This just in: Siena is heavy MAAC favorite

Well now that we have that shocking news out of the way, here is how MAAC Media Day played out.
The team and player rankings are in and Marist gets the short end of the stick. Just like last year, Marist was selected 10th and will have to fight for its respect this season. With as many newcomers as Marist has, the politically correct thing to do is pick the team 10th. Marist will not finish 10th though.
Chuck Martin has six true freshmen in the fold and Dorvell Carter eligible as a red-shirt freshman. Depth, however, is key. Almost every player on Marist's roster has a chance to emerge as a primetime player if they got. Daye Kaba will lead this team, and when the first semester ends, Casiem Drummond will join him. Those are the only spots that are set in stone, in my opinion.
R.J. Hall enters the season as the starting point guard, but he will probably be looking over his back at Devin Price. He looked quite impressive at Marist Madness. The No. 3 and 4 spots are up for grabs. A lot depends on whether Martin chooses to go small and quick or add some bigger players like Menelik Watson (20-year old freshman) and Korey Bauer in the fold (when Drummond is back and starting).
With so many uncertainties regarding the Marist roster, no surprise the Red Foxes were tabbed last. The uncertainties aren't a bad thing, it simply means Martin has a lot more options than he did last season. He also has his guys on board, although they are inexperienced.
Here's the fallout from MAAC Media Day.

Teams, First-place votes
1. Siena, 9
2. Niagara
3. Rider, 1
4. Fairfield
5T. Loyola
5T. Saint Peter's
7. Canisius
8. Manhattan
9. Iona
10. Marist

Prediction: Marist finishes ahead of Canisius, Manhattan, and Iona.
Far too early to tell beyond that. This season will be an improvement on last year. In Chuck Martin's mind, 2010-11 is the Red Foxes' year to win the conference. Siena will lose almost all their big impact players. The top three teams will have also lost Ryan Thompson, Bilal Benn, Tyrone Lewis, and Rob Garrison.
Prediction 2: Daye Kaba finishes the season as a second-team All MAAC selection.
No surprise he wasn't selected since he's come off his transfer year, but he will replace Schneider's efficiency and leadership.

Here are the preseason teams:

Player of the year:
Ryan Thompson, Rider

First team:
Ronald Moore, Siena
Edwin Ubiles, Siena
Ryan Thompson, Rider
Bilal Benn, Niagara
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara

Second team:
Alex Franklin, Siena
Ryan Rossiter, Siena
Greg Nero, Fairfield
Jamal Barney, Loyola
Wesley Jenkins, Saint Peter's

Third team:
Mike Ringgold, Rider
Novar Gadson, Rider
Darryl Crawford, Manhattan
Frank Turner, Canisius
Greg Logins, Canisius

