Owls take to the water for chemistry
PHILADELPHIA – Team-building and chemistry is an important part of any sports team, and with that in mind, Temple head coach Fran Dunphytook his 2011-12 men’s basketball squad to the Schuylkill River Friday for an early morning exercise with the Owls’ men’s crew team.
“I want to thank our men’s crew coaches Gavin White and Brian Perkins, as well as the members of their fine team, for taking the time to work with my players today,” Temple head coach Fran Dunphy said. “Crew is clearly the ultimate team sport, and our goal in doing this exercise was to give our players a sense of how everyone must work together in order to succeed.”
The Owls arrived at the river at the crack of dawn. The morning started with a brief training and tutorial session by the Temple crew staff. White and Perkins went over technique and safety instructions with the men’s basketball players before a session on the ergometer machines. The Owls then went on the river, under the guidance of White, Perkins and varsity rowers, for an hour workout.
Dunphy shaves his mustache to honor Dionte Christmas
PHILADELPHIA – Temple University men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy fulfilled a promise made to his star player, Dionte Christmas, back in 2009, and shaved his signature mustache Friday morning in front of a packed Al Shrier Media Room in the Liacouras Center. Dunphy, who has had his mustache since 1971, had told Christmas that he would shave his mustache if he graduated from Temple. Christmas, who scored 2,043 points in his four-year career (2005-09), completed his bachelor’s degree in African American studies in August.
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Former Flyer Wright gets USA basketball invite
The University of Dayton’s Chris Wright is among the 21 players who have been selected to take part in training camp with the USA’s Pan American Games team.
The 6’8” forward graduated from UD this past spring. Chris Wright’s senior season capped off one of the most memorable careers in Dayton history. His UD teams reached the post-season each year he played. He played in three NIT tournaments and one NCAA tournament. He led the team to an NIT championship in 2010 and an NCAA second round appearance in 2009. Wright averaged 13.2 points and a career-high 8.4 rebounds per game in his final season as a Flyer.
Wright finished his UD career 15th all-time in scoring with 1,601 points in 123 career games. He finished 10th in career rebounds with 886. Wright is the school record holder in career blocks with 162, career blocks per game at 1.32, and career dunks with 177. Wright is one of the rare players to earn all-conference honors after each of his four seasons.
Fabrizius, Johnson, Parker and Williams named UD captains
DAYTON, Ohio — University of Dayton men’s basketball coach Archie Miller has named his four seniors – forwards Luke Fabrizius and Chris Johnson, and guards Josh Parker and Paul Williams – team captains for the 2011-12 season.
“All four of these young men exemplify what our program is about,” Miller said. “They have a wealth of experience, a lot of pride in the University of Dayton and our basketball program. They have done a great job in leading our team on and off the court from the first day I came here.
They have embraced us as a new coaching staff and allowed us to push them. All of them will be an integral part of our season in so many ways.”
Coaches and friends to reunite at BB&T Classic
George Washington men’s basketball head coach Mike Lonerganhas made some important decisions during his 24 years of coaching basketball.
In 2005, he left Gary Williams and the University of Maryland for a head coaching job at the University of Vermont, where he won an America East Championship and reached the postseason four times, among other accolades, in his six seasons.
And in 2011, Lonergan returned to the District to become head coach of GW men’s basketball, a program he followed during his days as a student and later head basketball coach at Catholic University.
SLU’s Jensen named head coach for Canton NBA D-League squad
ST. LOUIS – Alex Jensen, who has spent the previous four seasons on Rick Majerus’ men’s basketball staff at Saint Louis University, has been named head coach of the new Canton NBA Development League franchise, the organization announced today.
“Al Jensen indicated to me that he wanted to go in a different direction with his career and pursue this NBA opportunity presented by the Cleveland Cavaliers to coach for Canton,” Majerus said. “Al did a great job for us. He is an outstanding coach and will certainly be missed, but you have to seize the opportunity when it’s available. The team, the Billiken basketball community and I wish him success and thank him for the fantastic job he did for us.”
Xavier unveils Musketeer madness logo
CINCINNATI – Xavier Athletics today unveiled a new logo for Musketeer Madness presented by Skyline Chili. Musketeer Madness is the annual tip-off event for men’s and women’s basketball. This year’s event will be on Saturday, October 22 at Cintas Center. It has become a showcase event for Xavier basketball and attracts alumni, students, parents and fans of all ages.
Coaches vs. Cancer Southwest Ohio Tip-Off Breakfast set for Nov. 2
Southwest Ohio — Southwest Ohio college basketball fans, your opportunity has arrived to hear about your favorite team’s upcoming season. Area basketball coaches Charlie Coles (Miami University), Mick Cronin (University of Cincinnati), Billy Donlon (Wright State University), Chris Mack (Xavier) and Archie Miller (University of Dayton), will debate and discuss the season. The event is a local Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser and part of these coaches’ joint efforts to join the fight against cancer.
