November 26, 2008 | AP Press

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Alonzo Gee had 19 points and eight rebounds to lead Alabama to a 58-48 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday in the fifth-place game of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The Crimson Tide (3-2) finished with a 37-23 rebound advantage and outscored the Hawks 38-18 in the paint.

Tasheed Carr matched his career high with 23 points for the Hawks (2-3), who opened the tournament with a 68-50 loss to No. 6 Texas.

Alabama, which lost 92-69 to Oregon in the first round, closed the first half on a 10-0 run and scored the first basket of the second half for a 31-18 lead, its biggest of the game.

Saint Joseph’s, which opened the game missing nine of its first 12 shots, got as close as 43-39 on a 3 by Carr with 8:24 to go, but Gee scored on a tip-in and Yamene Coleman followed with a basket down low.

Both schools were making their first appearance in the tournament.

November 25, 2008 | AP Press

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Darrin Govens hit a career-high seven 3-pointers and had 23 points to lead Saint Joseph’s to an 80-54 victory over Indiana on Tuesday in the consolation round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Govens made his first six shots from behind the arc and finished 7-of-9 for the Hawks (2-2), who took command with a 19-0 run that gave them a 53-33 lead with 13:19 to play.

Malik Story had nine points to lead the Hoosiers (2-2), who committed 23 turnovers, many of the unforced variety, which led to 34 points for Saint Joseph’s.

Ahmad Nivins had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Hawks, falling two rebounds shy of his fourth straight double-double this season.

Govens, a junior whose previous best was six 3s last season against Syracuse, hit a 3 to start the big run during which the Hoosiers committed seven turnovers and got off only two shots.

The loss came on the same day the NCAA placed Indiana on three years’ probation for a telephone recruiting scandal under former coach Kelvin Sampson.

“Now we know we can move this program in the right direction and build it without more sanctions and for that I’m happy, very happy,” first-year Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said after the game. “This is what gutting a program looks like and you have to keep moving forward and that’s what we’ll do and we get to do it in the long term.”

November 24, 2008 | AP Press

LAHAINA, Hawaii — A.J. Abrams had 17 points and Texas (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) turned in another strong defensive effort in a 68-50 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Monday in the opening round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The Longhorns (3-0) will meet the winner of the game between No. 8 Notre Dame and Indiana in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Abrams was 4-for-7 from 3-point range, keeping his hot start from beyond the arc as he was 8-for-17 in Texas’ first two games.

The Longhorns had allowed 44.5 points and 28.7 percent field goal shooting while forcing an average of 22 turnovers in their first two wins. No. 3 looked very familiar.

Ahmad Nivins had 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Hawks (1-2), who finished 17-for-58 from the field (29.3 percent), including 4-for-21 from 3-point range, and turned it over 18 times.

Saint Joseph’s used a 6-2 run to close the first half to get within 37-28, but Damion James had seven points in Texas’ 11-2 run to start the second half. Saint Joseph’s missed three of its first four shots in the half and had three turnovers in the opening 1:40.

The Hawks scored seven straight points to make it 48-37, but they came up empty on their next eight possessions and Texas had its first 20-point lead, 57-37 on a layup by Gary Johnson with 8:55 to play.

James and Johnson both had 14 points for Texas. Johnson led the Longhorns with 10 rebounds.

Darrin Govens added 12 points for the Hawks.

This is the Longhorns’ third appearance in Maui with their best finish a third in 2004.

The win gave coach Rick Barnes a 250-93 record in 11 seasons at Texas and he is 452-227 overall.

Shane Victorino of the World Series champion Phillies presented the game ball to officials. The native of Maui, who was home for a charity golf event, received quite a cheer from the fans from Saint Joseph’s, which is located in Philadelphia.

November 16, 2008 | AP Press

WORCESTER, Mass. — Colin Cunningham and Devin Brown each converted three free throws in overtime and Holy Cross held on to upset St. Joseph’s 73-69 on Sunday.

Holy Cross (2-0) scored seven straight points to break a 63-63 tie after the end of regulation and take a 70-63 lead with 2:08 left. The Hawks’ Idris Hilliard, Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr, however, scored field goals to narrow the lead to 70-69 with 1:13 remaining.

Holy Cross’ Eric Meister made one free throw to make it 71-69 and Cunningham forced a St. Joseph’s (1-1) turnover to secure the win with :04 left. Alex Vander Baan scored two free throws to ice it.

St. Joseph’s Nivins led with 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Carr added 16 points. Vander Baan had 13 points and 11 rebounds for Holy Cross.

