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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
MARCUS FAISON (6-5, 190 lbs., SR, SG, #22, 14.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.5 tpg, 2.4 spg, 0.5 bpg, 27.3 minutes, .533 FG, .337 3PT, .708 FT, Irvin HS, Tex./Fayetteville, N.C.) Faison, a two-time first-team All-MAAC selection, is back to lead the way for the Saints. The 6-5 swingman led the team in scoring and was second on the Saints in rebounding. "Marcus has continued to get better and better each year," said Hewitt. "He has worked hard and gotten bigger and stronger, making him a tough player." In fact, in a league filled with tough guards Faison and Jason Rowe of Loyola College are to the two most likely to attract NBA scouts this season Faison was the model of consistency last season. On a balanced team, Faison reached doubled figures in 25 of Siena's 31 games and capped off the year by being named the Most Valuable Player of the 1999 MAAC Tournament. He averaged 14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 1.3 apg in three games. Faison can hit the three-ball on occasion, but he is at his best when he penetrates to the basket. "When Marcus drives, the best thing for me to do is get out of the way and take a shot-blocker with me," said Siena's small forward, Jim Cantamessa. "A lot of times, the defense will collapse on him [when he drives], and then I'll be able to get open for a jumper and he'll find me." Another area where Faison is dangerous is in Siena's pressure defense. Opponents must be aware of where Faison is at all times because, in addition to quick feet, he also possesses fast hands (2.4 spg). JIM CANTAMESSA (6-8, 235 lbs., SR, SF, #40, 11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 2.5 tpg, 1.3 spg, 26.9 minutes, .424 FG, .401 3PT, .840 FT, Black Hawk HS/Beaver Falls, Pa.) Perhaps a more accurate last name for this guy would be Canta-missa. In 1997-98, this 6-8 forward led the entire nation in three-point shooting (66-for-117, .564 3PT). Heck, some guys don't shoot that well from the foul line. "It's very unusual for a man built like a power forward to have such a high percentage," said Hewitt. "His ability [to shoot the long ball] forces teams to focus on both Marcus (Faison) and Jim. "When Jim pops outside, he brings a big defender away from the basket and that opens up things for Marcus. When the defense concentrates too much on Marcus, Jim is open for a 'three.'" Cantamessa's range is pretty much anywhere over the halfcourt line. A third-team All-MAAC selection last year, Cantamessa finished third on the team in scoring and third in rebounding. And even though opponents game-planned to stop Cantamessa from long-distance dialing, he still hit 55 of his 137 three-point attempts (.401 3PT) in 1998-99. He's just as deadly from the other line, too (84-for-). He'll team with Corey Osinski to give Siena a fine set of forwards. COREY OSINSKI (6-7, 225 lbs., SR, PF, #42, 14.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.8 apg, 2.0 tpg, 1.3 spg, 0.2 bpg, 26.4 minutes, .540 FG, .874 FT, Schalmont HS/Schenectady, N.Y.) Rejoining Cantamessa in the frontcourt will be the 6-7 Osinski, who hits the books as hard as he hits the boards. Osinski (3.57 GPA in English) earned GTE All-Academic honors and second-team All-MAAC honors last year after averaging 14.1 points and a team-high 5.9 boards per game. Osinski is a self-made college star. Since arriving at Siena, he's been a fixture in the school's weight room and has added 25 pounds of muscle to his frame. This allows him to score outside and inside. Osinski, Siena's most underrated player, scored in double figures in 25 of the Saints' 31 games including three games of 20-plus points. Osinski also showed a knack of being able to come up big in the big games, as evidenced by his 24-point performance vs. Rider in the MAAC Tournament and his 17-point, nine-rebound outing vs. Arkansas in the first round of the NCAAs. SCOTT KNAPP (6-3, 175 lbs., JR, PG, #12, 11.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 2.5 tpg, 1.1 spg, 22.3 minutes, .421 FG, .421 3PT, .934 FT, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill HS/Sherrill, N.Y.) Knapp, the 1998 MAAC Newcomer of the Year, will replace Melvin Freeny, a starter for most of the past two seasons, alongside Marcus Faison in the Siena backcourt. It shouldn't be a problem as Knapp got an unexpected dress rehearsal at being a starter last year, when Freeny was sidelined for most of December and January with a viral inflammation of the heart sac. Overall, Knapp averaged 11.1 ppg and 4.1 apg, while hitting on a team-high 42.1 percent of his three-point attempts. In 19 games as a starter, Knapp averaged 10.3 ppg and 4.6 apg, registering at least four assists in all but three games. Knapp was a shooting whiz from behind both lines, it turned out. He finished sixth in the nation in free throw percentage (.934 FT), which makes him the right guy to handle the ball in the closing minutes of a tight game. The scary part? Knapp will have a battle on his hands to be the starting point guard, because Hewitt landed a 6-7 