The Stony Brook men's basketball team's season ended just short of an NCAA tournament berth. A couple of weeks removed from that heartbreak, Seawolves head coach Steve Pikiell spoke with Patch about the season and their future.
Patch: Since the season ended, what have you been doing this offseason?
Steve Pikiell: We have a recruit coming in tonight and I just met with all my players. You have your scheduling and you have to get your guys on the off-season plan. We're going to take a tour this summer to Europe and we have full scholarships next year for juniors, so you're never really in the offseason to be honest with you. It's good when you're busy.
Patch: You're taking a tour of Europe in the summer?
SP: As soon as we get the details ironed out we're going to take a summer tour as they call it. You get to do it once every four years and this summer seemed like a good year to do it with our guys. It's in the bid process now because in the state of New York you have to bid these things out. It'll be a great opportunity for us this summer to play some games in Europe and get our guys some practices, get together. It'll be a great experience. We've come a long way with this program. We're getting there, we're getting there.
Patch: You came two points shy of making the NCAA tournament this year, but you did take a few steps forward. Looking back what are your thoughts on the season?
SP: Last year we won the league regular season for the first time, then this year we get to the league conference finals for the first time. It's kind of like a ladder. We're making steps and we haven't quite gotten to the top yet, but we're getting closer and I'm excited about that. When I took over the job we weren't going anywhere and we made huge jumps in the last few years, in all areas. [We've had jumps] in academic areas, in graduation, in fan support. We 14 buses come to our game at BU, we sold out seven games this year. We've just made a lot of jumps and everyone wants to get to the NCAA tournament, but you have to get up to the plate enough times to swing at the ball before you can hit it out of the park.
Patch: What are your recruiting goals for the offseason?
SP: We only have one senior, Chris Martin, graduating and we signed a player who can really play. We have a big junior class so we're really focused on high school juniors.
Patch: Who was the early signee?
SP: Scott King, a player out of Holderness School in New Hampshire, we signed him early in Novemeber. Chris Martin is graduating this year, that's the one scholarship we have and we signed Scott King, who's in prep school this year, so he'll be here in the fall.
Patch: What position does he play?
SP: He's a 6-9 stroker, shooter, three spot.
Patch: During the BU game it looked like you were trying to dump it inside but weren't really successful. Is there any chance of scoping out a big body to take over that role?
SP: Dallis Joyner is the best big guy in the conference. He's got to have that kind of season. We have Anthony Mayo who I think is the best young big guy in the conference, can really score. We have Al Rapier, who was a first year guy this year, he shot 58 percent from the floor, who I really like. We have Tommy Brenton, arguably our best player, back next year, who's a front-court guy. I'm excited about what we have. We're as big as anybody in the conference next year and we'll have experience, we'll have shot blockers. We'll have the leading rebounder in the conference (Brenton in '09-'10). We only have one senior this year and he didn't play in half our games due to injury, so I'm excited about what we have.
Patch: So you do expect Tommy Brenton to make a full recovery, he won't lose a step?
SP: No, he's the best forward in the league.
Patch: The team was struck by the injury bug this year. Is there any little thing that can be changed to prevent that?
SP: We had broken noses, we had scratched corneas. Tommy has never missed one day or one practice in two years and then he's out for the season. I don't have the answers for the injuries, I just know we had enough of them to last the next five years.
Patch: Who do you see as a breakout performer for next season?
SP: I like a lot of our guys. I think Dave Coley is one of the more talented guards in the league, he was one of our freshman. Anthony Mayo showed signs of being real good. Eric McAlister, a freshman that I love, I think he's one of the most athletic guys in the conference. Some of these guys have to emerge. We're going to have four starters back and we're going to add Tommy Brenton back to that mix. I'm looking at all of them, they all have a chance to have a great season.
