City of Basketball Love

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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With a new year, it’s a new Division III Power Poll--the CoBL D-III Power Rankings have been expanded to include any in the CoBL coverage area: anything in the southeastern quadrant of the state, from State College east through the Lehigh Valley, south through Harrisburg and obviously the Philadelphia area, plus South Jersey (below Trenton) and northern Delaware.

So that means there are a few new programs making debuts right near the top of the poll, including a Lancaster Bible squad that’s having a tremendous start to the year, along with a Susquehanna program that’s nationally ranked.

Every program in the poll (besides one) plays at least four games in the next two weeks, including a few top-10 matchups, so expect plenty of movement by Jan. 18.

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Also under consideration: Cairn (5-4, 2-1 CSAC), Centenary (6-4, 2-1 CSAC), Eastern (6-5, 1-1 MAC Freedom), Gwynedd-Mercy (5-5, 3-0 CSAC), Moravian (5-5, 1-2 Landmark), Neumann (5-5, 1-2 CSAC), Rosemont (5-6, 3-1 CSAC), York (6-5, 2-2 Capital)

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10t. Penn State-Harrisburg Lions
Record: 8-3 (3-1 Capital)
Last Two Weeks: @ York (W, 76-72)
Star Watch: Jazmon Harris (Jr./G)--15.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 37.5 3PT%

Update: Couldn’t leave out either PSU-Harrisburg or DeSales, so they’re both in for this week. Of the Lions’ three losses, two have come at the hands of a D-I program (Cornell) and another that’s nationally-ranked (Susquehanna), plus a conference road loss to Mary Washington; on the flip side, they beat nationally-ranked Salisbury (Md.) in addition to Albright and Lebanon Valley. Head coach Don Friday is leaning on a few Philadelphia kids, including the team’s leading rebounder, freshman Gbolahan Alliyu (2.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and his fellow Central grad, Kahlil Williams (5.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg).

Next Two Weeks: vs. Christopher Newport (Jan. 6, 7 PM), @ Southern Virginia (Jan. 9, 3 PM), @ Marymount (Va.) (Jan. 13, 8 PM), vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) (Jan. 16, 3 PM)

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10t. DeSales Bulldogs (7)
Record: 8-4 (1-1 MAC Freedom)
Last Two Weeks: @ Medgar Evers (W, 78-75), vs. Berkeley (N.Y.) (L, 93-89, 2 OT), vs. Alvernia (W, 79-52)
Star Watch: Brian Laird (Jr./G)--12.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Update: The Bulldogs weren’t the only program in the area to lose to Berkeley this week, as the New York college continued its nine-game winning streak in impressive fashion. But DeSales bounced back nicely from that oh-so-close defeat to destroy Alvernia in their own tournament’s consolation game, and now have a big matchup against Arcadia before resuming MAC Freedom play. After missing the first two games of the season and coming off the bench in the next five, Laird, a 5-9 guard from Central Dauphin, moved into the starting lineup; in the five games since, he’s averaging 14.0 ppg and 3.4 rpg.

Next Two Weeks: @ Arcadia (Jan. 6, 8 PM), vs. King’s (Jan. 13, 8 PM), @ FDU-Florham (Jan. 16, 3 PM)

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9. Lebanon Valley Dutchmen (8)
Record: 8-4 (3-1 MAC Commonwealth)
Last Two Weeks: @ Alvernia (W, 74-62, @ Marywood (W, 78-58)
Star Watch: Zach Mrozek (Jr./G)--10.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Update: The Dutchmen made it five wins in six games with a nice pair of road victories over the break, continuing their resurgence after a 3-3 start to the year. Mrozek, a junior guard from Bloomsburg, had a perfect 7-for-7 outing--including one 3-pointer and all five foul shots--against Marywood to help him to 20 points, and he contributed 12 points and seven boards against Alvernia. Eight of the nine teams in the MAC Commonwealth have either one or two losses in league play through the first few games, so these next two weeks will start to help sort things out; Wilkes is the only out-of-league game that LVC has remaining on its schedule.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Stevenson (Jan. 6, 8 PM), @ Wilkes (Jan.9, 3 PM), vs. Widener (Jan. 13, 8 PM), @ Lycoming (Jan. 16, 3 PM)

