Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Hampton SR PG Lawrence Cooks

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Jon Teitel

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We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Hampton SR PG Lawrence Cooks.  The good news is that he has made it to the NCAA tourney each of the past 2 years: the bad news is that he got to face Kentucky in 2015 and Virginia in 2016.  However, when he actually gets to face teams who are not #1 seeds and has games that go down to the wire, he often emerges victorious.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lawrence about winning his 2nd straight conference title last season and whether he can pull off the 3-peat this season.

cooks

You grew up in Charlotte: what made you choose Hampton? I did not have many offers coming out of high school and when I came here for my visit they treated me very well. The coaches all welcomed me and are all from Charlotte, which made it even better.

You play for Coach Ed Joyner: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He gives us chances and then forgives us if we make mistakes rather than dwelling on it.

You scored 8.9 PPG as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? My teammates had the faith in me to knock down big shots and let me play my game.

In the 2015 NCAA tourney you scored 2 PTS in a loss to undefeated Kentucky: where does that Wildcats squad rank among the best college basketball teams that you have ever seen? They were clearly not the best team ever because they did not win it all…but they are probably 1 of the top-20 that I have ever seen.

In your season opener last November you scored a career-high 22 PTS/9-12 FG in a 7-PT loss at Winthrop: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? I was in a zone: 2 of my teammates were in foul trouble so myself/Quinton Chievous had to step up. I was playing close to home and had a lot of family there, which felt nice.

In the 2016 MEAC tourney title game you scored 5 PTS in a win over South Carolina State: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how much of a home court advantage did you have while playing in Norfolk? Winning that 2nd title was really big for us because a lot of people had doubted us earlier in the season. We were down in the 1st half so it was a weird situation, but to come all the way back was great. We might have had a few more fans because we are closer to Norfolk, but the Bulldogs still had a nice crowd.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you had 7 REB in a loss to Virginia: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? It just taught me to play tougher. You cannot look to the refs to make calls: you just have to come out and be ready for any type of matchup, and I feel that I am making progress toward that every day.

You had 4 games last year that were decided by 1-2 PTS and another 4 that went into OT…and you won all 8: what is the secret to winning games that come down to the wire? You cannot give up. We were down by 22 PTS in the 1st half at NAU last December and just kept working hard until we won 98-94. We trusted the process and believed in our teammates/coaches. It also helps to knock down big shots but you have to stay focused on the task at hand.

Your non-conference schedule includes a trip to Kansas State: how do you prepare to face a Big 12 opponent? We prepare just like it was any other game: we will come out and give it our all, make sure we have the scouting report down pat, and play to the best of our abilities.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I expect us to 3-peat and win another conference title. I do not like to share my goals out loud but I want to make sure the younger guys are ready after I graduate and try to win another ring. It will be my job to lead them to do that.

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Conference Preview: Ivy League

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

IVY LEAGUE

Princeton 1975.  Columbia 2016.  Through the history of college basketball, only two Ivy League teams have ever cut down the nets as the winner of a postseason tournament.  In 1975, it was Princeton that defeated Providence in the championship game to win the NIT.  Last season, Columbia defeated UC-Irvine to win the CIT.  Given that the Ivy League has not held a conference tournament before, last season was truly the second ever postseason championship by a school from this conference.  And Columbia’s CIT championship was not even the biggest March highlight for the Ivy.  That came in the NCAA Round of 64 when Yale, making their first appearance since 1962, picked up their first ever NCAA Tournament win, upsetting 5 seed Baylor by 4 points before falling to Duke in the next round.  Princeton rounded out the cast of postseason teams, earning a berth into the NIT.

This year, we are guaranteed to have an Ivy League team celebrating a postseason tournament championship.  That is because the Ivy has become the last conference in the country to institute a postseason conference tournament to determine its automatic bid recipient.  Only the top four teams will qualify to the event, which will occur on the last weekend of the season at the Palestra in Philadelphia.  Princeton and Harvard appear to be heavy favorites to capture two of those four spots, but there should be some fun battles lower in the standings for the other two.  Cornell has a rising program, Yale will be looking to repeat despite some key offseason losses, and Dartmouth may be the league’s surprise team.  Obviously, don’t count out Penn, as they will have the home court advantage if they can just make it into the top four.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Princeton – The Tigers return all five of their starters, four of whom are seniors, led by Henry Caruso, Steven Cook and Spencer Weisz.  To make things even better, Hans Brase, who averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game two years ago, is back after missing last season due to injury.

