The daily dish on Division III basketball
The Scranton Times-Tribune is publishing a countdown of the Top 25 area coaches, and while most of the people on the list coach or coached high school sports, two Scranton basketball coaches have done pretty well in the coach’s box and on the list.
Check out features on No. 4, former Scranton men’s coach Bob Bessoir (top photo) and No. 2, current Scranton women’s coach, Mike Strong.
I’m heading up to Philadelphia shortly to address the Division III Sports Information Directors at the CoSIDA convention. I’m not expecting to break any news of a basketball nature but if I do, I’ll post it either from the hotel or upon my return.
To the SIDs reading this — see you there!
The New York Times ran a story in today’s editions regarding parents’ rage towards coaches (NYT requires registration). While the incident that inspired the story, which involved a Connecticut high school softball player’s dad bashing a coach’s skull six times with an aluminum bat, isn’t related to Division III, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen here.
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On Jan. 31, 2005, Jordan Snipes heaved the ball the length of the court, and was the talk of the sports world. His shot with 0.6 seconds remaining turned a would-be 89-88 overtime loss at Randolph-Macon into a 91-88 win.
Luckily, the local ABC affiliate in Richmond still had a camera there at the end of the game. Their video not only made SportsCenter’s top 10 plays, it was top play No. 9, No. 7, No. 5, No. 3 and No. 1. The anchors said we would see it again on the ESPYs.
One problem — less than five months later, ESPN has snubbed the shot seen ’round the world. Snipes shot isn’t even on the ballot for Best Play. Surely we could have done without the X-Games “play” that was included.
Not that the shot hasn’t had lasting effects. Later in the season I saw women’s basketball players imitating it in a shootaround before an NCAA Tournament game. Heck — Randolph-Macon is even remodeling its gym completely this offseason, and that can’t be a coincidence. I wouldn’t want any reminder of that shot left either if I were there.
Some transactions have come across our desk, and we figured we’d better share them:
Colin Tabb, a D3hoops.com All-American, was named assistant coach at Brandeis. The 2002 fourth-teamer had been an assistant at Rhode Island College in 2003-04 and played professionally in Ireland this past season.
Russell Vanlandingham, a McMurry alumnus, was hired as a full-time assistant coach to Ron Holmes at his alma mater. Holmes was given additional duties as athletic development officer. McMurry women’s coach Sam Nichols was appointed to the board of directors of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, representing male coaches of women’s basketball.
“With the continual expansion and popularity of women’s basketball, it’s a very challenging and significant position,” said Nichols, who will enter his 11th season on the Lady Indians bench in 2005-06. “I’m committed to fostering harmony and communication between male and female coaches of women’s basketball at all levels. I’m humbled by (WBCA president Doug) Bruno and the Board by putting their trust in me with this position. It’s an honor for myself, the University and the American Southwest Conference.”
Ohio Wesleyan coach Nan Carney-DeBord was elected to the board as a Division III at-large member, joining Salem State’s Tim Shea and Southwestern’s Pam Ruder.
Marymount assistant Shannon Howley was hired as head women’s coach at Arcadia.
Clark men’s coach Mo Cassara promoted one of his assistants, Tyrone Hicks, to associate head coach, and hired another, Adam Polletta. Both are alumni.
UW-Platteville promoted assistant coach Adrian Todd to associate head coach.
Hood hired Keith Adams, head coach at Springbrook HS in Silver Spring, Md., as an assistant men’s coach.
Huntingdon assistant Jason Wright resigned to take the head coaching job at Providence Academy in Atlanta.