Penn
dominated the Ivy League last season going 13-1 and, despite
losing the conference player of the year, are the favorites to
earn another trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2005-2006. Coach
Fran Dunphy’s squad won’t have an easy of a time this year, but
a solid group of newcomers will provide some needed depth and
keep the Quakers competitive for years to come.
Who’s Out:
Tim Begley’s 13.9 points, 4.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds earned
the 6-6 guard Ivy League Player of the Year honors for his
season campaign. It will be a big change without Begley at The
Palestra, but there is enough talent at Penn to make the
transition less painful. Forward Jan Fikiel started 11 contests,
averaging 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest. Little used
big men Eric Heil and Nameir Majette have also run out of
eligibility.
Who’s In:
Kevin Egee and Cameron Lewis have the most potential of the
incoming freshmen. Egee, a 6-3 guard, averaged 16 points, seven
rebounds and five assists as a senior at Ridley High School in
Folsom, Pennsylvania. Lewis, a 6-8 forward, is a tremendous shot
blocker and rebounder, but will need to add some bulk and
develop an outside shot before seeing too many minutes. Aaron
Cohen is a smart floor leader. The 6-2 point guard should see
some playing time off the bench this year. Small forwards
Brennan Votel and Tommy McMahon are solid prospects that will
add some much needed depth on the wings. Adam Franklin is
eligible to play after transferring from North Carolina, the JV
squad that is. In any event, he is a talented 6-6 wing who will
battle with many others for the starting gig at the three spot.
Who to Watch:
Eric Osmundson will be the senior leader in
the backcourt, but Ibrahim Jaaber provides the spark that will
ignite the Quakers when things look grim. As a sophomore last
year the 6-2, 170 pound guard averaged 11.5 points, 4.6
rebounds, 2.8 assists and an incredible 2.9 steals per game.
Jaaber’s 83 steals in 2004-2005 set an Ivy League record, which
he may break this year. He isn’t a great outside shooter and
probably takes too many attempts from behind the arc, but his
hustle and heart can’t be replaced.
Projected Conference Rank:
Princeton is always dangerous and Harvard
returns much of their squad, but anything but a 1st
place finish in the Ivy will be a disappointment in
Philadelphia. The frontcourt is experienced with returning
starters Mark Zoller and Steve Danley and the backcourt is
explosive. Replacing Tim Begley’s Penn history high of 248
career three pointers won’t be easy, but Eric Osmundson has
proven he can hit consistently from long range and David
Whitehurst has shown he has the ability, if given the
opportunity.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NCAA
Projected Starting Five:
Eric Osmundson, Senior, Guard, 8.3 points per game
Ibrahim Jaaber, Junior, Guard, 11.5 points per game
David Whitehurst, Sophomore, Guard, 2.4 points per game
Mark Zoller, Junior, Forward, 9.5 points per game
Steve Danley, Junior, Forward, 9.2 points per game
