AP Photo

March 7, 2010 | Atlantic10.com

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Junior guard Kevin Anderson of Richmond has been named the 2009-10 Atlantic 10 men’s basketball Player of the Year in voting conducted among the Conference’s 14 head coaches.

The A-10 coaches also selected Fordham’s Chris Gaston as the Rookie of the Year, Chris Johnson of Dayton as the recipient of the Chris Daniels Award as the league’s most improved player, Temple’s Ramone Moore as Sixth Man of the Year, Damian Saunders of Duquesne as Defensive Player of the Year and Temple’s Fran Dunphy as Coach of the Year. In addition, Yves Mekongo of La Salle was tabbed Student-Athlete of the Year in voting among the league’s sports information directors.

Anderson ranks fifth in the Conference in scoring (17.8 ppg.) while leading the third-seeded Spiders to program highs in both regular season (24) and A-10 (13) victories. A second-team selection a year ago, the native of Duluth, Ga., has scored 20 or more points 12 times this season and also leads UR in assists (83) and steals (56). Anderson is the program’s first student-athlete to be tabbed A-10 Player of the Year since UR entered the league in 2001-02.

A two-time Player of the Week selection this season, Anderson is joined on the All-Conference first-team by Lavoy Allen of Temple, Xavier’s Jordan Crawford, Damian Saunders of Duquesne and Dayton’s Chris Wright. Crawford leads the A-10 in scoring at 19.7 ppg., while Wright garnered second-team distinction last season. For the first time in the league’s 34-year history, the first-team All-Conference consists of only sophomores and juniors.

The All-Conference second-team includes Temple’s Ryan Brooks, David Gonzalvez of Richmond, La Salle’s Rodney Green, Kwamain Mitchell of Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure’s Andrew Nicholson. Teammates Keith Cothran and Delroy James of Rhode Island, Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris, Jason Love of Xavier and Charlotte’s Shamari Spears were named to the third team. Temple’s Juan Fernandez, Damian Hollis of George Washington and Willie Reed of Saint Louis earned honorable mention acclaim

A four-time A-10 Rookie of the Week selection, Gaston leads all freshmen nationally in both scoring (18.0 ppg.) and rebounding (11.4), while his 504 points are the most by a freshman in team annals. The 6-7 forward leads the A-10 with three 30-point performances, pulled down at least 10 rebounds on 20 different occasions, and registered 19 double-doubles. Gaston is the third Fordham student-athlete to earn A-10 Rookie of the Year distinction, joining Bevon Robin (1998) and Bryant Dunston (2005).

Gaston is joined on the All-Rookie team by Chris Braswell of Charlotte, Cody Ellis of Saint Louis, George Washington’s Lasan Kromah, Aaric Murray of La Salle and Rhode Island’s Akeem Richmond.

The first-ever Duquesne player to garner A-10 Defensive Player of the Year distinction, Saunders enters this week’s A-10 Championship atop the league in both blocked shots (93) and steals (84) while averaging 14.9 ppg. and 11.4 rpg. The Waterbury, Conn., resident boasts 19 double-doubles and 19 performances with double-digit rebounds. Moreover, his 84 steals are tops in program history. The All-Defensive team is comprised of Saunders, Allen, Gonzalvez, Dayton’s London Warren and Garrett Williamson of Saint Joseph’s. Allen, Warren and Williamson are repeat selections.

Johnson was tabbed the recipient of the Atlantic 10’s Chris Daniels Award, presented to the Conference’s most improved player. A year ago, the 6-6 forward averaged 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and knocked down 24 field goals from beyond the arc. This season, the Columbus, Ohio, native enters the A-10 Championship ranked second on the Flyers in both scoring (11.8 ppg.) and rebounding (7.0 rpg.) while boasting 55 three-point field goals. He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds six times this season and has three 20-point performances to his credit.

Moore has provided a spark off the Temple bench in his sophomore campaign, averaging 7.6 points and dishing out 47 assists in just 17.6 minutes per game. In A-10 play, the 6-4 guard from Philadelphia, Pa., averaged 9.8 points on 51.3 percent shooting (61-for-119).

