Thank You!

As March Madness is winding down, we first want to say congratulations to our friends down Lancaster Ave. Villanova. It has been an amazing season for Jay Wright and his Wildcats, and we wish them all the best. Now that the Hawks season is over, it is time to reflect. Many called this most exciting time on Hawk Hill since the team went undefeated. I could not agree more with that statement. Not only did Phil Martelli’s crew exceed expectations in the win column, but they also made their own little run in March. We can truly tip our caps to a magical season for SJU.

Whether or not DeAndre Bembry stays on Hawk Hill is in the back of everyone’s mind. Bembry led the Hawks to one of the best seasons around for a player and a team. Nobody expected the A-10 POY to actually take his team to the tournament. As most would agree Bemby is the best player in the A-10, however there were questions about his ability to get his team to win. After this season, those questions were thrown to the wayside. Bembry with help from his senior teammates; Miles, Brown, and Papa gave Hawk Hill what they needed. Besides the great play by Bembry, the seniors truly stepped up their game. Whether it was Papa’s amazing performance in the A-10 tournament or Miles big 3 against Cincinnati, the team was always ready to play. Every single one of the players on SJU needs to hold their heads up high, they provided the excitement that has been missing from Hawk Hill.

For a senior getting ready to graduate, I thank the Hawks for making my final year on Hawk Hill exciting. Over four years I saw some heartbreaking moments by this team, but this season was different. Every single moment on the court was exciting to watch. Though I do wish the Hawks were able to pull off a miracle against Oregon, I can say they impressed a lot of people. I will say this a lot of people are saying even if DeAndre stays the team won’t have a good season next year. I disagree, this team can and will make a run next season. Just wait and watch Captain Bembry lead his team to victory once more.     

-Brett 

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Saint Joseph's University it is time to dance!

Saint Joseph’s University is dancing once again! The Hawks flew through the competition at the A-10 Tourney, to take it all! Now the A-10 Champs have their biggest challenge ahead and that is in the form of the Bearcats! The Hawks had a dominating performance against VCU to finish up the A-10 Tournament. Now the A-10 Player of the Year DeAndre Bembry looks to take the Hawks to dance further this March!

The Hawks veteran stars DeAndre Bembry and Isaiah Miles led the St. Joe’s to victory, combining for 56 of the Hawks 87pts. It was a truly a group effort from the Hawks, one strong play after another was made by their players. Throughout the game there were several memorable moments whether it be Papa screaming at the refs or DeAndre’s exclamation point dunk, it was truly a great game. The Hawks showed the world that they are a strong team on both sides of the ball, and are beginning to get the attention they deserve.

The Hawks hope to make a long run this March starting in Spokane against Cincinnati. The 8 seed Hawks have a lot of work ahead of them, but if they want to compete they need to keep the offense hot. If Bembry and Miles can keep the team running at full throttle they can compete, and they can win. The Hawks have a lot of potential and hopefully our dance lasts longer than last time!

THWND!   

-Brett 

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Award Winning Hawks

The Hawks have not played good basketball in their last few games.  The A-10 Tournament starts for the Hawks on Friday, and if they want to play in late March they need to turn things around. Though the Hawks have struggled of late, they have got some bright news in the category of awards. The Hawks took away three A-10 awards, and fans could not be happier.

A-10 Player of the Year DeAndre Bembry

Talk about a sweep for DeAndre Bembry: First Team All-Conference, All-Defensive Team, and A-10 Player of the Year. Obviously going into the season everyone knew DeAndre Bembry had a chance to win POY. However, no one thought it would be possible after the Hawks terrible season prior. But, Bembry’s amazing play helped carry the Hawks to their great season. A lot of people will say that Bembry was not deserving of the award and that the only reason he won it was the raise his draft stock. But, I disagree with those thoughts. Yes, there were better scorers in the league, and yes there were better distributors in the A-10. Though there are better players than Bembry in different areas, nobody made a bigger difference for a team than Bembry. DeAndre was a changer every time he stepped on the court, and any coach will agree that he was extremely deserving of the award. There were several great players this year but DeAndre had a very special season.

