Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks look to defend Patriot League Title in 2010-11
11/9/2010 4:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The 2009-10 season was one to remember for the Lehigh men's basketball team. Not only did the Mountain Hawks capture the Patriot League, but they also won 22 games, the most in school history. They then stood toe-to-toe with top seed Kansas in the NCAA Tournament to cap off a memorable season.
This year's squad looks to continue that success, while also creating an identity of its own. It's always a challenge to repeat as champions. The target is on your proverbial back and you consistently receive the best effort from your opponents. That said, the 2010-11 Mountain Hawks have the pieces in place to continue the tradition of winning in hopes of becoming the fourth Patriot League team in the last 10 years to win two consecutive titles.
"We were able to win a championship last season due to teamwork and unselfishness," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "And those characteristics are carrying forward as we head into this season. That teamwork and unselfishness is a benchmark for Lehigh basketball that brings an exciting brand to the court. It allows us to be very effective and efficient with scoring and hopefully can produce very positive results."
GUARDS
The Mountain Hawks lost seniors Marquis Hall and Dave Buchberger to graduation, but they do return reigning Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year C.J. McCollum, who is coming off a historic freshman season. Last year, McCollum became the first men's basketball player in league history to win both laurels. He was also the nation's leading scorer among freshmen, averaging 19.1 points per game.
"C.J. comes back into our program with a year of experience under his belt," said Reed. "He returns with a greater physical maturity and greater understanding of our system and the different types of defenses that he'll face at the college level. His experience last year – logging a number of minutes as a freshman – will only continue to play dividends as he progresses throughout the course of the upcoming season.
"His body is more prepared," continued Reed. "His physical conditioning is better at this stage and he certainly comes into the season with a great deal of confidence that I think becomes contagious and really rubs off on his teammates."
Hall was the floor general of last year's team, finishing as the first player in Patriot League history with 1,500 career points and 500 assists. Despite losing him and Buchberger, who logged significant minutes as a key defensive stopper, there are a number of returnees who are primed and ready to step into an increased role.
One player who will be counted on is senior captain Michael Ojo - the team's sixth man last season - who played in all 33 games, while averaging 18.6 minutes per game. He was fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 6.8 points along with 3.3 rebounds.
"Michael really developed and came into his own last year," said Reed. He looks to expand upon that to complement not only his ability to score, but also his defensive presence.
"He'll have to take on more of a defensive focus now that Dave Buchberger has departed," continued Reed. "It creates an opportunity to really solidify himself as a perimeter stopper. His ability to shoot the basketball as well as create off the dribble and utilize his athleticism provides a great deal of offensive versatility for his scoring as well."
The other senior captain, Rob Keefer, has contributed since day one, starting with a Patriot League Rookie of the Year season in 2007-08. He averaged 7.8 points per game that year, then improved to 8.8 as a sophomore. He was a key contributor and steadying veteran influence during last season's championship run, and looks to take on an increased role in 2010-11. Keefer lost some minutes last season due to the emergence of McCollum, but a continued positive attitude has rubbed off on his teammates and he has continued to contribute when called upon.
"Rob really demonstrated his personal leadership ability in that reduced role [last year] where he continued to maintain a positive attitude and mentor other students," said Reed. "He's come into the season with a greater focus, greater determination. His offensive game seems to be a little bit more well-rounded with improved ball handling ability and an improved jump shot as well."
When looking at the point guard position, senior Prentice Small and freshman Mackey McKnight each look to log key minutes, while McCollum can also slide to point guard when needed.
Small has seen steady minutes over his first three years in the brown and white, playing in 86 career games through his first three years, including one start. His speed is an asset Reed looks to utilize.
"Arguably the fastest and quickest player in the league, Prentice has the ability to really impact a game with his defensive pressure and tenacity," he said. "His offensive penetration is really remarkable as well."
Meanwhile, McKnight is a polished freshman out of Houston, Texas, who has impressed the coaching staff with a strong preseason to date.
"Mackey has shown exceptional leadership ability in our different activities from conditioning to weight training to even our skill instruction," said Reed. "He's established himself as someone other players look to. That position is often referred to as floor general and he has a lot of those natural capabilities, which have really come to the forefront."
Another freshman – Anthony D'Orazio – is coming off an MVP performance in the New Jersey state championship game along with being named South Jersey Player of the Year.
