Last year's UCAA basketball championship by the Dutchmen was not a big
surprise to anyone in the league. After all, seinor captains Aaron
Galletta, C.J. Rodgers, and Jason Manning has been the key elements of Union's
rise to the upper tier of the league. Galletta, as most expected, had an
outstanding year and graduated as the program's all-time leading scorer.
Rodgers also had a solid season and finished his career with over 1,000 points
and the program's leading rebounder over the past 23 years. Manning, also
a three-year starter, continued to make good decisions, provide excellent
defense and produce points and assists as the Dutchmen's point guard.
No, it wasn't a huge surprise that Union came away with the UCAA
regular-season and tournament title and wound up earning the program's second
NCAA invitation, their first since 1982-83.
With the loss of the three above mentioned players, it would not have come as
a major shock to see the Dutchmen fall back into the middle or back of the UCAA
pack for 2002-03. What is shocking to many is that fact that seventh-year
head coach Bob Montana has his Dutchmen in second place as they travel to play
Hobart on Friday (6 p.m.) and league-leading Hamilton on Saturday (2
p.m.). While Union's 6-2 league record (10-7 overall) is a pleasant
surprise, especially considering that there is only one senior–guard Phil
Henry–on the team. Even more shocking is the realization that these young
Dutchmen could be 8-0 in the league had they come into the season with just a
little more experience.
Perhaps the one player that typifies the Dutchmen so far this year is junior
forward Ryan Freundlich (Springfield, NJ/Dayton).
Freundlich, who has been an off-the-bench role player throughout his career,
is having a banner season and was a key factor in Union's overtime victory
over visiting Hobart two weeks ago. He scored off a fast break as time ran out
in regulation and was on the court as Union outscored Hobart 11-7 in overtime to
come away with a victory over the Statesmen. The loss was the first UCAA
setback for Hobart.
The Statesmen took what looked to be the final lead of this back-and-forth
contest when they hit a jumper with 2.7 seconds left in regulation to take an
82-80 advantage. However, Union junior forward Imbrie Packard saw
Freundlich running down the court behind Hobart's defense and threw a long
inbounds pass which Freundlich converted as time expired.
“Ryan has had more success scoring inside off the bench while providing us
with rebounding, interior defense, and someone to pick up a charge or two,” said
Montana. “We feel Ryan gives us some energy off the bench at the post
position, and provides us with quality play.”
In some ways this year's edition of Dutchman basketball may be harder for the
opposition to defend. Last year, opposing coaches looked to keep the score
down by pressuring Galletta. Keep Rodgers off the boards and the Dutchmen
faced a rebounding disadvantage. Get Manning in foul trouble and who runs
the floor?
This year sophomore T.J. Ramey (Ballston
Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) and freshman Chris Murphy
(Hastings-on-Hudson, NY/Iona Prep) are Union's version of the two-headed
point guard. Senior guard Phil Henry (Flushing,
NY/Chaminade), who was called the Dutchmen's “best player” by the St.
Joseph's coach during the Union Invitational, is leading the Dutchmen with his
14.7 average. But shut Henry down, as Hobart did, and freshman guard
John Cagianello (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield)
scores a 31 points, as he did against Hobart.
Sophomore forward Devon
Bruce (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) is the Dutchmen's top rebounder
with his 7.8 average, but freshman Brian Scordato
(Mt.Kisco,NY/Horace Greeley) certainly contributes on the boards with
his 5.9 average. As for junior forward Imbrie
Packard (Bala Cynwyd, PA/Lower Merion), put him in a situation, any
situation, and more often than not he will rise to meet that challenge.
Rebounding, inside scoring, three-point scoring, defense, Packard can pretty
much do it all.
Which brings us back to
Freundlich…the one player who typifies the 2002-03
Dutchmen. Says coach Montana, “Ryan's continued good
play in the role he has been assigned will be key in the second half of our
season.” He could say that about all his 2002-03 players.