Men's Basketball Steps Into The National Spotlight In 2008-09
MEN'S BASKETBALL STEPS INTO THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT IN 2008-09
CHICOPEE, MA, Nov. 11, 2008 - Seven-tenths of a second.
A number so small, yet so significant that its meaning will forever play an immeasurable role in the identity of the Elms College men's basketball program.
Seven-tenths of a second is all that stood between the Blazers and a historic, first-ever trip into the "Sweet Sixteen" of the NCAA Division III Championship.
Instead, host Gettysburg erased a seven-point deficit in the final 45 seconds that included the now infamous 3-pointer with .7 second remaining that ended Elms College's Cinderella 2007-08 season.
"I have had a lot of coaches contact me since that night to say they were sorry, but I take nothing negative away from losing that game," eighth-year head coach Ed Silva emphasized. "Winning is great, but the life lessons learned - especially from losses - are what I value as most important."
"Immediately after losing that game, we had to stand there, watch Gettysburg celebrate then shake hands," Silva recalled. "Back in the locker-room, I looked around and guys were crying and trying to console each other. It was a sense of brotherhood I'll never forget."
This year, however, it may be the opposition that cries, as the Blazers return five starters and 11 players that combined for 82-percent of the team's scoring offense and 78-percent of its rebounding from last year's school-record 23-7 season.
Those returning dividends have not gone unnoticed, as Elms College begins the year as the nation's 25th-ranked team in the preseason D3hoops.com Top 25 poll - its first national-ranking in program-history.
BACKCOURT
The return of senior Aswad Thomas (Hartford, CT) and junior captain Juan Galdon (Holyoke, MA) provide the Blazers with arguably the best one-two Division III backcourt tandem in New England.
Galdon, who started all 30 games for the Blazers last season, averaged a team-leading 18.0 points and shot a sizzling 42-percent from 3-point range.
He scored 20-plus points in 12 games last season, and twice dropped in more than 30, including a collegiate career-high 36 points in an early-season, overtime loss to Colby.
Galdon was named First Team All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) as he also became the first player in program-history to score 500 points in a season (541).
Thomas, meanwhile, averaged 10.3 points, finished second nationally in Division III in steals per game (3.6) and handed out 5.6 assists per contest to rank 17th nationally Division III.
He registered 10 or more assists three times, including a collegiate career-high 13 that helped the Blazers to a key early-season win over WPI.
"Juan has a relentless effort and gives 100-percent of himself 100-percent of the time," Coach Silva pointed out. "Aswad has a supreme basketball I.Q. and is a big game player that you want in at clutch time because he can handle any situation."
The Blazers also possess a pair of lethal shooting guards in senior captain Joe Esile (Milford, CT) and sophomore Dan Gonzalez (East Windsor, CT).
The two combined for 82 three-pointers and shot nearly 39-percent from beyond the arc.
"Joe is a long-range threat for us who I thought was actually one of our better defensive players last season," Coach Silva said. "Dan is a lights-out shooter and he added a mid-range jumper and now has the ability to get to the rim."
Senior captain Ellis Jones (Roxbury, MA), who appeared in 27 games a year ago, returns for his fourth season and will add excellent leadership.
"Ellis is a work horse for us," Coach Silva said. "He can play either at wing or forward and he gets rebounds inside."
The Blazers also added three outstanding newcomers in the backcourt in freshmen Luis Santiago (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Bryant Corcoran (Wolcott, CT) and sophomore Arsenio Avant (Southwest Ranches, FL) - a transfer from Division II Nova Southeastern University.
"Arsenio and Luis are nice on-ball defenders and Bryant can shoot or defend," Coach Silva said of the three newcomers. "All three of those guys have motors that do not stop."
Six-foot-five sophomore Wayne Waite (Hartford, CT) returns after appearing in 12 games as a freshman last season.
FRONTCOURT
Despite the graduation of four-year starting forward Nate Hawes - the program's all-time rebounding leader - the Blazers are long, athletic and deeper than ever before up front.
Senior Malakie Berry (Enfield, CT) appeared in all 30 games last season and averaged 7.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.
The return of junior Austin Sylvia (Seekonk, MA) and sophomore captain Juan Alverio (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico) - who both missed the entire second half of last season due to injury - will give the Blazers a formidable one-two punch.
"He's a difference-maker because he can play close to the basket or in the perimeter," Coach Silva said of Alverio, who averaged 9.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 13 games prior to his injury. "Juan's going to make his mark in every positive statistic this season."
The Blazers are welcoming back senior Antoine Holder (Hartford, CT), who played for Elms College as a freshman in 2005-06 before transferring to Division II University of Bridgeport, where he played as a sophomore the next season.
During his first stint with the Blazers three years ago, Holder averaged 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
Six-foot-five junior Javon Mathis (West Hartford, CT) also transfers in this season after playing each of the last two years at Newbury. Last season, Mathis averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in 21 starts for the Nighthawks.
"Javon is a solid player who moves decent," Coach Silva said.
Senior Ronald Thomas (Chicago, IL) and 6-6 junior Chris Hartmann (Canberra, Australia) both return and should add valuable rebounding on both ends of the glass.
"Ronald can shoot and get to the rim, and Chris plays good defense and is a scrappy player who does a lot of little things for us," Coach Silva noted.
The Blazers' size up front will also be bolstered by 6-6 freshman Michael Walker (Mitchellville, MD) and freshman Aaron Coifman (Caracas, Venezuela) - the program's first-ever 7-footer.
SCHEDULE
The Blazers once again open their season by hosting the Blazer Tip-Off Tournament on the weekend of November 15-16.
Elms College plays Regis in the first round on Saturday, November 15 and will face either Castleton or Springfield in the championship or consolation game the next afternoon.
The team then travels to play in the Maine-Farmington Tournament and will open up against Maine Presque-Isle on Friday, November 21 before concluding tournament play the next day.
From there, the Blazers return home to play their next four games in the friendly confines of the Maguire Center and will host a crucial stretch of non-conference games against Westfield State (Nov. 25), WNEC (Dec. 2), Fitchburg State (Nov. 4) and Trinity (Dec. 6).
Elms College then concludes first semester play with a game at WPI on December 14.
After opening the second semester at the Regis Tournament on January 3-4, the Blazers play their final 14 games of the year in the newly-formed New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).
Elms College, which was recently selected as the top pick in the NECC preseason coaches poll, will play home-and-away games against conference foes Becker, Daniel Webster, Lesley, Mitchell, Southern Vermont and Wheelock over the final seven weeks of the season.
"We're in a new conference with energized athletic departments that are committed to building winning programs," Coach Silva said of the NECC. "I think we'll build some exciting new rivalries and the closer in-region games will eliminate playing back-to-back games."
Per NCAA rules, the NECC will have to go through a mandatory two-year waiting period in order to receive an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Championship. As a result, all eight conference schools will now be placed into Pool B during tournament selection time in March.
WRAP-UP
With so many returnees, key transfers and a talented freshmen class, another record-setting season appears well within reach.
The key, however, will be just how well the team's personnel come together.
"We did a decent job recruiting this year and I think the trick for us will be just how well we can blend our newcomers with the returnees," Coach Silva noted. "We're trying to sell ‘team-first' to our players - to be a part of something bigger than themselves - and so far I think they have responded well."