Jan. 14, 2005
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The Game
The UMES men's basketball team returns home to conclude its non-conference schedule with an afternoon matinee against the Brown Bears Friday at the Hytche Center. The Hawks (1-11), playing their first home game since Dec. 11th, come in on a nine-game losing streak after concluding a six-game road trip with a 61-58 loss at B-CC Monday.
The Bears (6-7), members of the Ivy League, have lost two straight following wins in six out of seven games . The team is also playing its final non-conference game of the season, before beginning Ivy League play next weekend at Yale.
Scouting the Bears
The Brown Bears (6-7, 0-0 Ivy League), come into Friday's contest on a two-game losing skid, following road losses at Providence and Canisius last week. The team is in a stretch of playing ten consecutive games away from home.
The Bears started the season 0-4, but then reeled off victories in 6 of the next 7 contests. Brown ended that stretch with victories against Central Florida and Charleston Southern to win the UCF Holiday Invitational. The team will play only Ivy League contests beginning next weekend at Yale.
Glen Miller's team is led by the team's lone senior Jason Forte, brother of former UNC All-American Joseph Forte. After missing the first two games of the season due to suspension, the younger Forte is averaging 16.7 ppg. Junior Luke Ruscoe averages 13.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg.
Brown is one of the youngest team's in Division I, featuring nine freshmen and four sophomores on the 15-man roster. The Bears lost to UMES in the only meeting between the schools previously, 48-47 in 1995.
News and Notes
This is the third straight season the Hawks have started 1-11 or worse (0-12 in `02-'03, 1-11 in `03-'04)...UMES held B-CC to 61 points Monday after giving up an average 94 ppg the previous 5 games. The Hawks are allowing 83 ppg to its opponents this season, and have twice given up at least 100 points...After concluding an 0-6 road trip, the Hawks are now 0-8 away from the Hytche Center this season (and 1-3 at home)...The Hawks have struggled to score so far this season, averaging 58 points through 12 games. The team is shooting 39% from the field thus far, and 28% from three-point range...The Hawks won their first game of the season in their third attempt (12/1 vs. UMBC). Last season, it took the Hawks nine games to record a victory (started 0-8)...The Hawks returned only five players from last season's team that finished 8-21 (6-12 MEAC). Gone from `03-'04 are all three coaches including head coach Thomas Trotter, leading scorer Tee Trotter, leading rebounder Javes Wiggins and leading three-point shooter Aaron Wellington.
Wild-Cat Finish
The Hawks lost a tough contest at Bethune-Cookman Monday night, 61-58, in a game UMES led by as many as 15 points in the second half.
UMES (1-11, 0-4) started the game hot, going on an 18-4 run to grab a 26-11 lead midway through the first half. Tim Parham was the catalyst, scoring 10 of the Hawks' first 17 points in the game. UMES led by 13 at halftime, then again by 15 early in the second half at 40-25.
The Wildcats fought back in the second half, using a 9-1 run to draw within six at 45-39. After the Hawks called a timeout, UMES responded with a 5-0 run of their own to take the final double-digit lead of the game, 50-39 with 10:33 left.
From that point it was all Bethune, who outscored UMES 21-6 over the next nine minutes to grab a 60-56 lead following a Michael Williams three-point play. The Hawks cut the lead to 60-58 with :18 seconds left, but after a Diondre Larmond free-throw put the lead at three, Aly Samabaly missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game. Parham finished with a double-double, including a game high 21 points and 10 rebounds. Williams was the high scorer for Bethune, scoring 15 points in 25 minutes.
UMES HAWKS AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
3 Aly Samabaly G 6'3 200 Jr. 1.5 2.8
Totaled 16 assts and 10 stls the past 4 games, including 8 assts and 4 stls at Baylor 12/22...Shooting only 6-32 FG's this season (19%), and 2-18 3's (11%)...Transfer from Duquesne, sat out entire `03-04 season...Played at St. Vincent/St. Mary HS in Ohio, where during junior and senior seasons he was a teammate of current NBA guard Lebron James.
