Penn

Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy League

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:10:19 -0400

70 Years Old And Still Going Strong: A Q&A w/ Hugh Aberman

Jon Teitel — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:40:05 -0500

70 years young, and former Penn basketball player Hugh Aberman is still growing strong. According to Hugh, he’s in fact a more versatile player with a better shot than when he was mixing it up in the Big Five. Jon Teitel chats with Hugh about his playing days, his recent Senior Olympics accomplishments, and more..

Hugh Aberman, Penn basketball center, Class of 1960

CHN: What do you remember most as your 50^th college reunion approaches?

Hugh Aberman: I would have to say my senior year. We did not have a lot of superior talent, as evident by the fact that we lost our first 5 games. Our coach, Jack McCloskey (who later served as GM for the Pistons during their NBA titles in 1989/1990), almost had a stroke when we lost to Rutgers because everybody beat Rutgers back then. In the locker room after that game, Coach McCloskey called us the worst Penn team ever and a sportswriter for the now-extinct Philadelphia Bulletin overheard him in the outside hallway. The very next day, there was the big headline: "McCloskey Calls Team Worst Ever!" Subsequently, Coach McCloskey held a team meeting at practice, apologized to us, and told us that his comment should have stayed in-house. He was just angry with us because he knew we could play better. After that meeting, we went on to upset Temple (featuring All-American Bill Pickles) and La Salle (who had won the NCAA title in 1954) in the City Series, which was the 1^st time that Penn did not have a losing Big Five record since The Big Five's inception. We finished 15-11 for the year, and secured 3^rd place in the Ivy League, and Coach McCloskey was voted ECAC Coach of the Year for bringing us back. That experience has shaped the way I deal with challenges in my own life.

CHN: As the 1st man alphabetically in Penn men's basketball history, do you feel any connection to the great Hank Aaron (the 1st man alphabetically in major league baseball history)?

H.A.: I did not know about this until a friend of mine stood in the Carlisle YMCA five years ago and announced to everyone there that they had the privilege of sharing a locker room with the "#1 basketball player in Penn history." When you have little talent, you take your honors any way you can! Sportswriter Barry Deutch named me to the Big Five All-Ugly team in the school paper my senior year: people were very upset for me, but I thought, hell, I made first-team something, so that was an accomplishment.

CHN: Who was your favorite basketball coach in your career, and why?

H.A.: It had to be Jack McCloskey. He had a talent for bringing out the best in modestly talented ballplayers, and knew the game really well. He drove us hard, but we responded well. I learned from him that dedication and effort count a lot in making success happen for you in real life.

CHN: How did it feel to be the Pennsylvania Senior Games gold medalist (3-on-3 basketball in the ages 70-74 category), and how did your early career affect your later career?

H.A.: The gold medal seems to produce a greater response from my peers than when I played ball at Penn. Many of my friends my age are limited physically for various reasons, but they seem really invested in our team's success. For me, I never believed I would start playing again at 60, let alone 70. When I played at Penn I started a few games, but I was basically the 6^th man. I had 2 jobs: block out the other team's big man, and rebound. It became clear to me that I was not expected or encouraged to shoot at all. I remember watching the game film of 1 of our games early in my senior year. I went up for a turnaround jump shot at the key, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Coach McCloskey jumping off the bench and screaming "NO!" There I was, poised in mid-air like the proverbial deer in the headlights, looking desperately to pass to someone, anyone. During the past decade, I have practiced shooting for at least 1 hour a day, 3 times a week. I have a reliable jumper, I can dribble with either hand, and consistently shoot 90% from the foul line. It took me 50 years to get there, but I attribute the fact that I got there to the lessons I learned from a great coach.

CHN: What did you do after graduating from Penn?

