Tigers Looking for Another Shot in the Playoffs
The Tiger men’s basketball team plans to stay on a roll during the 2004-05 campaign. That “roll” consists of two consecutive NCAA Division III playoff appearances and an equal number of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championships. Trinity completed the 2003-04 season with a 24-5 mark – a school record for wins – and a No. 21 national ranking by d3hoops.com.
Coach Pat Cunningham will have the leadership of six seniors, included in a group of 12 letter winners. “It starts with experience,” said Coach Cunningham, in his sixth year at the Tigers’ helm. “These guys have been through a lot together.”
Coach Cunningham has guided the team to three NCAA postseason tournaments and 20-win seasons since joining the Trinity staff in 1999. He earned his second SCAC Coach of the Year award after Trinity won its third conference championship under his direction. The Tigers, ranked No. 14 by d3hoops.com, are a near unanimous choice to repeat as SCAC champions.
Trinity went 12-2 in its conference schedule and won the SCAC Tournament for the second time in as many years. Sul Ross State edged the Tigers 74-72 in second round NCAA playoff game at Sams Gym.
The Tigers led the SCAC in scoring defense and were ranked No. 14 in the nation, allowing 60.8 points per game. The Tigers’ stingy field goal percentage defense was ranked sixth nationally and No. 1 in the conference (37.9 percent). Trinity was sixth in the conference in scoring offense with 69.7 points per game for a scoring margin of 8.8 (No. 1 in the SCAC, No. 47 nationally). Trinity shot 48.3 percent from the field, to lead the SCAC and finish No. 27 in the nation. In the category of rebound offense, the Tigers were SCAC leaders with 36.6 per game and in rebound defense with 30.3 per game. Their rebound margin was 6.2, for a national rank of 23rd. In total, Trinity led the SCAC in ??5?? team categories for the 2003-04 season. The Tigers led the SCAC in four defensive and three offensive categories for the 2003-04 season.
“The hallmark has been solid defensive teams,” said Coach Cunningham, who has amassed a record of 100-33 at Trinity. “Skill wise, we have a good complement of inside and outside players. We have good size overall with 7 players over 6’5” tall. The fact we have 12 returning letter winners, should provide for some tough competition in practice and for playing time.”
Trinity will miss the services of last year’s two seniors, Shane Fitts and Price Onken. The two led the Tigers to a 77-30 record during their four seasons “on the hill”. The leadership, ball-handling and defensive skills of these two will be difficult to replace. It will be necessary for several returnees to increase their practice and game skills to fill the void that Shane and Price leave.
Peter Murray, a senior forward from Arlington, Texas (Arlington), was elected to the All-SCAC First Team. Peter was also named to the All-South Region Second Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The 6-foot-8, 215-pound Murray was third in the conference in field goal percentage (53.6 percent) and 11th in rebounds (5.3 per game). Murray was third on the team in scoring with 10.3 points per contest (300 points).
Jason Morris, a 6-foot, 175-pound senior guard from Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville), made the All-SCAC squad for the third consecutive season by being selected to the Second Team. Morris was 11th in SCAC scoring with a 12.8 average (358 points) and was second in SCAC three point field goal percentage at 45.2 percent. He was second on the team in assists with 57.
Senior center Sean Devins of Sugar Land, Texas (Clements) was elected the SCAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive time and earned his second consecutive All-SCAC recognition by being named to the Second Team. Devins was also named to All-South Region Third Team honors d3hoops.com. He also made the All-SCAC Second Team. The 6-foot-10, 210-pound Devins led the SCAC with a career-best 107 blocks (3.69 per game). Devins] is the SCAC’s all time leader in career blocks with 232. He scored 11.7 points per game (339 total, 16th in the SCAC) and averaged 6.6 rebounds (191 total, fifth in the conference). Devins was the conference leader in field goal percentage at 60.5 percent and sixth in free throws (81.5 percent).
Chad Stroberg, a senior guard from Southlake, Texas (Carroll), started in 11 of the 29 games he played. The 6-foot, 170-pound Stroberg averaged 5.1 points and also registered 56 assists for an average of 1.9 per game.
Senior forward Andy Bates of Austin, Texas (St. Stephen’s) was second in conference blocks with 28 (1.0 per game). The 6-foot-6, 185-pound Bates averaged 8.0 points per game (224). Quincy Ely-Cate, a 6-foot, 165-pound senior guard from Iowa City, Iowa (Iowa City), will return to the Tiger lineup after studying in Madrid, Spain, last year.
Junior guard Ross Burt of Houston (Cy-Falls, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds) contributed 5.7 points per contest (132 total). Burt was a starter for 26 games as a freshman and 10 as a sophomore before a foot injury sidelined him. James Lake, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound junior guard from Houston (Memorial), scored 7.0 points per game (154 total) and led in three-point percentage at 48.4 percent (30 of 62). Lake started nine games in a row during January and February 2004 before an ankle injury ended his season. Jay Riola, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound junior forward from Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek), scored 3.6 points per game (105 total). Mitch Walker, a 6-foot, 190-pound junior guard from Grand Canyon, Ariz. (Grand Canyon), scored 2.0 points per game (43 total). Walker was sidelined his entire first year with a knee injury. He played in 22 games last season and contributed quality back-up minutes at the point guard position.
Casey Hill, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound sophomore forward from San Antonio (Suffield Academy); and sophomore center Mike Gilb of Mansfield, Texas (Fort Worth Nolan Catholic HS), at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, will be returning for their second season in a Tiger uniform. Both look to make more significant contributions in their sophomore seasons.
A transfer player, from Illinois-Chicago, is 6-foot, 160-pound sophomore guard Adam Culver of Champaign Ill. (Champaign Central). Two other sophomores will also join the Tiger squad: guard Matt Fournier of Rolling Hills, Calif. (Chadwick) (5-foot-8, 145 pounds); and Kevin Blodgett, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound forward from San Antonio (St. Mary’s Hall). First-year forward Barrett Koch, a 6-foot-3, 155-pound forward from Dallas (Dallas Jesuit) will also be joining the Trinity Tigers this season.
Quintin Mason, a three-time All-SCAC honoree while playing for the Tigers, returns for his second season as an assistant coach. Drew Miller, who played for Kenyon College and was an assistant coach at Southwestern University, will join the Trinity staff this season.
The Tigers opened their season Nov. 19 at the Colorado State University-Pueblo Al-Kaly Shrine Classic. The traveled to College Station for a game against Texas A&M University on Nov. 23. The Tigers went 2-0 at the Trinity/Southwestern Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 26 and 27, with Kalamazoo College (Mich.) and Whitworth College (Wash.) participating.
Trinity starts its home SCAC campaign Jan 14 with DePauw University. The SCAC Tournament is slated for Feb. 25-27 at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn