Round three of the Super 75 series focuses on players that are best described as wings or small forwards. In some ways, it’s a catch-all position for talents who could either be classified as guards or frontcourt players or some hybrid. But before we get into that, I want to clarify the parameters and criteria by which I am selecting the 15 players at each position. These are the student-athletes who made the biggest impact on me since I saw my first D2 basketball game as a freshman at Le Moyne College in 1982. To qualify for the list, I had to have seen them live, they must have played for teams that were in our region at the time, and their careers must be completed.
Because some readers have questioned why certain players from earlier eras were omitted, it simply reflects the unfortunate fact that I haven’t seen everyone, specifically those who suited up for New England schools between 1982-92 when I was primarily following Le Moyne College, and the team was designated in a different region, then known as the Atlantic. So my exposure was essentially New York and Pennsylvania schools, some of whom (Le Moyne, Adelphi, Pace, Jefferson) switched regions during the ‘90s. There are many great players from these out-of-region teams, as well as others from the PSAC and other corners of the country who will be included in the last column of this six-part series, and my partner, Steve Zerdelian, will be highlighting many of the men’s players from this era whom I didn’t see but he, in fact, did, for the purposes of giving them the attention they so richly deserve.
As stated in previous columns, athletes qualify regardless of how many years they played, and their program’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, and there were many hard choices to make. So if a particular great did not 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. Or, in the case of flatfooted ties, their team’s fortunes were better. It also depends on when I saw a player and how effective he was in those games. Again, nothing against the individual… just ersatz tiebreakers because there must be some. With all that context provided, here are the players I single out for the 3s:
Ralph Bucci (Saint Rose, 1993-97) – Some consider him the greatest all-around player in the storied history of the Golden Knights’ program, and the numbers don’t do anything to dismiss the theory: 1,883 points (#3 at CSR), 994 rebounds (#3), 500 assists (#3), 153 steals (tie-#8), 572 free throw makes (#2) and 4,120 minutes played (#1). The 6-4 native of Binghamton, NY ran the floor beautifully and was determined as a bill collector when the chips were down as he was the backbone of a fledgling NCAA team that qualified for three NCAA tournaments and clinched its first Elite-8 in 1996. A two-time All-American, Bucci was mysteriously under-recruited but possessed all the intangibles associated with winners: a relentless motor, uncanny nose for the ball and fearless commitment to a hard day’s work and the promised rewards. To the casual fan, Bucci’s greatness on the other side of the ball was perhaps less evident, but make no mistake, he was a superb, relentless defender. Still and all, my lasting image is his terrific post-up work, where he embodied efficiency and seamless skill. (Photo taken by Tom Killips, courtesy of David Alexander, Assistant AD for Communications, College of St. Rose)
Darren Clough (Saint Anselm, 1992-96) – Here’s a rare case of my having seen a player just once (not counting a standout performance I happened upon during an alumni game) but that player being so memorable, he made the cut. Clough – whose name appropriately rhymes with “tough” – was a key cog in one of Keith Dickson’s most talented classes, during which he and three fellow senior starters compiled a 92-29 overall mark, captured three conference championships and reached the NCAAs all four years. What very few people outside Manchester, NH remember was how Clough and the Hawks dominated three-time regional champ New Hampshire College during their heydey, beating their crosstown rivals five straight times over his last three seasons (the Penmen were 76-14 vs. everyone else over that span) – and by a whopping 15.0 margin (I always wished they had met in the NCAAs just to see what would have happened but alas, that never materialized). Much like Bucci above, this 6-3 product of Orrington, Maine was as hard-nosed as they come and ranks among the Hawks’ elite in scoring (1,760 points - #8), rebounding (781 - #8) and shooting (.538 - #10). the linchpin for the first team ever to run the table in the NE10 (16-0 in ’95-96), Clough nabbed well-deserved league and tourney MVP trophies along the way.
