Photo by Carter Kegelman

Men’s Preview

The St. Lawrence men’s basketball team finished their 2008-2009 season strong last year with a record of 22-7. They averaged a noteworthy 83.6 points per game. The team started off this season losing their first two games by only a few points, but pulling out a big win against New York City Tech 71-41. On Tuesday, December 1 their record dropped to 1-3. After holding their own and battling hoop for hoop with Plattsburg, they lost by only four points. So far this season, the Saints are averaging 76.5 points each game, sinking 47% of their 2-point shot attempts and 39% of their attempted 3 pointers.

The Saints lost three seniors last year, Tom Wopperer, Bela Vonnak, and Rich Williams, all of whom made huge contributions to the team on and off the court. These graduated seniors made up the top three scorers for the Saints in their 2008-2009 season. Although this could have potentially hurt the team, they brought in six first-year players: Jack Conboy, Kyle Miller, David Hosty, Nick Meunier, Jonathon Goldberg, and Andikan Otu. In addition to these new players, there are eight returning Saints, including sophomores Jon Eppolito, Terry Parham, Corey Begly, Ralph Temgoua, and Garrett Sharlow, junior Ben Araya, and seniors Andy Hoercher and Josh Sharlow.

While Conboy, Hoercher, Araya, Temgoua, and both Sharlows (who are unrelated) made up the starters in the first four games of the season, the entire team contributed. Hoercher put up an impressive 53 points and totaled three steals throughout the four games while Parham added another 29 points and four rebounds. Josh Sharlow scored 42 points and created 16 assists, Temgoua sunk another 40 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, Garrett Sharlow tallied 63 points and 18 rebounds, and rookie Meunier contributed 33 points.

The men’s Saints are led by head coach Chris Downs and assistant coach Nick Leonardelli. Coach Downs has been a part of the Saints coaching staff for twelve years now. In his career at SLU, Downs has earned an overall record of 202-119. Coach Leonardelli joined the team this year after playing at Dickinson College for four years.

The Saints face Middlebury College on Thursday, December 3 at 7:00.

Women’s Preview

The women’s St. Lawrence basketball team is off to a great start this year, currently with a record of 4-1. They are being coached by two new members of the team, head coach Dan Roiger and assistant coach Lauren Sischo. Coach Roiger comes to St. Lawrence after a five-year career as the women’s basketball coach at Northland College. He won the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award in both 2007 and 2009. Coach Sischo returns to St. Lawrence after graduating from SLU in 2009. She was a four-year athlete and captain of both the soccer and basketball teams. She earned a second team all league selection in basketball and tallied many other awards throughout her soccer career.

In the 2008-2009 season, the Saints finished 19-8 with big wins against Ithaca College, Hartwick College, Clarkson University, and many more. They averaged 62.1 points and 14.7 turnovers per game while their opponents averaged only 53 points and 22.4 turnovers. The Saints graduated three crucial players last year: Lauren Sischo, Katie Palmer, and Jenna Krzemien. One of these three players earned top team scorer in 18 of the 27 games throughout the season and in 15 of the games they worked their way to top team rebounder of the game. While these statistics are important to understand the history of the team, new coaches and players bring a new season… so far a new winning season.

The Saints added four new players. First-years Carrie Calhoun, Amber Rodgers, and Erica Spera and sophomore Alyssa Brown are all new additions to the roster. They can also look to nine returning players, including Samantha Joudoin ’10, Brittany Parham’10, Abby Stanton ’11, Iris Santoni ’12, Katherine Edgerton ’12, Nyasha Miller ’12, Casey Capello ’12, Elisabeth Dwyer ’12, and Elena Metzger ’12.

While the entire team contributes to every practice, every game, and every win there are some standout leaders on the team. In their first fives, Parham has totaled 40 points and 17 rebounds and Stanton has added an impressive 58 points and 39 rebounds. Saints point guard Santoni has tallied 43 points and 16 assists.

Edgerton has contributed another 38 points throughout the games while Capello has sunk an amazing 71 points, averaging 14.2 per game. Rookie Spera has also proved herself, adding 33 points and 23 rebounds to the Saints results.

The Lady Saints face Ithaca College on Friday, December 11 at 6:00. Come out and support them as they keep their successful season going!

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