Welcome to 2022! With the limited number of games being played, I thought it time to recognize some of the best the region has to offer with the debut of McCaffrey’s Midseason Musies! In this edition, we will open the envelopes and hand out four awards, but first, we must discuss the men’s game in Manchester between Pace and Saint Anselm in which a team was victorious not once, but twice and still left with a loss.
If you want to see the video for yourself: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/saintanselm/portal.htm?eventId=677047&streamType=video
What Happened?
Fast forward to the 1:40:30 (hour/minute/second) for the relevant action! With 1.3 seconds remaining and Saint Anselm possession trailing 78-76, the Hawks had the ball under their own hoop. The ball is inbounded and deflected out of bounds. For some reason, after the basketball is touched and it is still in midair mind you, the whistle blows before the ball goes out of bounds officially. The ball could be saved by a player who left the court as long as he left the court legally (not touching anything out of bounds). It happens all the time on the baseline. Mystifyingly, the whistle was blown and the clock stopped with .5 left. At this point the clock should have expired and the game should have been over. As if that was not bad enough, there was more to come. The Hawks now had the ball at midcourt opposite the team benches and that is when the game became one of the largest travesties I have ever seen at any collegiate level. After a St. A's timeout, Keith Dickson drew up a magnificent play that worked. Unfortunately, it worked in over .5 seconds. The ball was passed to the corner and the shot came clearly, after the horn, and after the light on the perimeter of the backboard was illuminated. By rule, both of these plays were officiated incorrectly. The referee trio sprinted off the court after immediately signaling the basket was good and that was that.
Getting the Call Right
The Musings talked to multiple people at the game and each was flummoxed as to how the end of the game was so egregiously refereed. Let me take a minute to defend the officials. The people being put on the floor did not exit the gymnasium hoping to assist Dickson in a victory. If you are saying that, you have lost all credibility. Allow me a moment to explain how it works from someone who has replay in some of the leagues I work in baseball. If you get a call wrong, there are consequences. What the exact penalties are is up to the league and the assignor. Those three will take years to regain their credibility after those calls, but there is absolutely no need for it to have ever happened. The NE10 prides itself on having some of the best broadcasts in the area and they are often times better than Division I games. NE10 NOW has replays and often multiple camera angles. It is high time for the Northeast 10 to do what it usually does and lead the way. We desperately need for there to be a monitor at the scorer's table and replay in end-of-game situations. When an arbiter changes the result of a game, they are sick about it. TRUST ME!! Judgment is judgment and officiating is really tough especially when you are a green ref just learning how to interact with coaches. I have been asked by officials who trusted me to look at a replay and give my opinion. Most want to get the call right and leave unnoticed. That could have happened if we had limited replay. It would have taken 10 seconds to get this right, but now the wrong team has a W.
The Aftermath
I have no idea if suspensions are coming and frankly it is none of my business. Director of Men’s Basketball officiating in the league, Mike Stephens, is in the process of installing a new system that has been received to mixed reviews, saying it mildly. With everything that was happening at the end of the game, (potential out of bounds, is the player taking a 3 or a 2, is there a foul on the offense or defense) the call at the end is one of the hardest in sports. The idea that one guy makes a call and runs off just doesn’t seem right, especially when it is clear as day the shot should not have counted on replay. If Pace had won, it would be inside the top eight and instead are outside. Can you imagine if there were no other games played this regular season and an incorrect result kept Pace out of the NCAA's? The trajectory of careers could be at stake. That may not seem like a big deal to most, but head coaching jobs are hard to get. We need to have a way of making sure this doesn’t happen again.
Without further fanfare it is time for the Musies……
Coach of the Midseason, Men’s Basketball:
The Nominees: Tobin Anderson; St. Thomas Aquinas; Joe Clinton, Dominican; Matt Healing, Pace.
There is some great basketball being played by these three programs, all of which are within spitting distance of NYC. Anderson has turned the Spartans (10-3) into a regional power, but his ambitious scheduling is what has impressed me most. The daily double of road triumphs at Findlay (OH) and Stonehill has the Spartans in a position to contend for another at-large should the group not cut down the nets in the ECC Tournament. Clinton’s Chargers (9-2) at the moment are in a small contingent that could host the regional. The CACC North is turning into a daily rock fight, and Dominican has constantly been getting its hand raised over the competition. The affable veteran calls himself the CEO of the Coaching Staff at DC and his ability to let others coach and grow while also keeping the group winning is no small ask! As we leave Rockland County, head east, and journey over the Tappan Zee Bridge (Yes, I know the name was changed) it won’t take long to come across a coach who is doing great things. Healing’s Setters (8-4), are still in decent position despite the game we referenced above. It’s important to remember just how bad Pace was when he took over. The Setters were 1-19 in conference play in 2015 and hadn’t had a winning season since 2007. It took a little while to right the ship, and in the last three campaigns the Setters are 43-29. Healing has instituted a defense that is sometimes like a rubix cube and leaves opponents wondering what just happened. If the trend continues, it’s only a matter of time until banners are being raised in Pleasantville.