A three-time Academic All-Conference selection, Mekongo recently earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first-team distinction. The senior forward from Elizabeth, N.J., boasts a 3.81 grade point average while majoring in Integrated Science, Business & Technology. A second-team Academic All-American a year ago, Mekongo averaged 11.0 points and finished his career with 1,014 points. Joining Mekongo on the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team are Brian Conklin of Saint Louis, Duquesne’s Jason Duty, Kurt Huelsman of Dayton and Rhode Island’s Will Martell.

Now in his fourth season at Temple, Dunphy guided the Owls to their first A-10 regular season title since 2002 and the top seed in this week’s Atlantic 10 Championship. Ranked 16th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and 20th in the Associated Press top 25, TU compiled a mark of 14-2 in Conference play, while its 26 regular-season victories equaled the Owls’ second-highest total in team history. In addition, Temple leads the league in both scoring defense (56.8 ppg.) and field goal percentage defense (38.1). The Owls have captured the last two A-10 Championships and are 81-48 (.628) under Dunphy.

AP Photo

March 11, 2009 | AP Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Tasheed Carr scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to lead Saint Joseph’s to a 72-62 win over Charlotte on Wednesday in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

Ahmad Nivins added 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks (17-14, 10-7), who now face Temple on Thursday in a rematch of last year’s final. Garrett Williamson finished with 12 points for St. Joe’s, while Idris Hilliard had 10.

Lamont Mack had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the 49ers (11-20, 5-12), while Ian Andersen added 12 points and DiJuan Harris finished with 11 points and nine assists.

St. Joe’s trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half and were down 30-23 at the break. But they opened the second half with an 11-2 run and were in command for the rest of the game.

March 9, 2009 | Atlantic 10 Website

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Saint Joseph’s senior forward Ahmad Nivins has been named the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 men’s basketball Player of the Year in voting conducted among the Conference’s 14 head coaches.

The A-10 coaches also selected Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure as the Rookie of the Year, Duquesne’s Aaron Jackson as the Chris Daniels Award recipient as the league’s most improved player, Delroy James of Rhode Island as Sixth Man of the Year, Massachusetts’ Tony Gaffney as Defensive Player of the Year and Rhode Island’s Jim Baron as Coach of the Year. In addition, Kevin Lisch of Saint Louis was tabbed Student-Athlete of the Year in voting among the league’s sports information directors.

Ahmad Nivins – Saint Joseph’s Hawks (F)

Nivins enters this week’s Atlantic 10 Championship (Mar. 11-14) in Atlantic City tied with Temple’s Dionte Christmas for the scoring lead with an average of 19.2 ppg. A third-team selection a year ago, the 6-9 forward from Jersey City, N.J., leads the Conference in rebounding (11.7 rpg.), minutes (39.43 mpg.) and double-doubles (20), while his league-best .625 shooting percentage (193-of-309) puts him on pace to join former George Washington standout Alexander Koul (1995-97) as the only players in A-10 history to lead the league in field goal percentage three consecutive years. A member of the All-Defensive Team, Nivins is the fourth player in SJU annals to earn the league’s Player of the Year honor and first since sharpshooter Pat Carroll in 2004-05.

A five-time Player of the Week selection this season, Nivins is joined on the All- Conference first-team by Christmas, Jimmy Baron of Rhode Island, Aaron Jackson of Duquesne and Xavier’s B.J. Raymond. Christmas is vying to become the league’s first-ever three-time scoring champion, while James is the first Duquesne player to garner first-team distinction since Mike James in 1997-98. The All-Conference second-team consists of Gaffney, Richmond’s Kevin Anderson, Derrick Brown of Xavier, Rodney Green of La Salle and Dayton’s Chris Wright. The third-team includes Lisch, Lavoy Allen of Temple, Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris, Lamont Mack of Charlotte and Rhode Island’s Kahiem Seawright.

Xavier’s C.J. Anderson, David Gonzalvez of Richmond, Dayton’s Marcus Johnson, Chris Lowe of UMass, and Damian Saunders of Duquesne earned honorable mention acclaim.

A program-record six-time A-10 Rookie of the Week selection, Nicholson enters this week’s A-10 Championship as the top freshman nationally in both blocked shots (79) and field goal percentage (.607 – 150-of-246). The Mississauga, Ontario, native is tied for second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg.) and third in rebounding (6.0 rpg.) and scored in double figures in 20 of the Bonnies’ 29 contests. The 6-9 forward is the first SBU freshman to garner Rookie of the Year honors since Alvin Lott in 1983-84.

