Spring Break
Basketball year ends in disappointment
Pete Febbraro
Issue date: 3/14/05 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
On the surface, many may think the 2004-05 men's basketball season was a disappointment, but looks can be deceiving.
After opening the conference season with an 86-83 overtime win against Central Penn, the Spartans had several ups and downs through a year that found them finishing 10-15 (7-13).
Head coach Robert Robinson said the two signature games of this season were the wins over Harrisburg Community College (105-101 and 94-80).
With the sweet had to come the bitter, NCC had a 93-68 loss on Jan. 29 to Lehigh Carbon Community College.
Just another look at the record will show you that the Spartans had a few more bitter times this season.
Along with a six-game losing streak from Nov. 20 to Dec. 6, the Spartans were hampered in mid-season as they lost six players, two of whom were starters, due to academic reasons.
Despite the early season struggles and roster problems, the Spartans had a solid foundation to lean on for the second half and with the open spots on the roster were able to add two key additions, Justin Burton and Harszange Alston.
Along with Derrick Dunston, Tanner Duncan and final-year player Jaden Colbs, NCC made a late-season push and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in the five years that Robinson has been at the helm.
The season ended with a tough first-round loss to top-seeded Luzerne CC, 108-79, in the EPCC tournament, a game Robinson felt the team could have won.
The absence of one of the team's top scorers, Dunston, was just a little too much for the Spartans to overcome.
Hoping to build on the learning experience of this year, the Spartans will return eight players next season, Burton, Alston, Dunston and Duncan plus Caesar Bula, Jerrell Noel, John Leone and Conrad Quinter.
Robinson believes this gives NCC a strong foundation to build on and a reason to hope that the Spartans can get over the hump and make some noise next season.
After opening the conference season with an 86-83 overtime win against Central Penn, the Spartans had several ups and downs through a year that found them finishing 10-15 (7-13).
Head coach Robert Robinson said the two signature games of this season were the wins over Harrisburg Community College (105-101 and 94-80).
With the sweet had to come the bitter, NCC had a 93-68 loss on Jan. 29 to Lehigh Carbon Community College.
Just another look at the record will show you that the Spartans had a few more bitter times this season.
Along with a six-game losing streak from Nov. 20 to Dec. 6, the Spartans were hampered in mid-season as they lost six players, two of whom were starters, due to academic reasons.
Despite the early season struggles and roster problems, the Spartans had a solid foundation to lean on for the second half and with the open spots on the roster were able to add two key additions, Justin Burton and Harszange Alston.
Along with Derrick Dunston, Tanner Duncan and final-year player Jaden Colbs, NCC made a late-season push and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth time in the five years that Robinson has been at the helm.
The season ended with a tough first-round loss to top-seeded Luzerne CC, 108-79, in the EPCC tournament, a game Robinson felt the team could have won.
The absence of one of the team's top scorers, Dunston, was just a little too much for the Spartans to overcome.
Hoping to build on the learning experience of this year, the Spartans will return eight players next season, Burton, Alston, Dunston and Duncan plus Caesar Bula, Jerrell Noel, John Leone and Conrad Quinter.
Robinson believes this gives NCC a strong foundation to build on and a reason to hope that the Spartans can get over the hump and make some noise next season.