Farmingdale looking forward to big year
Farmingdale State College junior AJ Matthews, at seven feet tall, right, scrimmages against Clarence Alonzo during men's basketball team practice held at Nold Hall, located on campus. (Oct. 28, 2011) Credit: James Escher
He's believed to be the tallest player in Farmingdale State men's basketball history. At 7 feet, AJ Matthews is expected to provide a big edge in the Skyline Conference and perhaps lead the Rams deep into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Matthews, from Brooklyn's Van Arsdale High School, transferred from Broward CC (Fla.), where the JUCO All-American averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds last season. He landed at Farmingdale, which finished 16-10 last season, after coach Erik Smiles heard about his availability from a coaching friend.
Matthews' teammate at Broward and now at Farmingdale, Bayside's Ryan Davis, was a second-team all-Southern Conference player.
Another top transfer is forward Darnell Chavis, who averaged 18 points and seven rebounds for Hostos CC. Newcomer Ryan Tierney, a former all-county forward at Wantagh, attended Nassau CC but did not play. Smiles saw him playing pickup basketball on the Farmingdale campus and invited him to join the team. "He's in great playing shape,'' the coach said.
Guard Joshua Smith, who led the team in scoring with a 15.2 average, returns for his senior year. Guard Dyshaun Flournoy averaged 14.5 points and led the team with 62 three-pointers.
Farmingdale opens the season at home on Nov. 18 against John Jay in the Marriott Tip-Off Tournament.
ST. JOSEPH'S
With eight returning seniors from a 22-7 team, coach John Mateyko's squad continues to be a threat in the Skyline. The Eagles have made five straight postseason tournaments. The leading scorers, guards Oliver Laurent (17.0) and Chris Jimenez (15.0), are back. Guards Brady Colucci of Port Jefferson, Evan Mohammed and Tanvir Logani, a transfer from Thomas More, should help keep St. Joe's in postseason form.
SUNY OLD WESTBURY
All-conference players Lester Proper and Frantz Granjean have graduated from a 20-8 team, but coach Bernard Tomlin still has shooting guard Kamar Little (14.0, 3.8, 1.3 steals) and sophomore forward Matthew Duffy, who shot 42.6 percent from three-point range. Tevon McNair, Max Laing and Rob Sanders are in the mix for starting jobs in the frontcourt. Rashawn McCarthy and Dayshawn Long are candidates to start at point guard.LANDMARK CONFERENCE
Danny Nee had an excellent first season (14-12) for a coach who was hired only 10 days before practice started as his predecessor, John Krikorian, left for Christopher Newport University. Nee will look to three key returning seniors: Guard Kevin Kerr (8.1) and forwards Patrick Farrell and Denver Effland. C Paul Styx and G Kyle Young are newcomers.
REGION XV
SUFFOLK CC
Victor Correa, who starred at Bellport High and in college at Suffolk CC and Queens, where he set the single-game assists record with 21, is the Sharks' new coach. He has two outstanding players in guard Nasha Smith (15.3, 5.12 assists) and forward Jeren Hall (11.0, 7.5 rebounds). Correa recruited G Shabazz Thompkins and G/F Jarel Johnson from Floyd High School and has St. Thomas Aquinas transfer G Jordan Ward-Adams, a graduate of Center Moriches. F Bruce Sobers is a promising player from Rhode Island.
NASSAU CC
A.J. Wynder is back for his 15th season and has three key players back from a 15-14 team. F Quentin Tate (9.9 points per game), F Timothy Johnson (9.5) and G Malcolm Moore (8.3) will team with three newcomers, G Josh Rosa, G Corey Alexander and 6-5 F Claudy Casseus.
