Patch

MIKEDANES04 Welcome aboard, hopefully you can get some of your friends to the games and get some involved on the board. Next year will be a break out year with "Das Big Man", Lucious Jordan and the Fab 4 recruits. When or if you graduate(only kidding) and leave the area - now that your on the board you can keep up with what's going on and express your personal feelings. Again Welcome and Go Danes - If we get healthy this year will start the turn around.

No matter what the cause Wyatt, "Q" and Knotts have to do alot better than a combined 2 Defensive rebounds in 80 minutes of playing time. Wyatt in my opinion while physical in appearance plays soft and knuckles under when the going gets tough. Knotts just hasn't got it done, hopefully he'll start realizing his potential and use his 250lbs of bulk to get some rebounds and maybe he'll find a way to make a shot or two. "Q" - it was his first DI game so I'm cutting him some slack but he has to assert himself on the glass and start getting to the offensive boards and leave the jump shooting to someone else. Pipikis plays 1 minute and gets cut around the eye and can't return - I shouldn't say this but it seems he went to the Chris Wyatt "School of Toughness" you can tell they were recruited by the same guy (Beeten). Pip will be gone at the end of this year and Wyatt, Knotts and "Q" better prove themselves this year because they may "NEVER" see the court next year with Zoellner, Dyson and B. Wilson in the wings.

I think you guys who got seated in poor areas at the Pepsi should let the Athletic Department know and respectfully express your concerns. Now is the time for the Athletic Department to start to work out some of the "Kinks" so when we are good (and hopefully that will be soon) our loyal fans will not have their spirits dampened because of oversights of the department. I have to say they did do a nice job with the "T" Shirts and the fan support was vocally the best of any of the 3 Siena Games. Go Danes

It just shows how close we were to winning it all again. I'm sure Coach Ford will get us a few solid Quarterback candidates for next season.

For the first time in the three year series I felt a very strong UA presence at the Pepsi. Hopefully that carries over to our home games. It would be nice to start to build a fan base so as we get better the crowd is ready to handle a winner And the RACC carries a home court advantage rather than a scrimmage atmosphere.

Outrebounded 30-12 in the 2nd half where were Wyatt, "Q" and Knotts? I know Siena's front line is huge but Levi scrapped for 10 Boards and Martin as a freshman fought for 9. The 3 afore mentioned combined for 2 defensive boards in 80 minutes. We need and really should expect a little more help and effort from them.

Brown talked about Phase I as being last year - Wilson and Levine. Phase II is Iati, who is going to be a fun player to watch for 4 years and Martin who will be a very good player for the Danes for the next 4 years Phase III will be the 6 new players in uniform next season. The Danes competed hard but were totally dominated in the second half inside. With Siena getting 9 or so put back baskets they still only shot 38%. If Jamar was on the court besides scoring he would have opened up alot of opportunities for Iati and Levine and the Danes would have been in the contest the whole way. Siena's depth beat us as much as their talent. Though we have glaring weaknesses I thought it was evident that we will be competitive on most nights in the AE.

"AMEN DOWNTON" Let's have alot less talk about next year and let's concentrate on this year. I'm very interested in how true Freshmen Iati and Martin perform tonight. Iati has a great deal of pressure on him with Jamar out and what I saw from the scrimmage(exhibiton game) I think Martin is going to be a very good AE player. We must be patient and give the nerwcomers time to adjust. This is an interesting group (we know what Levine and Wilson bring to the table): Wyatt could be an impact player if he stays healthy. Pipkis can give us a Big body for a few minutes a game "Q" is an exciting athlete. Knotts should be much better than last year when he was cutting his DI teeth. Courtney Johnson a 2 year starter at Bishop Loughlin has faced some great comp already I hear Marvin Cheese can shoot it pretty decent. Let's root these guys on to a successful season!!!!

Conratulations to: Ashley DeNeal for being named ROY in Volleyball. No doudt UA has a comprehensive Athletic Program unlike Siena

IF, IF, IF........ Levine plays solid and stays out of foul trouble Iati fights off his nervousness and shoots decently Wyatt, Martin, "Q" and Knotts fight for their lives on the glass We'll be hanging around with about 5 minutes to go and then it's anybodies game. Stranger things have happened!!!!!

Nice avatar better attitude While Siena tries to insult us with their adds - they are shaking in their boots knowing the Great Dane is going to POOP all over them soon. They better enjoy it now because their day of reckoning is coming. When we have our full compliment of players they'll be sorry they reside in the same neighborhood as us.