Nicholson is joined on the All-Rookie team by Melquan Bolding of Duquesne, Fordham’s Jio Fontan, Dayton’s Chris Johnson and Kwamain Mitchell of Saint Louis.

With 113 blocks and 59 steals entering Massachusetts’ opening round contest versus Duquesne on Mar. 11, Gaffney is the first player nationally since Shelden Williams (Duke, 2005-06) to register 100 blocks and 50 steals in a season. The senior forward leads the A-10 in blocks (3.90 bpg.), ranks second in rebounding (10.2 rpg.) and steals (2.03 spg.) and pulled down at least 10 rebounds in 18 of the Minutemen’s 29 games.

The All-Defensive team is comprised of Gaffney, Allen, Nivins, Dayton’s London Warren and Garrett Williamson of Saint Joseph’s.

Jackson was tabbed the Atlantic 10’s Chris Daniels Award, presented to the Conference’s most improved player. A year ago, the Hartford, Conn., resident averaged nine points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. This season, the senior guard has blossomed into one of the most complete players in the Conference, ranking in the top five of the league in scoring (third – 18.3 ppg.), assists (third – 5.79 apg.), field goal percentage (fourth – .543) and steals (fifth – 1.72 spg.). The versatile James has provided a spark off the bench for the Rams as a junior, averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 24.2 minutes per game. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native ranks third on the team in assists (65) and has a pair of 20-point performances to his credit.

A two-time Academic All-Conference selection, Lisch is averaging a team-leading 14.2 points and also leads the Billikens in three-pointers (69) and steals (37) en route to earning All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year. In the classroom, the Belleville, Ill., resident boasts a 3.48 grade point average while majoring in Business Administration. He was named to the 2008-09 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-America third-team.

Joining Lisch on the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team is Baron, Massachusetts’ Luke Bonner, Jason Duty of Duquesne and La Salle’s Yves Mekongo Mbala.

Selected by the league’s head coaches and media to finish ninth in the A-10 preseason poll, Baron led Rhode Island to an 11-5 league mark and 22-9 overall record. URI enters the Championship as the second seed and boasts the league’s highest scoring offense, averaging 80.1 ppg. The only coach in league history to earn A-10 Coach of the Year honors at two different schools, Baron was tabbed as the Conference’s Coach of the Year in 1995 while at St. Bonaventure and at Rhode Island in both 2003 and 2007. In eight seasons at URI, Baron is 130-116 (.528) and 336-318 overall (.514).

2008-09 ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS First-Team School Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown PPG RPG Asts Stls Blks

First-Team

Jimmy Baron Rhode Island Sr. G. 6-3 East Grennwich, R.I. 16.8 2.7 60 22 2
Dionte Christmas Temple Sr. G 6-5 Philadelphia, Pa. 19.2 6.1 88 41 5
Aaron Jackson Duquesne Sr. G 6-4 Hartford, Conn. 18.3 5.7 168 50 3
Ahmad Nivins Saint Joseph’s Sr. F 6-9 Jersey City, N.J.     19.2 11.7 32 19 55
B.J. Raymond Xavier Sr. G/F 6-6 Toledo, Ohio 13.8 4.2 46 17 12 

Second-Team

Kevin Anderson Richmond So. G 5-11 Duluth, Ga. 16.2 2.9 82 44 2
Derrick Brown Xavier Jr. F 6-8 Dayton, Ohio 13.8 6.1 61 21 28
Tony Gaffney Massachusetts Sr. F 6-8 Berkley, Mass. 11.5 10.2 49 59 113
Rodney Green La Salle Jr. G 6-5 Philadelphia, Pa. 17.6 4.9 105 56 5
Chris Wright Dayton So. F 6-8 Trotwood, Ohio 13.1 6.5 29 28 37  

Third-Team

Lavoy Allen Temple So. F 6-9 Morrisville, Pa. 11.1 8.6 62 13 48
Ricky Harris Massachusetts Jr. G 6-2 Baltimore, Md. 18.2 2.9 44 37 5
Kevin Lisch Saint Louis Sr. G 6-2 Belleville, Ill. 14.2 3.4 75 37 1
Lamont Mack Charlotte Sr. F 6-7 Chicago, Ill. 15.1 5.6 27 24 10
Kahiem Seawright Rhode Island Sr. F 6-8 Uniondale, N.Y. 13.8 7.4 68 25 31

