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GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - There aren't too many reminders of Richard Stockton College's run through the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament last season.

The Ospreys made it to the national championship game, where they fell to Washington University and were just one of the last two teams remaining.

"They have to realize last year doesn't put any points on the board," Stockton coach Gerry Matthews said. "They saw what it does take. They know it's possible, but each year becomes a new year. You still have to go out and do it."

Stockton, ranked fifth in the D3Hoops.com preseason Top 25 poll, starts its season today, hosting Baruch College, which isn't an easy game, at 2 p.m.

Baruch made the NCAA tournament last season. The Ospreys schedule some of the toughest out-of-conference games in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. They went 4-1 last season in non-conference games against teams that made the NCAA tournament.

One of their games this season includes Bridgewater State (Jan. 2), which is ranked 11th by D3hoops.com.

"You kind of try to forget about it, but on the other hand, want to remember how far we went," senior co-captain Santini Lancioni said. "Our goals are set very high. We know how much hard work it took to get there, and we don't want to forget that."

The only reminder will be a banner that eventually will hang in the school's gym.

Stockton lost two starters who were seniors from last season, Jerome Hubbard and Chad Davis. Middle Township graduate Michael Farrow and sophomore transfer DiAndre Brown will begin the season in the starting lineup.

"It's different role, more a leadership role," said Farrow, who averaged 11.1 points last year. "Mentally, it's different. I have to be pumped from the start. It'll be the same energy, but I can't wait to build it up.

Brown is one of three transfers this season, including Wildwood Catholic graduate Pat Kelly, who came from Division II Holy Family.

They replace Kevin Brown, who will not be back, and Isham Poe, who had one semester of eligibility left and whose ankle didn't respond well after he broke it during the NCAA tournament last year.

Hubbard's loss was big, though. Besides his long-range shooting ability and 12.8 points a game, which tied for the team lead, Hubbard's on-court presence was paramount.

"He was the guy that wasn't afraid to make a play in the last minute of the game," Matthews said. "He was the guy that calmed everybody down and he never lost his poise. We're still struggling to find someone to pick up that role for now."

Lancioni hopes it will be him.

He's been more vocal in practice and giving direction to the other players. However, he isn't doing it alone.

Hubbard is a student assistant with Stockton and talks to Lancioni after practices.

"He's been a great help to me," Lancioni said. "I have to take a way bigger leadership role this year, control the ball more. I have to work harder because I'm a captain. I can't take any days off."

Thinking about last year isn't so bad after all. The Ospreys were 30-3 and beat some of the best teams in the country to get to the title game.

"We worked so hard to get there," Farrow said. "It was a good experience. I loved that life. Now we have to work harder because we have a big bull's eye on our back."

Contact Susan Lulgjuraj:

609-272-7187

slulgjuraj@pressofac.com

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