Men’s Basketball Primed to Repeat Last Year’s Success as 2007-08 Campaign Draws Near

HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 14, 2007) – Coming off the most successful season in the 91-year history of the program, the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s basketball team enters the 2007-08 season trying to build off its 23-7 overall record and trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last year. With three starters and a total of nine players back in the fold, the Ducks are primed to make another run at the postseason this year as they begin their first season in the highly-competitive Empire 8.

“The stakes have been raised, and we are moving into a new conference as a known commodity,” second-year head coach Josh Loeffler (West Grove, Pa.) said. “Teams are going to give their best effort against us on a nightly basis. For us to be successful this year, we need to put forth a consistent effort defending and rebounding the basketball. We must play with a sense of urgency and understand that past success does not predict future results. Our daily commitment to doing the little things correctly and executing properly will determine this team’s fate.”

Even with the core nucleus still in place, Loeffler insists that things will be different this year.

“We are not the same team we were last year,” he stated. “We will have players stepping into different roles, and some of our returning players will be asked to do different things. We are looking to build on the foundation of last year’s success as well as the principles of our program that have worked well in recent years.”

In 2006-07, guard Waleed Farid (Woodside, N.Y.) was named the Ducks’ Most Valuable Player after averaging 17.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Along the way, he received first-team honors from the Skyline Conference, National Association of Basketball Coaches (Atlantic Region) and Met Basketball Writers Association. Farid was also named to the second-team by the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (Metro Region) and D3hoops.com (Atlantic Region).

With Farid now entering his senior season, Loeffler expects the same type of contributions out of his captain.

“Waleed played a do-it-all role for us last year, and he will be looked towards for continued leadership on and off the court this year,” Loeffler said. “As one of the better players in the region, we expect Waleed to play with a great deal of consistency and to continue to make his teammates better.”

Junior guard Virgil Gray (Elmwood Park, N.J.) led the team in scoring last year while pouring in 19.6 points per game and shooting 48.0 percent from the floor. Along the way, he was named to the All-Skyline Conference first-team. Gray also received second-team honors from the ECAC, MBWA and NABC.

“Virgil made great strides last year and had some huge offensive games,” Loeffler said. “I think what we are seeing now in his junior year are the signs of a more mature player. For Virgil to continue to grow, we need him to be willing to accept a greater role on the floor and serve as one of the leaders of this program.”

Junior guard Anthony Passalacqua (Staten Island, N.Y.) gives Stevens another legitimate scoring option from the wing position. In 2006-07, he burst onto the scene in his first season with the Ducks after transferring in from Division I Wagner College. Passalacqua averaged 14.4 points per game and led the team with 75 made three-pointers last year. He also ranked No. 27 in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (43.1 percent).

“Passalacqua definitely snuck up on some people last year, and I can safely say that he will not do that again this year,” said Loeffler, who guided the Ducks to a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Atlantic Region in his first season at the helm. “Luckily for us, his drive to diversify and improve his game is right at the same level as his commitment to helping us win games.”

Loeffler also expects key contributions out of a pair of sophomores – guard George Greco (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and guard/forward Matt Higgins (Freehold, N.J.). Down the stretch last season, both players stepped forward and rose to the occasion in some pretty big situations. They will each have an increased role this year as the Ducks will now rely on them on a day-to-day basis.

Senior forwards Joseph Ayodele (Tempe, Ariz.) and Nate Williams (Elmont, N.Y.) both have a year of playing in Loeffler’s system under their belt. Together, they have greater familiarity with what the team is trying to accomplish. Consequently, they will need to continue to provide a defensive presence, rebounding and solid offensive play on the blocks. In 2006-07, Ayodele and Williams combined to average nearly six rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 54.1 percent from the floor.

The Ducks, who ended last year ranked No. 24 in the nation in the final D3hoops.com poll, should receive a big shot in the arm from the return of senior forward Tim Williams (Selden, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Damien Palantino (Philadelphia, Pa.). Williams sat out last season due to injury. In 2005-06, he led Stevens while averaging 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Williams also shot 65.5 percent from the floor as he earned All-Skyline Conference second-team honors during his junior season.

Palantino appeared in five games last year before his season was cut short due to injury. In those five contests, he averaged just under 10 points per game and knocked down 13 three-pointers. In 2005-06, Palantino was the Ducks’ most lethal shooter from behind the arc as he drained 58 three’s.

Loeffler is thrilled to have both players back in the mix.

“Tim is an immensely talented player whose success will be determined by his work ethic and willingness to play a role in our system. From what we have seen so far, he is committed and driven to doing whatever it takes for our team to be successful,” Loeffler said. “On the other hand, Palantino is a player who can stretch the defense and knock down shots. He does that as well or maybe even better than anyone else on this team. He will add a nice dimension to our offense.”

Junior guard Michael Baker (Mesa, Ariz.) will enter his first season at Stevens after transferring in from Mesa Community College. A physical player with a well-rounded offensive game, Loeffler feels that Baker possesses the skills to join the rotation right away. He is also another shut-down defender that the Ducks can throw at opposing teams.

Coming off the bench, Stevens will turn to sophomores Ian Masone (Silver Spring, Md.) and Seth Gordon (Deer Park, N.Y.) to provide depth at a number of positions. They will be joined by a talented class of freshmen that includes Ryan O’Grady (East Norwich, N.Y.), Chris McNay (Los Angeles, Calif.), Corey Lee (Manasquan, N.J.) and Bryan Franklin (Highlands Ranch, Colo.).

The Ducks will open the season at home against Skidmore College on Friday at 7 p.m. That contest will be part of the Stevens Tip-Off Tournament. Middlebury College and the United States Merchant Marine Academy will also take part in the tournament. Stevens will officially open Empire 8 play with a home game against Alfred University on November 30 at 7 p.m.

The Ducks will play a total of 16 conference games this year with home-and-home match-ups against the other eight institutions. St. John Fisher College and Utica College have had a great deal of success on the national stage in recent years and met in the finals of the Empire 8 Tournament last year. St. John Fisher won the title and advanced to the Sweet 16. Stevens will play the Cardinals on December 2 at home and January 18 in Rochester, N.Y.