32 Ryan Leak G 6'4 185 Fr. 5.7 1.2
Scored 6 pts (1-7 FG's) at B-CC...Has started 5 of past 8 games...Career-high 15 pts (14 in 2nd half) at Baylor 12/22...True freshman from Jamaica, NY, averaged 21 ppg for Bayside H.S. his senior season.
33 Jareem Dowling F 6'6 235 Sr. 8.2 5.1
Scored 6 pts (3-12 FG's) at B-CC...Career-high 22 pts at Baylor 12/22...Committed 23 combined turnovers the past 5 games...Shooting 33% in FG's this season (9-42 3's)...One of two returning starters from `03-'04 (Tim Parham)...Transferred to UMES in 2003 from Cecil C.C. (Cecil, MD), originally from U.S. Virgin Islands.
42 Tim Parham F 6'9 240 Jr. 9.7 5.7
Scored career-high 21 points, picked up third consecutive double-double with 10 rebs in 27 min at B-CC...Averaging 16.3 ppg and 8.0 rpg the past 4 games...One of two returning starters from `03-'04 (Jareem Dowling)...Transferred to UMES in 2003 from Ellsworth C.C. (Iowa Falls, Ia).
45 Jason McKinnon C 6'11 270 Sr. 8.6 5.8
Had 11 pts and 5 rebs at B-CC...Had career-highs 13 pts and 11 rebs vs. UMBC 12/1 (2nd career double-double, other 12/21/03 at Rob. Morris)...Returnee from `03-'04, in which he started 9 of 29 games.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
5 Corey Brown G 6'0 158 Jr. 9.8 2.2
Had 14 pts off the bench at B-CC...Leading active Hawk players in scoring...Committed 29 combined turnovers the past 5 games...Career-high 17 pts (5-6 3's) at TCU 12/21...Junior College transfer from Mott C.C. (Flint, MI), where he won a JUCO national championship in `02-'03.
15 Louis Brookins F 6'6 215 Fr. 2.6 1.0
Has 2 pts the past 4 games...Career-high 9 pts at Nicholls St 12/18...True freshman from Silver Spring, Md., first recruit signed by Larry Lessett.
21 Shondale Robinson F 6'5 208 Jr. 2.0 1.3
Already has scored 24 points this season (4 all last season)...Career-high 6 pts off the bench at Va Tech 11/23...Nicknamed "Texas"...Returnee from `03-'04, when he walked onto team in late December.
23 Anthony Davis F 6'3 190 So. 2.2 1.6
Scored 4 pts combined the past 6 games...Career-high 9 pts vs. UMBC 12/1...Junior College transfer from Bunker Hill C.C. (Boston, MA), averaged 26 ppg there in `03-'04.
24 Stephen Kallman G 6'1 165 So. 0.0 0.3
Played in 4 games this season (Fresno, Nicholls, Baylor, PSU), total 6 min...Transfer from Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL), did not play there.
30 Tal Cohen F 6'8 230 Fr. 2.1 1.3
Has totaled 9 pts and 7 rebs the past 8 games in limited action...True freshman from Hadera, Israel, played on the Israeli Junior National Team while in the Israeli Army for three years.
44 x-Carl Pruitt F 6'7 215 Sr. 10.7 4.6
Academically ineligible to compete...Played 7 games this season, in which he was the Hawks leading average scorer...Career-high 20 pts vs. Howard 12/6...Returnee from `03-'04, played in only 9 games.