H.A.: I was a Professor of Industrial and Organization Psychology at Shippensburg University from 1969 until my retirement in 2004, and served as department chairperson for 9 of those years. My interest area was leadership and group dynamics, which allowed me to put my basketball experience into a lot of great class examples. I have done a lot of consulting in related areas, and currently serve as the Director of Marketing for Whitehouse and Schapiro, an international textile recycling firm with corporate offices in Baltimore. I never really retired: just refocused.

CHN: How has your passion for the game of basketball changed from college to now?

H.A.: I love the game now more than ever, although the pace/skill/execution are light years ahead of the time when we played. This was driven home to me during my last semester at Shippensburg, after I just finished a class in General Psychology. A lanky, 6’5” freshman came up to me after class and asked me if I had ever played ball, and I told him I played center for Penn. When I asked him what position he played, he looked me right in the eye and said, "Point guard". We walked out the door, laughing together.

Ivy League: Coach Ranking

Jon Teitel — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:16:20 -0500

Ranking the 8 Ivy League coaches is no easy task: One of them has never been a head coach before, two others coached their 1^st Ivy games last year, and none have served a full decade as an Ivy head coach. As we get ready for another college basketball season, here is a look at who is doing the best job of keeping up with the Joneses...literally.

1. Glen Miller - Penn

(223-184 record in 17 years as head coach at Connecticut College/Brown/Penn)

Career highlights: Went 13-1 in conference play during his 1^st year at Penn en route to winning the school's 3^rd straight Ivy title. As coach at Brown for 9 years, had most consecutive wins in school history since the 1930s, in addition to 1 NIT bid. As coach at Connecticut College for 6 years, he went 24-0 in regular season in 1998-1999. As assistant at Connecticut for 7 years, worked for team that won 1988 NIT title.

Prediction for 2008-09: Having lost only 1 starter from last year, he will have a decent chance to unseat Cornell from the top of the standings.

2. Steve Donahue - Cornell

(96-123 record in 8 years as head coach)

Career highlights: Went 14-0 in conference play last year en route to winning the school's 2^nd Ivy title ever and being named NABC district Coach of the Year. As assistant at Penn for 10 years, he helped recruit 5 of the top 20 scorers in school history for teams that won 6 conference titles in 8 years.

Prediction for 2008-09: With most of last year's NCAA Tournament team back, a repeat of last year's success will put him further down the long path towards Dunphy/Carril territory.

3. James Jones - Yale

(117-134 record in 9 years as head coach)

Career highlights: During his 9 years at Yale, he has become the longest-tenured coach in the league and given the school its only postseason tournament win in over a century of basketball. During his 9 years as an assistant at Albany, Yale, and Ohio, he worked for teams that made the postseason twice.

Prediction for 2008-09: He has a great track record, but not sure if he will ever get over the hump to get a career winning record.

4. Joe Jones - Columbia

(63-75 record in 5 years as head coach)

Career highlights: As assistant at Villanova for 6 years, he worked for teams that went to the postseason 5 times. During his 5 years at Columbia, he has won more games than any Columbia coach in almost 3 decades.

Prediction for 2008-09: His young team will have to grow up fast to avoid its 5^th losing season in 6 years.

5. Tommy Amaker - Harvard

(184-57 record in 11 years as head coach at Seton Hall/Michigan/Harvard)

Career highlights: As head coach at Seton Hall/Michigan, for 10 years, he only had a losing record twice, and won 2004 NIT title. He was also an assistant for 9 years at Duke, getting to the Final Four 5 times in 6 years, including back-to-back NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992. During his 1^st year at Harvard, his team went 8-22.

Prediction for 2008-09: After an investigation cleared him of any improper recruiting violations earlier this year, his 4 returning double-digit scorers will try to put the media's focus back on wins and losses.

6. Terry Dunn - Dartmouth

(34-71 record in 4 years as head coach)

Career highlights: As assistant at several schools for 15 years, he worked for teams that went to the postseason 6 times. During his 4 years at Dartmouth, his team has not won more than 10 games in any season.

