Historic feat for Post men
BY MARK JAFFEE
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
WATERBURY — The bus ride home from Caldwell, N.J., to the Post University campus Saturday afternoon was somber and disappointing for the Eagles’ men’s basketball team after it was eliminated by Jefferson in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference tournament semifinals.
“The ride home Saturday was quiet,” acknowledged coach Marc Kuntz, in his eighth season. “I was watching scores (on his phone) from all the other conferences that were playing and could see what teams had won or lost in their conference tournaments.
“By the time we got home at around 5 p.m., I had an idea things were in our favor.”
The next day, the Eagles’ mood changed quickly as Post received an at-large bid for the NCAA Division II East Regional for the first time since Post became a fullfledged member of the NCAA in 2002.
It was previously an NAIA member.
The Eagles (20-9) are the seventh seed in the East and will play No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (25-5) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the quarterfinals at Saint Michael’s in Colchester, Vt. In the fourth game of this season, back in November, Post narrowly edged Aquinas, 109-107 in overtime, on the road.
Should the Eagles advance, they would play the Southern New Hampshire-Bloomfield winner Sunday, also in Vermont.
The night after their CACC semifinal loss, the Eagles gathered for dinner at Jesse Camille’s in Naugatuck and waited for the NCAA Division II selection show, which was streamed on NCAA.com.
“You could say the emotion was overwhelming,” said Kuntz. “It’s taken eight years (since he was hired). I did not know what we were about when the season began. We had pretty much a new team.”
The Eagles surged to a 10-1 start before the Christmas break and earned a Top 25 national ranking for the first time.
See POST , Page 9A
Continued from 10A
But Post hit a midseason slide and slipped out of first place in the CACC North Division standings.
“I was still thinking (postseason), yes, but it was not a priority,” said Kuntz, who guided the Eagles to their second 20win season during his tenure.
“I was just trying to get the guys going in the right direction. We have a 20-9 record, and there’s not a lot to complain about,” he said. “We’re in a good spot. If we can make more shots, we have a much better chance to win the game.” During the second-half slide, the Eagles were mired in a bit of a shooting slump.
Kuntz doesn’t see that as a concern now.
He gave the Eagles Monday off; the school is on a weeklong break from classes.
“I want the kids to rest heading into this week,” said Kuntz. “They will need a lot of energy for practices and for this weekend.”
St. Thomas features 6-foot-7 forward James Patterson, who scored 41 points in the first meeting against the Eagles.
Patterson averages 23.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
“We have to do a much better job of guarding Patterson,” said Kuntz. “He’s probably the best player in the East Region. He can drive to the basket, can shoot the three, can post up, rebounds and defends. He’s a complete player.”
St. Thomas also has a supporting cast with Kyle Pulliam (14.1 ppg.), Jamal Barnes (10.5 ppg.) and Rich Smith (9.2 ppg., 6.7 rpg.).
The Spartans’ running style is similar to the Eagles’.
“We have to handle their press; it’s a definite priority,” said Kuntz.
Post features 6-5 junior forward Deng Deang (15.6 ppg., 7.7 rpg.), junior point guard Bol Akot (14.8 ppg., team-leading 99 assists and 49 steals) and junior guard Robert Sanders of Naugatuck (10.8 ppg., teamleading 57 3-point field goals).
Six-foot-9 junior forward Kyle Alcy is second in rebounding at 5.5 per game and first with 28 blocked shots.
