The 15th ranked Rollins College Tars (5-1) used a big first half to power them to a fourth straight win (94-71) over the Ave Maria Gyrenes Tuesday night at Warden Arena.
Matt Robertson paced the Tars with a game high 25 points. The Alabama native was 10-12 from the charity stripe and 8-9 from the floor. Three other players scored in double figures for the home team. Myk Brown had a second straight solid game as he posted 23 points. Nick Wolf added yet another double-double (16 points and 15 rebounds) while Alex Castillo netted 11 points off the bench to go along with 3 steals.
The Gyrenes(5-2) had a pair of players in double figures. Kiel Lewis paced Ave Maria with 25 points while Jimmy Torney added 11.
The game was tied at 6 in the early going. After the first three minutes the Tars took control with a 8-0 run that made it 14-6. The two teams would go back and forth the next several minutes before a pair of Kiel Lewis free throws would close the Tar lead to 22-17 with 8:42 in the half. The Tars would outscore the Gyrenes by a wide margin the rest of the half and would open up a 50-26 lead at the break.
The Tars lead would not be less than 20 points for the rest of the second half. Rollins shot 51 percent for the ball game while the Gyrenes shot 37% on the night. AMU was 7 of 20 (35%) from the three point line while the Tars went 3-16 (19%). The Tars were a tad better than AMU at the free throw line. The Tars were 27-36 (75%) while the Gyrenes were 14-20 (70%). The Tars dominated the glass 47-35.
The Tars will take a break for the Thanksgiving holiday and will be back in action December 2nd when they will travel to West Palm Beach to face Palm Beach Atlantic. Tip time is set for 7 PM.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tars Topple Piedras For Third Straight!
The Rollins College Tars (4-1) used a stellar night at the foul line to turn back the Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Guillitos (0-2) 87-81 Monday night at Warden Arena. The Tars tallied four players in double figures Monday. Myk Brown made good on 14 of 16 free throws to score his 20 points. Matt Robertson continued his torrid play in the beginning of the season scoring 19 points including 12 of 15 at the foul line. Nick Wolf had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the second consecutive game. Wolf scored in double figures for the 72nd consecutive game. The Senior from Cincinnati was 4 of 6 from the charity stripe, as he had his fourth straight double-double. Brett Chance came off the bench to net 12 points for the home team. The Tars were 22 of 43 (51%) from the field. Rollins made 6 of 17 (35%) from long distance.Rollins was a soid 37-45 (82%) at the charity stripe. The Tars had 12 turnovers but more than made up for it with 11 steals.
Piedras had three players in double digits. Joseph Vegerano led all scorers with 26 points. Jose Lopez chipped in 17 and Angel Acevedo netted 16. The Gulittos shot 30-59 (51%) from the field. They went 12-35 (34%) from three point land. The Guillitos killed themselves going just 9 of 16 (56%) from the foul line. Piedras had a slight edge on the boards 30-28. Piedras turned the ball over 18 times and had 7 steals.
The Tars jumped out to an early 13-8 lead in the first minutes before the Guilittos answered with the next five points to tie it at 13. Nikola Baran would start another Tar run with a triple that would spark a 14-2 run that would make it 27-15 for the home team. The Gulittos would fight back and after a half court heave by Lopez banked off the backboard the Tars lead was down to 1 (42-41) at halftime. The Guillitos would come out in the second half and take a 46-43 lead with 17 minutes to play. The Tars would answer with a 10-0 run to take a 53-46 lead. Piedras would "scratch and claw" back to even at 69 each with 4 minutes to go. Baran would hit a three for the Tars to make it 72-69 and they would never look back. RC would make 11 of 12 free throws to seal the win.
The Tars will be back in action Tuesday night as they will conclude this 4 game home stand with a 7:30 PM tip against Ave Maria. The Tars will look to finnish the home stand a perfect 4-0. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park and worldwide at Rollinssports.TV.
Piedras had three players in double digits. Joseph Vegerano led all scorers with 26 points. Jose Lopez chipped in 17 and Angel Acevedo netted 16. The Gulittos shot 30-59 (51%) from the field. They went 12-35 (34%) from three point land. The Guillitos killed themselves going just 9 of 16 (56%) from the foul line. Piedras had a slight edge on the boards 30-28. Piedras turned the ball over 18 times and had 7 steals.
The Tars jumped out to an early 13-8 lead in the first minutes before the Guilittos answered with the next five points to tie it at 13. Nikola Baran would start another Tar run with a triple that would spark a 14-2 run that would make it 27-15 for the home team. The Gulittos would fight back and after a half court heave by Lopez banked off the backboard the Tars lead was down to 1 (42-41) at halftime. The Guillitos would come out in the second half and take a 46-43 lead with 17 minutes to play. The Tars would answer with a 10-0 run to take a 53-46 lead. Piedras would "scratch and claw" back to even at 69 each with 4 minutes to go. Baran would hit a three for the Tars to make it 72-69 and they would never look back. RC would make 11 of 12 free throws to seal the win.
The Tars will be back in action Tuesday night as they will conclude this 4 game home stand with a 7:30 PM tip against Ave Maria. The Tars will look to finnish the home stand a perfect 4-0. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park and worldwide at Rollinssports.TV.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tars Cruise Past Royals!
