2010-11 Molloy Men's Hoops Preview

Ranked fifth in the pre-season Division II East Coast Conference polls, the Molloy College men’s basketball team will go as far as Brian Hutchinson takes them. 

The 6’ 5” senior from Elmont was named E.C.C. pre-season Player of the Year after averaging 15.2 points and 8.9 rebounds during last year’s campaign. Lions head coach Tom Marquardt said he has no problem putting the weight of the Lions success on Hutchinson’s shoulders. 

“I’m excited about this group,” Marquardt said. “Hutchinson has greatly improved his outside shot and he can do both, play inside and outside. Offensively we’re going to work through him.” 

Hutchinson said he welcomes the challenge. 

“I’m just going to take it one day at a time,” Hutchinson said. “But I accept the role.” 

Both Marquardt and Hutchinson said they feel that a change in position from center to power forward will allow Hutchinson to face the basket and get more mileage out of his ball handling skills and his improved jump shot, while also keeping him out of foul trouble. 

“I’ve been working on my game a lot,” he said. “I think my game is more suitable for the four position. And I think defensively, moving to the four is going to help.” 

Rounding out the leadership picture for this young squad (Hutchinson is the only senior) are freshman shooting guard John Petrucelli and sophomore point guard Jim Nolan, who has the task of executing Marquardt’s hard-nosed, fast-paced style. 

Within that style, the Lions will look to apply pressure on both sides of the ball, making sure to run the offense through Hutchinson while also pushing the tempo when situations allow it. 

“My job is to make sure my teammates are in the right spots offensively and defensively,” Nolan said. “We have fast starters who can get up and down the court, but at the same time, we have some big bodies so we want to make sure we get the ball down low as well.” 

With teams like C.W. Post, Bridgeport and Queens College on the league schedule, Marquardt said he knows winning the E.C.C. will be a tall order. And while making the E.C.C. tournament (which Molloy has done consistently for the last decade) and then the NCAA Division II tournament is always the goal — Molloy has never accomplished that milestone — Marquardt refused to look too far ahead. 

“We have tunnel vision right now,” Marquardt said. “We just want to see what we have and get ready for Adelphi on Friday. No reason to look past that.” 

League play opens on Dec. 1 vs. Queens College at home. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.