5/25/2006 - Howard to Coach Jamaican Nationals

Howard, who will enter his third season on Dr. John Giannini’s staff, is enthusiastic about the appointment. “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Jamaican national team.  To get a chance to coach abroad and get some international coaching experience is great for both me and La Salle University”  He continued, “I am privileged to have the opportunity to represent this institution on the international level and I look forward to helping Jamaica Basketball make a run toward qualifying for the 2008 Olympic games.”

The CBC is the first is the first pre-qualifier for the 2008 games which will be held in Beijing, China.   The second round of pre-qualifiers takes place from July 4th-8th in Panama.

“There is no doubt that Coach Howard’s involvement with our program will certainly improve our chance of success in these tournaments,” stated Enid Angus, Vice President for Overseas Operations.

The Team Jamaica staff is headed by Julian Dunkley, who played at the University of Maine and graduated in 2001.

5/18/2006 - Three Explorers Honored by Big 5

McLaughlin took home the award for the second straight season. In the 2005-06 season, she scored 250 points, had 125 assists and grabbed 104 points, becoming only the third Explorer since 1990 to reach triple figures in each of those categories.

Ricketts repeated as a First Teamer after averaging 13.7 points a 6.5 rebounds a game this season, playing in 25 games. She started her season with a career-high tying 26 points against Tennessee-Martin and scored 20 or more points in five games, which also matched her double-double output for the season.

Hightower, who was also named the Atlantic 10's Most Improved Player, averaged just 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds a game last season. This year she increased those numbers to 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, while reaching double figures in 15 total games – after only getting there once in 27 games last year. She scored a career-high 29 points at Charlotte, her first game over 20 points in her career, and the most points by an Explorer this season.

5/11/2006 - Saint Joseph’s Names Doug Overton Assistant Basketball Coach

5/2/2006 - Suspension already stunting Archers five

THERE’S an air of uncertainty over the Green Archers of  La Salle  University.

With a one-year ban already slapped on them by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Board next season, the future of La Salle men’s basketball team looks dim.

The man tasked to handle the team after head coach Franz Pumaren resigned late last year in the wake of the eligibility scandal admitted to Sports Times on Saturday that he has no idea what the school’s plans for the team will be.

“The possibilities could be to hire a new coach, extend our contract or reinstate coach Franz. Right to now, we have no idea. It’s up to the school,” Jack Santiago, the Archers’ top assistant coach, told Sports Times.

“But now, the focus of the team is the Father Martin’s Cup. Whatever the developments, the school will decide, and we will follow,” he added.

La Salle’s athletics director, Brother Bobby Casingal, in a press conference on Thursday told the press that it’s hard for them to divulge the future plans of the school for the team.

“The team has been practicing without a head coach, just the coaching staff. Admittedly without a head coach, it’s difficult to come up with a long-term plan,” said Casingal.

Santiago, who played college ball for the Mapua Tech Cardinals, has been handling the team since Pumaren resigned last November, being assisted by fellow deputies Tyrone Bautista and Tonichi Yturri.

But his contract is about to expire this June, and he hasn’t heard a word from the school if he will get an extension or not.

The former Philippine Basketball Association point guard also acknowledged the fact that the eligibility scandal has affected the school’s recruitment.

“A lot of players want to play for La Salle but because of what happened, they are thinking twice. But we still have our good recruits on the team,” said Santiago.

UAAP Juniors Finals Most Valuable Player Si­mon Atkins, Serbian Marko Batrice­vic—who played for La Salle Greenhills in the National Collegiate Athletic Association two years ago—Brian Ilad and Allan Mangahas from Philippine Christian University have been practicing with the Green Archers.

Although Santiago himself is unsure if these players will enroll in the coming school year, he was persuaded that they will do so.

“They told us they are willing to wait [to play], and that they’re still young. And that’s a good sign for the team. You can’t help but admire them for committing,” said Santiago.

Ryan Arana, the gutsy forward, was already gone from the team due to academic reasons, but JV Casio, Tyrone Tang, OJ Cua, Cholo Villanueva, PJ Walsham and Rico Maierhofer will still be with the Green Archers when they make a comeback in the 70th UAAP season.

That is, if La Salle decides to stay with the league—and Santiago again admitted that he has no control of the school’s possible decision to pull out of the league.

“If La Salle has other plans, I can’t do anything about it. For sure, they [officials] know what’s best for the school,” he said.

4/28/2006 - UAAP defends ban, will meet La Salle to clarify decision

The clarification, according to UAAP spokesman Anton Montinola of Far Eastern University, could come in the form of a dialogue.