November 14, 2008 | AP Press

PHILADELPHIA — Senior center Ahmad Nivins scored 25 points and tied his career high with 13 rebounds in leading St. Joseph’s to a 69-57 victory over Rider in the season’s opener for both teams.

Nivins hit on 9 of 11 shots in the game, while the Hawks connected on 16 of 27 from the field in the second half.  Darrin Govens added 17 points for St. Joseph’s, which took a 17-2 edge in the all-time series.

Ryan Thompson had 19 points and Mike Ringgold 10 points for the Broncs.

The score was tied 30 at halftime, but Nivins scored 11 points during a 21-7 run for a 51-37 Hawk lead with 13:43 left to play.

The lead reached 58-42 with 10:56 to play, but Rider rallied behind Thompson and closed the gap to 63-55 with 3:23 left. However, Idris Hilliard and Nivins each made layups to clinch the victory.

The game was the first ever for St. Joseph’s at the Wachovia Center. The team’s campus arena is being remodeled, and the Hawks will play their remaining 13 home games at the Palestra.

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Enrollment: 4,150

Founded: 1851

President: Timothy R. Lannon

Athletic Director: Don DiJulia

Athletic Web Sites: sjuhawks.com, hawkhoopclub.org

Nickname: Hawks

Colors: Crimson and Gray

Arena: The Palestra

Capacity: 8,722

Average Attendance: 4,751 includes games at the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse

Head Coach: Phil Martelli

Overall Record: 261-152 (63.2% Winning Percentage)

Record at St. Joseph’s: 261-152

2007-2008 Record: 21-13 (9-7) NCAA Tournament Round 1

Assistants: Mark Bass, David Duda, Geoff Arnold

ROSTER

0 Tasheed Carr SR G/F 6-4 210 Philadelphia/Mt. Zion (NC)/Iowa State
1 Chris Prescott FR WG 6-2 190 Bloomfield, CT
11 Charoy Bentley SO G 5-11 175 West Haven, CT
*13 Darrin Govens JR G 6-1 175 Chester, PA
*15 Garrett Williamson JR G/F 6-5 190 Lower Merion, PA
21 Temi Adebayo FR C 6-10 210 Nigeria/Montrose Christian (MD)
22 Edwin Lashley SR WG 6-4 197 Salisbury, MD/St. Thomas More (CT)
32 Idris Hilliard SO F 6-6 211 Roselle, NJ/The Hun School (NJ)
*34 Ahmad Nivins SR F/C 6-9 235 Jersey City, NJ
40 Bryant Irwin FR F 6-8 220 Bridgeport, WV
45 A.J. Rodgers FR F 6-6 210 Rosedale, NY/ St. Anthony (NJ)

*Returning starters

OVERVIEW

The Hawks earned an invitation to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years, but it sure wasn’t easy. St. Joseph’s had to upset Xavier twice in the final weeks, including a win in the A-10 tourney, to punch a ticket to the Big Dance.

The team’s stay didn’t last long. St. Joe’s was ousted in the first round by an Oklahoma team that appeared more energetic, especially in the first half.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Coach Phil Martelli relied on six players the entire year and the Hawks clearly showed fatigue down the stretch. St. Joe’s lost six of its last nine games in the regular season to jeopardize its NCAA chances. If not for the second win over Xavier, the Hawks would have ended up in the NIT.

Lack of depth has become a worrisome trend on Hawk Hill. In the past three years six players have quit or transferred, leaving the Hawks with a dangerously thin roster. Martelli has had to ride his remaining players hard, but it’s taken a toll.

St. Joe’s will have to rely on a short bench this season as well. The Hawks lost their two best forwards, Pat Calathes and Rob Ferguson, but just one player in a four-man recruiting class, guard Chris Prescott, is viewed as an impact freshman. Among the returning reserves, only sophomore forward Idris Hilliard is guaranteed to be plugged into the regular rotation.

The heavy lifting, of course, will be assigned to a quartet of seniors and juniors, especially star bigman Ahmad Nivins, the A-10’s best low-post scorer. The backcourt is also in great hands with point guard Tasheed Carr, 3-point marksman Darrin Govens and defensive ace Garrett Williamson.

As good as those four upperclassmen are, it’s asking a lot of them to deliver another top finish in the A-10 and a postseason bid without sizable contributions by other players. The league is just too good.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Pat Calathes – Unusual 6-10 swingman was a skinny kid who turned the ball over a lot as a freshman, and that was still the case four years later. Yet Calathes grew tremendously as a player and was one of the A-10’s best as a senior. A difficult matchup, Calathes could lead the fastbreak, deliver the key pass or drain the big triple. He shot over small defenders and took bigger ones off the dribble. Calathes did suffer dry spells, and his defense and decision-making were not always topnotch, but St. Joe’s won when he was on his game. He wanted to take the big shot and usually made it, too.