Drew Cooper (Assumption, 1995-99) The mid-1990s were a barren wasteland for a once-proud Assumption men’s basketball program as the Greyhounds finished 0-27, 1-25 and 6-19, respectively, between 1993-96. But the key factor in the turnaround during former Hounds star Serge DeBari’s first tenure as head coach was a 6-5 bull from Louisville, KY who went on to become a three-time All-NE10 first-teamer and shepherd his team back to the NCAAs by his junior year. Cooper was a fabulous scorer (his 2,001 points are fourth most in AC history) and was an impact performer from the get-go, averaging 15.6 points as a freshman and faring even better in each of his last three seasons. Capable of hitting the three, the two-time All-American was stout, rugged and immovable down low, doing his best work in the paint, where he not only scored at will, but also corralled 808 rebounds (#11). After a pro career in Europe, Cooper returned to the coaching game, winning a national title in his hometown with Bellarmine before recently taking over the storied program at Kentucky Wesleyan.
David Fields (Philadelphia Textile, 1991-95) – There were two Rams wings just eligible by a year for this Super 75, and, full disclosure, I had a tough time choosing between the two for a spot here. Ed Malloy was a fabulous two-year transfer from nearby D1 St. Joseph’s, but with all due respect to the 6-6 stud jump-shooter, he didn’t play as many games as the man I selected. Still, I feel obligated to mention him here as a more than worthy “alternate.” The player I wound up choosing from those brilliant mid-90s Textile teams is Fields, a gritty, resilient, 6-3 Philly kid who possessed an exceptional basketball IQ and the skills to perfectly compliment those instincts. Offensively, he could score from anywhere on the floor (1,956 points – fifth all-time) and was very unselfish (his 329 assists rank 11th). But it was the All-American’s in-your-grill defense (his 250 steals are third-most) that really made Herb Magee’s teams tick as they went a sensational 113-13 during Fields’ four years (all of which culminated in the big dance), including a perfect 66-0 at Bucky Harris Gym – the only four-year player in the Super 75 who never suffered a home loss.
Angel Figueroa (Dowling, 2001-03) – When I first saw this husky, 6-5 natural shooter, it happened to be his first two collegiate games at a tournament when he was playing for Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras. All the San Juan star did those two days was explode for 57 points against Bryant and Le Moyne. Figuring I’d never see him again, you could imagine my amazement when he resurfaced in the region at Dowling two years later. And his brilliance had hardly waned as the All-American swingman averaged 27.8 points a game in a Golden Lions uniform, capturing the national scoring title as a junior, then enjoyed his greatest game as a senior, erupting for a career-high 48-points vs. Concordia. Figueroa’s overall numbers are still a mystery due to the sketchy stats from the teams in his commonwealth, but the talent was unmistakable, as evidenced by his now playing an 18th straight professional season. A onetime member of the Puerto Rican National Team, Figueroa was one of the most prolific scorers ever to grace the region.
Joe Ingegneri (St. Anselm, 1997-2000) – In a perfect case of a Division I recruit finding his sweet spot at the D2 level, this 6-2 wing from Dover, MA scored just seven points his freshman campaign at Iona before transferring to St. A’s and wreaking havoc in the Northeast-10, seizing his opportunity when fellow sophomore and reigning NE10 Freshman of the Year Kris Tardio was sidelined by injury. Ingegneri never relinquished his grip on the starting lineup, being named the conference’s Player of the Year in both his junior and senior seasons and becoming one of the key forces behind two NCAA teams, his career culminating in the Hawks’ first Elite-8 appearance. The tenacious All-American was an elite scorer, racking up 1,645 points over his three years on the Hilltop, including an 18.6 scoring average (third-best in program history). His calling card was his radar accuracy from beyond the arc, as his .434 percentage ranks second in school history. And his .834 free-throw percentage is second, behind only this next man…
Todd Manuel (St. Anselm, 1999-2002) – Like Ingegneri, this third St. A’s wing to populate this position was also a three-year transfer from D1 (Miami in this case), who made his way to Manchester when an injury coupled with a family illness called him back to New England. The 6-2 perimeter threat played the game with an almost military precision and focus. He earns his slot here thanks to a memorable, dominating performance in the 2000 Regional title game, when Manuel carried the team on his proverbial back, earning MVP accolades after scoring 17 of his 23 points during a second half that saw the Hawks rally from 20 down to shade Adelphi – the last time a regional team won three NCAA games in as many days. A ridiculously good foul shooter (.882, tops in school annals and #2 in NE10 lore), Manuel nearly imitated Ingegneri by accumulating 12 fewer points (1,633) in the same amount of time. His 52-point outburst vs. Bentley his senior year remains a program standard and one of the top scoring performances in regional history.
