MEN'S BASKETBALL

2000-01
PRE-SEASON OUTLOOK

1999-2000 RECAP:  In 1999-2000, the New Jersey Athletic Conference was once again well represented in post-season play with six teams participating in the NCAA Division III and ECAC Tournaments.  William Paterson University and Rowan University advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, while the ECAC sent out bids to four NJAC institutions: Ramapo College, New Jersey City University, Richard Stockton College and the eventual 2000 champions, Montclair State University.

Overall, the NJAC posted an impressive non-conference record of 57-10.

1999-2000 Final Standings & Stats

2000-01 OUTLOOK:  The conference can expect another strong campaign with most of the teams returning key players in healthy numbers.  Heading the list is the DIII News Pre-season National College Player of the Year Horace Jenkins (Elizabeth HS) of William Paterson University, who was also the NJAC and ECAC Player of the Year last season.  In the spotlight with Jenkins will be pre-season All-Americans BJ Johnson (Pemberton HS) of Rowan University and Muffeed Thomas (Weequachic HS) of William Paterson University, and 1999-2000 All-Conference Team members Alfonzo Thomas (JFK, Iselin HS) of Kean University, Rich Wilson of The College of New Jersey (Notre Dame HS) and Jeron Rayam (Science HS) of Rutgers-Newark .

2000-01 NJAC
COACHES' POLL

1.) William Paterson University (1)*
2.) Richard Stockton College (3)
3.) Rowan University (2)
4.) Montclair State University (4)
5.) New Jersey City University (5)
6.) Kean University (8)
7.) The College of New Jersey (6)
8.) Ramapo College (7)
9.) Rutgers University-Newark (9)
10.) Rutgers University-Camden (10)

* number in parentheses indicates last year's regular season finish

Dark Horses:
Rutgers-Newark, Ramapo

 

KEAN UNIVERSITY
COUGARS
Head Coach:  Bruce Hamburger
1999-2000:  6-12 NJAC, 11-13 Overall

Kean=s attack will be led by four-year starter 6'3" senior Alfonzo Thomas and his 45% 3-point shooting. Also back will be the conference leader in field goal percentage, 6'5" junior Wade Walters and 6'5" senior swingman Brad Martin.  With the addition of another outstanding recruiting class, the Cougars look like they are ready to roar to the top.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Alfonzo Thomas
JFK-Iselin HS/Iselin, NJ		 Rich Harrell
Freehold Boro HS/Neptune Twp, NJ

Brad Martin
Shawnee HS/Tabernacle, NJ

Nick Brown
Long Branch HS/Belmar, NJ

Wade Walters
Old Bridge HS/Old Bridge, NJ

Howard Williams
Columbia HS/Union, NJ


MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
RED HAWKS
Head Coach: Ted Fiore
1999-2000:  11-7 NJAC, 20-8 Overall

Last year's ECAC tournament champions, Montclair will be led by 1999-2000 NJAC Tri-Coach of the Year, Ted Fiore, as well as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year 6'1" Jermel Mayo.  The Red Hawks return 4 of their top 6 players including two high flying swingmen in 6"3" Jason Bush and 6'3" Omar Boothe. Montclair will once again be expected to compete for the conference title.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Jermel Mayo
Irvington HS/Irvington, NJ

Not known at this time
Omar Boothe
Teaneck HS/Teaneck, NJ

Jason Bush
Ferris HS/Jersey City, NJ


THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
LIONS
Head Coach: John Castaldo
1999-2000:  9-9 NJAC, 14-10 Overall

Leading the charge for TCNJ will be arguably the conference's best big man 6'7" senior Rich Wilson.  6'3" junior J.R. Gillern will provide the spark from the outside and New Jersey State Junior College Player of the Year 6'1" Chris Hatchell (Mercer CC) should help in dealing with the loss of All-Conference senior guard Joe Amari. The Lions have an outstanding nucleus that will make them contenders for the conference title once again.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Rich Wilson
Notre Dame HS/Trenton,  NJ		 Chris Hatchell
Nottingham HS/Trenton, NJ
Derek Brown
Scotch Plains HS/Scotch Plains, NJ
J.R. Gillern
Shawnee HS/Medford, NJ
Kane Fitzgerald
Sparta HS/Sparta, NJ


NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY
GOTHIC KNIGHTS
Head Coach: Charles Brown
1999-2000:  10-8 NJAC, 17-9 Overall

Legendary coach Charlie Brown will once again roam the sidelines for the Gothic Knights.  He will depend on 6'5" senior Charles Outley, 6'1" senior Marques Morris and 5'7" junior Rafi Hargrove to lead them back to the conference play-offs.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Charles Outley
St. Mary's HS/Jersey City, NJ		 Samar Battle
Clifford Scott HS/East Orange, NJ
Marques Morris
East Orange HS/Elizabeth, NJ		 Raheem Crews
Woodbridge HS/Woodbridge, NJ
Rafi Hargrove
Sayreville HS/Parlin, NJ		 Kimani Atkinson
Kingsborough HS/Brooklyn, NY


RAMAPO COLLEGE
ROADRUNNERS
Head Coach: Chuck McBreen
1999-2000:  8-10 NJAC, 14-11 Overall

