University of Massachusets Athletics
Men's Basketball Aims For Atlantic 10 Title
October 18, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2000
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Attitude. As the old adage says, it determines one's longitude. Coach Bruiser Flint hopes the attitude and chemistry of last year's UMass team, coupled with a talented group of returnees and one of the nation's top recruiting classes, can return the Minutemen to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998 and the top of the Atlantic 10 Conference standings for the first time since 1996 in 2000-01.
"I believe we have a great nucleus coming back and some very good recruits," Flint said. "I really believe we have an excellent chance of competing for the Atlantic 10 championship and going to the NCAA Tournament."
The attitude Flint saw in his players a year ago resulted in UMass' deepest run in the Atlantic 10 Tournament since winning the last of five-straight league tourney titles in 1996, the school's 10th postseason appearance in the last 11 years and an 11th-straight winning record in A-10 play.
"I thought our players really worked hard and gave a great effort every day," said the fifth-year Minuteman bench boss. "If we can have the same type of attitude that we had the year before, then we can be a better team, because we are more talented, have more depth and options than we did a year ago.
"We have players who have been through the battle before," Flint added. "I believe our experience will help us tremendously because most of our returning players played some meaningful minutes for us last year."
Who's Gone
UMass' second-leading scorer and rebounder a year ago, forward Chris Kirkland, and his frontline runningmate, Mike Babul, have departed, along with reserve center Anthony Oates. Kirkland and Babul were the first players to have played all four years of their collegiate careers for Flint.
A third-team All-Atlantic 10 pick in 2000, Kirkland averaged 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per outing in his final campaign in Maroon and White. He started 55 games over his final two seasons as a Minuteman, including all 33 as a senior, and ranked second on the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots and third in steals.
Babul, meanwhile, played in 120 games during his four seasons at UMass, and was named to the Atlantic 10's all-defensive and all-academic teams in each of his final three seasons. Known for his gritty defensive play, he averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during his last season, and ranked third on the team in field goal percentage (.471).
In 23 appearances as a reserve a year ago, Oates averaged 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds for the Minutemen.
The Returnees
UMass returns three starters and five other letterwinners from last year's squad, which posted a 17-16 record, advanced to the National Invitation Tournament and finished third in the A-10's Eastern Division with a 9-7 record. Those eight men provided 72.2 percent of the offensive firepower and 68.0 percent of the rebounding a year ago.
"I believe we can be a much better basketball team just because of the personnel we have returning," Flint said. "We will be a little more athletic, a little bigger and we should have more depth than we had last year. I just hope we come out with the same type of attitude we had last year.
"We will be a much deeper team than we were a year ago, and much more athletic than we have been in the past," Flint added. "We will have much more flexibility this season, because we have depth at all positions, so the competition for playing time should make for some very good practices, which in turn will make us a better basketball team."
The cornerstone of UMass' 2000-01 team is fifth-year senior, All-America and Atlantic 10 Player of the Year candidate Monty Mack, who finished second in the league and 29th among Division I players in scoring a year ago at 19.8 points per game and figures to threaten the school's all-time scoring record in his final season. A 6-3 off-guard who earned first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors a year ago, he sat out his freshman season while meeting NCAA academic requirements, then regained that year of eligibility by completing his BDIC degree requirements. Mack is now pursuing a second degree in African-American studies.
"Monty Mack is the heart and soul of this team," Flint said. "However, that is nothing new, as he has been for the last couple of years."
One of the most prolific scorers in school history, Mack has tallied 1,617 points in just three seasons in a Maroon and White uniform, good for fifth on the UMass career list. He needs 289 points to move into second place on the school's career chart, and 383 to become just the second player in the school's history to top the 2,000-point barrier, joining Jim McCoy, who tallied 2,374 points in four seasons from 1988-92. A deadly three-point threat, Mack is 10 treys shy of becoming UMass' all-time leader in that category, too, and also ranks among the school's all-time leaders in seven other departments.