frosh, Prosper Karangwa, one of the top players in Canada. If Karangwa is half as good as advertised, then Knapp, a true team player, will be the first guard off the bench. Either way, he'll be a factor. DAVE DETERS (6-10, 220 lbs., SR, C, #55, 5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.5 tpg, 0.4 spg, 18.7 minutes, .444 FG, .822 FT, Timothy Christian HS/Elk Grove, Ill.) Every successful team needs role players. Guys who will set more screens than a multiplex theater. Guys who will play solid interior defense. For the Saints, Deters is that guy. This is the third straight year that Deters will start in the pivot for Hewitt and Co. And while he has a decent turnaround jumper and baby hook, Deters' job is to do the little things. But to his credit, Deters never stops working. He gained some valuable pointers as a counselor at Michael Jordan's Basketball Camp the past couple of years. He even guarded MJ in some pickup games at the camp. Deters is an important piece to the puzzle for Siena. Their chief competition in the MAAC will be Iona, and the Gaels have added 7-1 junior college import Terry Sellers to their team. It will be up to Deters to keep the lane from being a Sellers' market in Siena's games vs. Iona.KEY RESERVES ISAIAH STEWART (6-3, 195 lbs., JR, G, #5, 5.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.6 tpg, 0.7 spg, 17.1 minutes, .323 FG, .265 3PT, .829 FT, Chartiers HS/Bridgeville, Pa.) Stewart, a junior, has developed into a solid wing substitute for Hewitt. Stewart has never started a game for the Saints, but has played in every single contest over the past two seasons. He is also the team's most stout defender, as evidenced by the fact that he was chosen to receive the Don Cunha Best Defender Award at last year's Siena men's hoops banquet. Stewart's minutes were the second-most off the pine by any Siena player in 1998-99 (Brandon Fields tallied 21.4 minutes per ballgame). Stewart's weakness? His perimeter shot is about as accurate as the editorial content of most supermarket tabloids (Think: "I'm Naomi Judd's Alien Love Child"). Stewart made just 51 of his 158 field goal attempts (.323 FG) last season. People shoot better than that at town carnivals. DWAYNE ARCHBOLD (6-6, 190 lbs., SO, F, #24, 7.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.4 tpg, 0.8 spg, 16.7 minutes, .420 FG, .415 3PT, .662 FT, Paul Robeson HS/Brooklyn, N.Y.) Archbold heats up faster than a microwave and therefore he's another valuable off-the-bench performer for Hewitt. An MAAC All-Rookie selection last season, Archbold made the most of his 16.7 minutes of action per game, averaging 7.0 ppg. This guy produces some beautiful arc-work (.415 3PT), but needs to do a better job of accepting charity (.662 FT). MICAH OGBURN (6-4, 200 lbs., SR, G, #32, 2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.8 tpg, 0.6 spg, 8.1 minutes, .358 FG, .252 3PT, .556 FT, Illinois Valley HS/Chillicothe, Ill.) After sitting out the 1997-98 season as a medical redshirt, Ogburn got some decent minutes off the bench and averaged just over two points and one board per game in 27 appearances. He'll have a hard time getting any more minutes than he got last year, thanks to the addition of Karangwa to an already-strong guard line. JAMES CLINTON (6-9, 200 lbs., SO, F, #33, 2.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.5 tpg, 0.3 bpg, 8.0 minutes, .451 FG, .655 FT, St. Augustine Prep/Richland, N.J.) This slender sophomore is very athletic and could see increased time up front this season. Clinton was called upon in 28 of 31 games last year. DALE TAYLOR (6-9, 215 lbs., SO, F-C, #50, 2.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.4 tpg, 0.5 bpg, 6.6 minutes, .531 FG, .400 FT, Thayer Academy/Boston, Mass.) Taylor possesses a solid low-post game and never tries to do things he's incapable of at the offensive end (hence, his sterling .531 FG percentage in 1998-99). Still, he could be in danger of losing his role as primary pivot backup to gifted 6-9 frosh Michael Buhrman, unless he stops his tendency to sometimes hold the ball too long down low. Taylor cold also stand to improve at the line (6-for-15 in 1998-99). PROSPER KARANGWA (6-7, 180 lbs., FR, G, #3, 20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, Dawson College HS/Montreal, Canada) Knapp will have a rough time holding on to the starting point guard job. The reason? Karangwa figures to replace Molson as the most popular Canadian import on Siena's campus. The 6-7, 190-pound Karangwa is a true point guard who was dubbed "Half-A-Penny" by Montreal media types because of the 1999 Quebec Player of the Year's ability to do Penny Hardaway-type things with the ball in his hands. Karangwa needs to add some meat to his skinny bones to truly "Prosper" (he's as skinny as a Q-tip), but look for him to be a lock to make the MAAC All-Rookie team. In a summer league held at Siena, Karangwa displayed great court vision and a sweet shooting stroke. His foul shots and three-pointers rarely touched the rim (they were all net). Karangwa gives the three-point happy Saints another trusty long-distance bomber, joining Scott Knapp, Jim Cantamessa and Dwayne Archbold. The question is will he start or be the team's sixth man? Our guess is that he'll start the year as Siena's instant offense off the bench as he adjusts to the faster paced college game. But he might take a place in the starting lineup by late-December or early January. Either way, he'll be an impact player. Karangwa averaged 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in helping Dawson College to the Quebec Provincial Championship last season. MICHAEL BUHRMAN (6-9, 235 lbs., FR, F-C, #15, 15.