Wentworth Institute of Technology: Athletics > Varsity Sports

Season In Review

If a book were to be written about the 2006-07 Wentworth men’s basketball team, an obvious title would be “Successfully Conquering Adversity.” Sure, you could look at the roster and wonder what adversity there would be on a team that lost just one player to graduation after advancing to the conference semifinals, but when a team plays 26 of its 29 games on the road and takes home its first Commonwealth Coast Conference title since 1998—including knocking off each division’s top seed in consecutive games—you’ll understand why the title fits.

With renovations to Tansey Gymnasium beginning in September and not wrapping up until the end of January, the Leopards knew that they would face an uphill battle from the start. However, with three of its top four scorers returning from a team that was 10-16, Wentworth was confident it could take a step toward becoming an upper echelon team in the CCC.

The season began sluggishly, as the Leopards lost to William Paterson (a pre-season Top 10 selection) and Hunter at the Drew University Tournament. However, Wentworth evened its record at 2-2 with wins over Mount Ida and Becker before opening its first semester conference schedule by losing to Gordon and Colby-Sawyer. A thrilling, 58-56 win over eventual NEWMAC Champion Coast Guard put the Leopards back on the winning track before the semester ended with a loss at Rensselaer.

Standing at 3-5 to open 2007, Wentworth lost to FDU-Florham at the Marymount (Va.) Tournament before defeating Mass. College the next day. The win over MCLA began a seven-game win streak in which Wentworth improved its record to 10-6 overall—marking the second consecutive 10-plus win season—and 5-2 in CCC play. The streak would come to a halt when the Leopards dropped their next two games to Endicott and Colby-Sawyer, respectively.

In its first true home game of the season, Wentworth put up a total team effort and defeated Endicott, 73-71, in overtime. The win over the Gulls was the first for the Leopards since 1995 and it sparked a three-game win streak, which would clinch a playoff berth.

Despite closing out the regular season with a 1-3 record, Wentworth was the number three seed in the CCC North Division and had to face the South’s second seed, Roger Williams, in the quarterfinals. A season ago the Leopards pulled off an upset on the home court of the South’s top seed and were looking to have the same success a year later. A back-and-forth battle ensued, and a last-second shot by Wentworth at the end of regulation just missed, sending the contest into overtime. In the extra session the Leopards scored the first seven points to take an 81-74 lead and held on for the upset, 81-78.

Two nights later Wentworth traveled to Gordon, the North’s top seed. In front of an electric crowd, the two teams played in what easily could be called an “Instant Classic,” there were eight ties and 20 lead changes. The final lead change came when sophomore Todd Doyle (Mystic, Conn.) buried a well-contested three pointer with 25 seconds left to give the Leopards a 69-68 win and a trip to its first CCC title game since 1998. In addition to Doyle’s heroics, junior guard Sherrad Prezzie-Blue (Norwalk, Conn.) pumped in a career-high 30 points in the win.

In order to take home its first league crown since 1998, Wentworth had the task of having to defeat Curry, the South’s top seed. In front of a packed house in the cozy confines of Curry’s gym, the Leopards scored the final six points of the first half to build a 10-point lead at the break and saw their lead go as high as 21 with six minutes left. However, the Colonels battled back and cut the lead to six with just under two minutes left. Wentworth used key free throw shooting to stop the host’s run and would increase its lead to 11 before the Colonels would pull the lead back to six with 11 ticks left, but could get no closer as the Leopards won its third CCC title with a 98-90 win.

“There are very few teams in any organized sport that fight hard enough and have enough breaks go their way to win three road post season games in one week,” said head coach Tom Devitt. “The atmospheres in each contest were electric, and our players fed off of that energy to overcome tremendous adversity in winning the league tournament.”

With the win the Leopards earned the CCC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The berth was the second for Wentworth’s men’s basketball program, but the first since 1997. With a 17-11 record the Leopards saw their season come to an end with a 98-72 loss at St. John Fisher in the opening round.

Prezzie-Blue, the 2007 CCC Player of the Year, averaged 19.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, while shooting 54.6 percent from the floor, 45.1 percent from three-point land, and 80.9 percent from the free throw line. His 575 points was the second highest single season point total in the program’s history and he was also named to the D3Hoops.com All-Region Team as well as being selected All-Region by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Coming off a season that saw him earn CCC Rookie of the Year honors, Doyle was named a Second Team All-CCC selection after averaging 15.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, while shooting just under 50 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from behind the three-point arc.

Senior forward Bryan Gaine (Braintree, Mass.), who would earn Most Valuable Player honors at the New England Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game, averaged 11.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.

Sophomore forward Weonard Bynes (Bridgeport, Conn.) averaged 9.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 21 second semester games, while junior guard Ed Bolton (Silver Spring, Md.) averaged 6.9 points and 2.6 assists.

“The fact that our team won a title in a competitive league like this without a home court is a remarkable feat,” said Devitt. “I am so proud of this group because they adjusted well to some significant adversity.”

Looking Ahead

Wentworth loses just one player in Gaine to graduation. With four of the top five scorers returning, a trip deep into the postseason is definitely a possibility for the Leopards.

"Bryan Gaine is a success story, pure and simple," said Devitt. "His dedication to winning, and his ability to do the right thing all the time gave us a chance to succeed this season."

Schedule

The Leopards play a 25-game schedule, which includes 12 CCC games against such teams as Colby-Sawyer, Endicott, Curry, Roger Williams, and Salve Regina. The non-league schedule consists of games against such schools as Coast Guard and RPI. Wentworth will be playing in a pair of tournaments next season, opening the season at UMass Dartmouth and closing out the first semester at the Cruzin' Classic in Fort Lauderdale. Over the course of the last eight seasons the Leopards have played in tournaments in Daytona Beach, Fla. (1996-97), Las Vegas, Nev. (1999-2000) and Monterey, Calif. (2001-02).

History

Over the course of the last 13 seasons, the Leopards have won 146 games, appeared in four CCC championship games (1996, 1997, 1998, 2007), won three CCC championships (1997, 1998, 2007), played in the NCAA Tournament twice (1997, 2007), and was an ECAC semifinalist (1998). In 1996 the team earned the NEBCA Most Improved Team Award. During this time, three players have been honored as the CCC Rookie of the Year, while the Leopards boasted three CCC Players of the Year as well as a two-time Academic All-America.

Meet the Coaching Staff

Tom Devitt (Boston College '93) is entering his sixth (2000-01; 2003-present) season as the Leopards' head coach. The 2007 CCC Coach of the Year, Devitt has been a member of the Leopards' coaching staff since the 1999-2000 season, including serving as the interim coach during the 2000-2001 season. Prior to his arrival at Wentworth, he had served as an assistant coach at both American University and Boston College. He is assisted by Chris Cullinan (Marist '96) and Anthony Leonelli (UMass Boston '06).