The 17th ranked Rollins Tars (3-1) behind a balanced attack took care of a pesky Warner Royals team 91-75 at Warden Arena on Friday Night. The Tars were led by 4 players in double figures on the evening. Matt Robertson continued his stellar beginning of the season pacing the Tars with 21 points. Robertson was 7 of 9 from the field and 7 of 10 from the free throw line to account for his 21 points. Robertson added 7 rebounds. Nick Wolf recorded a double-double for the second consecutive game. Wolf had 20 points and also hauled down 10 rebounds. It was the 71st straight time the Senior from Cincinnati scored in double figures. Wolf was 6 of 13 from the field, 3 of 4 from three point land, and 5 for 6 at the charity stripe. Myk Brown added 14 points before fouling out in the waning minutes. Brown did not shoot the ball well from the field going just 2 of 7. Brown was 9 of 10 at the charity stripe. Brett Chance rounded out the double digit scorers for the Tars with 11 points. Chance was 5 of 9 from the field and 1 of 3 from long range. All 8 Tars who played got in the scoring column (Ian Scott 2, Trip McFall 7, Alex Castillo and Nikola Baran 8 each). The Tars were 28-57 (49%) from the floor. The Tars also shot 46% (10-22) from long distance. They got to the charity stripe 35 times making 25.
The Royals (3-1) had a pair of players in double figures. Brennan Taylor had 20 to pace the Royals. Taylor was 6 of 12 from the floor, 2 of 6 from three point land and 6 of 6 at the charity stripe. Ray Victor chipped in 11 points on 4 of shooting and 3 of 5 from three point territory. Victor added 9 rebounds. The Royals shot 51% from the field on the evening. 36% (10-28) from downtown. After going just 1 of 9 in the first half the Royals hit 9-19 triples in the second half. The Royals were 11-12 (92%) at the foul line. The Royals had 19 turnovers (only 3 in the second half). The Tars won the battle on the glass 33-26. The Tars will be back in action Monday night, as they will take on Puerto Rico- Piedras at Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 7 PM.
The Royals (3-1) had a pair of players in double figures. Brennan Taylor had 20 to pace the Royals. Taylor was 6 of 12 from the floor, 2 of 6 from three point land and 6 of 6 at the charity stripe. Ray Victor chipped in 11 points on 4 of shooting and 3 of 5 from three point territory. Victor added 9 rebounds. The Royals shot 51% from the field on the evening. 36% (10-28) from downtown. After going just 1 of 9 in the first half the Royals hit 9-19 triples in the second half. The Royals were 11-12 (92%) at the foul line. The Royals had 19 turnovers (only 3 in the second half). The Tars won the battle on the glass 33-26. The Tars will be back in action Monday night, as they will take on Puerto Rico- Piedras at Warden Arena. Tip time is set for 7 PM.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Castillo Provides Spark As Tars Big Second Half Tops Nova!
Alex Castillo had a career high 13 points as the Rollins College Tars got a 78-66 win over the Sharks from Nova Southeastern in the conference opener for both teams. The Tars (2-1 1-0 SSC) had four players score in double figures. Matt Robertson led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds on the night. The Alabama native was 9 of 11 from the floor. Myk Brown added 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting. Castillo provided 13 points on 4 of 6 shooting as well as 5 of 6 from the charity stripe. Castillo sparked a 6-0 run that tied the game at 23. Then the Tars would go up 31-29 and never trail after that. Nick Wolf had a double-double (the 33rd of his career) as he netted 12 points along with 13 rebounds. The native of Cincinnati scored in double figures for the 70th consecutive time. The Tars shot 52 percent from the field including 59 percent in the second half. The Tars were 6-14 (43%) from three point land and were a solid 22 of 27 (82%) at the foul line. The Tars did have 17 turnovers.
The Sharks fell to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the SSC. The Sharks were led by 25 points from Max Papendeick. He was 7 of 14 from the floor including 7 of 11 from long distance. Lukas Roesch was the only other Shark in double figures with 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting. The Sharks were stifled by the Tars zone defense all evening. NSU shot 36 percent from the floor. The Sharks shot 37 percent from long distance. NSU killed themselves at the charity stripe going just 11 of 21 (52%). NSU also had 18 turnovers. The Sharks won the battle on the boards 36-33.
The Tars will be back in action Friday night when they battle the Royals from Warner University. Tip time is set for 7 PM from Warden Arena at the Alfond Sports Center. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park and online at www.RollinsSports.TV
The Sharks fell to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the SSC. The Sharks were led by 25 points from Max Papendeick. He was 7 of 14 from the floor including 7 of 11 from long distance. Lukas Roesch was the only other Shark in double figures with 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting. The Sharks were stifled by the Tars zone defense all evening. NSU shot 36 percent from the floor. The Sharks shot 37 percent from long distance. NSU killed themselves at the charity stripe going just 11 of 21 (52%). NSU also had 18 turnovers. The Sharks won the battle on the boards 36-33.
The Tars will be back in action Friday night when they battle the Royals from Warner University. Tip time is set for 7 PM from Warden Arena at the Alfond Sports Center. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK Winter Park and online at www.RollinsSports.TV
Monday, November 15, 2010
Old Nemesis Tops Tars!
The Rollins College Tars got 22 points from Nick Wolf, 20 from Nikola Baran, 15 points from Matt Robertson and a career high 14 from Ian Scott but it would not be enough as the Tars fell 93-83 to Valdosta State in the Gulf State/Sunshine State Conference Challenge. The Blazers who eliminated the Tars in the regional final of the NCAA South regional a season ago and the Tars each have identical 1-1 records.
Tristan Steele led the way for the Blazers with 26 points. Steele was 8 of 14 from three point land. Kevin Harris netted 23 points while Christian Hunter added 15.
The Blazers came out red hot in the early going. Steele hit three consecutive three's as the Blazers would jump out to a 15-7 lead in the first 5 minutes. The Tars would answer, Myk Brown would spark a 9-0 run and Rollins would take a 16-15 lead with 11:27 in the half.
