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- LION’S EYE -
November 19, 1999
Men’s Basketball:
Speedy ‘David’ Hopes To
Keep ‘Goliath’ On The Run
By Regis Fields
Lion’s Eye Staff Writer
This year at Delco, the men’s
basketball team will probably win gold
medals for all the running they will do.
In a sport where big men and not so big
men co-exist to form a team, there are
often exceptions. When the regular
season kicks off at home on November
17 against Williamson Trade School, the
starting five may look a little different
from the traditional lineup.
For a start, forget about the idea of
having someone at least six and a half
feet in the middle because that is not
.going to happen this year. Also, if two
guards, two forwards, and a center are
what is to be expected, get ready for the
ultimate fun that is small ball. That is,
basketball in the form of quick motion
offenses, transition scoring, and plenty
of footwork on both ends of the floor so
the court cleaning crew has something
to do after the game. The Delco millen-
nium team is a quick one.
- “Since we’re smaller than last year,
its going to be a run and gun type
offense,” said Melvin Hicks who plays
guard.
When teams have a lack of size they
often turn to this style of basketball.
NBA teams such as the Phoenix Suns
used this when their lineup had no one
over 6’9. For players like Hicks who
will swing from shooting to point guard
and vice versa, this line-up asks an
increase in court awareness and in
overall coverage of the court because of
defensive compensation.
On the line-up, the team has ten
people under 6’2, and the remaining two
other roster spots are occupied by 6’4
James Johnson and 6’5 Colt Blithe. So,
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He got game: Sophomore Colt Blithe
displays his skills during practice.
we
inevitably this was the best decision that
Coach Bill Wiley could make for his
team.
“We are absolutely a smaller team
this year, but I think we have good foot
speed. Our big problem right now is we
need more inside depth,” said Wiley
about his roster.
One of the major problems smaller
teams have is not only getting other
teams to respect what, if any, inside
game exists, when your possession is
over and they get the ball. David and
Goliath is still a modern day reality.
When a team has no one taller than 6°5
to throw at teams who may have more .
than one person in that category, the
game can get a little frustrating.
When asked how the team will
handle this situation, Coach Wiley
replied, “ We’re trying to run a motion
offense this year because we want to
extend the floor and play 94 feet. If it
comes to playing a half-court game,
teams may out size us. We want to get it
to a seramble situation where teams
would have to adjust to our foot speed.”
Definitely this year the scoring will
be done in transition, which means the
offense will get most of its scoring
opportunities on the defensive end by
getting turnovers or making the other
team force shots.
In most cases that occurs when the
quicker guards out on the perimeter and
quicker forwards in the paint distract the
routine of the opposing team’s offense.
As a result, teams normally come up
with poorer shot selection or less time to
get off the shot.
Weldon Blount, a 6’2 swingman, will
offer a dynamic to that defensive-
offensive equation by giving a bigger,
quicker, body in and around the paint.
“This year I am going to play small
forward and power forward. I might go
to the guard spot, but the majority of the
time will be at the forward spot.”
Coach Wiley agreed with Blount
adding, “Weldon is going to have to
play inside a little bit.”
For the most part this year our team
will have to adjust to small ball, but
other teams will also have a difficult
time guarding our players. The season
will definitely see its share of miles
covered by all the players on this year’s
squad, but that will be the primary
method of winning.
“That’s how I like to play,” said
Wiley about the squad, and if the squad
is going to play fast, then.much like
NASCAR, it will be worth watching the
speed.
:
SPORTS ——
Delco cheerleaders showed t
spirit at Me
ween Parade as one of their
service projects for the campus. They will be cheering at the men’s and women’s
basketball games starting next month.
Book Review
(Continued from page 6)
not accept this work as a commentary on
the break down of what is labeled human
nature or behavior.