I believe this is the third and final year of the UA/Siena contract, hopefully it will be renewed. Siena was the home team for games 1 and 3. UA was the home team last year.

reeder - you're absolutely correct A front line of Zoellner, Dyson and Levine sounds pretty good to me for next year!!! But what's even better is in case of foul trouble in the wings we'll have 6'8"Brent Wilson, 6'8" Jamaal Hughes, 6'7"Todd Martin, 6'6"Knotts, 6'6""Q", 6'6" Wyatt and 6'5" Brian Lillis. That's next year let's hope we can serve notice this year that things are getting better at UA! A win over Siena would be AWESOME!!!

Like they did with Coach Ford during football they have audio called "Will's Words" and "Trina's Take" on the bottom of the Athletic Home Page. A nice additon!!! I complain when they don't do things so I better acknowledge when they do well!

Dane Pound match ups are going to be tough but here's what I predict and I'm not even sure these are the starters!!!! 1. Iati vs Jackson 2. Levine vs Mitchell 3. "Q" vs Jordan 4. Martin vs Miller (Major Bulk mismatch) 5. Wyatt vs Haddix If Sniezyk replaces Miller (Bulk mismatch is worse) Expect to see alot of different Zone looks from the Danes but they have to be careful Siena has alot of three point shooters in Mitchell, Jordan, Andrews, Beers etc. Siena won't hesitate to shoot threes even with their size last year the avg. 17 3pfg per contest and shot a respectable 35%. Last year they took over 20 threes against us. Should be very interesting.

DOWNTOWN Don't read too much into the Jamaal Hughes situation. As for the Siena game Hughes and Pipikis are our only 2 big bodies so it will hurt not having them. We have been huge underdogs the last 2 games and somehow Coach Brown has found a way to keep us in the contest. This year without the 2 big bodies and without Jamar Wilson - Brown will really have to be a Houdini to keep us in it. But I do believe Danes fans like me want to see Iati, Martin and walkons "Q" and Courtney Johnson in live action. Siena will be the first taste of action at this level for all four of them. They have this game and Pittsburgh to get the jitters out and then we have a stretch of about 5 games that we should be very competitive in and hopefully we'll have Wilson back. We have talent we just don't have size right now.

Tomorrow's Siena Game could be a repeat of the previous two games. How are we going to rebound??????? Levi will give us his customary 6 boards. Chris Wyatt ( if he doesn't get hurt) is going to have to grab 8 or 9 boards(?) "Q" is going to have to grab atleast 6(?) Todd Martin if he plays great might get (8???) If Knotts were to play super and get 6(?) [Remeber - last year Wyatt and Wilson were our leaders of the boards with "4"] That gives us a total of 35 - Siena has averaged 48 in the past 2 games No Hughes or Wilson really sucks and a hobbled Pipikis makes a short bench even shorter. Atleast the season is finally here - Let's hope all the Danes have career nights!!!!!

More on Joe Dyson November 19, 2003 Albany Strikes Gold in the First State By Rob Matera rob@hoopmasters.com The University at Albany landed a big fish in a small pond this week when they signed a 6'9 Center from Delaware. 6'9 230 lbs. C Joe Dyson from the Sanford School in Hockessin, DE signed with Albany over interest from Houston and Duquesne. Larger schools like Providence, Rutgers, and Charlotte were interested in Dyson as a spring recruit, however Dyson wanted to end the process and is comfortable with coach Will Brown and the Great Danes. Dyson is the centerpiece of an impressive four man fall recruiting class at Albany and, if he lives up to his vast potential, should challenge for rookie of the year honors in the America East conference. Joe will join 6'2 guard David Bauman from Freeport HS in Sarver, PA,; 6'5 G/F Brian Lillis from West Des Moines Dowling HS in Urbandale, IA; and 6'8 forward Brent Wilson from Prairie HS in Cedar Rapids, IA at Albany next season. Dyson averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds per game last season playing second fiddle to 6'8 Villanova freshman PF Will Sheridan, but this year he will assume a bigger leadership role. Joe was honorable mention All State as a junior last year. TALK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE NOW ON THE HOOPMASTERS FORUMS!

On Roger Wyland's Radio Show Coach Brown raved about John Iati. Personally I am shocked - Brown is usually reserved. Last year he was high on Jamar and Levi but was pretty low key about them other than saying they'd be good. He hyped them when their play proved that they were good. I hope the Iati can handle it. Like it or not he's a marked man and he's never played a college game, and he's really not in tip-top game shape yet as he's only been cleared for contact in the last week and in the last scrimmage played with a shoulder brace under a "T" shirt.