Prediction for 2008-09: If he cannot turn the program around soon, he will probably not be around for long.

7. Sydney Johnson - Princeton

(6-23 record in 1 year as head coach)

Career highlights: As assistant at Georgetown for 3 years, he worked for team that reached the Final Four in 2007. During his 1^st year at Princeton, his team had 1 of the worst seasons in the school's storied history.

Prediction for 2008-09: As the only 3-time captain in school history from his playing days in the 90s, the administration will probably cut him some slack as he tries to return to the glory days, but it will take awhile to do so.

8. Jesse Agel - Brown

(1^st year as head coach)

Career highlights: As assistant at Vermont for 17 years, he helped recruit Taylor Coppenrath and won several conference titles. During his 2 years as an assistant at Brown, his team set a school record for most wins in a season.

Prediction for 2008-09: A rebuilding year, but if he can recruit anyone half as good as Coppenrath, he might get the Bears their 1^st 20-win season ever at some point in the near future.

Ivy Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:20:49 -0500

Conference Rank: 22nd

10 year average: 24th

Conference Page

All-IVY Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Louis Dale	Cornell	Jr
G	Jeremy Lin	Harvard	Jr
G/F	Tyler Bernardini	Penn	So
F	Ryan Wittman	Cornell	Jr
F	Alex Barnett	Dartmouth	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Louis Dale Ryan Wittman		Points: Alex Barnett 15.6 Rebounds: Alex Barnett 7.3 Assists: Chris Skelja (Brown) 4.4

IVY LEAGUE Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

87	Cornell* **	Ivy	1	NCAA
153	Penn	Ivy	2
171	Brown	Ivy	3
195	Harvard	Ivy	4
233	Princeton	Ivy	5
263	Yale	Ivy	6
290	Dartmouth	Ivy	7
329	Columbia	Ivy	8

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Ivy League?

Other Ivy League Content

Conference Media Poll

Other

Rise & Fall: Ivy

State of 08: New York

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy League?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:30:23 -0400

State of '08: Pennsylvania

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:07:44 -0400

HTML clipboard

Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

PENNSYLVANIA

PITTSBURGH - The Panthers have made 7-straight NCAA Tournaments, thanks to the foundation built by Ben Howland. In that 7-year stretch are 4 Sweet Sixteens, including 2 each by Howland and Jamie Dixon. This year's team projects to be Top 20 once again.

VILLANOVA - Jay Wright's squad is looking to make its 5th Tournament in a row. Even though the team did sneak into the field last year, the previous three teams were legit Top 25 squads, including the 2006 team that earned a #1 seed.

SAINT JOSEPH'S - In the past eight years, St. Joe's has reached the postseason seven times (4 NCAAs and 3 NITs), a stretch in which Phil Martelli has been named the A10's top coach three times. This year the team should be solid once again, but Philly rivals Villanova and Temple are expected to be better.

TEMPLE - The Owls returned to the Big Dance for the first time since 2001, as the program is still trying to gain an identity following John Chaney's epic career. With the exception of 2007, Temple has been in the Top 102 RPI every year since the 80's.

PENN - The Quakers have obviously been one of the best teams (along with Princeton) in the Ivy League since the early 70's. While Princeton has collapsed, Penn is still hanging in there following the departure of Fran Dunphy. Last year's young team did struggle following 3-straight Tourney trips, but a 19-20 win season should be expected in 2009.

6. BUCKNELL - Long-time coach Pat Flannery stepped down after last season's disappointing 12-19 finish. But Flannery took the program to heights that no one could have expected. In '05 & '06, the Bison not only made the Big Dance, but knocked off Kansas & Arkansas. '07 wasn't bad either with a Top 80 RPI finish.

7. DREXEL - Drexel is coming off one if its worst seasons in years, and the worst in Bruiser Flint's 12-year career. Before last year's 12-20 debacle, the Dragons had made 4 NIT's in the previous 5 years.

