Colonial Athletic Conference report

SportsLine report
March 14, 2000

The Patriots fell short of a second-straight NCAA Tournament berth even though they appeared to have the most talented team in the league. George Evans earned his second-straight player of the year award after averaging 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds, and with Erik Herring (13.7 ppg) and Keith Holdan (39 percent 3-point shooting) backing him up, the Patriots were pretty tough to beat.

Unfortunately the Patriots fell victim to their Achilles' heel in the conference tournament: Lack of leadership. After the departure of Jason Miskiri last season the Patriots were in a constant search for a leader all season. Ahmad Dorsett and Tremaine Price were counted on to pick up the reins, but never materialized as the threat Miskiri brought to the team.

So put this No.1 on the Patriots' wish list for next season: A point guard who can score and pick up his team when it's down.

The Coach

Nobody doubts Jim Larranaga can coach in the CAA. He's 25-7 in league play over the last two seasons using a pressuring defense and multiple weapons on offense to get the job done. Larranaga is also a master with the bench, using his five-man Green Team to provide much-needed rest for his star athletes -- something most coaches wouldn't try. With many of the same tools returning next year, don't expect Larranaga's semifinal loss to knock the Patriots down.

Who'll be Back

George Evans is expected back for one more go-around, and that could be frightening to other CAA teams after the 29-year-old junior averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds this year. But he'll have fewer weapons to back him up, as Erik Herring remains the only consistent offensive threat. It means that, once again, GMU will have to find a replacement for a key player.

One candidate may be Rob Anderson, a 6-foot-5 sophomore with a nice jumpshot and strong body. He could provide the matchup problems Keith Holdan caused. Also, freshman Jesse Young began looking like the prized recruit everybody thought he was late in the year and could see his role increase next year.

Who's Gone

The big loss for the Patriots is Keith Holdan, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward who caused all kinds of matchup problems for teams. Holdan could bang in low with his size, or step out for 3-pointers and hit with good accuracy (39 percent). The only other loss will be Ahmad Dorsett, a speedy, athletic guard who played an important role in making the Patriots' pressure defense work.

Key Newcomers

C Deon Cooper, 6-9, 210: Averaged a modest 8.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.8 blocks last season. Cooper connected on 67.6 percent of his field goals for a team that featured eight seniors. Cooper moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore, helping the team to a 31-3 record and fifth place finish in the state tournament in 1998.

"Deon is a young player with unlimited potential," Larranaga said. "His ability to rebound and block shots makes him a very formidable defensive presence. Deon's speed, quickness and jumping ability will allow him to fit in well with our defensive style. He is a willing learner and his offensive game will develop rapidly."

G Raoul Heinen, 6-4, 185: The school that has had success with non-traditional recruits (see, George Evans' stint in the military) and have another one in the Dutch-born shooter.