N a z a r e t h C o l l e g e 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 m e d I a g U I ... - Cross Country

m e n ’ s b a s k e t b a l l 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 s e a s o n p r e v i e wfrom the field (117-for-222) and was second on the team with 30 threepointers.Nazareth also lost frontcourt starter Tyler Smith to graduation, but hope toplug that gap with Jeff DeHimer, a 6-foot-7 senior, and sophomores JackMarchand and Ellis Walsh.DeHimer has played regularly the last three seasons and in ‘07-08 contributed7.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.Marchand, at 6-foot-8, saw limited action last season, but is expected to playmore minutes this season.Walsh, at 6-foot-6, is a transfer from Alfred, where he started regularly in ‘07-08 and led the Saxons in scoring (11.5 ppg.) and rebounding (5.7 pergame).Other experienced players are senior Joe Mihalich, a 6-foot-1 guard; seniorChris Barrett, a 6-foot-3 guard; sophomore Dominique Kendrick, a 6-footguard; and sophomore J.T. Miranda, a 6-foot-3 forward.The ‘07-08 roster also features four freshmen, all of whom could payimmediate dividends.MCADAMSenior Ryan McAdam is the Golden Flyers’ top returningscorer and rebounder.Jason Corletta, a 6-foot-3 guard from nearby Pittsford Sutherland, has strongoutside shooting skills while Justin Fladd, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound forward,should provide interior assistance. Guards Jordan Major and Phil Scaffidishould also help out.“We’re expecting a battle from everyone we play,” said Daley, who is assistedagain by Toby Brown, Kevin Downey and Dick O’Toole. “It’s a hard-workinggroup that needs to keep getting better.”Golden Flyers looking to repeat in the tough Empire8 ConferenceIt was something of a fairy tale ending that the Nazareth men’s basketballteam experienced in 2007-08.After some tenuous moments that defined parts of the regular season,Nazareth was able to string together back-to-back victories to capture theirfirst Empire 8 Conference title and gain their first NCAA Tournament berth in10 years.“We had a good run,” said Nazareth Coach Mike Daley, back for his 23rdseason after securing his 300th coaching victory last February. “It’ll beanother battle this season.”The Golden Flyers were picked second in the E8 pre-season coaches poll.That, Daley insists, means less than the paper on which it is printed.“We need to come to work every day, because there are no easy games,” hesaid. “We’ll have to go out and prove we belong in the top four.”To live up to those pre-season prognostications and reach the post-seasonpromised land, Nazareth will have to do so without its all-time leading scorer,Joe Canori, who graduated last spring with 1,921 career points and assortedother records, including most career three-point baskets (286). He made 84three-pointers last season and ranked second in the Empire 8 in scoring at20.3 points per game.The Golden Flyers will try to overcome Canori’s departure by leaning heavilyon the tactful play of junior point guard Corey McAdam and his older brotherRyan, a 6-foot-4 forward.Corey carved up opposing defenses to the tune of 8.7 assists per game torank second nationally in that category. He also averaged 13.7 points and 3.0steals per game.Ryan, despite missing six games with a broken hand, contributed 14.9 pointsand a team-best 8.9 rebounds per game in ‘07-08. He also shot 52.7 percentMCADAMJunior guard Corey McAdam ranked second nationaLlyin assists at 8.7 per game.5