8. PENN STATE - Last year's 7-11 Big Ten record was the best in Ed DeChellis' 5-year tenure. I guess that's progress of some sort, but the Penn State has accomplished virtually nothing since 2001's freak Sweet Sixteen run.

9. LEHIGH - When Billy Taylor took over in 2002, Lehigh had been in a prolonged slump. But he did a nice job getting the Mountain Hawks to the Tourney in '04 and to the Pat League title game in '06. 2nd year coach Brett Reed is trying to continue that success after an up and down first year.

10. ROBERT MORRIS - Last year was the culmination of steady growth achieved during Mark Schmidt's tenure. But it was 1st year coach Mike Rice who got to reap Schmidt's rewards, leading the team to an all-time high 27 wins and making the NIT after winning the NEC regular-season title.

11. DUQUESNE - Not one of Duquesne's last six coaches finished with a +.500 record. Last year's 17-13 record was the Dukes best since 93-94 when they reached the NIT. 17-13 is quite an accomplishment for Ron Everhart considering he took over a team that was 3-24 in '06.

12. LA SALLE - La Salle's utter lack of success is surprising because the school does have decent name recognition. The program has showed potential since John Giannini took over in 2004, but the postseason will still have to wait. La Salle has finished over .500 just once in the last 15 seasons (2006).

13. LAFAYETTE - In '99 & '00, the Leopards won back to back Patriot League titles. There hasn't been much to cheer about in the last 8 seasons though. 2004 was the last time Lafayette even finished above .500 in league play.

14. SAINT FRANCIS - The past three seasons have been simply brutal. The Red Flash have won 15 total games against D1 teams and finished below 300th in the RPI each year. Most preseason publications project another last-place NEC finish in 08-09.

Last: Oregon - Next: South Carolina

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

Daily Dribble: Friday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:56:12 -0500

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - Nevada / Mark Fox

About 10 days ago, ESPN put up an article highlighting Nevada's "growing pains." But since then, the Pack have reeled in three straight wins to pull within a half-game of the WAC lead. Outside of the elder Marcelus Kemp, Nevada's other three main contributors are very green. JaVale McGee and Brandon Fields were end of the bench rookies last year, while Armon Johnson is a freshman. This trio, along with a pair of big-time recruits heading to Reno next year (Luke Babbitt & Mark McLaughlin).. gives the program hope for big things down the line. Many thought Fox couldn't sustain the good vibes started by Trent Johnson, nor did they think he could compete this year without Fazekas or Sessions, but the program still keeps moving in the right direction.

B - Ray Hall

Who is Ray Hall? Nobody really knows.. but the Providence big man who had scored 8 points all season, came through with 10 points and 7 boards against Notre Dame. Granted, Providence lost the game.. and Hall's abysmal free throw shooting (2 of 10, missing his last 8) was a big reason why.. but still, it's always nice to more than double your season's production in one night.

C - Arizona State

Once the darling of the west.. ASU has lost 4 straight games to fall back into the middle of the Pac-10. Last night's 33 point shellacking by UCLA was the first real bad effort in the streak, but the trend might continue with road games against USC and Arizona coming up. What once looked like a Tournament-bound team now has some serious work left to do.. as their remaining schedule is brutal.

D - Eric Gordon

I give Gordon a joking D because I predicted Indiana would win. Some Wiscy fan blog must have noticed the prediction because I got a few emails rubbing it in. Gordon had no business playing in the game.. as his injury was worse then I realized. If I knew his left arm would turn into a club, then I'd have went with the Badgers.. When the standings come out though, a win is a win, and Wisconsin is now locked into a first place tie.

F - Princeton / Penn

Princeton's precipitous decline in recent seasons is well documented, but not many have noted Penn's struggles this season. They're 5-12 right now, with an average 12-point margin of defeat.. and have an RPI of 302.. barely better than Princeton's 317 ranking. The good news is that Penn is a very young team, and they don't start their Ivy League schedule until tonight (against Harvard.) The bad news is that the Quakers haven't been a team ranked above 275th.. so there's little reason to think they can do that much damage in the Ivy.

