M. Hoops Opens Season

An NCAA investigation, an electrifying forward that can score from anywhere and a lightning quick backcourt—that’s what the Harvard men’s basketball team will face in its opening night opponent Fairfield at Lavietes Pavilion at 7 p.m. tonight.

The youth movement is set to take the floor for the Crimson, but that isn’t the most intriguing story surrounding the season opener. That distinction was stolen by the Stags with a report that broke over three months ago.

On Aug. 5, the Connecticut Post reported that several former Fairfield players accused the coaching staff of falsifying drug tests, supplying term papers for classes and giving them money.

According to Fairfield coach Tim O’Toole, the NCAA investigation into those claims is still underway. He could not comment any further on the matter.

The inquiry into the allegations against Fairfield’s basketball program left the Crimson unsure at times whether tonight’s game would actually take place.

“I think the biggest thing [about preparing for tonight’s game] was the uncertainty factor,” Harvard coach Frank Sullivan said. “But it appears that they won’t be sanctioned.”

Stag junior forward Deng Gai might make the Crimson wish the Stags hadn’t been eligible to play in this contest. Gai scored 32 points and pulled down 17 rebounds in Fairfield’s 90-77 exhibition win over the Slam All-Stars.

Despite being 6’9”, Gai likes to roam the perimeter and find his shot there, rather than battling down low.

“Deng is familiar with the outside, but he’s got to get better in the post,” O’Toole said.

If Gai stays out on the perimeter, Harvard might be better off. Without sophomore center Brian Cusworth—out a month with a stress fracture—the Crimson would have a difficult time matching up with Gai inside.

“[Gai’s] definitely someone we’re going to have to deal with as a team,” junior guard David Giovacchini said. “On the offensive end, we have to try to get him in foul trouble.”

Along with Gai, Harvard will be challenged by the strong Fairfield backcourt.

“We’ll see as much speed and quickness in this backcourt as any team this year,” Sullivan said.

The Stags’ quickness allows it to play pressure defense and push the tempo of the game, which can cause all sorts of problems for opposing teams.

“We’ve been working a lot in practice on handling full-court pressure and getting back in transition,” Giovacchini said.

According to Sullivan, the Crimson will probably play a zone defense in order to neutralize the Stags’ backcourt speed and Gai’s frontcourt presence.

“We’ve beaten them the last two years and we’ve been playing zone the last two years,” Sullivan said. “So we’ll probably continue that in this game.”

A common theme for both the Crimson and the Stags is the reliance on young blood to fill major roles on the floor.

“One of our weaknesses is the fact that we have three sophomores that we have to ask a lot of,” O’Toole said.

That weakness is one to which Harvard can relate. The Crimson’s only returning starter is junior captain Jason Norman. The only other player on the team that logged significant minutes last year—Cusworth—will start the season in a cast. The opening night starting five for Harvard is likely to include sophomore Michael Beal, junior Kevin Rogus, Norman, sophomore Matt Stehle and junior Graham Beatty—a group which combined averaged 12.4 points per game last season.

Despite the new cast of characters, O’Toole expects nothing different from this Crimson group than he has seen in years’ past.

“Year in and year out Harvard is a great rebounding team and great defensively,” O’Toole said. “Plus, they’re always very well-disciplined on offense.”

—Staff writer Michael R. James can be reached at mrjames@fas.harvard.edu.