College Basketball Game

Here are some team-report capsules for the first season. There are 48 teams, divided semi-logically into four conferences (amazingly, there seems to be no FAIR way to divide the contiguous lower 48 states into four equally-spaced conferences).

Conference: Pacific and Northern Athletic Conference (PANAC) Back to top

Big Sky College (Montana)	Big Sky will make its mark defensively this year, with 4 top-quality defenders. The team runs a slow, deliberate offense, with no one player expected to be the leading scorer game-in, game-out. Freshman power forward David Mix, has a chance each night for a triple-double. Vincent Ackley, a senior 2-guard, is expected to be a motivational leader, both through his words and his play.
Boise University (Idaho)	Sophomore Louis Work improved so much that he could be the team's leading scorer, except he plays behind senior Lawrence Urbina, already the team's leading scorer. Someone will have to move. High-speed Phil Barrientos will once again run the offense, as Boise continues its "score more than the other guy" style of play (i.e., no defense). Freshman 6'11 center Patrick Vanderpool will add MUCH needed size to the team.
Des Moines University (Iowa)	Potentially the worst defensive team in the land, the team only has junior forward Carlos Wiley to offset the porous defense. There is no passing game to speak of, but thankfully, the team should remain competitive in terms of rebounding. Doug Baugher, an undersized 2-guard, could probably hit double-digits, but otherwise, the team looks to flounder.
Lincoln University (Nebraska)	Adam Schaffner was recuited to play the 2-guard, so he should have every opportunity to unseat Brandon Fleenor. The cupboard is bare after that though. There is a non-existent passing game, and Fleenor is the team's best defender. John Wiley is another freshman (6'10) who will be asked to replace a fan favorite - Brian White, who never has seemed comfortable in the offense. This is a team that may be good in a few years, building on the base created by these two new freshmen.
Pierre College (South Dakota)	The offense begins, and ends, with 6'11 Phil Numbers, whose lackluster efforts on defense and rebounding last year may not even earn him the starting job. Denny Stoltz, a junior point guard, will be charged with keeping this well-led, but under-talented team from falling short. The offense features an above-average passing game (but below-average shooting), and the defense and rebounding is just about average. Overall, it could be quite a long winter in Pierre.
Reno State (Nevada)	And then there's Reno - arguably the most non-descript team in the conference. Outside of forwards Ray Seidel and Jacob Rives, no one else is a threat in the offense. The team defense is average, almost to a man; the team rebounding is average, almost to a man. Howie McReynolds, a senior point guard, will be hard-pressed to inject life into this very complacent team.
Sacramento College (California)	A team on the rise, but not this year. The staff thinks 6'7 freshman forward Chad Troy can be a building block, continuing what was set in motion last year, with new recruits James Biddle (6'11) and Rodney Najera. The trio is expected to be the leaders of the team, with point guard duties split evenly between juniors Kevin Velarde and Roy Wunderlich, as it has been the past two years. Velarde may be the team's best rebounder, and Wunderlich, the team's best defender.
Seattle State (Washington)	Perhaps no team has a greater disparity between scorers than Seattle, with junior forward Paul Grays expected to be the first, second, and maybe even third option. Next year, Aaron Bertrand should take over center for Artie Conroy, but Seattle will miss Conroy's bit 7'2 frame inside. Point guard Arthur "Don't call me Artie!" Nieto will handle the distribution duties, but the team, as a whole, looks weak defensively. Bertrand may get some quality minutes this year.
St. Paul State (Minnesota)	Is it too late to start over? New recruits Ken Pitchford and Ron Wren may be the best St. Paul can offer, and they may not even get the chance to start.Pitchford is too shot-happy for a point guard, so it seems likely that senior point guard Travis Burchfield will have every opportunity to hang on to his starting job. Joe Treadwell, a 6'7 power forward, may help out, but this is a team that should begin recruiting for next year, right now.
U of Cheyenne (Wyoming)	Frank Thomsen was the guy they wanted, and he's the guy they got. The 6'9 power forward should make an impact immediately. The team will play an uptempo defensive game, but the offense may struggle with graduation from last year. Thomsen will be counted on for 15-18 a night. Supporting cast includes senior center Carl Langer. The highly-disciplined team does lack some firepower, however, which will keep it out of the upper division.
U of North Dakota (North Dakota)	The team will continue the same plan as last year, namely, get the ball to center Antonio Espinal and point guard Brandon Reinhold. Some of the choices will be tough for the coaching staff to make, however: Chad Bevins or Norm Roebuck at power forward, for instance, since both are upper classmen. Also - Reinhold is the returning leading scorer, but how long can his shoot-first, pass-later attitude work? Does freshman Albert Schroder have a chance of displacing him?
U of Portland (Oregon)	Freshman 2-guard Jess Ledezma will be the focus of the offense, on what looks to be an otherwise below-average team. A pair of sophomore point guards (Brian Fortune and Jake Carnahan) will lead the offense, which will rely upon rebounding to get a fast break going. Without controlling the boards, Portland will have limited opportunity to win games. No one else looks capable of scoring even 8 points a game.