"Anthony is arguably one of the most athletic players who enters our program," said Reed. "He is figuring out our system at this stage. He's a well-rounded, multi-dimensional type of player who can drive and shoot.
"His opportunity is a little less visible due to fewer minutes opening up in his particular positions," continued Reed. "However, his versatility can allow him to find ways to get out on the floor."
FORWARDS
Sophomore Gabe Knutson highlights a frontcourt which lost the team's second leading scorer in Zahir Carrington. Knutson was in many ways overshadowed by McCollum last season, but enjoyed a strong freshman season in his own right, averaging 9.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He finished the season with 315 points, becoming the seventh-highest scoring freshman in school history. As a versatile forward, he'll be greatly utilized this coming year.
"Gabe is very fundamentally sound," said Reed. "He was one of our primary back to the basket scorers last year. He is crafty around the basket and finds angles and opportunities to score. He has also improved his ability to step away and shoot the ball in the face-up game which will make him very effective within our offensive system."
A number of other returnees look to emerge and crack the starting lineup. Junior Jordan Hamilton is one player who can swing between guard and forward. He looks to get back to where he stood before sustaining an injury last season, as one of the top options off the bench.
"His versatility, ability to shoot the basketball, length and size are strengths," said Reed. "Due to his versatility on the perimeter and around the basketball, he'll hopefully be able to capitalize on some of those things as he moves forward. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and really get his feet underneath him where he can continue where he started last year."
Another junior – John Adams – is a multi-dimensional player who can bring both a strong offensive force, while clamping down defensively as well. His energy can't be denied. He's played in 25, then 21 games over his first two collegiate seasons, averaging 2.6, then 2.8 points, respectively. He's also been strong on the glass, racking up 118 total rebounds in limited minutes.
"One of John's most notable attributes is his defensive ability and ability to take some very difficult defensive assignments and capitalize upon those," said Reed. "I would anticipate that his energy, his enthusiasm and his ability to make winning plays will make him valuable."
Sophomore Holden Greiner played guard growing up in high school, but with his size (6-7), he will be counted on inside and out.
"He has a very good feel for the game," said Reed. "He's an excellent passer and can create plays off the dribble for himself and his teammates. He's improved his perimeter shooting this year and gotten back to more of the form that had him shooting over 50 percent from the three-point line in high school."
CENTERS
Although a number of different forwards can step into the center position, three individuals who have the best chance of seeing time there are senior David Safstrom, junior Justin Maneri and freshman Kevin McCarthy. At or approaching seven feet, all have the length to play in the middle.
A former walk-on, Safstrom has worked tirelessly to improve and could now see significant minutes this year. Despite playing in only 34 games over his first three seasons, Reed knows he could step into a more relied upon role in 2010-11.
"David has really progressed throughout the course of his career and he's starting to see some of the spoils of all his hard work and development," said Reed. "He is a defensive presence, a defensive shot changer and shot blocker. He's really grown physically and has gotten a great deal stronger where he can battle in the post."
Maneri brings a great deal of passion and energy to the team. He has seen steady minutes over his first two seasons, playing in 22 games as a freshman and 19 during last season's championship run. He shot an incredible .652 (15-for-23) from the field as an effective finisher around the basket.
"Justin has a number of physical attributes that are real strengths for our team," said Reed. "He's very strong, has very quick feet, battles around the basket and is a very effective finisher. He can also step out and hit perimeter jump shots with a great deal of comfort and ease."
The freshman of the group, McCarthy comes to Lehigh after one year at Phillips Exeter Academy. Reed wasn't sure what to initially expect, but is pleased with his progress thus far.
"He's actually further along than I anticipated entering his freshman year," said Reed. "He will need some time to develop - strength wise and speed wise - to adjust to the college game. He has a good feel and understanding of the game of basketball. He's a willing banger and at 6-10 and 260 pounds, he has the physical attributes, especially as he continues to grow and develop, to be a very effective player in our league."
SCHEDULE
The Mountain Hawks' 2010-11 schedule includes 29 regular season games against teams from nine different conferences. They will face four teams who reached the postseason last year along with opponents from the Big Ten, Pac-10 and Atlantic 10.
"Our goal was to compile a challenging and competitive schedule that will test our student-athletes during the nonconference season," said Reed.
The Mountain Hawks will face teams from the America East, Atlantic 10, Big Ten, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Northeast and Pac-10 to go along with their 14-game Patriot League schedule.