The Blazers would hit a couple more three's to go back up 5 (25-20). The Tars will battle back again and tie the game at 26. The nest six minutes would be played pretty evenly and the Blazers would go on a mini run right before the intermission. It would be 40-34 Valdosta at the intermission.
The Tars would come out hot in the second half. Wolf and Baran would each hit from long range as the Tars would tie the game at 46. VSU would then go on a 15-2 run that would make it 60-47 with 13:47 to go. The Tars would get no closer than 7 (85-78) the rest of the way. VSU would make 7 of 10 free throws to put this game on ice.
The Tars shot 44 percent from the field while the Blazers were a solid 58%. The Tars were 9-25 from long range (36%) while the Blazers were a sizzling 14-29 (48%) from beyond the arc. The Tars were 12 of 17 (71%) at the charity stripe. After only going to the line one time in the first half (1-1) the Blazers got to the line 23 times making 16 in the second half. Each team tallied 32 rebounds. The Tars only had 7 turnovers in the loss while the Blazers had 13.
Rollins will be back in action Wednesday night. The Tars will be at Warden Arena as they open up Sunshine State Conference play with a home tilt against Nova Southeastern. Tip time is set for 7 PM. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK in Winter Park or at www.RollinsSports.TV
Tristan Steele led the way for the Blazers with 26 points. Steele was 8 of 14 from three point land. Kevin Harris netted 23 points while Christian Hunter added 15.
The Blazers came out red hot in the early going. Steele hit three consecutive three's as the Blazers would jump out to a 15-7 lead in the first 5 minutes. The Tars would answer, Myk Brown would spark a 9-0 run and Rollins would take a 16-15 lead with 11:27 in the half.
The Blazers would hit a couple more three's to go back up 5 (25-20). The Tars will battle back again and tie the game at 26. The nest six minutes would be played pretty evenly and the Blazers would go on a mini run right before the intermission. It would be 40-34 Valdosta at the intermission.
The Tars would come out hot in the second half. Wolf and Baran would each hit from long range as the Tars would tie the game at 46. VSU would then go on a 15-2 run that would make it 60-47 with 13:47 to go. The Tars would get no closer than 7 (85-78) the rest of the way. VSU would make 7 of 10 free throws to put this game on ice.
The Tars shot 44 percent from the field while the Blazers were a solid 58%. The Tars were 9-25 from long range (36%) while the Blazers were a sizzling 14-29 (48%) from beyond the arc. The Tars were 12 of 17 (71%) at the charity stripe. After only going to the line one time in the first half (1-1) the Blazers got to the line 23 times making 16 in the second half. Each team tallied 32 rebounds. The Tars only had 7 turnovers in the loss while the Blazers had 13.
Rollins will be back in action Wednesday night. The Tars will be at Warden Arena as they open up Sunshine State Conference play with a home tilt against Nova Southeastern. Tip time is set for 7 PM. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 FM WPRK in Winter Park or at www.RollinsSports.TV
Friday, November 12, 2010
Robertson's Career Night Lifts Tars Past DSU!
Matt Robertson poured in a career high 24 points and Nick Wolf added 19 to score in double figures for the 68th consecutive time as the Rollins Tars (1-0) defeated the Delta State Statesman (0-1) 82-70 in the Gulf South/Sunshine State Conference Challenge. Robertson added 8 rebounds, 4 assists and a career high five steals for Rollins. Robertson was 10 of 13 from the field and 3 of 3 at the foul line on the evening. He also added 1 of 2 from long range.
Nick Wolf scored in double digits for the 68th consecutive time as he had 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Chris Malcolm scored 9 points in his debut in a Tar uniform. Brett Chance and Myk Brown netted 8 points each for RC. The Tars shot 30-54 (56%) on the night including a sizzling 17 of 26 in the second half. The Tars were 19 of 27 (70%) at the charity stripe. Rollins did struggle, going just 3 of 15 from three point land Friday.
Delta State was led by 3 players in double figures. Chris Poellnitz had 20 points for the Statesman. Arian Maliqi netted 16 while Marqueys Brown tallied 12. DSU shot 48% from the field and hit 10 of 25 from distance. DSU was only 4-9 (44%) at the foul line.
The Tars won the battle of the boards 32-28. Each team tallied 20 assists. DSU had 18 turnovers while the Tars committed only 11. Rollins also had 12 steals led by five from Robertson, DSU only had 2 steals.
The Tars came out quickly and scored the game's first four points. Delta would take a 7-6 lead five minutes in. This would be the only lead of the game for the Statesman. The Tars would then go on a run that would make it 18-11 with 8:34 in the opening stanza.
Delta State would cut the lead to four on a pair of occasions but it the Tars would make a late run that would give them a 35-25 lead at the intermission.
The Statesman came out sizzling in the second stanza. A 16-4 run by DSU would cut the Tar lead to 2 at 41-39. Robertson would tip in a miss and then a Wolf trey would make it 46-39 Tars. DSU would answer with a 7-0 run of their own that would tie the game at 46 with 14:56 to play.
Robertson would take over from there. The Birmingham,Alabama native would score the Tars next nine points and give them a 7 point lead at 55-48. The Tars would never look back. The lead would balloon to 13 at 70-57 with 5 minutes to go and the Tars would cruise from there. The Tars will be back in action Saturday at 8 PM when they face the host Blazers from Valdosta State.
Nick Wolf scored in double digits for the 68th consecutive time as he had 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Chris Malcolm scored 9 points in his debut in a Tar uniform. Brett Chance and Myk Brown netted 8 points each for RC. The Tars shot 30-54 (56%) on the night including a sizzling 17 of 26 in the second half. The Tars were 19 of 27 (70%) at the charity stripe. Rollins did struggle, going just 3 of 15 from three point land Friday.
