Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Huskies Picked 2nd

During media day today in Washington, D.C., the pre-season predictions were released. The CAA predicted that the Huskies will finish 2nd in the conference this year, behind only VCU. Matt Janning was selected as a member of the pre-season All-CAA first team, the only Huskies player to receive an accolade. Here are the complete predicted standings:

1. VCU
2. Northeastern
3. Old Dominion
4. George Mason
5. Delaware
6. Georgia State
7. Hofstra
8. William & Mary
9. James Madison
10. Towson
11. UNC Wilmington
12. Drexel

The new issue of SportingNews does not share the same thoughts as those within the CAA. They have the Huskies picked to finish 6th in the conference, which may serve as motivation. If memory serves us well, the CAA and almost everyone predicted the Huskies to finish last in the 2007-2008 season, and they finished 6th. Predictions are only as good as the paper they are written on. It will be up to the Huskies now to embrace the expectations and live up to them, and that first step is only 20 days away.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Canadian Tour Part 10







Sept. 3, 2008
Wednesday marked the last game in the long 12-day tour for the Northeastern Huskies, and it was also the craziest.

The day started out with a nice tour of Quebec City. Players and coaches enjoyed the beautiful city and all of its sites. They were constantly stopped in the streets and congratulated on the previous night’s win against Laval and questioned about their next move. After a two-hour bus ride, it was time to play against Bishop’s University.

Last night’s crowd at Laval was rivaled by Bishop’s tonight. The Gaiter faithful were out in full force, as this event was the headline of Frosh Week at the school. Fans were painted in purple and white and were on their feet the whole game.

Chaisson Allen hit a three to start the game, and the Huskies would never lose the lead from there. They took a 41-22 lead into the half, despite 15 first-half turnovers. The lead would get all the way up to 26, and the Gaiter crowd was still in full force, cheering and attacking whatever Huskies were on the floor. Manny Adako scored 19 points and ripped down five rebounds,

Chaisson Allen had 16 points and seven rebounds, while Chris Alvarez chipped in 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists of his own as the Huskies went on to a 69-47 win over the Gaiters.
This group of players has shown before that it can rise to the occasion and play better. For those of you who have been following along with these updates, the message is clear. If we all go to the games and support our team, the Huskies will only play better and better. It’s very simple.

After the game, head coach Bill Coen addressed the team for one last time in Canada. He told them how this will shape the season to come for the Huskies, and that it will have them prepared for life on the road and, of course, the CAA Tournament. Coen emphasized that if they worked hard, they will get to where they ultimately want and deserve to go. In one last huddle, the players thanked the coaches for the experience and opportunity of going on this trip.

From Lennoxville, Quebec, the bus ride to Boston was only about four hours, arriving just past 3:00 a.m. Once the bus was unloaded, players traveled together to the airport where most of them had a flight to catch within the next few hours. A little taste of home will do them well because the school year will be starting in a few days.

An experience like this does not come along very often. The gratitude that the players, and myself have for the tremendous opportunity cannot be summed up. A big thank you to the coaching staff and Northeastern Athletics for making this all possible. For a few weeks, it will just be drills and shooting for the players until they can officially practice starting October 15th.

Hopefully the season will be equally or more successful as the trip was, but this certainly is a great starting point for the Northeastern Huskies.

Canadian Tour Part 9




Sept. 2, 2008
Tonight was the most exciting and historical of all the nights on the Huskies Canadian tour.

Tuesday marked the first time any NCAA Division I basketball team had ever stepped foot on the campus of Laval University. On the way to the game, the players could see the large signs promoting the game throughout campus. Needless to say, they were excited.

As soon as the Huskies walked into the building, they were mobbed by cameramen. So much so, that one even walked into the locker room until he was escorted out. The president of the university along with other university officials were in attendance, and the school held a pregame press conference, where head coach Bill Coen spoke about the great trip the Huskies have had so far and the great hospitality of Laval.

Posters advertising the game lined the gymnasium and hallways surrounding it. The paper did not go to waste, as the gym was filled to capacity and was as loud as can be.

After exchanging gifts at midcourt and after team introductions, it was finally time to play basketball. Laval came to play; the teams were tied at 19 after the first quarter. But the Huskies took the lead late in the second quarter and would not relinquish it, thanks to a 7-0 run to end the half with a 43-36 lead.

In the third, the Huskies pushed the lead to 13 points including a thunderous one-handed breakaway slam by Chris Alvarez that kept the crowd buzzing. He finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Matt Janning led the way for the Huskies with 20 points, while Matt Smith scored 13 off the bench, including two fourth-quarter three-pointers. Baptiste Bataille stepped up once again with his pesky defense. He had 10 points to go along with three steals. Manny
Adako continued his stellar play with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Huskies cruised to an 84-72 victory in what proved to be their toughest game atmosphere. This screams out to the whole Northeastern community: pack Matthews Arena! To say the least, the way the Huskies handled and fed off of the crowd was impressive. They will have to have the same focus this year during their tough road schedule both in and out of conference.

Tomorrow will be the last day of the tour for the Huskies. In the morning, the team will take a bus tour of Quebec City, and then travel two hours to Bishop’s University to play its final game.

After the game, it will be one last bus ride for the Huskies, arriving in Boston early Thursday morning.

Canadian Tour Part 8




Sept. 1, 2008
Montreal acted as a second home for the Huskies, showing huge improvements in just one day in the great city.

Upon arriving at the hotel yesterday, the team went out and had, by far, the best meal during this trip as of yet. “Reuben’s” served the players and coaches a delicious steak dinner, which may be the food of choice if they keep playing they way they did tonight.

Once dinner ended, the team walked around the city and enjoyed the sights a bit, and then it was time to get rested up for a tough McGill team. Fresh off a seven-point loss to Kansas, McGill went out and beat the University of Virginia on Sunday.

The Redmen meant business, and the Huskies knew it. In fact, they would not even let Northeastern into the gym to shoot around on Monday. Even that might not have slowed the Huskies down, who won 87-73.

In the first quarter, playing FIBA rules again, things did not look promising for the Huskies, trailing 25-20. Although five points is not a large deficit, McGill’s Moustafa El Zanaty scored 20 of those 25. But head coach Bill Coen told his players to keep playing hard and keep playing together on defense, and they did.

The Huskies opened the second quarter with a 14-1 run with six minutes to play in the half. They then promptly finished it up with a 7-0 run to take a 45-38 lead into halftime.
Northeastern started the third quarter with all the momentum and continued to push throughout the quarter. Eugene Spates nailed a step-back three-pointer, one of his four from behind the arc, at the buzzer to make it 67-54 after three. Things then got a little chippy from there, including an intentional foul against the Redmen, as Matt Janning was grabbed around the shoulders and head as he attempted a breakaway dunk. But the Huskies did not lose their composure and coasted to the double-digit victory.

El Zanaty would only score 11 more points from the end of the first, finishing with a game-high 31. Matt Janning scored 30 of his own, including a posterizing dunk plus the foul on an unfortunate Redmen player. Manny Adako scored 23 points on 10 of 10 shooting in 26 minutes. And as Chaisson Allen goes, so go the Huskies; the sophomore had nine points, five assists, five steals and no turnovers.

From there it was time to shower and get on the bus, where Adako continued his perfect night. This time it was a great movie selection; Casino Royale was his choice for the almost three hour bus ride to Quebec City, where the Huskies will play Laval University tomorrow night.

Canadian Tour Part 7




Aug. 30, 2008
Saturday was a day of rest, so to speak, for the Huskies, who have just finished playing three games in as many days.

After breakfast, the players and coaches got a bit of rest. They then traveled to Carleton University for a workout and light practice.
At night, the Huskies traveled to watch defending NCAA Tournament champion Kansas take on Carleton University. The players sat in the lower level of the gorgeous Scotiabank Place, which was well attended. It came down to the final buzzer, but Kansas came away with the victory 84-83.

Once the game was over, the Huskies went back to the hotel. It was time to eat, pack, and go to bed for the team who will be traveling to Montreal, Quebec tomorrow morning.

It will be another day off for the Huskies on Sunday. Then it will be three games in three days for Northeastern, which hopes to go unblemished in the remainder of its exhibitions.