"One of our philosophical goals is to take our student-athletes and allow them to play in venues near their hometown," said Reed. "Games on the west coast and in the midwest plus quality opponents within our region allow us to accomplish that and provide opportunities for our players to experience playing in their home region."
Highlighting the nonconference schedule are games against Penn State (Nov. 12), Cornell (Nov. 22) and USC (Dec. 23). The Mountain Hawks also face Kent State (Nov. 26), Stony Brook (Dec. 1) and Quinnipiac (Dec. 7), who are coming off regular season championships in the Mid-American Conference, America East and NEC, respectively.
The Patriot League opener is scheduled for Jan. 8 at American. The Mountain Hawks will face each of the seven Patriot League teams twice – one on the road and one at home. Lehigh travels to Lafayette on Jan. 22 while hosting the Leopards in the final regular season home game on Feb. 19.
The other Patriot League home games include Navy (Jan. 12), Army (Jan. 15), Bucknell (Jan. 26), Holy Cross (Jan. 29), American (Feb. 5) and Colgate (Feb. 16).
OVERALL
Despite many questions, there are just as many answers. Most importantly, a team unity that was present last season has carried over, if not improved, into this season.
One of the biggest reasons for a smooth transition has been McCollum, who as a sophomore, has embraced the role of team co-captain.
"Thus far, one of the biggest strengths that has come through and is easily identified is the unity of this team," said Reed, who is also pleased with the team athleticism. "We're a little bit more athletic than we've been before, which will hopefully translate into greater defensive pressure and an ability to capitalize on offensive mistakes with our defensive execution."
Along with the positives will inevitably be challenges.
"I think one of the biggest challenges as we move forward, considering that we've had success of winning a championship, is making sure that we continue to focus on the fundamentals and the little things that have brought us success," said Reed. "We have to make sure that we continue to focus on the little things to ultimately allow us to continue taking steps forward as a program."
For this year's Mountain Hawks' squad, their goal is to continue what was started last year.
"The goals for this season often are difficult to measure because we take it upon ourselves to focus on the process of improvement – individually and collectively – as one of our primary things that we look for," said Reed. "Our goal is to continue to grow and build from what we were able to establish last year. I think we've developed a winning culture, a championship culture, and we need to make sure we preserve and protect that."
This year's squad looks to continue that success, while also creating an identity of its own. It's always a challenge to repeat as champions. The target is on your proverbial back and you consistently receive the best effort from your opponents. That said, the 2010-11 Mountain Hawks have the pieces in place to continue the tradition of winning in hopes of becoming the fourth Patriot League team in the last 10 years to win two consecutive titles.
"We were able to win a championship last season due to teamwork and unselfishness," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "And those characteristics are carrying forward as we head into this season. That teamwork and unselfishness is a benchmark for Lehigh basketball that brings an exciting brand to the court. It allows us to be very effective and efficient with scoring and hopefully can produce very positive results."
GUARDS
The Mountain Hawks lost seniors Marquis Hall and Dave Buchberger to graduation, but they do return reigning Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year C.J. McCollum, who is coming off a historic freshman season. Last year, McCollum became the first men's basketball player in league history to win both laurels. He was also the nation's leading scorer among freshmen, averaging 19.1 points per game.
"C.J. comes back into our program with a year of experience under his belt," said Reed. "He returns with a greater physical maturity and greater understanding of our system and the different types of defenses that he'll face at the college level. His experience last year – logging a number of minutes as a freshman – will only continue to play dividends as he progresses throughout the course of the upcoming season.
"His body is more prepared," continued Reed. "His physical conditioning is better at this stage and he certainly comes into the season with a great deal of confidence that I think becomes contagious and really rubs off on his teammates."
Hall was the floor general of last year's team, finishing as the first player in Patriot League history with 1,500 career points and 500 assists. Despite losing him and Buchberger, who logged significant minutes as a key defensive stopper, there are a number of returnees who are primed and ready to step into an increased role.
One player who will be counted on is senior captain Michael Ojo - the team's sixth man last season - who played in all 33 games, while averaging 18.6 minutes per game. He was fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 6.8 points along with 3.3 rebounds.
"Michael really developed and came into his own last year," said Reed. He looks to expand upon that to complement not only his ability to score, but also his defensive presence.
