New York’s three NEC teams – Long Island Brooklyn, Wagner and St. Francis (NY) all scored wins in NEC play on Saturday. The Blackbirds are now tied with Central Connecticut State in first place at 4-0 and the Seahawks and Terriers are right behind at 3-1. All of the wins on Saturday were important, but there were some interesting statistical oddities in each of the games.
Continue reading “Advanced stats from Saturday’s NEC action”
There were seven games played by New York City area teams on Thursday night. St. Francis (NY) beat Quinnipiac 73-72 as Stefan Perunicic hit the game-tying layup, and game-winning free throw. Perunicic also scored his 1,000th point in the victory. Manhattan lost a real tough one to swallow as Dylon Cormier hit a three in the left corner on Loyola’s final possession in the Greyhounds’ 61-60 victory.
NEC play opens up again on Thursday night with a full slate of six games. Long Island is heading out to the Pitt Center to take on Dave Bike’s Sacred Heart Pioneers. Ryan Peters of Pioneer Pride stopped by to answer a few questions before the game.
Continue reading “Looking ahead to Long Island at Sacred Heart”
Nobody is in action today as we get ready for conference play, so it’s time to look back once more and name the All-New York Mid-Major Non-Conference teams. There are a lot of talented players to pick from in the New York City area. If I left your favorite player off one of the teams below let me know in the comments. I don’t like expanding beyond two teams, even though it’s possible, because at some point you just start including everyone and I wanted to avoid that situation.
The end of a year is often a time for reflection. Ironically, in college hoops it is actually just the middle. There’s still at least half the season left to play in 2012 and it’s setting up to be mighty exciting.
I had no idea what would happen when I started this site in April of 2011. I knew that I loved college basketball and the conferences back near my childhood home in New Jersey. I knew I was excited to come back and experience something new and different in New York City.
I didn’t know that it was going to be quite like this. After over 26,000 page views (most in the past two months as things really got going), mentions on sites like CBS’ Eye on College Basketball, SI’s Power Rankings, Beyond the Arc, Ballin’ Is A Habit, and ESPN’s College Basketball Nation, I’m happy to call this my home on the Internet. I’ve gotten the chance to try out some new things — like the Assist Tracker, conference sims and similarity scores — and there are more on the way.
I’m also continuing some old things. NIT Bracketology will continue to be a staple for the site moving forward. The New York Power Poll will post every other week – and thanks to all the voters! There will be recaps of games throughout the area. I got to 25 games during the first two months of the season and I plan on attending many more as it continues.
To all the fans in the MAAC, CAA, NEC, A-10, Ivy League and beyond that have embraced me, sent their message boards to the site and looked to Big Apple Buckets for analysis and game coverage – thank you.
Let me know what you want to see more of as the season progresses. As New York City basketball experiences a renewal that hopefully continues into 2012 with teams like Iona, Manhattan, Long Island, Wagner and Stony Brook all with legitimate chances to play in the postseason let’s make this journey a special one.
Here’s to a happy New Year and a great 2012.
Long Island let NJIT close a 21-point deficit to three in the middle of the second half, but thanks to Julian Boyd the Blackbirds persevered and pulled out the 84-74 victory at the Wellness Center on Friday night.
After Chris Flores’ lay up cut the Highlanders’ deficit to three with 9:12 remaining in the game, Boyd answered with a 12-7 run all his own to push the lead back up to eight with six minutes to play. The Highlanders got within seven once more in the game, but never truly threatened LIU again.
“It’s just a thing in me, a will to win,” Boyd said. “I want to win bad. I know everyone else on the team does too, but just seeing that lead diminish and wanting to get it back up it just made me work harder to try and do more things to try and get it back up.”
During the run Boyd scored eight points on free throws. He was a perfect 8-8 from the line in the game. Boyd, who was often guarded by the much smaller Isaiah Wilkerson, scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. He also grabbed 11 rebounds in 31 minutes
“What I said walking up the stairs was ‘Thank god Julian was here in the second half,'” said LIU head coach Jim Ferry afterwards.
The Blackbirds got solid contributions from a number of sources. Jason Brickman had a solid game with 18 points, six assists and only two turnovers. Jamal Olasewere had a double-double with 15 and 10 boards. Michael Culpo was the fourth LIU player in double-figures with 11.
The first was half was as close to perfect as LIU has played this season and the Blackbirds built a 40-23 lead at the break. But Ferry’s team failed to put NJIT away right after halftime. Wilkerson talked about playing together during halftime and with him on the bench other players stepped up. The Highlanders went on a 15-4 run to close the gap.
While NJIT was making the run, the bench provided the energy and enthusiasm. Loud chants of “Defense, defense,” came from the rambunctious bunch often standing on the sidelines near Engles. It was energy often reserved for last-second shots, but it was there the entire time NJIT made its move.