Delta State was led by 3 players in double figures. Chris Poellnitz had 20 points for the Statesman. Arian Maliqi netted 16 while Marqueys Brown tallied 12. DSU shot 48% from the field and hit 10 of 25 from distance. DSU was only 4-9 (44%) at the foul line.
The Tars won the battle of the boards 32-28. Each team tallied 20 assists. DSU had 18 turnovers while the Tars committed only 11. Rollins also had 12 steals led by five from Robertson, DSU only had 2 steals.
The Tars came out quickly and scored the game's first four points. Delta would take a 7-6 lead five minutes in. This would be the only lead of the game for the Statesman. The Tars would then go on a run that would make it 18-11 with 8:34 in the opening stanza.
Delta State would cut the lead to four on a pair of occasions but it the Tars would make a late run that would give them a 35-25 lead at the intermission.
The Statesman came out sizzling in the second stanza. A 16-4 run by DSU would cut the Tar lead to 2 at 41-39. Robertson would tip in a miss and then a Wolf trey would make it 46-39 Tars. DSU would answer with a 7-0 run of their own that would tie the game at 46 with 14:56 to play.
Robertson would take over from there. The Birmingham,Alabama native would score the Tars next nine points and give them a 7 point lead at 55-48. The Tars would never look back. The lead would balloon to 13 at 70-57 with 5 minutes to go and the Tars would cruise from there. The Tars will be back in action Saturday at 8 PM when they face the host Blazers from Valdosta State.
2010-2011 Rollins College Tars Mens Basketball Player Profiles
Starters:
Ian Scott (#21)
Guard (Mount Dora,Fla., Mount Dora High)
6-3 170
Junior
Scott averaged 5.7 points a game coming off the Tars bench last season. Scott was one of the team's most prolific foul shooters a year ago, shooting at a 73 percent clip.
Scott is known as the best defender on this Rollins team. He is one of the best defenders in all of the Sunshine State Conference. Scott led the SSC with 56 steals a year ago.
"I would say that I react very quickly and do not second guess myself," Scott says about playing on top of the Tars zone defense. "I often try and bait the offense into doing something they don't want to and it works quite often. Defensive is all about hustle and being deceptive. I would rate my defense as a solid 8.9 out of 10."Scott Says."
Teammate Alex Castillo said: "Obviously you know how gifted Ian is defensively and the team knows it too. I expect Ian to be in the game with 3 minutes left because of what he does on the defensive end."
Rollins forward Chris Malcolm says Ian does well on defense because he is always active. "He is constantly moving,"Malcolm said. Basically he hustles hard."
Pete's take: The most improved player in the last two years.
Nick Wolf(#2)
Guard(Cincinnati,OH, St.Xavier High School)
6-6 207
Senior
Wolf comes into this season as a candidate for Division II National Player of The Year. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game a year ago.
Last season Wolf was the Most Outstanding Player in the Division II South Regional Tournament in Russellville, Ark, where the Tars were eliminated by Valdosta State in the regional final.
Wolf was second on the Tars with 105 free throw attempts a year ago. He was All-Sunshine State Conference First Team each of the past two seasons. He was last year's SSC Player of the Year. He also was on the All-Tournament First Team when the Tars won the SSC tournament title last season.
Wolf thinks his biggest improvement from a year ago is his ability to get to the rim off the dribble.
"I was always a good shooter but the thing I have improved upon is my moves off the dribble,"Wolf said"
Wolf is one of the best 3-point shooters on the Tars. "He shoots the 3 with so much confidence,"teammate Trip McFall said. Fellow Guard Ian Scott agrees.
"Nick has a quick release and is long, making it difficult to stop his shot,"Scott said.
Said teammate Chris Malcolm: "Nick Wolf is the best 3 point shooter on the team. He's probably one of the best shooters I have seen in a while. It actually kind of surprised me."Malcolm said."
Wolf says in the Tars offense you need to be able to score in more ways than one. "So if you're not shooting well from 3 then you get your work done inside,"he said."
Wolf led the team in minutes played last season at 34.8 a night.
"The toughest part on our team to replace is the experience and seniority we had with Greg, Brock, Julian and Ryan,"Wolf said". It was nice to be able to trust in your bench and know that they knew where to go on offense as well as defense."Wolf said.
Pete's take: The Tars best all around player
Nikola Baran(#33)
Center/Forward (Zagreb, Croatia)
6-7 225
Senior
Baran, a transfer from Northwestern, averaged eight points per game a season ago.
"Nikola's best aspect of his game is to step out and hit the 3,"Nick Wolf said. "When he is on it makes the team that much better because his man has to step out and guard him rather than sag back and play help defense."Wolf said".
Teammate Myk Brown agrees that the team is at it's best when Baran stretches the defense. "The best three point shooter on the team is Nikola hands down, he proved that last season"Brown said. Baran hit the game winning three at the horn to eliminate Barry in last season's Sweet 16 win. "Biggest adjustment for me was getting used to new coaches and new teammates" Baran said about the difference between DI and DII. Baran stated that:"This year's team is different than last's." We have many skilled and athletic players" Baran said.
" Since last year the biggest improvement for me has been my conditioning and this will hopefully allow me to play longer and harder"Said Baran.
He started 16 of 30 games for the Tars a season ago. He stepped into the starting lineup January 8th when Greg Sweeney Jr. was lost for the season.
Pete's take: If you ever need a hustle play- someone to take a charge or pick up a loose ball- Nikola is your guy.
Matt Robertson (#3)
Forward (Birmingham,Alabama, Briarwood Christian High School)
6-8 234
Senior
Is a transfer from Samford, Robertson averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game in 27.1 minutes last season. Robertson started every game for the Tars in the 2009-10 season.
