Before we get started, let me make one thing clear. I’m well aware this series of columns is bound to spark plenty of debate… and that’s just fine. Everyone has opinions and these are mine, no better or worse than anyone else’s. Having covered D2 basketball since my freshman year at Le Moyne College in 1982, I have literally seen thousands of players, thousands of games and well over one hundred teams. Therefore, the task of selecting 75 players – a mere 15 at each position – that made the biggest imprint on me over the past four decades was easily the most challenging I’ve ever undertaken.
A few words about the process: As my colleague Steve Zerdelian is doing on the women’s side, there are many players who could qualify for more than one spot, so in some cases I have taken some liberties in order to assure certain deserving players made this list. In other words, some players qualify for multiple positions yet have been designated in just one. The prerequisites are simple:
- I must have seen the player in person at least once
- He must have played for a team that was competing in the East (formerly known as the New England and then the Northeast) Region at the time
- The player’s career must have been completed by 2020, so outstanding talents such as Andrew Sischo are not eligible.
Athletes qualify regardless of how many years they played in the region, and their team’s successes are not the primary factor, though in the majority of cases, individual and team greatness coincided. In short, this is a strictly talent-based list of stars who had a certain “Wow Factor." There were far too many standout players for far too few spots, so if a particular great didn’t make the cut, it was by no means an indictment on him. It simply means that there were others who captivated my attention more. In some cases, by a razor-thin margin. These are the best of the best. So, without further ado, let’s tip off – in alphabetical order – with the 1s:
Kyle Caiola (UMass-Lowell, 2008-10) – No doubt many of you never saw this kid play, or totally forgot his short-lived brilliance. The list of regional players who scored their 1,000th career point during their sophomore season is a short one. When this confident, flashy newcomer blasted onto the scene, he instantly distinguished himself as a high-level marksman (47% FG, 40% 3FG, 90% FT over his two seasons) while more than ably commandeering a potent River Hawks offense. The 5-10 native of Parma, Ohio started 91 of 92 games at the point over his first two years while averaging an eye-popping 20.2 points, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Caiola, who transferred closer to home (Findlay) his junior season, was dubbed NE10 Freshman of the Year, then NE10 Tournament MVP the following year, guiding Lowell to the NCAAs and garnering NABC First-Team All-East accolades.
Andre Dabney (Bloomfield, 2004-08) – I can count one hand the number of players I would have paid to see, and – full disclosure – I went out of my way several nights to watch this speedy, 5-9 sparkplug from Plainfield, NJ do his thing. Few if any played the game at his tempo, as the demon Deacon served as a mesmerizing catalyst for the program’s first two NCAA Tourney appearances. The numbers alone are off the charts: 2,350 points (#2 in BC history), 294 steals (#1) and 570 assists (#1). The hardware was unparalleled (FOUR first-team All-Conference honors, 2005 CACC Player of the Year, three CACC Tournament titles, two-time league Tourney MVP, All-America Honorable Mention) and his seven Dean’s List appearances in eight semesters proved his commitment to excellence was hardly limited to the hardwood. But it was Dabney’s unrelenting competitive fire, boundless creativity and peerless cartoonish feats that put him in a class by himself. He also authored the most dominating individual performance I’ve ever witnessed in this region, torching Felician in the 2005 CACC Semifinals for 46 points on near-perfect shooting (15-16 FG, 10-11 3FG, 7-7 FT).
Steve Dagostino (Saint Rose, 2004-08) – While Dabney was wowing ‘em in the CACC, Dagostino was running roughshod over the NE10, albeit with a completely contrasting style. The 5-10 native of Schenectady, NY was a silent assassin on the floor all four years, picking apart defenses and setting up his teammates with exquisite precision. The two-time All-American and two-time conference MVP guided the Golden Knights to three NCAA Tournaments and splashed his name all over the program’s record books with 1,637 points (#6), 559 assists (#1), 242 steals (#1), 430 FTM (#4), 241 triples (#4) and a .388 career 3-point percentage (#8). Head Coach Brian Beaury said: “I stopped recruiting point guards after Dags because no one else measured up.”
Darren Duncan (Merrimack, 2006-10) – Leading the NE10 in assists is a highly impressive achievement, but this 6-0 Brooklyn native and two-time All-American turned the trick in each of his four seasons in North Andover, accumulating 825 dishes (#2 in school and conference history) and compiling a 7.05 career average, good for #9 all-time in Division 2. Yet, as unselfish as he was, Duncan still managed to tally 2,049 points of his own (#4 at MC), including a school-record and conference-best 715 at the foul line. The prototypical scoring point guard, Duncan was the undisputed face of a robust Warriors offense, and was the epitome of consistency, starting all 117 games he ever suited up for while carrying the Warriors to three NCAA Tournaments, practically on his back.
