Stony Brook Seawolves men's basketball
The Stony Brook Seawolves men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York. The Seawolves compete at the NCAA Division I level, which they have done so since 1999, are a member of the America East Conference; the team is coached by former Kent State head coach Geno Ford after former head coach, longtime Ohio State assistant Jeff Boals, resigned to accept the head coaching job at his alma mater Ohio University. The Seawolves play their home games in the Island Federal Credit Union Arena, located on the university's campus in Stony Brook, New York; the team had their most successful year in the 2015–16, winning the America East regular season and tournament title to earn a bid to their first NCAA Tournament. The Seawolves have won four regular season titles and have reached the 20–win mark seven times as a Division I program; the official student section is known as "The Red Zone" and was voted as the top student section in the America East conference in the 2014 Naismith Student Section of the Year competition.
Stony Brook University first fielded a basketball program in the 1960–61 basketball season playing their home games at the local Walt Whitman High School while located at Oyster Bay. The campus relocated to its present site in 1962 and temporarily played their home games at Port Jefferson High School until the construction of the Pritchard Gymnasium in the late 1960s. Since the 1960s, the Stony Brook Patriots played at the Division III level and participated in several different conferences spending many years of its development as an independent program. While first struggling in its initial years with Dan Farrell, Stony Brook enjoyed some success in the Knickerbocker Conference with coach Herbie Brown, he was head basketball coach at Stony Brook in 1964–69, earning Coach of the Year honors following the 1969 season. That team's P. A. announcer, Paul Kornreich, was once compared in the local press with the Philadelphia 76ers' iconic announcer Dave Zinkoff. Hall of Fame coach Rollie Massimino, who led Villanova to a national championship in 1985, coached Stony Brook from 1969 to 1971.
During the 1977–78 season, Stony Brook reached the Final Four of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. Coaches Ron Bash, Dick Kendall, Joe Castigle helped develop the program in the late 1970s and 1980s, by the early 1990s, Stony Brook participated in the New York metropolitan-based Skyline Conference. By the 1990s, the University experienced tremendous growth in its academic programs, leading Stony Brook to become one of the leading public research universities in the nation; as its athletics lagged behind, President Shirley Strum Kenny sought to transition Stony Brook to the Division I level. The Stony Brook Patriots were renamed to the Seawolves in 1995 and offered scholarships for the first time. Division II basketball was played until 1999, when the men's basketball entered Division I after a four-year transition under the command of head coach Bernard Tomlin. In 2001, after two years of basketball at the D-I Independent level, the Seawolves joined the America East conference.
The initial years of the Stony Brook men's basketball program in the America East conference faced many hardships, the team remained in the bottom slots of the conference standings year after year from 2001 through 2008. In their first seven seasons in the conference, Stony Brook did not have a winning season in conference play or overall. In May 2005, the NCAA placed Stony Brook on three years' probation, stripping 12.5 scholarships due to eligibility violations. The NCAA Committee of Infractions discovered that 53 athletes in 14 sports from 1999 to 2001 were ineligible to compete due to improper paperwork and lack of academic credit hours. "There was no evidence. Rather, they were the result of a compliance coordinator being overwhelmed with Division I requirements with which he was unfamiliar," read the report. Following the retirement of Nick Macarchuk, Connecticut assistant coach Steve Pikiell was named the new head coach prior to the 2005 season. While the Seawolves finished last place, going 4–24 in Pikiell's first season, he agreed to an extension through 2011 soon after the season ended.
Stony Brook finished last again in the 2006–07 season after a 9–20, would do so again in the 2007–08 season with a 7–23 record. During Stony Brook's first seven years in the America East, the Seawolves were 55–140 overall, 32–84 in the America East. Pikiell led the Seawolves to their lone NCAA Tournament appearance. In every season from 2009 to 2016, Stony Brook either won the America East regular season title or appeared in the America East Finals, but the immense regular season success came with only one America East Tournament victory as the Seawolves lost four America East title games in five years. In the 2008–09 season, Pikiell led Stony Brook to their first winning season since joining the America East; the Seawolves earned a No. 4 seed in the America East championship tournament. However, they suffered an opening-round loss to New Hampshire. Stony Brook's run of success in the America East began in the 2009–10 season; the Seawolves ended with a 22–10 record and won their first America East regular season title in program history.
