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Quick
Facts Athletics
Staff Sports
Information Men's Basketball
Information Starters Returning (1): Billy Wells (Sr. G, 6-0, 8.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, .392 3-pt FG%, 2.4 apg, 52 steals) Starters Lost (4): Mike Pegues (F, 6-5, 20.8 ppg, UD leading career scorer with 2,030 points, 7.7 rpg); John Gordon (G, 5-10, 10.3 ppg, 38.1% 3-pt FG%, UD career leader in 3-pt FG%); Kestutis Marciulionis (G, 6-2, 14.3 ppg, 82.2% FT, UD career leader in 3-pt FG and 3-pt FGA); Ndongo Ndiaye (F, 7-1, 3.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, UD single-season record 99 blocks) Other Lettermen Returning (3): Greg Miller (G, Sr., 6-4, 32 GP, 12 starts, 5.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 46-48 FTs, 46 consecutive made FTs at one point, 34.6% 3-pt. FG); Austen Rowland (G, So., 6-1, 29 GP, seven starts, 4.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 30.2% 3-pt FG); Dave Hindenlang (F, So., 6-8, 11 GP, 1.5 ppg) Other Lettermen Lost (2): Madou Diouf (G/F, 6-5, 30 GP, 15 starts, 7.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 54.2% FG, 43 steals); Darryl Presley (F, 6-6, 13 GP, eight starts, 10.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 52% FG, 80.4% FT, missed 19 games due to variety of injuries) Newcomers (8): Ajmal Basit (C,
Sr., 6-9, transfer from Massachusetts, sat out last season);
Maurice Sessoms (F, So., 6-8, transfer from
Wisconsin, sat out last season); Ryan Iversen (G,
Fr.-r, 6-3, transfer from Minnesota, sat out last season);
Mark Curry (F, Fr., 6-5, Seton Hall Prep/E. Orange,
NJ, Area Player of the Year, Third-team all-state,
First-team All-Parochial and all-county); Robin Wentt
(F, Fr. 6-8, DeMatha/Silver Spring, MD, MVP 2000 Capital
Classic, team MVP); Mike Ames (G, Fr., 6-3, St. Pius
X/Phoenixville, PA, two-time Pottstown Mercury Player of the
Year, second-team all-state, three-time first-team
all-league selection); Sean Knitter (F, Fr., 6-8,
Penn Charter/ Philadelphia, PA, first-team all-state and
all-city); David Lunn (G, Fr., 6-4,
McDonogh/Baltimore, MD, two-time All-Metro selection,
McDonogh's career leader in assists, steals and points) New Look Hens Hope to Continue Winning Ways Under Henderson
Depending on how you want to look at the University of Delaware's outlook for the 2000-01 men's basketball season, you could project it as either a rebuilding or a reloading mode.
Either way, it will certainly be a new look for first-year head coach David Henderson and his Fightin' Blue Hens. Consider that the Blue Hens lost head coach Mike Brey (to the Notre Dame head job in July), four out of five starters, and six of 11 letterwinners in the winningest class in school history. Consider that of the four starters Delaware lost include Mike Pegues, the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,030 points and holder of man Blue Hen single-game, single-season and career records, Kestutis Marciulionis, the school's career three-point field goal leader and a member of the 2000 Lithuanian Olympic Team, John Gordon, Delaware's most prolific three-point shooter ever, and Ndongo Ndiaye, the school's first-ever 7-footer who became one of the top shot blockers last season in setting a single-season record with 99 blocks. On the other hand, consider the Blue Hens had one of the best early signing classes last year, signing all five recruits during the early period. Also, factor in three talented transfers who sat out last season in 6-9 forward Ajmal Basit (University of Massachusetts), 6-8 forward Maurice Sessoms (University of Wisconsin) and 6-3 shooting guard Ryan Iversen (recruited to play linebacker at University of Minnesota and a finalist for Mr. Minnesota in basketball as a senior). In addition, the Blue Hens do return three players who saw significant playing time in the backcourt in senior guards Billy Wells and Greg Miller and sophomore Austen Rowland. It all makes things quite interesting for Henderson, a 1986 graduate of Duke who was a Blue Devils assistant under Mike Krzyzewski the last three seasons after a 10-year professional career with the NBA Philadelphia 76ers and in Europe. He inherits a Blue Hens program that has built quite a bit of momentum and tradition over the last five seasons under Brey, winning 99 games, two America East titles, advancing to two NCAA Tournament appearances, and appearing in the NIT Tournament for the first time in school history last season. By all accounts, Henderson seems to