UMES Hawks (1-11, 0-4 MEAC)
2004-05 Schedule:
Previous Games
Date Game Result
11/13 Eliz City St. (Ex) L 59-74
11/19 at Fresno State L 42-83
11/23 at Virginia Tech L 50-102
12/1 UMBC W 69-62
12/4 Delaware State* L 55-65
12/6 Howard* L 68-88
12/11 Morehead State L 45-62
12/18 at Nicholls State L 66-100
12/21 at TCU L 53-93
12/22 at Baylor L 73-97
12/29 at Portland State L 44-89
1/8 at Florida A&M* L 68-93
1/10 at Beth-Cook.* L 58-61
Upcoming Games
1/14 Brown 1:00 pm
1/17 at Hampton* 8:00 pm
1/19 at Norfolk State* 8:00 pm
1/22 Coppin State* 4:00 pm
1/24 Morgan State* 7:30 pm
1/29 at N.C. A&T* 4:00 pm
1/31 S. Carolina St.* 7:30 pm
2/5 at Delaware St.* 4:00 pm
2/7 at Howard* 8:00 pm
2/12 Florida A&M* 4:00 pm
2/14 Beth-Cookman* 7:30 pm
2/19 Norfolk State* 4:00 pm
2/21 Hampton* 7:30 pm
2/26 at Coppin State* 7:30 pm
2/28 at Morgan State* 7:30 pm
3/7-12 MEAC Tourney TBA
*denotes MEAC conference game
Larry Lessett- Head Coach
Lawrence Lessett, Jr. is in his first year as head coach of the Hawks. While making his debut as a Division I head coach, he brings almost thirty years of coaching experience from the high school level through the professional ranks.
Lessett comes to Princess Anne after working for three years as a global scout for Magic Johnson International Basketball. Prior to that he served as head coach of the Magic City Snowbears of the International Basketball Association, where he coached the team to a franchise record in wins and a playoff appearance in his only season.
No stranger to the college ranks, Lessett has made several collegiate stops in his career, most recently as head basketball coach and athletic director of Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee. He has also served as an assistant coach at Mercer University, De Anza College, Georgia Southwestern College, Georgia College, Santa Barbara City College, Western New Mexico University, Loyola Marymount University and Cal State University Northridge.
Lessett received a Bachelors degree in Physical Education from Cal State Northridge in 1983 and a Masters degree in Phys Ed and Health from Georgia College in 1991.
Assistant Coaches
Meredith Smith- Assistant Coach
Meredith Smith returns to his alma mater to serve as the first assistant men's basketball coach this season. He graduated from UMES, then Maryland State College, in 1975.
Smith became head coach of Southern High School in Baltimore City in 1978, a position he then held for 24 seasons. In that time he compiled a 414-145 record, giving him the second most victories in Baltimore City Public School history. Smith won 25 playoff games, including three Maryland State Championships (MPSSAA), two Maryland Scholastic Association Conference Championships and a Baltimore City Championship in 1999-2000.
In 1993 the Baltimore Sun named Smith their "Coach of the Year." Smith holds a Bachelors degree in Secondary and Physical Education from UMES and a Master's degree from Coppin State University.
Carl Thomas- Assistant Coach
Carl Thomas, a first-year men's assistant coach, joined the UMES program during the first week of January. Thomas comes to the Hawks less than a year removed from playing in the professional ranks.
While Thomas is holding his first coaching position, he has been in collegiate and professional basketball for almost two decades as a player. A former standout at Eastern Michigan University (1987-'91), Thomas spent much of his professional career in the Continental Basketball Association. He holds the career CBA record for the most times called up to the NBA (5).
Thomas played 68 games over three season in the NBA, including stints with the Sacramento Kings (1992), Cleveland Cavaliers (`97 + `98), Golden State Warriors (`98) and Orlando Magic (`98). He averaged 2.9 ppg.
MEAC 2004-05 Final Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Rk School Points
1. S Car. St. (14) 422
2. Hampton (3) 354
3. Coppin State 320
4. Fla. A&M (2) 306
5. Delaware St. (1) 302
6. Norfolk State 256
7. Morgan State (2) 216
8.Bethune-Cook. 156
9. Howard 150
10. Md. East. Shore 100
11. N Carolina A&T 84
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
Preseason MEAC First Team
G Devin Green, Hampton
G Chakowby Hicks, Norfolk St.
F Brian Mason, SC St.
F Terrance Hunter, Delaware St.
F Thurman Zimmerman, SC St.
Second Team
G Louis Ford, Howard
G Jeff Granger, Hampton
G Raheem Scott, Coppin St.
F Nicholas King, Coppin St.
F Aaron Andrews, Morgan St.
Preseason Player of the Year:
Thurman Zimmerman, SC St.
-Selected in a vote by MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
