Men's Hoop Team Returns All Five Starters From 15-10 1997-98 Squad,
Opens Friday Hosting SUNY-New Paltz in Kiwanis K.I.D.D.'s Tourney
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — When you return all five starters and all but one player from a team which went 15-10 and nearly beat an eventual NCAA Division III Final Four squad in its final game, there’s reason to be optimistic.
That’s the scenario this season for the Susquehanna University men’s basketball team and 10th-year head coach Frank Marcinek, who fell to eventual Middle Atlantic Conference champion and national semifinalist Wilkes, 80-78, on a buzzer-beater in their final game of 1997-98. As if that situation’s not good enough, Marcinek has added a pair of highly regarded Division I transfers and some talented freshmen to his roster.
“We have a veteran team returning with players who have played together for three years now. Since the end of the season to now, I believe we’ve improved ourselves dramatically in the areas that we were weak,” said Marcinek, who is the most successful coach in program history, bringing a 137-93 (.595) record into 1998-99. “This year, we don’t expect any surprises. We are a little bit bigger and more athletic because of some of the people we’ve added since last season.”
The Crusader will open the new season this Friday, November 20, hosting SUNY-New Paltz in the 8 p.m. game during the opening night of Susquehanna Kiwanis K.I.D.D.’s (Kiwanians Against Iodine Deficiency Disorder) Tournament. Marietta College and the College of Staten Island will play in Friday’s 6 p.m. tournament opener, with the consolation and championship games set for 6 and 8 p.m. respectively on Saturday.
THE BACKCOURT
Not only does Marcinek return his starting backcourt, he has the luxury of turning to three guards who started last season. Junior sharpshooter Rob Makarewicz (Sugarloaf/Hazleton Area H.S.) earned second-team league All-Star honors as a starting wing. Senior Sean Breckley (Reading/Governor Mifflin H.S.) was the other wing, while senior co-captain Jarrod O’Neill has been the primary starter at point guard throughout each of his collegiate seasons. Athletic sophomore John Green (Reading/Governor Mifflin H.S.) was also pushing for a start last season and can play either guard position, while freshman Tim Boblick (New Cumberland/Cedar Cliff H.S.) and sophomore Garrett Thompson (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East H.S.) are backcourt transfers from Division I Loyola (Md.) and the University of Delaware respectively.
The 6-2 Makarewicz was the team’s best long-range threat last season, canning 49 of 120 treys to finish seventh in the MAC in three-point percentage (40.8%) while finishing second on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg). Marcinek is hoping for similar productivity along with steadier defense and defensive rebounding.
Also 6-2, O’Neill (9.7 ppg) has developed into an effective point guard and a team leader — repeating a one of the team’s captains. He topped the team in assists last season (3.0 per game) and has also proven to be deadly from three-point range — shooting 40.0 percent (34 of 85) a year ago — and is big enough to be an effective rebounding guard (2.9 per game for his career).
Capable of playing either guard spot, Breckley may also regain his starting job by the time of the opener. He was third on the team in scoring last season (11.3 ppg) and finished second in MAC free throw percentage at 85.7 percent (78 of 91). He led the conference in free throw accuracy as a sophomore at 90.7 percent, and has shot 87.3 (131 of 150) in his collegiate career.
Marcinek believes a more mature Green (3.0 ppg) may be the surprise insertion in the lineup, possibly at point. Known for his raw athleticism as a freshman, Marcinek has labeled him “the team’s most improved player thus far” and believes “he is someone who will make a lot of people around him better.”
Possibly the team’s best athletes are now Thompson and Boblick. At 6-2 with a sound jumper and impressive vertical leap, Thompson is expected to either start or be a sixth man — possibly at small forward. Boblick’s playing time will depend on how fast he can make the adjustment from football, where he was one of the team’s regular split ends. He scored 1,374 as an all-stater in high school.
Six-foot-two Mike Witcoskie (Annville/Palmyra H.S.) is yet another perimeter threat and was the leading scorer (18.6 ppg) on last season’s 8-1 junior varsity.
THE FRONTCOURT
For once, Marcinek’s team is also big and deep up front.
Six-foot-five junior co-captain Mike Barrette (Dunmore/Dunmore H.S.) is also a returning second-team league All-Star who had to play much of last season at center, but will be moving back to his more natural position at power forward. Also 6-5, sophomore Brad Rausch (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South H.S.) earned a spot on the league’s inaugural All-Rookie Team last season but may have a difficult time regaining his starting job. Six-seven, 235-pound senior Dan Horner (Bellefonte/Bellefonte H.S.) is projected to once again start at center, but Marcinek has other natural centers if he should falter. Six-foot-four senior Tony Mennito (Thurmont, Md./Catoctin H.S.) is a small forward who may just be the team’s most talented offensive threat.
Barrette led the team in scoring (15.6 ppg), field goal percentage (53.2%, 150 of 282), rebounding (5.2 per game), and blocks (18) last season. He finished ninth in conference FG accuracy despite having to shoot over taller defenders most of the season. That percentage included a 38.8 clip (26 of 67) from three-point range. Marcinek is expecting “big things from Mike” with his move back to four.
Rausch was one of the top players at drawing charges while posting solid numbers (5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 50.7 FG%) in his rookie season. Expect him to get quality minutes off the bench this season.
Marcinek is also cautiously optimistic that a healthy Horner (3.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) could become the strong force inside that he’s been expecting. The big center underwent knee surgery prior to last season and never really regained his form, although he’s been a spot starter throughout his first three years.
Behind Horner will be 6-6 sophomore Erik McKinney (Dover/Dover Area H.S.), who lettered in 1996-97 while playing in 12 varsity contests (1.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg) and is back after taking last season off. Six-foot-six freshman Stephan Schrankel (Holmdel, N.J./Holmdel H.S.) and 6-5 sophomore Chris Rodgers (0.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg) (Philadelphia/Penn Manor H.S.) also provide quality size inside.
While he probably won’t start, Mennito will see considerable time for his “instant offense” off the bench. An Academic All-American hopeful, he is closing in on the school’s career leaders in treys (105 of 282) while averging almost 10 points per game (9.7 ppg).
As if that’s not enough depth up front, highly touted 6-4 freshman Corey Green (Roselle, N.J./Roselle Catholic H.S.) could figure in the mix by season’s end.
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