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Monday, February 2, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
MAYNOR LEADS SECOND HALF SURGE AS VCU EDGES PRIDE 66-62
Recap | Box Scores
Hempstead, NY -- Queens , NY) scored a team-high 22 points for the Pride and sophomore guard Nathanial Lester (Brooklyn, NY) finished in double-figures for the third straight game, chipping in 12 points and junior guard Tony Dennison (Long Island City, NY - picture) added seven of his nine in the second half. But it wasn't enough to extend the Pride's winning streak to five, as Hofstra fell to 14-8 and 6-5 in the CAA with the defeat. Hofstra also lost for just the second time this season in games decided by five points or less, dropping to 9-2.
Hempstead, NY -- Senior guard Eric Maynor exploded for 21 of his game-high 33 points in the second half, erasing a double-digit Hofstra lead as the Pride dropped a 66-62 decision to
Maynor was the difference-maker, erasing a 58-all tie by scoring six straight points down the stretch to help the Rams improve to 16-6 and 9-2 in the conference. VCU entered the matinee just a game behind Northeastern for first place in the CAA.
Hofstra led by as many as 12 points before freshman guard Bradford Burgess (11 points) and Maynor, the reigning CAA Player of the Year, mounted the comeback. Burgess hit a three-pointer near the top of the key to tie it at 58 with 4:16 left.
VCU rode Maynor to a six-point lead after he hit a free throw, buried a three-pointer and added a jumper on the Rams subsequent trio of possessions, moving the Rams ahead 64-58 with 1:42 left. After making a free-throw, Maynor stole a pass-at midcourt and raced in for an uncontested lay-up to build the lead to three. On the other end of the floor, Maynor blocked Jenkins's driving attempt and secured the win by hitting a deep three-pointer from the left wing make it 64-58.Jenkins added four free throws afterwards, but the Pride never got closer than 66-62 with a half-minute showing on the clock as it missed three shots in the final 20 seconds, including two three-pointers to try to cut the lead to one.
Maynor and Jenkins entered the contest as the conference's top two scorers and served as their offense's focal points. Fresh off a career-high 33 point-effort in a last-second win over UNC Wilmington, Jenkins notched his 10th 20-point game of the season, adding six rebounds and three assists.
VCU came out strong in the second half after the Pride led 36-29 at the break. Sophomore forward Larry Sanders scored back-to-back baskets in the paint, pulling the Rams to within 42-39 with 13:13 left. Jenkins responded with a three-pointer right in front of the Pride bench and Dennison added a driving reverse lay-in on the next possession to build up the lead.
Maynor scored the game's next seven points, hitting a top-of-the-key three-point near NBA range to tie it and followed a Pride turnover by drilling a jump shot to give VCU a 48-46 lead with 10:54 remaining, marking the first time the Rams led since the second minute of the contest.
Playing man defense, Jenkins held Maynor scoreless through the first 10 minutes before the country's 11th-leading scorer heated up. Maynor was off from the floor in the first half (2-8) yet converted all seven of his free throws to tally 12 points at the break.
Jenkins' jumper built a 28-16 lead with 5:20 left in the first half, Hofstra's largest of the game. VCU posted a modest 5-0 run to close the gap before Hofstra started driving to the lane, converting on its last five foul shots. Maynor cut into the deficit before the buzzer, drawing a foul on junior guard Cornelius Vines (Syracuse, NY) from beyond the three-point arc. Maynor hit all three of his free throws with 2.2 seconds left, though the Pride still entered the break with a 36-29 edge.
Maynor has a chance to be selected in this year's NBA draft. That would follow in the career path of former Pride great Craig "Speedy" Claxton, who had his No. 10 retired in a pregame ceremony. Claxton, currently with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, was drafted by Philadelphia in the first round of the 2000 draft after a stellar career for Hofstra. Now 30 years old, the Hempstead native led his hometown school to the NCAA Tournament in 2000 and still holds the team record for career assists (660), steals (288) and ranks sixth all-time in points (2,015).
Claxton, who won a championship ring with the Spurs in 2002-03, is the third Hofstra player to have his jersey retired this season. Claxton (1996-2000) joined Bill Thieben (1953-56) and Steve Nisenson (1962-65) in being honored with a banner hanging from the Mack Sports Complex's rafters. Rich Laurel (1973-77) will join the list later this year.
Hofstra will be off the next two days before traveling to Virginia to take on another challenging conference opponent in George Mason on Tuesday night on ESPNU. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
Friday, January 30, 2009
HOFSTRA ALUM CARRIES PRIDE BANNER INTO SUPER BOWL
Hempstead, NY -- Former Hofstra offensive lineman Willie Colon will look to become just the fourth Pride alumnus to capture a Super Bowl ring if his Pittsburgh Steelers beat the underdog Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII Sunday in Tampa Bay.