2. Harvard – The Crimson will be dangerous with Siyani Chambers back and healthy, the return of double-double threat Zena Edosomwan, and a recruiting class by head coach Tommy Amaker that is ranked in the Top 20 nationally.

3. Cornell – New head coach Brian Earl has almost every player returning from last season, led by guards Matt Morgan (18.9 points per game) and Robert Hatter (17.1 points per game).  The Big Red have a chance to be a surprise contender.

4. Yale – Makai Mason averaged 16 points per game last year, but is the only starter returning this season.  With Justin Sears, Jack Montague and company all having graduated, the Bulldogs are likely to take a step or two back.

5. Dartmouth – The Big Green have a chance to be in the running for one of the four conference tournament spots with Ivy League Rookie of the Year Evan Boudreaux leading the way for new head coach David McLaughlin.

6. Pennsylvania – Four starters are back, but the one the Quakers lost was big, literally.  6-11 center Darien Nelson-Henry was a nightly double-double threat and a solid shot blocker.  Steve Donahue may not have anyone able to step up and fill those shoes.

7. Columbia – Four starters and head coach Kyle Smith are all gone, so the expectations will not be too high this season. The Lions did grab a very strong replacement for Smith in NJIT’s Jim Engles, so don’t be surprised to see the Lions back among the league leaders in a year or two.

8. Brown – The Bears have three senior guards led by Tavon Blackmon, but they did lose double-double and shot blocking threat Cedric Kuakumensah from a team that only went 10-20.  Improving on that record this season could be difficult.

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Conference Preview: Horizon League

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

HORIZON LEAGUE

Three Horizon League teams participated in three different postseason tournaments last season, and two of them came very close to cutting down the nets.  The Green Bay Phoenix, who won four games in four days to capture the league’s automatic bid, were not one of those teams, as they got handled fairly easily as a 14 seed by 3 seed Texas A&M in the Round of 64.  Valparaiso, the regular season champions, played in the NIT and advanced all the way to the championship game, falling there to George Washington.  Oakland, behind star guard Kay Felder, advanced to the championship game of the inaugural Vegas 16 tournament, losing by one point to Old Dominion.  Milwaukee and Wright State also put up 20 win seasons, but neither team played in a postseason event.

This year, the theme in the Horizon League may be more about what they lost than what they gained.  Green Bay will be without two of their top three scorers from last year.  Valpo will be without head coach Bryce Drew, who took the Vanderbilt job.  Oakland lost Kay Felder, who declared for the NBA Draft instead of returning for his senior season.  Below those top three, who are the most likely to contend for the title despite their losses, other teams felt attrition as well, such as Detroit losing star Paris Bass and head coach Ray McCallum, and both Wright State and Milwaukee having made their own somewhat controversial changes at the head coach position.  There is certainly room for someone to make a surprise run at the top of the league standings, and in that regard we are not overlooking Youngstown State as the team with just the right mix of size, talent and veterans to possibly surprise.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Valparaiso – Bryce Drew may be in Nashville this season, but star player Alec Peters is back in the fold.  Combining him with guards Tevonn Walker and Shane Hammink could be enough to put the Crusaders right back on top under new head coach Matt Lottich.

2. Oakland – Even without Kay Felder’s amazing skills, the Golden Grizzlies will be tough to beat with guys like forward Jalen Hayes leading the way.  Keep an eye on junior college transfer Stevie Clark who has a chance to pick up a lot of Felder’s scoring load.

3. Green Bay – The Phoenix made a run from fourth place to the NCAA tournament automatic bid, but then promptly lost two of their three best players in the offseason.  Guard Charles Cooper will likely be the team’s top player this season, but a return to the Big Dance will be tough.

4. Youngstown State – Admittedly a longshot pick in this league (some publications have predicted the Penguins to finish dead last), but Cameron Morse averaged over 20 points per game from the backcourt, and the combination of Matt Donlan and 7 foot tall center Jordan Kaufman up front could make this team, with a roster full of juniors and seniors, a lot tougher to beat than most people expect.

5. Detroit – Paris Bass left the team after last season giving new head coach Bacari Alexander a more difficult rebuilding project, but having Chris Jenkins and Jaleel Hogan back will help.

