1999-00 LIU Season Preview

Blackbirds head coach Ray Martin learned long ago from playing for and coaching with some of the game's elite strategists that coaching is not an exact science. Never was this more evident than in his inaugural campaign on the LIU sidelines.

Following a somewhat tumultuous first half, the players adjusted to his system and things began to click. The Blackbirds closed out their regular season with consecutive road victories over regular season champion UMBC and eventual Northeast Conference Tournament champion Mount St. Mary's to reach the .500 (10-10) level in league play. LIU's stretch drive was an indication that a program which had lost so much in terms of personnel over the past two years had quickly returned as a threat to challenge for conference supremacy.

"I was very encouraged by our effort in the second half of the season after such a grueling first two months," said Martin. "I can't find any solace in us losing in the quarterfinal round of the NEC Tournament, but I am confident that the experiences of last season has given our returning players the mind set that through hard work a conference championship is in our sight."

"Our style of play will mirror what we did last year, titlehough I would like us to be a little more uptempo," Martin continued. "It will depend on how effective our rebounding and man-to-man defense is. If we can improve those areas we will be able to get the ball up and down the floor and create some easy baskets."

In order to sustain the momentum gained in what was supposed to have been a rebuilding 1998-99 season, Martin will again have to sell his troops on the benefits of functioning together as a unit. Firmly believing that his team-first approach is what will be the backbone of his program, the five players he has brought in as part of his first recruiting class epitomize his beliefs.

The 1999-00 edition of the Blackbirds will have a mix of eight hungry veterans along with a strong harvest of newcomers. On the flip side, the Blackbirds will have to do without the services of their starting backcourt of Karee Anderson (10.2 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Issiah Francis (10.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg) whose leadership and savvy were instrumental in the team's reversal of fortunes late last season. LIU will also have to survive the loss of starting center John Morgenstern (7.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg) who developed into a formidable post presence.

For the Blackbirds to be in the hunt in what should be a wide-open Northeast Conference, Richie Parker will have to assert himself on both ends of the floor. Entering his final year on Flatbush and DeKalb, Parker is on a pace that would make him the school's all-time leading scorer by the month of February, despite having to live up to unrealistic expectations throughout his career. Last season he averaged a team-best 15.4 points to go along with 5.5 rebounds and was named second team All-Conference.

"Richie understands that he is always going to receive extra attention and he has handled it well," said Martin. "He has worked hard over the summer and must continue to challenge himself to improve his overall game. He has considerable talent and will be an important go-to player for us this season."

Not only will Parker have to step up the level of his play, but also fellow senior Virgil Smiley. An athletic 6'7", Smiley took some time to get going before he settled in to his sixth-man role. One of the most versatile players on the team, he possesses a soft touch from the perimeter while also being able to score in the post. He is the team's
second-leading returning scorer (9.0 ppg) and rebounder (5.2 rpg).

Also expected to compete for major minutes up front is Karim Smith. A junior, Smith was not supposed to have played at all in '98-99 after an irregular heartbeat was discovered, forcing him to miss the entire '97-98 campaign. Cleared to play only days before the season began last season, the Roosevelt, NY, entrenched himself as a starter at the 'four' spot and was arguably the Blackbirds' top interior defender. Smith dedicated himself to the weight room over the summer and looks to be in top shape.

Scholarship freshmen JaJa Bey and Lee Jones are also in the frontcourt mix. Bey, in the mold of Virgil Smiley, is a long 6'7" and is capable of producing in many areas. A Queens, NY, native he attended Cheshire Academy in Connecticut last year and his energetic style should fit in well with the Blackbirds.

Jones, an Albany High School product, holds the distinction of being the first player ever signed to LIU by Martin. At 6'6" and able to play the 'three' and the 'four' positions, Jones' complete floor game should present him with ample opportunities to prove himself.

"Right now I'm comfortable with how our forwards are shaping up," said Martin. Richie, Virgil and Karim are all experienced and familiar with our system and when you throw in versatile guys like Lee and JaJa it gives us the flexibility to defend almost anything teams throw at us."