I hope Iati doesn't think he has to live up to all the HYPE, as Brown said, on the radio today, he is going to have a great career at UA. I hope he doesn't feel he's being judged by one game against Siena. Evidently Brown feels the kid is special because he didn't hype Jamar before last years start. I think Todd Martin will have a solid effort against Siena and will have a very good frosh year. Wilson and Levine last year had great frosh seasons. Iati and Martin this year could do the same - if they do I think it's justifiable that we can be excited about next year's freshman recruits. When Wilson and Hughes are back in the mix I think double digit wins this year are very possible.

Danes' Iati gets green light Freshman point guard is UAlbany's outside threat By MARK SINGELAIS, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 ALBANY -- No one had to convince Jon Iati to shoot the basketball in high school. He scored a school-record 2,216 points during his stellar career at York (Pa.) Catholic. Of course, that mentality has to change now that Iati is a freshman point guard for the University at Albany. He must think pass first and work his way slowly into the offense. Right? Dead wrong. University at Albany coach Will Brown is encouraging Iati, who is 5-foot-9, 162 pounds, to shoot early and often for the Great Danes to be successful this season. Iati will be in the starting lineup when the Great Danes open their season at 8 p.m. Friday against Siena College at Pepsi Arena. "You can't ask for anything else, I guess, when the coach kind of gives you the green light (to shoot)," Iati said after Tuesday's practice. Brown said he actually yelled at Iati during preseason scrimmages against Canisius and the Big Apple All-Stars because he was passing up shots. "I told him, 'I'll tell you when you take a bad shot,' " Brown said. " 'Right now, any time you have an inch (of space), you need to let it go.' " The lesson must have taken hold. Brown said that Iati hit six 3-pointers in 20 minutes against Canisius and shot 7-for-15 from behind the arc against the Big Apple All-Stars. No official stats were kept in either scrimmage. "He's not a good, he's a tremendous perimeter shooter," Brown said. It's a threat the Great Danes (7-21 last season) didn't have at that position a year ago. Former point guard Earv Opong was very quick but didn't have a reliable jump shot, which allowed teams to back off him and double-team other players. Brown said he needs Iati to take at least 10 shots per game, especially with star sophomore shooting guard Jamar Wilson out with a fractured kneecap suffered in practice Nov. 6. Wilson is expected to miss at least Friday's game and the Nov. 28 contest at the University of Pittsburgh. Wilson will be re-evaluated next week. With walk-on Courtney Johnson the primary backup at point guard, Brown said it's possible Iati could play the entire game on Friday. It will be a test for Iati's surgically-repaired shoulder. Iati underwent an operation Aug. 6 to repair a torn labrum in his right (shooting) shoulder. Iati only has been cleared to practice with contact for about a week. Brown said Iati still is worried about reinjuring the shoulder, a mental hurdle he'll have to clear. "It feels good," Iati said. "I did three months of rehab on it, so everything's good. It's fully healed. It did (worry me) the first day back, but I know that I can take a good shot (on the shoulder). I'm not worried about that at all." The other concern is whether Iati's confidence will hold up as well as his shoulder because he'll be making his first career start in front of an expected crowd of more than 10,000 people for this regional rivalry. Iati said the largest crowd he played in front of was 4,000 in a high school state playoff game. "I'm sure I'm going to be a little nervous, but hopefully once the game starts, that will go away," Iati said. coach Rob Lanier hasn't seen Iati play, but has heard about his outside shot. Iati averaged 23.7 points and 5.0 assists per game as a high school senior last year. "He's got a reputation as a great shooter," Lanier said. "Any time there's somebody on the floor who can shoot the ball, you'd have to honor that." : Brown said sophomore forward/center Jamal Hughes "probably" won't play Friday because he is home in Rochester tending to "family and personal" matters. Brown said the 6-foot-8 Hughes might have started.

I'm upset I won't be able to attend the luncheon tomorrow. Working for a living sucks. I hope one or more of our posters will be present and report on this site what transpires. I hope someone presses Brown on his expectations for this year's team on the boards. Also will Wilson, Levine and Iati share the ball?

Bring back the "POUND"

Albany Observer If you observe hoop at Albany so much, you should understand that Albany has never put a true DI team on the floor since day 1. The first 2 DI coaches just didn't get it done. Scott Hicks left for Greener Pastures and turned them into a manure pile. Scott Beeten left Albany in a chaotic state. Will Brown has brought some stability and a sense of vision for the program. Some fans, myself included, have bought into what's going on. Right know everything looks good on paper. Take the roster for 04/05 and compare it "on paper" with any team UA has had at the DI level and maybe you can see why some of us are excited.

DaneFan2K3 Again you astutely recognize a problem but offer no solution!!! Pipikis and Hughes are out - why and for how long I don't know. If Wyatt goes down we're forced to go another season small and suffer the consequences. You are a master at stating the obvious!!!!!