6. Wright State – Regardless of whether Billy Donlon deserved a pink slip after last season, the Raiders have brought in a head coach that has proven he can win in Scott Nagy from South Dakota State.  Nagy only has two starters returning, but one of them is guard Mark Alstork who has a real chance to star.  He also has an intriguing freshman recruit in 6-9, 300 pound Loudon Love.

7. Illinois-Chicago – Despite only winning five games last year, the Flames return four starters led by defending Horizon League Freshman of the Year Dikembe Dixson, who averaged almost 20 points per game and is a double-double threat each time he steps on the court.  If the rest of the team develops and grows talent around him, UIC should be vastly improved this time around.

8. Northern Kentucky – One of the few teams in the Horizon League to actually gain something in the offseason, the Norse have gained postseason eligibility as they enter their first full year of Division I membership and place the long four year transitional period behind them.  Head coach John Brannen’s team returns three double-digit scorers and brings in one of the higher rated mid-major recruiting classes in the nation.  The future is looking bright for the Norse, though probably not this season.

9. Cleveland State – The Vikings lost 23 games last season.  The good news is that they only return one significant senior contributor and add in six newcomers, so the program is headed in the right direction.

10. Milwaukee – Despite winning 20 games last season, head coach Rob Jeter was fired and the three starting players that should have been returning all promptly transferred out.  This looks like a very long first season at the helm for LaVall Jordan.

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Season Preview: HoopsHD interviews Cal SR SG Sam Singer

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

We continue our 2016-17 season preview interview series with Cal SR SG Sam Singer.  As a sophomore he played in all 33 games and was an honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic selection.  As a junior he played in all 34 games including the Bears’ NCAA tourney game against Hawaii, where he scored a season-high 12 PTS while replacing the injured Tyrone Wallace in the starting lineup.  HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Sam about making a game-winning shot and improving his FT shooting.

sam

You grew up in Miami: what made you choose Cal? I was looking for the best combination of academics/basketball, so once Cal started recruiting me the chance to play in the Pac-12 and the Haas School of Business was something that I could not pass up.

On Super Bowl Sunday in 2015 you scored 11 PTS including a 3-PT shot with 5 seconds left in a 2-PT win at Washington: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That is probably right at the top due to the timing of it and doing it on the road. I was struggling at the time so it was huge for me to hit that shot.

You play for Coach Cuonzo Martin: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you ever learned from him? It is not all about basketball with him: that is just a small piece of it.  He is preparing us to be men and deal with adversity.  I will appreciate it even more once I finish playing basketball and end up in the real world. He wants us to strive to be successful CEOs, which is why I love playing for him. He taught me that you get out what you put in: not everyone is born into a great situation but you can still try to get something good out of life.

You shot under 50% from the FT line during your freshman and sophomore years: how were you able to bump it up to more than 60% last year? I had a small sample size during my 1st 2 years so I just tried to get to the line more last year and get more comfortable in front of crowds at different arenas. I expect it to be even higher this year.

Last March you were named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is hard but it is what we signed up for as student-athletes. We have great resources/tutors here at Cal and our coaches hold us responsible for the academic piece. It is an environment where we want to be successful both in the court and in the classroom.

In the 2016 NCAA tourney you scored a season-high 12 PTS in a loss to Hawaii: what did you learn from that game that you think can help you this year? We do not just want to get to the NCAA tourney, even though it was the 1st time I got there. Now we know what it takes not just to get there but to win a game and we will not take any team lightly.

1 of your new teammates is Grant Mullins, who transferred from Columbia after winning the 2016 CIT title: what does he bring to the table with his championship pedigree? He is another experienced guy and a really good player. He can shoot the ball very well and has a high basketball IQ from playing against a lot of good schools in a lot of big games. I think that he will help our team a lot.

Your non-conference schedule includes games against San Diego State/Seton Hall/Virginia: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? We lost to the Aztecs/Cavaliers last year so we are excited to play each of them again. We felt like we gave 1 away last year at Virginia since we were leading the entire game (before losing by 1 PT in OT), but they are such a good team that grinds it out. Playing them in late-December right before conference play will be very beneficial and help us in the long run.

