Men’s basketball strives to keep positive momentum

The Geneseo men’s basketball team split their back-to-back games against two conference opponents. SUNY New Paltz was trounced in a 95-74 victory for the Knights on Friday Dec. 2, but the Knights couldn’t hold on to stave off a late comeback against SUNY Oneonta, falling 89-88. The Knights played some of their best basketball against New Paltz, as they completely controlled the game early in the second half. Senior guard John Decker led all scorers with 32 points. He had an efficient night, hitting eight of his 11 attempts, and he really made his defenders pay for fouling him by hitting 13 of his 14 free throws.

“He’s certainly got a lot of tools,” head coach Steve Minton said. “He’s very deceptive, he’s unselfish and can also hurt you with a pass.”

This game was a great example of how well he uses those tools to affect the game.

There were a number of impressive individual performances, though, up and down the roster. Senior guard Justin Ringen scored 16 points—including three three-point shots—in only 19 minutes. Junior guard Kevin Crockett led the bench in scoring with nine points, as he helped to set up his teammates with three assists and a steal.

Sophomore guard CJ Burke also had an impressive game, as he scored eight points. He may have even earned himself some more time on the court, looking into the future, as he displayed a series of shrewd post moves that sent his defenders soaring as he was scoring.

As promising as the Knights played against New Paltz, however, they couldn’t carry over the momentum into the next night for their game versus Oneonta.

Crockett had a great game, leading the team in scoring with 27 points, followed closely by Decker’s 24. The Knights played well in the beginning of the game and even established a 16-point lead. None of this deterred Oneonta, however, who went on a run to come back and win the game with a layup with only three seconds on the clock.

“They just defended and they did a good job on Decker,” Minton said.

Oneonta forced Decker to take difficult shots, leading him to miss a few. Additionally, Oneonta’s team defense really stepped up in the second half, as they didn’t allow Geneseo to land any shots in the final five minutes of play.

The Knights were also outrebounded 36-27. Not being able to start and end possessions with a rebound makes it difficult to control the game on both offense and defense. This, coupled with the fact that the bench struggled to only score 13 points, made it difficult for the Knights to fend off a hungry Oneonta team.

“You can’t take anybody lightly,” Minto said. “There’s got to be an intensity for 40 minutes.”

With their next opponent being the undefeated University of Rochester Yellowjackets, practice will be important, as they have one of their toughest games ahead of them. “When you’re coming off of a loss, the first thing you’ve got to do is make sure that your approach to practice is right and that it has high-energy,” Minton said.

The season is moving along for the Knights, as the competition will only get tougher. Even though the semester is cooling down, the Knights will have to continue to heat up.

Men’s basketball appears strong on all ends of court

The Geneseo men’s basketball team has opened up their season with a 3-1 record due, in large part, to their run-and-gun offense, which leaves opponents gasping for air. Pushing the pace and shooting from deep is the focal point of the offense, and when the Knights get on a roll, they prove to be a tough team to stop. Throughout the four games that the Knights have played, they executed their offense effectively. Averaging 84 points per game, the Knights achieve those points by passing the ball often, by making 36.8 percent of their three-point shots and by driving to the basket in order to draw fouls and to get to the free-throw line. On defense, the men have been containing the ball and forcing opponents to take bad shots from the perimeter.

Senior guard John Decker has been unstoppable offensively to open the season. Decker currently leads the SUNYAC in scoring with an average of 29.3 points per game. Even more impressively, he is shooting an efficient 47.3 percent from the field, and a scorching 46.5 percent from three.

It is hard to stop Decker once he gets going, as “Decker can just score in a lot different of ways,” head coach Steve Minton said.

It would be hard to disagree, since on Nov. 22 at Morrisville State College Decker scored a staggering 41 points to push the Knights to victory.

Senior guard Jack Eisenberg has been another key factor in the success of the team.

“He’s a hustle guy and he’s a tough guy,” Minton said. “There’s not a whole lot that’s going to bother him.”

That hustle makes him a pest on defense, as Eisenberg forces turnovers, crashes the boards and gets rebounds from bigger players. Additionally, Eisenberg is also doing a great job at orchestrating the offense. He dishes out a team-leading 5.8 assists a game, setting up his teammates for easy baskets; Eisenberg’s ability to make an impact on both sides of the ball has been a great strength for the team.

Minton has been pleased with the team’s speed in playing. The conditioning and endurance required to keep the tempo high has allowed the Knights to score at a high volume, all the while forcing opponents to expend a lot of energy trying to guard the Knights. Sometimes playing at such a high pace leads to a lot of mistakes, but the team has been doing a good job at preventing that, according to Minton.

