This week, AmericaEast.com will profile the four teams playing for the conference titles this weekend and explore their respective paths Championship Saturday and also include interviews from the head coaches and select administrators.
With its win over Vermont in the semifinal round of the 2011
America East Men's Basketball Championship on Sunday, Stony Brook earned its
first-ever trip to the league's championship game. Advancing to the title game is
an impressive achievement for head coach Steve Pikiell and his program, which overcame obstacles all season long to reach this point.
Picked second in the America East preseason coaches poll,
expectations were high for a team that lost just one starter, albeit the
league's Player of the Year in Muhammed El-Amin from last year's regular-season
championship squad. But before the season could even get started, the Seawolves
lost their heart and soul in all-conference forward Tommy Brenton. Brenton, the
league's leading rebounder and engine of the Stony Brook defense last year,
went down for the season in September with an injury.
Another midseason injury to senior Chris Martin and all of a
sudden turned an experienced team into a young squad. Through the first week of
February, the Seawolves stood at just 9-14 but signs of a turnaround were
evident. Martin returned to the lineup unexpectedly after knee surgery and
sophomore Leonard Hayes provided a spark to offense. Having scored in just nine
of his first 11 appearances of the year, Hayes has averaged 10.4 points since
and had 20 in the semifinal win over Vermont.
Now, the Seawolves, winners of four straight and six of
eight are playing their best basketball of the season because of a defense that
ranks among the nation's best in points allowed (60.6 papg) and opponent's
shooting percentage (.392).
Given all the injuries the team has faced this season, the
ability to withstand the adversity and have a chance to play for a spot in the
NCAA Tournament this Saturday is a credit to the entire Stony Brook athletics
department. Pikiell and Director of Athletics Jim Fiore discuss the season and
what Saturday means to the University in this video.