Conference: Midwest and Southern Athletic Conference (MASAC) Back to top

Chicago State (Illinois)	The coach may spend most of this year trying to hold the team back. Roy Guajardo was added to an already aggressive offensive team, and the speedy point guard will make 100 points a game a possibility every night. While the defense is spotty at best, the team should dominate the boards, and there is no shortage of leadership. Junior power forward Shawn Setzer should benefit the most from Guajardo's upbeat tempo. 7'1 freshman Stephen Feder should step into a starting role easily.
Columbus University (Ohio)	Point Guard Luis Aikens and high-octane forward Joshua Hart should be able to keep Columbus in any game. Junior power forward Donald Rogan will be moved to a sixth man role, with the addition of Josh Demello. The team, however, does promise a sloppy offensive set, with below-average defense and rebounding skills, so much of the pressure to win falls squarely on Hart's shoulders.
Detroit State (Michigan)	There is no scoring to speak of...leading scorer could be freshman forward Fred McReynolds, and he may struggle to hit double-digits on a nightly basis. The defense is adequate, as is the rebounding - against a team that struggles in those categories, Detroit should be able to run its fast break...otherwise, it looks like a fairly boring season.
Frankfort University (Kentucky)	This is a solid, steady team, with perhaps the best overall passing game in the country. Roger Basham, a sophomore, should be the main cog at point guard, with talented freshman Keith Dacosta learning at his side. The supporting cast, including Rodney Ko at center, should be more than capable. The team may not dazzle, but should be steady; maybe even championship caliber.
High Point College (North Carolina)	Michael Bogart, only a sophomore, might get some All-American views. This would be more likely if the team he was playing for had even a fighting chance at a .500 record. Seniors Ron Vogt and Ron Mello can contribute, but the supporting cast isn't enough to really push High Point into the upper echelon. The team will struggle on the boards and on defense, as well.
Indiana College (Indiana)	Incoming freshman Joshua Dodds will be asked to take control of the offense - he has the best skills in an offensive set. The problem is, he may not even be able to unseat junior center Fred McNutt. In McNutt and forward Jeffrey Back, Indiana College may have the best rebounding front line in the country. Freshman Luis Nevins has a better passing game than incumbent point guard Keith Groves, but Groves is a senior, and will probably retain his starting role. Nevins, like Indiana, will wait til next year.
Jefferson City College (Missouri)	7'2 center Pat Christensen may be the freshman of the year. He was a high school All-American, and isn't afraid to mix it up on defense. JCC also has 2-guard Luis Esparza, who may be able to generate 20 points per game. Norm Drury adds size and another offensive option. Senior point guard Kevin Quinones should have a blast distributing the ball.
Madison University (Wisconsin)	Juniors Gerald Abell (7'2) and Dan Armour (6'6) are both perpetual 20+ per game scorers, as well as, perhaps, the nation's finest passers at their positions. Freshman forward Eric Catlett should also help out, while learning from Armour. Sophomore guard Charles Lozier should get the offense charged up even more. The team will struggle on the defensive end, though.
Nashville State (Tennessee)	Freshman point guard Tony Manning may get some serious player-of-the-year consideration as well. Andrew Piazza, last year's freshman phenom at center, will once again pose matchup problems for defenses with his agile 6'9 frame. Billy Tessier is exactly the kind of player State's coach likes - all hustle, defense and rebounding, and he lets the points come naturally. An interesting development will be how outgoing senior Jose MacLeod relinguishes his role to Manning.
Oklahoma College (Oklahoma)	Outside of Gerald Leath, at Montpelier, Oklahoma College may have TWO of the best player-of-the-year candidates in the nation. Senior, undersized center Ben Carlsen (6'6) can't seem to do anything wrong, and junior power forward Bob Mulder (6'3) scores even more than Carlsen. OC relies on an aggressive trapping defense, and control of the boards - an amazing feat, considering their starting frontline is the afore-mentioned 6'6, 6'3 and Phillip Bey, 6'7. It will be interesing to see how freshman point guard Aaron Kester handles the offense.
Topeka State (Kansas)	Sophomore 2-guard Gary Rhodes will be asked to shoulder more of the burden this year than last year, while helping senior point guard Larry Roberson run the offense, shutting down the opposing team's best player, keeping senior center Jacob Lebel focused, and making a smooth transition for incoming freshman Justin Sokol. Topeka has laid a good foundation for the future, and Rhodes will be a star this year, maybe the nation's best in two years.
U of Roanoke (Virginia)	A backcourt-laden team, with junior Frank Schilling returning as the leading scorer, and new freshman Vincent Osterman chomping at the bit to take over for Willie Lenard. The problem? Osterman is a potential 18ppg scorer, but Lenard knows the offense. The management of that controversy-in-the-making may be the key to Roanoke's season. Sophomore 7'1 center Curtis Sawicki has made great strides from last year, and may be enough to get Roanoke into a playoff spot.

