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LOCATION: Princess Anne, MD
CONFERENCE: Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC)
LAST SEASON: 10-17 (.370)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-11 (8th)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 3/2
NICKNAME: Hawks
COLORS: Maroon & Gray
HOMECOURT: Athletic Center (5,500)
COACH: Lonnie Williams (Eastern Washington '80)
record at school 30-52 (3 years)
career record 181-175 (12 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Charles Howard (N. Carolina A&T '89)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 13-11-11-9-10
RPI (last 5 years) 265-287-280-276-277
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference quarterfinal.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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The dark-horse team of the MEAC in the 1999-2000 season could very well be Maryland Eastern-Shore. When you look at the Hawks' record last year (10-17), you might not be impressed. But look a little closer and you see a program on the rise. This could be the breakthrough year. Injuries almost destroyed the Hawks a year ago, but when they were healthy, this was a pretty good team. Ask James Madison, which got beaten, 67-60. Ask Niagara, the MAAC regular-season champion, which got beat, 96-90. Ask South Carolina State, last year's regular-season MEAC champion. The Bulldogs lost one home game last year, and that was to Maryland-Eastern Shore, 67-59. Last year appeared to be the breakthrough year, but mid-season injuries to swingman Kevin Wallace and point guard Joel Hoover doomed the Hawks down the stretch. Lonnie Williams' team limped to the finish line with losses in five of its last six games heading into the MEAC Tournament. When No. 8 seed Florida A&M made its surprising run to the championship, Williams could only look back and wonder what might have been. The Hawks won their first-round game in the tournament when they downed Delaware State, but then lost, 61-56, to South Carolina State in the quarterfinals. A break here or there, and it could have been Maryland-Eastern Shore, not surprising Florida A&M, playing Duke in the NCAA Tournament. "We think this can be a breakthrough year for us," said Williams. "Last year injuries killed us, but now we're healthy and ready to go. We've gone back to the drawing board and we're ready to go."
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B+ BENCH/DEPTH C+
FRONTCOURT C- INTANGIBLES C+
If the Hawks can stay injury-free and get help inside, this could be a very good team that could make a run at the MEAC title. Williams believes this is his best team at Maryland Eastern Shore. "We've got good depth plus we have great quickness," said Williams. "If we can put it all together, I think we can really have a good year and make a run at the MEAC championship. . . . We need to keep folks off the glass this year and need our inside game to take pressure off our guards. If we can do those things plus stay injury-free, it could be a breakthrough year for us." Look for a fifth-place finish this year and a winning season for the first time in Williams' tenure. It would be tough to pick the Hawks higher because of questions concerning their inside game, but there's plenty to like about Kevin Wallace and Demetric Reese. This will be a team no one in the MEAC will look forward to playing late in the season. |
This is Williams' fourth year, and finally, every player on the roster is one of he recruited. That should help. "We've got great chemistry for the first time since I've been here," said Williams. "All the players who have played here have been good kids, but it's easier when it's your own players. This year's team is everybody I've recruited. Now everyone knows the system; we're all on the same page and that's exciting." What's even more exciting for the Hawks is that everyone is healthy. "Right now everyone is healthy and hopefully it'll stay like that," said Williams. "We think we've got some good players back and then we've had a very good recruiting year, as well. What we have now is depth. If someone does go down, we think we've got someone who can step in and help us. Not only that, to play you're going to have to perform in practice. When you have players pushing you, you get better and everyone gets better, and as a result the team gets better." Someone who is already pretty good is the 6-6 Wallace (15.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg), a senior guard. Williams believes that Wallace could be a MEAC Player-of-the-Year candidate this season. He could have been one last year until an ankle injury slowed him down midway through. Wallace missed 10 games, and the Hawks went 2-8 without him, including two overtime losses and an embarrassing, 63-60 defeat at last-place Howard. Wallace only played in nine conference games a year ago. "Kevin Wallace is one of best players in the MEAC right now and I expect him to compete for Player-of-the-Year honors," said Williams. "He has a multi-dimensional game that allows him to score from anywhere on the floor." Joining Wallace in the backcourt will be 5-7 senior point guard Benjamin Surprin (7.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg). Surprin did a steady job running the team last year. He had 75 assists to just 57 turnovers, but when his backup, Joel Hoover, went down with an injury last year, Surprin had to play too many minutes. Surprin also had some back problems last season, but he's healthy again. "We think we have one of the best backcourts in the conference with Kevin and Benjamin," said Williams. "Ben had a great summer and his back injury is healed. He's a very explosive scorer, and he's also our best defensive player. Ben's a very exciting player." Backing up Surprin this season will be 5-9 sophomore Joshua Hickman (1.0 ppg, 0.1 rpg). Last year, Williams saw his backcourt devastated with injuries. This year's recruiting class should solve that lack of depth. Williams looked north of the border for depth in the backcourt. Three players on the Hawks roster are from Canada, and all three could help Maryland-Eastern Shore make a run for a MEAC title. Start with 6-0 junior guard Adrian Pryce, a native of Mississauga, Ontario who comes to the UMES courtesy of Beaver County (Pa.) Community College. He's a point guard who will push Surprin for playing time. "Adrian can shoot the ball well and he does things that you like your point guard to do," Williams said. "He will push Benjamin for playing time and both of them should be better because of it." Backing up Wallace should be 6-4 freshman Chaka Harris, who comes to Maryland-Eastern Shore from Mother Teresa High School in Toronto. Last year, he averaged 27.0 points. Williams likes his athleticism. "Chaka is a tremendous leaper," Williams said. "He's a guy that just knows how to score and we expect him to help us this season." Kofi Amoama, a 6-3 junior, is also from Beaver Community College. Amoama is a versatile player who can play either guard spot or small forward. "Kofi and Adrian were on a junior college program that won a Division II JUCO national championship and both know how to win," said Williams. "Kofi is so versatile and we plan to take advantage of that this year. He's so strong, plus he can score, rebound and play some great defense." Another newcomer, Chris Marotta, a 6-5 junor-college transfer from Fulton-Montgomery (N.Y.) Community College, should provide depth at shooting guard and small forward. Also expected to compete for all-conference honors this season will be 6-7 senior forward Demetric Reese (14.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Reese is a scorer who will take some of the pressure off Wallace. He's a good three-point shooter (40 percent a year ago). "Demetric is a big-time scorer who can shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor," said Williams. "He's a mid-major player who luckily we were able to get to come here. I expect him to contend for all-conference honors." The power forward is up in the air at this point, but 6-7 senior forward Cedric Rashaw (1.3ppg, 1.3 rpg) could be ready to step in. "Cedric is our Dennis Rodman," said Williams. "He will push for the starting job this year at power forward. Cedric is a guy who loves to get in there and get rebounds and play defense. He's another guy who has worked hard to get better over the summer and that should pay off for him this season." Sanykia Street is a 6-8 forward and a newcomer who will compete with Rashaw for the power-forward spot. He comes from Montgomery County (Md.) Community College. "Sanyika is a power forward who comes from a very good junior college program who we think can help us this year," said Williams. The center spot will be a contest between two returning players: 6-8 senior Sheridan James (2.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and 7-0 sophomore Brett Hughes (0.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg). Both need to post higher numbers. "Sheridan James is a senior who should be in the staring lineup this season," said Williams. "He learned a lot last year and now he has the experience to help us more. Brett Hughes has a year of seasoning now. He learned a lot as the year went on, and he got better. Brett has great hands and is continuing to develop. We think in time, he's going to be a fine player for us."
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