"We are willing to explain," said Montinola after the UAAP board meeting at the Casino Espańol that again lasted more than five hours yesterday. La Salle’s Danny Jose attended the meeting but voluntarily left when the La Salle issue was tackled.

Montinola said La Salle only sought for clarification with the UAAP as regards the decision that bars the Taft-based school from competing in all sports in Season 69 which begins in July.

The UAAP, Montinola explained, also quashed allegations it did not exercise due process during the conduct of the seven-month investigation of the UAAP fact-finding committee that delved into the fake Philippine Educational Placement and Testing Certificates of Rating (PEPTCR) results of Green Archers Mark Lester Benitez and Timoteo Gatchalian III.

"The investigation lasted all of seven months and dozens of personalities, including many from  La Salle from school officials to team management and coaching staff of the Green Archers were interviewed," said Montinola.

 La Salle’s top academic officials told a press conference they called Thursday that they were not accorded due process prior to the imposition of the one-year suspension. The suspension actually has its precedent in Adamson University, which was found guilty of fielding ineligible men’s basketball players in 1994. Adamson also served out a year’s suspension.

As to speculations that ABS-CBN, the broadcast partner of the UAAP which rakes in millions of revenues for the league, Montinola said the UAAP has no choice but to bite the bullet.

"Both [UAAP and ABS-CBN] are disappointed," he said, "all parties are. But that’s life."

The UAAP and ABS-CBN acknowledged the loss in terms of millions of pesos in marketing and advertising because of the absence of the Ateneo- La Salle men’s basketball rivalry.

"But ABS-CBN has been acting properly about this episode," said Montinola, quashing speculations on an ABS-CBN/marketing factor that could see the UAAP reversing its decision on De La Salle. "ABS-CBN readily agrees its an internal UAAP problem and they’re not interfering."

As a result of the La Salle experience, Montinola said that the UAAP board has agreed to put in effect an amendment on its rules and regulations that covers the PEPTC results. Beginning next season, the UAAP will impose a one-year residency for athletes presenting a PEPTC certificate in lieu of a high school diploma.

"That way, the member university will have enough time to authenticate the PEPTC certificate, which, it turned out, has become subject to abuse," said Montinola, who added the UAAP was told PEPTC certificates do not contain security marks that could stress their authenticity.

Montinola reiterated the UAAP board’s decision on the suspension was based on league rules and regulations which dwelled primarily on the requirement that it is mandatory for a member university to maintain basketball and volleyball teams to be able to participate in the league.

4/7/2006 - TROTTER: People remember how things end up

Almost everyone knows how George Mason finished its college basketball season — winning four NCAA tournament games to advance to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed.

Almost no one knows how George Mason started its college basketball season — losing two of its first three games, including a 20-point-blowout loss at home to NIT-bound Creighton.

Still, forever in college hoops lore, the ebullient Patriots will be remembered for their finish, not their start.

Take notice of this, Middletown High School baseball players.

No doubt, your start to this season has been beyond disastrous. Especially since expectations were so high.

With stars Robert Sabo — a Kent State signee — and Alex Kerns — the only 2005 all-conference selection to return this season — to go with more seniors than a Bob Evans early-bird dinner, you Middies had hopes for winning Middletown’s first outright Greater Miami Conference title.

But with your 0-5 league start, those hopes have crashed like Adam Dunn fielding a fly ball at the left-field warning track.

Middletown coach Mark Kerns and his players have been saying the right words.

“We’re going to be right there,” Kerns said last week after his team was nearly run-ruled at home by La Salle. “You won’t see this anymore. I take total blame for this.”

Privately, however, this 0-6 overall start must be devastating, especially for Kerns, who only has two varsity players returning next year. It may be years before we see a more talented Middletown baseball team.

But as talented and experienced as this season’s Middies are, they’ve looked lost at the plate. Middletown has been atrocious offensively, failing to score in two games and only scoring more than three runs once. The Middies as a team are batting worse than .200.

Because of such a poor offensive start, any GMC title hopes are no longer. But there’s plenty to play for.

Take notice of George Mason, Middies — your season is not lost, yet.

Because in any sport that places emphasis on tournament play, it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

Finish strong, and that’s all anyone will remember about your season.

3/10/2006 - Fordham, La Salle

Sebastian Greene was the only other Rams player in double figures with 11 points, but four others scored eight or nine as the field's sixth seed eliminated the third-seeded Explorers. Fordham earned a berth in Friday's semifinals against Xavier, the No. 10 seed.  All four of the tournament's top seeds, including No. 6 George Washington, lost Thursday after receiving first-round byes.