"Monty can shoot, and he can shoot from any distance," Flint said. "He's tough and he works hard, but he's still improving. He's out constant, and he will continue to be.
"I'm proud of what he's been able to accomplish here," added Flint of Mack. "He is a special player, one of the best ever to play at UMass and one of the best ever in the A-10."
Joining Mack in the UMass backcourt is 6-2 junior Shannon Crooks, who averaged 11.6 points per game a year ago, and dished out a team-high 99 assists. Crooks, who can play both the point and off-guard, picked up his numbers in last year's run to the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinals, averaging 16.0 points over the three games, while connecting on 54.3 percent of his field goals (compared to 38.5 percent shooting on the season).
"At the end of last season, I thought Shannon was as good as any guard in our conference," Flint said. "He did a great job of running our team at the end of the year, and if that carries over, he'll be a special player for us."
Crooks averaged 12.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in A-10 play, and ranked among the league leaders in both steals (10th) and assists (15th). He was one of three UMass regulars to post more assists (99) than turnovers (89) last year, while averaging nearly 30 minutes per game.
"The type of offense we play, where we push it up and score in transition, is perfect for Shannon," Flint said.
Senior center Kitwana Rhymer is UMass' third returning starter. As a junior, the 6-11 Rhymer averaged 7.8 points per outing and led the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg), field-goal percentage (.535) and blocked shots (53).
The UMass coaching staff is counting on Rhymer to increase his offensive production, much as he did in last year's A-10 Tournament when he averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds over three games. He heads into his final season with 74 career blocked shots, a mark which places him just outside of the UMass top 10.
"Kit really improved toward the end of the season, and that will carry over this year," Flint said. "He's one of the top rebounders and shot blockers in the A-10, but I'd like to see him develop a consistency in his game as a senior. "
The A-10's fifth-leading rebounder a year ago, Rhymer grabbed 10 or more rebounds 10 times, and produced a team-high five double-doubles.
"He not only gets rebounds, but he gets them at big times," said Flint. "And he gets them above the rim."
Four other players who saw significant action action a year ago brighten the UMass outlook for the upcoming campaign.
Flint is counting on a pair of seniors, 5-9 guard Jonathan DePina and 6-5 forward Winston Smith, to provide quality minutes in their final seasons in a UMass uniform. DePina was a steady performer in the backcourt a year ago, averaging 3.4 points and handing out 78 assists (while committing just 56 turnovers).
"I want Jonathan to have a great senior year and go out with a bang," Flint said. "He has been a great kid for me to coach, and I believe he will really provide good leadership on this team."
Smith averaged 2.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 33 appearances and figures to battle for one of the opening starting forward spots.
"He's in great shape, and I'm counting on him to have a great season," said Flint. "He needs to develop consistency in his game, but I know he will give me a great effort every night."
The other returning players along the Minuteman frontline are 6-8 junior forward Ronell Blizzard and 6-10 sophomore center Micah Brand. Blizzard averaged 2.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 28 appearances.
"Everyone knows how athletic Ronell is, and what he can do on the floor," said Flint. "This year, he will have the opportunity to play where he wants to, on the perimeter. If he can do that, defend and rebound, he can help us."
The promising Brand appeared in 29 games as a rookie and averaged 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.1 minutes of work per game. He is one of five players on the UMass roster 6-8 or taller.
"The sky is the limit for Micah," Flint gushed. "He can be as good a player as we've had here. I don't want to say be can be Marcus Camby (1996 consensus player of the year), but I believe you can put him in that category. I'm looking for big things from him."
Syracuse transfer Eric Williams, a bruising forward, practiced with the Minutemen last year and will be in the hunt for a starting position along the frontline. As a freshman at Syracuse, Williams averaged 3.0 points in 20 appearances, but he increased his average to 5.6 points as a sophomore.
"Eric has the benefit of practicing with us last year," Flint said. "He really gives us some size and an inside presence we didn't have last year."
