Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Hasbrouck's No. 41 to be retired

There's a good look at Kenny Hasbrouck's No. 41 jersey. Take a good look at it because no other Siena player will ever wear it after the school announced last night that it would retire their senior captain's number. 

Hasbrouck led the Saints to back-to-back NCAA Tournament and the two most prosperous years in the program's history.

The only other number that is retired by Siena is No. 10 of Billy Harrell, who graduated in 1952. 

Labels: , , ,

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

New Look Danes (once again)

With the addition of Mike Black and Derrek Tartt (see post below) the 2009-10 recruiting class is finalized for coach Will Brown and the University at Albany.

Here are the others

Gavin Glanton, 6-7, 200, Forrest City, Ark.
Blake Metcalf, 6-9, 250, Camby, Ind.
Ralph Watts, 6-5, 195, Peekskill, N.Y.

Here's how the 2009-10 team will look in terms of class.

Seniors
Will Harris
Brett Gifford
Mike Johnson
Scotty McRae

Juniors
Tim Ambrose
Louis Barraza

Sophomores
Billy Allen

Red-Shirt Freshmen
Logan Aronhalt
Jake Lindfors

Freshmen
Mike Black
Gavin Glanton
Blake Metcalf
Derrek Tartt
Ralph Watts
John Puk

Analysis: With the emergence of Mike Johnson at the end of the season, he probably will figure into the starting lineup next season. I would assume the starting five would be something like this (starters in bold):

PG: Johnson/Black
SG: Ambrose/Barraza/Allen/Tartt
SF: Aronhalt/Watts/Glanton
PF: Harris/McRae/Metcalf
C: Gifford/Lindfors

The added height of Metcalf (6-9), Glanton (6-7) Lindfors (6-10), who didn't play last year and even Watts (6-5), could give the Great Danes a lot more depth up front, something they really needed against non-conference teams and opponents like Vermont and Boston University.

It also could mean that Will Harris will play more small forward. Last year, Brown wanted to get him more time at power forward, but with the added bigger bodies, Harris may be back at the three.

Labels: ,

UAlbany announces signing class

The University at Albany announced the signings off Mike Black, a 6-foot-1 guard from Chicago and Derrek Tartt, a 6-foot-3 guard, also from Chicago. Both Black and Tartt played prep ball at Oak Park Fenwick High School in Chicago before Tartt went onto Brewster Academy.

Here's what UAlbany coach Will Brown had to say on both.

"Mike is a talented point guard who can both run a team and score," Brown said. "He is athletic and a tremendous on-the-ball defender. A quality student-athlete, Mike comes from arguably one of the best academic institutions in the state of Illinois."

"Derrek is a versatile player who we anticipate can work at all three perimeter positions," Brown said. "He can attack the rim with the dribble and has the ability to consistently knock down three-point shots. His year at Brewster will be of great benefit as he had an opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the country."

More on what this means and the rest of UAlbany's 2009-10 class in a bit.

Also, forward Scotty McRae was reinstated today.

"I have reinstated Scotty McRae effective immediately," Brown said. "We had some very productive conversations since the end of the season and I believe Scotty fully understands what he needs to do in order to be successful."

Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

McCaffery signs 8-year extension

Fran McCaffery and Siena College came to terms on an 8-year contract extension that will run through the 2016-2017 season.

McCaffery made more than $400,000 in 2008, so the deal is probably in the neighborhood of $3-5 million dollars, but the exact terms weren't disclosed.

Either way this shows that Siena is committing to the man who has brought back-to-back NCAA Tournament seasons to Siena.

Labels: , ,

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Source: McCaffery signs contract extension

According to sources close to the program, Siena coach Fran McCaffery will sign a contract extending his current contract as the Saints men's basketball coach on Wednesday. 

McCaffery still has two years left on his original agreement, one that paid him more than $400,000 last season as he guided Siena to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. 

Just because he signs the extension doesn't mean he can't leave for another school, but it shows that Siena is making an extra commitment to him. 

McCaffery said Tuesday he hasn't been contacted about the opening left by Sean Miller at Xavier, when Miller agreed to be the next coach at the University of Arizona. 

Labels: , ,

Report: McCaffery near extension

Siena coach Fran McCaffery could be getting close to extended his current contract. 

Fox's Rich Becker is reporting that the school is close to extended his contract which has two years remaining on it. 

McCaffery also said on the radio program Sound Off With Sinkoff on Tuesday that Xavier had not contacted him or the school about their opening after Sean Miller left for Arizona on Monday. 

McCaffery reportedly made just more than $400,000 in 2008.   

Labels: , , ,