For Men's Basketball, The Stage Is Set For Run At Third-Consecutive Conference Championship
When the Elms College men's basketball team steps on the floor to begin the 2010-11 season, the Blazers will have their sights set on winning their seventh consecutive conference title and making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament in seven years.
Elms, coming off the team's second-highest win total (24) during the 2009-10 season, narrowly missed the NCAA tournament but won the program's first-ever Eastern College Athletics Conference (ECAC) Championship title.
Entering his 10th season as head coach of the Blazers, Ed Silva has guided his teams to 20-plus wins in each of the last six seasons and since his arrival in 2001, Coach Silva has amassed an impressive 168-85 overall record.
Elms returns eight players to the court for the upcoming campaign including tri-captains senior forward Juan Alverio (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico), senior guard Arsenio Avant (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) and junior guard Bryant Corcoran (Wolcott, Conn.). The Blazers also welcome back senior guard Daniel Gonzalez (East Windsor, Conn.) whose 37.9-percent sharpshooting from three-point range during the 2008-09 season helped Elms to a 26-2 mark, the program's highest win total since its inception in 1998.
With a stellar cast of returners and a complement of 10 newcomers, the stage is set for the Blazers make a run at its third consecutive New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championship and earn the league's first automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
FRONT COURT
Elms' front court will be anchored by Alverio who provided an impact primarily on the defensive end of the court last season hauling in 115 rebounds, swatting 19 shots and collecting 33 steals.
Senior forward Edgar Martinez (Springfield, Mass.) made a solid impact in his first season after transferring from Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) amassing 127 rebounds while contributing 9.4 points per game, a total of 24 blocks and 29 steals.
Sophomore forwards Jamal Hulum (Reston, Va.) and Darius Griffin (Winter Haven, Fla.) saw action as role players a year ago and will provide depth and leadership in the front court in 2010-11.
Junior forward Armani Appolon (Miramar, Fla.), sophomore forward David McDaniel (Plainfield, N.J.) and freshmen forwards Brian Onukwugha (West Hartford, Conn.) and Isaiah Odunlami (Providence, R.I.) will all make their collegiate debut.
Sophomore DaSean Brown (Hartford, Conn.) and freshman Carson Miller (New Oxford, Pa.) will take on the center duties for Elms. At 6-feet-9-inches and 6-feet-8-inches respectively, Brown and Miller will provide the unit with strength, height and depth which will help fill the void left by the Blazers' graduated seniors of 2009-10.
BACKCOURT
The guard play will feature returning starters Corcoran and sophomore Brittain Purcelle (Tarrytown, N.Y.) who combined to score 400 points last season.
Gonzalez's heart-stopping three-point shooting will be a nice offset to the intense defense that Avant plays as the two will look to provide the Blazers with fast-break opportunities.
Sophomore Walter Mfuko (Amherst, Mass.) will add a year of experience, while freshmen Kevin Brown (New Haven, Conn.), Jordan Robinson (Plainsboro, N.J.) and Josh Mills (Windsor, Conn.) will each see their first collegiate action during the upcoming campaign.
Question and Answer with Coach Silva
Q.) Talk about the depth of this squad heading into the 2010-11 season?
A.) Well, I think that as the season moves along we hope to build the type of depth that we are accustomed to. We have a number of young, inexperienced players who have been working extremely hard every day in practice.
Q.) Which newcomer(s) need to step in and fill an immediate void left by the graduating class?
A.) I think we definitely are going to need some help at the forward position. David McDaniel is a guy we are hoping to come in and provide defense, rebounding, and some scoring. We also are expecting some solid production from Carson Miller, a center, in the same areas. I think that Dan Gonzalez, who is returning from our 2008-09 team, will also play a significant role at the guard position. There are a number of other newcomers that my staff and I feel are going to be able to contribute as well.
Q.) Talk about the balance of returners and newcomers. How will this balance impact the outlook for the season?
A.) We need to coalesce as a team. This group really got started early as our returners were really involved in the recruitment process and most of the players maintained contact throughout the summer. During the fall, there seemed to be a real brotherhood established. This is crucial for any team. Often, there can be resentment or animosity between new players and returners. This group doesn't give that vibe. Their ability to stay together is a key element in any success we hope to have.
Q.) Heading into the season who has improved the most from last season?
A.) Honestly, I have seen marked improvement in all of our returners. If I had to give a few names, I would say that Brittain Purcelle has really developed his body, skills, and overall feel. I have also seen solid growth in Jamal Hulum and Darius Griffin. Both young men were asked to improve in some areas and came back better. It's a testament to their drive to get better and contribute.
Q.) Which position will be the strongest for the team this season and why?
A. ) If I can change it up a bit, I would like to answer the position we are hoping to get more production out of. We really are hoping that our recruiting addressed our desire to replace our forwards from last year and just add some size to our lineup in general. We are hoping we get consistent production from our front court.
Q.) What will this team bring to the table in 2010-11 that other teams have not in the past? What makes this team unique?
A.) Well, every team is unique. Even if you bring the same guys back, they have all changed in some way in a year's time. When you add new personalities to the mix, the entire dynamic changes. I think we have always tried to be a hard working team that takes pride in playing a particular brand of defense and offense. We will continue to do that. I think the one thing we may bring to the table that's a bit different is size. We are a bit bigger in the front court than in the past and hope to get more production there.
Q.) What is one challenge that the team needs to overcome this year in order to be productive?
A.) We are a relatively young team so experience will be a key obstacle. I love the non-conference schedule we play because I think the quality and diversity of the programs will help prepare us for NECC play. We will be on the road for most of the non-conference schedule. That will allow my staff and I to really see where we are strong and where we need improvement before league play tips off in January.
