Alfred Returning To NCAAs

ALFRED – Last March, a senior-less Alfred University basketball team made its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III tournament and was perhaps a little star-struck by the experience.

This weekend, Alfred, somewhat older and wiser, hopes to bask in the same bright light of the star it reached for a year ago – an Eastern Regional Championship.

That opportunity was guaranteed Saturday night when Alfred earned a place among the NCAAs Final 32 by scratching out a 78-72 victory to capture the Independent Collegiate Athletic Conference title before 2,789 McLane Center fans – the largest crowd in AU history.

On Sunday, Alfred (24-2) learned it was seeded third in the East Regionals, and would face No. 2 seed Nazareth (21-4) at 5:35 p.m. Friday at Potsdam.

The winner will meet the victor of Friday’s other semi-final game, No. 4 New York University (21-4) versus top-seeded Potsdam (27-0), for the regional championship at 8:35 p.m., Saturday, following the consolation tilt.

Though Alfred is making its second straight East Regional appearance with basically the same personnel as last year’s that lost 76-68 to Buffalo State in the semi-finals, it returns brimming with much more confidence and determination this time.

“Last year, we were the baby on the block,” Alfred coach Ron Frederes related. “We were the fawn on the road trying not to get run over. We didn’t know what to expect. A great big Greyhound bus picked us up and took us down there (Oneonta), but we were a bit lost for three days. We learned a lot of lessons from last year.”

Indeed, one senses Alfred truly believes it can win it all this year. Just two weeks ago, Alfred was on the verge of blowing out Nazareth, leading by 15 with a minute left in the first half, only to see the Rochester school steal a 75-74 victory.

Frederes insists his team is not bothered by the fact that it may have to battle powerhouse Potsdam on its home court for the regional crown.

“To us, at this point, it doesn’t matter,” Frederes maintained. “We knew all season long what a good basketball team they are. The kids want Potsdam, really. Five of them went with me the other night when I scouted them against Oswego State.

“They’re awesome,” marveled Frederes. “People have described them as a Division I team They’re as good as a lot of Division Is I’ve seen. Yeah, it seems like a stacked deck playing in Potsdam. They’re something like 177-16 at home. But hey, we’re just happy to go to the NCAAs.

“At this point we are playing pretty well, although tonight could have been a little better,” noted Frederes, as the Saxons, ranked second in the state, couldn’t put away No. 10 Ithaca (18-8) though it led by as many as 13 early in the second half.

“We tossed the ball away a few times against their press which isn’t like us. But the heat is off us now. We came down to the last day of the season not knowing if we clinched an NCAA berth or not. We’re glad we’re in.”