Canadian Tour Part 6




Aug. 29, 2008
On Friday, the Huskies were privileged enough to be taken on a tour of the Parliament of Canada. Although enjoyable, game time could not come fast enough for the group. Hungry to avenge the disappointment of last night’s outing, the Huskies took on an Algonquin team unfortunate enough to run into them after a loss.

From start to finish, the Huskies led the way. After opening up on a 14-2 run, Northeastern did not look back. At the half, the Huskies led 47-33 and broke open the game in the early stages of the second half with a 22-point lead.

The Thunder did not go away though, whittling the lead down to 6. But that would be as close as they got, as the Huskies came out on top 86-70.
Vinny Lima had 23 points and seven rebounds, while Eugene Spates scored 15 and pulled down 10 boards. Matt Smith scored 15 points while Baptiste Bataille ran the show for the Huskies, scoring 13 of his own to go along with six assists and three steals.

In their last game in Ottawa, the Huskies leave on a good note. Spirits were high on the bus ride back to the hotel. Tonight was a must win, and the team made sure that it happened.
Tomorrow will be a practice day for the Huskies. They will also attend an exhibition game that pits defending NCAA Tournament champion Kansas Jayhawks against Carleton University.

Canadian Tour Part 5

Aug. 28, 2008
Thursday started out just as Wednesday did for the Huskies, but ended completely different.
The team met for breakfast in the hotel, and then was given two hours of down time before a quick film session. After a pregame meal, the team got dressed and got on the bus to the arena to take on Carleton University.

Watching the first half was almost like seeing the Ottawa game all over again. The Ravens jumped out to a 22-12 lead with 6:27 left to play in the half. Yet again, the Huskies finished up strong with a 15-2 run of their own, to take the halftime lead 27-24.

To start the second half, the Ravens went on a 12-0 run and never looked back. When all was said and done, the Ravens scored 51 second half points, and won the game 75-47.
The Huskies fought hard to the final buzzer, but did not seem to have the same energy as the night before.

Matt Janning led the way with 17 points, and Baptiste Bataille scored nine points. But the Ravens were just too much, shooting 55 percent from the three-point line and 50 percent from the field overall. The Ravens also shot 17 free throws compared to the Huskies’ seven.

But there were no excuses in the locker room. The Huskies win as a team and lose as a team. Although they lost, all of the players stuck together until the end and did not give up. This is definitely an experience that they will learn from.

Canadian Tour Part 4


Aug. 27, 2008
After a day of practice and scrimmaging, it was time for the Huskies to take the court again.
Today’s preparation was a little different from a normal game day. Since the Huskies were not allowed to take the court until a half-hour before tip-off, head coach Bill Coen decided to extend the morning shoot around. The result was a comfortable 79-57 win.

As the Huskies battled the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees Wednesday night, their fresh legs carried them to victory. A strong 16-8 run helped the Huskies to a 36-28 halftime lead, despite only shooting one free throw to the Gee-Gees 12 attempts.

The second half began just as the first half ended, with the Huskies going on a 21-3 tear in the first 10 minutes. The Gee-Gees made a run of their own, cutting the lead down to 13. But that would be the closest they would get, as the Huskies finished strong.

Manny Adako and Matt Janning led the way with 15 points each, while Eugene Spates chipped in 10 points of his own. However the key matchup of the game was Northeastern’s Chaisson Allen and Ottawa senior Josh Gibson-Bascombe, who was a first-team All-Star selection in the OUA last year.

Allen controlled this matchup from the first play of the game, when he forced Gibson-Bascombe to travel. From start to finish, Allen calmly controlled the offense while forcing Gibson-Bascombe into turnovers with his defensive presence. Allen finished with 10 points, and six assists while turning it over twice. Gibson-Bascombe finished with 11 points and four assists with six turnovers.

As a team, the Huskies turned the ball over seven times in the first half, but only turned it over three times in the second half, while forcing the Gee-Gees into 17 turnovers. Northeastern almost doubled Ottawa’s rebound total, 36-19.

More important than the wins and losses is the bond that the team has. This trip has made an already-strong bond even stronger. All of the players are extremely accountable for each other both on and off the court. They also make it a point to be together off the court. It doesn’t matter if it’s out to the store or out for a meal, everyone is together and enjoying each other’s company. That is both a product of coaching and senior leadership from Chris Alvarez, Matt Smith and Eugene Spates.

