By
Joel Welser
Bucknell returns all but one player from a
squad that upended Kansas in the first round of the NCAAs,
becoming the first team ever from the Patriot League to win a
game in the tournament. The Bison have their eyes set on a
repeat performance and a regular season conference championship
for the 2005-2006 campaign.
Who’s Out:
Chris Niesz earned two starts and was one of only five players
to see action in all 33 contests a year ago. The 6-8 forward
averaged 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds as a senior but there are
plenty of experienced players ready and willing to fill in.
Who’s In:
None of the newcomers will feel any pressure to come in and
immediately contribute, but there is potential that they will.
Josh Linthicum could be the most useful player this season. The
Bison don’t really need any size at the moment, but you can
never have too many big men. Linthicum, a 6-11 center, is a
physical player that also has the ability to finesse his way to
the bucket. Justin Castleberry and Jason Vegotsky will add some
depth to the backcourt. Castleberry is a smart player on the
floor and has ball handling and scoring skills. Vegotsky is a
solid scorer and has a knack for breaking just about anybody
down off the dribble. Both guards could end up seeing
significant minutes off the bench by the end of the season.
Who to Watch:
Kevin Bettencourt, Chris McNaughton and
Charles Lee all averaged 12.6 or 12.5 points per outing and
started at least 32 games last year and will once again be the
team leaders. Those three will start along with point guard Abe
Badmus. The interesting spot to watch is who will step up and
start alongside McNaughton in the frontcourt. Last year that job
was split between Darren Mastropaolo, John Clark and Donald
Brown with none proving to be a consistent force. Mastropaolo
averaged 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds as a freshman last year
and, at 6-8, is the biggest of the bunch.
Projected Conference Rank:
Holy Cross will fight hard to win another
Patriot League championship, but anything but a 1st
place finish for Bucknell would be a disappointment for those in
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Coming off the momentum of the NCAA
Tournament victory and returning all but one player, the Bison
led by head coach Pat Flannery have no reason to expect anything
but another trip to the NCAAs.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NCAA
Projected Starting Five:
Abe Badmus, Junior, Guard, 5.3 points per game
Kevin Bettencourt, Senior, Guard, 12.6 points per game
Charles Lee, Senior, Guard, 12.5 points per game
Darren Mastropaolo, Sophomore, Forward, 3.0 points per game
Chris McNaughton, Sophomore, Center, 12.6 points per game