The biggest adjustment for Matt is being so far away from family. He went from playing at Samford which is fifteen minutes away from Birmingham to Rollins which is ten hours away. You will always see Matt's wife Anne and the whole Robertson clan in attendance when at all possible.
On the toughest part to replace from last season's Senior class Robertson states "What they brought to the team, selfless leadership and intense work ethic".
Pete's take: Tars windex
Myk Brown (#32)
Guard/Forward (Gainesville,Fla., P.K. Yonge High School)
Junior
Brown is a transfer from VCU. He also started every game for the Tars last season. Brown was also the MOP of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, leading the Tars to the title at Nova Southeastern. He is one of the top guys in the conference at getting to the foul line. Brown attempted 220 free throws last season and shot 79.1% from the stripe. He also shot 46% from the field and 33.6% from long range.
On living the dream per say and the biggest transition from DI to DII this is what Brown said: "Playing at the DI level is what we all dream about as athletes. The atmosphere on game day was amazing. We traveled on charter jets at VCU for away games, we ate real well and got gear almost everyday. It was a dream come true."Brown said."
"I would say the biggest adjustment was getting used to the size of the school. Going from roughly 35,000 student to 2,000 was a big change, not saying that it was a negative.
On his role for this season Brown said this: "I don't think my role on the team has changed much from last season. The coaches want me to be a leader out on the floor and play as hard as I can game in and game out."
Pete's take: Brown will create his own shot or get one for his teammates. When he gets hot (like he did with 19 points in 5 minutes vs Florida Southern last year) he is nearly unstoppable.
Bench Players:
Alex Castillo (#25)
Guard (Winter Park,Fla., Lake Howell High School)
6-4 200
Senior
Castillo is a transfer from Warner University. He averaged 1.9 points a game in limited action a season ago.
On his role last year Castillo said: "I'm happy to be part of such a phenomenal team and met this group of fantastic guys."
Brock Blanchard, who is now a graduate assistant for the Tars and Ryan Ferranti who also played the same position as Castillo cut into his minutes last season.
On his role this season Castillo said: My role is going to be increased significantly from last year. "The team expects me to fill some shoes that were crucial to last year's success." he said.
"The Senior class of myself,Baran, Wolf and Robertson is pretty special,"Castillo said."
"He said I think having some vets means stronger accountability all around, whereas a team of young bucks would wither come February and March. "
Chris Malcolm is impressed with Castillo as a defender: "Alex I think always puts himself in the right place at the right time, he rotates very well on defense and that is a big asset." Malcolm said"
Ian Scott has this to say about his counterpart: "Alex is very long and active which makes it difficult to get off shots and passes."Scott said."
Pete's take: Castillo has paid his dues. It is his time to shine this season.
Brett Chance (#15)
Guard (Oviedo,Fla., Lake Howell High School)
6-2 190
Junior
A transfer from Canisius, Brett looks to rebound from a injury plagued 2009-10 season. Chance only appeared in one game last year and was medically red shirted. His season was cut short by hip impingement surgery. It is a condition of too much friction in the hip joint. Basically the ball and socket rub abnormally creating damage to the hip joint and cartilage. Brett decided to have surgery at the beginning of last season because the pain was getting to be unbearable. Brett has dealt with this problem since his Sophomore year of high school. He said the surgery was a very easy process.
"They went in their using the arthroscopic tool and cleaned up the cartilage and shaved down the bone that was rubbing."I can't wait to get out there and be part of something special at Rollins,"Chance said". "He said my body feels good, I put in a lot of hard work this summer getting into shape so my body wouldn't break down during the season. "I am 100% now and ready to go."Chance said."
"On the defensive end not to many things are going to get by our team. 'We take pride in our defense out there, people say it is really cliche to say but "defense wins championships" and I think everyone is locked in on the court and ready to shut down the other team and get stops".
Fellow sharpshooter Nick Wolf says: "I think Brett will be a big asset to our team. He knows how to handle the ball, is a good passer, and plays the game hard. He is a competitor "Wolf said."
Myk Brown agrees: Getting Brett back is big for us because he adds depth to our guard position and he adds to our athleticism"Brown said".
Pete's take: The return of Chance is huge for this season's Tars. All signs are he is back better than ever this season.
Kyle Schneider (#14)
Guard (Winter Park,Fla, Winter Park High School)
5-10 180
Red Shirt Freshman
Kyle will mostly take over the role that Castillo had a year ago.
"The toughest part of red shirting for me last season was just wanting to get out on the court and contribute to the team". Schneider said.
Pete's take: Schneider will not see much action this season but will work hard when he is out there.
Jeff Dirkin (#5)
Forward (Oak Park,Illinois, Oak Park High School)
Freshman
The biggest transition from high school to college Dirkin says is the speed of the game.
"Moving and thinking at that pace is what separates the veterans from the younger players" Dirkin says.
His natural position is power forward but Dirkin hopes to develop his ball handling skills to be a small forward as he progresses.
"We run the Princeton offense so the positions are pretty much the same for guys who are not in the post "Dirkin says".
He said the great thing about this team is we are full of shooters who can fill it up. "If anyone has a open 3 it's a 70% shot Dirkin says. "One of the greatest assets of this team is having such a great Senior class to lean on" he says.
Teammate Myk Brown said: "I am not sure if coach is planning on red shirting Jeff but he can spread the floor with his ability to shoot the ball".
Pete's take: How much Dirkin plays this season may depend on how much he improved his ball handling skills and how well he rebounds.
Trip McFall (#10)
Guard (Indianapolis,Indiana, North Central High School)
6-3 195
Freshman
McFall said: "The first meeting with the coaches was the deciding factor for me when I came on my visit. "
"On the throne you have Coach Klusman who has been with the program for 30 years. "Right behind him is Coach Ash who knows the program like he has been there for 30 years".