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8. Swarthmore Garnet (4)
Record: 9-1 (3-0 Centennial)
Last Two Weeks: @ Delaware Valley (L, 70-65)
Star Watch: Chris Bourne (Jr./F)--15.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg

Update: After winning their own holiday tournament, the Garnet had two weeks off but then ran into a Del-Val squad that’s already surpassed double digits in victories on the year. Now it’s time to see if Swat is for real, with games against the other top two teams in the Centennial with Gettysburg and F&M in the next five days; both teams are above them in our power rankings. As if that’s not enough, they’ll then go to Johns Hopkins before welcoming a Dickinson team that’s much more dangerous than its 2-8 record implies. Swarthmore will need players besides Bourne and Zack Yonda (15.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to provide a scoring punch to keep winning as the competition gets tougher.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Gettysburg (Jan. 7, 8 PM), @ Franklin & Marshall (Jan. 9, 3 PM), @ Johns Hopkins (Jan. 12, 8 PM), vs. Dickinson (Jan. 14, 8 PM), vs. McDaniel (Jan. 16, 3 PM)

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7. Gettysburg Bullets (6)
Record: 8-2 (3-0 Centennial)
Last Two Weeks: @ Alvernia (W, 69-53)
Star Watch: Kevin Gladstone (11.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg)

Update: Gettysburg came out of an 11-day layoff to down Alvernia on New Years’ Eve, getting double-digit scoring from four different players as it continued its best start since 2008-09. Gladstone, a 6-6 senior from Haverford High, led the way with a double-double (14 pts/10 rebs), his third of the year and second in a row. The Bullets are undefeated in conference play, but the three teams they’ve beaten (Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg and Dickinson) are all under .500 overall and are all 1-2 in league play. Their first big-time matchup will be the one with the Garnet on Thursday night, followed by several must-win home games against Haverford (2-6, 0-2) and Washington College (2-6, 0-2).

Next Two Weeks: @ Swarthmore (Jan. 7, 8 PM), vs. Haverford (Jan. 9, 3 PM), vs. Washington (Jan. 12, 6 PM), @ Ursinus (Jan. 14, 8 PM), @ Muhlenberg (Jan. 16, 4 PM)

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6. Delaware Valley Aggies (5)
Record: 11-2 (2-0 MAC Freedom)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Pine Manor (@ Trinity; W, 88-74), @ Trinity (L, 78-64), vs. Swarthmore (W, 70-65)
Star Watch: Chris Moran (Sr./F)--19.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg

Update: The loss to Trinity snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Aggies, but they bounced back nicely with a win over a previously-undefeated Swarthmore. Moran, a 6-4 senior, had 30 points against Pine Manor and 22 against Swarthmore, a game that also saw junior guard Tyliek Kimbrough score 19. After a nearly two-week break before those three games in five days over the new year, Del-Val’s got another 10-day layoff before MAC Freedom play begins in earnest with a Manhattanville squad that’s off to a solid 7-5 start.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Manhattanville (Jan. 13, 8 PM), @ Wilkes (Jan. 16, 3 PM)
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5. Stockton Ospreys (2)
Record: 9-3 (4-1 NJAC)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Alvernia (@ DeSales; W, 62-56), vs. Berkeley (N.Y.) (@ DeSales; L, 86-73)
Star Watch: Armin Cane (Sr./G)--16.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg

Update: Stockton’s winning streak reached since before it ended at the hands of a Berkeley team that’s 9-1, missing out on an opportunity to win DeSales’ holiday tournament. Nobody on the Ospreys really had a stellar pair of games--Cane, a 6-2 guard, put up 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists against Berkeley, but shot 5-of-16 from the floor; he was more efficient against Alvernia, needing only eight shots (making five) to help him to 14 points. They’ve got a few tough NJAC games coming up, including a showdown for first place against New Jersey City (7-4, 5-0) and then at Ramapo (7-5, 3-2).

