2008-2009 SEASON PREVIEW
Nov. 1, 2008
The 2008-2009 season marks the eighth year for the men's basketball program at Emmanuel College. This year, the Saints will be looking for their first-ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship. Last season, Emmanuel advanced as far as the GNAC semifinals and the ECAC quarterfinals. Head Coach Jamahl Jackson returns in 08-09 for his fifth season at the helm. After losing just one senior to graduation last year (Levi Smith), Jackson has brought in a highly talented recruiting class to complement his veteran squad of 10 returning players, including 4 starters.
Jackson returns 1st Team All-Conference selection Rob Williams-Hinton (Oak Park, MI) and 2nd Team All-Conference pick Mack Spellman (Clinton, NY), both of whom are back for their senior seasons. Williams-Hinton led Emmanuel last year, averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Spellman averaged 15.3 points and a team-high 8.7 boards as a junior.
Emmanuel's other two returning starters are sophomore point guard J.P. Ventura (Riva, MD) and senior forward Andres Bustamante (Amherst, MA). Ventura ran the show for the Saints last season, dishing out 78 assists to just 43 turnovers. Bustamante has consistently proven to be Emmanuel's defensive stopper. He has shut down the opponents' go-to offensive players, while averaging 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per night last season.
Guards Torrey Joyner (Bridgeport, CT) and Mike Jackson (New York, NY) are both back for their sophomore and junior seasons, respectively. The tandem combined for 67 assists last year. Forwards Tyrone Buchanan (Detroit, MI) and Chris Puzacke (Torrington, CT) are both expected to see big minutes inside for the Saints. Buchanan was the team's 4th leading scorer in 07-08, averaging 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per outing. These four returners should play pivotal roles for the team this year.
Jackson expects rookie swingman Isaiah Duke (Albany, NY) to be an immediate impact player for the Saints. The 6'4 freshman was a stand-out on the court at Albany High School. Jackson has also added 6'9 freshman center Andre Fuller (Troy, NY) and 6'7 forward Eric Spanbauer (Niagara Falls, NY) to the squad and hopes that they will bring size, strength, athleticism and a good basketball IQ to the Saints' frontcourt.
The Saints open up the season on Saturday, November 15th, in a non-conference game at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Emmanuel will host the Gulls of Endicott College in the Saints' home opener on November 22nd.