Feb. 13, 2006
Click here to listen to the women's game beginning at 5:20 pm Monday
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The Women's Game
The third-place UMES Lady Hawks (9-10, 7-4 MEAC) return from a week-long lay off to play their only road game this month: a match-up against the second-place Delaware State Lady Hornets (14-7, 8-4) Monday in Dover. The Lady Hawks, winners of seven of their last ten and four out of five, began a stretch of playing seven of eight games at home with victories against Hampton and Norfolk State last week.
UMES continues to play without two regular starters due to injury: senior co-captain Jamila Griffith and junior Qiana Cheatham. Griffith has missed ten straight while Cheatham, out for the season, has missed the past nine. Red-hot Delaware State, boasting the best overall record in the conference, has won seven of its last nine following a 7-5 (1-2 MEAC) start to the season. The Lady Hornets beat UMES 65-51 Jan. 16 in Princess Anne, forcing 26 Lady Hawk turnovers in the process.
Turning the Tide
With a 9-10 overall record (7-4 MEAC), the Lady Hawks are nearing some positive benchmarks for a basketball program that has lacked great success the past decade.
At 7-4 in conference, the Lady Hawks are three games above .500 in MEAC play for the first time in seven seasons (the `98-'99 team started 5-1 MEAC). This is the first UMES basketball team, men's or women's, to go three games above .500 in conference in four seasons (the `01-'02 men's team was 5-2 MEAC). No UMES basketball team has gone four games above .500 in conference since the aforementioned `98-'99 Lady Hawks squad seven season's ago.
The Lady Hawks are approaching the .500 mark in overall record. No UMES basketball team (men's or women's) has been at .500 or better overall this late in the season since the `97-'98 Lady Hawks finished 16-11 (a span of eight seasons).
News and Notes
Toni Kennedy is having a terrific senior season. The former walk-on is tied for the conference lead in the conference in scoring (16.1 ppg), second in three-pointers made/game (3.3, also fourth in the nation as of 2.6) and third in steals/game (3.1). Kennedy won consecutive MEAC Player of the Week awards for the weeks ending Dec. 18 + 25...
Freshman Tiffany Reid is averaging 9.0 ppg (90 pts) and 6.3 rpg (63 rebs) in her ten starts filling in for the injured Jamila Griffith, during which time she has won two MEAC Rookie of the Week awards. Reid won that award three times in a four-week span (the weeks ending Dec. 25, Jan. 8 and Jan. 15)...
Sophomore Kristi Veltkamp has lived up to her billing as a Preseason MEAC First Team selection. She is currently second on the team in scoring and in rebounding. Veltkamp leads the conference in blocked shots (UMES leads the MEAC with 4.1 blocks/gm), and is second in field goal pct (51%)...
The Lady Hawks are averaging 60 ppg (599 pts) in the ten games since Jamila Griffith's injury (compared to 72 ppg in nine games beforehand). Overall, UMES is averaging 65 ppg (second in the MEAC). The Lady Hawks lead the conference assists/game (13.3) and are second in asst/turnover ratio (0.63/1), three-pointers/game (6.1), third in FG pct. (38%) and fourth in scoring margin (-0.4)...
Free-throw shooting has hurt the Lady Hawks this season. UMES is last (11th/11) in the MEAC in team free throw percentage (57%), and has shot 50% or less from the line in eight of its 19 games (3-5 record)...
The Lady Hawks' season sweep of Hampton provided two firsts: the program's first two-game sweep of the Lady Pirates and the first road victory at Hampton. UMES has now beaten Hampton three consecutive times (after compiling a total of three wins prior to that streak).
The Lady Hawks 10-8 conference record last season gave the team its first winning MEAC season since `97-'98 (12-6), a span of 7 seasons...
LADY HAWKS AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Cl. PPG RPG
11 DeVaughn Hailey G 5'5 Fr. 6.6 3.3
Freshman from Camden, NJ...Played at Woodrow Wilson HS, where she started for four seasons...Helped team win the South Jersey championship and the New Jersey Group III Tournament of Champions Final in 2005.
