Monroe Mustang Head Coach Jeff Brustad runs a basketball program that boasts of an incredible .800 winning percentage during his four-year tenure. Coming off last year’s third-consecutive Region XV Championship and District Finals appearance, he’s thinking “back to the future” for 2005-06. The goal, he says, is to get back to the national tournament (Monroe appeared in the NJCAA Division III Finals in 1997 and Division I Tournament in 2003) and this time maybe even win it. Monroe Mustang Head Coach Jeff Brustad runs a basketball program that boasts of an incredible .800 winning percentage during his four-year tenure. Coming off last year’s third-consecutive Region XV Championship and District Finals appearance, he’s thinking “back to the future” for 2005-06. The goal, he says, is to get back to the national tournament (Monroe appeared in the NJCAA Division III Finals in 1997 and Division I Tournament in 2003) and this time maybe even win it. His prescription? Players who understand the old adage that there’s no “I” in team. “Our recruiting goal this year was to find players who play team defense and are mature on and off the court,” he said. “We think we’ve been able to do that, which is why we’re optimistic that this Mustang team can be one of the best ever.” After last year’s 25-8 record, the Mustangs enter this season as an NJCAA Division I pre-season Honorable Mention team. For Coach Brustad this is just the right measure of optimism combined with opportunity. To seize that opportunity Monroe will rely on a talented blend at every position. POINT GUARDS Freshman Richard Jackson comes to Monroe from St. Raymond’s, one of the nation’s most renowned high school programs. This 6-footer knows how to play! Don’t let his large size (for a guard) fool you, he’s crafty and deceptive. A starter in high school, Richard plays big in big games.All the way from Sweden is 6’0” freshman Jonas Ghebremeskel, who joins a legacy of foreign-born Mustangs. Jonas is a true point guard: quick, a great shooter, a voracious defender, and creative in the open floor. He averaged 24.6 ppg and 6 apg in high school. GUARDS In the number-two spot, Monroe will look to 6’0” sophomore Will Cherry, who red-shirted last year and DaShaun Williams, a 6’3” freshman from Chicago. Will was a first-team Westchester County player, averaging 19.7 ppg, and 3.0 spg in high school. DaShaun is a complete-package type player who can play both guard positions as well as at the small forward. SMALL FORWARD Monroe will look to an emerging star from last year’s squad to set the high-flying tone in the forecourt. Ronald “J.R. Taylor, Jr., a 6’3” native of Pennsylvania, played the role of the human highlight film last year, averaging an electric 14.1 ppg, including 31.8% from the arc. Freshman Trevor Franklin, is a hard-working, crafty 6’5” athlete, who can get to the basket. He averaged 18 ppg and 10 rpg at his Connecticut High School. BIG FORWARD Doing the heavy lifting in the front court will be 6’7” Matt Salley of North Carolina. In addition to defending, scoring, and rebounding, Matt also has a nifty three-pointer! He also happens to be a cousin of former Mustang Virgil Smiley, who was part of the 1997-98 Monroe team that went to the NJCAA national championship game. Out of Boston is the athletic 6’7” Daryl Lodge, who was a Street and Smith’s Top 50 high schooler. CENTER Monroe will fill the middle with shot-blocker extraordinaire Lounceny Kaba, a 6’8” Frenchman, who made his mark rejecting 80 shots last season for the Mustangs. Also, back from an injury red-shirt last year, is 6’7” Nana Baafi, a wonderful athlete from Ghana who Coach Brustad expects will come into his own this season. |