With the No. 1 seed in the America East Tournament, the Seawolves beat eighth-seeded Albany 68–59 in the quarterfinals but lost to Boston University 70–63 in the semifinals. Their regular season title earned them an automatic bid to the 2010 NIT, where they hosted and lost to Illinois in the first round; the successful seaso
Power forward (basketball)
The power forward known as the four, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. It has been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center, they play offensively with their backs towards the basket and position themselves defensively under the basket in a zone defense or against the opposing power forward in man-to-man defense. The power forward position entails a variety of responsibilities, one of, rebounding. Many power forwards are noted for their mid-range jump-shot, several players have become accurate from 12 to 18 feet. Earlier, these skills were more exhibited in the European style of play; some power forwards, known as stretch fours, have since extended their shooting range to three-point field goals. In the NBA, power forwards range from 6' 8" to 7' 0" while in the WNBA, power forwards are between 6' 1" and 6' 4". Despite the averages, a variety of players fit "tweener" roles which finds them in the small forward or center position depending on matchups and coaching decisions.
Some power forwards play the center position and have the skills, but lack the height, associated with that position
Basketball positions
The five basketball positions employed by organized basketball teams are the point guard, the shooting guard, the small forward, the power forward, the center. The point guard is the leader of the team on the court; this position requires substantial ball handling skills and the ability to facilitate the team during a play. The shooting guard, as the name implies, is the best shooter; as well as being capable of shooting from longer distances, this position tends to be the best defender on the team. The small forward has an aggressive approach to the basket when handling the ball; the small forward is known to make cuts to the basket in efforts to get open for shots. The power forward and the center are called the "frontcourt" acting as their team's primary rebounders or shot blockers, or receiving passes to take inside shots; the center is the larger of the two. Only three positions were recognized based on where they played on the court: Guards played outside and away from the hoop and forwards played outside and near the baseline, with the center positioned in the key.
During the 1980s, as team strategy evolved. More specialized roles developed. Team strategy and available personnel, still dictate the positions used by a particular team. For example, the dribble-drive motion offense and the Princeton offense use four interchangeable guards and one center; this set is known as a "four-in and one-out" play scheme. Other combinations are prevalent. Besides the five basic positions, some teams use non-standard or hybrid positions, such as the point forward, a hybrid small forward/point guard; the point guard known as the one, is the team's best ball handler and passer. Therefore, they lead their team in assists and are able to create shots for themselves and their teammates, they are quick and are able to hit shots either outside the three-point line or "in the paint" depending on the player's skill level. Point guards are looked upon as the "floor general" or the "coach on the floor", they should study the game and game film to be able to recognize the weaknesses of the defense, the strengths of their own offense.
They are responsible for directing plays, making the position equivalent to that of quarterback in American football, playmaker in association football, center in ice hockey, or setter in volleyball. Good point guards increase team efficiency and have a high number of assists, they are referred to as dribblers or play-makers. In the NBA, point guards are the shortest players on the team and are 6 feet 4 inches or shorter; the shooting guard is known as the two or the off guard. Along with the small forward, a shooting guard is referred to as a wing because of its use in common positioning tactics; as the name suggests, most shooting guards are prolific from the three-point range. Besides being able to shoot the ball, shooting guards tend to be the best defender on the team, as well as being able to move without the ball to create open looks for themselves; some shooting guards have good ball handling skills creating their own shots off the dribble. A versatile shooting guard will have good passing skills, allowing them to assume point guard responsibilities known as combo guards.
Bigger shooting guards tend to play as small forwards. In the NBA, shooting guards range from 6 feet 4 inches to 6 feet 8 inches; the small forward known as the three, is considered to be the most versatile of the main five basketball positions. Versatility is key for small forwards because of the nature of their role, which resembles that of a shooting guard more than that of a power forward; this is why the small forward and shooting guard positions are interchangeable and referred to as wings. Small forwards have a variety such as quickness and strength inside. One common thread among all kinds of small forwards is an ability to "get to the line" and draw fouls by aggressively attempting plays, lay-ups, or slam dunks; as such, accurate foul shooting is a common skill for small forwards, many of whom record a large portion of their points from the foul line. Besides being able to drive to the basket, they are good shooters from long range; some small forwards have good passing skills, allowing them to assume point guard responsibilities as point forwards.