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.2 bpg, Chambersburg HS/Chambersburg, Pa.) This hard-working low-post operator will see immediate court time as a backup to both David Deters and Corey Osinski. The Siena coaches love the way this kid catches the ball down low and does something with it immediately rather than holding it too long and getting stripped. Burhman's maturity, work ethic and smarts might give him the edge as the Saints' primary backup power player. Burhman was a recruiting target of Ivy League power Pennsylvania, among others.OTHER RETURNEES BILL ROBINSON (6-6, 210 lbs., SO, F, #11, eight appearances, Christian Brothers Academy/Albany, N.Y.) A high school teammate of fellow walk-on Brian Scalzo, Robinson could have played D-II or D-III ball but elected to walk on at Siena instead. He is a deep frontcourt reserve. ROB CONNORS (6-4, 210 lbs., JR, G, #21, six appearances, Colchester HS/Colchester, Vt.) Another walk-on for Hewitt's club who will work hard in practice, but who won't see much court time this season except at the tail end of very lopsided games. BRIAN SCALZO (5-9, 165 lbs., JR, G, #10, five appearances, Christian Brothers Academy/Albany, N.Y.) This hometown boy is a little-used walk-on. He appeared in five games last season, mostly as a victory cigar in blowout wins.STARTERS NOT RETURNING MELVIN FREENY (5-11, PG, 8.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.8 tpg, 1.5 spg, 26.6 minutes, .356 FG, .481 3PT, .813 FT) Freeny had been a starter pretty much from the time he received his first syllabus back in 1995. In 100 career games, Freeny averaged 7.3 ppg and 4.4 apg. His 444 assists rank fourth all-time at Siena. Making Freeny easier to replace is the fact that, while he was sidelined by a heart ailment (a viral inflammation of the heart sac) for 18 games last year, Scott Knapp was thrown into the starting lineup. Knapp thrived as a starter, averaging 11.1 ppg and 4.1 apg. So, while this time last year the loss of Freeny looked as if it would be devastating to the Saints, it actually won't be. The reason? The 6-3 Knapp is taller and a much more accurate shooter than Freeny ever was, and he is also one of the nation's most proficient free-throw shooters. And during Freeny's inactivity last year, Knapp got the much-needed experience he lacked.OTHERS NOT RETURNING BRANDON FIELDS (6-6, F, 8.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 2.0 tpg, 0.7 spg, 21.4 minutes, .500 FG, .755 FT) Fields was a tireless worker who made incredible strides over the course of his four years at Siena improving from an afterthought as a freshman to a valuable off-the-bench scorer, rebounder and interior defender for the Saints last season. He averaged 8.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg for Hewitt's club last year, and his athleticism and leadership skills will be missed. This was a guy who realized what he could do make mid-range shots and putbacks as well as hit the glass with verve as well as what he couldn't do (therefore, he only attempted two three-balls last season).QUESTIONS Frontcourt size? Isn't this always a question at mid-level D-I schools like Siena? Dave Deters, Dale Taylor and James Clinton are all in the 6-10 neighborhood height-wise, but they're all as skinny as Kevin Garnett on Slim-fast. That won't cut it against the NCAA heavyweights and could also hurt the Saints against frontcourt-loaded league rival Iona. Replacing Fields and Freeny? Siena's newcomers come to Loudonville with impressive resumes, but the guys they are trying to replace (Brandon Fields and Melvin Freeny) have done it already. Super frosh Prosper Karangwa and Michael Burhman haven't yet. Competition level? The MAAC has improved its level of play over the years, but three months of playing Manhattan, Rider and Marist won't properly prepare the Saints for an NCAA tourney game. And it will also hurt Siena's RPI and chances for an NCAA at-large bid should they somehow stumble in the MAAC tourney.ANSWERS Hewitt! In two years, this hot, young coach has transformed the Siena program from one with single-digit win totals into a 25-win team. He'll be heading up an Atlantic 10, Big East, Big Ten or ACC program early in the 21st century. Experience! This Saints' starting lineup has more seniors than a church bingo night. That experience should serve this team well. Three-point shooting! Returnees Jim Cantamessa, Marcus Faison, Scott Knapp and Dwayne Archbold can all stroke the three-ball. Canadian import Prosper Karangwa, a 6-7 frosh, can also dial long distance.
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