“I think that they have done a good job of taking care of leads in the game and making sure that what we take are good shots and not turning the ball over,” Minton said.

When discussing what the team needed to improve on, however, Minton pointed toward rebounding.

“We are giving up too many second-chance shots and we are giving up a lot of offensive rebounds,” Minton said.

The box scores agree with Minton, as the Knights have been outrebounded in three of their four games. Getting more of those loose balls would give the Knights more possessions and more control of the game, an aspect that the Knights need to improve on as the season continues.

The Knights will battle for those rebounds on Friday Dec. 2, as they go up against conference-opponent SUNY New Paltz at home.

NBA commences thrilling season

The National Basketball Association’s season isn’t even a month in and there has already been an incredible amount of entertainment, both on and off the court. Topics like small forward Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors, the comparisons of Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James to Michael Jordan and shooting guard Dwyane Wade’s departure from Miami to play for the Chicago Bulls have flooded discussions in the media and amongst fans—but now they are fading into new drama and storylines of the 2016-17 season.

To many fans before the start of the season, there was little doubt about what teams would meet in the finals. The regular season was more of a formality than anything in order to make any team not named the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors feel that they might get lucky.

It’s understandable as to why fans felt this way. After all, the Warriors added superstar and 2014 MVP Durant to start in one of the most talented starting lineups ever seen in the NBA. As for the Cavs, they are firing on all cylinders, with James still dominating the game in every way imaginable.

With all of this attention on the Warriors and Cavaliers, however, a casual fan might be surprised that neither of these two teams currently have the best record. That title goes to the Los Angeles Clippers, who have shocked the NBA by starting off their season with a 10-1 record, showcasing the cohesiveness of the entire team.

Star point guard Chris Paul has been showing fans why many people consider him to be the best floor general in basketball. He has been setting up his teammates to score easy baskets—averaging 8.5 assists per game—and is creating chaos and fast breaks by averaging 2.9 steals per game.

Paul’s teammate and fellow superstar, power forward Blake Griffin, has been an offensive dynamo that can punish opponents in the post, step out and hit a shot when left open. This isn’t even to mention the vicious dunks that Griffin is capable of making. At times, it is nearly impossible for defenses to plan for him.

The Clippers have made it to the playoffs for the past five years in a row, but have never made it out of the second round, despite consistently having one of the best season records in the NBA. This year, it looks like the Clippers could compete with Golden State in the Conference Finals and finally face the best the Eastern Conference has to offer.

Despite the Warriors dominant performances over the Clippers in the past, the Clippers might  have an opportunity to exploit a new weakness of the Warriors this year: their utter lack of an interior defense. Due to the Durant signing, the Warriors were forced to trade away Andrew Bogut, their tough, defensive-minded center. This has left the Warriors vulnerable against offensively talented big-men.

The Clippers, however, have just that in both Griffin—who can back down defenders or speed around them—and center DeAndre Jordan, who is quite possibly the best in the NBA at finishing alley-oop lobs and embarrassing opposing defenses.

Defensively, Paul has been one of the more effective matchups at stopping—or at least slowing down—Warriors point guard Steph Curry by playing him  physically and not giving him an inch to get off that lethal three-point shot. Power forward Luc Mbah a Moute has also flourished as a perimeter defender at the small forward position for the Clippers, giving them a little more security around the perimeter.

Jordan, the anchor of the defense, patrols the paint quickly and fearsomely, blocking shots and making players driving to the basket think twice before putting up a shot. Jordan’s ability to protect the paint is already established and has earned him a spot in the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for the past two seasons.

While it’s hard not to get swept up into the sensation that is the Warriors, it is important to keep in mind that there are still 29 other teams that are willing to sacrifice anything it takes to defeat such a fearsome opponent—and none more so than the Clippers. Their ability to score in a variety of ways—along with their bevy of superb defenders—certainly makes Clippers-Warriors matchups a must-watch this season.

Men’s basketball begins season with victory

College basketball fans can finally relax knowing that they are about to get their fix of hoops, as the Geneseo men’s basketball team prepares to hit the hardwood. After implementing a new, high-paced offense for the 2015-16 season, the Knights played to a record of 17-9 in a season that led them to the SUNYAC Tournament. This year, however, head coach Steve Minton looks to improve on last season’s performance and to push the team even further. Fans looking forward to watching the Knights can count on a fast-paced run and gun offense.

“We try to play fast; we are going to get down the court in a hurry,” Minton said.

Minton has developed his team’s offense with an emphasis on obtaining easy fast-break layups, using the three-point line to their advantage and getting to the free-throw line. It is a highly efficient offensive plan that should look familiar to fans of the NBA, where most teams focus on getting baskets from beyond the three-point line or right at the rim.

