2011-2012 MEAC Basketball Preview

By Lut Williams
Special to Boxtorow.com

After ending Morgan State¹s three-year stranglehold on the MEAC regular season title and posting its first 20-win season in Div. I, Bethune-Cookman looked to be a team on the rise. That was before an administrative review by the school resulted in the abrupt firing in late June of 10-year head coach Clifford Reed and the transfer of his son, rising senior guard C. J. Reed, the reigning MEAC player of the year.

With Bethune-Cookman reeling from the Reeds¹ departure, Hampton was this year¹s favorite based on returning three starters from a team that ended Morgan State¹s two-year run as tournament champion, but that was before guard Kwame Morgan injured his leg over the summer. Following two surgeries, it looks as if the Pirates will be without him for the entire season. Morgan State, who lost as many conference games (6) last year as in the previous three seasons combined, is still in the championship mix, as is Coppin State who brings back a talented and high-scoring bunch.

Florida A&M¹s Clemon Johnson is the newest member of the coaching fraternity while Savannah State and North Carolina Central officially join the conference, bringing the number of teams in the league to 13.

Shaky backcourt play was the main culprit in preventing Morgan State (17-14, 10-6) from continuing its conference dominance. Additionally, standouts Kevin Thompson (13.1 ppg., 9.1 rpg.) and Dewayne Jackson (14.5 ppg., 40.5% FG) performed below par.

A return to form for Thompson and Jackson and steadier play from Aric Brooks (10.2 ppg.), sophomore Justin Black (7.2 ppg.) and point guard Larry Brastfield could land the Bears back on top of the standings. Shaquille Duncan (6-8) is a freshman addition that should augment the front court.

Three newcomers—Akeem Ellis (12.2 ppg.), Tony Gallo (11.4 ppg.) and Jordan Lee (10.4 ppg.)—teamed with veteran Michael Harper (15.2 ppg.) to garner the first winning season in seven years at Coppin State (16-14, 11-5), resulting in a new contract for Ron ³Fang² Mitchell.

Antonio Williams (6-6) , who led the team in rebounding (6.7 rpg.), also returns. The quintet should make the Eagles, who led the MEAC In scoring (72.5 ppg.), contenders again.

The presence of sharpshooter Landon Clement (18.7 ppg.), 6-7 forward Nick Chasten (11.7 ppg., 7.1 rpg.), point guard Justin Leemow and a stocked recruiting class has many people thinking North Carolina Central (15-15) will vie for an MEAC title in its first year of eligibility.

Dominique Sutton (6-5, Kansas State), Ray Williis (6-6, Oklahoma) and Georgia transfer Ebuka Anyaorah are the top three of seven potential difference makers joining LeVelle Moton¹s program.

Norfolk State¹s (12-20, 8-8) hopes lean on the broad shoulders of 6-10 center Kyle O¹Quinn (16.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.4 blocks per game, .556 shooting percentage).

Rodney McCauley and Marcus Tamares (6-7) join him in the frontcourt while Chris McEachin (10.3 ppg.) and sophomore Pendarvis Williams (8.1 ppg.) step into starting roles in the backcourt. Head coach Anthony Evans mined his New York roots to nab all five members of his recruiting class.

Offensive structure and defense propelled Hampton (24-9, 11-5) to the 2011 tournament championship. The Pirates will sport a senior-dominated team in their effort to repeat, but playing without Morgan (16.5 ppg.) will hurt. Without him, Darion Pellum (17.7 ppg.) is the Pirates’ top scoring threat while fellow seniors Danny Agbelese (3.1 blocks per game) and 6-10 center Milade Lola-Charles are experienced inside. Mike Tuitt is slated to replace point guard Brandon Tunnell, the glue in last year¹s championship run. Head coach Ed Joyner Jr. added talented 6-7 local product Dashawn Stitt.

Assistant coach Gravelle Craig took over from Clifford Reed at Bethune-Cookman (21-13, 13-3 MEAC) in July and found out shortly thereafter that C.J. Reed, last year¹s MEAC scoring leader (18.8 ppg.) and player of the year would not be returning.

Craig will now turn to forward Garrius Holloman (11.5 ppg., 6.6 rpg.) and veterans Stanley Elliott, Javoris Bryant and Kevin Dukes to take up the slack. Mikel Trapp could be ready for major backcourt minutes afterplaying a lot as a freshman. Three JuCo transfers will add depth.

At Howard (6-24, 4-12), three double-figure scorers--Mike Phillips (12.9 ppg.), Anton Dickerson (11.4 ppg.) and Dadrian Collins (10.1 ppg.)—and productive 6-10 center Alphonso Leary (7.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg.) join guard Calvin Thompson and last year¹s top recruit, 6-9 center Theodore Boyomo, who were felled by injuries.