Rob Ferguson – Fifth-year forward, as coach Martelli often said, was what he was. In other words, a solid if unremarkable player. Ferguson supplied steady scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg) and developed into a good outside shooter (44% 3PG). He rarely took over games, however, and defense was never his strong suit. With a more aggressive personality, he might have been an A-10 star, but that was not just part of his makeup.

DJ Rivera – The 6-2 sophomore missed the first semester because of academics and was a virtual no-show once he rejoined the Hawks. Although he appeared in 13 games, Rivera shot too often and too poorly (27% FG) and seemed to disrupt the team’s chemistry. In seven of the final nine games, he never left the bench.

Arvydas Lidzius – Fifth-year forward, one of the few reserves Martelli trusted, gave his frontcourt mates a breather. Lidzius played decent defense and even hit a few big buckets (1.4 ppg, 13-27 FGs), but his main job was not to hurt the team.

Rockwell Moody – The 6-9 sophomore left the team for unspecified reasons in January. Moody never showed much skill in limited time, hitting just 2 of 6 shots in his career.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Ahmad Nivins – Being chosen Third Team All Conference would be an honor for most A-10 players, but it was a letdown for Nivins. Coming off a sophomore campaign in which he was named to the league’s First Team, Nivins was viewed as one of the favorites for Player of the Year. Instead his production flatlined or declined in almost every category and he seldom displayed the dominance predicted of him. While he reached double figures in all but seven of 33 games, his scoring actually fell to 14.4 points from 16.2 points and his rebounding dropped to 5.8 from 7.4 a game.

Good numbers, to be sure, but not good enough for him. Nivins is easily the most skilled and physically impressive bigman in the A-10. He just doesn’t always play like it. For long stretches he fails to touch the ball and it’s not just because teams build defensive game plans to stop him.

It’s the same story on the defensive end. Sometimes Nivins plays small. Though long and lean, he’s hardly the Windex wiper or human eraser one might think. He blocked the same number of shots in his third year (39), for instance, as he did as a freshman.

After heavy graduation losses, Nivins has to step up his game at both ends. He’s almost an unstoppable force inside when he puts his mind to it. He has great hands, agile feet and a gentle touch around the basket, easily leading the league in shooting percentage (64.7%). What makes that number even more impressive is that Nivins takes his fair share of faceup jumpers. He’s not just a two-steps-and-flush kind of scorer.

As a senior, Nivins has to take charge of his team, much like Calathes did last year. He has to demand the ball and show some fire and brimstone. Even if his personality is more angel than devil, there’s got to be hell to pay for opponents when he steps onto the court. He has to have a wickedly good season – a Player of the Year type season – if the Hawks want to Dance for the second straight year.

Tasheed Carr (10.8 ppg, 5.6 apg, 34% 3PG, 4.0 rpg). In his first season after transferring from Iowa State, Carr finished second in the A-10 in assists and produced a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Not bad for a player built more like a small forward and with a game to match.

Carr is not a flashy ball-handler, but he has good vision and gets the ball to the shooters in the right spots. Because he likes to attack the basket, he’s also able to draw in defenders before kicking the ball out. If given a path to the rim, though, Carr will take it. He’s tough and strong and finishes well in traffic, shooting more than 50% on two-point shots. What’s more, Carr hit a respectable 34% of his 3-pointers, so defenders cannot leave him all alone.

As a fifth-year senior, the vocal 6-4 guard will be counted on the lead the team and carry more of the offensive burden. He can score in a variety of ways and usually presents a physical mismatch for opponents. His defense can’t be overlooked, either. Carr (45 steals) is one of the better individual defenders in the league.

Darrin Govens (10 ppg, 2.4 apg, 37.6% 3PG, 72% FT, 44 steals). Martelli put Carr at point to let Govens concentrate on shooting. The 6-1 guard is one of the top shooters in the A-10 and the Hawks’ best perimeter threat. Govens hit almost 38% of his 3-point attempts, usually coming off screens or receiving kickouts from Carr. He is most effective when he catches and shoots, but he’s learned to use upfakes to lift defenders and clear a path to the rim. He’s not the most athletic guard in the A-10, but Govens is one of the most clever. He takes good shots and doesn’t turn the ball over much.