Previous Best / Worst

January 31st - Kansas State / St. John's

January 29th - Winthrop / Dyson & Wiggins

January 28th - Rutgers / Doris Burke

January 25th - Ron Hunter / Princeton Offense

January 23rd - Kentucky / Archbishop Burke

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Daily Poll: Who Will Win the Ivy?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:01:46 -0400

Penn Freshmen Interviews: Part Two

Joel Welser — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:52:50 -0400

Penn enters the 2007-08 season having won 3 straight Ivy League titles and coming off a 13-1 Ivy League record. However, the Quakers must replace 3 starters including 2-time Ivy League Player of the Year Ibrahim Jaaber. A strong incoming freshman class ensures Penn will be solid for years to come. Jon Teitel interviewed four members of Coach Miller’s first ever recruiting class: Tyler Bernardini, Remy Cofield, Jack Eggleston, and Harrison Gaines.

Part One Yesterday: Tyler Bernardi and Remy Cofield

Jack Eggleston, 6-8, 215, Noblesville, Ind., St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)

1. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (winning district titles in 2006 and 2007) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? High school is certainly not the same kind of pressure situation as the NCAA Tournament, but playing for a title helped elevate my level of play and my intensity, so I just need to try and match that intensity during every game at Penn.

2. What insight has your dad (Tom, who played one year of basketball at Dartmouth) given you into Ivy League basketball? Not too much: he prefers to let me figure things out on my own, and just urges me to play hard and do my best to be successful.

3. Any chance you will play lacrosse at Penn, and what is it like being a 6'8" lacrosse player? I considered playing lacrosse at Penn, but it is doubtful that I will do that. I have not played lacrosse for my school the past two years, and since the college basketball season is so long, the overlap into the lacrosse season would probably kill any chance I had. My height advantage over shorter defenders was very nice, as I would be able to shoot over the top of them.

4. How close did you come to going to Columbia or Princeton? I went to Princeton the summer before my senior year: they have a great campus and great academics, but I was not a fan of their style of play or the basketball environment. I also went to a camp at Columbia, but since they had so many players returning to school, they stopped recruiting me. Even so, it would have been very hard for me to say no to Penn due to their own dominant athletic teams and excellent academic reputation.

5. What made you choose Penn over schools like Stanford and Wake Forest? I expressed an interest in those schools due to their great athletic/academic combination, and sent out some letters and game tapes, but did not have any real contact with them: it was more of a wish list.

6. Are you worried about getting playing time in the years ahead with four other forwards already on the roster? I am actually living with one of them right now (Cam Lewis), and have spent some time on the court with Brennan Votel and Andreas Schreiber getting to learn their game, but I have not seen Justin Reilly yet. While I do not match up in every way with every player, I feel I can compete and have a shot to play as a freshman, although the only opinion that matters is that of Coach Miller. I am not going to go out and score 30 points/game, but I can rebound, take a charge, play some defense, and do whatever else I can to get on the court and help the team. My jump shot has improved a lot over the past month, due to my many hours of taking shots every day. I have also spent some time this summer playing at LaSalle against elite college (Gerald Henderson/Wayne Ellington) and pro (Hakim Warrick/Marc Jackson) competition. I am still getting used to the physicality of these guys, but I am making progress and starting to feel comfortable playing at this level. It has also been a great learning experience to battle inside against the big men, even though I still get abused every now and then.

7. Do you feel that your high SAT score (1500+) will make it an easier transition to the rigors of getting an Ivy League education than if you were just the stereotypical “dumb jock”? I am a little worried about the class load, but hopefully I will not have to study as much as I would if I were a “dumb jock”. I hope to be one of the smartest guys on the team, and from what I hear about Coach Miller’s fairly complicated motion offense, it will make my life on the court much easier.

8. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn? I am a natural power forward, but I just want to be on the court, so I am not picky. If Coach Miller wants me to play the 3, then I will improve my ball handling. If he wants me to play the 5, then I will keep on working hard in the weight room.

9. What was the basketball culture like growing up in Indiana (where you were born) compared to Florida (where you went to high school)? I only lived in Indiana for the first three years of my life, so I do not have a lot of memories. However, my brother goes to a tiny high school in Indiana, and when they have basketball games with a packed gym and live broadcasts, it is pretty crazy. The Florida high school sports scene is all about football: basketball is just an afterthought to many people. Compared to Indiana, the basketball scene in Florida is more athletic, and the environment in Philadelphia is much more physical.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year in person, and what were your impressions? I came up to the Palestra for the Penn-Villanova game, which was great to watch because the whole crowd was going nuts. I am very excited to be coming to that environment, as it is a lot better than many of the rinky-dink facilities I played in down in Florida. It was also encouraging to see a guy my size (Mark Zoller) put up 33 points against a premier team like Villanova: it is good to know that you don’t have to be a high-flyer or blue-chip recruit in order to succeed on the Division 1 level.

Harrison Gaines, 6-1, 175, Victorville, Calif., Serrano

1. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (3 consecutive league titles) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? The first title my team won was a real big accomplishment, as our team had not won a basketball title in 20 years. It was also different than the subsequent title years because we had not won one before, so we were able to sneak up on people who did not expect us to win. The next 2 years were much harder as we tried to defend the title, because we got the best effort every night from every team. It taught me to work harder, as you just cannot rest on your laurels and expect to win.

2. What advice has your cousin Sean Burwell (who racked up the 3^rd most rushing yards in Oregon history as a tailback with the Ducks from 1990-93) given you about college athletics? He told me that the key is to have good time management skills and spend enough time on my work for class. He said that since it is college, I can go party and have some fun, but I am there to go to school and play my sport.

3. As one of the top point guards in California, you must have had several schools pursuing you: what made you choose Penn? It is a perfect fit for me, as I always wanted to go to a prestigious academic university (my parents wanted that for me too). I felt comfortable with Coaches Martin/Miller, and coming from a small town like Victorville, I wanted a chance to live in a big city like Philly.

4. Since the only 2 returning starters are a couple of guards (Grandieri/Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? I have just been trying to work hard this summer, and I am going to do whatever Coach Miller says and try to fit in where I can. I want to be an impact player from the start, and whatever playing time I get will let me prove that I can be as good as anybody.

5. How do you think you will fit into the Penn offense, and what style do you like to play on the court (drive inside, shoot from outside, etc.)? The coaches said they want to play up-tempo this year, which is how I play. Coach Miller wants a point guard who can distribute as well as score. I like to push the ball, but I can also run a half-court set and attack guys defensively.

6. As your high school’s all-time leading scorer and a 3-time league MVP, are you a shoot-first point guard, and how do you decide when to shoot vs. when to get your teammates involved? I just take what the defense gives me: if they give me the lane, I will drive to the hoop; if they play me tight, I will find my teammates. I do not go out there trying to shoot first or pass first. The teams I played on during my first 2 years of high school were okay, but I had to score a lot for us to contend. The teams I played on during my last 2 years of high school were better and we had more scoring options, so I did not need to be as much of a scorer.

7. What did you learn from the competition you played against at the Adidas Superstar Camp? It was a big learning experience: since there are not a lot of scripted offensive plays, you just have to go out and get your own. In doing so, I learned that I needed more moves off the dribble in order to break guys down (which is more of an East Coast style), and my focus on that really helped me improve going into my following season of high school. When you play against the best, you have to come with it every night, and you just cannot take any games off: you have to have a killer instinct. Playing against great guys at the camp should help me when I play against great guys in college: they will not show me any mercy, and I will not show them any either.