"After meeting with them their is no way I could pass up such an opportunity.
Myk Brown likes the way McFall shoots the ball: Trip can spread the floor with his ability to shoot the ball."Brown said"
Pete's take: McFall is known for his outside shooting. He will also surprise you in the other aspects of his game.
Chris Malcolm (#30)
Forward (Orlando,Fla, Timber Creek High School)
6-8 220
Junior
Malcolm missed the exhibition opener at Florida State with a sprained knee. He should be ready to go November 12th at the Valdosta Tip off Classic. Malcolm is another DI transfer, he started his college career at Winthrop.
On the biggest adjustment from DI to Rollins this is what Malcolm had to say: "The biggest adjustment for me is how laid back things are here at Rollins. I had been so used to having someone on my back or in my ear about everything. It actually made me kind of nervous about how hands off the coaches are here at Rollins are because I am so used to having most things in general taken care of for me"Malcolm said".
On the possibility of playing any familiar opponents since he is from the area Malcolm said this:
" I am not sure if I will be playing any familiar opponents this upcoming season, most of the guys that I am familiar with are playing at various DI schools throughout the country.
Ian Scott had some praise for one of the newest members of the Tars: "Chris Malcolm will surprise some people this season, as well as Alex, both are very long and active making it hard to get off shots and passes, You can not teach what Malcolm brings defensively,"Scott says".
Alex Castillo agreed with Scott that Malcolm will be a big asset especially on the defensive end. " He allows us to be more free in our defense because of the ground that he can cover with his size" Castillo said.
Pete's take: Malcolm will be a force inside especially at the defensive end. He will block plenty of shots and alter plenty more.
Ian Scott (#21)
Guard (Mount Dora,Fla., Mount Dora High)
6-3 170
Junior
Scott averaged 5.7 points a game coming off the Tars bench last season. Scott was one of the team's most prolific foul shooters a year ago, shooting at a 73 percent clip.
Scott is known as the best defender on this Rollins team. He is one of the best defenders in all of the Sunshine State Conference. Scott led the SSC with 56 steals a year ago.
"I would say that I react very quickly and do not second guess myself," Scott says about playing on top of the Tars zone defense. "I often try and bait the offense into doing something they don't want to and it works quite often. Defensive is all about hustle and being deceptive. I would rate my defense as a solid 8.9 out of 10."Scott Says."
Teammate Alex Castillo said: "Obviously you know how gifted Ian is defensively and the team knows it too. I expect Ian to be in the game with 3 minutes left because of what he does on the defensive end."
Rollins forward Chris Malcolm says Ian does well on defense because he is always active. "He is constantly moving,"Malcolm said. Basically he hustles hard."
Pete's take: The most improved player in the last two years.
Nick Wolf(#2)
Guard(Cincinnati,OH, St.Xavier High School)
6-6 207
Senior
Wolf comes into this season as a candidate for Division II National Player of The Year. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game a year ago.
Last season Wolf was the Most Outstanding Player in the Division II South Regional Tournament in Russellville, Ark, where the Tars were eliminated by Valdosta State in the regional final.
Wolf was second on the Tars with 105 free throw attempts a year ago. He was All-Sunshine State Conference First Team each of the past two seasons. He was last year's SSC Player of the Year. He also was on the All-Tournament First Team when the Tars won the SSC tournament title last season.
Wolf thinks his biggest improvement from a year ago is his ability to get to the rim off the dribble.
"I was always a good shooter but the thing I have improved upon is my moves off the dribble,"Wolf said"
Wolf is one of the best 3-point shooters on the Tars. "He shoots the 3 with so much confidence,"teammate Trip McFall said. Fellow Guard Ian Scott agrees.
"Nick has a quick release and is long, making it difficult to stop his shot,"Scott said.
Said teammate Chris Malcolm: "Nick Wolf is the best 3 point shooter on the team. He's probably one of the best shooters I have seen in a while. It actually kind of surprised me."Malcolm said."
Wolf says in the Tars offense you need to be able to score in more ways than one. "So if you're not shooting well from 3 then you get your work done inside,"he said."
Wolf led the team in minutes played last season at 34.8 a night.
"The toughest part on our team to replace is the experience and seniority we had with Greg, Brock, Julian and Ryan,"Wolf said". It was nice to be able to trust in your bench and know that they knew where to go on offense as well as defense."Wolf said.
Pete's take: The Tars best all around player
Nikola Baran(#33)
Center/Forward (Zagreb, Croatia)
6-7 225
Senior
Baran, a transfer from Northwestern, averaged eight points per game a season ago.
"Nikola's best aspect of his game is to step out and hit the 3,"Nick Wolf said. "When he is on it makes the team that much better because his man has to step out and guard him rather than sag back and play help defense."Wolf said".
Teammate Myk Brown agrees that the team is at it's best when Baran stretches the defense. "The best three point shooter on the team is Nikola hands down, he proved that last season"Brown said. Baran hit the game winning three at the horn to eliminate Barry in last season's Sweet 16 win. "Biggest adjustment for me was getting used to new coaches and new teammates" Baran said about the difference between DI and DII. Baran stated that:"This year's team is different than last's." We have many skilled and athletic players" Baran said.
" Since last year the biggest improvement for me has been my conditioning and this will hopefully allow me to play longer and harder"Said Baran.
He started 16 of 30 games for the Tars a season ago. He stepped into the starting lineup January 8th when Greg Sweeney Jr. was lost for the season.
Pete's take: If you ever need a hustle play- someone to take a charge or pick up a loose ball- Nikola is your guy.