Honorable Mention

C.J. Anderson Xavier Sr. G/F 6-6 Cincinnati, Ohio 10.2 5.6 68 19 17
David Gonzalvez Richmond Jr. G 6-4 Marietta, Ga. 15.6 4.6 59 39 14
Marcus Johnson Dayton Jr. G 6-3 Cleveland, Ohio 12.1 3.2 50 26 15
Chris Lowe Massachusetts Sr. G 6-0 Mount Vernon, N.Y. 12.1 3.0 190 22 2
Damian Saunders Duquesne So. F 6-7 Waterbury, Conn. 13.3 7.9 66 66 66 

Rookie Team

Melquan Bolding Duquesne Fr. G/F 6-4 Mount Vernon, N.Y. 9.0 4.1 34 28 6
Jio Fontan Fordham Fr. G 5-11 Patterson, N.J. 15.3 2.7 132 33 3
Chris Johnson Dayton Fr. G/F 6-5 Columbus, Ohio 6.5 5.4 18 17 5
Kwamain Mitchell Saint Louis Fr. G 5-10 Milwaukee, Wis. 10.0 3.2 106 35 1
Andrew Nicholson St. Bonaventure Fr. F 6-9 Mississauga, Ontario 12.5 6.0 7 79 16 

Defensive Team

Lavoy Allen Temple So. F 6-9 Morrisville, Pa. 11.1 8.6 62 13 48
Tony Gaffney Massachusetts Sr. F 6-8 Berkley, Mass. 11.5 10.2 49 59 113
Ahmad Nivins Saint Joseph’s Sr. F 6-9 Jersey City, N.J.     19.2 11.7 32 19 55
London Warren Dayton Jr. G 6-0 Jacksonville, Fla. 4.2 2.7 126 48 4
Garrett Williamson Saint Joseph’s Jr. G 6-5 Lower Merion, Pa. 5.9 3.7 135 43 36

Academic Team

Jimmy Baron Rhode Island Sr. G 6-3 East Greenwich, R.I. Communication Studies
Luke Bonner Massachusetts Gr. C 7-1 Concord, N.H. Sports Management
Jason Duty Duquesne Jr. G 6-1 Cranberry Township, Pa. Accounting
Kevin Lisch Saint Louis Sr. G 6-2 Belleville, Ill. Business Administration
Yves Mekongo Mbala La Salle Jr. F 6-7 Elizabeth, N.J. Integrated Science & Business Technology

Player of the Year: Ahmad Nivins, Saint Joseph’s

Rookie of the Year: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

Defensive Player of the Year: Tony Gaffney, Massachusetts

Chris Daniels Most Improved Player of the Year: Aaron Jackson, Duquesne

Sixth Man of the Year: Delroy James, Rhode Island

Student-Athlete of the Year: Kevin Lisch, Saint Louis

Coach of the Year: Jim Baron, Rhode Island

AP Photo  

March 7, 2009 | AP Press

NEW YORK — Tasheed Carr had 20 points and seven assists to lead Saint Joseph’s to a 71-54 victory over Fordham on Saturday, the Rams’ 10th straight loss.

Garrett Williamson added 11 points for the Hawks (16-14, 9-7 Atlantic-10), while Ahmad Nivins had seven points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. Saint Joseph’s finished with a 43-28 rebound advantage.

Alberto Estwick had 16 points and Jio Fontan added 15 on 5-for-24 shooting for the Rams (3-25, 1-15).

The Hawks opened the second half with a 10-0 run that gave them a 47-18 lead with 17:42 to play. The lead reached 30 points when Carr’s two free throws with 15:42 to go made it 53-23.

February 22, 2009 | AP Press

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Lowe hit two free throws with two seconds remaining, and Tony Gaffney had 17 points and 10 rebounds, as Massachusetts nipped Saint Joseph’s 70-69 on Sunday.

Lowe scored 13 points and added seven assists to become the school’s all-time leader with 640, passing Carl Smith. Ricky Harris contributed 11 points for the Minutemen (10-15, 5-7 Atlantic 10), who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Tasheed Carr connected on a pair of free throws to give the Hawks a 69-68 lead with 6.4 seconds left.