33 Toni Kennedy G 5'6 Sr. 16.1 2.9
Senior from Baltimore, Md. led team in scoring last season (10.0 ppg) after walking onto team...JUCO transfer from Labette C.C. (Parsons, Ks., `02-'03) and Grayson C.C. (Denison, Tx., `03-'04)...All-time leading scorer at Dunbar HS (1,128 pts), won three consecutive state championships (`00-'02).
34 Tiffany Reid F 5'9 Fr. 7.3 5.4
Freshman from Philadelphia, played at National Christian Academy (Ft. Washington, Md.) after starring at Strawberry Mansion HS in the Philly Public League...Made first-team all-Public League two consecutive seasons.
23 Natalia Benton F/C 6'3 Jr. 3.6 4.6
JUCO transfer from Monroe C.C. (Rochester, NY) where she won consecutive Division II NJCAA National Championships (`04, `05) and was named to the All-Tournament Team last season...Originally from Brooklyn, NY.
25 Daynese Stowe C 6'2 Sr. 3.1 2.6
Senior from Philadelphia missed three games (12/6- 12/17) with a lower back injury...2004 transfer from Florida C.C. (Jacksonville, Fl.)...Played in 26 games last season, averaged 4.0 ppg and 3.3 rpg.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Cl. PPG RPG
0 Rachael Goodwin G 5'6 Sr. 4.5 3.6
Senior from Memphis, Tn...Played 1 1/2 seasons (2002-03, part of 2003-04) at UMES before sitting out last season, re-joined squad this summer...Played in a total of 35 games prior to `05-'06 (5.7 ppg career).
1 Brittany Adkins F 6'1 So. 2.9 3.2
Sophomore from Millsboro, De., played in 26 games freshman season...Played at Sussex Tech. HS where she made first-team all-state senior year.
*2 Alicia Loxen G 5'6 Fr. 0.0 0.0
Red-shirt freshman from Owosso, Mi. out for rest of season with multiple meniscus tears in left knee (missed all of last season with a torn left ACL).
3 Kristi Veltkamp F/C 6'3 So. 12.6 5.9
Voted to Preseason All-MEAC First-Team...Sophomore from Hudsonville, Mi. finished second on the team in scoring (8.8 ppg) and rebounding (4.5 rpg) her freshman season...Won State and National Homeschool championships in 2003 for Lansing Homeschool (with teammate Alicia Loxen).
12 Jasmine Speed F 5'10 Fr. 0.4 0.6
Freshman from Chesterfield, Mi....Played at Anchor Bay HS.
*21 Qiana Cheatham F 5'10 Jr. 8.5 3.4
Junior from Baltimore, Md. out for remainder of season with lower left leg fracture suffered in practice Jan. 6...Started final six games last season (11.2 ppg).
22 Adrienne Brown G 5'5 Fr. 0.6 0.2
Walk-on from Springdale, Md....Attended prep school at The Patterson School (Lenoir, NC) in 04-05...Played at Charles H. Flowers HS (Landover).
32 Almalika Lemon F 6'1 Jr. 0.9 1.3
JUCO transfer missed five games (12/30- 1/16) with a right knee injury...Played at Frank Phillips College (Borger, Tx., `03-'04) and NE Oklahoma A&M (Miami, Ok., `02-'03)...Originally from Manhattan, NY.
*35 Jamila Griffith F 6'0 Sr. 12.0 3.1
Currently out with internal injuries suffered Dec. 30 against CCSU...Voted to Preseason All-MEAC Second-Team...Led team in rebounding last season (7.6 rpg), was third in scoring (8.3 ppg)...2003 transfer from Tallahassee C.C. (Tallahassee, Fl.), originally from Barbados (West Indies).
*Currently Inactive due to injury
The Men's Game
The UMES men's basketball team (5-16, 2-9) hits the road for the only time this month to take on the first-place and defending MEAC champion Delaware State Hornets (13-11, 11-1) Monday at Memorial Hall. The Hawks, losers of eight of their last nine including home decisions to Hampton and Norfolk State last week, are in a stretch of playing six out of seven games at home.