The team was happy with its 22-point victory, but extremely hungry and focused for tomorrow night’s game against Carleton University. The Ravens have won five out of the last six OUA championships and have the reigning OUA Player of the Year, Aaron Doornekamp.
But for now, the goal is to find something good for dinner, and to get some sleep.

Canadian Tour Part 3




Aug. 26, 2008
On Tuesday, the Huskies traveled two hours from Kingston to Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.

There was only enough time to check into the hotel and put their bags down before heading immediately to Carleton University for a practice and scrimmage against Carleton. Over the next five days, the Huskies will be spending a lot of time there. Beginning Wednesday, the team will play three games in three nights. All of the games will be held at Carleton University, so getting there a day early was important.

The players will certainly get a feel for the court, and also the crowd. Their first game will be against the University of Ottawa, then the Huskies will take on Carleton University, followed by Algonquin University on Friday.

Canadian Tour Part 2




Aug. 25, 2008
On Monday, the Huskies kicked the day off with a morning boat tour of Kingston. The team traveled through Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the Thousand Islands. After gaining their sea legs back, the team went back and explored some of the city itself.

For such a small area, there was plenty to do in Kingston. Many restaurants and shops are packed into each street. The most popular store among the team was by far “Dollarama.” Unlike in the United States, everything actually was one dollar or less, which made for a great bargain on a student budget.

Back at the hotel, players and coaches got together for a pregame meal. Then it was time to get dressed and go to the game against Queen’s University. The Huskies were excited to get back into action for the first time since March, and it showed in the first half. There were some nerves and a little rust, too.

This was the first game that the Huskies have played in using international rules. These differ from American rules mainly in the size of the lane, which is wider in international play, and in goaltending. In international play, you are allowed to tip the ball off of the rim or into the basket as long as you do not come into contact with the rim itself. Also, the game is split into four ten-minute quarters, as opposed to two twenty-minute halves.

At halftime, the Golden Gaels trailed 30-25. The gymnasium full of fans was rocking as their home team was keeping pace with the Huskies. But in the third quarter, the Huskies started to gain momentum, when Matt Janning threw an alley-oop to Chaisson Allen, and Allen then returned the favor on the next play.

The Huskies got out to their biggest lead, 15, after opening up the fourth quarter with jump shots by Eugene Spates and Matt Smith. But the Gaels fought back, and came to within five points with less than four minutes to play.

Down the stretch, the Huskies proved to be too much for the Gaels, as Spates and Baptiste Bataille hit clutch three-pointers to put some distance between the teams. Allen put the exclamation point on the game with a breakaway dunk, thanks one of the five steals by Manny Adako. The Huskies won 69-59.

For it being the first game, the Huskies looked good. They made some great personnel adjustments at halftime, along with cutting the turnovers down from 12 in the first half, to only six in the second.

Coach Coen emphasized how important this first step was in what will be a long journey this year for the Huskies. The next step will be Wednesday night against the University of Ottawa, where they hope to improve to 2-0 on the tour.

Canadian Tour Part 1




Aug. 22, 2008
The journey for the Northeastern University men’s basketball team began where so many have ended for the legends of the great sport.

On Friday, the Huskies toured the National Basketball Hall of Fame before making their way up to Canada. The team viewed all of the exhibits, along with competitions in video games, vertical jumps, reaction times and even a dunk contest.

Players also took the time to shoot baskets with the youth that gravitated towards them. They even had time to discuss this year’s outlook and talk about the opposition with the children’s parents.

After a few photos and one last look, the Huskies boarded the bus and continued on towards Canada. Ten hours later, with a stop for dinner and one to check in at the Canadian border, the players and coaches arrived at their first destination, Toronto.

As the bus rolled through the city, the excitement began to grow quickly. Players were pointing out sites and gazing at the amazing buildings and nightlife in Toronto.

At 1:35 a.m. the bus came to a halt and the Huskies grabbed their bags, found their rooms and went to bed. However, the excitement of tomorrow may keep them awake just a little longer.