Last year, the objective was to overachieve. In some respects, the Clark University men’s basketball team made good on that goal. They claimed its best finish in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (7-5/2nd) since 2002-03 and captured the most wins in a season in four years with a 12-13 overall mark.
Head coach Paul W. Phillips believes it was a nice improvement, but thinks there is still a lot of work to be done. Welcoming back eight letterwinners and two starters, including a strong recruiting class, the 2008-09 Cougar campaign is in for a season of “change.”
“Clark basketball is not back to where it should be,” said the 11th year head coach. “We have to change things this year. I’m pleased with what we’ve done in preseason so far, but we’ve still got a long way to go. It’s not going to change overnight; it’s a work in progress.”
The Cougars know there are several obstacles in their way. First they will need to fill the void left by graduating senior starters Pat Landers (11.8 ppg), Pat Ochoa and D.J. Brinn. Phillips hopes his four freshman recruits – Brian Vayda, Mitch Renshaw, Marko Radovic, and Tom Desautels - will compensate for those losses with a smooth transition to the college ranks.
“We had a good recruiting class of freshmen,” said Phillips, “but the fact remains that they are still freshmen. Some of our success will depend on how fast they get on board, and that’s different for each person. Right now, we are just trying to mix their talents with the veterans.”
Three upperclassmen that will be counted upon to show the newcomers the way are tri-captains Mark Alexander, Peter Normandin, and Sal DeMarco.
In the backcourt, Alexander returns as the team’s starting shooting guard and top returning scorer (16.2 ppg). The junior two-time NEWMAC All-Star can be a key offensive asset from inside or on the perimeter. He will be joined by classmate Chris Lopiano, who returns for his first full season as the team’s point guard. Missing most of last year with a leg injury, Lopiano excels in transition with his ability to handle the ball and get back on defense. Juniors Byron Roberts and Reed Powell and sophomore Ben Kosinski are all looking to return to form after sitting out part of last season and suffering injuries, respectively, last year. Roberts, a two-guard, and Powell, who will see time at the point, are both three-point threats, while Kosinski will provide the rotation with size and physicality. Radovic, a six-foot-five newcomer from Proctor Academy, will give the team an offensive punch on the wing, and sophomore David Opp, a hard-working competitor called up from the junior varsity team, will add depth.
Junior Jack Minister and Vayda will provide Clark with a formidable tandem on the front line this season. Minister (8.5 ppg) is a pure shooter that can hit from range or offer an inside presence, while Vayda, the 2008 Central Massachusetts Player of the Year, will be asked to make an immediate contribution as a power-forward. DeMarco’s hard-nosed style of play coupled with junior Slader Lyell’s finesse will give the Cougars a pair of options down low depending on the opponent. Newcomer Renshaw, four-year player from Wachusett Regional High School, will give the team valuable minutes off the bench.
Normandin (13.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg), who returns as the main man in the pivot, is an inside force capable of crashing the boards. Desautels, from East Catholic High in Manchester, Conn., hopes to also add both his rebounding skills and some offensive numbers in the middle.
Coach Phillips said the goals for his 2008-08 Cougars are to be over the .500 mark, do well against Worcester County teams, and finish in the top-three in the conference. “It’s great to be able to reach all of your goals,” he said. “And it’s a pretty good year when you can reach two out of the three of them. But I’m also realistic. I’d love to be able to tell you which games we should win, especially in our conference. But there are no gimmes whatsoever.”
The Clark University men’s basketball program’s rich tradition is decorated with twelve 20-plus win seasons, an unprecedented 11 consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances from 1977 to 1988, not to mention one of two schools from New England to reach the national championship game twice. Additionally, the Cougars own an impressive 510-306 (.625) record in the last 31 years and have also had the distinction of producing six All-Americans, including three-time All-America Kevin Clark '81, two-time All-Americas Kermit Sharp '88 and Jason Qua '90, and most recently, Sean Fleming '03.
Under the direction of 11th-year head coach Paul W. Phillips, back for his second term at the helm, the Cougar men’s basketball team looks to claw their way back to the top of the NEWMAC standings. In his first stint at Clark, Phillips guided the squad to four NEWMAC championships (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) in the conference’s nine-year history, including four NCAA Tournament berths (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) and consecutive trips to the Elite Eight (2001, 2002).
Coach Phillips encourages an up-tempo and high-energy game in his players. He pushes the team to, “play every moment like it is their last,” while embodying a respect for the game and the Clark basketball tradition. The 2008-09 campaign promises to be an exciting one to watch. The Cougars will play four NCAA Tournament teams, including a pair of national contenders from their own highly-competitive NEWMAC conference, and compete in a Winter Break tournament at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.