UMES, featuring seven freshman on its active roster, has more than doubled its entire win total from the 2004-'05 season (2-26). The Hornets, led by preseason MEAC First Team selection Jahsha Bluntt, have won 11 of their last 12, all in MEAC play, following a 2-10 non-conference record. Del. St. beat the Hawks 70-67 at the Hytche Center Jan. 16, holding on after sprinting out to a 15-0 lead despite allowing 54 second-half UMES points.
Starting Slowly
The 2005-'06 Hawks have been plagued by slow starts this season. In 16 of the team's 21 games, UMES has fallen behind by at least seven points in the first 12 minutes (excluding games against UMBC, Morehead St., B-CC, Morgan, Hamp.). In the first 12 minutes of those 16 contests, the Hawks' average largest deficit is 13 points (208).
By in large, UMES has then out-played its opponent over the final 28 minutes. In ten of the aforementioned 16 games, the Hawks outscored their opponent after the first 12 minutes (by an average of eight points following the largest deficit, 79 total).
Three times this season UMES has fallen behind by double-digits prior to scoring a point- the Hawks trailed
14-0 at Rutgers, 17-0 at Norfolk St. and 15-0 vs. Del. St.
News and Notes
UMES has been led on offense recently by a three-pronged attack of freshman guards: Jesse Brooks, Ed Tyson and Troy Jackson. All three have scored in double figures in five of the last seven games...
Brooks has already become the top distributor in the conference. He leads the MEAC in apg (5.1) and in minutes/game (35.8), and is 2nd in asst/to ratio (1.64/1). He is averaging 12.9 ppg the past seven (90 pts)...
Jackson is averaging 17.0 ppg the last ten games (170 pts), including a career-high 33-point outburst at Morgan St. 1.28. He has twice been named MEAC Rookie of the Week (the weeks ending Jan. 8 + Jan. 29), is scoring a team-high 16.2 ppg in MEAC contests...
Tyson is averaging 12.5 ppg the last 12 contests (150 total pts). Twice during that span, he was named MEAC Rookie of the Week (the weeks ending Dec. 18 + 25)...
Junior Antonio McMillion has scored a career-high 21 points in two of the past three games. He is averaging 13.5 ppg (81 pts) the last six.
Senior Tim Parham has lived up to his billing as a Preseason MEAC Second Team selection. He leads the conference in rebounding, is 11th in scoring and third in FG pct, and was named MEAC Player of the Week (week ending Dec. 25). Parham has recorded nine double-doubles in 21 games (he led the MEAC with 11 in `04-'05)...
The Hawks are tied for third in the MEAC in scoring (65 ppg), but are 10th/11 in points allowed (77 ppg). UMES is shooting only 59% from the foul line (9th/11 in MEAC), and 40% on field goals (10th/11)...
Sophomore Ryan Leak suffered a torn ACL, MCL and medial meniscus in his left knee at Howard Dec. 10, and is out for the season...
When UMES improved to 2-5 on Dec. 3, it became the first time in four seasons that the squad picked up its second win before its 14th game. The Hawks had started three consecutive seasons at 1-12...
UMES HAWKS AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
10 Jesse Brooks G 6'1 170 Fr. 8.4 3.2
Freshman from Severn, Md...Played last season at Notre Dame Prep School (Fitchburg, Ma.)...Played at Archbishop Spalding HS, where he finished 2nd all-time in assists and was a teammate of current UCONN star Rudy Gay.
5 Ed Tyson G 6'3 205 Fr. 10.9 3.2
Freshman from Baltimore, Md...Played at Walbrook HS where he won the 2005 Maryland class 4A state championship and was ranked amongst the top guards in the state...Nicknamed and commonly referred to as "Butz."
15 Troy Jackson G 6'3 175 Fr. 11.2 2.8
Freshman from Wilkes Barre, PA...Played at Laurinburg Prep School (Laurinburg, NC) in 2004-05, and before that at Scranton HS (Scranton, Pa.).