Red Foxes debut for Poughkeepsie faithful

The Red Foxes started the season tonight in front of a crowded McCann Center.
The night served as a kick-off to the relationship between the crowd and the two programs. It was more about skill than basketball technique and intensity.
The men's team looked entirely different than last year, which is a good and bad thing. The good is that this is the most freakishly athletic team in the MAAC. Granted that doesn't translate into good basketball and wins, but there is a ton of talent there. The bad is there is no David Devezin and Ryan Schneider. They emerged as the faces of this team, so it is an obvious change. They played the game without flash, but were consummate professionals.
This team has an infusion of youth. The core is built of freshmen. There is a camraderie with this group that I haven't seen since I've followed Marist basketball. They celebrated boisterously, displayed their skills, and showboated at will. At least there won't be any shortage of confidence.
There was probably a bit of disappointment regarding the team's intensity level during the scrimmage, but that's the way these events go. The New Jersey Nets opened their annual practice to the public in early October, and the intensity was just as bad, and they are professionals. These events are to showcase the newcomers and the talent, not the dribble-drive offense and tight man-to-man defense.
Based on what Marist displayed, these are my following observations:
R.J. Hall did not play in the scrimmage and Korey Bauer has the flu.
Devin Price is one of the most athletic point guards I've ever seen. Jared Jordan and David Devezin certainly could not dunk like him. Hard to say how that translates into the game since tonight was basically a skills contest.
Expect Marist to go small to start the season. Korey Bauer should be healthy, and my guess is he is the only true "big" in the lineup. Menelik Watson, although of freakish strength, did not appear to be in shape just yet to play 30 minutes a night. He did not get involved in the scrimmage as much as I was hoping. Based on what I saw, he does not start against Rutgers.
Daye Kaba and Casiem Drummond could bring this team further than anyone is anticipating come March. Drummond displayed the kind of enthusiasm and effort you love to see. Although most hope he does not bring the ball up court in real action like he did tonight, he at least worked hard during the scrimmage.
Daye Kaba will be this year's Ryan Schneider. He will be a team leader that everyone will look to. Prediction: he is an All-MAAC selection.
Sam Prescott could start. He's everything he was cracked up to be by the coaching staff in the offseason. His speed, agility, and vertical leap make him a huge asset in this offense.
Rob Johnson and Dorvell Carter are probably vying for the same starting spot. Nod may go to Carter, but Johnson will make an impact in some shape or form.
Anell Alexis was present and in uniform. He also was not wearing a brace. Just speculation, but maybe the injury was not a full tear. Based on the numbers, I'd still redshirt him.
The wildcard for this team is Candon Rusin. In warmups, he knocked down several NBA three-pointers. He air-balled a few as well, but he seems to be a silky-smooth shooter, probably the best the team has at this point.
Finally, I'm curious to see the roles that Javon Parris and Dejuan Goodwin play. Parris' game translates to Bruce Bowen in that he's probably only a defensive-stopper that can knock down the occasional shot. Goodwin is the same player but with better talent around him, especially once Drummond is active. He knows the offense and can knock down shots. Martin will probably look to him early, like he did last year in the first three games with Kaylen Gregory, because of his seniority.
Final word: this is not a 10th place team in the MAAC. Granted, that's not exactly going out on a limb. Finishing middle of the pack and looking to get hot in Albany with Drummond is a safe bet.

Marist Madness slated for Oct. 23

Marist fans will get their first look at the 2009-10 Red Foxes when the men's and women's programs host Marist Madness.
This is the sixth annual event and the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The festivities will kick off at 7 p.m.
The night will feature the red/white scrimmage, shooting contests, and a dunk contest.
Like every year, both Brian Giorgis and Chuck Martin will give a speech to the fans to set the mood for the upcoming season.
The men's team will have nine new players and eight new contributors. Anell Alexis is expected to miss the season with an injured ACL. Dorvell Carter, Daye Kaba, and Casiem Drummond are in their second year with the team, but this will be their first year of eligibility.
Admission to the event is free and concessions will be available. One fan will be selected to shoot for $10,000.

Marist releases new-look roster

Marist's revamped roster has been announced by GoRedFoxes.com.
A couple interesting notes regarding the roster release:
Coming from someone that interviewed Menelik Watson extensively in the offseason, I'm kind of surprised Marist or The Poughkeepsie Journal did nothing to announce his arrival to the program. Based on his highlights, age, and body-frame, he should contribute immediately in a big way.
Devin Price is going with the No. 0. An interesting choice.
Chuck Martin has a roster full of talented players. He won't be able to say he doesn't have enough players this season. Enough "experienced" players is another story.
Expect Anell Alexis to redshirt this season after tearing his ACL in offseason workouts. Due to the Red Foxes depth, it would not make sense to carry him in case he's available for the final few games.
Based on what I heard over the summer, expect Rob Johnson to have a huge impact this season. Think starter. They see a Ryan Schneider-type player in him.
It will be interesting to see where Candon Rusin fits in the rotation. He is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. He could become a huge part of the team and rotation if he can get hot on a team that loves to drive the basket.

For the opening game at Rutgers on Nov. 14, here is my projected lineup:

G R.J. Hall
G Daye Kaba
F Rob Johnson
F Menelik Watson
F Korey Bauer

First off the bench:
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Sam Prescott
G Devin Price
F Dorvell Carter

Obviously the team will change when Casiem Drummond becomes eligible. Although Price and Prescott may play a larger role later in the season, I think Martin will choose to go with experience early on. Watson's age and experience in Spain makes him a huge asset as a freshman. He is not the typical freshman.