Since the start of the 1997-98 season, St. Francis (NY) has St. Francis (NY) Terriers been the NEC’s toughest team at home. The Terriers are 71-22 (.763) over the last eight years at the Pope Center and have not lost more than four games at home in any NEC Predicted Finish: Tie-5th 2004-05 Record: 13-15, 9-9 NEC single year. There will be a new look on the St. Francis (NY) sidelines this season as Brian Nash takes the reigns of one of the NEC’s flagship programs over the last decade. While the Terriers have shown remarkable consistency by reaching the NEC Tournament 15 consecutive seasons, it is the one mountain the NEC charter member has yet to scale - winning its first conference title - that is Nash’s first and foremost goal. Nash, who served as an assistant coach at Seton Hall the last four seasons, takes over a program loaded with returning talent, but one that will be without the services of its floor general and leader of the Terriers’ freewheeling offense, Tory Cavalieri. A player Nash is keenly familiar with - he led the Terriers to a win over St. John’s and nearly engineered an upset in a one-point setback to Seton Hall last season - Cavalieri was a second team all-NEC performer as a senior and finished his stellar career with 1,196 points, 590 assists and a spot in St. Francis folklore as one of the program’s all- time greats. Likely to be handed the keys to the team in 2005-06 is senior Tristan Smith, who in his first year after transferring from St. John’s averaged 11.3 ppg, including 26 in his debut against Army last December. Cat-quick with the ball, Smith can play either guard position and is equally adept at creating his own shot or spotting up from three-point range, where he drilled 33 a year ago. Accompanying Smith in an experienced backcourt are seniors Christian Brown and Sean Dantzler, along with junior Ruandy Melo and sophomore Nick Jones. The 6-4 Brown is one of the grizzled veterans on the team, whose long distance bombing resume Allan Sheppard includes 111 career trifectas. He was one of four St. Francis players to average in double-digits a year ago, contributing 11.4 ppg, and his 52 treys and 40.6 percentage from downtown ranked him in the NEC top-ten in both categories. Dantzler is another gunslinger from the outside Last season, Sheppard joined St. Francis (PA)’s Darshan Luckey as the only two first-year players in the last 10 seasons to capture three consecutive NEC Rookie of who sat out last season with injuries after drilling 51 shots from outside the arc in 2003-04. the Week awards. Prior to Luckey, who was tabbed the league’s top rookie five Jones, a hard-nosed off guard, earned a surprise starting nod as a freshman and averaged 6.0 straight weeks in 2002-03, you have to go all the way back to January, 1995 when ppg on the season. Melo (2.6 ppg) capably spelled Cavalieri at the point last year and hit some Fairleigh Dickinson’s Rahshon Turner was honored three weeks in a row. Shep- big shots as the season wore on. Up front, the Terriers will feature an intriguing blend of size pard, an athletic 6’5” swingman, received a conference-high four weekly honors in and athleticism. Junior Allan Sheppard, a lanky 6-5 swingman, was tabbed the NEC Rookie of 2004-05 and went on to be named NEC Rookie of the Year at season’s end after the Year last season after leading all NEC newcomers with 11.4 ppg and 51.8 percent shoot- averaging 11.4 points and 4.4 rebounds, while shooting at a 51.8 percent clip from ing from the floor. One of the league’s best finishers in the open floor, he not only thrives in the field. an end-to-end setting, but also poses defensive problems in the half court for opposing coaches with his quickness and length. Speaking of length, the Terriers also welcome back 6-7 senior forward Devon Neckles, who finished second in the NEC last season with 43 St. Francis (NY) Roster blocks despite playing just 19 games due to injuries. Blessed with tremendous defen- sive instincts and great wingspan, he can also get it done on the offensive end, where No Player Pos Ht Wt Yr Hometown/High School/Previous College he averaged 7.4 ppg and converted 51.4 percent of his shot attempts. Due in part to 1 Sean Dantzler G 6-4 180 Sr Bronx, NY/Columbus (Neosho CC) Neckles injury troubles, sophomore James St. Robert earned 20 starts at center in 2 