Small forwards should be able to do a little bit of everything on the court playing roles such as swingmen and defensive specialists. In the NBA, small forwards range from 6 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 9 inches; the power forward known as the four plays a role similar to that of the center, down in the "post" or "low blocks". The power forward is the team's most versatile scorer, being able to score close to the basket while being able to shoot mid-range jump shots from 12 to 18 feet from the basket; some power forwards have become known as stretch fours, since extending their shooting range to three-pointers. On defense, they are required to have the strength to guard bigger players close to the basket and to have the athleticism to guard quick players away from the basket. Most power forwards tend to be more versatile than centers since they can be part of plays and are not always in the low block. In the
Center (basketball)
The center known as the five, or the big man, is one of the five positions in a regular basketball game. The center is the tallest player on the team, has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is 6 feet 10 inches or taller and weighs 240 pounds or more, they traditionally have played close to the basket in the low post. A center with the ability to shoot outside from three-point range is known as stretch five; the center is considered a necessary component for a successful team in professional leagues such as the NBA. Great centers have been the foundation for most of the dynasties in both the NBA and NCAA; the 6'10" George Mikan pioneered the Center position, shattering the held perception that tall players could not develop the agility and coordination to play basketball well, ushering in the role of the dominant big man. He led DePaul University to the NIT title after turning professional, won seven National Basketball League, Basketball Association of America and NBA Championships in his ten-year career, nine of them with the Minneapolis Lakers.
Using his height to dominate opposing players, Mikan invented the shot block. In the 1960s, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain further transformed basketball by combining height with a greater level of athleticism than previous centers. Following the retirement of George Mikan, the rivalry of the two big men came to dominate the NBA. Between the two of them and Russell won nine of the eleven MVP awards in the eleven-year period between 1958 and 1969. Many of the records set by these two players have endured today. Most notably and Russell hold the top eighteen season averages for rebounds. Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA Championships, he joined the Boston Celtics and helped make them one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, winning eleven championships over his thirteen-year career as well as five MVP awards. Russell revolutionized defensive strategy with his shot-blocking and physical man-to-man defense. While he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, much of the team's scoring came when Russell grabbed defensive rebounds and initiated fast breaks with precision outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy.
As the NBA's first African-American superstar, Russell struggled throughout his career with the racism he encountered from fans in Boston after the 1966–67 season, when he became the first African-American in any major sport to be named player-coach. His principal rival, Wilt Chamberlain, listed at 7'1", 275 pounds, lacked Russell's supporting cast. Chamberlain played college ball for the Kansas Jayhawks, leading them to the 1957 title game against the North Carolina Tar Heels. Although the Jayhawks lost by one point in triple overtime, Chamberlain was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. A member of the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors of the NBA in 1959, Chamberlain won two Championships, in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers and 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers, although his teams were defeated by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals, he won seven scoring titles, eleven rebounding titles, four regular season Most Valuable Player awards, including the distinction, in 1960, of being the first rookie to receive the award.
Stronger than any player of his era, he was capable of scoring and rebounding at will. Although he was the target of constant double- and triple-teaming, as well as fouling tactics designed to take advantage of his poor free-throw shooting, he set a number of records that have never been broken. Most notably, Chamberlain is the only player in NBA history to average more than 50 points in a season and score 100 points in a single game, he holds the NBA's all-time records for rebounding average, rebounds in a single game, career rebounds. A lesser-known center of the era was Nate Thurmond, who played the forward position opposite Wilt Chamberlain for the San Francisco Warriors but moved to center after Chamberlain was traded to the new Philadelphia franchise. Although he never won a Championship, Thurmond was known as the best screen setter in the league, his averages of 21.3 and 22.0 rebounds per game in 1966–67 and 1967–68, are exceeded only by Chamberlain and Russell. In contrast to the Celtics dynasty of the 1960s, the 1970s were a decade of parity in the NBA, with eight different champions and no back-to-back winners.
At the college level, the UCLA Bruins, under Coach John Wooden, built the greatest dynasty in NCAA basketball history, winning seven consecutive titles between 1967 and 1973. UCLA had won two consecutive titles in 1964 and 1965 with teams that pressed and emphasized guard play. After not winning in 1966, Wooden's teams changed their style, he led UCLA to three championships-in 1967, 68' and 69'-while winning the first Naismith College Player of the Year Award. During his college career, the NCAA enacted a ban on dunking because of Alcindor's dominant use of the shot, his entrance into the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 was timely, as Bill Russell had just retired and Wilt Chamberlain was 33 years old and plagued by injuries. After leading the Bucks to the 1971 NBA championship, te
Taylor Coppenrath
Taylor Burton Coppenrath is a former American professional basketball player. Coppenrath went to high school at St. Johnsbury Academy where he did not play for the varsity basketball team until his junior year. However, he went on to be the 2000 Vermont Player of the Year by Gatorade, the Burlington Free Press and USA Today. Coppenrath played at University of Vermont from 2001 to 2005. After his redshirt freshman year, he led UVM to three straight America East Conference titles. At the end of his college career, he was Vermont's second all-time leading scorer in total points and points per game, he ranks the university's all-time leader in field goals made, is fifth all-time in rebounding and blocked shots. He is one of two players along with Reggie Lewis, to win three America East Conference Player of the Year awards. Coppenrath matched a record held by Vin Baker with 14 America East Player of the Week awards. During his junior year and the Catamounts were in contention for the America East regular season championship when he discovered that his wrist was broken following a loss to Boston University.