Fordham (16-15) extended its winning streak to four games, matching its season-high. The streak includes an 83-74 home win over La Salle on March 1.

Darnell Harris scored 17 points to lead La Salle (18-10). A foul-plagued Steve Smith matched his season low with 10 points.

Fordham, which led the conference in 3-point shooting during the regular season, made its first three 3s and four of its first eight while opening 16-point leads twice in the first half. La Salle missed its first seven 3-point attempts before making its last three of the half to cut the Rams' lead to 38-26 at halftime.

Dunston scored six unanswered points to open the second half, giving the Rams a 44-26 lead.

La Salle cut the lead to one twice in the final 1:11, but Dunston made two free throws and Marcus Stout added one in the final 32.6 seconds to hold off the Explorers.

2/27/2006 - Rice's final flurry powers George Washington past Fordham

Strawberry Mansion graduate Maureece Rice scored 13 of his 19 points in the final seven minutes and No. 6 George Washington (24-1) extended the nation's longest winning streak to 16 games with a 78-67 victory over Fordham (12-15) yesterday in New York.

The Colonials played their first game without second-leading scorer and rebounder Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who injured his knee against La Salle on Wednesday and will miss the final two games of the regular season. He might be able to play in the Atlantic Ten tournament quarterfinals, which begin March 9.

Danilo Pinnock added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Carl Elliott scored 16 points for George Washington, which tied the school record for wins set in 1953-54 and matched in 1997-98.

Memphis 78, Tulsa 67 - Shawne Williams scored 21 points, including nine during the game-deciding run over the final six minutes, to lead No. 4 Memphis over visiting Tulsa.

Tulsa (10-15) stayed close until Williams began scoring inside as Memphis (26-2) outscored the Golden Hurricane by 18-3 down the stretch to win its 15th game in a row and earn at least a share of the Conference USA title.

Gonzaga 75, San Diego 59 - J.P. Batista amassed 26 points and 11 rebounds to help Gonzaga (24-3) overcome a rare off night from Adam Morrison and win its 37th consecutive home game, the longest streak in the nation, by routing San Diego (16-10) in Spokane, Wash.

Morrison, the nation's leading scorer at 29 points per game, was held to a season-low 11, but Gonzaga kept alive its hopes of a second undefeated West Coast Conference season in three years.

Texas 80, Kansas 55 - LaMarcus Aldridge scored 18 points on near-perfect shooting and No. 7 Texas (24-4) inched closer to its first Big Twelve title in seven years with a whipping of No. 16 Kansas (20-7) in Austin, Texas.

Aldridge hit his first eight shots, not missing until Texas had a 20-point lead late in the second half. He finished 9 of 10 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds.

Illinois 71, Iowa 59 - Rich McBride scored 15 points and Illinois' bench helped the eighth-ranked Illini send star seniors Dee Brown and James Augustine out of Assembly Hall in style with a win over No. 20 Iowa in Champaign, Ill.

The win kept Illinois (23-5) in the hunt for its third straight Big Ten title and dropped Iowa (20-8) out of first place for the first time since Jan. 30.

Pittsburgh 81, Providence 68 - Aaron Gray contributed 17 points and nine rebounds, and reserve guards Antonio Graves and Levance Fields keyed a first-half run to lead No. 9 Pittsburgh (21-4) past visiting Providence (12-13) in the Big East.

Arkansas 73, Tennessee 69 - Darian Townes scored 15 points and Jonathon Modica added 14 to help Arkansas (19-8) rally to upend No. 10 Tennessee (20-5) in Knoxville, Tenn.

Arkansas clinched at least a share of the Southeastern Conference East crown and further bolstered its case for an NCAA tournament invitation.

Boston College 74, North Carolina State 72 - In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Sean Marshall's three-point play early in the second overtime gave Boston College the lead for good and the 11th-ranked Eagles (22-6) slipped past No. 15 North Carolina State (21-7) in Raleigh, N.C.

Ohio State 64, Michigan 54 - Terence Dials had his fifth consecutive double-double, with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 13 Ohio State (21-4) stayed atop the Big Ten with a victory over Michigan (18-8) in Columbus, Ohio.

West Virginia 68, Louisville 64 - Kevin Pittsnogle scored 21 points and Mike Gansey added 17 as No. 14 West Virginia (19-8) snapped a season-long three-game losing streak by edging Louisville (17-10) in a Big East game in Morgantown, W. Va.