The knock on Govens is inconsistency. Like many good shooters, he blows hot and cold. The high number of minutes he plays doesn’t help. After tallying a career high 26 in a mid-February loss to LaSalle, Govens faded down the stretch. As a junior Govens has to show a steadier hand. The Hawks lack a nest full of shooters (and scorers) to unclog the middle for Nivins.

Garrett Williamson (5.3 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.7 rpg, 50% FG, 89 assists). A big scorer in high school, Williamson has been the mirror opposite in college. He only reached double figures six times last season and Martelli converted him to backup point guard, where his lack of scoring hurt less. As it turned out, Williamson grew into the role. He made solid decisions (89 assists) and took better care of the ball (56 turnovers) after a rocky transition.

Williamson will continue to back up Carr unless freshman Chris Prescott impresses. On the current edition of the Hawks, Williamson would be ideally suited to start at small forward. Even though he’s just 6-4, Williamson is long and quick and has great anticipation – attributes that also make him perhaps the league’s top individual defender (39 steals, 18 blocks).

Over the summer Williamson worked hard on his shooting. If he could knock down treys more regularly – he’s 8 of 42 in his career – defenders would have to follow him out to the arc. The offense would have better spacing and Williamson would get more opportunities to take defenders off the dribble.

Idris Hilliard (1.2 ppg, 8-18 FG). The 6-6 sophomore is primed for a breakout season. Although he played sparingly in his first year, Hilliard displayed good hands and footwork, a knack for getting to the basket and a good touch close in. Highlights included 8 points in a win over Siena and 6 points in a 57-56 loss to Temple.

Hilliard is most effective within 15 feet of the basket. He moves well without the ball, is quick to the offensive glass and knows how to get his shot off against bigger defenders. The challenge for Hilliard is to find his spots. He’s not a good outside shooter and Nivins will be parked in the lane much of the time. Yet Hilliard has the athleticism and skills to excel when opponents concentrate on Nivins, Carr and Govens. He’s the kind of player who always seems to find the crevice in a defense.

Edwin Lashley (1.4 ppg, 9-16 treys). When a player barely gets off the bench in his first three years, it’s rare they blossom as a senior. Lashley is hoping to show otherwise. On a team in dire need of outside shooting, the sharpshooter from Maryland just might be the answer. The problem for Lashley has always been defense. He’s never met the exacting standards of Martelli. For that reason it’s hard to see him getting many minutes. Yet Lashley did prove in a tight game at Creighton that he can handle the pressure. In that excruciating overtime loss, he hit two big treys. Had the Hawks won he would have been one of the heroes.

Charoy Bentley (2-8 FG). Sophomore combo guard appears athletic enough to play in the A-10, but he’s on the smallish side. Like Lashley, he’s a good outside shooter but defense could be an issue. He hardly played in his first season and it’s unclear if he has a future at St. Joe’s. If he does, now is the time to prove it befor a heralded recruiting class arrives next season. The Hawks need outside shooting. Minutes are available for a player who can deliver.

NEWCOMERS

Chris Prescott – Connecticut prep star (No. 174, PrepStars) is a scoring point guard who does a solid job managing an offense. He has a nice crossover, quick first step and deep range, but he doesn’t forget to get teammates involved. He’s probably the most talented member of the latest Hawks class and the one who’ll see plenty of minutes.

Bryant Irwin – The 6-8 forward was voted the best player in West Virginia. He put up big numbers and almost carried a mediocre team to a state title even though defenses were geared to stop him. He has been characterized as tough and ultra-competitive, a player who uses his smarts and versatility to beat defenders.

Irwin likes to play facing the basket. He can shoot over opponents if they lay back or dribble by them if they come close. He’s also good at drawing contact and getting to the charity stripe. Irwin is not a superior athlete, however, and he needs to get stronger. With more work on his body, he appears to own the tools to be a good player. What’s less clear is how quickly the freshman will react to the better athletes and much higher level of competition of the A-10.

A.J. Rogers – Undersized power forward was a meat-and-potatoes performer for St. Anthony’s, the nation’s best high school team. On a squad loaded with Division 1 players, Rogers provided the picks and rebounding while guarding the opponent’s top forward. He seldom took bad shots and did all the little things to help his team win. On some occasions he was even the best “player” on the floor. Rogers might not star at St. Joe’s, but he could become a valuable contributor, even as a freshman. Think a more skilled version of John Bryant.

Temi Adebayo – With a large wingspan and the natural instincts of a shotblocker, Adebayo shows the hallmarks of a disruptive defender. Yet the Nigerian native has to refine a very raw game. He played sparingly as a senior – his only year of high school ball in the U.S. – and has to get much stronger. In recent years Martelli has mostly struck out with projects like Adebayo, so some skepticism is in order.