Darin Mency (Merrimack, 2007-11) – When fellow Super 75 player Darren Duncan was making his mark as the Warriors’ gifted point guard, perhaps his most consistent target was this 6-2 stud from Hagerstown, MD, whose unorthodox, hitch-release shot was among the deadliest in the East. Mency – who was a star from the very start and who scored his 1,000th point in just his sophomore year – didn’t exactly fit the mold of the prototypical NE10 wing player, He was built like a fullback but was surprisingly agile on the hardwood, with a sneakily crafty dribble while his muscular frame capacitated his glass-cleaning ability. Both his scoring (2,039 points) and rebounding (735) rank fifth all-time for Merrimack, but the snapshots that remain in my memory bank are of him raining threes and creating space while converting his running bankers, often at very difficult angles. A durable, determined and memorable talent.
Rob Nurse (Franklin Pierce, 1992-94) – It’s no stretch to say that over his two years in Rindge, this 6-4 Brooklynite transformed his team into an instant contender, helping the Ravens win 45 of 60 games and reach the NCAA Tournament in both of his seasons. A supremely gifted player on both ends of the floor, the versatile Nurse could fill it up from both inside and out, while his defense simply altered games as he thrived at the challenge of stopping the opponent’s biggest offensive threat. The transfer from Monroe Community College (NY) collected 1,221 points in just two D2 seasons and was one of the most skilled baseline operators I’ve seen at his position. The major obstacle for Franklin Pierce those years was intrastate rival and buzzsaw New Hampshire College, which defeated the Ravens six of eight meetings those two years (FPC went 43-9 vs. everyone else). But Nurse’s talent more than outshined those team results, meriting a spot on this list.
John Petrucelli (Molloy, 2010-14) – When I think of all the talent that has made its way through Charlie Marquardt’s program over his 26 years (several of whom just barely missed the cut, including his sharpshooting son, Charlie), this is the man I think of first. A terrific two-way player, the lean, 6-4 native of Hicksville, Long Island shattered the school scoring record (2,011 – third highest in ECC history), but add to that his lofty total of 353 steals, which remains not only the conference’s gold standard, but the most by any player in the entire region’s history (#5 all-time in D2 lore). Petrucelli – who paced the nation in swipes his senior campaign – exhibited almost acrobatic body control on the court and was one of the best finishers in traffic, able to convert through contact and despite numerous opponents’ defensive schemes. And no one in all my years of coverage ever got to the line more often than this aggressive, irrepressible force, who converted a whopping 882 free throws, his uncommon driving ability warranting a look from the Orlando Magic.
Roger Powers (Saint Rose, 1993-97) – The most lethal shooter in Golden Knights history, this two-time All-American and 1997 NYCAC Player of the Year still boasts his school’s all-time scoring record (2,027 points – second in the NYCAC/ECC record book) as well as long-range marks with 305 threes and .437 shooting accuracy. The top scoring threat on Saint Rose’s first regional championship squad, Powers was a three-time First Team All-Conference performer, and, along with Bucci, provided an integral piece to three NCAA Tournament outfits. But alongside the offensive superlatives, Powers was a tremendous defensive presence, often tasked with shutting down the opponent’s top scoring threat, while his 154 steals still represent the seventh highest total in G-Knights history. Recruited out of Dubuque, Iowa when the Golden Knights participated in a tournament, the trip to the nation’s heartland proved very fruitful indeed.