On the defensive side of the court, Minton is looking to have his opponents take contested shots outside of the paint by interfering with the opponent’s ball movement and forcing low-percentage shots off the dribble.

Having his defense push the ball to one side of the court and close off passes is a great way to either force bad shots or turnovers, which will allow the Knights to get out in transition and force the opposition to play at their pace.

Minton has instilled this style of basketball in every player on the team, from his seniors to his freshman. As expected, all of the Knights’ seniors are vital parts of the team. Senior guards Justin Ringen and John Decker are incandescent scorers who averaged 21.7 and 18.8 points per game, respectively, last season.

“Either are capable of leading the conference in scoring,” Minton said.

Senior guard Jack Eisenberg is also a player that allows the offense to flow and senior guard Jonathan Cohen is one of the shooters that the Knights look to feed.

The juniors have also established themselves in important roles for the team. Junior guard Charlie Zaepfel has proven to be an excellent playmaker, along with junior guard Connor Murphy, who hustles in order to earn the team extra possessions. Junior guard Kevin Crockett is another shooter that punishes teams that leave him open on the three-point line. Additionally, junior forward Jordi Menkhorst will be one of the players that will be operating out of the post, in the space that the excellent shooting of the team provides.

The sophomores will begin seeing expanded roles on the team and will enjoy the opportunity to establish themselves this season. Sophomore guard CJ Burke saw his role expand throughout the season last year as a freshman and should continue to impress this season. Sophomore forward Sean Avery and sophomore center Chris McVeety offer well-rounded games and continue to develop, which will allow them to be utilized in a variety of game situations—especially as the season progresses. Sophomore forward Jack Manke is another post player with a skillset that should develop in the pace-and-space offense.

There are also four freshmen that have the opportunity to develop into promising talents within the culture and flow of the team. Freshman guard Terence Rogers will learn how Minton wants his point guards to run the offense from Eisenberg and Zaepfel; freshmen guards Terrance Nichols and Tommy Eastman will also look to translate the skills that earned them all-state recognition before coming to Geneseo.

Minton has a lot of respect for his players and their abilities; he plans to continue the success that the program has had.

Cross country claims another SUNYAC title

Despite a long and dominating season, both of the Geneseo cross country teams are far from done competing this year. The men and women both claimed titles as SUNYAC champions on Saturday Oct. 29 at Letchworth State Park. The men’s team finished with 23 points, having six runners finish in the top 10, and three in the top five. Junior Isaac Garcia-Cassani added another first place finish, with a final time of 24:54.1. This finish gives him an incredible total of five first place finishes for the season. Seniors Alfredo Mazzuca and Alex Kramer finished in second and third with times of 25:05.8 and 25:22.4, respectively.

The women’s team finished with 28 points and had five top 10 finishers cement their victory. Senior Sara Rosenzweig finished in first with a time of 21:46.6, while senior Marissa Cossaro came in right behind with a second place finish and a time of 21:51.0.

Claiming the titles as SUNYAC champions is a great accomplishment, adding to the impressive success the teams have had over the years. This history of winning has been an important factor in the success of both the current Geneseo cross-country teams and to the individual runners themselves. “I’m a firm believer that success breeds success,” head coach Dan Moore said.

The teams’ success is in some part due to the unity that they have and their sense of group achievement. “This team is special; it’s the most compassionate, supportive group of individuals that anyone could ask for,” Moore said.

Moore also pointed to the leadership of two of his top runners, Garcia-Cassani and Rosenzweig, as a contributing factor to the success of the teams. “They do all of the little things, but they do them better,” Moore said.

Assistant coach Ben Wach added to the praise of Rosenzweig, saying that she has confidence in the team, the coach and their training. This confidence is vital to competing at their level and gives the Knights a great edge.

Moore put the effect that Garcia-Cassani has on the team in a simple statement: “He’s the most savvy racer I’ve ever seen, not just as a coach, but in competitions as well.” With five first place finishes this season alone, it is easy to see why he is so valuable to the team.

Though the teams should be proud of their accomplishments, the SUNYAC championships were not the final destination; Moore is looking ahead to compete nationally. These few weeks before the Atlantic Regional Championships on Nov. 12 are not for celebrating their most recent victory; they are for preparation.

Moore has a great deal of confidence in these teams and their ability to succeed this year. Geneseo should hope to see the team have another dominant performance and push through to greater competition.

“It’s time to recover, time to sharpen and time to get fast,” Moore said.