Ahmad Harris (Bloomfield, 2008-12) – The only CACC team ever to reach an Elite-8 in either men’s or women’s basketball, Bloomfield captured the 2011 regional in hostile territory, knocking off three NE10 powers, including host Bentley, to shatter the ceiling. And the man who spearheaded that attack was this unorthodox 5-9 playmaker who played much bigger than his diminutive frame. The Linden, NJ product regularly put much taller players to shame, as evidenced by an absurd 99 offensive rebounds his senior season, after snagging 89 the previous year (top five both seasons). I cannot recall any other 5-9 regional player averaging 7.0 rebounds over a career, and that was as much a testament to his winner’s heart as anything. A CACC Co-Player of the Year and All-America selection, Harris was a superb all-around baller (1,012 points, 665 rebounds, 537 assists, 256 steals) while rarely making a mistake (his 2.7 assist-turnover ratio as a senior ranked 10th in the nation).
Juvaris Hayes (Merrimack, 2016-19) – The numbers this Paterson, NJ native amassed over just three years in Division 2 were as good as nearly any four-year star you can name. Perhaps no playmaker in regional lore controlled every facet of the game as adroitly as Hayes, who toyed with his opponents much like a cat does with a dying mouse, lulling them to sleep before initiating bursts to the basket or tantalizing flat-footed defenders with laser-perfect passes. And his brilliance hardly faded as a senior when the Warriors reclassified to Division I and dominated a stunned Northeast Conference. Hayes – who led the nation in assists as a freshman and in steals as a sophomore – started all 126 games and boasted some sick overall numbers: 1,951 points (#7 in MC history), 741 rebounds (#4), 952 assists (#1) and 457 steals (#1), a total unmatched by any player in college basketball history, regardless of division. The best player in Merrimack history, Period.
Ryan McCormack (Adelphi, 1997-2001) – Anyone who ever saw this quintessential quarterback play will never forget his unmistakable brilliance on the floor. The 5-10 point guard from Breezy Point, NY embodied the confidence and swagger of John Elway and was as clutch and composed as Michael Jordan, especially in the biggest moments. An All-American and two-time NYCAC Player of the Year, McCormack guided an undefeated and top-ranked Adelphi team to the Elite-8 as a senior, cementing his legacy as the most impactful Panther of all-time. No one played more games at Adelphi than his 125, and he still ranks among the very best in assists (#2 at 719 – an ECC/NYCAC record), steals (#3 with 204) and scoring (#7 with 1,553).
Nigel Munson (District of Columbia, 2009-12) – Though he officially played just one year in the region (UDC had been an Atlantic independent prior to 2011), the 25-year-old senior playmaker was the driving force behind the Firebirds’ return to prominence as a nationally ranked, NCAA-bound power, averaging 19.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. But that’s just a tiny part of the story. Munson, a thick, muscular, 6-2 hometown product, was just beginning his promising career at Virginia Tech when the infamous 2007 campus massacre transpired. Understandably shaken by the tragedy, he left school and entered the workforce, toiled in jobs at UPS and the Department of Parks and Recreation before Jeff Ruland gave him his second chance at UDC. Munson finished his career with 1,201 points and 390 assists, all while exhibiting passion, leadership and a sublime court vision with NBA-level passing skills.
Rob Paternostro (New Hampshire College, 1991-95) – This fiery, 5-9 floor general from Waterbury, CT was the poster child for determination and leadership. A cocky, savvy All-American and NECC Player of the Year, Paternostro thrived in the spotlight, yet always demanded more than his extremely talented teammates could deliver. That persistence was the not-so-secret weapon behind the Penmen’s 108-22 record and unprecedented three-year reign as regional champs, including back-to-back Final Four appearances. It never comes together without Paternostro, who always looked to pass first (919 assists, #1 in school history and third-most ever in the region), but was also a brilliant shooter and driver, amassing 1,905 points (#6 in program lore), including 242 long-range bombs over his record 129 games played. Still in the game as the longtime, successful coach in the British Basketball League, Paternostro was a rare bird… an elite player with huge cajones and the walk to back up the talk.
