On the docket for today: the Niagara Purple Eagles.

Niagara’s 2010-11 season ended with a 73-61 loss to Marist in the opening round of MAAC tournament.  Anthony Nelson graduated, and Kashief Edwards transferred. Joe Mihalich and his staff will welcome three freshmen to Monteagle Ridge – Juan’ya Green Ameen Tanksley and Josh Turner and one junior college transfer – Ali Langford.

“This might be the best class in the MAAC.” Steve Keller/ The National Recruiting Report

Juan’ya Green 6’3″ 195lbs. G Archbishop Carroll – Philadelphia, Pa.

Green earned All-State, All-Catholic, All-Delco and won a couple of player of the year awards while attending Archbishop Carroll High School. He was instrumental to the Patriots’ 2009 PIAA Class AAA State championship and their 2010 quarterfinal run, which were the first two seasons that the Catholic League was eligibility to compete in the state tournament.

He averaged 21.0 ppg, 5.5 apg and 4.0 rpg as a senior en route to being named the 2010-11 Catholic League Co-Player of the Year and earning all-state, all-Catholic and all-Delco team recognition.

As a junior, Green earned Junior All-American Honorable Mention honors from Max Preps and was named Main Line Media News Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year. The combo guard led the Patriots in nearly every statistical category, averaging 16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.2 spg and 1.0 bpg, while leading the team in 3-point field goal percentage (38.0 percent) and free-throw percentage (82.0 percent).

He left Carroll as the program’s all-time scoring leader with 1,492 points.

What they’re saying about Green – Steve Keller/The National Recruiting Report: “He’s good. He’s strong and physical. He can really shoot and he can get his own shot and finish. An outstanding get for Niagara. He has a big body for two-guard.”

Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “This is a steal for Niagara. His stock dropped because he was hampered by injuries. He can play both guard positions. He makes his teammates better. He has a good mid-range game.”

 Ameen Tanksley 6’6″ 200lbs. G Imhotep Charter – Philadelphia, Pa.

Tanksley was a part of two Pennsylvania state championship teams at Imhotep Charter. The Panthers wont the PIAAA Class AA title in 2009 with a 33-1 record and won the 2011 title with a 31-3 mark. Tanksley helped the Panthers to three straight public league championships, including earning the MVP in the championship game, to become the first team to compete the feat since the mid 1970s.

The swingman averaged 14.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 3.0 spg and 2.0 bpg during his senior year en route to being named to the First Team All-State. Tanksley was a 1,000-point scorer at Imhotep.

Biographical information and photos courtesy of Niagara athletics.

What they’re saying about Tanksley – Steve Keller/The National Recruiting Report: “He’s long, athletic and aggressive. He ‘s a scorer. He gets on the boards and runs the floor. He’s more of a three-man. He clearly gets the stamp of approval.”

Allen Rubin/Hoop Scoop: “He’s a very good slasher who gets to the foul line. His outside shot is improving.”

Josh Turner 6’5″ 185lbs. G  Sacred Heart – Hamden, Conn.

The former top-ranked rising freshman in Connecticut (2007), Turner’s 6-foot-5, 200-lb frame along with his ability to create favorable scoring situations will be an added dimension to the Purple Eagles offense this season. Turner’s dynamic play in camps through the East and West Coast made him one of the most sought after recruit in his class.

Turner played high school basketball at Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury, Conn.  where he started all four seasons under head coach Jon Carroll. As a junior, Turner helped lead Sacred Heart to a 23-9 record en route to winning the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAA) Class M State Championship and was named to the 2009 New Haven Register All-State Boys’ Team. As a senior, he averaged over 27 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 5 rpg as the Hearts advanced to the semifinals of the CIAC Division LL Tournament. He was one of 20 players from the state of Connecticut nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game. He finished his high school career scoring over 1,600 points.

What they’re saying about Turner – Steve Keller/The National Recruiting Report: “He’s pretty good. He’s a three-man who is a good athlete. He’s more of a scorer than a shooter. He should be able to contribute right away.”

 Ali Langford 6’6″ 200lbs. F Cottonwood Height Utah/ Allan Hancock College

Langford was named the Western State Conference Player of the Year and helped the Allan Hancock (Calif.) Bulldogs to their first conference title since 1974. Langford was the centerpiece on the squad where he played center using his athletic 6-foot-7 frame.  He led the conference in scoring and was sixth in the state with 21.6 points per game and led the state in rebounding with 12.8 boards per game. Langford, who became the first player in four years to move to a Division I program, chose Niagara from over 40 programs.

Prior to attending Allen Hancock Community College, Langford spent one season at Western Wyoming Community College after a successful high school career at Brighton High School in Salt Lake City, Utah where he was named to the all-state first team (junior) and all-state second team (senior).

“Ali is a high energy, fill up the stats sheet kind of guy,” Mihalich said.  “He is undersized, but is all over the floor.”

Biographical material and photos courtesy of Niagara athletics.

Courtesy Tom Wolf imaging

By Paul Casey Gotham

BUFFALO, N.Y. — College basketball players like all student-athletes face a dilemma with time. They enter the field of play looking to finish off each contest with a win. And with each passing moment they draw closer to the end of their already short inter-scholastic career.

No one team recognizes this more than the Canisius Golden Griffins. Five seniors in blue and gold confront a series of lasts each time they take the hardwood.  Friday night,  the Griffs had a chance to pause and enjoy the moment.

Julius Coles led a quartet of Griffins in double figures, Greg Logins registered a double-double and Elton Frazier added to his highlight reel as Canisius defeated cross-town Niagara Purple Eagles 69-54 in Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Koessler Athletic Center.

Coles sparked a 13-2 run with nine straight as the Griffs put the game out of reach late in the second half.  Gaby Belardo took a pass from Regggie Groves at the top of the key, and without hesitation, kept the ball in motion to the awaiting Coles who drilled a three a from the left corner for 54-47 lead.

At the other end, Coles contested a Skylar Jones jumper. Greg Logins corralled the rebound and quickly released an outlet pass to Coles who was fouled at the other end.

On the next trip down the floor, Coles stepped into a passing lane and finished in the open court with a jam.

Niagara extended their defense looking to chip into eight-point deficit. The Griffs patiently worked the ball from side to side. With the shot clock running down, Belardo stepped through a double team at the top of the key and, once again, found Coles in the left corner for another trey.

Canisius kept up the pressure.

Coles switched roles with Belardo and found Alshwan Hymes in the left corner for another trifecta and a 63-49 lead with a little more than two minutes remaining.

Frazier put an exclamation point on the victory when he slipped behind Kashief Edwards. Belardo threaded a pass through the Niagara 2-3 zone, and Frazier finished with an under-the-basket left-handed dunk.

The win was the second  in a row for a Canisius team that looked snake-bitten just a week ago dropping their third league contest in twelve days in the game’s final moments.

“It comes back to the meeting we had with coach about seniors stepping up and leading the group,” Coles commented. ” We’ve all played over 100 games. We know what it’s like to be in games. We’ve been blown out, We’ve won close games, so when we’re out on the floor in the crunch time, we’ve already had that type of experience. We know what to do. It’s like second nature.”

Canisius will look to build upon its momentum for the final eight conference games of the season, and for the seniors, their career.

“We’ve waited a long time to get to the point where we were a sound team,” added head coach, Tom Parrotta. “You do have to point out to seniors to savor these moments. You’ve got to savor this because you don’t know what could happen.”

The Griffs jumped to an early 8-2 edge. Belardo hit Coles below the foul-line extended, and the native of Harlem, New York hit his first of four from behind the arc.

Two trips later, Belardo came off a ball screen at the top and nailed a three.

Coles finished a drive along the baseline with a thunderous dunk, and the Griffs were off and running.

But the Purple Eagles wouldn’t go away.

With freshman, Marvin Jordan and senior, Anthony Nelson leading the way, Niagara clawed their way back and tied the game at 41-41.

Jordan scored 20 of his career-high 23 after the break. The freshman from Peoria, Illinois opened the latter stanza connecting on his first three of four shots from behind the arc. In all, Jordan hit five from long range.

Nelson, Niagara’s leading scorer, assisted on two of Jordan’s baskets, knocked down a pair of free throws and picked a pair of steals to key the rally.

But the senior guard was forced to the bench when picked up his fourth foul at the 8:56 mark and the game tied.

Canisius responded with a 10-3 win.

“They did what they had to win, and we did what we had to lose,” Niagara coach, Joe Mihalich commented. “They made the plays. They made the shots, and we didn’t.”

Mihalich continued talking about the importance of Nelson’s presence on the floor.

“We need him on the floor just to have a chance. We’re in a sword fight with a butter knife any way. We take Anthony out of the game, and it’s a tough mountain to climb.”

“We didn’t play our best game today,” Parrotta added. “A lot of that had to do with what Niagara was doing. A lot of credit goes to them. They’re a very talented team.”

The 15-point margin was the Griffs’ largest home victory over their cross-town rivals since an 84-65 triumph on February 2nd, 1995.

Canisius outrebounded Niagara 37-29. The Griffs have not had the edge on the boards since a 40-30 glass edge in the 85-52 win over Northwestern State on December 29th.

Coles finished with 20. It was the 11th time in the senior’s career he has eclipsed the 20-point plateau.

Logins had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th career double-double.

Belardo finished with a career-high seven points to go with 11 points.

Frazier also added 11 including a spectacular dunk in the first half.  The Griffs quickly got out in transition after a three by the Purple Eagles. Hymes caught Belardo in stride with a diagonal pass over the defense, and the Canisius point guard in turn led Frazier with an alley oop. The play was reminiscent of Frazier’s dunk a year ago when the senior was featured on number one on ESPN’s top te plays of the day.

Robert Goldsberry went down in the first half and was helped off the court when he banged his head in a scramble on the floor. The senior did not return to the game, and his condition is being evaluated.

Canisius improves to 4-6 in MAAC play and 10-10 overall. The Griffs travel to Connecticut to play first-place Fairfield on Monday.

Canisius made national news when Frank Turner earned his master’s degree after four years of work at the Buffalo campus. Current seniors, Coles, Frazier,  Goldsberry, Logins and Vazquez-Simmons all completed their four-year degrees last spring. The five seniors are in line to get their master’s by the end of the next semester.

By Paul Gotham

Three weeks remain before Selection Sunday. Time to consider ‘the last four in’, ‘the last four out’, and maybe even “four score and seven years ago.”

Okay, so the last one was irrelevant.

After the conferences determine their automatic bids, 34 spots remain for the tournament selection committee to decide.

This year has the makings for multiple bids from conferences outside the big six conferences.

The Pac 10 has no team with less than eight losses.  The SEC has one very good team (Kentucky), one pretty good team (Vanderbilt), and a team that could win a game in the tournament (Tennessee).

The ACC even looks pedestrian. Syracuse is the best of  five strong Big East teams. After that? There is a drop-off.

Kansas is the best team in the country. Kansas State is pretty good.  But Texas and Baylor each have six losses. The Big 12 might only get five teams.

Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin should claim spots after Purdue takes the Big Ten.

That leaves plenty of bids for the taking.

The Atlantic 10 looks in position to get a few of those spots as does the Mountain West, Conference USA, and the West Coast.

When all the seeds have shaken down, could the Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference get two teams in the NCAA Tournament?

Two MAAC schools in The Dance is not completely unheard of. Since its inception in 1982 the MAAC has received one at-large bid. After St. Peter’s won the 1995 MAAC tourney, the NCAA tournament selection committee awarded Manhattan an extra spot. The Jaspers proved the committee correct by defeating Oklahoma in the first round.

Recently, MAAC schools have won a game in each of the last three NCAA Tournaments. Niagara won the 2007 play-in game by defeating Florida A&M, 77-69. Since then, Siena has taken two games. The Saints downed Vanderbilt, 83-62 in the 2008 tournament. Villanova beat Siena by eight in the next round. Last year, Fran McCaffery’s squad trimmed Ohio State by two before bowing to Louisville, 79-72.

The conference, and in particular Siena, has had recent success.

Niagara has come on of late. The Purple Eagles record of 16-13 is deceptive. Joe Mihalich’s bunch have fought through a string of injuries and are playing their best basketball at the right time. Niagara ended Siena’s 15-game unbeaten string with a resounding 87-74 triumph. The Purple Eagles have continued with two more wins.  Instead of getting caught up with ending the longest winning streak in the nation, Niagara has used the opportunity to show that win was an accurate representation of their capabilities.

Niagara could be the favorite to take the conference tournament.

Where does that leave Siena?

Opponents will point to Siena’s loss at Butler and their lack of wins against ranked teams. But the Saints have not hid from anyone. Their losses have all come on the road:  at Georgia Tech, at Temple, at Northern Iowa, and at Niagara, and Butler.

Siena’s only shortcoming is the inability to bring a ranked team to their barn.

Niagara is playing their best hoops of the season. Siena has proven themselves worthy.

Can the MAAC get an at-large bid?

By Paul Gotham

It is that time again. Let’s hear from you readers. We had another week of stellar performances.  Pick the ONE that stands out to you, and tell us a story.

Niagara’s Tyrone Lewis grabs my POTW for what he did and what he did not do Friday night.

The Niagara senior guard scored 24 points as the Purple Eagles ended the nation’s longest winning streak with a resounding 87-74 victory over the Siena Saints.

Lewis helped Niagara to a two-point lead at half with a pair of long-range threes and two monster dunks.

But the senior guard did not stop there. He equaled his first-half output seven minutes into the second. His second consecutive three resulted in a Siena timeout.

From there, the Saints extended their defense on Lewis, and the senior guard responded. Instead of shooting his team out of the game, Lewis adjusted and let the rest of the Purple Eagles take over. With Siena defending him 25 feet from the basket, Lewis used the open the floor to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.  His triple started a 15-0 run in which six different Purple Eagles scored.

Siena came into the game winners of their last 15 overall and 18 in MAAC play.

Lewis calmly sank four free throws in the game’s final minutes to seal the victory. He added four assists, three rebounds, and a steal. The native of Levittown, PA. is currently fourth on the all-time Niagara scoring list with 1,749 points. NBA hall-of-famer, Calvin Murphy, ranks No. 1 on the Purple Eagle scoring chart with 2,548 points. ESPN’s Dana O’Neil profiled Lewis recently. Click here for a read of that story.

Who gets your POTW?

By Paul Gotham

Setting: Metro-Atlantic action at the Gallagher Center tonight as Joe Mihalich’s Niagara Purple Eagles (13-13/ 6-8) host Fran McCaffery’s Siena Saints (21-4/ 14-0).

Plot: Four games remain on the MAAC ledger. The Siena are looking to run the table. The Purple Eagles want to get above .500.

Sub-plot: Siena brings the nation’s longest winning streak (15) to the Gallagher. The two teams have won four of the last five conference championships. Since the MAAC expanded to its current lineup in 1997-98, these two schools rank one and two in league wins.

Both teams have plenty of experience. Siena starts three seniors and two juniors. Niagara goes with four seniors and a junior.

Flashback: Edwin Ubiles dropped 25 and Alex Franklin added 20 as Siena beat Niagara earlier this year, 83-65. Siena leads the all-time series, 41-40, but Niagara holds a 24-12 advantage at home.The Purple Eagles handed the Saints their last conference loss a year ago at the Gallagher.

Niagara has made three NCAA Tournament appearances (‘70, ‘05, ‘07). The Purple Eagles reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1970.  Siena has earned consecutive berths to the tournament and won a game each year. Last year, Siena held a four-point advantage on Louisville with seven minutes remaining before bowing 79-72.

Foreshadowing: Eleven Purple Eagles have graduated to the National Basketball Association, including hall-of-famer, Calvin Murphy. Siena has had six former players taken in the N.B.A. draft.

Conflict: Siena has won 40 in a row when holding opponents under 70 points. Niagara averages 71.6 per contest. Siena will use a run-and-jump from time to time. Niagara starts three senior guards.

Alex Franklin (16.2) leads four Saints in double figures. Ryan Rossiter averages a double-double (14.1ppg and 10.5rpg). Edwin Ubiles and Clarence Jackson add 15 and 13 points respectively for McCaffery’s Saints.

Ronald Moore leads the nation with eight assists per game.

Four other Saints average double figure minutes off the bench. Kyle Downey, O.D. Anosike, Owen Wignot, and Kyle Griffin combine for 13 points and seven and a half rebounds.

Tyrone Lewis leads Niagara with 16 points a game. The senior has hit 57 three pointers on the season. Villanova transfer, Bilal Benn, gets 13 points and 9.8 boards per contest. Rob Garrison scores 10 points and four rebounds for the Purple Eagles.

Anthony Nelson adds 10 points and dishes out five per night for Mihalich’s crew.

Demetrius Williamson rounds out the starting five with nine points and 4.4 rebounds.

Kashief Edwards and Austin Cooley come off the bench. The pair combine for 12 points and five rebounds.

Resolution: Injuries have kept Niagara from finding their rhythm all season. Mihalich finally his lineup set. Siena’s defenses will not surprise Niagara’s experienced back-court. The Purple Eagles need a victory and tonight’s opportunity should galvanize this team. With the game televised on ESPN2, Siena’s fifteen game win streak will end tonight.

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By Paul Gotham

Setting: It’s the ‘Battle of the Bridge Part II’ as Tom Parrotta takes his Canisius Golden Griffins (11-12/ 6-6) north on I-290 for a tilt with Joe Mihalich and his Niagara Purple Eagles (12-12/ 5-7).

