Patch

DaneFan2k3 I do agree with you that if he gets in game shape he may only be marginally better than he was in the scrimmage and that would be fine with me. Especially when Jamar is back. Iati's ability to shoot the deep 3 will make it more difficult to double on Jamar. Remember Iati was playing with a shoulder harness on in the scrimmage. I don't expect Iati to get near 20 a game - something like 12 a game would be fine. I liked Earv last year and respected him but he was not a threat and opponents often played off him not so this year with Iati's range. As for fact he had something like 27 in the scrimmage. they played 5 - 10:00 minute periods so maybe he played 40 minutes. I don't expect anything like that out of him.

Straight from HoopScoop We also have confirmed that 6'9 Joe Dyson from Hockessin (Sanford) DE, who is ranked #286 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP, has verbally committed to Albany, which already appears to be the fastest rising team in the America East Conference. As a matter of fact, 6'1 Soph Jamar Wilson, who averaged 18.9 ppg and was the Rookie-of-the-Year in the Conference last season; 6'5 Soph Levi Levine, who averaged 13.2 ppg and 6.0 rpg, was one of the better rebounder and scorer in the league a year ago; 5'10 Frosh Jon Iati, who was ranked #27 in our final ranking of the Class of 2003 in the Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania/South Jersey Area, and 6'8 Soph Jamal Hughes, who averaged 8.2 ppg and 6.8 rpg at Brown Mackie (JC) KS; already provide a good foundation for the future. And the story becomes even more interesting when you also find out that Albany also has 7'1 Kirsten Zoellner, who transferred from Boston College to Albany, and 6'2 Lucious Jordan, who transferred from Loyola-Maryland to Albany, both sitting out this year. Did you know that Jordan led the Loyola-Maryland team in scoring with 13.2 ppg as a sophomore last year and was named to the Metro Atlantic Conference All-Rookie Team two years ago and Zoellner, who "has great size, rebounds well, and can challenge shots defensively,"played in six games for Boston College as a freshman last season?

Patch's wish list 1. The Danes get healthy for the entire season, including Wyatt. 2. Wilson, Levine and Iati all play well at the same time in atleast 1/2 our AE games. 3. Knotts is better than I've given him credit for. 4. Double digit wins. 5. Drive Siena nuts this year then the next few years we have ourselves a bonafide rivalry. 6. Sometime in the next three years Wilson and Levine get to play in an AE Championship Game, an NCAA game or a NIT game. They are the cornerstones of the program.

Iati is the real deal, give him some time to adjust to DI play remember he's only a legitimate frosh. He's also coming off shoulder surgery on his shooting side. John Iati is the type of player people will love to watch because he doesn't look like the type of kid who should be able to compete at this level. That's why they say you can't judge a book by its cover. If we get Jamar back healthy it's going to be fun watching Iati, Wilson and Levine together for 3 more years. If we improve on the boards this year there are going to be nights when we drive good teams nuts. Brown and the staff have done a tremendous job recruiting. We are definitely heading in the right direction.

Reeder - I told you "the check was in the mail"!!!! The Dyson signing was the pleasant surprise. With this years top six or seven and the additional six next year Albany becomes a real DI Mid Major Team. Kudos to Brown and his staff.

Well said Tony, this board as most is just the excited fan spouting their feelings and passions, while waiting for the next game or the next season - When for sure we'll win it all!!!

DaneFan2K3 - I agree with your post but please remember the Danes had only 8 suited up and only 7 really got minutes. I think it was great that in his first taste of action at home Iati had to play against Winn . Iati got a little winded as he hasn't gone up and down very often. When Jamar comes back the 3 is Levine's spot and Iati-Wilson and Levine will be a solid group on the perimeter. I was told Iati likes to penetrate more but still is gaining confidence in his shoulder taking contact and I was surprised he shot as well as he did wearing a shoulder harness on his shooting shoulder. If Wyatt stays healthy enough to compete hard for 20 minutes a night, Knotts gets in better shape and "Q" adjusts to playing at this level we'll be competitve much of the time. Martin is fundamentally solid and will only get better as he becomes more comfortable with his role. He should get big minutes. Courtney Johnson did look very comfortable out there and will help the Danes in the backcourt.