Kevin Nickelberry¹s six-man recruiting class ¬of Prince Okoroh, Brandon Bailey, Oliver Ellison and Sim Frazier and transfers Glen Andrews (Tulsa) and Trey Lee (Coastal Carolina) is considered one of the best in the nation.

North Carolina A&T (15-17, 9-7) will be hard-pressed to repeat its fifth-place finish with the departure of 6-9 first team all-MEAC center Thomas Coleman. The Aggies will rely on an up-tempo and balanced attack led by the senior backcourt of point guard Marc Hill (10.8 ppg.) and off-guard Nic Simpson (13.3 ppg.). Greater contributions will be needed from Adrian Powell (8.1 ppg.), R.J. Buck (6.6 ppg.) and Austin Witter (5.7 ppg.).

Lack of size and scoring ability was the Achilles heel for Delaware State (9-21, 5-11) last season. Greg Jackson recruited two 6-9 players (Michael Coger and Kendall Gray), two 6-7s (Abdul Kasim and Tyshawn Bell) and prolific high school scorers Tahj Tate (27 ppg.) and Amere May (35.3 ppg.) to address those needs.

They will join proven talents in assists (6.0 pg.) and steals (3.1 pg.) leader Jay Threatt (9.7 ppg.), Rookie of the Year Casey Walker (13.4 ppg.) and 6-8 power forward Marques Oliver (10.5 ppg., 6.4 rpg.).

Former Rattler and NBA veteran Clemon Johnson replaces Eugene Harris at Florida A&M (12-20, 7-9) hoping to rekindle some of the program¹s past glory.

Junior forward Amin Stevens (13.6 ppg., 7.8 rpg.), sophomore guard Avery Moore (10.1 ppg.) and senior Yannick Crowder (7.5 ppg., 6.8 rpg.) form a solid nucleus. Johnson signed four athletic recruits, 6-8 Eddie D¹Haiti, 6-7 Markee Teal and 6-7 Nataniel Drayton via the JuCo route and 6-5 freshman point guard D¹Andre Bullard.

South Carolina State (10-22, 5-11) took a precipitous drop in its fourth season under head coach Tim Carter. Backcourt veterans Khalif Toombs (7.0 ppg.) and Brandon Riley (9.4 ppg.) are the team leaders. Omar Sanders (7.1 ppg., 4.9 rpg.) is a returning frontcourt starter. Presano Bell and Joe Ikhinmwin join Sanders in the frontcourt.

Carter inked three freshman guards and two junior college transfers at forward that he hopes can contribute immediately.

Top scorers Hillary Haley (16.8 ppg.) and Dawhawn Bradshaw (9.2 ppg.) will be the linchpins for Maryland-Eastern Shore (9-22, 5-11).

Six-eleven center Diyaldiin Kelly will get a chance to be a force in the middle while guards Louis Bell and Joseph Swift try to build on the double-digit minutes they received as freshmen. Point guard Danny Lawhorn, a one-time Boston College signee, and power forward Jakari McCallop are freshman who will be needed to play right away.

After an earlier stint at Bethune-Cookman, Horace Broadnax brings his tough ways back to the MEAC to lead a young Savannah State (12-18) team.

His squad will be led by 6-foot sophomore guard Preston Blackmon (12.5 ppg.), 6-4 junior forward Joshua Montgomery (10.8 ppg.) and 6-3 junior Cedric Smith (5.6 ppg.) who started all 30 games a season ago. JuCo recruits Deric Rudolph (5-11) and Patrick Hendley (6-4) will also join the Tigers.

Lut's picks

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Morgan State
2. Coppin State
3. North Carolina Central
4. Norfolk State
5. Hampton
6. Bethune-Cookman
7. Howard
8. North Carolina A&T
9. Delaware State
10. Florida A&M
11. South Carolina State
12. Maryland Eastern Shore
13. Savannah State

ALL CONFERENCE TEAM
Kyle O¹Quinn, Norfolk State
Darion Pellum, Hampton
Dewayne Jackson, Morgan State
Dewayne Jackson, Morgan State
Dominique Sutton, North Carolina Central

TOP PLAYER
Kyle O¹Quinn, Norfolk State

TOP NEWCOMER
Dominique Sutton, North Carolina Central

TOP COACH
LeVelle Moton, North Carolina Central

Lut Williams is one of the premier writers of Black College Sports. His syndicated weekly newspaper Black College Sports Page runs in weekly newspapers around the country. BCPS also can be viewed by logging onto www.onnidan.com