8. What did you learn from being a Special Olympics volunteer and a volunteer youth basketball coach? It was really heartwarming to work with the Special Olympics kids, and it made me appreciate the things that I am able to do. When I would give one of them a compliment, they would break into a smile, and it made me feel great that I touched someone. The AAU team that I coached was very competitive, and it helped me appreciate the little things. I got to see the game from a coaching standpoint, which is different then what you see when you are on the court, so it helped me improve my own game. It was also good that I used my knowledge to help the progress of the kids, hopefully enough to help some of them get to the college level and beyond.

9. Are you and the other Californians (Tyler Bernardini/Conor Turley/Tommy McMahon) going to bring a little West Coast attitude to West Philly? I am happy to play with anyone from anywhere: basketball is basketball no matter where you come from. However, it feels good to have some fellow California guys on the Penn team: I have worked out with Tyler a few times, so it is good to have someone from my area who I know.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year in person, and if so, what were your impressions? I went to see the NCAA Tournament game vs. Texas A&M in person. We almost pulled it out, and showed that we can compete with anyone in the country. Coach Miller has done great after Coach Dunphy left, which made me feel good about coming here.

Part One:Tyler Bernardi and Remy Cofield

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview & Awards | Discuss the Preview

Penn Freshmen Interviews: Part One

Jon Teitel — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:16:39 -0400

Tyler Bernardini, 6-6, 205, Carlsbad, Calif., Francis Parker

1. Was it difficult to commute from your home (Carlsbad) to your high school (Francis Parker's Linda Vista campus)? The 45-minute commute took a toll on me my freshman year, as I had to take a train and city bus just to get there, and then catch a ride home from my coach. Luckily, I got my license after my sophomore year, so that made it a little easier. However, it was hard not having a high school gym that was very accessible, so I would often just go to an outdoor park to shoot around. One of the things I am looking forward to at Penn is just being able to wake up five minutes before class, roll out of bed, and make it on time.

2. How close did you come to choosing Columbia or Princeton? I did not come close at all to choosing Princeton, but I felt a good connection to Coach Jones and his staff at Columbia. I had a good visit there, which made my decision tougher, but Penn now seems like the clear-cut choice for me. It has a great combination of academics and basketball, which my parents stressed would be a good choice, and I wanted it too.

3. What made you choose Penn over schools like Arizona State, Northwestern, etc.? My AAU coaches had contact with those coaches, as well as other Pac-10 schools, but I felt a great connection with Coach Miller and Coach Martin at Penn. I have never wavered from my choice, and I think Penn is the right place for me.

4. Since the only returning starters are a couple of 6'4" guards (Brian Grandieri/Darren Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? As the tallest guy on my high school team, I got plenty of experience guarding big men. Offensively, I played a lot at shooting guard, and I have worked very hard on my ball handling this summer. I am just looking to fit in and help out where I can, and if I work hard, hopefully I can help continue the winning tradition at Penn.

5. How bad were your sophomore/junior year injuries, and how did you overcome them? I played less than 10 games each of those years, so it was very frustrating. I broke my foot before my sophomore year, spent two months in a cast, and then re-injured it after coming back. I had a good summer, but then I hurt my back during my junior year. My injuries really hindered my development as a player, but the most positive thing to come out of the situation is that I do not take anything for granted anymore.

6. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn: SG, SF, other? I feel most comfortable at the 2 or 3, and if I can bulk up some more, maybe I can get a little time at the 4.

7. Have you met your fellow Californians (Harrison Gaines/Conor Turley/Tommy McMahon), and are you going to bring a little West Coast attitude to West Philly? I have not gotten to know Conor very well due to his mission, but I talked to Tommy briefly. I got to connect with Harrison during my visit, and we have talked and worked out together several times: it can only help me to have a good relationship with the point guard. We are not trying to have a California clique: I think the entire team will mesh well together.