Conference: Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Back to top

Boca Raton University (Florida)	With probably the best backcourt in the nation, Boca should finish near the top of the SSAC. Senior 2-guard Paul Shin and junior point guard Curtis Dameron are each expected to put 20+ points on the board each night. With 6'11 freshman Leonard Kesler joining the squad and senior power forward Curtis Carleton maturing another year, Boca looks as impressive as any other school. Shin will receive serious All-American consideration.
Bollinger State (Louisiana)	Senior center Curtis Ojeda is still undersized (6'8) and did not mature as planned over the summer, and once again should be included in any debate on "most disappointing." With no proven scoring threat and a lackluster defense, it looks to be a long season for Bollinger. Doug Falgout, a junior point guard, will have to wait for his senior season to truly display his promising skills - hopefully next year's recruiting battle will garner a bit more talent.
Columbia State (S. Carolina)	Columbia will be looking to run, run, run. Freshman forward Travis McPhail may be the nation's best freshman. The true contest is at the 2-guard position, where Victor Aguilera and Wayne Walling are duking it out - each could start for any team in the country, but one will sit or move positions. Junior point guard Chris Foxworth will play great defense and try to keep the hungry scorers happy. The one weakness the team has is a lack of focus; there are no leaders on this team, and the challenge will be for departing seniors Charles Lodge and Willie Burkes to lead with their words (since it won't be by example).
Denver College (Colorado)	Denver has always been a well-disciplined, great passing team, and this year looks no different. Senior forward Jerry Lee and sophomore forward Michael Whited will be the main cogs in the offense, while nifty point guard Jerry Schick will have a year's worth of tutelage from outgoing senior Ryan Newkirk, one of the best. With balanced rebounding and occasional great defense, the team can never be counted out of any game.
Harlingen College (Texas)	This could be one of the highest-scoring teams in the land. Senior center Vincent Lockett could merit player of the year consideration, and his backup, senior Stan Fountain could also get 15 points a night. Jeremy Durbin and Roy Keating will ALSO have a battle for the starting small forward position, with the backup also getting some serious points. The only glaring weakness is 2-guard where Scott Keefer contributes little to the offense.
Jackson College (Mississippi)	A pair of sweet passing point guards (senior Carlos Young and freshman Ben Overstreet) lead an offense headed by forward Brian Tucci. Centers Clarence Fullerton, Ben McMahon and forward Roger Galindo are all capable scorers, but the team will struggle on defense, and, amazingly, given their height, on the boards. Undersized senior forward Clarence Burney may be the wild card, although, previously, he's been happiest passing, more than shooting.