Rodney Sanders (Southern New Hampshire, 2012-16) – This lefty marksman was one of the region’s finest snipers, generating 1,945 points (#5 in school history) and 254 three-pointers (#4) while helping guide SNHU to an unlikely 2015 Elite-8 run. And it was during that junior season that the intense, impactful Elizabeth, NJ native produced an unprecedented triple crown of shooting, becoming the only East Region player I can find who averaged at least 50% from the floor (55%), 50% from 3-point range (52%) and 85% from the line (88%). That long-distance proclivity his senior season was, not surprisingly, tops in the nation, making him the first regional shooter to achieve the feat. Sanders’ game-winning 3-ball at Southern Connecticut during the NE10 Tournament was one of his marquee moments, and his career accuracy rate was fantastic (.493 from the field and .447 from downtown).
Russell Sangster (Le Moyne, 2014-18) – For those of you may claim bias for my choosing a Le Moyne player, hear me out. When the Dolphins won their first regional crown in 2018, it was the epitome of a team effort (their best scorer, Tyquon Rolon, came off the bench) and there’s no Elite-8 run without its true heart and soul (his injury in the opening moments of the previous year’s regional cost the club a chance at back-to-back titles). No one played more Le Moyne games than the 6-2 senior swing from Rockville, MD, who was among the greatest lockdown defenders I’ve ever seen. No one drew more charges than this fearless warrior, sacrificing his body nightly while suffocating everyone he guarded, holding all-time greats to season and career lows with regularity. And the two-time Defensive Player of the Year was no slouch on offense, either. Blessed with a potent crossover and unyielding propensity for attacking the rim, Sangster tallied 1,035 points and 250 assists, though it was on the other side of the ball where this “assassin” – as one coach called him – left an indelible mark. (Photo taken by Greg Wall, courtesy of LeMoyne Assistant AD for Sports Information Craig Lane ’07).
Bradd Wierzbicki (Queens, 2003-07) – If there was ever a textbook case of looks being deceiving, it was the 6-3 local boy from Maspeth who, as a freshman, resembled a 100-pound seventh grader. But boy, could the kid play, widening my eyes the first time I saw him in action. Endowed with a killer first step, Wierzbicki was able to use his deceptive dexterity to routinely leave more athletic players in the dust. Through hard work, he improved exponentially every year, eventually blossoming into an undeniable shooting threat and culminating his dynamic tenure with two scoring titles and the ECC Player of the Year Award as a senior. The All-American finished fourth on the Knights’ scoring list (1,686 points) and parlayed that into a stellar professional career, during which he thrived for fellow Super 75er Rob Paternostro’s Leicester Riders team. Now the head coach of SUNY Maritime, Weirzbicki was truly one of a kind, and I’m so happy I got to witness him play as often as I did.
Devon Young (Felician, 2007-11) – The largest second-half deficit I’ve ever seen erased came in the region’s most unlikely comeback story. In the 2010 CACC semifinals, Felician found itself down 23 points to heavily favored powerhouse Philadelphia before closing the game on a miraculous 28-5 run over the final 9:57, eventually punching its first NCAA ticket after taking the championship the following day. At the heart of the more expansive 64-28 power surge was a tying triple at the regulation buzzer by Devon Young, a 6-3 swiss army knife from Monmouth Junction, NJ who enjoyed the game of his life that afternoon with a program-record 39-point performance. The super-versatile All-American – who was tabbed tourney MVP – started all 114 games he played with the Golden Falcons, including their lone NCAA Tournament affair at Stonehill. His fingerprints are all over the program record book, ranking in the Top 5 with 1,958 points (#1), 630 rebounds (#5), 294 assists (#5) and 131 steals (#2). As great a student as he was a baller, Young was a physical specimen with off-the-charts leadership skills and a top-flight resume. (Photo taken by Steven R. Smith, courtesy Felician University Sports Information Director Mark Mentone)
Your comments are welcome at chrisgranozio@gmail.com. Next week, we shift our attention to the power forwards. Until then, Happy Hooping to All!