Tristan Smith G 6-1 185 Sr Amityville, NY/Amityville (St. John’s) 3 Jamaal Womack G 5-8 170 Fr Bronx, NY/Our Saviour Lutheran his first year with the team. Active defensively and on the boards, the 6-8, 230 lb. 10 Sami Pekkola F 6-7 220 So Finland/Salpausselan St. Robert blocked 22 shots and averaged 3.8 ppg. Also expected to play a role 13 Christian Brown G/F 6-4 190 Sr New York, NY/Rice this season is 6-7 sophomore forward Sami Pekkola (4.3 ppg), a pure shooter 14 Ruandy Melo G 6-0 160 Jr New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes 15 Allan Sheppard* G/F 6-5 200 Jr New York, NY/Randolph who netted 22 three-pointers last year. Nash, who made his mark as a 21 Devon Neckles* F 6-7 190 Sr Brooklyn, NY/Canarsie recruiter in his previous coaching stops, wasted no time upon his hiring 34 Nicola Traykov G/F 6-5 205 So Sofia, Bulgaria/Lebanon (PA) in late March, scoring big with the signing of 6-9, 230 lb. Lex James 40 James St. Robert* F 6-8 230 So Copiague, NY/Copiague out of the City College of San Francisco. One of the most bally- 42 Nick Jones* G 6-2 195 So St. Albans, NY/Hillcrest 50 Brian Franklyn C 6-8 240 Jr Brooklyn, NY/Boys & Girls hooed recruits in the conference, James could be the missing interior force in the middle the Terriers have lacked since Newcomers the graduation of Chris Sockwell in 2003. Also join- 20 Lex James F/C 6-9 230 Jr Brooklyn, NY/Automotive (City College of San Francisco) 25 Mensur Radoncic G 5-11 185 Jr Bronx, NY/Columbus ing the squad is 6-6 forward John Gooden, who 44 John Gooden F 6-6 220 Fr Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes (Gunnery Prep (CT)) played a year of postgraduate ball at Gun- nery Prep after competing scholas- Key Losses tically at New York’s Cardi- 3 Tory Cavalieri# G 6-0 180 11 Rob Wiatre G 6-0 180 nal Hayes. 25 Damien Herard F 6-7 225 * Starter Returning # Starter Lost 50 05 • NEC men’s basketball guide • 06 The lone addition to the NEC coaching ranks in 2005- Brian Nash Alma Mater: Keene State ‘92 06, Nash is the 16th coach in St. Francis basketball history, which dates back to 1896 as the oldest colle- giate program in New York City. Nash is no stranger Record at SFNY: First year Overall Record: First Year to the St. Francis program as his father, Raymond, played for the Terriers from 1960-63 and is currently President of nearby Bishop Ford High School. Head Coaching Experience 2005-pres. St. Francis College, Brooklyn, NY • Named the 16th coach in school history in March, 2005. Assistant Coaching Experience 2001-05 Seton Hall University, South Orange, NY • Pirates reached second round of NCAA Tournament in 2004. 2000-01 Siena College, Loudonville, NY 1994-00 St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY • Helped lead the Bonnies to the 2000 NCAA Tournament, as well as NIT Tournament appearances in 1995 and 1998. 1993-94 Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT Playing Experience 1988-92 Keene State, Keene, NH • Named team captain his junior and senior season. • A four year letterwinner, he scored 825 career points. Education Keene State, Keene, NH • Bachelor of Science, 1992, Economics Personal • He and his wife, Kristin, live in West Orange, NJ. • Served as an assistant coach for the United States All-Stars which competed in the Olympus Cup in Italy and Greece in the summer of 2001. Five Questions With: Christian Brown Perhaps no player in the NEC played a more pivotal role on his team than did Tory Cavalieri, who was lost to graduation after a stellar career at St. Francis (NY). With so much of the attack centered around him, how will the team compensate for the loss in leadership, and what direction do you see the team taking in 2005- 06? You are absolutely right; no player in the NEC played a more pivotal role on his team than Tory Cavalieri. The team will compensate for the loss in leadership by having other players step up and take responsibility. We have five seniors on the team so that should help. Tory also left an imprint on the team. He was a perfect example of a leader on and off the court. We followed him last season, and before one can lead they must learn how to follow first. I think that our team is going in the right direction, and I have no doubt that we are going to have a successful season. Describe the transition to Brian Nash as head coach.