8. What lessons did you learn from your own championship experience (winning league titles in 2004 and 2007) that you can bring to Penn’s own conference championship team? The title we won during my freshman year was big, as it was the first time that our league rival Horizon had not won the title in over a decade. We should have won it again during my junior year, and we had a lot of players graduate, yet we were able to come back and do it again this past season. When you win a title, you get a big target on your back; when you do not repeat, you learn not to take it for granted. I learned to work hard every day, because a day not working out is a day lost.

9. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year on TV, and if so, what were your impressions? I saw the game against North Carolina (Penn looked good early, but struggled late), and liked what I saw. Coach Miller has said he wants to play a more up-tempo style this season, which I think will be good. I like the guys I have met so far and the way they play, and I just want to see how I can fit in.

10. How did you end up on YouTube (making a backward shot from half-court), and how many times did you have to shoot before making it? My friend kept trying it, but could not make it, Then he picked up his camera phone, and when I tried it, I swear to you, I made it on my very first try. We went crazy (you can hear my friend laughing in the background of the video), and the next I know he put it on the Internet for everyone to see.

Remy Cofield, 6-4, 205, Newton, Mass., Roxbury Latin

1. You get a lot of blocks/rebounds for a 6'4" guard: what’s your secret? I have a lot more experience as a forward than most of the guards I play against. When I was younger, I was big enough to play down low, and even though I am primarily a guard now, I can still hold my own with guys in the paint.

2. What have you learned from your brother Corey (who played at William & Mary)? He taught me the importance of budgeting my time, which will come in handy at Penn because of the large role academics play there. He also told me that the coaches will be very demanding, and that I just have to take the criticism and keep working hard.

3. How close did you come to choosing Columbia? I went there last summer, and liked the coach and the area a lot, but I chose Penn because it is a big-name school with a great tradition of winning. I want to help continue that tradition of winning Ivy League titles, but I also want to try and win a game or two in the NCAA Tournament.

4. What made you choose Penn over another big-name school with a great tradition like UMass? I had known one of their assistant coaches for a long time, but they were bringing in 8-9 other freshmen/transfers with a high level of talent, so I was not sure it would have been the best fit for me.

5. Since the only returning starters are a couple of 6'4" guards (Grandieri/Smith), do you think it will be hard to get playing time in the years ahead? Whatever Coach Miller wants to do is what will happen, but I think there is enough room for all of us to get some time on the court. Penn used a big rotation last year, and I think I am well on my way to getting a shot to play, as I have been working on my game a lot over the summer.

6. What position do you see yourself playing at Penn: SG, SF, other? I feel comfortable at the 2, because I have a lot of athleticism and can defend pretty well. Since I feel I am strong for a guard, I could also play small forward if that is where Coach Miller wants me.

7. What was the competition like in the Independent School League (ISL), and do you feel it prepared you for Ivy League competition? The ISL has it critics, but there have been some great players who played there like Mike Jones (University of Maryland) and Antoine Wright (New Jersey Nets). I played against many talented ISL guards last season, so I feel it prepared me quite well for Ivy League basketball.

8. What did it mean to you to be a McDonald’s All-America nominee? It meant a lot to me to be recognized, and it was great to get my name out there for others to see.

9. What was your reaction to being named runner-up for the 2007 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year (an award won in the past by players who went on to the NBA such as Rumeal Robinson, Travis Best, and Dan Gadzuric)? I had mixed reactions: while I was happy to be in the running, I felt kind of disappointed and slighted that I did not win the award. I worked very hard throughout my career, and really wanted to win it.

10. Did you get to see Penn play at all last year, and what were your impressions? I watched their NCAA Tournament game against Texas A&M on television, and was impressed that they stuck right with them into the second half. I like that Penn fights hard to win every night, and their style of play should be a good fit for me. My defensive pressure can help create steals that lead to easy baskets, and I can also help slow down the pace if necessary.