Matt Robertson (#3)
Forward (Birmingham,Alabama, Briarwood Christian High School)
6-8 234
Senior
Is a transfer from Samford, Robertson averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game in 27.1 minutes last season. Robertson started every game for the Tars in the 2009-10 season.
The biggest adjustment for Matt is being so far away from family. He went from playing at Samford which is fifteen minutes away from Birmingham to Rollins which is ten hours away. You will always see Matt's wife Anne and the whole Robertson clan in attendance when at all possible.
On the toughest part to replace from last season's Senior class Robertson states "What they brought to the team, selfless leadership and intense work ethic".
Pete's take: Tars windex
Myk Brown (#32)
Guard/Forward (Gainesville,Fla., P.K. Yonge High School)
Junior
Brown is a transfer from VCU. He also started every game for the Tars last season. Brown was also the MOP of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, leading the Tars to the title at Nova Southeastern. He is one of the top guys in the conference at getting to the foul line. Brown attempted 220 free throws last season and shot 79.1% from the stripe. He also shot 46% from the field and 33.6% from long range.
On living the dream per say and the biggest transition from DI to DII this is what Brown said: "Playing at the DI level is what we all dream about as athletes. The atmosphere on game day was amazing. We traveled on charter jets at VCU for away games, we ate real well and got gear almost everyday. It was a dream come true."Brown said."
"I would say the biggest adjustment was getting used to the size of the school. Going from roughly 35,000 student to 2,000 was a big change, not saying that it was a negative.
On his role for this season Brown said this: "I don't think my role on the team has changed much from last season. The coaches want me to be a leader out on the floor and play as hard as I can game in and game out."
Pete's take: Brown will create his own shot or get one for his teammates. When he gets hot (like he did with 19 points in 5 minutes vs Florida Southern last year) he is nearly unstoppable.
Bench Players:
Alex Castillo (#25)
Guard (Winter Park,Fla., Lake Howell High School)
6-4 200
Senior
Castillo is a transfer from Warner University. He averaged 1.9 points a game in limited action a season ago.
On his role last year Castillo said: "I'm happy to be part of such a phenomenal team and met this group of fantastic guys."
Brock Blanchard, who is now a graduate assistant for the Tars and Ryan Ferranti who also played the same position as Castillo cut into his minutes last season.
On his role this season Castillo said: My role is going to be increased significantly from last year. "The team expects me to fill some shoes that were crucial to last year's success." he said.
"The Senior class of myself,Baran, Wolf and Robertson is pretty special,"Castillo said."
"He said I think having some vets means stronger accountability all around, whereas a team of young bucks would wither come February and March. "
Chris Malcolm is impressed with Castillo as a defender: "Alex I think always puts himself in the right place at the right time, he rotates very well on defense and that is a big asset." Malcolm said"
Ian Scott has this to say about his counterpart: "Alex is very long and active which makes it difficult to get off shots and passes."Scott said."
Pete's take: Castillo has paid his dues. It is his time to shine this season.
Brett Chance (#15)
Guard (Oviedo,Fla., Lake Howell High School)
6-2 190
Junior
A transfer from Canisius, Brett looks to rebound from a injury plagued 2009-10 season. Chance only appeared in one game last year and was medically red shirted. His season was cut short by hip impingement surgery. It is a condition of too much friction in the hip joint. Basically the ball and socket rub abnormally creating damage to the hip joint and cartilage. Brett decided to have surgery at the beginning of last season because the pain was getting to be unbearable. Brett has dealt with this problem since his Sophomore year of high school. He said the surgery was a very easy process.
"They went in their using the arthroscopic tool and cleaned up the cartilage and shaved down the bone that was rubbing."I can't wait to get out there and be part of something special at Rollins,"Chance said". "He said my body feels good, I put in a lot of hard work this summer getting into shape so my body wouldn't break down during the season. "I am 100% now and ready to go."Chance said."
"On the defensive end not to many things are going to get by our team. 'We take pride in our defense out there, people say it is really cliche to say but "defense wins championships" and I think everyone is locked in on the court and ready to shut down the other team and get stops".
Fellow sharpshooter Nick Wolf says: "I think Brett will be a big asset to our team. He knows how to handle the ball, is a good passer, and plays the game hard. He is a competitor "Wolf said."
Myk Brown agrees: Getting Brett back is big for us because he adds depth to our guard position and he adds to our athleticism"Brown said".
Pete's take: The return of Chance is huge for this season's Tars. All signs are he is back better than ever this season.
Kyle Schneider (#14)
Guard (Winter Park,Fla, Winter Park High School)
5-10 180
Red Shirt Freshman
Kyle will mostly take over the role that Castillo had a year ago.
"The toughest part of red shirting for me last season was just wanting to get out on the court and contribute to the team". Schneider said.
Pete's take: Schneider will not see much action this season but will work hard when he is out there.
Jeff Dirkin (#5)
Forward (Oak Park,Illinois, Oak Park High School)
Freshman
The biggest transition from high school to college Dirkin says is the speed of the game.
"Moving and thinking at that pace is what separates the veterans from the younger players" Dirkin says.
His natural position is power forward but Dirkin hopes to develop his ball handling skills to be a small forward as he progresses.
"We run the Princeton offense so the positions are pretty much the same for guys who are not in the post "Dirkin says".
He said the great thing about this team is we are full of shooters who can fill it up. "If anyone has a open 3 it's a 70% shot Dirkin says. "One of the greatest assets of this team is having such a great Senior class to lean on" he says.
Teammate Myk Brown said: "I am not sure if coach is planning on red shirting Jeff but he can spread the floor with his ability to shoot the ball".