Most Improved Player Isaiah Miles

There is no player in the Atlantic 10 more deserving of this award than Miles. Isaiah Miles completely changed his game this season. He not only lost a ton of weight prior to the season, but he improved his shot and his inside game. Athleticism was a big issue for Miles over the last few years and is what Miles was able to change about his game. Miles averaged 18 ppg and 8.1 rebounds. What we saw from him every game was unbelievable. Every coach in the A-10 would agree that if it was not for Miles SJU may never of had the season they did. Due to his play this season, we may see Isaiah Miles at an NBA tryout this summer! 

All Rookie Team Lamarr Kimble

This freshman took the Atlantic 10 by storm this season. Fresh Kimble came in with the goal to be an asset for the Hawks, and there is no doubt that he did. Coach Martelli throughout the season commented about the value of Kimble and how he improved the team every time he was on the court. There is no doubt that this freshman made a difference every time he played. Kimble averaged 17.6mins per game with 5.9ppg and 2.4asts. Kimble is a bright spot for the Hawks future, and fans expect a lot more from him in the future.

Now let us enjoy some March Madness!!!!

-Brett

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So it Begins...

Purpose of Non-Conference Games

College basketball has started and our St. Joe’s Hawks will tip-off their season against Drexel Dragons tonight, Friday November 13th. Even though the Hawks did not beat the Dragons by much last year, some are saying that it is a preseason warm-up. However, SJU also lost to Fairleigh Dickinson last year to start their season. Of course a game that everyone has circled is Villanova, but don’t you dare call it the Holy War or else some cranky history professor will cry about it in the Philly Inquirer. The Hawks are catching a break this year since they are playing against Ivy League schools.

Hall of Fame Tip-Off

The Hawks will get a chance to showcase their athleticism against Niagara, Buffalo, Florida, and Old Dominion/Purdue. Florida and Old Dominion/Purdue will be played at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Starting 5

To start the season, the starting five will be WG Bembry, PG Newkirk, WG Brown, F Miles, and F Olivia. In case you are not aware, Coach Martelli has never really stuck with the tradition starting 5 with a center, shooting guard, and small forward. He simply puts the best 5 players out on the court.

Phil has received quite a bit of criticism for not playing his freshmen enough during the season. This year with Pierfrancesco Olivia starting, there is speculation that it is only because of Papa Ndao’s lingering issues. No matter who is part of the starting five, it is the total minutes that will explain which player plays more of a pivotal role on the team. During the non-conference games, Martelli’s bench normally gets more action than during the regular season. However, hopefully this season proves that he can trust more of his bench throughout the entire season. 

Aaron Brown is a player that gives it his all on every play, which is what probably earned him the starting role. There are players like Javon Bauman, DeAndre Bembry, Isaiah Miles, and Papa Ndao that know have won the A-10 championship, and have seen what it takes to win. Going into the season St. Joe’s Hawks are predicted to end their season ranked 7th in the conference.

-Pants

Non-Conference 2015-16 SCHEDULE

Friday November 13 - DREXEL - 8:00 p.m.

Sunday November 15 - NIAGARA - 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday November 18 - BUFFALO - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday November 21 - vs. Florida - 2:30 p.m.

Sunday November 22 - vs. Old Dominion/Purdue - 12/5:30 p.m.

Tuesday December 1 - VILLANOVA - 7:00 p.m.

Friday December 4 - at Columbia - 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday December 8 - PRINCETON - 7:00 p.m.

Sunday December 13 - at Temple - 4:00 p.m.

Saturday December 19 - ILLINOIS STATE - 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday December 22 - vs. Virginia Tech - 1:00 p.m.

Tuesday December 29 - MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE - 7:00 p.m.

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The Long Season...

There is no doubt in any SJU fans mind that this season was a tough one to watch. When looking at this team there seemed to be a lack of experience, skill, and confidence. This team struggled throughout the entire season, making mistake after mistake. However, there were some bright spots that prove this team has a future in the A-10 and may be extremely competitive by the end of next season.