"He'll have to take on more of a defensive focus now that Dave Buchberger has departed," continued Reed. "It creates an opportunity to really solidify himself as a perimeter stopper. His ability to shoot the basketball as well as create off the dribble and utilize his athleticism provides a great deal of offensive versatility for his scoring as well."
The other senior captain, Rob Keefer, has contributed since day one, starting with a Patriot League Rookie of the Year season in 2007-08. He averaged 7.8 points per game that year, then improved to 8.8 as a sophomore. He was a key contributor and steadying veteran influence during last season's championship run, and looks to take on an increased role in 2010-11. Keefer lost some minutes last season due to the emergence of McCollum, but a continued positive attitude has rubbed off on his teammates and he has continued to contribute when called upon.
"Rob really demonstrated his personal leadership ability in that reduced role [last year] where he continued to maintain a positive attitude and mentor other students," said Reed. "He's come into the season with a greater focus, greater determination. His offensive game seems to be a little bit more well-rounded with improved ball handling ability and an improved jump shot as well."
When looking at the point guard position, senior Prentice Small and freshman Mackey McKnight each look to log key minutes, while McCollum can also slide to point guard when needed.
Small has seen steady minutes over his first three years in the brown and white, playing in 86 career games through his first three years, including one start. His speed is an asset Reed looks to utilize.
"Arguably the fastest and quickest player in the league, Prentice has the ability to really impact a game with his defensive pressure and tenacity," he said. "His offensive penetration is really remarkable as well."
Meanwhile, McKnight is a polished freshman out of Houston, Texas, who has impressed the coaching staff with a strong preseason to date.
"Mackey has shown exceptional leadership ability in our different activities from conditioning to weight training to even our skill instruction," said Reed. "He's established himself as someone other players look to. That position is often referred to as floor general and he has a lot of those natural capabilities, which have really come to the forefront."
Another freshman – Anthony D'Orazio – is coming off an MVP performance in the New Jersey state championship game along with being named South Jersey Player of the Year.
"Anthony is arguably one of the most athletic players who enters our program," said Reed. "He is figuring out our system at this stage. He's a well-rounded, multi-dimensional type of player who can drive and shoot.
"His opportunity is a little less visible due to fewer minutes opening up in his particular positions," continued Reed. "However, his versatility can allow him to find ways to get out on the floor."
FORWARDS
Sophomore Gabe Knutson highlights a frontcourt which lost the team's second leading scorer in Zahir Carrington. Knutson was in many ways overshadowed by McCollum last season, but enjoyed a strong freshman season in his own right, averaging 9.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He finished the season with 315 points, becoming the seventh-highest scoring freshman in school history. As a versatile forward, he'll be greatly utilized this coming year.
"Gabe is very fundamentally sound," said Reed. "He was one of our primary back to the basket scorers last year. He is crafty around the basket and finds angles and opportunities to score. He has also improved his ability to step away and shoot the ball in the face-up game which will make him very effective within our offensive system."
A number of other returnees look to emerge and crack the starting lineup. Junior Jordan Hamilton is one player who can swing between guard and forward. He looks to get back to where he stood before sustaining an injury last season, as one of the top options off the bench.
"His versatility, ability to shoot the basketball, length and size are strengths," said Reed. "Due to his versatility on the perimeter and around the basketball, he'll hopefully be able to capitalize on some of those things as he moves forward. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and really get his feet underneath him where he can continue where he started last year."
Another junior – John Adams – is a multi-dimensional player who can bring both a strong offensive force, while clamping down defensively as well. His energy can't be denied. He's played in 25, then 21 games over his first two collegiate seasons, averaging 2.6, then 2.8 points, respectively. He's also been strong on the glass, racking up 118 total rebounds in limited minutes.
"One of John's most notable attributes is his defensive ability and ability to take some very difficult defensive assignments and capitalize upon those," said Reed. "I would anticipate that his energy, his enthusiasm and his ability to make winning plays will make him valuable."
Sophomore Holden Greiner played guard growing up in high school, but with his size (6-7), he will be counted on inside and out.
"He has a very good feel for the game," said Reed. "He's an excellent passer and can create plays off the dribble for himself and his teammates. He's improved his perimeter shooting this year and gotten back to more of the form that had him shooting over 50 percent from the three-point line in high school."