After being inactive for the first 14 games of his professional career,
"As a unit we have been through so much,"
"I think every day that goes by the tension builds up more and more,"
Only three other former Hofstra players have played a role on a Super Bowl contender. John Schmitt, who had his number retired at James M. Shuart Stadium in the fall, was the starting center for the Jets during one of sports' most famous championship games, anchoring a line for Joe Namath in Super Bowl III.
Schmitt (class of 1964) was joined on that Jets team by defensive back Mike D'Amato, who graduated Hofstra four years after Schmitt and was a rookie on a Gang Green team that shocked the heavily favored Baltimore Colts at the Orange Bowl.
After watching his No. 77 go up on the façade of Margiotta Hall during the Pride's homecoming win over
"I just wanted to make the team," Schmitt recalled about his first training camp. "No one from Hofstra had ever made anything.
"When the Jets signed me, they didn't need any tackles. They needed me as a center, but I had no knowledge of how to play or snap field goals; anything like that. It was a heck of an adjustment. Nobody helps you when you go to the pros."
Nearly 40 years later, receiver Ricky Bryant earned a championship ring with the Patriots, playing on New England's practice squad during the 2004 season, which culminated with a victory over
The Pride could add a fourth name to its list of NFL champions. Dave Cohen, Hofstra's head coach, came to Hofstra the year after
"I knew coaching against Will in 2003, 2004 and 2005 that he was special," Cohen said. "Will was a dominating player from the time he was a sophomore and has enjoyed equal success since his graduation in the NFL."
Former Hofstra coach Joe Gardi, whose last season as
"It was great for me at Hofstra,"
"It is an honor for the Hofstra football family to have one of our own to be starting in the upcoming Super Bowl," Cohen said. "Willie Colon represents what Hofstra Football stands for: earning a degree, being a good person and having great work ethic."
"It's a dream come true," he said. "I was a project kid, growing up on the streets and running the streets in New York. But I'm just sticking to my dream and am staying good to myself. It's a blessing. I give much credit to my mom for sticking by my side through the rough times. I know people from back home are cheering me on.
"My father is Puerto Rican. He's a proud Hispanic who raised me to be proud of our last name and be proud of where we came from. Everywhere I go I try to represent somehow, some way not only for my family but for the Latino community. Everything is going well for me right now."
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Colon is one of four former CAA Football players in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Click here
Hofstra made more news during Super Bowl week.
| " >Click here for video of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's comments about former Hofstra player and coach and new Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Raheem Morris. -30- |
Thursday, January 29, 2009
PRIDE CAN'T COMPLETE COMEBACK, FALL TO DREXEL
Recap | Box Scores
Hempstead, NY -- Junior center Jess Fuller (Queens, NY) led Hofstra with 11 points, but it wasn't enough as junior forward Gabriela Marginean provided more than half of Drexel's offense, scoring 29 points as the Dragons posted a 57-50 victory over the Pride in a CAA matchup Thursday night at the Mack Sports Complex.
Freshman guard Nicole Capurso (
The Pride was seeking its fifth win in seven games before Marginean's fast start. The Romanian native surged to a hot start, shooting 7-10 in the first half, helping her team build a 27-19 lead at the break. Fuller gave the Pride an answer in the low post, scoring nine points before the break to keep it close.
Freshman forward Joelle Connelly (Arcade, NY) added four rebounds and fell just two points shy of scoring in double figures for the 10th time this season to complement Fuller in the paint. Senior guard Natty Fripp (
No other Drexel player besides Marginean scored in double figures. The Dragons still extended its formidable lead early in the second half with a 10-2 run capped by Marginean's three-point play to extend the Drexel's lead to 41-25 with 14:44 remaining. The Dragons have now won four straight in the series.
Capurso, who added eight points off the bench for the Pride, made it a two-possession game with her trey late in the game, slicing Drexel's lead to 53-49. The Dragons survived thanks in part to its strong start.
Marginean would tally 12 of Drexel's first 13 points in the contest as the Dragons opened a 13-7 advantage at the 10:48 mark of the opening 20 minutes. Sophomore forward Ashley Wilcots (
Drexel would outscore Hofstra, 14-6, over the first 5:16 of the second half to push its lead up to 41-25 before the Pride mounted a comeback. Fripp would hit a layup moments after Drexel took the 16-point advantage and then added a three-pointer at the 14:11 mark to close the gap to 41-30.
With the visitors ahead 43-32 after the two teams exchanged buckets, Hofstra would use a 5-0 spurt to narrow the deficit to 43-37 following Connelly's lay-up. The Pride would cut the gap even closer with less than four minutes left in the second half after Fripp forced a steal from behind and raced down court for an uncontested layup to make it 48-44 Drexel with 3:38 left in regulation.
Hofstra returns to the Mack Sports Complex court on Sunday when they host James Madison at 2 p.m.