Oklahoma 71, Kansas State 70 - Taj Gray scored 23 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1 minute, 15 seconds to play, and Terrell Everett added 12 points and 10 assists as No. 22 Oklahoma (19-6) nipped Kansas State (14-11) in a Big Twelve game in Norman, Okla.

Georgetown 68, Syracuse 53 - Jeff Green scored 18 points, Darrel Owens added 12, and No. 23 Georgetown (19-7) wore down Syracuse (18-8) in the second half in a Big East game in Washington, snapping a five-game losing streak against the Orange.

Louisiana State 71, Kentucky 67 - Darrel Mitchell and Glen Davis each sank two free throws in the final seconds to lift No. 24 Louisiana State (20-7) over Kentucky (18-10) in Baton Rouge, La.

The win moved LSU into sole possession of first place in the overall SEC standings.

Southern Illinois 46, Northern Iowa 45 - Matt Shaw scored 16 points to lead Southern Illinois (19-10) to an upset of No. 25 Northern Iowa (22-8) in a Missouri Valley Conference game in Carbondale, Ill.

Nevada 75, Utah State 57 - Marcelus Kemp scored 26 points and Nick Fazekas had 23 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 25 Nevada (22-5) over Utah State (19-7) in Logan, Utah, clinching at least a share of the Western Athletic Conference title for the third straight year.

2/22/2006 - Colonials put nation's longest win streak on line against La Salle

The sixth-ranked George Washington Colonials will attempt to stay perfect in A-10 play as they face the red hot La Salle Explorers tonight. Don't expect La Salle to be intimidated in this contest, as it has won its last seven games to move to 17-7 overall and 9-4 in league play. The most recent triumph occurred on Saturday by a 74-71 final over Dayton. The Explorers have been a streaky team, as they suffered through a five-game losing skid prior to the current run.

George Washington has reeled off a nation-high 14 straight wins since its only loss of the campaign, a road setback to NC State way back in December. The Colonials are coming off a 64-51 decision over Richmond on Saturday that enabled them to improve to a perfect 13-0 at home. They own their highest ranking in over 50 years and are off to their best start in the 99-year history of the program. George Washington owns a 15-6 series lead over La Salle, and the Colonials were last defeated by the Explorers three years ago.

Steven Smith has led La Salle in scoring in 17 of the team's games thus far, and he is quite simply the best player in the A-10. A talented senior forward who decided to come back to school rather than enter the draft after last season, Smith is averaging 19.6 ppg and 7.9 rpg. He gets some help at the offensive end from Darnell Harris and Jermaine Thomas, as they are scoring 12.8 ppg and 12.3 ppg, respectively. Thomas has racked up 94 assists and continues to run the show at the point. The Explorers are scoring 69.9 ppg while surrendering 64.9 ppg to opponents.

In the most recent victory over Dayton, Smith was outstanding as usual with 25 points and eight boards. Thomas tallied 17 points to go along with five assists, and Harris managed 16 points. An 18-11 edge in points from the foul line and 50 percent shooting from the field benefited La Salle.

George Washington is averaging 79.5 ppg on 47.7 percent shooting from the floor, and the team is limiting its opponents to 65.4 ppg on 41 percent efficiency. Danilo Pinnock is the top scorer for the balanced group with 14.8 ppg, and Pops Mensah-Bonsu adds 13.3 ppg on 56.9 percent shooting from the field. Mensah-Bonsu is also tied for the rebounding lead with 7.3 rpg, and he has blocked 37 shots. Maureece Rice supplies 12.0 ppg, while Mike Hall (7.3 rpg) and Carl Elliott are scoring 11.1 ppg apiece.

In the win over Richmond  last time out, Rice tallied 16 points to lead the charge. Elliott added 13 points for the Colonials, who connected on 52.1 percent of their field goal attempts and finished with 15 assists against eight turnovers. A 35-25 rebounding advantage also helped matters.

2/20/2006 - Smith leads La Salle past Dayton

It was apparent from the opening tip-off Saturday at Tom Gola Arena that the feel-good story evolving at La Salle had yet to spread to Dayton, as the up-and-down Flyers boldly answered just about everything the Explorers tossed at them.

Highly entertaining from start to finish, the Atlantic Ten Conference game was like a show in which everyone had a chance to stand at center stage.

But as the game neared conclusion, it became obvious the outcome would be decided by one of the two best players on the floor: La Salle's Steven Smith or Dayton's Brian Roberts.