Next Two Weeks: vs. New Jersey City (Jan. 6, 8 PM), @ Ramapo (Jan. 9, 3 PM), vs. Montclair State (Jan. 13, 6 PM), @ Kean (Jan. 16, 1 PM)

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4. Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (1)
Record: 8-2 (3-0 Centennial)
Last Two Weeks: @ Carnegie Mellon (L, 74-54), vs. Misericordia (W, 81-76)
Star Watch: Brandon Federici (Soph./G)--17.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 40.0 3PT%

Update: F&M dropped a few spots thanks to a blowout loss to Carnegie Mellon in which the Diplomats shot only 27.7 percent overall and 23.5 percent from 3-point range. Off nights happen, and they bounced back nicely by making more than half of their shots against Misericordia. Federici busted out for 30 points in the win after going for 19 against CMU, shooting 10-of-19 overall and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc to go along with five rebounds, four steals and three assists. The showdown with Swarthmore will certainly be one of the better D-III games around the next two weeks.

Next Two Weeks: @ McDaniel (Jan. 7, 8 PM), vs. Swarthmore (Jan. 9, 3 PM), @ Haverford (Jan. 12, 8 PM), vs. Johns Hopkins (Jan. 14, 8 PM), @ Washington (Jan. 16, 2 PM)

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3. Arcadia Knights (3)
Record: 9-2 (3-1 MAC Commonwealth)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Hood College (W, 70-65)
Star Watch: Evan Slone (Fr./F)--11.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg

Update: Four straight wins for Arcadia, as the Knights came back from a nearly three-week holiday break to beat Hood (8-5) at home in a MAC Commonwealth clash. Slone, a 6-5 Souderton product, had only one double-digit game over a seven game stretch from Nov. 17 to Dec. 9, but had 14 against Immaculata before the break and came back with 17 points and seven rebounds in the win over Hood, shooting 8-of-10 from the field. Slone and sophomore Phil Pierfy (13.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) gives head coach Justin Scott a nice tandem to build around up front for the next three years.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Rutgers-Newark (Jan. 4, 7 PM), vs. DeSales (Jan. 6, 8 PM), @ Stevenson (Jan. 9, 1 PM), @ Alvernia (Jan. 13, 8 PM), vs. Albright (Jan. 16, 3 PM)

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2. Lancaster Bible Chargers (New)
Record: 8-0 (2-0 NEAC)
Last Two Weeks: N/A
Star Watch: Bryce Williams (Jr./G)--19.0 ppg, 4.4 apg, 4.3 rpg

Update: The Chargers make the debut in the second spot, and it’s one that they’ve earned with an undefeated start that includes wins over Franklin & Marshall and Eastern back in November. The 94-66 win over F&M is the most impressive on the resume, though six of their seven other wins have come by double figures as well. Williams, a 6-0 guard from Minneapolis, is one of six LBC players who average more than 10.1 ppg; they love to utilize the 3-point arc, taking 25 per game and making 36.1 percent of their attempts. The No. 2 team in the NEAC preseason poll undoubtedly will have a target on its back as it moves into the main stretch of league play beginning on Thursday against Penn College.

Next Two Weeks: @ Penn College (Jan. 7, 5 PM), vs. PSU-Abington (Jan. 9, 1 PM), @ Cazenovia (Jan. 15, 5:30 PM), @ Morrisville State (Jan. 16, 1 PM)

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1. Susquehanna Crusaders (New)
Record: 12-0 (3-0 Landmark)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Johns Hopkins (@ Albright; W, 72-64), @ Albright (W, 62-20), vs. Moravian (W, 89-64)
Star Watch: Josh Miller (Sr./SF)--16.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg

Update: The obvious choice for the top spot had to be the Crusaders, who’ve won a dozen straight to start the year and have vaulted into the top 20 in the D3Hoops.com national poll, landing at No. 17 in the last poll back on Dec. 17--when they were only 9-0. This is the program’s best-ever start under head coach Frank Marcinek, who’s been there 27 years in that role, and they’re getting it done on both ends of the court: Susquehanna can shoot (48.3 percent overall, 35.9 3PT%), defend (opponents are shooting under 40 percent) and rebound (+4.8/game); they’re experienced to boot, with Miller leading a quartet of upperclassmen who lead the team in scoring and rebounding.

Next Two Weeks: @ Scranton (Jan. 7, 7 PM), vs. USMMA (Jan. 9, 2 PM), vs. Juniata (Jan. 13, 7 PM), @ Drew (Jan. 16, 2 PM)

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Dropped out: Eastern (10), Gwynedd-Mercy (9)