CENTERS
Although a number of different forwards can step into the center position, three individuals who have the best chance of seeing time there are senior David Safstrom, junior Justin Maneri and freshman Kevin McCarthy. At or approaching seven feet, all have the length to play in the middle.
A former walk-on, Safstrom has worked tirelessly to improve and could now see significant minutes this year. Despite playing in only 34 games over his first three seasons, Reed knows he could step into a more relied upon role in 2010-11.
"David has really progressed throughout the course of his career and he's starting to see some of the spoils of all his hard work and development," said Reed. "He is a defensive presence, a defensive shot changer and shot blocker. He's really grown physically and has gotten a great deal stronger where he can battle in the post."
Maneri brings a great deal of passion and energy to the team. He has seen steady minutes over his first two seasons, playing in 22 games as a freshman and 19 during last season's championship run. He shot an incredible .652 (15-for-23) from the field as an effective finisher around the basket.
"Justin has a number of physical attributes that are real strengths for our team," said Reed. "He's very strong, has very quick feet, battles around the basket and is a very effective finisher. He can also step out and hit perimeter jump shots with a great deal of comfort and ease."
The freshman of the group, McCarthy comes to Lehigh after one year at Phillips Exeter Academy. Reed wasn't sure what to initially expect, but is pleased with his progress thus far.
"He's actually further along than I anticipated entering his freshman year," said Reed. "He will need some time to develop - strength wise and speed wise - to adjust to the college game. He has a good feel and understanding of the game of basketball. He's a willing banger and at 6-10 and 260 pounds, he has the physical attributes, especially as he continues to grow and develop, to be a very effective player in our league."
SCHEDULE
The Mountain Hawks' 2010-11 schedule includes 29 regular season games against teams from nine different conferences. They will face four teams who reached the postseason last year along with opponents from the Big Ten, Pac-10 and Atlantic 10.
"Our goal was to compile a challenging and competitive schedule that will test our student-athletes during the nonconference season," said Reed.
The Mountain Hawks will face teams from the America East, Atlantic 10, Big Ten, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Northeast and Pac-10 to go along with their 14-game Patriot League schedule.
"One of our philosophical goals is to take our student-athletes and allow them to play in venues near their hometown," said Reed. "Games on the west coast and in the midwest plus quality opponents within our region allow us to accomplish that and provide opportunities for our players to experience playing in their home region."
Highlighting the nonconference schedule are games against Penn State (Nov. 12), Cornell (Nov. 22) and USC (Dec. 23). The Mountain Hawks also face Kent State (Nov. 26), Stony Brook (Dec. 1) and Quinnipiac (Dec. 7), who are coming off regular season championships in the Mid-American Conference, America East and NEC, respectively.
The Patriot League opener is scheduled for Jan. 8 at American. The Mountain Hawks will face each of the seven Patriot League teams twice – one on the road and one at home. Lehigh travels to Lafayette on Jan. 22 while hosting the Leopards in the final regular season home game on Feb. 19.
The other Patriot League home games include Navy (Jan. 12), Army (Jan. 15), Bucknell (Jan. 26), Holy Cross (Jan. 29), American (Feb. 5) and Colgate (Feb. 16).
OVERALL
Despite many questions, there are just as many answers. Most importantly, a team unity that was present last season has carried over, if not improved, into this season.
One of the biggest reasons for a smooth transition has been McCollum, who as a sophomore, has embraced the role of team co-captain.
"Thus far, one of the biggest strengths that has come through and is easily identified is the unity of this team," said Reed, who is also pleased with the team athleticism. "We're a little bit more athletic than we've been before, which will hopefully translate into greater defensive pressure and an ability to capitalize on offensive mistakes with our defensive execution."
Along with the positives will inevitably be challenges.
"I think one of the biggest challenges as we move forward, considering that we've had success of winning a championship, is making sure that we continue to focus on the fundamentals and the little things that have brought us success," said Reed. "We have to make sure that we continue to focus on the little things to ultimately allow us to continue taking steps forward as a program."
For this year's Mountain Hawks' squad, their goal is to continue what was started last year.
"The goals for this season often are difficult to measure because we take it upon ourselves to focus on the process of improvement – individually and collectively – as one of our primary things that we look for," said Reed. "Our goal is to continue to grow and build from what we were able to establish last year. I think we've developed a winning culture, a championship culture, and we need to make sure we preserve and protect that."
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