid on a wound and hoping," said Martelli, whose Hawks will open their season Friday against Western Kentucky at Hagan Arena. "I'm really excited because there are times when I feel, man, I can't believe that last play or about the way they grasped a concept. You see the spark. They're young, but all of a sudden something happens and you go, that's what I'm talking about, and you hope you can bottle it.

"You can't right now. It's kind of a roller coaster, but it's a gentle roller coaster."

A dramatic turnaround is not likely to occur this season. A combination of recruiting mistakes, defections, and graduation conspired to make the 2009-10 season the most difficult of the Martelli era, and it will take time for the Hawks' youth movement to take hold.

But there is legitimate reason for optimism among St. Joe's fervent followers. Martelli, who needs 11 wins to reach 300, and his staff have assembled what is considered the deepest and most talented freshman class since he became head coach. The roster includes five freshmen who compose the 25th-best class in the nation, according to MaxPreps, and three sophomores, and all are expected to see significant playing time.

"They have a lot of talent, a lot of potential," senior forward Idris Hilliard, the lone returning Hawk to average double figures in scoring (10.2 points a game), said of the freshman class. "They've just got to learn to play the game the right way on the college level, and once they do, the sky is the limit for them."

The five freshmen are: 6-foot-9 forward C.J. Aiken, the Pennsylvania Class AAAA player of the year after an outstanding career at state champion Plymouth Whitemarsh; guards Langston Galloway and Patrick Swilling Jr., AAU teammates from Louisiana; and New Jersey standouts Daryus Quarles from Paulsboro and Ronald Roberts, a 6-8 forward from Bayonne who had committed to St. John's but switched to St. Joe's after coach Norm Roberts (no relation) was fired.

Aiken is a long body with a high basketball IQ who has impressed Martelli with his passing skills. But he'll need some time to pack some muscle on his 186-pound frame.

"He has a chance to be very special," Martelli said. "But he'll be going against guys who are 235 pounds and needs to get stronger."

Galloway is a broad-shouldered 6-2 guard who averaged 26.2 points at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge and was a first-team Class 1A all-state selection. He is the nephew of St. Joe's assistant coach Geoff Arnold.

Swilling is the son of former all-pro linebacker Pat Swilling. A two-sport standout at Brother Martin in New Orleans, he was recruited by major colleges as a defensive back before deciding to play basketball with his buddy Langston.

"We talked about forming a Louisiana backcourt at St. Joe's," Galloway said. Swilling averaged 18.1 points and helped Brother Martin win the 5A state title.

Quarles is a 6-6 wing player who was not permitted to play high school basketball last season because of a transfer snag. "He has a great upside," Martelli said.

Roberts has occasionally displayed periods of dominance during scrimmages.

Sophomore guards Carl Jones and Justin Crosgile bring a valuable season of experience, as does 6-8 Carl Baptiste. Charoy Bentley, a senior guard, can stabilize the backcourt when needed.

Martelli wants to employ his newfound depth and athleticism in an up-tempo style in an attempt to create easy baskets. He's still working on finding the right combinations and said it was likely two freshmen would be in the starting lineup.

"Each of these guys has done something in the preseason to deserve the chance to play," said Martelli, whose club gained the final spot in last season's A-10 tourney by finishing 12th. "I don't believe there's a 30-minute guy here, and I have no idea who our leading scorer will be. I think there will be movement in the starting lineup, but it won't be that important who starts. It's more about finding the right combination to finish."

National ranking: 210 (RealTimeRPI.com power rankings).

Preseason Atlantic Ten ranking: 12th

Last season: The Hawks finished 11-20 overall, 5-11 in the Atlantic Ten, 2-2 in the Big Five, and did not qualify for postseason play.

Coach: Phil Martelli. Career record, 289-187 in 15 seasons at St. Joseph's.

Scouting report: Forward Idris Hilliard, a 6-foot-7 senior, is the leading returning scorer with an average of 10.2 points per game last season. Center Todd O'Brien, a 6-11 junior, is the leading rebounder with an average of 6.3 per game last season, and 6-0 sophomore guard Carl Jones averaged 1.4 assists in 2009-10.

Outlook: There's the sense of a new beginning on Hawk Hill because St. Joe's has five freshmen and three sophomores on a roster with only two seniors. But the newcomers have enough talent and athleticism to stir optimism for a bright future. The success of the team will best be measured by the progress it makes as the season unfolds.

Quotable: Hilliard on his freshman teammates: "They've just got to learn to play the game the right way on the college level, and once they do, the sky is the limit for them."   - Ray Parrillo

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