Orlando Ranson (New Hampshire College, 1995-99) – One Penmen great begets another. Paternostro’s successor had impossible shoes to fill, but this product of East Baltimore more than held his own, steadily steering the Penmen ship toward four more NCAA Tournaments. At 6-3, “Bino” was the physical opposite of his predecessor, blessed with greater athletic gifts, and beginning his career two years later due to prep school and sitting out a season. Still, he put up top-flight numbers (1,899 points, 598 assists, 226 threes) while starting 117 of 118 career games. Ranson – who is now a successful assistant coach at Maryland – was a four-year All-NECC stud known for breaking down defenses with power moves and sharp passes, all while brandishing a trademark Hollywood smile. A model of consistency and excellence, Bino led his team in scoring and assists all four years and knocked down at least 50 treys in each as well.
Steve Ray (Bridgeport, 1986-90) – The headline here is 1,144 assists. Take that number in for a second. 1,144. Not only is that a Purple Knights record, it’s the highest total in NCAA history – at ANY level. The consummate point guard, Ray was the souped-up engine in the Purple Knights’ high-powered offense and laid the groundwork for the teams that reached successive national championship games, leading UB to an 86-25 mark and two NCAA Tournaments. The 5-11 whirling dervish from Merrick, Long Island was a brilliant ballhandler with court vision on a par with Steve Nash and John Stockton. The New England Basketball Hall of Famer authored two 24-assist games and had four others of at least 19, including a 20-dime performance against Stonehill in the 1989 New England Regional that is still an NCAA Tournament record. To boot, his 400 helpers and 12.5 assist average his junior year remain unmatched. The only Super 75er never to reach 1,000 career points (he had 551), Stevie Ray was responsible for thousands more overall.
Tylon Smith (Southern Connecticut, 2011-15) – Tough as a bar of iron and sly as a fox, this 6-2 Manchester, CT native was the maestro of a formidable Owls team that reached successive Regional Finals and an Elite-8 his junior year. As a senior, the All-American reached rarified air as one of two NCAA players across all divisions to have amassed 1,500 career points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists (his 528 are most in SCSU history). Add 170 steals (#3 all-time) and you’ve got an idea of how vital Smith was to Southern’s successful resurgence following a disastrous eight-year stretch before his arrival that saw the program bottom out at 43-173. He always exhibited poise and was capable of taking over games whenever necessary.
T.J. Trimboli (Southern Connecticut, 1996-2000) – Bookending Smith on the other side of the Owls’ dark period was this 5-10 gym rat from Norwalk, CT who was part of an accomplished hoops family (mom and dad played at Sacred Heart, brother Mike scored 2,008 points at Vermont and brother Bobby joined Southern three years later, pushing T.J. to off-guard). Like his father Tony, who scored a whopping 2,234 points just up the road in Fairfield, “Tony Junior” tallied 1,805 (#6 in SCSU history), along with 410 assists (#2), 221 threes (#3) and 127 steals (#11), making him one of the most accomplished players in the state. Trimboli was a “gamer” distinguished by an exceptional shooting touch and ability to get to the line practically at will. The smart, versatile All-American led the Owls to a #4 ranking his senior season, scoring 25.3 points a game while earning NECC Co-Player of the Year honors.
Jason Westrol (Bentley, 2006-10) – Following on the heels of efficient, excellent point guards Tim Forbes and Yusuf Abdul-Ali, this powerful, intelligent, 6-3 combo guard from Brielle, NJ shifted to the 1 as a junior and excelled running the Falcons, whether it was driving, posting, passing or defending, all of which he excelled at. A tough, relentless competitor who thrived when the game was on the line, Westrol started his last 130 games, during which his team posted a supernatural 118-16 mark, reached the Sweet 16 every year, the Elite-8 three times and Final Four twice. In Bentley annals, he ranks second in scoring (2,068) and steals (250) while topping the list in field goals (780) and games played (134). The All-American was feted with NE10 MVP and National Player of the Year honors as a senior, and his stellar resume is arguably the best of such an exclusive club.
John Williams (Bryant, 2002-06) – The only point guard on this list to take his team to the national championship game, this 6-0 product of Springfield, Mass led the Bulldogs to their only regional title as a D2 program in 2005. The reliable, sharpshooting court commander blossomed after injury robbed him the second semester of his sophomore year as Williams would end up earning NE10 Co-Player of the Year honors his senior campaign. Overall, he started 102 of 103 games and plastered his name all over the Bryant archives, including scoring (1,754 points – #5), 3-pointers (323 – #1), long-distance accuracy (.423 - #3), FT% (.846 - #3), assists (362 - #8) and steals (168 - #4). As amazing as it may sound, Williams was one of those players whose intrinsic value even superseded his brilliant stat lines.
Please feel free to offer your own opinions at www.chrisgranozio@gmal.com. Next week, we shift our attention to the shooting guards. Until then, Happy Hooping to All!