Bridgewater State adjusted to roster changes this season

By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise

BRIDGEWATER - As the Bridgewater State College men's basketball team prepared for the 2008-09 season, size seemed to be on its side.

The Bears were returning Jim Torney, a 6-foot-7 player who averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 21.5 minutes last season. Adam Donovan, who is also 6-foot-7 and did not play last season due to a knee injury, was slated to join the frontcourt rotation.

"At the beginning of the year, we were kind of excited,'' said BSC coach Joe Farroba. "We thought we had two 6-foot-7 kids to go along with the team we have. When you look at the national level, you're going to need that physical size.''

The Bears had to change their approach on the fly last fall, however, because Torney was bothered by a knee injury that forced him to redshirt this season. Donovan, after a few days of practice, decided to leave BSC.

That forced the Bears to readjust things, going from a team with plenty of size up front to lacking in height in the frontcourt.

"We adapted by becoming a little more athletic and quicker,'' said Farroba. "We have guys up front who play bigger than they really are, like Roland (Millien of Stoughton), who is 6-foot-5 but plays bigger than that.''

BSC learn to adapt quite nicely this season, becoming just the third team in program history to record 20 victories.

The Bears (20-6) won the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference tournament and will be hosting an NCAA Div. 3 tourney game for the first time on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Saint Joseph's of Maine at the Tinsley Center.

"I was concerned when we lost those two big players because we were going to be without the physical size,'' said Farroba. "But we were able to adjust. The leadership of a Roland Millien has been very positive. We've had a number of players accepted roles they probably didn't like. They've been good soldiers, and that's been invaluable.''

Millien (16.5 points, 9.2 rebounds) leads the way with Nicholas Motta (13.8, 6.2), Judah Jackson (13.6 points) and Stace Garrick (11.1 points in 16 games off the bench) also averaging in double figures.

Garrick, who joined the team in the second semester, has been the key to a solid bench for BSC.

"He is another example of someone who accepted his role,'' said Farroba. "He knows that it is not who starts, but who finishes.''

Corey Connor, a transfer from Merrimack College, has provided long-distance shooting, Matt McLaughlin and Anthony Goss have been steady at the point guard spot and Cesar Oliveira of Taunton, Deryk Largesse and Corey Ryser have added depth.

"Every team is flawed and we have flaws,'' said Farroba. "To the credit of this team, if they do something wrong on offense, they do down on the defensive end and do something to correct it by making a play.''

The Bears have survived a difficult schedule that included five teams in the NCAA tourney. BSC benefited from playing in the Cactus Jam in Arizona after Christmas, a tourney that included two teams now in the NCAAs.

"I would tend to think when you look back on it, it was a valuable experience,'' said Farroba. "It showed what we needed to do to get to the next level. We've really played a good schedule and prepared for the moment.''

BSC last met Saint Joseph's (21-7) in the Bears' season-opening tournament in November 2006. The Bears won, 66-49, over the Monks, who won the Great Northeast Athletic Conference tourney.

For the first time in four trips to the NCAAs, the Bears will be playing a home game. BSC is 10-2 at the Tinsley Center this season.

"I think that's a big deal for us and I hope we can take advantage of it,'' said Farroba, whose team has won 14 of its last 15 games. "It sure beats driving to Maine to play. We've had great crowds. I think that helps the team, and they're excited about that.

"I think the kids are playing well right now. We played very well against Westfield and Salem (in the MASCAC tourney). I just hope we can maintain that.''