Wagner Beats SMU: Friday Local Recap

There’s just something about playing out West that gets the Wagner Seahawks going. Bashir Mason’s team played stifling defense once again and found enough offense to defeat Southern Methodist 63-53 in the semifinals of the Cable Car Classic on Friday night. Continue reading “Wagner Beats SMU: Friday Local Recap”

Preview: The Battle of the Bronx

The Battle of the Bronx is tomorrow night and it should be a good game between Manhattan and Fordham. The Rams are going to be without Chris Gaston after knee surgery, but there always seems to be a little bit of magic at Rose Hill. Jaden Daly is back to answer questions about Fordham prior to the match up. I also some for him about Manhattan.

Continue reading “Preview: The Battle of the Bronx”

Fordham Primer with Jaden Daly

Fordham has played two games already this season and are 0-2 after losing at Pittsburgh and Texas State. The Rams get a break tonight, sort of, in that they are playing at what is technically a neutral site. Of course Robert Morris is only 30 minutes from the Peterson Events Center. Here’s an early season look at the Rams from Jaden Daly of A Daly Dose of Hoops. Continue reading “Fordham Primer with Jaden Daly”

NYC Team Capsules: Fordham

Last season: 10-19, (3-13 Atlantic 10)
State of Program: Trying to rebuild in difficult and expanding A-10
Key Players Lost: Kervin Bristol, Marvin Dominique (St. Peter’s), Alberto Estwick, Lamount Samuell
Incoming Players: Travion Leonard (F), Nihad Musovic (G), Jermaine Myers (G), Ryan Rhoomes (F), Mandell Thomas (G)

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Devon McMillan
G: Branden Frazier
G: Bryan Smith
F: Ryan Canty
F: Chris Gaston

Key Reserves: Jeffrey Short (G), Ryan Rhoomes (F – if eligible), Travion Leonard (F), Mandell Thomas (G), Jermaine Myers (G)

Biggest Storylines:

1) Will Fordham escape the Atlantic 10 cellar? Make the conference tournament?
2) Can Chris Gaston be a First Team A-10 Player?
3) Will the offense improve? (It almost has to.)

Analysis: Fordham enters the 2012-13 season with some questions to answer, including if forward Ryan Rhoomes is eligible. If he is then Rhoomes could start in place of Ryan Canty and the Rams will have enough front court depth to get through the season. If not though then Travion Leonard will be pressed into service and Fordham might be overmatched against some of the A-10 front courts, even if Gaston does play like an all-conference player. The backcourt has more depth. Devon McMillan is a placeholder right now. If he struggles on offense as much as he did during his freshman campaign he’ll be replaced by Jermaine Myers or Jeffrey Short in the lineup. Short flashed some potential during his freshman season, but it was ended early by injury. Myers is a highly-rated recruit from Canada and Blair Academy. The offense though will go through Gaston and Branden Frazier the majority of the time. How they handle it will determine just how efficient the Rams are.

Final Prediction: Tom Pecora keeps bringing talent to Fordham, but the Rams still have a long way to go. Last season in the 14-team A-10 they had the worst offense and defense in conference. The offense has to improve this season and it should as players mature. There a few a programs that might slide beneath Fordham and thus the Rams have a chance to make it to the A-10 Tournament in Brooklyn. That would be a sign of a step forward.

Fordham picked 14th in A-10 preseason poll

The Atlantic 10 preseason poll is out and Fordham was picked 14th in the 16-team league in front of Rhode Island (Dan Hurley’s new team) and Duquesne (Jim Ferry’s new team). Obviously both NEC coaches have some work to do moving up in competition. Fordham is going to need to get past two other teams in order to make the A-10 tournament and the likely candidates are Charlotte and George Washington – which were picked 12th and 13th respectively. Also, Chris Gaston was named to the Preseason First Team All-Conference. Great to see him getting recognition.