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Photo by Brian Ballweg for Hofstra Athletics
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Hofstra Wrestling Preview vs. Ohio State
This is video I shot on January 22, 2009 for a preview of Hofstra' wrestling match vs. Ohio State Sunday, January 25, 2009. Jim Sheehan is asking the questions to Pride head coach Tom Shifflet.
Ovechkin Living Up To Hype
Ovechkin Living Up To Hype
Jan 23rd, 2009 | By Brian Bohl | Category: Hockey, Top Story
Alexander Ovechkin has 31 goals this season. (Jim Leary/NYSD)
UNIONDALE, NY- Alex Ovechkin usually makes highlight films thanks to offensive rushes that formulate into memorable plays. Yet the NHL’s reigning MVP and scoring champion is also capable of destroying teams with subtle actions.
Before centerman Nicklas Backstrom takes an offensive zone faceoff, Ovechkin deftly lines up directly behind the circle, waiting to unleash a lightning-fast snapshot off a clean draw. But Ovechkin can also score any place on the ice, evidenced by his two-goal performance, including the overtime game-winning tally, in Washington’s 2-1 victory over the Islanders earlier in the week.
Ovechkin is just in his fourth season but will likely reach 200 career goals in the next month. The 23-year-old winger has the potential to threaten some of the league’s most heralded scoring record. Against the Isles, he notched goals No. 30 and 31 to move past Philadelphia’s Jeff Carter for the top mark. It was the first time all season the Art Ross winner sat alone atop the leader board, though Ovechkin said he didn’t mind giving the competition a chance 47 games into the season.
“It’s happened,” he deadpanned. “I give a chance to a different guy.”
Ovechkin and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby are the NHL’s two most marketable stars. The Islanders can also take some solace in the fact that the Capitals finished 23-46-10 for a dismal 49 points in 2003-04. Washington won the No. 1 overall pick and selected Ovechkin, and the 6-2, 212-pound forward galvanized the franchise and led the Capitals to the playoffs last season.
His goal totals in the first three seasons: 52, 46 and 65. Ovechkin is on pace to surpass the 50-goal mark at a time when there have been just 10 50-goal seasons after the lockout (including two from Ovechkin). One player can turn a lackluster club with no direction into a must-see event and contender in the conference.
“I don’t want to put myself on top of anybody,” Ovechkin said. “I just try and do the best that I can and try to help the team to win. I play hard all the time. No matter what happens, I just try, try, try and never give up.”
The Islanders have a chance to potentially select a player like that this spring in John Tavares. If the Isles, which enter the All-Star break 13-29-5 and eight points away from the second-worst team, win the draft lottery, the reeling team could finally have an impact scorer to put people in the seats and possibly even keep the Islanders in Uniondale.
While it takes more than adding one great player to morph into a championship contender, Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said a player like Ovechkin makes everyone else better.
“He raises the bar in that he wants everyone else to play as hard as him,” Boudreau said. “You watch how hard he plays, how can you not want to play with that intensity and passion every night when he’s doing that?”
Yann Danis began the season as the top netminder for Bridgeport in the AHL. He then stepped into the starting role following injuries to Rick DiPietro and Joey MacDonald and was burned twice by Ovechkin. The first goal was a laser from the left point and the second was an easy one-timer off Alexander Semin’s centering pass during an overtime power play.
Danis was making just his 14th career appearance, though more experienced goalies have talked about the need to account for impact players like Ovechkin every second they are on the ice. That type of dominant player can open up room for other scorers and add a different dimension to the offense.
“You can definitely see why he scores a lot of goals,” Danis said. “He’s got a good shot, quick release and very skilled. You have to steady ready when he’s on the ice, that’s for sure.”
Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore saw the Hart Trophy winner score an overtime goal to beat the Islanders at the Coliseum Dec. 16. When asked if Ovechkin has a comfort level playing a hapless opponent in an old arena, the netminder didn’t hesitate to respond.
“There are a lot of buildings he likes to play in,” said Theodore, who posted 27 saves for his 200th career victory.
Ovechkin is still two years away from being able to rent a car at a reasonable price. Yet he already joined Hall of Famer Mike Gartner and perennial All-Star Peter Bondra as the only Capitals with four-straight 30-goal seasons.
Once timid and unsure of himself as a rookie off the ice, Ovechkin now speaks fluent English. Standing inside the visiting dressing room at Nassau Coliseum, Ovechkin spoke with a gold chain of his uniform No. 8 around his neck. He will play in his third All-Star game this weekend in Montreal and has the Capitals in contention for a second straight Southeast Division crown.
It seems everything is coming easy for Ovechkin, who unlike DiPietro, is living up to his huge contract. Ovechkin signed a 13-year, $124 million contract that is shorter than DiPietro’s 15-year pact but nearly twice the size in salary. Consider he has a whopping 194 goals, 175 points and 369 points in just 291 games, and so far the Capitals seem to be getting a bargain.
“Sometimes I have lucky bounces and luck goals,” Ovechkin said. “But you know, goals are goals. Sometimes my teammates give me great passes.”
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