By Tim McCaffrey:
This Article was written before the season!
Hello, one and all and thanks for being here. Welcome back to another basketball season and another year of McCaffrey’s Musings.
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Now, how about a couple predictions to get those basketball juices flowing?
Women’s Basketball Regional Champion: Jefferson. Two seasons ago, Rams Head Coach Tom Shirley had only accumulated two career NCAA tournament-game triumphs. That is a paltry total for a coach who could win 1,000 games. This column has long touted the abilities of Shirley to the disdain of several readers in the heart of the Northeast 10. In the last two seasons, his Rams have three NCAA wins and I expect three more this campaign. Anything less than a regional final would be a disappointment. The Rams' schedule is conducive to being the host and with so much returning firepower, I can’t imagine anyone else winning the regional at this point. That, of course, could change as the season rolls on!
Women’s Basketball Surprise Team: American International. There are several rosters with interesting names, but the free-agent, AKA grad-transfer pick up of Briana Lee might be the most intriguing. She was a double-double machine at Felician and with fewer teams in the region, this vacuum could be filled by the Yellow Jackets. Please Note: Lee is listed as a senior on the AIC roster. When she was in the portal, the Musings was told she was a grad transfer by a person associated with Felician.
Men’s Basketball Regional Champion: Daemen. Just a hunch, but how about the story of the Wildcats? The last two seasons they were CLEARLY the last team out of the regional and were almost certain to be a headache for anyone on the opposite line. However, in Division II, every game matters. Two early home losses to Molloy and Queens were just too much to overcome a year ago. Always look to the great coaches to galvanize a group. Mike MacDonald is one of the best in the region, and with so many key pieces back, there should be little that deters this squad from greatness.
Men’s Basketball Surprise Team: Queens. In Sunnie Diamond, the Knights trust and if he stays on the floor, Queens has a chance to be a touch more than competitive in the much-improved ECC. Queens, in a closed-door scrimmage, defeated a Division I school that neither team wants YOU to know about. We can’t mention the D1, but anytime a D2 is upending a team on the highest collegiate level, it’s cause for notice.
Speaking of Division I programs succumbing to D IIs, next time, we’ll discuss Pace upending St. John’s and why the media didn’t do Pace justice. You know you just can’t believe everything you read!! To each and every one of you that puts eyes on this, Thank you!
If this is the end of the road for some, It has been a distinct pleasure and honor. Be well…. And remember: Always do what’s right… Not what’s easy… Sub on Patreon!
All thoughts in this column are from Tim McCaffrey and do not express the views of d2easthoops.com! When Tim isn’t writing this column he is the play-by-play voice of the Le Moyne women’s basketball team. When he’s isn’t doing that, he’s probably teaching umpiring on closecallsports.com, where the website has over 30,000 You Tube Subscribers.