Your grandfather David played basketball at Florida and your grandfather Stuart played football for Pitt: who is the best athlete in the family? It depends on who you ask! I would say me: my grandfather Stuart was a big dude on the OL and my grandfather David was a PG, but I think that I will take that title.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Right now our collective focus is to get better every day and get good enough to win a conference title. Every year our goal is to make it to the NCAA tourney and then make a run, which is why we work hard all summer. We want to keep our undefeated home record intact as well but will just take it 1 day at a time and see what happens.

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Conference Preview: Conference USA

Posted on October 9, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

CONFERENCE USA

Conference USA may be ready for a name change to the Bracket Buster Conference.  Two years ago, UAB ruined everyone’s bracket by knocking Iowa State out in the Round of 64.  Last season, it was Middle Tennessee pulling an even bigger shocker, upsetting Tom Izzo’s 2-seed Michigan State team that many people had picked to win it all.  Although Middle Tennessee was the league’s only team to make the Big Dance, UAB also put together a solid season and played in the NIT.  Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion received postseason invites as well, both to the newly formed Vegas 16 event, where ODU cut down the nets as champions.

This year, UAB again figures to be at or near the top of the conference, even though head coach Jerod Haase moved west to Stanford.  Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech should also be in the mix, along with a handful of teams that have not made as much noise in recent years.  Western Kentucky has added Rick Stansbury as their new head coach, and his recruiting skills are already starting to pay off in Bowling Green.  North Texas may have the best overall collection of guards in the conference, and could use them to push their way into contention.  But the team that could rise the most this year is Rice.  The Owls bring their top 5 players back and add more to that.  They may have lost 20 games last season, but don’t be shocked to see them at 20 or more wins when the dust settles this year.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. UAB – With Chris Cokley’s offense, William Lee’s defense and Nick Norton at the point, the Blazers will be tough to beat every time they take the court – even with Robert Brown having moved on.

2. Rice – The Owls return their top five players from last season led by Marcus Evans and Egor Koulechov.  Added to that, Marcus Jackson is back healthy after missing last season.  The talent is there.  If the Owls can improve their defense, the sky may be the limit in this conference.

3. Western Kentucky – New head coach Rick Stansbury already has his team ready to challenge with transfers Que Johnson (Washington State), Junior Lomomba (Providence) and Willie Carmichael (Tennessee) coming in to join top returnee Justin Johnson.  Given Stansbury’s recruiting acumen, WKU should be at or near the top of the conference for years to come.

4. Middle Tennessee – The Blue Riders lost a pair of double-digit scorers but do return Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw.  A pair of new additions, Arkansas transfer Jacorey Williams and junior college transfer Brandon Walters will help make up for the offseason losses.

5. Louisiana Tech – Erik McCree has a chance to star for the Bulldogs, but making up for the loss of guard Alex Hamilton and his 19.8 points per game could be tough.  Having Qiydar Davis back healthy and returning players such as Jacobi Boykins and Derric Jean should help ease the burden.

6. North Texas – The Mean Green may have as much talent and depth at the guard position as any team in Conference USA.  J-Mychal Reese Reese is a scoring point guard, Deckie Johnson is a scary three-point threat, and SMU transfer Keith Frazier (yes, the same Keith Frazier that was the center of the scandal that landed the school on probation) is looking to make a fresh start for himself.  Jeremy Combs is the top player down low and a double-double threat every time out, but he will need some help down there if the Mean Green want to challenge for one of the top spots in the league.

7. Marshall – The Thundering Herd had the nation’s #3 scoring offense last season and, if nothing else, it makes them a fun team to watch.  They also had the #343 scoring defense, which needs to get much better if they want to contend.  The team has tons of scoring options again, led by Stevie Browning, Ryan Taylor and Jon Elmore.
8. UTEP – Three of the top five scorers are gone, so this looks like a rebuilding year for Tim Floyd’s team.  They do boast a dangerous backcourt, however, with Omega Harris and former Oregon Duck Dominic Artis.

9. Old Dominion – The champions of the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament lost their top two players in the offseason, Trey Freeman and Aaron Bacote.  Brothers Brandan and B.J. Stith (sons of former NBAer Bryant Stith) will need to lead the way this season, but the team will be hard pressed to come anywhere close to last year’s 25 win total.