Tennis’ success leads to sixth consecutive SUNYAC title

The tennis team continues to display excellence, as they have claimed the title as SUNYAC Tournament Champions for the sixth consecutive year. In the tournament, the Knights defeated SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oneonta before completing their championship run over opponent SUNY New Paltz on Oct. 10 with a final score of 5-1.

Head coach Jason Stephens took the position in 2015 and has since led the team to success for two years in a row. Stephen credited the team’s ability to maintain a high level of excellence to the culture that has been established and developed in the women’s tennis team throughout its past.

“Geneseo has always had really good tennis teams, there’s tradition there,” Stephens said.

The culture and tradition of the team was built, in large part, by previous head coach Jim Chen. Chen retired in 2015 as the most successful coach in the program’s history, compiling a record of 138-40.

The team added to that tradition this year with a 9-1 record, having five players named to the All-SUNYAC Team. Additionally, juniors Anika Pornpitaksuk and Lauren Salzano were named SUNYAC Women’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Year. These accomplishments are even more impressive when considering the team’s high expectations.

“The team only had one returning starter from last year’s team,” Stephens said.

This challenge of welcoming new players, however, was overcome by the overall chemistry of the group.

“Every team is different. This team is about grit and battling for every point,” Stephens said.

This mentality drove the team to harness the momentum of the team’s success and battle for every victory. Stephens emphasized that the team plays every point like it’s game point.

Stephens cited the team captains Salzano and junior Rachel Ollis as key figures in the team’s success. Having leaders amongst the team allowed Stephens to focus on the strategies and game plans used throughout the season, trusting the captains to keep the team focused and ready. This permitted the women to play their best tennis, especially in the SUNYAC Tournament.

Stephens also praised the performance of junior Sienna Susko, whom he mentioned had not played tennis in several years, but became an integral and impressive part of the team. This kind of dedication is consistent throughout the roster and, to Stephens, was what made this team special. “Every woman got a chance to contribute to the team’s success,” Stephens said.

Though the team and Stephens are happy with what they have accomplished this year, Stephens said that they are still looking to achieve more in the future. “We want to make our schedule tougher and to compete for more,” Stephens said.

With all that they have achieved this year, it will be exciting to see the tennis team overcome their next challenge.

Geneseo rugby to play on home field

The Geneseo club rugby team—otherwise known as the Warthogs—is already off to a great start with a 4-1 record.  Having notched wins over defending state champions SUNY Oswego and having put in a dominating performance over rival Buffalo State to win the game 49-5, there is a great deal of optimism among the team for their season. President of the Warthogs, junior forward Chris Cummins is extremely proud of the team’s performance so far. “I honestly think that we have a chance to win states,” Cummins said.

Cummins’ expectation comes from the work ethic that he has seen from the team and the great shape that the players have worked to achieve. “One of our major strengths as a team is our fitness and our drive. We fight harder and we want it more.”

A lot of the dedication and ferocity that the team has comes from the team captains, junior 8 man Joseph Goldbloom and sophomore fly half David Levy, according to Cummins. “They both have the ability to make everyone around them better,” he said.

Even though the team has an impressive record and is in a position to compete every game, Cummins stated that the team is lacking in one major area: a home field. Though the rugby team is a perennial playoff contender, they have not had a home field to compete on. Hopefully, this will change soon, as the team has recently been approved to use Lower Merritt Field for games.

The prospect of playing games in front of fans on Geneseo’s campus is something that Cummins is looking forward to. “Geneseo home games in Rochester don’t mean as much as home games in Geneseo,” he said.

Though the field has been approved for use, it is still not ready for games. The goal posts for the team have not yet been installed, something that Cummins hopes that the Athletic Department changes soon.

Not having a home field has meant that the team has to pay for and reserve a field for use in Rochester and then make sure that each individual player is able to get to the game. Cummins believes that this has led to lower fan interest and turnout over the years.

“As a fan, are you going to drive 40 minutes to Rochester, or would you rather walk down to the field on campus?” Cummins said.

When discussing the importance of having a home field with junior full back Simon Honig, another player on the team, he mentioned his belief that the field will not only bring fans, but new players as well. Although the Geneseo club rugby team is already one of the largest organizations on campus, Honig thinks that the team could grow even more.

“The idea that somebody could look up from their desk in the dorms to see us playing and become interested is really cool,” he said.

The team has proven their will to succeed and the Warthogs hope that it has earned them a chance to grow in their ability to represent the Geneseo community. “I would love nothing more than to win a state championship on our home field,” Cummins said.

With the team off to a great start, the players locked in on their season and the prospect of having a home field to play on, both the players and the fans of the Geneseo Warthogs have a lot to look forward to this year.