XU schedule ranked toughest
“Chris Mack is either insane or a genius. Come March, we’ll know which one. He’s got a first-class team with a first-class nonconference schedule. The fact that there are just three games in ‘the rest’ category says it all. After those initial three games, X faces off with five straight NCAA tourney teams from last season (UGA, Vandy, Purdue, Butler, Cincinnati), then gets Summit League favorite ORU, then a trip to Hawaii to face off with Big West favorite Long Beach State and likely Clemson or Kansas State eventually. Oh, and then the Musketeers come back stateside for a New Year’s Eve date with Gonzaga. That is some 10-game stretch. Throw in the February trip to Memphis and you’ve got yourself a battle-tested group for March.”
Brian Grant’s resolve firm, hopeful
Brian Grant rattles off surgeries, their scars his gritty keepsakes of 12 years spent battling even bigger bodies beneath baskets from Portland to Miami and every NBA city in between.
“Right knee, had that done the first time at Xavier, then three more times,” he said. “Left knee, twice. Right shoulder, three times. And one hernia surgery. I call it the beat-down syndrome.”
None of these maladies weigh on Grant, 39. He retired from the NBA in 2006.
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Realignment buzz hits A-10
Thamel said that A-10 members Charlotte, Richmond and George Washington were contacted informally to gauge interest in joining the Colonial Athletic Association. He also wrote that the A-10 “expressed informal interest” in adding CAA schools George Mason and Virginia Commonwealth.
Miller is shifting gears
Archie Miller has made a bundle of public appearances, spent hours developing a rapport with his players and thrown himself full-bore into recruiting since becoming the University of Dayton basketball coach in April.
And while he’s still a month from coaching his first game, he did tackle one more responsibility of the job this week: conduct his first staff meeting.
Miller said he and his assistants have been so focused on acquiring new players that they hadn’t met to discuss how they planned to coach the ones already on board.
UD co-captain stresses team unity
Josh Parker normally smiles more often than a model in a toothpaste commercial, but even he had trouble keeping an upbeat attitude while playing basketball for the University of Dayton last season.
The Flyers were plagued by internal strife while finishing 22-14 overall and 7-9 in the Atlantic 10 after being picked fourth in the league preseason poll. Two disgruntled freshmen transferred when the season ended.
Mooney: more twists and turns likely coming in league shake-ups
If Big East Conference basketball schools break away from those that compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the University of Richmond may be considered for membership in the non-football group, which would include Georgetown, Villanova, Seton Hall, Marquette, St. John’s, DePaul, Providence and, perhaps, Notre Dame (football independent).
Mooney remaking Spiders again
Since the end of last basketball season, University of Richmond coach Chris Mooney periodically was asked, “Why are you still at Richmond?”
Mooney, 39 and a Princeton graduate, has resurrected the Spiders’ program during his six seasons. The first two concluded with losing records. But UR showed gradual improvement, capped by the 2011 Atlantic 10 Conference championship, advancement to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, and a 29-8 record.
Rivals.com ranks Temple #25
Temple is a veteran team with only one starter gone (F Lavoy Allen). With four returning players who averaged in double digits last season, the Owls won’t lack for offense, especially in the backcourt. The guard tandem of Juan Fernandez (11.2 points per game) and Ramone Moore (15.2 ppg) is one of the best in the country. Fernandez is a true point guard, but both topped 100 assists. Moore is continuing to develop as a go-to scorer. Off the bench, Khalif Wyatt was the A-10’s sixth man of the year. He could be a starter this season if Temple opts for a smaller lineup.
GW gig is dream job for Lonergan
Karl Hobbs’ nightmare was Mike Lonergan’s dream.
Hobbs said in August, at a Jim Calhoun golf outing in Connecticut, that he had no idea he was going to get fired in late April, weeks after the normal coaching carousel takes a turn.
Lonergan anticipated that something could occur at George Washington. He had a hunch after longtime athletic director Jack Kvancz retired and the school hired America East commissioner Patrick Nero as his replacement.
Lonergan was right. Hobbs was out.
And after getting through a two-man race with Kansas assistant Joe Dooley, who had plenty of support after playing at GW, Lonergan was finally at peace in his college coaching career.
Signed, sealed, delivered: Xavier 2011-12
“N.B.A. or bust. He has tremendous skill. He reminds of a bigger Eric Gordon. If he has learned a work ethic, they have an N.B.A player. He can shoot it. He can handle it. He can pass it. He can post. There’s nothing he can’t do as a two-guard. He’s an A-10 rookie-of-the-year talent. I coached him in a game when he scored 42.”
Signed, sealed, delivered: La Salle 2011-12
“He’s a terrific player. He has great awareness and instincts around the basket. He can pop out to fifteen feet. He could make an impact at La Salle in his freshman year. He can score with both hands. He’s a good rebounder and a great shot blocker.”
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