Due to only having 8 players dressed for the scrimmage and due to the fact it was a scrimmage alot of intensity was missing. They played 5 10 minute sessions and the score was about even. But.... First of all no Wilson, Pipikis or Hughes. Levi is Levi - he'll get us double digit pts on most nights and will be a warrior. You just hate to see him dribbling in traffic. Chris Wyatt is limited offensively but at times is a real presence on the boards. He seemed to be hampered by a knee injury and had his back wrapped one time when he came out. Knotts looked OK but is still not in the shape of the others. In fact he failed to finish inside a few times probably because of his conditioning. He could be a very good role player if he stays within his role. "Q" was interesting he looked very good and at times he was out of sync. He definitely adds athleticism to the Danes. He runs the court well and gets his hands on alot of balls defensively. John Iati is going to be fun to watch, he can shoot it from deep and seems to be a throwback player not a lot of fluff just pretty good basics and doesn't force the issue. I expect him to average double figures this year. I also like some of the floaters he throws up going down the lane. He might have been hampered by the shoulder brace he was wearing under his "T" shirt. He's also not in great shape having been just cleared for contact. Todd Martin is going to be solid this year and will get good minutes. He can do alot of things decently - pass, shoot and rebound. He failed to finish a few times but that will come. He will also give us help on the boards. In fact I think he'll be a starter and will learn on the job. Courtney Johnson will get minutes in the backcourt. He's strong, confident, works hard defensively and showed he can knock down the open 3. I happened to notice Coach Brown get upset with him a few times so I guess like all the freshman he's learning that he's going to have to make an adjustment to DI. Marvin Cheese played very little but didn't look bad in the few minutes he got. It should be real tough against Siena if only 8 guys are ready to play, 3 of them being walk ons.

November 9, 2003 Free Premium Preview: A look at Brent Wilson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luke Feddersen IowaPreps.com Editor This is a free preview of IowaPreps.com premium service. Give IowaPreps.com a try! With the basketball season around the corner, the IowaPreps.com Premium Service will give you more inside information than anywhere else. Exclusive, specialized coverage you can’t get anywhere else – that pretty much sums up what you will receive with a subscription from IowaPreps.com. You will receive the most up to date coverage of Iowa high school sports and articles about players, teams, game coverage, video coverage of games, and much more. Try an IowaPreps.com premium subscription for 7 DAYS FREE and see how much information you get for less than 35 cents a day! This article was originally published for premium users. Cedar Rapids Prairie (Iowa) forward Brent Wilson recently made a verbal commitment to Albany. This talented athlete saw his stock increase throughout the summer while playing for a talented Martin Bros. team. Wilson was receiving looks from a number of Division One programs, but decided to join his summer teammate, Brian Lillis of West Des Moines Dowling, and make a verbal pledge to Albany. IowaPreps.com caught up with Prairie head basketball coach John Gianforte and talked to him about his talented forward. Can you describe his playing style? "He is a 6-foot-8, 210 pound forward who is an extremely skilled basketball player. He does well facing the basketball. One of his biggest strengths, besides his outside shooting, is his passing and unselfishness." What are some of his strengths? "He is a great passer, very unselfish, highly coachable, and will be a team leader this season. Everybody in the conference will be gunning for him. He is going to defer a lot of lot of the pressure off to his teammates, and that is where his unselfish shows. They are going to double and triple team, but he will be ready for that." What areas does he need to improve on before college? "All these areas that he needs to work on before college I have talked to him about many times. His overall strength in the weight room is an area. He really needs to take strength training seriously. He has the frame to put on 15-20 pounds in a heart beat. If he can put on that weight, he can be a 6-foot-8 guy who can pass, shoot, dribble, and be a power player as well." How do you plan on using him this season? "We are going to use Brent as an inside-outside type of player. Defensively, we'll have him guard anyone from a shooting guard to a center. We will get him the ball in the lowpost, but also let him shoot over people on the perimeter. I have told him that it is not where you start with the ball, it's where you finish with it. Great players have three phases of their game, inside game, long range, and medium range. Great players can do it from all over the court, and that is what I am asking Brent to do." How is his work ethic? "Since I have known him, and this will be my second year coaching him at the varsity level, it has increased 100 percent. He started off as a tall, skinny kid who would get some easy buckets each game. Now as the defense picks up, he is having to work harder for it. His work ethic has increased to match his skill level." How is he away from the court? "Brent is a great guy. He is the typical Iowa kid. He has a good family and is a good student. He gets in no trouble whatsoever. How was his recruiting process? "Albany was one of his first suitors way back in the summer. He had a number of other looks, from North Dakota State and just about every Division Two program in the region. He also had a couple of Missouri Valley schools interested, mostly Indiana State and UNI, but I don't think Brent wanted to wait. He decided to go to the school that was loyal to him from the start. We went through the whole gambit of schools coming in. UNI and Indiana State both came and watched him play in open gyms. But when it was all said and done, Albany had him take an official visit and showed him the most attention. He remembered that." What were his stats from last season? "He was just over 16 points, ten rebounds, and two and a half blocks per game. He also led the team in charges, and all that was as a junior. He is going to have everyone gunning for him this season, especially with four starters graduated. He did take the team to the substate final, but he is going to have to burden a lot of pressure this season." *A special thank you to Coach John Gianforte for taking his time for the interview.