10. Charlotte – The 49ers return plenty of backcourt scoring led by Braxton Ogbueze, but may not have what it takes to make up for losing a pair of double-digit scorers down low.

11. Florida International – Guard Donte McGill is back after leading the team with 16.1 points per game.  Frontcourt players Adrian Diaz (15.3 ppg) and Daviyon Draper (15.9 ppg) are not. Replacing that much offense will be very difficult to do.

12. Florida Atlantic – The good news is that the Owls should be better than last season.  The bad news is that it is not hard to improve on a 25 loss season.  There just don’t seem to be enough pieces here to make any serious move upwards in the standings.

13. Texas-San Antonio – The Roadrunners bring in longtime Lon Kruger assistant Steve Henson as their new head coach.  He will have his work cut out for him rebuilding this program.  Junior guard Christian Wilson should star this season and be among the top scorers in the conference.

14. Southern Mississippi – Last season was pretty much another train wreck.  This year may not be much better as Doc Sadler still has a ton of work to do.

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Conference Preview: Colonial

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of the Hoops HD Preseason Articles, Interviews, and Conference Previews

COLONIAL

Five programs from the CAA won 20 or more games last season and 8 of the 10 teams finished at least .500 overall.  That is a very good percentage for a “mid-major” conference, even if it did not translate into any postseason success.  In fact, only three CAA teams accepted postseason invitations.  UNC-Wilmington captured the conference tournament title and NCAA bid, losing in the Round of 64 as a 13 seed to Duke.  Hofstra received a bid to the NIT, and lost in their first game to eventual champion George Washington.  Towson made it 0-3 in the postseason, losing their first round game in the Vegas 16.

This season, the Colonial teams will look to turn regular season successes into a little more noise in late March.  UNC-Wilmington figures to lead the way again in the conference, but as many as 7 different teams could challenge in what may be a wide open race.  William & Mary seeks their first ever NCAA bid despite having been a member of Division I since the NCAA went to divisional play (joining only Army, St Francis-Brooklyn, The Citadel and Northwestern on this “elite” list), College of Charleston continues a rapid rebuild under Earl Grant, and teams like Elon, Towson, James Madison and Hofstra all have the weapons to make some serious noise.  In all, the CAA has a chance to be one of the most fun and exciting conferences this season, and one that will definitely be worth watching on a nightly basis.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. UNC-Wilmington – Four starters return for a veteran team that won last season’s automatic bid.  Led by Chris Flemmings and Denzel Ingram, the Seahawks have a real chance to dance again.

2. William & Mary – Forward Omar Prewitt averaged almost 18 points per game last year and returns this season to give the Tribe another shot at that elusive first dance ticket.  The team is deep enough to have a real shot at getting it done.

3. College of Charleston – The Cougars only won 9 games in 2014-15, but improved to 17 victories last season.  This year, all five starters from the end of the season return and are joined by point guard Joe Chealey, who missed last year due to injury.  Head coach Earl Grant could have this team in serious contention for the title.

4. Elon – With seven key rotation players back, and a balanced scoring attack, do not be surprised if the Phoenix end up among the league’s elite.

5. Towson – Losing Byron Hawkins to transfer (to Murray State) hurts, but with Mike Morsell running the backcourt and Arnaud William Adala Moto hitting the rim, the Tigers will still be tough to beat.

6. James Madison – Despite winning 21 games, JMU let head coach Matt Brady go and brought in Louis Rowe.  Rowe does have four starters returning from last season, but replacing point guard Ron Curry and his 17.3 points per game could be tough.

7. Hofstra – Rokas Gustys is a force down low, having averaged well over a double-double last year.  Unfortunately, three of his top supporting cast members are gone from last season and the Pride will need to rely on former role-players stepping up and the addition of a few newcomers if they want to be back among the league’s top teams.

8. Drexel – Bruiser Flint is gone, but in his place the Dragons hired Zach Spiker away from Army.  Spiker helped turn around the Black Knights program and at least put them among the contenders in the Patriot League, so he may be able to do the same in Philadelphia.  With only one starter back from last year, however, he will not be doing it in his first season.

9. Northeastern – The top three scorers are gone from a team that only went 9-9 in conference play last year, making this a rebuilding season.

10. Delaware – There are no returning double-digit scorers for new head coach Martin Ingelsby.  Just finding a way to better last year’s 7 wins may be an accomplishment.

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