Lowe took control of the ball at halfcourt, drove to the basket and was fouled by Ahmad Nivins.

Nivins had 21 points and 11 rebounds, his 18th double-double, Idris Hilliard added 12 points and 11 rebounds, Carr contributed 12 points and Garrett Williamson had 10 for Saint Joseph’s (14-12, 7-5).

The Hawks have dropped four in a row for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

Saint Joseph’s was 0-for-7 from 3-point territory, snapping a streak of 495 consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer made. The streak began at the start of the 1993-94 season.

The last time the Hawks went without a 3-pointer came in a 56-34 loss at Southwest Missouri State in the first round of the NIT Tournament on March 18, 1993.

February 19, 2009 | AP Press

ST. LOUIS, MO — Kwamain Mitchell hit a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points to lead Saint Louis over Saint Joseph’s 73-71 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Lisch added 15 for points the Billikens (16-10, 7-5 Atlantic 10), who won for the fifth time in six games and sent Saint Joseph’s (14-11, 7-4) to a third straight loss.

The Hawks’ Ahmad Nivins recorded a conference-leading 17th double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, despite being held scoreless for the final 9:56 of the game.

Saint Louis used a 7-2 run early in the second half to take the lead for good at 53-48.

Mitchell’s final 3-pointer put the Billikens up 68-64 with 1:10 left.

A 3-pointer by Garrett Williamson brought the Hawks within 72-71 with 2.3 seconds remaining, but Lisch sank a free throw and Nivins’ desperation shot from 30 feet at the buzzer fell short.

Barry Eberhardt added 14 points and Willie Reed came off the bench to score 11 for Saint Louis.

January 24, 2009 | AP Press

PHILADELPHIA. PA – Ahmad Nivins had 20 points and 17 rebounds to lead Saint Joseph’s to an 80-68 victory over city rival Penn on Saturday night.

Darrin Govens matched Nivins with 20 points for the Hawks (11-7), who won their sixth straight. Tasheed Carr scored 15 and Garrett Williamson 11 for Saint Joseph’s, which has won four straight against Penn and eight of the last 10.

Tyler Bernardini scored 15 points and led four Quakers in double figures. Jack Eggleston scored 14 points, and Brennan Votel and Harrison Gaines each had 12 for Penn (4-10).

Penn led 60-59 with 7:37 left in the game before Govens hit an 18-foot jumper that started a decisive 14-2 run for the Hawks. A layup by Garrett Williamson with 3:29 left capped the outburst that gave Saint Joseph’s a 73-62 advantage.

The Quakers led by as many as 16 points in the first half, but lost their fourth straight Big 5 game.

Penn hit 10 of its first 17 shots on the way to a 24-8 lead with 10:30 left in the first half. But the Hawks, who missed nine of their first 12 field goals, scored 21 of the next 24 points to take a 29-27 lead with 4:24 left in the opening half.

The Hawks led 37-34 at the break. Penn fell to 0-10 this season when trailing at the half.

Nivins, who had his 11th double-double of the season, opened the second half with a dunk and 6-foot jumper, and the Hawks scored 13 of the first 20 points in the half to lead 50-41 with 15:16 remaining.

Penn, helped by consecutive 3-pointers by Kevin Egee, scored 17 of the next 26 to take a one-point lead with 7:37 left, but failed to hang on.

January 6, 2009  by WH | A10CollegeHoops

Here are my final noncon rankings and comments. Per usual, I am unlikely to post again until the end of league play once conference games begin.

Even though some teams have outperformed or underperformed my expectations, I can’t say any team has truly surprised me with the exception of GW (just terrible lately). I didn’t anticipate such a slow start for Charlotte, and UMass struggled more than I expected, but both teams had obvious question marks before the season began.

As of now, we only have two schools that look like NCAA teams, but Rhody has a decent chance and I expect another team to make a big run in league play (Temple with a full roster?). I would be thrilled to get three teams in given the so-so noncon performance.

Speaking of which, looks like I will finish 5 games below my noncon forecast. Ironically, this is the first year in awhile that I did not automatically deduct five wins from my combined forecast. Had I done so, I might be perfect! (not that it would be a good thing). Too many damned near misses and blown leads late in games.