BU went on to win the regular season crown, but Coppenrath led Vermont over Maine in the conference title game to send UVM to the NCAA tournament. The title game, held at UVM's Patrick Gym and televised nationally, was Coppenrath's first game back from the wrist injury. Playing with his wrist wrapped, Coppenrath delivered a 43-point performance and captured the Reggie Lewis Award as the most outstanding player of the conference tournament despite playing only one game in the tourney. In his senior year, Coppenrath was a finalist for many national awards, including the John Wooden Award for National Player of the Year, the only finalist from the America East; that season was the most successful in Vermont men's basketball history. After capturing the Conference title, the team defeated Syracuse University for its first NCAA Tournament victory ever. Coppenrath scored 16 points in the game. After playing in the NBA Summer League in 2005, Coppenrath tried out for the Vermont Frost Heaves, an ABA team based in his home state, but elected to play internationally instead.
After playing with the Boston Celtics Summer League team in 2005, Coppenrath signed with AEK Athens B. C. in Greece for the 2005–06 season. After completing his first season abroad, he played with the Indiana Pacers during Summer League before signing with Pallacanestro Biella in Italian Serie A. In 2007, Coppenrath signed with CB Lucentum Alicante in the Spanish LEB Oro, where he stayed from 2007 to 2009, it was in Spain where the forward has played the rest of his career thus far, with both Melilla Baloncesto in 2009–10, CB Murcia in 2010–11, Menorca Bàsquet in 2011–12, returning to Alicante for the 2012–13 season, where he again helped the team earn promotion to Liga ACB. For the 2013–14 season, Coppenrath signed with Ford Burgos. Where he was selected in the All-LEB Oro Team after the 2014–15 season. In August 2015, Coppenrath announced his retirement after helping teams achieve five promotions to Liga ACB in six seasons. Coppenrath returned to his alma mater, St. Johnsbury Academy where he served as an assistant coach for the boys basketball team in addition to teaching math.
On July 26, 2017 Coppenrath was announced as the head girls basketball coach at Missisquoi Valley Union Middle/High School in Swanton, where he will serve as a math teacher. Note: The EuroLeague is not the only competition in which the player participated for the team during the season, he played in domestic competition, regional competition if applicable. LEB Oro profile Official site Univ. of Vermont basketball bio stats @ aek.com
Small forward
The small forward known as the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are shorter and leaner than power forwards and centers, but taller and larger than either of the guard positions; the small forward is considered to be the most versatile of the five main basketball positions. In the NBA, small forwards range from 6' 6" to 6' 10" while in the WNBA, small forwards are between 5' 11" to 6' 2". Small forwards are responsible for scoring points, defending and as secondary or tertiary rebounders behind the power forward and center, although a few have considerable passing responsibilities. Many small forwards in professional basketball are prolific scorers; the styles with which small forwards amass their points vary widely. Some players at the position are accurate shooters, others prefer to initiate physical contact with opposing players, still others are slashers who possess jump shots. In some cases, small forwards position as off-the-ball specialists.
Small forwards who are defensive specialists are versatile as they can guard multiple positions using their size and strength
Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year
The Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year was an annual basketball award given to the most outstanding intercollegiate men's basketball player in the United States. The award was first given following the 1904–05 season and ceased being awarded after the 1978–79 season, it was the first major most valuable player award for men's basketball in the United States, the Helms Athletic Foundation was considered within the basketball community to be the authority on men's college basketball for that era. Thus, the award was viewed as the premier player of the year award one could receive up until the 1960s, at which point the Naismith College Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award took over as the national season MVP awards. "Helms Foundation Player of the Year Winners". Sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2010. Archived from the original on June 19, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2010. Bjarkman, Peter. Hoopla: A Century of College Basketball. Masters Press. ISBN 1-57028-039-8