DeAndre Bembry

If you ask anyone who watches the A-10 who the best player is, most would agree DeAndre. Even though Bembry played extremely well he did not win A-10 Player of the Year this season. However, as a sophomore he showed much maturity. DeAndre proved time after time that he is the best player not only on the Hawks, but in the league as well. The only issue that Bembry had this season is that he tried too hard, and he tried to do too much. This became most apparent in A-10 tournament. Bembry forced too many shots and tried to do too much defensively. DeAndre is a great player, and will play in the NBA, however as of right now this team is not built around him. This team needs a strong Point Guard and a pure shooter to make DeAndre reach his fullest potential. Bembry’s ability will take this team extremely far in the near future, but as of now it is a waiting game.

Jai Williams

Williams is clearly a player with the most upside on this team, besides Bembry. Even though Jai didn’t not play much this season, every time he was on the court he made an impact. The 6-9 Forward clearly understands the game, and understands how to use his body to score. The main problem with Jai was his conditioning, if he can keep himself in shape he will be a strong presence underneath. Williams already has quick feet and the height needed to be a strong center in the A-10. Jai Williams has proven that he will be a much better presence in the middle then Javon. Look for Jai to get more minutes next season.

James Demery and Isaiah Miles

These two guys were packaged together because showed us some flashes of brilliance throughout the season. However, they were not consistent enough to bring success to the Hawks. If this team wants to become successful, they must have production from these two guys. Miles has a very nice shot and is strong on the inside. However, he needs to shoot better from the field. Demery is a very good wing guard and gets to the rim. But, in some cases he thinks he’s the entire team. These two players need to become more consistent for success to be found on Hawk Hill.

When looking at this season, it was clear that it was lost to start. However, we did get to observe great play from DeAndre. This team has potential, and this team can get to the March Madness Tournament. Hawk fans just need to wait, because by DeAndre’s senior year this team will be great.

-Brett 

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The A-10, what will happen?

It’s official conference play will begin January 3^rd against George Washington. For this struggling Hawks team, it is now apparent that these games will become extremely important if they want to make it to the tournament once again. SJU lost several games during non-conference play that they should not have, and it is clear that this team should be at least 8-3 or 9-2 going into January 3^rd. The Hawks have had several ups and downs this season, and it is apparent that they will not land in the top five of their conference. Below are our predictions of who will be the top five teams.

1.       Dayton 10-2

a.       Dayton was a team that completely shocked the world last season making it to the elite eight. It is clear that this team wants to go for even more this season, and can potentially do it again. It is no surprise how well Dayton has been doing so far this season, due to the fact that they have one of the best defenses in the conference. Do not be surprised if Dayton is once again playing in March.

2.       Davidson 9-2

a.       Davidson has been the biggest offensive presence this season so far. Davidson has averaged 86ppg, and has outscored teams over and over again. For this team it is no surprise that they have been dominating, and will continue to dominate into the conference play.

3.       VCU 10-3

a.       VCU over the last few seasons has been the clear powerhouse in the A-10. However, going into this season it does not look as though they will be the top team in the conference. Though all around strong on the offensive end, VCU has struggled mightily to keep teams from scoring. This team has also averaged 10pts less than the top scoring team Davidson. VCU will once again however finish in the top five in the conference.  

4.       George Washington  10-2

a.       George Washington has been a very surprising team this season. The 10-2 team has played extremely well during non-conference play, scoring over 70ppg and allowing only 57.8ppg. Washington has been very competitive and will play extremely well in the A-10 this season.

5.       LaSalle 8-5

a.       LaSalle is a team that could be one that shocks the A-10 conference this season. LaSalle will be able to compete, and will be in the tournament come the end of this season. LaSalle has the talent that is needed to win and compete in not only in their conference but in the country as well.  They are probably one of the best coached teams, and have the best fundamentals of any of the A-10 teams.

It is no surprise that we don’t have SJU listed above. They are not one of the top five teams in the conference. After, losing their seniors it does not look like the Hawks have fully recovered yet. Looking at this season many Hawk fans and experts would be happy if the team lands in the six or seven spot.

-Brett 

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