44 Antonio McMillion F 6'5 210 Jr. 10.8 4.1
JUCO transfer from Colby C.C. (Colby, Ks.) where he averaged 15.6 ppg last season...Attended Central Connecticut St. (CCSU) from 2002-2004, but missed `02-'03 with eye injury and played only 7 games in `03-'04...Played at Randallstown HS where he won the Maryland class 3A state championship in 2002 (senior season) and was named Third-Team All-State.
42 Tim Parham F/C 6'9 240 Sr. 13.8 9.3
Voted to Preseason All-MEAC Second-Team...Led MEAC in rebounding (8.6 rpg) and double-doubles (11) last season...All 11 of those double-doubles came in last 19 games (0 in prior 34 career games)...Announced eligibility for 2005 NBA Draft last April before withdrawing to return for senior season...Now in his third season playing at UMES...2003 transfer from Ellsworth C.C. (Iowa Falls, Ia.) where he played one season (2001-'02).
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
1 Qavotstaraj Waddell C 6'11 240 Fr. 4.0 5.0
Red-shirt freshman from Norfolk, Va., sat out last season to complete year in residence...Named preseason MEAC Top Newcomer by Street & Smith's College Basketball...Played at Coastal Christian Academy HS (Virginia Beach) where he teamed with NY Knicks' center Jackie Butler.
*3 Dorian Pierce G 6'0 170 Fr. 0.9 0.8
Freshman from Jackson, Mi., academically ineligible as of January 30.
13 Art Valentine F 6'7 215 Jr. 1.0 1.1
JUCO transfer from Fulton-Montgomery C.C. (Johnstown, NY), where he averaged 16 ppg over his 2 seasons...Originally from Harlem, NY.
20 Terrell Harris G 6'1 175 Sr. 2.4 0.6
Walk-on from Philadelphia played in final 5 games of last season... Played baseball for UMES in 2004, pitched in 20 games (0-1, 9.89 ERA).
22 Shaun Warrick G 6'0 150 Fr. 0.5 0.5
Freshman walk-on from Philadelphia, played at Lutheran HS.
23 Hagay Barav G 6'3 195 Fr. 3.4 0.6
Freshman from Hertzeliya, Israel was activated after missing the first 11 games of season with a left MCL sprain...Served in Israeli Army three years.
24 C.J. Prince G 6'3 200 Fr. 1.0 0.5
Freshman walk-on from Teaneck, NJ, played at Teaneck HS.
30 Tal Cohen F/C 6'8 230 So. 0.3 0.6
Played in 27 games last season...Sophomore from Hadera, Israel, played on the Israeli Junior National Team while in the Israeli Army for three years.
*32 Ryan Leak F 6'4 185 So. 3.0 2.0
Out for remainder of season with torn ACL, MCL and medial meniscus suffered 12.10 at Howard...Played in 27 games last season, averaged 5.7 ppg.
*45 Brandon Moore F 6'9 195 Fr. 0.0 0.8
Walk-on red-shirt freshman, academically ineligible as of Jan. 30...Hails from Baltimore, Md., sat out last season to complete year in residence.
*Currently inactive
UMES Hawks (5-16, 2-9 MEAC)
2005-06 Schedule:
Previous Games
Date Game Result
11/10 Davis & Elkins. (Ex) W 82-68
11/14 ^at #20 Iowa L 41-86
11/15 ^v. Utah Valley St. W 75-72 (OT)
11/18 at UMBC L 65-75
11/19 at St. John's L 40-77
11/25 Nicholls St. L 69-71
12/1 at Marshall L 56-66
12/3 at Morehead St. W 65-59
12/7 at Rutgers L 50-92
12/10 at Howard* L 68-79
12/17 at #15 George Wash. L 72-98
12/20 at Brown W 59-57
1/4 N.C. A&T* W 77-75 (OT)
1/7 at Hampton* L 64-73
1/9 at Norfolk State* L 62-74
1/16 Delaware State* L 67-70
1/21 at Fla. A&M* L 92-96 (OT)
1/23 at Beth-Cook.* L 82-86
1/28 at Morgan St.* W 76-67
1/30 at Coppin St.* L 53-79
2/4 Hampton* L 75-87
2/6 Norfolk St.* L 59-67
Upcoming Games
Date Game Result
2/13 at Delaware St* 7:30 pm
2/18 Florida A&M* 4:00 pm
2/20 Beth.-Cookman* 7:30 pm
2/25 Morgan State* 4:00 pm
2/27 Coppin State* 7:30 pm
3/1 at S. Carolina St* 7:30 pm
3/4 Howard* 4:00 pm
3/6-11 MEAC Tourney TBA
*denotes MEAC conference game
^at Guardian's Classic (Iowa City)
Larry Lessett- Head Coach
Lawrence Lessett, Jr. is in his second season as head coach of the Hawks. While this position marks his debut as a Division I head coach, he has amassed almost thirty years of coaching experience from the high school level through the professional ranks.
