Patriot League report

SportsLine.com Report
June 11, 2000

A glance at 2001

Bucknell's bubble burst in the league tournament when the Bison became the first No. 3 seed to lose an opening-round game. No. 6 Lehigh shocked Bucknell 72-63 and the Bison never got their coveted shot at Lafayette, which beat them in last year's title game.

Bucknell's 17-11 season included winning the championship of the season-opening Pepsi-Marist Classic by beating Maine and Marist. The Bison also beat NEC tournament finalist Robert Morris and lost by just four to Penn State.

However, Pat Flannery's club lost twice each to league co-champions Navy and Lafayette while beating everyone else in the league two times for an 8-4 mark.

More was expected from the Bison this season so it ultimately was a disappointment. But when the seniors' entire body of work over four seasons is analyzed, Bucknell basketball still remains a model for the rest of the league to follow.

The coach

Pat Flannery, the former feisty Bison point guard, often seems to be the fish swimming upstream. He sees Holy Cross and Lehigh going to scholarships. He sees Don DeVoe stocking a wealthy program at Navy, and he sees the school closest to Bucknell in size and stature, Lafayette, elevating to a higher level under Fran O'Hanlon. Flannery wonders how he can make ends meet in Lewisburg and stay competitive in the Patriot League. Yet somehow he always does. Bucknell may never commit to scholarships, but the school is close to building a new basketball facility, which should help in recruiting.

Who'll be back

Point guard Bryan Bailey, who was one of the top surprises as a sophomore this winter, is the lone returning starter. Freshman Danny Blankenship (6-2, 180) got more playing time in the backcourt as the season wore on. Another freshman, Brian Werner (6-8, 210), blossomed late and should step in at center/power forward next year.

A key for the Bison will be the development of Boakai Lalugba (6-6, 190) at forward and how well sharpshooter Jake Ramage can return from knee surgery that kept him out of the entire 1999-2000 season. Flannery needs an impact freshman or two next season to remain among the league's elite.

Who's gone

No team loses more seniors -- five -- than Bucknell. Dan Bowen (15.3 ppg), a two-time all league center, started all but one game in his career. Valter Karavanic (9.3 ppg) and versatile Brian Muckle were three-year starters. Forward Dyrika Cameron contributed seven points and five rebounds a game in his first season as a starter, and Shaun Asbury thrived as Flannery's first player off the bench. Though they never won a league title, this group played in two championship games and never finished lower than third in the regular season.