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Hopes running high for upcoming season
By Lawrence Napolitano ’97
The Holy Cross men’s and women’s basketball
teams enter the 2004-05 season looking to return to the NCAA
Tournament after a one-year absence. The Crusaders’ men’s
team returns 10 letter-winners and four starters from a year
ago, while the women’s team returns nine letter-winners,
including three starters from 2003-04.
The men’s team will be led by shooting guard Kevin
Hamilton ’06 (Queens Village , N.Y.).
Hamilton led Holy Cross in scoring last season, averaging
11.0 points per game. He connected on 38.7 percent (53-of-137)
of his shots from three-point range, while notching 72
steals. His 72 thefts were the third highest single-season
total in school history, and the highest since Ted Bettencourt ’96
made 76 steals in 1995-96. In his first two seasons, Hamilton
has notched 98 steals, while scoring 443 points.
Joining Hamilton on the wing will be Greg Kinsey ’05 (Hatboro
, Pa.). Kinsey averaged 5.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per
game in the 2003-04 season. He has started 55 games in the
past two years, including all 28 contests last season. Kinsey
connected on 38.5 percent of his shots from the field (65-of-169)
while posting a 1.43-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
John Hurley ’05 (South Boston ,
Mass) and Nate Lufkin ’05 (Austin
, Texas) will anchor the front line for
the Crusaders. Hurley took over a starting role last season,
averaging 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He ranked
second on the team in shooting, connecting on 46.9 percent
(97-of-207) from the field. A versatile forward with the
ability to drive the ball to the basket and defend any guard
position, Hurley is key to the team’s success.
Lufkin manned the Crusaders’ center
position last year. A lanky player with good touch around
the basket, he averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Lufkin also tied for the team lead with 30 blocks. He connected
on 56.6 percent of his shots (81-for-143) from the field,
including converting 2-of-3 from three-point range. This
season, Lufkin needs to become more of a dominant force in
the paint to help the Crusaders’ inside game. The most
athletic center in the conference, he had great success against
bigger, slower opponents last year.
Guard Torey Thomas ’07 (White Plains,
N.Y.) will look to replace departed point guard Jave Meade ’04,
who was lost to graduation. Meade, a four-year performer
for the Crusaders, graduated as the Patriot League’s
all-time leader in steals and assists. Last season, he became
the first player in school history to score over 1,000 points
and hand out over 500 assists in a career. Thomas provided
tremendous spark off the bench in 2003-04, but will need
to be more consistent this season. Averaging 5.1 points and
pulling down 2.1 rebounds per game, he led the team in free-throw
shooting, converting 76.9 percent (40-of-52) from the charity
stripe. Thomas ranked third on the team in steals, notching
40 thefts, while averaging 14.1 minutes per game; he also
was fourth on the team in assists with 41, while posting
just 30 turnovers.
Newcomer Pat Doherty ’08 (Scranton
, Pa.) will look to add depth to the point guard position.
He averaged 15.0 points and 10.0 assists per game last season
for coach John Kopick at Scranton Prep. His father, James,
attended Holy Cross, as did several other family members,
including his brother and sister. He will have more of an
impact as the season wears on, and he becomes adjusted to
the speed of the collegiate game.
One of the strengths of the 2004-05 team will be its depth
off the bench. Leading the way will be sharpshooter Mike
Smiley ’05 (Swampscott , Mass.). Smiley
appeared in 19 games, connecting on four three-point field
goals and all six of his free throw attempts. His experience
and leadership will help the young Crusaders in the backcourt.
Joining Smiley as a key performer off the bench will be Keith
Simmons ’07 (Kingston , N.Y. ). Simmons
was named to the All-Patriot League Rookie Team last season
after averaging 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He
also was the Crusaders’ most lethal three-point threat,
connecting on 45.8 percent (33-of-72) of his shots from
beyond the arc. Simmons was not just a deep threat, however,
as his speed and athleticism enabled him to get to the
basket consistently. He shot 70.0 percent (42-for-60) from
the free throw line and posted 16 assists with 27 steals.
Simmons should be even more of a threat this season after
a year of college basketball.
Kevin Hyland ’06 (White Plains
, N.Y.) anchors the forward position off the bench. He had
more of an impact last season, tying for the team lead in
blocks with 30. Hyland averaged 2.5 points and pulled down
2.2 rebounds per game. He averaged 14.9 minutes per game
last season in 28 games, making four starts. With two years
of experience under his belt, Hyland should continue to improve
at both ends of the floor.
Joe Young ’07 (Silver Spring ,
Md.) will add more depth to the front court. Young played
in 23 games in 2003-04, averaging 1.3 points and 1.1 rebounds
per game. Tim Clifford ’08 (Walpole
, Mass.) is another newcomer who will look to have an impact
this season. Clifford is the biggest player on the roster
at 260 pounds. His size will give the Crusaders a different
look when he is on the floor. Clifford averaged 20.0 points
and 10.0 rebounds per game as a junior in high school.
Holy Cross will need all these weapons if it is to be successful
this season. Once again, the team will play one of the toughest
schedules in the nation, with games against Minnesota, Boston
College and Princeton highlighting the slate.
On the women’s side, the Crusaders will look to preseason “Player
of the Year” candidate, Maggie Fontana ’05 (Barrington
, Ill.) to lead the effort.