Clearly, the Blackbirds are going to need Cheikh Fall to be healthy and to be in the right frame of mind. The 6'10" senior from Dakar, Senegal, looked tremendous in the '98-99 preseason, but a torn labrum in December put an abrupt end to what could have been a breakout year. Fall specializes on the defensive end where he rejected 2.1 shots per game in his limited work. His efforts on the glass will also be sorely needed. LIU was 1-11 last season when being outrebounded and was 9-4 when outrebounding its opponents.

Backing up at the center spot will be juniors Jason Schnelle and Mike Ansley. A native of Malverne, NY, Schnelle was more aggressive as a sophomore and has worked diligently on his deficiencies. Ansley, a 6'11", 300-lb. enforcer, provided valuable relief last season, particularly after Fall was lost for the season. His commitment to the weight room and to conditioning could land him additional minutes.

"Some of the keys to our season will be how well our big men rebound and challenge shots inside," said Martin. Whether or not they can take on some of the offensive burden and limit their mistakes will be other important factors for us."

For the first time in a number of years, the guard positions are up for grabs. At the shooting guard spot senior Ray Rivera has distinguished himself by making a full commitment to conditioning over the summer. Normally a marked man as the Blackbirds' top threat from beyond the arc (37 percent last season), it is in the areas of hard work and toughness where he is most relentless.

Rivera will be challenged by a healthy Jonathan Frank. One of two Brooklyn products on the team, Frank has suffered a rash of nagging injuries over the past two seasons. The 6'5" senior has good size and strength for his position and is an outstanding all-around athlete. He averaged 6.5 points in just over 17 minutes per game last season.

To help fill the void in the backcourt, Martin landed Midland (TX) Junior College transfer Keith Leslie. Only a sophomore, Leslie averaged 7.3 points in his lone season at Midland, following a solid high school career at St. John's Prep in Astoria, NY.

A pair of unknown commodities will look to emerge at the point guard position in newcomers Antawn Dobie and Maurice Yearwood. The transition for Dobie, who starred St. John's Prep, may be a little easier since he arrived on campus last year and familiarized himself with the system. His biggest attributes are his headiness and desire along with a body that is equipped to absorb the physical play in Division I basketball.

Martin snatched up Yearwood right in his backyard at Brooklyn Tech High School. A 22.5-point scorer at Tech, Yearwood will inject an explosive offensive arsenal, while learning how to lead the team on the job.

"Antawn and Maurice will be tested early and Keith has enough junior college experience and ballhandling ability to help run the offense if need be," stated Martin. "It will be a tremendous challenge for them, but luckily, in Ray and Jonathan we have two experienced players who can keep the backcourt together and I'm looking for big years out of both of them."

With a formula based on defensive harassment and good shot selection, the Blackbirds' offense may not be going at the Indy speeds of two years ago, but results are what Martin feels will count the most.

"We have a tough road ahead of us, but each day I see a different reason to think that all of the work and all of the effort will translate to victories," he said.

The key phrase for the Blackbirds in '99-00 will certainly be 'tough road'. Beginning Nov. 26 at nationally-ranked Tennessee and concluding on Jan. 10 at St. Francis (PA), LIU will play 11 road contests before arriving in Brooklyn for its home opener on Jan. 15 versus Central Connecticut State. The Blackbirds will renew acquaintances with city rival Fordham on Dec. 4 and will play at Colgate on Dec. 6, at James Madison on Dec. 18 and at Providence on Dec. 27. LIU will close out the millennium with games against Maine and either Stony Brook or Army at Stony Brook's two-day tournament from Dec. 29-30.

The Northeast Conference season begins for the Blackbirds on Jan. 8 at Robert Morris and finishes at home against the same Colonials on Feb. 26. LIU will play 18 conference games overall and attempt to be one of nine teams to earn an invite to the NEC Tournament from March 3-6 at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ.