Quick hitters as we start 2009:
Holy Cross continues to be beset by injuries. On Tuesday night, Alex Vander Baan didn’t dress for the second straight game due to his continuing back problems, and at this point the Crusaders are planning to hold him out of remaining non-league games. They are also without Eric Meister for about the same duration. The best news is that they are more optimistic that point guard Pat Doherty may be able to return later in the season, although that’s far from a guarantee that he will.
All the while, freshmen R.J. Evans and Devin Brown continue to carry this team. But Brown isn’t a natural point guard and is having a trial by fire at the position, so the Crusaders are having some serious growing pains to go with the great deal of promise the two are showing. Currently, only Colin Cunningham and Adam May have more assists than turnovers.
While knowing a team is young at times can bring about a feeling that things will get better in time, at some point that reality ceases to have much value as an explanation for some of a team’s struggles. New Hampshire head coach Bill Herrion seems to be reaching that point with his team.
“It’s getting a little old,” said the fourth-year head coach recently. “I’m a competitor, I coach hard, I demand a lot. You can’t keep saying that. At some point, we’ve got to figure out how to win these close games. It’s frustrating for everybody. I don’t think we’re a 3-7 team, I think we’re a little better than that, but we are what we are.”
While the Wildcats’ frontcourt has been inconsistent, perhaps the biggest issue has been the point guard spot. Eric Gilchrese has struggled, no doubt in part because his mother just passed away after a long illness. Freshman Russell Graham has shown promise, especially defensively, but he’s still learning the offense.
The Wildcats host Santa Clara on Sunday in the second of two games in the area for the Broncos. The bulk of the Wildcats’ remaining schedule is America East games.
Harvard had to go with a small lineup in its last two games in large part due to injuries and illness. Keith Wright, who hasn’t been very healthy for a lot of the season, missed four games with mono before playing 20 minutes in Wednesday’s loss at William & Mary, and senior Evan Harris has missed the past two games but should return soon. On the plus side, junior Pat Magnarelli, who was injured during early practices and hasn’t played this season, could begin working out soon and rejoin the team at some point during the Ivy League slate.
The Crimson could use some more size for their next game, as Santa Clara comes to town on Friday with star big man John Bryant as the leader of their team.
The latest national prep poll, in which I am a voter, has been released, with a few changes from the preseason one.
- Patterson School (Lenoir, NC) (20-0)
- Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, VA) (12-1)
- Notre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, MA) (14-2)
- Bridgton Academy (North Bridgton, ME) (11-2)
- Northfield Mount Hermon (Northfield, MA) (9-1)
- South Kent School (South Kent, CT) (7-2)
- Tilton School (Tilton, NH) (10-0)
- Winchendon School (Winchendon, MA) (6-4)
- Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, VA) (6-3)
- Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH) (7-5)
Also receiving votes: St. Mark’s School (Southborough, MA), Blair Academy (Blairstown, NJ)