Montgomery State (Alabama)	Seniors Joe Wessel and Wayne Summers should lead the offense, along with highly rated recruit Steve Million. Ken Whetsone, the junior point guard, will be responsible for keeping all the scorers happy. The team has an above-average passing game, and an above-average rebounding game. Million's progress at the power forward slot (since he played wing in high school) will be the make-or-break point for this team.
Salt Lake City College (Utah)	After senior forward Terry Gravely, there is not much in the way of offense for SLCC. Freshman forward Roger Spires may be the next best thing, but he's behind Gravely. The team has all the right ingredients elsewhere: twin towers inside (6'10ers Steve Bourque and Roy Soares) and great passing from the guard slot (Roy Bridge and Rich Wellborn). But, with Bourque and Gravely leaving this year, next year looks the same as this year - the team will be lucky to make the playoffs.
Santa Fe State (New Mexico)	Paul Castaneda is the only scoring threat for SFS, which will rely on defense to win games. Way undersized (the tallest player is only 6'9), rebounds will come from heart and hustle, compared to size. Ken Streeter, a 3-year starter, may be edged out by sophomore Jeff Offutt. But, there is too much liability at several positions for this team to be considered a player, in this conference.
U of Atlanta (Georgia)	A scoring machine. Junior small forward Chris Anderson may lead the nation in scoring. Allen Marlowe, a 7'1 freshman will distract defenses away, so Anderson will have more room to slash. Junior point guard Roger Stutzman will continue to score his 15 a game, while having even more options than last year. Atlanta doesn't mind giving up the points, however, so the main challenge may be controlling the boards, to enable their fast break. In any case, it will be fun to watch.
U of Little Rock (Arkansas)	Freshman point guard Ronald Blackburn saved Little Rock when Tony Manning chose to go to Nashville. Blackburn will spark an already ultra-charged offense that features senior center Pete Peterman and sophomore forward Craig Prescott. Super-subs Phil Ribeiro and Justin Edward will be counted on for some serious bench scoring. The wing positions are in need of help - with Ed Pinkerton graduating, but, Manny Desrochers is only an incoming freshman, and he needs to fill a big void.
U of Tucson (Arizona)	Tucson recruited BIG this year, landing prize recruit 6'11 forward Aaron McCoy and 6'10 center Eric Hardwick. For now, Hardwick will have to sit by, as McCoy takes the starring role with incumbent center Billy Hartzell (great defense, with 15ppg). The team should be poised for a run at the conference title next year, though, with only forwards George Carbone and Ben Nagel graduating. With an improvement in discipline and less sloppy play, the team will have all the ingredients in place.

