This is the fourth of what will eventually be capsules for each of the NYC teams when I’m sure their season has concluded.
Team: Fordham
Record: 10-19 (3-13 in the Atlantic 10)
Season High: Back-to-back wins at home over Georgia Tech and Harvard
Season Low: Losing by 20 at Rhode Island with the possibility of still making the A-10 Tournament alive.
Really Good At: Blocking Shots — Fordham finished first in the Atlantic 10 in block percentage thanks to the play of Chris Gaston and Kervin Bristol (19th in the country in Blk%) down low.
Struggled With: Offense — Fordham was the worst shooting team in the Atlantic 10 and the fifth worst shooting team in the entire nation according to effective field goal percentage. It’s hard to have an effective offense when that’s the case.
Key Losses:
- Kervin Bristol (defensive presence and solid shot blocker)
- Alberto Estwick (three-point specialist who struggled a bit with his shot in 2011-12)
Key Returnees:
- Chris Gaston, Jr., F (All-Atlantic 10 performer, 17.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG)
- Devon McMillan, Fr., G (7.4 PPG)
- Branden Frazier, So., G (11.7 PPG, 4.0 APG)
Outlook: Improving. I’m sure Tom Pecora wanted to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament this season, but small steps had to be made first at Fordham. Rose Hill came to life as the Rams beat Georgia Tech and Harvard at home and also surprised La Salle in A-10 play. The foundation has been built. Another year in the weight room along with the experience that McMillan and Frazier gained this season should make them better at running the offense next season. McMillan seems like the type of player that could have a huge jump in efficiency from his freshman to sophomore seasons because he’ll be able to score more at the rim and limit turnovers as he gets stronger. Ryan Canty and Marvin Dominique are going to have to help Chris Gaston in the paint next season. Gaston can’t be the sole player responsible for going to the glass. The offense seems like it could make a big improvement in Year 3 under Pecora, but will the defense improve enough to make the Rams a dangerous team in the A-10 next season?