VALEDICTORIANS

1)XAVIER (unchanged). The Muskies (11-2). The Musketeers bounced back from a two-game losing skid with convincing wins over Robert Morris and at Virginia. Frosh PG Terrell Holloway has taken over the starting position, allowing Dante Jackson to play more at his natural position of off-guard. Two other touted frosh, Kenny Frease and long-range gunner Brad Redford, have come on strong. Upperclassmen Derrick Brown and BJ Raymond have also stepped up. If Holloway continues to mature rapidly, the Musketeers have to be considered the clear league favorite.

2)DAYTON (unchanged). The Flyers (13-1) have beaten all the teams they are supposed to beat and have a marquee win over Marquette to put themselves in line for an NCAA bid. Dayton does struggle at times to put the ball in the basket, but the team is very athletic and plays topnotch defense. With just a little better shooting and scoring, the Flyers have all the tools to battle archrival Xavier for the league title.

HONOR ROLL

3)RHODE ISLAND (+1). The Rams (10-4) are a few points away – agonizingly close losses at Duke and Oklahoma State – from being locked in for an at-large bid. The team is still well positioned, but URI needs to rack up 11 or 12 wins in conference play and advance deep into the league tourney to merit consideration. Seven-foot sophomore Will Martell has been a surprise contributor while Jimmy Baron Jr. and Keith Cothran have performed like All-Conference players. The defense is still a bit unreliable, but the Rams are deep and athletic and have the talent to make a run for the conference championship.

AVERAGE STUDENTS

4)CHARLOTTE (+1). The 49ers (5-7) might be playing the best ball of any A-10 team outside of Xavier, Dayton and URI, but a rash of injuries has further depleted an already-thin roster. Sophomore forward An’juan Wilderness is out for a few weeks and sophomore Charles Dewhurst was lost for the year to a knee injury. Charlotte has no backup point guard and needs a few of its healthier players to step up. Hard to believe a 5-7 team might be the fourth best squad in the A-10, but every program in the conference has significant flaws.

5)RICHMOND (+1). The Spiders (8-6) are one of the most disappointing teams in the league despite eight wins. The team blew a late lead at Virginia Military Institute and has lost to all three in-state rivals (ODU and VCU are the others) even though the Spiders arguably have the most talent of the bunch. The defense has been soft and the offense mistake prone. Yet Richmond still has the size, athleticism and backcourt play to finish in the conference’s top four if the players learn how to close out games.

6) TEMPLE (-3). After beating Tennessee, the Owls (6-6) stumbled badly with three straight losses, including a whopper at Long Beach State. Temple rebounded Monday night with a win over Kent State. Sophomore forward Craig Williams had a career game (16 points) and touted Argentine PG Juan Fernandez (8 points, 4 assists) wowed the crowd in his debut. Temple’s problems have stemmed from poor point play – a concern of mine in my preseason review – and lethargic play among bigmen Lavoy Allen and Sergio Olmos. The addition of Fernandez and further contributions from Williams could make the Owls a big factor in conference play, however.

7)LASALLE (+2). The Explorers (8-5) beat several mediocre opponents to enter conference action with a three-game winning streak. Ruben Guillandeaux seems to be awaking from a season-long slumber while Rodney Green and Kimmani Barrett have stepped up their games. Defense and rebounding have kept LaSalle in most games, but postseason possibilities rest on whether the offense shows major improvement. The lack of consistent point play and outside shooting have been the team’s undoing.

*8*)ST. BONAVENTURE (unchanged). The Bonnies (7-3) recovered from a blowout loss at home to Niagara by topping Bucknell and Central Arkansas on the road. Granted, the competition wasn’t great, but two road wins of any sort is a big accomplishment for the rapidly recovering program. The 6-10 freshman sensation Andrew Nicholson looks like the program’s biggest recruiting find in a decade or more. Expect the Bonnies to be very competitive in most games, especially at home, and a winning record is by no means out of the question. The team now has enough talent to compete with almost any team in the A-10. Point play is just so-so, however, and the Bonnies lack outside shooting when Chris Matthews is cold.

