March 5, 2006
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The Game
The tenth-seeded UMES men's basketball team (7-21, 4-14) begins MEAC Tournament play with an opening round match-up against the seventh-seeded Norfolk State Spartans (11-17, 10-8) Tuesday at the RBC Center in Raleigh. UMES won two of its final three regular-season contests to climb into a tenth-place tie in the final MEAC standings, including a thrilling 73-72 decision against Howard Saturday. The Hawks, who overall dropped 13 of their final 16 in the regular season (after starting 4-8 overall, 1-1 MEAC), earned the #10 seed over Morgan St. based on point differential the teams' two meetings (+2).
UMES, featuring eight freshman on its active roster, has more than tripled its entire win total from the 2004-'05 season (2-26). The Spartans, losers of three of their final five in the regular season, are seeded seventh because of the overall record tiebreak with FAMU and Hampton (thanks to a 1-9 non-conference mark). NSU beat UMES twice this season, by 12 on Jan. 9 and by eight on Feb. 6.
D-Fence! D-Fence!
Scoring was not a big problem for the Hawks this season, as they ranked fifth in the conference in team offense (64.7 ppg) this season. UMES struggled on the defensive end, however, allowing its opponents to score 74.8 points per game overall (tied for the most in the MEAC), in addition to 74.5 ppg in conference games (most in the MEAC).
The Hawks defense has improved of late. UMES has held the opposition to only 69 ppg (555 pts) the past eight games (after allowing 77 ppg through the first 20 games of the season). Unfortunately, the Hawks' offense has begun to slack during that same stretch, with the team averaging 63 ppg (503 pts) the last eight compared to 65 ppg the first 20.
News and Notes
The winner of Tuesday's game advances to play #2 Coppin St. Weds. night.
The Hawks last MEAC Tournament victory came two seasons ago (`03-'04) when they defeated Bethune-Cookman 51-50 in the opening round 3.9.04.
Big man Tim Parham led the MEAC in rebounding (10.2 rpg) and double-doubles (14) for the second straight season. Parham is also the Hawks' leader in scoring (13.8 ppg, tenth in the MEAC) and in FG pct (53%, third MEAC). The senior (named MEAC Player of the Week Dec. 26) has four double-doubles in the last five games (and 25 in his UMES career)...
Freshman point guard Jesse Brooks led the MEAC in apg (4.9) and in min/gm (36.2), and finished third in asst/to ratio (1.52/1). Brooks, who hit the game-winner 3.4 against Howard, is averaging 12.1 ppg the past 14 (169)...
Red-shirt freshman Qavotstaraj Waddell led the MEAC in blocks (54, 1.9 per game). As a team, UMES was second in the MEAC in blocks/gm (3.0).
After a fast start to the conference season, UMES' three-pronged attack of freshman guards (Brooks, Ed Tyson and Troy Jackson) quieted the second time through the MEAC. After all three scored double figures in four consecutive games 1.16-1.28, that occurred only once in the final ten games...
Jackson, who has rested a total of three minutes the last six games, is shooting 37% from the field the last ten (52-139 FG's, 14.8 ppg) after shooting 50% the previous seven (20.3 ppg). Three times this season Jackson was named MEAC Rookie of the Week (the weeks ending Jan. 8, Jan. 29 + Feb. 19), and he averaged a team-high 16.6 ppg in MEAC games...
Tyson is scoring 5.4 ppg (43 pts) and shooting 23% (13-56 FG's) his last eight games (he missed two 2.18+2.20 with a right ankle sprain) after averaging 14.7 ppg his previous eight (and shooting 45%). Twice this season he was named MEAC Rookie of the Week (weeks ending Dec. 18 + 25)...
UMES has struggled shooting the ball at times, making only 59% from the foul line (11th/11 in MEAC), and 40% of its field goals (9th/11)...
Ryan Leak (torn left ACL, MCL and medial meniscus on Dec. 10) is out for the season. Dorian Pierce is academically ineligible as of 1.30...
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...
UMES HAWKS AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
10 Jesse Brooks G 6'1 170 Fr. 9.1 3.1
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.
15 Troy Jackson G 6'3 175 Fr. 12.7 3.3
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. 10.5 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 10.2
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).
1 Qavotstaraj Waddell C 6'11 240 Fr. 4.4 5.4
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.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
*3 Dorian Pierce G 6'0 170 Fr. 0.9 0.8
Freshman from Jackson, Mi., academically ineligible as of January 30.
5 Ed Tyson G 6'3 205 Fr. 9.7 2.9
Freshman from Baltimore, Md, missed two games (2.18+2.20) with a right ankle sprain...Played at Walbrook HS where he won the 2005 Maryland class 4A state championship and was ranked amongst the top guards in the state.
13 Art Valentine F 6'7 215 Jr. 0.9 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. 2.1 0.7
Walk-on from Philadelphia, scored his first FG since 12.10 on 3.1 at SC St... Played baseball for UMES in 2004, pitched in 20 games (0-1, 9.89 ERA).
22 Shaun Warrick G 6'0 150 Fr. 0.8 0.9
Freshman walk-on from Philadelphia, played at Lutheran HS.
23 Hagay Barav G 6'3 195 Fr. 2.5 0.5
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. 0.5 0.3
Freshman walk-on from Teaneck, NJ, played at Teaneck HS.
30 Tal Cohen F/C 6'8 230 So. 0.4 0.7
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. 0.2 0.7
Walk-on red-shirt freshman, was academically ineligible 1.30-2.25 (missed seven games) but returned 2.27...From Baltimore, Md., sat out last season.
*Currently inactive
#10 UMES Hawks (7-21, 4-14 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
2/13 at Delaware St* L 48-64
2/18 Florida A&M* L 72-83
2/20 Beth.-Cookman* L 66-69
2/25 Morgan State* L 60-67
2/27 Coppin State* W 65-60
3/1 at S. Carolina St* L 60-73
3/4 Howard* W 73-72
Upcoming Games
Date Game Result
3/7 #vs. Norfolk St. 6:30 pm
#MEAC Tournament Opening Round
*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
