Maryland-Baltimore County Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

Beware of winning the America East title.

Look at what has happened to the past two winners.

While much of the attention has been on the turmoil that has taken down last year’s champs, Binghamton, the 2008 winner, UMBC, has had nothing but heartache since winning the crown.

The Retrievers went 15-17 last year. They did pull off a first-round conference tournament win as a No. 6 seed, beating No. 3 Boston University, and then beat No. 7 Albany to make it all the way to the final, but the shorthanded group ran out of gas in the title game against Binghamton.

Now, things look worse.

Stars Jay Greene and Darryl Proctor are done, forward Rich Fleming left the team, sophomore Chauncey Gilliam is out until at least second semester because of academics and frontcourt man Justin Fry is out indefinitely with a knee injury.

Add all that up and that’s 51.7 points and 21.1 rebounds per game, and Greene was responsible for 187 assists all by himself.

It’s not pretty, for now.

But Gilliam could work out his woes and Fry says he’ll be back for conference play, so things could be OK after all.

Coach Randy Monroe will count on transfer guard Chris De La Rosa (Siena) and the 7-0 Marshall transfer Robbie Jackson to help stabilize the manpower situation, but there were just three active returning players from last year’s team as practice began.

NOTES, QUOTES

• UMBC followed its 2007 America East title run with a frustrating year-after season, finishing under .500. But the Retrievers did reach the conference tournament title game before losing to Binghamton, becoming the second No. 6 seed to reach the final.

• G Chauncey Gilliam was declared academically ineligible for the first semester. “Obviously, we’re disappointed that we’ll be without Chauncey during the first semester,” said UMBC coach Randy Monroe. “He’s such a fierce competitor who brings that swagger to our team. We’ll miss him, but he will certainly have our support during this difficult time.”

• F Justin Fry underwent knee surgery and was hoping to be back in time for the America East schedule.

Last Year:   15-17 overall, 7-9 in America East, sixth place

Head Coach:   Randy Monroe (career 72-83); seventh year at UMBC (72-83).

Quote To Note:   “I’m excited about this group. They’re excited to get started. It’s also new blood, too, and I think that’s always a refreshing thing. New guys are coming in, and they kind of rejuvenate the coach, too. It makes both he and his staff look forward to getting started as well. Don’t get me wrong, (I’ll miss the departed players). But it happens to everyone across the country, where players move on to future basketball careers or get started with their futures in other careers. So I’m totally excited about this group.”—UMBC coach Randy Monroe, on his new-look team.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   With such a huge hit to his returning roster, UMBC coach Randy Monroe is counting heavily on a pair of transfers, guard Chris De La Rosa (Siena) and big man Robbie Jackson (Marshall). Monroe has had success with transfers before and really needs lightning to strike again. This is a deep incoming class.

Key Early-season Games:   UMBC is playing a solid non-league schedule, but not one that’s going to overwhelm a young team. The Retrievers go to NIT champion Penn State on Dec. 8 and to Virginia Tech on Dec. 22. “It’s a very competitive non-conference schedule for our young group,” said coach Randy Monroe. “It’s great to play so many of the local teams and I’m sure that will generate a great deal of fan interest early in the season.”

Program Direction:   A bit unstable at the present time, but coach Randy Monroe knows how to recruit. UMBC won the league two years ago and made the conference tournament final last year but manpower, and keeping it, remains a problem.

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Chris De La Rosa, SG Bakari Smith, SF Matt Spadafora, PF Jake Wasco, C Robbie Jackson.

Roster Report:  

• Dependable G/F Mark Spadafora has started 44 straight games for UMBC, averaging 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds over that stretch.

• F Rich Fleming, who averaged 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds while battling injury problems last year, left the team.

• G Nick Groce, an incoming freshman, could challenge for some serious time in the backcourt.