Season to open with optimism
Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136
CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men's basketball
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The return of several players with significant playoff experience fuels optimism as the Fredonia State men’s basketball team gets set to open its 2009-10 season.
The Blue Devils open their 25-game regular season Friday night against Sheridan (Ont.) at Steele Hall. Game time is 8 p.m.
The schedule also includes a trip to Davidson the day before Thanksgiving. It’ll be the first time the Blue Devils have met an NCAA Division I opponent since 1987 at Indiana State.
Fredonia State is coming off its best season in head coach Kevin Moore’s eight years at the helm. They were 18-10 overall and 10-6 in the SUNYAC to finish fifth in the conference standings.
The Blue Devils were 9-7 away from Steele Hall last season, including 4-4 in conference games. “Last season’s run in the SUNYAC tournament,” Moore said, “has helped us understand the frame of mind you need to have to be successful on the road.”
After winning their final three regular-season games, the Blue Devils scored playoff consecutive wins over Oneonta and Cortland before falling to Brockport in the SUNYAC championship game.
“We played our best basketball,” Moore said, “at the end of the season last year and took a big step in the right direction to establish ourselves as a solid contender for a SUNYAC title this year. We learned a lot about ourselves as a team, how we can all contribute in different ways and how important it is for everyone to make a commitment to that team mentality.”
Moore returns All SUNYAC senior guard Brad Cooper (Monticello), a catalyst during the late-season run last season. He averaged 20 points over the final seven games. “(When) Coop figured out how to make other players around him better,” Moore said, “he became a much better team player.”
For the most part, the injury bug has hit the Blue Devils at the guard spot.
Cooper’s running mate for most of the past two seasons has been senior Kevin Saunders (Batavia) until Saunders injured a knee last Feb. 20 and missed the final five games. He had off-season surgery but reinjured the knee during preseason drills and has just been cleared to return to practice. His return to game action is on hold, as is the return of Leonard Smith (Brooklyn/Nazareth), a sophomore, who out with a stress fracture and will not return to practice until the middle of November. Smith saw significant playing time as a freshman and hit a big three-point basket in the semifinal win over Cortland. In addition, sophomore reserve Dior Jackson (Monticello) is likely to miss the entire season with a knee injury.
Until Saunders and Smith return, Moore expects to split playing time among sophomore Amir Billups (Buffalo/Starpoint), sophomore Sean Donahue (Olean), sophomore Jonathan Hererra (Woodside/Flushing) are back, and freshman Joe Monahan (Floral Park/Holy Cross).
“Billups is an athletic, talented combo guard that has become more consistent shooting the ball in the off-season,” Moore said. “Donahue can shoot the ball well from outside the arc. Hererra has gotten stronger and more aggressive defensively. He can also a very good three-point shooter. And, Monahan is a tough competitor who shows experience beyond his years.”
In addition, two point guards have transferred into the program – junior Cory Aldrich (Yonkers/Lincoln) from Jamestown Community College, and junior Wilfredo Flores (Dunkirk) from Medaille.
Three playoff-tested forwards return, among them two-year starter Julius Bryant (Buffalo/Hutch Tech). Bryant, a junior, led the Blue Devils in rebounding last season (5.2 per game). His other offensive strengths are an explosive inside move and mid-range shooting touch.
Scott Valenta (Binghamton), a senior, is a versatile player. He started in place of the injured Saunders in the SUNYAC playoffs last season. Valenta can also play center. Always a strong rebounder, Valenta has improved his shooting from the outside.
Another major contributor late last season was senior swingman Greg MacBride (Clifton Springs/Newark). His 10 points vs. Hartwick led the team in an ECAC Upstate New York tournament semifinal to close out the season. Moore said MacBride has worked on becoming more consistent from three-point range.
James Kane (Buffalo/Timon-St. Jude), a senior, is back after a one-year hiatus. In addition to playing the forward spot, he will also see time at center. The Blue Devils have also added sophomore Damien Goodwin II (Buffalo/East), a transfer from Mount Union, and freshman Matt Carruci (Olean). Both players have state high school final four experience.
If there’s an area that concerns Moore, it’s depth at center. Last year’s starter, senior Kyle Mitchell (Lake Luzerne/Hadley Luzerne), will be joined by freshman Adam LaQuier (Rensselaer/Canton) and by Kane. Mitchell appeared in 21 games and made a smooth transition from the junior college ranks. LaQuier has shown the ability to either post up or step out and shoot from the arc. Moore wants Mitchell to rebound more and says LaQuier needs to get stronger before he reaches his potential.
After the season opener vs. Sheridan, the Blue Devils play four straight games away from home – including the Nov. 25 meeting with Davidson. They then play their first of 18 SUNYAC games – nine here, nine away – when Buffalo State visits Dec. 4.
The remaining SUNYAC home dates are Jan. 8 (Potsdam, 8 p.m.), Jan. 9 (Plattsburgh, 4 p.m.), Jan. 19 (Brockport, 8 p.m.), Jan. 26 (Geneseo, 8 p.m.), Feb. 12 (New Paltz, 8 p.m.), Feb. 13 (Oneonta, 4 p.m.), Feb. 19 (Oswego, 8 p.m.), and Feb. 20 (Cortland, 4 p.m.).
“I think the conference,” Moore said, “is going to be wide open as far as a favorite is concerned. It will come down to the teams that can execute and be the most consistent with their execution on a game- to-game basis.”
The Blue Devils allowed 61 points per game last year, best in the conference and No. 18 in the nation. “We will continue to build on our defensive philosophy,” Moore said, “and have that be our foundation for future success this year.”