Armed with a record-setting playmaker, two returning starters in the front court and one of its most potentially outstanding perimeter shooting teams in history, the Mary Washington College basketball team seems poised to find the mark in 1992-93.
A roller-coaster 1991-92 season saw MWC battle injuries and inconsistency, but did include an overtime triumph over perennial South Region power Randolph-Macon and two road victories over defending Capital Athletic Conference (CAC)champion St. Mary's. With a determined group of returnees, a hungry class of recruits and a new offensive philosophy, the Eagles of head coach Tom Davies aim to compete for a CAC championship in 1992-93.
MWC looks to employ a three-point arsenal this winter, within the "flow of the offense," according to Davies. This offensive scheme will feature four perimeter players, which will spread the defense and allow for penetration to the basket or a "kick-out" pass to an open three-point shooter. "We're looking for a game which is fun to play, attractive to fans and a recruiting tool for years to come," said Davies, who enters his 15th year at MWC.
"We must be able to get penetration and put the ball on the floor to set up easier scoring opportunities." A perfect fit for this attack is senior playmaker Richie Treger (Alexandria, VA), a deft penetrator who averaged 9.4 points and 5.5 assists per game, the latter statistic ranking him second in the CAC. His 374 career assists are already 53 better than the 321 registered by Buddy Hawley, the ex-MWC great who ranks second in school annals. Treger may team with sharpshooting
Jeremy White (6.7 ppg, 27 3-pt. FG) in a versatile backcourt; both players are effective at the point and shooting guard slots. White (Jr./S. Setauket, NY) established a school three-point percentage record (.473) as a freshman. Senior Peter Lee (Sykesville, MD), junior Rob Brookes (Newtown, en and sophomore Colin Whitehouse (Chesapeake, VA) will contend for backcourt duty.
A veteran front line is led by two-year starter Steve Posey (11.8 ppg, team-high 6.1 rpg) and David Winningham (10.7 ppg; .525 FG%), while Scott Pate, Bill Hallock, Neil Gallagher and Dearl Cloud will vie for playing time as well. The 6-5 Posey (Jr./Midlothian, VA) - who two years ago set an MWC freshman record for field-goal accuracy (.533) -led MWC in rebounding in 14 of 27 games in '91-92, while Winningham (6-4/Jr., Stafford, VA) was likely the team's most improved player, displaying a consistent outside shot and explosiveness to the goal.
Pate (6-3/So., Freeport, Ny) started six games and posted consecutive double-figure rebound efforts in February CAC games against York (10) and Catholic (11). Hallock (6-2/Jr.; Havre de Grace, MD) is a fierce competitor and a sparkplug, and Gallagher (6-6/Sr.; Springfield, VA) a proven rebounder with scoring potential, while Cloud (6-7/So.; Castleton, VA) showed signs of promise as well. The frontline welcomes back 6-3 sharpshooter Matt Seward (So./Towson, MD), who averaged 7.4 ppg in 1990-91,including 24 in a win over Webster (MO). Also a capable inside player, Seward should be especially dangerous in the new offense.
Davies - who lost two players to graduation in Bernard Johnson (14.5 ppg) and Bill Sigler (11.6) - looks to a potentially strong group of freshmen to contribute immediately in the up-tempo attack. The talented class includes David Carey (Wading River, NY), Steve Carhart (Manasouan, NJ; 16 ppg) , John Donovan (River Edge, NJ; 17 ppg), Larry Dunnuck (Alexandria, VA; 14 ppg), Scott Sartini (Salem, VA), Mike Johnson (Lorton, VA) and David Mahoney (Burke, VA). Donovan was a first-team All-County selection, Dunnuck was First-Team All-Gunston and MVP in the District Tournament and Johnson was a second-team All-Gunston choice.
Carey is projected as a point guard, while Carhart, Sartini and Mahoney are fine shooting prospects, acrording to Davies. Bill Monahan (S. Setauket, NY) and Derek Zielin (Setauket, NY) shared point guard duties at Ward Melville H.S.,where White graduated in 1990; Monahan was named honorable mention All-District.