Plot: The meeting is the second in seven days for the Metro-Atlantic Conference rivals divided by just 21 miles.

Sub-plot: Canisius is tied for fourth in the MAAC. Siena leads the charge with a 12-0 ledger. Niagara beat Loyola on Sunday, but the Purple Eagles have dropped three of their last four.  Canisius fell to Iona on Monday. The Griffs have split their last six games.

School records are on the line. Tomas Vazquez-Simmons needs just one block to pass Michael Meeks at the top (183) of the Canisius list. Frank Turner brings 550 career assists into the contest. Javone ‘Bam’ Moore heads the Griff list with 551.

Tyrone Lewis is sixth on Niagara’s all-time scoring list with 1,689 points. Cal Murphy leads the way with 2,548 points.

Flashback: With 20 points, Elton Frazier led three Griffs in double figures as Canisius beat Niagara in overtime 73-70.  Frank Turner added 18 and Julius Coles chipped in 16 for the win.

Niagara leads the series 94-72 and have taken 12 of the last 14.

Foreshadowing: Eleven Purple Eagles have graduated to the National Basketball Association, including hall-of-famer, Calvin Murphy. Eleven Golden Griffins have laced them up in the Association. Most recently, Mike Smrek played seven seasons in the NBA.

Niagara has made three NCAA Tournament appearances (’70, ’05, ’07). The Purple Eagles reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1970. Canisius has ‘danced’ four times (’55, ’56, ’57, ’96). Under Joe Curran, Canisius reached back-to-back Elite Eights in ’55 and ’56.

Conflict: A week ago, Niagara made just nine of 38 attempts from behind the three-point arc. The Purple Eagles average 31 percent from long range. Will Niagara be more disciplined in their shot selection this time around?

Canisius made nine of 17 free throws last Friday, and that does not include misses on the front end of one-and-ones. Can the Griffs improve?

Turner leads the Griffs with 16.9 points per game. His assist to turnover ratio (1.5:1) is deceiving. The turnovers he commits are usually sins of aggression. Turner sees the floor well and creates open spaces with passes up the floor. Some of these passes end up out bounds, but do not create lay ups for opponents.  Turner’s miscues allow his teammates to reset the defense.

Elton Frazier is a tireless worker who runs the floor both ways. Frazier averages nine points and 5.5 rebounds. His contributions should not be limited to the stat sheet. It is Frazier that defenses must account for in transition. His commitment to running the floor creates gaps in the defense that the 5’10″ Turner can exploit.

Go Griffs!

Julius Coles averages 15 points and just under five rebounds. At 6’4″ and 183 pounds, Coles is a slender player. He possesses a quick and accurate shot from behind the three-point arc. He can present match-up problems because smaller guards find it difficult to get a hand in his face. Coles is an active rebounder who grabs shot or two that goes long.

Vazquez-Simmons and Robert Goldsberry round out the starting five. Vazquez chips in nearly six points and five and a half rebounds. Goldsberry has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.9:1. The junior has only hit 13 three-pointers for the year, but many of those are timely. Defenses can not lose track of Goldsberry. He is capable of hitting the open shot.

Greg Logins provides valuable minutes off the bench. The junior scores 9.6 points and grabs 6.1 rebounds.

Lewis leads a starting five with nearly everyone scoring in doubles figures. The senior has hit 50 threes this year and averages 16.7 points per game.

Rob Garrison and Anthony Nelson create a two-headed play-making monster that gives opponents fits. The duo combine for almost ten assists per game while limiting turnovers to five.

Bilal Benn leads the Purple Eagle way with 9.6 rebounds. The Villanova transfer pours in 14 points a game.

Demetrius Williamson chips in 9.6 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Kashief Edwards and Austin Cooley come off the bench and combine for 12 points and nearly six rebounds.

Resolution: Niagara enters play tonight with a negative rebound margin of 3.2. Last week, the Purple Eagles out-rebounded the Griffs, 43-36, including 18-12 on the offensive boards. Canisius will need to keep Niagara off the glass and finish at the line.

The Purple Eagles will need to use their size advantage in the lane.  Last week, the Purple Eagles took more than half (38 of 75) of their shots from behind the arc.

Expect Niagara to pound the ball inside, but Canisius will answer with Vazquez-Simmons, Frazier, and Bogins. The last time Canisius swept the season series was ’94-’95. The Griffs are ready to end that streak tonight.

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