2014-15 CCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll Release

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) has released their annual Preseason Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll and Endicott (80 points, two first place votes) ranks third behind 2013-14 CCC champions Gordon (second place, 84 points, two first place votes) and Eastern Nazarene (first place, 87 points, three first place votes) and. The poll was announced today by CCC Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye and voted upon by the league's head coaches.

Coming in just behind Endicott are Salve Regina (77 points, three first place votes), Nichols (66), Roger Williams (50), Wentworth (39), Curry (27), Western New England (22), and University of New England.

Last season didn't end the way quite the way the members of the Endicott men's basketball team had hoped. The Gulls were one of the CCC's top offensive teams with two 1,000-point scorers, a highly-talented freshman class that was making significant contributions, and a style of play that electrified every gymnasium they played in. Yet an early exit in the CCC Quarterfinals and a loss in the ECAC New England Semifinals left a bitter taste in the mouths of Endicott's skillful hoops team.

"They are very hungry," says Endicott's first-year head coach and former Bentley assistant Kevin Bettencourt. "They are disappointed at the results from last season. After a month of practice and scrimmaging I can see that we have all the ability in the world and our talent level is high, but we still need to mature. They've been working hard at trying to become a better defensive team. I'm going to try and help them achieve their goals because I think we have an opportunity to have a great season."

Bettencourt's experience prior to becoming Endicott's seventh head coach in program history is remarkable with a storied collegiate career as a four-year letterman and two-time captain of the Bucknell basketball team from 2002-06, finishing his career with 1,577 points (fifth all-time) with 294 three-pointers (second all-time), to assistant coaching a MASCAC Championship-winning Salem State squad in 2007-08 to spending six seasons as an assistant with a NCAA Division II powerhouse Bentley squad that went to the national semifinals in 2010. The landscape of the CCC, a conference that has seen six different programs with a conference championship in each of the last six years, is unfamiliar territory for Bettencourt.

"Looking at the teams in the conference, it sounds like it's competitive from top to bottom. The teams that finished ahead of us have several players back and the teams that finish behind us are going to come back hungry and ready to improve. We are right in the middle of the pack and we need to make that next step. It's a difficult jump."

Bettencourt has at his disposal a class of senior captains who he'll rely upon to aid in the development of a sophomore class that is among the best in the league. John Henault (Lunenburg, Mass.), a 1,000-point scorer and three-time All-CCC guard, led Endicott in scoring at 13.6 ppg last season while starting in all 28 games and playing an average of 27.5 minutes per contest. Andre Makris (Southbury, Conn.), a 6-8 big man with range (25-of-56 3PT in 2013-14) as well as a defensive presence (114 career blocks), returns for his senior season. Tell White (New Castle, N.H.) has proven to be one of the team's smartest players on the court, a hard-working rebounder (5.0 career rpg in 19.3 minutes), and defender. Six-foot, nine-inch and powerful Matt Kneece (Shrewsbury, Mass.) is a presence and provides much needed defense against opposing team's big men.

"They've all done a really good job," praised Bettencourt. "These guys have a huge responsibility, not just to the team, but to themselves in their season years academically as they are balancing internships and thesis with practice and games. Basketball-wise, they are the forefront of our program and have been welcoming to a new coach. It's exciting to have four, senior captains open to change and new theories on basketball."

Bettencourt's style of play in 2014-15 will be simple: let them play to their strengths. And strengths on the 2014-15 Endicott men's basketball team are abundant. Guard and four-time CCC Rookie of the Week Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.) is back for his sophomore season. Walker was an electric player in his first year, averaging 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

"Kamahl is as talented as anyone in our program. He had an up and down year as a freshman but since day one of practice he has been our most consistent performer. We need him to be mature and a leader in his sophomore year for our team to accomplish our goals. If he can fight some adversity and show some mental toughness he's going to be one of the top players in the league."

Point guard Max Motroni (West Warwick, R.I.) played in all 28 games as a freshman, averaging 15.9 minutes per game with 53 assists and 14 steals while scoring 5.5 ppg.

"Max handles the ball well. He has done a great job in our two scrimmages being a floor leader, a defensive anchor, and has shown how vocal he can be in just his second year."

Fellow sophomores Daquan Sampson (Germantown, Md.), a big man who averaged 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds  with 24 blocks in 2013-14, Stephen Basden (Lynn, Mass.), a key role player who played in 25 of Endicott's 28 games, and Drew Sawyer (Norwalk, Conn.), who will compete for playing time at the point position, will all be impact players this season.

Junior forward Deven Richardson (Newark, N.J.) and guard Matt Ellis (Westford, Mass.) as well as freshmen guard Joel Villa (Bronx, N.Y.), guard Nate Alexander (Buxton, Maine), forward Jake Hilkey (Chapell Hill, N.C.) and sophomore forward Carter Chickering (San Helena, Calif.) are all expected to compete for playing time and provide depth for the Blue and Green.

"These seniors want to go out with a bang. They started their careers off with a CCC Championship and I know these guys are going into this season with the drive and desire to end it with another title."

The 2014-15 Endicott men's basketball season kicks off on Tuesday, November 18^th with a non-conference road game at New England Collegiate Conference opponent Lesley. Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. at BB&N Gymnasium in Cambridge. After a weekend trip to the Colby Classic on November 21^st-22^nd, the Gulls will host CCC rival Gordon on December 3^rd at 7:30 p.m. in their home opener at MacDonald Gymnasium.

2014-15 CCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll