Owl Hoop Teams Host Tip-Off Tournaments
KEENE, N.H., 11/14/06 - Keene State College men’s and women’s basketball teams will begin their respective 2006-07 seasons by hosting tip-off tournaments this weekend at the Spaulding Gym.
The 11th Annual KSC Women’s Basketball Tournament gets underway on Friday with the Owls facing Lasell College of Newton, Massachusetts, at 3 p.m. Western New England will take on Thomas College of Maine in the other first-round game at 5 p.m. Consolation (1 p.m.) and championship (3 p.m.) games are scheduled for Saturday.
The seventh annual Noyes Volkswagen Men’s Basketball Tournament tips off at 7 p.m. on Friday with Keene State going up against Eastern Nazarene College from Quincy, Massachusetts. Lesley University of Cambridge, Massachusetts, will take on Marymount University from Virginia at 9 p.m. The tournament concludes on Saturday with consolation (5 p.m.) and championship (7 p.m.) games.
The Owl women, who have won their tournament 10 out of the past 11 years, hope to get their season off on the right foot. “We’re trying to incorporate a lot of young players into our system with some solid veterans,” says KSC Coach Keith Boucher. It’s going to take some time, but I like the energy, enthusiasm, and competitiveness that we’re showing right now.”
All four teams in the tournament are coming off of fine seasons. Keene State brings back three starters and eight letter-winners from last year’s 16-12 (9-5/4th LEC) team that advanced to the semifinals of the Little East Conference tournament and returned to ECAC postseason play. Boucher will look to LEC all-stars Sarah Begnoche and Bri Barnes to lead the way.
Lasell finished with a 15-12 record last year, which was their best record since the 2000-01 season. Western New England College (21-7) set a school record for wins and earned an ECAC berth. Thomas College, a member of the North Atlantic Conference, posted a 15-11 mark. Keene State defeated Fitchburg State 72-64 to claim last year’s invitational championship.
The KSC men’s team will be looking to capture its seventh straight tip-off title. According to KSC Coach Rob Colbert, the Owls will have a different look this season. “I think we’ll be a little bit quicker and more athletic,” he says. “This team has a lot of promise. We’re OK right now, but I think we’ll be really good in a couple of months. I wouldn’t want to face us in the end.”
Keene State (21-8, 11-3 LEC), which captured the LEC regular season title and advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC tournament, will be led by David Sontag, league all-star, and Tyler Kathan, the LEC’s Rookie of the Year.
The remaining tournament teams are an intriguing mix. “I think our tournament has a more regional and national appeal to it,” Colbert says. “We have a nice core of teams from different leagues that feature different styles of play.
Under the direction of third-year coach Scott McClary, Marymount (10-15) has developed into one of the most athletic team in the Capitol Athletic Conference. They are led by top returning scorer and grad student Corey Diamond.
A member of the North Atlantic Conference, Lesley University (13-13) has a roster that includes former Owl Stanley Chamblain. First-year coach Jon Yeh takes over Eastern Nazarene, a team that went 4-21 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
Keene State defeated Maine-Machias 103-68 to win last year’s tournament championship.