Pete's take: How much Dirkin plays this season may depend on how much he improved his ball handling skills and how well he rebounds.
Trip McFall (#10)
Guard (Indianapolis,Indiana, North Central High School)
6-3 195
Freshman
McFall said: "The first meeting with the coaches was the deciding factor for me when I came on my visit. "
"On the throne you have Coach Klusman who has been with the program for 30 years. "Right behind him is Coach Ash who knows the program like he has been there for 30 years".
"After meeting with them their is no way I could pass up such an opportunity.
Myk Brown likes the way McFall shoots the ball: Trip can spread the floor with his ability to shoot the ball."Brown said"
Pete's take: McFall is known for his outside shooting. He will also surprise you in the other aspects of his game.
Chris Malcolm (#30)
Forward (Orlando,Fla, Timber Creek High School)
6-8 220
Junior
Malcolm missed the exhibition opener at Florida State with a sprained knee. He should be ready to go November 12th at the Valdosta Tip off Classic. Malcolm is another DI transfer, he started his college career at Winthrop.
On the biggest adjustment from DI to Rollins this is what Malcolm had to say: "The biggest adjustment for me is how laid back things are here at Rollins. I had been so used to having someone on my back or in my ear about everything. It actually made me kind of nervous about how hands off the coaches are here at Rollins are because I am so used to having most things in general taken care of for me"Malcolm said".
On the possibility of playing any familiar opponents since he is from the area Malcolm said this:
" I am not sure if I will be playing any familiar opponents this upcoming season, most of the guys that I am familiar with are playing at various DI schools throughout the country.
Ian Scott had some praise for one of the newest members of the Tars: "Chris Malcolm will surprise some people this season, as well as Alex, both are very long and active making it hard to get off shots and passes, You can not teach what Malcolm brings defensively,"Scott says".
Alex Castillo agreed with Scott that Malcolm will be a big asset especially on the defensive end. " He allows us to be more free in our defense because of the ground that he can cover with his size" Castillo said.
Pete's take: Malcolm will be a force inside especially at the defensive end. He will block plenty of shots and alter plenty more.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tars Hang Tough, Fall 95-74 To FSU.
The Rollins College Tars started the 2010-11 campaign with a 95-74 exhibition loss to the Florida State Seminoles at the Donald L.Tucker Center in Tallahassee Wednesday night. The Tars were led by three players in double figures. Matt Robertson paced the Tars with 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds on 9 of 13 shooting. Nikola Baran nailed 4 three pointers and netted 17 points. Nick Wolf posted 15 points to go along with 8 rebounds for Rollins.
The Tars got off to a sluggish start in the early going. Florida State would miss the first three shots they would attempt but would get three offensive rebounds before a three pointer finally fell for Devidas Dulkys. The Noles would score the next 4 points to make it 7-0 as Tom Klusman would get a early timeout. The Tars would get a bucket from "downtown" Myk Brown off the timeout that would make it 7-3. The Noles would then go on another 17-4 run that would make it 24-7 for the Seminoles. Chris Singleton led FSU with 22 points while Okaro White would tally 17 off the bench. FSU's lead would balloon to 20 at 33-13 with seven minutes left in the first half. The 17th ranked Tars would get back within 12 at 37-25 on a barrage of three pointers. Nikola Baran would hit a pair of treys, Brett Chance added one and Ian Scott would bury a trifecta but FSU would steal the momentum back before the intermission. It would be 48-32 in favor of the Seminoles going into the halftime break.
The Tars would settle down and play a very sold second half. Four times the Tars would get within 12 only to have the Noles hit a trey on each occassion. Matt Robertson would get a put back to go and RC would be within 11 at 62-51 with 12 minutes to go. That would be as close as the Tars would get.
FSU would win the battle of the boards 36-31. The Noles shot 57 percent from the field while the Tars shot 45 percent. The Tars had 18 turnovers which cost them 25 points. RC also forced 17 FSU miscues. The Tars will open the regular season next Friday November 12th in the Valdosta Tip Off Classic where they will face Delta State on Friday. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 WPRK Winter Park as well as www.rollinssports.tv as Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Nate Weyant will have the call.
The Tars got off to a sluggish start in the early going. Florida State would miss the first three shots they would attempt but would get three offensive rebounds before a three pointer finally fell for Devidas Dulkys. The Noles would score the next 4 points to make it 7-0 as Tom Klusman would get a early timeout. The Tars would get a bucket from "downtown" Myk Brown off the timeout that would make it 7-3. The Noles would then go on another 17-4 run that would make it 24-7 for the Seminoles. Chris Singleton led FSU with 22 points while Okaro White would tally 17 off the bench. FSU's lead would balloon to 20 at 33-13 with seven minutes left in the first half. The 17th ranked Tars would get back within 12 at 37-25 on a barrage of three pointers. Nikola Baran would hit a pair of treys, Brett Chance added one and Ian Scott would bury a trifecta but FSU would steal the momentum back before the intermission. It would be 48-32 in favor of the Seminoles going into the halftime break.
The Tars would settle down and play a very sold second half. Four times the Tars would get within 12 only to have the Noles hit a trey on each occassion. Matt Robertson would get a put back to go and RC would be within 11 at 62-51 with 12 minutes to go. That would be as close as the Tars would get.
FSU would win the battle of the boards 36-31. The Noles shot 57 percent from the field while the Tars shot 45 percent. The Tars had 18 turnovers which cost them 25 points. RC also forced 17 FSU miscues. The Tars will open the regular season next Friday November 12th in the Valdosta Tip Off Classic where they will face Delta State on Friday. As always you can catch all the action on 91.5 WPRK Winter Park as well as www.rollinssports.tv as Jim "Shooter" Ferro and Nate Weyant will have the call.
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