Following Marist's 65-44 loss to St. John's at Madison Square Garden, Marist head coach Chuck Martin's defeated demeanor said it all."We need to get more [players]," Martin emphasized following the drubbing to the Red Storm.
The first year head coach left coach John Calipari and perennial NCAA Tournament bids in Memphis for greener pastures in Poughkeepsie. Instead of success, Martin found adversity. He inherited a team in flux after all of its recruits followed former head coach Matt Brady to James Madison. Martin also took over the team so late in the signing period that there were virtually no recuits left.
Martin capitalized on his recruiting savvy, however, and was able to land R.J. Hall, a New Jersey product that de-committed from Florida Atlantic after its coach left for San Francisco. Hall emerged as a MAAC All-Rookie selection in the 2008-09 season. Martin also nabbed 6-foot-9 center Alex Vouyoukas, a player that had previously signed with Davidson. Impressive findings considering his predicament.
After a 10th place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference [MAAC], Chuck Martin can now smile. His second offseason as head coach has proved far more fruitful than the first. Those players that Martin was pining for are now enrolled and set to suit up with the Red Foxes in the 2009-10 season.
Martin was known for his recruiting talent in the New York area, and according to ESPN's Scouting Department, Marist has the best recruiting class in the MAAC. Marist inked three players with ratings above a 79. For a comparison, Alex Vouyoukas entered last season with a 40 rating according to ESPN. Martin recruited 6-foot-3 shooting guards Sam Prescott (85 rating) and Candon Rusin (79 rating). Marist's last recruit is Anell Alexis, a heralded 6-foot-6 recruit that could start next season with the departures of Ryan Schneider and Lawrence Williams.
While Marist's biggest rivals Siena and Niagara recruited size, Martin opted for guards and wing players that can play in his dribble-drive offense.
The transfers will bring the most skill though. Boston College guard Daye Kaba and Villanova center Casiem Drummond will be eiligible to play next season. Drummond's eligibility does not come into effect until the Fall semester ends, however.
Martin said the team needed to get bigger and stronger in the offseason, and these major-conference players bring just that. Kaba is a 6-foot-3 guard weighing in at 215 pounds while Drummond is a 6-foot-10 center listed at 275 pounds. Both players will start during conference play.
KEY ARRIVALS: Casiem Drummond, Daye Kaba, Dorvell Carter, Anell Alexis, Sam Prescott, Candon Rusin
KEY DEPARTURES: David Devezin, Ryan Schneider, Lawrence Williams, Kaylen Gregory
Projected Starting Lineup:
G R.J. Hall
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Daye Kaba
F Dorvell Carter
C Casiem Drummond
1 comment:
Good job looking forward and capturing the fine job Martin's done cleaning up the former staff's mess and putting his stamp on the program.
Devezin's loss hurts but he was in and out of the lineup so much last season it's hard to tell what the real damage will be. Hall, despite the Siena debacle, had a fine rookie season and will add the outside shooting threat at the point that DD couldn't bring to the table.
I am very intrigued with Prescott. Marist signed him, despite being a reserve in H.S. with a razor thin resume, mostly it seems on the strength of the potential he showed during the '08 summer league season. Sam rewarded the staff by having a monster year at Philly's Imhotep Charter. He was the MVP of his division's championship game and played another MAAC recruit and Philly legend, the unmercifully hyped Denzel Yard, to a stand off and the league championship game. Martin for his part was seen as a guy who was going to recruit the heck out of NYC seems to be doing his best work in Jersey (Hall, Vouyoukas, Drummond) and now the City of Brotherly Love.
The starkest difference from past Marist teams will be size and athleticism. So I expect to see a lot of Prescott, Parris, Taylor and Rusin, probably at the expense of the courageous Goodwin. Same reason for Bauer over Alex V., unless Alex lived in the weight room this off season.
Internet rumors indicate the filling of the two late opening with post-grad players from a Jersey prep school.
All this good stuff and page turning aside, this team is a total mystery in what looks to be a strong MAAC. Marist could be vastly improved in the RPI, and not have much to show for it in the standings.
The Marist Women run a motion offense too, so a comment. In his very, very, very early look at the 2010 Women's tournament favorites ESPN's Charlie Creme tabbed the ladies of Po-town #43. Essentially an 11 seed. I'm looking for a single numbered seed now that the ravages of youth that plagued them into inconsistency last year has passed. Unlike the men's side, the Women's MAAC contingent have has seen many key players lost to graduation. Canisius and Fairfield both need to reload and Siena has lost their leader in Steck. On the positive side, Iona will be, as usual, loaded, featuring the gracefully skilled ROY Ford and a big and talented front court. St. Petes will also wreak havoc all winter long with their run and gun athletic brand of ball.
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