Random Notes on a D2 Hoops Season
By Chris Granozio
Lots of notable achievements to cover since the end of the mandatory break on December 30. Since that date, there have been 43 postponements as opposed to 29 games played heading into today’s action (plus a makeshift Pace-Daemen game that was not originally on the schedule). Hopefully, with all the regional teams having endured exposure to this insidious virus, the worst is behind us and we can concentrate on basketball again. After all, the games should be about the student-athletes, and more than anything, they want to play.
We kick off the latest ATR with yet another string of accomplishments by Daemen’s superstar center, Andrew Sischo, who, in his fifth year of action (six at the school as he redshirted as a freshman) has continued his assault on the East Coast Conference Record Book. Already the circuit’s al-time leading scorer with 2,550 points in 118 career games, the native of Guilderland, NY last week supplanted Saint Rose’s Damon Reed as the league’s all-time rebounder with 1,296, landing him in the Top 10 all-time at the D2 level, 38 behind Winona State great John Smith. As for scoring, Sischo this season has zoomed past East Region standouts Ron Christy (Post), Michael Mallory (Southern Connecticut) and John Grochowalski and Drew Adderly of Assumption. Here’s where he currently stands among the region’s elite all-time in both categories:
SCORING:
- Lambert Shell (Bridgeport) 3,001
- Ed Murphy (Merrimack) 2,874
- Andrew Sischo (Daemen) 2,550
REBOUNDING:
- Wayne Robertson (New Hampshire College/SNHU) 1,487
- James Hector (American International) 1,446
- Garret Kerr (University of the Sciences) 1,391
- Andrew Sischo (Daemen) 1,296
Among active players – at ALL levels of NCAA play – Sischo is the leader in both categories, as well as double-doubles with 73 and field goals with 1,013. His 13.9 rebound average is far ahead of his closest challenger (12.3), while this season alone, Sischo is one of three regional boardsmen ranked in the Top 5 on the D2 rebound chart, followed by Assumption’s Omar Al-Sheikh (12.0) and Jefferson’s Antonin Kemkeng (11.9).
But wait… there’s more…
During the Wildcats’ victory Saturday over city rival D’Youville (their 10th in as many meetings though this was their first official conference match-up), Sischo became the all-time scoring leader among Western New York schools, topping Niagara legend and NBA star Calvin Murphy, who accumulated 2,548 points, albeit in just 77 games for a ridiculous 33.1 career scoring average. How's that for select company?
That same Saturday afternoon, down in Delaware, Nyack senior forward Isayas Aris joined the very short list of regional players to record a super-rare 30-20 game as he exploded for regional individual season highs of 38 points and 22 rebounds (along with three blocked shots) at Wilmington. Aris did most of his damage, as usual, inside the arc as he made 18 of 26 field goal attempts and 2 of 4 from the line that afternoon, never attempting a 3-pointer. His 18 baskets were most in a regional game since – guess who – Andrew Sischo connected for 19 vs. Queens in his unforgettable 47-point playoff performance on March 4, 2020.
Over the past 25 years, there have only been thirteen 30-20 games in our fair region (even rarer than a triple-double), and statistically, Aris’ may just be the most impressive. Here’s the complete list, chronologically:
Bryan Moore – Assumption – 30 & 20 vs. Le Moyne on Nov 29, 1997 *
John Tomsich – Le Moyne – 36 & 20 at Pace on January 9, 1999 *
Javier Salson – Bloomfield – 31 & 21 vs. Dominican on January 9, 2003 *
Jim Gamble – Holy Family – 32 & 24 vs. Wilmington on January 30, 2003
Laurence Ekperigin – Le Moyne – 30 & 20 at Saint Rose on February 10, 2009 (with 7 blocks)
Antoine Obery – Felician – 39 and 21 at Goldey-Beacom on February 2, 2013
Chris Millender – Dowling – 31 & 23 vs. Roberts Wesleyan on February 6, 2016
Andrew Sischo - Daemen - 36 & 23 at Molloy on February 16, 2018 *
Jeffrey Hayden – New York Tech – 35 & 22 vs. Roberts Wesleyan on February 23, 2018
Bryan Griffin – Mercy – 33 & 23 vs. LIU Post on February 23, 2019
Sekou Sylla – Saint Rose – 32 & 21 vs. American International on January 8, 2020
Andrew Sischo – Daemen – 31 & 21 vs. D’Youville on February 11, 2021 (only two-time achiever)
Isayas Aris – Nyack – 38 & 22 at Wilmington on January 8, 2022
*Indicates an overtime game
For Aris, it was the highest rebound total in school history since Joe Rickie hauled in 23 vs. Messiah on November 20, 1976 (thanks to Nyack AD Keith Davie for the research) There has been one other 20-rebound performance in the region this season, courtesy of Bridgeport junior forward Malcolm Moye, who snatched 20 vs. District of Columbia last Wednesday.