Big Joe Dyson Commits!!!! Edit | Reply -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This will piss Delaware fan's off! 6'9 240 Joe Dyson of Sanford School turned down Houston of Conference USA and signed with the University at ALbany of the America EAst Conference. Supposedly Providence and Rutgers both looked at Joe in September. Joe will have a great career! Deguru user profile OUFans.com Post #541 Re: Big Joe Dyson Commits!!!! Reply -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just read it on theinsidershoops.com. Now the UD complainers can complain. Both instate schools should've been recruiting him hard. There is no way he should've left the state to go to Albany. This is a great decision for Joe and a steal for Albany. They'll work to develop his offensive skills and get his hands better. There won't be any pressure on him there and he is a very hard worker and strong as an ox. He really hasn't been appreciated in Delaware as much as he should, and he is an outstanding young man that works hard on his academics. From my understanding he has met the NCAA guidelines. Congratulations Joe, this has been a long time comming. Posted on 11/16 10:52 AM | IP: 68.33.189.92

If this is true it's a "Great Get" for the Danes - 6'9" 245lbs is big. HoopScoop rates him in the Top 300, Rivals rates him 3 Stars. Rivals list him as getting interest from Deleware, Drexel, Tennessee, St. Joes, LaSalle and Charlotte. If true, this will mean the Danes are finally going to have a ROSTER full of DI talent for the first time ever. In fact with the 4 freshman and the 2 transfers that alone is better than any team we've had at the DI level. Great job by the coaching staff, now let's wait for something official because recruiting is a wacky business. It ain't over until the papers are signed.

Let's hope that the Danes can complete a few passes (to our players) so that Towson doesn't stuff everyone in the box. Go Danes!!!!

No way RULER This is his second year, the first year he took over the mess on the interim basis and therefore last year was his first, so far he has only half a team of his recruits due to Beeten's recruiting screw ups. I think he's OK for this year ( especially with Jamar's injury and Iati's questionable shoulder), next year HIS 3rd year he is somewhat on the hot seat. He'll have a whole team of his recruits and be totally responsible. He will also have a team of DI players for the first time. But, RULER you and I can strongly voice our opinions but - it's Dr. McElroy's opinion that counts and he's let a few coaches go already but I doubt Brown will be added to that group.

DOWNTOWN - my mistake I omitted Knotts - last I heard he was healthy.

One thing you have to say about Coach Brown he has a positive outlook regardless of what others thinks. The reason why he has been successful before is he expect to be. I think in the back of his mind he thinks if all things went right his team could beat the Lakers. I think, that's why he has been successful as a recruiter and why when he has a team full of players he has recruited we'll be aimed in the right direction.

From what I've heard the signing period will be a pleasant one. As told to the bill collector - "The checks in the mail". The coaching staff needs something to smile about the injury bug is really demoralizing.

Exhibition game now a scrimmage do to lack of man power at UA Wilson out with his knee Iati probable but questionable with his shoulder Wyatt (surprise) injured Pipikis injured Only 3 healthy scholarship players- boy the 6 we have coming next year look real good Left to play: Iati ? Levine Martin Hughes Q - walk on Johnson - walk on Cheese - walk on The trials and tribulations of developing a program we need bodies.

Being ranked by the coaches 9th leaves me to beleive the only way is up. If Jamar gets healthy and Iati is fully recovered from surgery with levi at the 3 and upfront by committee we could surprise some people. With many looking to next year as our year to rise now would be a great time to show the program is on its way. The big question is what will we get from Martin, Q, Knotts, Wyatt and Pipikis. If we don't get much we are picked right where we belong. If we get some consistent play from them the 7 or 6 spot are reachable.

Then there's Patch who says we need to support all our teams. Funny, I haven't read a post from you in over a year that talked about the success all our other teams had aside from hoops, football, lacrosse. - Dane Man Dane Man - don't be a moronic poster. If you have followed my posts #1 I am a basketball fan, #2 I support the very good football program and #3 I have posted that I have attended Women's Hoops, Field Hockey, Soccer, Cross Country, Lacrosse and Baseball besides Men's Hoops so before you post your rhetoric atleast make it correct. I post about my true interests. I don't feel compelled to post about every event I attend or what I had for dinner, that doesn't mean I don't consume food.

It seems to be a done deal that National Letters of Intent will be rendered by Bauman, Lillis and Wilson. Which in my opinion is a fine group, but......... Who will get the 4th scholly - are the Danes going for another Big man - will the Danes get a 4th early commit, might they be seeking another transfer or will the staff hold the scholly to get the best player available to them in the spring??? It's my hope that the Danes get another big body - with Wilson and Jordan for 2 more years, Iati for 3 more years and Bauman and Lillis for 4 years I think going for a big man especially a banger would be wise.

professor - give us a rundown of who you think will probably start Sunday being Wilson is out. I think you might see Iati (if healthy), Levine and Wyatt (if healthy). Then I guess it's between Martin, Knotts, Q, Pipikis and Hughes for the other 2 spots. Will Johnson and/or Cheese get any minutes?

Dane2K3 and Ruler listen to the "oldtimer" as per his name he has wisdom don't pit football and basketball against each other - they will both be successful in time. If you guys are true Danes you would support all our sports and not slip wedges of dissention between our Marquee teams. I don't sense alot of reason and maturity in your posts. Now the two of you can turn on me and vent - that's fine!!!!!!

Hodgson started at Rutgers for a few years around 95/96 he's as good a fundamental player as you'll see, has alot of International experience.

I guess Coach Brown is not alone in stopping information about closed scrimmage against Canisus from leaking out. Coach Lanier and Siena are very hush, also about their scrimmage against Buffalo and their scrimmage was home atleast ours was away at LeMoyne.

I heard after Brown backed off several other solid DI programs got involved and then they also backed away. I think Brown really wanted Mills but wasn't willing to jeopardize the schools and/or his reputation by being involved with a kid whose coaches weren't forthright during the recruiting process. This is good for UA because so far the coaching staff seems to be recruiting "class" kids. Wilson, Levine, Iati and Martin (for examples) seem to be the type of kids that will represent the school well. Next years group are seemingly cut from the same cloth.