Williams, who earned All-America honors as a junior at New York City's Robeson High School, averaged over 17 points as a prep senior at Milford (Conn.) Academy.
"He will stretch the defense, because he can work inside or on the perimeter," Flint said. "He's someone who addresses some of the things we didn't do very well a year ago."
A pair of walk-ons in the backcourt, 6-4 senior Dwayne Early and 5-8 sophomore Dale Menendez, will provide quality depth. Early saw action in nine games a year ago, while Menendez sat out the season as a transfer from LIU-C.W. Post.
The Newcomers
With a solid nucleus of returnees to build UMass' 92nd basketball team around, Flint and his staff went out and inked a nationally-acclaimed recruiting class, further fueling optimism for the 2000-01 campaign. All four of the signees are 6-5 or taller, and all figure into the equation for success in 2000-01.
"Our recruiting class should really raise the talent level of our team," Flint. "They all have the ability to contribute to the success of the team, and we hope they come in, work hard, and help us get back to the NCAA Tournament."
Forward Jackie Rogers, from Syracuse, N.Y., headlines Flint's crop of signees. The 6-8 Rogers, who began his collegiate career at West Virginia, averaged 18.8 points and 7.3 rebounds a year ago at Barton County (Kan.) Community College.
"He is a big kid, who can score inside and rebound the ball," said Flint. "He always plays with energy, and he and Eric (Williams) will give us the inside presence which we lacked last season."
The remaining three newcomers come from the high school ranks, and include Bay State prep product Raheim Lamb, a 6-5 forward.
Lamb, who signed with UMass during the early-signing period, will sit out the season as a partial qualifier. He will, however, be able to practice with the Minutemen, and should he graduate in four years, would be able to get this season of eligibility back. Lamb averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds for Boston's English High School en route to all-state honors.
"We were very happy to have one of the top players out of Massachusetts sign with us," Flint said. "It is our goal to keep the top players in the state at home, and we accomplished that by signing Raheim."
Jameel Pugh, a 6-5 guard from Sacramento, Calif., and Willie Jenkins, a 6-6 swingman from Memphis, Tenn., round out the recruiting class. A tremendous leaper known for his high-flying dunks, Pugh averaged 16 points and eight rebounds in his final season at Grant Union High School.
"Athletically, Jameel is as good a player as we've ever had here," Flint said. "He has tremendous hops and will bring some exciting times to the Mullins Center during his career."
Jenkins tallied 22 points and 10 rebounds in his final season at Fairley High School. "He shoots the ball well and has a great feel for what he's doing on the floor," Flint said.
The Schedule
In addition to the always tough Atlantic 10 Conference grind, a match-up with 2000 Final Four entrant North Carolina in the Tournament of Champions and games against NCAA Tournament participants Iona, Oregon, Ohio State and Connecticut highlight the UMass non-league slate. A sixth postseason tournament team, Marquette (NIT), is also on the non-league slate, while the teams on the opposite side of the bracket in the Tournament of Champions are College of Charleston and future A-10 foe Richmond.
"We are always going to play a tough schedule," Flint said. "This one is very demanding because seven of the 10 non-conference games are on the road. I believe, though, that this schedule will prepare us for the Atlantic 10 Conference season and the postseason, which is what we designed it for."
A pair of Big East teams, Boston College and Providence, invade the Mullins Center, as does Iona. The Minutemen will be looking for their sixth-straight Commonwealth Classic title when they play host Boston College, as BC visits Amherst for the first time since 1977. Other non-league tests will come against Holy Cross in Worcester's (Mass.) Centrum and at Boston University.
The Last Word
Armed with Mack, one of America's premier guards, a solid group of returnees and a nationally-recognized recruiting class, it would appear Flint and his staff have the makings of their third NCAA Tournament team in the last five seasons.
"Our players realize how hard work pays off, and I hope that continues," Flint said. "The ingredients are there for us to have a great season if our attitude remains good."