Aris’ 38 points eclipsed the previous individual season high of 37 achieved by a trio of players: Sischo (vs. Saint Rose), Ronnie Silva of Adelphi (at Staten Island) and Tyrek Battle-Holley of Bloomfield (at Bowie State).
There was another headline-worthy achievement over the weekend, as we tweeted on Saturday. Thanks to his team’s 61-55 victory over Holy Family, Caldwell's Mark Corino (left) became the winningest coach in the history of New Jersey, edging past the great Gerry Matthews of Richard Stockton College with victory #604. The streak began in 1982 when he was head coach just down the street at Bloomfield College. After five straight winning seasons and a 95-48 overall record with the Deacons, Corino made the shift to Cougar Country and the success didn’t stop as he guided the team to its greatest heights, including four NAIA National Tournaments. Corino’s kids enjoyed 11 winning seasons in 14 years before the school and its conference – the CACC – made the switch to NCAA classification where he has enjoyed mostly winning campaigns. We congratulate a fine coach, gracious host and long-time friend who has earned his rightful place in the spotlight!
Sidenote: The fact that the historic victory came at home against Holy Family was also poetic justice in a way. Not many people other than yours truly likely will recall that that same Tigers program spoiled the party back in November of 2002 in the first men’s basketball game ever played at the Newman Center.
Congratulations to Mercy, which last night snapped a 12-game losing streak dating back to last season, rallying for an impressive road win vs. ECC rival Molloy. Trailing by as many as nine midway through the second half, the Mavericks used a 26-6 run over an 8:23 stretch to stun the Lions and get off the schneid. The defense was the key as Mercy allowed just one basket in four attempts over that stretch and forced seven turnovers. Four Mavs scored in double figures as they shot a blistering 11-for-20 from 3-point range, certifying that all 37 teams in the region now have Ws.
Colleague Tim McCaffrey covered the St. Anselm-Pace debacle perfectly in his latest Musings column, so I won't dwell on it much here. Even though it shouldn't have counted, let's give credit to St. A's guard Miles Tention for making a remarkable 3-pointer falling into the stands. The Hawks will certainly take it, but it's always bittersweet to see results altered by mistakes, whether it be officiating or administrative at the table. Happily, there have been very few such tarnished outcomes in the three-plus decades I've been covering the region.
Is there a hotter player in the region right now than the aforementioned Ronnie Silva of Adelphi? The senior playmaker from Nashua, NH tallied 86 points over three wins last week for a 28.7 average, while shooting 49% from the floor (29-59) and 44% from distance (18-41) with eight assists and just five turnovers in exactly 100 minutes of court time.
Other standout performances the past week included Derrick Rowland of New Haven (31 points) and Patrick Gardner of St. Michael’s (33 points, 12 rebounds, four blocked shots), both of whom turned their tricks against each other on Saturday in West Haven.
Stonehill earned an impressive win at Le Moyne that afternoon. In a game between two teams that hadn’t seen the court in three weeks, the Skyhawks prevailed despite missing two starters (Andrew Sims and Isaiah Burnett). Veteran guards Owen Chose and Josh Mack answered the call, however, with career-high outputs of 29 and 14, respectively, combining on 8-of-17 shooting beyond the arc.
And in a game that many see as a potential CACC championship match-up, Jefferson humbled Dominican in Philadelphia, riding the coat-tails of Deondre Bourne (29 points) and Erik Timko (23), who combined to shoot a sizzling 10-of-16 from beyond the arc. The Rams built a 55-31 lead early in the second half and never allowed the Chargers to creep closer than the 87-72 final score in a signature win.
And don’t look now, but Felician may just be the scariest team in the CACC, taking four of its last five with the only blemish being a highly-competitive six-point loss to nationally-ranked Fairmont State. Ivan Lewis’ talented and balanced club is my dark-horse team for the second half, with Post a vey close second.
That’s it for now. Until next time, Happy Hooping to All!