Conference: Eastern 12 (E-12) Back to top

Bangor University (Maine)	The outlook is grim this year for Bangor, the incoming freshmen are raw. The only returning strength is sophomore forward David Wiener, who will be counted on to shoulder the scoring load this year. Senior point guard Willie Frances is a tenacious defender and an excellent passer, but he will find precious little support. Backup point guard Frank Fults, also a senior, is more beneficial for team morale than he is on the court itself.
Charleston University (West Virginia)	This will be a year of "who wants the ball?" Kevin Greenway, a freshman power forward has shown some offensive skill, but little else. Senior point guard Patrick Beattie seems destined to languish in mediocrity. Freshman Lawrence Looper has an excellent chance to bounce senior Mike McGee from his comfy starting 2-guard role.
Concord College (New Hampshire)	The coach saved his fans from a year of excessive boredom by locking up two freshmen that should step into starting roles immediately: 2-guard Tim Hinrichs and point guard Ken Pinto should keep Concord competitive for the next four years. Pinto is more of a 2-guard, with his shoot-first, -second and -third, pass-last attitude, but the team could not suffer through another year of scapegoat Tom Inman running the show. The team is VERY undersized.
Dover State (Delaware)	Freshman Robert Hosey should be a star and the perfect complement to Shawn Damiano. After that, it gets tough. The defense is sound, the rebounding is poor and the passing game is adequate. Senior center Jacob Jones should be a steadying force inside on defense, which offsets his serious offensive liabilities.
Hunt Valley State (Maryland)	6'10 center Roger Alleyne finally gets another valid scoring threat with new addition Jacob Lincoln at 2-guard. The team's overall rebounding and defense should be sound, and there is some true upper-classmen leadership present. Senior point guard Bryan Weatherford should end his career in solid fashion.
Lancaster College (Pennsylvania)	Ideally, James Meier would come into the system as a ball distributor. Sadly, the only other offensive threat is forward Ernest Silverstein, and he may be projected as 12 points per game, at most. Meier may need to score 30 to keep Lancaster into any game. Luckily, the team, plays an aggressive defense, which may mean Meier won't be counted on for more than half the points. Jeremy Morey, a senior 2-guard, may be able to help out on occasion.
Montpelier State (Vermont)	Senior center Gerald Leath is the preseason favorite for player-of-the-year, especially if he can repeat his 25/12 numbers from a year ago. Montpelier looks set for the next four years, as well, recruiting his virtual twin in Eric Keenan (an inch shorter at 6'10). Harry Messier is a proven 15ppg scorer at forward, and junior point guard Kevin Burnett will ride the franchise (Leath) as far as possible, while mentoring Tony Guyton, his successor (a full 7 inches shorter though, at 5'9)
Springfield College (Massachusetts)	Chris Thomasson is a proven scorer, and then, EVERYONE else is capable of putting up 10-15 a night. It won't happen, but it's a nice problem to have. The team is disciplined and steady on offense, but lacks focus on defense. Junior power forward George Jesse may be the best of a solid, but undistinguished supporting cast. More than anywhere else, the bench is nearly as solid as the starters, here.
U of Camden (New Jersey)	The preseason favorite to win it all, and maybe go undefeated. With two star seniors: Jimmy Rosenberger and 6'11 center Jeffrey Castor, and two super-sophomores: Harold Barclay and Jake Friedman, Camden has proven 20ppg scoring at 4 of 5 positions. Somehow, Rosenberger manages to keep everyone happy. Combine that with, perhaps, the nation's best defense and an above-average rebounding game, and you have the ingredients for a national championship. The only real weakness is the propensity to go a little out of control, from time to time - understandable when 100 points per game is the team's realistic goal. Castor vs. Leath (Montpelier) will be a matchup for the ages.
U of New Haven (Connecticutt)	If defense and rebounding can win ballgames, then New Haven will be looking to put that to the test. With no reliable scoring threats, and a pair of senior point guards (Willie McCarthy and Willie Trigg) that, together, may equal one average point guard, it looks to be a long season for New Haven. Will Race is the best player on the squad, but at 6'6, he needs to grab more than 3 rebounds a game.
Warwick State (Rhode Island)	So, what do you do when senior center Howard Venable, a 3x 20ppg scorer is scheduled to graduate at the end of this year? Recruit Greg Coleman, a spitting image on offense, who plays even better defense. The smart money is on Venable holding onto his starting role for this year though, since he's a better rebounder and a preseason All-American candidate. Harry Sams, a sophomore point guard, will control the offense, and undersized forward Gene Tanguay (6'2) will be a consistent offensive threat.
Westchester College (New York)	Freshman Roger Diehl will take over the small forward slot, and should be an instant 20ppg scorer. How 6'6 center Kevin Piatt consistently outplays 6'10 backup Roger Mosier is a source of great frustration for Westchester. There is no passing game to speak of, but the team should grab its share of rebounds. With outgoing senriors Stan Matias and Ray Dunning leaving, the team is just one good recruit away from making next season interesting.