“The first half of this game I didn’t have one issue,” Ferry said. “I thought we did what we were supposed to do in the first half. We were focused. We had energy. We guarded. We played very unselfish offensively and it clicked. The second half we lacked urgency and we lacked focus.”
Eventually NJIT succumbed to Boyd’s incredible effort, but not until the Highlanders got 35 points off the bench, including 16 points from Arjun Ohri – who shot 4-6 from three. Chris Flores added 14 and five assists, and Wilkerson scored 13 and grabbed seven boards.
The Blackbirds now have six days before reopening NEC play at Sacred Heart on January 5. There’s still a lot for LIU to work on before then.
“Hopefully we learn from these games where we’ve given up leads,” Ferry said. “If we have breakdowns for five or six minutes in our conference we’re going to be in trouble.”
Notes: C.J. Garner had eight points and five assists (against zero turnovers) for LIU … NJIT attempted 70 shots … The Highlanders shot 9-18 from three during their second half comeback … LIU went 27-33 from the line … NJIT committed just eight turnovers … Brickman was 4-6 from three and 6-6 from the free throw line, Ferry called the play of his sophomore point guard “tremendous.”
December 30, 2011 7:00 pm
Athletic Center
BBState Stats/Recap
Long Island let NJIT close a 21-point deficit to three in the middle of the second half, but thanks to Julian Boyd the Blackbirds persevered and pulled out the 84-74 victory at the Wellness Center on Friday night.
After Chris Flores’ lay up cut the Highlanders’ deficit to three with 9:12 remaining in the game, Boyd answered with a 12-7 run all his own to push the lead back up to eight with six minutes to play. The Highlanders got within seven once more in the game, but never truly threatened LIU again.
“It’s just a thing in me, a will to win,” Boyd said. “I want to win bad. I know everyone else on the team does too, but just seeing that lead diminish and wanting to get it back up it just made me work harder to try and do more things to try and get it back up.”
During the run Boyd scored eight points on free throws. He was a perfect 8-8 from the line in the game. Boyd, who was often guarded by the much smaller Isaiah Wilkerson, scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. He also grabbed 11 rebounds in 31 minutes
“What I said walking up the stairs was ‘Thank god Julian was here in the second half,'” said LIU head coach Jim Ferry afterwards.
The Blackbirds got solid contributions from a number of sources. Jason Brickman had a solid game with 18 points, six assists and only two turnovers. Jamal Olasewere had a double-double with 15 and 10 boards. Michael Culpo was the fourth LIU player in double-figures with 11.
The first was half was as close to perfect as LIU has played this season and the Blackbirds built a 40-23 lead at the break. But Ferry’s team failed to put NJIT away right after halftime. Wilkerson talked about playing together during halftime and with him on the bench other players stepped up. The Highlanders went on a 15-4 run to close the gap.
While NJIT was making the run, the bench provided the energy and enthusiasm. Loud chants of “Defense, defense,” came from the rambunctious bunch often standing on the sidelines near NJIT head coach Jim Engles. It was energy often reserved for last-second shots, but it was there the entire time NJIT made its move.
“The first half of this game I didn’t have one issue,” Ferry said. “I thought we did what we were supposed to do in the first half. We were focused. We had energy. We guarded. We played very unselfish offensively and it clicked. The second half we lacked urgency and we lacked focus.”
Eventually NJIT succumbed to Boyd’s incredible effort, but not until the Highlanders got 35 points off the bench, including 16 points from Arjun Ohri – who shot 4-6 from three. Chris Flores added 14 and five assists, and Wilkerson scored 13 and grabbed seven boards.
The Blackbirds now have six days before reopening NEC play at Sacred Heart on January 5. There’s still a lot for LIU to work on before then.
“Hopefully we learn from these games where we’ve given up leads,” Ferry said. “If we have breakdowns for five or six minutes in our conference we’re going to be in trouble.”
at LONG ISLAND 84, NEW JERSEY TECH 74
12/30/2011
NEW JERSEY TECH 5-7 (0-0)– C. Flores 5-16 1-2 14; I. Wilkerson 6-11 0-0 13; A. Ohri 6-9 0-0 16; R. Regis 2-4 1-1 5; P. Miller 1-8 0-0 2; R. Woods 1-3 2-2 5; K. Silcott 2-3 0-0 4; M. Jones 2-4 0-0 5; L. Kearse 0-5 0-0 0; S. McCarthy 1-1 0-0 2; S. Schickel 3-6 0-0 8. Totals 29-70 4-5 74.