9)DUQUESNE (+4). The Dukes (9-4) are one of the two big surprises in nonconference play, along with St. Bonaventure. They lost to the four best teams on their sked but have handled all the opponents from lesser conferences. Aaron Jackson, who’s playing like an A-10 First Teamer, is one of four “veterans” who have carried the program while the youngsters mature. Touted frosh Melquan Bolding has come on strong to join PG Eric Evans as top candidates for the league’s All-Rookie team. Shooter Jason Duty, formerly a recruited walk-on, has been a surprisingly big contributor. If only the Dukes had one legit bigman …

10) ST. LOUIS (+2). The Bills (9-5) have won seven of their last eight games against mostly weaker competition, though not without some struggles. Rick Majerus has his young squad playing solid defense and a controlled offense, but points sometimes are hard to come by. Frosh bigman Willie Reed looks like a future all-conference player and two other newcomers, PG Kwamain Mitchell and F Brian Conklin, have impressed. The Bills are a middle-of-the-pack team at best, but they will pull some upsets in league play.

BACK OF THE CLASS

11)ST. JOSEPH’S (-4). The Hawks (6-7) simply don’t have enough Division 1 players. Sophomore forward Idris Hilliard has shown marked improvement, but none of the reserves has contributed significantly. St. Joe’s has to rely on no more than 3-4 players, led by Ahmad Nivins, to do the scoring, but the core group doesn’t have tons of energy leftover for defense at the end of a game. The tank could run dry in late February unless Martelli develops a bench.

12)MASSACHUSETTS (-1). The Minutemen (5-8) followed a four-game win streak with a two-game skid in which the team lost by a combined 56 points to Houston and Vanderbilt. What to make? Impossible to say. Rookie coach Derek Kellogg sure looks green and senior point guard Chris Lowe is struggling mightily to run the new offense. Yet UMass is still capable of beating virtually any team in the A-10, as the win at Kansas attests. The first game in league play vs. Dayton could be telling.

CLASS CLOWNS

13)FORDHAM (+1). The Rams (2-10) have gotten a boost from 6-9 West Virginia transfer Jacob Green, but this team is headed for 20-plus losses. Much too young and much too small (-10 rebounding margin). Coach ain’t all that great, either.

14)GEORGE WASHINGTON (-4). The Colonials (6-6) aren’t worse than Fordham, but while the Rams are getting better, the Colonials have badly regressed. The team lost four straight to Vermont, Hawaii, Coppin State and … Longwood! Travis King is still not his old self, but at least he has an excuse. The same cannot be said for Rob Diggs, Wynton Witherspoon, Damian Hollis – or Karl Hobbs. GW is near the bottom of the league in scoring, shooting, rebounding and assists. Call the Coast Guard.

ALL-CONFERENCE PROJECTIONS (based on current performance)

POY

Dionte Christmas

FIRST TEAM

Dionte Christmas, Temple
Ahmad Nivins, St. Joseph’s
Derrick Brown, Xavier
Aaron Jackson, Duquesne
Chris Wright, Dayton

SECOND TEAM

Tony Gaffney, UMass
Jimmy Baron Jr., Rhode Island
Damian Saunders, Duquesne
Ricky Harris, UMass
Keith Cothran, Rhode Island

THIRD TEAM

Jonathan Hall, St. Bonaventure
David Gonzalvez, Richmond
Tommie Liddell, St. Louis
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Dijuan Harris, Charlotte

DEFENSIVE POY

Tony Gaffney, UMass

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Tony Gaffney, UMass
Garrett Williamson, St. Josephs
Aaron Jackson, Duquesne
Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Ahmad Nivins, St. Josephs

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Eric Evans, Duquesne
Terrell Holloway, Xavier
Jio Fontan, Fordham
Brian Conklin, St. Louis

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Tony Gaffney

December 9, 2008 | AP Press

TOWSON, MD — Ahmad Nivins scored 25 points and had nine rebounds to lead Saint Joseph’s to an 85-64 victory over Towson on Tuesday night.

Darrin Govens added 22 points for the Hawks (4-4).

Junior Hairston led Towson (4-5), which has lost four of its past five games, with 16 points.

Saint Joseph’s led 38-31 at halftime but outscored the Tigers 29-14 over the next 10 minutes for a 67-45 advantage. Nivins, who entered the game averaging 18.3 points and 11.7 rebounds, and Govens combined to score 16 points in that span.

Tasheed Carr scored 11 points and Garrett Williamson added eight points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Hawks.

Brian Morris scored 14 points for Towson.

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?