SCOUTING REPORT

Martelli’s Hawks usually win by the book. They defend, rebound, take care of the ball and exercise good shot selection. Make a dumb decision or slack off and a player will quickly find himself sitting next to the coach.

Surprisingly, last season’s team wasn’t particularly strong on defense or rebounding. The Hawks finished in the bottom half of the A-10 in both categories.

To be sure, fatigue played a role at the defensive end and the starters could not risk aggressive fouls when there was no one on the bench to replace them. As for rebounding, it’s anyone’s guess. The Hawks were one of the bigger teams in the A-10 last year and they aren’t lacking for size this season, either.

St. Joe’s need to improve in both areas, but the Hawks took a hit with the departure of the 6-10 Calathes and the 6-9 Ferguson. The pair accounted for almost 40% of the team’s rebounds, and even though neither was a great defender, their length bothered opponents inside. The Hawks were third in the league in blocks.

The good news is St. Joe’s gets quicker and more athletic. What the youngsters lack in experience they might be able to make up with energy. Hilliard in particular is a livewire who has the body type to be a good rebounder and defender. Veterans Nivins, Williamson and Carr all can improve their rebounding, too.

The inside game is in good shape so long as Nivins spends most of his time on the floor. He doesn’t always make himself big in the post, but he’s still a 65% shooter who’s impossible for any one defender to guard. Hilliard will do most of his damage from the weakside when opponents double team his older teammate.

St. Joe’s is also strong at point guard. Carr is a surprisingly good passer and Williamson has transformed himself, amazingly enough, into a capable backup.

Generating enough firepower from the wing is a concern. Calathes and Ferguson hit more than half of the team’s three-pointers and they were the only Hawks to shoot them at a 40%-plus clip. Martelli has to find a few more shooters or opponents will pack the lane and double or triple Nivins. The longer 3-point line could loom large.

The Hawks will rely on a streaky Govens, but he’s not enough. Carr and Williamson both worked on their shot over the summer and they’ll pitch in. The hope is that Prescott is ready from Day One, although Lashley and Bentley are good shooters.

The biggest unknown is how the role players will perform. The bench consists of little-used reserves and untested freshmen, at least two of whom have to contribute immediately so the starters don’t wear down again.

Despite all the question marks, any team with the league’s best bigman and one of its best backcourts ought to be taken quite seriously. Especially when the team has Phil Martelli, arguably the best coach in the A-10.

PREDICTION

St. Joe’s has precious little depth and has to avoid injuries. The loss of one key player could be enough to sink postseason possibilities.

Another potential problem is the one-year move to the Palestra. The Fieldhouse is undergoing renovation, depriving the Hawks of one of the best homecourt advantages in the league. The Palestra is a great place to play, but it’s less intimidating to opponents.

If the team stays healthy and adjusts to the Palestra, St. Joe’s should finish in the upper half of the league. If Nivins absolutely dominates inside and the bench comes through, the Hawks should contend for the A-10 title.

The margin for error is thin, however. Almost everything would have to go right for the Hawks to earn a first-round bye to the league tournament.

WH’s

NONCON PREDICTION: 9-5

W – RIDER
W – At Holy Cross
L – vs. Texas (Maui Invitational)
W – TBA, likely Indiana (Maui Invitational)
L – TBA, likely Oregon (Maui Invitational)
W – At Lehigh
L – CREIGHTON
W – At Towson State
L – At Villanova
W – CORNELL
L – SIENA
W – DREXEL
W – At Ball State
W – vs. PENN (Palestra)

Rider should be a victory, and though Holy Cross is dangerous, the Hawks are motivated to avenge a home loss to the Crusaders last year. I see two losses sandwiched by a win in Hawaii. The Ducks will try to win by wearing the Hawks down. They will succeed on the third day of this tournament.

After a win over Lehigh, St. Joe’s tries to avenge a painful loss last year at Creighton. This time the game is at home, but the Jays press the Hawks like a hot iron to a shirt – a strategy many foes will deploy. The Hawks do have a better top five, though. If they control the tempo they win. I can’t see St. Joe’s controlling the tempo vs. Nova, however. (I really think the Hawks should beat either Creighton or Nova but I go conservative.)

Down the stretch: Cornell (Ivy League favorite) actually has a solid team and Penn should be improved, but I predict wins over both. Siena is very good and very quick and will attack the Hawks from all angles. I call it a loss, but the Hawks win if they control tempo and feed Nivins a steady diet of balls in the low post.

Really, this year is all about Nivins. Does he dominate like David West did as a senior, or does he remain his normal passive-aggressive self?