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Parise: And The MAAC Coach Of The Year Will Be...

By Vin Parise
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Tomorrow at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, the MAAC Coach of the Year will be named.  I'll be up there co-hosting the event - and here are my thoughts about the award this year.

Who I think should win it -

Steve Masiello from Manhattan.  There were some great performances and coaching jobs this season, but personally I like to give Coach of the Year Award out to the guy that has exceeded expectations and overachieved the most.  Masiello inherited a 6 win team and was preseason picked 8th.  In turn, the Jaspers won 20 games and finished 3rd.

Who I think will win it -

Tim Cluess from Iona.  Coaches who have won big will all say it's very hard to stay on top all season long when you're the preseason #1.

Teams are constantly gunning for you and every night you are getting a team's best shot.  Cluess quickly earned the respect of the league last year, and really made a name for himself this season, as the Gaels won the first regular season title since 2001.

Who I want to win it -

Jimmy Patsos from Loyola.  If you're a diehard MAAC basketball fan, you will agree with me on this - no coach would give a better acceptance speech after winning MAAC Coach of the Year than Jimmy Patsos.  His energy and charisma is known throughout the league and should be fun to watch, especially this weekend.  Besides breaking program records in both overall and conference wins, this Loyola team can win the entire thing.

Here are some other tidbits & stats from the area as of today -

* O.D. Anosike from Siena - #1 rebounder in the nation.

* Gerardo Suero from Albany - 5th best scorer in the nation.

* Mike Moore from Hofstra - 18th best scorer in the nation.

* Fuquan Edwin from Seton Hall - #1 in the country in the steals department.

* Scott Machado from Iona - #1 in the country in the assists department.

* Jason Brickman from LIU - 5th in nation in assists.

* Rhamel Brown from Manhattan - 19th in the country in blocked shots.

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