be just the right person to keep things going strong at Delaware. "I think he is absolutely perfect for Delaware and is ready to be a head coach," said Krzyzewski of his former standout player and coach. "He did a fantastic job for me for the last three years. He showed a toughness and competitiveness that will serve him well as a head coach." Rowland and Wells will be the catalysts in a tandem guard set. The two teamed up a considerable amount of the time last year when Gordon went down with a broken foot in the preseason. Wells, a native of Baltimore, MD who appeared in all 32 games last year after sitting out the 1998-99 season due to his transfer from Tulane, is UD's leading returning scorer (8.7 ppg) and rebounder (2.9 rpg) and led the Blue Hens in steals last year with 52. Rowland, a sophomore from Hyattsville, MD, had a steady freshman season. He was thrown into the fire relatively early with the foot injury to John Gordon, including a start at Arizona against All-American Gilbert Arenas. However, as Brey stated on many times, you just kept waiting for Rowland to start playing like a freshman and he didn't, appearing in 29 games with seven starts and averaging 4.1 ppg and 2.0 apg, while ranking as one of the top in America East in assist/turnover ratio (+2.0). Miller and Iversen will be the third guard / small forward in the Blue Hen alignment. Miller is a three-year letterwinner who can shoot the three-pointer and was one of the top foul shooters in the nation last year, although he failed to meet the NCAA minimums. Miller, a fifth-year senior from Mt. Holly, NJ, made a UD and America East record 46 consecutive free throws spanning from the end of the 1998-99 season through the start of the 2000 America East Tournament. He averaged 5.8 ppg and 2.3 rpg in 32 games last season. Iversen is an unusual shooting guard. At 6-3, he has the normal size you would expect from a third guard. However, he was recruited by Minnesota to play linebacker and still has a strong presence. In addition, freshmen Mike Ames and David Lunn could add to the arsenal. Lunn graduated from Baltimore's McDonogh High as the school's career leader in assists, steals and points. Ames was a two-time Pottstown Mercury Player of the Year selection. In the front court, Delaware will have to replace Mr. Everything in Pegues and the group of Darryl Presley, Madou Diouf and Ndiaye who split time down low around various injuries. Basit and Sessoms are projected up front making them one of the bigger frontcourt duos to play at Delaware. Basit, at 6-9, 260 lbs., transferred from Massachusetts and Sessoms, at 6-8 240 lbs., transferred from Wisconsin prior to last season. On more than one occasion after practice last year, you could hear Brey boast about how the duo was giving the first team a tough time. Delaware also added freshmen Sean Knitter, Mark Curry and Robin Wentt to returning sophomore Dave Hindenlang. The 6-8 Hindenlang saw time in 11 games last season off the bench. Knitter, at 6-8, 225 lbs., comes to Delaware from Philadelphia's Penn Charter, where he was an all-city and all-state selection and a three-time all-league selection. He will not be ready until November due to a foot injury suffered in August. At 6-5, 245 lbs, Curry was the Area Player of the Year at nationally-ranked Seton Hall Prep, where he was a member of four county champion, four state champion, and one New Jersey Tournament of Champions title teams. However, Curry will most likely miss the entire 2000-2001 season with an Achilles tendon injury suffered in early October. Wentt also comes with a pretty good pedigree, coming to Delaware from national power DeMatha Catholic under the tutelage of Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee Morgan Wootten. The 6-8 Wentt was the team's MVP last year and earned MVP honors at the 2000 Capital Classic. The schedule will be one of the toughest Delaware has played, beginning with a date in the Preseason NIT against national power and former Blue Hen rival Temple and head coach John Chaney. In non-conference action, the Blue Hens will also face 2000 NCAA Tournament participant Penn, St. Joseph's, George Mason and Rider along with a return trip to the College of Charleston Tournament in mid-December. "Everyone can see we have talented players in this program," said Henderson upon his hiring as Delaware's 22nd men's basketball head coach. "But we are young and with so many new faces, we need to become a team."
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