McDaniel to keep building, battle for playoff spot
WESTMINSTER, Md. – McDaniel has increased its win total in each of the last two seasons, reaching double-figure wins for the first time in nearly a decade last year.
For that upward trend to continue, the Green Terror will need look to its third new mentor in the stretch. If the addition of some newcomers, including head coach Kevin Curley, gels quickly and easily with the returning players, who showed offensive firepower on many occasions last season, the squad is likely to be in the thick of the chase for a Centennial Conference (CC) playoff spot in an always-competitive league.
Curley is trying to keep things simple early on but knows with the players he has on the squad, McDaniel can be competitive with any team on its schedule.
“Our philosophy is to take things one day at a time,” Curley said. “We keep telling the guys that we need to play hard and play together. If we can do that and play smart, everything else will fall into place.”
In 2006-07, the Green Terror suffered the tragic midseason loss of head coach Bob Flynn. Interim coach, and assistant on Curley’s staff, Kevin Selby guided the squad to a 4-8 finish. A five-game conference swoon in late January, however, was part of the reason McDaniel finished 8-10 in CC play and one game out of the conference playoffs.
With the uncertainty of a new coach and a conference as balanced as ever, the annual preseason poll of head coaches and sports information directors reveals an eighth-place finish for the Green Terror. McDaniel received 65 votes, one shy of Swarthmore in seventh place and 35 behind the fifth-place team in the poll Franklin & Marshall, who had two first-place votes to its credit. Ursinus (137) received seven votes for the top spot, narrowly edging Gettysburg (136), who was tabbed as the favorite on five ballots. Haverford finished third with 121 points, receiving four first-place votes. Johns Hopkins (111) rounded out the predicted playoff teams.
Back to attempt to guide the Green Terror into the playoffs are 10 members of last year’s team, including six of the top nine scorers from a year ago.
Senior Brett Foelber (Sykesville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) is the leading scorer returning to the floor this year. After transferring from Randolph-Macon, Foelber started his first 18 games in a McDaniel uniform before being slowed by an injury in February.
He finished second on the team in both scoring (237) and rebounding (148), notching a double-double on five occasions. He reached double figures in the scoring column 11 times, including a 28-point performance against Hood on Nov. 18. In six games he reached double digits in rebounds and grabbed 12 boards three times.
“Brett is someone who can be effective for us scoring both inside and outside,” Curley noted. “He’s also a guy we need to have rebound.”
Chad Arrington (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) returns to the starting lineup after starting 22 of 24 games as a sophomore.
Arrington, the leading rebounder last season with 167 boards, also added a team-high 52 steals. He contributed 129 points, 40 assists and 19 blocked shots as well.
He had two double-double performances, including a 10-point, 15-rebound performance at Swarthmore on Feb. 3 and a 14-point, 11-rebound outing at Goucher on Nov. 26. He added another double-digit rebounding game and four other double-digit scoring performances.
“Chad brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to our team,” Curley commented. “He’s a tough competitor who is very athletic and extremely important to our defense and rebounding.”
With the vacancy of three starters from last year’s team, the Green Terror will likely look to upperclassmen who made spot starts a season ago to fill those roles, but will also rely on its depth as a key to the success of the team this year.
Josh McKay (Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech) made two starts last season and is a top candidate for the starting job at center. McKay netted 143 points last year, including knocking down four 3-pointers, while adding 76 rebounds and 18 blocked shots.
“Josh really worked hard in the offseason and came in much stronger this year,” Curley noted. “We’re going to be looking to him to provide scoring on the low block and get us rebounds inside.”
Ryan Finch (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon) and Miguel Jones (Baltimore, Md./North County) enter with experience starting at guard and could be the opening-night starting backcourt.
Finch, who started six games last year, finished third on the team in scoring with 206 points. He also pulled down 118 rebounds and dished out 53 assists – one off the team lead. Finch also ranked second on the team with 31 steals.
“Ryan is a tough competitor who does all of the little things,” Curley said. “He has the ability to knock down the three and someone we’re really going to be looking at to score.”
Jones got four starts as a freshman, contributing 165 points, 29 assists and 22 steals. He also grabbed 32 rebounds. A threat from behind the arc, 21 of his 54 field goals were from long distance last season.
“Miguel is a quick, athletic player who will get some necessary defensive pressure on the ball,” Curley noted. “He also has the ability to knock down the shot from outside.”
Chris Prior (Westminster, Md./Westminster) rounds out the returners who saw significant playing time in 2006-07. Prior appeared in 22 games, netting 66 points and grabbing 67 rebounds. He also had nine assists and 10 steals.
“Chris really worked hard in the offseason,” Curley disclosed. “He came in physically stronger. He’s been running the court really well and has really good hands. His ability to score with his back to the basket and his rebounding ability are going to be key in our success.”
Steve Wilson (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon) and Joseph Potucek (Germantown, Md./St. Johns at Prospect Hall) return to add depth at forward while Richard Barry (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) and Robert Koebke (Silver Spring, Md./St. Johns) are back to add depth at guard.
Wilson appeared in nine games, tallying eight points and grabbing four rebounds.
Potucek saw action in four games, hitting one field goal and one free throw. He also grabbed two rebounds.
Barry saw time in eight games, recording six points, two rebounds, two steals and an assist.
Koebke played in six of the team’s first seven games as a freshman before missing the entire second semester with injury. While on the floor, he tallied five points, nabbed two steals and dished out one assist.
McDaniel adds four newcomers to the roster who will all likely contribute as the season progresses.
Brett Bonneville (Ijamsville, Md./Linganore), Kevin Henry (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) and Mike Jarboe (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) all come in as freshman to add to the depth in the backcourt while T.J. Odunlami (Columbia, Md./Atholton) transfers from Howard Community College and comes in as a junior guard.
All four come in with the ability to shoot and score from behind the arc. Each is also adept at the defensive end, able to deflect passes and get steals.
According to Curley, Jarboe and Odunlami both have the ability to handle the basketball and can create shots for themselves and others. Curley also notes that Henry can not only hit from outside but also has the ability to drive to the rim.
While clearly one of the Green Terror’s major strengths is having players who can hit the outside shot, evident by the fact McDaniel led the CC a season ago with 193 treys. Curley also notes that one of the biggest obstacles his team will have to overcome this season is free-throw shooting. A year ago, the squad finished last in the conference, hitting just .588 from the charity stripe, 5.8 percent lower than the next-worst team in the CC.
McDaniel opens the 2007-08 schedule in the third annual Provident Pride of Maryland Tournament. In Tuesday’s opening round, the Green Terror play host to Villa Julia before playing the final two games of the tournament at Johns Hopkins on Saturday and Sunday. Game time for Tuesday’s first round is 8 p.m.
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