Last season, the Cardinals came into the season with high hopes. Sporting a returning All-American center and a number of other talented big men, the Cardinals were favored to win the CUNY Athletic Conference and go on to the NCAA Tournament.
However things did not go as planned, as the Cardinals dealt with some difficult injuries and underperforming play in the backcourt. York, who has regularly finished with a winning record and gone deep into the playoffs, finished the 2010-11 season with disappointing 9-17 record and an exit in the first round of the conference tournament.
This season, the Cardinals feature a new-look roster, which they hope will get them back to their winning ways.
“We had a major issue at point guard last year,” said head coach
Ronald St. John. “We didn't have a true point guard that could handle the pressure. This year we went out and recruited and we got about six guards in here that can handle it a little bit better.”
Among the new guards is a pair of players from Campus Magnet High School with good ball handling skills:
Devon Lynch and
Du'Quan Lawson.
Tony Vails, a former CUNYAC Community College Player of the Year at Borough of Manhattan Community College, will also be a key addition to the backcourt.
Mark Evans, a transfer from the Community College of Baltimore, is expected to handle the ball as well. The only returning guard is senior
Kevin Lausell, who finished second on the team in three-point field goals made and fourth on the team in scoring a year ago.
In the frontcourt, despite the loss of two-time All-American and the nation's leading rebounder,
Marcel Esonwune, the Cardinals have a number of returning players that should put up big numbers this season.
William Holley, who will be a swingman, is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Now entering his senior season, Holley will be looked upon to fill the leadership role left by Esonwune and be one of the top scorers and rebounders on the team.
Shamir Wilkinson continued to improve during his sophomore season, playing primarily power forward, as he averaged 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds, both of which were third best on the team. This year, he'll slide into the center position and will be looked upon to be an even bigger scoring and rebounding threat in his junior year.
Also returning this season is senior
Omari Phipps. Phipps sat out last season, but was one of York's top players in the previous three seasons. In 2008, Phipps was the CUNYAC and D3hoops.com Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year.
“I'm not sure if you can replace the production of Esonwune,” added St. John. "But we brought back Omari, who is a very physical and talented player, and Shamir has stepped up his physical play. We need to stress the importance of boxing out and rebounding because we no longer have Marcel to clean up the boards.”
Going into the season, coach St. John is also concerned about his team's ability to play defense, as well as their lack of a three-point threat. However, St. John feels that unlike last year, the transition game will be a major strength. Last season, the Cardinals struggled mightily in the turnover department, but this season they should have the right personnel to move the ball up and down the court.
The Cardinals will be tested early on in the season, including in a season-opener on the road against William Paterson, as well non-conference games against New Jersey City University, Rutgers-Newark and Ramapo College.
York will play its first home game on November 29 against St. Joseph's (BK) at 8:00 p.m. and will open up conference play on December 1
st at the College of Staten Island.
Other games of note include, the January 11 game against defending CUNYAC champion Medgar Evers College on the road and senior night against archrival Brooklyn College on February 8.
