Nov. 12, 2013
2013-14 Men's Basketball Schedule
2013-14 Men's Basketball Roster
Head coach Bill Nelson returns a veteran lineup in 2013-14, including three starters and three All-Centennial Conference selections. The Blue Jays are coming off a 16-10 record and a third-place finish in the Centennial Conference Tournament and are looking to build on that momentum this season. Returning to lead the Blue Jays are senior tri-captains Daniel Corbett, Connor McIntyre and Aleksandar Nikolic.
Five of Nelson's returners have combined to start 159 games in the last three seasons, including junior George Bugarinovic, who has started 50 games in the last two years. But with more depth than he's had in quite a few years, Nelson could have a difficult time picking just five players to put on the court and all 15 players on the roster should see a lot of action this season.
Nelson will learn a lot about his team in the early going as eight of the Blue Jays' first 10 opponents had winning records a year ago. Five of those eight had 18 or more wins and the overall winning percentage of the 10 teams was 62.9 percent. Hopkins opens the season with the 23rd annual Blue Jay Invitational hosting Moravian (14-12), Wesley (20-8) and Mt. St. Mary (NY) (19-9) before traveling to Reading, PA to take on 2013 NCAA Tournament participant Alvernia (24-5) in a mid-week contest. Hopkins then jumps into Centennial Conference play on November 23 when Ursinus comes to town. Hopkins only other non-conference games of the season include a trip to Claremont, CA for games versus Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer and the Juniata Invitational just after the New Year.
Here's a look at the Blue Jays, position by position:
Point Guard
A 2012 Honorable Mention All-Centennial pick, Corbett returns to anchor the backcourt after missing 10 games last season due to a knee injury. He has started 43 games in his career and averages 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 5.9 points per game. Corbett saw limited time after returning last season, averaging 1.1 assists and 3.4 points in just 15.4 minutes per game. One of the best three-point shooters on the team, he shot 35.5 percent from downtown a year ago, and is a 33.5 percent shooter for his career. A high-energy player, Corbett has great quickness on both ends of the court and counts 71 steals and 134 assists in his career.
This season, sophomore Austin Vasiliadis will be coming off the bench but will see significant time in the backcourt. As a freshman, he played in 20 games and averaged 9.8 minutes behind a pair of veterans in Corbett and 2013 graduate Adam Spengler. Now two years removed from an ACL injury, he is playing with more confidence and is more comfortable running the offense. Vasiliadis is a great creator who makes good decisions and handed out 24 assists last season. On the other side of the ball, he is an excellent on-ball defender and led all rookies with 11 steals a year ago.
Freshman Nikhil Panu is a complete perimeter player and can bring the ball up the floor or play on the wing. He has a nice outside shot and can catch-and-shoot from three-point range or drive to the basket. Though he has two experienced players in front of him, he will be hard to keep on the bench.
Wing
Junior Jimmy Hammer returns after earning Honorable Mention All-Centennial honors in his first season as a starter. One of the finest shooters to ever wear the Columbia Blue & Black, he shot 40.5 percent from the field, 45.4 percent from three-point and 89.7 percent from the charity stripe. Hammer led the conference in three-point field goals (64), three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. He was tops on the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game and steals (26), while playing more minutes (843) than anyone on the team. With just two seasons under his belt, Hammer ranks fourth in school history in career three-point field goal percentage (.408) and ninth in three-point field goals (104).
Sophomore Gene Williams has come back bigger and stronger and is pushing for a starting role this season. As a freshman, he averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game. He has had a great preseason and is playing with more confidence. Williams, also a great three-point shooter, and Hammer can give the Blue Jays an outstanding one-two punch on the perimeter.
Junior Omar Randall possesses a nice mid-range jump shot, but is also an excellent penetrator. He is very athletic, has great length and will be an asset when the Blue Jays pressure their opponents. Randall saw action in 18 games and averaged 4.9 minutes per game and will look for more time on the court this season. Classmate Luke Chambers is settling in on the wing after serving as a utility player for Nelson a year ago. At 6'5", he can play on the perimeter, but he can also battle down low. With two years of experience, Chambers is playing with a lot more confidence and is pushing for more time this season. He has an excellent mid-range game and is one of the best offensive rebounders on the team.
Sophomore Niko Kotoulas is back after suffering an injury that cost him 18 games a year ago. He is a great inside/outside scorer and can be tough to stop inside. Kotoulas is also a strong rebounder and has a knack for finding the ball on both ends of the court. In limited time last season, he shot 61.5 percent from the field, including 70.0 percent from three, and averaged one rebound and three points per game. Freshman Ryan Curran has had an impressive preseason and will put a lot of pressure on the veterans in front of him. An outstanding shooter with good range, he may have the most explosive first step on the team. Curran is also a good rebounder and isn't afraid to go after the ball.
Post
McIntyre is yet another Blue Jay that returns after seeing limited time a year ago. One of the top big men in the league, he missed seven games due to a shoulder injury, but still led the team and ranked third in the conference with 34 blocks. He really improved his assist-to-turnover ratio last season, handing out 28 assists while committing only 18 turnovers. McIntyre shot 51.6 percent from the field, one of five players on the team to shoot better than 50 percent last season, while averaging 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
At 6'10", Nikolic is a legitimate threat in the low post, but can step outside and hit a 17-footer. He has good size in the inside and will come off the bench to provide a strong physical presence for the Blue Jays. With one season to go, he is tied for 10th in school history with 62 career blocks. A very good shooter with a soft touch, Nikolic shot 52.4 percent from the field and averaged 5.9 points in 12.6 minutes per game.
Bugarinovic, a two-time All-Centennial Conference honoree, is one of the hardest working players on the team. He led the team in rebounds (7.1), while ranking second in scoring (12.1), assists (2.0) and blocks (1.2) and third in steals (0.9). One of the premier players in the league, Bugarinovic ranked in the top 10 in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage (.523) while ranking in the top 20 in scoring, assists and free throw percentage (.688). Not one to shy away from physical contact, he also led the team in free throw attempts (93) and free throws made (64).
Sophomore Matt Billups worked hard in the offseason and is the most improved player on the team. And it shows, as he has put on 20 pounds and added some new post moves to his repertoire. At 6'10, Billups gives the Blue Jays great size in the post and is poised for a breakout season. He saw action in 11 games last season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds despite playing just 5.5 minutes per game.
Sophomore Matt Chiusano led all freshmen a year ago with 3.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 10.3 minutes per game. He has excellent range, is quick to the basket and can score in bunches. Chiusano has a nice touch and shot 42.6 percent from the floor and 72.7 percent from the line. Freshman Max McKee has also had a really impressive preseason. A post player with range, he also loves to work with his back to the basket and should see a lot of time this season.