Lessett came to Princess Anne after spending three years as a global scout for Magic Johnson International Basketball. Prior to that he served as head coach of the Magic City Snowbears of the International Basketball Association (IBA), where he coached the team to a franchise record in wins and a playoff appearance in his only season.
No stranger to the college ranks, Lessett has made several collegiate stops in his career, most recently as head basketball coach and athletic director of Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee. He has also served as an assistant coach at Mercer University, De Anza College, Georgia Southwestern College, Georgia College, Santa Barbara City College, Western New Mexico University, Loyola Marymount University and Cal State Northridge.
Lessett received a Bachelors degree in Physical Education from Cal State Northridge in 1983 and a Masters degree in Phys Ed and Health from Georgia College in 1991.
Assistant Coaches
Meredith Smith- Assistant Coach
Meredith Smith is in his second season as the first assistant men's basketball coach with the Hawks. He has returned to his alma mater after accumulating almost 30 years of high school coaching experience. Smith graduated from UMES, then Maryland State College, in 1975.
Smith became head coach men's basketball coach at Southern High School in Baltimore City in 1978 and held that position for 24 seasons. During that time he compiled a win-loss record of 414-145, giving him the second most victories in Baltimore City Public School history. Smith won 25 playoff games, including three Maryland State Championships, two Maryland Scholastic Association Conference Championships and a Baltimore City Championship in 1999-2000.
In 1993 the Baltimore Sun named Smith their "Coach of the Year." He holds a Bachelor's degree in Secondary and Physical Education from UMES and a Master's degree from Coppin State University.
Bert DeSalvo- Assistant Coach
Bert DeSalvo is in his first year as an assistant coach for the Hawks, primarily responsible for film exchange and budgeting. He comes to UMES after serving one year as the Girls' Varsity Head Coach at Chariho High School in Rhode Island.
While at Chariho, DeSalvo led his team to a playoff appearance in 2004-'05 with an 11-14 overall record. From 2001-'04 he was the Boys' Junior Varsity Head Coach at South Kingstown High School (R.I.), leading his team to a co-division championship in 2001-'02. DeSalvo has also coached at the middle school level and for several AAU teams.
DeSalvo received a Batchelor's degree in History from the University of Rhode Island in 2002.
MEAC 2005-06 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Rk School Points
1. S Car. St. (10) 402
T-2.*Delaware St. (6) 370
T-2.Hampton (4) 370
4. Norfolk State 240
5. Florida A&M 238
6. Coppin State 230
7. Bethune-Cook. 202
8. N Carolina A&T 146
9. Morgan State 138
10. Howard 78
11. MD East-Shore 26
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
*2005 regular season and MEAC Tournament champion
Preseason MEAC First Team
G Antonio Webb, Beth-Cook.
G Tony Tate, Florida A&M
G Jahsha Blunt, Delaware St.
F Thurman Zimmerman, SC St.
C Bruce Brown, Hampton
Second Team
G Tony Murphy, Norfolk St.
G Jeff Granger, Hampton
F Darius Glover, Florida A&M
F Tim Parham, UMES
F Brian Mason, SC St.
Preseason Player of the Year:
Bruce Brown, Hampton
-Selected in a vote by MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
