Talented Vets to Lead Marist Basketball Programs
MAAC Sports
Bower Brings Marist Men New Leadership
While Jeff Bower is one of three new head coaches in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this year, he is not new to Marist College and its basketball program. Bower, named the 10th head coach in Marist history in April, served as an assistant coach at Marist from 1986-95, the last five years as associate head coach. While at Marist, the Red Foxes won two conference regular season championships and received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. He played an integral role in the development of some of the top players in Marist history, including NBA standout Rik Smits. After his tenure at Marist, Bower moved on to the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA where he served in a variety of roles, including director of scouting, director of player personnel, assistant coach, head coach and general manager.
The Red Foxes, who were picked to finish fifth in this year’s MAAC Preseason Poll chosen by the coaches, finished 10-21 last season, but won five of their last seven regular season games, including a thrilling 105-104 double overtime victory at eventual league champion Iona. Junior forward Chavaughn Lewis and senior forward Adam Kemp both earned third-team All-MAAC honors last season, and were chosen to the conference’s Preseason All-MAAC second team this year. Lewis, a 6-5 swingman, averaged a team leading16.7 points and contributed 5.7 rebounds last season. The 6-10, 235-pound Kemp averaged 10.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and came on strong down the stretch, averaging 17.3 points and 9.7 rebounds over the last nine games. Bower has named Lewis and Kemp as tri-captains, along with senior Jay Bowie, who started 17-of-18 games he played in an during injury plagued season. Bowie was the Red Foxes top shooter behind the three-point arc (.458), and scored in double figures on 10 occasions. Junior point guard Isaiah Morton has appeared in 63 games in the last two years, and last season was Marist’s top playmaker with 3.9 assists per game. Manny Thomas, a 6-5 swing, and 6-1 guard T.J. Curry add depth to the lineup, while a pair of 6-10 big men, senior Peter Prinsloo and sophomore Eric Truog, were both contributors up front last year.
Marist will make four appearances on the ESPN family of networks as part of the MAAC’s television package. Marist will host Siena on Feb. 14 on ESPNU or ESPN3. The Red Foxes will also have ESPN3 games against Niagara on Feb.1, at Rider on Feb. 6, and at Saint Peter’s on Feb. 20.
Giorgis A Steadying Force For Marist
The Marist College Red Foxes look to continue their success in the 2013-14 season. Last year, the Red Foxes swept the MAAC regular season and tournament championships, going 18-0 in the regular season, and then won their eighth consecutive MAAC Championship and ninth in the past 10 seasons. Marist continued to be dominant on the defensive end, leading the conference in scoring defense, allowing only 46.6 points per games in league play. Marist was the unanimous choice to finish first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, and was also ranked 25th in the USA Today Sports Magazine preseason poll, and second in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
Seven-time MAAC Coach of the Year Brian Giorgis enters his 12th season, and is the Red Foxes’ all-time leader in wins with 277. Marist will be led by senior tri-captains Casey Dulin, Leanne Ockenden, and Emma O’Connor. The 5-10 guard Dulin was selected to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team after leading the Red Foxes and ranking sixth in the MAAC with 106 assists. Preseason All-MAAC Second Team member Ockenden was last year’s Defensive Player of the Year in the MAAC, as she averaged 2 steals per contest and led the Red Foxes in blocks with 19. The Lynbrook, N.Y. native O’Connor ranked fifth in the MAAC with a .476 field goal percentage and was named to the All-MAAC third team. MAAC All-Rookie selection sophomore Sydney Coffey returns as the team’s fourth leading scorer behind the three captains with a 7.3 points per game average.
The Red Foxes open their season against SEC-powerhouse Kentucky at home in the McCann Arena on Nov. 8. The Oklahoma Sooners will also visit Poughkeepsie to face Marist on Dec. 21. Seven of ten non-conference opponents on the Marist schedule played in the postseason last year, with four of the seven reaching the NCAA Tournament. The Red Foxes will appear in three games on the ESPN family of networks as part of the MAAC’s television package, including both games (home and home) against MAAC newcomer Quinnipiac, and NCAA Tournament team in 2013, and against Iona in a rematch of last year’s MAAC title game. The Red Foxes welcome Quinnipiac to the league when they visit Hamden, Conn. on Dec. 6 (ESPN3) in the Bobcats’ first-ever MAAC game, and then at home on Feb. 14 (ESPNU) as part of a doubleheader with the men’s team. They conclude the regular season against Iona in New Rochelle on March 2 on ESPN3.