Hi, I’m Jim Zacharias, a senior at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), and have been following their men’s basketball team since I came here as a freshman. This year’s team only has one player remaining from the 06-07 season when I was a freshman here. That player is Joe Seymore who played a large role for the 06-07 team that eventually went on to win the NEC Championship and eventually lost to Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA tournament that year.
This year’s team was looking at having a very strong year until their leading scorer from last year Ken Horton was sidelined and will out be out the whole season with a hip injury. Horton was a Second Team All-Northeast Conference (NEC) player last year when he averaged 16.5 points and 5.8 rebounds a game. He was named to the preseason All-Conference Team this year.
The Blue Devils are predicted to finish fifth in the NEC this year behind Mount St. Mary’s, Long Island, Robert Morris and Quinnipiac.
CCSU has had some success over the last two years but not as much as the 2006-2007 team that won the NEC Championship and made the NCAA tournament. During the 07-08 season they finished sixth in the conference and lost to Sacred Heart in the first round of the NEC tournament. During the 08-09 season they finished tied for sixth in the conference and lost to Sacred Heart again in the first round of the NEC tournament.
The team is not returning players Marcus Palmer, Aaron Hall, Tamir Johnson and Kyle Desmarais. Palmer graduated last year and Hall, Johnson and Desmarais have all transferred to division 2 basketball schools.
Returning from last year’s team are three starters including guards Shemik Thompson and Robby Ptacek and forward David Simmons. Also returning from last year’s team are forwards Ross Pentland and Chris Baskerville.
Some new players that the Blue Devils have brought in include sophomore transfer Vince Rosario from Stonehill College and junior college transfer Markeys Deans. This year’s freshman class includes two guards, Jonathan Tull and Devan Bailey, and forward Joe Efese.
The Blue Devils will be looking to rebound from the last two seasons and look to make another run at the NEC championship. With star Horton out the whole year the team will need starting guards Ptacek and Thompson to really lead this team and for their role players to really step it up this year and help the team win.
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