Ramapo is led by the shortest player in the conference, 5'7" point guard Tennyson Whitted.  He led the conference in steals and assists and he will look to pass the ball to three outstanding newcomers in 6'7" Rashawn Wilson (Dickinson HS), 6'3" Aaron Nelums (East Orange HS) and 6"8" Isahia Gomez (Garfield HS).  Ramapo made huge improvements in Coach McBreen=s second year and their efforts were acknowledged in the pre-season coaches' poll when they were selected as one of the NJAC "dark horse" teams.  The Roadrunners are now poised to make the jump into the upper echelon of the conference.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Tennyson Whitted
St. Anthony's HS/Jersey City, NJ		 Rashawn Wilson
Dickinson HS/Jersey City, NJ
Corey Brown
Essex Catholic HS/East Orange, NJ		 Aaron Nelums
East Orange HS/East Orange, NJ
Jaron Carroll
Teaneck HS/Teaneck, NJ		 Isahia Gomez
Garfield HS/Union City, NJ


RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE
OSPREYS
Head Coach: Gerry Matthews
1999-2000:  12-6 NJAC, 21-8 Overall

The Ospreys were finalists in both the NJAC and ECAC tournaments last year, and expect another strong finish in 2000-01.  Coach Matthews will look towards Brookdale Community College transfer 6'5" Billy Gilligan to fill the void left by the graduation of three-time All-Conference selection William Turner.  6'0" senior Noel Gonzalez will direct the offense with 6'8" junior B. Tuscean Woolford clogging the middle. 

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
B. Tuscean Woolford
Trenton HS/Trenton, NJ		 Billy Gilligan
Redbank Reg. HS/Shrewsbury, NJ
Noel Gonzalez
Pleasantville HS/Pl		 Ryan Stokes
Toms River North HS/Toms River, NJ
Jorge Arroyo
Pinelands HS/Mystic Island		 Kerry Betz
Pt. Pleasant Beach HS/Pt. Pleasant Beach, NJ

 

ROWAN UNIVERSITY
PROFS
Head Coach: Joe Cassidy
1999-2000:  15-3 NJAC, 22-5 Overall

The Profs will be challenged by the loss of two-time All-American center Maurice Davis.  Rowan=s leading man will be 6'5" B.J. Johnson, an NJAC Second Team All-Conference selection last year.  6'1" point guard Kevin Crawford, a three-year starter will orchestrate the offense.  Coach Cassidy is counting on immediate contributions from a pair of newcomers, 6'1" guard Mike VanKline (Rancocas Valley Reg. HS) and 6'5" forward Noble Fleming (Williamstown HS). 

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
B.J. Johnson
Pemberton Twp. HS/Browns Mills, NJ		 Mike VanKline
Rancocas Valley Reg. HS/Mount Holly, NJ
Kevin Crawford
Camden Catholic HS/Haddon Hts., NJ		 Noble Fleming
Williamstown HS/Williamstown, NJ


RUTGERS UNIVERSITY - CAMDEN
SCARLET RAPTORS
Head Coach: Jim Flynn
1999-2000:  1-17 NJAC, 3-21 Overall

Coach Flynn will look for the development of insider 6'8" sophomore Homer Hemings and rebounding machine 6'5" senior Pete Campbell. Rutgers-Camden will look to continue to improve on the past two seasons.  The addition of quality recruits Brian Hiltner (Holy Spirit HS), Clement Bethea (Woodrow Wilson HS) and Brian Turner (transfer from Davidson University) will help the Scarlet Raptors to become quickly competitive this season.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Homer Hemings
Moorestown HS/Moorestown, NJ		 Brian Hiltner
Holy Spirit HS/Barnegat, NJ
Clement Bethea
Woodrow Wilson HS/Camden, NJ
Pete Campbell
Eleanor Roosevelt HS/Largo, MD
Brian Turner
Moorestown Friends HS/Palmyra, NJ


RUTGERS UNIVERSITY - NEWARK
SCARLET KNIGHTS
Head Coach: Chris Casey
1999-2000:  3-15 NJAC, 8-16 Overall

1999-2000 All-Conference Honorable Mention performer 6'1" Jeron Rayam will once again fuel the attack but 6'1" Essex Community College All-American point guard Samaad Taylor will be the director. He will look towards two other newcomers 6'3" Asmar Fortney (Mercer CC) and 6'5" Kent Willingham (Academic HS) for assistance.  Look for Rutgers-Newark to make their presence known in the NJAC, as evidenced by their selection as the one of the teams most likely to cause an upset in the pre-season coaches' poll.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Jeron Rayam
Science HS/Newark, NJ		 Samaad Taylor
Science HS/Newark, NJ
Asmar Fortney
Middlesex HS/Plainfield, NJ
Kent Willingham
Academic HS/Jersey City, NJ


WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY
PIONEERS
Head Coach: Jose Rebimbas
1999-2000:  15-3 NJAC, 23-5 Overall

The return of their top 12 players, including first team All-American senior Horace Jenkins and Honorable Mention All-American 6'4" junior Muffeed Thomas has placed the Pioneers on top of several preseason polls. 6'7" senior Ray Ortiz and 6'7" junior Dag Christensen round out the nucleus of the team but Cecil (MD) Community College transfer Terrence McNeal, a 6'5" sophomore, will look to break into the rotation.

KEY RETURNEES

KEY NEWCOMERS
Horace Jenkins
Elizabeth HS/Elizabeth, NJ		 Terrence McNeal
Lower Cape May, NJ
Muffeed Thomas
Newark Weequhaic HS/Newark, NJ
Dag Christensen
Don Bosco Prep/Spring Valley, NY
Ray Ortiz
Queen of Peace HS/Belleville, NJ