AND THE MUSIE GOES TO: Matt Healing, Pace
What put him over the top: Healing appears to be well aware of his team's chances for an at-large bid to the NCAAs and threw together a game in Buffalo right before a snowstorm at Daemen. The Wildcats won, but it was a bold and gutsy move by Healing.
Coach of the Midseason, Women’s Basketball:
The Nominees: Jackie Hartzell, USciences; Scott Lagas, Mercy; Karen Pinkos, SNHU.
I can not fathom what it is like going through a school closing while you are employed or enrolled. I also have no idea how Sciences (9-1) and Hartzell are accomplishing what they are. When I’m mystified, I tend to give the credit to the coach. It is not often you think about a coach with an under .500 record for an award, but if you haven’t recognized the job being done at Mercy by Lagas then you will now. The Mavericks (5-6) are undefeated in the ECC (3-0). They haven’t won more than three league games since 2011 (4-17). If the team can win more then it loses in the league it will be the first time since 1997, when the league was the NYCAC! When you survey the region, there isn’t one person who will say anything negative about Karen Pinkos and TRUST ME, that’s saying something in an industry as competitive as it is! The Penmen are the frontrunner as it stands to host the regional and that is thanks to the leadership and patience of Pinkos. Despite four winning seasons, in the last five loops, the Penmen are looking for an elusive NCAA bid under Pinkos. She has the team to accomplish that and more this season!
AND THE MUSIE GOES TO: Jackie Hartzell, USciences
Reasoning: The school will cease to exist and somehow despite all of that, she has kept the program together and near the top of the region. It is so magical I only wish there was a film crew to document the insanity of it all! Understand this, even if USciences wins the National Championship, it wouldn’t be able to defend it.
Best Broadcaster:
The Nominees: Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas; Chris Granozio, Le Moyne; Steve Zerdelian, Bentley
I listen to these guys to get better. If you are calling games in the region, this trio is on the podium. It’s for good reason each is the anchor of the conference Championship in one of the league’s three regions. Balson (ECC) has a great mix of enthusiasm and knowledge. What separates this trio is they all love Division II and know the history of teams in the region. The Spartan Play-by-play man is also a PA Announcer for the Rockland Boulders of the Frontier League and if you hear his voice it is easy to listen longer because you feel like he is having a conversation with the listener. Granozio, a Le Moyne Hall-of-Famer, lives and dies with his Dolphins, but what is more impressive is his ability to call a down the middle game even if his team is playing. Nobody sees more basketball in the region in person than Chris who also serves as the anchor of the CACC Tournament. Zerdelian may be the best wordsmith I’ve heard and unlike the first two, he works games at Bentley by himself. The Z Man also is the main anchor for the NE10 Championships.
AND THE MUSIE GOES TO: Steve Zerdelian, Bentley
We are lucky to have all three in our region, but for my money Steve Z is the gold standard. I think he is so good, when I was given the anchor job in the 2019 women’s regional at USciences, I lobbied the CACC to include Steve on the broadcasts. If you don’t have Z on a women’s regional, the event just isn’t the same. Your next chance to listen to Steve is Tuesday at 5:30 when the Falcons host Le Moyne in a women’s game that potentially has major regional-hosting implications.
Best In Sports Information/Athletic Communications
The Nominees: Rob Cunningham, Jefferson; Dick Lipe, Bentley; Mike Miranto, Daemen
First and foremost, I have always lobbied for this job to be called Athletic Communications. It has a better ring than Sports Information. The quest of this office is to convey material to fans, staff, media, and anyone who may be interested in athletics at the school you promote. The job is Sports Public Relations and this trio is as good as it gets. As a broadcaster and a journalist, covering these three schools is a dream. They all provide incredible notes and that makes this column and any broadcast that much better. SIDS are like offensive linemen in the NFL, you only notice them if they mess up, so the average fan would never notice any of these nominees.
AND THE MUSIE GOES TO: Mike Miranto, Daemen
Often unnoticed, but never unappreciated by this writer, Miranto has the best game notes in the region. They are incredible, but that is not the reason he won the award. I once sent an E-mail to Mike complimenting him with something I thought he had done. He didn’t take credit because he didn’t do it. It was a minor moment, but I always valued that honesty and integrity. Let me be clear, the other nominees have never steered me in the wrong direction, but sometimes it is just the right place at the right time. Daemen is lucky to have such a hard-working leader at the helm of the Communications Department!
Next week, We’re bring back the rankings and tell you the top 12 teams on each side. Here’s to one and all having a wonderful week! Until next time, Be Kind!
McCaffrey’s Musings is penned by Tim McCaffrey who has covered D2 basketball since 2003. His opinion column is not meant to bring you stress, but rather to inform you of the happenings in the region. If it causes you stress for more than four hours, see a Doctor. Tmac responds to every e-mail he receives, so if you don’t like what was said or love what was said or want him to take a very long walk off a short pier, contact him here: tpmccaffrey@gmail.com