In modern light, this story shares
many of the same principles that created
the feel and vibe of The Blair Witch
Project, where students in the woods
went through a wide range of emotions
Photo by Sally Ent
brought on by the paranoia and despair of
being lost and hunted by an unknown
force. Both the characters of the movie
and in the novella experience a form of
“stir craziness,’ that makes for audience
members can identify with. Altogether
Conrad provided a universal work some
hundred plus years ago that has not lost
impact even on society today, and more
than likely never will.
Hockey Team Undefeated
In Divisional Play
By Mari DiMeglio
Lion’s Eye Staff Writer
In the first weeks of their third season
as a Delco club sport, the ice hockey
team is undefeated in divisional play with
a 2-0 league record. Their overall record
is 2-2, having played Neumann and
Loyola who are not in their league. All of
the team’s upcoming games are in their
division, and the majority are home
games.
On the team’s overall play, coach
Chuck Gorman said, “We have a lot of
new players on the squad. Having said
this, we are just now starting to pull
everything together. You will see a lot of
improvement as the season progresses.”
In their home game on October 23, the
team lost to Neumann by a score of 7-4.
Sophomore Jim Gregg contributed two
goals. Freshman Pat Cleary and
Sophomore Ben Seidman also scored.
Assisting were Sophomore Mike
D’ Alonzo and Freshman Paul Casciello.
Goalie, Sophomore Jason Canavo was
credited with 35 saves.
In their home game on November 13,
the team defeated Catholic University by
a score of 7-2. Team co-captains Derek
Rieck and Ben Seidman, along with Rob
McCleod, Steve Wolfe, and Kyle Hihn,
each scored one goal. Jim Gregg was
credited with two goals and two assists.
Goalies Jason Canavo and Mike Gillespie
excelled in their split time in the net.
Scrimmaging at the First Union
Center on November 14, the Blue team
edging the White team 6-5. Reick said it
was “A fun day for players and fans.”
The team plays November 20 at
Dickenson’s Twin Ponds rink in Carlisle,
PA at 8:30 p.m.
Their next home game is against
George Mason University on December 4
at Ice Line in West Chester at 10:30 p.m.
“It is their [George Mason’s] first year in
this league. They applied to the league at
the same time as us,” said Rieck.
“We appreciate any and all of the
support that our fans can give us,” said
Gorman.
November 20
December 1
December 4
December 8
January 8
January 12
January 15
January 17
January 19
January 22
January 27
January 29
January 31
‘Men’s Basketball Schedule
at Cabrini JB 3:00 p.m.
vs. Valley Forge Junior College 7:00 p.m.
at Penn JV 7:00 p.m.
vs. PSU York 8:00 p.m.
at Valley Forge Junior College 2:00 p.m.
vs. Delaware CCC 7:00 p.m.
at PSU Schuylkill 1:00 p.m.
at PSU Berks 8:00 p.m.
vs. PSU Hazelton 8:00 p.m.
vs. PSU Wilkes Barre 3:30 p.m.
vs. PSU Abington 8:00 p.m.
at PSU Mont Alto 3:00 p.m.
at PSU Scranton 7:30 p.m.
November 20
December 4
December 5
December 11
January 9
January 15
January 22
January 29
February 5
February 11
February 12
February 19
February 20
Ice Hockey Club Schedule
at Dickenson (Twin Ponds) 8.30 p.m.
vs. George Mason (Iceline) 10.30 p.m.
vs. Neumann (Iceworks) 2 p.m.
vs. Shippensburg (Iceline) 9:30 p.m.
Alumni Game (Iceline) 9 p.m.
at Bucknell (Sunburry) 4:15 p.m.
vs. Loyola (Iceline) 9:30 p.m.
vs. Dickenson (Iceline) 8:45 p.m.
at Rutgers (Colesium) 12:15 p.m.
vs. Bucknell (Iceline) 1:45 p.m.
vs. Rutgers (Iceline) 9:30 p.m.
vs. Shippensburg (Iceline) 9:15 p.m.
at Georgetown (Fort DuPont) 9 p.m.