Fontana is one of the top players on the East
Coast and might be the best player in the Patriot League.
Her ability to be a dual offensive threat (pass and score)
makes her tough to defend. Last season, Fontana averaged
14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She also led the team
in assists (136) and steals (56). Fontana connected on 46.7
percent (136-of-291) of her attempts from the floor and 84.0
percent (89-for-106) from the charity stripe.
Another key contributor for the Crusaders will be center Lisa
Andrews ’05 (Concord , Mass.). Andrews
is one of the top centers in the Patriot League, earning
Second Team All-Conference accolades last season. She averaged
14.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Andrews also notched
69 blocks on the season to move into third place on the
College’s career list. Her abilities at both ends
of the floor make her a special player with unique capabilities.
Sarah Placek ’06 (Alexandria ,
Va.), Jessica Conte ’06 (New Canaan
, Conn.) and Shannon Bush ’06 (Doylestown
, Pa.) anchor the guard positions. Placek started all 26
games in which she appeared last season at the point guard
position. She converted 34.8 percent (39-of-112) of her attempts
from three-point range, while handing out 85 assists. Placek
averaged 10.5 points per game, and her 46 steals ranked second
on the team. Her continued development at the point guard
position will be crucial to the team’s
success in 2004-05.
Conte is one of the Crusaders’ best outside shooters.
She ranked second on the team in three-point shooting, with
32.2 percent (28-of-87) last season. Her ability to hit from
the outside enables Holy Cross to stretch the defense and
opens up the inside for Andrews and the rest of the Crusader
forwards.
Bush returned from a serious knee injury to appear in 19
games last season. Although the knee injury slowed her down
early on, she still connected on 41.2 percent of her attempts
from the field (28-of-68) and showed great resiliency as
the year advanced. Her continued recovery from the injury
will be a tremendous asset to the Crusaders’ backcourt.
Bush possesses a unique ability to get to the rim, which
will give the squad an additional option on offense.
Another key performer for Holy Cross at either guard position
is Brittany Keil ’07 (Sparta , N.J.).
Keil emerged as a true threat in her first year, starting
15 games last season. Her ability to play all three of the
guard positions enables her to be a valuable asset to have
on the floor. Keil averaged 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per
game last season. With a year of experience under her belt,
Keil should be even more of a threat this season.
Reserve guard Caitlin Agostinacchio ’05 (Bellmore
, N.Y.) adds tremendous effort and speed off the bench.
Agostinacchio is an All-Conference volleyball player who
appeared in 19 games for the basketball team last season.
Her work ethic and determination make her a true leader.
Newcomer Lauren Aloisi ’08 (Nashua
, N.H.) will look to have an immediate impact. A Street and
Smith’s Honorable Mention All-American, Aloisi
averaged 15 points and five steals a game in her third year
of high school; in 2002-03, she led her squad to a 22-3 record
and a New Hampshire state championship. Aloisi earned several
accolades during the season including “team MVP” and
Tiger 1590 FM “Miss New Hampshire Basketball;” she
was a First Team All-State All-Star and a Class L Academic
All-Star.
Kaitlin Foley ’07 (Albany , N.Y.)
will be the team’s first forward off the bench. The
6-foot-two-inch forward/center played in 27 games last season,
averaging 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She showed
good touch around the hoop, connecting on 52.9 percent (36-of-68)
of her shots from the field. Foley also ranked third on the
team in blocks, with 13.
Ashley Brennan-McBride ’07 (London
, Ontario) is 6 feet, 5 inches and the tallest player on
the roster; with good offensive skills, she provides a tough
match-up for any opponent. Using most of last season to get
adjusted to the speed of the collegiate game, Brennan-McBride
appeared in seven games―scoring five points and pulling
down two rebounds in limited action. Her development will
continue to add to the depth the team enjoys at the forward
position.
Ashley McLaughlin ’08 (Andover
, Mass.) is yet another newcomer who will have an impact.
She averaged 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks as a
junior in high school, leading her team to the Massachusetts
Division I State Championship with a 24-1 record. A Merrimack
Valley and Eagle Tribune All-Star, McLaughlin was
named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team;
she was one of two Massachusetts players to gain Street & Smith's Honorable
Mention All-American honors in 2002-03. Extremely versatile,
McLaughlin was a star as well on her high school’s
volleyball team. Crusader fans may see her at both the forward
and the guard positions this season.
Holy Cross will once again play one of the toughest schedules
in the nation. Women’s basketball coach Bill Gibbons
has said that he will play anyone, anywhere―and, once
again, he’ll face games against Colorado State, Connecticut,
Duke, DePaul and St. John’s on this season’s
schedule. The Crusaders will also play BIG EAST and Atlantic
10 opponents such as Boston College, Massachusetts, Providence
and Rhode Island in non-conference action.
Although the slate is hard, it is one of the keys to the
squad’s success within the conference and on the East
Coast. Gibbons, who has earned a reputation of being one
of the top coaches in women’s basketball, has helped
Holy Cross earn national recognition in this sport.
This year’s edition of the women’s basketball
team is looking to return to the NCAA tournament. With the
talented returning players and the two newcomers, the Crusaders
are optimistic that, when February rolls around, Holy Cross
will once again be battling for the Patriot League crown.
Lawrence Napolitano is a freelance
writer from Shrewsbury, Mass.
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