Smith and the Explorers (17-7, 9-4) won out, and La Salle stretched its winning streak to seven games and came a step closer to nailing down a first-round bye in the conference tournament with a 74-71 win over Dayton (12-14, 4-8).

Smith scored 19 of his game-high 25 points in the second half, when he hit all 11 of his free throws, and along with his teammates held his breath at the end, when Roberts, a dynamic sophomore, was off-target on consecutive three-point attempts before the horn sounded.

"Brian Roberts was extremely hard to stop," said La Salle coach John Giannini, whose team clinched its first winning record in the A-10 since joining the league in the 1995-96 season. The Explorers are in sole possession of third place. "We were very fortunate they missed those last couple shots."

Giannini was being gracious. Roberts, who scored 21 of his 24 points in the second half, was smothered on the perimeter by rapidly switching La Salle defenders. Roberts, who had made four of his previous five three-point shots, was about five feet behind the stripe when he launched the first one with fewer than five seconds to go. After teammate Charles Little tapped the rebound back out to him, Roberts was no closer on his next attempt, ending a Dayton possession that lasted the final 33 seconds. Earlier in the possession, La Salle's Sherman Diaz blocked a short jumper by Roberts, who then was off on a contested drive to the basket.

"We just didn't want to get caught on a screen or let someone get open," Giannini said.

The game had 20 lead changes, 15 in the second half. Sophomore Darnell Harris, one of the league's most dangerous three-point shooters during La Salle's winning streak, scored 16 points. He gave the Explorers a 55-53 lead with 9 minutes, 5 seconds left on a three-pointer and they never again trailed.

"My confidence [in shooting threes] has always been up there, but it's even better when you're winning," said Harris, who sank four of La Salle's 10 three-point baskets against a team that leads the league in defending against them. He had no turnovers.

Smith raised La Salle's lead to 62-55 with an amazing turnaround three-pointer from the wing just as the shot clock expired.

"I just wanted to get a shot to the rim and hopefully one of our guys would get the rebound," Smith said. "Somehow, it straightened out and went in. I didn't even follow through on it. I just flicked it up there. That was pretty funny to me."

Harris followed with a deep three-pointer, and Smith helped hold off Roberts' surge from the free-throw line.

Jermaine Thomas contributed 17 points and five assists for La Salle.

Next up for La Salle is a visit Wednesday to league heavyweight and No. 7-ranked George Washington.

"We know how good they are. We know they are living up to their ranking," Giannini said of the Colonials. "It's a tremendous challenge for us."

Monty Scott, Dayton's second-leading scorer, returned after missing five games with a stress fracture in his left foot. He played 16 minutes and had one basket.

Notes.Giannini said he would be surprised if freshman guard Marshall Taylor returned this season.

The 6-foot-4 Taylor had surgery Wednesday after his appendix ruptured. He was scheduled to be released from Albert Einstein Medical Center on Saturday.

"He's doing better," Giannini said. "Everything went well. He's passed the worst part of it. There may be a chance [of returning], but I would be surprised."

2/16/2006 - LaSalle, St. Bonaventure

Steven Smith scored a game-high 22 points and Jermaine Thomas had 17 along with eight assists as La Salle posted a 74-62 victory over St. Bonaventure in an Atlantic 10 Conference matchup on Wednesday.

Darnell Harris added 12 points and Sherman Diaz 11 for the Explorers (16-7, 8-4 A-10), who won their sixth consecutive game.With La Salle trailing 21-17 midway through the first half, Smith helped ignite an 11-0 run by hitting a jump shot followed by a Diaz jumper to tie the score. Diaz capped the spurt with a 3-pointer to give the Explorers a 28-21 lead.

After St. Bonaventure closed to within 28-26, La Salle closed out the half with a 16-5 run, led by Smith's seven points, to take a 44-31 advantage at the intermission. Smith also had six rebounds and six assists for the game.

The Explorers were never threatened the rest of the way and led by double digits for the entire second half. Harris hit a 3-point shot to give La Salle its biggest lead, 53-34, with 16:28 left.

Ahmad Smith led St. Bonaventure (7-16, 1-11 A-10) with 17 points, while Michael Lee added 15 and a game-high nine rebounds.The Bonnies have lost 12 of 13 and had dropped their first 10 conference matchups before defeating Richmond.

Both teams shot well early as the Bonnies grabbed a 13-11 lead in the first five minutes. St. Bonaventure made 6-of-10 shots while La Salle shot 71.4 percent on 5-of-7 shooting.

The win moved La Salle into sole possession of third place in the conference.