LONG ISLAND 8-6 (2-0)– J. Brickman 4-6 6-6 18; C. Garner 3-7 2-3 8; J. Boyd 7-13 8-8 22; J. Olasewere 4-7 6-8 15; M. Culpo 3-8 2-2 11; B. Thompson 1-4 0-0 3; A. Mayorga 1-1 0-0 2; K. Onyechi 1-2 3-6 5; G. Martin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-49 27-33 84.
Three-point goals: NJIT 12-29 (S. Schckel 2-4; I. Wilkerson 1-4; C. Flores 3-8; A. Ohri 4-6; L. Kearse 0-3; R. Woods 1-2; M. Jones 1-2), LIU 9-19 (M. Culpo 3-7; C. Garner 0-1; J. Olasewere 1-1; B. Thompson 1-3; J. Brickman 4-6; G. Martin 0-1); Rebounds: NJIT 27 (I. Wilkerson 7), LIU 36 (J. Boyd 11); Assists: NJIT 14 (C. Flores 5), LIU 16 (J. Brickman 6); Total Fouls — NJIT 24, LIU 8; Fouled Out: NJIT-I. Wilkerson; LIU-None.
Most people think that the NEC is going to be a four-team race between Wagner, Robert Morris, Long Island and Central Connecticut State. I’m here to say that the numbers say they’re wrong. This is really a two-team race between the Seahawks and the Colonials and everyone else is battling for third place. Alright, maybe that’s a bit an overstatement, but not much.
Continue reading “NEC Projection: Wagner and Robert Morris tango at the top”
I wanted to post a quick look at some of the action from Tuesday night as Manhattan and Long Island both secured wins. (Note: You can read about Jason Brickman and Michael Alvarado’s individual performances in terms of assists on the nightly Assist Tracker for Dec. 20.)
Jesse Sanders (G, Liberty) — I’m not really sure playing a game against Montreat College should even count in the assist tracker, but Sanders had 16 assists in the 91-73 win. Three of those assists went to his younger brother John Caleb Sanders. He scored 20 points. The assists were very evenly split amongst layups, dunks, jumpers and threes. The 16 assists were an arena record at the Vines Center.
Vincent Council (G, Providence) — Council had one nice double-double with 17 points and 12 assists for the Friars in his first game after being inexplicably left off the Bob Cousy Award watch list. He helped Providence to a 67-52 over New Hampshire. Half of his assist went to Gerard Coleman, who led Providence with 20 points. Seven of Council’s 12 assists went for layups and just two were for threes.
Matt Carlino (G, BYU) — Carlino also had a double-double with 10 points and 11 assist. He wasn’t done yet though, also recording seven rebounds in BYU’s 93-78 win over Buffalo. Carlino did a nice job of distributing his assists to a bunch of players. Anson Winder and Noah Hartsock each got three, Brock Zylstra two, and Nate Austin, Josh Sharp and Charles Abouo one. Winder had 20 points in 19 minutes off the bench, including 6-7 of three-point shooting, and Carlino certainly helped sparked him.
Jason Brickman (G, Long Island) — Another guy with a bunch of assists, another double-double. Brickman played what might’ve been his best game of the season against Texas State with 12 points, 11 assists and just three turnovers. Four of Brickman’s assists went to Julian Boyd, who scored 22 points. Two of Michael Culpo’s five threes came off assists from Brickman as he got back on track as well. All of that helped LIU put up 100 on the Bobcats.
Will Weathers (G, Troy) — He played 36 minutes and shot 1-7 from the field, but Weathers helped the Trojans to an 80-72 win over Southern Utah thanks to 10 assists. Every assist by Weathers was either a three (3) or a layup (7). He really spread the love around too as no player converted more than three of his passes into buckets. Troy had a super balanced scoring offensive effort as seven players scored between eight and 13 points.
Michael Alvarado (G, Manhattan) — The Jaspers moved to 8-4 overall with an 81-62 victory over Towson and part of it was thanks to Alvarado’s eight assists. The sophomore guard also had six steals in the game. Because Manhattan plays exactly like Louisville it’s no surprise that all of Alvarado’s assists were for either threes, layups or dunks. The one dunk went to George Beamon, who led the team with 21 points. Also, two of Liam McCabe-Moran’s four threes (on 4-4 shooting) were from Alvarado as well.
Scott Wood (F, N.C. State) — Wood is our token big man of the night as the Wolfpack survived at St. Bonaventure 67-65 on Tuesday night. Wood led the team with 20 points and he also had six assists in 36 minutes. Three of his six assist came on jump shots though, so I don’t expect to see him on this list often.
Peyton Siva (G, Louisville) — The Cardinals had to work pretty hard to take down College of Charleston 69-62. The Cougars dropped to 9-2 with the loss. Siva had six assists in the win, including assists on all three of Chris Smith’s threes. Siva had one assist that wasn’t a dunk or a three; it was a jumper by Kyle Kuric.
NYC Buckets Archive 