MEN’S BASKETBALL READY FOR A NEW ERA; TAKES ON ST. MICHAEL’S SUNDAY AT THE CHACE CENTER IN EXHIBITION GAME (3 P.M.)

October 30, 2008

MEN'S BASKETBALL READY FOR A NEW ERA; TAKES ON ST. MICHAEL'S SUNDAY AT THE CHACE CENTER IN EXHIBITION GAME (3 P.M.)

Smithfield, RI- Since the turn of the century, the Bryant University men's basketball program enjoyed a tremendous amount of success as a member of the Division II Northeast-10 Conference.  Consistently regarded as one of the nation's elite teams, the Bulldogs earned five-consecutive NCAA appearances highlighted by a memorable run to the NCAA title game in 2005.  So as the 2008-09 season approaches, there's a new level of excitement surrounding the basketball program as Bryant is set to usher in a new era:  Division I.  

Guiding the program into its first year of Division I is new coach Tim O'Shea.  Hired in June to

After seven seasons at Ohio University, head coach Tim O'Shea returns to Rhode Island to lead the Bulldogs into Division I.

replace Max Good, O'Shea takes over a program ready for the next challenge and the next level.  Success has followed O'Shea during his coaching career.  First as an assistant at the University of Rhode Island and then at Boston College under Al Skinner,  O'Shea comes to Bryant from Ohio University where he spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach of the Bobcats.

While at Ohio, O'Shea built a program that not only became one of the top teams in the Mid American Conference (MAC), but one that found success on a national level as well with wins over North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, St. John's, DePaul, Butler, New Mexico State and George Mason. Highlighting Coach O'Shea's tenure in Athens was leading Ohio to the 2005 MAC tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament, where the Bobcats were narrowly defeated by Billy Donovan's Florida Gators 67-62.  

"We're obviously excited about the move to Division I, not just for basketball but for the entire athletic department and the entire campus community," said O'Shea.  "We know it's going to be a challenging process, but we go forward with great confidence that we will be successful in meeting this challenge. The tradition of winning with recognizable class is part of the Bryant culture and will guide us as we transition to the next level."

As the entire athletic program at Bryant University begins its first year of the four-year transition period to Division I, the men's basketball team will quickly match up with some of the best programs in the country: UConn, Maryland, Boston College, Iowa, Providence, and Rutgers highlight the schedule.

"Having coached in the Ivy League, Atlantic-10, Big East and Mid-American Conferences, I am thrilled to now be a part of another outstanding conference, the Northeast," said O'Shea.  "Membership in the Northeast Conference represents a perfect fit for Bryant University. We look forward to helping the conference grow in strength and prestige."

The Bulldogs return eight letterwinners including four starters from a team that went 18-13 and reached the second round of the NCAA playoffs.  Leading scorer Jon Ezeokoli (14.1 points per game) has graduated but the Bulldogs have plenty of experience heading into the new season.

Junior Chris Birrell led the team in assists last season, averaging 4.3 per game. www.dspics.com

GUARD
Starting point guard Chris Birrell (Scituate, RI) is back for his second season with the Bulldogs looking to run the offense.  Birrell was third behind Ezeokoli with 11.2 points per game and a 4.3 assists per game average.  An excellent ball-handler, his ability to dictate the tempo and push the ball will be important to the team's offensive success this season.GUARDS

Sharpshooter Peter Lambert (Cumberland, RI) is a senior with veteran experience under his belt who should see significant time this season.  His quick release and shooting skills off the bench during the past three seasons helped provide a necessary spark for the Bulldogs offensively.  Last year, Lambert came off the bench against Merrimack and put up a career-best 29 points and dazzled the crowd with a school- record nine 3-point field goals (10-for-17 shooting from the floor).   

Barry Latham (Taunton, MA), a quick and athletic guard who can play small forward, is the team's best returning defender.  As a freshman last season, Latham saw action in 30 games averaging 7.0 ppg and 5.4 rpg while added a team-best 26 blocks. 

Walk-on Michael Chroney (Nashua, N.H.) will add tremendous athleticism to the backcourt. A solid defender, the 6-2 sophomore will contend for playing time at the guard and forward position.

Veteran Ray Witkos (Easthampton, MA) was a backup for Birrell at the point while junior Orlando Baeza (Palmdale, CA) looks to rebound from a knee injury that forced him to miss all of last season.  Sophomore Adam Parzych (Lindenhurst, NY) will look to challenge for playing time. Newcomers Don Trifari (Towaco, NJ) and Sam LeClarc (Fayette, ME) are two solid additions. Both look to give the back-court a boost after impressive careers at Paul Robeson (NY) and Winthrop (ME) respectively.

FORWARD
Seniors Jerrann Wright (Cincinnati, OH) and Ryan McLean (Plymouth, MA) are back while the front court will get additional help in the return of junior Nick Pontes (New Bedford, MA) back to the lineup.  The trio have plenty of experience and will be called upon by O'Shea and the coaching staff to provide stability in the paint.  

Wright, a 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pound forward runs the floor well and is coming off a fine third season at Bryant a year ago where he averaged just under eight points a game and pulled down a team-best 6.6 rebounds per game.

McLean developed into a solid role player off the bench as a defensive stopper as will senior Andrew Lyell (Portsmouth, RI). Lyell is another player who can run the floor and handle the ball well against the press.

A big boost for the Bulldogs this year will be the return of Pontes. The 6-6 forward brings his soft scoring touch back to the paint after sitting out last year to focus on academics. Pontes played in 31 of 32 games as a sophomore in 2006-07 where he averaged 6.0 ppg and reached double figures in eight games. 

The one player to watch for a break-out season is Cecil Gresham (Bloomfield, CT).  A 30-

Cecil Gresham was second on the team in scoring in 2007-08, dropping 12.1 points per game. www.dspics.com

game starter a year ago, Gresham enjoyed a strong sophomore season where he finished second on the team in scoring with 12.1 ppg, showing the ability to score from the outside as well as create things offensively driving the lane.  His ability to get to the rim quickly for potential put-backs is something O'Shea will be counting on this season.

Over the summer, Bryant welcomed the addition of transfer Papa Lo (Theis, Senegal) from UMass Amherst.  Lo, a 6-9, shot-blocking forward, will become eligible to play in 2009-10 and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

COACHING STAFF
O'Shea's first staff at Bryant brings a wealth of experience to Smithfield, RI.  Remaining on the staff is Dwayne Pina who enters his fourth season at Bryant.  Pina was a player at Boston College while O'Shea was an assistant with the Eagles. Joining the new coach this season is former Providence assistant and Smithfield, RI native Kevin Kurbec, former Rhode Island College coach Mike Kelly.  Kurbec was at Providence for 10 seasons as a graduate assistant and director of operations under Tim Welsh.  Kelly, after three seasons as head coach at RIC from 2001-04, was an assistant at James Madison for the past three seasons.  Xavier University graduate Pete Kahler was on O'Shea's staff at Ohio University and will serve as director of basketball operations at Bryant. 

FIRST UP
The Bulldogs will take to the court this Sunday, November 2 at the Chace Athletic Center for a home exhibition game against former Northeast-10 Conference rival St. Michael's. Tip-off will be at 3 p.m.